Author's Note: Hey guys. Sorry for not making this chapter sooner. I'm not dead, really I'm not. Just really tired and scared. The exams that got postponed due to the pandemic suddenly got a date and I'm gearing up to study for it. Since this chapter was almost finished, I decided to post it. After my exams, I'll get back to the final 2 chapters of Turnabout Crystal, then the next arc.
I am so sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.
Sidenote: This fic also has a TvTropes page, please feel free to look and add to it. Thank you.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
"Ugh...I can't believe this shit is still going on…!"
"HOLD IT! Did you really have to say that?"
"I'm just stating the obvious, lawyer," Celeste said.
"Still, it was unnecessary for you to say it in that way-"
whp-CRACK!
"AaaAaaAaarrrghhh!"
"And it is also unnecessary to waste time discussing such a pointless matter," von Karma said. "Ms. Celeste L. Starr, continue with your testimony!"
"You all remember that I saw the Cadaverini pushing Will off the building, but there's more to it than just that."
"Ever since the Cadaverini ended up getting the Crystal Crusader Rose job, she'd been acting pretty chummy with Will."
"HOLD IT! Please, elaborate! What did you mean by chummy?"
"Just about to get to that if you shut up," Celeste hissed, glancing at the rookie lawyer bitterly, causing her to flinch.
"Sticking by his side, always clinging onto him and never letting him go…"
"Almost every day she wouldn't lose sight of him."
"HOLD IT! That's too vague. Please be more elaborate."
"Well, like I said," Celeste jabbed her finger toward Viola accusingly. "Almost every day, the Cadaverini kept clinging onto Will's side. Eating lunches together, being in the same rooms or places, constantly talking to each other, and not to mention the Cadaverini tending to his needs…!"
"Aww! That sounds so sweet!" Pearl said, pressing her cheeks and gushing hard as images of Viola and Will Powers having romantic dinners and boat rides filling her head. Iris, Furio, and even von Karma looked at the little girl with bemused expressions.
Viola coughed. "Actually, about that-"
"No!" Celeste exclaimed in disgust, pounding her fist against the witness' stand. "There's nothing 'sweet' about that! Besides…"
"Doesn't that raise any suspicion that something must be up?"
"HOLD IT! How...how does that prove the defendant committed the crime? If anything, it proves that the victim and the defendant were close."
Viola nodded. "Yes, that's-"
"Or that she was keeping an eye on Will to make sure he didn't spill her big secret!" Celeste cut in, to Viola's mild annoyance. "That…"
"That maybe...she was making sure he didn't rat her out?"
"I certainly think so...after all, she did kill him to prevent anyone else from knowing…!"
"HOLD IT!" von Karma interrupted before Iris could even shout those same words. "You believe that the defendant was only sticking by the victim to make sure he wouldn't reveal her true identity to others, correct?"
"Not believe, I know it's true," Celeste said with a nod, completely sticking to her beliefs.
"What do you think, Your Honor?" von Karma asked, glancing at the Judge, who was stroking his beard as he pondered.
"It's a plausible theory, that's for sure," the Judge said. "It certainly can be a reasonable motive as to why the defendant committed the murder."
"OBJECTION!" Iris shouted, getting everyone's attention. "That could have been the case, Your Honor, but there are a few holes I need to address. First of all, can you really prove that the defendant committed the crime with just that? Being constantly close to the victim before his death doesn't automatically make Ms. Viola the murderer."
Viola smiled. "Indeed, and that's-"
"And second!" Iris added, earning an irritated sigh from Viola. "What you said contradicts the note you presented during the last trial!"
Celeste raised a brow, confused as to what the rookie lawyer meant, only to cringed upon remembering what happened yesterday.
Von Karma, on the other hand, smirked. "Oh? You mean the note that was found on the victim's body, Ms. Iris Hawthorne?"
Iris nodded. "During my investigation, my sister Pearl found the missing part of the note. Completed, it read…"
"I know your secret. You've been keeping this from me and everyone else, but that ends today. Come to the Winter Cloud Building and face the consequences of taking everything from me."
"It seems like a standard threat to me, Ms. Iris Hawthorne," von Karma said in a bored tone, placing her hand against her whip. "What can it even prove?"
"A lot of things," Iris retorted, gesturing to the crumpled note in her hand. "As you can see, the first sentence is I know your secret. Ms. von Karma, you've done your research. Are there any secrets that the victim would've wanted to be kept?"
"There was the time he kept his identity as the Steel Samurai a secret, but other than that," von Karma shook her head, "there are no other secrets. He's a genuinely honest man, surprisingly enough."
Viola and Celeste were one of the best, they both thought as they reminisced fun memories of the man.
"There's also the second sentence," Iris continued. "You've been keeping this from me and everyone else, but that ends today. While it might seem directed to Will Powers, what kind of secrets would he have that were so grand that he had to keep it from his own coworkers?"
"Like the previous question, nothing," von Karma answered. "Looking back at my own investigation, there are no signs of foul play or anything to suggest that Mr. Powers was hiding anything."
"Furthermore-" Iris was about to continue.
whp-CRACK!
"Aaaaack!"
"Stop wasting time and get to the point, Ms. Iris Hawthorne!" von Karma hissed. "What are you trying to imply!?"
"I'm implying that this note wasn't meant for Will Powers!" Iris snapped, glaring at her rival. Glancing at Furio and Pearl, she felt reassured by their respective nod and smile.
We've gone over this numerous times, Iris thought to herself, thinking back to their late-night discussion. I'm sure this will work.
"Think about it," the rookie lawyer began. "The person who wrote the letter says he knows the recipient's secret, but what secret could Will Powers possibly have to warrant the culprit to murder him?"
"There was the time he kept the public from knowing he was the Steel Samurai," von Karma nonchalantly suggested, lazily waving her hand.
"Yes, but that barely warrants killing someone," Iris retorted. "Anything regarding the Steel Samurai is irrelevant to this case."
"Hmm…" the Judge pondered it for a bit. "I do see your point, Ms. Hawthorne, but what is it you're truly suggesting?"
"Simple," Iris raised her pointer finger in the air. "I suggest that the letter isn't meant for the victim…"
Suddenly, Ms. Cadaverini felt a sudden burst of wind and was startled when she saw Iris was dramatically pointing at her.
"It was meant for the defendant!" Iris declared, only to pause when she saw her declaration literally blow Viola away. "Oh! My apologies, Ms. Viola!"
"It's okay...hee...hee...hee..."
What Iris had said then caused the people in the gallery to loudly discuss amongst themselves.
"Order! Order!" the Judge shouted, pounding his gavel to silence the gallery. "So the letter was meant for Ms. Cadaverini!?"
Iris nodded. "In hindsight, it's obvious. 'I know your secret and you've been keeping this from me and everyone else' makes sense if it was referring to Ms. Viola, who kept her true identity to her coworkers.
"'Come to the Winter Cloud Building and face the consequences for taking everything from me'...it's been established from the words of past witnesses that Will Powers was a good man, so it's highly unlikely he'd be a target for revenge. Ms. Viola, on the other hand, is a perfect target to go after; not for anything she had done, but for the crimes, her family committed."
Viola winced at that but sighed. She hated to admit it, but what her attorney had said was true. Judging from Iris' words and the current situation she was in, it appeared she wasn't as free from her family as she hoped she was.
"OBJECTION!" von Karma shouted. "If what you're saying is true, then how did Mr. Will Powers get the letter instead of Ms. Viola Cadaverini?"
"That, I don't know," Iris admitted, "but I do have an idea as to how he got that letter. If I may share it, Your Honor?"
"You may," the Judge said.
Von Karma crossed her arms and chuckled sinisterly. This will be entertaining…
"Here's my theory…" Iris began.
From what we've established, Ms. Viola had sustained a serious injury during a past shooting of a Crystal Crusader Rose episode.
Despite this, she decided to skip rest and head back to work. As such, during the shooting of the final episode, Ms. Viola had to lie down and rest. Since her ankle was sprained from the shooting, Will Powers had to carry and lie her down on the couch of her dressing room.
Once she fell asleep, it was then Will Powers noticed the letter in her room.
"I know your secret. You've been keeping this from me and everyone else, but that ends today. Come to the Winter Cloud Building and face the consequences of taking everything from me."
"Seeing that someone was after Viola, Will Powers decided to investigate the matter himself," Iris concluded before taking out two photos from her files and presented one of them to the court.
Upon looking at the two photos, it was clear that the first photo showed a large gaping tunnel of holes leading down to something.
"This, Your Honor, is the hole that leads all the way from the tenth to the ground floor," Iris said before handing the court the second photo, which showed a steel beam on the ceiling, with a line of headlights attached to it in a linear pattern. One of the headlights was noticeably missing from the photo.
"From what I gathered, the real target for this murder was the defendant and not the victim," she said. "Upon seeing the death threat to Ms. Viola's life, Will Powers secretly went in her stead while she was resting in her dressing room."
"HOLD IT!" von Karma shouted. "If that was the case, Ms. Iris Hawthorne, wouldn't we be investigating Ms. Viola Cadaverini's murder instead?"
"I thought so too, but I remembered that it is totally dark inside the Winter Cloud Building," Iris said. "When the victim stepped inside the Winter Cloud Building, it's possible that the culprit just assumed it was Ms. Viola and did the murder without even double-checking."
That sparked a loud discussion amongst the people in the gallery, prompting the Judge to slam his gavel.
"Order! Order!" he shouted before stroking his beard in thought. "Hmm...what you propose could've possibly happened, Ms. Hawthorne, but there's still one issue."
"How on earth did Will Powers know that letter was meant for the defendant?" von Karma finished for him. "Furthermore, if he knew the letter was meant for her, why didn't he report it to the police, considering that it meant someone was targeting one of his actors?"
"Because I told him about my real identity…"
It was then all eyes turned to Viola, who chuckled nervously as sweat dripped her forehead from this much attention.
"What…?" Celeste gasped out, surprised. "H-he knew?"
von Karma raised an amused brow. "Oh? Care to elaborate, Ms. Viola Cadaverini?"
Viola's face blanched and the inside of her mouth felt dry. Turning to Iris and seeing her reassuring nod, it was then she took a deep breath and explained.
"Well…" Viola paused to lick moisten her lips. "Before I became an actress, I lived with Don Tigre, jumping from hotel to hotel so that my family couldn't find us. It was...difficult to say the least, being on the move constantly, unable to rest for a day. Don Tigre took it rough especially…"
Furio cringed and dropped his head in shame. All those times he snapped at her when they were on the run, he wished he could take back.
"After seeing just how stressed Don Tigre was, I decided to take off on my own once we made fake names. He begged me not to, but I didn't want to trouble him anymore. And besides…" she flashed a thankful smile to her gruff Tiger friend. "I needed to get out and be independent some time...hee...hee...hee…"
"And how does this relate to Will Powers knowing your true name?" von Karma asked, tapping her foot impatiently.
"I was just about to get to that…" Viola retorted. "Once I became Violet Shade, I managed to get myself a nice job in Global Studios as a production assistant. I was content to just stay in the shadows, but when Don Powers was holding a contest to see who will become the lead actress for Crystal Crusader Rose, I decided to give it a shot…"
"Standing on that stage, saying the lines, acting like a different person and engulfing myself into the character…" Viola raised her head and smiled fondly at the memories of her audition. "That was the day I realized that I had a love for acting. And when I ended up getting the role...well, I was ecstatic…hee...hee...hee!"
"That doesn't explain how Powers knew who you really are!" Celeste pressed further, slamming her fists onto the witness stand before accusingly pointing at Celeste. "How did he figure you out!?"
"Simple, I told him…" Viola said.
Celeste felt her anger diminishing, replaced with stunned silence as she could only utter out a shocked "what…?"
"You told him?" Iris repeated.
Viola nodded. "When I ended up getting the job, he talked with me personally to congratulate me and ask me questions about my personal life. It wasn't anything bad, it was kind of policy since I was the one playing the main role of his show. When I accidentally blurted out my true identity, I expected him to call the cops, but he…"
Viola sniffed as tears began streaming from her eyes. "He kept asking me...how I was dealing with it, how I lived...when he found out I lived in a crummy motel, he offered to let me live in his house! I didn't take it, but he insisted to give me money so I can afford to stay at a better hotel…"
Celeste gazed at Viola, feeling conflicted, as the Cadaverini turned to her in a genuinely pleading expression that reminded her of her own state of despair during her darkest moment long ago…
"Celeste, I...I know you don't like me," Viola began, her voice quivering. "I understand that...with what my family does to people, I don't blame you. But you have to believe me, I would never kill Don Powers! He saved my life, after all...why would kill someone who did that…?"
Celeste's heart was struck upon hearing that. Her breath felt shaky as her brain tried desperately to make up an excuse to keep hating this poor girl.
She was a Cadaverini!
That was true.
She lied to everyone about her identity!
Wouldn't you if you were part of a crime family?
SHE KILLED WILL POWERS!
Did she though?
Celeste stared into Viola's eyes, trying to find the look of a murderer faking innocence; but all she saw was herself.
A girl who was hurt, scared, and confused.
A girl who was hurt by her own family.
A girl who was saved by the same kind man who saved Celeste.
"I…" Celeste stuttered, unable to say anything as her mind unraveled from inner turmoil. "I-"
Suddenly, haughty laughter and golf clapping echoed throughout the courtroom. Celeste was awoken from her conflicted trance, Viola tilted her head in confused surprise, and Iris was noticeably tense as they turned in the direction of Prosecutor von Karma, who flashed a smug, condescending smirk to Iris as she kept clapping.
"What are you clapping for?" Iris asked bluntly, her eyes narrowing at the cruel prosecutor.
"My assured victory, of course," von Karma said. "Thank you for bringing out the truth of the matter, Ms. Viola Cadaverini."
Iris clenched her fists and grimaced, wary of what the prodigious prosecutor had in-store, while the Judge raised a brow.
"Whatever do you mean by that, Ms. von Karma?" he asked.
"I mean exactly what I said, Your Honor," von Karma said. "The defendant has stated the truth of the matter, and has taken us a step closer to finding the truth of this case."
"Um, I'm sorry, but aren't you supposed to try and prove my client is guilty?" Iris pressed, to which von Karma chuckled smugly.
"I was, but upon analyzing the evidence we both had gathered, I came upon the realization that the defendant could not have committed the crime," von Karma said. "Not only would the defendant face serious jail time if she really was the murderer, but it is also detrimental to her goal to hide. One thing that we can be sure about in regards to the defendant is that she wants to remain hidden from her family. Not only murdering Will Powers would be unnecessary to keep her true identity safe, but it is also detrimental!"
"Oh?" the Judge said, surprised. "Whatever do you mean, Ms. von Karma?"
"Think about it. From what we've gathered, the one thing that the defendant wants most is to keep her true identity a secret," von Karma said. "Murdering Will Powers would do nothing but attract attention to her. Killing is guaranteed to out her identity! Add that with what she had told to the court, I've realized that Ms. Viola Cadaverini is truly innocent."
That statement stirred up quite a shock throughout the court. The people in the gallery discussed amongst themselves, while the Judge was pondering what von Karma had said. Iris and Pearl, on the other hand, looked totally baffled that the prodigious prosecutor was doing their job for them.
"Does...does this mean Ms. von Karuma's on our side now?" Pearl whispered to her sister.
Iris shook her head, her eyes still focused on von Karma's confident expression. "I don't think so, Pearl. Remember what she did in Mystic Maya's trial…"
She has a trick up her sleeve, Iris thought, clenching her fist as she mentally prepared herself for whatever von Karma had in store. I just know it!
"What you're saying makes sense, Ms. von Karma," the Judge said. "But you're supposed to prove that the accused committed the crime."
"Indeed, and I shall get to that now with our witness," von Karma said, earning stunned looks from Iris, Pearl, Viola, and Celeste herself.
"Me!?" Celeste exclaimed.
"Indeed, Ms. Celeste L. Starr," von Karma's smug demeanor turned serious as she brandished her whip. "Let's delve further into your role in this case…"
Iris frowned, taking out her handkerchief to wipe off the sweat that poured down her forehead. She dreaded where this was going…
"From what I gathered, you were once a famous actress during your childhood, only to later fade into obscurity as you grew older," von Karma said, matter-of-factly.
Celeste shrugged. "That's a...very short way to describe my life story, but yeah…what does it have to do with this case-" her eyes widened briefly when it clicked in her mind. "No…"
Her stunned expression slowly turned into a scowl. "No, you can't possibly-!"
Von Karma grinned smugly. "Oh, is that a confession of guilt, Ms. Celeste L. Starr?"
"You BITCH!" Celeste roared, raising her arms high and slamming the witness stand in absolute fury. "How dare you accuse me of killing Will! I'd never do that!"
"Yet you have the most likely motive," von Karma retorted before turning to the rest of the court. "As I stated prior, Ms. Celeste L. Starr used to be a famous actress during her childhood, only to fade into obscurity as she grew up."
"Yes, why is that important to this case?" the Judge asked.
"Ms. Celeste L. Starr tried to audition for the role of Crystal Crusader Rose, only to lose it to Ms. Viola Cadaverini," von Karma said. "Add that to just how much the former hated the latter, it's easy to tell that the more likely culprit to this case is none other than…"
"MS. CELESTE L. STARR!" von Karma's booming voice echoed as she dramatically pointed at the actress, who was completely flummoxed by the accusation.
"HOLD IT!" Iris shouted, pointing at von Karma. "What evidence do you have of Ms. Starr being the true culprit?! If anything, you're just passing on the blame to another person!"
"Am I really, Ms. Iris Hawthorne?" von Karma retorted. "Because it's clear that Ms. Celeste L. Starr has the more likely motive to kill Will Powers for denying her a role that could lead to her reclaiming the fame she lost as a child!"
"No!" Celeste shouted, her hands trembling. "I-I wouldn't! W-Will saved me from killing myself, I-I wouldn't…!"
There was a collective gasp from the gallery when they heard that, but von Karma was undeterred.
"Oh, then where's the proof of this?" von Karma said. "Because there's nothing in your records that stated you ever attempted suicide."
"Here!" Celeste lifted her shirt to display the scars on the sides of her stomach. She hated showing these to all the people in court, but she needed to prove her innocence. "Is this enough proof for you!?"
There was a stunned silence from the entire courtroom, with many people in the gallery too shocked to respond. Iris grimaced and bowed down her head in shame, remembering her poor actions from before, while Pearl clasped her hands against her face to look away. Viola just eyed Celeste with concern while Furio focused on Viola.
After a few seconds, von Karma let out a cruel chuckle. "That hardly qualifies as anything! You need more proof to truly confirm this supposed 'suicide attempt' of yours. For all we know you, you deliberately injured yourself to throw people off your trail!"
"OBJECTION!" Iris shouted. "You're making baseless accusations, von Karma! While there isn't any evidence to prove Ms. Starr's suicide attempt was real, the same can be said for the opposite! This is the same as accusing Ms. Viola of the crime!"
Von Karma scoffed. "Oh please, Ms. Celeste L. Starr has more of a reason to commit the crime. Not to mention, she was the only person to have 'witness' the victim's murder. For all we know, she fabricated that statement and murdered the victim herself!"
Iris stammered for a moment, before breaking into a humorless cackle. "Are you really that desperate for a victory that you're accusing an innocent person of a crime they didn't commit!?"
The Judge pounded his gavel. "Alright, alright, you've both made your point, but now-"
"Oh, is that what you think!?" von Karma retorted, her grin growing more furious. "Or is the rookie scared she'll be put down to her place by her superior!?"
"Please, Ms. von Karma-" the Judge pleaded.
"Superior!? Ha! You're nothing but a brat who's abusing her own power to look good!" Iris sneered.
"Big Sis, please stop-!"
"You no-good bitch!" von Karma shouted back, raising her whip. "I'll teach you to-!"
"H-HOLD IT!" a young voice echoed throughout the courtroom, catching everyone's attention. The entire courtroom turning to where it came from, all saw Penny Nichols stepping out of the gallery before nervously walking to the witness stand. Furio gasped at the sight of Penny, Iris and von Karma looked irritated that she interrupted their argument, and everyone else looked at her curiously.
"I'd...I'd like to testify to the court, your Honor."
Court Record:
Evidence:
1. Iris' Attorney Badge
2. Letter of Request
3. Security Cameras
4. Will Powers' Autopsy Report
5. Crystal Crusader Dress (Costume No. 1)
6. Key Card
7. Crystal Sword
8. Torn and Tattered Crystal Crusader Costume (Costume No. 2)
9. Mysterious Letter (updated)
10. Penny's Vehicle
11. Cart of Film Equipment
12. Flashlight
13. Holes
14. Missing Headlight
Profiles:
1. Pearl Fey
2. Viola Cadaverini
3. Franziska von Karma
4. Detective Gumshoe
5. Will Powers
6. Wendy Oldbag
7. Celeste L. Starr/Emerald Empress
8. Penny Nichols
9. Furio Tigre