Episode 16: Part 2
After the Midnight Court had reconvened, Joe and Izzy sat in their seats listening as Ms. Sinestra made her closing arguments to the jury. While she did, the Pink Ranger leaned over and whispered quietly, "Look at that. Can you believe her?"
As she addressed the jury, Joe could see that Ms. Sinestra had hiked up her skirt, let down her hair and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her blouse. Whether or not the male demon jurors were actually paying attention to what she was saying, the Rangers could see that the majority of them were responding positively to her words now.
"If only we had more time," Izzy muttered, "I'd go even up the odds and put on a mini skirt and low cut blouse too."
The Red Ranger gulped for a moment and pushed that very distracting thought aside as he kept trying to listen to Sinestra's arguments. "I don't think sex appeal is going to do much good right now Iz," he replied quietly.
She gave a worried look to her friend, "There has to be a way Joe! There still has to be a way to turn things around, isn't there?"
The Red Ranger stopped and thought for a long moment. Turning things around? Maybe he was looking at things the wrong way. Instead of arguing a losing point, he should change the basis of Sinestra's position and reverse it on her instead. Grabbing Izzy's hand, he grinned, "Iz! You're a genius! I think I know how we can turn the entire premise of this case on its head... but it's going to be a long shot."
"It's a simple matter," Sinestra said in closing, "Carmen Herrera wanted something badly enough, and I gave her what she wanted. Thank you."
As she sat down, Joe gave Izzy's hand one last squeeze before he rose slowly and approached the jury. He took a long moment to study them and after a dramatic pause, he said, "Members of the jury, whether or not you rule in our favor, I have to admit that I sympathize with you. In a way, each of you were just like Carmen Herrera."
"Carmen had been in an unfair situation that life had given her. In her case, she wanted to be loved by someone and ultimately to be happy. She wanted to be happy so badly that she defied her bad situation and risked everything to change it... in this case, risking her soul's freedom."
He paced down the row of jurors, his voice growing louder and more confident as he went, "Carmen had been just like each of you who had rebelled against the unfair and tyrannical rule of the Empyrian race. Didn't you defy fate too? Didn't you fight? Bleed and face exile... all for the chance to be happy yourselves? Weren't each of you also tricked by the servants of Gideon and promised happiness if you took another, easier path to do it? Well, so did Carmen."
He paused and gave a thoughtful look, "I'm asking all of you to give Carmen another chance at the freedom and happiness that each of you had once aspired to. There is still time for her. The demons who had led you astray... like Ms. Sinestra here have cheapened that pursuit of happiness in hopes that it would enslave and corrupt others instead. One could never be happy enslaved as I'm sure you Cambion demons know all too well."
Looking over toward his opponent with a sly sidelong glance, Joe gestured over to lead the jury's gaze, "Ms. Sinestra claimed she gave Carmen what she wanted to be happy, and she did... in part. But she also ensured that Carmen could never be happy either. What kind of fair bargain is that?"
"So I ask this jury one last important question. How could any of you possibly be on the side of the Oppressor if Carmen Herrera is really a sister to your cause? I can only ask that you not punish your sister for her noble, if misinformed attempt at pursuing that worthy goal."
Both Izzy and Sinestra sat in stunned silence as the Red Ranger finished his speech and sat down with an exhausted look. Reaching over, Izzy took Joe's hand as the demon jury huddled together for several tense minutes discussing their decision. When they finally parted, everyone rose as the lead demon of the jury spoke, "Your Honor, we find the Defendant Ms. Sinestra... Guilty of fraud. We rule in favor of Mr. Hale and Miss Herrera."
"What?" Sinestra shrieked loudly in surprised outrage, "How can this be? How could you do this to me?"
Judge Geriyon slammed his gavel and said evenly, "The ruling is final. The contract and debts against Carmen Herrera are hereby lifted and nullified."
"We did it! We actually won!" the Pink Ranger cried in joy, "Joe you were amazing!"
Before he could reply, Izzy planted a big grateful kiss on his lips before throwing her arms around his neck with a happy laugh.
"Oh... it was nothing... really," Joe stammered deliriously as he hugged her back. He couldn't tell if he was more lightheaded from the sheer relief of victory, or that kiss just now... maybe a little bit of both.
As they let go of each other, the Rangers saw the air around them distort and ripple again until the courtroom faded away. Looking around, they found themselves back on the deserted campus walkway of their college where they had last been. To Joe's dismay, his great looking suit and tie were gone too, replaced by his original jeans and track jacket. By now, the skies had begun turning pink and red as the light of the dawn sun peeked over the horizon. The hands of the school clock tower now read 5:30 AM. Morning had finally come.
Standing across from them, Ms. Sinestra stood looking furious and haggard. As she turned her gaze toward Izzy and Joe, they could see her eyes were full of fire and hatred, "You! Both of you! You both cheated me out of my slave and made me look like a fool!"
"You didn't need any help doing that," Izzy retorted, "We won fair and square, so now it's time for you to beat it you skanky demon!"
Sinestra hissed in fury and took a threatening stance, "I have a better idea. How about I beat you instead?"
Joe glanced calmly to Izzy with a slow smile, "There's no more contract, so there's no reason for us to hold back anymore either. What do you say Iz?"
The Pink Ranger grinned and brandished her Keyrune, twirling it in her fingers, "Let's go for it!"
The demoness shielded her eyes for a moment as both Rangers raised their Keyrunes to the sky in unison, "Vanguard Ascend!"
In a brilliant flash of light, the morphed Red and Pink Rangers stood before her with their weapons drawn. As the demoness drew two hand sickles and advanced, the Pink Ranger pointed her rapier forward, "Let's throw the book at her!"
In a flash, the Red Ranger reacted first and locked his saber sword with the monster's blades. While Sinestra broke the lock and swung again, Joe focused on blocking and parrying each strike with his longer blade. As he did, Izzy maneuvered around him with her light graceful footwork. Each time the Red Ranger opened up a hole in the demon's guard, the Pink Ranger counter attacked and struck back with a thrust or a well placed slash.
Sinestra grunted in pain from the blows and gasped as the two Rangers blocked her next dual strike together. Turning her weapons aside at the same time, both Rangers sent her flying backwards with a coordinated double kick.
"All right Iz, let's wrap this up," Joe called igniting his sword and slashing the ground near the demon. Despite Sinestra's attempt to flee, the Red Ranger's slash blocked her avenue of escape and trapped her within a wall of red hot flames.
Using the momentary opening, Izzy rushed forward and waved her blade catching the demon in a powerful whirlwind. As Sinestra found herself lifted off the ground in the cyclone, the Pink Ranger rode the wind and came at her from several angles within the vortex, striking the enemy in a flurry of furious pink charged sword blows.
Finally, the winds and fires died down and the Pink Ranger landed gracefully as the demoness gave a final cry; exploding in midair raining bits of ash and brimstone down on the battlefield. Powering down, both exhausted Rangers turned and exchanged a smile in the morning light.
"I don't know about you, but that felt really good," the Pink Ranger grinned putting her Keyrune away.
"I'll feel better if we get back and make sure your cousin is safe," Joe nodded in relief putting his away too. "Come on. Let's go home."
By the time the two Rangers finally made it back to their dorm, the sun had risen and some of the early rising students were making their way downstairs for Saturday morning breakfast. The pleasant smell of eggs, maple sausages, and waffles wafted through the air as the two haggard looking friends shuffled into the lobby.
When they did, they were surprised to see Carmen come walking down the stairs rubbing her eyes.
"There you are Iz! When I woke up this morning, you were gone," Carmen said in relief hurrying over to give her cousin a hug, "Where have you been?"
"Wait! About last night... you don't remember?" the Pink Ranger asked in confusion letting Carmen go.
"Of course I do," Carmen frowned. "The three of us went bowling, had ice cream, and hung out at the Union. We came back here, you tucked me in, and when I was almost asleep, you walked out saying you'd be right back."
"Oh, um… that's right. I had to go back out... There was something important that I had to take care of last night... uh, something I forgot," Izzy answered tiredly.
Carmen turned to Joe with a curious glance and he gave an evasive look rubbing the back of his neck, "Right. I uh… had to come along too. Izzy uh... asked me to help her out... yeah."
After spending the whole night fighting demons in both the courtroom and the battlefield, he was too drained to come up with any more good excuses at this point.
Carmen scratched her head for a moment before slowly giving her cousin a sly grin, "Oh… I see what's going on here."
"You do?" Izzy asked nervously.
Carmen shrugged, "Listen, I know I'm kinda bummed about my own breakup and all, but if you wanted a little privacy with Joe, you should have just asked. You didn't have to go sneaking out all night if you wanted to go do it with your boyfriend."
"Wait… what?" Izzy said turning a slight shade of pink herself.
"Ok... you caught us Carmen... haha," Joe said quickly playing along while draping an arm around Izzy. Giving the Pink Ranger a kiss on the cheek, he yawned "And since that's out of the way now, I'm going back upstairs to sleep. It's been a long night, don't you think, sweetie?"
Carmen gave her cousin an amused look, then shrugged, "Are you sure? If you two were up for it, I was just going to get something to eat for breakfast."
"You know what? That sounds great," Izzy sighed, "I think I'll come with you."
"Nah, I'll pass. Your cousin really wore me out," the Red Ranger smirked as Izzy turned and slapped him in the arm.
"Get going Carmen. I'll be with you in a few minutes," Izzy said pointing her cousin toward the cafeteria to shoo her away.
As Carmen gave a sigh and walked off, Izzy turned back to Joe and gave him a pointed look with her hands on her hips.
"Oh come on. I couldn't help it," he laughed, "After all the trouble you put me through tonight, I think I'm allowed to give you a hard time too."
The Pink Ranger lowered her arms and her expression softened into a smile, "Well... I guess that's fair. I… thanks again Joe… for what you did for my cousin, and for standing up for me tonight."
"Don't mention it," he said modestly, "Besides, I couldn't have done it without you either. If you hadn't given me the idea of reversing Sinestra's argument, we'd both be in trouble."
"I did... didn't I?" Izzy smiled to herself.
"Just think about it," Joe said proudly while scratching his chin, "We'll have a hell of a story to tell the others tomorrow night, especially because I now have a perfect trial record of 1-0."
Izzy smiled and gave a slightly sheepish look, "Right. About telling the others… do you think you could leave a small part out of that story… the part about me kissing you in the courtroom earlier? I guess I just got a little caught up in the moment back there... you know, acting before thinking again? So, uh... I'm sorry about all that."
The Red Ranger smiled gently and laughed, "Relax Iz. As nice as it was, it never happened. And besides, it would be unethical for me to speak about it anyway."
Izzy gave a curious look before he smiled again and gave a knowing wink back, "We'll just chalk that detail up to attorney-client privilege."
The Pink Ranger gave a relieved laugh as she took his arm and dragged him back into the cafeteria with her, "You know, if I'm going to have to pretend to be your nagging girlfriend around Carmen for the rest of this weekend, then you're going to need to make up a real entertaining story to tell her over breakfast... I was thinking a story about our very romantic and extravagant first date."
Joe rolled his eyes gently and gave a reluctant groan but didn't argue. Waffles, maple syrup, and sausages did sound good right now, and he already had enough arguing for one night anyway. Besides… the client was always right.