Ace Attorney: Web of Mistrust

Turnabout Masquerade, Part 17 (Abilene)

Hearing the words made my deductions seem unreal. Yuri, Venus, and Cassidy? Secretly Anthony and I's sisters? I suppose I should explain... "Those pictures were from the culprit's office. He's my father, but he left on business when I was little. He fell in love with another woman and they had three kids, though he hasn't seen them in fifteen years. If he thought the last living Rinko daughter was alive, wouldn't he try and help her? Attack people involved with the trial involved with her nearly getting sent to prison?" I couldn't believe I was doing this... I guess I had picked up the memo that him living free after this trial was hopeless...

"Who is your father exactly?!" the judge demanded.

I took a deep breath before answering, choosing my words cautiously. This was already surprising enough for Yuri, and I didn't want to overload her with too much information about the man she hasn't seen since she was a baby. "My father is..." I began, only to be (rather rudely) interrupted by Prosecutor Bloom.

"Out with it already!" she demanded, obviously getting impatient with my slow tempo. "The court is waiting for your answer!!"

Holding back an irritated remark, I blew a few strands of multi-colored hair away from my now closed eyes. "My father is," I repeated with a small sigh. "The Chief of Detectives, Carson. His last name is, as expected, Rinko."

"What about your last name being Umber?" the judge asked.

"Mom's name. She changed back to her maiden name after the divorce," I replied. "Anyways, I believe that we should call him as a witness to the stand to testify."

The judge nodded. "Yes. Detective Chief Carson Rinko, please come to the witness stand."

I turned to the defense team with a small frown of concern. Yuri's expression was one of unchanging shock. Poor kid... She hasn't seen her dad in fifteen years and meets him again only to discover he's tried to kill seven times... I made a mental note to give her a nice, long hug after the trial's end. She clearly needed that.

Dad hesitantly approached the stand from the gallery. He looked confused. "Are you accusing me of the crime...?! But I didn't do it!" Dad exclaimed. He wasn't lying. But how was that possible...?! I saw him take the glass to the crime scene!

I saw the defense team whispering violently with Ms. Starr. "Those are Blue Psyche-Locks! It's about a lie somebody doesn't know is a lie!" Ms. Starr whispered.

"Which means that... His midnight side really did commit the crime..." Ms. Tenniswood muttered with a frown.

"He says he didn't do it... But doesn't know his hidden other side did it..." Ms. Shield murmured. "He doesn't deserve prison..."

"I'll pull my strings during his trial," Ms. Starr smirked. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I figured asking about it now would break the general flow the trial had been maintaining thus far into the case.

"Witness. Please state your name and occupation," the judge instructed, his face solemn. "And know that you are under a grave charge, so the court won't take kindly to any lies."

"A-alright...!" Dad gulped. "Chief of Detectives. Carson-"

Prosecutor Bloom interrupted yet again. "Is your last name really Rinko?"

Dad hesitated before nodding. "Yes. It is."

"Please testify for the court," the judge demanded, still glaring at Dad intensely.

"Okay..." Dad told him, eyes going downwards guiltily. Even if it wasn't really him who committed the crime (according to the defense's frantic whispering), he still must have felt responsible... He needs a hug, too.

WITNESS TESTIMONY: CARSON RINKO- MY INNOCENCE

-I didn't commit the crime!

-Maybe I was seen with the glass shard... But I don't remember that...

-I don't know anything about the crime...

-Other than the fact that I saw the victim covered in blood after it was over...

-It was like I was unconscious during the crime for some reason, somehow...

"You saw the victim covered in blood?!" the judge gasped.

Dad nodded after brief hesitation. "It was like I passed out or was unconscious during the crime, and when I woke up, the victim was lying at my feet, blood everywhere."

"The defense wishes to begin the cross-examination now, Your Honor," Ms. Tenniswood announced.

"Go right ahead, Ms. Tenniswood," the judge nodded.

CROSS-EXAMINATION: CARSON RINKO- MY INNOCENCE

-I didn't commit the crime!

-Maybe I was seen with the glass shard... But I don't remember that...

-I don't know anything about the crime...

-Other than the fact that I saw the victim covered in blood after it was over...

-It was like I was unconscious during the crime for some reason, somehow...

"OBJECTION!"

"I believe there is a way for the defendant to be innocent, this witness be innocent, and for him to have been seen by Detective Umber holding the blue glass shard," Ms. Tenniswood said with a frown. What's got her down?! This is great! Nobody goes to jail, the victim's alive, and I get to keep living with my father!

"OBJECTION!"

"How is that possible?! All the evidence points to either one of them!" Prosecutor Bloom yelled in retort, a frown much more obvious on her features. "There's no way to worm your way out of this just because the client is your friend and the witness is your sidekick's father!"

"OBJECTION!"

"I'm sure you'll recall the attempted murder victim's most recent trial. Near the end of it, the defendant's personality did a reverse turn. That was the result of midnight discord, a rare psychological condition. I determined that the victim as well as one other individual had the built up fear to have this condition. That other individual is the witness. If his other side committed this crime, then it wouldn't be him who was guilty of this crime, but rather, his alter ego," Ms. Tenniswood replied. "And it all goes down to the fact that he doesn't remember the crime."

"OBJECTION!"

"He could be lying to save his skin!" Prosecutor Bloom retorted.

"OBJECTION!"

"I believe we'll let the discord explain for itself." Ms. Tenniswood slammed her hands on the bench. "Midnight! Show yourself!"

Dad looked down for a few seconds before looking up with a sinister chortle. "It appears you've finally figured out about my existence, Tenniswood."

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I promise this will all make sense soon enough.

Don't worry smol reader childs

-Digital