Doubt and Trust

"Court will now convene for the trial of Squall Leonhart," the Judge announced and banged his gavel for silence.

Visitors were not allowed for Leon, the guard gruffly informed when Justice and Wright tried to talk to the high profile detainee. The KBWA chief slumped in the dock and Apollo frowned at how good Leonhart appeared in the off-white straitjacket. A mask clamped the bottom half of his face, giving him no choice in the matter of speaking and yet, he garnered appreciative looks from everyone.

"I don't trust him," Apollo muttered to Athena as the viewing gallery piped down. "I'm not comfortable with defending someone I do not trust," he gritted his teeth and perceived the inscrutable defendant.

Regretting her decision to act as co-counsel when prosecutor Gavin stood in the opposite bench, Athena activated Widget, astonished by Leon's calm mental state. "For now, your job is to figure out the truth, you don't have to believe in your client... yet." Klavier delivered his opening statement. "It's your choice to drop the case if he is guilty of his crimes," she gently reminded Apollo and smiled reassuringly.

He nodded. "The defense is ready your honor," he shouted and half the people recoiled.

"Mr. Justice, do please calm down," the Judge sighed, "you and Mr. Clavius have much to learn from each other."

The prosecutor summoned Detective Ema Skye on the witness stand and she unleashed her venomous gaze on Klavier Gavin, making no attempt to mask her contempt for the glimmerous fop. Her munching continued for several seconds while the court waited for her testimony and when a complete, deafening silence, save for the detective's horse teeth grinding, blanketed the courtroom, did she stuff the packet of snacks and began speaking.

"Roxas," she checked her papers, "Zephyr and Xion Poppet were found murdered at their work place in Organization XIII's warehouse office," Ema stated. "They are the co-owners of Level 13, the Electronic Mart; Poppet was in charge of sales while Zephyr did deliveries for both his E-mart and the Organization as a whole." The gallery twittered at the mug shots of the two individuals. "Here are the autopsy results." Skye presented the report to the court. "Xion was killed by internal hemorrhaging while Roxas was clubbed by a heavy, blunt object and taken to the where he was found, in the warehouse."

The detective finished and Justice trained his hawkish gaze on her. "Hold it," he tapped the report. "Clobbered with a blunt object? Can you explain?"

He resented the way Ema rolled her eyes and Klavier's infuriating, pitying grin.

"He was hit with something big and heavy." The detective gesticulated like the attorney was a child. "The assailant hit him at the back of his head while in the parking lot, and carried him to the warehouse. Did I make myself clear Mr. Justice?"

"Crystal," Apollo flippantly replied. "And how are you sure Zephyr was killed in the parking lot?" he smoothed the lines involuntarily forming on his forehead, so far, Ema told the truth, or what she believed to be the truth. "Do you have evidence?"

A pop tune abruptly shattered the grave ambience in the courtroom, one of the Gavinner's old songs.

"Achtung baby!" Klavier exclaimed. "Are you and Herr Fluffy sharing one brain cell, ja?" The attorney's glower could melt metal. "The Fraulein Detective did tell you the blood in the parking lot belongs to two people?" A picture of the gruesome parking lot, cordoned by crime scene yellow tape, beamed on the monitors. "Some of the blood belongs to Clavius and some of it is Herr Zephyr's." He smiled widely. "The blood DNA profile matches with a blonde strand of hair found at the crime scene, it belongs to the murdered." Gavin leaned on his elbows. "Anything else you need explaining Herr Forehead? Fraulein Detective and I will gladly spoon-feed it to you."

"Leave me out of this!" Ema threw a snackoo at Klavier but it fell short of the glamorous prosecutor.

"Tch!" Justice bristled and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So Roxas was murdered in the parking lot," he reiterated, "and carried to the warehouse." The cogs in his brain whirred and he wished for silence from the twittering gallery.

Dismissed, Ema stepped off the stand, long, chestnut brown hair sailing with her movements.

Athena aligned a pair of photos on the bench. "There is no blood on either of the coats," she pushed the images in front of Apollo and he willed them to make sense. Another witness took the stand with an air of dignified superiority and Cykes swallowed.

"Ach, it's him," her voice petered into a reverent squeak as Xemnas impassively eyed the defendant. "He's so tall and magnifique... and ahem!" she slapped the desk when Apollo regarded her disbelievingly "Going to lie through his teeth, let's get him Polly!"

She hastily smoothed her russet ponytail when Xemnas scanned the defense's bench.

"Witness, state your name and occupation please," Klavier requested.

Cutting a striking figure in a slim fit shirt, the witness introduced himself. "Xemnas, Terra-Xehanort." He clenched his hand when the name weaseled through his lips. "Chief Executive Officer of Organization XIII."

The Judge and the rest of the court eagerly listened to his husky voice, it's not every day one got to witness the elusive boss of Org XIII in person.

"Now, your testimony, Herr Xehanort," the prosecutor added, breaking the hypnotic spell Xemnas unknowingly asserted on everyone. "Tell us what you did when the crime took place."

A silver stylus and a tablet appeared in his hands. "I was in my office, analyzing the monthly report from my employees and," he pensively gazed out of the courtroom windows, "watching the news." A heavy pause while the very air held its breath. "I received a notification," he tapped the tablet screen, "about an incident in the parking lot." Xemnas explained how an entire squadron of cop cars arrived, a sea of blue and red lights, a cacophony of wailing sound, each louder than the last. "Therefore I hurried to the parking lot and saw the two unfortunate individuals being loaded on the ambulance." The witness paused again, zoning on his tablet and both the prosecutor and defense observed him closely. "While I dealt with the press and their unnecessary questions, Level 2 informed me-" his burnished gold eyes swirled thunderously, "that Roxas and the puppet was murdered.

"I immediately went to the warehouse to confirm."

Powdered glass, the boy and girl curled away from each other and the acrid tang of burnt electronics masked by the addictive tint of Marluxia's perfume.

"Puppet?" Apollo asked, his bangle did not tighten on his wrist and it made him nervous.

The witness turned to him, long silver bangs framing his dark, chiseled face. "Poppet," Xemnas corrected, "perhaps you need a doctor to check your ears, attorney."

"I definitely heard you say puppet," Justice persisted quickly when the Judge banged his gavel.

"Mr. Justice, you may begin your cross-examination," he said, "and please refrain from unnecessary comments and accusations."

Glowering at the Judge, seated on the raised platform, Apollo studied the enigmatic figures of both the witness and the defendant. "Mr. Xemnas, can you prove you were in your office when the assault and murder occurred?"

"The security camera footage will tell you exactly what I was doing," Xemnas replied without looking up.

Hair horns drooping, Justice strangled his bangle while a video played on the screen. It did indeed show the CEO lounging on a leather office chair and watching news from a dozen channels all at once. Papers cluttered his desk; he noted something on his tablet and returned to the screens covering half his office wall. A picture hung on the wall, the image of the blonde boy grainy through the security camera feed.

"You seem particularly close to Mr. Zephyr-"

"Roxas," Xemnas insisted.

"Roxas." Apollo breathed through his nose, calming when Athena gently squeezed his arm. "Are you aware he was the one who assaulted the two individuals in the parking lot?" Justice questioned, pressing his palms flat on the bench.

The witness raised his head. "No." He clenched his hand.

"You're lying Mr. Xehanort." The attorney wilted under the CEO's intense gaze. "You have a habit of clenching you right hand when you lie. You did it when you introduced yourself as Terra-Xehanort but I digress," Apollo shared a quick look with Klavier. "You knew about Roxas in the parking lot, it's the reason why you did not rush out of your office when receiving the notification." He indicated to the screen. "It's strange, if an employer of mine was misbehaving, I would've gone there as fast as I can."

In the viewing gallery, Phoenix coughed.

Resisting the urge to nail his boss on the nose, Apollo pointedly ignored the cough. "Your attachment to Roxas biases you to shift blame on unsuspecting people." The witness stood worryingly still. "To distract from your company's failings, you got my client arrested and from what I've heard, you asked for military involvement. The KBWA and Organization XIII are not on good terms, you have a grudge against my client-"

A muffled thump rippled across the courtroom and Apollo shuddered. The prosecutor removed his knuckles from the oak paneled wall and smiled. "You have a lot of colorful ideas little forehead," Klavier moved the papers on his bench, "do you have evidence? Of this terrible grudge Herr Xehanort has against the defendant? Can you give us proof?"

Ack! Apollo jerked back, upright fringe flopping over his forehead. His mind raced. Clearly the CEO was lying, Org XIII and the KBWA were at odds with each other, Xemnas thinks a traitor from his company worked together with Leon to get Roxas and Xion murdered.

"Mr. Justice, do speak up," the Judge realized his words, "…at an acceptable volume, please."

Recovering from his shock, the attorney slicked his hair upright and folded his arms. "I do not have evidence," he announced and the gallery twittered loudly. "But from the witness' testimony alone, I fail to see how he could point to Leonhart; care to shed some light Mr. Terra-Xehanort? Any of the KBWA operatives could infiltrate with the help of the traitor and do the deed right?"

"Herr Xemnas," the prosecutor snapped his fingers, "I ask you to put the shiny forehead's doubts at a rest, at this rate, I'll need to shield my eyes." Klavier slipped on his sunglasses and ran his hand through his hair. His ice-blue eyes pulled like a magnet to Phoenix Wright; the man, impeccable in a tailored blue suit, smiled fondly at his attorneys, but there was no mistaking the sheer exhaustion and worry in his eyes. "Please inform the court why you believe Leon is the murderer." Gavin leaned back, hands hanging on the pockets of his stained purple jeans.

The CEO scribbled on his tablet before gracing the hushed courtroom with his seductively hoarse voice. "Axel," he intoned, "is the traitor." The flame haired model infuriated him with his closeness to Roxas and Xion. "When I hired them Level 13," he paused and everyone hung on the edge of their seats, "he was the only one who actively tried to befriend them."

"Is making friends breeching company policy?"

Flicking off a speck of invisible dirt off his woolen shirt, Xemnas continued, "The managers are extremely busy individuals, we only gather during company meetings. There are reports of Axel shirking work to take those two on unauthorized visits, strange because," the witness resumed tapping his tablet, "he did not bother trying to befriend anyone else. He and Saix have known each other for a long time and yet they were estranged."

"Mr. Justice, I'll remind you once again to question the witness during your cross-examination," the Judge stressed, "you will be penalized if you continue badgering the witness." The prosecutor dipped his head in agreement. "...You may cross-examine the witness now." The judge questioned why things veered wildly off course each time one of Wright's attorneys handled a case.

A holographic screen floated in front of Athena and she struggled to get a psychological read on the witness. Xemnas was immune to emotions. No anger, no surprise or misplaced joy as he accused Leon, nothing but a vague feeling of... of something sad as he stood in the witness dock and related his testimony.

"He seems deeply sad," Cykes related in a low voice. "But it's not; he's not feeling it." Her hand twirled around Widget. "I can't explain," she exasperatedly voiced. "It's like he doesn't know how to feel."

"So he's an emotionless rock, I get it," Justice concluded. "All murdering CEO's are."

Athena checked the noise level; none. "No." She considered her words. "It's like he's pretending to feel...ach, carry on, I'll see what else I can get." Cykes renewed her study of the CEO, her budding infatuation with the handsome CEO dying as abruptly as it surfaced.

Closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead, Apollo mentally sifted through the facts. "Axel allowed Leon to kill the Level 13 managers." Xemnas nodded assuredly. "Does the prosecution have proof of Axel being a KBWA operative?" he asked and immediately regretted his decision when Xemnas smiled.

This was the first time the CEO's blank face changed.

"Of course we do Herr Forehead, not everyone is as overwhelmingly incompetent as you." Klavier air-guitared while Apollo glared at him. The riff continued for a few more seconds and Gavin finished it with a finger snap, "I'll call Fraulein Lockhart to testify about your client and what it actually means to be the KBWA's leader."

A firebrand of dread seared Apollo's chest as the vice-chief rested her arms on the wooden stand. He perceived callouses on her knuckles, carefully concealed under layers of foundation. The woman's hands looked like they punched walls for a living.

"Fraulein, your name, occupation and a smile please." Gavin grinned suavely and the defense attorney crushed a paper in his fist when the witness broke into a shaky, sunshine smile. "Much better," he pushed his sunglasses up his forehead, "Now your testimony, let's rock!"

"Go rock at one of your concerts!" Justice scathed, rubbing his wrist, "this is a courtroom."

"Achtung baby!" Klavier winked, "today we play it my way."

Tifa waited for the attorney to settle down. A sea of faces peered at her from the masses of people in the viewing gallery and she stopped at Phoenix.

Why didn't he take the case?

"Squall is not the murderer," she declared and the stray whispers in the court quieted. "On the night of the murder, he was in his office, drinking his fifth cup of coffee and working on a joint operation with the police." Silver teardrops glittered on her ears. "Our secretary, the therapist and I can attest to that. We are acquainted with Axel." Apollo crumpled, mouth parted in disbelief. "But I believe Leon has been accused of murdering the E-mart managers and I hope the defense understands he did not commit any murder."

Her words left a deafening silence in its wake. Apollo straightened slowly; his co-worker clutched the bench desperately.

"Mr. Justice, your – err… cross-examination please." The Judge did not need to bang his gavel.

"Ms. Lockhart," Justice's words rang stridently in the chamber, "your testimony implies Mr. Leonhart was indirectly responsible for the murders." His vision swam, through the whirling colors; Gavin's face was screwed in an eerily frightening frown. "I refuse to defend this client."

The vice-chief's eyebrows shot to her hairline in astonishment. The beginnings of desperation laced her fair face.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

"Court will be suspended for a short while," the Judge announced gravely and Tifa inhaled sharply. "Mr. Justice, sort things out with your client, we will resume after a half an hour break."

The General Hospital's unwanted resident strode through the door, two bags crammed full of vending machine meals, drinks and dessert. Nurses sighed, they long gave up trying to remove the young man from the ward and his grumpy presence grew on them.

On the other side of the curtain, Trucy struggled with her chopsticks. Her wrists ached as she painstakingly maneuvered a morsel of rice into her mouth. The violent yanking of the curtain failed to startle her anymore and she tiredly smiled at Vanitas, standing there with a pudding cup in his pale hand. He placed the desert on the table, and to her mild unease, picked her rice bowl and chopsticks, holding a clump of rice to her mouth.

"Let me help you," he offered and she paled in embarrassment. "I heard you like pudding," Vanitas bit the inside of his cheeks; at this rate, she'll think he's a creepy stalker. "Sora told me," he aggressively added and peeled the foil top off the pudding. "If you don't want rice, eat this instead, eggs and milk are great for... for convalesce," Vanitas focused intensely on the pudding instead of Trucy.

"Thanks," she chirped and he stopped the pleasant prickling in his cheeks through the sheer force of his iron-will. She gratefully ate the pudding, weirdedout by the crabby Clavius' spontaneous acts of kindness. "I suppose you help Sora a lot," she trailed off when his expression darkened, "and well; I wish I had a brother." Trucy did not bother saying anything when Vanitas absentmindedly finished the last of her pudding.

He realized a moment later, muttered a curse and fished a second cup from a plastic bag at the foot of her bedside table.

"He's been socially inept ever since we were kids." Trucy gave up trying to take the pudding cup from Vanitas. "Sora never stands up for himself when he is teased or bullied," his grip on the plastic tightened, "and he finds it difficult to appear in front of people, so it came as a surprise when he said he wanted to become a lawyer." He fed Trucy, careful not to get pudding smeared all over her face. "I was proud of him."

A necklace glimmered on his collarbones. "He is really passionate about helping people." Trucy said. "And," she recalled the defiant gleam in Sora's sky blue eyes each time he defended a client, "I think he just needs to believe... eep," she squeaked when Vanitas violently shot up from his chair when a machine beeped. "Is there something wrong?"

He crumpled the plastic, his hands shaking when nurses rushed to the comatose Sora's bedside, one called the doctor, the others gathered around as the beeping increased and the clear mask over his face fogged. Wedging in a corner, Vanitas gripped the bed, the paranoid tremor spreading to his entire body.

Did cure work?

The doctor paraded in, coat fluttering and hands held up. Vanitas' golden eyes never left Sora.

His brother scowled in pain, his chest heaved.

An explosive sigh and Sora reached up, pulling the oxygen mask off his face

12:23 p.m.

General Hospital

Emergency ward

"My... my scarf," he wheezed, trying not to flinch when the doctor checked him. He received an injection on his upper arm and the patch of skin burned.

The medics conferred in low voices, casting bewildered glances at their comatose patient brought back to life. "I didn't think he would make it," a nurse admitted as the young man pulled the baby blue hospital gown tighter across his chest. "It's a miracle really," her voice pitched, "yesterday his kidneys started failing, I wondered how I would tell him," she motioned to Vanitas, climbing on Sora's bed and at first urging and then threatening his brother to eat. "This morning, his condition worsened, now look at him!" Her eyes teared slightly. "We'll have to treat those wounds on his chest for a couple of days, but he's all better." The medical personnel turned to their patient, relief evident in the creases around their eyes.

"Mr. Clavius," the doctor approached. "You have made a miraculous recovery-"

"Can I take him home?" Vanitas interrupted when Sora recoiled.

"...No you may not." The doctor looked down at the raven haired man. "He needs to stay here for at least another day, we have to monitor his condition closely to prevent further complications like kidney failure," the doctor powered through another of Vanitas' protests, "which nearly occurred yesterday."

He found it difficult to believe the patient woke up while in such a critical condition. The scarred skin peeking from beneath the hospital gown knitted instantaneously and the doctor rubbed his eyes, he needed to take a break before he started seeing broken bones re-aligning themselves.

"In any case, Mr. Clavius... the black haired one," he clarified when both brothers turned, their resemblance there, and not quite there, "please refrain from disrupting your brother's treatment, you have another hour with him before visiting hours are over and I appreciate it if you could leave afterwards. If not, we will contact the police to haul you out of here, did," the doctor inclined forward, glasses flashing under the glare of the lights, "I make myself clear?"

A mocking half smile curled on Vanitas' lips.

"Yes sir," Sora squeaked, fingers tight around his twin's crown necklace. He bowed politely when the doctor smiled reassuringly and left, the nurses bustled, Vanitas climbed higher on the bed, practically squashing him under his weight and Sora brightened when Trucy cautiously peeked around the curtain, her single, diamond earring buried in her shock of frizzy, brown hair.

She slowly sat near the bed, her eyeballs burned as fragmented memories of the night returned like the ebb and flow of ocean tides. Her memory grew hazier each time she struggled to recall the incident. The hospital scents and the rank reek of blood made her nauseous. She fidgeted with her gown, her cheeks ached from smiling.

"I'm - I'm sorry," Sora whispered. Mind suddenly blank as a searing pain forced him to bend. "Roxas..." The name tasted like acid in his mouth. "The Organization XIII delivery guy did this." Vanitas, fussily smoothing the wrinkles in the hospital sheets stilled, a murderous gleam in his irises. "Trucy... I'm sorry, I'm..." Sora's vision blurred.

My fault.

I asked Trucy to accompany me to the department store.

My incompetence nearly cost her life.

Everyone at the agency will hate me.

"I'm fine!" Trucy assured, the old fire returning as she vehemently crushed the painful memories at the back of her mind. "See," she flailed her arms and a sheet of medicine disappeared, Vanitas gawked, his twin temporarily forgotten, "I still have my magic. I'm okay, never better." She playfully stuck her tongue out.

Cute.

"You have visitors Mr. Clavius," a nurse announced and adjusted her hat. She glowered reproachfully at Vanitas, sprawled across the bed. "Shall I let them in?"

The patient nodded meekly.

Silver hair shone bleached white under the lights, Nox carried a straw basked filled with fresh fruit and flowers and King Mickey held a vial of pale gold elixir in gloved hands. Trucy courteously greeted Riku while Vanitas bolted upright, gaze drilling holes through the Grey Knight.

"Sora woke from the coma, barely an hour ago, he's not in any position for training," Vanitas growled and wondered if the hospital would accept another emergency case patient.

Placing the basket on the bedside table, Riku swallowed a sigh. "I'm not here to drag him for training." The trainee hid behind the Black Saint. "I thought to check in after the incident," he mumbled and the wires crawling on the IV stand became a lot more interesting.

"We came to visit," Mickey explained and expertly balanced on the edge of the bed. "I'd like to apologize-"

"Apology not accepted," Vanitas poisonously hissed. "My brother could've died, she," he pointed at Trucy,"could've died all because you KBWA are meddling freaks who insists Sora is the King. Doesn't the King require guards?"

Trucy involuntarily clenched her hand to her chest, Vanitas screamed at open air, specifically the spot next to Riku.

Riled by the way the Black Saint whaled on the king, Nox began, "We didn't know the Organization was-"

"Shut up damn pansy," Vanitas cursed, "did I ask you?"

A headache spiked across Sora's temples as his brother verbally abused the two visitors. A numbing tiredness fogged his brain. He wanted to sleep. Sleep was the answer to life's mysteries.

"Vanitas," Mickey drew his hood down, "Sora, I really do want to apologize." He stared at the floor. "We had an arrangement-"

"What arrangement?" Vanitas grabbed a peach from the basket, he toyed with the consequences of throwing it at the king. Maybe Nox will finally show his true colors. "Roxas is dead! Was that your fault?"

Dead? Sora's mind tumbled like a rock falling from a high precipice. Tumble, bounce, bounce. Tumble.

Fall.

Dead? The blonde guy?

"No. His majesty arrived too late. Although now the nobodies won't dare do anything out of line," Riku vainly controlled his fraying temper. The Black Saint's immoderate behavior towards Mickey angered him. "Clavius, the KBWA has conditions, Organization XIII did not honor them," his hand shot lightning fast, grabbing Vanitas' sleeveless tunic, "and yet you wear these things."

A jet black blur. Vanitas' combat boot smashed Riku's jaw who to his credit, only staggered back; a thin trickle of blood seeping from his broken skin. He wiped it, the armband soaking the crimson fluid.

"My bad," Vanitas drawled angrily, "my leg moved on its own."

Trucy nervously edged away from the bed. She murmured a prayer of thanks for her relatively normal family.

"Vani, I recently woke up," Sora rubbed his temples vigorously, "and you are giving me a headache so bad, I'll probably slip into a coma again." He closed his eyes. "I don't want visitors," he abruptly stated. "I want to be alone for a while, please." He faced the wall, the muscles in his neck pulling painfully.

A suffocating silence descended in the ward and Trucy stole back to her bed. The silver haired man and Vanitas glared at each other for another moment and they both exited the chamber, Clavius lingered at the door, before spinning on his heel and stalking out.

"Trucy?" Sora called and dragged the hospital sheets over his chin. It smelled faintly of pine.

"You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault," she placated and ran her fingers through her hair, smoothing the tangles.

The young man sighed like he would rather stay dead. "Your Daddy and senior Apollo is going to kill me."

"Mr. Justice, you may begin your cross-examination," the Judge announced and banged his gavel.

Roughly twenty minutes ago in the courtroom lobby, Apollo prepared to listen to his client with an open mind. Unfortunately, her cellphone vibrated the moment he sat with her on the couch and the call lasted for the entirety of the break. Mr. Wright sunk into a power nap and Justice irascibly slurped through two cans of lemonade and his cup noodles.

Whatever issues he wanted to sort out with the vice-chief remained unsolved as the bailiff ushered them back to court.

Widget glowed as Athena organized the testimony with her mood matrix. "Lockhart is the KBWA's vice-chief," she confirmed, "so it means she is well aware of the nuances of this particular operation." The witness' noise level was remarkably low, spiking at certain parts of her testimony. "When she says Leon is not the murderer, she is sure of it, Lockhart is not guilty at the statement. And as for being acquainted with Axel..."

"Did you run out of words Herr Forehead?" Klavier teased. "Is your client guilty?"

In the dock, Leon sat like none of this concerned him, the police guarding him stood a little straighter.

"Did Leonhart order the murder of Poppet and Zephyr?" Apollo questioned.

"No," Tifa replied immediately, "we have orders from-" her eyes shifted, "-higher ups."

"Who are these higher ups?" the attorney demanded, his bangle loosening when the witness eyed at him.

Bracing herself to answer the question, Tifa nervously bunched her hands into fists. "The KBWA headquarters is situated in another country," she crossed her arms, "we are the Los Angeles branch, tasked with keeping an eye on Organization XIII. We have a weapons manufacturing agreement with them, the government is well aware of this." Several people in the viewing gallery twitched uncomfortably in their seats. "Organization XIII started an unauthorized project, which does not conform with our, nor governmental rules, and the verdict came from our leader to execute the two most involved in the project."

"The KBWA headquarters is situated in another country?" Justice repeated. Lies. "Execute the two most involved in the project? Ms. Lockhart, "your eyes are a peculiar shade of red."

Klavier grinned. "Flirt later little forehead-"

"And they keep shifting during some parts of your testimony, specifically when you are lying." Apollo slammed his hand and pointed.

Tifa bumped her fist on the stand and it crumpled. She apologized sheepishly as the prosecutor and attorney collectively blanched. "I am sworn to secrecy. But I will stand by my statement; Squall did not murder those two. The Wayward... Roxas' wounds," she paused as the image beamed on the monitor, "are too messy for his weapon to make. Besides," she added as an afterthought and tugged her dress suit, "when Leon does assignments, you don't find the bodies."

"Your statements are not helping your boss," Justice said through clenched teeth. He did not have enough evidence to completely throw the blame off Leon.

Who murdered those two employees anyway? Apollo wracked his aching brains. It couldn't be the black haired Clavius.

"Your honor, I request the trial to be extended a day further, we currently do not have adequate information to accuse my client of being guilty, nor can we be sure he is completely innocent." Fear brushed Apollo's spine; Xemnas' suffocating gaze slowly wrangled the air out of him.

The Judge conferred with the prosecutor, "Your thoughts Mr. Gavin?"

Gavin air-guitared once again while Skye rolled their eyes. "Achtung, the prosecutor accepts the defense's proposal." Apollo stepped off the bench and powerwalked to the doors. "Hopefully we can get a verdict tomorrow for the warrior Fraulein's sake," he smiled, lowered his sunglasses and gathered his papers.

Tifa tried to talk to Leon. Her gagged boss merely shook his head, as the guards led him away.

Loyalty

Midnight

KBWA Headquarters, Tifa's office.

Sunlight fell into the office in gentle sheets, the sudden night turned day bewildering Phoenix when he sat opposite the vice-chief.

She did not waste time on pleasantries. "They," she tapped two photographs of a boy and a girl on her desk, "are not human. The Wayward Wind, Roxas, is a near perfect replica of a KBWA founder; he was born in a test tube."

Wright listened with growing disbelief as Lockhart earnestly defended Leon's decisions. "Who killed them?" he asked, "I understand Leonhart followed orders but-" He clasped his magatama; curiously, Tifa did not have any crimson psyche locks to crack. "If he is indeed guilty in assisting the murder of those two people," he paused, "my agency will not be defending your boss."

No ticking clocks eased the oppressive silence in the sunshine office.

"They were executed by our Special Assignment member," the vice-chief reluctantly confessed. "These Special Assignments are shrouded in a level of such high secrecy, the only person who knows what they are doing are the operatives themselves. It is our policy not to name names."

Glimpsing the glittering papers on Tifa's desk, Phoenix added, "The crux of the matter is that Leon knew about this murder and is on friendly terms with the murderer, which in turn makes him guil-"

"Mr. Wright," Phoenix momentarily stopped breathing when she casually lifted the desk bolted to the floor. The metal screeched in protest before giving way with a resigned pop. "You need to understand, Squall did not kill anyone."

A/N: I'm a huge fan of Tifa. Her portrayal in the Kingdom Hearts manga was made funnier by the way she casually lifted heavy objects with no problem at all. I remember in one panel, she lifts a giant portrait of Ansem the wise and Leon's and Sora's eyes pop out.

Once again, please read and review, Sora needs to recover.