Ace Attorney: Web of Mistrust

Turnabout Masquerade, Part 13 (Chrysalis)

I looked up from my math homework with a sigh. I hated math, despite how good I am at it.

A knock at the door interrupted me. Before I could stand, a man stormed into the room. I get the feeling I've seen him before...

A small statue was in his hands. Wasn't that the weapon in that case where Polly was attacked? My brother and thespian friends too?

In a flash, the man brought the statue onto my head. I screamed, my hands flying to my head. I was bleeding. A lot.

Before I could react, the man grabbed me by the neck and began to squeeze. "What are you doing?!" I choked out, despite the energy that drained from my body upon doing so.

"Keeping you away from the final standing member of my family!" the man exclaimed, tightening his grip on my neck. He ignored the blood dripping down the right side of my head.

I coughed madly in an attempt to breathe, but it was no use. Even just inhaling or exhaling hurt too much, like a constrictor was trying to crush my lungs in the form of a human male. The man tightened his hold on me. I was starting to lose consciousness, shown by how my senses were fading away.

"You're the... Mastermind..." I whispered with a small choke. With one final cough, I felt myself slipping away, whether it be from blood loss, strangulation, or both is something I don't know.

Either way, I gave into darkness, not expecting to open my eyes ever again.

//December 12, 2030. Hickfield Clinic, 1:09 AM//

When I started to regain my consciousness, the first thing I noticed was pain. My head was pounding and there was a dull ache in my neck. My left arm was numb from the elbow down for a reason I didn't yet understand.

The next thing to return was my sense of hearing. Two voices were speaking above me.

"What if she never wakes up?!" Nevada.

"She has to..." Anton.

With a small groan, I opened my eyes slowly. I heard a feminine gasp next. "C-Chrysalis!!" My vision was clearing to display Nevada and Anton leaning over me. "You're okay!!" Nevada exclaimed. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she'd been crying.

Nevada wrapped her arms around me, touching the right side of my head (where it ached the most) a tad too tightly. "W-watch the head...!" I muttered, my voice coming out ten times quieter than I intended. I guess I wasn't as fine as I initially thought.

"S-sorry," she apologized, releasing me back onto my half-soft pillows.

"Do you remember us...?" Anton questioned.

I nodded, though just barely due to the pain in my neck. "Yeah... I remember everything other than the past three days..." I replied, pushing myself for information. But it was no use. Nothing was coming to mind.

"Should we tell h-her?" Anton asked. I nodded.

Nevada sighed. "It's not pretty... Three days ago, you were...attacked. Somebody hit you in the head and strangled you. Yesterday, you passed out at the witness stand during the trial of said crime. You had sustained severe wounds, apparently... Doctors are shocked you're alive at all..."

My arms flew to my head. I groaned and closed my eyes as memories flashed through my brain. The man attacking me, my time in court, my faked death... All of it returned in the blink of an eye. I could feel myself shaking as I gripped my temples.

"Are you okay?!" Nevada demanded, clearly panicked.

"I...I remember..." I whispered. "Everything."

"The person w-who attacked y-you?!" Anton stammered.

I nodded blankly. "Y-yeah..." I answered.

"Who was it!? Ooooooooh, I'm gonna beat their face in!" Nevada exclaimed, propping her bat up on her shoulder.

For the sanity and the sake of my 'killer,' I decided not to say the name (I promise there's a good reason). A bratty girl at school made me cry once, and Nevada came close to strangling her. I didn't even want to imagine what would happen to somebody who nearly killed me three times in half a week. I shook my head dully. "I... I can't say," I answered.

"But-! But-!!" Nevada tried to retort, but I shook my head to cut her off. Nevada stopped upon noticing my gentle action. She took a seat next to me on the bed. I patted my other side, gesturing to Anton to have a seat.

"Wait!" I suddenly exclaimed, despite the ache that ran through my head upon doing so. I bit back a pained groan. "Where's my brother?!"

"He's back at your place. He conked out about three hours ago, so we drove him home," Nevada replied.

Three hours.

"How long was I out?" I questioned, almost afraid of the answer.

"A-about twelve hours," Anton answered.

I began to sink back into my covers. Twelve hours... Twelve hours since I collapsed during the trial. My head throbbed just thinking of it.

Speaking of my head, the dream I had just before waking up came l came to mind. The dream of the man attacking me. Judging by my regained memories, that was the crime, replaying behind unmoving eyes. As it went through my mind, I felt my neck begin to hurt again. I touched it gently. Nevada seemed to notice, as she took my left hand in her's. It was still numb, though her just touching my fingers made me feel ten times better. Anton smiled at us sweetly.

"What happened after I dropped out?" I questioned next.

"The judge got people in to make sure you were okay. He called for a recess, expecting things to be able to resume. When you still weren't able to testify, court was adjourned," Nevada explained.

I couldn't even imagine my brother's reaction when my disguise fell off. I bet he was crying. I guess I would have done the same if something happened to him.

Anton was on his phone when I returned from dream land. "Your b-brother's on h-his way," he told me.

"Thanks," I said, not wanting to nod due to the bruises from the strangulation a few days ago. "When is court going back in session?"

"Hopefully today. If you're feeling up to it," Nevada replied.

"I'll be okay."

Even as those words left my mouth, I still doubted their honesty.

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I had to make OTP canon don't judge me.

The next chapter actually has some meaning and isn't just ship heaven yay.

-Digital