I AM A FREE MAN!

[04:15 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur has been watching some crazy proceedings on this day, the 20th of December. Not that he's a stranger to crazy proceedings anymore; the past week or so has been full of crazy things. From the Space Center bombing to the Starbuck trial, to the courtroom bombing to the Woods trial, then back to the Starbuck trial... Not even half a day passed from between the astronaut being declared innocent to this 'retrial' of what happened seven years ago, now with a new defendant as per Aura Blackquill's wishes. He would almost think it's funny that yet another person got indicted for a murder that the Phantom committed, but then, drawing attention to said murder all over again is why he had the lighter submitted to court by the detective in charge of the Starbuck trial. It was all a delicate system of cogs that were moving in tandem to get this retrial started in the first place. It sure was the Phantom who planted the notion of a retrial in Aura's head, even if it wasn't in direct words, simply an implication that such a thing could happen. Now the best defense attorney in the city had taken on the case to find the 'truth', because that was what Phoenix Wright excelled in.

Because he couldn't let Simon Blackquill die.

The trial had been underway for quite a while now. The Phantom had been watching from a secluded corner, disguised as a simple bailiff. He was wearing a mask that looked similar to the face he had seven years ago, when he'd infiltrated the Space Center. There was a distinct chill in the air, as courtroom no. 4 was missing a roof and it was the middle of December. The sun had already started to set by now. Simon Blackquill was present, of course. Athena Cykes was in the defendant's seat. Then, in the gallery, there were even more familiar faces. Of course they would be here. There was no way they would miss out on this- what might be Blackquill's last chance for salvation. Except... the defense team had hit a snag. Sure, they'd proven that Simon's version of the events that took place back then was horribly faulty, but there was no solid evidence for any other turn of events. 'A third party could have been there' was the current conclusion. Coulds and woulds did not change a verdict.

It was time for the Phantom to step in. He'd hoped it wouldn't come to this- that the trial would just run its own course and Wright would live up to his reputation, but the fact of the matter was that the spy had erased his own footsteps a bit too well. He cast a quick glance towards the gallery- towards Tori- then began to approach the judge just as the man was debating another recess. There would be no point in taking another ten minute breather. The Phantom was going to put an end to this trial right now, one way or the other. No one would question a bailiff stepping towards the judge for some quiet discussion, it'd be fine.



[04:32 AM]   Simon-Blackquill, with a recovered Taka perched upon his shoulder, can't believe things are looking like this. So close, but so far! He has to give all the information he can, his life depends on it now, but there isn't anything left, is there? All he can do is watch while all he's tried to hard to fight for is shattered to pieces in front of him.

When he notices the bailiff stepping toward the judge, Simon gently whispers "retrieve an important document for me, Taka," and sends the hawk off to do just that. He's been told that document's been taken... now it's time to put that to the test. He becomes even more nervous than before. What will Taka bring back?

Well, there isn't much time to dwell on it, because Taka's back in a flash. Simon grabs the bundle of papers from the hawk's beak and examines them...

...And with each and every word he reads, his heart sinks further and further into the ground. Where his dead body will soon be, now that the worst has come to pass. He holds onto the file with hands shaking in a mixture anger and anxiety, and he can't stop tears from falling despite being in the middle of the courtroom.

That Phantom really ruined everything, didn't he? He really managed to take his own psych profile after all, and replace it with this bundle of lies. The last thing he had from his mentor... the woman that bastard killed... is gone. There really isn't anything else left now. He fought valiantly but all hope is lost. Should he accept dying in battle, or should he be crying as he is, with the thought that Kujaku, and now Raven, will be without him? That David and Tori will feel partially responsible for the events that led up to this, for the rest of their lives?



[04:44 AM]   Tori Marie Nygma is watching from the gallery, body filling with more and more dread as the trial progresses. She'd heard of Phoenix Wright before, but not of his reputation. Once she'd been filled in on it, she started to feel hope. But now... now, it doesn't feel like anything of the sort. It certainly doesn't feel like justice.

...what an awful word.

Even though she's known for a while that Simon didn't kill his mentor, the defense team finding his version of events faulty only seals the deal for her. Even so, it's not enough. It's still not enough. Why? Why?! Are things really going to end this way? Is Simon really going to have to die for a crime he didn't commit? Is her daughter going to be born into this world not knowing her father, while the adult version of her gets to /remember/ the day of his death now?!

...Simon... still doesn't know. He still doesn't know the truth. That she's /pregnant/. That his attempts succeeded. She doesn't have any foolish hopes of what will be if he manages to live, she doesn't think they'll end up together or anything stupid like that. Still, she knows that him /knowing/ would make him so happy. But how can she be expected to /tell him/, if this is how things end up? She can't blame her other self for staying silent.

There's a lot of people she can't blame. She can't blame Aura Blackquill for causing this uproar for the sake of her brother. Laying eyes on Athena Cykes for the first time, wondering how old she was seven years ago, causes her to be unable to blame Simon as well, despite her anger towards him. She understands. There's someone to protect, isn't there? But Athena didn't do it either...

None of this is right. Justice. Ha. What bullshit. She wants to scream, but she knows throwing a fit will have her thrown out. No, she gets to sit here and watch this cruel scenario unfold, like a compliant little girl--

Did that bailiff just look in her direction right about now? No... no, it can't be. It's too late for childish hopes. It's too late, after all the blows to her trust, to think /he'd/ do the right thing--!



[04:48 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur finally reaches the side of the judge's bench and waves a hand to get the old man's attention. The exchange of whispers won't last longer than ten seconds, because the next moment, the 'bailiff' flashes his gun in such a way that only the judge can see it. It's a good thing that he knows the guy's seen some crazy shit in his days of running trials too, or he'd worry about the chances of a heart attack. As it is, the judge is alarmed, sure, but not to the point where it could cause trouble. A few more whispers, then the judge slides his chair aside so the Phantom can step onto the heightened platform behind the bench. He faces the courtroom- from the gallery to the defense to the defendant- with a blank stare.

He knows damn well how risky this is. This place has no freakin' ceiling and as the incident in question is related to the HAT-1 sabotage, assassins who have it out for notorious spies could be lying in wait just in case. If he admits to being the Phantom, any old sniper could take him out. What he needs to do is tread carefully and give them no reason to be certain he is a spy. Still, he makes sure to stand slightly behind the judge, as if using the old man as a shield. His gun is still directed at the guy's back.

"Everyone, if I may have your attention, please," he calls, because by now quite a few people have started shooting curious glances their way.



[04:54 AM]   Simon-Blackquill hasn't been one of those people. He's been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to pay anything else any significant mind. That changes when the bailiff attempts to get everyone's attention, including Simon's own, and the tearful prosecutor lowers his face so his eyes are hidden under the shadow of his hair.

He's standing up straight, cane in one hand -- or at least, as straight as his bum leg would allow -- tears still spilling down the sides of his face, but he acts as though it's a completely regular occurrence. His expression is blank, as if the crying is separated from the emotion attached to it.

He isn't looking up, but his attention has been grabbed. He lowers his other hand, the one holding the bundle of papers Taka fetched for him, so that perhaps it isn't obvious what he was looking at. Not that a glance at the distinctive file couldn't be caught.



[04:59 AM]   Tori Marie Nygma looks over at Simon for a moment. She can't imagine what could possibly be going through his mind right now. She wants to run over him, to hug him and tell him that they'll somehow find a way through this nightmare, that there's still something worth fighting for, but--

Her attention is then called for, and she finds herself looking at the bailiff from before. ...a bailiff with a blank stare. An all-too-familiar blank stare. She looks absolutely shocked. It really /is/ him, isn't it? What is he playing at this time?!



[05:08 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur doesn't quite care what Blackquill is crying about. It's not the sort of thing he can allow himself to pay attention to, even, because the moment he starts to linger on these things, another migraine may dawn to hamper his progress. He can't have that. He needs to keep his thoughts on what he's doing, or he'll slip up along the way and pay the penalty.

"I've been watching this trial unfold and I must say, this country's court system is an absolute mockery of justice. There 'may' have been another person responsible for the death of Metis Cykes, just as there 'may' have been a third person in the boarding lounge when Clay Terran lost his life. However, with no concrete evidence or admissions of guilt, innocent people will still be convicted, isn't that right? All because you people strive for a conviction as soon as possible. It is no wonder, then, that they've come to refer to this as the 'dark age of the law'. It seems I have no choice but to hold your hands through this whole ordeal." He pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath. Hm. Maybe he would hate the court system if he could. Maybe he does.

"Very well. I will spell this out for you all, as it seems you're too thick to come to this conclusion on your own. Seven years ago, I took the life of Metis Cykes in the Space Center's robotics lab."



[05:14 AM]   Simon-Blackquill is listening, but in a rather half-hearted manner, at first. Yes, yes, the dark age of the law, yes, the court system has an abundance of problems. He still isn't looking up at the man making the announcement, but he does lean his head to the side slightly to grab Taka's attention, which he does, immediately. Taka begins nuzzling against Simon's hair affectionately.

Then... the bailiff starts admitting to the crime himself. What in the world...? Simon looks up... and sees an expressionless face upon the man's features.

No. It can't be.

The Phantom...?



[05:19 AM]   Tori Marie Nygma merely stares in disbelief. The Phantom... is admitting to his crime? Why?

'You bastard. I hate you. I HATE YOU. I can't trust you to save him. Don't come back.'

Those were the words she sent him via text. She told him she hated him... and yet, he /has/ come back. /He's come to save Simon/. She puts her hands over her mouth, feeling like she's going to be sick, feeling tears of her own slip down her face. How could she...?



[05:25 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur waits for the generic hubbub to die down. ...This is exactly why most countries hold their trials behind closed doors. Turning it into a public spectacle is the sort of inane statement that only backfires when it turns out the court system is a mess and its puppets incompetent. Dark age of the law, indeed.

"Mmh, I'm sure you're all very skeptical. It'd be awfully convenient for someone seemingly unrelated to step forward after seven long years, wouldn't it? However, if your police department had done its job and looked into other suspects, they would've discovered that I am not unrelated at all. In fact, I believe the Space Center's security cameras caught a glimpse of me as I left the laboratory, roughly half an hour before it captured that image of Blackquill that everyone seems to want to obsess over. If you would kindly rewind that particular piece of evidence, I'm sure you'll spot what I'm referring to."

Aaand he'll just wait for the defense team to do that, like the mooks they are.



[05:33 AM]   Simon-Blackquill's eyes widen and the tears start to fall even faster with every word the man speaks. This can't be true, this is too good, too righteous, even, to be true! He starts to shake even more, emotion overflowing through every pore, and he actually has to lean on the wall to support himself now. His bad leg is twitching something fierce, and his breaths are quickening, making his chest tighten in that familiar uncomfortable way...

He has to pocket the phony profile and clutch at his chest as he's overwhelmed by everything. What reason does the Phantom have for this? He had everything won, now he's willingly throwing himself into certain death, waiting for the sword of justice to impale him.

Why?

He immediately shoots the defense team a look of his own as they investigate the video, eyes bulging with tears and and sweat dripping down his face, which somehow manages to pale even further than usual. Was the Phantom really caught on camera? How could he allow something like that to happen?! Did he tamper with evidence again under the guise of Detective Fulbright? What's going on here?



[05:37 AM]   Iroquois-Pliskin is here, because of course he is, even if he really, really, really shouldn't be. Not just because he's that guy who fought ten cops in the last week, but because of everything else the US Government would loooove to charge him with. He's in a decent enough disguise, though- a new set of clothes not exactly his usual style with a bulky jacket, a hat, a clean shave, and a pair of sunglasses.

He'd been watching the case unfold, and unlike everyone else, it hadn't affected him a bit. He never trusted the legal system to fix this, not really, but Simon wanted to try things the legal way, first. And Snake is prepared to follow wherever Simon would be taken after this should he remain with a guilty verdict. And then... he'd have gotten to work. And Simon would've been freed. Maybe not legally, and maybe he'd be a fugitive but fuck it all, he'd be alive and that'd what is fucking important.

It was just starting to look like he'd have to put his regular plan into motion, when he caught a flash of alarm in the judge's face, and the bailiff step to the podium. His instincts were flaring, telling him something was wrong, and boyyo is he right. His hand slipped under his jacket, ready to act, when the Phantom...

... Admitted his guilt? What the hell? ... Snake decides he'll see where this goes before he does anything.



[05:42 AM]   Tori Marie Nygma's hands move from her mouth to cover her whole face, feeling her body tremble. "He came back..." she says quietly to herself. He came back, he /came back/, and he apparently has proof that he was at the scene of the crime seven years ago. Surely the Phantom knows how much danger this puts himself in. He could have gotten away, she /expected/ him to--

...but in her heart, did she /really/?

She waits for the defense team to look into the Phantom's claim, feeling more and more like she's going to be violently ill. Why couldn't she have just /believed/ in him? She could before all of this happened...



[05:49 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur thinks it's really, tremendously stupid nobody thought to rewind the security footage before this, but with an ideal suspect like Blackquill, he supposes no one saw a need to. There was also that convenient photograph that some reporter snapped, and the Phantom didn't have anything to do with that one either. It's like the entire universe conspired to make Blackquill look as suspicious as possible. Well, whatever, he's 'setting it right' now. He can't even look at Tori or anyone else in the gallery as this happens, though. He needs to keep on ignoring them, pretend they aren't even there.

Sure enough, the defense verifies his claim.

"Good. Now that we have that much established... It is as the defense has already suggested, I took the good doctor's jacket, which bore her ID tag, then covered my face with a decorative Noh mask to prevent the robot from attempting to scan it. As you can see in the footage, I left with the jacket on, then returned to the scene later to plant it there, which explains why it was on the floor. The supposed 'hug' that the piece of scrap witnessed was an assault initiated by a small child. Much as I loathe to admit it, she got the best of me there... Didn't you, Miss Cykes?"

Oh, Athena is too busy being caught in her own PTSD to respond. Well, that's okay.

"Now that you know the means, I suppose it's time to discuss motive. That one is simple. I was in the middle of attempted burglary and the victim caught me red-handed. That is all there is to it. This should clear up any and all inconsistencies, proving without a doubt that both Blackquill and Cykes are innocent of all charges. Isn't that right, Your Honor?"

The judge gives a very slow, reluctant nod.



[05:57 AM]   Simon-Blackquill is now listening to every word intently, having to place his free hand on his leg to try and stop the uncontrollable shaking. He looks over at Athena, horrendously worried for her, but there isn't anything he can do but give her the most apologetic look he's ever given in his life. I'm so sorry you had to go through all this, Athena. You didn't ask for this. You were just a girl. A girl that deserved to have her parent around... not unlike Raven. Is that why he formed such a quick connection with her? Not because she's his daughter, but because she reminded him of Athena?

This is it, isn't it... Simon reaches for his inhaler next and breathes into it; the sound is likely to attract attention toward him, but he doesn't care, he needs to breathe. He needs to stop shaking so badly. He's handling this better than Athena, but not by much, it seems.



[06:02 AM]   Iroquois-Pliskin sees Simon require his inhaler and dammit, he wants to be by the man's side. Right now. Sure, it looks like things are clearing up at the moment, and it looks like Simon will be able to walk free soon, but... This still can't be good on his friend's psyche. And Snake wants little more than to be right there, a hand on his shoulder, help him stand, help him breathe, just help him. But he has a cover to maintain, and all he can do for now is watch. For now.



[06:10 AM]   Tori Marie Nygma looks up from her hands just in time to see Simon breathe into his inhaler. Her thoughts are similar to Iroquois' at that moment--she wants to be over there and helping him. But that isn't possible, isn't it? She still has to sit here and watch everything going on.

Speaking of things going on...

Tori once again looks to the Phantom. He's saved not just Simon, but Athena by doing this. This proves it, doesn't it? That whatever the feeling the Phantom holds for Simon is, it /isn't/ hatred.



[06:13 AM]   Will-O-Whisbur continues to ignore any and all ruckus from the rest of the courtroom. Not that there's much of it. Most people have been left utterly speechless.

"Now then, I suppose that for the sake of avoiding confusion, it's worthwhile to say that I also took the life of Clay Terran a few days ago. Another burglary gone awry. The lighter that was submitted, which has also been the topic of much controversy, is actually mine. If the defense would kindly press the button, they'll note it transforms into a small gun-" indeed, so it does. Wow what a twist. "No one but the murderer could know this, right? And if you were to retry the fingerprint analysis, you will find that the prints on the lighter don't match Athena Cykes' at all. These facts, coupled with my words, mean you have no choice but to give her a full acquittal for that indictment as well."

Just LOOK at how thoroughly he's doing 'the right thing'. He didn't even need to save Athena from the Clay Terran murder accusation, but considering he's the one who shifted it onto her in the first place, he's doing it anyway. Gosh, isn't he just the nicest fellow. He shifts the position of his gun towards the judge's head, making sure everyone can properly see it this time.

"With that, I'm sure you would love to indict me for both these murders in place of Blackquill and Cykes. Who knows? Perhaps some day, you will. You'll have to catch me first."

His free hand reaches into his pocket and retrieves a small item, which he tosses into the middle of the courtroom. IS IT A GRENADE??? Naw, it's just a smoke bomb. As it hisses and sputters a thick grey cloud into the air to blur everyone's vision, he's using his grapple hook to escape through the missing ceiling. He's basically pulling a Zak Gramarye here. SO LONG, SUCKERS.