Episode 2
(These animals are voiced by humans.)
"So is Azrael the cat in the Smurfs, King Kong in the eponymous movie and all the animals in the movie furry vengeance. What's your point?" one sin added.
(Also, did no one hear L'Belle shouting that? We later learn anyone in the hallway would have heard that shit. I thought Jinxie was in the hallway right around that time. Did she show up later or something?)
"Answering your own question cliché. Yes, it is very likely she didn't get there when this was happening, seeing as L'belle walking in so causally with the spear in hand. And since he had the time to move the unconscious mayor to the forbidden chamber, it's clear the place was empty. He heard Jinxie arrive at some point and he screamed to get her attention. The fact she hears him means she wasn't there to hear him earlier." One sin added.
[(To Apollo at the anything agency.) This agency has the weirdest employment contract ever. Employee duties range from cleaning the toilet, following lawyers around to murder scenes, stealing evidence for them, channeling their dead mentor, defending in court, assisting in magic shows and babysitting the boss' adoptive child. Also, if you get caught in an explosion one day and assaulted in court the next, you don't get time off. You have to take a leave of absence. Yeah, why does Apollo still work there?]
"Most of the things you mention are integral part of working in a lawyer firm. Defending, investigating murder scenes, gathering evidence. Taking care of Trucy and helping her in magic shows is not obligatory. But it is the sort of thing you do for your friend and your boss' daughter. Channeling is Maya's specialty. And someone does have to clean the toilet in there. Phoenix used to do it on his own. So…Everything you mention here is not that far-fetched. And, like I said last chapter, Apollo does not ask for time off. He takes a leave of absence to investigate the case on his own, awkwardly pushing his friends away, for a good reason as we later learn, but it does make it feel like he hates them when he doesn't bother to explain that shit to them. Completely different situations." One sin added.
(This agency still hasn't changed their name. Seriously, they sound like a team of graffiti artists. Hey, why didn't they make that a game?)
"It's a great name. This is not just a law firm anymore, they can take on pretty much everything by this point. And I don't think graffiti has any place in this series." One sin added.
(Apollo is not paid enough to babysit Trucy. Also, Trucy is sixteen. Why is her father still hiring babysitters? She's old enough to drive, for fuck's sake.)
"Well, Trucy is very mature for sure, but she can still be irresponsible and childish at times. Understandable, but she still needs someone to look after her at times. And Phoenix is shown as being overprotective over her. So this checks out." One sin added.
(Where is she keeping all these charms?)
"In hyperspace. Haven't you ever heard about it?" one sin added.
[(Discussing the monster craze) A Yokai craze in California. If they'd gone with Pokémon, this would have made more sense.]
"Yokai have been an integral part of Japanese folklore for hundreds of years. So…what is the sin? That the Japanese creators of this game are taking this opportunity to depict their culture and combine it with their creative ideas? Or that the localization team is still trying to pass the series as taking place in America? I feel like you are sinning the former, so…that's racist!" one sin added.
(I refuse to believe this scared girl is a wrestling fan I don't care if her father moonlights as one. No teen daughter is this obsessed with their parent's job.)
"Hmmm. It's almost like it doesn't matter what you believe happened, because that's what did happen and the game is literally showing you this right now. You can't just see what the game is telling you and say: "It's wrong because I say so!"" one sin added.
"Also, you say no teen daughter is enthusiastic about their parents' job, but…try saying that to Neil Armstrong's daughter." One sin added.
(Trucy is a jerk to Apollo's wallet. He isn't getting paid enough to babysit you and he sure isn't getting paid enough to buy you souvenirs.)
"Still missing the comedy of the series. A young person forcing their adult guardian to spend a lot of money for them while on a trip is a very common trope in movies and tv series. If you are going to take everything so seriously, I honestly don't understand why you bother playing these games. You will never enjoy yourself." One sin added.
[(They find out the alderman is dead) Oh, look, it's a murder. I could have played the first turnabout, come back and still been here in time for the murder to happen.]
"Why do you always assume mystery stories have to start up with the murder? You think everything before it is wasting time? Because that's bullshit! Up to this point, we have been introduced to the village that is the case's focus, the fight between tenma Tarro and Nine-tails vale, a pivotal plot point in the case and Jinxie, a major character. Everything so far has been building up to the murder. So…all this time is spent on useful information for the case and you are still waiting for a bus that passed you a long time ago. I know I used this line on in my Apollo justice fic, but if you are going to repeat yourself over and over, I have to fight fire with fire." One sin added.
(Am I supposed to believe that L'Belle replaced himself with the mayor, threw the mask away, let Filch out, had Filch run all the way down to the mansion and throw his costume out the window, cleaned himself up and the both got out of Apollo's way before Apollo run all the up here to check the crime scene? I think they want me to believe that.)
"Well, Jixnie ran all the way back to the garden after seeing the crime scene. She was in a daze and also Apollo and Trucy had spent quite a while shopping for souvenirs and touring the town before they got back and found her. It takes about a minute for her to tell them what happened and for Apollo to compose himself and start running all the way to the mansion. So, yes, it's possible. Especially considering L'Belle could have left the mansion, gone to a discreet location and then cleaned himself up and all the other things you said would only take a few seconds each. Heck, they might both have left before Apollo and Trucy even got back." One sin added.
(How is Apollo Mayor Tenma's lawyer? Surely there are lawyers in Tenma town.)
"And on what are you basing that assumption? We never see any, so your certainty that this tiny-ass, unified in culture village has lawyers has no basis. Besides, Apollo is the main character here. He has to do the defending, it's the sole reason this case even exists. Why would this case matter in this game if it did not involve any of the main characters?" one sin added.
[(Athena throws a cop) cool way to introduce Athena, but…that guard is clearly bigger than her. Unless she studied martial arts on top of law and analytical psychology-which, by the way, is impossible according to every law student I know-this is bullshit.]
"Bullshit, huh? Maybe she studied martial arts before or after going to law school. You have no timeframe of when she learnt each one of her abilities. So…I call bullshit on you for sinning something you cannot know." One sin added.
"Also, sinning this scene." Five sins added.
(So…Apollo gets caught in an explosion, assaulted in a courtroom and has a police officer thrown on top of him? This game is a dick to Apollo.)
"Still sinning this scene. You want a double serving. Here ya go!" five sins added.
(Also, he should be knocked out. Or dead. Have I sinned this scene enough yet? I think I have.)
"No, no. Keep going. I am having a ton of fun here!" five sins added.
"Also, I find it weird you think Apollo should have died from this…when he survived the previous case." One sin added.
[(Filch steals the bracelet) Casual thievery.]
"Pierce points things out on the screen cliché." One sin added.
(They meet Fulbright.) Athena isn't throwing an annoying officer at Apollo in this scene.]
"But….you…I…have no idea what happened. She sinned that scene three times…and now she sins the fact is doesn't happen more…what kind of ridiculous thinking route led to this?" one sin added.
(In regards to Blackquill.) Foresahdowing.]
"Okay…every time you say this from now on, I will add a sin and say nothing. I am sick and tired of repeating myself over this. So I give up. Starting now." one sin added.
(Fulbright is barefoot) This shoes thing was funny the first time I played this game, but we later learn bobby Fulbright is an international spy. How did Filch pull this off once, let alone twice? He could have been Masque DeMasque III with that kind of skill.]
"Okay, maybe Filch was a great thief and had a promising larceny career ahead of him. What exactly is your point? And you even admit this scene is funny, so I am unsure whether I should sin you for answering your own question or for sinning something you like. Why not both?" two sins added.
[(Vampire vs. werewolf wrestling match.) Twilight was so bad, people are still complaining about it in 2027. That is a legacy that lasts waaaaay longer than I give Twilight credit for creating.]
"Really? Because it is still being talked about to this day, I know a few girls that still have their rooms filled with Edward's posters…and we are a bit more than three years away from that goal. So don't bet on that." One sin added.
[(Finding the nine-tails mask) Why is there a crowd for this? You're telling me everyone in the vale is a por wrestling fan? I'm calling bullshit on this one.]
"And on what grounds exactly? No, I am actually quite curious. What is it that makes what you say more dependable than what the game is showing right now? I actually tend to trust observant people when they point things out on a game or movie, as long as their observations are properly substantiated.…but that would imply you make observations. And after sinning you on five of the six mainline games…uh, no! So I will choose the game." One sin added.
(Also, couldn't this just be a replica? And how did the tenma taro costume not also show up on this river? Both were thrown out windows above the river. I doubt the costume would fly farther than the mask. And even if it did, it still has to be nearby. How does no one find it?)
"First of all, even if it is a replica, it will be a big deal for people so hardcore about pro wrestling. And don't say they shouldn't be, because we are shown they are. Also, the costume was heavier than the mask, so it probably sank deeper in the river. And that means it probably got carried away by the underwater current and might be floating around in the pacific right now. Two null-and-void arguments, so guess ho many sins that is for you? Exactly." Two sins added.
(Apollo jokes about being a wrestler) Everyone is a wrestling fan in this case.]
"….oh, I'm sorry. I was just waiting for you to explain why that is a sin. You know, usually when people call something bad or sinful, they bother explaining why it is so. But I guess I was asking too much of you." one sin added.
(Also, wrestling fans.)
"Pierce sins the same thing twice cliché." One sin added.
(How would Mayor Tenma or alderman Kyubi have time to be the amazing nine-tails? Those wrestlers have to train and running a town is a full-time job.)
"Did you look that up before writing it? Because I did. And as it turns out, being a mayor can be both a full-time and a part-time job. Depending on the arrangements the elected candidate makes after his election. Of course, there are differences in salary, but I'm sure Tenma would be willing to earn a bit less if it meant he could keep doing his beloved hobby. You spent days playing the cases and writing these fics…but you can't bothered with a ten-second Google search to avoid embarrassing yourself?" one sin added.
[(Apollo perceived Tenma) Perceive is back bitches! Well, for about three times this game. The rest is "Guess that emoji."]
"Better than nothing at least. And this game did need a new mechanic. We have three main characters now, how do you expect all of them to get screen time if only one uses his special ability?" One sin added.
(In the defendant lobby) Apollo passes on his chords of steel to Athena. We now have two lawyers to make the gallery deaf during trial.]
"Sinning the chords of steal. And for what? A joke? Yes, I get it's a joke and I admit it made me laugh the first time. But…why should that count as a sin of the case. If you want to make jokes, make them but don't count them as sins. You have shown many times you can say things here and not sin them so…what's the deal? And if you wish to count your jokes, I say again, make a separate joke counter. Because when you count your jokes are sins, the readers get confused and they end up thinking everything, even your actual criticisms, are jokes, and I'm not sure it works to your benefit." One sin added.
[(In reference to Clay.) foreshadowing.]
"Pierce hates foreshadowing for no reason cliché." one sin added.
(Phoenix doesn't dramatically interrupt the trial the many times Apollo and Athena come close to failing despite being in the gallery the whole time. Are they really trying to cut down on their mentor ex Machina after all this time?)
"Yes…and considering you have sinned that in every single game so far…why would you add a sin for it not being used? Shouldn't that be a sin off? Or are you showing off your hypocrisy again?" one sin added.
[(Fulbright's justice will prevail line) Justice does win the case, yes. Thanks for the support, buddy!]
"Pierce sins something she likes cliché." One sin added.
"Also, Pierce yells at the screen cliché." One sin added.
[(Convincing the judge to perform the opening statement) This works.]
"You are five games in this series…and you still haven't realized the judge is a total pushover who every prosecutor gets to shove around? And especially Blackquill, who is an expert on psychological manipulation? If you can't even get that…" one sin added.
(When Blackquill brings a hawk into the courtroom, he gets away with it. When I bring a hawk into the courtroom, I get arrested and fined. And they kill the bird.)
"Pierce fails at understanding game logic once again. And she also thinks trying to mimic everything games do is a good idea. You really should stay away from super Mario." One sin added.
(And how did this bird get in? The windows in the ceiling should be closed…)
"Skip!" one sin added.
(Aw, dammit, they made the bird adorable too.)
"Pierce sins something she likes cliché." One sin added.
(He stole the phantom's shoes again? Goddammit, Phantom! No wonder you fail your missions when you can't even keep track of your clothes.)
"Pierce yells at the screen cliché." one sin added.
"Also, how exactly does he fail? He killed Dr. Cykes, bombed a space center and got away with it for seven years. He also bombed a courtroom, bombed the space center again, killed and replaced a police detective and killed an astronaut without coming under suspicion for any of that until the last moment. He would have gotten away with all of it if it hadn't been for Athena having that earring." One sin added.
(Blackquill's three minute recess) he gets away with this.]
"Yes…because he is an expert at manipulating people around him. This also happened with Godot. You don't get Blackquill is…that dude! And that's ironic, considering how much he and Godot have in common." One sin added.
(Blackquill breaking his shackles is cool and all, but dude…when you get out of prison at the end of the game, the state is probably gonna make you pay for those. I looked up the prices on heavy duty handcuffs. Not pretty, Blackquill. Trust me when I say there are plenty of cheaper ways to look badass.)
"Two words: worth it!" one sin added.
[(Blackquill tells Athena to run away and give up) This is the first actual conversation Athena and Blackquill have had since UR-1. And it's…actually really good foreshadowing.]
"I get Pierce actually removes a sin here, but…that further illustrates the point I want to make. She has sinned foreshadowing a dozen times for each game, never bothering to explain why it is a bad thing, since it has been a standard for mystery stories for decades. But now…she removes a sin for "Good foreshadowing." I am getting the feeling she is doing it on purpose to pretend she doesn't hate all foreshadowing for no reason. She does, for no reason, and just pretends to appreciate it when it's well-executed. It sounds logical, but tell me: how exactly is this specific instance any different than any of the others she has complained about? I don't know and I don't think Pierce does either." One sin added.
(Though I still don't know how he knew she jogged. I highly doubt that was a hobby eleven-year old Athena possessed.)
"And why not? I jogged when I was eleven years old and so did many of my friends. Athena probably did to." One sin added.
(Blackquill's air sword.) That's not possible.]
"Pierce fails at getting game logic number…like, one thousand? Oh, who cares?" one sin added.
[(Blackquill's share my cell invitation to Apollo) Is Blackquill implying what I think he's implying here? If so, that beats my fanfiction.]
"Another corny, cringey joke that is not anything wrong with this case. The usual stuff." One sin added.
[(When Fulbright shocks Blackquill) That's no legal. Also, it doesn't look like Blackquill signed up for that. Stun belts were outlawed in the 90s, goddammit it! Japan hasn't been this casual about torturing prisoners since world war II.]
"Say who? You? You don't know shit about Japan. Their prisons are like military camps." One sin added.
[(Back at the agency.) How does Athena already know Trucy? She got to America yesterday and Trucy was with Apollo when Phoenix picked her up from the airport. Even if they met, there's no way they're on such casual terms already.]
"It's obvious Phoenix must have spoken with Athena over the phone or on a videocall to discuss the details of her arrival and pick-up. Maybe Trucy butted in in that call and she and Athena got to know each other better. That's a likely scenario, so there is a way for this to make sense." One sin added.
(The magic panties are back. And so is my urge to make perverted jokes about an underage kid. Because she's not old enough for what I'm seeing, let alone what I'm thinking.)
"As explained in Apollo justice, the panties are not used pervertedly. They are made to look like it because that's the joke. They are just used for a magic trick, which makes them harmless. If you and other players make perverted comments about a sixteen-year old girl…that's your fault for being unable to control yourselves." One sin added.
(Vamanos.)
"Many people in American series say that, mainly because it sounds funnier than "Let's go." That sin sounds racist." One sin added.
(Also, Athena is reaching Blackquill levels of psychological manipulation with this guy. Is it any wonder he frames her for murder later? She kinda had it coming.)
"Supporting the phantom, an international spy and ruthless murderer, over Athena. That's worth…this many sins." Three sins added.
"Also, this guy is devoid of emotions. I don't think he particularly minds." One sin added.
(Blackquill writing dotard a thousand times.) This scene did not make it into the final version of the game.]
"That's why we have our imagination." One sin added.
(Fulbright is a wrestling fan. And, by extension, so is the phantom.)
"Un…no? The phantom has no feelings. He does not care about anything other than carrying out his mission. If the real Fulbright was a wrestling fan, the phantom has to pretend to be one to perfect his performance. And, since you've played the game, you know all this. So one sin for playing dumb to pad your sin count." One sin added.
(Fulbright calls Athena and Apollo kids.) Athena isn't throwing any annoying cops on Apollo in this scene.]
"I…I don't get it. You have asked for this scene to be shown twice. One would think you love it. But you don't it. You never remove sins for it and even sin it three different times. So…what's the deal here? That the game doesn't give you excuses to sin it further and you have to make shit up as you go along?" one sin added.
(Athena's sad sprite is also her hottest one. This gives me very mixed feelings inside.)
"Acting like Athena is not hot in every sprite." One sin added.
(Now matter how often this guy holds his hand out like that, he will never be Matt Engarde.)
"Suggesting anyone should be like Matt Engarde. That's worth…this many sins." Five sins added.
[(Meeting sleepwalking Jinxie) Wow. Tenma Taro is possessing everyone today. I admit, the mayor made it look like fun. But now this possession business is being treated semi-seriously. And that is a sin.]
"This case involves Yokai. You can't put Yokai anywhere without doing something like this, even in a manner of a red herring. It may seem silly, but that's how the Japanese wrote their folkore." One sin added.
(There is a Yokai for everything.)
"Sinning Japanese culture. By this point, this counts are cultural appropriation since you think you can tell them how to use Yokai when you know zero about them." One sin added.
[(Cellphones on L'Belle's jacket) Cool, but…what if he wanted to change jackets?]
"If phones like these existed, they would certainly be detachable." One sin added.
(Annoying character gets best theme song cliché. Courtesy of trials and tribulations cases 2 and 3.)
"Calling Luke Atmey annoying. Really, that guy is one of the best villains in the series." One sin added.
[(Jinxie to tenma taro cutscene.) Those feather clearly did not fall from the demon.]
"B…but…the game is showing you that they did. How can you fail at pointing out things on the screen?!" one sin added.
(Talking to L'Belle about blackmail.) Showing the killer incriminating evidence against them outside of court cliché.]
"Okay, that is a mistake, but…this series has shown you to death these characters aren't flawless. Everything in this series goes amiss all the time because people make mistakes and either try to cover them or make amends for them. Apollo makes a mistake and he pays for it, but…so do many people in real life. So this game is actually accurate. Especially when being overtaken by his strong sense of Justice and not thinking things through is shown pretty early on as being part of Apollo's character." One sin added.
(Casual destruction of evidence.)
"Pierce points out things on the screen cliché." One sin added.
(Somewhere in the world, a TV station aired L'Belle's beauty adds. Willingly.)
"And in the real world, shows like Breadwinners and Velma were allowed to exist. What's your point? That there are TV stations where all the executives are idiots? I assure you we are aware." one sin added.
(Enter the forbidden chamber) This is all an M-rated game in their forbidden chamber. They should return that rating now.]
"A…are you being serious right now? This game has one of the goriest and most unsettling scenes I've ever seen. I can barely even talk about it. Even thinking about it gives me goosebumps. This games deserves that M-rating from the last case alone. You are just spouting nonsense." One sin added.
[(Flinch and L'Belle.) Casual witness coaching.]
"Pierce point things out on the screen cliché." One sin added.
[(Hand cream had Filch's fingerprints.) Red herring. Or should I say, red had cream?]
"Cool joke, but…why is that a sin of the game? Honestly, how exactly is that a problem of the game? Pierce has been making jokes like that since the first game…and she still is no closer to explaining why they are sins of the game." One sin added.
(L'Belle went to court dressed as the joker. With a prosecutor who sounds like batman. Needless to say it didn't end well for him.)
"Pierce makes a pop kilter reference that isn't a sin of the game cliché." One sin added.
[(When he sprays perfume on his eyes.) Idiot does to himself what everyone playing wishes they could do to him. At least make it a minigame, Capcom.]
"This line. Yes, that is a sin and I don't think I need to explain why." One sin added.
(To Blackquill.) I was about to nail L'Belle. Why do you have to be so good at your job, goddammit?!]
"Pierce sins a prosecutor for being a good prosecutor. And yells at the screen." Two sins added.
(And how are your clothes not wrinkled? You sleep in a prison. I doubt they let prisoner near hot irons.)
"Lo and behold, another instance of Pierce either being unknowledgeable or plain dishonest. Prisoners do wash and iron their own clothes. Who do you think would do it for them? Or do you think they spend their whole lives in the same clothes?" one sin added.
(Thought routes.)
"Sinning the thought routes." One sin added.
(L'Belle's white hair.) Florent L'Belle does not have…woaaaaaaaaah. How old is that guy?!)
"Pierce thinks white hair and wrinkled skin depend only on age. Wrong. There are many factors involved. I will not name them because I will be here all day. Look it up." One sin added.
(I just noticed Blackquill's demon eyes. Everyone wants to be a demon in this case.)
"You…just noticed? But earlier in this fic, you sinned the fact Jixnie called everyone besides Blackquill a demon when he really looks like one. So either you have the attention span of a goldfish or you are lying yet again. Either way, I call shenanigans." One sin added.
(If I were Jinxie, I would not be this excited about my dad running around shirtless.)
"Even if you are a die-hard wrestling fan?" one sin added.
[(Final cutscene of case 2.) That's not possible.]
"Pierce fails at getting game logic for so many times I've lost count." One sin added.
(Ending narration.)
"I'm starting to think that, along with the "Pierce hates foreshadowing for no reason cliché" I might have to create a "Pierce hates narration for no reason cliché." The list just gets bigger and bigger." One sin added.
Total sin tally: 94
Sentence: Possessed by Tenma tarro