This is a crossover between Sailor Moon and the game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney belongs to Capcom. The trial system in this story only applies to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and does not reflect events in real-world courts. All characters, laws, and legal matters in this story are works of fiction.
Turnabout Reconciliation
"Urk! Urk! Gaaaaaag…."
A man was being strangled from behind and then he fell limp.
"I can't believe I did it, It wasn't supposed to be like this. No one must know about this, no one. HE has to take the fall!"
April 17 7:28 PM
Tres Bien Restaurant
Private Booth
Two people were inside eating. One was Raye Hino, a beauty with long black hair and violet eyes who was celebrating her 18 birthday, the other her estranged father Roger Hino; who was currently running for the office of prime minister. He had black hair and wore glasses over his violet eyes. Every year she would get a new dress from him and they would have dinner together, it was a ritual she looked forward to less and less each year.
"You haven't touched your food." said Roger.
"I'm not that hungry." said Raye.
"I thought you would be a little more excited, you know at the possibility that you could be the Prime Minister's daughter."
"Frankly I could care less."
"If that's the way you want it, after all you are legally an adult now, you can do just about anything you want."
At that moment a police officer came into the booth. "Captain Fitz, I haven't seen you since the last policeman's ball." said Roger.
"I afraid I'm not here to thank you for your donation there." said the captain. "Roger Hino, I'm here to place you under arrest for murder."
"MURDER!"
Raye was stunned silent as the police took her father away.
April 18 2:14 PM
Wright & Co. Law Offices
The TV was on in the lobby of the small office. "The Trial for Councilor Roger Hino is scheduled for tomorrow at 10:00 AM." The reporter on TV said. "The Councilor who is currently running for the office of Prime Minister was arrested yesterday on suspicion of the murder of Alvin Gebra, an accountant for OmniDyne Insurance."
"He did it!" said Maya Fey. "You can never trust a politician!"
She was a 20 year-old young woman with Green eyes and long dark hair that done into a topknot and wore an unusual purple outfit. Maya was a Spirit Medium; she was able to channel the spirits of the dead.
"Aren't you jumping to conclusions?" asked Phoenix Wright. "I mean just because he's a politician doesn't make him a murderer."
He had blue eyes, spiky black hair and wore a blue business suit with a red tie. At 27 years of age Phoenix Wright was quickly becoming the rising star of criminal defense attorneys. If you were innocent he could not only prove it but expose the real criminal as well. He was also known for turning about seemingly hopeless trials into dazzling successes. He accepted Maya in the office not only because of her powers but because she was the sister of his mentor Mia Fey, who was murdered soon after his first case.
"Well maybe not, but they're always making promises and never delivering."
At that moment a young woman of about 20 with blue eyes and blonde hair done into two buns with long braids came into the office. "Um, is there a Phoenix Wright here?" she asked.
Phoenix took off a pin at his collar with an image of the scales of justice and presented it to the girl. "That's me, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney!"
"What's that?" The girl asked.
"That's my Attorney's badge; it shows I'm a lawyer."
"It's real dinky, not like a police badge."
Phoenix looked hurt. "Um, why don't we just step into my office and discuss why you're here?"
"Oh, yes." They all went to the office. "I need you to defend someone."
"But not you."
"No, the father of a friend."
"Father of a friend?" Maya asked.
"My friend's name is Raye Hino."
"Hino…" Phoenix mused. "Wait a minute! You want me to defend Councilor Hino!"
"Well, yes."
"But that guy should have at least a dozen high priced lawyers he could turn to!"
"They all turned him down; they say the case can't be won."
"But why did his daughter send you instead of coming herself?"
"She doesn't know I'm here."
"WHAT!"
"We're part of…a close knit group. Lately she's been this walking bad mood so we've been trying to get her to talk with her father, but they aren't what you would call close. If he's found guilty then she'll never get the chance to get to know the real him! So I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said 'Find me a lawyer.' Another member of our group, Amy, said she heard a lot of good things about a lawyer named Phoenix Wright so I looked for him."
"Ok first things first, what do you know about the murder?"
"Not much really, the most memorable thing about it is that is took place on Raye's birthday. We were going to throw her a big party but she said she had to see her father and she 'just wanted to get the day over with'."
"Ok I guess we'll just have to see Councilor Hino himself then get an Autopsy."
"Autopsy?"
"Let me explain. An Autopsy is a police record on how and when a person died, if we want to use it as evidence in the trial we have to ask the Police for a copy."
"But to do that don't we first need for the Councilor to agree to have us represent him?" said Maya.
"You're right we need a letter of request."
"Letter of Request?" Serena asked.
"A document proving that he requested our representation."
"Ok then let's go!"
April 18
Detention Center
Visitor's Room
As they entered three other girls rushed Serena. One had long blonde hair and blue eyes, another was a brunette with a ponytail and green eyes, and the last one had short blue hair and blue eyes.
"Serena!" they said.
"So you got a lawyer?" asked the blonde.
"Of course." said Serena. "Let me introduce Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey; Maya and 'Nick' meet my friends Amy, Lita and Mina."
"It's nice to meet you all." said Maya.
"Are you sure he can do the job?" asked Lita.
"He has a near perfect record." said Amy. "I'm sure he can win."
"Of course." said Phoenix. "That is if he's innocent."
"Of course he's innocent!" yelled Serena. "What kind of defense attorney doubts his client?"
"He hasn't agreed to let me represent him, so why don't I go and speak with the man himself?"
Phoenix came face to face with the Councilor separated by thick plastic window.
"You must be the attorney the girl found." The Councilor said.
"Phoenix Wright and this is my assistant Maya Fey, can you tell me a little about the case?"
"I've heard good things about you Mr. Wright. The victim in the case is Alvin Gebra; the chief accountant for OmniDyne Insurance. He was strangled to death."
"Why do they think that you killed him? It doesn't sound like you knew the victim, did you?"
"Barely, he did some accounting work for my campaign but I had to let him go. He ruffled a lot of feathers and everyone in my campaign office said he was an ego manic who was impossible to work with."
(Sounds like the type of guy who makes enemies easily.) Phoenix thought. "And where did the crime take place?"
"His body was found in his office in the OmniDyne Insurance building, and before you ask I was there; I was in a meeting discussing the possibility that they could make contributions to my campaign. It was around the time of that meeting that the murder took place."
"Why did they arrest you?" asked Maya.
"The police said they found decisive evidence, my fingerprints in his office."
"How did they get there?"
"I have no idea; I never set foot in his office."
"That's odd." said Phoenix. "You do have an alibi don't you Councilor Hino?"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"But it could prove you innocent!" said Maya.
"They wouldn't believe me, not with those damn fingerprints all over his office."
"Could you tell me where we could get to OmniDyne?" asked Phoenix. "Also I would like you to sign a letter of request."
"Fine, I'll sign that letter and give you directions. But Mr. Wright by taking this case you have agreed to take my life in your hands, don't screw it up!"
(Raye is her father's daughter.) thought Serena.
Phoenix had similar thoughts. (Your confidence is inspiring, not!) "Thank you." he turned to Maya. "We're done here."
"I'm coming with you!" said Serena.
"What!"
"I want to help!"
"Come on Nick, what harm could it do?" said Maya using his nickname.
"Ok, but at best we have three days to prove his innocence and if she gets in our way she's gone."
"Why three days?" asked Serena.
"Its part of the Initial Trial system they started using a few years ago. Cases were coming into the courts faster than they could handle so they speeded up the process. Now the initial trial to determine the defendant's guilt or innocence can last no longer than three days, most of them end in a day with a guilty verdict."
"That doesn't sound good."
"All of my cases were done under this system, I can handle it."
"So where to now?"
"We have to see an old friend about an autopsy." said Maya.
"And if I know him he'll be waiting for us at OmniDyne."
April 18
OmniDyne Insurance Building
Main Lobby
"This is a pretty tall building." said Serena.
"Well from what I heard OmniDyne is one of the biggest insurance companies in Japan." said Phoenix.
"Hey Nick!" a voice said from behind them. They turned to see a young man in an orange jacket with blue eyes and blonde hair that went up to a point and a goatee.
"L-Larry!" said Maya.
"Long time, no see!" he said. "Who's the cute girl with you?"
"My name is Serena, you know this guy Mr. Wright?" Serena asked.
"His name is Larry Butz." said Phoenix. "We've been friends since grade school. Back then we had a saying, 'If something smells it's probably the Butz.' Not that he's a bad guy he just has really rotten luck. So Larry what are you doing here? Last time I saw you, you trying to be a picture book author."
"Well my book didn't go over well with publishers so I had to ask the KB Corporation for my security guard job back and they rented me out to OmniDyne. I guess you're here because of the murder huh? Then you'll need to talk to me!"
"Why's that?" asked Maya.
"Cause you're looking at the guy who found the body!"
"Ok Larry, tell us what you know." said Serena.
"It was around 5:50 PM, I was getting ready to go home when I noticed a fire alarm go off for the 14th floor employee lounge. I knew the fire department was coming but I had to make sure things were ok. I went up to the lounge, found it was just a trash fire and used an extinguisher to put it out. I then checked the offices to see if anyone was still there, that was when I found him, dead."
"You didn't see anyone else?" asked Phoenix.
"Most of the staff had already left, but now that you mentioned it there was the Janitor who found the body with me."
"Another witness, can you tell us where he is?"
"Probably upstairs being questioned by the cops."
"Did you know the victim before this happened?"
"I knew Al, every time he passed by the security booth he told me to 'get a real job.'"
"Thanks Larry, guess we'll see you in court tomorrow."
April 18
OmniDyne Insurance Building
14th floor hallway
"Hey Pal!" they heard. "You're impeding an investigation!" the voice came from a man with black hair, brown eyes and a trench coat. He wore a bandage on his cheek.
"It's us Detective Gumshoe." said Maya. "We're defending the Councilor, here's his letter of request."
"Oh ok, but what about her?" the detective said as he took the letter.
"She's with us."
"Ok, alright then." Dick Gumshoe was a detective at the homicides division of the local precinct. He was a good cop but he tended to let people walk over him too easily, as a result he tended to agree to pay cuts from his bosses.
"How's your investigation going?" asked Phoenix.
"To tell you the truth except for the fingerprints, he weren't able to find much. We weren't able to get any surveillance footage of the killer."
"Why not?" asked Serena.
"Each floor has cameras in all rooms except private offices, restrooms and service areas. Data is gathered in servers on each floor and the sent to the main security room. Well, on the day in question there was some sort of overload in this floor's server so we don't have any footage of the killer entering or leaving the office. Since the cameras were working in the elevators the only way the killer could have escaped without being seen is by using the nearby stairwell. Still I can't believe that they think he did it."
"Doesn't sound like you believe he did it."
"Not Roger Hino! He's the 'Man of the People'! No way could he kill anybody!"
"You seem pretty convinced of his innocence."
"Look at this article." Dick pulled out a newspaper clipping. "The Councilor took time out of his busy schedule to help clean up a beach, now is that kind or what?"
(I call it a campaign stunt personally) "Mind if I take this?"
"Not at all, I guess you'll want the autopsy report as well."
Phoenix thanked the detective for the clip and started to read the report as they went down the hall. "According to the report the victim died at 5:25 PM after being strangled with a scarf for five minutes. That would mean the attack started at 5:18 PM."
"So when Larry and the Janitor found him he was already dead for a half hour." said Maya.
"So no one actually saw the murder." asked Serena.
"That's one thing going for us, now to the scene of the crime." said Phoenix.
Serena was stunned by the white rope outline of the body and the disarray the office was in. The outline's feet were facing the door. "Oh my god, I can't believe that a man actually died here. How did you two get used to this?"
"We never did." said Maya.
"Looks like the cops picked this place clean of evidence."
"Not quite." said Phoenix as he put on a pair of gloves and picked up a small strange looking box with a pair of wires coming out of either end. "A shunt, this is used to reroute electrical signals."
"Why didn't the police pick this up?" asked Serena.
"It was in a dark corner, behind the desk. It was easy to miss."
"So what does this mean?"
"Maybe nothing, maybe everything; we better check the stairwell the killer probably escaped through."
April 18
OmniDyne Insurance Building
Eastern Stairwell
"Hey there's a footprint on the wall!" Serena said as soon as they entered.
"That is unusual." said Phoenix.
"Look at this!" said Maya as she bent down to the floor. "A gold pendant!"
"Don't touch it." said Phoenix. "It could be evidence. It has initials on it, L & S." As he put the pendant in his pocket he noticed something else. "A pin, there's writing on it. 'Employee of the month, finance division.'"
"What are you doing here?" a gruff voice said. Every one turned around to see a dirty looking man with long white hair and a moustache in a janitor's outfit.
"We're lawyers representing Councilor Hino. And who are you?"
"Scruffy, the janitor."
"Wait; were you the guy who found the body with Larry?" Maya asked.
"Yep."
"Can you tell us about it?"
"Nope."
"Is there a reason why you won't tell us?"
"Yep."
"Can you tell us what is?"
"Nope."
"This guy is a fountain of information." Serena said sarcastically.
"We better get going." said Phoenix.
"The trail's going to end tomorrow." said Scruffy.
"You think he did it?"
"Don't matter what I think, what I know is that I found the body and the company wants this over with quickly and quietly."
"Why?"
"Don't know, but I think you'll find out in court."
As they left the building Serena asked Phoenix. "Why would OmniDyne want this buried quickly? Since it was their chief accountant who was killed I thought they would be angry."
"I don't know," said Phoenix. "but winning this case may depend on us finding out."
To be continued