I stacked the pile of papers back inside the folder and shoved it in the drawer.

As I was about to sit on the couch, I caught a glimpse of a fallen paper on the floor near the office door.

[Ugh, seriously?]

I reluctantly bent over and as my fingertips grasped at the paper, the door swing open and slammed me face first into the wall.

I let out a muffled grunt as I hit the wall.

"Nickkk~! Where are youuu~!" Maya held the end of her sentences out for as long as an eighteen-year-old could.

As the door began to slowly close I started my sentence: "M-Maya I'm over her-"

Once more the door opened; stronger and faster this time. It nailed me right in the back and I couldn't help but slide my face down against the wall and whimper a bit.

"Mr. Nick! Where are you?! This is serious business!" a tiny voice announced that I was barely able to hear due to how much my pain and whimpers were overwhelming me.

"P…Pearls…I-I'm right here…" I said barely above a whisper.

"Huh? Nick?" Maya looked around a bit before she saw me crouching behind the door.

"What are you doing?! We have a serious problem here and you're just there whining!" Maya put her hands on her hips and gave me a naughty look.

"Mr. Nick! This is unacceptable! How could you upset Mystic Maya like that?!" Pearl was rolling up her sleeves now, prepared to slap me at any moment.

[D-dammit, this is a horrible situation I'm in!]

"W-what problem are you talking about?" I managed to stammer out while blocking Pearl's attack with my arm.

"Pearly's lost her pearl!" Maya said with her hands to her cheeks to make things more dramatic.

"…Huh?" I asked again.

"Pearly's lost her pearl! She lost her favorite ball that shines like a pearl!" Maya explained.

"Oh."

[What does that have to do with anything involving me?!]

"It was my only ball…" Pearl wiped her eyes with her arm and looked at me with innocent eyes.

"Uh…so you just want me to help you find your ball?" I questioned.

"Yes, Mr. Nick."

"What have you tried doing?"

"Well, I was thinking about channeling the ball's spirit."

"C-channeling the ball's spirit?!"

[I know that when you're channeling someone, your features change. If Pearl were to channel a ball…]

I imagined a shiny purple ball with Pearl's face on it. Even if Pearl were to look like a shiny purple ball, she'll make a mighty fine cute one.

"Uh, even if you channeled the ball, how would you move, exactly? How would you speak?" I looked at Pearl and then Maya.

"Then I guess we can't channel the ball." Maya let out a sigh and rested her head on her palm.

"Well, I guess you're just going to have to search for the ball yoursel-"

"-Wait! We could do a investigation for Pearl's ball!" Maya gasped.

"How would you do an investigation on a ball, Maya?!" I roared.

"We could go look at the places where Pearl's last played with her ball!" Maya said, her smile beaming down on me.

"I guess we could do that." I let out a sigh and started to get up.

The first place to look was in the park, so we scavenged through all the bushes and trees; and found nothing but slugs and ants.

"Well, not here I guess." I stood up from the grass and looked at Maya and Pearl.

"Where else did you play, Pearl?" Maya asked.

"Uhm…I think at the ramen shop?" Pearl replied.

[Who plays with their ball in a ramen shop…?]

So off we went to the ramen shop. We looked under the chairs, tables, curtains…pots…nothing.

"Look Nick! They're selling a new type of ramen! Oh! And its on sale when you buy 3 bowls!" Maya exclaimed as she grabbed onto my arm and pointed at the sign.

"Yeah, yeah, I see, Maya." I replied reluctantly as I looked around one last time.

"Can we get some Nick! Please!" Maya begged as she held onto the arm tighter.

"No, Maya. We're here to look for Pearl's ball, not for ramen." I spat the words out harshly. Almost too harshly.

Maya let go of my arm immediately and her shoulders dropped. She looked down at the ground.

[Crap, was I cruel?]

The words spun around in my head and I was unsure of what to do.

[U-uh…do I apolgize and buy her ramen? No, no, she needs to learn from her mistakes. But…I was a little too harsh…No! Phoenix! Snap out of that girly charm!]

I was hesitating now, my arms reaching out to lightly tap her shoulders, but then quickly pulled back to rethink again, only to repeat the same thing over and over.

"I-uh-I'm sorry? N-no, I…er…um…W-would you like some ramen…?" I finally managed to say.

She simply nodded her head without looking at me and sat down at a nearby table.

I sat across from her only to gaze at my guilt.

"3 bowls of the new ramen please!" I yelled at the chef.

"Coming right up!" He replied back.

About eight minutes has passed and Pearl has now joined us, along with several slaps and punches in the face.

"Here are your 3 bowls of ramen." He set the bowls down on the table accordingly.

Maya clapped her hands together and weakly said "Thank you for the food." and began eating.

Halfway through my meal I pondered some more.

[Hmm…where could Pearl's ball be…? I should ask her what her last action with it was.]

"So what did you last do with the ball, Pearl?" I looked up at her.

"Um, I remember throwing it somewhere." Pearl answered.

"Where did you throw it?"

"I don't remember but all I do remember is that it was near a sign that said something like 'Pro-cuter office'." Pearl continued to sip her ramen.

"Thanks for the food, Nick, it really hit the spot!" Maya looked at me suddenly.

[At least she's not mad at me anymore. That's good I guess.]

"No problem, Maya." I tried to put the pieces together but they just wouldn't fit. "Pro-cuter"? What is that suppose to mean?

Just then something clicked in my mind.

[Oh…I get it now…]

"Are you guys done with your ramen?" I glanced at Pearl and Maya.

"Yep!" they replied with enthusiasm.

"Then I know just the place where your ball could be, Pearl!" With that said I marched out the the ramen shop and headed straight to my destination without a stop.

I looked at the sign. Yes. This is the place.

I looked the elevator up to the 12th floor and didn't look back once when I knocked on the door.

"Come in." A calm voice reassured.

Sitting at the desk was a grey-haired man that looked stunned when he finally looked up from his pile of papers.

"W…Wright? What on earth are you doing in my office?!" The man shouted.

"Huh? Isn't this Mr. Edgeworth?" Pearl asked.

"Yes. It is."

[Hell yeah it is! There is only one red-suited prosecutor in this town, after all!]

"I have to ask you something, Edgeworth, have you seen a purple ball by any chance?" I questioned him, even putting on his signature smug smile.

"What are you talking about? You come barging into my office bringing two under aged girls with you asking about some purple ball? You are outrageous, Wright!" He began to sit up from his desk now.

"I know you have it, Edgeworth. After all, didn't that ball remind you of something?" I challenged.

"W-what are you talking about?" He stammered.

"C'mon, Edgeworth! We used to play with a purple ball when we were kids! You, Larry, and I! It wouldn't have been a surprised if Pearl here said she lost her ball near a 'Pro-cuter's office and you were the one to have it."

"Oh! I get it now! It didn't say 'Pro-cuter' office, it said 'Prosecutor' office!" Maya exclaimed.

"Precisely, so hand over the ball, Edgeworth." I threw my hand out in front of him and he gave a grunt of frustration before handing it over to me.

"You win this round, Wright." Edgeworth let out a sigh.