A:N: Whoot! I have a new chapter for yous! unfortunately the evil tubbies have gone back to rs4 because she owns part of them. But I have ordered the legions of the undead to bring me a really hot disclaimer guy. luckilly they are smarter than speedy ( speedy: HEY!). THEY BROUGHT ME USHER!
usher: Yo, man! What am I doing here?
me: You are here to say the disclaimer and then I'll just look at you until I get bored.
usher: You got it bad. I don't want to say a disclaimer. I might get burned.
me:oh. don't you want me to be your boo.
usher: no.
me: well then do the disclaimer. OR FACE THE WRATH OF MY LEGIONS OF THE UNDEAD!
usher: doesn't that mean that they're alive?
me:... no! They are not alive! They are UNDEAD! Not alive. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE!
usher: but if they're undead then they're alive. If they aren't alive then they are dead and you can't be dead if they're undead.
me:they are not dead! they are the UNdead. They died but my evil tubbies rose them from the dead. They once were dead but now they aren't making them undead! damnit!
usher: okok! jeeze. you don't have to spazz out like that.
me: just say the disclaimer.
usher: These are my confessions. she doesn't own the teen titans . the undead dude says that she owns some guy named logan but I they don't like him. They apparently own tyler too. Who tyler is, I don't know. She also doesn't own me or any of my songs. For I am a free spirit, no one may stifle my creativity. MUHAHAHA!
me: ... ooook. so usher's kinda pshycho. fitting for this fic.
ON WITH THE CHAPTER!
Chapter 7 :We Find the Defendant...(Pt.1):
"Logan Hester is a retarded caveman with his hormones on the loose!" screamed an angry woman. She was holding up a big sign, which bore the words, "Barbarians Belong Behind Bars!" in bold red letters. The reporter moved the microphone away from her and moved to another angry face in the crowd.
"Sir? Sir, hello! Can you tell us what you think of the coming trial against Logan Hester?" the reporter shouted over the roar of the angry crowd. A man turned to answer.
"This Logan guy must be new here cause apparently he doesn't know. When you mess with one of the Titans, you mess with the whole city!" he shouted, jabbing his finger threateningly into the camera. The reporter turned the microphone back to himself as a group of boys shouted in the background, "We love Starfire! Hang the one who hurt her!"
"There you have it. The occupants of Jump City have, very clearly, rallied around their protectors as Starfire, an alien princess and vivacious crime fighter, testifies against the man who allegedly raped her, Logan Hester. The trial will be starting in—" he paused to press a hand to his ear. "Ladies and gentlemen I have just received word that the trial has started. Before today is over, the verdict will be passed. Logan Hester, guilty or innocent? Back to you Chet."
The camera crew shut down with a cry of success. They loaded their equipment into their van. They were going to return in a few hours, in time for the verdict. In the mean time, they could go home, eat some food: relax. It was not so inside the Jump City Courthouse.
Starfire paced in the ladies' bathroom. Her mind was racing from good thoughts to bad and she felt slightly queasy. Suddenly, Raven pushed the bathroom door open and walked in. Starfire glanced at her briefly and froze from the look in her eyes.
"Starfire, come on. The trial is starting." Raven said quietly. Starfire shuddered, but nervously straightened the navy blue knee length skirt. She checked herself in the mirror. Her off white silk blouse was tucked into to skirt and a matching navy blue jacket hung on her shoulders. Starfire ran a hand through her hair, a habit she had picked up from Robin.
Raven rubbed a hand up and down her arm in reassurance. "You'll be fine," she said, reading the look of fear and uncertainty on her face.
Raven knew that this was very hard on Starfire. She could feel the dull roar of her emotions swirling around in her head. Starfire smiled gratefully at Raven.
She walked out of the bathroom, down the hall, and into the courtroom. The room was full of the noise of people trying to get to their seat quickly, but as soon as Starfire entered, the room became deathly still.
Slowly, nervously, Starfire walked down the small aisle and to the front of the courtroom. With a small sigh she sat behind the small table designated for her. Daniel, the prosecutor, nodded at her.
Daniel, or Dan as he had instructed her to call him, was a middle-aged man, clean-shaven, but desperately trying to grow a beard. He had a kind face that matched his kind heart and was always confident about his trials.
"Hey kid," he said perkily. He had started calling her that ever since the first day he met her. Starfire smiled affectionately. He really was a sweet guy, always respecting her space, except for a pat on the shoulder now and then. "You doing ok?" Starfire nodded faintly. Dan patted her shoulder knowingly. "Hang in there. We're gonna get this sucker." he said with a confident grin.
Robin leaned over the small wall between him and Starfire. He tapped her shoulder lightly and she whipped around, startled by the contact. Robin held up his hands defensively.
"Whoa, calm down." he said with a light smile. Starfire didn't smile back, but instead shivered. Robin saw this and beckoned her closer. Starfire moved closer to him. Robin leaned forward and kissed her lips softly.
"Relax. Nothing can happen to you. We are here for you. Remember, no matter what happens or what is said, I will always love you and I will always believe you," he whispered, pressing his forehead against her's. Starfire took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling Robin's hand against the back of her neck. She nodded.
"I love you too." she responded. Robin smiled and released his hold on her.
Starfire squeezed his hand slightly before turning back to Dan, who began speaking to her in a hurried voice. They spoke for a moment, Starfire feeling more and more at ease with each passing syllable.
She knew the plan; Dan had given her a list of his questions so that she wouldn't be so surprised. She was just starting to relax when once again a hushed silence filled the room. Starfire turned to see the cause of the silence to find Logan pushing his way up the aisle.
He wore an orange jumpsuit labeled, 'Jump City Detention Center' and he was escorted by two guards. He approached the front of the room and shot a glance at Starfire. Starfire looked up at him, anger drowning all fear in her eyes. Logan watched the fear transform and smirked evilly. He winked at her and Starfire was tempted to tell him exactly where to go, very sweetly in a few different languages.
As soon as Logan dropped into his seat the bailiff walked into the room. The jury filed in after him and stood in two rows of six.
"All rise!" boomed the bailiff. "The people against Logan Hester, honorable judge Ryman presiding." A tall woman in a long black robe strolled into the room and onto the judge's stand. She sat and the rest of the room followed her example.
"It seems that this case is a particularly troublesome to the citizens of this city so I would like to be over with this subject as soon as possible. Prosecution, please call your first witness." she said briskly.
Dan nodded.
"Prosecution calls Kori Anders," he said. Starfire took a deep breath and stood. She walked to the stand and sat down. She was soon approached by the bailiff who had announced the judge.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?" he asked solemnly. Starfire answered with an equally solemn, "I do." and she was allowed to be seated. Dan walked out from behind the table and began to question his witness.
"Miss Anders, how do you know the defendant?" he said, starting out slow. Starfire's eyes stayed on Dan's.
"He took me on a date." she said simply. Dan nodded.
"Would you mind telling us the details of that date?" he asked. Starfire closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been expecting the question, but that was different than actually having to answer the question. She had refused to give Dan her answers in advance, hoping to limit the pain to one single moment.
"He picked me up around 8:00." she started. "He had his own car and I rode with him. We went to a club here in town; I believe it was Club Frost. We had dinner at the club and then we danced. About an hour after we started to dance I lost track of him and went to look. When I found him he was with another woman. I told him that I would like to be taken home." Dan stopped her at this point.
"Were you upset about him being with another woman?" he asked. Starfire nodded.
"Yes, but who would not?" Dan nodded and asked her to continue.
"So we went back to his car and we started to go home. Once we were about half way there he stopped the car." she hesitated.
"Miss Anders?" Dan prompted.
"He, uh, leaned over to me and started to kiss me. I became uncomfortable and told him to stop. He continued, but more aggressively. I asked him what was wrong with him and he informed me that he was 'horny as hell,' as he put it. He said that he had gotten 'some X'.
"Of course I was beginning to become afraid by then, but I managed to break free. I got out of his car and called Titan's Tower and informed my friends that I would be returning home soon. I moved to an alley so that I may take off without attracting much attention, but Logan found me first." Starfire tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. She pressed her hands more firmly in her lap in an effort to quell the shaking.
"H-he knocked me down and was all over me before I could react. I did scream for him to stop, he simply punched me in the face. I s-struggled harder but he overpowered me. I do not remember the following very clearly. I do remember..." she trailed off, a dull pound developing in her head.
In truth she had made sure that she couldn't remember. She had tried so hard to push them to the back of her mind, the dark recesses where even she didn't explore. But now, as she willingly recounted the torture that she had endured, her mind moved back to that space, playing the encounter like a horrible movie that she couldn't stop.
"Miss Anders?" Dan asked again. Starfire blinked back the rapidly forming tears. She tried to focus on her answers, but her mind was flashing her memories right before her eyes. She could almost feel his hands touching her; she could just about smell stale beer and a smell she couldn't identify, but that terrified her more than anything she had ever experienced.
Robin leaned forward slightly. This was what he had been afraid of, what they all had secretly been afraid of. Starfire was locking up. Her emotions were clouding her brain. Robin closed his eyes, willing Starfire to hear his pleas.
'Come on, Star. Snap out of it. You can do it.'
'You can do it.'