It has been…a long time. Over one year ago, I last updated this story. Now, as I listen to A Grand Return from DGS2, I have returned at last.
I could apologize all over again for vanishing like that, but I won't this time. I hope this convinces all of you that even if it takes me a while, I WILL finish this story. This chapter, after all, was written in just two nights after inspiration struck at the oddest time.
I want to thank all 130 reviewers, 126 followers, 119 favorites and 44,851 readers for reading this story and sticking with me for so damn long. I love you all and am so grateful to all of you.
And I will say this: to everyone who left me ideas for future chapters (Janice especially), please know that I have read them all, but will not be using any. This story is set in stone for how it will turn out, unless I specifically ask for ideas. And to the reviewer wondering if I will be including AA 2012 movie, I will not (as we're already FAR past that point). This story will cover JFA-SOJ and include the Layton crossover. That is all. There will be individual stories for DGS1/2 and future stories that go beyond the series.
Now, I hope you all enjoy this 8,000 something monster of a chapter I wrote in two days.
February 24th, 3:12 PM
Wright & Co. Law Offices
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Wright. I'm sorry for what my sister said…" Ema apologized, looking away to avoid the attorney's eyes. Jasmine's heart ached for the girl as she set down five cups of hot chocolate, freshly made, for all of them on the table.
"Drastic crimes require drastic measures…that's just the way it is. We did what we had to…in order for him to get the verdict he deserved."
"I…didn't know. I never knew that the 'SL-9 Incident' was just another name for…" Ema trailed off before forcing herself to spit out the words. "…the 'Joe Darke Killings'. Lana wanted Darke convicted so badly! That's why she used me…that's why she used what happened to me."
"But it's not your fault! You didn't ask for this!" Apollo cut her off, his fists clenched tightly and his eyes alight with righteous anger. It was sweet, though the image was kinda ruined by the hot chocolate mustache he currently sported.
"Apollo…" Ema trailed off, staring at him with wide eyes.
"That's right!" Clay added, just as enthusiastic as his best friend, identical mustache and all. "And don't you worry, everything is gonna be just fine!"
"Ema, what do you mean, 'what happened' to you?" Phoenix asked, his voice soft and considerate. He'd gotten better at that, ever since that case.
"It's all there in the file…" Ema pointed to the file that Jasmine had set on the table. Quickly, the legal aid began to scour through it. "Joe Darke's last victim was Prosecutor Neil Marshall. When he murdered Officer Marshall's brother, he left behind an incriminating piece of evidence."
"Yeah, I see that…but why do you say it happened to you?" Jasmine questioned, looking up curiously. She sipped her own hot chocolate, her mind thankfully calm and quiet…for now.
"What do you have to do with those killings, Ema?" Phoenix added, just as confused and curious as his sister, whose back he was currently rubbing.
"On the night Prosecutor Neil Marshall was murdered, Joe Darke…tried to kill me." Ema admitted, her voice soft and fearful.
"What? He tried to kill you!?" Phoenix cried.
"No…" Jasmine whispered, feeling cold start to crawl up her limbs. She quickly sipped her hot chocolate, chasing the cold away, if only a little.
"Officer Marshall's brother…Neil…was only trying to save me." Ema confessed, holding her own hot chocolate in a white boned grip.
"So that means you…" Phoenix trailed off.
"Yes." The student confirmed. "I was a witness in the Joe Darke trial."
And that was the moment Jasmine's heart shattered. Because this girl, this young girl, was just like her.
"What happened…?" Apollo cautiously asked, his eyes wide.
"It happened two years ago…it was right about this time of the year, too." Ema said. "There was a terrible thunder storm that day…unusual for the season. I was alone in my sister's office." Ema stiffened then and Apollo placed his hand over hers, trying to offer some comfort as she continued her story. "We were planning to eat dinner together once she finished her work. Then suddenly…this terrifying man came bursting into the office!"
"Joe Darke…" Phoenix supplied.
"It seemed like he was running from someone. He pulled out a knife and screamed at me." Ema admitted. "I didn't know what was going on. Just then, Prosecutor Marshall showed up. Joe Darke tried to take me hostage, but before he could…Mr. Marshall tackled him. Then…"
"What h-happened…?" Jasmine asked, hesitant as she tried to focus on the present. Focus on Ema, this isn't your story. This isn't your trauma. Phoenix's hand on her back anchored her as he began to move it again, as if sensing her fear.
"I-I'll never forget it!" Ema cried, a look in her eyes Jasmine knew all too well. Clay grabbed her other hand, looking as worried as his best friend. "Lightning struck and the lights went out. Suddenly…a bolt of lightning flashed outside the window, lighting up the office for an instant. What I saw then burned a permanent picture in my mind. I…I can still see it now…"
And didn't Jasmine just understand that more than anyone else. Wordlessly, she went to the kitchen and began to prepare two cups of chamomile tea, focusing herself on the task at hand as she listened to Ema's continued story.
"I don't remember the moment when Darke stabbed Mr. Marshall." She admitted.
"So you weren't able to testify about that?" Phoenix gently prompted her.
"No, I was only asked about when I was attacked." Ema said. "That must be why Lana…why she 'made up' the crime."
"Made it up? You mean, provided bogus evidence?" Phoenix clarified. Jasmine focused on steeping the tea leaves for the correct amount of time. Not much longer now…
"The Prosecutor's Office wanted that guilty verdict so badly." Ema explained. "Lana forged the evidence and Mr. Edgeworth used it…"
"Edgeworth!?"
"Miles!?"
The twins cried out in unison, Jasmine whipping around towards them as she did. Thankfully, no tea was harmed during this process and it was ready right after. She prepared another tray and returned to the office, setting a cup in front of Ema and taking the other for herself. Gratefully, Ema swapped her hot chocolate for the tea, taking a large sip.
Looking calmer, she met the twins' eyes and nodded.
"Yes. But I'm sure he didn't know anything about it!" She insisted. "He couldn't have known he was being given false evidence. Even so…that's when it all started. The rumors about Mr. Edgeworth, I mean."
"Oh! I heard those! He's the one who fakes evidence all the time and bribes witnesses, yeah?" Clay said, glad to contribute.
"Those are the rumors, y-yes…" Jasmine nodded with a small, sad smile.
"It's all my fault…" Ema sobbed softly, looking away. "If I could have just testified properly, none of this would have happened!"
"You can't blame yourself!" Apollo insisted. "It's not your fault when you were traumatized by what happened!"
"Yeah! You can't blame yourself for something you couldn't help!" Clay agreed, nodding furiously. "Besides, if things had been different, maybe you would've died instead! And the result would've been the same!"
"Still…" Ema wiped her nose and sniffed before she continued. "After that case ended, Lana was never the same. She became cold, like she is today."
"D-don't blame yourself. There's nothing y-you could've done." Jasmine tried to reassure the girl before taking a sip of her tea, allowing the calming effect to wash over her. Neither of them were at fault…that was just the odds they both rolled.
"What did you see in the instant that crime occurred?" Phoenix questioned, turning the subject away from both of their self-doubts and trauma. Ema glanced away even still, looking down at her own cup of tea.
"…Darke knocked down Mr. Marshall and raised his knife." She admitted. "I don't remember what happened after that. Apparently, I passed out. When I came to, Lana was cradling me in her arms."
"Poor Ema…you've been through so much." Phoenix sympathized with her.
"We're here for you, understand?" Jasmine prompted, feeling her fear fade away as she focused on the girl before her.
"Yeah! We're here too!" Clay grinned brightly, reminding Jasmine of the sun his best friend was named after.
"You don't have to keep going if it's too hard." Apollo added, sympathetic and understanding in his eyes.
"N-no, I'm fine." Ema shook her head. "I-I couldn't bring myself to testify about that instant. I tried, but the words just wouldn't come out. I drew a picture, but it wasn't any good."
"Two years ago…you must have been 14. That's understandable." Phoenix nodded, briefly glancing at Jasmine. No doubt he was thinking of the case she had witnessed at 9 and never testified for.
And he doesn't even know about the one I witnessed when I was 8…
"You were barely older than us!" Clay cried, shocked.
"Once it was all over…I made up my mind." Ema continued. "I decided that when I grew up, I'd become a scientific investigator. I want to be able to fight crime with my testimonies! And find the evidence to make an airtight case…that way, Lana would never have to forge any."
"I see…" Phoenix nodded. "But there's something that's puzzling me, Ema."
"What is it?" Ema asked.
"You said you were in Lana's office at that time, right?" The attorney asked to confirm.
"That's right." The student nodded.
"Why then would a serial killer come running in there?" Phoenix asked. "Not only that, but he was being chased by a prosecutor?"
"Oh, there's no mystery there." Ema shook her head. "Joe Darke had been taken in for questioning that day."
"Taken in for questioning?" Jasmine repeated, surprised. "You mean by the police?"
"Of course. This happened at the Police Department." Ema confirmed. "He tried to run away halfway through the interview, and fled into my sister's office."
"But why did he run all the way over to your sister's office?" Phoenix asked instantly, confused.
"Because the detective offices and the questioning room are right across from the elevator." Ema explained.
"…across from the elevator?" Phoenix and Jasmine asked in unison.
"But Lana was the Chief Prosecutor, wasn't she?" The older twin continued on his own as the younger sipped her tea, her brow furrowed.
"No, silly! Didn't I tell you? Two years ago…Lana was a detective." Ema smiled, her glasses slipping over her pride filled eyes. "She was the best in the entire force!"
"Whaaaaaaaat!?" Phoenix cried.
"After the Joe Darke case, she was transferred to the Prosecutor's Office and made Chief Prosecutor." Ema smiled, pushing her glasses back up onto the top of her head.
"That's really cool! She must've been awesome to be promoted like that!" Clay grinned before looking at Apollo for confirmation. "Right?"
"Yes, becoming Chief Prosecutor is a promotion." Apollo shook his head at his friend, a fond smile on his face. Ema giggled at the two boys.
Jasmine smiled softly at the three teens before turning to her brother.
"W-where to then?" She asked.
"We'd better talk to Lana about all this…I got a bad feeling." Phoenix sighed.
"Don't you always?" Jasmine teased, feeling more like her normal self for once as she pushed herself up and began to take care of the refreshments. "Any hot chocolate not drunk in the next few minutes is getting dumped!"
Hot chocolate was never drunk that fast ever again, as Phoenix and the two boys all burned their tongues.
February 24th
Detention Center
Visitor's Room
"L-Lana…" Ema stuttered as her sister sat down across the group of five.
"Mr. Wright. It seems I keep causing you trouble." Was all the greeting Lana gave them.
"Falsifying evidence…" Phoenix trailed off. "I didn't think you were the type."
"Criminals don't mind playing foul, why should we?" Lana fired back.
"But Lana! If you're wrong…an innocent person might be found guilty!" Ema protested, glaring at her older sister.
"Believe me…I understand the risks." Lana stated.
"Then why do it anyway?!" Apollo demanded, glaring at her through the glass.
"Not all criminals can be caught normally…you'll understand someday, if you follow this path." The Chief Prosecutor stated.
"Yeah, right! Apollo would never forge evidence! He's not like that!" Clay defended his friend, fists clenched tightly.
Jasmine laid a hand on each boy's shoulders, stopping the possible fight as her brother spoke.
"Lana. Ema told me about you." He stated, surprising the typically stoic prosecutor.
"Oh?" Lana hummed.
"About how you were a detective two years ago, and how the SL-9 Incident was the reason for your transfer to the Prosecutor's Office." Phoenix elaborated.
"That's right." The Chief Prosecutor confirmed.
"Can you fill me in on the details?" The attorney requested. "Especially about that unusual change of jobs."
"…I suppose you have a right to know, Mr. Wright." Lana agreed. "It's true. I was a member of the police force two years ago."
"She was amazing!" Ema bragged, pride in her eyes. "They still talk about all the cases she and Chief Gant cracked together!"
"Chief Gant? The laughing guy?" Clay asked, confused.
"Yeah, him…" Apollo sighed, a sigh too large for one so young.
Jasmine suspected that's what running into the chief did to anyone…
"Then he was the Vice-Head of Criminal Affairs, but he still worked the crime scenes." Lana explained, obviously reading Phoenix's own confusion. "Damon Gant…he was everything I aspired to be."
"They were the best team ever! They solved crimes before the reports could even be filed!" Ema praised, stars in her eyes. Her big sister really was her role model. Jasmine smiled at the sight.
"But now you're Chief Prosecutor. What happened?" She said aloud, however.
"I always planned on becoming a prosecutor." Lana admitted. "The reason I became a detective was…"
"To gain experience investigating crime scenes, so you could later use that experience in court." Ema finished her sentence.
"Gant's help in the SL-9 case was critical to its resolution." Lana stated. "After that, he became Chief of Police and arranged my transfer to the Prosecutor's Office."
"A lot of revelations were uncovered at the trial today, not the least of which was the fact that this case is largely connected to another one, two years ago." Phoenix mused, running a hand across his face.
"Evidence from that case was stolen…I expected as much." Lana stated. "I know how obsessive Officer Marshall can be."
"That trial…it really wasn't 'fair', was it?" Ema asked, looking away as if scared of the truth. The older Skye sister was silent, causing the younger to begin yelling. "I believed in you, Lana! I believed that no matter what happened, you'd always stick to the truth!"
"It couldn't be helped, Ema." Lana stated. "At that trial two years ago…I sold my soul."
"There's always a choice, Lana, even if you can't always see it." Jasmine whispered, feeling a small tremble run through her body.
"Well, all drama aside, the fact of the matter is at 5:15, there was no murder at the Police Department." Phoenix stated.
"Tell me it's not true, Lana! What the witness…Ms. Starr said!" Ema begged. "About you stabbing Mr. Goodman with a knife!" Lana still remained silent to her sister's pleas. "Lana! I don't understand! Why won't you tell us?"
"Ema…this doesn't involve just me." Lana said, turning away to hide her expression. "Two years ago, I was second-in-command of the detectives investigating Darke."
"So who was the Chief Detective then?" Apollo questioned, tilting his head to the side curiously.
"No doubt, Damon Gant?" Phoenix proposed.
"Yes. Detective Gant and I shared the same office, and the same investigations." Lana confirmed. "We led a team of the best detectives on the force: Detective Goodman, whose case it was, Jake Marshall and Angel Starr. It was the first time Marshall worked with his brother. He was quite…'gung ho'. Without a doubt, Joe Darke was the serial killer. We asked him to come in for questioning. We were desperate for evidence. That was when the last murder took place."
"Prosecutor Marshall was trying to save me from Darke…" Ema said, curling in on herself. In support, both Apollo and Clay laid a hand on her arms.
"You see, the first person who happened upon the scene of the crime…was me." Lana admitted.
"What happened, Lana." Jasmine demanded, her eyes narrowed as she watched the Chief Prosecutor carefully.
"Detective Gant and Prosecutor Marshall were the ones questioning Darke that day." Lana explained, not backing down from the aide's cold gaze. "The investigation was in its final stages, when Dark must have panicked. He waited until Gant and Marshall let their guards down, then fled the room. From there, he ran straight to…the office shared by Detective Gant and myself."
"That's where he found me." Ema added.
"So you were the first person to run to the scene, Lana?" Phoenix asked.
"It appears so." Lana nodded. I was filing some paperwork while Gant and Marshall were questioning Darke. When I returned to my office, I found three bodies on the floor and smelled blood."
"Three bodies?" The twins repeated in unison. Jasmine took a small sip of her tea, letting it wash over and calm her.
"Prosecutor Marshall, the victim, Ema, who had passed out…" Phoenix listed.
"And the suspect, Joe Darke." Lana finished. "During the struggle, it seems Mr. Marshall struck a final blow before he died. Joe Darke had incurred a minor concussion, and lay unconscious."
"What did you do?" Phoenix asked.
"To be honest, I panicked." Lana said, turning away again. "I picked up Ema, carried her out of the room and just held her." Jasmine felt Phoenix's eyes on her, remembering a December 28th fifteen years ago when he held her after she came home with no idea where she had been…and just started crying. "After that, I placed Darke under immediate arrest."
"Let me get this straight." Phoenix said, turning back to Lana. "You were all involved in the SL-9 Incident?"
"That's right. Quite a coincidence, hmm?" Lana said, looking away.
"I don't buy it." The attorney stated.
"Me either." The legal aid agreed.
"W-what are you saying?" Ema stuttered, surprised.
"There's no way everyone involved in this trial was also involved in that incident just by 'chance'." Phoenix elaborated.
"But that case was solved two years ago!" Ema cried.
"At least one person went to extremes because they didn't believe it was truly solved." Phoenix reminded her.
"Officer Marshall…yes, his actions came as a surprise to me as well." Lana admitted. "Ever since his brother died, he's changed completely."
"I'm not surprised. Losing a family member like that…it changes you irrevocably." Jasmine stated.
"I guess he wasn't convinced with the ruling against Joe Darke." Ema said.
"…life doesn't end with the closing of a case." The Chief Prosecutor stated. "Everyone has to live the rest of their lives with their memories."
"That 'case' just might not be over yet." Phoenix stated. Lana gasped, looking genuinely surprised at his words.
"Really, Mr. Wright?" Clay cried.
"How do you know?" Apollo asked.
"Ema was assaulted by Darke at the Police Department, right?" Phoenix asked, his eyes focused on his client.
"Yes, in the office that Damon Gant and I shared." Lana confirmed. "The office that Mr. Gant now occupies by himself: the Chief's office."
"Then we'll be sure to investigate there, we should find our answers there." Jasmine, feeling more like herself than she had in the past several days, stated.
Smiling proudly at her, Phoenix nodded in agreement, thanked Lana for meeting them and led the four others out of the Detention Center.
February 24th
Police Department
Criminal Affairs
"I don't see Detective Gumshoe anywhere." Phoenix said as he looked around.
"Things seem kinda quiet around here today." Ema mused.
"You're right." The attorney nodded before briefly glancing back at Jasmine. For good reason, of course.
After all, nobody liked returning to the location of their trauma even just months after it occurred. She started shaking right away and probably wouldn't be able to enter the Records Room for a long time…
Thankfully, Apollo and Clay seemed to notice how she felt and took it upon themselves to both comfort her and distract her.
"Hey, hey, can we go outside and see the dancing badger instead?" Clay suggested brightly.
"We can go find a quiet spot to scream, too! Chords of Steel training!" Apollo added.
"We should probably come back later, anyway. Not much to see here." Phoenix smiled.
Jasmine nodded in agreement furiously. Just being out in the sun would be better than this…the atmosphere was beginning to feel oppressive.
February 24th
Police Department
Entrance
"Howdy, Bambina." Marshall greeted them as they stepped outside, which…wasn't much better than being inside.
"Oh, Mr. Marshall!" Ema cried, jumping back in surprise as she spotted the cowboy man.
"I never thought things'd turn out this way when I woke up this morning." Marshall smiled good naturedly. "Que sera sera. You never know where life will lead you, eh Bambina? I should've known my luck had run out when ol' Billy dried up this morning."
"Who's Billy?" Apollo questioned.
"Must be his pet cactus." Phoenix shrugged.
"You can have those?!" Clay cried, eyes wide.
"N-no, silly, i-it's a p-plant." Jasmine smiled even as she stuttered, taking a sip of her tea. Damn herself for this weakness, even if she couldn't help it.
"Say, where are you headed?" Phoenix asked Marshall, changing the subject.
"Just over to the Prosecutor's Office for a little interrogation." Marshall answered uncaringly as he flicked his blade against his stubble. "It's a 'voluntary' appearance, but we all know I won't be coming back. Sorry, but you can't go in the evidence room today, pardner."
"But Mr. Marshall…why did you do it!?" Ema demanded.
"Why do prospectors head west?" Marshall returned. "If ever there was a case I needed to know the truth about, it was that one."
"Before you turn yourself in, Mr. Marshall, would you mind telling us exactly what happened?" Phoenix asked.
"Hmph…looks like I won't be getting a steak lunch today." Marshall mused, which was as good as a 'yes'. "Something was fishy about that trial from the beginning. It wasn't just me either. All the detectives thought so."
"What do you mean 'fishy'?" Phoenix questioned.
"Some of the facts reported were inconsistent with the evidence we found." Marshall explained. "For example…the murder weapon."
"The m-murder weapon?" Jasmine tilted her head curiously.
"You mean…that switchblade knife with the broken tip?" Phoenix added.
"That was Joe Darke's alright." Marshall confirmed. "But…in the initial autopsy report, a question was raised."
"A question…?" Ema repeated.
"What was it?" Apollo asked.
"The blade of the knife was not a perfect match with the wound the victim sustained." Marshall said.
"Uhh…what does that mean?" Clay tilted his head, lost.
"It means there is a good chance that knife was not the murder weapon." The cowboy man answered. Phoenix's eyes widened and Jasmine's grip on her travel mug tightened. "However, in the report that was finally submitted, that possibility had been erased."
Could it be…forged evidence was involved in the murder weapon…?
"That case left behind scars on all of us." Marshall stated.
"The 'scars' that the SL-9 Incident left behind…" Ema trailed off. Apollo glanced up at her before turning towards Marshall.
"Can you tell us about your brother?" He asked. Marshall smiled.
"I got the looks, but he got the brains. He was one of the best prosecutors around." He said. "I had just made detective when it went down. It was our first case together…"
"How old was he…your brother?" Ema asked.
"He was 27 at the time." Marshall answered and Jasmine sucked in a breath.
Just like Mia…
"He was awarded the highest honor that very day." The cowboy man continued, pride in his voice.
"The…'highest honor'? You don't mean…" Phoenix trailed off.
"King of Prosecutors." Marshall confirmed. It took another minute for him to notice the disgruntled look her brother wore. "What are you looking at me like that for? That's an honor for a prosecutor!"
Better keep Miles' opinion on it to myself…Jasmine thought, but she smiled at how close the Marshall brothers seemed.
"The day the SL-9 Incident too place, that wasn't the same day as…" Ema trailed off.
"That's right. It was the day of the evidence transferal." Marshall confirmed, removing his hat and laying it against his heart, meeting their eyes head on.
"Interesting…" Phoenix hummed at that news.
"It was drizzling that morning, and by nightfall there was thunder." Marshall explained. "I can't believe two years have gone by already. I tried to steal the evidence so the case wouldn't die." As he spoke, Marshall returned his hat to his head. "There was something going on behind the scenes in that case. We all knew that later. Every detective involved in that investigation, save one, was…taken care of. Ms. Starr was fired and I was demoted and boxed away in a tiny room."
"What about Detective Goodman?" Phoenix asked.
"If they did something to him too, the commissioners would get suspicious." Marshall explained. "No, they were careful enough not to be too obvious."
"'They'?" Jasmine questioned.
"Who are you talking about!?" Ema, Apollo and Clay all asked at the same time.
"Don't get upset, Bambina, pardners." Marshall shook his head as he held the blade against his stubble once more, looking all for the world carefree. "I mean Damon Gant…and Lana Skye. Chief Detective Damon Gant and his second-in-command, Lana Skye…there wasn't a person on the force who hadn't heard of that duo. That case was the biggest step in both of their careers."
"After the case ended, Lana transferred to the Prosecutor's Office, right?" Phoenix questioned.
"Yeah. Damon Gant, the new Chief of Police, arranged for that to happen." Marshall confirmed, putting his blade away and hiding his eyes under his hat. "She's never been the same since she left." Ema gasped at that. "Everyone who knew her said so. 'Chief Prosecutor Skye was totally different when she was a detective'."
'I sold my soul', indeed. Lana…what happened…?
"Tell me…what happened to my sister!" Ema begged, getting closer to Marshall to make sure he understood.
"Sorry, Bambina, but her secret is too well guarded." Marshall sighed. "I never found out." The cowboy man took out his flask then and took a drink before smiling. "So there you have it. That's my story. Did you enjoy it, pardner?"
"It was certainly…enlightening." Phoenix nodded.
"Thank you for sharing with us." Jasmine said, her voice steady with gratitude.
"No problem. There's one thing for sure I found out in court today." Marshall spoke then. "That boy Edgeworth isn't my enemy. He was the one who used falsified evidence to get a guilty verdict, but someone else was the one who gave him that evidence and planned everything. That someone is Damon Gant. Don't believe me? Well I don't blame you. I won't even be a patrolman after today." He took another drink before speaking again. "Too bad I won't be around to work with you…when you become a real scientific investigator." Ema stared at him with wide, wide eyes. "Adios Bambina!"
With one final smile and a tip of his hat, Marshall walked away, towards the Prosecutor's Office and his fate.
Still, Jasmine folded her arms across her body and stared at the ground.
Damon Gant…I swear, Marshall, I'll take him down for you. I'll protect Lana, Ema and Miles from him. I swear.
But, in the end, Jasmine couldn't bring herself to go into Criminal Affairs again, so while Phoenix and Ema went to see if anyone had come back, Apollo and Clay kept her mind busy with stories of their school adventures (read: Clay's adventures and Apollo getting dragged into them, always ending with them screaming their names and "I'M FINE" at the top of their lungs). When the attorney and girl came back, Jasmine was significantly brighter as they made their way across the street to the building they had been told houses the Chief's office.
There was still the lingering fear in the back of her mind, of course, but it was…more manageable than it was in court.
February 24th
Police Department
Chief's Office
"Whoa…where am I?" Phoenix whistled as they entered the office. Jasmine had to agree, considering there was an organ in the center of the office. Who does that?
"In the Chief's office, silly!" Ema smiled up at them teasingly, obviously not understanding where the twins were coming from considering she used to visit this office often. "At least that's what it said on the door."
"Still, there's a pipe organ here! Is it the real thing?" Jasmine asked, eyes wide and surprise replacing any possible fear from her trauma.
"Hey, I used to take organ lessons in kindergarten!" Ema grinned brightly and Jasmine was glad to see it. "They used to call me 'Little Miss Bach'. I thought I was a genius until they tried teaching me notes. I never could remember where C was…"
"You should see Apollo in music class, he can't play a lick!" Clay grinned.
"Clay! Don't bring that up!" Apollo comically whined, obviously exaggerating his reaction so Ema would giggle at the two's antics. The boys shared a smile at their success and Jasmine made sure she brushed her fingertips through the top of both boys' hair.
Good job, boys.
"Hm?" A sudden voice startled the group of five and they all turned, only to see Chief Gant smiling at them from his desk. "Oh, it's you two. And you brought some others this time, too."
"Chief Gant!" Phoenix cried, straightening up on reflex before he sheepishly relaxed. "Uh, this is my sister, Jasmine, and these two are Apollo Justice and Clay Terran, they're…assisting on the case."
That was one way to put it… Jasmine mused as she sipped her tea to hide her smile. Another way to put it was that the two boys tagged along with Ema and somehow became her emotional support boys.
"Nice to meet you, Justo and Terrie!" Gant greeted the boys as he put the paper he was reading in a drawer in his desk. The boys shared a confused look as Ema bent down to whisper to them just why the chief gave them nicknames. "So, Mr. Wright. Have you been swimming lately?"
"Uh…no, I haven't. I've been kind of busy lately." Phoenix shook his head, confused.
"I can appreciate that. I've had my hands full too, with Mr. Marshall's misconduct and Lana's provocative statement." Gant said with a smile that Jasmine didn't trust at all.
In fact, it sent familiar, terrifying shivers down her spine at the sight and she meekly hid behind her brother's taller frame.
"'Provocative statement'…oh, you mean about the forged evidence." Phoenix said, even as a hand sneaked back to hold Jasmine's free one.
"Two years have passed since that incident." Gant said, leaning closer conspiratorially before he straightened with a wide grin. "My, how time flies! See that big picture on the wall over there? That's a picture of Lana, Neil and me."
At the prompting, the twins and the three students moved closer to examine the picture, showing Neil Marshall holding the King of Prosecutors trophy, Lana and Gant on either side of him. Jasmine's eyes narrowed at the sight of the trophy. Something about it…was different from the one Edgeworth had.
"We took it to commemorate our work together." Gant explained, unaware of the legal aid's examining. Quietly, calmly and entirely out of sight, Jasmine let Phoenix's hand go and took her notepad out, making a note of the picture and briefly sketching out the King of Prosecutor's trophy, since they could exactly take this one. Gant's voice startled her just as she finished the sketch and put her notepad away. "Anyway, I'd like to reminisce all day, but there are matters that need my attention. I'm going to lock up here, so let's go out together."
"Oh…but this office…it was a crime scene two years ago, wasn't it?" Ema asked.
"That case had long since been over. There's no need to investigate it anymore." Gant smiled as he tried to usher them out, leaving very little room for argument. Jasmine didn't like that and the ice in the pit of her stomach grew.
"All the same, we'd still like to have a look around." Phoenix stated, taking that little room for argument and using it to his advantage.
"Yeah! It's really important!" Apollo agreed, his fists clenched with determination and his bracelet gleaming in the sunlight that came in through a nearby window.
"Perhaps you didn't hear me. I said there's no need to investigate it anymore." Gant stated, his face entirely serious and his eyes gleaming with a warning.
Jasmine outright flinched at that and it felt like the walls were beginning to close in all over again. And she had been doing so well too!
Phoenix's arm on her shoulder helped bring her back to reality, only to find herself being led out of the Chief's office and back to the outside of the police department.
Jasmine nodded in thanks to him, before sticking her hand in her pocket and allowing her fingers to wrap around the jewel inside. It was nothing more than a memento she carried around, but…it made her feel like Mia was nearby, watching out for her like she no doubt also did for Maya.
"Jazz? Ms. Jazz, are you okay?" Clay's voice brought Jasmine back down and she smiled at the thirteen year old, who was sitting on a bench outside the police department with her.
"I'm fine, just…where are the others?" Jasmine asked, her voice tired and thick. How long had she been out of it…?
"Inside the police department, I offered to keep you company since I understand everything the least!" Clay grinned.
"Oh really? You don't want to go into the criminal justice system?" Jasmine chuckled as she sipped her tea. Between the tea and the jewel, her calm began to return.
"Nuh uh, that's Apollo's thing! I'm gonna be an astronaut and go to space!" Clay grinned brightly. "I'll go to the moon or-or Mars or even further! I'll learn all about the stars and do cool experiments and meet all sorts of cool people too, like Solomon Starbuck!"
"Sounds like fun." Jasmine smiled, reaching up and petting his hair that peeked out through the top of his visor. "I'm glad you have a dream…"
"Was working with Mr. Wright your dream as kid, Jazz?" The thirteen year old questioned.
"Mm, not exactly. Nick didn't want to be an attorney until we were in college. I decided as a kid that I wanted to be part of the legal system though…I had my own hero I wanted to be like." Jasmine smiled wistfully. That investigation that had led to her realizing this was her dream…she'd never forget it.
Then a dark elevator opening and revealing three unconscious bodies with another person standing before them flashed through her eyes and she flinched. Calm down…he can't hurt you anymore…
But her fears weren't rational, and so she just took another sip of tea with her now shaking hands.
Clay must've picked up on the fact that this wasn't a good topic, so he started babbling about all sorts of misadventures he and Apollo had gotten into during their time in middle school.
Of course, Jasmine was pretty sure some of those were made up, but still…it was the thought that counts. And that thought was all about cheering her up. Clay…he was a good kid.
It wasn't long after that Phoenix, Ema and Apollo returned, the two students almost pouting at the fact that Gumshoe apparently wouldn't help them into the Chief's office (which any detective ID BUT Goodman's could open, of course). So instead they were off to talk to Edgeworth.
Jasmine hadn't felt such a wave of relief that whole day.
February 24th
High Prosecutor's Office
Room 1202
"I wonder if Edgeworth is back yet…" Phoenix mumbled to himself as they entered the office.
"There he is! It looks like he's writing something." Ema happily pointed out. And sure enough, there Edgeworth was, writing at his desk when he just happened to meet Jasmine and Phoenix's eyes through his lashes.
"Huh? What are you doing here?" Edgeworth demanded as he stood up from his desk and moved in front of it, shoving the paper he was writing to the floor in the process.
"Tough day in court, huh?" Phoenix awkwardly greeted, rubbing the back of his head. Jasmine smacked her forehead into her palm without a second's hesitation.
"Hmph." Edgeworth grunted, looking away. Jasmine wanted to reach out to him. "I've had to live the past two years with rumors flying around. What's another allegation to me?"
"Miles! Don't talk like that!" Jasmine cried as she gave up keeping up appearances and ran to his side, laying her hand on the hand he had crossed across his body to clutch at his other arm.
"Cheer up, Mr. Edgeworth! I'm rooting for you!" Ema added.
"Yeah! Us too, right Apollo?" Clay nudged his best friend.
"Y-yeah!" Apollo nodded, obviously nervous to be meeting the famed 'Demon Prosecutor'.
"So, what do you want?" Edgeworth asked, subtly moving his hand so a few of his fingers were intertwined with Jasmine's, not obvious enough to be noticed. "Unlike some people, I don't have all day."
Jasmine shot him a slightly sympathetic look when Clay let out a gasp. When she turned, she found him, Apollo and Ema crowded around the sheet of paper Edgeworth had thrown aside as he stood up. Apparently, the wild haired boy had decided that the prosecutor had been distracted enough for him to check the paper out and it seemed to have shocked him. Ema and Apollo looked equally shocked as they stared at it.
"What!? 'Letter of r-r-r-r-'" Ema stuttered as she read it, her disbelief making her speech difficult.
"If you can't read, I'll read it for you." Edgeworth shook his head. "It says 'Letter of Resignation'."
"What!?" Jasmine shouted, staring up at Edgeworth with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"'Resignation'!? Edgeworth, you can't mean…?" Phoenix trailed off, just as disbelieving as his sister.
"I'm tired, Mr. Wright." Edgeworth sighed, avoiding both siblings' eyes. "I feel as if…something inside of me has died."
"But Mr. Edgeworth! None of it is your fault!" Ema cried.
Jasmine…couldn't even speak. She hadn't noticed anything, what kind of person was she?! She hadn't even noticed that the person she cared about most in the world, her best friend, was so hurt!
"I know the path I've walked. You don't need to tell me." Edgeworth stated. "And the path I've walked…hasn't been a just one. I can't forgive myself for what I've done…and no one else should forgive me either."
Startled by his words and the subtlest movement of his hand, Jasmine backed away, breaking all contact. She felt so disconnected…like she couldn't do anything, even if she wanted to.
"Why…why are you saying this, Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo asked, his voice steady where all others had shaken.
"There's no excuse for what I've done. Two years ago, I used false evidence to obtain a guilty verdict." Edgeworth said, avoiding all eyes. Even Jasmine's. "That's what it all breaks down to, and nothing I do can erase that fact."
"But you didn't know, did you?" Phoenix asked, cutting to the heart of the matter. "I mean, that the evidence was falsified."
"The Police Department and the Prosecutor's Office share a bond of trust." Edgeworth explained. "If that bond is broken, we stand to lose everything. The Police Department's error is my error, my responsibility as the prosecutor in charge. That fact remains the same no matter what excuses I might have."
"Mr. Edgeworth…" Ema trailed off.
"I take pride in my work." Edgeworth stated. "So tell me why! Why has it all come to this…"
Jasmine wanted to hold him, to wrap her arms around him and promise that everything would work out, that they would make it through this, together. But she couldn't, not now.
"Are you up for the trial tomorrow?" Phoenix asked, sounding concerned.
"Hmph. First last year's trial, and now this one. It seems all you do is worry about me." Edgeworth smirked before looking away with a glower. "To be honest, you're getting on my nerves."
"Don't you talk like that! We're your friends, it's our job to worry!" Jasmine scolded, the response automatic and spoken without thinking. Edgeworth had always hated when people worried about him…that was why he avoided all three of his childhood friends after that trial fifteen years ago, to keep them from worrying. Not that it had done any good, it only made them worry more.
"But Mr. Edgeworth! You can't just walk out on the trial…" Ema protested.
"Tomorrow is the last day. It's too late to change prosecutors." Edgeworth explained. "I'll be that's what my superiors are banking on. I never thought that case would come back to haunt me like this."
"What do you mean?" Apollo questioned, tilting his head to the side inquisitively.
"That list of evidence. It seems too short." The prosecutor explained, causing the attorney to dig said list out of his pocket. "Most lists…run twice as long."
"Whoa, really?!" Clay cried, eyes wide as he stared at the list in Phoenix's hand.
"It's only half as long as most lists?" Phoenix repeated, eyebrows raised in surprise.
"After Neil Marshall was murdered, I became prosecutor for that case." Edgeworth explained. "I may not have been part of the investigation, but at the time there was only one thing on my mind: I'd use the evidence I was given to prove the suspect guilty!"
"Say, we just saw a picture taken around that time." Ema spoke up, her voice thoughtful.
"Edgeworth. Could you tell us again about what happened that day?" Phoenix questioned. "The day Detective Goodman was murdered? You were participating in a ceremony over at the station, right?"
"I've never cared for ceremonies," Jasmine snorted as Edgeworth said that, well aware of his distaste for them. "but I had to attend that one."
"Because you were awarded this?" Ema asked, gesturing to the King of Prosecutors trophy. Seeing it, Apollo dragged Clay over to examine it.
"Those receiving awards can't exactly skip out on the ceremony." Edgeworth confirmed. "I finished up at the office in the morning, then drove over to the Police Department."
"You, 'finished up' at the office?" Phoenix repeated.
"Yes. Just odds and ends-clerical stuff." The prosecutor nodded. "I didn't plan on returning to the office that day. That is, until I was asked to take something back."
"Take something back?" Ema repeated.
"This." Edgeworth answered, holding up the bag containing a screwdriver with a tag attached just as he had yesterday.
"Oh yeah. Chief Gant asked you to hold onto that, didn't he?" Ema smiled.
"Yes. It was a piece of evidence in a case that was closed half a year ago." Edgeworth nodded. "He asked me to bring it back to the Prosecutor's Office."
"So you came back because the Chief asked you to?" Jasmine asked, to make sure. She had a feeling she knew what her brother was getting at…
"That's right." Edgeworth confirmed.
"Ah!" Apollo suddenly cried, drawing their attention to where he and Clay were examining the trophy. "Mr. Edgeworth, have you ever seen the picture in the Chief's Office?"
"Why are you asking?" The prosecutor questioned.
"It shows Prosecutor Marshall in it and he's holding this trophy." Apollo explained.
"But it's different from yours! That one had a sword too!" Clay added.
"That's right." Jasmine nodded, taking out her notepad. "I drew a sketch of it, see?" She showed Edgeworth the sketch and he examined it for a moment.
"…I remember now." He said.
"Remember what?" Phoenix asked.
"That was the official prosecutor trophy until that time." Edgeworth explained. "There's a story behind it."
"A story?" Ema repeated.
"Can you tell us, please?" Apollo asked, his eyes wide and pleading. Clay joined him, giving his best puppy dog eyes.
"It's simple, really." Edgeworth shrugged. "'Contradiction'. That's what the award's based on. This award originates from an ancient Chinese tale. In Chinese, the word 'contradiction' is written with two characters: the first means 'halberd' and the second means 'shield'. Have you heard this story?"
"Me? Oh, uh…sure. Everyone knows that! Why don't you tell it though…for Ema, Apollo and Clay's sake." Phoenix trailed off. Of course, never wanting to appear as less than his friend, he lied and then let Edgeworth tell it anyway. Jasmine stifled a giggle at how little the three of them have actually changed.
"Very well." Edgeworth agreed. "Long ago, in the kingdom of Chu, there was an arms merchant. One day, he presented the king with two items. The first was a halberd he claimed could slice through any shield or armor. The second was a shield he claimed could withstand any weapon."
"Hmm…wait a minute." Phoenix's eyes widened. "OBJECTION! Those claims contradict each other!"
"Very perceptive. But then again, you've heard this story before, right?" Edgeworth drawled sarcastically as Jasmine struggled to contain her laughter. "Anyway, as you mentioned, the very descriptions of these items discredit them both. When the king pointed this out, the merchant was left speechless. And thus, the Chinese word for 'contradiction' was born."
"Oh, I see! So the 'chipped shield' and 'broken knife' symbolize…" Ema started.
"Precisely so. They symbolize the merchant's items." Edgeworth confirmed. "The ancient tale ends with the merchant at a loss for words, but it's in our nature to pursue matters to their conclusion…even if it results in something as ugly as this."
"Wow. Thanks, Mr. Edgeworth!" Ema grinned. "I learned something new today!"
"That was really cool!" Clay nodded in agreement. "Like the constellation myths!"
"But then…why is there only a shield?" Apollo asked, his voice curious.
"I was just about to ask that too." Phoenix agreed.
"…you'll have to ask Chief Gant." Edgeworth shrugged. "Two years ago, he had the 'halberd' part of the award abolished."
"That's…very strange…" Jasmine mumbled.
"Yeah. Well, thanks for talking with us, Edgeworth." Phoenix nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow. You coming, Jazz?"
"In…in a little bit." Jasmine said, her eyes on the ground. She couldn't leave, not yet…
Seemingly understanding, Phoenix nodded and led the kids out, saying he'd call Jasmine if anything important came up.
As soon as they were alone, Jasmine whirled around on Edgeworth and glared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" She demanded. "I've been here with you for most of the last two days and you never told me about this!"
"I didn't want you to worry, nor did I want you to think this was your fault." Edgeworth sighed, placing his hands on both of her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.
"So not telling me at all was your solution?! Miles! What would you have done when I found out after the fact?!" Jasmine shouted. She would not be calmed down that easily, not this time.
"Explained it all to you rationally, as by then I had hope you would be further in your recovery." Edgeworth explained, calm in the face of her anger.
"And who says I ever will…" She growled, looking away. "You should know better than anyone, Miles…something like this…it never goes away…"
"That's correct, but you can also come to manage it, even if you always carry it with you." He sighed, pulling her closer and into his arms. She let him, burying her face in his chest.
"You're not getting out of this conversation that easily, mister…" She grumbled, even as she returned his embrace.
"I expected nothing of the sort." He chuckled, face buried in her hair. "You're too stubborn to give up that easily."
"Kettle." She pouted up at him, but found herself smiling. It was so easy, being around him…she really had missed this. But still… "How are you not feeling uneasy about this case? It's all…so suspicious."
"In truth, I am. And if my suspicions are correct…" Edgeworth trailed off.
Jasmine didn't need him to continue. She already had an idea of what he was going to say: "I was supposed to be framed."
And all signs, in her mind, were pointing at Gant for setting him up. She just…she hoped Phoenix found the evidence they needed to prove it.
She just…had to hope and pray for the best. They would find the truth, all of them, together. And she'd stand in court tomorrow, she swore it to herself.
In the meantime, however…
"Want to have dinner?" Jasmine asked, looking up at Edgeworth pleadingly. She…didn't want to leave him, not when he was obviously struggling. Besides, he'd supported her this whole time with her PTSD. Now it was her turn to support him.
"That sounds good." Edgeworth nodded, kissing the top of her head.
They just ordered some food to be brought up to the office, but they spent a long time there, talking through everything, from the case to their lives. It was…relaxing in a way not much was for Jasmine.
She…she really wanted to keep this, to keep Edgeworth…for just a little longer.
Just a little longer…that's all she asked for, every day, as selfish as it was. Because that's what she was, a selfish, greedy human being. They all were, in the end.
That night, after I went home, Nick called me and told me everything he had found. About the evidence hidden in Gant's office that led back to Ema…and his conversation with Lana, confirming that Gant was the one who ordered her to take care of Detective Goodman's body. And I knew what would happen the next day: Nick would reveal the truth to everyone, once and for all. And I was determined to find my own resolve, so I could stand in court at his side and save Ema, Lana…and Miles all at the same time. I wanted to help Nick take down this demon named Damon Gant…and confront my own trauma at the heart of it all.
And there we are, at long last!
Next chapter will be the final chapter in RFtA, the penultimate trial of the first game. The playthrough I am using as a guide has that trial as twelve parts long (including the credits) each around 10 minutes long. I cannot say when I will post it, but I will do my best to keep my updating time on a lower timetable this time.
But I will say this: no matter what, I am proud of this story that I've written. I started this story back in 2014 as a teenager and now here I am, an adult, and I'm finally finishing the first game at long last, with my writing having improved by leaps and bounds. I hope those of you who have stuck by me since the beginning can see that too. This isn't the end, not yet, and I cannot wait to finish this journey with all of you someday.
I'll see you all!