Zidane Tribal was hanging silently upside-down on the branch of a large sycamore tree, using his own tail as a makeshift hook. He silently watched the world around him, observing time move by the second.

  He was overlooking Crescent Lake in its full sun-lit glory, the rays glinting against the ripples of the water as if they were jewels. With not a single cloud in the sky, the atmosphere was perfect for clearing the mind. Even the calming breeze was perfection, allowing him to feel refreshed and at peace with himself.

  Due to the decent conditions, Crescent Lake was currently at its most popular with visitors – both local and distant.

  There were families, couples, exercise enthusiasts, sailors, open water swimmers, and many others enjoying the day to its fullest, conversing with each other and utilising the Lake to their preferential benefit.

  It was somewhat therapeutic to watch.

  As time ticked on, many visitors had passed underneath Zidane. At first, the majority were oblivious to him, only brief yet unfazed glances catching him before returning to their own business. However, as time continued to pass, curious eyes gradually wonder in his direction, some even pointing and watching in awe at the boy hanging nonchalantly on his tail.

  Zidane was not fazed by them in the slightest, his eyes set in a complete daze as he continued to hang.

  "…Nom…! *Munch-Munch-Munch…!*"

  During the entire time he was hanging on the branch, he was munching down on a large bag of popcorn. At the rate he was gobbling them up, the crumbs of popcorn were raining intensely.

  Admittedly, it was odd for Zidane to be acting so distant.

  On a usual day in the weekend, he would be using this free time as an opportunity to cause as much mischief as possible. With Bartz by his side, they would conduct various yet harmless plans to amuse themselves at the expense of their victims' patience.

  However, on this day … Zidane had completely lost his motivation.

  "Wha-…? H-Hey!"

  In that moment, a disgruntled voice had called out to him.

  Zidane immediately snapped back to reality, raising his head towards the ground below with a confused reaction.

  He noticed children playing at the tree he was hanging from, staring back at him with popcorn crumbs on their heads. One of the children – a frizzy-haired young girl – began to irritably ruffle her hair to get rid of the crumbs.

  During this time, her friends were staring back at him with large, gleaming eyes, causing Zidane to feel guilty.

  Swing! Whoosh!

  Zidane swung off the branch and descended to the ground with a swift somersault, the bag of popcorn held firm in his grasp. Using his momentum, the tailed boy successfully landed with perfect balance, appearing next to the frizzy-haired girl before proceeding to help her with her predicament.

  Whilst doing so, he placed the popcorn to the side, out of sight from curious bystanders.

  "Sorry about that, I … I was miles away." Zidane awkwardly excused himself, helping the girl pick off the sticky crumbs lodged in her hair.

  The other kids stared at Zidane in awe, taken aback by the smooth yet flashy transition to the floor.

  In that moment, Zidane grew conscious as more eyes from the Crescent Lake visitors were directed upon him. He was hesitant, uncertain as to whether they were glaring at him in scorn or for separate reasons.

  Whatever the case, more watching eyes from the public was the last thing Zidane desired right now.

  Finally, the last popcorn crumb was removed from the girl's hair, allowing her hands to brush through without any stickiness or obstruction.

  "I'll be more careful next time." Zidane promised with a disheartened sigh, stepping back and giving the children a kind yet somewhat forced grin.

  "C-can you do that again?" One of the male kids asked out with abrupt excitement, his eyes still gazing in sheer admiration.

  "Yeah! What you did was AWESOME!" Another kid shouted out, acting ecstatic.

  "Err … huh?"

  Zidane stared back in confusion, struggling to process this sudden turn of events as he could barely speak a word in response.

  "You know! The trick you did when you jump off that tree branch!" The first child then pointed out, mimicking the somersault via twirling his hands. "It was so cool!"

  Zidane's mind clicked upon realisation.

  "Oh … that?" He then questioned, his eyes switching between the children and the tree branch above. "Sure, but … that was nothing."

  He realised at this moment that the surrounding spectators were also staring at him in awe and curiosity, wondering how he was able to perform such a skill so seamlessly. Many seemed to be expecting him to do more, as though he was a street performer.

  Zidane's eyes then shifted back to the kids, who were all gleaming with excitement and anticipation.

  "Hmm…"

  A thought then appeared to Zidane, his once forced grin now cheesy yet cunning as he began to formulate an idea.

  "I've got time to spare." He accepted with a cocky shrug, expressing his determination on giving them a show. "A little word of warning, though: I am a trained professional, so don't try this at home."

  The kids gasped with excitement, whispering to one another, and fidgeting as they were waiting with anticipation.

  Zidane ushered them to stand back, allowing space for his body to prepare. At the same time, various lake visitors drew closer, forming a surrounding crowd in the process.

  Expectations grew exponentially as all eyes were now exclusively set on Zidane.

  Clap!

  It was then that Zidane clapped his hands together, calmly closing his eyes as his mind was set at ease. In response, the crowd fell into complete silence. The children were shaken up with anticipation and excitement, struggling to contain themselves as they waited for the performance.

  Positioning his stance, Zidane then glanced over to the staring children.

  In that moment of pause, the children wondering why he was giving them a dead-serious glare. The rest of the audience muttered amongst themselves, equally wondering what was on his mind.

  Suddenly, Zidane gave out a large, cheesy grin, sending them a small wink before he vanished from the spot.

  Leap! Vroosh!

  Without any further delay, Zidane launched himself up high into the air.

  His entire body curved back as he performed his first acrobat, expressing complete control in his ability in the process. He allowed the transition between mid-air techniques to be as seamless as possible, spinning between several somersaults and sideway spins as though he was able to freely control his body without the necessity of a surface to push off from.

  Within a flash, Zidane returned to the ground, landing perfectly on the palms of his hands with absolute ease. The crowd gasped in amazement at the inhumane skill, eagerly whispering to themselves and recording with the cameras on their cell-phones.

  This flash of brief performance could be seen as more-than-enough to satisfy the audience.

  However, Zidane had other plans.

  "Hup!"

  Fwoosh!

  He swiftly pushed up from his handstand, using the momentum of his body to aim for a nearby firm tree-branch that was hanging directly above him. With another somersault, his tail latched onto the branch in a snap, allowing him to swing up with use of his flowing momentum.

  The audience gasped in disbelief, struggling to believe they would witness such a gravity-defying, mind-bending skill be pulled off without visible effort.

  Zidane heard the reactions load and clear, his gleeful smirk beaming from ear-to-ear.

  Even though he knew he was showing off … he could not deny the fact that he was enjoying every minute of it.

  Vroosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

  In that moment, he grasped the next firm branch with both hands and continued to use the momentum to swing at immense velocity. Flowing into a series of consecutive twists, Zidane quickly tightened his grip on the branch and balanced his body into an upside-down, handstand-like position.

  With numerous eyes locked-on to him from below – with even more joining over the course of the performance, Zidane needed his full concentration at maximum percent.

  Imagining as though he was on a tightrope, Zidane continued to balance his body. There was no fault in his position, his body was perfectly balanced and no sign of difficulty. He then placed one hand in front of the other, moving towards the edge of the branch in a casual manner.

  Upon reaching the edge of the branch, Zidane turned his balanced body towards facing the audience.

  Brimming with confidence, Zidane gracefully released his balance.

  With his grasped still tightly locked in place, his proceeded to swing at complete 360° rotations. Speeding up his momentum, Zidane threw out with as much strength as needed. He span up in the air whilst crouched up like a beach ball. It was then that he performed his next move.

  Reaching out with his tail, he was able to grasp the branch higher from him. As he was able to hold his momentum, Zidane began to naturally swing on the branch. His arms and legs were crossed as he continued to swing, acting as though he was using no effort whatsoever in the performance.

  The crowd began to laugh out, finding Zidane's expressions amusing. The children were clapping out with joy, loving every trick and movement he made. Zidane chuckled, acting rather laid back. However, his mind clicked whilst his eyes turned serious.

  "It's time … for the FINALE!" Zidane roared out, leaping from the branch higher up into the air; acting as though he was reaching for the sky.

  The audience's expression turned from amazement to shock in a matter of seconds as they watched the final part of Zidane's performance.

  The velocity of Zidane's next series of acrobats were on another level of velocity, causing some of the audience to struggle with keeping track of his position.

  Some even felt out of breath just by watching him.

  Zidane used the entire tree at his disposal, leaping towards various sections with no halts or mistakes. He was spinning, swinging, twisting, flipping, and throwing his entire body at a ridiculously swift pace, climbing higher up the sycamore tree in the process.

  It was then that he had gained enough momentum for the final move.

  Using every muscle in his body, he completely tensed up and launched himself up towards the sky above. His body flew up high about the tallest point out the tree.

  The entire audience gasped out, squinting as Zidane reached the heights of sun – metaphorically speaking.

  Time then froze momentarily.

  Zidane peered towards the clear-blue sky above, beaming as he felt free from the shackles of reality.

  Ever since the incident yesterday, he felt grounded by the depression consuming him, unable to act as his own mischievous self. However, with the crowds watching him and cheering from below, he was able to flex his unique skill set without impending prejudice.

  It was as though he was able to breathe again.

  Swoop! Fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh!

  Zidane's body span into a consecutive, unstoppable somersault high in the air, continuing his descending momentum as he dropped back to the ground.

  And then, his timing upon the final landing was impeccable.

  He was able to place his feet perfectly, void of any stumbles whatsoever. This was swiftly followed by a strong bow, lowering himself slightly to one knee and placing an arm below his abdomen.

  Albeit sightly exhausted from the spontaneous performance, Zidane felt he could easily extend the performance if he had time to prepare beforehand.

  """WOOOOOOOH-!"""

  CLAP-CLAP-CLAP-CLAP!

  Regardless, the audience roared out with an enthusiastic cheer, unable to contain their excitement. The children raced towards Zidane and circled him in an instant, cheering and yelling ecstatically in response to the show.

  Zidane rose back up and regained his bearings.

  A large, meaningful breath escaped him as he observed the audience in front of him. He was completely blown away by the reception, unable to comprehend the level of applause surrounding him.

  He then nodded back to the crowd with a firm, appreciative smile.

  "Th-thanks."

  …Crack!

  Zidane's eyes widened in an instant, drops of sweat appearing from his brow. His grin completely disappeared, the enjoyment of the attention washed away and replaced by … horror.

  Incidentally, the crowd before him – including the children – fell silent immediately as their sights shifted towards the area behind Zidane.

  Zidane regretfully switched towards the tree behind him, his mind filled with looming terror as he predicted what was about to follow.

  …Crack!

  Crack-crackcrack!

  The large sycamore tree continuously twitched, growing evermore violent as its stability gradually weakened.

  Zidane gulped, sweat streaming down his face as his fear turned to reality.

  It was fine throughout my performance! Why's it breaking apart now!?

  …Crack-crack-crack!

  …SNAP!

  Branches began to snap away from the tree, falling to the grass below whilst a plethora of leaves fluttered away. Significantly large cracks severed through the wood of the tree, causing it to splinter and split apart.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  And then … the tree swayed.

  …Crackcrack-SNAP!

  Creak…!

  "…Oh crap!" Zidane muttered as he watched in terror, switching back to the crowd before roaring in emergency. "Everyone, get back! NOW!"

  The crowd scattered in an instant, gaining as much distance from the tree as possible.

  Zidane grabbed hold of the children that surrounded him and leaped out of the way in haste.

  The cracks from the lower area of the tree connected, breaking off from the roots below entirely. The entire tree swayed forward under the pressure of its unbalanced weight and fell towards the ground where Zidane completed his performance.

  CRASH!

  Finally, the sycamore tree was no more.

  Zidane gradually turned back and gazed on with horrified disbelief, unable to comprehend the situation.

  Upon releasing the children, he slowly approached the fallen tree, the flush in his cheeks falling pale as the sweat continued to stream from his forehead.

  As he stood over the tree, his eyes widened.

  He realised from the observation that the entire centre of the tree was hollow. Additionally, the base of the tree had rotted so severely that it was guaranteed to fall at any given moment.

  The fact that he was able to complete his performance before the inevitable fall was nothing short of a miracle.

  "Well … that was certainly a magnificent performance."

  A familiar voice then called out to Zidane in an amused tone, causing him to leap in abrupt fright.

  Zidane switched back and found Onion Knight approached him with Terra and Bartz by his side, all three seemingly unfazed by the situation.

  "H-How much did you see?" Zidane then murmured anxiously, struggling to form his words.

  "Well, I'd say … since the beginning." Terra answered with a sweat yet conscious smile. "It was very entertaining."

  "Yeah, it was awesome, man!" Bartz blurted out excitedly. "I've got goose-bumps just from watching it."

  Zidane dropped to the floor on his hands and knees, his head lowered as he gave out an elongated sigh of defeat.

  "…I give up."

  Moments later…

  The four classmates had moved away from the area just as the authorities arrived to deal with the aftermath.

  Onion Knight led the group to a large social area of the lake, far enough away from the area of the tree incident. Terra and Bartz followed in his footsteps, seemingly calm and cheerful.

  However, the three continuously looked over their shoulders as they checked up on Zidane – who trailed behind in awkward silence. His head dipped, shoulders hunched over with hands in pockets, and his tail dragging across the dirt below: the young monkey-tailed boy was overwhelmed with embarrassment.

  Finally, the four perched themselves around a circular table upon reaching their desired destination, perfect for resting their feet as the overlooked Crescent Lake.

  At first, there was silence. The trio struggled to find their words whilst Zidane sat with his gaze lowered to the table, causing them all to feel awkward and restless.

  "*Ahem…!*"

  A mannered cough then escaped Onion Knight's mouth, clearing his throat before deciding to break the tension.

  "So then, now that we're away from the unfortunate mess…"

  However, his tone then switched mid-sentence as he noticed Zidane's defeated expression, staring irritably at his classmate.

  "…Staying depressed isn't going to get you anywhere, Zidane."

  "Mm…" Zidane groaned as he proceeded to rest his head on the bench table.

  Bartz gazed at his friend with a sorrowful gaze, understanding his friend's grief over the immense dilemma looming over him.

  "If you think about it, Zidane, we've survived much worse. Don't forget, we broke Sir Sephiroth's Globe-thingamajig the other day." Bartz assured cheerfully, relating the tree incident to their previous one during Geography class. "You'll be fine, I'm sure of it!"

  Zidane's body then shivered reactively, remembering the consequences he and Bartz faced following the 'globe-fiasco'.

  "I … didn't need to be reminded, Bartz." Zidane murmured lowly.

  "A-ha-haa … sorry." Bartz apologised anxiously, feeling guilty as he realised his mistake.

  "A-anyway … that's not the main reason for why I feel like this." Zidane then sighed out, deciding to admit his thoughts. "It's just … whenever I do something with good intentions, everything gets screwed up and I end up getting blamed – unless it's not serious, then I just pass the blame over to Bartz."

  "Wha-!? Hey!"

  Zidane smirked subtly at the sound of Bartz blurting out in bewilderment, feeling a hint of amusement with the sneaky jab.

  "You two certainly know how to get yourselves into messy situations." Terra murmured awkwardly. "No wonder you were falsely-accused."

  "Okay, that's enough of that conversation." Zidane quickly shut down, finding the constant humiliation unbearable. "Bartz messaged me earlier that you guys were spending the day investigating the case. How's that going?"

  Onion Knight suddenly shot a leering glare towards Bartz, causing him to nervously lean back against his seat nervously.

  "W-what are you looking at me like that for?"

  Onion Knight then shook his head in disappointment before proceeding to answer Zidane's question.

  "Well, I would say it started off well, but…"

  Dissidia Academy Entrance Gate, 3 hours previous…

  "Are you a moron!? Why would I tell you any details about my end of the case? The whole idea is asinine!"

  Onion Knight, Terra, and Bartz had approached the Entrance Gate of the Academy where Warrior of Light was situated.

  As part of Onion Knight's plan, the first stop of the investigation was to receive an update of the case through Warrior of Light. However, Onion Knight had a distinct feeling his opponent would refuse to co-operate, expecting the distraught reaction.

  Even so, Onion Knight felt it was worth a shot to ask.

  "Just as I thought, you're as stubborn as ever." Onion Knight murmured with a disappointed sigh. "Maybe I'll reword your statement to: 'nothing has surfaced whatsoever'."

  Warrior of Light's eyebrow twitched.

  "Oh, I see. You're bored so you decided to spend your time acting like a little brat and ticking me off in the process." He retorted irritably, his jaw tensed at the thought. "Well, just to inform you – my short, foolish classmate, we both have important jobs we need to fulfil and so you should be ON. YOUR. WAY."

  "WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT MY SHORT STATURE!?" Onion Knight bellowed out in abrupt fury, losing his composure upon hearing his trigger word. "I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAI-!"

  "Onion Knight … now's not the time." Terra intercepted swiftly, stepping between the two with a firm stance. "Same goes for you, Warrior of Light."

  The unexpected interference caught both Onion Knight and Warrior of Light off guard.

  Even though she spoke in her usual soft voice, Onion Knight noticed a hint of agitation breaking through her tone.

  Onion Knight hastily breathed out and forced himself to calm his anger, allowing his mind and composure to return to normal. On the other hand, Warrior of Light turned away in disdain, finding the whole encounter pointless.

  "Listen, we're just as desperate as you on finding the truth, so any piece of new info or clue would help us dearly." Onion Knight admitted in a genuine tone.

  "Well, unfortunately for both you and I … I have none to give." Warrior of Light answered back spitefully, cementing his earlier statement.

  "Tsk…!"

  Onion Knight tutted in defeat, unable to come to terms with his rival.

  Signalling Terra and Bartz, the three turned and exited the academy grounds.

  "…I couldn't find a scrap of evidence nor any witnesses."

  Onion Knight froze up upon hearing Warrior of Light's abrupt mutter, causing both Terra and Bartz to almost walk into him by accident.

  "…Say that again."

  "You heard me."

  Onion Knight could not believe his ears: Warrior of Light – the Prosecutor of the case and the most stuck-up Class and Council President in the Academy – admitted to his failure.

  Onion Knight switched back towards his rival, approaching his opponent with a growing smirk.

  "I'm surprised." Onion Knight admitted mockingly, crossing his arms as he leaned in.

  "What do you mean by that?" Warrior of Light questioned warily, finding Onion Knight's sudden change of expression repulsive.

  "You're the Prosecutor. You're supposed to track down witnesses and evidence to back up your accusations." Onion Knight explained brutally, using every means to undermine him. "And yet, no one has approached you since yesterday's trial?"

  "Where's this going?" Warrior of Light growled as he sharpened his gaze.

  "…You must've scared them off due to your intimidating presence."

  BONK!

  "-OW!"

  Onion Knight clutched the top of his head in sudden pain, moaning out as he soothed his cranium.

  "THAT HURT, YOU EGOTISTICAL PRICK!"

  Warrior of Light had struck down with a firm chop on the top of Onion Knight's head in annoyance.

  "Maybe you should've kept your thoughts to yourself then." Warrior of Light answered back in a spiteful tone.

  Onion Knight grumbled as he continued to sooth his aching head, ignoring the snickering from Bartz and Terra in the background.

  "Listen … we have until Monday to find evidence and witnesses for this god-forsaken case, yet you're acting as though you've already failed." Onion Knight continued as he brushed aside of the pain. "Granted, our roles are no walk in the park. It takes time and preparation to build a case – along with a boatload of stress and mental gymnastics. But, giving up so early would be insulting to the Headmistress' faith. She gave you the role of Prosecutor for a good reason, so fleeing from the responsibility would only cause her to lose her trust in you."

  Warrior of Light hesitated momentarily.

  "Who said I'm 'giving up'?" He then blurted in denial "You don't need to tell me about the importance of my role!"

  "Then we cannot let her down." Onion Knight warned in firm response, his eyes lit like a flame.

  Warrior of Light fell silent, too stubborn to argue back.

  Onion Knight breathed out as he finished his speech, feeling refreshed. He nodded over to Terra and Bartz, indicating that they were leaving before turning away from his rival.

  "Onion Knight … I have one question for you." Warrior of Light then called out to him with a serious expression. "Are you hiding any evidence from me?"

  There was a moment of silence in the area, Onion Knight frozen in place as he glanced over his shoulder.

  "Nope." Onion Knight smiled as he switched back, shaking his head in honesty. "Just like you: I have none to give."

  Warrior of Light nodded in understanding, deciding not to speak any further.

  With that, the trio of classmates left the school entrance with Warrior of Light watching from a distance.

  For the next two hours, the trio wondered around the city in hope that they would find fellow classmates, or anyone associated with the Academy who were aware of the incident.

  During their travels, the trio reunited with Arc and Refia, who were preoccupied with investigating the escalating rumours relating to the case. However, all rumours were immediate dead ends with most gossips summarized to: "I believe Zidane is guilty due to his past actions!" and "I believe Zidane is innocent because … I don't know. Reasons,I guess."

  Hearing the disappointing results to the investigation, Onion Knight opted to brush aside the looming negativity and strived to hold his optimism.

  And so, the group continued their investigation, praying for the smallest hints of true evidence amongst the rumours and speculation.

  Present Time…

  "I gave Warrior of Light that pep-talk, and yet here I am eating my own words." Onion Knight groaned as he concluded his recap to Zidane, his gaze filled with defeat. "So, to answer your question … our investigation is in shambles."

  Zidane sighed out as he observed the three classmates hanging their heads in shame, scratching the side of his head restlessly as he attempted to find a way of lifting their sprits.

  "It's no doubt you guys have hit a snag, but … it's only Saturday, right?" Zidane shrugged in honest response, causing his fellow classmates to raise their heads in a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Give it a bit more time and I'm sure something'll come up. I mean, are you guys sure you've crossed off all potential leads?"

  Twitch!

  Just then, Onion Knight's body jolted, his eyes locked onto Zidane as a new possibility crossed his mind.

  It had occurred to him that Zidane was correct in his statement. There were still leads he had yet to investigate, including one potential lead perched directly in front of him.

  Onion Knight then straightened up in his seat, clearing his mind as he focused on his next approach. Terra and Bartz noticed his sudden shift in expression yet was unable to read his current thought-process.

  "Well, there's one lead we haven't crossed yet ... and it's the reason why we've decided to meet up with you, Zidane." Onion Knight then proceeded to explain. "Aside from checking up on your well-being, we also wanted to ask you a few questions related to the case."

  Both Terra and Bartz reacted with surprise, taken aback by Onion Knight's unexpected statement.

  However, Terra nodded back in understanding, realising the topic would be addressed eventually. On the other hand, Bartz was fidgeting uncomfortably, feeling conscious of Zidane's reaction.

  In response, Zidane raised a curious eyebrow, finding Onion Knight's sudden request rather unexpected. He was silent as first, considering his words.

  "Yeah. Fire away, O-Knight!" Zidane called out coolly, accepting the challenge.

  Onion Knight locked sight Zidane, his expression firm.

  Interrogation: Zidane Tribal

  "Zidane. We need all the information for this case to succeed in our favour – including your perspective." Onion Knight proceeded, shutting out the rest of the world as he focused solely on the client in front of him. "All you've given us so far are vague answers, and it's hindered our investigation considerably. So, why all the secrecy?"

  "…I have my reasons." Zidane shrugged nonchalantly, his eyes deviating as he spoke.

  (He's already trying to dodge the question...)

  Onion Knight tensed up as he analysed Zidane's body language.

  (He's holding himself back deliberately. It's like his mind is preventing him to co-operate – even when we're trying to help him.)

  Fixated on Zidane, Onion Knight considered every possibility behind the shift in attitude.

  (Who did he see at the time of the incident? What happened to him that could've caused him to clam up?)

  Regardless, Onion Knight pressed on with the questions, deciding to change his approach.

  "Can you describe what you witnessed when you entered the room that day?" He requested sincerely, expressing caution in his words to ensure Zidane was comfortable enough to comply.

  Zidane breathed out, reminding himself that he was amongst friends.

  "When I entered the room, I found Rydia slumped against the wall. I noticed the bloodstain above her, and I also saw ... him."

  Onion Knight straightened up on his seat as his curiosity piqued.

  "Him?" He echoed.

  "No. Never mind, ignore me." Zidane then brushed off hastily.

  "Zidane, we're only trying to help prove your innocence." Terra attempted to reassure him carefully, expressing sympathy for his wary stance. "Any information you can share with us would help tremendously."

  Zidane was silent, yet he responded with an understanding nod.

  Holding his patience, Onion Knight continued his questions.

  "Were you able to identify either culprit at the time of the incident?"

  "I … might've recognised them." Zidane murmured, hesitating once more.

  "..."

  Onion Knight sighed, feeling agitated by Zidane's constant vague answers.

  "Zidane. Whilst we're certain you're not the culprit, you are still an important witness to the case." Onion Knight then emphasised crucially, his mind racing through various other approaches he could use in the process. "The moment you enter the stand in court on Monday, you'll be torn apart by both Warrior of Light and the High-Judge Gabranth. If you tell us everything you witnessed during the incident, we'll have plenty of information to back up your innocence during upcoming trial."

  "Heh...! Light failed interrogating me already." Zidane chuckled with a nonchalant shrug. "I know how to handle him."

  "No, that's not how it-!"

  Onion Knight halted his retort, realising he had reached a dead-end.

  (I need to change the conversation...)

  "Fine, let's try something else." He accepted in a huff. "Bartz explained during his second Testimony yesterday that Rydia's scream was heard after you left Math Room 4. He also revealed that you told him to 'hide'. What was happening at that specific moment?"

  "…"

  Zidane failed to respond, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead as he struggled to hold eye contact.

  "Zidane … What happened?" Onion Knight echoed firmly.

  "H-he … was about to…" Zidane murmured anxiously, his breaths heavy and heart racing. "…attack us."

  "Wha-...?" Onion Knight gasped in shock, almost lifting from his own seat. "Who?"

  "Zidane..." Bartz murmured worriedly.

  "Zidane, what happened after that?" Onion Knight confronted firmly, feeling he was on the verge of revelation.

  "He … he just…" Zidane shook his head, expressing distress. "I-I can't … he w-would never…!"

  Onion Knight's eyes widened, realising Zidane had entered an early stage of a panic attack.

  Terra acted on instinct, shifting around the bench hastily as she placed a hand on Zidane's shoulder in an attempt, hoping to ease the tension.

  "Zidane, stay calm." Terra spoke out to him soothingly. "We're here for you."

  Bartz shuffled to his friend's side, consoling him as he was worried for his wellbeing.

  On the other hand, Onion Knight rose from his seat, his eyes locked on Zidane as he refused to yield.

  "Zidane. What happened in that room?" Zidane continued to question, unable to find any other approach. "Who was the culprit? What did he do!?"

  However, Zidane had finally snapped.

  "I-it wasn't him…! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT WAS HIM!"

  Swoosh!

  Zidane leapt out of his seat, pushing both Terra and Bartz aside as he bolted from the table.

  "Zidane!"

  "Wait! Zidane!"

  Terra and Bartz yelled out to him respectively, and yet they were never heard.

  Within seconds, he was gone.

  Interrogation: Zidane Tribal … UNSUCCESSFUL!

  Onion Knight slumped back to his seat, attempting to process what had occurred.

  Terra and Bartz stared off towards the direction of Zidane's position before he disappeared, both stricken with worry.

  Terra then switched to Onion Knight, glaring at him in visible anger.

  However, Bartz shifted towards Zidane's direction, unable to sit idle after witnessing his friend in pain.

  "I have to find him." Bartz murmured under his breath.

  Upon hearing his words, Terra reached out to Bartz in haste.

  "Bartz! You can't-!"

  "Don't stop me!" Bartz yelled as he cut Terra off.

  Whoosh!

  Before Onion Knight and Terra could stop him, Bartz had raced off in Zidane's direction.

  Terra shifted forward.

  "Leave them be." Onion Knight persuaded as he shook his head. "Bartz will calm Zidane down."

  Terra twisted her body in an instant, overwhelmed with anger.

  "I can't believe you, Onion Knight!" Terra yelled out. "You knew Zidane was distressed by the questions, yet you just kept pressing for answers!"

  "It was necessary." Onion Knight reasoned calmy, his eyes refusing to waver. "I needed to be sure."

  Terra proceeded to glare at him.

  She knew Onion Knight long enough to express her thoughts to him where necessary, appreciating his companionship yet accepting his flaws and direct approach. With that said, she had never reached such a point where she felt obligated to call him out.

  "What does that mean?" She questioned warily.

  "Didn't you see his face? Did you hear how he answered the questions?" Onion Knight then retorted. "He was completely out of character the moment we began questioning him. He barely answered any of them and waved them off with vague answers."

  Terra froze as she realised what Onion Knight meant, reflecting on her previous interactions with her yellow-furred tailed classmate.

  Although her conversations with him were occasional, she could never remember a time Zidane had acted with such traumatic emotion – always brushing off issues with a cunning yet endearing grin.

  "I knew something was preventing him from answers truthfully, but I never expected him to break at that level … and also so soon into the questioning." Onion Knight expressed openly, attempting to fix the puzzle in his mind.

  "What do you think happened to him?" Terra then wondered anxiously, perching herself back on the bench as she settled herself. "Who did he see that caused such a horrific reaction?"

  "There are some possibilities." Onion Knight deduced, tapping his fingers against the table surface restlessly. "It's possible that either culprit – or even both – were closely associated with him to such a considerable degree that he couldn't bring himself to reveal their names. Alternatively, it's possible that he was forced to stay silent against his own will."

  "But then … who would be 'that' close enough to Zidane where he would refuse to reveal a name?" Terra responded with confusion, struggling to find reason in Zidane's actions. "And if he was forced to keep quiet … how would either the culprits be able to blackmail him/"

  "I don't know. However, one new piece of information we have now is that one of the culprits was male." Onion Knight then analysed, reflecting on the questioning. "If we assume the culprit was a close associate of Zidane … then I have an idea of who we may be up against."

  Onion Knight then placed a hand against his pocket, feeling the evidence pouch that contained the brown strands of hair.

  "However, if it's 'him' … then my previous suspicions were correct." Onion Knight murmured underneath his breath, consumed in his own thoughts. "But … what's his motive? Why would he go to such drastic lengths just to frame Zidane?"

  "Who're you talking about?" Terra wondered blankly. "You've completely lost me."

  "Ah, sorry." Onion Knight apologised exhaustively, smiling back at her. "I think it's time we visit Firion."

  "You're leaving already?"

  Just then, a sudden voice echoed over the two classmates, causing them to leap up in abrupt fright.

  "How disappointing. after all the recent commotion, I was hoping I'd get the chance to speak with you both."

  Terra and Onion Knight switched towards the owner of the looming voice.

  With a tough expression and powerful stance, Onion Knight and Terra immediately recognised the fellow student before them.

  "Celes?"