A/N: Another chapter! Here we will meet two more characters (OCs), and an old familiar face. Before anyone gets mad, nothing remotely romantic happened between Danny and Jade. Enjoy!
The Phantom Turnabout
Day 1: Investigation
July 21st, 2:00 PM
Wright Anything Agency
Phoenix's POV
"So, how are we going to go about proving there was a struggle?" Maya asked, sitting on my desk, swing her legs. I glanced up at her from where I sat in my chair, going through the evidence I've gathered so far.
"I need to have another look at the Chamber, and around the manor. I also want to talk to everyone who was there that night," I said. Maya nodded, leaning back on her hands.
"That makes sense," she said, thinking. "Well, there was me, Jade, Danny, and his family of course. Then there was Pearly, Ruby, and Sean," she said, sitting up and ticking each person off on her hand. I nodded.
"Okay. Well, did you see anything strange?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. She looked thoughtful for a few minutes before shaking her head.
"Not until I found them," she said.
"Why'd you go to the Channeling Chamber?" I asked.
"Well, I knew that's where those two went, and I hadn't seen them in a while, so I decided to check on them," Maya said. I noticed a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Plus, Jade admitted to me that she liked Danny, so…" she shrugged.
"So you decided to go spy on them," I said with a smile, chuckling slightly. "You never change, you know that?"
"Yep!" Maya laughed, before sighing, looking down. I reached forward and put a hand over hers.
"Hey, don't worry. I'll find the real killer. Promise," I said. She looked up at me and smiled.
"I know, Nick," she said with a smile.
"Well." I stood. "Might as well get started."
June 21st
Fey Manor
Meditation Room
Phoenix's POV
I looked around as we entered Fey manor. It was the same as always; freshly waxed, tan wooden floor and dark wood walls. Pearls was just closing the large doors that led to the Channeling Chamber, her back to us.
"Hey Pearly, what's up?" Maya said. Pearls turned to look at us, her face brightening up.
"Mystic Maya! Mr. Nick!" she said, coming over. "I was just being questioned by the police," she explained. I smiled.
"Mind a few more questions?" I asked. Pearls laughed.
"How'd I know you were going to ask that?" she asked before looking at me expectantly.
"Well, first off, did you notice anything strange the night of the murder?" I asked. Pearls thought for a moment before answering.
"You mean other than Mr. Fenton eating an entire pan of fudge all by himself? No," she said. I gaped at her.
"An… entire… pan…?" I gasped, before looking at Maya. "You didn't mention that…"
Maya frowned deeply. "That's because I wanted some of that fudge," she huffed, crossing her arms. I chuckled at her antics.
"Of course." I turned back to Pearls. "Anything else?"
"Hm. Well, not that day, but…" Pearls nibbled her thumb nail thoughtfully.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Yesterday, I went into the Channeling Chamber. Just to check on everything, what with the officers in and out of there, and I noticed something… off with the alter," she admitted.
"You mean other then the blood?" I asked. She nodded.
"Yeah. There's normally an oak tray that has flowers arranged on it. I make sure the flowers are perfect every morning. But… well, the tray is missing. I looked everywhere in there, but couldn't find it, and the detective said he didn't find it either," she explained. I straightened up a little, thinking about that.
"What about the flowers, Pearly?" Maya asked. Pearls turned to her.
"They're still there, but the arrangement is all wrong."
"Pearls," I asked, pulling out the wood chips. "Do these look like they could have been part of that tray?" I asked. She carefully took the baggy and studied them before looking back up at me, nodding.
"Yeah. But… this has Danny's blood on it, doesn't it? What does that mean?" she asked.
"That means there was a struggle. But we have to find the tray. Or, the rest of it, at least," I said.
"Didn't you find evidence in the incinerator one time?" Maya asked. I looked at her, thinking back to that one case.
"Yeah," I said, before taking off running towards the garden.
July 21st
Fey Manor
Winding Way
Phoenix's POV
Two months ago, Maya got a new incinerator after the last one finally died. This one was a lot more powerful and had to be cleaned more often.
The thing was spotless when I got there and yanked open the door.
"Damn," I growled, closing the door. Pearls and Maya caught up with me just then.
"I meant to tell you before you ran off, Mr. Nick. I cleaned it out this morning…" Pearls said, a sad look on her face. I smiled at her, patting her shoulder.
"It's okay, Pearls. How could you have known?" I said before sighing softly, running a hand through my hair. She still looked sad. I bit my lip and looked over at Maya, not knowing what to do.
"Hey Pearly, is Sean here?" she asked. I frowned slightly, thinking about the boy in question. Sean Itall was a dorky high school kid who loved anything that had to do with the paranormal.
And he was dating Pearls. The two had met in school last year and hit it off right away. There was nothing wrong with the kid himself, but I was protective of Pearls.
"Yeah! He was talking to Mrs. Fenton in the side room last I saw him," Pearls said, brightening up at the mention of her 'special someone'. I nodded.
"Guess I'll head that way then," I said. Maya nodded.
"I'm going to check on the trainees. See ya later!" she called back before heading off with Pearls.
July 21st
Fey Manor
Side Room
Phoenix's POV
When I got there, I found Sean gushing over some machine that Mrs. Fenton was showing him. I could tell he was really excited because his glasses kept slipping down his nose.
"Hey Mrs. Fenton. Sean. What are you looking at?" I asked. Sean looked up.
"Mr. Wright!" he said. He looked like he was about to continue, but Mrs. Fenton cut him off.
"Hi, Mr. Wright. I was just showing Sean here the Fenton Thermos. It's a tool used to catch ghosts," she explained. I looked at it, my interest peaked.
(Where was that when we were dealing with Dahlia?) I thought a little bitterly, remembering my ex-girlfriend who had possessed Maya. While she was in Maya's body, there wasn't anything we could do, but this thing could have caught her once her spirit left her body…
"Mr. Wright. I wanted to talk to you," Sean said, coming over. I studied his appearance, noticing that he looked worried.
"In private?" I asked. He nodded, so I lead him away from Mrs. Fenton. "What is it?" I asked.
"I… the night of the murder, I saw what happened," he admitted, adjusting his glasses. I stared at him for a minute, stunned.
"You… what?" I asked, wanting to be sure I heard him right.
"Isawwhathappened. Well,someofwhathappened,really. Ididn'tseetheactualmomentofthemurder,butwhatIDIDseeisasequallyasimportantasthataccordingtodadand—" he started. I just stared at him.
(Is he even breathing…?)
"Whoa, whoa, Sean! Stop!" I said, holding my hands up. He looked up at me curiously.
"I-I started rambling again, didn't I? I'm sorry," he said. I sighed softly, patting his shoulder.
"It's okay. What did you see?" I asked.
"Well, I—" he cut off as a loud beeping came from across the room. Looking over, I saw one of Mr. and Mrs. Fenton's many machines blinking.
"Hello," a smooth, slimy, and now all too familiar voice said from the door.
"Prosecutor Walker," I said, turning to face the white clothed man. He simply nodded.
"Wright. Investigating the crime scene and talking to witnesses? That's against the rules," he said before turning to face Sean. My eye twitched at what I figured out to be his catchphrase.
(Why is every prosecutor I deal with eccentric in some way, shape, or form? I think the most normal one is Edgeworth, and even that's debatable…)
"I'm going to need you to come with me, Mr…?"
"Itall," Sean mumbled, throwing me a look that clearly begged for help. I didn't blame him. Walker gave me the creeps too.
"I'll see you in court tomorrow, Sean," I said, watching as the poor buy followed the prosecutor out. After a few more minutes, the machine finally stopped its beeping.
"Huh. That was weird," Mr. Fenton said, scratching his head. I glanced over at them and shook my head, trying to figure out what to do now.
July 21st
Winding Way
Fey Manor
Phoenix's POV
Maya found me as I made my way back to the meditation room. She had a worried look on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"It's Ruby. She wasn't in training," she explained. I sighed softly, thinking about the poor girl. Ruby was Jade's sister. Twin, actually, and while the two didn't get along in the past, they were still sisters.
"Maybe she just needs some time," I said softly."It… was her sister, after all."
"I know," Maya sighed softly, before looking up at me. "Nick, why does this keep happening to my family? Why can't we just… be happy?" she asked. I pulled her into my arms, comforting her.
I knew this was weighing more heavily on her then she wanted to admit.
"I don't know," I said, figuring it might be a bad idea to mention the fact that most of it was the fault of her family itself. I stood there, letting Maya lean against me for as long as she needed. Finally, after about ten minutes, she pulled away, quickly wiping her face. I placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort, and she gave me a weak smile.
"Thanks," she said softly. I smiled warmly back.
"Anytime," I said.
"So, any luck with Sean?" Maya asked as we began walking again.
"Yes and no," I said. "He saw something, but before he could tell me, Walker swooped in and rushed him off to the precinct." I sighed, thinking about his rambling. Suddenly, one word stood out to me.
"But I think he told his dad," I said, looking over at Maya. Maya grinned back.
"Then let's go pay him a visit! After all, you're on good terms with him, right?" she asked. I nodded.
"Yeah."
July 21st
Prosecutor's Office
Noah Itall's Office
Phoenix's POV
Sean's dad, Noah Itall, was a prosecutor. I'd never faced him in court before, but I knew he shared the same ideals as Edgeworth and I; the truth comes before any kind of perfect win record.
"Mr. Wright, Maya, it's good to see you again," Noah said as he invited us into his office. I smiled warmly.
"It's good to see you too, Mr. Itall. How's everything going?" I asked, taking the chair he offered as he sat behind his desk.
"Good for the most part," he said before turning to Maya. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said. "Sean told me what happened." Maya nodded in acknowledgment.
"That's actually why we're here, Noah," I said, gaining his attention again. "I'm Danny's attorney. Sean was there the night of the murder, and when I went to talk to him, he said he saw something. However, before he could tell me, Prosecutor Walker took him down to the precinct. Probably to prep him as a witness tomorrow," I explained. Noah leaned forward, his elbows on his desk, chin on his hands. I had noticed a scowl flash across his face at the mention of the prosecutor on this case.
"Well, then. It's a good thing he told me everything that happened then," he said. I sat up straighter, getting a smile from Noah. "Sean decided to write it down and give it to me." He opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a piece of paper. I took it and read, a smile crossing my face.
"This proves that Danny couldn't have done it," I said. Noah nodded.
"To a point. Remember, evidence if everything," he reminded me. I nodded.
"True. Thank you, Noah," I said. Noah smiled.
"You're welcome," he replied.
We were just leaving his office when my phone began to ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mr. Nick?"
"Pearls? What's up?" I asked.
"Remember the incinerator? I went back to the trash can that I threw the ash in. It's still here! I pulled it out, but there's nothing in here. Just ash," Pearls explained. I thought about that for a moment, wondering what I could do with that.
"Alright, thanks Pearls. We'll be there soon," I said, hanging up the phone.
"Back to Kurain," I said to Maya, who smiled.
"It's a good thing we got those monthly passes for the train, huh?" she asked. I sighed.
"Yeah, or else this investigation would make me go broke," I replied, leading the way out of the building.
July 21st
Criminal Affairs
Forensic Office
Phoenix's POV
Once I saw the ash, I got an idea. I vaguely knew that ash had a different composition based on what it originally was, and I had hoped that if something had had blood on it, it would leave traces of blood in its ash.
However, I was not equipped to figure any of that stuff out. I knew of only one person who had the skills and knowledge.
"Ema…" I said, walking up behind the girl in the white lab coat. She jumped slightly, turning to face me.
"Mr. Wright!" she squealed, throwing her arms around me. A few months ago, this moody detective finally got transferred into her dream job of forensic investigator, which made her become the bubbly girl I remembered. Maya playfully huffed at the antics of 'the other assistant'.
"I have a huge favor to ask," I said once we finished exchanging the pleasantries.
"Does it have to do with science?" she asked.
"Would I ask you if it didn't?" I replied before pulling out the baggy full of ash. Ema took it, looking confused.
"What's this?"
"Ash."
"Really!? I had no idea!" she gasped, dripping with sarcasm.
"Can you analyze it? Please?" I asked, ignoring the sarcasm. Ema looked at the baggy before nodding.
"Sure, but it'll take a bit. There's a lot here," she said. I sighed, knowing that was coming.
"Alright. Thanks, Ema," I said with a smile before trying to think of anyone else I needed to talk to. Maya had told me that none of the Fenton's had left the dining room before she discovered Danny and Jade.
That left Ruby.
With a soft sigh, I looked at Maya, who smiled.
"Back to the train station?" she asked.
"Back to the train station," I confirmed.
July 21st
Fey Manor
Jade and Ruby's Room
Phoenix's POV
"Go away!" a voice called from inside the room when I knocked on the door.
"Ruby, it's me, Maya," Maya called through the door.
"Go away!" came the answer.
"Ruby, please. Nick wants to talk to you so we can figure out what happened the other night," Maya called. There was no reply, so I decided to just walk in. Maya followed close behind.
Ruby sat on the mat that had acted as Jade's bed, wrapped in her blanket. It fell over her head so that only her mouth was visible, but from the way her shoulders shook, and how wet her cheeks were, it was obvious that she'd been crying. I walked over and knelt next to her.
"Ruby?" I asked softly. She just shook her head, curling up more. "Ruby, Maya said you left the dining room early. I just want to know if you saw anything strange," I said. Ruby shook her head.
"No." Her voice sounded shaky. "I had went straight to bed that night."
I was surprised when everything suddenly faded until it was just Ruby and I, surrounded by black. Chains suddenly appeared, surrounded the poor girl, and five, big psych-locks appeared. I pressed my lips together to contain my gasp of surprise.
For whatever reason, Ruby was lying to me.
Ruby was hiding something.
July 21st, 11:53 PM
Detention Center
Holding Cell
Danny's POV
I woke with a gasp, a little disoriented from my dreams.
I had been in the channeling chamber, kneeling across from Jade, my calves burning. She was focused, her hands folded in front of her. Suddenly, she glowed with a green light, and began to change, becoming more curvy. Her face became slimmer, her eyes tilting more.
She opened her eyes.
"Wh-what? What's this?" she gasped. She looked at her hands, confused. I gasped softly, staring at her.
Sitting in front of me wasn't Jade.
It was Desiree.
Now, I was sitting in the hard bed in the holding cell of the Detention Center. Was that just a dream, or did it really happen?
…
A/N: Here's another chapter! I tried something new with announcing the point of view.
What do you think? Look Capcom, I can be punny too!