A web series Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and Disgaea: Hour of Darkness cross-over by LordIban.
It was just another day for Phoenix as he was off to meet Maya at the airport, but things take a turn for the strange when a fourteen year old red headed girl in a skimpy outfit appears in his office requesting him for a case. Brushing the girl off as some role-player, Phoenix tells the girl to come back in a month and heads off for the airport...or at least tries, but is quickly cut short when the girl decides to use some more persuasive measures...
Phoenix soon wakes up with a slight headache, quickly noticing he's no longer in his office. It was then he notices the girl again...and more specifically, her demon-like tail.
As it turns out, Etna has dragged Phoenix to the Netherworld because his expertise is needed for a case. Basically, Celestia has sent an ambassador to strike up a peaceful negotiation with Overlord Laharl, but was (of course) murdered before the deed could be done. Laharl, having found the body, is accused of the murder, and now needs a defense attorney to prove he didn't commit the act. Having heard of the lawyer's ability to turnabout even the most hopeless of cases, he has picked Phoenix to be his attorney in the case. Though still a bit freaked out for basically being kidnapped to Hell, Phoenix's strong sense of justice causes him to accept.
Things get even more complicated when the Celestian Security in the Netherworld (CESENESQ for short) gets involved, lead by the demonness Judy Prava. The group's goal to keep peace in both the Netherworld and Celestia, so they're not too keen on having a Celestian ambassador killed on their watch. They're damn determined to find out who's at fault, with Prava serving as the Prosecutor on the case. Notably, Prava seems rather determined to prove that Laharl was at fault...
Now in a case unlike any other he's had before, Phoenix will have to rely on all his skills if he wants to prove Laharl's innocence. Little does the defense attorney know, there's a lot more riding on this case than just an innocent per — er, demon wrongfully being declared guilty...
Playlist can be found here.
Phoenix Wright: Devil's Attorney provides examples of:
- Accuse the Witness: Thanks to the demon court's law of 'guilty until someone else is proven guilty', Phoenix is forced to accuse Flonne of the crime in order to extend the trial further. Surprisingly, Flonne takes it rather well, understanding why he did it... Though she did say it still stung a little.
- Artificial Demon: Judy Prava, having been created not a few days ago by Vulcanus, having fake memories implanted to make her believe she had been the head of CESENSQ for years.
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: Phoenix is quite taken off guard by the demons rather loose grasp on morality, especially with their council system. Though killing an ambassador is considered evil even by their standards.
- Bribing Your Way to Victory: In-universe as usual when Laharl and Etna try to make Phoenix his official lawyer. Phoenix calls them out on it and takes an alternative by explaining to the senators about this position... while taking quite a long time. This goes as well as you'd expect with a "NAY!" Luckily, beating them up still manages to force them to give the approval. Phoenix is understandably distraught about the option but goes with it, since this is the Netherworld.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Judy, while she was committing the murder, courtesy of Vulcanus.
- Didn't Think This Through: Vulanus briefly possesses Judy Prava and brags that she's his creation, then boasts that they'll either have to convict her or Laharl, but either choice results in chaos through which he can take control. However... He really shouldn't have admitted that he created Prava, since that gives Phoenix an opening by pointing out Prava's too young to prosecute, meaning the whole case is a mistrial to begin with. Cue all of Vulcanus' followers abandoning him since now they're in deep shit.
- Fake Memories: Turns out to be the case for Judy, due to being an Artificial Demon. Her alibi for her not being the killer is also a case of this, as she fully did believe it was real, and only started to remember what actually happened when Phoenix starts pointing out the contradictions.
- Kangaroo Court: Laharl even notes how the Netherworld justice system was changed for this specific case, with one of the new rules being that the defendant is 'guilty until someone else is proven guilty'. Luckily though, Phoenix's usual judge was also picked for this case to give him a fair chance, though even he can't do anything about the above rule.
- Look, a Distraction!: How Etna manages to convince Phoenix to follow her to the Netherworld, knocking him out the second he looks away.Etna: Heh heh heh... Works every time.
- She later tries the same technique out on the CESENSQ receptionist. She doesn't buy it, noting it as one of the oldest tricks in the book. So, instead, Etna decides to provide a distraction this time by smashing up the main office, much to Phoenix's dismay.
- Never Trust a Trailer: Much as it was in Disgaea proper, Etna continues with her old habits of ending every episode with a completely fictitious preview of the next one.
- Phlebotinum Breakdown: When Phoenix tries to use his magatama on Judy Prava in Episode 4, it reacts very strangely—the chains appear but not any Psych Locks, the usual music is distorted, the chains start disappearing and reappearing, an eerie green light starts flashing in the background, and after a few more seconds, the magatama view is canceled as though it was rejected. Phoenix himself even says it was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. The magatama most likely reacted this way because as an artificial being, and only a few months old at that, she had very few memories to speak of, and nearly all of them were fake memories orchestrated by Crepuscule. Even the magatama would have trouble handling a psyche that distorted!
- Snake Oil Salesman: More than once, an imp and zombie catch Phoenix off guard and attempt to sell... questionable products to him.
- Take a Third Option: After Judy Prava is proven to be the killer, albeit against her will, Vulcanus points out that it still doesn't matter. If Judy is convicted as the killer, the angels will still riot and likely overthrow Lamington due to one of the most trust worthy demons in the Netherworld killing the ambassador, and thanks to the demon court law of 'guilty until someone else is proven guilty', if Prava isn't proven guilty then Laharl and Flonne will be convicted by default, which will still cause the angels to riot. With what seems like no way out of the situation, Phoenix asks the judge if there's any possible way of ending the trial with no one proven guilty. After some discussion, it is then the group realizes that due to Judy being an Artificial Demon and likely only created a few months ago, she is technically too young to prosecute, thus making the outcome of the trial null and void.
- Voice of the Legion: When Vulcanus begins speaking through Judy, both of their voices are heard simultaneously.
- Younger Than They Look: Judy Prava. Turns out to be critical to the out come of the case when Vulcanus points out that even if Prava is proven to be the real killer, the angels will still riot and will likely start a war with the demons due to one of the most trust worthy demons in the Netherworld being confirmed to be the killer. With effectively no conventional way out of the situation that won't cause a war, Phoenix then realize that due to Judy being an Artificial Demon and likely only being created a few months ago at most this effectively makes her too young to prosecute, thus rendering the entire trial void.
