Here is the 5th flashback only one more to go woohoo. Just so people who have never seen Duel Destines or forgot Athena had black psyche-locks so just keep that in mind. I have been ignoring my writing for Turnabout for Boardgames in favor of getting all these flashbacks out of the way but once the final one has published this portion of the story is done temporarily. If you wish to read trial 2, please look out for the crossover titled Turnabout of Boardgames which is listed under my fanfics and is a crossover between Clue and Ace attorney so much I have to recognize it as a crossover and is part of but separate from the main story. Until that is done, the story will appear as though it isn't being written because that is trial 2 once it's done The Mystical Turnabout will continue this story all the way until the end. I apologize if that seems inconvenient since many people liked this story and won't see the updates for trial 2 because it's a 'separate' story but I just don't think it's appropriate to place the whole story as a crossover when most of it has nothing to do with clue just one major trial. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, the prologue is up for turnabout of boardgames so go ahead and check it out it's really short but don't worry I'll post the real chapters soon and please like review comment critique, advise, etc. and I will see you soon with the final (hopefully) Flashback and all 4 remaining trials. Cheers C:.
Flashback 5: Lana's trial during the UR-1 incident
Simon Blackquill, clever, kind to his friends, scary to his enemies and right now the person I'm supposed to convict because he confessed to a crime that honestly makes no sense why he would commit.
I sighed staring at the dismal report from the police. Once again, they didn't perform a full investigation and once again it was up to the prosecutor's office to clean up their quick fix messes. They really like to convict the first person they find without thinking about other possibilities. Unfortunately, I don't have any goddamn time to make sure they investigated since I have a billion other things to work around.
I slammed the report on my lap and began rubbing my temples feeling a headache coming up. This is not something I wanted to deal with but this case was too big and everyone else was dealing with other cases and ugh I still need to get rid of those idiot Paines before they ruin another case. Now we have a prospective prosecutor about to drag our barely above average reputation and everything is all falling apart.
"You look like you need some camomile tea best take some before a blood vessel bursts mi'lady." Helena Fennery casually walked in bringing forth said tea.
"Don't call me that," I responded curtly. "I'm not your lord. I'm just the district chief prosecutor. And of course, I need I'm about to burst a blood vessel. I have enough on my plate and the chief justice threw me under the bus by handing this case to me when I'm buried in work."
"Tell me about it. He's dumped a lot of evidence reevaluation onto half of the high prosecutors and most of us have two or so cases coming up and he wants progress by next week? Talk about unreal." she sighed in defeat. "I have enough trouble helping Apollo with some of his homework now that he and Clay are in different schools. Fun fact: trig is not a fun math for teenagers or adults."
"Trigonometry isn't that a little advanced for his age?"
"He's taking advanced courses to catch up in his studies. Ever since Phoenix screwed up he's been fervently studying like crazy. It's a good thing otherwise he might have went to the Space Center." her face fell at that. "I swear that kid will end up being the death of me. He's getting way too close to cases and I don't want to be there to identify the body."
"Helena-"
"Anyway, I have some information on the young witness Athena," she stated passing a file onto me. "It took me explaining to Miss Blackquill that Athena might be able to get her brother off the hook to get ahold of their secret project. Turns out Athena's got a rare ability like Apollo."
"What? You mean she can detect lies?"
"Not in the sense you mean no. She has strong hearing similar to Apollo's but whereas he can detect one's ticks in their speech and movement, Athena can instead hear the underlying emotions of others through some kind of wavelength too quiet for humans to detect. It isn't perfect and it only reads emotions but if she starts talking about that sort of thing that's why. Her ability is useful for detecting dissonance where what she's feeling contradicts what is being said something to do with the heart or some nonsense they haven't quite figured out yet."
"Isn't that like with Apollo though? The last part I mean."
"No, that is way easier to determine. His DNA has a weird mutation that increases his reflexes, hearing, sight etc. to detect things beyond a normal person's perceptions. It clearly is genetic and came from one of his biological parents and is amplified by his bracelet which tightens allowing him to notice when he picks up those moments otherwise he naturally sees them all the time so he is unlikely to pick up on those moments without it. Athena notices all the time and there's nothing in her DNA that suggests it's a genetic trait so it could be anything."
"I see," I muttered thinking to myself. "So if she complains there's dissonance in someone's voice…"
"Either someone's emotions don't match what their testifying, they're lying, or she's lying; there's no invention to confirm what she says she hears is true. That's more or less her special power so if she interrupts the trial talking about someone's heart or something similar that's what she's talking about."
"Thank you for that I could use all I can get to get Blackquill out of this mess he's causing. The prosecution's office is barely raising its reputation above the status of mud and now we've got this to contend with."
"I know. I tried seeing what I could find out but I've been buried in work like I've said. The government's getting worse I think but the public's all looking at the judicial branch bah if only they'd get off our backs and realize that we're hired by the legislation so they're to blame for this mess then again people will vote for anyone that spews nonsense anymore. Makes me almost miss English politics almost. Parliament isn't much better but at least they don't dump all the work and blame onto the judicial every single day."
"You miss England?"
"What's to miss? The terrible weather?" Helena joked. "Okay, that's a really old topic my apologies. I guess I miss how we recognize our class system and ancestry while America hides it and pretends like there's no difference. Hah, then why doesn't the government pay half of its defense attorney compensation anymore? No wonder Phoenix's disbarment ruined any hope of attorneys keeping themselves clean. Now all that matters is winning otherwise you'll starve and I hear there's not a single lawyer left that doesn't use cheating left in the state. Maybe it's a good thing Apollo changed his mind, I'd hate for him to live off of nothing…."
"Miss Skye, the trial is about to begin please follow me to courtroom 10." the bailiff called for me.
"I'll be right there," I called before smiling at Helena. "Thank you for the conversation.
"Knock their socks off for me. I have to go pick up Apollo from Themis soon. Cheers, my friend." Helena smiled back before walking out her heels clicking rhythmically all the way.
"I killed Metis Cykes." Simon Blackquill the dark black and white prosecutor stated coldly.
I was losing ground badly trying to keep this idiot afloat. While the evidence was shaky at best, the moron insisted he was guilty so many times that his confession was really the only thing keeping him as the defendant and now the judge looked ready for his verdict.
"Hold it." a voice rang out and a 9-year-old girl wearing such a bright yellow outfit that it practically was blinding cried out.
"Excuse me young miss but you are-" the judge began.
"Athena Cykes. Mr. Blackquill isn't guilty I can hear it in his heart. He's lying." she cried out in desperation.
The courthouse naturally began whispers about how he tricked this poor girl with his psychological prowess. Sometimes I hate the general population for being so ignorant of the human heart.
"Please, your honor let's hear the young lady out. Although her wording is questionable, she supposedly able to hear people's emotions through their speech perhaps she hears something we can't."
"Hmm although it is unusual. I suppose if the prosecution is willing to hear this poor girl out then we shall. Please testify to the court young lady."
Witness Testimony:
Prosecutor Blackquill isn't a murderer.
He's always been so kind to me and mom.
I don't remember him entering the lab before me that day….
Please believe me he didn't kill her!
Can't you hear the sadness and fear he's feeling?
He must be protecting someone!
The court continued to mutter in confusion looking daggers at the black-haired man who seemed indifferent.
"Miss Cykes you believe the defendant is covering for someone else?"
"Yes miss, I mean he's been so kind to me and everything that I just can't believe he'd ever do that," she shouted obviously hearing something else that was bothering her. "It's so loud in here."
The obvious distress of the other emotions coming from the audience was obvious but if I want to prove Blackquill's innocence then I'll have to pressure her.
"Do you think that person is yourself?" I asked the obvious deadly question the court went quiet at that statement. Blackquill seemed unnerved.
"What?" the girl looked even more distressed.
"Well, you just claimed he was protecting someone the only person I can think of that he would do that for is you." I pounded on the bench spooking the girl even more. "After all, Blackquill only ever talked about you I'd say the person he's protecting if anyone is you Miss Cykes."
She screamed in confusion. "I-don't…..remember." her distress picking up as some weird pink earphones fell of her ears.
"Please Athena, I'm asking you where were you when your mother died? You were in the robotics room weren't you?" I kept adding the pressure.
"I-don't remember did I?" she began freaking out.
"Athena calm down and try to remember did you see your mother's death?" I asked forcefully.
I probably should have stopped, should have seen the strain on the child, the judge's worried gaze but all the stress and worry this trial caused and how important it was for the future of my department I wasn't thinking rationally.
The girl screamed and I swear I hear something like an invisible chain snapping forcefully unnaturally as the child sobbed.
"Mommy mommy are you broken? Do you need to be fixed? Ponco please take mommy to the operation table so we can fix her up." she continued sobbing. "Stop Noh stop how could you do you this? Mommy loved you! You bad man I'll hurt you like mommy." then gibberish before saying. "Sorry mommy the bad man's blood is all over your moon rock. I'm sorry here let me help you get fixed up."
The child then collapsed and the courtroom erupted in confusion as the medics came to take the girl out. She just had a mental breakdown but now there was another suspect on the list thanks to her words. I just found a way to save Blackquill's life.
"Your honor I'd like the police to do an investigation on everyone who was there that day. If the witness' account is accurate one of them may still have a wound inflicted from that Noh masked man."
"Very well bailiffs please investigate everyone related to the case at once. I trust they are all in court."
That's when an officer quickly ran off and the bailiffs caught him and apprehended him later for suspicion of the murder of Metis Cykes…..
The trial ended with a not guilty verdict but at what cost? That poor girl left the country to be with her relatives over in Europe and I wouldn't see her for years. The trauma she must have gone through but what can I do? The truth isn't easy to discern and in the end, our job as lawyers is to find the truth.
I just wish it didn't cost that girl to relieve her worst nightmare in the courtroom and she didn't have to lose her mother. But at least I saved Blackquill's life and managed to keep a dangerous spy locked away before he could cause further harm. That's all I can really be thankful for.
But was the cost really worth it?...