Chapter 17
The drive back to the court house was silent but less tense than before. Everyone had come to an understanding and now they were more comfortable with each other. Each woman sat in reflection of the happenings during lunch. They had figured that they had hurt Usagi, but the full extent was just beginning to dawn upon them. They all loved their families, very much. They depended on them and just the thought of losing their loved ones was difficult.
That added to the fact that she was just 16, a kid really, having the trauma of carrying a child to term in her small body must not have been easy. They respected her now more than ever now, not only for her strength and determination to go against Mamoru, but for her strength as a woman and a young mother, for not giving up her child due to the circumstances under which she was born and for loving her with all her heart. They had acted cowardly and given in to Mamoru, for which they were now ashamed of.
Usagi as well was reflecting on their meeting while she drove. She was considering whether it was the right choice to accept their apologies so easily. She inwardly sighed. She needed to rid herself of her grudges. Her instructors had advised her not to hold any for long and that is what she was going to do. It was bad for a lunarian's health to do so. Mental and physical. It started to corrupt their minds until they were either lunatics or evil and she wanted nothing like that to happen to her. Besides it was in the past, and the past, after today, it could be buried and the 'real' healing could begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile in private, each lawyer was going over their case.
~~~~Mamoru & Haynes ~~~~~~
"What are you, stupid?!" Haynes shouted. Mamoru waved him away.
"You mean that everything here is true?! And you let me come to court with this?!" he cried shoving his briefcase towards him.
"You're my lawyer. What do you think I was paying you for?" he said.
"But this!" he cried, slamming his hands down on the stack of papers. "Why didn't you tell me?! You just lost us ANY chance we had of winning all because you can't keep it in your pants?!!"
Mamoru remained impassive. "I'm paying you to do a job so do it. Or I can let you go without getting paid."
Haynes cursed under his breath. He wanted Mamoru's case because of the tight spot that his firm was in. Mamoru was paying him very good money if he won, but it would be much lower if he lost, and he was determined to win.
Taking a deep breath, Haynes rubbed the bridge of his nose. He sat down to think about what he could do to repair the damage.
~~~Setsuna & The rest~~~
"Alright Setsuna, We want to know why you didn't cross examine those people. You had the perfect opportunity and you wasted it," Trunks said.
"I studied their body language. You can learn a lot from just observing a person. They would have lied anyway. Besides we have a perfectly good case right now. In fact, Mr. Haynes should have received my package by now," Setsuna said.
"What package?" Haruka asked.
"Well I got the feeling that Mr. Chiba did exactly tell his lawyer everything, so I decided to," she answered.
"So what are we going to do in the second half?" Michiru asked.
"Well If I an correct, They will call two more witnesses. Chibi Usa will be one of them. And I think that they will go with Minako and not Rei."
"Makes sense," Trunks said. "He took her to help himself look good. Chibi Usa will say good things about him."
"And Minako is easily manipulated by Mamoru. They wouldn't take the chance with Rei. I say the way Rei was acting and things are tense with those two," Setsuna said.
"So what's our plan then?" Haruka asked.
"I have it covered. Trust me on this," Setsuna assured them. And they had no reason to doubt her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When court reconvened after lunch, both sides were ready to go at it again. Haynes was still up.
"Will the prosecution call it's next witness?" the judge asked.
Haynes stood up. "The prosecution will like to call Aino Minako to the stand."
Minako was very nervous. She had thought that they would have called Rei but they called her instead. She hesitantly made her way to the stand.
After being sworn in, she was approached by Haynes.
"Tell me, Miss Aino, in your opinion, what kind of man is Mr. Chiba at home? Be honest."
"Well he is a good father and takes care of his children. He provides well for all of us." She said automatically. She had gone through this kind of thing before, so saying it was like second nature.
"Does he abuse any of you?"
"No he doesn't. He hasn't laid a hand on any of us."
"So he is a good provider then," he said. She nodded. "And he has shown no sort abuse in any form during the years you've been with him?" Again she nodded. "Thank you, Miss Aino. No further questions your honor."
"Miss Meiou?" the judge asked expectantly.
Setsuna rose up from her seat and walked towards the witness. "Good afternoon Miss Aino. How are you doing?"
"I'm just fine thank you."
"That's good to hear. I just have a few simple questions for you. Nothing difficult to answer at all. Just be honest."
"You said that Mamoru was a good provider and everything, but when was the last time you saw him?"
Minako hesitated, looking at Mamoru who was looking straight at her. 'It's all or nothing now,' she thought. "Two weeks ago," she finally answered.
Mamoru was upset. 'Why didn't that stupid bitch just follow the plan?!' he thought furiously.
"Really?" Setsuna stated more than asked.
Inside Usagi was happy. Minako was actually going against Mamoru. She closed her eyes and silently thanked any deity that was listening.
"Yes."
"Is he gone for long periods of time?"
"He is."
"And in the house that you live in, who lives there with you?"
"Myself, Rei, Darien, Benjamin, Salina and recently Chibi Usa."
"How often do the children see Mr. Chiba?"
"Once every six months, if that often."
"Hm. So if he isn't at home, then where does he stay? Do you know?"
"I don't really know. I think he has an apartment in the city," Minako said thoughtfully.
"Does he live there alone?"
"I don't know."
"Have you ever been there?"
"No."
"No further questions, your honor."
"You may step down Miss Aino."
She got down from the witness stand and refused to look at Mamoru. She took her place by Rei.
"Well how did I do?" She whispered.
"Better than I would have done," Rei answered.
~~~~~~~~~
Haynes saw that the case was going downhill fast. He had to do something or else it would all be lost and he would only get half his fee. Taking a huge gamble, but thinking all the while it was the only shot he had he stood up.
"Call your next witness prosecutor," the Judge said.
"The prosecution would like to call Chiba Mamoru to the stand," he said, praying to Kami that it would be alright and to help him win the case.
Setsuna looked at her fellow lawyer in disbelief. She thought that she would have had to call him herself, but he made her work that much easier.
~~~~~~~~~
Mamoru got up and walked confidently to the stand. He had a smirk that said it all. He knew that Setsuna couldn't see into the future anymore and so she wasn't that intimidating to him. To him she was just another woman now. But he had forgotten the saying 'With age comes wisdom.'
~~~~~~~~~
Trunks looked at the man with hatred. He was appalled by the way he was constantly glancing at Usagi, which she didn't seem to notice. He wanted to just go to him and rearrange his face and separate him from other vital body parts. Or give him an express one-way ticket to the next dimension courtesy of 'Air Trunks'.
Instead he just sat there with a calm, cold detached look on his face, while outside he was just itching to follow through with Mamoru's 'free trip'.
~~~~~~~~~
Usagi refused to look up as he got on to the witness stand. She could feel his eyes on her and all she wanted to do was either leave immediately or kill him. She was angry with him, and it only intensified as she heard him speak as he was sworn in. She glanced at trunks and saw his expressionless face as he looked at Mamoru and shivered slightly. He looked so cold and uncaring at that moment it was unnerving. She had never seen him look like that before. Glancing away, she focused on the documents before her and listened to the conversation.
~~~~~~~~~
Haynes got up and moved towards the witness box. "Mr. Chiba I just have a few questions for you," at his nod he continued, "what do you think about children?"
"I love children." He said simply.
Haynes almost wanted to roll his eyes. 'Damn man could at least be descriptive' he thought crossly.
"Yes. What do you think about you're children?"
"I love my children and try to take the best care of them."
"And Why are you away from home so often?"
"Well I'm a doctor, and my home is just too far away from the hospital. I am on call and I need to get to the hospital fast."
"And why aren't your family living with you there?"
"Because I want to give my kids the best life they can get. Their quality of life would be better where they live than in the city."
"So that's why you aren't home then," he said loudly for everyone to hear. "You must be a very busy and hard working man then."
"I am."
"Now have you had any legal problems?"
"Yes I have."
"Would you care to tell the court what they are?"
"Sure. I have had some problems with patients who had some hallucinations to drugs which were given during surgery."
"And just what were these hallucinations?"
"They were vivid dreams about me fondling them after surgery."
Usagi was beyond herself. 'That's how the onore rationalizes it?! A side effect to a drug!' Everyone was thinking more or less the same thing.
"Does this happen often?"
"Yes it does. Almost every doctor goes through it."
"Thank you, no further questions your honor. The prosecution would like to rest you're honor." he said, and went back to his seat. Setsuna was slightly beside herself. She was hoping to stick him with the information about his past, but it seems like it's not going to happen. She had only one more chance. 'Skip Chibi Usa and go with my star witness,' she thought.
"Do you have any questions for the witness?"
"Not at this time your honor. I will call him later though," she said firmly.
"You may step down, Mr. Chiba," the judge said. Mamoru went to his seat.
"Does the defense have any witnesses to call?" the judge said expectantly.
"We have you're honor."
"Call your first witness then."
"The defense would like to call to the stand, Miss Tsukino Usagi," Setsuna said.
Usagi was stunned. They hadn't talked about her doing this. They had built up their case very well to the point that they didn't need to bring her in there. She would have just sat there if trunks hadn't caught her attention. Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, he let her hand go and motioned for her to go ahead. She thanked him greatly for it, even though she didn't voice it, her eyes said it all. Giving a backward glance to Chibi Usa and her friends and one last look at Trunks, she stood and walked hesitantly to the stand.
To be continued………
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The drive back to the court house was silent but less tense than before. Everyone had come to an understanding and now they were more comfortable with each other. Each woman sat in reflection of the happenings during lunch. They had figured that they had hurt Usagi, but the full extent was just beginning to dawn upon them. They all loved their families, very much. They depended on them and just the thought of losing their loved ones was difficult.
That added to the fact that she was just 16, a kid really, having the trauma of carrying a child to term in her small body must not have been easy. They respected her now more than ever now, not only for her strength and determination to go against Mamoru, but for her strength as a woman and a young mother, for not giving up her child due to the circumstances under which she was born and for loving her with all her heart. They had acted cowardly and given in to Mamoru, for which they were now ashamed of.
Usagi as well was reflecting on their meeting while she drove. She was considering whether it was the right choice to accept their apologies so easily. She inwardly sighed. She needed to rid herself of her grudges. Her instructors had advised her not to hold any for long and that is what she was going to do. It was bad for a lunarian's health to do so. Mental and physical. It started to corrupt their minds until they were either lunatics or evil and she wanted nothing like that to happen to her. Besides it was in the past, and the past, after today, it could be buried and the 'real' healing could begin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile in private, each lawyer was going over their case.
~~~~Mamoru & Haynes ~~~~~~
"What are you, stupid?!" Haynes shouted. Mamoru waved him away.
"You mean that everything here is true?! And you let me come to court with this?!" he cried shoving his briefcase towards him.
"You're my lawyer. What do you think I was paying you for?" he said.
"But this!" he cried, slamming his hands down on the stack of papers. "Why didn't you tell me?! You just lost us ANY chance we had of winning all because you can't keep it in your pants?!!"
Mamoru remained impassive. "I'm paying you to do a job so do it. Or I can let you go without getting paid."
Haynes cursed under his breath. He wanted Mamoru's case because of the tight spot that his firm was in. Mamoru was paying him very good money if he won, but it would be much lower if he lost, and he was determined to win.
Taking a deep breath, Haynes rubbed the bridge of his nose. He sat down to think about what he could do to repair the damage.
~~~Setsuna & The rest~~~
"Alright Setsuna, We want to know why you didn't cross examine those people. You had the perfect opportunity and you wasted it," Trunks said.
"I studied their body language. You can learn a lot from just observing a person. They would have lied anyway. Besides we have a perfectly good case right now. In fact, Mr. Haynes should have received my package by now," Setsuna said.
"What package?" Haruka asked.
"Well I got the feeling that Mr. Chiba did exactly tell his lawyer everything, so I decided to," she answered.
"So what are we going to do in the second half?" Michiru asked.
"Well If I an correct, They will call two more witnesses. Chibi Usa will be one of them. And I think that they will go with Minako and not Rei."
"Makes sense," Trunks said. "He took her to help himself look good. Chibi Usa will say good things about him."
"And Minako is easily manipulated by Mamoru. They wouldn't take the chance with Rei. I say the way Rei was acting and things are tense with those two," Setsuna said.
"So what's our plan then?" Haruka asked.
"I have it covered. Trust me on this," Setsuna assured them. And they had no reason to doubt her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When court reconvened after lunch, both sides were ready to go at it again. Haynes was still up.
"Will the prosecution call it's next witness?" the judge asked.
Haynes stood up. "The prosecution will like to call Aino Minako to the stand."
Minako was very nervous. She had thought that they would have called Rei but they called her instead. She hesitantly made her way to the stand.
After being sworn in, she was approached by Haynes.
"Tell me, Miss Aino, in your opinion, what kind of man is Mr. Chiba at home? Be honest."
"Well he is a good father and takes care of his children. He provides well for all of us." She said automatically. She had gone through this kind of thing before, so saying it was like second nature.
"Does he abuse any of you?"
"No he doesn't. He hasn't laid a hand on any of us."
"So he is a good provider then," he said. She nodded. "And he has shown no sort abuse in any form during the years you've been with him?" Again she nodded. "Thank you, Miss Aino. No further questions your honor."
"Miss Meiou?" the judge asked expectantly.
Setsuna rose up from her seat and walked towards the witness. "Good afternoon Miss Aino. How are you doing?"
"I'm just fine thank you."
"That's good to hear. I just have a few simple questions for you. Nothing difficult to answer at all. Just be honest."
"You said that Mamoru was a good provider and everything, but when was the last time you saw him?"
Minako hesitated, looking at Mamoru who was looking straight at her. 'It's all or nothing now,' she thought. "Two weeks ago," she finally answered.
Mamoru was upset. 'Why didn't that stupid bitch just follow the plan?!' he thought furiously.
"Really?" Setsuna stated more than asked.
Inside Usagi was happy. Minako was actually going against Mamoru. She closed her eyes and silently thanked any deity that was listening.
"Yes."
"Is he gone for long periods of time?"
"He is."
"And in the house that you live in, who lives there with you?"
"Myself, Rei, Darien, Benjamin, Salina and recently Chibi Usa."
"How often do the children see Mr. Chiba?"
"Once every six months, if that often."
"Hm. So if he isn't at home, then where does he stay? Do you know?"
"I don't really know. I think he has an apartment in the city," Minako said thoughtfully.
"Does he live there alone?"
"I don't know."
"Have you ever been there?"
"No."
"No further questions, your honor."
"You may step down Miss Aino."
She got down from the witness stand and refused to look at Mamoru. She took her place by Rei.
"Well how did I do?" She whispered.
"Better than I would have done," Rei answered.
~~~~~~~~~
Haynes saw that the case was going downhill fast. He had to do something or else it would all be lost and he would only get half his fee. Taking a huge gamble, but thinking all the while it was the only shot he had he stood up.
"Call your next witness prosecutor," the Judge said.
"The prosecution would like to call Chiba Mamoru to the stand," he said, praying to Kami that it would be alright and to help him win the case.
Setsuna looked at her fellow lawyer in disbelief. She thought that she would have had to call him herself, but he made her work that much easier.
~~~~~~~~~
Mamoru got up and walked confidently to the stand. He had a smirk that said it all. He knew that Setsuna couldn't see into the future anymore and so she wasn't that intimidating to him. To him she was just another woman now. But he had forgotten the saying 'With age comes wisdom.'
~~~~~~~~~
Trunks looked at the man with hatred. He was appalled by the way he was constantly glancing at Usagi, which she didn't seem to notice. He wanted to just go to him and rearrange his face and separate him from other vital body parts. Or give him an express one-way ticket to the next dimension courtesy of 'Air Trunks'.
Instead he just sat there with a calm, cold detached look on his face, while outside he was just itching to follow through with Mamoru's 'free trip'.
~~~~~~~~~
Usagi refused to look up as he got on to the witness stand. She could feel his eyes on her and all she wanted to do was either leave immediately or kill him. She was angry with him, and it only intensified as she heard him speak as he was sworn in. She glanced at trunks and saw his expressionless face as he looked at Mamoru and shivered slightly. He looked so cold and uncaring at that moment it was unnerving. She had never seen him look like that before. Glancing away, she focused on the documents before her and listened to the conversation.
~~~~~~~~~
Haynes got up and moved towards the witness box. "Mr. Chiba I just have a few questions for you," at his nod he continued, "what do you think about children?"
"I love children." He said simply.
Haynes almost wanted to roll his eyes. 'Damn man could at least be descriptive' he thought crossly.
"Yes. What do you think about you're children?"
"I love my children and try to take the best care of them."
"And Why are you away from home so often?"
"Well I'm a doctor, and my home is just too far away from the hospital. I am on call and I need to get to the hospital fast."
"And why aren't your family living with you there?"
"Because I want to give my kids the best life they can get. Their quality of life would be better where they live than in the city."
"So that's why you aren't home then," he said loudly for everyone to hear. "You must be a very busy and hard working man then."
"I am."
"Now have you had any legal problems?"
"Yes I have."
"Would you care to tell the court what they are?"
"Sure. I have had some problems with patients who had some hallucinations to drugs which were given during surgery."
"And just what were these hallucinations?"
"They were vivid dreams about me fondling them after surgery."
Usagi was beyond herself. 'That's how the onore rationalizes it?! A side effect to a drug!' Everyone was thinking more or less the same thing.
"Does this happen often?"
"Yes it does. Almost every doctor goes through it."
"Thank you, no further questions your honor. The prosecution would like to rest you're honor." he said, and went back to his seat. Setsuna was slightly beside herself. She was hoping to stick him with the information about his past, but it seems like it's not going to happen. She had only one more chance. 'Skip Chibi Usa and go with my star witness,' she thought.
"Do you have any questions for the witness?"
"Not at this time your honor. I will call him later though," she said firmly.
"You may step down, Mr. Chiba," the judge said. Mamoru went to his seat.
"Does the defense have any witnesses to call?" the judge said expectantly.
"We have you're honor."
"Call your first witness then."
"The defense would like to call to the stand, Miss Tsukino Usagi," Setsuna said.
Usagi was stunned. They hadn't talked about her doing this. They had built up their case very well to the point that they didn't need to bring her in there. She would have just sat there if trunks hadn't caught her attention. Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, he let her hand go and motioned for her to go ahead. She thanked him greatly for it, even though she didn't voice it, her eyes said it all. Giving a backward glance to Chibi Usa and her friends and one last look at Trunks, she stood and walked hesitantly to the stand.
To be continued………
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~