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RISE FROM THE ASHES 7/? (Alexia AU)

(Sorry, there won't be any drawing in this one)

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February 22, 09h34 – District Court, Defendants' lobby No. 2

Lana stands in the center of the lobby when Alexia and Ema arrived. Her face is expectant.

"How was the investigation yesterday, Ms. Fey?" Lana asks.

The young girl shakes her head slowly. "Frankly, there are still many... gray areas.

"Or rather, this is all a big gray area..." Ema snaps.

The Chief Prosecutor shrugs, not the slightest trace of concern on her face. "Don't worry about me, no matter the outcome. I am ready to accept my fate."

"I believe in you, sister!" Ema says, determined.

"Let me offer you some advice, Ms. Fey." Lana says crossing her arms. "A defense attorney should never ‘believe’ his client.”

Ema recoils as if she had been burned.

"The defendant is called to trial because they are suspected of having committed a crime! Never forget that." Lana says serious.

Alexia stares at her, unfazed by the prosecutor's words. "Miss Skye, you... you remind me a lot of Mia. But there is a decisive difference between you and her."

"Which is?" Lana asks intrigued.

"You're not a defense attorney." Alexia says hardening her gaze. "So, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t underestimate Mia's vision without ever having been in her shoes. And especially if you're the one saying it..."

Lana looks away, with an expression on her face that Alexia couldn't place. "I think it's almost time for trial. Good luck, Ms. Fey."

With that said, she enters the courtroom to go to the defendant's place.

"(My first trial as head of the defense... without Lady Maya helping me with Lady Mia, and without Phoenix to take the lead when I get knocked down... No one is going to rescue me this time... I'll be alone there... So, I have to find out the truth on my own!)" Alexia thinks with some nerves.

"Let's do this, Miss Fey! I'll be with you all the way!" Ema says excitedly.

Alexia looks at her out of the corner of her eye and shows her a half-smile. "Thank you, Kitten. Since it is very likely that he needs a lot of moral support..."

Ema looks at her with curiosity and confusion.

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February 23, 10:00 a.m. – District Court, Courtroom No. 2

They are all in the courtroom. Ema is next to Alexia on the defense side. The audience that will watch the trial is in the gallery. Lana is seated primly in the defendant's chair, almost statuesque. In front of the two girls, Miles is crossed with his arms crossed, tapping his finger on his arm. The judge sits high above all of them and hits his gravel.

"The court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Lana Skye." The Judge announces.

Alexia nods her head. "The defense is ready, your honor."

Edgeworth looks up. "The prosecution has been ready for a while, your honor."

"(Miles Edgeworth... It's been two months, but I haven't been in a courtroom since his trial...)” Alexia thinks nervously.

Edgeworth turns to look at her. "I hope personal feelings are not part of today's process, Ms. Fey."

"What do you mean by that?" Alexia asks, with a snort.

In response, he taps the side of his head with his finger. "I will choose the path that I believe is right, regardless of what those around me say. The judgment to be taken here is in our hands, not anyone else's."

Alexia sighs, to calm down. "Yes, I hope it is like that too..."

"Very good, if both parties are ready. Mr. Edgeworth, your opening argument, please." Says the Judge.

Edgeworth stares at Lana. "Chief prosecutor Lana Skye has committed an unforgivable crime. Not only this, but she was reckless enough to commit it in the parking lot of the Prosecutor's Office!"

Ema adjusts her coat. "Wow... It's much more forceful in person. I suddenly feel like confessing everything!"

Alexia rolls her eyes at that.

"However." Everyone is looking at Edgeworth. "Now she will pay with his life for her recklessness. There was a witness to her crime... A "professional" witness!"

The Judge applauds. "Well then, call your first witness, Mr. Edgeworth!"

"The prosecution calls its first witness, Ms. Angel Starr, to the stand." Edgeworth reports.

"The Deep Throat Queen..." Alexia mutters to herself. Ema looks at her confused, so the lawyer only makes a gesture to ignore her comment.

Moments later, on the witness stand, Angel appears as alert as ever, leaning over her lunch bag.

The Judge raises an eyebrow at her. "Hmm? Haven't I seen you somewhere...?"

Angel brings out a lunch. "You ordered the Caviar Lunch, right?"

"Ho ho!" He practically jumped when she handed it to him. "Caviar! I've never eaten caviar before!"

Alexia only limits herself to looking at the one who is supposed to be the moderator of that trial. "(The judge is really devouring it...)"

Then Angel turns to the defense. "Oh, and for you... I have a Fiesta Bowl."

"Eh... Thank you, I guess..." Alexia says, while the witness left the bento on her table. Actually, it doesn’t look bad. And yesterday's lunches weren’t bad at all. "Do you want some too, Kitten?"

"Oh, okay." Ema says smiling.

Edgeworth now decides to speak. "Will the witness give her name and profession?"

Alexia is absolutely sure that she heard him, but instead she continues with her lunchbox act. "Ah, and you sir... Did you ask for the ‘Fingerprint” lunch box?"

"Woah! ' ow di' she arang' de content of de bosh li'e dat?!" Ema asks, still with her mouth full.

"Kitten, don't talk with your mouth full." Alexia scolds.

Of course, a certain prosecutor was not impressed. And we are not talking about Lana, who has rolled her eyes at least twice during this event.

"It's too early for lunch." Edgeworth says impatiently. "Your name and profession, please."

Once again, Angel ignores him. Instead, she addresses the judge. "Well, your honor, what does it taste like?"

"That's why everyone praises caviar! It's so tasty it hurts! I always thought caviar would taste like pickled tapioca." The Judge responds.

Angel laughs. "I think it's safe to say you’re enjoying it."

"(How disgusting!! What the hell does pickled tapioca taste like!?)” Alexia thought horrified.

A bang echoed through the room. The eyes pointed to where it came. Edgeworth's eyes were narrowed. Between his teeth, he says: "Name. Profession. Now!"

Angel blinks innocently. "Me? My name is Angel Starr. Don't forget. I'm currently running Lunchland." She grabs her lunch bag. "Is it... Is that what you wanted me to say, Mr. Edgeworth?

The prosecutor rolls his eyes before continuing. "Very well, witness. Please describe the incident to us.”

"The prosecution will wait!" The Judge exclaims, redirecting attention to him. "I haven't finished eating..."

"(Hurry up! Even we didn't finish my lunch, which was much bigger than his.)" Alexia thinks desperately.

"Mmmm..." The judge buzzes, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his robe.

"Kitten, write down; "Note to self: To become an authority of the law, table manners are not an obligation to have"." Alexia murmurs. Ema, obediently, writes in her notebook.

"Very well, Mr. Edgeworth. As you know, we usually call the police to provide a description of the crime..." The Judge says intrigued. "What is the reason for this change?"

"Your Honor, may I?" Angel tilts her head toward Miles. "As Mr. Edgeworth has said in court ... I'm a... "professional"."

"Eh... Huh? What does that mean exactly?" the judge asks, curious.

"It means that until two years ago, Ms. Angel Starr was a special investigator for the police," Edgeworth explains. "She was a top-notch homicide detective."

"W-whaaaaaat!? Ms. Starr was a detective!?" Ema says surprised.

Alexia nods, unsure. "That seems to be."

"Aaaaah! That's why I recognized you!!" The Judge is shouting a lot today "Cough-up...!?"

Angel smiles. "Cough-up Queen Angel Starr, your honor. Long time no see."

"V-v-very good! You can continue with the description, Miss Starr!" Says the Judge.

"Who is this woman?" Alexia murmurs angrily.

Angel snaps his fingers to get attention. "If you’ll allow me to bring the court's attention over here... The parking lot of the Prosecutor's Office is divided into two blocks. Block A is for the staff of the Prosecutor's Office. Block B is for visitors and clients... A barbed wire wall separates the two blocks.

She pulls out some blueprints of the lot for all to see.

The Judge reflects on this. "I guess that's to prevent visitors from occupying the prosecutors' spaces."

"The crime was committed near a car in the back of Block A, in the trunk of the car." Angel points to the only car in the plans that is defined. "The murderer stabbed the victim with a knife and went to remove the body. Unfortunately for her, there was a witness and an arrest occurred on the spot."

"And who was this brave 'witness'...?" The Judge asks.

"Well, it was me, Your Honor." Angel replies proudly.

Parking floor plans added to the Court Record.

"Witness, did you see the very moment of the crime?" The Judge asks.

"Of course, your honor," Angel replies as he walks back to the podium. "Immediately afterwards I arrested the chief prosecutor."

"Hmm..." The Judge buzzes as he glances sideways at the girls. "Sounds like a pretty simple case, doesn't it? Well, Ms. Fey."

Alexia shakes her head. "I cannot agree on principle, your honor."

Angel snorts. "It seems that some poor souls are unwilling to accept the truth, your honor. Should I proceed to crush what few hopes they have left?"

The Judge slams his fist against his open hand. "If you can, then give them your worst, Miss Starr!"

"Tsk, what a way to be impartial, your honor." Alexia growls, annoyed.

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Beginning of Witness testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Witness's Account

"I always knew that this moment would come. I was on my way to deliver lunch to my boyfriend... When I felt something... Perhaps it was my fine police instinct, which got to work. Then, through the fence, I saw the chief prosecutor next to a very garish car. The chief prosecutor had a knife in her right hand... Then she stick the sharp point of the knife into Detective Goodman's chest!"

End of Witness testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Witness's Account

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"Hmm... Bring your boyfriend a lunchbox? How touching!" The judge is almost enthusiastic.

Alexia is so eager to slam her palm against her forehead right now.

Miles, as always, is unfazed. "As you can see, there is no room for doubt."

Angel smiles at the defense now. "So... how does it feel to be so completely crushed?"

“… I reserve my comments..." Alexia murmurs frowning.

"It's just a fresh wound, Miss Fey!" says Ema.

"I know that. Anything else?" Alexia murmurs volleying her to see.

"Well, scientifically speaking... Ms. Starr's testimony..." Ema says thoughtfully before sighing depressively. “… it's perfect."

"Well, that's great to hear..." Alexia growls angrily.

"W-what do we do!? Is this all? Is my sister guilty!?" Ema says desperately.

"Let's keep a cool head and put some pressure on the witness, shall we?" Alexia says, with seriousness in her voice. "(For some reason, having her panicking next to me puts me at ease a bit...)"

"D-don't smile like that!" Ema says blushing.

"All right, you can cross-examine the witness, Ms. Fey," the judge says.

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Beginning of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Witness's Account

"How were you so sure that a day like this would come?" Alexia asks.

Angel snorts. "I respect prosecutors' basic abhorrence of crime. However, their methods are ugly and twisted. Twisted methods will always lead to tragedy."

Miles rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. "The uninformed opinion of the lunch lady is noted."

She looks at him. "Since they're used to erasing inconvenient evidence at will, killing a detective who knew too much is simply an extension of that."

This time, Edgeworth says nothing. So, Ema is the one who speaks.

"Miss Starr... do you have anything personal against the prosecutors?" She asks.

"Ah, I think I already answered that for you, did I? No matter, I can answer again." Angel says as she fiddles with the strap of her purse, her hair on the other side of her head. "I felt like I had found my dream job when I became a detective. And if those prosecutors over there hadn't fired me, I would still be."

"So, it's true. She was fired. But why?" Alexia mutters to herself.

"To me, prosecutors are nothing more than worms." Angel shrugs. "That said, I'm a professional, as you know. My testimony is unbiased... and impeccable."

Alexia clicks her tongue. "(Impartial? Definitely not. Impeccable? We'll see.)" she leans against the table. "Which boyfriend was he? The detective?"

"Ms. Fey!" Ema says scandalized.

"What? A person who has multiple partners does not deserve to have their privacy respected." Alexia murmurs with a frown. "What's more, write down what I said in your notebook."

Angel seems unperturbed by this. "It wasn’t that boyfriend. It was the security guard."

"Do you have more than one?" The judge, on the other hand, is surprised.

"Yes." She taps her fingers. "'This' boyfriend, 'that' boyfriend and 'the other' boyfriend. Want to join? The position of 'another' boyfriend is still open for applicants."

It takes him a little while to say something. "I'll keep lunch, thank you."

"Note to self: The judge thought about it before answering," says Ema, as she writes in her notebook.

"The security guard's room is on the lot, in Block A." Angel touches the area marked "Security Room". "It's on the second level, so you can see everything from there."

"Did you bring your lunch boxes in a car?" Alexia asks.

She nods. "However, I had to walk the rest of the way. I'm technically a visitor now, so I parked in Block B."

"Good. We remember her car through the fence. So, she was in Block B when she witnessed the crime." Alexia murmurs, before asking. "So, did you have a premonition? You mentioned that you felt something."

"It felt like... how would you say... Oh yes... it was like the feeling you get when you see a pumpkin full of seeds!" Angel replies with a nice smile.

The judge looks at Angel, confused. "I have no idea what that means."

"(Anyone does??)" Alexia thought angrily, "Speaking of 'detective instincts'... Wasn't the victim, Mr. Bruce Goodman, also a detective?"

"Yes. But it was a young cheese." Angel answers.

"What does that mean...?" asks His Honor.

"(Angel, you're confusing him!)" Alexia exclaims in her mind, frustrated.

"A pale white cheese, not yet spicy from the experience on the streets. A rookie." Angel explains.

"Hmm... I, of course, am hard, yellowish, sharp as a tack." The Judge says, proudly.

Alexia shakes her head. "Sharp?"

"I bet he stinks, too," Ema says mockingly.

Even if Edgeworth didn't say it out loud. He would like to be as young as our protagonists to be able to say that kind of things more often.

"Anyway, by 'very garish car' you mean Mr. Edgeworth's, right?" Alexia asks.

Angel nods. "Yes."

"Wait, was it in Mr. Edgeworth's car?!" the judge exclaims.

"That's right. By the way, the knife with which the victim was stabbed was also Mr. Edgeworth's." Angel adds as his gaze rests on Miles. "Wasn't it?"

"Indeed, it was." Miles seems a little awkward, something you'd miss if you weren't staring at him.

"Hmm!" says the judge. "What a strange case this is. And the person who saw... are you sure it was the accused?"

Angel raises his right hand. "I saw her from no more than ten meters away. I'm sure it was her."

"(If she's right, we're doomed!)" Alexia thinks nervously.

"Do what you can!" says Ema. "Even if we don't have any proof, we can always complain!"

"It's called being picky!" Alexia corrects her. "(Although it's not like I have any other options to get out of this...)" Are you not a biased witness? In your testimony, you clearly stated that prosecutors are nothing more than worms..."

Angel stares at her. "Maybe you want to keep those silly opinions to yourself in the future, rookie."

"They are not mere opinions, when I can back up my words." Alexia responds by crossing her arms.

"Are you willing to risk the consequences of doubting me? I'll fry you like a fritter! Crispy on the outside..." She hits the bracket. "Chewy inside!!"

"Inspiring!" The judge might well have stars in his eyes.

Ema taps her pencil on the side of her head. "I think I've heard that slogan in other places... could you say plagiarism?"

"What would be the point of doing that, Kitten?" Alexia asked, rolling her eyes.

"I may be relegated to the humble position of luncheon... but my instincts are fine-tuned!" Angel exclaims as he holds something over his head. "Feast your eyes on this!"

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"A photograph! You took this!?" the judge asks.

The defense can't help but look at it. "(How did she get this?)" Alexia thinks starting to sweat.

"The moment I witnessed the crime, my reflexes took over and shot up! I took a photograph. In fact…" She holds out another box. "One of my lunch boxes has a camera."

"(How do you know which lunch boxes to have at any given moment? Then again, I guess that's more exciting than just hanging a camera around your neck.)" Alexia reasons.

Miles stares at him. "Why am I seeing this now?"

"Ha!" Angel says. "As if I was going to show it to a prosecutor! Think again."

Of course, that answer takes Edgeworth by surprise.

"I have a boyfriend in the photography division of Criminal Affairs." Angel reveals, as if nothing had happened.

"This lady has a boyfriend everywhere!" Ema says shocked.

"Do you see why I call her 'Deep Throat'?" Alexia murmurs annoyed.

The judge nods. "Well... this is surely the accused!"

Photo of the crime added to the court record.

Angel places it on the left side of the shots.

"Okay, tell us about the knife," Alexia asks massaging her temple.

"I would say the blade was about 10 centimeters long." The Choking Queen turns to Miles. "Is that so, Mr. Edgeworth? After all, it's his knife."

He sighs. "Yes, that's right."

"Prosecutors, by nature, know well the location of a man's vital organs." He takes a lunch box and spins it on his fingernail. "I'm sure it was easier than boiling an egg for my surprise egg salad set."

Alexia grimaces. "How can you testify to her ability to kill an egg... *Cough* I mean, a person!"

"Maybe a set of chicken salad would have been a better metaphor?" Ema comments before exclaiming, "Is there any chance we can get one?"

Alexia looks at her, with a drop of sweat. Angel throws them a specific lunch box anyway.

Alexia catches it and passes on to the scientist. "Why didn’t you try to stop her?" She asks. "You saw her raise the knife, right?"

"I tried..." His face becomes somber. "But it was too late to do anything. She had already put down the murder weapon!"

"And did you witness that? Did you see Miss Skye stab the victim with the knife?" Alexia questions.

The lunch lady is getting frustrated. "Yes! I swear by my best lunch ever 'Salmon Swirl'!" She quickly brings it up. "How many times do I have to say it?!"

"Hmm!! I'm sure it's a good lunch!" says the judge. She throws it at him.

Before Alexia can speak, Ema beats her to it: "This is weird." The girl says, as she walks to the evidence desk and takes the photo. "If you took this at the very moment of the crime, why is my sister here without a knife?"

Angel and Miles stare at her. Just like Alexia, who turned pale, when she knew where Ema was going to get into.

The Judge is the one who must break the silence. He clears his throat. "Mr. Edgeworth, Miss Fey, what do you think of what little Skye just talked about?"

He says one thing. "Objection.", in the most normal tone in the world.

"OBJECTION!!" Alexia exclaims at the top of her lungs, pushing Edgeworth back for catching him by surprise. "The witness's statement contradicts in its entirety the photo that Ema is currently showing! Because she said she took the photo 'at the moment' when she witnessed the crime!"

Angel shrugs. "Well, it seems that it was not so clear. My apologies."

In the silence that was created by what the witness said, Alexia rushes out to take Ema's hand and immediately returns her to her side. "For God's sake, don't do that again! I don't think I've bluffed that much in my life!"

Ema lowers her gaze, "I'm sorry..."

"Before speaking, please. Tell me what's on your mind first, and then I'll see if I'll let you continue with your idea." Alexia murmurs exhaling.

"Is that all...?" Edgeworth asks the witness, "Is that all you have to say?"

She snorts. "If you run out of lunch, you ask for a few seconds. Problem solved! If you don't like it, try ordering the jumbo lunch from the start."

"I'm not sure I understand it, but it's good advice," says Ema, wanting to do comedy. Alexia just snorts.

Angel continues, stomping his heels. "I didn't have time to stop her. Prosecutor Skye was cold, calculating, like a robot. He killed without pain or remorse! It was a premeditated murder!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Alexia put her hands in the air. "Where did you get that?!"

"Look at Ms. Skye's hands in the photo," Miles says.

"Let me see the picture, Mr. Edgeworth." The prosecutor proceeds to show the photo to the judge. "Wait! Are those gloves?"

"Whaaaaaat?!" Alexia exclaims, snatching the photo from them to see. "(. . . Yes, there are dark gloves on Lana's hands . . .)"

Miles walks away. "Most likely, they are surgical gloves made of thin rubber. Why would she wear them?" Before Fey could speak, he continues. "If it hadn't been premeditated, she wouldn't be wearing those gloves!"

"Ah!" Ema shudders. Alexia looked at the prosecutor, nervously reflected in her eyes.

"These gloves seem to tell a story of premeditation!" declares the judge.

Angel nods. "A felony."

"Update your testimonial by adding this!" The Judge demands.

"With pleasure." Angel says with a beautiful smile.

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The statement "was a premeditated crime! Rubber gloves prove it!" was added between the statements "The Chief prosecutor had a knife in her right hand..." and "Stuck the sharp point of the knife into Detective Goodman's chest!"

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"This is bad... She has made them think that this was all premeditated... If she manages to prove this claim, the trial is already over! We have to think of a way to prove that this was not premeditated!" Ema says desperately.

"I know, I know... I think I know how I can prove that it wasn't premeditated." Alexia murmurs

"Really?!" Ema says surprised.

"Well, it won't work to cease suspicions about Lana, but it will work to get a few more minutes of trial..." Alexia murmurs.

"Of course, go ahead!" Ema exclaims excitedly.

End of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Witness's Account

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"Miss Starr?" Alexia says as she pulls out a certain red knife. "Do you know what this is?"

Angel, annoyed, gestures outwards. "Are you trying to test me? I make a living selling box lunch, you know? That's a knife. THE knife. The knife that was in Mr. Edgeworth's trunk!"

"That's right, that's my knife." Miles replies looking up. "But I still don't understand what your point is, Miss Fey"

In the audience, people are talking again.

"What's up with this case?!"

"The murder weapon with blood, a red car... all belonging to the prosecutor over there?!"

"The defendant is the chief prosecutor, right?"

"Mommy, are prosecutors bad people?"

"This is my point." Alexia looks at them. "you say the gloves mean the crime was premeditated. Okay, then, let me ask you a question." Then she points to Lana's photo. "If wearing gloves is a sign that she planned to commit the crime beforehand, why didn't she also plan the weapon to commit it?!"

The lady at lunch is quiet. "Oh..."

"What do you think Lana would have done if the knife wasn't in the car?" asks Alexia. "You don't forget the murder weapon when you plan an assassination!"

"Yuck!" Angel throws some of his lunches into the air.

As the judge tries to calm the gallery, Ema begins to celebrate a little.

"Good show, Miss Fey!" says Ema. "My sister is practically free!"

"HOLD IT!" snorts Miles. "I think the next lunch Miss Skye will eat is a humbling cake!"

Ema does her best to calm herself down, and then asks, "Why?"

"You’re deluding yourself into thinking that 'the tide has turned'. And for such an insignificant detail, no less!" Edgeworth exclaims.

"Doesn't this blow a hole in all that premeditated theory?" asks Ema.

"Yes, it does. But that's why I said my argument would only work to buy time. For what Lana is being charged with is not "Planning and Perpetrating the Murder of Goodman," but only "Perpetrating the Murder of Goodman." Alexia explains in a cold sweat. "So Lana is still in the same place..."

"I don't think I could have explained better. As Miss Fey said, the prosecution wouldn't care less about that." Miles says before gesturing. "The only one who seems to care is the lunch lady over there."

Angel is currently sweating. His face is twisted with anger.

Miles continues. "The defendant, Lana Skye, murdered a detective with a knife. That's all the prosecution needs to prove. Nothing more."

A slow applause sounds in the room. And it comes from our resident Cough-up Queen. "Very well, Mr. Prosecutor," he says, "I suppose you think you're clever now. But you know as well as I do that she planned to kill him! It was planned! If it wasn't, why should it do so while wearing..."

The judge interrupts her. "I think I'd like to hear your testimony again."

"Witness." Miles moves a finger. "Tell us what you saw, not what you thought."

"How dare you!" she snaps. "My powers of deduction should not be underestimated!"

Alexia shakes her head slowly. "Are you sure not?"

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Beginning of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Angel's Deduction

"Lana Skye intended to murder Inspector Goodman! That is why he made the victim go to the prosecutor's office. I am sure that the chief prosecutor had some debt to settle with the victim. Nothing else could have prompted her to stick the knife again and again..."

End of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Angel's Deduction

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"Was the victim summoned from the Police Department to the District Prosecutor's Office?" the judge asks. "Sounds a lot like premeditation, doesn't it?"

Ema grimaces. "If I order pizza, does that mean I plan to kill the delivery man?"

He doesn't respond to that. "In any case, the defense can now cross-examine the witness."

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Beginning Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Angel's Deduction

"Okay, I think it's better to make this clear right now. And that's you have no evidence that Ms. Skye called Goodman to the prosecutor's parking lot." Alexia says without mincing words.

"You have no proof that she didn't!" Angel answers. "Prove that it is not like that!"

Alexia shakes her head. "You are the one who is proposing this possibility. So it is you who must back up your argument with evidence, not me."

The lunch lady just grunts in annoyance.

"What do you think, Mr. Edgeworth?" the judge asks.

Miles shakes his head. "There is no record of a call made on the defendant's phone. So the argument of the defense is sustained."

"She could have written a letter!" Angel suggests.

Alexia rolls her eyes. "How do you come to propose a letter without even proposing a public phone first?"

"In any case, the detective ended there. That's undeniable," says Miles. "Go ahead with cross-examination."

Alexia sighs before asking, "A debt to settle? What kind?"

Angel shrugs. "I don't know."

"Of course not," Ema snaps. "There's not even one here."

She pulls out a lunch box. "What's in here?"

"How would we know? It's closed." Ema murmurs annoyed.

"Exactly. We agree that there is a lunch box here, but we don't know what's inside! A person's life is like a lunch box with pretzels. Don't you agree?" Angel explains.

Alexia grimaces. "Why pretzels?"

"I get it!" says the judge. "That's why my lunch was so salty!"

"It's clear that he doesn't get it," says Alexia. "Anyway. How many times did she stab him? You say 'over and over again'..."

Angel snorts. "What difference does it make if the act is done!?"

"Calm, calm. There's no need to get so defensive." Alexia says with a small smile. "I'm just asking because I find that pretty weird."

"And why is that?" The Judge questions intrigued.

"Can you give me the autopsy report, Kitten?" Ask for Alexia. The little scientist passes it on. "Miss Starr, there's no way you witnessed this repeated stabbing you claim!"

The next lunch box that Angel opens is completely green inside. "Don't test me! Surprise moss on the way, rookie!!"

It looked like Miles was going to say something, but he was interrupted by a knock that the lawyer was giving to her desk. "Unfortunately, that moss grows under our feet while we wait."

"Why?!" asks Angel, lowering the box.

"What do you figure?" says the judge.

She walks to the stand as she speaks. "The autopsy report indicates that the death was due to blood loss... for ONE stab wound."

Angel jumps shocked.

"Ah, ha! You’re right! Nice show, Miss Fey!" The Judge alleges.

"Great, Miss Fey!" Ema faints. "I'll become your fan, really!"

Alexia blushes slightly. "Oh, uh, thank you..."

"Well, witness?" The judge looks at Angel.

She shows another lunch box, this one with a fork pointing upwards and something red forming a puddle around it. "You have the crime scene set, right?"

"What's that?" Ema looks at the box. "Kepchup?"

"I always believed that no one could mistake ketchup for blood." Angel puts lunch on the table. "But now I realize that those mistakes are possible."

Miles grimaces. "Did you mistake something for blood?"

"Yes." Angel takes the hat off his head and scratches it. "When she raised his knife, I thought I saw blood on her chest... blood splattered from her victim! That's why I thought she must have stabbed him at least twice."

"Then tell us what you saw, and thought was blood! Testify!" the judge demands.

She sighs before speaking. "Okay, Your Honor."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The statement "Her red scarf of the brand "Scapa" looked like blood to me... That's how dreadful the whole scene was!" was added at the end of the testimony."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You mean her scarf, right?" Alexia asks.

Angel nods in confirmation. "Yes. The Chief prosecutor always wears one around her neck. So I guess you can easily hang it up at any time..."

"How did you mistake that for splattered blood?" asks Miles in disbelief.

Angel doesn't say anything, so the judge does. "Well, people often mistake my beard for a bib."

"I was already wondering why this place sometimes looks so much like a kindergarten." Alexia murmurs with a drop of sweat.

The lady at lunch looks to the side. "Actually... I do think I saw some traces of blood on her chest..."

"However, the autopsy report is clear about this." Alexia remembers, with the report in her hand. "There was only one knife wound. How would the blood have gotten there?"

Angel is silent again. She is not even entirely sure of her own testimony.

"This is our chance!!" says Ema.

"Yes, I think I can do something with this..." Alexia murmurs, taking the photo of the crime.

End of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Angel's Reasoning

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"Ms. Starr. Without the intention of offending, I don't think you’re fit for detective work anymore." Alexia says seriously.

Before Angel could say anything, Fey continued talking. "Look at this. The suspect was not wearing a scarf when she allegedly stabbed the victim. You proved it yourself with this."

"Huh?! That can't be!" Angel screams.

Miles shakes his head. "Hmph. Only a 'true professional' could be so clueless. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll be a good lunch lady. ".

The lady at lunch, of course, is agitated.

"Harsh words! But good!" says the judge.

Ema raises a fist in the air. "Look at that! Mr. Edgeworth prevails!"

Alexia folds her arms. "That comment was savage; I have to give it to him."

"I swear!" Angel begs. "There was something red there! Really!"

Miles taps his hand. "You have given us an entertaining interlude; Now let's get back to the matter."

"Hey!" Angel exclaims annoyed.

"In any case," the judge says, "you saw the crime and arrested the suspect ... tell us."

She wrings her hands. "Very good. At least I remember some things accurately."

"We haven't gotten rid of the important part yet." Alexia says, somewhat tired.

Ema asks, "What would that be?"

"The part where your sister apparently stabbed the victim!" Alexia says, frustrated. "And for a change, I'm learning as I go!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Beginning of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Apprehending the Suspect

"After the crime, the suspect tried to flee behind the division of her area. I caught her quickly, read her rights, and arrested her instantly. Ah, yes... When I arrested her, she mentioned the muffer! That's why I got confused in my previous testimony! Chief prosecutor tried to run away, but it's useless to resist Angel Starr!"

End of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Apprehending the Suspect

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"You're very determined about this scarf, aren't you?" the judge asks.

She shrugs. "I trike like a snake and bit like a cobra! That's me, Angel Starr."

Alexia rolls her eyes. "Cobras are snakes, Ms. Starr. Please try again."

Her hand taps her hat, which she left on the stand. "Don't bother me with details, unless you want to be bitten!"

"Go ahead, I invited you to try..." Alexia growls, squinting.

"Note to self: Attorney Fey looks scared when she’s bother..." Ema says as she writes, annoying Alexia a little.

"Keep it up and I'll force you to give your notebook to Maya." Alexia threatens, confusing Ema.

Ema tilts her head, confused. "Who is Maya?"

"Someone you wouldn't want to leave your notebook with. So don't tempt me." Alexia murmurs angrily.

"The chief prosecutor tried to resist, but her efforts were in vain. He hit my hands, kicked a drum of oil..." In this last part, Angel takes a step back and kicks high to prove his point.

"How does she kick so high, and in that dress?" Alexia murmurs. "(I remember one of the two oil drum we saw was lying on the ground. But I can't believe Lana kicked it.)"

"Oh, it's beautiful, but deadly! This is a predator! A leopard woman!" Angel returns to the stand and makes a scratching gesture. "Rawr!"

The judge says, "Miss Fey, your cross-examination, please."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Beginning of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Apprehending the Suspect

"Where's the partition?" Ema asks.

"Miss Fey, please." Alexia walks over and gives Miles the plans. "Thank you." He lifts them up so she can see them, pointing somewhere at the top. "This is it. It's this wall right next to where my car had been."

"It was about 3 meters tall, wasn't it?" Says Alexia, leaning against the prosecution's bench.

"That's right." Miles replies.

Angel crosses his arms. "Obviously she was trying to hide. It's quite natural for a criminal!"

"What did she say about the muffler?" Alexia asks, next to the prosecutor's bench.

"If I knew exactly, I would have said it!" Angel snaps.

"Don't be shameless..." Alexia murmured and Miles in unison, but they were not heard by the others.

"That's all I heard her say. She wasn't talking to me; she was on the phone!" Angel exclaims.

"So you never saw it." Alexia says with a raised eyebrow. Angel is still.

"She couldn't have done it," Miles says of agreement. "The image is proof of that."

Angel nods. "I admit it."

"This is strange!" Ema says, confused. "First she mistakes a scarf for splattered blood, now she says she didn't see any scarves!"

Alexia takes note of what Ema said. But first, she clarifies some doubts. "How did she manage to 'escape'?"

Angel gestures outward. "She pushed my hand away and started running! It was a terrible sight to watch, like a spoonful of lard in a foie gras pate! He even kicked me into an oil canister!"

(Leaving aside the strange metaphor of food, he mentioned the oil drum again.)" Alexia thinks.

"What I want to know is this." Miles looks at the test table. "If she wanted to escape... why didn't she run to the other side?"

"Ah, you mean the entry of the cars!" says the judge.

Ema nods. "Exactly! Was she trying to get caught?"

Angel can't answer that. She doesn't know how to do it.

"It seems that we have more mysteries," Alexia murmurs, returning to the defense bench. "Better to try to solve them from the beginning."

Fey connects her gaze with that of the witness. "Miss Starr, how close were you to the suspect so you could catch her 'quick'?"

"I think I said this 9 meters." Angel says.

"So the place where you parked is 9 meters away from where you found Miss Skye?" She says

"Yes, that's right." Angel answers.

"Wait, there's a fence between all that, right?" Says the Judge.

Angel shakes his head. "Obviously I scaled it."

"In that short time?" Alexia grimaces.

"Amazing!" says the judge. "The Cough-up Queen, the Luncheon athlete lady."

Ema folds her arms. "There's no way she could get to my sister so quickly. It would take her a while to climb that fence in flat shoes or sneakers, let alone heels!"

"And the fence was 3 meters high," says Alexia. "I find it strange that your sister didn't run away."

Alexia, holding Lana's phone, turns to Angel. "You said she was on the phone when you mentioned the muffler, right?"

Angel shrugs. "Yes, ultimately."

"Ultimately?" asks Miles.

"At first she tried to use the phone hanging on the wall. But apparently it was broken." Alexia answers.

"Hmmm..." says the judge. "Good witnessing, witness!"

"(What happened to good testifying?)" Alexia thinks with a drop of sweat.

"You should, of course, add this to your testimony."

Angel rolls her eyes. "The things I do to please newbies." She grabs her hat and tries to straighten it. "I saw it all: how she tried to use the phone on the wall. she stopped trying and just used her cell phone!"

"Can you rephrase everything? For the court?" Ask for Alexia..

The judge nods. "I was going to ask for the same thing!"

"Very well." She comes out from behind the witness bench and walks to the center of the room. "I'll only say this once, so listen carefully, all of you. The chief prosecutor stabbed the victim and ran behind the partition. She then picked up the emergency phone that was on the wall, but as it was out of order. She took her own cell phone out of her pocket."

"And while she was doing that, you climbed the fence..." Says the Judge.

"Yes, your honor. I bravely grabbed her arm, and she hung up the phone!" Angel exclaims proudly.

Alexia taps her arm with her finger, as Miles does sometimes. "Uh huh. And did you see this?"

Everyone is looking at him. "What?"

End of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Apprehending the Suspect

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"This contradiction leads me to conclude that he has a personal grudge against Ms. Lana Skye!" Alexia points directly to Angel.

"OBJECTION!!" Miles exclaims. "The witness is a former detective. Her testimony is not clouded by personal prejudices."

Angel clasps her hands together. "Good, good! Who would have thought that you would be my knight in shining armor, prosecutor? You, who kicked me out two years ago... with the Chief Prosecutor!"

Of course, she has no response from the prosecutor for this.

"Nice try, Ms. Starr." Alexia says as she walks to the prosecutor's desk. "Mr. Edgeworth, the blueprints, please."

Miles, confused, pushes them over.

Fey walks over to Angel, "Explain this," she says, as she shows her the blueprints.

"Explain what?!" Angel blurts out.

"It's pretty straightforward. Could you explain how you could have seen Ms. Skye make the phone call from where she was?" Alexia points to the area where Angel says he was.

Yes. She has already seen the problem, so she backs away in shock.

"I think you understand what I mean. That emergency phone was in the back of this partition," Alexia says, pointing to it. "If you were really in Block B, you couldn't have seen it!"

"No!" Angel exclaims, dropping her bag.

There goes the gallery. Alexia and Ema cover their ears while the Judge silences them.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Judge demands to know.

"Easy!" says Alexia. "She's not coughing up lunch; she's coughing up lies!"

Angel growls, picks up her purse, and returns to the witness stand. Miles points to Alexia.

"Okay, Miss Fey. Can you tell us what she lied about?"

"Well, lying about the phone doesn't make sense." Alexia shrugs. "And if she saw Miss Skye use it, that means she saw all this from somewhere else!"

"Ha!" Miles shakes his head. "That's a useless lie if I've ever heard one!"

"OBJECTION!!" Fey moves one of her bangs, a small smile on her face. "Don't write it off so quickly, Mr. Edgeworth. Don't you think you should at least listen before you judge?"

"Objection admitted," says the judge. "Please show us where the witness should have been."

Alexia directs the shots towards the judge. "She was here!" She points to the security booth.

"But why?" asks the judge. "She could have seen it from anywhere else."

"Your Honor, she can't park in Block A!" Alexia reminds him. "There aren't many other places where she's been in that case. Plus the fact that she said she brought lunch to her boyfriend at security!"

Angel stomps her feet. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

"Order, order!" the judge shouts. Finally, the gallery is silent. "Witness! What have you done!? You used to be a detective! I should know better!"

"I don't care!" Angel yells in response. "I'm not going to back down! The guilty will be punished, and I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that justice prevails."

"(I'm sure she's talking about Lana, but why the hell is for...?)" Alexia thinks intrigued.

"Hey, Miss Fey?" Ema says, catching the lawyer's attention.

"Yes, Kitten?" Alexia asks curiously.

"I don't understand this. Why did Mrs. Starr lie?" The little scientist says confused.

"Well... probably because the fact that she saw the crime from another place would cause there to be a big hole in his testimony." Alexia suggests thoughtfully. "It is not the first time that a testimony has been modified for convenience, nor will it be the last."

"You sure?" asks Ema unsurely. "I don't see how that changes anything..."

"Exactly!" Miles exclaims from across the room. "This photograph says it all! It was the defendant who stabbed the victim! That truth still stands!"

Alexia shakes her head in negative. "No, it doesn't."

Edgeworth shudders. "What?! How so?"

"Angel knows full well that she would be guilty of perjury if she was caught." Alexia says, turning to look at the lunch lady. "She wouldn't take a chance without a good reason!"

The Judge is intrigued, "Why don't you tell us what it is, Miss Fey?"

"It changes the distance between her and the crime scene!" Alexia exclaims.

"Miss Fey, may I?" Miles puts his hands behind his back. "My deepest condolences, but with a look at the plans it is quite clear. The distance between the crime scene and the guard station is 9 meters. I don't see how that would change what she was able to see."

Alexia shows a foxy smile. "I'm not worried about what she might be able to see there. I'm talking about how long it would take her to get there!"

Miles backs away in surprise.

"Mrs. Starr, how long did it take you to get from that station to the scene of the crime?" asks Alexia.

She stares at them but says nothing.

"Witness?" asks the judge.

Take out a lunch box again. "You ordered the squid wheels, right?"

"How disgusting!" both girls say in unison. The quality of lunches has gone from excellent to low to inedible.

"Anyway," Angel says, "I would bring my boyfriend a PB&J lunch with fresh blackberry jam."

The judge reflects on this. "Hmm... Mora for the bridegroom!"

"He wasn't at the station, so I waited." Angel approaches where we are and points to the plans, which are on the defense bench. "I witnessed the crime from the glass-walled station... And before I realized what I was doing, I found myself running toward the scene." He traces the path he was trying to take, which seemed very short. "But... The door was locked. I couldn't open it." She then charts the new path she was forced to take. "That's why I had to go through the visitors' parking lot in Block B."

"Show me too, will you?" The Judge requests. She picks up the plans and traces them again for him. "That's a big turn-off."

She shrugs. "I wouldn't say it. It only took me five minutes to get there."

"What?!" They all exclaim in unison.

The gallery begins to talk to each other, but not loud enough to ignore a loud bang from the sledgehammer.

The judge pulls his beard. "This changes things considerably!"

"But it was that woman who was there in the defendant's chair who stabbed him! I know! I have photographic evidence!" Angel exclaims, as he raises his right hand again. "I swear... I swear by my best plastic fork!"

The judge shrugs. "He is right. And the fork is a wonderful invention."

"Do you want another caviar lunch?" Angel says as he holds it.

"Absolutely!" The Judge exclaims excitedly.

Alexia sighs wearily as Angel brings it closer to the supposedly impartial authority of the room.

"Miss Fey!" says Ema. "Do something!"

"I'm going, I'm going, I'm going!” Alexia murmurs before exclaiming. "OBJECTION!!" and slap the table with their palms, "Five minutes between the testimony of the murder and the arrest? Think about it! You could make pasta in that time if you like al dente!"

"Ha!" Angel holds another box. "I have lunch boxes that tie knots with the pasta, rookie!"

"It's not the point." Alexia answers, before continuing with her line of reasoning. "Doesn't this five-minute blank space seem strange to you?"

"Is it strange how...?" asks Miles.

"Your Honor!" Alexia turned to the judge. "If you were a criminal, what would you do with five minutes of total solitude?"

He shrugs. "I guess he would run away." Then he jumps. "Hey! Don't get the wrong idea! I didn't kill anyone..."

"Yes, but you have the instincts of a murderer! You'd run away from before anyone arrives!" Alexia says with a half-smile. "But this time it was different! Ms. Skye stayed at the scene of the crime... she even got careless enough to have her picture taken! No real criminal would act this way! It's inconceivable!"

At this final statement, Angel exclaims furiously as she throws her bag across the room, straight into the gallery.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone looks at the Judge, waiting for him to speak.

"Okay, then. It seems that we have reached the end of this testimony," he says while pointing the gavel towards Angel. "She holds a grudge against the defendant and there is a gap in her testimony."

The Cough-Up Queen is growling from her stall.

He turns to look at the prosecutor's office. "Mr. Edgeworth, is the next witness ready?"

Miles sighs. "Unfortunately, it appears that I have overestimated this witness because of her professional history."

Ema applauds. "Way to go, Miss Fey! We fucked up that closed can!"

"That was too close." Alexia murmurs, deliberately ignoring the slur that Ema said.

The judge folds his arms. "I'm afraid the Choking Queen has been dethroned. And with that, the session is adjourned!"

But while he raises his sledgehammer...

"HOLD IT!!"

Everyone turned their heads towards the lady at lunch. She calmly bends down and picks up one of the lunches from before. "Mr. Edgeworth, you ordered the Squid Wheels, didn't you?" he asks, pulling him closer to him.

Once again, the two girls shudder. That's the one she tried to give them.

Miles raises a hand. "I'd rather not take leftovers from the defense team. Do you have anything else to say?"

She puts a hand on his hip. "Maybe. I have decisive evidence that can save you."

"What was that?!" asks the judge.

"Uh, is this one of your tricked-out lunch boxes...?" Alexia asks tiredly.

The Judge shakes his head. "Anyway... we have no more questions to ask you, Ms. Starr."

"Maybe this will change your mind?" Angel says as he holds the biggest box he's ever had today. "Is this your giant lunch box?"

Jokes aside, the judge actually applauds excitedly. "Whoo hoo! A triple floor!" As soon as he has it in front of him, he says, "Out of deference to the determination of the witness, I will allow one more testimony! Let's listen to this decisive evidence."

Angel bows. "As Lunchland's motto goes, you won't be disappointed!"

Alexia growls annoyed. "What will she take out of her lunchbox now?"

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Beginning of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Conclusive Evidence

"I should have mentioned those 5 minutes during which I didn't see the crime scene. But now, let's talk about the victim's shoe... Hadn't I told you about the matter...? Tests show 2 types of blood in the shoe! One was the victim's, of course. But the other one was—" it was the blood of the defendant, Ms. Lana Skye! This shoe proves it! It's an impeccable test!"

End of Witness Testimony – Angel Starr's Statement, Conclusive Evidence

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During the testimony, Angel took out some gloves and put them on her hands to hold the shoe in question. Everyone is amazed at it.

"Is there blood on that shoe?!" The judge is incredulous.

Angel smiles and goes over to go get her bag from the gallery. "Try Lunchland, for all your lunch needs and decisive testing!"

"Why did I just find out about this?" demands Miles.

Alexia raises an eyebrow. "Mr. Edgeworth, I'm sure she's already made it pretty clear that she doesn't trust you with proof!"

"How is it possible that this girl seems to understand better than you?" she asks. "In any case, I did my own research."

"And did you do blood tests?" asks Alexia.

"That's what I did. Didn't I mention that I have three boyfriends in forensics?"

Ema rubs her temples. "How many are already going so far?"

"Six, and most likely, still counting," says Alexia.

"Anyway, I can't take this as proof!" Miles snaps.

"Why not?!" Angel demands.

" You must know the two rules of Evidence Law, Mrs. Starr! Rule 1: No evidence will be shown without the approval of the Police Department! In other words, this shoe is illegal evidence! At least, for the time being!" Edgeworth exclaims.

Alexia just watches. "(Looks like Mr. Edgeworth is celebrating.)"

Ema looks at Alexia. "Is that so, Miss Fey?!"

"Theoretically. But it seems that Mr. Edgeworth is forgetting a detail." Alexia says, drawing attention to her.

Edgeworth looks annoyed. "And what would it be that I'm forgetting?"

"It's that Ms. Starr said that this shoe was analyzed by a member of the forensic department. So yes, we like it or not, she complies with the first rule by having the approval of the police department. In addition to the fact that the general public also has the right to upload evidence, as long as it is related to the case." Alexia explains in great detail.

"I couldn't have explained it better." Angel says with a wicked smile.

In response, he dropped his head by banging on the table. "Argh!"

"(Mr. Edgeworth looks rather sullen.)" Alexia thinks.

The judge rubs his forehead. "Despite the complaints of the prosecution... It seems that this evidence satisfies the first rule of the law of evidence. It looks like you have yet another count against you, witness."

Angel shrugs. "Whatever is necessary to ensure that the guilty are properly tried."

Place the shoe on the right side of the photo, which has been returned to the table along with the plans.

The victim's shoe was added to the court file.

"There's blood on the toe of the shoe." Alexia whispers, looking at the shoe.

"That blood... it's my sister's, right?" Ema says fearfully.

"That's what it looks like." Alexia says. "Remember that Ms. Lana's right hand was bandaged when we saw her in the detention center. It must have been cut off at the time of the crime..."

"My poor sister..." Ema murmurs sadly.

"It also looks like there's blood on the sole of the shoe." Alexia comments. "It has to be the victim's. He must have stepped into a small pool of his own blood."

"All this blood... It's horrible," Ema says trembling.

"(Hmm... This blood could be an important clue...)" Alexia thinks seriously.

"Alright, Miss Fey, you can question the witness!" Says the Judge.

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Beginning of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Conclusive Evidence

"How come you lied about the five minutes?" Alexia asks.

"I guess you could say I just wanted people to see the results," Angel replies.

"What does it mean...?" Alexia questions.

Angel exclaims, frustrated. "How many times do I have to say this? I saw the chief prosecutor stab the victim before my very eyes! Compared to that, a five-minute 'blank' means nothing!"

"Then why didn't you tell the truth?" asks Miles. Wow, he looks so tired of this...

Angel crosses his arms. "Don't make me laugh! We are dealing with the most untrustworthy of the vile known as prosecutors! Falsified evidence, fixed testimony, erasing and manipulating evidence!" She grab a lunch. "When you fight monsters, you must use all the tricks in the book!"

With that, he throws lunch into the prosecution bench. Miles has to get out of the way. "Hey!"

"How does that make sense if the suspect admits she did it?" Alexia whispers to herself.

"False testimony is the most despicable crime of all, Ms. Starr. Let's end this once and for all," says the judge.

"If not, I'm imagining things. I would say there's a critical problem with this evidence." Says Alexia, before exclaiming, "A clear contradiction!"

"Wait!" says Alexia. "I see it!" She takes the gloves out of her bag and picks up the shoe. "Look at this! The blood here on the shoe is a contradiction!"

"That sparkle in your eyes... You're still young, rookie." Angel comments mockingly. "Now I'd give you peppery fish guts, but I doubt very much you can handle that heat, right?"

"Let's listen to what Mr. Fey has to say!" the Judge proposes, "what is contradictory about the victim's shoe? Show us the problem with this evidence!"

Alexia taps the table with her palms. "It's more than clear, and there's blood on the sole of that shoe!"

"It will be your blood on my shoe if you don't explain!" Angel snaps.

"Miss Fey! What could be contradictory about the blood on the sole of his shoe!?" asks Miles.

End of Cross-Examination – Angel Starr's Statement, Conclusive Evidence

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"You've seen the crime photo, right?" Alexia says taking the photo of the crime. "Do you see any traces of blood somewhere here?"

"In this photo there is only a part of the floor!" Miles rebukes her. "There might have been some off-camera."

"That's impossible," says Alexia. "We were there, and we didn't find anything remotely resembling a footprint made of blood. And I doubt very much that the police did, otherwise they would have said something about the presence of any there."

The gallery is again amazed. It seems that Lana looks annoyed by this whole thing...

"Order! Order! Order!" shouts the judge. "Explain yourself, witness!"

Angel looks like a deer in front of the headlights of a car. "What?! Hey? I, uh..."

"Way to go, Ms. Fey!" Ema says. "But now we have to ask ourselves this: why were there no footprints there?"

"That's true! There has to be a reason why there wasn't a footprint!" says the judge.

"The only explanation that comes to mind right now is that Lana either killed this man somewhere else, or she was just the one who found the body, eliminating the possibility that she killed him." Alexia deduces, crossing her arms. "Unless there is a method so that in just 5 minutes or less, she had the time to clean the blood, I only see how you validate these two options..."

"...'Unless there is a method to clean the blood in as little as 5 minutes or less'..." Miles murmurs as he looks at Lana. "I see... Now I understand."

Alexia raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Understand what?"

"Understanding that our witness is more devious than I thought!" says Edgeworth, pointing to Angel. "We were deceived to the end! But she made a mistake! There is a vital hint of truth in her testimony."

"And what is that, Mr. Edgeworth?" asks Alexia.

"Remember what you told us about detaining the suspect ... I thought it was a strange thing for a normally serene chief to do."

"Wait a minute, are you referring to when she kicked that oil drum?" Alexia says intrigued. Miles nods in confirmation.

"Now, witness. Let me ask you a very simple question." Edgeworth says with a half-smile. "That oil drum she kicked... was it empty?"

Angel shakes his head. "I wasn't. It was full of water."

"What?!" says Ema. "That means...?!"

"Yes, it is, Miss Skye." Miles smiles. "Your sister knocked over that gas can for one and one reason only: To erase the bloodstains that would become evidence against him!"

"Nooooo!" Ema screams. Alexia simply remains stoic.

"Good!" The judge applauds. "That ties things together pretty well! The blood stains left on the victim's shoes clearly link her to this murder! Then, after committing the crime, he overturned the oil drum to erase the telltale signs!"

Angel mocks. "Wow, that's a prosecutor's specialty... erasing evidence!"

Alexia followed the situation stoically, with a rather calm expression. Something that began to bother Angel; "What's going on, rookie? Do you have anything on your mind?"

Fey shrugs. "Only one. I was remembering when you said something about when you have to fight monsters, you have to use all the techniques in the book."

"Yes, I said that. So what?" Angel replies angrily.

"Well... Couldn't you be in cahoots with the prosecution? You could have lied about the water..." Alexia says as if she doesn't want the thing.

Angel looks as if he wants to pounce on Alexia. She just smiles slyly, "(The lure is ready. Let's see what's bigger, your grudge or your pride?)"

Edgeworth looks annoyed by the defense's words; "Enough! There's no need for any more debate," he turns to the judge, "The verdict, Your Honor!"

"Well..." The judge raises his sledgehammer. "I see no reason to prolong this trial."

Tears slowly form in Ema's eyes. "No! Miss Fey, do something!"

"Don't worry, Kitten." Alexia says with a small smile. "You will see that we do not have the need to speak for this trial to last any longer..." Ema looks confused at the lawyer

The judge raises his gavel more. "This court finds the defendant, Ms. Lana Skye..."

"HOLD IT!!"

It's Angel again. Her face is contorted with fury.

"I told you..." Alexia whispers. Ema is simply surprised.

"Rookie. What the hell did you just say?!" Angel growls, annoyed.

"Me? What did I say?" Alexia says pretending not to understand.

"You just said I was on the side of the prosecution?!" Angel exclaims angrily.

"Isn't that right?" says Alexia, shrugging. "It was you who say that Miss Skye is hiding evidence by erasing the traces of blood."

"I have the feeling that you have offended her...", says Ema, looking at her nervously, as she wipes away the tears that escaped her.

"You bet she did!" Angel snaps. "I thought you had your fill, but here you are, demanding a second helping! Another lunch box..." The one he holds seems to be hslf-half. "A lunch box called 'evidence'!"

The judge is taken aback for a moment. "Do you have anything else, witness?"

"Your Honor, you have reached your verdict!" Miles hisses. "Any further comments will be considered contempt of court!"

With a foxy smile, Alexia says; "Mr. Edgeworth, as if that has stopped people in this courtroom before."

"Besides, your threats don't scare the Cough-Up Queen!" Angel shows another photo. "Look at this! I kept it in case anyone dared to say that this shoe didn't belong to the victim!"

The judge studies it. "I don't see any margin for error in this evidence."

"Ah!" shouts Ema.

"T-The asphalt..." Ema murmurs in shock.

"Indeed. It's wet..." Alexia says calmly.

The judge nods. "Erasing the last trace of doubt from the mind of the court. Immediately after the murder, the crime scene was washed with water!"

Ema's face twists to be sadder than before. "I'm sorry. I guess... I couldn't help after all."

"(Oh no, now it sounds like Maya two months ago. But this is not her fault. We knew that this case was almost impossible to win. And it seems that this is what her sister wanted anyway!)" Alexia thinks, looking between the Skye sisters, before returning her gaze to the photo presented and studying it as quickly as she can. "(But, even though I know it's impossible to win, I'm not going to fall until I take my last breath...)"

And she found just what she needed... in the form of a cloth inside of a car’s muffler. "(Bingo...)"

"Very good! This time I would like to declare a final verdict!" Says the Judge.

Before he can hit the sledgehammer, the five of us shout, "Your Honor! HOLD IT!".

That makes him nervous. "What about all of you?! Can I no longer render my verdicts in peace? Whatever it is, can't it wait?!"

"No, it can't wait! Then it will be too late!" Alexia exclaims annoyed. "Since you can't give your verdict because there's a problem with this evidence!"

"What could it be, Miss Fey?" Edgeworth says.

"This one!" Alexia exclaims, pointing to the car's pipe. "Look!"

Miles looks at him closely, before realizing, "Wait! Something is sticking out of the car's muffler!"

"Ah! What is that sticking out of there?" The Judge says intrigued.

"It doesn't matter!" Angel says. "It has nothing to do with the case!"

"Actually, it does," Alexia says crossing her arms. "You were the one who told us how important it was!"

Angel backs away. "When?!"

"Don't you remember?" Alexia says, as she slowly moves Lana's phone with her hand. "He said he heard her mention a muffler! She was probably referring to the one in the car, which means that this piece of cloth could prove to be vital evidence for the case!"

"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!" Angel throws her bag behind her, toward the double doors, and crushes her hat once more.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once the lunch lady is a little calmer, the judge says, "It looks like we'll have to stay the proceedings."

"sus... SUSPEND!?" She asks.

"I wonder about that piece of cloth. If we leave any questions unanswered here, we don't do the law any favors! Have the car inspected at the crime scene immediately and bring me that cloth!" The Judge orders. "The verdict will wait until after we have seen all the evidence. Okay...?"

Miles sighs. "I suppose so."

Ema gasps. "I can't believe it... it was too close...."

Alexia nods her head. "But we've made it... (at least for now...)"

"The court will adjourn for a thirty-minute recess!" The judge lifts the giant box, which is one place below. "After all, it's time for lunch!"

"Are you still hungry?!" Both girls say in unison. More were silenced by the blow of the Judge's mallet.

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