Chapter Text
It had all happened so fast that he couldn't believe it. Looking at the dessert lying on the floor and the woman pouring green foam from her mouth, unconscious, or rather, now dead, was what started to give him a panic attack.
"Wha-Wha-What did I do? T-this isn't what I planned" the man muttered. "If they catch me, my whole life will be doomed... I-I have to blame someone else for this, b-but who?"
Then he looked at the note that said, "For the most wildly pretty woman...". And that's when a macabre idea occurred to him.
"Y-yes, I'll pretend it was HE who killed her..." He smiled evilly, starting to hide his crime.
Episode One: Total Beginning
July 22nd 10:30 AM - Court of Justice - Defendant Lobby No. 1
Inside the Toronto, Canada, courthouse, there was a man who wasn't having a good time.
(Okay, I've been to court before, there's nothing to fear. Sure, I'm on a homicide case, but I prepared for this, I studied for this, I don't even need hel...)
"Looks like you need my help, Noah..." a voice spoke to him, which he instantly recognized, and he was surprised when he saw her standing next to him. It was a woman with blue-tinged black hair, Asian features, and pale skin. She dressed formally like him, except she wore those orange colors that characterized her so much, especially her cat-shaped golden collar.
"Emma? Wh-What are you doing here?"
She just giggled, which seemed kind of adorable to him. "Did you really think I was going to miss my first employee's first case?" (Well, she was busy with other cases, but it seems she chose me as her priority... nice?)
"T-thanks for coming, Emma" he replied almost immediately, blushing.
(This is Emma Mao-shen. She's the owner of the law firm where I work. She was also my mentor, and I treat her with great respect... although sometimes I get butterflies when she gets close. It's nothing unusual! It's just a condition I haven't diagnosed yet.)
"You're more nervous than I thought" she said, noticing him sweating on his forehead. "Is everything okay?"
"Y-yes, s-sure. It's not like I'm going to defend my client for homicide right in my debut as a lawyer, o-of course not..." (That didn't sound like my usual sarcasm.)
"Don't worry. It's normal to be nervous your first time. I was too. In the end, it all depends on your client. By the way, where is he?"
"Uh, I don't know, I guess he's probably in the prosecutor's lobby or..."
And then the lobby doors burst open and a large mass, in the least offensive way, pounced on Noah and hugged him very tightly like a stuffed animal (Th-this needs to stop being our special greeting...?)
"Oh Noah! Oh Noah!" the guy hugging him almost sobbed, "Th-this is the END for me! First I lose my girl, and now this!"
"O-okay, dude! J-just let go of me!" the lawyer pleaded before the big guy let him go, allowing him to gasp for air.
"Oh, I-I'm sorry I-I'm such a mess today, I know..." he said, frowning.
(This is Owen Omar, he's my best friend since childhood. He's optimistic, greedy, and sometimes a bit annoying and clumsy, but I still love him... as a friend! Today I'm going to defend him after he was accused of murdering his girlfriend, yes, it's that hard.)
"Nice to meet you, my name is Emma Mao-Shen" the lawyer woman greeted the big guy. "Don't feel so bad, you're on professional hands" (Not literally;I couldn't carry him even if he went on a diet).
"B-but what if they find me guilty?" he gulped. "Oh, I'm going to die..."
"You won't get the death penalty; Our country don't aprove that anymore." Noah told him, rolling his eyes.
"B-but they'll send me to prison for the rest of my life, and I'll only be able to eat three times a day!" (Actually, it's not so bad for him.) "Yes, I'm definitely going to die!"
"That's not going to happen, I assure you, Mr. Omar!" Emma told him in a firm voice. "My good employee, Noah, has been preparing for this for years, long after me, of course; but he's ready to defend you in court, isn't?". They both looked at him, which made him even more nervous (I think the confidence boost was unnecessary, Emma.)
"R-really, are you going to get me out of this, buddy?" Owen asked his childhood friend. (Why does he always put that puppy eyes?)
Noah sighed, "Sure, that's what my job is.!"
"Oh thank you so much!" He hugged him again like he was his personal teddy bear. Emma just chuckled as she helped him prepare the case files.
(Alright, let's start from the beginning. My name is Noah Dharma, and I'm a defense attorney. Well, I have been since I passed the bar exam three months ago. For the first time, I'm taking a case into my own hands, with the help of my chief, Emma, of course. My mission in this job is to help people, obviously, who can't defend themselves and require legal support here in Toronto, the largest city in my beloved Canada. No matter how difficult a case is, I will always fight to defend my clients, and today will be the case... I hope.)
July 22nd 11:00 AM - Court of Justice - Courtroom No. 4
The courtroom doors opened to the public, the trial was about to begin. The general public had taken their seats in the gallery, and the jurors were in special stands. The two lawyers, Noah Dharma and Emma Mao-shen, had taken their positions in the defense's bench, while both looked at a red-haired man, adjusting his glasses as he placed his paperwork on the bench on the other side.
(That must be Harold McGrady V, or mocklingly known as "Prosecutor Doris". He looks geeky, but he's an ace. He hasn't lost more than one case in his career in two years. He's one of the most greates young prosecutors in Toronto. I have to be careful with him.)
"Everyone rise!" announced the bailiff at the front of the court, signaling everyone to rise in honor of the judge's entrance. He was a truly imposing man, tall and dark, with a prominent bald head, but with a serious and powerful gaze.
(That's Judge Hacthed, one of the best judges in the area. He always commands respect and determination when he's present; I must be careful with him, too.)
Finally, the great judge sat down and banged his gavel loudly.
"The court is now open for the trial of Owen Omar!" Hatched announced in his serious, stern voice.
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor!" Mr. McGrady announced in his place, adjusting his greenish glasses again.
"The-the defense is ready! ...Your Honor" Noah announced, with some concern and nerves in his voice (I hope I sounded enough professional.)
"I can see the defense is a rookie, isn't?" Judge Hatched asked, looking directly at the lawyer, who gulped as he stared at him.
"That's right, Your Honor!" Emma answered for him. "It's his first case, I'm here as a consouler" (I respect you, Emma, but saying that will make me seem even more inexperienced than I already am.)
"Hmm, all right" the judge said.
"Ha... a rookie, it seems this trial is going to be too simple for my prosecutor skills" Harold said with a somewhat arrogant smile. (Yes, he is definitely an arrogant prosecutor; Emma told me most were like that.)
"Prosecutor Doris... uh, I mean, Prosecutor McGrady, please deliver your opening statement" Hatched said to him.
"It will be a pleasure, Your Honor" The prosecutor stood up from his seat and began reading a report. "On July 20th of this year, a young woman known as Izzy Maddy was poisoned in her apartment at 10:10 AM." One of the screens showed the profile of the aforementioned victim, a woman with curly red hair and green eyes.
The audience began to murmur. This was the seventh homicide case involving a woman this week, which worried them even more, especially the feminist sector.
"Order in the courtroom!" exclaimed the judge, silencing them instantly. "So this was Mr. Omar's crime? Killing a poor, beautiful woman?"
"Oh, I swear I didn't do it!" exclaimed Owen, standing up from the defendant bench. (No, buddy, not now!) "I would never hurt Izzy! She's my girlfriend! And we've never fought!"
The audience murmured again, and the judge banged his gavel again to command silence.
"Hmm, so she's your girlfriend?" Hatched said, staring at him. "I really don't think there's a legitimate reason to charge you with murder" (Well, at least the judge seems to be on our side, seems to be my beginner's luck...)
Objection!
After protesting, Prosecutor McGrady chuckled, "The first excuse a defendant makes; please, Mr. Omar, with all confidence, testify when you arrived at her apartment on the day of the murder"
Owen smiled faintly as he walked straight to the witness stand, however, during his short journey, he released... a certain natural scent from his body, which clearly made the gallery, the defense, the prosecution, and the judge uncomfortable.
"O-Oh, s-sorry!" the man apologized as he walked slowly to the witness stand, "I ate a spicy bean taco before coming."
"I thought you'd watch what you eat next time, Mr. Omar," the judge admonished. "In courtrooms, respect and discipline are paramount!"
"Ew, I can smell it from here!" Emma moaned in disgust, covering her nose. She turned to his employee, " I don't mean to offend your friend, Noah, b-but have you endured this before?"
"Believe me... too many times," Noah said with a grimace. (I really wouldn't blame him entirely; that's what beans do to people, not for nothing do cartoons in this country use it as a comedic device to the fullest.)
"Let's ignore what the defendant just did," Harold said. "It's natural for humans anyway, but please refrain from doing that during your testimony."
"Oh, of course!" Owen grinned, ready to give his testimony. (He'd better think about what he's going to say...)
Witness Testimony - I Went To The Apartment
"That day, at 7:00 AM, I went to Izzy's apartment early to leave her a gift. She wasn't home, so I left the gift on the main table near the entrance. I left her a note that came from me, and after that, I went to the nearest donut shop. And before I could eat one, I was arrested as a suspect, a total shame!"
"So, from what you just testified, when you arrived at the apartment, the victim wasn't home?" the Judge asked the defendant.
"Well, every Monday she gets up to go to the woods to practice her tree swinging; you know, 'girl stuff'. Her training schedule is very strict and long; it runs from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM."
"Alright, but let me ask you something: what was that gift you left her?"
"Oh, something really sweet: a blueberry cupcake with chocolate bread, her favorite! And I baked it with my own hands!" (That really sounds sweet, maybe I should make something like that for Emma... no, Noah, focus on the trial!)
"Hmm, from what I heard, there's no reason to declare this guy a prime suspect" said the Judge.
"Actually, Your Honor" Prosecutor McGrady began with a smile on her face, "There is clear evidence that Owen Omar is directly responsible for Izzy Maddy's poisoning."
"And what is that evidence?"
"None more and no less than the gift he left in her apartment"
"The cupcake?"
"Exactly, however, it wasn't an ordinary sweet cupcake... it was poisoned, and he himself just said he baked it with his 'own hands'. So the poison could only have been placed in the dessert by him."
The gallery began to murmur loudly, and the Judge silenced them with his gavel.
"Order!" said the judge, "So the sweet gift from him was actually poison for the victim?"
Harold nodded, "That's right, Your Honor..."
Objection!
Noah stared at the prosecutor, "Wait a minute, Prosecutor Doris...". At that moment, he was speechless.
"Well, Mr. Dharma?" the judge asked, waiting for an answer.
"Well... this is my first 'objection'... I really don't know what to sa—ACK!"
Emma had kicked him in the feet, giving him a scolding look, "Don't just stand there! If you raise an 'objection', you'll have to explain something that doesn't make sense"
"Uh, yeah, thanks..." he replied, his foot hurting a bit, before easing himself up, "Uh, the prosecution can't charge my client with poisoning, for... uh, lack... of... one motive!"
"Hmm, you're right, most murders are carried out for motives" the judge said, agreeing with the lawyer. "So, Mr. McGrady, do you have any reason for the defendant?"
The red-haired prosecutor responded, "Well, Your Honor, the defendant has stated that he loves his girlfriend very much; there would be no reason to kill her... except if it would prevent her from being locked away in an asylum"
Most of the courtroom was confused.
"What do you mean?"
"There's something I didn't mention about the victim. You see, before she was poisoned, the woman known as Izzy Maddy was a very popular citizen... but not for the best reasons. Her madness and eccentric attitude led to situations that bothered most of the population, such as taking a seal from the zoo and trying to domesticate it in her apartment."
"Izzy just wanted to give her a better diet than the one it got from the zoo!" Owen objected.
"The point is, her behavior caught the attention of the Toronto Citizen Safety Center, who contacted her to 'regulate' her behavior. When that negotiation didn't work, they started sending orders to the government to take her to a mental health facility, aka, a mental asylum; And for life, just in case."
"But what does this have to do with Owen, I mean, my client?" Noah asked, correcting himself.
"Most likely; Mr. Omar heard those 'threats' against his beloved, and in a desperate act to protect her from the asylum, he did the only thing he could... poison her. If she's not alive, then they can't take her." (Wait... what?)
Objection!
"That doesn't make any sense!"
"That's true. Why would I do that to my girl?!" Owen objected, feeling annoyed. "If I wanted to protect her from those bumby jerks, I would have taken her far away from the city; probably to the woods... in a house built of gingerbread... hmm." (Seriously, when is he going to stop thinking about food?)
"In any case, the evidence speaks for itself" the prosecutor smiled. "There's no other way the dessert made by the defendant was what poisoned the woman."
"Speaking of which, Mr. Doris" the judge spoke. "What kind of poison was found in the dessert?"
"It's not really known exactly what kind it was. The only thing the forensic investigation identified was that in the cupcake's frosting layer, there was some kind of white powder scattered about. It hasn't been identified either, but inside the apartment, a certain element was found inside a cup, a peculiar bag that stored said powder"
Then the screen on the right showed a jar full of white powder.
"Is it the poison?" Judge Hatched asked.
"Actually, the analysts didn't identify any toxic or harmful elements, so it's not really known if the defendant used it to poison his lover's gift."
"But I didn't do it!" Owen protested until he flinched at the sound of the gavel.
"You've said enough, Mr. Omar!" the judge scolded. "Please return to your seat!"
Owen continued protesting until the bailiffs had to restrain him and return him to his seat, farting a bit in the process. (Forget the fact that he farts when he's nervous.)
"Very well, the possible poison in the dessert was found, but I still don't see a much reason to find the defendant guilty"
"Actually, Your Honor, there is..." said the prosecutor, putting on an even more confident smile, "There is a witness who saw and reported the victim's body, and can confirm that Mr. Omar is undoubtedly the one who poisoned her."
The murmurs began again.
The judge nodded, "Very well, bring the witness to the stand..."
"Pss, Noah, get ready" Emma told him in a low voice.
"Why?"
"Witnesses are often slippery and lie in court. It's your job to expose their lies to their faces; therefore, pay attention from now on."
"Uh, of course!" (I hope this witness really is easy to expose...)
And a few moments later, the witness entered the courtroom and took his position in front of the witness stand. He was a middle-aged man with a few wrinkles, small glasses, and a dirty-blond hairstyle that looked odd for some reason.
"State your name and occupation, sir" Prosecutor McGrady told the witness.
The man cleared his throat before speaking, making sure his tone was correct. "Hello, my name is Percy Fecthon, and I'm one of the lead members of the Toronto Citizen Safety Center"
"What is your connection to the case?" the Judge asked.
"I was assigned to speak in person with Ms. Maddy at her apartment on the very day of her unfortunate poisoning."
"Please testify about what you saw."
"It will be a pleasure..."
Witness Testimony - I Saw The Body
"I arrived at her apartment at exactly 8:50 AM, hoping to have a quiet chat with Ms. Maddy, until I opened the door and saw her lying dead in the living room. I was so scared, but then I regained my composure and quickly ran to report the body in the lobby."
"So you arrived after the victim was poisoned?" Judge Hatched recapitulated.
"That's right, Your Honor," Fecthon replied, readjusting his glasses so they were properly aligned. "It's an outrage what a man will do to 'protect' his lover"
"But I didn't do...!" Owen stood up indignantly, but the judge's gavel made him sit down, intimidated.
"The defendant will not speak until asked to speak!"
Owen looked down sadly, unaware that Percy Fecthon was looking at him with a smirk, which was noticed by a certain lawyer. (Why is that man smirking at my friend like that? What's his deal?)
"Noah, get ready!" Emma woke him from his thoughts. "After the testimony comes the cross-examination. You must ask the witness for details and find contradictions. Come on, I know you can do it!". And so the Asian woman gave him a boost of confidence, literally.
"Let the defense cross-examination begin!" said the judge. (Okay, Noah, you can do it. You've seen Emma teach you several times, you've even watched lawyer movies all night, I can't understate it...)
Noah walked to the front of the witness in the stand, "Very well, Mr. Fethon..."
"It's Fecthon," the man corrected, for some reason smoothing his hair, "With an H after the T, and a high-pitched bass tone on 'Thon'." (God, this man really is a perfectionist.)
"Alright, Mr. Fecthon... what time did you arrive at Ms. Maddy's apartment?"
"I already testified that, it was at 8:50 A.M."
Noah raised his eyebrow, "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I even have it written down. I always do it before entering my visitors' homes" The blonde eman handed him a sheet of notes, "I entered precisely at 8:50 A.M., no more, no less."
Noah looked at the sheet of paper carefully, analyzing whether he could find a contradiction. (Emma told me to pay attention...)
"Well, Mr. Dharma?" the judge asked, "Is there any contradiction in the testimony?"
"There really isn't" the prosecutor scoffed. "It's solid testimony. Mr. Fecthon clearly arrived after the victim returned from her... training or something."
(That's true, Ms. Maddy was in training before he arrived... wait a minute, that's right!)
Objection!
Everyone was surprised to see Noah point his finger at the witness, except for Emma, who smiled proudly for him. Mr. Fecthon almost jumped in fright, his hair flying for some reason. He quickly fixed it before facing the lawyer.
"But... what are you talking about? I arrived at exactly that time!"
"That's true, however, you did NOT see Ms. Maddy poisoned" Noah explained. "My client, Owen Omar, said that his girlfriend returned from the woods at 9:00 AM; that means the poisoning occurred AFTER he arrived at her apartment, after the alleged killer left. What do you have to say about that, Mr. Fecthon?"
The gallery and jury began to murmur in doubt, while Percy began to sweat from stress.
Objection!
Harold glared at the lawyer. "Mr. Omar is the prime suspect. He probably lied about the time to protect himself"
Objection!
"That's false, Prosecutor Doris" Noah responded seriously. "My client knew nothing about the witness when he testified. Besides, he's the victim's lover, so I highly doubt he would lie about her. You yourself said he loved her too much to poison her to protect her"
The red-haired prosecutor snarled at such a counterattack. The murmurs continued until the judge banged his gavel.
"Silence!" he said, then looked doubtfully at the witness. "Mr. Fecthon, what do you have to say about this?"
"I, I, I..." Percy stammered until he suddenly regained his composure, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief. "I'm so sorry, Your Honor. Ms. Maddy's death scared me so much that I wanted to forget about it that day. I actually did enter her apartment before she arrived, and I saw her being poisoned before my very eyes"
"Hmm, fine, I'll let you testify about that." Then Hacthed stared at him, "But remember that under my judgment, I will not tolerate lies in testimonies"
"I-I assure you, Your Honor...!"
Witness Testimony - The Ms. Maddy's Dead
"I entered before Ms. Maddy arrived, but I just waited and didn't touch anything in her apartment. When she came, we chatted for a while until she noticed the cupcake her boyfriend had left for her. After eating a piece, she passed out, dead, foaming green at the mouth. I've been extremely traumatized ever since".
"Hmm, so you witnessed the death in person?" the Judge said. "You shouldn't have kept that information to yourself!"
"S-sorry, Your Honor! I didn't mean to remind me, it gave me nightmares that night!" the man replied, looking nervous.
"What was that about her foaming green at the mouth, by the way?"
"Apparently, it's the poison she ingested" said Prosecutor McGrady, reading from some files. "It's an extremely toxic foam that caused the victim to choke and die. But it's still unknown how this happened."
"Alright, but I still won't let the witness through for his earlier lie" the Judge spoke, looking in the direction of the defense. "Mr. Dharma, your cross-examination, please?"
Noah nodded before addressing the witness. "Mr. Fecthon, you waited until Ms. Maddy returned, right? Was the cupcake there?"
"Uh, yes, it was on the table" Percy replied. "Honestly, I didn't touch it. I was at someone else's house, and white sugar wasn't in my diet at all, unlike Ms. Maddy's."
The lawyer raised his eyebrow. "Unlike her?"
"Yes, she had a cup full of sugar."
Noah thought this and stared at him, "And how did you know the cup was full of sugar if you said you hadn't touched anything?"
Mr. Fecthon was startled, but immediately composed himself, "Uh, y-yes, about that... when Ms. Maddy fell to the floor poisoned, I got so scared I tripped over her table, the cup fell, and spilled all the sugar on the floor."
"On the floor?"
"That's right. After I composed myself, I left the room and ran to the landlord to report the body. As you see, it was all a misunderstanding. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting in half an hour and I must be on time. They don't call me Mr. Perfect for nothing" (He confessed his narcissism without even hiding it...)
"You can leave if the defense has no objection," the Judge said, "Right, Mr. Dharma?"
(Hmm, let's see, he spilled a cup of sugar, that's not strange at all... wait, sugar? How would he know if the sugar wasn't...?)
Hold it!
Noah pointed his finger at Mr. Fecthon again, "How do you know that you spilled was sugar, Mr. Perfect?"
"Uhhhh, the white powder in a cup was the giveaway, a sugar bowl, wasn't it?"
Noah shook his head, "Sorry, but that's not the case...". Then the screen flashed the evidence, "Mr. Fecthon, what was in that cup wasn't sugar, it was suspected poison! The same poison that could have been used to murder Ms. Maddy."
"H-h-how?!" The witness sweated profusely. "Well, at least I didn't touch it..."
"You lie! The powder was found inside the cup, inside a plastic bag. In that case, no grain would have been scattered on the floor. Even without the bag and with your total perfectionism, there would still be a grain lurking at the crime scene. But only the poison was found inside the cup."
Mr. Fecthon didn't even respond; he was so shocked that he was speechless. The murmurs from the gallery and the jury grew louder than ever.
"Order in court!" the judge silenced. "Mr. Dharma, what are you suggesting?"
"Your Honor, the witness has lied twice in court. It's not natural at all!" Noah spoke up. "His testimony contradicts the evidence. If no trace of the powder was left lying at the crime scene, and it was only found in the cup, it means only one thing...". And so, the rookie lawyer pointed accusingly at the witness, "He implanted the poison in the the cup, and the cupcake!"
The courtroom was torn between whether or not to believe the witness, who seemed on the verge of losing control.
"...Mr. Fecthon, what do you have to say about that?" the judge asked, already losing patience with him.
"I... I... I... ARGHHHH!" Percy Fecthon was so startled that he dropped his blonde wig, revealing his baldness. But instead of feeling embarrassed, he was furious, "HOW dare you, you snotty lawyer?! My job is to protect my perfect city from lunatics like that woman! Even if I don't kill her, I'm glad she's dead!". Most of the people gasped at this.
"How you...?!" Owen was about to answer but was interrupted.
"SHUT UP! Murderous greasy ball! You deserve to die or rot in jail! This city doesn't deserve to have these kinds of people, like nosy and idiots lawyers..."
The Judge quickly banged his gavel, "Mr. Fecthon, I'm asking you to calm down or...!"
"Oh, I'm calm" Mr. Fecthon had somehow returned to normal, smiling casually, without even putting his wig back on. "I got a little carried away. Let me explain. Yes, that powder was mine, and I added it to that cupcake."
"So... you're admitting your crime?"
"No, because that powder was NOT poison."
(Wait...h-h-how?!)
"Now, witness, explain yourself!"
Percy pulled what looked like a small box from his pocket. "This is actually Dust-Fine, more or less a drug that relaxes and calms a person's nerves. I make it myself. In fact, it's on sale at several pharmacies in the city this week", (Terrific self-promotion.) "The only reason I put this in the cupcake was to calm Ms. Maddy's misguided habits. I know drugging someone is wrong, but it was either that or the good of my community."
"Hmmmm," the Judge mused at that. "It's not very ethical, but I guess you had 'noble' reasons after all..."
Objection!
Noah slammed his palm on his bench. "But Your Honor, Mr. Fecthon was the one who put that in the cupcake, and the victim died!"
"I told you a while ago, it's not poison!"
"If it is, it needs to be proven!". They both glared at each other, as if they'd already know the truth.
Later, a chemical expert arrived in court, analyzed the witness's bag of 'medicine', and examined it with his electronic radar.
"No toxic element was found in the medication" the expert told the court.
"Well, I'm never wrong" Mr. Fecthon smirked. "I'm not a murderer. A perfect man wouldn't commit any crime" (unless you count trying to drug a woman...)
"But... Ms. Maddy died after eating the cupcake!" Noah spoke, refusing to believe the expert's analysis. "It definitely had to be the medication"
"No, sir, my radar doesn't lie. There's nothing harmful inside."
The witness sneered. "Don't bother with him, expert. He's just a rookie who thinks he can make a big deal without presenting evidence for what he claims, is he?"
Hatched nodded, "Exactly, Mr. Dharma, unless you have crucial evidence that the drug poisoned the victim, I'm going to have to let Mr. Fecthon go and declare my verdict."
"Let it be too soon, Your Honor. There are people like me who don't like wasting time watching clowns in a serious trial."
Noah frowned at all this, in a sign of surrender. (Dammit, I was so close... if only he had a single piece of proof that the poison must have been in the drug).
"Noah, come here!" his chief called out to him, "You seem to be having trouble, huh?"
"Th-there's no way to prove that Mr. Fecthon's drug is the poison."
"Then it's because it's not."
The lawyer raised an eyebrow, "W-what??"
"When there's nothing to prove, it's better to think about the opposite. For example: if the medicine isn't poison, then what would make it one?"
"What would make it one?"
Emma nodded, smiling. "Exactly, you have to prove that something must have 'toxific' it" (Does that word even exist?)
"But I don't feel like there's any proof to prove that."
"Don't be pessimistic! Think like a traditional painter: if you don't have any other colors, then combine the ones you already have" ("Combine evidence" then? How would that work?).
"Oh, I'm a goner!" Owen spoke loudly from the defendant's bench. "Guess I should treat myself to something sweet before I go to jail". The blonde pulled out, who knows what, a cupcake, similar to the one in the case. (A cupcake? Where did he get it? ...wait a minute, THAT'S IT!).
"Owen, I need you to borrow that cupcake!"
"B-but it was supposed to be my last meal before..."
"Please, dude, all I want is to get you out of here. Just trust me..."
The chubby blonde man thought about it and then nodded, giving his 'last' dessert to his lawyer and friend.
"Mr. Dharma, this is no time for a snack!" the Judge scolded.
"Your Honor, I'm here to prove once and for all that Mr. Fecthon was responsible for Ms. Maddy's death!"
"You never give up, huh?" Mr. Fecthon asked. "I thought I made it clear that my medication is NOT a poison. Maybe I should recommend a session of auricular therapy."
"No thanks, I just need to borrow your medication."
"Well, if that calms you down, then I'll accept..."
Then, Noah brought two of his items to the evidence table: the bag of medication and the cupcake. He recreated exactly how the "killer" poisoned the dessert; wearing protective gloves, of course. He sprinkled the powder like salt over the frosting, then stared at it, waiting for some effect. (Okay... now what?).
"Mr. Dharma, what do you want to do with this?" Hatched asked impatiently.
"Your Honor, I just want to test if the medication really poisoned the cupcake."
Mr. Fecthon adjusted his glasses, chuckling mockingly, "Looks like this lawyer will never be more than a mediocre rookie..."
(Ugh, how annoying! Come on, Noah, think! Emma said to combine the evidence. I really don't know if that's the metaphor she meant. So, if it's not a metaphor, maybe I should combine them literally...)
Then, Noah began gently moving the frosting around with his fingers. (...Maybe I was wrong. I'm so sorry, Owen, but I'm not...). But just at that moment, to everyone's surprise, a green foam sprouted from the frosting, spilling over the cupcake. Noah, frightened, dropped it on the table.
"The evidence!" the judge exclaimed, worried, calling for the bailiffs to plug the foam leak with a clear glass. Soon, the chemical expert analyzed it with his radar, and this time it was too loud.
"This detects high levels of toxicity! We need to get this out of here!" said the expert, helping the bailiffs carry it out of the courtroom.
The judge banged his gavel, this time furiously, "Mr. Dharma, do you know what you might have caused the court?! What do you have to say about it for not penalize you?!"
Noah had processed what he had witnessed, yet he was smiling now.
"I'm just going to say one thing, Your Honor...". And so, the attorney pointed at the witness, "It was Mr. Fecthon who poisoned the victim!". Murmurs arose as the judge silenced them. "He stated that his medication wasn't poisonous. However, you just witnessed something: if we mix that with the cupcake frosting, it would undergo a chemical reaction, transforming it into a toxic and deadly substance!"
Objection!
Prosecutor McGrady resisted, "How do you know that's how the victim died?"
"Mr. Fecthon stated that Ms. Maddy ate a piece, and as she chewed it, she combined both elements in her mouth, which ended up choking her from the poison he had inadvertently created"
"NO! T-This can't be!" The witness exclaimed, "I tested my medication myself! I made sure it wasn't poisonous! Mase it p-p-perfect like me!"
Noah glared at him, "Well, Mr. Fecthon, you apparently made a mistake. You're NOT perfect! You... are a murderer!"
And so Percy Fecthon, filled with rage and shock, was so startled that his glasses broken in pieces. His mind flashed back to the day of the crime.
--The True Story--
Percy had entered the apartment, not seeing Ms. Maddy inside. He scanned the furniture until he found a cupcake on the table with a card written by Mr. Omar. Smiling evily, he took out his powder and sprinkled it like salt on the dessert's frosting.
"That should be enough to calm that beast..." he said to himself, then hid the bag of powder inside a cup, hoping she'd think it was sugar and consume it as well.
Later, when Izzy arrived after her training, she met up with Mr. Fecthon, where they chatted for a while before she noticed the cupcake and the message on it.
"For the most wildly pretty girl..." she read the letter, giggling with a blush. "Oh, Owen, I'm going to enjoy this like never before... yum!"
Percy watched expectantly as the woman ate a piece, chewing it. However, his shock and horror grew even greater when she began to cough, choking, and collapsed to the floor, green foam pouring from her mouth. Mr. Fecthon recoiled in fear at what he had caused.
Back in the courtroom...
"I a-absolu-lo-tely refuse!" he exclaimed indignantly, no talking so well "I di-di-didn't kill anyone-body! I'm not impe-pe-perfect-thon! I'm not a mu-mu-murderer! I... I... I...". His rage was so great that he foamed at the mouth before fainting.
The gallery murmured in surprise before the Judge asked the bailiffs to arrest Mr. Fecthon.
Later, Owen was called to stand. The jury had already cast their votes with the Judge.
"I guess I was wrong about this man" the judge said, feeling guilty.
"Actually, we all were wrong about him, Your Honor" Noah corrected him, smiling. "My friend was just a man who loved his girl, and he never wanted to hurt her, just show her how much he loved her."
"Hmm, that's true, Mr. Dharma. Very well, now that this whole matter is settled, I declare Owen Omar... Not Guilty!". He banged his gavel before confetti rained down on the courtroom and the gallery cheered the defendant's not guilty verdict. (Where's that confetti from? I hope the janitors don't have to do all the job.)
"Gosh!" Harold growled, banging his bench, frustrated at having lost the case.
On the other hand, Noah just watched proudly as Owen rejoiced, giggling at him when he tried to eat the confetti, thinking it was colored sprinkles (You never change, buddy).
July 22nd 1:02 P.M - Court of Justice - Defendant Lobby No. 1
"I knew you could do it, Noah!" Emma complimented him. "You've quite surprised me. I never thought a rookie lawyer could reveal the culprit's face"
"Hehehe, it was nothing" he replied, blushing for her. "I'd say it was luck, maybe."
"In that case, I guess it was good that I came with you." (...What does "luck" have to do with it, honestly?)
"Oh, you saved me!" Owen exclaimed, hugging his friend like a teddy bear. "I knew I could count on you, buddy!"
"O-okay...put me down now!". As he let go, he brushed off his suit. "I'm glad you're okay too, buddy. I'll see you at the office for payment..."
"Noah, don't charge him right after you save him!" Emma scolded him, "Excuse me, Mr. Omar, you can pay us whenever you want, for now, enjoy being a free and innocent man."
"It's okay, but I can't be happy right now...". At that moment, Owen sobbed, "Izzy's gone! And there's nothing I can do about it!" (Oh no, he's crying again. I have to do something before he thinks to wipe his nose on my new suit...).
"Listen, buddy, I'm so sorry for your loss, but you should at least know that Izzy died loving you."
"Uh, h-h-how?" (Maybe I'd better explain...).
"Her last meal was the cupcake you gave her... even though it killed her, in the end she'd only eat something if it was made by her loyal lover."
The blonde man wiped away his tears. "Are you saying she truly loved me?"
Emma nodded, "Exactly. Don't stand there crying. Show her you're her boyfriend who never gives up!" (Show her? But she's not...?).
"Oh, thank you both so much! I want you to enjoy this...". Not knowing where he got them, Owen gave them both a cupcake (Where the hell does he get that food?).
"Excuse me, but this is...?"
"Don't worry, they're not poisoned, it's just a sample of the desserts I made. You know, I've been thinking about opening a bakery, but when she died... I wanted to give up on the idea. But thanks to you guys, I've definitely decided to open it! ...Although I still don't know what to call it."
"Anyway." Emma took a bit of the dessert, "Hmm, I'm sure Ms. Maddy would have loved it if you made these delicious munchies for the others."
"Hmm... wait... Maddy? Munchies? ... Maddy Munchies! Thanks for the name, Emma! I'll honor my ghost lover with my new bakery!". And so Owen ran off, ready to fulfill his new dream.
(Ghost lover? I don't think the afterlife works like that... duh, anyway, as long as he's happy, I'll be happy).
Later, at sunset, Noah and Emma arrived at the Mao Law Offices, run by Emma.
"Today has been a tiring day" Emma said to her employee, sitting in her office.
"I think it's pointless to state the obvious" he replied sarcastically, tacky like him, gathering his things to head back to his apartment. "But I'll always remember this first victory."
"You shouldn't declare victory, Noah. You still have a lot to learn. But remember, I'll always be by your side, so for now, rest well."
"T-Thanks. See you Monday. I love you..."
"What did you say?"
Noah froze before walking out the door, feeling truly embarrassed by what he had just said to his own chief (Way to spill the beans...).
"S-Sorry, I didn't really mean it like that. Well, I..."
Emma giggled, "It's okay, Noah, I love you too. And take care, okay?"
Noah gave her a half-embarrassed smile before walking away from the office, and that's how he walked through the streets of Toronto to his apartment.
(And that's how my first day as a lawyer ended, with my first victory and saving my friend from a crime he didn't commit. But like Emma said, I have to learn a lot more in the cases to come. At least she'll be there to help me... yes, I love her. Luckily, one day, I'll decide to open my heart to her and ask her to be my girlfriend. I'm sure she'll understand).
(But I wasn't sure she'd be there to hear it...)
The End.