Chapter 25 and let's get started.

(Karine POV)

Karine considered herself lucky now. She was certainly still trapped in this show. She had to endure 2 transformations and she knew that many more would follow. But for fuck's sake, she could be glad she wasn't in Marion and Charlotte's shoes.

_“Let's begin this trial by asking the prosecutor to describe the charges against our 2 defendants,” _said Dakota.

Light then rose and stood in front of the jury. Karine could see that he was taking the time to look each of them in the eye. He must have been thinking about how to manipulate them. Karine wasn't naive, she knew she was at risk of being manipulated, but frankly she was curious to know how he intended to convince so many people with such different characters.

“Your Honor, ladies of the jury, dear audience, we are gathered here to judge the **** allowed by our two defendants here present. I will do my best during this trial to demonstrate how they organized and orchestrated Matamune's ****. But make no mistake, it doesn't matter which of the two actually carried out the fatal blow, all that matters is that they organized the **** together. I therefore move to convict Charlotte Buch and Marion Roka of the crime of ****,” concluded Light.

“Thank you, Mr. Prosecutor, but could you remind us, Nola, what the penalties are for a **** conviction?” asked Dakota.

“I'll do it right now, Dakota. I mean, yes, Your Honor. Would you like the penalties for **** in China, Russia or France?” Nola asked innocently.

Karine could see that Elisa was doing her best not to burst out laughing and quite frankly Karine needed all her concentration not to do the same. It was obvious that Nola's stupidity was natural, as if she were Dakota's natural kryptonite. At least this trial was likely to be funny in some ways.

“Nola, can you remind us of what country we're in?” Dakota asked with a big smile, surprising Nola with her friendly tone. Nola must not have been used to Dakota being so nice.

“But come on Dakota we're not in any country we're in Harem Hotel. Why are you asking this question? Do you want to go to these countries? I'm sure it can be arranged, even if it's going to be difficult during the trial, but I'm sure we'll have time after the trial. Yes, but after the trial there's the season you're driving, so that might be difficult too. Maybe afterwards, but what if I have a season then too? Can we drive an international season maybe? Oh yes, that would be a good idea. I'd have to propose it to the producer, maybe he'd give me another season. But then...” says Nola before being interrupted again by Dakota.

“Nola! You donkey's ass. When will you learn to keep your mouth shut? Give me the penalties for **** on this show! And then shut up,” yelled Dakota.

“But Dakota, I'm a Leprechaun, not a donkey's ass... " Seeing the look on Dakota's face, Nola decided to answer the basic question instead.

_“The penalties incurred in case a candidate is found guilty of **** during the show are between -80 VP and -160 VP if she pleads guilty and between -100 VP and -200 VP with the option of elimination in case, she pleads not guilty.” _said Nola.

Losing 200 VP or rather getting the equivalent in transformation, was it really any different from dying? there would be almost nothing left of anyone after that much transformation.

Everyone was silent, pondering the consequences of a conviction. Were they really going to sentence someone to such a penalty? It was almost tantamount to a **** sentence. Was a cat's **** really worth it?

“It's not that difficult to answer a question. I hope my next question will be shorter. Does your client wish to plead guilty to the **** of Matamune, Mr. Dellini?” asked Dakota.

Francisco looked at Marion for a moment before finally answering the judge.

_“My client pleads not guilty, Your Honor,” _replied the lawyer.

_“Noted. Is Charlotte making the same choice?” _asked Dakota.

“That's right.” summarily replied Anna without adding the 'Your Honor'. This didn't seem to escape Dakota, who simply smiled.

It really wasn't wise. Karine couldn't help thinking that Charlotte or even Anna would end up paying the price if Anna didn't bend over backwards.

“Ok thanks for pleading not guilty, I was afraid you'd choose to plead guilty just to spoil my fun. Wonderful. You have the right to say a few words in your defense before the prosecutor begins his closing.” said Dakota.

The two lawyers looked at each other before Francisco waved his hand and said, “ladies first”.

Anna didn't need to be told twice and stepped forward to face the jury.

“Dear judges, dear jury, I stand before you to defend Charlotte. During this trial, I will demonstrate that, in addition to the fact that the **** charge against her is completely unfounded, Charlotte tried to prevent the crime from being committed. Our beloved policewoman listened only to her courage and tried to protect Matamune. And if she's guilty of anything, it's failing to prevent the worst from happening. Thank you for listening,” said Anna, returning to her seat.

Interesting, Karine thought. Anna presented Charlotte as not guilty but refrained from pointing the finger. A policewoman risking her life to defend the widow and the orphan was an interesting and credible story, but that didn't necessarily make it true. Let's see how the professional lawyer responds.

_“Thank you for allowing me this time to speak, Your Honor, I'll try to be as brief as circumstances permit. First of all, I'd like to congratulate my colleague, who has managed to come up with an alternative story in record time, without any real preparation. As a lawyer, I know how difficult it is to construct such a story from scratch in order to instill doubt in the jury. After all, that's all it is, a story. But I'm not here to cast aspersions on Anna or even Charlotte. Circumstances less **** than this show have already led people trained in the use of **** to make rash decisions. No, my real adversary in this trial is undoubtedly Mr. Prosecutor. It is he and this show who are the real culprits, without the **** circumstances that **** our dear policewoman to commit such an act. But I digress to say that I'm going to prove at the trial that this show is the one really responsible for killing that cat, and if you really need someone to blame, I'd suggest the person in charge of the show at the time, Miss Nezoko,” _concluded Francisco before taking his seat.

Well, that was something else. In just a few minutes, he'd managed to assert that Marion was innocent, that the person who'd committed the **** was Charlotte, but that the real culprit was in fact the show, and more precisely Nezoko. Speaking of Nezoko, she was gritting her teeth. She couldn't bear to be accused like that. If Dakota hadn't tortured her recently, she'd probably have retaliated regardless of the trial.

_“Thank you for those few words. I'm sure the jury found them very interesting. I'm now going to let the prosecutor describe the events as he thinks they happened. He's free to call witnesses, but the defense will of course have the right to question the witness,” _says Dakota.

Okay, let's see what the prosecutor can come up with when there hasn't even been a police investigation.

“Thank you very much, Your Honor, but I don't want to put you to sleep with a long indictment. I believe in facts and evidence, and that's why I intend to start by calling the first witness in this case. I call the host of this show, Nezoko, to the stand,” declared Light.

_“Objection, Your Honor. One cannot be both witness and juror” _exclaimed Francisco.

“Objection overruled, the witness is admitted,” replied Dakota, with a look in her eyes that made it clear she had already anticipated the objection.

Nezoko got up and sat down in the witness chair. Once Nezoko was settled, Light began his questioning.

_“First of all, I'd like to thank Nezoko for agreeing to take part in this exercise. My first question will be quite simple. Can you tell us about the discovery of Matamune's brutally murdered body?” _said Light.

_“Your Honor, he's clearly influencing the witness,” _exclaimed Francisco.

“Objection sustained. Mr. Prosecutor, you were only asking specific, factual questions,” replied Dakota.

“Okay, I'll rephrase the question. Can you tell us how you discovered the body?” asked Light again.

“I was observing William and Hélène's first date of the season when I received a notification that Matamune had disappeared. Naturally, I teleported to Matamune's last known location. That's when I saw Matamune's body lying on the ground,” says Nezoko.

“Can you describe who was present when the body was discovered and what they were doing?” asked Light.

_“The first person I paid attention to was Charlotte. She was standing there on her knees in front of Matamune's body, clutching a bloody knife in her hand. Marion was standing a few feet away and her clothes were stained with blood,” _said Nezoko, whose eyes burned with rage.

_“Thank you Nezoko. I have one last question for you: what did you feel when you discovered Matamune's body?” _asked Light.

_“Objection, this has nothing to do with the facts of the case,” _exclaimed Francisco.

“Objection overruled. You may answer the question,” said Dakota.

_“I didn't immediately understand what had happened. I was still hugging Matamune just hours before. He couldn't be gone. Once I realized he was dead, I felt nothing but emptiness, as if something was missing. Only then did my anger and desire for **** kick in. I was about to reduce Charlotte and Marion to ashes when the producer called me to order and **** me to organize this trial. I hope you're happy and grateful. The producer saved you a few hours' survival,” _concludes Nezoko.

Karine wasn't really sure whether this trial would have a positive outcome for Charlotte and Marion, but it was certainly better than the alternative of Nezoko taking **** on his own.

“Thank you for this poignant testimony. I have no further questions,” said Light before returning to his seat.

“The defense has the floor. Francisco, you may put your questions to the witnesses,” said Dakota.

“Thank you, Your Honor. Mademoiselle Nezoko if you'll allow me to call you that, I don't know what your last name is or even if you have one.” began Francisco before being interrupted by Nezoko who replied.

“Nezoko will do. Don't bother with stylistic turns of phrase, I've no use for the words of a baboon's descendant.”

_“I see. Nezoko, can you explain why you didn't see the crime? If I've understood correctly, everyone is filmed at all times during the show” _asked Francisco.

Yes, it was a question that had been on Karine's mind since the beginning of the trial. How could there be any doubt about who was responsible if everyone was always being watched?

_“That's not how it works. I don't have the gift of ubiquity. To be able to communicate with you, the producers have imposed a few constraints. I can see any candidate, but I can only observe one at a time. The audience and the producers obviously don't have the same constraints, so they had to witness the bloody **** of poor Matamune,” _says Nezoko, not concealing her rage.

_“Okay, I understand, but can you explain why the audience and the producers didn't tell you the identity of the culprit?” _asked the lawyer.

Dakota chuckled at the question.

_“What's so funny, Your Honor?” _asked Francisco.

“The answer to that question is so obvious I couldn't help laughing. It's all for show. Nothing is more important than the show. Punishing the culprit would be an easy thing for the producer, but it would be pointless for the show and the audience. And in the end that's all that matters,” Dakota replied.

_“That's exactly my point. If all that matters is the show and the audience, then can't we imagine that it was the producer himself who orchestrated Matamune's **** to entertain the audience? And if that's the case, then it doesn't matter to us who was holding the blade, because in the end it was the producer who ordered the crime” _questioned the lawyer.

So that's what he was getting at. Karine was **** to admit that his argument made sense. How could she imagine, in a show with powers like these, that something unplanned could happen?

“How dare you accuse the producer of Matamune's ****? I swear I'll tear you to shreds...” again Nezoko didn't finish his sentence.

_“I'd ask you to save your threats for later Nezoko we don't have time for this. And I don't suppose you have any more questions Francisco?” _said Dakota.

Francisco seemed to realize that it was best to leave it at that for now.

“That's what I thought. Anna, you're free to ask your questions of the witnesses,” said Dakota.

Anna stood up and positioned herself in front of Nezoko, looking at the jury.

“My first question is simple. Did Nezoko at the beginning of the show think about the possibility of **** during the show?” asked Anna.

_“No, because it had never happened in the history of the show,” _replied Nezoko.

“Okay, but had you considered that different problems could be caused by the participants?” asked the Bunnygirl.

“Of course. Problems with contestants happen almost systematically in every season,” said Nezoko.

“Okay, and at the beginning of the show, who did you think would cause trouble?” asked Anna.

“Marion, obviously, that woman's got blood hotter than an erupting volcano,” replied Neoko.

_“I have no more questions,” _replied Anna, returning to her seat.

Karine couldn't form an objective opinion. Every scenario really did seem possible.