Ace Attorney: Council of Crime

Part 25 (Milan)

There were Interpol agents (assuming that I can spell that right even though I'm not used to hearing weird words like that) around us everywhere. The gang that was still inside, meaning X, M, N, F, D, and T, walked through for the front door. I could see them through the door's window, which F hadn't noticed and thus didn't cover up when she closed the blinds.

They all came out with a girl with strawberry blonde hair, though it was more of a gingery color. It's hard to explain. She wore a black jacket over a teal shirt. She had white leggings that faded out to gray and then black at the tips. Her eyes were blue and fearful, glancing around at the rest of the group. It looked like she was begging for freedom from them... It made my heart hurt inside.

"This is the only one we could find!" T exclaimed, pushing the strawberry blonde girl forwards. The girl whimpered from her grip.

J, who had been standing with some guy everybody kept calling Griffin, stepped forward and stared down the girl, who had stopped struggling against the hands and cuffs that were keeping her from running off. The two girls looked at each other intensely.

J backed off after a few seconds. "She's not one of the culprits," she announced.

"H-how can you tell?!" Griffin yelled. "She looks like a normal person!!"

"Her eyes show innocence. That's all the proof I need to make sure of somebody's guilt or... Non guilt," J told him.

"Who is she, anyways?" I asked, staring up at the girl.

"We haven't gotten a name out of her yet," D told us.

"Then just have her tell us!" M yelled.

"Who are you?" T questioned, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

"M-my name... Is Lynnette Farrell..." the girl squeaked out. "But I-I didn't do all of this!!"

"Stop talking right there," M snarled at her. "T, D, take her back to HQ. We'll start questioning her when we get back."

T nodded and led Ms. Farrell out of the area and pushed her into the back of a nearby car. They drove off after D got in.

"Why did you lock us out?!" Connor yelled, stomping up to N.

N squealed and hugged M's arm. "I-it's only protocol to keep civilians out of an Interpol investigation!" he cried.

"But we're not just civilians!! We're investigators and your friends!!" Connor roared.

Vesgate frowned and took a small step forward. "I admit I have to agree with him..."

"What are we to you guys?! Worth just the same as a person you've never met and never will meet?!" Celosia yelled, her fist clenching.

"We're just normal people to you, even after all that we've been through as a group?! All we've done together to catch the Kuranin and make them pay?! You lock us out of the action just because of some stupid protocol?!" Connor shouted, stomping towards M.

"We didn't want to place you in danger. Now leave the subject alone," M growled at him.

"You know what?! I will leave the subject alone!! I'll find the Kuranin on my own and show you who deserves to be left out!!" Connor yelled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me away. "Come on, Milan! We're going home!!"

I let him drag me through the grass of the area and to the train station we had started the investigation in. He bought us two tickets and yanked me onto the train, leaving the investigation and the people in it behind.

//February 23, 2031. Train No. 5111, 2:35 PM//

After we had boarded our place on the train, I had told Connor that I had to go to the restroom. He had let me go, so I made a mad dash for the bathroom.

I locked myself in a bathroom stall and covered my eyes with one hand. I pulled down the toilet lid and sat on it. My legs up to my chest, I buried my face into the space between my knees. As the tears came, I didn't even bother trying to hold them in any longer.

I could feel myself shaking as I cried. Why did they leave us behind when we were part of their investigation, too?! We were their friends...!!

I had started today thinking that it would be a good day... Look at how that turned out... Connor and Celosia got mad and now... I'm pretty sure that the group split up over this misunderstanding. I wished quietly that I had jumped in and stopped the fighting so that we'd all be together. I liked being part of the investigation! I admit that it was nice to be around all of them! But now...!

I heard the door to the bathroom open, so I bit my lip so the tears would stop. I peered through the crack to see who it was. It was a girl with sea green and light blue hair. Why do I feel like I've seen that hair before...?

It took me a moment to notice that it was Celosia. She turned on the water in the sink and splashed some of the liquid over her face with a gentle sigh. She looked sad, or at least, her reflection did. I couldn't see the front of her face since she was looking away.

As much as I tried to hold back my tears, a whine escaped my lips. Celosia, who had obviously heard it, turned around with a gasp. "Is... Is somebody there?" she asked, scanning the stall doors. Her eyes eventually fell on the locked door of my stall.

Suddenly feeling a longing sensation of wanting a hug from somebody familiar, I opened the stall door. "Milan...?" Celosia whispered. I ran at her and let the tears come more openly. She stroked my hair as I mentally cursed the group's having split up because of Connor's short temper.

---------------------------------------

yell

goodbye

-Digital