Hey, this is aceredshirt13, one of the (apparently quotable) co-authors of this fanfic. I'm in charge of the author's note this time around. You know how the last one was all humor and stuff? You know how the genre said Humor/Family? Welp, heh heh, nope. Feels will rain down upon you. Take it like a man.
~O~
H~ Hopeless
POV: Apollo Justice
Finally giving into my exhaustion, I collapsed onto my bed. As I watched the shadows dance on the ceiling, I couldn't help but heave a sigh.
Smiles only last so long when there's no real happiness behind them, after all.
I didn't want anyone to worry about me… I wanted to be fine, just as I always said. The last thing the cheerful atmosphere needed was to be dimmed by my bitter attitude. I closed my eyes, but my mind refused to be coerced into the heavy, sticky feeling of sleep. Instead, it wanted to keep racing, to remind me of all the things I'd tried so hard to forget.
My shoulder felt uncomfortable, so I rolled over. Then my neck felt awkward, so I shimmied around a bit more.
And this is why I don't get any of Gavin's beauty sleep.
I stood up and began pacing around the room. I really wanted to do a Chords of Steel workout, but it was about midnight, and I doubted my neighbors upstairs would approve. With no other option, I slunk back into bed, hoping the waves of sleep would encompass me.
They didn't.
The first thing I thought of doing was to count sheep, like everyone would suggest… Watching them fly into a furnace and get incinerated by its flames didn't really help, though. How does this even work for people?
I gave up and leaned against the headboard, switching the light on. Opening a drawer on my nightstand, I pulled out my much-loved journal and flipped to an empty page. Staring at the blank piece of paper, I didn't bother taking out a pen- there were no words that I could write in order to express how I felt. Maybe I'd feel better if I read through some good memories.
I turned back to the beginning of the book, wondering where to begin reading. Memories that should have been good ones - me and Clay at the beach, me and Clay watching Doctor Who, Clay breaking his nose for the seventeenth time - were now tinted with tragedy, and reading them brought back everything I hoped - and failed - to push away.
Turning the pages towards the beginning, I read through some accounts of the past, avoiding his name if at all possible.
...I'm sorry. I told myself again and again I wouldn't, but I ended up going to the Wright and Co. Law Offices when Mr. Wright called saying it was an emergency... or the Wright Anything Agency, as it's called now. (What kind of a name is that, anyway?) Just earlier today it had been a talent agency, but they had to expand it to include me - I feel sohonored. I ended up getting a job, I guess - I even got a case on my first day… I think. Honestly, I'm not sure what's going on anymore.
It turns out Mr. Wright was hit by a car, but he's okay. Just a sprained ankle, somehow. Trucy, Mr. Wright's daughter, decided to take up the role as my assistant, too. She's a nice girl, even if she's a little… out there. Case in point: She's made me help her find her… magic… panties… (Even thinking about it makes me cringe a little.)
As if that's not enough, there was a murder, of all things. So to sum it all up, my new... "boss" got hit by a car, I helped a teenage magician find her underwear, and I've gotten myself caught up in a murder investigation… I guess it's better than job hunting, though.
I couldn't help but laugh at myself. Things sure had changed a lot. I thumbed past a handful of pages and stopped, noticing the case that I'd affectionately named "Turnabout Reclaimed."
Today Mr. Wright took on his first client in eight years… Without me. I feel a little left out, but I guess I'll get to accompany him soon enough. As for my day "alone", Trucy dragged me along to People Park with her; she apparently wanted to play Frisbee. Of course, it ended up being some magic Frisbee that we had to go looking for once it disappeared. Some kids were really amazed by it, though, so they went chasing all over the park trying to find it. They got to it before us, so now I have to buy Trucy another one…
After that, we headed back to the office. Since Mr. Wright and Athena were still off investigating, Trucy insisted that we try and surprise them when they got back. She decided to bake cookies - I'm pretty sure that's the only food she knows how to make - and I got some paperwork done. When the cookies were ready, she stole Athena's wheely chair and sat on the other end of my desk, munching on them (Of course, she ate them all, effectively ruining the surprise).
She asked what kind of paperwork I had to do, and I was showing her the different kinds of forms that her dad forces me to fill out. She picked up a few files and started to fill in the blanks; writing the name "Apollo Justice" on a paper 3,000 times was something that Trucy knew how to do pretty well, and it was nice of her to help. It's great having her here during her summer break; I've missed her a lot during the school year. She's always bright and cheerful, even if she can get pretty annoying at times. Oh, hey, it's really late. I guess I'd better go to bed, just in case Athena and Mr. Wright actually need me tomorrow.
I smiled, and continued to aimlessly flip pages until I stumbled upon an entry about the Themis case.
Wow… Today was amazing. I'll go back and write about the trial later… I don't have the time right now. Just know that I had to wrap up Athena with sheets, "stab" her in the side, and we ultimately won the case. Juniper was really grateful, of course. It's been a while since I've seen a case end so well for everyone, actually. To celebrate, there was a big concert at the academy. Klavier even performed The Guitar's Serenade, which he swore never to perform again. I definitely enjoyed it… It's the only song I can stand that includes Prosecutor Gavin. Instead of Lamiroir this time, though,it was Juniper that sang. Athena told me that Juniper had a great singing voice but… wow. Let's just say I updated my ringtone, heh. She was wearing Lamiroir's costume, but it had constellations on it in fluorescent paint… She literally shined up there.
Juniper's really pretty, though I wouldn't tell Athena that. And she's so kind and sweet, too. Just seeing her face managed to keep me in a good mood during the trial. Every time I was overwhelmed, all I'd have to do was look at Juniper and I'd remember that everything was going to be just fine. I don't think it worked for Athena, though… Widget was lit up like fireworks the whole time.
Speaking of exploding emotions, I'd better not talk about Juniper to Athena, or the Mood Matrix would give me away. Why can't I have normal friends that I can lie to?! Clay doesn't have any kind of weird power, but he can still tell when I'm lying (Not that I'm very convincing).
I winced upon seeing his name, but I continued reading.
He did ask to talk to me about girls, though. I get the feeling that I'll be confessing my… crush? to him by the end of the week. He's pretty suspicious about the new girl at the agency, and I don't want him trying anything with Athena.
Me dating Athena's best friend makes me think of Athena dating my best friend… This isn't a good thought.
I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over this. I guess my brain isn't used to pretty, not insane girls. Athena's not too bad, but I wouldn't date her. Even thinking about it feels awkward. Ugh, I'm getting weird mental pictures now. Well, I'm going to go to bed now. See you.
I smiled a little at the thought of Juniper. From the moment we'd met, she'd always been there for me, even when I'd blamed her best friend for the murder of mine. Granted, she didn't always believe in the truth of my accusations, but she'd believed in me nonetheless. Maybe… she did like me in the same way I liked her?
...Or not. After all, what kind of person crushes on someone for months and doesn't make a move?
Me…
I wondered what to read next, but drowsiness finally began to overcome me. The thought of Juniper had comforted me; her warm eyes and smile calmed my swirling mind. With what little energy I had left, I switched off the lights and, as thoughts of Juniper vaguely swam in my head, I drifted off to sleep.
~O~
"Apollo! Wake up!"
I groaned. Why couldn't anyone ever let me sleep? I stayed still, hoping that whoever requested my consciousness would just give up and walk away.
"Apollooooooooo!" The determined person shook me, but I still refused to move. Then, I felt a dull pain in my side and I felt myself fall a few feet onto the floor.
"Ow!" I opened my heavy eyes to find my best friend grinning.
"Get up!" he laughed. "Of all the places you could have fallen asleep, too…"
I groaned, my mind still foggy. "Mmm... The museum was closed."
"But really? The robot disassembling table?"
"I haven't investigated with Trucy lately. I missed the excitement of being in danger." I replied with a smirk. Clay chuckled, facepalming with a jacket-covered hand.
"Come on, you were going to watch the take-off, remember?"
"Take off…" I thought for a moment, still feeling drowsy. "Oh! You're leaving today!"
"It took you that long?! How did you get your attorney's badge, again?" he laughed.
"Shut up," I groaned, pushing myself off of the floor.
"Aww, shooting stars! I forgot about my space suit. I should go get it on, huh?"
"That would be a good idea, if you were planning on leaving the atmosphere."
"Uh… Yeah." He looked to the side, and I couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something from me. I knew it. We've never actually sent astronauts to the moon, it was all a hoax by the government to increase national pride. "Come on, let's get going!" His cheery grin had returned to his face, and I followed him downstairs into what he called his "dressing room".
"Clay, you aren't seriously going to bring your jacket into space, are you?" I laughed. He wore it everywhere, even in the blazing Japanifornian summers.
"Oh… Heh heh. I kinda forgot that I was wearing it," he replied with a grin. "Do you want to hold onto it for me, just until I'm back?"
"You want me to hold onto your jacket?!" I asked, astounded. Clay didn't let anyone touch his jacket, let alone put it on.
"Sure! Just don't break it, okay?" he laughed.
"I won't break your jacket," I retorted grumpily. "Wouldn't it be safer just to leave it in your locker?"
"Uh… Maybe. But… Er…" he stammered. Something was definitely going on here...
"Clay, what's going on?" I asked, in a mixture of confusion and concern.
"N-nothing?" He smiled sheepishly, and I rolled my eyes.
"You're acting like the whole space center is about to blow up or something," I remarked. He looked momentarily startled, but then laughed awkwardly.
"I'm a little nervous at the moment."
"You're fine," I told him with a grin.
"Right! I'M CLAY TERRAN, AND I'M FINE!" We both laughed. He pulled the rest of his space suit on, giving me the heavy helmet to hold.
"You're going to do great out there," I promised. "Your footprints will be on the moon for years."
He grinned. "I'm finally getting my chance to make my mark on a world. Even if it's not technically a planet, it'll feel amazing to be up there, looking down at the Earth with my hero."
Speaking of Clay's fellow astronaut… "Hey… Where is Mr. Starbuck, anyway? Shouldn't he be here, too?"
"He wasn't feeling so good… You know about his space anxiety."
"Oh, right. Did he take his medicine?"
"...Yeah," he eventually replied. I shot him a suspicious glance, and he shot me a sheepish one back.
"Can I go into the lounge with you?" I asked him. "I doubt anyone would mind, since I practically-"
"Sorry, Apollo," he interrupted nervously. "You can wait outside of it, but Cosmos was very clear about not letting anyone go in."
"Clay, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing! I'm fine!"
"... Say it louder."
"I'm Clay Terran, and I'm fine!" He grinned at me, and we both laughed. All the same, I couldn't help but wonder about my friend's suspicious behavior.
"All right. I'll walk you over there, though." As we walked, pain started working its way into my head. I feel like there's something that I'm supposed to tell him…
"I've got to go. I'll see you soon!" he told me. I gave him a weak smile, and he wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back reluctantly. There were very few moments when I allowed people to touch me, but seeing Clay reach his dreams was one of them. He grinned, and placed his hand on the fingerprint sensor. As I watched him disappear behind the closed door, I rubbed my aching forehead in frustration. I stood there for several minutes, massaging my temples.
What was I supposed to tell him…?
BOOM
I gasped as a blast of heat hit me so hard it threw me to the ground. All around me was heat… smoke… fire…
BOOM
Before I knew what was happening, I was in Boarding Lounge 1, stumbling around in a dizzy haze. Footsteps echoed through the darkness, and I could just make out two figures - Clay and the unconscious Starbuck.
"Clay! You're fine!" I cried in relief. He didn't seem to see me, though. Instead, I watched him gently place Starbuck on the floor, heave a few gasps of exhaustion, and collapse on the floor. He clutched an odd, cylindrical capsule in his arms.
"What do you know, Starbuck? We made it through alive."
And then there was chaos.
A man appeared out of the shadows and crept toward Clay like a lion preparing to pounce. He stood over the exhausted figure of my friend, seeming to enjoy the gasps of surprise and whimpers of terror. Clay attempted to roll away, but the man kicked him, and he let out a moan.
I tried to yell, move, anything, but my muscles didn't respond. Clay kicked the man in the knee, and he fell over. I sighed in relief.
The man simply stood back up as if nothing had happened, and let out a cold, vicious chuckle. Clay was shaking in fear, and I attempted to send a message to him telepathically. Clay! He wants the capsule! Just give it to him! Judging by the determination in my best friend's eyes, though, there was little anyone could do to change his mind.
Clay tried to kick the man's leg again, but he didn't fall for the same trick twice. This time, he grabbed his foot and twisted it until my friend yelped. St-stop…
Clay gripped the capsule tightly in one arm, and the man tried to kick it away, but Clay's grip was too strong. The man growled, and plunged his knife into Clay's chest.
My vision blurred, and my head began to pulse with the intensity of my own heartbeat. Most people would scream and writhe around on the ground in the same scenario, but Clay remained quiet, filling the dark room with an eerie silence. Clay's eyes widened, and he caught my eye, opening his mouth as if trying to say something, but the words didn't come.
All of a sudden, I could hear footsteps coming toward us. The man jumped, and ripped a glove off of Starbuck's motionless body. He used it to open the door to the rocket, and then dashed back over to Clay. He attempted to pull the capsule out of Clay's grasp, but failed.
"You… lose…" I heard my friend grunt weakly. The man made one last attempt to pull the capsule away before sprinting out the closing door without it. My muscles decided to work again, and I sprinted after him out of the lounge, barely making it. The room began… moving? - as soon as I tumbled through the door.
The man wore a face I'd seen before… A face usually grinning and laughing and preaching justice. But this face looked as if the soul had been sucked out of it.
I stood face to face with the phantom himself.
"Why-" I tried to continue, but I choked and fell to my knees, shaking and clutching my chest, which suddenly hurt as if I'd been stabbed there, myself.
We're so close that I can just feel when something's wrong with him!
"Why did you - why did -"
"He was in my way," the man replied indifferently. He smirked at the tears that dripped out of my eyes. "Your emotions are useless. Look at what they've done to you… You're just a sniveling heap to be thrown aside." He shoved me, and I collided into something - I turned around to find Athena's sleeping body. I jumped to my feet in a desperate attempt to make sure that I hadn't hurt her.
"Caring about people will only hurt you, Apollo. Think of all of the hurt that your 'trust' and your 'feelings' have brought you."
"You're wrong!" I yelled, but the words seemed hollow, as if I doubted them.
His response was controlled, robotic laughter. He held up a gun, pointing it at Athena's head. "Give up."
Athena stared at me with a empty, childish blankness in her eyes.
"You couldn't save Kristoph… You couldn't save Clay…. You can't save me…" Athena's usually cheerful voice was tinged with bitter malice.
"Athena…!"
"It's all your fault."
BOOM
I woke up with a start, tears flowing down my face. It's okay… It's okay… It was just a dream… I sat up in my bed, shaking in fear as the tears continued to flow.
I glanced over at my alarm clock… I had to be at work in an hour. Come on, Apollo… Calm down… You're fine…
I managed to get out of bed, despite my shaking body. I took a few deep breaths in a pathetic attempt to calm myself down.
I changed into my suit, although my hands were too shaky to button my vest. I hoped I'd be able to fix it before I got to work. I didn't even bother fixing my hair yet.
Think of Juniper… Think of Juniper...
It's all your fault.
~O~
I stepped into the Wright Anything Agency an hour later with a fully buttoned vest, a bright smile, and a few cups of coffee from a nearby cafe.
"Hey, Apollo!" Athena greeted me enthusiastically.
"I brought you all coffee." I replied cheerfully, holding up the cardboard cupholder.
"Thanks, Polly!" Trucy ran up to me with a wide smile.
"Nope, yours is the hot chocolate. I'm not paying to caffeinate you." I laughed.
"Aww."
"It's got extra marshmallows," I added, trying to cheer her up.
"Really?! Thanks, Polly!"
"Oh, Apollo's here," Mr. Wright remarked drowsily. "With coffee?"
"Yep." He began to pick up a cup from the container. "Oh, you don't want that one. That's Athena's. Unless you think jalapenos taste good in a mocha."
"Hey, don't knock it 'till you try it!" she responded with a grin, snatching up her cup cheerfully.
"I got you a normal mocha latte," I reassured him, handing him the coffee.
"It's nice to see you feeling better," Mr. Wright remarked, happy to see the cup that was now in his hand.
I smiled. "Yeah. So I'm going to get started on my paperwork… Tell me if you have a more exciting job for me." My boss looked back at me with a smirk, and I interrupted him before he could say some sarcastic comment, as his expression forewarned. "Cleaning the toilet is not exciting."
Seeing Mr. Wright chuckle in mock defeat, I sat down at my desk and buried myself in paperwork, my cheerful facade dissolving.
After all, smiles only last so long when there's no real happiness behind them.
~O~
(A/N: To cheer you up from that massive downer of a story, here's a quote wall of co-writing shenanigans. (See? We said there'd be shenanigans!) I hope nobody minds our quote wall. If you don't like it, don't read it. We all think it's pretty hilarious lol.)
MadFox: Can we just include every single freaking genre on the whole list
Red: Wait, even Western?
MadFox: YES
Red: So I pictured Apollo wearing a cowboy hat riding Regent the Tiger off through the desert with nothing but his bracelet, instant Eldoon's noodles, and a double-bar reled shotgun. And then he busts into a saloon and punches everyone in the face to see if they're wearing a mask.
Can: why must i be even shorter than apollo justice D;
Can: Chief, just how many times are you going to use the phrase "I flipped"?!
*Red fixes to "I thumbed past a", but accidentally leaves a space out*
Can: "I thumbed pasta…" Thumbed pasta.
Ace: Yes, because pasta thumbing always puts me to sleep.
MadFox: Imagine waking up to find a crowd of people inside of your apartment uninvited, touching your face. Does nobody else find this creepy?
Misa: I first drew Apollo all macho and half-naked. I died laughing.
Red: And then bikini happened.
(le wild Can appears)
Red: Looking at Buffkinipollo?
Can: ...brb, getting brain bleach
MadFox: Apollo was nestled all snug in his bed, while visions of Juniper danced in his head.
Can: The lag kinda helps. If by help you mean being the most unhelpful guy at school that you approach like 'hey, is next class maths" even though you know he's a total jerk and he's all like "well you'll find out once it is next class BUT YOU'LL NEVER FIND OUT" and grabs hold of you and shoves you into a locker and while the teacher wonders where you are and mark you absent you suddenly realize it's actually Science and try to scream but you have no mouth, anyway.
Red: Can, you may want to lay off the cocaine.
When discussing ships:
Red: Apollo/Can
Can: w-w-what WHAT WHAT N-NO
Red: Apollo/Can/MadFox/Manfred
MadFox: NO MANFRED GET OUT I WILL NOT SHARE CAN WITH YOU
Can: ...I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not.
(Later)
MadFox: Can I stop getting accidentally shipped with can? XD
Can: "Accident".
Red: Welp. Looks like destiny brought you together.
Misa: My new OTP
(Later still)
Can: Well, you do have the coolest personality of anyone I've ever met-heywaitasecondthatcameoutwrong-
Red: Can stop flirting
MadFox: … The conversation that's going on outside my door, though. Dad: "Do you think (MadFox's brother) would mind having a toilet in his room for a few days? There really is a good place for it in his room… I think we could throw some of his clothes over it and he would never notice." (Later) "Do you think we should clean it first? I know the water's pretty clean, but still…"
Can: They should have cleaned the toilet already! Twice. Each. (Later still)
MadFox: "WHY IS THERE A TOILET IN MY ROOM?!" XD