Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney
The High School Turnabout
By Derald Snyder
Trial, Final Day
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, 9:42 AM
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 1
"Y-you were attacked b-by Kuyou?! A-Are you all right?!" Rei asked John Smith concernedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to Haruhi," John sighed with a hand behind his head. "Turns out she's been spying on me ever since Nagato-san was first arrested..."
"Really?!" Yuki gasped. "So, she's here now?"
"An avatar of her is," Koizumi spoke up. "Speaking of which, we've asked her to lay low for now, at least until the trial is over. Having the alien goddess get involved at this stage would unnecessarily complicate things, after all..."
"G-good idea," Rei nodded.
"So, do you think you can prove that Kuyou Suou is the one who stabbed Professor Eisner?" Yuki asked concernedly.
"I-it's not g-going to b-be easy..." Rei sighed. "Most of the e-evidence is c-circumstantial, at b-best... my best b-bet would b-be to t-try and g-get her t-to slip up and say something sh-she shouldn't..." Just then, Mori Sonou walked in.
"Good Morning, Itsuki-kun, Smith-san, Ryghts-san," the Guild agent greeted. "We went over the evidence from the scene of your attack yesterday... this seems to be the only thing relevant to the case at hand." She held a black mobile phone in an evidence bag. "We already checked for fingerprints, so you can take it out and look at the contact list. Unfortunately, most of it is in some sort of encoded language we were unable to translate..."
*Solon's Phone has been added to the Court Record.*
"Well, I'm g-going t-to take a look anyway," Rei asserted, opening the bag and taking the device out. Unfortunately, it was as Mori said, most of the contacts being in strange symbols... but not all of them. (What's this one... 'Insubordination'?)
"Miss Ryghts, court is about to begin," the bailiff called.
"Oh, yes! I-I'll be right there!" Rei nodded.
"I'd better get to the gallery then," Kyon said. "See you soon, Nagato-san." With that, he left the lobby.
"I should be going too. Ryghts-san... good luck." Mori gave a bow to Rei and Koizumi before taking her leave as well.
"Well then, shall we head in?" Koizumi said.
"Right... let's try and put an end to this messy case," Rei said firmly.
February 17, 10:00 AM
District Court
Courtroom No. 1
The gallery's muttering 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 announced.
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," Mr. Badd echoed.
"Very good. Today is the last day allotted for trial, as I'm sure you both know," the judge stated. "Both sides will need to present solid evidence with their arguments. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Rei and Mr. Badd agreed.
"Excellent. Prosecutor Badd, your opening statement, please."
"Thank you, Your Honor," Mr. Badd nodded, before beginning, "Yesterday, Professor Byleth testified to the court, and helped the defense- er, the Guild pinpoint a possible person of interest. Well, thanks to the efforts of Agent Koizumi and others, that person, Kuyou Suou, has been arrested. It seems she attempted to take a hostage, from what I heard..."
"Oh my!" the judge gasped with wide eyes. "I hope no one was hurt!" The gallery began to murmur...
"No need to worry, Your Honor," Koizumi spoke up with a smile. "Thanks to the intervention of another student who shall remain unnamed, we were able to resolve the situation with no injuries."
"Well, that's good to hear," the judge nodded. "So, I assume you've brought in this Ku-yo Soo-oh to testify?"
"Y-yes, Your Honor," Badd said, sweat-dropping at the judge's butchering of the girl's name. "(ahem) Anyway... the prosecution call Kuyou Suou to the stand!" The student in question was soon escorted in by two NPC Guild agents, a pair of handcuffs on her wrists. "Please state your name and grade in school for the record."
"...Kuyou Suou. Second-year at Kyouoen High School," the young woman said curtly.
"So, do you know why you have been summoned as a witness to this trial?" Koizumi asked.
"No."
"Apparently the Guild believes you're a person of interest, despite not even going to the same school as the victim," Badd muttered.
"Who is the victim?" Kuyou inquired.
"Professor Byleth Eisner," Koizumi replied. "Does that ring a bell?"
"...I know about him, but I have never met him. You brought me here for nothing," Kuyou asserted.
"Well, first, let us have your testimony of your actions on the 14th, the day before the crime," Mr. Badd ordered.
"I see no point, but if you insist," Kuyou acquiesced.
"She seems pretty tight-lipped," Sothis observed. "It's likely going to take a monumental effort to pry those lips open..."
The judge then banged his gavel. "Very well, please begin your testimony now."
Kuyou testified, "The afternoon of the 14th, I went to North High to see my boyfriend Taniguchi when he was let out of class. We met briefly, but then I had to use the bathroom... I went inside, did what was necessary, then left. That's all."
"...With all due respect, young lady, your testimony is awfully vague," Mr. Badd pointed out.
"Do you want me to describe how I used the ladies' room?" Kuyou snarked.
"Th-that's not what I meant!" Badd winced, sweat-dropping.
"She's going to be a tough nut to crack, for sure," Koizumi observed. "Good luck, Ryghts-san."
(Thanks, I'm probably going to need it), Rei sighed internally. Thinking for a moment, she began, "So, you didn't meet back up with your boyfriend when you left the school?"
"He had to get home to do chores," Kuyou replied.
"So no one saw you leave the school?" Rei pressed.
"...No," Kuyou said after a moment.
"She's probably technically telling the truth on that," Koizumi muttered. "Note that she hasn't said when she left the school..."
(Right... but pressing her further on this probably isn't going to yield results,) Rei thought. (I need to try a different angle...) "Well, let's move on. Miss Suou, do you know anything about what happened at this courthouse yesterday?"
"OBJECTION! What is the relevance of this?!" Badd protested.
"Given that it involves me personally, I'd say it's very relevant!" Rei countered.
The judge banged his gavel once. "Objection overruled. But try to stay focused on the case at hand."
"Yes, Your Honor," Rei nodded. "Well, Miss Suou?"
"Um... some kind of terrorist attack?" Kuyou said uncertainly.
"Something like that," Rei replied. "Actually, I was attacked by a member of a cult linked to this case. He called himself Solon... and I was forced to kill him in defense."
"What?!" Kuyou cried in shock. "I-it was you?! YOU killed him?!" The gallery started buzzing at this...
"OBJECTION!" Mr. Badd cut in. "What is the meaning of this, Ryghts?!"
"Quite simple, worm," Rei said confidently. "Note the witness' reaction! It indicates familiarity with the cult member in question! If she didn't know him, she wouldn't have freaked out uncharacteristically!"
"OBJECTION!" Badd shot back. "Or maybe she freaked out because you told her you killed a man! You are an ex-final boss, after all!"
"Y, yes, that's right!" Kuyou hastily agreed. "I-I thought you were past that sort of thing by now!" The gallery's chattering grew louder, forcing the judge to gavel them down.
"Well, you managed to shake her up, at least," Koizumi spoke up. "That should make it easier to catch her in a contradiction..."
"Order! Order in the court!" the judge declared, the audience finally calming down somewhat. "Miss Ryghts, I must admit I'm a bit confused here... Would you care to share your line of logic with the court?"
"Of course, Your Honor," Rei nodded in agreement. "In order for the witness to have been the one who stabbed Professor Eisner, she must be a member of 'those who slither in the dark', like Solon was. In fact, the defense has reason to believe that Solon was actually Kuyou's handler!"
"Handler? As in, her boss?" the judge guessed.
"OBJECTION!" Mr. Badd bellowed. "You don't have a single scrap of proof that these two are connected in any way! And evidence is everything in a court of law!"
"OBJECTION! I do have proof, peon!" Rei insisted, slamming her fists on the bench.
"Are you sure you're not bluffing, Ryghts?" Sothis snarked.
The judge banged his gavel once, before nodding. "Very well, the defense shall present their evidence now."
"TAKE THAT!" Rei presented Solon's phone. "This mobile device was recovered off Solon's person after he was killed! This is the missing link that will prove Kuyou Suou is a member of 'those who slither in the dark'!" Kuyou's eyes widened slightly at this.
"Oh? Is her name on the contact list?" Badd raised an eyebrow.
"Umm... a-actually, most o-of the names here a-are in some sort o-of i-incomprehensible language," Rei admitted. "(ahem) However, this one is not... and it's labeled 'Insubordination'. I wonder why Solon would put this contact in English? It must have been important somehow..."
"Ah...!" Kuyou gasped, beginning to sweat.
"Oh? Do you know something, Miss Suou?" Rei inquired with a sinister smirk.
"I... um... I-I think that something v-very bad would happen if you d-dialed that number..." the student stammered.
"What makes you think that?" Rei pressed. "Solon is dead, after all... what would be the harm in dialing this number now?"
"No, please! I'm begging you!" Kuyou suddenly shouted, now sweating profusely.
"I must admit, my curiosity is piqued as well," Koizumi spoke up.
"As is mine," Sothis piled on. "So what are you waiting for?"
"Well, since we're in agreement..." Rei promptly pressed the button to dial the contact.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Kuyou screamed, curling into a fetal position behind the witness stand.
"Witness? Is something the matter?" the judge inquired.
"I think we'll find out soon enough, Your Honor," Rei said, her eyes now showing danger-symbols. Soon enough a commotion was heard outside, before the doors suddenly splintered open, revealing the surviving robot used by Solon! Said robot made a beeline for the witness stand-
-only for a red energy orb to blast away half of its head, causing the robot to slow and eventually stop, shutting down as it leaned against the witness stand.
*Solon's Robot destroyed.*
"Just as I thought," Rei said with an outstretched hand, now in her HDD form of Chaos Heart.
"My word... you nearly gave me a heart attack, there!" Mr. Badd gasped, leaning on the bench with a hand over his chest.
"As did I!" exclaimed the judge. "I'm sorry Miss Ryghts, but after pulling a stunt like that, I have no choice but to penalize you!"
"It's a penalty I'll gladly accept, wo- Your Honor," Chaos Heart muttered before reverting to normal. "Anyway... I think this definitely proves a connection between the witness and Solon, as his robot tried to kill her for attempting to abandon the mission just now. Isn't that right, Kuyou Suou?"
"Ah..." Kuyou rose back to her feet, clearly shaken. "I... I never imagined you would be so ruthless... then again, you were a final boss..." She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Very well, I confess. It was I who stabbed Professor Byleth in the school hallway at midnight." The gallery started buzzing at this...
"So it was you, just as the Guild suspected," Mr. Badd grunted, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "So tell us, why did you not finish the job?"
"I would have, but... I heard a girl's voice... and then..." Kuyou shuddered. "I-I saw a girl with green hair, floating off the ground! It was a ghost! I screamed in terror and fled for my life, hiding myself in the computer club! Fortunately she didn't come after me..."
"Wait, it was you who screamed, not Yuki Nagato?!" the judge said with wide eyes.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Hmm, I'm surprised she saw me," Sothis mused. "I must have gotten upset enough to make myself visible just long enough for her to perceive me... Like, how do you say... an adrenaline rush?"
(Would a ghost even be capable of that?) Rei thought to herself. (Then again, if she was a former CPU, maybe it's possible...)
"I see... then when morning came, you swiftly exited out the east entrance, before anyone could see you," Koizumi nodded. "If we pull the security footage from that timeframe, we'll undoubtedly see you fleeing the school..."
"Yes. You probably will," Kuyou admitted.
"Well, you're quite cooperative all of a sudden," Badd spoke up. "Let's hope it's not due to intimidation tactics by the defense, or your testimony will all be ruled inadmissible..."
"That's not it," Kuyou shook her head solemnly. "You have to understand, I and everyone else who you call 'those who slither in the dark' have been living underground for most of our lives... when I saw the surface world for the first time... witnessing the sun beating down on my face... it was like heaven. But Solon was insistent that we complete the mission and return to the underground when our task was complete... he left no room for argument."
"He showed you the 'Insubordination' option on his phone, didn't he?" Rei proposed. "That's why it was in plain English compared to the others..."
"He did. And I got the message. But now..." Kuyou suddenly gave an uncharacteristic smile. "I know that I'm going to jail for what I did, but in another way, I feel so free... No more 'fell CPUs'. No more 'will of the Deity of Sin'. No more 'vengeance'. For the first time... I can just be Kuyou Suou." A tear streamed down her face as she said this.
"Indeed, you will likely be incarcerated for what you've done," Koizumi noted. "That being said... if you cooperate and tell us what you know about 'those who slither in the dark', that could go a long way towards reducing your sentence."
"Yes. I understand," Kuyou nodded. "I'll do whatever you ask of me. I only ask one thing in return..."
"And that is?"
"Tell Kyoko... tell Kyoko-chan that I'm sorry. For deceiving her." A few more tears fell from Kuyou's cheeks.
"I will pass that message along," Koizumi smiled and nodded.
"Well, I'd say that pretty much wraps up this case. I think it's time for the verdict, Your Honor," Rei said with her arms crossed.
"Yes, time to put this loser old man out of his misery," Badd concurred.
"Very well then," the judge banged his gavel. "On the charge of assault with a deadly weapon, this court finds the defendant, Yuki Nagato..."
NOT GUILTY
The gallery cheered as confetti rained down from the ceiling... and now it was Yuki's turn to shed tears. "Koizumi-kun, Ryghts-san, everyone... thank you."
The judge waited for the cheering and confetti to settle before banging his gavel one final time. "That is all. Court is adjourned!"
*To be concluded...*