Judge Jimothy waits patiently for the crowd to quiet down, an annoyed expression plastered on his face. The crowd eventually gets the clue and shuts up. The judge, with wide, sarcastic eyes and pursed lips, begins to speak. "So, today, in the Undertale Courthouse, we will be debating whether Asgore is a dirty killer or not." Asgore is seated at the top of the courthouse, sweat running through his fur. His eyes are wide and dart around at every movement. "OL, what evidence do you host against Asgore?"

The OL, a man with strong features and hair like a raven's feathers, slams his hands on the table. (Again with the hand slamming, fun.) "Sir! Asgore is obviously guilty here. He murdered children for his own selfish need! His wife left him because he was so unreasonable!"

Jimothy is nodding along, taking in every word. "And LSS, how do you combat this?"

I smile a knowing smile as I do every time I am making an argument. "Sir, Asgore is a king. If you didn't know, a king's duty is to his people. Asgore thought the best thing for his people was to get them to the surface. If given a single wish, almost every monster would choose to wish to escape to the surface, to be upon the grass, to look up at the sky and the stars and the sun, to be in the open. Asgore knew this, and he knew it was the best for his people. The price was seven human souls. Asgore thought it was a price worth paying. Only seven lives taken for a million monsters' greatest wish to become reality? Is that even a choice?"

The OL rolls his eyes. "So killing children? Even his wife thought that was flawed logic." Asgore winces at this. In the audience, Toriel tries to glare but can't help looking at Asgore pityingly.

"Yes, killing children isn't really how I would go about things, but look at it from his perspective. You have an entire kingdom of monsters who are all depending on you to fulfill their one dream: to be on the surface. Your duties as king command you to do whatever's best for your people and, in this case, that's getting them to the surface. The only way to get back to the surface, from Asgore's point of view, is to gather seven human souls and break the barrier, so that what he did. Think about it. Yes, his wife left him, yet he continued to work towards the goal that he believed was his duty to reach, for the sake of thousands of monsters. That takes strength to be able to continue on despite no longer having the support of the one who you most love. Asgore knew Toriel, he knew that she was soft-hearted, and he thought that this may have just been her softness getting the best of her. He thought he knew what was best, and he knew what he had to do to reach it, so he continued with the full support of the monsters. Remember that: there was nothing, no one to tell Asgore that killing the humans wasn't the way to go but his soft wife who sometimes, just sometimes, tends to think a bit irrationally." Toriel looks offended at this. I carry on, however, ignoring her glare. "He was supported by literally everyone else, and the few who didn't stayed quiet, if there were any. This told him he was doing the right thing, and really, seven lives taken for the dreams of thousands to become a reality? No offense to the souls, but the choice is kinda obvious."

Jimothy nods. "That is true... very true..." Then for the first time, he looks to the top of the courtroom where the subject at hand is seated. "Asgore, what do you have to say about all of this?"

Asgore looks startled to be called on and, beneath his fur, a red flush is starting to work its way across his face. "Well, sir, as LSS was saying, I did what I thought was best, and what many others surrounding me thought was best as well. The deed will live on with me forever, but I will have you know, I regret it infinitely, though the price was worth paying..."

Jimothy then turns back to OL. "Do you have anything to say?"

OL shakes his head, deep in thought. "No, sir," he said, deep voice echoing through the halls like the ring of church bells.

"Well, I guess it's settled then," the judge says, folding his hands together. "Asgore may not be completely innocent, but he's definitely not a dirty killer. No charge."

Asgore looks relieved, smiles lighting up through the room as they join in his solace. Asgore searches through the crowd, looking for just one special face. A voice speaks behind him, a woman's voice that lights up his heart, beautiful as the call of a nightingale. "Asgore, I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

He turns to face Toriel. "Thanks, Tori."

She nods. "Anytime." She gives him a comforting smile and walks away, the corners of her lips remaining tilted up. He's not completely unforgivable...