Rest her Case

by She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psycho

(One-Shot) Filia Ul Copt is being judged by the Court of High Elders in quite the trial. The accusation? Having feelings for a demon, of the romantic type. Luckily, Xellos is there to make the experience even more mortifying. A Slayer-esque type of comedic story, with just the right ammount of outrageous.

Rest her Case

By TailofaModernWoman

(*) Alternative titles for this story includes: "In Contempt of Him", "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt", "Argumentative Feelings", "Guilty as Charged" (The title might be a dead giveaway?), "Badgering the Xellos", "You don't have to answer that", "Leading, Very" and "Nothing but the Truth".

---

"By this Court of High Elders, Filia Ul Copt, you are hereby charged with the crimes of undue association, indecent consortium and emotional involvement with demons."

"I-involvement with demons, Your Honor?" asked the defendant bewildered. "I-indecent consort?!" Her hands slammed the banister of her accused stand. "I protest!"

"Are you protesting the charges?"

"Yes!"

The head of the High Elder committee looked down and coldly at the figure of the humanized ex dragon priestess. "By stating that, are you saying you deny the charges as presented to you?"

"I don't even want to think about it!"

The banister, like her sanity, had cracked. This was preposterous! Such blasphemous accusations! It was difficult to produce a good phrasing that didn't include the words 'Are you out of your minds?!'

"If the defendant does understand the charges -"

"Of course I do!" she blasted. "I've NEVER been more insulted in my life!" and bleated. "And I demand apologies for these accusations right now!"

A murmur of shock and objection arose in the spacious Hall of Trial. The head of the Court of High Elder slammed his mallet on the desk where he sat along the other eleven members of the jury body, trying to regain order.

"Miss Ul Copt, please address this jury authorities as Your Honor," the one Elder had said. "This is no more than an introductory hearing for your case. Respond with yes or no answers and refrain from further outbursts."

Something seemed to snap in Filia. Oh. Right. That wasn't the way to address the Court. Admittedly, it had slipped from her. That often happened whenever she thought of that demon. She should be template and calm and quietly answer these men's ridiculous, insolent, blasphemous questions...!

"Following the traditional protocol, we will proceed with the interrogation after the presentation of the defendant. What is your case on the charges presented to you?"

Filia nodded with renewed temperance and calmly explained: "I've maintained regular contact with a demon, I've had him intrude in my house, and I've worked along side a demon for the Darkstar campaign while I was still employed as a servant of the Fire Dragon King. But," she stared right ahead, "That is not to say any of that was undue!"

That was a fairly bold declaration, even if she didn't need the murmurs of disapproval from the watching crowd.

"You've received the mazoku at your home?"

"Yes," she said again.

"Pardon, if I may. We don't deny your association with the demon at the time of the Darkstar was an unavoidable need," said another member of the jury. "But what became of that association after that quest?"

Filia crossed her arms and turned away. "You are asking me why he kept visiting? I don't know, you will have to ask him yourselves."

Another raise of murmurs.

"Then that is to say you received that mazoku unwillingly?" he asked again. "By which logic did you kept his company? Fear? Other undue affect?"

By then Filia, who had been looking away from spite, turned back to stare at the old dragon in the eye. "I have NO undue affect for that rotten piece of garbage mazoku! My only feeling right now -" fire erupted from her body, "is wanting to crush his skull with my bare hands!"

Despite the overall rejection she was getting from the crowd, here a couple of them started clapping and whistling. Another ringing of the mallet brought silence to the room for a new question. "Should the jury understand the defendant asks the charges to be dismissed?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

The head of the Court unrolled a parchment and read, "To the charges of undue association or conspiracy?"

"I plead innocent, Your Honor."

"To the charges of engaging in a indecent consort or affair. How do you plead?"

"Innocent, Your Honor." Finally, this started to go as it should, thought Filia.

"To the charges of emotional attachment or harboring sentiments of care for the demon, Xellos, general-priest of Zellas Metallium, how do you plead?"

"I plead- what?!"

The shock had been enough she had forgotten her courteous manner and her face turned red. "T-those are the charges?" she asked, uneasily.

"As stated," agreed the High Elder.

Filia blinked, snapped trying to force herself in control and took a big breath. Of course, that's too would be a crime, she thought. It's easy, I only have to deny those charges too. Harboring feelings of care...

"E-excuse me, Great Elder, may you elaborate more on that question?"

More than one of them blinked. "Do you not understand the charges?"

"Well, if you think about terms of liking the mazoku in any aspect, I would have to say..."

Again her speech faltered, like her mind had been forced to wander against her will and her mouth had lost its capacity to form words even when she had thought them seconds before. Bewildered, she started to grow anxious and looked for one to another member of the jury in apology, "S-sorry, I got sidetracked by something and forgot what I was saying."

The High Elder dropped her mallet again, though there was more fidgeting than murmurs. "Considering the latest charges are "feeling inappropriate attachment to a demon," said the High Elder. "The question, Miss Filia, if you are so kind to answer."

Her eyes dropped to some vacant spot on the floor. It should be simple, the... the question... Her care-if the question was has she ever cared for a mazoku or... if she had any kind of attachment... no, if she had anything to like of Xello...

"You are really taking too long to respond, Filia."

A voice breached through her sanity like the body breached through the dimensional space. She turned around without a second to spare recognizing the presence immediately.

"X-Xellos!"

Popcorn in hand, a crowd standing from their seats or cowering in fear, the mazoku waved a hand dismissively and encouraged them, "Oh please, carry on. I am just here to enjoy the show."

"The demon, Xellos -"

Even before one Elder had finished his surprised outcry, another was sending the first fireblazer that led him nowhere. A magical barrier had let it bounce back and blast a wall behind the sender.

"My, my! Do you think we all could take things calmly? I really want to hear to what's going to happen next."

Even as he said this, Xellos dropped to the floor walking calmly towards the jury table and by the side of Filia. "Also, I believe I'm an important witness to this case, so I'm offering willingly to participate for the ensuring of the due process. Also, I would point out fighting against me won't account to nothing but loses in your numbers." His eyes opened maliciously, "So I suggest you consider carefully my offer."

As he said this, the beams of light and different spells of various powers bounced back on the shield around Xellos while he simply waited through without breaking a sweat. The High Elders did not move an inch. Bigger numbers had been wiped at his hand, so his threat stood pretty solid. Plus a number of them, watchers, had already left the building.

Xellos did not wait further demonstrations. He went to stand besides Filia at her stool, turned and delivered his greetings with a smile. "Good to see you, Filia."

"Xellos," she started, over the broken banister, "what are you doing here?!"

"I thought I just said it," he said albeit condescendingly, and raised a finger, "I'm going to be a witness for your case."

Her fists made some extra harm to the stool where she gripped, hard, to lean on and shouted, "You want to RUIN my reputation-isn't that right? MAZOKU! You... CREEP! You-just wait, I'll-"

She made to grab from her battered, confining stool at Xellos, who was just out of reach. "Really, Filia, you shouldn't judge someone's intentions without knowing those intentions. You may find my testimony helps your case!"

"As if I would believe something YOU said! There's nothing you can do that won't make things much worse!"

"Oh? I may do even more - So, Your Honor, shall we continue?" he addressed the jury table this time. "But I would like to change what I said before: I'll be more than just a witness."

The eyes of the head of the High Elder Court, hard and cold with underlying fear, fixed its gaze on the mazoku's human form. "What... is it that you will do?"

"Why, of course, I will be filling the role of her lawyer."

Dread, cold and horrible fear was burning the insides of Filia at the sounds of those words, before she even heard herself blurt to the top of her lungs,

"I object!"

Both jury and demon turned to her. "Filia?"

"I'll never agree to this!" she bleated, "I'm not going to let you stain my reputation any further by making you my lawyer, Xellos! Get out of this place RIGHT NOW!"

"But Filia," he said with a patronizing chuckle, "Is it correct in a trial to be judged without proper defense? I would guess even you deserve representation. And it's better than acting simply as witness."

Filia was already responding, "I don't WANT you to do any-"

"So," he turned to the Court without other consideration. "We were just discussing Filia's feelings for me, right?"

Filia's face turned a hopeless and desperate boiling red to such extent she couldn't utter thought other than, "What are you doing?!"

"Well, I guessed this is the next step of the trial," he answered.

"N-next step?"

He nodded. "You were so close before to get all the charges dismissed," he said almost reminiscently, "That about not being buddies with me or participating in indecorous, pornographic encounters or sordid sexual affairs."

Something got caught in Filia's throat. Even some members of the jury blushed at the choice of words. Xellos looked from one to another, "Wasn't it something like that?" he raised a finger smiling, "Or was it obscene sexual cooperation?"

Filia shrieked out of sheer frustration and suddenly turned to the jury table, "You call yourself dragons -" she pointed, "WHAT are you waiting for to KILL him!"

The group of Elder stood by watching and exchanging looks without quite moving, as if swept with a rush of shock too great to come up with a single sentence.

"Filia, you are not seriously saying that, are you?" said Xellos with obvious mock hurt, "remember you are under oath."

"I wouldn't mind them trying!"

Finally, after a period of seemly perpetual silence, the head of the Court dared speak again. "We... the Court of High Elders... do not entertain demons." His voice cracked despite himself. "And the charges against this member of our race have become all the more serious."

"I told you!" Filia admonished the demon and then turned to the jury and said, "Great Elder, please don't hold it against your servant. This demon seeks like many times before to upset me! He hasn't any other objective but disconcerting this Court for his own amusement."

"Oh but you are wrong," Xellos corrected her, "I also want to enjoy your discomfort and I'm slightly curious as to the verdict. So, what is it going to be, Great Elders?"

There was a pause where panic seemed to finally disperse and control of the vocal chords, like other body functions, seemed to settle on the Hall and its remaining occupants. The head looked solemnly at the pair as if dealing with two of his own.

"Servant of Metallium, though you are not welcomed, it's true we are no match for your power. We may not be able to expulse you -" Eh? thought Filia with a sweatdrop, then what have I been accused for all this time?! "But we can pronounce ourselves on the crimes you committed, Filia Ul Copt. You are a dragon, and as such, you are bound by the rules of our race."

"So," she started. "You are picking on me because I'm the weakest of the two?"

The jury, somewhat discomforted, looked set on ignoring the last statement and the watching crowd sweatdropped.

"Finally," the head went on, "it's apparent you have an interest in this trial, mazoku vassal."

Filia looked at Xellos, who hadn't any change in his smiling and offhanded calm demeanor.

The Elder paused again. "I've decided we will continue with the trial." Such declaration was met with reaction from both the chamber and within the jury table. "It is to find out what interest you have in it, to which end it will help us too to take the right decision."

"In other words, you will decide whatever annoys me the most," agreed Xellos without a gist of real care.

With a halfway nod, the head at the Elders Court moved his cold eyes to Filia, still standing on a broken stool. "We will take where we left, in the question about the third and last charges."

Filia blinked. They are right, she had to give an answer. An answer to that question-An obvious answer! "Of course, I-I would... a-about that question, the answer... well, I mean it's clear-" Again she found herself starting a line without ending. She was taking too long to respond for no reason, it didn't make any sense. No reason for her not to be able to give that answer!

The... the question... but if they are asking if she 'harbored feelings'-of course she did not! Well, not-Of course, the problem was that because-because she felt hate! And a lot other horrible emotions she felt when she was around Xellos! Those are feelings, that's right! She was under oath so of course it was their fault for not specifying, but that doesn't mean she-She did not care for-Those times when she... Did she...?

"My, my... You really do need my help after all," said her companion standing at her right.

"I would NEVER ask for your help, you trash mazoku!" she said in a rough whisper, "Whatever you do, I KNOW it will ruin everything!"

"You really have to give mazoku more credit in our dealings of the legal system. Say, like so - Ladies and gentlemen... actually, just gentlemen of the jury. What we have here is a member of your race, who I believe you have mistakenly taken as my lover, is that correct?"

While Filia died slowly in the background, the High Elder fixed him with his hardest stare yet, "We are not under interrogation, mazoku."

"Just hoping for confirmation."

He had started pacing around the front hall while presenting a sort of exposition. "So the charges are somehow related to that first hypothesis, if whether Filia Ul Copt is either under my influence, prey of a ridiculous fixation or captivation of the attention for myself, or have already consummated in a conjugal affair."

Filia died another bit as she struggled with her own outrage. "To tell you the truth," he continued, "I can't think of a good reason why such disposition, other than the ambiguous of term of 'consort', would be a threat to you or your community. Unless it's conspiracy, that is." He shrugged. "And let's not forget the level of responsibility Filia would have."

"Responsibility?" echoed the jury table.

He nodded. "After all, you yourself thought best than to attack me, in a hall full of your people. What chances had a single dragon against me?"

"That has nothing to do with it!" said Filia, if only to spite him maybe. "I would rather DIE!"

Xellos nodded as if it wasn't a contradiction to his stand or a blow for him. "So you see, even if she wanted to oppose me, if I really were to desire that kind of... interaction, I would have it, don't you think? And what choice would Miss Ul Copt have?"

Filia blinked when she saw the jury discuss among themselves. They... were actually considering Xellos' version to be true.

But-but that means...!

"HE HAS NEVER FORCED ME!" said Filia immediately, slamming her hands in the support of the stool that wasn't any more there, thus almost fell forwards in the intent.

"Ah," said Xellos bringing a finger for added stress, "that isn't to say it couldn't happen. Just that I have no desire for it to happen."

"You- was that mockery, mazoku?!"

"Do you even have to ask?" he replied out of spite looking somewhat annoyed. "I also want to bring to discussion what qualifies as 'indecent consortium'," he said, without paying further attention, and then poked her on the forehead. "Would that, for example, be considered indecent consortium?"

"Of course not," it was Filia who answered, rubbing the offended spot.

"Oh," he said smiling.

He paced around the stool and when he was behind her, flipped Filia's skirt, to an annoyed shriek and hands that flung to cover herself.

"Would that be indecent consort?"

"YOU STUPID MAZOKU!"

"Well, in any case, it can't be for Filia, since she wasn't so much of an active participant."

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

By now, she had attempted to abandon her stool and get him and he was making faces at her.

There was some more antagonism that wasn't entertained by the table of the High Elders. Finally, the head of them said, "Though an unallowed, forbidden practice, you make a good point of saying she would have not been able to choose to take participation in such activity, were it to take place. Plus, from her previous statement denying such practices, we have decided to drop the charges on that account. But that does not extend to the charges of undue association, since it's considered an act of high treason."

"Um, will it make you change your mind to consider it simply 'unwilling undue association'? After the campaign of the Darkstar, that is. While it's not conspiracy, she's as responsible as the ground I walk on."

"You..." But the jury again exchanged looks and mumbled comments and Filia had to be absolutely horrified at how Xellos had them eating from the palm of his hands. "How can you take this demon's word!" she said without being able to stand it. "He's obviously trying to manipulate you!"

The members of the jury looked at her and the head asked, "Do you see fault in his evaluation?"

...Then again, his exposition did work to her advantage, didn't it?

"Er, no, I..." she answered feebly.

"What about the charges of emotional involvement," the jury head said after some consideration. "Up to now, you haven't yet denied those charges, Filia Ul Copt. Is there a reason why shouldn't you?"

"It's not what you think!" she protested. "Do you want to know what I think of that rotten garbage mazoku? I'll tell you what I think of that rotten garbage mazoku!"

"Remember you are under oath, Filia."

"Who's side are you on, stupid mazoku!"

"What is it?" said the jury head suddenly, his eyes growing dangerously cold fixed in Xellos. "Are you saying she has feelings for a mazoku?"

"Mmh, I wonder," he said while staring at her defendant. "She's been acting strange." She opened her mouth to protest - "But I guess that is easy to understand," that he said before she could. "It is the nature of the question, you see."

Filia blinked in surprise. Xellos also thought-

"Would you say Filia is a creature of mild temper?"

The Elders looked at her before replying "no," while Filia was still with the monosyllabic reaction "huh?"

"Exactly." And with forced humor added, "How do you not think a dragon like that can face off with a demon and not have embarrassing feelings, like desire for destruction and violent impulses?" He chuckled, "With such ambiguity, it would have been impossible for her to say she has 'no feelings' for mazoku."

"YOU!"

By the grace of luck, she managed to get hold of his robes and dragged him to her. Even in that position, Xellos had a smile and a demonstrative finger raised for explanation.

"Don't worry. It's a matter of finding the right question to make you deny you have no affections for a demon." He turned to the audience. "Isn't that right, Filia? On the subject for feelings of care or affection for demons... huh?"

It was his turn for confusion when Filia went silent again.

He tilted his head. "Oh I know! It's Valgarv, right? A dragon-turned-demon who still produced in you maternal feelings of care."

Even the crowd went 'oh'.

"Then I'll make it simple: do you have any romantic feelings for me, Filia?"

That made her snap. "Absolutely not!"

He clapped. "That's more like it. In fact, you may say you hate me, right?"

"I'm not saying it," she blurted, "I DO hate you!"

"Right! And as you said earlier, you would have me hurt any day!"

"I'd hurt you myself!"

"So you may say you only care for me inasmuch as you would like to see me hurt."

Suddenly mild in consideration, she said, "I suppose."

"There you are." He nodded.

Huh. That did make her feel better. Something she would never expect from Xellos.

"So, members of the jury," he began again as his steps echoed in a silent hall, where the occupants listened captivated by every word of the speaker, "as my closing speech, I ask you: do you honestly think a dragon who has been forced to alliance with a demon would bond with the enemy over a single mission together?"

A murmur of agreement rose while Filia answered with a simple, "Eh?"

"And would there be feelings of camaraderie or affection that lead to a strange care for each other's welfare? Even aiding one another? Or that there's respect behind all the scorn?"

Filia felt suddenly uncertain.

"Maybe an implicit trust that allowed for enjoyment of each other's company and have enemies to join for tea?"

Filia felt faint.

"It's not like that can be a form of a hidden forbidden affection that, having no other place in their mindset, would find a face in bitter antagonizing with the enemy in question. Mindless bickering conceals a secret desire among hostility and aggression? Well, of course not. That can't be mistaken for affection, right?"

Filia held herself and looked away, gulped, and a little humorless laugh escaped her lips. She had gone pale and maybe even green in the face.

"So do you really think the defendant, Filia Ul Cort, a dragon, would harbor feelings of love that she would hide? To withhold such dark secret. A dragon, who was taught not to lie, to a Court of Dragons no less -"

"Alright! I admit it! I admit it!" Everyone had turned to Filia as she suddenly caved: "I've felt care for a demon's welfare! I've demons up for tea! I harbor a secret desire and hide it among hostility for the rest and myself! I lie to a Court and disgrace my upbringing!" She dropped to her knees crying, "Please, my ancestors, forgive me!"

"Filia," said Xellos, not without some annoyance, "You were not supposed to admit to it! It was a rhetorical question!"

"I know it was, mazoku! I'm admitting to my crime!"

He stared. "Are you stuck with a fever or something?"

"No! I'm admitting to having feelings for a demon from my own free will!"

He twitched. "Oh? And impure thoughts?"

She faltered. "Y-yes!"

He twitched again. "For me?"

"I said ye-"

He kissed her.

And that took about a whole minute while the court just couldn't put two thoughts together. Finally, among a dense silence and the beginning of a strange awakening, Xellos and Filia's faces parted from each other.

Xellos smiled.

"Well, since that is resolved."

"There's nothing resolved!"

But, as he phased out along with her out of the Court of Dragons, the jury and remaining audience watching, it was settled for all of them that, yes. It was resolved.

Guiltily.