Previous Post Adventures in Parodyverse: The Trial of Liu Xi Xian, Part 3     Jay Boaz awoke, and because he was lying on his stomach, he rolled over because he sensed someone else was in the room.  He saw Lara Night curled up in the plush chair across the room, quietly reading by a dim light.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“You stayed here the whole time?”  he asked groggily.     Lara tossed him a chilled bottle of water.  “I know why you haven’t been sleeping,”  she accused.     He stared at her, hoping she was bluffing.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I saw,”  she added.  “Yuki did too.  She told me not to let you out of my sight.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I can handle--”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, you can’t.”  She interrupted him, and then she stood, and sat beside him on the edge of the bed.  In a quieter voice, she added, “If you could, you would have, and gotten a good nights’ sleep.  How long has this been going on?”     He opened his mouth, but he couldn’t think of anything to say.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“How long?”  she repeated.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Three nights.”  He finally relented.     She lowered her voice and asked, “And you didn’t tell the one person who can taser anyone who comes within ten feet of you?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I thought...we kind of have enough problems right now,”  he explained.  “I thought I could beat this, I just had to get the timing right.”     Lara sighed.  “Look, it doesn’t matter.  What’s important is the more tired you get, the more defenseless you become.  And don’t shake your head, because there’s a ninja tactic to wear down a powerful opponent by making them terrified and paranoid, robbing them of sleep.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“There is?”  he asked.     She nodded.  “Maybe we should ask Chiaki for help with this--”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, Chiaki is busy with the trial.”  Jay pointed out.  “I don’t want to jeopardize Liu Xi’s chances because Chiaki is distracted with my problem.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s a pretty big problem.”  Lara pointed out.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I know.”  He lowered his voice to near whisper.  “And I trust you to help me solve it.”     Lara new he really felt backed into a corner if he was finally asking her for help...in his own way.  “I can help you,”  she confirmed, “But...it would kind of be the hard way.  We’d have to try and wear down the assassin before he wears us down.  I’d really like some helpful information.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Chiaki’s method, eh?”  he asked.  “Put pressure on whoever hired him so he knows he won’t get paid, and he’ll give up and leave.  Trouble is, a lot of people want me dead, and all of them want to be anonymous.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, that is a problem,”  she admitted.  “Let’s try to set a trap.  Tonight, we’ll try to look like we’re sleeping huddled together - an easy two for the price of one hit - only one of us won’t be sleeping.  And don’t say what if someone else sees.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I won’t, I won’t.  I promise.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sounds like a plan, then.”  She smiled, and hopped off of the edge of the bed, returning to the chair where she was reading.  “I’ll wait right here till you’re ready, then we’ll go see the trial.” ---     Ã¢â‚¬Å“All rise!”  a bailiff in the courtroom called out as the judge ascended to the bench, and sat down.     The judge looked over the courtroom.  The usually crisply dressed prosecutor was wearing a suit that looked like it was brand new, but hadn’t been altered yet - it was slightly long.  Arnie Armbruster, unusually, was in a perfectly clean and ironed suit - except he was also leaning back in his chair, sleeping.     She banged the gavel loudly, for her own amusement of watching Arnie jolt awake and nearly fall.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Today, we will begin witness testimony.  As the witness lists for both parties is short, I don’t anticipate it taking too long.  That’s a warning to both of you - if you waste time with showboating, ridiculous questions, or anything similar, I will cut you off.  Mr. Prosecutor, your first witness.”     The prosecutor rose, and cleared his throat.  “Your honor, I’d like to call Agent Michael Wood of the FBI.”     The Agent took the stand, and was quickly sworn in.  Finally, the prosecutor approached him.  He didn’t notice Chiaki Bushido leaning over the partition in the courtroom, behind him, to silently pass papers to Arnie.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Agent Wood, what’s your area of expertise?”     Agent Wood cleared his throat.  “Forensic analysis of crime scenes in the cases of the use of super powers, magic, elemental power, or any other unusual abilities.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“And what did you find in this particular crime scene?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“A room damaged by flame so intense, that every object in the room spontaneously combusted, including the victim.  There was a pattern of burns in the room that suggested a nexus of the flames.  That nexus was approximately sized so that it implied a human presence controlled them.”     Arnie quickly stood.  “Objection, that’s opinion derived from facts not in evidence.”     The judge furrowed her brow, irritated at first.  But he was right again, oddly enough.  “Objection sustained.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fine, then I’d like to enter the diagram created by Agent Wood at the scene, and photos he took of the scene, as evidence,”  the prosecutor said.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Objection again!”  Arnie yelled.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why this time?”  the judge asked.  She was curious.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Now he’s showboating!  Why didn’t he enter that evidence before questioning this witness?”     The judge sighed.  “I did warn against showboating.  Please enter your evidence first next time.  I’m going to overrule the objection this time.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Agent Wood, please describe what’s in the diagram and photos,”  the prosecutor continued.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“As you can see,”  Agent Wood indicated toward the diagram, “the flames spread out in a spiral pattern, like a pillar of flame.  It spread outward quickly, burning everything around it, but keeping the nexus of the pillar safe.  According to the measurements of the nexus area, someone about the size and height of the defendant was present.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Was any more evidence present?”  the prosecutor asked.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“There were trace amounts of bodily fluids matching the victim.  The type and amount suggests that he engaged in a sex act before being killed.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Objection!”  Arnie announced.  “I don’t like what he’s implying.”     The judge didn’t understand what he meant, so she motioned for Arnie to come closer.  The prosecutor followed.     Whispering, Arnie protested, “He’s implying my client engaged in prostitution.  The jury knows it too.  It’s making my case more difficult.”     Judge Anna Marie Lewis shook her head.  “Look, Arnie, you’re going to have a shot at questioning this witness in a moment.  You can discredit him on your own time.  Meanwhile, let’s get on with this.”     Arnie sighed and returned to his table.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Any further questions?”  the judge asked the prosecutor.  “Any more witnesses?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, but I reserve the right to call more later on,”  he replied.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Fine.  Cross-examination, Mr. Armbruster?”     Arnie stood again and headed toward the witness stand.  “Have you ever paid someone to have sex with you?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Objection, irrelevant.”  the prosecutor said absent-mindedly.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s relevant.  Give me a minute,”  Arnie insisted.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, I haven’t.”  Agent Wood replied.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Because you find it easy to pick one up any time you want?”  Arnie prodded further.     There was a delay before Agent Wood finally answered, “I don’t see how that’s--”     Arnie had walked back to his table and picked up the papers handed to him earlier by Chiaki.  He picked up one, and held it high.  “Did you have sex with this girl you picked up at a trendy club downtown a week ago?”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“Objection!”  the prosecutor repeated.     The objection was ignored as Arnie went on to address the jury.  “Her name is Tandi.  She used to be a sexbot, but she now is free.  But she likes to frequent clubs, and flirt with men.  She wrote on the back of this photo--”     He flipped it over quickly.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“--I see him at these clubs three or four times a week, and he’s always grabbing my ass and trying to lure me into the men’s bathroom.”     He looked up, and Agent Wood was beet red.  “So maybe you just see sex everywhere.”     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I...I--”  Agent Wood said.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“No further questions!”  Arnie interrupted him.  He high-fived Chiaki as he returned to his table.     Ã¢â‚¬Å“I think it’s time for us to recess for lunch.”  The annoyed judge banged the gavel against her desk.  “We’ll re-convene in two hours.” TO BE CONTINUED Story written and copyrighted (C) 2011 by Jason Froikin, and may not be reprinted without permission.  Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow.  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin.  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin

This remains an interesting challenge in that we know Lui Xi is guilty of the crime. I'm so used to the hero having been framed or the facts having been twisted unfairly... I don't think that's the case here.

Looking forward to more.