"Are you ready, Weiss? Think you can handle it?" Willow asks the waiting Weiss, a slight nod being given before a sigh escapes.
"Y… Yes, I can handle it. It'll be over before I know it…" Weiss manages to smile as Willow rests a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, the Schnee matriarch pulling her daughter into a quick hug before they separate.
"We should get going, the trial will start soon and it would be best to arrive early." Once Weiss nods again, the two depart to the waiting car and get in before it takes off to the Atlas District Courthouse in the center of the city. The first day of the big trial had approached at last, and the overall mood brought with it is one of tension, the outcome unable to be determined and the events to come uncertain. As the car comes to a stop outside the courthouse, Weiss and Willow bear witness to a crowd of reporters eagerly waiting, and as they step out of the car the reporters begin to advance on them, Weiss doing all she can to remain calm and composed. Both Weiss and Willow ignore the reporters and their questions as they trek up into the courthouse, and following behind them is Winter and Penny, who had just arrived themselves, both girls ignoring any questions as they move along.
Once inside they all pass through the metal detectors, Penny given special clearance to pass by, ensuring they have no weapons with them. Instead of chatting, which they might do otherwise, the four elect to remain silent while waiting for the rest of the witnesses to arrive, Ruby, Blake, and Yang entering before long, followed by General Ironwood, Whitley and Klein, and Pietro. Soon enough the trial's start approaches, and a bailiff comes out and escorts everyone in. Once everyone is seated accordingly, Jacques is escorted in alongside his attorney, a coy smile being directed towards Weiss once he notices her. However, before he gets a chance to say anything, the judge enters and the bailiff clears her throat.
"All rise for the honorable Judge Midori." She says, everyone able to stand doing so before taking their seat moments after. Judge Midori takes his seat once behind the stand, gaze drifting across the courtroom before focusing on Jacques.
"Jacques Schnee, you stand accused of six counts of child abuse, two counts of spousal abuse, conspiracy to commit electoral fraud, three counts each of libel and defamation, aiding and abetting a criminal, seven counts of accessory to battery, and six counts of accessory to assault. How do you plead?" The judge asks after detailing out each and every charge Jacques is on trial for, Jacques adjusting his clip-on tie before clearing his throat.
"Not guilty on all charges, your honor." Once Jacques speaks he sits again, the judge nodding before turning his attention to the two attorneys. "You may proceed with opening statements, starting with the prosecution."
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, your honor, we are here today for one simple reason, and that is because Jacques Schnee has committed each and every last one of the crimes for which he is accused, which we intend to prove in these upcoming weeks. From harming those he should have held closest to damaging the fine cities of Atlas and Mantle with his schemes, he has committed heinous acts which cannot be excused, and he must come to justice for his acts." The prosecuting attorney says with a powerful tone, a calm expression on her face. Once she sits, Jacques's attorney stands up to deliver his opening statement, Jacques continuing to smile that coy grin of his.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, your esteemed honor, I simply do not see why we must be here today in the first place. Jacques Schnee is a man of honor, an esteemed CEO, a father of three, I hardly see him as capable of being a criminal in any manner, and I will clear his name so that he may return to his work, his family, to the things he holds closest to him." In contrast to the prosecutor's opening statement, the longwinded spiel given by the defense attorney paints Jacques in a positive light, as a caring father, a businessman, a respectable member of the community, certainly not the person who had committed the acts he is on trial for. With opening statements delivered, the prosecutor is called up first and begins the trial proper by calling his first witness, Penny Polendina, who settles in at the stand with a calm expression.
"Please state your name." The judge requests with a calm expression, Penny nodding and looking out towards the court room. "Penny Polendina, your honor." Once stated, the defense attorney looks her over, then begins to speak. "Ms. Polendina, you are… An android, is this correct?" He asks Penny, a nod being given alongside a verbalized yes. "Your memories, is there any possible way someone could tamper with them?" Penny shakes her head in response to the question, gaze falling onto the prosecutor after a few moments.
"No sir, I was designed to be tamper proof, not even my father, my creator, could tamper with me unless I allowed him to." She explains, a momentary flash of green revealing her aura. "My aura gives me life, it makes me who I am and prevents me from being changed without my acceptance." With her silence, the prosecutor nods and looks to the judge before speaking, simply saying "No further questions your honor." Once seated, the defense attorney approaches the stand, looking Penny over with a wary eye.
"Ah, yes, Penny Polendina, the so called protector of Mantle. How was it that you, a mere machine, was able to gain the power to generate an aura, something which only humans could do up until now?" He questions in a relatively dry tone, Penny slowly glancing around before her gaze comes to focus on Pietro. "Ah... I'm afraid I cannot say." She says with a slight nervousness to her tone, the defense attorney's eyebrow quirking before he frowns.
"Oh? And why is that? I think we'd all like to know just how it is that you are able to generate an aura like many humans are capable of, the first machine ever to be able to do so, and you refuse to tell us?" Comes a snide remark, Penny's gaze focusing on him as a slight frown forms. "To reveal that would be to reveal a key part of my creation, which is what I believe would be called a trade secret held by my father." Having not expected Penny to possess even a slight knowledge of legal matters, the defense attorney scowls and leans forward towards her.
"I see. Now, Ms. Polendina, tell me something if you will. You said your 'father', so to speak, is your creator, yes?" He asks, Penny giving a curt nod and a calmly uttered "Yes." before he continues. "Now, if he was your creator, and you say he made you so that you are tamper proof, what's to say you didn't allow him to tamper with the footage in your memories? Who's to say you didn't let him alter the footage to contradict what was shown on the news, framing a poor, innocent man of a crime he couldn't possibly have done?"
"OBJECTION!" Comes the prosecutor as she stand up, hands pressing down into the defense table as she frowns towards her opposing attorney. "On what grounds?" The judge's question is met with a frown from the defense, who's gaze falls right onto the prosecutor as she begins to speak once more. "On the grounds that the defense is not an expert in engineering, only such an expert could confirm or deny whether or not Ms. Polendina truly is tamper proof."
"The objection stands, jury, please disregard the statements issued by the defense." The judge orders, the defense attorney scowling before glancing off to the side. "No further questions." Penny is cleared to return to her seat, then the defense attorney looks out towards the gallery and sets his sights on a particular figure that looks more than a little nervous. "The defense calls Weiss Schnee to the stand." He calmly states, Weiss freezing up momentarily before slowly rising to her feet and moving to settle behind the stand.
"Please state your name." The judge calmly requests, a slight nod being given before Weiss speaks, albeit with a slight softness to her voice. "W... Weiss Schnee, your honor." The defense leans in towards her once she falls silent, her gaze focusing on him for a few moments before falling off to the side. "Ms. Schnee, what is your relation to the defendant?" He asks her, Weiss quietly clearing her throat while a bead of sweat rolls down her forehead.
"I... I am his daughter." Stated as calmly as she can, her gaze unfortunately comes to focus on Jacques, quickly pulling away once she sees a familiar malice on his face. "But of course. It is Atlesian law that a parent is allowed to punish an unruly child as they see fit, you do know. And... From what I gather, your father has done nothing but punish you for being unruly, has he not?" Hearing the defense's words, Weiss begins to scowl, momentarily snapped out of her nervous stupor.
"H... How could you possibly say that? He... He's an abuser! He abused me, and my siblings, even my mother, he doctored footage, painted me and Penny as criminals! He has never once punished me for being unruly, he has punished me for... For not being a proper heiress and someone who would do the Schnee name well." She exclaims with slight anger to her voice, hands balling up as she speaks.
"Ah, yes, the so called doctored footage. It remains to be seen whether or not said footage was indeed doctored. No further questions your honor." Seeing Weiss's anger, the defense grins a bit and retreats back to his table, Weiss paling once she realizes he merely intended to rile her up and draw out her attitude. The prosecutor approaches the stand with a calm, rather supportive smile, looking Weiss over momentarily before speaking.
"Good morning Ms. Schnee. I trust that you are well?" She questions, Weiss nodding after a few moments while seeming taken aback. "I... Yes, ma'am, I am." She replies with a somewhat unsure tone, gaze focused solely on the prosecutor. "I'm glad to hear that. Now... If you could please answer me this one question. Were you aware your mother had placed cameras in your home, recording the actions going on? More specifically, were you aware she had recorded your father's actions, both against you, herself, your siblings, and his dealings with one Mr. Arthur Watts?"
"Objection!" This time it's the defenses turn to issue an objection, a slight glare being directed towards the prosecutor. "This is clearly hearsay, nothing that can be substantiated in any way. As well, any recorded footage is illegally obtained without the consent of the parties involved." Once silent, the prosecutor looks up to the judge and calmly speaks, stating "As you and the defense are aware, your honor, we have entered into evidence the footage recorded by Mrs. Willow Schnee, and under Atlesian statute 342.001, it is legal to conduct surveillance in one's home without the consent of those recorded, as the right to a safe and secure home is guaranteed under the statute."
"Objection overruled, you may answer the question Ms. Schnee." Finding the prosecutor's counter argument sound, the judge overrules the objection to the defense's dismay, allowing Weiss to speeak. "I... No, ma'am, I did not, until recent. I do not know the extent of what mother recorded, all I know is that she had hid cameras in all rooms of the house some time ago, and was recording everything that occurred." Once she falls silent, Weiss glances downwards, the prosecutor nodding with a smile. "No further questions your honor." Weiss retreats back to her seat in the gallery, Willow giving her a comforting hug which is leaned into readily.
Instead of another witness being called up, the prosecution presents Exhibit's A and B, Penny's memories, and the doctored footage released to the DustNet. She calmly points out the differences in each clip, showing Weiss and Penny's actions in the memories, and how they were altered in the doctored footage to present them both as criminals. To further this, an expert in video production and editing is called to the stand, and the prosecution and defense both take turns questioning them on the ease of which such footage is able to be doctored, and how one might go about doing so.
"That concludes part one of the trial, thank you all for attending, and we will reconvene in one week to proceed with part two." The judge calmly states once both attorneys finish their questioning, everyone in the court rising before the judge makes his departure. Jacques is escorted out by a bailiff, giving Weiss a smug grin as he leaves, Weiss unable to do anything but freeze up and go pale. Noticing this, Penny pulls her into a firm hug, then helps her up to her feet.
"Are you okay Weiss? Or... Will you be okay?" She questions, Weiss offering no more than a slow nod before quickly latching onto Penny. "I hate this, Penny... He... He kept staring at me... Giving me smug looks... I'm afraid he might win, and... I... I don't think I can handle that..." Weiss's nervous reply draws out a soft smile from Penny, who promptly scoops up the brace faced former heiress and begins to carry her out of the court, following behind Willow and Whitley. Weiss curls up against her girlfriend and nestles against her shoulder, seeking comfort in her presence the whole time.
"Let's get you home Weiss, Muffin is waiting for you, and we can spend the rest of the day doing whatever you'd like, okay?" Penny offers, Weiss finally beginning to smile before she nods.
"I'd like that, Penny... Thank you."