Here we go the final chapter of Episode 4 enjoy.

DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 40

Parting For Now

December 28, 5:38 PM, District Court, Defendant Lobby No. 2

There was much excitement as the group was in the Lobby, they didn't just solve one case but two case one being on the cusp of reaching of its Statute of Limitations.

"J! J! We did it!" Jaden cheers happily. "Did you see his face?! Belos looked even paler then usual!" He thinks "He's pretending to be all cool, but inside you crushed him, J! Crushed! I got to say, I'm impressed."

"Heh…It was pretty close, though." J said sipping some oil. "I was sure we'd had it."

"I know, I was on the verge of tears the whole time, myself." Jaden said with a nod but smiles adding "But now it's all just a good memory!"

J looks over at Hunter who was remaining silent looking at his Golden Guard Mask. She apporches him and said "So, it's finally over, Hunter."

Hunter remains quiet and said "J."

"Yeah?" J asked.

"I…I'm not sure how to say this." Hunter said looking away.

"Oh, I know! I know! Try 'thank you.'" Jaden said to him.

"I…I see." Hunter said and hesitated but looks at J and said "Th-thank you, J."

"Y-you're welcome." J said nodding surprised he was able to do so.

"I think you could have done better than that!" Jaden said thinking.

"Nngh…S-sorry…I'm not good at this sort of thing." Hunter admits rubbing his head.

"You got a lot to learn, Hunter!" Jaden said lightly punching his arm.

'He's got you there…' J thinks giggling.

"Whooooooooo!" The cheering voice of N is heard as he comes in excited "Amazing, buddy! You pulled though just like I thought you would!" He hugs J "I'll never forget this! I owe you one, buddy. Also tonight, let's party! Dinner's on me!" He lets J go and looks down "Yeah, my salary went down a bit this month…But who care!"

"See, Mr. Deamonne? You should take a lesson from Detective N!" Jaden said smiling. "That's how you say 'thank you'!"

"Hmm. I…I see." Hunter said thinking and clears his throught "Whoooooooo!" He cries out and after a bit he puts his mask on to hide his embarrassed face and said "I…. I feel foolish."

"Don't worry. Take it a little at a time. You'll get used to it." Jaden told him chuckling.

'It's been fifteen years since I've seen Hunter this…unguarded.' J thinks smiling.

"Hey all!" Todd said walking over smiling.

"Todd!" Jaden said with a smile.

"You all were great in there!" Todd said smiling.

"Thank you!" J said with a nod.

"Hey, Hunter! Congrats!" Todd said to him.

"Er…thank you very much." Hunter said awkwardly.

"I knew you were innocent from the start, of course." Todd told him. "Just look at you! You wouldn't stick your hand in the cookie jar even if no one was there!"

"You…were the witness on the first day of the trial, weren't you." Hunter said recognizing him.

"Yeah, well, let bygones be bygones, right?" Todd chuckles rubbing his head.

"Speaking of which, what are you doing now, Todd?" J asked him.

"Who, me? Aww, I went back to college." Todd told her. "I gave up trying to be an investigative photographer pretty quick."

"Really? That's too bad." J said nodding.

"Huh?" Todd lets out confused look at he right and J was confused. He then said "Isn't that the hotdog guy from the park?"

"Huh?" J said and looked to see Joey their tears in his eyes.

"It's over, J! My like is over!" Joey said crying.

"Wh-why the sad face, Joey?! What happened now?!" J asked surprised.

"Oh, J…I'm not long for this world." Joey said to him.

"Uh…you don't look sick…" J said confused.

"It's Lindsey! Sh-she's going to live in Kalos! Kalos, J!" Joey told her and cries more "She's leaving me behind!"

'Should've seen that coming…' J thinks deadpanned and rolls her LED eyes

Joey calms down and looks at Hunter and said smiling "Yo, Hunty! There you are!"

"Um, yes, here I am." Hunter said nodding.

"Congrats, Hunty!" Joey said and loos out a white envelope and hands it to Hunter "Here…a little gift from me in celebration!"

"Celebration? That's unusual for you." Hunter said taking it and suspicious.

"Terry Wheeler! You come along tonight too! My treat, buddy!" N said with a smile.

"Huh? Uh…thanks! Looking forward to it!" Joey said confused and whispered to J "Hey, J! That's the drone that questioned me! When he says treat…that's not police trooper-talk for prison food, right? Right?"

"Um, I think you'll be fine, Joey." J said to him.

"J…" Hunter said after opening the envelope and looking in it.

"Yeah? What's up?" J asked looking at him.

"That envelop that Joey gave me. It's got money in it." Hunter tells her.

"Well, yeah. That's not that strange. People give money away to celebrate sometimes." J said confused on this.

"It's 38 credits, J." Hunter said to her.

"Huh. What a weird amount." J said thinking "I mean, it's not a little, but it's not a lot either." She thinks and then her LED eyes widen. She asked, "38 credits exactly?" she clenches her hands.

"J!" Jaden said surprised "Wasn't that exactly the amount of lunch money that was stolen from Mr. Deamonne in school?!"

"38 credits…!" J said getting angry in shock "No…" She looks right at Joey "No! Joey, it was you!"

"What are you so surprised about, J?" Hunter said shrugging.

"Huh?" J looks at him.

"Joey was absent that day from school, right?" Hunter asked thinking "But that doesn't automatically rule him out as a suspect."

"What?" J said in shock.

"Think back to that day, fifteen years ago." Hunter told her. "Joey took the day off, but he was bored, so he came into school anyway. Then he saw the money lying there…and the rest is history."

"I never was good at History! Heh…" Joey chuckles.

J was in shock and asked "Hunter…you didn't know, did you?"

"I had suspected." Hunter said shrugging. "I just couldn't picture Joey protecting you like he did that day. Everyone else was saying you did it. The whole class was against you, remember?"

"Yeah…too well." J said nodding.

"J, you may not know this, but we used to have a saying back in school." Hunter tells her. "'When something's off it's usually the Wheeler.'"

"I know, I know." J said still in shock.

"Really, J. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out!" Hunter said.

"Well, this sure is an unexpected turn of events, eh?" Joey said laughing.

"Hunter…" J said shaking.

"Hmmm?" Hunter looks at her.

"You should have told me!" J said annoyed.

"Now, now, J. It was fifteen years ago!" Jaden said to her smiling. "Don't you think the 'statute of limitations' has run out, Mr. Deamonne?"

"I'd say so, yes." Hunter said nodding.

"There you have it!" Joey said laughing.

"Grr…" J lets out and grumbles. "Where does that leave me?! I became a defence attorney because of what you two did!"

"Well, you have always been something of an insufferable emotionalist at times." Hunter tells her.

"Yeah! And you get worked up too easily, too!" Joey said with a nod.

"D-death! The death sentence for both of you!" J yells out angry. "Unsanctioned files! If I only had known, I'd have become a prosecutor!"

"The same goes for me, only the other way around…" Hunter said sighing. "For the longest time, I thought I might have killed my own father. I thought I might be a criminal. I became a prosecutor in part to punish myself. If I had known the truth, I might have become a defence attorney after all."

"Hunter…" J said looking at him calming down.

"Want to switch, J?" Hunter asked her.

"Hey, you all! Line up, I'll take a photo!" Todd said smiling holding up his camera.

"Hey, photo time! Let's go!" Jaden said smiling.

"And after that, dinner on me!" N said as he and the others go to line up.

We come to J's mental room as she writes down her log and says "Detective N took us out on the town that night. We celebrated Hunter's newfound freedom. Even though Hunter himself was still in detention."

December 29, 5:02 AM, J & Co. Law Offices

J groans waking up as she was lying on the couch in the offices' lobby and sits up rubbing her head "Whoa…I went a little overboard yesterday. My head hurts…" She checks her internal clock "Huh? It's still only 5:00. Maybe I should go back to sleep…"

She then sees on the table an envelope. "Hmm?" She goes and picks it up thinking 'What's this? A letter?' She opens it and sees it was from Jaden.

"Good morning, J." Jaden's letter said "You were really impressive yesterday. Seeing you…It made me think about what I'm doing here. I'm a Keyblade Warrior…in training, of course. I wanted to help Mr. Deamonne too. I wanted to help you. But I wouldn't. I was useless. So, I've decided to go back to my training. I'll become a full-fledged Keyblade Warrior, for starters. I couldn't say it to your face, so I left this letter. Goodbye, J."

'G-goodbye?!' J thinks shocked "What time is it?" She checks the time again "Gah! The first trains for the mountains have already left! To the station!"

She rushes out of the office spreads her wings and flies off to the train station.

J arrives and lands on the train platform for the mountains and looks around but didn't see Jaden. "I guess I'm too late…" She said sadly.

"Hey!" Jaden said surprised "J!"

"Jaden!" J said and goes to him. Jaden looks down guilty and the two remained silent for a while. J breaks the silent asking "So…you're leaving?"

"Yeah." Jaden said nodding sadly. "It's hard being a Keyblade Warrior who can't talk to spirits through the heart. And…I think you'll do fine without me, J. Be good…okay!" He goes to leave for his train.

"Hold it!" J yells out and added "W-wait!"

"What?" Jaden said turning to face her.

J takes a deep breath to keep herself not tearing up and said "I never could have saved Hunter without your help."

"Huh?" Jaden said surprised.

"On the last day of the trial…I heard him, I heard Terra's voice!" J told him.

"You heard my brother…?" Jaden asked surprised.

"Yes…only his voice, but still…It was at the very end when I thought we'd lost everything." J said with a nod.

"Well, that's my brother for you." Jaden said nodding but still sad clutching his pendent "Detective N helped, and Mr. Ansem, and even Joey…I'm the only one who couldn't help. I was useless, J."

"But you were the one who stopped Belos, Jaden!" J said smiling folding her arms.

"Huh?" Jaden said looking at her and said annoyed "I-I didn't do anything! All I did was wander around in a daze…"

"Sorry, but I have evidence that you helped!" J said grinning.

"E-evidence?" Jaden asked confused.

J nods and shows the evidence to prove it by present a picture of the DL-6 Bullet and said "Take that!"

"A bullet…?" Jaden said surprised.

"Belos was convinced he had taken all the evidence pertaining to DL-6!" J explained to him "But you were the one who rescued the last piece of evidence we needed! This was the bullet that put an end to Belos! And you were the one who gave it to me!"

J…" Jaden said tearing up.

"Thanks, Jaden." J said smiling at the boy "I couldn't have done it without you."

Jaden remains quiet and then said, "I'll be back soon."

"Huh?" J said confused.

Jaden looks at J tears in his eyes saying, "I'm going to complete my training, and come back!"

J smiles and said "Okay. I'll be wait." The two happily hug.

Jaden chuckles and breaks the hug saying "Of course you will. You can't run that office by yourself! You're hopeless!"

"Haha, I don't know about that…" J said smiling. Soon the sound of the train is heard, it was last boarding call.

"So…this is it." Jaden said picking up his bag.

"See you soon, Jaden." J said with a nod.

Jaden smiles and heads for the train and looking at J said as he boards it "Thanks…J."

We come to J's mental world as she was writing down in her log and said "And so my story ends. Time to turn a new page…and say goodbye to the novice defence attorney that I once was…Now a new story begins…With the same old crazy cast of characters."

Just then Hunter slams his hand on the desk ahead of J and said "Hah! Don't think you've graduated yet, amateur!"

"Miss. J. Perhaps you'd like to rethink that claim?" Maccadam told her.

"Er…yes, Your Honor." J said sweating and thinks 'Uh oh, I've got a bad feeling about this…" She then calls out "Objection!"

Sometime later at the beginning of the New Year a news reporter named Clark Kent was writing a story of the up and coming successful lawyer J. He headed to the Police Troopers building to get information on J and those associated with her.

He met with N who knew Clark and said "Hey, buddy! Mr. Deamonne came down to the precinct to wish me a happy new year! Talk about a pleasant surprise!"

"Whooooooo! Detective NNNNNNNN!" A past version of Hunter said.

"Then he put his mask back on, hung his head and went right back outside." N said finishing recounting "Kind of like he was embarrassed or something. Strange, huh?"

"I know someone like that" Clark said chuckling and had N get him the info he needs.

Clark then made his way to Seadra Lark Park entrance where Joey was and asked him about J.

"Huh? J? Nah, haven't seen her lately." Joey said shaking his head.

"I see, I understand you used to run a stand here but it's closed, where are you working now?" Clark asked him

"Who, me? I've been working at a cheese shop!" Joey said smiling then gets lovey dovey "That Amy's is a nice lady, but she's not exactly what you'd call a 'cheap date.'"

"I see, and where is she right now?" Clark asked.

"Huh? Oh, she's in Hawaii right now, yeah…" Joey said thinking. Clark didn't have the heart to say this relationship was possibly going to end like others and left him be.

Clark then met with Blitzo, J's first Prosecutor opponent, they met in the courtroom where the imp was getting ready for a case.

"Hang on, who? J? Yeah, I remember the drone girl." Blitzo said nodding "I heard she's been busy lately."

"What can you tell me about her?" Clark asked him.

"Well, not to toot my own horn here, but I taught her everything she knows." Blitzo said bragging "I'm pretty sure she's grateful."

"I see." Clark said knowing he was exaggerating but that first trial did help J kick start her career so not a total lie.

Clark then found the J & Co Law Office but it was closed so he went to the Tipton Hotel and met with the Servant Droid and asked about J.

"Serial Designation J….? Hm…." The Servant droid thinks "Ah! The defence attorney for whom I wrote that affidavit for, yes!"

"Yes, speaking of, the Hyperion case was huge, so what have you been up too?" Clark asked looking for an update.

"Well, you should know, I've taken over management of the Tipton Hotel recently." The Servant droid said smiling "Should you be in the area in the future, please, stop by…"

"Will do." Clark said and leaves.

Clarks next stop was Ansem the Wise's law office and met with Ansem to ask about J.

Ansem clears his throat and looks up from his desk "Hm? Oh, Clark it's you."

"Hello Ansem, I'm here to ask about J." Clark said smiling

"J? Ah, yes, Terra's understudy, was she not?" Ansem said nodding "I do wonder how she's doing. Haven't seen her as of late…'Ahhh…the days of my youth…like a scent of fresh lemons…' you see."

"My father used to say something similar" Clark said smiling.

Clark's journey then found him at Vox Studios, he first met with Stan Pines the security guard. He asked him about J.

"Serial Designation J…? Is she an actress?" Stan asked confused he then smirks "Well I'm no buying it! You can't be a star with a single letter name like 'J'!"

"Well she's not but…why has been happening with you?" Clark asked.

A question he soon regretted as Stan then begin to go on a tyraid about how the studio was finally putting out some of Malty's old movies on DVD in a box set. It took a while before Clark was able to leave.

Clark soon met up with Johnny Bravo in his dressing room who was smiling, and Clark asked why.

"I'm pleased to announce the Red Samurai Ranger is a hit!" Johnny said smiling.

"Glad to hear" Clark said smiling.

"Yeah, I sure do own Miss. J a great deal." Johnny said sniffing "Oh, and I'm keeping my face out of the public eye until the show's over." He smiles "I wouldn't want to ruin any kids dreams; you know."

"I can understand treasuring kids dreams." Clark said with a nod.

He soon met with Hashtag in the Employee Area of the studio and asked her about J or even Jaden.

"Oh, I got a letter from Jaden the other day." Hashtag said with a smile. "It sounds like he caught a cold standing under a waterfall."

"Sounds like his Keyblade Warrior training is tough." Clark said thinking.

Hashtag nods "I wanted to visit, but didn't have time, so I sent him some Red Samurai Ranger trading cards as well as some Dual Monster card packs. He says he can't buy them where he is. What kind of place is he living at anyway?"

"If I have to guess, a place that has limited access to the outside world." Clark said thinking.

Clark moves to the fork where the Woody Woodpecker statue was and met Kota there and asked him about J.

"J? Who's that? You want to talk? Let's talk Red Samurai Ranger! Alright!" Kota said to him serious.

"Alright, what can you tell me about it?" Clark asked.

"Well…you should know I snuck into the studio the other day." Kota said "And I saw her…the one inside the Red Samurai Ranger suit!" He gets said "Ugh! What a dog! It was kind of a shock for a boy my tender age."

'Uh oh…best not tell Johnny about this.' Clark thought concerned.

A bit later Clark had returned to Seadra Park and was at the beach area where he met with Todd Snap and asked him about J.

"Yeah, I remember J! That lawyer drone." Todd said smiling.

"I understand the case you were involved with ended your planned career choice. What are you up to now?" Clark asked.

"Huh, me? I'm in training to become a paranormal photographer!" Todd admits rubbing his head.

"Huh? Why?" Clark asked.

"I'm sure you know I took a photo of everyone?" Todd said as he explained "Well, just behind them there's a ghost!"

"Really?!" Clark asked shocked.

"For real! Now that's talent! I'm going to be famous!" Todd said with a smile.

Clark say in his office as he was typing up his report, he may not have gotten a chance to talk to J for an exclusive interview, but he can tell the drone has touched a lot of people.

He looks at the copy of the photo Todd took that he got from Todd and sees the group standing in celebration, Hunter holding his mask, N throwing confetti and Jaden holding a victory sign while J and Joey look at the boy concerned.

Also indeed Clark can see a ghostly spirt standing next to Jaden smiling at the group, Clark recognized it as looking a lot like Terra Yuki.

He knew this article he is writing for the paper will be positive and he hopes one day for a chance to meet J for real one day.

Well that is that, but we're not at the end yet, still got Rise From the Ashes to do folks.

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