[Story] Apollo in the Icy Taco - Finished!

[PFA]

It's lean, it's green red, and it's been quietly sitting in my Taco stories folder for months. And then certain happenings prompted me to bring it up again, certain logic prompted me to collab it with Torkie, and certain insanity prompted me to edit it on the side of NaNo. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Apollo in the Icy Taco! Lame title, great fanfare!

Thank you to all the various people who let me cameo their characters, and if you still want a cameo, there's room to cram you in so just ask. <3 And of course, thanks to Torkie for all the collab efforts!

Alright, onto srs bsns. There's a lot of implied spoilers for Apollo Justice in here, along with the rest of the Ace Attorney series, so if you want to avoid spoilers, playing those first is recommended. If you don't really care about spoilers, then plow onward anyway; I think most of the necessary details are pointed out anyway.

Now onto story business! Here it is in all its prose-tastic glory! Bask in the awesomeness! And if I remain crazy, chapters should come on a weekly basis or so. (Probably faster once we exit November.)

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Index:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17

Deleted Scenes
Directors' Commentary (coming soon!)

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SPOILER: Click to show

"Polly! Polly, wake up!"

Apollo stirred at the sound of the voice, finding himself lying on the warm cement. How did he get there? Why couldn't he remember what had happened?

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his assistant, Trucy Wright, standing over him with a concerned frown. But as soon as she saw his eyes open, it shifted to a smile.

"Oh, thank goodness!" she chirped, offering a hand to help him up. "I was worried you'd hit your head and had to go to the hospital or something!"

Right, thanks, Trucy, he thought to himself as he took her hand, accepting her offer. He soon got to his feet, at which point he took the chance to get a look at his surroundings. "...What happened? Where are we?"

"I dunno," was Trucy's reply. She gestured to a sign off in the distance. "Apparently this is some place called 'Tabloid Town'... but I don't know how we got here."

"Tabloid Town?" Apollo blinked at the odd name. As he glanced at the sign, he thought back to what he last remembered, trying to see if he could remember coming here—but to no avail. Last thing he remembered, they had just finished that trial simulation... and then suddenly, they were waking up on the ground of this strange town.

"Well, it looks like there are people in there," Trucy said, looking cheery as usual despite their situation. "Maybe someone in there can help us!"

"Yeah, that might be a good idea..." Apollo mumbled absently, immediately walking toward the sign that Trucy had pointed out earlier. The sign read 'welcome to Tabloid Town,' so he figured that was an entrance to the town in question. Whatever this town was, he hoped there would be friendly people. He definitely didn't want to deal with thugs or robbers right now.

Soon enough, the two of them found themselves wandering in what seemed to be something of the main square of Tabloid Town. There were a few people there, who seemed to be happily caught up in some sort of wedding party. Apollo blinked in confusion, but Trucy smiled, tugging on Apollo's sleeve.

"Here's our chance! Let's ask these people!" she said, and before Apollo could even react, she had already run up to greet them. She waved her hand to get their attention. "Hello! Excuse us!"

One of them turned to face Trucy—a girl particularly notable for her hair, which was black on top and green on the bottom, with her bangs being a more striking neon green than the rest. Upon seeing the newcomers, the girl grinned widely.

"Oh, hello there!" she said, in a suitably cheery tone to match her expression. "My name's Rikku, welcome to Tabloid Town! Did you want to join our collective wedding? The more the merrier!"

"...Your what?" was Apollo's only reaction.

"Um, no thanks," Trucy said in response, looking a little bit confused, herself. Her confused expression soon shifted back to a happy one, however. "Actually, we're kind of lost, and we don't know where we are. Maybe you could help us?"

"Lost? Well, like I said, you're in Tabloid Town," was Rikku's ever-cheery reply. "If you're looking for the insanity, this is it!"

"No, actually, we're trying to find out how to get back home," Trucy said, fiddling with the rim of her hat absently. "We don't know how we got here, we just woke up here all of the sudden, so..."

"Ohhh. Um... yeah, that sounds like something you'd probably have more luck with at the Icy Taco," Rikku answered, pointing toward another sign in the distance. "The people there are all about that kind of stuff, so you can probably find someone to help you there."

"Icy Taco?" Apollo blinked again. Wherever they were, they sure used weird names for their places. Not that he was particularly surprised, at this rate, though...

"Yeah, it's a suburb of Tabloid Town," Rikku told them. "Just head straight that way; it's just past that sign over there. Can't miss it!"

"Alright, thanks, ma'am!" Trucy chirped, and proceeded to tug on Apollo's sleeve again. "Come on, Polly! Let's check out this Icy Taco place!"

"Um... right." Apollo didn't have much chance to protest, since Trucy was already dragging him along behind her. He briefly waved gratefully at Rikku, then proceeded to ponder over this 'Icy Taco' she spoke of. It sounded more like some kind of weird Mexican restaurant than a suburb. And who would they be meeting in there?

It wasn't long before they found themselves stepping onto the brick streets of the place called the Icy Taco. Apollo glanced at the sign as they passed it, making note of the words 'welcome to the Icy Taco!', but was unable to read the rest before he was distracted by the sound of footsteps. Very, very heavy footsteps. And very rapid, as if whoever it was was running.

Startled, he and Trucy immediately turned their attention to where the sound was coming from. They immediately saw what appeared to be a man in some strange-looking armor with a helmet that resembled a snake—no, a robot? Was this man a robot?—fleeing from a debatably human girl wearing a pink hoodie and a white mask. They soon noticed that the girl was holding some strange and dangerous-looking device that gave off an air of 'twisted science.'

"Get away from me!" the snake robot shouted back at her as he continued running. "I don't want your science!"

"YOU CAN'T STOP SCIENCE" the girl replied in a very creepy voice, continuing to chase the snake robot with her mysterious device. The two of them soon faded out of sight, fleeing somewhere off into the distance.

Apollo immediately sent Trucy a concerned glance. "...And this is supposed to be more helpful how?"

Trucy's reply was simply a shrug, accompanied with a less-than-confident grin. She took a few steps further into the suburb, looking around for signs of anyone that looked friendly. Apollo simply stayed firmly in place, clearly not looking forward to discovering what other insanity lurked in this area.

Thankfully it didn't matter much, as they were noticed by someone just moments later. It was what appeared to be a small, green dragon, wearing a Santa hat for some unknown reason. Upon spotting them, the dragon immediately flew over to them, looking up at Trucy with big blue eyes.

"Well, hello there!" the dragon said in a clearly female voice. "Welcome to the Icy Taco!"

"Oh... hi," Trucy replied, blinking in confusion at the little dragon. She'd certainly never seen a talking dragon before. "Um... we're kind of lost, and we were told we'd be able to get help here?"

The dragon smirked, looking peculiarly mischievous. "Oooh. Lost, you say? Well, come on in and join us, we can probably help you out!"

"Um..." was Apollo's only response. His eyes drifted in the direction the snake robot and the masked girl went, as if to silently express his worry.

"Aw, come on, it's not that bad!" the dragon exclaimed. "We won't let you get killed or anything!"

Apollo raised an eyebrow. That wasn't especially comforting.

"Come on, this way!" The dragon flew off in the direction she came, beckoning Apollo and Trucy to follow her. "I know some people you'll want to meet!"

Apollo just stood for a moment, watching as the dragon flew off. It was Trucy who prompted him to move, smiling back at him and tugging on his sleeve again. "Come on, Polly, the nice dragon wants to help!"

"Uh... right, sure." Again, Apollo didn't get much of a chance to protest, already being dragged along behind Trucy.

"By the way, my name's Ky," the dragon, Ky, told them. "You guys are Apollo and Trucy, right?"

Apollo did a double-take at this. "...Huh? How do you know our names?"

"Hee. I've heard a bit about you," Ky replied with a grin. She then waved at a crowd of people, attempting to get their attention. "Hey guys! We've got newcomers!"

Apollo tensed a little as the entire crowd turned their eyes toward him. The crowd was mostly made up of humans, or at least humanoid critters. Apollo grinned sheepishly, absently putting a hand up to the spikes in his hair as if to make sure they were combed in their proper place. Trucy, on the other hand, smiled and waved cheerfully.

The first from the crowd to come up and greet them was a human girl, a little younger than Apollo. She had long, black hair, tied in a particularly unusual hairdo, most noticeably the bun on top of her head. Her clothes were equally unique—a lavender kimono with a purple jacket on top. She looked up at the two of them with big, deep blue eyes.

"Hi!" she chirped, in a cheery tone that reminded Apollo of Trucy. "Welcome to the Icy Taco! I'm Maya, Maya Fey. What are your names?"

"Um, nice to meet you, Maya. I'm Apollo Justice," was Apollo's reply. Gesturing to his assistant, he said, "And this is... um... Trucy? You alright?"

Trucy glanced back at Apollo, seeing that he had noticed the thoughtful look on her face. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I just feel like I've heard the name 'Maya Fey' somewhere before..."

"Well, she is my assistant," came another voice. Apollo and Trucy jumped, realizing they recognized the voice. "Maybe that's where you heard it from."

Apollo and Trucy could only gape in awe when they saw the man who had spoke emerging from the crowd. His black hair formed spikes that pointed out from the back of his head. His eyes were blue, to match the strikingly blue suit he was wearing. Most notably, Trucy and especially Apollo were able to recognize the attorney's badge on his lapel. Both of them knew exactly who this man was.

"Y-you're..." Apollo stammered. "Y-you're Phoenix Wright! Defense attorney Phoenix Wright!"

The man, Phoenix, nodded. "I guess you've heard of me. That's probably where you heard of Maya, then."

"Aw, come on, Nick!" Maya teased. "They could have heard of me from hearing about the Kurain Channeling Technique! Master of Kurain and all!"

"Well..." Trucy spoke up, still staring at Phoenix in startled awe. "Now that I think about it, I think I heard about her as being a friend of d—"

"Ah! Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Wright! I-I'm a big fan!" Apollo butted in, his voice sounding a little more shrill and raspy than he intended. It was his turn to grab Trucy by the wrist, pulling her aside. "I need to talk with my assistant here for a minute, can you excuse us?"

Apollo ignored the confused stares as he dragged Trucy behind him, ducking into a convenient alley. Once he was convinced the others were out of earshot, he grabbed Trucy by the shoulders, looking into her eyes with an urgent expression on his face.

"Alright, I'm really confused now. Where the heck are we?" he asked in a quiet hiss.

"I... I don't know," was Trucy's whispered reply. "But... but that was definitely daddy... when he still had his attorney's badge."

"They must be from the past..." Apollo let go of Trucy as he mused on this. "...But if we were in the past, then how would that Ky dragon know about us?"

"I don't know... something really weird must be going on." Trucy straightened her cloak as she glanced back at Phoenix and the others for a moment. "Like some kind of space-time warp or something..."

"This is giving me a headache..." Apollo grumbled, massaging his forehead as he continued to contemplate this. "I don't know, but... Trucy, if Phoenix Wright from seven years ago is wandering around here, we probably shouldn't be telling people that you're his daughter."

"Huh?"

"This is when he was still an attorney. That means he doesn't know about you or anything involving you yet," Apollo explained. "If you told him that you're his daughter from the future, there's no telling what might happen!"

"B-but I can't lie to daddy!" Trucy insisted. "He'll know!"

"Look, just... just figure something out, okay?" Apollo said. "And most of all, don't call him 'daddy.' I don't know what's going on, but I don't want to mess around with time distortions."

"I... uh..." Trucy's voice suddenly trailed off, her pupils shrinking. "...Polly?"

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "...What?"

Trucy mutely and slowly raised a finger, as if to point at something behind Apollo. Seeing this, Apollo thought to look over his shoulder to see what Trucy was looking at, and immediately his eyes widened—what he saw resembled an older and particularly intimidating human male, except that it had large, hairy spider legs sprouting from its sides, and a pair of deformed bat wings on its back.

It pointed at Apollo with one of its spider legs, the human limbs dangling uselessly. And then, in an unnaturally deep voice, it cried, "OBJECTION!"

"Gwaaargh!" Apollo yelped, scrambling to get himself and Trucy out of the alley. Once the two had gotten a considerable distance from the alley, they were able to watch the frightening creature lurk back into the shadows from whence it came.

"Yeah, I'd stay out of the alleys if I were you," came Ky's voice. "Science tends to lurk in there."

Apollo took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his racing heart. "Wh-what the heck was that thing?!"

"That was one of Bettyming's twisted clones," came an unrecognized male voice. When he turned to look, Apollo saw that the speaker was a man in a wine red suit, with a particularly frilly cravat around his neck. He, along with the rest of the crowd, decided to migrate over to where Apollo and Trucy were at that point. "Unfortunately, she's made quite a lot of those."

"...Bettyming? Was that the one with the mask we saw back there?" Apollo asked.

There were several affirmative answers.

...Great. Seems it's a big name around here, Apollo thought with a sigh, fixing his hair. "So, uh... it's nice to meet you all. What were your names?"

The crowd went through and introduced themselves. Of course there was Ky, Maya and Phoenix; the man in the cravat was Miles Edgeworth—a name Apollo was certain he'd heard before, wasn't he a prosecutor?—and several others Apollo hoped he'd remember the names of along the way.

"And you were Apollo, right?" Maya asked.

"Yeah. Apollo Justice," was his simple reply.

"And I'm Trucy," Trucy piped up with a grin. She sent a brief glance at Phoenix, absently wondering if he would say anything. He sent a brief confused glance back at her, which Apollo instantly noticed, but thankfully nothing was said about it.

"Nice to meet you!" Maya replied, sharing Trucy's cheery expression. Then, turning to Apollo, she added, "So, you're a defense attorney, Apollo?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I am," was Apollo's reply. "...Why?"

"Oh, I recognized your badge there." Maya gestured to the attorney's badge on Apollo's lapel. "Nick shows his off all the time, so I know what they look like!"

"Ah... yeah." Apollo decided it best not to respond to that.

"There's a lot of attorneys around here lately," came the voice of another, who came to join the others at the sign of the commotion. He appeared to be some kind of werewolf doctor. "I mean, what with you guys..." He gestured to Phoenix and Edgeworth. "...And then Hunter goes and starts his own law firm, and then the Paynes, and now you."

"Yeah, well, um..." Apollo spoke, trying to come up with the words.

"Well, at least if you ever need legal help, you have lots of options, right?" Maya piped in, cheery as usual.

"That and more people to catch you if you commit a crime..." the werewolf replied, trailing off absently. He then turned to Apollo. "Anyway, welcome, Apollo, Trucy. I'm Doctor James Lupe, MD."

"Um... nice to meet you." Apollo blinked. Don't I get to say anything?

Suddenly, one of the others—a human wearing some particularly unusual eyewear, wasn't his name Godot?—spoke up to get the others to attention. "...You wanted to say something, Mr. Justice?"

Apollo sighed with relief as the attention turned to him. Good, someone noticed. "Oh, uh... actually, we don't really know how we got here... and we were told someone here would be able to help us out?"

"...Help out how?" Godot asked, taking a sip from the mug of coffee he was holding. "With returning home, with learning how you got here, or with learning where you are?"

"...Probably all of those, actually," was Apollo's response.

"Well, where you are is Tabloid Town... more specifically, the Icy Taco," Ky explained. "A realm that exists beyond space and time, where things can happen regardless of what's going on on the outside."

"Beyond space and time?" Trucy blinked in confusion.

"Yeah. We've had things happening here at the exact same time as something going on elsewhere, with the exact same people involved," Phoenix said. "Also, quite a number of time paradoxes."

Time paradoxes... yeah, that explains a lot, Apollo thought, glancing at Phoenix.

"...I get the impression you're involved in a time paradox of your own, Mr. Justice?"

"GWAH!" Apollo jumped considerably at this. It sounded very much like Godot's voice, but at the same time, it was like he wasn't hearing it in his ears—but rather, in his mind.

Trucy sent Apollo a confused look. "...Are you alright, Polly?"

"I, uh..." Apollo stammered, looking over at Godot with wide eyes. "...You didn't hear that?"

Trucy blinked. "...No."

Godot let out a sigh. "Sorry, Mr. Justice, but you really are thinking quite loudly."

Apollo took a step back, startled. What... he can read my mind?!

"Yes, I can," came Godot's voice in Apollo's mind once again. "Not always, though. Usually just particularly loud thoughts, or thoughts about my friends."

Apollo tried to relax a little, taking deep breaths. "Er, uh... s-sorry about that." With a sigh, he silently added, That's... kind of creepy...

"I heard that." Godot took another sip of his coffee. "If you don't want me to hear your thoughts, you should probably be careful what you think about."

"...R-right." Apollo grimaced slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of his thoughts being heard. He decided instead to change the subject. "So, uh, basically this is some kind of alternate dimension, then? Any idea how we got here?"

"You could call it that, yeah," was Ky's answer. "As for how you got here, I'd say it's most likely one of the writers brought you here for some reason."

"The writers...?" Trucy tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"This is the land of the writers, Mr. Justice," Godot explained. "A land where one can be summoned by a power beyond your comprehension. A land, quite literally, where anything can happen."

"...So you think we were summoned here by someone." Apollo pressed a finger to his forehead, thinking on this. If that's true, then by who? And why? So much of this doesn't make sense...

"Probably, yeah," Ky spoke up. "That's how most of us get here, after all."

"...Do they usually tell you why they bring you here?" Apollo ventured.

"It depends," Phoenix said in response. "Sometimes it's just the writer deciding they like your character and wanting to bring you here. Other times, there's a specific reason... but that's not always something we understand right away. Writers have their way with secrets."

Great. That tells me a lot. "...I don't suppose you'd have any idea who would want to bring us here, then?"

"What with how often you lawyer types have been dropping in, hard to say anymore," Dr. Lupe told him. "Could've been Hunter, though I rather doubt it... more likely to be the Ambassador or PFA. In which case, I feel very sorry for you."

Trucy frowned at that. "...Sorry? What for?"

Apollo blinked in surprise as almost the entire crowd began to shift in discomfort somehow. Even though they were minor movements, and most of them likely weren't trying to show it, Apollo could tell that the vast majority of those present had some sort of idea what Dr. Lupe was talking about.

"...Let's just say those two are a bit infamous around here," Dr. Lupe added helpfully.

"I, uh... I see." Apollo raised a concerned eyebrow. That doesn't exactly help me feel any better about this.

"Well, we were hoping we could get back home," Trucy admitted, "but if we have a reason for being here, maybe we should stay for a while?"

"...It could be worth it to find out why we ended up here in the first place," Apollo agreed. "I mean, we don't even remember how we got here... something tells me there's something significant about that."

"You don't remember?" Maya tilted her head. "Not at all?"

"Nope," Trucy replied. "I remember we'd just had that big trial, and then... well, all I remember after that is waking up here."

"Huh." Maya blinked. "I wonder why that is?"

If only I knew. It would make things so much easier, Apollo thought, sighing inwardly. He brought a hand up to the spikes in his hair as he contemplated this. "Well, I'm not sure, but maybe we could find out if we figured out why we're here in the first place. Anyone have any suggestions for finding out?"

There was a brief pause, before Godot turned to look back at a man whose appearance reminded Apollo of a wolf. "...Any ideas, Agent Lang? I came here in a rather... roundabout manner."

The wolf man—Agent Lang—pressed his hands together in thought. "...Well, I suppose." He then looked down his nose at Apollo, looking a bit intimidating as he did so. "Got any enemies, kid?"

"...enemies?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, noting some more uneasy movements among the crowd. He then glanced over at Trucy, who seemed equally puzzled.

"Um... I'm not sure," she said, glancing back at Apollo. "You didn't make any really bad enemies in any cases, did you?"

"...Not that I'm aware of," was Apollo's response. "Unless the criminals sent to jail count."

Apollo tensed, feeling a pulse at his bracelet. He glanced across the crowd, who again were shifting in discomfort. ...Uh-oh. What does that mean?

"Ugh..." Godot grumbled, looking especially displeased. "Those... those can count."

"Quite easily," Agent Lang added, narrowing his eyes. "...Depends on how cunning they were."

Godot let out a sigh, grabbing at his left arm. Apollo furrowed his brow in confusion, watching him run a finger over what seemed to be a specific spot on his arm. It seemed like such a strange gesture... what did it mean?

"...It would appear you were brought here, rather than wandering here," Godot spoke up, sounding contemplative. "And if you did have a dangerous opponent you were meant to face, well... it would make sense."

Agent Lang crossed his arms at that. "And it would be consistent with those two..."

"...Can you think of anyone like that?" Ky asked.

"Um... maybe...?" Trucy frowned at Apollo, who was massaging his forehead in thought.

"...I don't know," he managed to say. "It's possible, but... I don't know." Ngh... so much to take in at once.

Godot frowned at this. "I imagine this is a lot to take in at once."

"Yeah," Lang agreed, sticking his hands in his pockets. "It can be really disorienting when you first get to this crazy place."

"Got that right," Doctor Lupe added dryly. "Even when you've been here for a while, it never really stops being confusing."

Well, that's good to know, Apollo thought, equally as dry. He then looked up, blinking at the sudden sense of something coming up behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, desperately hoping not to see that terrifying science thing again, but was greeted with something equally as startling. "GAH!"

"AUGH!" The newcomer stepped back, frowning. It appeared to be some sort of large humanoid canine, with fur in a strange teal shade. He was also wearing a long, silver cloak, which covered most of his body. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!"

"Ah!" Apollo stammered, realizing that the canine appeared to be friendly. He chuckled sheepishly, trying to calm himself back down. "I-it's okay! It's just... y'know... things sneaking up on you..."

"Yeah, you need to be careful about things sneaking up on you," Agent Lang noted with a scowl. "Don't want to get caught by someone dangerous."

Godot shook his head, turning to the canine. "...Lee? What is it?"

The canine, Lee, shifted into a calm disposition. "...Mmm. I heard there were newcomers, so I came to check it out."

"Yep!" Maya piped up, gesturing to Apollo and Trucy. "Lee, this is Apollo and Trucy. Apollo, Trucy, this is Lee!"

"Nice to meet you!" Trucy chirped. Apollo just grinned sheepishly, adjusting his hair with one hand as we waved timidly with the other.

"Well, if they are not averse to staying," Godot spoke up, turning to Apollo and Trucy, "perhaps we had better show them around town and tell them about this place."

"Ooh! That would be great!" was Trucy's cheery reply.

Godot smiled at that. "Well then. Let's explore town." He took another sip of his coffee. "Who should lead the tour group?"

"...I could probably show them around," Phoenix offered. Apollo and Trucy sent awkward glances at each other, then at Phoenix. It was rather strange associating with a younger version of Phoenix Wright, but they knew better than to protest.

"I'll go with you!" Maya added, cheery as ever.

"I'll tag along, too," Godot also added.

Lang simply shook his head. "...I think the best I can do to help is look around where you arrived."

"That's a good idea," Lee said to that. "Do you want me to join you?"

"Nah, then there will be no one to write up the report on this end," was the Agent's response.

Lee nodded affirmatively. "Understood, sir."

With that, Agent Lang turned to Apollo and Trucy. "Anyway, if you could describe where you arrived to me, I'll find it and be on my way."

"Where we arrived?" Apollo blinked. "Um... just outside of town."

"Yeah, we woke up near that big welcome sign," Trucy added.

"Thanks, I know exactly where that is." Agent Lang pulled something out of his pocket, tossing it to Apollo. Apollo caught it out of the air, glancing at it in puzzlement—it seemed to be some sort of amulet. "I'll be on my way."

"Wait, wha— WHOA!" Apollo stumbled backwards in shock, watching as Lang shifted into an even more wolf-like form, fur and all. Apollo clutched to the amulet tightly, watching the wolf run off into the distance. Did... did that guy just turn into a wolf?! he yelped inwardly, then glanced down at the amulet in his hand. And what is this thing...?

"Come on, guys!" came the voice of Maya, who was apparently completely unfazed by the display. "Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Trucy proceeded to tug on Apollo's sleeve again. "Come on, Polly!"

"Uh... okay?" Apollo blinked, getting the sense that there was a lot he still needed to learn about this place.

"Yeah, you guys have fun with that," Doctor Lupe said, wandering off uninterestedly. "I have other matters to tend to."

Apollo watched as Phoenix, Maya, Godot and Lee headed off into the distance, with Trucy beckoning him to follow. He glanced back briefly at those who chose to stay behind, then shrugged, pocketing the amulet and following the others. Might as well learn what they could about the area while they were there.

"Hey, hey, wait!" came another voice. The group turned their heads to see a short girl with dark brown hair and glasses. Most importantly, she had a huge grin on her face. "You're giving the newcomers a tour? Can I show them my pile?"

Godot eyed the girl, and probably would have raised an eyebrow if one were visible. "Uh, Chloe—"

"Would you like to donate to my pile?" The girl's—Chloe's—grin grew even creepier as her eyes turned to Trucy's hat. "I bet your hat would make great company for all the cravats..."

"Um..." Trucy instinctively grabbed the brim of her hat, taking a nervous step backwards.

"Come on, let's go," Phoenix insisted, hurrying ahead. Apollo and the others immediately chose to hurry after him.

"Hey wait!" Chloe yelped, chasing after them. "Are you sure you don't want to donate? I can always use more donations!"

To be continued...

[PFA]

Here's chapter two! It's okay to leave comments on this thread, BTW. :U

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SPOILER: Click to show

As they continued the tour, having have eventually managed to escape from Chloe, they soon came upon a large complex, with one square building that seemed to branch off into two large circular structures. The intricate designs that decorated the building reminded Apollo of an ancient Roman colosseum.

"...And this is the arena," Phoenix said, pointing to the complex.

"The... arena?" Apollo questioned.

"Yeah!" was Maya's ever-cheery response. "It's where people can duel each other!"

Apollo did a double-take at that. "...What?"

Godot immediately began to laugh at that. "Oh yeah. There's something you are going to learn very quickly here, Mr. Justice. And that is that many people here have magic, weapons, magic weapons, or a combination thereof. Duels are a friendly way to test one's strength against other people."

"...And sometimes not so friendly," Lee noted.

"Nngh... please don't remind me..." Godot grumbled, rubbing at his throat. Apollo raised an eyebrow at that, but decided not to comment. "At any rate... you'll probably get to see at least one duel in your time here." With a mischievous smirk, he added, "If you're lucky, Wright will have learned how to use a sword properly and have advanced far enough in his other abilities to be in shape for a proper challenge."

Lee gave an amused smirk. "Against you, that is."

"Naturally," Godot said, taking another sip of his coffee. Phoenix let out an annoyed sigh, but didn't comment.

Apollo, meanwhile, could only blink in confusion at this conversation. "...Sword?"

"...Abilities?" Trucy piped up, equally confused.

Phoenix sighed again, adjusting his jacket in discomfort. "Uh, nevermind that. It's a long story."

Apollo kept an eye on Phoenix, feeling another pulse at his bracelet. He just adjusted his jacket, he noted inwardly. But why, exactly? Deciding not to dwell on it for now, he simply said, "Um... okay then..."

"Hee hee, oh Nick," Maya teased, nudging Phoenix playfully. "You should show them sometime!"

"Not now, Maya, please..." was Phoenix's only reply.

Apollo and Trucy exchanged confused glances, not sure what to make of this. With a shrug, Apollo turned to the others again. "So, uh... sounds interesting? I guess?"

Godot chuckled at this. "Heh. I can tell that you're confused. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll understand someday."

Yeah, I've been getting that impression a lot today, Apollo noted, raising an eyebrow.

"So where next?" Maya asked, turning to Phoenix. "I don't think we've shown them the park yet..."

"Ooh! A park sounds nice," Trucy chirped. "I wouldn't mind going there!"

"Alright then," Phoenix said, leading the way. "Let's go to the park, then."

As their tour guides hurried ahead, Trucy smiled, beckoning Apollo to follow. He obliged, though absently he was wondering how much longer this tour would last. Right now it felt like he was just getting more questions than answers...

---

"...And this is the park," Phoenix said, gesturing to the fields ahead of them. "There's not much special about it, but it's a good place to relax and have fun, for the most part."

Apollo took a quick glance around, examining the area. The park itself, as Phoenix said, wasn't really all that special, but it did seem like a nice place. Lots of green grass, some trees for shade, and that one lake off in the distance...

"Hey, what are these floating glowy things?" Trucy asked, pointing out what resembled a pink firefly. It flitted about in the air, seemingly examining Trucy curiously.

"These? They're, um..." Phoenix paused, raising an eyebrow in thought. "I forget the name... some kind of elf?"

"Cyber Elves, I believe," Godot said, examining the Elf floating in front of Trucy. "You see a lot of them floating around the suburb. There's an adoption facility where people have been adopting them... even I have one, actually. A baby one named Cheble."

"Well, they're so cute!" Trucy exclaimed, holding up a hand and watching the Elf flit around it.

"However cute you can get for a little glowing orb, I guess," Apollo added, raising an eyebrow.

Before Trucy or anyone else could respond to that, though, what appeared to be some sort of large humanoid rodent suddenly appeared, holding what looked to be a small portable vacuum in one of its hands—paws?—and grinning broadly at the Cyber Elf.

"Gotcha!" the rodent shouted, in what sounded like a male voice. Then, in one swift movement, he raised the vacuum up toward the Cyber Elf, sucking the small creature inside. Apollo and Trucy jumped at this.

"Did... did you just vacuum that Cyber Elf?!" Apollo yelped, not sure what to make of this display.

"Yep!" the rodent replied, moving the vacuum to his other hand and offering to shake Apollo's. "I don't think I've seen you around, by the way. I'm Poldon!"

"Uhhh..." Apollo blinked, staring at the rather large claws this Poldon had. Was it really safe to shake hands with him? "...Nice to meet you. I'm Apollo."

"And I'm Trucy," Trucy added, still staring in confusion at the spot where Cyber Elf used to be.

"Nice to meet you both!" Poldon chirped. "It's nice to meet the people around he— ooh, another Cyber Elf!" Poldon was promptly distracted from whatever he was about to say, pulling out his vacuum again and chasing after the Elf he spotted. "I've got you now!"

Apollo just stared, dumbfounded as he watched Poldon fade off into the distance. "Uhh... why is he...?"

Godot began to chuckle again, apparently amused by the perplexed looks on Apollo and Trucy's faces. "Don't worry, that's just how you capture the loose Elves and take them to the adoption center. It doesn't hurt them."

"...So you capture them with a vacuum?" Trucy blinked, still very confused.

"Apparently," Phoenix replied, giving a shrug. "At any rate, seeing people chasing after Cyber Elves with vacuums is normal around here, so don't be too surprised."

Apollo just nodded mutely, not even sure how to respond to that. Everything I've seen today has been completely bizarre...

"So, where can we show them next?" Lee asked, turning to Godot. "We've shown them almost all the major parts of the main part of the suburb..."

"Hmmm..." Godot tilted his head, contemplating this. Then, with a smile, he said, "Well, it might be in his interests to know where the Office is."

Apollo perked up at this. "...Office?"

"He means the Prosecutor's Office," was Phoenix's reply.

"...Ah." Apollo sighed, absently reaching a hand up to his hair. "Well... yeah, that could be worth seeing."

"Yeah!" Maya agreed, giving a cheerful nod. "Let's go!"

Apollo massaged his forehead in thought as they continued along. Well, at least this place should be pretty normal. I hope.

---

Unlike most the other buildings in Tabloid Town, the Prosecutor's Office stood proud and tall, giving off a certain air of authority just from looking at it. Apollo was tempted to say it was even more impressive than the one in Los Angeles, but that might have just been that it was such a stark contrast to everything else he'd seen here.

"I still find that they did a remarkably good job of recreating our office spaces," Godot said, looking up at the building with a smile. "That reminds me, I still have a bit of paperwork to do..."

"Apollo, this is the Prosecutor's Office in Tabloid Town," Lee stated. "Most of the prosecutors you will meet have offices here."

"Whoa..." was all Apollo could say as he stared up at the building. It was almost a little bit intimidating to wonder what kind of prosecutors were in there, what with how unique Tabloid Town had already proven to be.

"Ooh! This is so neat!" Trucy exclaimed happily. "I've only ever been to the Prosecutor's Office once!"

"Yeah, I remember that," Apollo added with a sigh. "That was during that one case, with the smuggling incident..."

"Smuggling incident?" Maya yelped, startled by this. Then, in a sudden realization, she piped up. "You must have some neat case stories, Apollo! Maybe you could tell us about them sometime!"

"...Uh." As Apollo contemplated all the cases he'd worked on, he glanced over at Phoenix. Thinking back on it, he was pretty sure Phoenix Wright was involved in most of his cases in some way or another. "...Maybe some other time."

Phoenix sent him back a confused look, whereas Godot had a questioning frown on his face. Apollo just grinned sheepishly, trying to ignore them. It was okay, he could still let it slide. For now, at least.

Thankfully, Lee had decided to change the subject. "Let's see... there's Uther and Winston Payne, Jacques Portsman, who you haven't met yet... and then there's Godot and Miles Edgeworth." His expression lowering, he added, "And then there's Prosecutor von Karma... Franziska, that is."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, pondering over the names. "...Winston Payne? That sounds familiar... I think he was the prosecutor at my first trial..."

"Yeah, he usually is, from what I understand," Phoenix noted.

Upon hearing that, Apollo froze, suddenly remembering what exactly his first trial was. Namely, who the defendant was. He promptly chose to change the subject, not wanting to dwell on that any further. "v-von Karma, huh? That name sounds familiar! A prosecutor, right?"

"Well..." Trucy tilted her head in thought. "If they work at the Prosecutor's Office, that usually means they're a prosecutor, doesn't it?"

"...Right. Of course." Apollo sighed inwardly. Thanks, Trucy, I needed that.

"...I imagine the name would sound familiar," Godot spoke up, frowning. "There were two prosecutors by that name. As a lawyer, you probably have heard of both." He took a contemplative sip of his coffee. "The prodigy and her... infamous father, who held a perfect record for forty long years."

"Ah... yeah." Apollo's brow wrinkled as he recalled the tales. Both were prosecutors Phoenix Wright had faced, if he recalled correctly. "...I remember hearing about them, yeah."

"That's right!" Trucy suddenly piped up. "I think daddy told me about them once!"

...Which confirmed Apollo's suspicions, but also caused him to tense considerably.

"Oh?" Maya asked, not making it any better. "Is your dad an attorney or something?"

Trucy let out a startled squeak, covering her mouth. Apparently she had not meant to say that. "Uh... he... used to be an attorney, yeah..."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow at that. "...Used to be?"

"Long story," Apollo added hastily, sending Trucy a look.

"Um... um..." Trucy glanced back apologetically at Apollo for a moment, then turned to the others, forcing out a smile. "Well, the tour's been great! There are so many neat things here."

"...The least of which you have yet to see," Godot responded contemplatively, turning to Phoenix and Maya. "Do you think we should tell them about the Ring of Darkness at this point...?"

Apollo froze at the sound of that. Whatever that was didn't sound good. "...The what?"

"Well, it might be a good idea," Phoenix answered with a frown. "It could be dangerous if we leave them unknowing..."

That sounded even worse, Apollo decided. "...No really, what? What's going on?!"

Godot's face shifted to a rather despairing frown, turning to look at Apollo and Trucy. Apollo felt his bracelet pulse at Godot reached over to touch his left forearm—for the second time. "...You two. How willing are you to accept a truth that spirits walk among you?"

Apollo wasn't sure what to make of that question. "...Spirits?"

"I think—" Trucy started, but then stopped herself. After a pause, she glanced thoughtfully at Maya. "...I think I've heard rumors about spirits..."

Godot held a finger to the side of his visor, in a sort of thoughtful gesture. "...There are Dark spirits... a group of them. The most dangerous and evil you will ever come across..."

"...Not all Dark spirits are bad," Lee added hastily, grabbing at his throat uneasily. "But those five are prime examples of evil. You will want to avoid them at all costs."

As Godot continued to speak, a strange black and white aura started emanating from him. "Some of our most hated enemies... murderers that have been brought to justice, and evil spirits as old as time itself. Murderous villains, the lot of them... bent on vengeance..."

Apollo felt his heart sink into his stomach. "...Murderers... brought to justice...?"

"...Bent on vengeance...?" Trucy added, sending Apollo a concerned glance.

"Oh yes," Godot hissed, placing a hand on his heart. "Our presences are tied very greatly to when new members of the Ring appear. Lee is here to guard against the three core members. I arrived after sensing how great of a danger Maya was in after von Karma's summoning. Agent Lang arrived after Dahlia was summoned, in response to the Ring's general actions. And now... you are here."

Godot paused, taking another sip of his coffee. He gripped the mug tightly as he continued. "...So now do you see? Your presence here concerns me, for you don't remember how you got here. Yet you were summoned. The... precedence does not look promising."

"No..." Trucy muttered. "You don't think...?"

"I hope not," Apollo replied firmly. "I desperately hope not."

"...You sound like you have someone in mind," Phoenix noted with a frown. "This concerns me."

Apollo glanced over at Phoenix, a hint of sorrow in his eyes. You really have no idea, Mr. Wright...

And that was when he felt it.

It was such a strange feeling; it was hard to properly explain, other than that it felt like a presence. The presence of someone very sinister. A presence both Apollo and Trucy had felt before.

"What... what the...?!" Apollo took a step backward, trying to discover the source of the presence. But to no avail.

"P-Polly!" Trucy whimpered, inching closer to her friend in fear. "What's that?!"

"It... no..." Apollo mumbled, narrowing his eyes. It can't be...

And then, just as quickly, the presence was gone.

Apollo glanced across the crowd, noticing the concerned faces. From the looks of it, only he and Trucy had felt that strange presence. Or at least, so it seemed, until he noticed Godot clutching uneasily at his throat.

"Qué..." he mumbled, visibly shaking and sweating. "¿Qué fue eso...?"

"...Are you three alright?" Lee asked, a note of concern in his voice.

"What... was that?" Godot repeated, in English.

Apollo remained tense, his eyes narrowed. That.... that felt so much like him...

"...Polly... what if it's true?" Trucy asked, quite apparently worried.

"...I don't know." Apollo let out a strained sigh. "But I get the feeling it's something we'll want to look into... after all you guys have said."

Maya frowned at Apollo, concerned. "...You mean...?"

Apollo reached a hand up to fix his hair, finally starting to relax somewhat. "I don't suppose you guys know any ways to... I don't know, confirm this thing you were just talking about? The Dark spirits thing?"

Godot gave a bitter laugh at that. "Oh, there's a way to confirm it, alright... albeit a dangerous one. The last time I paid them a visit, I wasn't exactly... sound of heart."

"I'd really rather not risk going there, myself..." Lee replied, and immediately Apollo knew he didn't want to ask. "But... I have an idea."

"...What sort of idea?" Apollo asked.

"Well, if you felt a presence just now... it's a strong indication," Lee said. "If there were another person who was close to the person you suspect... a person who also felt this presence... then that would be an almost certain indication."

"Ah... that might prove difficult," Apollo replied with a sigh. "I don't think any of you would know the people we know." ...At this point in time, anyway, he added silently.

"Hmm..." Lee paused for a moment, contemplating this. He then glanced back at Godot. "But then... why did you feel it?"

"I... I don't know," Godot stammered, still clutching at his throat.

Apollo felt a pulse at his bracelet again. He decided it was time to out with it. "...Godot, was it? Just so you know... you've been gripping at your throat ever since we felt that 'presence.'"

Godot gulped, hastily pulling his hand away. "S-sorry, I... I was poisoned once, years ago..." He looked away, pained at the memory. "That presence, it... it felt like poison... I suppose it was an instinctive reaction."

The bad feeling in the pit of Apollo's stomach got even worse. "...Poison..." Atroquinine... can it really be coincidence?

"Do... do you think there's anyone else we can ask about this?" Trucy stammered timidly. "I'm starting to get worried..."

"I'm not sure..." Phoenix replied, letting out a sigh. "...But it might be worth it to see how Agent Lang is doing. He might have found something by now."

"You know, that's a good idea." Godot took another sip of his coffee, then made the mug disappear in a swirl of darkness. "Let's go see what he found."

"He'll want my report, anyway..." Lee noted, lost in thought. "I suspect he'll want to hear of this." With that, he started toward the Tabloid Town entrance at a quickened pace.

"Wait for us, Lee!" Godot yelped, following after the canine. "Slow down a little!"

As the others went on ahead, Apollo lingered behind, pondering all that had happened today. Trucy frowned, coming up next to him.

"Polly..." she said, her voice reflecting her concern.

Apollo let out a sigh, massaging his aching forehead. "This is all so much to take in... waking up in an unfamiliar place, seeing faces you never thought you'd see, and now... this. I just wish I could figure out why this is all happening...

Trucy managed a slight reassuring smile. "Aw, don't worry, Polly! I'm sure we'll figure it out. And besides, we've met so many nice people already!"

"Yeah... true, I guess," Apollo admitted. "It's just kind of frustrating being suddenly sent to a place and time where no one knows you, you know?"

"So it is," came another voice. "Well, I at least am delighted to hear I am not alone."

At the sound of the voice, Apollo and Trucy jumped, turning to find the source of the voice. That voice... they recognized that voice.

To be continued...

[PFA]

I promised approximately nine-thirty and so thus that is what you get!

RIGHT NOW *epic drumroll, GUITAR RIFF*

---

SPOILER: Click to show

As Apollo and Trucy peered off into the distance, they saw a man, looking laid-back and relaxed as usual. He had long blond hair, which was something of a contrast to his tan skin. He was wearing a suit—sort of burgundy-colored jacket, on top of black—but the outfit was also decorated with chains and jewelry, giving the impression of a rock star.

Apollo knew exactly who this was.

"P-Prosecutor Gavin?!" he yelped in surprise.

The man, Klavier Gavin, gave a smug smile as he sauntered over to greet the two. "Greetings, Herr Forehead. Surprised to see me?"

"Mr. Gavin! Hi!" Trucy chirped, grinning happily. "What are you doing here?"

"Hm. To be honest, I'm not quite certain, myself," Klavier replied, flicking his bangs out of his eyes. "I was just roaming the unfamiliar roads until I saw you two... and..."

Apollo blinked, watching the smile on Klavier's face fade as his voice trailed off. Following his gaze, Apollo quickly realized what Klavier was looking at—Phoenix Wright, as well as the others, had paused at the sound of Klavier's voice, looking back at him curiously.

"...Herr Wright..." Klavier muttered, his expression shifting to a frown. "Seven years..."

Apollo felt his stomach clench in nervousness. Don't say it, please don't say it...

"...Do I know you?" was Phoenix's response, not making Apollo feel much better.

Klavier glanced at Apollo and Trucy, who were trying desperately to make urgent but subtle gestures not to tell. After thinking on this for a moment, Klavier looked back up at Phoenix. "...You will."

Apollo grimaced at that response, sure it was going to cause suspicion. Sure enough, he soon heard Godot's voice, which made it all the worse.

"...I think I understand now," Godot said to them. "The three of you are from the future, aren't you? ...And don't lie."

...Ah great. Apollo tensed, hesitantly looking back at Godot to see that he was holding some sort of comma-shaped jewel, which was radiating a peculiar aura. Trucy seemed especially startled at it, and soon it clicked in Apollo's mind—Mr. Wright had the ability to tell when someone was lying. This must have been the same thing that Mr. Wright had.

While Apollo and Trucy panicked, however, Klavier just absently and thoughtfully played with his hair. "...Prosecutor Godot, was it? I recall hearing the story when I first became a prosecutor... all those years ago."

Neither Apollo nor Trucy had any idea what that meant, but apparently it was quite a shock to the others. Maya and Phoenix gave shocked faces, while Godot just frowned despairingly.

"Wh-what?!" was Maya's yelp.

"...He's... not lying," Phoenix stammered, completely stunned.

"I knew it," Godot muttered bitterly, some sort of darkness started gathering at his shoulders and forming into the shape of wings. He removed the visor from his face, revealing that he did in fact have eyes—rather startlingly red ones. He grabbed at his left forearm again before he continued to speak. "...Yes, I imagine you would have heard the tales of my capture... and execution... after my final trial against Master Wright."

Apollo glanced at Trucy, with this sinking sensation he was missing something huge. Final... trial...?

Lee frowned at this. "Master Armando..."

"No, it's alright... it's already history for them," Godot said, still sounding rather despaired. He gave a heavy sigh. "I am quite frankly surprised you remembered me, Prosecutor Gavin. One does not usually remember comrades before one's time who have fallen to darkness and been cast into eternity..."

"...I see. So you know about that already," Klavier replied quietly, deep in thought. "I came into the Prosecutor's Office right around when your trial was coming to its conclusion. I hate to be blunt, but it was quite the talk of the office at that time."

Godot snorted bitterly at that. "Tch. The trial? I can only imagine. Fallen defense attorney indeed. Fallen prosecutor all the moreso." Narrowing his eyes at Klavier, he added, "And I hate to be blunt right back, but of course I know about it. My timeline has ended. Time holds no meaning for me now."

For the first time since they'd started talking, Klavier's eyes widened in shock. "Wh... what?"

"S... sp..." Apollo's expression fell as he realized what Godot was implying. "...Spirits..."

Trucy frowned also as she caught the message. "...You were just talking about how spirits walk among us..."

Godot sighed, rolling up his left sleeve to reveal a small, black mark on his forearm. Apollo quickly realized that this was why he kept grabbing at it. "There's a reason why I said that spirits 'walk among you' and not 'walk around the Forum.'"

Klavier seemed significantly troubled by the implications of this. "...S-spirits? As in...?"

"...Yes. We were just discussing this, actually." Godot narrowed his eyes, jerking his sleeve down harshly. "It is now firmly my belief that there is someone you were meant to encounter here. A spirit who fell to darkness in life and paid a steep price for it... just as I did. Only chances are... they are not nearly as repentant."

This seemed to make Klavier's troubled feelings even worse. "...A spirit... paid a steep price..."

There was silence for a moment, when suddenly Trucy's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Oh, Polly!"

"Huh? What?" Apollo stammered, startled out of his train of thought.

"Mr. Gavin..." Trucy replied, giving a concerned frown. "This is the perfect chance to ask him..."

"...Hm?" Klavier mumbled, distracted from his own thoughts. "Ask me what?"

"OH! Oh..." Apollo's expression quickly shifted to a frown as Lee's words suddenly came flooding back to him: if there were someone else close to the person they suspected that presence from earlier to be, someone who felt the presence also, then it was almost certain to be true. Apollo let out a strained sigh, glancing up at Klavier hesitantly. "...Mr. Gavin, I hate to ask, but... you didn't happen to feel a... familiar presence earlier, did you...?"

There was silence, the emotionless expression remaining on Klavier's face for a few moments. And then, it shifted to one of sorrow. "...You felt him, too?"

...Great, Apollo thought to himself in dread. We're officially doomed.

Lee, noticing his discomfort, seemed to get a similar sense of dread. "It seems that whatever suspicions you had upon sensing it were correct, Mr. Justice."

"...The presence of poison..." Godot grumbled, making a face. "Who was it, to have such an overpowering malicious aura? It almost triggered a physical reaction, it was so strong..."

Klavier frowned, rather visibly troubled by this. "...That feeling... so familiar, and yet so cold..." His gaze turned to the ground in thought. "It... reminded me of the trial..."

Trucy looked up at him sadly, recognizing the pain in his eyes. "...Mr. Gavin..."

"...Which is why you asked me, ja? After all, none would know better than I." Klavier brushed his bangs out of his eyes, his expression turning very serious and matter-of-fact. "...We are talking about mein älterer Bruder."

Godot took a step back, eyes widening in shock. "Your older brother?!"

Even Lee seemed startled at this. "I didn't know you knew German, Master Armando."

"It's a... side effect, of an... encounter I had with Manfred von Karma," was Godot's strained response. "But that's not the point!" He turned to Klavier, his expression shifting to a frown. "...Are you absolutely certain it was your brother?"

"Quite certain. There is... no mistaking that feeling." Klavier let out a sigh, looking up to the sky with a frown. "...Oh brother... wherever did you go wrong...?"

A faint pulse in the air.

"That sounds so horrible..." Maya said softly, sympathetically. "I'm so sorry..."

"No need for apologies, Fräulein," Klavier replied, closing his eyes in thought. "I cannot change the truth. As such, if it is true... and his spirit truly lingers here..." He opened his eyes narrowly, looking at the others with a grave expression. "...I advise you all to take grave caution. My brother can be a very cunning and ruthless man."

Silence. And then, all at once, it was there again. The presence had returned.

"...So you still acknowledge me as kin? I am touched, jüngerer Bruder von mir..."

Apollo gaped in horror, watching everyone stagger back in shock. He wasn't the only one who had heard that. Everyone had heard that.

"K... Kristoph?!" Klavier stammered, searching the area for the source of the voice.

And that's when he appeared—he looked remarkably like his brother, except a lot more gentlemanly in appearance and demeanor. He wore a dull blue suit, and a pair of glasses that framed his eyes. And, of course, he had a deceptively calm smile on his face.

Kristoph Gavin.

"Hallo, Klavier," he spoke, an eerily pleasant note to his voice. And then, suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "...Surprised to see me?"

Apollo watched as the others tensed, perturbed by Kristoph's unsettlingly calm, and yet calculating, presence. Klavier, in particular, glared questioningly at his older brother.

"Kristoph... what are you doing here?" he spoke. "What do you hope to achieve in tampering with the past?"

"What am I doing here?" Kristoph scowled slightly, pushing his glasses up his face. "I was called here, the same as you. What else would I be doing here?"

Apollo narrowed his eyes, eyeing Kristoph warily. I don't know, Mr. Gavin. Knowing you...

"...I will say one thing, dear brother," Klavier told him, his voice tense. "I sincerely hope you don't make any actions that you will come to regret."

Kristoph's reaction to this, interestingly enough, was a sad frown. "...You wound me, Klavier. You really do." But then it faded, his eyes narrowing again. "What have I done to deserve such words from you?"

"You know full well what you did, Kristoph, and I mean it," Klavier hissed. "I would not have you harm them!"

There was a silent pause as Kristoph pondered this. "...I see. Klavier..." He scowled, pushing up his glasses again, far more sharply. "Please leave. Now."

Klavier took a startled step backward at this. "What?!"

Kristoph shook his head, almost derisively. "You heard me, brother. It is quickly becoming clear to me that now is not the time for the two of us to converse. Please move out of my way."

Godot glared at Kristoph as he said this, stepping protectively in front of Phoenix and Maya. "You aren't going anywhere, Kristoph Gavin."

"Oh really, Diego Armando? You're not the one to talk." Kristoph sneered. "I'm surprised you take his side, after what he did to you... unwitting accomplice to a murder, indeed."

Godot refrained from comment on that. However, Apollo did notice him swallowing nervously.

"But that is another matter altogether," Kristoph stated. "Now step aside, both of you. You are in my way."

Klavier remained silent for a tense moment. He then sighed, brushing his bangs aside. "My sincerest of apologies, brother, but I'm afraid I cannot do that. I refuse to stand idle when I know your intentions."

Again Kristoph frowned, looking almost hesitant. "...It really pains me to do this, Klavier, but... I can't let you get in my way. You'll only get hurt if you do."

Before Klavier could reply to that, Kristoph snapped his fingers, causing some ominous black ropes to spring up out of the ground behind Klavier. Despite Klavier's attempts to evade them, the ropes grabbed him, binding his wrists and ankles to prevent him from moving.

"Prosecutor Gavin!" Apollo and Trucy cried in sync.

Glancing sharply away from his brother, Kristoph took a step forward, a dark sense of revenge in his eyes. But immediately he was stopped, with Godot stepping in to block Kristoph's path. Godot narrowed his eyes, and Kristoph did likewise.

"Persistent, aren't you?" Kristoph hissed. "Mr. Armando, I know your loyalty lies to the Fey family. Well, I can assure you that I do not intend to harm the girl. So move aside."

Godot growled at this. "I will never yield to the likes of you!"

"'The likes of me'? I suggest you take a good look in the mirror before you say something like that, Diego Armando!" Kristoph sneered. "But I expected as much. Ms. Hawthorne warned me about you... you are quite stubborn, aren't you? Must be the remnants of your days as a defense attorney."

With a twisted grin, Kristoph held up two fingers from one hand. Apollo felt a wave of terror come over him as he watched Kristoph's fingernails start to glow a sickening shade of green—a shade of green that reminded him of deadly poison.

"If you are so eager to be their defense, then I will have no choice but to force you to move aside," Kristoph continued. "Get out of my way... or I promise you that you will regret not having moved sooner."

"Kristoph!" Klavier yelled, struggling vainly against the ropes. "Don't you dare!"

Phoenix himself had been standing there the whole time, unsure of what was going on. It was only now that he finally decided to speak up again. "Who... who are you?!"

It was then that Phoenix did something entirely unexpected by Apollo, Trucy, Klavier, and even Kristoph himself—in an attempt to be threatening, small amounts of literal fire began to gather in the air around Phoenix's wrists.

"...What's this?!" Kristoph growled. "I don't recall you having those abilities...!"

Godot apparently decided to take advantage of the distraction, promptly teleporting behind Kristoph and grabbing him by the hair. Before Kristoph could attempt to struggle away, a dagger that almost appeared to be made of pure light appeared in Godot's other hand. A dagger which he held against Kristoph's throat.

"Many of us have gained abilities. You're not the only one," Godot hissed, seeming to radiate some sort of invisible aura. "I suggest YOU use your ability to do so and leave."

Kristoph just scowled at him, unflinching. "Get your hands off of me!"

"Phoenix! Lee! Mr. Justice!" Godot shouted. "Take the girls and Klavier and get out of here!"

"R-right!" Apollo nodded firmly, taking Trucy by the wrist. "Come on, Trucy."

"B-but...!" Trucy yelped, struggling against Apollo's grasp and gesturing to Klavier. "Those black ropes!"

Phoenix took a quick glance at the ropes, making a face, before turning to Lee. "...Lee? Can you take care of those?"

Immediately Lee rushed to Klavier's aid, attempting to unbind the ropes with some sort of magic, but to no avail. "No good! Part of the magic has to do with the fact that they're brothers!" Pulling out a dagger, he added, "I'll have to cut them off..."

Apollo watched for a moment as Lee attempted to cut the ropes with the dagger, but suddenly a sharp pulse at his bracelet prompted him to look back at Kristoph and Godot. He immediately noticed that Kristoph was discreetly raising a hand by his side, the middle and pointer fingers glowing green. Apollo's pupils shrunk in realization—he was going to strike.

"Godot!" he yelped, trying to get his attention.

Godot looked up at Apollo, confused. "¿Que?"

But it was too late. In one swift moment, Kristoph jabbed hard right into Godot's left forearm, causing a flash of green light. Apollo's stomach clenched as he realized exactly where Kristoph had struck—right where it would hurt the worst.

"AAAAAUUUGH!" Godot screamed, sending a chill up the spine of everyone that heard, just from how apparent his sheer pain was.

"MISTER GODOT!" Maya cried, wanting to rush to his aid, but being restrained by a more levelheaded Phoenix.

Kristoph sharply elbowed Godot in the chest, shoving him off. "I warned you...!" he hissed, radiating an unseen aura of his own—but his was far more terrifying. He then delivered a piercing snap with his fingers, his whole hand starting to glow that sickening green color. "No one gets in the way of my revenge!"

Godot collapsed to his knees, blood dripping down from a scar that was on his face. "Stop...!" he choked. "Stop... please, don't...!"

Apollo's pupils shrunk in pure horror, practically shoving Trucy ahead as he attempted to flee. "Let's get out of here, let's get of here NOW!"

"B-but...!" Maya insisted as she was being dragged away, tears streaming down her cheeks. "But Mr. Godot—!"

Lee finally managed to cut the ropes binding Klavier, glancing back in shock at Kristoph. "We have to get out of here, now!"

As the ropes were loosed, Klavier scowled straight at his brother, taking a step back. "Kristoph... you've become a monster."

Kristoph scowled, pushing a finger to his glasses, the green glow starting to fade as Godot fell unconscious. "...I was not about to stand there with destruction pressed up against my neck, brother. You have no idea what Light will do to me now!"

With a flick of his wrist, Lee opened what appeared to be a Dark portal in the direction the others were fleeing to. He watched it for a moment, making sure the others made it through safely, then harshly grabbed Klavier by the wrist, scowling.

"Family reunion can wait until later, you two!" he insisted, starting to drag Klavier toward the portal.

"Kristoph...!" Klavier growled, resisting vainly against Lee's grip. But once he realized there was nothing he could do, his expression shifted, from one of anger into one of sorrow. "Kristoph!"

Kristoph's expression switched to a similar look of sorrow as he watched his brother disappear into the portal, knowing it was useless to give chase in such a short time frame. His previously frightening aura died down, shifting into an aura of sadness.

"...Klavier... I'm..." He paused, turning away from the portal sharply. "...Es tut mir leid."

And with that, the portal closed, fading away into nothingness.

To be continued...

[PFA]

Torkie says you guys aren't posting here because it looks more like a book this way. Well, whatever floats your boat.

Long chapter this time!

---

SPOILER: Click to show

In a small café just on the outskirts of Tabloid Town, known simply as the Fourth Wall Café, Agent Lang was taking a contemplative sip of his green tea. He had come there to speak with the young Ambassador Cassandra on that surge of Dark aura he had felt earlier, hoping she could provide him with some information.

"Well, I'm not sure, but..." Cassandra trailed off, glancing up as a familiar Dark portal opened. "...Lee?"

Then suddenly, to her surprise, Phoenix came dashing out of the portal, breathing heavily, and dragging Maya behind him. But before either she or Lang could comment on this, two more people came out—Apollo and Trucy.

"Th-that..." Apollo stammered, seemingly very frightened. "What the heck just happened?!"

"Whoa! It's Apollo and Trucy!" Cassandra yelped, staring incredulously at the two. "What are you two doing here?! And why do you sound like you've been running from Ring... members...?"

Her voice trailed off as she saw Lee bursting through the portal, closing it behind him. But more interestingly, he had brought someone with him—Klavier Gavin, who was looking thoughtfully back at where the portal had once been. Thoughtfully, or perhaps, sadly.

"We just might have been," Phoenix grumbled, in response to Cassandra's question. "That guy... that guy was crazy."

Apollo sighed, massaging his forehead as he tried to calm himself down. "You really have no idea, Mr. Wright..."

"...Oh dear, this does not sound good..." Cassandra mumbled, pulling out her laptop.

"I was really worried when I felt that surge of Dark aura," Lang commented, standing. "Is everyone alright?"

"Well, we're fine, at least," Phoenix told him, glancing back at Maya.

Maya glanced up at Lang slowly, with tears streaming silently down her cheeks. "...M-Mr. Godot..."

"...Poison," Klavier added, hanging his head slightly. "I'm sure of it."

Cassandra's eyes widened in fear. "P-POISON?!"

"What's the meaning of this?!" Lang growled, equally startled. "Explain, now!"

"...Atroquinine," Klavier spoke contemplatively. "A mere 0.002 milligrams is enough to kill..." He looked up, looking Lang in the eye gravely. "...And so it has. One murder... one attempted murder."

Though Lang looked confused, Cassandra gave a look of horror. "...Godot got into a fight with Kristoph?!"

Klavier's eyes widened, startled that this woman knew of his brother, but he was nowhere near as startled as Agent Lang was. "What?! Ambassador! what do you know of this?!"

"...He was trying to protect the others," Lee interrupted, frowning in concern. "That's in his nature..."

Maya sniffled, wiping some tears away with her sleeve. "H-he jabbed him right in the arm..."

"...In the arm?" Cassandra made a face, fiddling nervously with the cord of the headphones plugged into her laptop. "...Where in his arm?"

"The forearm... right where that mark was," Apollo replied, frowning.

"...Right at the site of his lethal injection...?" Cassandra mumbled, chewing on her headphone cord as she typed some things down.

"I-it must have hurt so much..." Maya whimpered, clinging to Phoenix for comfort. "A-and then he passed out..."

Cassandra glanced up at Maya, troubled by this. "...Why did he pass out? He's not exactly weak, I doubt that alone would have—"

"Kristoph started choking him with the poison in his system," Lee interrupted, "just like Dahlia did once..."

"...He must have learned that from her!" Cassandra growled, tugging on the cord and continuing to type.

...It feels like there's so much I'm missing, Apollo noted inwardly, and yet I don't want to ask...

"Do... do you..." Maya spoke softly, her gaze shifting down to the floor. "Do you think he'll be okay...?"

Cassandra thought on this, a worried look on her face. "...That depends. If Kristoph took him to the Void..."

Lee's eyes widened as he gave a startled cry. "He'd be destroyed!" Without another word, he hastily opened another portal, leaping through it and closing it behind him.

As soon as Lee vanished, Agent Lang turned his attention to Cassandra, scowling in irritation. "Alright, Ambassador, I want to hear what you know of this. NOW!"

"Know?" Cassandra replied, scowling in turn. "The only thing I know for certain is what's written in Kristoph's file, and in the files on the Ring members. What I can guess..."

"Wait," Klavier interrupted, a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean by Kristoph's 'file'...?"

Cassandra brightened at this, her expression shifting to a giddy smile. "I was wondering when you'd ask, Klavier! Your file—"

"Hey wait, Klavier?" Lang interrupted, glancing at Klavier interestedly. "Klavier Gavin?"

"Yes, that's right," Klavier said, giving a slight nod.

"I knew it!" Lang exclaimed with a pleased smile. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere! You're the lead in the Gavinners! You guys performed in Gatewater Land the day of the Amano case!"

Klavier managed a chuckle at that. "Why yes, that would be correct. Aside from being a prosecutor, I also happen to be famous for my rock music."

"...Rock music?" Phoenix blinked, puzzled at this. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Trucy piped up, cheered up by the mention. "He's really famous."

"So I've heard, I... wait, you're a prosecutor?" Lang asked, raising an eyebrow. "I never would have guessed; you're unlike any of the others I met." He paused, pressing his hands together in thought. "And lucky for you I met Edgeworth first, or else we'd be having a very different conversation right now..."

"It was Phoenix who saved your life, you know," Cassandra pointed out.

Apollo raised an eyebrow at that. ...Saved his life? What does she...?

"Yeah, I know," Lang said, interrupting Apollo's thoughts. "You think I'd forget a detail like that?" He let out a sigh. "I wasn't referring to that. I was referring to the smuggling ring incident..."

"Smuggling ring?" Klavier frowned at that. "Mm, rough business. I've had to deal with one of those once." He paused, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Ah, but I digress. Yes, I am a prosecutor. Now, where were we?"

"Ah yes. Ambassador." Lang turned to Cassandra, narrowing his eyes. "You were just telling us what you knew about this incident."

Actually, I think she was about to tell us what all these files of hers are, but that too, Apollo thought, but decided better than to interrupt again.

Cassandra let out a sigh, fiddling with her headphone cord again. "I already told you, I don't know anything for sure. What I can guess is that the Ring summoned Kristoph for whatever reason, and now he's Phoenix hunting."

"...Phoenix hunting?" Lang questioned, scowling in confusion. "What does chasing mythical—"

"No, no, no!" Cassandra snapped. "Phoenix WRIGHT hunting!"

"Wh-WHAT?!" Phoenix yelped, taking a startled step back. "Why me?!"

While Apollo and Trucy exchanged looks of horror, Klavier simply frowned. "...I don't believe it would be wise to speak on it, Herr Wright," he told him. "...Since, for you, it hasn't happened yet."

"...Wait, what?" Lang raised an eyebrow at Klavier, confused.

"...My apologies. Perhaps I should explain." Klavier sighed, playing absently with his hair as he thought on it. "The man we are talking about is a man who, by your standards, is from the future. Kristoph Gavin... my brother." There was a brief sad pause before he continued. "...As I said, it is probably not wise to speak on the details. All I will say is that my brother holds quite a grudge against Herr Wright."

"...Okay. I officially don't like the sound of that," Phoenix remarked.

Lang frowned at this, looking a bit miffed. "Well, it's going to be hard if you won't give me any details. Isn't there anything else you could tell me about this man?"

"Well..." Klavier paused to think on this. "...You see, where I am a prosecutor, my brother... he was a defense attorney."

"...Was," Lang noted, narrowing his eyes.

"...Yes. Was." Klavier brushed his bangs back, closing his eyes in thought. "...I will put it this way. Two murders and an attempted murder. Two were poisonings, one was blunt force trauma."

Phoenix's eyes widened, seeming especially troubled by this. "What?!"

"Oh yes," Apollo stated dryly, making a face at the horrible memories.

Agent Lang pressed his hands together again, thinking on this. "...Then it's no wonder Armando was so opposed to him..."

"I highly doubt Godot, or Armando, or whatever his name is knows the whole story," Apollo pointed out. And to be honest, I hope he never does.

"...But he did say something about the presence feeling like poison..." Trucy pointed out in turn, frowning.

Phoenix made a face. "...Well, this is certainly a lovely mess."

"...And now we've got Kristoph after Phoenix," Cassandra grumbled, also making a face. "Lovely, indeed."

A brief silence ensued as they all contemplated on this. It was during this silence that Maya spoke up. "...I wonder how Lee is doing..."

Cassandra frowned at this, concerned. "I don't know, Maya... normally he would have been back by n—"

As if on cue, the familiar Dark portal opened again, catching the attention of everyone in the room. Shortly later, Lee—and a canine that bore a remarkable resemblance to Lee, aside from the tan cloak—stepped through the portal, helping an exhausted Godot walk. Maya brightened at this.

"Mr. Godot!" she chirped, dashing over as if to give him a hug.

"Careful, Fräulein," Klavier urged. "He looks quite worn out."

Sure enough, Lee and the other canine helped Godot over to a chair, which he immediately sunk into, grumbling under his breath in Spanish. One thing Apollo found notable was that he still wasn't wearing his visor. "...What a horrible thing to wake up to..."

Klavier frowned at this, concerned. "...Are you alright, Herr Armando?"

Godot opened his eyes, glancing up at the others. It was at this point that Apollo noticed—his eyes were no longer glowing that demonic red color, but instead were a pure white.

"...I'm still in one piece. I've been worse," he told them. "But waking up bound to sense your brother and Dahlia standing over me was not exactly the best of experiences..." He opened and closed his left hand slowly, as if to make sure he could still move. "...I'm sorry, Klavier, but... he is definitely a Ring member. We were in the Void."

There was a pause, before Klavier let out a soft, sorrowful sigh. "Kristoph..."

"Alright, let me see if I can get this straight..." Apollo interrupted, pressing a finger to his forehead in thought. "...We were summoned here, from the future, to this realm beyond time and space. And it's most likely because Kristoph Gavin was summoned here, and we're supposed to stop him or... something. Right?"

"That's the most likely answer," Cassandra replied. "After all, so far as I can tell, Krisoph's greatest weakness is his brother."

Apollo glanced back at Klavier for a moment, who seemed to be deep in thought at that comment, then turned back to Cassandra. "Alright, sure. But I don't understand how exactly we're supposed to actually do anything, well, useful."

"Actually, since this the NTWF..." Cassandra smiled suddenly as she thought on something. "...You and Trucy might get greater powers now that you're here."

Apollo paused at that, startled. "Wait, what?" Did she really just say "greater" powers? But how would she...?

"Trucy, I would try some elemental spells here," Cassandra continued. "You just might be able to pull them off!"

"...Spells?" Trucy asked, her eyes lighting up. "You mean real magic?"

Maya sent Trucy a puzzled look at that. "...'Real' magic?"

"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention!" Trucy chirped, striking a vaguely mysterious pose. "I'm a magician!"

"Ooh! You mean like card tricks and stuff?" Maya asked.

"Yep!" Trucy gave a cheerful grin. "That and more!"

Godot began to chuckle weakly at that. "Well then, perhaps you can cast elemental spells here. Many people who come here gain powers, not just spirits. Agent Lang, for example, can cast Light spells."

"Heh. To a degree," Lang added. "I'm still practicing more fancy moves than just firing off bolts, healing, raising barriers, and summoning Light globes."

"That sounds so cool!" Trucy replied, glancing up interestedly at Lang. "I'll have to try it sometime!"

"...Speaking of powers, that reminds me," Apollo spoke up, glancing back at Phoenix. "Just a while ago, you had fire around your wrists..."

"Oh, uh... that's a long story," Phoenix mumbled, adjusting his jacket—again. At that point, Apollo decided it was time to go ahead and say it.

"Also," he pointed out, "every time your mysterious 'abilities' are mentioned, you adjust your jacket. Is that connected somehow?"

"...Uh." This apparently caught Phoenix off-guard, as he immediately let go of his jacket at that.

"Whoa," Maya spoke, her eyes widening in surprise. "He's totally right!"

Lang was apparently quite amused at this, proceeding to bark with laughter. "Haaa ha ha ha ha ha hahaha! Sharp eyes, kid!"

"How'd you do that?" Maya asked, intrigued.

Apollo let out a sigh. "...That's a long story."

Lang smirked at that, turning to Phoenix. "Well, Master Wright, you should show them! Your powers are nothing to be ashamed of. I, for one, am extremely grateful for them, for you saved me from turning into a statistic of a murder case."

Oh yeah... Apollo realized. He mentioned something about Mr. Wright saving his life once...

"Yeah!" Maya chirped, playfully nudging Phoenix in the arm. "Come on, Nick, show them!"

"I must admit I am quite curious as to what this mysterious power of yours is, Herr Wright," Klavier added.

Phoenix paused, glancing around at the interested faces. Then, he let out a sigh. "Alright, fine..."

Apollo stared in confusion at what Phoenix chose to do next: he proceeded to take off his jacket, handing it to Maya to hold. What... is he doing...?

But what came next is what really intrigued Apollo—Phoenix rolled up his right sleeve, revealing that he was wearing some sort of bronze bracelet underneath. It seemed to be clasped on, which was made apparent as he started to take it off.

A bracelet? Apollo thought to himself. I doubt it's like mine... what could it— WHOA!

One Phoenix had taken the bracelet off, much to Apollo's surprise—as well as Trucy's and Klavier's—there was a swirl of magic behind Phoenix, forming into a shape. And then, in a flash of red light, they appeared: large, fiery-colored wings that sprouted out of Phoenix's back.

Phoenix folded the wings in slightly, seeming completely unfazed by the startled reactions. "...Yeah."

Lang gave what appeared to be an actually genuine smile, playfully hitting Phoenix in the arm. "He's a literal phoenix. And he saved my life... among others."

"...A literal phoenix?" Klavier asked, eyes wide. "As in, the mythical birds of legend?"

"Uh-huh!" Maya chirped, poking one of Phoenix's wings. Phoenix himself seemed to have mixed feelings about all the attention, though said nothing on the matter.

"That... is remarkable," was all Klavier could say to that.

Lee gave a pleased smile at this. "Master Wright has been of great help to all of us. He defended me when no one else would, and saved me from being destroyed unto oblivion."

"For which I, too, am eternally grateful as his father," spoke the other canine—apparently Lee's father.

Apollo thought on those words in silence, staring up at Phoenix and his wings. Phoenix Wright... all the tales he'd ever heard said that Wright was a remarkable defense attorney, renowned for saving even cases that seemed lost. Apollo had always respected those tales, but... by the time he became a defense attorney, Phoenix Wright no longer was.

Apollo had never gotten to meet Phoenix as a defense attorney... until that day.

Well, there was no use in passing up this chance.

"...Yeah," Apollo spoke slowly, "you're a real legend among defense attorneys of my generation, Mr. Wright."

Phoenix chuckled sheepishly at that, apparently feeling rather honored. "Wow... really?"

Apollo nodded, deep in thought. "It's remarkable to find one who hasn't heard of you..."

Trucy glanced at Apollo for a brief, silent moment, before turning to Phoenix, grinning. "I had no idea you had wings, uh, Mr. Wright! That's so cool!"

"Wings, healing powers... and revival powers," Godot said with a smile. "At least two of our close friends have been brought back from the spirit world by his strength, and many have been healed." Pausing briefly in thought, he added, "Even I have received healing... phoenix tears can cure even the deadliest of poisons."

Apollo would have exchanged glances with Klavier, but the latter did not return the glance. A cure against deadly poison, huh... that could prove useful.

"The man is a live-saver," Godot continued, "on many, many levels... as an attorney, as a friend, as a phoenix..." He gave a wry smile. "...And he's the third 'generation' of the particular brand of relentlessness in pursuit of the truth, in and out of court. Which as gotten him into plenty of his own trouble." Godot summoned a mug of coffee from seemingly nowhere, taking a sip from it. "Just be sure not to fall into the same traps the two of us did, Wright."

Apollo didn't even need to look to guess what the pulse at his bracelet was about this time. Klavier most certainly wasn't comfortable with the word "trap." Neither was he, for that matter. Both of them knew better than to speak on that, though.

"So he's a legend, eh?" Lee spoke up, conveniently changing the topic. "Well, wait until you meet the legends of our time, and the time before him!" His tail wagged at this, emphasizing his excitement.

...Legends before Phoenix Wright...? Apollo pondered on this. I feel like I should probably know of them, but the names escape me at the moment...

Godot chuckled again, shaking his head. "Hmmm. You will meet those two, if you stay around here... Phoenix's teacher and the man..." His smile faded as he thought on his next words. "...The man whose life... and tragic death... shaped all of our lives..."

"What about you, Apollo?" Maya suddenly asked. "Are you a famous attorney?"

Apollo blinked, not sure what to make of that question. "...Wha?"

Klavier seemed to be amused at this question, made evident as he started to chuckle. "Famous, perhaps, but I'd say you still have quite a way to go before you hit legendary status, Herr Forehead."

Gee, thanks, Apollo thought in response, but decided not to voice.

Godot, meanwhile, seemed to still have his thoughts on something else. He suddenly looked straight at Apollo, which was strangely unnerving with his pure white eyes. "...Mr. Justice, tell me this. Do you consider Klavier Gavin a friend?"

Apollo blinked, rather puzzled by this question. "...What?"

"Aw, of course they're friends!" Trucy chirped. "Right, Polly?"

"...Well, I certainly don't consider him an enemy," was Apollo's reply.

"Oh, that's delightful," Klavier said teasingly. "I'm glad to be such a good non-enemy to you, Herr Forehead."

...That came out a lot more awkward than I intended, didn't it? Apollo realized with a sigh.

Trucy startled to giggle, but was startled by the loud sound of Godot slamming his coffee mug onto the table. "Eep!"

"Then I beg of you," Godot said, "watch his back for him. Far too many times have there been cases where in a friendship between attorneys, one falls to great danger or even loses their life." He frowned, glancing over at Phoenix. "...While it is very unlikely to happen between you two, I know Phoenix can tell you how agonizing it is to have to defend a personal friend in a murder case... especially when that friend is a prosecutor."

There was a brief silence. Apollo glanced across the crowd, noting the frowning faces, before looking back at Godot. "Uh... okay. I'll keep that in mind."

Godot let out a thoughtful sigh. "...You do not understand. I hope you never do. In your future, I wish you success and happiness, the both of you. If you never understood the tragedies of our time because you never experienced them... that would be fine."

As Apollo stared mutely at Godot, more of his words entered into his mind, sounding very weary and sorrowful. "And may you never be cursed with bringing someone you feel indebted to to justice, for that is something you will carry with you the rest of your life."

Apollo mused on these words for a moment, deep in thought. If that was anything to go off of, then having a career in law was bound to lead you down a difficult road. Not that he hadn't already been through his share of challenges, but it made him wonder... what lied ahead for him? What other cases would he have to handle?

"...By the way, Godot," Lang spoke, distracting Apollo from his thoughts. "Where's your visor?"

Godot sighed again, looking up at the ceiling. "...Kristoph has it. Or Dahlia. Likely Kristoph, since Dahlia's dress doesn't have pockets."

Oh joy, Apollo grumbled inwardly. They might be trying to use it as bait...

"But you have extras, right?" Maya asked hopefully.

"Yes, Maya... Iris has them both," Godot said in response. "But I will need that one back eventually. I can't afford to lose any of them, since I have so few."

"Ky hasn't been able to learn how to recreate them yet, and we can't risk taking one of them apart to learn," Cassandra pointed out. "It's a technology from the future, and although we have tech from other worlds in the future she can understand and replicate... that isn't one of them."

Apollo blinked at that, absently wondering what exactly they were supposed to be recreating with the visor. He decided not to ask for now, though.

"I will have to go talk to them about it..." Godot added, letting out a sigh. "I just hope Kristoph and Dahlia aren't both there when it happens, or..." He grabbed at his throat uneasily, which Apollo didn't even need his perceive abilities to interpret.

At that point, Lang turned to Apollo and Klavier, changing the subject. "Well, if you're going to stay around here, you'd best learn who your writer is."

Klavier absently played with his hair as he mused on that. "Writer, huh?"

"Yeah. Otherwise known as the person who summoned you here," Lang explained. "Circumstances as they are, it's probably either PFA or the Ambassador. So the best thing to do would be to go search the places where their associates hang out."

"...I don't think that they're with us," Cassandra spoke thoughtfully. "Their files are not very extensive..." A giddy grin appeared on her face as she added, "Except for Klavier's!"

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Lang barked with laughter. "Somehow, that does not surprise me."

Klavier, naturally, also seemed amused by this, giving that smug chuckle of his. Apollo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Klavier had always been rather popular with females, and he was well aware of it.

"Well, if they're not with you," Phoenix said, getting back to the topic at hand, "then they're probably with PFA, like us."

"Um... okay." Apollo raised a confused eyebrow. "So... what exactly does that mean?"

"Oh, if you're with PFA, we can probably take you to her Dramatis Personae!" Maya chirped. "She's got all this information and stuff there."

"That sounds worth looking into," Klavier said with a smile. "Lead on, Fräulein."

"Oh! Before I forget! Uh..." Apollo turned to Lang, pausing for a thoughtful moment. "...Agent Lang, was it? Did you find anything at the entrance?"

Lang let out a sigh, pressing his hands together in thought. "I promise you I looked, but I didn't really find anything. You guys just... appeared. You didn't wander there from another part of the Forum, that much I can tell you... the scent trail stopped at the entrance to the town."

"Ah." Apollo blinked. That didn't really tell them anything. "Well... nice to know, I guess. Thanks." Turning to the others, he added, "I guess we should get doing now..."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could come with you," Lang spoke, stepping forward. "There are a few things I want to look up in your databases..."

"Sure, I don't mind you coming with us," Phoenix replied as he put his bracelet back on. As he did so, his wings vanished again in another swirl of magic. Apollo jumped, startled at that, but decided not to comment.

"...I should probably return home, too," Godot said softly, deep in thought. "I'm sure she's worried, if she felt the struggle..." He then looked up at the others, a serious look on his face. "...Be careful, all of you. ¿Ustedes comprenden?"

"That means 'do you all understand?'," Lee whispered to them.

Apollo wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. Eventually he settled on, "Yeah... sure."

"See ya, Mr. Godot!" Maya gave a smile. "Tell her I say hi, okay?"

For the first time since they had seen him, Godot grinned happily at that. "I will, Maya. I will."

...Huh. I wonder who "she" is? Apollo wondered, glancing across the crowd and noting all the pleased expressions. He noted that Godot looked rather pleased with himself, absently wondering if he had heard that thought.

And then, all at once, Godot's smile faded. "...Klavier."

Klavier glanced up at him with a curious expression. "Hm?"

"...I know you're very upset with your brother right now," Godot chose to start with. "I do not condone his actions, nor will I ever do so. However... keep in mind that he does care for you. You must remember that... because it is the only thing keeping him human."

Apollo frowned at that, glancing at Klavier. Klavier himself was also frowning, deep in thought at that statement.

"When one becomes blind to all else but hate and vengeance," Godot continued, "that is when they become a demon. I know, because I've been on the brink before... so I can tell you with certainty that as long as he still hesitates and cannot find it in his heart to hurt you... he is still human. Do not forget this."

He left Klavier to ponder these words, starting to glow with a bright white light. He seemed to relax significantly as the light intensified, glowing so brightly that Godot himself was impossible to see in it. And then, moments later, the light faded, taking Godot with it—he was gone.

In the ensuing silence, Phoenix finished buttoning up his jacket, starting to move toward the door. "Well... let's get going, then."

"Yeah!" Trucy smiled, trying to lighten the mood a little. "Come on!"

Phoenix and Maya started toward the café's exit, with Apollo and Trucy following after them. Klavier, meanwhile, stayed behind for a moment, giving Godot's words some time to sink in. It was Lang walking past, putting on a pair of sunglasses, that snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You seem to be greatly troubled by something," Lang told him. "I have a feeling it's not just your brother behind that."

Klavier frowned at that, choosing to remain silent on the matter. Instead, he chose to follow after Lang and the others, accompanying them on their trip to PFA's Dramatis Personae. Hopefully if anywhere was going to provide some real answers, it was there.

To be continued...

[PFA]

More long chapters ahoy!

---

SPOILER: Click to show

After a while of traveling, the group arrived at a building just on the outskirts of Tabloid Town. The building itself was nothing impressive—it was very homey in appearance, with a set of stairs that led up to the porch, and a large multi-slotted mailbox just by the door. Apollo could count three rows of four, making twelve mail slots total, but only half of them seemed to actually be in use.

"Well, this is the place," Phoenix said, walking up to the door of the building.

"It kind of reminds me of an apartment building," Trucy noted. "But... smaller."

"That's kind of what it is, actually," Phoenix replied, swinging the door open—apparently it was unlocked. He then stepped inside, the others following behind him.

Once inside, Apollo took a quick look around. The immediate entrance looked rather like a lounge, with a couple of sofas and a coffee table in the middle, some assorted books and magazines spread out on top. There was also a noticeable hallway off to the right, and in the back of the room was a filing cabinet, next to a doorway that seemed to lead into a kitchen.

One of the people in the room—a woman with rather striking green hair, but more noticeable were the ant-like antennae coming out of the top of her head—looked up from her book at Phoenix when he entered the room. "Well, hello there. Nice to see you drop by."

"NICK! Buddy!" came a shout, as a rather energetic-looking young man sprung up from his seat, running over eagerly to greet Phoenix and the others. He had a head of light brown hair, and beady brown eyes.

"Gah! Larry!" Phoenix yelped, taking a startled step backward.

Lang made a face at the man—Larry—sharply taking off his sunglasses. "Watch out for this one," he muttered to Klavier, before turning to Phoenix. "Try not to let him do anything stupid enough to get himself arrested right now. Now is not the time."

"Aw, come on!" Larry insisted. "I'm not gonna... eh?" He glanced past his friend, looking back at Apollo and the others. "Who're these guys?"

Klavier raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what to make of this man just yet. "I'm Klavier Gavin."

"Uh... and I'm Apollo Justice," Apollo added, also seeming a bit wary.

Trucy, meanwhile, gave a friendly smile. "And I'm Trucy!"

"Cool! I'm Larry." Larry rolled up the sleeve of his overly large jacket, so he could offer a hand to shake. "Nice to meet'cha!"

Lang pushed past Larry, rolling his eyes and turning his attention to the ant woman on the sofa. "Where are the files? There's something I need to look up."

"Right over there," the ant woman replied, jerking a thumb toward the filing cabinet. "Profiles are in the top drawer."

"Thanks," Lang said, giving a slight smile as he strode over to the filing cabinet, proceeding to open the top drawer and look through the files inside.

While Lang was doing that, Apollo and Trucy decided to move further into the room, taking a better look around. As far as they could tell, Larry and the ant woman were the only ones in the room besides them, though there was the faint sound of someone playing some kind of instrument coming from somewhere down the hall.

A chirping sound prompted Apollo and Trucy to glance down at the ground in front of their feet. What they saw was a bunch of, much to their surprise, crickets, staring up at Trucy with big expectant eyes.

"Aw!" Trucy cooed, crouching down to examine the crickets. They chirped happily as she did so, hopping up onto her outstretched hand. "This place is so interesting!"

Yeah, that's one way to put it, Apollo thought, raising an eyebrow.

The ant woman set her book down on the arm of the sofa, standing and walking over to greet Apollo and Trucy. As she did so, it became more noticeable that she also had large insect wings sprouting from her back. "So, you the new guys around here or something?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Apollo said in response. "We came here because someone said something about a PFA being our writer and supposedly summoning us here."

"Makes sense. PFA's always bringing interesting new people around here." The ant woman crossed her arms, looking Apollo up and down. "Name's Kindleflare, by the way."

What an odd name, Apollo thought, but decided not to voice. The impression he got from this Kindleflare woman was that he didn't want to make her mad.

"Nice to meet you!" Trucy chirped, standing up straight with a cricket still in her hand. "I'm Trucy."

"So I hear," Kindleflare responded. "Nice meeting you. So, um... I guess I should probably be introducing you to everyone or something?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," Apollo responded, glancing behind Kindleflare to notice Lang pulling three files out of the filing cabinet, sitting down on a couch and leafing through them contemplatively. Apollo raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly he was looking at.

"Alright. Most of the lawyer types are never here, but chances are you know them already anyway..." Kindleflare told them, moving over toward the hallway. "Let's see..."

As Kindleflare disappeared into the hall, Larry decided to wander up to Klavier, seeking conversation topics. "So hey! You look like some kind of rock fanatic or something."

"You could say that," Klavier replied, giving a smug smile. "I do believe I was rather famous as the lead of the Gavinners rock band."

"WHOA! No way!" Larry yelped, eyes wide. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah..." Apollo trailed off, glancing back at Lang, who was now clutching rather tightly at the file in his hand, scowling at it. Apollo gave a slight concerned frown. "Um... is something wrong?"

"...Tch. You could say that," Lang replied, laying the file out on the table to look at. "...Relations within the Ring will have gotten quite a bit more complicated with Kristoph's arrival... because of who the other members are."

"...What do you mean?" Apollo asked, wandering closer to get a better look at the file. Trucy and Klavier came up behind him, while Larry gave a shrug and wandered off to start a conversation with Phoenix and Maya.

Lang glanced up from the file to look at Apollo. "...You're from the future, right? Well, you don't know the threats from our time. Or... at least not as intimately as we do." He scowled as he spoke, placing a hand on his heart. "The other members... are very dangerous. They will kill, given the chance..."

Apollo frowned, gently reaching over and touching his bracelet as Lang spoke. Right at the word 'kill,' Agent Lang tensed, tightening his hand into a fist. "...Was that what you meant," Apollo asked, "when you said Mr. Wright saved your life?"

"...Yeah." Lang gave a heavy sigh, tapping the file on the table with a scowl. "This man was the one who shot me. Right to the heart... Dark magic."

Apollo looked down at the file curiously, feeling his stomach clench slightly as he looked at the picture. He had seen that man before. Or, at least, he had seen that face before—it was the same face that frightening science abomination they had encountered in the alley had.

But looking at this picture, seeing the smirk on the man's face and the pistol in his hand... he was pretty sure the real man was even scarier than his twisted clones could ever be.

"My death... was not instantaneous," Lang continued. "It was another member, one of the core members, who tied me down, so to speak... made it so I could not dodge." He scowled again, clutching at his jacket. "I will never forget the pain..."

"Oh wow..." Trucy spoke softly, frowning. "That must have been terrible..."

"...They're all dangerous spirits, and very difficult to fight," Lang told them, pressing his hands together in thought. "...But I'm not sure how Kristoph's addition will change the dynamic of how they work. If he gets along with them, then we're in a lot of trouble... Phoenix specifically. But if not... then it is likely Klavier who is in danger, as well as Phoenix. And Kristoph himself, but... that's secondary."

Klavier frowned at that, deep in thought. As he was thinking on this, Lang scooped the file up off the table, handing it to Klavier so he could get a closer look at it.

"This is the one who's constantly opposing the Edgeworths," Lang explained. "He is armed with at least two weapons by summon, and a number of spells. He and Revenge work closely together... Revenge has taught him most of what he knows, I think."

Apollo glanced over Klavier's shoulder, Trucy doing likewise. Apollo didn't catch much of what the file itself said, but he did notice the name. A name with many terrifying tales attached to it—Manfred von Karma.

"He really hates defense attorneys, or at least he used to, so I'm not sure how he'll put up with Kristoph," Lang continued, putting a hand to his chin. "He might take to accepting one of his own kind... and the fact that they're both German would probably facilitate that. You Germans are big on the whole idea of the Volk..."

"Mmh," Klavier did, looking thoughtfully over the file. He muttered something to himself that Apollo couldn't understand—it was probably German.

Lang sighed again, pressing his hands together in thought. "On the other hand, if he and Kristoph get into arguments... I fear that you may be caught in the middle, Prosecutor Gavin."

Klavier looked up from the file, frowning. "...Me?"

"Yes, you," Lang responded, scowling. "Your brother may hesitate to shed your blood... but von Karma? I doubt he would give the same favor."

Klavier contemplated on that for a silent moment, handing the file back to Lang. "I... I see..."

Lang accepted the file back with a frown. "There's another member of the Ring, Dahlia Hawthorne... but I don't carry her file on me. I would need to fetch it from the Ambassador if you want to see it. I can say that it is quite clear those two are already getting along... based on what they've done to Mr. Armando so far."

Trucy frowned at that. "...What do you mean?"

"Well first off, Kristoph would not have known of Armando's achilles' heel unless she had told him of it," Lang explained, making a face. "And I'm sure they would get along... she had seven intended victims in her string of murders... Mr. Armando among them, and he paid a heavy price for it. And she, too, used poison as her weapon of choice... yes, I'm certain they will be working closely together."

"...This just gets better and better, doesn't it," Apollo grumbled.

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You're starting to see what I have to deal with every day here!" Lang laughed, almost bitterly. "The five— no, six members of the Ring of Darkness are the most dangerous people you'll come across here... with one exception..." For a sudden but brief moment, his expression shifted into one of pure terror. He ran his fingers through his hair, choosing not to dwell on that topic. "B-but that, that's a discussion for another day! Yes! Another day!"

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier exchanged concerned glances, but decided to respect Agent Lang's wishes, and chose not to ask.

After a pause to calm himself down, Lang let out a sigh. "...Another thing to keep in mind is that the three core members of the Ring, known simply as The Three, are unkillable. They cannot be destroyed, because they are personifications of emotion, just like Lee and his father are." With a frown, he added, "And they corrupt even the best of men..."

"...Personifications of emotion?" Apollo asked, not sure what exactly that implied.

"Yes. Rumor has it, whenever you feel the emotion they are aligned to, they are there," Lang explained. "For example... you would be hard-pressed to find a single glory-seeker that didn't have some form of contact with Amber Ereshkigal... Ambition. It really seems to be a problem among those with power over life and death, especially.

"...Then there's Avery Midas," he continued. "A dangerous dragon, Greed is often underestimated... but his sorts are the assassins, the mercenaries, the tomb-raiders and thieves... the dishonest businessmen, blackmailers... and those who will do anything for wealth. Very unsavory people.

"And, of course, Patrick Vendetta..." Lang practically spat the name, almost seeming to radiate hatred as he spoke. "Revenge Vendetta... head of the Vendetta line, and the worst..." He faltered, letting out a sigh to calm himself down. "...I could go on a very lengthy discourse about him, but... I won't. I... can tell you that he can push a person over the edge of reason into madness... and because of that, many men, good and bad, have fallen to Darkness..."

"...Fallen to Darkness..." Klavier mumbled, frowning in thought. Apollo glanced up at him sympathetically for a moment, but decided not to press the point.

"Yeah, it can get pretty rough chasing that Ring down..." Lang admitted, glancing down at the two remaining files on the table. "Thank goodness for our Angel allies..."

Trucy perked up at this, an intrigued glint in her eyes. "Did you say... Angels?"

"Hiiii!" came a voice from behind them, distracting Lang from whatever he was about to say.

"GAH!" Apollo yelped, startled by the voice, whirling around to see who it was. He then ended up having to look down, to be greeted by what appeared to be a young humanoid cat girl, with tan fur covering her skin. Interestingly enough, she also had short, light brown hair on her head, and was looking up at him with big green eyes.

"You're Polly, right?" the cat girl asked, her fluffy tail swishing back and forth. "PFAmommy told me a bit about you!"

Apollo raised an eyebrow at this. "...'Mommy'?"

"I told you I'd introduce you to the gang, right?" came the voice of Kindleflare. Apollo looked up to see her standing in the hall she'd disappeared into earlier, with... what strangely resembled a thirteen-year-old Edgeworth with dark blue hair standing beside her. Gesturing to the cat girl, Kindleflare added, "This is Cheryl."

"Aw, how cute!" Trucy chirped, bending down to Cheryl's eye level. "Hey, you wanna see a magic trick?"

"Ooh! Okay!" Cheryl replied, clapping her paws together eagerly.

Trucy grinned widely, dashing over to a less crowded part of the room, where everyone in the room could see her. Naturally, in doing so, she attracted the attention of everyone in the room, giving herself a full audience. Her eager smile indicated that she was very pleased by this.

"Well now, what kind of great magician would I be if I didn't have a partner?" she spoke, putting her hands on her hips and standing as tall as she could. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our friend, Mr. Hat!"

Upon saying this, much to the surprise of most, a roughly human-sized, puppet-like structure emerged from her cloak, moving into an upright position beside her. As it did so, it reached over with a wooden arm and swiped Trucy's hat from her head, placing it on its own.

"Well, I say!" came the supposed voice of Mr. Hat. "Quite the colorful crowd we've got here!"

"Whoa!" Maya yelped, eyes widening in surprise. She stared back at Trucy's cloak in confusion, as if trying to figure out where the puppet had come from.

"Wow! That's so cool!" Cheryl exclaimed, staring up happily at Mr. Hat.

"Impressive!" Lang added, also looking rather pleased. Though from the look in his eyes, Apollo was vaguely certain he was more glad for the distraction than anything else.

"Hee hee!" Trucy giggled, pleased with the audience's reaction.

"Oh yes, I'd be quite willing to sign autographs afterward," Mr. Hat added.

"Whoa..." spoke the blue-haired boy, seeming stunned as he wandered closer to get a better look. "Is this some kind of enchantment or something?"

"Doubt it," Kindleflare replied, leaning against the door frame and raising an eyebrow. "More like some... really complicated trick."

"Oh, come now!" Trucy said with a teasing smile. "You know a magician never reveals her secrets!"

"Ooh, a magician? How neat!"

Apollo and Klavier, and more noticeably, Trucy, jumped in surprise at the sound of the voice, immediately turning to find the source of it. Sure enough, they saw a girl from the hallway, with long brown hair, part of it being pulled into a bun on the top of her head. She also wore a white labcoat, and a pair of forensic goggles on her head.

"Magic shows are always interesting to watch!" the girl spoke with a smile. Apollo, Trucy and Klavier recognized this girl as a younger version of someone they knew—Detective Ema Skye.

"Oh my!" came the voice of Mr. Hat. "If it isn't Ms. Skye!"

After hearing that, Apollo had to hold back a grimace. Shut up, Mr. Hat. I mean, Trucy.

It was too late, though, as made evident by the puzzled look on Ema's face. "...Huh? How do you know my name?"

"Um... magician's secret!" Trucy replied, forcing a grin. Phoenix sent her a brief puzzled glance, but decided it wasn't worth questioning, much to their relief.

"Hello, Ms. Skye," Lang spoke, smiling back at Ema. "Come to join us for the show?"

"Uh-huh!" Ema chirped, the smile returning to her face. "I heard there were newcomers, so I came to meet them."

"Well, what wonderful timing!" said Mr. Hat. "You're just in time to see Trucy Gramarye and the great Mr. Hat!"

This, to Apollo's dismay, caught Lang's attention, causing him to tense up in disbelief. "...Gramarye?!"

"...Gramarye?" Ema tilted her head in confusion. "Wasn't that that one famous troupe of magicians?"

"...Troupe Gramarye, yes," Klavier spoke, almost emotionlessly.

Oh great, Apollo thought, noticing the expression on Klavier's face. Trucy, maybe we should have a talk on how to not bring these things up...

"Oh, um... yeah," Trucy spoke, catching Apollo's glance. "It's a long story."

Lang pressed his hands together, muttering to himself as he thought on this. "...Gramarye... they... had a poster... the Amano case again..." He paused, stopping to massage his temples with a sigh. "This really is going to be disorienting when I return to Terra for a long length of time... deja vu everywhere."

"Ah yes, but we need not get into details right now, do we?" spoke Mr. Hat, thankfully changing the subject. "Miss Trucy, any more magic tricks to show them?"

"Oh, of course!" Trucy chirped, pausing to think of another trick to show. "Let's see..."

"Ooh, ooh!" Larry spoke up, sticking his hand in the air. "Can you make a rabbit come out of your hat?"

"Rabbits?" Lang spoke up, thankfully distracted from his thoughts. He chuckled, giving a toothy grin. "Might not want to let one of those loose in this town... what with all the wolves here, it would turn into a snack."

"Well, I'm sure there's something in there! Let's see!" Trucy smiled, looking up at her wooden partner. "Mr. Hat, can I see that hat?"

"But this is my best hat!"

"Hee hee! Come on, I'll give it back, silly!"

"Oh, if you must..."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, watching as Trucy swiped the hat off of Mr. Hat's head. She's sure having fun with this.

Once Trucy had the hat, she reached inside, fishing around for a moment. "Let's see... there has to be something in here. Maybe..."

With a smile, Trucy knelt down, placing the hat down on the ground, right side up. Then she gently tapped the top of the hat, leaving it there for a moment before picking it up again. As she did so, some of the crickets from before emerged from under the hat, chirping triumphantly.

"Yay!" Cheryl cheered, clapping her paws together excitedly.

Lang let out a laugh, applauding Trucy also. "Well done, Ms. Gramarye! Well done, indeed."

Trucy giggled, reaching up and placing the hat back on Mr. Hat's head. Mr. Hat seemed grateful to accept it. "Oh my! Sure is nice to get all those crickets out of my hat!"

"Thank you, thank you!" Trucy proclaimed, giving a bow.

"Do you have any more tricks?" Cheryl asked, tail still swishing back and forth.

Trucy stood up straight, smiling broadly. "But of course! Let's see..."

As Trucy continued with her magic show, Kindleflare took a quick look around the room, noting all the interested faces of the crowd. "I have the feeling she's going to be quite the popular one around here."

"Well, I can imagine so," Lang told her. "You'd be hard-pressed to find decent people who don't appreciate a good magic show."

"True enough," Kindleflare admitted, turning to watch the rest of the show.

The show continued on for a while, with Trucy showing some of her favorite magic tricks. Or, at least, what limited set of tricks she had available without all of her equipment handy. Apollo could tell she didn't have as many options as usual, as it wasn't much longer before she chose to end the show, with Mr. Hat retreating back into her cloak.

"Well, that's it for today," she said, putting her hat back on. "But keep your eyes peeled for more later!"

"Yay!" Cheryl continued to clap, having been very much entertained.

The blue-haired boy, meanwhile, just seemed kind of mesmerized by the whole display. "How does she do that?"

"Good luck getting her to tell you," Lang told him with a smirk. "They just don't tell, not unless it's a life-or-death matter and you know half the answer already."

"That's right!" Trucy said with a grin. "It's a magician's secret!"

Apollo, meanwhile, made a specific point not to respond to that particular comment. "Anyway, so, um..."

"Oh! We never introduced ourselves, did we?" Ema said, turning to Apollo and Klavier. "I'm Ema."

"And I'm Hasaki," the blue-haired boy, Hasaki, added with a smile. The crickets also gave some cheery chirps, as if in greeting.

"Nice, uh, meeting you," Apollo replied, adjusting his hair sheepishly. "I'm Apollo."

Klavier gave a smug smile, brushing his own hair back in a rather flamboyant manner. "Klavier Gavin. Nice to meet you all."

"Oh, goodness!" Lang yelped, suddenly standing. "Where are my manners? I don't think I ever introduced myself to you either, Prosecutor Gavin. Agent Shi-Long Lang, from the House of Lang in Zheng Fa." With a grin, he added, "Interpol."

"Interpol, huh?" Klavier noted. "I've worked rather closely with them on some cases."

"I can imagine you have," Lang replied, giving a pleased smile. "I came here with my one hundred subordinates... been here most of the time since then. I've gone back to Terra a few times, but..." He grinned again. "...The hunt is here."

Trucy tilted her head curiously. "...The hunt?"

"And what a hunt it is! If only it weren't in my nature to not let go once I sink my teeth into something..." Lang replied, his expression shifting to a thoughtful one. "I've taken up the nearly impossible task of helping track the R.O.D.'s movements."

"R.O.D."... "Ring of Darkness," I guess, Apollo realized.

"At least I'm in a better situation than what I came here with," Lang continued. "I have—" He paused, frowning in realization. "...Oh. It would probably be in our best interests to get you all some new outfits from Ky."

Apollo blinked in confusion. "...New outfits?"

"Yeah," Lang replied, "you'll all be wanting something enchanted that can repel and/or absorb Dark magic attacks... especially of the projectile kind. It could end up saving your lives... or at least a lot of pain."

"But... I like this outfit," Trucy told him, absently fiddling with her cape.

Lang glanced at Trucy thoughtfully, as if analyzing her. "...I suppose you would be alright with just an amulet..."

"Oh, speaking of amulets..." Apollo reached into his pocket, fishing out the amulet Lang had given him a while ago. "You gave this to me, not sure if you want it back..."

"Oh, thanks." Lang accepted it back with a smile, holding it up demonstratively. "This is an emergency teleportation amulet. It takes you to the place where all of the Ambassador's associates hang out... that place is heavily protected, and it's not easy to get in if you have ill intentions."

...Emergency teleportation. That would have been nice to know earlier, Apollo thought, making a face.

"I got the Ambassador and Cassy to make some more for you guys." Lang pulled three identical amulets out of his pocket, handing them out. "You press the center—there's a button there—and teleportation is instantaneous."

"Ooh, cool!" Trucy said, examining the amulet with interest. "Thanks!"

Apollo raised a puzzled eyebrow as he watched Klavier take his amulet. "Wait... how did you know to make one for Mr. Gavin?"

"I didn't, actually. It was the Ambassador who insisted I'd need three," Lang told him, raising an eyebrow in turn. "Don't ask me how she knew, because I have no idea."

Kindleflare gave a shrug. "Who knows. Writers are weird that way."

"Anyway, as I was saying. New outfits." Lang glanced over at Trucy. "Like I said, you'll probably be fine with just an amulet. You, on the other hand..." He pointed to Klavier, scowling. "...For you, I would suggest an entire set, just like what Edgeworth has."

Klavier gazed back at Lang, almost emotionlessly. "To... protect against Dark magic."

"...Yes. Dark magic." Lang lowered his arm with a displeased frown. "You guys haven't been exposed to it much yet... you've only run into Godot, Lee, and Kristoph. Even outside of the Ring, however... there are plenty of Dark users. And when they get angry... you'll know. You'll feel it." With a sigh, he added. "...And that's without them really doing anything."

There was silence for a moment, allowing Apollo to ponder on this. Is there really so much Darkness in this place? It makes it all sound so... ominous.

Lang, noticing the look on Apollo's face, gave a reassuring smile. "But don't be too gloomy. We do have allies, you know."

Klavier perked up at that. "...Allies?"

"Yeah! Lots of allies!" Maya stepped forward, smiling brightly. "Sis, Mr. Edgeworth..."

"The two good Vendettas, Master Beren... and Godot," Lang added, crossing his arms. "Those are the spirits. And there are those living, as well. You haven't met them all yet."

"...Huh," was Apollo's response to that. "Sounds like there's still a lot we don't know about this place.

"Frankly, I'm not sure one ever stops learning new things about this place," Kindleflare told him.

Lang gave a slight smile. "You have a lot to learn, kid... but you've got sharp eyes and a quick mind. I think you'll pick things up fairly quickly."

"Hee hee! That's Polly for you!" Trucy said, nudging Apollo playfully. Apollo chuckled sheepishly at that.

"Yes," Klavier replied, giving his own smile. "I'm certain we'll be able to learn what we need to know in time."

Lang just nodded at that, proceeding to gather up the files that he left on the table. Apollo watched as the Agent picked up two of them, then paused, glancing thoughtfully at the last file on the table. Apollo blinked, glancing down to see what the file was, but Lang had scooped it up before he got the chance to read the name.

"So, uh," Kindleflare spoke, distracting him from his thoughts, "anything else you wanted while you're still here?"

"Oh, yeah," Apollo replied, turning to her. "Well, mostly we just came here because... um... something about PFA probably being our writer?"

"Ah, right. You mentioned that earlier." Kindleflare glanced away in thought. Or possibly disinterest, it was hard to tell. "Well, I can ask her about it the next time I see her. Though I'd be pretty surprised if you weren't; she just added a profile section she hasn't labeled or explained yet, which basically means newcomers on the way."

"Hey, maybe you'll be hanging out here, and you can show us all your magic tricks!" Larry piped up with a grin.

"Hee hee! Maybe!" was Trucy's cheery reply.

Meanwhile, Lang had put the three files back in their proper place in the drawer, closing it with a thoughtful look on his face. "...'And this will be your blessing and your curse—you favored by the writers will see those you never thought were possible, those you never thought you would see, and those you never thought to see again'..."

Apollo glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"...Nothing," Lang responded, pulling his sunglasses out of his pocket and looking down at them. "Just something I was told before coming here." He paused, putting the sunglasses on. "...It's of no importance."

There was silence for a moment as Lang moved toward the door. Apollo glanced at Phoenix briefly, noting that he had that look in his eyes that indicated Lang was probably hiding something. Apollo decided not to comment, though, unsure what it meant.

"So then..." Klavier spoke, breaking the silence. "Our next step, I assume, would be to seek out this Ky and speak with her on the protection you mentioned, ja?"

"Yes," Lang replied. "She travels a bit frequently, since she does have business in her home world that she occasionally needs to take care of, but... if she's not at the Café or the surrounding buildings, like the Hotel, then she's probably with the good Detective."

"...The detective?" Apollo asked, absently glancing over at Ema.

"Oh, you mean Detective Gumshoe?" Ema piped up. "He stopped by here earlier to get some things, and then went to have a picnic."

"Oh! Do you happen to know where he went?" Trucy asked.

"I think so!" Ema said in response. "I could probably take you there if you want."

"That'd be great!" Trucy grinned. "Thanks, Ema!"

"No problem!" Ema replied, with a cheery smile.

Apollo blinked, rather startled by Ema's almost uncharacteristically perky behavior. This is going to take so long to get used to...

"Great," Lang said with a smile, stopping in front of the door. "Well, if you want me to stick around, I can do that. If not, I'll get out of your hair and let you be on your way. Wouldn't want to intrude."

"Well, whatever you wish, Agent," Klavier replied. "But I'm sure you have your own duties, which we wouldn't want to keep you from."

"...You're right," Lang spoke, his smile fading. "I need to speak to Mr. Armando about the attack... get what intel I can on your brother." He paused for a moment, thinking of what else to say. "...Don't forget your amulets, should something happen. I... I'm off to the temple Iris is at. She'll be able to call him."

"...Alright," Apollo said, watching Lang turn and walk out the door. "Good luck."

The door swung closed behind Lang, and then there was silence for a moment. It was Ema who broke the silence, giving a smile. "Well, let's go, then!"

"Oh... right." Apollo followed after Ema as she went outside, Trucy and Klavier doing likewise. Once they were outside, he paused for a confused moment, noticing that Phoenix and Maya had followed them out. "Um... are you two coming with us?"

"No, we'll probably be heading off," Phoenix replied. "I've got some work I need to do."

"Oh, okay," Trucy said, giving a friendly smile. "See you around!"

"See ya!" Maya called, waving at Apollo and the others as she and Phoenix headed off into the distance.

"Let's see..." Ema spoke up, once they were out of earshot. "I think the park was this way."

And with that, Ema started walking off into the distance. Apollo paused for a moment, letting her get ahead, before following from a comfortable distance behind her, beckoning the others to do likewise.

To be continued...

---

Incidentally, check my actual DP thread for mentioned pickshurs and other funstuff. :U

[PFA]

Whoa this is like two days late. But here's chapter six, finally! Nice short one for y'all. :U

---

SPOILER: Click to show

"So, um... Ema," Apollo spoke up, as the four of them moved through the streets of the suburb. "It's... forensics science you're into, right?"

"Uh-huh!" was her reply. "I'm taking my classes right now. When I graduate, I'm going to apply to be a scientific investigator."

"Oh. That's... nice." Apollo shifted awkwardly, deciding not comment further. So this wasn't just before Phoenix Wright lost his badge, it was also before Ema became a detective. That was good to keep in mind.

"Yeah, I've been working hard on my homework," Ema continued. "It can be tough, but I know I'll make it if I try!"

"Yes, well... best of luck in your endeavors, Fräulein," Klavier told her, before deciding to change the subject. "So how long have you been here at this Forum?"

"Oh, just under a year now, I think," was Ema's response. "It's a nice place, though a lot different than back home. You get used to it after a while, though."

Yeah... so I'm told, Apollo thought to himself. He was starting to wonder just long it would take, what with all the weird things he kept seeing around here. Cheery Ema Skyes, for example.

"Anyway, I think I can see Ky and Detective Gumshoe up ahead!" Ema said, pointing out something up ahead.

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier looked ahead into the distance, managing to spot two vague figures off in the distance. They seemed to be, as they had been told, sitting and enjoying a picnic, with an assortment of foods all around them.

"...Because there's nothing like hunting it yourself, you know?" came Ky's voice, once they came into earshot of the two.

"Sounds good, pal!" came another voice, presumably Detective Gumshoe's. "I'll have to remember that for later."

Once Ema could see the two of them chowing down on some pasta, confirming that they were who she thought they were, she gave a pleased smile. "Yep! There they are, right over there."

"Thanks a bunch, Ema," Apollo said, smiling back at her. "Maybe I'll get you a bag of Snackoos sometime."

Ema blinked in confusion. "A bag of what?"

Oh, I guess she hasn't started eating them yet... Apollo realized. "Um... fried dough cakes. Let's just say I think you'll like them."

"...Huh. Sounds interesting!" Ema admitted.

"Come on," Trucy urged, tugging on Apollo's sleeve again. "Let's go talk to them!"

The two of them moved toward the small picnic, with Klavier and Ema following after them. As they got closer to the picnickers, it became more apparent that while Ky's back was toward them, the detective was sitting opposite of her, facing them—albeit distracted by his pasta at the time.

"Yeah, I bet I could give it a try!" Gumshoe exclaimed, gazing at his bowl for a moment before looking up at Ky. He then raised a confused eyebrow, spotting the newcomers behind Ky and glancing up at them.

"Yeah!" Ky chirped. "It'll be grea...?" Her voice trailed off, noticing the confused expression on Gumshoe's face. She paused for a moment, then set her food down, turning around to see what Gumshoe was looking at.

"Hello," Klavier spoke, as Ky's gaze shifted up to his face. "We were hoping we could—"

Before Klavier could even finish the sentence, Ky broke out into a loud, ear-piercing squeal. "IT'S KLAVIER GAVIN!" she exclaimed, immediately zooming over to greet them. "Ohmigosh I didn't know you were here when did you get here?!"

While the others stammered back, startled, Klavier just chuckled, cooly flicking his bangs out of his eyes. "Just today, actually. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"A pleasure to meet you too, sir!" Ky replied, putting her hands behind her back with a giddy smile. "I'm Kyrouge, but you can call me Ky."

"And I'm Detective Gumshoe!" the detective in question piped in cheerily. "Who are you?"

"Oh, uh. I'm Apollo Justice," Apollo replied sheepishly.

Trucy gave a friendly smile. "I'm Trucy."

"And I'm Klavier Gavin," Klavier added.

"Nice meeting ya, pals!" Gumshoe said with a grin. "Want some pasta? We've got plenty?"

"Oh, uh, not right now, thanks," was Apollo's reply. "We came here to see Ky, actually."

Ky smiled at that. "Is there something I can help you with? If you were looking for us, it's either something investigative or some other practical problem." With a big grin, she added, "Unless you just wanted to meet us, which I won't discount, though it's unlikely... hee!"

"Well actually," Klavier told her, leaning over as he looked down at the little dragon. "There was something we wanted..."

Apollo rolled his eyes at Klavier, clearing his throat. "Agent Lang was talking about getting us protection against Dark magic."

"I suspected as much. I do make them for the newcomers," was Ky's response. "Oh! By the way, Polly, these are for you."

Ky reached over and scooped something up from among her things, handing it over to Apollo. Apollo raised an eyebrow as he realized what he was being handed—a pair of cable cords. "Um... what's this for?"

"Hee hee. It's your 'Chords of Steel,' Polly," Ky told him.

Apollo made a face. "...Oh. Har har."

"It suits you, Polly!" Trucy said with a giggle.

Ky gave an amused smile for a moment, before turning her attention back to the others. "But yeah, I can make you come outfits. The question is, how much of an outfit will you want, and if you'll be needing additional amulets, or just the amulets..."

"Well, Agent Lang said I'd be fine with just a regular amulet so I don't have to change my clothes," Trucy explained. "...And then he said that Prosecutor Gavin should have a full set."

Klavier let out a sigh. "...So he did, yes."

"That sounds about right," Ky said with a nod. Then she paused, a confused expression on her face. "...Why would he need a whole set, though? It's no problem, but not very common... the only other person who has one is my boss, Master Miles Edgeworth."

"...It's a long tale I'd rather not get into right now, Fräulein Kyrouge," was Klavier's only response.

"...Oh. I see." Ky frowned, apparently getting the gist of the message. She then glanced up at them, looking at them in a calculating fashion. "I suppose I'll make the jackets, first... tends to be the most important, anyway..." She glanced up at Klavier, a smile spreading across her face. "Although... there is something I can do right now..."

Klavier raised an eyebrow at the glint in Ky's eyes, following her gaze down to the G-shaped necklace around his neck. "...What, exactly, do you have in mind?"

"Well," she told him, "I can enchant that necklace for you, sir, to raise a barrier if a Dark attack comes within a certain area around you. It's not as strong as amulets I make myself, but probably still worth it."

"...A barrier, huh?" Klavier mused on this for a moment. "I could see the use in that."

"Well, I can do the enchantment now," Ky said with a smile. "It would be easier if you took it off, though..." Her expression morphed into an annoyed scowl. "You're all kind of... tall."

Klavier couldn't help but chuckle at that. He carefully removed the necklace, crouching down and handing it to Ky. "Well, alright, but be sure to give it back."

Ky gave a broad grin as she was handed the necklace, pausing for a moment to examine it. She then closed her eyes and started to concentrate, glowing in shifting colors of the sand, snow, sky, and sea, as she chanted in an unknown language.

"Whoa..." Trucy mumbled in awe, watching the necklace start to glow an ocean blue. The sound of music hummed in the air, giving off a sense of great longing for the sea.

This lasted for a few moments, before finally Ky's chanting trailed off, the glowing and music starting to fade with it. Once it had all subsided, Ky opened her eyes again, holding the necklace up for Klavier to take back. "There."

"Danke," he said with a smile, gratefully accepting it back. "I appreciate it."

Ky squeaked quietly in glee. "You're welcome, sir! It's a pretty strong enchantment; the only things stronger that I can do are the ones where I also work the enchantment into it as I make it, resulting in a double enchantment."

Huh. That sounds like it takes a lot of effort, Apollo noted inwardly.

Then, with a mischievous smile, Ky pulled out a measuring tape. "Now then... unless you two happen to have all your measurements handy, I'll need to take some of my own so I make stuff that fits you guys."

Suddenly, Apollo felt a wave of awkward come over him. "Uh..."

Klavier, meanwhile, seemed amused at this, fiddling with his hair. "I'm afraid I don't. You'll have to take your own."

"Hee. Alright, hold still, then!" Ky held out her measuring tape, approaching the two boys.

Ema and Trucy, the latter of whom seemed vaguely amused, moved out of the way, giving Ky some room. Apollo felt rather awkward about the whole ordeal, but decided not to protest.

A few uncomfortable moments later, Ky finished with the measurements, jotting them down on a notepad. "Well then. I should have the clothes made within a week, since I'll make them in Portal Hall." Her smile fading, she added, "Until then... be extra careful to be safe, and be sure to call on help from allies if you need it."

Klavier nodded at that, smiling. "Thank you, Fräulein. Your help is appreciated."

"Always happy to help!" Ky chirped in response. "I also do blacksmith work, technological analysis and repair... and investigative work. I'm Gummy's partner, you see."

"That's right, pal!" Gumshoe piped up happily.

Apollo raised an eyebrow, watching Gumshoe continue to chow down on his pasta. Partners in eating, too, apparently.

Ky giggled as she caught the look in Apollo's eye. "Oh, yeah. I also cook."

"Yeah! She made most of this food, see," Gumshoe pointed out.

"...Ah," was Apollo's response. "I guess that makes sense."

"Technically I work for Mr. Edgeworth, but he doesn't give many orders," Ky continued, tilting her head in thought. "So I tend to do a lot of requests for Agent Lang since I have the time."

"Ooh, that's so neat!" Trucy commented with a smile.

Apollo just nodded, deciding to change the subject. "Well... I think that's about it for now. I guess we should probably head back... uh, somewhere." He paused, putting a hand to his chin in thought. We don't know how to get back home... can we get back home?

"Maybe we can head back to the main square?" Trucy suggested, interrupting his thoughts. "We could explore the suburb a bit!"

At this, Ky's expression suddenly turned serious, her wings flaring in warning. "E-explore the suburb if you want, guys, but stay in Tabloid Town! There's dangerous things out there!"

Trucy took a startled step back at the sudden fervor. "Um... o-okay?"

"I'm serious..." Ky insisted, her wings drooping. "There's demons, and... and crazy scientists who like to torture people... so h-horrible..." She shuddered, as if at some particular memory. "Just... d-don't go out there!"

Apollo's eyes widened in horror at that. Oh wow... is it really that dangerous?

"Th-that sounds so scary..." Trucy admitted, frowning. "We'll be careful!"

Ky started to relax herself, letting out a sigh. "So, um... yeah. Don't go there." Straightening herself, she added, "I'll see you later, I guess."

"Alright, well..." Trucy managed a smile, turning to walk away. "See ya!"

"See ya! I'm going to head back to the Dramatis Personae," Ema added, as she started off to do just that.

"Alright then," Apollo said, waving to Ema as she walked off. Then, he started following after Trucy, beckoning Klavier to follow. "Come on, guys, let's go."

"See ya around, pals!" Gumshoe called out, waving to the three of them as they walked off. They waved back at him, watching as he and Ky eventually faded out of sight.

"Well, that sure was nice of her to help out like that!" Trucy spoke up, looking back at the others as she continued to walk.

"Yeah," Apollo admitted, turning his own gaze over to Klavier. "Nice of her to do a favor like that, without even charging anything, even."

Klavier raised a vaguely amused eyebrow. "Why is everyone looking at me now? It's not like I'm the only one she's helping."

"Yeah, but that enchantment she did was cool!" Trucy chirped. "Did you see all those colors? Ooh, it would be so neat to learn real magic..."

"Well, maybe you'll get lucky and we'll run into someone in the square who can help you with that," Apollo told her, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Ooh! That would be great!" Trucy replied, apparently not noticing the sarcasm. "And then I could throw fireballs and stuff!"

Apollo just sighed. To be honest, the idea of real magic would have sounded absurd to him if it weren't for all the things he'd seen today. Well, he did have his perceive abilities, but that wasn't really on the same level.

Come to think of it, Cassandra had mentioned something about the possibility of him getting greater powers here... was it really possible? It did feel a bit different here, but it was hard to tell whether that was just the Forum's whole magic and spirits thing.

Suddenly, distracting him from his train of thought, Trucy slowed to a halt, a confused expression on her face. Apollo raised an eyebrow. "...What is it, Trucy?"

"Look," Trucy spoke, pointing at something up ahead. "There's someone there!"

Apollo blinked, gazing off into the distance to see what Trucy was looking at. He couldn't see the person very well from there, so he decided to move closer, beckoning the others to follow.

As the three of them grew closer, it eventually became apparent that the person was a woman, wearing a white dress and holding a parasol in hand. She had her back to them, and the parasol was blocking her head from view.

"Um..." Apollo spoke up, trying to get her attention. "Excuse me...?"

The woman giggled softly, turning around to face them. Her hair was cherry red, and she had a surprisingly sinister smirk on her face. In her hand, much to their surprise, was a familiar object—Godot's visor.

"Hello, Mr. Justice. Mr. Gavin. Ms. Wright." Her smirk broadened, sending a pointed look at Trucy.

Trucy stifled a startled yelp, taking a step backward. "H-how do you know my name?"

The woman flicked a lock of her hair behind her shoulder, ignoring Trucy. "So good of you to come here... especially you, Mr. Gavin."

Klavier's expression lowered in confusion. "...Me?"

"Oh yes, of course." She looked him in the eye, her smirk morphing into a twisted grin. "Your brother wishes to speak to you."

To be continued...

[PFA]

Since next week is Christmas, I might as well tell you now: I'm probably not going to be posting any chapters on Christmas. When exactly the next part is coming, I don't really know yet, but we'll see when we get there, I guess. XD;

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Klavier just stood in stunned silence for a moment, before finally uttering, "What?!"

The woman moved prettily toward them, radiating a sinister aura that was uncomfortably similar to Kristoph's in a number of ways. "I said... your brother wants to see you, Klavier Gavin. He wants to talk with you."

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier exchanged concerned glances. Who was this woman, and how did she know so much about them? More importantly, how did she know Kristoph? And what business did he have with Klavier?

"...What for?" Klavier asked.

"What for, you ask? Surely you know better than to ask that," was the woman's reply, as she turned Godot's visor over in her hands. "He wouldn't say, exactly. But, he only mentioned you... and no one else."

Klavier tensed at this, taking a cautious step backward. Trucy, meanwhile, stepped in front of Klavier protectively. "H-hey! You'd better not hurt him!"

"...You're just like your father, you know that? Ugh," the woman said, looking down at Trucy with contempt. "Who said he was going to get hurt? Besides. They never said anything about preventing you two from tagging along, either."

Apollo narrowed his eyes, eyeing the woman cautiously, as Trucy faltered slightly, not sure what to do. The woman herself started twirling her parasol, giving a sinister smirk.

"Come now," she spoke. "Make your decision. Kristoph and the others are waiting."

After a moment of tense silence, Klavier spoke up. "...Let's go."

"B-but Mr. Gavin!" Trucy yelped in concern. "What if it's dangerous?!"

"Then you two should stay behind," was Klavier's response. "You shouldn't have to be unnecessarily hurt."

The woman smirked at this, starting to walk off toward what looked to be an abandoned part of the suburb. "Make your choice. It's time to move out."

"Wait!" Trucy cried, watching Klavier follow after the woman. "Mr. Gavin!"

"Don't worry, Fräulein," Klavier spoke, looking back at her with a weak smile. "I'm sure I'll be alright."

Apollo frowned at this. ...No you're not, Mr. Gavin...

Klavier's smile faded as he walked off into the distance with the mysterious woman. Apollo and Trucy, caught between the desire to follow and the fear of doing so, just ended up standing there watching as their friend faded out of sight.

"P-Polly!" Trucy cried. "What do we do?!"

"He's right... we don't exactly have any way to help," Apollo admitted sadly. "If we went with him, we'd just be putting ourselves in danger, too..."

Trucy's eyes widened in realization. "H-help! That's it! We can get help!"

"Trucy, wait!" Apollo yelped, hurrying after his friend as she ran off toward the main square, in search of allies.

Sure enough, as they arrived in the main square, they could see what resembled a party of adventures entering from another direction. Upon seeing them, Trucy's expression brightened, and she pointed to them. "Polly, look! There's someone!"

"Trucy, wait—"

"Hello!" Trucy called, running up to the four people in an attempt to get their attention. "Excuse us!"

Sure enough, the adventurers turned to face Trucy as she approached, looking puzzled. "Are you alright?" one of them, a man with striking blue hair, asked. "Is something wrong?"

"I-it's our friend, Prosecutor Gavin..." Trucy replied with a frown. "An evil lady just took him away!"

"What?!" the blue-haired man yelped.

Another of the adventurers, a young man with long brown hair, scowled. "...Describe this person."

"Th-the lady? She had red hair, and a white dress..." Trucy told them.

"...And a parasol," Apollo added. And she was holding Godot's visor...

The two men looked at each other, eyes narrowed, and simultaneously spat, "Hawthorne."

Apollo perked up at that. He'd heard that name before. "...Hawthorne? As in, Dahlia Hawthorne?"

"Exactly," the brown-haired one spoke. "A real monster of a woman if I've ever seen one..."

"Did he go off by himself?" one of the others spoke—a girl with bright auburn hair, resembling the brown-haired man in some ways. "Was there anyone else with him?"

"He went by himself..." Trucy replied with a frown. "He said he didn't want us to come because he didn't want us in danger, too..."

"...So basically, just him and a bunch of Dark spirits," Apollo said, making a face.

The band of adventures exchanged horrified glances for a moment, their hands moving to their respective weapons. "Show us where it was!" the brown-haired one insisted. "We have to go help him!"

"Th-this way!" Trucy started hurrying her way back to where they were before, beckoning Apollo and the adventurers to follow. Which, of course, they made haste to do just that.

"I just hope we're not too late...!" the brown-haired one muttered as he ran.

Me too... Apollo agreed, hurrying as fast as he could. Please, Mr. Gavin, don't get hurt...

---

Klavier followed Dahlia into the shady alleyways of the suburb, growing uneasy as the scenery grew steadily more foreboding. Nonetheless, he continued walking, wondering how much further they would have to go.

As they continued to walk, Klavier thought he felt an uncomfortable presence rising up from the shadows behind him. He tensed, glancing back over his shoulder to see what appeared to be a woman in a black cloak, with large fairy wings sprouting from her back.

She smirked at him, seeming amused by his unease. "I'm hurt, Klavier. After what we've seen together, to shy away like that."

Klavier scowled slightly at that. "...What?"

Dahlia looked back at the fairy woman. "Will we be going to the Void?"

Before the fairy woman could respond, Klavier spoke up again. "What are you talking about?"

"The Void is the place where we exist, Klavier," was the fairy woman's response. "It is just as it sounds; a dark nothingness. A veritable opposite to the spirit world, which, I have been told, is a place of endless Light." She gave a smirk. "Gaining entry there is not exactly easy. Nor is it all that easy to leave once inside."

Dahlia, noting the dissatisfied expression on Klavier's face, smirked as well. "I don't think that's what he meant, Amber."

"OH, that," the fairy woman—Amber—replied, turning to face Klavier. "Do you not remember? I am Ambition. I was there that day... the day you brought him down for good."

Klavier froze at that, his previously cautious scowl shifting to a look of despair. "Y-you...?!"

"I know you quite well, Klavier Gavin," Amber continued. "Ambitious man, weren't you? Not so much now as back then. Back then, you wanted it all... all the glory and recognition. You love attention... even of the scandalous kind."

Klavier just gaped in silent horror. She couldn't be serious, could she? What happened to Phoenix Wright seven years ago... was she seriously implying that it was all his fault?

"N-nein..." Klavier stammered, shaking his head fervently. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. It was his brother that made him do that... wasn't it? "Herr Wright—"

Suddenly, Amber halted, in an area just ahead. "We're here."

Klavier frowned, trying to shake the thoughts out of his head—it wasn't true, it wasn't. Taking a deep breath, he tentatively stepped forward, looking at the surroundings. It seemed to be a gathering space of some sort, except that it was devoid of any signs of life. An eerie fog had started to gather, making it all the more unsettling.

"What... what is this place?" Klavier asked.

"This is an abandoned part of the suburb," Amber explained. "As active as Tabloid Town is, the Forum is a huge place... and largely abandoned. It was built to house thousands, and only a few hundred ever come... leaving many parts of it empty and cold, lifeless and unwanted. In disrepair..." With a twisted smirk, she added, "Just like certain relationships."

Dahlia, meanwhile, seemed displeased. "Why can't we go back to the Void?"

"Because Klavier is a guest," Amber told her, "not a prisoner."

Klavier remained silent for a moment, before letting out a sigh. "...Kristoph. He wanted to speak to me, ja?"

"And so I did. That was no lie."

Klavier glanced up, watching as Kristoph faded into sight, in front of him. And then, one by one, more Dark spirits started showing up. The canine, Patrick Vendetta. The dragon, Avery Midas. Even the prosecutor, Manfred von Karma himself. Including Amber and Dahlia, that meant all six members of the Ring of Darkness were present.

Klavier gritted his teeth, rather unsettled by the intangible sense of Darkness that filled the air. Nonetheless, he mustered up his courage, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "...Kristoph. What do you want?"

Kristoph pushed his glasses up his face, posing one simple question. "...Do you intend to stay here, Klavier?"

"...And what would you say if I said I do?" Klavier asked in turn.

"...I would ask why, since your place is in California, where you have a promising and very time-consuming career," Kristoph told him.

"At which point," Klavier continued, "I would point out that this realm is claimed to exist beyond space and time. A place where the past can collide with the future... where timelines become irrelevant." He looked up at his brother matter-of-factly. "As such, I would ask if it truly matters."

As Kristoph recoiled at that, Patrick gave a dark chuckle. "Oooh, he's got you there, Kristoph. It's true... it won't matter."

"Grrrrr...! Klavier!" Kristoph growled desperately. "It's dangerous for you here!"

"...I realize that, Kristoph."

"Klavier, please!" Kristoph walked up and put his hands on his brother's shoulders, looking him in the eyes. Then, in German, he hissed, "{Why are you doing this?! There is no reason for you to stay here!}"

Klavier looked up at Kristoph, his expression remaining emotionless. "... {You don't understand. I have to stay.}"

"{WHY?!}" Kristoph growled, a Dark aura rising up around him.

Before Klavier could even respond, his necklace started to glow in response to the aura, followed by a bright flash of light. This caused Kristoph to yelp in pain as he was thrown backward into the ground. Both of the brothers were rather caught off-guard by this, seeming stunned.

Patrick narrowed his eyes, displeased, standing from where he had previously been sitting. "He already has enchantments? They move fast..."

Klavier frowned slightly as he watched his brother scramble back to his feet. With a sigh, he spoke, "{...I don't expect you to understand.}"

Before Kristoph could respond to this, von Karma suddenly looked up, gazing off at something in the distance. "Someone is approaching."

Sure enough, taking a quick glance behind him, Klavier thought he could see some vague figures approaching from off in the distance, through the fog. As the others noticed this, their eyes narrowed.

"...Prepare yourselves," Amber spoke. "It's Felix and the others, and he has that sword of his."

Kristoph tensed at this, urgently turning to Klavier. "{If you stay here... I can't guarantee I can protect you from the others if you get in their way! Please, reconsider staying!}"

Klavier looked up at his brother, frowning. "Kristoph..."

Before anything else could be said, Trucy came running onto the scene, with Apollo skidding in shortly behind her. "Prosecutor Gavin! Are you alright?!"

"I... I think so," Klavier muttered, watching the band of adventurers come in with their weapons at the ready. Most notably, he noticed that the boy with the brown hair was, for some reason, wearing some kind of mask.

Patrick narrowed his eyes at the newcomers. "How rude of you all to interrupt an important conversation."

Kristoph scowled, looking across the gathered crowd. "{...If you stay here, Klavier... would you, too, raise up arms against me like this...?}"

Klavier took a step back, unsure how to respond to that. He really didn't want to have to fight his brother if he didn't have to, but... what if he was left with no choice? He couldn't change that they were on opposing sides... as much as he would have liked his brother to stop his evil deeds. Was he doomed to have to face his brother in combat?

Before Klavier could say anything, the masked boy leveled his sword threateningly. "Cease speaking in that demonic tongue and get out of here."

"For your information," Kristoph snarled, Dark aura spiking, "it's German, and you have interrupted a vital conversation!" He then sharply turned his back to his brother, seemingly feeling betrayed. "...You... you would seek to do this to me...?!"

"Kristoph, wait!" Klavier cried. "Y-you don't—"

"OUT!" Kristoph whirled around, exploding with a threatening black and green aura. "Out of my sight!"

At the sight of this, Apollo and Trucy started stumbling backwards in fear. "L-let's get out of here!" Apollo shouted, turning to flee for his life. "Let's get out of here now!"

"P-Polly!" Trucy yelped, hurrying after him. "Polly, the amulet!"

"Oh yeah!" Apollo hastily pulled the amulet Lang had given him earlier from his pocket, glancing back at Klavier as he did so. "Prosecutor Gavin, the amulet!"

Klavier frowned, backing off uncertainly as he watched Apollo and Trucy vanish in a swirl of zeros and ones. He knew he had his amulet, and that it was a perfectly viable option to leave right now. But was it really what he wanted to do? Did he really just want to abandon his brother like this?

While he was thinking on this, the young masked man stepped in front of him, taking a stance against Kristoph. "I can assure you that this would hurt you quite a bit if all seven of her arrows pierced your heart."

Kristoph scowled at this, harshly pushing his glasses up his face. "Klavier... you must make your choice. If you remain here... then we will forever be at odds like this. There is nothing more to say."

"Oh yes there is," Patrick spoke, his eyes glowing a sinister red. "You haven't stated his status of protection yet. Should he abandon you, Kristoph... keep in mind that we won't take lightly to his interference in our other matters..."

Kristoph growled at this, clenching his hand tightly into a fist. Klavier watched silently, frowning as he thought on this. It was true... he had been told so many times how dangerous it was for him to stay. And Kristoph... it was entirely possible he would have to put a stop to Kristoph's plans on multiple occasions.

It was hard enough at the trial... would he really have to do this all over again?

"...Es tut mir leid... I only do what I feel I must," Klavier muttered softly. Taking a deep breath, he mustered up his courage... turning to the masked boy in front of him. "Please... I would rather not see him get hurt."

There was a brief pause as the boy contemplated on this. "...I'm afraid I don't share your sentiments, but I will respect your wishes..."

"...I don't expect you to understand," Klavier said in response.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow, looking between the two brothers. "...You two really do care for one another, don't you?"

"However, with that said..." Klavier paused, looking over at Kristoph. "...Kristoph, I do not wish to oppose you. But, as I said, if necessary... I only do what I feel I must."

Kristoph fell silent, frowning at this. "...Klavier..."

"I'm waiting for an answer, Kristoph. Come." Patrick's eyes again started to glow red, emphasizing his words. "Declare his status."

Kristoph narrowed his eyes, turning to face his five companions. And then, in very clear and precise German, he spoke. "{If you hurt him... I don't care if you were the one who brought me back, I will make you pay!}"

The message was clearly received—the three non-humans exchanged meaningful glances, Dahlia stumbled backward in understanding, while von Karma just crossed his arms in contemplation. Silence filled the air for a moment, no one quite certain what to say or do next.

"Well then," came another voice. "Now that that's settled..."

Dahlia scowled at the sound of the voice, hastily scanning the area for its source. "Wait... that voice...!"

And then, with a blinding flash of light, the shadows and fog lifted, revealing Godot standing on a viewing point from up above, now wearing one of his spare visors. He looked straight at Dahlia, glaring at her and the visor in her hands. "I'll be taking that back, Ms. Hawthorne."

That was when the chaos happened. As the Ring members took up their battle stances, ropes of Light sprung up to snatch the visor away. Godot then teleported to catch the visor, and then once more to stand by Klavier.

"...The two of you will be doomed to oppose each other, just as the von Karmas do," Godot told him with a sigh. "At this rate, I would suspect it to be a curse that runs among the Volk."

Klavier frowned at that comment, glancing back at the Ring members—von Karma seemed unpleased by that comment, his clenched fists starting to radiate with Darkness. Dahlia, meanwhile, flickered with a black and green aura, with Kristoph doing likewise.

Klavier then glanced over at Godot, watching as he summoned a bow of Light, training it on Dahlia. "It sounds to me like negotiations are over. Klavier... say your goodbyes and get out of here."

Klavier frowned, backing off he watched the fight start to break out in front of him. Knowing better than to stick around for this, he reached into his pocket, pulling out his emergency teleportation amulet. He fingered the button thoughtfully for a moment, letting out a sigh.

"...I'm sorry, Kristoph."

He closed his eyes as he pressed the button, so he wouldn't have to watch the battle as he was whisked away in a swirl of zeros and ones.

To be continued...

[PFA]

I'm finally back with more AitIT! I was going to post extra chapters to make up for the lack of chapters for the past couple weeks, but uh... it didn't happen that way. Here's one, at any rate.

i swear though these chapters are getting so ironic as the taco drags on around it

---

SPOILER: Click to show

When Apollo and Trucy emerged from the zeros and ones, they found themselves standing in a large but cozy room. With all the chairs and such, it gave the impression of a lounge.

"...What is this place?" Apollo wondered, glancing around at his surroundings.

"It looks like some kind of hotel..." Trucy added thoughtfully.

"Hello," came another voice. Apollo and Trucy looked over, to see a girl who... rather remarkably resembled Dahlia, except that her hair was black. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, hi..." Apollo raised an eyebrow, looking the girl up and down for a puzzled moment. "Where are we? ...And who are you?"

"My name is Iris," the girl, Iris, told them, "and you're at the Ambassador's Hotel. It's in the Hidden Retreat, along with the Fourth Wall Café, the PM Box, the temple, and Ky's workhouse. I believe there's also a library, but I haven't seen it..."

Trucy took the chance to take a quick look around, a frown on her face. "...Where's Prosecutor Gavin...?"

Iris blinked, looking over at Trucy. "Was there a third member in your party...?" And then, in a moment of sudden realization, her expression shifted to one of worry. "Are... are you two alright? Is there an emergency? Should I contact someone?!"

Apollo made a face. "I... don't know. There was this big confrontation, but..."

"C-confrontation?" Iris yelped, before folding her hands together and falling silent. She remained in that pose for a few moments of awkward silence, before looking up at Apollo again. "...Help has been sent. Are you hurt? Do you need something to drink?"

"No, we're fine... thankfully," Apollo told her.

Trucy, meanwhile, began to fidget in worry. "H-how much longer will he be...? He should have used the amulet by now...!"

"...I don't know..." Iris replied, concerned. "But if my sister's involved, there's bound to be trouble..."

Apollo frowned. "...Did you say your sister?"

"I... he said there were many Dark spirits there..." Iris answered nervously, putting a hand to her braids.

Apollo realized she was trying to avoid the topic, which just confirmed it to him. He could have realized, they looked so similar... but he decided not to press the point any further. Clearly it was a painful memory for her, and it would be rude of him to reopen old wounds.

There was another moment of silence, before Trucy timidly decided to speak up. "D-do you think—"

Then suddenly, as if on cue, there was a swirl of zeros and ones nearby. When they cleared, Klavier's familiar face stood in their place, his eyes closed and his expression thoughtful.

"Prosecutor Gavin!" Trucy exclaimed, a wave of relief coming over her.

Iris stood from her seat, looking over at Klavier with concern. "Are you alright? They were so worried about you!"

Klavier was silent for a moment before speaking up. "...Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking, Fräulein."

"Are... are you hurt?" Iris asked again.

"No." Klavier brushed his bangs out of his eyes, looking up at the others. "I'm fine."

Apollo just frowned at this. Well, he seems to be fine on the outside, but... he sounds troubled...

It was at this point that Klavier noticed his surroundings, looking around with a puzzled expression. "...Where am I?"

"You're at the Ambassador's Hotel," Iris told him, explaining again for his benefit. "It's safe here; it's heavily protected. The only Darkness that can enter are the Vendettas and..." Her expression fell, her gaze turning to the floor. "...Mr. Armando..." Then, with a sigh, she added, "...So it is very safe."

"...Most Darkness can't enter, huh?" Klavier noted, glancing to the side in thought. "That... is nice to know."

Mr. Gavin... it must be rough, Apollo thought to himself, noting the expression on Klavier's face. I can't even imagine...

"...So what now?" Klavier asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Well, since it's growing late, you should decide where to spend the night," Iris replied. "I got word from the Ambassador that you are with PFA, so... you would probably be staying wherever Phoenix and the others stay."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Apollo said. "...Do you happen to know where they stay?"

"I... I don't know," Iris answered, suddenly looking sad. "I... I stay here or at the temple most of the time... I'm afraid of what my sister will do if I leave without escort..."

Apollo frowned, watching as Iris' eyes teared up slightly. Poor girl...

"Well... I'm sure we could head back and find out!" Trucy piped up hopefully. "I think there were bedrooms back at that apartment place... and even if not, I bet someone there knows where we could go."

Iris smiled at that, cheering up a little. "That sounds like a good idea. Oh, and when you see the others..." She paused, blushing. "Please tell Feenie I say hello..."

"Alright, we will!" Trucy replied, heading for the door. "Thanks!"

While Apollo and Trucy exited through the doors, waving goodbye, Klavier paused for a moment, glancing back at Iris in thought. He took a deep breath, before deciding to speak. "...About what you said... about your sister, I... I think I can sympathize."

Iris paused to contemplate on this, a frown crossing her face. "My sister... she has sinned so much and caused so many people pain..." She closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. "She doesn't care for us... she killed Valerie and tried to kill Maya... and she would have succeeded, if he hadn't been there to stop her..."

Klavier frowned sympathetically. "Fräulein..."

"...But I think..." Iris mumbled thoughtfully. "...I think she, deep down, wouldn't kill me. She avoided that in the past... I have to believe that, though I don't want to test it." She paused, looking up at Klavier. "For people like them... we just have to oppose them as we can, while remembering the last of goodness left in them. 'We have to remember the good things in the world, or we will only see a world of bitter sorrows'... as Mr. Armando once said."

Klavier took a moment to think on this. Kristoph... despite all the terrible things he'd done, despite being at constant odds, his older brother had been very insistent on not harming him. Even after all that had happened, there was still a part of Kristoph that cared for his brother. That cared for him.

"...You're right," Klavier admitted, nodding slowly. Without speaking another word on the matter, he turned on his heel, following after the others. "I'll likely be seeing you around."

And with that, he exited, moving to catch up with the others. No use in keeping them waiting, he thought.

---

As the Dramatis Personae building came into sight, one of the first things Apollo noticed was the three figures standing in front of it. Likewise, when the figures in question noticed them approaching, one of them ran up to greet them. Maya, from the looks of it.

"Mr. Godot told me about what happened! Are you guys okay?" she asked them, concerned.

"Yeah, I think so," Apollo replied, glancing back at Klavier. "No one was hurt, at least."

Klavier himself refused to return the glance. "...All it was was a discussion. It was the others who made it a fight."

The other two figures—Phoenix and Edgeworth—came over as well, joining the conversation. "Encountering the entire Ring of Darkness at once is very rare and dangerous," Edgeworth told them. "You three are very fortunate to have made it out alive."

"It wasn't us they attacked," Klavier replied, before deciding to change the subject. "At any rate, we came here because we need a place to sleep."

"Yeah, we waited here because we thought you might come here," Maya said. "You could probably use some of the spare rooms in the Dramatis Personae? I know there's a lot of people who stay there."

Apollo raised an eyebrow at that. "...You make it sound like you don't."

"Well... no, we don't," Phoenix admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "PFA offered us rooms there, but we didn't take them. We live in an apartment across the way."

"An apartment?" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at this. "You may be cheap enough for an apartment, Wright, but I personally bought a rather nice house."

"Yeah, you don't need to rub it in, Edgeworth," Phoenix replied, making a face. Apollo chose not to comment on this, instead sending a bleak glance toward Trucy. Trucy just grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

"So, uh... it's a little late at night to be buying a house, so I guess we'll have to settle with the Dramatis Personae for now," Apollo said.

"I suppose that is the best option, yes." Edgeworth looked away, fidgeting slightly as if he couldn't wait to leave. "Though I'd personally rather not stay in the same building as Larry for any extent of time..."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, glancing at Edgeworth. Just how long had they been waiting there for them? "Well, I guess we should go do that, then," he said, moving toward the Dramatis Personae. "We don't want to keep you from anything."

"Yeah, we should get going, too," Maya admitted. "Maybe we'll come see you in the morning!"

"Alright! See ya!" Trucy chirped, waving as the others turned to walk off.

"Oh, by the way," Apollo remembered, turning to Phoenix. "Iris said to say hello."

Phoenix blushed at that, chuckling sheepishly. "A-alright, thanks. If you see her, tell her I say hi back."

Klavier gave a slight teasing smirk. "Very well then, Herr Wright. I suppose we'll see you around."

"Good night!" Maya exclaimed, waving as they started off on their separate ways. "Sleep well!"

Apollo, Trucy, and Klavier waved back, watching as the others eventually faded out of sight. At that point, the three of them turned and headed for the Dramatis Personae, moving up the steps and knocking on the door. It was no more than a moment later when the door swung open, with Kindleflare on the other side.

"Oh, it's you guys. I was just about to lock up," she said to them. "Here to stay, I take?"

"For now, at least," Apollo replied. "Right now we just need a place to sleep."

"Well, it's not like PFA's been making a big secret of you guys being with us." Kindleflare swung the door open wide, stepping aside to let the others in. "Might as well get you some rooms."

Trucy glanced over at Kindleflare as the three of them stepped inside. "What did you mean? Did you talk with her?"

"Sort of. She's been kinda seclusive today," Kindleflare replied. "But I ran into her and asked about it. She basically just avoided the question in that shifty mysterious way that means yes. So I guess I'll go ahead and welcome you three to our little quasi-family. Unofficially, of course, until PFA gives the word."

"Yay!" came the cheery voice of the young Cheryl. "You guys get to stay with us!"

Trucy giggled, watching as the crickets chirped happily in greeting. "I think I could get used to this place!"

"We could give you a more flashy welcome, but we don't exactly have anything prepared. Maybe when PFA makes it official." Kindleflare moved down the hall, motioning for the others to follow. "Anyway, I'll show you to some unused rooms."

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier followed Kindleflare down the hall for a little while, passing several doors labeled with various names—some of which were decorated with pictures or posters. And then, at the end of the hall, were a few unmarked doors, pristine and undisturbed.

Kindleflare turned the knob to open one of these doors, showing them the room on the other side. What they saw was literally anything but exciting: a bland gray room, with one perfectly made bed on one side, and a brand new, unused nightstand sitting beside it. In the back of the room was a door, which presumably led to a closet.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Even duller than the rooms in my old apartment," Kindleflare said. "PFA has all the rooms start out like this for some reason. Probably because it's cheap."

"Well, at least it's a start. And that bed looks comfortable," Trucy admitted, stepping inside to take a closer look. "I bet it would look nice with some decorations!"

"That's the idea. It's what we did to Cheryl's room, and that place is a pink eyesore now." Kindleflare pointed at the doorknob. "By the way, all the doors come with built-in locks. They lock from the inside."

"Alright! Thanks!" Trucy chirped, wandering over to the bed and sitting on it. She bounced on it a little, as if to test its softness.

"No problem. Just let me know if you need anything," Kindleflare said, then turned to Apollo and Klavier. "I think you can show yourselves to your rooms, right? Just take any of them that don't have names on them."

"I think we can handle that. Thank you," Klavier replied, smiling slightly as we walked over to one of the doors in question, opening it and looking inside.

"Alright then. I'm turning in for the night." Kindleflare turned, moving down the hall toward her own room with a handwave. "Toodles."

Apollo stood for a moment, watching the others settle into their rooms, before deciding to claim one of his own, next to Trucy's. Sure enough, the room looked exactly the same, down to the dull gray walls. But, as Trucy had said, at least it was better than nothing. They could always fix it up later, after all.

He closed the door behind him, locked it, and moved over to his bed with a yawn. It had been a long and confusing day; a good night's rest would probably do him some good. They could always figure everything out in the morning, anyway.

To be continued...

[PFA]

Sorry for the delay, but here's the chapter nine you've all been waiting for! Kinda a long one; I hope that makes up for the delay. XD;

---

SPOILER: Click to show

"Alright," Kindleflare said. "I vote we get some kind of soundproofing enchantment on Justice's room."

"Aw, come on!" Apollo pleaded, while attempting to fix his hair. "I wasn't that loud, was I?"

"Uh, I could hear you from all the way down the hall," she pointed out. "Yes you were."

I can't help it that the Chords of Steel require frequent training... Apollo sighed, finishing with his hair and following Kindleflare and the others down the hall.

They eventually ended up at a kitchen, the walls lined with cabinets and a round table in the middle of the room. It seemed this is where the residents of the Dramatis Personae generally prepared and ate their meals.

"So anyway, here's our little food nook," Kindleflare said, pointing to the fridge in the back corner. "You can use anything in the fridge unless it's got someone's name on it. Though even then, some people consider it free grabs anyway."

"Hey! I didn't think you'd mind!" Larry chimed in to that.

Kindleflare rolled her eyes, wandering over to the fridge in question. "Yeah, so there's lots of food in here, so you can make whatever breakfast you want. Cereal, pancakes, omelets... speaking of which, looks like we're running low on eggs..."

"Ooh, how convenient!" came Trucy's voice, as she wandered in behind Apollo. "I wonder what cereals they have?"

I'm in more of a toast mood, myself, Apollo thought, his eyes falling upon the bread box. Hopefully they have a toaster...

While Apollo decided to search through to see what kinds of bread they had, the sound of knocking echoed in from the other room—someone was at the door. Kindleflare raised an eyebrow.

"Kind of early for visitors... hang on, I'll go get that," she said, closing the fridge as she headed out of the room.

"So hey, I heard this rumor you guys were from the future!" Larry chirped, turning to Apollo. "What's it like? Is it cool?"

"...Uh." Apollo grimaced as he pulled out some bread. Nothing I can exactly tell you about...

"Come on, I wanna know!" Larry insisted. "What kind of technology do you have? Cured any major diseases?"

"Well—"

"We have replaced all our authoritative figures with super-intellegent robots," came Klavier's response. "And we drive flying cars and have made contact with the aliens."

"Whoa! No way!" Larry beamed, his attention shifting to Klavier.

"Oh yes." Klavier gave a knowing smile. "Also, our computers are quite advanced. You can browse the internet with your thoughts with the aid of some special headsets."

"Dude, that sounds awesome! I can't wait for the future!" Larry said with an oblivious grin. All the while, Apollo and Trucy were vainly attempting to hold back their amused snickers.

"If you guys are done," Kindleflare interrupted, appearing in the doorway, "someone's at the door for you."

Apollo blinked. "...For us?"

"Yes. For you three newcomers." Kindleflare jerked a thumb back toward the door. "They want to talk to you."

"Oh yeah! Maya said they'd come by!" Trucy recalled with a smile. "Come on, Polly!"

Klavier watched as Trucy headed into the other room and gave a shrug. As he moved to follow her, he turned to Larry, saying, "Well, I suppose I'll have to tell you about it later."

Apollo stuck the bread in the toaster, then followed Trucy and Klavier into the other room. Sure enough, they found Maya waiting at the door for them, with Phoenix standing just behind her. Maya brightened when she noticed the three of them.

"Oh, hi guys!" she chirped. "I hope we're not interrupting anything."

"Not particularly, no," was Apollo's reply. "Though I'm surprised you came over this early."

"Yeah, Maya woke me up bright and early," Phoenix admitted, sounding a bit drowsy as if to emphasize the point. "I guess she was eager to talk to you."

"Yeah, I wanted to know how you guys were doing!" Maya explained. "You know, after yesterday and all."

"Trust me, we're fine," Klavier insisted dismissively. "I mean, nobody was harmed, ja?"

"I suppose so," Maya replied, fiddling with her hair. "I was just worried is all... after hearing you ran into Dahlia... and all those Dark spirits..."

"I wouldn't worry about it. We're fine," Klavier repeated, a bit more forcefully this time.

Apollo, sensing Klavier's desire to change the subject, decided to do him the favor. "So, um... how about you guys? How are you doing?"

"Us? We're doing fine, thanks!" Maya answered, her expression brightening again. "I'm excited you guys get to stay with us here at the Forum. By the way, how are you liking it so far?"

"It's..." Apollo paused as a number of words ran through his mind. "...Different. But it's a pretty nice place, I guess... nice people, at least."

"That's great!" Maya chirped, giving a cheery nod. "You guys should stop by the main square. There's lots of nice people there!"

"The main square, huh?" Klavier smiled thoughtfully. "That sounds nice. I haven't actually met many of the people from around here, yet."

I'd consider you lucky on that front, to be honest, Apollo thought, but decided not to voice.

"Yeah! That could be fun!" Trucy piped in. "We can go there later, after breakfast."

"Awesome! You're going to love meeting everyone," Maya said, smiling as usual.

"Yeah, though I'm not sure we'll be able to get down there today." Phoenix paused to yawn. "I've got some stuff I should go do at the office..."

"Well... we've still got to eat breakfast," Apollo added, raising an eyebrow.

"But yeah! We'll definitely go there after," Trucy chirped, nudging Apollo slightly. "Right, Polly?"

"Uh... sure, why not."

"Great! You'll have lots of fun." Maya nodded, then turned as if to leave. "Anyway, yeah, we should probably get going. We really just stopped by to say hi, see how you're doing."

"And as I said, we're fine," Klavier said with a reassuring nod. "Thank you for visiting, though."

"You're welcome," Phoenix replied, grinning sheepishly as he started on his way. "Have a good day."

"You, too!" Trucy waved to the two of them as they left, closing the door behind them.

There was a pause before Apollo decided to speak up. "So, um... I think my toast is done now..."

Klavier chuckled at that. "Yes. Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

---

After they had finished with breakfast—and received a quick tour of the Dramatis Personae as per Kindleflare's request—the three of them did as they promised and headed over to the main square, hoping to meet some new people there.

"Here's hoping we don't run into any more Dark spirits," Apollo said with a sigh.

"Mm," Klavier did, otherwise choosing not to respond to that.

As they arrived at the main square, they took the chance to get a quick look around. There was a lot of activity that they could notice that was going on there—Poldon was striking up a conversation with what appeared to be a zombie in some sort of military uniform, while Chloe and Bettyming seemed to be debating over what they should do with a sheep-like robot who was chewing on someone's sleeve. Meanwhile, a friendly-looking fairy lady seemed to be playing with a young blond boy and his dog, while Cassandra was speaking with what appeared to be an exact clone of herself.

Klavier raised an eyebrow at all of this. "Is... is this normal?"

"Welcome to the Icy Taco," was Apollo's response.

The first one to notice them was Agent Lang, who was standing near the two Cassys. He waved his hand between the two to get their attention, causing both Cassys to look up in surprise. Then one of them quickly turned to the other and said something, before taking off in the other direction, pulling out an amulet and vanishing in a swirl of zeros and ones.

Despite this, Apollo shrugged, deciding to wander over to greet them. Trucy and Klavier, not especially sure where else to start, decided to follow him. As they approached, both Lang and Cassy smiled at them.

"Well hello, you three," Lang said. "Have a good night?"

"Uh-huh!" Trucy replied cheerfully. "Slept great!"

"Good enough, yeah," Apollo added. "So what's going on?"

"Not much at the moment, really," was Lang's response. "Which is a bit of a relief in some ways."

"I... see." Klavier glanced around briefly, as if questioning the fact that all that was going on at the square was considered 'not much at the moment.' "...So, what is there to do around here?"

"That depends," Lang told him, taking off his sunglasses. "Mostly it's a lot of social interaction, as you can see. Some of us have work to do... the boys and I patrol the Forum the best we can, and the prosecutors always have a lot of paperwork." Crossing his arms, he added, "There are a number of entertainment places, too. I think Cassy was saying something about setting up a music hall."

Klavier gave a pleased smile, turning to look at Cassy. "A music hall, huh?"

"Something along those lines," Cassy replied, smiling in turn. "Karaoke, dancing and music are a really big thing in town, especially in the suburb. Every once in a while there will be a big musical event in the square... so I thought it would be nice to set up a special place for it."

"Ooh! That would be great!" Trucy chirped. "Will there be a stage? Maybe I can do my magic show there, too!"

"Yeah, sure," Cassy agreed. "It could be a place where entertainment things like music and dancing, and stuff like your magic shows can be done inside."

"That would be awesome!" Trucy exclaimed, getting excited just thinking about it.

Meanwhile, Apollo gave a dejected sigh. Gavin with his music and Trucy with her magic... that just leaves me and my murder cases.

Agent Lang, noticing the look on Apollo's face, decided to speak up. "Something have you down, kid? You seem to be the only one not celebrating."

"Uh, no, it's nothing important," Apollo replied dismissively.

"Not so fast," Lang spoke again, a little more firmly this time. "It's obviously important to you."

Apollo sighed, massaging his forehead. "No, really, I was just... you know. Thinking."

"About?"

"...I'll just put it this way. I'm a lawyer." Apollo gestured over to Trucy and Klavier. "Unlike those two, my job kind of relies on there being crime, rather than, say, a stage. And I'm, uh... not sure I really know how that will work out here."

"Well, don't feel so bad. You're not the only one, you know?" Lang assured him. "Wright, Franziska and Edgeworth are the same way."

"That's true, I guess..." Apollo admitted.

"As for how it would work out... I'm not sure." Lang paused in thought, raising an eyebrow. "If you wanted, you could set up an office here. You'd need to ask help from one of the writers if you wanted it put up quickly, but that shouldn't be too hard."

Apollo paused to think on this. Hm... "Justice and co. Law Offices"... has a neat ring to it, but I'm not sure... wait, Mr. Wright has an actual office here, doesn't he? Maybe I could ask h— no, wait, that might be really weird... especially for Trucy...

"But hey, I wouldn't worry about it too much," Lang said, distracting Apollo from his thoughts. "Besides... you have yet to fully search your own powers here."

"Yeah, I—" Apollo froze, doing a double take. "...Wait, what? What did you just say?"

"Yeah, your aura's already a lot stronger than it was yesterday," Lang replied, giving a mysterious grin. "Yours is in interesting one... I've never seen another like it. But clearly you don't understand your powers yet, so you'll have to explore that."

Apollo tensed at this. His powers? What did Agent Lang know about his powers? "Wh-what do you mean I don't understand my—"

"Hey, that reminds me!" Trucy conveniently interrupted and changed the subject. "I should see if I can use real magic here!"

"Oooh, please do, Ms. Gramarye," Lang replied. "I am quite curious."

Trucy giggled, an eager shine in her eyes as she pondered what she should attempt to do. "Let's see... what should I start with?"

"Why don't you try making a little ball of fire?" Cassy suggested.

Agent Lang could only laugh at that. "How about something a little less dangerous? Water, perhaps."

"Water, huh? Sure! Let's see..." Trucy paused to think, her cheery expression shifting into a puzzled look. "Um... how do I do that?"

Lang's expression shifted into an equally puzzled one. "Umm... I'm a light mage, not a water mage, but from what Ky has told me..." He pressed his hands together as he continued to think on this. "I... think she mentioned it's largely visualization... and sort of 'calling out' to water itself..."

"Visualization, huh... hm..." As Trucy pondered this, she started making slow, water-like motions with her hands, as if in an attempt to visualize the flow.

"A rather simple level spell for any mage is summoning a small globe of that element," Lang told her, watching her movements. "Like this!"

Trucy paused, watching as Lang held out his hands, slightly apart. And then, within moments, a sphere of light formed between them, taking on a semi-solid form. He held it there for a few moments before finally dismissing it again, lowering his hands. Trucy smiled, mirroring the previously demonstrated pose.

"Like this?" she asked, concentrating for a moment. She kept in mind what Lang had said about visualization, so she started imagining the water flowing... and forming...

And then, as she concentrated, small bits of water started forming between her hands, and collecting together. Before she knew it, a small globe of water had formed between her hands, albeit a wobbly one.

"Whoa..." Apollo spoke, dumbfounded. I can't believe she actually did it!

Klavier gave a pleased chuckle. "Nice work, Fräulein."

"Yes, well done indeed!" Lang agreed, looking equally pleased.

"Hee hee! Thanks!" Trucy chirped. Then, with a mischievous smile, she glanced back at Apollo, the water globe steadying just a little as she focussed on it. Apollo glanced back at her, noticing this.

...Uh oh.

He turned and started to run, but it didn't matter. He felt the water globe splash across his back, much like a water balloon, as Trucy threw it at him. He let out a yelp, while the others started to laugh.

"Gotcha, Polly!" Trucy exclaimed with a giggle.

"Haaa ha ha ha ha ha hahaha!" Lang barked with laughter. "Nicely done, Trucy!"

"Come now, Agent Lang, it's not nice to laugh at people's misfortunes..." Cassy said, trying to hold back her own laughter.

Yeah, I couldn't agree more, Apollo replied, making a face.

After a moment, Lang's laughter faded, and he started clapping his hands slowly. "But yes, well done. Although, as a natural-born magician, you can probably do a little bit of everything. Explore your talents! Just be sure not to set anything or anyone on fire."

"Yes, Fräulein, I would suggest against setting Herr Forehead on fire," Klavier added with an amused smile. With a somewhat more serious tone, he added, "Or me, for that matter."

Trucy giggled, giving the most innocent smile she could possibly muster. "Aw, I would never do that!"

I'm keeping an eye on you, Trucy, were Apollo's thoughts on that, as he sent Trucy a wary look.

"One can only hope," Lang piped in. "Though the thought of turning Mr. Justice's antennae into candles would probably spark much amusement in the Prosecutor's Office."

"H-hey!" Apollo protested. "No touching the hair!"

While Trucy and Klavier started laughing in amusement, Apollo just sighed, shaking his head. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he noticed something. Puzzled, he looked up, noticing three glowing red lines hovering in the shadows behind Lang and Cassy. Three very familiar red lines.

"...Godot?"

Lang took a step to the side, turning to face the glowing lines. "You really should work on masking your presence."

"If I did that, I would startle you when I showed up," Godot said as he stepped out of the shadows, fading into visibility. "I wouldn't want Cassy to break that very valuable computer by dropping it in alarm."

"Mmph," Cassy huffed. "I don't jump that easily."

Godot chuckled, banishing the cup of coffee he was holding. At this point, Apollo noticed that in his other hand, Godot was holding what appeared to be a pair of glasses. Apollo raised an eyebrow at this, but decided not to ask.

"Good to see you all in good spirits," Godot said, grinning.

"Hi, Mr. Godot!" Trucy chirped happily. "I just found out I can make water globes!"

"Oh, so you've found your abilities already? Very nice," was Godot's reply. "And what of your gentlemen comrades?"

"I can't say either of us have tried anything of the sort yet," Klavier told him, playing with his hair thoughtfully. "We'll be sure to let you know when we do, though."

"Yes, please do." Godot gave an encouraging smile. "I must admit... I am rather interested in what Mr. Justice's ability is."

...Why do they keep mentioning me? Apollo wondered, making a face. It's not like I—

"Why?" came the mental voice of Godot, interrupting Apollo's thoughts. Apollo jumped, having forgotten for a moment that Godot could do that. "Because, Apollo... I can feel your aura quite strongly today. It is interesting to me, and I'm having a hard time deciphering what it is..."

Apollo just coughed at that, deciding not to respond. "So, um... how are you doing today, Godot?"

"Today I'm doing better. I had a good rest last night," Godot replied. "I should probably finish my paperwork, but... well, paperwork was always my least favorite part of the job. So I thought I'd see how you three were doing."

"Well, we're doing great!" Trucy said with a grin.

"Yes," Klavier agreed, "I'd say today has so far been decent."

"Well, that's good to hear." Godot smiled. "Today should prove to be a good day. If you're not busy, I'd like to have lunch with you later."

"Ooh," Trucy chirped, "that would be nice!"

"...Lunch?" Apollo raised an eyebrow. Spirits can eat?

Godot laughed as the expression on Apollo's face, putting the glasses he was holding in his pocket. "Yes, lunch. Just because I am not among the living and don't technically have to eat doesn't mean I can't enjoy food. We can convert it directly into energy, and since we are energy beings ourselves, well... it's quite energizing, if you'll forgive the horrid pun."

"Huh!" Trucy blinked. "Well, that's neat!"

"At any rate, we would love to come," Klavier said with a nod.

"Great!" Godot replied, before turning to leave. "Well, I'll see you later, then. I need to speak to Master Samuel for advice on what to do with a little 'spoil of war' I picked up last night after the battle."

While the others exchanged confused glances, Apollo repeated the words to himself silently. I don't want to ask. I don't want to ask. I don't want to ask.

Godot just smirked at this, giving a slight wave as he wandered off. "Adiós."

"See ya!" Trucy called after him, waving back.

While Godot moved out of their line of sight, Cassy started packing up her laptop, humming quietly to herself. Lang, noticing this, asked her, "Where are you headed off to, Cassandra?"

"Mmm? Oh. I need to do some expansion of a few files in the database," Cassy answered.

Trucy tilted her head, puzzled. "...Database?"

"I believe you mentioned something of the sort earlier," Klavier noted, "but I don't believe we ever received a proper explanation."

"Oh, that's right..." Cassy gave a sheepish grin. "Well, you see, I run and maintain a large database on a variety of topics. There are a number of worlds and their people, places, events, technology, and items that I keep a record of."

"Some of the files are small, but they can be rather extensive," Lang added. "They've been used in at least two cases so far, too... they can be quite useful. She usually grants access to the database on request, as long as it's reasonable."

"I see," Klavier said with a nod. "That does sound rather useful."

"So yeah... if you find she knows an uncanny lot about you, it's because she has those files," Lang pointed out. "Sometimes she even seems to know things that weren't put into print..."

"Don't think you can pressure me into talking about that, Agent Lang," Cassy told him, fiddling absently with the strap of her laptop bag. "I get that sort of information from the Ambassador, and I don't know where she gets it from."

"Huh." Apollo raised a puzzled eyebrow. "I guess that explains... some things."

Cassy nodded. "Well, I had best be off. I'll come back soon."

"Alright! See ya!" Trucy replied, waving as she wandered off. Turning to her friends, she said, "Hey, maybe we should look around and meet some more of the people here!"

"Sounds like a plan," Agent Lang said with a smile. "Everyone loves to meet newcomers—the more you get to know people, the more you interact, the more interesting this place becomes."

"Great!" Trucy chirped. "Come on, Mr. Gavin, we can show you around!"

"Er... well, alright." Klavier followed after Trucy and Apollo, not really sure what else to do. Lang, meanwhile, headed off to attend to his own business.

The three of them wandered around the square for a moment, looking for someone they could meet. Moments later, they noticed the blond boy and his dog were headed off somewhere, and the fairy lady who was with them waved as they leaved.

Then she paused for a moment, glancing back and noticing Apollo and the others. As she spotted them, her face split into a big grin, and she immediately ran up to greet them. And then, much to their surprise, she practically tackled Klavier, giving him a hug.

"Whoa! Er... hello there, Fräulein," Klavier said, a surprised smile appearing on his face. Apollo resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Hi, guys!" the fairy replied, pulling back and giving a friendly smile. "You guys must be new here. Welcome to the Icy Taco!"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Apollo reached up to fix the spikes in his hair. "I'm Apollo... Apollo Justice."

"I'm Trucy!"

"And I'm Klavier Gavin." Klavier gave his calm smile as he leaned over, matching the fairy's height. "And what's your name, Fräulein?"

"I'm Azzie," the fairy, Azzie, told them. "It's nice to meet you three!"

"Three?" came the voice of Chloe, who had apparently overheard them. She wandered over to greet them, smiling eagerly. "Oh hey, you guys brought Klavier with you! Did you also happen to bring any loose belongings?"

Klavier raised an eyebrow at this question, turning back to look at Chloe. "...Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," Chloe replied, with a way-too-innocent smile. "Just curious is all!"

"Don't mind her, sir," Azzie reassured him. "That's just Chloe."

"I... see." Klavier blinked. "Well, it's nice to meet you both. I—"

"_{HELLO MY FRIENDS}" echoed Bettyming's voice, as she hovered over to greet the three of them. Klavier's eyebrows raised, a bit surprised at the sudden attention, while Apollo tensed, taking a nervous step backward.

"Come on, guys, be nice to them!" Azzie insisted, looking over at Chloe and Bettyming.

"We are being nice," Chloe stated, grinning. "We're just saying hello!"

"Yes indeed!" Bettyming agreed, in a relatively more normal voice. "Welcome to the Icy Taco!" The expression on her mask shifted into a creepy smile, with a hollow gaze that felt like it was staring into your soul.

Klavier tensed a bit at this, sending a wary glance at Apollo. "Er..."

"So guys, if you're new here, that means you're not special yet," Bettyming said, pulling out a syringe as if from nowhere. "How would you guys like to be special?"

Now at this, Klavier's pupils shrunk, taking a frightened step back. "What—?!"

"Run!" Apollo cried, grabbing Klavier the arm and making haste in the other direction, with Trucy following closely behind. Bettyming, of course, gave chase.

"Aw, I didn't get the chance to borrow anything for my pile," came what sounded like Chloe's voice from behind them. Azzie, meanwhile, let out a sigh, then hurried after them in an attempt to catch up to Bettyming.

---

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier managed to get away from Bettyming long enough to duck into an alleyway, where they stopped to catch their breaths. "Okay," Apollo said between pants, "I think we're safe here..."

Klavier muttered to himself in German as he tried to fix his hair. "...What was that?"

"Bettyming," was Apollo's answer.

"Oh yes, I've heard you have to look out for that one. Patrick was kind enough to warn me against her."

Apollo jumped, making a mental note to refrain from from ducking into alleys from that point onward, as he whirled around to greet the voice's owner. What he saw caused him to do a brief double take—it was Kristoph, except that there was something... different, about him.

"Klavier..." Kristoph spoke, squinting. "Do you happen to know where my glasses are."

Klavier paused, seeming rather confused at this. "Your... glasses?"

Apollo raised an eyebrow, looking back and forth between the two brothers as they spoke. Sure enough, Kristoph wasn't wearing his glasses, which made him look rather surprisingly similar to his brother. Wow, if they were wearing the same clothes, you'd barely tell them apart...

"Yes, my glasses," Kristoph continued, making a face. "As I'm sure you remember, I'm quite nearsighted. ...That didn't change, you know."

"I'm... sorry, I'm not sure where they are," Klavier replied, giving a shrug.

At that moment, Apollo remembered something... something Godot had said about a "spoil of war" from the fight with the Ring of Darkness yesterday. Furthermore, he had been carrying something with him the whole time—a pair of glasses. They must have been Kristoph's.

Apollo quietly grabbed Trucy's hand, taking careful steps backward, as if signaling her to flee with him. Much to his dismay, however, Kristoph had noticed this, and caused a Dark barrier to rise up in his path. Apollo let out a yelp, nervously looking up at Kristoph's scowling face.

"I would greatly advise against backing out at this time, Mr. Justice," Kristoph told him. "Unless you wish to fall prey to the Panther before you tell me what you know."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Apollo insisted, taking another step back.

"OBJECTION! You are lying to me!" Kristoph growled in frustration. "I DEMAND to know where my glasses are!"

"I-I don't know!" Apollo repeated. "I don't!"

Klavier, apparently realizing that Apollo was lying, sent him a stern look. "Herr Forehead... please don't make this worse that it already is."

"Nngh..." Apollo scowled at Klavier for a moment, before returning his attention to Kristoph. "...Someone took them, I think?"

Despite Apollo's attempts to be vague, Kristoph was apparently able to connect the dots on his own. He cursed, green and black flames rising up around him in anger. "How dare that... how dare he take my glasses?! I swear I'll put the ropes around his neck rather than his arm when I find him...!"

Apollo hastily scrambled to the side as Kristoph stormed past them, lowering the barrier and exiting the alleyway. There was silence for a moment as he faded off into the distance, presumably to search for Godot.

It was Klavier who broke the silence, letting out a sigh. "Kristoph..."

"Are you three quite alright?"

"GAH!" Apollo jumped again, scanning the area for the source of the voice. I swear, people sneaking up on us today...!

"Calm down, Polly," Trucy spoke, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. She then looked up, in the direction the voice had come from. "Yeah, I... think so."

Sure enough, the figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be one of the friendly teal-colored canines—not Lee, but the other one. "That is good. I am glad you're alright."

Apollo indeed relaxed at this, letting out a sigh. "Oh, good, it's just you... um... I don't think I caught your name."

"I am Samuel Vendetta... Lee's father," the canine, Samuel, said with a smile. "Come now. Let's get out into the sunlight."

"Yeah, sounds good," Apollo agreed, turning and leaving the alleyway. The others followed after him, until eventually they were all out of the alley.

...Which was exactly when Bettyming leapt out from behind a dumpster, a syringe in each hand. "SCIENCE!"

"Time to run!" Samuel yelped, casting a portal and gesturing for the others to enter. "Let's get out of here!"

Apollo readily agreed, and hastily fled into the portal, with the others following behind him. Bettyming threw her syringes at the portal like throwing knives, but the portal closed just in time, the syringes instead colliding with a wall.

Seeing that she had failed, Bettyming raised her fists into the air, crying out to the heavens, "You can't run forever! When you think about Bettyming, _{SHE CAN SEE YOU}!"

To be continued...

[PFA]

The super-late chapter ten is finally here! Huge thanks to Torkie for helping me edit it. XD;

---

SPOILER: Click to show

When the portal opened again, they found themselves in a different area of the suburb, near a large fountain. It was probably one of the more abandoned parts of the suburb, seeing as there weren't any other people there that they could see.

"You'll have to get very good at running if you want to always avoid her," Samuel told them as he stepped out of the portal, closing it behind him. "Even Agent Lang couldn't outrun her."

"Well, that's... good to know," Apollo replied, making a face.

Samuel chuckled at his. "If you want my advice, stay our of the alleys and abandoned parts of town until either you get a sword or the like from Ky, or you learn to use your abilities."

"That's it!" Trucy agreed with a determined fist pump. "Next time a spider thing or a Dark spirit sneaks up on me, I should be able to throw a fireball in its face!"

"Ah," Samuel urged, "I would recommend using a different element for attacks until you get some training, Ms. Wright. If you use fire untrained, you might—"

"W-wait!" Trucy interrupted with a startled yelp. "H-how did you know my...?"

Samuel just smiled. "Worry not, Trucy. I, like the other spirits, am not bound by time. I already know all that has happened."

"Oh..." Trucy relaxed a little. "I guess that makes sense."

"But yes, as I was saying, fire can be very dangerous," Samuel continued. "Without training, you might accidentally cause an explosion instead of a fireball, and those are very dangerous."

Trucy frowned. "Aw, okay... but I'll work my way up to fireballs eventually!"

"It's almost lunchtime, ja?" Klavier butted in, changing the subject. "I wonder where Herr Armando wanted to have lunch."

"Oh? Hmm..." Samuel paused, rubbing his muzzle in thought. "...I think I have an idea. It's a popular restaurant/café that The Firebird's crew originally set up... that includes dishes from a variety of worlds." With a smile, he added, "Some of them are quite tasty."

"Sounds interesting." Klavier smiled in turn. "Where is this café?"

"It is a bit closer to the ocean, but still not too far from the main square, overall," Samuel told him. "Follow me. We may pass a cafeteria on the way, but that's not it. The cafeteria is very close to the square... this one is a bit more of a walk."

"Alright," Klavier said with a nod. "Lead on, then."

Samuel started walking off, beckoning the others to follow. While walking, he thoughtfully and absently muttered, "I'm pretty sure he hasn't entered a cafeteria in about six years..."

Apollo frowned, not entirely sure what to make of that. The cafeteria...? I don't think he ever mentioned anything about a cafeteria... maybe I shouldn't ask.

The rest of the trip was in relative silence. Sure enough, they passed a cafeteria along the way, but Samuel led them past it. Eventually the building came into sight—a restaurant sitting atop a hill, with a nice view of the sea. "Windy's Point," according to the sign in the front.

"Here it is," Samuel said, halting and turning to face the others. "I won't bother you four. Have a good lunch."

"Alright! Thank you!" Trucy replied, waving to Samuel as he turned to leave.

There was a pause before Apollo chose to head up to the door of the café, beckoning the others to follow. "Well, let's go inside, then."

Once the three of them were inside, they took a quick look around. There were a few other customers, most of them humanoid animal creatures, but no immediate sign of Godot... however, as Apollo noticed, there was someone who looked rather strangely similar.

First and most notably, instead of the sheet-white hair that Godot had, this man's hair was a healthy black. And his outfit looked a lot liked Godot's too, except that the colors were inverse of normal. Also, he had brown eyes—he wasn't wearing a visor—instead of Godot's blind white ones. Other than that... Apollo could swear he looked exactly like Godot.

Apollo poked Trucy to get her attention, pointing out the man. "Hey, doesn't that look like him...?"

Trucy blinked, looking over to see what Apollo was pointing at. Her expression shifted to a puzzled one as she examined him. "Um... maybe...?"

The man in question glanced at his watch for a moment, then glanced up and spotted the three of them, scooping up his mug of coffee and wandering over. With a smile, in Godot's voice, he greeted them with, "Well hello, you three. Glad you could come."

Apollo raised an eyebrow, taking a moment to let this all sink in. "...Godot? Is that you?"

The man let out a laugh, giving a cocky grin. "Bingo, Mr. Justice. You caught on quicker than others have in the past. Well done."

"Whoa!" Trucy gave a big smile when she realized that this man was, in fact, Godot. "You look totally different!"

"How did you...?" Apollo asked, still confused.

Godot gave a smug smile and ran his hand through his hair. "I wasn't always cursed with white hair, you know. Surely you don't think I was born that way?" He gestured to himself. "This is how I used to look, back when people still knew me by my real name." He paused, his smile fading. With a sigh, he glanced over at one of the windows. "...For the most part, anyway. There are some scars that will not be hidden, no matter the form."

As he said this, Apollo noted that the scar that ran across his face was still there. I get the feeling that's not the only thing he means, though...

"As for how, well..." Godot paused to take a sip of coffee. "...Perhaps we should sit down, first."

"Um... okay," Apollo said, raising an eyebrow. He took a seat at a table near one of the windows. The others joined him moments later.

Godot looked out to the sea with a longing look for a moment, before turning his attention to the others. He sat down, an amused smile spreading across his face. "The expression on your face is a bit amusing, Apollo." He closed his eyes and took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "At any rate, to answer your question... spirits take on the form they see themselves as. This is why, for example... you see me wearing the clothes I used to wear to work, rather than the distasteful orange mess I died in."

...Orange? Oh, right... California prison uniforms, Apollo realized.

Godot narrowed his eyes slightly, and Apollo wondered if his thought had been heard. "If one visualizes it hard enough, they can change their form. It's nearly impossible to do for older spirits—young spirits have better imagination—but for someone like me, who really had another form in life..." Godot gave a satisfied expression. "I can switch back and forth between them."

"I guess that makes sense," Apollo noted.

Trucy, on the other hand, was more impressed. "Wow, that's so neat!"

Godot was clearly happy with that, which reflected in his countenance. "Thank you, Ms. Trucy."

Their conversation halted as a waitress came up to hand them menus and take their drink requests. Apollo noted that Godot did not take any drinks, instead gripping his mug tighter. This place has so many secrets... but at the same time, I'm not sure I want to find some of them out, he thought to himself as the waitress wandered off.

His thoughts returned to the conversation as Godot spoke again. "Have you had a good morning so far?"

"Pretty good, yeah!" Trucy replied.

Apollo sighed as he remembered the encounter they had had minutes before arriving at the restaurant. "...I, uh... I think a certain someone is looking for you though."

Godot narrowed his eyes to a cold stare. "I suspect he is." He took another sip of his coffee. "After all... I did pick up his glasses last night." And then, to Apollo's surprise, he gave a smug smile. "I don't have them at the moment, though, so he's out of luck as far as it goes for me. I gave them to someone else for now."

"I imagine he'll be rather upset about that," Klavier told him bluntly.

Godot scowled. "Yes, well... I picked them up by accident, and I didn't want to have them on me for the lunch, in case he showed up." Before Apollo could ask more about the topic, Godot changed the subject. "So... I was wondering if you three could tell me a little more about yourselves?"

Apollo was a little confused by the question. "About us? ...That's a rather broad question. Anything you particularly want to know?"

"Well... I can already see you three are quite the dynamic trio. But I really don't know all that much about you," Godot told them. "Only that you're lawyers and that Trucy here is a magician. That's... not a lot to go on for knowing a person." He sighed. "A person's job tells you next to nothing about their personality... as can be seen from the range of personalities found in the Office."

Apollo shifted slightly, unsure how to answer. "Ah. Well, um..."

Thankfully, Trucy came to his rescue. "Well... Mr. Gavin's not just a prosecutor, but he's also a rock star! He's really famous, too!"

Klavier chuckled at that and gave a smug expression. "Heh. That is true, Fräulein, though I'm still not sure it quite answers the question." He leaned back in seat, looking over at Godot. "Seems like a good enough place to start, though. I do enjoy music, of any genre. Music is a powerful tool, one that can open the mind and touch the soul."

"I do agree with you there," Godot said, giving a pleased smile as the waitress arrived with their appetizers—a bowl of chips, with some salsa to dip them in. "I prefer jazz, myself... I actually play the saxophone. But I do enjoy most music." He looked off into the distance, dipping a chip in the salsa absentmindedly. "Music speaks heavily in emotion... more so that the heart listens as well as the ears... which is why songs can be moving. Why they speak to people, allow them to envision events to the music and the words. Songs they connect to allow them to envision themselves in the story told... perhaps recalling to mind their own story in what is being sung or played."

"Oh yes, I agree," Klavier smiled, grabbing some chips of his own. "Each instrument holds its own role. Guitar, piano, drums, vocals... all with their own arrays of notes, combine together to create a song. And such a song can convey such a broad spectrum of emotions that you cannot reach with words alone."

Apollo made a face, starting to feel left out. Sorry guys, I don't speak music.

Godot was silent for a moment, thinking over his next words carefully. "What is it like, juggling two such very demanding careers? Have you ever had to cancel a concert because prosecutorial work suddenly showed up a few days before?"

"Yes, there have been... conflicts, before," Klavier said, his smile fading for a moment. Not for long though, as it returned moments later. "But at least we came prepared to every concert."

Trucy piped up happily. "Every member of the Gavinners band also works in law enforcement!"

Godot's eyes widened. "Oh really now?" He grinned, chuckling slightly at this. "How unique. Have you been to any of their concerts, Trucy?"

"Have we ever," Apollo muttered, recalling the time they had been to a Gavinners concert. The music was loud, and not to his tastes... except for when Lamiroir sung, which ended up climaxing with his chance to hear an unfortunate man's last words.

"Hehe! It was so awesome!" Trucy remarked with glee, at which Klavier gave an amused and pleased smile.

Apollo scowled. Up until the murder, but that's beside the point...

"Good that you enjoyed it." Godot paused for a moment before changing the topic. "So Trucy, what do you do in your spare time, when you're not helping Mr. Justice win cases?"

"Me? Practice for my magic shows, usually!" Truct chirped, a large grin appearing on her face. "Ooh, that would be cool, if I could use real magic at my shows..."

Apollo made a face at the thought of Trucy using elemental magic back in her magic acts. Just as long as you don't set the audience on fire, Trucy.

Godot laughed. "You're certainly very outgoing with your magic." He gave a cocky grin. "Wright could stand to learn a few things from you. He's so averse to practicing his abilities."

Trucy giggled, clearly pleased at the attention. "Well, I certainly wouldn't mind teaching him!"

Of course you wouldn't, Trucy, Apollo thought, rolling his eyes.

Godot paused, looking off into the distance with a slight smile on his face and a hand near his mouth. Then his smile faded and he looked at Trucy in thought. "...That reminds me. I don't believe I ever learned your last name."

Trucy's smile immediately vanished. "...M-my last name?"

Oh great, Apollo thought with a sigh. Should've known this would come up eventually...

Godot paused, looking surprisingly startled. Then he closed his eyes and held a hand to his forehead with a sigh. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out the strange jewel from earlier, holding it in his hand as he rested it on the table. "...You seem averse to saying it. Are you afraid of causing a paradox?"

Trucy frowned at the jewel, becoming more nervous. "Um... um..."

To Apollo's relief, Godot merely pocketed the object, shaking his head. "...I won't press the point... for now. But you certainly are very... enigmatic." He paused. "Seven years, hmm...?" He glanced down at the table, his eyes betraying a sense of sorrow. "...A lot must have changed, in seven years..."

Trucy frowned at that, looking rather mournful. Klavier, meanwhile, looked off into the distance, his eyes cold. "...You could say that, yes," he muttered thoughtfully.

Can we stop talking about this now? Apollo thought with a scowl. It's making my head hurt. Thanks.

Godot obliged, turning to Apollo as he asked his next question. "Well, Mr. Justice? What about you? You've said nothing about yourself so far."

Phew. I think. "Um... I'm a defense attorney. ...I always wanted to be a defense attorney when I grew up." Apollo paused, finding himself struggling for topics to speak on. "Uh... so I trained to be a defense attorney at the... ah... hm." I wonder if I should bring that up... it'll probably only be a matter of time before he does, anyway...

Godot seemed amused at his stammering, but decided not to press it. "A noble goal." He smiled. "Who was your mentor?"

Although Godot seemed to connect happy memories at the word, that was the last thing Apollo wanted. "Well, if you really must know... Kristoph Gavin."

Godot was taken aback in shock at this, though his look swiftly changed to sorrow. "...Really?"

"Yes," Apollo replied bluntly. "Really."

"...I'm sorry to hear about that." Godot gave a confused expression for a moment before closing his eyes in thought. "...I wonder..."

Apollo gave a heavy sigh, leaning onto the table and resting his head in his hands. "My very first case," he spoke softly, "I got to watch him be escorted out in handcuffs..."

Godot's reaction to this was immediate. He had been sipping coffee as Apollo was speaking, but suddenly halted, almost choking, at Apollo's last line. His look quickly changed to a chilling glare as he looked at his coffee. "Funny, my coffee turned cold all of a sudden," he said dryly with acidic emphasis on certain words.

Thankfully, it was at that moment that the food arrived. Trucy, happy for the distraction, eagerly pointed this out. "Oh, look, the food's here!"

As the others began to dig into their food happily, Apollo found himself pushing his pasta around on the plate. We're here for a reason, here to fill some sort of role no one else can fill, he thought to himself. But there's so much we can't tell them... shouldn't tell them. Looking at his drink glumly, he added, I really don't want to know what would happen if he knew...

"You know, Mr. Justice..." came Godot's voice. "Paradoxes only work if the person you are speaking to exists in the future and is subject to events that happen between your present and their present."

Apollo looked up at Godot with a jolt. "Huh?"

Godot raised an eyebrow. "...I thought that statement was fairly clear. What part of it did you not understand?"

It hit him with a flash. As a spirit, Godot didn't exist in his world... telling him of what happened in the future really wouldn't change a thing. And yet... was it really a good idea to tell him? Apollo recalled the happy faces as they spoke on Phoenix Wright as an attorney, as a friend. If they knew what happened... they would be crushed.

"I, uh..." Apollo stammered, giving a sheepish grin as he tried to think of something to say. "It's, uh, n-nevermind, it's not important." He shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth, in attempts to avoid speaking further.

Godot gave a slight smile at this, clearly seeing through the lie. "...Remain as mysterious as you like, Mr. Justice..." He paused to take a bite of his taco. "...But I think the likelihood of the fourth 'generation' in the technique is... very high."

Apollo was unnerved by that comment and the insight it might be reflecting. He swallowed before carefully replying, "Uh... I always did look up to Mr. Wright..."

Klavier glanced away at this without comment, just continuing to eat. Apollo knew he was thinking on the past, but didn't point that out.

Godot gave a very pleased grin. "I look forward to the day you meet his mentor," he said happily. He seemed to light up at this; clearly it was a topic he enjoyed.

...His mentor, huh? Apollo struggled to remember the name. I'm sure I've heard it before...

"Hm..." Trucy muttered, poking at her food absentmindedly. "Potted plant..."

Apollo blinked in confusion at this. "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking," Trucy replied, returning to her food.

However, this seemed to hold some significance for Godot, who looked stunned. "...Charley's still in his office?" he asked, surprised. He gave a big grin. "Remarkable! I gave that to her as a gift back when we worked together."

...Her? Apollo thought, confused. ...Wright's mentor...?

"She took that to her own office when she started it," Godot told them. "And Wright... 'inherited' it." He frowned, gripping his mug tightly

...Must be a touchy subject for him, Apollo noticed, making a mental note not to bring up that topic in front of Godot in the future.

Trucy, meanwhile, seemed pleased to hear this history. "Oh really? That's so neat!"

"...Although I'm a bit confused as to what you would be doing in Phoenix's office," Godot spoke telepathically to Trucy. He gave a smug smile and jokingly added, "Unless Wright took on Mr. Justice as his apprentice."

Trucy was alarmed at the comment, but chose not to respond. Apollo glanced over at her curiously, noticing her sudden nervousness, but decided not to ask.

Godot shook his head and looked over at Klavier. "...So, if you've decided to stay here... have you decided if you're getting a room at the Office?"

Klavier looked up from his soup, a little surprised to be directly addressed. "Hm?"

"He means the Prosecutor's Office," Apollo explained. "The one here in Tabloid Town."

"Ah." Klavier smiled at this, contrasting his previous thoughtful expression. "Well, it could be worth looking into, yes."

"I'm sure the others would love to have you," Godot told him. "Just be warned you may have to fight others for your cases. There are quite a number of us, and I know Lady von Karma in particular is very 'aggressive' in getting the cases she wants." He smiled smugly, turning to Apollo. "I'm sure your appearance will be greatly welcomed in the suburb. There's a severe chronic shortage of practicing defense attorneys."

Apollo was a bit surprised at this. "Huh. Guess it's good to know I'm not out of a job..."

Klavier chuckled at that, and Godot also seemed amused. "I'm sure Phoenix will be quite glad to have another defense attorney to help share the workload." He sighed and shook his head. "Especially since the LAST case he took on... oh my, that one was REALLY bizarre..."

...Should I ask? Maybe I shouldn't, Apollo thought, with a strange sense of dread.

His thoughts were interrupted as Godot gave a particularly cocky grin. "Be warned, though. You've never gone up against Franziska, have you? She'll whip you silly to get her point across." With a smirk, and added, "I don't exactly put up with nonsense myself, either, and you'll end up covered in coffee if you open your mouth without thinking."

Apollo was more than a little unnerved by that. I-is this guy serious?

Trucy giggled at the expression on his face. "Better watch out, Polly! Some prosecutors can be pretty mean, so I hear!"

"...Uh," was all Apollo could say.

Godot smirked again and held up a finger. A dark, black flame appeared and danced above it. "Quite mean."

"Uh," Apollo repeated, scooting back nervously in his seat. Trucy and Klavier chuckled at this, amused.

Godot himself gave a smug smile as he extinguished the flame, then took another sip of coffee. "On the same note... Master Gavin, be aware that Phoenix is the most active defense attorney in the suburb. The possibility exists that you'll end up going against him."

Klavier's eyes widened in shock, which quickly changed to a sad, thoughtful frown. "Herr Wright..." he spoke softly, thinking back to the trial seven years ago. His first trial... and Phoenix Wright's last. He closed his eyes, pausing for a moment before simply saying, "...I see." He then fell silent again, lost in his thoughts.

In the ensuing silence, Godot reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He turned it over in his hands, thinking on something. Apollo, not having anything else to do, peered at it to see what it was. To his surprise...

"...Is that a defense attorney's badge?" he asked, quite confused.

"Hmm?" Godot asked, looking up. "Oh. Yes, it is." He held it out for the others to see. With a smile, he added, "It's my badge."

"But I thought you were a prosecutor?" Trucy replied, even more confused.

Godot laughed and pocketed the badge. He then pulled out another badge—a prosecutor's badge. "You are correct, Señorita Trucy. I am indeed a prosecutor."

Trucy blinked at this. "...Huh?"

Godot pocketed his second badge and took another sip of coffee. He paused for a moment before he started speaking again. "I should explain something a little more clearly. Before I was a prosecutor, I was a defense attorney."

"Oh... oh! So you've been both!" Trucy realized.

Godot nodded, closing his eyes in thought. "In fact, I was a defense attorney far longer than I was a prosecutor. I was a defense attorney for years... and a prosecutor only for a few months."

"That's neat," Trucy commented with a smile. Then the smile faded back into a puzzled expression. "...But why do you still have both badges, then?"

Godot paused, frowning in thought. He briefly touched his left arm again before turning to look at Trucy. "...To be honest, I'm not quite certain. When I first awoke after my final hour... I had them both, and the magatama that Mia gave me before I fell into a coma." He thought on this for a moment. "...I think it has to do with what my role here is. I have to come to the conclusion that... somehow, I am meant to be active in both roles, in a way." He paused again, and then gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I know it doesn't make much sense... particularly given my status..."

Apollo noted that though he was smiling outwardly, Godot's eyes betrayed a deep inner sorrow of some sort. Something tells me there's more to it than that... but maybe I shouldn't bring that up right now.

"...Um, I... guess I see...?" Trucy offered timidly.

"Heh." Godot snorted, shaking his head. "You don't understand... but I'm sure you will eventually." He turned to look out the window to the sea, smiling as he thought on something pleasing.

Apollo sighed and turned to look out the window as well. "I think there's a lot of things we still don't understand..."

"The nature of your own powers being among them, Master Justice."

So they keep telling me. Apollo scowled, jabbing at his pasta. Seriously, I already know about my perceive abilities...

"I can see you don't believe me," Godot spoke. "This is likely because you already had some sort of ability before you came here. Well..." He leaned forward to emphasize his next words. "...Your powers have increased, and you are fully capable of magic. That is what I mean."

Apollo swallowed, looking up at Godot. "...Guh?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Trucy piped in cheerfully. "Maybe you can make fireballs and stuff, too!"

"...Seriously, what?" Apollo glanced at the others in disbelief. He wasn't being serious, was he?

"...You honestly don't know?" Godot gave a knowing smile. "Well... I'm sure you'll learn."

Apollo was a little unnerved by the way he said that. ...What does he mean? Seriously, I'm getting a little freaked out...

Godot closed his eyes, falling silent again. His form began to shimmer slightly as the colors of his clothes and hair slowly inverted. He was back to normal—or, at least, back to how they had first known him. He took his visor out of his pocket and put it on with a smug smile.

"Perhaps if you used your ability" he commented, holding a finger to the side of his visor, "you might learn more about what has changed, ¿no?"

Apollo made a face. "It... it doesn't really work like that. Unless I don't know what you're talking about anymore." He absently noticed that Klavier seemed confused at this conversation, but chose not to comment.

Godot sighed and sipped his coffee, placing his silverware on his plate. "...You're having a hard time trusting, aren't you?"

"More like I have no idea what you're talking about," Apollo muttered, finishing his lunch.

He was rewarded with Godot's voice speaking in his mind. "As someone who is blind, I can be a bit jealous of sight. Your sight is vast and deep, Mr. Justice. But you can see a lot more than you realize—yes, even more than you have ever seen before. I can sense this in you; and if you just would try, I think you would learn to see things in yet another new way."

Apollo blinked in confusion. This only brought about more questions. Wait... he's blind? I kind of guessed that, but... and what does he mean, see things in a new way? Is that metaphorical, or...?

"Well..." Trucy spoke, distracting Apollo from his thoughts. "Thanks for the lunch! It was great!"

"You are very welcome," Godot replied, smiling as he accepted the bill from the waitress. "I am glad you enjoyed it, and I enjoyed talking with you. It was good to be able to be my old self again for a short while." He sighed, his smile fading. "Most of the time, I must remain like this in public... a pity, really, because my visor also acts much like a mask..." And then, just as quickly, his smile returned. "I am grateful for the chance to have gotten to know you better."

"No problem! It was great talking with you!" Trucy told him, grinning.

Godot grinned at this as well. "Gracias, señorita." He stood, coffee in hand. "What do you intend to do next?"

Trucy glanced over at Apollo with a slight frown. "Hm, I'm not sure... what do you think, Polly?"

Apollo pressed a finger to his forehead with a sigh. "...I don't know. I get the feeling there's something I'm supposed to learn, though."

Godot shrugged and held out his hand. A swirling sphere of Light and Dark magic, in the shape of a Yin-Yang, appeared floating above it. "We all have things to learn, all the time... but you are correct. Poetry aside... perhaps if you feel like meditating on the matter, you could go to a place that seems conducive to what you feel you need to learn. Instinct might prove very helpful in the matter."

"Uhhh... okay." Apollo raised an eyebrow. Like what? The courtroom?

Godot snorted at this, clearly having heard the last remark. "Whatever you feel conducive to the matter," he told him. He then turned and looked out to the sea again. "...Hmm. I need to ask Iris to return home to visit us again... it's that time of the month... and trouble is rising with a day of Darkness..." He turned slightly and glanced back at the others. "...I'm going to be gone for a short while. Try not to get into too much trouble."

"Yeah, we'll try," Apollo said, giving another sigh.

"...I suggest you do better than just 'try', Master Justice," Godot replied, frowning.

Well, it's not like I try to get into trouble... Apollo thought to himself, making a face.

Godot paused for a moment, rubbing his left wrist thoughtfully. Finally, he spoke, "Well, with that... I take my leave."

"Alright, see ya!" Trucy said happily.

Godot raised a hand in farewell, not looking back as he left the restaurant. Shortly thereafter he faded from sight, becoming one with the shadows. There was silence for a moment, before Trucy spoke up, tugging at his sleeve. "Come on, Polly, we should get going, too."

He sighed in agreement, and they all headed off out of the café. It wasn't long before they came to a halt, looking around for a puzzled moment.

"So, um... where are we going, exactly?" Apollo asked.

"Hm..." Klavier played with his hair, thinking on this. "Perhaps you two know where the Prosecutor's Office is? I think I would like to see what it's like."

"Oh sure, we know where that is!" Trucy said with a smile. She took off, beckoning the others to follow. "Come on, Polly!"

If I can remember where it is... Apollo mentally grumbled, running after Trucy so as to not be left behind.

To be continued...

[PFA]

Oh gosh this is late again I'm sorry. But it's long and includes awesome things so hopefully it'll be worth the wait? :'D

also, every single time without faiiiil (you'll see in a bit)

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier travelled through the suburb for a while, wandering around for a few lost moments, before finally the memorable Prosecutor's Office came into sight, towering into the sky as usual.

"Yep, this is definitely it," Apollo said.

"So much like the one back in California," Klavier noted, looking up at it with a smile. "Very nice."

Trucy giggled gleefully, glancing to the side as she thought she saw movement. Sure enough, it looked like Ky was flying in from the other direction, carrying some things with her—most notably the sack on her back. Trucy smiled, waving to her. "Hi, Ky!"

"Oh, hi guys!" Ky waved back, stopping and landing beside them. "How ya doin'?"

"We're doing great, thanks!" Trucy responded cheerily.

Klavier gave a nod. "Yes. We came here to see the Prosecutor's Office."

"Oh, cool! That's great!" Ky said with a grin. "Well, come on inside! If you're lucky, maybe someone will be on break and can show you around!"

"That would be great," Klavier replied. He followed Ky inside, with Apollo and Trucy following after.

As they stepped inside the Office, the first thing they noticed was that the inside was just as impressive as the outside. Very well-kept, with a distinct air of professionalism—again, much like the Prosecutor's Office back in California. Ky acted as their pseudo tour guide, pointing things out as she led them to the lounge.

"...And I work with Gummy, you see," she explained with a giddy grin. "And there are others that help out. Cassy has her lab and the database, and Agent Lang helps if certain people ask him nicely. Oh, and Ema, of course. She does forensic stuff."

Apollo and Trucy exchanged glances at the mention of Ema, but chose not to respond, just continuing to smile politely.

"And here's the lounge!" Ky said, pointing out a door. She scurried over to it, about to knock on it, but just as she was about do so, the door in question swung open, causing her to stumble for a moment in surprise.

The man on the other side of the door rather resembled an athlete of some sort. He was wearing a pink shirt and a red headband, with a golden medal around his neck and a white jacket slung over his shoulder. It took him a moment to distract himself from whatever was on his mind long enough to notice the others standing there.

"Oh, excuse me," he spoke. "I was just on my way out."

"Well, uh... we were just on our way in," Apollo told him, raising an eyebrow. Who is this guy?

The man paused, studying the three of them for a puzzled moment before speaking again. "Hey, I don't think I've seen you guys before. You new or something?"

"Well yes, actually," Klavier spoke up. "I'm Prosecutor Klavier Gavin; I came to see what the Prosecutor's Office here is like."

"Oh, new prosecutor, huh? In that case, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jacques Portsman." The man, Portsman, gave a cocky grin. "Prosecutorial prodigy."

..."Prodigy"? Apollo questioned. Just who does this guy think he is?

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Herr Portsman," Klavier responded simply.

"Nice to meet'cha, too!" Portsman smiled brightly, slipping on his jacket. "Well, hope you enjoy the place! Me, I'm off to go shoot some baskets with Jim. Maybe we could play a game sometime! You guys look like you could use the exercise."

Apollo raised an eyebrow. "...Uh."

"Alright then! See ya around!" Portsman jogged off, not even giving any of them the proper chance to respond.

There was silence for a moment. Apollo blinked. "...Well, he was... interesting."

Klavier just shrugged, beckoning the others to follow him into the lounge. They readily did so, pausing to take a look around once inside. They could see that there were a few others there. A man with bright red hair and sunglasses was speaking with what looked like Winston Payne, and... was that a sock puppet back there?

Ky, meanwhile, turned her attention to a female prosecutor in the back of the room, who was flipping through what looked to be a case file of some sort. Ky waved at her, trying to get her attention. "Hello, Franziska!"

The woman, Franziska, looked up from her files, raising a puzzled eyebrow at the group. As they wandered closer to her, they could she that she had aqua blue hair, with matching blue eyes. Furthermore, the outfit she was wearing was quite fancy, implying that she was extremely well off.

Suddenly, it occurred to Apollo—he had heard that name before. "...Franziska? As in, von Karma?"

"...That would be me, yes," Franziska replied, setting the papers down. "Who are you?"

Apollo tensed slightly, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. He had heard a lot of stories about Franziska von Karma... stories about her unwavering ruthlessness in court. She had made quite a name for herself as a prosecutor, and from all accounts, she was proud of it.

"Uh..." he stammered. "I'm Apollo Justice."

"I'm Trucy," Trucy piped in.

"Klavier Gavin." Klavier gave a cool smile, flicking his bangs out of his eyes. "I've heard a lot about you, Fräulein von Karma."

Franziska paused for a startled moment, apparently caught a little off-guard from being addressed in German. Then with a smug smile, she stood and gave a slight curtsy. "Well, it's a pleasure meeting you, as well."

I don't think he ever actually said that, but... Apollo thought, but decided to hold his tongue. He wasn't looking forward to being introduced to Ms. von Karma's infamous whip.

"Mr. Gavin's a prosecutor, too," Ky told her. "He wanted to take a look around, and I was coming here for business purposes, so... yeah."

"Oh?" Franziska looked up at Klavier. "You're a prosecutor?"

"Indeed," Klavier replied, still with the smile.

Franziska pondered this for a moment, then looked over at Apollo and Trucy. Within moments, her eyes fell upon Apollo's badge. "...And you're a defense attorney, correct?"

"Uh... yes?" Apollo said, grinning sheepishly.

There was a pause, then Franziska crossed her arms, seemingly mulling this over. "Hm... I see."

Apollo swallowed nervously at this. She sounds troubled... does she not like defense attorneys? Does she not like me? Is it the hair?

"Yeah," Ky spoke, distracting Apollo from his thoughts. "Do you know of anyone that might show Klavier their office? Just so he knows how big they are, and all..."

"Hm? I believe most anyone would be willing," Franziska replied. "Though if you want a name, you might ask Miles."

"Miles... Edgeworth?" Apollo asked.

"Yes." Franziska straightened her bangs nonchalantly. "I'm sure he would be willing to speak with you."

"Sounds great!" Ky chirped, turning back toward the door. "Come on, let's go up to his office!"

"Thanks, Ms. von Karma!" Trucy said, waving as she followed Ky out of the room, Apollo and Klavier doing likewise. Franziska herself didn't seem to respond, just sat back down and went back to reading her files.

Ky led them up the stairs and through some hallways for a while, before finally stopping at one of the doors—presumably the one to Edgeworth's office. She knocked on the door happily, waiting for a response.

It was a few moments before the door opened, Edgeworth standing on the other side. He immediately noticed Apollo and the others, turning his attention to them. "Oh... hello."

"Greetings, Herr Edgeworth," Klavier said with a smile. "We're here to see what the Prosecutor's Office is like in this town."

"Master Gavin is a prosecutor too, sir," Ky pointed out. "So I thought he should see how big the rooms were."

"...I see." Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at Apollo and Trucy, who were both leaning over in an attempt to look past him. "I take it that's why you're trying to see my office?"

"Oh, uh..." Apollo hastily straightened up, fixing his hair with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, kind of..."

Klavier blinked, his smile fading slightly. "I hope you don't mind... Fräulein von Karma suggested we ask you."

"...Well, I don't see why not." Edgeworth stepped aside, finally allowing Apollo and Trucy to see into the room. "Come inside."

Upon seeing the office, Trucy's jaw dropped in awe. "Whoaaaa."

Edgeworth's office was, quite literally, one of the classiest things they had ever seen. First off, there was a large window in the back of the room, decorated with crimson curtains with golden trim. All along the right wall was a bookcase, filled to the brim with books and files. Then there was a desk, a chess set, and a luxurious sofa... all of which looking perfectly pristine.

Not even my old mentor's office was this fancy... Apollo noted as he stepped inside, looking around cautiously as if he were wondering if it was safe to touch anything.

"Very impressive, Herr Edgeworth," Klavier spoke, looking around with a pleased smile.

"Thank you." Edgeworth looked over at them, his neutral expression remaining unchanged. "My office in Los Angeles is something like this, as well."

He has two offices like this? Apollo thought, his mind boggled. He must be really well off if he can afford this twice over...

"I'm pretty sure all the offices are about this big, sir," Ky told Klavier. "I've seen Godot's office, it's about the same size."

"Yes, all the offices should be the same size," Edgeworth added. "I'd have to double-check the dimensions, but I believe..."

While the others spoke on various technical details, Apollo and Trucy decided to take a look around the office, checking out what all Edgeworth had there. While Trucy admired the tea set in the back, Apollo glanced at the bookshelf, checking to see what kind of books there were. Lots of case files and legal books, from the looks of it.

"...If you want to keep Dark spirits out completely, I can do a full enchantment, but you'll have to let Master Godot know so he doesn't try to walk into the room and accidentally end up getting a backlash of magic," Ky explained. Then with a smile, she held out the small sack she had been carrying, handing it to Klavier. "This reminds me, I finished this earlier. It's for you."

"Oh?" Klavier took the sack, weighing it in his hands. "What's this?"

"It's an enchanted belt I made," she told him. "It's like your regular one, only with the double enchantment. Kind of like the pocketwatch Mr. Edgeworth has, but it's a belt instead."

"Oh." Klavier smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Ky replied, smiling back. But then she paused in thought, her smile fading. "How did the enchantment on your necklace work out, by the way?"

"...It caught my brother off-guard. I'll put it that way."

Ky seemed stunned at this for a moment. "...I see. Well, it's good to hear it worked, and I'm glad you're alright." With a smile, she added, "You're really cool and nice, so I hope you get to stay."

Klavier let out a chuckle. "Why thank you, Fräulein Ky."

Meanwhile, Apollo had decided to glance across Edgeworth's desk, noting the assorted paperwork spread out on top of it. One of the forms was only half filled out; it must have been what Edgeworth was working on before they arrived.

...Hey, what's that?

In contrast to the rest of the room, sitting on the desk as a paperweight, was a... Apollo wasn't entirely sure how to describe it. It was like some kind of crystalline stone, except that it was in the shape of a mystical rune. Just looking at it, it gave off sort of a strange magical feeling.

I wonder what this thing does... he wondered, tilting his head at it. He absently wondered if touching it would do anything, but he didn't dare try—for all he knew, he would accidentally set off the room's self-destruct system or something.

Apparently while he was pondering, Trucy had noticed him standing there staring at it, as she came over to see what it was he was looking at. He pointed it out to her, at which point she examined it for a puzzled moment. She then reached out and poked it, causing Apollo to jump—but it still did nothing. Trucy looked over at Apollo and gave an unknowing shrug.

"At any rate, I believe I have a pamphlet that shows the room's dimensions over here somewhere..." Edgeworth spoke, walking over to his desk. Apollo and Trucy stumbled backward to let him past, though Edgeworth himself didn't seem to pay them any mind.

But as he moved past the desk, to Apollo and Trucy's great astonishment, the rune that they had been staring at earlier started to glow a fiery red. Apollo, again, jumped, wondering if this meant it was going to do anything. However, all it seemed to be doing was glowing—and Edgeworth didn't even seem to notice.

"Ah, here it is." Edgeworth pulled a pamphlet out of his drawer, closing the drawer and walking back over to where Klavier was standing.

And as he walked away, the rune stopped glowing.

Apollo raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Edgeworth questioningly. That's weird... it's almost like it was reacting to him specifically...

"This should tell you all the dimensions of the room," Edgeworth said, handing the pamphlet to Klavier. "It also lists the Office regulations..."

"Oooh! I didn't know we had one of those!" Ky chirped, hovering in the air next to Klavier so she could take a look at the pamphlet, too.

"So it would seem..." Klavier mumbled, glancing across the pamphlet.

While Edgeworth started going on about regulations, Apollo looked back and forth between him and the rune on the desk, pondering the significance of this. Why did it only glow when he got near it? It's like he's hiding something, but... He reached over and touched his bracelet, helping him concentrate. This sensation he was getting was so similar to his perceive ability, and yet... I'm not seeing anything... maybe...

He focused his gaze on Edgeworth, starting to concentrate. He felt as though there was something he had to look for. Something, perhaps... that couldn't normally be seen. It was on these thoughts that he concentrated, hoping it would maybe help to reveal whatever it was he was supposed to be looking at.

And then, as he was concentrating, he watched as the colors around him started to dull, which he thought was really odd... but not as odd as when the three figures in front of him began to glow in various colors.

"G-gah!" He stumbled backward, startled by this. "What the...?!"

Edgeworth, Klavier and Ky simultaneously sent Apollo confused looks. The glows surrounding them fluctuated slightly, as if to reflect their puzzlement. Or at least that's what Apollo guessed it was... it was so bizarre.

"...Is something the matter?" Edgeworth asked. So very bright... so strong. But with a strange tint to it... especially at the heart.

"Y-you're..." Apollo stammered, feeling a bit frightened and very confused. "You're...!"

"Polly? Are you okay?" Ky spoke up. He glanced back at her—swirling shades of blue. The sea, the sky, the snow... with a few traces of sandy hues. Swirling, shifting, changing...

"Wh-what's going on?!" Apollo yelped, putting a hand to his forehead as he glanced around the room. The rune on the desk was giving off a strange external glow, too... even the walls had faint wispy trails of the same color swirling around them.

"Polly, you're worrying me..." came Trucy's voice. Apollo looked back at her and was greeted a whole rainbow of swirling colors. Dancing softly around her... gentle, and yet very vivid.

"So many colors..." He stumbled backwards toward the couch, feeling overwhelmed. "Make it stop..."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "...Bettyming didn't get to you, did she?"

"Are you okay? Do you have a fever or anything?" Ky asked, coming up next to him as if in hopes to help him. "If you're going to faint, sit down slowly..."

"Ngh..." Apollo grunted, following Ky's advice and slowly sitting down on the couch. He squeezed his eyes shut, holding his aching head in his hands.

"Polly," Trucy said, "I think you need to calm down..."

Calm down... calm down... Apollo took the words in, slowly letting his mind and body relax. He took slow, calming breaths, sitting in silence for a moment before finally daring to open his eyes again. He blinked in surprise, looking up to find that the glowing was gone. "It... it's back to normal!"

"What's back to normal, Herr Forehead?" Klavier asked, looking rather perplexed. "Are you quite alright?"

"I... think so," Apollo responded, blinking a few times more. What was that? I've never seen anything like it...

There was an uneasy silence for a moment, before Ky decided to speak up. "...What exactly did you see?"

"Well, uh..." Apollo let out a sigh, absently reaching up to fix his hair. How exactly was he supposed to say this?

"Um..." Trucy piped in. "You said something about colors...?"

"Yeah... you all were, well... how do I put it? Glowing?" Apollo explained.

Klavier blinked at this, surprised. "...Glowing?"

"You mean... like how Master Godot and Agent Lang sometimes do when they get really mad?" Ky asked.

"Kind of like that, I guess?" Apollo rubbed his eyes, relieved that he wouldn't have to see like that the rest of his life. "I don't know, it was weird..."

"Maybe you saw auras, Polly!" Ky exclaimed, an eager smile appearing on her face.

Apollo looked up at Ky, raising an eyebrow. "...Auras?"

"Hey, yeah!" Trucy piped up, brightening also. "Maybe this is what Mr. Godot meant!"

"Hm?" Ky tilted her head. "What, did he mention something like this to you or something?"

As she said that, the words flashed back into Apollo mind—Godot's words. "But you can see a lot more than you realize—yes, even more than you have ever seen before." Seeing auras... could this have been what he meant?

"...Maybe," he finally admitted.

"...You mentioned colors," Edgeworth spoke thoughtfully. "What colors did you see?"

"Um... well, a lot of colors," Apollo told him. "Ky was mostly blue, and Trucy... well, it was kind of a rainbow."

"Ooh! Cool!" Trucy chirped, pleased with the idea. "What about Mr. Gavin?"

"Um... kind of a silver color, I think? To be honest..." Apollo paused, glancing back at Edgeworth. "...I was more focused on you."

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "...Me?"

"Oh, cool!" Ky piped in with a grin. "Was it all fiery red?"

"No, actually..." Apollo responded sheepishly. "It was more... white. ...Kind of an off-white, I guess. It was pretty bright, though."

Edgeworth fell silent, his otherwise unchanged expression faltering slightly. Apollo felt his stomach clench—considering that Edgeworth's expression hardly ever seemed to change from that emotionless stare of his, whatever Apollo had said must have struck a chord in him. But what did he say? Did this have anything to do with the rune?

"I... guess that makes sense," Ky finally spoke, also seemingly pondering this.

There was another pause. Klavier blinked. "Well, that rather derailed my train of thought." Glancing at the pamphlet again, he added, "Where were we, again?"

"Er... I don't remember," Edgeworth replied absently, looking to be a bit lost in thought.

"I... think you were going over regulations," Ky offered.

"Yes, regulations." Klavier nodded, skimming through the pamphlet for a moment. "You were on number 23, I believe?"

"...Right. Regulation 23." Edgeworth paused to adjust his cravat, then continued where he had left off before Apollo had distracted him.

As the others continued discussing regulations, Apollo let out a sigh, slowly standing back up again. I feel like I caused a scene here... and it still didn't answer my question. If anything, it just gave me more questions...

Trucy sent him a reassuring smile, helping him up. "Come on, Polly, this is exciting! New powers!"

"I guess..." Apollo admitted. "I just don't really understand what any of it means."

"...Well, if you can see auras..." Ky spoke slowly, lost in thought. Then, suddenly, she gave a cheerful smile. "Oh, I wonder what the auras of other people look like! I'll bet his is all wonderfully Light..."

The moment Ky had said that, Edgeworth froze, looking, for the first time since they'd arrived, startled. Apollo, noticing this, raised an eyebrow. ...What was that all about? He froze as soon as she said "his"...

Klavier, also noticing this, decided to speak up. "...Are you alright, Herr Edgeworth?"

"Ah, er... I'm fine, thank you," Edgeworth insisted, brushing his hair out of his face. "Well, I believe I've told you everything you need to know. Any questions?"

I have a number of them, personally, Apollo thought. But it's probably not my place to ask... not even talking to me, anyway...

"No, it makes sense enough," Klavier replied, looking up from the pamphlet. "Thank you, Herr Edgeworth. I may just be seeing you here more often."

Trucy perked up at this. "As in, you're getting an office here?"

"Well, I haven't made any decisions just yet, Fräulein," he told her, giving his relaxed smile. "But I will indeed consider it."

"Yaaay!" Ky cheered, clapping her hands together eagerly. "That'd be cool!"

While Klavier startled to chuckle, Apollo decided to move toward the door, eager to get out of there. Just being in that room after that little scene was getting a little uncomfortable. "Well, I guess that's probably it," he said, almost forcefully. "Thanks for showing us your office, Mr Edgeworth."

"Yeah!" Trucy added cheerfully. "It's really nice!"

"You're welcome." Edgeworth turned, moving back toward his desk. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Alright, thank you," Klavier replied, following the others out.

On their way out, however, Ky stopped, looking back with an eager grin. "Oh, oh, Mr. Edgeworth! Do you think they'll get to meet him one of these days?"

Edgeworth was about to sit back down, but upon hearing that, he stopped, one hand resting on the desk. Apollo glanced at the rune, noting that it was again glowing that red color, fluctuating slightly as Edgeworth stood in thoughtful silence.

"I'm... I'm not sure," he finally spoke. "Probably."

"Oh, that would be great. He's so awesome!" Ky smiled, her tail lashing from side to side as she headed out of the room.

As Apollo followed her, he glanced back at Edgeworth in thought. He was getting the strangest feeling he had heard the name 'Edgeworth' somewhere else before... it was something huge, too... he just couldn't put his finger on it for some reason. Oh well. Maybe it'll come to me later.

"So now what?" Trucy asked, once they were out of the room.

"I'm not sure." Klavier closed the door behind him. "I don't believe there's anything else important to see in this Office..."

"Um, well, to be honest..." Ky spoke up, grinning sheepishly. "I still need to deliver something to Godot's office... it's on the floor below this one. That's what I came here for, actually..."

"Ah. Well, we can stop by his office, then," Klavier replied. "I don't mind."

"Thanks..." Ky then proceeded to lead the way down the stairs, a file in one hand. "I hope he's there... the file's too big to shove under the door."

The three of them followed Ky through the halls in silence. Silence, at least, until Apollo decided to speak up. "So, um... do you happen to know what that weird rune thing on Edgeworth's desk was all about?"

There was a pause. "It's... a result of the enchantments on the room," Ky told him.

Hm... that would explain why it had the same glow as the walls, I guess, Apollo realized. "But what does it do, exactly?"

"It, uh... it glows around certain people. That's about it." Ky hastily moved up to what was presumably Godot's door. Without another word on the topic, she knocked. "Mr. Godot?"

"Entra, Ky."

With that, Ky slowly pushed the door open, allowing the others to see inside. Godot's office was a contrast to Edgeworth's, seeming much more laid back. The layout was similar—still a bookshelf along the wall and a window in the back—but the decor was more suited to Godot's style, noted by the coffee machine in the windowsill. On the wall opposite the bookshelf, a map of California was posted, with a box labeled "COFFEE" beneath it, and a filing cabinet beside it.

Godot himself was sitting at his desk, which seemed to be completely covered in papers—with a mug of hot coffee sitting nearby, naturally. He seemed to be distracted reading through a case file. "¿Tú los traía, verdad?"

"Uh..." Apollo looked into the room, not sure whether or not he should actually enter. "Hi, Godot."

"Eh?" Godot looked up, apparently startled to hear Apollo's voice. "Oh! Oh." He stood, closing and setting aside the case file, then scooping up his coffee. "...You can come in if you want."

"I brought the file you asked for, sir," Ky said as she walked in, the others following behind her. "It has reports from both Agent Lang and Lee."

"Excellent," Godot replied, accepting the file. "Thank you."

Trucy smiled brightly as she stepped into the room. "Hey, did you hear what Polly did?"

"Um... no, he wouldn't have, Trucy," Apollo pointed out with a sigh. "It happened maybe ten minutes ago."

"Well then!" Trucy's smile only brightened further. "Do you want to hear?"

"Certainly," Godot replied, smiling back at her. "Do tell, I'm a highly curious person."

"Well," Trucy eagerly explained, "we were in Mr. Edgeworth's office, looking at some stuff, and then Polly started talking about seeing colors!"

Great way to describe it, Trucy. Thanks. Apollo rolled his eyes. "Uh... Ky thinks I might have been seeing auras or whatever."

"...Seeing auras?" Godot asked, a note of surprise to his voice. "Not just sensing them, but seeing them?"

"Assuming that's what all the weird glowing was, yeah."

Godot thought on this for a moment, then gave a pleased smile. "...I see. That's actually highly likely, depending on what you saw."

"Well, for one, he told me mine was rainbow-colored!" Trucy piped in cheerfully.

Godot nodded, turning and walking over to the window to refill his coffee. "So you can see auras... that's not the whole of your story, but it's a start."

There's more? Ugh... Apollo made a face at the thought. I get the feeling this is going to be quite a ride.

"And perhaps a very significant start, at that," Godot continued. "Darkness cannot hide its aura... even if it's masked, I imagine you would still be able to see it. That could prove useful for you."

That reminds me... "Yeah," Apollo spoke. "I just hope I didn't offend Edgeworth somehow."

Having finished refilling his coffee, Godot turned back around to look at Apollo. "Oh? What did you say to him?"

"Well, other than my shouting in alarm in the middle of his conversation..." Apollo let out a sigh. "...He seemed kind of pensive when I told him what his aura looked like."

Silence. Godot gave a thoughtful expression, holding up his coffee, before deciding to speak. "...Light, but not pure. Am I right?"

"...I guess you could say that," Apollo replied, frowning slightly at the wording. "It was bright, but it wasn't quite... white."

Another pause. Godot shook his head, turning to look out the window. "...A person's aura can tell you about their powers, sometimes, but they can also tell you about their personality, even if they don't have powers," He paused, thoughtfully holding a hand to his heart. "It can tell you about their past... hints of their own past actions under their current direction in life.

"As for Edgeworth... he has suffered more than you can possibly imagine." Godot let out a sigh. "He's even changed alignment several times... from good, to cruel, then back to good again. That's why the light isn't pure... he still suffers from his past. A past he doesn't speak on if he can help it."

...Wow... Apollo glanced at the ground, feeling just a bit guilty. Now I feel bad for even mentioning it to him...

"Edgeworth..." Klavier muttered, deep in thought. "Yes, there were many tales surrounding that name..."

"I can imagine you heard the rumors," Godot agreed. "About the great cover-up between the Prosecutor's Office and the morgue, among other things..."

"Yes, I..." Klavier did a double take. "...Wait. What?"

Godot paused, doing a double take of his own. "You... don't know? But... wasn't it a big sensation in Los Angeles?"

"I'm... afraid I haven't heard of anything like that," Klavier said with a frown. "Though now I'm afraid to ask..."

As the realization hit him, Godot cursed under his breath, putting a hand to his visor. "It must be the time warps... oh, Edgeworth is going to kill me for this..."

Apollo exchanged concerned glances with Trucy and Klavier, before turning his attention back to Godot. "Um... what are you talking about...?"

Godot took off his visor with a muffled click, running a hand along the scar on his face. "...It would be better if I didn't leave that up to your imagination, but..." He sighed, picking up the case file he was reading earlier and handing it to Klavier. "...Perhaps it will also serve as a word of caution of just what you are up against."

Klavier frowned, flipping open the binder and glancing at the case summary. "...Murder... cause of death, stabbed in the heart... and drained life force...?"

"Th-that sounds horrible!" Trucy cried.

"...Defense, Phoenix Wright... prosecution, Franziska von Karma... victim... oh." Klavier's eyes widened, tensely clutching at the binder. "...Oh my."

Apollo and Trucy, not liking the sound of that, hesitantly tried to peek over Klavier's shoulder. There it was, at the top of the page, written in plain letters: "Victim: Miles Edgeworth."

N-no way...! Apollo stammered inwardly, pupils shrinking. It can't be... he can't be dead...?!

Klavier mumbled to himself in German, quickly skimming through the summary. "...Wiederbelebt."

Trucy, not understanding German, had to look over his shoulder to see what line he had his finger on. "He was... revived?"

Apollo glanced at the line as well, frowning slightly as he read. "...By Mr. Wright."

Klavier skimmed through for a few moments in silence, before he closed the binder again, deciding he couldn't bear to read further. He mutely handed the binder back to Godot, who accepted it and quietly placed it back on his desk.

"...It's a very dangerous world you've walked into." Godot sighed, turning his back to them as he spoke. "I came here after that incident, you know? I came here to protect. We all have to protect each other the best we can, so that we can enjoy the good things this place has to offer."

Apollo scowled, massaging his forehead in thought. "At this rate... I'm starting to wonder if there really are good things in this place..."

The moment he said this, however, Godot whipped around sharply, slamming his coffee mug onto the table. This motion caused The others to jump in surprise, Apollo in particular taking a step back.

"Mr. Apollo Justice!" Godot shouted, very firmly. "It is absolutely out of the question for you to give up!"

"I-I... uh..." Apollo stammered, not sure what to say. What is that weird aura he's giving off?

"There is plenty of good in this world," Godot continued. "You have your friends from your own time. There are those of us from the past. People of many dimensions, many worlds, from across time and space... and those of us beyond it.

"You can't just focus on the cruelty out there. Yes, you have to keep it in mind, but being blind to all else but darkness is neither healthy nor profitable, in any sense of the word." He paused to down the rest of his coffee before speaking again. "This is far from over. So don't give up in the middle of the fight, Justice! Do you understand?"

Apollo stared for a few silent moments, not sure how to react to this. "...Uh. I understand?"

"Come on, Polly!" Trucy insisted, looking at him with determined eyes. "You've got to put more oomph into it than that!"

"Gah!" Apollo yelped. "I understand completely!"

"Good." With that said, Godot's aura slowly died back down, as he started to relax. Then, with a slight smile, he changed the subject. "So, Master Gavin... what did you make of the Office?"

"Hm?" Klavier looked up, distracted from his train of thought. "Oh. It's a very nice building, I'd say. I just may get an office here at some point."

"Great! Glad to hear you liked it! I would be interested in seeing it if that happens." Godot took this chance to make a halfhearted attempt to straighten the papers on his desk. "A lot of the other prosecutors have expensive offices. Mine's not nearly as impressive, I'm afraid."

"Aw, but it suits you, sir!" Ky insisted.

"No worries, Herr Godot," Klavier said with a chuckle. "Your office is fine."

"Thanks." Godot paused, sitting down at his desk again and opening this laptop. "Hmmm... I wonder what events in town you can go to today... I think there was something going on in the square later today..."

Trucy perked up at this. "What kind of thing?"

"I don't know, Ms. Trucy the Enigmatic," Godot replied with a smile. "It might be a karaoke, if memory serves correctly..."

"Oooh!" Trucy beamed. "Sounds exciting!"

"...Uh." Apollo immediately sent Trucy a wary glance. I don't sing. Please don't make me sing.

Klavier, meanwhile, seemed rather pleased at the idea. "That could be quite fun."

"Ooh! Ooh! You should totally sing, Mr. Gavin!" Trucy hopped up and down, already excited.

"I would be glad to," Klavier replied, smiling cooly. "Hm... I wonder if they'd let me bring a guitar..."

Godot laughed at that. "I'm sure no one would mind. PFA once tried to bring a piano for Wright to play The Objection Song on." With an amused grin, he added, "Although the result was... much to be desired. Trite is absolutely tragic with the piano."

"Uh, yeah. So I hear." Apollo made a face, glancing over at Trucy. She just pretended not to notice, keeping an eager smile plastered on her face.

"Well, that would be wonderful," Klavier said. "My talent lies in singing along with the harmonious chords of the guitar, you see."

"I look forward to hearing it!" Godot replied. "But be warned that you might end up with people begging for song requests."

Klavier gave a smug smile, flicking his bangs aside. "I think I can handle that."

Godot laughed very hard at this. "I like your attitude, Klavier Gavin."

Well, what else can you expect from a rock star? Apollo thought, rolling his eyes.

It took a few moments for Godot to calm back down, giving a smile, "Well, I'll definitely see you there. It will probably be after dinner, later in the evening. That's when people tend to gather in the square, and when things get really lively."

"Sounds lovely." Klavier nodded, then turned to leave the room. "I suppose I'll be seeing you then. Come on, Herr Forehead."

"Yeah!" Trucy chirped, following after Klavier. "Come on, Polly!"

Any particular reason you're both beckoning me? Apollo wondered, but nonetheless followed.

Ky was the last one out, closing the door behind her. "Oh boy, I can't wait for the karaoke! I wonder who all will sing..."

"It sounds so exciting!" Trucy replied, before turning to Apollo. "See, Polly? There's plenty of good things in this world!"

Apollo sighed, choosing not to respond. Instead, he just lost himself in his thoughts as they followed Ky out of the building. He's right, I shouldn't lose hope, it's just... it seems like we keep getting hammered with bad things, and we just barely got here. How long will it take for light to shine through?

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it for now. If Godot was right, something good would come of all their struggles. They just had to keep trying, and never give up.

"Well, I have to go back to working on your outfits and the amulets," Ky said once they were outside. "See you at the karaoke!"

"Hey wait, um... what do you think we should do in the meantime?" Apollo asked. "He said it won't be until evening..."

Ky pressed her hands together in thought, much like how Lang would do. "Hm... I don't think there's really anything else going on... maybe you could check out the library? Read up on the worlds and cultures that come together here, relax a bit?"

"Sounds like a good enough idea," Apollo replied. "Where is the library?"

"Oh! Well, come on, I'll show you real quick!" Ky started flying off in the direction of the library.

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier followed after her, doing their best to keep up. It was clear they had a lot to explore still—if nothing else, their stay here promised to be eventful.

"...Wait." Ky paused, turning to look back at Klavier. "Master Gavin, did you even bring one of your guitars...?"

Klavier blinked. "...Hm. Come to think of it, when I arrived here, none of my guitars or anything else arrived with me."

"Yeah, I don't have most of my magic stuff, either!" Trucy added.

And yet I have everything I need for my job, Apollo thought dryly, glancing at his badge.

"That... would be a problem for the karaoke, wouldn't it?" Klavier realized, putting a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "I don't suppose there'd be one I can borrow, perchance?"

"Oh yeah, sure," Ky said with a smile. "You can borrow one of Jason's guitars."

"Ah, excellent." Klavier smiled back. "That would be great."

"Great! So now that's settled!" Trucy chirped, pointing off in the direction they had previously been going. "To the library!"

Apollo rolled his eyes. Eventful, indeed.

To be continued...

[PFA]

I missed last week because I got distracted by important things and such! I am terrible at this. :C

But anyway, here's the next chapter! I wasn't going to split this one but then somewhere along the line of taking two weeks to edit it I realized it was unseemly long (and might have extended the character limit from the looks of it). _{And this way I get a headstart on the next chapter, ohoho}

Oh yeah, you might notice that I cut out a lot of stuff pacing purposes, but I'm planning on posting a deleted scenes reel after this is all over in case you were worried about that.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

"By the way... what can you do with earth magic?"

"Well..." Felix—the brown-haired adventurer they had met the day before—told Trucy, as they all made their way back to the main square. "You can make things grow, control plants... heal wounds, cure poison... command the ground, summon sandstorms... things of that nature."

"Ooh, that's neat." Trucy smiled, following the others back to the main square. She then paused thoughtfully, her smile fading. "Cure poison... that would be useful to learn. I mean, if he poisons someone again..."

Felix blinked at this, confused. "...'He'?"

"Are you certain you don't mean to say 'she'?" Piers, the blue-haired warrior, questioned.

"...Nein." Klavier scowled. "She means 'he.'"

"Though to be honest, it's probably safe to be worried about the both of them," Apollo added with a sigh.

"...Oh." Felix frowned, absently fiddling with his ponytail. "I see... so there is another."

"Yes... mein Bruder." Klavier sighed, pressing a hand to his temple in thought. "...Do you know how to cure poison, Herr Felix? She is right; it could prove very useful."

"Well, although the curing of poisons is something normally done by earth mages, our powers function a little differently," Piers explained. "It is I who cures poisons among this group."

"Oh, well... maybe you could teach me, then?" Trucy asked.

Piers shook his head. "...I am afraid not. As I said, our powers function differently... it would likely be of more benefit to you to ask someone with abilities more similar to yours."

"Perhaps you could ask Ky?" Felix suggested. "She's fought in a number of wars before and quickly had to get very good at curing poison."

"That might work. I'll have to ask her later." Trucy nodded, glancing ahead as they arrived at the square. Several others had gathered, and a sound system was being set up for the karaoke.

"Speaking of Fräulein Ky, I need to speak with her, myself..." Klavier mumbled, looking across the crowd of people. "Where is she?"

Apollo looked around for a moment in an attempt to spot Ky. Soon enough, he found her, helping Cassy set up the sound system. He pointed to her. "She's up there."

"Ah, good." Klavier smiled, heading up to talk to her. "I need to speak with her on borrowing a guitar..."

As Klavier wandered off into the distance, Trucy turned to Apollo with a smile. "Isn't this exciting, Polly? We get to hear people sing!"

"Um... sure?" was Apollo's response. I guess it depends on what people sing...

"Oh! Hi, guys!" came a familiar voice. Glancing over, Apollo noticed Maya a ways off, waving them over. "Over here!"

"Hey, there's Maya!" Trucy exclaimed, waving back. "Come on, Polly!"

Apollo shrugged, waving to Felix and the others as he followed Trucy over to where Maya was. When they got there, they could see that Godot was there too, and he gave them a smile.

"Glad you guys could make it," he said. "Tonight should be fun."

"I can't wait!" Trucy chirped eagerly. "This is so exciting!"

"Isn't it, though?" Maya agreed. "I wonder if we can convince Nick to sing again..."

"That would be awesome!" Trucy smiled, seeming especially pleased at the idea.

Trucy, the number one Phoenix Wright fan, Apollo thought, rolling his eyes with a slight chuckle.

Trucy then paused briefly, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face as she remembered something. She turned to Godot. "Oh yeah, Mr. Godot? I wanted to ask you something..."

"Hm?" Godot looked back at her. "Yes, what is it?"

"Well, I was looking at this book of elements," she explained, fiddling absently with the brim of her hat. "And then I was wondering if I could use all the elements..."

"All the elements, huh?" Godot gave a smile. "Yes, I believe you are capable of using them all."

"Yeah, well, then we were talking about who could teach me to use them... and I was wondering..." Trucy paused, then suddenly gave a hopeful grin. "...If you'd be willing to teach me about Dark magic?"

"...Dark magic?" Maya questioned.

"You know, just some basic stuff!" Trucy said. "Not anything super dangerous or anything. I mean, if I'm going to be learning all the elements..."

Godot paused briefly, seeming a little surprised by the request. And then, he gave a grin. "I'm honored you ask, Ms. Gramarye. Yes, I believe I can teach you a few basic things." With a slight chuckle, he added, "I imagine a magician like you would be most pleased to learn how to blend into the shadows."

"Awesome! Thank you!" Trucy chirped, grinning eagerly.

"You are most welcome," Godot responded. "I would offer to teach you Light as well, but... there are others who are better suited to teaching that than I."

"Hee hee!" Trucy giggled. "Yeah, I was thinking of asking Agent Lang..."

"Agent Lang? Why not ask my Sis?" Maya offered.

Apollo blinked, turning to Maya. "...Your sister?"

"Yeah!" Maya beamed. "My Sis, Mia!"

"...Mia... Fey?" Apollo asked, taken aback. I've heard that name before... isn't that...?

Godot smiled especially brightly at this. "I imagine the name is familiar to you, Mr. Justice. Mia Fey was Phoenix Wright's mentor... and a brilliant defense attorney. The best of her time, you know."

"That's right!" Apollo realized. "Phoenix Wright's mentor... I knew that name sounded familiar!"

"Hee hee! I take it she's pretty famous, right?" Maya asked.

"Well, it's a name that comes up when you learn about Phoenix Wright, I know that much," Apollo told her. With a smile, he added, "I hear she was a great attorney, though."

Maya giggled at this, seeming especially pleased. "Yeah... Sis is great!"

But wait... one of the most prominent stories about Mia Fey is... what happened to her. Apollo glanced over at Godot, realizing he could probably hear his thoughts. He didn't want to sound offensive. If she's here, then wouldn't that mean she's...?

"Yes, Mr. Justice," came Godot's reply, sure enough. "Mia Fey is an Angel."

Angel... Apollo thought on this. Agent Lang mentioned something earlier about "Angel allies"...

"Yes... that's what Agent Lang has taken to calling the three of us, it seems," Godot explained, smiling.

Well, I was mostly thinking to myself, but thanks for confirming my suspicions. Apollo sighed. Three of you... so you, Mia Fey, and...?

"Ah, there you are, Herr Forehead," came Klavier's voice, distracting Apollo from his thoughts. He looked up to see, sure enough, Klavier approaching, with a guitar in hand and a smug smile on his face.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Gavin!" Trucy chirped. "That's a neat guitar!"

"It is quite nice, ja," Klavier replied, admiring the guitar in question for a moment. "They were kind enough to let me borrow it for tonight."

"Ooh!" Maya gave an eager smile. "Are you going to be singing, Mr. Gavin?"

"Of course I am," he told her, flicking his bangs aside cooly. "What kind of rock star would I be if I didn't?"

"Oh, awesome!" Maya's face split into a grin, clearly excited for this.

"I must say I look forward to it," Godot added, smiling as well.

Is there anyone here who isn't a Gavin fan by now? Apollo absently wondered, raising an eyebrow.

Godot glanced up at the stage, watching as Ky set up the lights. "It appears we will be starting soon."

Sure enough, a few moments later and they were hearing microphone feedback. Cassy tapped it a few times and it quieted down. She took a deep breath, fidgeting and stealing a glance at the paper in her hands. Apollo soon realized she was probably afraid of public speaking.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to tonight's musical event!" she said, her voice sounding just a bit shaky. "Tonight, various people will be singing: anyone who wants to sing can come up to the stage. Please remember to be courteous of the singers. Video of the event will be available at one of the Writers' scroll stations once it is released. With that, have a great time, and let the music begin!"

There were a series of excited cheers as Cassy stepped away from the microphone. Apollo watched as people lined up to take the stage, waiting their turn as Portsman shoved his way past them all, sprinting up and grabbing the microphone. There was more feedback.

"Alright, guys, let's get this party started!" he exclaimed, giving a thumbs up with his free hand. "Hit the music!"

Ky looked quizzically at the slip of paper she'd been handed for a moment, before giving a shrug and pressing some buttons on the sound system. Suddenly, the music started blaring through the square.

Apollo raised an eyebrow at the choice of song. "...Y.M.C.A.?"

"Young man! There's no need to feel down, I said young man! Pick yourself off the ground!" Portsman had decided to do a dance along with his singing, which only made the performance that much more awkward. "Young man! 'Cause you're in a new town, there's no need! To! Be! Un-hap-py!"

"What..." Apollo spoke, glancing over at Godot as he started busting up laughing. "What on earth...?"

"Come on, everyone!" Portsman beckoned, going through the motions. "Y.M.C.A.! It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.!"

Apollo glanced around at the crowd, noticing that some of the audience had decided to do the motions with him, some were just standing in confusion, and others still couldn't stop laughing.

Finally, as the music started to wind down, a voice cried out from somewhere in the audience. "Play 'im off, Keyboard Cat!"

"You don't have to tell me twice." A cat, wearing a blue shirt and sunglasses, leapt onto the stage, pulling an electronic keyboard from seemingly nowhere. Apollo watched in puzzlement as the cat started tapping out a tune with its paws, while Portsman obliviously waved to the crowd, bowing and walking back off the stage.

Apollo blinked. "...Well, that was..."

"...Interesting." Trucy paused, then turned to the others with a smile. "I wonder who's going next?"

"Him, from the look of it," Klavier replied, pointing up at the stage as a robot that resembled a giant fan took the stage.

"This one is dedicated to the most awesome robot in the world," the robot said, donning a pair of sunglasses. "Me, that is."

"What th— agh!" Apollo clutched at his ears as the music started blaring through the square.

"I am the champion, my friends! And I'll keep on fightin' to the end!" Again, the robot started doing a dance, apparently trying to be as cool as possible. "No time for losers, 'cause I am the champion of the wooooorld!"

Again, the cry sounded out. "Play 'im off, Keyboard Cat!"

The whole show isn't going to be like this, is it? Apollo thought, making a face as he watched the robot leave the stage.

"Really active tonight," Godot commented, watching as the next person took the stage—thankfully someone with a better singing voice. "Usually it's not this active."

"Hm, where's Nick?" Maya wondered, glancing around the immediate area. "I should get him to sing..." With a plotting smile, she snuck off in an attempt to find him.

Meanwhile, Trucy turned to Apollo with an eager smile of her own. "Hey, maybe you can sing, Polly!"

"Are you crazy?!" was Apollo's response. "No!"

Klavier chuckled, thoughtfully fingering his guitar. "Well, if no one else wants to go..."

"Well, Master Gavin," Godot replied, "it looks like Maya is off to find Wright and get him to sing, and neither of your friends are going up. You might as well return to your natural habitat..." He gave a cocky grin. "...Center stage, ¿no?"

Klavier laughed at this. "Might as well, ja?" Flicking his bangs aside, he started moving toward the stage. "I'll be right back, then. I've got to heat things up a bit."

I don't know whether to be glad or not that the rock star is going to be following these guys, Apollo thought, raising an eyebrow as he watched Winston Payne step up to the microphone.

"I'm the Rookie Killer! Another one bites the dust!" Payne clapped his hands what was presumably supposed to be along with the song. "I'm the Rookie Killer! Your case will be a bust!"

"Play 'im off, Keyboard Cat!"

Thankfully, the next few singers weren't as bad. What looked to be a band of pirates sang some noisy rock music, some guy sang something about digging, and some other people Apollo didn't recognize... some of them weren't bad, Apollo thought.

And then there was Klavier Gavin.

"Excuse me, Fräulein Ky," he spoke, "is there an amplifier for this guitar I can use?"

"Oh, of course!" Ky chirped in response. "Here, let me help you set it up..."

While they were working on connecting everything up, Apollo couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a mass of females moving closer to the stage. Apollo raised an eyebrow, while Godot began to chuckle.

"It appears Cassy and the Ambassador did a lot of gossiping," Godot remarked. "PFA probably helped with that, too."

Apparently, Apollo thought, watching as Klavier stepped up to the microphone.

"I'd like to sing one of my songs, if you don't mind," Klavier said with a pleased smile. As he started playing a melody on his guitar, it became very apparent that the fangirls did not, in fact, mind, judging by the loud cheers they gave.

"He's really good at the guitar, isn't he?" Trucy piped up.

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Well, what do you expect from a professional musician?"

"Is that a hint of jealousy I hear, Mr. Justice?" Godot asked, giving a sly grin.

"What? Of course not!" Apollo insisted. In vain, clearly, as Godot and Trucy began to chuckle.

"Oh, Polly..." Trucy spoke. "It's okay, you're great, too!"

"Thanks, Trucy, that's really comforting." Apollo raised an eyebrow, glancing around at the crowd as Klavier continued singing. Wow, he has the crowd completely mesmerized...

"More songs!" the crowd cheered, once the song had finished. "More songs!"

Klavier chuckled, flipping his hair out of his eyes. "You want more, huh? You want to rock?"

"YEEEEEAAAAAAH!"

Not particularly, no, Apollo thought, trying to discreetly plug his ears. Apollo had never been much for loud music—of course he had to get the rival that happened to be a rock star.

"Alright. Let's see now..." Klavier paused, pondering what song to sing. Then, with a smile, he proceeded to play some upbeat chords on his guitar. The fans went wild, proceeding to rock out.

"Won't you lock me in your love and then throw away the key? 'Cause if loving you's a crime, then a criminal I'll be!"

While Klavier was singing, Felix wandered over, speaking up so he could be heard over the music and the crowd. "Are you going to sing something, Master Godot?"

"I might," Godot replied, "but it would take a lot to get me to sing in front of this many people." Taking a sip of his coffee, he added, "Where's Phoenix? Maya said she was going to go get him..."

"Looks like he's up next," Apollo said, pointing out Phoenix and Maya as they approached the stage. Just in time, too, as Klavier's song had just finished.

"Danke, danke." Klavier bowed to the audience as they broke into applause. "Thank you very much."

Maya, meanwhile, was attempting to push Phoenix up the stairs and onto the stage. "Come on, Nick! Someone needs to go after Mr. Gavin!"

"After that?" Phoenix protested. "You're kidding, right?"

"Aw, come on, you'll do fine!" Maya gave him one last push, pushing him onto the stage. Phoenix stumbled into the spotlight next to Klavier, freezing at the sight of the crowd.

Klavier blinked, glancing over at Phoenix. "...Hm? Herr Wright? Do you want a go?"

"Uh... uh..." was Phoenix's only response.

"Heh, Trite looks nervous," Godot remarked. Then, cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, "COME ON, PHOENIX! JUSTICE FOR ALL!"

"YEAH!" came the cries. "JUSTICE FOR ALL!"

Klavier gave an amused smile at this, stepping back from the microphone. "Go on, then. The mic is open."

"...Guess I don't have much of a choice, do I." Phoenix sighed, stepping up to the microphone. He adjusted it for a moment, causing a bit of feedback. Despite this, however, he had the undivided attention of the whole audience.

"YEAAAH! GO!" Trucy cheered.

Apollo winced, hastily covering his ear. "Gosh, Trucy, excited much?"

Trucy just giggled. "What? He's a pretty good singer!"

"Something tells me you've never heard Wright sing as a phoenix before," Godot added. "I think you might find it, shall we say, inspirational."

...As a phoenix? Apollo blinked, turning his attention back to the stage.

Ky grinned and pressed a button on her sound system, as Klavier passed by her on his way back off the stage. Soon enough, what sounded like piano music echoed into the square. Phoenix took a deep breath, seeming nervous as he waited for his cue.

"... I fight for truth, I fight for justice, I fight for everyone to have a fair chance..."

Whoa... he is pretty good, Apollo thought, listening interestedly to the performance.

It was a few moments before Klavier came up beside them again, though his attention seemed to be focussed more on Phoenix's singing at that point. "I had no idea Herr Wright was such a good singer..."

Godot smiled at this. "They say the song of the phoenix has great power, you know. That it inspires hope and courage in the hearts of men..."

"...Great power, huh?" Apollo glanced back up at the stage, watching Phoenix curiously. It did feel like there was some sort of aura emanating from him... Hm... I wonder...

"...And I won't stand for lying or accusing anymore—I know precisely what I'm fighting for!"

Apollo subtly reached over and touched his bracelet, attempting to concentrate on Phoenix's aura, like he had done before with Edgeworth. Again, he watched the colors around him dull, and then the bright glowing of the auras.

Phoenix's aura in particular was a very bright fiery color, with a slight golden undertone. Sure enough, it seemed to be radiating around him particularly strongly at this point—mirroring the strength of the song.

"We fight for all! We fight with honor! And we will never rest—together we unite!"

Holy...! Apollo stumbled back in surprise, watching the aura spike considerably for the song's climax. The song was powerful enough on its own, but watching this hammered it in tenfold. It was no wonder the audience was so mesmerized.

"For the future of all..." Phoenix paused briefly, before finishing the song with a smile. "...We fight!"

The crowd went wild with applause. Apollo stared in awe at Phoenix's aura, which remained as it was for a few moments before finally starting to die back down.

"That was amazing!" Trucy exclaimed.

"Yeah," was Apollo's breathless response. "No kidding."

Phoenix, on Maya's request, gave a bow to the crowd, causing them to cheer louder. When he straightened up again, Apollo thought he could see him blushing. "Was it really that good...?" Phoenix wondered.

"Of course it was, Nick!" Maya replied, coming up next to Phoenix—glowing with a silvery purple aura in Apollo's eyes. "You were great!"

Trucy giggled happily. "Hey, maybe Maya should sing next!"

"Well, there is a song of hers that Phoenix has lines in," Godot pointed out. "Not sure if he'd want to sing his lines, but I'll suggest it to her..."

Apollo glanced over at Godot, noting that his aura was a mix of black and white—largely white, though there was black gathered around his heart and hands. And in the center of the darkness around his heart, there was a bright light.

Godot's aura flickered as he relayed the message telepathically over to Maya. As he did so, Apollo glanced over and noticed that Maya's aura pulsed slightly, as she picked up on the message and listened to it. Wow, he thought, talk about seeing the world in a while new way.

"Hey, that's a good idea!" Maya remarked shortly later. "Nick, we should do an I'll Be There duet!"

"Um... sure, we could do that," was Phoenix's response.

Maya giggled. "Ky, if you please..."

Ky nodded, pressing some buttons on the sound system. Soon, the instrumentals started playing, and Phoenix stepped aside to let Maya take the microphone.

"I'll water Charley each time you forget, I'd clean the litter if you had a pet..."

Apollo closed his eyes for a moment, deciding to dismiss the aura vision as they sang the song. As interesting as it was to see people's auras, it was a little disorienting to look at for too long—especially with everyone in the audience and how excited they were getting.

Those two really are a dynamic duo, aren't they? Apollo thought, glancing up to listen to the rest of the song. It reminds me of Trucy, in a way...

"Those two have made a good team over the years," Godot said, as if in response.

Trucy giggled. "You think we'll ever be that good of a team, Polly?"

"Um... maybe?" was Apollo's reply.

"And for you..." Phoenix and Maya sang in unison for the finale, looking at each other. "I will be there!"

The crowd again broke into applause. Maya giggled at this, and both she and Phoenix took a bow.

"That was great!" Trucy chirped, turning to Apollo. "Hey, maybe you should go next, Polly!"

"For the last time, no!" Apollo insisted.

"What? Surely with that voice of yours you could sing something," Godot teased.

"Yeah, Polly!" Trucy added. "What's all that vocal training for?"

"Chords of Steel! That's something else entirely!"

"What do you think, Nick?" came Maya's voice, distracting Godot from whatever he was about to say. "The Objection Song?"

Phoenix blinked. "You mean...?"

"Yeah! Should I ask her?"

..."Her"? Apollo raised an eyebrow. Who is she talking about? Does she mean...? He paused, glancing over at Godot and noticing that he had this big, unusually eager grin on his face. Apollo blinked, not sure what to make of this.

"...But wouldn't that mean my third time in a row up here?" Phoenix asked. "I have that part at the end..."

"Aw, Nick, but they love you!" Maya smiled teasingly, turning to the microphone. "Right, guys?"

The crowd cheered loudly and enthusiastically. Phoenix blushed at this, not sure how to respond. Maya just giggled.

"Well, it couldn't hurt to ask her, right?" she asked.

"Well... I guess so."

"Alright!" Maya stepped out of the spotlight, holding her hands together and starting to concentrate on something.

Apollo just watched this in confusion. ...What's she doi— whoa!

Suddenly, on the stage next to Maya, a bright light started to form—increasing in brightness and gathering into the shape of a person.

"Wow..." Trucy mumbled, gazing on in awe. "It's so pretty..."

Godot grinned at this. "Witness the power of Kurain, you two. It's quite awe-inspiring."

"...Kurain?" Trucy blinked, thinking on this. "...Spirit mediums...?"

The light finally started to fade, revealing a woman standing where it had been. This woman had long brown hair, and was wearing a black skirt suit, with a beige scarf tied around her neck. She had a calm smile on her face... though that was quickly replaced with a look of surprise, as soon as she realized she was standing in a spotlight in front of a cheering crowd.

"Hi, Sis!" Maya said to her. "We're having a karaoke night!"

"...So I see," she responded, staring out at the crowd for a startled moment.

And then, auddenly, it all came to him—Apollo realized exactly who this was. Maya's sister... Mia Fey... the Angel.

Godot waved enthusiastically at Mia, a big grin on his face. He then cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting, "SING FOR US!"

"YEAH!" the crowd agreed. "SING FOR US!"

Mia chuckled at this, stepping up to the microphone. "Well, alright. Any requests?"

"We want The Objection Song!" Maya cheered.

"Alright, then." Mia looked over at Phoenix with a smile, tilting her head slightly. "Well, Phoenix? You ready for this?"

Phoenix nodded. "Let's do it."

No sooner was it said that some surprisingly upbeat and cheery instrumentals started playing through the square. Mia smiled, grabbing the microphone from its stand and starting to sing.

"If your client's innocent, this testimony's fiction. So check your court record for the contradiction!"

"Doesn't she have such a beautiful singing voice, Polly?" Trucy asked, smiling as she listened to the song.

Godot smiled. "Angelic, if you will pardon the very appropriate pun."

"Yeah..." Apollo agreed, looking up at Mia thoughtfully. I don't even have to look at her aura to guess what it's going to look like...

"And after you have made your careful selection, just present evidence as your aid and yell..." Suddenly, Mia whirled around, pointing dramatically at the audience. "OBJECTION!"

"Sounds like your kind of song, Polly!" Trucy said with a giggle.

Apollo blinked. "...Wha?"

"I take it he likes to yell, Trucy?" Godot asked, sounding amused.

"Oh yeah, all the time," Trucy told him. "You know what he said about 'Chords of Steel'?"

Apollo just rolled his eyes, turning his attention to the stage as Mia and Phoenix wrapped up the song.

"So after you have made your careful selection..."

Phoenix smiled, trying to look confident. "I'll present evidence as my aid and yell..."

Mia smiled back. "Yell..."

"Yell..." Suddenly, both Phoenix and Mia whirled around, pointing dramatically at the audience. "OBJECTION!"

Again, there was applause. Mia smiled and gave a slight curtsy, while Phoenix gave a bow. The applause grew louder—apparently they really liked Mia's singing. Not that Apollo could blame them.

"So who next?" Phoenix asked, once he straightened back up. "I've already gone thrice..."

Iris, who was standing near where Godot was, looked back at him with a smile. "Maybe you should sing, Mr. Godot?"

"Huh? Me?" was Godot's response.

"Yeah!" Trucy chirped. "Go for it!"

Klavier chuckled at this. "I'm sure you'll do great, Herr Godot."

"Uh..." Godot grinned sheepishly. "But I'm not sure what I should sing..."

"Oh, I'm sure you have something you can sing, don't you?" Trucy asked, grinning encouragingly at him.

"Tch. I suppose." Godot shook his head, smiling. "Oh, very well—"

Before Godot could finish what he was saying, Agent Lang sauntered up to the stage, tapping Phoenix on the shoulder. "Mind if I have a turn?"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked. "Oh, sure, go ahead."

Godot could only chuckle at this. "Saved by the bell indeed."

"Aw, but you can still go after he finishes!" Trucy chirped, bouncing up and down eagerly.

"Come now, Fräulein Trucy," Klavier said, putting a hand on her shoulder to settle her down. "He'll go when he wants to go."

"Aw, okay..."

Maya smiled, taking her sister's hand eagerly. "Come on, Sis! You can come down to the crowd with us!"

Mia chuckled, handing the microphone off to Agent Lang. "Well, alright."

She's going to have her meet us, isn't she? Apollo realized, suddenly feeling nervous. Phoenix Wright's mentor, Mia Fey... they say she was one of the greatest defense attorneys around. Wow...

As Phoenix, Maya and Mia left the stage, Lang struck a pose, snapping his fingers. "Hit it, Nighthawk."

Ky rolled her eyes, looking amused, and pressed some buttons on the sound system. Some rather rough, feisty music started playing through the square, which Apollo found rather fitting for Lang's aggressive personality.

"These streets are strange, this place unreal! But it's in my range, and the crooks can just feel..." Lang sharply took off his sunglasses, striking another pose. "The Wolf is back in town, yeah, the Wolf is back in town!"

Apollo jumped at the sound of wolves howling—a sound that seemed to echo throughout the whole square. Agent Lang and his pack of wolves, I guess...

"He's not bad," Klavier remarked, watching the show interestedly.

"Yeah," Apollo agreed. A little loud for my tastes, but... not bad.

Lang grinned, pointing out to the crowd. "I'm on the case, I have a good lead! I'll win this race, and all will heed the Wolf who's back in town, yeah! The Wolf is back in town!"

He finished the song with a howl, which the other wolves joined in with. The crowd broke into a hearty applause, much of the crowd apparently having enjoyed the song. Apollo made a mental note of how much the people here seemed to enjoy upbeat rock music. Looked like this was going to be Klavier Gavin heaven.

"That was great!" Trucy cheered, applauding wildly.

"Wasn't it, though?"

Apollo tensed nervously at the voice, realizing that it was Maya's—and what this meant. Sure enough, when he turned around, he could see that Maya had come over, with Phoenix and, most notably, Mia in tow.

"Guys," she said cheerily, "I'd like you to meet my Sis, Mia Fey!"

"Nice to meet you." Mia smiled, offering her hand to Apollo. "And you are?"

"Uh... Apollo Justice," he stammered, hesitantly taking her hand. The sensation was very odd—her hand gave off no body heat, or... really much of a feeling at all, almost like she wasn't really there. And yet, there was this strange, ethereal feeling, giving him the impression that he was holding the hand of a being of pure Light.

"I'm Klavier Gavin," came Klavier's voice, distracting Apollo from his thoughts.

"And I'm Trucy. Nice to meet you, Ms. Fey!" Trucy gave a cheery grin. "You have a really pretty singing voice!"

Mia chuckled at this, letting go of Apollo's hand. "Why thank you. I'm honored."

"You did marvelously, Mia," Godot assured her, smiling warmly. Then, gesturing to Apollo and his friends, he added, "They are new around here. I get the feeling you've been mentioned a great deal to them, though."

Mia smiled at Godot, before turning her attention back to Apollo. "Oh really now?"

"I've, uh... I've heard a lot about you," Apollo told her. "Phoenix Wright's mentor and all that..."

"Oh yes," Mia replied, glancing down at the badge on Apollo's lapel. "You're a defense attorney, aren't you?"

Apollo grinned sheepishly, reaching up to fix the spikes in his hair. "I... guess I am?"

Mia chuckled. "How nice. It's nice to see more of us around here."

"Yes," Godot added, "he—"

"Aren't you going to sing, Mr. Godot?" Iris interrupted, smiling encouragingly. "Weren't you going to before Agent Lang interrupted?"

That nervous grin that Godot had before returned. "Uh..."

"Yeah!" Trucy chirped. "You should!"

Maya nodded in agreement. "Yeah! You should sing, Mr. Godot!"

Even Mia looked over at Godot, tilting her head in mild amusement. "I'd be interested in hearing that."

"Well, alright," Godot gave in, moving up to the stage. "If you guys want."

"Yay!"

As Godot stepped up to the microphone and started singing his song—predictably about coffee—Iris' smile faded, seeming puzzled about something. "...Something doesn't feel... right..."

Maya blinked. "...Hm? What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure..." Iris replied, absently fiddling with her necklace. "But something feels off..."

"No matter the day, no matter the hour, coffee is the best to drink..."

"...Off?" Maya frowned slightly, pausing as if to concentrate on something. "...Yeah, something feels... weird."

The crowd broke into applause as Godot finished his song. Apollo applauded too, though his expression was something of a thoughtful scowl. I don't know what this means, but I don't like the sound of it...

Godot gave a cocky grin, bowing to the cheering crowd. "Gracias, muchas gracias."

Apollo stared up at Godot as the applause started to fade, deep in thought. And then, just as he was pondering, he felt a sharp pulse at his bracelet, prompting him to instead look behind Godot. Sure enough, he watched a familiar figure step out of the shadows, smiling calmly and clapping slowly.

Kristoph! Apollo narrowed his eyes. I should have known!

"Hallo, Mr. Godot," Kristoph spoke, sounding deceivingly pleasant as usual. "I've been hoping to speak with you."

To be continued...

[PFA]

I didn't realize when I split up chapter 12 that chapter 13 would be kind of short. Oh well!

(Also, all the chapters are in spoiler boxes now, so as to be a little easier on your scroll bars. XD;)

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SPOILER: Click to show

Godot turned away from the microphone, looking back at Kristoph. A scowl appeared on his face. "...How long have you been here?"

Kristoph moved to push his glasses up his face, only for him to remember they weren't there. He paused, lowering his hand again. "...Right here isn't the place to talk. How about off the stage?"

Keyboard Cat, who was still sitting on the edge of the stage looking bored, looked up at this. "Shall I play him off?"

"That won't be necessary, thank you," Kristoph said dismissively, heading down into the audience.

"Darn. And I got my hopes up, too."

Godot, seeing Kristoph leave the stage, hastily teleported off in a swirl of Darkness, just to reappear right next to where Apollo and the others were. This startled Apollo slightly, while Mia just glanced over at Godot in concern.

"Diego, what's going on?" she asked him.

"...Remember when I returned yesterday after getting a thrashing from poison manipulation?" Godot responded, making a face. "Well, he was the one who did it to me."

Mia scowled at this, turning her attention to the approaching Kristoph. Her already noticeable Light aura seemed to increase a little in anger. "And what does he want?"

"I think he's mad..." Apollo said, narrowing his eyes.

"He's headed right for us!" Iris yelped, taking a worried step back.

Klavier frowned, turning his attention to Phoenix. "Herr Wright... please don't let him see you. I don't want you to get hurt."

"But—"

"No 'but's, Phoenix Wright," Godot interrupted sharply. "You may be able to survive falling forty feet into a freezing river, but poison is something else entirely. I'd rather not watch someone else go through such an experience if I can help it. You don't have to leave if you feel you absolutely must stay, but at least stay out of sight."

"Please..." Trucy added, looking up at him pleadingly. "We just don't want you to get hurt, okay?"

Phoenix hesitated for a moment, before giving a slow nod. "Alright... if you say so."

He then took a brief moment to seek out a good hiding spot that was still nearby, hurrying off in that direction once he found one. Apollo watched this for a moment, before turning back around, just in time to see Kristoph approach.

"Oh, so here you all are." Kristoph looked over at Klavier, squinting. "Well done, brother. It's been a while since I got to hear you perform live."

Klavier paused, not sure how to respond to that. He eventually decided simply on, "...Thank you."

"Oh, no problem. Wandering around town, I heard about it, and I knew I would find you where the music was." Kristoph's smile faded, turning into a scowl. "...You and the others. With that... onto business."

Apollo kept a close eye on Kristoph, watching as he held out a hand, opening and closing it a few times expectantly. He looked over at Godot with a warning scowl.

"I tire of chasing them down," Kristoph stated. "My glasses. Now."

Mia blinked at this, confused. "...Your glasses?"

"We don't have them, Kristoph," Apollo replied.

"...I don't know where they are," Godot lied.

Kristoph forced a smile as he grabbed Godot by the tie, harshly yanking him forward. "But I'm sure you can tell me who does have them, yes?"

"Glk!" Godot grunted, putting his hands to his tie in an attempt to loosen it.

Mia seemed particularly angered at this, taking a step forward and starting to glow slightly with a visible Light. "I'm warning you, sir, you had better not hurt Diego!"

Kristoph seemed a bit startled at this, but quickly regained his composure. "...I'm refraining from attacking as my first option rather than last choice, madam. Please understand." Glaring at Godot, he added, "I know Mr. Armando here is well aware how cruel it is to steal people's means of vision."

"Two things, Kristoph Gavin," Godot hissed. "First, get your hands off my tie. Second, I didn't steal your glasses."

"Then how did they end up in your possession?!" Kristoph demanded.

Dark flames started flaming up around Godot, reflecting is annoyance. "I don't have them!"

"But you did previously!" Kristoph growled, flaming up in turn. "What did you do with them?! I demand to know!"

Apollo took a frightened step back at this display. They're really getting at each other's throats...!

Godot, seeming to notice this, glared at Kristoph. "Kristoph, if you're looking for a fight, arrange it at the Arena. Otherwise, get your hands off my tie."

"Grrr...!" Kristoph, deciding that Godot had a point, let go of the tie, taking a step back. As he did so, however, the flames around him increased slightly, streaks of green appearing in them.

Godot adjusted his tie sharply, the flames around him fading as he calmed back down. "I don't have them, Gavin. Get out of here before you cause a public disturbance."

"Don't you tell me what to do, Armando!" Kristoph snapped. "Tell me who you have them to, NOW, or I'll have to MAKE you tell me!"

Maya stifled a yelp, taking a step closer to Mia. Godot, again noticing this, looked startled, Light aura flaring. "Don't be so hasty, Kristoph!"

"You—"

"Calm down first!" Godot insisted. "Do you really want to risk attacking while we're in a group like this?!" He gestured behind himself, over to where Klavier was standing. "What if you hurt someone you didn't intend to?!"

This caught Kristoph off-guard, causing him to take a startled step back. He fell silent, scowling as the flames around him died back down. Seeing this, Apollo glanced back at Klavier; he didn't return the glance, just turned his gaze down to the ground in thought.

"...So," Mia spoke, taking a step forward. "Are you ready to be civil now?"

Kristoph narrowed his eyes, fists clenched as he made an effort to restrain himself. "...Yes. Contrary to what you may think of me, I just want my glasses back, alright?"

"...For now, at any rate, that's your main goal," Godot pointed out.

"That's what I just said!" Kristoph growled. "How many times do I have to repeat myself?!"

Godot paused, thinking on something. "...Have you been here for the whole karaoke?"

Kristoph blinked, puzzled. "...Well, yes, why?"

Another pause. Godot shook his head, turning to send a telepathic message to the others—Apollo inclusive. "I rather don't like the idea of giving them back, but at the same time, I really want to avoid a fight unless strictly necessary. He seems to really be making an effort not to cause too much trouble; he didn't even attack during the singing, even though Phoenix sang three times in a row..."

That is a good point, but... Apollo thought, making a face. ...He's Kristoph. I don't trust him.

Godot was silent for a few moments, glancing at the others as if to hear their opinions. He glanced back and forth between Kristoph and his brother for a moment, before finally letting out a sigh. "Well, I guess it would be less of a problem to tell you than not to tell you..."

Apollo was taken aback by this. Seriously? But Kristoph is evil!

As is on cue, Kristoph gave a smirk. "I see you've finally come to your se—"

Godot suddenly flared up with Dark and Light flames, interrupting sharply. "Lee has them. And I tell you this because at the moment, your intent is just to find your glasses, and nothing more." Pointing accusingly at Kristoph, he added, "But I'm warning you, Kristoph Gavin... since your goal will change afterwards, if you act upon this next goal, expect to get a dagger or a sword run through you!"

"And don't think we'll tolerate any nonsense," Mia added, glowing slightly as if in warning.

Whoa, Apollo thought to himself as he watched this. They really mean business...

"Rest assured, if it comes to that," Kristoph hissed, "I'll request some help in taking you down."

Apollo scowled, glancing over at the others—Maya and Iris seemed especially distraught at this, as if they knew what he meant. Apollo could only guess he was talking about Dahlia Hawthorne, from what he'd heard about her.

"Hmmph. Until then... goodbye." Kristoph took a step back, eyes narrowed. "I take my leave... I need to ask Vendetta for help tracking his descendant."

And then, just like that, he vanished, fading into the shadows. Silence fell upon the square for a moment, apparently no one quite sure what to say. It was Trucy who finally spoke up. "...Polly, I'm scared..."

I think we're all worried, Trucy... Apollo thought, making a face.

Godot let out a sigh, taking off his visor and running a hand over the scar on his face. "...I have got to figure out that guy's secondary weakness."

"But how?" Mia asked him, frowning.

"To be honest, Mia, I don't know," was Godot's reply. "I'm just glad he left before causing too much damage."

Apollo nodded in agreement, absently glancing back up at the stage. He raised an eyebrow as he watched Azzie step up to the microphone, choosing to sing a calm, reassuring song to end the night off with.

"If you feel lost and on your own, and far from home, you're never alone, you know..."

I guess she's trying to lighten the mood, Apollo realized. Not that I can blame her, after that...

As Azzie was singing, Phoenix came back over from wherever he was hiding, deciding it was safe now. "Is everyone alright? It looked like it was getting rather intense over here..."

"Yes, Phoenix, we're alright," Godot told him. "Like I said, he left before doing any real damage." He adjusted his tie sharply at 'damage.' Apollo chose not to comment.

"Well, that's good..." Phoenix sighed in relief. "I was getting worried for a moment there."

"Well, you had a right to be," Godot said bluntly, putting his visor back on. "He was acting very aggressively. Things have been worse, though." He paused as Azzie finished singing, and they started packing up the stage for the night. Godot gave a slight smile. "I'd say all in all, today was a good day. And, of course, I also enjoyed the karaoke."

Trucy brightened at this. "Yeah, the karaoke was great! You guys are all such great singers!"

"Oh, uh..." Phoenix chuckled sheepishly at this. "Thanks."

Mia gave a chuckle, as well. "Yes, thank you."

Trucy turned to Mia, tilting her head in thought. "Hey, that reminds me..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Well..." Trucy smiled hopefully. "You know light magic, right?"

"A certain branch of it, yes," was Mia's response. "Why do you ask?"

Trucy's smile spread into a grin. "Well, your sister said maybe you could teach me some basics!"

"Oh?" Mia seemed a bit surprised by the offer. "Are you a light mage?"

"She's a multi-elemental mage," Godot told her with a smile. "I think she mentioned wanting to learn all six elements...?"

"All six elements?" Mia tilted her head slightly. "That's quite the goal."

"Uh-huh!" Trucy chirped, bouncing up and down eagerly. "I'll be a jack-of-all-trades!"

"Well, she is a magician," Apollo pointed out, rolling his eyes.

"I see. I guess that makes sense." Mia gave Trucy that calm smile of hers. "Well, I'd be glad to teach you some basics. I'll have to remember to set some time aside for it, seeing as I also have other students to teach..."

"That would be awesome!" Trucy exclaimed. "Thanks!"

..."Other" students? Apollo, meanwhile, wondered. She must be good if she can teach other people...

It was at this point that they had mostly managed to pack up the stage, allowing Ky to wander over to the group. "Hi, guys!"

"Oh! Hi, Ky!" Trucy chirped. "Good job with all that sound stuff. The karaoke was great!"

"Hee hee! Thanks!" Ky giggled, turning to Klavier. "And you were great on the guitar, sir!"

"Oh, thank you," Klavier replied, giving a pleased smile. "Which reminds me, you'll likely want this guitar back..."

"Oh, yes, Jason will want that back," Ky said with a small laugh. She paused, looking up at the guitar Klavier was holding for a moment. "...But, um... it's kind of a... large guitar..."

"Yeah, I'd have to agree you probably couldn't handle it very easily," came Cassy's voice, as she wandered over with a laptop in hand. She typed some things into said laptop, and within moments, the guitar had vanished in a swirl of zeros and ones.

Klavier blinked, seeming a bit puzzled by this. "...Thank you, Fräulein."

"Hey," Apollo spoke up suddenly, turning to Trucy. "Wasn't there something we wanted to ask Ky...? Something about magic, I think..."

"Oh yeah!" Trucy, memory sparked, turned to Ky. "We wanted to know if you knew any poison cure spells!"

A silence fell over the group. Mia and Godot seemed especially uncomfortable at the subject, the latter of whom glancing down thoughtfully at the cup of coffee in his hands. Apollo made a face. ...Right. Poison cure. How could I ever forget...

"...Poison curing spells?" Ky finally spoke up, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, I know a few..."

"Yeah, well... we were talking to Felix about stuff you can do with earth magic, and he mentioned poison-cure, so..." Trucy shuffled her foot awkwardly. "We were just thinking it might be something useful for me to know... just in case."

"Well, I, ah, could teach you?" Ky grinned awkwardly, pressing her hands together. "You're right, it's a good thing to know... you never know when it could come in handy on an adventure!"

"That would be great, thanks," Trucy said, managing a smile. "Which reminds me, I need someone to teach me earth magic, too..."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "...Aren't all these different elements going to get confusing?"

"Maybe, but it will be well worth it!" Trucy replied, grinning at Phoenix. "Which reminds me, I'll also need to learn fire magic!"

"...Why do you look at me when you say that?" Phoenix asked, looking a bit nervous.

"Isn't it obvious, Nick?" Cassy said with an amused smile. "You're a fire mage, aren't you?"

"But why me?" Phoenix questioned, making a face. "Couldn't you ask someone with more experience?"

"I just want to know some basics!" Trucy told him. "Besides, we can learn together!"

Phoenix glanced away, looking a bit annoyed. "Uh..."

"Pleeeeease?" Trucy begged, looking up at Phoenix with big, pleading eyes.

That nervous expression of Phoenix's returned. "...Uh."

Apollo shook his head, chuckling slightly in amusement. "Maybe we can discuss this later, Trucy. I think Mr. Wright will need some time to think about it."

"Aw, okay," Trucy reluctantly consented. With a grin, she turned to Phoenix, adding, "But you'll think about it, right?"

"...Uh. Sure?" was Phoenix's only response.

Godot chuckled, turning to Apollo. "And what about you, Mr. Justice?"

Apollo blinked. "...Huh? What about me?"

"Don't you remember what I said earlier?" Godot took a sip of his coffee. "You are fully capable of using magic."

"...Uh."

"Hey, maybe you could train with me, Polly!" Trucy suggested eagerly.

Apollo paused, then let out a sigh. "...I'll need some time to think about it."

"Sounds good," Godot said simply, giving a nod.

"Well, I'd better head back," Ky spoke up. "I'm almost done with your red vest, Polly."

"Oh, um... that's good," was all Apollo could think of to say to that.

"Yeah, it's getting late," Cassy agreed with Ky. "We might as well start heading back now."

"That's probably a good idea." Phoenix turned to Maya. "We should get going."

"...Yeah..." Apollo gave a drowsy yawn. "Sleep sounds nice right about now."

Godot smiled at Mia. "Well... best be going ourselves, then."

Mia nodded. "Yes. Farewell for now."

Without another word, the two of them started glowing with that familiar bright light. The others could only gaze on in awe, watching as the light eventually faded, taking Mia and Godot with it.

"That light..." Trucy spoke softly. "It's so pretty..."

The Light of Angels, I guess, Apollo realized. Angels, as they ascend into heaven...

Iris gave a smile, turning to the others. "Well, I should return to the temple. I'll see you guys around."

"Yeah, like I said, I'm almost done with the red vest," Ky added. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yeah. Bye, guys!" Maya waved, following Phoenix back home.

"See ya!" Trucy waved back, as the others went their separate ways.

After a pause, Apollo turned to Trucy and Klavier. "Well... I guess we should get back to that Dramatis Personae place."

And with that, the three of them headed off, thinking back on what had happened that day—and what all had happened since they arrived, really. Maybe they could get used to this Icy Taco place, after all.

To be continued...

[PFA]

IT'S HERE YOU GUYS *epic fanfare!*

Fun fact: this chapter features the only scene in the story that focusses on Trucy's POV. That makes the whole trio!

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SPOILER: Click to show

"...You mean like this?" Trucy asked, holding her hands in front of her. As she did so, some darkness solidified in front of her, forming itself into a shield of sorts.

"You want the shield to be a bit smaller and... 'lighter,' so to speak," Godot told her. "What you're doing is setting up something heavier duty... a barrier. They're fairly close, but... not quite the same."

"Oh... hm." Trucy dissipated the darkness, raising an eyebrow. "I'll try that again..."

Apollo watched the magic lesson from the sidelines, wrinkling his brow in thought. It had been a few days since they'd arrived in the Icy Taco, and things had finally been starting to settle down. They hadn't seen any Ring members in a while, and in general it had been pretty peaceful for the past few days. Now Apollo was just sitting and watching Trucy practice dark magic, lost in his own thoughts.

"Something the matter, Herr Forehead?" came the voice of Klavier, who was sitting beside Apollo on the bench.

"Oh, no, not really," Apollo responded, glancing over at him. "Just... thinking."

"Oh? About what?"

Apollo let out a sigh. "Well, you know what everyone's been saying... stuff about all the great powers I'm supposed to have and whatnot. But what do they mean?"

"Hm... that is a good question." Klavier rested his elbow on his knee, holding his chin in thought. "I haven't noticed any unusual powers on my end, either..."

I'd offer to look at your aura, but I somehow doubt that will really tell you much, Apollo thought, shaking his head.

"Good! You have a natural talent for this, Trucy," came Godot's voice.

"Hee hee!" Trucy giggled in response. "Thanks!"

Godot smiled. "Would you like to test the shield further?"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Alright, see if you can cast the shield at a distance. I don't want to be aiming at you for this test..."

Klavier tilted his head slightly, watching the two of them practice. "I wonder how exactly one would find out about their powers? Just... trial and error, perhaps?"

"Mine just seem to... happen," Apollo noted. "I'm not sure that's exactly a recommended way to learn your abilities, though."

Klavier chuckled at that, leaning back and glancing over at Apollo. "Well, at least them manifesting themselves when you need them is better than the alternative, ja?"

"...There are multiple alternatives to that, you know," Apollo told him, raising an eyebrow.

"Heh. Well, Herr Forehead..." Klavier started fiddling absently with his hair. "If your powers manifest themselves in situations where you need them, then perhaps you need to place yourself in such a situation."

"Putting myself in danger to discover my powers?" Apollo furrowed his brow. "That doesn't sound risky at all."

Klavier let out another chuckle. "Come now. Would I really be so cruel as to suggest such a thing?"

"I don't know, would you?"

"Peh." Klavier brushed a piece of hair back behind his ear. "But no, that's not what I meant. I meant perhaps a more... structured training environment, such as this one." He gestured over to Godot and Trucy, who were still working on shields.

"...Remember visualization is an important part of elemental magic," Godot explained, as he formed a small Dark sphere in his hand. "Imagine the shield protecting something you want to protect. Doing that will help you cast a shield at a distance when there is nothing there, giving you... a focusing point, if you will."

"Something I want to protect..." Trucy paused for a moment, thinking on this. Then, with a look of new determination, she tried again, this time with success.

Godot smiled. "Alright then. Get ready..."

Apollo blinked, watching as Godot casted the sphere at Trucy, letting her block it with her shield. "Structured training environment, huh... that might work."

"Well, it couldn't hurt to try, at least, ja?" Klavier asked, smiling encouragingly.

"True enough." Apollo shrugged. "But what about you? Do you even know what to look for?"

Klavier paused, a puzzled expression appearing on his face. "Hm... you know, I'm not sure..."

Apollo leaned forward with a sigh. "If only there were some easier way to find out..."

"Now making stronger shields, I am told, takes more effort and/or energy," Godot told Trucy. "It also takes practice... but you're on the right track." He paused, taking off his visor with a smile. "You're a very good student."

"Tee hee! Thanks!" Trucy replied. "You're a good teacher."

Godot laughed at this. He looked over at Trucy, his eyes glowing red with darksight. "Why, thank you. I appreciate that." He gave a smile. "Well, let's take a break. You'll need some time to rest before you work on reflective barriers as opposed to blocking barriers."

Klavier sat up as Godot and Trucy approached them, smiling. "Great job out there, Fräulein. You did well."

Trucy giggled at this. "Thanks!"

"She has a natural talent," Godot said with a grin. "I am pleased at her progress."

"Yes, well done." Klavier gave a nod. He then paused in thought, looking up at Godot. "Hm... Herr Godot, we were curious. Do you have any advice on how one discovers what their powers are?"

"...An interesting question." Godot thought on this, raising an eyebrow. "It... can depend on a lot of things. Since you're asking for you, I'll try to answer for mortals as opposed to spirits."

He paused, summoning some coffee before continuing. "...Often, when people come here, they seem to gain abilities. I have found, however, that it is less that they suddenly gain abilities than it is that the highly magical atmosphere here intensifies whatever potential the person had before. Are you with me so far?"

"...I think I understand, yes," Klavier said with a nod.

"So then," Godot continued. "A person's magical abilities will greatly depend on what abilities they had before. Take the Feys, for example. The power of Kurain remains present and usable here... but, thanks to the quality of magic and spiritual power in this place, they can also speak to spirits directly and summon us if necessary."

"Hm... based on what they had before, huh?" Klavier mumbled, pondering on this.

Is that why I started seeing auras? Apollo realized. Because it's kind of like my perceive abilities?

"Yes. How else do you think I got coffee powers?" Godot chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. "...It works similarly for spirits, too. Spirits get an alignment based on what they did in life, and occasionally have extra abilities besides that, which depend on what they were known for or talented at."

"Hmm... I see. I guess that makes sense." Klavier smiled. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."

As this discussion went on, Trucy startled to giggle to herself in amusement. "You know, guys..."

"...Huh?" Apollo raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You guys are sitting here trying to figure out what your powers even are," Trucy pointed out with a smirk, "and here I am already on my way to learning all the elements!"

"H-hey!" Apollo protested. "Doesn't the aura thing count for anything?"

Klavier laughed, returning with a smirk of his own. "Oh, we'll catch up, Fräulein. We will."

"Is that a challenge?" Trucy asked, giving a smug grin.

"Them's fighting words, Ms. Gramarye!" Godot teased. "Careful, they look to be a fearsome pair!"

"Indeed." Klavier wagged a finger at Trucy teasingly. "Be careful who you mess with, Fräulein..."

Godot smiled, putting his visor back on. "I am told powers can show up when you least expect it. So don't worry."

When I least expect it, just as usual. Apollo made a face. Joy.

"And even if you haven't found yours yet," Godot added, "I'm sure Ky could make something for you if you asked her to."

"Well, thank you, Herr Godot," Klavier said with a smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

"No problem. I'm happy to help as I can." Godot paused. And then, in one swift motion, he made a Dark sphere in his hands, tossing it at Trucy. "Surprise test!"

Trucy quickly reacted, raising up a shield to block the sphere. Godot smiled, pleased.

"Well done, Trucy. Alright, that's probably—" Suddenly he was interrupted by the sound of a cell phone ringing. Godot paused for a puzzled moment, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Eh? Hold on..."

I wonder who that is? Apollo wondered, raising an eyebrow as Godot answered his phone.

Godot spoke with the person on the other end for a moment in Spanish. Since Apollo couldn't understand a word he was saying, he instead watched his facial expressions—he went from neutral, then puzzled, and then he ended with a pleased smile. Apollo could only presume this meant good news.

"Ky's coming over," Godot said, as he hung up the phone. "She finished your outfits."

"Oh! That's wonderful news," Klavier responded.

New outfits... to defend against Dark magic, right? Apollo recalled.

"Yeah." Godot nodded. "She's finally done with them."

"That's great!" Trucy chirped. "I guess we should wait here for her, then. How about we have some lunch?"

I hope you brought lunch for more than just yourself, Trucy, Apollo thought, giving a sigh as Trucy went over to grab the sack lunch she had brought with her to training. Well, there was nothing much to do but wait.

---

"Hey! Did you eat my potato chip?"

"Hee hee! I brought them, so they're mine."

"But you gave me the bag!"

"Well, it's not like you were going to eat the whole bag!"

Not like you didn't have your own bag... Apollo sighed, shaking his head and finishing off his banana. At that point he stood, moving over to the garbage bin to throw the banana peel away.

As he did so, he glanced off to the side absently, blinking as he noticed someone approaching. Upon getting a better look, it seemed to be Ky, carrying a large bag over her shoulder. As he noticed this, Apollo waved to the others to get their attention, indicating this to them.

"Oh! Hi, Ky!" Trucy chirped, waving to Ky as she approached.

"Hi guys!" Ky responded, walking into the area. "I have your outfits done." She set the bag down, pulling out three smaller bags and handing them out to Apollo, Trucy and Klavier respectively.

"Ah, danke," Klavier said, accepting his bag. Apollo took his, as well, peering inside curiously.

"I made you guys enchanted pocket watches like the kind I made for Edgeworth," Ky explained. "I suggest you keep the watches in one of the interior breast pockets in your jackets or vests. And Trucy, I also made you a necklace, just in case you didn't have anywhere to put a watch."

"How many did you make?" Godot asked her.

"I was able to make three sets of enchanted clothes," was Ky's response.

Sure enough, as Apollo looked into his bag, he could see that he had three neatly folded red vests. They looked much like the one he was wearing, except that they had more interior pockets, and a symbol on the inside to indicate that the vests were enchanted.

There was also, as Ky mentioned, a pocket watch, which Apollo took out to examine closer. It had his initials on it—an "A" on the front cover, and a "J" on the back—and had a chain attached to it. It looked to be in excellent condition, of course. Brand new.

"Do you like it, Polly?" Ky asked, smiling expectantly.

"Hm? Oh, yeah," Apollo replied, turning the watch over in his hand. "It's very nice."

"Thanks a bunch, Ky!" Trucy said, giving a cheery grin.

"No problem!" was Ky's response. "Happy to help!"

Apollo paused, staring absently at the watch. "Well, I... guess we should probably put these on, shouldn't we?"

"I'd need to go somewhere I can change..." Klavier mumbled, looking into his own bag.

"I think there are some locker rooms nearby," Ky suggested.

"That would work," Klavier replied. "Any idea where those are?"

Ky pulled out a map of the arena, examining it for a moment. She then showed it to them, pointing out two locations. "We're here, and the locker rooms are here."

Klavier studied the map for a few moments, then nodded, smiling. "Alright, thank you. Come on, Herr Forehead."

Trucy waved to Apollo and Klavier as they walked out of the training arena, watching as they faded out of sight. She smiled, reaching into her own bag and pulling out the necklace. She examined it for a moment, then put it on, deciding she could try to find a place to put the pocket watch later.

"By the way, Trucy," Godot spoke up, catching her attention. "I've been wondering..."

"Hm?" Trucy blinked. "What is it?"

"How did you come to meet Apollo and become his assistant?" Godot asked. "It's not every day that magicians and lawyers cross paths, and your status as his assistant is a bit... puzzling."

"Oh, um..." Trucy fiddled with her necklace, trying to decide how to answer that question. "Well... we met each other because of a case, I guess."

Godot seemed startled at this, frowning. He paused, before speaking up again, cautiously. "...Not... as his client, I hope?"

"N-no, but..." Trucy thought back on the day she had first met Apollo, a frown appearing on her face. "...But..."

That day... it was Apollo's first case. The defendant was Phoenix Wright... he had told Trucy to deliver a piece of evidence to Apollo, the evidence needed to convict Kristoph for murdering a man. The man who she later learned was her real father... who she hadn't seen at all after his disappearance seven years prior. That was when she had lost her father... and Apollo had lost his mentor.

But she couldn't tell Godot about all that. Timelines aside, she didn't really like to think about it too much... and she didn't want to burden him with it, when he already had so much to worry about.

Godot, seeming to notice her hesitance, decided not to question her further. In fact, he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts on the matter. "Well... that's good, at least. Other teams have formed due to meeting during cases, so I was just... curious."

"Y-yeah." Trucy gripped at her necklace, taking a deep breath. She set those thoughts aside, a smile appearing on her face again. "But then after that, I started helping Polly with all his cases. We've been friends ever since!"

"That's good. Cases are a lot more bearable with a friend at your side," Godot said. With a cocky grin, he added, "Out of curiosity, what's Apollo's injury rate so far?"

Trucy blinked at this. "...Injury rate?"

"I take it he doesn't have one yet, then." Godot snorted. "Do try and keep it that way. I'm sure he would appreciate not having to go through the trials and tribulations Wright and I went through." He took another sip of his coffee. "...Forty feet into a freezing river indeed..."

Trucy's eyes widened. Had Phoenix really done that? "Um... okay?"

Godot shook his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. "...I wonder just how far magical abilities extend beyond the Forum... and the 'if only' scenarios the possibility raises..."

"I don't know," Ky spoke up, hearing this. "I've never been to Terra before."

"Well, Trucy," Godot said, smiling slightly, "next time you visit California, let us know, okay?"

"Okay!" Trucy chirped, smiling in turn. "I'll be sure to."

Godot nodded, gazing off into the distance in thought. And then, silence. Trucy shifted back and forth absently for a moment, before eventually deciding to go back and finish off the bag of potato chips Apollo had left out. It's not like he was eating them, anyway.

---

"...Okay, now which way was the training arena, again?"

"Do you always get so turned around in these buildings, Herr Forehead?" Klavier chuckled slightly, leading the way. "It's this way."

It's not my fault this building layout is confusing... Apollo sighed, following Klavier in the hopes that he knew where he was going. Thankfully, he did, as moments later, they arrived back in the training arena, where Trucy was throwing away an empty bag of chips. She then spotted them, waving.

"Hi guys!" she exclaimed. "Welcome back."

"Hi, Trucy." Apollo raised an eyebrow, glancing at the garbage bin. ...Did you eat my chips while I was gone?

"I must say, Fräulein Ky," Klavier spoke, turning to Ky. "You did an excellent job of recreating this outfit."

"Why thank you, sir!" Ky chirped in response. "I had some reference pictures too, that helped."

"Well, you did quite well." Klavier smiled. "Thank you."

Apollo adjusted his vest—while the new vest looked exactly the same as his old one, it still felt like it was brand new and needed to be broken in. "So, um... what now?"

"Well..." Godot paused to think on this. Then with a smile, he said, "If you're interested in discovering your abilities, perhaps you might look into finding ways to make that happen."

Apollo blinked. "...What, you mean the training thing Mr. Gavin mentioned?"

"I told him that perhaps a proper training environment would help his powers manifest themselves," Klavier explained, glancing over at Apollo. "In fact, I believe you agreed that it was worth trying, ja?"

"I, uh... guess I did?" Apollo responded, absently reaching up to the spikes in his hair.

"Well, you could certainly try that," Godot said, giving a nod.

"Okay." Apollo paused. "Um... how?"

Godot paused also, holding a hand to his mouth in thought. "Errrr..."

"Ooh! I have an idea!" Ky chirped, pressing her hands together with a grin. "Trucy knows some magic, don't you, Trucy?"

"Hee hee!" Trucy giggled. "Of course I do!"

Apollo suddenly felt a sense of dread come over him. "Uh..."

"Maybe you can bring out Polly's latent abilities!" Ky suggested, glancing slyly over at Apollo.

"Ooh! That is a good idea!" Trucy smirked, holding up a hand. A globe of water formed in her hand, slowly increasing in side until it was about the size of a grapefruit.

Now Apollo definitely didn't like where this was going. "What."

"Hey Polly!" Trucy called out. "Catch!"

"Gah!" Apollo hastily dodged to the side, the water globe whizzing right past him. Seeing Trucy start to form another water globe, he pivoted around, making a run for it while he still could. Trucy giggled, hurrying after him.

Godot laughed at this, moving next to Klavier. "Are they like this in court, too?"

"In court?" Klavier chuckled. "Hm... hard to say. I suppose so, though they're usually rather focussed on the case at hand."

Meanwhile, Apollo raced around the arena, dodging Trucy's water globes as best he could. Trucy continued chasing him and casting globes, of course, unrelenting. Much to Apollo's displeasure.

"Come on, Polly!" she exclaimed, throwing another water globe. "This is for your own good!"

Apollo quickly ducked under the globe. "How exactly is this helping?!"

"C'MON, POLLY!" came a cry from Ky. "STAND YOUR GROUND AND SEE THE TRUTH!"

What is that supposed to mean?! Apollo grumbled mentally, screeching to a halt as he came up to a corner. He whirled around, seeing Trucy standing there, a smug look on her face. "...Uh-oh."

Trucy giggled, taking a step forward and forming another water globe in her hand. "Come on, Polly! Anything yet?"

Apollo found himself staring at the water globe, watching carefully as it formed. The water rose up from her hand, swirling and forming itself into a ball shape. As he watched these intricate motions, suddenly, he felt a soft pulse at his bracelet.

...Wait, what? What am I supposed to be looking at now? Apollo blinked, watching as Trucy pulled her hand back, getting ready to throw. His eyes widened as this registered in his mind. "...GAH!"

Apollo narrowly ducked out of the way, dashing past Trucy and continuing to flee. Trucy turned to follow him, of course, though Apollo's mind raced with thoughts. He had definitely felt something right then, but what did it mean? And what did it have to do with Trucy's water globe?

"Mr. Justice! She's right!" came Godot's shout, apparently having noticed something himself. "You must stand your ground!"

...Stand my ground? Apollo skidded to a halt, turning around to look at Trucy.

Trucy giggled, tossing a water globe back and forth between her hands. "I can keep this up all day if I have to."

Apollo again found himself eyeing the water globe, watching the movements it made. Interestingly, as she tossed it between her hands, it never actually landed in her hand, instead stopping as if it were colliding with some invisible force radiating around her—her aura, perhaps?

With these thoughts in mind, he felt another pulse at his bracelet, slightly stronger this time. I know, I know! But what does it mean?!

Finally, Trucy pulled her arm back, tossing the globe at Apollo. He quickly sidestepped, dodging, just as she started forming another one in her hands. And for the third time, he found his eyes drawn to it... wait, maybe he was supposed to be watching the water globe itself?

Stand your ground... focus... Apollo stared intently at the water globe, like he would do when using his perceive abilities. Perhaps there was something in those delicate motions that was calling his attention... something he had to watch for.

...Or perhaps it was the motions themselves?

"Give up yet?" Trucy taunted, throwing the completed water globe at Apollo again.

"Hey!" Apollo narrowed his eyes, a sudden wave of determination coming over him. And then, in one swift motion, he sidestepped, dodging the water globe, and mimicked the motions Trucy made to create and cast the water globe.

Much to his, and Trucy's, surprise, a water globe had actually formed in his hands as he did this. And he had actually thrown it at Trucy, catching her off-guard and causing it to splash against her like a water balloon.

"Yaaay Polly!" Ky cheered.

Klavier, who was still watching from the sidelines, suddenly snapped to attention at this. "What did he just do?"

"...What did I just do?" Apollo stared down at his hands, dumbfounded. What just happened? How did he do that?

"He did the same thing as her..." Godot noted, thinking on this. "I wonder... TRUCY! Try casting a light sphere at him!"

"Huh?" Trucy looked up from wringing the water out of her clothes, raising an eyebrow. "Um, okay..."

Trucy held out her hands, a light sphere forming between them instead. Apollo studied it thoughtfully, noticing that unlike the water globe, the light sphere started out as a small orb of light, which gradually grew larger and brighter until it reached the proper size.

"Try this one, Polly!" Trucy exclaimed, stretching her hand forward. Instead of throwing it, the light fired at him in the form of a weak light beam.

"Gah!" Apollo yelped, barely managing to dodge. How did she do that?!

Trucy smirked, preparing another light sphere in her hands. "Well?"

"Nngh..." Apollo grumbled, mirroring Trucy's pose. Again to his surprise, as he did so, a light sphere of his own started to form.

Klavier's eyes widened as he watched this. "Oh my..."

"How are you doing that?" Trucy yelped, equally startled.

"I... I don't know!" Apollo stammered in reply.

"...He's doing whatever she's doing!" Ky realized.

"Something tells me it's not quite that simple... I wonder..." Godot dismissed the coffee mug in his hand, replacing it with what resembled a water globe, except that it was made of coffee.

Ky glanced up at Godot, noticing this. "You're going to test him yourself?"

"...Yes. That is my intention." Godot gave a knowing smile, moving closer to Apollo. "Mr. Justice? Could I have your attention for a moment?"

Apollo blinked, glancing over at Godot. As he did so, the light sphere began to fade. "...Huh?"

"For the purposes of this training session, I am now your opponent." Godot grinned. "You have ten seconds to prepare yourself."

"Wait, what?" Apollo was startled out of his concentration, and the light sphere faded completely. Trucy giggled, dissipating her own sphere and stepping back.

"Focus and stand your ground... don't let your attention wander." Godot began unraveling his coffee sphere into small, ribbon-like streams of coffee that floated in the air in front of him. The ribbons then reformed into smaller, separate coffee spheres.

Apollo raised an eyebrow, watching this in careful detail. What on earth is he doing...?

"A warning, Mr. Justice," Godot spoke, taking one of the coffee spheres and tossing it up and down. "Phoenix has told me it's quite hot and that it can stain if left unattended to on white shirts."

"Ack!" Apollo hastily dodged out of the way of the coffee sphere as Godot tossed it at him. How do I counter this? Not like I can exactly use coffee magic... right?

"I suggest you try something very quickly, Apollo," Godot said, taking two more of the spheres and tossing them like dice. "You did it before, you can do it again."

Apollo ducked to dodge, staring up at Godot and the coffee spheres in his hands. The fluid motions reminded him of Trucy's water globes... maybe it was similar? Alright, Apollo... let's try this.

While still crouching, Apollo held his hands in front of them, concentrating on the coffee spheres. He took a deep breath, focussing his mind... and as he focussed, a small coffee sphere of his own formed.

"Whoa!" Trucy yelped. "I can't believe it!"

Klavier stared at this scene in awe. "He mirrors his opponent's moves..."

"Amazing!" Ky exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Qué bueno." Godot smiled, casting the two remaining coffee spheres at Apollo.

Apollo dodged, casting his own sphere, only for Godot to phase out and let the sphere go through him. Godot then started forming another sphere in his hands, this time a mixture of Dark and Light. Apollo kept a close eye on it, watching the way the Light and Dark swirled together.

"You're doing well, Justice... but it isn't all about attack," Godot told him. "Defend yourself!"

"Whoa!" Apollo scrambled out of the way of the sphere as Godot casted it. Defend myself? How?!

"Come on, Apollo!" Godot started forming another Dark-Light sphere in his hands as he spoke. "You must have been paying some attention to the lessons! Visualize a barrier!"

A barrier? Can I even do that? Apollo wondered, watching the sphere. The colors in the sphere started swirling faster and faster, as if increasing in energy somehow. Apollo gritted his teeth. Well, I guess I'd better try! Visualize... visualize...

"Come on, Justice," Godot muttered quietly. "You can do it..."

Apollo took a deep breath, concentrating on the sphere... on the magic behind the sphere. A strange sensation came over him as he started concentrating, one he couldn't quite describe. It was almost as if he could feel the air around him shifting—perhaps his aura itself adjusting to the magic.

Godot seemed to notice this, a satisfied expression crossing his face. He placed his hands on the sphere, causing it to glow a bit more intensely. Seeing this, Apollo finally pushed his hands out in front of himself sharply, attempting to create a barrier.

Much to his surprise, it worked. A barrier formed in front of him, resembling the Light and Dark magic that Godot was using.

"Yeah!" Trucy cheered from the sidelines. "Go Polly!"

Apollo blinked, staring at the barrier in awe. "...I did it?"

"Hold your concentration!" came a call from Godot, as he cast his sphere at the barrier.

Apollo immediately snapped to attention, concentrating on keeping the barrier up against the sphere. Thankfully, the barrier held, and the sphere shattered as it collided with it. Godot, seeing this, applauded Apollo.

"Well done, Apollo," he said. "Very well done."

Klavier, seeing that things were calming back down, wandered over to congratulate Apollo. "Very impressive, Herr Forehead."

Apollo sighed with relief, lowering the barrier and relaxing. As he did so, that weird sensation started to fade. "Thanks, guys..."

"Mr. Justice... your magical ability seems to work very much like a mirror," Godot told him. "You take what your opponent can do and use it against them."

"A mirror, huh..." Apollo thought on this. Watching my opponents and imitating them... can't say I really expected that.

"...But it only really seems to be active when you absolutely need it," Godot added. "So you'll need quite a structured training environment to tame it."

Ah. That should be fun, Apollo thought with a sigh.

"This is exciting! Polly has powers!" Trucy chirped, bouncing up and down happily. Turning to Klavier, with a teasing smirk, she added, "That just leaves you, Mr. Gavin! Think you can catch up?"

"Patience, Fräulein," Klavier replied with a chuckle. "Great things take time."

"Oh, I can't wait until we find out what Mr. Gavin's powers are, too!" Ky spoke up, grinning. "That would be fun!"

"Hahaha... yes, I'm sure it will be."

Apollo remained silent, thinking on this. So my power is to mirror my opponents... well, that should prove interesting. Wait... but won't my opponents mostly be...?

"So what are we going to do now that training is over?" Ky asked, distracting Apollo from his thoughts.

"Hm, I dunno..." was Trucy's response. "Maybe there's something going on at the main square?"

"Hmmm. Well, we could always go look." Godot smiled. "Worth a visit, at any rate. Maybe there's another event tonight."

"Ooh! That would be fun!" Trucy said, moving toward the exit. "Let's check it out, then!"

Apollo followed Trucy and the others out of the arena, pondering what had happened. A mirror... reflecting his opponent's abilities and using them against them. But what all did that entail? Were there limits? Did it have to be his opponent's abilities? There were so many questions... questions he would have to find answers to later.

Time passed, and the group arrived in the main square, where some various people were wandering around, minding their own business. Not a lot of people, though; it was pretty quiet at this time of day.

"Hmm. Not much at the moment..." Godot glanced around to see who was nearby. "But perhaps there's something later today?"

"Maybe we can ask around!" Trucy suggested, running up to the first person she spotted, which was Felix. "Hi, Felix!"

"Hmm?" Felix looked up from what he was doing—something with a rope, it seemed—and over at Trucy. "Oh, hello, Trucy." Noticing she was still a little wet, he added, "Been traveling?"

"No, we've been training," Trucy told him, grinning. "Polly finally found his powers!"

I don't even need to brag; Trucy does it for me, Apollo thought, rolling his eyes.

"Really? That's great!" Felix said, smiling. "Maybe he can come to the Arena sometime!"

Apollo felt his stomach clench with dread. "...The Arena? You mean for a duel?"

Klavier couldn't help but chuckle. "It may be a while before he's ready for that."

Says the guy who doesn't even have powers yet, Apollo retorted inwardly.

Piers, who was nearby, seemed amused at this. "You should take up a different hobby, Felix. Maybe learn to play an instrument, or a handicraft."

"What?" Felix protested. "You can't be serious...!"

Piers shook his head, turning to face the others. "So what are you all up to?"

"Oh, not much at the moment," Trucy replied. "We just came here to see if anything was going on."

"Hmm. I can't think of anything at the moment," Felix told them, pausing to think on it for a moment. "But I think later tonight there was going to be a music session..."

"Ooh! Sounds fun!" Trucy chirped.

"Ah yes, I had nearly forgotten about that!" Godot said with a grin. "I'll have to bring my saxophone."

"...It certainly will be interesting to learn about the instruments of this world. The 'karaoke' a few days ago certainly was informative on some of the music styles..." Piers thought on this for a moment, smiling. "Maybe I can play something, if I can find the right instrument..."

"Ooh, that would be neat!" Trucy exclaimed. Turning to Klavier, she added, "And Mr. Gavin can play again, too!"

Klavier chuckled, brushing his bangs out of eyes. "I could certainly do that."

"Oh, yes, that rather reminds me." Piers looked up at Klavier, a puzzled expression on his face. "I don't think I have ever seen reactions quite like that from the crowd to a display of music."

Godot couldn't help but snicker at this. "Never been to a rock concert, eh, Piers?"

"Trust me, Herr Piers," Klavier told him, "I've seen crowds much larger and more excitable than that." Piers just blinked at this, not sure how to respond.

"Well, I thought last time was fun," Felix said, smiling. "I'm looking forward to tonight."

"Yeah!" Trucy agreed. "I can't wait!"

Apollo shifted slightly, feeling a bit left out of the conversation. "Er, well... what do we do in the meantime?"

"There's lots to do if you look around," Felix replied. "Hmm... you could go to the arcade?"

"Ooh! There's an arcade?" Trucy grinned eagerly. "That sounds like fun!"

Felix smiled in turn. "I could show you where it is if you'd like."

"Sure! Let's go!"

"Alright, follow me!" Felix started leading the way, beckoning Apollo and the others to follow.

"Personally, I prefer more traditional methods of entertainment, but..." Piers shook his head, deciding to follow after him.

Trucy followed them eagerly, while Apollo and Klavier almost had trouble keeping up. A trip to the arcade seemed like a nice way to unwind, Apollo decided. Or provide as a distraction, if nothing else.

To be continued...

[PFA]

Really short chapter ahoy!

---

SPOILER: Click to show

They soon arrived in the arcade, which was everything like Apollo ever thought of in arcades—the room itself was dark, with bright neon lights scattered about. The noisy game sounds beeped through the air, as the various game screens flashed back at them.

"I've only been here a few times, but it's a fascinating place," Felix told them. "Piers doesn't like it, though."

"Hmph. That's not exactly true and you know it," Piers protested. "It's just... different, that's all."

"I'm hoping I can get him to try that cheesy concoction Ky showed us last time," Felix added. "It was delicious."

Apollo blinked at that. "Cheesy concoction"? That could really mean a number of things... but in a place like this, he probably means pizza or something.

"Maybe you can show me how to play some of the games, too," Felix said. "Last time I just watched."

"Sure!" Trucy replied, glancing around to see what games there were. Then, with a satisfied smile, she pointed to one. "Come on, this one's fun!"

Apollo watched as Trucy and Felix ran off to try the game, while Klavier decided to browse the selection to see what kind of music-based games they had. Apollo, not feeling much in the mood for any arcade games, decided to head over to the snack bar, instead.

So my powers are like a mirror... Apollo thought to himself. Reflecting my enemy's attacks back at them. That's going to be so weird...

Piers, who had followed Apollo over to the snack bar, sat down near him at the counter. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Huh? Oh, sure," Apollo replied. "Water's fine."

Piers nodded, ordering two glasses of water—one for Apollo, and one for himself. After a few moments, he passed one glass over to Apollo. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Apollo accepted the glass, taking a sip from it.

"How have your past few days been?" Piers asked him. "I trust they've gone well?"

"Yeah, they've been fine," Apollo replied, swirling the water in his glass thoughtfully. "...I threw water at Trucy today."

Piers raised an eyebrow. "...I beg your pardon?"

"We were training, trying to see if I could figure out what my powers were. I did." Apollo let out a sigh, setting his glass down. "Apparently I can mirror whatever my opponent can do or something like that."

"Well, that sounds useful," Piers told him with a smile. "It certainly gives you a wide range of majiks to work with."

"I guess so," Apollo admitted. "It's... not exactly going to be easy to master, though."

Piers took a sip of his water, absentmindedly putting a hand to a stone around his neck. "No, but then again, most things take quite some time to master. Years, usually."

"Yeah... true enough, I guess," Apollo mumbled, pushing his glass around the table.

"Why?" Piers spoke up, tilting his head slightly. "Does something bother you about it?"

"I don't know, it's just... not what I was expecting, I guess," Apollo replied. "And I feel like there's still a lot of questions. Like... what exactly does this mean? What exactly can I do?" He paused, frowning. "...What would I do if I came across Kristoph or anyone else again?"

Piers was silent for a moment, before finally speaking up. "...Kristoph... that battle against him was fierce. Him and the others. We were outnumbered six to five, and they were all so strong..." He paused again, looking up at Apollo. "...I think it would largely depend on the type of situation you ran across him in. What exactly is it that worries you? You have a means of escape, and the ability to protect yourself and your friends, now."

"Well..." Apollo hesitated, looking down at his hands. "...If I mirror my opponent's abilities... would that mean I'd have to use his?"

The images flashed through his mind of their encounters with Kristoph here in this Forum—and the types of abilities he had used throughout. A cold, black Darkness which radiated a sinister aura... an untold array of deadly poisons... terrible and cruel things that Apollo couldn't ever imagine associating himself with. But if he had to mirror his opponent's moves...

Piers, noticing the look on Apollo's face, frowned in turn. "...I understand your concern. The fight was... brutal." He paused, thinking on this for a moment. "...What you do is up to you. Offense or defense... both are possible."

"I guess you're right... maybe I shouldn't worry about it too much," Apollo admitted, nodding slowly. I mean... Godot manages to use Dark magic in a good way, right?

"You have a legitimate reason for concern," Piers told him. "The trick is never to let concern give rise to panic. Keeping a clear mind and determination is very important to self control of any kind." With a smile, he added, "Do not be discouraged."

Apollo managed a small smile of his own. "...Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Piers nodded. "I am glad I could be of assistance."

Apollo scooped up his glass of water again, taking a sip as he turned around, scanning the room for his friends. He soon spotted Felix and Trucy playing a game together—Felix was rapidly mashing the buttons, as if he wasn't quite sure what he was doing, while Trucy looked more confident and controlled.

"Aw, you beat me again!" Felix moaned, stopping his button mashing and turning to Trucy. "You're really good at this stuff!"

Trucy just giggled at this. "It just takes practice!"

"I don't get to come here that often, though... Piers says it gives him headaches," Felix explained. "Oh well. Hey, want some pizza?"

"Sure!"

Apollo, seeing the two of them coming over, straightened up slightly, drinking the last of his water and setting the empty glass on the counter. At this point, Trucy spotted him, coming to sit beside him.

"Oh hey, Polly! Why aren't you playing the games?" she asked.

"Uh... I might later," Apollo replied, letting out a sigh.

As Felix came up to the counter, ordering a large pizza, Piers turned to Trucy. "Well, did you, at least, have fun, Trucy?"

"You bet!" Trucy replied, taking a seat. "This place is great! I love arcades."

"I assume Mr. Gavin is off enjoying himself, too..." Apollo noted, glancing across the room. "I can't see him from here, though."

"Shall I go bring him over?" Piers asked. "He may want something to eat by now."

"Sure! I bet he'd like some pizza," Trucy exclaimed.

"Alright." Piers stood from his seat. "I will seek him out."

While Piers was off looking for Klavier, the pizza arrived, which Felix and Trucy eagerly dug into. Apollo took a slice of his own, taking a bite. It was pretty good pizza.

"So, Polly!" Trucy spoke up. "Excited about your new abilities?"

"Rmh..." Apollo swallowed his bite of pizza. "I guess."

"New abilities are great!" Felix exclaimed. "I remember when I learned how to move through the sand... that was pretty awesome. You should be a little more excited! Think of all the cool things you could do!"

The things I can do... basically anything my opponents can do, Apollo thought to himself. ...I guess that is pretty cool.

Felix, noticing the smile spread across Apollo's face, smiled back. "That's more like it! I think you'll find that having abilities is pretty awesome."

"Yeah, true enough," Apollo admitted. My perceive abilities come in handy rather often...

After some time had passed, Piers finally returned, with Klavier in tow. Trucy, seeing this, waved them over. "Hi, Mr. Gavin! Come have some pizza!"

"Pizza, huh? Sounds good," Klavier replied, coming closer so he could grab a slice.

"It is good." Felix munched on his second slice of pizza eagerly. "They don't have anything like this back home, can't wait to introduce it..."

Piers rolled his eyes in amusement, turning to Klavier. "Did you enjoy yourself, Mr. Gavin?"

"Oh yes, thank you." Klavier took a seat next to Trucy. "It's nice to sit down and relax with a good game every now and then."

"I know what you mean. It's nice to experience life and all its wonders," Felix said, finishing off his slice. "To experience new things, or old things in new ways... to explore the world around you and how you can interact with it."

"...It certainly does make life more interesting to meet new people and learn of their lifestyles," Piers agreed, nodding in thought. He paused, then glanced over at Felix as he reached for a third slice of pizza. "...Felix, you had better not eat any more after that, because I, for one, will not be pleased if you have to sleep the rest of the day from eating too much."

"Aw, come on! I learned my lesson from last time!" Felix protested. "I won't eat half of it again!"

Trucy giggled at this. "Well, it is really good pizza!"

"Well, it's more of I had never had any before, so I didn't know how full it would make me..." Felix admitted sheepishly. Then, with a smile, he added, "So do you guys like it here so far?"

"Yeah! It's great!" Trucy chirped. "There's so many fun things to see, and so many nice people!"

Apollo nodded in agreement, taking a contemplative bite of his pizza. Defense attorney Phoenix Wright... Mia Fey...

"Overall, I'd say it's been a pleasant experience," Klavier said.

"That's great." Felix paused, his smile fading in thought. "Are you one of those groups that gets to go back home?"

Trucy paused, blinking at this. "...Back home?"

"I... don't know," Apollo told him, frowning slightly. "I've heard it's possible, but I don't know how."

"I see... well, the Ambassador has Portal Hall... not sure about PFA." Felix absentmindedly stirred his straw in his water. "But, well... some of us get to go home. Isaac and his group, our group... the Vendettas, Ky... even Agent Lang returns occasionally to make reports to his superior. But... there are those who are restricted."

Trucy frowned at this. "...Restricted?"

"Yeah." Felix nodded. "Iris is allowed to visit her home... but permitted only to visit the temple and the one particular graveyard. She is not allowed to read or listen to the news." He paused, closing his eyes in thought. "...And then there are those who can never return home again, because as far as home is concerned for them... they no longer exist."

Apollo glanced over at Klavier, noticing the thoughtful frown on his face. He frowned himself, thinking on this. If I remember my timelines right, Apollo realized, Godot's execution and Phoenix Wright's final trial were at around the same time...

"...But yeah..." Felix continued. "If you don't know the answer, you should ask PFA when you see her."

"Yeah, that... sounds like something to look into," Apollo said, massaging his forehead with a sigh. He paused, looking up with a puzzled expression. Come to think of it... I've never actually met this PFA...

"Perhaps you'll see her in the square," Felix told him. "She and the Ambassador hang out there a lot."

"Maybe." Apollo blinked. It's funny, though... we've been to the square so many times and still haven't seen PFA there. If she really goes there so much, then why haven't we seen her?

Piers, noticing Apollo's perplexed expression, decided to speak up. "Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out. People usually do."

"I sure hope so," Apollo replied, shaking his head.

At this point, Trucy finished off her slice of pizza, standing up with a stretch. "Hm... what time is it?"

"...You know, I'm not sure," Piers admitted, raising an eyebrow. "It's hard to tell the time when one is indoors... particularly in a place where almost all the lights are off."

"I keep telling you, we should get one of those 'watch' things Ky keeps mentioning!" Felix huffed.

"Hm... I wonder if there's a clock around here?" Trucy glanced around the area, trying to spot the nearest clock. "Oh, there it is!"

Apollo glanced in the direction Trucy had indicated, seeing a clock hanging on the wall—backlit, so it could be seen in the dark. "...It's 2:50."

"...Already?" Felix blinked. "Hmm... perhaps we had best be on the move."

"Yes," Klavier agreed, standing from his seat. "Probably a good idea."

Apollo stood as well, helping Felix clean up the remnants of the pizza. Once they were done, they headed out of the arcade, where they went about their own respective businesses. There was still some time to kill before the music event, after all.

To be continued...