A/N: So, here it is! My first chapter of my huge retelling project. No Madeline in this chapter, she'll most likely make an appearance in the next one. Really hope you guys enjoy, I worked pretty hard on it. So this is every piece of dialogue from the game...took forever! But it was fun, so I'm not discouraged. Thoughts are in italics, by the way!
If you can think of a better name, let me know. It's one in the morning here, so I'm not functioning my best...
Fan art is still being requested and accepted!
Please review and let me know how I'm doing! Each review means a lot to me.
Thanks for your support. Have a good day/afternoon/evening! :)
~Diana
"So Mr. Wright," said Apollo, helping his boss move one of the couches in the office, his face as red as his suit. "Why are we having all these people over again?"
"We've been over this, Justice," Phoenix muttered, his muscles straining. "I passed my bar exam, so I decided to get back in touch with a few friends."
"And we have to move the couch because…?"
"To make more room."
"How many people did you invite, Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked curiously.
"Just the people who knew me in my lawyer days. In fact, some should be getting here any minute."
At that moment, there was a loud impatient knock on the door of the Wright Anything Talent Agency. "I'll get it!" Trucy shouted, running for the door, blue cape flying behind her, one gloved hand holding her top hat on her head. She opened the door to reveal a man about as old as her daddy, wearing an orange jacket over a t-shirt. He had brown hair in a very strange style and a pointy goatee.
"Hey, is Nick here?" he asked.
"Nick?" Trucy asked, giggling a little. It was funny to think of her daddy having such a nickname.
"Larry!" Phoenix greeted.
"Nick! It's great to see you, buddy!" Larry called, pushing his way into the office. "It's been, like, so long!" Phoenix straightened his red tie uncomfortably. He hadn't worn his suit in what felt like ages, but he felt like he should wear it since he'd passed the bar and had officially become a lawyer again.
There was another knock on the door and Apollo went to go get it while Phoenix awkwardly answered Larry's many questions. A woman with black hair and brown eyes stood there. She looked about 27, and she wore a black robe with a red charm around her neck. She grinned at him, a grin that still looked like a child, despite her age. "Is Nick here?" she asked. Phoenix appeared behind him.
"Maya," he said, pulling the woman into a hug. Apollo looked on awkwardly, not able to think of an excuse to leave. Trucy poked her head in.
"Is that going to be my new mommy?" she stage-whispered across the room. Phoenix and Maya both flushed scarlet and separated.
"It's great to see you again," he murmured as he led her to the main room, where Larry was sitting.
She barely had time to respond before Larry intercepted her, immediately beginning to flirt. Phoenix rolled his eyes. Some things never changed, no matter how many years passed.
A knock sounded on the door and Phoenix went to open it. There stood Detective Gumshoe. "Detective!" Phoenix greeted him, shaking his hand.
"Hey pal!" said the detective happily, unable to hide a happy smile. He still wore the same scruffy trench coat and looked to be about 40. His hair was tinted with streaks of gray, but other than that he looked the same: same stubble on his chin, same red pencil behind his ear, same lopsided smile. "Congrats on getting your badge back!"
"Thanks Gumshoe. Come on in," Phoenix said, gesturing inside the small office. Everyone inside had drinks and was chatting animatedly. Introductions were made and relationships were renewed.
"Daddy?"
"What is it, Trucy?"
"Since this is a party celebrating you getting your badge back, would you tell us some stories from when you were an ace attorney?"
"Oh, I don't know…"
"Come on, Nick!" Maya said. She was sitting next to him on the couch. "We had so many adventures!"
"Yeah, pal!" Gumshoe agreed. "I can think of so many fun times we had!"
"I'd like to hear them too, Mr. Wright," Apollo joined in. With the combined efforts of everyone begging, finally Phoenix agreed.
"Where do I start?" he muttered. "I guess with Mia's murder."
"I love this story!" Maya squealed, settling back on the couch.
"Pal, weren't you-"
"Maya, you were the defendant."
"I know," Maya huffed. "I like it because it's when I first met you, Nick!"
"Oh." He gathered his thoughts for a second, then began the story.
Case 1-2: Turnabout Sisters
September 5, 9:08 PM
Fey and Co. Law Offices
"Uh oh, I'm late," Phoenix Wright muttered, checking his watch as he hurried into the office. He looked around. "Huh, that's strange. The chief must've gone home already." Sure enough, the small office was devoid of people. "She said her sister was coming over so we should all go out for dinner…" He trailed off and stood in silence for a second, sniffing. Something didn't feel right. "What's that smell?" he asked nervously. "Blood…?" He started. "Mia!" He wheeled around, checking for figures in the shadows of the corner. Not a soul was in sight. Maybe she's in her office! he thought. He sprinted into the office, letting the door swing behind him. The smell grew stronger and his brown gaze swept the small inner office, glancing over the desk, the couch, the small coffee table. "That smell… Blood!"
A small sob came from the corner. "Sis…"
Someone's here! Phoenix thought, startled. He turned around, finally pausing at the window. …! The light from the streetlight and the moon combined lit up a gruesome scene on the floor below the window. His boss was lying on the floor, slumped in a horrible position, head down, legs bent. A teenage girl was kneeling next to her, tears pouring down her cheeks. She had black hair up in a messy topknot and her brown eyes were glimmering with emotion. A necklace with a strange charm hung around her neck and she was wearing a purple robe of some kind. Her hands were clenched tightly at about shoulder height, and she looked up at Phoenix with large scared eyes.
Phoenix was still in slight denial as he stepped closer, eyes wide with shock. This wasn't happening. "Chief? Chief…?" he said. His eyesight was failing, this wasn't happening, was it? "Chief!"
He had finally managed to pry the girl off of Mia's body. "Who are you?" he asked hesitantly.
"…" The girl remained silent. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out.
The strange girl dropped out cold. I left her lying on the office sofa. I went back to the chief where she lay under the window.
He walked over cautiously, not knowing what to expect. Kneeling down next to her, he touched her shoulder gently.
Her body was still warm. I could feel it when I held her shoulder. Then, all too quickly, it began to fade… Until finally, she was cold.
"Chief…" he murmured again. "It's hard seeing her like this, but if there are any clues here… She was struck on the head with a blunt object," he concluded, not without pain. "She probably died instantly. 'The Thinker' lying next to her must have been the murder weapon."
The Thinker added to the Court Record.
"Hmm…" Phoenix said, moving closer slowly. "There are some glass shards near the chief's body. Must be pieces of the glass light stand lying broken in the back of the room," he deduced, picking some up.
Glass Shards added to the Court Record.
"Nothing else that seems like a clue here…" Phoenix said, starting to stand. "Hmm…?" he muttered, catching sight of something on the ground. "A piece of paper! It must have fallen from Mia's hand!" he exclaimed, picking it up. "What could it be?" he wondered aloud. He examined it carefully. "A word is written in blood on this scrap of paper!" he said triumphantly. Surely this was an important clue. "'Maya'…? Did Mia write this?
Wait a second! Was Mia trying to tell us something about that girl? I think I'd better show her this receipt. I never thought there'd be a use for evidence like this outside the courtroom!
Receipt added to the Court Record.
I think that's enough snooping around for now, he mused, sitting back on his heels. I'd better call the police and find out what that girl was doing here.
He backed away from his mentor's body, his legs still a little shaky. "Chief…" He couldn't look at Mia anymore; it was just too painful. He moved back out to the outer office, deciding to check on the mysterious girl before doing anything else. "…!" That girl just now… where'd she go! Sure enough, the girl he carried out to the couch not 10 minutes earlier had vanished. I put her right there on that sofa…! He groaned. Uh oh… I hope she didn't run on me. Suddenly, the girl appeared in front of him. "Yipes!" Phoenix said, jumping about a mile. Don't scare me like that… "Umm…" Phoenix stammered. "Excuse me but, who are you?"
"…" The girl looked down at the ground, her hands clutching each other tightly behind her back, her eyes downcast.
"It's okay," Phoenix reassured her. "I work here."
"Maya…" Phoenix blinked when the girl spoke. "Maya Fey."
"Maya… Fey?" Phoenix repeated. He decided to try and converse with the strange girl. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. She seems to be in shock. I don't want to disturb her, but I have to know… "Um… excuse me? Can you tell me what happened?"
"…" Maya looked down again, not responding. Then she began to speak, taking Phoenix by slight surprise. "I came in… The room was dark." She sniffed, holding back tears. "And Sis… Sis!"
So she was already dead. "So, you're the chief's…?" he asked.
"Sister. I'm her younger sister," Maya murmured, her hands now clasped in front of her, her shoulders slumped.
"And you were here… visiting? This late at night?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes," Maya replied, looking down again, twisting her hands before they settled behind her back again. "She said she wanted me to keep some evidence for her."
"Evidence…?" Phoenix mused aloud.
"Yes… I-it was that clock…" Phoenix felt a jolt of dread at the next words. "It was 'The Thinker.'" He waited for more explanation, but none came. She just looked at him with those mournful brown eyes. Phoenix walked back into the inner office almost without realizing it. He still had to call the police, after all. He was momentarily distracted by the sight of Mia's dead body, but then saw the phone and remembered why he'd come back in here. "Right! I'd better call the police!" he exclaimed, kneeling down by the low coffee table. "…? That's funny… A few of the screws on the receiver are missing…" he said, raising an eyebrow. "It looks like someone was halfway through taking it apart."
"Police!" a voice shrieked. Phoenix started in surprise. "Please, come quick!"
Wh-what was that! Someone screaming from outside the window! He ran over to the window, trying to look out without stepping on Mia's body. "…!" He saw a woman with pink hair and a low cut purple jacket holding a white corded phone up to her ear. "She's staring right at me! She's holding a phone in her hand…" As the woman disappeared from view, Phoenix backed away slowly, deciding to go talk to that girl-er, Maya, again. He'd been putting off showing her the receipt with the bloody name on it, but he knew that if he wanted to get anywhere in this case, he was going to have to question her. He exited the inner office and back to where Maya was still standing in the office, looking shell shocked. He fingered the slip of paper in his pocket, pulling it out. "Before Mia died, she wrote a message with her own blood," he began hesitantly. "She wrote it on the back of this receipt."
"!" Maya's eyes grew round and she looked shocked, her mouth practically in a straight line. "Th-th-that's MY name!" she said, her lip trembling. "W-why! Why would she write my name?"
"Please, just calm down," Phoenix said gently as her brown eyes filled with tears again.
"W-why would Sis write my name?" she murmured.
Uh-oh. Now I've done it…
Suddenly the sound of a siren split the fragile silence of the night. They both jumped. "! The police!" Phoenix said in surprise. Sounds like they're coming this way!
"Freeze! Police!" came an unfamiliar, rough voice from outside the office door. A large man in a scruffy trench coat, a grubby shirt, and a shabby red tie burst in. The stubble on his chin, unkept hair, and bandage on the left side of his face did little to add to whatever professionalism he may have had. "Alright, I'm Detective Dick Gumshoe, see?"
Gumshoe…? What an odd name.
"We received a report from the building across the way, see. Got a person saying they saw a murder," Gumshoe said, a frown dominating his features.
It must have been that woman I saw, Phoenix thought.
"Anyway," said the detective, breathing heavily. "I don't want either of you moving one inch, 'kay?"
The detective disappeared into the inner office. Great. Just great. Maya made a subtle movement beside him, shifting her weight. Maya… Wait, she wouldn't have… nah.
"Whoaaaaaaaaaaaah!" yelled the voice of the detective from the office. He pushed his way back out the where Phoenix and Maya were standing. "Scuze me!" he said, his mouth in an angry scowl.
"Eek!" Maya squeaked, retreating from the livid man.
"This word 'Maya' here mean anything to you?" he asked triumphantly, holding up the note in his fingers.
"…!" Maya started, her eyes widening again. "Um… that…" she murmured almost inaudibly. "That's my name…"
"WHAAAAT!" The young girl jumped at the detective's loud yell. "The victim drew this here note in her own blood, see?" He got more and more excited as he continued. "With her dying breath, she wrote down the killer's name!" Phoenix felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Maya looked even more shocked and sick than Phoenix felt. "K-killer…? What..?"
"Case closed! You're coming down to the precinct, ma'am," Gumshoe said gruffly, grabbing Maya's wrist.
"W-what?" Maya stammered, trying to shake off the detective's strong hand.
Phoenix could do nothing but watch as Maya was dragged out of the office, crying, her haunted brown eyes burning into his memory. He could hear the police cars pull away, sirens wailing, lighting up the dark buildings with their blue and red lights. He sat down heavily at the desk until another officer informed him that he would be needed for questioning.
"Mia's younger sister, Maya, was arrested on the spot. I was taken in for questioning and didn't get out until the next morning. My eyes were heavy… but I couldn't sleep. I sat around, waiting for visiting hours to begin at the detention center. I had to talk to Maya as soon as possible."
September 6, 9:07 AM
Detention Center
Visitor's Room
Wow, they have poor Maya locked up like a criminal, Phoenix thought as he entered the small visitor's room and took his seat, shifting uncomfortably under the scrutiny of the guard at the door. Another guard led Maya in.
"Oh!" she said upon seeing her visitor. "It's you! The lawyer… G-good morning," she said bravely, but her eyes displayed the fear and grief that was hidden in her heart.
"Good morning!" Phoenix replied cheerfully. A little too cheerfully, he reflected, wincing slightly. He gave the girl a once-over. She looks so tired… Sure enough, there were large bags under her eyes and her head was bent.
"Um…" Maya said softly. "Are you going to be my attorney?"
"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about…" Phoenix said before stopping and considering his options. He could just say, 'Sorry, not a chance,' and walk out, but that would be cruel and heartless. Or he could leave it up to her, but he felt a sense of responsibility to Maya, and he wanted her to say yes. After all, she looked so sad and hopeless. First things first, I'd better get her cheered up… "Yeah, of course I will! Cheer up!" he said, in a voice that sounded hollow to his ears, but hopefully convincing to hers.
She looked down, blinking quickly. "R-really…?" she asked, almost as if she thought he was playing some kind of prank and that he would get up and leave right now.
Whoa! Did I say the wrong thing? She looks sadder now! "Um… what… what's wrong? You don't think I can do it?" he asked hesitantly.
"…" Her silence was worse than a confirmation. Then she spoke up again. "No.. no one could!" Her brown eyes filled with tears again. "Who would believe me?" She turned to look at him head-on, her face downcast. "Even you, when you found me in the office. You looked at me like I had done it!"
A sudden flashback swept to the front of his mind, of Maya crouching beside Mia's body, her tearstained cheeks shining in the light from outside the window. Did I look at her like that?
A small cough from Maya brought him back to reality. "No, no!" he protested, a little weakly. "I never thought…"
"I-it's okay," Maya said quietly, her shoulders slumping a little more. "I understand." She looked down again. "…" That terrible silence filled the small room again. Then she managed to compose herself, looking up with a small smile. "And… I've also heard about you."
Phoenix was surprised. "Heard…? Heard what about me?" he asked with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity.
"I… was talking to my sister on the phone the other day…" she said, that small smile not leaving her face.
"Today was my junior partner's first day in court."
"Wow! Really? How'd that go?"
"It was quite the scene! Honestly I was on edge the whole time. It's been a while…"
"Hah! So he crashed and burned?"
"…He's a genius. One of those 'strike fear into the hearts of evil' types… The only thing he's lacking is… experience."
"Huh, sounds like it was fun! Well, I know who to go to if I ever get into trouble now!"
"I don't know, Maya. I think you might want to wait… give him three or four more years. That is, unless you want to be found guilty."
"That's what she said!" said Maya happily, blinking innocently.
"…" Phoenix was reeling. He couldn't even open his mouth to speak. Apparently this was evident on his face.
"I-I'm sorry!" Maya squeaked, reading his expression. "I didn't mean to trouble you…"
Phoenix shook his head impatiently. "No, it's okay. It's true, I guess. But… at the same time, I can't just sit and watch!" He sighed. "When I think of the person who did this to Mia…"
She'd looked surprised at his passion when he'd mentioned Mia, but she quickly lapsed back into a subdued silence. "…" Her eyes filled with tears again. "I know…" she murmured.
Phoenix was struck by her hopeless expression, so he decided to try and talk to her about herself to warm her up a little. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you…"
"Yes?" Maya asked, that little half-smile crossing her face, blinking innocently.
"What's with that outfit?" Phoenix asked bluntly.
"Oh, this?" Maya said, dismissively waving a hand at her strange attire. "This is what all acolytes wear. It's my uniform, you could say."
"A-acolytes? Like people in religious training?" Phoenix asked hesitantly. "What is it you do?"
"Oh!" said Maya, her eyes widening. "It's nothing strange, really!" Her face fell into a smile again with an almost proud glow. "I'm a spirit medium. …In training."
"A s-spirit medium!" Phoenix exclaimed. I'm pretty sure that qualifies as strange. "So you're an acolyte. A, er, medium in training," he replied, a little uncomfortable.
"That's right," Maya confirmed. "The Fey family, especially the women, have always been very sensitive to the spirit world."
"Wait a second," Phoenix interrupted. "You said the 'Fey Family'? So, Mia was into this stuff too?"
Maya looked truly pleased for the first time. Her hands were pressed together in front of her chest in what Phoenix could only assume was some type of ritual or form as respect as she responded. "Of course! She left the mountain to 'follow her career,' she said. Her powers were first class, too!"
I… I had no idea. "Hmm…" Phoenix said aloud, still trying to process it all. Then something clicked. "Wait…!"
"What?"
"So you're a real, honest-to-goodness spirit medium? With E.S.P. and all that?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes. …In training." Maya replied.
"Well, can't you contact Mia's spirit, then?" said Phoenix triumphantly, relieved they'd be able to work this out so quickly. "We can just ask her who killed her!"
"…!" Maya's eyes grew round and she faded again, her hands clutched anxiously in front of her. "I-I'm sorry…" she murmured. "I'm still in training. I couldn't do something on that level…"
Hmm… I thought that would be too easy. After that awkward conversation, it would be pretty easy to merge into the night of the crime. "Could you tell me about the day of the murder?" he asked.
"Yes!" Maya said, pretty cheerful for someone in prison. She put a hand to the side of her face and looked up at the ceiling, obviously thinking hard. "Let's see… that morning I got a call from my sister." Her hand dropped to her side and she faced him again. "She wanted me to hold onto a piece of evidence for an upcoming trial."
"Evidence?" Phoenix asked curiously. He was finding it hard to believe that Mia would entrust important evidence to her kid sister.
"Yes. That clock shaped like 'The Thinker.'"
Phoenix felt his stomach drop. The one Larry made… "How could that have been evidence in a case?"
Maya thought again. "Um, right, she said something about that…" she muttered. "…" Her eyes squinted in concentration. Then she jumped. "I remember!" she exclaimed. Then she fixed her gaze on him. "Do you want to hear it in her own voice?" she asked.
Phoenix was surprised. "H-her own voice!" he said in shock.
"Yes," Maya replied, looking a little amused at his reaction. "I'm pretty sure my conversation is on my cell phone."
"You recorded it!" Phoenix said in excitement.
"Yeah! I forgot how to delete those things," Maya murmured thoughtfully. He allowed her a minute to think, then gently pressed her back to the topic.
"So, you say you have a conversation with your sister on your cell phone?" he reminded her. "Let's hear it!"
"Right!" Maya smiled, her hands in that gesture in front of her again. She put her hand in what he supposed was her pocket. "Oh!" she said in surprise. She drooped again, a forlorn expression crossing her features. "I just remembered that detective took my cell phone." She sighed. "Sorry."
"Oh, right," Phoenix said disappointedly. Of course… "Next time I see Detective Gumshoe I'll ask him for it."
"I'll write you a note so you don't forget, okay?" Maya said, smiling.
Phoenix nodded. "Sure, thanks."
Maya's Memo added to the Court Record.
After slipping the note through the small slit in the glass window, Maya looked downcast again. "…" Suddenly, she looked up, her face sad but determined, as if she'd finally decided to do something. "Um…!"
"Huh? Something the matter?" Phoenix asked gently. He wanted to help the young teen in any way that he could.
"Um… I was wondering, could I ask you a favor?" Maya asked hesitantly, her brown eyes meeting his.
"…?"
Maya held out a piece of paper. "This is the address of a famous lawyer. My sister gave me this a long time ago. She said if I was ever in trouble, I should call him." She looked away again. "And, well, I'm in trouble." Her brown eyes glowed with fear and hope as she met his gaze again. "Do you think you could go ask him to represent me?"
Hmm… Phoenix figured he had two options here: accept or refuse. Refusing here seemed just plain wrong. It would break Maya's heart. He really had no choice. "Sure, why not? I'll go ask," he told her, hoping it would cheer her up again. And sure enough, it did. Her face broke back into that smile and her hands flew up into that pressed-together position again.
"Thank you so much!" she squeaked. Her bangs fell into her eyes as she continued. "I have no one else to turn to…"
"…?" Phoenix was confused. "Say, what about your parents?" he asked. Immediately he sensed that he'd said the wrong thing. Maya went quiet and she bit her lip.
"… … …"
"I… I see," Phoenix said, breaking the heavy, oppressive silence. "Don't worry, leave it to me."
"Thank you!" Maya said gratefully, although it didn't reach her eyes this time. He could tell his insensitive question had rattled her. He felt terrible. "The trial's tomorrow… at 10:00," she continued.
Phoenix started. "W-what! Tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow," Maya repeated, looking a little worried.
"What if this guy refuses?" Phoenix asked anxiously, causing Maya to look even more worried.
She recovered and said, "They told me that if I don't find one, the state will pick an attorney to defend me."
"When will that happen?"
"They're giving me until 4:00 this afternoon."
And visiting hours are almost up… I'd better hurry! "Right," Phoenix said, snapping out of his own thoughts. "I'll be back!" He started to get up, then paused. He felt like he hadn't gotten enough information out of her the first time, so he decided to ask again. Second time's the charm. "Could you tell me about the day of the murder?" Her lip trembled a little. "Sorry… I know it must be hard."
She tried hard and regained some composure, smiling. "No, it's okay," she said quietly. "All I've been doing the last few hours is talking about it. I've kind of gotten used to it…" She paused and thought, trying to think of anything she'd forgotten. "Let's see… that morning, I got a call from my sister. She wanted me to hold on to a piece of evidence for an upcoming trial." It was obvious that she'd told this story many times; even the wording was the same.
That's 'The Thinker' clock that Larry made. It practically qualifies as a serial murderer by now. He jolted out of his cynical thoughts. "So then, when did you arrive at the office?" he asked.
"It was right around 9:00," Maya replied. "The lights were off and… I could smell blood." Her eyes were glazed over, and Phoenix knew that she was reliving that night. "Th-then I found her. My sister…" She trailed off and nothing else came from her mouth.
"Thanks, Maya," Phoenix said quietly. "That's all I need to hear for now." And with that, he bid the young woman a quick farewell and stood, the piece of paper that Maya had given him clutched in his hand. He paused outside the entrance to the detention center, reflecting. He knew he'd have to save Maya and avenge Mia's death…somehow.