(x) Irregular Magic

chapter 6 - The Completely Fair and Impartial Trial of Mattie Andersen

"Ron Mizuno is from the District of Nipon," said Ms. Conway, her nasal voice piercing through Mattie's thoughts like a butter knife. She lifted her head from the story she had been secretly reading on her tablet. A young boy, slim and raven-haired, was standing at the door.

Mattie watched with fascination. She wasn't sure she had ever known anyone from Nipon before. The boy had perfectly clear eyes, and stood almost rigidly, warily staring at the classroom of children who were looking at him like he was a spectacle.

"Can anyone tell me where Nipon is?"

A girl raised her hand. "It's a district in Eastern country."

Ms. Conway pursed her lips, dissatisfied with the answer. "Well, yes, you aren't wrong. Anyone else?"

Mattie stared out the window, her cheek against her crossed arms. She would give anything to be home. Tara had just gotten her first broom and she had promised to give her a ride. Bothering Inness would be better than being here, in the hot and humid classroom in Sextus. She doubted he would mind. Her older brother was busy studying for his entrance exams, but he always spared a second for her. Maybe he would show her one of his time tricks.

Her attention was drawn momentarily to a nest of sparrows. She smiled dreamily at the fluttering golden wings, mesmerized. Mattie hoped her parents would be back that night. It had been a while since she had seen either of them.

"—Andersen."

The class got quiet. Mattie straightened and looked around. She hurriedly wiped a tiny drop of drool from the corner of her mouth. The teacher was watching her, eyes narrowed.

"Mattie, please raise your hand."

Startled, Mattie thrust her hand in the air. The new kid rushed to the empty seat in front of her.

"Not exactly the best example to follow," Ms. Conway said disapprovingly. "I hope you'll do better to pay attention, Ron."

The boy called Ron mumbled something under his breath.

Mattie leaned in and whispered, "Did'ya say something?"

He jumped, surprised. Shifting slightly so that she could better hear, he murmured, "My name is Ren."

Huh.

Mattie raised her hand high into the air for the second time, causing Ms. Conway to stop in the middle of her lecture about students who paid attention in class.

"Yes, Mattie?" she asked, looking surprised. Mattie rarely, if ever, participated in class.

"You got his name wrong," she told her pointedly. "His name isn't Ron. It's Ren Mizuno from the District of Nipon, an archipelago off the Pacific Coast, established in 241 Mordorim Era."

Mattie jerked awake, her entire body covered in a slick sheen of sweat. She was abruptly pulled away from the dream-classroom and into a dark room. She was on a bed that looked and felt like it was made of rock. Feeling sick again, she buried her head in her hands.

Ren was going to be executed in three days.

Without trial.

There was no justice there. No fairness.

What kind of complete bull was that?

Tired of all of it, Mattie hopped out of the bed and began to quickly pace the length of the cell.

It made no sense. How could Ren be accused of Heather's murder? A premeditated murder, no less. He had been with her when they found her body. Before that, they had been in Ancient Civ, and before that they had been talking to Heather Zhang. Heather's death was awful, but it was by no doubt a suicide.