Apollo watched as Klaire guided Lamiroir to the defendant's chair and helped her sit in it. He did not dare look up at the gallery. Under most circumstances, the citizens would have shown sympathy for someone who could not see. If Daryan Crescend had taken a blow to the head, or an accidental shove out of a window, it would have been easier to garner sympathy for someone not capable of sight. But as it was, the bombing was a bombing, and he was certain the prosecution would milk the situation for all it was worth.
He turned his attention back to Klavier Gavin, who had a look of deep consternation on his face as he smoothed out the last wrinkle in his jacket and made sure his braid was hanging just over his shoulder. Now satisfied with his appearance, the young prosecutor thrust out both hands and strung the strings of an imaginary guitar. Apollo sighed.
The Judge slammed down his gavel.
"Court in now in session for the trial of Ms. Lamiroir."
Apollo nodded, raising his voice but not quite tapping into his Chords of Steel. "The defense is ready, Your Honor!"
Klavier smirked. "The prosecution has always been ready, Your Honor." He gave the defense attorney across from him a wink, and let out a playful chuckle as he saw the roookie groan. The young prosecutor did not even need to turn to know that his sister already had her face in her hand.
"Now then," The Judge continued. "It would be best if we summoned the detective assigned to the case."
Klavier's fingersnap was not loud, but it cut the Judge's speech short through audacity.
"No need, Your Honor. As the prosecution's representative, I think it would be best for Ms. Lamiroir to provide her testimony first, ja?"
There was a puse.
The Judge shook his head slowly. "Mr. Gavin, that will do. There is no mechanism by which you can just..."
"Oh, but there is!" Klavier shook his own head. "Your purpose is to hear the prosecution out, the defense out, the witnesses out, and then slam the gavel for the last time. That is what you do every trial."
The Judge blinked. "You're not wrong..."
Oh, come on! Apollo's eyes bulged. Don't tell me that'll work!
"OBJECTION!"
He slammed his fists down. "Prosecutor Gavin, it's best to get the facts straight from an unbiased observer of the case!"
"OBJECTION!"
Klavier laughed. "We're still piecing together the attack and how it occurred. Why not let the defendant speak first, and see how what we figure out compares to what she says. It's not too bad a proposal, hey, rookie?"
"I'm not..."
"Hey, there!" This time it was Klaire who spoke up. She was scowling, practically shoving her pointer figure through the air. "There's no need to talk like that to him! You..."
"Oh dear, me!" Klavier clapped his hands. "All ready to defend your boyfriend, eh, Sis?"
"OBJECTION!"
Apollo slammed his fist one more. "She's not my girlfriend and that has nothing to do with the case!"
"Enough!"
The Judge slammed his gavel down three times in quick succession. When the room was silenced, he slammed it down once again for emphasis.
"Enough of this foolishness. Help the defendant to the witness stand, if that will settle this dispute."
Klavier felt a little giddy that his gambit had paid off, but then he took another look across at the young defense attorney. He had his arms folded, and his expression was downcast. Despite himself, he saw that Klaire had not spared him a second glance as she set to work helping Lamiroir to her feet. His smile froze. He felt like a jerk...
WIth Klaire's assistance, Lamiroir finally made her way to the witness stand. Klavier opened his mouth, but the woman was already cleairng her throat.
"I am Lamiroir, a singer."
"Well, then," The Judge nodded. "Please explain your side of the story at the Gatewater Hotel.
Lamiroir hesitated, as if trying to find her lost voice. Then she spoke up.
"I did not know that there would be a bombing at the Gatewater Hotel. There was a package at my house. I reached inside my mailbox and felt it. The letter was written in braille. It said that it was a message from Daryan Crescend, asking me for a meeting at the Gatewater Hotel room assigned in his name. It threatened me into coming there with the letter and the box it was in. I called a taxi to bring me there."
"Hmmm..." The Judge murmured.
"Ms. Lamiroir," Apollo spoke up. "Tell us everything you sa-" He held his tongue just in time. "When you opened the package...what was in it."
"I felt each object...there was the letter and a pen."
"If I may address the court," Klavier spoke up. "I am willing to concede that Mr. Daryan Crescend was not a righteous victim. While working as a detective in the service of Interpol, he was discovered to have secretly been passing along messages for the Red Carnation syndicate. I know." Apollo was surprised to hear the prosecutor's voice crack for a moment.
"He traveled with me as a partner even as he helped direct the flow of crime. It was only when we met Lamiroir two years ago that he was exposed."
"HOLD IT!"
Apollo slammed his desk. "If that's the case, Mr. Gavin, you should have shared that with us before! Explain the details!"
"I will," Klavier replied. He surveyed the gallery. "But the facts are the facts. The Gatewater Hotel's cameras are hooked up to an online system. Lamiroir was shown going into Daryan's room, and then leaving before the explosion happened." He addressed Apollo again. "Short of divine intervention, nothing will help you spoil this case."
Trucy took a deep breath. She was outside the courthouse. Did she have everything she needed? Her magician's hat...check. Her cape? Check. She looked down at her hands, which held the old felt thing she had picked up after Mom and Daddy came back.
Daddy's hat, the one with the yellow smiley face.
Check and check.
-A multi-chapter story; Chapter 17; story idea by CRed1988 and writing by Jerviss.
