A/N Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait, I hope I didn't lose any of you. It's just that the first week of school is always hard and factoring sucks :( But I'm here now so let's get this story rolling!
But first, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in my mini contest. To all of you Anonymous Reviewers, I wish I could have asked you what you wanted, but I had no way to contact you. As for the winners, I tried my best, so I hope you like it.
Special thanks to, Hinamori Amu, Guest, Musical Teardrops, kittyallstars, TheLightBeforeWeLand, our main winners. Thank you all and enjoy!
The room was dark. No, that wasn't right. It was more…dim. Yes, dim. A shadowy figure made its way from behind the large desk to stare sternly at him. "You know we can't win this." He stated bluntly, his tone indicating there would be no arguments.
Tsumugu was silent. Yes…this indifferent lawyer was right. He couldn't win. The evidence and the witnesses could all attest to his…"wrongdoings." Ha. Wrong-doings. What a joke. He was justice! He was giving out the punishment that murdering bitch deserved. But no one understood. No one would understand.
But he understood perfectly. As decreed by the court, he would inevitably fall. Hinamori Tsumugu would be thrown into prison without even have accomplishing his goal. Unacceptable. If he was going to rot away in prison anyway, then he would finish what he started.
He didn't have anything to lose anyway.
"…Of course, we can probably get rid of the neglect charge and probably the substance use and abuse one as well, we should probably make you plead guilty…" the lawyer shivered, Tsumugu was supposed to be terrified beyond his mind and begging for help. He was supposed to be on the floor bawling and blubbering. He was supposed to be terrified! And yet all he did was smile, sending shivers down the lawyer's spine.
Amu groaned, swiping blindly with her sleepy arms into the air. "G'way." She mumbled sleepily, cuddling deeper into her pillow and turning on her side.
Sighing exasperatedly, Yui poked her foster child's cheek with her finger and wiggled it around a bit. Still, Amu slept on and Yui sweat-dropped. Never had she met anyone who could still sleep contently with someone like her bothering them every two seconds. Utterly exasperated and at her wit's end, a conniving smirk spread across her lips as she bent low enough to whisper into Amu's ear. "I just saw Ikuto-kun outside and oh! The girl with him is rather beautiful-"
Furious golden eyes erupted open and Amu went flying off the bed, her hair in disarray and her pants ruffling at the bottom. "What girl? Where's Ikuto? What's-"at the sight of her foster mother in giggles on the floor, Amu's shoulders sagged and her head dropped.
"I fell for it again didn't I?" she moaned regretfully, a long sigh dripping from her mouth.
Wiping a tear from her eye, Yui motioned for her to follow her as she laughed down the stairs. "Ahhh, it's almost as good as teasing Motoki."
Muttering under her breath, Amu swore revenge against the giggling violette. Trodding down to the table, Amu awakened to the smell of sizzling fried eggs and peppers and she hummed in pleasure. Amu thought Nagi was a good cook, but Motoki definitely took the cake. While it was true that Motoki was rather slow and didn't seem to have any amazing talents, the minute he entered a kitchen, he was the most talented one of them all.
"Ohayo Amu-chan!" he called out cheerfully, throwing in a bit of spice into his egg concoction and dipping his finger in the smoothie cup to test his new combination.
"What's it today Motoki?" Yui asked, already settled into her seat, newspaper open and ready to read.
"I was thinking peaches with a bit of kiwi."
"Kiwis? I love kiwis!" before she could even think about it, Amu's voice had acted on its own and she was left blushing at the table for her childish behaviour.
Instead of looking at her oddly or worse, telling her to grow up like her parents would have, Yui smiled that special smile that always comes out when something endearing happens. Amu's blush intensified, only masked by the arrival of a delectable looking plate in front of her. "Bon appetite." He winked, before devouring his own food.
Stuffing bites of eggs into her mouth, Amu's thoughts wandered. She never used to be like this. Quick to say what she wanted, okay with being childish. She supposed it was because of the fact that she wasn't an older sibling anymore that she felt that she could finally be young and honest. From inside her chara pouch, Ran poked her head out and smiled cutely. "You're finally letting yourself express your true feelings Amu-chan." Grinning down at her, Amu settled back into her seat and began to eat with a bit more vigour than before.
Glancing towards the calendar next to the stove, Amu stiffened. In big bright red letters, the word TRIAL was written just below today's date. Noticing her stiff expression, Motoki softened. "Don't worry about it Amu-chan. Yui-chan hired the best criminal lawyer in town. There's no way we're going to lose." His voice carried a confident passion and Amu couldn't help but grin back at him. Motoki's enthusiasm and blind confidence was contagious. Besides, she wasn't going to cry and do nothing like she did back then. This Hinamori Amu was stronger and this time, she had friends and people to rely on. She couldn't forget that.
Not like last time.
Hyuuga Isowasa was the kind of man you would never look twice at. He looked like an average man with an average life. He was just your average man. At least, that was Amu's first impression. But as Isowasa began to dive into her case, her first impression collapsed in on itself as the true intellect and determination of the man she had deemed average shone through. There was a reason Isowasa was considered a top-notch lawyer, he spoke about the case like it was a chess game.
He plotted out Tsumugu's plans and ploys and twisted them to his advantage. He was cunning and sharp, asking Amu for seemingly useless details but then expanding on them to create something more. Of course, the first time she had met him, he had told her that she didn't need a lawyer like him to win the case for her as this was the type of case where the winner was clear. However he acknowledged the fact that she wanted him to be locked away for as long as possible and for that, she would need someone like him.
Isowasa had previously gone to the same university as Yui and had run for School President along with her. The two of them had become good friends and maintained that friendship over the years. That friendship proved to be profitable as using her connection to him, Yui managed to convince him to take on the Hinamori case.
Currently, the four of them were huddled together in one of the private rooms in the court building. Spread out all over the table were dozens upon dozens of papers and scribbles and standing, scanning them all was none other than the enigmatic Hyuuga Isowasa. "The trial starts in one hour and I'm assuming none of you besides Yui has attended an actual trial?" his voice was low and rumbling.
Shaking her head warily, she waited for her lawyer to dish out an explanation. "In the simplest of terms, a trial is very much like a debate. You start with outlining the case and introducing the defendant, Tsumugu and the plaintiff, you. First, we're going to go up and introduce our case, which means I will be talking for you. They'll call you up for your side of the story and then your friends as witnesses. Next, Tsumugu will go up and be required to defend himself against our accusations and the court will ask whether he's guilty or innocent. Now since we have multiple charges against him, he'll more likely than not, pick and choose which ones to defend against as I've already explained before. And that's all for today. The rest will basically be arguing over who's right and who's not. Is that clear enough?"
In her head, Amu imagined a tennis court and a ball flying back and forth, with a judge dressed in shorts and a polo struggling to keep up with where the ball went. She supposed it made sense. It was really just a series of rallies and retaliations. She could do this.
No, she HAD to do this.
"It's better to be early than on-time so if you don't have any more questions, I'll lead you to the court room. I'll come back here to review the case a bit more."
Weaving through intricately designed hallways, plastered with old looking paintings and portraits of important looking people, Amu studied everything with wide, curious eyes. The inside of an actual court room differed drastically from what she had imagined in her head. It was simpler than she had imagined, and not as large. Weaving in and out of small hall-ways and large rooms, they finally arrived at a set of double-doors and a sign next to it with the words Hinamori Trial in big bold letters with an arrow pointing at the door. An usher glanced down at them quickly before snapping his head curtly, letting them in without a sound. She guessed she shouldn't be surprised; after all, how many other sixth graders had pink hair?
At the very front of the room lay a grand table on a stage and the jury's stands aligned to the right side of the wall. Isowasa gestured to the right side of the room vaguely and told them to take a seat. In front of the judge's table was another longer one that was apparently dubbed the Court Clerk's Table. Amu had no idea who he was or what he did, but she thought he had a nice collection of pens nonetheless. Sitting next to her were none other than her foster parents and she swivelled her head around to find out where her friends would sit.
"Only the plaintiff is supposed to sit at this table, along with their lawyer." Yui explained, noticing her confused expression.
A crestfallen expression darkened her face and her pink her fell across her eyes. "Oh." Was all she could muster up and Yui's eyes softened sympathetically before she brightened up. "Well since you're still a minor, I'm sure the court can make some exceptions. Besides, they're all witnesses to the court right?"
Cheering up considerably, Amu nodded in response to her question before tapping her foot against the table leg and watching the clock hands tick. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes until she'd have to face her father again. Twenty minutes until she could declare to the world that she was no longer his child anymore. She could be free; she could put him in his place and make sure she never saw him ever again. Just twenty minutes.
Behind her, the doors burst open and a wary Amu turned around to be met with a haughty looking Utau and a meek Kukai. Walking behind them was none other than her very cool looking boyfriend and his energetic chara. "Yo." He called out in a greeting, feeling his stomach warming as she smiled sweetly back.
"You're early." She commented, gesturing at the grand clock at the front of the room.
"Kukai's been watching too many law dramas." Amu sniggered at her friend's defensive expression and his expressive denial. "Apparently, if you're late to a trial something bad always happens to the main character." Utau finished blandly, always keeping out of the blushing boy's grip by mere inches.
While she was still laughing at their innocent flirting, Ikuto's face filled her view and concerned sapphire eyes swallowed her up whole. "Are you ready for this Amu?"
His voice left no room to wriggle around and avoid the question. But Amu wasn't running anymore. She was ready. She wasn't letting her father go. With a determined expression, she nodded and was reaching for his hand before Ikuto suddenly went flying away from her to be replaced by Utau's intense gaze. "Did you get it?" her voice was earnest and insistent and Amu gazed up in confusion at her normally cool and collected friend.
"Get what?"
Slapping her face with her palm, Utau reached into her ignorant friend's pocket despite her indignant screech and pulled out a long blue and white ticket. Amu gaped at the ticket in wonder before she remembered Utau slipping something into the same jacket the first time she met Yui and Motoki. Breathing out in understanding, Utau nodded seriously.
"I want you to keep it with you wherever you go. On the back is an address, if you're ever in trouble or have to get away, promise me you'll go there. The ticket never expires and is good for any route. But promise me. That if anything goes wrong, that this time you'll leave." She looked so serious, so insistent and pleading that Amu's eyes widened and glittered in the light before she took hold of the ticket and placed it in her pocket.
"I promise." She murmured softly, watching as all the hard lines in her friend's face softened.
"Good." Collapsing in a chair next to her, Utau sighed contently. "Well I feel all better now. I've been worried for days. At least this way I'll know if you're in trouble."
Smiling at her best friend, Amu perked up curiously. "Where IS it anyway?"
"Oh, that's just our summer home, it's not too big, but it's definitely a get-away. We're thinking of going there for the summer break that's coming up. You're coming of course, but-"
"You mean I'm not invited?" Kukai whined from behind her, pouting cutely and looking at Amu in a can-you-believe-this look. Rolling her eyes, Utau was about to reply but blushed heavily before she could. As Amu was about to comfort him, the door behind them opened and Isowasa walked in, along with an unfamiliar looking man with vivid red hair and sparkling brown eyes, a tall guard accompanying him. Ten seconds later, a tall man strode in, a conniving gleam in his eyes and hands confined with hand-cuffs; it was her father.
He had meant to keep his anger in check as to not raise suspicion to his plans and keep his filthy daughter from suspecting anything. He had tried to contain the bubbling, boiling wave of fury and disgust from running wild and killing everything in sight, he tried, he did. But the minute, no, the second! The second he set eyes on his laughing daughter, the uncontrollable rage overtook him again and suddenly, Tsumugu could see nothing but black and red and blood and tears and he found himself running at the unsuspecting girl and raising his handcuffed fists.
Fists in the air, he could only soak up her horrified face and the way her shoulders shook and her eyes flashed back into too many memories that he didn't even notice the blue haired blur until the pain exploded in his right eye. "Don't touch her." He hissed viciously, crouching in front of his girlfriend ferally, his hand still stinging from the punch.
Clutching at his face furiously, Tsumugu had no idea what was going on until he suddenly started screaming at the top of his lungs, raging and raving like a lunatic, struggling against the angry looking guard who was now screaming for backup. "I'm going to kill you! Do you hear me? I'm going to kill you! I'll rip you apart and watch you bleed! I'll take your heart and crush it like it was nothing! I'll-"
Stepping up from behind the furious blue haired boy, Amu stood her ground bravely and faced him head on. Her hand, grabbing tightly onto her chara pouch, asking for bravery and strength. "I'm not afraid of you." Her hand reaching out instinctively towards Ikuto's and gripping it tightly.
Cackling madly, Tsumugu howled in delight. "We'll see." He murmured creepily, ceasing all movement and letting the guard drag him away into a side room violently.
"The trial isn't going to be postponed is it?" Yui murmured worriedly, trying not to be overheard by her adamant foster child.
"No! It can't!" Pleading, Amu turned towards the Judge's Table to find that he had seated himself already and was watching them intently.
"If it is the wish of the plaintiff to continue, then we shall. For the sake of privacy, we had disallowed spectators in the court, only witnesses and family are allowed. The court will come into order in seven minutes." Sitting back down, Amu and her friends did the same, somehow all managing to fit on the same table, with Isowasa somewhat squished to the edge.
One by one, the jury filled their seats and Tsumugu and his lawyer walked back into the room along with three guards who stood protectively around the guilty man. Isowasa glanced around every few moments, as if trying to memorize the jury's faces and Amu twiddled with her thumbs nervously. Finally, the Judge stood up from his seat and banged his mallet. "The court will now come to order." He declared loudly, watching as everyone looked up attentively.
From behind him, the bailiff strode up to the podium and cleared his throat. "All rise for the commencement of trial 112, also named the Hinamori case. We are here today because plaintiff; Hinamori Amu, has accused her father, Hinamori Tsumugu of child abuse, neglect, substance use and abuse and attempted murder. We now call the plaintiff or her representative to come to the stand and present their case." As Isowasa stood up, Amu couldn't help but feel like wings had sprouted in her heart. Isowasa presented the case as fluidly and decisively as a rushing river and presented just as clearly. He presented her as perfectly as Amu could have hoped for and in that moment, all her doubts and anxieties floated away with his words.
Tsumugu was going down.
As dictated by the court, the witnesses and plaintiff were to witness the entire trial unless they were no longer needed or a representative took their place. Sitting next to her boyfriend, her hand clutched tightly in his underneath the table, Amu tried to restrain her glare as her father's lawyer stood up to the stand to introduce his case.
"We are gathered here today because a young girl was affected by a terrible crime, but the charges against my client are unjust."
Gazing down sternly at the red-haired man, the judge spoke slowly and commandingly. "Does Hinamori claim to be innocent?"
Rising from his seat, Tsumugu bowed his head. "I plead guilty to the charges of abuse but I'm innocent of the substance use and child neglect charges." About to sit down, he froze at the judge's sharp tone.
"And I suppose you're innocent from attempting to kill your daughter as well?" her tone was judgemental and distasteful and Tsumugu bristled.
"I didn't try to kill her-"
"Objection! You're honor; we have oral proof from Hinamori Amu, Tsukiyomi Ikuto, Hoshina Utau and Souma Kukai that Hinamori intended to kill her."
Eying Tsumugu in disgust, she ordered him to sit down before turning back to his lawyer. "You may continue."
Eye-brow ticking in frustration, the lawyer sighed before starting up again. "As I was saying, Hinamori Midori and his daughter, Ami had just recently died in a car accident, leaving him the sole survivor. He suffered extreme mental stress and wasn't in his right mind. It's only natural, under the five stages of grief to push the blame of the death of not only his wife, the closest person in the world to him, but his dearest three year old daughter. It's only natural for him to have gone over the edge."
"Are you implying that Hinamori-san is suffering from some sort of illness?"
"I'm saying that it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to be checked. If it is true that he isn't in his right mind, then this trial is rendered null and void and he gets no charges against him."
Silence reigned the room as the judge was left to ponder her decision. Squeezing Ikuto's hand frightfully, Amu hissed. She knew her father, he wasn't crazy, there wasn't anything wrong with him. He was just a monster. He was perfectly sane and she prayed desperately that the judge would see that. They couldn't make this trial last longer than it had to, they couldn't.
"It's decided then, the trial will resume when the state of Hinamori Tsumugu's mental health is decided upon. Dismissed."
Walking away in a flurry of black robes, Amu watched, eyes blank in disbelief as the Judge's Room door opened and then closed with a bang. Dropping her hand from her boyfriend's, Amu lurched up, hair flying around her and fists clenched at her sides. "It doesn't matter what you do! You're not insane and I can prove it! You're going to go to jail papa do you hear me? You're going to go to jail!" shrieking now, tears stung at her eyes and her shoulders shook in fury. Watching her father merely smirk at her knowingly made the anger swell even thicker inside of her and her eyes darkened with hate. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" she screamed, fighting against the strong arms that gripped her shoulders and led her out the door.
"Come on Amu, he's not worth it." Kukai's low, soothing voice flooded her brain, but Amu registered none of it. He was going to get away with it. He was going to get away with everything! Just like always, her dad evaded trouble. It wasn't fair! He deserved to rot in jail; he DESERVED to fall off the face of the earth. HE DESERVED IT!
But hearing Kukai's voice in her ear and moving her feet in the direction he wanted, Amu's anger slowly melted away until there was nothing left but the bright green grass of the park and the heated sun rays on her face.
Collapsing backwards into her friend's chest, Amu closed her eyes. "I'm sorry." She murmured softly, practically seeing Kukai's soft smile and understanding eyes.
"If I were you, I would have probably killed him right there. You did good Amu." He laughed jokingly before setting her on the ground where she looked up at him and simply stared.
Utau had it good; too bad she didn't realize it. Looking around and noticing the other's nowhere near, she cocked her head to the side curiously. "They're catching up, Yui-san just said she was going to pick up something to eat and told everyone to go along with her." Shrugging uncaringly, Kukai plopped down next to her. "You okay?"
Biting her lip, Amu nodded slowly. "Yeah. You can't trick a psychologist right? I mean, that's what they do, find liars and stuff. So it'll be alright."
Grinning, Kukai shot her thumbs up. "Now there's the Hinamori Amu I know."
Punching his shoulder laughingly, Amu smirked. "And what about you? Are you alright with Ayoama-kun asking Utau out?"
The utter transformation of expression on her big brother's face was priceless. Gone was the lighthearted glimmer in his eye and the cute grin on his face. A clouded expression stormed his face and his shoulder's tightened as well as his fists. "She never told me that." He bit out darkly.
"She doesn't like him." She reassured him quickly, watching his face rise for a second just to drop it again. "Actually, although she hasn't actually said it yet, she already likes someone."
Shock registered on his features, his eyebrows going lower and lower. "Then how do you know?"
"If you weren't the exact same as her, you would see that it's totally obvious."
"I'm not stupid!" he burst out defensively, pouting as he saw her amused expression.
"Of course you aren't," she cooed lovingly, a hint of a smile on her lips, "I'm just saying that you need to realize that you actually like her and do something about it already."
Forest eyes completely widening, Kukai fell backwards as his arms gave way and he burst up energetically. "I don't! - I mean, no-I! I...dammit." he sighed, staring dejectedly into his lap, his shoulders slumped. Placing her hand gently on his, Amu smiled softly. "But you said she already liked someone." He pointed out bluntly.
Smacking her hand into her face, Amu sighed exasperatedly. "Honestly, the things I do for you people." She muttered under her breath.
Standing up boldly, she waved her arms all over the place expressively before pointing at him. "I was talking about you, you idiot!"
"What?"
"Yes, believe it or not, Utau has the biggest crush on you! Now you can either sit here and waste away pining after her or you can go and do something about it!" she urged enthusiastically, a heart shaped clip popping in her hair, "You can do it-Ku-kai! Goooo Kukai!" she cheered, jumping up and down and waving her arms cheerily.
Blinking, Kukai stood up hesitantly before whooping and joining her in her celebration dance. "She likes me!" he cried, grabbing her hands and spinning her around joyfully. Honey eyes sparkled up at him and Kukai grinned mischievously. "One hundred mile dash?" he asked coyly, watching her in barely restrained amusement as she snapped her hands away from his and backed away slowly.
"Oh hell no." glaring decisively at him, she shrunk away as he stalked nearer to her, a sadistic grin on his face.
"But Amu, I owe you one for COMPLETELY MAKING ME WORRY over the love of my life."
"Love of your life?" blanching completely, Kukai froze in position as Amu snorted in laughter. Ha, revenge was sweet.
"Utau." He choked out, still unable to move.
"And co." Ikuto added sarcastically, miffed at being forgotten. Dropping the large bag of take-out on the grass, he collapses, purring contentedly as his eyes drooped closed.
"So Kukai, care to tell Utau about this love of your life character?" Amu winked coyly and blew him a kiss as he glared hatefully at her.
Mouth wide open by now, Kukai stammered and blanched. "What are you saying Amu? It's not like she…that I…"
Sighing dramatically, Utau flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat down primly. "If you're going to ask me out, at least do it properly."
Gaping like a fish, Kukai stuttered to formulate a response, but dropped his head in shame. Trudging dejectedly towards her before scooching closer. "Tomorrow morning, ramen contest?" he asked lamely, tossing his hand up in an effort to redeem herself.
Trying hard not to burst into smiles and hearts, Utau's blush poked through as she hummed in agreement. "Whatever."
Both looked away hurriedly, but not before seeing the other's blush. From behind her hand, Yui giggled cutely. "Ahhh, young love." She mused, glancing at Motoki fondly.
"Young love, eh?" glancing coyly at Amu, Ikuto grinned devilishly.
"Sh...Shut up you stupid cat." Memories from her confession flooding back in her head at an alarming rate.
Cocking her head to the side, Yui's violet hair danced in the wind. "Amu-chan, this has been on my mind for a while now, but…why do you insist on calling Ikuto-kun a cat?"
A sweat-drop appeared on the back of her head and Amu stuttered, stumbling over words and blushing madly. What was she supposed to say? That weird mini-me's called Shugo Chara existed and that Ikuto's was a cat? That Ikuto secretly hid a cat tail in his pants? No, that wouldn't work. Maybe-
"It's because he's a cuddler." Utau intervened smoothly, "Ikuto's big on cuddling."
Amu's mouth dropped, Kukai's eyes bugged, Yui burst out laughing and Motoki snorted on his milk.
And Utau? She stole Ikuto's smirk from right off his face.
A/N Honestly? I die for Utau. Peach Pit just made her so damn awesome.