Disclaimer: Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice, and any other lawyer games do not belong to me. All rightfully belong to CAPCOM, and this person is simply using their characters for entertainment. Really.
YOUR REVIEWS! You guys seriously brought a smile (and a squee) to my face.
Once again, thanks to TadakoXIII/Tadako Kazahaya for beta-ing!
February 2
Baron Mansion
Second Level
The stairs parted at the middle and conjoined somewhere halfway. Trucy had run to the other side of the staircase, challenging Apollo to a race.
Naturally, he didn't want to lose.
Their hands didn't grasp on the shining oak railing, and every step they took was cushioned by the snow-white carpet. Both reached the top, panting hard. Trucy smiled triumphantly through her slanted hat.
"I…I win!" she exclaimed, and Apollo groaned. Trucy: 34, Apollo: 9. They fell to the ground, and Apollo sat, wondering why the fates cursed him. Trucy was belly-down on the floor, and she released a sound of satisfaction. "This carpet is really soft!" she commented. "Soft and white. No wonder they made us take off our shoes."
"It's pretty scary if you think about it. The Baron family seems obsessed with cleanliness or something like that." He stood up and helped Trucy get to her feet. "Not a speck of dust anywhere."
She smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress and glanced up to Apollo. "So, if we're looking for clues, we have to look for something…messy?"
"If it helps."
"Maybe you can look in the room that I was staying in. It's the first door on your left when you go up the grand stairs."
They stepped through the royal blue door and found a room that emanated some kind of spiritual energy.
"Maya sure does like to leave traces of her everywhere. First the ring, now her room…" Trucy joked.
The walls were a soft pastel green, and two neat beds were separated by a bedside table. A lamp rested on the small table, and a few frames decorated it.
Trucy leaned closer. "Look, Polly, it's Daddy!"
He walked over to where the frames were, and right in front of his eyes was a group picture. The younger Phoenix looked happier and more naïve than he did now, with Maya, the girl that escorted them to the Detention Center, and a few others that Apollo didn't recognize. To think that he was only a teenager when his 'legacy' happened, and now, he's kind of like his student.
It's an honor and a disappointment…at the same time. Never get your hopes up ever again, Justice.
"Was his hair always that spiky?" he asked, pointing at the spikes evident on the back of his mentor's pictured head.
"Yep! I met him before you did, after all! But your hair stands out a lot more, Polly."
He looked at the other frames, finding a picture of a brunette woman with ruby lips that spread into a smile, another older woman who closely resembled Maya, and a picture of Elliot and Maya together. They looked like they were at some kind of carnival; balloons and children were all over the background. They looked genuinely happy—Maya's smile was bigger than Apollo had ever seen it, and Elliot's business mask was broken by his soft eyes and small grin. His hand was wrapped around Maya's, and Apollo could practically feel the warmth radiating from their joined hands.
"They 'got along' better than I thought," he muttered.
Trucy was looking elsewhere in the room. She spotted two suitcases at the end of each bed, both of them open to reveal their contents. There were just clothes inside, probably enough for a week's stay.
"Maya and someone else must've stayed for the party preparations," she said. She had the inkling that it was the 'Pearly' girl who stayed with her. She walked over to the white dresser, looking around the make-up products, bottles of lotion, and some facial cleansers. There wasn't anything suspicious, at least, anything she could think of.
"I'd like to be of more help, so do you mind if I give a little advice?
"If you can't seem to find anything, step back. Take a look at the big picture."
Trucy stepped back.
"Oh! Polly! Polly! I found something!"
She skipped over to the small garbage can that went unnoticed because the huge dresser was blocking its view.
"Look! Look!"
Apollo ran over, and his face immediately wavered. "A…garbage can, Trucy?"
She looked between the garbage can and Apollo with the brightest of smiles. "…YEAH!"
"…Aw, c'mon, Polly, don't tell me you're not excited."
"…but I'd be lying if I told you I was."
She pouted and crossed her arms in a huff. "Garbage cans are one of the greatest places to find evidence for a crime scene!"
He wondered whether she was watching too much CSI or something. "Says who?"
"Says the time when we found two pieces of hardcore evidence in the garbage can at People Park for Wocky's case."
He faltered again. The young magician had a point. "Fine," he admitted, putting his hands up as a sign of throwing the towel, "go look in the garbage can."
Trucy willingly went and bent over to see any items of interest. Almost immediately, she pulled out a piece of white crumpled paper. "You think this is anything good?" she asked, pointing to the paper ball with her free hand.
"We'll never know until we find out."
He went over to the dresser with Trucy, and she unraveled it slowly. The ball was crumpled so much that it was almost hard not to rip parts of the paper. She smoothed it out with her gloved hand, and they both stared at the incredibly wrinkled piece of paper. There were so many creases and marks that the handwriting was almost illegible.
"It's addressed to Maya," Trucy stated.
Their eyes read the message at the same rate, and both of them pulled their heads back on the impulse of surprise.
"…This letter—" But before she could say anything else, Apollo folded it twice and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Who are you?" A voice from the door came. They reeled their heads and almost shrunk back at the level of intimidation the old woman at the door gave off.
"Nick? Is that really you?"
"In the flesh. Well…almost."
"…Oh God, Nick, it's been such a long time. I…I can't even say anything…"
"Haha, it's okay, Maya, I'm pretty—overwhelmed, as well. It's great to hear your voice again.."
"Yours, too! I remember Pearl asking me the difference between female and male puberty, and you came to mind."
"…Should I ask why?"
"So what's happened while I've been…away?"
"Well, the mystery behind my badge has been…solved, to say the least."
"!! That's…THAT'S TERRIFIC! I'm so happy for you!"
"I…I'm sorry I wasn't there to be with you, Nick. I…"
"Aw, c'mon, Maya, our first conversation in two years, and all you can do is apologize. Whatever happened to going out to eat some burgers or noodles or something?"
"…Why do you sound so much cooler than you did before?"
"I'm not answering that."
"Hahahah! Well, I guess I can say times have changed."
"So, what about you?"
"Me?"
"What did time change about you? All my hypotheses of why you've never called and why I never reached you would like to come to a conclusion."
"Is that Ema Skye girl with you? Has she been digging too much science in your brain to kick out all my spirituality?"
"Hahaha, nothing like that, Maya."
"…Well, you know Elliot."
"Ah, yes. Matchmaker-guy, right?"
"What about Elliot?"
"S-sorry. Um…"
"…Maya?"
"I'm sorr—man, I should stop saying that."
"…Maya, are you engaged?"
"…Am I that obvious?"
"Even if you're on the phone, I swear I can see the psyche-locks right in front of me."
"I'm sorry I couldn't have told you sooner. I…all my excuses aren't enough."
"It's alright. Oh, hold on, Trucy's calling."
'Daddy? Daddy, why do you look so sad?'
The woman looked about in her mid-40s. Her black hair was tied up in a tight bun, and her bangs resembled that of the dark-haired woman Apollo and Trucy found downstairs in the ballroom. The differences were that it didn't cover her eye and there was a wide streak of gray that bordered her hair. Her eyes were the same as Elliot's in his profile picture: narrow and business-like. She was wearing a white, pristine shawl and a ruby red dress that flowed all the way down to her ankles.
"Maya is your client?" she repeated. She retreated a bit; she didn't look like it, but Apollo and Trucy could feel her aura turn a little less dark. "Ah, I see."
"Um…may I ask who you are, ma'am?" Apollo asked. Pretend she's Little Plum. Pretend she's Little Plum…
"Contessa Baron," she replied, "Elliot's mother." She shook hands with Apollo, and then with Trucy. He noticed the young girl flinch—the old woman had a strong grip. "Might I ask what you're doing in the guest room?"
"Maya—I mean—Ms. Fey gave us permission to go through her room, just to see if we could find anything…" Trucy trailed off.
Contessa nodded in recognition. "I understand. I'm…willing to talk, if you don't mind an old woman's ramblings."
"So, uh, when did you meet Maya Fey?" Apollo brought up awkwardly.
Her eyes bore into his. "Two years back. My husband had Elliot set up for a matchmaker; he was getting older, and we needed another, legitimate heir for the company before we leave."
"Royalty Banking Company is the kind that passes down business to their children?" Trucy inquired.
Contessa nodded once. Apollo found it eerily similar to the way that dark-haired lady in the first ballroom nodded. "Elliot wasn't one for dating women, always so immersed in his work. I minded a little bit, you know, the grandmother feeling. But I thought it was nice he was being so responsible."
"How'd he get into the matchmaking?" Apollo asked.
The left side of her mouth frowned, as if of distaste. "His father thought it was unhealthy. Said how proud he was of his work, but he was worried if he didn't get enough 'fresh air', he'd end up like him: overworked, stressed, and unsatisfied."
"No wonder she's frowning. I'd take that as an insult if I were her!" Trucy whispered.
"He met Maya, and he instantly took a liking to her." She continued.
"So, what does Royalty Banking do, specifically?" he inquired.
It seemed as if the woman knew every question Apollo was going to ask. She always responded immediately. Either that or her brain waves exceed mine. He took another glance at her. …Maybe. "We make computer programs for banks. Our company only hires the best, so we make the best results."
Trucy opened her mouth wide in surprise. "It sounds hard," she commented.
"Our professionals know what they're doing. My son, especially, was a master at the art of this business." Contessa's mouth curved into a proud smirk.
'She's one of those doting mothers, huh, Polly?" the magician giggled. Apollo put a strict finger to his mouth, signifying her to hush. He's been pretending that this woman was like Little Plum that he accidentally thought the gleam in her eye was the gleam from the sword in the broom.
He racked his brain a bit for more questions. Then, a thought came to him. Where have I heard of Royalty Banking before? "Were there any…controversies or problems that happened in your company before? Anything recent?"
She stayed silent. It was a good enough reaction for Apollo to suddenly twitch, and Trucy looked at him worriedly.
"Polly, what's wrong?" she whispered.
"That's weird…my bracelet. It reacted!"
Contessa's mouth finally opened. "I'm sorry, company confidentiality." The words came out strained, and he definitely knew it was something he had to look up.
"I understand," he nodded. "Then, can you tell me about the night of the murder, please?" He asked with as much caution as possible, hoping not to have struck a nerve for bringing it up so suddenly.
She was silent for a moment, staring holes at, what Trucy thought, Maya's suitcase. Suddenly, her right hand went up to her temple, and her eyes crinkled. She had a light grimace on her face, and her left hand rested at the bend of her right elbow. "I discovered her with my son, if that's what you mean."
The two younger ones in the room raised their eyebrows in surprise. Apollo looked at his aide, and she mouthed to him, "She must be the witness!"
"…Can you please tell us what you saw?" he asked.
They felt her aura go back in full-force in a second, and they struggled not to jump.
"I saw the sword, I saw the gaping hole in his stomach, I saw everything!" she snapped. "I saw my son lying in his own pool of blood with that…that…woman next to him!" She was breathing heavily, and Apollo and Trucy could see her eyes and nose getting red.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't meant to bring up…memories," he apologized profusely, his arms almost reaching out to comfort her. (Read: almost.)
Contessa only shook her head, regaining her composure. She let out a shaky breath and went back to her crossed-arms stance, nodding once. "It's…hard, losing your only son, after all. Especially to his…fiancé." Trucy felt shivers down her spine, hearing the word 'fiancé' being spat out from the woman's mouth.
"I take it you don't like Ms. Fey very much?"
Her mouth straightened into a firm line. "I didn't find her an acceptable life partner for my son," she admitted. "Unfortunately, Mr. Justice, I cannot share with you anything else. The prosecution has me on lock-down." As soon as she said prosecution, her eyes went back to the steely eyes they were once before. Too late to get anything out of her now.
Apollo nodded in comprehension. "So you are the witness."
She took a quick glance at her wristwatch. It was wrapped around her small, bony wrist tightly. "I must leave. There's a family meeting concerning…this matter." She nodded once to Apollo and once to Trucy. "I'll see you in court, then." And she left through the door, her head held up high.
After a minute of eerie silence, Trucy looked at Apollo. "…Polly, was it me, or were her eyes shifting around a lot?"
He sat down on the end of the bed, his arms crossed in thought. "I was wondering that, too, actually," he said. His bracelet had stopped pulsing already, but there was still a weird feeling in his mind. "Why did she even come in here in the first place?"
"We should show this letter to Maya, then," she inputted, nodding at the piece of crumpled paper in his pocket.
He only patted his pocket, like you would to a pet who obeyed your command. "We'll do just that."
Pearl exhaled as the meeting was adjourned, the elders of the village leaving the building in groups of two or three or just one.
She understood now. She understood why Maya immersed herself in her work when Phoenix had sent them away. She understood why she flourished into the person she was now. She understood how hard she worked to keep this school, this village, this way of life alive. Now that she was older, Pearl knew Maya's pains. She knew the reasons why, sometimes, she would hear her dearest cousin cry at night. She knew what the Kurain Master would see every time she closed her eyes: a complete family, all her friends, and the man that haunted her dreams. And Pearl knew that, when Maya opened her eyes, she'd find her work load, the overpowering smell of incense, and a worrying younger cousin.
Nothing was like she imagined. Nothing was fair.
And she still had the strong will to live with a glowing grin.
"Mystic Pearl?"
She turned her head to the remaining elder, an old woman with a sweet smile, and returned with her own radiant smile.
"Mystic Midori! What would you like to speak to me about?" Pearl asked.
The old woman gently took both of the young medium's hands in hers, and her eyes twinkled. "I just want to say that you're doing a magnificent job, covering for Mystic Maya," she praised. Pearl instantly blushed and opened her mouth to say something back, but Midori only hushed her. "I know how those older men don't appreciate the bad publicity, but I know that she'll pull through."
Midori's kind smile only reminded Pearl of Maya's mother and how she seemed to understand everything that was going on. It was eerily nostalgic.
It was the smile that Pearl could have saved if she wasn't such a child.
"She would never commit murder," Midori added, "even if it was the murder of a man…she didn't love."
Pearl's eyes widened with surprise. "How—"
"Women's intuition," the older woman intervened, her smile as mysterious as ever. "Keep up the good work…and please, take care of Mystic Maya."
Things are slowly piecing together!
Or are they?
This is just an update before I head to Boston for the weekend. 8D The dance company I'm in has a performance out of state! Woo! And I'm performing! Woo! So I won't have access to my chapter 4 file for a good two days. But I'll deliver!
R/R please!