Trial Preparation

The next morning

Gwen woke up in a daze and glanced around her room. Oh, what a night it's been. I just committed incest with my cousin and actually enjoyed every minute of it! What the hell is wrong with me?

There was a knock on her door.

"Gwen, are you up yet?" her cousin's voice echoed on her side of the door.

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's the trial, remember? Time for Dr. Abaelard to get what he deserves!"

"Ben, we can't lie about what happened. We have to tell the truth and the truth is that this whole trial is based on a lie. None of what we told the king actually happened."

"Yeah, well, no one has to know until the guy's dead."

"What you're doing is perjury and I won't stand for it! I'm going to tell the jury the truth whether you do or not."

"Suit yourself, then." Ben left to go talk to the king.

Doofus! He's going to mess this whole thing up and screw us over.

Ten minutes later, Ben came back with a special announcement.

"Hey, it's me again. The king said today is the preparation for the trial i.e. jury selection, evidence compiling."

"So when is the trial?"

"Whenever both sides are ready. Listen, get dressed and meet me outside the main gate. We need to discuss how we're gonna win."

Prison cell #1- around the same time

Dr. Abaelard was having a terrible day. He'd been set upon by the king's thugs and dragged over to the palace to face a charge that was baseless. He knew he'd get off in a fair trial, but the question was, how fair of a place was Arendelle? He had no idea.

"Hey, hey! Rise and shine!" the king said cheerfully as he tapped on the cell door to get the doctor's attention. Now where had that come from? I could've sworn the guy was screaming obscenities at him the day before. Abaelard decided to ask.

"Why are you being nice all of a sudden? You seem to hate me."

"Let's just say I let my emotions get the better of me and that we got off to a rough start. Now all of that's behind us. By the way, do you care for some breakfast?"

"Rights before breakfast," the doctor insisted.

"Dear God, we've hardly ever had prisoners in this kingdom." Well, that seemed to be good. There's no reason to break laws in this peaceful kingdom. Either that or this kingdom was ruled by a totalitarian, who everyone feared.

"Ah, yes. I have found it!" the king exclaimed.

"So, are you going to read me my rights?" Abaelard asked, no demanded.

"Yes, yes, of course. According to the rights afforded to you by the constitution, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"Yes I do. I cannot afford said attorney. Therefore I shall require one to be provided to me."

"That can be arranged. Ben, get down here. The doc wants his attorney!"

Ben hurried down to the prison and looked at the prisoner.

"Hmm, looks like I'll have to bring in a certain someone from my universe."

"Wait, you're not from here?" the king asked.

"I forgot to mention that we're time traveling nomads from another world."

"Well that explains a lot!"

"Hold on, don't be afraid of what you're about to see. Paradox, can you send in Chadzmuth?"

Professor Paradox popped his head out of a portal. All the king could see was a head floating in midair. Naturally, he began to freak out.

"I-but, but-" he stammered.

"Now, now. No need to stutter," Professor Paradox said, calmly stepping out of the portal.

"So you're a real person? Not some kind of illusion?" the king asked. That had been his last hope.

"Just as real as Ben and yourself here. I see we haven't met. Let me introduce myself," Paradox said, striding forwards, his hand outstretched as if to expect a handshake.

"What? No, I must be dreaming!" the king told him, refusing to even look at the hand in front of him.

"Welcome to reality, my dear royal," Paradox said with a smile

"If this is reality, I don't want to live in it! Ben, protect me!" the king cried fearfully, shoving Ben towards Paradox.

"Oh relax your majesty. This man's my friend."

"Mentor, Ben. Mentor."

"Right, mentor. Now shake his hand." The king took Paradox's hand and shook it, but let go extremely quickly.

"So, let me introduce myself. My name is Professor Paradox. I am a timewalker from Ben's universe meaning I can travel through time and other universes."

"Why are you here?"

"I am here to assist you with your trial. You wanted the man to have a lawyer, so I shall provide him with one."

"All very well, but where is he?"

"Right here." Paradox held up Chadzmuth who was clearly very unhappy.

"Hey kid! You still haven't paid that bill from the last court case I won for you!" Chadzmuth spat.

"You talking to me?" Ben asked, pretending not to know.

"Yes, you! That case were you were dragged up before the high court and accused of recreating the known universe, remember?"

"Of course I do, mainly when you lost me the case and I had to fend for MYSELF!"

"That wasn't my fault. There was compelling evidence of your innocence, but your opponents were just too stupid to see it!"

"Well, I'm not going to pay up anytime soon. I'm going to go to college soon, but apparently saving the universe a few times wasn't enough to get me a full ride to Friedkin University!"

"Haha. Sucks for you. Now I understand you require my assistance once more?"

"No, it's this guy who does," Ben said, pointing to Josef Abaelard.

"I'm sorry, but I don't represent clients across universes."

"Well, you're going to have to, you little alien. The right to an attorney is enshrined in our constitution," the king said, speaking up for the first time since seeing the Galvan.

"We Galvan are not bound by your human laws. We only care about one thing, which in my case is money, lots of it."

"Hate to break it to you, Chadzmuth, but you're working pro-bono. The man's broke," Ben replied.

"No money, no lawyer. Simple as that." He hopped onto Paradox.

"Come on, timewalker, take me home."

"Hold on! I'll give you money for this one and for last time!" Ben cried desperately.

"How do I know you can be trusted? You still haven't paid for last time!"

"Look, I'll swear it on my life. By next week, you'll be a very rich Galvan."

"Hmmm… deal!"

"Ok, if that's all you need, Ben, I'll be going," Professor Paradox said.

"Thanks professor!"

"Anytime, Ben, anytime." Paradox stepped into the portal and disappeared.

"All right, all right. Everyone out! I have to talk to my client here!" Chadzmuth shooed Ben and the king away. Ben put his ear on the door to listen to what the Galvan had to say.

"Now, I understand you're accused of rape and attempted murder?"

"That is correct. I need you to prove my innocence."

"A piece of cake. All we need is some surveillance tape of you doing whatever you do at the time of the alleged crimes."

"Well I was a doctor at the time of the first incident, but not anymore."

"So we need a tape of you doing nothing. What do you humans do when you do nothing?"

"Well, I…"

"Ben! It's not nice to eavesdrop on people, especially in a trial setting. The right to privacy is also part of our constitution," the king said, dragging Ben away.

"Owww, owww! Watch the ear!"

"Sorry about that," the king said, releasing him.

"Your constitution is a total rip-off of ours! Sorry, just had to vent out my feelings."

"You'd better get your cousin up. It's about time you prepared your defense as to what happened." The king left.