Here we go Day 3 of investigation and J's last chance to find evidence on who the true culprit is.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.

DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 21

A Final Investigation

October 19, 3:27 PM, J & Co. Law Offices

J had made it back to the office to regroup as she sighs in relief and said "That was a close one, huh, Terra?"

"Really? Too bad, I'm sorry I missed it." A male voice said but it wasn't Terra's but Jaden's.

J confused look and was surprised to see Jaden standing their no longer channelling Terra and said "J-Jaden!"

"So, what happened?" Jaden asked with a smile.

"Well, I think I've got a pretty good idea on who did it." J said thinking "Now all I need is a motive….and also proof."

"Wow! Good going, J!" Jaden said happily

"Under the 'initial trial' system, tomorrow is the last day we have." J admits sighing. Tomorrow was the last day to prove Johnny's innocence.

"'Initial trial'…? What's that?" Jaden asked her.

"That's the new court system they introduced two or three years ago." J explained to him. "They have so many cases in the system, they decided to speed the whole process up."

"So, under that system, trials have to end in three days?" Jaden asked surprised.

"Yeah, pretty much." J said nodding. "Well, we've no time to waste!" She then thinks and asked Jaden "Though I don't get it, Jaden. Why would Miss. Melromarc steel the White Ranger costume?"

"What?!You mean Miss. Melromarc was wearing the costume?!" Jaden asked shocked.

"Yeah!" J said with a nod.

"B-but Miss Melromarc was the victim, J!" Jaden told her. "Why would he go though the trouble of stealing it?"

"That's what we have to find out." J told him.

"Alright, so what happened with the director's testimony?" Jaden asked her.

"Well, it's pretty clear that the producer and the director were both in the trailer." J told him.

"Huh…" Jaden said to that sadly.

"Which means that the killer has to be one of them!" J added.

"Really?! Why?" Jaden asked shocked.

"Because the real scene of the crime was Studio Two… where that trailer is!" J explained.

"Whaaaat?!" Jaden said in more shock.

'Hmmmm… was Jaden always this excitable?' J thinks to herself "Well, have you noticed anything that might help us?"

"If you haven't noticed, I can't really see what's going on when Terra is here…" Jaden explained. "So, no. I haven't noticed anything."

"Right…" J said nodding, she was getting it now, Jaden seems to be unaware of anything that happens when Terra is in control of his body. So much to learn of this Keyblade warrior spirit connection thing.

"Maybe we should go talk to JB?" Jaden suggests.

'JB….Johnny….right.' J thinks nodding.

With the next stop decided J and Jaden head out to see Johnny at the Detention Centre.

October 19, Detention Centre, Visitor's Room

J and Jaden sit on chairs as opposite the class Johnny Bravo was brought for them to talk to.

"Miss. J! You did very well again today….Thank you so much!" Johnny said smiling though looking like he was about to cry behind his shades.

"Oh….thanks." J said rubbing her head "Um, could you not look like you're about to burst into tears…?"

"Wow, J! You must have really wowed them in there." Jaden said grinning.

"And could you wipe that grin off your face?" J said to him.

"Hey, JB! Only one day left!" Jaden told Johnny. "Let's make it count!"

"Yes…" Johnny said nodding though nervous "Though there's not really anything I can do to help."

"Hah, hah, hah! I'm not really sure what I can do, either." Jaden said giggling.

"Please…. This is no laughing matter." J said sighing. She then asked Johnny "Could you tell me more about Miss. Stella?"

"Oh….the producer?" Johnny said "She's well respected in the industry. They say she's a genius."

"A genius…?" Jaden asked confused.

"She's been at Vox Studios for five years now." Johnny explained "Right or wrong, nobody dares tell her different these days."

"Why is that?" J asked him.

"Ever since she came on board, we've had nothing but hits." Johnny explained "Vox Studios was on its knees since Gleemon Vox died and Dreadzone ended, but she picked it up and made it shine. Oh, and…."

"And… what?" Jaden asked him.

"N-nothing. Forget it." Johnny said nervous "I…I've only heard rumours, anyhow."

"Okay, can you tell me anything about Mr. Roshi?" J asked him.

"Oh, he used to be a minor straight-to-video director." Johnny told her. "But something in his work caught Stella's eye. She brought the White Ranger idea to him. Now everyone knows the name Roshi. I hear he's pretty much at her beck and cal, though. Whenever she says 'jump!' he asks 'how high?' and all that."

'I can imagine him being at her beck and call… though I can't imagine him jumping at his age.' J thinks.

"I was wondering about Miss. Melromarc…She was a big star back in the day, right?" Jaden said thinking. "But then she just dropped off the face of the Earth."

"Oh…" Johnny said and looks sad "Yes, you're right. In fact, she was my role model when I started in this business. But she just stopped taking on big roles. That's when she began appearing in little production at Vox…"

"How could she do that?!" Jaden asked shocked. "I was really looking forward to a sequel to 'Warrior Summer.'"

"She just gave up being a star five years ago." Johnny told them shrugging. "Actually, now that I think about it…That was right when Miss. Stella came to Vox."

'Five years ago…?' J thinks on that. Both Stella joined Vox and Malty stopped being a big star, could their be a connection.

J then decides it's time for one last look around Vox Studios and leaves with Jaden to the studios.

October 19, Vox Studios, Main Gate

When J and Jaden arrived at the main gate they found Stan standing straight and looking at them. Through he didn't say anything to them at all and remained quiet.

"The old pine sure is quiet today." Jaden said to J, and Stan still said nothing "You know, this place is really… peaceful, like this." He added grinning but Stan still said nothing. "J? I think his guard's down…"

"Y-yeah?" J said a bit confused.

"I bet we could even eat those donuts in the guard station… if we wanted." Jaden said grinning.

Stan remained silent for a bit but then said, "You eat, you die."

"Phew! He's alive!" Jaden said smiling.

"Um, I was wondering about Stella, the producer." J said to Stan.

"Oh, the studio bigwigs LOVE her." Stan said to them. "So she always gets her way."

'He seems bitter…' J thinks at that.

"Do you…. not like the producer?" Jaden asked him.

"Look, the studio people don't want me talking about her, so, sorry." Stan told them.

"Well, can I ask you about Roshi, the director?" J asked him.

"Roshi? He's soft a pushover. Does whatever Stella tells him to." Stan explained to them and smirks "She treats him like dirt, but I think he likes it."

"Huh? Why would anyone like being treated like dirt?" Jaden asked confused. "That doesn't make any sense, does it, J?"

"Er…. No, no it doesn't, Jaden." J said to him choosing not to ruin that innocent brain. She looks to Stan and said "About Miss Melromarc…"

"Arrgh!" Stan said suddenly getting angry. "I heard about what you said today! Cheeky Robotscrap! Poor sweet Malty! You'd drag her star down from the sky and stomp on it! Calling her a criminal! A thief! I-I-I-I…I won't forget this!"

'Uh oh, he's really annoyed this time!' J thinks nervous.

"You listen to me Robotscrap! My poor sweet Malty would never do such a thing!" Stan yelled at her. "Why would she steal Johnny's costume so he could sneak by me? He would never stoop so low! It's impossible!"

Deciding to leave Stan to cool off J and Jaden hurry off to the Employee Area.

October 19, Vox Studios, Employee Area

When they arrived, Jaden looks saddened and said "I guess they're not filming today, either. I did want to see them filming… just one time."

"The trial will be over and done by tomorrow. You can come see them film later." J told him.

"I guess…" Jaden said smiling. He thinks and asked "This is where you found that bottle of sleeping pills, right?"

"That's right." J said nodding.

"I wonder if there's any other clues lying around." Jaden asked smiling

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" A voice screams out and Detective N flies up to them and lands "No, no, no! No touching!"

"Ah!" Jaden said jumping in shock.

N then sees it's them and calms down and said embarrassed "Oh, sorry pals. Didn't mean to scare you."

"D-didn't mean…? I almost had a heart attack!" Jaden said annoyed.

"Heh, heh. I guess I can be a little dramatique at times…" N said chuckling. "I suppose it's the actor in me…"

'"Dramatique" indeed…' J thinks rolling her eyes.

N clears his throat and says "Anyway, I'm here to examine the plate on that table."

"Wait, are you looking for sleeping pills?" J asked him.

"Yeah, buddy. Traces thereof." N said with a nod.

"So, you're looking for traces of the sleeping pills… how?" Jaden asked him.

"Fore a thorough examination I got to take the plate back to the precinct." N explained to them. "But I have the capabilities to make a cursory examination right here!" He takes out a bottle "Our science guy gave me some testing solution. This reacts to these sleeping pills, you, see? If there's traces, it'll change colour."

"Wow! Neat!" Jaden said smiling. "Well, Detective N? What are you waiting for?"

"Now, now, everything in due time, buddy." N said smiling, he then applies the solution to the plate and sees results "Well, the testing solution on the plate changed colour alright."

"So, the food on this plate had been laced with sleeping pills!" J said surprised.

"Looks like it" N said nodding.

J nods and adds Steak Plate in the Court Record, it now seems Johnny being asleep though it all is looking more likely now that sleeping pills were involved. She then asked N "How goes your investigation?"

"To tell the truth, it's a real mess, buddy." N said sadly. "Some people think we should pursue the case we already have against Johnny…And some people think we should switch suspects!"

"What do you think, Detective N?" Jaden asked him.

"Well, buddy, I hate to admit it…But I'm not sure I buy the case against Mr. Bravo anymore." N said sighing. "I feel kind of bad for Mr. Deamonne, though."

"How is Hunter doing anyway?" J asked concerned.

"Mr. Deamonne is out of control!" N tells them "He was in the waiting room and he crushed this paper cup with hot, hot coffee in it."

"Whoa…" J said surprised, she was aware that the trial has been a headache for Hunter with the witnesses but to get so angry to crush a cup of coffee while it's still hot…. yikes.

"Talk about burns, buddy, even with gloves on." N said sadly.

"Wow! The fury of Hunter!" Jaden said smiling.

"Yeah, crushing paper cups…" J said with a nod 'Cups….bottles…?' she thinks and asked N "Say, what ever happened with that empty bottle?"

"Oh, the bottle of sleeping pills?" N asked her "Well, I got some good news for you about that. They found the victim Malty Melromarc's prints on the bottle."

"So that means…." Jaden said realizing what this means.

"Yep, it sounds like the one who put Johnny to sleep was none other than… the victim!" N said nodding.

'So, I was right!' J thinks happy her theory was proven true and this made Johnny's innocence way more likely. She adds the Sleeping Bill Bottle back into the Court Record with the updated information of Malty's prints.

Having asked all they needed to, J and Jaden decide to head into Johnny's dressing room.

Well good to see that Johnny's innocence is way more likely but J needs to find out who at Studio Two could have killed Malty so investigation has to keep going.

Please Read, Review and Suggest. Thank you.