~ October 15, 12:11 PM ~ Wright & Co. Law Offices ~

Phoenix didn't have a chance to talk to Wendy Powers after the trial; the police walked her off to question her about the other people at the studio. Instead, Phoenix went back to the law offices; April had finally woken up, and was waiting for him.

"So, how'd it go?" she asked, sitting up on the couch.
"We were had," Phoenix said, explaining about the extra people at the studio. "On the bright side, we have a lot more investigation to do."
"Hey, if one of those 'other people' was the killer..." April pointed out. "We never saw the assistant yesterday, either." April stood up, mimicking Phoenix's "point" gesture dramatically. "Your Honor-Lawyerness!" she said, her finger aimed directly at Phoenix. "We must return to the studios at once!"
Wright decided not to say anything as the two left the office.

~ October 15 ~ Global Studios ~ Main Gate ~

When Phoenix and April got to the studios, the guard station was empty. Will Oldbag was in police custody, undergoing extensive questioning about his lie.
As he and April walked by, Phoenix noticed that the security computer was turned off.
When they got to the intersection, the gate to Studio Two was still closed, and (April tried the gate) locked. Studio One was also thoroughly empty.
"Maybe Powers has a key to the Studio Two gate somewhere in her dressing room?" Phoenix mused, looking around at the silent studio.
"Hmm... I could look again," April said, "but if I didn't find it the first time, it's probably not there. Let's go, Nick!"

Phoenix and April reversed course, passing by the main gate. The Employee Area looked as it did two days ago, right down to the empty lunch plates (now starting to smell slightly 'off'). One thing was different. A metal grating was leaning against the wall by the drain, next to a hammer and some nails.
"So this is the drain Oldbag mentioned..." April said, kneeling down, tipping the grate over, and looking at the hole. "It looks like a pretty tight fit," she said. "You should try crawling through it, Nick."
"M-me?" Phoenix said. "What for?"
"To see if you could get into the studio that way, of course!" April tipped the grate back against the wall.
"April," Phoenix said, "I am not getting myself stuck in that drain to test your theory." To himself, he added, Besides, this is my only good suit!

After April had gotten up and brushed herself off, she and Phoenix opened the door to Powers' dressing room— and backpedaled hastily.

"Yaaaaaaaaaarh!" said Detective Gumshoe, jumping away from the open door.
"Aah!" Phoenix said, his hair getting even spikier than it was already.
"Eeeek!" April shouted, taking several involuntary steps backward.

Gumshoe looked out the door, and saw what he had yelled at. "Oh, sorry, pal," he said. "Didn't mean to frighten you."
April looked at Gumshoe, piercingly. "D-didn't mean...?" she said. "Uh, Detective, if you'd yelled a little louder, I'd be the murder victim here!"
"Er, heh heh," Gumshoe said, "I guess I can be a little 'dramatique' at times... I suppose it's the actor in me."
Phoenix looked past Gumshoe and noticed a tabloid lying open on the dressing table. Had Gumshoe been slacking?
"Detective," April said, stepping back into her 'cute' pose as she regained her composure, "Have you been in Studio Two?"
"Nope," Gumshoe said. "I've tried, pal, but the gate's locked! I've been looking all over to see if there's a key, but so far, nothin'."
Phoenix shot a look at April. "Oh," Phoenix said. "We were just about to look for one in Powers' dressing room, but if you already looked it over..."
"Be my guest, pal," said Gumshoe, walking out into the main Employee Area. "I'm going to look around the guard station. Maybe there's something there."
And the detective walked off.

Powers' dressing room was messier than it was before, testifying to Gumshoe's hasty, if energetic, searching technique. When April looked around, she shook her head. "Nick, I don't think there's a key here," she said.
Phoenix, who had been looking under the couch, nodded. The trail had gone cold. He got up in time to see April putting two of the cookies from the tray into a plastic bag. Catching Phoenix's look, April said, "It's evidence! I've got a theory."
"And the theory is...?" Phoenix said.
"Oooh, let's see!" April said, putting one hand on her chin. "Yesterday, I ate one of these cookies while I was searching. Later that day, I felt really drowsy, and I slept through the entire trial this morning. It's probably nothing," she added, "but... I wonder."
Her voice lost its pensive quality and returned to her normal cheery tone, as she stored the bag somewhere in her outfit. "I think we've found everything here, Nick."
Phoenix nodded, walking towards the door. If the key to the Studio wasn't here, and Gumshoe hadn't found it... where could one be?

When Phoenix stood in the Employee Area, something was different again. The grate, which April had set back against the wall, was now lying on the floor, and the hammer and nails were scattered everywhere. As he and April crept closer, a pink blur shot out from behind a nearby backdrop.
Phoenix caught a glimpse of a girl, maybe 10 years old, before he lost his balance and fell over. The girl, wearing an official Pink Princess T-shirt and carrying an official Pink Princess backpack, shot out the door towards the main gate.
April helped Phoenix up. "Nick!" she said. "I think that was our fangirl!"
"Come on!" Phoenix said, running towards the entrance to the studios.

The Main Gate was still closed when Phoenix arrived. Gumshoe, in the guard station, had his back turned to the pathway as he searched the booth's cubbyholes.
"Detective," Phoenix said, "did you just see a girl come by here?"
Gumshoe stood up, turned around, and shrugged. "Sorry, pal," he said. "I've been up to my eyeballs in old printouts in here. I haven't seen anyone."
"Thanks," April yelled, as Gumshoe turned back to his search.

The girl was standing past the archway, around where the path split in two directions.
"Hey!" yelled April. "H-hey! Wait!"
The girl turned around, regarding Phoenix and April with general distrust. Half Phoenix's height, the girl had brown hair, pulled back in a ponytail, and large round glasses that made her eyes seem bigger than normal. A chunky digital camera hung around her neck.
April kneeled down, trying to make conversation. "Hey, kiddo? What's your name?"

The girl looked curiously at April. "I haven't seen you here before... 'Onwards! Onto the Dawn Horse!'"
"What?" Phoenix said.
"It's a quote from the show," April whispered.
"I'm a huge fan of the Pink Princess! You've got to be, right?" the girl continued. "'Are you the traveler I sought?'"
April grinned. She was on home ground. "'Are you the wanderer I found?'" she replied.
More lines, thought Phoenix. Regardless of how strange it sounded, the girl was beginning to loosen up a bit.
"You should have been here two days ago," the girl said, excitedly. "The Princess finally killed the Evil Magistrate! I saw it all! 'The Pink Princess always wins!'"
"WHAT?" Phoenix and April said together.
"See you!" the girl said, before looking back at Phoenix and April. "Oh, and my name's Penny," she called over her shoulder, before running into the dense woods beside the path, and disappearing.

". . . . .Odd girl," Phoenix said, after a pause.
"I agree," April said.

"Me too!" came a voice from behind them, in a tone as abrupt as a sword slice. April jumped, and Phoenix spun round.
Behind them was a young man, maybe 18 years old. He was wearing what looked like half of a suit of green samurai armor— a costume from the show?—, jeans, sneakers, and a fierce expression. A (plastic) sword was strapped over his back. In one hand, he held a sheaf of papers.
"...who are you?" April said, on impulse. The young man raised one finger in the air.
"I am Cody!" he said, with the air of one shouting a kiai. "I have the honor to serve the Pink Princess!"
...Is this guy for real? Phoenix wondered. Out loud, he said, "How do you 'serve' Ms. Powers?"
Cody crossed both hands in front of him. "I do not serve this 'Powers'! I serve the Pink Princess! I assist in setting the stage on which the Great Hero battles evil. I help the Gods, as they shepherd the rise and fall of the fates! I have even had the privilege to serve lunch to the spirit of the Great Hero!" Finished with his spiel, he moved his hands sharply to his sides.

It took a few seconds for Phoenix to figure out what Cody had said, but when he had, it hit him hard.
"Oh, you're the assistant...?—" Phoenix said, before Cody cut him off.
"That title is a fair description! However, I prefer 'humble retainer', or merely 'aide to the Pink Princess'."
Phoenix slowly turned his head to look at April. She looked back at him, and gave a tiny shrug.
Phoenix took a deep breath. "Could you tell me anything about the day of the murder?"
"Murder?" Cody said. He looked genuinely perplexed.
"Two days ago?" Phoenix prompted. That got a reaction.
"The day the Princess finally defeated the Magistrate!" Cody said. "It was a glorious day! The Princess destroyed the Evil One, body and spirit!"
Phoenix could see he'd have to tread lightly, here. Cody didn't seem to realize what had actually happened.
"Yes," Phoenix said. "Could you tell me what you were doing that day?"
Cody nodded, abruptly. "Yes!" he said. "That day, in the morning, I stood by, as the gods and the sprits divined the future!"
If the 'gods' are the director and producer, and the 'spirits' are the people in the costumes, thought Phoenix, then he must be saying he saw the action scene runthrough.
"In one shadow of the divination, the spirit of the Princess stumbled! It was an omen!" Cody continued. "The ritual came to an end shortly after that. The gods went to Studio Two, to deliberate!"
So Wendy Powers tripped, and that messed up the run-through. Then, the director went to Studio Two, for a meeting.

"I was given the task of cooking!" Cody said. "I made T-bone steaks for all! Though..."
"Though, what?" Phoenix asked.
Cody's voice had gone soft, and his face darkened. "Though, it is my profound shame..."
Phoenix listened, politely.
Cody continued, "I had served steak to the spirit of the Magistrate, and I had set aside two plates for the gods to eat. My fourth plate was for the Spirit of the Princess, and I seasoned it the best I could. However, on my way out to where the spirit sat..." Cody raised one arm, and sharply slapped himself on the forehead. "...I tripped! The steak flew through the air, to land in a pile of logs! I could not give the Princess's spirit one of the gods' portions, and there were no more steaks to cook! It is my great shame that the Spirit of the Princess had to go hungry."
"Wait, you ran out of steaks?" Phoenix asked. "Didn't you make one for yourself?"
"If I had, I would have given it to the Princess's spirit! However, I am unworthy of such a delicacy." Cody replied. "I planned ahead, and brought a cheese sandwich to eat!"
"So, did you eat the sandwich?" April asked.
"Later!" Cody said. "I had more to do. Picking up the two remaining steaks, I carried them to Studio Two, for the gods. However, while I was there, there was a great crash! A tree had blocked the path!" He paused, shrugging in an angular way. "I remained there, outside the trailer of Studio Two, until the way was cleared."

Phoenix stood for a moment, absorbing what Cody had just said. If Cody had been trapped in Studio Two with the others, he couldn't have committed the murder, that was for certain. He'd probably be invited to testify, in any case.
Gathering his thoughts, Phoenix said, "Tell me about the gods. You said there were two of them?"
"Yes!" Cody said. "Yes, and no. There are two gods who are regularly here! I cooked steak for them two days ago. One, the light one, shepherds the fate of the two spirits! He is fond of steak."
"And the other one?" Phoenix asked.
Cody smiled for a moment. "The other god, the dark one, shepherds him. Her word is law!"
"Which gods were where in the morning?" Phoenix said, trying to make sense of the situation.
"The light god was in the Employee Area, with the spirits!" Cody explained. "The dark one, in Studio Two, all day! This I know."
That means the first god's probably the director, Phoenix thought, so the second is the producer. "When I asked if there were two gods, you said... yes, and no?"
Cody raised and lowered one arm in a chopping motion. "Yes! There are other gods. They visit this place only rarely, and all wear dark suits. They look almost alike! They do not eat, however."
And there are the people from the TV station, Phoenix thought. So far, so good.
"Where were the spirits during the day, then?" Phoenix asked.
"I do not know, entirely!" Cody said. "After they had eaten, the spirit of the Princess went into her room, to restore herself. The spirit of the Magistrate left, to go to Studio One! The Princess must have come there later, to strike him down!"

"Okay..." Phoenix said finally, "You've been very helpful."
"I am glad!" Cody said. "Now, I must to the gates of this place. I am to maintain a vigil, in the absence of the normal guardian!"
He began to head to the main gate. April, who had been watching the entire time, yelled at him, "Wait! Cody! Do you know how we can get into Studio Two?"
Cody turned, and yelled back, "I do not! The normal guardian has the key upon him. You must ask him." He quickly walked down the path. "Farewell!"
Then, he was gone.

Phoenix looked around, glanced at April, and finally, said, "Huh."
"So he's the assistant?" April said slowly, staring down the path where Cody had gone. "He seems pretty... 'out there'."
Phoenix nodded, looking around. A flat, bright object on the path a little ways away caught his attention. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a Pink Princess trading card, with a picture of the Magistrate riding a cloud of bats.
"Maybe Penny left this behind?" April said, when Phoenix showed it to her. Then, when she realized what card it was, her voice went up an octave. "Oh, wow!" she said. "I've got one of these already, but we should hang onto it. It's really rare." She took the card from his hand, and pocketed it.
Phoenix nodded. He was still thinking about what Cody had told him. Finally, he said, "Let's go the Employee Area. I'd like to check out the lunch plates again, given what Cody said."
April nodded. "Maybe we'll find some clues! At least, we can wait until Oldbag comes back."
The two set off down the path together. As he passed by the main gate, Phoenix noticed Cody on guard, (fake) sword at the ready.
For some reason, Phoenix doubted anyone would try to break in.


The Employee Area was once again empty. Phoenix took a good look at the plates from the lunch. Hammer's plate had a large bone on it, all that was left of the steak. Just as Cody had said, Powers' plate only had crumbs. The crust of a sandwich identified Cody's own plate.
April looked at Phoenix, and said, "Great, Nick! Now, we—"
"HEY!"

A yell came from the direction of the main gate, followed by sounds of a commotion. Phoenix and April ran for the front entrance. The scene when they arrived looked like something out of a cartoon.
Cody was sitting on the ground by the security booth, fake 'sword' stuck in the ground beside him. He was holding his head. As April walked forward, a pink-and-white blur zoomed past her. It was the fangirl, and she was being closely followed by Will Oldbag.
Well, at least Mr. Oldbag's out of questioning, Phoenix thought, as Penny and Oldbag raced down the path leading to the studios.

April walked over to Cody. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"I was trampled! Run over by a juggernaut!" Cody said, slowly getting to his feet. "I am fine."
"That's good!" April said, giggling a bit out of habit. She was getting used to Cody's strange way of speech. "Are you going to guard the gate some more?"
Cody looked around, down the path where Oldbag had ran. He shrugged. "I guess I must." He took up his position at the guard station.
April nodded, and waved at Cody as she and Phoenix headed after Oldbag.

Will Oldbag was panting and resting on a bench by the time Phoenix and April showed up. He was completely winded, and was glowering in the general direction of the studios.
As Phoenix sat down beside Oldbag, the guard looked at him. Slowly, he said, "... still can't catch her."
Phoenix waited for Oldbag to get a little of his breath back before saying anything. Finally, he said, "Mr. Oldbag? Cody said you had a card key to Studio Two."
Oldbag nodded, still breathing hard. "*huff* *puff* ...you can't have it."
"What?" Phoenix said. "But—"
"No."
Silence lasted for a few seconds. Then, April plopped down on the other side of Oldbag, at her cutest, and smiled at him. "How about a trade?" she said brightly.
"...Trade?"
April reached over to Phoenix and pulled the Studio One keycard out of his pocket. He started to protest, but she shot him a look to quiet him.
"We'll trade you this keycard," April said, holding it up so that Oldbag could see the '1' on it, "for yours! How's that sound?"
Oldbag looked at the card for a moment, thinking it over. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath.
"...When Hammer died," he said, "I wanted to see the place of the murder. To pay my respects." He paused. "I still do." Silently, he took out his keycard, swapping it for the one in April's hand. With the Studio One card in his possession, he got up, slowing walking to the gate and entering.
When he was gone, April grinned and handed the keycard to Phoenix. "We did it, Nick!" she said.
Phoenix looked at April, saying, "Thanks. I never would have thought of that."

April was all smiles as she danced ahead to open the Gate to Studio Two.

~ October 15 ~ Global Studios ~ Studio Two ~

At first glance, Studio Two didn't look much like a movie studio at all. The path continued to paved space outside a small trailer-house. A table and two chairs stood on the paved ground, with two plates upon it— remnants of the day of the murder. Off to the side stood a van with a Global Studios decal, a small trash incinerator, and a number of boxes, crates, and other building materials.
Maybe the studio uses this place for storage...? Phoenix thought.
A quick examination of the plates proved that both had the smell (and leftover congealed juices) of steak. A large bone rested on one plate.
The next thing Phoenix and April looked over was the studio van. The van was painted a light blue, and looked to be in relatively frequent use. The nearby trash-burner looked to be in regular use as well, covered as it was with a light coating of soot.
Curiously, April rolled up her sleeve and poked around in the ash inside the incinerator, recovering what looked like a melted pink scale from a reptile. "Do you have any idea what this is?" she asked Phoenix.
Wright took the scale, and looked at it. He couldn't quite tell. It was as though he'd seen it somewhere before, but exactly where escaped him. "I don't know," he replied, pocketing it.

The trailer itself was painted a light tan, and elevated 3 feet off the ground by a solid foundation. A small flower garden stood to its right, with a few flowers still in bloom. In front of the garden, there were holes in the ground for a railing or fence, but no actual barrier.
April had just picked a flower and pocketed it when the door of the trailer opened. A man came out of it, yelling, "WTF? Wh0 are j00 d00dz? LMAO!"
The man was heavily built, wearing jeans, a dull-colored shirt, and a backwards Pink Princess baseball cap. He wore big, square glasses and had a sweaty complexion.
"Wait, who are you?" Phoenix asked. At this, the man laughed.
"L8m3rs!" he said. "H0w can j00 not kn0w the gr34t Sal Manella? I make teh L33T SH0WZ! The P1nk Pr1ncess = M1ne! RTFC!" He followed up, in an undertone, with "(Read The Film Credits)!"
When April heard the name 'Sal Manella', her eyes went wide. Moving out from where she was standing, behind Phoenix, she said to Manella, "Wow, you're the Sal Manella?" and giggled.
On seeing April, Sal's eyes shifted, scanning her up and down. The director began to sweat. "...w0w..." he said to himself. Phoenix noticed that he was starting to drool.
"I'm a huge fan of the Pink Princess! It's so great to meet you!" April continued, blowing Sal a kiss in her excitement.
For Sal, it was too much. Manella blushed bright red, as sweat ran down his face. "I... y0u... ho7... th3 sh0w... buff3r ov3rrun! It'5 0ver 9000! on3 0ne one 111!1!11!..."

Then, Pink Princess director Sal Manella fell over in a stone cold faint.


April and Phoenix looked down at the unconscious Sal. A tiny trickle of blood flowed from one of the director's nostrils.
"I think you broke him," Phoenix said.
April frowned at the director. "I didn't think he'd react like that," she said.
Phoenix looked Sal over again, also frowning. "I guess we should wake him up..." he said.
April nodded. "Oh! One thing, first." Grasping the lapels of her jacket, she pulled them together and fastened the jacket securely. "This'll keep him from 'overrunning' when he wakes up."
Phoenix looked at April. This was the first time he'd seen her without her jacket's neckline open. She looked... professional, and a bit more serious. "Wait, you can do that?" he asked.
"Of course!" April said. "I only wear it open to be flirty, or when I'm investigating and I want to ask people questions, or because it looks good!"
This was the first time Phoenix had ever seen April with the jacket fully fastened. She must really like the look, Phoenix thought. Out loud, he said, "All right, let's wake up Mr. Manella."

Bringing Sal around was harder than it looked.

Phoenix tried shaking Sal's shoulder. The chubby director grunted, muttered, "10 m0re m1nu7es, Dee..." and lay still.
"HEY! WAKE UP!" April yelled in his ear next. Ignoring her, Sal rolled over on his side and began to snore.
April looked at Phoenix. "Awww... Do you have any ideas?" she asked, unsure.

Phoenix looked around. Nothing caught his eye— until he saw the empty plate of steak on the nearby table. The two-day old plate was getting pungent, but still smelled recognizably of steak. Picking up the plate, he carefully brought it over to where Sal was lying and held it under the director's nose.
Sal sniffed, inhaled, and licked his lips, all while remaining asleep. In his doze, he muttered... "...mmm... st333ak... *zzzzzz*"
Phoenix put the plate back, but April had gotten an idea from his performance. "Maybe this'll work!" she said, pulling out Penny's dropped trading card. Bending down, she waved the card in front of Sal's nose, saying, "Here goes. 'Arise! O great hero!'"
Manella made a reflexive grab at the card, causing April to pull sharply back. His hand empty, he slowly relaxed.
Throughout all of this, Sal's eyes remained closed.
April got up, looking at Phoenix, and shrugged. "I don't know, Nick."
As April rose, she and Phoenix heard Penny's voice from the gates of Studio Two.
"What are you doing?" Penny asked, walking in.
April grinned. "Penny, meet Sal Manella!" She pointed down at the ground. "He kinda fainted."
Phoenix nodded. "We're trying to wake him up now."
Penny looked oddly at April. "And you don't know how?" she asked.
April thought for a moment, smiled, and said, "Um... no?"
Penny stared at April. "I thought you were a fan!" she said. "Don't you remember? The director gave an interview on GlobalTV about a year ago. He said how Dee, the producer, always wakes him up! Right on camera!"
"Hmm..." April said, one hand on her chin. "I... kinda remember..."
Penny said, "Hold on. I'll go get it and be right back!"
Phoenix watched Penny run out the gates, as April tried to remember what would wake Mr. Manella.
"Hmm... wait... that was after the bit about how he loved steak... inspiration for the Princess... Dee... how—" April mused, then her eyes went wide. Pointing quickly at Phoenix, who was bending down to examine Sal, she waved her arms wildly.
"Nick!" she said. "Get away from him, quick!"
Phoenix, alarmed by her tone, jumped away from Sal. April got up and started to run in the other direction.
At the same time, a "HEY!" from outside the studio signaled Oldbag's aggravation— and Penny appeared at the Studio Two gates, running towards Sal with a bucket full of water.

Phoenix, realizing what was about to happen, jumped farther away. April, who had had a head start, took several steps farther back. And Will Oldbag showed up at the studio gates just in time to see Penny hurl ice-cold water from the basin all over director Sal Manella.

As Manella coughed and spluttered awake, Penny noticed the furious Oldbag closing in on her. With a shout of "Uh-oh, gotta run, 'I will return!'", she dodged past Oldbag and out the gate. The guard turned on a dime, and ran off in hot pursuit.
After the two had left, Phoenix looked down at Sal again. The director was finally coming around. Slowly, he opened his eyes, sitting up.
Suddenly, with surprising speed for someone of his size, Sal jumped to his feet, threw one arm in the air, and yelled, "I h4ve 1t! I am in5pir3d! Y0U'V3 TR1GG3RED MY CR38T1V3 P0W3RZ!"
"What...?" Phoenix said, but Manella wasn't done.
"Yes... y3s, it's c0ming to me!" Manella said, as steam began to rise from the top of his head. "A new 5how... the sequ3l to 7he Pink Pr1ncess!" He waved his arm in all directions, pointing at Phoenix. "A h3r0 w1th an iron w1ll! He shall be... the STEEL S4MURAI! Warri0r of Neo Olde Tokyo!"
"The... S-'Steel Samurai'...?" Phoenix said, watching Sal dance in every direction.
The director nodded. "ROFL... LMAO! This sh0w will b3 teh R0XORZ!"
"Whoa," said April. "'Neo Olde' Tokyo? That sounds even cooler than 'Neo Wilde Tokyo'!"
"Now I just n33d a vill4in... hmm... TTYA..." the director said, his voice trailing off. "(Thinking Through Your Antagonist)" he added a second later.

As Sal looked around, still thinking up ideas, his gaze fell on April. He didn't overload this time, though he did start to sweat again. Snapping out of his trance, he looked right at April, saying, "Hey, do j00 do a lot of 'cosplay'? Coz you l00k l1ke you're c0splay1ng th3 bath-hou5e scene fr0m Epis0de 12! 1 can tell!"
Upon hearing this, April turned bright red. "Wh-wh-what?" she said. "No, I'm not— er, I mean, I'm not dressed up as—" Finally, she decided to completely change the subject. "Er, Mr. Manella," she said quickly, "I've always wanted to ask, how'd you come up with the idea for the Pink Princess?"
"W3ll..." Manella said, his accent thinning drastically as he remembered, "It h4ppened a few y3ars ago... when a g1rl visited the studi0."
Phoenix settled in for the flashback. Manella's eyes had defocused as he stared into the past.
"The g1rl... she was wear1ng a strange 0utfit. I think sh3 was in7o teh cosplay, t00. LOL! Anyway, she asked me 1f I wanted to 5ee a trick she could do."
Phoenix nodded. "Who was she?"
"I d0n't know!" the director said. "The girl c0ncentrated, then, p00f! She was some0ne else! WTF? And sh3'd turned in7o someone 0lder, and she was so h0tz0rz..." The director began to drool, even with the water still cooling him.
"What happened then?" asked April, trying hurriedly to keep the story on track.

Manella grimaced. "I fa1nted! Can j00 bel1eve it? When I w0ke up, the girl was just hers3lf again. I asked h3r what had happ3ned. She s4id she was a sp1r1t medium in tr8ining, and that she'd channeled her sister!"
"Oh, so that's why the Princess was into channeling!..." April said to herself.
"And then..." Manella paused for drama. "I had TEH ID3A."
"You mean—" April said, focused on Sal.
Manella nodded frantically. ":)! :)! A her0 of ju5tice! In tun3 with the spirits of teh world! She would be... the P1NK PRINCESS! Warri0r of Neo Wilde Tokyo! ^_^!"
"Wow..." said April. "Thank you!" Squelching her first reaction, to blow another kiss, she smiled at Sal. The director started to sweat a bit, but stayed standing.

Seizing the opportunity, Phoenix decided to ask about what he and April had come to the studio for to begin with.
"Mr. Manella," he said, "did you notice anything unusual on the day of the murder?"
Sal thought for a moment. When he spoke, his accent was back in full force. "Wait, j00 d00dz are teh lawy3rs? KK. It wa5 a pretty re6ular d8y. We had a run-thr0ugh for an 4ction sc3ne in the morning. Then a m33ting from lunchtime in the Studi0 Tw2o tra1ler." He made a face. "I was s0 busy I didn't 3v3n get a ch4nce to eat lunch! :( "
"A t-bone steak, was it?" Phoenix asked.
Manella nodded. "Yeah... sux0rz! I hate miss1ng out on f00d..."
"Sux...orz," April said to herself, taking notes. "Wow, the fansite's going to freak when they hear I actually met with this guy!"
"Anyway, I was 1n a m33ting from n00n till after 4:00," Manella finished. "With teh pr0ducer, and some bigwi6s from the netw0rk."
"Who exactly are these 'b1gwigs' everyone keeps talking about?" April asked.
Manella shrugged. "0h, the boss ov3r at the netw0rk, and some sponsors. Al5o a few production 9uys. They piled into a l1mousine and 6ot here right around n00n. Major tens10n! *sweats*"
Hey, his accent gets thinner when he's worried, Phoenix noticed. Out loud, he asked, "Were all of them with you the entire time?"
"Yeah, unfortunat3ly," Manella replied. "Th3y're all gr3y-hair3d g33zers... *scowl*"
If any of the 'bigwigs' get on the witness stand, the Judge'll probably believe them, Phoenix thought. I bet they'll talk to Edgeworth and beg off, though.

"About the producer you mentioned..." Phoenix said.
Manella immediately began to sweat. "Oh, y0u mean Dee Vasquez? She's a g3nius. M4d sk1llz, all the way. Scary, thou6h."
That's the sparsest Sal's gotten, Phoenix thought. He must really be scared of her...
"Sh3 brought the5e studios back from the br1nk of destruction," Manella said. "She's the 1 who made it possible for m3 to make the Pink Pr1ncess!"
"She was with you during the meeting, right?"
Sal nodded. "Yeah, sh3—" Then, his eyes went wide, and he started to sweat even faster.
With no further warning, behind Phoenix and April, a deep, imperious voice said, "Names."
Phoenix and April both jumped.

The woman behind them looked like a movie star; she wore a dark brown dress, with a butterfly motif in sheer fabric around the shoulders. Long brown gloves and a scarf wrapped over her head like a hood complemented the dress, as did gold earrings and a brooch, also in the shape of a butterfly. She towered over Phoenix and April in her high heels, idly playing with a cigarette in a long holder.
"Names," she said again, looking piercingly at the pair.

April was the first to speak. "O-our names?" she said, haltingly. "Um, w-we're WP's lawyers, and, um..."
"I see," the woman said, nodding slightly.
April pulled herself together. "And you are...?" she asked.
"Dee Vasquez," the woman said. "Producer."
Phoenix took a deep breath. "So, Ms. Vasquez, could we ask you about the day of the murder?"
Dee let her gaze wash over the two, and fixed on Sal. "Script," she said.
Sal perked up, gulped, facepalmed, and stammered, "W-w3ll, um, I..." He looked around frantically and found Phoenix and April. "Y0u two! Quick! I was supposed 2 have the 'The Pink Princess Finale' scr1pt for Dee an hour ag0... My ass is p0wned if I don't find it... *sh4kes* I must have left it somewh3re... *sweats*"
Ignoring Sal, Phoenix tried again. "Ms. Vasquez, we really need to speak with y—"
This time, Dee's gaze locked directly on Phoenix. "The script," she repeated. "I need to read it."

There was nothing to do but go and look for the script Dee desired.


"Nick?" was April's first question when they were out of earshot. "Is it just me, or is everybody in the entertainment business kinda... weird?"
Phoenix nodded. "It's starting to look like it."
April put one hand on her chin and thought for a moment. "Oh... so do you have any ideas where the script went?"
Phoenix stopped walking for a second so he could reconstruct events. "Well, the director probably had it in the morning on the day of the murder, during the run-through... he could have left in the Employee Area."
April giggled. "It's as good as anywhere! Plus, on the way I can ask Oldbag if he and Dee are related."

Oldbag was in the Employee Area, closing up the drain with hammer and nails. When April floated her theory, his reaction was, "...WHAT?", followed by, "...Miss. I'm not that scary."
Has he looked in a mirror lately? Phoenix wondered, as he looked around for the script. Though the Employee Area was full of meal debris, unused sets, and building materials, Manella's document wasn't there.
"Mr. Oldbag," Phoenix said, "The director sent us off to look for a script, 'The Pink Princess Finale'. Do you know where it might be?"
Oldbag thought for a moment. "Nope. Cody might. He's guarding the gate." Then, he resumed pounding.

At the gate, Cody was a bit more helpful. He sliced the air in front of him with a hand, then answered.
"Yes! The light god had the prophecy in the Employee Area that day."
So... the script is the... 'prophecy'? Phoenix thought. Strange.
Cody continued, "He took it with him to his meeting, and when he went to Studio One! From there, I have not seen it. He must have dropped it!" He shrugged. "It's probably still there."
Phoenix's good mood lasted until the duo reached the gates of Studio One. He pulled on the gate. Unexpectedly, it was locked.
Phoenix and April looked at each other, remembering. They'd given the Studio One keycard to Oldbag.
As both turned to leave, a rustling from a low bush on one side of the gate caught April's attention. She froze, trying to listen.
"There it is again..." she said, when the noise recurred. "I think there's something in that bush, Nick!" she whispered to Phoenix.
Wright and April crept to opposite corners of the bush, and pulled it away from the studio wall.

Sitting there, her eyes wide as she read, was Penny, the fangirl. "Oh, wow..." she said, as she leafed through the script she was holding.
From where he was standing, Phoenix could see the script's cover. Sure enough, it was 'The Pink Princess Finale'.
Penny didn't look up until April waved her hand in front of Penny's face. "Umm... hi!" she said, smiling at the girl.
Penny flinched slightly, then looked up and saw it was only April. "You won't believe what's in this script!" she said. "The final battle is epic, and the Princess realizes her final move at the end. I can't wait until they finish filming..."
Phoenix cleared his throat. "Um... about that. The producer needs to read the script, and we got sent to go get it..."
Penny looked at Phoenix, and nodded. "Oh, sure! You can have it back." She flipped another page, and added, "...when I'm done with it. It'll just be a sec!"


Phoenix's patience ran out 10 minutes later. He thought back on the events of the day, trying to figure out something he could do. Finally, he turned to April. "Can I see that trading card you found?"
April took it from a pocket and passed it over Penny's head. Phoenix took it, and waved it in front of Penny's nose.
"Is this your trading card?" he asked.
Penny perked up. "Hey, my UR!"
"Wait, 'you are'? I'm what?" Phoenix said.
Penny looked at Phoenix. "'U.R.' Short for 'ultra rare'! That card's really hard to get. What kind of grown-up doesn't know that?"
Phoenix ignored the insult. "I'll trade you your card back, if you give me the script."

Penny's stare became more quizzical. "But that's my own card! By offering me something I already own, you're in effect eschewing the very basis of our consumer society, namely the principle of fair trade! What kind of grown-up doesn't know that?"
"Wait... what?" Phoenix said.
"Besides, I don't need the card," Penny said. "You can have it."

April took a step back. "Wha— but that's an Ultra Rare! You're just giving it to us?"
Penny nodded, smiling. "Yep! I've got a duplicate." She thought for a second, then her smile turned wicked. "If you want to trade, find me a REALLY rare card, and we'll talk."
April looked relieved. "Let me guess. You want one of the Ultra-Rare Premium set? The Princess and Magistrate holo-foil?"
Penny shook her head. "Nope. I've got them all already. Guess again!"
April's face changed to dismayed. "One of the 5 cards in the Giga-Rares series? You know that they sell for—"
Penny still shook her head. "Nope. The rarest."
Now April looked shocked again. "You can't mean..."
Penny nodded. "Every cast and crew member for the show is given a single, special trading card that you can't get anywhere else. I'll trade one of those for the script."
April was starting to fume. "But— that's highway robbery!" she said. "How are we supposed to get one of those?"
Penny gestured to the Ultra Rare in Phoenix's hand. "You don't have to get the card!" she said. "I'll be done with the script in a few hours or so."


Phoenix pulled a raging April away from the Studio One gates, and held on to her arm until she'd calmed down.

"Rrrrrgh..." April said. "There'd... there'd better be something we can do, Nick!" she said. "Get Gumshoe, and charge her with obstruction of an investigation... or SOMETHING!"
"Look," Phoenix said, still holding the card with his other hand. "We're at Global Studios. There's probably somebody who's willing to trade this mystery card, if we just look around enough."
"But—"
"April," Phoenix said. "What else can we do? It's not like we can turn her upside down and shake until the script falls off. Getting the card is the only way."

That convinced her. April took several deep breaths, and flipped upright a button on her jacket which had fallen during her outburst. "Okay," she said, slowly remembering to assume her usual 'cute' pose. With one last deep breath, she smiled again. Her voice held no traces of its earlier growl.
"Come on, Nick!" she said, just a little peppier than natural. "Let's trade some cards."

April's first move was to return to Studio Two. Dee Vasquez stared at them silently, but made no further comment. Sal was still sweating.
Phoenix walked up to Sal. "Mr. Manella?" he said.
"D1d you find teh script?" Manella asked, bouncing with hope. April winced and looked steadfastly at the studio van.
"Sort of," Phoenix said, frowning. "The person who has the script is... a fangirl. She says she'll give it up if she gets an exclusive trading card, one that only the cast and crew have." He held up the Ultra Rare. "So, Mr. Manella— will you trade me your... exclusive card... for this Ultra Rare?" he asked.

Sal thought about it for a moment, looking over at Dee. That glance was enough to convince him. He nodded, and dug around in his shirt. Finally, he extracted a sweat-stained card. It had a picture of a moonlit tower on it. "Give h3r thi5 card," he said, looking at Phoenix's Ultra-Rare covetously.
Phoenix and Sal swapped cards, and Phoenix handed the card to April as they left the studio. April looked at it, flipping the card over.
"I've always been curious to see what one of the exclusive cards looks li... waaaaaait a minute!"
April pointed at a symbol in the upper right corner of the card. "This is just an uncommon! Sal stiffed us!"
...oops, Phoenix thought.
When the pair marched back to confront Sal, he put on a smarmy grin and replied, "5orry, n0 r3funds."

Phoenix had to drag April away again.


"I guess we'll have to trade our way back up the ladder," April said, sighing. She and Phoenix were sitting on the bench outside the two studios. The day was getting late, and shadows were beginning to lengthen. Behind her bush, Penny was still enwrapped in the script.
Phoenix nodded. "I hate to say it, but it sounds like this is the only way we'll be able to ask Ms. Vasquez about anything." He looked at the card one more time. "I didn't think investigating a crime scene would involve epic quests, but it appears I was wrong."
"Just one thing," April said, as she and Phoenix got up. "From now on, I handle the trading."

Phoenix started to walk away, then stopped as something glinted on the ground under the bench. He had seen it out of the corner of his eye. Turning back, he picked up the item. It was a small bottle.
"...'Sleeping Pills'?" Phoenix said, reading the label.
April had seen Phoenix turn, and came over to look at the bottle. "Hmm..." she said. "How did this end up here?" A second later, she added, "I think we found a clue, Nick!"
Maybe that's why Ms. Powers was sleeping in her dressing room while the murder was going on. Could someone have drugged her? Phoenix thought. He made sure the bottle was safely in his pocket before following April to the main gate.

"...but all I have is this one card," April said to Cody, holding out the uncommon as they spoke outside the guard station. "I know it's nowhere near a fair price, but isn't there something we could trade...?"
"Alas, I cannot help you!" Cody said. "It would not be honorable, to trade such a rarity for an uncommon, and I have nothing of such lesser value to share! Return, once you have greater treasures to offer!"

Penny burst out laughing when she saw the card. "You traded my Ultra-Rare for that?" she said.
April looked grim. "Be careful if you try trading with the director. He'll cheat you."
Penny thanked April for the tip. "I didn't bring most of my collection to the studio, though, so I can't really trade much of anything right now. Maybe you can find someone else who's willing."

Phoenix and April walked back through the studio, trying to see if there was anyone else there. Oldbag was back guarding the gate, but when asked about trading, he said, "Not interested." It wasn't until they walked into the Employee Area and found Detective Gumshoe, staring curiously at a green-and-silver rectangle of cardboard, that April perked up.
"That's a Giga-Rare, Nick!" she whispered to Phoenix. Gumshoe hadn't noticed them.

April took out the uncommon, holding it in her hand. She breathed deeply, focusing on Gumshoe, then whispered to Phoenix, "Here I go~!"
She walked over to Gumshoe, her face radiating enthusiasm. "Hi, Detective!" she said.
Phoenix stayed back to watch. Gumshoe looked and her, and nodded. Phoenix was just a bit too far away to hear what he said.
"We'll have to see," April said, grinning. Then, she focused on the card. "Oh, you're interested in Pink Princess trading cards?"
Phoenix moved a bit closer to the pair.
"Not exactly, pal," Gumshoe said. "Mr. Oldbag gave me this, once he got back to the studio. He said it was a gift, for my work ethic."
April giggled. "Neat!" she said. "Hey, want to trade cards? I'll give you this Rare from the creatures series!"
"Well, I dunno..." Gumshoe mused. "I mean, Mr. Oldbag gave it to me..."
April let out a little 'Aww', and fixed her best puppy-eyes on Gumshoe. "But... what good are Pink Princess trading cards if you don't trade them? You could get together a neat collection!"
Gumshoe thought about it for a moment, then said, "All right, pal. Explain how trading cards works."
"It's simple," April said. "You each take out your cards, and show them to the other. The symbol in the upper right usually is a good guide to how rare the card is." She pointed at her card. "My card's a Rare, so you're getting a great deal!"
"Okay, what then?" Gumshoe asked.
"Then, if you're satisfied with the trade, the two of you exchange cards." She placed her card into Gumshoe's hand. Gumshoe placed his in hers. "Thank you~!" she said, pocketing the card and going extra-cutesy for a moment.
"Thanks, pal!" Gumshoe said. "I'll look into this trading thing."
April waved at Detective Gumshoe as she walked back to Phoenix. "You'll enjoy it!" she said.
As Phoenix walked out of the Employee Area with April, he said in an undertone, "Remind me never to let you sell me anything."


When Cody saw the Giga-Rare, his eyes went wide. Then, he said (even faster than usual), "I do not have the card you seek, but I know who does! The dark goddess has such a card, and I have the sole card she seeks for her collection!" He pulled out a shimmering pink and white card. April recognized it as an Ultra-Rare Premium. "I know a trade of a Giga-Rare for a mere Ultra-Rare Premium is somewhat uneven, but this card is the key to the dark god's desires! Take it, if you wish, with my pledge of goodwill!"
April solemnly handed over the Giga-Rare to Cody, who slipped it reverently into a pocket. In return, he passed her the pink-and-white Ultra-Rare Premium.
Phoenix snuck a look at the Premium. It showed the Pink Princess and Evil Magistrate, blades locked. The Princess stood atop a snowy eagle, and the Magistrate on a giant crow. The description read "Battle Flight".
April took a deep breath, and looked at Phoenix. "Well, Nick," she said, "Now we just have to go trade with Dee Vasquez."

When Dee Vasquez saw Phoenix and April, her face darkened. April quickly held up the card as though it was a magic talisman.
Dee opened her mouth to say something terse, then spotted the card. He expression changed.
"Ms. Vasquez," Phoenix explained, "We'd like to trade with you. This Ultra-Rare Premium for the card only the cast and crew receive."
Dee looked at Phoenix and April long and hard, letting her stare trace April, Phoenix, and the card. Finally, she nodded. From within her dress, she took out a golden trading card, so richly ornamented that it appeared to glow in the late afternoon sun. She took April's card, looking it over, checking every inch of the square of paper for authenticity. Finally, she nodded.
"A trade," she said, smiling. She extended the golden card, and April took it. At the same time, the Ultra-Rare Premium vanished into the folds of her scarf.
"All right, Nick!" April said, jumping up and down once they were at the Studio Two gates. Behind them, Dee continued to smile slightly. "Now we can finally get the script!"
Phoenix nodded, and headed once again for the bush where Penny the fangirl lay.

It took several taps on the shoulder before Penny looked up. When she did, April held up the golden card.
Penny's mouth fell open for several seconds. "Wh– But those were just a rumor! I thought they didn't really exist!"
"It is not me you doubt, but yourself," April quoted from the show, grinning.
Penny handed Phoenix the script at once in her haste to grab the card. Holding it in her hands, she marveled at the image— the Princess, in a pose of meditation— surrounded by zen vines etched in real gold. "Oh, wow..." she said. "Hang on, the script isn't enough of a thank-you for this! I gotta give you something else..." She rummaged in her backpack. "Here." She handed April a scroll, tied with a ribbon. "This is my greatest treasure."

April unrolled the scroll, and gasped. Laminated to the surface were photos, framed artfully in borders of Japanese characters, pink roses, and symbols of the Princess. At the very bottom of the scroll, the lamination gave out, leading to a mid-sized amount of blank paper. "What is this?" she said, examining the photos.
"I've been to every live show," Penny said. "I've got photos from every single one!"
An ecstatic look spread over April's face. Lifting Penny out of the bush, April half-hugged, half-danced around with her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" April said.
When Penny got her breath and her footing back, she said, "You're welcome! It'll be a lot of work to make a new scroll, but with the photo I got after I saw the Princess struck down the Magistrate, it'll finally, finally be complete!"

"WHAAAAAAAT?" said a large, burly voice behind April and Penny.
Detective Gumshoe skidded to a stop in front of Penny as fast as he could. "Is that right, pal?" he said to her. "Did I hear you say you have a photo from the day of the murder?"
Penny looked like a rabbit who'd just been trapped under a box. "Um..." she said, nodding slightly.
Gumshoe kneeled down to look at Penny. "Miss, I'm going to ask you have to come back to the police station with me. You're going to be a witness tomorrow!"
"But— this isn't fair!" Penny said. As Gumshoe pulled her away, she started to cry. "We just had a class trial in school! I know how the system works! I'm gonna be a prosecutor when I grow up, and when I am—"

Phoenix didn't hear the end of Penny's statement. His mind had sent him flashing back 15 years.

..."Quiet, everyone," the teacher said, looking at each student in turn. "It's time for our trial. Miles, because your money was stolen, I have a treat for you. You can be the prosecutor!"
The teacher gestured at two desks put together, on one side of the classroom. The desks were arranged to form a crude facsimile of a courtroom, including a witness stand, prosecution's table, and defense bench. The teacher's desk was where the Judge would sit.
Miles nodded, bowed to the teacher, and took his place at the desks.

The teacher spoke once more to the class. "Does anyone want to represent the defendant, Phoenix?"

Silence.

The teacher slowly turned, and looked at Phoenix. "I'm sorry, Phoenix..."

"...but it looks as though you stand alone."

When Phoenix snapped out of his reverie, Penny was gone.


April blinked once Phoenix unfroze. "Oooh. That didn't go so well," she observed.
Phoenix nodded. "They've got a new witness, and we've got... a scroll." He looked at it more closely.
"And a script," April pointed out. "Maybe Dee'll answer our questions now."
A chill breeze heralded that the day was becoming evening. Phoenix handed the scroll back to April. "I hope you're right," he said.

Once her script was returned to her, Dee was communicative... albeit barely so.
"Ms. Vasquez?" April said. "We'd like to ask you about the Pink Princess—"
"It's on TV. Every week. That's all I have to say about that," Dee responded, sitting down in a nearby chair and leafing through the script.
April's "Um—" was met with the reply, "Quiet. I'm reading."

Phoenix decided to try. "Ms. Vasquez, this is about the murder of one of your actors. It's a matter of life-or-death importance, and the death's happened already! What you have to tell us could be important!"
Dee's gaze sliced Phoenix in a cold instant. She asked, "Am I a suspect?"
"Um, no," Phoenix said, put on the spot, "but—"
"You wanted to know about the day of the murder?" Dee asked, stepping up the pace to keep Phoenix off balance.
He nodded, unable to think of anything to say.
Dee flicked her head slightly in understanding. Then, she said, "You know there was a meeting here at noon?"
April added, "With the director and the network 'bigwigs', right?"
"Correct," Dee said. "Now, listen closely. None of the people in this trailer that afternoon went to Studio One. It was impossible for us to leave."
"Impossible?" Phoenix asked. Hadn't Cody mentioned something about this?
"The path was blocked," said Dee, heading towards the gate of the Studio. "Come."

Dee led Phoenix and April to the intersection of paths, and pointed to the monkey statue. The statue's head was disconnected from the base of the statue, and lay next to the path, tangled up in some large branches.
"That's Mr. Monkey," Dee said, pointing at the head and the statue. "Its head fell over in the wind on the day of the murder. They didn't start moving the head out of the way until after 3:00." She shrugged, effortlessly. "It was after 4:00 by the time the path was unblocked. Capice? Everyone in this trailer was stuck here until the path was cleared."
"So that means—" April said.
Dee flick-nodded again. "Stuck until after 4:00. Hammer died at 2:30. Thus, none of us could have gone to Studio One."
It was just as Cody had said— the path was blocked. Then, a thought occurred to Phoenix.
"B-but wait!" said Phoenix. "What if the head fell over after 2:30? Then, you or someone from the trailer, could have gone to Studio One!"
Dee smiled thinly. "When Mr. Monkey wasn't broken," she said, "it announced the time... in 'ooks'. One 'ook' per hour. Ook, ook, ook, ook." To herself, she muttered, "Always with the ooking."
Ms. Vasquez pointed at the head with one gloved hand. "Check inside the head," she said. "The clock inside stopped when it broke."

Phoenix and April walked over to the tangle, and peered inside the head. Inside, there was a speaker, an amount of machinery— and a stopped analog clock, reading 2:15.
"2:15...?" Phoenix said.
"That's right," Dee said. "This path was blocked from 2:15 till after 4:00. Therefore, we're innocent."
"And Hammer died in Studio One at 2:30..." April said.
Dee tapped a bit of fresh ash off of her current cigarette. "See?" she said. "Goodbye."
She then turned around and prowled back into Studio Two.

April and Phoenix stood alone on the path, as the sun slowly sank towards the walls of Global Studios. Both looked at each other at the same time.
April sighed. She was tired out again, but this time it was purely fatigue. "I think we've found out everything we can, Nick."
Phoenix nodded. "We know who one witness is, and we did find a few pieces of evidence." He checked the empty bottle, making sure it was still safe in his pocket. "And I learned a bit about trading cards..."
April smiled. "Let's go back to the office," she said. "We can plan for the trial. They'll never know what hit them!"
Phoenix agreed. "I hope so, April...

I hope so."


To Be Continued