Ace Attorney: Web of Mistrust

Turnabout Masquerade, Part 11 (Nevada)

I was shocked to hear a voice from beside me. I turned to Ms. Lesa to be the and noticed that her previous dazed look had become a frown. "You can go back with your team now, Ms. Wood."

I gasped. "So you do remember...!"

"I do remember. Everything. I never forgot it," Ms. Lesa told me. Her voice was darker, deeper now.

"What should we call you now?" the judge asked.

"Choose what you wish, but my true name is Eileen Liyle, defense attorney," Ms. Lesa, or Ms. Liyle, rather, announced.

"That sure was an... unexpected turn of events," the judge said, eyes wide. "Witness. Please testify on the subject of the real killer."

"OBJECTION!"

"There is one more thing on the subject of the victim I wish to clear up before we continue," Tennisball told the court.

I sunk back to the defense bench and frowned. "Tennisball, stop now. Just... Stop," I instructed, though she didn't seem to care at all.

"We have to resolve this issue before continuing, Nevada. It's the only way to reveal the truth behind this case," Tennisball told me sternly.

"Maybe Liyle faked her death for a good reason she doesn't want us to know!" I roared fiercely.

"No need to keep defending me, Ms. Wood. I know I've done terrible things," Ms. Liyle interrupted. A smirk played on her lips. "But I am interested in what her theory is."

"A girl disappeared the day of the crime and the witness informed a local prosecutor, Sora Lin, of such. I believe that this was a cover for the witness being the same person as not only the victim, but this girl as well," Tennisball said.

"But that would mean that the victim-erm, Ms. Liyle, had two personas!" the judge gasped. "That makes no sense!!"

"Tennisball! Shut up!" I shouted. "Just... Stop talking!!"

"This girl was believe to be wrapped up in an investigation from the most recent trial of my partner, Yuri Rinko. But that assumption was wrong right from the start!" Tennisball announced, ignoring my comment entirely.

"But you haven't mentioned the most important thing about this girl," Ms. Liyle told her, tossing some hair over her shoulder with a prideful smirk.

"What are you talking about?!" Rinky exclaimed.

"If I really am this girl, then who is she? Would that make my names hers and vice versa?" Ms. Liyle asked. "And do you have proof of all of this? Otherwise, your theory will not be accepted."

"The proof of who you really are should dangle from your neck as we speak," Tennisball said, pushing a few strawberry blonde hair strands away from her face.

"But how could proof come in that sort of form?" Ms. Liyle questioned. "It just doesn't seem like it would fit in with the case at hand."

"You see, somebody related to the disappeared had a small necklace, a gift given to him a few days ago. The owners of the matching necklaces were his two younger sisters. The girl who vanished was one of these two. Even when running away from a crime scene, nobody would leave such a personal item, a reminder of the life you were leaving behind, at said scene," Tennisball continued.

"Who's to say I wouldn't?!" Ms. Liyle yelled in fury.

"Then you wouldn't mind showing the court your neck to see if you have a necklace like described?" Tennisball asked.

Ms. Liyle was taken aback by this. Her hand flew to her neck, fingers clasping around a small object hidden beneath the dark fabric of her clothing. She glared Tennisball down, her eyes filled with a strange mix of hate and fear.

"Well? Why don't you just confess before I continue?" Tennisball smirked, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

"Anybody could own a necklace like that. I'm afraid I'm going to need a little bit more proof than that, Ms. Tenniswood," Ms. Liyle smirked. Her previous nervous twitching had vanished.

"I can't believe she regained her cool!" Rinky gasped.

"We're dealing with a master of lies, Rinky. A powerful figure in the legal world to criminals and enforcers alike," I muttered, unaware of who had heard.

"Powerful legal figure, you say?" Bloomy repeated.

Oops.

"If you don't have any proof of me being a vanished girl nor a legal figure of some degree, I'm afraid I'll have to ignore your ideas," Ms. Liyle announced. She began walking for the courtroom doors.

"OBJECTION!"

I glanced around in utter confusion, wondering who could have objected to the witness' departure. My eyes eventually settled on Burkey.

"I-I have evidence o-of who the w-witness is!" he stuttered. "T-the girl who v-vanished had a p-permanent injury o-on her left a-arm. If Ms. L-Liyle would show the c-court her left h-hand, it w-will show who she is!"

Ms. Liyle's eyes went wide. We had her cornered. There was no way she could work her way out of this one. She knew it as well as I did.

"You, Ms. Liyle, keep the secret of having deep connections of other strong legal figures. Somebody attempted to end your life because of this, correct?" Tennisball said.

Ms. Liyle began shaking, her hands flying to her head. Her nails dug into her temples.

"You survived the attack but couldn't risk it again," Tennisball continued.

Ms. Liyle's shaking became more violent.

"But you took a few items with you so you'd never forget those you loved. That was your fatal mistake."

Blood began flowing from Ms. Liyle's head and dripped down her right cheek.

"Isn't that right, Ms. Liyle?!" Tennisball pointed at the victim as strongly as she had when I was a culprit. "Or should I say... Ms. Starr!?"

Ms. Liyle became surrounded by chains and five black locks. As she whispered names, their faces flashed through the dark shade. "Lily... Polly... Anton... Nevada... Sora... Cotoli... Even Venus...!!" Her hands flew from her head and pulled the hood and scarf she wore off. "I'm sorry for hurting you!!!" Ms. Liyle's hand smashed into the witness stand as her familiar face was finally seen for what it was.

And she collapsed, blood pooling around her bandaged head and gloved left hand.

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That one was pretty obvious but still-

Much feels coming up so yeah-

-Digital