"Hey Wah! Are you ready or not?" drawled Wario as he rapped on the door to Waluigi's complex of offices which formed his media centre.
"Five minutes dammit!" he hissed.
"It'd better be, cause they'll be more rumours that YOU tried to put Eyeballs in the slammer!"
"WAH! GET OUT!"
Trust that jerk to make things harder. They were both going to a party to celebrate the result of the trial which turned out to be a lot closer than either of them anticipated. Neither of them were particularly fond of the Bros, but even Wario was astute enough to know that if the Bros went down, they'd go down by association. But one more thing remained.
Waluigi looked at the hard discs arranged in a row. He'd personally cleaned all the databanks and archives of all hidden camera footage of Luigi, which when collated was a shockingly huge number of hours. He sighed and picking up a lump hammer, started methodically destroying every single hard drive. He had to hand it to Eyeballs, but there was no way he was being anyone's fall guy.
Mimi sat in a nervous silence, accompanied by her Appropriate Adult, Myria Toadlia as Professor Mycroft discussed the next stage in the process.
"I need to be clear that you understand the outcome of the trial so we can discuss the best ways to proceed."
Mimi nodded to Myria, who nodded back. She cleared her throat.
"Ok, so what I understand is that I've been found innocent of all the charges apart from assault. But I pleaded guilty to that?"
"Yes that is true. I can add that Princess Peach has dropped the charges, but there are conditions that need to be observed considering your...unusual circumstances. Given that most of the evidence is that you are legally a minor and as you have no living relatives you are technically a Ward of Court. The problem is we have to ensure that you have a Country of Residence and also you are required to have a Secure Training Order until you are legally an adult and/or have completed a suitable Certificate of Education."
Mimi and Myria looked at each other nervously. Myria spoke up first.
"How will my charge obtain such a suitable training course? And where is she going to live - after she has finished her studies?"
"We will come to that. The legal team is in discussion with diplomatic teams of different countries with the aim of resolving this. She will also need a sponsor for her studies who will be responsible for ensuring she reports to the authorities. However, we have come to once conclusion already in that assistance will be more forthcoming if she undergoes surgery to remove her hidden blades."
Myria blanched at this but Mimi sighed.
"WHAT!?"
"It was in the trial, Mrs Toadlia. You were there."
"But...why?"
Mimi looked at her in a sullen manner.
"I thought you'd been told about me. Perhaps only the stuff that went on in Castle Bleck. But there were...things that went on before I came to be there. They hurt me each time I use them. They hurt me most of the time when not. But they've saved my life in the past..."
Mimi stared at the ground in some sort of reverie.
Myria and Mycroft exchanged glances. She cleared her throat.
"So, Mimi what are you going to do now? You will have to give consent for such a procedure. It cannot be forced on you."
Professor Mycroft nodded.
"That is correct, if you refuse we will have to think of alternative arrangements. These will of course mean you will in effect be under house arrest until this issue is resolved."
Mimi looked up and gave a nod.
"I'll do it. I'll have them removed. I hadn't realised how big the world is outside of Castle Bleck - how warm the real sun is. It seems barely a month goes by when I have to adjust them anyway. But ...how can I trust you? I guess me and O'Chunks and Nassy-Nastasia aren't popular right now."
She gulped and looked down - looking very young and lost.
"I know it sounds weird me saying this but what's would stopanyone who thinks...who thinks that I should...be...punished um sort of unofficially?"
Mycroft spoke in a softer tone.
"Mimi, whatever charges were held against you or your degree of guilt, the law still stands to protect those under attack from an aggressor. Anyone who was to assault you without provocation would be subject to the same laws that protect Mrs Toadlia and myself."
Mimi sat up. This was new to her since it had been made clear early on in her life that although the laws could say one thing, people could and would do another. But this was the first time anyone had even tried to reassure her on this.
"Another thing." he added "Your medical records are only known to the panel of experts including myself, Judge Korra and Mrs Toadlia. In general they are supposed to be strictly confidential as they are still outside of the experts and the Deliberation. Other than the surgeons, no-one else will know of your status."
No one else eh? A tiny smile flickered on her lips. By now for sure she had what was known as 'a reputation' but perhaps it could have its uses if it came to keeping undesirable attention from her. She breathed out and nodded.
"I will do it. I said I would. But what am I going to do afterwards?
Myria spoke up next.
"Ahem, I've been meaning to say this for some time but a couple of days after the Trial ended I got a letter. I don't know how it got here but it's from a place called Flipside. It's from someone called Merlee."
Mimi jolted as if shocked by electricity.
"Merlee?!" Now it was Mycroft's turn to look surprised.
"This person is known to you"
Mimi blushed pink under the green. "Um...yeah. Not long ago."
"Perhaps you ought to read the letter, Mimi." Myria handed her the envelope.
Mimi opened it, her face unreadable but getting redder as she scanned the page. Her lips moved from time to time. She put it down and blinked at them both.
"Um...um...I don't know how she knew about this but Merlee has offered to be a sponsor for me! I don't know why. I...I wasn't good to her but she said something about what O'Chunks had said to her in passing just after the Void had closed. She said that she should give me a chance and that I am to be her apprentice in her new business - a café in Flipside! She did warn me that it is not going to be easy, but. I...I don't know what to say."
Myria and Mycroft glanced at each other.
"Whoa! That IS a turn up for the book! I had no idea!" Myria exclaimed. "But is there any reason why not?"
"None that I can see, although I will check this out with the panel of experts. This will mean that the sooner surgery is scheduled, the better. The main question is - will you do this Mimi?"
"I guess I will. I kinda wanted to work in a café - maybe people will think I'm...normal. I...I just want to get away from here now - not that I won't miss you , Myria. Will I be able to meet O'Chunks and Nastasia? - are they free?"
"That will have to wait for another time" Mycroft replied. "We have some preparations to do first."
-
Nastasia lay on the couch in the room, her abdomen exposed for the doctor's scanning tool. O'Chunks held her hand, seeming more nervous than she was.
"So we're still guilty of the crime 'Accomplice to a criminal.'?" wondered O'Chunks.
"Yes, but given the unusual nature of the case our representatives have argued that the sentence handed down matched the fact that we participated in blocking the Void and defeating Dimentio - so we have already served our sentence by being in custody over the Trial.
"But why are we going back to that Castle wi' the dungeons?" O'Chunks queried.
"Ah. I know you'd ask. It was kinda my idea 'k?"
"WHAT?!" Ejaculated O'Chunks.
"Relax! Look, we haven't anywhere to go and I'm due in the next five months. There is still some hostility out there whatever the verdicts were - think of it as protective custody until we can think of something more permanent. Also, I'm a bit kinda nervous - I want somewhere to be safe before the baby is born. Plus the dungeons aren't horrible and it'll be different now it's after the Trial."
"Aye, your right there lass - oh wait here comes the Doc!"
Dr Toadsworth entered the room, wearing scrubs. He got out a tube of jelly.
"Good day, Nastasia, O'Chunks. You both ready to procede?"
"Nassy says this machine will show us the bairn on that screen - is that right?"
"Yes that is true - we want to see that it is growing well." O'Chunks seemed pale.
"That is a fancy bit of kit! Who'dve thought that! Disnae make much sense but being able to see the bairn now! WAH!"
"Quiet now, this will feel a little chilly on your abdomen."
Dr Toadsworth smeared the jelly onto Nastasia's abdomen after placing cloths on her waistband and on her shirt she had hitched up to her chest. There it was on the screen a well formed infant four and a half months in.
"Ohh..."
"Perhaps you'd better sit down O'Chunks - you've a long way to fall." He complied. The baby meanwhile kicked and wriggled with no concern.
"Is that his backside?"
"It is, Nastasia - everything is looking good so far. It's on the large side but that is to be expected but there are no concerns right now. It, no he's perfectly healthy - oops didn't mean to say that out loud but I couldn't miss it."
"Heh heh - neither could I!" O'Chunks grinned.
"OK, I'll leave you to clean up and get dressed. They'll be another scan two months from now! Any problems you know to contact me."
Perhaps Nassy's idea wasn't so bad, thought O'Chunks. He'd been in far worse conditions than the dungeons of Princess Peach's castle - at least they would be safe warm and clean for now. He smiled at Nassy. She smiled back. There wasn't much else to say.