A pair of hands slammed down the table angrily. Two pair of eyes exchanged glances nervously, both thinking, Here we go again…
"We need the money as soon as possible."
The two people looked at the man, now with somewhat tired expression etched to their faces. "You're the one who needs the money, if I remember correctly."
"You also want the money."
The redheaded man stiffened. The girl next to him chuckled and muttered, "He's got it right, Dad."
The man sent his daughter a glare before asking, "But how do we take it? We don't have the key, we don't know the combination, we don't even know if the money is still there."
"It's still there!" he roared angrily. "I'm sure it is!"
"Then you have to get it," the girl shrugged nonchalantly.
"Danielle, it's not that simple," her father looked at her incredulously. "We don't even have the key! We don't know who has the key, either!"
"Damion, tell your daughter, her ideas are bright but she talks too much," the man muttered. He furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "I have an idea as of who knows about the key."
"Okay, who is it?"
He smirked. "Well… I need to prepare for a little family visit…"
She took the black wooden cube and stared at it. Her fingers brushed over the cube, feeling the symbols engraved upon the surface; circles, scales, owls, gold coins, water droplets and something that she presumed was some kind of liquid splattered against a surface; blood, maybe. Nine symbols were engraved to each side of the cube. She twisted the cube on her hand, snorting. "A Rubik's cube," she said. "You sure like to make people tear their hair out, Brother."
She played the cube for a while before tossing it onto her bed. She sighed and stared at the cube. "It's been nineteen years," she muttered to herself. "I wonder if I can tell him about you now. Well, maybe waiting a little bit more is better, but he needs to know about you too, right? He has a right to know about his parents."
She ruffled her long, brown hair. "Oh, what am I doing, talking to myself?" she snapped. She took a photo from the table next to her bed and stared at it. The photo depicted a man with brown hair and brown eyes shining with excitement, wearing a magician's cape and a tall hat, hugging a young boy with casual clothes. The boy's face resembled the magician's, and both were grinning widely to the camera. A small smile made its way to the woman's lips. She sighed. "I can't believe how much they look alike. But like father like son, I guess." Her eyes landed on the cube again. "Alright… I guess I have to tell him."
She put the picture down and took the cube. "Apollo Justice. It's time for you to meet your family."
"I want to be a performer like you when I'm a grownup, Dad!"
"A performer, huh? That doesn't sound too bad. But I'll tell you something better; why not be a lawyer someday?"
"A lawyer? No! Don't you always tell me that lawyers always work with the law?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't sound as cool as doing a disappearing act, Dad!"
He laughed at his son's answer. "Believe me, son, being a lawyer is much more promising than being a performer, especially when you're a no-name performer who has no one to watch your show."
"But people still watch you, Dad. You're popular!"
Not when only up to ten people watch you, kid, thought the father. He smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "Someday you will understand."
"I don't think I will," the son muttered.
The father smiled and ruffled his son's hair again. "Alright now. I'm going to have to perform. Be a good kid to your mom, okay?"
"Okay!"
He made his way to his props, checking them all to make sure everything was ready. It was one of his rare, amazing day; he finally had an audience with the number beyond the count of the fingers. Of course, it was mainly because his other audience which had seen him perform liked his performance and called him to perform on his daughter's birthday, but it was more or less incredible for him.
The little kid watched his father checking all the props and made his way to the stage to greet the excited spectators. He sat in the dark, watching his father from backstage. His mother was most probably looking for him, but he wanted to see his father. He didn't want to watch him with the rest of the viewers, because it made him feel so… ordinary. Here, watching from the backstage, he felt special, as though the father's performance was all his to see.
He heard a ruffling sound, and he curled to a ball, trying to make himself look small. He peeked out in curiosity. He saw his uncle, taking a pair of handcuffs his father would use in a trick where he would be put in a glass box full of water handcuffed, and he had to open the cuffs to open the box. The handcuffs were soon switched with another. He strained his eyes to check the new cuffs, but they looked pretty much the same. Assuming that it didn't matter whether his father used the new or the old cuffs, he let them be.
Little did he know that it would be the end of his beloved father.
A/N: Hello, people! Another story from ElinaLin! ...okay, that sounded weird.
This is the prologue to the story, 'A Father's Legacy'. I'm writing about what I think happened to Apollo's father (thus the title), though the story focuses on Apollo. I have some chapters ahead, but you'll have to wait to read those. I originally planned to write everything until the end, but I guess reviews would help me improve the plotlines and all, so I decided to post it.
This story is set after Apollo Justice, but before Dual Destinies. In fact, let's just pretend Dual Destinies never happened. I'll have to wait for a long time until I can play it, anyway... Have to buy the 3DS first, not to mention the game... Why is everything so expensive these days... *sob*
And please, review! I need some to help me improve. Pretty please? *shows large, gleaming shoujo-eyes*
