Ace Attorney: Hope for a Brighter Future Chapter 2: Episode 1, Day 1, Trial 2, a phoenix wright: ace attorney fanfic

A/N: Part two, here we go.

Mentioned Canon Characters:

Phoenix Wright/Ryuuichi Naruhodou

Winston Payne/Takefumi Auchi

Disclaimer: I do not own Ace Attorney/Gyakuten Saiban.

Episode 1: A Turnabout up in Smoke

Day 1, Trial, Part 2: Another Suspect

March 28, 2082. 10:50. Courthouse, Defendant Waiting Lobby No. 4.

I took in a deep breath of fresh air. "Oh God! I can't believe we actually got out of there alive!" I exclaimed. "I came close to having a stroke about ten times."

Professor Takumi chuckled boisterously. "You did look a little pale in there, Hanamura-kun. But you managed to stay strong despite the overwhelming odds and were able to reach your first turnabout. I'm very impressed."

"Thanks, Professor. But honestly, I don't think I would've made it this far without your help," I replied. "Seriously, do all attorneys go through this much suffering?"

Professor Takumi smirked. "One of the occupational hazards, I'm afraid. It takes years of practice and skill to get to a truly notable level. Until then, you're going to have to be under the razor's edge in each trial you find yourself in. I should know that better than anyone. I can't tell you how many times I've been in your shoes before. Why do you think I have such a bad heart in my old age?"

I sweatdropped. "I may want to consider a different occupation. Being an attorney sounds bad for your health."

"Now, now. Don't talk like that, Hanamura-kun. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. As attorneys, it's our duty to believe in our client when no one else does and fight for their sake till the bitter end. We're the only thing standing between them and a guilty verdict. And what have I always said time and time again?" the Professor asked.

I sighed. "In the worst of times, an attorney has to force their best smile. Playing pretend is a lawyer's best friend," I repeated the childish rhyme the Professor often said in class.

Professor Takumi smiled and nodded. "That's it. Just remember that creed, and you will succeed."

"Please no more rhymes, Professor," I replied.

He chuckled boisterously again and then nodded. "Very well, if you insist."

"Nii-chan!" a familiar voice called out to me. I turned and saw Hinata running down the hall towards me and Professor Takumi. "I saw everything. That prosecutor with the sunglasses and the condescending attitude had you on the ropes for a second there, but you kept fighting and turned the whole situation around. You were so cool!"

I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "You really think so? I wasn't trying to act cool."

Hinata nodded. "You were the coolest, no doubt. You've got this trial in the bag."

"Well that's nice of you to say, Hinata. But this is far from over," I replied.

"Huh?" Hinata replied in confusion. "But you said back there that it was this hacker who committed the crime. So Professor Takumi is innocent, right?"

Professor Takumi sighed. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, my dear. Saying something in court is a lot different from proving it. All Hanamura-kun did was merely push the theory that this hacker killed Yamazaki and burned down Naruhodou Hall. There's no actual proof at all to back that up."

"What?! No way! So that means they still think you're guilty?" Hinata asked the Professor.

Professor Takumi nodded. "It's the Prosecution's job to argue that the defendant is guilty until the end, and it's the Defense's job to argue that the defendant is innocent until the end. So even if your brother offered up another suspect, the Prosecution will keep up their theory that I killed Yamazaki. It's just the way it is."

"But they could try and prove that it was the hacker who committed the crime. If the police went back and reopened the investigation, then…" I cut Hinata off.

"That's not the police's job. They only close cases and hand off the rest of the work to the Prosecution. Anything that involves working to prove the defendant innocent falls under my category. The burden of proof rests with me. If I can't prove another person could have committed the crime, then the Professor will be declared guilty," I explained.

"But that's so unfair! What if the wrong verdict is passed and an innocent person is declared guilty?" Hinata asked.

"Unfortunately, sometimes that does happen. It is in the best interest of all parties in a court of law to work towards one single thing, the truth. The truth is all that should matter in a trial. Attorneys and prosecutors should work together to find the truth of a crime and punish the truly guilty party. But there are just some people out there who wish to see the truth buried at all costs. It doesn't matter if an innocent person is punished in their eyes, all that matters are their own selfish goals. And that's why our job is to save as many people as possible from that kind of fate," Professor Takumi explained.

"So the truth doesn't matter? All that matters in the end is who can tell the better story?" Hinata asked.

"…" the Professor and I both fell silent.

Then a few moments later, Professor Takumi turned to me and asked me a question. "Hanamura-kun, do you think I'm innocent?"

"Huh?" I replied in confusion.

"I'm not going to lie to you, I did get into a fight with Yamazaki on the day he died, and above all else I wish to keep that case from the past buried where it belongs so the Prosecution's proposed motive does indeed ring true, and then there's the subject of my fingerprints being on that matchbook. And it's only going to get tougher to prove my innocence from here on out. Knowing all of this, do you still think I'm innocent?" Professor Takumi asked.

"Professor?" I thought long and hard about my answer before nodding and replying to his question. "Yes, you're innocent. I know you are. You would never kill anyone. And I'm going to prove it. Just leave this to me."

"Very well, then let's continue on with the battle. And don't worry, I'll be right by your side the whole time," Professor Takumi replied.

"And I'll be cheering you on from the gallery, Nii-chan. You'll uncover the truth and find the real killer, I know you will," Hinata added.

"Thank you both. With your support, I know I can win this," I replied with a smile.

"I think it's going to take a little more than that for you to get out of this situation." Another person from behind me suddenly spoke up.

"Huh?" I turned around and saw that the person in question was the pale girl with dyed hair and a bad taste in fashion that I had met in the courtroom not that long ago. Tomoko Kurosaki, who had revealed earlier that she was a private investigator.

"K-Kurosaki-san?" I replied in surprise. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the Prosecutor Waiting Lobby with the other witnesses?"

"Relax, that Shady Guy doesn't know I'm here. I came to talk to you about the case," Tomoko replied.

"What? You want to talk about the case with us?" I replied in confusion.

"I take it the reason you're bringing this up now is because of Hanamura-kun's assertion earlier, correct? You believe that the hacker that you were looking for committed the crime, correct?" Professor Takumi asserted.

Tomoko smirked. "You're pretty smart, Gramps. Yeah, that's why I'm here. To tell you the truth, I had already thought about the possibility that the hacker was behind this but I wasn't sure. Then before I know any of the facts, I'm being called on to testify against you. But after hearing all that went on there, I'm not entirely convinced you're the killer. So maybe my original theory was right after all."

"So you're saying that you'd be willing to help us?" I asked Tomoko.

"I don't know yet, like I said I'm not entirely convinced that Gramps here isn't the killer. For all we know, maybe both of our theories are right and he's really the hacker, and therefore the killer," Tomoko replied.

"That's not true. The Professor is innocent," Hinata spoke up.

Tomoko turned to Hinata. "Who are you?"

"She's my little sister. She came here to watch the trial today," I replied.

"Oh," Tomoko replied. Then she smirked. "So you're the kind of guy who feels like he can take on the whole world as long as his sister's cheering him on? There's a word for that, you know? Siscon."

I blushed. "Shut up. It's not like that. Geez, are you going to help us or not?"

Hinata was also blushing. "Yeah, stop wasting our time."

Tomoko scoffed. "I was just joking, no need to get so defensive." Then she turned to the Professor. "Alright Gramps, how about a little test? I'll ask a few questions and depending on how you answer, I'll decide whether or not you're the hacker."

"Very well, have at me," Professor Takumi replied.

"Okay then. Question No. 1: What languages do you know?" Tomoko asked.

"Languages? Well I'm speaking Japanese right now so I should say I'm fluent in that. I also know English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Russian, and a little bit of Spanish," Professor Takumi replied in a boastful manner.

"No, no. I mean programming languages. Do you know any of those?" Tomoko replied.

"Oh, well I remember learning about the one with the bunches of ones and zeros. Though the name of it escapes me. I only heard about it in passing from Yamazaki a few years back," Professor Takumi replied.

Tomoko sweatdropped. "That's binary. It's a language computers use, but you can't program in it. I'm talking about real languages that they write books on. C, Python, Java, etc."

Professor Takumi looked confused. "Are you just saying random words, my dear?"

Tomoko sighed in exasperation. "Forget it, that one question was all I needed. You don't seem to be completely computer illiterate like Judge Gramps in there, but there's no way you could be our hacker. You're definitely not lying; no one can fake ignorance like that."

"So will you tell us what you know now?" I asked.

"Sure, I'm convinced. But we don't have enough time for me to completely go over my investigation with you." Tomoko reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a folded paper packet and handed it to me. "Here. It's my report on the findings from my investigation at Naruhodou Hall. I was going to have that Shady Guy submit it as evidence but he said it wouldn't be needed." Then she chuckled. "But if you ask me, from the look on his face when I gave it to him it looked like he couldn't even read it. Maybe it'll be of use to you."

Tomoko's Investigation Report added to the Court Record.

"Thank you so much, Kurosaki-san. This really means a lot," I replied. I gave the report a once over and noticed an odd infinity symbol with what appeared to be glowing red eyes, at the top of the front page. "Huh, what's with the infinity symbol?" I asked.

"Hmm, oh that? That's the logo for my P.I. agency, I have personalized stationery for it." Tomoko reached into her other skirt pocket and pulled out something else, a small business card. "Here, my card." Tomoko handed me the business card and I gave it a look as well.

"Ouroboros Investigations?" I read the agency name aloud in confusion.

"Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Some say that the legend behind it was the inspiration for the infinity symbol. A never-ending and everlasting search for the truth, it seemed like a good name for a P.I. agency. What? Do you have a problem with it?" Tomoko replied.

"No, no. I was just curious is all. Do you mind if I hold onto this card too?" I asked.

"Sure, go ahead, I've got hundreds of them," Tomoko replied.

Ouroboros Investigations Business Card added to the Court Record.

"Anyway, thanks for this. I'm sure it will be a big help," I said.

"Don't make a big deal out of it. I just want to close this case for good, that's all. But if you are planning on using it, there is one thing you should know. I noticed something suspicious about a certain someone during…" Tomoko was cut off.

"Attorney-san? The trial will be reconvening in a minute. You and your client better get back in there," one of the bailiffs suddenly said to me.

"Oh well, looks like you'll just have to figure it out yourself. Read the report when you get the chance, it may not contain all the answers you're looking for but there's definitely a lead in there. I know it," said Tomoko. "I should get back to the other lobby before Shady Guy gets suspicious. Good luck you guys, I hope you can come out on top of this." And then the P.I. left without another word.

"Huh, she was more helpful than I expected her to be," I said.

"Hanamura-kun, do you think I'm bad with computers too?" Professor Takumi asked me. He looked a little upset by what Tomoko said about him.

I chuckled nervously. "Well no worse than a person of your age is. But look on the bright side, nobody knows the law better than you. And it's like Kurosaki-san said, you know more about computers than the Judge at least."

Professor Takumi chuckled. "I guess that's true. Actually, when I was first starting out as an attorney he had already been on the bench for over ten years. I don't know anyone older than him."

I sweatdropped. "The Judge might want to start thinking about retirement. I doubt anybody could do this job at his age."

"Attorney-san! We're ready to reconvene!" the bailiff exclaimed.

"Right, right. Sorry, we're coming now," I replied. "Come on Professor, we should go now before they get really mad. We'll see you after the trial, Hinata," I said to my sister, before the Professor and I made our way back into the courtroom.

"Okay, go get 'em, Nii-chan," Hinata replied.

"I-I'll try my best," I replied in an unconfident manner.

March 28, 2082. 11:00. Courthouse, Courtroom No. 4.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Court is now in session." Then he looked down at me. "Hanamura-san, you caused quite a commotion in my courtroom with your outrageous claim earlier. We had to call an emergency recess just to get the gallery to settle down."

I chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of my head. "I apologize, Your Honor. I didn't mean to make such a scene; I was just proposing my theory of the crime."

"I see, and do you still wish to claim this theory of yours? This mysterious hacker person is the true killer?" the Judge replied.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. That is still the Defense's position. We believe that the hacker in question had a far better motive to kill Professor Yamazaki and burn down Naruhodou Hall than my client did."

"I see." Then the Judge turned to the prosecutor's desk. "And Auchi-san, what is your opinion of this?"

Auchi shook his head and scoffed in a condescending tone. "Outrageous claims from a rookie who's still wet behind the ears, Your Honor. The Prosecution's stance does not change at all. The culprit is without a doubt, the defendant, Professor Takumi."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "However, you cannot deny the possibility that this hacker who has been plaguing Yumei could be the true killer."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted right back at me. "You seem to be forgetting one thing, rookie. Evidence. Where's the evidence to support your claims? Without any proof, your theory is just that, a theory."

"Umm…well…that's…" I was flustered. It was true there was no evidence to back my claims, but there was a whole bunch of evidence against the Professor.

Auchi chuckled. "See. You've got nothing. Your Honor, continuing this trial would be a huge waste of time. The Defense doesn't have any fight left in him."

"Hmm, the Prosecution does raise a viable point. As long as there's no clear evidence to prove your theory, Hanamura-san, I'm afraid we cannot pursue it. If you have nothing else to say, then I am prepared to hand down my verdict," the Judge explained.

'No! Not now! If the Judge makes a ruling as it stands now, we're finished! There's got to be something I can do! Think! Think!' I inwardly exclaimed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, rookie. It was just bad luck that you got me as your first opponent. There's no shame in throwing in the towel," said Auchi.

'I can't give up. There has to be a way to at least prove that the possibility of another culprit exists,' I thought to myself.

Professor Takumi whispered in my ear. "Psst, Hanamura-kun. Think about the murder itself and an explanation should become clear. There's something odd about this whole case. Don't you think so?"

"The murder itself?" I replied in confusion.

"Hanamura-san. This is your last chance. Do you have anything that proves the possibility of another culprit?" the Judge asked.

MAKE A DECISION: What should you do?

Present evidence

Stall for time

Pick Option Two.

"Umm, actually…Your Honor. The Defense does not have evidence…to produce at this time. But there are grounds…for continuing this trial. There's something…that's odd about this whole case," I stuttered out. I was making it up as I was going along at this point.

"I see. And what pretell is so odd about this case?" the Judge asked.

I was literally sweating bullets. "Oh…umm…well…the thing is…umm…" I needed a miracle.

MAKE A DECISION: What's odd about this case?

The murder scene

The motive for murder

The cause of death

Pick Option Three.

"The cause of death is weird, don't you think?" I replied.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow. Could you explain?" the Judge asked.

"Well I've been thinking about this ever since the trial began. Why did the culprit choose to burn the victim alive?" I asked. "It just seems unnecessary is all. I mean if I were planning to murder someone I'd just use a weapon like a gun or a knife or something to finish the job."

"Hanamura-san, you're not planning to commit murder in the near future, are you?" the Judge replied with wide eyes.

"No, of course not. I'm just saying it's a little odd that instead of using a weapon they chose to burn the victim alive. I mean even if the culprit didn't have access to those specific weapons, I'm sure they could have found a blunt object or something else to use instead," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "The method of murder hardly matters. It's still murder anyway you put it. Stop stalling for time and just give up already."

"OBJECTION! I'm not trying to stall for time. I'm telling you there's something to this!" Then I began to think. 'Wait a second, now that I think about it. Why did the killer decide to burn the victim alive? Maybe I'm not just talking out of my ass, maybe there is something else going on here.'

"I see you've reached the same conclusion, eh Hanamura-kun?" Professor Takumi replied.

"Professor, have you already thought of a reason?" I replied.

"But of course, it's simple don't you think?" Professor Takumi replied.

'Simple, eh?' I thought to myself. 'The Professor obviously isn't intending on guiding me the whole time. He wants me to fight my own battles. He has so much faith in me. I can't let him down. Now, think. Why was it important for the victim to die in the fire?'

"Just what exactly are you getting at, Hanamura-san? Are you saying you think there's another reason why the killer committed the murder with fire?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. That's exactly what I'm saying," I replied in a confident tone. 'I think,' I thought to myself.

"Well then, by all means. Please share your theory with the court," the Judge replied.

MAKE A DECISION: Why did the killer set the fire?

They wanted to kill Professor Yamazaki in an extremely brutal way

The murder was secondary; their true objective was to burn down the building

The killer is a pyromaniac and enjoys fire

The fire was accidental

Pick Option Two.

'Wait. That's it!' With newfound confidence I took a deep breath and then proceeded to give my explanation. "It's really quite simple, Your Honor. The truth is that there was no reason behind the killer's murder method."

"Ha, see Your Honor. I told you, this rookie attorney's just blowing smoke," Auchi replied.

"I'm not finished. All I said was that the killer didn't have a reason behind burning the victim alive. But they did have a reason for starting the fire," I replied with a cocky smirk.

"Wh-What are you saying?" Auchi replied in a flustered tone. "I don't like that smirk."

"Hanamura-san, would you care to explain?" the Judge asked.

"Certainly, Your Honor. It is the Defense's belief that the murder of Professor Takeshi Yamazaki was not the killer's main objective in starting this fire. If anything it was just a means to an end. The real reason why the killer started the fire was to destroy the building itself. The whole point of this case is Naruhodou Hall. That was the killer's true objective," I proclaimed.

"Wh-Wh-What?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

The gallery was abuzz with murmurs and whispers again, but luckily, this time the Judge managed to quiet down everyone with a few bangs of his gavel. "Order in the court!" he exclaimed. Then the Judge looked at me. "Hanamura-san, are you saying that the killer was not intending to commit murder at all? This was just an arson turned accidental murder?"

"Preposterous!" Auchi exclaimed as he banged his fist down on his bench. "We've already established the fact that the fire's ignition patterns show that it began in the victim's private office! How can you say that is an accident?!"

"But I'm not saying that Professor Yamazaki's death was an accident. It was murder, no doubt about it. All I'm saying is that the murder wasn't the killer's primary objective. Think about it. If all the killer wanted to do was murder Professor Yamazaki, then why go through such an elaborate method of murder?" I asked.

"Was it not to destroy any remaining evidence in the fire?" the Judge replied. "Then it would make the victim's death seem like an accident."

"If that was the case, then how do you explain the leftover evidence that survived the fire? My guess is that the killer had every intention of their murder being found out. They left so many clues behind that it all points to murder. What if that's exactly what they wanted to happen?" I replied.

"But why do such a thing?" the Judge asked.

"I think I have the answer right here," I replied. Then I began to look over my Court Record and find the evidence I needed.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT EVIDENCE: What was the killer's true motive for starting the fire?

Kibou's Attorney Badge – My attorney badge. Proof that I can practice law and defend the innocent in the courtroom. It took me a while to actually get this.

Today's Paper – Today's newspaper, given to me by Hinata. It contains an article on the back that talks about Yumei University's recent hacking scandal.

Autopsy Report – The victim of this case, Professor Takeshi Yamazaki's autopsy report.

Victim: 山崎剛之 (Takeshi Yamazaki)

Estimated Time of Death: Around 2:00

Cause of Death: Smoke inhalation. Autopsy results show that he had an increased blood alcohol level, meaning that he was inebriated. The victim was most likely unconscious at the time of death because of this. It should also be noted that due to the extensive damage the fire caused to the victim's body it was impossible to find a specific time of death. The fire was started around 2:00 and since the cause of death is smoke inhalation it's a logical leap to say that the victim died around that time as well.

Naruhodou Hall Building Diagram – A diagram of Naruhodou Hall before it was burned was drawn up by forensic investigators. It shows several things, including a server farm located on the first floor, Professor Takumi's office located on the second floor, and Professor Yamazaki's office located on the third floor. There is also a fire escape on the right side of the building, and large windows on each side of the ends of each floor.

Arson Investigator's Report – The ignition point of the fire was Professor Yamazaki's private office. The fire appears to have been set with accelerant, presumably alcohol.

Photo from Before the Murder – An image still pulled from the remains of Naruhodou Hall's security footage. The time stamp on the still reads: 22:33:46. So it was taken roughly three and a half hours before the victim's estimated time of death. This time stamp has not been altered in any way. In it you can see Professor Yamazaki in his office, sleeping and hunched over his desk with a nearly empty bottle of rum and a single dirty shot glass next to him. There are also two other things to note, a matchbook and a portable stove placed on a nearby shelf.

Matchbook – Found at the scene of the crime, stuffed inside an empty rum bottle. The bottle protected it from the fire. It is believed to have been what started the fire. Bears Professor Takumi's prints.

Mysterious Case from the Past – Professor Takumi and Professor Yamazaki were the attorney and prosecutor in charge of a certain case in the past. Apparently the case got so much coverage that it put law enforcement and the media in a frenzy. A permanent gag order was placed on the case that forced them to close it unresolved. Professor Yamazaki got a call about the case on the day of his death and got into a fight with Professor Takumi about reopening it.

Bottle of Rum – Professor Yamazaki was drinking on the night of his death, from a bottle of Bacardi 151. A very strong alcohol brand from the island of Bermuda. The whole bottle was empty upon discovery. It might've been used as an accelerant for the fire.

Portable Stove – Professor Yamazaki kept a portable stove in his office. Investigators have proven that the stove was turned on at some point prior to the fire. It's propane-based so it could've also helped in the fire.

Tomoko's Investigation Report – According to Tomoko's investigation, the servers at Naruhodou Hall were believed to contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. But before Tomoko could determine who the hacker was, the servers were destroyed in the fire.

Ouroboros Investigations Business Card – One of Tomoko's many business cards for her P.I. agency, Ouroboros Investigations, named after Ouroboros the self-eating snake. Its logo has a very particular and unique design.

Present Tomoko's Investigation Report.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"Hmm, what's this now?" the Judge replied.

"That is the answer to your question, Your Honor. It's spelled out very clearly in a detailed report made by our friendly private investigator, Tomoko Kurosaki-san. I would like this report to be submitted as evidence," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I didn't hear anything about this! I object to this new evidence! It has yet to be checked for authenticity!"

"OBJECTION!" Professor Takumi shouted. "It was handed to us by Kurosaki-san herself. And she doesn't seem like the type of person who would falsify evidence. If you insist, we could perform a handwriting comparison test, but it would just be a waste of this court's time. And I do believe she told you about this report and you told her that it wasn't necessary. We're within our rights to use this report as evidence for our cause."

"B-But that's…" Auchi was at a loss for words.

"All too right, the court hereby accepts this report into the record. Now Hanamura-san, if you would please explain why this report proves your point?" the Judge replied.

"Certainly, Your Honor. According to Kurosaki-san's report, she believed that the servers at Naruhodou Hall could contain clues as to the hacker's true identity. As we have learned, Naruhodou Hall used to contain Yumei's sole server farm. All electronic information passed through there, so it would make sense that the hacker who has been wreaking havoc at the school would be very familiar with this location. If you'll recall, Kurosaki-san said as much in her previous testimony," I explained.

Flashback:

"According to the Dean, that old guy Yamazaki thought that the hacker was someone who had to be frequenting Naruhodou Hall," Tomoko explained. "But since it burned down to the ground all the evidence against this individual has been reduced to ash and charred debris."

"Keeping all that in mind, and assuming that I'm right, and that the culprit we seek is actually this hacker. I think it becomes very obvious what their true motive for starting the fire was. They wanted to destroy the server farm!" I exclaimed.

"What?!" the Judge exclaimed in disbelief.

"Wh-Wh-Whhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttt?!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

Murmurs and whispers erupted in the gallery again, and the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to calm them down. "Order in the court!" the Judge exclaimed.

"Excellent deductive reasoning, Hanamura-kun," said Professor Takumi. "I believe you're onto something."

"I couldn't have done it without your support, Professor," I replied.

"Just remember to keep focused, this battle is far from over," Professor Takumi replied.

"Hanamura-san, you're saying that the culprit chose their method to kill two birds with one stone, correct? To murder Professor Yamazaki and destroy the server farm?" the Judge asked.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. It's simple to understand if you think about it logically. The true killer wanted to destroy the server farm, but they couldn't do it through normal means. If they simply broke into the server farm and sabotaged it, who would you suspect as the first culprit of the deed?"

"Th-The hacker," Auchi replied.

"Precisely," I replied. "If Kurosaki-san was correct and the server farm did hold some sort of clue as to the hacker's identity, they would want to get rid of all traces of their involvement in order to keep their identity a secret. But if they stepped in without a plan, they would've been found out immediately. After all, no one has a better motive for wanting the server farm destroyed than the hacker."

"So that's why they started the fire," the Judge replied. "But why exactly did they have to murder Professor Yamazaki if they just wanted to destroy this server farm thingy? We've already determined that the fire started in the Professor's office. Could they not have just waited until the building was empty to start the fire?"

"The murder must have been part of their plan all along," I replied. "Professor Yamazaki was in charge of the server farm and had asked Dean Kyoukun to hire Kurosaki-san to look into the matter of the hacker. It makes sense that the hacker would want him out of the way as well. But I think there was also another reason behind the crime. To conceal the fact that the main point of the fire was to destroy the server farm. If they had left behind a body in the wake of the fire, then everyone would think that the sole point of burning down Naruhodou Hall was to kill Professor Yamazaki, and their true motive would be concealed. The whole premise of this trial has been that the killer used the fire to camouflage the murder, but with all the evidence that's been left over to prove it was murder, it makes more sense that it's really the other way around. The murder was used to camouflage the fire."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. He was sweating bullets. "Th-This is ludicrous! Y-You're saying the cul-culprit used murder to c-cover up an-another crime?!" He slammed his fist down upon his bench. "D-Delusions! N-Nothing more than d-delusions! Th-There's absolutely no e-evidence!"

"Perhaps, but that's only because we're dealing with a crafty killer. You can't refute the logic," I replied. "This whole case is fishy. The possibility that there is more going on here is extremely evident. The Defense requests to continue the trial, Your Honor. I'm sure that if we just keep going the true killer will reveal themselves to us."

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "The Prosecution is completely against the continuation of this trial, Your Honor. We already have a viable suspect and hard evidence, and the Defense just has absurd theories in their arsenal."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted back at Auchi. "I have presented another viable suspect which could most certainly not be my client. This hacker is the true killer; I've never been more certain of anything in my life. Announcing a verdict at this point in time would be premature."

"Hmm." The Judge closed his eyes and thought to himself for a second. Then he nodded and opened his eyes. "I think the Defense raises a valuable point, I too feel as if there is more at play here. And it is as Hanamura-san says, he has presented another viable suspect to the court. This hacker person does seem to have a strong motive for both the murder and the arson. So I do believe that ending the trial now would be premature."

"No way!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"The trial shall continue, but that being said, where do you think we should go from here, Hanamura-san?" the Judge asked.

"Oh…umm…that's a good question," I replied in an unsure tone.

"Why don't you call a witness to testify?" Professor Takumi suggested.

"A witness?" I replied.

"Well if we're going with the theory that this hacker committed the crime then we should talk to someone who knows a little more about them, don't you think?" Professor Takumi replied.

"That's a good idea, but who should I call on?" I replied.

"You tell me, who can help us at this stage of the trial?" Professor Takumi replied.

'Looks like he's not just going to tell me,' I thought to myself.

"Well Hanamura-san? What are you going to do?" the Judge asked.

"Umm, the Defense would like to call on a witness to testify," I replied.

"Very well, but I warn you, I'm giving you some leniency here so don't waste this court's time, otherwise there might be a penalty in your future," the Judge replied.

I took a deep breath. "Noted, Your Honor. I'm ready," I replied. 'I think,' I thought to myself.

"Then who would you like to call to the stand?" the Judge asked.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROFILE: Who should you call to the stand?

花村希望 (Hanamura Kibou) – Age: 26. Gender: Male. A rookie attorney who is starting a bit later in his law career than most people do for personal reasons. He's not that confident in his abilities yet but he has a big heart and never loses hope.

巧舟逸 (Takumi Shuichi) – Age: 65. Gender: Male. A former professor in criminal law defense at Yumei University, he was actually Kibou's old advisor when he attended Yumei. He's a good, honest, studious man who believes whole-heartedly in justice and the truth. He's Kibou's first client and the defendant of this case.

花村日向 (Hanamura Hinata) – Age: 15. Gender: Female. Kibou's younger sister. She idolizes her brother and does her best to make him proud. She's a very kind and generous girl who never hesitates to stand up for the people she cares about.

裁判官 (Saibankan/Judge) – Age: 81. Gender: Male. A Judge who's a little past his prime and yet still continues to oversee trials to this day. But he seems to always deliver the right verdict so maybe he's gotten wiser with his old age.

亜内正崇 (Auchi Masataka) – Age: 34. Gender: Male. A snobby prosecutor who's apparently the grandson of the loser prosecutor, Takefumi Auchi, who was always mercilessly beaten by the great Ryuuichi Naruhodou. Though he claims he doesn't have his family's bad luck, and has apparently not lost a single case in his ten years as a prosecutor.

山崎剛之 (Yamazaki Takeshi) – Age: Deceased. Gender: Male. The victim of this case. He was a professor in criminal law prosecution and Professor Takumi's lifelong rival. He's the victim of this case.

乱用現金 (Ranyou Genkin) – Age: 21. Gender: Male. The youngest son of the Ranyou Group, who are rumored to have ties to the Yakuza due to their almost criminal business practices. He was one of Professor Takumi's teaching assistants and aims to be a defense attorney so he can help defend his family's empire.

教訓勝浩 (Kyoukun Katsuhiro) – Age: 60. Gender: Male. The current Dean of Yumei University and a former prosecutor who worked alongside Professor Takumi and Professor Yamazaki back in the day. He seems very short-tempered about most things but he cares deeply about his school and his students.

直樹尚希 (Mugai Naoki) – Age: 22. Gender: Male. Professor Yamazaki's former teaching assistant. He aims to be a prosecutor, but despite being smart and talented he's very shy and aloof. It's very unlikely he'll make it as a prosecutor.

黒崎知子 (Kurosaki Tomoko) – Age: 24. Gender: Female. A private investigator who also specializes in cybercrimes. She's kind of rude and just plain weird, but she seems like a good person. And she very clearly cares about her work as a private investigator.

Present Tomoko's Profile.

"TAKE THAT!" I shouted.

"Ah, our mysterious private eye, huh?" the Judge replied.

"Yes, Your Honor. If we wish to pursue our theory that the hacker could be the killer then I think we should talk to the person who was hired to find them," I replied. "Kurosaki-san should be able to point us in the right direction."

"I suppose that's no problem. She should still be in the lobby with the others," Auchi replied. "But I fail to see what will come of this charade."

"Very well then, the court hereby recalls Tomoko Kurosaki-san to the stand," said the Judge before banging his gavel down upon his desk.

A few minutes later, Tomoko was standing at the witness stand all alone. "Alright I'm here," she said. "So what do you guys want to talk to me about now?"

"Kurosaki-san, first of all I'd like to thank you for giving us your report before. It turned out to be a big help," I replied.

"Glad to hear it. So I take it that you're exploring the theory that the hacker committed the crime?" Tomoko asked.

"That is correct, Kurosaki-san," the Judge replied. "Hanamura-san has proposed the idea that this hacker person started the fire not only to kill Professor Yamazaki but to destroy this server farm thingy at Naruhodou Hall. We'd like to hear your opinion on this."

Tomoko scoffed. "Of course, I thought the method of murder was kind of weird too. But it makes more sense if you keep the server farm in mind. It would burn down to the ground just like the rest of the building."

"So you agree with Hanamura-san's logic?" the Judge replied.

"It makes a lot more sense than the theory Shady Guy has," Tomoko replied in a snarky tone.

"Ugh, why you little…" Auchi replied.

"Kurosaki-san, would you be willing to testify about your investigation into this hacker person as a whole?" the Judge asked.

"Sure, anything to help close the case. I'm known for having a 100% clearance rate. An unsolved case is a blemish on my record and that's bad for business," Tomoko replied.

I sweatdropped. 'Her priorities are kind of out of whack but at least she's on our side,' I thought to myself.

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk again. "The witness will now testify about her investigation."

WITNESS TESTIMONY

My Investigation

Statement 1: Tomoko pulled out a piece of chewing gum and then began chewing on it while giving her testimony, much like before when she was on the witness stand. "Like I said before, I was called out to Yumei University on a case requested by Dean Kyoukun. He told me all about the school's recent problems. Private documents and tests were being copied from the teachers' computers, several students' grades had been altered, and there was even some restricted data that had been accessed," Tomoko explained.

Statement 2: "That Yamazaki guy was apparently pretty good with computers, so he was the first one to catch all this stuff and run it by the Dean. Then the Dean asked me for my opinion and I told him flat out, his precious school was being hacked."

Statement 3: Tomoko blew a bubble and then popped it. "Now most hacks are initiated by a group or collective of hackers, but after I investigated some of the planted and changed code that the hacker left on the school's internal servers, I could say for sure that there was only one individual."

Statement 4: "Coding is a lot like handwriting, you can't exactly copy a person's style no matter how hard you try. And every single snippet of code was written in the same style."

Statement 5: "After that I shared my findings with Dean Kyoukun and he told me to go home and come back the next day so I could work together with Yamazaki and find out the hacker's identity. He also said for me to be discreet about my findings."

Statement 6: "He said that he didn't want to hurt the public image of the school by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."

END OF TESTIMONY

"Hmm, I see," the Judge replied. "So when a person uses a computer machine they have a certain way of doing it? And you can run an analysis on it just like you can run an analysis on a person's handwriting? Fascinating, I had no idea that such a thing even existed."

"Every time you code, you're technically writing. Everyone has their own writing style. When you see enough of it, it's easy to find out who wrote it. The same thing applies to coding," Tomoko replied.

"I suppose that's true. Well then, Hanamura-san, you may now begin your cross-examination. Although I have to say I didn't hear any flaws with the witness's testimony," said the Judge.

I sweatdropped. 'With all due respect, Your Honor. I don't really trust your judgment when it comes to computers,' I thought to myself. 'Though actually I didn't hear any flaws either. But the only way to move here is forward, I'll just have to dig until I find something to keep this trial going.'

CROSS-EXAMINATION

My Investigation

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. Then I sweatdropped. "That's a lot of problems. How long has this been going on exactly?"

"The Dean said that it had been going on for about a month, but it was probably longer than that. Whoever this guy is, he's good, Yamazaki and the Dean only found out about him because he did too much at once. Someone was bound to take notice of all that chaos," Tomoko replied.

"I see, please continue," I replied.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Did you ever talk to Professor Yamazaki personally about all of this?"

"No, I only ever talked to the Dean. I only saw Yamazaki one time when he and Old Man Takumi over there got into a fight. But I never got the chance to pick his brain about the hacking problem," Tomoko replied.

"That seems kind of odd. Professor Yamazaki seemed to know more about computers than any of the other teachers or faculty in the law department. Why didn't he come and help you?" I asked.

"I think he was supposed to but he never got around to it," Tomoko replied. "Sorry I don't know any more than that."

"That's fine, keep going," I replied.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "And how exactly did you find that out?"

"I'm getting to that, keep your pants on!" Tomoko exclaimed.

"Sorry," I replied in a meek tone.

Statement 4: "Coding is a lot like handwriting, you can't exactly copy a person's style no matter how hard you try. And every single snippet of code was written in the same style."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "By any chance, did Yumei keep some kind of record of each person's work on the computers? I mean if you can analyze a coding style like you said then you could compare it to that, right? Maybe then we can find our hacker."

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it. "Sorry, I already thought of that. That Yamazaki guy was OCD about maintaining the school's network. He kept meticulous notes of anyone who worked on it. Besides him, there were only a few students and teachers who helped maintain it. The others were outside contractors, Yamazaki and the school hired. But no one in his records matched the style of our hacker."

I exhaled. "I see, well that's disappointing."

"The hacker would have to be someone who kept their skills secret. They've probably been coding for years and just never showed off, at least not to my knowledge," Tomoko replied.

"I see, so our hacker still remains a mystery. Please continue," the Judge replied.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So the Dean asked you to come back the next day to continue your investigation?"

"Yeah, that's right," Tomoko replied before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"And what did he mean by being discreet about your findings exactly?" I asked.

"Well, it seemed pretty clear to me that the hacker had to be someone who was familiar with the campus. So they had to have been either a student or a teacher," Tomoko replied. "The Dean didn't really like what I was implying though."

Statement 6: "He said that he didn't want to hurt anyone's image by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Full of it? Can you elaborate on that, please?"

Tomoko blew another bubble and then popped it. "I think he was using that as an excuse to avoid the problem entirely. If word got out that Yumei was hacked, and by someone who was actually affiliated with the school, no less, it would cause a huge scandal. I think that was the Dean's primary concern, not the safety and welfare of his students and staff."

"So basically, you think he was only concerned with the media backlash? But wouldn't letting the hacker roam free cause an even bigger scandal in the future?" I replied.

"Not if anyone knows anything about it. If you want to keep a tight lid on things, all you have to do is solve the problem quietly in-house. I think that was what the Dean wanted to do. And if that's the case, odds are he wasn't even going to alert the police, maybe just remove the student or teacher from the campus altogether," Tomoko replied with a scoff.

'Hmm, she seems awfully agitated about all of this,' I thought to myself. 'She might be hiding something. How should I handle this?'

MAKE A DECISION: What should you do?

Press further

Let it go

Pick Option One.

"Do the Dean's actions regarding this so-called cover-up upset you, Kurosaki-san?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tomoko replied. "I just don't like the idea of this scumbag hacker getting off scot-free just to save face. They should be found and properly punished. If anything, what really makes me upset is that after Naruhodou Hall burned down and Yamazaki died, the Dean wanted to drop the whole investigation altogether."

"What? He just wanted to give up on finding the hacker?" I replied.

"He said that his friend was dead and that he had bigger problems to worry about. Then he cut me a check and told me flat out that my services were no longer required. Instead of dealing with the problem he just decided to ignore it all together. Can you believe that?" Tomoko replied.

'Yeah, I'm not imagining things. She's really upset about this. If I can just push a little more, I think I can get the truth out of her,' I thought to myself. Then an odd thought came to my mind. 'Hold on, come to think of it. How did the media learn about the hacker if Dean Kyoukun wanted to keep a tight lid on the investigation?' My eyes widened. 'Wait, could it be?'

"Have you run out of questions to ask, Hanamura-san?" the Judge asked. "If so, it might be time to end the cross-examination."

I shook my head. "No, Your Honor. That won't be necessary. I was just collecting my thoughts. There's one more question I want to ask, Kurosaki-san."

"Shoot," Tomoko replied nonchalantly before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"You said before that the Dean wanted you to be discreet in your investigation. And the Dean himself seemed to want this whole matter to go away. So don't you think it's odd that the media got wind of the hacker?" I asked.

"…" Tomoko was silent at first. Then she glared at me. "What exactly are you implying?"

"Well according to you there were only three people who knew about the hacker investigation. Professor Yamazaki, Dean Kyoukun, and you. One of you three had to have talked to the media about the matter. But since the story wasn't released until after Professor Yamazaki's death, that rules him out. And you've made it pretty clear that Dean Kyoukun was just planning to ignore the matter, so that rules him out too. Which means you're the only remaining person I can think of who would be in a position to leak this story."

"Are you accusing me of something?" Tomoko replied in a hostile tone.

"You're going to make me come flat out and ask it, huh? Fine then. Kurosaki-san, were you the person who leaked the story to the media?" I asked.

"…" Tomoko fell silent.

"Answer the question, witness. And only give the truth. I remind you, you are under oath," said the Judge.

"It was my client's wish that this investigation not go public, and as a private investigator my job is whatever the client asks for. I respected the Dean's decision. I wouldn't go behind a client's back like that," she replied.

"So you're saying you didn't release the story?" I asked.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "Asked and answered, Your Honor."

"Sustained," the Judge replied. "That's enough, Hanamura-san. The witness already answered your question."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine then. But I want Kurosaki-san's last statements added to the current testimony, Your Honor."

"So you still think I'm lying, huh?" Tomoko asked. Then she scoffed. "And to think I actually wanted to help you, jerk."

I sweatdropped. 'I'm sorry if your opinion of me drops, but this is a murder trial. I need to pursue every lie until I find the truth.'

The Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Very well, the witness will amend her current testimony."

Statement 7: Tomoko looked angry. "I didn't go to the media with the story about the investigation. Was I upset that the matter was going to be unresolved? Sure. But I would never go behind a client's back like that."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Well the media got wind of this story somehow. So if it wasn't you who leaked it, then who was it?"

"How should I know? Maybe the Dean had a change of heart," Tomoko replied before blowing another bubble and popping it.

"Nice try, but Dean Kyoukun seemed very surprised and upset by the article. He had no idea it existed before I showed him today's newspaper," I replied.

"Well then maybe it was the hacker themself who did it," Tomoko replied.

"I highly doubt that. Why would they want to draw so much attention to themself?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Tomoko exclaimed. "All I know is I didn't do it! And there's no proof that I did! So just back the hell off!"

I flinched. 'Geez, someone's clearly unnerved. But she's still not cracking. Looks like I'm going to have to show her evidence of her deeds. But do I have any?' I asked myself.

"What are you thinking, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Takumi asked.

"Kurosaki-san is definitely lying, she's the only person who could've leaked the story. I just don't have any proof," I replied.

"Hmm, well then why don't you take another look at the court record? Examine each piece of evidence very closely and I'm sure you'll find something that you can use to beat her," Professor Takumi replied.

"Okay, it's worth a shot. Thanks Professor," I replied. Then I got to work examining each piece of evidence I had been given since the trial started very closely, but none of them could prove Kurosaki-san was lying. I sighed in defeat. 'There's nothing here. If I don't prove she's lying here and now, then we'll never get to the real truth at the heart of this case,' I thought to myself. Then I spied the newspaper that Hinata gave me earlier that day. 'Wait, maybe I overlooked something in the article itself?' I flipped the newspaper over and closely examined the article on the back that talked about the hacking incident. And after scanning each line of the article I finally found what I was looking for. 'Wait, this is it!' The author of the article mentioned receiving the information for the story in the mail from an anonymous source. And the stationary that the information was written on had an odd infinity sign on it. 'Even Kurosaki-san can't refute this.'

Today's Paper Updated.

'Alright, time to let her have it,' I thought to myself.

Statement 7: Tomoko looked angry. "I didn't go to the media with the story about the investigation! Was I upset that the matter was going to be unresolved?! Sure! But I would never go behind a client's back like that!"

Present Today's Paper.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "Kurosaki-san, you shouldn't lie under oath. Haven't you learned anything from Dean Kyoukun's slip-up earlier?"

"Wh-What are you t-talking about? I'm n-not lying," Tomoko replied in a meek tone.

I smirked. "Oh really? Then if that's the case, please tell me why I have evidence that you in fact did leak the story to the media."

"Wh-What?!" Tomoko exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is this true, Hanamura-san?" the Judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor. I'd like to present this newspaper to the court," I replied.

"This again? We've already seen the article," Auchi replied in a smug tone.

"Yes, but I wasn't aware of the deeper meaning behind this article until just a short while ago. When these two things were given to me." I held up Tomoko's Investigation Report and the Ouroboros Investigations Business Card.

"That report I'm familiar with but what does that business card have to do with anything?" the Judge asked.

"Well, this is the business card for Ouroboros Investigations, Kurosaki-san's P.I. agency. She gave me her card when she gave me the report earlier. Ouroboros Investigations has a unique business logo of an infinity symbol with glowing red eyes. This is apparently meant to represent Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Kurosaki-san also uses stationary with this same logo, which is what the report is written on," I explained.

"Hmm, yes I see the logo now. Very interesting, go on Hanamura-san," the Judge replied.

"Near the bottom of the article in the newspaper, the author talks about receiving this information by mail from an anonymous source," I replied.

"And that matters why?" Auchi replied.

"It matters because the author makes note of the stationary that the information came in on. It had a unique infinity symbol on it," I replied.

The Judge gasped. "So that means…!"

"That the anonymous source mentioned in the article could only be you, Kurosaki-san!" I shouted while I pointed at her.

"Eeeep!" Kurosaki-san exclaimed. Then she started hyperventilating like a nervous wreck, a clear contradiction from her usual cool self. The excess air that she breathed out began to cause the chewing gum still inside her mouth to expand into a giant bubble that blocked her head from view. Then the bubble expanded too much and soon popped with an almost gunshot-like bang, and the chewing gum covered her face in a thick layer of pink. After a few moments of struggling to pull all the gum off her face, Tomoko finally settled down.

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

The gallery erupted in whispers and murmurs once again. And once again, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk until everyone was quiet again. "Order! I will have order!" the Judge exclaimed. Then when it was quiet, he looked down at Tomoko. "Kurosaki-san, you were warned about lying under oath. What is the meaning of this? Why would you try to conceal something like this from the court?"

"I-I'm sorry, okay," Tomoko replied in a meek tone. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

"So you admit it then? It was you who leaked the investigation to the media?" I asked.

Tomoko nodded. "Yes, I admit it. I leaked information about my investigation," she replied in a defeated tone.

"But why?" the Judge asked.

"I couldn't leave this case unfinished. The hacker was still out there, and I couldn't rest until my job was complete. That's the oath I swore to myself when I first became a private investigator. I couldn't just leave it alone, no matter how much the Dean wanted me to. So I leaked the story to the media, hoping that it would force Yumei to let my investigation continue," Tomoko explained.

"I suppose I can understand that. You wanted to find the hacker at all costs and finish what you started," I replied. "You really take your job seriously, don't you Kurosaki-san?"

Flashback:

"Ouroboros, the self-eating snake. Some say that the legend behind it was the inspiration for the infinity symbol. A never-ending and everlasting search for the truth, it seemed like a good name for a detective agency. What? Do you have a problem with it?" Tomoko replied.

The private eye sighed. "The truth is, I've wanted to be a detective since I was very little. I've always dreamed about solving crimes, catching criminals, and searching for the truth," Tomoko explained. It seemed like she was truly speaking from the heart. Then she rubbed her left shoulder with her right hand. "But a lot of stuff happened and I ended up not being able to become a detective through the conventional sense. I was forced to become a private investigator instead, but as long as I could still pursue my dream I was fine with that. I just…I just couldn't let this case stay unsolved. I'm sorry for concealing the truth, I was just afraid of the backlash that went along with going against the client's wishes."

"That doesn't excuse you from committing perjury," said Auchi. "First concealing your true identity from us, and now withholding crucial information. It's no wonder a liar like you couldn't become a true detective. I see some trouble in your near future, Kurosaki-san."

"…" Tomoko was silent.

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "While it's true Kurosaki-san's been lying to us, I do not think she should be punished for her actions. She concealed her identity because Dean Kyoukun insisted that their relationship be kept secret. She was just trying to honor her client's wishes."

"H-Hanamura?" Tomoko muttered in disbelief.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "But she just admitted to going against her client's wishes by leaking her investigation to the media. She did that out of her own selfish reasons, and then had the nerve to lie about it."

"OBJECTION!" I shouted. "But if it wasn't for her actions, we wouldn't have even found out about this hacker in the first place, due to Dean Kyoukun's cover-up. The fact of the matter is, she is the only one who can help us determine who our hacker and killer is."

"Hmm," the Judge closed his eyes and thought over everything in silence. Then a few moments later he opened his eyes. "While it is true that Kurosaki-san lied under oath, I do believe that her actions so far were justified. And I agree with the Defense, we could use her help to get to the bottom of this mystery."

"N-No way!" Auchi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Would that be okay with you, Kurosaki-san?" the Judge asked.

"Y-Yes, that's fine," Tomoko said in a meek tone. "And again I'm sorry for lying. I promise I'll be honest from here on out."

'She seems a little different compared to her usual cool and aloof self. I guess what we're looking at is the real Kurosaki-san,' I thought to myself. 'She's not a bad person, I can tell. She's willing to help us, so I have to be willing to help her.'

"Coming to a young lady's aid in her hour of need," said Professor Takumi. "How very chivalrous of you, Hanamura-kun."

"Y-You think so?" I replied in an embarrassed tone.

"Well then, where do you think we should go from here, Hanamura-san?" the Judge asked.

"Hmm, maybe we should have Kurosaki-san testify more about her investigation," I replied. "Particularly, about the day after the murder occurred when she was told to drop it."

"In that case, we might want to get Katsu to testify as well," Professor Takumi added. "I can't help but feel that there's more to this than he's already told us."

"So noted," the Judge replied. Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Bailiff, summon Dean Kyoukun from the Prosecutor Waiting Lobby at once."

"No need," said someone from the gallery. Then a few moments later, Kyoukun appeared at the stand next to Tomoko. "I've been watching the trial from the gallery since the first recess concluded."

"I…I see," the Judge said in a surprised tone. "Well then, I trust you've been listening to everything we've covered so far?"

"Indeed I have," Kyoukun replied. Then he turned to Tomoko. "And I have a few choice words for you, Kurosaki-san. So you were the one who leaked everything to the media?" A vein in Kyoukun's forehead started to bulge out and throb, showing his deep-seeded rage. "How dare you go behind mine and the school's back and do something so malicious! During the recess I called Yumei's advertising and PR manager, and he informed me that we've already gotten hundreds of calls and e-mails from concerned parties and the media alike! Our school's image is ruined! What could have possessed you to do this?!"

"You tried to sweep your school's problems under the rug!" Tomoko shouted back at Kyoukun. "If anything they probably want your head for not dealing with this situation sooner!"

"How dare you speak to me with that defiant tone! I am your client! You're supposed to do whatever I see is in mine and the school's best interest! You had no right!" Kyoukun shouted back at Tomoko.

The Judge furiously banged his gavel down upon his desk. "Order! Order! I will have order!" Then he looked at Auchi. "Auchi-san, please control your witnesses!"

"W-With all due respect, Your Honor. I…I don't think anything I say will make a difference," Auchi replied while sweating bullets. Looks like his two unruly witnesses had unnerved him a little bit.

"Katsu, will you calm down already, you're making a fool of yourself," said Professor Takumi.

"Ugh," Kyoukun replied before turning away from Tomoko.

"Well now that you've both quieted down. Are you ready to provide new testimony regarding the day after the murder?" the Judge asked.

"If I must, Your Honor," Kyoukun replied.

"Anything to resolve this case once and for all," Tomoko replied.

WITNESS TESTIMONY

The End of the Investigation

Statement 1: Tomoko started the testimony. "When I returned to Naruhodou Hall the next day to continue the investigation, I found the building gone and left in its place was charred debris and a horde of firefighters and police investigating the scene."

Statement 2: "I found Dean Kyoukun after that and asked him what happened. He told me that Yamazaki had died in a fire that engulfed all of Naruhodou Hall. Then out of the blue he told me that he wanted to drop the hacker investigation," Tomoko added.

Statement 3: "That is more or less accurate," Kyoukun replied. "But it was not out of the blue. I had reservations about this investigation from the beginning. If you ask me, there was no concrete proof that a hacker was at my school. As a matter of fact, I still doubt their existence."

Statement 4: "There was no doubt that a hacker was on the loose. I even suggested that the hacker might've started the fire. But Dean Kyoukun wouldn't listen to a word I said," Tomoko argued.

Statement 5: "By that time the police had already taken Takumi into custody, and they seemed pretty sure that they got the right guy, I was in no position to question their judgment. Besides, I didn't think a person who didn't exist could be capable of committing murder. So I gave Kurosaki-san her payment for her time and sent her on her way," said Kyoukun.

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Statement 7: "Hush money, bah!" Kyoukun exclaimed. "That couldn't be further from the truth. I just didn't want to waste my time and her's any longer. And since I left the job half finished, I gave her a nice little bonus along with her usual fee for her troubles."

Statement 8: Kyoukun slammed his fist down upon the stand's railing. "And how does she repay my generosity?! By leaking a slanderous story to the local media! I want that girl arrested for slander and libel!"

END OF TESTIMONY

"Hmm, I see. It looks like you both are pretty divided on this. I can't make heads or tails of this whole situation. Hanamura-san, do you think you can make anything out of this back and forth testimony in your cross-examination?" the Judge asked.

"The Defense is willing to try, Your Honor," I replied.

Auchi scoffed. "Like anything will come of this. Even I, with my superior intellect, can barely follow these two's banter."

"I have faith that Hanamura-kun will find the truth," said Professor Takumi.

The Judge nodded. "Very well," he said. Then he banged his gavel down upon his desk again. "The cross-examination will now commence."

CROSS-EXAMINATION

The End of the Investigation

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "And about what time was this?"

"I came early in the morning, so around 7:00 I think. I wanted to start the investigation so I could find the hacker as soon as possible. I was afraid the longer I left them alone the more dangerous they might get if they knew someone was on to them. And it looks like my hunch was right, in the worst possible way," Tomoko explained.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Dean Kyoukun just said flat out that he wanted to end the investigation? Did he give you any reason as to why?"

"I said as much in my last testimony, remember?" Tomoko asked.

Flashback:

"He said that he didn't want to hurt anyone's image by accusing students and staff without any hard proof. But if you ask me, he was full of it."

Flashback:

"He also gave me some lame excuse about how he couldn't deal with anything else now that one of his teachers and friends was dead, and one of the school's oldest buildings was now rubble," Tomoko added. "I think he would have said anything to get me to drop my investigation. He seemed really insistent about it."

"…" Kyoukun was silent.

'Hmm, maybe Dean Kyoukun had another reason for wanting the investigation to end?' I asked myself.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "How can you claim that the hacker doesn't exist after hearing everything we've discussed?"

"I've yet to hear one shred of actual proof of their existence. Just baseless theories provided by you, boy. You're an alumnus of Yumei's law program, correct? You might want to go back and take a refresher course because evidently you neglected to learn that evidence is everything in a court of law," Kyoukun replied.

I sweatdropped. 'Geez, mocking my law degree? Low blow.' Then I took a deep breath and proceeded to argue. "But what about all the strange occurrences that you hired Kurosaki-san to investigate? How do you dismiss those?"

"Yamazaki was the one who insisted I hire Kurosaki-san. I questioned his judgment in doing so from the beginning, but I went along with it anyway. Yamazaki was a trusted friend, so I believed he knew what he was doing," Kyoukun replied.

'Now he's denying everything. He's definitely hiding something else. How do I prove it?' I asked myself.

Statement 4: "There was no doubt that a hacker was on the loose. I even suggested that the hacker might've started the fire. But Dean Kyoukun wouldn't listen to a word I said," Tomoko argued.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So you thought the hacker started the fire and killed Professor Yamazaki from the get-go, eh?"

Tomoko nodded. "Yeah, that's right. I figured a hacker this smart would have to know that someone was on to them, so I predicted they would try something. I just didn't know they would actually murder anyone to keep their secret. They're definitely not a sane individual."

"You make this hacker sound like he's the Boogeyman. Is it any wonder why it's hard to believe that they exist?" Kyoukun replied in a smug manner.

Auchi pulled out his comb and combed back his hair, making it bounce. "Too true, Dean Kyoukun, too true," he replied in an equally smug manner. "That foolish girl and that foolish attorney just won't stop talking about them though."

I could tell at that point that me and Tomoko were thinking the same thing. 'Bastards!'

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "So you suspended the hacking investigation because of the murder and arson?"

"Yamazaki was dead, I didn't see the point in continuing this charade any longer," Kyoukun replied.

"But what if Kurosaki-san was right, what if the hacker was the real killer, and not Professor Takumi?" I replied.

Kyoukun sighed in exasperation. "Young man, the police force of our great country always do a thorough investigation and hardly ever detain a truly innocent person. They had great reason to suspect Takumi, therefore it is quite evident that he is guilty. And I assure you, when he is found as such, I will make sure he pays through the nose to pay for the reconstruction of Naruhodou Hall while he rots away in a prison cell!" Then he slammed his fist down upon the stand's railing. "You will pay, Takumi!"

Professor Takumi sighed in defeat. "I swear, I'm going to give Katsu a stern piece of my mind when this is all over and I'm found innocent."

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Hush money? Do you think he was paying you to drop the investigation?"

Tomoko nodded. "He gave me more than my usual fee and I couldn't help but notice that while he was writing the check he looked very flustered. It was almost like he was panicking about something."

"Oh no," I heard someone mutter.

'Huh, what was that?' I asked myself. I looked to Tomoko's right, and took notice of Kyoukun. He seemed very flustered about something. He was sweating profusely and buffing his forehead till it shined with his handkerchief. 'Dean Kyoukun? He seems awfully unnerved about something.' My eyes widened. 'Could it be that he's worried about what Kurosaki-san said?'

"Is there something wrong, Hanamura-kun?" Professor Takumi asked.

"Professor, I think I just saw something odd. When Kurosaki-san finished giving her last statement, Dean Kyoukun seemed to get flustered. But I have no idea what to make of it," I replied.

Professor Takumi smiled. "It seems like you have the makings of an amazing attorney after all, Hanamura-kun."

"Huh, what do you mean, Professor?" I asked.

"When testifying, a person with something to hide does their best to mask their true emotions, making it hard to determine if they are lying or not. But when they are listening to someone else testify instead, the mask begins to slip and they let their true nature show. They make nervous gestures that they aren't entirely aware of. Their subconscious kicks in and reveals a truth that they're desperately trying to hide. The problem is, it takes a really sharp eye to see those gestures. Only a skilled attorney should be able to perceive them. The fact that you're aware of them at your level, is nothing short of astounding," Professor Takumi explained.

"Whoa, really?" I replied in disbelief.

Professor Takumi nodded. "I could see it for myself too, Katsu is definitely hiding something. Otherwise, Kurosaki-san's statement wouldn't have flustered him so much. Still though, Katsu was strict towards people who committed perjury back when he was a prosecutor, for him to willingly commit it himself, I can only guess that whatever he's hiding is something vital towards our case."

"So what do I do?" I asked.

"Call him on his actions. He's weak in that current state, so you'll be able to get him to slip up and reveal the cause of his troubles," Professor Takumi replied.

I nodded. "Alright, you can count on me. I'll make Dean Kyoukun reveal his lies."

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "I have to admit, giving her more than her required fee? That does sound a lot like hush money to me. Are you sure you weren't hiding anything from her? Remember, you're under oath."

"N-No, there was nothing more to it," Dean Kyoukun replied in a meek tone.

"Tell the truth, what are you hiding?!" I exclaimed.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "I'll thank you not to badger my witness, Hanamura-san. Unless you have some proof that the Dean is lying I suggest you lower your tone and drop your insinuations."

'Dammit, I need proof that he's lying about the hush money,' I thought to myself.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "While Kurosaki-san may not have taken the best possible actions, I think we can all agree that what she did was only to help expose this hacker. And for some reason, I think you don't want this hacker found."

Kyoukun looked unnerved. "Th-That's absurd. If there really was a hacker, what possible reason would I have for not wanting them caught?"

"Well rookie, do you have a reason?" Auchi asked in a smug manner.

"N-Not at the moment, no," I replied in a meek tone.

"Then keep your little theories to yourself, you're just making this drag out longer than it needs to," Auchi replied.

'Ugh, I really hate that guy,' I thought to myself.

"Remember, Hanamura-kun. You can see through Katsu's façade, all you have to do is call him on his bluff," said Professor Takumi.

"Right, I've got it," I replied.

Statement 6: "That check was more like hush money, at least that was the feeling I got from it," said Tomoko.

Press.

"HOLD IT!" I shouted. "Hush money? Do you think he was paying you to drop the investigation?"

Tomoko nodded. "He gave me more than my usual fee and I couldn't help but notice that while he was writing the check he looked very flustered. It was almost like he was panicking about something."

"Oh no," I heard someone mutter. I looked to my left, Tomoko's right, and took notice of Kyoukun. He seemed very flustered about something. He was sweating profusely and buffing his forehead till it shined with his handkerchief.

"HANG ON!" I shouted, startling Kyoukun and causing him to almost drop his handkerchief. I smirked at Kyoukun. "Dean Kyoukun, you seem awfully nervous about something. I wonder, could you be nervous about the things Kurosaki-san is saying?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just…I'm just a little hot is all," Kyoukun replied in a meek tone.

"Is that so? You didn't seem to be that hot before Kurosaki-san's last statement. But when she mentioned your actions upon you writing her the check for her service fees, you started breaking out in cold sweat. Could it be that she wasn't just imagining things? You really were panicking when you paid her, weren't you?"

"…" Kyoukun remained silent. It was clear that I had him on the ropes. I just needed to give him one more push.

"Dean Kyoukun, I'm willing to bet that I can guess what got you so flustered," I replied.

"Oh really? Well then why don't you put your money where your mouth is, rookie. Please enlighten the court," Auchi replied.

"Well, Hanamura-san?" the Judge asked.

MAKE A DECISION: What made Kyoukun so flustered?

Paying out a large sum of money when the school was in debt

Tomoko continuing her investigation

Fear that his life was in danger

Pick Option Two.

"Dean Kyoukun, Kurosaki-san wasn't that far off base, was she? You didn't want her to continue the investigation. When she came back the next day like you asked her to, you tried to shoo her away by paying her off. You were giving her hush money, hoping that she would just leave the matter alone. But that didn't happen, did it? So what I want to know is, why didn't you want her to continue the investigation?!" I exclaimed.

"Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhh!" Kyoukun exclaimed as he shook like a leaf and gnawed at his handkerchief in hysteria.

END OF CROSS-EXAMINATION

"You really did want me to stop investigating. I was right, you were trying to bribe me to look the other way," said Tomoko.

"N-No way," said Auchi.

"Dean Kyoukun, these are some serious allegations. Is what Hanamura-san saying true?" the Judge asked.

"…" Kyoukun was silent at first. But then he sighed in defeat and said, "Yes, it's true. I didn't want Kurosaki-san to investigate any further. So I tried to pay her off."

The gallery erupted in murmurs and whispers again. And once again, the Judge banged his gavel down upon his desk to calm everyone down. "This is very grave news, Dean Kyoukun. I'd never think an upstanding man like you would try to cover-up a crime. What could have possessed you to do something like this?"

"I…I have my reasons, Your Honor. I can't say any more than that," Kyoukun replied.

The Judge shook his head. "That's not good enough, Dean Kyoukun. One should tell nothing but the truth in a court of law. A man's life hangs in the balance. I order you to testify about your actions, right now."

"I just can't, Your Honor. Please, you have to understand. There are extenuating circumstances. If I say anything, then they'll never stop," Kyoukun replied. He seemed really scared about something.

'They'll never stop?' I repeated the words inside my head. 'Who's they?'

The Judge's eyes widened in disbelief. "I…I don't know what to make of this. No witness has ever politely declined to testify in my courtroom."

"…" Kyoukun went silent.

"Hey witness! What are you doing?! You heard the Judge, testify!" Auchi shouted at Kyoukun.

"…" Kyoukun still remained silent.

"H-Hey, why are you ignoring me?" Auchi replied.

"Katsu?" Professor Takumi seemed confused as well.

'We're never going to get anywhere unless we get the truth out of the Dean,' I thought to myself. 'I was right on the money. He's definitely hiding something. He said that if he says anything, they'll never stop. What does that mean? Who won't stop doing what?' Then my eyes widened. 'Wait a second. That's it. There's only one person he could be talking about. So that's what's going on. I know what to do.' Then I sighed. 'But I don't know what will come of this if I decide to follow this lead. I may just end up making things worse, not just for the Professor but also for Dean Kyoukun.' Then I shook my head. 'No, now's not the time to think like that. I have to keep going, I have to find the truth no matter what.'

"It seems we've reached an impasse. There is clearly something mysterious at play here but without Dean Kyoukun's testimony we have no way of knowing just what that is. I'm afraid we will have to end the trial as it stands," said the Judge.

Auchi chuckled in glee as he combed back his hair. "Fine by me, Your Honor. Looks like my winning streak continues."

"Hanamura-san, do you have anything to add?" the Judge asked.

"…" I remained silent while I collected my thoughts.

"Very well then, if there's nothing else left to explore…" said the Judge.

"H-Hanamura-kun? The Judge is about to deliver his verdict," Professor Takumi said in a worried tone.

"Hanamura?" Tomoko muttered in a worried tone.

'I can't stop now. I can't. I've come too far just to back down now. If I stop searching for the truth here, then the true killer will get away and I'll never prove the Professor innocent. And even worse, I'll never get any closer to finding them,' I thought to myself.

"I shall now hand down my verdict," the Judge continued. "I hereby pronounce the defendant, Professor Shuichi Takumi…"

"HOLD IT!" I shouted.

"Wh-What?!" the Judge exclaimed in surprise. "Hanamura-san, I haven't heard anything from you for quite some time. I thought that meant you were throwing in the towel."

"You'd do well to go ahead and quit now, rookie. Nothing more will come of this fruitless endeavor," said Auchi.

"No, I will never give up. That's like my one good quality," I replied. "Sorry for not responding earlier, Your Honor. I was just collecting my thoughts. I think I've figured out exactly why Dean Kyoukun won't tell us what he knows. And if I'm right, this could be exactly the proof that we're looking for that proves the hacker is the true killer."

Auchi cackled. "Wow, you've bluffed before, but that has to be the biggest one yet, without a doubt."

"I must agree with Prosecution, those are very bold claims, Hanamura-san. Are you sure you have the answers to back them up?" the Judge asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm certain, Your Honor."

"Very well, but I must warn you. If you are bluffing, then I will end this trial immediately. So I pray for your and the Professor's sake, that you do have the answers."

I took a deep breath. "I'm willing to take that bet, Your Honor," I replied with newfound confidence.

"Alright then, please enlighten the court. Why is Dean Kyoukun refusing to testify?" the Judge asked.

MAKE A DECISION: Why is Dean Kyoukun refusing to testify?

He's being blackmailed by the hacker

He's the hacker and he doesn't want to get caught

He thinks Professor Yamazaki was the hacker and he doesn't want to admit it

Pick Option One.

"Dean Kyoukun, you're not testifying because you're afraid of what might happen if you do. Isn't that right?" I asked.

"…!" Kyoukun's eyes widened in disbelief.

"I understand what's going on here. They've already gotten to you. You're not testifying because you think if you stay silent like they told you to do, then this will all be over. But you've got to trust me on this, whatever they promised you isn't worth it. You know that Professor Takumi is innocent, and by staying silent all you're really doing is sealing his fate. I realize that what they offered you might sound like a good deal if you think about it rationally, but all you're doing by playing along with their demands is letting them win. Please, just admit what they've done and I promise I will bring them to justice and make sure they can never act on their threat. But I can't do that without your help. If you really want this to end, you have to tell the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but," I said to Kyoukun.

"Wh-What's all this? What on Earth are you talking about?" Auchi asked in confusion.

"Hanamura-san, are you saying that the witness is being blackmailed by someone?" the Judge asked.

"Hanamura-kun?" Professor Takumi muttered in confusion.

I nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. That's exactly what happened. And it's not just anyone who's blackmailing the Dean, it's our mischievous hacker. Isn't that right, Dean Kyoukun?" I asked.

"…" Kyoukun stayed silent.

Auchi cackled again. "I knew it! You were just bluffing the whole time! Not only are you accusing this hacker of arson and murder, but now blackmail too?! This true killer of yours really is the Boogeyman, isn't he?! And you really are just a wet behind the ears rookie, aren't you Hanamura-san?!"

Kyoukun looked down at the floor and then he took a deep breath. "Yes, it's all true."

"What?!" the Judge exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?!" Tomoko exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?!" Professor Takumi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt?!" Auchi shouted at the top of his lungs.

The gallery erupted in an even louder than usual, sea of whispers and murmurs. The Judge had to bang his gavel down upon his desk for about ten times to get them to settle down. "Order! Order! Order! I will have order!" Then when it was quiet again, the Judge shouted at Kyoukun. "Dean Kyoukun, what is the meaning of this?! Are you really being blackmailed?!"

Kyoukun nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. And I have proof too." Then Kyoukun reached into his left inner jacket pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper. "The morning following the fire at Naruhodou Hall and the discovery of Yamazaki's body, I found this note had been slipped under my office door." Kyoukun unfolded the note and then had the bailiff hand it to the Judge.

"What's this now?" the Judge asked. Then he squinted his eyes while he read aloud from the note. "So have you been to Naruhodou Hall yet? How did you like my handiwork? If you know what's good for you, you'll call off that pet P.I. of yours and get her to drop the investigation you have into me. That's right, I already know everything. You can't hide anything from me. And if the cops come and ask you to testify, you're not to show them this note or speak a single word about me. Follow my commands, and when this is all over I won't bother you or your stupid school anymore, and you'll never hear from me again. But if you don't, who knows what will happen? This school is pretty old, accidents happen all the time. Don't test me. I've already killed once, I have no qualms about killing again. Sincerely, You-Know-Who." The Judge's eyes widened in disbelief. "So it's true! This hacker person really did blackmail you!"

"And if you read the note carefully, Your Honor, it's clearly a confession from them. This proves that the hacker is the true killer," I replied.

"OBJECTION!" Auchi shouted. "Th-That doesn't prove anything. For all we know it's part of some elaborate hoax concocted by the witness and the defendant."

"I am strongly inclined to disagree with you, Auchi-san. This note does not seem like a hoax to me. If I was the one who had received this note, I wouldn't question doing whatever the sender told me to do. You were just thinking about the safety of your students and faculty, isn't that right Dean Kyoukun?" the Judge asked.

Kyoukun nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. I'm sorry for keeping this from the court, but I was terribly frightened of what the hacker might do if I told anyone about this." Then he turned to Tomoko. "And I'm sorry for keeping this from you as well, Kurosaki-san. I know you were just trying to do your job and help me."

"No hard feelings, I get why you did what you did now," Tomoko replied.

Then Dean Kyoukun turned to me. "And thank you, boy, for giving me the courage to fight back. You really are a good attorney. Takumi has taught you well."

"Th-Thank you, Sir," I replied in a semi-embarrassed tone.

Professor Takumi chuckled. "I really have, haven't I? I'm a pretty good teacher if I may say so myself."

"I'm trusting you to put an end to this dark case once and for all, avenge Yamazaki and bring the hacker to justice. I'll help you in any way I can," Kyoukun replied.

I nodded. "That's just what I intend to do."

But little did I know, that would be easier said than done. I had no idea just what lay in store for me in my hunt for the truth behind Professor Yamazaki's death.

To Be Continued...

A/N: On to part three.