Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney

The High School Turnabout

By Derald Snyder

Investigation, Day 4 (Part 3)

Court Record:

-Sword of the Creator

-Byleth's Planner

-Crime Scene Diagram

-Combat Knife

-Security Footage

-Kyoko Tachibana's Glasses

-Byleth's Testimony

-Solon's Robot

February 17

Kyouoen High School

Front Gate

"...I see. Well, I'm glad you're all right," Koizumi said over the phone. "I'll be sure to call Agent Mori-san and have her secure the scene with all due haste. Very well, then. Sayonara." Hanging up, he said to Kyon, "Well, it seems our suspicions about Detective Brightman were correct... he was killed and replaced with a hologram used by one of those who slither in the dark. Thankfully Ryghts-san has put an end to him."

"Damn," John Smith shook his head, "So I guess we lured them out of hiding after all, at least, huh?"

"Yes... let's just hope Kuyou Suou doesn't find out right away," Koizumi noted grimly. "Let me call Mori-san first, and then we'll head in..."

February 17

Kyouoen High School

Main Hallway

As the two students walked in, they saw Kyoko in the distance, with another student who could only be the woman from Kyoko's selfie. It wasn't long before Kyoko saw them, waving at Koizumi as they closed the distance. "Hello, Koizumi-kun! I'm so glad to see you again!"

"I'm sure you are," the Guild agent chuckled with a smile. "Ah, and you must be Kuyou, if I'm not mistaken."

"It's her, all right," Kyon confirmed. "Yo, Kuyou, remember me?"

"Yes. Taniguchi's friend... John Smith," Kuyou Suou greeted, nodding slowly. "How could I forget... such pretty eyes?"

"P-pretty eyes?! Seriously?" Kyoko said in mild disbelief. "Koizumi-kun is way more handsome, if you ask me!"

"That is your opinion," Kuyou replied calmly. "Beauty... is in the eye of the beholder, as they say."

"And what would Taniguchi think if he heard you say that?" Kyon ribbed.

"I honestly... don't think he would care..." Kuyou shrugged. "So, what did you want me for?"

"Ah, we just wanted to confirm what you were doing the day before the stabbing incident with your boyfriend," Koizumi stated.

"...Not much to say," Kuyou said hesitantly. "I met with Taniguchi, we conversed a bit, then I had to use the restroom."

"And you went straight home after using the bathroom?" Kyon pressed.

"...Yes," Kuyou said, glancing down and to the left. Just then, a digital tone sounded. "Oh, excuse me..." Pulling out her mobile device, she read the screen, her eyes widening slightly. "I-I'm sorry, something's come up, I have to go..."

"Hey, wait!" Kyon protested, marching forward and grabbing the woman's wrist. "We're not finished yet!"

"John-kun, don't be rash!" Koizumi cautioned.

Kuyou tried to pull away to no avail. "If you won't let me go..." her expression suddenly darkened. "Then you can come with me!" In an instant, John Smith found himself in a headlock, a knife pointed at this throat!

"Ahhh! Kuyou, what are you doing?!" Tachibana cried in shock, a few other students also yelling in surprise!

"Keichii-san!" Koizumi called out. Not a minute later, two policemen ran into view, drawing their guns!

"Freeze!" the lead policeman, Keichii, ordered. "Drop the knife, now!"

"I don't think so!" Kuyou growled, backing away a few steps.

"Please stop, Kuyou-chan! Why are you doing this?!" Kyoko cried, Koizumi holding her back.

"This does not concern you, Kyoko. Just run and get out of danger!" Kuyou shot back.

"Someone help me! Please!" Kyon screamed in panic.

"Ask you shall receive!" another voice suddenly spoke up from behind Kuyou, the student suddenly having her knife arm grabbed and pulled away from Kyon's throat, allowing him to break free and escape! Kuyou then cried out in pain as her arm was twisted, forcing her to drop the knife!

"What the...?!" Koizumi gasped in disbelief upon seeing the new arrival. "S-Suzumiya-san?!"

"Haruhi?!" Kyon cried. Sure enough, it was the alien goddess' human form that had come to the rescue. Kuyou managed to break loose, swinging at the brunette, only for her to block and reverse it into a one-armed shoulder throw, slamming the student to the ground!

"And stay down!" Haruhi growled as she kicked Kuyou in the head a few times to render her unconscious. "That's what you get for trying to hurt my first real friend!" Heaving a sigh, she turned to John... "You okay, Kyon?"

"Yeah, thanks!" John grunted, subconsciously rubbing his neck for knife scratches. "But what are you doing here?!"

"Well, I'm here, but I'm not," Haruhi responded. "This is more of an avatar that I made just in case something went wrong... Aaaaanyway, shouldn't you police do your jobs?"

"Ah... you heard the lady," Koizumi nodded, Keichii nodding back as he and his partner holstered their guns and placed Kuyou into custody.

"Please be gentle with her!" Kyoko called out as the officers dragged Kuyou off.

"Do not worry, she won't harmed any more, until trial tomorrow," Koizumi assured her. Noting several students pointing and muttering at the scene, he then said, "Ah, I think it's time we took our leave, John-kun, Suzumiya-san..."

"Right, let's get outta here," John Smith agreed, the trio promptly exiting the scene, leaving a despondent Tachibana behind...

February 17

Kyouoen High School

Front Gate

"So, you say that this form is just an avatar?" Koizumi asked Haruhi as they cleared the gates.

"Right," the goddess nodded. "I've been keeping an eye on Kyon here ever since I went back home to the Animenga Cluster... When I sensed his distress, I made this avatar and teleported it here. But when I realized Rei Ryghts was on the case, I figured there wasn't any reason to intervene... until now."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Kyon sighed. "Though I'm a little weirded out that you've been stalking me this whole time..."

"I wasn't stalking!" Haruhi protested. "Like I said, I was just keeping an eye on you for safety's sake! You're just a frail human, after all!"

"Yare yare... just don't cross the line from tsundere to yandere, alright?" Kyon snarked.

"Like I would do that!" Haruhi pouted. "Is it bad to be concerned about your friend's welfare?!"

"Not necessarily," Koizumi interjected, "it's simply your methods that leave something to be desired. But I do thank you for helping resolve that harrowing situation, for what it's worth. John-kun is one of the few that I truly consider a friend, after all."

"Yep, I get all the weird ones," John deadpanned, though there was a hint of a smile on his face... "Anyway, shouldn't you call Ryghts-san and update her on the situation?"

"Ah, yes, thanks for reminding me," Koizumi nodded, pulling out his phone...

February 17, 6:32 PM

Rei's Apartment

"I... I cannot believe what you are telling me!" Sothis said, her face a mix of shock and disbelief. "Me... Lowee's first CPU?!"

"I was j-just as surprised as y-you were," Rei pointed out. "B-but all th-the circumstantial evidence seems t-to add up... I mean, d-didn't you wonder w-why you c-called yourself 'The Beginning'...?"

"Well, yes, but..." Sothis shifted to a lounging position in midair, resting her hand on her fist. "You said that those who slither in the dark might be descended from the followers of this 'Game Genie' that I supposedly destroyed?"

"It's q-quite possible," Rei nodded. "Th-that would explain why th-they wanted this sword so b-badly..." She indicated the Sword of the Creator which was leaning against her bedpost. "D-don't worry, I'll make sure it g-gets back to Professor Byleth when he's d-discharged..."

"You had better," Sothis nodded curtly.

"But... none of this sounds familiar to you?" Rei pressed.

"I'm sorry... but it feels like I'm hearing someone else's story, not mine," the ghost lamented.

"Y-you said you felt melancholy when th-thinking about Mr. Badd's d-daughters," Rei pointed out. "Lady Blanc basically said that your relationship with Seiros was like mother and daughter, unlike the sisterly relationship between CPUs and Candidates in the current era..."

"Seiros... I admit that name does ring a bell," Sothis mused. "But, I cannot recall anything, not even her face... Don't misunderstand me, I would love to be able to remember. But I cannot. That is the long and short of it."

"I'm so very sorry... maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Rei looked down in despair.

"No, I'm glad that you told this to me. Like you said, what Blanc said does seem to line up with my current circumstances... but enough about me! You have a trial to finish, after all!" Sothis pointed at Rei for emphasis. "Now that this Kuyou Suou is in custody, you must nail her to the wall for what she did to Byleth! You must expose her as one of 'those who slither in the dark', so the Guild can link her to other possible members and bring this corrupt cult down once and for all!"

"Oh, don't you worry," Rei smirked sinisterly. "That wriggling worm won't slip out of our grasp, not now! Tomorrow this mess of a case will be closed for good!"

"Yes, it had well better be, for Byleth's sake... and mine," Sothis nodded curtly.

*To be continued...*