September 21, 3:45 PM

Teikō Academy

Auditorium nº2

Inside, Kagami was awestruck by the modern design of the room. The contrast between the anthracite of the walls and the white bamboo floor lighted up the place in a cold yet attractive way. High up to the white ceiling illuminated by thin rectangular led lights, down to the rows of anthracite classy seats filling his view, his eyes didn't let a single corner unspotted.

By a glance, the capacity of the room could welcome at least two hundred of students.

He got down the stairs along Himuro who were looking for vacant seats at the front rows. But, they were all occupied.

"Hmm, as expected there's more people than usual today," Himuro led him to some seats at the back.

In few minutes, most of the seats were taken. All eyes directed on the stage, even though the trial has yet begun.

On it were already present two students, a tall green-haired boy wearing sunglasses and a purple-haired boy who was slouched on his small desk, eating a lollipop with a detached look. Taking into account they were on the stage, it could only meant they were the students in charge of the trial. Moreover, both of them were wearing an armband on their left arm. For the four-eyes, he could read on his red armband «Prosecution», and for the bored giant, he read «Judge» on the black armband.

"It's Murasakibara Atsushi, a first-year," Himuro presented, "and the judge of this school court."

"A first year is a judge?"

"Despite being a high school freshman, Atsushi has more than two years of experience as a judge under his belt."

Kagami was confused, he lost track. The school court was an unique system established in this high school, and didn't exist anywhere else. If last year he graduated from middle school, how come this Murasakibara Atsushi had that much experience? Unless he was a prodigy and was already working for the japanese ministry of justice, his question was left unanswered.

Though when he saw the purple-haired teen playing with the judge's hammer in boredom, a lollipop in the mouth, it sure was hard to even perceive an ounce of brillance in him, let alone imagine him presiding over a trial.

Seeing that the confusion sealed his mouth, Himuro added, "Teikō Academy is an escalator school, you're taught from 7th up to 12th grade here. The campus regroups both middle and high school. Didn't you find it odd to have such vast campus for a simple high school?"

No wonder this academy was immense. Himuro went on his explanation and told him that even though middle and high schoolers were sharing the same campus, each had their own administration and used different facilities for class.

Evidently, two administrations meant two student councils and such inside the same walls. And so the same goes for the school court system. There were two courts of justice – one for middle schooler, the other for high schoolers.

Which explained Murasakibara's experience. After graduating from middle school, he continued to take on the judge role in high school.

"Atsushi has been presiding over trials since middle school. More accurately, since the school court system has been founded."

"That guy has?"

Himuro mused on the said boy, a soft smile portraying a full-respect, "He might not look like it but he's the very first judge Teikō has known."

Kagami quirked an eyebrow. So, the first judge was a middle schooler and the very first trial in Teikō had been taken place at the same period. When that thought echoed inside his head, remants of his conversation with the chairman this morning added a strange ring to it.

"Hold on a sec, that means the school court was established by middle schoolers!"

"They didn't tell you?" Himuro looked back at him, cluelessly.

Kagami did recall the chairman mentioning a bunch of students that wished to established a fair and perfect order in this school, but he thought they were all seniors whom came up with that idea.

"This court system was founded two years ago by the middle school student council of that time, to let a chance for every students to be heard and treat every cases fairly and with impartiality. It was first experimented in middle school before the school board decided to adopt and apply it on the whole academy. In less than a year, the school court had developped into what you're seeing today."

A stage, seats for audience, equipment for trials, everything was truly made to present it as a show and bring it under the spotlights. And, when he noticed the room was full, the students really played along it...and liked it. But was a trial really that fun to watch?

"Its popularity is mainly due to the efforts of the six students behind the school court creation. It wouldn't have been so popular and successful if it hadn't been for them. Most students named them the "Generation of Miracles", as they helped many people out of hopeless situations. They always fight till the end to get to the bottom of a case and hand down a just verdict..." Himuro marked a pregnant pause and looked sharply on the two boys on stage, "That usually was their way of keeping the scales of justice right in Teikō."

By the way Himuro was putting it and that hard gaze, Kagami couldn't shake off the feeling that something happened to that group, so he asked, "What become of them?"

The raven-haired teen shrugged his shoulders, "They all graduated last year and have become high school freshmen. Most of them are in the student council and continue to ensure the prosperity of the school court, just like Atsushi, though he's not officially part of the student council. But you see the one on the right?"

Standing like a pole behind a massive wooden desk, the greenhead was quietly waiting for the start of the trial. Or maybe was he sleeping since he had yet seen him move an inch, who could tell if he had his eyes opened or not behind those thick sunglasses. By the way, he failed to understand why he was wearing them inside, was that a new trend in Japan?

"It's Midorima Shintarō, the current vice-president of the student council. Like Atsushi, he's one of the Generation of Miracles. He's a well-known «attorney» here, it was him who took on the prosecution in the very first trial."

Kagami then mused on the opposite side, where the defense desk was. Yet, it was remaining empty.

"And what about the defense?" He turned to Himuro to hear about it but he didn't expect to see such a pained expression on his face. The latter slightly bit his lips in hesitation.

"That's...," He began before a group of four students erupted in the auditorium from the left side door below. A girl and two tall boys were ushering a raven-haired boy to the stand, all three wearing yellow armbands. From his angle, he couldn't read what was written on it.

"Those three are from the disciplinary committee, in the school court they represent the police, as their armbands indicate," Himuro enlightened him, "You have here Aida Riko, the head, Hyūga Junpei, the vice-president and Kiyoshi Teppei."

"And the guy between them is the accused," Kagami guessed.

"Yes, Takao Kazunari. He's been charged of robbery and assault."

"We've brought him, he's been under our surveillance since the robbery," declaimed the brown short-haired girl, Aida, on stage, "Our report has already been sent to the president."

"Talk about a time-consuming job..." complained Hyūga, "Fortunately enough, there aren't many delinquents lately. You imagine if they were to act at the same time, it'd be impossible to keep them into custody all the time. Some would probably run free while we'd be chasing after them non-stop," He sighed and added, "And no free time is the same as saying goodbye to my new collection of sengoku period figurines."

"Eeh, sengoku period figurines are your new hobby! That's why you were in a good mood these past weeks," Kiyoshi stared at the bespectabled boy with round eyes, then he grabbed his chin in reflexion and asked, "...But, Hyūga, didn't you just give away our weakness after having said that? If any ill-intentioned people listen to your idea and make a plan out of it, we'll really be in deep trouble."

Hyūga stared him back, his eyebrow twitched in annoyance, before realising that Kiyoshi was right.

"I didn't say anything like that!" He said for his defense.

"You did," Kiyoshi affirmed.

"You just did, Hyūga-kun," Aida topped the statement, "Anyways..."

She looked around and stopped her gaze on the defense side.

"Hm, where is Kuroko-kun? He's not here yet?" She enquired.

"Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara perked up his head towards the defense desk. Still empty, "He wasn't there already? He's so small and hard to notice that I tend to forget about him..."

He took the lollipop out of his mouth and put it in front of him, just where the defense attorney should be standing, and stared at it in boredom, "Hm, he'll eventually come, he doesn't know when to give up. It's so annoying...He should just give up by now, it'll make work easier for me."

At the last remark, Aida was about to give a piece of her mind but Kiyoshi prevented her from making a fuss right before the start of the trial and brought her out of the stage with Hyūga.

As the trial was to begin shortly, Murasakibara sat up straight on his chair and, in his motion, he crossed the eyes of the accused just below, who waiting behind the witness stand.

"Uh, the accused looks like Mido-chin's driver."

"Because it's him," Midorima told.

"At least say I'm your friend, Shin-chan," Takao retorted with reproach, though his light tone made it sound as if he didn't really care about it, "And since when did I become your personal driver?"

"I'm not to blame if you're bad at rock-paper-scissor, Takao," brushed it off the greenhead, "More importantly," He glowered at the giant boy sat on the chair and asked in exasperation, "Did you even read the case file before coming, Murasakibara?"

"I did...you don't have to be so worked up, I know my job," Murasakibara hissed, not liking the condescending tone Midorima used, "I'm just bad at recalling face and name. Besides, why should I even remember the face of a culprit? They're nothing but trash."

As he said that, his eyes narrowed, his gaze travelling from the accused to the green-haired prosecutor, "That aside, is that really okay for you to be representing the prosecution today? The accused is your friend, or so he says. Aka-chin might not like it."

"Don't lump me together with idiots who mix private life and work, and just to let you know, Akashi is the one who appointed me for this case," countered Midorima, annoyed to have his competence doubted. So he decided to get things straight, "I'm only here for justice to be done and I don't intend to change my approach today. Inside a court, all those who are brought to the stand are strangers to me."

"Oi, oi, Shin-chan, can't you be a little more nicer to your friends?" Takao jested to lighten the mood, "You can't seriously believe I've done it."

"Do not call me like that," Midorima gave a sigh, "and this no laughing matter. You're about to be judged, don't forget it, Takao."

On those words, Murasakibara spoke up to the audience and demanded silence.

Court was now in session. Much to Kagami's surprise. The defense has yet made their entry.

"What, they begin the trial without the defense?"

"The accused has probably decided to represent himself during the trial," Himuro replied, unfazed by the situation, like all the students around them. Nobody reacted, which was very strange too, "It's nothing unsual."

"He can do that?"

"No rule says he can't, but if you ask me, it's a risky bet."

"I don't get it," Kagami cocked his head, "The school court is a chance for everyone to get defended, so why don't they rely on it to get someone plead their case?"

When he observed the back of the raven-haired boy at the stand, he doubted he'd stand a chance against the judge's hammer and the prosecution's arguments. No matter how he looked at it, Takao Kazunari was on the verge of being eaten up by the judge and the prosecutor. His aura paled in comparison of the latters.

"Sometimes they have no choice."

"What do you mean?"

Himuro's hand clenched into a fist and said bitterly, "That their case is hopeless. Nobody want to defend them, or at least think they can."

"That makes no sense. What the heck is wrong with the defense attorneys? They don't want? They can't? That just makes them cowards," spat Kagami in disgust.

"Taiga," Himuro hushed him and gave him a sad look, "We're not in elementary school any more, where good and evil can be easily told apart. The world isn't all black and white, and a trial can show you that nuance. Just like the prosecution can put all charges on an innocent, the defense can also set free a real culprit. And, as someone who wants to uphold justice, you should understand their feelings, right? Can you really fight for someone who's guilty and let an innocent pay for his wrongdoing?"

"Tatsuya..."

Even so, was that reason enough to cross their arm and wait when an innocent might get punished in the real culprit's stead? And not believe once in a defendant's innocence? Those question burned his lips yet he remained silent. He understood what Himuro meant and he couldn't say anything to refute it without sounding naive. But still, in what way could this be called justice if nobody tried to get the truth?

"Don't let it get to you," Himuro reassured him with his usual soft smile, "The school court hasn't always been like that. It's just that there no longer are people to believe in a defendant's innocence."

He saw it, that accusing look that Murasakibara and Midorima were giving to the defendant, and they weren't the only ones to believe in the defendant's guilt, the audience wasn't sparing him as well.

But, what was bothering Kagami right now was his childhood friend. In the past, Himuro was always one to stand up for justice, so seeing him so quiet was unsettling. Of course he understood that things were more complicated now than when they were kids, but he couldn't fathom out how he could tolerate this situation.

A faint clink pulled him out of his thoughts, Kagami felt the metal of the necklace ring on his skin. How cold.

"Mido-chin, your opening statement."

On stage, Midorima grabbed a paper and read it aloud, "Takao Kazunari is accused of robbery and assault. He was found in the home economics club room at the time of the incident by a member of the home economics club who was passing by. From the witness's testimony, the defendant and the victim were fighting and during the fight, the defendant knocked the victim unconscious with a blow dealt on the head with a rolling pin."

"Who's the victim?" asked the judge.

A vein popped up on the green-haired boy's forehead for being interrupted by a stupid question, "The president of the home economics club, Mibuchi Reo."

"Oh, I know him," Murasakibara exclaimed as the name rings a bell, while Midorima muttered exasperatedly, he should already know that name from the case file, "That guy's cooking is really good...He's kind enough to let me taste their new recipes, and share snacks with me, so I often spend time there when I'm hungry."

"What you're doing in your free time is not of my interest, Mura―your honor," Midorima almost bit his tongue as he corrected his speech, then he cleared his throat and went on, "...As I was saying, the defendant attacked the club president, the cause of the fight being likely the robbery of the Four season deluxe cookies, intended for sale the next day of the incident. It seems like M. Mibuchi caught the defendant in the act and tried to stop him."

"You sure have guts to steal those cookies! I was looking forward to eat them...I even saved up money especially for that occasion, I wanted to buy at least ten packets."

"You really were excited about it..." Takao sympathized, though he barely knew what else to say.

"Now I have to wait for next month..." Murasakibara went on ranting while Takao sent a helpless look to his friend, Midorima, but the latter ignored him, much to his dismay, "...Aka-chin seized all the cookies for the investigation, I didn't get to taste one."

"...Isn't he just keeping them for himself? Those cookies are reputated for being delicious, even that guy must like them."

Takao's comment didn't seem to have fallen on deaf ears, Murasakibara was giving the idea some consideration. But probably he should have thought carefully before speaking because the judge's expression was gradually getting darker. Something was upsetting him.

Takao gulped as Murasakibara was eyeing him. It was so intense that he could imagine laser beams coming out of his eyes.

"That doesn't change the fact that there's no cookies this month! Aka-chin wouldn't have seized them if you hadn't commit the robbery. You should be found guilty for that right now!"

In the heat of the moment, Murasakibara lifted his hammer high, ready to wrap up this trial. Seeing the hammer up, Takao flinched, a bead of cold sweat running down his cheek.

"Hold it, your honor," Midorima intervened, "It goes against the procedure to hand down a verdict as I have yet finished my opening statement. Hold your verdict until all decisive facts are stated."

"So annoying..." Murasakibara grumbled, his hand itching to condemn the cookie criminal.

"Good job, Shin-chan! That was close," At the close shave, Takao lifted his thumb up for his friend's support, but he didn't rejoice long after noticing that the hammer was still raised, "If possible, your, er— honor, could you put that hammer down? That's pretty scary when I look at it from the stand," He half-joked on his situation, wondering if he should find it actually funny or be worried, "Besides, the trial is just getting started, right?"

"It's only a matter of time before it'll end," Not in the mood for jokes, and losing some of his patience, Midorima declared in a grave tone, "the evidences are all proving you're the culprit. Not only you were found after school in the home economics room with the victim, all the stolen cookies were found in a garbage bag on the rickshaw you're using to commute to school. Furthermore, that rickshaw was conveniently parked outside, under the windows of the room next to the crime scene, which could have helped you make a quick escape after the robbery."

On a wide TV screen, placed between the judge and the prosecution desks, Midorima showed a rough plan of the crime scene with a remote.

As he made his point, he turned his attention to the raven-haired boy, "Doesn't that make a lot of coincidences, Takao?"

"You got me," Takao gave in against the evidences, raising his hands up as though he was caught red-handed, "But well, they're just coincidences that happens to pile up at that time. My luck was the worst that day, you said it yourself. You even gave me a lucky item that was supposed to raise my luck, and after that, you avoided me for the rest of the day. You were scared of being caught up in my bad luck."

Midorima huffed at the last part, "But to think you'd use the lucky item to commit a robbery..."

"What was the lucky item?" Murasakibara raised the question.

"A wrestling mask," answered Takao instantly.

"I have it here," The green-haired teen presented the said piece of evidence to the court.

All could see the orange piece of cloth, three holes were cut for the mouth and the eyes. Two black almond-shaped lines were circling the eye holes and a white symmetrical pattern was spread on the orange mask.

By a glance, it looked pretty new, visibly it was bought recenly. There were no stains nor rips on it.

"It's just as we found it the day of crime. The defendant had it in his hands, as well as the rolling pin he used to knock the victim out, when he was caught by the witness."

"Eeh, lucky items can be really convenient," Murasakibara accepted the piece of evidence. As he looked closely at it, he enquired, "He was wearing it at the time of the incident?"

"M. Mibuchi said so."

"Then how did the victim recognize that cookie criminal behind the mask?"

"The victim has all the reason to think it was him, since the defendant might bear some grudge against him."

At that piece of information, Murasakibara listened more carefully.

"The day of the crime, M. Mibuchi declared that he caught Takao in the home economics club room during lunch break, eating some cookie leftovers, baked the day before the crime as a test, and punished him by not allowing him to get cookies at the HE club monthly cookie event," Midorima looked above his sheet of paper in his hand and closed his eyes as he continued stating the facts, "Certainly, that was enough to drive the defendant into taking drastic measures."

Strangely, Takao was silent, he didn't try to deny the statement. His oddly quiet behaviour didn't slip Midorima's notice, the latter kept a careful gaze on him but said nothing.

"So, you didn't try once but twice to steal cookies...Aren't you stupid for be repeating the same mistake twice, and the same day?" Murasakibara rebuked, his grip on the hammer becoming firm, "I got tired of listening, everything's clear. Mido-chin, you've finished?"

Midorima sneaked a glance at Takao before uttering, "I have nothing more to add."

"Then, it's decided. All I got from the facts is that none other than you could have done it. You were alone with the victim after school when no could see or hear you, the cookies were loaded on your rickshaw strangely parked near the crime scene, you even wore a mask to hide your identity when you attacked the HE club president. Sounds like your true motive was revenge rather than a simple robbery.

"W-Wait a second! What revenge?" spoke up Takao.

"Since the president wouldn't allow you to get cookies at their event, you wanted to ruin the home economics club by stealing the goods. Without them, they can't hold their monthly cookies sale and you keep the cookies all to yourself."

"Isn't that a little too big? I mean plotting a revenge just for cookies sounds kind of stupid..."

"In that case, what business did you have in the HE room so late? The facts say you were there, near the unconscious body of the victim with a rolling pin and a mask," pressed the giant judge.

"Like I said, that's really just coincidences!"

"Coincidences, huh...Is that all you can come up with for your defense? That's not decisive proof in a court," Murasakibara refuted the argument.

Seeing the judge on the verge of handing down, Midorima decided to raise one last question, "Speaking of which, that first time you were caught at the HE club room, was that a coincidence as well?"

"That's..."

Again, Takao seemed peculiary troubled about that event. He added nothing new, much to Midorima's dismay.

"Hmm, it doesn't change anything if we know it or not. In that case..." Without pushing the matter further, Murasakibara raised his hammer swiftly, leaving no room for pointless comment, "I declare the defendant, Takao Kazunari..."

At the judgment, the whole room was dead silent. Not even a single breath.

All alone at the stand, Takao could only watch, powerless, the hammer falling down...

"HOLD IT!"

The sudden shout spurted from the defense side to everyone's surprise.

"Hold it...!" repeated the mysterious boy while trying to catch his breath, "I...I have yet cross-examinated the defendant...!"

"Kuroko!"

"Kuro-chin..."

The teal-haired boy greeted them as though everything was normal, but he barely received a warm welcome from his fellow colleagues, and the cause of such reaction was surely not only a matter of punctuality.

For a long minute, began a silent clash between Murasakibara and Midorima on one side, and the mysterious boy on the other. Eventually, Murasakibara lowered down his hammer, although keeping it in his hand, while Midorima reajusted his sunglasses up his nose bridge in silence.

"That guy!" exclaimed Kagami, startling some students around him. He couldn't hold his astonishment, to think that quiet and strange guy was part of the school court and represented the defense...Well, that must explain all those sheets of papers scattered on his desk in class. It was the case files.

"You met him?"

"Ah, yes, we're in the same class. His name was...er, Ku-Kuro-something..." Kagami racked his brain to find the name but to no avail, all he remembered was his heart attack this morning because of this phantom guy. At that thought, a silly question popped up in his mind : where did he come from? He didn't see or hear him getting in through one of the several entrances of the auditorium, he just showed up on stage like...a ghost. Given the reactions in the audience, and on stage too, nobody know exactly when he got there.

Honestly, that was a damn serious lack of presence!

"Kuroko Tetsuya," completed Himuro.

"A-Ah, that's it!" He responded nervously as he tried to compose his thoughts, earning a suspicious look from his friend, "I'm just surprised to see him as a «defense attorney». He really doesn't give off strong vibes, no, well, strangely I can't sense anything from him..."

Himuro chuckled at his disconcert, "People who met him for the first time generally say so. But Kuroko has some kind of reputation here, though," Then, he added, "Well, just recently."

"Just recently? Isn't he from the Generation of Miracles? If I understood well, most of them are still working for the school court."

"No, he joined them a bit after. Despite that, he did contribute in the success of the school court with them. In middle school, all six members and him formed a rather impressive justice team together."

A team...? Like the great duo he formed to fight evil with Himuro in the past, impossible...From the way Murasakibara and Midorima were staring his classmate down, it'd be more correct to say that they were currently facing a foe than a valuable ally.

"Frankly, that's not the impression I have."

The atmosphere was already tensed at the trial opening but now there were sparks everywhere.

"You're late."

Midorima remarked curtly so as to let his opponent of the day know that his presence was no longer expected now.

"...N-No, I was there from the start..." Kuroko said for his defense, gasping for breath.

"You won't deceive anyone with that look, Kuroko. You ran to make it here."

Which was true. The small boy was short of breath, and beads of sweat were dripping on his face strained by efforts.

"You didn't have to take the trouble to come, you know," Murasakibara rested his chin on his hand while staring at Kuroko in boredom, as though his presence was uncalled for, "Here I thought you've finally come to your senses and gave up on trials, Kuro-chin."

Kuroko didn't let the cutting comment get to him and said in a calm tone, "I'm sorry, your honor, but my presence here is necessary..." Regaining some of his composure, he inhaled some air and then spoke defiantly to his colleagues, "And I'm not the one who have to come to senses. As we all know, I have the right to cross-examinate the defendant before any verdict can be handed down. I think that for this trial to be just, it is an essential step we can't disregard."

"Ah, «you think»?" The comment displeased the giant boy, and Midorima as well as it seemed. His sunglasses turned thicker and blacker than before, "Are you saying that Mido-chin and me aren't doing our jobs properly?"

"You heard it well, your honor," The teal-haired teen didn't deny while holding their gaze, "But I wasn't intending to be rude."

"Kuro-chin, you're seriously annoying," grumbled Murasakibara, straightening up on his chair, "Did anything have changed with your cross-examination so far? As far as I remember, you've lost all your trials since Mine-chin quitted. You should realise and admit by now how pointless cross-examination is against decisive facts. An accused is always there for a reason, and that reason is that they're nothing more but criminal."

Kuroko and Murasakibara were staring at each other hostily. Despite the flow of harsh words, Kuroko stood his ground, not letting one emotion be shown on his face aside his determination, which annoyed even more the giant boy.

"In the first place, I don't get why Aka-chin still hasn't taken back your armband and let you take on cases," He casted a petty look at the blue armband on his left arm, on which was written Defense and claimed, "You can't defend anyone."

Kagami felt a lump in his throat as he witnessed that humiliation― No, his emotions at the moment were becoming stronger than mere pity. His blood was boiling inside him, urging him to raise and shout. Was that the school court the chairman and Himuro highly praised?

"Murasakibara," Midorima simply uttered his name to stop him from going too far.

Murasakibara glowered at him for a second before looking away. He took his hammer in his hand once again, "Anyways, I was about to give my verdict and you won't stop me, Kuro-chin."

"You can't just...!" protested Kuroko.

"Kuroko," Midorima called him out, "Don't forget about your own situation, you were late. If you wanted to defend your client, you ought to be there from the start."

He didn't spare him as well, but Kuroko made no excuse for his tardiness.

"Hey, isn't it fine?" Takao broke in, gaining attention from both the judge and his friend, "Kuroko is here whether you want it or not, if you let him do the cross-examination, he might enlighten us on some points of the crime."

"Like explaining all your coincidences?" Murasakibara didn't forget about them, "I doubt that."

Takao tittered and scratched the back of his head nervously, then turned to the teal-haired boy, "Eer...You can, Kuroko?"

The said teen looked at him with round eyes and blinked at the sudden question.

"I think not..." He muttered to himself, "Say, Kuroko, can't you follow me up a little bit? I was trying to prolong this trial, you see."

"I want to, but yesterday, you didn't really help me when I came to interrogate you, Takao-kun," responded Kuroko in all honesty while remembering the discussion, "You were being too vague to conclude anything."

Right this second, Takao wondered if he just didn't dig his own grave.

However, Kuroko didn't say his last words, "But it's all the more relevant that a cross-examination is necessary!"

"It's just a waste of time," Murasakibara dismissed it, no longer seeing the point of hearing him out, "«Too vague to conclude anything», isn't it just because he is the cookie criminal and has no alibi whatsoever to plead his defense? All in all, isn't it simply for that reason that the evidences and facts are decisive against him?"

The sharpness of the giant judge caused Kuroko to falter a moment, yet he couldn't leave this case at that, "We won't know it until―"

Without listening to Kuroko's pleading, Murasakibara went on his judgment. Once again, the hammer was up in the air, "I declare the defendant, Takao Kazunari―"

"HOLD UP A MINUTE!"

"What now?" Murasakibara grew sullen.

"Kagami...?!" Himuro exclaimed at his unexpected intervention, "What's gotten..."

"You call that a trial! Don't make me laugh! You're just passing judgement on people!" He cried out aloud.

Confused voices raised from the audience and the stage fell into silence.

"Kagami, what do you think you're doing?" Himuro grabbed his right arm to make him sit back, but to no avail, Kagami was standing firm. On his field of vision, he saw the members of the disciplinary committee, scattered all around the auditorium, exchanging looks. A few seconds later, two boys came to get his troublemaking friend, "You'll be thrown out!"

"Sorry, Tatsuya, but I can't bear to watch that anymore! There's no justice there!" Kagami said to him very seriously, "Besides, what's left to watch even if I'm thrown out?"

Against his determination (and maybe his stubbornness), Himuro stopped trying to dissuade him and gave him his support without saying anything. Kagami was grateful to him.

"You've got nowhere to run!" said a boy with spiky brown hair and a cat-like face, his eyes sparkling in excitement, "Now~ Be quiet and let us catch you! If you aren't surrounding, we won't be easily defeated, right Mitobe?"

"..." The boy nodded twice in confirmation, all ready to catch him.

Those two members of the disciplinary committee were waiting for him at the two ends of the row, he was cornered. But Kagami cared less, he wasn't about to put up a fight, only his voice was suffisant at the present time.

"Is that all the Generation of Miracles is about? Talk about miracles! There's no way you can make one happen with that half-assed attitude!"

A whistle blow resonnated within the walls, the head of the disciplinary committee, Aida, blew in a pink whistle some orders, certainly to arrest him. Kagami sneaked wary glances on both sides, but unexpectedly the two boys stepped back.

Somewhat, his remarks made some impact.

"You...Who are you?" enquired Murasakibara in a deep tone.

"Kagami Taiga, a transfert student!"

"A transfert student?" Midorima manifested a bit of astonishment by hearing it then frowned, "You're realising you're interrupting this trial?"

"I know, but this trial was so damn stupid I'd have to say something!" replied Kagami tit-for-tat, his tone bordering on insolence, "You're basing your whole judgement on facts but you aren't even giving consideration to the evidences!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Murasakibara snapped, looking straight at him, "It's because the evidences are all proving his guilt that facts are enough. And that cookie criminal didn't deny any of them."

"That's bullshit! What if they're just coincidences like the accused is claiming from the beginning? You might send an innocent to jail!"

"Nobody is going to jail, for your information," Midorima made a fool of him, as he was losing bit by bit patience, "Nonetheless, if you're believing in the accused's innocence, why don't you come down here to defend him with Kuroko?"

"Midorima-kun!" Kuroko cried aloud to stop this nonsense. He spun his head to the giant boy for some support, "Murasakibara-kun!"

"What? That's what you wanted, Kuro-chin, no?" Murasakibara shrugged his shoulders in indifference, "I delay the verdict and you have the cross-examination you wanted thanks to him."

The suggestion raised another wave of confusion among the audience and the disciplinary committee members. It was unprecendented for someone to go against a verdict and call on the stage, or so he heard from some whispers around him.

A situation like this would have intimiditate anyone, and truth be told, Kagami was rather nervous at the prospect of defending someone in a trial. But he didn't dislike it. This was nothing more but a challenge.

"Taiga, let me tell one and absolute rule if you're decided to fight," Himuro said without looking at him, "Evidences are everything in court."

"Isn't that obvious!" Kagami grinned in confidence.

Himuro smiled, yet his smile slowly faded as Kagami walked down the stairs to the stage.

Kagami climbed up the last steps, and the moment he stepped on the stage, a chill ran down his spine. The atmosphere was completely different, it was overwhelming...Thanks to those two. Seeing them up close, their presence were on another level on stage. If he wasn't careful, they'd definetely chope his head off.

He might have underestimated them.

Notwithstanding their gazes, Kagami approached his quiet classmate at the defense desk, "Kuroko, was it?"

The teal-haired boy nodded, "Kagami-kun, can you do it?"

"To be honest, I don't even know myself," He couldn't say that he'd done it on the heat of the moment and that this Generation of Miracles' way of conducting a trial angered him more than anything, "You think I can?"

"You'll be eaten alive, I think."

Kagami almost choked on his saliva at the blunt response, "Don't say it with that deadpan expression! Like I'll be easily beated by them!"

Kuroko vaguely tilted his head, his expression barely changing, "It's a fact. These past months, all accused were judged guilty. Without exception."

All guilty, without exception... Kagami found it hard to believe. Such a flawless record, how was it even possible?

"You never won a case?"

"Alone never. Midorima-kun always has arguments to counter me and Murasakibara-kun seldom listened to what I have to say."

"You're totally useless..." He commented, almost speechless. And to say that phantom guy got the guts of telling him he would be eaten alive... "Why are you even representing the defense?"

Kuroko didn't reply immediately, gauging him in silence, before he eventually stated, "Because I'm the last attorney remaining to represent the defense in this school court. All others had given up because of the Generation of Miracles."

"Wha―"

What do you mean? was what he intented to ask Kuroko, but Midorima's voice cut in before he could ask anything.

"Kuroko, let's proceed. But before let me clarify one thing, that transfert student will be the one defending the accused, not you. You'll only assist him on the side."

The preposterous condition urged Kuroko to object, "That's not―"

"Without him, Takao would already be judged guilty," Midorima reminded his incompetence in defending the accused, "He is your chance to cross-examinate the defendant. Take it or accept the verdict quietly."

Midorima left him no option. Kuroko didn't like the idea, and someone else was seemingly feeling the same.

"I don't have a say about the whole situation too?" Takao raised the question innocently, having the impression everyone forgot about him, though he didn't mind at all.

"You don't," Midorima replied instantly, leaving no room for another stupid comment. But Takao still made fun of his cold attitude toward him.

Ignoring him, the green-haired teen then shifted his attention on the defense desk.

"Transfert student, I hope you're ready."

The way Midorima was addressing him pissed him off. He deliberately wasn't using his name so as to make him understand that he had nothing to do here, on this stage.

"Hey, four-eyes, I have a name!"

"What was it?"

"Ah?!" interjected Kagami at his response, "Kag―"

Suddenly struck by a great idea to introduce himself to that sunglasses freak, Kagami stopped mid-sentence and asked his classmate, "Kuroko, you have a pen?"

The teal-haired teen gave him a perplexed look. He grabbed a pen near the case files on the desk and handed it to him. As he took it, the redhead snatched along a sheet of paper from the case files, without actually minding its importance. Kuroko tried to say something but Kagami wasn't listening.

On the reverse side of the paper, he started to write something under Kuroko's astounded gaze. After putting down the pen, he crumpled it up. The ball of paper in hand, Kagami grinned as he locked on his target, which was Midorima. Without notice, he threw it to him.

The ball of paper smacked Midorima's forehead before falling down on his desk in a deaf silence. All were found dumbfounded by that one silly action.

"..."

"You..." Midorima uttered, gritting his teeth in silent rage, "What's the meaning of this?"

"Take a look," Kagami suggested him in a cocky manner.

The green-haired boy glared at him, not wanting to give that satisfaction. But he casted his pride aside and unfolded it. As he read the content, his eyes widened and darted a dark look at the red-haired boy.

What he read on it was : Kagami Taiga.

"You're the type of guy that claim to not remember a name when he perfectly knows it," clarified Kagami with a cheeky smile, "So, instead of repeating my name until it get through your thick skull, keep it as a memo! That way you won't have any excuse, remember me well!"

Midorima crumpled the piece of paper out of anger.

"Say, Mido-chin, what's on it?" Murasakibara asked curiously.

He took a minute to regain his composure and said, "...His name."

The response subtly changed Murasakibara's attitude toward Kagami. Kagami saw him grumbling some words he couldn't grasp because of some noisy laugh in the background. But well, he guessed that Murasakibara wasn't praising him for sure.

"You're loud, Takao," Midorima remarked at his wits end.

Takao was laughing hard at the stand.

"Come on, Shin-chan! That guy's something...!" The raven-haired boy tried to say between laughs, "That has never happened in a trial!...You should have seen your face! My stomach hurts!"

"Ahaha..." His laugh toned down, Takao swept a tear in the corner of his eye and gave Kagami a sudden sharp look, "Hey, Kagami, my opinion of you may be better than Shin-chan's, but I don't completely trust in you. Your guts have saved me earlier, I'm grateful for that. Even so, I hope you won't believe in just that to prove my innocence against Shin-chan. As much as I hate to admit, everything is against me and you must know it...

Takao looked straight at him with a bitter smile.

"Evidences are everything in court."

As he listened to it, Himuro's soft voice overlapped Takao's.

Uncanningly, that one and absolute rule seemed to weigh a ton on stage. Against them.

The Generation of Miracles.

"The trial of Takao Kazunari will now resume!"

To be continued...

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That's all for now! If you reached the end, thank you for taking the time to read it till the end.

The first part was a bit slow... But the second part set everything into motion, or at least I hope so. Next time, the trial truly begins, and naturally I'll come back to all the elements of the case in more detail without forgetting about the identity of the witness.

Reviews are much appreciated!

See you next time.