A young black panther and his friend attempt to seek help from a law firm to ensure they remain unsuspected, using this as leverage to keep their past covered up. Unfortunately, this becomes their downfall as one of the lawyers uses the evidence to pin both of them for a series of past murders, blowing the case wide open.

Bolo Killer

Josiah Atticus looked very grim while walking along the sidewalk with Zachary, his best friend / partner-in-crime. In fact, it was Zachary himself who suggested they find legal help to ensure their safety. But Josiah wasn't too keen with lawyers, or very knowledgeable about them either. For all he knew, they worked with cops after all.

Zachary Tindall is also grim, but he is more reclusive, knowing full well the consequences if they were ever found out about their past. He was doing this not only for his friend, but also for himself since he played a partial role in Josiah's past actions.

Nearing the place, Josiah was about to point out they're almost there when he pauses to see a lioness exiting the law firm, waving goodbye and bidding farewell to the male lion across from her. Watching her, Josiah dons an evil grin but Zachary grabs him and roughly shakes him, "Don't even think about it. We're in enough trouble already; we don't need any more– wait, that lioness looks familiar…"

Undaunted, the black panther casually admits, "Remember those incidents a few years ago? I would have done the same had she not fought back."

Zachary pushes the black panther along, shushing him. "Dude, shut up! You promised me no more of that zany stuff!"

"What can I say? I can't help it. It's a natural tendency of mine." Josiah shrugs, carefree. He didn't give much thought to it anyway; this was only one of his many dangerous habits that could have gotten him and his buddy nuked, but he didn't care as long as he wasn't caught for it.

"And that 'natural tendency' of yours is gonna get us both killed one day!" Zachary argues back, "Now hush and let's go!"

The pair make their way to the law firm, but not without Josiah casting one last dirty glance towards the departing lioness across from them.

Stepping into the law office, Zachary and Josiah make their way to the front desk. And while the gazelle is occupied with establishing legal protection for them, Josiah sneaks away to explore, only to end up bumping into a black-suited female ragdoll cat in the process. And with her is a blue-suited Barbary lion.

"Oh sorry! I didn't see you th– well, well, hello beautiful!" Upon sighting the ragdoll cat, Josiah grows heart-eyes upon seeing her, which immediately repulses the female. She hisses, "This is a law firm, not a bachelor show! Keep your stuff in check!"

"Ah, sorry about that; we didn't see you either, although Joanna's right! This isn't a hookup party." The Barbary lion is nervous rubbing his mane while positioned between the two, using his size to keep the two at bay. While Josiah licks his nose, the Barbary lion speaks again, introducing himself, "My name is Nicotz Avlar, and the lady with me that you just met is Joanna Sweeney. Are you looking for something here?"

"We're looking for legal protection, thank you very much. Now if you excuse us, we need to get going now!" Zachary marches up to Josiah and grabs the black panther, proceeding to drag him away. Once they're gone, Joanna whispers into Nicotz's ear, "I don't like that guy in the least bit possible. He seems very suspicious, not to mention that our client pointed out that she was attacked by–"

"Ahh!! C-could it be??" It is here that Joanna makes a startling realization. Using the information their client gave, the ragdoll covers her mouth in shock. "Nicotz, that's him!!!"

"What do you mean??" The oblivious lion trails his attention to his partner, wondering what she's getting at.

"That guy, that black panther may very well be the suspect! And from looking over the information that was sent to us by the police earlier today, we may have enough evidence to put him away finally! That guy's the Bolo Killer!" Joanna explained intensely.

"C-crap! We gotta warn Roseanne and Tobi, fast!" Joanna grabs Nicotz's coat in the process, reminding him, "Tobi's smart enough to know a suspicious character by his body language and mannerisms. He's not dumb to let some freak near his sister. Our client is also fully aware because she said so herself she attacked back and escaped."

"Or attacked first when she saw the weapon drawn." Nicotz surmised. Then he freezes upon realizing something else. "!!! Oh no… my brother could be in danger too!"

"Why would your brother be in danger??" Joanna keeps her tight grip on the lion, preventing him from pulling away and vanishing.

"Because he tours and hangs around in local bars during his performances and breaks! That same guy could have been there!!!" Nicotz responds heatedly.

"I've met and seen your brother in action, but I doubt he would be the victim of an attack, let alone a casualty." Joanna whispers in assurance. "Lions are powerful fighters after all, and you and Alfieri and no different."

"I guess you're right but do you think he'll come to testify in the trial?" Nicotz wondered in worry.

"Of course he will. He must have met that creep before and brushed it off; chances are he escaped an attack too." Joanna rationalized.

"Well, we'll find out sooner or later in court. The trial is soon, so our client should be ready to go." The Barbary lion stated.

"Gemma's a tough girl and she's able to fight hard. Of course she's ready; we're all ready, Nicotz! Just relax and we'll all do fine!" Joanna reassured him. This gives the Barbary lion enough confidence and a morale boost to encourage him into the start of the court trial.

~~~~~

Marching into the entrance of the lobby is a female Samoyed, her expression a ready one. While strolling along the lobby, she hears a voice call out to her, "Oh, Detective Blaineley! Are you ready for the trial?? It must be challenging having to go against your friends, y'know."

From noticing a pale blue / ivory furred female Norwegian Forest Cat speaking to her, the Samoyed just flashes a contagious, toothy smile at the feline attorney, whistling, "We're used to it. My crew and I understand that completely! This trial is no different! So we're ready!"

"Okay Detective, catch ya at the trial!" Roseanne watches the Samoyed depart when suddenly…

"Ohh my my, what a lovely, beautiful specimen you are. Oh yes…!" That voice sounds eerily familiar, sending an intense, frightening chill coursing throughout Roseanne's spine.

"Haahh…!!!" Jumping in fear, Roseanne whirls around to view a black panther eyeing her intensely, giving her a lopsided grin. Licking his lips, he begins to advance towards her on approach, "A very beautiful woman shouldn't be alone, no sirree. Come with me and we can hang out together."

Immediately, Roseanne backs away, shooting down his request. She hisses, "No can do; I am not interested. Go away!"

Josiah ignores her, stepping further, "Oh, I insist! You won't regret it…" But then…

"What are you doing with my sister??!" A black / white Maine Coon enters the mix, and to Roseanne's relief, he couldn't have arrived at a better time… and he looks pissed now.

"Mmmhhh?? Who are you??" Josiah cluelessly turns his attention to the mad Maine Coon, leaving Roseanne to immediately flee the scene.

Sparks immediately fly from the angry Maine Coon when he points forcefully and aggressively at the black panther, "I'm Tobi Blackburn, and the female you were just advancing on is my sister!!! If I wasn't a lawyer, I'd shred you to pieces!!!"

"Knh!" Suddenly enamored and angered at the same time, Josiah grits his teeth, "You wouldn't do such a thing, not to a poor, lowly soul like me…" the black panther turns apologetic in hopes of throwing Tobi off, but the Maine Coon ignores the facade, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Marching closer to Josiah, Tobi hisses, "You are dead meat. Your little pity act isn't gonna work."

"Better hope you'll be shown some leniency, cause you'll be looking at either life in prison or the death penalty!" Josiah watches the Maine Coon storm away. There's something about the cat that scared even Josiah. Turning blue in the face with vertical lines appearing on his forehead, Josiah shivers and whispers, "I don't know what is up with that kid but somehow, he scares me. I better make sure I don't slip or else, Zachary and I are toast…!"

(BGM: Title Screen - The Need For Speed OST)

The scene fades to black, being replaced by what appears to be a mahogany colored door opening up to reveal a grand courtroom; with the anime scene rising up, some time information appears in the center, followed by the scene vanishing into view…

DAY 1
Court Is Now In Session!
All Rise!

~~~~~

The setting is a packed courtroom where hushed voices fill the air for the time being. Then the sound of a gavel banging against the desk draws silent, allowing a hush to fall over the courtroom. The judge, a black-robed doberman, is seated in the high chair before the court and a jury. Gazing out at the crowd with rapt attention, he declares, "Court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Gemma Highly! I trust both sides are ready?"

(BGM: Menu Theme - The Need For Speed OST)

On the prosecution bench is a red-suited male lion and a blue-suited pitbull, both males fixed pointedly on the doberman judge before them; the male lion resounds, "The prosecution is ready, Your Honor."

"The defense is erm, ready, Your Honor." Nicotz announced warily. While he shoots an apologetic glance in Tobi's direction, the brown doberman notices the Maine Coon and his face, or rather, the red lines hiding his face. Arching an inquisitive eyebrow, Judge Vagaday wonders, "Is everyth–"

"Everything is fine, Your Honor…" A hard growl from Tobi makes even the judge blink in despair, followed by sweat beading on his forehead. 'Something must be bugging him very deeply,' the judge thought inwardly, still focusing on the Maine Coon, 'maybe this trial will show what's nagging him. Let's start the trial then.'

Clearing his throat, Judge Vagaday retains his serious demeanor, yet hiding some worry and suspicion underneath his guise. The doberman then declares, "Let's get started! Mr. Wiegert, Mr. Osborne, your opening statement, please?"

"Hmm! Very well, Your Honor!" Nodding to the judge, Giorgio Wiegert rises from his seat, his eyes fixed on the grand jury. Coming to approach, the butterscotch-furred, black-maned lion proceeds to speak, "Members of the grand jury, I'm sure you're all well aware of this case. This is one intricate investigation that has brought forth some very incriminating evidence."

Pausing for emphasis, Giorgio clasps his hands together and strolls back to the bench to meet his assistant while announcing, "We have uncovered such convincing evidence that not even the defense," - here, he smirked at the defense side, subtly twitching his brows in a show of working together while also teasing them, earning mixed reactions from the trio - well, Roseanne appears to be unsettled while Nicotz stares at his friendly rival with a suspicious glare. Nevertheless, Giorgio continues, "can pick it apart."

Giorgio then nods to the pitbull prosecutor, whispering in his ear, "Ollie, you know what to do. Work with me here, and we'll work together to put the real culprit out of action." When the brown / white nods, Giorgio takes his seat, giving Ollie the floor; the pitbull prosecutor unlocks a suitcase next to his feet and begins unpacking the evidence, holding it up for the judge and the jury to see. Mixed reactions occur during the evidence portrayal; surely some of this had to be recognizable to someone!

"This is all the evidence that we uncovered during the investigation." Ollie places the evidence on the desk: a large bolo knife with caked blood, a few pictures, and records of the defendant's phone calls and text messages.

"Is that a freaking bolo knife??" The judge contested, stroking his chin in surprise. "The defendant isn't the type of woman to go on a killing spree!"

"Looks can be deceiving, y'know." Ollie offers a sheepish grin, yet the judge remains unconvinced. But the phone records boost the judge's suspicion that the defendant may not be the suspect after all.

"I don't buy it. What did you find out about the phone records?" The judge asks, intrigued.

"That's going to be uncovered during the trial, Your Honor. You'll have to stay tuned." The pitbull chuckled.

Pleased with this, the doberman judge responds, "Very well! Bring out your first witness!"

"Very well!" The pitbull gestures to the witness stand while announcing, "The prosecution calls Detective Kimon Blaineley to the stand!"

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #2 - The Need For Speed OST)

Detective Kimon Blaineley is a bright-eyed Samoyed in spite of the severity of the situation going on at hand. Yet her cherry demeanor and bright smile seem to contrast this.

Her tail wagging behind her, Kimon waves silently to the judge before coming to sit by him on the witness stand before the court and it's not long before the lion prosecutor gets down to business, his hands gingerly clasped behind his back.

"Witness, your name and occupation, please. I know we've done this before, but as always, we follow protocol here." The lion reminded her.

The female Samoyed introduces herself to the court like she usually does, "Kimon Blaineley, detective for the local police department and member of the Fast Wind racing crew." She cups her mouth in an excited giggle, "You guys should really come to Nevada some time to see us in action! Right, Ollie??"

Ollie pales slightly, turning blue in the face with vertical lines across his head and his eyes going completely blank and white in despair, "Guuuhhhh!! Kimon– I mean, Detective, now is not the time for this!! Weren't you gonna testify before the court on your results??"

"Hehe!!" Kimon giggles again, her demeanor unaffected. "Of course! And I was about to go into it!"

Exhaling through his nose, the doberman judge acknowledges the Samoyed detective, "Detective Blaineley, please tell the court the results of your investigation."

"Will do, Your Honor!" The Samoyed chimes in return. In the background, Ollie smacks himself in a facepalm, wondering how his colleague and teammate stays cheery through a court trial like this.

Witness Testimony

– The Investigation –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"The defendant was already arrested by the time our investigation started but during that process, we were able to analyze the crime scene. The most incriminating pieces of evidence is the knife that was recovered as well as the records regarding communications via phone and text. Though, I should point out, one set seems to have more of one name than the other. We also recovered some kind of receipt that was left behind too, must have fell out of the defendant's pants or something. Slash marks and punctures were also found on the trees along with signs of a struggle."

This is all that the female Samoyed said in her testimony, leaving the judge himself silent in wonder. But first, he had one matter to point out.

"If there is other evidence to be brought to court, why didn't all of it come in one time instead of separately??" The judge pointedly questioned.

"Ah, my fault, Your Honor. I forgot to ask our detective if that was everything she had; didn't know she was withholding." Ollie complained with an annoyed growl.

Kimon pales and exclaims in startled realization, "Eep! I'm sorry guys! I'll grab the photos!"

The judge sighs, "Detective, wait until the cross-examination is complete. You'll get your chance but this must not happen again, understood?"

"Aye Aye, sir!!" The samoyed playfully salutes the judge, earning both pitbull and lion prosecutor each with a large drop of sweat on the backs of their heads. Even Giorgio complains, "Urgh! At the rate this is going, we'll never finish this trial!" This changes when the judge clears his throat and addresses the defense side, smirking. "Mr. Avlar, you and your team may cross-examine the witness."

Cross-Examination

– The Investigation –

"Detective Blaineley, are you certain you found all of the evidence at the crime scene? Was there anything else that you saw?" Leading the cross-examination, Nicotz strolls over to the stand in a confident, yet slow gait.

"I did notice signs of a struggle between the defendant and the attacker, but other than that, nothing else." Kimon shrugs her shoulders in response to the lion's question.

"I see…" he then casts a wary eye towards the evidence section, turning back to the Samoyed detective and pointing out, "You mentioned in the records you did a subpoena for in the investigation, that one name stood out from the rest. Can you remember what that name was?"

The scene goes quiet once the Samoyed detective blindly blurts out, "Yeah, the name is 'Josiah Atticus'. And he seemed to be annoyed about something from the texts. I'm not going into detail since it's a little too graphic…" here, Kimon warily averts her gaze away, even shuddering a bit when suddenly,

"OBJECTION!"

Jumping up from his seat, Ollie argues, "I fail to see how this is relevant to this case. We don't even know who this guy is or what he's doing! Obviously, you're grasping at straws here, Mr. Avlar!" All eyes are fixed on Ollie at the point while he sidesteps away and sweeps his arms wide, "Tell us who this guy is and have some evidence to back it up."

Coolly, Nicotz turns to face the pitbull prosecutor while smiling subtly, hinting at who this mystery guest is. He points directly at the dog while declaring, "I may not have the power to but I know who he is; in fact, you're familiar with him! Call him to the stand to testify!"

"Very well! The prosecution calls Alfieri Avlar to the stand!" The pitbull announces aloud. This leaves Nicotz relaxed, folding his arms while closing his eyes with a soft smile on his face. The lion inwardly muses, 'This will be it; the deciding factor. My brother should be able to identify the culprit from the gallery alone.'

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #3 - The Need For Speed OST)

Nervously tugging at the collar of his dark red muscle T-shirt, Alfieri Avlar sits at the witness bench while gazing warily among the entire room. Something is completely off; normally, Alfieri is relaxed, composed, and confident but now he is a nervous mess. While his brother keeps a wary eye on him, the lion prosecutor gets down to business, "You seem to be nervous, but I want you to relax. We want to talk to you and see if you can point out a specific person in the audience."

"Ah…" Alfieri blinks at the prosecutor, wondering if he's gone mad. Trembling slightly with light sweat on his face, the younger lion hesitates, "I don't… I don't think I can do that. I can't recall his name but the face, the expression, it was haunting, like he wanted to do something dirty with me. I don't swing that way."

"HOLD IT!"

"Hah…??" The younger lion turns to see Ollie stopping him in his tracks, the pitbull already growing more and more annoyed. Moderately irritated, Ollie marches up to the witness stand while arguing, "Mr. Avlar, if you were to analyze the audience, point out the face that you recognize. Surely your hint is in the facial expression which serves as the base of your fears. Once you point them out, we can continue with your testimony."

"I-I'll try…" It doesn't take long for the younger lion to scan the crowd when he notices a black panther in the audience, his eyes clouded in boredom. And suddenly, the memory comes rushing back. Trembling more, Alfieri points directly towards the black panther while declaring, "It's him! That's the Bolo Killer!!"

(BGM: Toyota Dealership - Gran Turismo 1 OST)

Collective gasps and exclamations surge throughout the courtroom, turning into frenzied whispering throughout the gallery. To restore peace to the scene, the doberman judge slams his gavel down to quiet the humdrum. "Order!!! Order in the court!!!"

Setting his gavel back down, the doberman judge becomes wary, staring directly at the black panther for a moment before closing his eyes in recollection. He mutters, "That nickname sounds familiar…"

Suddenly, Judge Vagaday exclaims in surprise and stiffens, "Knh…! I remember that name clearly! Several murders were uncovered and reported, with each one linked to a single piece of evidence; it happens to be that bolo knife on the evidence table!"

The judge points to the bagged, bloodstained knife on the evidence table and turns his attention to the new witness, adopting a wary tone of mixed excitement and suspicion. His expression is one of optimism, "Mr. Avlar, if you testify to the court about your discovery, this is one major step closer to the truth!"

The direction this trial is going is riding on Alfieri's willingness to testify. Even he knows that. Even the prosecution encourages him to do so, with Ollie insisting, "You fill us all in on this guy and I promise you, you'll have an ally for life. We're counting on you, Mr. Avlar."

"You never run from a challenge, bro. I know you can do it!" Nicotz also encourages his younger brother to carry on, and from seeing the supportive expressions on the faces he's locked eyes with, Alfieri nods firmly, with his own expression hardening into a determined smile. "Hmph! I'll do it!"

Witness Testimony

– The Bolo Killer –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"It was on one of my breaks that I was on, just relaxing and looking for something to do. I happened to see the newspaper for the day and when I saw the headline, it read 'Bolo Killer Strikes Again!'. At that time, there was ongoing media and news coverage of the killing spree but nobody was arrested to my knowledge. But recently, the same guy I had met in the bar was the same guy that tried to kill me, and he whipped out that knife right there on the table! While I fled, I thought it was fantasy, but when I flashed back to that headline, that's when I realized it was not fantasy but real. Someone else was attacked after that but they escaped too. That's all I have to say at this point."

"Solid testimony indeed. No one can crack that!" Giorgio comments, impressed by the younger lion and his memory.

"Defense, see if you can cross-examine the witness." Even the judge can't hold back an impressed grin, which changed to a smirk with Nicotz leading the cross-examination.

Cross-examination

– The Bolo Killer –

"How did you know there was media and news coverage of the killings?" Nicotz asks first, wanting to clear some things up.

Coolly, Alfieri responds, "Bro, you forgot something?? Modeling is a social business! Things fly around quickly through social media and break time!"

'Right… I knew that.' Producing a cold sweat, Nicotz grows embarrassed after the slight roasting. He recovers and gets back to business, "Was the guy you met in the bar and fled from the same guy you pointed out in the gallery?"

"Yes it is. Positive it's him! He's not a clueless idiot but a suspicious murderer!" Alfieri's nose twitches through his snarl, switching to make out the black panther in the audience, who seems to be trying to shrink himself. The lion exhales sharply, waiting for another line of questioning when he mentions, "Plus, somebody else was attacked too but they fought back."

"HOLD IT!"

A feminine shout pauses the cross-examination with Roseanne coming forward and requesting, "Mind pointing out the other victim who was attacked?"

Scanning the gallery, Alfieri searches the crowd when he points directly towards a blue-eyed lioness playing with her hair. "Her!!! She's the one who was also attacked, but got away!!"

"Bring her to the stand. Let her testify to the events that happened!" Giorgio requested.

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #2 - The Need For Speed OST)

Sitting at the witness stand now is the defendant herself, Gemma Highly. Playing with a lock of her hair, the lioness gently scratches her head, relaxing while taking note of the approaching prosecutor. Giorgio once again leads the way upon speaking to the lioness directly. "You realize this is a delicate matter, correct? And that you've been called to testify?"

"I'm well aware of that, so I'll skip right on down to the details." Matching Giorgio's gaze with her own ice blue eyes, Gemma introduces herself directly, "Gemma Highly, professional racer and vehicular mechanic."

"Man, I'm liking this chick already…!" Nicotz comments softly. Feeling the judge's piercing, yet questionable glare on him, the defense attorney coughs softly and clears his throat.

"Well then, Ms. Highly, see if you can testify and crack this case wide open. We're all ears." Even the judge gives the lioness an endearing, toothy grin, to which Gemma smirks, "You can count on me, Your Honor!"

Witness Testimony

– Fight and Flight –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"That black panther in the audience with the glasses, yeah that's him! That's the same guy that attacked me! He was also quite a creep, making multiple advances on me! Not only is he a killer, but he's also a pervert! Fortunately, I managed to fight back and get away; hopefully I will never have to deal with him again!"

"That pretty much describes what happened to some other people in the past prior to their deaths. I doubt anyone would make advances on lawyers though." Giorgio rationalized.

"It can happen though, you'd be amazed." Nicotz commented in response, giving Giorgio a wary eye. But in the background, Roseanne clutches her chest in a cold, fearful sweat.

"Defense, you may cross-examine the new witness now." The judge announced.

Cross-examination

– Fight and Flight –

"Ms. Highly, was this black panther suspicious to you in any way possible??" Trying to calm her beating heart, Roseanne attempts to make herself as innocent and professional as she can be, though she's still showing clear signs of anxiety and fear.

Gemma snorts in disgust, "All the way suspicious; he kept eyeing me ever so often. I rejected his initial passes but I decided to take him up on an offer to hang out."

"HOLD IT!"

Giorgio points at the lioness while scrutinizing her, "If you were disgusted by this creature, why would you still hang out with him??"

Raising her hands defensively, Gemma coolly asserts, "This wasn't true friendship, but a test and a trap."

Beads of perspiration appear on Ollie's face once he blinks at the lioness, "What do you mean??"

"I had a strong suspicion that this guy was the infamous "Bolo Killer" not only because of the headline but also because a bolo knife was mentioned during each news report. I just wanted to see if it was true." Gemma folds her arms while grinning subtly at the prosecution. But in the background, a black panther is slowly developing a cold sweat due to increasing anxiety and fear of being found out. Though he is fine on the outside, he is not the same inside.

"Are you freaking mad, woman??!!" Ollie loses it, "You risk your own life in a gamble of a simple gut feeling!!??"

Watching the pitbull prosecutor clutch his head in rage, Gemma scoffs, "What else was I supposed to do, just stand there and do nothing?"

"What did you do when the guy pulled the knife on you?" As fast as Roseanne voices her question, she and the entire courtroom freeze in icy silence…

*SHING!*

"You see these claws of mine? I was able to give some well-deserved punishment of my own back to the doofus dumb enough to attack me." Showing off her freshly revealed white claws, the lioness flashes them around warningly. She retracts her class and mentions, "A similar incident occurred with a fashion idol being attacked when he escaped too."

'I think I have a feeling based on who this might be.' Nicotz inwardly assumes. Then the lion himself pointedly asks, "And who might this idol be?"

"Alfieri Avlar, of course! He's a hottie on both sides of his personality, nice and aggressive!" Gemma utters a soft squeal of delight, ignoring the judge's incredulous glare. She further compliments, "He's also quite charming too!"

Giorgio couldn't resist poking fun at the lion defense attorney, "Now we know who's the more attractive of the two, right?"

"Another conversation for another time, Mr. Wiegert…" Dismay and sweating, Nicotz attempts to spare himself any further embarrassment. This dissolves when the judge acknowledges the situation.

"So far, we're coming closer to identifying the true culprit. And with the evidence laid out and the testimonies so far, it's obvious that neither Ms. Highly or Mr. Avlar are suspects. This leaves one question: Who is this strange Bolo Killer?" The judge was about to call for a recess when suddenly…

"OBJECTION!"

"It's obvious that there is only one person in the entire gallery that would fit the description of the Bolo Killer!" This time, Tobi presents his rationalization, based on the summary of the testimonies and the evidence provided. Counting on his fingers, he adds, "He's a black panther, he wears glasses, and he obviously wields a bolo knife. And from the faces in the gallery, one stands out completely."

Tobi immediately locks eyes with a sweaty black panther in the gallery and points accusingly towards him, declaring, "That guy!!!"

Collective gasps and murmurings occur when the judge slams his gavel down to restore peace, shouting out, "Order in the court!!!" Once this subsides, Judge Vagaday casts an uneasy glance towards Tobi while analyzing the situation, "Mr. Blackburn, you do realize you're accusing someone in the audience for murder. What if they are innocent?"

"What other black panther wear glasses and hits on people, good-looking people at that; and especially ones who happen to be lawyers??" The Maine Coon argues in return. This shocks the judge into silence, leaving him to silently beckon the black panther up to the witness stand, and on whom all eyes are fixed on.

~~~~~

(BGM: Attract #1 - The Need For Speed OST)

Clueless and appearing innocent, Josiah stares around boredly, his ears and whiskers twitching mildly. He begins to murmur, "Why am I up here? Are you supposed to be my legal aide?"

"The reason why you're up here is because you are being given an opportunity to prove to the court that you are innocent; you've been accused of murder. Two people have already pointed you out as the suspect - three, counting that red defense attorney over there." Giorgio lays the facts bare to the black panther, but upon mentioning his statement on who's accusing him, cue a cutaway appearance by Giorgio, displaying an irritated chibi Tobi with a massive red vein on his forehead with the Maine Coon angrily dismissing, "I AM NOT RED!!!"

While the judge bangs his gavel to restore order, Giorgio remains icily calm, smirking at the feline defense attorney. "Hmph! We'll see about that once we finish this final leg of the trial."

"Now then," Giorgio turns to the black panther, who now has a big sweatdrop on the right side of his forehead, "tell the court your name and occupation. Get down to business, so to speak."

"Uh, Josiah Atticus; I am an I.T technician." The panther nervously replied.

"Okay Mr. Atticus, try and talk your way out of this one… heh heh heh." Dark laughter even comes from Judge Vagaday himself, shocking the entire courtroom. Ignoring the stares he is getting, he declares, "The witness will proceed with his testimony to refute these charges! We'll see if he's truly innocent!"

Although Josiah secretly sinks in the chair, he collects himself, returning to his normal, spaced-out demeanor.

Witness Testimony

– Accused Of Murder –

(BGM: Showcase - The Need For Speed OST)

"I don't see why you all are accusing me of murder. I was just at my job like usual, and I normally hang out at the local bar during my break. Apart from the many interesting people I've seen, things have been quite interesting to say the least. I'll bet you all have nothing on me to prove I'm the murderer."

For someone who's spaced-out and unconcerned, the guy is pretty smug. But nobody, not even the judge himself, is convinced. Yet the judge gives one last command to the defense, "Okay defense, your turn to cross-examine!"

"With pleasure, Your Honor!" Nicotz' resounding voice echoes in determination, ready to bring this trial to an end.

Cross-examination

– Accused Of Murder –

"So Mr. Atticus, you're wondering why you're in court today. Isn't it obvious you're being accused of murder?" Tobi takes the lead, staring the black panther down while being eerily calm about the whole thing.

Josiah remarks, "Yes, but I don't know why."

Seeing the bored expression on his face, the Maine Coon scowls. Turning to the evidence desk, he picks up the knife, the first thing he sets his eyes on and presents it to the black panther. "Does this look familiar in any way to you?" The black / white cat arches an eyebrow while watching for a reaction from the black panther, and his presentation begins to yield some results.

"Gch! That's…!" A flash of surprise on Josiah's face in recognizing the knife shows up from immediately seeing the blood-stained weapon in the bag. And the Maine Coon proceeds to fill the black panther in on the matter.

"That would be the knife recovered from the crime scene. In fact, it is the same knife that was used for a series of past murders spanning several years!" Tobi reveals, shocking the black panther.

"You have no proof it's mine, anyway! So how do you know?? Unless you have some evidence, then you have no chance of proving it's mine!" Josiah argues in return.

"OBJECTION!"

"Hello, what's this?" Unbeknownst to everyone, Kimon discreetly slipped in several new pieces of evidence after her testimony, including a receipt from a pawn shop. Tobi notices the receipt and grabs it, waving it in front of the witness and the judge. "Does this receipt look familiar to anyone? Because this has the credit card account number and name of one specific person in this courtroom."

The judge splutters in surprise, "H-hold on, let me see that!!!" He snatches the receipt and inspects it, and once he looks up, Judge Vagaday is now pale and literally blue in the face with vertical lines running along his head in fear. "Oh my gosh…"

"Your Honor, there's no doubt in my mind that the person sitting by you is the same guy the accusations fit. Who's name is on that receipt?" Tobi pressed, his tail lightly flailing around.

"Josiah Atticus…! But how??" The doberman judge can hardly believe his ears and eyes. The same man sitting next to him, the blood-stained knife that was presented, and now the trial going on at hand all points to one thing. Yet the judge asks slowly, "Why wait all this time if several murders were committed in the past, especially with this weapon of choice??"

"Well someone had been covering up for him. Every time the killer strikes, he always calls someone to clean up the scene for him. And judging from the phone records on the table, there are two names that are on the second page." Tobi reveals further.

"And those two names are??" The judge gulps, still shaking in his seat.

Picking up the records, Tobi shows everyone the records, and with special interest on the second page, he reveals and points out the two names, "Josiah Atticus and Zachary Tindall! Which means," here Tobi points an accusing finger directly at Josiah, "that you and your friend acted together to cover up those past murders!"

(BGM: Colony Table - 3D Ultra Pinball OST)

Scowling at the Maine Coon, Josiah denies the allegations, "There's no proof my friend was involved in any of this. And you can yammer on all you want. I am not a killer."

Tobi scoffs and begins laughing in a dark, evil manner. Now the cat's aggressive actions are showing by his tail, his whiskers, and even his own claws coming out.

"OBJECTION!"

"Kid, you better relax or the judge will remove you! There's no evidence of a Mr. Zachary Tindall being involved in these things!" Ollie argues in warning.

"OBJECTION!"

"Why else would a receipt from a pawn shop be here? Or, for good measure, why is there a trial in session regarding the attempted murders of two people by someone who's supposed to be an I.T technician? Yet, this freakshow," Tobi spat venomously, "is the same one responsible for multiple murders! And if you look at the dates in the past, each call and text was directed to his friend for assistance for cover ups. Now why is he a pervert?"

"Hmmm, I don't know. Maybe it is because I find other people interesting." His incessant staring at Roseanne again marks his downfall. Licking his lips, Josiah attempts to get a better look at her when Tobi snaps his fingers at him, his face a cayenne pepper. "My sister is off-limits!!"

"Egads!!!" Even Giorgio reels back in terror while Ollie recoils in horror, "So that's what we're dealing with! How did this kid know…??"

"Why can't I have–" Josiah becomes brunt of Tobi's anger. The defense attorney cuts him off, bristling up and hissing, "Roseanne is not yours, she is not interested, so scram! Face it, sucker! Your charms aren't working today! You're toast!"

"Eh? But–" Josiah then pales upon seeing a cell phone that Tobi is holding, having been snuck in by one of the witnesses upon remembering. He threatens, "This voicemail will show your true colors, Mr. Atticus. This court isn't swayed by your clueless demeanor!"

"Don't play th–" Too late. Tobi plays the message and an ominous message is left for the court to hear.

"You're really fortunate to have escaped, y'know. You and your friend. Rest assured, Ms. Gemma, I'll be back and you won't be so fortunate next time. I still have plenty of time left, so be prepared."

"You're a real idiot, you know?" While Tobi stares disapprovingly at a wilted Josiah, Ollie rises from his bench, his angry eyes also on the black panther.

"It's over for you, punk. So not only will you be losing your job, but you'll also be registering for something else. So if I were you, I'd take whatever plea deal I can and wait. Face it, you're done; take whatever there is left of your dignity and GET LOST!!!"

"HOLD IT!"

The sound of a cane tapping against wood echoes through the room, followed by the limping form of an injured gazelle making his way to the witness stand. Even Josiah raises his head and is surprised to see his friend. "Z-zach?? What are you do–"

Zachary cuts him off, his brows together in anger. "It's over Josiah. I told you your stuff would get you into trouble! How can you fantasize over a lawyer, of all people??!!"

Before Josiah can even respond, Zachary rebuffs him, "No, Josiah, how could you?? Even after what we proposed! You're just gonna throw it all away for a wild fantasy?!"

The gazelle doesn't even give the black panther a chance to respond, turning toward the judge and explaining, "I'll tell all of you everything you need to know and I will admit, I had a hand in it all but not as much as you think."

~~~~~

Zachary began to reveal to the court everything that happened with him and Josiah, starting from their high school days. Josiah can only watch in guilt following the rest of the trial. It's over for him. And with his best friend on the stand admitting and revealing everything, including the attack on himself as well, that's more than enough to seal Josiah's fate.

After soaking in the information, the doberman judge gives the gazelle an incredulous, yet exasperated stare. "You do realize that covering up a murder and tampering with evidence are crimes in themselves, right? You did have a minor role in those coverups, but unlike your friend," here's the judge and even the prosecution glares daggers at the deflated black panther, "you're not directly responsible for the murders of several people. I suspect you will have a lighter sentence for your role in the coverups upon a later trial date."

"Understood, Your Honor. The attorneys explained it to me in a careful manner and I got it completely." Zachary acknowledges the judge with a curt nod, his serious demeanor plastered on his face.

"Well, this brings the trial to an interesting finish." The judge announced after some time. He turns his attention to the jury section to finish things off. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

One of the jurors, a gray wolf, stands up and announces, "Yes we have, Your Honor."

"How do you find the defendant?" With his hands now folded on his desk, the judge awaits the verdict with a pleasant smile, to which the juror responds, "We, the jury, find the defendant, Gemma Highly…"

NOT GUILTY

"...not guilty!" A cheerful vigor is in the wolf's tone from announcing the verdict for the defendant.

(BGM: Win #5 - The Need For Speed OST)

Confetti begins falling in celebration of the verdict, to which others begin to celebrate in their own way. Most of the lawyers and even the judge and the jury themselves are smiling from the verdict, though some are also cheering. Even people in the gallery are cheering.

Roseanne also finds herself in a bear hug by Tobi, who even manages to lift her off her feet while swinging around in a 360° spin out of excitement in their celebratory embrace.

"This trial is concluded! Court is adjourned!" The judge announced. Bringing his gavel down, he signals the end of the trial, thus rendering completion of the proceedings.

~~~~~

At the end of the trial, everyone filed out, though Tobi had stayed behind to be in a private meeting with the judge. While everyone is celebrating the verdict, they notice Zachary approaching to meet them, albeit with an apologetic expression.

"Shouldn't you be in handcuffs too?" Giorgio casts a wary eye at the gazelle upon turning to face him, to which Zachary slowly shakes his head in denial.

"Josiah's the one who's gonna be led out that way. Besides, I couldn't hold it back anymore." Zachary clarified. A small subtle grin tugs at his face where he exhales sharply and confides, "Ever since that day in high school and the personal attack on me, I've tried everything I could to just forget about it and move on. But your friend blew it wide open. And miss…?"

"Call me 'Roseanne'. I never expected that guy to hit on me." The Norwegian Forest Cat shudders from the brief experience. "Fortunately before he could do any more harm, Tobi came to save me."

"Okay… Roseanne, I want to apologize for my friend's actions towards you." Zachary stated, shocking her. "He may not see anything wrong but I do. And I'm taking full responsibility for it." Pausing to let the information sink in while matching the stares directed his way, the gazelle continues, "In a sense, I've been harboring a fugitive this whole time and I never gave it a second thought until now."

"You do realize harboring a fugitive is a harsh crime, don't you?" Giorgio plainly asks. Zachary raises his hand up slowly in defense, remarking, "I know. I know what I did was wrong and stupid of me, but now I'm done keeping it inside."

"Glad to see you're man enough to admit your mistakes. No other culprits have the guts to do that." Nicotz commented.

"If we happen to meet again, I will see you all soon." Zachary bids the group farewell and hobbles out of the courtroom, leaving the group in a state of surprise.

~~~~~

Another trade with Sunnahal from Toyhouse, showing my end!

Josiah Atticus and Zachary Tindall belong to Sunnahal from ToyHouse; the rest belong to me.