#plus it would give athena a chance to “confront” her personally and come to her own conclusions abt her mom | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

renegadewangs · 5 years

Text

Ace Mindhunter - 5th Interview

Characters: Simon Blackquill, Athena Cykes, Shi-Long Lang, and a rogues gallery of AA villains. Fandom: Ace Attorney Pairings: N/A. Warnings/rating: 16+, I would say. Talk of heavy themes such as death and abuse, plus cursing. Spoilers for every AA game up to Spirit of Justice, AAI2 included. Gratuitous amounts of headcanon for antagonists. Summary: Simon Blackquill is roped into a Behavioral Analysis project along with Athena Cykes. They must sit down with convicted murderers for interviews, in hopes of finding out just what drove them to their convoluted crimes.

5th Interview Alita and Ini

Date: June 18th 2028 Time: 2:31 PM Location: Interview Room. “So... Your parents were against the engagement? Why?” “Why? Why else? That silly brat was a gangster...” “I suppose that's a good reason. What did you tell them, back then?” “I told them... what every parent wants to hear. “Wocky is a good boy. He will protect me with his life.” All those sorts of things. When they still didn't approve, I chose Wocky over them.” “Even though you didn't really love him and were only in it for the money?” “What's with that judgmental look? The Kitakis could give me everything my parents couldn't. Telling me to stay away from him... Who needs a selfish family like that?” “O-Oh... Uh... Right.” If there was one thing about Alita Tiala that irked Simon, it was her air of innocence. Her fingers steepled together, she continued to grace the both of them with a smile. She would speak quietly, she would be polite, she would bat her eyes and act every bit the fallen angel that she wasn't. Getting a forthright emotion out of her was like attempting to have a fish tapdance; it simply wasn't in her nature. Worst of all, Simon had no idea what to entice her with in order to have her open up. Athena had been doing most of the talking and he, in turn, had been observing to the best of his ability. Athena took a moment to pull herself together, then moved on with newfound determination. “So when you got engaged, you resigned from the Meraktis Clinic. Was that just because you were about to marry into money, or did you also want to run from that failed surgery?” “Run? Why should I?” Alita asked, still smiling. “Meraktis was the one who'd failed. All I did was sign off on some papers. I'm hardly to blame, now am I?” “If that was how you felt about it, why did you go through so much trouble to steal the chart back?” “Because... Well, that silly brat... could be impulsive. If he found out that I knew about the bullet, he might've done something drastic... like call off the engagement. And if he didn't, his disturbing mother would've. They would've blown that whole thing out of proportion.” Athena hung her head with an expression of extreme disbelief. “Errr. Well, Ms. Tiala, some might argue that holding back such vital information about a person's health is, err, a terrible thing to do. It would've made sense to call off the wedding.” “Tee hee! Why does it matter what I did or did not tell Wocky? If he hadn't found out... he would've continued to worship the very ground I walk on. He would've been happy for the remainder of his life.” “Which would've lasted for about another year...” “And what a year it would've been. Now both our futures are ruined by this stupid little tiff that Meraktis started.” Tiala rubbed at her throat as she said it. A thin scar was visible there; evidence that just a bit over two years ago, she'd been strangled with a lamp cord. Already, Simon had formed a hypothesis on Tiala's mental state. One which would be difficult to support with true evidence. The most they could do was gather up more of her words and use those as pillars instead. “In regards to that malpracticing doctor...” he began loudly, indicating to Athena that it was time for him to take the lead. “If the court transcripts are to be believed, you pulled the trigger because he was about to expose your true nature to your fiancé. Instinct, panic, call it whatever you like. Now you sit before us, two years later. My question is as follows: Do you believe Pal Meraktis deserved to die?” “What sort of question is that?” Tiala asked, a bit of condescension showing through her pleasant exterior. Once again, she raised a hand to her throat. “He almost killed me. He believed that he did! He was about to dump my body in some gross river! Causing the death of his patients was not enough- he had to resort to attempted murder.” “You did not answer me. Do you believe that he deserved the fate you so generously bestowed upon him?” “I-I... Well... He must have! After all the things that he did...! Murderers deserve the death penalty, don't they?” Simon leaned forward, his eyes piercing Tiala's own. “You were put through a terrible ordeal, Angel. You were only looking out for everyone's best interests when you confronted Meraktis, yet he was blind to your intent and he did something unforgivable to you. That crook attempted to take your life and were it not for a guardian angel of your own, he would have succeeded. You shot him out of self-defense. Do you believe that to be an apt description of what occurred?” “Yes!” Tiala said immediately. “Yes, that's exactly it! Finally, someone who-” “It is a lie,” Simon cut across her in the bluntest of tones. “What? No... That's-” “Two years ago, your defense attorney attempted to feed the same hogwash to the court. No doubt, that was on your orders. However, the judge saw through it, as any member of the law-enforcement community ought to. Your murder of Pal Meraktis was not out of self-defense for a very simple reason. When you raised the pistol, you were no longer in any direct danger.” “What does that have to do with anything?” “It's quite simple. The moment you awoke, Meraktis was facing two witnesses who would have undoubtedly protected you. You could have simply slipped out the back of the noodle stand and told your fiancé that Meraktis had attempted to take your life. This was the truth, after all, with more than enough evidence to prove it. The young kitsune would have stood by your side, much like a samurai stands by their master, and any claim Meraktis had made from that point on would have fallen on deaf ears.” “Ah-” “The moment you shot a man unbeknownst of your presence from behind, you were not acting out of self-defense. Instead, you donned a mantle of vigilante. Do you still believe yourself to be the victim?” Tiala screamed out loud, her voice similar to the screech of a bird. “Eeeeek! How dare you! Don't you understand...? Don't you know what it's like to be all alone?!” Athena recoiled, her hand cupping Widget, and Simon sat up a bit straighter as well. It seemed as if they'd finally broken Tiala, but what lay beneath was more fierce than expected. “They would have protected me? He would have stood by my side?!” she yelled, spite radiating off her in all directions. “How can you know? No one has ever chosen my side before! All my life, I had to do everything myself! I had to do my own housework, I had to pay for my own studies... I even had to take up a nurse job with the most disgusting clinic in town! My only chance to get out of that horrid life was to marry some hoodlum, and even that was my decision! My hard work! When something needs to be done, the only person you can trust to do it is yourself!” Following that outburst, there was an eerie tension. Athena was still holding onto Widget, her fingers shielding a blue glow. As for Simon, he could taste something bitter, for he recognized this mindset. He knew what it was like to believe that he was all alone; that no one was to be trusted with the dirty work and so, he was the one to be sullied. He knew that voice that had whispered, in his darkest hours, that no one could or would save him. He also knew where those thoughts had led him. “You're wrong, Angel,” he said quietly. “Whether you like it or not, those who care about you will attempt to act in your best interest. They will drag you, kicking and screaming, out from under the burning wreckage of your tainted life. You need only be deserving of their aid.” “Deserving of their aid? Tee hee hee...” Tiala steepled her fingers together, once again back to smiling. “Isn't it a bit too late for that? If murderers deserve the death penalty, then vigilantes deserve it too, right? That's what the court's already decided. You can come in here and preach redemption all you want, but no one will be in my corner anymore. It's all over for me.” “Ms. Tiala...” Athena appeared quite distraught and Simon feared that she was taking their subject's emotions far too personally. If so, that was a habit she would have to kick as soon as possible, but now was not the time to bring it up. “I, for one, am in your corner. My partner as well, I'm certain,” Simon said, as gentle as a man like him could be. “It is for that reason that I would persuade you to see sense. It is only too easy to believe you cannot rely on anyone but yourself, shirking responsibility towards others. However, such thoughts will lead you down a dangerous, lonely path. Have you not already noticed it? The darkness in your everyday life? That heavy weight which keeps you pinned down?” Tiala's smile had faltered quite spectacularly now. She was chewing her bottom lip and wringing her hands together. “I... That's really none of your...” “You may still change your ways and live your remaining years with true company. If nothing else, I would suggest that you adopt a therapy animal through the prison's respective program.” Initially, Simon believed that his words had gotten through Tiala's hide. He believed that she understood the harm her mindset was doing to her. That he had helped to make the remainder of her life a bit easier. Such hopes were shoved aside when she leered down at him with something close to disgust. “Do you... believe me to be crazy?” she asked in a low voice. “Of course not.” “Therapy animals are for those who need therapy. You want someone delusional for your little psychology project? Go speak to Miney. This interview is over.” ------- Date: June 18th 2028 Time: 4:06 PM Location: Prison hallway. Strolling through the prison's halls, Simon felt more frustrated than he had in a long while. And to think, he'd considered reprimanding Athena for taking their subjects' emotions too personally. He was no better than her. To believe he wouldn't project his own experiences on these inmates would've been naive. His hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat and his shoulders hunched, he must've been radiating more than enough for Athena to pick up on. “Geez... What a stubborn woman...” she said. “Don't take it too hard, okay Simon? I'm sure she's been through a lot and I know that you'd want to save her, but... Some people just don't want to be saved.” “I did not wish to be saved, half a year ago. Yet, there you were, extending a hand to me all the same,” he pointed out, shaking his head. “You, Wright-dono, the Chief Prosecutor, Aura... The whole lot of you managed to divert the beliefs of a stubborn fool such as myself. Had you surrendered as easily as the two of us did just now, I would've been six feet under today.” “That's a little different... You didn't really kill anyone and I'm sure, deep down, I knew that. Aura and the Chief Prosecutor must've seen that as well. We saved you because you were innocent. But like you said, Ms. Tiala didn't even kill out of self-defense. She did it because... Because she believed she had to, I guess.” “Mmh,” was all Simon could bring himself to voice. Athena had a fair point. If Simon hoped to save a murderer such as Tiala from her own loneliness, it was a slippery slope. There were more than enough inmates who needed salvation from something or another. “But hey, can you believe the murder of Dr. Meraktis was the second case Apollo ever worked on? Pretty impressive that he managed to break Ms. Tiala in court when he was still a rookie, right?” “It certainly explains why he often appears so nervous during cross-examinations. How is the young Justice-dono doing abroad?” Simon asked, relieved to find a change in topic to cling to. “He's been so busy, he hasn't even found time to send us any letters! Can you believe that? Little Polly's all grown up and the boss of his own law offices, with his own paperwork to take care of and everything. I'll bet he misses the good old toilet scrubbing days right about now.” The inmates were in the courtyard at the moment; Simon could see them through the window as they approached the reception desk. Most of the faces were familiar, others were recent additions he'd never gotten to fraternize with on that same level. Several new cliques had formed in his absence, he noted. It was quite odd to be scheduling appointments with them through a middle man, but such was bureaucracy. They stepped up to the reception desk, which was manned by a guard they'd seen quite often since beginning their little psychology project. He shot them both a courteous smile. “How was your interview?” “About as pleasant as one would expect,” Simon replied. He supposed that they might as well follow Tiala's advice when it came to their next conversation. “Is Ini Miney available tomorrow?” The guard looked towards his computer to access the necessary information. As for Athena, she frowned Simon's way before leaning against the counter to address the guard. “No, no, it's Mimi. Mimi Miney.” “Her name is Ini.” “I was looking through the profiles Agent Lang gave us just yesterday, Simon. It said Mimi, clear as day.” “You may want to give that profile a more thorough read before tomorrow. She prefers to be called Ini and the prison's paperwork will reflect that.” “Yep, there she is. Ini Miney,” the guard said, wagging a finger towards the computer screen. “She doesn't have anything else scheduled. Another 2 PM appointment, then?” “Please.” The guard's fingers began to rap against the keyboard and Athena crossed her arms over her chest, looking thoughtful. “I could've sworn Ini was the name of her sister...” When the guard announced that it was all taken care of, Simon thanked him and turned to leave, with Athena following his lead. Then there was a sudden shout of alarm from behind them. “Oh, hold on! I almost forgot...! I was meant to give this to you!” Caught by surprise, Simon turned to face the guard again and saw that something was being lifted up onto the counter. It was a package, addressed to him of all people. Athena got to it first, holding it up with both hands and shaking it. “Oooh, someone sent you a gift! I wonder what it is!” she was saying. Simon snatched it from her grip and when she pouted at him, he stood firm. “I would advise you not to play around with it. It could very well be dangerous.” “Oh please, it went through the prison's security! I'm sure it's fine!” Athena paused, then took a step closer to the package. “But just to be sure, maybe I should listen for any suspicious ticking sounds.” “If you believe the security measures were sufficient, I will take my chances.” Explosives or other dangers aside, Simon had no idea what would've been sent to him, or why. The outside of the package contained very few clues and holding it sideways did not result in any sounds whatsoever. He set it down on the counter, ripped the tape off and opened it. As it turned out, the contents were more harmful than dynamite, in a way. Luke Atmey's autobiography. There was no doubt in his mind which of the inmates would've sent it to him. Simon had stated in Atmey's interview that he didn't have a copy, after all. “What a shame,” Atmey had said, and Simon had verbally agreed. Simply looking at the cover caused a chill to run down Simon's spine. “Did Mr. Atmey...?” Athena mumbled his side. “... Wasn't his execution scheduled for today? Maybe, if it's not too late, we can still-” “It is too late. The executions usually take place around dawn.” “Oh...” Against better judgment, Simon took hold of the book and flipped it open. There, on the blank first page, was a handwritten message. “Be it a hero of a clown, look upon this tragic figure and remember.” ------- Date: June 19th 2028 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Interview Room. There was something off about Ini Miney's face. Simon had already noticed it several years ago and now his gaze was consistently drawn to the problems. The oddest wrinkles had come into being by the corners of her mouth, as well as around her eyes. It was as if the skin didn't quite fit anymore. He supposed it was the downside of facial reconstruction and considering the alternative, Ini had made the only decision she could've. Ultimately, the creases made no difference, as she was still a fetching woman. From her curled red hair to her full lips, most men would dream of someone like her. The trouble was that like most inmates, she was difficult to deal with. When she took her seat before them, she raised her index fingers to her temples, appearing lost in thought. Her therapy animal, a rather large chameleon, was settled on her shoulder. “Ah... Good afternoon, Ms. Miney,” Athena said to her. “Like... I'm sorry, it totally feels like I'm missing something here. The guard said something about, like, an interview? And then Alita was, like, “you gotta go talk to these chumps,” except she was being totally cold about it. So... What's going on?” “You really haven't heard?” Athena looked stunned at the prospect. “We're helping Interpol with a psychology project of sorts.” “Parapsychology?” “No, uh... Real- I mean- Cognitive psychology.” “Then, like, I can't help you. I studied parapsychology.” Ini made to get up from her chair again, only to freeze when Athena cried out. “Whoah! No, hold on! Please, just hear us out, all right? We're interviewing several inmates in the prison and you were selected because you meet our criteria. We just want to ask you some questions about your life and the murder of Dr. Grey.” Ini slipped back into her seat, though she still appeared to be confused. “So, like... Why do you have Simon with you?” “I would prefer you address me as Prosecutor Blackquill,” Simon said. “But I've been, like, calling you Simon for years. You can't just... get yourself acquitted and then expect everyone to, like, forget you were one of us.” Instantly, Simon felt his entire body stiffen. Ini's words didn't sit well with him, most notably because she was speaking the truth. How could he expect them to treat him with respect after all they'd been through together? “... Fine, then. Simon. You will, however, address my esteemed partner as Ms. Cykes and if you do not, there will be consequences of a most dire sort.” “Simon... Honestly...” Athena said with half a groan of discouragement. Such a lack of gratitude wouldn't stop Simon from looking out for her best interests, though. “Like, it's fine with me,” Ini remarked. Athena set up the recording device and, following that, presented Miney with the usual statement. That much seemed to go down just fine, as everything was agreed to without even the slightest apprehension. Still, considering Miney's eagerness to leave the room, Simon expected there would be trouble soon enough. And right out the gate, there it was. “So... I hear that you prefer to be called Ini, is that right?” Athena asked. “Well, that's like... my name.” “I believe that legally, your name is still Mimi.” “Mimi is, like, totally dead.” “She was declared deceased for about a year. However, after the incident with Dr. Turner, that declaration was annulled and Ini Miney was declared deceased instead. You do still remember that, don't you?” For a brief moment, there was something close to spite in Ini's eyes. Then she bowed her head and the chameleon nearly slipped off her shoulder. “Like... Why would you bring that up? Are you totally sadistic or what? Don't you know that's, like, a painful memory?” While Simon drew the validity of that statement into question, Athena must've felt something there, as she backed off. “Oh... I'm sorry. How about we start with something simple, then? Can you tell us something about your childhood? You were raised in Los Angeles, right?” “Right. When I was a kid, we were living in, like, a little apartment near Vitamin Square.” “What was your relationship with your family like?” “Hmmm... Let's see...” Ini began to rub at her temples again. “I used to, like, really look up to my dad? But he walked out on us when I was, like, eight. After that, it was just me, my sis and my mom. We were totally like the three musketeers.” “You mean that the three of you looked out for each other?” “Ooh, that's like... totally what I meant! I got a job as soon as I could to support mom while my sis, like, did all of the chores after school. She went straight from high school to parapsychology studies like a total occult nerd.” Athena stopped writing quite abruptly. She looked towards the folder with Miney's information, then back to her notes. Simon couldn't blame her for her surprise, as he hadn't quite seen this turn of events coming either. He'd never discussed the past with Miney before and so, the discrepancy with the present had never been brought to light. “Ah... Wait. When you say your sis was studying parapsychology, do you mean... Ini?” Athena asked. “Yeah, duh. That was my sister's name.” “So you're admitting that you are actually Mimi?” “Are you, like, stupid? I told you Mimi is dead.” Miney took the chameleon off her shoulder and held it in one hand, watching it slowly traipse up her wrist. Athena had no comeback for that. Her lips parted, but not a single sound came out. As for Simon, he believed he understood the situation. Rather like passing a torch from one hand to another, Ini's identity had been left with the one who had survived the car crash. However, before receiving that proverbial torch, the Ini before them had undoubtedly been the older sister. “Even if Mimi is dead, you still hold her memories. Painful as it may be, we would like to ask you to reflect on her life in more detail. Will that be all right with you?” he asked. “I dunno... That's, like, a total bummer...” “We may attempt to make it worth your while. Perhaps you would like some additional privileges within the prison. A special meal, more access to the work rooms... Name your price.” “Naw... There's nothing that I want. But you two are, like, totally stoked to talk to Mimi, huh? Is your project really that important?” “Definitely,” Athena insisted without missing a beat. “We think that we can make a real difference. Someday, if all goes well, this sort of behavioral science will be able to prevent more tragedies like yours.” “Please. Step into Mimi Miney's shoes one last time,” Simon added. “... All right.” Miney closed her eyes for a few seconds and when next they opened, it was as if a veil had lifted. She was alert. She was there. “You said that you- Mimi got a job as soon as you could, to support your mom and your sister. Was that with the Grey surgical clinic?” Athena asked. “Of course not... Did you think that a fourteen year old could be a nurse? I got a paper route. I delivered papers before school every day.” “Oof... That must've been hard.” “It wasn't too bad. You wanna talk about hard? Try flipping patties and scrubbing floors at Burger Barn.” “You worked at Burger Barn too? Really?” “From sixteen to twenty two. That's when I graduated nursing school and got to working at the surgical clinic. It was an amazing rise in pay. I bought myself the best car ever to celebrate.” Remembering that Mimi Miney's heart went to automobiles, Simon couldn't allow this opportunity to pass him by. He cut into the conversation immediately. “What sort of car would earn itself the label of 'best car ever'? “You seriously don't know? It was a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS. I had her imported from the U.K. because you just can't get good old-timers in America anymore. She even had the dual four-barrel crossram intake manifold. Bright red, shiny, leather interior... I gave her a wax job by hand every week.” Ini paused, staring off into the distance. The chameleon, which had been clambering up her arm, slid back down towards her wrist. “Aaah... I miss her.” “That sounds amazing!” Athena proclaimed. “I can't wait to get a car some day! Mr. Wright will be so jealous...!” The idea of Athena behind the wheel of a car gave Simon a bit of a dizzy spell. Perhaps that day would never come. For the sake of anyone who wished to cross the street in relative safety, he certainly hoped not. “This raises the implication that at one point, you were attending nursing school, taking driving lessons and working a part-time job at a burger joint at the same time,” he said to Ini. “So? In case you hadn't noticed, a lot of people are in that same boat,” she snapped at him. “Anyway, I thought everything would get better once I got my job at the clinic. Except that it didn't.” “Really? How many hours a week were you working there?” Athena asked. “Mmmh.... Sometimes fifty five, sometimes over sixty... It was hard to keep track.” “Over sixty?! Isn't that illegal?” “Dr. Grey was too cheap to hire more nurses. He'd force us to work overtime and he'd say that if we weren't willing to invest that much time into the clinic, he'd replace us with someone who would.” “... I think that's definitely illegal...” Athena muttered, though it was unclear who she was addressing at this point. “I take it you were not one of Dr. Grey's most devoted followers?” Simon asked. “Hah. I didn't mind, at first. Overtime meant more money for my family and more money to spend on my car. Who cares if Dr. Grey was a total creep? I took the weekend shifts, I took the night shifts, I stayed a few hours longer when they needed me to... Anything to keep that salary coming.” Simon drew in a deep breath, casting a glance down at a newspaper article. “... Until the malpractice accident.” Miney cringed, recoiling. Her chameleon startled with such ferocity, its skin mimicked the monochromatic stripes of her prison garb sleeve. “You must've been exhausted when it happened,” Athena said quietly. “I was. But... that doesn't excuse anything. I messed up and people died. I was naive enough to believe that Dr. Grey would protect me. After all that hard work I'd been doing for him over the years, I was his favorite nurse. That was what I thought.” Miney hung her head and was silent for a moment. Then she looked up with a hard, spiteful stare. “But that quack doctor... He didn't take so much as a lick of responsibility for what happened. My name and face were smeared all over the news. I couldn't go outside without people calling me a murderer. Someone threw eggs at me in the supermarket. All because Grey kept issuing statements that I was a screw-up and it had nothing to do with his precious clinic's work procedures. A singular case of individual negligence, he kept saying.” Athena hesitated for a moment, then reached out to place her hand atop Miney's own. “I'm so sorry... It must've been very hard on you.” “Those were the worst two weeks of my life...” Miney said. “But Ini... Ini was there with me every day. She tried to protect me from clueless strangers. She took a hiatus from her parapsychology studies to spend time with me. I should've realized it then...” “Realized what?” “... I was putting her in danger.” Simon felt his fingernails dig into the palm of his own hand, that was how hard he was gripping his pen. By his side, Athena breathed something of a strained gasp. The chameleon, now relaxed once more, had returned to its dull brown color. “Do you still believe Dr. Grey caused that car accident?” Athena ultimately asked. “There isn't a doubt in my mind,” Miney replied with the same spiteful stare as before. “I'd barely been allowed to work those past two weeks. Being hounded by paparazzi was exhausting, but not so bad that I'd ever doze off behind the wheel. I would've parked the car by the side of the road for some fresh air before ever allowing that to happen. No, I was drugged and it could only have been him. Why else would that bastard bring a gun to a harmless spirit channeling? He knew that I knew, even in the afterlife, just why I had to die.” “Then... Is revenge the main reason why you agreed to Morgan Fey's plot to murder him and pin the blame on the spirit medium?” “I think... it's because I didn't want him to walk away with the knowledge that Mimi Miney was still alive. I didn't want anyone to know that. If it hadn't been for something as stupid as spirit channeling, no one would've. But...” There was a long pause, then a twisted grin made its way to Miney's lips. “Damn if it didn't feel good to shoot that stupid bastard in the face.” It was remarkable, really, how many of the subjects they'd spoken to believed that their victim had deserved to die. Was that the pattern, then, to the puzzle which needed solving? No, that couldn't be right. Simon made a note to gather up names of those who were genuinely remorseful. There were several of those within the prison walls, he was sure. After a few clicks of his pen, he decided to go on a tangent and ask that which had been bugging him for a while now. “It's curious... Despite your insistence that you wish to remain Ini Miney, you still have a very firm hold on Mimi's identity. Ini is not born from delusion, nor even confusion. She is born from stubborn nature, at best. Why is it that even now, all those years after being exposed and imprisoned for Mimi's crime, you would cling to the persona of Ini instead?” “Isn't that obvious?” Miney asked, her tone of voice so sharp that the chameleon once again started itself into black-and-white stripes. “It's because Mimi should've died that night. Such a useless, friendless murderer...! Ini was the one who deserved to live.” To Be Continued

#my fanfiction #aa #aa spoilers #simon blackquill #athena cykes #AA mindhunter

6 notes · View notes