Ace Attorney: Secrets Beneath Secrets

Turnabout Betrayal, Part 18 (Chrysalis)

"I should have known," I growled. I leaned onto the defense bench, my right hand flat against the surface of the wood. My left hand lay on the bench, unbending, due to 'a certain injury.'

"My investigation turned up truthful, after all," Lily commented. Maybe there was a pro to her leaving for two months: we learned a few things about our treacherous former friend that we never would have learned otherwise. How she found all that out, though, is beyond what I will ever understand in the universe.

I nodded. "Sadly, yes."

"You heard right! I work for the UCA and have for years now!" Bal announced (I never said anything near 'what' like I was confused. No need for the 'you heard right,' baka). He began laughing. "I'm honestly surprised that you never realized how I was always watching you when you were-"

"Shut it!" I interrupted. "Keep your otherwise affairs out of this!"

"'Otherwise affairs?' I'm surprised you don't want to learn about-" Bal began, but I cut him off. I picked up a nearby pen from the defense bench and chucked it at my former PE teacher.

"I believe I told you to shut up!" I roared.

"Will the defense stop throwing pens at the witness?!" the judge cut in.

"My apologies, Your Honor, but this is personal," I answered. I turned back to Bal. "Why in the world would you do all of that?! Because you got roped into working for a trio of idiots who want nothing more than for-"

"The defense wishes that the gallery leave the courtroom!" Lily interrupted. 

"May I hear a reason why?" the judge asked.

"It's about what that paper I threw at you two years ago," Deirdre explained. "I'm sure that's enough of a hint."

I'm honestly shocked that the people in the gallery haven't begun to buzz yet. They usually won't shut up when you want them to just stuff their pie holes with some pie. It's quite annoying if you want the truth, so when it's gone, something just feels off.

And then the chatter came.

Dang it! I forgot to knock on Nevada Wood!

Excuse my awful and terrible puns.

The judge smacked his gavel down on the bench. "Order in the court!" he demanded. "Bailiffs! Please escort those in the gallery from the courtroom at this time!"

"Thank you, Lily," I whispered to my partner.

"Looks like she knows about keeping this secret after all," Jay smiled from Lily's other side.

I nodded. "I guess so."

-----

After the gallery was finally cleared and there weren't any people stalking us from a blind spot for a news scoop, I sighed. "Now. Back to my original thought. Why the heck would you want to link up with a group who wants to kill an eighteen year old?!" I roared, unable to hold back my anger.

"I did it because you've done something to me. I had to get revenge for it. And what better way than to rip you apart?" Bal laughed. "It was quite simple, really. Judging by the fact that your little curly haired boyfriend fell for what I said, I'd guess that this plan is going perfect."

I had to seriously restrain myself (you don't even know) to keep myself from lunging at him.

"Why do you hate us?!" Lily exclaimed.

"That's for me and for you to guess and guess, only to fail and struggle eternally," Bal cackled.

"So, in short, you confess to being the murderer of Lassie Sinn?" Deirdre asked.

Bal nodded. "Yep. And Tora shot Lion the same night. All is as you say."

"But why would you kill them? And why Tora?" Jay questioned.

"They knew too much about the plan. So they had to die before they could say anything to anybody," Bal replied. "Again, you should have processed this already. Idiotic lawyers."

I picked up another pen and launched it at him. "Take that back or I'll call Nevada!" I threatened.

The judge seemed to see how serious I was. "Ms. Starr! Control your temper!" the judge demanded.

"How can I!?" I questioned. "I just can't!" I'm trying so hard not to tackle Bal right now and squeeze the life out of him! (Knowing me, I wouldn't get that far, just threaten it until I had his life in my hands. Then I'd end up sparing it and then looking back on it like 'I didn't go to jail that day.')

Back on topic:

I felt Lily's hands holding my arms back. "Calm down, tiger," she told me, a small smile on her lips.

I nodded. "Thanks."

"If that's all," Bal began, "I have to contact the UCA now. They wished for a full update on how project 'D.O.O.T.L.'" He pulled out a small electronic device from his pocket and flicked on a switch. Muffled voices came from the other side. I couldn't understand them, though Bal had no problem at all. Then again, he was about ten times closer to the handheld device than I was. "Things are going great, guys. I'm about to join you in jail. Happy faces."

Can I kill him now?!

Court bailiffs swarmed onto the witness stand. I heard a few clicking noises as they slipped some handcuffs around Bal's wrists. You have no idea how happy that me. Maybe this stupid nightmare would come to an end.

But then I remembered it was my life we were talking about. The excitement never ends when you have to do what I do.

"I suppose it's now time for my verdict," the judge announced. "If there are no objections from the defense or prosecution, that is."

I turned to Lily and Jay. We all shook our hands in sync. All of us then rotated our heads so that we were facing Prosecutor Moody. She was silent.

Knock on Nevada Wood.

Hey, I remembered that time!

The judge nodded. "In that case, this court hereby finds the defendant, Aoi Taikan, not guilty. Court is adjourned!"

The gavel dropped at those words. I sighed in relief. You have no idea how happy the thought of leaving this case behind made me.

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Spams you guys with updates since I have like nothing better to do.

Still watching DR trash on YT ha.

-Digital