Title: Turnabout Curtains
Author: Trevor Turnbeq
--
Prologue
"Phoenix Wright?"
"I'm afraid so."
"But, I just spoke with him yesterday. That can't be!"
"Listen, Mr. Justice. I am extremely sorry. But Phoenix is..."
"NO!"
A slamming of a door was heard, crying in the background. Then, panting is heard, and rustling. A sigh is let out, and a man dials his cellular phone.
"I'm here, with the body."
Distant voices are heard in the background.
"Yes. Now, what am I do to with the body?"
The same voice is heard.
"Okay. I've taken care of the two. Now to move onto the third..." The man uttered, hanging up his cell phone. He walks away.
A murder and a missing person. Are they connected?
--
Chapter One
Apollo Justice was asleep inside of his apartment. At the moment, he is having all sorts of terrible dreams of his mentor, Phoenix Wright. Phoenix was reported missing two days ago, and Apollo had just discovered this the night before. He found out, from a woman in Phoenix's past...
Apollo's alarm clock went off as it struck 8:15 AM. He got up and turned it off and casually walked towards his kitchen. Apollo had a terrible night. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the number of the Wright Anything Agency. Trucy answered, she had an angst tone in her voice, sadly.
"Wright Anything Agency." Trucy uttered, rustling was heard in the background.
"Trucy! Any news on your father yet?" Apollo questioned, eager for answers.
"Oh! Polly! Maya Fey is here, she is in need to see you." Trucy came back to her self. Apollo rolled his eyes.
"I'll be right over..." Apollo said, and he shut his phone. He walked over into his bedroom.
Apollo dressed up in his regular red suit. This time, he put a trench-coat over his outfit, and he walked out of the door. Apollo went down onto the street and waved for a cab, after a minute or so, one picked him up.
"Wright Anything Agency. 2342 Allay Ave." Apollo instructed the driver as he got into the cab.
Justice looked out the window in despair. Questions raced through his mind. Where could Mr. Wright be? Why did he disappear? And what is with this Maya Fey? After five minutes, they reached their destination.
"21.65." The driver asked for his money. Apollo reached into his pocket and pulled out the exact amount and shoved it into the driver's hand. He smiled, Apollo smirked back and got out of the cab.
Apollo approached the building. It seemed like yesterday that he was coming here in need of a job. Now, he is here to find his mentor, who went missing the other night for an unknown reason. Apollo went through the door and saw Trucy and Maya sitting on the couch. Trucy now was a year older and she wears a dark blue cape instead of bright blue. She also now wears black fur boots, along with a hat that was a different shade of blue than her previous one.
Maya Fey, Phoenix's old assistant. Maya now looked oddly different than she did eight years ago. Maya grew about four inches, and has a different build than before. She wears an outfit that is similar to Iris's from the third game, except it is a darker pink. She has developed a different face and body, more like her sister, Mia Fey. Maya and Trucy were sharing tears next to each other on the couch, when Apollo went in. Maya noticed Apollo immediately, as he sat down on the couch directly across from them.
"Mr. Justice!" Maya yelled in glee, she still had tears in her eyes.
"Please, call me, Apollo." Apollo let out, giving a slight smile.
"Yes well, Apollo. Do you have any news on Nick?" Maya questioned as she hugged Trucy in reassurance.
"Unfortunately, no. I don't know what the hell to do. I feel helpless!" Apollo said, clutching his fists.
"It's not your fault, Polly." Trucy murmured, as she leaned forward.
"Yeah. Don't beat yourself up." Maya added in, Apollo released his anger and unclutched his fists.
"I can't help it..." Apollo sighed, closing his eyes.
"It's okay. Whenever I was with Nick, he used to get angry that he couldn't help his clients." Maya was feeling nostalgic. Apollo looked up, his bracelet tightened a little bit.
"About that...can I speak with you about something?" Apollo questioned, leaning back.
"What is it?" Maya responded, resting her arm on the armrest.
"Uhm, Trucy. Can you, excuse us for a sec?" Apollo asked polity. Trucy huffed.
"What is with it and adult's privacy!?" Trucy questioned, getting up and pouting. She left in a slight anger. To where she went is unknown.
Apollo and Maya were now alone, the atmosphere felt dark and heavy.
"I wanted to ask you...about your relationship with Mr. Wright, eight years ago." Apollo started the conversation. Maya sighed and looked Apollo dead in the eyes.
"Phoenix, was more than just a friend to me. He...was so much more." Maya started to stutter, she was nervous.
"More than a friend?" Apollo asked, looking interested.
"Um..Yes. We were involved with each other, sexually." Maya let out, as if she was embarrassed. Apollo's eyes widened as if this was a surprise.
"What!?" Apollo yelled in a confused tone.
"Yes. We were um.. 'quite the couple' as Pearly said." Maya kept talking, she was becoming more steady.
"Pearly? Whose that?" Apollo questioned with curiosity.
"It was my cousin. She always fooled around about me and Nick's relationship. Little did she know, it was far more than a joke." Maya continued, fiddling with her thumbs.
"When was the last you saw Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked, but Maya looked down.
"..." Maya stayed silent. Apollo's bracelet tightened.
"I-I'm sorry." Apollo took back his comment.
"It's quite alright. I enjoyed our talk. Even though it was painful." Maya said once again, this time she smiled after she said it.
The air became thinner and Apollo felt relieved. Everything fell into context, and Apollo smiled a little.
"That reminds me..." Maya said, taking out something from her jacket pocket. "we have a client at the Detention Center."
"Client? I'm defending at a time like this?" Apollo questioned in anger, he stood up.
"It seems that he was a suspect in a murder that had happened last night." Maya voiced, as she stood up as well. She was shorter than Apollo, about five inches shorter.
"What? Why would I do this? I'm trying to investigate Phoenix Wright's disappearance, not someone else!" Apollo exclaimed, putting his hands into his pockets.
"Look. Defend him, you must. You know it's the right thing to do, so do it." Maya became extremely glum, and looked on in anger. Apollo's bracelet felt tighter than ever.
"O-okay..." Apollo said. That's all he could say.
"I'll set off to find Trucy. Go visit your client..." Maya said in the same tone. She walked out the door, and the atmosphere was numb. Apollo's ears went deaf for a few seconds.
Before he knew it, he ended up going to the Detention Center, to visit one hell of a client.
August 5th, 11:32 AM
Detention Center
Apollo walked into the Detention Center, he asked the guard to see a man who was charged for murder last night. A man was summoned, this man looked stranger than anyone Apollo has ever seen.
The man was dressed in a green combat jacket with a black scarf around his neck. He had a gray beret on and navy blue cargo pants that were shredded all over the place. He had no shoes on, just his bare feet. The man also had fingerless gloves on, and blood on the palm side. He looked very strange, and had an even stranger aura.
"H-hello." Apollo tried to speak, but something was caught in his throat.
"Mr. Apollo Justice. I assume you are here to defend me?" The man said in a calm tone, he raised his eyebrow.
"Yes. Perhaps we can start of with an introduction. What's your name?" Apollo questioned, taking a seat across from the glass.
"...You will only know me as PWA. It simply means Person Without Attempt, which means I am not the murderer." PWA spoke in a different tone, he seemed angered.
"Uh..well, PWA. I must ask you a few questions. Such as, where were you the night of the murder?" Apollo immediately got to business, PWA looked up into Apollo's eyes.
"I was at the scene of the crime, which was a bowling alley, next to Highway 18." PWA did not lie, and spoke calmly.
"The scene of the crime? What were you doing there?" Apollo asked with nervousness in his voice.
"Well, what else would I be doing? Naturally, I was murdering the victim." PWA said with a smile. Apollo looked surprised.
"You're kidding." Apollo turned away for a moment. "I can't defend this. What was Maya thinking?" Apollo questioned himself. His cell phone began to ring.
"No phone calls in the detention center." The guard exclaimed.
"I'll be right back PWA. I just need to take this..." Apollo said, heading out the door looking at the caller ID. It was a number he didn't recognize it.
Outside, the sky was dark and the atmosphere was depressing.
"Apollo Justice." Apollo casually answered his phone.
"Apollo, glad to see you still answer the phone." Phoenix's voice was on the phone. Apollo's eyes widened.
"Mr. Wright!? Where are you!?" Apollo yelled into the phone.
"That isn't important. What I need you to do..is defend your client." Phoenix said, a fence shaking was heard in the background.
"Defend...my...client?" Apollo uttered, looking around.
"He is completely innocent. You need to prove who really killed the victim." Phoenix breathed as if he was nervous.
"Where are you?!" Apollo asked with disbelief.
"I always have you in my sights..." Phoenix said and the line went dead after that.
Apollo fell to his knees in disbelief. Phoenix Wright, missing for three days. The client, the murder, could it all have been connected? What does it mean?!
TO BE CONTINUED...