Hey everyone.
Here is chapter eight. As always, the only things that are mine are my debt, the Green, Irony,
and her lawyer. And the mistakes are mine too.
For anyone who is actually still reading, thanks for staying with this.
*smirks* You probably just want to see how Irony and Daring "really" ends,
hmm?
~December
Chapter 8: Helping others see through the masks
Mr. Tenchi Ikeda looked a little surprised, "That wasn't quite the
reaction I had in mind." 'And you aren't quite the woman I had in mind,
either,' Tenchi thought. He looked over the woman behind bars. She
had bruises, 'Well, we can definitely bring up police brutality.' She
wore a rather risque leather outfit and a green armband. She definitely
wasn't native Japanese. With her skin tone, accent, and attitude, he'd
guess that she was African-American and not African. She was also one
of the most attractive women he had ever seen. He smirked internally.
His mother always did say he had odd taste in women. And this woman
was definitely odd...especially since she was seeming to protest a
chance to be set free.
"Oh no. Oh hell no. There is no way. I won't let you represent me."
Tenchi sighed and attempted to reason with his client, "You will have a
very hard time finding legal representation with the way the press-"
"And that would be my problem, now wouldn't it?"
"Look, Ms. Tierreny. I'm here to help. Blackstone-san approached me
personally, complete with entourage. This case is about more than you;
it's about problems with a system and under the table deals and -"
"We'd better go," ChibiUsa said as she and Usagi began to back away from
the cell.
"Wait!" The two women turned back to the lawyer. "Are the two of you
friends of hers? Would you like to be character witnesses?"
Irony snorted. "Have you watched any of the news coverage on this?
You're looking at victim number two, Tsukino Usagi!"
Tenchi replied, "I only saw the press conference. I stopped watching
after it appeared to turn into a trial by the media." The man paused,
"Wait a sec, she's a victim and she's visiting you? Well, that does
mean the press got at least part of it wrong! That's even more a
reason for her to testify."
Irony's eyes narrowed. "Oh hell, no! I'm not dragging her into this.
There is no way I'm gonna let you force her into testifying! She-"
"Demo-...But...I...w-want...tooo."
Everyone quieted down to stare at the blonde, who had struggled to get
the English fragment out. She looked both nervous and determined...
Which, of course, caused Irony's protective instincts to kick in. "No.
I won't let her. Tsukino-san, do you have any idea of what they'll do
to you on that stand? And what your friends will say? I refuse to
put you through...well, to risk you on this. There are a lot of people
who need you more than I need my freedom."
Because ChibiUsa was translating quietly for Usagi, she understood most
of what Tierreny-san had said...and had become to mutter her breath. "...
Haruka-san..."
Irony laughed at Usagi's muttering. "Well, I hope I am not as full of myself
as your Haruka. She's a little much. But, in this case, she's right.
Besides, although we have issues, Haruka is only trying to protect you. I
have to respect her for that."
"Ms. Tierreny," Tenchi interupted, "Tsukino-san could be the testimony
that sets you free."
At that Irony snorted, "No. This trial is a pure show. I'm gonna be
convicted. No one and nothing could get me off."
Tenchi looked into her eyes. "I can."
Irony looked back at him...ignoring the part of herself that thought he was
cute...and the part of herself that admired him for fighting with her, "Oh
come on! Let's be realistic."
"Or pessimistic."
"Hey!" Irony objected, "Someone has to prepare for the worse."
"But that is only part of it," Tenchi countered. "Someone has to hope
for the best. Is there anyone in your life who hopes for the best?"
Irony snorted again, "Yeah, the spotter of the silver lining. The dreamer.
Where's he been all of my life?"
Still looking in her eyes, a surprising answer came out of Tenchi Ikeda.
An answer that shocked all who heard it, even the speaker. "Getting his
law degree and learning English. He's on the other side of your cell.
So what are you going to do about it?"
Irony looked floored. It was almost like he declared his intentions to her
Intentions beyond representing her legally. 'Falling for the good man who
happens to be your laywer...not a good idea, Irony.' But she was afraid
that she wasn't listening to herself anymore. And, after a pause, a
surprising response came out of her. "Ask you to hope for me...and to do
whatever that hoping requires you to do."
There were several beats of silence...as if everyone realized that
something else just happened. Tenchi recovered first. In flawless
Japanese, he quickly confirmed that Usagi would testify on behalf on Irony
and gave her his card. As the young ladies walked away, Irony turned to
her laywer. "Promise me, you'll protect her in there."
"Ms. Tierreny, I promise to protect any and everyone willing to defend you.
We are going to fight this together...and not one of your defenders will
fall."
Irony smiled. "Well, if you are going to be my laywer, Mr. Ikeda...you
should start calling me Alanis. This 'Ms. Tierreny' stuff is beginning
to make me feel really old."
Tenchi laughed. "Only if you call me Tenchi."
"Okay. I think I can do that...Tenchi."
Tenchi looked again at his client. This case was going to be hard. Not
so much because of the charges, or the media, or the fact that Irony had
really given up in many respects. All of that he could handle. But the
feelings he was beginning to develop for this hard-headed, fiercely
protective woman, 'Falling for your client, not good idea Mr. Ikeda. That
is going to make this fight very personal...when you can actually
concentrate on the case and not on her.' He sighed. "Now about the trial.
We should get you a suit for the court proceedings-"
"No."
Tenchi looked surprised. "Um, excuse me?"
"No. If I'm going into that court room, I'm going as is. Changing into
a suit isn't going to get them to see me...and if they can't see me
beyond what I'm wearing, they never will."
"Alanis-"
"I'm fighting for my family and my way of life. We don't wear suits where
I've been...and I refuse to sell-out my family to adopt some image that
may not save me anyway."
"Alanis, people are going to make negative associations with that attire-"
"And they will continue to if I shed it. This is about more than me...it
always has been. It's an ideological stance...a moral stance. I'm not
changing my mind about this!"
"Alanis, are you-"
"Fighting with your laywer already?" another voice asked.
Alanis and Tenchi both turned to the sound of the voice...to see Toge Blackstone,
Anrui Yuri, and Mamoru Chiba walking to the cell. The question, of
course, had come from Toge.
Irony began to speak, but Anrui cut her off. "Now don't fight us on this,
Alanis. You agreed to legal representation. Of course we got you the best."
"But-"
"Alanis, you have got to trust him on this. We will figure out what is
going on. Everything will work out. Just let him do his job. And
accept him as your laywer, alright?" from Toge.
"But-"
"Alanis...the entire family is going to support on this. Nintai is even
coming to help-"
"Nina? But she's pregnant! Mamoru, you can't think to risk-"
"She insisted. I know how she feels. I would be the last person to stop
her."
"Alanis," Tenchi interupted, "I WILL protect anyone who decides to defend
you. Believe that."
Irony turned to her lawyer. "Okay. Okay....I won't wear a suit, but I
won't fight you on anything else. I believe your promise to defend those
who defend me."
And one could hear a pin drop in the jail, as the three shocked friends
of Alanis Hope Tierreny tried to figure out how their stubborn, hard-headed
leader had been brought around by a laywer who had known her for less than
40 minutes.
"I guess he is good." Anrui managed to get out.
- to be continued -
Okay, I thought I would have this finished in five more chapters. Um, not
going to happen. So much has to be cleaned up...and I don't think I can do
it all in four chapters. But the story is getting more interesting, ne?
A few things about names. The laywer, Tenchi Ikeda is in no way related
to the Tenchi of Tenchi Muyo or the Mitsuru Ikead from Here is Greenwood.
Don't let the names throw you off. Also, Adversity has finally been given
a name, Heion Nintai (last name, first name). Nina is an Americanized
nickname of Nintai that Irony came up with. Although I didn' say use
the names Nintai and Adversity in the same sentence, I did give a hint of
who she was by mentioning she was pregnant...if anyone can remember all
the way back to Irony and Daring.
Here is chapter eight. As always, the only things that are mine are my debt, the Green, Irony,
and her lawyer. And the mistakes are mine too.
For anyone who is actually still reading, thanks for staying with this.
*smirks* You probably just want to see how Irony and Daring "really" ends,
hmm?
~December
Chapter 8: Helping others see through the masks
Mr. Tenchi Ikeda looked a little surprised, "That wasn't quite the
reaction I had in mind." 'And you aren't quite the woman I had in mind,
either,' Tenchi thought. He looked over the woman behind bars. She
had bruises, 'Well, we can definitely bring up police brutality.' She
wore a rather risque leather outfit and a green armband. She definitely
wasn't native Japanese. With her skin tone, accent, and attitude, he'd
guess that she was African-American and not African. She was also one
of the most attractive women he had ever seen. He smirked internally.
His mother always did say he had odd taste in women. And this woman
was definitely odd...especially since she was seeming to protest a
chance to be set free.
"Oh no. Oh hell no. There is no way. I won't let you represent me."
Tenchi sighed and attempted to reason with his client, "You will have a
very hard time finding legal representation with the way the press-"
"And that would be my problem, now wouldn't it?"
"Look, Ms. Tierreny. I'm here to help. Blackstone-san approached me
personally, complete with entourage. This case is about more than you;
it's about problems with a system and under the table deals and -"
"We'd better go," ChibiUsa said as she and Usagi began to back away from
the cell.
"Wait!" The two women turned back to the lawyer. "Are the two of you
friends of hers? Would you like to be character witnesses?"
Irony snorted. "Have you watched any of the news coverage on this?
You're looking at victim number two, Tsukino Usagi!"
Tenchi replied, "I only saw the press conference. I stopped watching
after it appeared to turn into a trial by the media." The man paused,
"Wait a sec, she's a victim and she's visiting you? Well, that does
mean the press got at least part of it wrong! That's even more a
reason for her to testify."
Irony's eyes narrowed. "Oh hell, no! I'm not dragging her into this.
There is no way I'm gonna let you force her into testifying! She-"
"Demo-...But...I...w-want...tooo."
Everyone quieted down to stare at the blonde, who had struggled to get
the English fragment out. She looked both nervous and determined...
Which, of course, caused Irony's protective instincts to kick in. "No.
I won't let her. Tsukino-san, do you have any idea of what they'll do
to you on that stand? And what your friends will say? I refuse to
put you through...well, to risk you on this. There are a lot of people
who need you more than I need my freedom."
Because ChibiUsa was translating quietly for Usagi, she understood most
of what Tierreny-san had said...and had become to mutter her breath. "...
Haruka-san..."
Irony laughed at Usagi's muttering. "Well, I hope I am not as full of myself
as your Haruka. She's a little much. But, in this case, she's right.
Besides, although we have issues, Haruka is only trying to protect you. I
have to respect her for that."
"Ms. Tierreny," Tenchi interupted, "Tsukino-san could be the testimony
that sets you free."
At that Irony snorted, "No. This trial is a pure show. I'm gonna be
convicted. No one and nothing could get me off."
Tenchi looked into her eyes. "I can."
Irony looked back at him...ignoring the part of herself that thought he was
cute...and the part of herself that admired him for fighting with her, "Oh
come on! Let's be realistic."
"Or pessimistic."
"Hey!" Irony objected, "Someone has to prepare for the worse."
"But that is only part of it," Tenchi countered. "Someone has to hope
for the best. Is there anyone in your life who hopes for the best?"
Irony snorted again, "Yeah, the spotter of the silver lining. The dreamer.
Where's he been all of my life?"
Still looking in her eyes, a surprising answer came out of Tenchi Ikeda.
An answer that shocked all who heard it, even the speaker. "Getting his
law degree and learning English. He's on the other side of your cell.
So what are you going to do about it?"
Irony looked floored. It was almost like he declared his intentions to her
Intentions beyond representing her legally. 'Falling for the good man who
happens to be your laywer...not a good idea, Irony.' But she was afraid
that she wasn't listening to herself anymore. And, after a pause, a
surprising response came out of her. "Ask you to hope for me...and to do
whatever that hoping requires you to do."
There were several beats of silence...as if everyone realized that
something else just happened. Tenchi recovered first. In flawless
Japanese, he quickly confirmed that Usagi would testify on behalf on Irony
and gave her his card. As the young ladies walked away, Irony turned to
her laywer. "Promise me, you'll protect her in there."
"Ms. Tierreny, I promise to protect any and everyone willing to defend you.
We are going to fight this together...and not one of your defenders will
fall."
Irony smiled. "Well, if you are going to be my laywer, Mr. Ikeda...you
should start calling me Alanis. This 'Ms. Tierreny' stuff is beginning
to make me feel really old."
Tenchi laughed. "Only if you call me Tenchi."
"Okay. I think I can do that...Tenchi."
Tenchi looked again at his client. This case was going to be hard. Not
so much because of the charges, or the media, or the fact that Irony had
really given up in many respects. All of that he could handle. But the
feelings he was beginning to develop for this hard-headed, fiercely
protective woman, 'Falling for your client, not good idea Mr. Ikeda. That
is going to make this fight very personal...when you can actually
concentrate on the case and not on her.' He sighed. "Now about the trial.
We should get you a suit for the court proceedings-"
"No."
Tenchi looked surprised. "Um, excuse me?"
"No. If I'm going into that court room, I'm going as is. Changing into
a suit isn't going to get them to see me...and if they can't see me
beyond what I'm wearing, they never will."
"Alanis-"
"I'm fighting for my family and my way of life. We don't wear suits where
I've been...and I refuse to sell-out my family to adopt some image that
may not save me anyway."
"Alanis, people are going to make negative associations with that attire-"
"And they will continue to if I shed it. This is about more than me...it
always has been. It's an ideological stance...a moral stance. I'm not
changing my mind about this!"
"Alanis, are you-"
"Fighting with your laywer already?" another voice asked.
Alanis and Tenchi both turned to the sound of the voice...to see Toge Blackstone,
Anrui Yuri, and Mamoru Chiba walking to the cell. The question, of
course, had come from Toge.
Irony began to speak, but Anrui cut her off. "Now don't fight us on this,
Alanis. You agreed to legal representation. Of course we got you the best."
"But-"
"Alanis, you have got to trust him on this. We will figure out what is
going on. Everything will work out. Just let him do his job. And
accept him as your laywer, alright?" from Toge.
"But-"
"Alanis...the entire family is going to support on this. Nintai is even
coming to help-"
"Nina? But she's pregnant! Mamoru, you can't think to risk-"
"She insisted. I know how she feels. I would be the last person to stop
her."
"Alanis," Tenchi interupted, "I WILL protect anyone who decides to defend
you. Believe that."
Irony turned to her lawyer. "Okay. Okay....I won't wear a suit, but I
won't fight you on anything else. I believe your promise to defend those
who defend me."
And one could hear a pin drop in the jail, as the three shocked friends
of Alanis Hope Tierreny tried to figure out how their stubborn, hard-headed
leader had been brought around by a laywer who had known her for less than
40 minutes.
"I guess he is good." Anrui managed to get out.
- to be continued -
Okay, I thought I would have this finished in five more chapters. Um, not
going to happen. So much has to be cleaned up...and I don't think I can do
it all in four chapters. But the story is getting more interesting, ne?
A few things about names. The laywer, Tenchi Ikeda is in no way related
to the Tenchi of Tenchi Muyo or the Mitsuru Ikead from Here is Greenwood.
Don't let the names throw you off. Also, Adversity has finally been given
a name, Heion Nintai (last name, first name). Nina is an Americanized
nickname of Nintai that Irony came up with. Although I didn' say use
the names Nintai and Adversity in the same sentence, I did give a hint of
who she was by mentioning she was pregnant...if anyone can remember all
the way back to Irony and Daring.