(A/N: I know, I know. Another teaser? When am I going to actually post the actual story? I'll tell you that it's when I'm done with the second chapter. Maybe I'll get around to posting the Christmas story on Christmas. Or not.

And don't fret, Reverse Falls followers, I will post the third part of "Irrational Treasure" sooner or later. Although maybe later. (shot))

Disclaimer: I don't own the Bible. And the facts about the apostle who will be mentioned here are fictional, as far as I'm concerned.

People stood by the synagogue to catch a glimpse of the case that was going on. It was another case of a thief stealing a bag of money from another person's belt in broad daylight. Of course, it was a crowded place, so no one could be really sure. But what the people gathered there knew was that there was one thing that the suspected thief could have against him: a Visual had seen what he had done.

Now Visuals, because of their ability to cast images out of thin air, were incerdibly useful if they had witnessed a crime. Their powers were, quite simply, at their best when they were praising God, as an old story went. And the Jews believed that if a Visual was telling a truth, well, they were pleasing the Lord.

This was the reason why the priest, standing in front of the synagogue, told the Visual standing in front of him, "Give God the praise! Tell us what you saw, bar-Yehudah, that we might know what has transpired under your watch."

The man, however, didn't speak up to be heard. His mother, who was standing beside him, pushed him forward. "Go on," she gently urged him, "don't be afraid because of your disadvantage."

When he heard this, he finally stepped forward, and nodded at the synagogue leader before stretching out his hands and making them bleed color.

Many children in the crowd gaped in awe; some of them had never seen a Visual work his magic before. The colors coming from the witness first poured out like the paint of the pagans, before clouding like smoke and finally accumulating into a realistic image in front of all.

In the image, throngs of people were standing around, walking on the roads in an effort to get somewhere. The victim of the crime stood out in particular; he was busy having a conversation with a friend when a man snuck up from behind him, hesitating a little, before wrapping his hand around the bag of money and running away with it. Since everyone around was busy with their own troubles, they had not seen anything; even the victim had not realized his bag was missing until a minute later. But the young Visual had seen it all the same.

And when the crowd saw who the perpetrator was, they shrunk away, leaving the culprit to stand in front.

"You!" the young man's mother cried, pointing at the culprit – who was also her son. "Judah, what have you done?"

"Mother, you know as well as I that we need more money to pay off our debts," the man known as Judah said. "And yet you curse the name of Israel by stealing from your neighbor!" his mother rebuked him. "You have made your brother a more admirable man than you!"

"Even though he is dumb?" Judah spoke out. "Even though he will never be able to live a normal life?"

"Enough of this!" the synagogue leader called, and the whole assembly fell silent. "We must throw Judah bar-Yehudah into the jail until he can pay recompense to Ezekiel bar-Hoshea." The whole crowd said "Amen!" as guards seized Judah by the arms and dragged him away.

The young man watched his brother be led away, and turned his head, not wanting to meet Judah's eyes.

"Don't trouble yourself about him, Matthias," his mother reassured him, putting a hand to his cheek. "Whatever God's reason is behind your being mute, you have an obligation to say and do what is true, no matter what. Remember these words so when you are at the hour of your death, you will have no regrets. The LORD does not put his servant to shame."

Matthias turned his tired eyes towards her, and nodded. Then they walked towards their house, his footprints blue even though there was no paint on his sandals.

(A/N: So, yeah. This was the hardest teaser to write, considering the laws written in the Old Testament weren't the easiest to enforce in New Testament times even before Jesus's ministry, what with the Roman occupation and all. I need the scholars to help me figure stuff out.

...Then again, it is an AU, so a lot of laws have to be remade to suit this universe's needs.)