The cold evening air blew gently on a late December evening. The tress lay bare as the withered leaves were gently carried away by the autumn breeze, replaced instead by the cold snowflakes of winter.
The soft sounds of footsteps were heard and the figure of a young man could be seen walking onto an abandoned street, his movements slow yet firm. Apollo Justice slowly walked on the deserted street, slightly shivering from the chilly air. He was wearing casual clothing which includes a long sleeved black t-shirt, a pair of jeans and a red scarf to shield him from the cold air.
Apollo looked at his surroundings. It was still mid-winter so many people preferred to stay indoors than to go outside to the cold outdoors.
As it was the weekends, not many people are working. And though it was the weekends, Apollo had plan to stop by at the agency later. He just needed to do one thing first before he goes there.
The weekends were the days when people get to spend time with their family.
And it made Apollo reflected about his own family. One which he knew nothing about.
Apollo lifted his wrists and stare at the bracelet around it. This was the only lead he had about his family. He sighed and continue to walk.
A few minute had passed by and he finally reach his destination. He stopped. The air surrounding it was full of silence and despair.
Silently, he took a few step forward and pass through the graveyard gate.
On a nearby grave, he saw a very familiar figure. The girl had tied back her long reddish orange hair, and Apollo saw her wearing different clothes then she usually wear in the agency.
Athena Cykes was wearing a yellow t-shirt, black pants and a white scarf with widget around her neck.
Apollo slowly approached her.
When Athena saw her partner, she gently smiled.
Apollo sat down next to her. He looked at the name that was written on the grave.
Metis Cykes
1986-2020
There was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing silently above them. Apollo looked at his friend.
He could clearly see the dark blue colour of widget. After a few moments of grief, Athena broke the awkward silence.
"Are you here to visit him?" She asked him.
Apollo nodded. Athena smiled sadly and slowly got up from her sitting place.
"Can I come with you?" She asked her co-worker.
The elder of the two was shock by this sudden request. However, he did not complain and instead replied with another small nod in response to her question.
"But there's someone else i have to visit first. Is that alright?" Apollo asked.
"Sure." Replied Athena.
Apollo stood up as well. Soon, the two began to left Metis's grave.
They passed a few more graves until Apollo stopped at one of them.
Athena didn't know why but she felt a very evil aura surrounding the grave. And it send shivers down her spine. She read the name engrave on it..
Kristoph Gavin
1993-2028
Athena looked at the grave then to her co-worker. She could feel the sadness he was feeling towards the person the grave belongs.
But there was something else she heard from him. Anger.
"You'll probably wondering about the contradicting emotions right? And who this person was? You want answers."
Athena was stunned to hear Apollo said that. Was it that obvious?
She wanted to node as it true that she curious to know, but what came out was….
"If you want to."
Apollo sighed. He then began to explain to her.
"Kristoph Gavin was a defense attorney and my mentor, before Mr Wright. Before I became a lawyer, he taught me everything I needed to know about the law."
Apollo took a deep breath before continuing.
"But it turns out he was a killer, a cold blooded murderer. And he was forging evidence to win his trials."
Apollo paused when he saw the shock face of Athena. He then continued.
"I didn't even know he was doing all those horrible things. I thought I knew him. I thought he was someone who cared about the law. But I was wrong. I knew nothing about him. I didn't even knew he had a brother until I meet him myself."
Apollo looked at the astonished face of Athena.
"Who was his brother?" she asked him.
Apollo chuckled.
"You already meet him. He was a certain blond prosecutor you meet a few months ago during Constance Courte's case."
Athena thought for a while. Then when the answer came to her, her eyes widened in realization.
"Prosecutor Gavin?" She gasped when the answer came to her.
Apollo nodded. Athena face palmed herself.
Of course. No wonder the last name sounded so familiar.
Apollo's expression turned into sadness again.
"If only I knew what he was doing sooner. If only I realized how evil he was. Maybe many lives wouldn't have been ruin. And Trucy. She could have meet with her father again." He said sadly.
Athena was shocked to hear all this. And she wanted to ask more about Trucy but she figured it was best to wait when timing was better.
"It's only been a week since his execution. I just don't know what to feel." Apollo's tone was soft when he said it.
"Hey, what he did wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known that he was killing people." Athena said to him, trying to comfort her friend.
"I know. But….maybe he had more influence on me then I thought."
Apollo was remembering the moment when he tried to indicate her for his best friend's murder. He remembered how he took the stand and accused as a killer.
Athena then gently put her hand on his shoulders to comfort the grieving young man.
Apollo smiled at the sudden gesture. Athena smiled back. After a few minutes in which during that short period Apollo calmed himself, Athena let go of his shoulders.
"Apollo, your nothing like him. You don't stain your hands with blood. And you always try to bring justice to the people who deserves it. No matter what influence he had on you, remember that you are your own person and he doesn't have the rights to make you just like him."
Apollo smiled as those words left her mouth.
"No one was born evil Apollo." Athena reminded him.
"I know, and it made me think that maybe once ago, he really was a kind person that cared about the law. And maybe a loving brother to." Apollo said sadly.
The two of them silently left the man's grave. They slowly passed a few more graves until they finally reached the one they wanted to visit.
Clay Terran
2005-2027
Apollo and Athena stared at the name written on the grave. A few minutes of grief was then followed again by the painful silence.
Athena sat down next to the grave.
Apollo was still standing, not moving an inch. And with a huge effort, he sat down next to her.
Apollo said nothing at first. He just kept staring at the grave and the name engraved on it.
It's not fair, Clay didn't deserve to die. He was so close to reaching his dreams and it was cruelly taken away from him by the phantom.
Apollo remembered the first day of Clay's trial, the day of the courtroom bombing.
'Bobby Fulbright' presented the murder weapon that took away Clay's life.
This is the knife that cruelly ended this young man's dream
Apollo didn't know how he managed to keep himself from breaking down when the knife, covered with Clay's blood, and the picture of Clay, lying dead, killed with the said knife, was presented in court.
The phantom knew. He knew what he was taking away from Clay when he stabbed him. Yet he did it anyways. He killed Clay.
Apollo clenched his fist. The hatred he felt towards the phantom was overwhelming.
But Apollo knew revenge will never bring him back.
He saw Athena sadly looking at him. He knew she probably felt the hatred he was feeling right then.
He took a deep breath to calm himself.
"I wish I could have meet him." Said Athena, breaking the silence. Apollo smiled hearing her said that.
"I'm sure he would have liked to meet you as well." Apollo told her.
The two of them stayed silent, grieving over the loss of Clay. A few minutes later, Athena stood up.
'It's getting late. Maybe we should head back."
"Athena, you go on ahead. I want to stay here a little longer."
Athena wanted to protest but stopped herself and nodded. He knew Apollo needed some time alone with his best friend.
Without uttering another word, she slowly began to walk away from the grave.
Athena only took a few steps when she suddenly stopped. Athena turned and face Apollo again. And after what seemed like hours, she slowly began to head towards the cemetery gate until he could no longer see her.
Apollo sighed.
"Sorry I didn't come to visit you often. It does get pretty lonely huh?" He said.
Apollo could feel the air gently blowing his face.
"Today's a special day after all." He gently whispered, much different from his cords of steel.
Again the air slowly began to blow Apollo's face.
"Clay, I hope you're doing alright there. I can't be calm until I know that you doing ok."
This time, the wind was less gentle and blew slightly harder against his face. Apollo smiled and sighed with relief.
"Of course you are." Apollo chuckled.
Apollo then smiled sadly.
"Somehow it's different. I don't think I'll ever get over your death Clay. But I think I can at least be at ease now that I know you're doing fine."
Apollo stood up. Before leaving, he whispered softly.
"Happy Birthday Clay."
The wind became to blow gently again. And as Apollo began to leave, he heard a familiar voice answering him.
"Thanks Apollo. I'm fine now so don't worry."
Apollo reached the cemetery gate. What he didn't expect was to see Athena standing there.
"Athena, what are you doing here? I thought you went home already."
"Boss just called. He said that you were supposed to come over to the agency today yet your still not there." She briefly answered him.
Without warning, Athena grabbed him by the arm.
"Come on." Apollo caught a look of relief on Athena's face. He didn't need his bracelet to tell that she was actually worried about him.
And somehow it made him smile.
"Athena, I'm fine now. Really." He tried to convince her.
"Sorry, can't hear you." she said, grinning, still holding onto his arm.
Apollo felt his bracelet tighten. But he didn't need to perceive her tells as he already knew what she was lying about. He grinned.
"I said I'm fine." Athena let go of his arms. "I'M APOLLO JUSTICE AND I'M FINE."
Apollo saw widget glowing green around Athena's neck. Laughing, and feeling better than ever, the two of them made their way towards the agency to a very worried Phoenix.
Somewhere, a young man with black hair was watching the scene of the two of them running and smiled.
"You're not alone Apollo. You're never alone."
*ooc i know. sorry about the grammar and spelling errors, english isn't my mother language. anyways, please review your thoughts
