Here we go the true final battle with Stella let's find out what happens.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.

DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 24

White Ranger's Final Battle Pt 2

It was done to the final trial for the White Ranger case, J was close to proving Stella was the true culprit but she lacked decisive proof. Luckily with Hunter's help she manged to get Stella testify one last time.

Stella then began to testify After Finding the Body saying "I was with Roshi and Stan, the security guard, when we found the body. The assistant was there, too. Only Johnny was absent. I immediately called the police troopers. Then Johnny showed up. The security man, Stan, was quite agitated. Pointing at Johnny, saying 'he did it!'"

"I asked to be left out of the proceedings." Stella continued "I went to the trailer to get my script and direction notes. Then I went home."

"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks on that and said "I see no issues raised by this testimony…Miss J, your cross-examination."

"Okay, J, we're close, real close!" Jaden said nodding. "She may be acting tough now…But if you put her on the spot she's sure to falter! Find the key you need and twist the truth out of her, J!"

"Right!" J said nodding and starts to cross examin starting with the last statement about her going home saying "Hold it! So, you weren't questioned?"

"That's correct." Stella said nodding. "I find those things…distasteful."

"Thinking back to when we first began this trial…We were under the impression that there was no one in the trailer at all." J said choosing to press further.

"I suppose." Stella said shrugging.

"Why is that?" J asked.

"Well, we were in a meeting the whole afternoon." Stella explained grinning "Whtat's the point of talking about that to the police?"

'She has got to be the least guilt-ridden guilty person I've ever met…' J thinks, she then presses on the first statement about Stella arriving with Stan and Roshi saying "Hold it! What time was that?"

"We were to meet at 5:00 for the rehearsal." Stella said, "So I'd say it was then."

"When exactly did you and Mr. Roshi arrive at the studio?" J asked her.

"About 10 minutes before." Stella said simply "I wasn't stuffing any bodies into costumes, mind you."

"Where were the other employees when you got to the studio?" J asked pressing further.

"They weren't there yet." Stella told her.

"Well?" J said slamming her hands on her desk. "Then you could have put Malty in that costume, with Roshi's help!"

"Oh?" Stella said to that "What did I just say? Did I not just say 'I wasn't stuffing any bodies into any costumes'…?" She grins "You should try to listen to what people are saying, drone."

'D-drone?!' J thinks sweat dropping, she then presses on the next statement about Hashtag being there saying "Hold it! Mr. Bravo was taking a nap, correct?"

"So, he says." Stella said sipping her tea.

"Did no one go to call him?" J asked her.

"Remember…" Stella just said.

"Remember…what?" J asked.

"There was a dead body lying in front of us." Stella explained "Yet you expect me to be calm?"

'You certainly seemed calm enough when I accuysed you of murder!' J thinks sweating and meantally sighs but presses harder saying "Wait a second! Wouldn't that be the other way around?!"

"The other way around?" Stella asked grinning.

"You discovered a murdered body, and one persona was missing, right?" J asked her "Wouldn't you normally go looking for the missing person?!"

"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks on it "I have to agree with the defence on this one. Well, Miss. Stella?"

"Hmph." Stella just lets out and sips her tea "Logically speaking, perhaps. But no one there was thinking very logically, I assure you. Also. Without his White Ranger costume, Johnny doesn't really stand out. We often left him on the bus when shooting at location. No one noticed he was missing."

'Poor Johnny…' J thinks to that.

"Hmmm…Well, I suppose that explains that." Maccadam said nodding.

"Hold it!" J said to the next statement about Johnny showing up and asked, "What was everyone else doing at that time?"

"No one said a thing." Stella said sipping her tea. "It was silent. Completely silent. So, we stood there until Johnny finally arrived on the scene. 'Sorry! Sorry I'm late!' Then…silence. Dead silence." Everyone just stared at her in silence, and she grins saying "Silence."

"Hey…Hey, J." Jaden said to J smiling and asked "Why's everyone so quiet? Someone should do something to lighten things up!"

J sighs and presses the statement about Stan accusing Johnny and said "Hold it!" But then things 'Stan…the security guard.' She then asked "Why did the security guard think Johnny had done it?"

"He said because he saw him going toward the studio." Stella explained.

'Right…the White Ranger.' J thinks and then presses harder saying "Did the detective arrest Mr. Bravo based solely on the security guard's word?"

"Perhaps not." Stella said simply "He seems to have also given the detective that photograph…Of course, I heard all this after the fact."

'That photograph…meaning the one taken by the security camera.' J thinks on it.

"He's not known for exhibiting the best sense of judgement when it comes to Malty." Stella explained.

'Hmm. I don't think there's anything in there I can use.' J thinks sweat dropping, she then presses the fifth statement about Stella asking to be left out of proceedings and said "Hold it! You 'asked to be left out'?"

"Yes." Stella said nodding "It seems that everyone else was questioned. And I'm really not fond of that sort of thing."

J slams his hands onto her desk and said "But, you can't just decide who the police will and won't question!"

"Thankfully, the studio thinks otherwise." Stella told her. "They were nice enough to understand that, since we were in a meeting…there wass no way we could have been involved. Thus, they covered for us."

'Covered for you…or covered it up for you?' J thinks on that 'There must have been a lot riding on it, with all those bigwigs at the meeting…I'm sure her 'professionals' helped convince everyone they didn't require questioning.'

J then presses on the sixth statement about Stella getting script and direction notes saying "Hold it! The script and your direction notes?"

"Yes, they're quite valuable. It wouldn't do to have them stolen." Stella explained.

"No, I guess not." J said but presses harder when she realized something saying "Wait a second! I thought you came to Studio One for a rehearsal! Why didn't you bring your script and notes?!"

"Well, I was under the impression that we wouldn't be able to rehearse anything." Stella said sipping her tea.

"Why?" J asked.

"There was a murder, after all." Stella said. "Who could think of rehearsing after that!"

'Oh, yeah, I guess…' J thinks.

"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks and said "Very well. Miss. Stella, please continue…"

"Objection!" Hunter then said suddenly and slams his hand on the desk "Your Honor! I have an objection to the witness's last statement!"

'Huh…?!' J thinks surprised at that

"Think!" Hunter said to J firmly "Miss. Stella said she didn't bring the script because there wouldn't be a rehearsal. Don't you see what that means?" He slams his hand down on his desk "She would have had to know about the murder before going to Studio One!"

Stella looks shocked and stunned at Hunter revealing that. Also, at that mention the members of the court begin to speak up in surprise.

"Order! Order!" Maccadam said banging his gavel to quiet the court and looks at Hunter "Mr. Deamonne!" Hunter looks at him "What you have just said…is a reasonable observation. However, I find it hard to understand why the prosecution would make such a move! Or are you thinking of a career change to defence?!"

Hunter smiles and gives a bow and said "I…appreciate the concern, Your Honor. I will stand by my statement, however, regardless of how the court sees my role here." He slams his hand on his desk "Now, Miss. Stella…Do you have an explanation?"

'I can't believe Hunter is helping me!' J thinks surprised.

"Hmph." Stella said annoyed as she sips her tea "So the prosecution is in cahoots with the defence? What kind of court is this? No matter." She grins "I think you misunderstood me. I had a perfectly good reason to believe there would be no rehearsal."

"Hmm…" Maccadam looks at her "Very well, the witness will change her testimony to reflect this reason."

Stella nods and changes her final statement by saying "I knew that Malty was injured and couldn't do any action scenes, so I left them behind."

J presses this new statement saying "Hold it! How did you know about the injury?"

"H-how did I know?!" Stella asked at that and smiles adding "Roshi. He told me."

'Roshi the director…Hmmm…' J thinks but knew something wrong and gets the evidence in the Court Record and said on the final statement "Objection! You 'knew that Malty was injured'…? Don't you think that's a little funny?" She slams her hands down and said "I mean, it was the White Ranger who was injured! It was Johnny Bravo!"

"Wh…. what?!" Stella said in shocked at that and the court murmurs in surprise.

Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Miss. J! Explain yourself!"

"Yes, Miss. Melromarc is dragging her leg in this photo." J said and show the Johnny's(?) Photo on the screens and added "But that's because she was pretending to be Mr. Bravo!"

"P-pretending…?" Stella ask sipping her tea her hand shaking.

"One person was injured in the run-through that morning." J explained "That person was Mr. Bravo, not Miss. Melromarc!" She slams her hands down and points at Stella "Now, why did you think it was Miss. Melromarc who was injured?"

Stella was shocked and tries to keep composes as she grips her tea cup and said "I-I already said it was Roshi who told me! Th-that's right! He must have gotten is wrong."

"I think not." J said shaking her head. "Mr. Roshi was at the run-through that morning. He would have known it was Mr. Bravo who was injured. He saw it happen! Why would he tell you the wrong person?" She slams her hands down the desk and said "Miss. Stella! Actually, you didn't hear anything from Mr. Roshi. You saw Miss. Melromarc limping with your own eyes!"

"Yes, but…Wasn't it Mr. Bravo who was injured…?" Maccadam asked confused.

"Yes, but remember!" J said and explained "Miss. Melromarc was dragging her leg, too! She was pretending to be Mr. Bravo!"

"Aah!" Melromarc said to that nodding.

"And when was she doing this…?" J asked looking at Hunter.

"Well…" Hunter said thinking "It would have been after she put on the White Ranger costume…and went to Studio Two. Where she was murdered!"

"Exactly!" J said nodding. She slams her hands on the desk again "Miss. Stella! You met them, didn't you? You saw the White Ranger limping! And Miss. Melromarc was in that White Ranger suit! That's why you were confused!" She slams her hands down again and said "That's why you thought it was Miss. Melromarc who had been injured that morning!"

Stella was stunned shocked at that. The members of the court murmur and Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order! I will have order!"

"Witness!" Hunter said looking at Stella and slams his hand down asking "Can you refute this claim?"

"Hmmmm…. hmph!" Stella said gritting her teeth and clutching her cups handle but remains silent.

'Yeah, let's see you sneak out of this one, Stella!' J thinks to that mentally smiling.

"Very well!" Stella said sipping her tea and smirks looking at J "I have a question for you!"

'Urk…' J said sweating and facepalming herself mentally. 'Why are the real killers always so…persistent?'

"Why in the world would I want Miss. Melromarc dead?" Stella asked her. "Yes, she'd fallen on hard times, but she was a star! I had nothing to gain from her death! Nothing!"

"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks on it and said "Yes, you would need a motive. Why would she have killed the victim? If there is a reason, it is unclear to this court. Does the defense have anything to say on the matter? In other words, can you prove she had a motive?"

"Okay." J said nodding "I have proof, and I'll show it to you! I present to the court evidence as to Miss. Stella's motive in this murder." She then presents the Five Year Photo and said "Take that! This is my proof!"

"This is…the photo from before?" Maccadam said looking at it.

J slams her hands on her desk and said, "This photo reveals the motive in this murder!" Stella looks at it unnerved "I'm right, aren't I, Miss. Stella?"

"Hrrrrrrm…hmph!" Stella lets out shaking.

"Five years ago, Miss. Melromarc was at the hight of her fame." J explained "With Stella's help, a terrible accident was swept under the carpet…Ladies and gentleman, the case currently up for trial…It began on that day, five years ago!" Stella remains silent "Ironically enough, that accident precipitated Miss. Melromarc's fall…Her fall from stardom!"

"Her guilt weighed her down, no doubt." Hunter added his observations on this.

"However!" J said as she continues "You, Stella, used Miss. Melromarc. You made her work for you for petty change!"

"Hmph." Stella just said to that.

"Bringing us to the present day…and Miss. Melromarc's last role as the Evil Evox!" Hunter said.

"Yes! Undoubtedly, it was a constant source of shame for the ex-star…" J said with a nod.

"Hmmm…" Hunter lets out thinking.

"One moment, Miss. J." Maccadam said pausing this "We are talking about motives here…yet you have only talked about Miss. Melromarc. It almost seems as it…As if it was Miss, Melromarc who had killed Stella, not the other way around! What motive would Miss. Stella have?"

Y-yes, that's right." Stella said still unnerved but composes "According to what you say…I would have had no reason to kill Malty. She was a good source of income for me! And I never get rid of useful people. It's a policy of mine." She smirks.

"Miss. J? Please explain Miss Stella's motive for murder." Maccadam asked.

J shakes her head and told the Judge "She had no motive, Your Honor."

"What's that now?!" Maccadam said shocked.

"It was Miss. Melromarc who was out for blood!" J said firmly pointing "All Miss. Stella did was push her off the stairs…in self-defence!"

"What's that now?!" Hunter said surprised.

"It's simple!" J said and explained "Miss. Melromarc was intending to kill Miss. Stella!"

"Wha…?!" Hunter said in shock losing his composure. WHAT?!" This made the made the members of the court make a commotion making Maccadam bang his gavel.

"Your Honor!" J said and explained "Malty Melromarc drugged Mr. Bravo with sleeping pills! Malty Melromarc snuck into the dressing room and stole the White Ranger costume! Malty Melromarc wore the costume to fool the security guard into thinking she was Johnny! Then Malty Melromarc mader her way to the trailer! And for what purpose, you ask? To kill Stella, who had so cruelly taken advantage of her all those years!"

Stella glares in anger clutching her cup so hard she breaks the handle, and it falls to the floor and smashes. She knew she had firmly lost this as the truth had finally come out.

"So, you did do it, didn't you?" J asked looking at Stella.

Stella sighs her hand in her head and just said "…Yes. I am guilty. It was me…"

We flash back to five years ago as someone on set yells out "Someone call an ambulance!"

"Th-there's blood everywhere! We're too late!" Another voice of the production team said.

"Aah! Miss. Stella!" A third one said surprised.

What…? What happened here?!" Stella said in shock.

"Kenny McKormick fell from the stairs…!" Malty said scared.

"Kenny! Kenny!" Stella said in sadness and shock.

"Miss. Stella, please try to remain calm…" One of the members of production said comforting her.

"No...! No! How could this...?" Stella said confused.

"It was an accident…" Malty said in her defence still scared.

"Miss. Melromarc was doing an action scene and…" The director tried to explain.

"No! Kenny! Kenny!" Stella said crying going to him

"D-don't touch him! Miss. Stella!" One of the production members said.

"Nooooooo!" Stella cried out. "Please…. please don't die. Please…"

On that day not only did Malty lose her stardom, but Stella lost any care she had in the mortal world, due to the death of the one person who made her feel any happiness, while it is unknow if it was romantic with the young man, people on the set who knew Stella noted she became kinder when she met Kenny but reverted to her old self after he died.

We come back to the present as Stella was done talking about that day.

She opened her eyes and looks at J and said "Congratulations, Miss. J. I lose….again.

The members of the court murmur a commotion and Maccadam bangs his gavel.

A while late Stella was no long in the courtroom.

"Mr. Deamonne…Where's Stella?" Maccadam asked.

"In the waiting lobby, Your Honor." Hunter explained "As calm and collected as ever…"

"I see…" Maccadam said nodding "Miss. J."

"Yes, Your Honor?" J said looking at him.

"It appears you have brought about yet another miracle." Maccadam said smiling.

"I…thank you, Your Honor." J said blushing a bit.

"I think not, Your Honor." Hunter said to that. "Johnny Bravo was innocent. That he should be found so is only natural…not a miracle."

Maccadam processes this and said "Yes. Yes, you're right. Very well. This court find the defendant, Mr. Johnny Bravo….NOT GUILTY" The members of the court cheer as confetti falls from the ceiling. Maccadam bangs his gavel. "That is all. This court is adjourned!"

October 20, 1:12 PM, District Court, Defendant Lobby No. 3

J, Jaden and Johnny met up in the lobby to celebrate their victory.

Johnny smiling confidently said "I…I don't know what to say! Thank you so much!" He hugs J.

"I'm just glad you're okay." J said smiling after breaking away from the hug.

"Yes…but…it's sad." Johnny said sadly. "I know now that Miss. Melromarc stole my costume. It's bad enough that she wanted to kill Miss. Stella…But to think that she tried to frame me for murder! It makes me sad…Tell me why, Miss J!"

"H-huh?" J said surprised.

"Tell me!" Johnny told her "Why did Miss. Melromarc want to blame me…?"

"Well, this is what I think. Miss. Melromarc wanted to put the blame on you because…" J said thinking and presents the Johnny's(?) Photo and said "Take that! It's because you were the White Ranger."

"Because I was the White Ranger?" Johnny asked.

"Miss. Melromarc was a big star, once." J explained to him "But she was reduced to acting in a kids' show…and as the villain, to boot! The kids love the White Ranger. And so, she hated you.

"I…I think I understand." Johnny said sadly. "S-she could have just told me. I would have changed places with her any time!"

'I think you're missing the point…' J thinks sighing.

"Thank you." Johnny said to her. "I'm just glad it's all over."

'So am I…so am I…' J thinks nodding.

"Congratulations, JB!" Jaden said smiling.

"Oh? OH! Heh heh." Johnny said smiling "Thanks to you, I'll be able to don the White Ranger outfit once more! I can't wait to get back into that sweaty costume and…" He then notices the sad look on Jaden's face and looks confused "Is…something wrong?

"N-no! O-of course not…" Jaden said shaking his head and looks round and eyes widen "Aah! J! Hunter!"

J looks and indeed sees standing there was Hunter, his two Purge Trooper escort standing by his side, he was holding his staff and mask and was staring right at J.

J and Hunter stare at each other in silence until Hunter then says "Say something, J. I'm not good at small talk."

"Huh?" J said confused. "What?" She thinks and said "Umm… that was too bad, Hunter!"

"You don't waste any time gloating, do you?" Hunter said looking away.

"No…I really want to thank you." J said to him smiling. "Stella would have gotten away if you hadn't stepped in."

"Ah, uh, please to meet you. I'm Johnny." Johnny said while sniffing.

"Ah, er, Hunter." Hunter said to that and added "I'm a big fan of your work, Mr. Bravo."

'Liar!' J thinks at that.

Hunter sighs and glares at J and said "J. I must say, I hadn't expected to meet you again after all this years."

"Meet 'again'…?" Jaden said confused.

"However. In retrospect, it would have been better had we not met." Hunter told her looking away. "Thanks to you, I am saddled with unnecessary…feelings."

"Unnecessary feelings?" J said confused.

"Yes. Unease…and uncertainty" Hunter said glaring.

"Aren't those kind of necessary?" J asked him.

"They only serve to get in my way." Hunter told her and puts his golden mask back on "You listen to me, Serial Designation J. Don't ever show your face in front of me again. That's what I cam here to tell you." He then leaves with the two Purge Troopers.

"Ummm…Miss. J?" Johnny asked looking at her "Was….that guy your friend?"

"What? Friend? As if!" Jaden said to that and adds smiling "They're rivals! Rivals! Right, J?"

"For now, we are…I guess." J said as she sadly watches Hunter walking off.

"Huh?!" Jaden said in shock. He then said annoyed "Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something? Come on J! Tell me! What's the deal with you and Hunter?"

J closes her eyes and in her memory area her mental self writes and says "And so the curtain closed on another trial…I caused quite a stir by revealing that accident from five years ago. It was the talk of the town. Thankfully, Vox Studios rethought its programming change. They went back to making kids' shows again"

We see on the tv an image for the new show from Vox Studios, the one Roshi came up with during this case Red Samurai Ranger and indeed the lead character is a red female ranger.

"J!" Jaden called out snapping J from her thought "This is it! The new show starts today! You're going to watch it with me, right?"

'I'll admit, I was kind of surprised…' J thinks sitting with Jaden and adds 'I didn't think they'd seriously go though with it…'

"You have to buy trading cards too, okay!" Jaden told J. "We have to trade with Kota and that assistant!"

"Fine, fine. I'll do it." J said sighing shaking her head smiling.

"Isn't it great that JB gets to play the lead again?" Jaden asked her. "I wonder if they'll show his real face this time…"

"I don't know…" J said shrugging. "I don't think the world is ready for the real Johnny Bravo…"

The End of Episode 3

Well case is closed, next time Episode 4 where things take an unexpected turn.

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