Chapter Text
June 27, 9: 12 AM
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 7
Two people are currently waiting in the lobby for the trial about to take place in less than an hour. One is the idol, walking back and forth with half skipping, half dragging feet steps. Her hand is fidgeting around the cat hairpin between her fingers, sometimes even biting the corner of the porcelain accessory if the thought passing through her mind is scarier than the prior.
And the other one is her temporary manager, sitting on the bank with his hands resting at the back of his head, eyes following the young girl’s trail in the room. Catra stops waddling around like a cat with something popping up in her head, stomping her foot in visible anxiety.
“What if something happened and that’s why he couldn’t come here yet?!” She asks, her words coming out faster because of the extreme worry she’s feeling. It should have been the defense attorney and his co-counsel waiting for them here, not vice versa.
“Easy, Callie.”
“How can you be so calm?!”
“I’m calm because there’s still more time.” Theodore answers with a nonchalant shrug. He closes his eyes, resting his hands and head onto the wall behind. “That lawyer said that he doesn’t own a car, right? Probably got stuck in the bus traffic or something.”
“The traffic… Oh my goodness, you’re right, what if he got into an accident? Maybe a car crashed into him, and that’s why he’s not here yet?!”
“I think you’re just exaggerating. And if a car crashed into your lawyer, believe me he would still come here.” Because his eyes are closed, the young girl kicking his leg in full force startles the manager more than it should have.
“H-hey! I didn’t even say anything bad!”
“Hmph!” The idol turns around and folds her arms, refusing to give an answer. Of course I know that’s the most logical possibility , she thinks to herself, shoulders shrinking down. But he doesn’t know a single thing about the conversation I had with the prosecutor, that’s why Theodore is so calm.
Speaking of… She cannot recall if she saw Mr. Edgeworth today either, and he arrives there even earlier than all of them combined. The most punctual guy in that bunch isn’t even around, which is enough reason for Catra to freak out.
“It’s too dangerous for me to bring it back myself, so I will tell you where it could be instead.” she said yesterday, after practicing how she should do it by talking to her reflection on the wheel’s plate while she was hiding behind Mr. Edgeworth’s car. Good thing that she wasn’t wearing the cat ears around that time, otherwise that would look ridiculous.
“...Huh.” A chuckle escaped his lips right after that confession, she remembers it too. “So you finally decided not to get your hands any more dirty, is that what I should understand from your admittal?”
“Guess you can say that.” And Catra tried responding with the same harsh, slightly mocking tone — just mirroring what she could catch from the prosecutor’s voice.
“I promised someone not to get involved in the case anymore. The rest is up to Mr. Wright to solve, and I trust him. If you ever trusted someone in your life, then maybe you would have understood what I mean.”
Now thinking about it again, the last bit sounded mean, way too mean. It felt good, surely, but Catra probably shouldn’t have said that. Because she still remembers how these words caused the prosecutor’s eyes to widen up, a reaction she wasn’t expecting to see on a man as calm and collected as him. Could go even further and say… he was taken off guard.
Oh my god… With her hands covering her now-flushed face, she drops onto her feet and lets out a shriek involuntarily. Why did I even say that, now he’s not even gonna help me!
“Hey, calm down!” The manager finally realizes that the situation may be more serious than it looks and gets up from his seat, putting one hand on her shoulder after a moment of hesitation.
“Should we try giving Mr. Lawyer a call, then? Just so we know that he’s not dead in a ditch, or whatever you’re afraid of happening.” Theodore hates admitting it, but his mentor was infinitely better in handling unexpected scenarios like this. And good thing is, that woman’s not even here to pull his ponytail and scold him for “acting insensitive”.
“Y-yeah. I don’t know why I didn’t think about calling Mr. Wright in the first place…ha ha!” Catra forces herself to chuckle, getting up from the corner of the lobby she was crouched at. “Do you have his phone number?”
“I was uh… sort of using his business card in your dressing room to dial his number, and it disappeared out of nowhere, so… No, I don’t have his number.” Perhaps the manager should have lied about not having the contact information, because the glare Catra threw at him right at that moment was nothing like he has seen on the idol’s face before — very reminiscent of the glare his mentor puts up.
“You couldn’t even bother saving his number on your contacts?! You’re unbelievable!” The mixture of disappointment and desperation in the young girl’s voice urges him to quickly blurt out a “ I will find it in no time, don’t worry about it ”, but it’s useless.
“Oh wait! I can still call Miss Maya!” She snatches the phone with the pink cover from the manager’s belt — the costume makes it really difficult for her to carry anything larger than a memory flashcard, it’s still a miracle that nobody noticed her carrying the screwdriver up in her sleeve while she was walking out of the recording booth.
She sits to the other side of the bank, dialing the number while biting the corner of her porcelain cat hairpin, thinking about what else could be done if this doesn’t work out either. The manager means to ask since when she has the co counsel’s number, but decides not to after seeing the glare on Catra’s face still prevailing.
Nobody answers the call, but before the idol can start freaking out about how she can’t reach anyone when it’s absolutely necessary, the lobby’s door is opened part ways. “Oh hey! You two are already here, nice!”
Catra gets up from her seat almost in jumping speed, instinctively rushing to hug the spirit medium carrying the briefcase. Her sudden act surprises both the spirit medium and the defense attorney standing behind, rendering both of them speechless for a split second.
“Where were you guys, I started thinking that something serious has happened!”
“Well uh…” The loud sniffle cuts off Maya’s sentence, and the rest of it comes off with a hint of hesitation and guilt in her voice. “We missed a bus stop because I couldn’t wake Nick up on the right one, then we had to walk all the way back to the courtroom, so… Nothing serious.”
“A-ah. T-that’s relieving to hear, then.” Catra’s eyes finally find the defense attorney she was worried about deeply just seconds ago, noticing the tired looks in his eyes and the bandages partly hidden by his hairline. Those combined with how he’s even quieter than his usual self is enough to push the idol back to her anxious state.
“Are you sure that you’re doing well, Mr. Wright? You look awful.” If this didn’t come from Catra and if she genuinely didn’t look concerned, what she just said would sting even worse.
“He’s just mega sleepy, don’t worry about it.” Maya answers the question on Phoenix’s behalf, something he’s actually really grateful for. Trying to suppress his yawn with a chuckle wouldn’t come off so nice, after all.
“What about the bandages, then?” Catra places both of her hands on the defense attorney’s face, in the same way she would hold an injured baby bird in her palms. Surprisingly, her hands are way colder than what he anticipated from someone who kept getting described as ‘warm’.
“Those, uh… That’s embarrassing but I walked into a glass door yesterday.”
(Really, Phoenix? That’s the best you can come up with?)
Not his best lie, but he doesn’t have the enough energy to come up with an elaborate, complicated scenario to keep the actual reason of why he has several glass shard scratches patched on his face a secret. And what he just said sounds convincing enough for his client, so why worry about it? That’s not the first time he messed up with broken glass, anyways.
“See?! Told you it was going to be nothing serious.” Theodore interrupts abruptly, folding his arms with a sly smile on his face for being proven right. “Callie thought you ended up dead in a ditch, or something like that.”
(Hey..! Almost.)
Phoenix is actually certain about not telling what went down yesterday, though more than enough people know about the incident already. But all of them agreed on not letting a single word out, so it should be fine.
…Unless it gets brought up during the trial. What happens in the courtroom stays there by the common etiquette, but unfortunately it’s not possible to say the exact same for vice versa. Especially if the incident in question and everything in its follow-up is pointing at the case, so it’s really difficult for Phoenix to brush it off aside until everything is over.
(Well, not everything… This is exclusively about Edgeworth and his ‘selfish request’.)
The image of him caressing Phoenix’s face with his thumb and listening to every single word in perfect focus is yet to simmer down in the defense attorney’s memory. Because as impossible as it feels, the conversation that will possibly affect the course of their entire relationship happened hours ago. Not even a whole day.
A few hours ago, Phoenix was sitting on the prosecutor’s couch, asking for more honesty for the sake of their relationship. Voice hushed, eyes slightly closed to not divert his attention from the thumb brushing his cheekbone. And hours later, he was standing in the middle of the defendant lobby, trying to convince his client that nothing life-threatening happened to him on the way to the courthouse. Time was truly an exciting concept, wasn’t it?
Speaking of him… Edgeworth is still nowhere to be found, which is unusual since this is the case he’s intending to bring an end to by today. Perhaps he actually took the toll of investigating the incident from yesterday, but he wouldn’t risk being late for a trial he’s directly responsible for. Specifically for the defense attorney.
( Or maybe he would, if I decided to dramatize things a little bit after how he was acting last night…)
Phoenix’s monologue gets interrupted with hands placed onto his cheeks lifting up to slap him in the face, and the sound alone is enough to startle everyone in the lobby.
“W… what was that for?!”
“To wake you up! We can’t let you fall asleep in the middle of the trial, can we?” The idol answers cheerfully, but her words are immediately followed by, “Though it may be a bit overkill, I’m sorry.” hastily.
“Yeah, yeah it was!” Not as if it didn’t work as intended, because the shock of these unexpected slaps genuinely made Phoenix feel less drowsy.
“Wah, I’m so so so sorry!” Catra pulls her hands back to keep them close to her chest in a hurry. “I feel so… uneasy today, so if I keep acting out of line again please tell me instantly.”
(That’s great, but why are you telling me after slapping me in the face?!)
“Well, you’re not used to doing all of these, so it’s normal for you to feel this anxious.” Maya places a hand on the idol’s shoulder to calm her down.
“I know, and I promised Dorothea not to get involved any further, but what if there’s something else I should have done to help before it’s too late?”
“Actually, after everything you told Ms. Atkins yesterday, there shouldn’t be anything you could possibly do more to help.” Phoenix replies, rubbing his face’s left side hoping the redness left behind from the impact is not that much. “We talked with her after your visit.”
All that’s left should be putting all the scattered puzzle pieces, and filling in the blanks, something that’s up to him and a certain prosecutor. A classical courtroom tango, in other words.
Can he… can he even say that? Now that they’ve made up, it should be more than appropriate to say that, though the prosecutor in question is still not around yet. Maybe it should be him instead of Phoenix to be worried about current whereabouts.
Appropriately timed, the lobby’s door is knocked twice before it reveals the silhouette of Edgeworth carrying two folders underneath the right arm. One is the folder for the ongoing case, the number written on the spine gives it away. The second one is for… not exactly sure what is stuffed in that one yet, but an educated guess tells Phoenix that it’s for the discoveries to be used in today’s trial. And from the look of it, there will be a lot to unpack today.
“Ah, good morning Mr. Prosecutor!” The manager gleefully jumps in front of that small group to greet him, but gets ignored despite the eagerness. What catches his attention is something else, which is something he notices after standing in front of the defense attorney.
“What happened to your face?” Assuming that both unanimously decided that anything related to last night’s incident won’t get mentioned, he must be talking about the redness on Phoenix’s face. Luckily before he can answer, the idol intervenes.
“It’s because I slapped him— but only to wake him up, don’t get anything wrong!” She adds the last bit in a rush, flapping her hands in the air as if that will prevent any misunderstandings from happening.
“Interesting choice of remedy, was it effective at least?”
(Hey, why are you siding with her?!)
It’s not like Phoenix overslept or anything he will accept the blame without any refusals. If he remembers the hours he got out of Edgeworth’s apartment accurately, the defense attorney is currently standing there with three hours of sleep, and a half if he counts the unintentional power nap he took during the bus ride. Three hours of sleep, two hours of sweeping the floor and scrubbing every little corner of the office, one and a half hour of juggling phone calls with his co-counsel and rearranging his case files after some of them were rendered unusable by the bloodstains he spent hours scrubbing.
It was his given right to just say: Please give me a break, all of you.
“Before the trial, I may need to discuss an important detail with you personally, Ms. Catra.” The prosecutor points at the idol, whose shoulders become incredibly tense after realizing what he might be referring to. Also the momentary gaze Edgeworth threw at the defense attorney must have exposed his loosely done, heavily creased shirt collars— his best attempt for a tie knot while running to the bus stop.
“And by that I believe your lawyer can have some spare time to find a mirror and get his act together. What do you think?”
“O-okay.” With the idol nodding profusely, the prosecutor excuses himself and leaves the lobby. Catra’s fingers start tapping each other and she lowers her looks to the floor tiles.
“You’re shivering.” Maya intervenes to the idol’s anxious fidgeting by gently placing her hand on her shoulder and leaving closer.
“Hey, what do you usually do when you're backstage of a production like, say, a TV show?”
“Oh. Good question.” Catra touches her chin, trying to recall her experiences in the studio. What does she actually even do? Aside from sitting at a silent corner, watching staff members run around in an inexpressible rush alongside Dorothea trying her best to make sure everything is done accordingly… playing with her costume’s accessories, before eventually falling into the thoughts of whether she really wants to do this as long as possible or not.
Am I… really happy with where I stand right now?
“Guess I… sing to myself.” The idol responds after giving it another thought, and coming to the conclusion that’s the closest answer she can come up with a proper solution. It definitely was easier to pretend-play with the costume back then, now she hates even putting the accessories from the bottom of her heart.
“See? Just hum along to a tune, then. It should do the trick.” The spirit medium replies with a gleeful tone in order to cheer her up, something Catra is actually really grateful for.
If both Mr. Wright and Miss Maya are telling me that everything will be fine, then it should be fine.
Yet there isn’t a single song to hum along popping up to her mind at that moment. All the songs she spent days, even weeks to memorize for a recording just don’t feel suited for the moment… Then she remembers a melody she heard somewhere the other day. An easy to memorize tune from an instrumental song, not sure where that even dawned onto her.
But the defense attorney does recognize the tune, it’s one of the songs burned into that CD. If he was more awake, he would immediately question where the young girl even heard it. But he decides to brush it off as a mere coincidence.
****
Men’s restroom is small enough to barely fit a person within, probably it’s done that way to prevent sworn witnesses from going into hiding before testifying, or shady practices like getting rid of important documents from taking place. This is also strengthened by the wall clock placed right over the entrance door, so whoever is using it can keep track of the time while still contemplating their life choices before appearing in front of the court.
5 minutes to the next session, if everything goes well and there won’t be any postponement decisions made before the hearing, the verdict should be given in maybe two or… three hours. What comes in next is a mystery, not only for his client but also for Phoenix himself.
The restroom mirror is covered in fingerprints and scratches, which makes it more difficult for him to check his own reflection while redoing his tie. At least he can tell that the only remaining clue from last night’s ambush is the expression with fatigue written all over his face. The rest is covered up by the bandages he decided to leave aside.
With a distracting creaking sound, the door opens. Phoenix turns his gaze from his undone tie to the reflection of the door to see who just entered in.
“I honestly expected you to come with a story more convoluted than a simple glass door accident.” Edgeworth rests his back to the wall behind him, after pushing the door with the tip of his shoe.
“Well, sometimes simple choices are better.”
“Perhaps they are. But my instincts tell me that it was more of a spontaneous decision than an intentional choice of simplicity.” The prosecutor folds his arms with a soft grin, his answer causing the defense attorney to steer his gaze back to his tie.
Unfortunately, scrubbing down bloodstains in the hours he should have been long asleep are not quite overflowing with inspiration. But Edgeworth must be aware of it, assuming he’s just joking lightly. And if he’s joking around about it, that should mean he already has held that impromptu meeting with Catra. Knowing her, the story must have reached the prosecutor in a more detailed way than how Phoenix told her initially.
Good. Saves time for everybody involved.
Edgeworth slowly gets up from the corner he’s standing, approaching the defense attorney busy with scrubbing a small patch of stain on the tip of his tie.
“Also, I found your note. You couldn’t have left that in a more inconvenient place.” He continues in a somehow lower and calmer tone, as his fingers start adjusting Phoenix’s collar by fixing the creases. The defense attorney simply obliges by pulling back his hands, allowing the prosecutor to do whatever he wants. “Why did you leave it on the kitchen counter instead of my bed stand? And don’t tell me it’s because of Pess.”
The Golden Retriever seemed to remember her fondness for the household’s most frequent guest, remembering how she kept roaming between rooms to check on Phoenix. And it was really easy for Edgeworth to tell that the defense attorney left the apartment completely this morning before he woke up, because Pess was lying in front of the door as if she was waiting for someone to return.
“I didn’t want to separate you from your sleep.” Phoenix answers while the prosecutor is adjusting the tie’s end folds. “You look cute when you’re asleep, and not sure if it’s the snore or the messy hair… Actually it could be both.”
“Keep your romantic endeavours post-verdict, will you?” Edgeworth pulls the tie’s first loop intentionally to catch Phoenix off guard, drawing him closer as the defense attorney tries to muffle a cough with a chuckle. A thumb pushes him by the chin to look up. Both actually know well that the real answer was really obvious, so it didn’t even need to be reiterated. If Edgeworth woke up, he definitely would have asked the defense attorney to stay a little bit longer.
“Fine . Then you should be ready for a myriad of compliments. And it starts the moment you step out of that courtroom.”
“A myriad? If you’re trying to cheat your way into a more laid-back trial, then it will be sort of redundant of me to reiterate that it won’t work on me.”
“Oh I wouldn’t even think an inkling of that, Mr. Edgeworth.”
“Then act accordingly, Mr. Wright.” The second pull for the loop forces the defense attorney to take a step closer towards the prosecutor, a wide smile full of confidence resting on his face. Edgeworth’s grip on the carefully done tie becomes tighter before a similar smile also blooms on the corner of his lips.
“But, I wouldn’t mind a good luck kiss. You know it works like a charm.” His addition causes Edgeworth to raise a brow for a mere second, before it dissolves into a self-assured expression.
“You don’t need luck. You just need to focus, the rest will follow you anyways.” The prosecutor hooks his index finger to the tie’s knot, abruptly closing the gap between their faces for a fast paced kiss. Edgeworth taking a step back and leaving the restroom happens almost in one moment, but Phoenix still is able to catch a glimpse of the delighted expression on his face.
(Wishing me good luck? That would only happen in my dreams, I suppose.)
June 27, 10:00 AM
District Court
Courtroom No. 10
JUDGE:
The courtroom is now in session for the trial of Ms. Dorothea Atkins.
EDGEWORTH:
The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.
(Up front in the gallery sits the idol, showing two awkwardness-induced thumbs up after coming eye to eye with the defense council. It’s such a different sight to see when it’s compared to her joyful acts in the witness stand yesterday.)
PHOENIX:
The defense is ready, Your Honor.
JUDGE:
Mr. Edgeworth, you can proceed with your opening statement.
EDGEWORTH:
Before that, Your Honor, may I approach the bench?
(With the judge’s approval, the prosecutor stands in front of the bench, leaving the defense council to the companionship of the whispers coming from the gallery for a short minute.)
JUDGE:
[sternly]
Very well. I will be taking it into consideration for the final verdict.
EDGEWORTH:
Much appreciated.
MAYA:
[whispering]
Hey, what could he possibly say to get such a reaction from the judge?
PHOENIX:
[whispering]
I have no idea but I probably should be concerned.
JUDGE:
Then, Mr. Edgeworth, your opening statement with the newly resurfaced information please.
EDGEWORTH:
Thank you, Your Honor. As we can recall from yesterday’s court session, it was established that the defendant, Miss Dorothea Atkins, was not alone by the time of the murder. The eyewitness testimony showed us the possibility of tampering with the evidence in favor of the defendant, which is currently still missing.
PHOENIX:
(So far, he didn’t say anything relatively new. Do I take this as a good omen or..?)
EDGEWORTH:
And after vigorous investigation, I will provide decisive evidence proving not only the defendant committed the murder, but was also discovered in the act by another third party.
PHOENIX:
(… spoke too soon.)
JUDGE:
A third party? Interesting.
EDGEWORTH:
And the prosecution calls the aforementioned third party to the stand — Mr. Theodore Kinsey.
PHOENIX & MAYA:
Wait… WHAT?!
MAYA:
That’s… that’s not good.
PHOENIX:
But we should have guessed that he would end up here sooner or later, right?
(The spirit medium looks up to the gallery in order to see the idol’s reaction. From her equally surprised face and how she’s shaking her head, it seems like she didn’t have that much insight about this development, either.)
MAYA:
But we don’t even know what he’s even planning to confess.
PHOENIX:
No we don’t, but let’s not lose hope yet. Whatever he tells can work in our favor. (Did that sound too optimistic?)
—
(The temporary manager takes his place in the witness stand, arms crossed and a slightly mischievous grin directed towards the defense council resting on his face.)
EDGEWORTH:
Witness. You may state your name and profession to the court.
THEODORE:
With pleasure. My name is Theodore Kinsey, and I’m the current manager for Global Studios’s renowned artist Camilla Catra.
JUDGE:
Let’s cut to the chase. Were you present at the crime scene on the day of the murder?
THEODORE:
I was, Your Honor. I also happened to witness the culprit in the middle of her heinous act.
PHOENIX:
(I really don’t like where this is going…)
THEODORE:
And if the defense council were not taking me for granted, perhaps they would already be aware of this fact by now.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX:
[taken aback]
“Taking you for granted”? Did you want us to treat you like a potential suspect while working together?
THEODORE:
That’s not even close to what I was saying.
PHOENIX:
..?! What you were trying to say, then?
(Angle switches to Edgeworth at the prosecution table, arms folded with a stern and questioning expression on his face.)
EDGEWORTH:
Mr. Kinsey.
THEODORE:
Yes, Mr. Edgeworth?
EDGEWORTH:
Perhaps you should put your focus on your testimony rather than engaging in pointless conversations, unless you want to be reminded of the limitations that come with your duty.
THEODORE:
[startled]
……You’re absolutely correct. My apologies.
PHOENIX:
(Good thing that he’s scared of Edgeworth, otherwise I don’t know what exactly would keep him on the line.)
—
WITNESS TESTIMONY
– CAUGHT RED HANDED —
Good thing they have a punctual guy like me in charge, because I can tell the exact timing for what I’ve seen.
At 1:30 PM, Ms. Atkins and I got summoned by Mr. Spector to the recording booth.
I arrived there at almost the same time as her at 1:32 PM. A small conversation took place, then Mr. Spector dismissed me from the premises.
Later on I went back to give him a brief situation update on my part of the tasks. That’s when I saw Ms. Atkins’ silhouette from the door window.
She had the wand in her fist, up in the air, and she swung it towards Mr. Spector.
At least that’s the last thing I saw before I fled the scene.
—
JUDGE:
That’s unusually punctual of you.
THEODORE:
Exactly so. But if someone like me won’t be time-conscious on the job, then who else will?
PHOENIX:
That’s why he was so silent until now. He’s trying to get Ms. Atkins expelled from her position completely.
MAYA:
So it means he’s lying, right? He has to be lying.
PHOENIX:
Still, the timing sounds way too precise for him to make it all up. (But if I press him further, maybe I can find some cracks here and there…)
JUDGE:
Mr. Wright, you may cross-examine the witness.
PHOENIX:
Yes, Your Honor. (Let’s see who’s taking you for granted, then.)
—
— CROSS-EXAMINATION —
— CAUGHT RED HANDED —
Good thing they have a punctual guy like me in charge, because I can tell the exact timing for what I’ve seen.
Around 1:30 PM, Ms. Atkins and I got summoned by Mr. Spector to the recording booth.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX:
Can you give more details on the reason why you were called?
THEODORE:
For schedule rearrangement issues, obviously. It was a hectic business day, if you can remember. Though I highly doubt you would remember such an unimportant detail.
PHOENIX:
Why would I not remember that…
JUDGE:
But shouldn’t you have known about the rescheduling by then? You seem to care a lot about time issues.
THEODORE:
[in a kinder voice]
Of course I did know, Your Honor! It was for assigning us tasks to make sure everything was all set and ready before 2:00 PM.
PHOENIX:
Did this conversation take place in the booth or somewhere close?
THEODORE:
In front of the entrance door. I never got to enter the booth, Boss hates when someone steps into his workspace without his permission. Good thing he didn’t ask us to come in, either. Because that room is no different than an oven. They supposedly put the air vent system back after maintenance, but it’s still not working properly.
PHOENIX:
Is there anything else you can recall about the booth, like a strange sound or anything out of place?
THEODORE:
I don’t think so. Actually it was eerily silent, now that you mention it. If he was still working on the song, that mixer would still be on.
—
I arrived there at almost the same time as her at 1:32 PM. A small conversation took place, then Mr. Spector dismissed me from the premises.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX:
And what was discussed during that “small conversation?”
THEODORE:
Just as I said earlier, the tasks he wanted to be over with before the recording.
PHOENIX:
You know that’s a vague description. What were those tasks you two were assigned?
THEODORE:
Ms. Atkins was asked to get Ms. Catra ready for the recording, and I was asked to check on the photographer if he was done preparing his equipment. Nothing serious, if you think about it.
PHOENIX:
Then you left.
THEODORE:
You’re repeating what I exactly said earlier, Mr. Lawyer. But yes. I left since I wanted to be done with the task given to me as quickly as possible.
PHOENIX:
(Was he always this pretentious?!) But there’s something I find odd in that statement.
THEODORE:
And what is that..?
PHOENIX:
It sounds to me that both of you were given tasks to be dismissed right afterwards, but then wouldn’t Ms. Atkins also be asked to leave?
THEODORE:
[shrugging]
There’s nothing odd about it. Mr. Spector kept her to talk about something else in private, and by that I mean in the recording booth. Not sure for how long she was there though, thinking she was still in the booth when I went back.
PHOENIX:
Actually that’s what I find so suspicious. What you said about Ms. Atkins doesn’t exactly suit the entire timeline established until now.
PHOENIX (CONT’D):
Remember Ms. Catra’s testimony from yesterday. Ms. Atkins stopped by the dressing room twice to find a missing costume piece, that should mean you could have easily seen her going back and forth in the corridor.
THEODORE:
[panicked]
Y-yeah, I remember that alright.
PHOENIX:
And if the impromptu meeting mentioned in your testimony is about the one both of you attended, that would create a gap in the timing, unless you lied about it. Not to mention that… Why would Ms. Atkins even do whatever she was told to, if her intention was to kill Mr. Spector?
JUDGE:
That’s right! We all saw the screenshots of her begging Ms. Catra to step out of the crime scene, she wouldn’t inform that poor girl in the first place.
THEODORE:
Why would I lie… I– Mr. Edgeworth! Isn’t this the part you intervene by yelling “objection”?!
EDGEWORTH:
[arms folded]
…Everything discussed until now sounds like relevant information. And if you think there is something that needs to be corrected, say that without depending on me. I’m not your babysitter.
THEODORE:
B-but!.. Ugh. You’re right, my apologies.
MAYA:
He couldn’t possibly think Mr. Edgeworth would be on his side, could he?
PHOENIX:
Started to think that could be the case. (But I know Edgeworth wouldn’t have put this guy on the stand just to humiliate him, there has to be more than that.)
—
Later on I went back to give him a brief situation update on my part of the tasks. That’s when I saw Ms. Atkins’ silhouette from the door window.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX:
Wait a second. That means you didn’t exactly see Ms. Atkins at all! You saw a “silhouette”.
THEODORE:
Hey! I know what I saw there, I’m not a clueless child.
PHOENIX:
(But you throw tantrums like one…)
JUDGE:
A window on a door must be clear enough to see more than a faint silhouette for my understanding.
EDGEWORTH:
It’s a semi-transparent window, Your Honor. They use it more to inform the outer visitors if the recording booth is occupied or not.
JUDGE:
I see. Not sure about the practicality of it, but thank you for the clarification regardless, Mr. Edgeworth.
THEODORE:
There’s no way I can confuse that woman’s shadow with someone else. I've been working with her for years, mind you.
MAYA:
Did you notice how cruel he gets while talking about Ms. Atkins? He’s so shameless!
PHOENIX:
I mean, are there any other reasons left for him to keep pretending to be nice?
PHOENIX (CONT’D):
If so, you should be able to tell what you found so distinctive about that silhouette, enough for you to believe it was Ms. Atkins.
THEODORE:
I don’t just “believe”, I “know” it was her. Nobody in the studio tangles a fountain pen in their hair other than that woman.
JUDGE:
Now that you mention it, Ms. Atkins indeed has a peculiar way of carrying her stationery.
THEODORE:
She does. You can’t imagine how many accidents it caused until now, Your Honor.
PHOENIX:
(Ironic how you’re the one saying that.)
JUDGE:
But your description sounds really important, Mr. Kinsey. Enough to include that to your testimony.
THEODORE:
If you deem it that necessary…
—
I saw Ms. Atkins’ silhouette from the door window. And I’m sure that was her, that fountain pen in her hair and that coat should be more than enough to prove it.
PHOENIX:
PHOENIX:
Turns out you don’t know your own mentor as well as you thought so.
(The heavy emphasis on the word mentor is taken with a frown by the manager on the witness stand.)
THEODORE:
I can reassure you that I know her more than I need to, Mr. Lawyer.
PHOENIX:
In your testimony earlier, you said and I quote: “That fountain pen in her hair and that coat”.
THEODORE:
Yes. Not sure what difference the nitty gritty terms will make for you, but it was even an overcoat.
PHOENIX:
Alright. If that’s how it is, can you please look at the security camera footage from the same day?
THEODORE:
[looking at the screen capture print]
And what am I supposed to notice in this picture?
PHOENIX:
(Started to think he’s acting this stubborn on purpose…) She’s not wearing a coat.
THEODORE:
[dull]
…Huh. I guess I also see it.
PHOENIX:
Both of your claims fail to prove that it was Ms. Atkins you saw at the crime scene. First you cannot tell if she left after you or not, and then you describe a person completely different.
THEODORE:
You sure love to twist my words, Mr. Lawyer. Once again, I know what I saw there, and she was wearing a coat.
PHOENIX:
(Guess I can’t convince him without showing something else.)
PHOENIX (CONT’D):
Mr. Kinsey. Do you recognize this item?
THEODORE:
Of course I do, because that’s my coat.
PHOENIX:
This coat, which seems to carry the exact same stains discovered in the recording booth… Could the coat you’re talking about be… your own coat?
THEODORE:
..?!
(An echo erupts from the gallery before it’s cut by the harsh sound of the gavel hitting the plaque.)
JUDGE:
Order in the court! Mr. Wright, mind if I also take a look at that coat while at that?
PHOENIX:
Of course, Your Honor. Clearly the witness is attempting to pin the crime on Ms. Atkins.
THEODORE:
I’m not pinning anything on her, I know that was that woman’s doing!
PHOENIX:
If that’s how it really is, then why is it your coat with remnants from the crime scene?
EDGEWORTH:
THEODORE:
Oh thank goodness—
EDGEWORTH:
[cutting in]
You be quiet for once.
(The manager puts a hand on his mouth quickly.)
EDGEWORTH:
I believe the defense has had a good run pushing the narrative as they wanted to. But guess this is the final destination your imagination skills can take you, Mr. Wright.
PHOENIX:
What… What now?
EDGEWORTH:
Since you can’t pick up the flaws in your own incoherent story, let me spell it out for you.
EDGEWORTH (CONT’D):
That coat… Where was it discovered, exactly?
PHOENIX:
It was thrown in a pile of damaged clothes in Ms. Catra’s dressing room.
EDGEWORTH:
And where did your client pay a visit right after that impromptu meeting in two different times?
PHOENIX:
To Ms. Catra’s dressing room… wait.
JUDGE:
Mr. Edgeworth, are you suggesting that Ms. Atkins used that visit to get rid of her cover?
EDGEWORTH:
That’s not my own suggestion, Your Honor. I’m just pointing out what the defense had just unveiled to the court on their own.
PHOENIX:
(Yeah, I think I just walked right into that…)
EDGEWORTH:
The witness’s claim was on how both of the managers were responsible with different tasks, and it should be more than expected for Ms. Atkins to return back to the studio earlier. She wasn’t assigned with redundant errands, after all. It shouldn’t take more than seconds for her to be done with her part.
THEODORE:
Wait, back up… “Redundant” ? I’m not a useless errand-boy?!
EDGEWORTH:
It’s not my responsibility to come up with fancier definitions on your behalf.
(The manager frowns, but refuses to add anything else.)
PHOENIX:
(What’s he trying to pull off by getting on this guy’s nerves?)
EDGEWORTH:
Let’s also remember the evidence stolen by another subordinate of hers… What should stop Ms. Atkins from taking advantage of her position again?
(Angle shifts to the manager clenching his fists until his knuckles turn pale, as he’s looking at the prosecutor in complete surprise.)
THEODORE:
Mr. Edgeworth… You p-possibly don’t think I’m helping that woman get away with what she did… D-do you?
EDGEWORTH:
[shrugging]
The coat thrown aside, how you went along with the defense’s inconsistent timeline, not to mention how you decided to hold onto your account until today’s trial… Guess it wasn’t that big of a deal for you to be taken by granted, after all.
THEODORE:
Gghk!...
(The spirit medium looks up to the gallery to see if the idol is still there to watch the court, and notices her seat is now empty.)
MAYA:
Nick, should we say anything before…
PHOENIX:
No, I think I know what he’s trying to get out of this. (He let me go on with the part on the coat on purpose, because what he’s trying to do is…)
(The manager slams his fist to the witness stand, his furious expression throwing the entire courtroom into a deadly silence.)
THEODORE:
Now you listen to me.
EDGEWORTH:
[arms folded, very much unfazed from the sudden outburst]
…
THEODORE:
I will never. ever. do anything in favor of that woman in my life. Ever.
EDGEWORTH:
[arms still folded]
…
THEODORE:
Don’t you dare to twist my intentions. I will overlook the fact that you ignored me until the very last minute, but I won’t let you put words back to my mouth just to prove your point.
EDGEWORTH:
[confidently]
You sound so sure of yourself, but your actions say otherwise. Could it be that you still feel a bit of pity for her, when she’s the only reason why you were able to obtain this job at the end of the day?
(The manager’s face twitches with anger that’s difficult for him to contain, but he collects himself back fairly quickly.)
THEODORE:
I know what you’re exactly trying to do.
EDGEWORTH:
You do? What exactly am I trying to do, then?
THEODORE:
To make me feel bad about myself and give you what you want to hear. That’s not very subtle of you.
EDGEWORTH:
How pitiful that you regard asking valid questions as putting the blame on you. Because unless you were promised for where you are standing right now by another party, I cannot think of any other reason why you tried this much to shield your mentor, the person you wanted her authority and importance since you stepped into that studio—
THEODORE:
ENOUGH! I SAID ENOUGH!
EDGEWORTH:
..?
THEODORE:
Is that why you agreed on letting me give my testimony… minutes before the court? So you can trick me into pinning that crime on me instead?!
EDGEWORTH:
That’s such a heavy accusation, not to mention that it’s not based on anything remarkable.
THEODORE:
Oh would you look at that?! Unremarkable my—
JUDGE:
Mr. Kinsey! Perhaps you should be careful with your words if you don’t want to be penalized.
THEODORE:
[points at the judge]
Hey you shut it, old man! I’m not done talking yet!
(The witness’s comeback is so unexpected for the judge that he’s left speechless.)
THEODORE:
Almost like not a single person here takes me seriously! Looking at every one of you, none of you are better than him for using me as a clueless little bait!
PHOENIX:
[after a second of hesitation]
… Who’s “him”? Edgeworth?
THEODORE:
Of course it’s not, you dummy! I’m talking about Mr. Vigneau, don’t go play the oblivious now when…………………
(The manager freezes with blood-shot eyes, and his head hits the witness stand after realizing the mistake he made. His clenched fist covers his face as the eerie silence perseveres.)
EDGEWORTH:
[bowing]
And that’s what you needed to hear from this witness, Your Honor.
—
JUDGE:
Hm… Perhaps you’re involved in this situation more than you admit to, Mr. Kinsey.
(The manager refuses to lift his head from the witness stand, but his clenched fist still shivering says enough about his remorse.)
JUDGE:
The name he just mentioned… Something that rhymes with Vignette, who is that?
EDGEWORTH:
Steven Vigneau, that’s the commissioned photographer of Global Studios. The witness also admitted during his cross-examination earlier that they had an exchange right before the murder.
PHOENIX:
(So… this is how the photographer will be involved in the equation. I have to admit… that’s impressive.)
JUDGE:
I see. Send him an appearance notice, clearly he needs to provide further explanations on what we had to hear.
THEODORE:
[murmuring]
It’s all her fault. If she didn’t try to step in and try to be the hero, then none of this would happen. It’s all of her fault!
MAYA:
I would feel bad for him a little if we didn’t know his real intentions.
PHOENIX:
Same. Seems like he was determined not to give away anything from the plan but ended up giving away a crucial name instead.
PHOENIX (CONT’D):
(But I wonder… if that was the reason why Edgeworth told me to focus. Or am I just reading too much into things?)
JUDGE:
I think everyone agrees that our result depends on what we will hear from the photographer. Mr. Edgeworth, can you give an approximate time for the notice to be delivered?
EDGEWORTH:
It should take at least half an hour for it to reach the Global Studios’ reception — one hour if the photographer obliges to the notice on time.
JUDGE:
If so, the court will take a recess for an hour, and we will hear the next witness if he arrives on time. Court is adjourned.
Court Record - Evidences
Attorney’s Badge: It's my all-important badge. It shows that I am a defense attorney.
Maya’s Magatama: Slightly translucent. It radiates softly with a mysterious light.
Talent agency business card: The handwriting at the end is scuffed and slightly erased. It’s shown to me by the ‘temporary’ manager as a token of trust.
Catra’s request letter: Delivered to me in the most questionable way possible. It’s asking me to accept a case as the representative.
Magic wand: Catra’s one of many costume props. Weighs very lightly to allow her to do small tricks during her choreographies. Another replica of this is regarded as the murder weapon.
Cat hairpin: Catra gave it to me to show it as proof of our cooperation. It’s noticeably worn out.
Broken security camera: The pan holding the camera is tilted downwards because the pieces are missing. No recordings were done between the hours 12 AM - 2 PM
Missing screwdriver: Disappeared after the initial investigation and labeling according to Detective Gumshoe.
Pesticide stains: Remnants from the air vents’ maintenance. The only comment I can make is ‘gross’.
Open air vent cover: Left open despite the maintenance taking place days ago.
Sound mixer: Has the fingerprints of the producer on it. It was also playing an unfinished cut from the opening of the new Steel Samurai spinoff.
Post-it note: Left in the dressing room. It reads ‘Don’t forget about the plan’.
Green jacket: Tossed in the pile of Catra’s costumes. Has the same pesticide stains with the ones in the recording booth. Belongs to the temporary manager but was worn by the photographer during the crime.
Security footage clips: Recordings collected in a CD from two different dates. Unfortunately it’s kept in a music CD jewel box
Court Record - Profiles
Maya Fey (18): My assistant and a disciple in the Kurain tradition of spirit channeling.
Carmilla “Callie” Catra (18): My current client. Tends to speak in a cat-resembling tone as a part of her idol persona.
Dorothea Atkins (35): The ‘actual’ manager for Catra. Has voiced concerns about Catra’s safety and her lack of trust to the current manager in charge of her schedule.
Theodore Kinsey (23): The ‘temporary’ manager for Catra. Probably causes more issues than solving the ones in hand.
Steven Vigneau (32): The in-house photographer for Global Studios. Currently one of the key suspects for solving this case.
Dick Gumshoe (31): Detective at the local precinct. In charge of the initial investigation.
Miles Edgeworth (25): A gifted prosecutor. Unexpectedly in charge of this case after expressing his plans about moving overseas to ‘be over with something left undone’.