Ace Attorney: Secrets Beneath Secrets

Return to the Turnabout, Part 1 (Lucas)

SPLAT!

"Eek! Stupid paint...! I should clean this up...."

BANG!

"Was that a...gun shot!? No... No, no, no, no, no...."

BANG!

"No! This can't be happening!"

Beep, beep, beep....

"Hello?! I'd like to report a murder...!"

//June 19, 2028. Defendant Lobby No. 4, 9:26 AM//

I forgot what it felt like to be here, in the defendant lobby. I haven't been here in over a year. Not since that case...the poisoning case a year ago.

"Mr. Red?"

I turned to see Ms. Ashi Channings, the one who requested my services. She had pale yellow hair that fell down her back. She wore a light blue, gray, and turquoise school uniform. "You ready to take on the case?"

I nodded. "I'm more than ready. Now, where in the world is Ms. Claris?"

"I'm right here, Lucas!"

The defendant in this case, Aria Claris, dashed up to Ms. Channings and I. Her hair was blonde and streaked with turquoise and light blue. She wore a school uniform similar to Ms. Channings'. Ms. Claris had a pale green wrist let on her left hand. She grinned. "You think that you can win this case?"

"I'm sure I can. But now that you're here, could I ask you a little something in private?" I asked Ms. Claris.

"Wait for me, Lucas!"

Averl made her way up to us, purple hair swishing slightly. "Remember, I'm your partner. You can't just leave me behind."

I sighed and nodded. "I know, Averl. But before the trial starts, I want to talk with Ms. Claris," I told her.

Ms. Claris nodded. "Alright."

Averl and Ms. Channings walked away, leaving Ms. Claris and I alone. I grabbed her wrist and led her into the corner. "Okay. I want you to tell me the truth about who you are."

"Who I am?" Ms. Claris asked. "I don't understand what you are implying, Lucas." She toyed with the fabric on her wrist piece nervously.

"You know what I mean! I know that you're hiding something from me," I told her.

"L-Lucas, stop, p-please! If you really do know what you're doing, then you'll stay out of it! You know the dangers of you having even the foggiest idea about this!" Ms. Claris snapped. She turned away from me and began walking away.

"Ms. Claris!" I exclaimed, reaching for get shoulder. "I just want to know why you'd--"

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm pretty sure you know why," she interrupted. Ms. Claris started at the ground darkly. She squeezed the fabric on her wrist let as she started to leave me behind in the corner of the defendant lobby.

Psyche-Locks.... Didn't Lily say something about them being present before? The last time Lily and I were in the same room with Ms. Claris. It wasn't all that long ago, actually. That's only natural when--

"Defense! Defendant! Proceed to the courtroom now!" a bailiff suddenly exclaimed. I jumped slightly at hearing the sound. I guess I got lost in thought again.... I should really stop doing that. 

"You ready for this?" Averl asked, walking up to me. "You haven't been in court since the Fey clan case last year."

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Averl eyed me suspiciously. I bet that a nervous tell had come out and she had seen it. I guess I should have figured out something about the agency: if you lie, everybody will catch you and pounce on you for details. It's one of the downsides to working with a bunch of lie-detectors. Comes with the territory, I guess. 

"Let's do this," Averl told me. I nodded. I was ready for this.

//June, 19, 2028. Courtroom No. 4, 10:00 AM//

I looked across the courtroom. Prosecutor Bullgard stood at the prosecutor's bench, red fabric in hand. I shouldn't have expected anything less. I never get a break. Easy prosecutors=do not exist in my universe.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Aria Claris," the judge announced. "Are the defense and prosecution ready?"

I nodded. "The defense is ready, Your Honor."

"The prosecution is also ready," Prosecutor Bullgard smirked, toying with her fabric.

"Very good," the judge nodded. "Prosecutor Bullgard, your opening statement, if you please?"

"Got it," Prosecutor Bullgard announced. "The crime took place at a nearby university yesterday. One of the two gym teachers at the school was shot in the head and died instantly. The murder weapon has yet to be found. It was graduation day yesterday at the university and most students were in the cafeteria awaiting the ceremony to begin. One student, the defendant, was running around the school that day, most likely working on last minute preparation for the graduation. She was seen in the gym at the time of the murder, and said gym just happens to be the crime scene. We also have a witness who saw the defendant walking the halls of the school, blood dripping from her hand. With this evidence, I intend to prove the defendant guilty."

"Any contradictions yet?" Averl asked me.

I shook my head. "No. But the bloody hand...there must be some sort of hole in that. I know that Ms. Claris isn't guilty. If we can shatter the decisive evidence, we may see the truth."

"Ms. Claris didn't mention it when we met with her yesterday," Averl said.

"But when we asked about what she was doing when the murder occurred, she messed with her wrist piece. That has to mean something," I told her. Averl had pointed out the nervous habit after we had left. Maybe the significance of that piece of fabric was much higher than we originally thought....

The judge nodded once more. "Very good. Now, please call your first witness."

"Wait, Your Honor. I wish to ask about the motive for murder," I cut in.

"The defendant has a secret regarding her reasons for being at the school. If somebody, say, the victim, figured out what this secret meant, wouldn't that be a motive for murder?" Prosecutor Bullgard smirked, tossing her fabric in the air before catching it. "Especially if this secret was one that the defendant didn't want to get out."

"What is this secret?" Averl asked.

"The defendant would not allow the secret to be mentioned in public," Prosecutor Bullgard answered. Why would Ms. Claris prohibit her from revealing it? There wasn't any danger in this anymore...right?

"Thank you for the explanation," the judge said. "Now, please call your first witness, Prosecutor Bullgard."

Prosecutor Bullgard slammed her hands against the desk and finger pointed at the unoccupied witness stand. "I call university student Clarith Blake to the witness stand!"

---------------------------------

Turning over a new leaf with a new story.

And yes, there will be many references to book one, especially in...well, every case.

This story is a sequel for a good reason.

Anyways, Digital is out!

(and by the way the witness' name is a big Story of Evil joke if you know Story of Evil teeheehee~)

-Digital