Here we go the next chapter that introduces a certain old security guard.
Discalimer: I own nothing in this.
DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 13
Vox Studios
October 16, Vox Studios, Main Gate
J and Jaden walk up to the gate and look at the studio ahead of them. Jaden was all smiles and excited as J looks around
"Wow! So, this is where they make the White Ranger show!" Jaden said happily. "Awesome! Aren't you excited?!"
"Hey! You there!" An oldman with white hair and glasses said stopping them moving forward, he looked buff but also lazy and he was wearing a security uniform the name tag said 'Stanly Pines' "You chumps want in, you got to go through me!"
"O-oh… s-sorry!" Jaden said surprised "W-we're, um, lawyers."
"Oh really? Well that's great. I'm security!" Stan said grinning "And that means it's my job to make sure that gawkers like you stay OUT."
"G-gawkers?" Jaden asked annoyed.
"Gawkers! Sightseers! Tourists!" Stan explained "I know the type having swindled a lot of them in old jobs. So I know you heard about the incident and came to snoop around." He then went on a long rant about young people and lawyers all in one breath.
"Ummm…J?" Jaden said sadly "Will I grow up to be like him? Please say 'no.'"
"Honestly I don't know! It's possible." J said shrugging.
"Hey!" Stan yelled out "Didn't you get taught to listen when spoken to! Youths today!"
J decided to ask some questions to Stan given he is the security guard "So, what do you do here at the studios?"
"At Vox Studios, we make children's dreams come true!" Stan said "In fact, in my younger days…" He gives off a smile
"No! You were a star?!" Jaden asked amazed.
"Nah, only a little twinkle between the stars here, I'm afraid, champ." Stan said smiling.
"Wo… wow." Jaden said.
"Through I will admit this place has really gone downhill, you know? Ever since the precious CEO and founder Gleemon Vox died in the last season of Dreadzone. It rebranded after that." Stan states nodding "10 years ago, after the rebranding, now that was a studio of dreams! Malty was a big star back then too, she was…"
"Malty….?" J said thinking
"You know? The victim, dumbbot!" Stan said a bit annoyed "Evox! She's been reduced to playing villains now. Not exactly the best material to work with…"
"Can you tell me about Mr. Johnny Bravo?" J asked him.
"He's not a bad kid, but don't be fooled by his helmet!" Stan said then adds grinning "You wouldn't want him on the silver screen without it, believe me. Pretty sure little old ladies and men watching would lose their lunch!" He chuckles and adds "That's probably why he thought that the White Ranger was his 'big chance.' No one thought he was capable of doing what he did to poor Malty S Melromarc…"
"We don't know for certain that Johnny Bravo is guilty!" Jaden said to him annoyed.
"Bravo? Of course, he's guilty!" Stan said with a smirk. "How do I know? I know everything! That's my job."
"Why are you so certain Mr. Bravo is the killer?" J asked him.
"I was standing right here yesterday, I was." Stan said as he began to explain "I was here from 1:00 in the afternoon, to 5:00, when they found the body!" He points to the left "Now the studio where the murder took place is to the left here. So if you want to go to the studio, you have to pass by me! Only one person went by here between 1:00 and 2:30, when the murder took place!" Stan said with a grin.
"And… that person was Mr. Bravo?" J asked concerned.
"Yes. I saw him!" Stan said with a nod.
"But Mr. Bravo says he was sleeping in his dressing room." J points out.
"Oh, I'm sure he would say that. He's no fool! And as a former conman makes me proud." Stan said nodding. "But he was the only one that walked by. He's the killer, you can bet your money on it."
"What kind of person was Malty S Melromac?" J asked him.
"What 'kind of person'? Oh… if you only knew!" Stan said to that and grins explaining "Malty S Melromac will live on in many hearts as the ultimate female action hero!" He shows a picture of Malty "She was simply beautiful in the Dynamite Princess Warrior series!"
'Should I have heard of that…?' J thinks at that.
"But… there was an accident during filming five years ago." Stan admits sighing. "She got an unlucky break after that. Reduced to playing the villain on a children's program! What's more, I heard they were paying her peanuts. It's enough to make you cry." He then smirks at the two "Isn't it about time for you to be heading home? There's nothing to see here. Move along."
"Um, actually, we're here at Mr. Bravo's request." J told him.
"Hmph! I thought you were suspicious looking!" Stan said smirking "Show me a 'letter of request.' And maybe I'll just let you in."
"This man here thinks he owns this place, obviously." Jaden said sadly at that.
"Well, let's go see Johnny" J said and they head by to the Detention Centre.
As soon as they enter the visitors room, Johnny was there and said "Hello! How was the studio? They all think I did it, don't there?"
"N-no, not at all!" Jaden said in reassurance "Isn't that right, J?"
"Right, not at all." J said nodding "At worst, you're a suspect." Johnny sniffs at that. J decided to ask about the alibi again asking "Mr. Bravo, you aren't hiding anything from me, are you?"
"W-what? No! I'd never do that!" Johnny said in response.
"Earlier, you said that you were sleeping in your dressing room after lunch." J recounts thinking.
"Yes. Like a baby." Johnny said nodding.
"But the security man says he saw you that day." J points out. "He says he saw you heading toward the scene of the crime!"
"W-what?! That's not possible!" Johnny said worried "I… I really don't know what to say! I was sleeping, I promise!"
"Mr. Bravo, if you want me to help you, you have to tell me the truth." J told him seriously. "I'm new to this lawyer business, and I need every advantage I can get."
"I know… I-I'm sorry." Johnny said sniffing a bit. "But I swear to you on my momma's heart, I was sleeping. Maybe the security man only thought he saw me?"
'What did he see…? Johnny doesn't seem to be lying.' J thinks then "Ummm… about the security guard at the main gate to the studio…"
"Oh, the security man?" Johnny asked.
"He's terrible! He called me 'suspecious looking'!" Jaden said annoyed.
"Y-yes… actually, he said the same thing to me before." Johnny admits chuckling "'Take off that helmet!' were his words, I believe. He sucks up to all the bigwigs at the studio…But let him see you stumble once and he'll never let up on you."
"Grr! He's got some nerve!" Jaden said angered
"Do you think you could write up a litter formally requesting my representation?" J asked Johnny.
"Of c-course." Johnny said nodding she writes it out and hands it to J who adds 'Bravo's Request' to the Court Record.
'I just hope this will get me past that security man.' J thinks and heads back to Vox studios.
Arriving back, they see Stan standing guard, J pulls out Bravo's Request and presents it to him saying "Sir, have a look at this. It's a letter of request from Mr. Bravo."
"Hmmmm…?" Stan thinks taking it and examines it and said nodding "Yes, yes. I recognize this bold, childish scrawl." He looks at the two "To think he would entrust his fate to youths of such unreliable appearance…Really!"
"Really?" J said confused.
"Anyway, you may pass." Stan said stepping aside. "But only left from here, towards the studios! No going to the right. That's the Employee Area. 'No one allowed inside, buddy' were my instructions. The good detective drone told me himself."
"Hey, hey, J." Jaden said smiling.
"Huh?" J said looking at him
Jaden holds up a map guide and said "There were maps in the security guard station."
J looks at the map, they were at the Main Gate, to the left was another gate that leads two areas, Studio 1 and Studio 2. To the right was the Employee Area where the Dressing Room was.
"Hey! Not bad!" J said smiling
"Those are 50 credits apiece, thank you!" Stan said angrily.
"Well, time to go J." Jaden said smiling nodding.
"50 credits!" Stan yells out
J adds Guidemap of Vox Studios to the Court Record and heads to Studio One quickly.
October 16, Studio One Entrance
J and Jaden arrive at the gate that leads to the crossroads of the studios and they see a statue of a blue, white and red woodpecker with its head off it's body fallen to the ground but also there was a familiar drone detective.
"Hey!" N said waving to them and said to J "Not to be rude but aren't you the murderer from the other day?!
"Aah! It's that confused detective drone!" Jaden said annoyed.
"Listen buddy, you know Prosecutor Hunter is all upset, and it's your fault!" N told her "I saw him sipping tea and staring gloomily out the window!"
"Ummm… so?" J asked confused
"Hey!" Jaden said to N "If he's depressed, it's your fault for doing sloppy detective work!" N looks down sadly remaining quiet "Um, Detective?"
"I think you hurt his feelings." J told him.
"Oh no! I… I'm sorry!" Jaden said to N sadly.
"Well, I think his feelings are easily hurt." J adds to that.
"You're right, buddy. It's all my fault" N said sadly "I can blame other people all I want, but I know the truth in my heart!"
"Hey, hey! Don't take it so hard! There's always the next case!" Jaden told him smiling.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." N said cheering up "Hey! What exactly are you two doing here?"
"Um, well…We're on this case too, buddy!" Jaden said smiling and giving a thumbs up.
"Huh?! Hey! You can't just go around saying 'buddy' like that!" N told him "That's MY endearing character trait!"
"I will say he's a character alright…" Jaden said chuckling. "By the way that statue looked kind of busted."
"Oh, the wind was pretty strong yesterday, and the head broke off." N explained "It took that tree down with it, too."
"So, how is your investigation going, Detective N?" J asked him.
"Well, it's… Hey! I can't tell you that, buddy" N said chuckling and smiling.
"J…" Jaden said thinking "Maybe you need to be a little more indirect with your questions?"
"Right." J said nodding and looks to N "So, Detective N, mind if I take a look at what you got?"
"What I got?" N asked confused.
"The autopsy report!" J states firmly "The latest version, if you please…"
"Hmmmm… right, right." N said looking down sadly "I'm really sorry about what happened last time, buddy." He then hands J the Autopsy Report
J adds Melty's Autopsy Report to the Court Record. It said Melty died yesterday at 2:30P and the cause of death was being pireced through the chest by a spear or sword.
"Why was Mr. Bravo arrested?" J asked N.
"Simple Buddy!" N said smiling "The murder took place right over there in Studio One." He points to it then explained "Now, the victim entered Studio One at approximately 1:00 PM. At that time, there was no one other than the victim in the studio. According to the autopsy report, the time of death was 2:30 PM. Only one person went to the studio between 1:00 and 2:30!" He brings up Johnny's picture "Ant that person was none other than Johnny Bravo! No one else, buddy! If you think I'm lying, ask the security man at the main gate."
"J! If that's true…!" Jaden asked concerned. "Anyone would think that Johnny did it with that kind of evidence!"
"Thanks for cheering me up…" J said sighing. "About the security man…"
"Oh, that cool old guy. What a great guy!" N said smiling
"Huh? A-are we talking about the same person?" J asked confused
"When I showed him my badge, he gave me a battery donut and some oil!" N said happily.
"Remember what Johnny said. He's a sucker for authority." Jaden whispered to J.
"He even gave me a piece of valuable evidence!" N said happily
"Whaat?!" Jaden yelled out shocked.
"What kind of evidence?!" J asked surprised
"Well, that, er, photo." N said rubbing his head "The photo of the White Ranger heading toward the scene of the crime!"
"What! Who took that?!" Jaden asked him.
"See the camera up on that gate, buddy?" N said pointing at a camera attached to the welcome gate.
"The gate? You mean the one with the welcome sign?" Jaden asked.
"Yeah." N said nodding and explained "Whenever someone walks by, that camera automatically snaps a photo of them!"
"Oh no!" Jaden said shocked. "J, he has evidence! We're finished!"
J looks at N who looked a bit uncomfortable and thinks 'Funny, for someone with hard proof he doesn't look too happy about it.'
N looks at J and asked "What's wrong buddy? You seem down."
"Don't look so happy when you say that." J said to him.
"Oh, hoh, hoh, hoh." N laughs.
"Umm…" Jaden said to that. "We'd like to ask the employees here some questions…"
"Sure thing, buddy." N said smiling happily. "Go wherever you like. Of course, you're not going to find any clues I haven't aready found! Hahahaha!"
'Well, I'm glad someone around here seems to be enjoying themselves.' J thinks to that.
"J, let's go!" Jaden said happily "We've got a free pass to the place. Now's our chance to check things out!"
J nods and looks at the Studio 1 gate, she sees it needs a keycard for access and heads back to the Main Gate since they have permission for the Employee's area.
Once they arrive they find no one was around.
"J! Look!" Jaden said pointing to the guard station "That security man is in the guard station stuffing his face with donuts! I guess all cops like their donuts regardless of species."
"Yeah, and they're soft enough he doesn't need teeth to chew them…" J said giggling.
"Hey you!" Stan said suddenly appearing out of the guard station smirking "Well? Are you satisfied Johnny is guilty yet?"
'Power Harassment! He had to make my life harder by giving that photo to Detective N…' J thought and asked, "Why didn't you tell us about the security photo, sir?"
"Hmmm? Oh, that old thing?" Stan said thinking "I just thought it would be more thrilling to talk with a detective himself! I know these things are important, you know."
"Just to the left from here is the gate with the camera that took that photo." Stan explained "It's my job to check the photos every day, you see."
"About the security camera…" J asked him.
"Oh yes, the camera." Stan said nodding "It's automatic. It can tell when someone walks through that gate, you see? Then it snaps a photo! Apparently, it records the time when it takes a picture too." He grins "But I don't bother myself with those details. I just view all the photos on the computer over in the security guard station. I check them every day before going home, I do."
"Okay but can you explain your reason for your suspecions?" J asked.
"This guard station is in a central position." Stan explained "No matter where you go here, you pass by my station first! Now poor Malty, she went to the studio just before 1:00. The murder happened right around 2:30, see?" He smirks "The only I seen go through here between 1:00 and 2:30 was Johnny himself! The security camera got a good luck at him too. If he's not the one, what did it, I don't know who is!"
"Maybe… it was you?" J said thinking.
Bwahahahaha! Good one, champ." Stan laughs out slapping J's back.
'He thinks I was joking.' J winces at that and asked, "Was the victim, Miss. Melromarc, a popular actress?"
"Oh, she was the biggest star in the studio!" Stan said smiling.
'"Was"? Past tense?' J thinks surprised.
"Oh yes! She was great as the 'Trickster Knight'!" Jaden said remembering and smiling.
"That too, yes." Stan said with a nod. "She shone the brightest! Back in the day. Making a star like her play the evil 'Evox'… It's a disgrace, I say!" He waves his fist in the air "Malty took it pretty hard, and who can blame her?"
J notes noting it all down and understands that Malty had a fall of fame. She and J head to the Employee area now having permission to go there.
Well things aren't looking good, the prosecution apperently have critical evidence proving Johnny's guilt, J has to find something that could help them.
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