"Does the prosecution have anymore witnesses?" the judge asked.
"Yes, I do." the prosecution attorney nodded. "I call Officer Blaze to the stand,"
"Me?" Blaze questioned.
The judge nodded. Blaze took a deep breath and drove over to the stand. The offense attorney took out a file.
"Officer Blaze, do you swear to tell the truth?"
"I do," Blaze nodded.
"Then may you please tell us how you learned of the truth behind the sins of Krisha and Calvin?"
"I…" Blaze took a deep breath and gave another nod. "My friends and I discovered during one of our adventures,"
"I see…" the attorney nodded. "May you describe what happened,"
"Crusher… was corrupted," Blaze spoke, trying to hide the magic but because of the realistic trucks in the room. "He was full of rage and jealousy because of the fact that his so-called parents had chosen to come to my birthday party when I was a child and neglected him,"
"And this is what child negligence does, your honor," the persecution attorney said, turning to the judge. "Corruption of mind and craziness,"
"That cannot be all true," the defense attorney spoke up. "Officer Blaze, would you please elaborate 'corrupted'?"
"He was thought to believe things that weren't true," Blaze replied with slight hesitation.
"Are you quite sure?" the defense attorney challenged. "From the news collected months ago, there had been a 'Moonstone Wielder' that was 'corrupted' as well. Do you confirm or deny that this corruption is because of a magical trinket and not of abuse?"
"It's because of the abuse, AND the magic," Blaze spoke up. "The evil demoness Zhan Tiri used his hatred toward me to try and take possession of two powerful stones, and would have succeeded if Crusher didn't sacrifice himself to stop her."
"You see that, your honor?" the defense laughed mockingly. "He states that 'magic' have something to do with how he discovered the truth. Such a child's play for an officer when we all know that magic does not exist,"
The jury murmured, some in agreement, others in conflict. Blaze was growing frustrated by minute but was trying to keep calm as he raised his head to defend his claim.
"Magic IS real, your honor. Some of you may not believe in it, but it IS,"
"What proof do YOU have that magic is real?" the defense attorney asked challengingly. "If you are so eager to insist that magic is real then please, Officer Blaze, SHOW us,"
Blaze looked over at his family, who gave him supporting looks.
"Alright," he smirked. "If you say so,"
He closed his eyes and felt the magic of the Sunstone flow through him as he began to glow sun marks all over. The jury and the judge gasped in shock while the defense just scoffed.
"A light show. That 'proves' that magic exists? Hardly,"
Blaze chuckled and stomped his tire on the ground. Suddenly, black rocks glowing gold sprouted out from under the ground, causing many to gasp and scream in disbelief and shock. Blaze then opened his eyes and smirked at the defense attorney.
"You were saying?"
The defense attorney began to sputter as he glanced around fearfully. The prosecution attorney snorted and rolled his eyes.
"You all obviously haven't been in Axle City long enough to know that magic exists," he chuckled. "Thank you, Officer Blaze, for your words and your… presentation. I now call our final witness; Crusher,"
Crusher gulped nervously. He slowly got up from his seat and drove to the stand, passing Blaze, who patted his back reassuringly.
"You can do this,"
"Thanks, Blaze," Crusher gave a smile before driving to the stand.
"Crusher," the prosecution attorney spoke. "do you confirm yourself as Krisha and Calvin's biological child?"
"Y-Yes, sir," Crusher nodded with a gulp.
"And do you confirm the child labor accusation?"
"Y-Yes."
"And how you found out the truth through the magical assistance of what is claimed to be the Moonstone? Do you confirm this as well?"
"Yes..."
"Alright," the attorney nodded. "Now tell us, Crusher, in your perspective, how you managed to endure your blood parents' crimes against you when you were nothing but a harmless child,"
Crusher took a deep breath. "I… I've endured it by thinking that they actually cared for me. I… I've craved for parental love… even when Grammy took care of me, it… it just wasn't the same,"
"And when you realized that your blood parents left you for the one who had presently been your rival, how did it feel?"
"It... at first made me feel angry and betrayed..." Crusher admitted. "I… I lashed out and blamed Blaze for everything, but…"
"But what?" The attorney asked.
"I realized he was a baby, and he didn't have any control over what my parents did. I mean, he cared about me more than they ever will."
Blaze's eyes widened in surprise as his brother gave a smile. He returned it as the attorney gave a nod.
"So, you confirm all the abuse and the accusations given against your parents?"
"Yes," Crusher nodded. "every stinkin', no good part of it."
"Then that settles all the proof we need for the case," the attorney concluded.
"NO, IT DOESN'T!" Krisha screamed, taking everyone back. "HOW DO WE ALL KNOW THAT HE ISN'T LYING HIMSELF?! AND THAT THIS WHOLE MAGIC BUSINESS AND HIM BEING A 'VICTIM' IS ALL AN ACT?! A ROUSE!"
Crusher grimaced but tried to stay calm and not trigger his own powers. The attorney, on the other hand, merely cleared his throat and turned to her.
"Because HE is the victim," he spoke. "Whatever he says is believed because it is out of experience,"
"But how do we NOT know that all of his 'experiences' are LIES?!" Calvin accused. "HE'S JUST AN ATTENTION-SEEKER! NEITHER OF THIS COULD EVER BE TRUE! YOU HAVE NO DIRECT PROOF!"
Crusher looked down, unsure how to defend himself before glancing up at his new family. They all gave him reassuring looks that spoke one thing;
'You can do this.'
With that in mind, he took a deep breath and held his head up.
"They're all TRUTH, no lies," he spoke.
"Where's your proof then?" the defense attorney challenged.
"My words, my experiences, and EVERYTHING that THESE TWO have ever done to me." Crusher growled. "Everything they've done to me is proof enough, ever time they broke me down and treated me like a slave! They're not parents. They're… They're monsters!"
"What did you just say to us?" Calvin snarled.
"THAT'S IT!" Krisha stood up with a gun in her tires, catching everyone off-guard as she pointed it at Crusher. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS TRIAL!"
"Get the gun!" Officer Anna commanded the other police as they surrounded her.
Krisha hissed and jumped onto the table for a higher ground before shooting towards the dark blue truck.
BANG!
"CRUSHER!" His family yelled out in horror.
Crusher yelped, holding his tires out as he glowed crescent moon marks instinctively. Immediately, a black rose from the ground and blocked the bullet before it could reach him, causing him to sigh in relief.
"That was way too close..."
"ARGH!" Krisha growled. "You and your stupid powers!"
"That's enough!" Blaze stood up to join the other police. "Put the gun down, now!"
"Never!"
Krisha jumped across tables and managed to swerve around and slip past the other officers trying to catch her. She soon made it to Crusher, gun out and ready.
"Now to put a bullet in your big mouth!"
Crusher tried driving back to escape, but Krisha managed to tackle him down before he could. She set the gun at his face as she pulled him to face the crowd with her.
"ATTACK ME AND MY HUSBAND, DARE YOU, AND I'LL SHOOT!" she threatened, grip on her gun tightening.
Crusher was whimpering so much, it was almost like a puppy whimpering. Blaze could tell he was scared, like a nightmare coming true.
He had to do something.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his sun marks appearing as he reached to his brother using their stones, which was something Roarian had thought them earlier that month.
[Crusher, can you hear me?]
[Help...] Crusher begged. [I'm so scared...]
[Don't worry, brother. I've got a plan. Just trust me.]
[Okay… I… I trust you.]
[Good.] Blaze smiled. [I need you to focus your magic and try to get the gun AWAY from you.]
[Okay...]
Crusher took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He glowed crescent moons as he called for the rocks below him. A rock managed to point up and stab through the gun, catching Krisha off-guard in shock.
"WHAT?!"
She glared at the dark blue truck with daggers as he fled down to his family to escape from her. The police soon confronted her, with Officer Anna and Blaze taking the front.
"This proves she needs to be locked away," Anna said sternly. "Her husband too."
"Definitely," Blaze nodded in agreement as he called upon the rocks.
Krisha screamed as the rocks surrounded her and trapped her in a rock cage. She then turned to them with a snarl.
"You'll never get away with this!"
"It is YOU who will never get away," the judge spoke up, ending the case with a hit of his gavel. "Krisha, I charge you and your husband as GUILTY! Officers, take them both away,"
"Yes, your honor."
The police soon grabbed her and Calvin before taking them out of the courthouse, both of them screeching in rage.
Blaze sighed in relief before making his way to his family. Phoenix was holding Crusher comfortingly while Flame and Sparkle patted him gently for comfort. AJ gave him a small smile before turning to Blaze and walking towards him.
"Is it over?"
"Yeah, buddy, it is," Blaze nodded then he turned to Crusher. "You okay?"
"A little shaken, but okay... I guess."
"At least it's over now," Sparkle sighed in relief.
"How about we get some ice cream before we head home?" Phoenix suggested.
"Yeah... sounds good..." Crusher said with a heavy sigh.
But as they headed out of the courthouse and to the ice cream shop, Blaze noticed Crusher lugging behind, wiping tears away.
"Crusher, you SURE you're okay?" he asked.
"I... I can't believe she had that gun... waiting to kill me..." Crusher grimaced.
Blaze frowned and wrapped a tire around him. "Hey, it's alright. It's all over now, and you're safe,"
"I know, but... she was like Zhan Tiri... only in my mother's body. She hated me... and I don't know if I can wipe that memory..."
It was then that Crusher collapsed, crying, due to his many tears and aching heart.
"Aww, Crusher…" Blaze hugged his brother as much as he could. "I understand if there was so much that you wanted to forget about today, but if you do, you'll be forgetting the most important thing,"
"What's that...?"
"You'll be forgetting the day that your parents showed their true selves to the world that they thought they could easily fool," Blaze answered. "They've been hiding in a facade, trying to act friendly so no one would suspect them, but this is the day where they showed their true colors and got what they truly deserved,"
"I… I guess… you're right," Crusher looked up at him with a tearful smile. "Thanks, brother,"
"Of course," Blaze smiled. "Come on now,"