"All rise for da honorable Justice Divine Justice!" the bailiff announced with his head as round and shiny as a white coconut. He slammed his ham sized fists together to punctuate his point.
Raven and Larry rose from their seats to their respective podiums. Raven cast a glance at his comically dressed adversary and concluded he was more afraid of the justice herself.
She was clearly taking no prisoners...except for those with a guilty verdict.
"Prosecution? Defense?" The Justice asked. "Are you ready?"
"Y-yes..." Larry said, shuffling his papers together. "This will be short and sweet, just like the murderer herself!"
"Yes..." Raven nodded. "And I'd like to object about this short and not-so-sweet prosecutor referring to my fifteen year old client like that!"
"Yeah!" Mina said, crossing her arms. "I haven't hit my growth spurt yet. Though Dukey does say I'm as sweet as a lollypop!"
Raven threw his hands down. "I mean referring to you as a murderer, kiddo. You're not helping this case or your case!"
"Sorry," Mina said, looking away bashfully.
Surprisingly she didn't object to the murderer accusation. Was she already set on receiving a guilty verdict?
The judge rolled her eyes and turned to Larry. "Please just call the defense to the stand."
"Teenybopper?" Larry said
Mina scurried in her ruffly outfit, making more noise with her outdated jewelry and clothes than someone unfolding a large rug.
Larry spoke reading from his papers. "We have gathered here today because my client has accused young Mina Hawkins of murder...and not just the merciless slaughter of 80s fashion."
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Larry giggled at his lame joke. Mina continued to look baffle and sheepish. But there was also a look of scorn. "At least I don't look like the dim creeper," she spat.
"Objection!" Larry screamed. "She can't mock me! I am a respectable attorney."
"Objection!" Raven shouted back. "She's just a young youngin, finding her fashion sense and place in the world. You on the other hand, have no excuse for dressing like a weirdo."
The judge smirked at Raven. "I'm going to have to side with Mr. Defense Attorney. Less cheap barbs about fashion please."
Larry continued to giggle and be rather mirthful. "Oh your client wishes I remained on the topic of fashion, because the topic of her butchery is far more damning. Miss Mina Hawkins is accused of murdering Juan Incognito, an agent of international affairs. Otherwise known by the laymen as a spy. She encountered him in the back alley of a shady Business Park district and didn't think twice about using a gun to blow his brains out. Now much like his name, his face will be incognito in the casket!"
Raven eyed his new client on the stand.
She looked both hurt and horrified by the shameless way this prosecutor described her supposed crime.
Only a true monster or total oblivious idiot (Raven firmly believes it was the latter that Larry was) would draw conclusions about a young teenager and her stance on murder.
He opened his mouth to speak, but was surprisingly silenced by his client.
"Waitaminute!" Mina exclaimed. "That's not his name. It's Diego Guapo. He's no spy. But a jealous, bitter amd very handsome ex-lover of my current boyfriend."
"Truly psychobabble from a babbling psycho!" Larry exclaimed thrusting his finger at Mina. "The man's birth and death certificate read 'Juan Incognito'. Do you mean to tell me that you're gonna take a crazy teenybopper's word over a legal document, Mr. Lockwood? She's clearly in need of a psych evaluation!"
Raven placed his fingers to his goatee. A smirk curled on his angular face. "I won't take her word over legal documents, but I would take her words beyond face value, unlike you, Mr. Shallow End."
Larry the Rookie Reaper's mouth dropped open.
Somehow he didn't see the obvious truth about Mina's words.
"Please entertain this if you will, your honor," Raven said, and he earned a nod from the judge. "I do not believe that young Mina is crazy or needs a psychiatric evaluation. I simply believe that someone told her the wrong name of the victim. Perhaps to manipulate her into an agitated state of mind."
"Who are you suggesting told her this?" the judge asked.
All she earned was a clever smirk and a wiggle of Raven's eyebrows. The judge immediately caught herself.
"Oh. It's obvious. Her boyfriend. Miss Hawkins. Please tell us what your boyfriend told you about the victim!"
A smirk was frozen on Raven's face. "How about you just tell us about him in general. I'mma feeling like he's a bit sus-piiii-cious!"