148
"Are you alright?"
Myrah had been gazing off into the ocean near the village, but she pulled her eyes away from the crashing waves at the village leader's question.
"I'm fine."
Her voice sounded cold…distant. She wasn't sure if he believed her, and she wouldn't blame him if he didn't. She held her head high.
"Please, lead the way," she insisted, and he nodded.
"Of course, Leader Myrah. The new market is this way. It's a little early to know exactly how it will impact local economy…"
He continued his explanation, and she followed behind. Her days had been filled with visits this last week; she couldn't bring herself to stay in the fortress. Even the library had lost its charm. Before, she could spend hours on her own without a problem. But now the solitude weighed on her…loneliness, she supposed. It didn't help that she wasn't speaking with Bula, who had always been one of her only confidants.
"There will be a few more stalls at the end of this week, but this is what we have so far."
She looked around the man at the rows of market stalls, each offering different things caught from the sea. Myrah sighed and the village leader cleared his throat nervously.
"Not what you were expecting?" he tried carefully, and she looked over.
"It's fine…exactly what we proposed at the last meeting," she answered, trying to give him an approving look. He scanned her face.
"Are you sure you are feeling alright?" he asked, and she sighed again.
"I want to do more," she finally admitted. He glanced back at the market.
"More…stalls? Perhaps something other than…"
"No, not the market. I just mean…"
She trailed off, and finally looked back at the leader. Really looked. The man was older; he had been leading this village far longer than she had been leading the province.
"What do you think makes a good leader?" she finally blurted. He looked shocked, and immediately uneasy.
"I…"
"It's an honest question, not a test," she explained, her tone softer. She hoped that she sounded as genuine as she felt, and he finally rubbed his neck.
"A…good leader? I suppose we all just do as much as we can."
"But what if it's not good enough?"
He glanced up at her again as her tone became desperate.
"What if it's not accomplishing anything…not really making the changes…"
"Have I done something to displease you?"
The man cut in, and Myrah realized that the leader assumed she was angry with him.
"No. I'm sorry…this has nothing to do with you."
He just looked confused, and she rubbed her face.
"The more reach a leader has…the higher they are in the hierarchy…that's when they can make more of a difference. Wouldn't you say?" she tried. The man seemed to really be considering what she was saying, which was better than the conversation had been going thus far.
"I…don't know," he said carefully.
"Feel free to speak your mind," she offered. He rubbed his neck again.
"I don't consider myself a voice of wisdom, by any means. But I think that the more you're in charge of…the harder it gets."
She just stared at him, and he cleared his throat.
"As far as making a difference, at least. Old Western Fisherman saying: you gotta row…"
"…with the boat you got," Myrah finished her voice distance once again.
He nodded.
"All any of us can do. Is there anything you need from me? Something I could be doing better?"
She shook her head, though she was still lost in thought.
"No, honestly. I'm sorry for bringing it up. I've just been trying to…sort some things out."
He studied her a little longer.
"Let me know if there's anything I can do."
"Thank you," she said, feeling foolish and lost. "I'm sorry for the interruption. Please continue."
"Sit. Sit."
Baffa whined and Pippa pouted at him.
"I said sit, Baffa! You only get the treat after you listen…"
"Sit down, Baffa."
Hershel spoke up now from where he was making a poultice. The sniffer finally obeyed, and Pippa looked at her fluffy friend in amazement before glancing at her Uncle.
"He listens to you better than me now," she complained, and there was a hint of a smile on Hershel's face.
"You have to be firm with him, Pippa. He already knows that you're going to give him the treat whether he sits or not."
She blew a frizzy lock of hair out of her face.
"I am not."
He glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow. His eyes didn't meet hers…they never focused on anything. But the look was clear regardless.
"I am firm," she muttered again, turning back to give her sniffer the evil eye. "Right Baffa?"
He tilted his head, whining again at the sight of the treat in her hand. After a moment she sighed and tossed it to him.
"See?" Hershel pointed out with a smile, and she turned to glare at him.
"I gave it to him cuz he sat," she pointed out, and he chuckled a little. Pippa was still irritated, but it did make her happy to hear her Uncle's chuckle. He was still sad most of the time, but he wasn't as sad. It gave her a feeling of pride anytime she managed to make him laugh.
"Watcha making?" she asked as she came over to watch. He didn't answer and she tugged on his sleeve. "Uncle Hershel…"
"You should know what it is. Use your nose."
She squinted at the poultice in the mortar, her nose wrinkling.
"Lots of your poultice's stink; smell's no help," she complained, and he shook his head.
"Then look at the ingredients, Pip."
She scanned the ingredients scattered on the table and finally smiled.
"For bruises. Stuff to put on bruises…right?"
He nodded and she smiled in victory.
"I'm gonna be a good Healer, Uncle Hershel. Even if I'm not a real one."
He stopped grinding, turning to look at her again. His expression was serious, and Pippa's smile faded.
"Pippa…anyone who spends their time helping people heal is a real Healer. I've already told you; you don't have to be my apprentice for that to happen."
"I just meant real real…like part of the real group of Healers…"
"I know what you meant. That's why I corrected you."
He went back to grinding, and Pippa pouted when she realized that the brief moment of happiness had left; Hershel had pulled back into his brooding shell.
"Do the other Healers have apprentices? The ones part of the group?" she finally asked. Hershel frowned.
"I…don't know."
"That short one doesn't…the horrible one. He was mad I wasn't your apprentice cuz he said it was a waste…"
Hershel exhaled out his nose, and Pippa knew he was angry. She wondered if he was angry at her.
"I would never be his apprentice," she offered, bouncing in place. "He's a bully…and he hurt you. And I'd probably be taller than him in a few years anyway."
She wanted to make him laugh again, but he didn't seem amused. He reached out until he found her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
"Pippa…I would never let that happen. Alright? He has no right to you. The Healer Organization is never going to have any right to you at all."
She swallowed and nodded.
"Alright," she offered. He stared at her a minute longer and then turned back to his poultice.
"Go get some empty vials, Pip."
She stood a second more, trying to process everything. But then she burst into movement, not wanting to make him have to repeat himself. She knew her Uncle hated repeating himself, especially when he was already angry.
Pippa found empty vials and they spent the rest of the morning carefully filling them. Hershel still kinda made a mess when he tried to fill the vials, but by the end of the task he was better at it. He was getting better at lots of stuff, Pippa decided.
"Uncle Hershel?"
"Mmm?"
He was carefully screwing corks into the tops of the vials.
"You said you're never gonna have an apprentice. And the other Healers don't have apprentices either. But if none of you have apprentices, doesn't that mean the Secret Healer Group is gonna disappear? What happens if there is just nobody part of it anymore?"
Hershel's brow furrowed, and Pippa almost regretting bringing the topic of conversation back up again. But it was a thought that had occurred to her a few days ago, and she had wanted to ask her Uncle about it since. She wasn't sure he would answer, but then he finally did.
"I guess it would die off," he admitted.
"Isn't that bad?" she asked timidly, and his brow furrowed. After a moment he just scoffed bitterly.
"Maybe it would be for the best."
Amber stared at her reflection. The poppies woven into her braided crown were there to give her courage…but it wasn't a performance that she was going to today. In fact, she wasn't even a main player; if anything, today she would be a simple audience member.
"You ready?"
She turned to see Theodynn in the doorway. He was all dressed up as well; a poppy was pinned to his lapel, and it seemed he had gotten his hair to behave today. He noticed her expression and gave her a comforting smile.
"It's going to be fine, Ams," he promised, but she knew that he was just as nervous as she was. He held out a hand and she came over and took it. Theo squeezed her hand as they walked to the front of their grandfather's house. Their parents were talking in hushed tones by the door, and Amber managed to catch the last of their conversation as they approached.
"If they try to put us in chains, Cole…if I even see vengestone…" Keyda was murmuring angrily. Cole was rubbing her arms, shaking his head.
"I wouldn't let them, Keyds."
"Oh, you would do something to stop them? What if it messed with the politics of the situation?" she asked bitterly, but by this point Cole had glanced over and caught sight of his children. He smiled.
"You guys look great," he offered, and their mother turned as well. Amber tried to give them both a brave smile. She rarely ever saw her parents dressed up. They had for her performances, she realized…but not much outside of that. Her father's suit was black, as was her mother's dress. They were all wearing black, she realized. She glanced at the poppy on her father's suit and the ones in her mother's hair. Black and red.
"How long will this take, do you think?" Theo finally asked, and Cole tugged at the bow-tie at his neck. That was new, Amber decided…her father never wore ties. He kinda looked like Grandpa Lou with a bow-tie on.
"I…I don't really know, bud. Zane and Kai said that it should be pretty cut and dry."
Keyda scoffed angrily, and Cole sighed. Amber's heart twisted. Her parents weren't still fighting, per say, but things had definitely been tense in the household the last few days. Her mother was so angry, and Amber knew it was because she felt like she wasn't being allowed to protect her family.
"Will I get to sit with you?" she finally asked, and Cole gave her a sad smile.
"You aren't on trial, Ams. You'll sit with Grandpa and the other ninja."
"And if they ask me to testify?" she blurted. Zane and Lloyd had come over a few days ago when they had finally gotten the trial day solidified. They had talked to them about all the possibilities and the proper protocol. Technically, the NCST defense could call Amber to testify, they admitted. They had told her to be ready, but now as the trial loomed she found that she was terrified. She knew how Matilda twisted words…she had little doubt her lawyer would be just as bad. What if she tried to make things better and just made them all worse?
"If they ask you to testify, then you tell the truth," her father said gently, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"It's going to be ok," Theo offered, tugging on her horn. Only her mother didn't seem in the mood to make this seem like a lesser deal than it obviously was.
The door opened, and Lou came in. He was wearing grey, rather than black. But like the rest of his family, he was sporting a poppy on his lapel.
"A great looking group," he offered when he saw that they were ready and waiting. He pushed the door open further, gesturing to the cab he had called. "Shall we?"
The Ninjago City Courthouse wasn't that large, but it was packed today. The honorable judge's seat was empty, next to an equally vacant witness stand. Amber found herself nestled in a pack of ninja families in the audience, each wearing a form of poppy somewhere on them. Mia had even re-dyed the purple tips of her hair red to match the large Poppy on her T-shirt. In fact, Jay and Nya's family were all sporting shirts with Poppies on them. Amber wondered suddenly if Colby had made them. He was the only one not present; May had explained that he was still stuck doing community service at the Police Station.
The Xinta felt her Grandfather squeeze her hand, and she looked over to see him smiling at her.
"After today, this will all be over," he offered, but even if she hadn't been able to sense his anxiety, she could see the unease in his eyes.
"They can't punish them. It wouldn't be fair."
It was Ashley who spoke; the redhead was seated behind Amber with her family. The lanky teen who had been at the fire was there too. Amber had since learned that he was Ashley's boyfriend, and it made her angry that Ashley had brought him. Theo was stressed enough without having him in the courtroom. But if Theo had even noticed, he didn't show it. In fact, he didn't look back very often from where he was seated next to his parents at the accused table. On the other table a slim man sat stiffly, glancing over every few minutes to fix the Oni family with a haughty look. The NCST's lawyer, Amber realized. Something about him made her immediately angry, and she hoped that this case would be as cut and dry as Zane had promised it would be.
Amber didn't notice the doors to the courthouse opening, but she did notice something was happening when the entire courtroom suddenly fell silent. She blinked and turned with the rest of the crowd to see a woman striding in on thin heels, her head held high. Amber was immediately filled with rage at the sight of Matilda O'Keefe, and the silence faded as people started talking in hushed whispers. The whispers from those seated around Amber were hardly kind, and she realized that everyone almost seemed to be leaning in towards her, as if to protect her from the platinum blonde woman. But Matilda didn't even turn to look her way as she strode to the front of the courtroom. She took her seat next to the haughty slim man, her body language betraying no fear or anxiety of any kind. But she was angry…even with the many other feelings in the room, Amber had picked up on the anger as the NCST President walked by her.
Matilda's arrival seemed to mark the start of the trial. It was only a few minutes more before someone was announcing the arrival of the Honorable Judge, asking everyone to rise. Amber did so stiffly, her eyes glued on the woman who entered in the flowing black robes. She tried to figure out what the judge was feeling, but she was too far away, and there were far too many emotions packed into this room. The more she tried to read into the emotions, the louder they became, until she was becoming dizzy. Eventually, they were all asked to sit again, and Amber's heart was pounding. She had no idea what to expect; she didn't know much about how trials in Ninjago worked at all, even with Zane's explanation. Her grandfather put an arm around her and pulled her close, and she leaned on him as her family's trial began.
149
"The Prosecutor calls Matilda O'Keefe to the stand."
Theo narrowed his eyes as Matilda stood blithely, heading to the witness stand. Thus far, the case had already been described. He didn't understand why people were still talking; it had been determined that a law had been passed and that his family had accidently broken said law by transporting to Ninjago. What else was there to say?
Matilda sat calmly as her lawyer approached the bench.
"Ms. O'Keefe… is it true that you were the main reason this law was passed in the first place?"
"Yes, that is true."
"What was your reasoning behind this law?"
"It's simple really," she explained, as if explaining something obvious. "Ninjago has had so many horrible things happen over the centuries. We at the NCST felt that we needed to take steps to keep our community safe. The law was passed so that groups of people with unknown intentions couldn't just appear in our realm. And the next thing you know, the Oni are doing just that…."
Theo stiffened angrily, and he felt his mother do the same next to him. But then his father was leaning over.
"It's alright, Keyds…"
"She's lying."
At the stand, the lawyer was continuing.
"You were the present the night of the Oni invasion…"
Keyda nearly stood up at the term invasion, but Cole's arm tightened around her and prevented her from doing so.
"Yes," Matilda said. "Our scanners picked up an unnatural surge of power by the hospital. When we arrived, we noticed that the Oni had appeared uninvited and unapproved in our realm. Of course, this is exactly what we were trying to protect against…"
Theodynn leaned forward, glaring at the woman on the stand. Her lawyer questioned her for a while longer, talking about everything from their arrest to Theo being uncooperative while in her custody. It filled him with fury, but he took her slander in with a grain of salt. Surely the judge knew this wasn't as big of a deal as Matilda was making it seem. Besides, Theo knew he would get under Matilda's skin by not reacting. He just hoped his mother would hold out; he didn't have to have Amber's sixth sense to know she was fuming.
"Ms. O'Keefe, you shared with the press that it is your belief that the Oni known as Theodynn, the one in your custody, started the fire at the NCST building, endangering countless lives and destroying thousands of dollars worth of property. Could you now share with the court what it is that has led you to this conclusion?"
"Certainly." The NCST president flipped her hair over one shoulder. "The boy was belligerent most days, as I've shared. Upon finding out that his little friends had infiltrated the NCST, we had to move him. We could hardly keep him in a compromised location…"
"What do you mean by that? Infiltration?" The lawyer pressed. Matilda leaned forward.
"It's no secret that the Oni's father used to be one of the ninja who claimed to protect this realm. After the NCST was viciously graffitied, we finally discovered that other offspring of said ninja's old teammates had visited the NCST. We discovered spyware in our system, and realized that one of our very own interns was a spy who had been plotting the Oni's escape…"
That's a lie! Theo snapped in his mind. He barely managed to keep it back. If anything, Ashley's talks with him were the only reason that he hadn't escaped sooner.
"We moved him in order to cut him off from the outside world, knowing that was the safest thing for us to do, especially considering he had begun to threaten me. But after the trial we had to admit that we didn't have proof that he was dangerous…something my competitors threw at me again and again. So we took off his vengestone cuffs in a show of faith. Next thing we know, the building is on fire…"
The lawyer had turned from Matilda now, addressing the court.
"So in your opinion, Ms. O'Keefe, countless lives were endangered through the Oni's actions…"
Theo's eyes flashed angrily, and Keyda couldn't help herself.
"A lie!"
The gavel banged then, and the judge asked the prosecutor if he had anything else to ask Matilda before the witness was turned over to the defense. Soon, Their family's lawyer stood. He was a young fellow, and he tugged at his tie before approaching the bench.
"Ms. O'Keefe…" he started, and Matilda eyed him victoriously. Theo realized that she didn't see their lawyer as a threat. Theo swallowed hard, hoping that he knew what he was doing. One of the ninjas had hired him, and he wasn't even sure where they had found him.
"A stirring testimony so far," the young lawyer continued, tugging his tie one last time. He seemed nervous, and Matilda leaned forward to give him a patronizing expression as he continued. "But let's start back at the beginning…"
"By all means," she cooed, raising an eyebrow. "If you weren't listening…"
"Oh, I was listening," the young man continued, clearing his throat. "But there were a few things I just didn't understand."
He straightened, his nervousness vanishing.
"In your testimony, you claimed to have picked up on unprecedented power on your realm scanner and followed up. However, city camera feeds as well as eyewitness statements prove that NCST arrested the defendants the moment they appeared in the realm. How is it that you were able to make it from the NCST building-a good 10-minute drive away from the hospital-that quickly?"
Matilda looked surprised, and opened her mouth to speak. However, the lawyer jumped in before she could.
"Were you aware that their daughter and sister, Amber, was currently being treated in the hospital after a horrific accident?"
"That was no accident," Matilda hissed, glaring at him. "That Oni girl endangered an entire group of children, including my own son…"
"If it wasn't an accident, then why is it that every child in the group, including your son, claim that it was? In fact, they have all separately testified that Amber saved them…"
"Of course that's what she wants them to think!" Matilda snapped. "Don't you realize what these Oni do? They manipulate emotion…my son's words have to be discounted; she's basically brainwashed him…"
"I have no evidence suggesting that Oni have any such power," the lawyer disagreed coolly. "For instance, if Oni did have that power, why would Theodynn not have used it against you during the many times that you pulled him into interviews? And why was it you were so adamant that he speak with you?"
Matilda reddened.
"I was giving him the chance to compromise with us; he was the one who refused to cooperate. Despite opportunities granted to him daily, the Oni remained belligerent."
"I'm getting ahead of myself," the lawyer cut in. "Let me just make sure I'm following you: it seems that you went out of your way to get Theo to talk with you—despite the fact that you believe that he has brainwashing capabilities?" the lawyer asked, and Matilda glared at him murderously. Theo, for his part, felt a rush of victory. His mother seemed to be calming down as well.
"But I suppose I'm drifting from the case at hand," the lawyer said evenly, turning to address the judge. "Which is this: should these people be punished for breaking a law they didn't even know about as they came to the realm to visit an ailing family member. We should also look at the breach in their rights, as they were imprisoned, and in Theodynn's case, starved and chained without due cause. This law has not been part of Ninjago tradition, and my clients had no way of knowing that it would be a requirement. In fact, they've been visiting family living here in the realm for over 18 years without any problems…how were they to know that suddenly now they would be accosted and arrested?"
"The Oni broke a law…" Matilda started, but the young lawyer turned and shook his head.
"Thank you for your testimony, Ms. O'Keefe. That will be all. I would like to call Alejandro Vasquez to the stand."
Matilda didn't look like she was through with the lawyer, but she finally pushed herself up from the witness stand. Her walk back to her seat was a lot stiffer and angrier than her walk to the stand had been, and she leaned over to hiss something at her lawyer as she sat.
A few moments later a man made his way up to the stand…it was the one Theo had always seen hovering at Matilda's elbow, constantly at her beck and call. He wondered if Matilda had known that her assistant would be testifying.
Alejandro took a seat, his face a mask of stone. Theo suddenly wished he could sense feelings like Amber could; he wanted some inkling of what the man was thinking.
The young lawyer smiled, but it did nothing to break Alejandro's stony expression.
"Were you present on the night of this family's arrest?"
The lawyer gestured at Theo and his parents, and Alejandro's eyes flicked over.
"Yes."
"And where were you when they officially crossed into our realm?"
The man on the witness stand was silent and the lawyer leaned in.
"Matilda told us you were at the NCST building. Is that true? Or were you closer?"
"We were able to apprehend the Oni when they crossed into our realm," the assistant finally said, and the lawyer shook his head.
"The question, Mr. Vasquez, wasn't whether you apprehended them. It was: where were you when this family crossed over into our realm?"
Alejandro rubbed his face, his mask finally cracking a little.
"The NCST is dedicated to the safety of the realm. When the Oni threat showed up, we were prepared…"
"But what evidence did you have that they were a threat? They have been coming for nearly two decades with no previous problems."
Alejandro didn't respond, and Theo's family's lawyer continued.
"This was an incident that could have been sorted out quickly and non-aggressively, and yet the NCST sent an armed squadron to ensure the arrest. What was the reasoning behind the more drastic measures?"
"We informed them that they had broken a law and advised them to stand down," Alejandro said testily. "The Oni refused to back down…"
"Hospital security footage shows that you encircled them with weapons…"
"They broke a law, and we enforced it," Alejandro said evenly. The lawyer studied him closely.
"You never answered what proof you have of Oni being a threat, nor have you explained exactly how you managed to arrive at their spot of transport so quickly."
Alejandro was silent and the lawyer pressed further.
"The hospital cameras also place your NCST vehicles at that hospital a good ten minutes before my clients ever arrived. If anything, the NCST's efforts could be described as an ambush…"
"Objection!" Matilda's lawyer cut in.
The questioning continued, around and around. There were other times that Matilda's lawyer cut in, claiming that Cole and Keyda's lawyer was breaking rules. Some the judge agreed with, some she overruled. She had seemed really bored this entire time, and Theo couldn't tell whether that was a good sign or a bad one.
"Cole…how much longer?"
Theo heard Keyda murmur, and he reached over to give his mother's hand a squeeze.
"One last question, Mr. Vasquez," the lawyer finally said, and Theo heard a few people sighing in relief. "Matilda—the President of the NCST—claims that she removed Theodynn's handcuffs following the council debates, and believes that he started the fire. But evidence retrieved by the fire department show that not only did the fire start on the third floor, but that Theodynn was in his cell for the duration of it. How do you reconcile these two facts?"
Alejandro merely shrugged.
"I was on the second floor when the fire alarms went off. I have absolutely no idea how it was started…only that it spread very, very quickly. President O'Keefe nearly didn't make it out."
The lawyer nodded, as if to himself.
"Thank you, Mr. Vasquez."
It was the Prosecution's turn to question Matilda's assistant, but the NCST lawyer mainly just had Alejandro reinforce everything that Matilda had already said. By the end of it, Theo felt like he had heard the same story a dozen times, and it seemed he wasn't the only one who was finding the proceedings tedious. At the end of the questioning, Matilda's slender lawyer admitted that he didn't have any other witnesses to call, and the opportunity was turned over to the Defense once again. The younger lawyer stood confidently.
"I would like to call one last witness."
The judge gestured for him to get on with it, and Theo's heart thumped as the lawyer turned and met his eye.
"I call Theodynn to the stand."
He felt his mother stiffen, and he gave her hand another squeeze as he stood. This was their lawyer…so surely he wouldn't twist Theo's words. He hoped.
He stood tall on his way to the stand, not looking at Matilda or her lawyer as he passed them. He walked up the few steps and sat on the chair, his heart pounding. He had spent the previous night assuring Amber that being called to witness wouldn't be a big deal if it happened, but now he wasn't so sure. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous; he had faced far worse in his realm, hadn't he? Been through so much worse. But for some reason, sitting in that chair and staring out at everyone who had come, he had a horrible feeling like he was on the cusp of things going either really right or really wrong.
It was the first time he had been able to look out comfortably on those who had come to support them. He caught sight of Amber; she was actually harder to find than he would have thought. Another yellow face in a sea of yellow faces. She was seated with the other ninja families and their grandfather.
"Theodynn."
He glanced over at the lawyer, who was giving him a smile. Theo smiled back.
"In your own words, can you tell us what happened the night of you and your parents' arrest?"
"Um…sure," Theo started. He was still afraid of saying something wrong, but he figured this was his chance to explain his family's side of the story.
He talked about how they had heard about Amber in the hospital and left immediately to visit her. How they had been surrounded and confused when they had arrived, threatened and told they had done something wrong. He explained how they were desperate to see Amber, and how Matilda had ordered the NCST to arrest them. He explained how his parents were taken by the police, but how Matilda insisted that Theo stay with the NCST.
"Would you have rather have gone with your parents?" the lawyer asked, and Theo nodded.
"Definitely. But Matilda wouldn't let me. She just kept threatening all these legal things…said she had the right to take me."
"And how were you treated at the NCST?" the lawyer prompted. Here Theo risked a glance towards Matilda to glare.
"I was chained," he explained bitterly. "In vengestone cuffs that were way too small. They cut into me, but she wouldn't take them off…"
"I see your wrists are bandaged. Is that from the cuffs?" the lawyer cut in, and Theo looked back at him. After nodding the lawyer gestured for him to hold them up, so Theo did.
"You said that she wouldn't take them off. But we were told by Ms. O'Keefe earlier that she had them removed after the debate…"
Theo's expression darkened.
"That was a lie. After moving me to a different cell, I was never visited by Matilda or anyone else, except someone who would drop off a meal in the mornings. But they never spoke to me, and never removed the chains."
"Only a meal in the mornings? Were you not well fed, then?" the lawyer asked, and Theo shook his head.
"I had three meals a day at first…but after I wouldn't talk with her, she started cutting it down to one or two."
"Ms. O'Keefe wanted you to talk with her, then?"
"Yeah. She would interrogate me at least once a day, demanding to know what the Oni plans were. Like she thought we were invading or something."
"And what did you tell her?"
"The truth," Theo said bitterly. "We were coming to visit Amber, just as we've visited Ninjago ever since I was born. The other Oni don't even really know we're here. But she wouldn't listen…so I stopped talking to her at all. She has a way of twisting words; I didn't want to say anything she could twist into a lie."
"So the day of the fire," the Lawyer continued. Theo couldn't tell from his tone whether he was saying what the lawyer wanted or not. "You managed to make it out of the building. Did the NCST release you?"
"No."
"What happened?"
Theo frowned. He had to talk about his escape then.
"I could smell smoke. At first I ignored it, but eventually it got strong enough that I knew something was wrong. So I took the hinges off the cell door…"
"You…let yourself out of the cell?" the lawyer asked, and Theo shrugged.
"Yes…"
"Could you have done this at any time?"
Theo wasn't sure how he was supposed to answer that. He thought of his father's advice to Amber and sighed.
"I had to the get the handcuffs off first, but…yeah, probably."
"Why didn't you leave before then?"
"Because I didn't want to make things worse," Theo admitted, rubbing his neck. "Things were already so tense…I didn't want to cause more trouble. But with all the smoke I knew something was wrong so I left. The only exit was a single flight of stairs, and it was on fire. So I transported out of the basement…"
"You were seen with two other men when you appeared outside the NCST."
"Yeah. I don't know who one of the guys was, but the other was the one they had guarding me the whole week. I think they were supposed to stay in the basement to watch me…but when the fire started, they didn't have a way out."
"So you took them with you when you transported?"
Theo nodded.
"Why?" the lawyer prompted, and Theo shrugged.
"I…wasn't going to just leave them there. The building was on fire."
"Surely you could have popped out of that building without them."
"I'm not the type of person to leave people to die," Theo cut in angrily. The lawyer just smiled in response.
"No, from what I've heard about you…I believe that. And yet, the NCST was more than willing to let you die."
The lawyer had turned to the audience now, shaking his head.
"Ms. O'Keefe said that they removed Theodynn's cuffs, but he has testified that he removed them himself. She claims that he started the fire, but the footage received from the fire department shows him in his cell throughout the duration of when the fire began. It also shows him removing his own cuffs, escaping his cell as he has described, and rescuing the two men also trapped in the basement of the NCST building, where Theodynn was being held. So the chilling truth is that if the NCST did not take the cuffs off of this boy, then as far as they knew, he was still chained in the basement of the building. Had he not rescued himself, he would have been left to die, as well as the two men trapped with him. I do wonder if Ms. O'Keefe is aware of the strict Ninjagoan policy that requires all prisons to have emergency evacuation plans in place for the safety of their prisoners."
He had turned to raise an eyebrow at Matilda, and she glared in response.
"You're getting off topic. Are you finished questioning, defendant?" the judge asked, and he glanced up at her.
"Indeed, Honorable Judge."
"Then the witness is moved to the Prosecutor, if they have any questions."
Theo glanced at the plaintiff's table and immediately got a bad feeling as he caught sight of Matilda and the slender lawyer's faces.
"I do have questions for the Oni," the lawyer said stiffly, as he pushed himself to his feet. Theo glanced over at his parents and could tell they were nervous. His mother especially seemed on edge, and he could see his father's arm tighten around her.
It's ok… he thought. They can't hurt me, Mom….all he can do is ask me questions.
Matilda's lawyer approached the bench, fixing Theo with a cold look.
"Is it true, Oni, that you possess the power of transportation?"
Theo blinked. After a moment he nodded slowly.
"Oni aura can be used for transportation…"
"You have already admitted to removing your own cuffs, have you not?"
Theo frowned, annoyed at being cut off.
"Yes, I…"
"So it is possible that you could have transported to a different place in the building, and then transported back?"
"I didn't…"
"But it is possible for you to have done so? If you wanted to?"
Theo really thought about it.
"No…probably not."
The man raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.
"Oh, it's impossible? And yet you've transported out of the building just fine, according to your testimony…"
"Oni power is emotional. I can't just transport wherever I want…I have to have an emotional connection to the place. I don't have any strong connection to anything in the NCST building."
"And what emotional connection did you have directly outside the NCST building?" the man sneered. Theo felt a rush of panic…because he suddenly realized that he didn't know. He hadn't even thought of the fact that he hadn't transported to his Grandfather's house, like he had planned. Why had he transported to the outside of the NCST building?
"Well? No lie to cover yourself now?" the lawyer scoffed, and Theo's eyes were scanning the crowd as he tried in vain to come up with an explanation.
"I…"
His eyes came to rest on Amber. She looked worried as she leaned forward, and suddenly he remembered the moment before he had transported. He had been planning on going to his grandfather's, but his mind was locked on the idea of his sister.
"It seems…" the lawyer started, but then Theo cut in.
"I transported to my sister. She was outside."
He looked back, and Theo looked at him defiantly.
"I can transport to places if I have a strong enough connection to the person there," he said. It really was the only reason he could think of.
"So you could technically transport to Ms. O'Keefe…if you had an angry enough connection to her?"
"I didn't start the fire," Theo snapped back. "Stop trying to pin this on me!"
"Answer the question, boy. We do not have proof of your innocence…"
"I thought that people in Ninjagoan court are innocent until proven guilty!" Theo argued, and the man just scoffed.
"Perhaps for Ninjagoan citizens…not for half-demon freaks…"
Keyda was standing now, and Cole as well to calm her down. The audience was talking now too, especially the poppy-clad crew that were angrily yelling at the lawyer. The judge pounded her gavel.
"Order!" she demanded, and the ruckus died down. The lawyer didn't look embarrassed at the loss of control, however…if anything, he seemed happy with the development.
"You are to be questioning the witness—not berating him. Do you have any other questions for Theodynn?" the judge demanded, and the man stared at the Oni.
"No…I do believe that will be all."
"Any other witnesses you would like to call to the stand?" the judge asked, sounding exasperated. The lawyer straightened his tie, and then shook his head. The judge rested her chin on her fist.
"Then by all means, your final statement."
"Very well."
Theo was still seated in the witness chair, but after a moment a court member hissed at him and gestured for him to go back to his seat by his family. He made it back to his chair quickly, and his mother immediately reached over and grabbed his hand tightly. He wasn't sure what she had been so afraid of, but she seemed relieved to have him back next to her now. Theo sighed in relief himself, and they waited for the lawyers to give their final statements.
150
"Honorable Judge, I would like you to consider what we have heard so far," Matilda's lawyer started. "A month ago, my client and her organization passed a law to keep Ninjago safe and avoid the gruesome situations in our realm's past. When the law was broken, they acted in a completely legal manner to uphold the law. This…family from the first realm has no right to flick in and out of our realm at will. It is a liability, if not a threat. What's more, they broke a law, which is the entire reason behind this trial. They broke a Ninjagoan law, and in all the stories and witnesses, I'll have you note that no one ever refuted that fact. They were dealt with in the process outlined in the law itself, which was passed by Ninjagoan lawmakers. The Defendant claims a breach of rights, but I would argue that no such breach was made. Everything that Ms. O'Keefe and the NCST did was completely legal and in accordance to the laws outlined. What's more, Oni and other inter-realm creatures are not under the laws protecting Ninjagoan rights anyway. Even so, they were treated as if they were.
"We must not ignore the fact that a law was broken. This family did not obtain correct permits at the designated areas before appearing in our realm. They arrogantly believed that because they possess the power to come and go at a whim, that they are allowed to. But we here in Ninjago cannot be cowed by those with power. We cannot just allow anyone to do what they want because they possess the ability to do so.
"What makes the situation even more disgraceful is how my client has been targeted and slandered because of her diligence in keeping the law. She had the right to keep Theodynn, as a minor, in the NCST building. She had the right to keep him in vengestone, as it was known he was powered and thus dangerous. She had the right to question him about his and his family's intentions in our realm. It was the Oni who refused to cooperate.
"The defendant claims that it is impossible for the Oni to have started the fire, but I would suggest the opposite. He has powers that we do not understand, and the only source of information about them come from the Oni himself. It has been proven that the Oni was not wearing the cuffs at the time the fire started in the NCST building. Video evidence is hardly convincing, as Ms. O'Keefe and her staff determined that their security system was riddled with spyware, most likely from the Oni's allies. We also heard from multiple sources that the fire was extremely powerful and widespread. What other source could have spread it so quickly without it being the Oni? What other accident could have caused the fire at such an opportune time? The Oni had plenty of motive for attacking both the NCST and Ms. O'Keefe herself, who nearly died in the blaze."
Theo was trembling with anger, and there was wind stirring people's hair in the courtroom. He wasn't even sure who they were originating from…at this point, it could be him, his mother, or even Amber. The lawyer continued condescendingly.
"Of course, arson is not the reason for today's trial, and thus time need not be spent trying to prove it. But we should note that the most likely suspect in the NCST's arson case is the creature they were tasked with holding until this trail.
"In essence, these people," here he gestured at Theo and his parents, "have broken a Ninjagoan law. It has been proven. There is evidence of them appearing in our realm after the law was passed. So we as the prosecution move that they should be punished accordingly. They should be held accountable for their actions."
He paused here, and Theo's heart was pounding in his chest. His mother's grasp on his hand was tight, as was his father's arm around her. Theo knew that it was taking all of Keyda's willpower to not just stand up and blast the condescending man across the room. The lawyer just sneered at them, as if daring them to react and prove his point for him. The winds were getting slightly stronger in the tension of the man's accusation.
"We move that this family, who have caused so much strife in our previously peaceful city and realm, be banished from Ninjago."
The courtroom erupted once again, with people yelling and the wind becoming stronger. Theo and Cole managed to hold Keyda back, but her eyes were blazing. Part of Theo knew that they couldn't react because that was exactly what the lawyer was trying to get from them…but the other part of him blazed along with his mother. It was completely unjustified, asking for a punishment like that. Sure, they had broken a law…but it was one they didn't even know about! And it was stupid too…getting a permit to come into the city? That hardly seemed like a crime punishable by banishment!"
"Order! Order!" the judge hollered, banging her gavel again. It took a little longer to get control, and when the courtroom finally did silence, she glared at the lawyer.
"That seems a serious request for the nature of the allegedly broken law..." the judge pointed out, which gave Theo hope. "What reason do you have for such a grave proposal?"
"The Oni are dangerous. When arrested, this one," he gestured at Keyda, "opened fire on the NCST workers. A suspicious fire broke out and destroyed the Ninjago City Safety Team Building. They have incited civil unrest in the form of graffiti, slanderous internet videos, and street protests. It would be better for everyone if they were required to return to their home realm and sever their connection with ours…"
"You're crazy!" came another yell from the audience, and Theo had to admit it sounded suspiciously like Ashley.
"Of course…if banishment is seen as too intense a punishment, then imprisonment in our realm is always an option. Perhaps it would be best to keep Theodynn in the realm at least; that way, the charges against him for arson and risk of life can be fully searched out in another trail…"
"He didn't start that fire!" Keyda yelled, and Theo was surprised when their own lawyer reached over to touch her arm.
"I understand you're angry," the young fellow said softly. "But don't react; we'll fix this. He's trying to get a reaction out of you."
"Whether or not Theodynn started the fire or whether it was truly some highly coincidental freak accident should be the subject of another trial," Matilda's lawyer said to Keyda coolly before turning back to the judge. "Though, he should be detained at least until such a trial is completed. For the time being, we must decide what is the most proper punishment for a family of Oni who has instigated violence, civil unrest, and slander in our once peaceful realm by breaking the safety law. No matter what punishment is chosen, justice demands that they are punished, and that this breach in Ninjagoan safety is not taken lightly."
He finished his speech with a flourish, and the judge looked like she was pondering his words. It made Theo's stomach clench. They couldn't ban them from this realm…it wasn't fair! Surely the judge wouldn't be so extreme…would she?
"Thank you for your statement. Now, if the defense would like to stand…" the judge said, and the young lawyer seated next to Cole rose. He tugged on his suit jacket, straightening it, and then moved out from behind the table.
"Honorable Judge…" he began, his voice calm. "This is hardly a case of Ninjagoan safety. I would like to point out what is obvious to all who are actually acquainted with this family; had the NCST not been involved, there would have been absolutely no incident with this visit to our realm. They came to visit an ailing family member in the hospital, and they would have done so. After making sure she was alright, perhaps they would have stayed a little longer to visit family and friends, and then they would have returned home. It would have been a completely innocent and harmless visit, just as every Oni visit has been for the last two decades or so. But the NCST managed to pass a law that required them to check in before entering the city. I am confident that this family would have done so if they had been informed of the law, but they were not. Can we honestly hold them accountable for a law that they were unaware of? Not only that, but the NCST treated them poorly, as we have seen in both online footage and heard from Theodynn's own testimony. If civil unrest did occur, it is due to the NCST's own interference.
"I would like to ask the court not to only consider the injustice of this family's situation, but also the injustice of the law itself. It does seem strange, does it not? Indeed, it's a law built on keeping people out of the city and imprisoning them if they don't jump through certain hoops. Hoops that have no guarantee of even protecting the city, if we are being honest. Through my study of this case, I have determined that the situation in its entirety seems suspicious.
"Take into account that the law was passed by President O'Keefe, with almost direct ties to her political platform. When this family was coming to visit their family in the hospital, the NCST was waiting. They were already at the hospital, prepped and ready before the transport even occured. My clients were ambushed…the organization was well aware that they would appear to visit Amber. They ordered the family's immediate arrest, surrounding them with weapons. Are we really surprised that the situation escalated? But even given my clients' obvious power and strength, which have been brought up several times in these proceedings, they each acted with considerable restraint. Theodynn allowed himself to be separated from his family, even though there was no true reason for the NCST to do so. He was chained and imprisoned, questioned countless times without a lawyer at his side, and cut off from meals. It is obvious that he was heinously mistreated, all under the banner that because he was not fully Ninjagoan, that he did not deserve to be treated with decency and with the rights that would have been afforded to any other citizen. And even then, he waited patiently. It has been discovered that he could have left at any time, but did not until it became dangerous to stay.
"The Prosecutors claim that video evidence of Theo's innocence cannot be trusted, but they have failed to turn up any evidence that he would be guilty of the arson. They claim he is the most likely suspect, but that is hardly true with all the evidence pointing to his innocence. The only thing they have to back up such a claim is the "general dangerous nature of Oni", but considering that we have not actually witnessed any such danger in this realm in the two decades that the Oni have been visiting, it's hardly a claim with a foundation.
"I must agree that this trial is not about the burning of the NCST, because my clients had nothing to do with it. Indeed, if anything, Theodynn was a victim of the catastrophe. No one set him free, and there was no protocol in place to get him to safety in case of an emergency. He managed to save himself, and two other NCST members. His own mother—also Oni—was hospitalized after rushing the building in an attempt to rescue her son. And while this particular court case has little to do with the fire itself or the details surrounding it, these very acts should demonstrate the Oni's true nature to the court. This family is not dangerous. They just wish to be treated with dignity and respect…they want the same rights afforded to any citizen of our realm.
"The main accuser of this family happens to be a woman who's lies have been exposed at the recent Ninjagoan Council Debates. Are we really willing to overlook solid evidence in favor of the opinion of an unmasked liar?"
Matilda looked furious, which brought Theodynn no small satisfaction. The lawyer was wrapping up, and he looked up at the judge.
"I hope that it is as clear to you as it is to me, Honorable Judge, that this family has been the victim of a vicious plot. The law that they were arrested for, the mistreatment, and even this trial were all meant to further the political career of Ms. O'Keefe. She meant to make herself a savior worthy of being voted into a Councilwoman position at the expense of these poor people. The dramatic events of the past weeks can surely all be tied back to her own ambitious interference.
"I too am asking for justice. The reason that this family are even in court…that they've been detained this long…is because they broke a law that they were unaware of. A law that is, by all accounts, unnecessary. They have proven themselves to be patient in their accusation, and have jumped through our hoops. But I propose that they should have never had to have been forced to. These last weeks have been a waste of their time and have been filled with numerous obstruction of their rights. And I must point out…that if Ms O'Keefe truly wanted to establish better relations with the Oni, targeting the Ruling Family of the entire Oni Nation was not a wise way to do so. My clients are willing to overlook the injustices of the past weeks, as long as justice is served now."
Theo waited for the lawyer to continued, but it seemed that he was finished. It was a good argument, but the judge's expression was hard to read as she studied him and his parents. The young man took his seat again next to Cole, and Theo heard his father lean over.
"Now what?"
The lawyer glanced over with a small smile.
"This is a bench-trial," he explained softly. "No jury….just the judge's decision. Now we must wait to see what she decides."
Banishment?
The word wouldn't stop ringing around in Amber's mind. How could they even consider such a punishment? Her family hadn't done anything wrong!
She remembered the stories her parents had started telling them months ago; about how they had made changes in the Oni realm. In order to make changes, sometimes her mother had to cow people with shows of force. Amber couldn't help but feel like maybe they should have gone this route with Ninjago after all. Perhaps it wasn't orthodox…but she knew it would have been effective.
And where would it leave her, if her family was banned from entering Ninjago? She supposed she could still come and go as she pleased, but the rest of her family would never be able to come see Papa Lou in his nostalgic home. They would never see any of the ninja or their friends again. Amber stole a glance around her to see that their poppy-wearing supporters had similar expressions of anxiety and disbelief. But she didn't have to look at them to feel that they were worried. Even Zane felt unsure, which did nothing to help Amber's twisting stomach.
She turned back to look at her family again and her eyes smarted with tears. Theo loved Ninjago. Not as much as their home realm, but even the stares and the remarks had never phased him over the years. And now…what? He'd never be able to come back? And her father was born here. Surely, they couldn't just kick him out forever…cut him off from his family and friends…could they?
"Grandpa…" she finally murmured, turning to face Lou with tears still shining in her eyes. He gave her hand a squeeze but didn't say anything; the elderly performer was watching the judge closely, his expression stiff with anxiety.
The silence after her family's lawyer had spoken stretched longer. It had only been a few minutes, but it felt so much longer. Amber wished for the millionth time that she was close enough to know what the woman in the judge's seat was feeling. There was too much emotion in the room to be able to ever pick it out from this distance. After what seemed like an eternity, the grey-haired woman drew herself up and spoke.
"The Mayor and the city council insisted that I take this case. I thought it strange for them to decide that I should spend my afternoon listening to what on paper seemed like a cut and dry case…but now I suppose I know why they wanted a seasoned judge on the stand."
Amber's heart was pounding, and she could tell from her family's body language that they were just as nervous as she was, even if she couldn't necessarily feel it from her current position. There were aura winds stirring hair and papers around the room, and Amber was nearly certain it was from her mother.
"This is a difficult case. Not because it was difficult to prove, but because it is completely unprecedented. In all our Ninjago history, I cannot think of another time that beings from another realm…any other realm…were held on trial. It is true that generally such beings are aggressive, and are thus treated by force. But this was not a crime of aggression…and so here we are.
"I've listened to both sides now, and I am beginning to see a glaring pattern of inconsistency from both pleas. You see…the Prosecution claims that the Oni need to be treated as citizens in regards to the broken law, but did not feel that they should be granted the rights offered to a Ninjago citizen as they are not from this realm.
"On the complete opposite side, the Defense is asking for the law itself to be overlooked in this case because Oni are not citizens from this realm and thus shouldn't be accountable for our laws, but then seem displeased that they were not granted the same rights as a citizen following their arrest.
" And there we have our biggest problem: it seems that nobody can decide exactly how these Oni should be treated—whether they should be considered on equal grounds as Ninjago citizens or something else completely. Perhaps I am not the one who should make such a decision, but I was told to take this case and so I was granted the right to come to a conclusion. And above all else, I intend to be consistent with it."
The aura winds whipped again, no doubt spurred by the woman's hard tone. But no one seemed to really notice them as they waited to see what the judge would say.
Her hard eyes fell on Amber's family again, and she gestured at Cole.
"You…stand up."
Keyda stiffened, and Cole seemed taken aback, but after a moment he stood as she had requested. Amber's heart pounded, still not sure what to expect.
"You were born in this realm…correct? But a few decades ago you moved to a new one…"
"That's right," Cole said simply. The judge studied him.
"I supposed I can't be the only one in the room wondering what possessed you to do such a thing…"
Amber felt a flash of anger, and she could feel her mother's similarly angry feelings from where she sat.
"…but I suppose that really isn't any of our business, is it?" the judge finished, her lips pursed. It seemed to be a rhetorical question, so Amber's father didn't say anything. The woman finally continued.
"You technically are not an Oni…but up to this point we have been treating you as one. I suppose it would be easiest to just ask: would you rather be punished with your Ninjago citizenship in mind, or would you like to be considered on the same plane as the rest of your family?"
What kind of question was that? Amber could see their family's lawyer fidgeting a little, as if he sensed a trap. Matilda, as always, looked amused as she reclined in her own chair, watching the proceedings smugly.
"If punishment is necessary…" Cole started carefully. "Then whatever is decided for my family should be decided for me as well."
The judge raised an eyebrow and then nodded to herself.
"Alright, then. I expected as much…but I wanted to be sure."
She gestured for Cole to sit, and he did. But he was sitting up straight and tense…Amber realized her entire family seemed ready to spring into action. It made her heart ache, and she tried to decide what she would do if they tried to lock them up…or put them in chains. She wouldn't stand for it, she decided. She wouldn't let them touch her family.
The judge rubbed her mouth with her hand, as if trying to figure out how to phrase what she was going to say. Amber was pretty sure the woman had made her decision, but was still trying to work out the details in her mind.
"The Prosecution has called for your banishment," she finally said, and the aural winds made themselves known again. "That this family should be banned from this realm, but be allowed to return peacefully to their own."
Matilda's expression was victorious, and Amber longed to blast the look off her face.
"However…"
Amber's eyes flicked back to the judge, who had straightened in posture befitting a seasoned professional.
"It can be argued that banishment is one of our most severe punishments, generally saved for enemies of war or traitors to the realm. In a case such as this one, I find it a highly inappropriate course of action."
Relief flooded through Amber's system. Matilda's smile faded as she eyed the judge angrily.
"That is not to say that a law was not broken, or that rectification is not necessary," the judge continued coolly. "Whether or not this law is fair is something that shall be brought before the council. But for these proceedings, it is known that the law was in full force at the time of the crime, and that this family is guilty of breaking it.
"The question now is how beings from another realm should be punished…especially with the consideration that they did not know about it. It is my opinion that if relations are going to continue between our two realms, this lack of communication is going to continue to lead to problems. I agree that this family—and any other creature from any other realm—cannot just enter and leave the realm at will. This would be a breach of public safety. While there are many willing to validate the morals of this particular family, it can't be said that everyone who enters our realm would be just as validated. Thus, action needs to be taken.
"If it is the Onis' wish to be able to visit our realm, they need to understand that they cannot just do so whenever they want, with no regulation or permission from Ninjago Government. If they want to be recognized and treated with the dignity befitting visiting dignitary, they must have full and open communication with our realm to do so.
"This visit, which broke Ninjagoan law, will be seen as a disruption of such communication. The problem is, we have no laws or processes on how such a breach should be treated. This is, as I've said, the first case like this.
"I propose that to atone for their mistake, this Ruling Family will stay in Ninjago long enough to work with our city council to form such a rulebook, so to speak. They will help to create regulations and processes on how citizens from the Oni realm are to be treated here in this one, and vice versa. Laws on inter-realm travel will be proposed. With their own cooperation, we will never have to wonder what should be done in future situations such as these."
There was murmuring from the crowd now, and Amber wasn't exactly sure what it was that the judge was saying. Despite the fact that she was still mad at Ashley, she knew the redhead would know. Amber turned around, and Ash caught sight of the Xinta's confused look and leaned forward.
"It…sounds like she's requiring your family to work with our Government to figure out how our two realms are going to treat each other."
"Is that good, or bad?" Amber whispered back, but the judge was speaking again.
"Once these laws are voted on and decided, perhaps it would be best for the Oni government to consider an alliance with our own; that way, we wouldn't have to just take someone's word that interactions would be peaceful. We would have a legal reason to believe you. I feel it would be wise to station ambassadors in both realms, that way, both realms would have continued and immediate knowledge on changes to laws and regulations. Thus, no one would ever be able to claim to be "in the dark" about Ninjagoan law again."
Amber understood the significance in the word alliance. She heaved a sigh of relief as she realized that the judge was not going to banish her family, or imprison them. She was requiring them to help make a treaty….or at least, that's how she understood it. It was kinda like what had occurred years ago between the Oni and the Dragons.
"Thus, my decision is that the Ruling Family of the Oni are found guilty of breaking Ninjagoan law, mainly due to the fact that they were unaware of its existence. As such, they will be required to spend the next week in Ninjago, working with the City Council to create regulations and expectations for interaction between the two realms. They will then be required to leave our realm, and shall also be required to receive permission from the city council for all future visits to our realm, following the processes agreed upon this week."
The judge had finished her ruling, and Amber decided that the grey-haired woman looked tired. All around her, the Xinta could feel surprise and interest at the woman's judgment. Amber had been terrified of what the older woman would decide on, but she had to admit that it seemed like a fair punishment, if it could even be called that. She just wasn't sure how her mother would feel about being forced to spend another week in Ninjago…
"Your Honor!"
Everyone was shocked when Matilda spoke up, pushing herself to her feet in a jolt of rage. Amber frowned, and even the NCST lawyer seemed uneasy. But Matilda ignored the others in the room, her focus laser-pointed on the older woman in the stand. The judge raised an unamused eyebrow and Matilda spoke in clipped sentences.
"These people invaded our realm…and you have failed to truly punish them," she pointed out angrily. "Having them merely 'come up with regulations' is the equivalent of a slap on the wrist…"
"It is clear that you would like a more severe punishment for the Oni," the judge cut in dryly. "But I see no reason to be severe in these circumstances."
"That boy…" here Matilda turned to point a red-nailed accusatory finger at Theodynn. "Burned my building to the ground and nearly killed us all in the process. He is dangerous and I demand justice…"
"As it has been pointed out numerous times in these proceedings, this trial has nothing to do with the burning of the NCST building," the judge cut in coolly. "Nor has it been proven, to my knowledge, that the Oni boy is responsible for it. If evidence is brought forth that names him a prime suspect in that event, then you can rest assured he will be required to show up for the trial."
That made Amber's stomach clench, but then the judge was leaning from her podium, fixing Matilda with a long, hard look.
"But I would definitely make sure you have good, solid evidence, Ms. O'Keefe, that he did indeed start the fire…because from what I have heard it seems that you yourself are at risk of several hefty lawsuits in regards to the safety of your building and the emergency protocol followed by your organization. Indeed, it is just as likely at the given moment that the fire was started in result of your company not following safety standards in regards to electrical equipment…or even arson at the hand of someone other than the Oni suspect."
Matilda was gripping the table so tightly that her knuckles were white. The sudden paleness of her fingers made the red nail polish bright as blood as she glared daggers at the judge. The older woman continued softly.
"The court tends to sniff out the truth eventually, Ms. O'Keefe. If you were displeased with my decision for justice today, rest assured that justice tends to find the true culprits of a situation."
It was said neutrally, as if to appease the President…but Amber was well aware of who the culprit was in this situation, and she wondered if Matilda would see the judge's comfort as the thinly veiled threat that it could also be seen as.
"It is people like you who brought ruin to Ninjago all those times in our past," Matilda finally spat. "Ignoring the true threats…being merciful when there should have been punishment…"
"That is quite enough!" the judge snapped, seemingly tired of catering to the pushy blonde woman. "This is my courtroom, and you have spoken out of turn. I advise you take your seat and come to peace with my decision, or I will have you escorted out. Is that what you want?"
It filled Amber with no small satisfaction to see Matilda stiffly and angrily sit back down, her lawyer bright red as if embarrassed by his client. In the past, it would have made Amber nervous to see the powerful woman so angry. However, Amber realized that Matilda wasn't all that powerful in this moment. She had lost the debate…she had lost this trial. She had made a desperate move with that fire, and it had accounted for nothing. It struck Amber suddenly that the woman had lost everything that she had fought for. It was true that desperate people did desperate things, and it was true that Matilda was desperate now—more desperate than ever—to get her way. But she no longer had the power to do anything to any of them.
It still made Amber angry that the woman wasn't being punished for her involvement in her family's suffering. She had chained her brother up and verbally harassed him for a week, and Amber had little doubt she had started the fire in the building. Or, at the very least, had commanded someone else to start it. More than likely Matilda wouldn't be punished for any of that, which left a bitter taste in the Xinta's mouth.
But at the same time, as she watched the NCST president seethe in her seat at the Prosecution table, it occurred to Amber that Matilda had still lost. Sure, she may not be behind bars, but everything that she had worked for had disappeared in smoke—quite literally. The young Oni's eyes flicked over to where her family was sitting, their own relief obvious from their posture. Matilda O'Keefe no longer had any sway or hold on any of them. And Amber was confident that she never would again.
28
