Author's Note: Sorry. I haven't updated in a while, as I said I wouldn't but still. It seems my Only A Decade is more popular so please review this. I'm putting more work into this.
Happy Easter to everyone!
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Icoivus' mask flashed. "Bring the witness to the stand." he commanded. "Now."
Apollo nervously glanced at his opponent. He wasn't like a normal prosecutor. Actually, he had never faced a normal prosecutor and, to be honest, neither had Phoenix. Apollo had faced a rock god prosecutor, whilst Phoenix had faced a crazy, whipping prosecutor and a masked...then it hit him.
Icoivus...Godot...They looked so, so similar.
His trails of thoughts were interrupted by the judge.
"The witness will start her name and occupation." the judge ordered. He slammed his gavel down and Apollo saw the witness for the first time.
She was very short, extremely short, but looked around twenty. She was wearing a tiger-styled fur coat and had frizzy, blonde hair sticking out of her head. She looked ugly, even with the thick layer of make up that obviously covered her face.
"My name's Dani Darlon, honey, and I'm the rich and successful owner of the flat in the...case." she beamed at the judge. Apollo instantly backed away from Dani, which brought her attention.
"I don't bite, honey." Dani laughed. "I'm only here for an hour. You see, I've got a meeting booked with one of my clients who wants a star room and..."
"Witness, you will testify," Icoivus slammed his fist of the table, shaking the woodwork. "...and it will take as long as it takes. The court will not allow you to leave on the account of your meeting...unless you have something to hide."
"Hide? Don't be stupid, honey!" Dani laughed innocently. Apollo's bracelet suddenly vibrated. My bracelet's reacting. Good. This will make it easier if I don't find any contradictions.
Icoivus suddenly placed a brown envelope on the table. "I have here the victim's autopsy report. It will state all you need to know about the time of death and other information. I have taken the liberty to photocopy three copies."
"Thank you, Mr Troy. As I said before, always prepared." the judge smiled at the prosecutor.
"Flattery will get you nowhere." joked Icoivus but his voice made it sound like a statement. Apollo believed he didn't have the capacity to joke.
"Can we proceed?" Phoenix asked nervously. The judge nodded.
"Yes, we mustn't halt court proceedings any longer."
"If I may, Your Honour." Icoivus made an electronic sound and then continued. "The prosecution wishes for the witness to testify about Miles Edgeworth's behaviour that night."
"Very well." the judge nodded and slammed his gavel. Dani shuffled and cleared her throat.
"When I met Miles Edgeworth, he was very nervous. We talked about his movement back to the United States and payment and all that financial stuff..." Dani paused. Apollo suddenly felt a vicious vibration on his bracelet.
"He was very insistent on moving into a room on Floor 9."
"That happened to be where the victim was staying! I didn't know it at first but I placed him in Room 902, directly opposite Room 903!"
"Room 903 was where the victim was staying. It makes sense, doesn't it?" Dani said, finishing her testimony. Apollo sighed. Her testimony was airtight but Apollo kept his mind on when Dani had talked about payments. His bracelet had reacted. Apollo glared at the witness. He sensed something fishy about her.
"As you can obviously see," Icoivus stated. "Miles Edgeworth, also known as the defendant, wanted the room near Larry Butz. He had this murder planned."
Apollo shook off the feeling that Edgeworth was lying to him. He didn't really request a room near Larry, did he? That would certainly make him look guilty. Think, Justice, think. Edgeworth is innocent.
"Does the defence still want to request the cross examination of the witness?" the judge asked. "The witness' testimony is airtight and I believe I can hand down a verdict."
"The defence wishes to cross examine the witness, Your Honour." Apollo assured him. He heard a cold, electronic laugh coming from the other side of the room.
"The prosecution believes the defence is simply trying to waste time." he laughed again. "Apollo Justice, if this chance is wasted, there will be a harsh penalty introduced."
"The court agrees. Mr Justice, should this turn out to be an act of wasting time, the court will announce your client guilty of the murder of Larry Butz." the judge slammed the gavel. "Begin the cross examination."
Dani nodded. "When I met Miles Edgeworth, he was very nervous."
"We talked about his movement back to the United States and..." Dani began to slow down. Apollo felt his eyes cut in. They turned fierce and a blinding mystifying swirl of red and purple filled his sight, with just the view of the witness in front of him. "...back to the United States and payment and all that stuff..." Apollo saw Dani lift her hand and scratch her hair forcefully. Apollo grinned.
"Gotcha!" he shouted. The court eyes turned from Dani to Apollo for an explanation of the sudden outburst. "Dani Darlon, you allow people to hire out rooms, correct?"
"You got that right, honey." Dani allowed a weak smile.
"There's nothing wrong about what you're doing, is there?"
"Why should there be?" asked Dani. Apollo saw a trickle of sweat falling from her forehead. Apollo grinned darkly.
"Then why did you nervously scratch your head? Dani, I know when someone's lying and that's when their habit comes in." Apollo slammed his fist against the table. "And, quite obviously, there is something very dodgy with the payment of your rooms, Dani. Something very dodgy." And I know what it is...
"What?! What are you talking about?! My service is totally legal!" Dani whimpered. Apollo saw her lift her hand and scratch her head again.
"The defence wishes for a copy of the payment form!" Apollo yelled. The judge seemed taken a bit.
"Mr Justice, what are you getting on to?" the judge asked but shrugged anyways. "Bailiff, please bring in the payment form for the defence."
* * *
Apollo was handed a piece of paper.
"As the court can see the payment for a week's stay in a room of the house in two hundred dollars." Apollo said but then grinned. "However, look at the total amount."
"My, it's three thousand dollars!" the judge gasped.
"This isn't happening!" Dani whined. Apollo glanced at Icoivus, whose forefinger and thumb were spread out and fit to his chin.
"It's obvious what the extra two thousand eight hundred dollars is from!" Apollo grinned. I've hit her hard. Now it's time for the finishing blow! The main attack!
"Apollo." Phoenix warned. "It isn't prostitution, is it?"
"No." Apollo replied. "I doubt Edgeworth would hire a prostitute anyways, let alone this woman for this amount of money."
"Then what is it?" Phoenix questioned.
Apollo threw his fist on the table. "It isn't prostitution so it can only be one other thing."
"What?" asked the judge.
"Blackmail." Apollo announced. "Dani is a dodgy woman. She will blackmail anyone when she gets half the chance. This payment proves that!"
"This isn't true! It isn't I tell you! He only paid me the money! It must have been a printing mistake!" Dani insisted, scratching her head furiously.
"Don't try and cover up your tracks. Isn't this your signature at the bottom?" Apollo asked. Dani wailed loudly, deafening the courtroom. Everyone turned quiet.
"The witness is an illegal businesswoman." Apollo slammed his fist on the table and pointed at Dani. "The court accuses the witness of illegal methods of money!"
Dani wailed again and began the spin her handbag over her head. Everyone watched in fascination as the witness went crazy. She threw her handbag on the floor and her hair deflated, leaving a blonde rag over her head.
"It isn't true! It isn't! I didn't notice the total! I've never had anything like this before!" Dani cried. She held her head in her hands and began to sob, drips of wet mascara falling from her face.
A loud screech of an objection was called and Apollo spun his head to Icoivus. The robotic prosecutor had an ugly grin on his face, revealing metal teeth.
"Alright, Apollo Justice. So you proved that the witness cannot be trusted. That does not affect the court proceedings." Icoivus boomed.
"How come?" Apollo blurted out.
"If Miles Edgeworth paid an extra two thousand eight hundred pounds, it must have been because of blackmail. But what would Dani do if he didn't pay the money? Quite obviously, there is something the defendant didn't want getting out!" Icoivus slammed his fist on his desk. "Even if it meant clearing out his savings!"
Apollo began to sweat. Icoivus had got him. Why on earth had Miles Edgeworth paid that money because of blackmail?