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| - A few months prior to the courthouse bombing... April 17, 12:13 PM Wright Anything Agency Apollo: Hm. Guess I'm a little early. Trucy: Oh, hey, Apollo! Getting an early start today? Apollo: Yeah! This is the first job I've had in a while after all! Trucy: Well, aren't we all fired up! Apollo: Well, it's not every day I get a call from Mr. Wright. What kind of work is it anyway? Mr. Wright didn't mention any details. Trucy: Work? Is that how he put it? Apollo: (Don't tell me he just wants me to clean the toilet again.) Trucy: You've really become a fixture around here, Apollo. Apollo: (Come to think of it, it's been almost a year since I was hired. A lot's happened since then... ...But I've settled in nicely despite a few bumps in the road.) Apollo: My name is Apollo Justice. I've been practicing law for about a year, but I still have a lot to learn. This is the Wright Anything Agency, and it's where I work. Don't let the name fool you -- It's definitely a law agency. Trucy: But don't forget that this place is a "talent agency" too, Polly! Apollo: Uhh, it's the "law agency" part of this office that's usually forgotten... This is Trucy Wright, a budding magician... ...and adopted daughter of the agency's owner, Phoenix Wright. She sometimes makes me help with her magic tricks. Trucy: And what's wrong with that? You're one of the agency's "talents" as well! Apollo: I was under the impression that I was a lawyer... Trucy: Oh, we'd better hurry. Doesn't look Daddy's going to make it, so let's get going. Apollo: Huh? Where are we going? What about the job he mentioned? Trucy: This IS the job, Polly! You're supposed to keep me company today! Now, come on! Apollo: Another day of not being a lawyer. Should've seen this coming. Trucy: Well, this is the "Wright ANYTHING Agency," y'know. And there's no law-related work at the moment, so... Apollo: (Tell me again why I chose to "work" here?) Where is Mr. Wright, anyway? Trucy: Daddy said something about going to meet an acquaintance. But don't worry. Just focus on your job, and I'll tell you exactly what you need to know. Well, let's go. We don't have all day! Apollo: Wait a second! (*sigh* And another day of "anything goes" begins at the Wright Anything Agency...) April 17, 1:30 PM Nine-Tails Vale - Yokai Lane Apollo: Whew... So, what are we doing way up here in the mountains? Trucy: This is Nine-Tails Vale. Everyone's been talking about the yokai craze here. Apollo: Yokai? Oh, you mean Japanese monsters? Guess that explains all these weird things... Speaking of which, wasn't Nine-Tails Vale founded by Japanese immigrants? Trucy: Yeah. They're holding a festival to boost tourism over at the alderman's manor. My friend who works there invited us. That's why we're here! Apollo: In other words, I'm your chaperon because your dad was too busy. Trucy: Daddy said that with those horns of yours, you'd make a great addition to their festival. I mean, you look just like a Japanese demon! Wasn't that so thoughtful of him, Polly?! Apollo: I could do without thoughtfulness like that. Trucy: Oh, it's almost time! Come on, Polly! The festival grounds are this way. Apollo: Wait a second! (Alright, I guess it's time to move to the "Kyubi Manor's Garden"...) April 17, 2:05 PM Kyubi Manor - Garden Apollo: Wow, this place is really something. Trucy: It definitely feels like a different world here. ???: Trucy. Trucy: Jinxie! Apollo: And this is? Trucy: My friend, Jinxie Tenma. She's the one who invited us. She just happens to be the maid here. Jinxie: ...Two horns. A love of red. Are you a demon? Apollo: No, ha ha. I'm Apollo Justice! Nice to meet you! Jinxie: Eeeeeek! He IS a demon! Apollo: What the--! Jinxie: Be gone, foul beast! Trucy: Hee hee! You look great, Polly. Fills in some of that space on your forehead! Apollo: Argh... What is this thing? Trucy: It's a warding charm. Jinxie puts them on all the monsters she finds. Apollo: Um, but I'm not a monster. Trucy: Maybe I should have told her you're a good demon. Apollo: Or you could just say I'm human. Jinxie: *shiver* The red demon, emissary of the Underworld. Apollo: (I got up early to do my hair for this?) Um, can I take this off now? Jinxie: So you can eat me? Apollo: I'm not going to eat you! Jinxie: Eek! Forgive me, O terrible one! Trucy: Tone down your Chords of Steel, Apollo. You're scaring her out of her wits! Apollo: Um, don't worry. I'm already full. Jinxie: Please stay that way. Apollo: (Great, now I'm playing along, too.) Apollo: Um, I wanted to show you this. Jinxie: Eek! What is it?! Apollo: It's my attorney's badge. You see? I'm not a demon, I'm a lawyer. Jinxie: Really?! ...You're a lawyer? Apollo: (Whew... Maybe now she'll stop calling me a demon.) Jinxie: Does it protect you from Enma Dai-O's judgment? Apollo: Who's Enma Dai-O? Trucy: I read somewhere that's [sic] he's the demon lord who punishes the dead for their sins. Uh-oh! I think now she thinks you're a demon lawyer from hell, Polly! Apollo: Can I go back to being just a normal demon?! Jinxie: Please... Please don't boil me in a scalding cauldron. I'd prefer a Turkish bath if possible. Apollo: (A Turkish bath? Isn't that more sauna than bath?) Trucy: Don't worry, Jinxie, he's a good demon. He'll save you if you ever go astray! Jinxie: Eek! Please, Mr. Demon Lawyer, sir, have mercy on my soul! Apollo: Argh! I told you, I'm not a demon! And Trucy, you're just making things wors--! (Ack!) Umm... You just leave that Enma Dai-O to me. Trucy: Isn't that great, Jinxie?! Jinxie: Uh-huh. I'm no longer scared to cross into the afterlife. Apollo: (Will someone tell these two I'm human, already!) Apollo: So... I was wondering... Are those things on your forehead also warding charms, Jinxie? Jinxie: Yes, they're to prevent evil things from getting inside me. Papa told me to wear them. Apollo: Evil things? Trucy: Apollo, don't you dare take those charms off her forehead! They HAVE to stay there... forever! Got it?! Apollo: (I wonder what would happen if I did take them off...?) Jinxie: It's time for me to get back to work. Trucy: Thanks for inviting us, Jinxie! Jinxie: You're welcome. Oh, and before I forget... There's going to be a surprise event today. Even I don't know what's to expect, but it's sure to be fun. Apollo: (Better not be a yokai parade. She'd probably drop dead from fright.) Jinxie: .........Hm? .........Eeeeek! Apollo: Ahhh! D-D-Demon! (Oh, wait... It's just someone in a suit... right?) Jinxie: T-T-Tenma T-Taro! Apollo: Tenma Taro? (The demon from the Forbidden Chamber?) Jinxie: Eeeeeek! Please don't hurt me! Be gone! Be gone! Be gone! Tenma Taro: Hissssssss! Better watch out little girl, or I'll snatch you away! Jinxie: Eek! Charm charm charm...! Where's that "Die and Go To Heaven" charm?! Trucy: Oh, she put it on her own forehead this time! Apollo: ...She sure gives up quick. (Huh? Why's everyone hiding their faces?) Villager: Hey, you there! You mustn't stare at Tenma Taro like that! Lower your eyes! He'll steal your soul if you're not careful! Apollo: Huh? (Steal my soul? Seriously?) ???: Your devilry stops here and now, Tenma Taro! Apollo: Now what?! Trucy: Look, Apollo! There's somebody up on the roof! ???: Ah-ha ha ha ha ha! Villager: That booming laugh! Could it be...! ???: My nine golden tails are proof of my unassailable righteousness! With my band of 100 minions, I vanquish evil from the land! I am the wrestler of righteousness! Ya-ha! The golden lord of yokai, The Amazing Nine-Tails, is here! Fear not, good little boys and girls! For I shall defeat Tenma Taro! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Villager: Hurray! Hurray! It's The Amazing Nine-Tails! Wrestler: Up to your no good tricks again, eh, Tenma Taro?! Well, not on my watch! Tenma Taro: Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Wrestler: A-ha ha ha ha ha ha! There's nothing to fear now, my child! I have banished Tenma Taro! You and your people can now live in peace! Jinxie: Th-Thank you, Mr. Amazing Nine-Tails, sir! Wrestler: Now, I must be off! Another match and another foe to vanquish, await! Apollo: W-What was that all about? Did that wrestler just chase off a yokai? Looked like he came out of the alderman's manor. Jinxie: That was The Amazing Nine-Tails! He's a pro wrestler from right here in Nine-Tails Vale. But no one knows his true identity! Apollo: (Jinxie sure seems chipper all of a sudden.) What was all that about him banishing Tenma Taro? Jinxie: That was a yokai exorcism. It's an annual ritual where Tenma Taro is released, to remind us of his wickedness. In the end, the Nine-Tailed Fox drives Tenma Taro out, and purifies our village. But The Amazing Nine-Tails did the honors this year! Apollo: (So that was the big surprise, huh? The Amazing Nine-Tails and Tenma Taro, huh... Well, whatever floats her boat.) Jinxie: Oh, would you look at the time. I'd better get back to work. Please excuse me. Apollo: She's a strange one, all right. Trucy: I think she's sweet in own her [sic] special way. Apollo: (Knowing Trucy, she probably has lots of friends who are "sweet" in their own way.) Trucy: Well, we still have some time to kill. Might as well see the rest of Nine-Tails Vale while we're here. Apollo: The fun never stops, does it? .............................. .............................. April 17, 3:40 PM Kyubi Manor - Garden Trucy: I think I bought nearly every yokai souvenir that was for sale. Apollo: I know, because my wallet's running on empty. Trucy: Hm? What's with all the commotion over there? Apollo: Huh? Hey, isn't that your friend Jinxie?! I hope everything's okay. Jinxie: I-I-It's t-t-terrible! Th-Th-Thththth...! The--! The--! Trucy: Calm down, Jinxie! Tell us what happened. Jinxie: Th-Th-The demon T-Tenma T-Taro... ...He killed Alderman Kyubi! Apollo: Whaaaaaat?! Trucy: Wait, killed as in dead? Jinxie: Yes. And Tenma Taro did it! Apollo: Tenma Taro?! You stay here while I go have a look. Jinxie: P-Please, wait! Apollo: Huh...? Ack! Jinxie: It's a... Tenma Taro Warding Charm. It should protect you, but please... be careful. The alderman's in the Fox Chamber at the top of the main staircase. Apollo: Okay, got it! April 17 Kyubi Manor - Fox Chamber Apollo: The police arrived soon after that, at which point I returned to the festival grounds. Apparently, the man impaled by the spear was already dead. But there was one other person there, and he was immediately rushed to the hospital. April 17 Kyubi Manor - Garden Apollo: Thank goodness the other man's going to be fine. Sounds like he'd only been unconscious. Trucy: You think Jinxie's going to be okay? Apollo: I'm sure she'll be back to her old self in no time. At least she's calm enough for the police to question her for now. (And I'd sure love to know what crazy animal left those feathers and tracks...) Trucy: Oh, look, here comes Jinxie. Jinxie: ...Hi, Trucy. ...Hi, Mr. Demon Lawyer. Apollo: Heya... Feeling any better? ...I was wondering if you're up to filling us in on what happened... Apollo: Jinxie, when you first told us what happened, you said the killer was a demon. Jinxie: Uh-huh. The warding charm on the Forbidden Chamber's door... It's been... removed. Apollo: (The Forbidden Chamber's door? That big door that was barred shut? There wasn't a charm on it when I check it out, so I guess it was removed by someone...) Jinxie: That's how Tenma Taro escaped! Ooh... Ooooooh! But when... when I try and remember what happened, it all goes... fuzzy. Trucy: Jinxie, you should do get some rest. You've been through a lot today. Apollo: (Between the warding charm being removed, and the black feathers and weird tracks... ...I could see how a superstitious person might think a demon was the killer.) Trucy: Apollo! Maybe this is your chance. Apollo: Chance for what? Trucy: To do the right thing and defend Jinxie's dad in court! Apollo: Who, me? Wouldn't a man like Mayor Tenma have access to more experienced lawyers? Jinxie: Umm... You wanna know what the detectives said? They doubted there was a lawyer who could get a not-guilty verdict in this one. Apollo: (Sounds like they're expecting an open and shut case.) Trucy: Don't worry, Jinxie! If anyone can prove your dad's innocence, it's Polly! Apollo: Wha--?! Trucy: You'll accept the case, won't you, Polly! Jinxie: Ooh... It's all over, isn't it? I'll... I'll be all alone... for the rest of my life. Apollo: (Oh, right... Jinxie already lost her mother.) ...All right. Jinxie, leave your father's defense to me! Trucy: Atta boy, Polly! Jinxie: You're going to help Papa, Mr. Demon Lawyer? Apollo: Yep, because that's what lawyers do. (Plus, no toilet cleaning for a while!) I'll do whatever it takes to make sure your father walks away a free man! Jinxie: Th-Thank you, Mr. Demon Lawyer! I can tell you're one of the good ones. Red Demons are usually so mean. Apollo: (It's been awhile, but I'll be fine! Ready or not, here comes Justice! Guess I oughta go and meet my new client.) Ah, but before I forget... (Better jot this down in my notebook.) Trucy: Hey, Apollo, what's the notebook for? Apollo: Oh, I just thought I should jot down some stuff about the case. And so I don't misplace them, I'm putting my Notes in the Court Record. I guess it's what you would call a "To-Do" list. Trucy: Oh? Sounds handy. Apollo: (To read my notes, I just open the Court Record with R. Then I can switch between the tabs using L and R.) Trucy: Oh, I almost forgot! So, about Jinxie's father... No matter how scary he seems, promise me you'll resist the urge to run away! Apollo: Wait, what? Jinxie: His angry glare can paralyze you with fear. Trucy: And some claim he can even shoot laser beams from his eyes. Jinxie: Well, maybe Papa isn't really THAT scary... Apollo: (A paralyzing stare... Laser beams from his eyes... He sounds like some kind of monster.) Trucy: Hm, I think it's about time I see Jinxie off. I'll head back to the office after I'm done. Apollo: Okay, thanks. April 17 Detention Center - Visitor's Room Apollo: Ah, visiting hours. Perfect timing. (Hope he's not as scary as he sounds...) ???: ...Who are you? Apollo: (Yikes!) S-So you're Damian Tenma, r-right?! I'm, uhh... I'm Apollo Justice, attorney-at-law! I'm here to, uhh... I'm here to help! Huh? Aaaaaaaaaaah! (Lemme outta here!) S-Sorry, sorry! I get a little loud sometimes! Tenma: How... incredibly... RUDE! Apollo: Umm, sorry. Did I do something to offend you? Tenma: A visitor when all others shun me like a common criminal! And here I am with nothing to offer! I am the epitome of rude! Apollo: (.........Wait, so he wasn't mad at me?) Tenma: Unworthy as I am, I, Damian Tenma, shall breach these walls... ...so that I may treat my benefactor to some tea, and maybe some cookies, too. Apollo: No, wait! We can do tea and cookies after we prove your innocence! How about you start by telling me what happened? Tenma: Hrmmm... I see. So tea and cookies can wait, can they? Apollo: (Whew, that was close. We don't need "jailbreak" added to the list of charges. Seems like a good guy, but with a face like that, I can see why he's misunderstood.) Apollo: Thank you for meeting with me, Mayor Tenma. Tenma: Please, wait. My daughter, Jinxie... Apollo: Yes? Tenma: She... she already lost her mother. And now with me being held in here, I fear she'll be terribly lonely. I hesitate to ask, but......... I beg you, be a friend to her in her time of need. Apollo: Leave it to me! Trucy and I will look out for your daughter! Tenma: I shall rest a little easier, then. You know, you remind me of some of the new friends Jinxie has been talking about. Apollo: New... friends? Tenma: Yes. It seems she's made some new friends since she started working in Nine-Tails Vale. They're quite the unusual bunch, too. There's a lady with an exceptionally long neck... ...a young lad with an incredibly long tongue, and many other interesting characters. Apollo: (Friends? Sounds more like a bunch of monsters to me!) Tenma: Now, if you would excuse me. It appears my time is up. Apollo: (Whew... Why am I so tired? I must've been more tense than I thought... Still, I'm glad he didn't turn out to be as scary as he looks!) A call? ...Oh, it's Mr. Wright. Justice here. Phoenix: Apollo, is that you? Apollo: Hi, Mr. Wright. What can I do for you? Phoenix: Trucy told me you've taken on a new case. Apollo: Oh, that. It was kinda spur of the moment. (He's actually calling ME about a case?) Phoenix: That's fine, but I have a favor to ask. Apollo: Sure. What is it? Phoenix: I'm at the airport right now. There was someone I had to meet. A new addition to the agency, actually. Her name's Athena Cykes, and she just passed the bar. Apollo: (That's right. I remember hearing about her coming to join us. Guess that was today.) Phoenix: She took off as soon as I told her you needed help with a case. It was like there was no stopping her. Apollo: Wait... Whaaaaaat! Where is she now? Phoenix: Probably somewhere in Nine-Tails Vale by now. That's where that favor I mentioned comes in. I need you to go find her. Apollo: But I've never even met her before. What does she look like? Phoenix: She'll be the girl in the yellow suit sporting an attorney's badge. Apollo: Okay, I'll find her. A new addition to the agency... (Well, I'd better get back to Nine-Tails Vale quick.) April 17 Nine-Tails Vale - Yokai Lane ???: I. Already. Told. You! I'm a lawyer assigned to the case! I need to study the crime scene, so if you would please tell me where Kyubi Manor is...! Policeman: You can't fool me! You're just some delinquent high school student playing hooky! ???: You stupid, pig-headed...! This attorney's badge isn't just for show, you know! Apollo: (Looks like I just found Ms. Athena Cykes.) Athena: Tsk! Why won't you believe me?! Don't expect me to defend you in court if you ever get arrested! Policeman: Well, I'm the one who usually does the arresting, so... Say, shouldn't you be getting back to school? Athena: I already told you, I'm a lawyer, not a student! Policeman: That's it! Enough of your lies! You're coming with me! Athena: Aaah! Get your hands off of me! Apollo: .........Urnngh... Think you can watch out for the bystanders next time...? Athena: Whoops! Are you okay? Apollo: I think so. (But that police officer's out cold.) Athena: I am SO sorry! I do that when people suddenly grab me. It's like a reflex or something. Apollo: (Reflex? Sounds more like a felony!) You're Athena Cykes, I take it? Athena: That would be me. And you are? Apollo: I'm Apollo Justice. I work at the Wright Anything Agency. Athena: The Wright Anything Agency? What a fishy sounding name. Apollo: ...It's a long story, but it IS a law office, among other things. Didn't Mr. Wright explain it to you? Athena: Oh, right, THAT Wright! So then, you must be...! Where have you been?! I've been looking all over for you! Apollo: (I could say the same thing to you.) Well, here I am. Now how about telling me a little bit about yourself. Mr. Wright didn't really tell me much... as always. Athena: .........Ah, of course! Feel free to ask away! Athena: ...Oh, I almost forgot. I have something you might be interested in. I got in on my way here. Think it might have something to do with our case? Apollo: A special edition covering our case? That was quick. Athena: That's the whole point of special editions, isn't it? To be the first to get the scoop? Rapido! Apollo: Right... Well, let's see what it says here... (What's the deal with the Spanish?) Tenma Taro was seen.... wha--? He was seen flying through the sky?! Athena: Yeah, somebody happened to snap that photo near Nine-Tails Vale. The article goes on to say it might be connected to our case. Apparently, that photo was shot right after the murder occurred. Apollo: Well, there were black feathers and strange tracks at the crime scene. I'm not surprised the locals think a yokai was involved. Athena: Wait a second... Yokai as in one of those Japanese monsters? Mein Gott! You don't actually think it was a supernatural murder, do you? Apollo: Ha ha ha, n-no, of course not. (Now German? Why not plain old English?) Athena: Andale, Apollo! Let's get cracking on that crime scene already! April 17 Kyubi Manor - Foyer Athena: Do you hear that? It sounds like a TV or something. Oh, look! There's a TV in that little room in the corner. TV: In other news... The mysterious masked wrestler The Amazing Nine-Tails... ...has been confirmed missing according to sources close to the wrestler. It appears he disappeared sometime after the special event held in Nine-Tails Vale today. He also failed to appear at a match today where he was scheduled to defend his title. Local villagers say his disappearance may be connected with Tenma Taro's recent escape. Apollo: So, that wrestler's gone missing. ???: Hey, you two! You don't belong in here! Athena: Eek! Apollo: Don't worry, there's nothing suspicious-- ???: What about them there horns o' yours? They look mighty suspicious if ya ask me! Apollo: Horns?! That's my hair...! Anyway, we're lawyers, and we're here to-- ???: Ah! You're them lawyers come to defend Mayor Tenma, ain't ya?! Eh heh heh. Shoulda reckoned what with that expensive-looking bracelet ya got there. The name's Phineas Filch. I'm the caretaker here. Pleased to meetcha, eh heh heh. Apollo: Um, same here. Athena: Wow, talk about a quick change of heart. Filch: So, tell me, Demon Lawyer! Betcha use them demonic horns of yours to scare the bejeebers outta witnesses, huh? Come here, ya lil' horned demon, you! Apollo: Youch! These horns, er... I mean, my hair isn't meant to threaten anyone! Filch: They ain't? Seems a mighty big waste o' perfectly good horns if ya ask me. Then again, ain't none o' my business, so... Apollo: *sigh* (That was fast. Guess he's done with me.) Filch: Well, I'd best get back to work! Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: Halt! Stop right there! Filch: Huh? Me? Athena: Apollo, your bracelet's gone! Apollo: Ah! Filch: Don't ya worry, Mr. Lawyer, sir! I'll check the lost 'n' found later! Apollo: .........Somehow, I don't think that will be necessary. Just check your wrist right now. Filch: Arrrrrrrrrgh! The cat's outta the bag! Apollo: (It was barely in the bag in the first place!) Athena: That was a pretty pathetic attempt. Filch: S-S-Sorry! I'm sooooo sooooo sorry! Just couldn't control myself! Please, forgive me! I'm beggin' ya! Apollo: (Sheesh, I almost feel sorry for him now.) Athena: What should we do about him, Apollo? Apollo: Well, I got my bracelet back, and he seems sorry enough, so... Filch: I knew ya'd understand, Mr. Lawyer, sir! Ya obviously got a big heart! As big as the wad o' cash in your wallet, I hope, eh heh heh! Apollo: You leave my wallet out of this. Filch: Ho HO! Athena: Hey! Didn't you just finish apologizing for stealing from us?! Filch: Run away, run away! Head for the hills! Athena: Get back here, you! Apollo: (Talk about a quick escape.) ...Hm? Looks like he dropped a few things. Looks like a pair of diagrams. This one's of the crime scene, and here's one of the foyer. Athena: He left his shoes behind, too. Apollo: The guy's the living definition of a bumbling thief. Athena: Let's hang on to his shoes. We can give them back next time we see him. As for the diagrams, I say we keep them! Apollo: They look like something the police might draw. Wonder where the caretaker got them? Apollo: Now then, as I recall... ...the Fox Chamber should be at the top of those stairs. April 17 Kyubi Manor - Fox Chamber Athena: Whoa! Where'd all these black feathers and weird tracks come from?! Apollo: The popular opinion seems to be that they're from Tenma Taro. Athena: You mean the great evil has returned? Apollo: Even if he did, I'd be laughed out of the courthouse trying to indict him. ???: Hey, who are you and what are you doing here? This is a crime scene! Apollo: And who are YOU? Are you with the police? ???: I asked first! Who are YOU and what are you doing here?! On second thought... I'm placing you under arrest for disturbing a crime scene! Apollo: Ack! Under arrest?! B-B-But... ???: Save it for the boys back at HQ! Now, come quietly or else! I don't want to be late for lunch! Apollo: P-Please, wait! We're Mayor Tenma's lawyers! ???: Well why didn't you just say so! So you're the lawyers I heard about. Ha ha ha! I almost took you two in! You two sure were suspicious, though! Athena: I don't know how many more times I can take being called suspicious in one day... Apollo: Sorry, we didn't catch your name. Fulbright: My name? I'm Bobby Fulbright! The heroic detective who defends our good citizens from evil! The champion of justice who comes running whenever you're in need! And my catchphrase? It's "In justice we trust!" Apollo: Hoo boy... (This guy's a story and a half...) Fulbright: So! What can I do for you? Athena: Well, let's get to work! We're supposed to being finding [sic] clues related to the crime, right? Apollo: Right. A search of the crime scene should turn up some evidence we can use at the trial. Let's try viewing the crime scene from different angles. Athena: You never know what's hiding just around the corner, right? Wait, but how do we go about changing our perspective? Apollo: Touch the arrows on the bottom screen or press left or right on [D-Pad]. If there's a particular spot you want to examine, just give it a tap. Athena: Okay, let's leave no stone unturned! Nous allons commencer! Let's get started! Apollo: (Guess that about wraps it up.) Now if only we could get that detective to tell us what he knows... Athena: Hey, Apollo... Do you hear something? Apollo: Hm? .........I don't hear anything. Athena: Oh, right. Your hearing must not be as sensitive as mine. Apollo: Um, what are you talking about? Athena: A whooshing sound, like wind rushing through a narrow strait. And the echo of someone's voice... "In... In..." Fulbright: IN JUSTICE WE TRUST! Athena: Aaaaaaaaah! Fulbright: Ha ha ha! Someone's got a sharp set of ears! That was the sound of my righteous voice reverberating through the air duct! Athena: I heard it through the air ducts? Fulbright: Yeah, check it out. Apollo: But why would she hear you through there? Fulbright: Why don't we go to the diagram? As you can see, that vent is connected to an air duct that leads out into the hallway! The wind must've rushed through there... ...and carried my monologue with it straight to your ears! Athena: And what a... unique monologue it was. I was just thinking... Maybe the killer made their escape through the air duct or something! Fulbright: Heh heh heh, a cute theory, but I don't think so. The air duct in the hallway is low enough to climb into, that much is true. But as you can see, the vent in the ceiling is very high. 9 feet high, in fact. I highly doubt that there's any way to get up there without a ladder or something. And I don't see anything of the sort in this room, do you? Athena: Hmm... I guess you're right. Apollo: Speaking of things in this room... Fulbright: Yeah? Apollo: Can you tell us what you guys turned up, Detective Fulbright? Fulbright: Not on my watch, buddy! In the name of justice, I cannot reveal facts pertaining to the prosecution's case! Apollo: Aw, come on, throw us a bone here. Athena: Excuse me, Detective Fulbright, but I recall you saying earlier... ...that you would come running whenever we were in need. Fulbright: Yurk! I suppose I did say that! Helping those in need is what justice is all about, but... But keeping information out of enemy hands is also a form of justice! Hmm... Aaaaargh! Which justice is the most just? Why is this always so hard! Athena: Hmm......... Well, how about this? Let's do a little give and take. I mean, serving the public is part of justice, too, right? You know, like the police motto? "To serve and protect." Apollo: (I doubt leaking information to the defense team falls under that motto.) Fulbright: Yes, of course! I must serve and well as protect! Okay, I will share some information. ...In the name of justice! Athena: We did it, Apollo! Apollo: Yeah, we did it, all right. (But I'm not sure that was entirely ethical...) Fulbright: That's about all I can reveal at this time. Well? You must admit, Damian Tenma appears to be the most likely suspect. Apollo: (I admit it looks bad, but I'm still not buying it.) Fulbright: Oh, and one more thing... I must warn you about the prosecutor. Apollo: The prosecutor assigned to Mayor Tenma's trial? Fulbright: That's the one. He's -- how shall I put it -- not what you'd expect. That is unless you've faced a convicted killer serving hard time as a prosecutor before. Apollo: What the--?! Is this some kind of joke? Fulbright: Well, you kids knock yourselves out! Can't wait to see how you do tomorrow! Athena: Wait, Detective Fulbright. I've been meaning to ask you something. Um... Why are you barefoot? This doesn't look like the sort of place where you need to take your shoes off... Fulbright: Hm? Ah! Ahhhhhh! I hadn't even noticed. Why AM I barefoot? Apollo: (You honestly hadn't noticed until just now?!) .........Wait a second. Those shoes we found earlier... Excuse me, Detective Fulbright. These wouldn't happen to be your shoes, would they? Fulbright: Yes! Yes they are! My favorite pair, in fact! Thank you for bringing them to me. You must truly be on the side of justice! Apollo: (Don't tell me Mr. Filch actually stole from a detective?) Athena: Stealing shoes right off of someone's feet... That's pretty amazing. Apollo: I find it more amazing that Detective Fulbright didn't notice. (Well, looks like we've gotten all we can out of the detective, so let's see... Maybe we should go have a word with Mr. Filch. I want to hear what his "alibi" is.) April 17 Kyubi Manor - Foyer Filch: This is just awful! T-Terrible, I say! S-Somebody, help! Athena: Oh, look, it's mister-- what was it again? Finch? Filch: No, no, no! The name's Filch, Phineas Filch! Apollo: (Keep on pilfering and you may wind up a jail bird instead.) So what seems to be the problem, Mr. Filch? Filch: Oh, it's just terrible! Terrible, I tell ya! Come quick! Apollo: O-Okay...? (What's the deal with him all of a sudden?) Apollo: Looks like some kind of mask. Filch: I-It's The Amazing Nine-Tails's mask! Apollo: The Amazing Nine-Tails...? (Oh, right -- the wrestler who appeared during the festival's special event...) What's his mask doing here? Filch: He'd never take off his mask like this! Someone musta killed 'im! Apollo: Whaaa--?! Wh-Who would do such a thing? Athena: Let's go talk over there in private. Apollo: Hm? Look... There's some white hair caught up inside this mask... Apollo: So, what makes you believe that The Amazing Nine-Tails has been murdered? Filch: Ya really wanna know, eh? You're a studious one, ain't ya! Eh heh he! Apollo: Yes, I mean, no. Er, I mean, just tell me, please. Filch: Well, it's like this. I'd dreamed o' becoming a wrassler myself! Hey, how 'bout ya join me in the quest for the champion's belt?! Whadda team! Me in my bandit's mask and you in that demon mask of yours! Apollo: Demon mask? Heh heh. Wonder if I could make it big. Athena: Apollo, let's save your pro wrestling debut until after the trial. Apollo: Huh?! Oh, no, no! I wasn't actually... (Argh! Why did I let him pull me off topic like that?!) Athena: Come on, Apollo -- ask him about The Amazing Nine-Tails's murder already! Apollo: So, do you think this mask is the real deal? Filch: Without a doubt. This here's the mask worn by The Amazing Nine-Tails. Apollo: What about that white hair I found inside the mask? Athena: Wait! I just thought of something! Remember the golden animal fur we found at the crime scene? Could it have come from this mask? Look! There's even a spot where some fur is missing. Apollo: Hmm... Then this places this mask at the crime scene at some point in time. Which means......... (What does this mean? Someone with white hair who is linked with the murder and is against the merger? No way...! Could The Amazing Nine-Tails and the alderman actually be...?!) Athena: Something wrong, Apollo? You should see the look on your face! Apollo: Oh, no, it's n-nothing. (Maybe Jinxie could tell us something, since she works here...) April 17 Nine-Tails Vale - Yokai Lane Apollo: Oh, look, there's Jinxie. Jinxie: Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and... Apollo: (Sounds like she's out grocery shopping. She must really like dairy products.) Jinxie: ...a charm to make a better milkshake and another to cure my lactose intolerance. Apollo: (Maybe she should just stick to soy milk.) Jinxie! Hey, it's me! Jinxie: Eek! It's th-th-the demon lawyer! Apollo: Ack! (Not another warding charm... *sigh*) Athena: Um, Apollo? Who is she? Apollo: Oh, right. This is your first time meeting each other. This is Jinxie, Mayor Tenma's daughter. She was the first to discover the crime scene. Athena: Oh, so she's the one who--! Um, hello. My name's Athena Cykes. I'll be helping Apollo defend your father at his trial. Pleased to meet you! Jinxie: P-Pleased to meet you, too. Uhh... Um, where's Trucy? Apollo: She went back to the office ahead of us. But don't worry. Athena and I are on the case! Jinxie: W-W-Wait, how do I know you didn't...! ...That you d-d-didn't gobble her up alive! Apollo: Relax, I didn't eat her up! And I wouldn't do such a thing in the first place! Jinxie: Oh, poor little Trucy! *sniffle* Apollo: (I'm about ready for some tears of frustration myself.) Athena: She's quite an, um, interesting character, huh, Apollo... Apollo: Why didn't you tell me you saw Tenma Taro earlier? Jinxie: Actually... Mr. L'Belle told me not to tell. Apollo: Mr. L'Belle? Jinxie: Papa's aide. Apollo: (Oh, right. The other guy who was supposedly in the foyer at the time of the crime.) And what exactly did he tell you? Jinxie: "Keep the village superstitions in mind... ...before you go talking about seeing Tenma Taro at the time of the crime." Apollo: Village superstitions? Jinxie: They say you must not gaze upon Tenma Taro. But in the event that you do look... ...and then tell anyone what you saw, Tenma Taro will claim your soul. Apollo: And that's something everyone here knows?(Sounds like a bunch of baloney to me.) Jinxie: Uh-huh. Everyone from babies to the village elders know about it. But I didn't because I'm not from around here. Apollo: Hey, come to think of it... Apollo: (Huh? Why's everyone hiding their faces?) Villager: Hey, you there! You mustn't stare at Tenma Taro like that! Lower your eyes! He'll steal your soul if you're not careful! Apollo: Huh? (Steal my soul? Seriously?) Apollo: (The guy at the special event thing said almost the exact same thing.) Athena: Apollo, do you think this L'Belle guy actually believes in Tenma Taro? Apollo: I seriously doubt it. He's not even from Nine-Tails Vale. Athena: Then why would he try to keep Jinxie from talking? Apollo: Good question. I think we'd better go have a word with him. Athena: Time to unmask this monster of a mystery. Jinxie: The last time I saw Mr. L'Belle, he was relaxing in the foyer. Athena: Bueno! Next stop, the manor foyer! With any luck, he'll be there waiting for us! April 17 Kyubi Manor - Foyer Athena: There's no one here. Guess our luck isn't so good when it comes to Mr. L'Belle. Apollo: Maybe he's out for a walk or something. (Hmm? Somebody left something on the sill of the caretaker's office window.) Oh, it's a TV program guide. Athena: Looks like someone circled a pro wrestling match. Filch: Hey, whaddya think you're doing! Athena: Eek! I-I-It's a...! Oh, Mr. Filch! Wh-What can we do for you? Apollo: (I bet she was going to scream, "Monster!" which really isn't much of a stretch...) Filch: Ain't nothing I need you to do for me. But what business do ya got with my TV listings? Apollo: Oh, no, it just caught my eye. Can I ask if you watched this pro wrestling program today? Filch: Yep, 'twas a match between a couple o' rank amateurs, though. It was a complete disaster. I reckon even I coulda done better than that. Apollo: (I seriously doubt that.) Apollo: (Almost forgot. There's something I wanted to ask him.) Mr. Filch, did you see anything unusual around the time of the murder? For example, Tenma Taro or something like that? Filch: Huh?! T-Tenma Taro?! Apollo: So you did see him? Filch: Errr... My, how clean and shiny your forehead is again today, Mr. Lawyer, sir! Bet ya shine it up every day real purty like. The ladies must love it, eh heh heh. Apollo: Don't change the subject! And FYI, that was a seriously bad attempt at flattery. Jinxie said she saw Tenma Taro flee toward the foyer. So you must've seen him too if you were here! Filch: Yi-Yi-Yiiiiiiiiipes! Apollo: (Wow, I really pushed a button there!) Well, did you see anything or not? ???: File:AA5 Holdit.png ???: That is quite enough. I must ask that you not pester my friend anymore. Filch: Yipes! Forgive me for being pestered, sir! Apollo: And you are? ???: I am Florent L'Belle... ...beau divine and PERSONAL aide to Mayor Damian Tenma. Apollo: (Beau divine? More like yokai grotesque. This place is crawling with monsters.) L'Belle: OH! Excuse YOU! Apollo: Ack! Wh-What the heck was that for?! L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! It was just a little cologne. You had a look of stinky sweat about you. It's from my OWN original brand of cosmetics called "Je suis L'Belle!" *sniff sniff sniff* Oh, what a heavenly scent. Apollo: Ugh. I think you just paralyzed my olfactory receptors. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! I suppose such a scent WOULD be difficult for a peasant to appreciate. I'll have you know, THAT is Brand No. 5 "Bonjour." It's MY way of introducing myself. Enjoy! Apollo: (Where's my bottle of "Adieu" so I can return the favor?) Enough about the cologne. Please tell us what you saw around the time of the murder. L'Belle: Are we quite through here? I'm a VERY busy man, you know. Apollo: ...Right. Well, thanks for your help. (So, these two were in the foyer, but didn't see Tenma Taro.) L'Belle: Come along, Filchy. Filch: Where we goin'? Oh, right! Gotta practice them statements for tomorrow! ...Yipes! My eyyyes! L'Belle: You're going to dig your own grave with that big mouth of yours someday! Apollo: ......... (What does he mean, "practice statements"?) L'Belle: Now if would excuse me. [sic] It's time to touch up my makeup. Athena: Apollo, I know this sounds strange... ...but Mr. L'Belle seems unusually preoccupied with Tenma Taro. Apollo: Really? How can you tell? Athena: Well, it's kind of hard to explain. You see, I can read people's emotions from the tone of their voice. Apollo: You mean you have good ears? Athena: Something like that. People's emotions are expressed in the tone of their voice. And my ears can pick up even the subtlest of tones for some reason. Apollo: That's an interesting skill... But what do you mean he's preoccupied with Tenma Taro? Athena: I'm not exactly sure, but it was like he was... obsessed with the thought of Tenma Taro... That's what I picked up from his voice, anyway. Apollo: Everywhere we turn it's Tenma Taro this, Tenma Taro that. Hmm... Athena: We should go talk to the mayor, too. Apollo: Sounds like a plan. (We need to get to the bottom of that rumor about him wanting to release Tenma Taro.) April 17 Detention Center - Visitor's Room Athena: Something wrong, Apollo? Where did your enthusiasm go? Apollo: (What am I doing asking the mayor if he has ever thought about releasing Tenma Taro?! At best, he'll think I'm an idiot. At worst... *shudder*) Athena: Oh, he's here! Tenma: ......... Athena: It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Mr. Justice's partner, Athena Cykes! I'm looking forward to working with you, Mr. Tenma... Taro! Tenma: Hm?! ...Oh, yes. I look forward to working with you, too. Apollo: (Eek! Glad he didn't mind Athena calling him by a completely wrong name!) Athena: Apollo, he's just as kind and gentle-looking as I'd imagined! Apollo: (Lucky for you, after that blunder you just made...) Um, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. There are rumors going around about how you want to or did set Tenma Taro free. Tenma: What utter nonsense! Apollo: Yikes! Tenma: They always assume the worst of me because of the way I look! But those rumors don't have a shred of truth, I tell you! Athena: A little touchy about his appearance, isn't he? Apollo: (What he really needs to work on are his people skills...) Apollo: Mayor Tenma, please take a look at this if you would. Tenma: That's...! That's The Amazing Nine-Tails's mask! What is the meaning of this?! Apollo: This mask was almost definitely at the crime scene. And there was some white hair inside. Tenma: White hair... you say? Apollo: There was but one person with white hair in the manor that day. Tenma: Wha... What are you saying!? Apollo: You know which man I'm talking about, right? I'm talking about Rex Kyubi -- The Amazing Nine-Tails himself! Athena: No way! Tenma: The alderman was--! Impossible! Athena: Wait! Come to think of it, Alderman Kyubi WAS a former pro wrestler! So the blackmailer turned killer when he discovered the alderman's secret identity! Apollo: Um, didn't I just say that? But yeah, The Amazing Nine-Tails was a threat to the blackmailer's scheme. He opposed the merger and as a result, single-handedly sparked the monster craze. Athena: Even so, what was the mask doing at the crime scene? Apollo: There had been an event at the manor... ...and maybe Alderman Kyubi had taken part in it... if you get my drift. Tenma: This is absurd! Apollo: Mr. Mayor, do you have proof of the threat that was made against you? Tenma: Yes, a blackmail letter. Unfortunately, it disappeared after the murder. I'd been carrying it around in my briefcase but now, it's suddenly vanished. Apollo: The blackmailer must've taken it with them after they killed the alderman. Well, at least we've clearly established the killer's motive. Guard: Mayor Tenma, visiting hours are over. Tenma: It would appear this meeting is adjourned. Athena: .........Apollo, do you really think the Tenma Taro that Jinxie saw is the killer? Apollo: I don't know. All I know is there is no such thing as monsters. Athena: What about that newspaper article? Could the killer have purposely freed Tenma Taro to do their dirty work? Apollo: Oh, come on! There wasn't any Tenma Taro to release in the first place! Athena: Yes, but the only suspects the police have right now are the mayor and a yokai. Apollo: (We'll probably be arguing whether there was a yokai involved in court tomorrow.) *sigh* I can already see that look of disbelief on the judge's face. Athena: Apollo? Are you all right? Apollo: I'm fine! I'm fine! I'll, um... I'll think of something! (I'd better because I can't very well say a flying demon was the killer. At this point, the only thing I know for sure is tomorrow is going to be one doozy of a trial.) To Be Continued April 18, 9:15 AM District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3 Apollo: You okay, Athena? You've been really antsy ever since we got here. Athena: I-I'm just excited. This IS my first real court case after all! Apollo: (Yeaaah, a real ball of excitement she is... I know just what she needs.) ATHENA!!! Athena: Eek! Didn't you ever learn about indoor and outdoor voices? Apollo: I'm just trying to show you the best way to relieve your pre-trial jitters. Athena: By scaring the daylights out of me? Apollo: No, I find that shouting "I'm fine!" in a loud voice really relieves stress. It's part of my "Chords of Steel" voice workout, and a must before every trial. Athena: Y-You want me to shout? Here? Apollo: That's right. Here, I'll go first, then you try. I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!!! Athena: All right, um... I-I'm Athena Cykes... ...and I'm fine!!! ............Hmm... I think that actually worked! Apollo: I thought it might help. Always works for me. And old friend of mine from junior high and I say it all the time. Athena: I see... A proven remedy to calm the soul. I like it! Hey, how about we finish off with... ...a race around the courthouse! Apollo: The point is to relieve stress, not get totally exhausted! Phoenix: What's with all the racket, you two? Apollo: Ah, Mr. Wright. Heh heh, just a little voice workout. Hey, what's with the suit? Phoenix: Oh, this? I was thinking about getting my attorney's badge back, that's all. Apollo: That's all?! That's huge news! ...But why now? Phoenix: I have a feeling I'll be needed in the courtroom again sometime soon. But we can talk about that another time. Apollo: (No fair. Inquiring minds want to know. But wow... I'm so used to him in his usual laid-back clothes... That suit makes him look like a million dollars.) Phoenix: By the way, have you heard about the prosecutor assigned to this case? Apollo: Yeah, he's serving time, but before that, he was a prosecutor. He also uses psychology...? Phoenix: That's right. I've heard the rumors about how he was back before his conviction. Using the power of suggestion, he could make even the most stalwart defendants confess. Apollo: (Psychology in the courtroom. Been hearing a lot about that lately.) So, he must be a pretty scary guy, considering he's a prison inmate and all. Phoenix: So they say. They also say he'll cut you down if you talk too much. Apollo: Ack! I knew he was gonna be bad news! Phoenix: Ha ha ha, it's probably just hyperbole, at least I hope for your sake. Apollo: Wait, so is it true or not? Phoenix: Let's just say you should be concise and choose your words carefully. ...if you'd like to keep that head of yours attached to the rest of your body, that is. Apollo: Yikes! (Better tone down my Chords of Steel, too.) Phoenix: So, are you all ready? It might be a good idea to check the Court Record again before stepping into the ring. Apollo: ...Right, Mr. Wright! B-But I'm fine! Phoenix: I'll be watching from the gallery. Good luck! Apollo: Thanks! Athena: Okay, let's do this! Apollo: (The odds of pulling this off are ridiculously low, but that's nothing new. Believe in our client. Seek the truth. That's all we can do. Hang in there, Mayor Tenma, here comes Justice!) April 18, 9:30 AM District Court - Courtroom No. 4 Day 1 Court Is Now In Session All Rise Judge: Court is now in session for the trial of Damian Tenma. Apollo: Apollo Justice, defense team leader, is ready, Your Honor! Judge: I'd know that big, booming voice anywhere. As chipper as ever, eh, Mr. Justice? But who is the young lady next to you? Athena: I'm Athena Cykes, Mr. Justice's junior partner, and fresh out of law school! Judge: Well, now, full of beans, too, eh? Excellent! Makes an old man feel young again. Now for the prosecution. Hmm... It appears the prosecution is not ready yet. Fulbright: Never fear, for I shall explain! It's just a minor procedural complication, Your Honor. The prosecutor for this case is being escorted from prison as we speak. Judge: Prison? Oh, yes, of course. I almost forgot that he is currently serving time. ???: ......... Apollo: Um... who's that with his back to us over there? Athena: That's him. I'm sure of it. ...Prosecutor Blackquill. Judge: *ahem* Is the prosecution ready? Blackquill: ...............Hmph. ......Enough jabbering. Get on with it, already. Judge: Aah! Of course, forgive me! Apollo: (Urngh! Why are all the people related to this case so scary?!) Judge: Very well, Prosecutor Blackquill. Your opening statement if you please. Aah! Wh-What's the matter?! Blackquill: ......Must we continue to fritter away time like this? It is all right there in the indictment. An opening statement... would be pointless. Judge: Pointless? Oh, um... well... Apollo: Looks like the cat -- or in this case, the prosecutor -- has the judge's tongue. Judge: But, but... we need an opening statement as an overview of the case at hand. Blackquill: Hmph. Well, then, Your Baldness, if it's so very important, why don't you do the honors? Judge: Who?! Me?! Blackquill: There's a term for people who whine and fuss about how they need silly, useless things... ...and then decide they no longer want them once it's theirs: a selfish old fool. Judge: Huh?! Athena: Wait, was that the prosecution's opening statement? Blackquill: Hmph. Old dotards such as you are a plague upon the young. I pity your poor grandchildren, or is it great grandchildren? Judge: ! All these years, I thought the opening statement was the prosecutor's job... ...but I suppose I could give it try. [sic] Might be a nice change of pace. Apollo: What?! (He actually fell for that?!) Athena: That must've been the power of suggestion Mr. Wright was talking about. Judge: *ahem* The opening statement, huh... Hmm... Let's see here... The victim was one Rex Kyubi, alderman of Nine-Tails Vale. And the defendant, Damian Tenma, mayor of Tenma Town, is accused of his murder. Blackquill: ...And why, pray tell, was the mayor arrested? Judge: His prints were on the murder weapon. Plus, he had a motive: the elimination of the biggest roadblock to the municipal merger. The caretaker and the secretary, other potential suspects, both have alibis. And his daughter, who was also in the vicinity at the time of the incident, has no motive. Blackquill: So, in a nutshell...? Judge: I'd have to say the charges against the defendant are incontrovertible. Blackquill: Bravo, Your Baldness. Your years of experience shine bright like your head. Judge: Ho ho ho. Flattery will get you everywhere. Athena: He's playing Simon Says with the judge! Judge: Moving right along now, let's hear from our first witness for today, Detective Fulbright. Judge: Witness, please state your name and occupation. Fulbright: I am the detective assigned to this case, Bobby Fulbright! Oh, and I'll also be keeping tabs on old Blackquill here. Judge: I also heard you would provide protection if it ever came to that. Blackquill: ............Hmph. It would seem that I have been sorely underestimated. Apollo: (Wait, who's protecting who from what?) Fulbright: Still, I truly believe anyone can turn their life around, even ol' Blackquill here. Blackquill: Fool Bright! Save your platitudes for funerals. Get on with your statement. Fulbright: Ha ha ha! That's the spirit! Justice must be swift and true. I see it in your eyes! There IS hope for your rehabilitation and return to society! I will never give up on you! Athena: Prosecutor Blackquill doesn't seem to intimidate Detective Fulbright. Apollo: Well, you know what they say: ignorance is bliss. Athena: Oh, so that's why Detective Fulbright was assigned to Blackquill. He's so oblivious! Judge: Now, let's have your first statement, Detective Fulbright. Fulbright: You got it! But first, I'd like to say to the defense that justice will ultimately prevail! Witness Testimony -- About the Murder -- Fulbright: Alderman Kyubi was murdered with a spear that had been on the wall. The fingerprints of the defendant, Damian Tenma, were found on the murder weapon. At the time, Alderman Kyubi was asleep from a drug he unwittingly ingested. Mayor Tenma attacked his helpless victim, impaling him like a human shish kebob! But the sudden pain jolted the victim awake, and he grabbed a statue and struck back! Apollo: Alderman Kyubi had been slipped some kind of sleep-inducing drug? Fulbright: That's right. The accused was scared because the alderman was a former pro wrestler. So he slipped him a drug to make sure he'd be out cold and defenseless! Here's the autopsy report to prove it! Judge: And the victim managed to attack his attacker, despite being impaled by a spear?! That sounds almost superhuman. Is it even possible? Fulbright: Well, he WAS a former pro wrestler, after all! That spear was probably nothing more than a mosquito bite to him! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Not so fast! Don't try to brush it all off by saying the alderman had been a pro wrestler. Do you really expect us to believe he could fight back after being skewered by a spear? Blackquill: Hmph. Never heard of the incredible feats of which man is capable of in a pinch, have you? Like the samurai of yore, wrestlers can battle through intense pain. It sharpens their senses. I used to talk about it with a former wrestler I met in the clink. Apollo: I dunno... It still sounds a little far-fetched. Blackquill: Does it now? ......Then perhaps we should test the theory on you with the edge of my blade! Apollo: (I didn't sign up for this!) Blackquill: ............Hmph. And so your life is spared... for now. Apollo: (Please let those shackles be made of titanium... I don't want to die.) Fulbright: Ha ha! My investigations are as thorough as they are foolproof, or my name isn't Fulbright! I vow to resign immediately if I ever make a false arrest! Blackquill: The accused's prints were on the weapon. And he's the one person without an alibi. Quite decisive evidence. Wouldn't you agree, Your Baldness? Judge: Hmm... The defendant IS sounding guiltier by the minute. Apollo: (He has the judge leaning toward a guilty verdict, and the trial's just barely begun!) Blackquill: Hmph. What's more, a curious rumor about the accused is making the rounds. They say he seeks the merger for the purpose of freeing Tenma Taro from his imprisonment. Truth be told, I can think of no real reason to show interest in that backwards burg. Perhaps he's a complete nutter and really does seek to release an imaginary demon. Either way, he is raving mad and more than capable of murdering the alderman. Man: That mayor is a strange one, all right. I heard he went to a blood drive, but instead of donating, he tried to make a withdrawal! Judge: Order! There will be no gossiping in my court! Blackquill: Your Baldness. Please take a gander at those charms plastered around his cranium. I hear they're meant to keep him safe from possession by the demon Tenma Taro. Then again... Perhaps he's already under the demon's spell. Behold! The lunatic appears poised to lunge at you at any moment. Judge: Eeeep! Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: The rumors and quirks of Mayor Tenma have no relevance to this case! Besides, those charms on his head... they're... they're just a fashion statement! ...I think. Judge: Hmm... Come to think of it, such things don't seem relevant to the case, do they? Athena: The prosecution will refrain from dragging our client's reputation through the mud! Blackquill: Oh, what a dreadfully fearsome lass we have here. Apollo: Whew, thanks for that lifeline, Athena. Athena: Careful, Apollo. He has the judge dancing in the palm of his hand! The power of suggestion is one of the more powerful tools in Simon Blackquill's arsenal. He's trying to manipulate everyone's impressions to suit his objectives. Apollo: (This guy really is bad news.) Judge: In any case, it seems the victim did manage to defend himself, despite being impaled. What sort of weapon did he used against his attacker? Fulbright: None other than this statue right here! Judge: It appears to be a statue of two strange creatures locked in battle. Blackquill: Two yokai to be exact. On one side is the Nine-Tailed Fox and on the other Tenma Taro. Quite interesting if you think about it. It's as though this very case were rendered in art. Apollo: Fox and Demon Statue updated in the Court Record. Judge: Mr. Justice, you may proceed with your cross-examination. Cross-Examination -- About the Murder -- Fulbright: Alderman Kyubi was murdered with a spear that had been on the wall. Fulbright: The fingerprints of the defendant, Damian Tenma, were found on the murder weapon. Fulbright: At the time, Alderman Kyubi was asleep from a drug he unwittingly ingested. Fulbright: Mayor Tenma attacked his helpless victim, impaling him like a human shish kebob! Fulbright: But the sudden pain jolted the victim awake, and he grabbed a statue and struck back! Athena: Detective Fulbright's testimony sounds airtight. No wonder he's so confident. Apollo: No, he only thinks it's airtight. It's up to us to poke some holes in it. That part about the alderman fighting back sounds like a big hole waiting to be poked. Apollo: Did the alderman really strike the mayor? Fulbright: What?! Are you questioning my sense of justice?! Apollo: Your so-called "justice" need to find itself a pair of legs to stand on. You claim the alderman struck back after the mayor put a spear through him. But the statue he supposedly used to defend himself creates a major hole in your theory. Judge: It would appear that the defense has a counter-argument. Very well, let's hear what the defense thinks is odd about the detective's statue theory. Apollo: There are no fingerprints on this supposedly crucial piece of evidence. And if you look at the crime scene photo... ...you'll notice that the alderman isn't wearing gloves. Judge: Yes, I believe he is quite gloveless indeed. Apollo: If he touched the statue with his bare hands, he should've left some fingerprints! Detective Fulbright, you DID take that into account during your investigation, didn't you? Fulbright: Arrrrrrgh! This can't be happening! D-D-Did I arrest the wrong maaaaan?! Athena: You did it, Apollo! You knocked Detective Fulbright off his high horse! Apollo: Well, it's just one point in our favor. Athena: Who do you suppose clubbed the mayor if it wasn't the alderman? Apollo: Hmm... Well, if it wasn't the alderman... ...that means someone else must've clubbed the mayor. Athena: You mean there was a third party there in the Fox Chamber? Apollo: Exactly! And this could be the big break we've been looking for! Judge: Hmm... There does seem to be a hole in the prosecution's argument. Prosecutor Blackquill, would you care to respond to the defense's assertion? Blackquill: Hmph. Apollo: (The least you could do is look at me while being dismissive.) Blackquill: Your mind is as dull as an unhoned blade, Justice-dono. Apollo: Justice... dono? (He's been watching too many samurai flicks.) Blackquill: It will take far more than that to cut down Simon Blackquill. A whelp such as you has no hope against my superior swordsmanship. Apollo: This is a trial, not a swordfight, Prosecutor Blackquill! Blackquill: Hmph. There is a perfectly good explanation for the lack of prints on the statue. You might recall that bloodstained cloth found at the scene of the crime. Well, it just so happens... that the blood was the mayor's. Apollo: So, um... what are you getting at? Blackquill: Hone your mind, boy! Why was there blood on that cloth? Solve that riddle and you shall see that the hole you thought you found is but an illusion. Apollo: Now let's see... How was that cloth used...? Was it used... Apollo: Maybe the alderman wrapped the statue in the cloth. In short, he wasn't touching the statue directly when he used it to strike back at the mayor. Ah! Blackquill: ...Precisely. Bully for you, boy. Apollo: Aw, it was nothing. Athena: Apollo, don't let him start manipulating you, too! You just closed the hole for the prosecution! Apollo: I did? ............Ack, I did! Blackquill: Right. That a statue wrapped in cloth would leave no fingerprints is as plain as day. But this also proves there are no holes in our theory of the alderman striking back. Apollo: .........Oops. Arrrrrrrrrgh! Blackquill: Now do you see how dull your mind is? Apollo: I'll make sure to sharpen it next time. Blackquill: A particularly frightening inmate once told me that... ...he always tenderly honed his blades before he went to work, like the samurai of yore. Judge: Samurai? Sounds more like a homicidal maniac to me! Blackquill: Actually, he was working in the prison kitchen at the time. Apollo: (Wait, so the inmate was a murdering samurai prison chef?) Judge: Hmm... It would seem that the victim and his killer were the only ones there after all. Apollo: (I was kinda attached to that hole... Now what?) Athena: Apollo, I just thought of something. If they didn't find anyone's fingerprints on the statue... ...who's to say someone other than the alderman didn't hit the mayor with it? Apollo: Why didn't I think of that! Anybody could've NOT left prints on it! Blackquill: Hmph. Then who, pray tell, struck the mayor with the statue? Please, illuminate us with your wisdom, young lady. Athena: There's only one answer -- the real killer! Blackquill: Prove the existence of this "real killer" then. What evidence have you? Athena: Oh, I'll give you evidence, all right! Apollo: Athena, are sure [sic] about this? Athena: To borrow your words, Apollo, I'm fine! Take a look at this! Black feathers and tracks, allegedly from a yokai, were found at the scene. I believe they're from the third party who struck the mayor with the statue. Judge: Is the defense actually suggesting some sort of monster killed that alderman?! Athena: That's exactly what I'm suggesting! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: No, Athena! You just lost what little credibility we had left! Athena: .........Aah! Sorry, sorry! Guess I got carried away. Judge: Mr. Justice, we've no time to deal with objections between members of the defense. Apollo: Sorry, Your Honor. It's just, this kid's still, well, a kid... Athena: Ouch... You meanie! I'm reporting this to Mr. Wright! Judge: So, is this court to believe the feathers and tracks are from a "yokai" as you put it? Apollo: Uhh, no, Your Honor. I believe they are a fabrication. The real killer wanted us to believe some sort of monster murdered the alderman. Judge: Hmm, interesting. And why do you suppose the killer would do that? Apollo: Umm.... Why, indeed? Judge: Mr. Justice, you seem as new to this as your partner is. Apollo: Ouch... (This, I'm not reporting to Mr. Wright...) Blackquill: Hoy, Fool Bright, explain to His Baldness what these brats are missing. You know, the who and why behind those feathers and tracks. Apollo: Wha--?! (You mean you can explain all that?!) Fulbright: Ha ha ha! Our investigative prowess is without equal! Apollo: (I'm starting to think I chose the wrong profession.) Judge: Very well, let's hear about these so-called yokai feathers and tracks. Witness Testimony -- Feathers and Tracks -- Fulbright: This entire case centers on one man's attempt to crush opposition to the municipal merger! Mayor Tenma panicked when The Amazing Nine-Tails helped embolden the protestors. So he stoked the villagers' fears by fabricating a monster! The strange feathers and tracks he planted made it look like a yokai was the killer. Apollo: Those feathers and tracks stoked the villager's [sic] fears? Fulbright: Absolutely! He knew exactly how to prey on their superstitious minds. Blackquill: Those feathers only gave weight to the idea that the alderman was slain by a demon. The accursed demon Tenma Taro, that is. Judge: Tenma who? Blackquill: Tenma Taro -- the legendary demon locked away in the village's Forbidden Chamber. From a young age, the villagers are taught to fear the great, black-feathered demon. And thus were they blinded to other, more plausible explanations. Apollo: File:AA5 Holdit.png Apollo: Hold on for a second. Before we start letting our imaginations run wild... Isn't there someone else that could be considered a suspect? Judge: Mr. Justice, please explain yourself. Apollo: On the day of the incident, there was a special event held at Kyubi Manor. And as part of this event, there was someone dressed in the likeness of Tenma Taro. Obviously this person is a much more likely suspect than any legendary demon! Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Dullard. You are playing right into the killer's mind games. Apollo: What? Blackquill: Listen here. The feathers and tracks were merely red herrings. The villagers believe the murder to be the work of the real Tenma Taro. However, the police believe that the person in the Tenma Taro suit is the killer. Apollo: Ahh! Blackquill: The defendant sought to sow this confusion in order to deflect blame away from himself. However, he was knocked unconscious by the alderman... ...and thus our mentally deficient mayor was caught red-handed at the scene of the crime. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Do you honestly believe Mayor Tenma would do something so stupid?! Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: The evidence speaks for itself. ...Fool Bright! Fulbright: Right. It was the mayor's last-ditch effort to stop the opposition before things got crazy. The Amazing Nine-Tails was fueling both the yokai craze and the anti-merger movement. Plus, he's one of the better-known masked wrestlers, and the hometown favorite. That's why the mayor panicked and set out on the path of injustice. Judge: But do the people of Nine-Tails Vale really believe a yokai is behind the crime? Fulbright: Yokai sightings are an everyday event there, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Judge: Hmm... I must say... A crime that preys upon innocent, impressionable minds. Blackquill: Just so. A particularly silver-tongued inmate once had the following words for me. The innocent of heart are the easiest prey. Judge: You don't say? Was this inmate a con artist? Blackquill: .........No. He was framed for the murder of his beloved. I actually felt sorry for the poor chap. Apollo: (Wait, so he wasn't the predator, but rather the prey?) Judge: Yes, well... Now then, the defense may proceed with their cross-examination. Cross-Examination -- Feathers and Tracks -- Fulbright: This entire case centers on one man's attempt to crush opposition to the municipal merger! Fulbright: Mayor Tenma panicked when The Amazing Nine-Tails helped embolden the protestors. Fulbright: So he stoked the villagers' fears by fabricating a monster! Fulbright: The strange feathers and tracks he planted made it look like a yokai was the killer. Fulbright: Mayor Tenma killed the sleeping alderman after planting the feathers and tracks. Apollo: (Hard to believe that a stiff, humorless man like the mayor could be behind such a stunt.) Athena: Argh... We have to do something, Apollo, before they pin it all on the mayor! Apollo: Then we're going to need to prove that Mayor Tenma didn't plant that yokai stuff. Athena: How are we supposed to do that? Apollo: Detective Fulbright, your sense of justice is anything but fair! Fulbright: What's this?! You are question my justice again?! Apollo: Yes, and I'm going to prove it to you. Take a look at this photo. Judge: This... is the crime scene photo. And just what does this prove? Apollo: It proves when the feathers and tracks were planted. Fulbright: But I already told you, they were planted before the murder! The defendant planted the yokai evidence, then was knocked out cold while killing his victim! Apollo: But that would be impossible. If you look right here, it's clear when the feathers and tracks were left at the scene. Judge: Aren't you just pointing to the yokai feathers and tracks, Mr. Justice? Apollo: Yes. See how the feathers are on top of the blood, and the tracks were made in blood? In other words, the yokai evidence could've only resulter AFTER the murder. Fulbright: Th-Then the mayor must've planted the evidence after killing the alderman! Apollo: But you said it yourself, the mayor had been knocked unconscious thereafter. There would've been no time for him to plant any evidence at all! Therefore! There must've been someone else besides the mayor and the alderman at the crime scene! Fulbright: Arrrrrrgh! There must be some mistake! Judge: Order! Order!!! Fulbright: Wh-Where's your evidence?! You can't possibly have any, can you?! Ha ha ha ha ha! Apollo: Evidence? Oh, I have evidence. In fact, I have an eye-witness's testimony for you. Fulbright: You do?! But hooooow?! Was my vaunted sense of justice really just half-baked? Athena: He's taking this really hard. Judge: Hmm... Mr. Justice. What is this testimony regarding a third party that you claim to have? Apollo: I have it right here, Your Honor. It's the sworn testimony of Mr. Tenma's daughter. The witness, Jinxie Tenma, saw a yokai in the hallway after stumbling upon the scene. It was the demon Tenma Taro... He's the source of those feathers and tracks! Judge: ......... Blackquill: ......... Fulbright: ......... ......... Apollo: .........Will somebody please say something? Judge: ...The defense will explain to the court exactly what he means. Fulbright: You... You dare to mock this court and justice itself?! You're unfit to bear your name, boy! Blackquill: You Baldness, it appears our defense attorney here is delirious from exhaustion. Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: Apollo! Think of something, quick, before you're held in contempt of court! Apollo: What do you think I'm trying to do?! Before you decide whether I should step down, please... hear me out...? Judge: Very well, Mr. Justice, I'm all ears. But you had better explain yourself well. What was this yokai you were talking about? Apollo: It's all in this statement here -- Jinxie Tenma asserts that she saw Tenma Taro. After she discovered the crime scene and called the police... ...she came around a corner in the hall. It was around here... ...that she saw Tenma Taro fleeing toward the foyer! The defense asserts that whoever was impersonating this monster... ...is the one who left those feathers and tracks behind, intentionally or otherwise! Judge: Wh-Whaaaaaat?! Fulbright: How incredibly unjust! Why haven't I heard about this before?! Man: The defense just proved there was someone else! Woman: So the mayor isn't the killer? Man: Was it all just a set up? The prosecutor IS a convicted felon, after all. Athena: Apollo! The momentum has shifted in our favor! Apollo: Good. Now let's keep it that way! Blackquill: File:DD Objection! animated.gif Blackquill: ............Hmph. Little do you realize... ...that though you are in the midst of a fray, your sword is broken. Apollo: My sword? (I didn't know I had one to break.) Are you implying there's a problem with my claim? Blackquill: Consider this: if that yokai impersonator had indeed fled toward the foyer... ...that fool and that fop would have seen him. Apollo: Fool and fop? Oh, you mean Filch and L'Belle. Hmm, now that you mention it... Blackquill: Both Phineas Filch and Florent L'Belle were in the foyer at the time. But they haven't stated that they saw a yokai, have they? Did you ever consider that yokai was but a figment of a scared little girl's imagination? Apollo: Argh. Why DIDN'T those two see the Tenma Taro impersonator pass by? Athena: Why don't we ask them ourselves? Apollo: I was just about to say that myself. No, really, I was! The defense would like to call Mr. Phineas Filch, caretaker of Kyubi Manor to the stand! I just know he must have seen something! Judge: Hmm... I suppose we can't ignore the fact that the little girl believes she saw a monster. I trust you have no objections to Mr. Justice's request, Prosecutor Blackquill? I understand that Mr. Filch is enjoying a nap out in the lobby. Blackquill: Hmph. I knew that tanuki was a rare find. But when we captured him, I didn't think he'd end up a witness. Do with him as you will. Apollo: (D-Did he just say captured? No, wait. I don't want to know.) Judge: Very well, then. Bailiff, please go wake Mr. Filch and escort him to the witness stand. Judge: Will the witness state his name and occupation, please. Filch: The name's Filch, Phineas Filch, caretaker of Kyubi Manor. Oh, and... This is for you, Your Lordship. Just a little something I though ya might like. Judge: Oh, my, what a fabulous pair of shoes! And "Your Honor" will do just fine, Mr. Filch. Apollo: ...Ah! It's those shoes again! Athena: Um... Don't they belong to Detective Fulbright? Apollo: Don't tell me Filch stole them again. Filch: They're all yours, Your Honorship, sir. Judge: What?! But they seem awfully expensive. Filch: Yep, too expensive for me, but I reckon they'd be perfect for someone like Your Honorship. Judge: Hmm... It's a kind gesture, but legal ethics dictate I can't accept such gifts. Filch: Aw, ethics smethics. Just take 'em if ya want 'em. Polished 'em up real nice for ya, too. Judge: I'm sorry about the shoes, Mr. Filch, but I WILL accept your testimony. The court would like to hear whether you saw Tenma Taro in the foyer after the murder. Witness Testimony -- Guarding the Foyer -- Filch: At the time of the murder I was on guard duty in the foyer, just like Mr. Kyubi's asked. I was making sure no one -- fair, foul, fishy, or otherwise -- could get to our guest. I was still in my office keeping a good watch when the murder happened after 3 PM. But I didn't see nothing outta the ordinary, no siree! Blackquill: That yokai you keep jabbering on about was but a phantom of a little girl's dreams. Apollo: So, you're telling this court you never saw anyone dressed up like Tenma Taro? Filch: Yep! Was guarding the whole time. That's the truth, the holy truth, 'n' nutter-butter the truth! And Tenma Taro? Bah, ya don't really believe in all that yokai mumbo jumbo, do ya? I certainly don't! Apollo: Hm? (My bracelet, it's...) Athena: Something the matter, Apollo? Apollo: My bracelet keeps squeezing my arm. Athena: Really? So you think Mr. Tanuki--er, I mean, Filch has been lying to us? Apollo: I wouldn't rule it out. (Now, if I could just zero in on a tell -- some sort of nervous habit...) ???: *Screech!* Apollo: A-Aaaaaaagh! What in the--?! (W-What's a hawk doing in here!?) Blackquill: Allow me to introduce my trusty cohort, Taka. He seems to have taken quite a liking to the courthouse. Made it his new home, in fact. Apollo: ...He doesn't live with you... you know, in jail? (Who's ever heard of a courthouse bird?) Blackquill: Taka simply loathes trickery and fraud. And that queer power of yours seems to have offended my dear, bosom buzzard. Apollo: This isn't some sort of trick or-- Aaaaaaaaaagh! (I won't be able to spot squat like this!) Filch: Wh-What the heck's goin' on 'round here?! Run for the hills! Judge: N-No pets or other animals allowed in the courtroom! Taka: *Screech!* Judge: Ack! Somebody help! Blackquill: Oh, he's merely having a bit of sport. He won't harm you, save when truly famished. Judge: In that case, Prosecutor Blackquill, you will ensure your feathered friend is properly fed. Athena: Looks like we have to do this the old-fashioned way. Apollo: We'll be fine... I think. (If there was someone dressed as Tenma Taro there, Filch should've seen him. We'll just have to put our faith in Jinxie's statement for now.) Judge: Mr. Justice, please proceed with your cross-examination. Cross-Examination -- Guarding the Foyer -- Filch: At the time of the murder I was on guard duty in the foyer, just like Mr. Kyubi's asked. Filch: I was making sure no one -- fair, foul, fishy, or otherwise -- could get to our guest. Filch: I was still in my office keeping a good watch when the murder happened after 3 PM. Filch: But I didn't see nothing outta the ordinary, no siree! Athena: I wonder why Mr. Filch didn't see Tenma Taro. Apollo: Maybe Jinxie only thinks she saw Tenma Taro. Or... Athena: Maybe Mr. Filch is lying. Apollo: And if he's lying, we might be able to spot a contradiction in his testimony. Apollo: Don't lie to the court like that, Mr. Filch. Filch: Hey, it ain't right to bushwhack a fella like that! Apollo: Unfortunately for you, I have evidence that proves you're lying. If you look at this TV listing here, you'll see that at the time of the crime... ...there was a pro wrestling match scheduled -- something you'd never miss. Filch: Ack! I didn't watch that one, no siree! I was doing my job, just like I was s'pposed to! Apollo: (This guy doesn't know when to give up.) Mr. Filch. Someone even circled the match. It was you, right? Filch: Yipes! Apollo: Not only that, you even told me you watched it. You said, and I quote: "It was a complete disaster." Filch: Hrrrgh! Apollo: So, do you admit to slacking off?! Filch: Y-Y-You can't trick me with your rudy poo lawyer talk! I'm one of them professional-types, too! I can do double-duty, watching TV and the foyer at the same time! Apollo: (The only thing Filch can claim to be a professional of is "professional thief"...) Judge: Mr. Justice. You would have this court believe the witness was slacking off? Apollo: That's correct. He claims to have been watching TV and the foyer at the same time. But that's nothing but a bald-faced lie! Judge: Bald, you say? But I'M not the one who's lying! Perhaps you meant the witness, Mr. Justice? And in that case, let's see what evidence you can offer. You claim Mr. Filch is lying about watching TV and the foyer simultaneously. Now, prove it. Apollo: Please take a look at the direction the TV is facing in this diagram. Now, unless Mr. Filch has eyes where his right ear should be... ...I'd think it would be impossible to watch the foyer entrance and the TV at the same time. Judge: Why, yes! Someone watching TV there couldn't possibly see the entrance! Apollo: Exactly. And that means, Mr. Filch... ...you were slacking off and were NOT watching the foyer as you claim! Filch: Yiiipes! The bag's outta the cat! Er, I mean, other way 'round! Judge: Order! Order! Order!!! But Mr. Justice, is Mr. Filch's less-than-stellar work ethic relevant to this case? Apollo: It's very relevant, because while he was slacking off watching TV... ...there really could've been a Tenma Taro impersonator in the foyer! Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: What now?! Blackquill: Granted, this tanuki was law in his duties, but he still had the foyer entrance covered. Apollo: What are you talking about? Blackquill: .........This. Apollo: Um... I'm not a mind reader. Ack! Blackquill: Auditory sense. His eyes may have been slacking off, but his ears were still hard at work. Right, tanuki? Filch: ...They were? ............Er, I mean, yes! Yes they were! Apollo: But you already admitted to slacking off. Now you say you weren't? Filch: My eyes might be lazy, but my ears ain't. I woulda heard anyone in the foyer, eh-heh. Ya see, the foyer floor and stairway get all creaky squeaky when someone walks on 'em! Creak, creak, creak! Loud enough to wake the dead, I reckon! Apollo: So, you're saying you didn't hear anybody walk by? Filch: Yep! My ears were working fulltime. So, who's the liar now, ya no-good shyster! Apollo: A lying thief calling me a shyster. This HAS to be the low point of my fledgling career... Filch: Gotta hand it to ya, Mr. Blackquill, sir, ya really are something else, eh-heh heh! I mean, ya don't miss a thing. And them bags under yer eyes? They're darker than mine! Blackquill: Fair warning, Mr. Filch. Taka is particularly fond of tanuki. Should you lie to this court again, you may suddenly find yourself on the menu. Filch: Yiiiiiipes! Please don't eat me, Mr. Taka, sir! Judge: The witness will henceforth testify truthfully under penalty of painful bird attacks! And with that in mind, the court requests that the witness revise his testimony accordingly. Witness Testimony -- Ears Working Overtime -- Filch: It's true, I was watching a pro wrestling match on the office TV. My eyes mighta been slacking off, but my ears? They were working overtime. The floor there's all creaky squeaky-like. No way I woulda missed someone walking by. So ya see, there weren't no Tenma Taro in the foyer. Blackquill: Superstition is the religion of feeble minds. Understand? A simple, rational explanation is best. Forget yokai, demons, and such. We must use common sense, for lacking that, our entire world would be but upside-down. Apollo: (Says the convict prosecutor who is totally a sign of the end times for the legal world.) Filch: And besides, if there were any yokai roaming about, I'd nab 'em 'n' sell 'em to the zoo! Athena: I wonder whether Jinxie was just seeing things. Apollo: That seems to be the general consensus, but I'm sticking to my guns. Athena: But if we can't prove she saw Tenma Taro, the mayor's sure to be convicted! Apollo: Then we'd better hope my guns fire bullets, not BB's... Judge: The defense may cross-examine the witness. Cross-Examination -- Ears Working Overtime -- Filch: It's true, I was watching a pro wrestling match on the office TV. Filch: My eyes mighta been slacking off, but my ears? They were working overtime. Filch: The floor there's all creaky squeaky-like. No way I woulda missed someone walking by. Filch: If Tenma Taro was to pass by, his staff woulda gone jingle jangle. Filch: So ya see, there weren't no Tenma Taro in the foyer. Athena: Apollo, what could this mean? Do you think Jinxie was just seeing things? Apollo: Well, if that's the case, the details she provided were pretty impressive. But if we're to continue believing Jinxie's statement... Athena: We'll have to uncover Filch's lie? Apollo: Right, or.... find out why he can't tell the truth. Apollo: Tenma Taro's staff would make a jangly sound, you say? Well, I'm going to say that your story doesn't add up. Judge: Is there something the defense would like to share with the court? Apollo: Mr. Filch, you say that you didn't see Tenma Taro on the day of the incident. Why then, did you assume just now that Tenma Taro would be holding a staff? Filch: Huh? Apollo: You see, the Tenma Taro Jinxie saw held a staff in his hands. And she described its sound just like you did -- as a kind of jangly sound. Filch: Yeah, so he was holding a staff. What's yer point? Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: The point is that Tenma Taro doesn't use a staff. Not normally. Filch: What are you talking about? Apollo: You see, this is the only known document depicting Tenma Taro. Is there a staff in that picture, Mr. Filch? Judge: You're right! There's no staff! Not even a cane or a walking stick! Filch: Ack! Judge: So, the question is, why does the witness think Tenma Taro uses a staff? Apollo: I believe the answer will overturn the prosecution's case on the most basic level! Blackquill: .........Well now, this IS getting interesting. Judge: All right, Mr. Justice, it's time to show the court where you're going with this. Please tell the court why Mr. Filch believes Tenma Taro carries a staff. Apollo: Mr. Filch actually saw Tenma Taro right after the crime occurred! That's the only way he could possibly know about the staff! Filch: B-B-Busted again! Blackquill: Bloody hell! You duplicitous little--! Apollo: (Yes! How'd that feel, Blackquill? Not so fun whe you're on the receiving end of the blade, is it!) Admit it, Mr. Filch! You DID see Tenma Taro that day, didn't you? Filch: Um... Uhhhhhh... Apollo: Well?! Filch: I'm beggin' ya! Please don't make me say it! Apollo: But you clearly did see Tenma Taro! Stop stalling and testify to that fact! Filch: No can do! No way, no how! You ain't got no idea how terrifying he can be! Apollo: ...He? (Mr. Filch still won't admit seeing Tenma Taro, even though everyone already knows he did. The question now is, why?) Athena: Mr. Filch is scared to death! Apollo: Is that why he can't admit the truth? Athena: Hmm... Come to think of it... Jinxie: They say you must not gaze upon Tenma Taro. But in the event that you do look... ...and then tell anyone what you saw, Tenma Taro will claim your soul. Athena: Jinxie wouldn't admit to seeing Tenma Taro after hearing about the village superstitions. She said that if she told anyone that she had seen Tenma Taro, he'd claim her soul. Apollo: Wait, you think Filch believes that, too? Filch: Ah! So Mister Big-Time, City-Slicker Lawyer has heard about 'em?! Them old village superstitions? Judge: Will the defense please explain what the witness is talking about? Apollo: The people of Nine-Tails Vale believe some pretty strange things. And their superstitions may be the reason our witness here can't admit the truth... ...the truth that he really did see Tenma Taro. Filch: D-Darn straight, that's why! It's all right here! Apollo: Ignoring the superstitions will cost you your soul? Filch: See?! That's why us folks in Nine-Tails Vale can't talk about seeing Tenma Taro! Apollo: That clears up one mystery. The killer took advantage of the superstitions by wearing a Tenma Taro costume. They knew that that way no one could talk about him, so it was as if he never existed! The defense holds that this Tenma Taro impersonator is the true killer! Judge: Whaaat?! Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Hmph! Superstitions, you say? What kind of a fool would actually believe such rubbish? And would that using some silly fairy tale so easily expose the culprit. You'll need to come up with a more rational, common-sense explanation than that! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Your common sense seems awfully narrow-minded to me, Prosecutor Blackquill! Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Try living in my world of narrow cells, mortal danger, and dark, sleepless nights! There is no lack of superstitions in the clink, but few are those who truly believe in them! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Well, the village superstitions are real enough to the people of Nine-Tails Vale! A life or death superstition might even make you a believer! Blackquill: ............Grr! Raaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwrrrrrrrrrrrr! Judge: Order! Order, I say!!! Blackquill: You fool of a tanuki! Two times now, your lies have cost me! Filch: S-S-Sorry, sorry! I promise not to do it again! Blackquill: ...Taka, my fine-feathered friend, have at him! Filch: Yiiipes! He's gonna eat me alive! Head for the hills! Apollo: Ah! He took off. Judge: B-B-Bailiff! What are you waiting for?! After him -- and with your fastest men! Athena: That's certainly not something you see every day. Judge: Well, it would seem a new and important fact has come to light. A third party disguised as the yokai Tenma Taro was at the scene. And now we have two witnesses who can attest to that fact. Any objections, Prosecutor Blackquill? Blackquill: .............................. .............................. Apollo: Uh-oh... Athena: Wha--?! Judge: Huh? ............Ahhhhhh! Apollo: His shackles...! Urk! (I... I'm too young to die!) Blackquill: Justice-dono, long has it been since I've been forced to draw my blade. You had best say your prayers. Judge: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! D-Detective, do something! Fulbright: Ha ha ha! Have no fear, Fulbright is here! When the going gets tough, the Champion of Justice gets going! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Then get going, already, before he kills us! Fulbright: Oh, but I stand in awe of Simon Blackquill, for it is his sense of justice that set him free! Judge: Objection! Objection! I object to Detective Fulbright's definition of justice! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Hmph. I'm not in the habit of cutting down unarmed cowards. Judge: Oh, w-well, in that case, Prosecutor Blackquill, can I ask you to, umm, you know... Apollo: (I think the judge forgot he's in charge here.) Blackquill: So, Justice-dono's assertion is this: Tenma Taro is the real killer, not Mayor Tenma. According to him, there was a yokai at the scene of the crime. Apollo: Right! And that yokai, or rather, whoever was impersonating him, killed Alderman Kyubi! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Apollo: Ack! Blackquill: Care to explain why Jinxie, being the first to discover the murder... ...did not see your alleged killer yokai there in the Fox Chamber? Apollo: What? (He's right, she said nothing about Tenma Taro being in the Fox Chamber...) Blackquill: .........Hmph. Let me enlighten you. That little scamp heard a dying scream right before she opened the chamber door. Apollo: ...And your point is...? Blackquill: Upon opening the door, she found a freshly skewed murder victim -- the alderman... ...and the homicidal maniac who had killer him -- the mayor. Apollo: No, there must've been someone dressed up like Tenma-- Aagh! Blackquill: Then why does that little scamp claim not to have seen a yokai in the Fox Chamber? Judge: Hmm... Considering her father is accused of murder... ...surely she would've mentioned any third party that might have been in the room. Apollo: I don't understand. Why didn't she see Tenma Taro inside the Fox Chamber? Blackquill: Hmph. There is but one way to find out: Ask Jinxie Tenma whether she saw your killer yokai at the scene of the crime. Apollo: Uh-oh... Blackquill: The final battle draws nigh. Only one of us will leave here alive. Heh heh heh. Long has my blade thirsted for blood. At long last, it shall be sated! Apollo: Wait, this IS still a trial, right? Blackquill: Show me what you're truly capable of, Justice-dono! Judge: V-Very well, then. Both parties no doubt need some time to regroup... ...so the court will take a 10-minute recess in order to-- Aagh! Blackquill: ...Three minutes. Judge: I-I'm sorry, but... a three-minute recess? Blackquill: Just so. Plenty of time if your destination of intent is the loo. Judge: The loo? You mean the bathroom? Apollo: (Sheesh... At least include enough time to wash our hands.) Blackquill: See that you take no more than three minutes. All latecomers will be punished. Judge: Y-Yes, sir! I hereby declare a three-minute recess before the battle begins! Athena: I declare Prosecutor Blackquill the winner of this round of Simon Says... Apollo: Doesn't bode well for us if the prosecutor is running the show, does it...? April 18, 10:40 AM District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3 Athena: He busted out of his shackles. Apollo: Yeah, what was that about? Guess they don't make shackles like they used to. Athena: Better be careful, Apollo. You've really brought out the samurai in him. Especially after you proved there was a Tenma Taro impersonator at the manor. Apollo: What's with that guy and the whole samurai act, anyway? Tenma: Such fine swordsmanship... That is no mere act. Mr. Justice, it's high time I challenge this jailhouse prosecutor to a duel! Apollo: No, wait! Let's save the dueling until after we prove your innocence! Tenma: Hrmmm... I suppose it could wait till later. Apollo: (*sigh* Does ANYONE remember we're conducting a trial here?) Athena, I'm gonna go wash up. Athena: Remember what Blackquill said, Apollo. Don't be late! April 18, 10:43 AM District Court - Courtroom No. 4 Judge: Now then, I believe our next witness is Ms. Jinxie Tenma, a maid at Kyubi Manor. I believe we can proceed now -- if the witness is ready, that is. Jinxie: N-N-Nurarihyon! Leader of the One Hundred Demons! He really does exist! Athena: Wow... That is one well-polished tray... Judge: The witness will show her face while in court, or her testimony will be inadmissible. Jinxie: Eek! Judge: What is it, my child?! Jinxie: Be gone, Nurarihyon, Leader of the One Hundred Demons! Judge: Ho ho ho. You think I'm a yokai? Well, I WAS once known as a judicial monster of sorts. The beast of the bar, the demon of due process, if you will. Jinxie: Eek! My charm has no effect... Athena: The demon of due process? Not sure I can see that one... Blackquill: .........Now, you little scamp. Jinxie: Yes? Blackquill: I trust you know why you're here. Jinxie: .........B-B-Bags. Blackquill: Bags? Oh, that tricksy tanuki? Try the noodle stand. And go enjoy a big bowl of tanuki tail noodles why you're at it. Apollo: (Everyone's a comedian.) Jinxie: No... I meant YOUR bags. The one's [sic] under your eyes. You must have trouble sleeping. Here. This charm will keep Azukiarai away. Blackquill: Azukiarai? The yokai that washes azuki beans? The only thing needing washing will be your father's beck before I take his head clean off! Jinxie: Azukiarai often keeps people up at night with the noise he makes washing beans. But if you stick this charm on your forehead, you won't hear him anymore. Blackquill: .........I-Is that so? Well, thank you. Athena: Looks like Prosecutor Blackquill got more than he bargained for. Apollo: They're bad enough alone, but together, those two are just plain creepy. Judge: Your testimony, if you please, Ms. Tenma. Specifically, whether or not you saw Tenma Taro when you discovered the crime scene. Witness Testimony -- What Jinxie Saw -- Jinxie: Did I see Tenma Taro in the Fox Chamber? Well, when I opened the door... *shiver* I saw... I saw... Yes! Now I remember! Y-Y-Yokai! Yokai! Right there in that room! Apollo: So there was a yokai at the scene of the crime! Jinxie: *shiver* Uh-huh, lots... and lots of them! Apollo: Wait, more than one yokai? Did Tenma Taro happen to be among them? Jinxie: I don't know! I just don't know! All I know is the room was swimming in yokai! Kasha, Nurikabe, Setotaisho! Eeek! They were all there! Judge: Well this is an unexpected turn of events. We've gone from no yokai to a flood of them. Blackquill: This is ludicrous. You would have this court listen to this delusional little scamp's testimony?! Apollo: Yurk! Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: Your Honor! I believe her memory is simply clouded by fear! But a quick therapy session should ease her mind. With the court's permission, of course. Judge: What a fabulous idea! Please proceed, Ms. Cykes. Apollo: You sure you know what you're doing, Athena? Athena: She's obviously not herself. The trauma of discovering that crime scene... ...and fear of testifying have her dazed and confused. A regular ball of confusion! But my analytical psychology-based approach should be able to help. Judge: Any objections, Prosecutor Blackquill? Shall we let Ms. Cykes proceed? Blackquill: ............Hmph. It makes no difference to me. Do as you will, but I doubt we shall get any viable testimony. She'd be better served by bearing witness to the sword skills I forged in a distant land! Athena: Hmph! I'll show you! Jinxie: Did I see Tenma Taro in the Fox Chamber? Athena: Found something! Hmm... Looks like an out-of-control emotion. Apollo: Um, Athena? What exactly are we looking at here? Athena: Oh, this? It's one of Widget's functions. Right here you can see images and emotions extracted from the witness's voice. Apollo: Whoa! You mean that little thing can do all this?! Widget: Pretty cool, huh?! Apollo: (And here I thought it was just some kids' toy.) Athena: Unfortunately, all I'm getting is an overflow error right now. See how Sad is brightly lit there at the bottom left? She's under an uncontrollable amount of distress, which is masking her other emotions. It seems the sheer terror she experienced has made her a confused mess. Apollo: So all those yokai she thinks she saw are a product of rampant emotions? Athena: Yes, that's right. Her fear has instilled in her hallucinations and false memories. She's seeing normal everyday objects as monsters in her mind. It's a form of schizophrenic hallucination brought on by emotional trauma. And the trauma in Jinxie's case is fear. Apollo: (So she was, and still is, seeing ordinary objects as yokai...) Athena: We'll have to find the root cause of her extreme fear before I can treat it. Now, let's see... Apollo, can you point out the yokai on the wheel of fire? She seems particularly terrified of that one. Start by tapping Probe (L) on the bottom screen. Next, point to what's causing Jinxie's out-of-control emotion. Finally, tap Probe again (X) to try and get to the heart of the matter! Apollo: (Okay, let's give this a try.) Jinxie: Y-Y-Yokai! Yokai! Right there in that room! Apollo: Jinxie, what's the name for that yokai on a wheel of fire? Jinxie: Th-That's... a Kasha, a yokai that steals the bodies of the recently deceased! I bet it came to steal the alderman's! Apollo: It's almost creepy how well that fits the actual situation. Athena: Exactly! It's a form of hallucination where the patient can't see things for what they are! There must be something at the scene of the crime that she's mistaking for a Kasha! Apollo, you need to point out what she thought was a yokai on a wheel of fire! Apollo: (Hmm... I think I know the answer now.) Jinxie, that wasn't a Kasha you saw. Could you have possibly mistaken this for a Kasha? Jinxie: The light fixture? Apollo: This one right here. It has a flame design and is up there on the ceiling. There was never a yokai on a wheel of fire. The Kasha you saw was just a light fixture! Jinxie: Eeeeeek! Athena: That's one memory back to normal! Nice job! Now that you've got the hang of it, it should be a cinch to point out the rest! Apollo: Jinxie! What about this white wall-like monster? Jinxie: Th-That's Nurikabe! It's a wall monster that blocks your way or leads you astray! Apollo: That's no yokai, Jinxie! It's a folding screen! Jinxie: Eeeeek! Apollo: And this racoon dog isn't a tanuki monster, it's just the statue of one! Jinxie: Eeeeeeeeek! Apollo: And look! These are just coffee cups. And this right here? It's nothing more than a fox statue! Jinxie: Eeeeeeeeeeeek! I don't know what I was thinking! NOISE LEVEL50% Athena: You did it, Apollo! Her extreme fear is under control now! Jinxie: It was all just my eyes playing tricks on me. There weren't any yokai after all! Athena: See! A clear-cut statement. That's the power of my psychology and your intuition, Apollo! And just like we thought, there never really were any yokai in the Fox Chamber! Blackquill: .........Right. There never really were any yokai there. So, the defense is asserting the exact opposite of their original assertion? Apollo: ............Wait. Um, Jinxie? What about Tenma Taro? Jinxie: There wasn't anyone there dressed up as Tenma Taro, or any other yokai, either. I remember it clearly now. Apollo: You've-- Athena: Gotta-- Apollo: Be-- Jokiiiiiiiiiing!!! Judge: Order! Order in the court! Apollo: I think we just dug our own grave. Blackquill: Allow me to push you on in. It's the least I can do. Apollo: Nooo...! Athena: Apollo! Can I interrupt your freak-out for just a minute? I'm still picking up some noise! It's an unexpected emotion! Apollo: Does that mean Jinxie hasn't remembered everything yet? Athena: Exactly! We should be able to get something else out of her! I'll enter the new information we have and run an update! Jinxie: Did I see Tenma Taro in the Fox Chamber? Apollo: Wait. What am I supposed to do? Athena: Try to find the emotions that contradict her statements. Apollo: So if I find a contradictory emotion, I should point it out? Athena: That's right. But it's not just contradictory emotions you should look out for. You should also keep an eye out for sudden changes in an emotion's intensity. Her emotions might get stronger or weaker as you move from statement to statement. It's important to compare how the same emotion changes throughout the testimony. Apollo: Contradictory emotions and changes in intensity... Okay, I'll give it a shot. Apollo: The amount of fear you felt is rather low despite your legs having given out from fright. Could something have lessened your fear? Jinxie: Actually, I did experience a sudden burst of courage at that moment. Apollo: You did? Where did it come from? Jinxie: Um... uh... Let me think... Oh, it was Mama. I suddenly felt as if she was there with me. Athena: Okay, I'll enter, "Sudden burst of courage." Now, let's see... Ah! Look! Apollo, the noise is all gone! Jinxie seems to have remembered everything now! NOISE LEVEL0% BYE BYE Apollo: A sudden burst of courage... Now where could that have come from? Jinxie, was there something that gave you a sudden burst of courage? Jinxie: Um, yes there was, b-but... um... I, uh... I realized I had done something naughty when I thought about it later. Athena: Any idea what could have given Jinxie that courage? Apollo: Well, there IS one piece of evidence that comes to mind. I wonder if she saw something like it at the scene of the crime. Jinxie, did your sudden burst of courage have anything to do with this? Apollo: Jinxie, you didn't happen to see a Nine-Tails Flower there at the scene, did you? Jinxie: Ah! The demon lawyer strikes again. I can't hide anything from you. I found a small case with a picture of a Nine-Tails Flower on it. I liked it so much, I kept it! Apollo: You what?! You can't remove evidence from a crime scene! Judge: That's right, young lady. Removing evidence is a big no-no. Now, the witness will produce said evidence this instant! Jinxie: S-Sorry, sorry... Judge: Hmm... It does seem to be some sort of case. Oh, look, something slid out. It... appears to be a key! Blackquill: Might I have a look, Your Baldness? Hmmm......... Ah! This is none other than the master key to Kyubi Manor. Judge: Are you certain of this, Prosecutor Blackquill? Blackquill: It matches the serial number of the key that went missing after the murder. Apollo: A master key... that went missing? (Why don't I like the sound of that...?) Blackquill: Our little scamp here has stumbled upon an article of unimaginable consequence. Apollo: That's a little melodramatic, don't you think? Blackquill: Hmph. Heed these words, for I shall say them but once. The sole key to the Fox Chamber has been in this little scamp's constant possession. Ergo, she was the sole person who could use it before, during, and after the murder. Which leaves the master key as the only other key that could have opened the chamber. But this master key... ...was found in a room that had been locked by this girl. Apollo: And your point is? Blackquill: Until Jinxie Tenma opened the Fox Chamber with her key... ...the room had been locked tight from the outside world. And there was no one else in there, save the victim and his killer. I trust you have figured it out for yourself by now. A killer other than Mayor Tenma himself would be utterly inconceivable! Apollo: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Athena: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Athena: How... could... this... happen...?! Nnrrrrrrgh...! Judge: The defense's assistant will refrain from growling her frustrations! Apollo: A-Athena, are you all right? Athena: Ugh! I know Mayor Tenma's innocent, but there's nothing we can do! Widget: This sucks! Blackquill: ...Cykes-dono. Allow me to put you out of your misery. Athena: Can I decline your offer? Blackquill: Abandon your client and your misplaced faith in him. Let the relief of a clear head and a clean conscious come rushing in. That will make the inevitable guilty verdict far easier to accept. Apollo: (Great. Now he's playing Simon Says with us! Well, he's not going fool us [sic] with his stupid mind games!) Athena, don't fall for his tricks! Athena: Uuh... Now I'M the one who's dazed and confused. I can't even think straight. Apollo: Hey, are you all right?! (She fell right into his trap!) Blackquill: Now, I suggest you make a mad dash from the courtroom and into the wild blue yonder. Only by running shall your mind be cleared and your conscious cleansed. Athena: All right, I'll be back in 10! Apollo: File:DD Objection! animated.gif Apollo: Stay with me, Athena! Don't let yourself be twisted by that samurai! Athena: Apollo? Judge: Mr. Justice? ...I heard the word objection, but what is it you object to? Apollo: Huh...? Oh, right... (That objection was more of a reflex than anything else... ...though I was hoping something would come to me while I was trying to stop Athena...) Judge: The court is waiting, Mr. Justice. Though as it stands now... ...I'll be forced to declare your client guilty and your legal skills suspect if this is it. Now, do you have anything that could overturn the prosecution's case? Apollo: Um, well... Actually, I do! I'm Apollo Justice, and I'm fine! Athena: Apollo! You do have something more than your Chords of Steel, don't you? Apollo: Not really, but we'll be fine! Athena: B-B-But...! Apollo: (I've got absolutely nothing, but that's never stopped me before! I have to explain how the real killer could have escaped that locked room. Because it's all over if I don't!) Athena: Apollo, this calls for a new approach! Try to think outside the box! Apollo: Or in this case, inside the box! (And what a doozy that locked room is, too.) Judge: Well, Mr. Justice? Do you have anything that can counter the prosecution's argument? Apollo: Y-You bet I do! The real killer must have escaped from the locked room one way or another! Blackquill: Vague conjecture shall only earn you a taste of my blade, Justice-dono. Apollo: Err... (Time to do or die, literally!) Judge: The defense will now explain how it would be possible to escape the locked room. Athena: Y-You sure about this, Apollo? Can you really explain what happened? Apollo: I-I'm fine! We just need to think this whole escaping-a-locked-room thing over from the beginning! So... let's see. If the killer had escaped... ...how could they have done so? Athena: The choices are pretty limited. The room has a window, but... ...it doesn't open wide enough for anyone to get through, and there's a sheer cliff outside. As for the air vent... ...it's up too high and there's nothing you could stand on to reach it. And needless to say... ...the Forbidden Chamber wouldn't open no matter what we did, so that's out. Apollo: Yeah, that why we gotta keep the solution simple. Like they say, simple is best. We need to rule out all of the absolutely impossible escape routes. Then, whatever's left just might lead us to how the Fox Chamber was compromised! Your Honor! The defense proposes that the killer escaped through here! Judge: The hallway door? Well, yes, I suppose that would be the only way out. Blackquill: .........Hmph. It would appear you've already forgotten. The only available key until Jinxie Tenma came on scene was within that locked room. How would one exit the Fox Chamber, and then lock it without a key? Hmm? Apollo: I should've seen this coming... Athena: Remember Apollo, keep it simple. Apollo: Simple, right. I could understand if the killer had exited the room with the key, but... Judge: Well, Mr. Justice? The prosecution has some fine Japanese steel waiting unless you explain yourself quickly. Apollo: I-I'm fine! I can explain myself! The reason the Fox Chamber's hallway door was locked was because... Apollo: What if the door was locked from the outside? In other words, the killer took the key through the hallway door, then locked it-- Youch! Blackquill: Consider this: The master key was found inside the tightly locked Fox Chamber. Any assertion that the key was removed from that room is a blatant contradiction of fact. Athena: Exiting the room before locking the door WOULD require taking the key outside. But the key was found inside the room, which does seem like a contradiction. Apollo: If only we could explain both. Like, how the key could be inside the room AND be used to lock the door from outside. Judge: Well, let's see if the defense can response before Prosecutor Blackquill draws his sword. How could the master key be at the crime scene, despite the room being locked tight? Apollo: What if someone threw it into the room from outside -- you know, something like... ...go out the hallway door, lock the room, and then toss the key back in through the window. That would explain how the master key could be inside the locked room! Blackquill: ...And where would you throw it from? There is a cliff outside the Fox Chamber's window. Throwing the key in from there is an impossibility. Apollo: .........Oh! Right... Ack! Athena: I wonder if the key could've been tossed in from somewhere other than the window. Apollo: Somewhere other than the window? Hmm... Could the key have been tossed in through somewhere other than the window? Judge: The air vent? Apollo: Yes. The window may be out of the question, but the air vent's not! Athena: Oh, that's right! The Fox Chamber's air duct... ...leads out into the hallway. Apollo: That's right. The real killer entered the air duct from the vent outside the Fox Chamber... ...then dropped the key into the room through the vent inside the chamber! Blackquill: Hrgh! That's preposterous! Athena: Ooh, that explains how the key got in there after it was used to lock the door perfectly! Judge: Mr. Justice! Um... I'm afraid I'm a bit confused... Apollo: Don't worry! I'll explain it so even Your Honor can understand. First, the real killer, disguised as Tenma Taro, murdered the alderman in the Fox Chamber. Then, they fled the room through the hallway door and locked it. Next, they entered the air duct from the vent outside in the hallway. Finally, the killer tossed the key into the room through the air vent in the ceiling there! All that was left to do after that was go back through the duct and flee the manor! Well, Your Honor?! Could that be any clearer?! Judge: Amazing! Even I could follow that! Athena: The judge seems really pleased. Apollo: That explains everything! The real killer was someone dressed up like Tenma Taro. And there WAS someone else other than the mayor and the alderman in that room! Man: Hey, it looks like that lawyer has beaten the jailbird prosecutor! Man: Whoa! That was a total turnabout! Woman: That massive forehead of his seems so much more attractive now! Judge: Order! Order! Order, I say!!! Apollo: Now that I've proved a possible third party, I don't see how our client could be guilty! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: ..........A valiant effort, Justice-dono, but your final thrust missed its mark. Apollo: Huh? Blackquill: Both that little scamp and the tricksy tanuki saw the yokai after it left the room. But then what? Did that irksome yokai simply go through the foyer and waltz right out the front door? Apollo: Th-That's exactly what happened! The killer fled from the-- Youch! Blackquill: But that is impossible -- without being spotted by the foyer's security camera, that is. The electric eye here would have captured any pesky little yokai trying to escape. However, there is no sign of Tenma Taro anywhere in the security footage. Apollo: Wh-Wh-What?! Blackquill: Save for the foyer entrance, there is no other way to flee the manor, is there? Apollo: I don't feel so good. Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: Wait! I believe there IS one other way to escape besides the foyer entrance! There's a large window in the foyer. It's possible to escape through there without being seen by the security camera. Apollo: Hey, you're right! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Hmph. Must I point out every crucial detail to the defense? It seems you lack not only brains, but investigative prowess to boot. That is the cliff side of the manor. The only killer escaping that way would be a dead one. Athena: N-Nooooooooon! Apollo: Wait... So the killer didn't escape out the foyer window? Widget: What the heck, right? Blackquill: ....Ha! I suppose your next proposal is the killer sprouted wings and flew off into the sunset? Apollo: (That would mean the killer really was a yokai...) Athena: ...If only we had some sort of evidence that could point to a flying killer. Apollo: Who's saying we don't? (As completely far-fetched as it might be...) Athena: WHAAAT?! You're saying you can prove the killer could fly?! Apollo: Whoa! I thought I was the one with the Chords of Steel! Judge: Oh, I can't wait to hear this. Apollo: Um, Your Honor...? Judge: What evidence do you have that the killer flew away? Apollo: Take a look at this special edition paper. Judge: "Tenma Taro: Real or Flight of Fancy?" ...What does this article prove, Mr. Justice? Apollo: The photo in that article was taken shortly after the murder. Maybe the yokai in that photo is the killer shortly after they fled out of the window...? Judge: M-Mr. Justice! You're not seriously suggesting--! Apollo: Oh, I'm serious! I mean, it all adds up! The killer, disguised as Tenma Taro, flew away! You know, by some way or another! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: It is your brain that has flow [sic] the coop. That image is naught but trick photography or some other form of artifice. Apollo: Okay, then, how about the Tenma Taro figure Mr. Filch saw? It just vanished into thin air? Blackquill: .........No, there is a rational, common-sense explanation for that. That infernal yokai our tricksy tanuki witnessed never reached the entrance. He -- or should I say she -- turned back before the camera's electric eye. Apollo: ......She? (I don't like where this is going one bit!) Blackquill: Now, the fact that we know the yokai had come from the Fox Chamber... ...means that it was likely either Mayor Tenma or his daughter Jinxie Tenma. However, we know that Mayor Tenma was already unconscious at that time. Apollo: *gulp* (Not good. Not good at all!) Blackquill: Do you understand the gravity of the situation now, Justice-dono? The falsified yokai remnants... ...and the appearance of "Tenma Taro" were the work of one individual. And that individual is none other than Jinxie Tenma! Apollo: ............ Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! Judge: Order! Order! The defense will stop competing for the greatest freak-out ever! Blackquill: The little scamp was, no doubt, simply trying to protect her father. And it's no wonder that her superstitious mind conjured up this mad masquerade. Judge: Prosecutor Blackquill's assertion makes perfect sense to me. It's far more convincing than saying the killer escaped by flying out of the window. Blackquill: Hmph. Did you truly believe this could end any other way? Apollo: (Did we fall right into his trap?) Athena: What do we do now, Apollo? Apollo: Our case no longer stands without a real yokai. If only we had one. Blackquill: Bailiff, seize her! It is time I interrogated her as the samurai of yore would. Tenma: File:AA5 Holdit.png Apollo: M-Mayor Tenma? Tenma: ......... Blackquill: Hmph. This farce is over. How does it feel, seeing your own daughter accused of a cover-up most foul? Tenma: ......... Tenma Taro's true identity is-- Blackquill: Now, now, Mr. Mayor. It would be futile at this point to claim you were the yokai. After all, you had been knocked out cold by a blow to the skull. Slipping into a yokai costume and roaming about the manor would be all but impossible. Tenma: ......... Blackquill: Consider this well. As it stands, your daughter will be arrested for obstruction of justice. But if you confess, the prosecution would be willing to overlook her little yokai farce. Judge: Confess? The defendant intends to confess?! Apollo: Wait! Athena: Apollo! Prosecutor Blackquill's up to his mind games again! Apollo: Mayor Tenma! No! Don't fall for his twisted words! If you're sent away for murder, Jinxie will be left all alone! Tenma: .........The real killer is... Athena: Mayor Tenma's going to confess unless we do something! Apollo: (But... But I can't prove how the real killer could've flown away...) Tenma: ............ Caw caw-caw-caw! Look upon me and despair, for ripe is the time for my return. Apollo: Hm? (Uh-oh... I should watch what I wish for.) Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! Foolish mortals! I am Tenma Taro, the yokai you seek! Apollo: Um... M-Mayor Tenma? Tenma: Silence! I am Tenma Taro -- freed from the bonds binding me to the Forbidden Chamber! Behold! The return of the Demon King! Apollo: Wh-What the--?! Athena: Demon King...?! Judge: Well then, I think it's time for me to... ...t-take a vacatioooon! The witness will...! Um... He will explain himself! Are you saying you're Tenma Taro, the yokai we've been chasing this whole time? Tenma: Indeed, it is I, Tenma Taro, the one whom you seek -- come to reveal the truth. This child is Tenma Taro, you say? Hah! What nonsense! Apollo: So, Mayor Tenma... is a yokai now? Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! His body is now mine! Judge: So, you're saying that Mayor Tenma is... being possessed by you? And that the yokai that Jinxie Tenma and Phineas Filch saw... ...and the one captured in the newspaper photo... Those were all you? Tenma: The accursed power of these warding charms prevents me from revealing my true form. Apollo: ......... Blackquill: Your Baldness! .........Can this not be interpreted as an admission of guilt?! Judge: Well, a confession by a wokai would be quite unprecedented. Blackquill: Be that as it may, the defense's case has been overturned. Apollo: Huh? What?! Blackquill: You claimed the yokai that little scamp saw was some third party -- the true killer... ...the one who escaped from the locked Fox Chamber, but it was the accused all along. Apollo: Argh! Blackquill: Ironic, is it not? Your yokai turned out to be real in a manner of speaking. For the alderman's killer is none other than Mayor Tenma! And the yokai at the scene? That, too, was Mayor Tenma, or should I say, our dear Tenma Taro! The pieces have all fallen into place. Apollo: H-How so, Prosecutor Blackquill? Blackquill: Hmph. It seems I must spell it out for you. Mayor Tenma killed the alderman in the Fox Chamber -- which was locked at the time. He then removed the warding charms from the Forbidden Chamber's door... ...but then fell unconscious from the blow the alderman had delivered to his head. That's when his daughter Jinxie Tenma stumbled on the scene of the crime. The little scamp fled in terror, whereupon the spirit of Tenma Taro... ...freed at last from the charm's warding effect, took possession of the mayor. The newly freed Tenma Taro then fled from the Fox Chamber. So, you see, the yokai Jinxie Tenma saw was her father possessed by Tenma Taro. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: But when we arrived on scene, the mayor was found unconscious! How's that possible if he was supposed to have flown out the foyer window?! Blackquill: Then, what? Do you mean to say the maid of Kyubi Manor, Jinxie Tenma, was Tenma Taro? Apollo: ............Oh. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Tenma: File:AA5 Holdit.png Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! That, too, is easily explained. Flew about for a time did I, but presently tired, I made for the Forbidden Chamber. But alas, exhaustion took me unaware in the Fox Chamber, and I knew no more. Blackquill: Hmph. It would seem the pieces are still in place. Apollo: (Is Blackquill up to his tricks again?) Judge: I-I don't know what to say. Is the defendant a real live...? Man: So that rumor about Mayor Tenma is true? I knew yokai were real! Man: You mean he really did kill the alderman just so he could release Tenma Taro?! Judge: Order! Order!!! Athena: Now he's got everyone in the courtroom believing in yokai! Apollo: It's Simon Says on steroids! He wants to convict our client any way he can -- even if it means blaming a yokai! Blackquill: The proverbial ducks are all in a row. You should now have no qualms about finding the accused guilty, Your Baldness. Judge: Hmm... This is one of the most bizarre cases in my entire career. Otherworldly, in fact. Can yokai even be prosecuted under our legal system? Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Mayor Tenma is just pretending to be Tenma Taro to protect his daughter. Plus, I already proved how a third party could have escaped from the locked room! A verdict at this point would be premature! Judge: Hmm... Since both sides have raised valid points, I've no choice but to-- Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Hmph! This is the dark age of the law where defense attorneys are not to be trusted. This is but a ploy to gain time for them to fabricate evidence! How will I sleep tonight... ...knowing you will not let the run rise on the mayor's day of reckoning, Justice-dono? Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: I won't fabricate any evidence! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Then prove it by joining me. A night in the clink will ensure you will not succumb to temptation! Apollo: How about I just promise not to succumb to anything? Blackquill: We have both evidence and a confession. The killer is this yokai before us. It is beyond dispute. A guilty verdict is all but-- Uuuwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Apollo: What's wrong with him? Fulbright: Prosecutor Blackquill! We've had enough of your hijinks! The foundation of justice is fair play, and you are in serious violation of that! Blackquill: *huff* *huff* What in the devil was that? Fool Bright! Have you tampered with my shackles in some manner? Fulbright: Ha ha ha ha! It seems you found that quite shocking. It's my special Jolt of Justice device. Each press is a shocking reminder to behave. Blackquill: You shall pay for this. I, Simon Blackquill, vow to-- Uuuwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Fulbright: Your Honor! You need not fear now! I believe Prosecutor Blackquill will remain on his best behavior. Apollo: ...A bit late with the reassurances, aren't we, detective? Judge: W-Well, in that case... *ahem*... This concludes today's deliberations. The prosecution and the defense will use this opportunity to further their investigations. This court is adjourned! To Be Continued
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