Everyone arrived quickly to the courthouse. Most hermits were deep in discussion, or argument. Xisuma was at the door, conducting a weapon check in case of unfair play. Elex, the judge, was scanning through his notes. The prosecution, Joel, Bdubs, Doc and Beef, sat armed with books and well-rehearsed arguments in uniform suits, at the front.

Cub and Scar sat unaware 3 rows back.

'Welcome hermits to the first official trial of the case of the murder of iJevin. I believe all... 4 hermits sat at the front are the prosecution, so I don't know what the defence is planning, if it even had time to with the speed this was called. Anyway, I'd like to call to what should actually be the witness box GoodTimeWithScar and/or Cubfan135.

Scar froze. He stared at Elex, hoping for him to speak again, apologise and say it was another hermit. But even if he did, he wouldn't hear. Not over his heart, thudding in his ears. He was on trial. He was now on trial. Someone had put him on trial. Enough hermits voted. The hermits thought he'd done it. And Cub. The vex. The ConVex.

'Scar?' Cub held his hand tighter. 'It's alright. We didn't do anything. I know we didn't.'

It's not about that. The Hermits think we did. We can't prove ourselves innocent if they don't already believe us. But Scar couldn't speak. He could barely breathe.

'Cub or Scar?'

'In a moment! Scar, I'm right here. I can go up if you'd like.'

'Come on, Scar. Bloody hell...' Joel called.

'This isn't real this isn't real this isn't real,' Scar muttered. Cub hugged him.

'I'm right here, Scar.'

'It's an act. He's bloody time-wasting.'

Scar clung closer to Cub.

'Scar will come up to talk when he's ready,' Cub said, voice as even as it could be.

'Stop bloody protecting him all the time.'

A flicker of blue in Cub's eyes, but he kept calm.

'Scar will come up to talk when he's ready.'

'Cub, didn't he know?' Grian whispered from the row behind. 'Why didn't you tell him?'

'I didn't think they'd get enough hermits that actually believe Doc.'

'This isn't real, Cub. This can't be real. Why do they think it's us. We did nothing. We were asleep. They can't take over when we're asleep, right?' Scar looked up, eyes wide and shining with tears. 'Right, Cub?'

'They didn't do anything. And neither did we.'

'They have no argument.' Cleo, nearby, reassured Scar with. 'I've read their discussions and they've got nothing.'

'You'll be fine, Scar. I believe in you. You're a good speaker.'

'What if they don't believe us?'

'Then they're ignoring the truth.'

'Come on, Scar!'

Scar took a deep breath, glancing over to Elex. The judge gave only an apologetic shrug.

'Good luck, man. I'm right here if you need me.'

'I know.'

Scar walked towards the front, focusing on his breathing. He only stopped when he was inside the witness box, hands gripping the fenced edge.

'Ok. I'm ready.'

'Alright then, Scar.' Joel stepped closer. 'Do you remember when Cub hid 2000 Sculk catalysts under everyone's base, broke light sources so mobs spawned, died and spread sculk that destroyed everything we'd carefully made, before refusing to accept the blame?'

Scar took a deep breath.

'He was possessed by the sculk.'

'And in Season 5 of hermitcraft, though I wasn't there, Etho told me there were huge pranks done in the night, vandalising people's bases.

'We were possessed by the Vex.'

'Let me get this straight. You're saying you were possessed by 2 different creatures.'

'Cub's been possessed by both the Vex and the Sculk. I've just been possessed by the Vex.'

'You weren't involved with the Sculk?'

'No.'

'Don't you normally prank together?'

'He was possessed. The sculk had complete control over his mind and actions. Ask Pix and Shubble. And Joe and False. Who helped him.'

'And you didn't help him?'

Scar didn't speak. Memories returned. The dizziness. The pain. The headaches. The Vex screeching that Cub had abandoned them. Him being alone with Cub, the realisation that he was hurt.

'Pix didn't let me.' The easiest truth.

'And you just listened?'

'It was hurting me,'

'Only Cub was possessed, Scar. Keep your bloody lies straight.' Joel stepped closer.

'They're not lies.'

'How did it hurt you then?' Another step closer.

'I don't know. But I got ill. I couldn't help him.'

'So you didn't see when Cub was unpossessed?'

'I couldn't.

'How do you know it happened?'

'Because Cub returned to normal afterwards.'

'Or he dropped the act then.'

'No.'

'Cub was also possessed by the Vex.'

'Yes.'

'2 magical beings that aren't magical in any other situation possessed him?'

'Yes.'

'Bit of a coincidence.'

'No.' Scar's grip on the edge grew. 'It's not. Sculk only attacks magical players.'

'How many times were you possessed by the Vex?'

'About... 30 times?'

'How many times was Cub possessed by the Vex?'

'I don't know.'

'Don't you get possessed at the same time.'

'The Vex bully Cub.'

'Or he pretends they do to prank more.'

'I'm not sharing what they do to him because they're Cub's secrets.' Scar forced down the Vex-rage within. 'But he's not faking.'

'Have you seen it happen?'

'I trust Cub's word.'

'Why?'

'Because he's my best friend and he wouldn't lie about this.'

'Etho never mentioned Cub acting weirder than you.'

'Etho wasn't even around in Season 6.'

'If Cub's already been faking being possessed, and pretending there's all this extra attention the Vex are giving him, then what stops him from killing Jevin and using the same excuse to not get punished? He's seen how many lies you'll believe, and decided to go one step further.'

'Cub would never do that.'

'Maybe you don't know him as well as you think.'

'He's my best friend.'

'He's a liar.'

'You don't know him.' Scar's voice faded to little more than a hiss.

'Wasn't Jevin starting a resistance against his government? And pranked his shop for no reason?'

'Cub didn't kill Jevin. I'd know.'

'Clearly.' A glance at Elex. 'No more questions.'

Joel returned to his seat, as Bdubs stood. Scar's gaze shifted to his shaking hands, turning bluer by the second, then to Cub, staring at the ground, then to the 3 other hermits he'd have to face.

'Your honour, Elex, sir.' Joe stood, hand in the air. 'I wish to speak for Cub's defence, following Joel's turn as prosecution.'

'Did you sign up to be defence? And mark your spot in the trial?' Bdubs replied. 'Or are you just saying this now.'

'I wasn't informed of a place where I could.'

'All of us did, Snatcher.' Doc turned to him. 'But if the defence weren't prepared... well, that's not our fault.'

'Doc and Bdubs are correct. According to the rules I believe they made themselves, you need to agree to be defence in advance.'

'Objection, your honour. Isn't that bullshit?' Cleo stood.

'Objection denied. Bdubs, your turn.' 

:)