#blue truth

Me: Okay, so ... hmm. Maybe ... Ange expected violence in advance, and brought a hidden gun with her to Rokkenjima.

Beato: And so we begin! When Ange Ushiromiya went on her journey to Rokkenjima, she was unarmed.

Me: Witch, please. That's not gonna hold me back! Ange asked Amakusa if she could borrow his gun immediately before disembarking!

Beato: Hmph. The entire time Ange Ushiromiya was on Rokkenjima, she was unarmed! When Kasumi Sumadera and her black suits died, Ange Ushiromiya was unarmed!

Me: Uh, then ... she had Amakusa secretly there, shooting from behind a tree!

Beato: Ange did not ask Juuza Amakusa to stay with her!! Her decision to go alone was something she regretted in her own internal monologue!!

(Phoenix Wright "objection!")

Me: You did not specify that Amakusa actually obeyed her! Amakusa followed Ange against her wishes, and shot at Sumadera and her bodyguards from behind a nearby tree with his handgun!

(Phoenix Wright "hold it!")

Beato: Ange Ushiromiya was alone!! Juuza Amakusa was not nearby!! The only humans on that cliffside were Ange Ushiromiya, Kasumi Sumadera, and Sumadera's unnamed black suits! And let me also say this: the deaths of Sumadera and her black suits were not caused by a handgun!

Me: Do you mean they weren't caused by a single handgun, or that handguns in general weren't involved in their murder?

Beato: Hmhmhm. Slightly clever, but it's the second one.

Me: Damn it! Uh ... Wait, I know, she used the Stakes of Purgatory!

Beato: So you're admitting defeat? You're saying Ange could only have killed them by using magic? >:)

Me: No, no, no, I mean obviously she used magic, I'm just trying to find the thread of plausible deniability.

Beato, furrowing her brow: You cannot simultaneously recognize and deny magic.

Me: Okay, I don't feel like arguing the point, since I prefer the explanation that there's some magic --

Beato: That is not how the game works, Dizzy H. Muffin. You must accept magic as the explanation and lose, or find a way to deny the witch and win! If you cannot even follow that rule, you do not even deserve to place yourself as the detective in a script-form micro-fanfic such as this!

Me: Ugh, fine. But I meant the physical stakes. Y'know, the store-bought ones someone passed off to Kinzo as the real deal?

Beato, slightly confused: Go on ...

Me: Certainly, it would be difficult for an untrained eighteen-year-old girl with depression to singlehandedly kill a bunch of dudes with guns. However, it is still possible.

Beato: ... While surrounded by them!? With their guns already drawn and ready to murder her!? That's ridiculous! I told you she was unarmed, and that includes using stakes or anything else! You are absolutely terrible at this, Dizzy H. Muffin! Kihihihihihihihi!

Me: Wait, no, yeah, I'm being dumb. In the discussion I mentioned in Featherine's game, Ange effectively told us how she would kill them!

Beato: Did she, now?

Me: All she'd need to do is evade Sumadera and her guards long enough that they'd split up to search for her. Then, she just needs to get the jump on one of them, strangle him or whatever, and steal his gun!

Beato, headdesking: That's your explanation? Good grief!

Beato, pushing herself back up with an evil witch-smile: Each black suit died at the exact moment depicted in the story, as did Sumadera! There were no unseen time skips! And I already said that the deaths of Sumadera and her black suits were not caused by handguns! Ange Ushiromiya did not kill Kasumi Sumadera or any of the guards by her own hand!

Me: Uh ... well ...

Beato: You haven't even started on the explanation of how she didn't die! How did Ange Ushiromiya split a bullet in half? Is there any possible explanation for how she could have survived getting shot without using magic?

Beato: What will you do now, Dizzy H. Muffiiiiiiiiiiin!? *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*ahaha.wav*