January 12, 5:31 PM, District Court, Los Angeles, Defendant Lobby #3

"You were amazing in there, Polly!" Trucy exclaimed when she and Pearl entered the lobby. "Great job holding your own against Mommy."

"Thanks, Trucy," Apollo said, "although, to be honest, we kind of got lucky at the end that Caroline mentioned that second pot…"

"Well, there is one thing I'm wondering about," Pearl said, her thumb up to her mouth, "Mr. Nick, what would my mother have to do with all of this? Why would she want Mr. Org dead?"

"She might not," Apollo said, "it's just a possibility."

"The more likely culprit at this point is that sweetheart," Mr. Wright said, "but I don't know who they are, Pearls."

"Maybe they used a magic trick to make it appear?" Trucy said, and she pulled a coffee pot out of her magic panties. "Ta-da! I got this one from the house!"

"That's nice, Trucy, now put that pot back in your disturbing underwear and help us think," Apollo said. Trucy frowned and did as he said.

"Do you think the criminal record will be important?" Ema said.

Everyone looked up from their thoughts (or turned around, in Trucy's case) to see Ema and Mrs. Wright, the latter of which did not look very happy. "Hello, everyone," she said, "I can't believe I missed something so important…"

"Most places wouldn't have more than one coffee pot," Mr. Wright said quickly.

"No, no, I should've looked," she replied, and then she walked off towards a corner of the room, mumbling to herself. Mr. Wright gave Apollo an apologetic look and walked off after her.

"Mommy doesn't always take losing too well," Trucy said. "But about Mr. Org's criminal record, I think it might be important."

"Mr. Godot certainly seemed to think so," Ema said. "Well, in the mean time, it looks like we might be working late. Court dragged on forever and we need to find that coffeepot…"

"I already have officers scouring the scene," Mrs. Wright said, returning to the group with Mr. Wright. "It won't be long before we find it, assuming it's still there."

"It should be," Ema said, "we searched everyone going in and out, we've had a police presence since the murder two days ago, there's no way that it's gone. Anyway, I did some of that digging I mentioned and I found out where exactly Mr. Godot knew Mr. Org from."

"He prosecuted him," Mrs. Wright said, "eight years ago, almost exactly. He was responsible for Org being sent to prison on what I believe were manslaughter charges."

"Do you think Uncle Diego will have to testify?" Trucy asked.

"I'm tempted to do so…" Mrs. Wright said, clearly thinking again, "Org's files are no longer in court or police records, from what I can find. Part of the purge of cases involving Mr. Armando after he was sentenced to prison."

"The what!?" Apollo said, shocked. Why would they-

"After Mr. Armando was imprisoned, there was a cry from people who he had put in prison that he had used illegal methods to put people in prison," Mrs. Wright said, now looking directly at Apollo. "But only three people were able to have their sentences reduced or removed, and of those three, only one was completely let go during his retrial. That man was Gus Org. And as part of his release, his files simply disappeared."

"Word on the street was that they were destroyed so that the humiliation from that trial would be forgotten," Mr. Wright said, "the case against Org ended with him pleading guilty but the decisive evidence that Mr. Armando produced was declared to be 'forged evidence', even though Mr. Armando never did anything like that. But that was shortly after Mr. Blackquill and I fell from grace…"

"The Dark Age of the Law…" Mrs. Wright said, but she did not explain further.

"Well," Apollo said, "we'll see if Mr. Armando has to come in when we find out if that manslaughter charge is connected to this murder or not. Knowing my luck, it will be."

"Hear, hear!" Trucy said. "Oh, yeah, you guys are coming for dinner, right? That's what Pearl said."

"Iris told me," Pearl said, "that Apollo and Ema are coming to dinner…"

"Yep," Ema said cheerfully, "I need to go do some investigative work first, but I'll swing by your apartment and pick you up, Apollo." And then she walked off.

"I never asked for this!" Apollo shouted after her, and then quickly agreed to go to dinner under the force of the glares from Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright, and Trucy. "Coercion, I tell you, coercion! Your wife's trying to get an edge on me!" Apollo said.

"Oh, come on," Mr. Wright said, "what makes you think Trucy hasn't told us all about you?"

"O-oh, yeah," Apollo said, feeling deflated. "I guess… but first, I need to go talk to, uh, Mr. Armando and Mr. Orson about the murders and stuff."

Mrs. Wright nodded. "Come with me," she said, "let's go talk to Mr. Orson. I'll let you in on the interrogation."

Trucy, Pearl, and Mr. Wright left for Mr. Wright's house with Detective Gumshoe while Apollo and Mrs. Wright set out to the detention center. Unlike with Ema, the car ride was quiet. At the detention center, Orson was uncooperative, to say the least. The police were interrogating him while Mrs. Wright and Apollo watched from behind a two-way mirror; what was being said was being broadcast via a set of cameras onto grainy, low-resolution televisions.

After half an hour of nothing, a police officer entered the room. "I'm sorry, ma'am," he said, "we can't get him to talk."

Mrs. Wright nodded. "Send him to the visitation area," she said, "I'll see if Mr. Justice and I can get anything out of him."

Apollo looked at her in confusion and, in response, she held a glowing magatama up. "Mr. Wright's?" She nodded. Then she put it back into her pocket.

Orson was sitting at the booth, looking utterly depressed. "I'll stay silent for you, my sweetheart…" he moaned as Apollo and Mrs. Wright arrived.

"You do realize that we can simply find out who she is from your phone?" Mrs. Wright said.

"Deleted," he said back, his composure not changing, "you have no way of knowing who she is."

"Really," Apollo said, "so, does your 'sweetheart' know that you were in an eco-terrorist group?"

"Dude, she helped found it," Orson said. He looked up, and focused on Mrs. Wright. "Although… if you were to, like, do something for me-"

"No," Mrs. Wright said. "I will do nothing for you."

"C'mon, married chicks are the best! They're the most experienced!" Orson said.

"Something I'm sure you're knowledgeable about," Apollo said.

And Orson chuckled and gave him a thumbs-up. "Sure am, dude," Orson said, and then he started combing his hair. "Chicks dig the stubble and hair. Don't they, babe?"

"You physically repulse me," Mrs. Wright said, "I cannot stand philanderers or adulterers or anyone who enables them."

"Well, what if your husband was to just keel over and die?" Orson said, and he smirked. "C'mon, babe, what if someone just zapped 'im, or maybe stuck a sword through 'em, or maybe fed him some poison like the boss-man? What then, babe? I could make you feel better."

But Mrs. Wright looked absolutely furious. "You will not speak to me like that," she hissed, "you will not make the mistake of telling me that. If you keep this up, I may arrange for you to be locked in my room with my sister…"

"You can't," Orson said easily, "she's dead."

Mrs. Wright looked at him coldly while Apollo said, "and how do you know that, Mr. Orson?"

"I- uh…"

"It's almost like you were able to find out who the prosecutor was and find out her history with her husband," Apollo said, "how long have you known this?"

"Um, well," Orson said, and he began sweating. "A-a while?"

"Someone told you who the prosecutor would be, didn't they?" Mrs. Wright said.

"Um… yes," Orson said, "it was my boss, Mrs. Fey… she knows my sweetheart and me and was helping us get rid of that report…"

"I see," Mrs. Wright said, "and that's all?"

Orson nodded. "Besides," he said, back to his care-free self, "it's not like you have any way of knowing who my sweetheart is…"

"I think we do," Mrs. Wright said, "what do you think, Mr. Justice?"

Who does she think I am, Mr. Wright!? "Of course," Apollo said, smiling and crossing his arms to play along with the charade nonetheless, "we have a very easy way of finding out who he was."

"She!" Orson said, "there's no way I- wait!"

"That's what I thought," Mrs. Wright said, "and from the list of ecoterrorists, it'd be easy enough to find out who the founders were… and find out which woman was your 'sweetheart'."

"N-no way, dude!" Orson said, his voice shaky, "c'mon! I mean… look, she had nothing to do with the organization after helping found it! She wouldn't be on that list, she wasn't part of the thing in Mexico!"

For a moment, Mrs. Wright seemed surprised, and then she smiled and said, "Mr. Orson, you're lying. I have conclusive evidence that she was part of the attack on the maize field in Mexico."

She nodded to Apollo, who quickly thought through what that might be- and then pulled out the report and handed it to her. "This report," Mrs. Wright said, "has a list of every attacker who was part of the incident. If your 'sweetheart' really had nothing to do with this, then why would she want to remove the report?"

"I! Uh… there was something else written on the report I burnt!" Orson wailed, "th-that's what was really written down!"

"I see," Mrs. Wright said, "then why did you try and cover for her when she poisoned the coffeepot?"

"!" Orson dropped his comb and fell off his chair. "H-how-"

"The psyche-lock's gone," Mrs. Wright said, "tell the truth about this 'sweetheart'."

"She… her name's Irene Chandler-Chavez," Orson said, and he guiltily combed his hair. "She, uh… well, she can be a little caustic, but she's such a hot woman…"

"And she poisoned the coffeepot?" Apollo asked.

Orson nodded. "I don't know for sure, actually," he admitted, "I didn't see it. She just told me not to drink the coffee, so I thought that she was the poisoner and tried to help her in court…"

"He's not lying," Mrs. Wright said, "where is Miss Chandler-Chavez?"

"She's in a hotel, one I got thrown out of for bothering her," Orson said. "But th-thinking back, there's no way she did it!"

"We'll see, Mr. Orson," Mrs. Wright said. "Come, Mr. Justice. We have to go talk to Mr. Armando as well." Mrs. Wright called in for an arrest warrant for Miss Chandler-Chavez, and then they drove to the prison Armando was incarcerated in and were quickly admitted in to see him sipping his coffee.

"Mr. Justice, Mrs. Wright," Armando said when they both took their places, "I take it I was right?"

"Yep," Apollo said, "there's a missing coffeepot and a third party who might be the murderer."

Armando chuckled. "Thought so," he said, "my rule was right."

"Mr. Armando," Mrs. Wright said, "you were the prosecutor on the Org case, eight years ago."

"Correct," Armando said, "shortly before the case against Wright over that Byrde woman."

"He was put in on a manslaughter charge?" Apollo said.

Armando chuckled, and then gave Apollo a very toothy smirk. "Is that what they told you?" he said, "I got him in on vehicular homicide."

"Who was the man he killed?" Apollo said.

"By any chance, was he an ecoterrorist?" Mrs. Wright asked.

Armando nodded. "He bankrolled militant environmental groups tied to a flood in late 2018," Armando said, "after they detonated a dam as a protest over the treatment of a certain variety of fish. Most of the blame was pinned on a man named William W. Waxman."

"The defendant's brother," Mrs. Wright said. "Phoenix told me that during the trial, his magatama reacted to Miss Caroline claiming that Org was no criminal. She knew."

Armando nodded. "Waxman died in jail, killed by a refugee who'd lost his kids," Armando said, "Org claimed that was his motivation, that the man he killed got off while the man pinned with the blame was killed by a vengeful parent. However…"

"He tried to escape from prison," Apollo said, "by obtaining a retrial, claiming that you used forged evidence to get a conviction."

"He lasted a year," Mrs. Wright noted, "by demonizing you…"

"Never trust a can of instant. No matter how good it looks, it's still the same processed beans," Armando said. He chugged his coffee and then slammed it down. "It's no surprise that someone would want to kill him, but the defendant wouldn't kill him. She has no reason to."

"The motive was the weakest part," Mrs. Wright admitted, although her eyes did dart to Armando once. "Without that knowledge of that second coffeepot, we thought we had this down…"

"Never expect an easy trial, especially against someone who works for Wright," Armando said. "Something you should know from your own trial, almost eight years ago now."

Mrs. Wright nodded. "Was there anything else you know about Org?" Apollo said, "anything we can use in court?"

Armando looked at him… and then gave him another scary grin. "I think I've run out of visitation time," Armando said, "I guess you'll have to ask me in court tomorrow. But do I know something? Yes, I know something…"

The guards lead Armando away while Mrs. Wright adopted her 'thinking' pose. "I think I'll leave our murder suspect for last," she said, "Mr. Armando first… hmm…"

"Do you think all we'll need is two more witnesses to prove my client innocent?" Apollo said.

"All I need to do is prove that Chandler-Chavez couldn't've been the murderer and suspicion will return to Caroline. However, without that coffeepot I can't say I believe they're fully guilty anymore," Mrs. Wright said. "We'll also have to bring in my mother and knowing Mr. Armando, there'll be another witness he drags in…"

"Speaking of your mother, she doesn't like you?" Apollo asked as they walked back towards her car.

"My sister and I are- or were- unable to channel," Mrs. Wright replied, "and we left with my father when he left Kurain village. However, I was left behind at the urging of my sister at Hazakura temple, which I didn't leave until I was sent to prison."

"And after you left prison, you married Mr. Wright?" Apollo said. That seems like a stupid move… a criminal and a disbarred lawyer with a young daughter…

"Feenie and I got married about a year after we re-met at Hazakura temple," Mrs. Wright said. "Oh, uh… please don't call him that in public, by the way," and she blushed.

"Wasn't planning on it," Apollo said. He could feel his teeth rotting again.

They entered her car. "We need to go to the crime scene building," Mrs. Wright said, "see if the pot's been found. You can walk home from there, right? To get ready?"

"I-I suppose," Apollo said.

Mrs. Wright nodded and started her car. Then she continued: "we got married so quickly because he had a young daughter, and once he married a Fey Mystic Maya could declare him a Fey and be worthy of any emergency funding without any protest from anyone else in Kurain village. Also, the tax bracket's better, and we weren't getting any younger…"

"I-I see," Apollo said, deciding not to voice his earlier thoughts.

"From there, he would watch the kids during the day and play piano and gamble at night," Mrs. Wright said, "while I spent the day studying to become a higher court prosecutor, a suggestion of Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Armando and Ms. Von Karma. Oh, and Kristoph Gavin. I-I think it might've been sarcastic, actually, but eventually I was able to pass the bar exam and started earning enough money to buy a house in the suburbs."

Apollo nodded numbly. He didn't really care, but he supposed that was nice. "Don't you have twins or something?" he said.

Mrs. Wright nodded. "Poor Feenie was so worried, especially since I was just a student and he was still unemployed. A lot of the money we got from Mystic Maya and Sister Bikini went to the tuition and medical fees. And I must admit… I was worried when I found out it was twins…"

And she said nothing else until they arrived at the crime scene, at which point Apollo left her car before he would have to partake in any more "Apollo hears people talk about things that aren't his business" events.

And then Ema ran up to him. "Well, looks like you were on to something, Apollo," she said, and she took out her bag of snacks and started munching on her Snackoos until Mrs. Wright joined them. Then she put the snacks away and yanked out a notebook. "We found the coffeepot," she said, "and there were traces of poison in it. Someone clearly tried to clean it out, but you can't fool me! Or, well, the coffee-stained toilet that we were able to swab to find out if it'd had the poison in it…"

"They didn't clean the toilet?" Apollo asked.

Ema put a hand on her hip and grabbed a strap of her bag. "The janitorial staff wasn't allowed to work over the last two days," Ema said, completely serious, "can't have someone ruining a crime scene! And the janitorial stuff was guarded by officers, so no-go there."

"What floor?" Mrs. Wright asked.

"17th."

Mrs. Wright nodded. "Well," she said, "I need to go have a talk with Morgan Fey. She's still at work?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ema said, "17th floor as well. As for me, it's quitting time now, so come on, Apollo."

January 12, 6:22 PM, Apollo's Apartment, Los Angeles

She dropped him off at his apartment and left to go change into more appropriate attire for dinner. Apollo just took a shower and changed into an identical outfit, and wasn't surprised when Ema turned up still dressed in an identical outfit herself, although she did smell better. "I took a shower before I left," she explained, "so you can still smell my shampoo."

"Thanks, Ema."

And they took off for the Wrights' house… and promptly got stuck in traffic. "I don't understand," Apollo said, "isn't rush hour over?"

"Car crash?"

"Maybe…" and Apollo told Ema about what Armando had told him and Mrs. Wright. "So do you know anything about what specifically was supposed to be forged?"

"I think… it was a report of some kind," Ema said, "the autopsy report?"

"But how would Armando be able to forge that evidence?" Apollo said, "he's not the coroner."

"…maybe it was like Mr. Wright. Or Mr. Edgeworth. A prosecutor accidentally using forged evidence isn't out of the question," Ema said.

"Mr. Edgeworth used forged evidence?" Apollo said, "Mr. Wright's friend?"

Ema nodded. "Let me tell you a story about a man named Damon Gant," Ema said, and she added, sadly, "and a woman named Lana Skye." And Ema explained the Joe Darke killings, about how she'd been framed for the murder of prosecutor Neil Marshall, and about how the Chief of Police used forged evidence to get Darke sent to prison and used the "proof" of Ema's role in the killings to blackmail her sister, who became the chief prosecutor thanks to Gant.

At the end of her story, Apollo could tell that even if the case was now almost ten years old, it still weighed on Ema. "I told myself I'd become a forensic scientist," she said bitterly, "that was what Lana helped me set up. I stayed with a coroner friend in Europe, and when I came back to America I tried to help out Mr. Edgeworth… but in the end-"

"You didn't make it," Apollo said. He considered cutting off "national tell Apollo about your backstory day" but decided against it. "So, your sister raised you?"

Ema nodded. "My parents died in a car crash," she said, "so Lana raised me. Everything she did… she did for my sake."

"What happened to Gant?" Apollo said, "you said he was a respected detective?"

"…he hated crime," Ema said, looking at the road ahead resolutely, "he hated crime with a passion, and that was his downfall. He was so dedicated to his crusade that he killed a man and ruined so many people's lives all in an attempt to put one man in prison and keep him there."

"He does sound familiar, though," Apollo said. Where had he heard about him?

But Ema nodded. "I'm not surprised," Ema said, "if you were following what happened to Mr. Wright eight years ago… Gant was one of the people who spoke up in Mr. Wright's favor and refused to seek a retrial. There were a lot of people who Mr. Wright put in prison who sued to try and escape, but at least Gant stayed."

"Actually, come to think of it, who did stay?" Apollo said, trying to recall those names. He knew about Armando, obviously, but…

"There weren't many, actually," Ema said, "the ones who didn't try at all. Damon Gant, Acro Dingling, Matt Engarde, and Diego Armando were the only ones who didn't try to escape, and Engarde seemed to be because his life would be in danger if he left."

Apollo vaguely remembered it now, from when he was just a teenager: the nightly news swarming with reports of various murderers and miscreants seeking retrial, an interview with newly-imprisoned Diego Armando where he vigorously defended Wright, a press conference held by Gant behind bars where he said that Wright was no forger… at the time, Apollo had paid rapt attention to those interviews and news, but as time went on he had to focus on his studies and put them aside.

"Come to think of it, what did your sister say?" Apollo asked.

"She said that Mr. Wright didn't forge evidence. Duh," Ema said, "do you think she wouldn't know a lie when she saw one?"

Well, considering Mr. Wright's luck… "You still talk with her?"

"Yep," Ema said, "don't you have a sister or something?"

"No," Apollo said, "no sisters."

"Oh. I could've sworn that you and Trucy were siblings or something…" Ema said, "I mean, you guys look so much alike!"

"…no, we don't," Apollo said. "There is no relation between us." Where did she get ideas like that?

Ema frowned. "Must be mistaken, then," she said, "but c'mon, you guys work together so well!"

"Yeah, sure," Apollo said, deciding not to tell her that most of Apollo's work when he wasn't on a case was being Trucy's assistant, whether he liked it or not, and after the carrot incident he wasn't exactly eager to go investigating with her again.

Ema chuckled and then said, brightly, "it won't be long before Lana's back, I think. She's not in California anymore, but I hope she can become a detective and we can work together. This time, I won't just be the annoying little sister: I'll be the woman of science and she can be the woman of logic and together we'll be the new Legendary Duo!"

Because… science and logic are mutually exclusive? "Aren't you getting transferred?" Apollo said, surprised by Ema's boundless enthusiasm.

"It'll only be for a year," Ema said, "c'mon, they'll take one look at that Fulbright guy and decide that I'm a much better fit for LA. Actually, speaking of which…"

"What?"

"I, uh, kind of forgot, but I'm leaving in a week," Ema said, "hey, make sure you come and see me off, okay? Bring Trucy and Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth."

"What makes you think I can get Mr. Edgeworth," Apollo said, "do you think I know him!?"

Ema laughed a little. "Well, how about you, Apollo," she said, clearly teasing him, "do you want me to come see you off to your doom in trial tomorrow?"

"What makes you think I'll do so poorly?" Apollo said, "c'mon! What kind of lawyer do you take me for!?"

"Well, I suppose it's true that you haven't lost yet," Ema said, "Mr. Edgeworth would crush you, though."

"Thanks, Ema."

The traffic eased up a little and they began going at a little more respectable pace. "At this rate," Ema said, breaking the silence after five minutes, "we'll be there in about half an hour." Then traffic backed up again, and she sighed.

"You just had to open your mouth, didn't you, Ema?" Apollo said, exasperated.

Ema stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm told that defense attorneys are moving bad luck charms," Ema said, "well, anyway, tell me, Apollo: do you have anyone you really want to work with? You know, besides Mr. Wright?"

"Well…" Apollo said, his mind going to Clay. Apollo Justice, space attorney? He laughed nervously and scratched his head, one hand on his hip.

"Let me guess," Ema said, a hint of laughter in her voice, "you dream of working alongside me to bring justice to all the Gants and Gavins of the world. We'll get married in a chapel in Las Vegas and then Ema and Apollo Skye will devote their days to making sure that glimmorous-" (Glamorous! thought Apollo) "-fop has real cases to stand on!" And then she kept chuckling before petering off, a smile on her face.

For a second, Apollo imagined him and Ema getting married in a seedy fluorescent-light chapel in Vegas, becoming an amazing crime-fighting duo- "Wait a minute!" Apollo shouted, "why am I the one changing my name!? And I'm a defense attorney, our jobs are enemies of each other!"

And Ema laughed more. "Silly Mr. Justice," she said, "this is 2027. Why should I have to change my name when we both know I'd be the one wearing the pants?"

Apollo winced. Please don't let that be so, he thought, please don't turn me into Mr. Wright…

"And besides," Ema said, "Mr. Wright is a defense attorney and Mrs. Wright is a prosecutor. They get along well."

"They work in completely different courts," Apollo said, "how do you think I'd feel about having to tear down my own wife's testimony in court? Humiliating her for a fighting chance against his rockstarness and the latest wrong case?"

And Ema just giggled some more. "C'mon, Apollo," she said, "you do that anyway. I wouldn't kick you onto the couch for doing your job."

"Yeah, sure. That's what you say now," Apollo said. "Still, that's probably not going to happen."

"Probably not," Ema said, "fun to think about, though, right?"

Well, I guess if I want to imagine a lifetime of being whipped like the boss… "Sure," Apollo said, "anyway, I wasn't thinking about you."

"Awww…"

"Oh, come on, we both know you aren't really distressed," Apollo said. Ema smiled again. "No, I've got this great friend. You should meet him some day. His name's Clay Terran, and he's an astronaut. And, well, I think it'd be cool to be the first lawyer in space!"

"…that does seem pretty cool," Ema said. "I know! I can be the first detective in space! One small step for a woman, one giant leap for Snackoo-kind! …speaking of which, can you get some Snackoos out of my utility compartment? I'm feeling kind of hungry…"

"We're going to dinner!"

A half hour later, they arrived in the Wright's neighborhood, one full of two-story buildings. Apollo had, after some argument, submitted to Ema's authority and given her one of her bags, which she was happily munching on. And when they arrived at the Wright residence, Apollo had to take a moment to pull some Snackoos out of his hair that Ema had thrown at him for nagging her about dinner.

The Wright house was nothing special. Its walls were a purplish color with some brick ornamentation and the windows had window-shades but otherwise it was nothing special. There seemed to be nothing indicating that this was where Trucy lived, unlike the office being covered in her magician's stuff; in addition, the garage door was open to show that there was no car. "I guess Mrs. Wright's not back yet," Apollo said, "Ema, will there be enough room-"

"Don't doubt me, Apollo!" she declared, and she threw a Snackoo at him. Ka-tonk!

Thanks, Ema…

The two walked up to the Wright residence door and knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal Trucy. "Polly! Ema!" Trucy said, "Mommy's not home, so you guys can go help Daddy with dinner."

She tipped her hat and let them in to reveal that, yes, this is where Trucy lived. While on the outside it looked like sleepy suburbia, on the inside there was everything from a few Mr. Hats laying around popped-out to all sorts of magician-y equipment that Apollo wasn't quite sure how to even describe. "Don't you have siblings?" Apollo asked her, "you know, who might destroy your stuff or something?"

"Oh, this? This is just from a few days ago, Polly," Trucy said, bouncing on her feet again, "usually this is up in my room."

"I… see," Apollo said.

"Oh, stop complaining!" Ema said, and she threw another Snackoo at Apollo. "Where's the kitchen?"

"I'll show you, Ms. Skye!" Pearl said, entering the front hall from a hallway, "follow me!"

Ema took off, leaving Apollo alone with Trucy. "…there's a Snackoo in your hair," Trucy said.

"Thanks, Trucy." And Apollo set off after Ema and Pearl.

In the kitchen was Mr. Wright, wearing a lovely apron, as well as a strange gray-haired man who looked vaguely familiar. "Is that Mr. Edgeworth?" Ema said, "is that Mr. Edgeworth?"

The gray-haired man turned around to reveal that he was also wearing a lovely pink apron that, for whatever reason, had a cravat. "Who makes these outfits?" Apollo said, mostly to himself.

Edgeworth's eyes rested on Apollo for a moment and then he turned to Ema. "Who are you again?" he said.

"Ema Skye, sir! We met again about eight years ago, sir!" Ema said. Even her bag of Snackoos had disappeared- and then she whipped them back out again and started munching on them, albeit nervously. "So, uh, why are you here?"

"Dinner," Edgeworth said, "Wright asked that I assist him."

And then Edgeworth turned back to the counter, picked up a knife, and started slicing something. "Mr. Edgeworth frequently eats over here," Mr. Wright said, "we're old friends, and he usually eats by himself…"

"I told you that wasn't a problem, Wright," Edgeworth replied. He sounded somewhat grumpy.

"Mr. Edgeworth," Apollo said, "were you at the trial today?"

"I had prior engagements," Edgeworth replied stiffly. He sliced something, and then added, "however… I am told that you and Iris performed well in court. I was worried that a higher court prosecutor would be unable to adjust."

"She did fine," Mr. Wright said.

"Is there anything we can do to help, Daddy?" Trucy said, slipping into the kitchen.

"Edgeworth and I have this handled," Mr. Wright said, "girls, can you help Diego and Valerie set the table?"

"Okay, Mr. Nick!" Pearl said, and she and Trucy left the kitchen.

"Diego and Valerie?" Apollo said.

"Trucy's little brother and sister," Mr. Wright said, and he turned to something that was frying on the stove, "they're twins. Maya Valerie and Diego."

"Wright named Diego on accident," Edgeworth added, a hint of amusement in his voice, "named his son after the man who kept calling him 'Trite'."

"Well, it's a fine name," Mr. Wright said, and he added, looking disgruntled, "even if he's not actually Hispanic…"

"It's 2027, Mr. Wright," Ema said, "I don't think anyone's going to care. C'mon, Apollo, let's go watch 'em."

They entered what had to be the dining room. Trucy was already at the table, with some plates in hand. "Domestic bliss," Apollo muttered, "how lovely…"

"No need to be sarcastic, Apollo," Ema said.

Two little kids ran into the room. "Aunt Ema!" a little girl called, one who had black hair braided like her mother's, "Aunt Ema!"

"Is that Uncle Apollo!?" a little boy called, who had the same shade of hair and had vaguely spiky hair (not as well-defined as his father's, though).

"Why am I Uncle Apollo?" Apollo said, "I'm too young to be an uncle!"

"I'm too young to be an aunt!" Pearl said, also entering the room, "but you don't see me complaining!"

"You were yesterday," Apollo pointed out.

Pearl frowned and went to help Trucy. The kids awkwardly hugged Apollo and Ema's legs and, arguing with each other about Aunt Ema vs Uncle Apollo, went to help Trucy and Pearl.

"Remind me to talk to Mr. Wright about what his kids call me," Apollo said.

"I think it's cute," Ema replied. And she threw yet another Snackoo at him. Surely she was running out?

Apollo and Ema were quickly roped into helping Trucy and company with setting the table, and Apollo privately wondered where in his job description it included the words "do stuff with Mr. Wright's kids and the local detective". At least it heartened him to see Edgeworth come out of the kitchen holding a steaming casserole and looking positively unhappy. "I am the chief prosecutor, not a maid," Edgeworth said under his breath as he walked by Apollo, "how did I get myself into this mess?"

The door opened and Mrs. Wright entered the house. "Mommy!" the twins called and ran out of the room; Apollo felt an overwhelming sense of domesticity and resolved to watch the cable news to overcome it.

"You don't look like you're enjoying this," Edgeworth commented, coming to stand next to Apollo, "I can't blame you."

"Yeah, I don't like getting involved in family stuff," Apollo said, "although Ema seems to be taking this rather well." Ema, who was chatting with Trucy and Pearl about scientific stuff, threw yet another Snackoo at Apollo and finally scrunched her bag up and stuck it in her pocket. Apollo sighed and brushed the Snackoo off of his hair. "Does she come over here often or something?"

"From what Wright told me, yes," Edgeworth said, "since the Misham trial, to be exact. Gavin sent her to provide official police assistance for the MASON system after Gumshoe was hospitalized."

"Ah," Apollo said, "you know Gumshoe?"

"Detective Gumshoe was a partner of sorts for many years," Edgeworth said, "however, since I first left for Europe and came back to become chief prosecutor, I'm afraid that many different prosecutors have taken that role. The most recent change was several years ago, when he began working for the higher courts instead and for Iris Wright in particular."

"I see," Apollo said. Now that he thought about it, wasn't that Gumshoe involved in the Misham trial as well? Or at least, in Mr. Wright's investigation years ago? "Did you have anything to do with MASON system?"

"I was instrumental to its implementation," Edgeworth replied. "There were many times when Wright flew overseas to assist me in the legal groundwork for it. There were times, you see, when he had work and family and his investigation to focus on. So much of the framework for the MASON system was based on my own research. Admittedly, it was not perfect…"

"It's better than what we have," Apollo said, "I can't believe they got rid of it."

"I can," Edgeworth said. "There are certain vested interests with great political power who preferred the old system. The only ones who still backed it, at least in California, was actually the judiciary. But few judges become politicians. Many lawyers do." Edgeworth smiled wryly and added, "perhaps it is better that pastors and businessmen become the politicians than lawyers. In the end, they were less averse to Wright's creation than his own state."

"And that's where Klavier Gavin is," Apollo said. "Was there really no one else to take over this case?"

Mr. Wright passed Edgeworth and Apollo (they were standing in the entrance to the kitchen) and put a bowl of something on the table and then popped out into the entrance hall. "No one," Edgeworth said, "I'm afraid that I had prior commitments involving a certain new prosecutor, along with a… favor for Wright. And all of our other prosecutors are either hospitalized or busy."

"Hospitalized?"

"Nothing to worry about," Edgeworth said, "just some standard medical issues, no foul play."

Apollo nodded. "And out of all the people, why Mrs. Wright?" Apollo said, "I assume you're in charge of all higher court prosecution…"

"I am," Edgeworth said. "I chose her because of all the higher court prosecutors, she is the most competent. She was, after all, partially trained by Franziska von Karma. Most higher court prosecutors are spineless or lazy lawyers who are more concerned with their paychecks than the truth. Even the winning record obsession doesn't matter to them. After all, the higher courts were always nothing but a rubber-stamp with no power designed to appease the Constitution."

"But the higher court can do something besides that, right?" Apollo said. That's what Kristoph Gavin and law school had told him.

Edgeworth sighed and began tapping his arm, his arms crossed. "They can," he said, "although they usually do not. In theory, if a case has been handled poorly, it can be exposed in the higher court and the truth uncovered. In practice-"

"-that isn't what usually happens, is it, Mr. Edgeworth?" Apollo glanced away from Edgeworth to see an unfamiliar man in a dark green suit with a crimson tie, a short white beard with white hair, and a light tan. "Usually," the man said, "the higher court is just as corrupt in this dark age of the law as your lower courts are. The defense attorneys such as myself are still the same, getting our clients off on technicalities and worrying more about what we'll get than justice, and the prosecutors are-"

"Mr. Edgeworth already told me," Apollo said, not wanting to be pontificated at more. "Who are you?"

Mrs. Wright entered the room, a briefcase under her arm. "This is Amulek Josephson, a defense lawyer I often go against in court," she said, "and the least slimy of all higher court defense attorneys. I'll go get that file you need now."

"Thank you, Wright," Josephson said, and Mrs. Wright nodded and entered the kitchen. "But yes, we call Wright there the 'Scourge of the Higher Courts'. Depending on the case, she can be a boon or a curse. And she is one of very few lawyers today who follow the old traditions of providing as much scientific and expert witness over testimonials and hidden evidence, presumably because of what happened to her husband. Although I fear that's of little use on the bar court..."

Mr. Wright entered the room. He was holding a file as well. "Staying for dinner, Mr. Josephson?" he said.

Josephson shook his head. "Your wife is getting a file on the Hutchinson case," he said, "in exchange for the report my firm made. I'm sure she'll tell you more about it."

"Indeed," Edgeworth said. "Josephson. I've heard your name before."

Josephson smiled at him. "I'm not surprised," he said, "I've been a lawyer for many years, since the first Fawles case so many years ago. Unfortunately, I never lost to you as I transferred courts after the Hawthorne trial."

"I thought Mystic Mia handled that one," Pearl said, commenting for the first time; apparently, she'd been listening.

"That was the Wright trial," Josephson said, "I had no part in that. But every person is required to have at least a state-appointed representative, and I was that for the trial of Miss Hawthorne." He smiled, and added, "and thanks to my co-counsel, my future employer at the Quetzalcoatl Law Firm, our 'plea bargain' harshened the sentence to the death penalty. Before that she was simply looking at a life in prison. In retrospect… it seems we made the wrong decision, if the events of Mr. Godot's downfall are true."

"Wasn't that case all smoke and mirrors?" Apollo said, "I heard that a prosecutor killed someone and during the trial they tried to pin it all on a dead person…"

"Not quite," Mr. Wright said.

"You would've had to've been there. I couldn't believe it myself," Edgeworth added.

"I wasn't there, but I've heard from Wright what happened," Josephson said. "According to her, her dead sister attempted to murder her cousin- and her aunt died for it." He smiled again. "I couldn't believe it at first, but since then I've paid a visit to Kurain, and I can't say it's out of the question anymore…"

Mrs. Wright reentered the room and handed Josephson a file. "Good night, Josephson," she said, "see you in court when this is over."

"Of course," Josephson said, "actually, I think I'll be watching proceedings tomorrow." He curtsied a little and then left the room. The door shut a minute later.

"Trucy, please go get Valerie and Diego," Mrs. Wright said. Trucy nodded and ran off. "And make sure you wash your hands!"

"Oh, speaking of which," Ema said, "Apollo. We need to go do that too."

"Yes, ma'am…"

Hands were washed and the Wrights plus guests gathered at the dinner table. Mr. Wright was a rather good cook, all things considered, for a guy who usually just took Apollo out to a super-salty noodle stand during work. Discussion at the table was disjointed. Apollo talked about magic tricks with Trucy and Mr. Wright. Pearl tried to teach the twins about a Mystic Maya, with occasional interjections from Mrs. Wright, who otherwise seemed preoccupied with the case. And Ema babbled about detective work and the "glimmerous fop" (glamorous!) with Edgeworth.

When dinner was over, Mr. Wright retreated into the kitchen to go get dessert, even though Apollo felt like he couldn't eat another bite. "So," Ema said (she still looked chipper), "what did that Josephson bring you anyway, Mrs. Wright?"

"His law firm's report on the Org lawsuit to escape prison seven years ago," Mrs. Wright replied. "Specifically, on the forged evidence."

Apollo bolted upright. Finally, something relevant to the case! "What about it," Apollo said, "is the rumor about the autopsy being faked true?"

Mrs. Wright frowned. "According to them, yes," she said, "but Dr. Kamosinko has been the coroner for over ten years."

"We've never had many problems with him," Edgeworth said, "he's a very… eccentric man, to say the least, but the idea of him forging a report is very unlikely."

"And usually, it's the defense who's accused of forging evidence," Mr. Wright said, reentering the room holding a cake, "thanks to yours truly…"

"And you've been cleared, Wright. Don't hold yourself accountable," Edgeworth said.

Mr. Wright nodded. "I know, but…"

"I've been charged of using forged evidence multiple times," Mrs. Wright said, "probably thanks to my last name. Of course, they can never prove it, and with all of my witnesses…"

Edgeworth nodded. "In any case," he said, "rather than feeling pity for one another, how about you finish reporting on the Org case?" Apollo suddenly realized why Ema liked Edgeworth so much.

Mrs. Wright nodded. "It'll all come up in court tomorrow," she said, "I've arranged for Mr. Armando to testify regarding this case, as well as Dr. Kamosinko if the need arises. For the moment, though, I'll give a report to Phoenix so that he can give it to you, Apollo."

"Thank you, ma'am," Apollo said. Well, at least he got some evidence out of this.

"Was there anyone else who was let go?" Pearl said, "besides my mother and Mr. Org on forged evidence charges?"

"There were many people who were released on such charges," Edgeworth said, "and there were many who made the claim and failed to escape. I had to return to the country personally for the retrial of Redd White."

"Mr. Armando would not've been happy if he'd been set free…" Pearl said, biting her thumbnail.

"Indeed."

Dinner continued into the night, and after dinner Edgeworth gave a curt "thank you" and walked outside. Apollo and Ema followed him outside after saying goodnight and saw Edgeworth enter a red car at the opposite side of the street and drive off. "Well, time to go home," Ema said, "and this time, how long can it take?"

A/N: Don't assume this is open-and-shut now...

Updated A/N: Went back and fixed some of Ema's exuberance. While she'd probably be pretty happy that she's not working for the glimmerous fop right now, she is still Ema.