ORIGIN - One Final Act as King

The owl came forward and spoke but, at first, not about what Ky had asked of him but of what he wanted to get off his chest. He asked first if this was a good time for a trial to which the lioness responded with a murmur of "yes". It was a good a time as they were getting. Then he talked about the hateful, firebreathing, thing. For a moment she paused. Was he talking about Leon? She looked sidelong at the bear before her sense came back to her. Perhaps he didn't mean the bear but something else. This was confirmed even further when the owl questioned if the thing would come after them. Leon was already here, Dark had heard that, so what thing was he talking about? Makyna was completely clueless and her expression spoke that much. Perhaps that should be the next issue they discussed but for now, they had others things to speak of. "I'm sure we are safe now. If it wanted us it would have come by now." That was true enough, right? It had been a few days since Cancer had gone missing and if the thing had followed they certainly would have known it by now.

Then the owl questioned her, something that made shame well up in her belly. Shame and guilt. "I tried... It did not help..." She looked away, eyes hurt and words bitter with the shame she felt. Could she have done more? Could she have gotten between them? Makyna didn't know and she didn't want to dwell on the past thoughts. The past was the past and there was nothing you could do about it.

The same could be said for this entire trial and attempted murder. She pushed the thought away... It wasn't helping. She just had to keep thinking about what he did... About how Cancer hurt Leon. Just focus on that.

Then there was the part she wanted, the part where Dark told what he had heard. Roars, fighting, yes. She expected that. In all actuality she had hoped for more details but received none. None over the fight, anyway. What she got was Cancer's words. First in Dark's own impression then in her mind with Cancer's actual tone. There were only a few words but enough for her to turn to Cancer and narrow her eyes. "Rest in pieces..." She said quietly, mostly to herself as she pondered over the context. If he was able to walk up to Leon and say that... wasn't that a bit, premeditated? If Leon gave him the chance to utter those words... didn't that mean if he wasn't down and out that he could have acted to hurt Cancer? Makyna knew what she needed to do next.

"Thank-you, Dark." She watched the owl go for a moment before turning to Bevy, she had one more appeal to make. "I'd like to call myself as a witness. If I may? I can use hindsight and see the fight from Cancer's point of view." Perhaps she would find something incriminating, something that would pin him for sure. That last bit that he said certainly was something... but was there more?

With that she turned and stalked over to Cancer. The look in her eyes said she wanted to be no where near him but the trial dictated that she should. So, with loathing in her eyes and deep in her heart she lifted a paw to touch him, barely a brush with her pad, as she tapped into her magic. Her eyes closed and behind them she saw images from Cancer's point of view.

She was running, tired, as she tried to lead Leon away. He was slow but she knew that he was right behind, if she tried to break he would be there to wreak vengeance. Scared for her life, scared Leon would end her. Darkness... the image flickered, the spell was weak so it skipped, skimmed some parts but again it flashed strong when Cancer was in Leon's grip. Heat, pain, death, she could feel it all around her as the metal of the armor burned against her body. Leon was there but he was the one causing the pain, the one hurting her. Had to do something... had to... energy and a blast of something, of humming, of ringing. What was it? Had she attacked? She had.

Next she was approaching Leon, still with fear, still with some new emotion... couldn't place it. Not strong enough. She spoke in the vision and in the trial room, "Ever since... that first day... you hated me... Ever since I met you, I knew you'd hurt me. I knew it." Purposeful steps. Leon still on the ground, not moving, not focusing, injured. Cancer seeing the bear as evil but still there on the ground. "No more. You can't hurt me anymore. If you... If you make it out... you'd better treat her like the goddess she is." The taste of leather as she pulled the knife out, the intent, to kill, to prevent from more harm. "Rest in pieces, shit bear." Prepared to lunge but stopped... quaking... ending... blackness...

The lioness gasped as she opened her eyes, blinking as she stared around the courtroom. For a moment she was silent, mulling over what she had seen. The beginning of the fight, the fear, the desperation. No. That wasn't important, that was the heat of the battle. She had felt it, felt the thrill of getting claws into bear flesh and landing blows. No. She had to focus on the latter part, the part that was to incriminate Cancer. She knew what she would say. Slowly she made her way back to Leon's side and sat next to him, pressing her coat into his reassuring. She knew all too well what he was feeling as Cancer stood over him, she knew what Cancer felt as well. "I saw, first hand what happened, right through Cancer's eyes." She looked at him, pupils slitted as she stared. Eyes angry but perhaps a little less. Still, she could see through his emotions but couldn't condone what he had done, her eyes turned up to Bevy. "It still remains, after the battle at which, yes. Both parties were trying to kill each other but that was both and in the heat of the battle. While I don't condone fighting I say that's excusable. After the fact Cancer used some sort of attack to throw Leon off of him when they were grappling with each other when Leon, yes, set him on fire." She slipped Leon an apologetic look but wouldn't lie. Yes, it had seemed like Leon wanted to make him burn in that moment but again, it was the heat of battle. Excusable. "However, after that blast Leon was done. Through Cancer's eyes Leon seemed evil, Cancer thought he would get up and hurt him more... but... Had he paid more attention instead of thinking of only death, of only battle, of only himself, he would have seen that Leon wasn't getting up. That blast hurt Leon badly. I used hindsight on Leon myself before and saw this, Leon was far from getting up. Was far from conscious... Cancer should be held accountable for his actions. Held accountable for not thinking before he attempted to murder his clanmate." She was done. Tail curled around her paws as she dipped her head to Bevy. This was what she felt. No matter what she could not condone murder, no matter what. If Leon had shown some signs of life, some signs of getting up, perhaps she could drop the case but she could not. Cancer was wrong... Cancer was wrong for trying to make himself a victim in this whole thing. In her eyes he should feel ashamed of himself even wanting to turn the case around. Anger wasn't really in her blood anymore, just a strong conviction, a strong resolution that this murderous cat should be sent away before he could hurt anyone else.

With his selfishness perhaps he really was evil in his own way but... weren't they all? "The prosecution rests." The sound of stone on ground was heard as the lioness kicked the crystal to Cancer.

words: 1377
tagged: Trial
ooc: ---
muse: 10/10

"Talking looks like this!"
"Thinking is this!"

Cancer glanced over at Leon as he began to speak, his first words met with a glare- like daggers. No, that wasn't fair. The cat listened to his side, and for a moment, he almost scoffed. Trusted him? The leopard looked away, unable to believe it, unwilling to think that this bear was anything but selfish, greedy. He'd wanted Makyna for himself, so he'd left, to make her yearn for his company. She'd gone to find him. She'd left, he'd given up. She promised to come back, to love him, but instead, she assumed, and hated, and now...

Leon was still speaking. Cancer tried to focus. More about his side, his view. The cat listened with some manner of sarcastic disbelief. As if any of the bear's words were believable... but they were. Torn, he opted instead to look ahead at the wall of the cave, eyes narrowed, muscles braced. When Leon spoke of the fire, the want to put him out, Cancer snapped his gaze back at the bear with venomous surprise. He didn't speak, but his expression said enough. Do you think I'm stupid? It seemed to say, as if the bear was talking nonsense. Burn and crush him, more likely. But he continued, explaining how he was down for the count, unable, unwilling to get up. Then, it was done, he pleaded the jury find him only as guilty as the opposition, and rested his case. He stared at Cancer and the cat stared back- but he didn't wear a grin. He looked... torn apart. That same deep state he'd been in with the dagger between his teeth- unsure what to believe, unsure of himself. Furious and scared... instinctive.

Makyna's voice broke him from the stare and he turned to scowl in her direction. She was so smug, so fucking confident. Once, it had been attractive. He'd been glad to see her come out of her shell, be bold. Now, it only stung, like salt on a fresh wound. He rolled his eyes as he looked away, and she called Dark as a witness.

What happened next broke his strong demeanor completely. The blind bird mentioned the beast, the dragon, and Cancer felt the urge to assure him- the tunnel was too small. That dragon would never fit through. In his mind's eye, the beast was too big to travel beyond Monoceros. He looked to Makyna as Dark threw an accusation at her- why didn't she stop them? Why didn't she stop them? Suddenly, her fault in this whole ordeal became a little more clear.

Then, Dark began his testimony.

Cancer's world fell out from beneath him as the bird relived the event for them. He looked away from everyone and anyone, at the ground, the falls, anywhere he could not to look into someone's eyes. As the owl spoke, he began to remember those bits and pieces he'd pushed out of his memory. They came back, bit by bit. He shuddered under his skin, eyes clenching shut to try and block it out. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He didn't want to relive it. The final words stopped his shudder dead and the cat sat frozen, eyes wide, staring at nothing. I really said that. I...

Makyna spoke again. This time, she called upon herself, and at the mention of her magic, he felt his shoulders tense further, his hackles rise beneath the armor. She approached him and he flinched to look at her, eyes already wide with relived terror. As she brushed him with her paw, though, he became rigid. She began to speak, and just softly, under his breath...

"Ever since..." He couldn't help it. He could feel it. The fire still scorching his back, the ringing in his ears, the white haze around his vision- no longer seeing the trial's setting, but the scorched stone and bloodied bear. He could feel the burns on his back, the blood on his face, the dead-on-his-feet exhaustion from the fight, and whatever... whatever that thing had been. That silence. "No more. You can't hurt me anymore." His own voice shook as he spoke, word for word, in time with Makyna. Perhaps it was her magic forcing him to relive the memory, or his own trauma from it all. It wasn't over. Tears began to soak the fur on his face, his body shaking. The knife. Those horrible words. That horrible feeling of helplessness, desperation. The world fell apart and as Makyna gasped and pulled away, he shot back like a dart, choking back a sob and burying his face under his paws, grounded.

She was speaking again. He could hear her, that voice, but it didn't sound right now. He hiccuped into his paws silently, looking more as if he were trying to recover himself than actually crying. Then, a second later, she began to try and make it seem as if he were still a cold-hearted murderer. He looked that way, didn't he? I am. I am, I am, I am. I was... I would've... A despicable tone in his voice rang out, almost sounding like her. That devil woman. That witch. In the end, she still condemned him. He froze, shell-shocked. Why. Why were they doing this? Why was she so angry?! He'd done it for her! For everyone! He'd thought...

The crystal brushed his pelt and for a second, silence. Still and thick, like stagnant water. He rose from his position on the floor, face wet, eyes still wide but now, there was a flurry of emotions behind those normally stoic, reserved eyes. He snapped his gaze to Makyna and with a curl of his lip, he lost the last of that much-needed composure.

"FINE!" He shrieked, voice rotten with the cry. "Fine! Condemn me! Banish me! DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ME!" He shook his head. "I'm DONE! Nothing I say will convince you! Nothing I do! I've done EVERYTHING for you and you still won't even listen! I DIDN'T ATTACK HIM! HE ATTACKED ME! I DIDN'T DO THAT- THAT- that- THING that made him fly off! IT WASN'T ME! I thought- I thought it was the same! I thought he was like me, stunned! I didn't KNOW he was that hurt! I didn't THINK or NOTICE BECAUSE I WAS FUCKING BLIND AND DEAF AND SCARED AND IN PAIN!" He screamed. It didn't matter now. He was as good as banished anyway. Let the jury see his fury. Let them see his pain. Maybe they'd think him an unstable monster. Maybe he was. He continued without a breath in between.

"I WAS JUST TRYING TO STOP HIM! If I had known- if-" He came to a stammering halt, eyes turning to Leon, wet, wide, terrified and angry and hurt. "I'm not a murderer! I didn't know!" He staggered on his feet, away from the crystal, away from the pair of prosecutors. His tail caught his hind leg and he fell to his rump, looking shocked both with his own outburst and with all that was happening. It hadn't sunk in until now, the full extent of what happened. Reliving it, hearing both sides. "I... I'm done. Just... just make the call." He croaked out, shaking his head, shaken and utterly defeated. He stared at the ground, unable to look up, to look at anyone now. Fuck the protocol. Fuck this scene, this life. He felt sick to his stomach, sick with himself, with Makyna's betrayal, her continuance in blaming only him. Her ignorance to Leon having any faults at all. Leon's tormenting stare... he wanted it all to just... stop.

"Speech"

OOC: Sorry Ark. Makyna ruined the chance at Cancer playing courthouse any longer. |D

Fisher had heard the commotion. He had heard, seen, felt this coming a long way off... And he really wanted no part of it, why would he? He was still sore, though his wound was mostly healed to the point where he could hop around without tearing something open again, thankfully. His skin crawled as he tried to sleep in Cancer's den, hearing the roars, the yelling, the pain of a fight he felt all too responsible for creeping in until there was nothing he could. He couldn't just sleep through all of this...

The noodle crept out from behind the waterfall as Cancer began to scream, the pain sharp and pugent to the brown gembound's senses. He wanted to race over and lick his face until everything was better... But no. They were long past that. He would only make things worse, old encourage the giant bear and fierce lioness to hurt Cancer more. Fisher closed his eyes tight, creeping closer to the crowd, his skin crawling with unease. Every word the leopard spat, he felt deep inside. Cancer was his mirror, all his internal damage showing. Cancer couldn't hide his feelings, his pain, like Fisher could. His tail swished as he drew to a stop under the Judge's rock.

Even Bevy had gotten... Harsher... Since the fight. Since he came here. She had been so nice when he had met her, and now she was cold. She still took care of his wounds, but there was a sharp, stinging glare in her eyes-- as if even she blamed him for how horrible things were. He could feel her glaring over him now, watching Cancer with cool disapproval. Of course they hated Cancer now. Fisher understood why, he understood that they would hate him just as strongly if they knew.

Let's run away together, he thought, a bittersweet begging in his mind. He just wanted to run up to Cancer, lick his cheek, and bark, RUN! and never turn back... But he was too late now. They had heard the story-- there were so many gembound, the most gembound he had seen in any place in a great long while. They would want to hurt him more, for what he had done. Whatever it was. Murder? Cancer hadn't meant to, things just came over him. It happened.

As Cancer gave in, Fisher picked his way forward, to the black cat. He met the leopard's sharp, brilliant golden gaze and put a paw on the quartz crystal, eyes full of understanding and misery. They would never work out. Two disasters so close would only bring more ruin. After this, he had to get as far away as possible, and never see the handsome, perfect piece of heaven again. Fisher had to run away from all of this, from the only small bit of love he only got to taste once.

He would miss Cancer so dearly. He wished he could do more.

"All I have to say is..." He spoke out loud to the crowd, his voice shaking-- or was that his body, the scar so massive across his side in clear view of the entire audience. "Cancer didn't deserve any of this. No one listened to him. He's a good gembound, trying to do what's best for everyone. You're all pushing him away after misunderstanding and attacking him..."

Fisher's eyes met Makyna's and Leon's, fur bristling, teeth flashing. "And after this is all over, you'll see this was your fault. You did this to him." To the mustelid, he and Cancer were the same. He understood the poor leopard better than his own damn ex-girlfriend ever did... And the pair of sweethearts, fighting for "justice", had hurt more than Cancer before. They hurt Fisher too... And he would never forgive them.

"And Cancer deserves better than your backstabbing, cruel hearts. He was your friend,

your family, and you ABANDONED him!"

calypso
critical and melodic
ooc;;
BEGIN: REBUTTAL/CLOSING STATEMENTS:
MAKYNA POSTS -> CANCER POSTS (OPTIONAL) -> JURY VOTES
after the closing statements i'll make an OOC thread summarizing everything that was said so people can read through it easily! once that thread is up, please feel free to cast your vote 8)

"That is quite enough, Fisher, Calypso's voice rang out, clear and icy. Cancer had, more or less, rested his case, which meant that the time for witnesses was over. Even if Fisher had a point, Cancer didn't want to continue. She shook her head and turned her eyes to Makyna.

"The defense rests. So now-- because I am going to run a fair trial whether you like it or not, Cancer-- Makyna, please. You may now offer a rebuttal to Cancer's statement, followed by your closing statement. After that, Cancer, if you have anything left to say, say it. It's only after that that we shall vote for your guilt."

Calypso was not about to have her court ruined by a salty wet cat and a overcooked noodle. She was going to run this perfectly, to the T, and no one was going to stop her.

murderers are not monsters,
they're men; and that's the most frightening
thing about them

She was ready for this to be over with, to be done and to move on with her life. Condemn Cancer and send him away then she could start thinking of other things. Until then she had to hold onto why she had called for this trial in the first place. Cancer had a point, Leon had attacked him but after that it had been both of them. Both were in the wrong but Leon hadn't taken it so far. She could see what he meant but again, she also could not. Makyna's ears pinned at the yelling, screaming mess of a leopard. He wasn't helping by screaming everything out. At least in her opinion he wasn't but then she was just a bit biased.

After his tirade Fisher came out. Makyna didn't even know that he was still around. The sight of him brought on a fresh wave of guilt. He had been caught in the crossfires of this, an innocent that had been mowed down in the war. The lioness regretted what she had done to him and even now as he sided with Cancer, she could find no more anger against him. Only sadness and pity. He knew only Cancer's side of the story and after her angry he probably wouldn't want to know hers. Their friendship... she'd ruined it.

Bevy's voice rang out, silencing the fisher. Makyna never knew Bevy was so cold, so good in these situations. She was showing a side that Makyna had never known. "I only have to say this. Murder and violence is not the answer, there's always another way. I only wish that you all had realized that before things went this far." She was done, no more. Let the jury decide.

words: 292
tagged: Trial
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

"Talking looks like this!"
"Thinking is this!"

calypso
critical and melodic
ooc;;
JURY TIME!!!!!!
Calypso nodded to Makyna, glad she simply wrapped things up shortly. The bird turned her beak to Cancer, waited a few painfully long and awkward seconds, and finally looked to the jury.

"I take your silence as the end of our trial, Cancer. Jury, it is now up to you. If you wish, you may discuss among yourselves, but please tell me your vote on the matter. A two-third's vote must be reached, if you are not unanimous."

That being said, she fluttered down to Makyna, Leon, Cancer and Fisher. She cast a glance towards Dark, nodding in approval to his assistance. She glanced to Ammy, wondering how she felt, but said nothing more. She simply raised her wings, and beckoned the group to move off to the side so that the jury could decide.

murderers are not monsters,
they're men; and that's the most frightening
thing about them

SUMMARY TIMEEEEEEE (let me know if i missed anything here :3)

Intro

Bevy:

The Prosecution's Opening Statement

Makyna:

The Defense's Opening Statement

Cancer:

Bevy:

The Prosecution's Case

Leon:

Makyna:

Dark:

Dark (imitating Cancer):

Dark:

Makyna:

Makyna (imitating Cancer, using Hindsight):

Makyna:

The Defense's Case

Cancer:

Fisher:

Bevy:

Makyna's Ending Statement.

Makyna:

Cancer does not have an ending statment.

Baratheon had been to Polaris looking for his best friend and brother but he wasn't there. The dragon sniffed all around, occasionally tripping over his own paws. In the span of a few days he had doubled in size, far outgrowing his past stubby self. Now his wings were larger and body longer, leaner, as he became a rapidly growing adolescent. Baratheon didn't know how large he would get in the end but now with this fast growth spurt... He was left wondering.

Well, he would have to think deeply on it later, for now he had to locate his brother. It was then that he heard the sound of a loud roar, an urgent call for assistance. Baratheon didn't know the creature who roared but he felt that he should go answer the call. Tucking his large wings at his side --a thing he hadn't had to do before because they were so tiny-- he took off at a lope, following the voice.

He arrived in a large chamber filled with water. His pink eyes looked around with awe, but that was only briefly as he saw the other creatures assembled. An angry lioness, an angry bear, an angry leopard, and a cold looking tiny bird. Why was everyone so upset? He tilted his head to the side, large ears flopping comically as he listened. A trial, eh? A trial for murder? He could sit in on that, couldn't hurt.

He turned to follow the bird's instructions but paused. A smell hit him. The distinct salty scent of blood. His eyes turned to the leopard again, focusing in on that cut. Eyes blinked as they started to catch a tinge of red. It took a moment but the dragon was able to shake his head forcing himself to back away. He had eaten, he had just eaten not too long ago. His belly was fine. He was fine. He wouldn't snap. Focus on trial. Focus on Booker. Not much blood. Not much blood.

He blinked his eyes and looked away, breathing as little as possible so as to try and keep the blood scent away. For the most part it worked and he was able to focus. Probably too intently, on the trial. He had no thoughts of Booker, he couldn't afford to get distracted so he paid rapt attention to everything. The leopard's words... just not to the leopard's face.

After the trial he was speechless, pondering over everything as he tried to reach a verdict. Well, what did everyone else think? He turned and with a tilted head asked, "What are ya'lls thoughts?" Don't focus on the blood, focus on the trial. Focus on... Usui? He hadn't noticed the lion before but now he looked at him. He wanted to see how the fellow was doing... but he also felt shame about their last meeting and his eyes lowered in shame.

words: 484
tagged: Trial
ooc: Um, ignore that spell cast attempt lol. Matt: he hasn't noticed Booker yet XD he's trying to keep himself focused lol
muse: 7/10

"Speech"
Thoughts

Booker had traveled to Pisces with Quix and, as he frequently did, wandered off after exploring with the fennec fox. Loud voices, angry screams and thunderous footsteps had driven him into a secluded crevice, water dripping into the hideaway from one of the many miniature streams that carved through the walls. It'd taken him long minutes to convince himself to go see what all the fuss was - after all, what if Quix was in danger? - and when he had, he'd found himself entranced with the trial, tiny body well-hidden with all of the commotion. The numbat had crept as close to the large group of Gembounds as possible, curiosity overtaking fear, and listened wide-eyed as a multitude of gigantic beasts - and one tiny flying one - spoke in turn.

The story tickled at his brain, reminding him of something Quix had mentioned. Hadn't she told a tale of her mother and father that was similar? Still, he shrugged it off - the whole thing was a big gummy mess, like he always thought of dangerous emotions. Cancer, Makyna, Leon and Fisher were all gummed up inside, and it didn't seem like the trial was helping much to un-gum them. Shaking out of his rapt attention, Booker turned to look at the other jury members, head lifting out of shock when he noticed his brother. Quickly, he scurried to the dragon's side, taking care to stay out of the way of his paws, lest Book get squashed. Too nervous to speak up just yet, he thought instead, clambering up one of Baratheon's back legs to rest between his wings.

He watched Cancer and Leon warily, rolling over their testimonies in his young mind. Both too big to hide, he thought, eyes narrowing in contemplation. Both too hurt to run. Booker huffed, stuck. After all, if he were in such a vicious fight, opponent felled, how could he tell whether or not his foe would get up, continue fighting until one of them was... well. He waited for the other jurors to speak, trying to shake off what he felt were the beginnings of becoming gummed up himself.

The case was over. Anger, dejection and frustration had displayed itself throughout the trial under the careful guidance of Bevy. Usui payed closed attention to the words which were spoken but other gembounds who started trailing in did not escape his notice. The lion was surprised, and pleased, to see Baratheon. Despite their run in, he knew that it had not been the pink dragon’s fault. He’d just needed to recover from his wounds and rest up before dealing with Baratheon again – who knows what could happen next, if he scented blood? Usui looked over the gembound who had grown larger and more refined. While glad for his friend, and brother, a striking worry rose within Usui. It seemed that Baratheon was going to get larger and then, no one could stop his bloodlust. Not even himself, unless he used magic successfully.

A little numbat came in as well, at which he looked on curiously. Usui had never met a tiny creature as him, and he would very much like to seek an audience following this meeting. Bevy called for the jury. Usui looked at Bevy and nodded, then spoke, "We’ll have a minute or two,” then turned around to face the little crowd Maji Walezi had gathered for the jury. Baratheon was the first to speak, asking for their thoughts. Usui looked at him kindly, indicating that he’d forgiven him for their previous encounter and still considered him to be a brother. "We are called upon to decide if Cancer is to be rightly labelled as a murderer. He has proven through his deliberate actions to remove Leon’s gem with his knife that he is guilty of such intentions and this is unacceptable for a leader.” He paused, and let his eyes sweep the crowd. "This has extended beyond self-defense. I find Cancer guilty. However, Leon is not to be without guilt as well for taking the first strike in setting another gembound on fire, which seems to be the pushing point that sparked off the fight. As Cancer has mentioned, he was in pain, and this confusion and pain he felt could have escalated his emotions to the point of wanting to commit such an act.” Usui paused again and looked towards Baratheon, and the little numbat, the most distinguishable in this group thus far. "I vote for Cancer’s guilt, as is our duty in jury, but also suggest to Maji Walezi that Leon is not to get away scott-free.” He stopped now, and waited to hear the opinions of the rest.

"Fat leopard,” the fox muttered beneath her breath as she quickened her steps towards the adult-ish thing called a trial. Although she had personal relations with Cancer and Makyna, Quix knew that as a Maji Walezian, her duty was to the family, and she had to learn to put aside these feelings and attend the hearing not with the emotions of kinship but with the justice of a jury. Beyond that though, the little fox had one thing – mercy. This was a trait innate within the sunshine girl whose vengeance could only last temporarily. She lay curled in a dark corner, yearning to meet with Cancer and comfort him like Amaria did but was unable to bring herself out into the light. She knew what would happen. Her presence would make her king feel even more guilty and stir up more emotions, perhaps, for she was so torn between both leopard and lioness…and the bear, the bear had taken it all away.

She cast her gaze towards Bevy who seemed not very friendly at the moment. Stern and unyielding, she carried on with the proceedings without the emotions of a friend. It was right but…as she called forth the jury, the girl could contain herself no longer. Casting her gaze upon Usui, the only one whom she recognized amongst the group, she dashed forward and with utter heartbrokenness gave her verdict. "Mercy.”