| abstract | - Athena: Having a yokai testify in court is unprecedented to say the least. Apollo: "I am Tenma Taro, the yokai you seek!" How could such a straight-laced man like Mr. Tenma suddenly become a demon? Athena: Yeah, it's strange. Even worse, Prosecutor Blackquill is playing along. *sigh* I can't even think straight anymore. I need to go out for a run! See you in a bit! Apollo: Wait! What about the--! ...Investigation. Trucy: Back! ...Eek! Athena: Whoa, whoa! Trucy, welcome back. Oh, you're in your stage outfit. Back from work? Trucy: Yep! I really nailed this new magic trick I've been working on! ...I also heard about those tricks that were conjured up in court earlier today. You know, the demon-out-of-nowhere trick and Polly's tightrope-style defense trick! Apollo: I was seriously considering a disappearing act of my own after all that craziness. ...Anyway, our next trick is to find a suspect other than the mayor. I know the killer must've used the air duct in the escape. Athena: And whoever did that was the Tenma Taro that Mr. Filch and Jinxie saw. Apollo: Right. Maybe there's some evidence in the air duct. Athena: The real fight starts right now! Trucy: Hey, before you go, let me make the evidence you no longer need disappear! 3, 2, 1... Ta-dah! Apollo: (I wonder where all that stuff goes?) Athena: Okay, let's get over to the scene of the crime! Vamonos, Apollo, Vamonos! April 18 Kyubi Manor - Fox Chamber Athena: Detective Fulbright! Mind if we search the air duct? Fulbright: Well, since you really are on the side of justice, I suppose I can let you... Plus, my own sense of justice has been called into doubt, so... Athena: Wonder if he's been like this ever since the trial. Apollo: Well, his sense of justice HAS been beaten to a pulp. It'll probably take a while for him to recover. Athena: I sorta feel bad for him, but we have work to do! Let's go get the evidence we need! Apollo: The air duct is the key. We know the Tenma Taro impersonator used it to make an escape. After murdering the alderman, the killer left the Fox Chamber through the hallway door. Then, after locking the door from the outside... ...the killer entered the air duct in the hallway. Finally, the killer dropped the key into the Fox Chamber through the air vent here... ...then went back through the duct and fled the manor. That's how the illusion of no one entering or leaving the locked room was created! Athena: If the killer passed through the air duct, maybe we'll find some evidence there. Apollo: Yeah, maybe some black feathers or something like that. Well, here's our vent. It's awfully high up. Athena: Don't worry, I brought a stepladder! Happy hunting! Apollo: (How nice of her to volunteer me for the job.) Whoa, it's pitch black in here. Well, here goes nothing! *cough, cough* *wheeze* *sputter* *cough, cough* There's a thick layer of dust in here! *cough, cough* *wheeze* *sputter* *cough, cough* ............ ...I don't... get it. Athena: Find anything? Yikes! Apollo, what happened?! You're covered in dust! Apollo: Yeah, dust... Lots of dust. Athena: So, what'd you find? Apollo: You know how dust collects on something when nobody uses it for a long time? Athena: Yeah, like Mr. Wright's desk back at the office. Apollo: Right... You think it'd be possible to crawl over that sort of dust without leaving a trail? Athena: I seriously doubt it... Wait, you're not suggesting--! No one's gone through that duct lately?! Apollo: Kinda looks that way. And if it's true, Mayor Tenma is going to be fingered as the killer. Athena: B-B-But...! Apollo: (If we don't turn things around quickly...) Fulbright: In justice we trust! Apollo: Ack! Fulbright: Ha ha ha! Sorry, Mr. Justice! But it seems your justice was not the most just, after all! It is MY sense of justice that has prevailed! Apollo: Argh! Athena: Detective Fulbright sure seems chipper all of a sudden. Apollo: Ugh. And I'm back to my old devastated self. Fulbright: Aw, come on! Where's that never-say-die spirit? Bring it on, Mr. Lawyer Man! Bring it on! Apollo: Let me suffer in peace. Fulbright: Ha ha ha! Justice prevails once more! Athena: It's not over yet! And besides... Kicking someone when they're down is what bad guys do! Fulbright: Ack! A-Are you calling me a... a bad guy?! Me? Bobby Fulbright, champion of justice?! Athena: Then how about some information on the investigation? We need some help here! Fulbright: Information? About the investigation? All right! But I won't have you calling me a bad guy ever again! Understood?! Athena: We did it, Apollo! Apollo: Yeah, but how long can we keep this up? Apollo: Are there any other new developments we should know? Fulbright: Hm, now that you mention it... Our suspect is suffering partial memory loss, but he DID manage to remember something. Apollo: He did? What did he say? Fulbright: He said he didn't want to speak with us. His exact words were: "I am under no obligation to speak with you mortals!" ...and other things of that nature. Apollo: (I wonder what Mayor Tenma remembered.) Fulbright: Too bad you can't go ask him now, 'cause Prosecutor Blackquill's busy questioning him. I know! Why don't you wait down at the playground with the rest of the kids? Ha ha. Athena: What now, Apollo? Apollo: How about regrouping back at the agency? Athena: Good idea. We might get some words of wisdom out of Mr. Wright while we're there. April 18 Wright Anything Agency Apollo: Maybe I'll... go read over some past cases... Athena: And I'll... go do some research on exorcisms... Trucy: Hey, what's with you guys? You seem bummed out. Apollo: How should I put this? It's like we're at the edge of a cliff and the only way is down. Trucy: In other words, business as usual, right? Apollo: Yeah, I suppose so. Except this time, it's like we're bound and gagged, too. Athena: Don't forget blindfolded with our ears plugged up... Trucy: Ooh, and monsters at every turn, huh? Sounds rough... ???: Hey, Apollo. Oh, and Athena's here, too. Athena: Mr. Wright. Phoenix: How goes the investigation, Apollo, Athena? Athena: I think it's safe to say that things have gotten hairier than before. Phoenix: Really? What happened? Athena: All right! I'm totally pumped up after talking to you, Mr. Wright! It's like you said, the worst of times are when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles! Phoenix: And don't forget to return to the basics whenever you get stuck. Apollo: (Keep believing in my client. Right!) Um, Mr. Wright? Phoenix: Yes? Apollo: I'm... I'm going to go visit our client again! Phoenix: I think that's a good idea. Apollo: (Alright, time to see what's new down at the Detention Center!) April 18 Detention Center - Visitor's Room Athena: Mayor Tenma, we wanted to talk to you about something! Tenma: Caw-shaaaaaaaaw! Athena: Eeek! Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! So, my minions have returned! Athena: Apollo, he still thinks he's a yokai! Apollo: I wonder if we'll ever be able to talk to Mayor Tenma again. Tenma: Silence, peddler of the legal trade! Free me from these imprisoning walls with great haste! Athena: Wow... He's sounding more and more like a real demon with every sentence. I'm starting to wonder if we should even be helping him win his freedom. Apollo: Still, we can't let Mayor Tenma stay possessed, you know what I mean? Tenma: If you can clear me of these charges, I shall help in whatever manner I may. Now, ask of me what you will! Apollo: I suppose it's worth a shot. Apollo: (I should question him about the blackmail letter, too. Let's see what he says when I show it to him.) Tenma: Why this--! This is that accursed blackmail letter that was sent to Damian. Apollo: Apparently, somebody slipped it into the alderman's pocket. We believe someone, probably the killer, stole it from Mayor Tenma's briefcase. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! You have questions, do you? Very well, ask away, mortal! Athena: Hmm... There's something that still bothers me. If Mr. L'Belle is the killer... ...what could have motivated him to open the Forbidden Chamber? Apollo: We should probably search it for clues. Athena: Only one problem. How do you open a locked door that doesn't have a keyhole? Apollo: Let's go talk to Jinxie. Maybe she can help. April 18 Nine-Tails Vale - Yokai Lane Apollo: Hey, isn't that...? Jinxie: Grrr. You dare imprison me? Athena: Jinxie! She's... acting really strange. Jinxie: That loathsome, no-good Nine-Tailed Fox. He shall know the terror that is mine and despair. Grrr... Grrr. You shall pay. Oh, you shall pay dearly! ......All of you! Apollo: J-Jinxie, are you all right? Jinxie: ! Eeeeeek! Apollo: Aaaah! Jinxie: Oh! Is that you, Mr. Demon Lawyer? Apollo: ...Morning, Jinxie. Jinxie: Morning? Isn't it already past noon? And what am I doing here? Last I remember, I lay down to take a nap back at the manor. ......Oh, no! It must've been the Makuragaeshi! Apollo: Makura... gaeshi? Jinxie: Ever wake after a restless night's sleep to find your pillow in an unusual place... ...or that you've been sleeping on the floor or in the hallway? Well, it's that yokai's fault! The Makuragaeshi preys on people when they're asleep! Apollo: ...It sounds like you just need to be tucked in really tight, or maybe a snug sleeping bag. Athena: Jinxie, how come you don't have any charms on your forehead? Jinxie: I don't? Oh, they must've fallen off. Without them, evil things can creep into me. Apollo: (I'd say we had a more than adequate demonstration of that just now...) Jinxie: I'd better reapply them. Apollo: Jinxie, there's something we wanted to ask you. Jinxie: Ah! There was something I wanted to tell you, too! I... I remembered something else! Apollo: You did? What was it? Apollo: So... is there anything else we should know about, Jinxie? Jinxie: ...No... That's about it... Apollo: Ack! (My bracelet! It's reacting!) Jinxie, you wouldn't happen to be-- Fulbright: In justice we trust! Apollo: Yikes! Jinxie: Eek! A ghost! Fulbright: Argh! Apollo: Detective Fulbright! What are you doing here? Fulbright: I have business with this young lady, if you must know. Prosecutor Blackquill has asked me to question her. Jinxie: Question me? ...Sorry, not interested. Apollo: Are you here to ask about that whole yokai affair? Fulbright: That's right. Specifically, we want to ask-- Ah, but I can't tell you that, now can I? Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Athena: Oh, come on, please? We're partners in justice, right? Fulbright: No no, Prosecutor Blackquill specifically told me, my questions were of the utmost justice. I will not fall for your lies! In justice we trust! Apollo: The Twisted Samurai sure has him on a short leash. Jinxie: So you're not a ghost? Maybe some sort of urban troll, then? Fulbright: Now, come along, Ms. Tenma. To the station with you! Athena: He took her away. Apollo: (Missed my chance to see what she was lying about.) Athena: Well, at least we found out there's a secret mechanism for opening the chamber! Let's go check it out! Apollo: I just hope they let us in now. April 18 Kyubi Manor - Garden L'Belle: Oh, what an absolutely FABULOUS scent! I'm SO glad I had these carnations imported from England. Nothing but the FINEST will do. Perhaps I should place one aside for our DEARLY departed alderman. Athena: Hey, it's Mr. L'Belle! Apollo, let's ask him about you-know-what! Apollo: (Oh yeah, before we search the Fox Chamber we should ask about the blackmaill letter.) L'Belle: Why, if it isn't the mayor's little lawyers. What do YOU want with ME? Apollo: Oh, um, there's something we wanted to ask... (Where's that ringing coming from?) L'Belle: You'll HAVE to excuse me. ...Hello? L'Belle here. Apollo: What the--?! (Those things on his shoulders are cell phones?!) L'Belle: ...Yes, about that. You MUST forgive me! This WHOLE matter with Mayor Tenma has been a COMPLETE nightmare. Athena: ......Where do you buy clothes like that? L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! Surprised? This is my OWN special design. It's the ULTIMATE in functional beauty. Apollo: Functional beauty? Are you sure about that? Looks a bit unwieldy to me. Ack! L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! You simply don't have an eye for beauty. Apollo: (...If having an eye for beauty means looking like this guy, I'd rather be blind.) L'Belle: So, what DO you want with ME? L'Belle: Are we done with your SILLY questions now? I'm a VERY busy man, you know. Apollo: *sigh* (I guess that's it for now.) L'Belle: Hello, L'Belle speaking! ...Really? You wish to carry MY new product at YOUR store? Oh, but I'm afraid it's my own PRIVATE brand. It's NOT available to the public. ...What? Then I shouldn't advertise it on TV? But I DON'T undestand. As THE embodiment of beauty, it is my duty to announce my good looks to the world! Apollo: ......... (Stop the bus. I'm getting off.) L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! EVERYONE wants my EXCLUSIVE "Je suis L'Belle!" brand products! It's the crown jewel of MY collection, born of my LONG, RELENTLESS pursuit of beauty! But now that it's become SO popular, it's been an ABSOLUTE nightmare! Apollo: You don't say. L'Belle: Well, they CAN'T have it! It's just for ME! It's not meant for you PEASANTS. Apollo: Peasants? L'Belle: This is my LATEST product! I'm calling it "Couleur Me L'Belle!" A DAZZLING hair color that you can wash out with just water! Apollo: (Guess that means you can't sweat.) L'Belle: I have SEVEN colors in all. You can find out more in my commercials and magazine ads. Apollo: (...Yet, it's not available to the public? Great sales strategy there, genius.) Athena: Come to think of it, Mr. L'Belle... ...your hair color's changed since the last time we met. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! The little lady has QUITE the discerning eye! Here's a little sample. Consider it a gift for one who TRULY appreciates beauty. Athena: Oh, uh... Apollo, what should I do? Apollo: Better take it before you get a face full of cologne. Athena: Good point. ...Wow, thanks, Mr. L'Belle. Athena: Okay, let's head over to the Fox Chamber. Apollo: We've still gotta find the secret mechanism for opening the Forbidden Chamber. April 18 Kyubi Manor - Fox Chamber Apollo: Okay, let's find that secret mechanism for opening the Forbidden Chamber. Athena: Ooh, this is so exciting! I can't wait to see how it works! But do you really think the killer entered the Forbidden Chamber? Apollo: We'll just have to open it to find out. Athena: We should also see if there was anywhere the killer could've hid in this room! Okay, let's get started. !Apúrate, Apollo, Apúrate! Athena: Well, I can't think of anywhere else to look. You find anything, Apollo? We'll never find the keyhole to the Forbidden Chamber at this rate. Apollo: There's something about that folding screen. You know how those fox statues in front of the Forbidden Chamber move? That screen might be a clue as to how we're supposed to position them or something. Athena: Hey, I bet you're right! Let's go over that screen with a fine-toothed comb! Athena: Apollo! Let's go check out the two statues! Apollo: Okay! Help me move the two statues so they face each other -- just like on the screen. Look! A lock appeared! Athena: Now we can use that key! Apollo: Okay, here goes nothing! Apollo: ...It worked! Athena: Time to see why this chamber's so forbidden! Apollo: What secrets could it hold, I wonder...? April 18 Kyubi Manor - Forbidden Chamber *creeeeeeeeeak* *thud* Apollo: These doors need some serious oil. Athena: Aaah! That was like nails on a chalkboard! Apollo: Oh, right. Forgot about those super good ears of yours. Look, more feathers... Athena: Eeeeeeeeeeeek! Apollo: What the heck is that...? ...Is that a Tenma Taro... statue? But there's... something odd about it. Athena: Ugh... All I know is I don't like it, but I can't explain why. Apollo: You okay, Athena? You look kinda pale. You're not scared, are you? Athena: What, of this thing? Don't make me laugh, heh heh. Apollo: Really? ......Hey, look! Athena: Wh-What?! What is it?! Apollo: Over there on the left. There's a bunch of staffs on that rack. They kinda look like the staff we saw earlier... Athena: You mean the one Jinxie said she saw Tenma Taro carrying? Apollo: Yeah. I bet our Tenma Taro impersonator really did come in here at some point. Athena: Well? What are we waiting for? Let's search the place! Athena: Guess that about wraps it up. What now? Apollo: We should probably talk to some of the witnesses again. Athena: You mean like Mr. Filch... and Jinxie? Apollo: Yeah. I really want to ask Mr. Filch about the village superstitions and Tenma Taro. April 18 Kyubi Manor - Foyer Filch: It's the curse, the curse! The curse of Tenma Taro! Athena: Eek! Filch: You outsiders are ignoring them superstitions at OUR peril! Mind yer own business, will ya?! Apollo: Aagh! Youch! What's all this about a curse? Filch: Tenma Taro's gonna curse us all 'less ya stop sticking yer nose where it don't belong! Stop the investigation! Listen to what them supersititions say! Athena: Right... Umm... How about obeying the law... before you go obeying the superstitions? Filch: Huh? Athena: Hey, what are you doing with Widget around your neck? He's mine! You know better than to go around stealing people's stuff like that! Apollo: The same goes for my bracelet! Filch: S-S-Sorry, sorry! I promise I won't do it again! Athena: Tsk, he almost kidnapped my sweet, little Widget. Widget: The big jerk! Filch: I'm sorrrryyyy! Apollo: *sigh* I guess you can't teach an old raccoon dog new tricks. (As long as we have him here, I guess we should ask him about what happened.) Athena: Was that all we wanted to ask Mr. Filch? Apollo: Yeah, I think that was it. Let's go see "Mr. Tenma Taro" one more time. (Just thinking about dealing with that yokai again makes me want to say, "Pass!") April 18 Detention Center - Visitor's Room Athena: Lord Tenma! Your attorneys are here to see you, Your Malevolence! Tenma: ......... Apollo: Umm......... Tenma: .........Why are you speaking like that? Athena: Oh, Mayor Tenma! You've returned...! Tenma: Yes, well, Jinxie came by earlier to apply a new charm to my head. It seems to be suppressing the demon within me. Apollo: That's a relief. Maybe we'll actually get somewhere this time. Tenma: So, what can I do for you today? Apollo: We'd like to ask about the rumor that Jinxie is possessed. Tenma: Ah! Apollo: She allegedly left the yokai evidence at the scene while under a demon's power. At least, that's what the prosecution is going to claim at tomorrow's trial. Tenma: .................. Heh heh heh... Apollo: Huh? Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! No match is this warding charm for me! Apollo: Aagh! Th-The charm! Athena: Tenma Taro's back! Tenma: Those foolish mortals! They shall regret blaming that child for my doings! Apollo: Argh, I blew it! That question brought that yokai back. (And he probably won't drop the act until Jinxie's name is cleared either.) Guard: You d-d-dinner is ready, Your Malevolence! Tenma: Ah, an offering to the demon king. You may place it right there. Guard: The kitchen crew poured their heart and soul into making it. Tenma: Did they now? Souls happen to be a favorite of mine. Just, hold the hearts next time! Caw caw-caw-caw! Guard: Y-Yes, Your Malevolence! I'll remember that! Apollo: (How long is he planning to keep up this yokai charade?) Well, we've already talked to Mr. Filch and Mayor Tenma, so... Why don't we go see Florent L'Belle next? Now that we know the truth... ...he won't be able to claim that the Tenma Taro was Jinxie or the mayor anymore! Athena: But the real question is: how are we going to get him to admit it was him? April 18 Kyubi Manor - Foyer L'Belle: Okay! Now, let's PRACTICE that AGAIN, Filchy! From the top! Filch: Errr... Mr. L'Belle was in the foyer at the time of the crime... ...and when we, uhh... heard a scream, uhh... Aw, heck! What was the next part again? Aaaargh! L'Belle: You have the memory capacity of a FLEA! This is the THIRTIETH TIME, you know! Now, a hundred times more and we're done! Apollo: (What on Earth are they practicing?) Filch: Aww, I ain't cut out for this. ......Whoopsie daisy! L'Belle: Ouuuw! Filch: Oh, begging yer pardon, Mr. L'Belle, sir. It's just, all this practice-- Yipes! L'Belle: Unbelievable! What if you had sullied MY outfit with those GRUBBY paws of yours? Apollo: ......... (Did Filch filch L'Belle's wallet just now...?) Athena: So... what do you think they're up to this time, Apollo? L'Belle: Hm? Oh, it's YOU two. Eavesdropping, are we? Pffft, you peasants are SO tacky. Well, what do YOU want with ME? Apollo: (Your confession to being the Tenma Taro imposter would be nice right about now.) L'Belle: FILCHY! Wake up, you lazy bones! Filch: Huh? What? Was I sleeping? *yawn* Musta been that sweet cologne o' yours, Mr. L'Belle. Made me right sleepy, it did. L'Belle: Well, it's TIME for your LESSON on what to do and say tomorrow. Filch: Oh, I'm beggin' ya! Not another lesson! I ain't cut out for this thinkin' and rememberin' stuff! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! RIght up the schnozzola! L'Belle: Keep quiet and do EXACTLY as I say! Filch: Noooooo! Pleeeaaase! Anything but another lessooooooooon! Athena: There they go... Missed our chance to get the truth out of him. Apollo: Yeah, but we'll get the proof we need in court tomorrow, one way or another! (All that's left now is that lie Jinxie told. We'd better go clear that up before tomorrow.) Athena: You think they're done questioning Jinxie? Apollo: Maybe. Let's see if she's over on Yokai Lane shopping for more charms. April 18 Nine-Tails Vale - Yokai Lane Jinxie: Accursed Nine-Tailed Fox! The time for settling the score is nigh! My grudge has but festered over time. At last, vengeance will be mine! Grrr... Grrr... Athena: She must be possessed -- er, sleepwalking again! Apollo: (...Maybe if I speak softly, I won't startle her and get a charm plastered on my forehead.) Pssst... Jinxie? Jinxie: ......Huh?! ......Oh, hello, Mr. Demon Lawyer. Ah! My charms must've fallen off again. Apollo: (Phew... Guess I can avoid a charm slap by toning down my Chords of Steel.) Athena: Are they done questioning you, Jinxie? Jinxie: Uh-huh. And on the way back, I stopped here to buy a new charm that was just released. Apollo: Yeah, which one? Jinxie: Oh, um, the one with the Nine-Tailes Fox and Tenma Taro. It shows them dancing together! Apollo: Really?! Two bitter rivals dancing together? Jinxie: Uh-huh. It's a charm for rebuilding burnt bridges! Apollo: Oh, right. For the municipal merger issue. Jinxie: No, it's for the Demon Lawyer and the Insomniac Prosecutor. It'll stop you two from fighting like you did in court this morning. Apollo: We weren't fighting. It was just a spirited debate. It's what we lawyers-- Ack! Jinxie: No fighting. Apollo: *sigh* Charm-slapped again. Athena: Apollo, if you're done playing around, let's find out what she was lying about! Athena: Apollo, what are we going to do about tomorrow's trial? The crime scene was locked tight until Jinxie arrived, and our client's even confessed! Not only that, Jinxie has been accused of planting the yokai evidence. Both the mayor and Jinxie are going to prison if we don't do something! Apollo: (I know, I know...) Well, let's see here... Our lack of a third part in the locked room is a major problem. Jinxie has testified that when she first opened the door... ...Alderman Kyubi and Mayor Tenma were the only people she saw in the Fox Chamber. Athena: But the real killer must've been hiding in there as well. Apollo: Considering the room was locked tight, that's the only logical explanation. Athena: Our mystery person must've fled the Fox Chamber when it was opened. And that's when Jinxie saw what she thought was Tenma Taro! Jinxie: B-But... Papa and the alderman were the only people there. I didn't see anyone else. Apollo: (What's going on here? L'Belle's extremely pale, but he's far from transparent. So just how did he hide himself at the scene of the crime?) Athena: Whatever it takes in court tomorrow, Apollo... ...we have to take down that dirty, rotten "Tenma Taro" Florent L'Belle! Apollo: Right. We'll get him with a legal exorcism, Justice style! To Be Continued April 19, 9:30 AM District Court - Courtroom No. 4 Day 2 Court Is Now In Session All Rise Judge: Court is back in session for the trial of Damian Tenma. Apollo: Apollo Justice, defense team leader, is ready, Your Honor! Athena: Athena Cykes, assistant defender, is ready, too, Your Honor. Je suis prêt! Judge: As chipper as ever, I see. And in French, no less! ...And the prosecution? Blackquill: ......... Judge: Very well, then. By the way, I asked Detective Fulbright to provide sturdier shackles today. There will be no more of your funny business this time, Prosecutor Blackquill! Blackquill: ...Hmph. Judge: Now, your opening statement, if you would. I believe it's standard procedure for the prosecution to handle it. Athena: Looks like the judge is really bringing it today. Apollo: He probably realized how Blackquill played him. That was one mean game of Simon Says. Athena: Yeah, His Honor has to fight to defend his honor today. Blackquill: .........Your Baldness... It's plain to see that you've always dreamed of delivering an epic opening statement. Judge: I have? Hmm... I don't know if I'd say that. Blackquill: Why, of course you have. I saw it in your eyes the last time you gave the opening statement. That was the look of one who yearns deeply for the thrill of an epic opening statement. For decades now, you have been watching opening statements from your bench. They were the crown jewels of the court -- the one thing you could not possess! Judge: The crown jewels... of the court? Blackquill: Now, at long last, they are within your grasp. How could you possibly refuse? Judge: ......Oh, uh, so you don't mind if I do it, then? Blackquill: I'll make a special exception, just this once. Athena: Here we go again. Apollo: Yep, more of Blackquill's mind games. Judge: Well, in that case, I think I might go ahead and make the opening statement myself. *ahem* In yesterday's session, we learned the shocking truth that... ...the victim Alderman Rex Kyubi was The Amazing Nine-Tails. We also learned that... ...The Amazing Nine-Tails was a key figure in the yokai craze and anti-merger protests. It was further revealed that upon learning Rex Kyubi's secret identity... ...Mayor Damian Tenma murdered him. The fact that the crime took place in a tightly locked room was also brought to light. And the only people in that tightly locked room were the defendant and victim. The defense proposed the existence of a hypothetical third party... ...but further investigation revealed no proof of a third party who had escaped the room. Blackquill: ...Ergo? Judge: We must conclude that the evidence against the defendant is... well... conclusive. Eek! D-Did I say something wrong? Blackquill: ...That was quite astonishing. You've truly outdone yourself this time. Judge: Oh, heh heh. One more thing to boast about to my grandchild! Apollo: (Well, this was not an unexpected turn of events...) Judge: Now then, it seems the prosecution has called a new witness to testify. Blackquill: The inexplicable yokai evidence left at the scene of the crime... Well, does that not demand some sort of explanation? Judge: The feathers and tracks? Weren't those left by the mayor while he was possessed? Blackquill: That was but an act to protect his daughter. Judge: Oh! Uh... yes, of course! I had suspected as much. Apollo: (Wait, did he actually believe the mayor's "award-winning" performance?) Blackquill: His daughter was the one who planted the yokai evidence. Ergo, the true identity of the yokai in the manor was the manor's maid, Jinxie Tenma. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: The prosecution is engaging in mere conjecture! Blackquill: Hmph. Would you care for some witness testimony, then? For I am ready to prove that the little scamp is the one behind the Tenma Taro farce. Apollo: (Witness testimony? I'll bet he means Filch and that creep L'Belle.) Judge: Very well, then. Bailiff, would you bring in the first witness? Judge: Mr. Filch, you made quite the hasty exit yesterday. See that it doesn't happen again today. Filch: Eh heh heh. Been known for my hasty retreats since I was a kid. Bit of a trademark o' mine. Judge: Indeed. You managed to give a total of five bailiffs the slip. Filch: Like those amateurs could ever nab me, eh heh heh. Yiiipes! Blackquill: Perhaps we should shackle you by the neck. That would keep you in place. Filch: Yipes! No, please, I'm liable to rip my own head off if I start running! Blackquill: .........Your statement. Now. Filch: Yes, sir, Mr. Blackhead, sir! Athena: He may beat a hasty retreat, but there's no escaping Prosecutor Blackquill. Apollo: Yeah, Blackquill doesn't strike me as the give-up-easy type. Judge: Now then, Mr. Filch, your testimony please. Specifically, the true nature of the yokai you saw in the manor shortly after the crime. Witness Testimony -- The Yokai Is Jinxie -- Filch: Tenma Taro's really that little maid gal. Ain't no doubt about it! I mean, the Tenma Taro I saw was just a lil' thing 'bout her size! But the little runt had a big ol' staff. I seen it when she came into the foyer! Betcha she stole it from the Forbidden Chamber after stumbling on the crime scene. She was gonna use it to wallop me on account o' my fierce reputation, I just know it! Judge: So, Tenma Taro was short in stature. And that's because it was Ms. Jinxie Tenma all along? Filch: You betcha! Besides, all the rest in the manor were way taller than her. Blackquill: Feigning height is but an easy thing... ...but a big ox like the defendant could never pass for short. Apollo: What if the Tenma Taro impersonator was walking on their knees? Filch: Weren't no knee walking. I seen it myself! Judge: Hmm... Then perhaps that yokai really was Ms. Tenma, after all. Blackquill: All monsters are naught but tricks, either of the mind or the cheap parlor variety. Judge: So, you're saying she created an illusion like one of those magical eye things? Blackquill: Precisely. Human senses are easily deceived. Take the fellow in the cell next to me. Each night, he cries and screams about some ghost he thinks he sees. But in truth, it was simply the janitor. Judge: Ho ho ho. Prosecutor Blackquill just gave up the ghost, literally! Blackquill: The janitor's deathly complexion and all-white attire are, no doubt, partially to blame. That and the fact that he constantly mutters about taking vengeance for this or that. Apollo: (That...... actually sounds like a real ghost to me.) Judge: The defense may now cross-examine the witness. Cross-Examination -- The Yokai Is Jinxie -- Filch: Tenma Taro's really that little maid gal. Ain't no doubt about it! Filch: I mean, the Tenma Taro I saw was just a lil' thing 'bout her size! Filch: But the little runt had a big ol' staff. I seen it when she came into the foyer! Filch: Betcha she stole it from the Forbidden Chamber after stumbling on the crime scene. Filch: She was gonna use it to wallop me on account o' my fierce reputation, I just know it! Athena: We need to prove that Jinxie isn't Tenma Taro. But I've no idea how we're going to do that. Apollo: All we have to do is prove that it was impossible for Jinxie to turn into Tenma Taro. And that might be easier than you think. Athena: Really? Apollo: (Now's our chance. Our chance to expose the real Tenma Taro for all to see!) Apollo: It would seem that Tenma Taro was, in fact, not this innocent little girl. Filch: Huh? How you figure that? Apollo: You claim the Tenma Taro you saw had one of those staves from the Forbidden Chamber. But it would've been impossible for Ms. Tenma to get a hold of one! Judge: Care to elaborate, Mr. Justice? Apollo: The mayor swallowed this key shortly after the murder. He wanted to keep the killer out of the Forbidden Chamber. Blackquill: ...What's this? Apollo: This key was deep in the mayor's stomach when Ms. Tenma discovered the crime scene. So you see, it would've been impossible for her to get into the Forbidden Chamber. In short, the Tenma Taro seen holding that staff... ...could not have been Jinxie Tenma! Blackquill: ...Ack! Filch: Aaaaaaargh! Judge: Wh-Whaaaaaat?! B-But...! Then who does the defense believe was impersonating Tenma Taro?! Apollo: Our Tenma Taro impersonator is none other than Mayor Tenma's aide-- Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Such accusations beg evidence. Aside from his ghastly appearance, can you prove he is the yokai we seek? Apollo: Yes, in fact, I can. Judge: Hmm... Very well, let's see where the defense is going with this. Mr. Justice, please show us proof as to the true identity of the Tenma Taro impersonator. Apollo: We found this hand cream in the Forbidden Chamber. And we know that whoever was Tenma Taro took one of the staves out of there. In short... ....I believe whoever this hand cream belongs to is the yokai impersonator we're looking for. Judge: Hmm... But Mr. Justice... ...how do you propose to identity the hand cream's owner? Apollo: I'm glad you asked, Your Honor. The defense requests a fingerprint analysis on this piece of evidence! It might tell us who it belongs to! Judge: Interesting... So, you expect to find the yokai's prints there? Very well, I hereby call a short recess while we wait for the fingerprint results. Blackquill: No need for that, Your Baldness. We have the prints of everyone at the manor that day. Fulbright: You called, Prosecutor Blackquill?! Apollo: (.........Could anyone be more whipped?) Blackquill: Fool Bright! Analyze this for prints. You have three minutes. Fulbright: Your wish is my command! Judge: Very well, then. I guess we'll just wait right here. Blackquill: ......It would seem the fingerprint analysis is complete. Judge: What do the results show? Blackquill: What in the world...! Apollo: They're Florent L'Belle's prints, aren't they?! Blackquill: This... This is absurd! Apollo: Um... Prosecutor Blackquill? (I'm not going to like this, am I...?) Judge: D-Don't tell me... they're Tenma Taro's prints?! Blackquill: Fingerprint analysis has revealed that the prints belong to... ............Phineas Filch. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: ...Wait, what? Whaaaaaaaaat! Athena: The Mr. L'Belle wasn't the one who entered the Forbidden Chamber? Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Why you tricksy little tanuki! Explain yourself, now! Filch: S-S-Sure, th-them prints are mine! I mean, I did pilfer that hand cream from Mr. L'Belle, after all! Apollo: S-So you're the one who entered the Forbidden Chamber?! Filch: S-So what if I did! G-G-Got a problem with it?! Yiiiiiipes! Blackquill: You...... fool of a tanuki! Judge: Order! Order! Mr. Justice, care to explain what this could mean? Apollo: Excellent question... Um, the fact that Mr. Filch was in the Forbidden Chamber... Wait a second... Does this mean the Tenma Taro holding that staff was... Phineas Filch? Filch: Yiiiiiipes! Another cat outta the baaaaaag! Judge: M-Mr. Filch is Tenma Taro?! Apollo: I don't understand. Does this mean... Mr. Filch is the real killer? Judge: The witness will explain himself this instant! Filch: Begging your pardon, Your Honorship, but I was just doing what the alderman told me. He wanted me to be Tenma Taro in the village exorcism ritual. Apollo: Oh, you mean that event at the Nine-Tails Vale festival. So, that was you inside the Tenma Taro costume. Filch: Yep. And after the event, I went to watch that pro wrestling program... ...but it bored me to tears on account o' the wrestlers being complete jobbers. Apollo: (So, he didn't actually watch the entire wrestling match.) Filch: That's when I looked at the Tenma Taro costume and got a great idea! Nobody can tell it's me while I'm wearing it... ...and 'cause o' them superstitions, no matter what I do, the villages [sic] won't say a word! Judge: In other words, you used the superstitions to effectively render yourself invisible. Apollo: Why did you want to enter the Forbidden Chamber in the first place? Filch: 'Cause o' the treasure there! Thought that was my big chance to sneak on in 'n' nab it! Apollo: Treasure? Filch: Eh heh heh. Only that it's the greatest get-rich-quick chance in the universe. Grandpappy told me all about it. Said there's an amazing treasure in there! Apollo: (He went in there not knowing his grandfather had already pilfered it?) Athena: Guess this is one tale that didn't get passed down from grandpappy to grandson. Apollo: Wait, how exactly did you get into the Forbidden Chamber? There was a meeting in the Fox Chamber that day. Plus, the mayor swallowed the only key that could open the Forbidden Chamber's door. You couldn't have possibly gotten in! Filch: I could through the air vent in the foyer! The vent's left o' the alderman's picture. I went on in and made a nice little hole. Used that to get into the air duct that leads to the Forbidden Chamber, I did! Apollo: You what?! Athena: B-But how's that even possible? ...Wait a sec...! Remember that air vent in the Forbidden Chamber? So, Mr. Filch found a way to get into that air duct... ...and that's how he got from the foyer vent to the Forbidden Chamber vent? Judge: Hmm... So, Tenma Taro was nothing more than a cat burglar -- or rather, a tanuki burglar. And we're back to being without anyone to charge for the alderman's murder. Athena: Looks like our so-called yokai is nothing more than one big troublemaker. Apollo: Tell me, Mr. Filch, what did you do after fleeing to the foyer? Filch: I got outta that costume real quick. Woulda just caused trouble at that point! Apollo: And where is that costume now? Filch: Heck if I know. And it ain't my fault if ya never find it. Blackquill: The police searched every nook and cranny. No yokai costume was left in that manor. Apollo: (What if it was tossed outside the manor? ...Ah!) No way! But maybe, just maybe...! Judge: The defense seems to have hit upon an idea. Well, go on, Mr. Justice! Apollo: Okay, here's what I think... Mr. Filch! Did you get rid of the costume here? Apollo: Did you toss it out the window? Because that would certainly explain why it didn't turn up inside the manor! Filch: You think I tossed it out the window? That costume cost me a pretty penny! So why would I go do something like that?! Apollo: (I can think of a few reasons...) Athena: Any bright ideas, Apollo? Apollo: Well, assuming the costume really was tossed out from the window... ...then the next question would be, what happened to it after that? (And if I'm right, I might have just the thing to prove what happened to the costume.) Phineas Filch......... I have just the evidence for you! Filch: Ya do? Apollo: This evidence proves you got rid of your Tenma Taro costume through the window! Filch: Ah, that's... ...Tenma Taro flying through the sky? Judge: And just how does that prove Mr. Filch threw his costume out the window? Apollo: It's quite simple. That's not Tenma Taro in the photo. It's the costume Mr. Filch threw out. Filch: Aw, that's crazy talk! You ain't serious, are ya?! Apollo: There's a steep cliff right outside the foyer window, meaning the manor is pretty high up. The costume flew through the air after it was tossed out. That's when the photo was taken. In other words, the photo of Tenma Taro really was a flight of fancy! Judge: Wh-Whaaaaaat?! Filch: Yiiiiiiiiiiikes! Judge: Oh, my! So there really never was a yokai. Filch: Aw, I can't keep any o' them cats bagged! Can I still file a claim for the lost costume? Apollo: This more than proves the defense's position. Jinxie Tenma had nothing to do with staging the yokai sighting. Judge: Care to raise any objections, Prosecutor Blackquill? Blackquill: ............None whatsoever. I'll deal with that tricksy tanuki after I've dealt with this case. Apollo: (We... We did it!) Athena: Good going! Now all we have to do is make Florent L'Belle take the stand! Blackquill: File:DD Objection! animated.gif Blackquill: Sheathing the sword a bit early, are we not? Apollo: Huh?! Blackquill: Nothing has been proved beyond a doubt. Take this tricksy little tanuki for instance. How do you suppose he was able to exit the Forbidden Chamber? Apollo: Uh... Probably the same way he got in -- through the chamber's air vent! Blackquill: And what of the feathers and tracks at the scene of the crime? They would suggest that the tanuki exited through the chamber door, not the air vent. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: But the Forbidden Chamber doesn't open from the inside! So what you're saying makes no sense! ............Right? Blackquill: ......Hmph. Someone on the outside opened the door for you, isn't that right? Filch: Yep, that's right, Mr. Blackjack! The door suddenly sprung right open! Apollo: File:AA5 Holdit.png Apollo: Sprung right open? Who was on the other side? Filch: Didn't get a good look on account o' the sudden glare. Judge: Like how the reflection from my head blinds fellow moviegoers emerging from the dark. Filch: That's when I snatched that staff and made my daring escape! And then that lil' maid gal spotted me as I high-tailed it down the hall! Athena: That means the Forbidden Chamber wasn't opened until after the crime was discovered. Apollo: But wait... We still don't know who opened it. Maybe there really was a third person in the Fox Chamber. Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: Well, you little tanuki? When the Forbidden Chamber opened, did you see the accused passed out there? Filch: Nope. Only one there was the alderman, and he was dead as a doornail. Blackquill: Hmph. If the accused wasn't there, what do you suppose he was up to? Apollo: Uh-oh. I don't like where this is going. Judge: Ah! Don't tell me--! Blackquill: Plainly, the only one who could have opened the Forbidden Chamber was... ...the accused Damian Tenma! Apollo: Arrrgh! Athena: File:AA5 Holdit.png Athena: Wait a second! There had to be somebody else besides Mayor Tenma there! Judge: Really? And who might that be? Athena: Oh, well, that would be... Blackquill: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: It seems our feisty little lass has forgotten the most important thing: evidence. Athena: I didn't forget...! I was just... testing your attention to details...? Judge: Ms. Cykes! You can't prove your point without proof of some sort! It's a proven fact! Athena: Sorry... Guess I put my foot in my mouth again. Apollo: No, Athena. We're definitely on to something here. Athena: We are? Apollo: Think about it. If Filch was stuck inside the Forbidden Chamber... ...one of the alibis we heard would no longer hold any water! The defense would like to call a new witness to the stand! Someone who knew Mr. Filch was stuck in the Forbidden Chamber! And by virtue of knowing this, has an alibi that no longer adds up! Blackquill: Ah! Not that insufferable--! Judge: Very well. The court will hear what Mr. Justice has to say. Whose alibi no longer adds up? Judge: Why, that's... that's the defendant's aide, Florent L'Belle. Didn't he claim to be in the foyer at the time of the crime? Apollo: True, but in his alibi, he also claimed Mr. Filch was in the foyer, too. However, as we all know now, Mr. Filch was NOT there with Mr. L'Belle at that time. In short, Mr. L'Belle's alibi has disappeared! Blackquill: Argh! Apollo: Florent L'Belle's alibi was one big lie! Isn't that right, Mr. Filch! Filch: I reckon there ain't no keepin' that cat in the bag here, neither. It was all Mr. L'Belle's idea. He told me he'd button his lip about me breaking into the Forbidden Chamber. And in return, he said we'd vouch for each other's alibi. Judge: Shame on you, Mr. Filch! Perjury is a serious crime, you know! Filch: Aw, shucks... Mercy, Your Honorship, mercy! Aaaaaaaaagh! Apollo: I also assert that the person who opened the Forbidden Chamber for Mr. Filch... ...was none other than Florent L'Belle! After all, his alibi has just been proven to be a complete fabrication! Judge: ...I see. We will take a twenty-minute recess... ...after which time we will see what Mr. L'Belle has to say for himself. Apollo: (Yes! We're finally going to drag that slippery snake onto the stand!) Blackquill: ......... Judge: In the meantime, the prosecution will question Mr. L'Belle about these new allegations! April 19, 10:25 AM District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3 Athena: We did it, Apollo! We finally dragged Mr. L'Belle into court! Apollo: ...Yeah. Athena: Hey, why the long face? Apollo: I can't help but feel I'm missing something important. Plus, Prosecutor Blackquill's bound to mount a counterattack. Athena: You really are a worrywart, aren't you? It'll be fine! That mystery figure who opened the Forbidden Chamber for Mr. Filch... ...had to have been Florent L'Belle! Apollo: I know. But that's not what's bugging me. I wish I could put my finger on it, though... Athena: At any rate, the big showdown with Mr. L'Belle is up next, so chin up, Apollo! April 19, 11:00 AM District Court - Courtroom No. 4 Judge: Court is back in session. Our next witness is-- L'Belle: ...Yes. I'm ACTING on behalf of the mayor in this VERY important matter. Judge: It seems the witness is predisposed at the moment. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! SURELY you jest! I will hold you to your promise, remember that. Oh, my DEEPEST apologies. This is Florent L'Belle, PERSONAL aide to Mayor Tenma -- or should I say -- the accused. Apollo: (Ouch, like the poor mayor hasn't suffered enough...) L'Belle: Well, what business do YOU have with ME? I'm a VERY busy man, so let's make this as BRIEF as possible. Blackquill: ......Your Baldness. Judge: Ah, right. *ahem* Mr. Filch's testimony has revealed a hole in your alibi. And for this reason... ...you are suspected of having some sort of connection with the case at hand. L'Belle: Pffft. To think I'D be associated with this entirely lurid affair. Well, I'm NOT, so may I go now? I have VERY important matters to attend to. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: I don't think so, Mr. L'Belle! Do you realize what a serious crime you've committed?! Judge: Witness, you are being accused of perjury. This is your chance to clear the air. L'Belle: Fine. The truth is I faked my alibi for a VERY good reason. The mayor was OBVIOUSLY the killer, so I created a fake alibi to confuse the matter. You see, as his PERSONAL aide, I felt I HAD to protect him. SORRY! Ah ha ha ha! Apollo: You think this is funny?! Without your alibi, you're a suspect, too! What were you really doing at the time of the crime?! L'Belle: Pffft, PEASANT! How dare YOU accuse ME, one of the BEAUTIFUL people, of being-- Athena: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Athena: Stop stalling and tell the court what you were really doing at the time of the crime! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Athena: ......... ......... Blackquill: .........Enough jabbering. Swords have been drawn. The time for talk is past. Apollo: Swords? What swords? Blackquill: This is a duel to the death. The fate of the accused rests in our hands. Be gone, ye of cowardly heart! The battlefield hath no place for ye! Apollo: Again...? L'Belle: Oh, my. Judge: Spare me, pleeeeease! Apollo: So much for sturdier shackles. Aagh! Blackquill: Those chains hindered my vow that heads would roll this day. Apollo: (This gives "keeping your head on in court" a whole new meaning!) Blackquill: Will the witness please deliver the accused's death knell? You know of what I speak. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! Most CERTAINLY. His GOOSE is already COOKED. Time to stick a fork in him! Apollo: (Whatever he has to say can't be good.) L'Belle: As I TOLD Prosecutor Blackquill during the recess... ...I RUSHED right over to the Fox Chamber when I heard little Jinxie scream. Apollo: What? L'Belle: THEN -- drum roll please... ...I saw Mayor Tenma OPENING the Forbidden Chamber doors. Apollo: B-B-But... Blackquill: There you have it. The mystery man who opened the chamber door -- as witnessed by one Phineas Filch... It was the accused. There was never any third party. L'Belle: ......Oh, and THAT'S not all! I heard something QUITE startling there at the scene of the crime! Apollo: Startling sounds bad... L'Belle: The mayor, who was barely conscious, muttered this... "Forgive me, Jinxie. I killed the alderman." That's right! The mayor ACTUALLY confessed to the murder right then and there! Judge: H-H-He confessed?! Order! Order in the court! This is quite conclusive testimony if it stands! Blackquill: Just so. And quite astonishing, I might add. I only learned of this fact during the recess. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! I just LOVE surprises, don't you? That's why I saved the best for last. Consider it a gift from ME to YOU! Athena: No way. I don't believe Mr. L'Belle heard the mayor confess. Judge: But... but is this really true? Did Mayor Tenma really confess? Blackquill: It is, indeed. During that last recess, I confirmed it with the mayor's daughter. It would seem Mayor Tenma actually did confess. Judge: Hmm... That testimony is quite favorable to the prosecution's-- L'Belle: This is L'Belle. Yes, I called earlier about the PARTY reservations. That's right. And I'll be calling MY little shindig "Mayor Tenma's Conviction Gala." A SPLENDID time is guaranteed for all -- all but the mayor and his defense, ah ha ha ha! Judge: Well, as it seems our witness is a very busy man, let's get right to his testimony. Mr. L'Belle, please tell us what you saw when you came upon the scene of the crime. Witness Testimony -- What L'Belle Saw -- L'Belle: I was in the hallway, HIDING in the shadows. THAT'S when I heard the confession. Upon LEARNING of her father's crime, little Jinxie fled without EVER noticing me. Immediately AFTER that, the mayor came to, stood up and opened the Forbidden Chamber! As I ran in TERROR, the demon emerged from his prison! In shock, I FLED down the hallway to my right -- the one with the PHONE at the end. Judge: I must say... this is a shocking revelation... Quite unexpected. To think the defendant actually confessed then and there to his crime! L'Belle: Perhaps the guilt was TOO much to bear, so he confided in his daughter. Judge: You do realize you should not have withheld such crucial testimony from the court! L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! Once again, SORRY! It's just, I feared being accused if I mentioned coming upon that MOST unpleasant scene. Apollo: Argh. Why did the mayor's confession have to be brought up by THIS guy... Athena: We better do something before the judge declares the mayor guilty! Blackquill: ...Hmph. As a death row inmate once told me in years gone by... "There is a time to fight and a time to yield. A time to live, and a time to die." Apollo: Arrrgh! (He's laying it on real thick now.) Judge: The defense may now cross-examine the witness. Cross-Examination -- What L'Belle Saw -- L'Belle: I was in the hallway, HIDING in the shadows. THAT'S when I heard the confession. L'Belle: Upon LEARNING of her father's crime, little Jinxie fled without EVER noticing me. L'Belle: Immediately AFTER that, the mayor came to, stood up and opened the Forbidden Chamber! L'Belle: As I ran in TERROR, the demon emerged from his prison! L'Belle: In shock, I FLED down the hallway to my right -- the one with the PHONE at the end. Athena: If we don't find some way to poke a hole in his testimony... ...Mayor Tenma is as good as guilty! Apollo: This is bad, very bad. Athena: We need to find an inconsistency, a mistake, some kind of conflict! Apollo: (It's all over if we can't find a flaw in the prosecution's case!) Apollo: Florent L'Belle, you're lying about having witnessed those events from the hallway! L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! What on EARTH do you mean? Judge: Yes, care to fill the rest of us in, Mr. Justice? Apollo: If Mr. L'Belle had really fled down into the hall with the phone in it... ...he would've crossed paths with Ms. Tenma. L'Belle: ...What's this? Apollo: After she discovered the crime scene, she immediately went to call the police. Then, after making her call, she went back to the main hallway... ...whereupon she encountered the demon, yokai, or whatever you want to call it. As for me, I call it Phineas Filch in a Tenma Taro costume! The encounter happened right there, where the hallways meet. As for Mr. L'Belle, if he had fled here, feigning escape from the yokai imposter... Judge: Why, yes! The two would've crossed paths! Apollo: Right. Except Ms. Tenma told us that "there was no one else in the hall." In short, Ms. Tenma did not see you in the hall because you were never really there! L'Belle: Aaaaaah! My eyes! My beautiful eyes! Apollo: (Hah! Not such a FABULOUS scent now, is it!) Judge: But Mr. Justice, the witness also stated that he heard the mayor confess. If he was lying about hearing the confession from the hall... ...then where was he when he heard it? Apollo: Inside the Fox Chamber, where else? Judge: Hmm... But isn't that within the very crime scene?! Apollo: It is, Your Honor. And that means he's not really a witness. Rather, he's the third party I've been alleging this whole time! L'Belle: What?! You think I'M the killer? How DARE you! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Foolish fop. A true man knows when he is beaten. A shield of lies comes to naught before a foe with the sword of truth bared. L'Belle: P-Prosecutor Blackquill, what ARE you...? I thought WE were on the SAME side? Blackquill: You are mistaken. There are no sides here, save for my cold, steely edge of judgment. You are alone upon this battlefield, with naught but your lies and sickly sweet perfume. Apollo: (Whoa, what just happened? Blackquill's really tearing into him!) Blackquill: You heard the mayor's confession from the inside, did you not, you deviant dandy? For the sole location from which you could've seen and heard the mayor and the tanuki... ...without either of them noticing you was right there in the Fox Chamber. L'Belle: .........Oh, my. So THAT'S how it's going to be? Fine, I'll come clean, then. Apollo: Seriously? You admit to being there in the Fox Chamber? L'Belle: I do! I DID enter the room AFTER the murder. But I was afraid of being FALSELY accused, so I lied about it. I feel TERRIBLE about lying like that. But it's a verbal cologne I use to PROTECT myself. Apollo: You'd better explain yourself, Mr. L'Belle! L'Belle: Yes, of course! I was JUST about to get to that! Judge: The witness is skating on thin ice. I'll remind you that perjury is a very serious crime. Now, let's hear your testimony again, this time without your perfume of lies. Witness Testimony -- In the Fox Chamber -- L'Belle: I DID enter the Fox Chamber after the murder. But I DIDN'T enter until AFTER Jinxie had heard the confession and left. I HEARD the mayor groan and hid behind the folding screen there. What I saw there up close... It was absolutely HORRIFYING! So you SEE, I was THERE, but merely watching from behind the screen. Judge: From behind the screen? Why, yes, I believe you wouldn't be spotted if you were there. Blackquill: Just so. He could see everything without being spotted by the victim or that tanuki Filch. Suffice to say, he was mere witness to the events, rather than an actual third party. Apollo: ......... (This guy's as slippery as an eel.) Athena: Apollo, you think he's telling the truth? Apollo: Well, he WAS in the Fox Chamber, so at least that much must be true. Judge: The defense may cross-examine our slightly voyeuristic witness. Cross-Examination -- In the Fox Chamber -- L'Belle: I DID enter the Fox Chamber after the murder. L'Belle: But I DIDN'T enter until AFTER Jinxie had heard the confession and left. L'Belle: I HEARD the mayor groan and hid behind the folding screen there. L'Belle: What I saw there up close... It was absolutely HORRIFYING! L'Belle: The yokai feathers and tracks weren't there before the Fox Chamber was opened. L'Belle: The Forbidden Chamber was shut tight until the mayor opened it. L'Belle: A statue had fallen to the floor. It was a token of goodwill celebrating the municipal merger. L'Belle: So you SEE, I was THERE, but merely watching from behind the screen. Athena: You think he's telling the truth about being there in that room? Apollo: Well, I believe he was there... The question is, when did he enter? Athena: You mean, did he enter after Jinxie fled... ...or was he there before the murder? If it's the latter, that would change everything. Apollo: Right. If he was there before the murder, that would make him a suspect. Athena: But how do we go about proving that? Apollo: Well... I guess we ask him about what happened there. Anyway, let's press him and see what kind of info we can extract from him. Athena: Let's cross our fingers that he says or reveals something incriminating. Apollo: Your lies have finally betrayed you, Mr. L'Belle! L'Belle: What POSSIBLY could you mean? Apollo: You said this statue was "like a celebration of union between town and village." Isn't that correct?! L'Belle: It is indeed! But WHAT of it? The two yokai ARE joining hands in goodwill... ...as if they were CELEBRATING the municipal merger! Apollo: ............ L'Belle: .........Something the matter? Apollo: So, how did you really know that this statue was meant to be a symbol of goodwill again? L'Belle: What? Blackquill: .........Justice-dono, explain yourself. And make it quick. Apollo: This statue WAS meant to symbolize goodwill in its original form, but that was a secret. L'Belle: A secret? What EVER do you mean?! Apollo: What I mean is that it broke when someone used it to strike Mayor Tenma on the head. What's left clearly makes it look like the two yokai are battling it out! L'Belle: Eep! Apollo: The statue's secret and its true form were lost inside that locked room. For Ms. Tenma is the only living soul who should know what it once looked like. So, Mr. L'Belle, where could you have possibly seen the statue in its original form? L'Belle: ! P-Pffft! What do you mean, WHERE?! Apollo: The only possible answer is this! You saw the statue in its original form... ...right there in the room where the alderman was murdered before it was broken! L'Belle: How DARE you! Judge: M-Mr. Justice! Are you accusing the witness with some sort of crime? Apollo: ...Yes. Yes I am. Florent L'Belle! I accuse you of the murder of Alderman Rex Kyubi! L'Belle: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Judge: Order! Order! Mr. L'Belle! You've been accused of murder. Do you have anything to say in your defense? L'Belle: ...Arrrrrrgh! How could YOU possibly accuse ME -- the EMBODIMENT of BEAUTY! Athena: Way to go, Apollo! This is the conclusive evidence we needed! Magnifico! Apollo: We've got you now! We know you killed the alderman. Now, admit it! L'Belle: I-I... I... Aaaagh! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Enough of your silly games, Justice-dono. This prancing peacock could not possibly be the killer. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: What are you talking about?! His alibi has already crumbled to dust! And I just proved that he was in the Fox Chamber while it was still locked tight! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Why could he have not seen the statue in its true form before the murder? After all, he was close friends with the alderman. Ergo... L'Belle: Y-Yes, th-that's right! I CLEARLY remember it now! Alderman Kyubi TOLD me about it. ...About what the statue ACTUALLY looked like! I mean, he WAS a good friend of mine, ah ha ha ha! Athena: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Athena: Yeah, right! He wouldn't show you a secret gift just like that! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Moreover, it has already been proven that he was not present at the scene of the crime. Athena: It has? Blackquill: Forgotten, have we? Recall the little scamp's statement if you will. When Jinxie Tenma unlocked the Fox Chamber... ...she saw the alderman and the mayor collapsed therein -- and no one else. Athena: Oh. Apollo: Dangit. Blackquill: The fact is, it was you two who made that apparent in yesterday's court session. Thus, Florent L'Belle could not possibly have been in that locked room! Apollo: Urrrrghhnnn... Athena: Nooooooooo... Apollo: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! (I just don't get it. How could Jinxie not have seen L'Belle?) Blackquill: .........The proof is incontrovertible. No room for debate exists. Am I not right, Your Baldness? Judge: Hmm... It does seem awfully conclusive. The facts point to the defendant and victim being the only people in that locked room. Moreover, the defendant has already confessed. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: You cannot defend the indefensible. Your role in this charade is over, Justice-dono. Apollo: B-B-But... Blackquill: Your Baldness... This trial would last an eternity if we were to keep crossing blades with these simpletons. It is high time you brought down the hammer of justice. Judge: ...A point well made. I believe it's time to declare a verdict. This court finds the defendant, Damian Tenma... Tenma: File:AA5 Holdit.png Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! It would seem that my time is at hand! Apollo: M-Mayor Tenma? Tenma: Counselor! There is a matter to which I must testify! I recall it now only for your good graces. Apollo: C-Counselor? Oh, right, he must mean me. (Has he finally remembered what happened before that blow to his head?) Blackquill: Bailiff! Don't just stand there! Seize him! Bailiff: It's no good! I can't restrain him! Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! Know me and despair! For I am Tenma Taro, demon lord of the yokai! Judge: M-Mr. Justice! Do something! Apollo: (Since when am I responsible for court security?!) Athena: Apollo, this is our chance! We might get some new information out of him! Apollo: Y-Your Honor! Seeing as our client has something new to say... ...I believe due process demands that we hear him out, even if he is a yokai! Judge: Hmm... When you put it that way... .........Still, I believe testimony by a yokai is unprecedented in the legal world. Blackquill: Hmph. Unprecedented in absurdity more like. Judge: All right then, Mr. Damian Tenma -- or should I say, Mr. Tenma Taro. Your testimony, please. Tenma: I shall now speak of recollections most real, courtesy of my host Damian Tenma. Heed these words, mortals, for hear them but once you shall! Caw caw-caw-caw! Witness Testimony -- The Ruler of Demonkind -- Tenma: Barely conscious was Damian there amid the darkness. Suddenly, two yokai did appear! On one side, I, Tenma Taro, ruler of demonkind! And on the other, my mortal enemy, the Nine-Tailed Fox! Apollo: ............ Athena: ............ Judge: ............Umm... So, is the defendant asserting that the room he was in was very dark at the time? Tenma: Hrmm. Strange as it may be, yes, indeed, all was in darkness. Apollo: And the part about Tenma Taro and the Nine-Tailed Fox being there? Tenma: Yes, that, too! Tenma Taro towered overhead and the Nine-Tailed Fox glittered gold! Apollo: .........Aaaaah! I call animal abuse, Your Honor! Blackquill: ...Hmph. It would seem the defendant's recollections are not to be trusted. Tenma: Yes, well, truth be told, my host's recollections are still a bit fuzzy. As if half dreamt, that happening lingers in his mind. Athena: ...Apollo. Maybe I can help here. Apollo: Really? Oh, you mean...? Athena: Yeah, I can hear it. The discord in his heart. I sense an unusual emotion in the mayor's memory of the event. Apollo: Okay, I just hope our findings don't come back to haunt us... again. Tenma: Barely conscious was Damian there amid the darkness. Athena: It sounds like the mayor saw the same thing as what's shown on that scroll. Apollo: What's with those Tenmas and their yokai vision? Athena: I think it's sweet how father and daughter can share something like that. Apollo: (I don't think a shared nightmare really qualifies as sweet.) Anyway, all I need to do is point out an unnatural reaction like last time? Athena: Right. Look for places where an emotion conflicts with the testimony. That conflict usually indicates a thought or emotion that is being suppressed. Apollo: When the Nine-Tailed Fox appeared, you not only experienced shock and sadness... ...but also, something like joy as well. Tenma: Joy? Hmm... Perhaps it was joy at the light coming to my eyes at long last. A long and terrible creaking did pierce the silence... ...and then there was light! On reflection, it was a door that did produce that infernal racket. Apollo: A creaking door? Oh, you must be talking about the Forbidden Chamber door. It does make a lot of noise. Athena: So, this means the Forbidden Chamber really was opened. But what about the sudden light he described? Apollo: I think I know! He mentioned darkness and Tenma Taro towering overhead. Maybe the mayor wasn't really in the Fox Chamber at the time of the crime! Mr. Mayor! Did the darkness that you were in happen to be here? Tenma: The Forbidden Chamber?! Was it not the Fox Chamber where the murder did occur? Apollo: Yes, but it all makes sense if you were in the Forbidden Chamber! That terrible creaking sound was probably the Forbidden Chamber's door opening. And the towering Tenma Taro you saw? Most likely the Forbidden Chamber's statue! Tenma: Why, yes! That would explain it! The darkness and the staff in the demon's grasp! Athena: But even if all that's true, then what about the Nine-Tailed Fox? Apollo: Umm... Maybe he was seeing things, just like Jinxie and her imaginary yokai. Athena: Fantástico, Apollo! It's entirely possible! In a groggy, dream-like state, people can misremember things and events. Tenma: Misremember, you say? Hrmm. Let me think. ...Ah! I do believe... I remember now! That... that was not the Nine-Tailed Fox. It was... ...The Amazing Nine-Tails! Apollo: Wh-Wh-Whaaaaaat! Th-The Amazing Nine-Tails? Tenma: At first, this is but a dream, I thought. Now, however, most clearly do I recall it. Twas The Amazing Nine-Tails who did open the Forbidden Chamber's door! NOISE LEVEL60% Apollo: ............ (I'm sorry I asked.) Athena: The Amazing Nine-Tails? But that was the victim, Alderman Kyubi, right? Apollo: Yeah. Why would he open the Forbidden Chamber? Wasn't he trying to keep it sealed? Athena: Never mind that! This is completely new information! Let me enter it and run an update! Tenma: Barely conscious was Damian there in the Forbidden Chamber. Athena: What do you suppose The Amazing Nine-Tails was up to? Apollo: Good question. Could he have been trying to free the mayor from the Forbidden Chamber? Athena: But why help an enemy like that? Wasn't he opposed to the mayor's merger plan? Apollo: Hmm... Well, at least now we know why the room suddenly lit up. Athena: Must've been a huge relief for the mayor. I mean, just thinking about being trapped in that pitch-black room freaks me out. Apollo: When The Amazing Nine-Tails opened the chamber, banishing the darkness within... ...you felt joy, but didn't you also feel shock and sadness? Tenma: Hrmmm... Yes, in the hazy depths of my mind, I do recollect something of that nature. I believe it was the fiend's cape of red. For when I did behold it, a great wave of sadness did inexplicitly wash over me. NOISE LEVEL20% Apollo: (A cape... of red?) Athena: Apollo! We've reduced the noise level! Oh, but there's still a little left. Apollo: Mayor Tenma, why were you sad when you saw the red cape? Tenma: Hrmmm... Why indeed...? Apollo: (What could this mean?) Athena: I guess his memory is still a little spotty. I know because his latest recollection contradicts the evidence. Apollo: Yeah, it's one of those contradictions that slaps you right across the face. Athena: Hmm... Something this obvious could arise... ...when someone is trying to force a fuzzy memory into a definitive shape. Apollo, I know what you have to do! You need to present evidence that contradicts the image you see! Apollo: Oh, so it's basically the same as the usual cross-examination process. (Okay, time to review the evidence. Look out contradiction, here comes Justice!) Tenma: Barely conscious was Damian there in the Forbidden Chamber. Apollo: It still seems like his memory is really confused. Athena: Yeah, that's because unlike data, memories are living, breathing things. Preconception, illusion, memory overlap, memory repression... Our memories are intimately tied to our psychology and emotions. Apollo: So, this contradiction is somehow caused by an emotion? Athena: I believe so. There's some deeper meaning here. Let's present some evidence. Maybe it will help jog his memory! Apollo: You said The Amazing Nine-Tails's cape was red. Are you sure about that? Tenma: Yes, well, I do believe it was a red cape I saw, but... Apollo: Mayor Tenma! Does this cape look red to you?! Tenma: Ohhhh! That certainly does NOT look red! Not even scarlet or crimson, either! Nevertheless! Upon my liberation something red did fill my as yet hazy field of view... ...and I thought to myself, "Ah! The Amazing Nine-Tails is arrayed in a cape of red!" Apollo: So, you mistook that red something for his cape, huh? Tenma: Apparently so. And remembering it now, brings a great sadness upon me. Athena: So the red something probably wasn't a cape after all. Maybe that great sadness he mentioned is what's interfering with his memory. Apollo: Well, he would've seen the Fox Chamber behind The Amazing Nine-Tails. What red object could he have seen there that would've been that shocking? Hmm... I know! Could it have been...! Mr. Mayor, was the red thing you saw this? Apollo: Something red that could produce a deep sadness... Could it be, Mr. Tenma, that what you saw... was the alderman's blood?! Tenma: Blood?! Why, yes! It was blood! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! It's all coming back to me now! It wasn't a red cape that I saw... It was, lying behind The Amazing Nine-Tails, the alderman's bloody body! Athena: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! NOISE LEVEL0% BYE BYE Athena: His noise level is down to zero! I think he's remembered everything now. Apollo: Does this mean The Amazing Nine-Tails killed Alderman Kyubi? Athena: But the alderman WAS The Amazing Nine-Tails, so how exactly would that work? Apollo: Hey! I asked you first! Judge: Well, Mr. Justice, you sure know how to make a complicated matter even more complicated. Apollo: True, but at the time of the crime, out client was in the Forbidden Chamber. Moreover-- Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Hoy! Don't you think this strange? The little scamp has already confirmed her father to be in the Fox Chamber. But she said naught about seeing The Amazing Nine-Tails there. Apollo: Ack. (You just had to bring that up, didn't you...?) Athena: Jinxie didn't see L'Belle there, either. It's so weird. Who really was in that room, then? Judge: Would the defense care to share any theories with the court? Can you explain the inconsistency between the defendant's testimony and his daughter's? Blackquill: Not with more of your bluffs and fairy tales, I trust? Fair warning, Justice-dono. I shall have your head if you fail to explain this. Apollo: Eep! (What about a good old-fashion penalty?) Judge: Well, Mr. Justice, let's see if you have a head worth keeping on your shoulders. Apollo: First of all, Mr. L'Belle was defintely in the Fox Chamber while it was locked. We also know that Mayor Tenma was in the Forbidden Chamber based on his testimony. These two facts are crucial to my explanation. So, let us consider the following question. If the facts point to Florent L'Belle and the victim being there at the scene... ...why did Jinxie Tenma see her father Mayor Tenma and the victim? Judge: Hmm... A very good question, indeed. And I suppose you have an answer for us? Apollo: ......... (Sadly, you would be supposing wrong...) Athena: Umm... You think she could've mistaken L'Belle for the mayor? Apollo: Well, if she did, then the question is, why did she do that? Judge: Well, how about that explanation, Mr. Justice? I believe the time for questions is over. The defense asserts that Florent L'Belle was at the scene of the crime. However, Jinxie Tenma has testified that she saw her father collapsed there. If she has, in fact, misremembered the event, what could've made her do so? Apollo: The figure Ms. Tenma saw was not her father. It was Florent L'Belle disguised as Damian Tenma. Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: That is a complete impossibility. Their faces are utterly unalike. How could you explain that away with a mere disguise? Judge: Yes, they both DO have incredibly distinctive faces. Apollo: M-Maybe the disguise completely hid his face? Athena: I think Jinxie would've mentioned if she couldn't see her father's face. Blackquill: And if it was that sort of disguise, wouldn't she have removed it? Apollo: Oh, right... Blackquill: Your sword is as dull as your mind, Justice-dono. Shall I show you what a truly sharp blade is capable of? Apollo: Aha ha ha... I think I'll pass--ack! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!! Blackquill: .........Hmph. Athena: Are you okay, Apollo?! Apollo: I'm... I'm... not fine, am I? Blackquill: Well, now that we have that little fairytale out of the way... Your Baldness, your verdict if you will. Judge: Mr. Justice, I believe it's time for a verdict if you have no further arguments. Apollo: Uhh... (What's even left for me to do?) Athena: Apollo! Remember what Mr. Wright always says? When you're stuck in a tight spot, turn the case upside down. Apollo: Turn the case upside down? Hmm... He does say that, doesn't he? But I don't quite see how it applies here. (Still, never hurts to give it a try, I guess. Let's see... Rather than "Jinxie didn't remove the disguise," maybe "she couldn't remove it." And rather than "she didn't tell anyone about the disguise"... maybe it was "she couldn't talk about it.") Jinxie: A wrestler's mask is more precious than his own life! He'd never unmask himself in front of others. But there ARE matches where wrestlers battle for the right to remove each other's masks. To have your mask torn off is the worst humiliation a wrestler could suffer! That's why their masks are more important to them than life itself. Apollo: (And what about the fact that it was The Amazing Nine-Tails who opened the door? A mask that can't be removed in front of others? Can these facts turn things around?) Ah! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (We... We got it all backwards!) Athena: A-Apollo? Apollo: I think... I think we might've made a huge mistake. Blackquill: Your Baldness, I see no need to further indulge them in their silly little farce. The defense has no proof. They never did and they never will. Judge: Hmm... Then it seems I must announce my verdict-- Apollo: File:DD Objection! animated.gif Apollo: I DO have proof! Blackquill: .........Do you, now? Judge: All right, but this better be good, Mr. Justice. Apollo: We can solve the remaining riddlers by turning all of our assumptions upside down. Why Jinxie Tenma mistook Mr. L'Belle for her father... ...why she couldn't remove the costume, or tell anyone about it in the first place... These riddles are inextricably linked to Mayor Tenma's secret identity! A shocking secret identity that will turn the entire premise of this case upside down! This piece of evidence clearly reveals Mayor Tenma's secret identity! Blackquill: Gah! Wh-What absolute claptrap! Poppycock! Balderdash! Apollo: We thought the alderman was The Amazing Nine-Tails and the mayor was Tenma Taro. That's why we believed the mayor killed the alderman in his lust for Nine-Tails Vale. And it was the basis for the prosecution's entire case against our client. However... We got the whole thing backwards. Mayor Tenma wasn't Tenma Taro at all. He was The Amazing Nine-Tails! Judge: Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What's thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis?! Blackquill: You... You'd best explain yourself, Justice-dono... And from where you derived such a farfetched conclusion! Apollo: Jinxie, no doubt, knew the true identity of The Amazing Nine-Tails. But she couldn't tell anyone no matter what. That's she she didn't say it was The Amazing Nine-Tails she saw passed out! Even though, unbeknownst to her, it was really Florent L'Belle in disguise! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: The accused and that deceitful dandy are utterly dissimilar in physical build and voice. The little scamp would have seen the difference! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Remember, Mr. L'Belle has his very own brand of cosmetics. Why couldn't he fake a different build, too? And anyone speaking through a mask would naturally sound different. Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Why did she not simply pull the mask off?! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: A masked wrestler's disguise is more precious that life itself. As a huge fan of The Amazing Nine-Tails, she would never dare unmask him! Blackquill: ...Gah! Uuuwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Apollo: This case of mistaken identity also explains the riddle of the locked room. Judge: Then by all means, Mr. Justice, answer it for us already! Apollo: First, Mr. L'Belle entered the room where the mayor and the alderman were talking. I suspect he brought with him coffee laced with some sort of sedative. Once the alderman was out cold... ...that's when Mr. L'Belle killed him! Next, he took the mayor, who he had also drugged, into the Forbidden Chamber. Then he returned to the Fox Chamber, slipped into some of the mayor's spare clothes... ...and completed the disguise by donning The Amazing Nine-Tails's mask! With his entire charade in place, Mr. L'Belle then let out a scream... ...the scream that led Jinxie Tenma to the scene. Athena: Ah! So then... ...the person who said, "I killed Alderman Kyubi" was... Apollo: Yep, that was Florent L'Belle in disguise. The mayor never actually confessed. Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: Hmph. This is no more than guesswork and speculation. Now, stop your jabbering and-- Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: No, you twisted samurai! This time, you stop your jabbering and let me finish making my case! Blackquill: Argh! Apollo: Once Ms. Tenma left the scene... ...Mr. L'Belle, still wearing the mayor's clothes and mask, opened the Forbidden Chamber... ...so he could drag the mayor back out into the Fox Chamber! Athena: Oh, so The Amazing Nine-Tails the mayor saw was... Apollo: Right, it was L'Belle opening the Forbidden Chamber. The second time Mr. L'Belle opened the door to the Forbidden Chamber... ...he happened to catch the thieving Mr. Filch by surprise. Startled, Mr. Filch in his Tenma Taro disguise ran as fast as he could away from the room. As he did, he left behind him a trail of feathers and tracks... ...and gave Ms. Tenma the scare of her life in the hallway. With no one left to witness the events that had occurred... ...Mr. L'Belle then proceeded to drag the sleeping mayor back into the Fox Chamber. Judge: I see. Well, that all certainly does make sense. Apollo: Then, after dragging the mayor back into the Fox Chamber... ...Mr. L'Belle threw the mask out the window and fled the room! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: For this absurd theory to work, it requires that the defendant be The Amazing Nine-Tails. However, he was the one pushing for the municipal merger. That such an individual could possibly be The Amazing Nine-Tails is preposterous! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: The mayor was blackmailed into pursuing the merger! Ms. Tenma's life would've been in danger if he had openly voiced his opposition! That's why he created a secret identity as The Amazing Nine-Tails! Blackquill: Gah! This is madness! No one could possibly hatch such an insane plot! Apollo: No one except a killer as insane as his plot, and I'd say Florent L'Belle more than qualifies. Tenma: Foolish mortal! It is at your own peril that you forget who I am! Apollo: M-Mayor Tenma! It's okay now! Jinxie will be safe just as soon as Mr. L'Belle is arrested! You ARE The Amazing Nine-Tails, aren't you?! Tenma: I-I...! .........Hrmmmm. L'Belle: File:AA5 Holdit.png Apollo: .........! L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! You have QUITE the active imagination! Mayor Tenma is NOT The Amazing Nine-Tails. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: What do you mean?! L'Belle: WELL, has the mayor ADMITTED to it yet? Apollo: But that's just-- L'Belle: And even if he DID admit to such nonsense... ...I would reveal the TRUTH behind Tenma Taro right here and now. Apollo: What? Tenma: Why you--! You would dare reveal the secret?! L'Belle: A ha ha ha! My GOOD FRIEND the alderman told me ALL about it. But it WOULDN'T be good to expose the truth, what with the superstitions, now would it? Apollo: (The truth behind Tenma Taro? What's he talking about?) L'Belle: So, go ahead, SAY it! Say, "I AM The Amazing Nine-Tails!" I DARE you! Tenma: Arrrrrrgh! Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: Wait! Will somebody please explain what's going on here?! L'Belle: Mayor Tenma will do ANYTHING to keep the truth behind Tenma Taro a secret. A dark, TERRIBLE truth that has been kept SECRET by the village superstitions. Apollo: And if the mayor admits to being The Amazing Nine-Tails, you'll expose the truth? L'Belle: Right! I WON'T have him walking free because of some NONSENSE you made up. Blackquill: .........Hmph. So, what now, Justice-dono? Without the mayor's admission, your theory is as useless as you are in battle. Apollo: (I'll show YOU who's useless!) Athena: Apollo! Don't you dare give up now! Apollo: I-I know, I know. Your Honor! I believe Mr. L'Belle's statements warrant a thorough cross-examination! After all, the true identity of The Amazing Nine-Tails is the cornerstone of this case! Judge: Hmm... You do have a point there. Please answer this court, Mr. L'Belle: Is the defendant The Amazing Nine-Tails or not? Witness Testimony -- The Amazing Nine-Tails's True Identity -- L'Belle: The Amazing Nine-Tails's TRUE identity is NOT Mayor Tenma. The mayor would NEVER admit to such UTTER nonsense. But if he DID admit to such nonsense... ...I will EXPOSE the TRUTH behind Tenma Taro right here and now... ...and THAT would bring RUIN upon Nine-Tails Vale, just as the superstitions say. Apollo: Talk about out of the pot and into the fire... At this rate, the mayor will be found guilty for sure... Judge: Honestly speaking, if Mayor Damian Tenma is not The Amazing Nine-Tails... ...I'm afraid I don't see how the defense has much of a case here. L'Belle: Ah ha ha ha! And LET'S just leave it at that, shall we? We ALL know Alderman Kyubi was The Amazing Nine-Tails, anyway. I mean, THAT'S how Nine-Tails Vale made a comeback -- the alderman was SO popular. Apollo: There's... gotta be a hole in that testimony somewhere... But I don't even know where to start. Athena: Since we don't have any proof that the mayor is The Amazing Nine-Tails... ...then we'll just have to get him to admit it himself. Apollo: But if he admits it, L'Belle's going to expose the secret behind Tenma Taro. (Argh! We are so close! I know it!) Judge: The defense may cross-examine the witness. Cross-Examination -- The Amazing Nine-Tails's True Identity -- L'Belle: The Amazing Nine-Tails's TRUE identity is NOT Mayor Tenma. L'Belle: The mayor would NEVER admit to such UTTER nonsense. L'Belle: But if he DID admit to such nonsense... L'Belle: ...I will EXPOSE the TRUTH behind Tenma Taro right here and now... L'Belle: ...and THAT would bring RUIN upon Nine-Tails Vale, just as the superstitions say. L'Belle: TRAGEDY is DOOMED to repeat as long as Tenma Taro exists. Athena: How's the mayor supposed to admit to his secret identity now?! Apollo: Well, we have to find a way to make him say it, or our entire case unravels. There must be a hole in L'Belle's testimony somewhere. Apollo: Mr. L'Belle, what if Tenma Taro no longer existed? Revealing the truth would no longer be an issue, would it? L'Belle: ...If Tenma Taro no longer existed? Ah ha ha ha! What on EARTH are you talking about? Apollo: Oh, apparently you haven't heard. Tenma Taro no longer exists. But I guess you didn't get to do a thorough search after the key was taken from you... ...because when we searched the Forbidden Chamber, there wasn't any treasure there! L'Belle: Really? Well, MAYBE you weren't looking in the RIGHT place. Apollo: Sorry, but I have proof that Tenma Taro no longer exists. Take a look at this figure. Judge: What do we have here? It looks like some sort of creature. Apollo: We found this in the Forbidden Chamber. It's an Azuki Kozo figure. The great thief Azuki Kozo used to leave them at the scene of his crimes. L'Belle: Are YOU suggesting that... that Tenma Taro has been STOLEN?! Apollo: Yep. Phineas Filch's grandfather, a master thief, was the culprit. L'Belle: And by that hideous, moronic caretaker's grandfather, no less?! ...You! I-- Nooooooooooooooooooo! M-My beautiful golden, Tenma Taro was...! Apollo: The greed inspired by Tenma Taro can no longer bring ruin upon Nine-Tails Vale. Isn't that right, Mayor Tenma? Tenma: The root of tragedy would indeed seem to be gone. In fact, I now recall the alderman revealing the secret to me on the day of our meeting. He must have been speaking of Tenma Taro. For he said to me, the gold ingot was gone. Apollo: The gold ingot? You mean the treasure that is Tenma Taro's true form...? Tenma: Recall, if you will, the scroll in the Forbidden Chamber. Tenma Taro is the yellowish object shown there... ...a giant gold ingot that my nomadic ancestors bestowed upon Nine-Tales [sic] Vale. In return for that gold, my ancestors did receive from Nine-Tails Vale... ...land that would become Tenma Town. But drive the villagers mad with greed did that great fortune! Bitter was their greed-fueled battle. It was as if they were possessed. My ancestor's gold became as a curse upon their village -- a curse of ruin. Thus it was that the yokai Tenma Taro came to be. Apollo: So, Tenma Taro and the village superstitions were merely fairytales to scare people away. Blackquill: ...Hmph. Fairytale or not, Tenma Taro made quite the mess of things. Tenma: Yes, indeed, for there is no greater monster than a mortal man's lust for gold. Athena: Well, you know what they say, "The love of money is the root of all evil." Tenma: My ancestors did bring a terrible thing here to Nine-Tails Vale. A thing so terrible that... ...Tenma Taro, a monster just as terrible, had to be created to keep it a secret. Yet we have naught but love for the little village to which we owe our very existence. Tenma Town would never seek to take over Nine-Tails Vale in a merger! Judge: Oh my. That was quite a shocking lesson in history. Apollo: Mr. Mayor. Now that we know Tenma Taro no longer exists... ...are you ready to admit YOUR secret? You ARE The Amazing Nine-Tails, aren't you?! L'Belle: File:AA5 Holdit.png L'Belle: Noooo! Don't do it! Please, nooooooooooooooooooo! Tenma: Be gone, you demented demon! Ahem. Now, where was I... The golden lord of yokai, The Amazing Nine-Tails is, indeed, me! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha! Ah-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Apollo: And that means...! Jinxie! Jinxie: .........Y-Yes?! Apollo: The man wearing the mayor's clothes who you saw collapsed in the Fox Chamber... Was he wearing The Amazing Nine-Tails's mask? Jinxie: ...Uh-huh. That's what made me think it was Papa. He said he was going to reveal his secret identity to Alderman Kyubi that day, so... So... it wasn't really Papa I saw there, was it? Tenma: It was Florent's idea from the start. He advised me to reveal my secret identity to the alderman. Apollo: (Yeesh, Rube Goldberg machines have less elaborate setups than L'Belle's scheme...) Tenma: You may rest easy now, Jinxie. That monster's deception is through! Caw caw-caw-caw! Apollo: The true facts behind this case have finally come to light! Mayor Tenma did not kill Alderman Kyubi! But Florent L'Belle DID! L'Belle: How... dare you... PEASANT! Gnrk! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: ...............Hmph! Justice-dono... You should at least have a real blade in your hands if you desire to cross swords with me. Or have you mistaken this battlefield for a training ground? Apollo: ...! (What's this guy want now?!) Blackquill: Evidence is like a razor-sharp blade that cuts through bone as though it were butter. But you have only blind guesses -- a dull blade incapable of cutting even a cake. Judge: He has you there, Mr. Justice. After all, evidence is everything in a court of law. Apollo: B-B-But! L'Belle: They're right! Let's see some EVIDENCE! Of course, a PERFECT being like me wouldn't leave ANY incriminating evidence behind. Ah ha ha ha! Blackquill: This is the final battle. Just as a samurai must live and die by the sword... ...you will live or die by the evidence you hold. My swift blade of judgment awaits. Now, present your conclusive evidence, or don't you have any? Apollo: (Oh, crud... Do I have anything conclusive?) Apollo: Let's review the facts. The most damning evidence against the mayor was the crime scene itself. The mayor and the victim were the only two people found in the room. Also, we all though [sic] the alderman was killed because he was The Amazing Nine-Tails. But as we know now, of course, we were way off. The Amazing Nine-Tails is really Mayor Damian Tenma! That's why when his daughter Jinxie saw The Amazing Nine-Tails collapsed at the scene... ...she mistook him for her father. Those are the facts we have revealed. However, Mr. L'Belle asserts that he did not leave any evidence at the scene of the crime. But he didn't say anything about evidence outside the crime scene. Maybe he isn't as clever as he thinks he is! Does any of the evidence found outside the crime scene provide any clues? A clue inside the mask? Apollo: Oh, I know. The Amazine Nine-Tails's mask! It was found washed up along the river. What sort of clue does that mask hold? White hair in the mask Apollo: And what about the hair left in the mask? Who does it belong to? THE WHITE HAIR IS L'BELLE'S Apollo: Oh, right! That hair is Florent L'Belle's! Yes! Now that's what I call conclusive evidence! Judge: Well, Mr. Justice? Do you have any conclusive evidence to present to this court? Apollo: Of course, I do! Observe this mask, if you will. Judge: That mask? How is that conclusive evidence? Apollo: It's not the mask itself, but the white hair inside it. We originally thought it belonged to Alderman Rex Kyubi. Judge: Yes, but The Amazing Nine-Tails, as we now know, is Mayor Tenma, so... Apollo: That is correct. So, the question is, whose hair could this be? And the answer to that is the last person to have worn it before it was discarded. That would be you, Mr. Florent L'Belle! L'Belle: What ARE you talking about?! I NEVER had hideous white hair like that! Blackquill: File:Silence Official.png Blackquill: It would appear your coup de grâce failed to hit its mark. This freakish fop is not the white-hair type. Because he's busy being one ludicrously garish color or another. Apollo: File:PWAADD Objection!.png Apollo: No, Prosecutor Blackquill, it's you who has made a fatal error. Blackquill: Wh-What? Apollo: Remember where this mask was found? Washed up by the side of the river? With that in mind... This last piece of evidence will solve all of the remaining riddles! L'Belle: Argh! Th-That's...! Judge: Hm? What is that? Apollo: This is Mr. L'Belle's own private brand of hair color. It washes out with just water. The court will also recall that The Amazing Nine-Tails's mask... ...washed up along the side of the village river with white hair inside it. Blackquill: What's this?! Are you saying that preening peacock's hair color is...?! Apollo: That's exactly what I'm saying. Mr. L'Belle's hair color is a freaky work of fiction. But thanks to the river flowing through Nine-Tails Vale, we now have a real life exposé. L'Belle: Aaah! Apollo: The white hair in this mask is conclusive evidence proving you're the real killer! A DNA test is all we need to prove it, and we both know we'll get a match! Admit it! Florent L'Belle, you were the one who killed Alderman Rex Kyubi! L'Belle: Y-You... You......... Peasant... How DARE yooooooooooooooooou! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! You profane MY beauty, like a bug on a roooooooooose. I'm going to exterminate you, like I did the aldermaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Aah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! N-Noooooooooooooo! M-M-My makeuuuuuup! L'Belle: ............... ............... Hello, this is L'Belle! ...What? The project... is off? This is L'Belle! ...The sponsors have pulled out? L'Belle speaking! ...I'm fired? You mean I'm no longer Mayor Tenma's aide?! Hello, this is L'Belle! ...What? There's a stratospheric damages claim against me? ...One hundred m-m-million dollars? Heh heh heh. Hee hee hee! Ah ha ha ha ha! I'm FINISHED, WASHED UP! Stick a fork in me, I'm DOOOOOOOOOONE! A-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! A-ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Blackquill: ...This is preposterous. I, Simon Blackquill, defeated? Judge: Order! Order! Order in the court!!! Judge: Well...! This is quite the unexpected outcome. I must hand it to you, Mr. Justice... ...you really turned this case on its head, just like that other lawyer, Phoenix Wright. Apollo: Ha ha ha. (Wait, that was a compliment, right?) Judge: Prosecutor Blackquill, what have you done with Florent L'Belle? Blackquill: The defaced man has withered like a flower without water. One of the officers is currently tending to him with a sprinkler. Apollo: (Um, wouldn't that just wash even MORE of his makeup off?) Blackquill: Allow me to explain the actions of the guilty party in detail. The motive, of course, was to steal the gold ingot known as "Tenma Taro." However, few are allowed into the manor due to its cultural ties to Nine-Tails Vale. L'Belle set in motion plans to gain access to the manor and the gold within via the merger. But the efforts of The Amazing Nine Tails saw those plans come to a halt. And thus, L'Belle murdered the alderman and attempted to pin the blame on Mayor Tenma. Judge: I see. But what I still can't comprehend is why would he go after the gold in the first place? Mr. L'Belle doesn't look like someone who is in need of financial aid. Blackquill: L'Belle hid his past well, much like he hid his "beauty" with makeup. He's mired in debt. Debt due to pouring money into a brand only he could love... ...which is why he sought the gold with such voracity. Apollo: (Too bad for him, someone else had gotten to it first anyway.) Judge: I see. Very well, then. I believe it's time I declared a verdict. This court finds the defendant, Damian Tenma... Not Guilty Judge: Court is adjourned! April 19, 1:23 PM District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3 Phoenix: That was some seriously good lawyering, Apollo. Even I didn't see that coming. Apollo: Heh heh. Just got lucky, I guess. Phoenix: You banished Tenma Taro from Nine-Tails Vale like you were some kind of exorcist. Athena: ...Um, there's one thing I still don't understand. How come Mr. L'Belle didn't kill Mayor Tenma, too? He could've set it up so the mayor murdered the alderman, then died from a counterattack. That would've removed at least one possible fly from the ointment. Phoenix: I was wondering about that, too. But I have a hunch L'Belle was biding his time. He was planning on exposing The Amazing Nine-Tails's true identity himself. Apollo: Huh? But why? Phoenix: Because the mayor was The Amazing Nine-Tails. Had L'Belle succeeded in framing Mayor Tenma for the alderman's murder... ...the wrestler's popularity would've plummeted once his identity was revealed. Apollo: Oh, I get it! If The Amazing Nine-Tails was just killed, he'd die a hero. But if he was proved a villain... ...his fans would abandon him, making the merger that much easier. Phoenix: Right. Then when the merger was complete and everything cooled down... He'd be able to search the Forbidden Chamber at his leisure. Athena: What an insanely intricate plot. Tenma: Caw caw-caw-caw! A most excellent job clearing my name! A feat worthy of the demon lord's approval! Apollo: Um, why are you acting like Tenma Taro again? Tenma: Let this be of no concern to you! Apollo: (How could it not concern me?!) Jinxie: Tenma Taro, be gone! Tenma: Gaaaaah! J-Jinxie... Seems like ages since I've laid eyes on you. Jinxie: Papa! You're finally back! Tenma: Yes, it would seem Tenma Taro is no match for you. Ha ha ha! Jinxie: I'm not scared of that silly yokai anymore! Athena: Your father's a free man now, Jinxie! Isn't that great?! Jinxie: Thank you for all you've done! Seeing you guys in action, it... ...it made me feel like I don't have to be afraid anymore. Apollo: (Wait, is Jinxie actually... smiling?!) Tenma: This is all thanks to you two. Too bad The Amazing Nine-Tails will have to retire, though. Athena: Aww, how come?! Tenma: Once everyone hears I'm The Amazine Nine-Tails, my fan base will nosedive. After all, I'm not the most popular of people -- another reason for my secret identity. I don't see how I could possibly continue. Athena: Hee hee, I think you've misjudged yourself. Take a look outside! Tenma: Say, now that you mention it, what's all that noise out there? Apollo: A big crowd gathered outside the courthouse once the news broke. Seems they want to get a glimpse of Mayor Damian Tenma, the man behind the mask. And to root for your return to the wrestling ring! Tenma: Rooting? For me? But I thought I was nothing more than a malefactor in their eyes. Athena: The only one who really matters is Jinxie. Show her how cool you really are! Jinxie: Yeah, you're the coolest when you're out there fighting in the ring, Papa! Tenma: Jinxie... Apollo: Here, I think you'll be needing this. Tenma: Thank you. Now, if you would excuse me. Apollo: Hm? Tenma: I don't want to keep my fans waiting! Athena: I sure hope they can settle the problems between Tenma Town and Nine-Tails Vale. Apollo: Me, too. Phoenix: I'm sure they'll be fine. After all... ...the blackmailer-slash-killer is behind bars and the merger's no longer an issue. Plus, The Amazing Nine-Tails is obviously still a hit, and I suspect Nine-Tails Vale will be too. Apollo: And it's all because we believed in our client, just like you said. Athena: Okay, people. Now that we've got that one in the bag, let's go get something to eat! I'm starving! Apollo: Sounds good. I've been so nervous I haven't eaten since yesterday. Athena: Better keep eating, Apollo! Or you might have to start looking up at me! Apollo: Huh? I'm definitely past my growth phase, and you should be about past yours, too! Athena: Are you kidding me? I'm just getting started! Ready or not... it's face-stuffing time! Apollo: Keep eating like that and the only direction you'll grow is sideways. Athena: Very funny! But I've got a hollow leg! I can eat as much as I want without gaining an ounce! Apollo: Really? Wow, I can't wait to see this. Athena: Calories? Ha! Just let 'em try to stick on me! Phoenix: All right, already, you two. Let's get going before the old man closes shop. Eldoon's Noodles isn't an all-night stand, you know. Apollo: I'm with Mr. Wright! Let's go! Athena: I've been waiting to have a bowl from there ever since Mr. Wright told me about them! Well, what are we waiting for?! Phoenix: The noodles are on me today, so I expect some serious eating from you two. Athena: Yay! Thanks, Boss! I won't let you down! Apollo: (Athena has no idea what she's getting into. Mr. Eldoon's noodles are so hot and salty... ...two bowls would kill a man.) Athena: That was our first case together, and it felt like nothing could bring us down after that. The dark age of the law seemed so distant, so irrelevant to our small, cozy office... But little did I know that it had been lurking all along, right there behind us. The first time it made itself known was during the murder at Themis Legal Academy. That case would mark the twilight before the dark, cold night that was to come. End
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