Finnex removed the possibly condemning sheet from the machine. "I can't look," Mena squeaked and squinted her eyes shut.

In her over-imaginative head, she expecting jeers and fainting over her tainted soularoids. She imagined being forced to open her eyes and seeing Leo's bruteish fist in her face, giving her a lion sandwich.

But instead, she heard nothing. The crowd was completely silent. "Open your eyes, Mena," Scalia said, placing a consoling flipper on her shoulder

Finnex spread the sheet of soularoid wide. Plastered on the skinny, bony photo of her soul was nothing but a pair of black eyes.

"Seems there's no PUI for this one…" Finnex announced.

Mena sighed in relief. The former headmaster Gemini was once brought up on Phantom Under Possession, so she was thankful that this wasn't the case.

She looked to the O'Ryan's and instead of receiving a mean glare from Leo, the mindball jock was comforting his sobbing sister. "I can't believe this happened to me!" Ashlan cried.

Mena wanted to go comfort Ashlan and find out what creatures was behind this, but she knew she had to remain seated for the time being.

"Now then," Finnex said, "The jury will deliberate on this month long case, and we will finally reach a verdict"--he turned to Electra--"And will you pick your jaw up, Ms Electra? I was only joking about the truth botching your plastic surgery…"

"I can't," Electra said, her jaw hanging open. "Seems my magical slowtox wore off."

Finnex patted Electra on the back. "After this verdict, we'll go to the school's spa. On me! My scales are getting a tad dry."

"Thanksth," Electra lisped her face still loose

And with those words, the jury deliberated.

While she was waiting, Mena walked over to Ashlan and her family. The pixie haired lioness held her face in her paws. "I'm so sorry, Sunny," Mena said with a look of regret on her face.

Ashlan still hid her face behind her paws. "Rainy," she cried. "This is the worst news I've ever heard."

"Sunny..." Mena said, patting her hand on Ashlan's broad shoulders. "

Ashlan gazed through her fingers with slightly red eyes. "Who knows how long I've been possessed. This might explain how I got a 99/100 on my most recent test."

"Or that you stabbed someone," Mena muttered.

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"That too…" Ashlan added and she burst into a waterfall of tears. "Oh Rainy, it's too much to bear!"

Frowning with empathy, Mena embraced her former roommate, hugging her shaking form.

"You'll get through this," Mena said, looking into Ashlan's eyes. "Like I did when I was possessed by that awful demon book."

Ashlan started rubbing her blotchy eyes. "I remember," she said with a nod. "I was the one who destroyed it."

Mena smiled. "I'm gonna do the same for you, Sunny. That big bad phantom is gonna go bye bye."

Ashlan shrank away, but Mena stepped forward, and placed her hands on Ashlan's shoulders. "Now that you're my friend again, I'm gonna fight for you. I'd do anything for my friends!"

"You were always cheesier and goopier than a bowl of fondue," Ashlan said, acting slightly prideful. "But I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart."

"You can bet your zowie on it!" Mena said, "I won't stop til this phantom is brought to justice."

"Me too!" Leo roared and pounded his fists together. "I am so angry I'm gonna hit that ghost so hard my hand will tear through his body."

"Well, obviously," Mena and Ashlan said rolling their eyes.

Leo's eyes seared with the intensity of a raging forest fire. "That ghost has no idea who he's messing with. He doesn't know I'm the future king of the jungle! I will be the one who brings him to justice."

"Speaking of justice," Scalia said in her wispy voice. "The jury are already back!"

As the Lollypop Jury reconvened, Mena broke away from Ashlan, but not before whispering, “It’s gonna be okay…”

Ashlan sniffed and smiled as Mena sat back down.

The head juror spoke as soon as his compatriots were seated. “We the Lollypop Jury have reached a verdict.” The juror took a pause that seemed to last an eternity and a half. Mena glanced over at Ashlan who was nibbling her claws down to the bone.

“Miss Ashlan O’Ryan will be able to return to school…”

Ashlan started to smile. Mena hollered, “Woot Woot !Can I get a fist pump?!” and she bumped her fist in the air.

“He’s not done!” Caligari hissed at Mena, causing the young witch’s ears to turn bright pink.

The head juror cleared his throat, “She will be able to return to school…After the play, that is.”

Ashlan and Mena both looked at each other confused and a little disheartened. Now Ashlan wouldn’t be able to play Tyrone, Mena thought, but why?

“We the jury feel that the spirit that possessed Miss O’Ryan is inexplicably tied to the play and seems to attack when the play is in action. It truly is the phantom of the performing arts center.”

Mena found her head slowly nodding in agreement. That’s true, she thought.

“For the safety of Miss O’Ryan and the rest of the play participants, she will not be allowed to participate or attend.”

“Yeth!” Electra said, lisping through her botched facework. “Ma boy will be thath...”

“And with that,” the juror said. “Court is adjourned.”

Finnex walked over to Ashlan and her family. Mena and Scalia headed over too to share a bittersweet moment.

“Well,” Finnex said, “We’ve lost the battle but won the war.”

“We did?” Mena and Ashlan exclaimed in disbelief.

“With my ace attorney skills,” Finnex boasted, “Young Ashlan is not indited for murder.”

The disappointed Ashlan and Mena both glanced at each other. “I guess that’s true,” Mena said.

Mena put her arm around Ashlan. “You hear that, Sunny? You’re free!”

Ashlan gave a small smile. “I won’t be able to show off my classically trained thespian skills, but you’re right. It’s so much better than being holed up in the Dula state penitentiary.”

Ashlan put her hands on her hips. “As a humungous thespian, I’d never survive in prison.”

“Even better,” Mena said with a smile. “It’s only a few days before the play anyway…”

Suddenly Mena gasped. “Oh nosy!” she said. “My audition is beginning soon!”

Mena found herself turning pale. Even if everything was well for Ashlan, she still had to secure a leading role in the play. But with Tal’s questionable guidance, the chances were slim.