Chapter 22

The trial has started.

There were a few news reporters, citizens who used to be afraid of the Bad Guys and some associated with the family. Mira may not know their names, but their faces are enough for her to keep her hands to herself.

During her childhood, her grandfather would present her to the guests while she sat on his lap like a doll. Her siblings would be out playing while Rani was put to work by serving them drinks or helping out in the kitchen. Her grandfather would brag about her achievement, how perfect she was and yet...

She'd rather be working in the kitchen alongside her sister instead of entertaining guests. Most of them were friends and associates of her grandfather and mother. Her father had not invited any of his co-workers or friends from what she knew.

She was going to testify and pray that the justice system doesn't throw Mr. Shark into jail. The Bad Guys have improved after saving the meteorite from Professor Marmalade. And they were doing their best to be accepted back into society as good guys. Her heart ached for Mr. Shark, but Mira was quivering with fear at the sight of her grandfather and her mother's steely gaze.

'Why am I so weak?' she lamented to herself, clenching a fist over her top. She had done what she was told, do what was best and yet...

Where had it all gone wrong?

First, there was her grandfather narrating everything from the earliest memories from her childhood to the attack. The jury were murmuring to each other while the court room had a few whispers.

The judge was looking through a few documents before he tapped his gavel to silence the court. "Order! Order in the court! Now, we'd like to hear this side from Mr. Nas. Raise your hand and pledge to the following: do you solemnly swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?"

Mira watched her grandfather raising his hand and gave the judge a crooked smile. The person next to him must be his lawyer with all of the documents that were placed on the table. It concerns her, because her grandfather always have ways to win people over. "Yes, Your Honour."

Lies. All of those lies!

At this point, Mira couldn't tell what she was hearing and the questions that were asked. Her mind was elsewhere and all she could hear were the crashing waves of the ocean. Water lapping inside of her mind to calm herself. Hearing was muffled because all she could do was stand when she was told or sit when she should.

By the time her grandfather's pleas were finished, it was her mother and grandmother who testify for him. It made her skin crawl and she wanted to run but she needed to make a statement. That would mean digging out the voice she buried for so long because she doesn't deserve to be heard unless instructed.

"My daughter has always be my prized success," she pointed her manicured fingers at Mira's direction. Unconsciously, she placed a hand near her cheek. She turned to glance at an angry crowd that had most of the Bad Guys, Rani and even the police chief.

Shark was no where to be found.

While her mother was rambling on, Mira was tuning out every word even if some of them were slanders against her, Rani and their beloveds. 'Lou, I'll get you out of here,' she vowed to herself. Clenching her hands into fists, Mira eyes her mother with a mix of rage and disgust.

"...and out of the blue, she became rebellious!" her mother rambled on. "I blame those criminals for corrupting her and soiling her purity. She was so loved by everyone, a good girl and a pride to this family. I've casted out one mistake and I'm not going to repeat the same with her! Not only that-"

The judge silenced her with a gavel. She protested but the steady stare made the old woman tighten her lips shut. "I understand you have so much to say but we are short of time. Now, we need to hear the main suspect for this case. Bring in the perpetrator."

It was at that moment, Mira turned around to see Mr. Shark being escorted into the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit in handcuffs with a muzzle big enough for a great white shark. Their eyes met, his became soft while Mira held back tears. She wanted nothing more than to run up and hug him, stroke his sandpaper skin and maybe...

She blushed at the thought but decided to focus on the case. Shark said his plea while her so-called family gave him dirty looks. Without thinking, she silently texted under the table to someone she could rely on. It had worked for Rani, and now she needed this person- or this arachnid's help.

...

"...that will be all from my end, Your Honour," Mr. Shark concluded. He doesn't have a lawyer since he would act as one during their heists before they turned good. Mira's grandfather looked smug with his lawyer next to him. The courtroom was filled with murmurs and whispers of people deciding his fate.

The death penalty was abolished, but there's a chance they might make it an exception since he's not human. After all, people have been culling sharks for the sakes of it and his kind have been served in Chinese wedding banquets. Hell, his other name called by others was Jaws, just like that Steven Spielberg movie that sparks horror to people wanting to swim in the sea.

At this point, he was hoping for some miracle.

Before the trial could continue, the TV screen above the judge's head started to switched on by itself. Everyone stopped their discussion to focus on what's been shown.

Screenshots of text messages between Mira and her grandfather. What her grandfather had said to her were disturbing to say the least. Besides that, there were a few videos that no child should see or experience. His eyes would turn black and he wouldn't hold back. But if he wants to be good, he needs to curb his temper.

"W-what is this?" Mira's grandfather demanded, outraged. He turned around to address the crowd with a red face. Mr. Shark turned around to find his gang members and everyone else feeling appalled and disgusted just as he was.

"LIES! ALL OF THEM LIES!" Mira's mother shrieked. If the wild woods were wondering where was the witch, she was on trial.

"IT'S THE TRUTH!" a familiar voice suddenly countered in a volume he wasn't expecting. It was none other than Mira, whose hands were clenched into fists while her stance was that of a woman that was done with everything her family has put her through. "I'M SICK AND TIRED OF YOU DEFENDING HIM WHEN YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT HE'S DONE TO ME! GRANDMA'S JUST AS BAD TO LET IT HAPPEN AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF YOU

Lowkey, it made his heart flutter to see Mira having a bit of courage to fight back. Even a low whistle from Piranha did not deter him from falling for her. Hard.

Before her mother could leap out to grab her, police have already restrained her. A satisfied smile etched upon the great white shark's face. Old fart's lawyer was flabbergasted because there's NO WAY he could defend his client after the leaked screenshots and videos.

'Thank you, Webs!' he turned to winked at the tech-wizard arachnid, who was fiddling on her phone.

With a few taps of the gavel, the judge silenced the court to give his final verdict. Adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat. "Well...I think we have seen enough. Plus, I don't want to hold every want of us long in this courtroom since I have an appointment with the missus. So, jury, what can we conclude from this?"

One of the members of the jury stood up with a note in her hand. She nodded and faced him with certainty. "Yes, Your Honour. All of us have agreed that the shark is...not guilty."

Hearing the final sentence, Mr. Shark lets out a sigh of relief and turned his attention to Mira, who smiled at him with tears. She was free from everything and now they could be together. 'Oh, baby. I'm coming home!'

Mira's mother, grandfather and grandmother were taken out of the court and will be serving jail time. While serving in prison, they will be subjected with 'lessons' that might hurt time in the long run.

As much as he wasn't satisfied with the outcome for the monsters that hurt his loved one, Shark wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and...

He blushed at the thought. Shaking off those feelings, he wanted to be out of this jumpsuit as soon as possible!

Hi, sorry for the long wait. I had to get my spark back in order to write this and it's all thanks to Bad Guys 2 trailer

Don't worry about Mira's family. They will get what's coming ;) I want to focus on some love scenes for Shark and Mira now that she's free!