Disclaimer: Ace Attorney characters and storyline do not belong to me
Chapter 23
Date: 7th July 2026, 18:45
Location: Sunshine Coliseum, California
Trucy was ooo-ing and ahh-ing as she walked through the concert hall, with Liam and Emma following behind. Up on the stage Detective Crescend was fiddling with his guitar. He looked up when he heard Trucy.
"Hey little girl, you shouldn't be in here yet." He said. Trucy frowned at him when he called her 'little girl'. Emma then spoke up.
"It's alright Crescend, Rocky told us to come in. He's behind us." And sure enough, Klavier and Apollo walked up beside Emma and Liam. Crescend nodded his head and continued to play on his guitar. Emma frowned and cocked her head to the side, listening to his playing. Something's off… She let go of Liam's hand and jumped up on to the stage. She held her hand out for the guitar. Crescend just rose an eyebrow at her. Emma sighed and just opened and closed her hand. Crescend just shook his head before giving it to her.
"What's your deal?" He huffed. Emma ignored him and played a couple of scales before playing the first few bars of 'Guilty Love'. She then gave the guitar back to him.
"You're a-string is a semi tone flat." She said before looking around the stage. "Nice set up." While Daryan was staring at her wide eyed, open-mouthed, the others walked onto the stage. Klavier, who was stifling his chuckles, spoke.
"Danke." He then looked at his watch. "Do you want to come back stage until the concert starts?" Emma nodded.
"You know what would be ironic?" She asked. Klavier shook his head. "If someone was killed while the band is playing. I mean the band is made up of people who work in law enforcement…" She trailed off, a deadpan look on her face. Klavier just looked at her with worry. Emma shook her head and smiled. "Sorry, just thinking out loud. Shall we?" Klavier just nodded slowly and showed them the way. Emma looked back and saw Crescend just looking after her with an emotionless expression on his face but his eyes filled with what Emma thought to be fear of some kind. Emma just shrugged and followed the others back stage.
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Date: 7th July 2026, 20:07
Location: Sunshine Coliseum, California
Trucy, Apollo, Liam and Emma walked backstage to meet up with Klavier. Trucy was skipping along while the others walked behind her.
"Wow that was amazing! Right Auntie Emma?" Trucy grinned at her Aunt, who gave her a pained smile.
"Sorry Truce, give me a minute to get my hearing back. All I can hear is ringing." Emma rubbed her ears slightly. Liam just pulled her into his side. Apollo just moaned.
"I can agree with that Emma." Apollo muttered. Trucy just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever spoilsports. Let's go into Mr Gavin's dressing room!" Trucy headed towards the Gavinner's dressing room. The others followed her in. Inside the dressing room was quite messy, with bits and pieces all around. Klavier looked up when the door opened and smiled.
"Ach! Nothing like music to brighten the mood after a trial, ja?" He asked smiling at the four. Trucy grinned.
"Yes Mr Gavin! Thank you so much for giving Auntie Emma the tickets!" Klavier chuckled.
"Please, call me Klavier and it was no problem. She has not been to one in a while and I thought she would want to invite guests." Klavier looked at Emma who was looking around the room. "Sorry about the mess." Emma looked up at him and shrugged.
"Meh, you've never been in my home office. It's about 10 times worse." She smirked causing Klavier and Liam to chuckle. Apollo then spoke up.
"So Lamiroir is singing in the next set right?" He asked. Klavier nodded.
"Ja, her voice… is divine." Just then a voice spoke.
"'You praise me too highly.'" The five of them turned to see a large man standing to the side.
"Ah, allow me to introduce Mr Romein LeTouse. He is Lamiroir's manager and her interpreter, incidentally." Emma was looking at him with a concentrated look on her face. Liam had the same look before they looked at each other and shrugged, focussing back on Klavier. Then another voice spoke up, a beautiful female voice.
"We have long looked forward to this joined performance." She said this in what Emma identified as Borginian. LeTouse translated what she said. Lamiroir was standing behind LeTouse, just to the side, in a long blue cloak with a veil covering half her face. Next to her was a young boy with dark glasses.
"Allow me to introduce Machi Tobaye. He is blind." LeTouse introduced the young lad. "This is why he never strays far from Lamiroir. They are always together." They stood in a comfortable silence before Emma decided to break it.
"Well it is very nice to meet you Mr LeTouse." She nodded towards him before looking at Lamiroir and Machi. "As well as you and Machi, Lamiroir." She told them in Borginian. Lamiroir nodded. Klavier, who had been watching Apollo, then spoke.
"For the next part, we're giving the Gavinners' hard rock a little rest." He looked at Lamiroir. "Lamiroir, the stage is yours." Emma sighed silently before speaking again.
"'The Guitar's Serenade' right?" She asked. Klavier smiled and nodded. "Okay then I suppose we should go back to the concert hall, I'm looking forward to this." And with that, Liam, Emma, Trucy and Apollo went out of the dressing room.
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Date: 7th July 2026, 20:30
Location: Sunshine Coliseum, California
Emma walked briskly down the corridor to the Gavinner's dressing room and walked in without knocking. The other followed after her. When Emma got in the room, Klavier was shouting at one of the staff members.
"What the heck was that!?" I was never consulted about it!" The staff member was stuttering a reply but Klavier interrupted. "I play new rock, not Great Balls of Fire! Speaking of fire, I have a good mind to fire whoever's responsible!" Emma cleared her throat causing Klavier to look in her direction. The staff member used this distraction to sneak out of the room.
"I take it that the guitar setting alight was not part of the act?" She asked. Klavier just scowled and Emma sighed. "Are you alright though? No burns?" She asked, with a concerned look. Klavier shook his head.
"Nein, I am fine but 'The Guitar's Serenade' is ruined! Ruined!" Emma sighed.
"Rocky, just calm down. At least the audience thought it was part of the act so you don't have to come up with some crazy explanation for why it was set alight." Klavier gave her a questioning look.
"You think the audience thought it was part of the performance?" Emma nodded.
"Yeah. It worked with the lyrics. 'Burning on in my heart. Fire. Burn my love away. All away.' I say you got lucky." Klavier just stood there in a slight state of shock before shaking his head and frowning again.
"A-Anyway, that is beside the point. That guitar was the Ferrari of guitars!" He flicked his bangs to the side. "Achtung! Today's been one disaster after another. My hog won't run, my guitar case's broken…" He trailed off. Liam frowned.
"Sounds like you've had a day and a half Klavier." Klavier nodded and took a deep breath in. "Well I suppose we will go and let you get ready for the next part." Liam nodded his head at Apollo and Trucy, who were looking around, towards the door. Apollo told them he would stay back stage. Liam looked at him before nodding. "Okay we'll meet you back here later then." Trucy and Liam then walked out the door.
Just as Emma was leaving, Klavier called her back. He gave her a sheet of the lyrics for 'The Guitar's Serenade' signed by himself and Lamiroir. Emma chuckled and thanked him before walking out. She gave the sheet to Trucy. "Here, it's signed by both Rocky and Lamiroir." Trucy grinned and gave her Aunt a massive hug before taking the sheet and skipping back to the concert hall. Emma shook her head in amusement and looked up at Liam. He smiled and held his hand out for Emma to take. Emma smiled and took it, then the both of them followed Trucy to the concert hall, hand in hand.
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