Risenfromash: A short chapter this time…

CHAPTER 9- The Greatest Form of Payment

"Hello," Prosecutor Edgeworth purred.

"Hello," smiled the rosy-cheeked man at the witness stand.

"Would you please introduce yourself to the court?"

"I'm Mr. Kris Kringle, but I go by many nicknames."

"Did you name yourself?"

"No, I was given my name by the staff at the orphanage. I was found abandoned as an infant and, therefore, it was left up to them to name me."

"So, you don't know where you come from."

"I come from where we all come from, love. Do you know of it, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"I prefer 'Prosecutor' Edgeworth, thank you."

"Oh, I beg your pardon. I meant no disrespect. It's amazing how fast they grow. Doesn't seem like that long ago you were just a scared little boy who wore the most adorable bowtie."

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. How could this strange man who was clearly from out-of-town have known that in his youth he was not a cravat-wearer?

"Then again few children are," the distinguished gentleman reminded himself. "But most are also not into bowties in this day and age. This man has obviously done his research. He will be a formidable adversary."

Unfurling his finger in Mr. Kringle's direction he shouted, "What were you doing in Vitamin Park on December 23rd?"

Mr. Kringle smiled. "Yesterday," he said with bemusement. "I was taking a rest with my reindeer team."

"Team?"

"I'm from up north and they're the major part of my sleigh team. I really only come into town once a year, at Christmas time."

"Were you in any way receiving compensation for displaying your reindeer?"

"No, of course not! Unless you count the smiles of gleeful children, because I did get a lot of those and personally I believe there is nothing better, don't you?"

Edgeworth cringed a little making it obvious to everyone present that he was in no way a 'kid-person.'

"I even got a few grins from some older more dignified sorts, rather like yourself. You see, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, I believe that deep down we are all the same. Our hearts all crave the same things regardless of our age, our creed, our nationality. Don't you?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth to respond, but Mr. Kringle must have considered the question to be rhetorical as he continued without pausing. "If we could all look at life with the wonderment of a child the world would be a much more peaceful, joyful place don't you agree, Prosecutor Edgeworth?"

Murmurs of agreement came from the assembled crowd and Apollo winked at Trucy. Mr. Kringle was clearly working his magic.

"And I don't mean such things as grown, professionals finding enjoyment in television programs clearly aimed at children, I mean things like taking the time to smell the roses or catch a snowflake on one's tongue. Those are precious gifts that too many people fail to enjoy."

The murmurings from the audience had now grown to a dull roar causing Edgeworth to sense that the sentiments of the gallery were turning against him. He inhaled deeply and then shouted, "Yet, you threaten a woman doing the work of maintaining public safety!"

"What?" Mr. Kringle drew back in surprise. "I did no such thing. I believe there must be some kind of mistake."

"The only mistake, sir, is believing that you are not a threat to society."

Mr. Kringle's eyes were wide and he looked at Apollo imploringly, but the sight of Apollo saturating the defense desk with his sweat was not reassuring and Mr. Kringle grabbed the side of the witness stand out of nervousness.

Edgeworth crossed his arms and nodded his head as though he had achieved victory, but Apollo was not about to give up.

"Mr. Kringle, Prosecutor Edgeworth and my colleagues are under the impression that at the time of your arrest you threatened Detective Skye with violence and may have even cracked a whip at her."

"Why I never! That whip is sacred! I would never use it in such a way!"

"If you did not crack the whip and threaten her than I trust that you can explain to the court what you were referencing here?"

Edgeworth played back Ema's tape recording and Mr. Kringle bowed his head.

"Oh, I am truly sorry about that." He said sheepishly. "I think I got a little carried away. My reindeer aren't just special to me. They are special, as is their whip. The one who holds the whip controls and commands them and, therefore, has a tremendous amount of power. I wished for the detective not to separate me from my team and also to not touch that whip as if it were to fall into the wrong hands, well let's just say it wouldn't be good."

"MR. KRINGLE! When we hear the whip cracking who cracks it?"

"I did."

Apollo gasped. His plan was backfiring!

"Let me paint a picture." Edgeworth continued. "Detective Skye, working on behalf of the city, shows up to inform you that you are acting in violation of multiple state and city ordinances and then you proceed to whip her?"

Whispering to Apollo, Trucy commented, "Isn't he making an awfully big deal of this considering he has a sister who whips everyone?"

"It's called irony," Apollo mumbled back to her as he contemplated how to perform damage control after this bit of harmful testimony.

Edgeworth glowered at the normally jolly fellow who now had his head hung low in shame.

"There, Judge. Now you can see Mr. Kringle for what he is-"

"HOLD IT! Mr. Kringle, did you crack the whip to hurt or scare Em-Detective Skye?"

"No, of course not, but I'm still terribly sorry I did it if it frightened her. It never even occurred to me she might see it as a threatening action."

Edgeworth clucked his tongue in impatience at this latest objection. "Well, Mr. Kringle, if you did not intend the whip crack to be a threat, why exactly were you doing it? I'm sure everyone is interested in knowing."

"Does he have to talk to him like he's a little kid?" Trucy asked loudly enough that Edgeworth was sure to overhear.

"I cracked it as a signal to my reindeer. It means they should…run."

"Run?"

"In your line of work I think you would have a fancier term for it. Perhaps, something like 'escape apprehension.'"

"I see. You were signally your 'team' to run so as not to get caught."

"Exactly. It's something I've worked hard to train them to do. It's very important that they manage to get away to where they can fly to safety."

Both attorneys gripped their benches for support. Did he just say 'fly'?

"Trucy, please tell me he didn't just say that his reindeer fly."

"Ok, Polly. He did not say his reindeer can fly."

Apollo felt the all too familiar squeezing of his bracelet and groaned.

"Why me?" he mumbled, but his self-pitying grumblings were lost in the roaring laughter of the trial watchers.