July 21, 9:21 AM
District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3
"Okay…we spent last night going over the show spectacular." Mermista said. "Along with that tape footage. We've gathered as much as we can from the aquarium…"
"You look exhausted though." 9S said.
"We're all exhausted. I mean…we're defending an orca in court…" Phoenix said.
"Good luck, guys. We'll be cheering you on in the gallery." Dan said.
"You and the others got this, Naty." Hapi added.
"Thanks…now…let's go win this thing." Athena said as they headed inside.
July 21st, 9:30 am
District Court- Courtroom No. 4
Day 1
Court Is Now In Session
All Rise!
The sound of the gavel reverberated through the courtroom.
"Court is now in session for the trial of Orla Shipley!" the Judge said.
"The defense is ready, your honor." Phoenix said.
"...Must we waste words on this?" Blackquill said.
"...Mr. Wright, it's been quite a while since I've seen you like that. The lawyer image suits you. You look younger somehow." The Judge said.
"And you look rather young yourself." Phoenix said.
"Well I do have to keep up with the young folk. Now…has the defendant arrived yet?" the Judge asked.
"Surely you jest, your baldness. Did you not receive the memo? The defendant, Ora Shipley, is an orca at Shipshape Aquarium." Blackquill said.
"A-An orcaaaaaaaaaaaaa?! Arrangements for this trial were made only yesterday, so I didn't have time to review. But an orca as a defendant? It's patently absurd!" the Judge said.
"Turn your comments towards the defense. They are the absurd fellows who insisted on defending the orca in court in the first place." Blackquill said.
"Absurd or not, we will carry out our duty to defend our client." Phoenix insisted.
"Your duty to defend your "crying ant"? Don't you mean your "crying orca," Mr. Wright?" The Judge asked.
"If we are to proceed, we must treat the orca as we would any other defendant. Every soul - be it of man or beast - is of equal value. The question is whether that soul is painted in black or white. Take Taka for example. He is as human in spirit as you or I." Blackquill said.
"That is a viewpoint that I can agree with." Double D nodded.
"Hmm." Natyal said. "I as well."
"Hmm... Orca or not, I suppose the defendant is still a defendant. And I vow to render my verdict fairly and impartially! *ahem* Now then, Prosecutor Blackquill, your opening statement, if you would." the Judge said.
"I suppose I can't leave it to someone who knows nothing of the defendant. The orca murdered the owner of Shipshape Aquarium, Jack Shipley. This happened in the orca pool where the orca toyed with the victim mercilessly as he died." Blackquill said.
"A sadistic orca?! What a chilling thought." the Judge said. "And the defendant…"
"They will be seen through this." Blackquill said as he held a device. "I took the liberty of borrowing this TV phone from the aquarium so we can interact with the orca. Now…Fool Bright. Prepare the transmission!" he ordered.
Appearing on the screen was Orla as she waved a flipper to the defense.
"Orla, wish the defense team luck!" Sasha could be heard saying over the transmission, prompting Orla to let out a "Fweeeet!".
"Oh, it's quite cute, isn't it? And this adorable creature is suspected of killing a man...?" The Judge wondered out loud.
"She is far from 'cute'. She is a violent, reckless animal." Blackquill said.
"That's right! The name's Bobby Fulbright, and I'll take over the explaining from here. Now, if I could direct your attention to this diagram of the crime scene. Following the report of an orca attack, we the police raced on over to Shipshape Aquarium. There, we found a guest who says she saw the orca and the victim from the visitor's corridor. As the witness was watching, the orca suddenly went crazy and attacked the victim. The orca was the only one there; therefore, no one else could have committed the crime. It's not quite finished, but I have a portion of the autopsy report here." Fulbright said.
"I can't imagine being attacked by such a large creature underwater." the Judge said.
"But attack it did. Prepare yourself for the grisly details. The prosecution moves to call in our first witness." Blackquill said.
At that moment, DePlume was called in.
"Why, aren't you…? Yes, you're Norma DePlume!" the judge said. "I've read all of your works and enjoyed them immensely. Your million seller, "The Great Grief of the Great Thief," is one of my favorites."
"Oh, a fan of mine, are we Your Honor? I will give you my autograph later." DePlume said.
"Why thank you. But I could've sworn you look much different from the photos in your books….." The judge said.
"Well, I use ones from ten years ago in my books so that paparazzi won't harass me." DePlume admitted. "But enough small talk, can we get started? If I find you lacking as a judge, you will see yourself in my books!"
"Such harsh critique! You really are the real Norma DePlume." The Judge said.
"Enough jabbering. Tell the court what you saw, and keep it brief." Blackquill said.
"I would thank you to not order me around. I am perfectly willing to tell everyone what I witnessed. It was the moment of the murder!" DePlume said.
Witness Testimony: Norma DePlume
- The Moment of the Murder -
I went to Shipshape Aquarium to see the killer whale.
As I was watching the killer whale from the visitor's corridor, it suddenly went crazy!
I saw the killer whale bite the victim to death with its huge mouth and deadly teeth!
Attempting to remain calm, I reported the incident to the police immediately.
→ Bite the victim to death ←
Present: Jack Shipley's Autopsy
OBJECTION!
"Way to make a mistake this early on." Mermista said. "Your claim that Orla bit the owner to death, doesn't line up with the Autopsy at all. It does say "death thought to be the result of an orca attack"...but the actual cause of death is "contusion from head trauma," not "being bitten"!"
"What?! B-But...! But... I'm sure the victim was bitten!" DePlume said.
"That's not what we saw in the security camera footage." Mermista said.
OBJECTION!
"As I suspected. I knew you would peek at the footage behind Fool Bright's back." Blackquill said. "But, unfortunately for you...the footage you saw was only one small part."
"...Why do I feel like I accidentally set him up?" Mermista asked.
"Now…let me show you the footage." Blackquill said as the footage played. This time showing Orla biting something.
"My word! It looks like the orca is biting the victim!" the Judge said. "I must say…this is pretty damning evidence."
"You were too impetuous, Mermista-hime. However, it's not my only proof." Blackquill said presenting a photo showing a bruise on Jack's right wrist. "I'll have the crime lab examine the bruise and calculate its relevance to the case at hand. What's important right now is evidence that points to the orca as the killer. Look at the left side of the body. See the orca's tooth marks in the victim's clothes?"
"Yes! They do appear to suggest that she did, in fact, bite the victim." The Judge observed.
"I told you so! And then the killer whale swam up toward the surface with the victim in its mouth!" DePlume said.
"As for what the witness saw, did I not say in the beginning that the orca toyed mercilessly with its prey?" Blackquill asked. "After killing the victim, the defendant swam around with his dead body in her mouth. Just like any other predator toying with its prey!"
This sent the jury, minus the heroes, into murmurs.
"G-Guys! The hearts of the people in the gallery are suddenly filled with fear - fear of Orla!" Athena said.
"Aw, man…. Sorry, guys." Mermista said.
"It wasn't your fault, Mermista. Blackquill blindsided us." Double D said. "There must be a way to turn this around…"
"So the defendant bit the victim after she had killed him... But if that's the case, then we must still figure out how the defendant killed the victim." The Judge pointed out. "Prosecutor Blackquill, do you have a sound theory to give to this court?"
"I wouldn't be standing here if I couldn't prove whether the orca's heart was black or white." Blackquill said. "The witness also observed the actual moment of the murder. Think back, Word Mistress. Think back to what you observed before the orca bit the victim."
"...Ah, I see what you're driving at. So that was the true moment of the murder, was it?" DePlume remarked. "I saw the killer whale before it toyed with the body as well. I saw it the moment it killed the victim by head-butting him! Now do you see what a menace this killer whale is?" DePlume asked.
BE SILENT!
"DePlume, from what we've noticed in the footage, did you really see Orla headbutt Captain Jack Shipley?" Natyal asked. "In this footage where we see you observe the scene, you'll notice that what Orla is striking is not the victim. Care to explain?"
"Well, there was that skull shaped rock obscuring my view…" DePlume said.
"So you lied that you didn't see the victim then?" Natyal asked.
"Yes... Yes, I suppose so. However! Immediately after the head-butting, the victim came floating up! He came up from behind the skull-shaped rock, and his body was all limp. What else could I think except that the killer whale was head-butting the victim?!" DePlume said.
BE SILENT!
"Nothing but pure conjecture then." Natyal said. "You would do anything to convict an innocent creature like Orla!"
OBJECTION!
"Must I do everything around here? Recall how you reached this conclusion, writer. You thought that because this behavior was exactly how the orca behaved one year prior." Blackquill said.
"...What?" Natyal asked.
"You didn't know, Beast woman? A year ago…the orca went and killed her trainer." Blackquill said.
"?!" Natyal gasped in slight shock. "N-No! That cannot be!"
"It is all written down in this book." Blackquill said holding a book titled "The Killer Killer Whale by Norma DePlume."
"That book... "The Killer Killer Whale"...! That's Ms. DePlume's latest work! I was just thinking of picking that up." The Judge noticed.
"Even so…" Natyal started.
"Last year, the defendant killed her trainer in the middle of a show. The orca head-butted and bit the victim." Blackquill said.
The defense team heard comments from the jury that were heavily against Orla.
ENOUGH!
"I do not care what you all think, I will defend Orla until the very end!" Natyal said.
"(Uh oh… Natyal's goin over the edge…)" Mermista thought.
"Natyal, calm yourself! You're letting the jury's comments and Blackquill's power of suggestion get to you!" Double D warned.
"All I'm doing is believing in Orla, I can tell she is not that kind of whale." Natyal said.
"Dullard. You don't know when to give up, do you? Very well. I shall give you a chance to prove just how determined you are. Witness, spare no quarter and lay the full truth on them." Blackquill said.
"Of course." DePlume said.
"The witness will now testify everything she saw…and heard that day." the judge said.
Witness Testimony: Norma DePlume
- What I Saw and What I Heard -
The killer whale's behavior was exactly the same as a year ago.
As I approached the pool, the killer whale suddenly started singing.
I was calm when I saw it start to head-butt.
But when the pirate hat and victim came floating up, I let out a scream!
"I can't find any inconsistencies in her statements." Natyal said before turning to Athena and nodding her head.
"Natyal's got the right idea." Mermista said. "We'd better look at this from an emotional angle."
"You got it! A complete analysis of Ms. DePlume's heart, coming right up!" Athena said, activating the mood Matrix and scanning in DePlumes testimony. "Remember, Pay attention to not only which emotions you see, but how strong they are, too. An emotion might suddenly get stronger, for example, or you might see it grow weaker."
The killer whale's behavior was exactly the same as a year ago.
As I approached the pool, the killer whale suddenly started singing. - Surprise
I was calm when I saw it start to head-butt. ← Surprise, Fear (high)
But when the pirate hat and victim came floating up, I let out a scream! - Surprise, Fear
Pinpoint: Fear (high)
GOT IT!
"Miss DePlume, you must have been really frightened when Orla started headbutting, weren't you?" Athena said.
"Please…I am not afraid of some killer whale." DePlume said.
"Well…something else maybe?" Mermista asked.
"Hmm…what was…ah…oh! I remember now!" DePlume said.
Noise Level
50%
"I saw…bright red blood! The orca's attacking caused the victim to bleed! A great big cloud of blood!" DePlume said.
"No wonder she's so afraid. It's just like back when we showed her that bloodstained coin." Mermista said.
"I suffered a terrible injury during an interview and ever since, I cannot stand the sight of blood." DePlume said.
"Seems the orca's more vicious than I am. How does it feel to be rammed by your own cross examination?" Blackquill said.
"Our cross-examination has yet to be completed, Mr. Blackquill." Double D responded.
"There's still some discord left in Ms. DePlumes heart. I'll run an update so we can keep going." Athena said as she updated the testimony.
The killer whale's behavior was exactly the same as a year ago.
As I approached the pool, the killer whale suddenly started singing. - Surprise
After it started head-butting, I saw that awful blood and was terrified.← Surprise, Fear (high)
But when the pirate hat and victim came floating up, I let out a scream! - Surprise, Fear (low)
Pinpoint: Fear (low))
GOT IT!
"Weird…the fear seems to lessen when the hat is brought up." Athena said. "Why is that?"
"Huh…why would…oh yes. The blood then…it suddenly disappeared." DePlume said. "Right after the orca put on the pirate hat."
"That has to be it. The blood you saw was not the victim's blood. Rather…the blood belongs to Orla herself!" Mermista said.
"I beg your pardon? What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that? There was no one else in that pool beside the victim!" Deplume said.
"It IS an orca pool, y'know. Orla was in there with the victim." Mermista said. "We're not sure how Orla got injured, but… if the pirate hat made the blood disappear, then she was bleeding from somewhere on the head!"
"Wh-Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" DePlume asked in shock as the metaphorical wind at her side blew her coats underside upwards as she was desperate to cover up.
"The orca's head? What are you prattling on about, you chattering dolphin?" Blackquill demanded.
"Ms. DePlume…think back." Mermista said.
"An injury on the…Oh! That's…that's right! The victim…there wasn't any blood from them at all!" DePlume said.
NOISE LEVEL
0%
BYE BYE
"We did it! All the noise from Ms. Deplume's heart is gone!" Athena noticed.
"And since Orla was the one bleedinhg, that means what she saw wasnt the murder after all." Mermista said. "Now its smelling like a mystery!"
OBJECTION!
"I thought you and your comrades unarmed, but it turns out you do have swords." Blackquill said. "However, they're far too dull to cut bone. I grant that what the witness saw was not the victim's blood, but it proves nothing. After all, being rammed doesn't always result in a wound that bleeds, does it? Death from internal hemorrhaging is also a possibility." Blackquill said.
"He's got a point." Double D said.
"If you wish to challenge me to a duel, you'll need a sharper blade than that. I demand evidence that proves the witness did not see the moment of the murder!" Blackquill said.
"Hmm…could we possibly look further back in the security footage?" Mermista asked. "I have a hunch…that the victim died before DePlume saw the scene."
"All of it?" The judge asked.
"I hope this is a good call." Glimmer said from the stands.
"Hmm…Fool Bright." Blackquill said.
"Right. I have the footage from 10:00 am to the time of the scene." Fulbright said as the footage played. But they saw nothing happening till 10:10.
"Hmm…well?" Blackquill said.
"There…was nothing of importance." Phoenix said.
"Just as I thought." Blackquill said.
"Ha ha ha! You're right about that! That section was completely meaningless! It doesn't show a thing. That's why I didn't submit it as evidence!" Fulbright said.
"Actually…it's quite the opposite." Mermista smiled.
"What are you talking about?" Fulbright asked.
"In this ten minutes of footage, something important that SHOULD be there isn't there! Detective Fulbright, this footage should have been submitted as evidence." Mermista said. "The body of Jack Shipley. It's not there."
"Aaaagh! That's right!" Fulbright realized.
"Thus, Mr. Shipley must have been there by the skull rock during those ten minutes. But no ordinary human being can hold their breath underwater for that long." Double D stated.
"Because he had already passed on before 10AM!" Natyal said, pointing at Fulbright.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Fulbright yelled as the jury was also in a panic.
The judge banged his Gavel. "Order! Order in the court! If that's the case, then when was the victim murdered?!"
"We don't know, Your Honor, but we now know it had to have been sometime before 10 AM. Therefore, this footage can no longer be called decisive evidence against our client!" Phoenix said.
"Hmph. But there is no one else who could have killed the victim." Blackquill said.
"Not true. Because we have evidence that the true culprit was a human." Natyal said, holding up the bloodstained coin. "We saw similar coins scattered around the victim by the pool, this one happened to have blood on it, and due to the victim having a head wound, this would be his blood on the coin."
"I realize you are trying to defend your client, but that theory is preposterous! How could 300 coins possibly be made to hit someone all at once?!" DePlume asked.
"Pretty easy to do if you had a bag. But we didn't see one at the scene." Mermista said.
"The true culprit used the coins as a blunt instrument to commit murder. They then threw the body into the pool before the security cameras started up. And then they left, taking the bag the coins were in with them. They got rid of the evidence that points to a human culprit to pin the blame on Orla!" Phoenix said, stirring the jury up again.
"Order in the court!" The Judge said sternly. "The possibility of a perpetrator other than the defendant has now been suggested. But if we hold this possibility to be true, then what did Ms. DePlume witness?"
"Th-That's right! I saw the killer whale attack the victim! Just like it did a year ago, singing a song!" DePlume said.
"While those actions seem bizarre, they served a purpose. Ms. DePlume focused her attention on the orca pool because she heard the song. The orca's act of singing a song created a witness!" Mermista said.
"What? But how would that…" the Judge said as they showed a whistle.
"Most of the animals at the aquarium are trained, as is Orla. Trainers at the aquarium use whistles to issues commands to Orla. But in truth, anyone can do it, provided they know the right signals." Double D said.
"The true culprit hid the body in a spot that couldn't be seen from the visitor's corridor. Then, when Ms. DePlume appeared, they gave Orla the commands! In other words, Orla was manipulated by the culprit to perform a series of "tricks"!" Phoenix said.
"And as for you, DePlume…you yourself were manipulated by the true culprit to play witness!" Natyal said, pointing straight at DePlume.
"I-I, Norma DePlume, was set up...?! I, Norma DePlume, writer extraordinaire, was used...? N-No... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" DePlume said as she started to sweat and a gust of wind suddenly blew around her. The buttons of her coat popped off, and her top flopped open, as she was stunned to silence.
"Goodness!" Constance said, hiding her eyes with her fan.
"Okay, that was something we did NOT need to see!" Hagakure said.
"WHY?!" Mark yelled, covering his eyes and cowering back.
"Well…it seems the possibility of a human culprit has been opened up. Prosecutor Blackquill, please have the coin analyzed so we can let this orca go and…" the Judge said.
OBJECTION!
"Overturn her accusation…I think not." Blackquill said, breaking his shackles.
"Oh man, not again!" Scott said from the gallery.
Taka screeched as it stood on the judge with the bloodstained coin and a bloody bag.
"Is this the bag you were looking for, defense?" Blackquill asked.
"...! Where did you?" Natyal asked.
"At the crime scene, of course. It was bloodied so naturally it was sent to the crime lab. The blood is a match to the victim's. Same for the blood on the coin." Blackquill said.
"So Jack's blood really was on the coin." Mermista said.
"I shall concede that the victim was put into the pool after his death. However, even with the bag... it doesn't change the fact it was the orca that killed the victim!" Blackquill said.
"What?!" Natyal said. "Even with all this proof, still you wish to accuse Orla?!" she asked as a pink light pulsed from her chest.
"You said that the true culprit manipulated Orla's behavior. But Orla isn't the kind of orca that would let someone control her. If anything, Orla used the victim's behavior against him to murder him!" Blackquill said. "And to prove it…the prosecution would now like to call Marlon Rimes to the stand."
"Who?" 9S asked.
The man Blackquill was referring to reluctantly came out. He was a skinny african american who wore backstreet styled pirate clothing with a shipshape cap twisted sideways over a red bandana.
"I told ya I didn't want to be a witness." he said.
"I thought one witness would be quite enough to prove the defendant's guilt... but apparently the defense won't be satisfied until every stone is turned." Blackquill said.
"Fine…" Rimes said.
"Witness…state your name and occupation for the record." the Judge said.
At this, the man whipped out a spyglass and used it as a makeshift mic, and started to rap.
"... Ahoy! Yo! Yo! Yo ho hooooo! People of da law! Time to testify! Chillin' with my crew at the Shipshape. Orcas, penguins, and da seascape. Cleanin' n' feedin', there ain't no end. But dem bratty kid's tours, I shall transcend. Noob animal keeper, from the house of Rimes! I'm da master keeper, Marlon with the rhymes!" Rimes rapped.
"Great… One of those guys…" David said from the gallery.
"Uh…." Mermista was confused at the sight of Marlon, and his intro. Even Natyal was at a loss for words.
"Ah…a pleasure to meet you…?" Double D said, as confused as everyone else.
"Oh, my... I'm afraid I couldn't understand a word you said! Is that that "flip-flop" music young people nowadays like?" The Judge asked.
"(It sure sounds like it…)" David thought to himself.
"This man here is an Animal Keeper at the aquarium. He witnessed events with the orca as well." Blackquill said.
"Well then, Mr. Rimes. Let's hear what you have to say, but without the flip-flop." the judge said.
"If I gotta. But I really don't wanna do this. I feel like I'm sellin Sasha out." Marlon said.
Witness Testimony: Marlon Rimes
- The Man-Manipulating Orca -
At about 10:10 AM, I was in the staff room.
I heard a loud noise from the pool room, so I went to the door to look in.
I couldn't see the captain or the orca, but I saw a bunch of coins scattered around.
The orca knows there's a certain spot people stand to play volleyball with her.
I think maybe she knocked down the stuff that was piled up there and hit the captain.
About 10:10 AM
OBJECTION!
"Sorry…but that's wrong." Phoenix said. "I hate to do this…but I'm showing this." he said, presenting a calendar.
"Wait! That's…" Marlon said.
"You know what this is?" Phoenix asked.
"Yeah, that's the Rifle calendar. It's a big hit at the Shipshape Aquarium gift shop. Thank you for shoppin' at Shipshape!" Marlon said as he spread some fish around.
"Mr. Rimes! Please refrain from scattering fish around the witness stand!" the judge implored.
"Not to worry, your baldness. Taka will have them cleaned up in no time." Blackquill said as Taka took flight to get the fish off the floor.
"Mr. Wright, whatever is showing us a souvenir of yours supposed to prove?" the Judge asked.
"Actually, your honor, this calendar isn't mine." Phoenix said. "It was originally the witness's, but it came into the possession of a certain young lady."
"Wh-what?!" Marlon asked.
"I'm a little lost here…" Mermista said.
"Athena and I were doing some investigation ourselves while you all were in the process, and while we were doing so, you wouldn't believe who we ran into." Phoenix said. "You remember a certain young girl that helped us out during the case at Kurai'in Village, right?" he asked Mermista and Double D.
"Kura'in Village…?" Double D pondered before he recalled something. "Oh, that's right! Ms. Pearl Fey!"
"Thats right. It just so happens that Mr. Rimes and Pearls first met each other in the food prep room. After a mishap, their calendars got switched around. They ran into each other at about 10:10 AM in the food prep room. So clearly, the witness was not in the staff room. In other words, there's no way he could have heard the noise in the pool room upstairs!" Phoenix said, pointing at Marlon.
"Arrrrrrrrrr!" Marlon recoiled.
"What?! This is the first I'm hearing of any calendar!" Blackquill growled. "You lied to me! This transgression will not go unpunished!"
"All right. I admit it. I didn't hear the noise but…someone told me about it." Marlon said.
"Who was it?" Natyal asked.
"This is why I told ya I'd be sellin' Sasha out if I talked about this… it's because she was the one who told me." Marlon said.
"What?!" they said in surprise.
"What perfect timing. There was something I wanted to ask Ms. Buckler about the orca. The prosecution calls the trainer, Ms. Sasha Buckler, to the stand!" Blackquill said.
"Yes, I suppose it would be a good idea to hear what the orca's trainer has to say. We'll take a 20 minute recess while the witness is being summoned." the Judge said.
10:39 AM
District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3
"Looks like Sasha is going to testify now." David said.
"I bet that Marlon guy was trying to make sure that Sasha wouldn't be called as a witness." Kaibara said.
"It was worth a shot at least, they seem like they're friends. But I bet hearing from Sasha will help our case on Orla's behalf." Hope said.
"Speaking of which, I saw that glow coming off you, Natyal." Mermista said. "Is that something tied to your emotions or whatever?"
"I noticed it too. She almost lost her cool for a moment there." David said.
"My apologies…my brand nearly materialized." Natyal said.
"Your brand? Come to think of it, some of the other Shadow Knights had something like that. What's that all about?" Hope asked.
"It is something that each of the Shadow Knights have, and when it appears, we for a time are to able to draw out the full potential of our abilities." Rime said.
"I get it. Its like removing a limiter or something." Hope said. "But still, that was dangerous, Natyal. If Blackquill had pressed you further, who knows what would've happened."
"I'm well aware." Natyal said.
"Don't worry about it. You're all definitely close to aquitting Orla. We just need Sasha's help to clear a few things up." Ichiro said.
"Yes…we're close." Double D said, though he secretly hid an apprehensive look. "(Then why do I have a feeling of dread?)"
11:02 AM
District Court - Courtroom No. 4
"Court is Back in session. Prosecutor Blackquill, is Ms. Buckler here and ready?" the Judge asked.
"She is. But again, you waste your breath." Blackquill said.
It wasn't long before Sasha took the stand, having come while Marlon went back to the aquarium to look after Orla. Taking the stand, she put on a fake Moustache and drew a sword.
"Me name be Sasha! And I be one of Cap'n Orla's Swashbucklers! I come to rescue me bucko from the false charges put on her by Dread Pirate Nostache!" she said in her pirate accent.
"Nostache?" Blackquill asked.
"...Is she talking about Blackquill?" Mermista asked.
"...Well, it can't be the judge. He HAS a mustache... and a full beard." Phoenix said.
"Now then, Cap'n Judge... shall we begin the pirate court?!" Sasha asked.
"'C-Cap'n Judge'...! Hmm... I rather like that. It makes me feel like a salty old sea dog." The Judge said.
"And scene! How was that for a self-intro?" Sasha asked, dropping her pirate act. "Prosecutor Blackquill said I could introduce myself anyway I liked, so I did my pirate persona."
"The court is not a show. State your full name and occupation." Blackquill said.
"I'm Sasha Buckler. I work at Shipshape Aquarium. I perform in our Swashbuckler Spectacular pirate show alongside Orla, as her trainer." Sasha said.
"She is now here to testify regarding what Mr. Rimes revealed before the recess." Blackquill mentioned. "The orca manipulated the victim into playing volleyball and then knocked the items down. The witness will report about hearing the noise that caused the victim's death."
"Now wait just a minute! Sure, Orla uses the ball to break props sometimes... She even spiked the ball at the giant octopus's leg yesterday when I was cleaning." Sasha said. "But she couldn't have knocked down that huge stack of equipment with her little ball!"
"Hmph. I thought you were paying attention to the trial over the telecast... but you apparently know nothing of what we have been discussing. The orca knocked down the equipment by pulling on the cloth that was underneath it. No one said anything about the orca knocking it down with a ball!" Blackquill said.
"Whaaaaaat?! I-Is THAT what we're talking about?! Ngh... I came in here to give Prosecutor Nostache a good keelhauling...but I'm the one getting the cat-o'-nine-tails! Ooh, he's as vicious as a tiger shark!" Sasha said, as she nervously pressed on her fake sword.
"Ms. Buckler! Just focus on your testimony and you'll be all right! Don't worry. We'll take care of that tiger shark for you!" Athena said.
Sasha re-inflated the inner tubes on her arms and refocused. "Thank you, Athena! Okay, I can do this! My testimony will be fin-omenal!"
"She certainly has a lot of fish puns." Balthus said.
"All right, Ms. Buckler. Please proceed with your testimony." The Judge said.
Witness Testimony: Sasha Buckler
- Hearing the Noise -
I admit I heard Orla summoning me with a loud noise.
But the aquarium guest's scream I heard over the walkie-talkie was more urgent.
I talked to Norma DePlume first and then went to the pool room with the security guard.
→ The equipment was everywhere, and... the captain was lying in the middle of it all. ←
HOLD IT!
"These props for the new show... What kind of things were they?" Phoenix asked.
"A blow-up dolphin and anchor, Redstache's costume, the bag of coins... Stuff like that. The captain was wearing his usual costume, and the new props were all there."
"There is something…problematic about her statement." Natyal said.
"You mean about his usual costume?" Mermista asked. "That's gonna get us nowhere. Everything about it is there, even his scarf. It fell on him when all the stuff fell down."
"If his body was dragged into the water, it wouldn't be on his body when the bag of coins fell." Natyal retorted.
"Wait a second… we've been looking at this all wrong!" Mermista said. "Jack was already dead by the time Orla knocked down those items. So that means the bag of coins isnt the murder weapon like we thought!"
SILENCE!
"But it was the defense who claimed the bag of coins was the murder weapon to begin with!" Blackquill said.
"Yeah, at first." Mermista said. "But think about this. Jack was already dead, evidenced by Orla carrying him around when he didn't fight back in the footage. Orla carried him to the side of the Pool, and knocked down all that equipment to alert Sasha to his condition. If Orla knocked the items down on the victim after he was already dead... then it means she didn't kill the victim with those items!"
" BUT THAT'S PREPOSTEROUS!" Blackquill cried, finally being struck a good hit. "Even still, your argument is lacking... If neither the orca's head-butting nor the bag of coins were the manner of death... then how do you propose the victim was killed?
"A very good point. If the defense is now abandoning its original theory... then we would need a new theory as to what the murder weapon was." the Judge said.
"That's just it." Mermista said. "Jack wasn't killed by a weapon."
"Mermista, what are you going on about?" Double D asked. "If this is going to be another one of your cockamamie theories…"
"There's nothing… that word about it, I'm actually onto something here." Mermista said. "Think about it. Jack could've been down at the bottom of the orca pool for that long with all that water there. He would just float to the top. But, when he was still alive, and there wasn't any water in the pool to start with…"
"...Oh my! You're right, Mermista!" Double D realized. "Mr. Shipley's cause of death would have to be that!"
"It seems the defense is onto something. What is the real manner of Jack Shipleys death?" The Judge asked.
"Please take a look at this diagram of the pool. If there was no water in the pool... ...then it would be very easy to move the victim's body to the bottom of the pool." Phoenix said.
"The orca pool is about 65 feet deep. If the victim were to go from the top of the pool to the bottom when there was no water... then he would, without question, have fallen to his death!" Natyal said.
"Death from a fall..!" The Judge said.
"So that is your answer…?" Blackquill asked.
"It all makes perfect sense! If he fell, that would explain the "signs of blunt force trauma all over the body," too!" Athena said.
"Yeah. Whoever really killed Jack must've shoved him into the Orca Pool when there wasn't any water in it. After that, they did something to make sure his dead body wouldn't float up to the surface, then filled the pool back up." Mermista said before slamming her hands on the desk. "The pool water washed away any signs of blood, so no one would realize that he fell!"
"Surprisingly, that makes sense!" the Judge said as he calmed down the shocked jury. "Order! Order in the court! I'm just as surprised as you are, but I must have order! If falling was the manner of death, then does that mean the defendant's behavior...was the result of being manipulated by the true culprit, as the defense claimed?!"
"Yes, it would have to be. All that needs to be explained now is how the real culprit commanded Orla!" Phoenix said.
"They must have used one of her tricks. That's gotta be the best explanation for it." Mermista said.
"Ms. Buckler, does Orla know any tricks that involve biting a person?" Double D asked.
"What?! What kind of trick would that be?! Of course not!" Sasha protested.
"Then could you tell us about the tricks Orla does know?" the boy inquired.
"Well, there's jumping, dancing, and playing volleyball. And she can spin, do the rock 'n' roll trick, and sing the Swashbuckler Spectacular song." Sasha explained. "She's also practicing two new, top-secret tricks. There's the "human rocket," where she shoots somebody up into the air. And then there's the "lifesaver" trick, where she brings a drowning person to the surface."
"One of those tricks could be related to this case in question." Natyal said.
"And I think I know which one." Mermista said. "The Lifesaver. Remember what Norma said? She saw Orla carrying Jack around in her Mouth."
"That was the Lifesaver trick she was reenacting then." Natyal said.
Mermista then smiled. "Natyal, I think we're finally gonna get Orla off the hook. Sasha, have Orla do the lifesaver trick, right now!"
"Okay, sure! I'll show you Orla's fin-omenal trick! Hey, Marlon! Are you ready over there?" Sasha asked Marlon, who was off screen on Orla's viewing.
"Okay, lemme just get the practice dummy…" He was heard as something splashed down in the pool. "There! It's in the pool! Ready and standing by, Sasha!"
"Here goes! Orla's secret new trick, the Lifesaver!" Sasha declared, blowing into her whistle.
On the screen, Orla swam to grab the sinking practice dummy before coming up to the surface, with the dummy safely in her mouth.
"The clothes got torn up a little, but the dummy doesn't have any new marks on it!" Marlon observed as Orla cried in happiness.
"And there you have it! Orla's secret new trick!" Sasha declared.
"Looks like the gallery loves it." Mermista said, noting some of the comments.
"I'll say! It really captured everybody's heart!" Athena said.
"And with that, we just proved Orla was manipulated." Mermista said. "The prosecution might wanna also examine the bottom of the orca pool for signs of Jack falling to his death."
"Good thinking Ms. Mermista. Prosecutor Blackquill, please take care of that!" the judge said as Blackquill remained silent. "Er, Prosecutor Blackquill, I was just requesting…"
Just then, Blackquill let out an ear piercing scream as he was shocked by his restraints.
"Huh? Blackquill was shocked? But he didn't even do anything!" Frosta protested.
"On the contrary, young lady!" Fulbright said, arriving. "He has to learn to answer the judge politely! Oh, that's right! I almost forgot! The thing you asked for just came in."
"And you couldn't be bothered to think of a less violent way to deliver it…?" Blackquill asked as he was handed something. "Hmph… I've been waiting for this."
"Oh? And what is that?" The Judge asked.
"...An updated autopsy report." Blackquill said.
"What?! Why did it have to come now?!" Phoenix asked.
"During the recess, I ordered the body to be re-examined. Something started nagging at me during the course of the trial, you see. ...Here." Blackquill said, handing it to the judge.
"I take it you'd like me to read it? Very well. "Cause of Death: Thought to be from 65-foot fall"!" The Judge said, leaving everyone, even the group in shock.
"Wait… did Blackquill just cement their theory?!" Mai asked.
"How can this be?!" Constance asked.
"If the manner of death was falling into an empty pool, the orca can't be responsible. It seems Orla's complete innocence has been proven." The judge said.
"I suppose I can't deny that." Blackquill said.
"More investigation into the case regarding Jack Shipley's death is needed. But for now, in light of this new development, I believe it's safe to declare the defendant, Orla Shipley…"
Not Guilty
"You did it! Thank you so much, Phoenix! Thank you, everyone! Orla and Marlon thank you, too!" Sasha said as the courtroom erupted into cheers.
"...Hmph, I must thank you and your team, Wright-Dono." Blackquill said.
"What's happening?" Double D asked, his expression falling.
"Guys, the cause of death rendered Orla unable to kill Jack, but…" David said. "This case just got a new suspect."
"Hmph... The drained pool... Thanks to you, the truth is finally clear. Fool Bright... Arrest this woman." Blackquill said as Fulbright approached Sasha.
"Sasha Buckler…you're under arrest for the murder of Jack Shipley." Fulbright said slapping the cuffs on her.
"What?!" Natyal asked.
"You said it yourself…the orca was manipulated. And the only one who could do that…would be the orca's trainer." Blackquill said.
"M-M-Mr. Blackquill, surely there must be some other explanation-!" Double D started.
SILENCE!
"I don't need any of your baseless counter arguments... Have you forgotten? In order to enter the orca pool room, a security card is necessary. A security card that only the victim and Sasha Buckler possessed! Ms. Buckler is the only one who could have caused the victim to fall to his death!" Blackquill said.
"She was most upset about Jack's death. There is no reason for her to have done it!" Natyal said.
"Fool Bright." Blackquill said.
"We asked the security company yesterday to check their security card logs. Their report just came in during the recess. The night before the incident, Sasha Buckler used her card to enter the orca pool room. After that, not a single person entered the pool room! Not until the incident was discovered, when Ms. Buckler and the guard ran in." Fulbright said.
OBJECTION!
"Why would anyone be dumb enough to commit murder if they knew their card usage was being recorded?!" Mermista countered.
"Apparently, the aquarium employees don't know that their card usage is tracked. What's more, Ms. Buckler was seen arguing with the victim before the incident. So, Ms. Trainer, what were you arguing about?" Fulbright asked.
"It's a…private matter. Nothing I'd kill him over." Sasha said.
"Ms. Buckler is the only one who entered the room, and she knows how to command Orla. Besides, I thought her suspicious from the very beginning." Blackquill said.
"(So Blackquill suspected both Orla and Sasha. Dammit, we played right into his hands!)" Hope thought.
"Hmph... My gratitude to you. After all...you were the one who drew out that information about the lifesaver trick. The orca you saved was an unwitting victim. A victim made to look like the weapon that killed Jack Shipley." Blackquill said.
"...What have we done…?" Double D said, a look of horrified shame plastered on his face.
Natyal said nothing as a shadow covered her eyes and tears flowed down her cheeks.
"Come along, Ms. Buckler. Let's have a nice long talk." Fulbright said.
"Wait! I didn't kill the captain! And I would never try to frame Orla! Why would I hurt the ones I love like that?!" Sasha asked. "Everyone! You've gotta believe me! I-!" she only got out as she was carried out of sight.
"Hmm... It would appear that this case has taken on an entirely new suspect. But this trial is only concerned with a ruling on the defendant, Ora Shipley. So I'm afraid this concludes today's trial. Court is adjourned!" The Judge declared, banging his gavel.
Mermista watched as everybody was being pulled in so many directions. Double D shamed over falling for Blackquill's trap… Natyal unsure how to feel from the recent events….. And Phoenix and Athena determined to figure out the reason behind this.
She brushed back her hair and sighed. "Looks like this case isn't closed just yet."