This World

by Lee, TD

  Lux grits his teeth, he’s pretty agitated now. “There’s no proof that I did turn invisible.”

  “Well, I respectfully disagree. The lack of seeing you leave the meeting room is proof enough after all. It’s suspicious that you, a person who has such a commanding presence, wouldn’t have been seen leaving that room,” the Prospector confidently claims with that bold grin of his.

  Lord Lux pauses for a bit, looking straight at the Prospector. Lux then cracks a weirdly sinister smirk, “I refuse to testify any further.”

  Every person in this room gasps at Lux’ words. What the lordly hell does he mean he refuses to testify? That’s even more suspicious!

  “What do you mean you refuse to testify?” Berenices asks, even though this refusal to testify will help him more.

  “I mean, I refuse to testify. I have the right after all. I can refuse to testify if it would implicate me as a suspect,” Lux answers, he smiles widely looking like he won the entire case.

  “Fine! Fine, fine,” the Prospector laughs a bit which is a bit unsettling, “Lord Lux can refuse to testify because I can crack the entire case right now.”

  “What do you mean defense?” the judge asks.

  “There are several things that haven’t been addressed, yet with some careful thought, all of these pieces can fit together with some logical thought,” the Prospector answers. “Let’s go back to the beginning and logically understand the flow of events. First, we have Kapros who enters the meeting room. Next we have Lord Lux enter the meeting room with his guards. Third, we have the suspect who peeks into the room and walks her way to the bathroom. When the suspect peeked in, it’s very clear that prosecutor Kapros was alive, otherwise she would’ve reacted. Next, we have the suspect leaving the bathroom with the murder weapon and moving over to the meeting room. The suspect screams which causes the focus on the room. Where was Lord Lux? Well, he turned invisible and had left only to bump into Ridley. But why turn invisible in the first place? Well, it’s simple, Lord Lux had killed the victim,” the Prospector boldly claims.

  “Bah! What you say doesn’t prove that I had killed Kapros,” Lord Lux argues.

  “Ah, hold on there. But I can prove it. After all, the prosecution has yet to give me an answer as to why there are five scorch marks in the meeting room. Not that I actually need an answer, as I have had the answer. These scorch marks are from the murder weapon. The Locust-15 discharges energy bullets that leave burns marks on impact. Why were there so many of them in the meeting room? It’s obvious, the victim was shooting the murder weapon,” the Prospector continues to boldly speak.

  This statement causes everyone in the court to go into an outburst again. It’s like almost anything the Prospector says will cause the people here to freak out.

  “Order!” the judge bellows. “From the sounds of it, you make it sound as if the victim was trying to kill Lord Lux!” the judge exclaims.

  “That is precisely what I am saying your honor. Could the victim have been angry with how Lord Lux was treating him at the end of the trial before the recess? Highly possible. The victim firing the murder weapon makes the most sense as there are scorch marks next to the door entering into the room. The victim’s body is on the opposite end. Perhaps in a struggle, the victim shot accidental rounds that had hit the table. All of this paints that the former prosecutor would be the murderer, yet they are the victim. What does that mean?” the Prospector turns to Lux and energetically points at the lord and exclaims, “Well, Lord Lux had killed prosecutor Kapros in self-defense!”

  “Y-you accursed, wretched scum! Defender of Earth, you are nothing compared to me! I dismiss your claims! All of it! None of it makes sense!

  “Oh? It doesn’t. Well how convenient for you, then again I suppose the lord of a cowardly race of colonizers would dismiss truth,” the Prospector says with a foolishly wide grin.

  Why is the Prospector provoking Lux? Is the Prospector trying to get killed by Lux? If the guy is as powerful as he sounds, Lux can kill the Prospector easily. Oh wait, this is all a ploy by the Prospector!

  “P-Prospector, what are you doing?” Grania asks the very question that I have in my head.

  “You scum!” Lux yells, he pulls his hands back, looking like he’s about to send some lasers at the Prospector.

  The Prospector slyly suggest, “Ah, before you do that, you might want to remember where you are.”

  An unholy screech echoes throughout the entire courtroom. I cover my ears, as does everyone else, but the Prospector. The screeching is coming from Lux, he’s freaking out. His whole body is glowing violently, some lasers are even coming out of his body, hitting in random spots. I hope he doesn’t actually hit anyone with those.

  The Prospector is foolishly smart, risking his life just to put Lux in a trap like that. In front of so many people, Lord Lux couldn’t possibly have gotten away with killing with so many people to witness it. It was a brilliant plan, definitely an unwise one, but brilliant nonetheless. What a risk taker.

  Once Lux’ screeching finally dies down the judge asks, “Lord Lux, I assume that awful scream is your confession? Is what the defense claims true?”

  Lux looks defeated now, he answers, “Yes. What the defense claims is absolutely true.”

  “How did you move the murder weapon to the bathroom?” Berenices asks.

  “Were you not listening you rodent? I have the power of invisibility, it was not difficult to disguise it and place it there,” Lord Lux answers.

  “I would bet that the size of your lasers is the same size as the one that pierced the victim’s body correct?” the Prospector asks.

  “Yes,” Lord Lux answers, defeated. He goes on to explain, “Yes, it is I, who had ended prosecutor Kapros’ life. And it is indeed I, who framed the suspect. The swine had asked me to talk to him during the recess. I saw the suspect go to the bathroom when she had stopped by the first time. She had entered the room the first time to check on the room as Kapros was screaming at the top of his lungs about the trial. Kapros grew more and more ill-tempered as my discussion with him went on. As soon as I saw his hand go for the gun at his waist, I acted instinctively. He shot at me which had missed. He continued to, but with my powers I was able to easily redirect those shots which is how all of the scorch marks made their mark.”

  “Why did you hide the truth? This all would’ve been resolved so much sooner,” the judge asks.

  “Have you any idea what kind of shame it would bring upon my people and my citizens that not only did I have no control over my high ranking officers, but that there is blood directly on my hands as well? It’s shameful,” Lux answers.

  “It was all in an act of self-defense though, it wouldn’t have damaged your reputation as a lord,” Berenices says, confused.

  “Blood is blood, there’s no redemption from that. When a life is taken, it doesn’t come back upon normal circumstances. Even with a life as dastardly as prosecutor Kapros’, that life was meant to be lived. Being a lord of an entire planet, I am the admiration of my citizens. The one they are all to look up to. Yet, if I did something as horrible as this, there is no going back. So, to attempt to be clean of any bloodshed, I hid this, even if it was out of self-defense, it is something that I would not be able to recover from as it would add onto the shame of my citizens within the universe,” Lux continues to answer.

  “Lord Lux,” the Prospector begins with an eerily serious voice, “hiding the situation only damaged your reputation more. People like honesty. A transparent ruler is better than one that hides. Your citizens as well as all citizens in this very court will not remember you for killing out of self-defense, we will remember you as someone who hid a death just because you didn’t want it to be known. The distrust you have from everyone is because of your lack of sense. You don’t know your people or the people in this court. All you know is how you view yourself. With this, I would imagine you have plenty of time to reflect.”

  Lux is left speechless by the Prospector’s wor
ds. When it comes down to it, the Prospector is really good at giving people that strict talk, whether it be encouraging or discouraging, it always seems effective. I’m starting to see what he was talking about during my talk with him. I can’t just wish and hope for something to happen for me, nor can I force it to happen. I have to make things happen myself, it all starts with me.

  “Now that everything is wrapped up and I imagine that neither defense or prosecution has any more arguments of the matter,” the judge says. The Prospector and Berenices remains silent. “Very well, I now announce that Grania Esposito is declared not guilty. Earth will also be exempt from the destruction plea. This court is adjourned!”

  Chapter 22

  That was a horribly unnecessary trial, but a lot of things came from it.

  Grania was finally released from her prison and got her pendant back. She helped me a lot in that courtroom. She risked her life just to help me gain that little bit of confidence and willpower to help the Prospector out. It was nice, but also foolish. Is everyone that’s associated with the Prospector, including himself, just a foolish person sometimes?

  Lux is in question and detained. He is a lord so he might be pardoned, but his fate isn’t for us to know. That kind of trial goes up to some royal intergalactic court. Whatever, as long as Earth isn’t getting destroyed, I think we should be happy.

  The Prospector suggested that we go sightseeing, but Adele declined. She said that we had to head back to Earth. The Prospector’s face was a bit disappointed and sad, but it seemed like he understood. We hauled back to the NEXUS which was where it was when we landed. I’m glad we didn’t run this time around, I was getting really tired of that.

  The NEXUS takes off with its trademark rumbling and I sit facing the large window that shows the everlasting reaches that is space. The NEXUS is a time machine, but it’s not smart to go back in time. Right, I could mess up the flow of time and make things even worse. Not that Hiro being alive would be bad, but things could’ve gotten worse somehow and I don’t want to find out how. Maybe he was supposed to die, like it was his destiny. Oh no, am I talking about destiny? I don’t believe in destiny or fate or anything like that. No, I don’t think Hiro’s death was predetermined, it was just a circumstance to the situation. A horrible circumstance, but one nonetheless.

  Hiro, I’m sorry man. I’m sorry you had to die, but I’ll live on and better myself. I’ll do things that might help people. I have no superpowers, not that I want any, and I don’t want to be a superhero at all. That’s not my thing still. What I want to do though. I’m still a bit unsure on.

  I look over at the Prospector and Adele. Two people that are extremely powerful in their willpower and convictions. They’re strong people. That’s right, I want to be like that. Someone who is sure of themselves. Someone who is confident.

  “Hey,” Grania breaks my concentration and squats down next to me. “You doing okay?”

  “Y-yeah,” I say, she caught me by surprise. “Are you?”

  She smiles at me and answers with a nod. “Much better than being in that cage, that’s for sure.” She chuckles quietly to herself. “You’re also a lot happier than you were before. I’m glad.”

  “Oh, yeah. I have you to thank for that actually,” I say, “if it weren’t for your therapy, I’d probably still be in a huge slump.”

  “Don’t mention it, I do what I can,” she says, sighing and staring out at the window.

  “I do have to ask though. How did you simulate Hiro’s voice and personality? It was like you were actually him,” I ask. That’s still tripping me up.

  She looks at me a bit confused. “I didn’t simulate anything. What you heard was probably the actual Hiro.”

  “H-how?” I ask. That doesn’t make sense. There’s no way Hiro could’ve been talking to me. It had to be Grania doing something.

  Grania shakes her head, “Then I don’t know either. Trust me, I’m not that talented to embody someone I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter how you talked to him, it was what you talked to him about right?”

  I nod, cracking a bit a smile for once. “Grania you’re amazing, truly. I don’t think anyone could’ve helped me like the way you did.”

  “Aw is that a smile? Just for me too! That’s great,” Grania says joyfully.

  “Oi Grania! Can you help me real quick!” the Prospector calls out.

  “Yup, give me a sec,” Grania says, standing up and moving over to the Prospector.

  Taking Grania’s spot though is Adele. She sits down next to me with a smirk on her face. “The Prospector spoke with you?”

  I nod my head. I didn’t think that weird man could get to me, but with Grania’s help they really helped me out. “Yeah, he did.”

  “I can tell, he is quite the inspirational man, may be strange at times, but he will always mean well,” Adele says proudly as if she’s talking about her child. “It does seem as if you have a whole new personality now. More confidence. More levity.”

  “I guess so,” I murmur. I definitely do feel a lot better than I have been.

  “Your uncertainty is still there though, but that can be fixed,” Adele remarks with a bold smile.

  Adele, you’re a weird woman. Yet, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to go on this weird journey. You’re always so confident and bold. Maybe I can learn something from you. Maybe I can find what my potential actually is in life. Maybe.

  “Hey Adele, is it possible that I can work for you?”

  “Work for me?” Adele questions, she then smiles as if she’s been anticipating this question, “Of course, but it will not be simple for you. I will work you to the bone.”

  “I’m ready for that, or at least I think I am,” I say.

  “Good, we have plenty of work to do after all,” Adele declared with the utmost certainty. She stands up, “We will get you started once you get good rest once we return back to Earth. It has been a rather lengthy day.” She walks away to return to the Prospector.

  She’s not wrong, it has been a really long day, but one that has really helped me.

  The NEXUS continues to travel across space, making stars look like blurs. I don’t know how fast this thing moves, but man is the ride still smooth. Visiting that planet only makes me think how many others there really are that we don’t know about. Even the Sephirots came from a planet too. There’s a lot to this world that I have yet to learn.

  The NEXUS is ready to land, I only know this because of the violent rumbling it tends to have on takeoff and landing. Once the rumbling ends, the NEXUS remains completely still. Adele and the Prospector exit the NEXUS first, followed by me and Grania. I take a deep breath and it’s the familiar air that I’ve lived with. We’re really back on Earth. The NEXUS is where it was the first time I saw it, the alleyway near Adele’s agency. The sky is turning dark, an orange horizon shines on the clouds.

  “Welcome back home!” the Prospector announces happily.

  Adele chuckles quietly. “Thank you Prospector.”

  “No, thank you Adele! You were brilliant as always!” the Prospector praises, he tightly hugs Adele. When they pull away from each other he asks, “You have everything?”

  “Yes, thank you again,” Adele replies. She looks over to Grania and smiles, “It was great meeting you Grania. You take care of this old nut job, he will need it.”

  “Nut job!?” the Prospector protests.

  Grania laughs and says, “I will, it was wonderful meeting you Adele. You take care.” Grania focuses her attention on me and adds, “You take care of yourself as well Ridley.”

  “Yeah, for sure,” I say, “thank you again for what you did.”

  The Prospector moves up to me and places his hand on my shoulder. “You were spectacular Ridley! You take that potential you have and run with it and you’ll do wonders. Just remember that, even in the direst of times, do your best.”

  “Um, thank you Prospector, for everything,” I say.

  “Where will you be o
ff to next Prospector?” Adele asks.

  The Prospector looks up in wonderment. “Don’t know yet. As long as we don’t have another incident in a museum, everything will be just peachy,” the Prospector says with that usual wide grin of his.

  “You beware of those replicas then. Farewell Prospector, until next time,” Adele bids her farewells to the Prospector, her tone is sad.

  The Prospector and Grania enter the NEXUS again. Before the door closes the Prospector says, “Until next time!” The door closes and within seconds the Nexus wheezes and blinks in and out of view until it completely disappears.

  “Ah, that was a wonderful adventure,” Adele sighs as she starts walking out of the alley.

  “It was something,” I mumble.

  As soon as we get out of the alley a couple of familiar faces crosses our path. “Oh, you guys are back,” Dom greets me and Adele. Near her feet is Shiko who is panting and wagging his tail happily.

  “Dom! Please, fill me in on what has happened,” Adele inquires. This woman is just nonstop.

  “Negative on a reply from M, but his whereabouts are now known so asking in person will be possible. K has replied back and it’s a positive from her,” Dom responds.

  What is Dom even saying?

  “Then we will attempt to rendezvous with M tomorrow,” Adele proclaims. There’s a smile on her face. She clearly understands what Dom is saying, but I’m just out of the loop.

  “It will be best to engage with him at night time as he is constantly in the same place nightly,” Dom adds.

  “Perfect,” Adele says, smiling, “and how long have we been gone?”

  “About a month, give or take a day,” Dom answers nonchalantly.

  A month? It’s been a month? From the looks of it and just the fact that I’ve been up for a single day, it feels like it has only been several hours.

  “Quite the length of time,” Adele sighs.

  “A month?” I question. I can’t wrap my head around it. It felt like it’s only been a few hours, how could two weeks have gone by? Maybe it’s some space and time thing I don’t understand, but that’s weird. I feel like I just lost two weeks of my life.