CHAPTER 20: Order in the Court!
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Author's note: You should know that I know little to nothing about real court, only what I see in movies. So here is my version. Happy reading!
Also, my spell check isn't working, so sorry in advance for any typos.
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The judge was a young man, new to the town. The name on his desk read 'Judge Milo Thatch'.
He beat his gavel. "This court is now in session."
Frollo stood for his opening statement. "Thank you, Your Honor. As you all know, that forest on the edge of this town has been nothing but a nuscance for many years now. There have been rumors of hauntings, disappearences, even violence. And since the fires, it has become nothing but an eyesore. It needs to be taken out, for the good of this whole town."
Frollo sat down, and looked at Eric with a look that said 'beat that.' Eric took a deep breath, stood, and spoke:
"Your Honor, years ago, when this forest was first saved, it was saved as a preserve of life. And that is what resides there today: life. Not only plants and animals, but humanoids as well. They are much like us, and they call that forest home. They live apart from us out of respect for our way of life. We should show them the same respect by preserving their home."
Clayton, sitting beside Frollo, snorted. "You would call a half burned forest a home?"
Aladdin fumed. "That half burned forest, as you call it, is a home for many of us!"
Judge Thatch banged his gavel in annoyance. "Order! There will be order! And the next person who gives such an outburst will be put out of this court!" He looked around. Clayton crossed his arms, smiling. Eric gently placed his hand on Aladdin's shoulder to calm him. Judge Thatch looked at them for a moment longer, then spoke. "Since both of the lawyers have the same last name, I will be forced to call them by their first names. Will that be acceptable?" Both Frollo and Eric nodded. "Very well. Mr Frolo, please call your first witness."
Frollo stood. "I call to the stand Aladdin Li."
"Try to keep your temper in check," Eric whispered to Aladdin. Aladdin nodded, and walked to the stand.
The guard standing beside the judge stepped forward. His nametag read Officer Phoebus. "Place your hand on the Bible and raise your right hand," he ordered. Aladdin obeyed. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
"I do," Aladdin answered.
Phoebus nodded. "You may sit."
Aladdin sat, and Frollo walked up to him. "Mr Li," Frollo began, "you said a moment ago that 'there are many of us that call this forest home'. Are you saying that you are one of those 'humanoids', as my colligue calls them, who live in the forest?"
"Yes, sir," Aladdin answered, regretting his outburst.
Frollo nodded. "Tell me, do your people have a legal right to be there?"
"As much right as anyone does," Aladdin answered.
Frollo raised his eyebrows. "So your family owns a part of the forest, then?"
"No," Aladdin admitted.
"But you just said that you have a legal right to be there," Frollo pressed.
"As much right as you do," Aladdin told him.
"Yes, but I don't live there, do I?" Frollo asked.
Aladdin snorted. "Of course not."
Frollo nodded. "So what you're saying is that you have no legal right to live in the forest."
Eric stood quickly. "Objection, Your Honor."
"Overruled," the judge said. "Answer the question, Mr Li."
Frollo smiled. "Do you have a legal right to live in that forest?"
Aladdin winced. "No, sir."
Frollo stood up straight, satisfied. "No further questions, Your Honor."
Judge Thatch nodded. "Mr Eric, care to cross examine the witness?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Eric answered quickly, hoping he could fix the damage his father had just done. "Mr Li, you say you have no legal right to live in the forest?"
Aladdin looked at him curiously. "That's right."
"Why live there, then?" Eric asked.
Aladdin shrugged. "Where else would we go?" he answered with a question of his own. "Most people out there see us as less than human. To live among them would be dangerous. So we live apart, hidden from them, remaining as mere legends in their minds."
"Have your numbers grown throughout the years?" Eric asked.
"No," Aladdin answered sadly. "There are very few of us left now. The forests around the world are being destroyed, and us with them. Man does not see a need to save what he believes is not there. But we are there, and we are being destroyed."
"But why live in a forest?" Eric asked. "Why not live somewhere else?"
"Like I said, where else?" Aladdin answered. "It may not seem like much to you, But to us, a forest is home, just as much as it is to any wild creature out there. We are deeply rooted in it, some more than others." He paused a second, thinking of Pocahontas, then continued: "To remove us from that environment would be like removing a fish from water. You can't do it! And even if we did adapt, if we somehow survived, we would never be the same."
"So you're saying," Eric spoke up, "that if we cut down the forest, even if we removed you and put you somewhere else, many of you would not survive."
"At least a few of us would certainly die, yes."
"No further questions," Eric said, sitting down, and breathing a silent sigh of relief.
"You may step down, Mr Li," the judge told him. "Mr Eric, you may call your first witness."
"Yes, Your Honor," Eric said, standing back up as Aladdin walked over sat sat back down beside him. "I call Cinderella Hawkins to the stand."
Once she was sworn in, Eric walked to her. "Miss Hawkins, you don't live in the forest, do you?"
"No, sir," Cinderella answered.
"How long have you known these creatures of the forest?"
"Since the beginning of the school year," she told him.
"And how long has that been?" Eric pressed.
Cinderella thought for a minute. "About a week, I guess."
"So if you've only known them a week," Eric said, looking into her eyes, "why would you put your life on the line to save total strangers?"
Cinderella actually smiled. "They're not strangers. They're my friends. We may not have known each other long, but we've grown very close in the time we've had. Aladdin and his family have taught me so much about myself, about life, and the way things should be. They've shown me who I am, and given me the courage to stand up for what's right." She looked at Aladdin, who smiled encouragingly. "They've also shown me how to go about living day after day. I've learned to understand life more deeply than others might."
"How well do you understand them?" Eric asked.
She looked at him, surprised. "As well as I understand myself."
"What are they like?" Eric pressed.
"They are a very close knit people," Cinderella answered cautiously. "They watch out for each other, and see each other as family, even if they're not. They respect the differences of others better than most humans I know."
"Do you think that in any way they would endanger our way of life?"
"No. They tend to avoid us if at all possible."
"So you see no danger in allowing them to remain?"
"None, sir."
"No further questions." Eric sat down.
Frollo stood. "You say you understand these people more deply than others might," he said cunningly.
"That's right," Cinderella answered nervously.
"Why is that?"
"I recently found out that I am one of them."
"So you intend to live with them now? To adapt to their way of life?"
"No."
"No?" Frollo raised an eyebrow.
"I don't need to adapt," Cinderella explained. "I already know it. My parents raised me the same way."
"Will you be living with them now that you are one of them?"
"I would like to remain with my parents," Cinderella admitted.
"And if they refuse to raise such a creature?"
Cinderella swallowed, and glanced into the crowd to see if her parents were there; they weren't. "They've always promised me that they would love me, no matter what. We're family, and that should never change just because something happens."
Frollo had seen her look, and felt a surge of triumph; but he held it back. "This isn't an everyday something. This is something that could seperate you from humanity for the rest of your life."
"Only if I let it," she insisted. "True, there are very few of us that can walk among men, but the ones that can live very normal lives."
Frollo snorted. "How can having that kind of power make you normal?"
"Normal is a matter of opinion," Cinderella pointed out. "If you lived among the creatures of the forest while still a human, would you be normal? No, you'd be different. And they are the same way. If they live among you, they'd be different. It's just a matter of what the majority is at that time as to what's normal."
Frollo found himself frustrated. Knowing he needed to cool off, he murmered," No further questions."
"Miss Hawkens, you may step down," Milo told her. She returned to Eric's side. "Mr Frollo, you may call your next witness.
Frollo debated his next move, then decided. "I call to the stand Jim Porter."
Jim nervously came forward, and was sworn in. Then Frollo paced in front of him. "Mr Porter, is it true that you were recently arrested?"
"Yes," Jim answered, tensing up.
"Why?"
"Because I failed to report that the wizard messed with me as a child, thereby resulting in me having strange powers that the government didn't know about!" he snapped. "Clear enough for you?"
Frollo smiled. "Quite. And were you ever released by the governent?"
"No," Jim admitted.
"Then you escaped from prisin."
"You call that a prisin?" Jim exclaimed. "They treat animals better than they treated me back there! I was just a guine pig to them, to be used however they pleased! I don't care if you don't see me as fully human, but even an animal has more rights than that!"
Frollo smirked, and opened his mouth to speak, but Milo banged his gavel, causing the courtroom to be silent. "I've heard enough," Milo announced. "Mr Porter, since you were not legaly released from prisin, I will have to place you under arrest. However, I will personally see to it that you are treated humanely. You have one minute to speak with Mr Eric. We will reconvene here at 9:00 tomorrow morning. This court is in recess for now." He banged his gavel again.
Cinderella turned to Jim. "I'm so sorry!"
Jim shrugged. "It's no more than I expected." He turned to Eric."Thanks for the heads up."
Eric nodded sadly. "I wish I had been wrong. But we'll get you back out, legally this time. Just stay out of trouble and keep your mouth shut while you're there. Got it?"
Jim maneged a weak smile. "Easy enough."
Phoebus walked over. "Time's up, son," he informed them. Then he handcuffed Jim and led him away.