The Trial
It was a brand new day at third street elementary school, however a peaceful day, it was not. Right now we can see every kid in the middle of an epic dirt clod war with kids either throwing dirt clods at each other or being tackled down into the mud.
"Incoming!" Gus shouted as he, TJ, Dede, Vince and Gretchen were all hiding inside a trench and ducked to avoid a barrage of mud balls being thrown at them.
"Man, there's nothing like a good dirt clod war." Said TJ when they all stood back up.
"You can say that again." Vince agreed only for no one else to agree as a loud scream rang out making everyone stop what they were doing. By the time the five friends managed to get to where the scream came from they saw a bunch of other students surrounding Randall who was laying on the floor with a rock next to his head.
"Rock....thrown." Randall groaned out. "Don't know if I'll make it."
"A rock? What kind of rotten evil kid would throw a rock in a dirt clod war." Asked digger Dave.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Asked Spinelli as she came to stand next to Dede.
"It was her, Spinelli did it. She threw the rock." Randall said before falling back on the ground.
"Uh oh." Said Spinelli.
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The next day we can see the seven friend walking to school together.
"That little 2-bit, snit-faced glob-of-spit." Said Spinelli, still furious about what had happened during the dirt clod war. "I can't believe he said that stuff about me."
"Yeah, just because you threw a rock at a guy-" started Mikey.
"I did NOT throw a rock at a guy."
"Good, cause throwing a rock in a dirt clod war is about as low as a kid could get."
"Come on Mikey, stop that. You know Spinelli, she'd never do something like this." Said Dede glaring up at him.
"Right, if Spinelli said she didn't do it, she didn't do it." Said TJ agreeing with Dede.
"Yeah, besides it's been a whole day. Everyone probably forgot about it by now." Shrugged Vince as the friends walked onto the playground, only to be stopped by seeing everyone standing there.
"There she is, the rock thrower." Some random kid shouts.
"What do you want rock thrower, to, like, to throw another rock at this poor innocent kid again?" Asked Ashley A as she pointed over to Randall sitting on a bench with his head wrapped up, groaning.
"Innocent kid? It's Randal!" Said Spinelli.
"Oh yeah!" Ashley A ran up to Spinelli. "Well even if it is just Randal, you can't throw a rock in a dirt clod war. It's just plain wrong."
"But I didn't do it, I wasn't anywhere near the little weasel."
"Well where were you then?" Asked Ashley Q.
"I....I can't say."
"I bet I know where she was, out getting more rock." Said a random kid. (I seriously can't find this kids name anywhere???)
"Take her to Prickly!" Said digger Dave.
"Turn her over to Finster!" Said Ashley Q.
"Send her to the dodgeball wall." Said the random kid again.
"No wait!" Ashley A said stopping all the kids in the shouts for punishment. "I say we give her a swirly."
This seemed to please all the other kids as they started to advance on Spinelli, shouting 'swirly' as they went. Spinelli started to slowly back away from the approaching kids before their path was stopped by Dede jumping between them all.
"Okay that's enough, I've known Spinelli for years, she's like a sister to me and that's how I know for a fact that she wouldn't do something like this, you're all being ridiculous."
"And how do we know you aren't a part of this too? You'll stick up for her even if she did it infront of everyone." Asked Ashley A.
"You're joking right? First off, I was with the others, so I was on the other side of the playground and second, no I wouldn't and Spinelli knows that, if she does something wrong she knows I'll tell her straight up."
"Well, regardless, she still needs to be punished."
"Seriously, that's not fair, you can't just give a kid a swirly without a fair trail."
"Oh yeah, says who."
"Says me!" A new voice said, everyone looked over to see king Bob there. "As long as I'm king on this playground, we're gonna do things right. First we'll give her a fair trial, then we'll give her a swirly. And to make sure the trial goes as planned, I appoint the smartest kid on the playground to be prosecutor, Gretchen Grunler."
"But I can't be the prosecutor, I'm Spinelli's friend." Gretchen said after gasping.
"Silence." King Bob said before looking at Dede. " and I take it you will be the defence attorney?"
"Yes! I know that Spinelli didn't do this, so much so that if we by chance lose, which we won't, I'll take the swirly with her." Dede said as her friends gasped behind her again.
"Dede, what are you doing?" Spinelli said shocked that her friend would stick by her side, no matter what.
"Interesting." Said king Bob before Dede could reply to Spinelli. "Very well, the trial will commence at noon sharp, then the swirlies at twelve fifteen." So to that king Bob was carried away with the kids following him, cheering.
"What am I going to do?" Asked Spinelli.
"Oh come on Spinelli." TJ said, putting his hand on her back. "After all, you got Gretchen as a prosecutor, she'll go easy on ya."
"Actually TJ, according to the constitution of the playground, it is my duty to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. See you in court." Said Gretchen before she walked away.
"I'm doomed." Spinelli sighs.
"Don't worry Spinelli, I've got you covered." Said Dede.
"Why would you do that Dede, why offer to take a swirly you don't deserve."
"Because I know you don't deserve it either, now are you going to make my job a lot easier and tell me what really happened yesterday or do I have to do my own investigation."
"I'm sorry Dee, I just can't."
"That's fine." Dede smiled at Spinelli before waving at them. "Well, I've got some investigating to do, I'll see that later."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next time we see the gang it's at lunch time in front of the monkey bars, Spinelli was sitting on one side with TJ, Vince, Gus and Mikey standing not too far of to the side and Gretchen sitting on the other side next to Randall.
"Where's deee?" Asked Vince looking around.
"I'm right here." Said Dedes voice behind the boys making them look before gasping at Dede. Instead of her normal everyday outfit Dede was now wearing a white blouse with a light blue tie, slightly undone, with a yellow crop jacket that had a light blue strip around the cuffs, and a yellow skirt, over some black tights. On her feet were some ankle boots that were mostly white except for the light blue ring on the top of them and a single black grove on her right hand that was holding onto a Manila folder, with her usual bracelet on her left wrist. Dedes hair which was usually stuffed up into her hat to keep out of her face was now loose, having been put into a side ponytail on the left side of her head, being held up by a light blue ribbon.
"Woah, Dede, nice outfit." Said Gus.
"Thanks, I thought I'd best take this seriously so a new outfit was called. I'm going to win this." Dede said before sitting next to Spinelli.
"Why are you doing this, I'm not going to take the stand, I'm not gonna tell anyone what happened." Spinelli said, crossing her arms.
"That's fine, I've managed to find out what happened myself, at least I managed to find out where you were during this."
"What? How?"
"You'll see." Dede winked before the trail was called.
"Okay, let's get this thing over with, I'm missing lunch." Said king Bob after he sat down. "The prosecution may begin."
"Your honour, boys and girls of the jury." Gretchen said as she stood up front. "Throwing a rock in a dirt clod war is the most despicable thing a kid could commit, worse than cutting in line, worse than throwing slush balls, even worse then spitting loogies in the drinking fountain. Today I intend to prove, beyond shadow of doubt, that this violent and ill-tempered girl, sorry Spinelli, is guilty, guilty, guilty. The people...er kids, call Randall J Weems to the stand." With the call Randall moved to sit on a swing.
"Do you Randall, the snitch, Weems, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Asked one of kind bobs guards.
"Ohh... I do."Randall groaned with his hand on the constitution of the playground book.
"Randall, tell us in your own words exactly what happened yesterday." Said Gretchen.
"Well..this head wounds' pretty bad, but I'll tell you what I remember."
***********************
"It was a dirt clod war to end all dirt clod wars, like always I was having to fight the whole thing single handed." Randall started doing flips and kicks until he got to a tree where he ripped up a root and took a bite out of it. "And then, I saw her." Spinelli jumped out from behind a bush.
"Haha, gotcha boozooes." Spinelli laughed as she threw some dirt at some second graders that weren't armed, knocking them down.
"Of all the cowardly acts...SPINELLI."
"Randall."
"It's just you and me sister." Now both Randall and Spinelli were at a stand off, with Spinelli swearing a bit, both preparing to throw a dirt clod at each other.
"I can't fight you Randall, you are my moral and physical superior." Spinelli said, dropping the dirt in her hand.
"You're right Spinelli, it wouldn't be fair." Randall crushed the dirt in his hand. "After all, I could beat you any day by throwing dirt clods."
"True Randall, but this..." she held up a rock. "Is not a dirt clod."
"You wouldn't!"
"Just watch me." And with that Spinelli threw the rock at Randall.
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"I say we give her the swirly now." Shouted the random kid again, as all the kids started chanting 'swirly'.
"OBJECTION!" Dede shouted pointing at Randall as she stood up. "There are a few holes in your story there Randall, first, it was an all grades inclusive war, meaning everyone was on the playground and not where this incident took place, even if there were some kids not taking part in the war and were just walking about, where are they?" Dede looked at all the kids gathered. "Well? Where are these two second graders that Spinelli hit? Please come forth?"
"Uhh..." Randall stuttered when no one stepped forward.
"She must have hit them so hard that they're staying at home!" Shouted random kid again.
"That's preposterous, as Randall said in his story she hit them with dirt clods, no matter how hard you hit someone with dirt it won't do any harm to anyone and most definitely not enough damage for them to stay home." When Dede pointed this out some of the kids started to mumble in agreement as Dede looked back at Randall. "And the second thing wrong with your story is that you had said, that Spinelli had said, and I quote 'I can't fight you Randall, you are my moral and physical superior.' Right?"
"Y..yes?" Stuttered Randall.
"That right there is a flat out lie. Everyone knows that Spinelli will never say that to anyone, especially to you, who is not her superior in morals and physical strength."
"Uhh."
"Got no answer? No surprise there, considering your whole story is nothing but a lie. Spinelli had no reason to hit you with a rock."
"Yes, Spinelli has no reason to hit my client with a rock, unless you hold a grudge against him, do you have something against my client Spinelli?" Said Gretchen.
"Not enough to hit him with a rock." Said Spinelli.
"Oh really...I call Mikey to the stand." Gretchen points at Mikey.
"Me?" Mikey questions before walking to take the swing that Randall had vacated.
"Mikey, did you, or did you not, tell me about something you saw yesterday?"
"I'm sorry Spinelli, but I saw it, I saw it all."
*************************
"It was a nightmare of a dirt clod war, I'd never seen such carnage. Madness, madness. But then I saw Spinelli and my heart felt hope for mankind." Mikey looked over to see Spinelli run over and kneel next to an injured kid.
"Are you okay man, get me a tissue. I said get me a tissue now." Spinelli shouted out. "Time out, time out!" While all kids around stopped and looked at her as she went back to tending the injured kids she was hit by a dirt clod on the back of her head, looking over shows it was Randall that threw it.
"Hahaha I got Spinelli, I got Spinelli." Randall laughs doing a little jumping dance.
"I'm gonna cream you ya little worm." With that Spinelli chased Randall away.
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"You hit Spinelli during a time out? She was right, you are a worm." Said king Bob looking disapprovingly at Randall.
"Your honour please, my clients not the one on trial here." Said Gretchen before she turned back to Mikey. "Go on Mikey."
"Well I was afraid Spinelli was going to do something she'd regret, so I chased after them."
**************************
We cut to Mikey running to try and catch up to them before he came to a stop to look through a gap in the fence. "And then I saw them on the other side of the fence."
"Okay okay I give, please don't bean me." Randall begged falling to his knees as Spinelli stood over him with a dirt clod in her hand.
"SPINELLI DON'T." Mikey shouted before he ran to try and get to the gate of the fence. "I ran for the gate but before I got there...."
"AHHHHHHH" sounded out Randall's scream.
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"It was too late. Too late." Mikey cried.
"It's okay Mikey, it's okay." Gretchen said, trying to comfort him.
"When will you people learn, war is not a game, it's not a game!"
"Boys and girls of the jury, that facts of the case are clear, provoked or not the defendant attacked my client and beat him with a rock, the verdict is simple boys and girls, Guilty, gui-."
"Hold on." Dede interrupted Gretchen. "I have a few questions for Mikey."
"Like what?" Asked Gretchen. "He already said he was SpinellI do it!"
"No he didn't." That made everyone pause. "Mikey you said when you got to the gap in the fence that you saw Spinelli standing over Randall with a dirt clod in her hands right?"
"Yes." Mikey nodded.
"Not the rock in question?"
"No."
"So, did you SEE Spinelli throw the rock?"
"I didn't see her throw it but they were the only ones there, it only makes sense right?"
"No it doesn't, there's only one thing that can beat all these false accusations and that is the truth, so therefore I'd like to call Spinelli to the stand." Dede pointed back at Spinelli.
"What? Dede I told you I'm not talking." Spinelli said.
"Listen Spinelli, either you come up to the stand and tell everyone the truth yourself or I'll have no choice but to go and call Ms Finster." Dede rested her hands on her hips as Spinelli looked nervous.
"What does Ms FInster have to do with this?" Asked Ashley A.
"Everything. Now Spinelli either the truth comes from you or not, but I refuse to let you take a punishment for something you didn't do." Dede leaned in close to Spinelli, not backing down from her glare.
"Oh man, dee, why do I let you talk me into these things?" Spinelli gave in.
"Because I only have your best interest at heart." Dede stated as Spinelli sat on the swing. "Okay Spinelli, tell everyone what really happened at the dirt clod war."
"Well, it was like this."
***********************
We cut to Spinelli standing over Randall who was laying on the ground. "There I was standing non over Randall, him begging for forgiveness and me with a big ole dirt clod in my hands, not a rock a dirt clod. I was just about to nail him when all of a sudden, I heard a sounds from above me." Spinelli looked up to see a ginger cat sitting on the tree branch above her. "It was a stupid cat that had gotten its self stuck in a tree. I figured I had to help it so I forgot all about that idiot Randall did what I had to do." Spinelli dropped the dirt clod she was holding and started climbing up the tree. "Come on boy, come on." Spinelli cooed before the cat jumped into her arms and clung onto her as she climbed back down the tree.
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"So you're saying you didn't beat Randall because you were saving a kitty from a tree?" Asked Ashley A.
"Yes." Spinelli sighed as the kids all laughed. "I should've just taken the swirly."
"Oh come on. This is so not true, Spinelli saving a kitty as if and what does Ms Finster have to do with this."
"Everything." Dede stepped in and stopped any more questions being asked. "Spinelli, please continue."
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Spinelli jumps down from the tree just as Ms Finster comes around the corner. "Conan." She cooed excitedly as Spinelli handed the cat over. "Oh! My little baby-waby, did mommy lose you. Good work Spinelli, I owe you one." With that Ms Finster walked away.
"Turned out the dumb cat was Finsters all along."
*******************************
"So there's your proof okay, I wasn't anywhere near Randall when he got hit by that rock." Spinelli stood up.
"But that doesn't make any sense, if you were getting Finsters cat out of a tree, who threw the rock?" Ashley A asked.
"Yeah, what's the truth?" Asked digger Dave before everyone looked over to Randall.
"What? Why's everyone looking at me? I'm not the one on trial, right Gretchen?" Randall stuttered, turning to face Gretchen.
"Actually Randall, I too would like to hear the truth for a change." Said Gretchen.
"The truth? You can't handle the truth." Randall stood up.
"Try up, now fes up, who threw the rock."
Said Dede.
"Okay, you want the truth, well here it is. All those years of snitching for Finster, running around for Finster, being Finsters slave and never once have I got a 'good job Randall, I owe ya one' NEVER. And then little miss spinderella comes along and all she does is get that stupid cat out of a tree and it's 'good job Spinelli, I owe you one'. Those words will burn in my soul forever."
"But who threw the rock Randall, who threw the rock." Demanded Gretchen.
"I did it okay? It was me!" Randall admitted making all the kids gasp.
*****************************
"There I was watching Ms Finster compliment my arch nemesis Spinelli, it sickened me." Randall looked over at Spinelli and FInster with a glare before looking over and seeing a big rock. "And that's when I saw it, that beautiful rock just laying there on the ground." Randall the stood up and tried to pick up the rock. "But then I realised how heavy it was and found another one." Randall grabbed the smaller rock that was sitting next to the big one and threw it into the air. "And I threw it, I threw it straight up in the air." He then proceeded to run around in circles with the rock following his every move before hitting him right on the head, knocking him down.
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"I hit myself on the head okay! And I'd do it again, I'd do it again!" Randall cried. "Oh Finster, my Finster, how you torture me."
"What an idiot." Said Ashley A.
"That's the lamest thing I ever heard." Said digger Dave.
"In light of this new evidence the prosecution withdraws its case." Gretchen said standing up as the kids cheered.
"Which means this case is closed, does the defendant have any closing statements." Said king Bob.
"Not a closing statement per say, but more of a suggestion." Said Dede looking up at him.
"Go on?"
"Because Randall lied to everyone and tried to get Spinelli unfairly punished, not to mention he wasted everyone's recess, wouldn't it be fair for him to be punished so he doesn't do this again?"
"This is correct, the only suitable thing to do is to give Randall the swirly." This made Randall scream and run away as the other kids all chased him. At the end of the day we see the group of seven all walking downs the sidewalk on their way home.
"Well Spinelli, I said I'd win this case and I was right." Dede said, walking by with her hands behind her back.
"Yeah, sorry we didn't believe you at first, it's just I thought I saw what I thought I saw." Said Mikey.
"Don't worry about it, I was the one who didn't take the stand, besides you guys were all there for me when I needed ya. Even you Gretchen." Said Spinelli.
"Hey, what are friends for?" Said Gretchen.
"How could we have ever doubted her." Said Vince.
"It's a good thing you told Dede what happened before though, otherwise it wouldn't have turned out so well." Said TJ.
"But I didn't." Said Spinelli as the other five looked at her. "I told no one anything, I don't know how Dede knew what happened."
"It's simple." Dede stated as they all looked at her. "I went back and looked around, seeing mud on the tree that shew someone had climbed the tree and an odd footprint that was too big to be a kid. It was a size six heeled shoe, the same kind Finster wears so I went on the whim and asked her if she saw you around the time of the dirt clod war and she told me about how you saved Conan."
"Pretty risky move there, if you weren't able to find that shoes print and make the connection you risked having a swirly as well." Said Gretchen.
"I know, but I believed in Spinelli whole heartedly so I'd do anything for her, same as all of you, I'll always be there for you, no matter what. Even if it means just taking a punishment with you so you won't be alone."
"You're the best Dede." Spinelli said as the group of seven all came together for a group hug.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally got to this episode and I hope I did okay with it.
I'd like to thank cure crystal on fanfiction . Net for the great idea of having Dede dress like Athena from the phoenix wright series and the idea for Dede to agree to take the swirly with Spinelli.
I'm gonna start doing some episodes out of order so I can have them tie into other ones for a more fun episode.
I am always open to ideas if there's anything you want to see Dede do : )
Thanks for reading.
<3<3<3