December 23, 5:30 am
Dick Gumshoe got up early that morning. There was a lot to do. He’d last spoken to Mr. Edgeworth around 9 the night before, and the prosecutor hadn’t sounded well, but he had given him permission to brief Maggey on the situation.
At the very least, he’d be able to do that. The last thing he wanted to do was worry Maggey, especially when he’d been drafted into such a dangerous job. So he waited with bated breath as his beaten up old cellphone rang once…twice…
“Good morning, Dick!” Maggey greeted brightly. “Surprised to hear from you so early!”
Maggey was working the early shift at the station that morning– she’d picked up where she left off in her police career a few years ago– and unfortunately there wasn’t time to go down and see her in person.
“Hah! You make it sound like Mr. Edgeworth lets me sleep in, pal!” he laughed heartily as he leaned on the airport wall…tucked away in a private security room he’d swept for bugs just before making the call. “Had a lot of fun last night, Mags.”
“Same here!” she cooed. “As for Mr. Edgeworth, I more expected him to keep you so busy you wouldn’t be able to call til later! Did you hear? They said they were getting calls from him even late last night.”
“Sadly.” he laughed “I love the guy but I sure wish he’d raise my pay the way he works me to the bone over here!” He closed his eyes “…and actually, about that, Mags…I’m gonna be gone for a bit.”
“Oh no! You are?”
“Yeah…I’ve been told I’m allowed to tell ya. I’m goin’ to Cauli on a job for Interpol. Mr. Edgeworth and Agent Badd requested me for the task force.”
“Cauli! With Interpol? Oh my gosh, Dick, when?” Her voice was breathless– and she sounded mostly really curious about the trip. “Do you need me to help you pack?”
“Today. Few hours actually. Whole thing was uh…kinda last minute.” He chuckled weakly. “Two of Lang’s guys are already dead and the only lead we got’s about to vanish in the night. They got me on a plane right away with the rest of the group they’ve drummed up.”
Maggey whistled over the phone. “Wow. Guess there’s nothing I can do other than wish you good luck and hold the fort down here, huh?”
“Yeah.” He shook his head. “…I wish you could come, Mags. It’s gonna be a hell of a time, it’d feel better if I had you at my back, ya know? But I’m gonna need someone to hold the fort. Keep the precinct in line, and all that.”
“You know me, sir, I’ll do my best,” she chirped. “But if you need me, don’t hesitate to ask, alright? Whether it’s something you need me to do here, or whether I need to hop on a plane and come to you.”
“I know ya will, Maggey!” Gumshoe laughed .“I’ll call ya as often as I can, alright? Hell, it’ll probably do wonders for my morale, if nothin’ else.”
“Please do! Even if you’re busy, send me a text if you can when you land, alright?”
“You got it!” Gumshoe gave a thumbs up…despite the fact he knew she couldn’t see it.
“And hey, actually…while I’m gone , will you watch over Missile for me? Old pal’s gonna be lonely.”
“Awww! Of course, Dick! You don’t even have to ask about that. Extra treats for the puppy while you’re gone.”
“You’re the absolute best, Maggie! That’s why he loves ya.” He wrapped an arm around himself with a smile, leaning his head against the wall. “I love ya too, ya know. “
“Awww, Dick! I love you too. Now go give ’em hell for me!”
“You got it Mags!!! Just watch! We’ll tear this whole goddess damned organization apart!”
December 23, 6:05 am
Athena had gone back to her apartment in the early light of the morning, comforted but sleepless, with the intention of getting ready for the big trip to Cauli.
A sudden international job at the behest of the Chief Prosecutor, her patient–her mother and Clay’s killer– back in the field after only a day, and the world seeming to go madder the longer she lived in it. It all weighed heavy on her shoulders despite the attempts to distract herself.
She still had to tell Phoenix. He wouldn’t take it well if she’d told the truth– even if she’d been authorized to– so she had to think of what to say.
She had to pack her things, decide what to wear to appear like just another American tourist instead of a defense attorney on her way to defend whatever sick monster created the Phantom in court. Facing off against the ruthless and formidable Simon Blackquill– as much a dangerous rival as he was someone close to her.
Widget hadn’t quite turned back on, its blue light dimmed by the darkness that threatened to overtake the machine as her emotions spiraled into something difficult for even its advanced AI to read.
Cups of coffee fueled her initial preparations.
A voicemail to Junie ‘Hey Junie! Hope things at Themis are going well! You won’t believe this…I’m going on vacation! Yeah, crazy right? Maybe the change of scenery’ll help. So if you need me , I’ll be in Cauli for a few weeks. Give me a ring! And say hi to Robin and Hugh for me!’,
An inventory of necessary items (Camera, check. Phone, Check. Attorney’s Badge, check. Case notebook, check. Back up power supplies for Widget,check.), and a quick ‘I’m Fine’ vocal exercise to still her nerves.
A shower took care of the rest, leading her to the last thing she had to do before she braved the Wright Anything Agency. The simplest thing of all…
Figuring out what to wear.
As she pushed past her usual outfit of the yellow skirt and blazer, all pressed and ready for her next day in court, she looked through her more casual clothes with a quiet hum. Pants, dresses, and between them. In the gap between the cotton and silk shirts, a box tucked as far back as she could manage.
A box labeled ‘Metis Cykes’.
Her eyes fell on it for a long moment, before she pulled it out to set it upon her bed. It was old, beaten up from several moves and dusty from disuse. In it, there were memories of the Cosmos Space Center…and inside it was all that her mother had left her when she’d died.
Athena opened it, staring down at the rabbit-ear shaped headphones that lay atop neatly folded piles with a muted frown.
Setting them aside, she dug through old photographs, research papers, a mask, and several small dolls until she found what she’d been looking for.
Neatly wrapped in paper packaging, her mother’s kimono. Several of them had been left to her after her death and never dared to be opened as she forced the memories of that night away.
She opened the first package, looking over the bright pattern of the kimono below. Yellow, patterned with a repeating circle and half moon pattern that Athena recognized as the Kizuki family crest. Her mother’s family crest before she’d taken the surname Cykes from a man who was gone before Athena could remember.
Her fingers traced the sky blue obi, her breath feeling tight in her chest. Simon had said she’d look good in one, and she’d often wished she had the courage to wear it–, only to find herself frozen by fear and half-remembered trauma.
It was a piece of her heritage, her mother’s heritage, and a way to feel closer to the woman despite her death.
Maybe now that she understood what happened that terrible day, she’d have the courage to wear it. She’d put it on the way her mother had shown her years ago and show up to the airport a new woman.
She’d be a woman ready to take on the crazy, inverted world they now lived in.
But as her fingers trailed over the silky fabric, she could see in her mind’s eye the yellow stained crimson by phantom blood. The spreading pool of lifeblood creeping through and drowning out the patterns and soaking into every stitch and fibre as her mother lay broken and dying.
Widget finally went black, and Athena’s fingers trembled against the cloth, curling around it as she took a shuddering breath and reminded herself of the here and now.
Her mother was long dead. Her killer was an unwell man in need of help. In need of her help. There were real monsters out there who needed to face fair and honest justice.
She needed to be strong.
Her hand trailed against the fabric one more time before she placed it back in the box under her headphones, her smile sad and tired.
Strong enough to face the world– but not yet strong enough yet to wear her mother’s kimono.
With the box back in the shadows of her closet and her memory, she gathered an outfit from what remained. She’d wasted too much time already.
Cauli was waiting.
December 23, 6:35 am
Athena had been to the office this early in the morning a few times, but usually it was when everyone was busy with a big case. This morning, when she blew in, the messy main area was quiet and still.
She almost thought she was alone for a moment, until she registered the presence of Apollo Justice, stilling on the couch and staring at the wall.
There was a cup of coffee in his hand, but he wasn’t drinking it. It veiled his face in a rising steam that made his features seem to twist and writhe strangely behind it.
Athena adjusted her long coat, fussing with the sleeves as she quietly shut the door behind her.
“G’morning, Apollo!”
She didn’t want to startle him, not when he seemed so lost in his own head, so she kept her voice just below a normal level.
“Hmm? Oh– good morning, Athena.” He looked up and smiled at her, and put down the cup on the table. As he did, his features flickered one last time, and seemed to return to normal– though it was strange to hear his voice this quiet even at 6:30 am. “I made coffee.”
“I can see that!” She laughed, as she took a seat nearby on the chair. She leaned on her hands to study his face, listening carefully to his voice. “I think I’ll probably grab a cup in a bit. I’ve basically been up all night…it’s been a heck of a day already.”
“At 6:30 am huh? Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Did you get the same phonecall that I did?”
“If it’s the same one I got, that explains everything.” Athena brushed her hair from her face with a nod. “…what’d you hear?”
“Mr. Edgeworth is working with Interpol to catch the people the phantom was working for. Some agents were killed– and he wants me to go out and be defense attorney for whoever they catch for it.”
Apollo’s voice was quiet again, but it trembled and rose with notes of frustration and confusion the more he spoke. Athena watched him grab the collar of the jacket he was wearing, and hold it tightly.
“He asked me to do the same thing, Apollo.” Athena leaned forward and offered her hand to him. “Sounded like he wants us to work together on it. Crazy, huh?”
She could feel the emotions coming off him in waves,and they mingled with her own in the sick pit of her stomach.
“Pretty crazy.” He agreed, once again looking off into the distance. He reached up and put his hand on her hand. “Our last trial wasn’t even more than three days ago. No time to recover, you know?”
“Yeah.” She winced internally, Widget flashing blue for a flicker of a second. For her it hadn’t even been a full day before Miles had dropped it on her lap.
“It’s not..exactly the most emotionally healthy situation, I’ll say that much.” She looked up at him with a tired smile. “But maybe it’s what we need. I mean…stopping the people really responsible, even if we have to defend them in court…it means we can finally avenge them properly. My mom and…and …”
She trailed off before she murmured “Mr. Clay.”
“You think so?” he asked. He cocked his head and looked at her with intense brown eyes that seemed even darker than usual. “Avenging someone is a hell of a concept… heh. You know, if Interpol catches the right person to start, we could end up defending someone responsible for murder. How do you feel about that?”
Athena’s fingers tightened against his, and her jaw set.
“…” She sighed quietly “we can’t be lucky 100% of the time, Apollo. We’re lucky, you know? We believe in our clients till the bitter end, and so far…every time…they’ve really, truly been innocent. That’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“I mean, luck’s part of it, but we can also tell pretty well when someone’s lying to us…”
“Between my hearing and your eyes? Absolutely.” Athena agreed with a bright smile “…but what I mean is, we’re not always going to be so lucky, Apollo. Sometimes…the people we defend are guilty.”
She felt something hot, tears, beading up in the corners of her eyes as she continued. “maybe of the crime they’re accused of, or even something else. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a fair trial, right? Our duty is finding the truth, the real truth, and the circumstances around it so a fair judgment can be reached. Even if the client’s not perfectly innocent, we at least know the judge and jury have the information they need to make the right decision.”
Justice, she knew, was hardly black and white. As much as it meant compromising on her own feelings she had to admit that already she could see there were more shades to the Phantom case , to the man who killed her mother and the circumstances behind him, than she’d have been happy to admit mere days ago.
Apollo squeezed her hand, and nodded.
“Athena…. I already said yes to Mr. Edgeworth. It’s nice to hear you feel the same way.”
She sighed with relief, her smile growing a little more steady, a little more genuine. “I’m glad you feel the same way too…and if I’m gonna be honest? I’m..really glad I don’t have to do this without you. I’m still really screwed up about it.”
“Me too, Athena,” he nodded. “I mean, hah, I’m fine, right? If anybody else asks about it– I’m fine. But since it’s you asking– I’m really screwed up about it.”
“As long as you keep my secret too, Apollo? I won’t tell a soul.” she winked at him, before her smile faltered. “But since it’s us, yeah…I mean…not only are we leaving the country a few days after the worst trial of our lives…but it’s on the trail of the people really responsible. It’s dangerous, two people are already dead, and we’ve got to do our absolute best for the person they pick up for it…”
“It’s a lot to ask of anybody huh?” he said. He leaned over and bumped her shoulder with his. “I think we’re up to the task though. Maybe the only people who could do it.”
“It’s a LOT to ask anyone…but that’s kind of why I agreed.” She looked sidelong at Apollo , shoulder to shoulder. “because I don’t trust anyone but us to take care of it. Me, you, Simon…the boss’ code would interfere, but you…I know we can make sure the truth isn’t lost, no matter how hard it is to face.”
“No matter how hard it is to face,” he agreed. “Facing the truth, and accepting it is the most important thing. And I’m going to play my part in that– even if it’s as the devil’s advocate.”
“You play the devil’s advocate pretty well, Apollo. Maybe it’s the suit.” she flashed a grin his way “…but yeah. We can’t hide from the truth. Maybe you’ll play devil’s advocate, maybe we’ll team up and break through the lies and contradictions…and no matter what…we’ll make sure this organization can’t hurt anyone else like it’s hurt us.”
“Good,” he nodded and there was something serious in his dark eyes. She felt his grim determination. “It’s one thing to take the guy who held the gun– I want the guy who gave the order, too.”
Athena looked deep into his eyes, determination flaring hot in sympathetic response to his.
“We both do, Apollo. For my mother, for Clay, and for those agents…for anyone and everyone they’d ever hurt.”
He nodded. “That’s my plan. No matter what. Guess I better stop wasting time.”
Apollo picked up his coffee cup and drained it.
“You’ve gotta pick an outfit” she teased, shifting to better show off her look. “…unless you’re planning on going in that. It is a pretty good look.”
She’d spent a lot of time after her initial mental spiral thinking through what to wear, and had settled on something that made it feel easier to project the ‘bright and upbeat’ emotions everyone expected of her.
A long yellow cotton coat framed by trailing black buttons on either side of the wide lapels, unbuttoned over a pair of high waisted matching pants and a pale blue silk shirt patterned with golden constellations , Widget rested between the unbuttoned top buttons, and her moon rock earring hung proudly from her ear, opposite her long ponytail. Today…both her hands were gloved, both with the AR controller on one hand, and a full glove on the other.
Apollo chuckled, and steam came out of his mouth– he must have burned his tongue on that cup of coffee.
“Honestly you look great! I… didn’t really think about changing my clothes. But maybe I should do that before we go. I have to pack, too I guess.” He rubbed his neck. “Don’t know when I’m going to get time to explain to Mr. Wright about this. Maybe it’ll have to wait til after we land…”
Athena thought for a second, her smile a little conspiratorial. “…it might be easier to explain when we’re already out of the country…you know. In case he gets kind of pissed about it? Better to beg forgiveness and all that…”
Apollo scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe, although I feel a little bad about it…” he looked off in the distance, and seemed to be thinking it over.
“Same…” Athena flopped back on the couch “…but I get the feeling he’s going to be pretty frustrated with the whole thing. Especially since his two best lawyers are suddenly booking a flight to Cauli at the last minute at the behest of Mr. Edgeworth.”
“Yeah. If he gets any cases while we’re gone, he’ll be pretty busy…” Apollo sighed. “Okay, I’ll take one for the team and talk to the boss, alright? But I’m going to ask you a favor.”
Athena nodded seriously “Anything, partner. What’s the favor?” she punched her palm.
“Could you drop by my place and throw some things in a suitcase real fast for me? Just whatever you can find that’s clean. I’m not picky.”
He fished his keys out of the blue jacket pocket and handed them to her.
Athena grabbed his keys, and snapped a cheerful salute his way. “you got it, Mr. Justice. Just don’t complain if I swipe a drink from the fridge!”
“Take whatever you want,” he chuckled. “Just don’t complain if it smells. I don’t think I’ve opened it once in the last week.”
“……………” Athena felt herself grow sick at the very thought of what his fridge might look like now.
“…on second thought I’ll just grab your things and go, okay buddy?” she said with an expressive grimace.
He laughed. “Sorry Athena. And thanks. I’ll meet you at the airport!”
December 23, 7:20 am
Detective Halblicht sat in the backseat of Mr. Edgeworth’s personal car. Edgeworth himself sat opposite facing him, with his hands folded in his lap. But he wasn’t the one that Bobby was paying attention to. That was Simon– who was seated next to him, only a foot or so away.
Bobby couldn’t stop paying attention to him– even though No-One kept their eyes facing forward, and their expression neutral. Still Bobby was acutely aware of Simon’s every movement his every breath– aware of the smell of him.
And he was also acutely aware that Simon was living, as the saying went, ‘on mad at him island’. And there was nothing that Bobby could immediately do to change that. He was just going to have to steel himself and accept it for now, like his partner was.
Partner? That’s the first time you’ve called me that. We’re not exactly partners.
Well, what am I supposed to call you? Every time I ask you just get all huffy about it.
I don’t get huffy, I just don’t have anything to say.
Alright, alright. But it isn’t just for you to not have a name… what about… what about you take Robert and I’ll be Bobby?
… Will that satisfy you? I’d rather be Robert than ‘partner’, if I must.
Sure, alright then, Robert!
Robert’s train of thought was cut off as Taka suddenly hopped down from Simon’s shoulder and settled himself on their lap to demand scratches. Robert made a hiss of surprise.
Simon huffed. They couldn’t tell if it was a chuckle or an annoyance. “Penny for your thoughts, detective Halblicht? Since Taka seems to have interrupted them?”
Robert didn’t like how much better Simon was getting at reading him even now.
“Just making sure that I have a grip on my new identity, Prosecutor Blackquill.”
“Something you have difficulty with? I’m surprised.”
Robert shrugged. “It’s just about remembering what name to answer to. And deciding how to present myself.”
Simon snorted, and looked away. In a sneering tone, he replied, “If you manage to comport yourself with any level of dignity, it’ll be a very jarring experience indeed, Half Wit.”
Robert felt Bobby’s hope bloom again inside the back of his mind. An almost disgusting feeling of warmth that he wished he could push further away from himself.
Still, he replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, sir.”