Colorful Sadness: A Zane~Chan Soulmate AU

Chapter Twenty

A/N: The court case will be told in third person point of view, so that we may see everyone's reaction to everything. Also, I would like to say that the closest I have ever been to being in court was a debate we had to do in History class when I was 12, so don't judge me if it doesn't seem like a real court case. The case will be stretched across, at the most, three chapters. Anyway, on to the chapter!

Nana sat in a chair in the courtroom, her ears flattened in fear. She began to play with her tail as she looked around. She was sitting in the first row of seats, Zane and his brothers right next to her. Zianna was up next to Ms. Omet, discussing something in hushed whispers. Athena sat on the other side of the room in the front row, her children in the row behind her. Every sibling was there, little Ju Ichi in the eldest brother, Ichi's, arms. Mr. Adams silently sat next to Athena, looking over a small stack of papers he had. A small jury of roughly ten people sat in their appropriate spot a little ways away.

"Are you alright?" Zane whispered to Nana, leaning closer. He was dressed in a simple dress shirt, pants, and a black tie. Nana just had a simple, pink sundress on and bow in her hair.

She shook her head slightly. "I've got a bad feeling," she whispered, glancing over at her mother, who had begun to do a cat's cradle with some string.

"Why?" Garroth asked, leaning forward to make eye contact.

"I don't see Yon over there," Nana whispered, pointing towards her siblings. Sure enough, Yon was the only sibling that wasn't there. Even the three oldest ones who had moved out were there.

"Maybe she's just late?" Vylad said from next to Nana.

Nana shook her head. "She's never late for anything,"

"All rise for Judge Hancock," the plaintiff said, getting everyone's attention.

They all rose as a woman came through the doors behind the judge's table. She looked rather professional, with her purple hair tied back into a braid and her angular face portraying almost no emotion. She wore a simple suit with a black tie and judge's jacket, her shoes clicking across the wooden floor as she walked up to her elevated chair.

Everyone sat down as she sat in her own chair. "We are we to discuss the termination of Athena Ishida's parental rights over her daughter, Nana Ishida," she stated, tapping her gavel, "We may start with the opening statement from the Ro'Meave's lawyer, Ms. Omet,"

"Thank you, Ms. Hancock," Ms. Omet said, standing and facing the Jury.

"Members of the Jury, I'd like you all to think of any time that you have been hurt by your parents. Well, multiply it by however you may wish and that is what Athena Ishida has put her daughter through,"

Athena glared at Ms. Omet as she continued. "She has forced her to go through things that I would not even call abuse, but torture to try and break her, just because there was something about her she didn't like," The Jury began to whisper among themselves and Athena's nails began to dig into her palms.

"So, I wish for you to consider what would happen if this child is to go back to the house her mother is in," With that, Ms. Omet sat down with a flourish, nodding towards Zianna.

"Mr. Adams, you may state your opening statement," Ms. Hancock stated, looking towards Athena's lawyer.

"Thank you," he said, standing up, "My client merely wishes to be with her daughter again. All of the pain that she says my client has put her through is merely exaggerated. We've all been punished by our mothers and thought of it as abuse at one point or another, but it never really was,"

Nana's eyes stung with tears with every word he spoke, knowing full well that he was lying. She needed to win.

"So, I would ask the Jury to not play into the hands of a little girl who knows nothing of the signs of abuse," Mr. Adams finished, sitting down in his seat. Some members of the Jury didn't look too happy with what he said.

"Alright, now, Ms. Omet, you may call someone up to the stand," Ms. Hancock said, leaning forwards in her chair.

"I call to he stand: Nana Ishida," Ms. Omet said, standing. Nana, who had known this was going to happen, rose and walked up to the stand. She took the oath and sat down, facing the court with a guarded expression.

"Miss Ishida," Ms. Omet stated, "Will you please describe some of the abuse your mother has put you through and the reasons?"

"Well," Nana started, "one of the easiest moments to remember was when she threw me into the neighbor's dog pen with their guard dogs,"

"What was her reasoning?" Ms. Omet asked gently, seeing the shaking that had begun.

"I finished the milk that was in the fridge and didn't tell anyone," Nana said, stating it as if it was normal.

The Jury began to whisper among themselves, glaring at Athena as she rose from her seat, anger enveloping her whole body. Mr. Adams grabbed her arm and pulled her back into her seat, shaking his head.

"Order!" Ms. Hancock yelled, slamming her gavel onto her desk. The Jury began to quiet down as she continued her gaveling, the silence almost as deafening as the chatter.

"Ms. Omet, do you have anything else to ask of her?" Ms. Hancock asked after a minute of silence.

"Miss Ishida, are you comfortable with any more questions?" Ms. Omet asked, turning back to Nana.

Nana nodded and began to outline some of the more common things that Athena had done to her. It included the branding, locking her up in the basement for hours at a time, and keeping her outside at night when she misbehaved. With every word she said, the court got a little more antsy, their glares at Athana hardening.

"Thank you, Miss Ishida," Ms. Omet said once she was finished, gesturing for Nana to take a seat. Nana got up and went back to er seat, Zane's hand wrapping around her shoulder.

"Good job," he whispered, giving her a small smile. She thanked him and turned her attention back to the court. Ms. Hancock told Mr. Adams to call someone up to the stand if he wished.

"I would like to call up Zane Ro'Meave," he stated, surprising everyone.