Let's hold a trial for the one responsible for the Usurpation.

[Aquillion]

Now, I know what you're thinking: The loathsome traitor responsible for the Usurpation has escaped justice for far too long. Some people might say that he is necessary for Creation's survival, that he is too important to bring to justice. Some people might say that there is no evidence. I disagree; I believe there's enough that Heaven can easily conclude who the mastermind of the Usurpation truly was. I intend to make that argument, here and now, before the assembled legal bodies of Heaven, so that he can be brought to justice at last.

It's obvious, when you think about it. It would have to be someone with great wisdom about the Solar Exalted, someone who has advised and taught them for long hours, someone who has constantly had an eye on their fate.

I am speaking, of course, about this guy:

He was the one in charge of the Solar Exaltations, which 'mysteriously' failed to reincarnate after the Solars' deaths. Furthermore, he kept detailed notes about all the Solar Exaltations, making it simple for him to plan the Usurpation and guide his Dragon-Blooded catspaws to do the deed. During the five days of the Usurpation itself, no one saw him in public; this can only be because he was behind the scenes, masterminding and participating in the murder of the Solar Exalted. Why would he do such a thing? Who can tell for sure? Perhaps it was simple madness. Perhaps it was jealousy, which built up over long years of attending to them. Perhaps -- as some people have whispered -- he had some insane theory that they were "cursed" and thought that this was the only solution; perhaps he quite rightly feared punishment if his knowledge of their curse could come to light, since he was the god in charge of watching over their Exaltations.

But for whatever reason, he did it. Lytek killed the Solar Exalted. And I have more than just this logic; I have an eyewitness. Now, his name is sometimes hard to remember, but his credentials are beyond reproach; he is one of the highest-ranking servants of the Bureau of Destiny. For nearly the last five-thousand years, he served first the Deliberative and later (after Lytek's shocking, tragic betrayal) its successors with a humility, wisdom, and care that we can all aspire to. And he says that he witnessed Lytek personally killing every single one of the 300 Solars, as well as many other Celestial Exalted (deaths Lytek later arranged to be blamed on the Solars in a crude attempt to escape culpability for his crime.) Until now, he has remained silent; but his life is almost over, and he feels that the truth needs to come out before his death.

Really, a trial is a mere formality. He hid his tracks well, but everyone knows who the real mastermind of the Usurpation was; it is time for Lytek to pay for his crimes.

[semicasual]

"Let's see here... starmetal! Just as I suspected!"
(Passes new discovery to the head defense attorneys)

[Blood Analysis Updated]

"Perfect! That's just what we need!... and not a moment too soon - court is about to reconvene. OK, let's do this!"

[Prometheus878]

(I think Coik's the closest thing we have to a Storyteller right now, so goodness knows - we're all just making this up as we go along.)

[Mushroom King]

"Right, right," the clerk mutters, checking his notes. "Blood's still a problem. Still shows he got into a scuffle with someone... which means it's still around to be used as evidence!" The clerk thinks some more, making some more scribbles.
"The prosecution is using the blood as proof of a scuffle and the scuffle as proof of killing the solars (and, somehow, millions of people... I hope the jury is finding this as strange as I am)."
"Therefore, if we can examine the blood closely, we can determine other trace elements, like those of the weapons used in the attack!"
"And if he truly killed three hundred solars (some multiple times given reincarnating exaltations) then chances are some of the wounds he received would have trace orichalcum flakes! Which the prosecution would have pointed out to strengthen their case! And didn't!"
"And if traces of starmetal are present instead, then that incriminates whoever created the barrier! But to find all that out, I would have to get a hold of the medical report, which would take one heck of a bureaucratic effort..."
Well would you look at that.It worked.
"Let's see here... starmetal! Just as I suspected!"
(Passes new discovery to the head defense attorneys)

(OOC:hope this isn't godmoding)

[Erinys]

((This is Yu-Shan, did you really expect better?))

[JayTee]

((Ah, full on kangaroo court then. Nevermind, please carry on.))

[semicasual]

((I know it's probably too late for this, but aren't surprise witnesses like, super against normal court procedure? And the defense has to be appraised of all witnesses beforehand, or something to that effect?))

(OOC: clearly, you've never played an Ace Attorney game. Prosecutors pull that crap all the time. The defense is not privy to any part of the prosecution's case before the trial starts, nor is the prosecution aware of any investigation done by the defense.)

[JayTee]

((I know it's probably too late for this, but aren't surprise witnesses like, super against normal court procedure? And the defense has to be appraised of all witnesses beforehand, or something to that effect?))

[Prometheus878]

"Thank you, Lytek, we'll keep that in mind."

*Privately to the defense team, out of Lytek's earshot*



"Aw, geez. We've got a client who seems determined not to realize how much people hate him. Looks like we've got to do some sleuthing on our own."

[Coik]

"Really? I always got the impression that he was kind of jealous because Exaltation touches on his domain of Inherited Power."

"Parad? Jealous? I do believe that you are just a touch suspscious. Not that I blame you; it's your job! But Parad is and always has been my best friend."

I don't see what that has to do with 'millions of deaths', though..."

"Errhmm...well, uh...Parad always has been a bit excitable. It's probably nothing, really..."

[lncbill]

Someone should bring up that with the Solar's disappearance/murder Parad stands to become more powerful and is likely the true villain...

[semicasual]

"Shouldn't we bring up the prosecution's inconsistency about the starmetal barricade? It suggests that one or both witnesses are dishonest."

"We did bring it up, but they seem to be determined to ignore it. Unless we can somehow demonstrate that the barricade is important to the crime, I don't think we can go any further with that."

"This is all just a big misunderstanding, you'll see."

"Really? I always got the impression that he was kind of jealous because Exaltation touches on his domain of Inherited Power. I don't see what that has to do with 'millions of deaths', though..."

The clerk quietly passes his notes to the rest of the defense.

"Ah, the notes. Thank you... Yes, was can probably try to push on those. If we can prove that Parad is hysterical or just lying to get Lytek out of his way, the prosecution will have nothing."



"Not quite. They'll still have the blood analysis. It's not strong evidence, but it does prove that Lytek got into some kind of fight with somebody."

[Erinys]

"Shouldn't we bring up the prosecution's inconsistency about the starmetal barricade? It suggests that one or both witnesses are dishonest."

[Coik]

"Parad? Have a...'beef' with me?"

"..."

"Oh! Oh, you mean a grudge, not something to do with Ahlat. Oh, no...no, no. That's quite impossible. We've worked together for hundreds, thousands of years! There's no way he could be angry at me."

"This is all just a big misunderstanding, you'll see."

[Mushroom King]

"Directly responsible?" One of the defense's lower clerks mutters, furiously scribbling.
"Wouldn't that mean he had a personal, literal hand in killing millions and millions of people? He can't be talking about just the deaths of the Solars then (anyone killing the solars has only been indirectly, if even that, responsible for the rest of the deaths of the Usurpation). He'd have to be able to provide proof that Lytek either ordered for (and left a note as evidence) or personally performed millions of murders, and not just the solars."

"If that claim is clearly refuted, maybe we can dismiss the rest of his testimony as well?"

The clerk quietly passes his notes to the rest of the defense.