Warning: There is some profanity in this chapter. It's nothing too bad, but proceed with caution if such makes you squeamish.
Of course, it's more important to note that this is the start of this story's second arc. I'm planning on having five arcs of different lengths, having just finished making the story structure. I hope you all have as much fun reading this chapter as I did writing it.
VICTOR CHELAN, 20* - FIRST PERSON
The day I received my test results in the mail was simultaneously one of the most boring days of my afterlife, as well as one of the most consequential.
After breakfast with Amanda, I'd spent most of the day reading, simply because there wasn't much else to fill my time with. True to what my soulmate had predicted, the storm did not let up for the rest of the day.
If not for the boredom and increasing restlessness, I would have been perfectly fine staying inside until the storm passed. However, towards the end of the day, there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," I told Amanda. "It must be the medicine."
Reaching the front porch, I saw that a Dragonite was carrying another small package for me. I remembered then something I'd heard back on Earth, before I had ended up here: If a Dragonite delivered you mail, you were expected to open it right in front of said Pokemon, still on your porch.
Taking a deep breath, hoping that I wouldn't have to breathe again until after I went back inside, I opened the door and accepted the package from the Dragonite.
The stench was once more overpowering, and I couldn't hold my breath for more than thirty seconds or so; even twenty was pushing it. Although this doesn't paint me in a very flattering light, I'll admit it: I all but shooed the Dragonite away from the porch.
Yes, it was rude, and part of me worried that I might get cursed as a result (even though, to my knowledge, Dragonite couldn't levy curses against those who had wronged them.) However, all I cared about was getting out of the storm and no longer thinking I was in the middle of a sewer.
Before taking the obligatory thirty-minute shower, I set the package on the table and opened it to reveal a bottle of pills with prescription information on it.
I was to take one pill thrice daily, and for some reason, I wasn't allowed to use water to wash it down. I had to dry-swallow them.
Even on Earth, I hadn't been a huge fan of pills, so to be told that I couldn't take them with water felt like a punch to the gut. It was almost as though the universe was telling me, "Fuck you, asshole!"
And then I went and took my shower, because I still smelled like raw sewage. Amanda had told me that "some people thought" the storm came from the Pit of Panda, but I found it increasingly difficult to believe that anyone doubted it. There was simply no mistaking the pungent odor for anything else.
Once I was clean enough to go downstairs, I dressed in my pajamas before meeting my soulmate again. Wearing flannel wasn't normally a good decision in a tropical environment, but I found it somewhat comforting in the middle of a downpour.
"Ah, PJs already?" Amanda asked as she saw me walk into the living room. "I have to say, for someone who was just exposed to winds straight from the Underworld, you sure look snazzy."
I felt my face flush as I sat down in the armchair across from her. How nice would it be to go over to the couch and embrace her...no, I couldn't think like that. We'd been together for less than a week.
So, you just admitted that you are "together." Come on now, Victor. The universe doesn't make mistakes, and it clearly thinks you two are meant to be.
"Uh...yeah" I replied, remembering that Amanda had asked me a question and would therefore be expecting a response. "I am, not that you need me to tell you that."
She moved right on to another question.
"The package contained your medication, right?"
"Yes. I'm supposed to take it three times a day, so I guess I'll do it with each meal. That's probably the easiest time, plus it might help negate the hunger pangs."
Amanda nodded; clearly, she thought this was a reasonable decision.
Later, while we ate dinner, and after I had taken my first pill, I kept looking out the window to see if the storm was still raging. It didn't stop; if anything, the wind speed had only increased, and part of me worried that the windows would be blown out.
When I expressed this concern to Amanda, she all but laughed it off. "Don't be silly, Victor. This house is built to withstand quite a lot. It would take way more than a storm to blow this house down."
And then I felt somewhat embarrassed for having even thought of that. Perhaps I was too much of a worrier for this place; after all, weren't there supposed to be no worries in heaven?
I went back for a second helping of sauerkraut and kielbasa soup, the second time we'd had that dish since I had arrived. This time felt a lot more appropriate, given the weather outside being so gloomy. It had taken me less than five minutes to polish off the first bowl in spite of it being rather hot, and I finished my second bowl even more quickly.
It was then that I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that whoever listed off the possible side effects of the medicine hadn't been kidding. While I wasn't necessarily the type to always be hungry, it was no secret among those in my first life that I could eat a lot when I wanted to.
Now, I found myself going back for a third bowl of the scrumptious soup. I looked back at Amanda; she was still on her first bowl, and her eyes were open as though she were astonished at me.
Once we'd eaten all we could of the soup (two bowls for Amanda, four for me), I went over to the computer to check Pillowtalk. Lately, our assignments had been posted on the platform the evening before we had to do them, so I figured I'd have a chore lined up when I opened up the app.
Sure enough, under my name, an assignment was listed. For the first time, it was one I'd already done before.
I would be picking mangoes at the Orkun Orchard once more. (On a side note, I seriously doubted that I'd be able to do this job once my transition was complete. How could I catch falling mangoes as a quadruped?)
Amanda started a fire in the fireplace before I returned from the computer, and for about two hours, I sat down right in front of it, reading a book I'd gotten from the library in my bedroom. The story itself was fairly interesting, a Mystery Dungeon thriller, but what made the experience even more pleasant was hearing the fire crackle on the hearth and feeling the warmth against my skin.
At some point, Amanda got up to do something or other, leaving me alone in the living room. I put my book down as I began to think about what tomorrow would bring.
First, there was tonight to worry about. If indeed I had a hard time sleeping as a result of the medication, then I'd be in for a bad time tomorrow. Picking mangoes under a blazing sun was a tough job even in the best of times, but if I didn't get enough shut-eye beforehand, it was going to be far worse.
If I made it through the night without any terrifying visions of the Underworld or whatever else might live in my dreams, then the day would still be taxing if I burned far more calories than usual. Even so, it was better not to worry about that right now, and to try and live in the moment instead.
Living in the moment had been something I'd struggled with during my first life. Sometimes, when sitting through a boring class in high school or performing a task I didn't enjoy, I'd simply wish that time away. Of course, it was time I'd never get back.
It was somewhat paradoxical, but since I'd been granted eternal life, I found myself appreciating each moment more. In a way, having infinite time stretched out in front of me didn't make it feel any less valuable.
Sometimes, there is beauty in that which you do not enjoy.
My dreams that night were rather jumbled and confusing. To this day, I don't remember exactly what happened in them, but I feel pretty sure that demonic clowns were involved. Read into that what you will.
Every so often I would wake up, sweating through my pajamas and soaking the bed sheets. Whenever this happened, I simply turned over and tried to get back to sleep; I simply didn't have the strength to get up in the middle of the night.
Once this occurred for the fourth or fifth time, I looked out the window and saw that the sky was gradually getting lighter. Morning was coming; indeed, in a technical sense, it was already here.
I stretched my arms above me and got out of bed. I figured that since I felt more alert than I had the previous time I'd awoken, I might as well face the day.
Wiping perspiration from my brow, I noticed that my skin felt rather prickly, and that got me thinking. When I'd temporarily become a Growlithe for my aptitude test, I'd experienced this same sensation, which of course had been caused by my sprouting fur all of a sudden.
I thought it was supposed to be a gradual transformation, not a quick one.
I took a quick shower before getting dressed. Remembering that I was heading to the orchard today for work, I realized that I'd want another one later in the day. At this rate, we're going to run out of hot water, I thought bitterly. But can that even happen here, or do we have all we need?
Unlike yesterday, Amanda wasn't in the kitchen when I came downstairs; she seemed to have slept better than me. Power to her, but it also meant that I would have to make my own breakfast, and my stomach was growling already.
I managed to find bagels in the freezer, along with some cream cheese in the fridge. I might not have known too much about cooking, but I knew how to heat food up in the microwave, and besides, all I cared about now was getting enough calories, no matter the source.
While I waited for the bagels to defrost, I checked Pillowtalk once more to confirm the time for my assignment. It was scheduled to begin at 9 AM, just as it had the last time I'd worked at the agricultural complex.
I also took my medication just before I ate the bagel. I had nearly forgotten to do this, but I was confident that it would eventually become a routine, one I simply did without thinking much about it. Even in paradise, one couldn't be free from the propensity to form a routine.
Finally, I checked the time. It was half past five in the morning, so I had over two hours before I needed to leave for the orchard. Much like yesterday, I braced myself for complete and utter boredom.
Indeed, over the next hour, I lamented the fact that this place didn't have Internet access. Back on Earth, I'd been the type of person who couldn't stand not being connected to the massive superhighway of information. I'd have to get used to not having it constantly at my fingertips here.
Even reading lost its appeal after a while. I began to pace the length of the back porch, grateful at least that the storm had stopped. Looking out past the pineapple field, the horizon was slowly turning orange against the deep blue of the sea. Before long, the sun would come up again, and later, I'd be doing something.
Eventually, the sliding door behind me opened, and a familiar voice said, "Hey, Victor. You look bored."
"Well, thanks for being brutally honest" I replied, resisting the urge to snort as I turned to face Amanda.
"It's no problem," the Braixen replied. "You know, you really should check Pillowtalk more often; they have announcements about events that are coming up."
Based on those words alone, you might have thought that Amanda was excited. Her facial expressions and body language, however, told a different story.
For her legs were trembling and her fists were clenching and unclenching themselves. To any observer, including myself, she looked anxious.
"What's wrong, Amanda?" I asked her.
"Uh, nothing. I'm just a bit worried about one of the events. I guess that's not nothing, but I know that I have nothing to fear."
"Then why are you worried?"
"Not all fears are rational, but I think that being afraid of the Heaven Renders is rational. After all, to borrow a saying, they brought us into this world and can take us out of it."
Heaven Renders. Where had I heard that name before?
"You probably already know this, since Professor Oak's mentioned it before, but he's on the High Court of the afterlife. They're the Heaven Renders, and they're having a trial starting today."
I took particular note of Amanda's manner of speaking here. She announced those words as though they heralded the worst news in any world.
"Is there any particular reason you're afraid of the Heaven Renders? And by the way, how do you even know about the trial?" I asked her both questions, remembering where I'd heard that name: Back in Forza Park, in the middle of Enil Edam, during Orientation.
Amanda looked as though I'd asked her how much she weighed, or how much money she earned in a year; in other words, a highly personal question. She didn't necessarily appear angry, moreso violated, which made me feel even worse.
"That is none of your business, Victor. You've got other things to worry about."
I knew that pressing her further on this was a bad idea. From what I knew about her, Amanda could be quite the dangerous type when she wanted to be.
Even so, I wouldn't stop wondering what secrets Amanda was keeping from me. She seemed like the type to believe that honesty was the best policy and all that jazz, so she must have had a very good reason to deceive me.
She's not deceiving me. If it's really that personal, she's perfectly justified in not telling me.
It was as though there were two Victors in my brain: The side that thought rationally and tried to see the best in my soulmate, as well as the side that was fiery and quick to jump to conclusions.
Hopefully a hard day's work would clear my mind.
PROFESSOR SAMUEL OAK, 54* - THIRD PERSON
The professor sat in his office in Enil Edam, gently wiping his spiky white-blonde hair with his right hand. He wasn't the vain type to always have to look perfect, but he had to at least appear presentable for the big event today.
Taking a deep breath, the professor's hands moved from his head to his chest. As he fumbled with his tie, Samuel Oak took a few seconds to appreciate just how much his hands were moving.
In addition to his hands fidgeting, he found himself rocking in his chair, despite the fact that it wasn't designed for this purpose. Even with all that movement, though, there was no way he could catch a ball, draw a masterpiece, or do anything involving even an iota of dexterity.
Fifteen minutes until the meeting. And then I'll only need to speak when spoken to, unless I have something I desperately need to say. But what is there to say, really?
Professor Oak hated these meetings, because they only added more stress to his eternal life. When he'd first been nominated by the Chief Justice to sit on the Heaven Renders, he had accepted the nomination without any hesitation. Now, however, he greatly regretted this decision. If he could do it all over again, he would have told the Chief to pound sand, in exactly those terms.
A few more minutes passed, during which time the professor watched the clock's second hand race around the circle. It might have been just his imagination, but it seemed like the clock was moving more quickly than usual; perhaps that was because he dreaded this event, and wished time would go by more slowly.
In a way, the sensation of time speeding up was a method of the universe to tell him, "Fuck you, asshole!"
Professor Oak sighed once he had adjusted his tie sufficiently. Looking at the clock again, he saw that the meeting was ten minutes away. Knowing that arriving a few minutes early would keep him in the Chief's good grades, he said, "Lauren?"
` The perfect-looking brunette materialized out of thin air. "Hi there!"
"Look, Lauren, I wish I shared your enthusiasm" the professor said grimly, head in his hands. "But I need you to warp me to the courthouse, because I've got a meeting in ten minutes."
Lauren smiled. "I'll do anything for you, boss. Take my hand."
He stood out of his chair and took Lauren's left hand in his right. There was a flash of light, as well as the sensation that he was simultaneously spinning and falling.
This was another reason Professor Oak disliked their weekly meetings. The sensation of teleportation was one he found highly unpleasant; the first time he'd done it, he'd thrown up and blacked out like Cyrus Damasen would after he'd had a few too many drinks.
Maybe Cyrus will have to be punished eventually. Oh well, that's not my place to decide. I might be an Associate Justice on the Court, but I don't make the rules. I just enforce them.
And then, after a few seconds that felt more like minutes, the light receded, and the professor found himself in the middle of the Heaven Renders Courthouse.
The courthouse was located in the Sky Garden, a location that was, as the Chief Justice described it, "everywhere and nowhere." Exactly where it was in relation to Paradise Island and everywhere else in the world was information Oak wasn't privy to, even with his position.
The building itself was grandiose to no small degree. The atrium was the size of a major train station, with floor and walls made of marble and chandeliers descending from the ceiling. All over the atrium, people and a few Pokemon were teleporting in and out.
Professor Oak paid them no mind as he tried to get his bearings back. High above him, he saw the screen that listed the upcoming conferences for that day, not that he needed to see it. He remembered the venue well enough; it was the same courtroom that the Heaven Renders always used.
Along the way to the correct passage, Oak found one of his fellow Associate Justices. This person was a tall, slightly burly man about the professor's age, with glasses and thinning, graying dark brown hair.
"Hello, Judge Mindanao" Professor Oak told his fellow Associate Justice, tapping him on the shoulder.
Michael Mindanao turned to face Samuel Oak. "Please, just call me Mike" Mr. Mindanao instructed him.
The two jurists were quite good friends with one another, and, to Professor Oak, their friendship was one of the few things that kept him from going straight to Chief Justice Matthew McCastle and threatening to quit. Of course, quitting wouldn't be so simple, otherwise he would have done it long before now.
"Okay, Mike. Do you know what the meeting's about today?" Oak asked his fellow jurist.
Mike shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine, Sam. Probably same old, same old. We do have them every week, after all."
Professor Oak wished he shared Judge Mindanao's confidence. Something told him that at this meeting, he would be hearing unpleasant news. He didn't have any actual evidence to support this notion, just a vague sense of foreboding.
In the wake of his friend, the professor walked through the special entrance reserved for the Heaven Renders and to the row of elaborate black leather chairs. From this bench, they had a bird's-eye view of the whole courtroom, where a sizable number of people were already filing in and taking their seats.
Samuel Oak turned to Mike Mindanao, grimacing. "Normally they don't let this many people sit in on the proceedings, do they?"
The Sky Garden did have residents who didn't work for the court system, but, with few exceptions, they weren't allowed to attend court unless they were the defendant. The fact that this courtroom held hundreds of spectators (with enough space for a few hundred more) raised alarm bells.
"Okay, maybe it's not such a normal meeting," Judge Mindanao replied. "Sue me; wait, no, you can't. I'm the judge."
Professor Oak rolled his eyes. He's telling jokes at a time like this? Isn't now when we have to be serious about the matters at hand?
The entire courtroom soon fell silent as Chief Justice McCastle strode in. He was a man with thin red hair, hazel eyes, and an emotionless face. He had an air of determination about him that day, and that look in his eyes was unmistakable.
He wanted justice.
Justice for what, exactly, Oak didn't know. But this wasn't an expression that McCastle normally wore to the courtroom. As the Chief Justice glared at the professor, Oak realized what he'd done wrong.
He became self-conscious of the fact that he wasn't wearing his robes. At all of their meetings, the Heaven Renders wore white robes that looked almost like bathrobes. They would have been uncomfortably warm if the courthouse hadn't been so drafty.
Even Mike Mindanao was wearing his robes, and, among the other members of the High Court, Mindanao was the one who took his job the least seriously. Professor Oak was now very aware that he was dressed in a simple suit and tie, rather than the customary white robes. Worse still, he couldn't remember ever having made this mistake.
"I'll let it slide just this once," McCastle sneered at Oak. "But there will be consequences if you neglect the appropriate clothing again."
Professor Oak nodded to show that he understood, and then he took his designated chair, three spots to the left of the Chief Justice. Much like the Supreme Court of the United States, there were nine seats on the Heaven Renders, but unlike that high court, appointments were made by the Chief Justice rather than a President.
As to who appointed the Chief Justice, that was one of the universe's greatest mysteries, along with questions such as, "Does God exist?", "Is the universe infinite?", and, the most important philosophical dilemma, "Which seat can I take?"
"All rise" McCastle ordered, and everyone on the High Court, as well as the spectators, stood up as though this were the seventh-inning stretch at a baseball game.
Every person, as well as the few Pokemon in the room, put their hand over their heart as was the custom. They had a customary prayer to say before they got down to business.
"We are the Heaven Renders, and it is our duty to pass judgment on the most important issues facing the universe. We ask therefore that You, Arceus, give us the power, wisdom, and courage to make the correct decisions. Amen."
It was a simple, rather generic prayer, but in Professor Oak's mind, and probably the others' as well, it was the thought that counted.
"Please be seated" McCastle ordered, and the hundreds followed his lead. Once they had done so, the Chief Justice continued speaking.
"We are gathered here today for our weekly conference. There are some important matters to attend to today, so help us Arceus. Javier, knock it off!"
Someone in the audience, a boy perhaps thirteen or fourteen (why the hell was he attending the court?) had just thrown a paper airplane towards the judges. Fortunately, the kid, whose name was evidently Javier, wasn't very skilled in the art of making paper airplanes; the plane suffered a crash landing well before it could strike Mike Mindanao in the head.
Chief Justice McCastle rose to his feet and wagged his right index finger in Javier's direction. "If I see you do that again, you'll be the one on trial instead of today's defendant!"
Javier sat back down, his face the color of a tomato. Once order had been restored in the court, the Chief Justice continued speaking.
"Before we get to the trial, we must first make clear that we're fortifying our defenses around the Sky Garden further. The budget spent on a missile shield will be increased by twenty-one percent, to a total of one hundred and seventy-three billion dollars."
A female Associate Justice, one with long, flowing auburn hair and blue eyes, raised her hand as though she were objecting to the extra missile shield funding. Her name, if Professor Oak remembered correctly, was Claire Conakry.
"The Chief Justice recognizes Associate Justice Claire Danielle Conakry" Matt McCastle said tersely, as though he felt speaking to her was beneath him. For the first time in a while, Oak wondered if the Chief disliked his job as much as he did.
Associate Justice Conakry cleared her throat before responding. "Is it true that we need such a large missile shield? What if the defense system malfunctions and shoots those whom we want to enter the Sky Garden?"
"That is a reasonable concern", the Chief replied, "but in my view, it is not worth worrying about. The fact remains that protection of the Garden is deeply necessary due to threats both foreign and domestic."
Threats both foreign and domestic. By the sound of it, McCastle considers somebody in the Sky Garden a threat; that's what "domestic" means, after all. But is there any reason for him to be this paranoid?
"One of those potential domestic threats, in fact, is our defendant today. But before she enters the room, I have one other announcement to make, which is a rather crucial one."
The entire room fell silent. When the Chief spoke so gravely as he was doing right now, you would pay him your full attention, or else live (or die) to regret it.
"Somebody yesterday spiked my Houndoom's kibble with emetics; he's been vomiting nearly nonstop since yesterday. If anybody in this room did this", he continued with a deadly glint in his eyes, "then you will be excommunicated from the Sky Garden. If the perpetrator happens to have been among the Heaven Renders, then the punishment will be even more severe."
Professor Oak had done no such thing, so there was no reason to believe he'd be in trouble once the truth came out. Even so, if McCastle was only good at one thing, it was stoking fear into others' hearts, and Oak found himself feeling secondhand guilt. This was in addition to a general feeling of anxiety as the Chief Justice scanned the bench, as though thinking Oak, Conakry, or Mindanao were the culprit.
There was no laughter in the audience, which was a testament to how strong McCastle's effect was on people. He wasn't the Chief Justice of the Heaven Renders for nothing.
"However, for better or worse, we must go by the principle of innocence until proven guilty. As such, until we have evidence that somebody in this courtroom has committed such a heinous crime, none of you will be punished. The same cannot be said for today's defendant, who will be led in shortly.
"I would like to remind our fellow Heaven Renders not to make eye contact with the defendant, as well as not to speak her name unless absolutely necessary. A name humanizes her, and may interfere with the correct verdict being reached."
Chief Justice McCastle cleared his throat once again, so loudly that all of them, even Mike Mindanao, flinched. The chief glared at Mindanao right before he began speaking.
"As all of you know, this is no ordinary meeting. The defendant, whose name I will speak, but only this one time, is accused of aiding and abetting the Woe of the Worlds, the Conqueror Dragon, the being known as Matamoros."
There was a collective gasp in the room at the name Matamoros. It was just a name, really, but it was a name with a dark reputation. It was the type of name that many would refuse to speak, just as McCastle was urging the others not to speak the defendant's name.
"This is indictment number 2475, a single count of leaking information to Matamoros that resulted in the Sky Garden attack of March 5, 2021. That was the date of offense."
Professor Oak, only visiting the courthouse weekly on Wednesdays, hadn't been present at the time of the March 5 attack. He'd heard all about the horrific events of that day from other sources, such as Chief Justice McCastle, Associate Justice Mindanao, and others who had been there.
By all accounts, it had been a literal storm. Agents of Matamoros known as the Windborn had penetrated the Sky Garden's defenses and wreaked havoc upon the city in the sky. It was a day that nobody else seemed to want to repeat, for good reason.
"These charges are being levied against the accused, one Sarah Mariner, who died yesterday at the age of fifty-four. We will bring her in right now, and remember, no more eye contact than is needed."
The large double doors leading into the courtroom opened, and a middle-aged woman was led in handcuffs down the aisle. She had brown, slightly graying hair of average length, and was of a roughly average height too.
The most notable thing about Sarah Mariner's appearance was the aura of fear practically radiating off of her whole being. It wasn't a literal aura that a Lucario would sense; rather, it was all of the physical tells that showed her nervousness.
Her lips were trembling as though she were about to cry, and, even though Oak had been instructed not to look her in the eye, he simply couldn't resist it. Oak saw that tears were forming in Sarah's eyes, and her fingers would not stop shaking.
In the center of the courtroom, a tall black armchair rose out of the floor. With only a few exceptions, the audience saw this as a normal occurrence, but it was still jarring when Sarah was pushed into the chair, powerless to resist.
Professor Oak felt horrible for her, even though he was well aware that she was charged with serious crimes. Aiding and abetting an attack on the Sky Garden was unforgivable, but that didn't make him gain any satisfaction from watching chains spring up from the chair and bind Sarah Mariner to her seat.
It was then that Oak remembered another reason he loathed attending these conferences, at least when trials were involved. He didn't particularly like seeing fear in the eyes of the defendants; some people would gain satisfaction or even joy from it, but wasn't one of those people.
Welcoming people to Paradise Island was a different kettle of fish entirely, because he dealt with people who were generally happy to be there. After all, it's said that moods are contagious.
Chief Justice McCastle raised an eyebrow at Sarah. "As the defendant, you should know that you have rights in this courtroom, even if it may not feel that way right now. For instance, you have the right not to take the stand. Anything you say may be used against you."
It was some variation of those rights the Americans had on Earth...what were they called again? Miranda rights?
"Do you understand and accept these rights, ma'am?" the Chief Justice asked the defendant.
"Y-yes, sir" Sarah replied shakily, her face blanching as though her blood were being replaced with milk.
"Very well, then" McCastle said, turning to the Heaven Renders. "Now, you are the jury on this case, and you will listen to all the evidence that has been provided. In addition, all of you will be sequestered until the trial is over so that your views are not influenced by any events in the outside world, whether those events occur in the mortal or immortal realms."
Professor Oak nodded; he'd heard about jury sequestration before, and understood why it was necessary. He did internally lament the fact that he wouldn't be able to welcome newcomers to Paradise Island; perhaps that would be Lauren's job while he was tied up with the trial.
"The charges against the accused are as follows: That she revealed information to servants of the Woe of the Worlds, also known as the Conqueror Dragon. And, to remove any doubt as to whom this being may be, his name is Matamoros."
Although they'd heard the name before only a few minutes ago, the audience collectively gasped.
"Over the course of this trial, you will hear evidence that may or may not be persuasive. I ask that each Heaven Render make their decision independently, without consulting any sources of information other than the evidence presented in this courtroom."
Suddenly, two men walked into the room, and as they did so, two tables rose out of the ground on either side of the defendant's chair. Each man took a seat at one of the tables, and Professor Oak knew who these men were.
One of them was the Sky Garden's public defender, whereas the other was the prosecutor in this case. Most of the defendants in this courtroom had their own lawyers; evidently, Sarah Mariner did not.
Professor Oak shook his head. The public defender, a fair-haired forever-young man named Danny California, had a reputation for being kind-hearted and having an overall sunny personality, but when it came to defending you from felony charges, you didn't want him on your side. He was considered grossly incompetent.
The professor didn't know the prosecutor's name, but he knew enough to know that most of the court's prosecutors were skilled at their jobs. All of this led to one inescapable conclusion.
This will not be a fair trial.
So how does Sarah Mariner relate to Amanda, if at all? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out once a future chapter releases. I am not going to spoil anything, not even on Discord, for which my contact information remains the same.
Reviews, favorites, and follows are greatly appreciated; each one warms my heart to no small degree. I will see you all next time.