Maybe Maya is also Hemlock!

Argh the truth! It hurts!!!
It was obvious really, eh? Should've disguised Hemlock's silhouette more :P

That would mean that she's been with the smuggling group since before she ever met Nick. This whole clueless teenager thing has been an act the whole time.

You know... Working for Arculeus probably brings in a lot of money. My guess is that it's so she can support her huge diet of burgers.

...that all the times she's been mooching off Nick for money, she didn't even need it since she's already loaded from being a smuggler. It's just a bit of spare change to her... all the more money for burgers.

Maya is truly quite the evil person.

When Investigating at the Interogation room, I try to present the Poison Coffee mug, but he just says his usual clueless dialogue. I have tried everything but nothing happens. DX Help please!

* Examine Tabletop - then examine Coffee and Knife
* Examine the between-the-legs part of the body tape. Phoenix will find a Piece of Tape underneath the table.
* When you've examined the Coffee and the Tape, THEN examine the sachet under the leg of the chair.
* Exhaust all Talk options.

Who were you trying to present the coffee cup to? Renwick? Because he should say something about it... But you don't have to do it anyway, it's not important.

Now before I begin, I want to address something with my fellow fan game artists. As creators, we have a certain responsibility to uphold in terms of storytelling. Especially when story telling revolves around murder mystery games. We need to take into consideration that some people may not have gotten a chance to play some games, and maybe not all of them. There may be no reason for newcomers to come across our games to try them out if they’re not a fan of the Ace Attorney series, but we should never take for granted that people playing our games are familiar with everything beforehand. Of course this game takes place after Trials and Tribulations and some things can be mentioned, but NOTHING should be spoiled for those who haven’t played any of the three games.
Now, the first scene is with Phoenix talking with Maya on the phone, outside his office… Anyway, Maya tells Phoenix that she has to train being a Master of Kurain. Now mentioning Bikini wasn’t so bad, because you kept it ominous on who she was. It’s apparent that she’s an important person at the training grounds, and Maya takes her seriously. But I felt the image of Bikini and Iris didn’t really add anything, and was just used as a means to show off characters. Another thing is when Maya mentions her and Phoenix’s passing by Global Studios in Investigations 2. Yes… The easter egg appearance they made in a game that hasn’t come out here yet. Though it does sound harmless, it honestly made me groan and roll my eyes up. But, I suppose everything mentioned wasn’t too bad for some… until later that is…
The next part I want to address is when Maggey shows up in the game, and conveniently enough gets her job back at the police station… yup! Anyway! Phoenix recalls that Maggey had another job as a waitress at a restaurant where she was arrested for poisoning someone but it turned out that the real killer was a loan shark named Furio Tigre. … Okay… Why? Why did you need to mention that? Saying Maggey worked at a restaurant was fine. Saying that she was suspected of murdering someone was fine. But did you HAVE to tell us who the killer was and how the method of murder was done? It’s fine to give Maggey a proper introduction by telling us a little about her and what happened, but giving away the killers name in the third case of the third game is just so unnecessary. Not only that, but it’s a spoiler on who the killer is in that game. In the official games, they never give those kinds of details away unless they were in the same game. I’ll give an example. And uh, yeah, spoilers…
During the last case of Trials and Tribulations, when you control Phoenix after you’ve finished Edgeworth’s romp in the court-room, you meet Godot again for the first time. During that time, he explains his disdain towards Phoenix, mentioning Mia getting killed. Phoenix knows what he's talking about and says “I got that guy! Personally!” Never did he mention who that person who killed Mia was. Do you know why? It would have spoiled who that character was and thus taking away the mystery of who did it. We know who killed Mia, but the writers can’t take that into consideration, because they also need to write this game for people who haven’t played past games. And before you mention Morgan Fey, yes, she’s is mentioned in that case as well, but that’s only because she has something to do with it. She was a co-conspirator in the murder of case 2 of JfA. They never even mention the killer from that case. All we know is that Morgan was arrested and is serving time. That’s pretty much all we need to know.
Now back to Maggey. She also mentions that she was a security guard, was accused of murder again and was saved by Edgeworth and Gumshoe… Do we have to know EVRYTHING that happens in past games? It just seems very pointless and shoehorned in. Whatever. Next scene. Next we meet the chief of police, who reminds us of Gant, by having a flash of Gant show up. The good thing is you didn’t drop the bomb on us by saying that Gant was suspected of murder. The thing I don’t understand is why mention him at all? Gant literally has nothing to do with this game, nor does his name need any mentioning at all. Sure, we know who Gant is, but for people who haven’t played that game, you’d leave one big large question mark over their head as to who this character is. You could have said that this office belonged to the former chief of police and leave it at that. A not too big a deal, but very unwarranted. The last gripe I have is the mention of Alba. The Hemlock character is obviously talking with the leader of this organization, we can gather that much. But did you HAVE to name drop Alba after the conversation was over? When you go into case 5 of Investigations, you’re not sure what to expect, not even know if you’re ever going to go up against the big boss himself. You meet Alba as a frail ambassador, but never knowing if he’s involved in anyway. When you do this it, again, takes away a mystery from a past game. I think that referring to him as “sir” would have been good enough.

As for when dropping Alba's name... Perhaps I should've been more implicative when it came to references like that? Not straight-out stating his name, blood type, favourite animal etc. (as I feel that the implication that it was Alba was enough) but rather sparking recognition from the people who DO know who he is, whilst somewhat preserving his identity for those who haven't played GK. (However later in Part 2 his name will be dropped again, but it will be unavoidable.)

Literally.

--- Investigation 1 ---

Okay, so first of all: The intro is great. I'm assuming that Vex isn't the killer this time around since it would be obvious, but now that I think he isn't the killer it's not obvious anymore.
The puppet thing was really creative too. What was up with the piano wire though?

Oh great, Maya is away again. I felt pretty lonely in the second case (which added to the atmosphere, though), but I wonder if Phoenix is gonna have an assisstant this time around? Or maybe
he can actually take care of himself in this case. Speaking about taking care of yourself...

"LOL DON'T LOSE YOUR BADGE AND BECOME A HOBO NICK"

Very subtle, Maya.
Wait, what the hell does Phoenix even need a lunch break for? He takes a case once every few months!

Someone's in my office. LOOKS LIKE THE KILLER, GUYS. Case closed.
Also, our murderer here just cut Phoenix off while he was thinking about why the door was unlocked. I wonder how that's gonna come into play. Ooooh, I'm actually looking forward to everything.
Is this case going to top the first one?

Now I'm examining stuff in the office. Nice little reminder to the fact that the Gatewater Hotel is right across the street. Also, Charley isn't being watered anymore? I actually think Phoenix is the killer this time.
Holy shit, what if he is? Nah, it's the Ponytail Guy.
Phoenix really doesn't need those books he has. Seriously, he didn't even know what a cross-examination was in the first case.

Oh my god, what if the GUARD IN THE DETENTION CENTER is the fucking killer?! It has to be him! It even makes sense in the context of the case! That would be an amazing twist.

And what's up with Phoenix wanting to clean his toilet? Is that becoming a running gag now? (Oh yeah, Snow's the defendant. I kinda knew that from the description of the case. WAY TO SPOIL THE ENTIRE CASE.)

Oh, so the opening scene is actually the scene in which the murder happened? So who's the victim? It can't be Vex Vulper, can it? Maybe the victim is ponytail guy. But wait, he's the killer. Maybe Vex is actually
the ponytail guy! HOLY CRAP, MAYBE THE GUARD IN THE DETENTION CENTER IS ACTUALLY VEX VULPER. Sorry, it's just...Vex is one of my favorite Ace Attorney characters and he's not even a canon character.
I thank you for creating such a great character, Mr. Fangame Creator. I actually can't remember how to spell your name because I've never bothered to properly read it. I just know what the word looks like.
I'll just call you Gardevoir. That's close enough.

Renwick Smith, huh? I wonder if there's a reference or pun in there that I don't get.

Ah, Vex is a witness this time. Something tells me that Vex being in a cell with Cedric was not a coincidence. (My brain is probably telling me that, since it exists and I think with it.)

Perry Docks? Paradox, right? Fucking got it. So what about the name Renwick Smith then!? Crap.

Oh, Vulper has nobody to defend him yet? Well, I WONDER WHO HIS ATTORNEY IS GOING TO BE??

...Seriously though, it's not gonna be Phoenix, is it?

Oh, so he won't even get a trial then. Or something. And he'll get a death penalty if he's found guilty? So does this game use a three strike rule or something? Dahlia didn't kill that many people! In fact, she officially
only killed one person before getting executed.

Whatever, so Snow is my client now. And I'm gonna be talking with Vulper soon. But wait, he's in solitary confinement? Maybe that was his plan all along! Maybe he didn't even plan to kill Cedric specifically!
He just needed to kill some guy to get into a solitary cell, which has a secret door to a tunnel he dug beforehand.
Or the whole thing has something to do with that organization that Greisen told me about. That was months ago, though, so I don't even remember it's name. Aurora borealis or Anneurexia or something.

Of course I'm keeping Vex for last, but not because I DON'T want to deal with him. Quite the contrary!

Whoa, what's up with the photos in the background? Are they all photos of Apollo Justice standing next to a girl wearing a red dress and chewing gum? Oh wait, wrong case and wrong time.

Now I have to show the oddball the affidavit, but I don't even know what the point of that is since I couldn't have come here without talking to Snow first.

Oh yeah, Smith just reminded me: Vex already killed FOUR people, not three. Holy shit. I forgot Grossberg of all people. That was a big loss.

So the end of the wire is rusted, huh? That changes...something. I don't know what it changes yet. Give me time.

Ooh, those aren't photos. It's the king of hearts! How did he even get those?!

Holy crap, Smith is kind of a smartass! The way he made fun of me when I asked "exactly 1:30 a.m.?" just proves that he is actually a confident detective, which I didn't really expect. And I guess it was pretty stupid to not assume that Maplethorpe was asleep.

I only found two useful things in those cells, so I'll just visit Vulper now. I don't think I missed anything.
And there he is? With his awesome theme song and everything! I love how Wright asks "What happened to him?!". Yeah, holy shit, he has long hair. You should be asking why he's wearing a tie in a prison cell.

"Classic Cedric! Hasn't changed a bit since he was killed!"
I love this guy. If he had a voice actor, it would be Johnny Yong Bosch (Look it up). Any better ideas?

Oh my god, a Krump impression. I mean, of course he would be able to do that, but still. And...he has another scar?

It seems like the evidence I'm showing him doesn't get me anywhere. But holy shit, he looks really cool when he turns into Krump.
Apparently, the whole point of this conversation was for Vulper to fuck with me. Okay.
Since the conversation with Vulper can't be entirely pointless and no new scenes are unlocked, I assume I have to present Vulper's profile to someone, since that's the only thing I obtained just now.

Aaaand bingo. Snow utters the sentence "It's like he wants to get executed".
Of course. He wants to become a ghost and get channelled by Maya. Then he sleeps with Phoenix, which is all he ever wanted. Brilliant plan.

Whoa, a FIFTH option in the Talk-menu? Never seen that before.
"Course I'm gonna be testifying tomorrow". Uh, yeah, because the defendants always testify in this game.

Wait, what trial is Phoenix reminiscing about? The Engarde case?

Whatever, now that Snow is gone, it's time to have a little talk with the true culprit here.
...Too bad, examining the guard in the back of the room only gets me a few funny lines and not a mind blowing revelation.

So Vex will be interrogated once again tonight. I'm looking forward two the headlines tomorrow: "SIX OFFICERS KILLED BY CRAZY RED-HEAD"

Wait, Nick JUST found his magatama? Okay, that must have significance. You either forgot to put it in the game and then made a little joke that only YOU, the creator of the game, can understand, or it has something to do with the plot.
Did he forget his Magatama to avoid finding out the truth too early? Maybe someone in this investigation lied about something important and you had Nick forget his Magatama because just knowing it's a lie is a big spoiler. I don't think that Vulper lied about anything...he wasn't even denying anything.
Or maybe he never forgot his Magatama and the only reason he just found it is because it wasn't even there when he was in his office the last time? Because it was stolen? By the guy who got into his office? Smith maybe? Did Smith use his Magatama on ME while I was talking to him? Or maybe someone else? Holy shit. This little scene.

Also, I love the whole "guy in jail is the culprit" plot. It makes me think that Vulper has something brilliant planned for tomorrow. Let's just see.


--- Trial 1 ---

So this case is gonna two seperate cases, huh? Well, by seperate I mean...technically speaking.

Oh, and the audience seems to be particularly smart today! Welp, case closed, everyone! It was Vex! After all, he killed some people months ago.

Oh, nice. Renwick Smith actually stated his name and occupation. With some delay, yes, but you can't complain.
...Okay, he doesn't know the victims name. Did he not write that down? Marbleflower? Seriously? I, too, connect the name "Maplethorpe" with the word "Flower" because of that one AVGN review.

The first testimony doesn't seem to have a contradiction in it. It's probably a typical first testimony: Press the detective to gather evidence.
Oh, this is also the first time I've heard Brisbane's new "Objection". It's nice.

How did he dispose of the wire? Uuuh...the window? At least Phoenix is smart enough to point that out, but it gives me the feeling that it was stupid to say that.

Yes, okay, you can't hide a weapon by throwing it out. Fuck you.

Since the judge asked...maybe he could have put it in the sink? Does that work?

Seems like I was right! Too bad I didn't automatically win the game by finding that contradiction because Smith found Vulper's DNA on the wire.

And...Vex revealed that the killer is no one? Now that's a line to think about! If he commited suicide, then that would still make him his own killer. And if someone else killed him, there would obviously be a killer. So how is the killer no one?
Maybe he slipped and...got strangled by a length of wire? Maybe the killer's name is "no one"? Is there a guy named Nemo in this case? IS VEX FUCKING WITH ME?!

Wait. They have the whole block for themselves?! Now that's an interesting setting for a murder! I'm loving this so far. (Also, there's a thunderstorm outside as I am playing this and it's awesome.)
But seriously, they were too dangerous? What? That is weird.

So now Snow is testifying, and maybe we're gonna get Vulper to make a testimony too, but maybe you're saving that for Trial 2.

So now I have three options. I guess "what Vulper was doing" is the most interesting one. (By the way, when you say that the statement is of no use to you, Phoenix says "on second thoughts" instead of "on second thought".)
None of those three questions really get me anywhere, or at least I don't think so. Is this a red herring? Phoenix wants to find out more about the conditions of the scene...maybe pressing the new statements should help.

Okay, so I just had to press anything. I hope nobody had problems with this cross examination.
And HOLY SHIT, Vulper's next! I think I have never looked forward to someone testifying in a Phoenix Wright game, but a fangame of all things does. It's probably because the Ace Attorney games never have magnificent bastards like Vulper.

I, too, sometimes confuse "friend" with "pirate captain person". I love how childish and insane he has become. Was he like this as a prosecutor? I can't remember the first case that well.

Holy shit, he actually responded the question with "not guilty"? This is both serious, and a shocking answer. I kinda believe him...I think.

I still think it's the fucking guard in the detention center. Just look at him.

The line about being a poet is hilarious. My god, this is just one funny line among various.
And I wasn't even at the "suggestion" line yet when I wrote this. Holy shit, I grinned along with Vex.

Okay, so Phoenix says that something is not right with his testimony. I wonder what it is...

"Last time I saw Cedric, he was alive". No problem here.
Wait, dead on his BED?! That's just wrong! I'll just present the photo.

This was correct, but I wonder if the map would have worked too? Because it should.

I fucking love how this is the first time that "perjury is a serious offense". Fuck you guys, he's not lying. Just look at him!

If he's not lying, how is that possible? Snow said he found Cedric sitting on the floor, right? ARE DISGUISES INVOLVED AGAIN?

Oh my god, Phoenix lecturing Brisbane was amazing. (Especially Vex's grin when he said that he's probably the killer.)
Probably one of the best (and most unexpected) scenes in the case so far.

And now we're best friends!!! *_*

NOOOO, END TO THE FRIENDS?!?

I love the completely serious: "A bucket."
And the judges "Good luck" before I started cross examining.

Holy shit, Vulper has some good arguments. Why WOULD they leave a wire like this lying around? I almost feel like the cops are setting this whole thing up and Vex is the only sane person in the room.

And Vulper just called himself the lowest of low...Holy shit. I kinda want him to be set free and be happy. Why is the world so unfair? ;_;

Why can't I present the wire with Vex's DNA on it at the "what damn wire?" statement. It seems like it's the right thing to present.

This reminds me, why is Vex in solitary confinement if he was the only living person in the whole block?

So anyway, I had to present the wire at the "I didn't kill anyone" statement. Kinda weird though. I mean, yes, I figured I would have to present it there, but it would make more sense if you presented it at the previous statement.
I mean, does holding a wire really prove that you killed someone? We don't know how and when the blood got on it. The DNA does prove that he HELD the wire, which contradicts the penultimate statement, but not this one.
And Phoenix even says "There's no way that what he said about not knowing about it is possible". Well, exactly! That is exactly what I tried to say, but I couldn't.
I guess you should make the evidence presentable at both statements?


--- Investigation 2 ---

Now court is adjourned, but the first part of the case isn't over yet? Say whaaaa?

Sooo, time to investigate that interrogation room.

Damn, someone tried to poison Snow with Atroquinine? Nice throwback (or throwforth?) to Apollo Justice, by the way.
Who could it have been? Maybe Perry Docks? I wonder who poured the coffee into the cup and who had it and when.

How the hell did the police miss that thing under the chair? Maybe it wasn't here when the murder occured?

Aha! I'm proud of myself for figuring out that you have to examine the sachet again after finding the tape.

Maybe the coffee was poisoned during the blackout? I really wonder who that witness is...!

OH NO, THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS DEAD. Well, he just didn't respond to the buzz, but he usually does!!

Apparently, Maggie is the witness! I thought it would be some dominatrix type of person, but okay. BUT HOLY SHIT, SOMEBODY'S BEHIND ME.
It's Brisbane and he...won't let me talk to the witness. Holy shit, what a surprise.

So I'm talking to Snow and I almost expected Psyche Locks to appear. I think my heart skipped a beat just now.
So Snow didn't know about the poisoned coffee cup, huh? And Phoenix also had the idea with the blackout.

Off to meet the chief! But who IS the chief? Smith told me that he he'll be furious and is sometimes bad tempered? I somehow feel like Smith is fucking with me and he's actually the chief.

Oh, it's actually some really menacing guy! The "introduce myself!" line was hilarious. Took me by surprise, actually. But I hate the guy's name. Schaden Freude? Seriously? Way to be subtle.
I mean, I guess it's a reference two his two different personalities, and how Schaden is a negative word and Freude a positive one? Maybe? I don't know. It's still a stupid name, because, well, it isn't a fucking name.

It looks like the Chief is dodging my questions. And Smith just cut me off? What DID Maplethorpe do to deserve such a reputation? Weird.

So now Freude went golfing or something and I got a "To be continued", but...the game is still going? This is the second time I thought it would end and it didn't. I guess this is just a normal "To be continued", and not the end of Part 1.


--- Trial 2 ---

So...yay, first testimony. During the testimony, Smith kinda didn't have a voice. (By the way, how many sentences have I started with "so" now?!)
By "no voice", I mean there were no beeps while he spoke. They came back though.

"Murderous shenanigans"? I like this guy.

He didn't mention the fingerprints for some reason. That's strange. Is he hiding something? But why would he be?

Hey, YOU didn't find that sachet! It was ME. And it was under a chair when I found it. Why the hell is he hiding facts that incriminate Vulper all of a sudden?

WHY IS BRISBANE DEFENDING VULPER NOW?! I thought he was being sarcastic at first!

Okay, maybe Brisbane is just not being narrow minded. How could Vulper have prepared that sachet? That is a good point and I like how he is actually trying to find the truth and making good points. Or he just wants to win, I don't know.

Oh my lord, Brisbane just submitted evidence I have never seen! "What the heck is that?!" indeed, Phoenix. Even Smith doesn't know it. I hope this isn't illegal evidence, Brisbane!

I gotta say, these characters are well written. Snow, Brisbane, Vulper...I actually like them as characters. They are not just stuff that keeps the story moving, they actually have personality and they develop.
I am saying this because of Snow's little talk with me about Brisbane getting more and more angry and actually being a bad prosecutor. There has never been a prosecutor that has actually been criticized like this. Not even Payne.

Brisbane's theory doesn't even make sense. I mean, yes, this is how it could have happened, but why the hell would it happen like this? Snow takes a dagger with him for NO reason. Then Docks poisons his coffee for NO reason.
Snow sees this and immediately does what everyone would do: STAB THE FUCKING GUY, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, RIGHT IN FRONT OF A WITNESS. Erol Brisbane is a genius.

First of all: The shape of the dagger is just wrong and doesn't match the wound. I was right, but apparently this is one of those cross examinations that have multiple contradictions. (Do the original games even have those?)

Also, how did Snow even bring the dagger back if he was arrested immediately? And even if he did bring it back, why wouldn't he just put it where it should be?

I love the:

*shock noise*
*shock noise*
*shock noise*
"Told you."

I am actually surprised that the dagger didn't have blood on it. It must have something to do with the case, right?!

Maggey is testifying now. "One testimony coming right up!" - I guess she's never stopped being a waitress.

Wait, WHAT!? The dagger was actually there? But hold on, it couldn't have been. There was no blood on it and there was no reason for it to be there. And also, it's not really the only long and thin and bloody thing in the court records...

Wait, did Snow just say "Hold it!" instead of me when she said he ran for her?

And...if the dagger was still inside the victim when Snow was arrested, who brought it into Snow's office?! And it wasn't lodged in the victim's back either! Objecting to those statements doesn't do anything, though.

And this is where I had to guess. I don't think I would have figured out the whole "seeing the knife from the side"-thing. Ever.

Auxilaries.

Oh god, I hope that the reason for Snow looking across the table wasn't something extremely important.

I actually knew what to present very quickly in this one. Well, "knew" is an overstatement, but it is the first thing I tried because it just made sense.

It's "the least she can do"? Did she do something bad during the investigation? Oh god.

So Vex was just sitting around, huh? I reaaaally wonder where this is going. The judge seems to be pretty smart this trial too.

Vulper was alone for like a minute? I wonder.

He looked "frozen"?! Schaden Freude is the killer! (And Freude is also the guard in the detention center, who is also always frozen.)

I guess they explained the whole "solitary confinement even though the block is empty anyway" - thing. Good job!

Awesome, the judge, who is very smart today, is summarizing everything with cool music.

Some nice character development for Maggie and HEY, Smith is here. I like this guy.

Vulper actually RESISTED for once? Shit, what is going on here? Is this not going according to plan? Does he HAVE a plan?

I loved the scene before he testified. Yay for comic relief. I especially loved how the judge talked slower and slower while noticing that Vulper was asleep.

Yay, I like decyphering testimonies. Reminds me of the Erlenmeyer testimony. That was creepy and interesting.

"Me, myself, and Krump". What's with him being half-Krump? Why is he so obsessed about him?

"A loud flash? What was he referring to?" - Oh come on, Phoenix! Seriously?

"You were taken to solitary confinement, right?"
"WE were taken to solitary, Wright Boy! Get it right!"
Uuh, how did he know if he meant the singular or the plural "you"?!

I assume I'm going to have to object to the "redness" thing by presenting something red.

I love how objecting to the loud flash with the power box thing is absolutely pointless because it was obvious anyway.

Why does presenting the autopsy report work, but presenting the RED knife? But okay.

Another vague testimony from Vulper! As I said, I like it when they are extremely vague and you have to decypher them. I wonder what is going to happen next.

He had nothing to do with...ANY OF THE MURDERS in that room!? There...was only one murder, right? Right? Also, Vex said that nobody was killed that night when pressing the first statement. Well, I guess that makes sense since "nobody is the killer".

But what do I present to tell him only one murder happened? The autopsy report? Docks' profile?

I guess I am just thinking about this the wrong way and I have to present the knife with his prints on it first.

And I was right.

Address your house. Hah.

Poor Vulper. All of this must have been a set-up. His fingerprints are on every murder weapon from this case and he really doesn't seem to know why. But how did he know about the poisoned coffee? Did he actually look at THAT and not the dead body when Maggey came in?

Now, final testimony. I like how the judge actually seems to have AUTHORITY for once. I like what you've done with him. Also, great music for the testimony.

What the FUCK?! He was just fucking with me when I mentioned the atroquinine thing?! That's mean - I actually fell for it! I love it when Phoenix' guesses and bluffs turn out to be correct, so I really thought this was going to be one of these moments. One more reason to love Vulper and the writing of this case.

http://i.imgur.com/IVQW5Mw.png
Wat.

Okay, this contradiction was obvious. The other one too. But I guess that was the point.

What part of dot-dot-dot do you not understand?! Reminds me of "Don't '?' me!" from the first game.



THE CASE IS STILL NOT OVER?! LIKE, PART 1 IS STILL NOT OVER?! I'm not complaining.

But seriously, I haven't written a reaction in the last 15 minutes because a lot of creepy stuff happened. This case is probably the most mysterious case in Phoenix Wright history. And it isn't even canon. By mysterious I mean...I really don't know what's going on.
Vulper confessed just now; that's weird. He remembered the "puppet" thing (seen in the intro), which probably means that he remembers he's just part of a big group, with the "boogeyman" as his boss. The boogeyman being the puppetmaster, literally.
It wasn't Vulper. I really don't think it was him. Why is Vulper so scared? He'd rather die than...what?! What can possibly happen to him in jail? I actually thought the killer could have been Snow, but...he was declared Not Guilty, which means that he can't ever be locked away for this, right? Double jeopardy.
Also, as soon as Renwick bumped into me, I knew I was going to find something in my pocket. Aculeus card, huh? I guess I'm going to find out how Renwick joined Aculeus (which I assume is what happened). I mean, the puppetmaster even has a Smith puppet.
I'm getting some sort of conspiracy vibe from this case, but also a bit of science fiction. Something gives me the feeling that the air conditioners aren't just a character trait. Especially the transfer of the prisoners. Something big is going on here.

And now, the flashback. I started writing that previous paragraph when the flashback started, so I will start playing it now. I can't even stop, this is just too good. I am actually creeped out. Vulper's breakdown was just...wow.
Also, they want to get some kind of rock? They don't mean the magatama, do they? And if they do, is it gone? Did Smith actually steal it? Do I have a fake magatama? DID SNOW ACTUALLY KILL THE GUY AND IT DIDN'T REACT BECAUSE IT WAS FAKE?!


--- FLASHBACK CASE ---

I like the "present your badge" thing. But this doesn't feel like Phoenix Wright anymore. Not that it's bad; I actually like it. But Phoenix Wright has never had a case like this.

This takes place on the day when Vulper was convicted, huh? Interesting. I wonder what is going to happen.

Aaah, remember when Vex Vulper was still young and had short hair and power? Those were the days. Also, Smith just confused the marker with evidence. What.

I am going to talk to Brisbane now? Does that mean I'm going to see him...right after he lost his eye? I wonder what kind of personality he will have.

Typo: "That patch...So HIS did lose an eye."

That reminds me, that sad guitar music really makes me feel sad in some way. Especially when Phoenix said he was going to miss Vex in some twisted way.

Awesome! Young Vex is right in front of me and he's scaring Smith! ...Before I talk to him, I'll examine the actual killer behind him, though.

I love his pouty face!

Okay, that feet-on-table-pose just made me laugh. ...Is he wearing...Red Socks?

Today I learned: The word "snafu".

Hey, how DID he retrieve that card after Jack fell down?!

Oh yeah, he didn't.

So, Vex already knew he was going to be released, I guess. Now let's visit Brisbane.

Okay, that's what I expected. Poor guy has gone insane and his personality did a 180 turn!

Awww, I was gonna show him the card, but I don't actually have it.

I just...took the enigmium. A billion dollars. I have a feeling this I've just set something in motion. And he's being watched? Oh crap...

Okay, so Jack Crane didn't tell him about the enigmium. That IS shady. The "angry Brisbane black screen" is a bit too long, by the way.

Wait, what the FUCK!? This was actually pretty shocking. A corpse behind the books. I wonder if that was deliberately placed there for someone interested in Enigmium to find?

Garrotte wire, huh? It seems like every Aculeus member is killed of that way...which includes Vulper...?

It's Greisen! Holy shit! I love how everything in this game is connected.

Oh wait, it's not Greisen. It's...Trent. Okay. Interpol. Alright.

Now I'm at home, and this is probably where the whole Aculeus thing is gonna come into play, right?

Hemlock. We finally get a name. That's our boogeyman, right? I'm just going to assume that from now on. Now, how did Jack Crane get that enigmium from Hemlock? Did he steal it?

Did Hemlock just say "my employer"? I guess he isn't the boogeyman then.

Oooh, Hemlock IS the boogeyman, and Alba is the employer. (Of course.)
Since we don't give a damn about Alba anymore, who's this Hemlock guy? It seems like Jack and Vex stole the card together!

Aaaand part 1 is over. Finally. Can't wait for the second one, holy shit. This is revolutionary. I've never played a fancase as good as this. (I haven't played many though.)


--- THOUGHTS ---

I just remembered that the victim of the current case, Perry Docks, isn't just some random guy. He "appeared out of nowhere". Is he an Aculeus member too? But that doesn't match the pattern.

I don't think that Schaden Freude is part of the smuggling ring, since they wouldn't have needed Smith, a member of the police force, working for them.

I have no idea who the killer is. Could have been any Aculeus member, which includes Smith as far as I know.

I love this case, please make more.

In the intro, Vex is clearly seen holding the wire, but it looks like he's holding it during the interview. Also, the puppetmaster shows Vex stabbing Docks. Was it Vex after all? I'm going to say no.

The first part of the case is called "White as Snow". This seems to be a play on Snow's name, who is the suspect. But...the Latin word for white is "alba". Coincidence?

The "rock" they were talking about is probably the enigmium, not the magatama. Still, what was up with Phoenix finding the magatama? It must have some importance to the story since it had no relevance to the gameplay in this case.

Sort of like a true-or-false flashback to Cedric's murder.

Halfway through scripting Part 1, I DID use Maya at first. But after some consideration I decided she wasn't really needed. All I could find for her to do was to point out the obvious.

Lol in the previous couple of posts, it was just brought to my attention that I was laying on the references to the other games a little too thick. Might go back someday and tone down the unnecessary references.

It sort of was already, albeit more downplayed compared to the ladder/stepladder gag. Ooh, that reminds me...!

He seems to be everyone's favourite character xD

All you had to do was look at the posts...
Hmm, not Gallade?

Nope :) No pun.

I'm beginning to think that you're not good with names... xD

Oh that's just Smith being Smith.

I've always imagined Vulper to sound like Vandal from Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (Go to 4:33 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ams_32jeNi0)

Pretty much ^_^

Wow, you just gave away the ending of the director's cut...

Really? Well there have been five options in the official games at times, but they replace the first option.

It looks random and pointless in Part 1, but it IS significant in Part 2.
And please completely ignore the fact that I forgot to add it to the Court Record...

He was saying Maplethorpe before, so why "forget" now? Why indeed...

Hmm it should've been in Haunted too.

It is indeed! It'll definitely be more significant in Part 2.

He definitely wasn't THIS insane before. It's just been since his, what, 2 weeks in prison? An act or genuine? Who can say?

Wow I'm glad you thought that. I had a hard time trying to word it properly and thought it wouldn't work.

No comment...

I thought that at first, but I thought it would make more sense to present it at "I didn't kill anyone" as opposed to "there was nothing like that around".


Schadenfreude is a term also used in English meaning "joy felt at the misfortune of others". I named the chief with that in mind. If you're familiar with German and looked at the two words themselves, I guess it would look kinda stupid. Not speaking German myself, I didn't know how a speaker would interpret it >.>

I also seem to have a habit of starting sentences with "Hmm..." >_>

I know, it's against his judgement. But he just wants to wiiiiiiin!

Because of wanting to win a case so badly (it's all he cares about in order to feel something other than anger) he's getting more reckless by throwing out whatever he can.

Yep! And of course we blame Phoenix for not keeping his client under control!

Must somehow include the line "I WAS FROZEN TODAY!" in Part 2...

Company, I guess? Vulper doesn't actually have a split personality though... for the most part he's just trolling.

Good point.

Sort of representing the fact that Brisbane's losing his influence over the Judge. Judge is no longer scared of him and instead scolds him for interrupting him.

It was meant to be like a "presto" version of Vulper's theme. Like what I tried to do with Maplethorpe.

NEEAAARRRRGH.

Like a semi-fourth wall gag.
And whoops, I guess Phoenix DID say that...

Haha great, I try and go for as mysterious as possible! ;D
Interesting theories...

Lol I'm glad you think so! :)
And no he wasn't referring to the magatama :P

Aha good, it wasn't really meant to feel like Phoenix Wright since it's another main character. :)

Whoops.

Again, that's what I was going for :) Don't get me wrong I'm not happy that you're sad (or rather I'm not experiencing schadenfreude, HURR HURR), but I loved that tune from when I first heard it in the game it's from and had to use it.

Yep. And converse. xD

Yep, those are some DEEP shelves...
Well... it actually WAS meant to be found.

You mean Maplethorpe?

Same guy, different name :P Real name or false name? You can speculate for now.

Hemlock is the puppeteer you see in the intros (which I imagine you've already pieced together), and yeah that's the real question: Who is Hemlock?

There's definitely SOMETHING off about him.

I mentioned this before, but it's kinda like a "did it happen or not?" intro.

It's a play on the term "white as snow", meaning completely innocent and untainted. Referring to the fact that Snow is innocent of the murders. And yeah, the Alba part IS just a coincidence :P
FUN FACT: The name "Robert Snow" came from an episode of Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons (like Thunderbirds, but severely underrated... and better) called "White as Snow". :D

The "rock" is the enigmium (which has actually been established as a metal, but yeah, a mineral nonetheless).
And yeah, the magatama bit IS going to be more relevant in Part 2. Seems odd and pointless in Part 1 alone.

I think Hemlock is... DAMON GANT.

This theory came from a seemingly throwaway comment the Judge said in 1-5 about Gant liking to play with puppets. Maybe the Judge wasn't that far off about that. Gant also knows how to use people as his "puppets" giving his history with Lana Skye.

Gant is using both Renwick and Freude as his puppets. He had Freude reinserted as the police chief after his conviction of Goodman's murder. Gant's original plan was to use his puppets to ursurp Quercus Alba as the leader of the smuggling ring, but Goodman's murder prevented that. He saw his chance to become the new leader after Alba's conviction, and pounced on it. Perry Docks was also a member/puppet but wanted out and was killed to prevented him from giving information. Gant also had Cedric Maplethrope killed for the same reason, and also because he was angry that he screwed up and killed Stan Nyph. As for Vex Vulper, he caused all of this by betraying "Hemlock" and stealing the enigimium. The only reason he wasn't killed either is because he was the perfect scapegoat.

To sum it all up, Damon Gant is the ultimate mastermind, running the smuggling ring while still imprisoned because of his "puppets".

First, the screen at the Detention Center is completely black, in terms of background. The only things that appear are the words, the rectangle where they appear, and Phoenix's name. Still, I thought I could continue even if that happened. Then...

I'm at the conversation with Snow at the Detention Center. "The other guy". Just after the words that said Snow knew Smith for a long time, PyWright gets stuck.

I also tried "Two Murders" It gets stuck mid-way too.

I can't seem to find what makes this stuff happen. :I

Maya being the mastermind
It can't be true because
A: If Maya was Hemlock that would mean that she was blackmailing Renwick at the age of 14
B: The Silhouette in the intro looked nothing like Maya, For starters it looked like a male
C: Mia would've found out eventually.
D: If the Smuggling Ring took place 5 years ago, don't think Stan Nyph, Cedric Maplethorpe or Vex Vulper would take her seriously, since she would've been a mere child

The Mastermind can't be Brisbane for obvious reasons, Or Vex Vulper because he's clearly being tortured by the mastermind, It can't be Terry Greisen/ James Trent because he's investigating the ring, Or Renwick because he, like Vulper, is a victim of it.
That's just my opinion, I just hope the mastermind isn't Maya, Because the Kurain Channeling technique needs a master

Maya, of course, being the mastermind. Now, let's go through all we know so far:

1. The Murder of that guy in the library. So, apparently was strangled with the garotte wire? Well, it was actually a small bomb. Yup, a small bomb. You might ask me "Eh? What type of small bomb looks like someone got strangled?" Well, I claim device X. You can't prove it wasn't that, because of the Devil's Proof. Actually, all the murders were done with these small bombs. You might claim that no evidence of this exists... But the wire was proof of it. It's actually part of the fuse of the bomb that was left behind. In fact, all the murders were done by small bombs. The reason Detective Snow didn't say anything about it was because he's actually a part of this small bomb conspiracy as well. He secretly wants to make sure that nobody can kill others without the use of small bombs. So, he, along with his cohorts in the revived Codhopian Smuggling Ring are part of this organization.

But of course, you might wonder, what on earth does this have to do with Maya? Well, I answer you this. All the murders in the Ace Attorney series are actually committed with small bombs. And Maya is the chief of this operation. Maya secretly changes the autopsy reports to make it look like something else killed the victims when in reality it was the small bombs. But then of course, you may be wondering why Maya doesn't participate in these cases post-Scapegoat. You may have swallowed up the lie that Cardivore said that he can't write Maya well, but the REAL reason is because he knew that we were getting suspicious about the fact that Maya was involved in this conspiracy. So, he used his backup asset in Snow to make sure that the small bomb conspiracy would continue.

And then, the next train of thought would be... Why would Maya do this in the first place? The answer? To hold the world hostage for burgers. Maya wants all the burgers, and is willing to do anything to get them. So, she took leadership of the smuggling ring to get enough money to take all the burgers, and the best of the best, of course.

Now, there have been some concerns brought up. Some may say that Maya would be too young to be a criminal mastermind. But, what's the issue with that? We had Franziska prosecute at age 13: is it really that much of a stretch to believe that a person could be a criminal mastermind at age 14? Other may claim that the silhouette looked nothing like Maya: of course it doesn't. What type of self-respecting criminal mastermind would let themselves be recognized? So, Maya was clearly wearing a disguise of some sort to make sure that she wasn't recognized. Others still may say that Mia would've found out eventually. Which is why, of course, Maya sent for her to be killed with small bombs. And finally, some may argue that people wouldn't take her seriously. But, they would, because of the immense force (the small bombs, of course) she used to take over the organization in the first place: Also, she could've channeled others to do the dirty work for her.

Clearly, the Maya culprit theory is the only theory that makes sense, and Cardy just might as well admit defeat in light of the facts which I have shed to you today.

I can explain all of these with one simple fact: Maya is not a teenage girl. She's really a man. "She's" just using the young girl thing as a cover.

Mia was in on it too. She was working with the ring too, until Redd White caught on and tried to stop her. Nick actually arrested a hero who was working to put a stop to everything. He was so scared of the list at the end of his case because it contained sensitive information about the smuggling ring and he knew they would torture and kill him for it.

Alright that's it I'm coming to the conclusion that your fucking with me
Because A: Redd White Blackmail politicians and members of the law, and you're calling him a hero.
B: I think Phoenix would've caught on by now about Maya's Gender, he's not an idiot.
C: Remember that only the Women of the Fey Clan have the power to Channel spirits, If Maya is really a male then explain how she was able to Channel Mia

A: Many politicians and members of the law are corrupt. Redd White was clearly blackmailing those ones.
B: Phoenix not an idiot? He's the one who decided to walk in on Dee Vasquez to tell her off. There are many instances that we can see of Phoenix being an idiot. Who knows? Maybe Maya is just a trap character?
C: a) Who is the one who said that only women had spiritual power? Wasn't it Maya? If it was Maya, how do we know that he's not just lying to Nick to keep him from suspecting the truth? b) How do we know that it was /really/ Mia? We just get Nick's view that it was Mia... But it could have easily just have been a costume.

Personally, I think the whole spirit channeling is a sham. It's all just smoke and mirrors. That's why it's never mentioned in Apollo Justice. People found out at some point, likely during this game.

It wouldn't be TOO hard for her/him to pull the costume thing off. If Don Paolo can do it, then I know Maya could too (and after PLvsAA, we know that series takes place in the same universe as this, so it MUST be possible to do). The whole rubber mask thing from TScapegoat was obviously foreshadowing for the final conclusion.

You know, that got me thinking... What if Maya is really Don Paolo?

That would totally make sense. In fact, this would explain why Maya, our mastermind, is revered by Vex Vulper: they both have an affinity for disguising themselves.

If Maya is really the main Antagonist, (Call me Melodramatic) I'm gonna be so torn up by it

A and C are just stuff that you find out about through the two people he said were part of the ring. How do you know that Redd White is a blackmailer? This is exactly why I am so disappointed in the Turnabout Musical team. They acted like Redd White was pure evil and a blackmailer, even though he was such a deep character who did everything for the greater good. Imagine the plot of The Count of Monte Christo, but some fuck decides to arrest the count in the middle of the book. That's exactly what happened to white.

And B is just opinion-based. In the first game, he fucked up in every case. I won't count Rise from the Ashes because it's a bonus case. Case 2: He reveals what he knows to Redd White, a guy he thinks is pure evil. Case 3: He brings the only piece of evidence that can save Powers to Vasquez (actually a Fey in a disguise - Fey is an anagram to Vasquez) and almost gets killed. You'd think he must have learned by now. No. He brings a CRUCIAL piece of evidence to a guy he thinks is an evil mastermind in a room where nobody's watching. The Fey clan are part of the smuggling ring. Hemlock is actually Maya, obviously. As someone above said, Hemlock is actually disguising himself as Maya in the original games. (There are a few hints to this. For example, examine the wine glass in Turnabout Big Top and the Ouija Board in Turnabout Goodbyes.)

My theory is that Hemlock grew up as a boy who wanted to be a girl and got cancer. He then lost his hair and his sanity. He starts dressing up as a girl and joins the smuggling ring her family started. Try to find a contradiction.

It seems your logic is flawless I can't beleive it, but at least it's not canon, It's a shame really I wanted to use Brisbane, Vulper, Snow and Renwick in my fancase (I really loved those characters) if Cardi gave me permission, this sucks it looks like I can't use them even if he does give me permission

Maya being Hemlock