Finding Yourself
Author:Nightstar Productions(Nightstar Fury).
Rated: Mfor Mature.
Pairing:Toothless & Hiccup.
Disclaimer:I do not own the HTTYD movies, Dreamworks Dragons series.
Chapter 29: Words Of Wisdom.
He wanted it to be over. He just wanted this whole thing done with and return to normal life. It was now Friday and 10:30am, Toothless was at his house with Hiccup, Tyr, and Fishlegs. Lilly and Markus too, Toothless had specifically asked that his siblings don't come to arraignment. Toothless also hadn't bothered going to school that morning either, and now that the principal was aware of what actually happened he didn't mind that Toothless was missing school. Mr. Bludvist made a personal appearance at the Fury home at 8am, to let Toothless know that if he wanted the rest of the year off he could since final grades were in and the year closed in 3 weeks anyhow. Toothless thanked him for the offer but denied it saying he would be present for both prom and the rest of the year.
"Tooth?" Hiccup asked slowly when he saw Toothless sitting in his room on the bed quietly.
"Yeah?" Toothless replied.
"Your parents said its time to leave for the court house...A–are you...ready?" Hiccup asked lightly. Toothless only closed his eyes and got up slow, he kissed Hiccup's cheek before shutting off his bedroom light then stepping out and heading down the stairs silently. Hiccup closed his door for him, then followed after. Toothless didn't say a word walking past his parents or friends, he just left through the kitchen door and got in the van, putting on his seat belt.
"He wants no part of this..." Tyr added quietly.
"No he doesn't. He wants it over with...Is the attorney meeting us there?" Lilly asked looking to Markus.
"He is. He wants to let Toothless get a feel for the court room, and run through how arraignment works before 11." Markus said.
"Well lets get there then, we have a 15 minute drive." Lilly sighed, with that they all left the house and filed in to the van, then drove towards the court house. The drive was silent, Toothless just stared out the window the entire time. When they got there, parked, and made it through security they were led right to the room the arraignment would be in. The detectives were there, and the lawyer Lilly and Markus had hired. Then Toothless saw faces he didn't want to see, those of his classmates. Specifically Derek, Erik, Shane, Tommy, Allie, Camilla, Rachel, and Heather.
"What are you guys doing here?" Fishlegs asked.
"Well arraignments are opened to the public if they know the victim so we thought we'd come down to show our support." Camilla said gently.
"I don't need your support. Not like any of you care anyway, and I especially don't want you here, Erik." Toothless said coldly.
"What did I do?..." Erik asked innocently.
"You damn well know what you did...I don't have time for you right now so just shut up and get out of my way..." Toothless growled shoving past him and walking through the center isle towards the lawyer. He turned and faced Toothless with a calm smile. "Alright...I'm here Mr. Laplant...What do you need me for?"
"Hello Toothless, its nice to see you again. I know you don't want to be here, and just want this over with. We'll get through it as quick as we can. I just wanted to give you a run down of how this morning will go." He said.
"Thank you for representing our son, Dean." Lilly said softly.
"My pleasure, Mrs. Fury. Now all of you just don't worry about a thing, Toothless is in good hands." Dean smiled. Lilly nodded as she and Markus sat down, Hiccup then Fishlegs and Try beside them. The rest of the people he hadn't wanted there did the same, and finally the detectives. "Today is a simple day. You'll be here with me on this side as the Plantiff, and your attackers will be over there as Defendants. As far as I understand, there will be two different lawyers over there. One for the 4 men who ran off, and one for the two they locked up." Dean explained.
"I know how the court system works...Just tell me what I have to do." Toothless sighed.
"Basically nothing. Today focuses on them, not you. You're just needed here to well show yourself to the judge who will be handling the case. The judge will read the charges off and ask them for their plea of Guilty, Not Guilty, or No Contest. I assume, you know how all those work?" Dean asked, Toothless nodded. "Good then. From there, the judge will decide on bail or remanded to custody until trial, also she will set the trial date today. We shouldn't be here longer than 30 minutes. We'll get these guys put away a good long time, don't you worry." The lawyer smiled.
"How long?" Toothless asked taking Dean by surprise.
"Beg your pardon son?" Markus said a little shocked.
"I asked; how long will they be away for?" Toothless said again.
"Well, there is no way to know for sure...It depends on the judge. Most cases for prison time are calculated based on the charge and these guys...have a pretty long list. And charges that could land them life in prison if the jury finds them guilty." The lawyer stated.
"The two who cooperated with police...I want the charges pertaining to my attack dropped." Toothless said firmly. This statement made them all gasp. "They didn't hurt me. They never touched me...They hesitated and disobeyed orders from the boss to hurt me, and got locked up themselves for it. I can't speak for the drug charges on them...but they didn't hurt me so I don't want them punished with the rest who did. I don't want them being put in prison for something they didn't do. Its not fair. And I want you to make sure the judge knows that or I will." Toothless said.
"Toothless...A–are you sure about this?" Said Detective Wright.
"Yes. Why should they have to serve time for a crime they didn't commit? They stayed back and out of the way, yes they didn't stop it...but I don't care. They didn't partake even when ordered too, and the boss could of killed them for that...You all heard me the night I did the line up...I made a promise to get them off with as little prison time as possible. And I don't go back on my word." Toothless sat down in the wooden chair.
"But they didn't help you either son, they watched it happen...Watched you get...assaulted at gun point..." Markus said slowly.
"This is my choice. I told you...eyes are the gateway to the soul, eyes let me read people...and when I saw those two in the squad car Wednesday night...They were sorry and they meant it. This is what I was trying to tell all of your before the detectives showed up to say the men had been caught. I don't want them to suffer in prison, I don't want them to get hurt by others who didn't like what they did. I want them to serve their time, understand that the things they chose to do clearly wasn't worth it to get stuck in prison. I want them to learn, to be motivated to change. To do better. Just because people do bad things, does not make the person bad. Because you don't know what pushed them to make those choices. Some people do it because they want too yes. But there are also some people who didn't get a choice, who were forced to make that choice, some who were forced in to, and some who did it to survive." Toothless said making them all look at one another slowly, sadly then back to him.
"A drunk driver killed my parents 9 years ago...Yes he was driving drunk, and that's bad because its against the law. But who is to say he wasn't drinking for a reason. Maybe he just lost his wife and kid, maybe he lost his job and his family was about to lose everything and become homeless? Who knows but when I watched him get arraigned in court, he looked at me and whispered he was sorry. He's now serving 15-20 in prison for it. Those two guys who didn't hurt me...maybe they didn't want to be a part of those guys, maybe they were forced or threatened to do it. People...choose to do bad things for different reasons. What defines us...is how we were raised, and the choices we make. Maybe someone who is bad now is because they saw it growing up from their parents, maybe they saw violence and thought hey, this is how I get my own way. Or maybe they were pushed to far to the edge and snapped." Toothless paused a moment.
"What I'm saying is this...People do bad things, but we don't know why. But I know this...Odin didn't give us life and set our destines to do bad things, to be a bad person. We are born, and our life until we're 18 becomes the responsibility of our parents and those we grow up around. Look at me...I lost my parents at 8, I was in and out of foster homes constantly with people who hurt me physically, emotionally, sexually...for 4 years. Then stuck in an orphanage for 4 more years...and now this. You think I don't want to snap right now? To do something bad because I'm so frustrated, upset, pissed, and various other emotions? But what will it do for me to lose it? For me to hurt someone for hurting me? It won't do anything by land me right here sitting at the other table being charged and going to prison for it. Then what? There goes my whole life, because of one bad decision in a moment of extreme distress." Toothless stopped closing his eyes.
"I've been through hell the last 8 years...Some good times, some bad. And I learned a long time ago that there will always be bad and good in this world, and what makes it worth living is to say we survived it with our heads held high. So yes...4 people who will be standing in this room in 5 minutes hurt me badly, but I'm not going to hate them. Instead, I'm only going to hope they learn and do better. I'm not the type to hold grudges, I tend to forgive and forget, the move on in life. That's not to say I will ever forget what happened, but I can accept what happened and move forward because life shouldn't stop because something bad happened. I don't know why these people decided to hurt me 4 nights ago, I don't know their pasts or what brought them to think hurting a 16 year old was good...but that's just the point. I don't know their pasts so I don't know what drove them to make those choices." He looked at them again.
"I do know this however." He stared at them intently. "There will always be bad situations, and bad people in this world. But that does not mean what they did to others should be done to them. Two wrongs do not make it right. I don't want them to be hurt in prison, I want them to be left alone with their thoughts to think about what they did. That they understand what they did was wrong and ask themselves if it was worth it to be sitting alone in prison with nothing. I said it before when Hayden's parents died, the morning I told Tyr and Frank what happened. The pain I feel is not something I'd wish on even my worst enemies. So I don't want these criminals hurt by other criminals for what they did to me, because it hurts and I stand by what I said that day. I don't want anyone else to have to feel the way I do right now, I wish this pain on no one." Toothless faced forward now and saw the judge standing there.
"In all my 47 years of being a judge to this court system have I never heard a victim, or a young man your age say such words." The judge said softly.
"My apologies your honor." Toothless bowed his head respectfully.
"Do not apologize to me son. I wish there were more people like you. You speak with wisdom beyond your years young man, and you have shown everyone in here that you understand the greatest lesson life has to offer. To forgive and forget, to move on. I've read your case, of what happened to you since the day you were born. And to hear you stand in this court room and say what you have just said, I am throughly impressed that even with all you've been through...You can stand here and speak about not wanting the people who hurt you to be harmed, to suffer because it wouldn't be right. You are a very bright young man, and you'd made a wonderful lawyer, or public speaker. I thank you for saying what you have said, I am glad I decided to peek in early. I am honored to of gotten to stand here and listen to all you said." The judge smiled.
"I only speak the truth ma'am. Having them be hurt or suffer the way I did, would only create more hate and more pain. And I think we have all had enough of that." Toothless said calmly.
"Yes, yes we have young man. I have a feeling you will go many places." The judge replied. "Now, I believe its time we get this started." She said taking her seat at the front, she motioned to the doors to be shut. Then for the guard to bring in the men, Toothless saw the door open as the men he had identified came in. 4 of them upon seeing Toothless glared heavily at him but Toothless only ignored it. He then saw the two from the squad car and nodded softly, his way of telling them he would take care of what he promised to do.
"Case number; 7630124. Judge Harmony Remiresu presiding. This court is now in session." Announced one man. Toothless took a deep breath, this was it. It'd be over soon.
The judge folded her hands on her desk and face the men being accused with a stern face. "Gentlemen. You are being charged with 2nd degree kidnapping of a minor. Sodomy. Child abuse. Child molestation. Drug, Alcohol, and Weapon facilitated sexual assault of a minor. And drug trafficking and possession." She paused putting the list down now. "How do each of you plea. One at a time." The judge instructed. All 6 of them pleaded not guilty. Of course they would, which meant there would definitely be a trial now.
Toothless motioned with his head for his lawyer to tell the judge what he'd said too. "I can't right now, motions for dismissal of charges is held in trial." Dean said.
"Then I'll do it myself." Toothless stood up. "Your honor." Toothless said loud enough to be heard.
"Yes Mr. Fury?" The judge asked.
"There are two men on the defendants side who are being charged with the wrong crimes. And I'm requesting it be corrected before trial." Toothless stated in a formal tone. "I don't want innocent men being charged with crimes they didn't commit." He added.
"You positively identified all 6 of these men as your attackers." The judge said.
"That's actually false. When I identified these men on Wednesday, I identified them as the ones present in the room I was held in. I only identified 4 of them as my attackers." Toothless interjected.
"This is...normally not how it is done but given the nature of what you say falls under false charges and possibly wrongful imprisonment if convicted, I'll allow it. Approach please." Judge Harmony said motioning with her hand for him to come to the bench. Toothless got up from his seat and moved forward towards the bench as the judge leaned forward. "I wasn't going to allow this young man, but your words earlier have rather inspired me to see things differently myself. So I will allow you to explain before trial here and now what you mean by two of them didn't attack you." The judge said.
"Thank you." Toothless nodded. "How much of it would you like me to tell?"
"As much as you feel necessary that pertains to the charges you want changed. I will decide afterwards. At this time, given the request by the victim...I am allowing him to speak under false charges, and wrongful accusations towards his attackers. His story will determine if the standing charges remain or change. Go ahead son." She told him.
Toothless took a deep breath, "On Monday June 4th, 2016 at 4:50pm in Bashem County. I was knocked unconscious at the Bashem bus depot. When I woke up I was tied to a chair with my arms and legs bound, a sack over my head. When the bag was removed, there were 6 men standing before me. I took notice the time was 6:30 by the position of the moon outside. Those 6 men are sitting over there, they wore metal masks of iron to cover their faces and the eye pieces were made of a tinted material thus not allowing me to see their eyes. At first, these men wanted me to join them. I was instructed to fight their boss, the man on the far right. After 15 minutes, I had beaten him down. A gun fired by that man..." Toothless pointed to him, "hit my arm, grazing it but enough to penetrate skin and cause bleeding. I was tackled down by that one..." He motioned again, "And fell unconscious." Toothless took another breath.
"The next time I woke it was 7:45, and I was tied back down to a mattress in only my boxers. Arms above my head with rope attacked to metal holders on the wall behind me. My feet also roped down by stakes in the concrete floor. The boss, approached me. Punched me making lip bleed then backhanded me saying 'That's for making my lip bleed'. I was forced by the boss to take a handful of pills, and drink them down with vodka. After 15 minutes, the ropes on my ankles were cut and I was flipped over on to my hands and elbows, arms crossed..." Toothless stopped a minute and closed his eyes, Hiccup noticed it first. Toothless shivered a moment, it went down his body like a vibration almost and then his eyes opened again. Colder eyes. Yep, Fury was out.
"Once flipped over, though partially out of it. I felt my boxers taken off from there, the sodomy started with that man," Toothless pointed to the one who did it, "With the handle of a golf club. Another, specifically him, "Toothless motioned towards who again. "Proceeding to grab hold of my penis and stroke me until I came. These acts were also accompanied by the boss keeping his gun at my forehead, left side. Following several acts of violence on my body ranging from kicks, to punches, to have a blade dragged across it. However...as 4 of the men took turns with me using various weapons and objects to penetrate my rear with...there were two among them who disobeyed the orders of the boss and refused to harm me." Toothless's eyes fell on them now.
"And it was these two right here sitting with the lawyer wearing a light gray suit. These two never put their hands on me, never hurt me, never abused, or sodomized me. When the boss ordered them to hurt me, they refused too. Though angry the boss seemed to shrug it off and let the others continue with me. After an hour and 15 minutes, of nothing but pain and various times throwing up, releasing...it finally stopped. I collapsed trying to keep from blacking out. I heard them say to get me ready for lock up because I'd be used as their mule to smuggle drugs past the border...As soon as they cut me free to lock me up...I fought back with whatever strength I had left. I knocked them all out after being stabbed by that guy..." Toothless pointed to another one of the 4.
"When it came to fighting these two however...They dropped their weapons in defeat, they let me hit them without a fight. They could of captured me, or taken me down easily because with the effects of the drugs and alcohol...I was barely able to stand. But they didn't, they gave up and let me go. And once they were all out or unable to chase me...I ran and got away. It took an hour to reach the bus station on foot, and I caught the 10pm bus back to Berk. When these two were arrested and brought to my house by detectives Anderson, Wright, Uddo, and Quaker to let me know they'd caught everyone...I asked to see these two and when I did, they apologized to me. All in all your honor...these two men right here shouldn't be charged with anything other than the drug possession and trafficking. Because they didn't hurt me...And I don't want them charged for something they didn't do." Toothless stated calmly. He shook again, and Hiccup knew that Toothless had returned.
He could see the eyes of the men who hurt him, and the ones who didn't. The ones who did, were glaring intently at him. The ones who didn't still looked apologetic but overall shocked that Toothless was standing up for them. "I find myself asking how you were able to ID these men when you never saw their faces. And were under the influence of drugs and alcohol during your attack." The judge asked.
"I have somewhat of a photographic memory your honor. They all wore different masks, but there was nothing covering from the neck down. When the bag came off my head, I looked over each of them to figure out age, height, weight, body type and the masks they were wearing, also the weapons they carried and if they were a left or right handed. When I was brought in for the line up and the detectives informed me that they also found the masks. I was able to put the mask to the body I had seen wearing it, I also used voice..." Toothless said.
"And how are you able to tell which man did what to you if you were facing the wall and under the influence?" Asked the lawyer representing the 4 men.
"Because I knew what weapons were penetrating my ass. Excuse my language your honor...and the angle of which was used by a left or right handed user. There were only 4 people who hurt me. The boss held the gun at my head, while 3 of his men abused and sodomized me. The other two never stepped forward, and I would have known if they did by their weapons. The two who didn't harm me were holding a dagger, and a metal mallet. The weapons used on me were a golf club, a wooden mallet, and a police baton." Toothless remarked.
"Mr. Hook. This is not trial so you should not be cross analyzing my client." Said Dean.
"I'm merely curious how a 16 year old boy who was drugged and drinking is able to tell specifically which of my accused clients did what to him. I think he's lying. Obviously he skipped school, was doing drugs and drinking, and got in to some fist fights then engaged in sexual activities. Let the record show that Mr. Fury is bisexual." Said Mr. Hook.
"Enough you two, I will have order in my court room. Now, Toothless. Are you certain that the two men you are asking to be released from charges pertaining to you are the ones who didn't hurt you? I feel uneasy about this course of action because if you are wrong..." The judge began.
"I'm not wrong. Its facial expressions your honor. The 4 being represented by a very unprofessional Mr. Hook have been glaring at me since they stepped foot in this room and continue to do so. The two I've pointed out who cooperated with police, and led them to the arrest of the other 4 have had apologetic eyes since the night I met them in the squad car. In my forced drugged and drunken state, I am very well aware of what I felt penetrating me. As for you, Mr. Hook. Yes, I am bisexual and proud to be such but at the time of my sexual assault...I was in love with a handsome young man from Berk, and when I was hurt he was sitting at my parents house waiting for me to get home. And to show I wasn't just gallivanting around Bashem doing drugs and drinking...I was at the Bashem Angels Sanctuary Cemetery, vising the headstones belonging to my birth parents who died 9 years ago Monday, June 4th. You can ask the grounds keeper, I was there from 9:30am to 4:00pm sitting in the grass. The cameras on bus 216 from Berk to Bashem station can confirm I was there from 6am to 9am. And the bus station in Bashem can also confirm I checked in at 4:30pm for my 5pm bus home. And the Berk station can confirm my arrival time in Berk was 1am, Tuesday June 5th, 2016." Toothless crossed his arms over his chest.
Mr. Hook didn't say anything, he tried too but looking over his notes quickly he couldn't and then, "You can't prove that my clients did it. There's were no weapons found, no DNA, and you can't use voices and body types or whatever in a line up. That line up should be inadmissable." Mr. Hook said firmly.
"Actually that's also incorrect because the masks that were found all had a double circle with an lightening bolt pattern on the right sides. Every mask was differently shaped and the body types of my attackers match your clients. Mr. Hook. So to shut you up, I'll make this real easy since I know you're going to try and use it...I saw all these before I was drugged when I was sitting tied to a wooden chair. And yes, body type, skin type, and anything they were wearing counts as identifiable because I was able to match the mask to a body type, and a voice to a mask." Toothless retorted coldly.
"Shouldn't your lawyer be speaking for you." Mr. Hook stated.
"Normally, yes. But since you want to sit there and lie to everyone about what I saw when I was there and you were not then I'm taking every chance I get to make you look like a fool. Honestly, you're as old as they are and fresh out of law school. You're a public defender. You know the truth because I can see it in your eyes, and eyes don't lie. When you saw this case on your desk, you wanted no part of it but you were told you had too because no one else was available to take it. You're shaking, you're terrified to be sitting next to those 4." Toothless stated. "They told you what they did to me, didn't they when you sat down with them. And told you if you didn't defend them, and get them off they'd kill everyone you cared about." He heard everyone gasp in shock.
Toothless saw Mr. Hook bite his lower lip nervously, watched his eyes glance towards the men he was defending. "Mr. Hook. Is this true?" Asked the judge firmly.
"YES! Yes its all true. I was forced to take this case, and when I met with these 4 they admitted all they did to Mr. Fury...Told me they'd kill me and my fiancé if I didn't defend them and get them off..." Mr. Hook admitted.
"In the words of a lawyer...I rest my case." Toothless closed his eyes as she sat back down at his table beside Mr. Planter who was staring at him with wide eyes. "I said my piece. Do your job...This doesn't need to go to trial since it was just admitted." Toothless remarked.
"Bailiff, please remove Mr. Hook from the room. He is no longer on this case." The judge ordered as the officer pulled a distraught Mr. Hook from the room. "Now, since your...lawyer at the time just entered a guilty plea for the 4 of you by admitting that you threatened him and his fiancé...I will accept the guilty plea, and dismiss the option for trial and sentence you here and now." The judge said. "The 4 of you are remanded to Berkian County maximum prison facility to serve life sentences for your crimes. No option for parole." Judge Harmony banged her gavel down. 4 officers came in to lead them out, as they passed Toothless one lunged at him pinning him down.
Toothless lifted his leg and kicked the guy off then rolled to his feet as the officer grabbed the guy again and forced him out. "Toothless...are you okay?" Hiccup asked quickly.
"I'm...fine..." Toothless held his side in pain.
"Are you certain? You don't have to stay for the rest..." Judge Harmony insisted.
"I'm okay...Just...continue." Toothless coughed.
"As for you two. I will remove the charges pertaining to Mr. Fury's attack, however for your drug charges...Given this is your first offense, and you assisted the police in capturing Mr Fury's attackers...I am only sentencing you both to 30 days in jail." The judge banged her gavel again.
"Thank you...thank you your honor." The two said as they were prepared to be led out, Toothless stood before them. "H–how can...we ever repay you..." Said one man.
"Just keep your promise to me. That's all I ask in return..." Toothless smiled weakly.
"We will. Thank you and we're...so sorry for not stopping them...you didn't deserve what they did to you. We hope you can forgive us one day." Said the other man.
"Already forgiven. I got you guys a second chance to do right...so don't make me regret it." Toothless said, they nodded and were led out. Toothless faced his boyfriend and family. "Can we go home now?..." Toothless asked.
"You got it kiddo." Markus smiled as he got up and hugged Toothless, Lilly right afterwards.
"I'm so proud of you baby." Lilly cried as she kissed his cheeks and forehead.
Hiccup now hugged him gently, "Its all over now." Hiccup told him. Toothless lifted Hiccup's chin up as he leaned in and kissed him deeply making Hiccup blush but he kissed him back.
"And it's a bright beginning for us." Toothless said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around Hiccup's waist and they walked out after Lilly and Markus, Tyr and Fishlegs followed. Then the detectives and their other classmates. The rest of that day was spent celebrating at the Fury home with just Toothless, his boyfriend, friends, and family. It was a good day, and he could finally start working on healing. There was still a long way to go to recovery mentally from what happened, and his physical wounds were coming around too. Toothless was just glad it was over at last.
