A/N: Hey guys! Guess who's back! This is the start of Turnabout Corner. I hope you all enjoy it!

I also hope you guys don't mind EmaxApollo.

Review Reply to Gamergirl: I'm glad I have a few more planned then! I love seeing Apollo and Clay together as well. I hope I change Turnabout Corner enough to make it enjoyable for you!

Now, FORWARD!

Chapter Fourteen: The Quadruple Crime

June

I sighed, lounging across the couch, a Law Journal propped against my knees. It's been two months since my first, and only, case, and I was going out of my mind.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, who would want a lawyer from a place called the 'Wright Anything Agency?' And beyond that, what law firm would want to hire someone raised-slashed-mentored by the disgraced Phoenix Wright? I thought, turning the page. Even if I was the top of my class…

A sigh escaped me, and I dropped my head back against the arm of the couch.

"AHHH!" Trucy suddenly screamed from the other room. I launched off the couch, the journal flying and forgotten.

"Trucy!?" I yelled, running into the other room. She was standing at the window, sticking her head out.

"Hey! Get back here, Panty Thief!" she yelled.

"WHAT!?" I gasped, darting over and spotting the man she was yelling after, before running out the apartment, taking the steps three at a time to the first floor. I shot out the building and looked around, spotting the panty thief.

The tall, skinny man glanced back just as my eyes locked on him. I couldn't see much of his features, but I could see the fabric he held in his hand.

"HEY! YOU!" I yelled, taking off after him. He turned forward again, trying to run faster. I lengthened my own strides, pushing myself faster, suddenly thankful that Clay had gotten me to help him with his endurance training this last month.

The panty thief whipped around a corner into an alley way, and I followed him. A tiny part of my mind knew this was stupid. How did I know if the man was dangerous or not? But I didn't care.

This man disrespected my little sister.

There was a crash as the man knocked over a trashcan, into my path. I didn't have enough warning to jump it though, and slammed to the ground with a grunt as my legs hit it. I pushed myself up, winded, and to my feet, chasing after him again once I caught my breath.

I turned out of the alleyway, and stopped, looking around. I was in front of Eldoon Noodle's house, and the Meraktis Clinic. I walked slowly over to the open garage of the clinic and looked in. Inside was a green sports car… but no Panty Thief. Standing up straight, I looked around before letting out a frustrated sigh.

I lost him.

With a soft sigh, I returned back to the apartment. Trucy was pacing around the apartment, on her cell.

"Oh wait! He just walked in!" Trucy said, before darting over to me, holding the phone out.

"Huh?"

"It's Hickfield Clinic…" she said, her eyes wide. I noticed they were even glassy.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, reaching for the phone.

"D-Daddy… he—" More tears welled into her eyes, and I snatched the phone, suddenly feeling like I was submerged into ice water.

"Hello!?" I demanded.

"Hi, Mr. Wright? This is Nurse Esrun from Hickfield Clinic. We admitted your father about twenty minutes ago."

Dad!? He should have been walking to work, and…

"Mr. Wright?"

"I-I'm here. Dad, is he okay?" I gripped the phone tighter, pressing it closer to my ear. "He… what happened?"

"He's alright, Mr. Wright. His life is not in danger, and he admitted himself, to be honest," the nurse explained in a soothing tone. I relaxed.

"Alright. Thank you. We'll be there soon," I said, hanging up and giving the phone back to Trucy. I then put my hands on her shoulders.

"Dad's okay. He admitted himself, and his life's not in danger," I said. He shoulders slumped in relief.

"Good. I got really… scared," she admitted. I smiled slightly.

"Same here. Come on, let's get to the clinic," I said, leading her out and to my bike.

So… this is Dad's hospital… I thought as we walked into the room. Trucy had insisted on bringing Dad's toy, pink piano, so he could 'practice,' and I was holding a bottle of his favorite grape juice.

We had tied a wagon to my bike. I had never been so embarrassed, but thankfully, it was the middle of the night.

"Eh? Visitors are ya? Hrmm?" a voice suddenly said off to our left. Turning, I found myself face to face with an old man who was wearing a stethoscope and white doctor's coat. He had a large grin full of gaps between his teeth, and a pinkish-purple tuft of hair just above his forehead.

"Uh, yeah. Are you the… doctor?" I asked hesitantly.

"Ayup. Dr. Hickfield's the name," he said with a creepy laugh.

"Good morning, Doctor!" Trucy chirped.

"Oh, hiya there, girly. Aren't you cute!" he said with a huge grin, making a creepy motion with his hands. I wrapped an arm around Trucy, my eyes narrowing.

"Is… this Daddy's room?" Trucy asked in an oblivious tone that concerned me.

"Oh yah. 'Cept he's gone for a checkup. Be back soon. How're you, Miss? God any places you'd like… examined? Eh heh…" the 'doctor' asked. My arm tightened, and I opened my mouth.

"Doctor…" Dad suddenly said from behind us. I jumped slightly, looking back. Dad was standing behind us, his weight resting mostly on a crutch. "The nurse was looking for you."

"Why, it is isn't the Daddy o' the cutest lil' thing in town! Hrm. Hrmm. Guess I'll be off then. Eh he? Later, cutie," the man said before leaving.

"Wow," I scowled. "What an odd bird that guy was."

"Hey, kids," Dad said, limping over to the bed and sitting. He noticed the bottle of juice and piano and smiled. "How thoughtful. Thank you," he said with a warm smile, carefully lifting a bandaged foot onto the bed. Trucy and I pulled up seats.

"So… what happened, Dad?" I asked, my worry seeping into my voice.

"…Who could have imagined it?" he started, and I could sense that dramatic, storytelling tone creeping into his voice. "Me, victim of a hit and run…"

"A hit and…" my heart stopped for a moment before I stood. "You were hit by a car!?" I demanded.

"Oh, he tried to swerve, I'll give him that. Picture me tossed thirty feet through the air… only stopping when my head hit that telephone pole," Dad said offhandedly. I spluttered at that, able to perfectly imagine it.

"You hit a telephone pole with your head!?" I demanded. "Are you okay!?"

"Thankfully," he grinned at us. "My only injury was a sprained ankle," he said, waving a careless hand at his foot. I dropped back into the seat, suddenly emotionally drained.

Heh… he really is as luck as those stories made it seem…

"I was thinking, Apollo… it's about time you had a client again," Dad said. Now that I knew he was okay, that definitely caught my interest.

"A client!? Who?" I asked.

"Here, take a look at the map and I'll explain," he said, pulling a piece of paper from his nightstand and unfolding it for me. I leaned closer, studying it, surprised to recognize the streets right around the Wright Anything Agency. "Last night, I left and was heading to work, as you know. That's when it happened! The car sent me flying, nicked a telephone pole… and zoomed away. Creepy, huh?" he said.

"Just a tad," I admitted. "It's almost as creepy as hearing you tell the story like it was no big deal."

"The car sped off in this direction…" he said, trailing his finger along a road. "So, good luck!"

"…Huh?"

"You wanted a client, didn't you? Well, I'm you client! …Again. Find the guy who knocked me into that telephone pole!"

"Whoa, hold on, Dad! I'm a defense attorney, not a detective!" I protested.

"Don't worry. Once you've found the guy, I intend to sue him. Then you can stick it to him in court!" Dad replied.

"And I'm not thinking of a career change!" I protested. Dad laughed.

"Don't get so worked up, Apollo. It was just a joke," he said, and Trucy laughed as well. I huffed.

"Daaaaaaaaad…" I whined, causing them both to laugh harder. Once they calmed down, Dad shook his head.

"Actually, your real client will be stopping by the office in the morning," he said, growing serious.

"Alright, Dad," I said, shaking my head.

"…One more thing, Apollo? Could you look into my accident as well? I marked it on the map. It's right in front of your favorite park. Should be easy to find," he said. I sighed, but smiled slightly.

"Of course, Dad," I said, folding up the map and slipping it into my Court Record. He nodded.

"Good. Now, go home and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day," he said with a grin. I nodded, leaning over and giving him a hug. Trucy hugged him as well.

"We'll be back to visit tomorrow, Daddy. You get some sleep too!" she said, before we headed out.

"Hey, hey, hey! How long you planning on making me wait, eh!?" a voice demanded as Trucy and I walked into the office. We were running late this morning, but I didn't expect to find the door unlocked. Dad must have forgotten to lock it again. Inside was a very familiar older man with blond, noodle like hair, wearing a ramen-bowl as a hat.

"Ah! Good morning!" Trucy said brightly.

"Hey there, Trucy-doll. Pollo-boy. Sounds like your pops had a bit of a rough spot, eh?" he asked.

"Yeah, but he's okay," I said with a smile.

"All's well that ends well, I guess," Trucy added.

Wait… is he our client?

"Look at you, Pollo-boy! So much confidence now! Arms all crossed-like. Ready to fight!" he said with a grin.

"Yes, sir!" I said before realizing something. "You don't mean that literally, do you?"

"Your dad told you what I need, right? Don't let me down now, Pollo-boy!" he said. I grinned, uncrossing my arms and fist-pumping at my sides.

"Don't worry about your defense, Mr. Eldoon, I'm on it!" I said.

"Defense…? Your noodle half-cooked?" he demanded. "It's too late for defense! My castle's been stormed! My keep's been kept! My noodle stand's been stolen!" he lamented.

"What!?" both Trucy and I gasped.

"Yes… My noodle stand…" he sighed. "And after all the blood, sweat, and tears I've put into it this last year 'n' a half."

"That's… not that long, really," I said, crossing my arms thoughtfully. I never realized before how short a time it had been since Guy Eldoon opened his ramen shop for business.

"My family's been noodle men for generations," he said. "Got a lot of expectation on my shoulders. Fifteen fathers passing the noodle to fifteen sons."

"That's a pretty old noodle!" Trucy said brightly.

"Ew," I muttered at the thought of a fifteen generation old noodle.

"Aye, and fool that I was, I pushed it away. I rebelled against my pops, and picked another livelihood. But… that didn't turn out so well," Eldoon admitted.

"Oh," I said softly, feeling bad for the man.

"There was no denying it… Salty broth runs through these veins, boy!" he said.

"So, it was like destiny that you became what you are," Trucy said.

"Right, destiny's the word! Oh, I fought it… but in the end I was bound by the twisted noodle of fate!" Eldoon replied.

Not a mental image I care to linger on… I thought, reaching into my pocket and touching my deck of cards. Although… I hope I'm not bound by this… 'twisted noodle of fate'… I glanced over at Trucy.

"So, last year, I started my noodle stand. The fifteenth generation of Eldoon's Noodles!" Eldoon concluded.

"So, your stand was stolen?" I asked.

"Yes. It was last night… I was doing my round, blowin' my whistle," Eldoon said.

"It's line an ice-cream truck's bell!" Trucy said brightly. I snickered.

"Yeah, but louder," I added.

Eldoon chuckled at us. "Now you' re just trying to butter me up." He shook his head. "I closed my stand for the night and parked by the house. Them this morning, dark 'n' early… it was gone! My keep! My castle! Oooooh!" he groaned. I crossed my arms, thinking back to last night. I had been near his house, chasing the panty thief, but now that I think about it… his cart hadn't been there.

"Maybe some bum carted it off?" I asked. "Just guessing here."

"Well, I don't care who did it! Without that stand, I'm finished! All my noodle bowls were in there, too," he said, before I could suggest he just open another stand.

"That's the saddest thing I've heard all day," Trucy said with a sad sigh.

Well, yeah, but you just woke up an hour ago!

"You know it. Anyhows, that's the deal. Good luck!" Eldoon said.

"Good… huh? Wait… what exactly is your request?" I asked, confused.

"My noodle stand! Find it! And the day you bring my baby back is the day you feast on as many noodles as you want! Course I make it so hot 'n' salty, two bowls'd kill a man. Then I'd really need defense!" he said, chuckling at his own joke. Well… I hope it was a joke, for Maya's sake…

"Speaking of defense, you know I'm a Defense Attorney, not a detective," I said.

"This is the Wright Anything Agency, right?" Eldoon said, before shaking his head. You know where I live. Drop by if you need any info, 'kay? Get it back today if you can, Pollo-boy. I got noodles to make!" he said.

"Things have certainly taken a turn for the bizarre," I said, crossing my arms. "Traffic accidents, noodle stand thieves…" I looked at me sister. "And a panty thief."

"What's this? More thieving and skullduggery!?" Eldoon gasped, before looking at Trucy. "Your panties were stolen? That's a cryin' shame, that is, Trucy-doll."

"Wait a minute… he didn't break in to steal them, did he!?" I gasped.

"No. I washed them, and hung them out the window to dry… when a thief came and took them! My favorite panties!" she complained. A sneaking suspicion entered my mind, but I shoved it away for now.

"That's when I gave chase… but I lost him," I admitted.

"Without those panties, I don't know what I'll do…" Trucy sighed, making my suspicion stronger.

"A darn cryin' shame, yup," Eldoon sighed. He then shook his head.

"I'll be headin' home now. Remember, find my stand or there's an empty bowl in yer future, Pollo-boy!" he said.

"Alright," I said, mildly disappointed at the thought of not having Eldoon noodles ever again.

"And I know ye'll be helpin' out your little sis here," he added, patting Trucy on the shoulder.

"Of course," I said with a smile as he walked out.

"Well, things have certainly picked up, haven't they! We had no work yesterday, and now we have three cases!" Trucy said brightly.

"Yeah…" I sigh.

"Let's see where we stand!"

"Not in a courtroom," I replied. Trucy laughed at that.

"First is Phoenix Wright… Daddy's hit and run accident. We have to find the one who hit him!" Trucy said.

"So that he can sue him," I added.

"And the second item… Mr. Eldoon's request… to find his stolen stand," Trucy continued.

"Which we have to find. For both ours and Mr. Eldoon's sakes," I said, thinking once more about that ramen.

"And the last request is mine! To find my stolen panties!" she concluded. I scowled, punching my fist into my palm.

"That panty thief is going down," I growled. Trucy grinned, grabbing my wrist.

"Come on, Polly! To the streets!" she said, pointing towards the door. I chuckled, letting her drag me.

"Well, aren't you enthusiastic?" I asked. She grinned back at me.

"How could I not be!?" she demanded. "Let's crack these cases, you and me!"

The first place we went was the scene of the accident. To one side was an entrance to People Park, one I normally never used. There was a reason for that.

Across from the entrance, on the other side of the road, was a large mansion, protected by a large wall that was splattered with paint. Dad warned me to steer clear.

The park, however, was a bee-hive of activity. It was blocked off by police tape, with an officer standing guard over the entrance. A police bus sat a little down the road, and a second police officer was pulling an elderly, shouting lady off the fence, which she was apparently trying to climb over.

"So this is where Dad got hit by that car?" Trucy asked.

"Yep! Right across from the park," I said. I then turned to mansion. "Hrm…" I hummed, "almost feels like Chinatown…" I muttered, having gone a few times with Clay. There was a dragon painted on the wall, and paint splattered all over the gate. Trucy suddenly perked next to me.

"Polly! There's a nice-looking lady over there. Looing over, I spotted a short, chubby woman, dressed in a black and red kimono with what I'm guessing is supposed to be a nine-tailed fox on the bottom. She was sweeping up near the paint mess.

"Um, okay…" I muttered. What's happening in the park?

"Excuse me!" Trucy said brightly, catching the woman's attention. "Um, can we have a few words with you?"

"You want something?" the woman demanded. I shivered.

Whoa! That husky voice… why am I suddenly sweating? What did Dad tell me again…?

"That's quite a house you've got there! You must have a lot of money…" Trucy said with a grin, leaning towards the woman. I reached over, putting a hand on her arm to draw her back again.

"Whooooh. 'Money' sounds like something my son would call his friends. This is the Kitaki Family mansion, little girl," the woman said.

"Eh." Thee surprised noise escaped my slightly agape mouth, and a boulder dropped into my stomach. My hand tightened on Trucy's arm, but unfortunately, the woman's attention turned on me.

"You, kid with the hair. You want something?" she demanded in a vaguely threatening voice.

"Urk! M-m-me? No, not a thing! Bye!" I said, gripping Trucy's arm and starting to pull her away. She dug her feet in, pulling me to a stop.

"Polly! We can't leave without questioning her! What if she knows something!?" she demanded.

"B-but th-the Kitaki Family…" I all but whimpered. They're the biggest organized crime syndicate in town! It's no wonder Dad told me to steer clear of this entrance to the park!

"If you're going to ask something, ask it," the woman said, before looking to the side with a smirk. "If you're man enough."

"M-man… enough…?" I spluttered, before noticing the evil eye she gave me. "R-right!"

"Yay! Way to whip him into shape, ma'am!" Trucy said brightly. I looked at her incredulously.

Does she know no fear!?

"I'm Plum. Plum Kitaki. Wife of the fourth head of the Kitaki Family business. Friends call me Little Plum," Mrs. Kitaki said.

"I-I'm l-little Apollo Wright, attorney at law," I said with a gulp. If looks could kill, this woman would be a mass-murderer by now… I glanced over at the park again, this time noticing a woman watching the activity of the officers. She was about as tall as me (although wearing heels helps), with brown hair pulled up into a bun. She was wearing a frilly yellow and blue dress with a wing design on the front of the chest, and finally, a green scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Who's that!? She's looking at the park," I muttered, crossing my arms and studying her.

"She's pretty," Trucy said, playfully nudging my ribs with her elbow. I blushed slightly.

"Trucy!" I grumbled, rubbing my side. Trucy then looked over at the woman thoughtfully.

"I bet she has a story, you know?" she said. I shrugged.

"I dunno," I replied. Though… there is something about her. Too bad she's too focused on what's going on… I thought before turning back to Mrs. Kitaki. Trucy began talking before I could stop her.

"Little Plum? That's a really cute name for someone so…" she hesitated a moment, tapping her chin.

"Yes?" the woman demanded, adjusting her broom handle. I spotted a flash of metal between two pieces, and quickly put my hands on Trucy's shoulders.

"Wh-whoa!" I hissed.

"What is it, Polly?" Trucy asked, looking up at me.

"How about you go through me when talking to her, okay Trucy?" I hissed. Trucy gave me a confused look, crossing her arms.

"Huh? That seems like a bit of a needless procedure."

"I'm a lawyer," I said, giving her a pained look. "I live for needless procedures."

"Oh, little girl, you should know," Mrs. Kitaki said thoughtfully. "We're gangsters."

"Gangst… oh! That means you're the bad guys!" Trucy said brightly with an excited bounce. My stomach decided to join the gymnastics team.

"Trucy! Through me! Please! I'm begging you here!" I whimpered. Mrs. Kitaki laughed at that.

"The bad guys…" she said with a huge grin. "I like the sound of that!"

I'm going to need some warm tea after this…

"It takes a lot of hard work to protect a family fortune," Mrs. Kitaki admitted. "Things aren't as easy as they used to be for us 'bad guys.'"

"So, you're saying that business is in a slump?" Trucy asked curiously.

"There was a car accident here last night?" I asked before Mrs. Kitaki could answer. I really didn't feel like talking about 'business.'

"Last night…" Mrs. Kitaki mumbled thoughtfully.

"Of c-course you wouldn't know about it!" I said, grateful for an escape. "S-sorry to bother you!"

"Wait," she said before we could escape.

"Y-yes?"

"You're talking about that man, aren't you? The one who flew thirty feet and just walked away?" she asked.

Dad just… walked… away… wow.

"That's our daddy!" Trucy said brightly. Mrs. Kitaki laughed.

"I should've known! One of our Capos thought he'd make a great point man…"

"Capo? Point man…?" Trucy asked. I sighed softly, shaking my head, thankful for her innocence.

"Um, could you avoid using too much, er… industry lingo?" I requested. Mrs. Kitaki shrugged with a smile, before shaking her head at the mess.

"In any case, it's been nothing but trouble. I've been cleaning up this mess since morning! Bah!" she said with a scowl.

"Cleaning up this… paint?" I asked. "Was this paint spilled at the time of the accident?"

"It was around nine last night. I heard a crashing noise… and found your father drowning in a sea of paint," she explained.

Come to think of it, there was paint all over his hoodie…

"So you came to his rescue?" Trucy asked.

"You've my husband… the Boss to thank for that. The car that hit your father knocked over this paint… then turned the corner, and sped away. We're in the middle of repainting our wall, you see," she explained. I looked over, and shivered at the golden eyes of the painted dragon.

I'm sure that dragon is glaring at me…

"But why are you out here cleaning it up?" Trucy asked.

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Kitaki asked.

"I mean, aren't you a gangster?" Trucy asked brightly. My stomach began practicing its back flips. "Don't you have any 'goons' to do your dirty work for you?"

"Trucy, please! Go through me when you want to—" I cut off as the woman started laughing again.

"Don't be such a stiff, lawyer-boy. I suppose we gangsters do have a certain image…" she said thoughtfully. I hesitated, rubbing the top of my head.

"Well, Urm… yes," I admitted. Mrs. Kitaki smiled.

"But we're community-oriented gangsters, you see… The Boss likes to give back to the people, see?" she explained.

How noble of him…

"I availed myself of the public facilities to get rid of all the garbage… Now there's just the paint on the street to deal with," Mrs. Kitaki said.

Public facilities? I thought, looking over at the park, spotting a trash can. I wonder if she means that trash can… My eyes lifted to the entrance of the park. "Personally, I'm a little more interested in the park," I admitted.

"You know what I think? I bet they're filming a movie. Let's go take a look! Maybe we'll see someone famous!" Trucy said brightly, taking off for the entrance. The police officer spotted her and moved to intercept her.

"Hey, Miss! Stay out of the park!" he barked. Trucy backed off, looking sad.

"He got mad at me," she said softly to me. I sighed, shaking my head and patting her shoulder, before looking up.

"Um, did something happen here, officer?" I asked.

"Huh? Uh, no, move along, nothing to see. Why don't you kids go play someplace else?" the officer said. Shock rolled through me. I know I looked young, but… that young!?

"We're not kids and we're not playing!" I snapped. "I'm an attorney!" I started reaching up for my badge.

"Something wrong?" a voice suddenly asked. I looked up, and froze. She was older (after all, it was seven years since I'd last seen her), but she was unmistakable, with her long, brown hair, white scientist coat, and those pink glasses. I always wondered what she was up to, after meeting her at the court house all those years ago.

"Ah, Detective Skye! We're fine ma'am, nothing to report!" the officer said.

Detective…? She's a detective? And her name… it's Skye…

"Why's she wearing a lab coat?" Trucy asked. The detective didn't even look at us: instead, she was studying a vial from her bag.

"And… these kids are?" she asked. That stung a little.

I guess she doesn't recognize me…

"Curiosity seekers, ma'am. They claim to be 'lawyers,'" the officer said.

"Ah." She gave the vial a little shake. "Why don't your kids run along and play someplace else?"

I opened my mouth to protest, but I was still, for some reason, hurt by the detective not recognizing me. She gave me a cursory glance.

"Or I might spill something on that pretty face of yours. Want a dose of experimental Hydroxyacelunodosetrase?"

"…Come again?" Trucy asked. "What's this Hydroxy… stuff?"

"Does it matter?" I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Let's just go," I sighed, turning back to the Kitaki mansion.

"Try to keep out the riff-raff, if you would," the detective said. I glanced over my shoulder in time to see her disappear back into the park.

"Polly? You okay?" Trucy asked. I jolted slightly.

"Yeah? Why?" I asked.

"You seemed… hurt."

"I'm fine," I said with a smile. Trucy studied me for a moment, a knowing smile on her face, before she looked forward.

"Well… if we want more info, why don't we asked that nice woman across the street?" Trucy asked.

Oh yes, that nice woman… I stopped next to the trashcan. "Why don't we look in here first?" I said, peeking in.

"A detective's life sure is a hard one!" Trucy said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I'm an attorney, actua—" I started to remind her, before cutting off. "Huh?" I asked, standing, holding two things. A car mirror and a pair of slippers.

"Hmm. Two pieces of garbage with paint on them," Trucy hummed.

"These… are slippers. They look like those slipper you get at the hospital," I said, studying them first.

"Look at this, Apollo!" Trucy said, pointing at the mirror. "Doesn't this go on a car…?"

"It's a side-view mirror!" I said. "Looks like it was torn off when it smacked into something..." Something clicked in my brain. "Or someone…"

"Wait, you don't think…" Trucy looked at me with wide eyes.

"I do. This could be from the car that hit Dad!"

"Wow, and he took off its mirror? I never knew Daddy was so strong," Trucy said brightly. I nodded.

"Seriously. Well, the slippers are kind of useless. Ten to one, Dad was wearing his old flip-flops," I said, dropping the slippers back into the trash. "Let's take the mirror though." I slipped it into one of the evidence bags I normally carry, and put it in my bag. We then turned back to Mrs. Kitaki.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked hesitantly.

"What?" she asked, looking up from her sweeping.

"What happened in the park across the street?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, quite the commotion. 'Chicago Lightening,' as the Boss would say," Mrs. Kitaki said, putting a hand to her cheek.

"Chicago… huh?" Trucy asked.

"Gunfire," Mrs. Kitaki clarified. I nodded as though I knew the reference from the beginning. "Someone was killed. Strange circumstances, too."

"You're kidding!" I gasped.

"What a morning!" Mrs. Kitaki sighed. "Trouble everywhere. The park, the gate, even our house…"

"Did something happen at your house, too?" Trucy asked.

"A crime without honor!" Mrs. Kitaki snapped, adjusting the broom handle again. I definitely saw something metal this time. "Without remorse! It's a private matter…" she sighed, letting the broom go back to normal and putting a hand to her cheek. "Wanna hear about it?"

So much for private…

"Somehow I don't think 'no' is an acceptable answer, Polly," Trucy hissed.

"So… what happened at your house?" I asked.

"Bloomers. Last night," Mrs. Kitaki said, a hand still on her cheek.

"Eh." The small noise escaped me without conscious thought. I got a bad feeling about this…

"Me, Little Plum Kitaki, the victim of a panty-snatcher!" she exclaimed.

"Whaaaaaaat!?" Trucy and I both gasped.

"So it wasn't just my panties that were stolen!?" Trucy gasped, at the same time I said, "so he invaded your privacy too!?"

"Got you too, did they?" Mrs. Kitaki said. "Poor thing. Like I said, whoever did this is a hardened criminal," she hissed.

"Polly chased after him last night, but he never got a good look at him," Trucy said. Mrs. Kitaki looked at me appraisingly.

"Looks like you take after your father," she said, before shaking her head. "I've heard word that panties have been disappearing lately… and the missing panties all have something in common," she said.

Ew. I can't imagine Trucy's and Mrs. Kitaki's panties having much in common… I just imagined Mrs. Kitaki's panties…

"I know! We'll find your bloomers, too!" Trucy said.

"Great! Show me what you're made of," Mrs. Kitaki said with a smile.

So, what. We're up to… four cases now?

Just then, the girl in the yellow dress with the green scarf walked over.

That girl from before!

"Oh! Welcome home, sweetie," Mrs. Kitaki said with a smile.

"Ah, uh… hello, m-mother," she said.

She's a Kitaki, too!? I thought in shock.

"Uh, um, Miss! Miss!" Trucy said. The woman looked over in confusion, and Trucy held something out. "Here, our flyer."

"The… Wright Anything Agency?" the woman asked.

"Yes! So, um, this is our defense attorney, Mr. Apollo Wright!" she introduced. I looked over at her in confusion.

My sister can be so weird sometimes… scratch that. ALL the time…

"Attorney…?" the woman asked.

"Drop by our office! We'll be waiting!" Trucy said. The woman gave us a small smile.

"Ah… Good-bye," she said, rushing through the gate.

"Why did you give her our flyer?" I asked.

"I dunno. She seemed like she could use some help," Trucy replied.

"She's the heiress to a gangster dynasty! She doesn't need our help!" I said. Trucy smirked at me.

"I wouldn't bee so sure!"

"Huh?"

"Come on, Polly! Let's get to the scene of the Noodle Stand Theft!" she said, grabbing my wrist and dragging me away.

We slowed to a walk as we reached the front of Eldoon's house and the Meraktis Clinic. In front of Eldoon's house was a single noodle bowl, laying morosely on its side. I pointed it out.

"I can see a piece of evidence lying on the ground already," I said. Trucy's attention, on the other hand, was on the front of the clinic.

"Hey! Look, there's a police car parked over there," I said.

"You're right," I said, looking over at it. Just then, my eyes locked on the garage. "Hey, that's where the thief went!" I exclaimed.

"The panty-thief!?" Trucy gasped.

"Yeah!"

"Maybe that police car is here to find my panties!"

"…I… doubt it," I admitted.

"Well, there's only one way to be sure! Let's investigate!" Trucy said. Before she stepped forward, Eldoon came out of his house.

"Ah, there you are, Pollo-boy! Well, you find anything yet!?" he demanded.

"Er, um, no. Not yes," I admitted. He scowled, crossing his arms.

"The longer you loaf around here the saltier your victory bowl gets, just remember that!" he said.

This bowl of noodles is sounding less like payment and more like punishment… I thought.

"So, you stand, Eldoon's Noodles, was stolen…" I said, crossing my arms.

"Oh, it wasn't just the stand that was stolen, Pollo-boy! I lost those wobbly wheels, my salt-crusted stewpot, my stained sign… I didn't just lose a stand, I lost a legend!" Eldoon lamented.

"No one steals a legend and gets away with it on my watch! Let's find that legend, Apollo!" Trucy said seriously.

"Let's get some details first," I countered before looking at Eldoon. "Are there any more details you could give me about the stand?" I asked.

"You bed, sonny-boy! It happened last night… I was blowing my whistle like always, crying the town, I was. The smell of broth filled the streets… thick 'n' salty," he shook his head in reminiscence. "I got home, well, right before ten pm, I reckon."

Guess he's not aiming for that late-night market…

"I washed my bowls and gave the wheels a squirt of grease. Then I went inside," he concluded.

"When did you notice it had been stolen?" I asked.

"Around one in the morning last night. I always check on my stand!"

That's a three hour gap there…

"I'm washed up on the salty shores of ruination! That stand had my whole life in it… nay, my whole being!" Eldoon lamented once more, playing a riff on his harmonica.

"They took everything?" Trucy asked once he'd finished.

"All my soup stock, my noodles, my bowls… and my dreams!" he replied.

"At least they left one bowl. Look, there, on the ground," Trucy pointed.

"If you don't find that stand today… then I'll be forced to walk the streets, peddling that bowl…" he sighed. "My last bowl…"

"Please, I'm under enough pressure here as it is…" I groaned, slumping forward slightly. We decided to take that time to investigate the area for clues. The first thing I checked was a blue, plastic sheet.

"That's the place! Right there! That's where I kept my stand. Covered all nice 'n' purty with that blue tarp there!

"So you used this plastic sheet to cover your stand at night?" I asked. "I see…"

"You see? What? Did you figure out why it was stolen!?" Trucy gasped.

"Well… no," I said, glancing at her. "But it does suggest that the thief knew what he or she was looking for. They clearly knew what was under that sheet," I explained.

"So it wasn't one of those casual drive-by stand snatchers, you mean?" Eldoon asked. "Not bad, Pollo-boy. Not bad at all!"

I smiled at that, before turning to the bowl. I already knew it was his, so I just added it to my court record. When it doubt…

Not seeing much more in front of Eldoon's house, I turned to the clinic.

"I'd understand if there was an ambulance outside… but a police car?" I asked, studying the cop cruiser.

"Maybe they're tax evaders!" Trucy said brightly, making her way towards the building. An officer spotted her and stopped her.

"Ah, sorry miss. No going into the clinic today," he said.

"Did something happen? Trucy asked.

"Huh? Oh, no. Nothing to see here. Move along. You'll have to find someplace else to play doctor," the officer said, making a shooing motion with his hands.

Um… Ew. She's my sister! "We need a little more info on this Meraktis Clinic," I said.

"We could ask Mr. Eldoon. He is their neighbor and all. And we should check out that garace! What if the thief who stole my panties is still in there!?" Trucy asked. I sighed softly, not even bothering to answer that as I turned back to the noodle vendor.

"Hey, do you think something happened next door? There's a police car out front…" she said before I had the chance to.

"Feh!" Eldoon spat. "Probably gave someone food poisoning, I'll bet!"

Uh… he's a doctor. Not a food server…

"The police car got here this mornin', actually. I asked what they were up to, but they wouldn't even tell me, the neighbor! Feh!" he spat again.

"Hmm…" Trucy hummed.

"Not that I was surprised much. That doctor works for the wrong crowd. It was just a matter of time 'fore he got what was coming to him. Feh!"

"The 'wrong crowd'?" I asked. Eldoon looked between me and Trucy before shaking his head.

"Never you mind about that," he said.

After a little bit longer of searching, and not finding any evidence, Trucy decided it would be a good idea to sneak into the garage of the Meraktis Clinic.

"This is it. This is where that panty-snatcher ran," I said, looking around.

"Let's look for clues!" Clues… to a panty-snatching! Clues… like a pair of panties!" Trucy said. I chuckled softly.

That's optimistic… I thought. Something in the corner caught my eye. "Look, it's a folding ladder," I pointed out.

"Polly! That's called a 'stepladder!' C'mon, who went to college!?" she challenged. I smirked.

"…A stepladder? How is that different from a regular ladder then?" I asked innocently.

"It's a much more complex piece of machinery. It's like two ladders stuck together!" Trucy said in a superior voice.

"Oh… okay," I said, before putting a finger to my forehead. "So you admit that basically it's a ladder, right?"

Trucy's eyes popped open, and she looked at me. "Wait… huh?"

I grinned, wrapping an arm around her. "You have to look past the form," I said, motioning to the ladder. "At the essence of the thing."

"Er… can we talk about something else?" she asked, and I snickered, before turning and studying the green car taking up most of the room, letting my arm drop from around her.

"There's something about this car…" I muttered.

"Let's take a closer look!" Trucy said, still eager to change the topic. I moved closer myself, studying it.

"The tailpipe… that reminds me… I once read a record of a case that Dad worked on many years ago," I said. Trucy looked over at me with a smirk.

"You read the records for every case Daddy worked on," she reminded me. I rolled my eyes, kneeling next to the muffler.

"Apparently, there was this car with a piece of cloth shoved in the tailpipe," I said, pretending she didn't interrupt. "That piece of cloth turned out to be a vital clue to solving the case!"

"Wow!" Trucy gasped.

"I remember that case record whenever I'm checking out a car… and I always check the tailpipe!" I explained, dropping to one knee near the muffler.

"Everyone's gotta have a hobby, I guess," Trucy said. I shot her a dirty look.

"Wouldn't it be funny if…" I started, reaching into the pipe, before gasping, my fingers brushing against something silky. "Hey! There's something in here!"

"What!?" Trucy gasped.

"W-wait a second," I stammered, pulling out the cloth and instantly recognizing the powder blue with pink hearts. "Are these your—"

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Trucy squealed, causing me to flinch away from her. "My panties!" she snatched them from my hands.

"You're magic panties? Really!?" I replied, rubbing one of my ears. "You made me chase down a potentially dangerous, hardened criminal for you magic panties!?"

"They're one of a kind, Polly!" she replied, hugging the silky bloomers. "I don't know what I would have done without them!"

"I don't know… get new ones?" I replied.

"These panties are an extra-dimensional space. Anything can fit in there. I can't just get a new pair!" she retorted. I held up my hands with a sigh.

"Fine, fine. Not like I even know how the stupid trick works…" I replied. Or even want to know… "Well, that's once case closed, at least," I said.

"What are you saying!?" Trucy demanded. "We still have to catch the sly devil that ran off with the tool of my trade!"

I sighed. She's right, of course. And… this creep probably didn't know they were her magic panties, meaning he still disrespected her.

"Right. Well, lets continue looking around here for now. There's still something about this car," I said, standing and brushing the knee of my pants off, before walking slowly around the car.

I noticed something sitting on the floor, just behind one of the wheels. I stooped down, picking it up with an evidence baggy. "Look… a cell phone."

"Someone dropped it beneath this tire!" Trucy gasped. "If the car moved, it would be crushed for sure!"

"Hmm… I wonder if it belongs to the doctor here?" I suggested.

"We should bring it to him later!" Trucy said, and I nodded, putting it into my pocket.

"Hey! Look at that!" Trucy suddenly said. I looked up, seeing her pointing at the side-view mirror. Or.. where it should have been.

"The mirror's been broken off!" I gasped. Now this is a clue!

"What!?" Trucy demanded, looking at my face. "You're smiling like you know something I don't… you aren't keeping a clue from me, are you, Polly?" she demanded. I shrugged, not realizing a smile had spread across my face.

"I think I do have just the clue you've got in mind…" I said, pulling out the mirror. "My clue is this!"

"Whoa! It's the same color and size and everything! A perfect match!" Trucy gasped.

"And we found this in the trash in front of People Park," I said. "Covered in paint."

"That's right!" Trucy gasped.

"Well… looks like we've just solved a case," I said with a grin.

"So the car that hit Daddy last night…" Trucy started.

"…Is sitting right in front of us, yep," I replied.

"Wow. You put the 'pro' in 'professional,' Polly!" Trucy cheered.

"Gee, thanks Trucy," I replied, making note of it in my court record.

"Polly!" Trucy said brightly.

"Hm?" I asked, putting the book back.

"Now that we've solved this case, we should go report to Daddy! You know how much he'll mope if we leave him alone too long," she said. I snickered.

"That's true," I said, before sighing. Though there doesn't seem to be anything worth reporting with this case… I thought as we snuck back out of the garage, avoiding the police.

Dad was sitting on the bed, propped against the pillows. His sprained ankle was stretched before him. He hit something on the remote next to him, pausing the episode of one of the samurai shows he was in the middle of watching. I noticed a swaying tower of dvds next to the bed, and shook my head.

Looks like a certain spirit medium was here…

"Yo!" Dad called. "How goes it?" he asked.

"Daddy!" Trucy said, darting over in a swirl of blue cloak. "How do you feel?"

"Not bad, Trucy, not bad. It's good to have you young'uns on the case. Lets ol' Daddy-o get some well-deserved R-and-R," Dad said. I smirked, crossing my arms.

"Well, the elderly do need their rest," I quipped, getting an eye roll from him. "Seriously though, we've cleared up most of the cases."

"Good job, Apollo. I always knew you were competent and capable," he said with a warm smile. I grinned back. "Tell me what you found out, though I certainly didn't expect you back this early…"

"Polly's amazing!" Trucy said before I could get a word in edgewise. "He found my panties so quick! Almost like he was the one who stole them!" I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, I object to your statement. One: Ew. You're my sister! Two: You have an interesting concept of praise," I said. Her and Dad laughed at me.

"And? Did you find the mad driver who gave me that 30-foot toss?" Dad asked once we calmed down.

"Apparently… it was a doctor," I said. "From the Meraktis Clinic."

"Hmm… Meraktis, eh? I've heard of him. Nothing good, mind you," Dad said. I jumped slightly, just remembering something.

"That reminds me, a police car was parked outside the clinic," I said.

"Maybe something happened? Trucy asked, though Dad fell quiet. Thoughtful. I looked at him.

"What is this Meraktis Clinic anyway?" I asked.

"All I've heard are the rumors," Dad started slowly. "That clinic's been making good money… in a bad way."

"Bad…?" I asked, remembering Eldoon mentioning something like that.

"Ties to organized crime… The Kentucky Family," he said, looking away. I caught a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Um… the Kitaki Family?" He totally did that on purpose!

"Some injuries you can't take to a public hospital, see," Dad explained. "They use the Meraktis Clinic for their patch-up jobs."

"Interesting…" I hummed. Guess that would explain the police…

"Speaking of police, it looked like something had happened in that park," Trucy said.

"Ah," Dad said. "A body was found there in unusual circumstances…"

"Something more unusual than being dead?" I asked, arms crossed.

Dad was silent for a moment, looking away to the side. "It's not our concern, in any case," he finally said.

"Right! Let's ignore that and find that noodle stand!" Trucy said brightly. I sighed.

What ever happened to professional curiosity…?

"Thanks, really," Dad said. "If I get tired of sleeping, maybe I'll head down to this Meraktis place. Maybe hit 'em up for some reparations… a little legal action would do me some good," Dad laughed. I shook my head.

He totally misses this life… I thought as I waved while we walked out. Trucy and I decided to go back to the office to plan our next move in finding the noodle cart.

When we got there, though, a familiar face was waiting outside of the office.

"You… you're the woman from the Kitaki place!" I gasped, recognizing that yellow dress and green scarf anywhere.

"Y-yes…" she said softly, stepping aside to let me unlock the door. Inside, I quickly moved some of Trucy's props off the couch, offering her a seat. She smiled weakly, sitting.

"Tea?" I offered.

"N-no… thank you," she said politely.

"I knew it!" Trucy suddenly exploded. "Something's the matter and you want our help, right? Well, you've come to the Wright place! We're here to take your troubles away!" Trucy said. I shook my head slightly.

"Um… thank you. My name is Alita Tiala. I… have a request," she said.

"Let me guess, something's been stolen?" I sighed. With how this day has been going…

"Um, your flyer… it says 'now defending' so I thought…" she trailed off.

"Whaaaat!?" I gasped. "You mean, you mean you want me to defend you!?" I gasped, excitement rolling through me. "Me?"

"Maybe you can tell us what happened? Were you hit by a car? Did someone steal your stand? Or your panties?" Trucy asked. Alita looked confused for a moment.

"No! No… I'm not the client, actually. The client would be my… well, my fiancé, I supposed you'd call him," she said.

"Fiancé…? What happened to him, then?" I asked, forcing myself to calm down.

"He was arrested this morning. They charge… was murder."

"Murder…" Trucy breathed.

"Have you heard about what happened at the park?" Alita asked.

But it's not our concern, Dad, I thought smugly. "Wh-what happened?" I asked.

"I haven't been told all the details. But I do know a body was found in the park. Near the Kitaki Mansion," Alita explained, while I took notes.

"There were a lot of police cars there," Trucy mused.

"Apparently, the victim was shot with a pistol… But I hear the circumstances of the shooting were… rather unusual," Alita continued. I nodded. After all, Dad had said the same thing.

"And your fiancé was arrested for this?" I asked. Alita nodded.

"Um… what sort of person is your fiancé?" Trucy asked.

"To that end, what about you?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. "What's your story? You frequent the Kitaki Mansion, yes? Are you a member of their, um… organization?"

"No…" Alita said thoughtfully. "Not yet."

"Not yet?" Trucy asked.

"You see, I'm to be married next month," Alita explained. "To the boss's son."

"The boss's son…? So he's a., uh…" I gulped. A gangster…

"Yes, but the Kitakis are locally responsible gangsters," Alita said. "I thought it'd be nice for a change… quite my boring ho, live the good, gangster life…" she sighed.

Sounds more like you just want the life, not that you're in love with Wocky…

"I think you're on to something!" Trucy said, bouncing up and down. "'Ms. Kitaki'… I like the sound of that!"

"No." I shut her down before she could even continue.

"So, your fiancé is the Kitaki Family's only son, correct?" I asked, getting back on track.

"Yes. His name's Wocky. Wocky Kitaki… I brought a photo," she said, pulling a picture from her bag.

A young man, wearing a pink and yellow jacket over a Bad Badger shirt, smiled at the camera, twirling his orange bangs around his finger. I recognized the background as People Park.

"Well. That's… quite the photo," I said reminded of a big teddy bear rather then a gangster.

"I know!" Alita tittered. "Oh, he can be powerful and menacing, but so cute!"

"But if he's the boss's only son…" I trailed off.

"Yes, I'm sure he'll take his father's place some day," she said, getting a little more serious.

"Say, I'm a boss already! Of this agency!" Trucy said brightly.

"Puh-lease," I replied, and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"Please help my Wocky! Please!" Alita pleaded. I grinned with a determined nod.

Right! My first solo defense case! Crime boss's son on not, I'll prove he's innocent! I thought.

"I… prepared a letter of request. I know you need those," Alita said, holding out the letter. I took it with another nod.

"Thank you," I said.

"Right! Let's go check out the scene of the crime!" Trucy said.

"One moment. Let me go grab something," I said, disappearing into the back and grabbing something I hadn't worn in years. I carefully flattened it and put it into my bag. This will come in handy later, I hope.

I returned to the front and grinned at Trucy.

"Let's get this started!" I said, leading her out. I pulled out my phone.

'Guess who just got their second case!' I sent to Clay.

'Who's your client!?'

'Wocky Kitaki. Murder charges.'

'Wait… what!? How's your dad feel about that?'

'Er… he doesn't know… he's not back from the hospital yet…'

'The hospital!? What's happened!?' Clay demanded.

Whoops, I thought, before spending the entire walk to the Detention Center explaining through text what's happened since last night.

Unfortunately, my new client was in questioning when I got there. So, we headed towards the scene of the murder instead, though I decided to swing by the clinic first to check on Dad.

Once again, he was watching those silly samurai shows. He paused it when we walked in.

"Ah, you're back! Run into some problems?" he asked.

"Oh, Polly, didn't you want to tell Daddy something?" Trucy asked before I could say anything.

"Who? Me? No! I'm fine. Really," I said. What problem would I have?

"What's this? So there is a problem?" Dad asked, looking between the two of us in confusion.

"No, no problem," I said, making a placating motion with my hands, before grinning. "Actually, I got a defense request!"

"A defense request!?" Dad gasped, before looking away, rubbing the back of his neck. "That is a problem…" he sighed.

"Huh…?" I was confused. What does he mean, 'that is a problem'!? This'll put food on the table!

"I've given up the court. I'm not a lawyer anymore," he said. I stared at him for a moment.

"The request was for me!" I said.

"Oh, right. You're a lawyer, aren't you?" he asked innocently, looking up at me.

"Daaaaaaaaaad!" I groaned, while Trucy giggled. Jerk! Even dad grinned at me, before looking thoughtful.

"So, what's the defense request?" he asked.

"It has to do with the murder in People Park," I explained. "We were on our way to the scene of the crime, since our client is in questioning, but decided to stop here first," I explained. Dad opened his mouth, but was cut off.

"And did you tell him who your client was?"

I turned to see Clay coming further into the room, a look of mixed amusement, anger, and worry on his face.

"Hello, Clay. I was just about to ask, actually," Dad said. I sighed, knowing if I didn't say it, Clay or Trucy would.

"Wocky Kitaki…" I admitted.

"What!?" Dad gasped, sitting forward, staring at me. "Seriously!?"

"Yes," I said. Dad groaned, flopping back.

"I hope he's truly innocent, and that you prove it, Apollo," he said.

"Seriously. I'd hate to see how the family would react if you lost…" Clay added, giving a shudder. A cold sweat started to build on the back of my neck.

"I don't think it'll be all bad!" Trucy said brightly. "After all, Little Plum seemed nice!"

I groaned again, suddenly feeling a lot more pressure then before. Clay sighed, wrapping an arm around me and Trucy.

"Too late to back out now, I suppose. Come on, let's go investigate," he said. I looked up at him in shock.

"You're going to help?" I asked.

"Yeah, why not?" he said, flashing a grin at me. I smiled back, while Trucy cheered.

"Bye, Daddy! We'll be back later!" she called.

In front of the blocked off entrance to the park stood a motorbike, purple, with an oddly familiar, stylized… G? 6? On the side.

So this is it… my first murder crime scene that I get to investigate!

"Ah, it's you kids again. With a friend. Look, can't you find some other place to play?" the officer pleaded. Clay looked surprised for a moment before snickering.

"We're not playing!" Trucy snapped. "We're um, 'investigating!' Aren't we, Polly?" she asked. I pulled Alita's letter from my pocket.

"Sir, I have a letter of request here," I said, handing it over.

"Letter of—huh?" the officer gasped, studying it. "Why does it say 'hit request' on it?" he demanded.

"Ugh… Alita must have used the Kitaki stationary," I muttered. Clay patted my shoulder sympathetically.

"Excuse me, coming through," an all too familiar voice said. My head snapped up, and I spotted a blond man coming towards us.

He looked exactly like Kristoph Gavin, but that's not what bothered me the most. It was him. The prosecutor who resided over Zak's trial… and who made Dad loose his badge. His hair was longer, and he now wore a purple suit jacket, but he still wore a handful of rings and that stupid chain around his neck.

"Ah! It's you! Mr. Gavin!" the officer exclaimed. He flashed a smile at the officer, before noticing my eyes on him.

"I must say I'm used to being inspected by the ladies… But this is the first time I've felt this way with a man," he said, leaning way too close to my face. I took half a step back, my eyebrows drawing together, while Clay snorted softly. Trucy, on the other hand, was staring at the man, and his attention turned to her.

"Ah, Fraulein. What is a sweet morsel like you doing in such a dismal place? Can I help?" he asked.

"Y-yes! The police man officer fellow here won't let us in! We even have a letter of request!" Trucy explained.

"You must be exhausted, standing out here! I will take you to the scene of the crime," Gavin explained.

"Oooh! R-really!?" Trucy asked brightly.

Gavin turned to the man in front of the entrance. "By your leave, Officer."

"Ya… yes sir!" the man saluted. "Of course, sir!" He moved aside to let us through.

Gavin chuckled, putting a hand on Trucy's back. "Very well. This way, Fraulein," he said, propelling her forward gently.

"Whee!" Trucy squealed.

"Hey! What about me!?" I demanded, jogging to catch up with them., Clay at my side. He touched my arm.

"You okay? You looked pretty pissed back there," he said.

"He… prosecuted Zak," I said, and a look of understanding dawned on his face.

"Oh."

The man chatted with Trucy the entire time, until we reached the center of the park.

"On that note, enjoy your investigation," he said, turning to leave.

"Thank you!" Trucy called. "Will we see you again…?"

"As the wind, Fraulein. I'll be riding on it!" he said, walking away. I crossed my arms with a scowl, rolling my eyes.

"Gross," I hissed. Clay chuckled at me again.

Trucy suddenly screamed from next to me, making me jump a foot in the air. "Apollo! Clay! Look! A c-corpse!"

"Whaaaaaat!?" I gasped, whirling around, before stopping, studying what she thought was a corpse.

"Hey, it's just a mannequin," Clay said.

"Wow. It sure got me."

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat from behind. I turned, and my heart skipped a beat.

It was the detective.

"Might I ask exactly what it is you're doing here?" she said, before glancing at us over a bag of Snackoos. "Oh, it's you. How did you kids get in here?" she demanded.

"Oh! This guy, well, he was more like a prince really. He let us in…" Trucy said. I, on the other hand, stepped back slightly, pulling something from my bag.

"Him again," Detective Skye growled. "That Glimmerous fop, always getting in my way… Anyway! This scene is off limits," she said.

"But we have a letter of request!" Clay protested, while Trucy held out Alita's letter.

When did she get that!? I thought, adjusting the fabric over my shoulders. Thankfully, it still fit.

"…Hmm. One moment," she hummed, taking the letter and pulling out a magnifying glass, studying it. I moved forward again, ready. Trucy glanced over at me, and gasped in surprise… and happiness. Clay also looked over, and smother his laughter. I quickly elbowed him in the ribs and put a finger to my lips.

"I'd recognize that handwriting anywhere. Scientific analysis says this was written by Alita Tiaila," she said, looking up and handing the letter back. Her eyes locked on me, and grew wide. "You!" she gasped, putting a hand to her cheek. I grinned, taking the letter back.

"I thought you might recognize me better like this," I said, motioning to the crimson, Gramarye cloak and silk hat I now wore.

"Of course! How could I forget you?" she asked, grinning at me, before growing serious. "Although… I always wondered what happened to you. After the Gramarye case, you… disappeared," she said softly. I shrugged, though her hand slipping into her pocket didn't escape my notice.

"The Gramaryes broke up," I admitted. "And after our… father vanished from court, Trucy and I got adopted," I explained, motioning to my sister as I said her name.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Trucy demanded.

"We met once, in front of the courthouse during the Gramarye case," the detective said. "Apollo did a magic trick for me," she added with a grin.

"Seems that was always his favorite ice breaker. That's how him and I met, too," Clay said. I shrugged, before looking up at the detective.

"Though I never got your name," I said, not letting this chance slip by. She looked at me in surprise.

"No? I'm sorry! It's Ema Skye," she said with a smile. I grinned back, before looking around.

"So… what's up with the mannequin there?" I asked, fidgeting with the brooch of my cloak. I figured it was time to get back down to business. The mannequin was odd. It looked to be pulling the cart, after all.

"It's taking the place of the body, preserving the scene of the crime," Ema explained.

The body… was pulling the stand!?

"What does the great magician Apollo Gramarye care though?" she asked, looking at me curiously.

"I'm no longer the great magician Apollo Gramarye," I admitted, turning back to her and pulling the collar of the cloak down to reveal my badge. "I'm the defense attorney, Apollo Wright."

"Wright!?" she gasped, before shaking her head. "No… it couldn't be…" she muttered, before looking at us. "So, you're a defense attorney now? I'm a detective, the one in charge of this crime scene," she said, her mood turning sour.

"She doesn't seem that happy about it…" Trucy hissed. I nodded, wondering how the moody woman who was, once again, snacking on Snackoos, had once been the bright-eyed girl I met seven years ago. She looked at us once more before sighing.

"Wright… as in… Phoenix Wright?" she asked. I smiled.

"Yeah. He adopted us," I explained, before looking confused. "You act as though you know him though…"

"I do. He helped me out of a tight spot, probably about ten years ago. Truthfully, he saved my life. I was hoping to visit him, but… I'd heard he'd giving up law…"

"In a way," I replied. Ema shook her head.

"Well, let's get down to business. I'll help you in any way I can!" she said. I smiled warmly.

"Okay.

"Well, why don't we get to know you better, first," Clay said smoothly, wrapping an arm around me. "What's your story?"

"Who? Me? I'm just a supervisor for this crime scene," she said. Clay nodded.

"Go on," he said curiously. I felt like kicking him.

"Well, I was out of the country for a while. I cam back to be a forensic scientist," she explained.

"Ooh! Where you studying abroad?" Trucy asked brightly.

"Something like that," Ema admitted. "I was studying in Europe. Forensic sciences, mind you. But when I got back here, they threw me in criminal affairs! Just like that!" she complained.

"Why didn't you just become a forensics expert in Europe?" Trucy asked.

"Well, I suppose that was an option, but… I had a lot of favors to repay to people back here," she explained.

"Like Mr. Wright," Clay said.

"Right. Plus, I was… er… hoping for a few performers to make a comeback," she added, and I noticed her hand was in her pocket again.

What's in there that's so important to her? I wondered. I then shook my head.

"Well, back to business. What can you tell us?" I asked her.

"The report came in late last night. The body was found much as you see it now… except it was a real body," she explained.

"But… why?" Clay asked.

"Why was a body pulling a noodle stand?" Ema asked before shaking her head. "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't still be here."

"Well, what was the cause of death?" I asked.

"A bullet wound, to the temple. He was shot by a pistol," Ema said.

"A pistol?" Trucy asked.

"Not the easiest thing to come by in this day and age," the detective replied.

Unless you're a cop… or a gangster.

"Incidentally, the victim's name was Pal Meraktis. I just received the autopsy report, in fact," she said, handing my a copy. A boulder dropped into my stomach as I recognized the name.

That would explain the police there earlier…

"I mean, really! What's up with this case!?" Ema demanded. "It's enough to make me want to runoff, pulling a mysterious noodle stand behind me."

"No so mysterious, actually. Polly, this is Mr. Eldoon's stand!" Trucy exclaimed.

"What!?" I gasped, moving around the detective and studying it. Sure enough, she was right. "Oh, Jesus…"

First Dad get's hit, by the victim, no less, then we find Trucy's panties in the muffler of that same car. Now we find the noodle stand at the scene of a murder… being pulled by the victim… these are all connected…. But how?

"Hey, look, a knife!" Clay suddenly said. I turned to see him standing near one of the blue tarps.

"A 'shiv' to be precise," Ema said, walking over.

"Ooh… lingo!" Trucy said brightly.

"The defendant, Wocky Kitaki, is the son of known gangsters. The police are assuming this belongs to him," Ema explained.

Wait, but wasn't the murder weapon a pistol…? I leaned closer, noticing something. "Huh? Look at this, there's a handprint on this shiv," I said.

"A handprint? Then there might be a fingerprint!" Ema sounded excited. "Let's investigate!" she said, pulling a small bottle of white powder and a brush from her pocket. "This is fingerprint powder," she explained, handing the three of us a pair of gloves, and giving me the powder. "First, find a fingerprint."

"How about this one?" Clay asked, pointing to one.

"Hm… I don't know…" she muttered.

"This one looks more complete," I said, pointing to a different one. Ema looked at it.

"Ah! You're right!"

Wow, she's practically glowing with excitement… I thought, watching the detective.

"Okay, focus, Apollo. First, sprinkle some aluminum powder over the print. The oil left by the print absorbs the aluminum powder, so you just dust it on, and blow it off!" she explained.

"B-blow?" Trucy asked.

"It's like whistling. You know how to whistle, don't you? Just put your lips together…" Ema explained, puckering her lips to give us an example.

"Go ahead, Polly. Put your lips together," Clay said slyly. I stepped on his foot, and he hissed. I then looked down at the knife.

"Alright, let's give this a shot," I said, carefully sprinkling a layer of the dust onto the fingerprint. Once I was sure it was covered, I carefully blew the excess dust off.

"Wow! Amazing! It's like magic!" Trucy breathed once a crystal clear fingerprint appeared. Ema chuckled.

"Isn't it though?" She then looked closely. "Hmm… good… clear… Quite impressive!" she complemented, looking up at me with a grin. "Next, to match the print. The police office has samples so you can tell whose finger this print belongs to," she explained, pulling out a file.

"Hmm…. That doesn't sound like as much fun as actually finding the print," I chuckled. Ema grinned, opening the file and showing it to me.

"Ok, pick the person whose print you think this is. You probably have a good idea whose knife this already is," she said. I studied the profiles, before sighing.

"So… the fingerprints do belong to the defendant," I said once I was sure they were a match.

"Yes! Isn't it amazing? Ah, the power of science. It's my life," she said, her grin nearly too big for her face.

"Apollo, she's…sparkling," Trucy muttered.

"And I'm dimming," I replied.

"Look sharp, sprits up!" Ema said encouragingly. "The real fight is yet to come!"

"Chin up, Apollo!" Clay said, clasping my shoulder.

The trial hasn't even started and I'm already losing… I thought as I added notes about the knife to my court record. I then looked around, wondering as to what to do next.

"Hey, look, a trashcan!" Clay suddenly said. "Don't all good detectives get their best clues from trashcans?" he asked. I groaned at that, but then remembered how I found that mirror in the first trashcan.

"Yeah…" I groaned, moving forward and peeking in.

"You and your trash cans!" Trucy said, who evidently hadn't heard Clay. "Go ahead, knock yourself out."

"Please, can't you see I'm doing my…" I froze, my brain taking a moment to process what I was seeing. "Huh? L-look! Another pair of underwear!?" I gasped.

"Wow, Polly! You're a genius at finding panties!" Trucy said brightly, causing Clay to burst out laughing. I blushed brightly, know his mind jumped back to a certain incident in college including a dare and a panty-raid I refused to partake in.

I was finding panties all over my side of the room for weeks after that.

"S-stop saying that!" I snapped, causing Clay to laugh harder and Trucy to look really confused. I was glad Ema wasn't in earshot. I looked at them again. "Wait, these aren't…" I trailed off.

"Th-they're not mine!" Trucy exclaimed.

Could these have been stolen too? I wondered, adding them to my Court Record. I then turned back to Ema.

"Why are you blushing…?" she asked. Clay snickered again, only for me to step on his other foot.

"Ow!" he hissed.

"No reason," I said, pulling out my notebook. "Could you tell us a bit more about the victim?

"Well, let's see…" Ema mused. "Apparently he's the physician at a clinic in the area. Quite well off, too, from the sound of it. The Clinic's name is… the Meraktis Clinic," she explained.

"Hmm… maybe that's why the cop car was parked there?" Trucy asked.

"What? You've been to the clinic?" Ema asked.

"Well, the owner of the noodle stand lives right next door," I explained.

"Ah, right. The case of the stolen noodle stand." Ema shook her head. "So that means… Dr. Meraktis stole the stand and pulled is all the way here?" she asked.

"That would seem to be the case…" I replied.

"But… why?" Clay asked.

"Don't ask me!" I said. I then shook my head with a sigh, turning back to Ema. "Um… could you tell us a bit about the defendant? He's the only son of the Kitaki Family, yes…?" I asked.

"Wocky Kitaki," Ema said, studying her notebook. "I don't know if he is the boss's son, but he's certainly throwing his weight around… violently. In the detention center."

"I see," Trucy said.

"Why was he arrested in the first place?" I asked. Ema studied me.

"You are a defense attorney now, aren't you?" she mused, and I nodded. "You're not his, by any chance?"

"Er, actually… yes, I am," I said. A look of pity flashed across Ema's face.

"Well, we have a witness to the moment of the crime," she sighed.

"Eh…?" I asked.

"The witness called the police. They'll be testifying during the trial tomorrow," she finished.

"Whaaaaaaa-!?" Clay gasped. My stomach dropped to my feet, remembering Dad's reaction when he found out who my client was.

I was doomed.

"So, have you met the defendant?" Ema asked.

"Ah. Uh… No," I admitted.

"Visiting hours are almost over at the detention center. You might think about wrapping up here and heading over," she said. There was an odd tone to her voice, but I couldn't place it.

"Good idea," I said, before sighing. "I don't know what good it'll do. We have a witness and a knife with prints… I've got a bad feeling about this…" I grumbled.

"Don't worry," Ema said with a grin. "It's like a Wright tradition."

"You should know that from reading all of Daddy's case files!" Trucy said brightly. I just groaned, allowing her and Clay to drag me along.

"I'm sorry. Meeting hours for the day are all done," the guard said as we walked into the visitor's room. On the way there, I had pulled my silk hat and cape off, putting them back in my bag, happy it worked.

I didn't feel quite so hurt anymore.

"But we still have three minutes!" Clay argued.

"I'll put in your request, but don't expect anything. The father's talking in the private room with him," the guard said.

"The father? You mean like a priest?" I asked.

"I mean the suspect's father, Mr. Winfred 'Big Wins' Kitaki himself," the man said, and I noticed he was looking a little pale.

Not someone I care to meet…

"…Die you-!"

"…You're the one on your way out, old-!"

The four of us sat in silence for a moment, before the guard looked at the door. "Ah. They're here…"

Just then, a large, tan man in a black kimono barged out.

Whoa! This guy radiates power! I thought, before noticing more about him. Power… with a cute apron? I wondered, studying the bright, cheery yellow apron with an adorable chibi fox on the front. Clay coughed softly, and I elbowed him.

"You Wocky's lawyer?" he growled.

"Y-yes, sir!" I said, all but saluting to the man.

"Well, I'm Big Wins Kitaki, fourth head of the Kitaki family… Capice?" he said.

"Er… actually, I came to speak to your son…" I said in a voice uncharacteristically soft for me, peeking around him to see if I could see the boy.

"…Mr. Wright," the man growled.

"Yes?" I whimpered, standing up straight again.

"My son's innocent. He killed no one. If he were found guilty… it wouldn't be good. Capice?"

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"Y-yes! I'm all about capicing! Capice'd loud and clear!" I… squeaked.

"You gotta do more than just understand to make it," he growled. "You'll learn, though. Even if the lesson comes at the end of your short life."

The room spun around me, and my stomach rolled. I don't feel so good… why'd I take this job again…?

Just then, the boy from Alita's picture stepped out of the room.

"What's the big idea, old man! You can't treat me like a kid no more, not now! You know I… I… I wanted to go to the clink! I like it here!" he growled.

"You… must be Wocky?" I said, forcing a smile. After all, Dad always said that a lawyer gives his biggest smile at the darkest of times.

"A G's not a G till he does hard time! Bizzoooy! You'll see. When I get out of here, things'll change!" Wocky said, crossing his arms.

If it wasn't for the fact that he was basically incriminating himself, I would have found him funny.

"Silence!" Mr. Kitaki snapped, before looking at me. "My apologies, Mr. Wright… He's usually such a nice boy."

Forgive me if I have a hard time believing that…

"Ha! You can't take me under your wing this time, old man! You heard me! I dn't need no trial! I did it!" Wocky said. My stomach rolled again at these words, remembering what Mr. Kitaki had said moments ago.

"…I think that's enough for today, Mr. Wright. Don't let me down tomorrow," he said. The guard lead Wocky back to his cell, while Mr. Kitaki left. Looking around, I noticed Clay and Trucy peeking in through the door.

"Thanks for having my back," I grumbled, walking over. They just smiled innocently at me.

"He's scary…" Clay muttered.

"You think!?" I demanded, taking a deep breath as we excited the detention center. "So much for talking to our client…"

"But we made so much progress today! We even found my panties! I had fun, at least," Trucy said.

"Of course, the biggest mystery of all remains," I muttered, ignoring her. How am I supposed to build a case for the trial!?

"Oh, almost forgot, it's time for my show at the Wonder Bar! Mr. Winks misses you, Polly. You should come!" Trucy said. I sighed.

"Can't. I have to focus on the case…" I replied. Clay grinned, slinging an arm around me.

"No worries. I'll help you, Polly," he said. I rolled my eyes at the nickname as we began to walk back to the office. "So, Apollo," he asked.

"Hm?"

"What do you think a that detective?" he asked slyly.

"Wh-what!?" I spluttered.

A/N: And this is where I shall end. I added Clay in after the fact, so I had to go back and edit, hehe.

Any guesses as to what Ema kept playing with in her pocket?