Cody could hardly contain his nervousness at all the Goetia family members staring at him that Stolas pointed out. He felt like collapsing from a heart attack (and he is only nine years old for fuck sake!)
Nevertheless, he couldn't show weakness or vulnerability to them all.
"He was in terrible danger." Stolas continued his testament. "I couldn't let him die by the hands of my own venomous wife. Without my help, Stella would have probably killed him."
"Hmm, how would a human end up down here in the first place?" Asked Paimon
"It's a long story, father." Stolas admitted. "But they are with I.M.P, or is at least, affiliated with them."
"How dare you call my sister venomous!" Andrealphus said in anger.
"Silence!" Barked Paimon. "Order in this courtroom." In a more calm voice.
"Defense calls a Cody Laurent himself to the stand." Said Stolas' I'll lawyer. The poor boys' heart sank to his feet and began pounding more than ever. At last, he fainted from all of this pressure, but Loona caught him before he could hit the floor.
"Oh dear." Said Paimon. "Looks like we got a body on our hands."
"No, I'm fine, your highness." Cody slowly regained his composure.
"Perfect, come on up here to the stand to help clear my sons' name." Paimon kindly said.
"What? So he can faint a-?" Loona tried to protest this, but she was interrupted.
"Silence, bitch!" Paimon ordered.
These words made Loona angry. Granted, she was used to being called a bitch, but still, not from royalty like this kind of demon. "No, Loona. It's... it's ok." Cody said. "I'll help Stolas out."
He was gently stopped by Octavia. "Sweetie, are you sure?"
"I'll be fine, Octavia." The kid said before slowly coming up to the stand. Every one of those fancy rich demons were staring at him like a drop of oil in water. Despite that, he got on the large chair so he can help Stolas out.
"So, I have heard about you, my boy." Said Paimon. "Like how you entertained my lords' palace with... ugh! Rock n roll music."
"Yeah, that's me, sir." Cody meekly replied.
Andrealphus went up to the stand and laid his left arm on the counter. "So, my dear boy," he began speaking, "Stella, my own sister, was trying to kill you, am I correct?"
"Uh-huh."
"And is it true that Stolas killed her?"
"It is true. But, he was only trying to protect me." Cody said. "I didn't kill anyone."
"Well, is it true that she was about to use you as bait to get to her own husband?"
More pressure started to kick inside of the child, but he kept his composure, and answered. "She said that, yes. But I don't know why Stella was trying to kill Stolas anyway."
A smile came on Andrelphus' avian face. "Not to worry." he said with confidence. "i can answer that." he turned to the court. "The reason why Stella wanted to kill her own husband, the person that she loved in her life, was because; he cheated on her." the court of Goetia family members began murmuring with each other. "With an imp!" he roared, pointing at Blitzo.
Almost everyone in this rich family gasped in shock and looked at Stolas like he committed one of the most heinous sins to have ever done.
"No! No! It's not like that!" Stolas said.
Paimon himself was surprised to hear this kind of news. "You cheated on Stella... with a lowly imp, son?"
"In my defense," said Stolas, "he was my very first friend that you got me for my birthday when I was a boy all those years ago."
Andrealphus looked at Paimon. "What?" He said to the Goetia patriarch.
"So, technically, father, it's your fault."
"What?"
"He kinda has a point, your highness." Said Blitzo. "You let me and Stolas hang out together as friends."
The entire crowd and jury began exclaiming in uproars of disbelief, and it was absolute chaos. Poor Cody felt like he was in a crossfire right now. "Enough!" Said Paimon. "I said you would be friends with an imp, not sleep with one, Stolas. What the actual fuck were you thinking?"
"Defense calls Blitzo to the stand." The lawyer imp said.
The founder of I.M.P looked a little nervous but he kept his cool as Cody got off the pedestal and Blitzo take his place. "I got this, kid." He winked at Cody.
"Now then, how did you influence Stolas to... be your rut mate?" Andrealphus asked Blitzo
The imp looked at Stolas and sighed. "I needed to start my assassination business somehow. I knew the only one who had the book to take demons to Earth was Stolas. So I did what I had to do to get access to the human world."
"And Stolas agreed?" Said Paimon.
"Like I said," his son pointed. "He was the very first friend I ever made, thank you very much."
"And what was wrong with Stella? What did you have against my own sister?" Andrealphus sounded a little angry.
At last, Stolas could not hold back his anger any longer, and he exclaimed: "I have everything against Stella, you pompous asshole!"
The room was silent after the Goetia prince' response. "And what does that mean?" Andrealphus raised his right eyebrow.
"This so-called marriage was never out of love to begin with. Stella did not love me one bit. I'll never forget the time she almost strangled me to death when I first met her? She was crazy! Strangling puppies and lobotomizing babies? I know that this is hell, but she is beyond sane!"
"Stolas, I order you to control your temper."
"No! Not this time!" Stolas said, shocking his father. "The only reason why me and Stella were together was because: you wanted more children in the Goetia family as precautionary heirs to our lineage."
"Well then why did you remain with her?" Asked Paimon.
"I wanted to make Octavia happy. My own daughter. The light of my life." He smiled at his daughter from a distance. "I wanted her to live a normal life. After all, Octavia is only seventeen now. Doesn't that mean anything, father?"
"Yes... I guess it does."
"My liege," said Andrealphus, "sure my sister has anger problems, and can be a karen, but she had a brighter side to her."
"I object, granddad!" Octavia said.
"Overruled, my dear granddaughter." Said Paimon. "... we'll, perhaps we should listen to Octavias' side of the story. This does involve her too."
Blitzo got off the pedestal for Octavia herself to explain.
"So, Via," said Paimon. "Can you please describe the details of that day?"
"Yes." Octavia cleared her throat and closed her eyes. "She hired a sleazy imp to kill my father." Everyone sounded a little surprised to hear that statement (minus the defense team), and didn't think Stella would do something low like this. "Mum was using Cody as bait, and when my friends beat her, she asked Cody to kill her just to cruelly mess with his head. And, she said i wasn't a daughter of hers anymore. But father did kill her so that she couldn't hurt me or my friends anymore."
More murmuring was heard in the courtroom.
"So don't punish my father. Please. If you want to punish someone, take me instead."
"Come now. via." Said Andrealphus. "I would never hurt my own niece. After all, you are still technically a child."
"Via, don't." Said Stolas. "I never want to lose you."
"Alright, alright." Said Paimon. "I admit it, having you and Stella's marriage to be arranged was probably a mistake. But I just wanted to keep the family going and have the proper lineage it deserves. But, alas, killing another Goetia family member can be punishable by death."
"No!" Octavia shrieked
Suddenly, the doors flew open to reveal Satan, Lilith, and Charlie all at once. "The king has arrived." Said Satan. All the Goetias bowed down to him in respect. Despite being rich and powerful, they're only second compared to the leader of all demons himself.
"Cody." Said Charlie. "Are you ok?"
"Uh-huh."
"Paimon, what is this all about?" Asked Satan, coming up to him.
"Well, my son has been accused of murdering Stella. Just to protect this human child."
"That human child is my daughters' friend." Satan pointed. And you know how privileged people are when they are friends with me and my family."
"Look, Stella was never my soulmate to begin with. If I didn't kill her, Cody would have died, and my friends."
"That would have been one less human to deal with anyway." Said Andrealphus in a cold voice (no pun intended).
"Don't talk about Cody like that, toy snow chicken?" Loona blurted
"Snow chicken?! How fucking dare you!"
"Enough!" Satan bellowed, causing everyone to be silent. "If you all cannot work together like this, how will you function?
"Yeah, I mean you guys are family." Charlie added. "And families shouldn't fight like this."
"Honestly," said Lilith. "Killing Stella was quite a favor to us all. She was one of the worst people to have met and make friends with. She had no moral, no empathy, no conscience at all"
"But, your highness." Said Andrealphus. She was my sister."
"Well Stolas is a prince." Said Paimon. "And you are a marquis. "You are at a lower rank position. So, do not forget who chooses the decisions, Andrealphus."
The peacock demon growled and huffed out his lungs.
"So son, if you are found guilty, you will be stripped of your rank and privileges, and sentenced to death. And Cody will have to die as well."
"What?! Why?" Cody exclaimed
"Because you were the cause in this, even if you never intended it to happen." He turned to Stolas and said: "But, if you are innocent and given clemency, you will be cleared of all charges." He looked around the room. "All those in favor of Stolas executed?"
A large group of hands perked up in the air, making Cody want to faint again.
"And all those in favors of being acquitted?" Paimon added. Another group of raised hands were showed after.
"Look, I am calling this not guilty on Stolas." said Satan. "I hereby declare Stolas Goetia cleared of all charges."
"Very well, my lord." Said Paimon. "You are the leader and what you say goes."
Andrealphus was angry and surprised at the same time seeing the unexpected outcome of this event. "What? But justice has to be done for my Si- Argh" he felt his face slapped by Lilith.
"Do not forget who has real power. Andrealphus." The queen of hell said. "Me and my husband."
"And, if needed... Charlie too." Satan added. "Unless you want me to make you fade from existence forever. Or sell you to the Exorcists."
A cold chill ran through Andrealphus' spine (no pun intended). Sure, he was a calm and collected individual, but even he is afraid of the exorcists.
"After all, marquis' are lower rank than princes. So, technically," said Satan, "That makes you lower than Stolas." this little remark gave the marquis a look of disbelief, and look at Stolas, who gave him a smug raspberry at him like a child. All the more reason why the ice Goetia looked fumed at this before looking back at Satan. "You wouldn't actually give me away to those so-called angels, would you, my lord?"
"I have powers greater than any of you." said Satan. "And I am not afraid to use it on you, Andrealphus. After all, your sister did hire an imp to kill Stolas."
"He does have a valid point." said Paimon. "I mean, what what she even thinking?" and he looked at Stolas. "Admittedly, I never even liked her either."
"Well then why did you arrange this marriage?"
"Simple, so that I can continue the family line and keep it royal. Something like the Kim dynasty or the Arabian ruling class." Paimon flatly said. "But, I see how happy you are with this... peasant." he sounded rather disgusted. "I mean, you are my son, and you are still a prince."
"But I will see what you have to say," Lucifer said to the whole court. "Jury and all."
"Very well. All those in favor of Stolas being executed?"
There were still some large number of hands held up high wanting Stolas to be killed for this.
"And all those in favor of mercy?" Paimon added. Surprisingly, there were lots of hands raised for that as well, it was hard to tell which one was winning.
The Goetia king looked hard at the whole audience and looked at the Jury.
"Has the jury reached the defendant?"
"Yes." The lead juror pointed. "We the jury, find the defendant Stolas Goetia... not guilty."
The sound of cheering was heard from Cody and the others. Yes, they felt so relieved to hear those words. It was every defendant's dream come true. Andrealphus growled to himself in defeat.
"Very well," said Paimon. "Mercy it is." Then he swung the gavel on his counter to make it official."
Stolas felt Octavia hug him tightly as this trial had won for him and his friends. "We did it, dad!" Said Octavia as she let go.
"That we did, Octavia." Stolas smiled at her. "That we did."
His acquaintances went up to him as well to congratulate him for being acquitted. "This is so much better than OJ Simpson." Blitzo said
"More honest than OJ." Moxxie said. "So what happens now?"
"Well, the least I can do is let you go off in peace." Said Andrealphus from behind them with a blank look on his avian face. "You have won fair and square. And Cody, I might see you again one of these days."
"Don't freeze him, you sick fuck." Loona growled.
"Come on now, I'm a compassionate demon. After, I always wanted my own child admittedly. But for now, I bid you all good day." He smiled before he strode off in his graceful manner.
"He's so creepy." Said Moxxie
"For once, I agree with you, fatty." Said Loona. She looked at Cody. "How do you feel, kid?"
"Better. Way better. I'm glad no one got hurt, and Stolas didn't get in big trouble."
"We all are." Said Tex. "Kinda hoping that snow bird would face the exorcists though. He has a pure icy heart and deserves a painful death."
"Easy, big boy." Said Blitzo. "He's beaten. You can't just hurt people by fucking them up with up your hands."
"I know. But this guys is a real sleazebag." Vortex said.
"Good thing lord Lucifer was there to help us." Said Moxxie. "Otherwise, you would have been toast, your highness. Crumbs, I was so nervous coming in here in front of all those Goetia people."
"Come on now, sweetie." Said Millie. "We got through this without any trouble, right?"
"Right." Said Loona.
"But Abdrealphus says he might see me again, but it sounds like he might try to kill me." Said Cody. "Maybe I should get my cross or call on Jesus to help me."
"Whoa whoa whoa." Loona said. "That would just be overkill. If Jesus 'smites' someone, then it won't be very pretty. It would be worse than any crap the exorcists would do to anyone."
"Can everyone stop talking about the Exorcists please?" Said Moxxie. "Just talking about them just makes me want to throw up from stress."
"It is kinda fun to see you have a panic attack." Blitzo smirked.
"Oh shut up." Moxxie said.
"How dare you talk to your boss like that!" Said Blitzo. "Need I remind you of who I gave my employee of the month award to?"
"Even if you favor Loona? Even if she has no work ethnic?"
"Don't start with me, Moxxie!" Loona growled.
Stolas had to intervene on them like a father breaking up a fight between two bickering siblings. "Do I have to separate you two?" He said.
"Yeah guys. We won." Said Octavia.
"I say we should celebrate at Blood Burger."
"Well, I have a better idea." Said Cody.
As celebration for winning the trial, the whole gang (with the demons in their disguises), we're at a Burger King in Cody's own town to eat at.
"Just curious," said Moxxie. "Why here?"
"It's called Burger King for a good reason, Mox. It's the king of fast food."
"I thought it was McDonald's that was the king." Said Millie.
"No. Their Pattie's don't compare to this place." Said Loona
