Part 30: Enemy Mine

Outside the Palais-Royal, the rebels have constructed a makeshift barricade out of furniture, branches, rocks, and anything else they can find. From behind the wall, the rebels taunt the police and royal guards with chants, (sic for the comma)





: I will see each and every one of you hanged for your flagrant disregard of the law!

: Your stubborn attitude is disgusting. A few days ago, you were seen at Les Halles. Witnesses saw you murder a beggar in cold blood. Today, a friar has testified to seeing you murder a girl, again completely unprovoked. I don't know why you continue to plead your innocence...



: Madame Beaumort, stop! The Inspector didn't shoot that mademoiselle.

: Keep your beak closed, Falcon. I’m done listening to your suggestions. This policeman is as guilty as every other monster in our decrepit justice system. It's my duty to execute him.

: Madame, Falcon has uncovered some pretty convincing evidence. I would recommend that you hear him out.



: Five minutes is precious in a time like this. I can't afford it.

: What if you’re wrong? Are you willing to see another dead innocent?

: ...



: Thank you, madame.

: Having my life saved by the Viridian Killer...

: How humiliating.

: Quiet, pig. Your life is mine until I say otherwise.

: Okay. So, first of all, let's recap on what Frére Remus had to say...

: Wait, where is that friar? He’s a key witness to this crime.



: Business?



: Man oh man. Those barricades are looking pretty scary. But I mustn't fear. For I am a brave duck!



: Ah! You scared me, monsieur... uh... monk?

: Friar, actually. Frére Remus. Listen, officer. I have something of great importance to tell you. I was just passing by the rebel camp, and I overheard a conversation.

: Oh? This sounds good. Do go on.

: They said they were going to launch an assault very soon. And when they do, they're going to rain hellfire on the palace.

: O-oh no! It's just as I feared. Waddle we do?!

: Its simple, officer. As soon as you hear the first gunshot, you need to retaliate. Hit them with everything you've got. Every cannon, every rifle, every piece of artillery. Don't leave a single piece of the barricade remaining. That is the only way you can be sure to survive.

: Ah! Total annihilation. I like it. But friar, I’m confused. Aren't you a Christian?

: Yes. So what?

: I don't know. It's just that your idea doesn't seem very... Christiany.

: Ah I see. You think this is a moral issue. Let me tell you a secret, my dearest duck friend. There is no God. No overarching morality or higher plan. No heaven to save the righteous or hell to punish the sinners.



: Th-that's an awful lot to take in.

: Then let me simplify. It's you or them.

: It’s... me or them...



: Forget about the friar, Falcon. We all remember what he had to say. Present your case based on what you can recall.

Trial Opening

: Okay. I will.

: But you may want to wipe that mouse off your shoulder first.

: Sorry, wipe what? Oh, it’s you, Mousey.



: Um, thank you, Mousey. What is this?

: An eyepatch! It was found in Remus's brother's clothing!



: Where is Romulus?

: There's no time, monsieur! Just take it, take it!

{[Eyepatch]} has been added to your evidence folder.

: I have to run, monsieur. But you have to do your best! Monsieur Vulpes and Sparrowson believe in you!

: Sparrowson! You’ve seen Sparrowson? How is he?

: There's no time, monsieur! Good luck!

: Are you quite done, Falcon?

: Very much so. Let's begin this... “trial”.



Trial Turnabout

: Okay... so let's remember what the friar said...



: Let's talk about the victim. What was her name?

: We don’t know. Nobody knows. Just one more nameless girl stamped out under the boot of tyranny.

: That’s tragic.

: Very much so. And I want to see a world where it never happens again.



: Isn't it possible that the girl was acting threatening, and that she was killed in self-defense?

: Don't blame the victim, Falcon. It's tasteless.

: But we must consider-

: Falcon, I don't think there is any scenario you can conjure that justifies an armed policeman gunning down an unarmed girl. I strongly advise you to choose another topic.



: The friar said that the girl was approaching the police line at the time of the shooting. We should be asking why the girl would do such a thing. It doesn't make any sense.

: Perhaps she wanted to hurl insults at the police. Perhaps she just wanted directions. I have no idea what her intentions were, but in any case, her death was the outcome. That's what we must focus on.



: Now, as I recall the main police line was at the entrance to Tuileries in the Place de la Concorde. That's around where we were waiting. But this incident didn't occur there. It was a good fifty, maybe one hundred meters away.

: So what?

: So what? It’s a severe discrepancy in the friar’s account of events.

: Maybe there was a police line there, but it moved. Maybe the friar was mistaken, and it was just a single officer. Does it really matter?



: Frere Remus claims that the Inspector drew his gun. Tell me, madame, did you even find a weapon on the Inspector at the time of his arrest?



: Oh. I see. But is it possible that that gun was planted?

: That's a standard-issue percussion lock Chatellerault Gendarmerie pistol. That's exactly the type of gun I would expect a policeman to carry. Sorry, Falcon.

: Madame, what caliber is the Inspector's weapon?

: What caliber? I don't have the faintest-

: Fifteen millimeters. That’s the standard caliber for a Gendarmerie pistol.

: And what caliber was the bullet found in the mademoiselle?



: I'm afraid that's the most accurate measurement I can make, given the circumstances.

: If the bullet were seventeen millimeters in diameter, then it wouldn't fit in the Inspector's fifteen millimeter gun. That would immediately free the Inspector of all guilt!

: It certainly would... if the bullet were seventeen millimeters. But Fontaine just said that the bullet was “between thirteen and seventeen millimeters”. That's quite a large range.

: But if it were seventeen-

: If it were thirteen or fifteen, then the Inspector's guilt would only be confirmed further. You’re holding onto the shred of hope that the bullet is actually seventeen millimeters, but you lack any real evidence. Let's move this along.



: Frére Remus claimed that the girl was shot pointblank in the chest. Was there really only one shot fired? I'm surprised that the incident didn't spark a full-on firefight.

: Falcon, you were as close to the incident as I was. How many gunshots did you hear?

: One.

: Well then.



: The girl was clearly shot in the back.

: I know. I remember seeing the bullet wound for myself.

: But that's quite a glaring inaccuracy in the wolf's testimony.

: It is an inaccuracy. But it is an irrelevant inaccuracy. Does it really matter if the girl was shot in the front or the back? Either way, a girl died at this pig’s hands.



: It does matter. If the girl were shot from the front, then this might indicate a police confrontation turned ugly. But if she were shot in the back, then what? This could indicate that someone targeted and assassinated her before she could even react.

: That doesn’t paint the Inspector in a particularly flattering light, Falcon.

: Madame, you’re missing the point. A shot to the back breaks the currently established narrative. The girl was targeted and murdered in a stealthy, professional attack. Therefore, this was not an ordinary police confrontation.

: You've made an assumption, Falcon. You’ve assumed that, just because the girl was shot in the back, she must have been stealthily killed. There are other possibilities. Perhaps the girl was scared by the police, started running away, and was shot in the back as she fled.

: That scenario isn't possible. If the girl were running away, then she would have been at least a couple of steps away from the killer at the time of the shooting, right?

: Right.

: But I know that the killer was standing right behind the victim. They were less than one meter apart when the gun was fired.

: They were standing that close? How could you possibly know that, Falcon?



: Well, I assume any bloody stain would belong to the victim. A mark made with the girls dying breath, perhaps.

: No. It was the print of a left hand on the girl's left shoulder, near her upper back. The angle and positioning of the print indicate that it could only have been caused by another person.



: I see. That's quite a theory. But Falcon, you've left an important question unanswered: why was the hand-print bloody? The print was made with the victim's blood, yes? So it can't possibly have been made prior to the shooting. And if that's the case, then my suggested scenario is still possible: the girl may have been running from the police when she was shot.

: No... I'm... still trying to work out the details. But l know that the print was made prior to the shooting. Maybe the shooter was injured and his hand was already covered in blood?

: Tsk. You talked big about “breaking the established narrative”, and now you present me with that baseless drivel. Well... Where do we go from here? How does this handprint nonsense really affect the situation?

: ...

: Heh.

: Do you find something funny about this situation, Inspector?

: I do. This whole “trial” is patently absurd. It's an animal court through and through.

: But there was something particularly funny about that last exchange.

: You were both so focused on when and how this handprint was made that you missed the larger issue.



: Oh. Right. Of course.

: ...

: Well, madame? What do you say to that?

: ...

: ... Maybe... the handprint came from an accomplice... or maybe it had nothing to do with the incident... or...

: It feels good to see someone else speculating wildly, for a change.

: Okay. Fine. I don’t have a solid explanation. I must concede that it's possible - maybe even likely - that the person who left that mark was the murderer. Therefore, as much as it pains me to say it... I must concede that the Inspector probably did not shoot the girl.

: So, that's it! The Inspector is off the hook!



: What incident is this? I know nothing about it.

: Ha! As if you don’t know. A beggar rat was shot and killed in Les Halles a few days ago. The attacker was described as a scowling police officer who wore an eyepatch. Sound familiar to you?

: ...

: Go on, Falcon. Explain the pig out of this one.

: Until five minutes ago, I was at a loss. But I was recently presented with a piece of evidence that makes the answer all too clear: this was a false flag operation.

: False flag? Explain yourself, Falcon.



Trial Turnabout 2

: Madame, what do you know about Remus's twin brother, the man known as Romulus?

: Not much. Only that he was forced to flee the country by our oppressive government around a month ago.

: That's a half-truth, madame. You see, it is correct that Romulus is being hunted by the police. But I've had the suspicion that the wolf was lurking in Paris itself... although, I never managed to find definitive proof of this. Anyway, it turns out that my suspicion was well-founded. He was recently apprehended... I think...

: You think?

: I don't know the details. But it doesn’t matter.



: An eyepatch...

: Romulus has perfect vision. Why would he need something like this? There is only one plausible explanation. It is part of a disguise. Something to conceal his identity and make him appear as someone else.

: A disguise... you’re saying that Romulus shot the beggar rat... just to frame this police Inspector?

: Exactly, madame. It's no coincidence that Frere Remus happened to find the very same Inspector just as another murder occurred today.

: So... Remus was in on it too. Two wolves, working together to make this policeman look like a murderer. ... But... why? Why would they do that?

: To rile you up, madame. To make you lust for violence. And if your actions today are anything to go by, I would say that they succeeded.

: ... Damn. I've been so stupid. How did I let myself get so misled by a couple of wolves?

: This trial is over. Go, Inspector. You’re free.

: It's about time.

Juste Volerti



: Of course. It would be criminal to confine an innocent man any longer than necessary. Even if the man is a bitter, stubborn pig.

: Falcon!

: Y-yes?

: I don't understand you. You're stupid. You're reckless. But you fought beak and talon for my freedom.

: I’m starting to suspect that you really aren’t the Viridian Killer at all.

: It certainly took a long time to pass that fact through your thick skull. Inspector, if you’re still hunting that villain, maybe you should speak with Renard Vulpes. When this is all over, I mean. I hear he’s been doing some research into the Viridian Killer. Maybe he knows something.

: Maybe I will.

: Madame. It appears that your gang of rebel filth don’t intend on assaulting the palace any time soon.

: I’ll relay that information to the artillerymen. Maybe we can keep a peaceful stand-off going until this blows over.

: Thank you. I appreciate that.

: All of you. Stay out of trouble.



: We're going to continue our protest. Peacefully. We’re going to stand here, chanting and shouting until the prime minister and the king both step down out of sheer humiliation. It might take days. Weeks. But if we manage to change this country without one more person being harmed, then-



Wolves

: Madame, I just saw the police Inspector strolling out of here, unharmed. Why did you let him go?

: That’s simple, Remus. We all had a discussion...



: O-oh?

: How many lies have you fed me, friar? Just how much damage have you done to further your own goals? Did you help your brother kill the beggar rat in Les Halles? Did you watch the girl die by the Place de la Concorde? Now that I think about it, even the Croc-Monsieur's death was surrounded by details that made little sense. I don't know what to think anymore.

: You know that this guy’s a scumbag, at least, madam. I say, shoot 'im!

: Pierro's right. We won't judge you for killing this man, madame.

: It's the least I deserve for my sins. Go ahead, madame.

: ...

: What are you waiting for? Pull the trigger! Do it!

: ... Falcon. You have proven yourself as having clear judgment. What do you say?



: Madame, you know what the right thing to do is. Show us what kind of leader you wish to be.

: ... You’re right.



: ... Wow. This is amazing. Completely unprecedented. You've buckled all of my expectations, avoided every temptation, and opted for an option that shouldn’t even exist. Well done, madame. Well done, Falcon. You have demonstrated the power of pacifism in its purist form. But unfortunately for both of you...



: Everyone, get down!



: ... Suicide...

: Shootin’ himself in the head? What a loony.

: Hardly a surprise that the wolf would be too cowardly to face a real punishment.

: ... This isn’t right...

: It's not the solution I wanted either, Falcon. But I can't say I'll mourn the friar's death.

: No. That’s not what I meant. I meant that it doesn't make sense for him to kill himself so abruptly. And that comment of his...it was almost like...



: I think we need to get out of here. All of us. Right now.

: You’re right.



Aviary Attorney - Ending 4C

(Watch this)

: Ah! That was a gunshot! Really close too... I... I can't afford to hesitate! It's me or them!



: No way! I... I can't afford to take chances. It's me or them!

Aviary Attorney - February Revolution (Liszt - Totentanz)

















: ... Can anyone hear me?



: Hello? Anyone? ....

: I'm here, madame.

: ...Falcon? Heh. Of all the people. I think...I made a mistake, Falcon.

: ...

: Where did I go wrong? Was it when I pulled the trigger just now? Or was it earlier, when I shot that prosecutor?



: ...I've made a lot of mistakes.

: We've all made mistakes, madame.

: Most people's mistakes don't spark bloody revolutions.

: ... Can you move, madame?

: ...

: ...









: Dear Monsieur Vulpes, I am writing to you from the Demiaou Railway Express. Modern technology truly is amazing!



: The king fleeing to Britain? The Second Republic taking over? It's all crazy stuff. Anyway, before I left, you asked if I knew what happened to Falcon. Well, I got my hands on a copy of the official police report, and it says that Falcon died during the attack on the barricade. But it also says that the police didn't find a body, same as Léonie Beaumort. Weird, huh? Rumor is that he was probably blown away by cannon fire, but that doesn't sound right to me.



: So, in my opinion, he's still out there. It's possible, isn't it? Anyway, I should wrap this letter up because I'm about to reach my stop: Vienna. I'll let you know how Mademoiselle Cygne and her parents are doing. Maybe you should come pay a visit sometime?



End Credits

: What is it?

: P.P.S. Delicious. That’s what.