~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Phoenix~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Judge's gavel slammed against his desk, and everyone stopped talking.
"This court sees no reason to further prolong the trial. Nor is there any need for more time to decide the case against the defendant. This case is extremely clear. I see no room for misinterpretation of the facts. This court finds the defendant, Mr. Matt Engarde, Guilty. The accused will surrender to the court immediately, to be held pending trial at a higher court within a month from today's date. That is all. The court is adjourned!"
He slammed the gavel again and people started to file out. I propped my elbows up against the table and ran my hands over my hair. No, no, no, no...this can't be happening…!
"H-Hey! get your hands off, dude!" The bailiff had his hand firmly held on Mr. Engarde's arm. He glanced over to me. "Mr. Lawyer! Do something! Guys, seriously, this isn't funny. I didn't do it, man, I didn't do it!" He kept screaming and yelling like that until he was shoved into a police car and was taken to his new home: a cell.
Mia, or rather, Mia in Pearls' body, looked distressed. "Where did we go wrong?", was all she said. Then, Pearls' body shifted until it was the original form of its host. She stared up at me with those innocent eyes of hers.
"D-Did we win, Mr. Nick?" She looked around, noticing that we were still in the defense's table. She noticed my silence, and she started to cry. Despair filled me, not only for Matt, but for Maya as well. I...I had failed them both…
*beep, beep* *beep, beep* *beep, beep*
Horror creeped inside my despair. The transmitter! Please have Maya alive, please have Maya alive…
"Mr. Wright. You have failed to get a complete acquittal. Do you not value your assistant's life, Mr. Wright?"
"N-No! I value her life, it's just..don't hurt her, please. I'm begging you."
"Oh? I thought we had had a deal, Mr. Wright. What will you compensate in return with your preposition?"
"I'll take her place." Pearls gasped.
"M-Mr. Nick, no!"
De Killer chuckled. "Very well, then. I shall meet you at your office in two hours." There was silence, then another voice said, "Be ready, attorney." Then the signal broke.
I looked at Pearls for a moment, then said, "Let's go." I called a taxi and told them the address, and we rode in silence. When we reached the office, I thanked and paid the driver, who sped off right away. We went inside, and waited.
And hour and a half later, there was a knock. Behind the door was Maya, and a tall man in a mask. "Good evening, Mr. Wright. I take it you're ready?"
"Nick!" She leapt up and hugged me. "I knew you would do it, I knew it! Thank you so much, and I think Matt is pretty happy too!" I hugged her back and gave no reply. She broke the embrace and said, "...Nick? You did get a 'Not Guilty' verdict, right?" I shook my head.
"Then...why am I here?"
"A transaction, miss. He offered to take your place, since he had failed both you and his client."
"N-No! I'll go back, I can d-" I put a hand on her shoulder.
"No, Maya. Your village and your cousin need you. I'm disposable. And, before I go, would you mind telling him something?"
Maya sniffed back tears and said, "Yeah…?"
"Tell him...tell him I understand what he meant. And that I'm sorry for being so hateful."
Then I went with De Killer, closing the door behind me. I could hear the sobs, and had to fight the urge to go back in. About halfway down the stairs, we stopped.
"Put this on, Mr. Wright. If you escape, I can't have you telling the authorities where I am." He blindfolded me, and led me into what I thought was a car. We drove, taking circular routes until we had reached our destination. He led me out of the car again and tied me to a chair, taking off the blindfold. I was in a basement of some sort. It was spacious, a little dark, and water dripped from the ceiling. A small medical tray stood in the corner, covered by a sheet, and a few other things were covered as well. The chair I was tied to seemed familiar, and the ropes were strong and thick. No way was I getting out of here. I couldn't even see a door.
"Now then, Mr. Wright, shall we begin?"
"First off, Sir Killer, if we're going to be calling each other names, I prefer 'Phoenix' to 'Mr. Wright', myself."
"Okay, 'Phoenix', I am De Killer. You may call me 'De Killer', or 'Mr. De Killer'. Never will you say 'Sir Killer'. It's tacky."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
De went over to the table and whisked off the sheet, showing a variety of sharp objects. A few knives, scalpels, and a saw stood on it, with a katana hanging on the side. On the back held a whip with metal links sewn to the leather and a small blades hanging at the tip. He wheeled over the cart, and picked up an instrument. The torture had begun.
"I think we are done, at least for the moment." De Killer cleaned his utensils and left, leaving me to deal with my sores. Wounds of all shapes covered my body, and most of them were still bleeding. I was getting dizzy from blood loss, but I wished I were dead. There would be more later. I noticed that my bonds were looser than before. I started to move it around, and they flopped to the floor. I smiled. Maybe I could escape after all… I untied my legs and stood, wobbling. It grasped the chair and observed my surroundings. There was a white sheet on the floor next to the table where De had cleaned hi things. I ripped it up to make makeshift bandages, then moved on. Grabbing one of the knives, I walked around, searching for an exit. I berated myself for not watching where De had gone. Suddenly, I heard a grinding noise on the other side of the room. A figure walked in, boots clacking on the cement. Something long dragged behind it, and they walked with an almost menacing movement. Trembling, I froze where I was. I'm not going to say I wasn't scared. No, I was terrified. I didn't want to go through that again. The figure stepped into the light and I held my breath. It was none other than Franziska von Karma. She was dragging her whip behind her, which seemed strange. I thought she loved that whip…
Franziska went over to the table, dropping her beloved weapon to draw the metal flanked one instead. This better not lead where I think it is…
She whirled in a circle, making the shadows dance. She walked around, touching things and muttering to herself. Suddenly, she gave a triumphant laugh and held up one of my bandages. Looking down, I realized it was from my leg. Shit.
There were small traces of blood leading to my hiding spot. If I moved, she would see me. If she followed my trail, she would find me. I didn't exactly think that she was here to help me, in any case. Once she started to follow the trail, she began to talk.
"Mr. Phoenix Wright, I presume? Tsk, Tsk. You didn't have to take Maya's place. After all, she was a spirit medium. She would have sold well unharmed. Of course, I mean the black market. Ransom is too easy to trace. Isn't it, Phoenix?"
On the last sentence she popped up in my face. Startled, I thrust the knife into her shoulder and ran. She screamed with rage and pursued me. Like she said earlier, she could beat me in a footrace, and that she did. She caught up to me soon enough and I felt the all-too-familiar sting of her whip. The metal and blades made multiple wounds in my back, but adrenaline pushed me forward. I ran into a hallway where a door stood. I dashed towards it and went in, slamming the door behind me. I could feel her against the door, trying to get in. I held it where it was, praying that I could get out alive. Then she stopped. When the slamming of the door stopped I got suspicious. But soon after, I was relieved. Maybe I would get out…
"Mr. Wright, you have violated our terms. Good-bye."
Through the darkness, a gun flashed. I heard the sound of gunpowder propelling the bullet, and darkness reigned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Edgeworth~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"He what?!"
"He took my place, and...he told me to tell you that as well."
"Of all mad things to do...Why didn't he come to me? We could have tracked the signal!"
"I-I' sorry...I didn't know…"
I sighed. "You don't need to apologize, Ms. Fey. I just...didn't expect him to do something so reckless."
Maya looked at the ground, tears streaming. "D-Do you think he's…"
"No. They would use him for ransom, if they were smart." I assured her. "He's probably fine. I bet any day now, he's going to be brought to the police department unharmed." She smiled, and I felt a twinge of regret. De Killer took no prisoners, at least when there was a transaction. Wright was either dead or dying by now…
"Sir!" Detective Gumshoe barged in, painting. "New report from the precinct, sir!"
I stood. "What is it, Gumshoe?"
He swallowed. "We found a body in an abandoned hotel, sir. It...it was Mr. Wright." A tear fell down his face, and he wiped it away.
Maya collapsed on the floor to her knees, propping herself up on her hands. She started to shake, and I saw tears fall to the floor. I, myself teared up. Wright, dead? That can't be.
"Take me there, now."
"Y-Yes sir." He looked at the girl. Then Gumshoe knelt down next to her, speaking gently. "Maya, I'm sorry. Do you want to come along, too, pal?"
She nodded, then her body changed. She stood, and took the form of Mia, her sister. She looked around then followed us to the precinct. When they took out the body, shock filled my being.
Cuts and bruises covered his body, and his blue suit was tattered and stained. There were bits of cloth stuck to his wounds, and his back had been flayed. There was a hole through his head, the killing blow. I noticed some movement next to me, but it all droned out. I vaguely remember sitting down, but never sitting up. My best friend, gone. He was my longest held friend, other than Larry. It was always exciting to have a battle of wits with him in court, though he often won. For once there was something he was better at me than. But not anymore. I stayed at the morgue for an hour before this amazing thing happened. He got channeled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Phoenix~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I opened my eyes and crawled up from the floor. I...I'm alive…?
I looked at my clothing. Funny, they look like...Maya's… I was being channeled! I looked around and spotted something rather disturbing. I was my own body. Gingerly, I took my badge and Maya's Magatama, putting them in her pocket. Those had no place in my grave. After a minute of thought, I headed out to the lobby.
I instantly regretted it. People crowded it, all of which I knew. Some were crying, others seemed in a daze, and many of them talked to one another. As soon as I walked in, all noise ceased. They started at me, in disbelief and shock. Nervous, I slowly backed out of the room. The silence followed me wherever I went. Eventually, I just headed to the office. Bad idea. I came into the main room, where Pearls was reading a book. When I entered, she had a worried but expectant look on her face, like she was waiting for something. Then her eyes skimmed my hair, and tears emerged.
"M-Mr. Nick…?"
"I'm sorry, Pearls." She leapt up off of the couch and ran towards me. I knelt down and collided with her, making a clumsy embrace.
"Mystic Maya will be so sad…" Maya…
"Pearls, would you get me some paper and a pen, please?"
"Sure." She wiped away her tears and fetched the items. I wrote down a few things, along with a legal document saying I would give the office to Maya, to do with as she pleases. I'm guessing a Steel Samurai store of some sort, or a channeling business. Then I remembered something.
"Hey, Pearls, want to take a visit somewhere with me?"
"Yes! Anything to get out of here."
I smiled, happy to see her in her usual manner. I feel awkward around distressed people, yet I'm a defense attorney. Go figure.
We took a taxi to the Prosecutor's office, where I knocked on Edgeworth's door. He called out, "Come in." His voice sounded hoarse, like he had done a lot of talking.
I came in, and he was writing a few reports. "Please, make it quick. I'm very busy at the moment, so if you would-" Miles glanced up and stopped. "Y-You! But I thought…"
I nodded. "You mean to tell me you didn't expect me to come here? Gosh, Miles, I don't know what to think."
He shook his head. "You must be here for something. How can I help you? I see you've already brought your little friend." Pearls waved at him.
"Yeah, about that. I'm thinking you'd want to know the murderers, right?" He stood up suddenly, making his chair tip over.
"I do."
I took a deep breath. "The one who shot and cut me was a man named De Killer, and he's a butler in the Gatewater Hotel. He wears monocles and has a line down the middle of his face. The one who whipped me was, well...you may not like it, but…"
"Tell me!"
I looked him dead in the eye, a trick Mia did, and said, "Franziska von Karma."
It evidently shocked him to know that his adoptive sister helped to kill his friend. He righted his chair and sat down. He started to get that look on his face, the one with extreme thought. I was about to say more, but I felt myself being separated, and I went into a light.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Edgeworth~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Franziska…? Why her, of all people? I know the von Karma's love their perfect win records, but this was...this was madness. Her father had done almost the same thing, killing my dad, but she never showed such anger until now. Flaying the back of a somewhat-innocent man was unheard of, by her principles…
"Mr. Edgeworth?" I looked up from my thinking to see Maya standing confusedly. "Would you mind witnessing this form?" She tentatively handed me a sheet. On it was a legal documentation saying the Wright & Co. Law Company was to be given to Maya. It was signed by Phoenix, and a small note attached said to ask me to witness it. I signed it, then handed it back to Maya. She looked at it sadly before pocketing it. She looked around the room, then squealed at something she saw.
"Oh my gosh! Where did you get this?!" She held up my Steel Samurai statuette. "You can't get these anywhere!"
I chuckled. "The guard at Worldwide Studios. Miss Oldbag, I think it was."
"Her?! Are you kidding? Wow, she must have really liked you…"
I sighed. That old lady sure was a handful…
"Oh, by the way, Mr...Can I call you Miles?"
"Sure."
"Okay, Miles. Are you going to investigate the crime scene, or do I have to go alone?" Maya cocked her head and grinned. No wonder Phoenix was always with her. You don't want to leave this girl alone lest she break something…
"Yes, I am."
"Yay!" Not to mention the enthusiasm…
I went to the garage with the two girls in tow. Maya was explaining what a garage was for to Pearl, who listened intently. We got into the car and Maya kept gawking about the different features. Pearl would look out the window and point out things that she didn't know, and Maya would explain it to her. It was loud and very comsuming of energy. Is this what's parenting's like?
We arrived at the scene, and the girls hopped out. I walked with them to the scene, and Maya saluted some of the officers. They seemed confused why they were with me, but let them though nonetheless. Inside was...I don't know how to describe it. Filthy, bloody, hell? Sounds good.
It was kind of dark, with only a few bulbs hanging from the ceiling. There were blood stains on the floor, both new and old. Crates of...something stood in a corner and a medical tray filled with knives and scalpels sat next to a chair. A lone katana hung from the side of the cart, and an empty hook was seen next to it. The chair itself seemed to be in a relatively good state, though there were many stains on it from various things. I don't really want to investigate those further. My attention was drawn to a few things near the chair, though. Boot prints were left in the drying blood, probably Karma's. A rope was cut near the front of the chair, but a whole one was in the back. Wright probably slipped out his hands then cut out his feet. There was a scrap of white sheet that was sililar to those on his body, so I can deduct that he used it for a bandage. I followed the bootprints to where they turned in a direction. There was a bandage, covered in blood. I followed the fading boots, seeing little blood marks here and there near the floor. Phoenix must have lost one from his foot or lower leg, thus the blood trail.
Then bare feet covered in blood started to appear. Wright's, most likely. The boots followed, now with more space in between. A chase happened. I followed them until they went out, and they led me to a door. Opening it, I saw a bullethole and a small amount of blood on the door. The floor was dusty, so I could see some scuffle marks where the killer stood. I found out later there were traces of gunpowder in the dirt. I went back to the main room where Maya and Pearl were talking to Detective Gumshoe. They seemed to be having a good time, so I went on with my investigation. Soon, almost all of the other people had left, leaving me, the girls, and Gumshoe alone. I asked Gumshoe to take them home so I could continue my research, but I had nothing left to do but sit here. They happily left, laughing and talking. I'm not saying I wished I went with them; I just wanted to be alone for a bit.
I guess I fell asleep at some point, because I awoke to the sound of a creaking door. Someone walked in, very confidently. I quickly hid myself in one of the crates and watched.
That someone was Franziska, and boy, did she look deadly. Her hair was tied back in a small ponytail, and her clothes were tight-fitting. If I were anyone else, I guess they would find that attractive in a woman, but I'm not into that kind of thing. A metal whip hung at her hip, and small blades were at the end. She sat in the chair, her legs over one arm and her back to the other. We both waited.
At some point she started to hum. It was a strange song, but her voice was beautiful. I was half tempted to go out and tell her what a lovely voice she had. When I was just about to lift the lid, another person came in.
It was De Killer. Like Phoenix had said, he wore a monacle and had a line down his face. He was wearing a Gatewater Hotel butler's uniform. So he worked there...hmm. I snapped a picture with my silent camera, one I always keep for this kind of thing. Don't ask why.
"Miss von Karma, how lovely it is to see you again." She sat upright and rose from her chair.
"Don't be so polite, Killer. We had a deal. I was to punish him to his extent. I nearly had him, but you killed him!"
"Now, Miss. He was going to escape. I must say that I was a bit frightened, and I panicked. We can find another. Anyone in mind?"
One of my legs jerked, making a small noise. They both turned to look in my direction, and I cursed myself, silently. Franziska moved first, unclipping her whip. The blades were only centimeters from the floor and they were advancing quickly. Suddenly, a loud beeping came from Franziska. She paled and motioned for De Killer to hide. Suddenly, Gumshoe came in.
"Hey, what are you- Oh, Ms. von Karma...I didn't know you were here. I guess it's fine then…" He began to slink off.
"Detective, get over here."
Gumshoe turned on his heel and crept towards Franziska, eyeing her whip. I really hoped he didn't get it...wait. NO…..
"I need you to do something for me, Scruffy."
"Y-Yes, sir?"
"I need you to trust me…"
"Of course, sir…"
"Investigate those crates over there, will you?"
"Yes, sir!" He walked over to where I was hiding, looking in all the bins. He paused at each one, making sure that nothing suscpicious was in there. He came to mine and paused. I held a finger to my lips. He closed the lid and went through the rest, pausing the same time at each one. Then he turned and faced von Karma.
"Nothing but spoiled fruits and a few mice, sir."
She nodded and dismissed the Detective, who glanced once at my crate before leaving. I had to be more careful. Gumshoe can't save me every time.
I had just started to relax when Franziska came over. I began to panic. Why is she coming over here?! She just had Gumshoe...seal my death warrant. She destroyed all of the crates surrounding me and hovered over mine. I could see the lid coming off, and I got ready to leap out. The lid was suddenly flung off, and I barged over Karma, making her fall to the floor. I heard a small whack, probably her head on the concrete. She might have a small migraine tomorrow. Seeing that nothing came out to whip me, I assumed she was unconsiuos. I ran to the door.
I hand was on the handle when something was lodged in my back. I faltered. Another thud, then two more. I fell to one knee, trying not to scream. There must have been some kind of chemical on it, because I could feel my skin being eaten away.
"Do you like it, Mr. Edgeworth? Hydrocloric acid on copper oxide. I'm sure you can survive, but only if you escape. Alive, that is."
I struggled to open the door, but he shot one more and the pain drove me down again. I was about to give up all hope when I heard a beeping noise. The last thing I remember before blacking out was Gumshoe bursting in with the police behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maya~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sat on the chair next to Miles' cot. I felt so bad for him. He had knives tipped with acid that burned his skin shot at him, and he still got as far as he did. They say that the damage might affect his lower body movement, but none of the projectiles hit his spinal chord. Right now, he was sleeping.
I heard that Gumshoe went there to investigate and found Franziska. She ordered him to search some bins, where he found Edgeworth. He left almost immediately and called the boys in blue. And not a second too soon. When they arrived, Miles had already passed out from shock and they were able to arrest von Karma and De Killer. I punched him in the face. It split my knuckles, which hurt, but it felt better to see him walk away with a broken nose. I'll deal with the consequenses later.
I sighed. It was boring, just sitting here, but I know this is what Phoenix would do: stick around until he was better. I had brought Pearly at some point, but she had to go home. She has school tomorrow. I was given a break from the death of Nick, so I don't need to worry about that kind of thing. Anyway, I want to see when Miles gets better. I feel like he's the only part of Nick I have left. It was also the same thing with Nick himself. He was so much like Mia, it was kind of a reminder that she was still there. I shudder to think of when I die, or someone else does. What will I do then?
"Ngh…" Miles made a small grunt and opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, then said, "I'm...at the hospital? But…" He noticed me next to him. "M-Maya…?"
I smiled. "Hiya, Miles. How are you feeling?"
"Like I was shot with knives that ate my flesh."
"O-Oh. But you're not dead! And the doctor say you'll get better pretty soon, with some tiny flaws to your walking."
He grunted again and propped himself up. He looked at his clothing and made a small sigh. "I know these are medical, but the least they could do is make them less...tacky."
I chuckled. We sat in silence until the nurse came. She was very optimistic and perky, almost to a point of annoyance. Edgeworth played the part of a happy patient, but I saw him twitch his finger every once in a while, showing his aggrivation. When she had checked the monitors and fulfilled Miles's needs, she left, winking at us before closing the door.
"Is this what all hospitals are like? Over enthusiastic nurses, stern and serious doctors, then these awful gowns?"
I thought for a moment. "Yeah, I guess they all are."
"Then remind me never to have a need to return here."
I laughed, and promised that I would. "You know, I bet Phoenix would like to see you."
He sat thinking for a moment, then said, "I think I do, too."
I fell silent, concentrating. It was easy to channel Mia, because she's normally with me, spiritually. But Phoenix, he has other people to watch over as well, so it was a little harder getting to him. But once I did, I knew no more.
I woke in the office. Phoenix must have come here because Miles was better. I saw Pearls on the couch, dozing. The living room was a mess, much worse than I had left it in. What had these two been doing?! Leading a stampede of horses through the living room?!
I sighed, and started to work. Papers, books, and even some chairs were knocked over. I put all of the different papers in a pile, then moved on. I was just about done when I saw a slip of paper with strange writing on it. It looked like a mix of my handwriting and Nick's...strange. I picked it up and read:
Maya,
Please let Pearly sleep. She's had an awful day, and needs her rest. Not to mention her village. I hate to tell this to you, Maya, but I want to be the one to, and nobody else.
There was a bombing on the Kurain Mountain. Terrorists dropped explosives, and everyone only just barely got out in time. Everything was destroyed, but there were no casualties. Well, not if you count the animals...
I just thought you would want to know. And...please don't channel me on a whim like that again. Unless you absolutely need me, I would like to stay in the spirit world. But don't hesitate to ask if need be.
Phoenix Nick
Tears welled up in my eyes. My village...gone? Why us? We do nothing but sit there as a relic linked to the spirit world. I'm glad that nobody died, but where will they go? They no almost nothing of the real world, much like Pearls was. They don't know the danger of cars, or trains, or under-cooked meat. What would we do…?
Then I had an idea. There were several rooms in this building, and it would only take two floors to house everyone. Maybe...maybe we could make a channeling business, make money off our talent. We would be able to keep teaching our ways to the young, and most likely have enough money to pay all the bills! I was genius! I knew they would stick to the leaders, so I called one of them up and told them my idea. They enthusiastically said yes, and they had saved up some cash, enough to buy the next floor. It was all coming together!
I was still upset about my village. Who wouldn't? I grew up there, and it was my home. I remember running down the halls and my mother chasing after me, yelling to not break anything. Mia was always better at channeling than me. I guess everyone was suprised at her when she left, but I knew. I saw the law books and we had talked late at night about the cases she would do. I was proud of her. Then she died.
I still can remember running to her body, crying. She was still warm, which made it worse. Then Phoenix came in. I didn't know him at the time, or him me, so we startled each other. The look on his face when he came in..I knew he thought I did it. Then that Dectective came in and arrested me. The rest is kind of history, but I like to remember everything.
Pearls shifted in her sleep. Yes, I thought. Everything's going to be fine.