Lotta Hart Investigative Reporter: Headline Confrontation Part 2
by
triviatrap1982
I don't own Suzuka, or Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney is owned by Capcom and Nintendo. Suzuka is owned by Kouji Seo.
Lotta followed Nana to the agency. Though...she really had to take a read of her face. They arrived to the agency, a bit early. That was due to taking the express bus there. The power of anger was coming. Lotta continues to clutch her folder as if it were a new-born baby. She didn't want to lose everything. She made sure she was set, and walked off of the bus. There, Lotta and Nana waited for Honoka. Once she was there...the real confrontation was going to begin. Nana was very nervous.
"I don't know how this is going to go on," she said nervously.
"I don't either," Lotta admitted. "It can go one of two ways...though at this point...it's up to her to salvage your friendship."
"Wait...I haven't thought of that..." she said shocked.
"Yeah," Lotta said, "after all...you did put your neck out on the line for her."
"That's true..." Nana answered.
"Also, a friend wouldn't do that to another just because..." Lotta lowered her voice.
'That I understand,' Nana thought. 'She must have made some very special friends back home...'
Honoka came by to discuss business. However, Nana was not in a best mood at all. Honoka tried to get what was the matter from her...but she was deathly quiet. She asked Lotta to step up to the plate, and she did. Of course, the tabloid journalist was upset. However, she kept her cool. She knew she had no choice. She stepped up and introduced herself. Honoka got rather...antsy and didn't want to talk. That too, was not an option. Honoka was going to have to see where this went.
"Honoka...I just have one question to ask you...did you ditch Yamato with some other guy from your agency?" Lotta asked.
"You really shouldn't listen to rumor," Honoka shot back...a bit insulted.
"I did learn something from a couple of my attorney friends...evidence talks...everything else walks," Lotta warned. "You might wanna be honest...if you want to make things worse."
"Do you actually have any evidence?" Honoka demanded.
"Yes, I have a few pieces," Lotta said presenting the contracts and the rule sheets. "I want you to read the highlighted items on the rule sheets."
"I'll entertain you," she said. "No employee shall engage in inter-office dating."
"Right, and you know they'll terminate your contract."
"That still doesn't prove anything."
Lotta presented the pictures. She didn't doctor them up...and they also were very clear. Honoka got very pale. Lotta looked to her, and asked again if she wanted to come clean. She was hesitant. The receptionist heard the commotion and ran up to get the bosses. He knew things were going to be rough for Honoka. Meanwhile outside...it got deathly quiet. Lotta wasn't going to budge from her position as she got the pictures back.
"You know something...you wouldn't know class if it came and kicked you in the ass," Lotta said rather flatly.
"What do you mean...?" Honoka asked.
"I mean your friend here...she risked a lot," Lotta started. "This isn't exactly how you say 'thank you for everything, Nana'"
"She's right..." Nana said...and she had a low grumble in her voice. "Did you think that I wouldn't recognize that jerk?"
"Wait...you figured...?" Honoka started.
"Yes...I did...and so did Yamato most likely since he gave Ms. Hart here my information," she noted.
"Not only does he know...but also his friends, Miki...and Yasinobu..." Lotta then admitted.
"Are you really that cold?" Nana asked.
Honoka tried to rationalize letting Yamato down. Nana heard enough. As Lotta got everything together...she looked up and saw Nana slap her now ex-friend. Nana ran off, not wanting to deal with her at all. Honoka looked at Lotta...who was very grim. She explained that she had multiple chances to come clean. Honoka thought she'd be alright...unfortunately, the management team, and the legal team were on the scene. They summoned the both inside.
"You're that reporter?" a lawyer asked.
"Yes," Lotta answered simply. "Here's the photos and such."
"D-Did you plan on publishing?" a manager asked.
"Not really...I'd like to get rid of them," Lotta answered.
"Well...we will buy these photos from you at a very fair price," she said.
"Right, as soon as we can get the exchanges straightened out," Lotta said.
"You're from America right?" a lawyer asked.
"I am..." she answered.
"Wait...these are some beautiful sunrises..." another lawyer said.
"Oh, I must have gotten those mixed in!" Lotta said sheepishly.
"We can make this work!" he declared.
"Though the biggest question is what's her fate?" Lotta asked.
"Well...as you saw on the rules sheets...she can be let go...as for this guy...he can be let go as well."
Lotta nodded and followed everybody to the executive offices. Once they got the international situation figured out, they wired the money to her bank account. They gave her a receipt, and sent one to the bank via a fax machine. That bit of business was taken care of. The male model came in...and he was flashing a smile. The room was not amused. They told him straight up he was found out...and will be brought out of his contract. He protested...trying to attack the lawyer. Lotta, held him back and had him pinned while Security came by. She let him go. This guy was now going to be black balled from the industry.
"W-wow...Ms. Hart is it?" the president started. "How did you know to take him down?"
"I grew up with some rowdy older brothers and cousins," she said.
"Well...as for you Honoka...you'd serve yourself well if you're honest with us," she demanded.
"Everything Ms. Hart said...is very true," Honoka finally admitted.
"Why...why would you hurt your friends?" the lawyer asked.
"I have no excuses..." Honoka returned.
"Well...we have no choice but to buy out your contract," the president said.
"I don't think this scandal would look right in your hometown papers," Lotta warned. "It's plenty embarrassing if an American found everything out."
"That is 100% true," the lawyer said.
"Well...we can just spin it as a mutual split over creative differences," a manager said.
"Thank you for everything," Honoka said very softly, "you've been good to me...but I've squandered it."
"Listen," Lotta said, "you can be down on yourself...or you can go make yourself better...and be more humane."
Honoka knew what Lotta was asking. Luckily...she had a back-up plan. Lotta then saw the receptionist...and he was nervous. He too broke the rules by not getting security first, and then getting the Managers. Lotta remembered her fanny pack. She turned over all of her memory cards and flash drives that had other incriminating pictures. She nearly forgot. The president was very sick to her stomach.
"I am sorry," Lotta said softly.
"That's not your fault," the lawyer said dryly.
"Like you said," Honoka said, "I got found out by you...and embarrassed everybody."
"Instead of sitting here feeling sorry for yourself, set your future in motion!" Lotta declared.
Everybody got the point. Lotta left the office. She sighed. She knew Nana wouldn't be able to trust Honoka again...and neither would Honoka. She caught up with Lotta in the lobby. Lotta told her bluntly that she needed to talk to Yamato herself to make things right. She cringed, but knew she was right. Lotta returned to the dorms, after a wild day. she went in her room, but heard a knock. It was Suzuka who was very upset.
"I-I didn't see this happening..." Suzuka said coming in taking a seat on the bed.
"What happened?" Lotta asked.
"I got a call from my captain Kinigusa...and he heard what happened," she started.
"You're about to get voted off the team...?" Lotta asked very concerned.
"That's nothing compared to what's going to happen next..."
Lotta then realized that somebody over heard her tirade...and a scout heard everything. Lotta knew her voice was booming and powerful...but not exactly that much. She let Suzuka go. She stayed on the bed. She needed exactly to hear the truth from Lotta on how she was acting. Ms. Hart wasn't pulling any punches. It felt like she was being punched in the face so many times, she just gave up.
"Just give up your pursuit of being perfect," Lotta warned. "It's nothing but a waste of time."
"I just want to be the best I can be!" Suzuka snapped.
"You can be the best...but trying to be perfect," Lotta said. "It's like trying to run to a Rainbow...you're never going to get close enough to it."
Suzuka let that sink in. She too knew she had to make right with Yamato. Lotta did tell her that her attitude prior, would kill any romantic chances. She too knew that was very correct. She decided to go to her room and sort things out. It also was an Olympic qualifying year...so...she was going to be in even deeper trouble. Lotta closed her door and she decided to lie down. It was too much excitement for one day. The very next day...she had everything packed up, and ready to go. Her flight was going to be in the late afternoon.
"Hey there," Ayano said, as Lotta paid up the money, "I do apologize for the way I acted."
"You know what," Lotta said, "you're forgiven."
"You're right...I do need to motivate Yamato by actually giving him encouragement," she said.
"I'll be less critical of him from now on," Miho also promised.
"Yeah...I'll have to be less of a you-know-what," Saki chimed in.
"We really don't want you to come back for a repeat performance," Miho noted.
"Hey leaving so soon?": Yasinobu asked.
"Yeah, I gotta get home," Lotta said.
"What about your modeling story...?" Miho asked.
"I decided to kill the story...it really isn't something I should write about," Lotta answered.
"Anyway, Miki and Yamato wanted me to give you this," Yasinobu said, putting on his sun glasses.
"Oh! I know a certain kid I can give this to!" Lotta said looking at the cat pin.
"We also got you some other gifts and trinkets to give to your friends," Saki said. "We just didn't get the snow-globes."
"Now, that's how a friend should act!" Lotta said.
"I did get Yamato some concert tickets...so that should really make up!" Saki declared.
Ayano determined he needed some time off. Saki also promised to be nicer to people. Lotta told both Miho and Saki that people remember the worst of a person, than the good of a person. She decided to do a one-day sight-seeing trip of the places where Yasinobu suggested. She got a great back-up story. At about 4:30, she was on her way to the airport when she saw Yamato, and Miki. She also saw Miho and Saki there as well.
"Hey Yamato," Miho started, "we're sorry we treated you like dirt."
"Yeah...don't be upset with Lotta...she just told the truth," Saki added. "I am sorry for the way I treated you."
"I forgive you," he said softly. "Ms. Hart would be very mad if I held to a grudge too long."
"You know...speaking of which...did you get a story out after all?" Saki asked.
"Yup," Lotta said smiling. "I took my notes and everything."
'Crap...that notebook...' Lotta thought.
"I know where there's a bonfire going," Saki said.
"Do point the way!" Lotta remarked.
They found a public bonfire. Lotta had the old notebook. She read through it with all the rumor and such. She tossed it into the flames to let all that investigative work go to ash. The crowd was very solemn as it was at a temple. Lotta said a quick prayer, and left. She caught a taxi for the airport after she had all over bags. She paid the driver and was very quiet. Once there, she had her boarding pass and her passport ready. It was going to be a very long flight home. Two days later...because Lotta rested...she turned in the alternate story.
"Why didn't you...?" the editor asked.
"I know why," the editor-in-chief answered, "it was something that she had no choice but to kill."
"That's right...way too many people would have gotten hurt," Lotta said.
"I understand," he said. "Though, I do love the unusual Tokyo hotspots angle...it will be printed."
Lotta smiled. It wasn't a juicy story...but she did prevent even more pain and suffering. She left when her phone chimed. It was an e-mail from Honoka, who told her she entered into nursing school. She also was working to talk with Yamato, and Nana to try to make things right. She also thanked Lotta for opening her eyes to how things were going to work out. She left and she ran into Mr. Edgeworth who came back before her.
"How did things go?" he asked.
"For me...decent," Lotta said flatly. "For them...it's going to be growing pains."
"Tell me...what do you think about perfection?" he asked.
"It's useless," Lotta said. "It's like trying to run towards a rainbow...you're never going to get near it."
"I haven't heard it put that way before...maybe Franziska would figure that out."
Lotta giggled and she went on to her next story. She didn't know when...but she was going to be re-invited to Japan. It was something of a very special surprise. She remembered to give Edgeworth his gift. Though it was a basic key chain...it was a treble clef. He smiled, and put it in his picket. This was the end...of what Lotta thought...of the hardest ordeal in her history. However...time has a rather tricky way of bringing things full circle.