Ace Attorney: Web of Mistrust

The Theatrical Turnabout, Part 1 (Yuri)

"I-I knew it! You really are a criminal!"

"...Now that you know, allow us to dance."

FLICK!

"W-why are the lights off?!"

"So that you can't escape."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"This is why you don't mess with a criminal."

//November 27, 2029. Performance Hall, 6:37 PM//

I looked around the performance, breath rushing out of my lungs. "This is amazing," I whispered.

"I can't believe we actually got backstage passes here," Niamh muttered.

"Chrysalis was sweet to give them to us," I agreed.

During the past three or so months, Chrysalis has been working with the local theater group on a musical. She had somehow managed to get Niamh and I backstage passes. Speaking of Chrysalis, I wonder where she was... I still couldn't see her anywhere. Sure, Niamh and I had just gotten inside, but I was still curious.

"Should we go and look for Chrysalis?" I suggested.

Niamh nodded. "We stick out like sore thumbs without her."

"Sorry! I was getting ready!"

I turned around to see a familiar figure. Sure enough, it was Chrysalis. She looked way different, though. Her caramel hair was up in a ponytail, a few wisps framing her face. There was a silver butterfly clip surrounded by pastel colored flowers keeping her hair up. Chrysalis' face was covered in makeup, making her eyes almost more noticeable behind her glasses. But most different of all was her outfit. She now had a pale pink kimono on with a sea green sash around the middle.

I gasped as Chrysalis blushed. "How do I look?" she asked.

"That's great!" I exclaimed, a grin breaking out on my face.

"Thanks!" she smiled, clearly fangirling inside.

"So, what show are you performing?" Niamh questioned.

"Mulan," Chrysalis replied. "I'm part of the ensemble, but I'm also the understudy for the lead." She tapped one finger on her chin. "Come to think of it, the lead girl, Saya, isn't here yet..."

"Doesn't the show start in 15 minutes?" I asked.

Chrysalis frowned and nodded. "If she's not here in the next five or so minutes, I'm going to get in the costume."

"Why not just do it now?" Niamh suggested.

Chrysalis nodded again. "Yeah. She's usually here early. Maybe something changed and I just didn't know..."

"Who knows?" I asked, shrugging.

"I'll be right back!" Chrysalis exclaimed, running into the bathroom. Her ponytail whipped behind her.

I looked around the performance hall once again. People everywhere were in kimonos, most talking among themselves. The odd few gave Niamh and I curious looks. I made a mental note to have Chrysalis introduce us to all of her 'thespian aca-nerds' later.

But unfortunately, that would never come to pass.

A single scream pierced the air. I was immediately shocked out of my daydream. "That sounded like...!" I began.

Niamh and I seemed to have come to the same conclusion. We didn't hesitate for even a second before running off in the direction of the girls' restroom.

I pushed open the door to the restroom to see two people inside. One was Chrysalis. She was fearfully pointing into an open stall. Next to her was a boy a few years younger than her. He had dreadlocks and dark skin. He wore a red bodysuit and some sort of fancy headpiece in fiery shades. The boy also looked unnerved, his dark eyes wider than the moon behind his black, wide glasses.

Chrysalis didn't even acknowledge our presence. She continued to shake violently, not at all noticing she was no longer alone. "S-Saya-!!"

The boy took her hands, clearly faking a strong expression for the trembling Chrysalis. Niamh and I dashed behind the duo and locked eyes with what they were staring at.

It was a girl with dark hair, wearing a kimono decorated with shades of red, pink, purple, and blue. Her hair was in a bun.

But the most noticeable thing was that a knife was in her chest.

The girl, most likely the 'Saya' character, was slumped on top of the toilet. Blood was on the ground around her corpse, also mingling with the water underneath her. The scene was something you'd see in your nightmares.

Chrysalis fell to her knees, still shaking madly. "H-how did this happen-?!" she whispered, her eyes still wide with terror. The boy next to her got to his knees as well.

"I'm going to call the police!" Niamh exclaimed, running out of the room, cell phone already in hand.

A thousand questions spiraled around in my brain: why was there a corpse? Who was this guy? How did all of this happen? Who would get arrested for it? Would we get to take on the case?

A few minutes later, Niamh crashed back inside. "The police are coming!" she said.

"I-I don't understand..." Chrysalis was still shaking. "What did Saya do to deserve this fate...?"

"Who knows, Chrys?" the boy asked, tightening his grip on one of her hands. "I know the killer will be found, though."

The door burst open to show Prosecutor Umber with Detective Umber. Detective Umber ran over to us, urgency in her voice. "Could you four-"

"Get out of our crime scene," Prosecutor Umber demanded. I looked at Niamh, who looked at me in return. "Now!"

Niamh and I both walked out slowly, shooting a concerned glance at Chrysalis, who was being helped to her feet by the other boy. The duo followed us out, considerably slower than Niamh and I.

Once we were back in the main area, I noticed that the area was crawling with police officers. A few performers here and there, but mainly officers. I spotted a cluster of abandoned seats and walked over to them. Niamh, Chrysalis, and mystery boy followed.

"Chrysalis, could you introduce me?" the boy asked Chrysalis.

"Huh...?" Chrysalis looked up. "O-oh. Yeah. Yuri, Niamh, meet Shane Carmen. He's one of my theater friends."

"It's nice to meet you," Mr. Carmen said, bowing his head slightly.

"Attention!"

We all turned to see Prosecutor Umber with the detective of the same name. They exited the restroom, and the room quieted. All eyes were on them.

"We have decided on our suspect," Prosecutor Umber announced.

Detective Umber walked in our direction. She stopped about two feet away from myself, Niamh, Mr. Carmen, and Chrysalis. "The suspect is...!"

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As I said, this chapter and the next are prewritten. This case is one of my favorites ever, since I'm a general thespian nerdy dork, so...

Okay, I think I'm done for now.

-Digital