December 26, 12:35 pm

Courtroom No. 4

"They found her! We will now uncover the truth of this case, once and for all! "Edgeworth seemed so defiant, Debeste looked at him surprised as well as Ray looked at the two young attorneys taking their place beside him at the Defense Bench, Lamiroir cried and put a hand on her chest.

"You're bluffing! You can't even look for anything! "exclaimed a very angry Morgan, Edgeworth just smiled and lifted his shoulders.

"I'm not the bluffing attorney. So, you really are watching all of us over, I request to this court to analyze the Police System, your Honor, it's a matter of national security."

"Request granted, bailiff, examine that thing now!"

The true thing was that Edgeworth was really bluffing, he hasn't received a confirmation from Debeste yet, but he couldn't leave this end and Agent Lang is already looking for Trucy, he had a bad time taking the decision. It wasn't time to show how scared he was.

"Now, while we tie up our loose ends, how about you talk now Ms. Gramarye? I know you have quite a lot to tell us."

"Thank you Mr. Edgeworth, oh god…I can't thank you enough…" it took her a couple of minutes to compose herself, but she smiled sadly before her face changed, reflecting pure regret. "They came to me a month ago, they told me that I had to ruin Mr. Wright's life in every possible way or they would kill Trucy. I panicked, my first mistake was consulting him, I just talked with him through letters because I was being watched, they constantly send pictures of me in the street or the numbers of the persons I talked to... I just wanted him to protect Trucy but he was the one who proposed me to sue him, that would keep them distracted while he investigated the culprit. But they caught him and told me that I had to kill him…they gave me the gun and a limited time or they would kill us all…" she was crying again. "I was supposed to meet him that night, he sent me a message telling me to see him sooner than planned and I thought it was my only opportunity so I went… I disguised myself, entered the office and pointed at him with the gun… he asked me to stop, he told me that he had a family…I couldn't pull the trigger even if I wanted to, I was about to ran away when Apollo entered and tried to stop me, we struggled for a moment and then the gun fired by itself…." she couldn't look at Apollo in the face, but he was eager to keep listening, encouraging her to dry her tears and continue. "I saw Mr. Wright taking the gun from an evidence bag right when Apollo was fighting, when our gun fired he got nervous and shot too, I didn't saw where his bullet landed but he hurt himself with the recoil, I ran away…I don't know what happened after that. I was intercepted in the street not so long after by a man with many scars on his face, he took the gun and said "You will live to see your mistakes" … and I see now, he was telling the truth…"

Right at the end, Debeste's phone rang. He answered, looked at Edgeworth and wrote in the air with his baton "They found them". Everybody in the benches sighed in relief, completely free at last.

"You did nothing wrong. "assured Apollo, smiling at her. "I'm fine! And you didn't shoot Mr. Wright."

"You stopped me, thanks to you I didn't commit the biggest mistake of my life. Thank you, Apollo…"

He smiled trying to calm her, the Judge got moved to tears.

"So, it truly was Matt Engarde. We confirmed it with this testimony and the bloody writing, only you are capable of such a feat, Ms. Fey." Assured Edgeworth.

"Mr. Edgeworth! You ruined the mood! "said Athena.

"It's fine, we are still in a trial, and if what he says is true we may have found our culprit." Said Apollo.

"You are still as rushed and dumb as when we started. I'm not the only one capable of channeling spirits that was there, as much as I don't want to admit it, Mystic Maya was also there. She was the first to find the victim, right? Why do you think it was? She channeled Engarde and left him do as he wanted, at the end, he shot Mr. Wright and left her just to defend him and play dumb, don't you think Prosec—"

"Stop! "a sudden scream filled the courtroom, but it wasn't of one of the present at the Defense or Prosecution. The girl raised from her place in the gallery, crying badly. "Why are you like that? Why you accuse Mystic Maya of these horrible things! She hasn't left Mr. Nick's side since then and would never be capable of hurting him…you just want to win and that's so rude…why? Why mom?"

"Pearl! What are you doing here? "Morgan paled, all the color draining from her body and leaving a porcelain statue in her place.

"Rooting for Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Nick…unlike you, Mystic Maya is innocent! I have photos she sent me when she was at the train, she was never there…please mom, don't make things harder…please. "and then Pearls exited the courtroom, Gumshoe went immediately after her to Edgeworth's relief, but Morgan stayed frozen like if her soul just abandoned her. An uncanny breakdown to say the least.

"I channeled Engarde and he killed Iris, nothing more. I ran away thinking that I could escape and finally watch my daughter earn the position she was born to take, but the leader called to prepare the ambush at the Detention Center and I lost it all…"

"So, you indirectly killed the girl. Then, how the gun that was in your hands arrived to the Prosecutors' Offices? "asked Debeste, Morgan just nodded sadly.

"That I honestly don't know, the leader asked to left the evidence at a Russian Club, he did all the things after."

"The Borscht Club…" murmured Edgeworth feeling a sudden pinch where he was hurt, remembering him of the trap.

"Ms. Lamiroir, Ms. Fey. Who is the leader? "asked Ray, both of them had mentioned someone behind all, the one who gave the orders and planned it all.

"I never saw him, he menaced me with the pictures and scared me enough. "said Lamiroir.

"We didn't saw him either, but he told us that his name was Gavin."

"Gavin! Whaaat?!" screamed Edgeworth, Apollo smashed his fist on the bench.

"Bring Mr. Gavin to the stand now!"

"Bailiff, you heard him!"

A small recess was granted, but nobody dared to talk, nobody had a clear grasp on the situation anymore, Apollo couldn't stop walking nervously in the lobby and the team was now divided in prosecution and defense. Lamiroir's accusation was already cleared, but the Judge himself had no intention of leaving the case in there.

Back in the trial they faced again with the kindest face of the devil itself, he was wearing prison clothes but still standing proud and confident.

"Mr. Justice, Mr. Edgeworth, we see each other again. I thought we had clarified this situation."

"Mr. Gavin, we are not here to play your games. You will confess now. "Apollo sounded so cold, so done. Kristoph laughed softly.

"This is absurd, you got the wrong Gavin. I was in prison the entire time. "right there, Apollo's bracelet reacted.

"You are lying…"

"Oh, can you prove it? You saw another demon in my hand? Check the cameras, I was there all the time."

"The mastermind had access to the police records, modificate them wouldn't be hard."

"Nothing is easy in prison, believe me, why don't you check? "the bailiff came running with a bunch of papers which he delivered to Debeste. He put one hand on his mouth when he looked at them.

"He…he's right, Agent Lang discovered an anomaly a few moments ago and blocked the access of an account, the owner is Klavier Gavin."

"Klavier… no, that can be, there's no way. "said Apollo closing his eyes and fists, he can't even imagine him committing such a crime.

"Only a Prosecutor or a member of the police can access to the system going unnoticed, the gun appeared at the Prosecutors' Offices and the crime itself was committed there. All our clues point to a Prosecutor being our culprit, but…Klavier Gavin? "elaborated Edgeworth under the curious look of everyone in the courtroom.

"I told you that you have the wrong Gavin. If this is what your precious logic makes you conclude, why denying it?"

"You seem eager to point at culprits here, nobody has more motive to see Mr. Wright dead than you, you said it yourself. "argued Apollo.

"I haven't told such thing, everything outside of court is irrelevant. I just want to cooperate with you, my brother is very troubled lately, I can't blame him."

"Prosecutor Gavin has no motive!"

"Are you sure? How well do you know him? A couple of trials being rivals aren't the same as a whole life. His relationship with Phoenix Wright isn't in the best of terms, you know?"

"Prosecutor Gavin was the one who accused Mr. Wright of forgery and stripped him of his badge, they never saw each other even since."

"That's true, but you are ignoring something crucial. When I was first condemned you put me in prison thanks to a dirty trick, forged evidence, no less."

"Y-you knew…"

"Yes, I had always known. You know why I didn't pursue the matter further? Because it would surely cost you your badge, you, my only protégé. You had a lot of future ahead, Phoenix Wright shielded himself in you, in that fact, so I had no choice but to accept it. However, Klavier never accepted my fall, he too knows the true nature of Wright and wanted to present charges against him, sadly, no one listened to him…the Chief Prosecutor also protects Wright, it's not easy to get him."

"That's not true, I make no exceptions. "defended Edgeworth, Klavier nodded.

"Are you sure? You used all of your influences to get his badge back, he convinced you of testing the Jury System for that specific trial and no other else, he gets hurt and all the country moves to find a sole culprit. Phoenix Wright does as he wants with this system, that's the truth nobody wants to face."

"You should be ashamed, talking like that about someone who is convalescent at the moment, I thought better of you, Mr. Gavin. "this time the Judge was the one who talked, leaving everyone at a sudden silence. "as a judge my duty is to remain impartial, however…I'd like to talk for a moment, not as a Judge but as myself. "he left his gavel to rest and looked at the audience. "Mr. Wright is a curious man to say the least, but he's far from being the monster you're making him look like. I have never met a person with a bigger heart than him, he's a beloved father, mentor, friend and a respectable professional. If half a country is trying to seek justice to his case is because he won each and every one of them just by being himself…not by cheats and tricks, so please, avoid making comments like that, at least while I'm present."

"He won them? Surely you are aware that he not only gained friends and allies, but also a lot of enemies."

"Yes, it's only natural, after all he's a man of justice…and a loyal follower of the truth. "the Judge then took his gavel back, Athena was crying as well as the most part of the gallery, Edgeworth just had his arms crossed and lids down, listening. For Apollo it was a weird thing, he was so accustomed to hear people lying that when he heard someone speaking so sincerely and from the bottom of their hearts he couldn't help but feel reconforted and filled with joy.

"You know, your Honor? That just sounded like Wright's Requiem. "said Kristoph, provoking chills on all the presents.

"You're taking this trial the way you want, Mr. Gavin, I will not allow such thing. "Edgeworth on attack mode again.

"So, Mr. Edgeworth, as you heard, Klavier has a motive as well and pretty solid evidence against him. Isn't your duty to proceed in his prosecution?"

"OBJECTION! "the new voice came by surprise but as they saw the very Klavier Gavin entering the courtroom a sudden agitation was present, he was walking with the help of crutches and looked very tired. He planted himself just in front of his brother. "Why are you doing this? Accusing me just like that. Does our blood means nothing at all, you at least cared about me once?"

Kristoph remained as calm as ever, looking as his beaten brother with his cold eyes.

"It didn't matter to you when you prosecuted me. What does it matter now?"

"I heard everything you said, Debeste never hanged up his phone! It is true that I wanted to confront Phoenix Wright, but as soon as more things came into the light I thought that what had happened was for the better, you got what you deserved! And…and yet…" Klavier changed his mad face to one full if sadness, like he had given up. "I thought that you could change, I wanted to help you, to give you another chance because…you are my brother, I remember all our lives and…I thought that I owed you…" Klavier started crying, looking at the ground. "but…you used me, you used me to reach your vengeance once again…is that everything I am to you?"

"What are you talking about? where were you Prosecutor Gavin? "asked Apollo, Simon got close and explained.

"Prosecutor Gavin was kidnapped almost a week ago, all of his belongings were stolen and used to modificate official documents and personally watch everything, he is innocent."

"You did it! You shot Phoenix Wright! "yelled Klavier to his brother. "I know you did! You used my data to control everything as you liked, you organized that bunch of people to give the hit, you saw Mr. Wright the same day as me, if anyone else would have planned his murder you should have warned him because you want to be the one!"

"So then why he wrote the letter if he saw him face to face? "asked Apollo.

"To give himself an alibi, we discarded him from our list as soon as he declared. A clever move…" said Edgeworth, his fist was in the bench and he was sweating bullets.

"So he had to be at a crime scene but he isn't, what does it mean?"

"He sent someone else or he erased all of his tracks, we may be losing something. "said Ray looking thoroughly into the evidence.

Trucy held high her father's pendant.

"We found this in the hands of one of the kidnappers, Furio Tigre, it's my father's pendant!"

"I already checked it out for fingerprints but there aren't any, it has blood on it and Agent Lang confirmed it to be Mr. Wright's, it should have reached the pendant when he was shot."

"Then how did it come to Furio's hands? "Athena thought hard. "It's a piece of evidence that you only could obtain at the crime scene itself, but no camera showed him and there's no other way to enter. Somebody else had to give it to him."

"This is no ordinary object." Apollo asked for the pendant and Trucy gave it to him, he opened it and showed to the courtroom the photo of Trucy." this isn't very valuable, is not made of gold or some fancy material, and you only know it's true value if you open it…Mr. Wright surely has shown it to a lot of people, but only a few knew the history of this locket and why it's one of his most appreciated possessions; Mr. Wright himself, Trucy, myself and Mr. Gavin…only these people could have taken intentionally the locket."

Kristoph laughed as he looked at everybody.

"Sadly, evidence is everything in court. You want to hang me with that simple pendant? Fine, but you have nothing to prove your claim, do you?"

"Evidence…" Klavier then turned to Apollo. "please tell me that you have something…"

Not even Edgeworth was prepared for that, it was the critical moment of the trial, everything or nothing.

However, it looked like Kristoph had won…it was true, they had nothing else. They had discussed everything, build up every point and discovered everything…but the final stone was lost, the truth remained out of reach…now what?

As every Ace Attorney game, this story has two endings, one good and one bad. It all depends on the last choice the team will take, which it will be?

1) Present the last piece of evidence left. (Read Final Chapter: Vengueance and its Epilogue (Chapters 22 &23))

2) Ask for a recess. (Read Final Chapter: The Longest Night and its Epilogue(Chapters 24 & 25))