Chapter 6: Judge, Black or White
"2 bottles of beer on the wall.
2 bottles of beer.
Take one down, pass it around.
One bottle of beer on the wall." Shikieiki sang half-heartedly,
"One bottle of beer on the wall.
One bottle of beer.
Take one down, pass it around.
Zero bottles of beer on the wall."
...
"I'm done." Shikieiki announced just in case.
"No you're not." The human said.
"What?"
"You forgot the rest of the song."
"…What is it?"
"Zero bottles of beer on the wall.
Zero bottles of beer.
Go to the store, buy some more.
99 bottles of beer on the wall."
"Oh no, THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL I'M REDOING THAT!" Shikieiki objected.
"Well you can go with the alternate ending." The human suggested.
"Alternate ending?"
"Zero bottles of beer on the wall.
Zero bottles of beer.
Look around, no beer around.
Go into Alcoholic Withdrawal-"
"Okay, STOP!" Shikieiki cringed, "I don't wanna know what comes next."
"Okay then."
"Bored." Shikieiki sighed, "Bored, Bored, Bored."
"You can play Apollo Justice." The human suggested.
"He doesn't look interesting."
"What do you mean? You didn't even try it yet."
"It doesn't matter. Nothing beats the original."
"I would argue, but I'm inclined to agree."
"Hey. Human?"
"Yes?"
"Are there really no such thing as a justified violation?"
"…In the human world?"
"Not necessarily."
"Why do you ask?"
"I'm a judge. I'm supposed to punish those who've wronged. I have to reward those who've done good with their lives."
"Sounds rough…but a correct description."
"I've had cases where I…had a hard time deciding their fate. There's no such thing as a retrial in hell. Even here, in the Human Realm, I can't escape that nagging feeling."
"That you've wrongly convicted a soul?" The human guessed.
"Yeah."
"…There's only one thing we can do then." The human sighed, putting down his paper.
"Eh? Wh-What?"
"We start our own investigation."
Investigation Start
"I-Investigation?" Shikieiki cried, "What are you talking about?"
"Come on." The human said, "I'll show you my answer with the only thing that matters."
"What?"
"Evidence."
March 30, 12:30 AM
Criminal Affairs Department
Records Room
"This is where old case files and evidence are stored right?"
"That's right."
"Why are we here?"
"Take a look at this." The human said, taking a file out of a cabinet and presented it to her.
Received: Retrial Case Data
"W-Wait, are you sure we can just take this out?"
"I know a friend who can sweep this under the rug for us." The human shrugged.
"Oh." Shikieiki said and cautiously opened the file.
…
"Th-This is..."
"..."
"This is completely unfair, they didn't afford this man a fair trial! The story they created was obviously reliant on Circumstantial evidence. The court record was littered with unrelated items and the attorney was clearly bullied by the Prosecution into a withdrawn state."
"..."
"The retrial was no better! The same problems came up and the man was found guilty again!"
"But in the end, the man WAS guilty."
"..."
"The man confessed after the retrial. He was guilty. Now the question I want to ask is: Which is more important, the trial or the sentence?"
"Wh-What does this have to do with me?" Shikieiki asked.
"In your court, no evidence exist. No attorney, no Prosecution and as you said, no retrial. Therefore, your court runs completely on Circumstantial evidence."
"Ah! B-But, I have no choice!" Shikieiki objected, "I didn't make the court this way. I had and still have no choice but to judge by myself."
"In other words, your court runs completely on your opinion." The human concluded.
Shikieiki bit her lip and looked down.
"Come on. We still have more investigation."
March 30, 12:50 AM
Detention Center
Visitor's Center
"What are we doing here for?" Shikieiki asked, "Everyone here has already been convicted."
"Don't worry, it won't take long." The human assured her.
"What are we doing here?" She insisted.
"Just visiting a random convict."
"Eh? Why?"
"Just watch."
Convict#1: Sentence: Guilty
Crimes: Larceny, Murder
"What do you want?" The convict growled, "I'm guilty alright? My trial's already ended."
"We know." The human said, "We just want to know why you committed your crime."
"My...motive?" The convict repeated, surprised, "C-Check the court record if you want to know."
"I want to hear it from you."
"...I was...convicted of murder. I broke in and stole their jewelry. When they came back, I was so shocked I smashed one of them with my bag. I didn't think it'd snap his neck."
"Well Shikieiki?" The human asked, "Your judgment so far?"
"...Black." Shikieiki said firmly, "Most definitely black."
"I thought so." The human smiled, "Now, tell me why you had to steal." he told the convict.
"...I...my wife left me, taking everything I owned. I lost my job and when the landlords came, they tossed me out and burned down my home and all my possessions to build a new McDonald. I lost my birth certificate in the fire and identification to a hacker. I no longer had a name or anyone to help me. I thought of killing myself."
"Shikieiki." The human interrupted, "If this man HAD committed suicide, what verdict would he had been given?"
"...Black. No human should take their own life, no matter how bad it gets. If he can't see the light, he belongs in the dark."
"Then the fact that he stands before us grants him a White in that category."
"Yes, but..."
"After this last part." The human said, "Go on."
"I-I had no other choice. I had to steal. No one would take in a man who can't even prove who he is. My dept kept piling up until...I-I never wanted to kill anyone. I-I just wanted my life back."
The 2 left the detention center considerably depressed.
"Your final judgment?"
"White." Shikieiki admitted, "It was reasonable that the man would snap after that. Furthermore, the jewelry would have been in better hands. The man just wanted his life back."
"...Black."
"Eh?"
"I'd say he's black. No matter how dark things become, there's always a way to live without resorting to unlawful behavior."
"B-But he lost everything, even who he was!" Shikieiki objected, "Even the most optimistic of a person would be crushed by these events."
"...You said earlier that those who cannot see the light belong in the dark."
"Y-Yes I did. So?"
"Would you say I'm optimistic?"
"...No, not really."
"And yet I could still see a better path in such a situation."
"Wh-What?"
"If I've lost everything, including my name, that only means that I'm free. Without any way to fit back into society, I would take the chance to travel the world and see everything."
"Th-That's..."
"The convict would never had thought of that because he thought society was the only place he belonged. That's why he resorted to stealing."
"..."
"Your judgment?"
"...B-But like you said, he could never had thought of that! To him, he had no choice!"
"I only provided a path. Whenever or not he could have stepped down it was not my job."
"..."
"Let's go."
March 30, 1:00 PM
District Court
Court Room #7
"..."
"You can go ahead and ask." The human said as he looked around, taking in the sights.
"You've brought me to 3 different places now." Shikieiki began, "And each time you've proven something to me. This time is no different. Nonetheless, I feel propelled to ask again, 'Why are we in a empty courtroom?'"
"...I haven't been here for a while." The human said nostalgically to himself.
"You were a prosecutor before?" Shikieiki asked, surprised.
"No." The human answered, "But the memories I've made here are mostly...strange ones."
"..."
"That's where you sit right?" The human asked, pointing to the judge's seat, above the prosecution and defense benches.
"Yes." Shikieiki answered warily.
"What do you see there?"
"A soul. The defendant."
"No prosecution. No defense." The human said to himself as he sat down in the defense's seat.
"Nothing I can do about it." Shikieiki said sadly, sitting down on the opposing prosecutor's bench.
"...I'm actually happy to hear that you were conflicted over your rulings."
"What?" Shikieiki cried, surprised.
"If you were the kind of person that was completely confident in all their decisions, believing that they are always right and never accepts any opposition...I just hate those kind of people."
"...Thank you?" Shikieiki said, confused.
"Now that I've embarrassed myself." The human sighed, "Let's continue with the investigation. No Prosecution. No Defense. With no one voicing a opinion all you have is your opinion."
"Mmhm."
"There's only one thing you can do then, if you want a fair trial."
"What?"
"Create the Prosecution and Defense."
"What?"
End of Investigation
"Let's adjourn home." The human suggested
March 30, 1:11 PM
Large Scale Apartment somewhere in Japan
Human's Home
"So what were you talking about?" Shikieiki asked once they were settled, "Create a Prosecution and Defense?"
"First let's hear your views." The human said, "In the Court Style you love so much."
Testimony: Shikieiki's Answer
"M-My answer? Um..."
"I guess I don't know."
"If I did know, I wouldn't be asking you."
"...Is that it?" The human said.
"Yeah."
"Okay then."
Cross-Examination
Press-Statement 1
HOLD IT!
"Shikieiki if you can't come up with an answer then you'd start to sway from your own opinion even more."
"I-I suppose that's true." Shikieiki admitted, "But this is a issue I've had for a while and I still can't completely resolve it."
HOLD IT!
"How long is 'a while'?"
"A-About 500 years."
"500 huh?" The human said, unfazed by the number, "Then this method should work for you."
HOLD IT!
"You mean the 'create a prosecution and defense' plan?" Shikieiki asked.
"Of course."
OBJECTION!
"I've said it many times so I'll say it again." Shikieiki sighed, "I have no control over the court setup."
"For this plan you won't need to." The human answered.
"What?"
"500 years would have the voices stronger."
"What are you talking about?"
"The Prosecutor and the Attorney."
"..."
OBJECTION!
"Human, if you don't explain yourself right now..."
"I'm telling you to recreate a Prosecutor and an Attorney inside your head."
"I-Inside?"
"That's right."
HOLD IT!
"Wh-What are you saying?" Shikieiki cried, flustered and confused.
"Let's review the facts." The human suggested.
"Oh good, this usually makes things easier to understand."
"First and foremost, You cannot Change the Court Setup."
"That's right."
"Second, You cannot help but feel that your verdicts must be perfect."
"Pretty much."
"Therefore, creating a Prosecutor and an Attorney would help you decided on what verdict someone gets."
"B-But within my own head?"
"You've been doing something similar for 500 years."
"Th-That's..."
"The court setup will not be changed and the verdicts would be more accurate to the crime. What else do you want?"
OBJECTION!
"T-The verdicts can still be wrong!"
"Of course it can still be wrong, nothing is perfect."
"Then your plan is flawed."
"Of course it's flawed, nothing is perfect."
"..."
"All I'm saying is that it'd make your verdicts more accurate if you see it from both directions."
"...B-But what if I make a mistake?" Shikieiki sniffed, "And it can't be reversed?"
"Then there's nothing you can do but apologize."
"Th-That's it?"
"Those who cannot understand and/or accept the feelings of others. That is what I believe is the root of all problems in this world."
"...And you believe such souls should burn in hell?"
"Not necessarily. After all, they make life more interesting."
Shikieiki paused to consider the plan. The human watched her for a few moments until he had to go and make dinner.
The human placed down their dinner with a hand surrounded by power, "So you've decided."
"Yes."
And with that small exchange, they began their last dinner together.
"You know the souls in line for judgment are going to wait longer right?" Shikieiki said.
"What's the biggest problem with the defendants in your court?"
"They can't, won't, or don't believe they're dead." Shikieiki answered.
"The wait will give them more time to think about their situation."
"...I suppose." Shikieiki smiled.
"Ready to try it out tomorrow? Supreme Judge of Hell."
"Of course."
-Epilogue-
"White." Shikieiki decreed.
"R-Really? Despite all that I've done?"
"Yes. You've had good reason for doing what you've done." Shikieiki smiled, "Pure reasons made from a pure heart. White."
"Oh, thank you!"
"Next!"
"I know I may look old, but I'll let you know I happen to be-"
"Black." Shikieiki said, "And if you try this again, I'm really sending you to hell Yukari."
Shikieiki watched as Yukari sulked away into a gap, "Why do you keep letting her through...Komachi?"
"Well she had the money." Komachi yawned as she leaned against her Judge's pedestal, "And besides, with how slow you've gotten, I figured I'd slack off until you finish with this lot."
"...I see."
"R-Really?" Komachi cried, shocked.
"However, that dose not excuse your absence from work." Shikieiki began.
"Oh yeah? Well what were you doing while YOU were missing? If I had to guess...slacking off?"
Shikieiki jumped, "O-Of course not!"
"Oh really?" Komachi smiled devilishly, "Then what were you doing?"
"I don't remember..."
"See!"
"But I do remember a few things."
"Really? Like what?"
"Like this:
OBJECTION!"
The human laid atop his bed. His final conversation with Shikieiki lingered in his mind:
"Thank you for helping me." Shikieiki bowed.
"It's nothing."
"How can I repay you? Oh, I know, how about I give you an early trial?"
"What?"
"So you can change now and I can give you a White verdict when you die."
"O-Oh?"
"Let see then..."
…
…
…
"Black."
"...Really?"
"Well you are a lolicon." Shikieiki said crossly, "Once you learn to suppress your sexual urges, THEN I'll give you a White."
"Just go."
"Hold on." Shikieiki laughed, "Take this." She handed the human a coin, "Give this to Komachi when you die okay? Your ride should be really short."
"Maybe I SHOULD have told her that was a joke." The human wondered as he flipped the coin into the air and caught it again., "Oh well too late now."
He got up and looked at the sun still rising in the sky.
White.
Black.
None of that matters to me.
I aim to be Grey. Utopia is boring. Dystopia is depressing. Only in balance can you live life.
"But living alone. Without and interactions with fellow humans. Does that mean I'm even living? Does it matter as long as I'm content?" The human mused, "All I know for sure is for now...I feel loney."
…
"Perhaps I should play some games."