10 - A first time

"Are you ready to go?" She finished evening the eye liner, the last touches of correction. She has it all put away and tossed to her room. Coming down the stairs in full undertaker uniform. She holds a fold ornate fan, looking at how modernized Gale gotten. He puts on the tall top hat, mirroring some fashion from his partner. Putting a spin to a classic gentleman's coachman uniforms.

"I don't even know what is physically going to happen to you both when you cross over." The Undertaker pointed out little things to change on Gale, any attempts was awkward. Given the ghost can't move the collar or tie right.

"We will be ghosts. Like you are to us when your here." She said so matter of fact, "Its not the first time a living human as crossed over, it's the frist documented case that living humans are going to be present in a court." She opens the fan, "In order to prevent mass panic, it be for the best that we don't reveal our living status and that we don't use our living names."

"If you say so... but how do you know this?" Gale freezes up to time stopping. She was fine, not use to it but immune to the gimmick feel of it and it had the undertaker to invited Gale into stopped time, "Wow everything creepy." He doesn't understand it, stopping his words from the moment before to change.

"When time is paused, it literally. Even human hearts except you two are stopped in this wrinkle. We call this a moment. A short burst of stopped time that we enact duty and work in. Us of the spirit world dont have any side affect from paused time. Even at the cost of whole lifetimes." Posed his left hand, "My nickname is Rope."

"You died by rope or duelled someone for it?" She wondered.

"I traded my orginal nickname for a deal, this happens to be the spare back up nickname I still have." She shurgs to that, "You read our laws?" She used the fan to indicate, "I see." Rope takes out charms from his breast pocket. He tied them around his partner frist then her, "These will be of more use to you two then me." She watched the thread and charm sink through her and tattoo her skin. Her already marked up arms was bad enough.

"Wow, this is amazing." Gale looking outside to the stopped still living world and the souls that don't follow that rule. His partners peeled away from the window and they hide a moment. A passing imp was looking this way, scratched and runs to something else.

"Humans live between layers of realities. There are real monsters that prevent humans from turning into us spirits. These creatures are unable to harm you when you weren't aware of them. Now..." Gale nods and they carefully moved deep to the house, "Stopped time is full of dangerous souls and hazards. We don't even know how you humans cope in such extremes. Living realms are renowned for dangers, monsters and fears. If you are caught by any of those creatures, a person like me is turned into dust."

She had more on this subject but it was best to let the undertaker choose what level of awareness he will take with his partner. She listened to the needed explanation of what the plan was and the reason for her and Gale making visitation. To blend in among the undertakers until called to stand for testimony. She finds herself subconsciously going into meditation breathing and stays in a steady constant beat.

"Hello, you three ready?" The back slide door opened with several undertakers hovered around. She noted each face and how now suddenly everyone is present with carnival wood masks, unpainted but still decorative. An additional layer of soul protect, identification protection and scuffle of any way for humans to be determined. Luna has seen some these people before, the day Alex died. These were the first responders of undertakers that day. They have testimony of thier own to tell. She may had emotional sank and been unresponsive but in a way, it made her absorb everything around in clarity to give her such recall.

"Right after Alex died, groups of seven are gone missing or found brutally left." Someone explains, "For not only the sake of protection to these humans but also ourselves." Everyone takes hands, "We state this bless upon life an death. Give us protection. Give us peace in time of troubles. Link us together, so we are stronger together and repel malicious energy."

Chains of burden lifted and linked everyone wrists, creating a telepathic bonding that now all the front thoughts can be heard between this group. She was quiet chaotic at frist but with some simple instructions. Everyone was on the same page. She improved considerably faster then Gale. Equally the undertakers were nervous too, the bad expression of knowing this trail was worse then it says on report. There seems that of the front thought is loud enough, everyone hears it but the back thoughts or quiet ones are mostly private. If you were hyperfocused to someone, they will hear whisper thoughts from you or you from them.

Luna felt the guilt and pardons of everyone chains to her, she doesn't let the chains be altered like she would normally.

"Time to enter." Filed as pairs, and the few singles. She walks with a stranger. They file thorough a disc of grey and black clouded mist. While going through, the pressure and air changed. There was voiced in the grey mist. She knows these voices, people that about her behind her back - the sort of envy and negative rude commentary she has lived with. There was a few nice ones but they are always harder to hear.

Through what felt like water, trying to not insistly gasp for air. She holds in her medication breathing and follows in how they all circled together. Some even shielding with arms around shoulders. Eyes every direction of scanning which way to go and who was here hovering the gates. A register was passed around and everyone had to write something of a nickname. She can't use her orginal nicknames and she can use her old names. She hears thoughts of how undertakers are also not using their normal nicknames for security.

'Moon flower' She wrote and passed to the next. It seems fitting for now. She isn't the only flower name around, as there was sun flower and Comos. She peer to Gale, he gone for 'Windmiller'. She opens her hand fan and hide her breathing but was taking in this hide luxury for a bit. They recognized the line in the order of names, she was alone this time. She was back to meditation exercises. She postures mirroring others and walks with etiquette. They file into a Gallery through a painting and take seats. The primary subjects seated along the seats. She could really stop herself.

'Alex...' She thought, 'This court is just exactly what you had a dream about. Even the creepy shadows are in the gallows.' The few that heard her tilted her way in interest.

"This court is a first and will be on four parts. A court first that we have a four way party in session, and I am not talking about how there is three undertaker kingdoms present. For the frist time on record, we will be receiving testimonials from living humans. It would seem that the defense will be the only ones without such thing. Who will know what going to happen now." The speaker is a neutral person that helps keeps the timing for everything. A demon today.

"Given we don't have a human judge, someone was selected to be the human judge. It is customary that each race has a representative on the judge panels. Sir Windmiller, please join us." Gale and his partner stand and they are escorted up. The chain disconnected them from the party, no longer was his thoughts echoing. She can understand this choose and that he was suitable for the qualifications.

'He is a lawyer among humans, so taking a judging seat seems fitting.' She commented to all and many nods agreeing with her.

"This case has already found the underling of Wrath guilty for the death of Alex. He was punished accordingly. Yet as demons work, the master of the underling must have part in this. The lord demon states he didn't order his man and blames humans for interference. If there was any humans here that have words against, you may add in your testimony." The hammer slams in a quick pause of more folks entering the court, and this was truly Seers who were a witness to that day. They were loud and they show no consequence of showing their status. This unnerved many but those that focused see past it. The hammer reminding the room for silence.

"Does burning down someone's house had to be part of that punishment?" Gale posing to ask and the angel is at agreeing that it was excessive, "The explosion alone costs to much in repairs for surrounding businesses to recover from. The lost revenue with will cause families to fall short in paying bills. Injuries of the aftershock. These are things that need to be addressed in human law. It can't be magically fixed as this would cause superstition and break the illusion that protect you from humanity."

"The Human judge is right, this isn't things we undertakers and angels aren't able to fix. We can't pretend that someone's house and the surrounding was a fluke. This was a massive disaster that burned for three living human days. There was only ashes and rubble."

"Fine, that much can be added into the court bill." The after cost once finalized who was responsible. The whole panel agrees. The court demon glares on the accused that did laugh softly.

"Now in the docket is the seven individuals that were found dead. There were these groups beside a killed God slayer. All of them in a brutal manner. Given that we have humans here, we will save the show of images. Those that need to, refer to booklet image items." Gale goes through the whole book and certainly turned away to vomit in a provided bucket. His parnter knew all to well. A few shoulder pats later and this was moved on.

The basic layout of events in the timing that has made sense so far was presented and very accurate to the second. A few character witnesses to movements and the occasional additional content in explaining some things into layman terms. Everyone has a broad perspective of how things run and the sort of cues that makes the crime so flawless. The pattern of someone that exists outside of normal law is being posed and at best they can only call to blame very few beings with this amount experience and power. Equally there was plausible evidence that was striking against the humans in the lower gallows, the Seers. Whom are quick to blame each other or something they refer as the core.

This began the end of this frist session and give some folks a moment break. Many that were needed for the next hour was putting themselves in comfortable seating. Luna herself made herself be a little more leaned back for now, she had been watching public more then the trial.

Many around her as undertakers left and entered, the waves of static words occasionally but overall she was mostly a small voice. For everyone, she seems a soft constant whispering that never evaded or interrupted.

"For the King." A stranger sits beside her, she softly nods at agreeing and her fan was softly indicating this respect. She gives the unique uniform a glance and the stern steady expression of the gentleman beside her.

"For the Monarch." She eventually used a dead way speaking, "May the undertakers guide through this grey fog, aide the shepard of souls and present the trial of chains." She posed forwards, "Befall or rise, there tips a scale at some breaking point. A threshold that differs to each a soul." She spoke so gentle and level.

"Then you aren't one of us."

"I am as murky and grey as it gets, stranger. I have only this life to belong and when it is my time cross over. I can then worry about who side I share." She softly blinks, "I am proud of my friend. No only has he finally a spine to match the wings. He so much more alive then life gave." She slightly slipped with needing to breath and adjust the fan to hide this breathing. Giving that she actually then sighed like a living person.

'Poor Alex.' She thought.

"So you know the angel on the defensive." She softly folds the fan, it flares back out whip it fast. She was gesturing the displeasure that majority around her felt.

"Miss Moon Flower. How did you come about earning such a nickname?" A different undertaker questioning her.

"The flower that glows in darkness. A befitting way of things when you consider my war with the thorny Dahlias down below. They offer fine faces but I am more inclined to give a stem." Gossip travels, "They wear fake faces and have dirty hands. They are cursed. Cursed blood." She settled down closed the fan and turns to the question maker, "Besides I earned many of my nicknames. Many I have sheltered and reach a hand for. It was these small acts of kindness that a gentle gaint called me such name. I am a beautiful Moon flower among the dying and rotten. A glowing peaceful beauty the shattered the darkness." She opens her fan, "Flattery really. The old bit of scales was a little dazed at the time. I miss them."

"Something gave your nickname?" The stranger besides her wondered.

"I make your ears bleed if we continue playing this. I have many stories; some real, some lost and mostly to never be again. They are true to me as if it were happening now. Each a little treasure gem that sparkles a the odd angle." She tilts in how everyone else does in being confused or concerned. She like several around her being aware of something about this trail isn't going the way it should be. She is however very relaxed, this cold presence is an old freind and she relies at this knowing that it will work out for the better, regardless of what may.

"I have the highest authority here!" The demon god before them commands.

"No!" A Seer came forward and posed a fragment of tome, "No God has no right to this." Smached out of hand and dropped at the floor. The woman hissed at the god, the scorn did little in binding.

"Demand as anyone here may try. There is no one above god rank."

"Prove it!" Gale shouted in sort of explosive in body language. He wasn't confident in believing the demon god taking this trail. Equally nor does any of the defense of this case.

"Sigil action!" The god commands, "Give over all authority to this highest level here."

The room is at stop of nothing happening. The crystal panel system loading up and delving in how best to handle this request. It made two error messages and just eventually restarted itself. The god being utterly flunex at why he can use the system correctly.

There was a sudden load crashing sound in Luna's head, that following with her arms burning where runic pattern waver hot. There is way too much information shot into her mind in one go. She awkwardly stood holding her hands in defending herself, at reflex stops a book slamming itself at her. She sat back down, shiver at holding the tome closed.

Unlike many living people, a court room of the afterlife doesn't react to her acting strangely. In fact, the strange that she seemingly summoned the tome to her would just been seen as one of many that was looking for answers for what rank was higher then a demon god. Even the total stranger beside her didn't really think of her reaction to be abnormal. She doesn't want to know the answer unlike the rest of the room. She holds the book clasped in a hug and reached down for her fan. She puts a clay mask in her way to the side and takes the fan. Sitting back up and holding her breathing with the fan. Arms jittery and book clasped tightly.

"The sigil system is unable to operate and clearly there is divide of who or what has highest rank. In accordance of following law, the trial is to continue with the demon god seated in the public gallows. If at any time that there is a direct need or involvement from your strengths, we will retest the sigil crystal." The demon god can at least do this much. He is still technically in power this way, not over stepping ranking. Anyone in the public gallows with proven evidence can suddenly become a key witness or provider of 'graces'. It's their law, not a living one.

"Until further notice, next on the docket. The matter of what exactly happened to the underling." The turn of many heads from the judges, staring at Gale that had a bad reaction.

"Stop the courts!" A message carrier thundering in, fell upon the every direction with spilling papers. The little guy scooping up everything and hops over the gate. Throws it over the analysts desk, scanned through by crystal panel system. The verification process was very smooth and the imp jitters at pulling a new time of events.

"Right folks, hold to the foil tin hats!" He exclaimed, "With having finished the time Dial between three kingdoms of undertakers." He wavered about, "20 god courts." He claps, "The last bit I need is the grace of the highest ranking person here to allow me a moment to rewind it all. I can explain how a single person has killed all the god slayers!" Luna looked at the book instantly. The rage of debate about ranking started up all over again. And now there was chaotic motion from all around.

She was so quiet. So gentle with frail pages. A damaged book. Surfaces burn and crisp. So much pain and suffering. The book has no souls within itself. Not even the core was barely there. Dusty partials that barely sheets into paper at all. Just like always of touch reading, what she can feel was the crude torn pen marks of someone editing the names. Crossed out like a kill list. She noticed her own name, slashed thrice. Yet desperately this fragile cursed object has still clunch to the last. Bending the rules just barely enough... Her nickname as the keeper at the frist page of this book. It's the only one not crossed out. The last authentic thing unbundled by the hate and pain these souls had gone through.

She closes it, title... The books title was even crossed out. But she knows this book of every fiber inch. She has achieved lifetimes of work beyond this universe inside this book. And this.

This was the treatment that the person after her gave it.

She opens the book... a ripped page. Yes. She knows exactly which page. She taken this page from her father. The damaged folded parts. It's missing.

"You truly want me back." She brushed the cover softly, "Even after everything." She speaks with emotion and harsh deep pain in her. She hugs the tome, and it's influences spread over her. The scars are back on her. Her agelessness veils over her and clothed in many patchwork squares. She was drastically the energy that silenced the court. There is so much in her mind and so many things she wants meant to know.

Yet it is second nature, she wipes over her mask and grasp from darkness three objects. A orb, a book and a empty staff. She sits back down, eyes closed and hands petting the orb. The tome floats closed around her, the dust of it clouding and hiding her.

"It will seem that demon god is over ruled by something stronger. Going by the silence, we are proceed with this case. Hearing no objections of the new evidence. Little Imp, you are to give this court you new events." The smile and sheer joy. The imp was pulling a sorts of things around to get ready.

"Human break call!" Gale getting up and taking care of some space. He nearly collapse but he has some confidence to keep it together. Move out the room for a breather. Luna stays. She maybe in a lot of pain and barely keeping wits. But she seems totally aware that the stranger besides her isn't here for nothing. That he was trying to poach out the last soul in the broken tome, the broken souls he rid of... seeking what mistake is holding him back from cleaning away the useless thing. If she leaves during the human called break, she fears what this stranger is going to do.

"Excuse me little thing." The imp that interrupted all this, "May I use your stick?"

"Ugh... No." She spoke like the dead do, "The stick will..." She grasps tighten on it, "My partner will judge your soul, and you needed right now. Do your things."

"Here, I have a pointer." The stranger beside her is so amused of hearing how this imp figured things out, that he was willing to provide a pointer for such entertainment. Crossed arms and ready to hear the show brag about his great sin. She realized that to all these spirit people, she looks like her living normal self. They can see her spiritual influence. She is sure that maybe the Seers and Gale can... yet they aren't paying her mind right now. The imp patters back to his big display. Pointer at the ready.

"Whoever did this can recall past lives." Announced loud and on point, "They had to least followed 9 human lifetimes. This evil cruel soul was chasing a book keeper. Clearly had eventual access to the tome this keeper kept. Because spending soul lives is a different measurement of length to how we experience things. This tome used wad flung outside the boundaries, to escape the hunter that killed names out the book!"

"Where is the proof?" So many already lost at what this meant and why it mattered to understand a storyline of events.

"So instead of tracking events in time measures. I have to tell you the order of soul names that been erased!" The gasps and a few claps from demon types. The fee sick souls thar finds the feat impressive.

"So find its now a list of souls being erased. One or several at a time. This would definitely collapse the living world many times over, something we are use to at this point."

"Cursing Generation's of a family who are the hosts of the tome and the keepers of the names. I suggesting that the Tricksters are the victim of someone among them, but not the one they blame. Rather the soul they blame is the keeper running away from being targeted by the tome slasher."

"Bull crap!" Several living Seers aren't reacting like the dead Tricksters family side. The living know the imp is right and that they are in terror. Controlled and owned by the current top seated. The real brain behind the puppets of the family. The real one that made success from thin air. Divide of living and dead now realized, the public gallows was pulled apart and protected from itself.

"There is a lot of 1st times about this court." The stranger here to bask in bragging, "Maybe this time I can finally get rid of the thing." She grateful that a page is missing. Saddly the thought was slightly loud but misunderstood. None of these people around her understands why she thought this. The weird stranger assumed that it was the imps presentation missing a page.

"I guess he has to be missing a page. I am just going... going to..." Clicked fingers and a missing page was put to the verification table. Gladly the imp collects it in great relief. He began the long boring draw of explaining the list before names were crossed and then the order of way names were. The imp doesn't know where the souls lived or even what the soul are. The imp simply worked out the duration between time for when the next souk name was brushed. She lost focus unlike all these dead people. She was hurting and aching.