Cloud: Random QUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTE!

Phoenix: (… I kinda like the sound of that, the dashing young attorney, flying in from above.)

Cloud: Here it is folks, the moment all you diehard fans have been waiting for! Nick's first case in seven long years. Will he be nervous? Will he be stone-cold. Well, read it already!

Case 2: Turnabout Explosion

Chapter 1: The Bomb is Dropped

Life… death… what difference does it make? Are we any different from those who have passed on? To seek this answer we must commune with the dead. In doing so… we find the meaning in life, and move on to great things.

"Nick, look at this, look at this!"

"What, what am I looking at Maya?"

Maya literally squealed, hardly able to contain her excitement, "THE Pink Princess is coming here! To the Gatewater Hotel."

"No," said Nick, lifting the news paper back to his eyes and ignoring the girl bouncing around his trinket filled office.

"WHAT? Why not?"

Phoenix raised an eye brow and smirked, "Because every single time we get involved in these things it always ends up in murder, first it was the Steel Samurai, which we barely got through. Then there was the Nickel Samurai case, which we also barely got through. And now you want me to go with you to see the Pink Princess? Sorry, but that's a no, I don't want our bad luck to fester on these shows."

Maya pouted, "You're coming with me, and I'm going to make you!"

"Oh yeah? How's that?"

Maya smirked, "Because I have your baby pictures held hostage just in case, and if you don't come with me to see the Pink Princess, then I'll show them to Apollo."

Phoenix's eyes widened, "You wouldn't."

"And then, when he's done laughing, Trucy will get a nice loooooooooooooong walk through of your earlier years."

"Ok, ok, I'll go, just don't show those!"

Maya's smirk turned into a grin, "That's what I thought."

The Gatewater hotel dining room was as grand as ever, butlers running here and there to attend to everyone's needs and empty plates. They sat at a table somewhere in the middle of the room, and Phoenix was on edge badly. "Nick," said Maya, "How come you aren't enjoying your free grand feast?"

Phoenix twitched and sweat dropped, "Maybe because I have a feeling that something horrible is going to happen."

Maya smiled softly, "Even if it does, you can handle it Nick, I'm sure."

"So you say," whined Phoenix.

Maya's face suddenly turned serious, "Nick, now that I'm your partner again, Pearly is going to be taking over as the master. It will be the first branch family master who has ever taken the seat. There's something I've been meaning to ask for a long time now… but couldn't bring myself to do it."

"What is it Maya?"

"Well," she said, her face slightly turning red, "I was wondering if…"

"ALRIGHT EVERYBODY! Here she comes! The one you've all been waiting for, hero of Little Olde Tokyo and partner in justice to the great Steel Samurai… The Pink Princess!"

The announcer's voice cut Maya short, and Phoenix found himself becoming quite annoyed with this whole situation rather quickly. "Bad timing," muttered Phoenix.

The lights in the dining room dimmed and the stage on the north side lit up brightly as the curtains flowed to the side. Then, a lean woman back flipped onto the stage in the costume of the Pink Princess. The theme of Steel Samurai blazed across the speakers, and the Pink Princess took a fighting stance, pulling out her weapon, a deadly fan blade, and performing several maneuvers with it.

The crowd was going so wild Phoenix could swear that his ear drums were being strained. Maya looked like she had stars in her eyes as she watched the scene play out before her, and seeing that, Phoenix was a bit less annoyed than he was before. "Nick, it's really her, it's really the Pink Princess. Born in a village of slaves in Little Olde Tokyo, she was going to be executed, but suddenly, the Steel Samurai shows up and vanquishes her would-be executors! From that day on she swore she would be like the Steel Samurai, and protect those precious to her!"

"I know," said Phoenix with a sigh, "I watched all the episodes so far with Trucy, Pearls let us borrow them, remember? What do you think I did when I got hit by that car?"

"I know Nick, I just can't help myself."

Phoenix sweat dropped, 'If that's the case you should be a TV announcer instead of a spirit medium,' he thought.

The show went on for a good thirty minutes, and The Pink Princess did acrobatic moves and mock fights with stage villains, all to the call of the crowd before her. Phoenix had to admit, it was quite a sight to see. All in all it was a rather good way to spend their afternoon, and after Apollo's successful defense Alex had repaid them in kind for letting him into the witness protection program, promising that he would do everything in his twitchy power to bring the terrorist cell to light.

"Nick, what are you spacing out for, The Pink Princess is going to take off her mask!"

"Oh, right, sorry." He directed his attention to the stage and the Pink Princess walked to the podium.

In a moment of extreme stress, she slowly reached up to her helmet and grasped it. She pulled it from her head and set it on the podium, and the crowd absolutely erupted. Behind the helmet was a rather beautiful lady in her mid twenties, with light freckles and long brown hair. "Wait," said Maya, "Haven't we seen her somewhere?"

Phoenix pondered this, "Yeah, now that you mention it… Penny Nicholes, right?"

Maya's jaw dropped, "No way! That's Penny from the Steel Samurai case?"

Before Maya could wrap her thoughts in an orderly manner Penny began to speak, "I'd like to thank everyone who helped us out with the show over the years, but I have a sad announcement. The next season will be the final twelve episodes. However! The Steel Samurai will appear in the final season, and our very own Will Powers will be wearing the costume one last time."

The crowd immediately went from silent to piercingly loud, the cheers almost made Phoenix fall back in his chair. "Also, the Nickel Samurai will continue to air, so please, tune in every Sunday!"

Maya looked at Phoenix with a smile, "Admit it Nick, you're just as big a fan as I am."

Phoenix sighed, "It's just a kid show."

"Oh yeah Nick? Then why has your daughter been telling me about how anxious you were when the Nickel Samurai was almost defeated, or how sad you got when the Pink Princess's true love died."

Phoenix's face immediately turned bright red, "Th… that's not true, I was just… having a bad day."

"Ok Nick, I have evidence."

"What?"

Maya smirked, "You know, the thing you're always bragging about in court… evidence." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Nick's number…

And then the Steel Samurai tune began to play…

'Dammit,' thought Phoenix, 'I've taught her way too much.'

Before their banter could go on however, a rumble caused the room to shake. The lights dimmed and several glasses and plates fell over only to break, "Nick, what was that?"

"It sounded like an explosion," he said.

"HELP!"

"That voice," said Maya, "its Penny!"

"Help please! Someone call an ambulance, my manager…"