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  April 13th, 8:24 am
  Tokyo District Court, Courtroom No. 2

All of us at the defense table are extremely tense. As detective Ritsu takes the stand once again, this time to testify about Akira directly... we all realize that there's roughly millions of ways that this could go poorly for us. We'll just have to wait and hear what the detective says, and pray that the prosecution hasn't found anything to truly link to Akira.

-- Night in the Woods --

  ---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q)---

"At the scene of the crime, we found a museum security guard and the museum's curator.
They heard a loud crash, the guard pulled the alarm, and both of them came to see what had happened.
Officers arrived at the scene, while several patrolling cars made rounds around the immediate area.
The defendant was found about a kilometer away from the museum, climbing through bushes.
Even aside from suspicious behavior, his belongings strongly suggested criminal intent, leading to his arrest."

---(Music End)---

Maya, Sae, and I, all look at each other.
  I think all three of us have noticed the extremely major oversight in the prosecution's reasoning.
"The defense seems eager to begin the cross-examination," the Judge notes, "Very well. The defense may proceed."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"Did I hear the first half of that correctly?" Maya consults quietly with us, "Did he just say that there were two others at the scene of the crime...?"
"I can't even fathom what the prosecution is thinking right now," Sae murmurs gravely, "It's such a blindingly obvious hole in their entire assumption. It almost makes me feel like we'd be going into a trap to pursue that."
  I contemplate our options. "Well, the alternative would be asking about the end of that testimony for more details about Akira's arrest."
  "And that's a ground we'd want to tread very carefully," Maya whispers.
"Agreed," Sae nods, "The less we focus on Akira-kun, the better."
  Having reached consensus, it's time to begin.



"Detective," I address, "Did you just testify that there were already two people at the scene of the crime? How in the world are those two not under suspicion as well?"
Yashin, very rapidly, cuts off our line of attack.



"Mr. Wright," she speaks, ready to give a counterargument, "They are the ones who discovered the body and reported the crime."
"How does that make it any less supicious?" Sae pushes back, "In fact, the true culprit could have alerted the police to try and hide their involvement."
"It's much more plausible they were simply doing their jobs," Yashin posits, as if this whole matter were trivial.
"The museum was closed," I assert, "Why would either of them have been there at that point in time?"
"Easily explainable," Yashin dismisses, "The Sniffsonian is owned and managed by the curator, who can be within his own establishment whenever he wishes, and the security guard naturally would have been patrolling the building to make sure everyone had left for the night."
"Both of those situations present perfect opportunities to commit this crime," Sae deduces rationally, "Likewise, both could be perfect alibis for either of them to hide behind!"
Yashin shakes her head. "When one considers all of the factors of this entire event, it becomes plainly common sense as to why the defendant is much more likely to be the guilty party--as opposed to the two witnesses who, as you stated, have justifiable alibis..."
She's really going on the offensive. Her pressure is making it hard to try and discuss the other two witnesses when she's focused so strongly on Akira. "And what exactly is so guilty about our client," I reverse, "Who was comparatively nowhere NEAR the scene of the crime?"
Yashin chuckles. "Isn't it the witness you're supposed to be asking the questions during these cross-examinations? Just visit the testimony again and figure it out yourself."
Perhaps I've trodden too far. I was really hoping to avoid having to discuss more about Akira. But, there aren't many more directions we could reasonably go with this testimony... and it will be suspicious if I avoid the topic forever.
"It's ok," Sae assures with a warm tone, "We can trust Akira-kun."
Her encouragement has undertone to it, as if she's trying to tell me that we can go ahead and talk about Akira's involvement and she trusts that it won't backfire.
"You can do this, Nick," Maya says to pump me up, clenching her fists with her arms at right angles.
Well. Here goes something I hope I won't regret...



"Detective Ritsu, we have to visit the last statement which you testified," I speak as I cling as tightly as possible to the facade of confidence, "Can you go into more detail onto how Akira was found that night?"
"Sure can. What in particular do you need to know more about?" he asks politely.
Now is not a good time to realize I hadn't thought that far ahead. Better think of something, quick.
I scratch my chin. "Erm, well, you specifically mentioned the belongings. What was that about?"
Yashin jumps in yet again.

---(Music End)---



Yashin reveals an evidence bag with some kind of device inside of it. "Well, he was found wearing a pair of Night Vision Googles on his head, for instance."
*!*

---Music: High Pressure (Persona 5) ---

Oh no. This is bad. This is really bad. How in the hell are we going to talk our way out of this one...
The Judge is as curious as any of us. "Is that true?" he questions, wide-eyed, "That certainly IS a very suspicious device to be using, especially under the alleged circumstances!"
The tension among us at the defense table thickens to suffocating levels. Is this how it's going to end...?
... No. It isn't. I have to get a hold of myself. Akira is counting on us. If I give up now... never mind, that is definitely never going to happen. We haven't even begun to fight back yet. I have to think of possible excuses. He was wearing them while taking a hike around the park? I don't know, that may be my best bet.

---(Music End)---

I hear a completely new voice speak up from the gallery. Someone in the audience with a raspy voice and a rugged tone succeeds at obtaining everyone's attention.
"I think you folks have been getting quite a bit ahead of yourselves, here."

---Music: Layer Cake ---

A man wearing a grey trench coat and a grey hat stands up, and now all eyes are on him. He has a yellow pair of ear protectors as if he's planning on going to do loud construction work or something. His appearance seems shady at first glance, but he carries an air about himself that gives a strange, fatherly impression. "I think I can shed some light on your little goggles dilemma," he announces. His personality seems very direct.
"Hmm? And who might you be?" the Judge inquires, somewhat concerned for his proceeding being interrupted, but more curious as to what this gentleman has to say.
"Name's Munehisa Iwai," he introduces himself.
"I see. Iwai-san, I assume you have something you wish to confide to the court? Did you witness the events of this crime, perhaps?"
"Easy there, bud. I never said all that," he explains, "I just wanted to speak up and say that those Night Vision Goggles were purchased from my shop. That kid sittin' over there on the defense side was at my store on the night this all went down."
*!*
"Is that so?" Yashin asks, humoring the interjection. "The defendant was physically detained on a sidewalk near the woods. How could he have possibly been elsewhere?"
"Didn't say that either," the man returns bluntly, beginning to walk through the seating and down from the gallery, "I just know that I saw the kid earlier that night, and can explain exactly why he was running around in the woods that night."
As he has been speaking, he has already walked his way to the witness stand and has planted himself firmly there with unshakable confidence. This guy is beyond straight-to-the-point, nobody even asked him to testify yet. I don't particularly think he was waiting for the invitation at all.
"This is highly irregular," the Judge comments, skeptical of the validity of this turn of events, "Though I suppose hardly the first time an unexpected witness has came forth during a trial. Where does the prosecution stand on new testimony? Would a short recess suffice to prepare the witness to testify?"
"No need to be so formal," the man in grey subverts, "Just need to put a thing or two on record and then I'm gone."
Yashin's expression is hard to read, though it seems contemplative. "Likewise, I don't think there's need for any pausing," she finally states, "Any new information is appreciated. My job is to figure out who killed the victim and make sure that justice is meted."
"Very well," the Judge nods, "I shall allow Iwai-san to testify."
"I won't take up too much of your time," he assures. The speed he speaks at is slightly slower than most, and comes off as laid back, but his tone is gruff and serious.

---(Music End)---

-- Untouchable Explanation --

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"The kid's a former part-time worker at my shop. He's visiting from out of town and stopped by to say hi.
It's all on camera, too. He came in and I let him mess around with some new merchandise.
He's friends with my son, Kaoru. Almost like a big brother to him. The two of them went out to the park to test the goggles.
When it got dark, I drove by and picked up Kaoru. But the kid said he'd be ok cutting through the woods to walk back home."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems to be processing the testimony. "Hmm. If that is true, surprisingly, it would give context to why the defendant may have been sneaking around with night vision goggles. I will now allow the defense to cross-examine the witness."
"There may be no need, your Honor," Sae replies back respectfully. "Nothing in this testimony contradicts any of the established facts of this crime."
The Judge is fairly surprised. "Am I to understand the defense is conceding the right to cross-examine the witness?"
"The prosecution takes no issue with accepting this testimony," Yashin unexpectedly agrees with a smile, "It's a reasonable explanation, and it sounds like the witness has camera footage to back it up."
"So we're done here," Iwai-san states, and he calmly walks back to his seat in the gallery just as abruptly as when he left it. On the way back, he makes eye contact with Akira. They don't do anything as obvious or overt as physical gesturing but I still feel a strong sense of camaraderie between the two of them. They are clearly close, and this testimony is very convenient to our case. I can tell they must have planned for this in advance, to have Iwai testify. I suppose Akira wouldn't be the leader of a world renowned group of thieves if he weren't the type to have back up plans and fail-safes.

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

Yashin's disposition stays the same, but her words become sharp. "However, I would like to state that an explanation as to why the defendant had night vision goggles... is not an explanation as to what he could have been using them for."
"Drat! She has a point..." Maya bemoans.
"I see," the Judge reflects, "Even if there is camera footage earlier that day of the defendant obtaining the goggles, it does nothing to change the fact that he was found using them that night by police."
"Precisely, your Honor," Yashin nods. "In that sense, though this testimony sheds light on explaining a few details, it isn't truly an alibi, either."
"But at the same time... it does nothing to link the crime to Akira," Maya mentions to me.
She's right. I'll take her point and make it into an announcement to the court. "The defense asserts that being found that night with night vision goggles on still does not in any way connect the defendant to events inside of the museum."
The Judge shakes his head. "If we are being reasonable, it is extremely hard to look past Akira's location, behavior, and possession of the night vision goggles as being coincidental."
The Judge seems to be leaning towards siding with the prosecution on this, shoot. There has to be a way we can deflect the prosecution's arguments. How can I turn this around?
"Nick," Maya calls to me, "I bet we could fight assumptions with assumptions. If the prosecution is jumping to conclusions based on what seems likely, maybe we can find things that make Akira's involvement UNlikely!"
Sae holds her chin. "The prosecution's point of view is that Akira is the criminal who broke into the museum to steal things. There has to be at least one factor that we can use to discredit that viewpoint."
Maya tilts her head as she considers everything herself. "Hmm... come to think of it, if they think that Akira is a thief, then we can use their own argument from earlier against them...!"
"Maya... I think you're on to something!" I smile and nod to her, before raising my voice to address the entire court. "Your Honor, the defense has a counterargument to these assertions."
"With such certainty in your voice, it sounds like you have a very strong point to make," the Judge comments, "What detail do you speak of?"
The prosecution is basing their thoughts off of Akira's location, the fact that he was sneaking around, and the items he had (or, didn't have) on his person. If we assume that Akira was the true thief trying to rob the museum, then something in that chain of logic would be inconsistent with the facts. Time to flip the prosecution's arguments right back at them. The detail which I should discuss is...
Akira's location
Akira's behavior
Akira's belongings



---(Music End)---

"The defense would like to point out something very important about Akira's belongings when he was found!" I announce. "So far, we know that he had night vision goggles... but what else did he have on his person?"
I can tell Yashin is perplexed. "Er, his wallet...? Nothing else of particular note."
"That there in an of itself puts serious doubt onto your assertion that the defendant broke into the museum last night!" I assert, ready to roll right into my next point and connect them, "And, recall your very own argument a short while ago as to why the victim could not have been the thief. You said yourself, he had nothing stolen on his person. And, what did you just tell me about the defendant?"
*!*

---Music: Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2004 ---

"Ah!" the Judge speaks as the logic clicks in his head, "Intriguing! I suppose that is a rather strong point. Whoever allegedly stole from the museum that night would have had stolen property in their possession."
Yashin tries to bite back.



"That's easily explainable!" she pushes back, "It's very clear that the thievery plans must have gone south! A murder would very quickly throw a wrench into any kind of premeditated burglary plans, and he must have completely bailed on his plans to steal in order to run away from the scene of the crime!"
I put my fists to my hips confidently. "Then, who exactly stole from the museum, Miss Yashin...?"
*!*
She's totally silent. We must have really hit a golden train of thought to be able to make her speechless. Seeing as she has nothing to say, I continue talking. "Someone stole something from the museum that night, according to the museum curator. If it wasn't the victim, and you just told us that it wasn't the defendant... then it had to have been someone totally different."
As the discussion heats up, so does the gallery, based on their hushed chatter in response to our argument.
"You're entire claim to our client's involvement is the suspicion that he was the person who illegally broke into the museum. But, if someone else was involved with any of the crimes tonight, that makes it all the less likely that Kurusu-san had anything to do with the museum incident."
The Judge's eyes remain closed as he deeply thinks on what he has heard. After a brief quiet period, he finally gives his thoughts. "So, when all is said in done, we have nothing which conclusively points to the defendant being related to the crimes at the museum. But, based on the circumstances of his apprehension, there is reasonable doubt as to whether or not Kurusu-san was truly uninvolved," The Judge nods firmly. "I do believe we've reached a standstill on this subject."

---(Music End)---

Sae takes a breath of relief, and then confides quietly in Maya and I. "That's good. A stalemate isn't truly in our favor, but we should be fine in the meantime as long as we keep the heat off of Akira-kun."
  Yashin seems to have the kind of look someone has when trying to solve a tricky puzzle. "Or, perhaps whatever was stolen he left in the woods somewhere to come back for later...? Regardless, your Honor, the prosecution wishes to once again point out how ridiculously suspicious it is to have found the defendant dressed like a burglar, wearing night vision goggles, and sneaking around in the woods within a short distance of the scene of the crime... are we truly supposed to shrug and ignore all of that? "
  Sae shows us her objection voice in practice as she jumps in.



  "You're grasping at air at this point. Any further assumption past what we've established is complete conjecture, plain and simple," Sae asserts.
"... Fair," Yashin concedes respectfully, "The fact that this feels less like debating and more like bickering tells us that we aren't going to get anywhere."
"Now, if we've blocked off their line of attack towards Akira..." Maya mutters to herself, "That mean's now is the perfect time to bring up the other two people. The prosecution has been dodging the curator and the security guard and their involvement, and she's claiming they're not suspicious. I think I've just figured out a way to pull them into the discussion and prove otherwise, though!"

---Music: Reasoning (Persona 4) ---

Maya seems to be flowing with energy as she bids for attention from the court. "Question!" Maya shouts, raising her hand, "Detective Ritsu! Did the curator specify what was stolen?"
The detective wasn't expected to be addressed, so he takes a moment to pull out a paper list. "Well, he insisted that there were several important pieces of artwork taken from his museum over the last few weeks."
WE know that he's trying to hide his own guilt at his black market dealings, but no one else knows that... and without that day planner or any documents to prove his dealings, we can't pursue that line of attack.
Maya seems to have a different approach, though. "So, detective, the curator is fully aware of the fact that artworks are being stolen from the museum, is that right?"
"Well, naturally," Ritsu nods, "And he seemed pretty passionate about making sure the thief is brought to justice."
"Why in the world would he be sending his entire security staff home at night if that's the case?" Maya questions.
*!*
"He did what now?" Yashin blinks, honestly confused.
"I mean, think about it!" Maya continues, "Why would there have only been a single security guard there with him? ESPECIALLY when the whole place has had thefts and should have been on high alert?"
  I see... Maya's question was angled in just such a way that we that we can still try and rope the curator into this without having any direct evidence about his shady business.
I nod. "Thanks for the assist Maya. I'm going to go all in on this opportunity you've given us," I assure her before rushing right back into the fray. "Your Honor. The curator's lack of proper security measures is not only baffling, but unsafe for both himself and his museum! The fact that only he and one other security guard was there makes his entire presence at the scene of the crime is severely suspicious!"

---Music: Logic and Tricks ---

Yashin must have finally run out of steam to keep pursuing Akira, as she has nothing to say against this.
The Judge nods his head. "I agree. And, we are at an impasse as to the defendant's relation to the crimes, at that. At this point I am certain that we need to move our attention to the involvement of these two witnesses."
"I absolutely agree, your Honor," Sae nods, taking the baton from us. "We've spent entirely too long arguing about the woods nearby while we've hardly even scratched the surface of the museum, the actual location of the crime! We need more details on virtually every aspect of the situation. Why was there only one security guard there? What was the victim doing there after closing? What exactly was the curator up to? Testimony is what we need right now, and the curator of the museum is the perfect one to start explaining himself."
"Indeed," the Judge confirms. "Detective, I assume the two witnesses have been prepared to testify?"
"Well, sort of," Ritsu says meekly.
Yashin enters to explain. "We interviewed them both about the incident. However, only one of them has agreed to testify for the trial as of this moment."
"Is that so...?" the Judge blinks in surprise.
"I'll let them tell you," Ritsu defers, "I'll go get them and bring them before the court."
"They should have done this from the start..." Maya pouts in frustration.
"That would have been too easy and would have made too much sense," I sarcastically sigh.

---(Music End)---

In a matter of moments, both of the individuals in question are lead into the courtroom by the detective.
"Ah," the Judge speaks as if reaching clarity, "So you two must be the witnesses of the murder."
"That they are," Yashin nods. "Would you two kindly give us your names and occupations?

---Music: Restlessness ---

"Hebi Hibiki. Curator of the Sniffsonian Museum," is the unexpectedly direct first response. Hebi seems to have discarded his frivolity in favor of a more serious, deadpan expression. If I had to describe his face in a word, "unamused" comes to mind.
The guard is much more emotive in comparison, and is actually quite nervous. "Yurui Kuchibiru, your Honor... I'm just a regular security guard at the museum."
"I see," the Judge replies, "So it is to my understanding that only one of you wishes to testify today?"
  "Yurui," is the curator's incredibly rapid snap of a reply, but his actual speaking of the rest of his sentence is slow and deliberate, "Is more than capable of speaking on my behalf," is his explanation.
  "This is really weird, Nick," Maya mentions to me in a hushed tone, "Hebi's not usually this serious. And, maybe it's just me, but didn't he always mispronounce that guard's name before? Why is he acting so differently? It's creepy..."
  She has a point... he's usually so full of, er, "enthusiasm," I'll call it. His style of speech and occasional mispronunciations had me thinking that Japanese was just a second language for him, but just now his voice and speech were so deliberate that I can tell he's completely fluent. This is peculiar indeed.
"And the fact that he doesn't seem to want to testify sets off all sorts of red flags, I'd say," Sae whispers cautiously, "Do you think he might be the real culprit?"
"I hadn't thought about it until just now, but," I begin, "This whole time I've simply been trying to prove that Akira isn't the criminal. I was so laser focused on that, I hadn't even stopped to really consider who the real murderer might be. I wouldn't doubt it for a second if the curator ends up being a part of all of these crimes, even the murder..."
Maya agrees completely. "Come to think of it, the victim literally told us that he was searching for Hebi that day. I bet trying the find the curator was his entire reason for being at the museum after closing that night."
"Based on what we know... Hebi is probably our prime suspect," I conclude, and we all acknowledge the fact that we're on the same page here.
While our defense team has been consulting quietly, the proceedings have continued on. The Judge moves right along. "I see. So, Kuchibiru-san. You will be providing testimony today?"
"That's right, your Honor," he says with a hesitance which achingly tries to hide unease. "I was the one who pulled the alarm that night, and I was the first person to arrive at the scene."
Now that things are back on logical track, the Judge seems to be a tad more serious. "That certainly would make your description of events very important to determining the truth of these crimes. Please explain to the court what you witnessed at the Sniffsonian on the night of Aprill 11th."
---(Music End)---

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

-- The Graveyard Shift --

"I was making rounds as I usually do at closing time, making sure all of the visitors had left the museum.
I thought I had heard noises in the wax museum on the third floor, but it was my imagination, as far as I could tell...
I walked down the stairs of the atrium, as my shift was over and I wanted to head home for the night.
But then, I heard a crash from the ground floor. I pulled the alarm, rushed down, and found the victim under a statue."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems tightly hinged on his composure but still irritated. "Prosecution, why did you not bring this witness from the very start? This testimony is clearly more relevant to the actual murder!"
Yashin seems like she wants to be apologetic, but instead comes off as unaffected. "The prosecution believes the defendant to be the guilty party. His activities that night are still our foremost concern."
The Judge maintains skepticism. "Regardless, understanding the actual crime itself and what took place is crucial to passing a proper verdict. I would thank you to spend the court's time and focus on events which are most relevant to our understanding of this crime. With that said... I will now allow opportunity for the defense to cross-examine this testimony."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"There's a lot to break down here," Sae establishes with her finger and thumb to her chin, keeping to a hushed whisper only we can hear, "As usual, we need to be careful about which statements we pursue... things will go south if we start asking about the noises on the third floor."
Maya seems to disagree. "Won't we be missing valuable testimony though? What if the criminal was on the third floor at some point?"
I bring my voice to a point where it's barely audible, careful not to be overheard. "Well, we already know Akira was there... as was Mask☆DeMasque, presumably," I consider, "And, as far as we know, the actual murder would have happened on a lower floor."
We all hums as if in group meditation. "Well," Sae finally announces, "I don't think it's likely the true culprit of the murder would have been on the third floor, so far away from the scene of the crime."
"Hmm... I suppose I see what you mean," Maya eases up, "We should focus on prying more about the scene."
Sounds like a plan, we'll focus in on the last statement. Time to get this cross examination going.



"Kuchibiru-san," I address formally, "I understand you said you were the one who pulled the alarm. But, I think the court needs a better idea of where you actually were when this happened. Where exactly was the alarm lever you pulled?"
"Er, the first floor balcony, if I recall," he answers back. "I started at the third floor, and when I decided it was time to go home, I was taking the stairs back down to the ground floor so I could leave. I think I made it to the first floor when I heard the crash."
The Judge seems keen on fact checking the credibility of this. "Detective Ritsu, can the police confirm Kuchibiru-san's statement?"
The detective, standing on the sidelines of the trial, as usual, nods his head. "That's right. It was the first floor where the alarm was pulled. We checked it for prints, and the prints on it matched the witness'. At some point that night, he definitely pulled that alarm."
Sae seems to be considering all possibilities. "In theory, someone could have committed the murder, then ran up the stairs to pull the alarm afterwards. I don't know if the alarm location necessarily rules out involvement."
Yashin jumps in yet again.



"You heard the detective himself when he testified," she asserts, "Kuchibiru-san was at the location of the murder when the police arrived. With the layout of the atrium, all of the staircases are spread out very widely, and the distance from the nearest set of stairs and the crime scene was fairly long. The witness could have feasibly been on the first floor, pulled the alarm, and ran downstairs to the scene by the time the police arrived. If the witness had first been at the scene, he wouldn't have had time to run up a floor to pull the alarm only to run back down. The police arrived extremely quickly to the scene, and he wouldn't have had enough time to make a round trip from the ground to the alarm and back. It's just not possible."
"Should we buy this, Nick?" Maya questions, "It seems like a fair argument, but I'm not sure..."
I don't see a reason to question it, so I nod. "You and I can confirm from experience that the stairs are a real drag and take forever to get around in that atrium. And, to be honest, I wasn't really considering the security guard as a suspect... so this doesn't really hurt or help our case."
"That's the problem, however," Sae mentions, "That it doesn't help us to get anywhere. I'm astounded that this trial has been going on for so long and we've still barely touched on what actually happened at the scene. Should we keep asking more questions, or move on to a different statement to try for more information elsewhere?"
That's a good question. Should we...
Keep on the alarm location discussion
Ask about the crime scene location
Let up and examine a different statement



With that, I'll segue into the next important topic. "The defense is willing to accept that the witness likely pulled the alarm first and then headed downstairs to the crime scene," I establish, "However, Kuchibiru-san, if you did make your way to the scene after the crime had happened, then it's important that you go into detail about the actual state of the crime scene as you found it."
"Oh, well, I can certainly try my best to remember," the security guard offers.

---(Music End)---

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

-- Squashed by the Statue --

"After pulling the alarm instinctively, I looked over the balcony railing to try and see what had happened below.
Over in one of the roped off areas, I saw someone collapsed underneath a statue!
  I thought I was the only person left in the building, so this was extremely shocking!
I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, but when I got up close and saw the damage, I realized that it was too late.
Mr. Hibiki showed up a few minutes later, and we both waited until the police arrived."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems empathetic. "That must have been shocking, indeed. But, your quick thinking in pulling the alarm was what allowed the police to appear so quickly."
"Yes, your Honor," Yurui responds, "As soon as I heard the loud noise, I acted right away. No matter what caused it, there could have been danger, I thought! And, sure enough..."
Yashin closes her eyes. "Indeed. Thanks to Kuchibiru-san, there wasn't much of a window of time at all before the police were all over the scene."
"Hmm. Did we ever establish the estimated time of death?" the Judge asks, "I can only assume it must have been just moments before the alarm was pulled."
"It's in the Autopsy Report, your Honor," detective Ritsu answers, "Estimated between 9:10 and 9:20 pm. The alarm was pulled at 9:17. Then at 9:24, before we even got to the crime scene, I heard over the radio that Kurusu-san had been apprehended. We had our feet in the museum by 9:32. I'd say we made pretty good time!"
  The Judge seems to contemplate the explanations being given. "Even if it was only fifteen minutes, there's a lot that could still happen in that amount of time. It's unfortunate the security cameras weren't functioning. We'll have to piece together what truly happened in this short interval. With that said, now is the perfect time for the defense to begin cross-examining the witness' statements."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

  Maya's enthusiasm encourages all of us. "Now we're finally getting to the important parts!" she notes.
I stop to think. "There's a lot to this testimony, so we should consider where we would like to start."
We all brainstorm as a group, and eventually I'm the first to speak. "The statement about him being the only one in the building... it's way too strange that this guy would have been the only guard there covering the whole museum."
"That's exactly what I was pointing out earlier," Maya agrees, "There should have been an entire security staff. This whole incident seems fishy!"
Sae still seems to be reflecting on the testimony. "We also need more information on the Hibiki's involvement," she advises, "If he was in the museum too, then his whereabouts are crucial."
"So we have multiple directions for approach," I recognize, "That's very good. Let's start from the top."



I look at the witness at the stand and begin our first line of questioning. "Kuchibiru-san. You say that no one else was supposed to be in the building. How is that possible? Does the museum not have an entire staff of security?"
"Well, we do, normally," the security guard tries to explain, "It's just, uh... once the museum closes, we all go home for the night, right? I mean, that's obvious."
"That seems highly irregular that a museum full of priceless art wouldn't have an overnight security staff," Sae pressures skeptically.
"Oh, well, I mean, I was on watch duty that night, so that was my job," he seems to try and establish, but his haste in speaking and his overall demeanor lead me to think he's not being totally truthful.
"Why weren't you in some back office watching the cameras or something?" Maya asks very directly, "You would have known that something was wrong and seen the victim in the building long before he ended up dead!"
"Erm... well. You see. I was..." he tries to communicate, but he seems to be struggling, "I just had a weird feeling that something was wrong, so I did one last sweep of the museum. So I went out exploring. And, well, I guess my gut instinct was right considering everything that ended up happening... gosh, I wish I had just went home like I was supposed to."
This guy is getting shadier by the minute, and I think I just noticed a slip up. I need to say something about this inconsistency.



  "Hang on, there," I call to him, "We need to backpedal.. Kuchibiru-san, the way you just worded a specific statement... specifically, how you said that you wish you had home like you 'were supposed to.' Why were you supposed to go home if you were assigned overnight duty?"
He blinks a few times and struggles to find words. "Well, erm... ok, so I wasn't exactly assigned night duty. I was, er-"
Sae jumps into the conversation just as aggressively as I did.


"So if you weren't on night duty, another guard should have been isn't that right?" Sae asserts.
"Well, no, not that night," he tries to explain, sounding as if he's trying not to stumble over his words, "That night, well... Mr. Hibiki had instructed all of the staff to have the night off."

---(Music End)---

*!*

---Music: Telling the Truth 2001 ---

Sae's eyes narrow. "Somehow I doubt he would have done that to be a nice boss," she mumbles.
"Did he give any reason as to why?" I further question.
"Well, not specifically," Yurui answers, "Every once in a while, he just lets the whole staff leave early..."
Yurui knows that I can tell exactly what he's hiding, because he's the one who told us the rumors about the curator's midnight sales in the first place. This may be our chance to bring the curator into all of this for the court!
I clear my throat and look at Yurui, planning my next words carefully. "Kuchibiru-san, I need you to be very specific with your details. What was going on that night that would cause the curator to send home his entire staff?"
Yurui doesn't answer.
"Kuchibiru-san, if you're hiding anything from the court, you need to come clean," I add. "There was no night staff, the curator told everyone to go home, and you yourself were not supposed to be there either... the longer these questions go unanswered, the more suspicious it makes you."
He's quite a nervous person to begin with, so it looks downright uncomfortable to see him even more visibly nervous. He's still not answering, so I'll have to start suggesting answers of my own. "Kuchibiru-san. It doesn't seem like ANYONE on the museum staff was where they were supposed to be, that night. And with you constantly changing your tune, it's starting to seem like you're covering for someone."
"That's... that's just not true. I don't have any reason to cover for anyone!" he pushes back.
However, there are plenty of people he could be covering for. The real question is, out of all of the involved parties, who is the most suspicious in this scenario? Was it the missing security staff not doing their jobs, Yurui the security guard snooping around the museum late, or Hebi Hibiki--the curator who sent his whole security staff home so he could sell off artwork that wasn't his by the light of the moon? Out of those, which of them clearly has the most to hide?
"Kuchibiru-san," I continue on, "I think that you were covering for..."
The other guards
Yourself
The curator
"I think this one's obvious, Nick!" Maya adds, sounding pumped, "He has to be covering for the curator!"
Yashin has gone quite some time without saying anything, but she finally seems ready to put in her thoughts. "The prosecution will admit that it is very strange that the curator would have told his entire staff to leave early, yet stay at museum himself. We mentioned this while questioning him, but he explained that the museum had just been upgraded with a new security system, and because of budget cuts he couldn't keep the museum staffed around the clock like he used to."
"I do buy that at all," Maya crosses her arms, "I think that's just an excuse."

---(Music End)---

The Judge has been listening carefully, and now is his moment to input his own opinion. "The curator of the museum seems to be a very important piece of this puzzle, and we know for certain that he was inside the museum by the time the police arrived. Were you aware of his location at the time?"
"I think I had a pretty good idea, I guess..." the security guard responds half-heartedly.
The Judge prepares to make a stern decree. "Kuchibiru-san, I think the entire court agrees that you need add to elaborate on the involvement of your employer."
"Oh, well, sure, if you need me too, your Honor," he nods.

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"I thought I was the only person left in the building, but I think the curator may have been in his office upstairs.
He has a habit of giving us the night off from time to time, but I don't know the reason why."

"Hmm... this is really frustrating," Maya grumbles while softly conversing with us, "This testimony is just BEGGING to be shot down with the right evidence! If only we still had that day planner, or something to prove that the curator is up to no good."
I feel like our hands are tied, and it's awful. "All we have is that Sniffsonian Article, and that can't really prove anything..."
"Hold on a moment," Sae speaks up, "He added quite a bit of testimony here, so let's try a different approach. The guard is claiming the curator was in his office... but is that really the truth? Maybe instead of proving the curator was involved, we can try to disprove the idea that he wasn't involved."
Now there's a thought! Putting the confusing grammatical structure of that sentence aside... maybe we actually have something to prove that Hebi wasn't hiding out in his office.
"Hey, Nick," Maya motions to me, "We know that certain other parties were in the office that night, and if Hebi were actually there, he would have seen them. Do you think we can present that card we found in the office as proof...?"
This isn't a choice we should take lightly. Beyond trying to keep Akira's name cleared, we have to remember that a different one of our friends had broken in that night as well. Implicating them as well could cause us issues down the line... but, we also have precious little means of trying to pursue the true culprit of the murder. If either the curator or the security guard are guilty, then we have to make sure their true involvements come to light.
Well. It's not like this person ever tries to hide the fact that they break in to places and steal things. In fact, he literally left his calling card. His appearance is going to be discovered sooner or later, so I may as well move forward.
"Your Honor," I announce, "The defense disagrees with the assertion that the museum curator was in his office that night, and we have proof!"
The Judge looks at us with both eyebrows raised, whereas Yashin looks at us with just one raised. Now that all eyes on the room are on me, I'll show my cards. Or, card.
"I would like to present evidence of another party entirely being not only present in the museum that night, but actually went IN to the curator's office! There's no way the curator could be there as the witness has suggested! I would like to present to the court a Calling Ca-"

---(Music End)---

A laugh that I haven't heard in quite some time cuts me off before I can even finish my sentence, and a very familiar echo rings against the walls of the courtroom.
  "Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!"
"What in the world?" the Judge asks with exasperation, "What is the meaning of this...?"

---Music: Gyakuten Meets Orchestra - Villain Suite (Mask☆DeMasque Theme starting at 4:10) ---

As the silhouette of a caped, green figure descends from the skylight of the courtroom, I recognize that I no longer need to present Mask☆DeMasque's Calling Card, because he's going to introduce himself. My only question is, what is he doing here?!
This must be twice as shocking to everyone here who isn't familiar with the world renowned phantom thief... I mean, even Maya, the Judge, and I are all shocked! And we all recognize him! Now, expecting him to appear in court? THERE'S the shocker.
"Salutations, citizens of Tokyo!" the masked figure greets with thespian flair, "I am the illusive phantom thief, Mask☆DeMasque! I have much to discuss of what I have seen and experienced on the night of this crime. Please, allow me the honor of testifying to the court!"
*!*
*!*
*!*
"Wait...... HUUUUUHHHHH?????!!!!!"
As I try to pick up my jaw from the floor, I feel like this trial has officially gone off the rails. Even I don't know what to expect at this point, and I can only hope that whatever is to come will help our case...

  To be continued...

  ---Music: Jingle ~ That's All For Today ---

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Description
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  April 13th, 8:24 am
  Tokyo District Court, Courtroom No. 2

All of us at the defense table are extremely tense. As detective Ritsu takes the stand once again, this time to testify about Akira directly... we all realize that there's roughly millions of ways that this could go poorly for us. We'll just have to wait and hear what the detective says, and pray that the prosecution hasn't found anything to truly link to Akira.

-- Night in the Woods --

  ---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q)---

"At the scene of the crime, we found a museum security guard and the museum's curator.
They heard a loud crash, the guard pulled the alarm, and both of them came to see what had happened.
Officers arrived at the scene, while several patrolling cars made rounds around the immediate area.
The defendant was found about a kilometer away from the museum, climbing through bushes.
Even aside from suspicious behavior, his belongings strongly suggested criminal intent, leading to his arrest."

---(Music End)---

Maya, Sae, and I, all look at each other.
  I think all three of us have noticed the extremely major oversight in the prosecution's reasoning.
"The defense seems eager to begin the cross-examination," the Judge notes, "Very well. The defense may proceed."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"Did I hear the first half of that correctly?" Maya consults quietly with us, "Did he just say that there were two others at the scene of the crime...?"
"I can't even fathom what the prosecution is thinking right now," Sae murmurs gravely, "It's such a blindingly obvious hole in their entire assumption. It almost makes me feel like we'd be going into a trap to pursue that."
  I contemplate our options. "Well, the alternative would be asking about the end of that testimony for more details about Akira's arrest."
  "And that's a ground we'd want to tread very carefully," Maya whispers.
"Agreed," Sae nods, "The less we focus on Akira-kun, the better."
  Having reached consensus, it's time to begin.



"Detective," I address, "Did you just testify that there were already two people at the scene of the crime? How in the world are those two not under suspicion as well?"
Yashin, very rapidly, cuts off our line of attack.



"Mr. Wright," she speaks, ready to give a counterargument, "They are the ones who discovered the body and reported the crime."
"How does that make it any less supicious?" Sae pushes back, "In fact, the true culprit could have alerted the police to try and hide their involvement."
"It's much more plausible they were simply doing their jobs," Yashin posits, as if this whole matter were trivial.
"The museum was closed," I assert, "Why would either of them have been there at that point in time?"
"Easily explainable," Yashin dismisses, "The Sniffsonian is owned and managed by the curator, who can be within his own establishment whenever he wishes, and the security guard naturally would have been patrolling the building to make sure everyone had left for the night."
"Both of those situations present perfect opportunities to commit this crime," Sae deduces rationally, "Likewise, both could be perfect alibis for either of them to hide behind!"
Yashin shakes her head. "When one considers all of the factors of this entire event, it becomes plainly common sense as to why the defendant is much more likely to be the guilty party--as opposed to the two witnesses who, as you stated, have justifiable alibis..."
She's really going on the offensive. Her pressure is making it hard to try and discuss the other two witnesses when she's focused so strongly on Akira. "And what exactly is so guilty about our client," I reverse, "Who was comparatively nowhere NEAR the scene of the crime?"
Yashin chuckles. "Isn't it the witness you're supposed to be asking the questions during these cross-examinations? Just visit the testimony again and figure it out yourself."
Perhaps I've trodden too far. I was really hoping to avoid having to discuss more about Akira. But, there aren't many more directions we could reasonably go with this testimony... and it will be suspicious if I avoid the topic forever.
"It's ok," Sae assures with a warm tone, "We can trust Akira-kun."
Her encouragement has undertone to it, as if she's trying to tell me that we can go ahead and talk about Akira's involvement and she trusts that it won't backfire.
"You can do this, Nick," Maya says to pump me up, clenching her fists with her arms at right angles.
Well. Here goes something I hope I won't regret...



"Detective Ritsu, we have to visit the last statement which you testified," I speak as I cling as tightly as possible to the facade of confidence, "Can you go into more detail onto how Akira was found that night?"
"Sure can. What in particular do you need to know more about?" he asks politely.
Now is not a good time to realize I hadn't thought that far ahead. Better think of something, quick.
I scratch my chin. "Erm, well, you specifically mentioned the belongings. What was that about?"
Yashin jumps in yet again.

---(Music End)---



Yashin reveals an evidence bag with some kind of device inside of it. "Well, he was found wearing a pair of Night Vision Googles on his head, for instance."
*!*

---Music: High Pressure (Persona 5) ---

Oh no. This is bad. This is really bad. How in the hell are we going to talk our way out of this one...
The Judge is as curious as any of us. "Is that true?" he questions, wide-eyed, "That certainly IS a very suspicious device to be using, especially under the alleged circumstances!"
The tension among us at the defense table thickens to suffocating levels. Is this how it's going to end...?
... No. It isn't. I have to get a hold of myself. Akira is counting on us. If I give up now... never mind, that is definitely never going to happen. We haven't even begun to fight back yet. I have to think of possible excuses. He was wearing them while taking a hike around the park? I don't know, that may be my best bet.

---(Music End)---

I hear a completely new voice speak up from the gallery. Someone in the audience with a raspy voice and a rugged tone succeeds at obtaining everyone's attention.
"I think you folks have been getting quite a bit ahead of yourselves, here."

---Music: Layer Cake ---

A man wearing a grey trench coat and a grey hat stands up, and now all eyes are on him. He has a yellow pair of ear protectors as if he's planning on going to do loud construction work or something. His appearance seems shady at first glance, but he carries an air about himself that gives a strange, fatherly impression. "I think I can shed some light on your little goggles dilemma," he announces. His personality seems very direct.
"Hmm? And who might you be?" the Judge inquires, somewhat concerned for his proceeding being interrupted, but more curious as to what this gentleman has to say.
"Name's Munehisa Iwai," he introduces himself.
"I see. Iwai-san, I assume you have something you wish to confide to the court? Did you witness the events of this crime, perhaps?"
"Easy there, bud. I never said all that," he explains, "I just wanted to speak up and say that those Night Vision Goggles were purchased from my shop. That kid sittin' over there on the defense side was at my store on the night this all went down."
*!*
"Is that so?" Yashin asks, humoring the interjection. "The defendant was physically detained on a sidewalk near the woods. How could he have possibly been elsewhere?"
"Didn't say that either," the man returns bluntly, beginning to walk through the seating and down from the gallery, "I just know that I saw the kid earlier that night, and can explain exactly why he was running around in the woods that night."
As he has been speaking, he has already walked his way to the witness stand and has planted himself firmly there with unshakable confidence. This guy is beyond straight-to-the-point, nobody even asked him to testify yet. I don't particularly think he was waiting for the invitation at all.
"This is highly irregular," the Judge comments, skeptical of the validity of this turn of events, "Though I suppose hardly the first time an unexpected witness has came forth during a trial. Where does the prosecution stand on new testimony? Would a short recess suffice to prepare the witness to testify?"
"No need to be so formal," the man in grey subverts, "Just need to put a thing or two on record and then I'm gone."
Yashin's expression is hard to read, though it seems contemplative. "Likewise, I don't think there's need for any pausing," she finally states, "Any new information is appreciated. My job is to figure out who killed the victim and make sure that justice is meted."
"Very well," the Judge nods, "I shall allow Iwai-san to testify."
"I won't take up too much of your time," he assures. The speed he speaks at is slightly slower than most, and comes off as laid back, but his tone is gruff and serious.

---(Music End)---

-- Untouchable Explanation --

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"The kid's a former part-time worker at my shop. He's visiting from out of town and stopped by to say hi.
It's all on camera, too. He came in and I let him mess around with some new merchandise.
He's friends with my son, Kaoru. Almost like a big brother to him. The two of them went out to the park to test the goggles.
When it got dark, I drove by and picked up Kaoru. But the kid said he'd be ok cutting through the woods to walk back home."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems to be processing the testimony. "Hmm. If that is true, surprisingly, it would give context to why the defendant may have been sneaking around with night vision goggles. I will now allow the defense to cross-examine the witness."
"There may be no need, your Honor," Sae replies back respectfully. "Nothing in this testimony contradicts any of the established facts of this crime."
The Judge is fairly surprised. "Am I to understand the defense is conceding the right to cross-examine the witness?"
"The prosecution takes no issue with accepting this testimony," Yashin unexpectedly agrees with a smile, "It's a reasonable explanation, and it sounds like the witness has camera footage to back it up."
"So we're done here," Iwai-san states, and he calmly walks back to his seat in the gallery just as abruptly as when he left it. On the way back, he makes eye contact with Akira. They don't do anything as obvious or overt as physical gesturing but I still feel a strong sense of camaraderie between the two of them. They are clearly close, and this testimony is very convenient to our case. I can tell they must have planned for this in advance, to have Iwai testify. I suppose Akira wouldn't be the leader of a world renowned group of thieves if he weren't the type to have back up plans and fail-safes.

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

Yashin's disposition stays the same, but her words become sharp. "However, I would like to state that an explanation as to why the defendant had night vision goggles... is not an explanation as to what he could have been using them for."
"Drat! She has a point..." Maya bemoans.
"I see," the Judge reflects, "Even if there is camera footage earlier that day of the defendant obtaining the goggles, it does nothing to change the fact that he was found using them that night by police."
"Precisely, your Honor," Yashin nods. "In that sense, though this testimony sheds light on explaining a few details, it isn't truly an alibi, either."
"But at the same time... it does nothing to link the crime to Akira," Maya mentions to me.
She's right. I'll take her point and make it into an announcement to the court. "The defense asserts that being found that night with night vision goggles on still does not in any way connect the defendant to events inside of the museum."
The Judge shakes his head. "If we are being reasonable, it is extremely hard to look past Akira's location, behavior, and possession of the night vision goggles as being coincidental."
The Judge seems to be leaning towards siding with the prosecution on this, shoot. There has to be a way we can deflect the prosecution's arguments. How can I turn this around?
"Nick," Maya calls to me, "I bet we could fight assumptions with assumptions. If the prosecution is jumping to conclusions based on what seems likely, maybe we can find things that make Akira's involvement UNlikely!"
Sae holds her chin. "The prosecution's point of view is that Akira is the criminal who broke into the museum to steal things. There has to be at least one factor that we can use to discredit that viewpoint."
Maya tilts her head as she considers everything herself. "Hmm... come to think of it, if they think that Akira is a thief, then we can use their own argument from earlier against them...!"
"Maya... I think you're on to something!" I smile and nod to her, before raising my voice to address the entire court. "Your Honor, the defense has a counterargument to these assertions."
"With such certainty in your voice, it sounds like you have a very strong point to make," the Judge comments, "What detail do you speak of?"
The prosecution is basing their thoughts off of Akira's location, the fact that he was sneaking around, and the items he had (or, didn't have) on his person. If we assume that Akira was the true thief trying to rob the museum, then something in that chain of logic would be inconsistent with the facts. Time to flip the prosecution's arguments right back at them. The detail which I should discuss is...
Akira's location
Akira's behavior
Akira's belongings



---(Music End)---

"The defense would like to point out something very important about Akira's belongings when he was found!" I announce. "So far, we know that he had night vision goggles... but what else did he have on his person?"
I can tell Yashin is perplexed. "Er, his wallet...? Nothing else of particular note."
"That there in an of itself puts serious doubt onto your assertion that the defendant broke into the museum last night!" I assert, ready to roll right into my next point and connect them, "And, recall your very own argument a short while ago as to why the victim could not have been the thief. You said yourself, he had nothing stolen on his person. And, what did you just tell me about the defendant?"
*!*

---Music: Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2004 ---

"Ah!" the Judge speaks as the logic clicks in his head, "Intriguing! I suppose that is a rather strong point. Whoever allegedly stole from the museum that night would have had stolen property in their possession."
Yashin tries to bite back.



"That's easily explainable!" she pushes back, "It's very clear that the thievery plans must have gone south! A murder would very quickly throw a wrench into any kind of premeditated burglary plans, and he must have completely bailed on his plans to steal in order to run away from the scene of the crime!"
I put my fists to my hips confidently. "Then, who exactly stole from the museum, Miss Yashin...?"
*!*
She's totally silent. We must have really hit a golden train of thought to be able to make her speechless. Seeing as she has nothing to say, I continue talking. "Someone stole something from the museum that night, according to the museum curator. If it wasn't the victim, and you just told us that it wasn't the defendant... then it had to have been someone totally different."
As the discussion heats up, so does the gallery, based on their hushed chatter in response to our argument.
"You're entire claim to our client's involvement is the suspicion that he was the person who illegally broke into the museum. But, if someone else was involved with any of the crimes tonight, that makes it all the less likely that Kurusu-san had anything to do with the museum incident."
The Judge's eyes remain closed as he deeply thinks on what he has heard. After a brief quiet period, he finally gives his thoughts. "So, when all is said in done, we have nothing which conclusively points to the defendant being related to the crimes at the museum. But, based on the circumstances of his apprehension, there is reasonable doubt as to whether or not Kurusu-san was truly uninvolved," The Judge nods firmly. "I do believe we've reached a standstill on this subject."

---(Music End)---

Sae takes a breath of relief, and then confides quietly in Maya and I. "That's good. A stalemate isn't truly in our favor, but we should be fine in the meantime as long as we keep the heat off of Akira-kun."
  Yashin seems to have the kind of look someone has when trying to solve a tricky puzzle. "Or, perhaps whatever was stolen he left in the woods somewhere to come back for later...? Regardless, your Honor, the prosecution wishes to once again point out how ridiculously suspicious it is to have found the defendant dressed like a burglar, wearing night vision goggles, and sneaking around in the woods within a short distance of the scene of the crime... are we truly supposed to shrug and ignore all of that? "
  Sae shows us her objection voice in practice as she jumps in.



  "You're grasping at air at this point. Any further assumption past what we've established is complete conjecture, plain and simple," Sae asserts.
"... Fair," Yashin concedes respectfully, "The fact that this feels less like debating and more like bickering tells us that we aren't going to get anywhere."
"Now, if we've blocked off their line of attack towards Akira..." Maya mutters to herself, "That mean's now is the perfect time to bring up the other two people. The prosecution has been dodging the curator and the security guard and their involvement, and she's claiming they're not suspicious. I think I've just figured out a way to pull them into the discussion and prove otherwise, though!"

---Music: Reasoning (Persona 4) ---

Maya seems to be flowing with energy as she bids for attention from the court. "Question!" Maya shouts, raising her hand, "Detective Ritsu! Did the curator specify what was stolen?"
The detective wasn't expected to be addressed, so he takes a moment to pull out a paper list. "Well, he insisted that there were several important pieces of artwork taken from his museum over the last few weeks."
WE know that he's trying to hide his own guilt at his black market dealings, but no one else knows that... and without that day planner or any documents to prove his dealings, we can't pursue that line of attack.
Maya seems to have a different approach, though. "So, detective, the curator is fully aware of the fact that artworks are being stolen from the museum, is that right?"
"Well, naturally," Ritsu nods, "And he seemed pretty passionate about making sure the thief is brought to justice."
"Why in the world would he be sending his entire security staff home at night if that's the case?" Maya questions.
*!*
"He did what now?" Yashin blinks, honestly confused.
"I mean, think about it!" Maya continues, "Why would there have only been a single security guard there with him? ESPECIALLY when the whole place has had thefts and should have been on high alert?"
  I see... Maya's question was angled in just such a way that we that we can still try and rope the curator into this without having any direct evidence about his shady business.
I nod. "Thanks for the assist Maya. I'm going to go all in on this opportunity you've given us," I assure her before rushing right back into the fray. "Your Honor. The curator's lack of proper security measures is not only baffling, but unsafe for both himself and his museum! The fact that only he and one other security guard was there makes his entire presence at the scene of the crime is severely suspicious!"

---Music: Logic and Tricks ---

Yashin must have finally run out of steam to keep pursuing Akira, as she has nothing to say against this.
The Judge nods his head. "I agree. And, we are at an impasse as to the defendant's relation to the crimes, at that. At this point I am certain that we need to move our attention to the involvement of these two witnesses."
"I absolutely agree, your Honor," Sae nods, taking the baton from us. "We've spent entirely too long arguing about the woods nearby while we've hardly even scratched the surface of the museum, the actual location of the crime! We need more details on virtually every aspect of the situation. Why was there only one security guard there? What was the victim doing there after closing? What exactly was the curator up to? Testimony is what we need right now, and the curator of the museum is the perfect one to start explaining himself."
"Indeed," the Judge confirms. "Detective, I assume the two witnesses have been prepared to testify?"
"Well, sort of," Ritsu says meekly.
Yashin enters to explain. "We interviewed them both about the incident. However, only one of them has agreed to testify for the trial as of this moment."
"Is that so...?" the Judge blinks in surprise.
"I'll let them tell you," Ritsu defers, "I'll go get them and bring them before the court."
"They should have done this from the start..." Maya pouts in frustration.
"That would have been too easy and would have made too much sense," I sarcastically sigh.

---(Music End)---

In a matter of moments, both of the individuals in question are lead into the courtroom by the detective.
"Ah," the Judge speaks as if reaching clarity, "So you two must be the witnesses of the murder."
"That they are," Yashin nods. "Would you two kindly give us your names and occupations?

---Music: Restlessness ---

"Hebi Hibiki. Curator of the Sniffsonian Museum," is the unexpectedly direct first response. Hebi seems to have discarded his frivolity in favor of a more serious, deadpan expression. If I had to describe his face in a word, "unamused" comes to mind.
The guard is much more emotive in comparison, and is actually quite nervous. "Yurui Kuchibiru, your Honor... I'm just a regular security guard at the museum."
"I see," the Judge replies, "So it is to my understanding that only one of you wishes to testify today?"
  "Yurui," is the curator's incredibly rapid snap of a reply, but his actual speaking of the rest of his sentence is slow and deliberate, "Is more than capable of speaking on my behalf," is his explanation.
  "This is really weird, Nick," Maya mentions to me in a hushed tone, "Hebi's not usually this serious. And, maybe it's just me, but didn't he always mispronounce that guard's name before? Why is he acting so differently? It's creepy..."
  She has a point... he's usually so full of, er, "enthusiasm," I'll call it. His style of speech and occasional mispronunciations had me thinking that Japanese was just a second language for him, but just now his voice and speech were so deliberate that I can tell he's completely fluent. This is peculiar indeed.
"And the fact that he doesn't seem to want to testify sets off all sorts of red flags, I'd say," Sae whispers cautiously, "Do you think he might be the real culprit?"
"I hadn't thought about it until just now, but," I begin, "This whole time I've simply been trying to prove that Akira isn't the criminal. I was so laser focused on that, I hadn't even stopped to really consider who the real murderer might be. I wouldn't doubt it for a second if the curator ends up being a part of all of these crimes, even the murder..."
Maya agrees completely. "Come to think of it, the victim literally told us that he was searching for Hebi that day. I bet trying the find the curator was his entire reason for being at the museum after closing that night."
"Based on what we know... Hebi is probably our prime suspect," I conclude, and we all acknowledge the fact that we're on the same page here.
While our defense team has been consulting quietly, the proceedings have continued on. The Judge moves right along. "I see. So, Kuchibiru-san. You will be providing testimony today?"
"That's right, your Honor," he says with a hesitance which achingly tries to hide unease. "I was the one who pulled the alarm that night, and I was the first person to arrive at the scene."
Now that things are back on logical track, the Judge seems to be a tad more serious. "That certainly would make your description of events very important to determining the truth of these crimes. Please explain to the court what you witnessed at the Sniffsonian on the night of Aprill 11th."
---(Music End)---

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

-- The Graveyard Shift --

"I was making rounds as I usually do at closing time, making sure all of the visitors had left the museum.
I thought I had heard noises in the wax museum on the third floor, but it was my imagination, as far as I could tell...
I walked down the stairs of the atrium, as my shift was over and I wanted to head home for the night.
But then, I heard a crash from the ground floor. I pulled the alarm, rushed down, and found the victim under a statue."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems tightly hinged on his composure but still irritated. "Prosecution, why did you not bring this witness from the very start? This testimony is clearly more relevant to the actual murder!"
Yashin seems like she wants to be apologetic, but instead comes off as unaffected. "The prosecution believes the defendant to be the guilty party. His activities that night are still our foremost concern."
The Judge maintains skepticism. "Regardless, understanding the actual crime itself and what took place is crucial to passing a proper verdict. I would thank you to spend the court's time and focus on events which are most relevant to our understanding of this crime. With that said... I will now allow opportunity for the defense to cross-examine this testimony."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"There's a lot to break down here," Sae establishes with her finger and thumb to her chin, keeping to a hushed whisper only we can hear, "As usual, we need to be careful about which statements we pursue... things will go south if we start asking about the noises on the third floor."
Maya seems to disagree. "Won't we be missing valuable testimony though? What if the criminal was on the third floor at some point?"
I bring my voice to a point where it's barely audible, careful not to be overheard. "Well, we already know Akira was there... as was Mask☆DeMasque, presumably," I consider, "And, as far as we know, the actual murder would have happened on a lower floor."
We all hums as if in group meditation. "Well," Sae finally announces, "I don't think it's likely the true culprit of the murder would have been on the third floor, so far away from the scene of the crime."
"Hmm... I suppose I see what you mean," Maya eases up, "We should focus on prying more about the scene."
Sounds like a plan, we'll focus in on the last statement. Time to get this cross examination going.



"Kuchibiru-san," I address formally, "I understand you said you were the one who pulled the alarm. But, I think the court needs a better idea of where you actually were when this happened. Where exactly was the alarm lever you pulled?"
"Er, the first floor balcony, if I recall," he answers back. "I started at the third floor, and when I decided it was time to go home, I was taking the stairs back down to the ground floor so I could leave. I think I made it to the first floor when I heard the crash."
The Judge seems keen on fact checking the credibility of this. "Detective Ritsu, can the police confirm Kuchibiru-san's statement?"
The detective, standing on the sidelines of the trial, as usual, nods his head. "That's right. It was the first floor where the alarm was pulled. We checked it for prints, and the prints on it matched the witness'. At some point that night, he definitely pulled that alarm."
Sae seems to be considering all possibilities. "In theory, someone could have committed the murder, then ran up the stairs to pull the alarm afterwards. I don't know if the alarm location necessarily rules out involvement."
Yashin jumps in yet again.



"You heard the detective himself when he testified," she asserts, "Kuchibiru-san was at the location of the murder when the police arrived. With the layout of the atrium, all of the staircases are spread out very widely, and the distance from the nearest set of stairs and the crime scene was fairly long. The witness could have feasibly been on the first floor, pulled the alarm, and ran downstairs to the scene by the time the police arrived. If the witness had first been at the scene, he wouldn't have had time to run up a floor to pull the alarm only to run back down. The police arrived extremely quickly to the scene, and he wouldn't have had enough time to make a round trip from the ground to the alarm and back. It's just not possible."
"Should we buy this, Nick?" Maya questions, "It seems like a fair argument, but I'm not sure..."
I don't see a reason to question it, so I nod. "You and I can confirm from experience that the stairs are a real drag and take forever to get around in that atrium. And, to be honest, I wasn't really considering the security guard as a suspect... so this doesn't really hurt or help our case."
"That's the problem, however," Sae mentions, "That it doesn't help us to get anywhere. I'm astounded that this trial has been going on for so long and we've still barely touched on what actually happened at the scene. Should we keep asking more questions, or move on to a different statement to try for more information elsewhere?"
That's a good question. Should we...
Keep on the alarm location discussion
Ask about the crime scene location
Let up and examine a different statement



With that, I'll segue into the next important topic. "The defense is willing to accept that the witness likely pulled the alarm first and then headed downstairs to the crime scene," I establish, "However, Kuchibiru-san, if you did make your way to the scene after the crime had happened, then it's important that you go into detail about the actual state of the crime scene as you found it."
"Oh, well, I can certainly try my best to remember," the security guard offers.

---(Music End)---

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

-- Squashed by the Statue --

"After pulling the alarm instinctively, I looked over the balcony railing to try and see what had happened below.
Over in one of the roped off areas, I saw someone collapsed underneath a statue!
  I thought I was the only person left in the building, so this was extremely shocking!
I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, but when I got up close and saw the damage, I realized that it was too late.
Mr. Hibiki showed up a few minutes later, and we both waited until the police arrived."

---(Music End)---

The Judge seems empathetic. "That must have been shocking, indeed. But, your quick thinking in pulling the alarm was what allowed the police to appear so quickly."
"Yes, your Honor," Yurui responds, "As soon as I heard the loud noise, I acted right away. No matter what caused it, there could have been danger, I thought! And, sure enough..."
Yashin closes her eyes. "Indeed. Thanks to Kuchibiru-san, there wasn't much of a window of time at all before the police were all over the scene."
"Hmm. Did we ever establish the estimated time of death?" the Judge asks, "I can only assume it must have been just moments before the alarm was pulled."
"It's in the Autopsy Report, your Honor," detective Ritsu answers, "Estimated between 9:10 and 9:20 pm. The alarm was pulled at 9:17. Then at 9:24, before we even got to the crime scene, I heard over the radio that Kurusu-san had been apprehended. We had our feet in the museum by 9:32. I'd say we made pretty good time!"
  The Judge seems to contemplate the explanations being given. "Even if it was only fifteen minutes, there's a lot that could still happen in that amount of time. It's unfortunate the security cameras weren't functioning. We'll have to piece together what truly happened in this short interval. With that said, now is the perfect time for the defense to begin cross-examining the witness' statements."

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

  Maya's enthusiasm encourages all of us. "Now we're finally getting to the important parts!" she notes.
I stop to think. "There's a lot to this testimony, so we should consider where we would like to start."
We all brainstorm as a group, and eventually I'm the first to speak. "The statement about him being the only one in the building... it's way too strange that this guy would have been the only guard there covering the whole museum."
"That's exactly what I was pointing out earlier," Maya agrees, "There should have been an entire security staff. This whole incident seems fishy!"
Sae still seems to be reflecting on the testimony. "We also need more information on the Hibiki's involvement," she advises, "If he was in the museum too, then his whereabouts are crucial."
"So we have multiple directions for approach," I recognize, "That's very good. Let's start from the top."



I look at the witness at the stand and begin our first line of questioning. "Kuchibiru-san. You say that no one else was supposed to be in the building. How is that possible? Does the museum not have an entire staff of security?"
"Well, we do, normally," the security guard tries to explain, "It's just, uh... once the museum closes, we all go home for the night, right? I mean, that's obvious."
"That seems highly irregular that a museum full of priceless art wouldn't have an overnight security staff," Sae pressures skeptically.
"Oh, well, I mean, I was on watch duty that night, so that was my job," he seems to try and establish, but his haste in speaking and his overall demeanor lead me to think he's not being totally truthful.
"Why weren't you in some back office watching the cameras or something?" Maya asks very directly, "You would have known that something was wrong and seen the victim in the building long before he ended up dead!"
"Erm... well. You see. I was..." he tries to communicate, but he seems to be struggling, "I just had a weird feeling that something was wrong, so I did one last sweep of the museum. So I went out exploring. And, well, I guess my gut instinct was right considering everything that ended up happening... gosh, I wish I had just went home like I was supposed to."
This guy is getting shadier by the minute, and I think I just noticed a slip up. I need to say something about this inconsistency.



  "Hang on, there," I call to him, "We need to backpedal.. Kuchibiru-san, the way you just worded a specific statement... specifically, how you said that you wish you had home like you 'were supposed to.' Why were you supposed to go home if you were assigned overnight duty?"
He blinks a few times and struggles to find words. "Well, erm... ok, so I wasn't exactly assigned night duty. I was, er-"
Sae jumps into the conversation just as aggressively as I did.


"So if you weren't on night duty, another guard should have been isn't that right?" Sae asserts.
"Well, no, not that night," he tries to explain, sounding as if he's trying not to stumble over his words, "That night, well... Mr. Hibiki had instructed all of the staff to have the night off."

---(Music End)---

*!*

---Music: Telling the Truth 2001 ---

Sae's eyes narrow. "Somehow I doubt he would have done that to be a nice boss," she mumbles.
"Did he give any reason as to why?" I further question.
"Well, not specifically," Yurui answers, "Every once in a while, he just lets the whole staff leave early..."
Yurui knows that I can tell exactly what he's hiding, because he's the one who told us the rumors about the curator's midnight sales in the first place. This may be our chance to bring the curator into all of this for the court!
I clear my throat and look at Yurui, planning my next words carefully. "Kuchibiru-san, I need you to be very specific with your details. What was going on that night that would cause the curator to send home his entire staff?"
Yurui doesn't answer.
"Kuchibiru-san, if you're hiding anything from the court, you need to come clean," I add. "There was no night staff, the curator told everyone to go home, and you yourself were not supposed to be there either... the longer these questions go unanswered, the more suspicious it makes you."
He's quite a nervous person to begin with, so it looks downright uncomfortable to see him even more visibly nervous. He's still not answering, so I'll have to start suggesting answers of my own. "Kuchibiru-san. It doesn't seem like ANYONE on the museum staff was where they were supposed to be, that night. And with you constantly changing your tune, it's starting to seem like you're covering for someone."
"That's... that's just not true. I don't have any reason to cover for anyone!" he pushes back.
However, there are plenty of people he could be covering for. The real question is, out of all of the involved parties, who is the most suspicious in this scenario? Was it the missing security staff not doing their jobs, Yurui the security guard snooping around the museum late, or Hebi Hibiki--the curator who sent his whole security staff home so he could sell off artwork that wasn't his by the light of the moon? Out of those, which of them clearly has the most to hide?
"Kuchibiru-san," I continue on, "I think that you were covering for..."
The other guards
Yourself
The curator
"I think this one's obvious, Nick!" Maya adds, sounding pumped, "He has to be covering for the curator!"
Yashin has gone quite some time without saying anything, but she finally seems ready to put in her thoughts. "The prosecution will admit that it is very strange that the curator would have told his entire staff to leave early, yet stay at museum himself. We mentioned this while questioning him, but he explained that the museum had just been upgraded with a new security system, and because of budget cuts he couldn't keep the museum staffed around the clock like he used to."
"I do buy that at all," Maya crosses her arms, "I think that's just an excuse."

---(Music End)---

The Judge has been listening carefully, and now is his moment to input his own opinion. "The curator of the museum seems to be a very important piece of this puzzle, and we know for certain that he was inside the museum by the time the police arrived. Were you aware of his location at the time?"
"I think I had a pretty good idea, I guess..." the security guard responds half-heartedly.
The Judge prepares to make a stern decree. "Kuchibiru-san, I think the entire court agrees that you need add to elaborate on the involvement of your employer."
"Oh, well, sure, if you need me too, your Honor," he nods.

---Music: Bonfire (Persona Q) ---

"I thought I was the only person left in the building, but I think the curator may have been in his office upstairs.
He has a habit of giving us the night off from time to time, but I don't know the reason why."

"Hmm... this is really frustrating," Maya grumbles while softly conversing with us, "This testimony is just BEGGING to be shot down with the right evidence! If only we still had that day planner, or something to prove that the curator is up to no good."
I feel like our hands are tied, and it's awful. "All we have is that Sniffsonian Article, and that can't really prove anything..."
"Hold on a moment," Sae speaks up, "He added quite a bit of testimony here, so let's try a different approach. The guard is claiming the curator was in his office... but is that really the truth? Maybe instead of proving the curator was involved, we can try to disprove the idea that he wasn't involved."
Now there's a thought! Putting the confusing grammatical structure of that sentence aside... maybe we actually have something to prove that Hebi wasn't hiding out in his office.
"Hey, Nick," Maya motions to me, "We know that certain other parties were in the office that night, and if Hebi were actually there, he would have seen them. Do you think we can present that card we found in the office as proof...?"
This isn't a choice we should take lightly. Beyond trying to keep Akira's name cleared, we have to remember that a different one of our friends had broken in that night as well. Implicating them as well could cause us issues down the line... but, we also have precious little means of trying to pursue the true culprit of the murder. If either the curator or the security guard are guilty, then we have to make sure their true involvements come to light.
Well. It's not like this person ever tries to hide the fact that they break in to places and steal things. In fact, he literally left his calling card. His appearance is going to be discovered sooner or later, so I may as well move forward.
"Your Honor," I announce, "The defense disagrees with the assertion that the museum curator was in his office that night, and we have proof!"
The Judge looks at us with both eyebrows raised, whereas Yashin looks at us with just one raised. Now that all eyes on the room are on me, I'll show my cards. Or, card.
"I would like to present evidence of another party entirely being not only present in the museum that night, but actually went IN to the curator's office! There's no way the curator could be there as the witness has suggested! I would like to present to the court a Calling Ca-"

---(Music End)---

A laugh that I haven't heard in quite some time cuts me off before I can even finish my sentence, and a very familiar echo rings against the walls of the courtroom.
  "Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!"
"What in the world?" the Judge asks with exasperation, "What is the meaning of this...?"

---Music: Gyakuten Meets Orchestra - Villain Suite (Mask☆DeMasque Theme starting at 4:10) ---

As the silhouette of a caped, green figure descends from the skylight of the courtroom, I recognize that I no longer need to present Mask☆DeMasque's Calling Card, because he's going to introduce himself. My only question is, what is he doing here?!
This must be twice as shocking to everyone here who isn't familiar with the world renowned phantom thief... I mean, even Maya, the Judge, and I are all shocked! And we all recognize him! Now, expecting him to appear in court? THERE'S the shocker.
"Salutations, citizens of Tokyo!" the masked figure greets with thespian flair, "I am the illusive phantom thief, Mask☆DeMasque! I have much to discuss of what I have seen and experienced on the night of this crime. Please, allow me the honor of testifying to the court!"
*!*
*!*
*!*
"Wait...... HUUUUUHHHHH?????!!!!!"
As I try to pick up my jaw from the floor, I feel like this trial has officially gone off the rails. Even I don't know what to expect at this point, and I can only hope that whatever is to come will help our case...

  To be continued...

  ---Music: Jingle ~ That's All For Today ---

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