Law
"Today, you're going to be attending a court trial here in the valley," Shifu explained. "You shall hear it and make the verdict." Zan sighed. He, nor anyone in the room, wanted to go to these court trials.
"Is it okay if I bring some of my friends," Zan asked. Shifu considered it and then nodded.
"But just one friend," Shifu said in a bit of a teasing voice. Zan glared at Shifu's smile. He knew he would bring Ai if it were just one. Sometimes he and Shifu would have these 'mind games' to see who could match the other. In this particular instant, Shifu had won.
"When do we go," Monkey asked. Both Shifu and Zan forgot that the others were here.
"We'll be going in about an hour. I'll meet you all at the courthouse," Shifu said dismissing them. Once they were out, Zan flew down to the shop where Ai was serving. She had a pleasant and warm smile as she greeted and served the customers. Zan looked at her for a moment.
"ZAN!"
"Huh," Zan snapped out of his daydream to see Ai right in front of him.
"I asked you what are you doing here," Ai repeated.
"Oh! Right! I'm going to another court trial and I can bring one friend for company. So I was thinking you could come with me," Zan said. Ai blushed a bit out of nervousness.
"Oh, are you sure that the others don-"
"No, you two go on," O interrupted. "We don't want to go to some snore fest." Zan and Ai chuckled.
"Okay, so let's go," Ai said as she dragged him towards the courthouse.
The courthouse was small in diameter but tall allowing more room. It was built in a circle-like design with three floors with balconies overlooking the central room. At the top of this circle was the throne or judgment seat where the official sat. It had several other short chairs on each side of it. The color of the court was a dull reddish brown with the light mostly coming in from the translucent roof. Zan, Ai, and the others took their seats by the judgment seat. Zan was in it, Ai was on the left side, Shifu was on the right side, and the others were sitting on the outer. Tigress was sitting by Po to keep him awake during the trial.
"You know these things are usually a snore," Po whispered as the room started to fill in with people.
"I know, but you're the Dragon Warrior and as your title dictates you have to at least be a part of these," Tigress retorted. Po grumbled as the room became quiet. The procedure of introduction was done and case was read by an old goat. Suddenly, Tong Fo and an small crocodile came into the room with the croc in a set of cuffs. The others were surprised but kept to their seats.
"Your highness, the plaintiff here, Mr. Tong Fo, says the crocodile here stole a valuable object from him. However, the thief returned the item and has confessed to the crime and awaits your judgment." Zan's eyebrows furrowed. Something wasn't right about the case.
"Tong Fo," spoke Zan, "Tell me what has happened here."
"The bandit, one night, came into my hideout-I mean my house and swiped a valuable object of mine that has been in my family for generations," Tong Fo replied.
"A whole family of thieves, liars, and crooks," Po whispered to Tigress. "Something doesn't feel right about this case."
"Shh," Tigress shushed sternly.
"What was it that he stole," Zan asked.
"It was an ancient spear that my ancestors stole from the mighty Emperor Qin Shi Huang," Tong Fo said.
"So you admit it was stolen," Zan suggested with little amusement in his face. Tong Fo threw his hands up in innocence.
"If I have something that my ancestors stole then I can do nothing about it and be held accountable, my lord," He said a bit of smirk. Zan looked over to the croc.
"And how do you see the thing," Zan asked him.
"It is all true. I went into the guy's house, stole the spear," the croc replied in a deep voice.
"Why did you return it," Zan asked. The croc glanced over to Tong Fo and then said,
"I knew that...Tong Fo would have my hide soon enough. It was pointless." Zan grumbled. This croc was a bit smarter than the other croc bandits he had come across. That's what gave him such trouble. Someone here was lying because it seemed too easy. Zan whispered to Ai.
"Watch Tong Fo's face carefully and see if you find any telltale signs." Ai nodded. Then he whispered to Master Shifu. "Do you have any idea what he's playing here?"
"Nothing, I don't know why he's doing this," Shifu said. "Maybe he was stolen from."
"My tail feathers," Zan grumbled. There was a lot of whispering around the balconies. He asked the old goat, "Where will the criminal be placed?"
"In Chor-gom prison." Tong Fo smirked. Zan heard a gentle knocking on his chair. He glanced at Tong Fo. Zan looked to Ai and nodded. Zan went down to the old goat and whispered in his ear. The goat went away for a moment. Then Zan went to Po and Master Tigress.
"Which prison is rumored to have the rivals of Tong Fo's gang," He asked.
"Gauging Prison, why," Po asked. Zan nodded. When the goat came back and nodded to the duck, Zan took his seat again and said in a loud voice,
"It is obvious that Mr. Tong Fo was robbed of his valuable object, and that the criminal in question is guilty. Therefore, I can do nothing but send him to jail for a certain amount of time." Zan could see Tong Fo's smile growing and the croc's small smile. Zan smirked his cocky smile. "The criminal shall go to Gaigeng Prison for forty years." Now the two crooks' smiles were wiped clean away. "Any objection," Zan asked.
"Your kidness, I mean your Highness, Gaigeng Prison is a long way's journey. Won't he escape," Tong Fo suggested.
"Yeah," Croc agreed.
"No worries, I'll have the finest men escort him. He won't escape," Zan said confidently as the guards came to get the croc.
"But what if I actually want to go to Chor-gom Prison. It's far more torture," the croc offered.
"He's right," Tong Fo agreed. Everyone was beginning to see through their facade.
"No, I've made my decision," Zan said as the gaurds grabbed the thief. Then he screamed bloody murder.
"I LIED! HE SET ME UP TO IT! I DIDN'T STEAL NOTHIN'! IT WAS HIS IDEA! I WAS SUPPOSE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT A WEAPON IN CHOR-GOM!" The whole room gasped.
"This doesn't please me," Tong Fo growled. Before he could think about escaping, the largest set of rhinos and gorillas surrounded him. He finally gave up. Zan walked up to him.
"Don't try and Fiddle-tow me again," Zan said with a deadly glare. "Send both of these men to Gaigeng Prison. Him for lying and him for trying to cause danger to our valley." With that, the two were taken away. Zan finally sat down on the throne as the murmuring crowd finally grew into raging cheers.
"ZAN! ZAN! ZAN! ZAN!" They all clapped and applauded. When the room filed out and the gang went to the Jade Palace. Zan was on the shoulders of Po and Crane.
"That was amazing, Zan," Po said. "How did you know?"
"To be honest I had some help from my friends. Plus, Ai really helped me figure it out," Zan explained. "But I knew Tong Fo was lying. I just didn't know why."
"Well, you definitely made the courtroom a lot more fun. I heard the judge is even thinking of letting you handle some of the other cases," Master Shifu said. Zan rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, I don't think that I would want to do that everyday," Zan replied.
"Well, you did a great job Zan," Ai smiled. Zan smiled back.
to be continued.