Cease and Desist - by AgentXY - 3/3
Nia and the Hawkmoths are brought to trial, as the clock ticks away on Nia's memories, can the team pull through to save their friend?
Story by AgentXY14
Month 5
It was an uncomfortable situation for the Hawkmoths, being in an actual judicial court. But it was both necessary and moral, if they were to provide their support for their friend.
They had Alvis to thank for pissing off Nintendo of Europe enough to drag the Hawkmoths to court in the first place, namely for manipulating social media algorithms on Splutter. The “#FreeNia” tag went viral overnight, putting the story directly in the spotlight across the world. If Nia’s need for independence was going to tarnish the company’s reputation, being the butt of a social media campaign would be far worse for them.
“I did nothing,” Alvis would deny coyly. “This was all the algorithm here. I merely...gave it a nudge.”
Nia especially felt uncomfortable, with members of the court inspecting her. The judge, the gallery, and especially the plaintiffs. Anderson dryly observed the scene, emotionally absent, and Nia visibly cringed at the sight.
She was calmed when Agent patted her on the shoulder. “We’ve got this,” he said, reassuring. “Just sit tight, and we’ll get you out of this mess.”
Nia nodded. “Alright,” she said. “I trust you.”
Somehow, Agent had managed to act as Nia’s lawyer. Evidently, he claimed he had a degree in law and “spent an unhealthy amount of time writing Ace Attorney fanfiction”, in his words. Whether the former was true was another story—but it was enough to act as Nia’s council, exactly where he needed to be to give her justice.
“We’ll have order,” the judge said; he rapped the stand with his gavel. “Court is now in session for the civil suit of Nintendo of America against Zeydaan Jem and the Hawkmoths.”
Nia wasn’t paying too much attention to the initial proceedings. She just watched as the prosecutor talked about his side, about how if she would be prancing about in the skin of someone Nintendo owned, then Nintendo had a claim on her. Agent stood up and said his piece, about how Nia was in fact a victim, not a perpetrator, and how she deserved understanding for her predicament.
Then the doctor goat stood as a witness.
“Doctor Reinsford, it is your expert opinion that this transformation is irreversible, correct?” Agent asked.
“It is,” Asriel nodded.
“This would naturally be verified by conclusive data?”
“It is indeed, and I submitted that to the court this morning,” Asriel added.
“But of course, this would naturally need a second opinion beyond someone who was friends with the defendant,” Agent said. “Did you source this information elsewhere as well?”
“I did,” Asriel said. “An associate of mine and myself have both received verification from the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency with their findings. Their search for a reversal was inconclusive as well.”
Agent nodded. “No further questions.”
“Very well,” the judge said. “Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine?”
Upon hearing about the S.E.A., the prosecution shook his head. “No, that’s not neccesary,” he said.
Agent silently fist-pumped, and Nia started to breathe a little bit more.
…
Taking to the stand next was Darius Jem himself. His very presence had silenced everyone, even the judge and gallery, far too taken in with his imposing demeanor.
Not even Agent was prepared. “I didn’t realize he would be here,” he told Zach, who shrugged.
“I mentioned the court date but he was noncommittal,” Zach explained. “Guess he committed now.”
Darius was sworn in without delay, the prosecutor stepping forward for his examination. “Mister Jem, would you say your relationship with your child is strained?” he asked.
“It is,” Darius said, simply.
“And would such factors relating to this be his shapeshifting—”
“THEIR shapeshifting,” Darius quickly snapped. Even the prosecutor stepped back. “Although at this point, she is a her and will be addressed as such.”
He folded his hands; Nia stared in awe, without recognition of Darius’s relation to herself. For his part, Darius looked back with a mixture of sadness and paternal love.
“For context, your honor,” Agent added helpfully. “Zey, in their prior state of being, identified as nonbinary. Their prior alter-ego, Isabella, identified herself as she/her, and we have been respecting the current Zey, now Nia’s, wishes and we shall continue to refer to her in feminine pronouns.” Zey’s prior dragoness form, too, was damaged in the incident, else they would have shifted prior. There would be no healing from any front, it seemed.
“Noted, defense,” the judge nodded. “Continue, witness.”
“No, our strain was not due to her shapeshifting,” Darius explained. “It was due to an old man’s fears and worries, and his own difficulty in understanding who their daughter was becoming. Nothing more. And nothing she had done.” He paused. “The reason why I decided to come—to see her face to face in court—is because I had sworn to not intervene in her affairs. But she has done everything in her power to remake her identity, and is now being stonewalled by convoluted bureaucracy and damnable corporate overlords who are blinded by their own greed. Now, I am here to assist.”
“Ah,” the prosecution said, at a loss. He quickly tried to reassemble his line of questioning. But Darius had easily taken control of his own testimony, and the prosecutor stammered. Darius raised an eyebrow.
“Is that all?”
“Y…Yes, the prosecution rests,” he said, deciding not to chance it. Agent, meanwhile, stood up to really cement their status. Plus, Nia could use a small boost. The truth.
“Mister Jem, you continue to assert Zeydaan, or Nia as she prefers to be known by now, is your daughter, correct?” he asked.
Darius nodded. “She is, and she always will be.”
Agent nodded back. “As you described, you would willingly testify on her behalf to aid in her transition, despite your history. Would it be safe to say that you love her, then?”
It was obvious what Agent was doing, and a sharp man like Darius easily picked up on it. He was not unappreciative, however.
‘’I do, as any father would,” Darius said. “She may not remember me like this, but she’ll always have a home should she need it. And a family with a stronger bond than any known material.”
Nia almost teared up from the speech, even though she scarcely remembered Darius. Something was familiar about him, deep inside…Locked, overwritten memories stirred slightly, fragments reacting to the sympathetic vibrations. It felt nice to hear.
“Thank you,” Agent said. “No further questions.”
…
A brief recess was in order. Agent quickly downed a bottle of water, nerves fried. Nia seemed calmer by comparison.
“I think ye got ‘em on the ropes,” she cheerfully said.
“Almost,” Agent reminded her. “We won the sympathy play. But the legal play is another story.”
“Eh?” Nia asked. “How’re we gonna do that? Tell a company that’n they don’t own me?”
“Well, if we were to prove that they knew about your condition ahead of time and illegally tried to suppress it to their ends...” Agent said. “We could force their hands.”
“Can we do that?” Nia asked, curious. Agent merely smiled in response.
...
It was finally Anderson’s turn on the stand, the Nintendo of Europe’s representative calmly asserting his, and their company’s, stance on the whole affair. He spoke of duty and requirements of a shapeshifter taking the form of another company’s intellectual property. Under the prosecution’s questioning, he reiterated the need for order, even though he too felt saddened by the situation.
Agent’s blood boiled just listening to him, and he glanced back at Nia once more, a reminder of what he was here for. She seemed calmer now, the support of her friends keeping her collected. She trusted them. She trusted HIM.
He wouldn’t let her down.
“No further questions,” the prosecution eventually said, taking his seat. Agent stood now, prepared for his own cross-examination. His own counter-attack.
“Mr. Anderson, as the representative to Nintendo, you of course are fully aware of my client’s unique properties, correct?” Agent asked.
“I am,” Anderson nodded.
“And you’re aware of the Creative Commons of Existence Act of 2014?”
Anderson blinked. “I vaguely recall something like that.”
“’If a shapeshifter has permanently become a character within copywrite, they may petition the copywrite holder for a copywrite bypass’,” Agent explained. “Has this petition crossed your desk?”
Anderson shrugged. “A lot of things cross my desk.”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Agent said. “Have you physically seen this document requesting a copywrite bypass for yourself?”
Anderson was silent. “I don’t know,” he said.
“You don’t know,” Agent repeated. “So, then you would have completely missed the special exemptions applied for my client thanks to the efforts of the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency, correct?”
“It’s...possible.”
“Said document details how prolonged exposure to elements of the original character’s clothing or mannerisms would continue to deteriorate a shapeshifter’s memories and personality.” Agent raised an eyebrow. “Ring any bells?”
“I don’t recall.”
“So, this isn’t your signature?”
Agent waved his evidence in Anderson’s face. The representative paled once he recognized just what he was seeing. “Where did you—This is a breach of security. They must have gotten that robot to hack into my emails--”
“Formally requested from Nintendo of Europe’s offices through my capacity as Nia’s lawyer through the court,” Agent answered. “Thank you for clarifying you had indeed written this email. This document details how both the petition and S.E.A.’s validation had, in fact, ‘crossed your desk’. And you had signed them. Is that not true?”
“Objection,” the prosecution protested.
“Overruled,” the judge said. “Answer the question, witness.”
Anderson began to stammer. “I-it’s not like I read them--”
“Do you typically sign things you don’t read in your line of work?” Agent asked; the gallery briefly chuckled until the judge lightly rapped his gavel. “The fact is, your name is on the sign-off, confirming that Nintendo of Europe was aware of the mental risks associated with exacerbating Nia’s conditions. Nevertheless, it was still pushed through.”
“Th-That’s not--”
“Was this decision related to financial opportunities?” Agent asked. “Was this decision created explicitly so you would have a free marketing campaign at the risk of my client’s mental well-being?”
Anderson was starting to sweat now. “I...I can’t say for certain.”
Agent nodded. He then pulled out another paper, and Anderson turned deathly white. “You seemed very certain in your email paperwork in which you explicitly stated as such. And I quote: ‘This event, while unfortunate, will provide attention to our franchises far better than any commercial ever could’.” He stared directly at Anderson. “Were these not your words?”
Anderson stammered, unable to speak for fear of self-incrimination. “I exercise my right to remain silent.”
“This is a civil case, Mister Anderson, not a criminal case,” Agent reminded his witness. “Although based on the evidence provided, it would certainly be warranted. Is it true, given the evidence, that you used this situation to unfairly and illegally discriminate against a shapeshifter?”
“You know how they are,” Anderson said. Then he clasped his mouth, shocked at himself. His prosecutor cupped his hands in his face, and Agent metaphorically leapt at the jugular.
“Can we take that as an admission of discrimination?” he asked. No answer came. “Interesting choice of words, witness. ‘You know how they are’. Care to elaborate?” Again, no answer. He didn’t need one.
“Your honor, prosecution, members of the gallery,” Agent explained. “The defense has ample reason to believe the plaintiff has acted against my client maliciously and with disregard for shapeshifter law. It is my belief that my client is well within her rights to counter-sue the plaintiffs accordingly, which we WILL be filing upon completion of today’s trial.”
“That remains to be seen, defense,” the judge reminded Agent. He looked to the prosecution. “Any objections to the defense’s claims?”
The prosecution had frozen up at the mention of “counter-sue”. “Your honor,” he said. “The prosecution is willing to withdraw the case and waive all legal discourse in return for the defense waiving the counter-suit.”
“Smart move, councilor,” the judge remarked. Agent merely gave a nod in response, smirking. “Then if the prosecution has withdrawn their suit and the defense agrees with the terms provided, the court hereby recognizes the new identity of the defense as Nia, with all the independent legal ownership it entails.” He banged his gavel once. “Court is adjourned.”
Agent barely started to gather his paperwork, passing glances at Anderson about to burst a vein at his lawyer, when Nia suddenly divebombed him with a fierce hug.
“Thank you!” she said, hugging Agent tight. Appreciative, Agent blushed. “Ye saved me identity, you did!”
“I hardly did anything,” Agent said. He could see Zach, Alvis, Asriel and Lilith approaching, smiling and offering their support. “It was a team effort. You have friends, Nia. Even if you hardly remember them anymore. Doesn’t mean you can’t restart new memories with them, right? And they’ll always have your back, no matter what.”
Nia nodded, tears in her eyes and the widest smile on her face. “And I’ll have theirs,” she promised. “Now I guess I ought to make introductions again, then?”
…
Month 6 - Epilogue
Once all had settled down in the Hawkmoth’s base of operations, they had begun to pack up for a future adventure. Interdimensional bounties, sightseeing, the works. The sky was only the baseline for the group, and thanks to Asriel’s experiments related to Bean’s physiology, it was possible to create artificial portals disconnected from any one body. No more mishaps, far safer for all involved.
Everyone was in the midst of packing up when Nia burst into the house, clutching a wad of mail. “Post came!” she called, far more excited than she otherwise would have been. “Some of it’s for me! And it’s got my bloody name on it!”
The Hawkmoths happily clapped for Nia, recognizing how merely having one’s preferred name on legal documents that weren’t subpoenas could mean the world. They also happily admired Nia’s new clothing, a mixture between the clothing she was forced to wear—the “canon” appearance—and a new sort of adventurer’s wear akin to Zey’s original design. An adorable compromise between two worlds.
She began to tear open one of the envelopes carefully, inspecting it with glee.
“Jury duty,” she said, with a happy sigh. “The courts know me name now. Me true name.”
And then she tossed the letter into the bin.
“Glad for you, Nia,” Zach smiled. “And now you get to join us for a venture.”
Nia blinked. “Oh, didja get that dimension skipper working?”
“It took a lot of work,” Asriel explained. “But Bean was a courteous research subject. And we need one more for the trek, after all.”
“You’d really have me, then?” Nia asked, uncertain. The other Hawkmoths looked bemused.
“Of course we do,” Alvis nodded. “You are part of our team. Our friend. Why wouldn’t we?”
“Wouldn’t be the same without ya, lass,” Lilith quipped, affectionately giving Nia a jostling of the hair. She giggled gently.
“I thank ye,” Nia said. “I thank ye plenty.”
She glanced over to Agent, who was currently lounging on the couch. “Are ye coming too?” she asked.
“I wish I could,” Agent explained. “But I’ve gotta get back to my own dimension. Get back to the prime versions of everyone else.” He shrugged. “I’m just hitching a ride midway with you all. But I’ll come and visit, and you can do the same.”
Nia nodded with a smile. “I think we could do that,” she said. “Shall we then?”
“Of course,” Zach agreed. “Alvis?”
Alvis held a small device, clicking several buttons on it. It began to light up, a beam shooting through the air and cutting through space itself. A new rift formed, large enough for the entire team to walk through with ease.
Silently, Asriel admired Nia and her new optimism and sense of self. She caught him looking, and he blushed, but she merely giggled in appreciation and...was that a tinge of attraction? The doctor fought to avoid fainting in excitement. Nia was still Zey, deep down, and he still loved them, and her, unequivocally. New beginnings, perhaps, could lead to new relationships.
“Together?” Nia asked, looking over her simultaneously old and new friends alike.
“Hawkmoths forever, no matter what shape we take,” Zach chuckled.
Nia giggled as well, pleased with his kind words. Then the team and their guest walked through the rift, for new adventures.
Previous
First
Story by AgentXY14
Month 5
It was an uncomfortable situation for the Hawkmoths, being in an actual judicial court. But it was both necessary and moral, if they were to provide their support for their friend.
They had Alvis to thank for pissing off Nintendo of Europe enough to drag the Hawkmoths to court in the first place, namely for manipulating social media algorithms on Splutter. The “#FreeNia” tag went viral overnight, putting the story directly in the spotlight across the world. If Nia’s need for independence was going to tarnish the company’s reputation, being the butt of a social media campaign would be far worse for them.
“I did nothing,” Alvis would deny coyly. “This was all the algorithm here. I merely...gave it a nudge.”
Nia especially felt uncomfortable, with members of the court inspecting her. The judge, the gallery, and especially the plaintiffs. Anderson dryly observed the scene, emotionally absent, and Nia visibly cringed at the sight.
She was calmed when Agent patted her on the shoulder. “We’ve got this,” he said, reassuring. “Just sit tight, and we’ll get you out of this mess.”
Nia nodded. “Alright,” she said. “I trust you.”
Somehow, Agent had managed to act as Nia’s lawyer. Evidently, he claimed he had a degree in law and “spent an unhealthy amount of time writing Ace Attorney fanfiction”, in his words. Whether the former was true was another story—but it was enough to act as Nia’s council, exactly where he needed to be to give her justice.
“We’ll have order,” the judge said; he rapped the stand with his gavel. “Court is now in session for the civil suit of Nintendo of America against Zeydaan Jem and the Hawkmoths.”
Nia wasn’t paying too much attention to the initial proceedings. She just watched as the prosecutor talked about his side, about how if she would be prancing about in the skin of someone Nintendo owned, then Nintendo had a claim on her. Agent stood up and said his piece, about how Nia was in fact a victim, not a perpetrator, and how she deserved understanding for her predicament.
Then the doctor goat stood as a witness.
“Doctor Reinsford, it is your expert opinion that this transformation is irreversible, correct?” Agent asked.
“It is,” Asriel nodded.
“This would naturally be verified by conclusive data?”
“It is indeed, and I submitted that to the court this morning,” Asriel added.
“But of course, this would naturally need a second opinion beyond someone who was friends with the defendant,” Agent said. “Did you source this information elsewhere as well?”
“I did,” Asriel said. “An associate of mine and myself have both received verification from the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency with their findings. Their search for a reversal was inconclusive as well.”
Agent nodded. “No further questions.”
“Very well,” the judge said. “Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine?”
Upon hearing about the S.E.A., the prosecution shook his head. “No, that’s not neccesary,” he said.
Agent silently fist-pumped, and Nia started to breathe a little bit more.
…
Taking to the stand next was Darius Jem himself. His very presence had silenced everyone, even the judge and gallery, far too taken in with his imposing demeanor.
Not even Agent was prepared. “I didn’t realize he would be here,” he told Zach, who shrugged.
“I mentioned the court date but he was noncommittal,” Zach explained. “Guess he committed now.”
Darius was sworn in without delay, the prosecutor stepping forward for his examination. “Mister Jem, would you say your relationship with your child is strained?” he asked.
“It is,” Darius said, simply.
“And would such factors relating to this be his shapeshifting—”
“THEIR shapeshifting,” Darius quickly snapped. Even the prosecutor stepped back. “Although at this point, she is a her and will be addressed as such.”
He folded his hands; Nia stared in awe, without recognition of Darius’s relation to herself. For his part, Darius looked back with a mixture of sadness and paternal love.
“For context, your honor,” Agent added helpfully. “Zey, in their prior state of being, identified as nonbinary. Their prior alter-ego, Isabella, identified herself as she/her, and we have been respecting the current Zey, now Nia’s, wishes and we shall continue to refer to her in feminine pronouns.” Zey’s prior dragoness form, too, was damaged in the incident, else they would have shifted prior. There would be no healing from any front, it seemed.
“Noted, defense,” the judge nodded. “Continue, witness.”
“No, our strain was not due to her shapeshifting,” Darius explained. “It was due to an old man’s fears and worries, and his own difficulty in understanding who their daughter was becoming. Nothing more. And nothing she had done.” He paused. “The reason why I decided to come—to see her face to face in court—is because I had sworn to not intervene in her affairs. But she has done everything in her power to remake her identity, and is now being stonewalled by convoluted bureaucracy and damnable corporate overlords who are blinded by their own greed. Now, I am here to assist.”
“Ah,” the prosecution said, at a loss. He quickly tried to reassemble his line of questioning. But Darius had easily taken control of his own testimony, and the prosecutor stammered. Darius raised an eyebrow.
“Is that all?”
“Y…Yes, the prosecution rests,” he said, deciding not to chance it. Agent, meanwhile, stood up to really cement their status. Plus, Nia could use a small boost. The truth.
“Mister Jem, you continue to assert Zeydaan, or Nia as she prefers to be known by now, is your daughter, correct?” he asked.
Darius nodded. “She is, and she always will be.”
Agent nodded back. “As you described, you would willingly testify on her behalf to aid in her transition, despite your history. Would it be safe to say that you love her, then?”
It was obvious what Agent was doing, and a sharp man like Darius easily picked up on it. He was not unappreciative, however.
‘’I do, as any father would,” Darius said. “She may not remember me like this, but she’ll always have a home should she need it. And a family with a stronger bond than any known material.”
Nia almost teared up from the speech, even though she scarcely remembered Darius. Something was familiar about him, deep inside…Locked, overwritten memories stirred slightly, fragments reacting to the sympathetic vibrations. It felt nice to hear.
“Thank you,” Agent said. “No further questions.”
…
A brief recess was in order. Agent quickly downed a bottle of water, nerves fried. Nia seemed calmer by comparison.
“I think ye got ‘em on the ropes,” she cheerfully said.
“Almost,” Agent reminded her. “We won the sympathy play. But the legal play is another story.”
“Eh?” Nia asked. “How’re we gonna do that? Tell a company that’n they don’t own me?”
“Well, if we were to prove that they knew about your condition ahead of time and illegally tried to suppress it to their ends...” Agent said. “We could force their hands.”
“Can we do that?” Nia asked, curious. Agent merely smiled in response.
...
It was finally Anderson’s turn on the stand, the Nintendo of Europe’s representative calmly asserting his, and their company’s, stance on the whole affair. He spoke of duty and requirements of a shapeshifter taking the form of another company’s intellectual property. Under the prosecution’s questioning, he reiterated the need for order, even though he too felt saddened by the situation.
Agent’s blood boiled just listening to him, and he glanced back at Nia once more, a reminder of what he was here for. She seemed calmer now, the support of her friends keeping her collected. She trusted them. She trusted HIM.
He wouldn’t let her down.
“No further questions,” the prosecution eventually said, taking his seat. Agent stood now, prepared for his own cross-examination. His own counter-attack.
“Mr. Anderson, as the representative to Nintendo, you of course are fully aware of my client’s unique properties, correct?” Agent asked.
“I am,” Anderson nodded.
“And you’re aware of the Creative Commons of Existence Act of 2014?”
Anderson blinked. “I vaguely recall something like that.”
“’If a shapeshifter has permanently become a character within copywrite, they may petition the copywrite holder for a copywrite bypass’,” Agent explained. “Has this petition crossed your desk?”
Anderson shrugged. “A lot of things cross my desk.”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Agent said. “Have you physically seen this document requesting a copywrite bypass for yourself?”
Anderson was silent. “I don’t know,” he said.
“You don’t know,” Agent repeated. “So, then you would have completely missed the special exemptions applied for my client thanks to the efforts of the Shapeshifter Enforcement Agency, correct?”
“It’s...possible.”
“Said document details how prolonged exposure to elements of the original character’s clothing or mannerisms would continue to deteriorate a shapeshifter’s memories and personality.” Agent raised an eyebrow. “Ring any bells?”
“I don’t recall.”
“So, this isn’t your signature?”
Agent waved his evidence in Anderson’s face. The representative paled once he recognized just what he was seeing. “Where did you—This is a breach of security. They must have gotten that robot to hack into my emails--”
“Formally requested from Nintendo of Europe’s offices through my capacity as Nia’s lawyer through the court,” Agent answered. “Thank you for clarifying you had indeed written this email. This document details how both the petition and S.E.A.’s validation had, in fact, ‘crossed your desk’. And you had signed them. Is that not true?”
“Objection,” the prosecution protested.
“Overruled,” the judge said. “Answer the question, witness.”
Anderson began to stammer. “I-it’s not like I read them--”
“Do you typically sign things you don’t read in your line of work?” Agent asked; the gallery briefly chuckled until the judge lightly rapped his gavel. “The fact is, your name is on the sign-off, confirming that Nintendo of Europe was aware of the mental risks associated with exacerbating Nia’s conditions. Nevertheless, it was still pushed through.”
“Th-That’s not--”
“Was this decision related to financial opportunities?” Agent asked. “Was this decision created explicitly so you would have a free marketing campaign at the risk of my client’s mental well-being?”
Anderson was starting to sweat now. “I...I can’t say for certain.”
Agent nodded. He then pulled out another paper, and Anderson turned deathly white. “You seemed very certain in your email paperwork in which you explicitly stated as such. And I quote: ‘This event, while unfortunate, will provide attention to our franchises far better than any commercial ever could’.” He stared directly at Anderson. “Were these not your words?”
Anderson stammered, unable to speak for fear of self-incrimination. “I exercise my right to remain silent.”
“This is a civil case, Mister Anderson, not a criminal case,” Agent reminded his witness. “Although based on the evidence provided, it would certainly be warranted. Is it true, given the evidence, that you used this situation to unfairly and illegally discriminate against a shapeshifter?”
“You know how they are,” Anderson said. Then he clasped his mouth, shocked at himself. His prosecutor cupped his hands in his face, and Agent metaphorically leapt at the jugular.
“Can we take that as an admission of discrimination?” he asked. No answer came. “Interesting choice of words, witness. ‘You know how they are’. Care to elaborate?” Again, no answer. He didn’t need one.
“Your honor, prosecution, members of the gallery,” Agent explained. “The defense has ample reason to believe the plaintiff has acted against my client maliciously and with disregard for shapeshifter law. It is my belief that my client is well within her rights to counter-sue the plaintiffs accordingly, which we WILL be filing upon completion of today’s trial.”
“That remains to be seen, defense,” the judge reminded Agent. He looked to the prosecution. “Any objections to the defense’s claims?”
The prosecution had frozen up at the mention of “counter-sue”. “Your honor,” he said. “The prosecution is willing to withdraw the case and waive all legal discourse in return for the defense waiving the counter-suit.”
“Smart move, councilor,” the judge remarked. Agent merely gave a nod in response, smirking. “Then if the prosecution has withdrawn their suit and the defense agrees with the terms provided, the court hereby recognizes the new identity of the defense as Nia, with all the independent legal ownership it entails.” He banged his gavel once. “Court is adjourned.”
Agent barely started to gather his paperwork, passing glances at Anderson about to burst a vein at his lawyer, when Nia suddenly divebombed him with a fierce hug.
“Thank you!” she said, hugging Agent tight. Appreciative, Agent blushed. “Ye saved me identity, you did!”
“I hardly did anything,” Agent said. He could see Zach, Alvis, Asriel and Lilith approaching, smiling and offering their support. “It was a team effort. You have friends, Nia. Even if you hardly remember them anymore. Doesn’t mean you can’t restart new memories with them, right? And they’ll always have your back, no matter what.”
Nia nodded, tears in her eyes and the widest smile on her face. “And I’ll have theirs,” she promised. “Now I guess I ought to make introductions again, then?”
…
Month 6 - Epilogue
Once all had settled down in the Hawkmoth’s base of operations, they had begun to pack up for a future adventure. Interdimensional bounties, sightseeing, the works. The sky was only the baseline for the group, and thanks to Asriel’s experiments related to Bean’s physiology, it was possible to create artificial portals disconnected from any one body. No more mishaps, far safer for all involved.
Everyone was in the midst of packing up when Nia burst into the house, clutching a wad of mail. “Post came!” she called, far more excited than she otherwise would have been. “Some of it’s for me! And it’s got my bloody name on it!”
The Hawkmoths happily clapped for Nia, recognizing how merely having one’s preferred name on legal documents that weren’t subpoenas could mean the world. They also happily admired Nia’s new clothing, a mixture between the clothing she was forced to wear—the “canon” appearance—and a new sort of adventurer’s wear akin to Zey’s original design. An adorable compromise between two worlds.
She began to tear open one of the envelopes carefully, inspecting it with glee.
“Jury duty,” she said, with a happy sigh. “The courts know me name now. Me true name.”
And then she tossed the letter into the bin.
“Glad for you, Nia,” Zach smiled. “And now you get to join us for a venture.”
Nia blinked. “Oh, didja get that dimension skipper working?”
“It took a lot of work,” Asriel explained. “But Bean was a courteous research subject. And we need one more for the trek, after all.”
“You’d really have me, then?” Nia asked, uncertain. The other Hawkmoths looked bemused.
“Of course we do,” Alvis nodded. “You are part of our team. Our friend. Why wouldn’t we?”
“Wouldn’t be the same without ya, lass,” Lilith quipped, affectionately giving Nia a jostling of the hair. She giggled gently.
“I thank ye,” Nia said. “I thank ye plenty.”
She glanced over to Agent, who was currently lounging on the couch. “Are ye coming too?” she asked.
“I wish I could,” Agent explained. “But I’ve gotta get back to my own dimension. Get back to the prime versions of everyone else.” He shrugged. “I’m just hitching a ride midway with you all. But I’ll come and visit, and you can do the same.”
Nia nodded with a smile. “I think we could do that,” she said. “Shall we then?”
“Of course,” Zach agreed. “Alvis?”
Alvis held a small device, clicking several buttons on it. It began to light up, a beam shooting through the air and cutting through space itself. A new rift formed, large enough for the entire team to walk through with ease.
Silently, Asriel admired Nia and her new optimism and sense of self. She caught him looking, and he blushed, but she merely giggled in appreciation and...was that a tinge of attraction? The doctor fought to avoid fainting in excitement. Nia was still Zey, deep down, and he still loved them, and her, unequivocally. New beginnings, perhaps, could lead to new relationships.
“Together?” Nia asked, looking over her simultaneously old and new friends alike.
“Hawkmoths forever, no matter what shape we take,” Zach chuckled.
Nia giggled as well, pleased with his kind words. Then the team and their guest walked through the rift, for new adventures.
Previous
First
Category Artwork (Digital) / Transformation
Species Wolf
Gender Multiple characters
Size 2400 x 5980px
Careful, you might create a genre of Nia OCs now-
Nia looks great in that clothing too.
Nia looks great in that clothing too.
Well, Gormotti OCs-
And yeah! I'm pleased with the Hawkmoth-Driver Nia look I created there.
And yeah! I'm pleased with the Hawkmoth-Driver Nia look I created there.
I'm curious as to who the Hawkmoths are - is there lore I've missed out on?
The Hawkmoths are Zeydaan’s coworkers/friends, they go on adventures together
I bet there is still some way for Zeydan to not be stuck as Nia permanently
True. Morphogenetic Field Theory: remembering something from one timeline while existing in another; transferring consciousness between timelines.
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