AN: Welcome back. Don't say I didn't warn you muahaha...now, buckle up your seat belts! I consider the last chapter the beginning of phase 2... which I have been planning to get for years. As I said when I first started writing this story, I wanted to practice writing. What I have in mind will be a fun challenge to execute. This chapter was another interesting experiment for me, with perhaps some characters you probably wouldn't have thought would appear... and I'm damned excited! It's something you guys have been asking me about for some time...

Anyway, I wonder if you'll notice that Lyn sometimes omits things...? If you want to suffer a little less, interested parties should check out the Mischievous Turnabout, which is my side story fic to this one! It's more comedy and fluff than, what's happening main story wise now lol.

As always thanks for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting, and your general support! Hope you enjoy this one!

DJJ680: Hehe. Lips are sealed on the matter for the time being. But it's going somewhere believe me.

GlaresThatKillchapter: RIP feels. I warned ya...I don't lie about the rollercoasters. But it'll get better...eventually. Let's go next chapter!

OBSERVER01: Oh ya. Shit's getting real real...

Crimson's AXZ: Hahaha that's fair. Yep, yep that's what I aimed to do, make this real, real fast haha. Mm, yeah she probably should have went back, though then again the result may have been the same. I neither confirm nor deny...but interesting ideas!

Aster's Descendants: ...You'll see how it ends. Though, it might not be what you want.

Jack54311: RIP German rockstar dude.

Silver4700: Honestly, I believe solid story writing has any event/action/dialogue have purpose. If there's no purpose, it shouldn't be there, period. Everything for me has to build up. Like all pieces have to make that puzzle. In terms of death, it has to make sense in terms of the story being told and how the universe works. With DC and Marvel, the deaths are essentially a slap on the wrist so no one takes it seriously because they'll be back somehow someway. With a back from the dead plot, for me, there needs to be a catch-what's the result of doing something so unnatural? One of my favorite shows did it well at the start. MC died but could return to life, but only if he passed certain tests and then had to fight for the people who brought him back as collateral. I think it'll become clear soon enough with direction... but I'll stop there for now lol. I always had bigger plans, though. We'll see how well it pans out!

Lol xD that's fair. I loosely looked up what not to do when a car is sinking underwater. And figured well, she's seen her friend dead, crashed in an accident, and panics underwater, not knowing how to swim. Dun dun dun...! It's gonna suck for her if you're right~

bwburke94: I imagine it must be so...

Lyrissa Artemick: I wouldn't know. Haven't gotten there yet. Also, I can't make any guarantees as to the things that may or may not happen. It is an AU after all.

haelyeon: Hahaha I agree, I am a lil shit. Muahaha, I told you guys I was ready to unleash the rollercoaster. Thanks! Yea, poor Klavier. Haha you noticed. I like to think it's Lyn refusing to acknowledge that he's gone. RIP to the guard too. Hold on to the hope, since I'm bringing the despair muahaha. Shrooms? Those would have to be a hell of a drug... I can't say now, for I will be revealing everything in the upcoming chapters on Kristoph. Well, hold on to your hats lol. Gosh, you're right, the suspense theme would play and then the screen would go black with the TO BE CONTINUED xD. I'm flattered. It would be fun to be a writer for Capcom if only to fix the stuff with Kristoph, Klavier, and Wright. We never got to see the impact and the reactions from the aftermath of the 4-4 and I still feel cheated. I can't make any promises about your heart, but I can try lol. Thanks a bunch, you too! Klavier could have or could have had no idea...I'm not at liberty to say (yet). But I like the theory, though. I've been working on the next chapters, so I will hopefully have more to post soon.

May 19th, 10:19 PM

Interstate 10

Panic couldn't come close to what I felt.

I had dialed Lyn's number again and again, but it went straight to voicemail. Not wasting time, I had grabbed my keys and bolted out of the house and into my car, headed off to the bar.

What could have happened? Klavier and the guard...both dead. How? And why? Lyn claimed they had been killed, but who did it? Could it be Kristoph? Would he sink as low as to murder his own brother? I wasn't sure. It also begged the question of why the guard was killed too? Had they been trying to get to Lyn? It would make sense to dispose of the guard first, in that case. But...

I wiped the sweat from my brow, as I went as fast as I could within legal limits. I struggled to wrap my mind around it all.

Lyn managed to call for help. She called me, as well. I remembered her quivering voice over the line. She was petrified, so much so that she couldn't even put on her usual brave front. And then how the call abruptly ended.

My throat went dry.

There was no way…no way that she was…

I couldn't even bring myself to think about the possibility. Lyn was fine. She...had to be. I'd see to it myself.

Under the darkly lit sky, I made it to the freeway which usually had traffic, but was far more congested than usual. Agitated, I merged into a faster moving lane. I had to get there soon.

But even that was moving at a snail's pace. Cars were backed up for hundreds of feet.

Just what was going on? Especially now of all times. People honked their horns, with some foolish hope that it would somehow make the vehicles in front of them move faster. Yelling also appeared to be another option, that was equally infallible.

Normally, I could be patient. But not now. Definitely, not now. Out of frustration and curiosity, I stepped out of my car since we weren't going anywhere any time soon. Walking down a small slit of space, I eventually saw the heart of the matter.

It was utter chaos.

Two cars had crashed into each other, causing the police to block off at least 3 lanes of traffic. One yellow sedan had rammed into the back of a silver SUV. However, it looked as though the SUV had crashed into another car, considering the damage done to its front hood.

In addition to the police cars, numerous fire trucks, ambulances, and even a construction crane were all present at the scene.

If this was just a crash, why was there a crane here? I mused. Surely, that wouldn't be necessary for a simple crash.

...But it didn't really matter now. While unfortunate as it was, I needed to get to Lyn. Getting closer to the scene, I saw police officers taking statements from witnesses or perhaps those involved in the crash. One person was being placed into an ambulance. Firemen, other officers, and some construction crew members were standing by the edge of the railing looking down.

Had someone fallen over? That was probably why the crane was there. I was going to look for someone to ask about when this would be cleared up, when a familiar voice caught my attention.

"M-Mr. Edgeworth?" called a familiar voice from behind me.

I whipped around. It was Gumshoe. He'd have to know something. "Detective Gumshoe! Just what is going on here? Is there anyway for you to increase the flow of traffic?"

The hulk of a man, seemed dejected as his shoulders slumped. "...It's a whole lot, Mr. Edgeworth. Witnesses report, there was a huge car chase that resulted in that crash you see in the middle of the street here. And well, a few other crashes that resulted in some cars going over the railing. As for the traffic, we can't do anything until we make sure we get the wreckages out of the water and off the road."

My heart pounded. "But...it's an emergency! Lyn...she called me saying that two people were killed at the Oceanic bar!"

"...I see. I heard about the murders over there," the detective remarked unusually calm, slightly uncomfortable at the fact. "We have some men down there as well."

"And?" I snapped.

Detective Gumshoe, looked off to the side despondently. "...It was just as she said. Two people were found dead."

"Then Lyn's alright!" If two people were found murdered, and it was three it meant she was okay. I took a breath in relief, unaware that I was even holding it.

But Gumshoe didn't respond. Normally, he would react in a joyous manner like a child with a new toy, happy to hear the good news, but not now. If anything, it unsettled me to see him not being his goofy self.

"Mr. Edgeworth...why don't you have a seat?" he asked gently, motioning for us to go into the back of the ambulance, which doors were hide open.

I didn't move. "What is it? What aren't you telling me? Where's Lyn?"

"Mr. Edgeworth..."

"Where is she, Gumshoe?" I demanded. "I'm not going anywhere until I know, because it's clear that you know something."

The detective glanced at me and then to the side as if wondering what he should do. He frowned as he muttered to himself. "At least, it's starting to come together now..."

"What is coming together?" I queried, feeling more anxious by the second.

This time the detective was unwavering. "...Mr. Edgeworth, it's not really my place to say it, but...you need to sit down. I'll tell you everything, but not before that happens."

Before I had any chance to protest, the detective started walking ahead of me to the backdoor of the ambulance. A sick feeling rose within me. My feet were lead. Was this...fear? I couldn't recall the last time I felt such...dread. Perhaps, not since the incident in the elevator. After that, I had always done my best to suppress any strong feelings, especially fear and uncertainty. And it was easy to do, living under von Karma. For so long, I had just believed that being dignified and perfect was important. Having control...was a sign of strength and power.

And I was confident in that.

It hadn't been totally lost on me, even after Wright's reappearance.

But now, I wasn't sure.

...I wasn't sure.

If I took a step forward towards the truth...what would happen? When I turned over a new leaf, it was all I thought about and became obsessed over. The truth. But could this be a truth...I didn't want to know? One that I wanted to turn away from?

I...always prided myself on being able to maintain level headedness in times of crisis, but this was unimaginable. How could it be, that Gumshoe was calmer than I? Of course, I cared those close to me. But with Lyn...I didn't think I'd ever feel so worried. So afraid, that I'd lose anyone like this. She was just one of those factors, so unpredictable and wild, that I couldn't even hope to control. With all that has happened with the break in on her apartment, car, the stabbing and the other dangerous situations she ended up in, I barely could guess what would happen next. But if...if this ended how it should, I was going to lock her away somewhere and throw away the key. She'd never leave my sight again.

(Please be alright. Please.)

With great hesitation, I took shaky steps forward towards the ambulance where Gumshoe waited for me.

Under the light of the ambulance, he appeared more defeated than I once thought. I carefully, took a seat next to him on the back of the large vehicle.

"Please tell me what's happening, detective."

"I'll start from the beginning," the other man sighed. "Around 9:35 tonight a caller reported a murder at the Oceanic bar. We sent out some guys to investigate, but then we were flooded with calls about 15 to 20 minutes after about a car chase in progress, which led to...what you see here on the freeway. Witnesses reported that one car was being chased down by two other ones. Both of those cars were abandoned, even one that had capsized and fallen into water."

"But Lyn told me about two murders," I said with confusion.

"From the reports, that's true in how two bodies were found," he said scratching his face. "I can only assume, she discovered the other body after making the call to 911."

I supposed that made sense.

"So...did they...find her at the scene?" I asked grabbing my arm.

Gumshoe shook his head. "No, she wasn't there at all."

"Then where...?"

He paused for some time, as though his tongue were glued to the roof of his mouth. "It's not easy to say, sir, about what I saw, but she's in the hospital now."

"Hospital...? What happened? What happened to her?"

"Witnesses reported that the car they saw being chased...was her car, sir," he said holding his head down. "Based on what you said and as well as other testimony, I guess someone must have chased her from the Oceanic after she made the call to 911. Her car was one of the vehicles that caused a collision on the freeway and went off the railings into the water."

"No..."

"People phoned it in, and a couple of good samaritans jumped into action and pulled her out of the car...but by the time I arrived, it didn't look good, sir."

"That- that can't be right..."

Gumshoe continued on, choosing not to look at me. "...They had tried to do CPR, but it didn't seem effective at the time. It's hard to say how long she was underwater for. She was just blue in the face and bleeding from the head, last I saw. But the paramedics took her off. So, at this point we can just hope that a miracle happens."

I clung to my arm even tighter than before. A miracle? A miracle would be necessary to save her?

"I wanted to go...but I was forced to watch the scene here," he said with a tone, I've rarely heard in the man. It was almost bitter. "And I...I couldn't bring myself to call you, sir. It was worse than before. She was at least speaking, when something like this happened before..."

This...had to be some kind of joke. It had to be a sick joke she was playing on me. Just one of those awful pranks. She pop out from somewhere, laugh at me and tell me how I fell for it like a sucker.

Weakly, I stood up from my seat and wandered out of the ambulance.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" the detective called after me.

But I walked away, into the middle of the freeway. Just watching. Waiting. Waiting for the punchline to this horrible joke.

And it was then I found it.

In front of me, the massive crane was pulling up the debris. But not just any debris, the car. Lyn's hideous green car. Dented and smashed up in a way I'd never want to see.

Suddenly, the view of the car seemed farther away now. The sounds of the mechanical crane were distant. The chatter of the people, the honking of car horns, the flashing lights of the sirens, against the night sky, everything was moving past me.

I realized how little of it all mattered.

How small I felt as I looked at the undeniable truth that hung above me. I couldn't deny it. I couldn't cling to a false hope that it hadn't been her. That, by some chance it was a mistake. Just another similar car.

Would it fall? Like I was falling? The wires from the crane and I assumed from a boat were holding it up. But I had nothing to hold me up. Nothing for me to hang on to as my world was falling apart.

How could it be that Lyn was already...gone?

My efforts to protect her had been in vain. They didn't mean anything. How could they at this point? How could it mean a damn thing looking at that wreckage in front of me, dangle in front of me, as a harsh reminder of where I failed. How I didn't protect her.

Why didn't I go? I should have followed along. I could have done more to stop this. And maybe I wouldn't be here looking at this wreck, hearing about how she's drowned.

"Mr. Edgeworth," said the detective, as I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. "It's...awful I know, but you can't stay here on your knees, sir."

I hadn't realized. Seeing how dazed I was, Gumshoe pulled me up by my feet.

A voice I could barely register as my own managed out a garbled thanks.

"I'm sorry I had to break it to you, sir. It's not something I wanted to say at all," he frowned. "Ms. Doom...didn't deserve that. But there's still a chance. Even, if it's small that she's..."

Would it be getting my hopes to believe that she could be okay after all of that? Especially after seeing the state of the car? Being drowned?

It was foolish, but I didn't want to accept it. I didn't want to accept that she was gone. I didn't...want to lose her.

She wasn't declared dead on the scene so maybe...just maybe there was some kind of hope to hold on to. Maybe the truth wasn't that she was dead...but perhaps that she was still hanging on by a thread.

"Detective, would there be any way, I could make it to the hospital now?" I asked with the last of my strength. "I have to see her... no matter what the outcome may be."

Date? Time?

Location?

It was warm.

I'd never felt so warm my whole life.

On my back, I continued to lie against the grassy earth, looking up into the never-ending blue sky. The gentle breeze rolled by tickling my skin as though it were leaving playful kisses. I was moved by the chirps of birds.

I was unsure of how long I basked in that beauty. But after some time, I realized that I had something to do and it was with great unwillingness, that I made myself sit up.

Lazily, I stretched my limbs and came to my feet surveying the lands outstretched before me. Nothing but green hills, trees, a brook, and some white lilies...not to mention a long and winding path that stretched on for what appeared to be an eternity.

There wasn't another soul in sight. Yet, it didn't put me at ill ease. It felt natural. And I got to enjoy the quietness all my by myself, which was well needed simply because I knew there was something I had to do.

As I traversed the stony path, I mulled it over as best I could, while trying not to fall to the magnetic pull of the idyllic scene before me.

I had to do something.

But…

...what was it?

Surely, it had to be important for me to have this nagging in the back of my head, that told me I needed to get to work, that I couldn't rest yet.

Not rest…

Yes. I was certain I couldn't rest. But as to the reason why, it was beyond me.

I continued to ponder and as I pondered, I had come to realize that the path in which I walked grew shorter. Something was coming up in the distance. I took pause, trying to make out the blot. A red roof, under a foundation of bricks and stone. With each step I took, it became clear that this was a cottage, about 3 stories high.

It was rather unremarkable by architectural standards. I didn't care for the white doors and window panels that seemed to be stuck on like an afterthought against the red, but I did appreciate the well watered white roses, petunias, and lilies out front.

The outside of the cottage was rather empty and it didn't appear that any inhabitants were inside. I went to stroll by it, but the gray plumes of smoke from the chimney caught my attention.

I figured it was best to go knock on the door. If someone was home, maybe they could help me figure out what I needed to do.

Backtracking, I went to the front door and knocked. Nobody came. But that was after how I noticed a pulling rope. Instinctively, my hand reached for it and gave it a couple of strong tugs.

The bell chimed.

The door swung open, revealing the stature of a rather large fellow. He was wearing a black suit jacket and pants, a white button down shirt, and a giant red bow tie. His brown shoes were shined to perfection. The big yellow mustache and little tuft of blond hair on his head, for some reason, reminded me of a walrus.

"Welcome to the Twilight Inn!" he said with gusto. "How may I assist you today?"

An inn? I guessed that made sense. As much as any of it did.

"I need help. I can't seem to remember what I was supposed to be doing, even though I know it's important," I paused and then added, "I know that sounds rather silly but-"

"Now, now. No need to worry. This a pretty common occurrence for those whose fate is yet to be determined," he soothed. "Why don't you come inside and take a seat? I'm sure you have questions that I'll gladly answer."

Without having a chance to protest, my host ushered me inside the inside and closed the door. It was a sort of funny sight, seeing the somewhat portly figure squeeze by me rushing back and forth.

Even in his hurriedness, I didn't feel shaken. The feeling of this place was calming and restorative, perhaps because of the dark green walls? Or maybe because of the two large bookcases that lined those walls? The crackle of the fireplace? It certainly, wasn't the front desk as polished as it was.

At most I could say it was...like, having taken a long journey, it felt like it was a warm welcoming place to rest...for a while. A long while.

He sat me down in an armchair and brought me a cup of tea on a saucer.

"Thank you."

"It is no problem. I am here to be a service," he said taking a seat across from mine.

I took a sip of the tea, which was a bit sweet. Just how I liked it. As I placed it on the table in front of us, I looked at his beady eyes. Normally, I would think this to be a trait of untrustworthiness, but it was hard to feel anything but ease around this clownish individual.

"So, what's your name? And what exactly is this place?" I asked.

"My name is Russell Berry," he said with a smile that I could barely see underneath the facial hair. I couldn't place it, but it seemed kinda familiar. "I can see you're aware that this isn't normal- a good sign, that you'll probably remember more soon. But to answer your question...this place is a sort of purgatory."

"So, I'm dead, right?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Well your situation is a bit complicated," he began. "If you were simply dead you'd have passed through the gates by now. But since you've arrived here it means that yes, technically you've died, but you're on the brink of life and death."

"...Huh?"

"In other words, there's still a possibility you can turn your situation around and live. You don't necessarily have to die now."

"But, how could that be?" I asked. "Can someone live and die all at once?"

"The human body works in a strange way," he said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. "One can still be on all accounts 'alive' yet in reality be dead."

It took me a second to understand the implications of those words. I thought of the people on life support machines, the machines replacing their body parts to do what their bodies would naturally do when they were healthy. Were they truly alive?

"...Usually when people arrive here, they will face a choice," Berry said. "To live or die."

"Does everyone get that choice?" I asked.

He shook his head. "My death was instant, so I was not given this option. From what I've noticed it's usually for those with traumas that can still...be livable, though not without complications."

Oddly, I was more understanding than afraid. "I see."

"Tell me, do you remember your name Ms…?"

"My name?" I blinked. That should be easy. "My name...my name is..."

I was proven wrong. It was something so simple, something that would roll off the tongue but no matter how many times I tried to grab it, it slipped through my fingers like sand.

I frowned. I didn't like the blank spot in my head I was feeling. I drank more tea, perhaps in a feeble attempt to drink my mild agitation away.

"Don't worry about it, Ms. This happens to a lot of people as they pass through here. You'll figure it out with time," Berry said.

"But...I have something to do. I don't know what, but it's important. If I can't even remember my name, how can I do it?"

"It'll be alright," he said reassuringly. "Soon, you'll be visited by two of our most valuable assets who will work with you in terms of your memory...and as well as the terms of conditions of whatever choice you end up making."

Before I could ask, he continued, his spiel that he knew like the back of his hand.

"Midday, they shall arrive to properly assess your situation. Until then, please enjoy your stay at the Twilight Inn."

Seems like I didn't have much choice in the matter. "Actually, sir. How did you come to do this?"

"Hm? You mean run the inn?"

I nodded. "I always got the impression that being dead was...well, definitely not like this."

He chuckled in response, as if he's heard this a million times before. "Another person ran it before me, but I wanted to take it off their hands to make up for my past."

"Your past…?" I scratched my face. What could this jovial Santa like guy could have done that needed repenting?

"I inadvertently created a tragedy," he sighed. "I used to run a circus when I was alive, you see. And my darling daughter...I had foolishly raised her to believe that fairy tales were real."

"But don't a lot of parents do that?"

"Yes, but I had told her all sorts of things in an attempt to hide away the harsh realities of the world from her. There was a young lad in my circus who loved her dearly and would do just about anything for her. One day there was a prank gone horribly wrong...she had put some pepper in the boy's scarf. And when he placed his head inside the mouth of lion...it sneezed. And it…you can gather the rest, can't you? It rendered him comatose. And because of that, the boy's brother set out for revenge. He attempted to kill Regina. And, I took her place...because I was more to blame. If I had raised her the right way, she would have understood the gravity of what happened to Bat."

In a strange way, it felt like I had heard this story before. Not sure how, but it sounded familiar. "I'm sorry that happened…"

"I am too, believe me," he said. "So...it's part of the reason why I stay here. I watch over Bat as well as other residents."

"There are people living here permanently?"

"Well, some people choose this as their afterlife. They've decided to bury the truth so deeply in themselves that they never move on, meaning they never choose to live or die, but to rather just exist here. The twilight realm is for those who acknowledge and accept their deaths. Otherwise, some can return to earth."

"I see…"

"Don't fret too much. The assessment will happen today so you can regain your memories and make a decision as quickly as possible."

I decided to hold off on asking about what the assessment would entail so I could stop bombarding the poor man with questions. I'd see soon enough.

The man crinkled his round nose as though he were holding off a sneeze. "In the meantime," he stood up and waltzed to the front desk. I heard the sound of a drawer opening and closing. When he returned to my side, he extended his pudgy hand which held a very old fashioned black key. "Why don't you rest?"

With care, I took the key, looking at it's brown paper tag attached. "Room 333? There's that many rooms here?"

"Oh, the inn is a lot bigger on the inside."

I had always thought death would be scary or frightening. Now, I saw that it was rather peculiar.

"Right…"

"If you look past the desk to the right, there's a hallway with stairs. Once you reach the third flight turn left. There you will find your special room."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"The pleasure is mine," he smiled warmly. "Hopefully, it will help you remember."

The room? Interesting. Well, it would be a good way to kill time and perhaps start to sort out what I had I had to do.

"If you require anything else, just ring," Berry said as he returned to his spot behind the front desk.

I nodded. I took one more sip of my tea before sliding past the ringleader and desk towards the grayish hallway. A few feet in front of me was the stone stairway that spiraled up in a manner that suggested it was never ending. I held onto the slim umber railing, on my climb up.

Oddly enough, my legs didn't tire and I had made it to the 3rd flight of steps with ease. I paused remembering Berry's instructions to go...left. Walking, the difference in color was rather sharp in comparison to the rather dull washed out gray from the stairway. A dark velvet red color painted the walls against tiled black and white floor. I passed many white doors with the number placards 311...313...315...until I eventually found 333.

It looked like the other rooms I had passed, only discernible difference being the obvious repeating number. I grabbed the knob and pressed the key in the hole. I turned it carefully until I heard the click, allowing me to push into the room.

I flicked on the lights.

The walls were a deep blue like the ocean. I shivered, though I didn't know why.

It had the regular furnishings of a room for rent. A desk, bed, night stand, chair, and arm rest.

My feet dragged along the cold floor, as I began to examine the room for any clues. I determined it best to start with the obvious, nightstand. Nothing was on top besides a little lamp, so I checked the drawer.

"Hm…?"

Inside were not the usual bible or inn menus. The first thing that caught my attention was a small golden key. It looked rather plain and could be for just about anything from a door to a desk, yet I couldn't insist that it was familiar to me.

...Could it have been to return to this key? ...No. The key had something to do with it.

Pocketing the object, I turned my attention to the other thing in the drawer: a picture.

It was of a rather attractive man. The tanned skin, blond hair, blue eyes, and big grin… I felt a strange mix of emotions. I was mildly embarrassed, excited, and sad all at once.

The feelings washed over me like a wave.

...a wave.

Come to think of it, I hated water. If it wasn't bottled or under a shower head I wasn't a fan. With all those strange feelings in my head, I put the image away in my pocket.

A key to...something. And a picture of a man. Something inside me stirred when I tossed the two things around in my mind. The key was important. It had to be. The same for the man. For that type of reaction, I must have known him.

In fact, maybe what I had to do, had to do with him.

...But who was he?

It irritated me to no end. I couldn't get a name. I still wasn't remembering my own name. These clues were supposed to be helping me recall things, yet they were troubling me more than helping.

With nothing more to do at the nightstand, I figured I'd look through the desk. It was pretty empty. I had went through almost every drawer, except one more on the right hand bottom. Not expecting anything, I pulled it open.

"Hm?"

This one had a scrap of paper. Reaching in, I grabbed it.

"1...1...7...6...9...1..."

I clutched my chest. My heart had started throbbing in pain. My head felt as though it were getting pounded by a construction worker with a jack hammer. This note... this note...

...That's right.

That guy had given me the note with the numbers on it...those horrible numbers.

What the fuck did they mean?

I never got the chance to figure out what it meant!

I repeated the numbers in my head over and over, trying to get some clue or an idea- something.

But that something never came. As usual, any clarity I had didn't last too long. I dropped on the bed in the defeat. I didn't feel like looking around anymore. That note made me feel sick. Being in the room unnerved me already.

I sighed.

The numbers. The numbers were important. At least I had dug that out. I'd have to figure out the key and man later.

For now, I decided to rest lying on the bed for some time before those...asset people showed up. I wondered what they would do to help. If they could really help. But Mr. Berry said that was their job, so I should just accept that they'd do whatever it was to help me regain my memories and determine where I'd go next.

I'm not sure how long, I stayed up staring at the ceiling, but eventually came a knock on my door.

Slowly, I sat up and stretched my arms. Could it have been time, to get this show on the road? I climbed off the cushiony bed, and opened the door. I was faced with a weird sight.

If they were the assets...they were both really bizarre.

The first was a rather tall woman, or in the very least, taller than me. She had porcelain skin, and gentle brown eyes. Her hair was a thick black, wrapped up in this beehive style. But what really killed me, (or could I be killed if I was already dead?) was the purple and black robes, along with the giant brown staff with a purple gem attached to it. The only normal thing about her was the book she was holding in her hand. She was definitely in her 40s-50s, just looking at her.

...Was she a mage?

Next to her was...

... a man, but for some reason he was very familiar. So familiar, that I caught myself blushing somewhat. It was weird. He was a handsome, stern looking man with square glasses. He wore a beige colored trench coat, with a suit underneath. He also wore a black fedora. He also looked to be in his 40s-50s.

...Was I going to jail?

Did the afterlife, have a jail? I had to wonder, because this guy looked like something straight out of a cop drama. He looked like he was going to interrogate me under a light bulb, in a dingy room, and throw the book at me.

Looking at the two of them together, it was a peculiar sight. Unsure of myself, I bowed. It was probably best to get on their good sides early on. "Um...hello."

The woman laughed, a deep throaty laugh. "There's no need for that, dear. You can relax. I can assure you, I'm not going to cast a spell on you."

I flushed. Maybe she got that question a lot.

"My name is Misty Fey, nice to meet you," she smiled warmly.

I felt, that this was a name, I knew on some level. But in my current state, it wasn't coming and it was pissing me off.

"Gregory Edgeworth," the man said as he removed his hat, placed it against his chest, and bowed. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

...Edgeworth.

...Edgeworth...

Ah!

The bells in my mind finally turned on. Edgeworth...

I missed him.

And if I was dead...I certainly had good reason to miss him now.

This man, his spitting image...was his father. That's right. Gregory Edgeworth. The only guy who managed to land a dent in von Karma's perfect career and who was tragically killed in the elevator incident. And that woman. She could only be Misty Fey. Mia and Maya's mom. Morgan's sister. The woman who channelled Gregory Edgeworth's spirit, who wrongly accused Yanni Yogi of killing him, leading to the eventual disappearance of Misty Fey.

This was all...a game. But not really. I came to this world to stop Kristoph Gavin before the future got wrecked. And this world is very much real. Too real, considering I'm dead.

So...me. I know what I came here to do so...my name is...

My name is... My name is L... Lyn. That's right!

Before I could continue musing on my revelation, a voice dragged me back to reality. "Have I troubled you, miss?"

"Ah..." I flushed, adjusting my glasses. Without realizing it, I was pretty much still looking at the man, while fidgeting. His presence was intimidating, similar to Miles. But where Miles could have biting sarcasm to his words, the man was just blunt without a hint of malice. It somehow, made me feel like I had to give up all the truth because he was so straight with me.

"When I introduced myself, you seemed to be upset by it."

(We are off to a great start...What a fun way to meet the parents.)

"Ahaha...Please excuse me. It's just that, I got a lot of my memory back when you spoke," I said awkwardly rubbing the back of my head. "You really look a lot like Miles. Or, uh, he looks a lot like you."

It was now, his turn to look like a dork, because it was then he recoiled with his glasses flying upward, his jaw wide open. "You...know Miles? My son?"

"...I do," I nodded. I turned to Misty. "I also know your daughters."

"Is that so?" the medium said with her eyes closed. "...I think we both have questions. But first, we should attend to the most important matter regarding your status in the afterlife."

Recovering from his mild shock, Gregory adjusted his red tie. "May we enter your room, miss?"

"You can call me Lyn," I said as I retreated inside my room. "Please come in."

The two of them promptly followed me in and I shut the door behind them. I offered them some seats, but they refused and opted to stand instead. Somewhat intimidated, I chose to sit on my bed.

Misty opened up her book, looking at its contents. "So, your name is Lyn, correct?"

I nodded. "Correct."

"How old are you? What's your occupation?"

"I'm 25. I'm a prosecutor in LA."

Gregory was also taking notes in his small notepad with a pencil. The two of them exchanged glances.

"Is...something wrong?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about now," the senior Edgeworth assured me. "Tell me about your hobbies."

Huh? What was going on? Was I on a gameshow or something? "Um, well, I like playing video games. I read plays and novels when I get the chance. And I like doing pranks sometimes."

The deceased lawyer jotted it down in his notepad. "Hm. You sound like another person I used to know," he mused.

"...Is that a good thing or bad thing?" I asked.

He placed a hand on his hat, while smirking. "I usually would tell him to be more serious about his work."

(...Guess I'm not scoring any points here, huh?)

"But, I suppose that's enough for now," he said slipping his notepad away. "Miss Lyn, what's coming up is an important question, that will help determine what will happen next: What was the cause of your death?"

"The cause of my death...? But...don't you guys know? I thought you were going to tell me."

Gregory shook his head. "When someone dies, it can often times be a traumatic experience that is repressed. In order to move forward, either to death or life, you'll need to recover those memories yourself. Neither of us can tell you what happened. You must bring the truth of your circumstances to light."

"And then what?"

"Then we'll talk," he said with a slight smile.

"So, take your time and think back. Did the clues you found help you?" asked Misty.

(Ah, that's right those clues. Maybe those would help.)

I reached into my pocket and viewed all the clues I had together: the picture, the key, and the...number.

The picture...that was of Klavier Gavin. The guy I had befriended in an attempt to learn more about Kristoph Gavin and his goals. We...had met up.

"I went out the other night...to see Klavier. I hadn't seen him in a long time and I was worried about him. He asked if we could meet at this bar...called..." the blue in the room struck a chord. "...The Oceanic. We went there to hang out. And...I didn't go alone. Miles wanted me to go with a guard. So we were both there."

Misty had her eyes glued to the book in her hand. Gregory nodded as he listened to me.

"The guard went to a different room nearby. I met with Klavier and we talked for awhile, playing pool and having dinner. I thought everything was fine. He seemed okay enough to even flirt with me and give me...that key. I didn't think much of it. And then he 'accidentally' knocked over my drink and slipped me that number with a piece of paper. I went out to read it, and I didn't get it. It was just numbers..."

That's what I wanted to do. I had to figure out those numbers.

"...When I returned to the room, Klavier was...he was dead. I called for help. I looked for the guard after hearing some funny sounds and it turned out that he was dead too and...and...and..."

In my head, I saw the images of that night flashing before my eyes. The club, the thump of the music, the drinks, the food, the code, the key, the death...the shadows. There was excitement, disgust, fear, anxiety, sadness...

"...no," I whispered. "I...can't. I can't do it."

"Miss Lyn," Gregory said as he adjusted his glasses. "If you wish to move forward you must recall that moment. Otherwise, you will be stuck here."

"Is that something you want?" the older woman asked.

I shook my head, while shaking the nausea away with it. I wanted to go back. I had to go back. I had to figure out that code. I had to do it for Klavier. And I had to Miles again.

"...I ran. I ran as fast as I could. I just had to get out of there! All those bodies piling up...and-and someone was at the door, so I ran. I got in my car and...they chased me. Chased me off the freeway and into...the water."

There was tremor in my hand. "I couldn't get out of the car. I had hit my head. I wasn't thinking...just panicking...until all the water filled up...and...I drowned."

I took a breath, as though I were gasping for air. For to recall it all, made me feel like I was there all over again. Misty stepped over to me and placed a hand on my back. "You did well."

I responded with my head only as I tried to push those memories aside. Gregory was taking notes in his pad and reviewing the things he had written. It was a minute or so until he put them away. "I'm sorry that you had to recount that, but as I said it's only to ensure you don't remain here."

He took off his hat and placed it on his chest, bowing at me. "With that done, may ask you for a favor?"

"...A favor?"

"Can you please tell me about my son?"

"I second that. Though, I'm afraid, we must be brief, Gregory."

When the man stood up, there was no denying the unmistakable glint in his eyes. "I know."

Where could I start?

"Well..." I figured, I should skip the details about von Karma for his sake. "Miles is kind of a stick in the mud. He's obsessed with law still and he's on his way to reforming the legal system. Everyone thinks he's gonna be the chief prosecutor one day. And he's..."

"You can be honest. There is no need to sugar coat anything."

(I hate how he's reading me like a book. I suppose that runs in the family too.)

"He's one of the most genuine people I know. Even if he can be a bit of a nag and bossy sometimes. But he means well and always does the right thing. He's helped so many people...and so many people admire him. I'm no different. I...really admire him too. I've trusted him with my life and he didn't let me down...so what I'm trying to say really is that, he's a good person, Mr. Edgeworth. I'm sure if you saw him, you'd be proud."

The man pulled his hat down with a slight smile. "...I see. I'm glad. I always worried about him."

"Well, there's nothing to worry about. He even has friends! Crazy, right?"

"...To be honest, that was one of my concerns when he was growing up. He spent more time reading than talking to his peers."

(Once a dork, always a dork.)

"But thank you, Miss Lyn."

I nodded. "And well...Maya is pretty much my closest friend. She's cute and spunky, sometimes too hard on herself, but she always comes to the rescue. She's one of the kindest people I know. And strongest too. I miss her now that she's training to be master of the channeling technique...but I know she'll do it well. As for Mia, she's just...badass. There's no other way to put it. Even in death she's a huge source of inspiration. And I hope one day I could be that determined and confident about fighting for what I believe in. Suffice to say, your daughters came out great despite the in fighting of the Fey clan."

"Thank you. I have many regrets, but I'm happy to hear that, at least."

"Perhaps, one day, you'll see Maya for yourself."

"...To be fair, I already did. And I was happy for that moment, even happy to lay my life down to protect her," she smiled.

Something about that, brought chills down my spine. I could tell she really meant it. She loved Maya enough to die for her. Ignoring the dumb plan to begin with, but...still. It was genuine.

"Um...so can I ask you guys something?"

"What is it?"

"Well, why do you work together?" I asked. "I...heard about what happened with the DL-6 incident."

"Haha. It's truly in the past. Ultimately, Gregory and I weren't so different and I held no ill will towards him. After all, he simply would do anything for his child, to keep him safe, and that is something I now understand deeply. I only hope one day, my daughters will forgive me."

"In a sense, it my way of making amends," he said placing a hand on his hat. "I wanted to continue to help find the truth of things even here and Misty wanted to assist me."

"I like to think, I add a softer touch to Gregory's tough outer shell," she teased.

In response, the elder Edgeworth blushed. But he coughed in an attempt to cover it up. "Anyway, that said...we unfortunately, have to return to business."

He continued. "What's happening to your body currently is that, your heart is still beating, faintly albeit, but still beating. Your brain is another issue."

"My brain?"

Misty reviewed her book. "Yes, you spent about 5 minutes underwater without breathing. Oxygen failed to get to your brain as a result. However, there is a slight possibility you can wake up."

"But there is a catch," said Gregory. "There's an 87% chance that you've sustained brain damage, if you wake up."

I bit my lip. "And what would that do? How would it impact me?"

"It could be in a variety of ways. You might have issues speaking, you might hallucinate, you might lose motor function, memory loss...there are a number of things that could happen. Additionally, you sustained a bad concussion prior to drowning. That may have an effect on the damage as well."

"Please take a few minutes to think things over. We need to discussion something in private," Misty said gesturing to Gregory to leave the room. She opened up the door and held it open for the man following behind. In moments, the door was shut closed, leaving me to the terrible feeling rising from my stomach.

Great. Just great. Would it be worth it for me to return with those issues? How could I solve the mystery if I couldn't talk or walk right or didn't remember? But Klavier entrusted me with the note so...

No. I had to figure it out. He died trying to tell me something and it would be wrong of me to back out now. And I couldn't leave Miles without properly saying goodbye. I could imagine if he's found out what happened to me, how bad he'd be feeling.

I was going to get to the bottom of this and bring whoever killed him to justice. No matter what.

After a few more minutes, there was a knock on the door. I went over and opened up.

"I hope you took the time out to think about what you wanted," began Gregory.

"I did, I know exactly what I want to do," I said eagerly.

He nodded. "Good...because you're going to have to convince someone to make that decision."

"H-huh? Convince? Who do I have to convince? I thought it was my decision to make."

"You have a rather complicated situation-"

"Bah! There's no need to sugar coat it, lady," boomed an eerily familiar voice from behind the two of them. "It's easy. You're not making the decision because it should be my decision."

That person...pushed in front of the two towering figures in front of her. Her brown skin, long dark hair, the glasses, the black and white courtroom attire. It was then I understood.

"It's about time we met, wouldn't ya say?" she asked me arms folded.

"Of course," I said bowing my head. She was present. And more loud and clear than ever before. And it was time for her to make her own decision about the fate of her body.

"It's nice to finally meet you... Lyn."

Evidence:

Prosecutor's badge: With this, I can prove I'm a prosecutor. Dunno why we don't wear them on our lapels like defense attorneys though.

Magatama: Magical sacred charm that should allow me to communicate with Mia.

Klavier's note: It reads: remember 117691. As to what on earth this could mean, I don't know...

Profiles:

Maya Fey: Age 20. Probably my best friend at this point.

Miles Edgeworth: Age 27. My...partner in crime in a sense.

Detective Gumshoe: Age 34. The guy who's saved my hide more times than I can count.

Judge: Age ?. Oldtimer judge. No one knows his real name.

Mia Fey: Deceased. My spirit guide who pops by occasionally to give advice.

Phoenix Wright: Age 27. Pretty awesome dude. We make fun of Miles together.

Klavier Gavin: Deceased. A good kid who's life was taken prematurely.

Kristoph Gavin: Age 26. A terrible person. Has apparently gone mad?