NOTICE: This thread has effectively been abandoned. See The Cave of Dragonflies for the most current script and to play along. :)

Title: Brendan Namron: Ace Attorney
Case # 1: Turnabout Return
Author: myself (Strife89 / Michael D. Carr)
Rating: PG (mild violence)
Genre: Mystery (video game style)
Status: "Game" (four or five cases) not yet finished, Case 1 completed
Summary: This story begins the tale of Brendan Namron, an fresh lawyer who moved back to the Johto region four years ago to study law, shortly after resigning from a career as a successful Pokémon Trainer. He keeps just two Pokémon with him, a Torchic and a Kirlia, who act as his friends and assistants before and throughout the series.

This case describes the murder of a friend off Brendan's, whose Machoke has been accused of the crime. As is typical of the Ace Attorney games for the first case, the player learns who the murder is right off the bat. But can Brendan figure it out and bring his friend's Pokémon to justice?


This is a series centered around the Pokémon universe, taking place approximately ten years after Pokémon Emerald. However, it reads (and plays) very much like an Ace Attorney game (save for this case's Introduction). In addition, there are numerous jokes and other references to the Ace Attorney games. As a result, I thought that it would be fitting to at least attempt to post it here. If the mods find the series out of place here, or even just a crappy fic in general, then by all means, delete this thread.

This is not my favorite piece of work. It's short even for a first trial, and some readers will likely find this case to be rather silly. If, however, you are able to plow through this and be willing to see what happens next, I'm willing to bet my laptop that you will all like Case 2.

In my original presentation of this case to a friend, there was an interactive Pokémon battle at the end. It was very troublesome to run (much too complicated for a first battle, even when omitting several rules of those games), but if anyone wants to play it, let me know. Otherwise, I'll write around it for this presentation.

As I'm sure has been made apparent by now, I wrote the case to be "playable" by readers. It is a blatant reusal of the method used for the presenting of the Phoenix Wright SSBB Case Files, written by ShadowKnux372, which he originally posted on the GameFAQs boards. (Indeed, this whole thing was inspired by his fifth case, Collective Turnabout.)
Anyway, if a post ends with a question that calls for selecting a choice or presenting evidence, that's your cue to do just that. (The choice of the first person to post one will be the next one written for.) Good luck (and wish me luck)!

Notes, copyrights, etc.:



NOTICE: Posting of the case is still in progress.

Last edited by Strife89 on Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:16 pm, edited 8 times in total.

[ 10:45 PM – July 14, 2017 ]
[ Goldenrod City - Trainer David's Home ]

*fade in*
A man, dressed almost entirely in black, is rummaging through what appears to be a set of drawers. He has a flashlight in one hand, hovering over his search. His other hand has a glove on it. The rest of the room is dark, leaving the surroundings impossible to see.

Without warning, a door opens out of sight, not very far away. The squeaky hinges alert the man to the presence of others entering. Chatter between a young adult and an unusual voice fill the apartment that they have entered.

The man instantly shuts off his flashlight and shoves the drawer he was searching shut. Quietly, he scoots to the door to the main room and cracks it open. A thin line of light falls across the man; he has a gruff appearance on his face. The light spread is sufficient to tell that there is a large, red “R” across the man's shirt – he associates with Team Rocket.

On the other side of the door, a male Trainer of about 20 and a Machoke are walking around, setting down belongings and preparing to unwind from a tiring day. Sweat beads on the thief's forehead. He turns on his flashlight and begins looking around the room. He quickly finds what he's looking for. Shifting the flashlight to his bare hand, he grabs the object, nearly drops it, and waits at the door, peering through the crack.

“Look, Macho, I'm sorry about that battle. I admit I got too cocky, alright? …. N- no, I'd rather not. Why don't you fetch some of that drink from the room and we'll discuss it over a cold one?”

Alarms sounded in the burglar's head. The Machoke was heading his way.

But, of course, the thief had nowhere to hide. He readied himself to strike. The door started to open ….

WHAM!! It happened so fast. The thief slammed the thick bottle on the Machoke's head; the Pokemon stumbled for a moment before collapsing to the floor. By then, the thief was already bolting for the exit. He was not going back to prison. Ever.

“Machoke! No! … You! Stop, thief!” The trainer started to give chase. Blast, and mere inches from escape, too … He had been seen, and would surely be identified.

Instead of exiting, the burglar ran towards the trainer and prepared to give him the wallop of his life.

He wasn't sure how he did it. One second he was merely swinging the bottle, and the next he was staring at the trainer's lifeless body, blood streaming from a crack on the head ….

The man's cold sweat returned. If he was caught, he was guaranteed prison for life, if not execution. He had just killed a man.

He stole a glance at the Machoke. It was unconscious, but it wouldn't be for long. Machokes, unlike people, were hard-headed in every sense of the phrase.

Just as he was beginning to jump from panic to despair, the bandit's eyes lit up.

“I'll make it look like … he did it!”


Across the city, inside a small home, a fresh young lawyer contemplates the events of a long day. He bids good night to his Torchic, then rolls over. He silently wonders if the law offices will assign him a case soon.

The tale of Defense Attorney Brendan Namron has begun.

Last edited by Strife89 on Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[ 9:27 AM – July 16, 2017 ]
[ Goldenrod City District Court – Lobby ]

{Music: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Courtroom Lounge ~ Beginning Prelude}

Brendan: This is a nightmare …. Please tell me that this isn't happening ….
???: Tor …. i-torchic.
Brendan: … Phoenix, I don't really know what to make of it.
Brendan: My client is David's Machoke, after all ….
Brendan: I don't see how it could have happened. They were more than just partners, they were the best of friends.
Brendan: Nothing could prompt him to murder David ….
Phoenix: Torch. Torchi-chic.
Brendan: Maybe. At this point, the only way we'll find out is if we jump right in ….
Brendan: Thing is, I'm real nervous. My first trial and it turns out my old friend is dead. Ever had that happen to you?
Phoenix: Tor.
Brendan: Exactly.
Phoenix: …. Chic tor chi. Torchic.
Brendan: …. I'm not going anywhere, Phoenix. You can bet anything on that.
Phoenix: (smiles) Torchic-tor-ic.
Brendan: Eh? Oh, of course, I should have been doing that anyway ….


COURT RECORD
Evidence
Attorney's Badge: Proof of my current profession. I tried to display it on my headband yesterday. Bad idea.
Pokégear: A really fancy, wristwatch-like device. I recently upgraded it.
Bag: My bag from my training days. Capable of holding a lot of stuff. Holds three spare Pokéballs.
David's Autopsy Report: Died due to blood loss and a blunt trauma to the head at 10:50 AM, July 14th. Was struck once with an unknown blunt object. Death was instantaneous.

Profiles
Brendan Namron: (AGE: 23) Me. Originally a Pokémon Trainer in Hoenn, but decided to return to Johto and study law.
Phoenix: (AGE: 5) My Torchic. Son of another Pokémon I released a few years ago ….
Machoke: My client. Did he murder his best friend and trainer?
David: (AGE: 20 – now deceased) The victim. An old friend of mine. Had a close bond with my client.

Party
Phoenix (Torchic): Lv. 10, 37 HP. 25 ATK, 21 DEF, 23 SPEED, 27 SP. ATK, 22 SP. DEF --- Scratch, Ember, Growl, Focus Energy

???: …..
Brendan: Huh?
???: …. choke.
Brendan: Ah, Machoke, there you are. Good morning.
Machoke: …. choke. Mah.
Brendan: I understand. I promise I will do everything to help you, but I need your best cooperation.
Machoke: Ma.
Baliff: Mr. Namron? Court is about to begin. We request that you and your client enter immediately.
Brendan: …. Yes, sir. Let's go, everyone ….

Last edited by Strife89 on Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[ 10:00 AM – July 16th ]
[Goldenrod City District Court – Courtroom Number 3 ]

*gallery chattering*
*gavel pounds*

(Music: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Ace Attorney ~ Court Begins)
Judge: Court is now in session for the trial of this Machoke.
Judge: Is the defense and prosecution ready?
Brendan: T-the defense is, uh, ready. …. Your Honor.
???: … The prosecution is quite ready, Your Honor.
???: Honestly, I never expected to see you in a place like this …. Brendan.
Brendan: (It can't be …) R-Roxanne?
Roxanne: Indeed it is, Brendan. All these years after that wonderful rematch …. I was beginning to wonder what had happened to a stellar trainer like you.
Brendan: It's a long story. What are you doing here in ---
*gavel pounds*
Judge: Mr. Namron, please keep off-topic conversation to a minimum. We do not have time for it here.
Brendan: S-sorry, Your Honor.
Judge: Now then, opening statements, please.

Roxanne: The prosecution believes that the Pokémon sitting in the defendant's chair is guilty of the crime, and has ample evidence and witnesses to back up this belief.
Judge: Good, good ….. Does the defense have a statement?
Brendan: (Ummmm …..)

None to speak of
This case is full of it!
The defense pleads

None to speak of

Brendan: I … I have no statement to make, Your Honor.
Judge: … I see. I did note that you are a newly minted lawyer … I take it this is your first case?
Brendan: Y-yes sir.
Judge: Ah. Well, let's take this one step at a time, shall we? The prosecution may begin.
Roxanne: With pleasure, Your Honor. The crime was committed two nights ago, at the victim's apartment.
Roxanne: According to a witness, the victim's own Machoke struck him in the head with a clear, glass object, killing him.
Roxanne: I would like to present to the court, the murder weapon. It was found next to the victim at the crime scene.

[Glass Bottle added to the Court Record.]

Glass Bottle: The murder weapon. Very thick glass, and heavy. Small traces of the victim's blood. Bears the victim's and the defendant's fingerprints.

Judge: Why … this looks like one of those collectable Pokéthlon bottles! *urfff!* Why so heavy?
Roxanne: They made the bottle with powerful Pokémon in mind, Your Honor. Even a Pokémon that doesn't know its own strength will have no trouble drinking from this without breaking it.

UPDATED EVIDENCE:
David's Autopsy Report: Died due to blood loss and a blunt trauma to the head at 10:50 AM, July 14th. Was struck once with a heavy glass bottle. Death was instantaneous.

Machoke: Choke ma-machoke! Oke!
Roxanne: ….
Judge: …. Does anyone here have any idea what the defendant just said?
Brendan: I- I do, Your Honor. He insists that he knows his strength quite well, and that he is not the murderer.
Judge: How in the world did you know he said that? Did you study Pokémon speech in school as well?
Brendan: *shakes head* Your Honor, I upgraded my Pokégear recently. It is now capable of translating Pokémon speech.

Judge: Is that so?! Here, let me see it!
Brendan: That won't be necessary, Your Honor. It so happens that I bought an attachment for this thing the other day …..
Roxanne: Looks like a speaker.
Brendan: Machoke, if you will ….
Machoke: I swear to you I'm not the killer! I'm muscular, yes, but I would never hurt David!
Judge: Woah …
Roxanne: Woah ….
Brendan: Woah! Sorry about that …. (Not so LOUD, Machoke … Jeez …)
Roxanne: Are you done, Brendan? The prosecution would like to call a witness who can show that the witness is lying.
Judge: Yes, yes, of course. Fire away.
Roxanne: Brendan, can that device work on any Pokémon in the room?
Brendan: It can. Why do you ask …. ? (I think I already know the answer.)
Roxanne: You'll see later on … maybe. Baliff, please bring in the witness.

UPDATED EVIDENCE
Pokégear: A really fancy, wristwatch-like device. I recently upgraded it, so it can translate any nearby Pokémon's speech.

NEW PROFILE
Roxanne: A former Gym Leader from Hoenn. When did she become a prosecutor?

*quick fade-out, then back in*

(Music: Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver - Olivine Lighthouse)
Roxanne: Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court.
???: … They call me Night Russ. I'm an ex-Team Rocket spy. More of a mercenary now; whatever I can do to get by.
Brendan: (That explains the shirt ….)
Roxanne: Mr. Russ, you know why you are here, correct?
Russ: I do.
Judge: What … is he here for, Ms. Roxanne?
Roxanne: To testify, naturally. He witnessed the crime!
Judge: Ah, of course! Well, then, Mr. Russ, please describe what you saw.

CROSS EXAMINATION
What I Saw
(Music: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Cross Examination ~ Moderate 2001)
Russ:
Part 1: I was out on a late night stroll when it happened.
Part 2: I heard the sounds of a struggle, and the door was open, so I peered in.
Part 3: There was the defendant, strangling the victim!
Part 4: I went to call the police as quickly as I could.

[Readers may ask to Press a part, read the Recap (the text that comes after the last part before looping back to the first), or they can Present evidence/profiles. Generally speaking, only the first response will be acknowledged, unless it is an incorrect Objection/presentation of evidence, or if there are multiple presses in a row.]

Can I join in? Sorry, it's a bit late, though.

I Present David's Autopsy Report at Part 3!

OBJECTION!

Russ: What the heck was that?! Don't shout at me!
Brendan: Sorry, Mr Russ. I was just contemplating your former reputation.
For it seems...you still cannot be trusted!
(Cornered 2001)
Roxanne: *slightly annoyed* What are you talking about, Brendan?
Brendan: Take a look at the autopsy report. It says that the victim died...after being hit once with a glass bottle!
Now tell me, Mr. Russ. At what point does the autopsy state that the victim died after being strangled?!
Russ: Argh!
Phoenix: I knew it! Well done, Brendan!
Brendan: You can speak to me through the PokeGear, too?
Phoenix: Yep!
Brendan: (Well, at least I'm getting somewhere now. Just gotta keep calm...)
Phoenix: Brendan, you just found a contradiction in that testimony. You're not supposed to be nervous!
Brendan: (Right!) So, witness....can you explain this?

---