Cutting off Clopin pre-shriek, a stone-faced Apollo took the vial from the detective's hands. "Could've been planted," he said, firm, unwavering, not only speaking to those around him but to himself as well. "It may not have been the victim, but any one of the band members could have-"

"That look on your face isn't too convincing, Tiger."

Ashen but even more determined to help her brother, in any way she could, Trucy stepped in. "So what, someone drugged Mr Cantanta, turned out the lights, had him killed onstage and framed Klavier? But why the drug? Why use it at all?"

"To keep the guy totally in the dark, kitten."

Apollo spoke right after the detective, his words immediate, laced in dark tension.

"Or to keep Prosecutor Gavin in the dark."


This time, on The Heart of a Turnabout:

The investigation continues! Apollo and his team dive deeper into a world of mystery, where blood and music mix! A deadly drug seems to have been planted on Prosecutor Gavin. Will it do in the team's client? Will Klavier go down as Alto Cantanta's murderer? Will Apollo turn down an opportunity to find out the truth?!

All that more, in this episode of 'The Heart of a Turnabout'!


"Herr Forehead? What dreamland did you fly off to, liebchen? Allow me to accompany you so we can ride the stars together."

An invincible porcupine sent shivers through Apollo's spine. In a whirl he turned on Klavier, eyes on fire with alarm-and something Trucy easily pegged as 'embarrassment'. "I'm not in any dreamland, Prosecutor," the young attorney snapped, hands balled into trembling fists. Cheeks as red as a sunset. "I'm trying to concentrate on the crime scene! You would do well to follow my example!"

Klavier leaned in towards Apollo with his hands on his hips, wearing a smile fashioned from sunshine. "We've got all the time in the world to concentrate on the crime scene, Herr Forehead. What I really want to concentrate on is YOU."

"Apollo? Come back to us, Apollo, please!"

Apollo's eyes, radiant with a will of iron, turned to Trucy. Still holding the vial of Elysium in the palm of his hand, he scanned the faces of those around him-the young woman he had come to love like a sister, the detective Atticus and a Kit Kat Lounge staff member. In what seemed to be no more than a few seconds, the universe had been turned inside out-and Apollo was at the center of the chaos, spinning, head whirling, lost in a fog that seemed to be untouchable. But visualizing a certain face, seeing a certain smile and hearing that gentle, warm voice made it possible. It made moving mountains and reshaping the universe possible.

There's no way. No way in Hell I'm failing anyone else. I failed Athena. I failed Clay. My brother. I am NOT failing Prosecutor Gavin. I'll die before failing him!

He gripped the vial of Elysium as though it were an anchor, the only thing keeping him from soaring out to sea. With eyes made of iron, fury, hatred, he stared at it. Willed it to shatter. "The prosecution could easily use this against us," he snarled. His eyes flashed with fire that caused the detective's heart to skip a beat. The fire within every word caused the young magician to smile. Clasping her hands over her heart, she gazed at the one she had come to love like a brother with tears of joy.

It's about time! I was so worried about Big Baby Brother keeping everything inside!

"This could be the very thing that causes Prosecutor Gavin's downfall. But I won't allow it! Evidence isn't everything in court, and I'll prove it!"

'Evidence isn't everything in court'. Hm. Apollo couldn't help but chuckle. The fires of determination were dampened by a few memories, and the amusement that came with them. But his burning spirit remained strong, never wavering even for a second. "We've still got a lot of puzzle pieces to find," the attorney told his team. "Like what went wrong with the lights. How Prosecutor Gavin could have possibly killed the victim, Alto Cantanta, when all band members were on stage! Someone else could have easily taken this drug and had it planted on our client. It doesn't end here!"

In a heartbeat, Apollo darted towards the stage area. Swept into her brother's fire, Trucy followed suit. Detective Atticus and Clopin weren't too far behind, their hearts caught up in the whirlpool as well. The three of them watched as Apollo darted about the stage, examining each instrument, each nook and cranny, as though revealing the truth in a few seconds would determine the fate of the universe. He then rooted himself where a certain prosecutor once stood. "The victim's cause of death was suffocation and stab wounds, right?" he asked the group, hands still balled into fists.

All of them nodded immediately. Detective Atticus stepped forward, leaving Trucy and Clopin with eyes made of stars. "Four stab wounds in the chest, and the guy was strangled with the wire of his own guitar," the gentleman recapped, arms folded, nodding. "Autopsy's a work in progress, kid, but we're gettin' there."

Trucy looked at Atticus, eyes glittering with hope, excitement, tension. "Wait, you mean the real killer could have drugged the victim, then planted the vial in Klavier's bag?"

"Abso-freakin-lutely, sugar plum," the detective replied. "But another thing we've got to figure out is time. How could the real guy behind all of this do the deed, plant the drug and run off like a thief in the night?"

"Magic, maybe? Yup yup?"

"Magic, right, something Prosecutor Gavin knows nothing about," Apollo hummed, rubbing his bracelet. "He IS made of magic," he added, bringing an even brighter smile to Trucy's face. "but that's another story. Our culprit must've been pretty fast to accomplish all of those tasks in such a stunning amount of time."

Atticus pointed at Apollo with a grin. "I see what you're getting at, grasshopper. Our guy could've had someone working behind the scenes."

"Which explains why the victim ended up on stage. Dead."

"Apollo-"

Apollo kept his eyes averted from Trucy, still rubbing his bracelet. "There's no way our client could have shut off the lights, strangled and stabbed our culprit all at once. Plus, we're still missing a bonafide motive."

Trucy's voice became a whimper, fearful and soft. "Apollo…maybe…maybe it's time we talk to our client. Ask him about what happened!"

Silence hit the stage area like an anvil. The attorney lowered his head, still clutching the vial of Elysium, eyes shut against the world and all of its noise. Trucy, hands folded in prayer formation, waited for her brother's response with bated breath. Up until just a few seconds ago, even thinking about Klavier was excruciating for Apollo. Talking to him would definitely be no walk in the park. Would he even go through with the idea? With the idea of talking to his client?

"Trucy, you're right. I think it's time to get the facts from our client."

Trucy lit up like a Christmas tree, glowing with relief, happiness-

"I'll continue investigating with Detective Atticus, Clopin and the rest of the staff. Sis, visit our client for me and gather whatever information you can. Report back to me whenever you're all done. Anything you find out will help us, so give it your best, like a true Gramarye!"

Trucy fell to her knees with a long sigh.

The enthusiasm was there, but there wasn't much else.