Professor Layton and the Angel's Prophecy

The Turnabout Demon - Part Two

"I'm afraid you are wrong there. May I direct your attention to the right-hand side of the room? I know it's hard to see, but there is something in Miss Parker's office that reveals the truth."

As the judge shifted his gaze once more, from the other side of the room, Luke's mouth fell open in awe. Whilst he had watched Phoenix Wright in action before, the stakes were much higher back then. There was little time to be excited. Now, despite the stakes being high indeed, Luke felt comfortable, and confident enough to let the adrenaline get to him. What had just happened was very much like finding the solution to a puzzle. One had only to look a little closer.

And the judge's eyes did rest upon the 'reflective' item Phoenix was hoping he'd see. For sitting in the right corner was a mirror. And in the mirror's reflection, not only could Costillos be seen, but the two men on either side of him were holding guns, pointed directly at Natalie.

"It would seem..." murmured the judge, coughing once before raising his voice to address the courtroom. "That Mr. Wright is correct. The middle man is Costillos... and his henchman do indeed have guns."

Once again, the courtroom was thrown into chaos, and looking at Costillos, it was like he was being buried beneath it all. Gone was his snug grin. In its place, terror. His carefully woven shield was cracking. He was looking steadily guiltier by the second.

As the judge brought the courtroom back into an acceptable silence, Hershel and Luke shared in Phoenix's moment of victory. It was surely a brief one, but it was enough to unhinge Costillos. Natalie had let out a small sigh of relief, before allowing herself a grin. Brushing her violet hair away from her eyes, she turned to the attorney who defended her, and then to Hershel and Luke. Because of those two, her long-held guilt was slipping away. She was unburdened; the definition of the ranger she wanted to be.

"Now," asserted the judge. "This does look rather grim for Mr. Monriel, and-"

"Objection!"

All eyes wondered frantically around the room, looking for the source of the objection. They quickly fell upon Edgeworth. Phoenix rolled his eyes as Edgeworth began to speak. Leave it to him to spoil the moment.

"Perhaps it is indeed true that those men have guns," he said with a condescending smile. "However, with the image itself being quite blurry, not only can it be a reckless assumption to just claim the items in their hands are guns, but also to suggest that those figures are indeed Auriolus men. Let alone that Costillos is standing amongst them."

"Hold it!" Phoenix countered. "Miss Parker here has testified that these men are Auriolus men, and even if that part of the image is a little blurry, what else would these men be aiming at Miss Parker, if not guns?"

The judge tilted his head slightly in agreement.

"He does make a good point."

Edgeworth, eyes closed, shook his head in his familiar way.

"With how blurry the image is, all that can be seen in their hands are black shapes. They do slightly resemble guns, yet they could be torches, for example."

"You're stretching now, Edgey," Phoenix smirked.

Grimacing at the nickname, Edgeworth shook his head.

"As it stands, the man in the centre cannot, without a doubt, be identified as Costillos Monriel. A slight resemblance isn't enough. Besides, it is impossible that my client could have been there."

Gasps spread through the people of the court, and they descended into murmurs before the judge silenced them with his gavel.

"Please explain," the judge inquired.