Judith Law: Ace Attorney Episode 1 - Turnabout Adventure [Eevachu + Darth_Slaverus]

Not for the first time today, Judith experienced a flutter of optimism... only to have it mercilessly crushed by the iron fist of false justice. Having obtained her client's permission to defend him as she saw fit, the priestess had been about to go over some of the remaining inconsistencies of the case when the door to the chamber was abruptly flung open, admitting a stern-faced guardsman who wasted no time in cutting the interview short with the announcement that the trial was nigh.

So they actually were holding it today?! Judith sprang out of the chair with a start, her eyes wide with shock, though she was able to bite her tongue and stop herself from immediately objecting. Much as she would have liked to dispute this blatantly unfair development, she was already pushing the boundaries of what her station would allow- she had not the influence to stall the trial, and attempting to do so could see her imprisoned alongside the Kokiri. The Archcanoness might, but involving Her Holiness in something so beneath her would be... improper. Stymied by her impotence, the acolyte watched dejectedly as the Kokiri was taken away.

Nothing about this made any sense! Even accounting for the Guard's laziness and negligence, there was no practical reason for the trial to be held on the same day as the murder. Rustling up a judge on such extremely short notice was almost unheard of... Mynn Strell hardly seemed the sort of esteemed personage whose death would demand swift retribution, and she very much doubted the Kokiri was a wanted criminal the Guard were desperate to put away. Someone had to be pulling strings in order to accelerate the process... But why?

There was one answer that came to mind... One that gave voice to some of her darkest fears about Hyrule. An unpleasant sensation had formed in the pit of her stomach, and she could feel heat rising in her cheeks as her eyes darted about the room. She dearly hoped she was mistaken.

There was no time to entertain that thought any further, however. The guard had already departed with the Kokiri, and she knew that if she were left behind, they were liable to begin without her. Then all would truly be lost. Breaking into a jog, she hurried to catch up with the procession of knights (only stopping once they were outside to shoo away a crowd of adoring children that had formed around Wollo and beckon for the beast to follow her).

A lack of evidence, uncooperative lawmen, and the hint of conspiracy... Judith's client was not the only one on trial, it appeared. Her wits would be tested, as would her devotion to Mother Nayru, with both the life of an innocent person and her Sisters' honour hanging in the balance. Heaving a sigh, the priestess prayed she was up to the task at hand.

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"Wha- Lady, you can't just waltz in here barefoo-"

"I can and I will! Only Mother Nayru Herself may prevent me from entering a court of law!"

Barging past the courtroom sentry, Judith barreled into the lobby, her features alight with righteous anger. Having cleared that particular threshold, she doubled over to catch her breath- No sooner had they reached the streets than the guards escorting the Kokiri had doubled their pace, obviously trying to lose her in the throngs of Castle-Town, forcing her to sprint just to keep them in sight. Regrettably, she had lost track of Wollo during the chase, but the creature's fate was a lesser concern compared to the imminent doom faced by his master.

"The... The defendant has appointed me his counsel. You will... permit me to accompany him." Judith wheezed in-between breaths. There, that warded off the two bewildered constables that had advanced to eject her from the premises. Then, regaining her composure, she swept her gaze across the room, eventually spying her client near a large wooden door she presumed led into the courtroom, flanked by a bevy of baliffs.

Hustling forward to meet him, the priestess raised a hand in greeting.

"Ah... There you are. Are you alright? They have not mistreated you? More than they already have, I mean..." She shot the surrounding constables the most withering glare she could muster. There was something very sad about the fact that the people that were supposed to make the citizenry feel safe instead evoked such feelings of hostility within her, but they were standing in the way of the truth. And in doing so, they had made a dangerous enemy: Nayru, and all Her faithful servants.

If the Kokiri had hoped to relieve some of Judith's stress by eliciting a laugh, it was safe to say that he had missed the mark with his peculiar brand of humour, netting only a very confused look from the gasping priestess. Admittedly, there had been little time to actually process his jest as the guards unceremoniously ushered them into the courtroom, so she simply chalked it up to a difference in culture as she nervously made her way behind the defense's bench. Being children, it made sense that the Kokiri would favour blunt, crass jokes over the subtle innuendo preferred by Hylians...

... Cultured Hylians, she was soon forced to remind herself as the judge arrived and announced the commencement of the proceedings- with some nudging from the prosecution, Judith couldn't help but notice- including the identities of the attorneys. Lall?! Lall was too far a cry from Vilcaron to be a mere clerical error! Was this what the Hyrulean Guard had stooped to? Juvenile pranks? She had to set the record straight immediately. She would NOT be disrespected here, not from the outset, not in a court of law.

"H-Hold on a moment! O-Objection!" Judith exclaimed, slamming her hand against the wooden bench for emphasis. Bad idea. It hurt. Clutching her sore hand, the priestess glanced imploringly at the judge, praying that he would be of a reasonable disposition. "M-My name is Judith Vilcaron! There has been some kind of mistake. Th-There are no Lalls here!"

In response, the elderly official gently shook his head, as a parent might when rebuking an unruly child. "Oh? Now, now, Defense. I understand that this is your first trial, but you must realize that evidence is everything in court. Why, there might be many Lalls in this courtroom! Can you prove there are no Lalls in here?"

"U-Um, no..."

"Objection overruled, then! Forgive me, Miss Vilcarrot, but I cannot allow you to make such wild assertions without proof! Now, where were we...?" With a thump of his gavel, the judge rendered the topic closed. The prosecutor clucked his tongue, but said nothing.

Mother Nayru preserve her.

Thus deflated, Judith listened to the prosecution's outline of the case in silence, trying to gather her wits. She had not expected to be humiliated so early... In contrast, judging from his banter with her client, her opponent seemed to be a veteran of the courts, with an annoying talent for creatively reinterpreting the words of others. Her inexperience was only further highlighted to her when Mr. Aginy had asked the Kokiri for his name, and she suddenly realized she had not thought to do so before the trial, despite the fact that he was her charge! Judith buried her face in her palm, balking at her own stupidity. Goddess, was she really equal to the task at hand? Given that the newly introduced Rika was bound and determined to make a bad impression on the court, she needed to be at her best!

"... As it stands, we have a wealth of evidence-" Aginy stretched out the word as he continued, as if to taunt Judith, "-which will seal your fate, pitiable circumstances or not. For you see, Your Honour, not only was the accused found at the scene of the crime, with the murder weapon in hand..." Pausing for dramatic effect, the prosecutor flashed the judge a sly grin. "... He was also seen vehemently arguing with the victim inside the very tavern adjacent to the rooftop where the body was discovered, as numerous witnesses will attest!"

The judge let out a horrified gasp; were it not for the earlier demonstration of his eccentricity, Judith might have suspected this had all been rehearsed, such was the exaggerated volume of his ejaculation. The gallery was likewise abuzz with excited conversation regarding the sinister implications of the prosecution's statement. She had known the topic would be one of the first points Rika's accusers would raise, and the priestess resolved to counter it. She couldn't just let the prosecution walk all over her unopposed!

"Wait!" She slammed her other hand against the bench, to restore order to the courtroom and draw attention to herself. Still a bad idea. Now both her hands hurt, and she couldn't cradle them. Still wincing as all eyes fell upon her, Judith shook her head in defiance. "While the defense acknowledges that this dispute did in fact occur, the sheer number of witnesses means that it would be very easy for the true killer to use it as a means to frame my client!" She was painfully aware of how weak an objection it was, and predictably, Mr. Aginy visibly scoffed at her assertion. Yet the order of things was of vital importance. She could reveal the truth of Mynn Strell's debts now, but they would carry far more weight if she waited until after she had proved the Guard's investigation to be faulty. It was a gamble, but she was sure that Rika would not be convicted until at least one of the constables had testified.

To her mild surprise, the judge did not dismiss her wild claim out of hand, instead closing his eyes in thought.

"Hmmm... Your point is well-taken, Defense, but until proof of such a possibility arises, I cannot seriously entertain it. Mr. Aginy, your first witness, if you would...?"

That had gone better than expected. Mother Nayru had smiled upon her, for it seemed she was not entirely without hope. At the same time, Judith's defense up to now had been nothing short of embarrassing, and she shot an apologetic glance at Rika. Once the first cross-examination had begun, she could do some real damage to the prosecution's case. Until then, her hands were tied...

Judith blinked. If there really were a shadowy conspiracy bent on convicting Rika for a crime he did not commit, she was now equally convinced there was a second, more benign one working in secret to ensure his acquittal, unless this trial was being guided by the hand of Nayru Herself! How else could it be that this imbecile was taking the stand? His testimony was a veritable goldmine of contradictions, and the priestess knew that this was the chance she had been waiting for. She was going to have to rake him over the coals to regain the precious ground she had lost earlier.

Whether or not his reputation survived her scrutiny was of very little consequence.

Ignoring her client's outburst (though she was certainly sympathetic), Judith shook her head when the judge questioned the need for her interrogation. She wasn't about to let this slip through her fingers. "Your Honour, Mother Nayru teaches us that one must always scratch beneath the surface to find the truth of things. I humbly request the opportunity to cross-examine the good constable... But before I do, I would pose him a question." Her piercing stare settled on Gumfoot, who flinched and shrank from her gaze, apparently still rattled from the scolding she had given him.

"Y-Yes, P-Priestess...?" He managed, his fingers trembling.

"I am told that the Guard first learned of the murder via a rooftop sentry who discovered the body. Is this accurate?" She inquired, her expression unnervingly neutral.

"... Y-Yes! That is correct!" With a triumphant grin, Gumfoot's cheerful manner returned, perhaps emboldened by the notion that Judith's questions would be easy to answer.

He was in for a rude awakening.

"Then," Judith continued, "... did the sentry mention the presence of the defendant at any point in his report? Next to the body, or even anywhere near the scene?"

"W-Well... I suppose he must have, heh heh!" Gumfoot's smile grew even wider, only to fade when he realized that everyone in the court was now regarding him incredulously.

"... What do you mean, 'you suppose?'" Judith's knuckles whitened as her hands bundled into fists, a scowl forming across her face as her voice dropped to an outraged hiss.

"W-Well, he didn't mention that he hadn't... so... Surely he did...?" An awkward silence descended upon the courtroom, to the point where one could hear a rupee drop. Rather than dignify the soldier's idiocy with a response, Judith whirled to face the judge, her consternation writ upon her features in plain view.

"Your Honour, this is a most vital point, and I ask that it be added to the record. If the sentry did not see my client in the vicinity of the body when it was first found, then it is entirely possible that he merely stumbled across it before Mr. Tonkonklusion's squad could be summoned."

"Hah! A likely story, Miss Vilcaron!" Aginy snapped, though there was now an edge to his voice that had not existed previously. Was he panicking because his case was being genuinely threatened for the first time? "Lest you forget, there is still the matter of the murder weapon, as well as the dispute between the accused and the victim! Perhaps the defendant left the body, only to return later, in order to conceal-"

"Objection!" Judith cut off the prosecutor with a wave of her hand. He had a point, loathe as she was to admit it, that it would not be enough to absolve Rika of guilt even if he had not been seen, but she couldn't let him ruin her momentum. Moreover, she already knew exactly what the sentry's testimony would be... or at least, what his answer should be. Either way, pursuing this lead would provide her with both time and more ammunition in court. "Further speculation is irrelevant until we have our answer, Mr. Aginy. An answer which, fortunately, is not beyond our reach. Your Honour, we require greater clarification with regards to what the sentry actually saw. I believe it would be prudent to dispatch a man to ascertain his findings. In the meantime, I will commence my cross-examination."

"Oh, of course! Baliff! Have one of your men confirm this sentry's report!" Cowed by her candour, the old official quickly granted her request. The Baliff snapped a crisp salute and sent one of his men outside the courtroom. "Please proceed, Defense!"

Nodding, the priestess reluctantly turned her gaze upon Gumfoot once more, who more closely resembled a child caught stealing from a cookie jar than a valiant defender of Hyrule's peace.

"Now, then. You made some very interesting remarks in your testimony, Mr. Tokonklusion, which we should address. Let us start with your arrest of the defendant. Can you please describe this incident in more detail?"

Immediately, Gumfoot blanched. Despite his stupidity, he knew precisely where this was going. "C-C'mon, Priestess... You were there... there's no need to-"

"Oh, but there is!" Judith exclaimed, the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips as she rested her cheek against her right hand. "For the sake of the court, I must insist you elaborate on how you apprehended the accused... And I would remind you that LYING on the stand would not only be unbecoming of one of the kingdom's Guardsmen, but also an affront to the Goddess of Truth."

"I... Er. Um, I..."

"Allow me to refresh your memory. As I recall, my client did not flee when your squadron demanded he descend from the roof. Rather, he leapt down with the aid of magic, only to be viciously tackled by you despite his compliance, in a completely unprovoked assault." It wasn't overly helpful to her case, but dragging Gumfoot's name through the mud and highlighting his incompetence for all to see would make her feel better, and hopefully brighten Rika's mood as well. Nayru willing, the wayward officer might even learn something from being publicly shamed. He didn't strike her as the corrupt sort; a pawn, perhaps, with an overwhelming sense of justice that left him to blind to any context or nuance.

The jury began to murmur quietly among themselves, and Gumfoot recoiled as if he had been struck. Aginy, however, remained unfazed.

"Of course you would say that. Must you stoop to besmirching the honourable Sir Gumfoot's good name in order to protect your client?" The prosecutor whined, prompting a frown from the priestess.

"Do not try my patience, Mr. Aginy. Any member of his squad will corroborate my tale." She wanted to add that since Gumfoot wasn't even his real name, it didn't really matter what people thought of it, but she refrained.

"Ah, but you must consider the circumstances, Miss Vilcaron! Gumfoot may have been a tad hasty, but he was dealing with a possible killer! In the heat of the moment, he must have thought to protect the rest of his squad and the innocent priestess with them by incapacitating the suspect. Really, you ought to be more grateful that his primary concern was first and foremost YOUR safety! Not all guardsmen are as vigilant as he!" Aginy shot Gumfoot a knowing wink.

"... I am quite capable of defending myself." Judith retorted angrily, but Aginy merely wagged his finger at her.

"Ah, but it is not your ability to defend yourself that is in question. It is your ability to defend Mr. Rika that remains to be seen!"

The nerve of him! Judith fumed. Did he really expect to wriggle out of this one with clever wordplay alone? She was about to give him a piece of her mind when the judge unexpectedly brought his gavel down, quietening the courtroom.

"... The prosecution is correct in that some thought must be given to Mr. Gumfoot's earnestness in protecting the weak. However, the defense is also right to question his methods, and the court would ask that the inspector abstain from further exaggerations of a fanciful nature!" Gumfoot looked as though he were torn between heaving a sigh of relief or outright fleeing from the stand. Aginy, for his part, seemed rather pleased that his objection had at least gained some traction with the judge. Huffing indignantly, Judith decided to focus her efforts elsewhere. There were yet ways she could chip away at this obstinate testimony.

"Very well. On the subject of exaggerations, let us discuss the murder itself. Specifically, the state of the body. As I am the one who conducted the autopsy, I believe I can speak with authority on the topic."

"Wait a moment!" The judge interjected, his eyes wide. "I was not aware of this. If you were the one who examined the body, is it not possible that your findings might be tainted with a confirmation bias, in order to prove your client innocent?"

Judith glanced in the judge's direction, a newfound respect in her eyes. It was a surprisingly insightful, if ultimately misguided observation for him to make. Clearly, he was not wholly unsuited for his profession.

"No, Your Honour. In fact, it was my findings that indirectly led to my client's arrest. However, I believe that in their haste to charge a suspect, the Guard have drawn an erroneous conclusion from my autopsy. As such, I feel personally responsible for Mr. Rika's plight, and wish to make amends by setting the investigation on the correct path." She shrugged. "If you doubt my words, feel free to have someone else examine the corpse. They will simply repeat my findings."

"Ah, I see. Carry on, then!"

"... I say this, though having listened to Mr. Tokonklusion's testimony, I am not convinced he paid any attention at all to my postmortem. Mr. Strell did not die a slow, torturous death, as the good constable claims. He has but a single wound of significance, a gash in his back that I believe to have been caused by a curved blade. The cut was clean, and he would have died almost instantly, by my reckoning. In addition, there was very little blood on or near the body... Again, contrary to what Mr. Tonkonklusion claims. He is quite prone to theatrics, it would seem. Perhaps he would be better suited to a career as a mummer?" She paused for a moment, pondering how best to continue her attack, before narrowing her eyes and pointing at Aginy.

"Mr. Aginy, earlier you mentioned that the issue of the murder weapon had not been resolved. Mr. Tonkonklusion, the Guard believe that Mr. Rika's scythe is what killed the victim, yes? Did the scythe show any signs of recent use when you took him into custody?"

"N-No. It was spotless-"

"Objection! Obviously he cleaned it, Miss Vilcaron! The defendant is no fool. Indeed, that was likely how he evaded the sentry's watchful eye! He slipped away to remove any trace of his foul deed, before returning to the scene of the crime!"

She had known her opponent would be too savvy to let her sneak that one by him unopposed, but things were going according to her plan. Aginy kept having to toss out excuses for Gumfoot's blatant misconduct; the guardsman's credibility was rapidly draining away. Even the mightiest riverbank could crumble from the holes dug by ants... Each point she raised planted the seeds of doubt within the juror's minds, and she was due for a harvest. By insisting on the scythe as the murder weapon, Aginy would blunder straight into her trap...

There it was. The big, case-breaking contradiction she sought was right in front of her. Aginy seemed to realize it, too- the man appeared to be sweating bullets, his features pinched into an expression of worry. But something still felt off to Judith. The counterargument she was about to raise... it was far too obvious. Was this a trap? She massaged her temples for a moment, weighing her options. She didn't like this one bit, but the damage she could do to the prosecution's case would be incalculable if it turned out to be an error on Aginy's part... and she supposed that while it would mean abandoning the murder weapon angle, she could revisit it later if need be.

So be it. She would tackle Gumfoot's statement, and any complications that arose from it, head-on.

"Objection! Your Honour, there is a glaring inconsistency in the witness' assertions... and thus the prosecution's theory, by extension." Judith turned to her opponent, flashing him a bemused half-smile. "You said it yourself, Mr. Aginy: My client is no fool. So, can you or Mr. Tonkonklusion explain to me why the defendant would needlessly incriminate himself by returning to the body after making the effort to clean his weapon in order to disassociate himself from the crime? Such an act defies all logic! If Rika WERE the killer, he would simply have gone on his merry way after washing his scythe, with none the wiser! Why even take the enormous risk of returning to this victim, hmmm?"

"Oh, yes! That is a good point, indeed! I was thinking the same, myself!" The judge nodded sagely, though Judith wasn't sure she believed his whimsical claim. Gumfoot merely looked on like a stunned cow, dumbfounded by this turn of events. Aginy, however, refused to throw in the towel just yet.

"U-Urk...! W-Well, we are dealing with the mind of a child, here... Maybe he just changed his mind, as kids are wont to-"

"Please, Mr. Aginy! Even a Hylian child would not make so basic a mistake! Or do you mean to tell me you were CAUGHT stealing cookies from the cookie jar when you were young?" Judith pointed an accusing finger at the prosecutor, determined not to let him voice more of his pathetic excuses.

"M-Miss Villaincan! I understand your enthusiasm, but... Th-This is not the time to indict the prosecution of larcency!" The Judge protested, his mouth agape.

"Methinks her accusation bespeaks a certain familiarity with the theft of baked goods..." Aginy muttered sullenly, his cheeks a burning scarlet. Desperate to keep the discussion from devolving into a competition of whose youth was most free of mischief, Judith pulled her arm back, shaking both her head and her hands dismissively.

"A-Anyway! The point stands, Your Honour! Unless the prosecution can provide a motive for my client to the return to the body, it would make no sense for him to do so!"

"Hmmm..." The judge closed his eyes, absentmindedly tapping his gavel against his desk as he processed her argument. Emboldened by the silence, the jury took the opportunity to chat among themselves, each fancying themselves a learned pundit when it came to murder investigations. Judith might have listened in to their conversations, but something else had caught her attention during the brief lull in courtroom drama.

Over at the prosecution's bench, one of Aginy's aides had approached him and started to whisper in his ear, before passing him something beneath the table. Whatever information had been relayed, it had clearly revitalized the lawyer; gone was his earlier discomfort, replaced by a confident grin that immediately made Judith uncertain.

It was the grin of a man who knew he had won.

"... HOLD IT."

The judge had not even gotten around to quieting the jury by the time Aginy spoke, though they were silenced by the commanding tone in his voice.

"... One of my assistants has just reminded me of something of the utmost import! You see, Your Honour, we have overlooked a crucial piece of evidence the Guard turned up during their investigation... One which provides the defendant with a motive to return to the crime scene, haha!"

"And what motive would that be?" Judith folded her arms across her chest as she asked the question, wondering if this was an elaborate bluff on his part, or if he really had forgotten something so fundamental to his case.

"Why.... Greed, Miss Vilcaron." If anything, his wicked smile grew even more menacing.

"Greed?" Judith's eyes widened as realization dawned. "You're referring to the missing rupee-purse..."

"Indeed, though 'missing' would be the wrong word, as I have it right here. Your Honour!" Aginy theatrically whirled to face the judge. "I should have mentioned this earlier, but the victim's money pouch was taken from his body. We know he must have had it on him, given his recent trip to the Winded Fish Tavern; ergo I think it is a fair assumption the murderer absconded with it after killing Mr. Strell, wouldn't you agree?" The judge nodded slowly, hanging on every word. "Do you know where it was discovered?"

For one brief, awful moment, Aginy said nothing, letting the suspense build before opening his mouth and saying the absolute last thing Judith had wanted to hear.

"... On the defendant's person, of course, following his detainment at the district guardhouse!"

"... WHAT?!" Judith wasn't sure who had spoken. The Judge, Gumfoot, maybe even herself. Whoever it was, they spoke for everyone in the courtroom as it erupted into complete chaos. The jurors were shouting now, hurling insults and abuse, seemingly directed at everyone- Aginy, for witholding this decisive evidence until now, Gumfoot, for his incompetence, Rika, for seemingly being the killer, Judith herself, for defending him...

"ORDER! I WILL HAVE ORD-" Judith didn't even let the judge finish.

"Objection! Th-That's preposterous! Can you even prove that it was Mr. Strell's?!"

"Unfortunately for you, Priestess, I can. Behold!" Aginy produced the rupee-purse from behind his bench, passing it to the Baliff, who proceeded to show it to the judge, then Judith, even as the onlookers continued to yell and jeer. It was a gaudy eyesore of a pouch, with a red-and-blue chequered pattern and the initials "M.S." sewn into the fabric. With a sinking feeling, Judith recognized at once that it was authentic, and Aginy wasted no time in rubbing it in, pouncing on her despair like a vulture drawn to carrion. "And in case there are any lingering doubts as to whether or not the pouch belonged to Mr. Strell, good people of Hyrule, I do believe the defense has registered Al Kohol, the proprietor of the Winded Fish Tavern, as a witness. HE would be able to confirm its ownership, would he not?"

He was correct, of course. Judith knew it couldn't have been a forgery. The trial had been too short-notice to commission something so unique. But if it were the real deal, then how had the Guard gotten ahold of it? Had Rika really done it? Had this Kokiri pulled the wool over her eyes? No... That was impossible. He had not been in possession of that pouch during his arrest, she was sure of it. But how could she prove it? It would be her and Rika's word against that of the Guard...

The Guard had it.

She almost gasped. The answer was so simple. Vexing in the extreme, but simple. The true culprit had made a bold move in having the pouch presented, and she knew it might yet be enough to condemn Rika. But in doing so, the killer had tipped their hand.

Someone in the Guard had orchestrated a bald-faced lie to be told in Court, and by Mother Nayru, she would not let them get away with this. The only question was, would Rika be able to see those who had wronged him punished before it was too late? She had to defend him. She had to weather this storm...

Predictably, things went from bad to worse as Rika's short temper got the better of him, causing him to lash out. Not only did this further tarnish his already-soured image in front of the gallery, but Aginy was quick to comply with the Kokiri's insistence that the proceedings be hurried along, clearly anxious to get Gumfoot as far away from the witness stand as humanly possible. And the judge, no doubt seeking to quell the bedlam that had descended upon the courtroom, was in full agreement, banging his gavel to signal the end of the testimony. Judith's feeble overtures for permission to continue were swiftly overturned, denying her the chance to grill Gumfoot about the murder weapon. The priestess heaved a heavy sigh, her mouth masked by her hand. What was to be done? She knew that under Nayru's watchful eye, Truth would be revealed and Justice would be done, either in this life or the next. Unfortunately, in this case, the latter possibility was shaping up to be more likely.

Now Mr. Kohol was taking the stand; in an outlandish twist, he had brought an enormous barrel of spirits, looking rather like a circus strongman as he carried it to the platform. Given the current state of the courtroom, Judith supposed it was a particularly apt comparison, and maybe even deliberate, had she not known better. Perhaps the barkeep was simply a shrewd businessman, banking on the fact that everyone involved in this case would need a stiff beverage by the end of the day (Not her, though. Never!), and was keeping his stock close at hand for the occasion.

But then he gave his testimony, and everything changed.

Ordinarily, she would have been irritated by his frustratingly vague summarization of Mynn Strell's visit to his establishment. But there was something about it that stood out to her. A tiny detail, easily overlooked, that nonetheless had the potential to neutralize the pouch as a piece of evidence, and maybe even blow the case wide-open. If she jumped on it... Judith was sure she would see how deep this rabbit hole went. It was her last chance; Rika was as good as guilty in the court of public opinion as things stood. She had to make this count!

"I will begin my cross-examination, Your Honour." Judith nodded to the judge, then turned back to her witness. "Mr. Kohol... You say that the victim was a regular of your establishment, and had a bad habit of exhausting his coffers there? Including today?"

"Ayup."

"That... doesn't make any sense. At least not with the prosecution's theory. Because-"

"Objection!" Aginy condescendingly wagged his finger at Judith, as if she had made the most basic of mistakes. "Please, Miss Vilcaron! Your argument is so obvious, yet so flawed. I won't even allow you to finish. Mr. Strell may have spent all of his hard-earned rupees, but the defendant did not arrive until later, in the witness' own words! He would not have known the state of the victim's finances, and would have taken the pouch anyway! You should heed your own advice, and pay more attention to others!"

The young acolyte regarded her opponent icily for a moment, before letting a small smirk slip. Internally, she was amazed at her own confidence- it was as if the shy, meek Judith had been replaced by someone else entirely upon entering the courtroom. Whatever the reason for her newfound assertiveness, she was grateful for it.

"... You raise a good point, Mr. Aginy." With a flourish, the prosecutor bowed. "... But one that is totally irrelevant to what I am about to say." Aginy froze mid-bow, taken aback by her remark. The judge tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, likewise surprised.

"What do you mean, Defense? Explain yourself, Miss Valkyrie."

Ignoring the judge's apparent inability to remember her name, Judith's smile faded as she launched her counterattack. "Taking into account the information Mr. Kohol has given us, let us consider the murder from my client's perspective. I know empathy isn't your strong suit, Mr. Aginy, but bear with me."

The judge was on the edge of his seat, clinging to her every word, while Aginy bristled at the insult, but said nothing. Good.

"Let us assume for the sake of argument that Rika were the killer, and that events unfolded as the prosecution claims. Now, imagine you are Rika. You've killed Mynn Strell, you've cleaned your scythe, and you've returned to claim his pouch... but it's flat, and light as a feather! It's empty. Tell me, would YOU take the pouch? Remember, the Guard have just arrived, and are demanding you surrender yourself to them. Knowing this, would you still try to smuggle the pouch past them?"

"W-Well, maybe the purse wasn't completely empty. And rupees do come in different denominations! I would have expected a follower of the Goddess of Wisdom to be better-versed in economics! Mayhap the defendant believed that the small amount of rupees was offset by their value, and thus worth attempting to sneak past our nation's vigilant defenders!"

Aginy had just committed a fatal error with his conjecture, but Judith wouldn't capitalize on it just yet- she needed to ensure every theory he came up with was debunked before making her move.

"If that were so, my client would have simply fled across the rooftops upon being discovered, rather than cooperate with the Guard. Face it, Aginy- keeping the pouch would be completely inconsistent with Rika's actions, guilty or innocent. He could desire the pouch more than anything in the world, and it would still be absurd to bring it somewhere he was liable to be searched."

"Grr..." Aginy sputtered, struggling to come up with a rebuttal, "This... this is all just speculation! Mr. Kohol might have been mistaken about the state of Mr. Strell's finances! You can't PROVE how many rupees were in the pouch when the defendant took it!"

There it was. Her opening.

"No. No, I can't." Judith paused, resting one elbow against the defense's bench, before pointing at Aginy with the finger of her other hand. "But you should be able to. This is your decisive piece of evidence. Your piece of the puzzle. Surely you ascertained something so vital with the guards when this purse first surfaced? So tell us, Aginy: How many rupees were in the pouch?"

"Wh-What?! W-Well, umm... I'm... not sure..."

"You don't know...? Isn't this supposed to be the decisive evidence that proves Rika's guilt? If you cannot tell us, then... Until such time as we can be sure, I'm afraid this pouch's value as evidence is equivalent to its contents. That is to say, nothing."

Again the gallery burst into murmurs, perplexed by these latest developments. Though not all were convinced by her assertions, at the very least it seemed the outcome of the trial was once more up in the air. However, their chattering was soon silenced by the clatter of the judge's gavel.

"Be that as it may, Defense... we cannot be blind to the possibility that the defendant did kill the victim, and simply made a careless mistake. These things do happen. Believe, I should know!" The elderly Hylian interjected, with a low chuckle.

This was hardly a laughing matter, but Judith did note the judge was having one of his more lucid moments, so she took the opportunity to plead her case.

"As it stands, Your Honour, the prosecution's entire theory is predicated on the assumption that my client is a complete buffoon. I must reiterate that Mr. Aginy expects us to believe that Rika went through the effort of cleaning his scythe, only to be caught by stealing a quite-possibly empty pouch. I ask the members of the court, which is more likely: That my client is the most incompetent murderer in the history of Hyrule, or that someone else committed this heinous deed, and was fortunate that circumstances aligned to cast Rika in a suspicious light? Perhaps that Inspector Tonkonklusion might make such oversights, but I have faith that my client would not stoop to taking so many chances... And speaking of which...!"

Her eyes fell upon Al Kohol, who had silently watched the entire debacle, his expression blank and unreadable despite her piercing gaze.

"... Seeing as we are at an impasse, I think more testimony is required... Regarding Mr. Strell's outstanding gambling debts!"

It was too much. Between the judge's attempts to quench his thirst with Mr. Kohol's brew and her father's good name being sullied via an assumption that he shared it with a vile pretender-god, what little remained of Judith's patience had run dry. Once more, her cheeks had adopted a crimson hue... Only this time, it was not out of shame, but rather unmistakable fury.

"... No. The Defense is NOT ready to cross-examine the witness, Your Honour." She was doing her best to keep her tone composed, even as she shuddered in anger, her eyes blazing.

"Aha! Very good, madam!" Aginy burst into mocking applause, apparently recovered from his latest bout of ineffectual spluttering. "The first step toward fixing your mistakes is admitting-"

"Shut up," She snapped, staring daggers at her courtroom rival. "Your japery is neither needed nor particularly amusing. Rest assured, I have no intention of fleeing this farce of a trial." The harshness of her words caught him off-guard, and he neglected to complete his gloating, preferring instead to gawk in astonishment. Satisfied by his silence, she spun to face the judge.

"Your Honour, before I proceed with the cross-examination, I would address the court at large in my capacity as priestess." She did not bother to wait for him to grant her permission, whirling on the spot to look upon the gallery, her arms spread wide in an impassioned plea for someone, anyone, to recognize the madness, no, the creeping sickness unfolding before them.

"Good people of Hyrule! I would speak to you of justice. As you know, it was Nayru who first breathed the spirit of Law unto this world; all laws, be they physical or societal, are Her domain. Thus is every courtroom a Temple to Her, a monument to Her glory. To make mockery of the pursuit of truth in these hallowed halls is sacrilege, yet that is what has happened here today. Now, few things are infinite in this world, but Mother Nayru's compassion is among them. In Her endless mercy, she would forgive such trespass... But I will not. When my Goddess is slighted, it is the duty of Her faithful servants to seek retribution on Her behalf..."

"Just now, our Judge, our arbiter of Justice in this holy place, sought to muddle his sacred judgment by imbibing intoxicating spirits. Our detective, the so-called defender of the peace, has presented blatant distortions as infallible fact. Our prosecutor, who should be chief among those who value Truth above all else, seems more preoccupied with advancing his career and indulging in witty repartee! Is this the example we wish to set? Are we not Hylians? Do we not pride ourselves on being a civilized people? Currently, these proceedings must surely more closely resemble that which passes for trial among Moblins!"

As her tirade wound down, Judith watched the crowd for any sign of a reaction, her breathing heavy from her unexpectedly spirited speech.

"... I, too, have been slighted in this court... My name is not Villaincan, Vilcarrot, Valkyrie, or whatever other appellations have been bestowed upon me. It is CERTAINLY not Valoocaron! My name is Judith Vilcaron, and I will be respected here! Am. I. Understood?"

The concessions Judith had won with her fervent chastisement of the court were a small step toward restoring its sanctity, but she knew it would be a brief reprieve at best. Although the childish knavery had temporarily abated, the hard reality of the situation very much remained. Calm. She needed to be calm, she thought as she exhaled. No more outbursts of unbridled emotion. This was a decisive moment in the trial, and she would need to be equally decisive in presenting her facts.

It would be easier said than done- Al Kohol's new testimony was still dreadfully sparse on details. Judith recalled her original interview with him, prior to the trial... He had freely volunteered the secret of Mynn Strell's debts, but he had been curiously reticent regarding the identities of those who were owed the victim's rupees. She had hoped that the trial would loosen his tongue... Was he afraid of incriminating someone? What would it take to coax more information out of him?

"Very well," Judith declared, her hand once more acquainted with her temple as she returned her gaze to the witness stand. "Mr. Kohol, going by your testimony, it is clear that Mr. Strell was a regular at your... establishment."

"Aye." The barman answered with a simple nod, the motion causing an audible sloshing noise to emanate from his barrel.

"Bearing this in mind, surely you must have more knowledge of Mr. Strell's financial situation than you realize. These games of chance he often played- who were his usual opponents? It is rare for one game alone to place one into debt." She prodded further. This had to be the key to the case. She had never been more sure of anything in her life- aside from the everlasting glory of Mother Nayru, of course!

At this, an odd silence befell Al Kohol, his expression unreadable. Try as she might, Judith could only perceive it as a scrunched up frown. He seemed to be considering his words carefully, in stark contrast to his carefree mannerisms earlier. Finally, after a lengthy pause, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Mm... I dunnae much about that, priestess. Me business is booze, not bettin'. When cards n' dice are on th' table, it gets pretty wild, those *nights*. Folk are usually on *guard*, an' they dun like when others *watch*. I dun try to *police* tha' sort o' thing."

Of all things, Judith had not expected that. Mr. Kohol's dialect had completely changed! It was as if he were a bit part in a theatre production whose character had been written by two separate playwrights! But more pertinently, she had not missed the unusual emphasis he had placed on certain words in his reply... And it painted a grim picture of the truth, one that would certainly explain his hesitance to voice his own suspicions.

... It was as she thought. And if that were so, Mr. Kohol's word would likely not be enough. But maybe there was a chance. The court was still waiting on the statement from the rooftop sentry who had first discovered the body. If he were an honest man, and she could just get that fool Gumfoot on the stand again, she could form a devastating one-two punch of pure logic that would blow open a whole new hole in the case!

Until then, she had to stall- keep Al Kohol on the stand, without giving Aginy reason to cast doubt upon the relevance of this line of questioning.

"In that case, perhaps you could testify as to the frequency of these games? Have there been prior incidences of brawls between agitated gamblers?" Judith's tone was collected, focused, but her eyes told a different story as they bore into the barman's bloated face. Please, give me something to keep the prosecution at bay.