Here we go the next part of the investigation, enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.
DM77's Ace Attorney Justice for All Chapter 21
The Acrobat
December 29, Lodging House, Plaza
When J and Jaden arrive at the plaza of the lodging house they find standing their was Detective N again. Jaden seeing him and said "Hey, Detective N! I'm sure you did a good job, as usual."
"Well, I am done with the investigation of the acrobat. Finally." N said with a sigh. "But with Miss. Courtney…" Suddenly a rapid beeping noise begins which alerts N.
"J, what is that? That beeping sound?" Jaden asked concerned.
"Hmm…." J thinks on it.
"It's Miss. Courtney." N said nervous.
"Huh?" Jaden said confused.
"Every time I hear that sound, she's usually not very far behind!" N tells them.
"Some sort of pager or something?" J asked him.
"If you don't mind, buddy, I'm going to go ahead and get out of here….Quick." N tells them extending his wings "See ya, buddy!" He said and flies off quickly.
"I didn't know that N could fly that fast! So much for being a flatwing." Jaden said surprised.
'Never seen a grown drone so afraid of a human girl still in her teens!' J thinks on it/
"Well, let's go inside….It's freezing out here!" Jaden said with a smile "The wind's bitting us…" He began but is then whipped "OWWWW!" He then said "…As biting as lashes from a whip!" He falls onto the ground.
J then looks and sees approaching was Courtney with her Camerupt by her side "Co…Co…Courtney!" She said surprised and thinks 'She really did appear!'
"It was a real battle today in court, wasn't it…Miss. Serial Designation J?!" Courtney said to the drone.
"Did you have to jump out and scare us like that?" J asked her folding her arms "What can I do for you?"
"Tomorrow will be the day. The day my dream finally comes true!" Courtney tells her.
"You mean the story of my defeat at your hands making the national news?" J asked her.
"Ha, ha, ha…National news?" Courtney said grinning "You possess such a small sense of scale…The global news, Miss. Serial Designation J! Your miserable plight will be known internationally!"
'I think she might be overestimating the importance of a win by just a smidge…' J thinks on it. She asked "Miss. Wittebane…It appears you got your hands onto something big, huh?"
"Hah! I'm amazed you picked up on that much." Courtney said with a smile as she pets her Camerupt.
'Anyone could. Even your usual neutral expression couldn't hide that look of victory you had going.' J thinks to herself.
"I've got 'conclusive evidence' and a 'conclusive witness'…Need anymore hints?" Courtney asked her.
"'A conclusive witness'…You must mean the acrobat, right?" J said thinking on it.
"I'm putting in the summons for him to be called as a witness as we speak." Courtney explained look determined "It's the final nail in your coffin, Miss. Serial Designation J!"
'Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it already, you want to beat and destroy me.' J thinks rolling her LED eyes. 'I can't worry about her. I've got to try and find out more information myself.'
Jaden who had recovered from being whipped and getting up and said glaring at Cournet "Why do you keep giving J the evil eye?!" He looks down sadly "It doesn't matter if you prove the defendant guilty tomorrow…Nothing will be able to bring your dad back!"
Courtney remains silent for a moment then said "My…'dad'? You must mean the esteemed Phillip Wittebane."
"Of course! Your dad! I know you miss him…" Jaden said to her.
"Enough out of you…One more word and you'll get a mouthful of whip." Courtney told him. Then added "Now. When did I ever bring up my father's name in this, or any other conversation…?"
J's LED eyes open wide at that, all this time she assumed Courtney's whole drive to beat her in court was to avenge her father, but she recalls no time in all the interactions with Courtney she ever brought up Belos. She then asked Courtney "Then…Then what's this 'revenge' thing your talking about?"
"You wouldn't understand, Miss. Serial Designation J." Courtney tells her. "I have to see 'him' again, one more time."
"'Him'?" J asked confused.
"I'm sure you know to whom I refer…Hunter Deamonne!" Courtney said firmly.
"What?!" Jaden said shocked. "Hunter?! Mr….DEAMONNE?!"
"H-H-Hu-Hunter D-De-Dea-Deamonne!" J said just as shocked. Then said "Hunter Deamonne…Why would you even bring him up?!"
"You haven't forgotten, have you?" Courtney said to her. "Do you know who it was that trained the gifted prosecutor, Hunter Deamonne?"
Jaden's eyes widen as he realized saying "Phillip….Wittebane…aka Emperor Belos…"
"Exactly right. It was my father." Courtney said nodding smiling.
"That means that Hunter was…" Jaden said connecting the dots.
"Right again." Courtney said to that. "Hunter was like a little brother to me."
"Huh? Little brother? But Hunter and J are the same age…" Jaden points out to that.
J closes her eyes and thinks 'Hunter…' She recalls memories of Hunter in their trials together 'The man who inspired me to become an attorney. I fought against him in a few cases…' She then recalls the DL-6 case and thinks 'But a little after 'that' case was over…he 'vanished'…'
J was brought of her thoughts with Courtney tells her "It's your fault he is gone."
"HUH?!" Jaden said surprised.
"It's the truth, isn't it, Miss. Serial Designation J?" Courtney asked her.
"I…I…" J said trembling as she looks down.
"J! What does she mean?!" Jaden asked her.
J sighs and looks to Jaden and said "Hunter was never quite the same after that case, and then, with the case after that one…" She closes her eyes remembering the SL-9 related trial and how Hunter was in that one "He never set foot into court again…And then one day, he just vanished. All he left was a simple note at the prosecutor's office."
"Prosecutor Hunter Deamonne chooses death." Courtney states knowing the contents of the note.
J nods to her saying "That was one year ago." He looks back to Jaden who was looking down sad "It was a few months after you left to go back home."
"Mr. Deamonne…He's dead?" Jaden asked sadly.
"I don't believe it." Courtney said firmly. "He's still alive. I'm sure of it…Somewhere in this world, he's still alive. 'Prosecutor Hunter Deamonne chooses death'? Of course he did!" She glares at J "You ruined his reputation as a prosecutor! You effectively killed the prosecutor in him. Just like your victory muddied the honourable name Wittebane! I'm going to find him…And then, I'm going to teach him his rightful place with my own two hands!"
"J! Umm…About Mr. Deamonne…!" Jaden said looking at J.
"Jaden, I already told you this once. Don't make me do it again." J said to him firmly looking down "Don't bring up his name in front of me again, okay?"
"J…?" Jaden said concerned.
J looks at Courtney "Miss. Courtney?"
"What?" Courtney asked smiling.
"I don't know if you are god's gift to prosecutors or not, but I've had about enough of you! Him, too!" J said with a glare.
"Wha…What in the world happened…?" Jaden said worried.
"Hmph." Courtney said to that "This Houndoom is all bark and no bite. She's already been defeated…Regardless, I have nothing to inform you two of today. Tomorrow will be the greatest courtroom battle this country has ever seen!" She along with her Camerupt walk off.
"J?" Jaden said concerned.
"Let's go." J said not looking at him "We need to talk with the performer on the third floor."
"I'm sorry I brought it up, J…" Jaden said looking down.
The two then head into the lodging house.
December 29, Lodging House – 3rd Floor, Hanzel's Room
As the two enter they see someone in the room it was a large built brown skinned man with black with short dark brown hair with a ponytail and beard dressed in a sleeveless dark green vest with yellow trimmings, revealing the full extent of the scars running up his arm. Bandages on his forearms with brown fingerless gloves and brown pants with leather straps connecting to two belts, and armored boots. He was also sitting in a wheelchair.
The man seeing her enter said smiling "You must be Serial Designation J."
"Y-Yes." J said taken aback at that.
"Please to meet you. I'm Hazel Rainart." The man said introducing himself. "But here at the circus, everyone calls me Hanzel during the performances. But Hazel is fine."
"Mr…Hanzel." Jaden said thinking.
"Umm…How do you know my name?" J asked Hazel.
"The detective told me. He said you'd definitely show up here." Hazel explained.
"Hazel, you're a member of this circus as well?" Jaden asked smiling.
"That's right." Hazel said nodding "I mainly performed on the tightrope or the flying trapeze. But nowadays…All I perform in is my wheelchair."
"Hazel, why did you join the circus?" J asked him.
"When I was a kid, my parents failed miserably at business." Hazel explained "Then one night, they decided to run away from it all…without me." Jaden was shocked hearing that. Hazel continued "The only person who was willing to take my parents' place was the Ringmaster. The Ringmaster took such incredibly care of me. He was truly a lifesaver."
"It seems like the Ringmaster was truly a saint." Jaden said looking down.
"He was…That's why I decided to do something very important." Hazel said with a nod. "I decided that I would devote my entire life to finding a way to repay him…" He looks down sadly "And now…Look how someone repaid him for all the good in his life!"
"It's such a shame." J said nodding.
"Sometimes, I think that he was almost too kind…" Hazel admits. "Perhaps he was too kind to his performers…Perhaps he was too kind to his daughter."
'Hmm…I wonder if he spoiled Fubuki?' J thinks on it.
"Fubuki is so cute! She's truly a princess." Jaden said smiling.
"Truly a princess? Are you sure that's a good thing?" Hazel asked with a hint of venom in his words.
"Umm…" Jaden said to that.
'Hmm…Do I detect a hint of a grudge against Fubuki…?' J thinks and presents to him Trixie's profile.
"You want to know about Trixie?" Hazel asked and J nods "Well, her colleagues in the circus all seem to hate her."
"What about you, Hazel?" J asked him.
"I've got my issues with her as well." Hazel said shrugging but adds "But she just also happens to have a diamond shining in her soul."
"A diamond shining in her soul?" Jaden asked confused.
"I guess you could say it is her pride as a performer." Hazel explained "We didn't have that pride in ourselves before Trixie arrived." He smiles happily "Honestly, I think she brought something wonderful to this circus when she came."
"Hazel…" Jaden said to that.
'This guy is really different from the other members of the circus…' J thinks as this was the first positive view someone had on Trixie she's heard in a while.
"Umm…I'm sorry to ask, but why are you in a wheelchair?" Jaden asked concerned.
"The nerves in my legs were badly damaged." Hazel explained.
"And you can't walk now?" J asked him.
"I can't even stand now." Hazel said with a nod smiling "And since I live on the third floor, I can't even leave this building by myself."
"That's awful…" Jaden said sadly.
"The accident happened during an acrobatics session, right?" J asked him.
"Umm…" Hazel said hesitant. Just then J's Logic Solver keychain activates as the world darkens around her and Hazel and chains surround Hazel and three locks appear to lock them into place.
'Psyche-Locks!' J thinks surprised to see them 'It doesn't seem like Hazel's injuries were acrobatic in nature…'
The world lights up and Hazel seeing the look on J's face asked "What's on you mind, Miss. J?"
"Well…" J said thinking "Exactly when were you injured?"
"It's been almost six months since I was hurt. I injured my legs during practice." Hazel explained.
'Six months ago…What in the world went on at this circus then?!' J thinks. She then asked "I stopped by yesterday and noticed that you weren't in your room."
"I was at the hospital all day yesterday." Hazel said smiling.
"Ahh…You went there for rehabilitation? What about the murder?" J asked nodding.
Hazel looks down sadly and said "Of course I knew about it…I spoke with the police troopers before they allowed me to go to the hospital. Before I got the call from the prosecutor, I was convinced that it was all a dream."
"Huh?" Jaden lets out confused.
"I just couldn't believe it. When I saw what I saw…" Hazel said looking down.
"'What you saw'…?" J said to that and thought 'Jeez, that sounded really ominous…' She then asked "What did you see, Hazel?"
"That night…I was in bed sleeping when I heard a huge sound coming from below my window." Hazel said looking down sadly.
"I see…The scene of the crime was right below your window." Jaden said nodding.
"That's when I looked out the window…" Hazel said to them.
"What did you see?" Jaden asked him.
We then see a flashback of Hazel sitting up in his bed looking out the window and sees the murderer fly up past his window, Trixie?'s silhouette shining on the floor. Hazel said "She was flying straight up into the air…"
"S-She?" J asked concerned.
"Trixie Lulamoon." Hazel said sadly.
"Whaaatttt?!" Jaden said shocked.
'That's what I thought he'd say…' J thinks sighing and asked Hazel "You're absolutely positive that it was Trixie you saw flying?"
"I am absolutely sure. There's no doubt in my mind." Hazel said nodding.
"J…" Jaden said to her.
The two then leave the room, J needs to get more knowledge of the circus six months ago before she tries to deal with Hazle's Psyche-locks.
December 29, Clockford Big Circus, Big Top
As J and Jaden enter the Big top they hear something goes "Grrrrrrrrrr…"
'I've got a bad feeling about this…' J thinks on that.
"Grrrrrrr….Grawwwwwwww!" The sound said revealed to be once again Raja the Tiger.
"YAAH! J!" Jaden called out in warning as the tiger was coming towards J.
'Wonderful…Today's special must Filet O'J!' J thinks sweatdropping.
"STAY! STAY! HEEL!" The voice of Fubuki calls out and she shows up as the tiger returns to her. She smiles saying "Oh! Jaden! J! It's you guys! I'm sorry…I guess I made a mistake."
"A m-m-mistake?!" J asked calming her nerves.
"Yeah. A little one." Fubuki said nodding. "I was thinking of teaching whatever primate was out there a lesson…But I was expecting more a monkey than a drone…"
"A monkey?" Jaden said to that. Both J and him assume Fubuki is referring to Ukiki the monkey. Jaden wanting to talk about Harvey first said "It's a pity about what happened to the Ringmaster."
"Dad?" Fubuki asked
"Everyone loved him, didn't they? He must have been quite a man." Jaden said sadly
"He was! I love my dad sooo much!" Fubuki said excited.
'I hate to say it, but she doesn't seem all that broken up about her father…' J notes the lack of sadness from the girl.
"That's why I feel so lonely." Fubuki said thinking. "Now that I won't be able to see him for a while…"
"For a while?" Jaden asked confused.
"Yeah." Fubuki said nodding. "When Pyro died, I talked with my dad, and he told me that…'When someone dies, they just become a star in the heavens.'"
"A s-star?" Jaden said surprised.
"That means that my dad is looking down on me from the sky." Fubuki explained smiling "That's why I love the night so much. I can see everyone who's gone."
''When someone dies, they just become a star in the heavens.' That's kind of sweet…' J thinks on it and seeing why Fubuki doesn't seem all that broken up over her father's death. 'But I bet you there's no way that Jaden believes that…'
"What do you mean 'there's no way I believe that'?!" Jaden asked J annoyed.
"Do you think that one day…I'll be a star, too?" Fubuki asked them.
"Of course!" Jaden said to that.
"You really think so?" Fubuki asked looking cute.
"Yeah…You will. I think…" J said nodding.
"I've got a feeling that everyone is doing great up there in the sky!" Fubuki said excited.
'I wonder if everything's alright with Fubuki…' J thinks concerned.
"Just to go back and clear something up…Why'd you want to teach Ukiki a lesson?" Jaden asked Fubuki.
"Because he's a meanie!" Fubuki tells them. "He's got something that means a lot to me…"
"Something that means a lot to you? It must be something shiny right?" Jaden said smiling.
"Umm….Actually…It's a stage costume." Fubuki admits "It's got a lot of spangles…It's really beautiful, you should see it.
"We should?" Jaden asked her.
"When the costume gets hit by the spotlight, it dazzles." Fubuki said with a smile. "Hey, Miss. Attorney!"
"Huh?" J asked looking at her.
"If you saw that monkey, you'd get my costume back for me, wouldn't you?" Fubuki said smiling and looks cute and added "It's really important to me…"
J was about to answer but Jaden said "Leave it all up to us!"
'Guess there's no turning down that request…' J thinks to that.
"Yay! You're really going to do it?!" Fubuki said happily.
J then presents the Note to Fubuki and said "Fubuki have you ever seen this before?"
"Uhh…I know what this is." Fubuki said smiling.
"R-Really?!" Jaden asked surprised.
"Well, it was in my pocket for a while." Fubuki said thinking.
"I-It was in your pocket?!" J said surprised "This piece of paper…was in your pocket?!"
"Hmmm…I guess I noticed it was in there around breakfast time." Fubuki explained
"Breakfast time?" J asked.
"Yeah. I always take Hazel his breakfast in the morning." Fubuki said smiling "That's when I also take out the trash in his room. Then I'd go to the cafeteria and eat my own breakfast…"
"That's when you realized the piece of paper was in your pocket?" Jaden asked pointing to the note.
"Yep. But since I'm not a murderer, I just figured it belong in someone else's pocket." Fubuki said thinking.
"And then what…?" J asked her.
"I wondered if the person who lost it was in trouble so…" Fubuki told them.
"You didn't put it on the bulletin board in the cafeteria, did you?" Jaden asked worried.
"I did! I stuck it up there. How'd you know…?" Fubuki said happily.
"Hmm…" J thinks 'So it was Fubuki who put it up there!' She then asked, "When did this happen?"
"Umm…The morning of the murder. I think." Fubuki said thinking.
'That explains a lot…' J thinks.
"I wonder who wrote this…" Fubuki said thinking.
J updates the Note in the Court Record to reflect this new knowledge. She and Jaden then leave to continue their investigation.
Well we met Hazel and learned where the note came from sort of, next time we learn of the circus' dark secret.
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