Author's notes: the hi-jinks in Kurain are finally getting underway. Bad news for the group of six.

foxchick1 - oops, sorry for the wait then! Hopefully I can keep the pace somewhat reasonable.

Disclaimer: I don't own Capcom, Ace Attorney, or any of the characters in the game series.

April 21 3:35PM

Kurain Village

Pearl had finished directing (and losing) the group through the huge (but still somehow insanely overcrowded) roads and paths, before meeting a checkpoint.

Behind it, was a scene very familiar to Phoenix: Kurain Village. It was very similar to last time Phoenix saw it... Apart from the fact there was a giant castle sticking out of the back of Fey Manor, which Pearl called "the political HQ," despite not knowing what "HQ" meant. Kay returned this suspicious name with a large, threatening grin.

In this small, peaceful area in the centre of a city, there were no more than twenty acolytes playing on the pedestrianised streets, no traffic whatsoever, and no towering buildings, with the exception of the aforementioned giant castle.

Pearl stated that the group show their passes to the guard on duty. She was there to prevent people without authorisation from entering the village, not to keep people in. Each person showed their pass and was let in one by one. Phoenix then instinctively headed to Fey Manor. Pearl, knowing Phoenix was going in the right direction, signalled the other 4 to follow Phoenix.

Athena then broke the silence. "So, we get to meet Phoenix's girlfriend, then."

"She's NOT my girlfriend, otherwise we'd be married by now!" was Phoenix's response.

Pearl chimed in, "wrong continent for denial, although your tears of joy when you and Maya are finally together might beat it for longest river in the world..."

Apollo, knowing this wasn't going to end well, caused a diversion: "does anyone know where the hospital is, so my arm can get some rest." The diversion worked, with Athena harshly replying, "just don't hurt it again and it'll heal itself! Humans work like that."

April 21 3:46 PM

Fey Manor - Entrance

Pearl called out "Mystic Maya, we're here!" Maya, on the other side of the door questioned (we're? I guess Nick wrote the e-mail saying he was coming but that was extremely quick)

Maya then opened the door.

She looked remarkably similar to hoe she did almost a decade ago, with the same topknot-esque hairstyle, but she had grown about 20cm and her chest had grown slightly as well.

"I believe you are visi-"

The formality level shattered like a single psyche lock in a pile of evidence, as Maya recognised the now older Phoenix Wright. "Nick, is that really you?"

The next second she jumped onto Phoenix, sending him flying. Her arms wrapping around her new-found prey. They then plummeted to the ground.

Thud.

Maya, crushing Phoenix so much that Pearl was tempted to try channelling him, kissed him at a rate faster than Damon Gant's clapping, while saying "I missed you so much, Nick."

Pearl pounced on the fresh opportunity. "See, they really are in love." Trucy responded with "does that mean I can call Mystic Maya 'Mommy'?" Pearl shook her head.

Meanwhile, Athena looked confused at the intense rush of emotion coming from Phoenix and Maya. "For Phoenix, I haven't seen a fear level that high. Not even in Metis while she was getting brutally murdered." Apollo gawked in shock. (Phoenix, more scared than a murder victim? Also, what in space gotten into Athena to make her joke about UR-1?...) Athena, oblivious to the surprise because of the double emotional overload in front of her, continued with, "and no couple I've seen have had joy levels as high as Mystic Maya's in a re-union... Combined!"

Pearl then responded with, "well, they do have the truest of true love, hence the burning bridge antics." Phoenix then got the reference (oops, I did run across a burning bridge for her... Wait, who told Pearl that, or that I did it for Maya. This smells, so it's probably the Butz. Also, her Steel Samurai move there is crushing me so much I might die. Not that that's a huge problem with this place being chock-a-block with mediums.)

Kay then questioned, "Burning bridges? What happened?" Pearl answered this question with "there was a murder, and the killer was on the other side of a bridge", making sure to keep ambiguous about who the killer actually was, "so Phoenix ran across the bridge to save Maya from the killer... Although things then got complicated and it turned out the killer was trying to save Maya and, um, Stuff happened. Anyway, the bridge he ran across was on fire, but he ran across it anyway for Mystic Maya's sake. An act of true love!"

The instant Maya heard the phrase "true love," her face turned an unfortunately familiar blood red. She also released her deadly grip and stood back, petrified. Trucy found this as a perfect opportunity, "Mystic Maya, pleeeease may I call you Mommy now, as you are Daddy's partner."

Phoenix was breathing heavily while lying on the ground, exhausted. "Owww..." Athena was not sympathetic, "oh dear, now it's my turn for the pain train." Apollo, however, knew exactly how Phoenix felt, and (if with an ulterior motive) said, "we should probably get him checked out, he may have cracked a rib or two." Phoenix then stood up, clutching his chest in pain and still groaning. "best start to a holiday ev- ugh, not."

At this point, there were only 6 people. Pearl had gone missing. Kay's raven eyes spotted this almost immediately. "Where's Mystic Pearl?" Maya's reaction to this was a shock level that did a number on Widget's software. "That responsibility evading, violent - I mean, she's probably gone and lied to the elders that I've 'found a boyfriend,' Even though I haven't."

At this point, Apollo unleashed the full fury of his chords of steel. "Hold it!" Pearl heard the intense scream, and obediently ran back to the rest of the group.

About 7 seconds and 100m later, Pearl arrived at the entrance. "OK, I'll tell the elders that you're special someones later", Pearl announced, quoting her younger self. Maya's response was "you can tell them in, um... Remind me in a decade, OK." Pearl was not amused, and gave an annoyed stare while pulling up her sleeve.

At this point, Maya made a quick diversion out of pure fear of the girl. A fear Athena found in herself once, five months before this story began...

"Shall we show you to your rooms?"

The reply was a unanimous "yes."

April 21 4:55 PM

Fey Manor - side room

At this point, Maya showed everyone to their respective rooms. Trucy almost forgot about the luggage, which would have caused some awkward moments in the night, but Phoenix reminded her.

On one side of a corridor was Phoenix's, Maya's, and Pearl's rooms (in that order), and on the other side was Kay's, Apollo's, Athena's, and Trucy's. Well, I say "rooms," but they were larger than most flats, with many, many seemingly expensive things neatly placed everywhere. Phoenix was shocked; Athena was overjoyed; Pearl and Maya were used to it, so they had little reaction; Apollo was still in a bit of bracelet related pain, but he still manged a bit of extra shock, as he only just had enough control of his jaw to avoid it dropping onto any of the pristine gadgets.

Kay, being the only one of the Ace Attorney assistants to NOT be a thief, was the only one not to want any of the stuff in her room for herself. She was still happy at the cosy looking (if ridiculous in size) room. Trucy was busy setting up all her props in the huge spaces so she could practice her tricks, thinking about which ones to show off, (Mr. hat is broken, might as well fix him at some point... Nah, why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?)

April 21 6:13 PM

Fey Manor - meeting room 00000

After unpacking for the two-week mega-vacation, the group of seven met in a formal meeting room, if for an informal discussion. Athena's stomach growled like the caged Furio Tigre. The response from Maya was, "don't worry, dinner's in about half an hour, I've got something special tonight for my special gu-"

Apollo interrupted, "someone. See, she even admitted she had something for Phoenix!" It was clear that something had gotten into him to start quoting Pearl...

Athena's reply was "true, but I'm not sure Phoenix returns the feelings, knowing the amount of fear he felt when mystic Maya came out the door."

As Athena expertly predicted, Phoenix was thinking about something else entirely, (If Maya feed-me Fey says it's a "special dinner", I'd better be prepared for a planet-sized meal... Oh dear. Also: Maya actually fancies me? What? Well one thing's certain, I DON'T fancy her as more than a friend, as all she actually does is dump cases on me and force me to watch Steel Samurai religiously.)

At this point, Kay noticed something "Pearl and Trucy are missing. Where are they"

Phoenix was petrified, and thought (Uh oh. This is usually the part where we find a dead body and someone gets falsely accused.) He then silently prayed that the thought was just that, a thought.

Unfortunately, it was more than just a thought.

Author's notes: Boom. Now THAT's how you stop being tempted to use a character, kill 'em off. I kinda nicked that trick off of Shakespeare, with how Mercutio (spoilers) died before the end of Romeo & Juliet.

Anyway, we finally have Maya back, now I can begin the ultimate chaos. MWAHAHAHA!