Hey kids. :P

This is kind of a short chapter... bear with me here. Lots of updates in the next few days. I intend to finish this story before 2010. And yes, there will be a sequel, which will cover the events of Ace Attorney Investigations and Apollo Justice. Maybe we'll have news about AA5 by that time, too!

Here you go. Hope you like it! :D

Chapter 17

February 9

2:43 P.M.

Dusky Bridge

"How are you feeling, Wright?" Edgeworth asked, having met Phoenix at the bridge.

"Eh, not perfect, but well enough to finish the case," he replied, shrugging a bit. "Thanks for your help."

"It was nothing, really. I found it rather… interesting."

The two stood in silence for a while before Edgeworth cleared his throat. "Well, I'm going to check the background information of the defendant… I'm sure that I've seen her somewhere before…"

Phoenix made a noncommittal noise as Edgeworth took his leave, shivering a bit from the cold. 'Of course he would think that… after all, she does look just like the witness to his first case…' With this thought, he decided to investigate by the temple's entrance.

February 9

2:46 P.M.

Hazakura Temple Entrance

"Man, it sure is great to see you again, Franny! I thought our lovely relationship had been destroyed!"

"Shut up, you fool. I had hoped never to see your foolish face again. How unfortunate that I must deal with you now."

"Aw, c'mon, Franny! Don't be like that! And why didn't you let me sketch you in court today? Such a visage of beauty should not go unrecorded!"

Larry soon had another whiplash mark to add to his collection. He continued anyways.

"And I'll write a book about you, and call it Franny's Whip-Lash Splash! It'll be great! Please model for me?"

"I said NO, fool!"

"Fine. I'll get you later though… just you wait!" With a wink, Larry left. Franziska scanned the area.

"Mr. Phoenix Wright!" Crap. Phoenix had tried to sneak away unnoticed.

"Hello, Ms. von Karma…"

"I came to this foolish place to defeat you once again, but I, instead, faced Miles Edgeworth! It is a shame you were not there, as I astounded him with my clever retorts and sharp prosecuting skills. Soon, the same shall happen to you!"

"…Right. I'm leaving now."

"Yes, run, fool! Run from your impending defeat!"

February 9

2:57 P.M.

Hazakura Temple Courtyard

Phoenix didn't get much of a reprieve from Franziska, who soon joined him on his search for evidence.

"What do you think the deal is with this whole 'Mystic' Elise thing?"

"What do you mean, Phoenix Wright?"

"That Bikini lady keeps calling Ms. Deauxnim 'Mystic Elise'… could she have some possible connection to spirit mediums?"

"I don't see why that nun would refer to Elise Deauxnim as a mystic in any other case."

"Hm."

Franziska took her leave, and Phoenix walked glumly along in the snow.

'Poor Maya… poor Pearls. I hope they're both okay.'

After what seemed like hours of fruitless searching, Gumshoe randomly popped up in front of Phoenix, who, startled, fell backwards into the slush.

"Oops, sorry, pal. Anyways, we finished repairing the broken bridge… although now that I think about it, it's probably a bad idea for you to cross it. I guess it hates you or something, pal."

Crack. "Oww!"

"Nonsense, Scruffy. I, Franziska von Karma, shall accompany Phoenix Wright across the bridge. Surely my perfection shall override his foolish clumsiness, idiotic though he may be."

'Great.' Sometimes, with the way she spouted "perfection" statements almost constantly, Franziska reminded him of Oldbag the blatherer. Phoenix briefly recalled a case not too long ago, in which Larry (and, indirectly, his boss, the Oldbag) had reluctantly participated. Poor Larry had gotten fired afterwards for neglecting his post as a security guard. 'I guess that's why he decided to become "Laurice Deauxnim the Amazing",' Phoenix mused. He noticed that while his mind had been wandering, his feet had taken him across the bridge. 'Oh.'

"Mr. Nick?!"

Phoenix started at the high voice calling his name. "Pearls!"

The young medium stared back at him with a shocked expression on her face. "I thought nobody else was here… I've been alone this whole time."
"Really? Where's Maya, then?" Phoenix inquired.

Pearl bit her lip. "I… don't know."

Franziska curled her lip. "And why not? Are you not here because you went to look for her, or are you here for some other reason?"

"Ah! It's you!"

"Yes, it is I, Franziska von – "

"How could you be so mean?! I've been here all day and night, and it's cold and I'm alone and – " Pearl started to sniffle. Phoenix smirked at the dumbfounded Franziska.

"Don't be upset, Pearls. She hasn't matured very much during her time in Germany."

Crack. "How dare you, fool?!"

Phoenix winced.

February 9

3:11 P.M.

Inner Temple Gate

"Why is everyone here so rude?!" Franziska fumed as she and Phoenix walked away from the Inner Temple. "That fool with his eyesore of a visor obviously has had no instruction on how to treat a lady such as myself."

'Godot… what's his problem?' The white-haired prosecutor had been unusually hostile towards Phoenix, even saying that Mia Fey's death was his fault, and that Maya, who was trapped inside a locked and freezing cave, would die under his watch. 'I couldn't do anything! Why is he so set on getting revenge on me?' He was also bothered by the fact that a wall scroll of Misty Fey, hung inside the Inner Temple, had been smeared with gravy. 'Who would do such a thing? And why?'

"Uh, hey, pals," Gumshoe said, interrupting Phoenix's thoughts. "I just wanted to tell you not to go into the garden there." With that, the detective disappeared through the gate leading into the garden. Phoenix looked at Franziska and shrugged before following him.

He immediately spotted Maya's name written upside down on a stone pillar. The three figures stared at the name, which was obviously written in blood.

"Well," Gumshoe began, "looks like this might be the real location of the murder." The other two had to agree, and Gumshoe spoke again. "Mr. Edgeworth said that he was going to get Iris from the Detention Center, to see if she can open that lock on the cave door. Apparently, it can only open through a certain code, so we think that Iris might know it."

"Okay, thanks. I'll go wait for them," Phoenix said.

At the gate, he met Edgeworth and Iris.

"Hi," Phoenix greeted awkwardly.

"Hello," Iris replied, blushing slightly.

"Wright. You are not allowed to interfere with the investigation," Edgeworth told him, his eyebrows furrowed. "Iris and I will be leaving now."

"Um… okay?" Phoenix waved slightly after them. 'That was stupid.'