I survived another week! Take that, end times.

(Thank you for the reviews!)

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Chapter 218: Testimonies

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Technus poured the ashy gray liquid into his mouth, grimacing at the flavor. He clenched his hands into fists to keep himself from shooting electric sparks off his fingers. Yes, they were covered with rubber gloves, no, that didn't really matter when it came to his ability to electrify things.

"I, Nicolai Technus, Master of All Things Technological and Beeping, swear—" the pitch of his voice rose and cracked on the word, "—to speak nothing but the truth in this courtroom, for so long as this trial continues."

Nervously, he glanced around the courtroom. It was smaller than he had expected, more like the courtrooms he had known in life than what he had imagined would fit ghostly senses of grandeur and drama. True, there were desks for far more people than the prosecutor and the defendants in the front of the room, the Lady Themis loomed larger than life over the room on a judge's bench that was very nearly a throne, and the layout of the spectator rows made the space seem oddly church-like, but the overall atmosphere was comfortingly mundane.

Technus had been in courtroom or two in his life. Usually in civil court, or as an expert in his field.

He was, after all, the Master of Technology. No one was more expert than him! Although, even Technus had to admit that Phantom's friend, the one with the hat, had talent. Even more than Phantom, it was that boy who was his true rival. Once this trial was over, he would have to channel all this stress into challenging the PDA child once again.

Ooh, maybe he could literally channel his stress. How would one go about harnessing a ghostly stress response for electrical power? How many kilowatt hours could he-?

"While I'm sure that would be fascinating, Mr. Technus," said Astraea, "that isn't currently the concern of this court, and 'speak nothing but the truth' does not mean you have to say everything on your mind."

Curses. He'd been doing it again. The thing the ghost child, Phantom, always made fun of him for. Monologuing and shouting out his plans for everyone to hear.

From the look on Astraea's face, he'd just said the last few sentences out loud.

Curses.

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None of the witnesses were allowed in the courtroom at the moment, except for the one being questioned and their guardians, if applicable. This was partially to line up with the standards of human courts, and partially, Danny gathered, because the initial committee hadn't trusted him, even oathbound, not to attack anyone and everyone who said a word against his parents.

Which. Fine. Danny knew some ghosts who would do that. A lot of ghosts who would do that, even. Ghosts were creatures of logic as much as humans were, but they were also creatures of passion and poor impulse control.

But Danny wouldn't. He kept his promises. He had promised to follow the rules.

Rules which included not going in while other witnesses were giving testimony.

He sulked outside the door, waiting to be called in, and attempted to interrogate Clockwork about how to fire Undergrowth and Vortex from the Council of Ancients. Because he'd really like to do that sooner rather than later.

"Didn't you already do that?" asked Clockwork.

"I don't think so," said Danny. He drummed his fingers on the rule packet, which was on top of the box. He could feel the cores of his siblings inside.

Leaving them in the room would be stupid, after all. They wouldn't be safe.

Of course, they wouldn't be safe in the courtroom, either, but at least there, Danny would be able to do something about it. Well, Clockwork or Ellie would, since they were the ones he'd be passing the box off to when it was his turn. Possibly.

If they ever even went into the courtroom.

Which didn't feel likely. Dang, Danny knew Technus could talk, but this was a bit extreme.

On the other hand, the delay was good, because they were waiting for several certain someones so that they could carry out their plan. The one they had discussed in detail.

Yeah. Danny was stressed.

"I mean, I'd remember something like that, wouldn't I? It isn't something you can do by accident, is it?" He really hoped it wasn't, anyway. What if he accidently dismissed someone he wanted?

"No, you need a Judge," said Clockwork, "and witnesses. Paperwork? The Ancient being dismissed must be informed… Are you sure you didn't already do this? I can remember you doing this."

"Positive," said Danny. "I haven't talked to any Judges about getting rid of them yet. What kind of witnesses are we talking about here?"

"Ones that can perceive, I presume," said Clockwork. "I can't recall the details. It has been centuries since they were necessary. I'm sorry, Daniel. Nephthys may know more than me."

Danny scrunched his face up. Somehow, he doubted that. It wouldn't hurt to ask, though, and it was change-related, so maybe Nephthys would know. He'd ask her. If she ever got here.

He nodded and dragged his hands down his face. "Why are they so late?"

"Hey!" said Nephthys. "I'm not late! I'm like a wizard!"

Danny turned and looked down the hallway to stare skeptically at Nephthys.

"Are you quoting Tolkien?" asked Jazz. "Is that what you're doing? Did you read the Lord of the Rings?"

"Hey, the guy altered the way humans interact with fiction," said Nephthys. "Well, he and E. Nesbit. Always been a bit more partial to Nesbit, to be honest."

Behind Nephthys slouched Dan.

"What are you wearing?" asked Danny.

Dan scowled and shrugged.

"Did you have a good time tormenting human politicians?" asked Clockwork, his tone polite.

"Yep," said Nephthys. "And lobbyists. Can't forget the lobbyists."

"Ooh," said Sam. "Which ones did you do? Because I have some suggestions."

"Monsanto, mostly," said Nephthys.

"Good. They suck. Did you know they sued farmers because—?" she cut off as Tucker threw a pillow at her. "Hey!"

"Yeah," said Nephthys. "All the good that could be done with GMOs, and they use them like that… criminal." She shook her head. "Oh, and Dan threw a pedophile out a window. That's why we're late."

"Dude," said Tucker, "not that I have any sympathy for the guy, or girl, whatever, but I thought you were trying to take it easy on the whole murder thing."

"He's not dead," whined Dan. "The window was only on the third floor."

"How is that why you're late?" asked Danny. "It couldn't have taken more than a minute to lob him out a window. Unless you, like, carried him up to the window or something."

"We wanted to make sure he was arrested," said Nephthys. "You know how it is."

"Yeah, I get it." Danny sighed. "So, are you ready for this?"

Dan smiled.

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The Technus ghost babbled interminably. It was almost enough to make Issitoq reconsider his choice of strategies. Almost.

He touched Calesvol again, its edge sharp through the illusion he wore. He knew the blade wanted to cut him, but his skin was too strong, he was too powerful, to let that happen.

This would work. It had to work.

Phantom would take the stand eventually, and then—Then Issitoq would take him. He would drive Calesvol through his disgusting human heart and core, Calesvol, which could kill anything that pretended to life and many things that didn't, besides.

He just had to wait.

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For whatever reason, Maddie had expected Danny to be the first witness. She'd been both looking forward to and dreading seeing him. Instead, the prosecution had called Technus, the ghost who had attacked the safety assembly.

"… and, well, after I saw that, saw Phantom relive his death, I just didn't—He was gone. Fallen through a portal. It, er, ruined the mood. I couldn't go through my plans for world domination after that! Even if they would have been much easier." The last sentence was mumbled. "But! I left, and came here, to report the violation."

"And what made you sure Phantom had relived his death?" asked the prosecutor, Astraea, calmly.

"The way he screamed," said Technus. A shower of small sparks leapt from his left shoulder. "I have been a rival to the ghost child for years. I know how he screams. But that—It was a death scream. I… recognized it."

"Can you explain that statement?" asked Astraea when Technus did not continue.

"I, Technus, also died of electrocution!" he exclaimed, voice wobbling. "I know what it sounds like!"

Astraea gave a little bow. "Thank you, Technus." She turned the bow to the Lady Themis. "I give the witness, your honor."

"Thank you," said Themis. "Defense, step forward."

Wolfsbane stood and stepped out into the space before Themis' almost-throne and the witness box. He gave a small bow. "Thank you, your honor. Technus, master of all things technological and beeping, I have a few questions for you, regarding your testimony."

Maddie didn't know how ghosts got through saying such ridiculous names and titles with a straight face. Perhaps they were simply desensitized, considering Box Ghost and Lunch Lady were apparently normal, or at least unremarkable.

"Where were you, when these events were taking place?"

"I had overshadowed the school's technology system!"

"Where was that located?"

"Primarily in the office."

"I see. So, you were not physically present in the gymnasium at the time."

"No. But there were security cameras! And I had control of the technology connected to the school system. That sweet, sweet technology… it was funky fresh…"

"The school's technology, but not the weapons brought by the defendants?"

"No, just the shield and the PA system, things like that. Oh, and the bells and the fire alarm. The things I could have done with the fire alarm—"

"Right. How long have you been in engaged in a rivalry with Phantom?"

Ghost terminology was so strange. Maddie hated that they used a term as innocuous as 'rivalry' to describe how this ghost and others like him had spent so much time beating Danny up.

(Maddie was no better.)

"About two years? Give or take? Living time is hard. Six update cycles."

"In that time, had you previously encountered the defendants?"

"Er, not to talk to them."

"But you had seen them?"

"Yes."

"And you have seen them around Phantom?"

"Yeees," said Technus.

"In both his forms?"

"I have."

"And you are familiar with their views on ghosts. Excuse me, their former views on ghosts."

"It's pretty hard not to!"

"Had you any indication that the defendants knew Phantom was liminal?"

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The questioning seemed to creep on as Wolfsbane finished and passed the questioning off to Hemlock, and then to a younger advocate named Ivy, and then to still others who represented Danny's friends.

Fewer and fewer questions were asked, with some of the advocates simply confirming with Technus where their clients were located and other similar details.

But then there was Vlad's advocate. Foxglove.

Maddie still wasn't entirely sure how Vlad was involved in all of this. Azalea had mentioned at one point that Vlad was like Danny, he was liminal, but, evidently, everyone in Amity Park was liminal. She supposed he must be more liminal somehow, his situation closer to Danny's, but the details escaped her.

She had been more concerned about Danny being missing and her potential execution.

Perhaps they should have granted Vlad's request, consented to see him, but… Both Azalea and Wolfsbane had said that would be a bad idea. Had told them that Vlad had his fingers in ghostly politics, and he wasn't to be trusted.

Jack had wanted to ignore that, wanted to see his friend, but Maddie remembered Colorado, remembered the Rocky Mountains and Vlad's little log cabin, full of cars and four-wheelers and not a single phone. She had said no.

She regretted it now. If they had met him, at least they would have gotten a read on an enemy.

Because that was what he was shaping up to be, based on Foxglove's questions. He was dissecting Danny's first meeting with Technus, making her and Jack out to be negligent just because they asked him to clean the garage.

Although, in hindsight, making Danny do all that on his own was perhaps a little extreme. Especially considering how much of their old and ectoconaminated technology had been stored there. But they couldn't have predicted Danny selling it in an impromptu garage sale. They hadn't given him permission for that!

It was, perhaps, telling, that they hadn't noticed the garage sale.

The questioning segued into other encounters Technus had with Danny, including a truly horrifying story about how Technus had once possessed their house, turning it into a nightmarish deathtrap for Danny. Maddie had been present for a good deal of that incident, but she hadn't yet put two and two together to realize what it meant for Danny.

She felt sick. Sick and angry.

And she missed Danny. She wanted to take him into her arms and apologize for everything she'd done to him, everything she hadn't saved him from, everything she hadn't protected him from.

But she couldn't. Because she hadn't. Because she was on trial right now for her crimes against him.

Danny wanted her and Jack to get past this, to survive this, to be free, to fight, to escape these (true) charges. His actions and Jazz had said as much.

Maddie didn't think she deserved it. Not anymore. But she would fight. For Danny. For Jazz. For Jack.

She would.

"Are you okay, Maddie?" asked Jack, touching the back of one of her clenched hands.

"I'm fine," whispered Maddie, trying to mentally pull herself up out of the mire of depression she had sunk into. She didn't have time for that.

"This is pretty harsh," said Jack, "but…" He trailed off, failing to find a way to refute it. "Just, remember Danny forgives us."

"I know."

Wolfsbane cleared his throat, interrupting Foxglove. "Your honor," he said, clearly. "I object. This line of questioning is superfluous. If it was Foxglove's intent to establish Technus's familiarity with Phantom, he has more than done that."

"I am attempting to show that the defendants have a pattern of carelessly and purposefully placing Phantom in dangerous positions and otherwise risking his wellbeing."

"Yes," said Themis, "but this court is currently interested in violations of Taboo. Not other petty sins, no matter how distasteful they may be. Please save this line of questioning for custody hearing. Do you have anything else to ask this witness?"

Foxglove gave Wolfsbane a brief glare. Wolfsbane smiled.

"Technus, master of all things technological and beeping," said Themis, "you are dismissed. Defense, call your first witness."

Wolfsbane stood. "We call Daniel Phantom."

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Maddie's son walked into the courtroom in human form. This relieved her, in some ways. Azalea and Wolfsbane had spent over an hour talking about how much appearances counted for in trials like this.

He was wearing a suit not unlike Jack's. That was even better.

He was neat and collected in a way Maddie had rarely seen in her son. His suit fit perfectly. His hair was brushed down, sleek and smooth. His shoes shone. He wore nothing extra. His ensemble was contained and conservative.

But… something was wrong. With Danny. The feeling put goosebumps on her skin.

(His suit almost reminded her of mourning clothes.)

He turned his head to look at them as he walked up to the witness box, and his face twisted into something that might have been a smile. There was so much pain in his eyes, so much longing.

There was definitely something wrong.

Behind Danny were two ghosts. Clockwork, absent his staff, his empty hands twitching around the hems of his robes, and a veiled woman who Maddie hadn't seen before. As the folds of her veil whispered over her skin, her flesh vanished and reappeared, giving Maddie glimpses of bare bones.

The other ghosts in the hall stiffened and stared at them. The woman must be as powerful as Clockwork, for that reaction.

She wondered what happened to Clockwork's staff. She had assumed it was an item of power, perhaps even part of the ghost, in the same way she and Jack had theorized most ghostly clothing was.

The two older ghosts split off from Danny to sit in the front row. Danny crossed the empty space in front of the court, vaulted over the witness box divider, and began to lower himself into the seat.

The bailiff near the side door suddenly lunged forward, drawing Maddie's eye. She was halfway out of her seat before she realized the ghost had a sword.

-A sword that was currently imbedded in her son's chest.

The courtroom exploded into motion.

Maddie couldn't look away from her son's eyes.

His red eyes.