Episode 1: Turnabout Tickets

Part 1-3: Trial

Witness Testimony – The Papers

I received those papers from a construction worker.

They weren't fabricated.

I have absolutely no reason to fake those papers.

Your move, kid.

(My move, huh? Well, I don't notice anything right off the bat.)

"Look… At the… Secrets…"

(Secrets?)

Cross-Examination – The Papers

I received those papers from a construction worker.

"Hold it! Can they confirm this?" Tristen rubbed his chin gingerly.

"Yes. We could bring him in." Gard's right side of his lips twitched.

"Uh… That won't be needed. Continue."

They weren't fabricated.

"Hold it! Why would you say that…?"

"…Because I know everyone is thinking it." Gard fixed his glasses.

"You don't need to mention it until it comes into the topic. Saying that only makes you suspicious."

"Hmph…" Gard crossed his arms.

I have absolutely no reason to fake those papers.

"Hold it! Is that so?"

"Yes. Why would I fake'em?"

"…You might be the killer."

"Really? Any evidence?"

"…Right…" Tristen rubbed the back of his head.

Your move, kid.

"Yes… I believe it is my move…"

(Your move? Pfft. It's not like you can control my body… Ugh! W-Why does my head hurt so much?!)

"Call me Lumos."

(Just… Get… Out of me!)

"Seeing as how you seem to messing up, I'll be taking full control." Lumos smiled as he took full control.

"Ah… Much better." Tristen looked at the witness. "Can you please start over? I feel like I need a restart to get myself oriented." Tristen continued to smile.

I received those papers from a construction worker.

They weren't fabricated.

I have absolutely no reason to fake those papers.

"Stop there! Do you really not have a reason…?" Tristen crossed his arms.

"I thought we discussed this earlier. I don't have any reason."

"I disagree! Many reasons, including saving your job." Tristen slammed the tips of fingers down on the desk. "As a matter of fact, you could be the murderer!"

"Objection! Your honor, the defense is badgering my witness!"

"Objection! Since you seem to think I am, just look at the guy's face. He's stone cold. Like he's ready to kill…"

"Objection! W-Well…"

"Wait a second… Do you really think I'm the murderer?" Gard said with an almost somber tone.

Almost.

"…Yes. I do." Tristen cracked his knuckles. "Now, are you going to tell me why you faked those papers?"

"I never faked them."

"What proof do you have that you didn't?"

"What proof do you have that I did?!"

(Good… He's getting angry…)

"Tristen, stop right there. I don't think he faked the papers or that he's the murderer." Hazel put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Stop this cross-examination."

"…It's my move. I have to do something, don't I?" Tristen shrugged off his father's hand. "Now then… I do believe that I do have proof." He smiled deviously.

"Liar."

"We'll see who the liar is around here. Take that!" Tristen presented the picture showing the front of the store.

"…How does that prove anything?" The judge asked.

"Here, I'll show you all how this works." Tristen pointed at a small dirt road behind the store. "See this? This is where the victim and his partner crashed through the wall. Look closely, and you'll see the witness over here."

"How does that prove that he faked the papers?" Erik gritted his teeth.

"Hehe, that's the funny thing… he never faked those papers." Tristen laughed. "He picked em' up, just from the ground."

"W-What?!" Erik began to fan himself again.

"No, that isn't… What happened…" Gard's glasses fell off

"Is it now?! Then explain why you are picking up some papers from the ground here!"

"I was investigating!"

"Tsk tsk tsk… Why are you getting angry? It's just a paper. Nothing big about it." Tristen grinned. "As a matter of fact… It just makes you look guiltier."

Gard rubbed his face. "I'm… done here."

"There's only one reason why you'd being doing that… You'd be pleading the fifth."

"…Yes. I am." Gard walked through the courtroom doors.

(…Not what I expected, but that'll do. Tristen, take over for a while, have some fun.)

"Just… Get out of my body…" Tristen felt himself regain control, like putting on a full body suit.

"…That was fun." Tristen felt all the eyes on him. (…What did I get myself into…?)

"Mr. Lawful… That was… Something…" The judge looked over at the prosecution. "Anything else?"

"Ah… Er… Well, the police are still trying to find the cohort from the burglary."

"That's all? Good. Until that witness is found, another day will be given to both the defense and the prosecution to investigate and get ready for the second trial day. Court is-"

"Objection!" Mr. Trotter walked up to the witness stand. "I need to say something here and now…"

"…What is it Trotter?" Hazel said in a commanding tone.

"…I… I faked those papers." Trotter tugged on his eagle necklace.

"W-What?!" Tristen fell face first onto the desk.

"That… What?" Erik facepalmed.

"Right…" The judge and Hazel glared at the man.

"And I gave to that cop, and I told him they were too." Trotter tugged on the thing harder. "I'll start my testimony now."

Witness Testimony – The Faked Papers

I faked those papers, pretty spot on, eh?

When I gave them to the cop, I also told him that they were fakes.

He still used them. What an idiot.

I guess I'm to blame too…

Not like I did anything else…

"Ah, I get it." Tristen scratched his ear.

"What do you mean?" Hazel asked.

"You'll see."

Cross-Examination – The Faked Papers

I faked those papers, pretty spot on, eh?

"Hold it! Why would you do that?"

"Because… I felt like it."

(I wish people would stop lying so much to me…)

When I gave them to the cop, I also told him that they were fakes.

"Hold it! Why did you do that?"

"I knew he was a dirty cop."

"…How did you know this?"

"I… Er… Well…"

"You had a mix up with the cops, didn't you?"

"Not so much a mix up, more of a… uh… never mind…"

"No, please tell us." Tristen had a pleading face.

"I'm… Sorry. I vowed not to speak of it." Trotter's eyes were watering up.

He still used them. What an idiot.

"Hold it! Why would he use them?"

"Hell if I know."

"Can you please just stop lying? You've already lied twice now. You know why he used them."

"…I slipped something in there… That said that is would make him a hero. I guess he removed it before giving it to the prosecution."

"You coaxed him into doing that? Why?"

"I… I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because, I vowed never to speak about it again."

"…Tell me now. Or else I will point you as the culprit. And I have the evidence too."

"…I… gods, why is this so hard… I was the-"

"Objection!" Erik intervened.

"What?" The judge asked.

"I… I can't think of anything…"

"Continue Mr. Trotter."

"I was the victim's partner in the robbery…"

"…That doesn't surprise me." Tristen said.

"What do you mean?" Trotter asked.

"I was there at the night of the crime. I saw a man with an eagle necklace run from the crime scene. You're wearing an eagle necklace." Tristen explained.

To Be Continued…