Earthcub12 Presents

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney ~ Courtroom Champions

-September 5, 12:24 PM-
-District Court-
-Courtroom No. 4-

With the newest witness on the stand, His Honor said, "So witness, try to recount the events of September 2nd, if you can. What did you see?"

De Bum scratched his beard and said, "Umm, okay. I think I have a handle on it. Give me a sec… okay, I got it."

WITNESS TESTIMONY

"YEAH, I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT, SO WHAT… I THINK SO, AT LEAST."

"IF I WAS THERE, I WAS PROBABLY GOING THROUGH A DUMPSTER TRYING TO FIND WHATEVER I COULD."

"IF I WASN'T THERE, I WAS PROBABLY SLEEPING."

"BUT I WAS PROBABLY BY THE CHURCH, ACTUALLY."

"LET ME THINK."

"…"

"YEAH, I THINK I WAS THERE."

"THAT'S WHEN I THINK HEARD A LOUD CRASHING SOUND FROM INSIDE THE, UH, PLACE."

"I WAS PANICKED, SO I HID AND I THINK I SAW SOME GUY RUN OUT OF A WINDOW OR SOMETHING."

"I THINK SOME OTHER FELLOW JUMPED OUT OF A DUMPSTER AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE STARTED CHASING THE OTHER GUY."

"HEY, DID I MENTION THAT THIS IS MY PET, ZACHARIAH? I FOUND HIM PLAYING AROUND IN MY BEARD A FEW YEARS AGO."

"SO YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF IT, I THINK."

The whole court was silent as they stared at the witness. Even Hera was at a loss for words. Phoenix and Apollo looked at the witness, confused. The Judge, his eyes wide open, said, "Um… I-I suppose that'll work. Witness, do you mind shortening your testimony a tad bit?"

"Bah! You kidnapped me and made me shout out my most personal feelings! I can say whatever I want." De Bum argued. "Take it or leave it."

"Your Honor," Hera told him, "you won't get anywhere questioning this witness. I did some research. Apparently this witness suffered some great loss and sanity during some wars and battles years back. He's not sane. This witness is a waste of time."

"Objection!" Phoenix shouted. "No way! This witness is important! He's the only reliable person who has witnessed the actual crime!"

"Mr. Wright, look at this witness. He can't even remember if he was at the church that night. Hell, I'll bet he doesn't even know where he is right now. How useful do you think he'd be? Questioning him would be pointless."

"Well, Mr. Wright?" The Judge said to Phoenix. "Would you like to continue with the cross-examination?"

Phoenix nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. Somewhere in this brash man's testimony is the truth, I know it."

The Judge nodded. "Very well. However, be warned; I will not allow you to waste this court's time. Only press relevant statements. Or else, I'm afraid I will have to penalize you."

Phoenix nodded and said, "That's okay, Your Honor." (I need to stay on track and only ask about the important bits. That's the only way to get the truth out of this inane testimony.) Phoenix then looked to Dennis and said, "Okay, Mr. de Bum, I'm going to be asking some questions. Try to recall everything you have heard the other night; the night of the crime. Can you do that for us?"

De Bum scratched his nose and looked at Phoenix. "Say… do I know you?"

Phoenix hunched over and said, "Wait. Y-you're kidding me, right?" De Bum scratched his beard and shrugged.

Dennis remained silent and said, "Eh. Ah well."

(…How do I put myself in these situations?)

CROSS-EXAMINATION

"YEAH, I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT… I THINK SO, AT LEAST."

"Hold it!" Phoenix pressed. "Assuming you were at the church that, why were you there?"

"I was just stretching my legs, y'know?" De Bum answered. "That, and I usually go by there time-to-time to see what's new. That, and I like finding what art they throw away."

"Art, you say? Well, did you go inside the church at all that night?"

De Bum scratched his beard and was silent for a good few seconds before saying, "Nah, I wasn't. I can tell you that much."

(Wait. What was with that pause? Is he… hiding something?)

"THAT'S WHEN I THINK HEARD A LOUD CRASHING SOUND FROM INSIDE THE, UH, PLACE."

"Hold it! What kind of crashing sound was it?" Phoenix asked him.

Dennis suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs, causing everyone to jump out of their seats.

(WHAT THE HECK!?)

"Witness!?" The Judge exclaimed. "Are you alright!?"

Dennis began clutching himself. "Terrible… terrible memories. The war on Angel's Bay… I'm sorry, Ryan… I should have saved you! I was weak…!"

(Um… what the heck is going on?)

Hera shook her hand and pointed at de Bum. "This is what I'm saying. This man suffers from PTSD from the war. Anything of the kind triggers him. He's a lost cause."

(Hmm… so the crashing sound must have been… a trigger? Interesting… do I dare press further?)

"Mr. de Bum, please." Phoenix urged the witness. "Please describe the sound you heard."

Shaking, Dennis said, "The sound… was the sound of when the cannon fired the shack we were taking cover in. Wood and stone collapsed all around us. I barely made it out with both my eyes!"

(Wood and stone collapsing… I wonder?)

"And that wasn't it." Dennis said. "The sound of glass erupted. Like when the bullets shot the glass windows of the same shack we were taking cover in… I will never forget that moment."

(Glass?) "Mr. de Bum, I think I know what sounds you heard. Your Honor, I'd like to present some evidence to the witness. Two, in fact."

"Two pieces of evidence?" The Judge repeated. Phoenix nodded.

"Yes. First of all, I think I know what sound de Bum heard when he described it as 'wood and stone' falling. Take that!" Phoenix then presented the Wall Markings to de Bum. "Mr. de Bum, when you described the sound of 'wood and stone falling', I believe it was this shelf was came loose on the wall."

De Bum stared at the shelf outlines and said, "Say… I think so, too!"

"Objection!" Hera retorted. "Mr. Wright, please! There's a fine line between piles upon piles of wood falling versus one little shelf that fell inside a different room he was in."

"Objection!" Phoenix shouted back. "But how else do you explain the sound! The tiniest detail is so important!"

"I think the defense is on the right track." The Judge said. "However, what about the glass? What could the witness have heard that sounded like glass breaking?"

THE COFFEE CUP

THE WINDOW

NOTHING

"Well, obviously it was the window that triggered the memory of this witness." Phoenix answered. "What other strong noise could it have been? Which brings me to my next point."

"N-next point…?" Hera said under her breath.

"It also adds to the falling wood in Dennis' memories. That is to say, it was the shelf that crashed through the window!"

Hera lunged back, her left arm clutching her chest. "Impossible!"

"Mr. de Bum, did you see a shelf laying in the alleyway at any point that night?"

De Bum tapped his head and said, "You know… now that I think about it… I thought I saw something of the kind. It was definitely wooden and had bits of glass on it… I think."

"Hmm…" The Judge said under his breath. "That certainly does sound similar to the shelf we spoke of earlier. Mr. Wright, what do you think of this?"

Rubbing his chin, Phoenix commented, "Mr. de Bum, what would you know about this shelf? Any idea where it went?"

"Huh? Oh, I took it." Admitted de Bum deadpanned.

"Y-you took it?" His Honor stammered. "You took a piece of evidence from the crime scene!? Why, I-!"

Hera suddenly slammed her hand on the desk, silencing the Judge. "Your Honor, this is not your turn to speak!"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

"Why would you take the shelf, witness?" Phoenix questioned. "What reason would you have?"

"I thought the wooden thing looked marvelous!" de Bum argued, scratching his chest. "I am a businessman and an artist, you see. I wanted to display it for the world to see."

"I see." Said Phoenix. (Ah yes, because everyone is just FLOCKING to go the Junkyard to see your 'art'.)

"I went to go grab the shelf with no trouble! After the crazy guy left the scene, I went on down to grab the opus and make my way back to my place."

"Witness, do you think you could add that to your testimony? The one where you confessed you stole, I mean, borrowed the shelf?"

De Bum groaned and said, "Alright, fine. Whatever floats your boat… or sinks it."

"I WENT ON DOWN TO PICK UP THE WOODEN THINGIE WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL."

"Hold it!" Phoenix pressed, pointing his finger at the witness. "What do you mean by, 'no trouble'?"

"Eh, it was an easy grab." Dennis told Phoenix. "I just went on down, grabbed what I was looking for, and went on back. That simple."

"So you saw nothing in particular at all? Are you sure about that?"

"Hey, if ya want to make a big deal out of nothing, we can take this outside!" De Bum yelled, his face turning red. "I know what I saw! I was in and out of there, quick and quiet like… a pirate?"

(Well… close. I don't know about this. I'll keep my eye on this statement.)

"I WAS PANICKED, SO I HID AND I THINK I SAW SOME GUY RUN OUT OF A WINDOW OR SOMETHING."

"Hold it! You say you some 'some guy'?" Phoenix asked Dennis. "Could you be a bit clearer?"

"I dunno, it was dark. Didn't get a good luck at what raggedy clothes the weird guy was wearing, nor did I see his probably-ugly face."

(…Again, have you looked in the mirror lately?)

"So he ran out of the window, huh? Any specific details about him that you noticed? Like a cut or anything?"

"Hey, what did I just say!?" De Bum argued, clenching his fists. "I said I saw nothin'! You calling me a liar, or something!?"

"No! I was just… forget it. Move on."

(Welp, I won't be getting anything useful out of that.)

"I THINK SOME OTHER FELLOW JUMPED OUT OF A DUMPSTER AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE STARTED CHASING THE OTHER GUY."

"Hold it!" Phoenix interrupted. "You saw somebody get out of a dumpster and chase the culprit?"

"Yeah, sure, let's go with that." De Bum sighed, distracted by a playful Zachariah. "Those two stooges just chased each other off the block. Bah, children these days."

(That man he saw jump out of the dumpster must've been Phineas Filch. I remember even Filch was saying how it all went down, so de Bum isn't lying there.)

"Like I was saying, this witness is pointless." Hera argued. "I move we strike this witness and everything he babbled from the record and move on."

"Hold it!" Phoenix shouted back. "Not until we find a contradiction! I believe there has been some value to what this witness has been saying."

"Please." Hera sighed. "Throughout his testimony, he has been making opinions and guesses the whole way through. I DARE you to find a contradiction! Your case – and you career- if riding on this old, pathetic man."

(She's right. If I can't find anything on this witness, I'm done for.)

"Mr. Wright," Apollo said his boss, "do you really think we can get something out of this witness?"

"Well, if we don't, then we can kiss our badges goodbye." Phoenix admitted. "And I'll be dead before I let that happen to you, Apollo."

(Could Dennis de Bum really gone down to the alley without being spotted? Somewhere in this convoluted hunk of a testimony is something important, I just know it!)

"I WENT ON DOWN TO PICK UP THE WOODEN THINGIE WITH NO TROUBLE AT ALL."

"Objection!" Phoenix shouted, pointing his finger at Dennis. "Witness, I find that hard to believe. You say so yourself that you were able to go to the alley and pick up the shelf with no trouble at all?"

"I don't care what ya think!" Dennis told him off. "I was there! Hell, I lived it! I should know if I was caught or not!"

"But that's funny, really. If you went to the alleyway, you would have been spotted by the only person in the alley around that time."

Dennis sniffed his nose. "Who the heck are ya talking about?"

"I'm talking about David Vaughan, the defendant." Phoenix answered, presenting David Vaughan's profile. "Shortly after the murder, David ran outside to try to find the culprit. By the time you arrived at the alleyway and got to the shelf…" Phoenix slammed his desk and exclaimed,

"David Vaughan would have been right outside!"

All of a sudden, Dennis jumped, causing Zachariah the Rat to fly out of his beard and crash land on Dennis' face. "WHAAAAT!?"

"Objection!" Hera intruded. "Mr. Wright, did you forget? The memory of this man is that of a goldfish. What good can he tell us?"

"We can't just ignore this witness simply because his memory is a bit fragile. He remembered everything up to this point." Phoenix pointed out. "So either this witness is hiding something, or he actually wasn't caught."

"Th-that's impossible!" Hera argued. "Your client may be dumb, but he's not deaf nor blind! I'm sure he at least heard him in the alley. I'll bet he even smelled him."

"Remember, the alley was dark that night. Anyone could sneak through at any moment. Any comments, Mr. de Bum?"

Dennis scratched his nose and said, "Well, I did see some kid in a priest costume in the alley. He was looking around and was picking up glass for some reason. You probably think I vanished right after that, don't ya? Well, I saw something on the dumpster that really drove my interests."

(Something on the dumpster…)

"Your Honor, I think I know what the witness is talking about. The evidence on the dumpster that caught the witness' interest! Take that!"

After presenting the Bloody Print to the court, the Judge had his eyes wide open. "What the-!? Is that-?" Phoenix nodded.

"Yes. It is, in fact, blood. Whose blood? I do not know. The fact is, the witness saw this blood, did you not?"

Dennis looked at the prints, squinted his eyes, and said, "Yeah… yeah, that's it!"

"Objection! Utter foolishness! Did you forget, Wright? You said so yourself: it was far too dark to see anything! How could the witness see blood, of all things?"

"Remember, the blood was brand new. It's only logical that the witness saw the blood being reflected off the moonlight, of course."

"Nnnnggghh." Hera groaned. "NOOOOOO!" Hera flew back, causing her right arm to twitch and bend.

"Witness!" Phoenix called. "What did you do after finding the blood on the dumpster?"

"Why, I only did the most logical thing!" De Bum answered. "I decided to do my own investigating, of course!"

"Y-your own inv-v-vestigating…?" The Judge slowly stammered.

"I saw the broken window right above the dumpster. I merely climbed up the dumpster and went through the already-open window!"

"Wait a second!" Phoenix yelled. "You… you entered the crime scene!? Did you touch anything!?"

"No! What do you take me for?" de Bum snapped. "I went to look for help, of course!"

"Why didn't you go talk to David? You know, the man in the alley? Why didn't you approach him?"

"That guy smelled all kinds of fishy. I decided to just stay out of his way."

(A bit paranoid, you think…?)

"So I walked around the room the window-thing was at, trying to find one of those tele-doohickeys. I decided to walk inside the big room just outside of the office and take a peek in there."

"Wait a minute! Weren't they still doing their service?" Phoenix questioned. "You just… barged in?"

"Well, yeah! What else was I supposed to do? I didn't talk to any of those freaks on those weird-looking seat things. I walked on the platform on the front, trying to find the priest-guy that was talking. I looked everywhere! I could hear his voice, sure, but I didn't see anyone on the balcony."

"Hmm, that's peculiar." The Judge commented. "So what did you do next, witness?"

"I saw some stupid coppers walk inside! As soon as I saw them walking in, I just get the heck out of there! I'm too young to go to prison!"

"So even when you looked all over the church's sermon platform, you couldn't find anyone, so you just… left?"

"Yup. I ran outside, grabbed the shelf I came for, and got out of there real quick!" Dennis finished, scratching his nose.

…

…

…

"Hold it!"

Phoenix pointed his arm at de Bum. He was silent and glared at the witness. "Witness… what… what did you just say?"

"I said," de Bum replied bitterly, "I left. I wasn't going to let those pigs catch me! I know my rights!"

"No, before that. You said you couldn't find anyone on the front balcony? Are you absolutely sure?"

Dennis nodded. "Yup. I swear on my mom. Just a wild goose chase, if you ask me. What kinda priest man just does a speech and is gone while doing so? Kids these days…"

Phoenix stared at Dennis. (If what this witness is saying is true… then I think we just encountered a huge problem.)

"Mr. Wright?" The Judge said to the defense. "Is everything alright? Do you have an objection?"

"Your Honor… people of the court… what this witness just said is of utter importance." Phoenix announced. "He said he walked right inside the main service room and found nobody in sight, apart from the church attendees. That means one person supposedly with an alibi…" Phoenix, again, slammed his desk, and exclaimed,

"…wasn't there at the time of the crime!"

"Y-you don't mean it!" Hera groaned. "Who are you talking about it?"

"Yes, Mr. Wright. We would all like to know." The Judge told Phoenix. "What person supposedly has an alibi that no longer holds water?"

"Take that!" With one point of the finger, Phoenix, without hesitation, presented the profile of the individual:

Damien Hope.

"This man is Damien Hope." Phoenix explained. "A priest at the church that was in charge of service that night in the church. However, as this witness has told us all… Damien Hope wasn't even in that part of the church that night!"

"Quiet, You! Nice theory, Wright. But must I remind you over and over again?" Hera Novak sighed. "This witness is not the most… balanced, of individuals. He can barely see and think. Not to mention, many other witnesses can account that Mr. Hope was, in fact, speaking that night of the crime. Mr. Anchor, Miss Cupp, the detective…"

"Which is why we need to question Mr. Hope right now!" Phoenix argued.

"He might be at the church right now. I haven't seen him all day." Apollo added. He held his finger up to his face and said, "Now that I think about it, it does make sense. He's been pretty evasive all this time."

"Exactly." Phoenix turned to the court and said, "Your Honor, I call Damien Hope to the stand!"

"Objection!" Hera fought back, slamming her right hand on her desk. "I refuse to let you waste this court's time on a mere guess! I demand proof that Damien was, in fact, missing from the service area!"

"The prosecution is right, Mr. Wright." Said the Judge. "Do you have any kind of proof that Damien could have gone missing that night?"

"Take that!" Phoenix shouted, presenting the CD. "Witnesses have accounted that Damien's prayer was about ten minutes. Ten long, tedious minutes. A bit long for just a prayer? I'm no Baptist, but, maybe. We have confirmed that this CD, which was handed to the church's head of sound, went missing after the night of the crime. After some tinkering, we found out that this CD has just about fifteen minutes of empty noise."

"So what? What does this prove?" Hera asked Phoenix, showing growing signs of impatience.

Phoenix answered, "This CD proves that…"

THE CD MUST HAVE BEEN REPLACED

DAMIEN'S PRAYER WAS PRE-RECORDED

DJ NEEDS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THINGS

"Damien's prayer must have been pre-recorded!" He announced. "After giving it to DJ, Damien used the time allotted during the prayer to sneak out and attack Mr. Miles!"

"Objection!" Hera cried yet again. "No way! I don't buy it! The police entered the crime scene soon after the murder. They would have noticed that this Damien fellow would have been gone."

"Remember, there was a special witness that slowed them down. Mr. Jack Anchor, everyone!"

"Wh-WHAT!?"

"When the police arrived, Mr. Anchor was ecstatic and started questioning the police as soon as they entered. That gave Damien time to find his way back into the service room, just as his 'prayer' ended!"

Speechless, Hera lunged back, screaming in disbelief.

The Judge slammed his gavel and announced, "Well, well… looks like we have a new problem on our hands. Another member of the church, accused of murder. This is your last chance, Wright. Your final witness. If you can't find anything off this man, I will bring this trial to a close."

Phoenix nodded, appreciating this chance. "Thank you, Your Honor. Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of this, somehow."

His Honor nodded and said, "Very well. We will now have police go to the church and pick up Mr. Damien Hope. He will then be brought back over here for further questioning. Any further objections?"

Hera was still stunned, hunched over the desk and breathing heavily. The Judge then said, "I suppose not. The court will take a brief ten-minute recess while we wait for this new witness to arrive. Court is adjourned!"

The Judge then slammed his gavel on the bench. Everyone got up to leave the courtroom, eager for what the trial has in store for them next.

COURT RECORD

-Attorney Badge: My personal badge proving my profession. I never leave home without it.

-Owen's Autopsy Report: Cause of death was an instant kill by a David statue to the victim's head. Time of Death: About 8:00-8:30 PM. Victim is covered in bruises.

-Body Outline: The aftermath of the crime. Blood is splattered around the head and facial area. The statue sits to its left.

-David Statue: Depiction of Michelangelo's David statue. The murder weapon.

-Shattered Coffee Mug: A cup that was likely to have been shattered during the fight between Owen and the killer. Owen probably used this cup against said killer in defense. Was made by Maria Cupp for an ill Owen.

-Jar of Blood: A jar of Owen's blood found in his very office. I have several questions…

-Child's Drawing: A drawing showing Owen, David, and an unknown woman. A bloody smear is on the side because of me.

-Bloody Print: Some kind of bloody print from a shoe on top of the dumpster. Could it be involved with the murder?

-Glass: Shards of glass littering the floor. Must have come from the broken window next to it. A shard has blood on it.

-Black Cloth: A black strip of cloth. Origin unknown.

-Crime Scene Photo: A photo taken of the crime scene. Drops of David's blood left a trail between Owen's desk in the background to the shattered window.

-Church Diagram: A detailed diagram of St. Owen's Baptist Church. The crime scene on the left side is highlighted.

-Bloody Priest Coat: David Vaughan's official priest coat. It is completely coated in Owen Mile's blood. There is also a small tear in fabric over the blood.

-Raya's Statement: "David Vaughan was covered in the victim's blood and his right hand was bleeding profusely. We had doctors patch his right hand up on the way to the Detention Center."

-What it's Like To Be an Average Jack; By Jack Anchor: "Memoir written by Jack Anchor. Includes original, award-winning chapters like, "How to Be Me" and "How to Tackle the Game of Life, Today".

-Jack Anchor's Crime Scene Photo: A photo taken by Jack Anchor; contains a man that fits David's description in the crime scene just after Owen Mile's murder.

-Bag of Coffee Beans: Bag of coffee beans made by Maria Cupp. Gave this bag to Athena before she suddenly disappeared. Found in the crime scene.

-Wall Markings: Odd markings on the wall above the body outline. Could have been a shelf or bookcase.

-White David Statue: A white David statue found in the Junkyard. Mr. Hope donated it to the bum in the Junkyard.

-Silver Ring: A silver ring given to the priests. Belongs to David. Rumors are these rings could lead to amazing things.

-Owen's Coat: Owen's coat that was worn the night he was murdered. A white coat with golden fleece and some blood around the collar.

-Bloody Rug: Owen's rug that was found in the secret tunnel under the church. Bloodstains are on it.

-Filch Statue: A statue of Phineas Filch's grandmother, a legendary thief. Found at the site of the supposed 'treasure'.

-CD: A lone CD found in the Junkyard. Too damaged to get anything off it, but contains about 15 minutes of white noise.

PROFILES

-Apollo Justice: A strong, but loud and persistent, attorney who works with me at the agency. Is friends with the defendant.

-Athena Cykes: A gifted attorney that can read people's emotions though their hearts.

-David Vaughan: The suspect of the crime. A priest at the church where the murder took place.

-Owen Miles: A revered priest that owned the church. The murder victim.

-Jack Anchor: A prestigious news anchor who prides himself a bit too much. Witnessed the murderer.

-Raya Novak: A no-nonsense detective in charge of the investigation. Only been working for a few short months.

-Phineas Filch: A tricky thief that was a witness to a crime a long time ago and is now a janitor at the church.

-Damien Hope: A happy-go-lucky priest that was Owen's apprentice. An overall loving, trusting guy.

-Maria Cupp: The kind, eccentric coffee-lady that works at the church. Called the police.

-Hera Novak: The prosecutor of the case and sister to the detective. This is her very first trial, but showcases great skill.

-Desiree Johnson (AKA DJ): A teenage girl in charge of sound and light. Operates in the church's control room.

-Dennis de Bum: A bum that lives in the junkyard across the church.

A/N: WOOT! Thirty chapters! Hard to believe I made it this far, to be perfectly honest. Thank you all for the constant support and comments, and it makes my heart glow knowing I inspired some people to write. Thank you all again, and I hope you're all excited for the next chapter!

A/N #2: Tfw you forget to add evidence to the Court Record. Whoops.