Turnabout Beginnings (Part 1)

(Open POV)

The girl... Let her go!

Shut up! C-Come closer... And I kill her!

Sorry, but you're not going to get the chance...

(Jared's POV)

Mia Fey

First Trial

February 16, 2013, 9:24 AM

District Court, Defendant Lobby No. 4…

"Ugh... I'm so nervous. I feel like I'm going to die. I never should've accepted this case…" Mia said, looking at me.

"It's okay, Mia." I said, placing my hand on top of Mia.

"Eeeeeeek! ...Ah! G-G-Good morning!" Mia said. 'Don't be so jumpy, Mia!'

"I-I din't do nuttin'! I swear! I din't kill nobody!" Fawles said, nearby.

"So, who is this?" I asked.

"Jared, this is Terry Fawles…" Mia said, looking at me. "...My first client. Sentenced to death 5 years ago, and now... a prison escapee."

"A prison escapee? How did he escape?"

"..." Fawles said.

"Mia. We shouldn't talk about that. Why not make some small talk and try to relax your client?" I asked.

"...Err, umm... So why did you escape anyway?" Mia asked, looking at Fawles.

"Ah. Ah. UGGA!" Fawles yelled.

"Eeeeek! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Mia said.

"...Ugh. I din't do nuttin'! I din't kill nobody! I never... I never lie! I din't escape from nowhere!" Fawles said.

"Um, Mr Fawles. The police just recaptured you two days ago." I said, sadly.

"... Ugh. Sorry. I told a little lie."

"It's okay." I said, while Mia is thinking this. 'Oh boy…'

"But anyway, I din't do it! I never killed nobody!" Fawles said.

"Umm, sorry for asking but... You're on death row, right?" Mia asked.

"Uh. Uh... UGGA!"

"Eeeeeek! I'm really, really sorry!"

"They sentenced me to die 5 years ago! But I was tricked I tell you! That woman! She lied in her testimony! ...That's why I got the death penalty! I swear it! I din't kill her! I could never do that!" Fawles said.

"So, what's the story for this case?" I asked.

"Well. Let me tell you, Jared." Mia said, pulling me away for a moment. "Two days ago, he escaped from the police wagon when it crashed... Then about 8 hours later... A policewoman was murdered before the police could recapture him. The police believe that Terry Fawles did it."

"That's horrible." I said, walking back to Fawles with Mia. "So, after you escaped. Did you meet a policewoman?"

"... Yeah... I did. ...She's the reason I escaped." Fawles said.

"Let me guess, you didn't kill her." I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'So that much is true... He did meet with the victim.'

"But I din't kill her! She was alive when I left! She was alive...! It-It's true!" Fawles said.

"Jared, I can trust him... right? I mean, I should…" Mia said, looking at me.

"Mia. Let Diego do the talking." I said, laughing a lot.

Diego Armando barged into the room, and good thing I know his backstory as well as Mia Fey's. Good thing I played all of the Ace Attorney games. But god, why are they in the Doctor Who universe? The Ace Attorney events. I was shocked when I found this out.

"Ha...! Mia, you're not going to figure out the truth by just staring at the guy…" Armando said.

"Y-You're... Why are you here?" Mia asked.

"I came to see how our little kitten was doing all alone in the big, scary lion's den. ...I thought maybe you'd like someone else to play with. Besides Jared. His foreknowledge could make or break this case." Armando said. "Thank you for watching our little kitten, Jared."

"Don't mention it, Diego." I said, happily. "I am an Avenger and a companion of the Doctor. Plus I solved cases with Sherlock Holmes."

"So now you've decided to take up lawyering at Grossberg Law Offices."

"Pretty much. It's better than working in UNIT or SHIELD anyday."

"Err, where is Mr. Grossberg?" Mia asked.

"Ha...! That old man is probably still in bed. I bet he's clutching an empty bottle and mumbling in his sleep. Aren't I good enough? After all, it's me... Diego Armando!" Armando said, excitedly.

"I-I didn't say... So, Diego Armando, the finest attorney at Grossberg Law Offices, is here for me...?" Mia asked.

"No, no, no... You've got it all wrong! Today, YOU'RE the finest! After all, it took an amazing amount of guts to take this case! Imagine... An escaped death row convict for a first client!" Armando said.

"Yeah, err... Th-Thanks." Mia said, sadly.

"Mia, just relax. Everything's going to be fine. I promise. Don't wish you could get out of it." I said, smiling.

"Ha...! Jared's right. Relax. I just heard some good news. The prosecutor for today is fresh out of his diapers as well." Armando said.

"R-Really!?" Mia exclaimed.

"However... Unlike a certain somebody who I won't mention... ...he's earned the reputation as a 'genius' since beginning his law career." Armando said.

"Yup. I know who this certain someone is too. He does live up to his title of genius." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'G-Genius...?'

"Well, it's about time to head in, Kitten, Jared. Sharpen those claws of yours. It's go time!" Armando said.

"Sorry, Maya. I'll get to you someday. But I have to do this the long way around." I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'A solitary confinement cell for the condemned must be the world's loneliest place. ...And that's what my client ran away from. Every other lawyer gave up on him... But not me. When I saw those overflowing eyes and heard that simple, child-like voice... I just had the feeling that he was telling the truth.'

February 16, 10:00 AM

District Court, Courtroom No. 4…

"Court is now in session for the trial of Terry Fawles." The Judge said.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor." Mia said.

"The prosecution has been ready for a while, Your Honor." Edgeworth said.

"I understand the lawyers for both sides are newcomers...?" The Judge asked.

"Y-Y-Yes, Your Honor. I'm Mia Fey." Mia said.

"Miles Edgeworth... Your Honor." Edgeworth said.

"So you're the new prosecutor everyone is talking about, eh? They say you joined the prosecutor's office at quite an early age." The Judge said.

"At 20... Your Honor."

"I guess our little kitten hasn't earned herself much of a reputation yet, huh?" Armando asked.

"Nope. Not yet for her. Maybe someday. Plus I know her reputation." I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Come on, Mia! You can't lose! Not to someone younger than you!'

"...Hmph." Edgeworth said.

"Young people running a trial. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. ...Now then, the defendant in this case is currently a felon on death row. Two days ago, he escaped from a police wagon. Is that correct?" The Judge asked.

"Yup. It is." I said, taking out a bubble tea to drink it. "But the defendant is not on trial for escaping prison. On the day the defendant escaped, a policewoman was murdered."

"So we're here to determine if Mr. Fawles was responsible for her death...?" Mia asked.

"You got it, Kitten." Armando said, smirking.

"Well then, Mr. Edgeworth. Let's hear your opening statement." The Judge said.

"Yes, Your Honor. It was five years ago. The defendant, Terry Fawles, was sentenced to death in this very court. His crimes were kidnapping, extortion... and murder. The girl he threw off the bridge was only 14 years old." Edgeworth said.

"A truly horrible crime. I remember it well. There was no decisive evidence, so the trial was long and protracted."

"Correct. But in the end, what finally decided the case was... ...a certain witness's testimony."

"A witness's testimony…" Mia said, her eyes widening.

"The testimony of Detective Valerie Hawthorne; the person who confronted this criminal. She arrested Mr. Fawles at the scene and later testified against him. She said she witnessed Mr. Fawles throw his young victim into the river. For those who are not aware, Eagle River is well-known for its powerful current. Most bodies that fall in are never recovered…" Edgeworth said.

"That's sad. That's really sad." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'So Ms. Hawthorne's testimony was the one that put him away…'

"That policewoman you just mentioned... That wouldn't be...?" The Judge asked.

"Exactly. The victim. The same woman that was killed 2 days ago... Police Sergeant... Valerie Hawthorne." Edgeworth said.

"Aha...! I see... The man who was sentenced to death based on her testimony escaped two days ago... ...with only one thing on his mind. To take revenge against the woman who convicted him. ... Hmm... Aha! The truth is becoming clear to me now!" The Judge said.

"Huh?" Mia asked.

"Yes, yes... It's quite obvious that the defendant is guilty."

"Mia, stop this verdict." I said, looking at Mia. "Please…"

"Objection!" Mia said, raising her arm and doing the Objection pose. "W-Wait a minute! That's not right! At least hear the case before you decide on the outcome, Your Honor!"

"Grrrngh... Watch yourself, Ms. Fey! I'm not sure I care for your word choice, or your tone of voice." The Judge said.

"Young people these days simply don't know how to respect their elders." Edgeworth said.

"They really don't." I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Why you...! You're even younger than me, you hypocrite!'

"Now then, Mr. Edgeworth, please call your first witness." The Judge said.

"I call the detective who was in charge of the initial investigation of this case." Edgeworth said, while Gumshoe went up to the witness stand. "Witness... State your name and occupation."

"Gumshoe. Dick Gumshoe. I'm the homicide detective in charge of the case, sir! I finally got promoted to the detective division half a year ago!" Gumshoe said, excitedly.

"I don't believe anyone asked you about that." Mia said.

"Hey, ma'am! You got any idea how much work it takes... ..." Gumshoe said.

"Wh-What is it?"

"You... Y-You're really gorgeous…"

"Excuse me?"

"No, seriously... My heart... It's aching for you…"

"Ugh! Detective! Please, pull yourself together and act professional. Don't act like Captain Jack Harkness. Please…" I said, rolling my eyes.

"He's right. Don't act like that massive flirt from Torchwood. Otherwise... I'll write you up on contempt so quick that something other than your heart will ache!" Edgeworth said, angrily.

"Urk... O-OK, I-I got it!" Gumshoe said, worried.

"...Now, Detective. Tell us about the incident." The Judge said.

"Yes, sir! Right away! The victim was Sergeant Valerie Hawthorne, a veteran on the police force. She was stabbed in the back with a knife and died from excessive blood loss." Gumshoe said.

"That much is already stated in the autopsy report. The court would like to hear more details about the incident itself."

"Yes, sir! I gotcha! OK! Let's take a look at this aerial map of the area here!" Gumshoe said, loading up a map on a nearby TV. "This is a sketch of Dusky Bridge, an old suspension bridge. And the river that runs under there is Eagle River. The victim and the defendant met there... On top of the bridge. After stabbing her in the back, the killer carried the victim back to his car. He was recaptured at a police checkpoint as he was trying to make his getaway, sir."

"Hmm... I see…" The Judge said.

Dusky Bridge Map added to the Court Record.

"Was the victim's blood found on the bridge?" The Judge asked.

"The victim, Sergeant Valerie Hawthorne, was wearing a thick coat, sir. Unfortunately, no traces of blood were found on the bridge." Gumshoe said.

"Hmm... Mr. Edgeworth. I warn you that I absolutely despise conjecture. If there was no blood on the bridge, then you have no proof that they even met there!" The Judge said.

"Your Honor. If you would listen to the testimony we have prepared, I'm sure you'll be convinced. The two of them most certainly did meet on the bridge that day…" Edgeworth said.

"Why, Mr. Edgeworth... I'm not sure I like you wagging your finger at me as though I were some hoser! Detective, proceed with your testimony!"

"Um... Yes, sir!" Gumshoe said.

"Here we go, Mia. You got this. The trial is about to start. Just hang on!" I said, placing my hand on top of Mia's.

"OK now... Listen carefully, Kitten. One little mistake and this guy will drink you for morning tea! Trust me and get ready." Armando said.

Witness Testimony

-- Summary of the Incident --

"On the day of the incident, an unknown person phoned the sergeant and asked to meet. Sergeant Hawthorne went to Dusky Bridge at the designated time and met with Mr. Fawles. And that's where she was brutally murdered, sir. The criminal stuffed her body into his car trunk and tried to make a getaway. Mr. Fawles was arrested at a police checkpoint we set up at the base of the mountain." Gumshoe said.

"Hmm... Well, you certainly have established the importance of the bridge." The Judge said.

"...Naturally." Edgeworth said.

"Now, would the defense please hurry up and proceed with the cross-examination."

"Y-Yes, Your Honor! C-C-Cross-examination... Coming right up!" Mia said, worried.

"Hey, hey! Settle down there, Kitten! If you keep trembling like that, you're gonna make me spill my coffee!" Armando said, holding a coffee cup.

"I-I-I'm not t-trembling! It-It-It's just cold in here!"

"The courtroom can be a cold battlefield alright. Especially... for a beginner."

"I-I don't need you and Jared to worry about me...! I mean... I mean, the defendant, the witness... everyone's a beginner in here!"

"Ha...! You got me there. But maybe you should keep your claws out, and show them what you've got... Kitten."

"Mia, everything's going to be okay. Just stay calm. Remember those court procedure videos we watched all last night? You'll be fine." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"I do. Thank you for being a good friend, Jared. I don't know what I would do without you. Or well, Mr Grossberg or Mr Armando." Mia said, smiling.

Cross Examination

-- Summary of the Incident --

"On the day of the incident, an unknown person phoned the sergeant and asked to meet." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "This 'unknown person'... You have no idea who it might be, right?"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I do!"

"What? You do?" I asked, picking up my bubble tea to drink it.

"The one who called Sergeant Hawthorne was the defendant, Terry Fawles!" Gumshoe said.

"Wh-Wh-Whaaat! The defendant...! The defendant called her!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"Sergeant Hawthorne was a very thorough person, sir! She left a note about her phone call with Mr. Fawles."

"Did you just say a note?" I asked.

"Yeah, a top-secret memo that she left on her desk." Gumshoe said.

Victim's Note added to the Court Record.

"Hmm... According to this note, it seems the one who called her to the bridge was indeed... ...the defendant, Terry Fawles!" The Judge said, looking down at the note.

"Nngh!" Mia said, as she thought to herself. 'Whose bright idea was it to keep that note from me!?'

"Ha...! Looks like the judge is even more sure of his verdict now. Listen up! Never ask a question if you don't already know the answer!" Armando said.

"Mia…" I said, squeezing Mia's hand as she had another thought to herself. "It's that detective's fault! He's the one that said, 'unknown person'...!"

"Hey now! Don't make that face at me! I just said it that way 'cause the prosecutor told me to!" Gumshoe said.

"Mia, Edgeworth is pulling a trap on you. He's trying to win this case. He's trying to be sneaky." I said, sipping on my bubble tea.

"With that cute face, Jared, I didn't expect him to be so sneaky." Mia said, looking at me.

"Hmph." Edgeworth said, scoffing.

"Sergeant Hawthorne went to Dusky Bridge at the designated time and met with Mr. Fawles." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "A bridge up in the mountains? But why meet there?"

"Because it is a very important place to the defendant, that's why."

"What do you mean by that? How is it important?" I asked.

"If you remember, 5 years ago, the defendant kidnapped a young girl. He was chased onto a bridge... And it was there that he killed his hostage. And the place where all of this occurred is, of course, Dusky Bridge." Edgeworth said.

"...!" Mia said.

"The very place where Sergeant Hawthorne arrested and handcuffed Mr. Fawles." Gumshoe said.

"Returning to the scene of the crime. Isn't that nostalgic, Diego?" I asked, sipping on my Coconut Taro bubble tea.

"It is. Ha..!" Armando said, sipping on his cup of coffee.

"And that's where she was brutally murdered, sir." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Was the body of the victim discovered right away?"

"Yeah. We were really on the ball. We found the criminal within one hour of the murder. It was great! We even got to say, 'Don't move! We've got you surrounded!'" Gumshoe said, excitedly.

"Hang on. Isn't that weird?" I asked, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Yeah…" Mia said, sadly.

"The location was a suspension bridge, up in the mountains. So how did they find out about the crime so quickly...?" Armando asked.

"Sergeant Hawthorne must have mentioned the phone call to someone else, right?" Mia asked.

"Ha...! If that's what had happened, then she wouldn't have been killed."

"She never mentioned the phone call from Mr. Fawles. But... She left a note on her desk about it. If only I had noticed it earlier... Maybe she'd still be alive." Gumshoe said.

"Maybe…" I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'I wonder why she didn't mention the phone call to anyone...?'

"The criminal stuffed her body into his car trunk and tried to make a getaway." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Mr. Fawles had a car, then?"

"Well, that bridge is way up in the mountains, ma'am. The defendant and the victim both went up there by car. I mean, how else, right?" Gumshoe asked.

"What! You mean the defendant drove his own car?" The Judge asked.

"No, no, of course not. ...It was stolen. He stole it from a young couple that had been waiting at a red light." Gumshoe said.

"Hmm... Car thieves... I'm not sure how I feel about car thieves." The Judge said.

"So, what did you find, Detective?" I asked, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Is this guy sure about how he feels about ANYTHING?'

"This is a photo of the stolen car's trunk. ...Naturally, that's the body of Valerie Hawthorne in there." Gumshoe said, loading up the photo on the nearby TV.

"Whoa! That... That doesn't look too comfortable…" The Judge said.

Crime Photo added to the Court Record.

"The victim... She was stabbed in the back, correct?" Mia asked.

"Yeah." Gumshoe said.

"Ha...! ...For some reason, men always seem to get stabbed in the back…" Armando said.

"Diego, we're talking about a woman here. She was stabbed in the back. Literally." I said, frowning.

"You can't tell from this photo, but... ...the knife was stuck in her back nice and firm." Gumshoe said.

"The condition of the body when it was discovered is very important information. Detective, was there anything strange or noteworthy in the trunk of the car?" The Judge asked.

"Here's a photo of the trunk. But I don't see anything strange, do you? Anyway…" Gumshoe said, showing the photo of the trunk on the TV.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "What did the defendant have to say about this photo?"

"What he always says, ma'am!" Gumshoe siad.

"I din't do it! I din't do nuttin'!!" Fawles said.

"...That's all he says." Gumshoe said.

""Nuttin'"? I wouldn't say he did "nuttin'". At the very least, we know he stole a car!" The Judge said.

"It's just what he always says, Your Honor. And then he always says…" Gumshoe said.

"... Uh. Sorry. I told a little lie." Fawles said, sadly.

"...Or something like that."

"Um…" I said, letting out a sigh.

"Well, in any case, it seems he was caught and arrested." The Judge said.

"Precisely." Edgeworth said.

"Objection!" Mia said, presenting the Victim's Note while doing the Objection pose. "...Witness!"

"Mr. Fawles was arrested at a police checkpoint we set up at the base of the mountain." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "That certainly is some impressive police work."

"Well, no, actually it was way too close for comfort. We set up that checkpoint just after 5:00 PM... We figured that Mr. Fawles might just try to run." Gumshoe said.

"What do you mean it was too close for comfort? How?" I asked, squeezing Mia's hand.

"The two of them arranged to meet at 4:30 PM. And it takes approximately 30 minutes to go from the bridge to the checkpoint." Edgeworth said.

"Be careful, Mia." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Hmm... That WAS kinda close. Any later and Mr. Fawles could have slipped right by.'

"Listen up, Kitten. There's a big trap waiting for you in that testimony." Armando said.

"A t-trap?" Mia asked.

"Walk into it carelessly, and it'll leave more than just a flesh wound. Fun, huh?"

"No, it's NOT!" Mia said, angrily.

"Well, if you want to have any chance at all, you'd better get some more information. And if you're going to get caught in a trap, it's best to get caught early. You can always look for contradictions afterwards."

"Mia, you can find the contradictions, I know you can. I have faith in you. I promise." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, pointing her finger at the witness. "...Witness! ..."

"..." Gumshoe said.

"..." Edgeworth said.

"... Wh-What is it...? Do you have something to say, Ms. Fey!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I totally forgot what I was going to say... This is... This is the first time I've ever had to actually address someone like that…" Mia said, sadly.

"Grrgh... You should have practiced before coming to court! Honestly, Ms. Fey... I'm not sure I like this!"

"Hmph...! Say there, little Kitten, want a piece of my coffee candy?" Armando asked, looking at Mia.

"Candy?" Mia asked.

"Well, you're still too young to be drinking real coffee."

'Grrr... Come on, Mia! Shake it off! You're a lawyer!' Mia said, thinking to herself, before getting Gumshoe's attention. "Detective!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Gumshoe said.

"This photo... You said that there was nothing peculiar about it. ...Is that correct?" Mia asked, looking at the photo.

"Y-Yeah, that's what I said!"

"Well then, I suggest you take another look at the note written by the victim!"

"The n-n-note...?"

"It very clearly says, 'Wear white scarf for identification.' ... The caller must have forgotten what the victim looked like. Thus, this special request." Mia said, looking at the Victim's Note.

"Aaah... I, umm...!" Gumshoe said, at a loss for words.

"I have one very simple question for you, Detective. Where is the white scarf? I can't seem to find it in this photo…" Mia said, looking at the photo.

"Um... Well, to be honest, we didn't find it in the trunk, ma'am…"

"And you stopped there!? You should have looked for it!"

"Aaaaaaarrrggg...!"

"The caller told her to wear it to identify herself, so I'd expect she did just that! Well, Mr. Edgeworth!? What do you have to say about this!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"I see the defense is a little…" Edgeworth said, letting out a sigh. "…lacking."

"...!" Mia said.

"The scarf you are searching so desperately for... ...Is it this one, perchance?" Edgeworth asked, holding up the white scarf.

"...Ah!"

"Edgeworth? Where did you find that?" I asked, sipping on my bubble tea.

"On Dusky Bridge. I was there first, and decided to conduct my own investigation." Edgeworth said, smirking.

"Wh-Why...? Why didn't you tell me?" Gumshoe asked.

"I made a decision to keep all pieces of evidence in my personal satchel. It's the safest place I know." Edgeworth said.

"Hmph! That hot-shot sure has a flair for the dramatic…" Armando said, looking at me.

"Yup…" I said, sadly.

"It's not exactly 'white', as the caller requested... But as you can see, it's close enough, for what it was intended for." Edgeoworth said.

"Hmmm... It looks like it spent some time in the mud." The Judge said.

"Not surprising... It was drizzling on the mountain that day."

"'Fraid so." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Prosecutor Edgeworth... He was intentionally hiding that scarf the whole time!'

"The court will accept the scarf into evidence." The Judge said.

Scarf added to the Court Record.

"Now, if the attorney for the defense is finished embarrassing herself... ...I'd like to move on with the testimony. That IS alright with you, isn't it, Ms. Fey?" Edgeworth asked.

"Mia…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Boy, would I like to wrap this scarf around his smarmy little neck…'

"Very good. Now, if we're done with this mud-covered scarf business... ...the prosecution moves to establish conclusively, and with hard evidence that... ...Ms. Hawthorne and Mr. Fawles did indeed meet on that bridge that day. Further, we will show exactly what occurred there." Edgeworth said.

"That sounds quite promising. I can't wait to hear all about it." The Judge said.

"Mia, everything's okay. You have everything under control." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Argh... Everything is moving at his whim…'

"Don't forget, Kitten. There's a reason why everyone considers this kid a genius." Armando said, looking at Mia.

"Yup. I know of Edgeworth. I don't know him personally. I won't for three years." I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'A genius, huh…'

Witness Testimony

-- Events on Dusky Bridge --

"Actually, there's an eyewitness who was there when the incident took place. This photo was accidentally taken by the witness. It shows her wearing the scarf, sir. It was drizzling that day; unfortunately, it's a little hard to see what's going on. Anyway, the criminal shoved the victim down from behind and stabbed her in the back! ...That must have been when the scarf fell off." Gumshoe said.

"Hmm. Looking at this photo... ...you really get the sense that this bridge is very high up." The Judge said, looking at the bridge photo.

"It looks like a 40 feet drop from the bridge to Eagle River down below." I said, looking at the bridge photo on the TV screen nearby.

"Mr. Edgeworth, who took this photo anyway?" The Judge asked.

"Let's just say that it was a well-intentioned third party." Edgeworth said.

"Aha! A potential witness! So why isn't this person in the courtroom?" The Judge asked.

"Well... They said they absolutely did not want to testify." Gumshoe said.

"...The person in question is very delicate, Your Honor. Besides, as long as we have this photo, we see no reason to compel her to testify." Edgeworth said.

"... I'm not sure how I feel about that!" The Judge said, worried.

"As long as I don't see her. Everything's going to be fine." I said, smiling.

Witness's Photo added to the Court Record.

"So, as you can see, Terry Fawles had both the motive and the opportunity. I think it's quite clear at this point what happened on that bridge." Edgeworth said.

"... Hmm. Aha! The truth is becoming clear to me now!" The Judge said.

"Huh?" Mia asked.

"Yes, it's quite obvious. He's clearly guilty."

"N-Not again! That's not fair! I haven't even done my cross-examination yet!"

"Hmm…"

"Mia, you'll get control of the courtroom soon. I know you will." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'What do you mean, 'Hmm'!?'

Cross Examination

-- Events on Dusky Bridge --

"Actually, there's an eyewitness who was there when the incident took place." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Who is this eyewitness?"

"She's a college student!" Gumshoe said, excitedly.

"A female college student...?" Mia asked.

"That's right! Meaning she's 'female' AND a 'college student', ma'am! She doesn't do well in front of other people, so I came to testify for her."

"Maybe so! But as the attorney for the defense, I have the right to cross-examine her…"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "For the time being, we're not relying on the witness's statements... That is all."

"Wh-What is that supposed to mean!?" Mia exclaimed.

"...The prosecution has other, more decisive evidence. Our case doesn't rest on the vague testimony of a female college student."

"A female college student, eh." The Judge said.

"It means she's 'female' AND a 'college student', sir!" Gumshoe said.

"If you absolutely must hear her testimony, you'll have to give us a good reason why." Edgeworth said.

"Grrr…" Mia said.

"Please tell us about the more decisive evidence in question." The Judge said.

"This photo was accidentally taken by the witness. It shows her wearing the scarf, sir." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose.

"Well, the victim is wearing a scarf in this photo." I said, looking at the Witness's Photo.

"So, about the witness who took this photo... What was this person doing all the way in the mountains?" Mia asked.

"She was taking photos of wild flowers apparently." Gumshoe said.

"There are many unusual types of flora on that mountain, Ms. Fey. People in the area say it's because of the spirits that live there." Edgeworth said.

"S-S-Spirits! Now that you mention it, th-this photo... This cloudy fog-like thing... Is-Is it a ghost!? I-I don't believe it!" The Judge said, terrified.

"No, Your Honor, no... I don't think it's a ghost." Gumshoe said. "It was drizzling that day; unfortunately, it's a little hard to see what's going on."

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Drizzling, huh?"

"That's right. There was a light rain coming down. The whole place was dreary... ...But not as dreary as the mood that's in this court room right now. Ha ha." Gumshoe said.

"..." Mia said.

"..." Edgeworth said.

"..." The Judge said.

"Um…" I said, rolling my eyes.

"...Looks like a cold front just moved in." Gumshoe said, looking at Mia, Edgeworth, the Judge, and I.

"In any case... The point is that the area was quite damp. There was even some fog." Edgeworth said.

"I even slipped and fell while I was on the bridge. It was really something." Gumshoe said. "Anyway, the criminal shoved the victim down from behind and stabbed her in the back!"

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Is that part of the witness's testimony as well?"

"Of course it is. He pushed the victim hard in the back and she fell down right on her stomach!" Gumshoe said.

"Hmm... ...I remember that happening once myself. It was really broodle." The Judge said.

"Too much information…" I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"..." Mia said, as she thought this to herself. 'Are you talking about seeing someone get pushed, or were you the one getting pushed? Or does it mean that you pushed someone down like that once...? With his mind-boggling tales and the way he said, 'brutal', I wonder if he's Canadian…'

"Ha...! Save your nasty look for the right person." Armando said.

"Huh...?" Mia asked.

"Mia, you're missing something. God. Can you look at the Court Record?" I asked, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Hey! Watch where you spill your coffee!" Mia said, as Armando's coffee almost spilled on her body as she thought this to herself. 'The Court Record, huh…'

"Take a look at this." I said, passing Mia the Crime Photo for her to look at it.

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "So at the time of the crime, there was a light drizzle coming down, correct?"

"...That must have been when the scarf fell off." Gumshoe said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "So in other words, there was a struggle between the criminal and the victim, huh?"

"That's what the witness said. Well. It looks like she didn't remember about the scarf. But from what she said, it sounded like a pretty violent fight, ma'am." Gumshoe said.

"It's raining, it's pouring…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'The area was wet from rain. The bridge was probably wet, too. Which would explain why the scarf was all covered in mud, but... There's something about this testimony that's still bothering me…'

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose while presenting the Crime Photo. "So at the time of the crime, there was a light drizzle coming down, correct?"

"Heh, talk about a surprise. I had no idea there was a photo." Armando said, smirking.

"S-So what do I do... ?" Mia asked.

"You really still believe him? Mr. Crybaby, I mean?"

"Of course I do! Like how Jared believes in me!"

"Hmph...! So the little kitten believes in fairy tales, huh... In that case, the answer is obvious. If what you believe is the truth... ...then that means that somewhere, hidden in that testimony, is a contradiction. One huge contradiction waiting to be discovered. ...That's your chance."

"So at the time of the crime, there was a light drizzle coming down, correct?" Mia asked, looking at Gumshoe.

"Yeah, and fog, too. Just a generally soggy atmosphere." Gumshoe said.

"Well, I have evidence that doesn't go with the soggy atmosphere." Mia said, presenting the car trunk photo.

"But this is a photo of the victim's body that was found in the car trunk." The Judge said, looking over at the TV.

"Considering the conditions at the scene of the crime, something isn't right."

"..." Edgeworth said.

"Well by all means... Please enlighten us as to what isn't right! What is it about this photo of the trunk that doesn't fit with the conditions that day?" The Judge asked.

"Here you go, Mia." I said, tossing Mia the victim's coat.

"Take that!" Mia said, presenting the victim's coat. "Naturally the answer is... right here!"

"The victim's... coat? As far as I can see, there is nothing strange about it." The Judge said.

"That's exactly what's strange! Remember the testimony! What were the conditions on the bridge that day? It was drizzling and foggy. Dusky Bridge was all wet. If the victim really had fallen down on her stomach on top of the bridge... ...then the front of her coat should have been covered in mud!" Mia said.

"Urk...!" Gumshoe said, disgusted.

"...!" Edgeworth said, shocked.

"That... That's exactly right! The other day I fell on a muddy street and my gorgeous playoff beard was befouled!" The Judge yelled.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "...I do admit that the crime scene was quite wet that day. However! That doesn't mean that the top of the bridge itself was muddy! If Your Honor had fallen in the shower instead of on a muddy street... ...his glorious hockey beard, pride of the Legal League, would be wet, but not muddy!"

"Fortunately, I have yet to test that. Still, your point is well-taken."

"Can you prove that the surface of the bridge was muddy that day?"

"The surface of the bridge, huh… Mia, you can figure it out. I know you can." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Ha...! A real man wouldn't stand for a taunt like this!" Armando said.

"Neither would a real woman! A woman like Mia Fey, that is!"

"Of course I can! Thanks for believing in me, Jared!" Mia said, happily.

"...!" Edgeworth said, at a loss for words.

"Here is the evidence that proves the surface of the bridge was muddy!" Mia said, doing the Take that pose. "Take that!" She takes out the scarf and holds it up. "The evidence is... this scarf!"

"Ah...!" The Judge said.

"It should be obvious... If the scarf fell onto the bridge and got this muddy... It means that the bridge was obviously covered in mud!" Mia said.

"Urrrnngh...! No... I can't be outwitted by this novice bimbo...!" Edgeworth said, annoyed.

"Ha! Best thing to have seen all day." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Hey! Same to you, buddy!'

"Ms. Fey's assertion makes perfect sense to me…" The Judge said.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "I do admit that there appears to be a contradiction between... ...the condition of the victim's coat and her scarf. However! The real question is... why is there a contradiction?"

"Huh?" Mia asked.

"For every contradiction, there exists an explanation. Let's look at what the explanation in this case may be, shall we?" Edgeworth asked.

"A-Alright...!" Mia said, as she thought this to herself. 'It's not like he's really giving me a choice here…'

"Ha...!" Armando said, looking at Mia. "You're doing pretty good. ...For a little kitten."

"M-Mr. Armando!" Mia said, blushing a lot.

"No matter what he says, a contradiction always comes down to a lie. It's either the victim discovered in the trunk... ...the witness's photo showing the defendant and the victim... ...or the witness's testimony that stated she saw the moment of the murder. Just relax and think it over. It's pretty simple, isn't it? The false evidence... It's one of those three." Armando said.

"Hmph! What you said just now! I'm not sure I like that!" The Judge said, scoffing.

"Th-That wasn't me, Your Honor! It was the coffee aficionado over here that said it!" Mia said, annoyed.

"This court is not in the habit of accepting false evidence, you know!"

"Blame it on Edgeworth, Your Honor! He's the one trying to slip false evidence into the court!" I said, angrily.

"...!" Mia said, looking at me.

"We won't let him, won't we, Mia? We'll expose his evidence that is as useless as it can be!" I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Y-Yes! The false evidence in this case is the…" Mia said, thinking it through. "…witness's testimony. It is a no-brainer. Obviously it's the witness that's suspicious! During his earlier testimony, the detective pointed out a crucial fact. 'The criminal shoved the victim down from behind and stabbed her in the back.' Now, is that testimony exactly what the witness claims to have seen?"

"Yeah. ...That's what the witness told us." Gumshoe said.

"That testimony... is filled with holes. After all, the victim's coat isn't dirty at all." Mia said.

"Hmm... That's true." The Judge said.

"Ha...! It's not just true. It's the truth. If there was a truly decisive witness in this case... ...I'm certain that boy wonder over there would have called them in the first place!" Armando said.

"...Your Honor! The defense requests to cross-examine the eyewitness! The testimony presented so far is not only vague, but contradictory as well!" Mia said.

"Well, Mr. Edgeworth? It appears that we'll need to hear from your mystery witness after all." The Judge said.

"..." Edgeworth said, letting out a sigh. "You should brace yourself. ...For the brutal truth."

"Huh...?" Mia asked, tilting her head.

"Your Honor, the prosecution has no intention of hiding the witness from the court. We are prepared to present our witness at any time." Edgeworth said.

"Very well... Please bring forth your witness at this time." The Judge said.

"Jared, what Mr. Edgeworth said... kind of worries me... What does he mean by 'the brutal truth'?" Mia asked, looking at me.

"Spoilers." I said, sadly. "I'm sorry, Mia. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Not without changing the outcome of this trial."

"Now, let's proceed with the testimony. Mr. Edgeworth. Please go right ahead." The Judge said.

"Thank you, Your Honor. The prosecution summons... ...the woman who saw the events that day with her very own eyes." Edgeworth said.

"This is it, Mia! The battle begins here! Good luck! You got this!" I said, excitedly.

"...Witness. What is your name and occupation? …" Edgeworth said, looking at the witness.

"..." The Judge said.

"Um…" I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'Everyone is so silent that I can hear their hearts going pitter-patter…'

"Hmm... Ohh... When I look at you... How can I put it...? You look as scrumptous…" The Judge said, looking at the witness. "…as a double-double and a dozen doughnut holes... I feel like I want to hurry up and hand down a verdict just to have a bite…"

"Um…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Hey, hey! Not so fast!'

"..." Edgeworth said, letting out a sigh. "As I said before... This witness is very sensitive and delicate. I would ask the court to please exercise care when addressing her."

"Yes, indeed... Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth. You are a true gentleman. Ms. Fey! You could learn a lot from this man!" The Judge said.

"Mia…" I said, while Mia thought this to herself. '...If he's such a gentleman, he sure doesn't act like one to me.'

"Umm... Sir?" Melissa asked, looking at the Judge.

"Hmmm... Eh? Yes, my dear?" The Judge asked.

"This is my first time, so I'm sure I'll make a lot of mistakes. Anyway... I just wanted to say I'm sorry for all the trouble I might cause…"

"Hmmmmm... Not at all! It's no trouble at all!"

"Now then... May we please have your name and occupation?" Mia asked.

"My name is, umm... ...Melissa Foster. I'm a college student... A-A freshman in the literature department." Melissa said, sadly.

"Melissa, you were on the scene when the unfortunate event occurred, correct?" I asked, looking at Melissa.

"...And you were the one who took this photo? Is that accurate?" Mia asked, loading up the Witness's Photo on the TV screen.

"Waaaaaah! H-How can you be so mean...?" Melissa asked, crying.

"Now see here! What are you doing shoving that in her face like that!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"Huh? B-But it's just a photograph! It's not like it's something dangerous!" Mia said, angrily.

"Next time I'll be forced to penalize you!" The Judge yelled.

"Careful, Mia." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Uh oh... I don't like the turn this has taken…'

"..." Melissa said, looking at Mia and I.

"...?" Mia asked, as she thought this to herself. 'Is she... staring at me and Jared?'

"Umm... And you two would be...?" Melissa asked.

"Huh? I-I'm the defense lawyer. ...My name is Mia Fey." Mia said, motioning her eyes towards me. "And this is Jared Shay, he's my best friend."

"..." Melissa said. "...I see. So you are…"

"Now then, young lady. Could you please give us your testimony?" The Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor... I-I'll do my best."

Witness Testimony

-- The Witness's Photograph --

"I... I was using my camera to take some pictures of wild flowers. Then, I noticed there were two people standing up on the suspension bridge. Suddenly, they just started fighting! That's when I hurried and took the photo that shows the crucial moment. And right after that, I called the police." Melissa said.

"Hmm... By the way, where were you standing when the incident occurred...?" The Judge asked.

"I believe the map would be of help here." Edgeworth said, loading up a map of the crime scene on the TV.

"Umm... I was standing right over... here. I was standing in a beautiful field, surrounded by tall cliffs." Melissa said, pointing towards the location of the crime scene.

"So you took the photo from that location, huh." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"I brought the camera I was using at the time, just like Mr. Edgeworth asked me to." Melissa said, taking out her camera to show us.

"Ho ho ho. What a cute camera... Just like its owner." The Judge said.

Camera added to the Court Record.

"...Alright then, Ms. Fey. Time for your cross-examination. But I warn you, make the witness cry again, and you'll feel the wrath of my gavel." The Judge said, looking at Mia.

Cross Examination

-- The Witness's Photograph --

"I... I was using my camera to take some pictures of wild flowers." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Did you say... 'wild flowers'?"

"Yes, the mountain is famous for its beautiful spring wild flowers." Melissa said.

"Umm... But it's only February."

"Well, I... I couldn't wait for Spring to come."

"Ho ho... I know just how you feel! It's just like when I first started growing this glorious beard of mine... I just couldn't wait, so I wore a dyed blonde Santa beard until mine grew in properly." The Judge said.

"Your Honor, can we get back to the facts of the court case? Please." I said, frowning.

"Then, I noticed there were two people standing up on the suspension bridge." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Was there anything strange about the two of them?"

"I... I'm a bad girl. ...I know I am. It looked like they were having a really serious conversation up there... ...So I decided to watch them. Like some kind of Peeping Tom." Melissa said, sadly.

"No, not at all! Everyone is like that! I love watching other people fight, too. In fact, I can't get enough of it! ...Actually, that's why I took this job in the first place." The Judge said.

"Too much info, Your Honor!" I said, sipping on my bubble tea. "We don't need to know that."

"...In any case, it's perfectly natural for you to have kept watching them. Especially dressed as they were…" Edgeworth said, looking at Melissa.

"Well, anyway... I was watching them very closely." Melissa said. "Suddenly, they just started fighting!"

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Do you have any idea what they were fighting about?"

"Eh? No... I have no idea. Why do you ask that?" Melissa asked.

"Oh, I just thought that maybe you overheard what they said…"

"..."

"...!"

"I would never... I would never eavesdrop... I've got more class than that!" Melissa said, worried.

"That's right, Ms. Fey! Don't drag the witness down to your level!" The Judge said, angrily.

"Grrrr...! I was so close, Jared." Mia said, looking at me.

"I know, Mia." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"That's when I hurried and took the photo that shows the crucial moment." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Why did you take a photo?"

"Well, the two of them were really going at it... Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a news reporter... I guess that part of me just kind of took over…" Melissa said.

"She's lying." I said, quietly.

"Yes, I understand completely! Even now, I can't completely abandon my boyhood dreams... I still use my grandson to test my comedy routines on!" The Judge said, happily.

"..." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'So he wanted to be a comedian, huh. ...Not that it has any bearing on this.'

"All I could do was to use my camera. So I took the photo of the crucial moment and gave it to the police." Melissa said.

"Objection!" Mia said, presenting the Witness's Photo. "...Witness. When you said you took a photo of the crucial moment, is this what you meant?"

"Err…" Melissa said.

"All I can see in this photo are two people facing each other. You testified that you saw the two of them starting to fight. Normally that's the kind of thing we would refer to as a crucial moment! Why haven't you presented a photo like that!?" Mia exclaimed.

"...W-Well, you see…"

"...The photo we presented was the only one there was." Edgeworth said.

"But if you really wanted to capture the crucial moment... ...then what happened next? You must have taken a photo of it!" Mia said, angrily.

"Hm... Hmmmmm... Doh! Err... Umm... My apologies, young lady... But Ms. Fey's assertion is not without a certain amount of merit…" The Judge said, looking at Melissa.

"That is true…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'He can certainly downplay a situation, can't he…'

"...I-I'm sorry... ...I'm a very bad girl. I umm... I used it all up... The film, I mean." Melissa said, sadly.

"You ran out of film!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"Err, this photo was the last one."

"What!?" Mia exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, that is the truth. ...I personally examined all of the photographs she took that day. All the other photos are of the witness herself, playing among the wild flowers." Edgeworth said.

"The witness herself? Then who took the photos?" Mia asked.

"Well... You see... My camera has a timer feature built into it." Melissa said, frowning.

"So, you took photos of yourself!?"

"Hmm... I remember taking some photos of myself once, too!" The Judge said, smiling.

"Still. That's too much info…" I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'Please! No details...!'

"...It seems that Ms. Fey's assertion was not so decisive after all."

"W-Wait! Just a minute!" Mia said, worried.

"Well, if she had no film left, she couldn't very well take more pictures, eh." The Judge said.

"Ms. Foster, perhaps then you could tell us about a different sort of photo. Photos of the incident that you 'took' with your very own eyes." Edgeworth said.

"Mr. Edgeworth... You're quite the poet!" Melissa said, smiling.

"Very well then! Let's get back to the cross-examination. ...Let's hear your thoughts on the fight that you witnessed!" The Judge said, excitedly.

"Yes... Mr. Judge."

"Melissa." I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Boy, this guy is really a sucker for sweet talk…'

"Ha...! It looks like the other kitten in the room is the one that's getting all the attention." Armando said.

"Yeah, it's sickening." Mia said, scoffing.

"Talk about a Rose Tyler and Martha Jones situation. Where Rose got all the attention from Martha." I said, crossing my arms.

Melissa changes the statement from 'That's when I hurried and took the photo that shows the crucial moment.' to 'The victim turned around and tried to run away, but…' and she changed the other statement from 'And right after that, I called the police.' to 'She only got about 10 yards before she was stabbed in the back.'

"And right after that, I called the police." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "You called the police?"

"Yes. Because it looked to me like the murderer was going to try to escape." Melissa said.

"...We were already moving before the call even came in. Thanks to the victim's note, we had already started our operation." Edgeworth said.

"Looks like it was tough luck for the criminal then." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"The victim turned around and tried to run away, but…" Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "The victim... Why do you think she tried to run away?"

"Umm…" Melissa said, at a loss for words.

"With her police training, she certainly knew better than to turn her back on a criminal…"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "This was a large, powerful man with a knife. If it had been a quaggy woman like you, I'm sure she would have acted differently."

"Don't say that to Mia…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. ''Quaggy'!? Why you...!'

"If it had been me, I probably would have jumped into the river!" The Judge said.

"Mia, something is wrong with this testimony." I said, passing Mia the Dusky Bridge Map. "Take a look."

"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, looking down at the map. "Objection!" She does the objection pose and presented the Dusky Bridge Map. "Witness! Your testimony is a joke!"

"Huh... Wh-What...? B-But I... I just…" Melissa said, letting out some tears.

"Ms. Fey! I thought I warned you not to make the witness cry!" The Judge said, angrily.

"One short testimony and two bad contradictions... There's no possible excuse!" Mia said.

"You say there were... two contradictions!?"

"It's simple. Just take a look at the diagram of the area. According to her testimony, the two of them were in the middle of the bridge. But if they were, and the victim had turned around and tried to run…" Mia said, loading up the diagram on the TV. "Well, then…"

"S-She would've hit a dead-end...!" The Judge said, his eyes widening.

"You said 10 yards, but she couldn't have ran even 5! Because Dusky Bridge is collapsed on that side!"

"Waaaaaah!" Melissa said, crying a lot.

"Wh-What does all this mean!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"It's very simple, Your Honor. This charming, little witness told a charming, little lie. That's all there is to it." Mia said, looking at Melissa.

"Nnnn...ggg...urk…" Melissa said.

"Th-This beautiful, young lady has been l-lying to the court...?" The Judge asked.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "Just a moment, Your Honor."

"Miles…" I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'M-Mr. Edgeworth...!'

"Your Honor... Allow me to personally apologize for the confusion." Edgeworth said.

"What do you mean?" The Judge asked.

"There's one major mistake in this diagram."

"What did you say!?" Mia exclaimed.

"What are you referring to?" The Judge asked.

"It's all because this diagram was made after the incident occurred. It's a very old bridge... We couldn't find any official blueprints of it." Edgeworth said.

"S-So you're saying...?"

"I'm saying that even though this bridge is currently in disrepair... ...there's no evidence that can prove that the bridge was broken during the incident."

"Th-That's ridiculous...!" Mia said, scoffing.

"You can't actually tell the condition of the bridge from this photo... I apologize to the court for not being more clear when I presented the evidence." Edgeworth said.

"Hmm. Hmmmm…" The Judge said.

"Seeing Edgeworth as a video game character. And seeing him in person is two different things. God, he's good. Really good." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Mia asked, looking at me.

"Edgeworth planned this trial the way it is since the very beginning. He's really good. The diagram of the bridge was his insurance policy, Mia."

"What!? That coward!"

"Well, Ms. Fey... It seems you've once again made a reckless accusation." The Judge said, looking at Mia.

"...!" Mia said, at a loss for words.

"I-I'm so sorry! I should have been more careful myself...!" Melissa said, sadly.

"No, no, no, no! It wasn't YOUR fault at all!" The Judge said, reassuring Melissa.

"Now then... Shall we go on with the trial? I'd like to establish, once and for all, what it was that the witness actually saw." Edgeworth said.

"Indeed. Alright, young lady... May I ask you to please proceed with your testimony?" The Judge asked.

"But I... It's so hard to go on...!" Melissa said, sadly.

"We're all on your side, Ms. Foster!"

"There's no need to worry. Just tell us what you saw." Edgeworth said.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Melissa said.

Witness Testimony

-- Running From the Crime --

"After he stabbed her in the back, he quickly picked her up in his arms. Then he carried her over to the car. I suppose that was the only way he could make sure the body stayed hidden. He couldn't just leave the body on top of the bridge. Oh, I'm sorry... I'm only supposed to talk about what I saw." Melissa said.

"Hmm... Witnessing such violence must have been difficult." The Judge said.

"Yes, sir... I-I'm still shaken up…" Melissa said, sadly.

"Mia, if he accepts this testimony as it is, we're finished." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"D-Don't say that...!" Mia said, worried.

"Oh well... Maybe I'll stop off at my favorite café on the way home. They make a really great mocha latté… Jared, do you want to come with me?" Armando asked.

"Sure. A mocha latté sounds nice right about now." I said, happily.

"Mr Armando, Jared, this trial isn't over yet!" Mia said, looking between Armando and I.

"Ha...! That's what I like to hear…" Armando said.

"Alright, Ms. Fey. Your cross-examination, if you please." The Judge said.

"The contradiction is staring you right in the face, Mia! Go on the attack formation!" I said, excitedly.

Cross Examination

-- Running From the Crime --

"After he stabbed her in the back, he quickly picked her up in his arms." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Are you saying that the victim didn't fall down on the bridge?"

"Err... Umm... Actually, maybe she did fall."

"Of course she didn't fall down on the bridge. If she had fallen down, this photo wouldn't make any sense. If that was the case, her coat would've been all muddy." Edgeworth said.

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "If you don't mind, I was asking the witness!"

"No need to be so rude." Edgeworth said, letting out a sigh.

"Well, young lady?" The Judge asked.

"... Of course she didn't fall down. The man in the prison uniform grabbed her before she could." Melissa said.

"..." Mia said.

"Ha...! We're one step too slow…" Armando said.

"And then, what did the defendant do after that?" Edgeworth asked.

"Then he carried her over to the car." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "You personally witnessed that?"

"Y-Yes…" Melissa said, sadly.

"Did anything strange happen when he did that?"

"Well, I don't know if you'd call it strange or not... ...but that's when the victim's scarf fell off."

"Do you mean this scarf?" I asked, holding up the white scarf.

"Her words match what we found at the scene. I don't see any problem…" Edgeworth said.

"I suppose that was the only way he could make sure the body stayed hidden." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "You mean the defendant carried the body all by himself?"

"Y-Yes…" Melissa said, frowning.

"Considering the size of the defendant, I don't think it would be difficult." Edgeworth said.

"Yes, but... Let's remember they were on a narrow bridge that was ready to collapse! Is it even possible for him to have carried a dead body on a bridge like that...?" Mia asked.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "Well, the fact of the matter is that he DID! That kind of talk is just silly!"

"Edgeworth…" I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Wow... Why did he get so emotional all of a sudden?'

"Ms. Fey, if you think there's some other possibility, please share it with the rest of us." The Judge said.

"Mia…" I said, passing Mia the Dusky Bridge Map. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, looking down at the Dusky Bridge Map. "Objection!" She does the objection pose before loading up the map on the TV screen. "A killer not wanting his victim to be found... I can understand that. However! The idea of moving the body for that purpose is clearly odd. There was a much easier way to make sure the body wasn't found!"

"..." Edgeworth said, at a loss for words.

"W-Well? What is it!?" The Judge asked.

"Take another look at the map of the area and you'll see how. There's a river right below the bridge. Earlier Mr. Edgeworth pointed out something interesting about the river." Mia said, loading up the map of the area on the TV.

"For those who are not aware, Eagle River is well-known for its powerful current. Most bodies that fall in are never recovered…" Edgeworth said.

"Ahh…" The Judge said, widening his eyes.

"In the kidnapping case 5 years ago, the victim's body was carried away and never found." Mia said.

"...!" Melissa said, at a loss for words.

"If 10 murders were to occur at that same spot above the Eagle River... ...you can bet your boots that every other killer would have tossed the body in the water!"

"Order! Order! Order! I'm not sure if I care for the way you put that, Ms. Fey! But I must admit it does seem odd not to have thrown the body into the river!" The Judge said, looking at Mia.

"Ooooh...!" Melissa said, happily.

"Well, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"How sad." Edgeworth said, letting out a sigh. "Perhaps Ms. Fey would do well to try taking a dip in the river herself. After all, you claim to be such an expert in the ways of nature…"

"What are you talking about?" Mia asked.

"My point is that no matter how odd you may find the killer's method of body-disposal... ...the fact is that this is what the killer did. None of your arguments have anything to do with what the witness saw."

"Hmm... Quite true... Ms. Fey, it seems that your assertion is without merit after all." The Judge said, looking at Mia.

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "But what the witness claims to have seen is totally ridiculous…"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "Surely you can't deny that the body was found in the trunk of the car."

"That's certainly consistent with what the witness has told us." The Judge said.

"Ugh…" Mia said, annoyed.

"Please, witness, go on with your testimony." Edgeworth said, looking at Melissa.

"I-I'll try…" Melissa said, sadly.

"All you have to do is tell us only what you saw. Otherwise the mean lady might yell at you again."

"Jared, who is he talking about!?" Mia exclaimed.

"Not saying." I said, laughing a little.

"Alright! I-I'll do my best!" Melissa said, nervously.

Melissa changes the statement from 'I suppose that was the only way he could make sure the body stayed hidden.' to 'The killer broke into the trunk of the stolen car and hid the body in there.'

"The killer broke into the trunk of the stolen car and hid the body in there." Melissa said.

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "What did the man do then?"

"Well... Naturally, he got in the car and was about to flee. That's... That's when I came to my senses. I said to myself, 'You have to call the police!'"

"So, that's when you called the police." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"You're sure that you saw all that with your own eyes?" Mia asked, looking at Melissa.

"Yes. I'm 100% certain." Melissa said.

"The map… Look at it…" I said, sipping on my bubble tea.

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose and presenting the Dusky Bridge Map to the court. "Well, Ms. Foster... It looks like you've done it this time."

"...? D-Done what?" Melissa asked.

"Made a crucial mistake." Mia said.

"A c-crucial mistake? Like what, Ms. Fey!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"'The killer broke into the trunk of the stolen car and hid the body in there.' You're saying you saw that, right? With your very own eyes?"

"Y-Yes... And...?" Melissa asked.

"It's simple, Ms. Foster. Take a look at the diagram. The place you claim to have taken the photo from that day is here. Do you see what I mean? Even if you tried to see the car... ...this outcropping of rock is directly in the way." Mia said.

"Ah...!"

"That's right, Ms. Foster." I said, smirking. "From where you were standing, you couldn't have seen the killer's car. I knew this when I first saw it."

"Aaaaah...!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "I admit that the diagram shows a large outcropping of rock. However... It isn't so tall that it would stop her from seeing the car!"

"Th-That's right! It-It's not high at all... I-I was able to see his car just fine!" Melissa said, worried.

"I'm so sorry... But that just doesn't wash." Mia said.

"...!"

"I believe it was the witness who presented this as evidence to the court, yes? This is the location that the photo was taken from. Your own photo tells the whole story! You can clearly see the left side of the bridge... But the outcropping that is being referred to is really more like a cliff." Mia said, looking at the Witness's Photo.

"Ah!" The Judge said, his eyes widening.

"Your view should have been completely cut off by this cliff! But still you claim to have been able to see the killer's car!"

"... Noooooo!" Melissa yelled.

"Or-Order! Order in the court! What is the meaning of all this ballyhoo...!?"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "Your Honor... Don't jump to any hasty conclusions. The fact that the escapee fled in a stolen car was reported on the news. After witnessing a murder, I'm sure you can appreciate that the witness was very upset. She must have heard about the stolen car and convinced herself that she saw it."

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "But she was repeatedly warned before starting her testimony! She was told to testify only about what she saw with her own eyes!"

"Hmmmmm... Oh!" The Judge said.

"Err... Mr. Judge?" Melissa asked.

"Wh-What is it?"

"I think... I think I must have remembered things wrong…"

"Hold it!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "Hey! Wait a minute! You can't just say that...!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "Ms. Fey, no one on the face of the planet is perfect."

"Hmmmm... Yes, indeed... Quite true! You know what they say... 'To err is human, to forgive, divine.' I'm inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to our witness here." The Judge said.

"What...!? Th-That's not fair...!" Mia said, annoyed.

"Ha...! Save the tears for later, Kitten!" Armando said, happily.

"M-Mr. Armando!"

"Mia, don't look back until this trial is over. Now you carry on." I said, happily.

"B-But...! But that wasn't fair!" Mia said, looking at me.

"Mia, it's okay. Just relax. Do you remember Melissa Foster's testimony?" I asked.

"The killer broke into the trunk of the stolen car and hid the body in there." Melissa said.

"So can you tell us, how did you know that? How did you know the killer broke into the trunk?"

"Aha...!" Mia said, happily.

"Until you can tell us how you knew that. You're gonna have a lot of suspicious people on this side of the courtroom."

"..." Melissa said, at a loss for words.

"W-Well, witness?" The Judge asked.

"Well, I'm certain that he broke into the trunk. Because... Because there were marks left on the trunk lid. I'm certain they were scratch marks from when he broke into it...!" Melissa said, sadly.

"W-What...!? L-Let me see that photo! It's true... These certainly look like scratch marks around the keyhole! HMMMM...! It's obvious that this trunk has been broken open. Well, Ms. Fey? Are you satisfied...?"

"Mia, there's a contradiction. You need to sway the judge over from Miss Foster's side to ours. Scratch marks." I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"Thank you." Mia said, smiling, before looking at Melissa. "It doesn't work. Melissa Foster. It looks like you've finally betrayed yourself."

"What...!?" Melissa exclaimed.

"You said you were in a field taking photos of wild flowers. But even so, you knew about the scratches... The question is when! When did you get a chance to see those scratches!?"

"..."

"Finally! You finally got her, Mia! Took you long enough!" I said, happily.

"Ha...! Jared and I are getting pretty tired of waiting over here!" Armando said, excitedly.

"Then perhaps it would be faster if Ms. Fey explained herself." Edgeworth said, looking between Armando and I.

"Your Honor! There's only one possible explanation! The reason the witness had seen the scratches was… she put the corpse in herself." Mia said, looking at the Judge. "There's only one way that the witness had the chance to see those scratches."

"Y-Yes? What was it?" The Judge asked.

"Naturally... When she opened the trunk... and stuffed the corpse in herself!"

"...!" Edgeworth said, at a loss for words.

"The person who really hid the body in the trunk of that car was... Melissa Foster! It was you that did it, wasn't it!?" Mia exclaimed.

"Th-That's ridiculous! I could never...! It was the man in the prison garb! He-He's the one that…" Melissa said, looking at Fawles.

"I don't think so, Ms. Foster. If Mr. Fawles had been the one that put the corpse in the trunk... ...he would have simply used the car key. There was no need to break it open."

"B-But...! He stole the car...!"

"He stole it from a young couple that had been waiting at a red light. Which means that the key would have still been in the ignition."

"Oh...! I-I... I see…"

"Thank you for telling us about the scratches, Ms. Foster. Without that, we never would have uncovered the truth. It couldn't have been Mr. Fawles that put the body in the trunk!"

"Nooooo!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "P-Preposterous! To even suggest that the witness put the body in there! If that were true... then how do you explain the photo that she took? The corpse could only have been put in the trunk when the incident occurred. And we already know that at the time, she was taking photographs!"

"Now's your chance, Mia! Finish this thing!" I said, squeezing Mia's hand.

"On the contrary, I'm not so certain about that anymore, Mr. Edgeworth." Mia said, looking at Edgeworth.

"...!" Edgeworth said.

"There's no need to think too deeply about it. What I'm saying is the shutter for this may not have been pushed by Ms. Foster herself!" Mia said, presenting the Camera. "Take that!" She does the Take that pose. "I don't think you can make a mistake about it. Take a look at her camera. It has a timer built into it! Even a mini-tripod!"

"Hmmmm...!" The Judge said.

"Almost as if the camera was brought just to take this picture!"

"..." Melissa said.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "What are you trying to say then, Ms. Fey!? That when the crime occurred, Ms. Foster wasn't in the field as she claimed!?"

"Mia, think about it. If Melissa Foster did use the camera's auto timer feature…she could be somewhere else, right?" I asked, sipping on my bubble tea.

"Exactly. She was NOT in the field." Mia said, looking at me.

"Hmm... Would the defense please explain further." The Judge said.

"Listen... This is a crucial point. 'Where was Ms. Foster when the incident occurred...?' In answering that question, we'll also make clear Ms. Foster's true identity." Armando said.

"Well then, please answer this question. Where was Melissa Foster when the incident on the bridge occurred?"

"Victim…" I said, frowning. "Position..."

"Jared, you are throwing hints left and right today." Mia said, doing the Take that pose. "Take that!" She points to the victim's position and presents it to the court. "Naturally, the witness was right here!"

"B-But that's... But that's where the victim, Ms. Hawthorne was standing! Order! Order! Order! Ms. Fey! What on earth...!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"Your Honor, if I may... After parting with the 'victim' on the bridge, the defendant fled by car. But this would mean that there was no time to put the victim in the trunk. In other words, if someone put the body in the trunk... ...it could only have been before the defendant met the 'victim'!" Mia said.

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "How asinine! Of course Mr. Fawles met with the victim! The only person with the opportunity to have put the victim in the trunk... ...is the same man that killed her, Terry Fawles!"

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "You still don't understand, do you, Mr. Edgeworth? By the time the witness's photo was taken, the victim was already dead... The person in the photo was NOT Valerie Hawthorne!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "What!? I've never heard anything more ridiculous in my entire life! Then who exactly is the 'victim' in this photo!?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? It's your own witness, Miles Edgeworth. I had to let Mia figure it all out. Because where's the fun in telling her everything." I said, smiling.

"...!" Melissa said, at a loss for words.

"Wh-Wh-Whaaaat...!?" The Judge exclaimed.

"And it's the only possible explanation. The woman that Mr. Fawles met on the bridge that day was not Valerie Hawthorne! It was you! Melissa Foster!" Mia said, looking at Melissa.

"M-M-Me...!?" Melissa exclaimed.

"Let's remember that it was raining and foggy on the mountain that day. Mr. Fawles himself believed that the woman in front of him was Valerie Hawthorne!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth said, doing the Objection pose. "But the defendant knew Valerie Hawthorne very well! After all, she was the woman whose testimony helped get him convicted!"

"Objection!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "But since then, my client has spent five hard years in a federal penitentiary! He couldn't remember exactly what she looked like anymore!"

"You are just making this up as you go along! Where's your proof!?"

"Mia…" I said, picking up the scarf. "Your proof is right here. It will blow the case right open."

"Thank you." Mia said, picking up the scarf. "At the time of the incident, Mr. Fawles had forgotten what Valerie Hawthorne looked like!" She does the Take that pose. "Take that!" And she grabs the scarf from me. "Mr. Fawles had forgotten the victim's face. That's why he needed some piece of identification. Namely, this muddy scarf!"

"Ah...!" Melissa said.

"It was Mr. Fawles who requested that she wear this scarf to identify herself. That's already been proven by the note the victim left!"

"..." Edgeworth said.

"In other words, as long as you were wearing a scarf like he asked... ...anyone could have pretended to be Valerie Hawthorne!" Mia said.

"..." Melissa said, looking at Mia.

"Well? What do you have to say to that, Melissa Foster!?"

"Nnng...Gggh...Unnn...! N-N-N-N-N-Nnnnoooooooo!!!" Melissa said, running out of the courtroom.

"Err... Ahh... Where's Ms. Foster...?" The Judge asked.

"She's collecting herself in the Lobby." I said, frowning.

"Hmmmmm…"

"It's obvious that Melissa Foster did it. She hid the body in the trunk and disguised herself as the victim... She set up the camera to snap a fake photo of them together…" Mia said, looking between Armando and I.

"The only question is... why did she do it...?" Armando asked.

"Well, isn't that obvious? She's the true criminal!" Mia said.

"Ha...!" Armando said, happily.

"Well, we'll have to wait for Ms. Foster to compose herself before we start again. Until then, this court is in recess. The defense and the prosecution are instructed to wait in the lobby." The Judge said.

"Yes, Your Honor." Mia said.

"Understood." Edgeworth said.

"Very well! This court is in recess!" The Judge said.