4th Trick - Audio [Conveniently dated to allow for all criminal proceedings]

[vengefulshades]

[This message appears as audio/text only on the broadcaster's in. Regardless of how anyone responds, they'll only hear a voice, or see his words transcribed into text.

The communicator it broadcasts from has been hacked to hide the sender's real name. Only his alias will be visible.]

You know, you people really impressed me. I expected screaming, panic, chaos, scrambling from the authorities once they started to notice me. I expected to see hysteria and news broadcasts and exposes... that's what happened last time.

What I didn't expect was for so many people to play amateur investigator on me. I think that kind of perseverance deserves a reward, don't you? Besides, my plans didn't work out in the end, so I might as well reward all the people who were kind enough to loan me their bodies.

I am the one responsible for the recent crime wave committed in Heropa.

[The next part of the message does include video-- a cobbled-together montage of the coverage of Yomiel's crimes. T'Challa, Elsa, Ellie Langford, Jaime Reyes, Shinjiro Aragaki, John Mitchell, Violet Harmon, Kay Faraday, Phoenix Wright and Ruka are all seen from the news footage about their crimes.

Yomiel's voice cuts back in over the end.]

I manipulated all of these people into their crimes. I am the guilty party.

Why did I do it? I don't expect anyone to understand, so I won't waste your time trying to explain.

I also don't expect you uptight tyrants in the court system to release them all just because of what I've just claimed. But at least consider my testimony. You'll find the only explanation for what they've all done is little old me.

Why am I confessing?

[He laughs then, a low and fairly mirthless sound.]

Because there's nothing you can possibly do to me. Even if you find me, even if you lock me up... there's absolutely no way you can punish me.

And last, but not least, I'm sure you're wondering one more question.

Who am I?

Back home, they called me The Manipulator.

Comments

[vengefulshades]

Ah... but therein lies the problem. Who do you trust? Who are your allies?

Someone like me doesn't have anyone at all like that.

[isaytheeneigh]

You claim to be acting on everyone's behalf, and you don't think you can take advantage of self-interest to ensure that the information is gained? You could even send someone else to do your bidding. It's a normal strategy in situations like this.

[Though it's said blandly, directly, he doesn't agree with the strategy. If anything, his criticisms of that view are what make them so easy to bring up to a man like this.]

[vengefulshades]

Funny thing about self-interest. It has a tendency to backfire when you're working with others.

[Like case in point, Yomiel's lying through his teeth about all this noble Porter business he had planned. That was just a side-effect of his other plan.]

Regardless, it's over now. The cops know about me. It'll be difficult to get this back on track at this point.

Too bad, so sad.

[isaytheeneigh]

Maybe it does, but you haven't given it a chance either way, have you?

[He considers saying something else, but decides it isn't worth it.]

You know they're going to know exactly who you are now, right? One of your victims, he said that they keep files. All they've gotta do is match you up to your powers.

I guess we'll have a good idea about their real resources now.

[vengefulshades]

Sure. But that doesn't mean they'll be able to catch me regardless.

I've already slipped through their fingers once.

[isaytheeneigh]

Yeah ... they let us all walk around this world without any extra security. That doesn't mean you "slipped through their fingers" or whatever shit you're trying to sell here.

It just sounds like you like to talk big, but I bet there's someone even bigger than you, waiting to stick you under their thumb.

[vengefulshades]

So what? I can't be punished. I can't be contained or harmed, and I'd be really impressed if someone managed to kill me for good.

In fact, I'd love for them to come try.

[isaytheeneigh]

They even contained that guy who was hard to catch for weeks.

[vengefulshades]

He has a physical body, doesn't he?

[isaytheeneigh]

Our abilities are dependent on the Porter.

They'll find a way.

[vengefulshades]

Mine aren't.

And I welcome them to come try. It's important to find ways to entertain yourself when you're dead.

[isaytheeneigh]

What makes you so sure that you're different?

[vengefulshades]

Because I had these powers at home, too. They haven't changed since I came here.

[isaytheeneigh]

I don't know. We should check with that other guy. He seemed to be pretty familiar with what he had, too.

[vengefulshades]

Let's just see what happens when the cops come try to arrest me, hm?

[isaytheeneigh]

I'll keep my eye on the news.

[The news, right? That's how people find out things here?]