Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney
Turnabout Of The Revengers
By Derald Snyder
Investigation- Day 1
September 16, 2:13 PM
Lastation City Production Studios
'The Revengers' Movie Set
"Have no fear, the police are here!" declared the detective as he and his fellow police officers entered the studio. "Harold D. Thomas, reporting for duty!" He was somewhat large, but more muscular than fat, though his belly betrayed some paunch. He had short black hair and a full beard, but no mustache. His brown eyes looked about, quickly locking on Kei Jinguji.
"You're late, detective," Kei deadpanned. "It should not have taken you this long to get here, unless you failed to take the most efficient route..."
"Ever hear of traffic, Oracle?" Detective Thomas shot back, as he adjusted his large gray trench coat. "We got here as fast as we could, alright? So then... where's the body?"
"Up in the rafters," Uni spoke up. "I've already taken pictures of the scene..."
The detective blinked in mild surprise. "L-Lady Uni? You're here, too?!"
"One of the actors is a good friend of mine," the goddess explained, pointing to K-Sha, who waved half-heartedly.
"Oh, right, I see," Harold nodded.
"Detective Thomas," Kei cut in, "The victim is Reggie Wright, a stage light technician. He was apparently shot dead in the chest while working on the lights above where the most recent scene was being shot. Lady Uni has pictures of the body, which she will share with you, if you have a current mobile device that is."
"Unfortunately, I don't," Thomas sighed, "But I'm sure at least one of the officers does... Just let me have a look for now."
"Yes, sir," Uni agreed, pulling up the photos to show to the detective, who took the mobile device from her to get a better look.
"Hmmm... looks like he was shot multiple times, at least three," Thomas observed.
"That's what I thought, too," Uni nodded.
The detective then spotted the broken stage light. "What happened there?"
"My fault!" said Dogoo Man as he walked up, raising his hands in an apologetic gesture. "Totally my fault. It was an accident, I swear!"
"I thought I told you to stay in your dressing room," Kei stated.
"...I'm guessing he's one of the actors?" Harold Thomas muttered, sweat-dropping at the muscleman's appearance.
"Yup! And I'm the one that found the body!" Dogoo Man nodded. "I came out when I heard the police were here, so I could show 'em where it was..."
"Well, if you're as half as strong as you look, then you can help the others get the body down from the rafters so they can send Mr. Wright to autopsy," Detective Thomas suggested.
"Yes, sir!" Dogoo Man saluted, before heading off to do just that.
"So then..." Harold turned back to Kei as he took out a notepad. "What was everyone doing before the body was discovered?"
"They were just wrapping up the shooting of a scene when I arrived," Kei stated. "But for more details on that, you should ask Director Iceberg..."
The detective blinked at this. "Iceberg? As in Steve Iceberg?!"
"That's me," the director affirmed as he walked up.
"Wow!" gasped Thomas, "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in person, sir!" He shook the director's hand vigorously. "Your movie 'Far-out Encounters of the Fifth Kind' is one of my all-time favorite flicks!"
"That old gem?" Iceberg chuckled. "I mean sure, that *was* the movie that put me on the map, but still..."
"Gentlemen, if you would please return to the matter at hand," Kei Jinguji cut in.
"Urk!" both men flinched. "Um, right then..." The detective cleared his throat. "So, ah, what were you filming before the body was found?"
"A scene featuring Titanium Man taking down this crazy gun-wielding girl," Iceberg answered. "The actor playing that girl is Miss K-Sha over there," he indicated the brunette, who waved again nervously.
"I see... so were there real bullets used?" Thomas inquired.
"Well, yes... but we took every safety precaution to ensure no-one would get hit by accident!" The director insisted. "Lady Uni and Miss K-Sha herself made sure of that!"
"Is that so?" Thomas muttered, before turning to K-Sha. "So when you were acting out this scene, did you ever fire any bullets into the ceiling?"
"Um... just a short burst, but..." The former mercenary suddenly gasped as realization dawned. "W-wait, you don't think I... that I shot Mr. Wright dead when I did that?!"
"HOLD IT! Wait just a minute!" The director cut in. "That doesn't make any sense! I know Reggie, he would've been long gone off the rafters before shooting commenced! I don't buy it!"
Detective Thomas considered this. "Alright, well first... how about you show me where you were standing when you fired into the ceiling, Miss K-Sha?"
"Sure," K-Sha nodded, following the larger man onto the stage. "Let's see... I think I was standing... right about here," she came to a stop. She and Harold Thomas then looked up...
"Hello!" Dogoo Man waved to them. "Had a little trouble there, but we're gettin' Mr. Wright moved outta here now!"
"Is that about where you found him to begin with?" Thomas called up.
"Yup!" the muscleman confirmed.
K-Sha's eyes went wide at this. "No..." She slowly sank to her knees in disbelief. "Th-this can't be happening..."
"HOLD IT!" Rei suddenly cried out as she walked up. "Even if what you say is true, detective, this was clearly an accident, which means it's involuntary manslaughter at worst!"
"And who might you be?" Thomas asked.
"U-um..." Rei faltered, bowing her head. "I'm, um, a d-defense attorney," she indicated her badge.
"From Lowee?" the detective observed.
"Y-yes sir... Um, the d-director invited me here..." She pressed her index fingers together. "B-but I'm willing to act as K-Sha's attorney if it's c-called f-for..."
Suddenly, they were interrupted by shouting from the door. "Hey, you can't go in there!" cried a security guard. A small wiry man ran up, with light brown spiked hair, a camera in his hands and a near-crazed look in his grey eyes.
"Whoo-hoo! I knew there was a scoop!" the man yelled as he started taking pictures, focusing mostly on the dead body that had just been moved to ground level. "My instincts never lead me wrong!"
"Oh no, not you again!" yelled Director Iceberg. "Haven't you hounded me enough, you moron?!"
"Not when there's dirt to be dug up!" the man taunted. "Just think of the headlines! 'Iceberg's Latest Movie Derailed By Murder! Actor Arrested! Revengers Goes Down In Flames!' It'll be my biggest scoop yet!"
"I don't think so, buddy! Gimme that camera!" Detective Thomas yelled as he lunged, the man easily dodging out of the way.
"Sorry, detective, but even you have no chance against the power of the press! So says Razzie Porter, news journalist extraordinaire!"
"More like 'yellow journalist extrordinaire'!" growled the director.
"HOLD IT! Detective, let me handle this," said Rei as she walked up to the reporter. "Now listen here, worm, you're getting me really pissed off... do you know what happens when I get pissed off?"
"What happens?" Razzie asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"I transform." With that, the lawyer was engulfed in a pillar of light, everyone stepping back as Chaos Heart appeared from the light.
"What the hell?!" screamed Razzie. "Wait a minute, I know you! You're Rei Ryghts, the psycho goddess who nearly leveled Planeptune!"
"WHAT?!" cried Thomas in shock.
"Damn straight," Rei smirked. "Every good movie needs a villain, after all! And who better than someone who actually caused the CPUs themselves trouble in the past!" She slowly floated forward. "And it's been a while since I've had some fresh blood..." With that, she fired a small red ball of energy which blasted Porter's camera to smithereens.
"Wahhh!" the man scrambled away in fear.
"You have five seconds to get out of my sight or die, maggot," Chaos Heart demanded. "Five... four... three... two..."
"EYAAAAAAAAAHH!" Razzie screamed as he fled the studio as fast as his feet could carry him, the security guards stepping aside to let him pass through.
"And don't come back!" Rei yelled after him, before letting her transformation revert. "Phew... I'm so g-glad he d-didn't call my b-bluff..."
"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Harold Thomas gasped.
"Me too!" Uni concurred. "Couldn't you have just told him who you were, instead of transforming outright?!"
"I d-didn't think he w-would b-believe me..." Rei argued.
"Well please, for the Goddesses' sake, don't ever do that again!" gasped Thomas, still clutching his chest. "I mean, seriously, director? Casting *her* of all people as the villain?!"
"With all due respect, Detective, that's another reason for Lady Uni being here," Director Iceberg explained, "on the off chance that Miss Ryghts regresses or something..."
"Enough," Kei interjected, "what's done is done. Although, this may potentially increase the possibility of scandal surrounding this movie, which could hamper its production at best. Even if you destroyed all his photographic evidence, Rei, I fear there will be many people in Lastation who will believe Razzie Porter based on word-of-mouth alone. Which is why we need to nip this in the bud as quickly as possible."
"So what do you suggest, Oracle?" Thomas inquired.
"Hmmm..." Kei considered the options for a moment before addressing Rei again. "Rei Ryghts, you said a minute ago that you were willing to act as Miss K-Sha's lawyer?"
"Y-yes..." Rei nodded.
"Excellent. Then you can represent Miss K-Sha in court when we put her on trial for manslaughter."
"Huh...?!" K-Sha blinked.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Uni screamed. "You can't be serious, Kei!"
The Oracle just shook her head. "I'm always serious, as you should well know. Putting her on trial would show the general public that we're serious about resolving this incident as quickly as possible, and in so doing, cut the legs out from any attempt by Mr. Porter to claim a conspiracy or cover-up."
"No way!" Uni protested. "As CPU Candidate of Lastation, I can't allow such a baseless charge to be brought against my friend!"
Kei was unfazed. "If you believe the charges to be so baseless, Lady Uni, then you can assist Ms. Ryghts in her defense of K-Sha."
The goddess blinked, before nodding sharply. "F-fine then! Then that's exactly what I'll do!" She turned to Rei. "You're OK with that, right?"
"O-of course! I-I'll t-take all the help I c-can get!" Rei affirmed, sweating a little.
"It's settled then," Kei nodded. "Miss K-Sha, I trust you are willing to submit to police custody for the time being?"
"Um... sure, I guess," K-Sha muttered.
"And you'll also have to turn over any and all firearms in your possession," Detective Thomas stated, briefly feeling around the brunette's waist, before pulling out a machine gun from seemingly nowhere. "Like this one, for instance."
"What the-?! How did you know that was there?!" K-Sha gasped in shock.
"I'm a detective, ma'am. It's my job," Thomas deadpanned. "Alright, officer, if you could take this lady down to central booking... but be gentle with her."
"Yes, sir!" the officer saluted, before escorting K-Sha out of the studio, the ex-yandere giving a glance back to Rei and Uni.
"I'll send you the paperwork later!" Rei called after her.
"Don't worry, K-Sha! We'll get you acquitted, I promise!" Uni shouted before K-Sha disappeared out the door.
"I hope so!" her voice echoed back.
"Well then," Thomas grunted as he handed the machine gun off to another officer, "while we're on the subject of firearms, where are the guns the suspect used in the actual shoot?"
"Right there at the edge of the stage," Kei pointed out. "Also, all of Miss K-Sha's spare firearms should be stored in her dressing room."
"Alright," the larger man acknowledged.
"Um, Detective..." Uni cut in. "Would it be alright if Miss Rei and I took a look at where the body was found? I know I took photos, but..."
Thomas bit his lip briefly. "Well, seeing as it's you, Lady Uni, I guess it's all right... just try not to touch anything, okay?"
"Sure, no problem!" Uni saluted to him. "Oh, but before we do that, I guess I should share my photos with you, Miss Rei..."
"Sure," the lawyer nodded as she took out her mobile device. "B-but if we're going t-to be working t-together, th-then could you n-not call me 'Miss'?"
"...fair enough, I guess," The twin-tailed goddess shrugged as she transferred the photo data. "Then you can just call me Uni, Mi- er, Rei."
"Deal."
*Crime Scene Photos added to the Court Record.*
Rei then turned back to the shattered stage light. (Probably should make a record of that, too, just in case...)
*Broken Stage Light added to the Court Record.*
"S-so how are we g-going to c-climb up there?" the lawyer asked.
"Who said anything about climbing?" Uni stated as she transformed to HDD again. "When I can just carry you up there?"
"Well, th-that works, I guess..." Rei muttered as Black Sister wrapped her arms under her armpits, before levitating upward...
As they ascended to the rafters, Rei had to remove her glasses and blink a few times as one of the lights shone directly in her eyes. "It got me too," Black Sister grunted in sympathy. Once their vision was clear, the goddess slowly floated to where the body had been discovered, seeing red tape placed where the body had been found.
"C-can you fly around to th-the angle from w-where you t-took the photos?" Rei asked.
"Sure," Black Sister nodded, slowly moving to the position she'd taken the photos at. Once in position, Rei pulled up the photos on her mobile device to compare, then slowly looking around the area...
"Hey, what's that?" the lawyer pointed at a scrap of cloth caught on one of the light fixtures.
Black Sister blinked in mild surprise. "Huh, didn't see that before..." She and Rei floated a little closer. "Looks like the same color as Mr. Wright's shirt..."
Rei looked at the crime scene photo, seeing a noticeable tear on the victim's shirt. "Look, see? It matches this tear. This has to be evidence of some sort..."
*Scrap of Cloth added to the Court Record.*
"Do you think Mr. Wright got his shirt caught when he was crawling into position?" Black Sister hypothesized.
"Maybe..." said Rei. (But that scrap is in a rather low spot...) "But there's something else that's strange..."
"What's that?"
"I'm not seeing any blood spatter around where the body was found... if the victim was shot right here, you'd think there'd be more blood..."
The goddess gasped in comprehension. "Oh wow, you're right! And wouldn't have blood dripped down to the stage, too?"
"Exactly," Rei nodded. "Which means Mr. Wright couldn't have been shot right here!"
"He was shot somewhere else, and then moved into this position later!" Black Sister deduced. "That proves K-Sha is innocent!"
"N-not completely..." the lawyer sighed.
"Wh... what do you mean?!"
"W-well, first, c-could you p-put me back down? I think we've seen everything we n-need to see up h-here..." Black Sister promptly complied, reverting to Uni after they touched down. "Th-the problem is, the p-prosecution will challenge us t-to p-prove where the v-victim was really k-killed..."
"You don't think he was killed right there?" Detective Thomas spoke up.
"Well, would it kill ya to look around the rest of the studio for any blood spatter?" Uni requested.
"Uh..." the man put a hand behind his head. "Sure, I guess we could do that, Lady Uni..." He then turned to give orders to the forensics team.
Uni then turned to Rei. "Sooo... now what?"
"M-maybe we should t-tell S-Sha about w-what happened with K-Sha," Rei suggested.
"Oh yeah!" Uni nodded. "OK, let's head to Dogoo Man's dressing room... she should still be there..."
September 16
Lastation City Production Studios
Dressing Rooms
As Rei and Uni approached Dogoo Man's dressing room, they quickly realized S-Sha wasn't alone...
"...y'know, it's not that often these days we get to talk like this," said a young man with short black hair, who wore a black t-shirt and blue jeans. "Ever since that accident happened..."
"Yes," replied S-Sha, though her eyes were now a bright green in color. "I don't like to think about it... I'm just glad I was able to save S-Sha in time..."
(Wait, what?!) thought Rei. "What is she talking about?!" she whispered to Uni.
Uni just shook her head. "Later," she promised. "But who's that boy?"
"I've seen him scurrying around the studio here and there," Rei answered. "I don't know his name though..."
The boy then spoke again, "Still, it must suck to not be in control of your own body most of the time, E-Sha..."
'E-Sha' just shrugged. "I've gotten used to it... the only reason I'm in control now is because that man's death brought those bad memories back to the surface... Poor S-Sha..." She then glimpsed Rei and Uni standing a short distance away, gasping as her eyes swiftly changed back to red. "What the... E-Sha, why did you... oh. Rei Ryghts. I should have known..."
"I'm sorry!" the lawyer bowed her head. "W-we didn't mean t-to eavesdrop...!"
"Aw, man!" the boy groaned as he turned, revealing black eyes set into a lightly freckled face. "I finally get a chance to catch up with my old friend, and you ruined it!"
"I'm sorry! So, so sorry!" Rei squeaked, sweating. "Wait, old friend?"
"Tori here is friends with E-Sha," S-Sha explained. "Another reason I agreed to let Dogoo Man be cast in this film..."
"So... is E-Sha an alternate personality or something?" Rei asked. The way S-Sha's face hardened indicated that was the wrong answer...
"That's not it!" the boy, Tori, cut in. "S-Sha and E-Sha used to be two different people, but when S-Sha had her accident, E-Sha took her soul into her own body!"
"W-what?!" the former goddess gasped. "T-Two souls... i-in one body?!"
"That's right," S-Sha nodded. "However, E-Sha is... somewhat shy, which is why I am in control most of the time."
Rei blinked several times. "I... I see..."
"Anyway, why are you here?" S-Sha inquired. "And where is K-Sha?"
"Um, well... that's the thing, see..." Uni stammered.
The platinum blonde's eyes narrowed. "You aren't going to tell me she was arrested..."
"Th-that's not it!" Rei blurted out. "Oracle Jinguji asked her to submit to custody voluntarily! A-and she agreed!"
S-Sha blinked. "...Why?"
"Well, yada yada yada..." Uni began.
"Blah blah blah blah..." Rei supplemented.
"...I didn't understand that at all."
Tori face-palmed at this. "Basically, K-Sha's going on trial for manslaughter because some crazy reporter broke in and threatened to bring down this whole movie by suggesting scandal because of Mr. Wright's death."
"A-and I'm g-going to d-defend her!" Rei added.
S-Sha considered this for a few moments. "I don't like this... K-Sha tried to murder Noire herself in the past, what if that's used as some sort of motive?"
"I-it's completely irrelevant!" the lawyer protested. "And inadmissible in court! That was then, this is now!"
"It'll be fine, S-Sha," Uni tried to reassured the Gold Third member. "After all, Rei here managed to clear Nepgear of false charges a few months back! She's earned my trust, as far as I'm concerned!"
"Is that so?" muttered S-Sha. "For K-Sha's sake, I hope that trust is not misplaced..."
"I promise, I-I'll d-do my b-best to uncover the t-truth of wh-what really h-happened here!" Rei insisted.
"Just as long as you don't transform and go berserk in the process..." Tori muttered under his breath.
"B-but I've never t-transformed in c-court!" the former goddess squeaked.
Just then, an officer ran up. "Hey, Ms. Ryghts, Lady Uni! Detective Thomas sent me to fetch you! He thinks we might've found blood spatter!"
"Really?!" gasped Uni. "Well, hurry up and show us! C'mon, Rei!" she gestured as she ran off.
"C-coming!" said Rei as she followed after the other two.
September 16
Lastation City Production Studios
Storage Room
"We're here!" Uni announced as she and Rei arrived on the scene. "So what'd you find?"
"Lady Uni, Ms. Ryghts," Harold Thomas acknowledged the two women. "Actually, we've found some red spots on the curtains over there," he pointed to said curtains in question, which had several red spots near the bottom. "We were just about to run a luminol test on these..."
"Luminol... that's when it glows under a certain light if it's blood, right?" asked Uni.
"UV light, actually," Thomas confirmed, before handing two pairs of red-orange shades to the duo. "Which is why you should wear these special glasses to protect your eyes."
"I know," Rei nodded as she removed her eyeglasses and donned the shades. "N-not the f-first time I've d-done this..."
"OK, I'm ready," said Uni as she adjusted the shades on her face.
"Alright then," nodded the detective, having donned his own pair of shades, while a forensic technician sprayed the luminol solution. "Hit the lights." The room went dark, as the technician turned on the blue UV light and swept it over the red spots...
"I'm not seeing anything," Uni observed.
"M-me neither," Rei agreed.
"No reaction," the technician confirmed. "Looks like these red spots are just paint or something."
*Red Spots added to the Court Record.*
"Aw man," sighed Uni as the lights came back on, removing her shades. "Guess this was a dead end, huh?"
"Guess so," sighed Rei as she put her normal glasses back on.
"Sorry about that," Detective Thomas shrugged. "We'll keep checking, though. Gotta be thorough, after all."
"As you should, Detective," A voice spoke up from behind Rei and Uni, causing the two to jump. Turning, they saw none other then Lastation's Oracle standing there.
"Kei! Don't scare us like that!" the CPU Candidate admonished.
"Y-you should have kn-knocked or something!" Rei agreed.
"...My apologies. However, I have good news." the Oracle stated.
"Good news?" Uni asked.
Kei nodded. "K-Sha's trial has been set for tomorrow at 10 AM. Everything is in order."
"T-tomorrow?!" gasped Rei. (How is that GOOD news?!)
At seeing the lawyer's disbelief, Kei elaborated, "I told you we needed to resolve this as quickly as possible. Besides, Ms. Ryghts, this isn't the first time your services have been required on such short notice, correct?"
"W-well, that's true..." Rei conceded. (It's more the rule than the exception with me, though...)
"So who's going to be prosecuting?" Uni inquired.
"I am," Kei replied simply.
"Huh?!" the two gasped in surprise. "You?!"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am indeed certified to prosecute cases in Lastation," Kei explained. "Though I admit it has been some time since I last stood in court..."
(So that's why she wanted to put K-Sha on trial...) Rei mused. (Because she already knew who was going to prosecute- herself!)
"...just so we're clear," Uni opined, "your putting K-Sha on trial has nothing to do with the fact that she tried to kill me and Noire while you were out of town..."
"Of course not," Kei sounded almost insulted. "While I do think Lady Noire could have befriended someone more... stable, that is none of my business. That being said, I will perform my duty as prosecutor to the best of my ability, within reason. Is that acceptable?"
"It is for me," Rei nodded. (Unlike prosecutors who try to win at any cost...)
"Then I will see you in court. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go brush up and ensure my knowledge of law is current. Good day to you both." With that, she turned on her heel and left.
"...Well, that's that, I guess," sighed Uni. "So, Rei, would you mind telling me where you're staying, so I know where to meet you tomorrow?"
"Um, actually," Rei began, "I was j-just c-curling up in a sleeping bag i-in my d-dressing room... b-but I guess th-that wouldn't really work now, since th-this is a c-crime scene..."
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna work..." Uni sighed, before getting an idea. "Wait, I've got it! How about you just crash in my room at the Basilicom? You could just bring your sleeping bag with you..."
"I-I d-don't want t-to impose..." Rei stammered.
"Oh, it's fine," Uni waved off her concern. "I mean, Nepgear's slept with me before... er, not like *that*, but you get the idea..."
"R-right," Rei blushed slightly. "W-well, as l-long as Lady Noire's all right with it..."
September 16
Lastation Basilicom
"I'm home, Noire!" Uni called as she and Rei walked in. Sure enough, Noire herself soon walked into the room, a slightly miffed expression on her face.
"Hello, Uni... and Rei." The CPU greeted. "Kei already called me and told me the gist of what happened."
"So you know why I brought Rei here," Uni guessed.
"I-I promise I'll b-behave myself," the former goddess volunteered...
"I don't want you to promise to behave yourself," Noire shot back. "I want you to promise you'll get K-Sha cleared of this ridiculous murder charge!"
"Um, it's actually just a manslaughter charge, sis..." Uni pointed out.
"Tit for tat! It's all the same thing as far as the public's concerned!" The black-haired CPU retorted. "Either way, if she gets convicted, I'll likely never see her again! I don't need my nation's citizens losing faith in me because I associate with a convicted killer, got it?!"
"Meep!" Rei squeaked, bowing her head and sweating profusely.
Seeing the lawyer in such a distressed taste caused Noire's expression to soften slightly. "...Look, it's just that, K-Sha's the only- I mean, *one* of the only real friends I have right now. I'm just worried about her, that's all."
"You're not the only one who's worried, Noire," Uni spoke up again. "Me and S-Sha are worried for her too... and I'm sure the same would go for C-Sha and B-Sha if they were here..."
"I guess you're right," Noire sighed. "Just... promise me you'll do your best for K-Sha in court tomorrow, OK?"
"O-of course! I always do my best for my clients!" Rei insisted.
"And I'll do my best to help!" Uni concurred. "After all, K-Sha's my friend too!"
"All right then," Noire nodded. "I'm counting on the both of you! So don't mess it up!"
With that, everyone retired for the night. But what would happen in court tomorrow?
*To be continued...*