Disclaimer: I do not own Haruhi Suzumiya or anything related.
This is dedicated to my friend and partner-in-crime, Patty.
A/N:I would like to thank the people who still keep on reading this crap. Hahaha. Kudos.
Title: The Origin of Koizumi Itsuki
Synopsis:
He was. And that was what he knew. He didn't know why. But he was chosen. Koizumi Itsuki searches for the reason why he was.
Chapter 7: The Inquest
"Itsuki Koizumi, you stand accused of the murder of Taichi Kurosaki, breaching Article III, Section II, Paragraphs 3-4 of the Inter-Cosmos Alliance Act regarding Inter-Organizational Relations."
Have I mentioned how I loved watching those detective and legal dramas? I used to think that someday, I'll be able to witness a murder case right before my very eyes.
"Here today standing to defend the accused is Agent Number 12 from the Esper Agency."
Number 12 stepped inside the dark hall, making his way down the center aisle to where I was seated.
But I'm not in any way happy about this turn of events. Why? Because what I wanted to be was the spectator. Not the subject of the prosecution panel.
"No! He didn't do anything wrong!" Sonou Mori pleaded with the two official-looking men in uniform.
If ever you've watched one of those detective shows, this was how my house looked like. Forensic experts were taking down notes and taking pictures of the crime scene, using their surgical gloves to examine the body of Taichi Kurosaki on the floor.
All that, minus the thrill and suspense of finding out who the culprit was.
"It's okay, Mori-san."
Poor Mori-san. She must be in deep shock after all this turn of evens. Who isn't, by the way?
"Okay? It's not okay! Don't you know your legal options?"
I looked around. Yutaka Tamaru was there, accompanied by none other than Number 12.
"What legal options are you talking about, Tamaru? I might get arrested and become a juvenile delinquent!"
It was Number 12's turn to speak. He turned to the men in uniform and said,
"You cannot just arrest my trainee like that. Doesn't the Alliance have a due process for these matters?"
And this is why you have found me here, inside a dark courtroom. Up front, seated on elevated chairs atop a podium were the Alliance Judicial Council. a.k.a., the people who were going to decide whether I'm screwed or not.
"On the prosecution panel, we have Miss Mikuru Asahina of the Time-Traveler Faction."
"Asahina? Kurosaki mentioned that surname before." I whispered to Number 12 who was seated beside me.
"Asahina? Kurosaki mentioned Mikuru Asahina to you?" he hissed.
Just then, stepping forward from the center aisle was one of the most beautiful women I ever saw. Her long orange-brown hair swayed as she walked past, as she carried herself with dignity and grace. Her slim figure and well-endowed chest attracted, not to my surprise, majority of the male spectators of this trial.
"Pretty lady isn't she, Itsuki?" asked Number 12.
"That's Asahina-san?" I added, shocked.
"The one and only. Of course, by that, I mean on this time plane." he chuckled.
"I don't get the joke."
"She's a time-traveler. Don't get fooled by her looks, though. She's a downright dirty adversary, when needed."
Now I think I understand why someone like Kurosaki would kill for this woman. But I don't understand why someone like her could be a threat.
"You'll see why later, once the proceedings have begun. Oh, look, there's that scrawny pet rat of hers."
Had Number 12 not pointed it out, I would not have noticed that another person made his way past the center aisle, taking a seat beside Asahina-san.
That person was a tall, gangly and silver-haired man. His face was marked with an arrogant sneer. If I were to meet this person on a crowded street, I would've called the police and immediately brand him as a thief.
"That's Fujiwara. He never gives his full name to anyone. I guess you could say he doesn't trust others." Number 12 muttered.
"It's okay, he looks like someone who can't be trusted."
"I heard that, you little brat." the man called Fujiwara hissed at me.
By this time, the council members were introduced. Seated on the far left was a masked representative from the Esper Agency, Agent Number 7; beside him was a member of the Time-Traveler Faction whose name I didn't catch.
But what surprised me was that there were two young girls seated on the Judicial panel. One of them had lime green hair, and was dressed in a sailor uniform I've never seen before, and the other had short black hair and looked like she was as young as I was.
"Who are those?" I said, pointing to the two girls. "They don't match the décor."
"Oh, they're representatives from the other organizations in the Alliance."
"Other than the Espers and the Time-Travelers, there are more?"
As the trial went on, Number 12 explained that the Alliance is made up of four groups that are focused on Haruhi Suzumiya: the Esper Agency, the Time-Traveler Faction, the Integrated Data Entity, and the Slider Division.
He also said that the two girls I pointed out were members of the other two groups. The green-haired girl was called Emiri Kimidori, a member of the Integrated Data Entity. She was some sort of alien, according to Number 12.
The other girl was named Sumire Akizawa, a member of the Slider Division. She was roughly around my age, and at that very moment, she looked like she doesn't even care where she was, because she was busy playing a videogame on her portable console.
"That Sumire girl, why is she here, of all people?"
"That's because there is only one active member of the Division."
I see. So that's how representation works.
Mikuru Asahina stepped up the podium and spoke:
"My client, Taichi Kurosaki was found dead inside the home of the accused, Itsuki Koizumi. He died of a stab wound to the heart, a feat rather impossible to be done by accident, especially of a twelve-year-old boy. This was done by a criminal who has an intention to kill!"
At this statement, Number 12 rose from his seat indignantly.
"That's a rather hasty generalization, Asahina-san. Your honorable Council, may I point out that the house has been investigated by forensic experts from the Alliance, and evidence have surfaced that it was your client that provoked mine. There have been signs of struggle in the kitchen walls, on the way to the living room."
"It was Kurosaki who struggled against your client! It was my client who was killed!"
"My client was only defending himself from your client, Kurosaki! Taichi Kurosaki tried to get rid of him!"
"Where is your proof? Other than the statement your client and his witness have? May I remind the honorable Council that both his witnesses belong to the Agency, and therefore have a natural bias towards their stance! How sure are we that this is not a ploy your organization cooked up to kill one of our most capable agents?"
Now I understand. Mikuru Asahina could look for the most impossible of alibis. She could look for a way to turn the tables around you.
"That is a dangerous accusation! Then, what about you? My client claims that Kurosaki attempted to murder him in your name!"
"How dare you! I did not order such a deed!"
"Whether you did or did not, his motives to kill my client were done because of the prophecy you and your kind have!"
"Taichi Kurosaki was simply for preventing a great catastrophe from happening! I have expressed my deepest concern when the Esper Agency decided to take Itsuki Koizumi in. And look, this is the manifestation of our deepest fears!"
"There is no sufficient evidence that it would happen. My dear Council, are you going to allow yourself to fall victim to such an unproven and fragile prediction?"
"Number 12, you know very well the risk you took when you invited him. His job could've been done by someone else's."
"He is and will be a great asset in our study of Haruhi Suzumiya, don't you understand that, Asahina-san?"
Asset? So, that's all you think of me? An object? A tool?
Was I nothing more than another disposable piece of trash? Kurosaki... if only he could see that the trial involving his death turned into a power struggle between and among the groups.
Number 7 was nodding his head in agreement with every word that Number 12 said. The Faction Councilor on the other hand frowned everytime Number 12 would mention how important I was. On the other hand, he would clap his hands everytime Asahina-san would retort.
In the midst of this ruckus, Emiri Kimidori remained glassy-eyed, observing. She might be the only impartial judge in this trial, for the slider, Sumire, was still busy fiddling with her videogame, growing more and more frustrated every second.
Perhaps the game's level was way too high now.
"My dear Council, I motion for the deneuralization of Itsuki Koizumi. That is the humane way of dealing with this mess!" ordered Asahina-san.
"Humane? You're asking us to practically meddle with his memories and delete everything we see isn't fit for him to remember?" Number 12 retorted.
"Yes, I am."
"This is sick! He's only twelve!"
"Then why did you ask him to join your Agency in the first place? He is too young for all this! You're dragging him into a world of lies and deception, of betrayal and war, all because you wanted to get an edge in your investigation!"
"He is the only one who can---"
"We could have gotten more agents to observe Haruhi Suzumiya! More capable agents! You could've recruited him when he was old enough. We don't need him. We don't need to corrupt another innocent child!"
I noticed that at this point, Mikuru Asahina's eyes were teary. It was as if she was talking about something close to her heart.
"Only he has the ability to access her memories!"
"That's your limitation! You espers can't even find a way to go directly to the past to see what events were stored in her memory!"
"Well, you time-travelers can't even tell what she feels!"
This was getting stupider by the second. They looked like quarrelling kindergarteners now. I looked to the other side, and saw Fujiwara snickering like an idiot. What I would give to punch that twisted smirk off his face.
Just then, a loud bang was heard echoing across the hall. Everyone was silent and looked to the person who created the noise.
Sumire Akizawa had slammed her hand on the podium.
"Hey, all of you!" she shouted. "I couldn't catch the Legendary Beasts! Pipe down!"
If there was a God, please tell me she wasn't serious about that.
In the end, the Judicial Council decided to take a vote on my sentence. Well, if ever they decided upon death penalty, Kurosaki's death would not be in vain.
At this point, the deliberation had to be done in secret. Both sides were led outside the hall, in order for the council to be able to review the case.
I was in the male lavatory, washing my face on the sink. It had never occurred to me before that this was how dirty the justice system was.
As if they need time. I bet two out of the four judges already had put down their sentence. I don't expect Sumire Akizawa to come up with anything. She wasn't even listening to the proceedings.
So the only chance I have left of getting off scott-free was Emiri Kimidori.
"Well, well, well... If it isn't Itsuki Koizumi."
I turned around. Greeting me with a sneer was Fujiwara.
"If I hadn't known it was you, I would've never thought that you were the monster who perpetrated the most heinous crime in the entire history of the universe."
"Is that so? I doubt that my current criminal record is enough to brand me as such."
"Oh, I wasn't referring to Kurosaki's death. He is a mere pawn. Irrelevant, and replaceable."
"So this is how you treat your allies?"
Fujiwara gave a cynical sigh.
"Either you're playing dumb, or you're too young to understand that this is how the 'Alliance' works."
"Stop using air quotes. They're out of fashion."
He stepped closer.
"I came from the future. I know what's going to happen. You, on the other hand, don't."
"If you do, tell me what is it that I did to be branded the most dangerous criminal!"
He stepped forward, lowering his face closer to mine. I backed off, but he cornered me against the wall.
He leaned closer and whispered to my ear. I could feel his breath as he grabbed my shoulder.
"In the future, you killed not only one, but many and all who stood in your way. You were a ruthless bastard capable of doing the Unspeakable. Nobody knows who you stood for and who you stood against."
Flashes of the moment I killed Kurosaki blurred past. The knife. The way I stabbed him. I wasn't who I was at that moment.
I don't remember how I felt when I drove the knife into his chest. Was I happy when I did it? What did I look back then? Did I have the same expression as he did whenever he charged his knife at me?
Before I knew it, Fujiwara was already at the door. He was about to leave when he turned his head around to look back at me.
"Happy?" he smiled back.
That was the biggest fake smile I ever did see in my entire life.
"Oh, good. You're back. I was beginning to worry. The Council is about to deliver their decision any moment now."
I wasn't listening to Number 12 greeting me back. Numerous questions formed in my head.
What have I gotten myself into? Now that I know what my future will be, I have to live with the fear that everything I do from now on will bring me one step closer to being a ruthless criminal.
Just what exactly does the Alliance do? It can't be just to observe the actions of a twelve-year-old girl, can it?
Judging by what happened earlier, it looks like the groups in this Alliance are more interested in promoting their own beliefs and stands rather than working together to find the answer to the mystery that is Haruhi Suzumiya.
Lastly, just what kind of person is this Haruhi Suzumiya and if she indeed possesses the powers they say she has, why would she allow things like this to happen?
My thoughts were cut short as we were called back inside the courtroom for the sentence.
The Judicial Council stood up as the verdict was read.
"The verdict for the case Members of the Alliance versus Itsuki Koizumi, in violation of the Inter-Cosmos Alliance Act has been voted upon by the Judicial Council."
I looked to my right. Asahina-san was clenching her fists in anxiety.
"The votes are the following: Acquittal, one vote..."
No doubt, that was the Agency Councilor's vote. I looked at Number 12 to see his reaction, but I must've forgot that I couldn't see his face at all.
"Guilty beyond reasonable doubt, one vote..."
Mikuru Asahina tried hard not to show her jubiliation, and it ended up with her face looking a bit strained. I swore I could hear Number 12 muttering curses. I took it that this was the Faction Councilor's vote.
"Abstain, one vote..."
That was probably Sumire Akizawa's vote.
I'm hanging by the thread that is Emiri Kimidori's vote.
A/N: Aaaaand.... a cliffhanger. I hate cliffhangers, but without them, this chapter would be too long and too crammed. Tootles! :)