Disclaimer: We don't own either Danganronpa or Ace Attorney- they're the respective properties of Spike Chunsoft and Capcom. If we owned them, they won't be fanfiction. And of course, we aren't getting anything aside from accomplishment and fun from this!
A/N:
Jamie: Hello, and welcome to this… gigantic mess-terpiece Donn and I have started! By the way, Donn's my co-author (His A/N is way down in the end, by the way.) He keeps me on my toes. This all started from a little plot we were discussing, which snowballed into… this. It's really, really fun to write about! I'm just an extremely picky person when it comes to writing… It took revising and editing about 6-7 times to get this on right. Even the Author's Note…
Well, anyways, without further ado… Jump in! I hope you enjoy this!
Danganronpa: Zetsubou Gyakuten
Chapter One: Prologue (Part One)
A sharp pain forced him to withdraw from his subconscious state and back into reality. He silently murmured "I'm trying to sleep, mom, just ten more minutes", and curled himself to the left, attempting to snuggle. However, the source of disturbance poked him again. He brought his head sharply, quickly voiced his frustrations to the outside threat and attempted to return to sleep.
"Hey, what's with that guy?" A feminine voice questioned curiously.
Wait a second, that's not my mom's voice.
He woke up in an instant after the realization, and noticed he was facing an adolescent lady he'd never seen in his life before. He noticed that the girl wasn't alone, but with two other people he also had zero remembrance of. He also noted the place he was sleeping on was not his bed- it wasn't a bed at all.
He was slumped over a bench. Rubbing his eyes to fend of sleep, he observed his surroundings more to see if he was familiar with the area.
He was in a large hall, painted almost exclusively golden yellow. Another bench was located from where he was currently located, similarly colored and designed. Between them was a seat situated a bit higher to his left, and what looked to be a stand to his right. Beyond the stand was a large seating area. It had an impeccable symmetrical design.
Court, he silently thought. I've seen it a plenty of times on the news. I wonder why I'm in the courtroom…
And are the windows supposed to be barred with steel like that?
Phoenix spun around to face the intruders (Was that a correct word to use? Phoenix wasn't sure) properly, especially the one who just cleared his throat, and was now glaring intensely at Phoenix.
"Uh.. Hi." Phoenix awkwardly greeted the infuriated person.
"Identify yourself." The man narrowed his eyes further, suspicion visible in his scowl.
"Uh, I'm Phoenix Wr-"
"I believe we're complete now. Save the introduction for later." Leaving a curt reply, the man stormed out of the room swiftly, leaving other two girls to hastily scurry out the door after him. They both glanced stiffly at the open door and darted to pursue their leader after signaling Phoenix to follow them.
Hey, you were the one who wanted me to explain who I was!
Sighing, he exited the courtroom to follow where the other three were headed; realizing a long hallway awaited him. They took a right, he noted. As he walked down the silent passageway, he started to hear various heated discussions rise in volume as he neared the end of the corridor. Some were shouting, screaming, and he could even detect faint traces of crying. He stopped for a moment to inspect the end of the hallway. It was a dead end, but there were two doors; one to his left and the other to his right. He could clearly hear that the noise was being generated from the room to the right which clearly stated "Defense Lobby #1" above the door frame, so he dashed and grasped the door handle. He turned the handle slightly, peeking into the room. He took a moment to observe, Wow, I'm doing a lot of that today, the room within. The room was designed simply; wooden flooring covering the ground and the walls, and a single sofa placed near the corner. There were also great deals of people in all sorts of position. There were too many conversation currently engaged for Phoenix to focus on one.
Well, I guess I'll go in, then.
He entered the room, attempting to keep an air of nonchalance around him. Upon his entrance, he received a glare from the person who came to get him and a curious glance from most others. The room quieted down immediately.
The slight blur of pink in the corner began to speak, "I believe everyone's here now? Fifteen, if I count right." The man paused, as if he was counting again, and soon continued "I believe introductions are in order." The man gestured to his right, signaling the girl start.
The girl flashed a smile towards "Mr. Pink", Phoenix decided on that for a time being as he didn't know his name, and opened her mouth to speak. Her dark hair was tied into a bun, and was wearing purple acolyte robes, with a 9-shaped emerald jewel placed neatly with strange, white orbs kneaded together in a form of a necklace. Her face was radiating delight, her lips curled up into a cheery smile.
"My name is Maya Fey. I am a spirit medium of the Kurain Channeling Technique. ...in training," the young acolyte chirped brightly, waving to the mass. "I also love burgers!"
Channeling? Right, and I'm a defense attorney.
"And my name is Iris," another woman beside Maya said in a barely audible volume. Her ebony, sleek hair was braided neatly, and she was wearing clothing similar to Maya, with a different shade of violet. Her hands were neatly placed on her abdomen, and she had a serene expression.
"My name is Byakuya Togami. You would do well not to forget it," the man besides the two girls, the one that has led Phoenix from the isolated courtroom stated firmly. Togami was dressed in a sharp black suit, the white, crisp dress shirt visible from underneath it. His left hand was placed in his pocket, the other pointing straight at the others who watched him. Phoenix noticed that Togami's glare was still fixed on him.
That guy looks like he's going to be a hard time... and what's with that name? Phoenix gulped.
"Achtung, ba- GWOOOOOH!" A clear audible crack made everyone turn to view the source of the sudden painful noise. There, they saw a figure cowering under a blue-haired woman with a whip in her hand. The blond guy was dressed in a dark purple rock star clothes, and the whip woman was wearing a Germanic blouse, with something appearing to be ruffles near her neck. Phoenix, for the sake of not being whipped, dropped any thought of asking her why she was dressed like that or why she carried a whip.
"Foolishly foolish fool who does not foolishly know when is he supposed to talk... You're a disgrace!" Another whip crack. "It is I, Franziska von Karma, who was supposed to introduce herself at this point!" Then she proceeded to whip the poor German blond guy again. The platinum-haired woman now turned to the crowd. "This fool goes last. You, the one with the spiky hair. Name and occupation."
"S-sir! My name is Phoenix Wright, and I am a student at Ivy University! My major is- GAAAAK!" Phoenix's introduction was abruptly cut off as the woman whipped him in fury.
THAT REALLY HURT, YOU KNOW!
"I only asked for your name and occupation! Don't waste the court's time!" The woman growled, gave a final glare to Phoenix and gripped her whip harder.
"B-but, this isn't a tri-PAIN!" Phoenix fell to the ground as another whiplash audibly echoed around the lobby.
"I suppose I should introduce myself now. My name is Simon Blackquill. I am a public prosecutor," said another that was standing next to Franziska. He looked like he was in his 20s, though his appearance was far from normal. His entire body took a monochromatic theme, and even his hair was completely obsidian, excluding a tuft of white above his right eye. Also, there were dark, thick streaks under the man's eyes, giving him a deadly atmosphere. The man was dressed in a strange jacket emblazoned with black and white marks he's never seen before in his life. There was something that dangerously resembling a katana attached to the man's belt. Phoenix noticed Blackquill's right hand was curled along the blade's handle.
Franziska could only hurt me, but this guy could ki- Ow, my poor, abused shoulder!
"My name is Athena Cykes! I am a psychologist. My specialty is analytical psychology!" said a ginger-haired teen. She was clad in a yellow suit and a loose white shirt, and had a necklace that resembled a blue smiley face. Her pointy hair covered most of his forehead and extended a bit further, and the distinct ponytail tied with a ribbon could be seen. She had a cheerful bright smile on her face, just like the Maya girl from earlier. "I'm an expert when it comes to human emotions! Ask me if you need a counseling session." She added after a brief pause.
The two next to her immediately caught the baton and continued. One of them, wearing a special red suit with rolled up sleeves and a turquoise tie with a ridiculous V-shaped hairstyle that reminded Phoenix of an antenna, And they call MY hair ridiculous, spoke up. The young boy next to him was wearing a casual blue jacket with a star around shoulder area, clad in jeans. A cap that stated "GYAXA" sat above the boy's tousled hair.
"HELLO, MY NAME IS APOLLO JUSTICE AND I'M AN ASTRONAUT IN TRAINING!"
Phoenix felt his ears strain and his arms automatically shot up to cover his ears in order to minimize the damage.
Ouch, indoor voice, please!
"And I'm Clay Terran!" The boy next to him exclaimed, still a bit loud but in an acceptable level than the other. "Apollo and I are both future astronauts. And also… what's that noise?" Clay asked Apollo, bewildered. Apollo met Clay's eyes and merely shrugged. A fluttering noise echoed across the lobby, but they couldn't possibly point out wh-
Suddenly, a giant cape appeared right in front of Apollo and Clay, making both scuttle back in fright. The cloth was soon retracted to reveal young girl dressed in azure, a top hat sitting on her head. Her brown hair was divided into two and combed neatly, and she was holding a colorful wand.
"Hello, my name is Trucy Engimar, Magician Extraordinaire!" She exclaimed as removed her top hat, a few white pigeons fluttering out.
H-how did she do that!?
"Even in the depths of night, when no other bird dares to take flight," another girl appeared out of the blue material. Her hair was tied up in a strange way similar to Maya's, but a pink and white hairband kept it going up a bit further, ending in what can be described as a waterfall of hair. She wore a pink dress with some sort of an Azul scarf that reminded him of a raven. Most notably, a special pin that resembled a key was keeping the hair in place. "...one alone soars to shine the light of righteousness on the world's blight! And that one is me, for I am the great thief, Yatagarasu!"
Yatagarasu...?
"But I guess I ought to say that my real name's Kay Faraday." The girl added gleefully.
"And I'm Ema Skye, the sister of Lana Skye right here!" Yet another girl, this time wearing a lab coat and holding some sort of a science kit appeared from the fabric. Her pink goggles were placed tidily on her smooth, chocolate hair. "Scientifically speaking, magic is impossible, Ms. Engimar!" Ema commented.
"And I'm Lana, as Ema introduced. I'm a detective." The woman beside her, a slight bit taller and looking similar to Ema spoke up. She was wearing some sort of what appeared to be a military suit to Phoenix. Then, a whip crack once again pierced the air.
Poor guy.
"Gggghhhnn... My name is Klavier Gavin, public prosecutor. I am also a part of the Gavinn- GWOOOH!" Then, as with Phoenix, he became acquainted with the ground.
Silence fell onto the room once his introduction ended. Glances shifted, as if they were asking what to do next silently- until single whip lash was heard and everyone instinctively turned to face Franziska.
Franziska has moved during the introduction next to the man he noted was wearing some sort of a pink suit with frills. His eyes were closed and he was pressing his temple as if this entire event was causing him a headache.
"Now, you foolishly foolish fools, my foolish little brother has an idea." Franziska was smirking and fiddling with her whip, ready to strike the next victim.
Either that girl is much older than she looks, or that guy's much more younger than he looks. Huh, but why's he so familiar? I feel as if I've met him before, now that I think about it.
"OBJEC- Wait a second, Mr. Pink Suit over there hasn't introduced himself yet!" Phoenix struck his right hand forward to a pointing position, eyes locked with the gray-haired man, who spluttered visibly.
"P-pink!? I'll have you know my suit is the finest shade of cardinal!"
"Whatever! We still don't know your name!" Phoenix insisted.
At this, the man rolled his eyes and closed his eyes, shrugging. His face curled up into a smirk, and he replied indifferently. "I had already introduced myself to everyone before we realized you were busy snoring in the defense's bench. Apologies."
Wait, how did he turn that around!?
"My name is Miles Edgeworth. And as Franziska has kindly stated beforehand, I am her OLDER brother." Edgeworth sent a sharp glare at Franziska, who silently growled and whipped the ground.
Miles Edgeworth, what a smartass na-
"WAIT, MILES EDGEWORTH!?" Phoenix stumbled back in shock.
"So you already know my foolish little brother. How surprising. He hasn't even gotten his first case as a prosecutor."
"Wait, Prosecutor? Didn't you want to be a Defense Attorney? I mean, I didn't see you for years!" Phoenix babbled on, surprised to see his friend in a courtroom.
"I have no time for idle banter with you, Phoenix Wright." Edgeworth voiced, ignoring his sister's snarky comment. So, he does remember me… "Do you grasp the severity of our situation?"
Our... situation?
"B-but Edgeworth! There is so much I need to talk to you about!"
"Cut it, Wright. This isn't time for childhood memories." Edgeworth growled. "Now, Ms. Skye, if you would."
I wonder what happened to him...
"Right," Lana responded. "As an acting detective, I would like to call for an assembly in the auditorium to discuss our situation. Please follow me." She then pushed the door open and promptly marched out. Edgeworth sighed and followed, pulling Franziska by her wrist.
Everyone, exchanging glances, erupted into a giant commotion and followed the same way out as she did. Soon, everyone was gone, except for Phoenix.
"Hey, we have to go on, Nick!"
Okay, not everyone...
"Hello, Maya... Was it?" Phoenix questioned and watched the young acolyte nod enthusiastically. Phoenix smiled fondly. Something about the girl made him feel fuzzy in the inside.
"Well, Nick! Let's go. Everyone's waiting!" Maya neared Phoenix, tugging his sleeve tightly.
Wait, why is she calling me Nick? Only Larry calls me that. I guess I will ask her later.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Maya was now staring worriedly at him, slightly confused. Phoenix flashed a smile towards the girl and pointed towards the door.
"Never mind, let's go." Phoenix said, walking towards the door with the girl still clinging to his arm.
The two spiralled around hallway, past the room he had already awoken in. "Courtroom No. 1" was written clearly above the door. He gave a quick glance at the door and quickened his pace as he felt the girl tugging on his sleeve again.
Soon, he arrived in front of a gigantic gate, [AUDITORIUM] written clearly above.
What kind of a courtroom has an auditorium?
He entered the room, and took a moment to observe it. The wooden flooring spread out for about a few feet and only stopped as the [level of height] rose significantly. There were crimson curtains that could be pulled up to cover the stage. He also noted the walls had no windows, and some areas barred with steel. The wall was a shade of gray, but there were black and white patterns engraved to the wall.
After observing the area itself, he took his time to observe the others. Klavier was cowered and Franziska was whipping the poor boy wildly. Togami and Edgeworth seemed to be engaged in a private conversation, and promptly ignored Phoenix's entrance. The rest noticed Phoenix and Maya and gave a curt nod to come over or a wave welcoming them. Phoenix and Maya settled in, and Phoenix heard Edgeworth awkwardly clear his throat, attempting to gather everyone's attention.
"So," Edgeworth broke the silence, "I believe it should be known that we're trapped."
The crowd broke into chaos.
W-we're-
"T-trapped!?" Maya gasped.
"So it appears," said Togami. "The courtroom seems to have been sealed completely by using steel plates and barriers."
Whip crack. "Also, this courtroom isn't quite normal. There are quite a bit of extra floors with all sorts of facilities... including dormitories."
"B-but I don't remember coming here..." Phoenix interjected, confusion distinct in his voice.
"No one does," Clay replied dimly. "That's the strange thing."
"I see that everyone has gathered!" A mechanical voice roared behind the single table placed on the stage. Everyone spun around to face the source, turning silent. "I really hope the ride wasn't too rough for you bastards! I don't want you hurt; the real fun hasn't even begun!"
W-who- "Show yourself!" Phoenix shouted.
A/N:
Donn: Thanks for reading! ^.^ If you're asking why Togami, the answer is because Togami's pretty much this fandom's meme. That's all. In fact, me suggesting Byakuya Togami into this obviously Ace Attorney-centric blend is why I got to co-write in the first place. In any case, writing this was fun (especially Franziska), though descriptive got a bit repetitive. Honestly, if it wasn't for Jamie revising and rewriting certain parts over and over this would've been a much more messed up story (and to my own surprise she is still not pleased with the result).
Anyways, fair warning, this story will be as cheesy, if not cheesier than Danganronpa itself.
Also, you might notice how the characters aren't acting like themselves. Let's just say...
Spoilers.