Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

Turnabout Of The Night

by Derald Snyder

Trial- Day 1 (Part 1)

Court Record:

Demitri's Autopsy Report

Holy Water

Simone's Footprint

November 13, 9:44 AM

Lastation City District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 4

"Good morning, Simone!" K-Sha greeted, trying to sound cheerful as the vampire hunter was lead into the lobby by the bailiff, who then unlocked her handcuffs.

"Good day to you both," Simone returned the greeting. "Miss Ryghts, are you fully prepared to defend me in court?"

"A-about as w-well a-as I c-can be," Rei replied. "B-but it d-depends on what evidence th-the p-prosecution b-brings out..."

"But you said this prosecutor wasn't corrupt, just incompetent," K-Sha pointed out.

"WAS incompetent," the lawyer corrected.

"You mean you've faced him in court before?" Simone said, slightly nonplussed. "Well, that makes me feel a little better..."

"We c-can't let our g-guard down, though..." Rei cautioned, before asking, "By the way, Miss Rondo, is there anything about your weapon that distinguishes it from other maces?"

"Well, the handle is shaped like a cross, hence the name," the hunter explained. "Also, the actual mace end is a little smaller than the average morning-star, so the lighter weight makes it easier to whip."

"Which would mean a smaller wound on the victim's body, right?" K-Sha said. "Speaking of which, where'd you strike him at anyway?"

"Just above his cheek bone, on the left side of his head," Simone explained.

"Okay," Rei nodded. "That'll help a lot..."

"Miss Ryghts, court is about to begin," the bailiff announced. "Would you, Miss K-Sha and the defendant please take your seats?"

"Yes, bailiff!" the former villain assented.

"OK, here we go!" K-Sha declared. "Mission start!"

November 13, 10:00 AM

Lastation City District Court

Courtroom No. 3

"Alright, alright, settle down," the judge announced as she banged her gavel. She had dark brown hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, a pair of thick glasses resting on her wrinkled nose, with gray eyes behind them. "This court is now in session for the trial of The State v. Simone Rondo, who is charged with aggravated murder in the first degree. Are the lawyers ready?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Rei stated.

"Defense assistant K-Sha is ready!" the schoolgirl declared.

The judge looked over at the defense's bench, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I'd recognize that light blue hair and segmented horn anywhere... Rei Ryghts. You know, last time you were here in Lastation, you nearly gave my fellow judge a heart attack?"

"I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry!" Rei reflexively apologized. "B-but it wasn't entirely my f-fault...!"

"Yes, I'm aware of that," the elder woman nodded. "One of the witnesses had brought in a mob to heckle you. But rest assured, I run a very tight ship here, so there won't be any shenanigans from the gallery on my watch! Which hopefully means you won't have to resort to *ahem* drastic measures yourself! Do I make myself clear, Miss Ryghts?"

"Y-yes, ma'am, Your Honor!" Rei assented. "I d-don't want t-to d-do that anymore a-anyway!"

"Good," the judge nodded, shifting her attention to the prosecution's bench- which was currently empty. "Oh for- where's the prosecution gone off to?!"

"H-he should be here soon, Your Honor!" Detective Thomas said nervously. "Said he had to go looking for someone-!" Just then, the courtroom doors opened, revealing a handsome man with slightly spiky white hair and green eyes, dressed in a purple pinstripe suit with a formal red tie.

"My apologies, Your Honor!" the man declared. "I had to locate a vital witness who got lost!"

"About time, Mr. Heinlein. I was just about to hold you in contempt," the judge growled. "Did you find your witness, then?"

"I did indeed! He ended up over by the medical examiner's office, for some reason..." As the man walked up to his bench, he glanced over at the defense's side, doing an abrupt double-take. "Oh no. That looks like a face I never wanted to see again..."

"Believe me, the feeling's mutual, Willard Heinlein," Rei deadpanned.

"Wait, you know each other?" the judge said, nonplussed.

"...Yes, we've faced off in court once before," the prosecutor admitted. "This woman made me a complete laughingstock in court, and in front of Lady Blanc to boot...!"

("You... you can't do this to me! I'm the great Willard Heinlein! I've never lost in court before!")

("Maybe because you never met an attorney who actually fought back! Not to mention your overlooking crucial evidence that pointed away from my client! You got complacent, worm, and now you pay the price! HAAAA-HAHAHAHAHAHA!")

("Dammit, Heinlein! Your ass is grass, you overblown incompetent shit! YOU'RE FIRED!")

("NOOOOOOOOOO!")

Rei couldn't help but sweat-drop at Willard's recollection. (I'm pretty sure I didn't laugh at him like that... And Lady Blanc didn't fire him until after the trial was over...)

"...so there's some bad blood between you, is there?" the judge snarked. "Well, let's hope you can try and keep it civil today..."

"I'm only here to defend my client at K-Sha's request," Rei asserted. "I only made a fool of him before because of his incompetence..."

"Well, that heaping serving of humble pie was quite the bitter pill to swallow," Willard stated. "Forcing me to restart my law career in another nation entirely, helped me to realize my shortcomings. I can assure you, Miss Ryghts, that I am not the pushover you remember me to be! In fact, you could go so far as to call me... Willard Heinlein 2.0!"

(...He still has a touch of his old arrogance, I see...) Rei mused inwardly. "Talk is cheap, worm, so how about you put your money where your mouth is! Let's have your opening statement!"

"Y-yeah, what she said!" K-Sha concurred.

"You have thrown the gauntlet? Then so be it!" Heinlein declared. Picking up a piece of paper, he began, "This tragic crime occurred at around midnight on November the 10th! The CFO and co-founder of Paler Sunscreen Industries, Demitri Paler, had stepped outside to get some fresh air, when he was suddenly struck down by by a morning-star mace! The assailant then proceeded to beat him until the poor man had breathed his last, before disappearing into the night! However, the next morning, apparently overcome by conscience, the defendant, Simone Rondo, surrendered herself to the police. But she would only admit to assaulting the victim, not killing him, even though the evidence clearly shows otherwise!" He then gestured dramatically. "As the prosecutor for this case, it is my intention to ensure this woman receive the proper punishment for her crimes, so the victim's brother Vlad and his wife may obtain closure!"

"...you still know how to put on a show, I see," Rei observed, clearly unimpressed.

"But why did the defendant attack Demitri Paler to begin with?" the judge asked. "What was her motive?"

Willard visibly hesitated for a few seconds. "...Well, you see, Your Honor, the defendant styles herself as a hunter of 'creatures of the night.' The reason she struck down Mr. Paler was... well, she thought him to be... a vampire."

"V-vampire?!" The gallery promptly dissolved into laughter at this, causing the judge to bang her gavel several times. "Order! Order! This is no laughing matter! Might I remind the gallery that a man is mourning his brother's death today?!" The audience promptly quieted.

(Guess we know who's side the gallery's on...) Rei sweat-dropped.

"...A-anyway, I shall now call my first witness," Willard said hurriedly. "Detective Thomas, if you would please." The large man did as ordered, taking his place behind the stand. "Please state your name and occupation for the record."

"Harold D. Thomas, precinct detective. I was assigned by Lady Noire herself to watch the crime scene."

'Would you kindly give us an overview of this case?" the prosecutor requested.

"Yes sir!" The man saluted, before pulling a large diagram from who-knows-where. "OK, so according to this diagram, the victim was found here, dead center, just beyond the sidewalk. To the west is the main factory for Paler Sunscreen where he works. We found a footprint next to the body which indicates that the assailant approached from the south. And according to the defendant's own testimony, she fled to the north after the incident."

*Crime Scene Diagram has been added to the Court Record.*

"Were there any other footprints in the area, Detective?" Heinlein prodded.

"There were a few here and there, but nothing clear enough to try and run through the system," Thomas said. "Of course, they could have just been left by the factory workers goin' out to their cars or what not..."

"Though it also demonstrates the possibility that there could have been others at the scene," Rei pointed out.

"There was in fact, one other person," Willard admitted, "but we shall get to him in due time. Detective, is there anything you can tell us about the wounds the victim suffered?"

"Well, I didn't see the body myself, but I do have photos," Thomas stated, pulling two photographs from his trench coat. The first photo was a wide shot, showing Demitri Paler lying a short distance from the sidewalk in a pool of his own blood. The second picture was a close up shot that focused on his head and chest, several bloody wounds clearly visible.

*Crime Scene Photos added to the Court Record.*

"As you can see, the wounds on his head and chest are consistent with a morning-star mace," the detective explained.

"...but his hair seems a bit wet," Heinlein observed. "Would you care to explain that, detective?"

"Huh?!" Thomas blinked in confusion. "Uh, gee, I dunno anything about that, sir..."

"Um..." K-Sha raised a hand. "I think I can explain it..."

"Oh?" Willard raised an eyebrow curiously. "Well then, by all means, enlighten us, Miss K-Sha..."

"Sure," the student nodded, pulling the flask of holy water and setting it on the bench. "Detective, you remember handing this water to me yesterday, right?"

"Oh yeah!" the bearded man recalled. "It was on the defendant's person when she surrendered!"

"Are you saying the defendant poured some of that water on the victim's head?" Willard guessed. "But why would she do such a thing?"

"Because this is consecrated holy water," K-Sha explained. "Most likely, she was checking to see if Mr. Demitri was a vampire or not..." The gallery laughed briefly, before being swiftly silenced by the judge's gavel.

"...I see," Willard muttered with his eyes closed. "But why wait to do that until after she had slain him?"

"B-but that's not what happened!" the schoolgirl insisted.

Rei then cleared her throat loudly, before speaking, "The defense stands by its assertion that Simone Rondo only struck down Demitri Paler, who was then finished off by another party after she left the scene."

"Objection!" the prosecutor cried. "Would you care to tell us who this other party is, Miss Ryghts?"

"I-I, u-umm, haven't q-quite f-figured th-that out y-yet..."

The judge banged her gavel once, before shaking her head. "Objection sustained. An assertion is worthless without proof, as I'm sure you're well aware, Miss Ryghts. Do you have any other questions for Detective Thomas?"

"J-just a moment..." the lawyer grunted as she looked over the crime scene photos. Holding up the close-up photo, she spoke, "Detective, may I c-call you attention t-to th-this wound here? It's j-just above the ch-cheek b-bone on the left side..."

"What about it?" Thomas blinked.

"D-doesn't it seem a little s-smaller th-than th-the other wounds on the b-body?"

"Objection! What is the relevance?" Willard spoke up.

"I-I have reason t-to believe th-that this wound was c-caused b-by a d-different weapon th-than the others!" Rei asserted, slamming her fists on the bench.

"Please," Heinlein waved dismissively. "The reason the wound is smaller is because it was a lighter impact than the others..."

"OBJECTION!" Rei yelled. "Look again at the photo! The depth of where the spikes on the mace pierced the victim's skin are just as deep as the other wounds! That doesn't look like a 'lighter impact' to me!"

"Oh!" the judge blinked in mild surprise. "Well, that's a valid point, Miss Ryghts..."

"Indeed," the bluenette nodded. "Just before trial began, my client informed me that the mace she uses in her hunts is slightly smaller to make it easier to whip!"

"And I can back her up on that!" K-Sha added. "I've seen it myself!"

"So what are you insinuating?" Willard pressed.

"I refer back to my earlier assertion, that my client only knocked down the victim and then left, only for another party to murder Mr. Paler afterward!" the lawyer declared with a flourish of her pointer finger, the gallery starting to murmur. "And that the real murderer used a larger mace!"

"...I see," the prosecutor said, not looking fazed in the slightest. He then reached under his bench, lifting up a large evidence bag. "Perhaps you mean... this mace?" It did indeed appear to be somewhat large, attached to a chain with a straight handle. "As you can see, this morning-star is covered in blood, which DNA analysis has confirmed to belong to the victim."

"...!" Rei's eyes went wide.

"Y-yeah!" K-Sha agreed. "That's gotta be the murder weapon! But it's not Simone's weapon! That much I can say for sure!"

*Bloody Mace has been added to the Court Record.*

The judge banged her gavel to quiet the crowd down. "You seem quite confident in your assertion, Miss K-Sha..."

"Well, Simone and I used to fight together for The Order, so of course I know what weapons she uses!" the former mercenary pointed out.

"Well, your belief in your former partner is all well and good..." Willard nodded. "However, this brings up a vital question: where is the defendant's weapon now?"

"H... huh?" K-Sha blinked, as if said question had failed to register.

"W-well, m-my c-client said th-that her C-Combat C-Cross was c-confiscated w-when she was arrested..." Rei stuttered uncertainly.

The white-haired prosecutor just shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not good enough this time, Miss Ryghts... unlike before, I made certain to personally examine all the evidence myself. And I can say for a fact and truth..." He thumped the packaged mace on his bench for emphasis. "That this mace was the only one currently stored in the evidence locker!"

"O-objection!" K-Sha yelled with slightly less conviction than she would have liked. "C-can anybody else back you up on that, sir?!"

"I can!" Detective Thomas asserted. "I went and checked myself this morning, at Mr. Heinlein's request! And that's the only mace I could find! Nothin' else even resembling a morning-star in there!" The crowd began muttering at this, only to be gaveled down.

"B-but... that can't be..." K-Sha grunted, sweating.

"Unfortunately it is, Miss K-Sha," Willard shrugged. "As I'm sure Rei Ryghts here knows, evidence is everything in a court of law. If you cannot produce this other weapon..." He thumped the mace on his bench again. "Then we have no choice but to conclude that this is the mace that was on the defendant's person when she was arrested!"

"Noooo!" the schoolgirl recoiled, causing the audience to murmur.

"Order!" the judge banged her gavel. "It seems that I must side with the prosecution on this matter. With all due respect, young lady, perhaps you should leave the legal arguments to the one actually wearing the attorney's badge!"

"Urk!" K-Sha grunted in despair, turning to Rei. "Sorry, Miss Rei... mission failed..."

(Not quite yet,) the horned lawyer thought to herself. (But perhaps a temporary withdrawal to regroup is in order...) Aloud she spoke, "Your Honor, I think we're done with this witness. Let's move on."

"Very well," the robed woman nodded. "Detective Thomas, you may step down."

"Perhaps now you're realizing that you actually have to take me seriously this time?" Willard stated matter-of-factly.

"I always take trials seriously!" Rei shot back. "At least YOU'RE taking your job seriously this time, worm! So how about that 'vital witness' you had to search for earlier?"

"Patience, Miss Ryghts. You'll get your chance to cross-examine him soon enough. And on that note..." Heinlein turned to the judge. "Your Honor, I request a short recess to ensure my witness is ready."

"You afraid he's wandered off again?" the elder woman snarked.

"Th-that's not it..." Willard ducked his head. "*Ahem* Actually, he hasn't been looking so well this morning... I just want to make sure that he won't keel over on the stand or something."

"...Fair enough, Mr. Heinlein." The judge then banged her gavel. "A ten-minute recess so the prosecution can make sure their witness is in good enough shape to testify. We're adjourned."

*To be continued...*