Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

The High School Turnabout

By Derald Snyder

Trial, Day 2 (Part 1)

Court Record:

-Ghost Article

-Byleth's Sword

-Byleth's Planner

-Crime Scene Diagram

-Combat Knife

-Security Footage

-Ryoko's Mother's Affidavit

-Ryoko's Knife

-Kyoko Tachibana's Glasses

February 17, 9:35 AM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 1

"Good morning, John-kun, Koizumi-kun," Yuki greeted as the bailiff escorted her into the lobby, two NPCs walking in with them, who were most likely her parents. "Did you find anything yesterday?"

"We've got a lead on a possible alternate suspect," Koizumi nodded and smiled.

"And we've pretty much put Asakura-san's confession to rest," John Smith added.

"Well, even if it was fake, at least it got our daughter out of that awful prison!" Yuki's mother exclaimed.

"Y-yes, it felt good to sleep in my own bed last night," Yuki agreed. "I'll never take that for granted again..."

"Yes, well, do you have any proof who the actual culprit might be, Miss Ryghts?" Yuki's father spoke up. "After all, anyone with a modicum of intelligence could see how improbable these charges against my offspring are... But evidence is everything in a court of law."

"Well, now we know where Miss Yuki gets her smarts from," Sothis snarked.

"I might have circumstantial evidence, b-but it's a b-bit of a stretch..." Rei stuttered uncertainly. "I-I'm hoping th-that something c-comes out during t-trial that sheds more light on wh-what happened..."

"You don't sound very confident," Yuki's father shook his head. "Then again, according to my research, you've always had a bit of a stuttering problem, haven't you? Have you ever considered taking pronunciation classes to try and get over that?"

"Oh, she is capable of speaking smoothly during trial time," Koizumi spoke up. "Her speech problem could actually serve as a boon, after all, causing hostile witnesses to think her a pushover... until she goes for the kill, figuratively speaking."

"...You make a fair point, Koizumi-san," the male NPC nodded slowly. "Anyway, we'll be heading to our seats in the gallery."

"Please take care of our child," Yuki's mother softly pleaded.

"I will. I promise," Rei said firmly, the two nodding in response, saying their goodbyes to Yuki and leaving.

"I'd better head to the gallery, too," John Smith said. "What about you, Koizumi-san?"

"Ah, I believe I'll be accompanying Ryghts-san to the bench this time. If that's all right with you," he spoke to Rei.

"It sh-shouldn't b-be a problem," the CPU replied, though her eyes briefly darted over to Sothis.

"Well, I suppose I should do my best to refrain from pranking this student agent during trial," the ghost snarked.

"What are you looking at, Ryghts-san?" Koizumi noted, looking in the same direction and seeing nothing.

"Oh, j-just saw a fly b-buzzing by, that's all," Rei said quickly. "Anyway, let's head into the c-courtroom now..."

"A fly, am I? Well, I'll let it slide this once," Sothis grumbled as she followed the others.

February 17, 10:00 AM

District Court

Courtroom No. 1

The gallery's chattering was silenced by the judge's gavel. "Court is now in session for the trial of Yuki Nagato."

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

"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," Mr. Badd concurred.

"Very good. So, Prosecutor Badd, you've chosen not to charge Ryoko Asakura with Professor Eisner's stabbing?"

"Please, Your Honor, anybody with a brain could tell it was a false confession!" Badd harrumphed. "I have daughters of my own, you know! I can tell when a young lady is trying to cover for her friend!" The gallery murmured at this.

"He may be right, but Detective Brightman was all too eager to have her arrested for the crime after trial yesterday," Koizumi commented at Rei's right side.

"Seriously? Was he trying to fill his arrest quota or something?!" Sothis sighed from Rei's left side.

(This is going to be fun...) Rei groaned internally. (I have to be careful not to give away any reactions to Koizumi from Sothis...)

The judge then banged his gavel again. "Well then, let's have your opening statement, Mr. Badd."

"Well, as you all know, this courtroom was thrown into chaos yesterday by Ryoko Asakura's confession," Badd began. "I thought maybe a night in a cold prison cell would get her to reconsider, but she has refused to retract thus far. So we have no choice but to call her as a witness today... On a side note, I was informed by Agent Mori Sonou that the victim's condition has improved somewhat. It's still a bit touch and go, but it seems Professor Eisner might just pull through after all..." The gallery muttered at this.

"He has? Well, that's good to hear," the judge nodded. "That's also good news for the defendant, as she will avoid the more serious charge of murder..."

"Thank goodness..." Yuki put a hand over her chest and sighed in relief from the defendant's chair.

"So, first things first," Mr. Badd grunted with an undertone of frustration, "the prosecution calls Ryoko Asakura to the stand..." Ryoko promptly walked up to the stand, a serene smile on her face. "Please state your name and grade in school for the record..."

"Konnichiwa, everyone," the student bowed politely. "My name is Ryoko Asakura, second-year student at Lowee North High School. I serve as the class president of my homeroom."

"...So, you still assert that you stabbed Professor Eisner at midnight on the 15th?" Badd sighed.

"I do. Yuki had nothing to do with it. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Asakura stated firmly.

"She's right about that last part, at least," Sothis spoke up. "Had it not been for that, we wouldn't even be here right now..."

The judge then banged his gavel. "Very well then. Please testify as to your actions on the night of the incident."

"As you wish, Your Honor," the bluenette bowed again. "I was upset at Eisner-san for being so strict with Nagato-san... then I chanced a glance at his planner and found out about his meeting. So on the night of the 14th, I hid myself in a cabinet in the cooking club, where I knew the newly-hired guard wouldn't look, then I waited until midnight. I then made my way out, creeping through the hallways, until I happened across the professor. I stabbed him before he knew what hit him! I then heard footsteps so I fled, thinking it was the guard. I had no idea Nagato-san was there..." She shook her head sadly. "Had I known, I never would have gone through with it... Anyway, I returned to my hiding spot, and waited until morning, where I mingled with the rest of the students."

"Asakura-san..." Yuki trailed off, before turning to her lawyer. "She's lying! She has to be!"

"Don't worry," Rei asserted. "I'll knock this worm off her high perch and into the dirt!"

The judge then banged his gavel. "Very well, proceed, with your cross, Miss Ryghts."

"Miss Asakura, you say that you hid in the school until nightfall, and then after committing the deed, hid again until morning?" Rei pressed.

"Yes, that's right. That's exactly what I did," Ryoko replied, her face betraying no sign of nervousness or deception.

Rei just shook her head, bearing an evil smirk. "Sorry, worm, but that's impossible. I have here an affidavit," she pulled out the paper in question, "from your own mother, no less, who swears that you did your usual evening routine before heading to bed, and that you were sound asleep at 10:30 PM."

"What...?!" Ryoko looked shocked. "Y-you went to Mother...?!"

"Of course we did," Koizumi smirked. "After all, no sane mother would cover for their lying child, especially if said lie would send them to prison."

"And no sane father would do the same thing, either!" Mr Badd nodded in agreement. "Good on you, Ryghts. For once I'm glad you've destroyed a witness' testimony. Now perhaps we can get back to the REAL tri-"

"HOLD IT!" Ryoko suddenly shouted, catching everyone off-guard! "Okay, I admit it. I lied about hiding in the school. But doesn't mean I didn't stab the professor!"

"What...?!" Rei grunted, sweating a little.

"What a stubborn young girl," Sothis commented with her arms crossed. "She must be absolutely convinced that her friend will be declared guilty if she doesn't continue with this farce..."

(But that's not true at all!) Rei thought, barely holding her tongue from speaking aloud in response.

"In that case, would you care to explain what you mean?" Koizumi requested.

"Absolutely, Koizumi-kun," Ryoko smiled radiantly. "The truth is... yes, I was sleeping when Mom came to check on me, but I woke up around 11:00, after a sudden nightmare about Nagato being dragged to hell by the ghost. So to put my mind at ease, I dressed myself and snuck out of the apartment, heading to the school. When I got there, the gate was open, and I saw someone heading inside. So I snuck in after them, but I got lost in the dark hallways. It was then I bumped into the professor. I had taken my combat knife with me for my safety, but when I ran into him, I panicked and stabbed him! I heard someone approaching, so I fled, exited the school and went back home. Again, I had no idea it was Nagato-san that I saw."

"Of all the... your testimony is completely different from before!" Badd protested.

"Oh really? And since when do opinions matter in a court of law?" Ryoko said smugly. "Evidence is everything, right?"

"...That's right," Rei nodded. "Your Honor, if I may?"

"Yes, please proceed with your cross-examination," the judge sighed.

"It seems even His Honor realizes what's going on here," Koizumi noted. "I have to hand it to Asakura-san, she's got a good poker face. But I can tell she's close to breaking. Just one more push ought to do it..."

"Then that's what I'll do," Rei replied. "Miss Asakura... I have to hand it to you, that was a good story for something you came up with on the fly..."

"It's not a story. It's my confession," Ryoko gently asserted.

"Really... you know, this takes me back to my first trial, facing off against Prosecutor Badd the first time," Rei said. "Do you know what my mentor told me back then?"

"What?" Ryoko asked curiously.

"He said that tapestries of lies are always poorly woven. Pull the right string and the whole thing falls apart," Rei elaborated.

"And what are you getting at?" Mr. Badd said impatiently.

"Well, the thread in this instance... is the very knife itself! TAKE THAT!" Rei cried, presenting the sheathed knife. "I'm sure this looks familiar to you, Miss Asakura... after all, your mother was more than gracious enough to provide it to us!"

"Ah...!" Ryoko began to sweat.

"As you can see, this knife is in pristine condition. Not a speck of blood anywhere," Rei described. "It seems this knife, the only one you have, hasn't seen use in quite a while... certainly not at midnight on the 15th!"

"And it would be near-impossible for a minor such as yourself to buy another combat knife, wouldn't it?" Koizumi piled on.

"N... NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ryoko wailed in despair, her long hair whipping about as if in a wild wind! The gallery began to chatter at this...

"Order! Order in the court!" the judge banged his gavel three times, before shaking his head... "Young lady... I think it's about time you told the truth. If you do so now, I won't charge you with perjury..."

"B-but... but Yuki... she didn't do anything!" Ryoko protested, now sweating profusely. "You can't find her guilty! You can't! Please, I beg you, convict me instead...!"

"OBJECTION!" Mr. Badd cut in. "(sigh) I was reluctant to do this, but I suppose it's up to me to put you out of your misery..."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Ryoko grunted.

"Do you recall what I said in my open, about the victim's condition having improved?" Badd pointed out. "In fact, Professor Eisner has regained consciousness, and is insistent about testifying at trial today, despite his condition..."

"What?! He is?!" the bluenette gasped.

"Indeed," Koizumi nodded. "In fact, I'm anticipating a text from Mori-san at any moment, telling me when they've departed from the hospital." Slamming one hand on the bench, he continued, "With all due respect, class president, do you think the professor's recollection will match up in any way with what you've said?"

"..." Ryoko looked down at this, closing her eyes, a single tear running down her cheek. "No... it probably wouldn't. You're right." Heaving a sigh, she looked back up at the judge... "Your Honor... I confess. I lied about everything. I was sleeping until the morning, and found out about the stabbing at the same time everyone else did, save Smith-san and Koizumi-san."

"...So, does this mean that you retract your confession?" the judge looked her in the eye.

"...Yes, Your Honor." The gallery murmured at hearing this.

"Well, it's about time you came to your senses," Badd grumbled. "What a waste of time this has been... but, I think we'll leave your punishment up to your parents. I hope you've learned a valuable lesson from this, young lady!"

"Yes, sir," Ryoko sighed in defeat. "I'm... I'm sorry, Nagato-san."

"Asakura-san..." Yuki averted her gaze. Just then, a tone sounded from the defense's bench.

"Ah, excuse me," Koizumi grunted as he checked his phone. "Oh, good, it seems Mori-san and the professor are en route now. They should be here in about 20 minutes or so..."

"Very well. In that case, we'll take a half-hour recess. I hereby order that Ryoko Asakura be released to her parents' custody," the judge stated. "Court is now in recess!" He banged his gavel, the gallery promptly beginning to clear out...

*To be continued...*