Disclaimer: I don't own the Ace Attorney Characters

Chapter 18

Date: 18th June 2026, 12:00

Location: Courtroom 4, California

"A large quantity of noodle bowls in the victim's clinic?" The Judge asked. Apollo nodded.

"Mr Eldoon was very clear about those bowls." Emma then spoke up looking at the table with a concentrated look on her face as she recalled what Mr. Eldoon said.

"His exact words being: 'Well, I don't care who did it! Without that stand, I'm finished! All my noodle bowls were in there, too.'" Emma looked up and smirked. "Yet the bowls were removed." Apollo banged his fists against the desk and took over.

"That night, there was space inside that noodle stand. Space created at the Meraktis Clinic, no less." He pointed at Alita. "Right around the time that you were there, Ms Alita Tiala!" Emma saw the cracked psyche lock start to break even more.

"Stoooooooooop!" Alita yelled. "I won't listen to any more of these wild fantasies! No… Not fantasies… They're worse lies than that spoiled brat's pickup lines!" The Judge banged his gavel.

"I would like to remind the witness of her current status." He said. "This court does not consider you entirely innocent."

"Show me an innocent… I'll show you a fairy tale." Alita butted in but the Judge continued.

"…In any case. The defense has, somehow, made its point." Emma slouched slightly. Thanks for the vote of confidence Your Honour… She thought. "The witness had both a motive and an opportunity to kill Dr. Meraktis." Alita interrupted once again.

"More fairy tales! This whole trial is a fairy tale!" She exclaimed. Emma stood up and crossed her arms, eyebrow raised. Oh please! Give me a break…

"Then please, pull us back down to reality, Ms. Tiala." The Judge said. "I'm giving you one last chance to explain yourself." Apollo took a quick glance at Emma, who glanced back. She nodded her head and looked back at Alita. Let's get to the truth! She thought.

**Witness Testimony**

-Tiala's Explanation—

"That night, I went to ask Dr. Meraktis for the chart."

"I had no intention of ever letting that chart fall into the Kitaki Family's hands"

"But Dr. Meraktis didn't understand."

"For some reason, he thought the Kitakis had sent me!"

"So I gave up and went home… All I did was talk to him!"

**End of Testimony**

"You knew about the botched operation…" Apollo said and pointed at Alita. "So you tried to get rid of the chart, to save yourself!"

"I won't make excuses." She said, crossing her arms. "…And I did warn the good doctor. I gave him a chance. I told him that brat got his health check-up report, and that he was coming to settle the score."

"Hmm… I see." The Judge said. "Very well. Mr. Justice, begin your cross-examination." Apollo nodded.

"…Yes Your Honour." Emma nudged his elbow and whispered at him.

"You have to perceive the truth or it's over." Apollo nodded again and focused his attention on Alita, hand gripping his wrist just under his bracelet.

**Cross-examination**

-Tiala's Explanation—

"That night, I went to ask Dr. Meraktis for the chart."

"I had no intention of ever letting that chart fall into the Kitaki Family's hands"

"But Dr. Meraktis didn't understand."

"For some reason, he thought the Kitakis had sent me!"

"So I gave up and went home… All I did was talk to him!"

"GOTCHA!" Apollo suddenly shouted. "'All I did was talk'… and lie" Alita was taken aback.

"Wh-What? Show me proof!"

"The proof… is you, Ms. Tiala." Alita shied away slightly. "'All I did was talk to him', you claim… Yet you can't hide your own nervous twitch when you say those words!" Alita gave Apollo a questioning glance.

"My 'twitch'? What are you talking about!?"

"You have a habit of scratching the area of your neck around the edge of your scarf." Emma could see the nervousness rise in Alita's eyes.

"Wha-! Wh-Wh-What!?" Emma frowned in concentration, her eyes darted around as she connected the imaginary dots. Suddenly she smirked in triumph. Got it! She thought. It all fits together…. She looked over at Alita who was starting to sweat as a result of her nerves, the cracked psyche lock cracked even more. "D-Don't look at me like that! I t-told you the tr-truth…" Apollo interrupted.

"It seems that when you recall what really happened in the office, you can't keep your hands of your neck, can you?" Alita gasped. "You can't hide behind your scarf, Ms. Tiala! Something happened between you and the victim in the Meraktis Clinic office! And I've got proof that shows exactly what happened!" Apollo presented the lamp they found in the office. Emma smiled a small, proud smile. He's got it. "TAKE THAT!"

"Wh-What's that…?" Alita asked.

"...You're touching your scarf again." Apollo noted. Alita squeaked in surprise and lowered her hand from her scarf. "…There's something unusual about this lamp. The bulb is broken… and there's a red splotch on the cord."

"Eh…" Alita started to sweat again.

"Seeing how you hide your neck… I think I can come up with a plausible explanation for the lamp's state." Alita butted in.

"Well spit it out! This talking in circles nonsense is killing me!"

"Very well." Apollo replied. "The answer is very simple Ms Alita Tiala… Please remove you scarf!" Alita froze up.

"….." She was silent for a couple of moments then… "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!" She screeched.

"OBJECTION!" Klavier shouted, banging his fist against the wall. "This is a trial to determine what happened in that park. Yet we seem to have drifted off target."

"OBJECTION!" Apollo shouted. "We'll find out soon enough if we're drifting…" He crossed his arms. "As soon as the witness removes her scarf."

"I… I won't do it!" Alita said. "This is insane! I'm a… an unrelated third party! You can't order me to remove my clothing!" Emma rolled her eyes before uncrossing her arms and banging her right hand on the desk.

"We have already proven you are related to the case in hand Ms. Tiala." She said. Emma smirked and crossed her arms again, using her right hand to fiddle with her magatama. "You refusing to remove your scarf just makes you seem more suspicious." Emma shrugged. "If it were me, I would do as I am asked to prove my innocence." Her head tilted to the right. "Unless you are actually trying to hide something…" She trailed off. The Judge then spoke up.

"…Ms. Tiala. I'm afraid Ms. Wright is right." Emma snorted quietly. "…Please remove your scarf."

[To be continued]

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