Disclaimer: I don't own the Ace Attorney characters

Chapter 17

Date: 18th June 2026, 11:45

Location: Courtroom 4, California

"TAKE THAT!" Apollo pointed at the noodle stand. "I believe we all owe a debt of gratitude…" He crossed his arms and smirked. "…to Ms. Alita Tiala." Alita looked slightly stunned.

"Wh-What do you mean?" She asked.

"Thanks to you, we had a chance to review the crime and this time, we were prepared. We know that Wesley Stickler was telling the truth! We should have listened to him from the beginning." While Apollo was talking, Emma got her holographic device out and entered in some information. Suddenly a holograph of the crime scene was in the centre of the court room so all could see. It showed 3 figures standing, representing the victim, Wocky and Wesley. Apollo stopped talking and looked at the hologram in front of him before turning to Emma, wide eyed. Emma just shrugged.

"Ms. Wright!? What is this?" The Judge asked. Emma smiled as she put the device on the desk.

"It's holographic projector. I just input the information and it can create a holographic representation of the crime scene." Emma cocked her head to the side and smirked. "Or any other scene really, but I just use it for referencing to crime scenes." The Judge nodded.

"Alright. This court allows this device to be used." He said. Emma then looked over at Klavier before leaning forward.

"No objections Prosecutor Gavin?" She asked smirking, with a playful look in her eye. Klavier just chuckled.

"Nein. You may use it as much as you wish." Emma smiled and straightened up before looking over at Apollo.

"You describe what happened, I'll edit the hologram to match." Apollo nodded and continued.

"Wesley Stickler was standing next to the trash can when he saw the two men." Emma used the device to highlight the figure Apollo was describing. "…He shouted, just as he told us in his testimony." He glanced at Emma who rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't make sounds." She said telling him to continue with her eyes.

"…And the victim turned to look at his direction. A shot was fired! The victim was hit in the right temple." Emma demonstrated this using the device.

"Oh no…" The Judge exclaimed.

"Oh yes!" Apollo replied. "Which direction was his right temple facing at that moment?" Emma highlighted the noodle stand. "That's right! Toward the noodle stand!" The court was in uproar. The Judge banged his gavel several times to calm everyone down.

"Order! Order! Order!" He shouted. The gallery finally calmed down enough for him to speak normally. "S-So you're saying the killer was inside the noodle stand!?"

"OBJECTION!" Klavier shouted and thumped his fist against the wall once again. "Let's think about this a bit more, shall we. You say the killer was 'inside the noodle stand'. Which would mean the victim, Dr. Meraktis came to the park… Wheeling his own murderer in the cart behind him!" Alita butted in.

"This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" She exclaimed. "I'd think you'd notice if you were pulling someone along!"

"OBJECTION!" Apollo interrupted. "There's something we should worry about before that. Why was he pulling the noodle stand in the first place?"

"OBJECTION!" Klavier shouted. "Let's deal with our problems one at a time, shall we? Someone was hiding in the stand… We have not come this far to talk about 'possibilities'" He banged his fist. "…Let's talk about 'proof', baby." Emma raised an eyebrow but Klavier continued and pointed his finger at Apollo. "Show us evidence that suggests someone was in that stand!" Emma smirked and glanced over at Apollo, who had a look of concentration on his face.

"Remember what we found at the park Apollo?" Emma asked, shifting her wait onto her right foot so she could lift her left one and moved it around slightly before putting it down. She did the same for her right foot before standing up straight and looking at Apollo out the corner of her eye. Apollo's eyes suddenly lit up and he turned to face Klavier.

"You want evidence that someone was in that stand…?" He asked. "…I've got it right here."

"Intriguing!" The Judge replied. "Let's see what you've got. Show us proof that someone was hiding in the noodle stand!"

"TAKE THAT!" Apollo shouted, and presented the slippers. Emma smiled. "'The Meraktis Clinic'… And they're covered with paint. These slippers were found in a trash can near the crime scene."

"And…?" Klavier asked. Emma decided to speak up.

"A single slipper print was found at the scene…" She said, then she highlighted the area where the print was found on the hologram. "…Right next to the noodle stand!"

"Ack…!" Alita exclaimed. Emma smirked.

"Oh, and Ms. Tiala." She said and cocked her head to the side. "Your toe print was found in the left slipper!"

"Urk…!" Alita looked quite shocked. Emma continued.

"In other words…" Emma banged her hands against the table and looked Alita in the eyes. "…This strongly suggests you were inside that noodle stand!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!" Alita screeched.

"OBJECTION!" Klavier shouted and banged his fist. "Yet there was only one slipper mark found at the scene…" He stood up straight. "…Can this be called a footprint, in good faith?"

"OBJECTION!" Apollo shouted. "Look at the hologram." Emma typed in some more information into the device. "A park pathway runs right next to the slipper mark!" Apollo said before pointing at Klavier. "A slipper wouldn't leave a trace on a cobblestone path!"

"OBJECTION!" Klavier interrupted. "…Yet you still cannot say this is a 'footprint', ja?"

"Why not!?" Apollo asked. Emma frowned slightly.

"You have an impression left by a single slipper…" Klavier said. "What if it was on the stand and simply fell to the ground?" Emma opened her mouth to argue but Apollo beat her to it.

"OBJECTION!" He shouted. "That's… That's just dumb!" Emma turned to Apollo and gave him an incredulous look. After a couple of moments she just shook her head slowly and face forward, muttering to herself.

"Really? That's what you came up with to say." She muttered, so quietly that Apollo did not hear her. Klavier spoke up.

"One more thing. A noodle stand is typically cluttered with the tools of the noodle-making trade. There's no room for a person to ride in there!"

"Hmm… You have a point." The Judge commented. "Could someone have hidden in that stand?" Emma murmured out loud, but only so Apollo could hear her clearly.

"You know, we found the noodle bowls in an interesting location…" Apollo thought back to when they went into the clinic and remembered seeing the noodle bowls in the lobby. He smiled and faced forward.

"I can prove one thing." He said. "Someone did scheme to clear space in that stand!" He presented a noodle bowl. "TAKE THAT!" He shouted. "This is a noodle bowl from the stolen Eldoon's Noodles noodle stand." The Judge nodded slowly.

"Yes, and what about it?" He asked. Apollo just crossed his arms and smirked.

"We discovered a large quantity of these bowls yesterday, in the lobby of the Meraktis Clinic!" Alita's eyes widened in surprise and fear. Emma saw one of the other psyche locks begin to crack. Her eyes narrowed. Just a little longer, and the truth will be revealed…

[To be continued]

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