Ace Attorney Investigations: Virtual Despair

Chapter 6: The End Approaches - Part 2 (Deadly Life)

~  Ultimate Pokémon Master Akari Hinata's POV ~

We eventually arrived at the ruins on the second island. It had barely changed since the last time we saw it; it towered above the other buildings on every other island. It was barely affected by the bugs and code that took apart everything else. It was covered from top to bottom in plant life such as vines, almost as if they were trapping the structure in one place.

"This is where Monokuma told us to be." I said. "But how are we supposed to get in? Isn't it protected by a password."

Niamh nodded. "Yeah. I don't want to see what that gun does if we get it wrong, either."

She was right; a gun sat near the keypad to the right of the door. I gulped, trying not to allow any pessimistic thoughts to enter my mind.

Without warning, the keypad suddenly made a beeping sound and the round door next to it slowly rolled open, creating a deep rumbling sound that resonated throughout the whole island. Eventually, the rumbling stopped, the entrance to the building open at last. We couldn't see what was inside.

"We can't even see if anything's waiting for us in there." Angelica sighed. "It might not be safe."

Jordan rolled his eyes. "Just hurry up and get moving. We don't have all day for this."

One by one, we entered the ruins. Angelica ended up tightly gripping Jordan's hand to quell her fear. He glared at her at first, but eventually allowed it if it got her to keep quiet. The corridor wasn't as long or dark as we originally anticipated, however. We found ourselves entering a large circular room.

The centre of the room was set out like a usual trial room, with seventeen podiums placed in a circle for us to stand around. Two of the podiums were different, though. They were golden instead of being a dull grey like the others. Monokuma was stood on one of the two golden podiums. "Welcome, welcome!" he exclaimed.

"So this is where the final trial is going to take place." Jordan observed.

"Right you are!" Monokuma agreed. "Now come on, take your places. I can't wait to get this started!"

We all selected our places; we ended up being huddled together closely at one end of the circle to face Monokuma, seeing as though there were no nameplates and we could choose our seats. Monokuma clapped his hands (paws?) excitedly. "Now let's get this show on the road!" He announced. "The purpose of this trial is for you to expose the big bad guy behind this!"

"Immediately, we can prove that you aren't working alone in this." I claimed. "You have some form of accomplice, don't you?"

"H-How can you prove that?" Monokuma gasped, somewhat taken aback. "We've barely even started!"

I grinned triumphantly. "This room proves it." I began. "There are two podiums that aren't like the rest. They're a shining golden. You're standing on one of them. The other podium would have to be for someone close to you. Perhaps someone you're working with?"

"Oh, phooey!" Monokuma cursed. "I knew that it was a bad idea to include that thing!"

"So that was right?" Angelica questioned. "There really are two people working together in this?"

"I suppose the bear's out of the cage," Monokuma sighed. "Alright, you got it! There's the charming and intelligent mastermind, along with their super useful and amazing accomplice! Although... I never said that the mastermind was present in the game, you know?"

"What?" Kyle frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? Aren't you the mastermind?"

"I think what Monokuma is trying to say is that he is the accomplice." Niamh suggested. "That, along with that the mastermind is somebody else. Somebody on the outside."

"Are they the one corrupting the program?" Jeff questioned.

"No, you idiot," Jordan snapped. "The ones messing up the game are trying to help us get out. Unless you're thinking something stupid like the mastermind having a change of heart."

"Nope! That person would never go back on everything we've accomplished!" Monokuma exclaimed proudly, his little paws on his hips.

I remained silent as I thought back to everything that had happened up until that moment. A variety of phrases spoken by Monokuma entered my head. I sorted through them, knowing that something he had said had to hold the key to this mystery.

"Hey," I began at last. "Do you guys remember when we first went onto the fourth island?"

"The fourth island?" Niamh repeated. "Is that the one with the Funhouse?"

Angelica looked down, her eyes closed tightly. "Orno..." she whispered.

I nodded. "Before we were forced inside the Funhouse. Monokuma made a proposition. He told us that he would offer us a prize if we did something."

"You're talking about the roller coaster and the list of the factory's employees, right?" Jordan asked. "Is that going to help us in some way?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "There was one instance where Monokuma referenced a person he called 'Sis'. In that document he gave us, there was one set of siblings mentioned. Who's been holding onto that file all this time?"

"That would be me," Zach announced, holding up the file in his hand. Monokuma was visibly sweating as Zach flicked the file open, his eyes briefly scanning the pages before turning to the next page. Eventually, his eyes widened and he pointed on the paper. "Here. These twins. We noticed them before."

Kyle peered over his shoulder. "Justin Dezpaire... and Sapphire Dezpaire." He read. "You're saying... they're the ones behind this?"

I nodded, glaring at Monokuma. "That's right. More accurately, Justin Dezpaire is controlling Monokuma, and we're talking to him right now!"

Monokuma lost his balance on his podium and teetered on the edge of it, waving his arms around madly to prevent himself from falling off. It didn't work, and he went over the edge and onto the floor, collapsing with a dull thump.

We watched and waited for the bear to clamber back up again, but it never happened. Instead, a hand - a human hand - gripped the edge of the podium. Another hand gripped the other end and, with shaky arms, pulled themselves upwards. Standing behind the podium, in Monokuma's place, was a man.

His eyes were closed and tiredness was expressed on his face. That soon vanished; his eyes snapped open, his mouth shooting into a smirk. He had his hands on his hips proudly as his clothes whipped around in the non-existent breeze.

"Yup! That's it! You guessed correctly!" Justin Dezpaire exclaimed. "Justin Dezpaire here, reporting for duty!"

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do you get the name pun now

dezpaire

despair

o ops

AceAttorneyFan over and out!