Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Fanfic

[Hanon]

Turnabout Prosecution
Introduction​

The lights in the courtroom lobby dimmed. Everybody, even the guards, exited the building. Defendant Lobby 2 was empty... Except for two people.
“I never thought I'd see you again... Ever since that night years ago, nobody in this city saw a trace of you.” The nearly-bald man said.
“After an incident like that, you can probably understand why.” Replied the other man. He opened a filing cabinet and started rummaging in his old stuff, dulled by time.
“I've waited years for you to come here. I hoped that one day you would show up as a defendant... So I could get you the guilty verdict you deserved.”
The other man stopped searching through his stuff. Without turning around, he said, “I do not deserve anything. The court ruled me 'Not Guilty'... And that was a fair verdict.”
“I'm sorry you feel that way.”
“Please, do not feel sorry. Apologizing only makes a man weaker... that was your problem.”
The nearly-bald man looked down towards his shoes. “And your problem was that you had a very loose grip on the law. Perhaps... you would like me to teach you?”
The other man turned around when he heard the click of a gun.
“Just think of this as an... out of court settlement.
Good-bye, Mr. Crypto.” There was a loud bang, the thud of a body hitting the floor, and then... Silence.

September 3rd, 2:42 PM
District Court
Defendant Lobby 4​

Sweat flowed down the man's hair creating something resembling a river. The man didn't notice it. Since he had long hair it simply went over his shirt, which might have caused a problem if he was sitting down. But he wasn't. In fact, he didn't even notice the seats in the courtroom lobby.
As such, he didn't notice the woman running toward him until she smacked right into him.
“Hey, Percy!” She shouted gleefully. Then she gasped and put a hand to her mouth. “Percy!? Are you OK?”
Percy was laying in a crumpled heap on the ground, stopping at the wall he hit his head on. “Yeah, I'm fine, besides the nausea, head-ache, dizziness and possibly internal bleeding.”
The woman smiled again. “Don't worry, I felt the same on my first trial, too!”
Percy stood up and brushed off his pants. “Really? You felt like throwing up, too?”
The woman clenched her fist and glared at him. “No! Of course not! Who do you think I am?”
Note To Self: Don't get on Leni's bad side. Changing the topic, he asked, “Any tips you want to give me? I mean, you ARE an experienced lawyer...”
Leni thought for a moment. “Well... It's always murder. Always. Sometimes you think it's not, but then somebody will die and you'll have to defend someone. Also, you'll be horrendously overwhelmed by the prosecution, to the point where you'll have multiple times when the judge starts to say 'Guilty'.”
Percy gasped and took a step back, only to hit the wall again. Is my back really that sweaty?
Noticing the change in Percy's expression, Leni reassured him: “Don't worry, you'll be fine. In fact... there's your client right over there!”
Percy followed her pointing finger over to where his client paced around nervously, playing with his dark brown hair. Every once and awhile he'd stop and start tapping his foot impatiently.
“Excuse me, mister?” Percy asked him. The man jumped up and nearly hit the ceiling. Wow, and I thought I was nervous. Percy chuckled to himself.
“Oh, oh dear. Terribly sorry, young man. I didn't mean to appear so... nervous.” he said in a small voice.
Young man? Percy thought indignantly. Putting that aside, he said:
“So, you're... Um...”
Leni's eyes opened wide. “Percy! You're not telling me that you forgot the client's name?” He nodded, embarrassed. What could have caused that? Suddenly, he remembered the last night.

“Alright... Time to go to bed. The trial is tomorrow! Wait, what's this...? A playlist of every Gavinners concert on YouTube...? Well, I guess watching one video can't hurt...”

Oh, right. After that I spent half an hour doing my hair... Is it still spiky?
“Helloooo! Earth to Percy! First you forget the clients name, then you zone out... what am I going to do with you!?”
The client chuckled. “Please, give the young man a break. I have a saying: you can forget things until you're old! Anyhow, I am Aster Belgii... Day gaurdsman.”
Well, technically, they're the ONLY guards... Percy thought ruefully. If there was a night guard, then this crime wouldn't have happened. But due to the economy, they had to be laid off. 'Nothing happens at night, anyway.' was how the mayor justified it.
After checking the clock on the wall to make sure they had enough time, Percy asked:
“Can you tell me what you were doing on the day- err, night of the murder?”
Aster nodded vigorously. For someone who was arrested for a crime he didn't commit, he sure is happy... Percy thought.
“Very well...

“I was just pulling out of the parking lot of the courthouse building when I realized that I had forgotten my suitcase. It might seem unimportant to a young gentlemen like you, but it really was! I could not just leave it there. You see, it had very important evidence for a lawyer that I knew in the building. 'Hold this for me, OK?', he said. Anyhow, I had walked into the building again when and was going to get my suitcase when... Bang! A gunshot rung out. Naturally, I turned around, hoping to see the cold-hearted criminal who had pulled the trigger on a gun. I could tell from the thud of a person hitting the ground that someone was shot. But I didn't see anyone. I should have called the police immediately, but I was in shock... finally, I remembered, and contacted the authorities. However, due to the economy, they didn't have actual people operating the phone. All I got was a recording that said, 'Please state the crime that has been committed...'. I pressed 1 for 'gunshot killing', of course. Then I rushed into the room where the murder happened – Defendant Lobby 2, - and gasped at what I saw. Scrawled on the filing cabinet... Was my name, Aster Belgii, written in blood. The cops then arrived and arrested me on the spot, on suspicion of... Murder.”​

Percy was quiet for a moment. Finally he managed to say, “That's... a quite detailed story.”
“Of course! I saw it with my own eyes!” Aster shouted. Geez, calm down...
“Percy, when talking to a witness, it's a good idea to ask for evidence to add to your Court Record. Aster, you said earlier that you had taken pictures of the crime scene, correct? May we have them?”
In his normal happy-go-lucky attitude, Aster replied, “But of course!” and handed over the pictures.
Just then, over the crackling intercom a guard’s voice soared out into the lobby. “Attention everybody relevant to the Aster Belgii case! The courtroom doors will soon be opened. Please report to Courtroom Number 4!”
Leni gave a silent nod and followed Percy into the courtroom.

Court Record
Evidence/Other
Attorney's Badge – A badge given to every attorney. Using this I can prove I'm an attorney and not just some guy snooping around.
Autopsy Report – Murder occurred at 9:26 PM. Victim was shot by a gun to the chest. Shot was at point-blank range, but wasn't close enough to leave a mark. Victim possibly lived a few seconds after getting shot.
Victim's Shirt – A shirt given to me by the defendant via mail that was worn by the victim on the night of the murder. It's clean besides the bullet hole and some blood.
Case Record – The record of another case from a long time ago. Luna Crypto was the defendant, and Winston Payne was the one who accused him. The witness was Lauren Belgii. The verdict to the case was 'Not Guilty'. Record was found sticking out of the Filing Cabinet at the crime scene.
Crime Scene Photo North – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing north. Shows the doors to Courtroom Number 2. Time taken was 9:32.
Crime Scene Photo South – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing south. Shows the doors leading to outside. Time taken was 9:32.
Crime Scene Photo East – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing east. Shows the filing cabinet, as well as the words “Aster Belgii”. Time taken was 9:23.
Crime Scene Photo West – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing west. Shows the newly-made hallway leading to the Men's Bathroom and Locker Room. Time taken was 9:32.
Men's Bathroom Photo – A photo showing the Men's Bathroom. Leni looked at this photo for a long time! Time taken was 9:32.
Men's Locker Room – A photo showing the locker room for men. Aster Belgii had been getting his suitcase out of one of these lockers when he heard a gunshot. Time taken was 9:32.

Profiles
Percy Truth – This is me! I'm an lawyer, so it's my job to keep my hair spiky.
Leni Torch – This is my mentor. She taught me everything I needed to know about defending. For some reason, she only makes me more discouraged.
Luna Crypto – The murder victim. Not much is known about him besides that he had vanished a few years ago after being a defendant in another trial.
Aster Belgii – The unlucky guard who had gone into the courthouse to get his suitcase, and wound up accused of murder.

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Last edited by Collen on Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.




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Collen Post subject: Percy Truth: Ace Attorney ~ Turnabout Prosecution - Trial 1/Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:11 pm


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September 3rd, 3:04 PM
District Court
Courtroom No. 4​

Tall walls stretched infinitely, and the roof seemed to be rising on and on. Once again Percy began to feel nauseous.
“Understandable, since your first trial is a murder case... not many people know how many murders go on... How many people we have to defend.” was what Leni had said.
The usual murmur was louder then ever. Since the Defended was related to the police, that means that a 'Guilty' verdict would mean death sentence. “A man killing a man is one thing. A guard, a trusted enforcer of the law, to kill a man out of cold blood... That's quite another.” Percy wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened. And that's why I became a defense attorney... to protect those who can't protect themselves. He told himself.
The noise died down as the judge's gravel slammed onto the desk.
“Order! Order! Everyone, please be quiet!” he paused a moment. “Thank you. Court is now in session for the trial of the murder of Luna Crypto. Is the defense and prosecution ready?”
The prosecutor on the other end of the court nodded. “The prosecution is ready, your honor.” He smirked a bit. “So, this is the Percy Truth I've heard so much about... I'll go easy on you, OK?”
I've heard about you too, Winston Payne. Percy thought to himself.
Nervously, he said, “I'm- I mean.... the defense is ready, sir- I mean, your honor.”
“Are you all right, Mr. Truth? You seem... somewhat jittery today.”
“Well, this is my first trial... and the defendant is sort of counting their life on me.” he answered, trying to get a hold of himself.
“Yes. Please, try not to fail... Alright, if I'm reading this autopsy report correctly... The victim was Luna Crypto, a defendant in an old trial who had vanished shortly after. He had been visiting Courtroom Lobby 2 when he was shot, dead, by a gun. The suspect is Aster Belgii, a police officer, as his name is on the filing cabinet written in blood... My, that seems decisive!”
Oh no, you're not going to choose a verdict now, are you!? Percy worried.
As if reading his thoughts, the judge said, “We still have to have a cross-examination anyway... if Wright has taught us anything, it's that.”
Percy flinched as he heard his old idol's name. Phoenix Wright had been one of best defense attorneys around. “He's one of those 'strike fear into the heart of evil' types” was what one woman said about him. But then he had gotten disbarred and he quit defending after that trial eight years ago.
Winston Payne then announced in his annoying nasal voice, “The prosecution would like to call in a witness who saw the exact moment of the crime... An innocent bystander, Dessy Ving!”
The witness walked up to the stand with almost no energy. But she was smiling, as if she was happy to testify against Aster.
“Witness, name and occupation!” Winston Payne yelled out.
With a wink of her eye, she started: “Name...? Dessy Ving. Occupation...? I'm a botanist.”
“Botanist? You mean, someone who worships boats?” the judge asked.
“No, a botanist is somebody who studies plants... like you!” Dessy yelled.
The judge's gavel slammed on the desk once more. “Order! May the witness stop badgering... me!” he shouted, exasperated.
“Oh, alright, Mr. Cranky-Pants.”
“Witness, please stop wasting our time and testify about what you saw that day.” Winston Payne said calmly.
Dessy nodded. “I have a name, though!” She added.

Witness Testimony
-What I Saw-

“I was driving past the courthouse when I saw Aster Belgii pull into the parking lot.
Since I'm a curious person, I followed him in.
He went into Defendant Lobby 2, and then took a left into the bathroom.
I didn't follow him, of course.
Then he came out and there was a man there.
The man said something about Mr. Belgii, and then he...
He... Well, you know what happened next.”​

The judge nodded. “Mr. Truth, please cross-examine the witness.”
“This is it! The real deal, Percy! What you've got to do is find a contradiction to the evidence in the witnesses' testimony, and then rub it in their face! Like you really mean business!” Leni said excitedly. That makes one of us... Percy thought.

Cross-Examination
-What I Saw-

“I was driving past the courthouse when I saw Aster Belgii pull into the parking lot.”​

“You see, Percy, in statements like this with no contradictions, you can press them to get out information! It's helped some of us a bunch!” Leni told him.
Alright... let's give it a go!
Just as he saw Phoenix Wright do when he was cross-examining, he yelled out two words:

“Hold it!”​

“Are you sure it was the defendant!?” Percy questioned.
The witness laughed. “Yes. I saw him through his car window. I've heard of him, you see.”
“Alright, what did you do?”

“Since I'm a curious person, I followed him in.”
“Hold it!”​

“What made it so curious? People enter the courthouse all the time!”
Dessy floundered a little. “Well, it was night time, and the courthouse was closed...”
“Why didn't you put that in your testimony!?”
“I didn't think it was important.” she huffed indignantly.
Now the judge spoke: “Please omit nothing from your testimony, witness!”
“Alright, fine...”

“It was night time, and the courthouse was closed, so I thought it was interesting that the man entered it, and I followed him in.”​

“Percy, don't you find something... odd about her testimony?” Leni asked him.
Percy thought for a moment. “Well, there is one thing I noticed... but it's probably just a mistake.”
“If you're not sure, then don't object. Press lightly... it's like a balloon. If you blow into it, it expands, but blow too much and it'll pop!”

“Hold it!”​

“But Aster Belgii was a guard! He had access to the building after dark!”
Trying to hide her surprise, Dessy said, “Well... How was I supposed to know that?!”
“You said you knew the witness!” Percy shouted.
Dessy took a step back. “Oh! I guess I did say that, yes... I guess I just wasn't thinking that day! Heh.”
Heh, my left foot! She's hiding something... Percy said to himself, but out loud, he asked, “What happened next?”

“He went into Defendant Lobby 2, and then took a left into the bathroom.”​

“Percy? Do you feel it?” Leni asked abruptly.
Percy was confused. “Feel what? The sweat running down my back?”
“No, the feeling... of lies! Straight from the witness's mouth!” She said excitedly.
“Come to think of it, yes... what she said is very strange. Wait, no... it's very contradictorial!” Percy realized.
Leni laughed. “I believe you mean contradictory.”
On the other side of the courtroom, Winston Payne was sneering. “You may be laughing now... but you won't be laughing when Mr. Belgii gets a guilty verdict.” he said cryptically.
Percy countered, “You may be sneering now, but you won't be sneering when I say...”

“Objection!”​

Instinctively he stuck out his pointer finger toward the witness, pointing downward as if shaming her. And although Percy was somewhat shorter then some of them, it seemed like he was one hundred feet tall, a flow of truth sliding out of his mouth.
“Dessy Ving... what you just said is why your testimony will fall into shambles.”
“Big words for a small man!” she retorted.
“The only small thing in here is the truth in your testimony!”
The judge slammed his gavel for the third time. “Order! Order! Order! If the defense can't control himself from further outbursts, I will have to hold you in contempt of court!”
“In your testimony you said that you 'saw him take a left into the bathroom'. However, this is not possible... because to the left, you'd run into the filing cabinets!" Percy said, happy to finally get a contradiction in.
The entire court was in shock. The witness they had counted on getting the truth from had been lying. “...and if you lie about one thing, it's hard to believe you about your whole testimony!”
“W-wait! I wasn't lying... I was so in shock about the murder, I mixed up the details!” Dessy protested.
“Ah, but the key word here is 'mixed up'. I think the reason why you said he went left... was because YOU went left!”
Winston Payne was in shambles. “B-b-but... why would she go left? There's no reason to...”
“She went there because of the writing on the filing cabinet, of course!” Percy said triumphantly.

“Objection!!!”​

Winston Payne stopped shaking... besides his head. He silently chuckled to himself. “Hahahahahahahaha! Really, Mr. Truth... you're killing me. Unless you forgot...? The victim wrote that a split second before he died... and the witness came in before the murder.”

“Objection!”​

Percy smiled. “But it was actually written... Before the murder!”
“You say that.. but you don't have any... what-you-call-it? Um, proof, was it? Yeah, you don't have any proof, huh!?” Dessy countered.
This took Percy aback. Darn. I don't have any proof... do I?
“Percy! Don't back down now. Go back into your Court Record. You have important evidence regarding this in there.” Leni assured him.
Oh! Right... There it is! I hope this works...

“Take that!”​

He slammed his desk just like he saw Phoenix Wright do, and once again he stood tall over the court. “Yes, I have proof... and it's right here!”
Percy handed a photo of the filing cabinets to the judge and he looked it over.
“My, this is quite a detailed photo. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that the blood is actually on it!” he mused.
“Yes, but the important thing was the date the photo was taken... 9:23 PM. But, the murder happened at 9:26! Ergo... The message was written before the murder!” Percy exclaimed.
“Agh!”
The court broke out into exited murmur.
“Incredible...”
“The last time a trial like this happened was with Phoenix Wright.”
“It's like déjà vu...”
The judge was so surprised that he didn't slam his gavel. “Witness! Have you been hiding something from us!?”
“OK, OK! Nosy lawyer. Fine, I did go to look at the writing. But that doesn't change anything!”
Winston Payne nodded. “The witness is right, for once. Nothing's changed.”
“But she didn't include that in her testimony! I request the witness to testify again!” Percy asked.

“Objection!!!”​

“But there's no point in testifying again! You're only wasting out time!” Winston Payne pleaded.
“Objection... Overruled. Witness, you must testify again.” the judge announced.
Dessy sighed. “Oh, alright.”
Alright, it's time to turn this case on it's head!

Witness Testimony
-What I Saw Part 2-

“OK, OK, I admit it. I stopped to look at the blood.
It was scrawled out in the shape of the words 'Aster Belgii'.
I was just about to leave when I heard a quarrel behind me. It was Mr. Belgii and the victim.
Mr. Belgii shot the victim... Dead.
That's all I saw.”​

“Alright. Mr. Truth, please begin your cross-examination.”

Cross-Examination
-What I Saw Part 2-

“OK, OK, I admit it. I stopped to look at the blood.”
“Hold it!”​

“What... color was the blood?” Percy asked.
Dessy rolled her eyes. “What kind of question is that? Red, of course!”
“Oh... well, what happened next?” Percy asked, embarrassed.

“It was scrawled out in the shape of the words 'Aster Belgii'.”
“Hold it!”​

“Are you sure it was his name?” Percy questioned.
“Yes! Are you dumb?!” Dessy shouted.
“Oh... well, continue.” he murmured. I have to be more careful when pressing...

“I was just about to leave when I heard a quarrel behind me. It was Mr. Belgii and the victim.”
“Hold it!”​

“Are you sure?”
“Yes! Just as sure as I am that the sky's blue!” Dessy said proudly.
“That's... Pretty sure.” the judge exclaimed. “What happened next?”

“Mr. Belgii shot the victim... Dead.”
“Hold it!”​

“Are you-”
“Yes, I'm sure!” Dessy yelled impatiently.
“Oh, continue.”

“That's all I saw.”​

That was flawless... I've failed... Percy thought to himself. Indeed, the witness's testimony seemed accurate. The judge slammed his gavel, probably for the last time in this trial.
“I believe we've heard enough. I declare the defendant, Aster Belgii...”
No...
Everyone in the courtroom began to chant.

“G-U-”​

No!

“I-L-”​

I've lost...
Just then, he heard Leni whisper something in his ear: “Remember the advice I've given you. Ask your self: Is the defendant guilty? Follow your heart.”
I'm taking a bold step here... but that's all I've got.

“Objection!”​

“Your honor!” Percy shouted. “I request to cross-examine the witness again!”

“Objection!!!”​

Winston Payne shook his head. “To what purpose? Unless you like hearing yourself flounder that much?”
“N-no! I, um... Forgot to ask the witness something... yeah!” Percy made up an excuse. He wasn't sure what Leni had meant, but he had to try again.
“Alright. You may have your extra cross-examination. However, I will not keep on letting you do this. This is your last chance.” the judge announced.
“I'm running out of breath, here!” Dessy complained.

Cross-Examination
-What I Saw Part 2-

“OK, OK, I admit it. I stopped to look at the blood.”
“Hold it!”​

“Really? I would think a person such as you would step away from the blood...” Percy prompted.
Dessy was indignant. “Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm afraid of a little blood!”
“Tsk, tsk. I would think a lawyer wouldn't be one to believe in stereotypes.” Winston Payne said in mock disappointment.
“Oh... sorry. What did the blood have of interest?”

“It was scrawled out in the shape of the words 'Aster Belgii'.”
“Hold it!”​

“That's a somewhat long name to write out for someone who's dying.” Percy commented.
“Well, he didn't actually write it as he died. He wrote it before, as you proved. I think he saw him and wrote it down in case anything bad happened. How he got the blood, I'll never know.” Dessy confessed.
“Speaking of Mr. Belgii, did you happen to see him?”
“Yes.”

“I was just about to leave when I heard a quarrel behind me. It was Mr. Belgii and the victim.”
“Hold it!”​

“What kind of quarrel?” Percy intoned.
Dessy thought for a moment. “A verbal quarrel. Mr. Belgii was a little short-tempered, I think.”
“Very well. What did he do next?”

“Mr. Belgii shot the victim... Dead.”​

“This is the statement I find the most curious.” Percy said to Leni.
She smiled. “Then do what you think is right in your heart, Percy.”
“But what if I'm wrong?”
“You weren't wrong before. You've proved you have good judgment.” Leni reassured.
Alright... here goes!

“Objection!”​

“Miss Ving...” Percy started carefully. “You said you were a botanist... do you read a lot?”
“Yes! I have to study, of course!” she said happily.
Winston Payne smirked at him. “Mr. Truth, if you really want to talk about plants that much, then why don't you talk after court lets out and stop wasting our time?”
Ignoring him, Percy continued, “So you could read two words in one second, right?”
“Yes, of course. What does that have to do with- ah!”
Percy smiled. “You said that 'after you read the words, you heard quarreling'. But you came in a few minutes before the murder. How do you explain the few-minute gap!?”
“I-I-uh...”

“Objection!!!”​

“Who cares if she took a long time reading those words? Miss Ving was probably in shock at the sight of the blood!” Winston Payne stated.

“Objection!”​

“You know what my theory is? She was looking over the words for a long time... because she didn't know what they meant!” Percy theorized.
“A-a-are you saying that the witness... didn't know the defendant!?”
Percy nodded. “Exactly.”

“Objection!!!”​

Winston Payne stammered. “But she said she knew him!”

“Objection!”​

“The witness has already proved not to be trusted for her word!”

“OBJECTION!”​

The judge cleared his throat. “I mean, order! I will have order in the court! I object to all of this objection-ing!”
After pausing for a bit to let it sink in, the judge said, “The witness must testify on the subject of her knowledge of the defendant. Only then will we know the truth!”
“Do I have to?” Dessy whined.
The judge spoke sharply: “Yes!”

Witness Testimony
-I Knew The Defendant-

“Yes, I knew the defendant. He's a guard at Defendant Lobby 2.
How do I know him?
I saw him once when visiting the courthouse.
I talked to him, of course.
A lady like me always likes a noble man!
Not enough? Well, here's some more proof:
He treats his family and friends like gods, and others like convicted criminals.
How do I know this? I heard it from a person who knew him.
As such, he had a short fuse.
On the night of the murder, Mr. Crypto gave him one little piece of criticism.
And then... boom!
He exploded... or, rather, his gun did.
It exploded the instant he shot.
I hope that's enough proof for you, Truth!”​

“Percy... she's close to cracking. I can tell.” Leni said gravely.
And so am I. Percy muttered.

Cross-Examination
-I Knew The Defendant-

“Yes, I knew the defendant. He's a guard at Defendant Lobby 2.”
“Hold it!”​

“How did you know him?”

“How do I know him?
I saw him once when visiting the courthouse.”
“Hold it!”​

“Why did you visit the courthouse?” Percy asked.
Dessy shrugged. “I was asking for an attorney to defend a friend of mine. Nobody obliged. Talk about ingrates!”
“Oh... well, did you do anything when you saw the defendant?”

“I talked to him, of course.”
“Hold it!”​

“What did you talk to him about?” Percy inquired.
Dessy looked down at her shoes. “I'm embarrassed to say that I was flirting with him. It's harsher in hindsight, really.”

“A lady like me always likes a noble man!
Not enough? Well, here's some more proof:
He treats his family and friends like gods, and others like convicted criminals.
How do I know this? I heard it from a person who knew him.
As such, he had a short fuse.”
“Hold it!”​

“But you didn't know him yet! Wouldn't he shoved you away?” Percy exclaimed.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you. He also treats women with respect. To quote him, 'Especially cute chicks like me!'.” Dessy said, blushing.
“Oh, OK. Did the short fuse give him any trouble...?”

“On the night of the murder, Mr. Crypto gave him one little piece of criticism.
And then... boom!
He exploded... or, rather, his gun did.
It exploded the instant he shot.”​

That's fishy. Really fishy. The gun hasn't been submitted as evidence, but there's something else...
Leni noticed him mulling. “If you have something to say, then say it!”
I hope you like the taste of truth, witness...

“Objection!”​

“This contradiction is clearer then the other ones, Miss Ving.” Percy started.
“Oh, really!?” Dessy yelled.
Percy nodded. “You said the gun exploded, but that can't be true. This autopsy report says that the shot was at 'point-blank range' but 'wasn't close enough to leave a mark'. But an explosion would be bigger then that, correct?”
“Yes, but that doesn't really matter-” Dessy gasped, as if she was getting his point.
Percy continued, “If a gun had exploded like you said, it would have made a flame mark on anything it touched. But this shirt... is clean!”
“B-but... I heard- I mean, err, saw- No! You're... you're lyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!” Dessy shouted, her voice echoing off of the walls of the courtroom.
“I think the reason why you said the gun exploded was because a gun DID explode... but it wasn't the defendant's!”
Winston Payne clenched his fists. “T-then... who's gun was it!?”
Percy took out the Court Record and began looking at the files. “I think this whole plot was set in motion by one person. That person's job was simple; to murder Luna Crypto and make it look like Aster Belgii did it!”
Winston Payne was speechless, for once. This claim was a big one, and it was hard to believe that Percy had the evidence to support it.
The witness, Dessy Ving, was the only one who could put that thought into words: “And I suppose you have evidence?”
“Oh, yeah, I have evidence to prove this. In fact, I can prove who the murderer was!”
Winston Payne glared at him. “Well, Mr. 'I Have Evidence', please show it to us!”
Percy smiled. “Of course. Would you like a drink, Payne? Because the main course is truth... and it's extra spicy!
“A few years ago there was a case regarding the victim, Mr. Crypto. I believe you've heard of it, Payne? Because you were the one who accused him... of murder! The witness who got him a 'Not Guilty' verdict... was Lauren Belgii, Aster Belgii's wife! So, you decided to kill two birds with one stone, to Luna Crypto by murdering him, and to Lauren Belgii by making it look like her husband did it! You're a prosecutor, so you had access to the building after dark. You found the perfect spot to shoot him, and then, when the ideal time came around, you shot him from afar! However, the gun exploded in the process, not that it hindered you. Afraid that you left a burn-mark, you planted the gun closer to him, making it look like it was from point-blank! However, the shirt wasn't burned at all... which turned out to be the flaw in your otherwise perfect crime!”
Winston Payne's eyes flew open. “WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?”
The judge slammed his gavel, drawing the attention to him. “Mr. Payne! Do you have anything to say to this!?”
“Yes! I do! I demand to testify about this!”
The judge looked confused. “But then, who will prosecute?”
“I will!” came the voice nobody expected.
“Leni!?” Percy exclaimed.
Leni smiled, her eyes bright. “You haven't heard yet, have you? I'm both a lawyer and a prosecutor.”
“Isn't that illegal?” Percy questioned, bewildered.
Leni shrugged. “Because of the economy they allowed it. Kill two birds with one stone, as you said.”
“But, why...?”
Leni looked aside. “Because I don't think Payne is capable of committing murder. I'm sorry.”
The judge hit his gavel on the stand, this time a little quieter. “Alright. So, we've decided, Winston Payne will take the stand, and Leni Torch will be the new prosecutor in this trial.”
“Um, I hope I'm not asking for too much, but I would like to request a ten-minute recess.” Leni requested.
The judge nodded. “Very well. There will be a ten-minute recess!” he repeated.
Leni, a prosecutor? But... why? Percy wondered.
“Also, to the prosecution and the defense... Here is a copy of the witness, Dessy Ving's, testimony. Court is adjourned!”

To be continued...

Court Record
Evidence/Other
Attorney's Badge – A badge given to every attorney. Using this I can prove I'm an attorney and not just some guy snooping around.
Autopsy Report – Murder occurred at 9:26 PM. Victim was shot by a gun to the chest. Shot was at point-blank range, but wasn't close enough to leave a mark. Victim possibly lived a few seconds after getting shot.
Victim's Shirt – A shirt given to me by the defendant via mail that was worn by the victim on the night of the murder. It's clean besides the bullet hole and some blood.
Case Record – The record of another case from a long time ago. Luna Crypto was the defendant, and Winston Payne was the one who accused him. The witness was Lauren Belgii. The verdict to the case was 'Not Guilty'. Record was found sticking out of the Filing Cabinet at the crime scene.
Crime Scene Photo North – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing north. Shows the doors to Courtroom Number 2. Time taken was 9:32.
Crime Scene Photo South – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing south. Shows the doors leading to outside. Time taken was 9:32.
Crime Scene Photo East – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing east. Shows the filing cabinet, as well as the words “Aster Belgii”. Time taken was 9:23.
Crime Scene Photo West – A photo showing a view of the crime scene facing west. Shows the newly-made hallway leading to the Men's Bathroom and Locker Room. Time taken was 9:32.
Men's Bathroom Photo – A photo showing the Men's Bathroom. Leni looked at this photo for a long time! Time taken was 9:32.
Men's Locker Room – A photo showing the locker room for men. Aster Belgii had been getting his suitcase out of one of these lockers when he heard a gunshot. Time taken was 9:32.
Dessy's Testimony – A copy of Dessy Ving's testimony.

Profiles
Percy Truth – This is me! I'm an lawyer, so it's my job to keep my hair spiky.
Leni Torch – This is my mentor. She taught me everything I needed to know about defending. For some reason, she only makes me more discouraged.
Luna Crypto – The murder victim. Not much is known about him besides that he had vanished a few years ago after being a defendant in another trial.
Aster Belgii – The unlucky guard who had gone into the courthouse to get his suitcase, and wound up accused of murder.
Judge – The nice old judge who tends to get swayed by other people, but always delivers the right verdict at the end.
Lauren Belgii – Aster Belgii's wife.
Winston Payne – Stuck-up prosecutor who never lost a case until Mia came by.
Dessy Ving – Supposed witness to the murder. She's a botanist, and has quite a temper!