Law of the Soul

Chapter 3: Execution

"Ogaka. Minister wants you." Someone wearing an official uniform barged through the door. "I told you to stop calling me Ogaka! It's either Sensei Ogaka or Myojo, got it!" He yelled. A silent snicker could be heard from the back of the room. The innocent Guardians moved out of the way, and a man who looked the same age as Okami, maybe a bit older, was revealed. He has a perfect face, clear and smooth skin, long red hair with two strands on both sides of his face tied with a special cloth, and gray eyes. He covered his face, almost immediately regretting to laugh. "Sorry... Ogaka Sensei." He said with another laugh under his breath. "Oi! Kodame! This is the worst time to laugh!" Myojo said, pointing at his regretful face. "Sorry, sorry." He replied. "Since you wanna laugh, how about you be the one to mentor Okami!" He yelled to embarrass him. "I swear it won't happen again." He said disingenuously. "Hey, Kanashi," Okami whispered, trying to avoid their conflict. "Yeah?" He replied. "So, what is your technique? I didn't understand it." "Okay. So basically-" "Kanashi! Don't you dare tell him your technique yet!" Myojo said. Their faces turned blank. "Can I take a sick day, Sensei?" Kodame asked. "I know you're just trying to get out of the assignment! No!" He answered. Kodame fell back into his chair and slid down. "Anyway. What did you come here for?" Myojo asked the man who had been brought into a civil war between them. "Oh- Yeah... Right. The Minister wants you, Kodame, and the Kuroichi to come to the court ruling for him." As soon as he said it, he left the room without a thought. "Ha, Kodame! You're stuck with me now by order of the Minister! No sick days!" His face became pale as he lowered himself even lower on the chair to the point where he was practically sitting on the floor. "Ay, Sensei." He replied with an unpleasant-sounding voice. "What are we doing, Sensei?" Okami asked. He looked over at him. No smile this time. "We're going to your court ruling." "For what?" He asked. "For your execution." He answered without a regard for him. "What?! You said if I had Kodo, then I wouldn't be executed." "Don't worry. There's only an eighty percent chance you get the penalty. Nothing to worry about." The other Guardians chuckled. "Kodame, handcuff him, please." Myojo ordered. Kodame stood behind him and held his hand out. Suddenly, the bones in his hand began to break out of his skin. He used those bones to build a makeshift device to restrain his hands. In three seconds, his bones had been restored."Doesn't that hurt?" Okami asked. "Yep." He answered with a wide smile. They took him out of the room and entered a long hallway full of offices, break rooms, and bathrooms. "So, Sensei. How big is this dimension we're in?" He asked, walking down the silent hall. "It's infinitely large. It goes however long you want it to go, and it creates whatever your purpose is. I built this dimension, so I should know." That didn't seem too outlandish after what he's seen and the power he holds. He could smell coffee and cologne. Maybe some pastries. "Kodame, is that your Hosoku then? Bones." "I can use whatever my body holds. Blood, skin, muscle, bone, water, anything. That's only the surface level, though." He was amazed by that kind of power. "So that means you are a Metamorph?" "Yep. Also a manipulator and a constructor." They finally reached the end of the ongoing length of the hallway. They opened the door, took a left down another one, and then went right. A courtroom full of jurors, Bengoshi, and the judge sat there patiently. They all turned their heads simultaneously towards them. "Welcome." They all muttered together. "Heya!" Myojo said back. "Stand tall, kid. Or else you will be executed. Just be quiet and let the elders talk." Kodame whispered. "Aren't you the same age as me?" "Nope." He replied. He took him to the defendant's table, where he and Myojo sat next to him. The plaintiff's table was to their right, and an older man with long white hair that swirled the top of his head sat there. The judge had bronze skin and short gray hair and sat down as they entered. "I'm one hundred and twenty-six years old." Kodame whispered. Shivers were sent down his spine as he heard those words from him. How could he look so young but yet be that old? How can he still move around like a kid? "You- What?" He slowly turned to his right. Staring him up and down. Okami tried to cover his laugh. "Stop that!" Kodame said. Myojo began to laugh. "It's not that old!" "I'm sorry, gramps. Did you forget your cane today?" Okami snickered. They both laughed at him. After a few minutes of laughing at each other, they realized that everybody in the courtroom was waiting for them. Both Myojo and Okami pointed their fingers at Kodame. "In the case of Kura Okami, the Kuroichi. We hold a meeting to decide if he will be executed or be placed under heavy surveillance outside. This will be a short meeting today, as there will be more follow-ups if he does live." The judge presented. "Don't stress, I know him personally. I can at least stop him from ordering the execution." Myojo said. "Are you sure, Sensei?" He asked. "Nope." Myojo replied with a smile. "Oh. Great." His smile turned into a nervous frown. "First, Kura will state his situation. He will be ordered to answer any follow-up questions." He stood up and held his hand to his heart. "My name is Kura Okami. It was only today that I discovered that I was a Kuroichi. I just figured that word out as well. I wanted to join the Guardians, but it's impossible now." His hands clenched together in anger. "It wouldn't be impossible. It will take some time if you get out of here." Okami's eyes lifted. "You said that you have never experienced that before. The black blood, the rage, everything?" He asked. "Actually... I have been through that same kind of rage before. Just once. It was when I found my grandfather being eaten by a Stalker." He could feel everyone's eyes directed at him. Were they afraid of him? Did they feel sad? Were they angry? He could smell a strong smell of oak. The judge's scent. "Did you have those same symptoms as last night?" He asked. "I don't know. All I remember is walking into my house, and a Stalker half ate my grandfather, Kakeru. I remember that it ran away as I began to rage. After that, it seemed like a dream." He answered. "Did you catch a glimpse of the Stalker that killed him?" Okami turned his head to face the judge. "I'm pretty sure I killed it." He replied solemnly. The jurors gasped. "How do you know?" "The next morning, I had black blood covering my fists and mouth. I think I ate it, your honor." They gasped even louder this time. "Ah, shut up! Lame cowards! If the person you spent your entire life with died in front of you, would you do the same thing or run away like the pussies you are?!" Myojo held his shoulder to try and tame him. It worked. "Listen. I have no recollection of how I became a Kuroichi or of anything. My dream has always been to kill Stalkers using the law I learned as a Bengoshi. I don't see any reason to be executed. It's not like I killed anyone." Everyone but the Guardians appeared to distrust and hate him. "Alright. The jury will decide to exalt you to hell or to keep you in this one. Please wait a few moments." They grouped and whispered. "You could've softened your tone a bit, huh? Not going so well for a first impression." Myojo said. "Sorry about your grandfather, kid. What did you say his name was?" Kodame asked. "I don't see how it matters... His name was Yokota Takeru." Their eyes lit up. "Wait, what's your full name then?" Myojo asked. "Yeah, sorry to confuse you. My full name is Yokota Kuraokami. I go by Okami or Kura, though. That's a fake ID that I had in my wallet. I've had it ever since my high school days." He smiled. The two of them seemed annoyed. "Kura, your grandfather was one of the living legends as a Guardian." Myojo said in admiration. "Me and him go way back." Kodame added. "It's weird that you're older than him." He commented. "It's not that weird! Your face is weird!" "Ooh, look at him all flustered, Okami. He looks like an angry apple with that hair of his." Myojo stated, trying to hold in his laughter. Okami burst out with laughter. "You guys are bullies!" Kodame quietly yelled. "Don't make him too angry, Okami. We might need to give him some blood pressure medicine." The two of them kept joking about him. The intensity of the room felt lighter. "The verdict for Kura Okami is in." The sound of a pen driving across sheets of paper. Faint whispers are still being spoken. "Kura Okami is found guilty and shall be executed-" His heart skipped a few beats. A cold sweat was sent down his face. Suddenly, the door behind them opens, and a man comes through. He has short blonde hair, perky facial expressions, and dazzling blue eyes, and he wears a dark blue Hanten coat with black jeans. "You don't have to compliment me! I already know that I saved the day!" He said arrogantly. "Just in time... Apollo." Myojo joined him at the judge. "Who's Apollo?" He whispered to Kodame. "He's one of the Guardians. He wasn't there with us because of his assigned mission." He answered. "What mission?" He was asked to gather evidence of the scene where that Stalker was. Hopefully, it's enough to save you." Okami saw them walk to the judge's bench. "Sir." Apollo said to him. "Kura Okami should be placed under surveillance rather than getting executed." "Why is that, egoist?" He asked. "Because we suspect a group of grade Z stalkers is after him. Let me explain my reasoning." Apollo replied. The judge sighed. "Myojo monitored the area last night, even if he was still watching a movie. Before meeting Okami for the first time, he reported that a group of five grade Z Stalkers was watching from a distance. Isn't that right?" He turned to him. "Yep, I already put it into the report. That's when I left my movie and ended up at the scene. I was looking for those five. By the time I got there, they were gone. Okami had passed out from his arm being torn off. I got there just in time." Myojo gave his explanation. "Sir, if you keep him alive, there's a mass opportunity to discover their plan with him. Then we can kill them." Myojo nodded in approval. The judge rubbed his chin and groaned. Myojo sat next to them while Apollo sat with the jury. "You're lucky. Apollo is the greatest detective we have. Even if he is arrogant." Kodame whispered. The judge cleared his throat to attract attention. The whispers were silenced. "On the account of Apollo and Myojo... Kura Okami is found innocent of any charges and shall be placed under strict surveillance of the Giin. Case dismissed." The three of them jumped up in excitement. Even though they hardly knew each other, it felt like they had a lasting friendship. "Oh, I forgot to mention to you, Kodame Sensei. I think Ms. Yaori has a crush on you." He said. "Sensei? I'm your Sensei!" "Why can't you both be?" He replied. "With Grandpa? Nah, nah." "Would you stop referring to me as Grandpa?" Myojo and Okami joined together. "Nope!" Apollo came to meet up with them. "Excuse me, I think you owe me a thank you." He demanded Okami. "The judge was right." He whispered. "What was that?!" "Right, sorry." He laughed. The two of them did so as well. Afterward, they all took a trip to the outside world.