Samurai Deeper Kyo Fan Fiction ❯ Wicked Ground ❯ The Prosecution pt. I ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11

The Prosecution I

 

Sakuya Mibu entered, looking calm and poised in her tailored, pale crème suit with her white undershirt and beige pumps. Her black hair had been collected into a sharp bun at the back of her head. She went straight to the bailiff, who swore her in swiftly, before taking her seat beside the judge. Her brown eyes glanced over at Yuya, a small frown on her unpainted lips, before she looked to Hotaru.

 

Hotaru began, voice poised as he said, “Mrs. Mibu, you were not with the accused on the night of the 6th, but you have known him for a long time, have you not?”

 

“I have; since Kyo was sixteen.”

 

“Tell the court about your relationship, if you would.”

 

Sakuya frowned slightly. “There was no relationship between us. His brother and I were in love; I'd come over for dinner sometimes, and at one of those times, I met Kyo. We were never very close.”

 

“But you were able to interact with him on a nearly day-to-day basis?” Hotaru prompted.

 

“Yes, I was.”

 

“Would you say Mr. Mibu was a violent man?” Hotaru continued. He had begun to pace side to side, like a predator watching prey.

 

Sakuya hesitated. “Violent as in hurting others? No. Not unless he was threatened. He was never one to throw the first punch, although he would let the other person know beforehand that he had no qualms about hurting him or her. Violent as in hurting himself… that is possible.”

 

“Really? And what do you mean by that? Has he ever attempted suicide?”

 

“Objection, Your Honor,” Yuya cried out, standing. Once she had everyone's attention, she calmed herself enough to say, “That is irrelevant to the case, Your Honor.” For some reason her heart had seemed to stop when Hotaru voiced the words on everyone's mind.

 

Migeira nodded slowly. “Objection sustained. Try to keep on topic, Mr. Igira. I know how riveting Mr. Mibu's suicidal tendencies may be to you, but it helps our case very little. Unless further evidence comes up that Mr. Tokugawa was harmed due to Mr. Mibu's suicidal infliction, then let us not delve into it, yes?”

 

Yuya sat down, feeling a flood of relief wash over her. She didn't want his suicide attempt out in the open. For one, it could sway the masses when it actually had very little to do with anything. Secondly, it seemed only right to keep what little dignity Kyo had intact.

 

Hotaru glowered at this but murmured, “Of course, Your Honor.” His eyes turned back to Sakuya. “Would you say that Mr. Mibu was capable of hurting someone?”

 

“Anyone is capable of violence, Mr. Igira. Put in the right circumstances, yes, I would say Kyo would become very aggressive; maybe even to the point of killing.” Her dark eyes flickered over to Yuya and Kyo momentarily, taking in their expressions. Kyo was stoic in his silence and Yuya was serenely content. They made an odd pair, seated next to one another.

 

“So,” Hotaru began, seeming gleeful, “you think it is very possible as Mr. Mibu mortally wounding a person? And so do you think that Mr. Mibu attacked Mr. Tokugawa?”

 

“Objection, Your Honor,” Yuya called out, standing. All eyes, including Hotaru's, turned to her. “Mr. Igira is asking the witness to make a presumption. This case is not about presumptions; it is about facts. If Mrs. Mibu was not at the bar that night -as it was said that she wasn't- then she can have no information to offer in this case. Other than that of psychological and sociological findings, of course,” Yuya added, turning her soft smile onto Sakuya.

 

“Objection, lengthy as it was, is sustained,” Migeira said, a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Do you have anything of relevance to add to your interrogation, Mr. Igira, or shall I give the floor to Miss Shiina?”

 

“No, Your Honor,” Hotaru murmured, seeming irritated. “The prosecution rests.”

 

Migeira nodded. “Very well. Miss Shiina? Would you like to make your opening statements now?”

 

Yuya stood, giving a small bow. “Yes, I would, Your Honor… if it so pleases you.” Yuya made her way to the cleared off area between the Judge's stand and the bar tables. She turned her expression to Migeira, saying loudly, “Your Honor…” she turned her eyes to the jury, watching as every set of eyes turned to her, “jury,” she said with a faint smile, “My client, Mibu Kyo, has been accused of attempted voluntary murder.” She saw shifty eyes roaming from her to their neighbors, as if worried. She didn't blame them; not many knew that voluntary murder was the lesser of evils when it came to murder charges. “Voluntary murder,” she continued, finding herself walking over to the jury box to make sure all eyes remained on her, “is when a crime is committed in the heat of passion, so to speak. It is the lesser out of all of the murder charges, and is based on acting rashly and out of character in one moment when everything stands still.”

 

She looked to the left side of the jury box, speaking to them first. “Mr. Mibu stands before you on trial today, waiting for your judgment. On the sixth of January, Mr. Mibu was on a date with a Miss Okuni Izu*, a coworker at K/O Auto. As the two were finishing their drinks, just as Mr. Mibu was planning on leaving for the night, a young man approached and asked Miss Izu if she would be interested in his brother, Mr. Tokugawa, who had shown an acute fascination with her. She declined and, as Mr. Mibu was saying his farewell, Mr. Tokugawa joined the party to have a word. His words were lewd and uncouth, painting Okuni as a simple whore.”

 

Yuya turned her attention to the right side of the room, glad to see that all eyes were raptly watching her. A young woman with pale brown hair looked breathless with anticipation -which Yuya found laughable, seeing as the story wasn't that interesting. After all, Yuya hadn't even gotten to the good part yet. “Mr. Mibu had been raised to be an honest man. That night of January the sixth, he was protecting his date in a way that not many gentleman do. He stood up for her and, what did Mr. Tokugawa do? He pulled a knife on him. Threatened, now having to protect himself as well as Miss Izu, Mr. Mibu did attack Mr. Tokugawa… but think of it this way. Had you been in his position, would you not have done the same?”

 

Yuya let that sink in before turning and walking, slowly, toward Sakuya. She smiled. “Good morning, Mrs. Mibu. I would like to ask you a few questions. Since you were not there on the aforesaid night, I was wondering if I could ask about Kyo growing up.”

 

“Objection, Your Honor,” Hotaru called, standing abruptly. “Mr. Mibu's past has nothing to do with this.”

 

“I have a reason, Your Honor, for asking this question,” Yuya assured the judge.

 

Migeira nodded. “Objection overruled. Make it brief, Shiina.”

 

Sakuya's tooth came down on her lower lip, an uncharacteristic sign of unease. “What would you like to know, Miss Shiina?”

 

“Was he ever close with any females? Maybe a girlfriend, or his mother?”

 

Sakuya sighed, murmuring, “I believe you may be hinting at Ivy, Miss Shiina.” She turned her eyes to the jury, saying softly, but loud enough to be picked up by the microphone, “When Kyo was sixteen, he had a girlfriend by the name of Tokadi Ivy. She was very depressed and was on three different medications for it. Prozac being one of them,” she added with another sigh.

 

“I'd studied her from time-to-time, using her for some of my psychology assignments and projects. I paid her well, of course, for her time. And in those periods, she told me how the antidepressants made it worse. She felt hollow and alone. She said that she and Kyo had been dating for two years, approximately, and recently -after being put on the medications- she no longer felt anything for him. She knew that once she loved him, but…”

 

Yuya cast an inconspicuous to Kyo. His face was slack and pained. This was probably the first time he'd heard this side of Ivy's feelings. Yuya looked back to Sakuya, urging her to continue.

 

“She'd said that they'd only recently started having sexual intercourse,” Sakuya went on, “but instead of making her feel better, she felt worse. Cheated, so to speak. She felt as if Kyo was not having sex with her, but with a pale imitation of her former self. A few months later, she shot herself in the head… right in front of Kyo.”

 

There was a shudder of murmuring within the court. Migeira pounded his gavel, calling order to the courtroom.

 

Yuya waited for the buzz to die down before gently, but emotionlessly, saying, “In your professional opinion, being a psychologist, would you say that Kyo is more likely to be protective over women after such an experience?”

 

“It is very possible; in fact, it is nearly assured,” Sakuya answered, her eyes downcast. She looked so fragile, which was odd to see. Yuya hadn't expected that.

 

“I have no further questions at this time, Your Honor.” In an undertone, Yuya added to Sakuya, “I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you; congratulations on your child.” She turned away from the front of the room, slowly making her way back to the defense's table. Kyo had his eyes fixed on the tabletop, his spill of red hair falling into his eyes. His jaw was set into a firm line, obviously trying to keep his emotions at bay.

 

Yuya sat beside him, watching as Hotaru resumed his place at the front of the room, calling out the next witness. Tokugawa's brother, Benitora.

 

Yuya leaned over to Kyo, whispering softly, “I'm sorry for bringing it up, Kyo, but we need to build sympathy for you. Please, underst-”

 

“It's fine,” Kyo muttered savagely, his voice gravelly. Yuya pulled away, sadly turning her eyes back to the front of the room.

 

Benitora had been sworn in and sat next to the judge, looking a bit fidgety. He was cute in a little-kid sort of way, his tall gangly form shoved into a suit. He looked like a child playing dress-up with daddy's clothing.

 

“Mr. Tokugawa, what happened the night of January sixth?”

 

Benitora cleared his throat leaning forward to address the microphone. “I was at Iridescent, a little bar a few blocks away from my brother's work. My brother and I were having some drinks when he noticed a woman, Miss Izu, I think her name was. He was saying that she was cute and he wanted me to go talk her into coming over. She was already sitting with a guy -Mr. Mibu,” he added hastily, “but I figured it was a friend or brother. I mean, they didn't seem to be very close.”

 

“Why was that?” Hotaru asked, beginning to pace in front of the stand.

 

“Well, she was dressed rather… provocatively. And normally a guy who is interested in a woman like that can't keep his hands off of her. But Mr. Mibu… he seemed to hardly notice. I think he was more intent in his beer than her.”

 

“What happened then?” Hotaru prompted.

 

Benitora seemed to look a little uneasy. “Well,” he cleared his throat, eyes sliding down to the podium in front of him. “I went over and, to put it bluntly, was brushed off. Miss Izu said she was already there with Mr. Mibu. I backed off.”

 

“How did the confrontation start?” Hotaru tried a different approach. He had stopped his pacing and came to stand in front of the stands again. “In your own words.”

 

“As I told the officer on scene that night,” Benitora began, “I didn't hear who initiated it. All I know is my brother said something lewd to Miss Izu-”

 

“Which was?” Hotaru asked, not seeming to like the route this was going. Maybe he had thought the boy would lie just because it was his brother who was on the stands. No, this one, Benitora, looked like a good-ol-boy, the kind that fell in love at first sight, hard and fast.

 

Benitora had the grace to look embarrassed. “It was… something about how Mibu refused to go home with Miss Izu. My brother said he should; sleep with her then leave her. I tried to stop him, I did. We were raised to not treat women like meat, but-”

 

Hotaru's face had contorted. He didn't seem too happy. “Mr. Tokugawa, was your brother urged toward saying such a thing by Mr. Mibu?”

 

“I can't recollect. I wasn't paying much attention until my brother spoke up.”

 

“But don't you think, had your brother been raised to not act so, he had been provoked?”

 

Yuya could have objected to it, but she simply smiled. Hotaru was burying himself alive with all of this nonsense. As it was going, Yuya only needed to act as if she moderately knew something in order to win favor of the jurors.

 

Benitora seemed to think on that. “I can't say I'm sure.”

 

“Well, Mr. Tokugawa, were you a witness to the rest of the proceedings? Who attacked who first?”

 

“Well, my brother threw me back against a wall when I tried to intervene,” Benitora said good-naturedly, eyes squinting closed with his wide smile. It was cute in a boyish way. “But my brother initiated the fight. He pulled out some type of long clever or something…”

 

Hotaru seemed to fall back upon the same question. “Was your brother threatened? Is that why he pulled the knife?”

 

“Hard to say. Mr. Mibu had told him to back off, or at least said so with his body language. My brother may have taken that as a threat.”

 

Hotaru nodded and seemed to decide to cut his losses. “No more questions, Your Honor.”

 

Hotaru took his seat and sent a glare Yuya's way. Yuya only smile, rising to her feet. Now it was her time to tango.