#with Mr. Wright/Justice? NO WAY!

[megahorous]

Magic School Bus

[croquis-el]

Well, um, hiya☆

I've come to life a little here and brought you some interesting features in the characters' spoken language

To begin with, let's look at the male trio of main characters: Naruhodō, Mitsurugi, Odoroki (Wright, Edgeworth, Justice)

Some people know it, some don't, but in Japanese there are many options for how to refer to yourself, i.e. "I" can be said with different pronouns and they are all ranked by gender (there are also gender-neutral ones) and the level of politeness.

The first one we have is Naruhodō.

He always, regardless of the situation, uses the pronoun "boku" (ぼく) in relation to himself.

僕 (ぼく)

僕 (boku) is a first-person pronoun often associated with male speakers. It has earnest, polite, cultured connotations. Overall, 僕 (boku) has a softer, less aggressive than 俺 (ore), another common pronoun with masculine connotations.

Naruhodō uses it both in the first trilogy, when he is 24-26 years old, and after the 7-year gap, when he is 33-35. It doesn't matter if he is in the courtroom or talking to friends - he always uses "boku".

言わずと知れた、ぼくだ。 若手実力派弁護士として、 今年で3年目に入る。

Iwazu to shireta, bokuda. Wakate jitsuryoku-ha bengoshi to shite, kotoshi de 3-nen menihairu.

It goes without saying that it is me. I am a young and talented lawyer, and this is my third year in the industry.

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ぼく････今、弁護士を 目指して、勉強しているんです。

boku ima, bengoshi o mezashite, benkyō shite iru ndesu.

I'm studying to become a lawyer.

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いいや。ぼくは、 大学は芸��学部だったからね。

Ī ya. Boku wa, daigaku wa geijutsu gakubudattakara ne.

No. I entered the arts department at the university.

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When addressing someone, Naruhodo uses pronoun "omae".

お前 (おまえ)

お前 is a second-person pronoun that's masculine and rough — it's often used for cussing! It could also be a way to show affection to close friends, partners, and family in a very casual manner.

It is curious that he only addresses Mitsurugi this way, while he addresses the others (Mayoi, Odoroki, etc.) by name + suffix (Mayoi-chan, Odoroki-kun).

もしかして、おまえ････ やったんじゃないの?

Moshikashite, omae yatta n janai no?

Maybe you... did it?

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そういうおまえだって、捜査の時は 証拠品をつきつけまくってたとか。

Sōiu omae datte, sōsa no toki wa shōko-hin o tsukitsuke makutteta to ka.

Even you, who is like that, apparently presented a lot of evidence during the investigation.

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おはよう。思ったより早かったねえ ････オドロキくん。

Ohayō. Omottayori hayakatta ne e Odoroki-kun.

Good morning. It was earlier than I thought... Odoroki-kun.

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Next up we have Mitsurugi.

Mr. Politeness uses the pronoun "watashi" when referring to himself.

私 (わたし/わたくし)

わたし (watashi) is quite a common first-person pronoun as it's used regardless of gender, and both in casual and formal situations.It also has a certain elegant, sophisticated feel to it.

It also does not change over time, and is used by him both at 24-26 and at 34-35 years old.

私が異議をとなえれば、裁判長は かならず聞き入れるだろう、と。

Watashi ga igi o tonaereba, saiban-chō wa kanarazu kikiirerudarou, to.

If I raised an objection, the judge would certainly listen.

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私が検事の職をまっとうできるのも、 周りの誰かの支えがあってこそ。

Watashi ga kenji no shoku o mattō dekiru no mo, mawari no dareka no sasae ga atte koso.

It is only thanks to the support of those around me that I am able to carry out my duties as a prosecutor.

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礼を言うのは････ 私のほうだ、成歩堂。

rei o iu no wa watashi no hōda, Naruhodō.

I should be the one to thank you, Naruhodo.

___________________________________________

But he has a special attitude towards the informal address "you". And by the way, it depends on the situation Mitsurugi is in, and not on who he is addressing.

Because he uses at least 4 (maybe more, I couldn't catch them all) options of address!

The first is "omae". We have already discussed it, so I will not repeat myself. But the situation in which it is used is when Mitsurugi tries to be cheeky, when he makes fun of others (most often, of course, Naruhodō)

お前のせいだぞ。成歩堂。

Omae no seida zo. Naruhodō.

It's your fault, Naruhodō.

___________________________________________

異国でも証拠品のつきつけとは、

お前も相変わらずだな。

Ikoku demo shōko-hin no tsukitsuke to wa, omae mo aikawarazuda na.

You're still the same, presenting evidence even in a foreign country.

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Next, the address "kimi".

君 (きみ/キミ)

君 (kimi) is a second-person pronoun with various nuances. Some dictionaries define 君 as a pronoun you can use in a friendly way towards someone of equal or lower status. These days, however, the way 君 is perceived varies quite a bit from person to person.

Outside of hierarchical situations like the workplace, 君 is used a lot to sound literary or poetic.

成歩堂。折り入って キミに頼みたいことがある。

Naruhodō. Oriitte kimi ni tanomitai koto ga aru.

Naruhodō. There's something I'd like to ask you.

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キミのいない法曹界は 平和そのものだったよ。

Kimi no inai hōsōkai wa heiwa sonomonodatta yo.

The legal profession would be at peace without you.

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いや。････････だが、結局 キミの力にはなれなかった。

Īya. Daga, kekkyoku kimi no chikara ni hanarenakatta.

No... But in the end, I couldn't be of any help to you.

In the example, Mitsurugi asks Naruhodō for help, so I don't think it's a hierarchy thing. It's more of an equal thing. (Correct me if I'm wrong)

___________________________________________

And then comes the most epic part. Kisama.

貴様 (きさま/キサマ)

貴様 (kisama) is a second-person pronoun that's masculine and rough, it's often in combination with vulgar language!

Although it's associated with masculinity, that doesn't mean it's a pronoun only for men. Even if you don't use 貴様 regularly, it's a great way of expressing your anger.

貴様 can also be a way to show affection in a very casual way towards close friends, partners, and family. In this case, the above example would be playful, rather than showing genuine anger.

Mitsurugi uses it when he gets angry (usually in the courtroom) and sometimes in relation to friends. So, the area of ​​application is justified by its purpose as a pronoun.

キサマの娘が、人を小さなハコに 詰め込むというショーをな!

Kisama no musume ga, hito o chīsana Hako ni tsumekomu to iu shō o na!

Your daughter puts people into tiny boxes in a show!

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き、キサマなどに、美的感覚を 非難されるイワレはない!

kisama nado ni, biteki kankaku o hinan sa reru iware wanai!

You have no right to criticize aesthetic sense!

And the last one - addressing by name + suffix or without suffix (Mayoi-kun, Naruhodō)

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Next - Odoroki Hosuke (Apollo Justice)

He's a real manly man, haha. He always uses the pronoun "ore".

俺 (おれ/オレ)

俺 (ore) is a first-person pronoun with a strong masculine feel. It sounds "manly" and less gentle than 僕. 俺 is also a pretty casual pronoun and can be seen as vulgar, especially when used in formal situations. In order to use 俺 naturally, the speech style also needs to match the manliness of 俺.

オレは、ここの事務所の 所長さんに会いに来たんだよ。

ore wa, koko no jimusho no shochō-san ni ai ni kita nda yo.

I came here to see the director of this office.

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オレも、ちょっとならできるよ。

A odoroki ore mo, chottonara dekiru yo.

I can do it a little bit magic too.

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But he doesn't bother with addressing others, and always addresses them by name + suffix (Naruhodo-san, Minuki-chan, Garyu-kenji, Mitsurugi-kenji)

成歩堂さんが 弁護士をやめたのって････

Naruhodō-san ga bengoshi o yameta notte

Naruhodō-san quit being a lawyer...

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(みぬきちゃん。 片付け始めたぞ････)

(Minuki-chan. Katadzuke hajimeta zo)

(Minuki-chan, you're starting to clean up...)

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P.S.

I hope this will clarify the characters a bit and give you a new perspective on them.

One day, I'll do the same with the main female characters (because it takes a lot of time, but I bless those who post screen recordings and screenshots, thanks to them I can quickly find the right moment).

There may be errors and typos, don't be afraid to point them out to me

[satsuha]

i've been very slowly replaying aa4 in korean because i emulated aa4 the first time i played it which means my switch cartridge doesn't have completed save data for 4... i thought about story mode-ing it all but i figured i might see something interesting if i play it in a different language

the korean aa localization isn't much of a localization because the names are the same as the japanese and the characters explicitly say they're japanese people IN japan but there are still a few differences that i find interesting that the korean version added:

in 4-2, when apollo meets trucy properly for the first time, he starts off by talking to her in polite/formal language because clearly he's here expecting a job interview or something, but drops it at one point when he decides he doesn't want to keep being formal with a kid LOL

Apollo: O-of course. This is the Wright & Co. Law Offices, right? (formal language) ???: ...That's what I thought. ???: Sometimes... we still get people coming here with the wrong idea. Apollo: ...Sorry, but I'm going to speak plainly. Who are you? (informal language)

what i find interesting here is that i went to cross check the japanese version and while it does seem like he Might be a little more informal than he was previously, he doesn't literally say anything about dropping the formal language with her.

Apollo: ...Er, who are YOU supposed to be?

here's the same exchange in english just as a reference:

something similar happens shortly after when they go see phoenix in the clinic, where phoenix drops the title in apollo's name - in 4-1, he refers to apollo exclusively as 오도로키 변호사 (lit. "attorney justice", the localized equivalent would be "mr. justice") but calls him just 오도로키 (his surname without an honorific, the localized equivalent would be "apollo") from this point onwards.

Phoenix: Hello. You're here earlier than I thought. Ah, I'll speak to you plainly from now on, Apollo. Apollo: Mr. Wright...

again, there's no mention of him explicitly dropping the honorific in japanese, particularly because phoenix calls him オドロキくん (his surname "odoroki-kun", localized equivalent would be "apollo") even during 4-1.

the "-kun" honorific equivalent does actually exist in korea but it's far less widely used hence the removal of the honorific entirely in korean... but i do find it interesting that the korean version had phoenix talk to apollo in a much more professional way in 4-1 and explicitly changing it in 4-2 once they're out of the courtroom.

Phoenix: Good morning. You're here faster than I expected. ...Apollo.

again, english version for reference:

none of this really means anything i just simultaneously find it a bit funny that despite not localizing any other part of it, the korean localization team still felt like they had to adhere closer to korean formalities instead of sticking to how the characters talk in japanese, but also i'm always interested in breaking down how characters talk to each other... since i do look at korean/japanese fanwork a lot it's interesting to see how these kinds of nuances affected different interpretations between languages too.

anyway i'm only halfway through 4-2 and also prioritizing playing other games so who knows how long this will take me but maybe i'll make a post every now and then if i see anything that interests me

[bamboozled-distress]

started playing Apollo justice and omg …. beanie pheonix wants to fuck everyone in the damn courtroom what the hell 😭😭😭😭 like that first interaction with wintston payne when he was lowk shitting on pheonix and his job and being a dick and said “it’s just hard for an honest hardworking member of society like me to imagine you being prideful for your line of work mr. wright” and pheonix was like “yes, your imagination was always a bit limited, Winston” lord i know payne exploded in his pants especially the way pheonix was smirking like what the fuck

[alumi-san]

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney but with Wrighworth fam part 1.

(Think of it also as an AJ rewrite)

Turnabout Trump

It goes the same with the exception that Apollo knows Trucy and is even more confused about the card.

Then Kristoph's defeat happens.

K: So this is how you repay me, Apollo? After everything I did for you? I took you under my wing, taught you everything about law, and helped you to become the lawyer you are now... And I did it despite your-

He shuts, his gaze shifting between Apollo and Phoenix. Then, realization dawns.

K: *laughs* Of course! How I did not see it before?! You are his son after all!

Gasps ripple through the courtroom. "Phoenix Wright has a child?!" "No way!" "Aren't they only 11 years appart?!"

J: *slams gavel* Order! Order! Mr. Justice, is what Mr. Gavin saying true?

A: ...It's not important right now, Your Honor. But yes – Phoenix Wright is my adopted father.

After a tense deliberation, Phoenix is declared not guilty. Kristoph is led away in handcuffs.

Then Apollo and Phoenix's conversation starts playing

P: *grinning* Well done, Apollo! You played your hand beautifully. Congratulations on winning your first case!

A: ...

P: *concern* Something wrong, kid?

A: Did you plan it? I thought we were in this together...

P: Of course not! Kristoph killing Shadi Enigmar caught me off guard. But when it happened, it gave me the perfect opportunity to take him down.

A: Then what about that card?

P: ...

A: Dad... Where did Trucy get it?

P: ...

A: No... You didn't-

P: It was the only way!

A: Presenting forged evidence is a crime!

P: I know!

A: I could've lost my career! Did you even think about that?! Did... Did Trucy know?

P: ...

A: Oh my God... You dragged her into this, too...

P: I told you, Apollo. I would do anything to bring Kristoph to justice. Even if that meant getting my hands dirty!

Then the punch happens.

P: ...

A: You used her... just like he did...

P: *quietly* I'm sorry.

A: ...I'm not staying home today tonight. Tell Trucy I'll be fine.

After that, he tries to leave wiping his little tears off.

P: One more thing.

Apollo stops.

P: Try yelling, "Take that!" next time. I find it packs a little more punch.

Both of them left in different directions.

Then Apollo's monolog happens. Which ends with - "Did these seven years change him that much? Is he still Phoenix Wrightm... or Kristoph Gavin 2.0? Either way... I need to stop this. If not for him – then for Trucy."

End of chapter.

[askaceattorney]

Dear "Queen,"

Give the credit to my mentor, Mr. Wright. He's the one that's been busting his butt and risking jailtime and execution to save innocent people, whereas I only defended my dad. I did what any son would do for his father. Hell, the only reason I even came back to this kingdom was because of Mr. Wright. I don't know why you're giving me any attention outside of being the infant you failed to kill or use against Nahyuta?

(Which really isn't an achievement. That's failure on your part, lady.)

By the way, what is your thing with Defense Attorneys? Aren't you about to find yourself on trial? Good luck finding anyone willing to defend your case!

- Apollo Justice

P.S. By the way, you know how every spirit channeler is a decendant of Holy Mother. I have to ask... whatever happened to her? Last I checked, she has no vase or burial anywhere in Khura'in. And, isn't it funny that there's a village full of powerful spirit channelers in a small village in America? And, furthermore, just happens to have the Founder's Orb they called "the Crystal of Ami Fey." Know anything about that?

(Call me crazy, but even if he was defending the wrong person, Mr. Wright is never one to lie in court or be so protective of an orb that belongs to Khura'in. I can't help but wonder if the Founder's Orb was ever stolen to begin with?)

[oodlyenough]

DL-6 is so funny to me because like. We asked a medium and she said the victim said the only other adult in the room did it. But he got an insanity plea - which meant she was lying?

I don’t understand the leap of logic here like. Did he do it and was not imprisoned because of the insanity plea - meaning she didn’t lie. Or did he not do it and she lied and you ruined a man’s life with a stigmatising ruling anyway? And then just do nothing about that.

Yes I love how absolutely nothing at all calls into question Misty's power and yet -- lmao. I can see why "we asked a ghost" would be embarrassing for the police, but Misty being a fraud because Ghostworth failed to ... idk... secure the harshest conviction possible with his testimony is funny. Especially when AA2 and 3 double down on channeling not just being "source: dude(s) trust me" (as I assumed, playing AA1) but rather literal full on physical shapeshifting. Irrelevant in the face of Greg... maybe misunderstanding the facts of his own death, I guess, lol.

IIRC part of why they turn to Misty is because they have no definitive evidence against Yogi, just circumstantial, which is cool and all if not for how every other case in the game has a moment that's like "well sure you've proved your client couldn't possibly have committed the murder mr wright but we've gotta hang SOMEONE". Was the justice system so embarrassed and incensed by Yogi "getting away" that they passed even more ludicrous reforms.

And also the general implication that if Edgeworth really had killed his dad by way of accidental misfire when he was nine years old he'd still be fully liable, despite adult man Yogi getting off on an insanity plea. Lmaooo. I love the case so much and AA is a dystopian nightmare to the point I consider all these bizarre leaps just part of the charm, it's fine. But it's very funny to me.

[its-hai-time]

Apollo Justice 2 AU dialogue

For three years now I've had dialogue moments from the "game" written out in my notes app and I've never shared them. I planned to draw them eventually but I'm horrifically inconsistent so it never happened lol.

Here they are!

(Case AJ2-2, in the defense lobby before the first trial)

???: Excuse me,

Apollo: Ack! (TALL)

???: I presume you're the one they call Justice?

A: Ah! Justice! Um, yep that's me! (She's glaring so intensely, my palms are clamming up already)

Destiny: So then you're the rat I'd heard word of on my crime scene. I'm Prosecutor Atlas, your opponent today.

A: (Rat!??)

Trucy: I think I can see your tail, Apollo!

(more under the cut)

(Case AJ2-3, day 2 of investigation)

Apollo: So you're.... Married to Prosecutor Atlas?

London: Yep!

A: But you're still her personal assistant?

L: Ah! There's no weird motive behind it!

L: We met right before we started.... Working together. When we started dating she didn't want me to lose my job, so we agreed to keep it professional.

A: Couldn't that have gone horribly wrong?!

L: Haha... Yeah, I guess it could have. But spending every day at her side is more than I could have ever asked for.

Phoenix: That's.... Wonderful.....

A: (Mr. Wright looks weird.... wait, are those tears in his eyes?!)

(Case AJ2-3, first investigation, forensics mini-game)

Phoenix: Oh, this feels familiar.

Ema: Feels like the good old days, doesn't it, old guy?

P: Oh come on, I'm not old yet!

E: Yeah yeah, keep telling yourself that, Gramps.

Apollo: (I really wish they wouldn't banter while I'm trying to focus.)

(Case AJ2-3, Right after the end of the TL comic, Klavier has just accepted Apollo's offer to defend him)

Phoenix: You're doing good, Apollo.

Apollo: Mr. Wright?

P: I've been doing a lot of hiding. Should have known you'd know exactly how to drag the truth out of me.

P: You've been a real good sport through all of this.

A: What do you mean?

P: After my... Memorable first impression, I expected you to abandon ship. Run away from my nonsense, from the card.

A: (The card.... He's talking about the forged evidence from my very first trial..... I didn't think he still thought about that moment.)

P: I guess..... I wanted to say thanks.

A: .....With all due respect, sir, where is this coming from?

P: Ah....... I guess this case is just making me sappy.

A: (I guess his talk with Prosecutor Gavin earlier got him thinking about the past...)

(Case AJ2-4, directly after the murder attempt on Trucy. They're in the hospital while she lays on the bed unconscious.)

Phoenix (at her bedside, facing away from Apollo): Trucy.... I never got to give her a stable life to grow up in...

P: I think she could tell I didn't know what to do. But I just kept bluffing. I guess that's all I've ever been good at.

Apollo: Mr. Wright.... Trucy's going to be okay...... She has to be.

P: ..........

P: I know she will be. She's a strong girl.

A: (there's a familiar feeling gripping my wrist...)

A: *sigh* Mr. Wright, you should stay with Trucy. Look after her.

P: !

P: But what about your investigation?

A: I can manage by myself. I know my way around a crime scene by now.

P: ...... Thanks, Apollo.

A: Right, I'll get down to investigating. Tell me if her condition changes.

P: Will do. Good luck.

>move

>hospital hallway

A: *big frustrated sigh*

???: Forgive me for overhearing-

A: Wha-

A: Prosecutor Gavin?!

Klavier: You need help in the investigation, ja?

A: ...What?

K: I want to help you.

A: (What????)

A: Gavin, what brought this on? Why are you here?

K: I was in the crowd for the whole event. I wanted to see how the fraulein was doing.

A: And now you want to help... Me?

K: Fraulein Atlas has already taken the case. I assure you, Forehead, I really do wish to help.

A: But I-

K: You would have been investigating alone this time around, no? It never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes, and you would know mine are quite sharp.

A: I guess but-

K: Perfect! I can drive us back.

A: (Something tells me he isn't going to take no for an answer.)

A: Alright, Gavin. Let's go then.

K: Ah, I was hoping you'd say that!

[britishassistant]

A Fruit of Several Trees

Kristoph Gavin considers many things, once the fugue of rage has died down somewhat.

He is currently being transported to the detention center in the back of a police vehicle. He has been cuffed, but not tightly, as some in the world of law enforcement still recognize that respect paid to him is worth its weight in gold. The attitude of the officer driving the car is more akin to that of a chauffer than a guard.

He is under arrest, pending trial, for the murder of Shadi “Smith”.

He has found himself in this situation thanks to the manipulation of novice Apollo Justice by failed ex-attorney Phoenix Wright.

He never should have allowed this farce to continue to this extent. When Wright asked for representation, he should have insisted that a close friend appealing to Gavin and Co. get not less than Gavin himself, no matter the client’s preferences. Certainly not an impressionable, inexpert, indecisive rookie. Not a young man who could be led by the nose until Wright had enacted this, this mockery of spiteful pettiness.

Kristoph takes a breath.

When the red has receded somewhat from his vision, he considers some other aspects that captured his attention.

He considers the warring guilt and conviction on Justice’s face as Kristoph was led from the courtroom.

He considers the look on Wright’s. That damn smug smirk, as if he were somehow better than Kristoph for getting the court to accept evidence that couldn’t exist. That was—is!—fraudulent.

He considers the way Wright looked at Justice. Conniving, grasping glances, like a dog guarding a piece of meat it wishes to devour alone. Or a castaway who doesn’t want to share the only means of survival.

Wright wants something from the boy, and wants it dearly to boot. Whether it’s merely a patsy who can appear in court in place of the disbarred disgrace, or a more…prurient desire.

Except that does not quite do the situation justice, does it?

Of all the lawyers in Gavin & Co., it was Justice, the newly promoted intern, that Wright asked for. Lacchè and Günstling were the most experienced behind Kristoph himself, although both would throw themselves on the pyre before they ever admitted he was culpable (a fact he planned to take advantage of for his appeal). Ingadozó is talented and easily swayed, though was perhaps too overly cautious for Wright’s goals. But Vichy would gladly have played along with this farce for the chance to oust his employer and rule the roost. Yung was the newest off the bar after Apollo, if all Wright wanted was an inexperienced mouthpiece who’d sing to his tune.

But no. Of all the attorneys Gavin and Co. had to offer, Wright selected the one who’d never even taken a case before and refused all others.

Though it isn’t like Kristoph doesn’t understand the appeal.

Apollo Justice is thorough, hard-working, and earnest.

He is analytical enough that he can pick up on the merest hint of a cue and doesn’t need to be led by the hand to the conclusions it would be best to draw. But he is also eager to please, aware and afraid of his own naïveté, which makes him look to his superior for those cues to begin with.

Terrified of failure. Petrified of abandonment.

He is, in short, as fine a pawn as Kristoph could ever hope for.

But if Wright is determined to use him, then Kristoph must remove him from the board.

It is regrettable, he thinks, that he’s been forced to this point. He has liked working alongside Mr. Justice, molding him into an attorney worthy of Gavin and Co.

He’s even enjoyed their non-work interactions, which is more than he can say for most people.

Morning greetings and evening partings, the occasional shared lunch, a thoughtful if inexpensive card every year for Kristoph’s birthdays, introducing Mr. Justice to some quality alcohol in honor of his twenty-first. Graciously covering for the young man’s hangover the next day, in light of the interesting things he’d told Kristoph about why he’d never partaken of even the weakest substance before he came of age.

Still, while Wright was the one pulling the strings, Justice himself also played a role in forcing Kristoph’s hand. There must be consequences for his actions.

When all is said and done, Apollo Justice only has himself to blame for this.

Kristoph Gavin requests to make a call once he reaches the detention center.

It is a call to an international number, and he is on the line for forty four minutes and thirty six seconds.

Afterwards, he returns to his cell a model detainee, if an unnervingly pleased one.

Phoenix Wright feels like he can finally breathe for the first time in seven years.

His work isn’t done, far from it. While MASON has received the tentative go-aheads and sponsorship from the relevant authorities, there’s still plenty of nitty gritty paperwork to be filed and lower level officials to be convinced that this isn’t out of their purview, not really, in fact it could be a great opportunity for them, whaddya say? Care to take a chance on something new?

Although he needs to take care that “Phoenix Wright the washed up poker player” and “Phoenix Wright the foremost jurist system advocate” don’t get mixed up any more than they already have.

Nick grimaces at the memory of the time he accidentally asked a judge if she would “ante up”. The glare he received was enough to make the arctic feel warm and humid.

So, while he still has some issues to sort through as he gets MASON up and running, he can at least do it without Kristoph Gavin breathing down his neck. Looming large over his and Trucy’s lives. Trying to isolate them and drag them down and waiting for the day either of them was careless enough to let their guard slip—!

Well, look who’s laughing now, Gavin. Look who’s laughing now.

He feels bad for Justice, he does, but Nick hardly even felt the punch in the moment, he was so elated. It was everything he could do not to start singing ‘Ding Dong the Witch is Dead’ right there in the defendant lobby.

Of course, Trucy had to get him a pack of frozen peas later when the pain set in, but even with his cheek bruised and swollen, he couldn’t stop grinning.

He’d had to hold himself back from talking about Justice to her. He needs to confirm a few last things first— he may bluff through a lot in life, but this is something he wants to be 100% certain of before getting his daughter’s hopes up.

Regardless, Apollo Justice is going places. Nick would happily go all in on that bet.

He considers his faint reflection in one of the ministry’s windows.

His old dress shirt is a bit tight around the shoulders, and his feet ache slightly from being encased in socks and too-small dress shoes.

It’s nothing like the old silhouette, sharp shoulders in blue. But it’s business enough that people take him seriously. That they take MASON seriously.

And if he has the knit hat his daughter made him poking out of his shoulderbag, pin dangling…well, everyone has eccentricities.

Nick allows himself a rare smile, made blurry by the glass, before he sets off for his next appointment with a spring in his step.

Things are finally going his way, and nothing can bring him—!

His phone begins beeping out the opening bars of the Steel Samurai theme.

Nick grins at the caller ID, good mood brightening further. “Yello?”

“Wright.”

“Edgeworth!” His delight is tempered by concern at his friend’s tone. “What’s up? Everything good with you?”

“I take it you haven’t heard then.” Edgeworth’s tone is somehow sharper than usual. Urgent. “Where are you right now?”

“I’m at the Ministry of Justice.” Nick says slowly, a sense of dread trickling down his spine. “Why? Edgeworth, what’s wrong?”

“The young attorney who helped bring down Kristoph Gavin has a warrant out for his arrest.”

Phoenix Wright stops dead.

“On what grounds?!” His voice is hoarse with volume.

He’d know if someone tried to take Justice in for assault, they’d have contacted him over pressing charges by now, and Nick hasn’t had to do that since Richard Wellington and his fire extinguisher, so that leaves the disastrous possibility that the kid had turned himself in over the representative evidence which he thought was a forgery, which, okay, kudos for having such an unshakable moral compass, but it’d be tricky for Nick to talk their way out of that one, especially with his current reputation—!

“My contact in Interpol tells me the Kingdom of Khura’in is requesting his immediate extradition.” Edgeworth states, voice steady in the way it only gets when everything’s gone to pot. “On the charges of domestic terrorism and treason.”

Phoenix turns on his heel and runs.

[lokiondisneyplus]

You might have done a little happy dance upon learning that Ke Huy Quan — who first left his mark on Hollywood in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as Short Round and most recently won an Academy Award for his role in Everything, Everywhere All At Once — was joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, when Quan found out an invitation for him to join the MCU was being extended he had to pull over to the side of the road because he was getting teary-eyed and couldn’t see. 

“I’ve been a fan of the Marvel Universe for a long, long time, and I always fantasized about joining the MCU family but that was only a fantasy that I didn’t think it would ever come true, it was a distant dream of mine.” Quan explained. “I watched Loki season 1 on Disney Plus and I thought it was one of the most creative and just best-looking cinematography, costume, production design; everything was just top notch. It was one of the most creative shows that I’ve ever seen in a long, long time.”

After his role in the Oscar-winning Everything, Everywhere All At Once caught the attention of Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, he reached out to Quan with an offer. 

“One day my agent told me, ‘Kevin Feige is going to give you a call from Marvel Studios’, and he told me between a certain time, between 5 and 7, and I was so nervous but at the same time I was also very, very excited. I remember I was in a meeting at that time, and I told the person I was having the meeting with, ‘I’m so sorry, but at 4:50 I’m going to have to leave,’ but I didn’t tell them why, so I set my alarm clock at 4:50. And when it rang, I got out of there, expecting this important call from Mr. Kevin Feige. I was just driving home and all of a sudden, my phone rang, and I picked it up, and on the other end I heard this voice, hello, hi, I’m Kevin Feige, hello Ke.”

On the phone, Feige praised Quan’s performance, which tugged on his heartstrings so much he couldn’t contain his emotions. 

“I started getting teary eyed and I was driving, and I couldn’t see. And I had to pull off to the side of the road and we’re talking, and then he said, would you like to join the MCU family? I was ecstatic, I was so happy and to get that call from him meant the world to me.”

Quan now joins the MCU in the second season of Marvel Studios’ Loki playing Ouroboros — or O.B. for short. He works, all alone, in the very bottom basement of the Time Variance Authority, but “he’s super happy with his job, he doesn’t sleep, and he works 24/7.” 

It might be intimidating joining the ranks alongside long-time Marvel star Tom Hiddleston and his on-screen best friend, Owen Wilson’s Mobius. But Quan fit right in. 

“He's a dream, I can't imagine anyone else playing this role,” Executive Producer Kevin Wright explains. “What you see on camera is what we get behind the camera. He slotted right into this team, which is already a fantastic ensemble. He's just a beautiful, inspiring person to work with.”

Wright notes that what Hiddleston and Wilson created with Loki and Mobius is “beloved,” and adding a third person might make for a third-wheel situation. But not with Quan. Quan, “came in with his own kind of unique aspect to that trio. It was just honestly being true to himself, being true to the character. He just adds this extra ingredient that wasn't there before. There's almost this whimsy. He just felt like a natural part of the team.”

It might have been a seamless fit, but that doesn’t mean Quan didn’t come prepared with a ton of questions about his character and the world of the TVA. 

“In the beginning I was quite nervous because it’s such a well-written character and I wanted to do it justice,” he continues. “I had a lot of creative meetings with our producers and with our directors. I would sit down, and I would ask them all these kinds of questions because I wanted to give justice to this wonderfully created character by our writer and producer.”

Looking back, Quan calls the whole process memorable, adding, “Every day I walk on set in a great mood and that’s how I finish the day as well. Every single person — the cast and the crew, has made this journey so memorable.”

And as for where he fits into the larger MCU? Quan’s already passed the first test of not talking about spoilers — not even asking about them. 

“I’m only familiar with what Loki Season 2 is about but I don’t want to know too much,” He jokes. “I want to be like a fan and discover it just the way everybody else does.”

Editor’s note: The following interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14, 2023.

[the-bar-sinister]

In Justice We Trust (88252 words) by thesavagesabretooth

catch up here

With Simon Blackquill and Athena Cykes assigned as their psychologists, the Phantom and Fulbright must grapple with their identity, their deeds, their future, and their love for the twisted samurai whom they betrayed.

All the while, Edgeworth and Wright find their relationship tested as they walk the narrow path between pursuing real justice, and the dark age of the law.

-

December 25, 6:45 am

Miles had requested one of the hotel conference rooms so that he could bring Phoenix up to speed on the case– given the lack of time or appropriate space to do so any earlier. He'd sent Kay to go fetch some bagels and coffee for the meeting, and he flipped through the paperwork from his briefcase, adjusting his reading glasses.

There was a knock on the door, and the man behind it didn't wait for a 'come in' before he invited himself.

Phoenix Wright swaggered in, in his shirt sleeves and suspenders, with his signature blue coat tossed over one shoulder. His hair wasn't gelled back yet, hanging instead in untidy damp locks around his face and over his eyes.

He yawned, clicking the door closed behind him. "Morning, Edgeworth."

"Good morning, Wright." Miles looked up at him rather appreciatively, leaning on his hand and taking in the view. "I see my request caught you just out of the shower."

"Hey, you jump, I ask how high, eh?" Wright walked over and put his arms around Miles' shoulders, leaning over him from behind the chair.

Miles laughed and nuzzled his face against Phoenix's warm, freshly shaved cheek, the gentle scent of his aftershave and shampoo mingling. "You most emphatically do not do that, Phoenix. But you smell nice, so that's something."

"Well, as long as I've got something going for me, huh?" He smiled that big, stupid smile of his, and Miles grabbed his chin and pulled him into a rough, insistent kiss. It was the first one he'd managed to steal in days, and he was determined to enjoy it. Phoenix's tongue tasted of peppermint, and he made a soft noise as Miles bit and sucked at his lips.

When he finally released him, Phoenix took a deep breath, and batted his eyelashes. "Why, Mr. Edgeworth, how terribly scandalous!" he cooed in a falsetto.

Miles rolled his eyes. "Every time, Mr.Wright. And worth the potential scandal every time."

Phoenix leaned on him. "You spoil me, Miles."

"After the way you've behaved lately? I absolutely think I spoil you. You'd better be ready to really earn that badge I got back for you." He traced his fingers over Phoenix's jaw softly. He'd been hurt– terribly hurt– when Phoenix had said he wouldn't go to bat with him on this case, after everything Miles had done for him. But he could never stay angry at Phoenix long. It was that puppy dog look of his.

Phoenix leaned into Miles' touch and nodded, closing his eyes. "Consider me ready, Miles. But you already have the others here, what exactly is the plan?"

"For starters, I'm keeping you on a leash this time. You're going to help me investigate some of the more behind the scenes elements here."

"Oooh, investigating is my favorite part," Phoenix grinned.

"Don't think I don't know it," Miles chuckled. "Really, you would have made a better detective than a lawyer, Phoenix."

"And what about you, Miles? I'd say the same."

Miles adjusted his glasses, and smiled, bashfully. "Yes, well, we all have our roles to play, don't we? What use is playing detective if it's for a corrupt system?"

They'd talked about it before. About washing their hands of the whole thing and doing something like joining interpol, or opening a detective agency. But Miles couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bring himself to give up trying to piece back together the broken shards of their legal system.

One day. One day he could retire and leave the politics behind, and just do the fun part. Maybe he could even get Phoenix to come with him.

"So you say, Miles," Phoenix murmured. He nuzzled him like a cat– and they both froze when there was another knock at the door.

The door swung open, and in walked Kay Faraday, her arms laden down with a few paper bags and a balanced tray of three coffees in cheap, but sizable, paper cups.

“Gotcha the coffee, boss! And bagels. Hope you like onion, it’s all they had le–” The young woman paused, before flashing a grin. “Knew you’d probably show up, Mr. Phoenix. Got you a coffee too!” 

Miles flushed, and pulled away from Phoenix, who did the same, straightening his tie. Kay knew about him and Wright of course, but that was no excuse for such unprofessional behavior.

Miles cleared his throat and smoothed his hair. "Ah, yes, thank you, Kay. I appreciate the effort. We're just about to go over the facts of the case."

Phoenix grinned, tugging at his cuffs. "Hey, Kay. Been a while."

“Been a long time, Phoenix. How’s the office? Still run in the tyrannical grip of your daughter?” Kay asked with a snicker as she dropped the bags on the table along with the coffee.

She’d changed over the years…even if she was still ever the playful thief, she’d still grown up in a lot of ways. She had her hair in a loose bun today, pinned down with a pair of ornate sticks..

“I didn’t miss the brief?” 

"Not at all," Miles said, spreading his hands. "It was just… smalltalk. Have a seat."

"The smallest," Phoenix chuckled. He pulled out a chair for Kay on Miles' right side before sitting down at his left.

Kay Faraday took a seat, leaning onto her hands as some of her dark hair fell across her eye “Guess it’s time to get down to business, eh? So you can have some more time for smalltalk later~..” 

December 25, 7:00 am

Miles coughed as Kay teased him.. "Yes, ah, anyway… the best place to start is with the dead agents."

She watched as he pulled a folder out of his briefcase.

Kay Faraday glanced at the folder with a low sigh. She’d gotten long used to bodies, they’d always seemed to crop up wherever she and Miles had gone together. They never got any easier to deal with, or any less sad to see…but she was used to them.

“Got any names for us, boss? Or is Lang keeping them hush?” 

"That'd be pretty inconvenient if so," Phoenix mused, leaning on his hand.

"Hardly," Miles rolled his eyes and presented to glossy photos– one of a tan skinned man with glossy ringlets of black hair, the other blond, blue eyed and clean cut. "Agent Angelo St. John, and Agent Layton Fish. They were the closest agents here in Cauli when Lang sent word to watch the airport."

“Bad luck. Guys are sleeping with the fishes and running with the angels at the same time. One bad job, ” Kay murmured. She leaned over to look at the pictures thoughtfully. “what’s the scene look like?” 

"Not good." Miles set his jaw and showed another picture. Two vehicles, both burned and twisted almost to unrecognizability. 

Phoenix whistled. "I'll say. Did they find any bodies?"

"Two. Interpol has their forensics working on dental records. I'm planning to have Ema lend us her expertise at the scene."

"So we don't even know if these are our guys," Phoenix said.

"Not one hundred percent, no. But Agent Kelso has confirmed that one of the vehicles matches– well, matched– the car that the agents left in."

Kay’s eyes lingered on the damage from the fire. “So it’s pretty likely, unless someone’s playing one heck of a trick on us. “

Phoenix weaved his fingers together. "We've seen some pretty good tricks. But there's always evidence."

"There's always evidence," Miles agreed. "I'm sending most of our people to the scene to look in person today, while some of us take a different tactic. I'd like to do some investigating at the airport itself and see if we can get anything from the security people."

Kay nodded seriously, leaning on her hands with a grin. “Might turn up something. Might turn up more if you let me slip in there and dig around their security files.” 

"Kay, don't even suggest anything illegal to me today," Miles said firmly. "We're here by the grace of interpol. We do things by the book– that goes double for you, Phoenix."

He held his hands up and grinned. "What, me? Do something unethical? Never."

“And who from Interpol’s here?” Kay puffed out her cheeks. “I mean…Agent Lang always let me do my thing. And it’s not like either of his subordinates are gonna give me crap for unconventional tactics.” 

Miles crossed his arms. "if you clear it with Lang you can do whatever you want, Kay. If you clear it with Lang. His favorite agents are with him too, if you'd like to give wheedling them a shot. Meanwhile, Phoenix and I are also going to be following up on our main target."

“Ooof.” Kay grimaced. “I mean, Badd’s a pushover when it comes to me, but…” the other one…she had some complicated history with. Besides, she’d probably just laugh the request off.

“Yessir. “ She sighed, and grabbed a bagel “sounds like you got a day chock full of adventure.” 

"Adventure is one way to put it," Miles murmured. He pulled out another picture. It was a wide shot of the airport's baggage claim, the same one they'd been in last night. "This is the picture that Agent Kelso sent back before the disappearance of her fellow agents. It was just enough to make a positive ID."

"A positive ID, huh?" Phoenix rubbed his chin, and squinted at the picture. There was a pair of figures circled in red marker. A blond, bespectacled older man meeting with a slim, dark haired figure in large sunglasses. The older man's face was turned toward the camera, and his features were visible.

“So that’s the guy, huh?” Kay whistled low under her breath “...and the person in the shades, that’s the one Kelso had been tailing?” 

Miles nodded. "The one in the shades is the one Kelso followed from LA to Cauli, yes. The bomber at Fulbright's apartment. And the other– the blond– we think that's the one that the Phantom referred to as 'specs' during questioning."

"Specs, huh?" Phoenix asked. "You said you got a positive ID from this picture?"

"Interpol ran the data for hours," Miles nodded. "It came up with a man named Gaius Lovelace. Dual British and Zheng-Fa citizenship. He runs a consultancy business and manages a hedge fund."

“Bet he’s hedging his bets that we aren’t going to find him and kick his ass six ways from Sunday.” Kay grumbled, before quickly adding. “with the law, I mean!” 

"With the law," Miles agreed. "We're going to see if we can pick up his trail here in Cauli somehow, while Interpol is investigating his residence in England."

"Sounds like a hell of a case, Edgeworth," Phoenix said with a little smile.

Edgeworth smirked back. "I knew I could get you interested, Wright."

Kay stretched as she stuffed her bagel into her mouth. A moment later, she dared to ask the question. “So what should I do, boss? Given it’s date night for you two.” 

The noise Edgeworth made was hilarious.

December 25, 7:30 am

Halblicht caught his breath as he watched Apollo's receding figure leave the cafeteria. Everyone was staring at them. The staff were staring at them.

That was a disaster.

Simon's hands were on his shoulders, and he looked up to see the prosecutor's gaze following Apollo as well. And Athena was still interposed between himself, and the world.

It could have gone worse, I suppose.

"Still with us, Half Bright?" Simon demanded, glancing down at him.

"For the moment." He fixed his sunglasses. "Ms. Cykes, you didn't need to do that."

“No, Robert.” Athena’s voice carried a tremor that was hard to identify the root of, but she stayed standing between him and the retreating Apollo.

“I did. You’re my patient. I promised to help you, right? Part of that’s not letting my friend beat you to a pulp because he’s lost control of his emotions.” her voice dropped into a quiet murmur “...it wouldn’t be right.” 

Bobby reached out, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Ms. Cykes, I accept your commitment as a staunch fellow ally of justice– but he could have hurt you."

Their eyes watered and Robert almost staggered under the weight of Bobby's wave of concern and gratitude.

When Athena turned towards him, there were tears in her eyes and a smile on her face that didn’t quite reach them.

“He already did, Bobby. Didn’t even have to land a punch.” She shook her head, and her shoulder shook under his hand “...it was a risk I was ready to take. I’m stronger than I look, I could have taken it. I didn’t want him to hurt you anymore…or to hurt himself doing something he’d regret..” 

They rubbed their chest. It ached. Apollo had hit them right in the same place that the bullet had.

"I appreciate it, Athena, but…"

Simon scoffed. "What's done is done. Athena threw herself into harm's way for, perhaps no good reason. But who among us can say we've never done the same."

"I suppose," Bobby murmured. 

Is he including us in that?

I have no idea.

They glanced across the table. Investigator Skye had been there when this began– was she still?

Ema had shot up in the confusion, and was halfway across the cafeteria as Apollo vanished. The last sounds of her calling out to him died in a low growl as she ran her hands through her hair.

“Great, fan fucking tastic. Great. Awesome.”

Simon frowned deeply, as he followed Halblicht's gaze."Well. I suppose we have the table to ourselves now. And Mr. Justice is aware of the situation. So whatever else may be the case– mission accomplished."

“Yeah..” Athena’s voice was hollow as she pressed her hand to her face. “Mission accomplished.”

“...” Ema tugged at her hair just a little bit ahead, hissing under her breath. Eventually she stormed off to a table, where she grabbed a bag of complimentary chips “I’m getting ready for the damned investigation.” 

"I guess we all should…" Bobby sighed heavily and finally seated himself as well– noticing that only now did Simon take his hands off him. The prosecutor didn't acknowledge it, merely sitting down next to him. "I'm sorry about the scene…"

It was inevitable, really.

Maybe, but I'm still sorry. I hope Mr. Justice can… calm down, at least.Ema vanished out the door, and Athena dropped into a chair. 

“...it’s my fault," Athena sighed,"I should have explained it better…or just bitten the bullet and dealt with Miles being angry with me and told him sooner.” 

Robert pushed their glasses up. "Frankly, Ms. Athena, we probably should have gone to Mr. Edgeworth and let him handle it. but what's done is done."

“What’s done is done,” she echoed, looking at the door. “But I think I’m out an investigation partner for the day.” 

"Well, it's irregular," Simon said, leaning on one hand and starting to pick at his breakfast again. "But this is an irregular situation. Why don't you just investigate with us?"

Athena looked up at them with a blink “...the defense and the prosecution working together, huh? Not a bad idea…”

Bobby smiles. "You two do make quite the impressive team. And anyway, we don't even know who you'll be representing yet, Ms. Athena. I'm sure there's no harm in it."

“That’s true.” Athena finally smiled again, rubbing the back of her neck. “no harm at all…and anyway, the prosecution needs to start learning to share anyway.” 

"True enough," Simon agreed with a smirk. "Much as I enjoy mysterious ways, now that the dark age of the law has started to crack, things might change."

Bobby stood to get himself some coffee. It already felt like things were changing.

Charging in had definitely been the right thing to do.

"Where are you going, Half Bright?"

They stopped frozen and turned toward Simon.

We should probably have asked permission…

"Ah, just to get some coffee, sir."

They waited for the rebuke.

"Good, get me another cup."

Bobby wasn't the only one who felt a small sting of relief.

December 25, 7:30 am

Trucy and Pearl had slept in a bit compared to everyone else. Trucy had woken up to a message on her phone from her Daddy to go and have breakfast without him, because he was in a meeting with Mr. Edgeworth.

“Looks like we’ve gotta go it alone this morning, Pearl.” she’d said as she tied her hair into its usual low ponytail. “Daddy’s busy with Mr. Edgeworth, so we’re gonna have to scrounge for ourselves.” 

Pearl had put her own hair back up in it's complicated coiffure the night before after it had dried, and she was sitting on the end of the bed, kicking her feet, and watching as Trucy finished getting ready. 

"You say scrounge as if there isn't a whole hotel restaurant, Trucy," she giggled.

Trucy fluffed her hair, letting the cluster of locks fall down to frame her face in a curl on one side, before she turned with a sweep of her cape as she fastened it over her shoulders.

“A whole hotel restaurant for us to scrounge and forage in…only us, our wits, and daddy’s hotel tab between us and a good balanced breakfast.” 

Pearl giggled and hopped up to her feet. "I think it might actually be Mr. Miles' hotel tab in this case. Or maybe even Klavier's!"

“You know what that means, Pearl.” Trucy offered her hand with a grin “...we don’t have to worry about going ham. Daddy’s broke, but Mr. Edgeworth is loaded.” 

Pearl giggled and took her hand. "Let's go ham then! Or at least get ham. I don't want to be stuffed to the gills when we go meet Klavier, after all!"

She giggled and tugged her toward the door.

Trucy followed her with a laugh. “That's true, that’s true. Alright, we’ll make sure to at least get ham and maybe something sweet on the go, and then get going to see Klavier. I’d like to be able to dance, at the very least.” 

"Dance huh?" Pearl asked as they hurried down the hall. "You think he'll invite us to?"

Trucy squeezed her hand. “I mean he’s a musician, I think he’d be offended if we didn’t wanna!” 

"Truuue, but I didn't know if he was gonna do anything actually musical in this commercial," she mused. She paused waiting for the elevator. "You said it was for a brand of soft drink, right?"

“You…” Trucy rubbed her chin. “you think he’d agree to do it if he wasn’t gonna get to rock out? What? Is he gonna prosecute someone in it?”

Pearl stepped into the elevator. She mirrored Trucy's gesture, rubbing her own chin. "Well I mean I kind of just thought he was going to open a soft drink 80 different times in 80 different takes and go 'ahhh, so refreshing!' or something."

Trucy stuck out her tongue. "Blehhh… First of all, he’d get a stomachache. Second of all, that’d be lame. There’s no pizzazz in that. Where’s the magic? Where’s the light and sound? Nobody’s gonna wanna drink their stupid soda if it’s just a guy opening it, looking sick because it’s his hundredth soda and going ‘yum, it’s good, buy it, dummy’, you know?” 

Pearl rubbed her neck as the elevator descended. "Um, I super agree with you Trucy, but I'm not sure that's how commercials work. I'm also not sure why I know more about commercials than you…"

Trucy flushed a brilliant red, huffing. “I…I…every commercial I’ve ever been in’s been exciting! That’s all! Geeze!” 

The elevator stopped at the first floor.

"Have you been in a bunch?"

“I’ve been in one.” Trucy waved her hand back and forth in the air, still holding Pearl’s. “It was for the Wright Anything Agency!” 

"Ooooooh. Well, then it's no surprise it was exciting!"

The door opened and she tugged Trucy out and toward the dining hall.

Trucy followed close behind, grinning as she went .

“We didn't have food, either, but if we did I wouldn’t have wanted to waste it, you know? So obviously someone’s gotta drink the sodas that Klavier doesn’t….maybe he actually gives them to the crew so he doesn’t get sick? I dunno.” 

"Ooooh, maybe. That'd be nice, right?" She pushed the door to the dining room open. "After you!"

Trucy dipped into a curtsy with a grin. 

“why thank you, Pearl.” she winked “you know how to make a girl feel special…” With that and tip of her hat, she slipped into the dining hall. 

Slipping into the dining room, Trucy realized there was almost nobody in there. A couple of people off to one side Trucy didn't recognize, and Athena sitting with Simon Blackquill and some other guy.

And that was basically it. No Kay, no Gumshoe. No Apollo.

“Uh…..” Trucy stopped short with a raise of her eyebrow under the brim of her hat. “...where the heck is everyone? Polly shoulda been here by now. He never misses breakfast.” 

Pearl rubbed her neck. "More breakfast for us I guess? Maybe he already ate and got going?"

Trucy watched her look around the dining hall, and her gaze come to rest on the mystery man sitting with Athena and Simon.

She leaned on Pearl’s shoulder, staring along with her with a puzzled tilt of her head. “Who's that guy?” 

Pearl chewed on her thumb, and looked distracted. "Gosh, um… that's a good question..."

“He kinda looks familiar…like I saw him somewhere recently.” Trucy mused with her chin against Pearl’s shoulder. “..what’s up, Pearl? Do you recognize him?” 

"Um…." Pearl chewed on her thumb again. "Why don't we get some breakfast."

Trucy glanced between Pearl’s expression and the mystery man tugging at the edge of her memory. 

“...Yeah uh.” She eased Pearl towards the breakfast buffet tables, “let’s maybe do that and we’ll sort it out together.” 

December 25, 7:45 am

As they were finishing up with breakfast, Athena noticed Trucy and Pearl pause in the doorway, before they headed over to the buffet area.

“Hmmm,” Athena’s brow knit as she nibbled down a piece of bacon. “Why…are Trucy and Pearl here?” 

Simon looked up. "I'm sorry, what?"

Athena pointed to them at the buffet table with her slice of bacon. “...Trucy and Pearl. They’re over there. They were staring right at us for like….3 minutes before they wandered over there. Why…why are they here in Cauli?”

Halblicht looked over his shoulder curiously as well. "Trucy Wright, yes? And the other girl… wasn't she involved in the orca case?"

“Yeah, that’s right! She was the penguin whisperer…because she fell down in a bunch of fish.” She laughed into her hand. “She’s a spirit medium from Kurain , I’m pretty sure. She’s really great.” 

"A… spirit medium?" Halblicht's expression was unreadable, but Athena felt a brief flicker of odd, twisted emotions from him anyway. "How unusual."

“Yeah…her cousin was part of that whole case back in the day that proved the existence of ghosts, you know.” Athena mused , leaning on her hand. “She was possessed by the vengeful spirit of a multiple murderer..”

The restaurant’s door slammed open, carrying with it a cheerful, if very sleepy sounding, salutation.

“G’morning, fellas!” Agent Kelso called out, as she adjusted her sunglasses in her hair. “Can the Edgeworth party come with me?” 

[frickingnerd]

apollo crushing on trucy's best friend

pairing: apollo justice x gn!reader

tags: wholesome fluff, athena helping apollo out, mentions of trucy, apollo is bad at feelings, awkward!apollo

most of trucy's friends were… a bit too much like her. they were magicians or worked in the showbiz, but you were different

it was refreshing for apollo to get to meet you, someone who seemed so normal, compared to the other people around him

whenever apollo needed help with something and needed the opinion of a normal person, he sought you out

and whenever he just wanted some time away from the office or his colleagues and friends, he paid you a visit, knowing the two of you could simply sit in silence together and he could relax

but soon, apollo found himself falling in love with you. when the two of you spent time one day, it seemed to just click and he understood you were special to him

the poor guy was so overwhelmed by his feelings that he made an excuse to leave, immediately seeking out athena, to get advice about it!

after all, you were trucy's best friend, so if he told trucy or mr. wright, you'd likely get wind of it. and he really didn't trust klavier with advice when it came to women…

besides, athena's therapy did wonders on him, as he confessed to her that he had fallen in love with you!

while athena loved to tease him, this was the rare occasion where she was being genuine with him. but he knew that she'd eventually tease him about all of this…

but for now, athena was helping apollo, to come up with a good way to confess to you. as well as telling trucy about his crush on you…

[bbs-backlog-challenge]

Fin or Bin: The Great Ace Attorney

I'm an Ace Attorney fan, having played through all six of the mainline games, watched the anime and the movie, and read some of the manga, and when these games were announced I remember my reaction was one of "huh, that's cool I guess". Each of the games up to that point had moved the story and characters forward in some way, and now here was a game that very specifically did not do that at all- starring instead Mr Wright's ancestor Ryunosuke Naruhodo as he traveled to Victorian-era Britain and had nothing at all to do with the series chronology otherwise. It felt distinctly non-essential to me, a fun side-game that, if you missed it, you didn't really miss anything.

And that's a mighty shame because now I've started it, I am HOOKED. Solving murders as Naruhodo-san has just as much of that addictive 'a-ha!' juiciness as it does with Mr Wright, while the new setting lets them tell stories that modern forensics would solve too easily.

One somewhat disappointing thing is that (mild spoilers for the first two cases) we haven't had a nice villain takedown yet. The resolutions to the first two cases both feel a little hollow, a victory with a sour spin; compare that for instance to the first case of Apollo Justice where you get to really nail the rotter and feel like the king of the universe when he's finally taken down, it's definitely missing the catharsis of other games in the series. That said, I'm aware that these two games (I'm only playing the first one for now) build up to something spectacular, and I have no doubt it will be worth the wait.

Finally, Herlock Sholmes.

Fin or Bin:

It sure is making me nostalgic for the rest of the series. I recently acquired an exercise bike for dirt-cheap, and these games are absolutely perfect for that. Maybe once I'm Finished here, I'll check in with Ryunosuke's great-great-great-grandson again.

(Steam)

[eleccy]

Shit Kristoph Gavin Has Canonically Said (Verbatim)

Yes, a test of wits, a silent clash of passions... Only the cards, their backs wreathed in blue flame, know its final outcome.

That is cross-examination. Learn it. Know it. Do it.

Precisely. Cards on the table, cards upon the floor... Each one forming a complete deck. A crime scene painted blue by a sad sweep of cards... It's poetic, really.

Apollo: Because Mr. Wright can't lose! Kristoph: Ahem. Justice? Maybe you can come up with a more legitimate objection?

It's considered bad form to poke fun at the hard-of- hearing in our society.

If possible... Please... Refrain from embarrassing me.

There's such a thing as thinking aloud too much, too.

It's a simple matter of calculation. Go on, try it. We're not in kindergarten, after all.

Excellent work, Justice. It's almost as though you figured it out by yourself.

Perhaps you ought to explain your point in a way that the judge can comprehend... In other words, use your finger to "point" out your point!

When examining evidence, be sure to view it from all sides and angles. Try using the dials on the evidence viewer. That should give you a better perspective on the case.

Well, time's a wasting. Get to it, Justice.

I believe the judge spoke truthfully earlier. You do make trials... ridiculous, Mr. Wright.

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Valicer In The Dark -- Score & Story Ideas Inspired By Other Sources!

Hey, remember this surprisingly-long post of score & story ideas I had for the Valicer In The Dark universe? And how, at the end, I mentioned I still had loads of ideas, these based off other stuff I enjoy or find intriguing in some way? Well, it's taken me longer than anticipated, but here is my surprsingly-long follow-up list of some of those stories! Because you know me and my crossovers -- if I can, I will. :p

-->First up, here's a score idea based off of something unexpected -- the summary of what would have been Alice: Asylum! Now, if you know me, you know that I was never really into this weird prequel/sequel/whatever-the-hell-it-turned-into-before-EA-said-"Nope" entry into the Alice series (justice for Alice Otherlands), and I actually don't know that much about it. But I do know two key things that were apparently part of the final draft, thanks to the wiki:

1. That Wilton Radcliffe, Alice's family's lawyer and that dickhead keeping her rabbit from her in Alice: Madness Returns, was apparently helping Bumby with his activities

2. That Radcliffe, while he was off-screen, somehow sired a daughter, named Angela

That coupled with the fact that I still needed to establish where Alice's beloved toy rabbit (Mr. Bunny, as per my own headcanon) had got to in the VITD universe inspired me to create a score where, after getting a little more settled into their lair and establishing a name for themselves as the Three Pillars, the trio decide to go after Radcliffe to see if they can get Mr. Bunny and whatever's left of Alice's inheritance back. However, when they get to his house, they find it recently abandoned. Searching the place reveals a diary where Radcliffe's role in Bumby's activities is revealed, and his plans to flee the city before the Bluecoats discover he was a collaborator. Specifically, he notes down that he has a meeting with a former "client" on the very day the trio has broken into his house --

Where he intends to hand over his daughter for enough money to get a ticket on a ship heading to Skovlan (a neighboring country, not doing so great after a war with Akoros, where Duskwall is). After Alice recovers from the "when the fuck did he have a child" shock, the trio immediately rush off to the Docks to save Angela and take Radcliffe down, at which aim they of course succeed because fuck Radcliffe. In the process, Alice discovers that Angela has taken Mr. Bunny as her own (renaming him "Rabbity"). Angela, upon realizing that Rabbity is in fact Alice's old toy, offers to give him back, but Alice is content to let him stay with Angela (though she does take the opportunity to give him a big hug first). The trio thus drop Angela off at the new, better Houndsditch run by June, and she quickly becomes fast friends with Charlie. :) Better ending for her than being stuck in eternal limbo, right?

-->I'd already decided a while ago that I wanted to incorporate stuff from Fallout 4 into my personal Duskwall -- "A Murdered Shared Is A Murdered Thirded" is going to have Smiler's parents mention sending Bumby's ledger off to "Miss Wright at Publick Occurrences; she'll make sure everyone knows what he was doing before next Embers," in the final chapter, for example. As for actual scores for the Three Pillars to get involved in, I have two quests so far that I would like to adapt to fit my universe:

Unlikely Valentine -- AKA the quest to save Nick from Skinny Malone! I imagine in this universe the Three Pillars are hired directly by either Ellie or Piper to try and figure out where Nick went while investigating a possible kidnapping by the "Triggermen" -- a new gang on the scene (consisting of a lot of Hounds, since that's the playbook that specializes in guns) that operate out of some half-completed vault some old rich dude once tried to have constructed to protect him and his from another cataclysm. Of course, the twist is that the "kidnappee," a woman named Darla, is actually leader Skinny's new girlfriend and was not keen on going back to her parents, so Nick ended up locked up while the gang tried to decide what to do with him, and the trio have to rescue him AND make sure Skinny and Darla don't decide to just kill them all. And, like in the main game, the other twist is that the trio were expecting Nick to be human, but discover during the rescue that he's a mechanical being -- specifically, that he's a Hull, a steampunk robot animated by a ghost! You see, what happened to this version is Nick is that he died in a scrap with Eddie Winter's gang shortly after the death of his fiancee, Jenny, but the Bluecoat squad he was working with didn't want to lose him and his brilliant detective skills, so they paid off the Spirit Wardens to trap his ghost but NOT dispose of it, and commissioned a human-like robot body for him. Hulls are GENERALLY created with some sort of magical device in them that blunts the mind and free will of the spirit inside so it can be trusted to do tasks, but the Bluecoats were certain they could rely on Nick's loyalty to the department and didn't bother with that. Not like he'd try to escape, right?

...Nick escaped and set up shop on his own in Charhollow the minute he could. XD He's still wrestling with some identity issues (these stemming from the fact that he's now a ghost in a mechanical body that doesn't quite feel like his, but that he doesn't dare leave for fear of losing his mind and becoming a Specter), but he's doing his best to help those who need help in Duskwall, and he is much loved by his community. They just all also happen to be so used to him that nobody thought to tell Victor, Alice, and Smiler what his whole deal is. XD Fortunately the three recover quickly from discovering what he is and manage to get him out without anybody getting killed, and Nick probably becomes one of their contacts from that point on. Nothing like a private detective to help you gather information! (And yes, it would be nice if they could help him finally take down Eddie Winter in a variant of the "Winter's End" quest, but I haven't figured that one out yet...)

When Freedom Calls -- AKA the quest to help Preston take out these damn raiders threatening his group of Quincy survivors! This one is much less fleshed out at the moment, but I know it involves the trio accidentally walking into Preston, holed up in some ruined building in Six Towers (I want to make it a museum, I'm jut not sure of what yet -- one commemorating the Emperor's actions during the Cataclysm?), fighting back against a gang trying to kidnap one of a group of people he's protecting for her mystical powers (much like Jared of the Corvega group of raiders wanted Mama Murphy for her Sight). They end up joining the fight on Preston's side to try and find a way to get his civilians safely out of there...a task somewhat complicated by the arrival of a deathclaw-like Horror (a strange electroplasmic entity that can do Bad Things to people) on the scene. Mainly this score is to establish Preston as a character in my version of Duskwall -- a former Bluecoat who, after his squad was betrayed by a colleague and murdered trying to do their duty, decided to found the vigilante squad the Minutemen to help those whom the Bluecoats won't and take down some of the more unsavory sorts in Duskwall. He considers the Three Pillars "honorary" members after they rescue him and his little group, and I'd imagine they and his Minutemen end up on pretty friendly terms, since the Three Pillars are FAR from the worst criminals in the city. Hell, Preston might even be able to provide a score or two in the future, much like how he's a quest-giver in the game. Wouldn't be THAT hard to adapt some of the named Minutemen-related quests, like the ones for Abernathy or Finch Farm, to the world of Duskwall!

-->Somewhat in-keeping with the Bethesda theme, here's a story that would be loosely based on that one Skyrim quest "A Night To Remember" and The Hangover movies -- "A Hangover To Remember!" Admittedly, I've never played Skyrim nor watched any of the Hangover movies, but I have read quest write-ups and movie plot summaries, and I think I can make this work regardless. XD Basically, what happens is that the Three Pillars are at The Ball & Socket one Names (aka night, since there's no proper "day" in Duskwall), when Smiler ends up challenged to a drinking contest by a demon. Victor is like "Smiler, I don't know," but the demon makes a solemn vow not to tamper with any of the drinks during the contest, and Smiler seems game, so the contest happens. They apparently win, and everybody gets a round of drinks to celebrate...

And the next equivalent-of-morning, the trio wake up with raging hangovers in one of the guest bedrooms of none other than Lord Governor Powerwallet's mansion in Whitecrown, with an Iruvian wildcat hanging out in the en-suite bathroom, a kidnapped Bob Wickerman of the Beornen cult (the cult based on the Wickerman ride at Alton Towers, which has a pretty nasty rivalry with the Advocates -- Bob in particular loathes Smiler, and the feeling is mutual) stuffed in the wardrobe, Victor sporting a new tattoo, and all three of them wearing rings that look like wedding bands. The trio thus have to retrace their steps and figure out what the fuck they did and how to fix any chaos they caused. And while I haven't quite figured out the story behind everything they did (the cat in particular is a mystery), I do know that the reason they're all wearing rings is because they got drunken-group-married at the Ministry of Joy...and while telling them this, the Advocates also reveal that, if they'd been sober enough to sign some paperwork, they could have gotten actually group married because of an interesting loophole in Duskwall's laws (basically, the government will recognize "unusual" marriages if they happen under the purview of a god that could be reasonably seen to back the marriage up -- and as Mar-Mal just wants all their Advocates to be happy, they'll back up pretty much ANY marriage). The trio are like "...why weren't we informed of this before?!" XD Anyway, they eventually get back to the pub, where they find the demon, deeply amused by everything -- as you might imagine, what happened is they tampered with the victory drink, as technically that drink was not part of the contest. XD They are delighted by the chaos though, and tell the group that they have earned themselves a boon for giving them a most entertaining night, no strings attached. And after confirming there are truly no strings, the trio tell them, "Okay, we just learned that we can actually get married if we do it under Mar-Mal -- we want you to do whatever is in your power to make sure our actual wedding goes well." The demon agrees, and there's a follow-up story about the trio getting properly group-married. :)

-->Speaking of stories based off of things I know mainly from pop-cultural osmosis, here's a tale that I would currently describe as a mixture of The Usual Suspects and the tropes "Rashomon"-Style and Once More With Clarity! This one has the trio at a Bluecoat station, having been arrested for a robbery that occurred the previous Names. The captain there doesn't think such a small crew could have pulled off the heist (which happened at a fancy house in Brightstone known for its security), but interrogates them anyway. All three cop to the theft, but tell contradicting stories about how they did it -- Alice says she stole the item by successfully fighting off the guards; Victor says he stole the item by using magic and distracting people with ghosts; and Smiler says they stole the item by talking their way past the guards and using their alchemicals against anyone who couldn't be charmed. The disgusted captain says that he doesn't believe any of them, that they're all just lying to try to get credit for a bigger score than they could pull off, and releases them. The trio reunite outside the station and talk about what they told the guy, and laughingly admit that the captain probably wouldn't have believed what really happened either -- cue a flashback to the actual time of the "robbery," which reveals that the couple being "robbed" were actually having a hell of a fight, and the wife threw the item that was "stolen" out the window -- nearly beaning poor Victor as the trio passed by (having just completed a different job). And when they objected to him nearly getting concussed by the item, she screamed "OH JUST TAKE IT" before going back to yelling at her husband. So they just took it and promptly pawned it. XD What can I say, I think I'm funny.

-->Back to things that I have actually personally experienced, here's a score that was inspired by an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- specifically, the episode on freight trains and how miserable the safety standards around them are getting (you know, the one with a faux Thomas The Tank Engine episode at the very end narrated by Matt Berry). The story stuck with me, and resulted in me coming up with a score where the Three Pillars (now known as a group that will help unions and workers, not the factory owners and elites) get hired by two Rail Jacks named John Last and Oliver Weeks to help expose the lax safety standards the owners of the rail lines at Gaddoc Station are enforcing (not entirely sure HOW they would do that yet, but it's definitely something I want them to do). As an added twist, while skulking around the station, they end up encountering some Beornen trying to sabotage a train, which they have to prevent because it puts their own mission at risk. Might be a good way to introduce the whole "Advocates vs Beornen" dynamic, in fact!

-->Okay, so -- back in the very first post I made about various score and story ideas, I mentioned wanting to do one that is kicked off by Smiler overindulging their Pleasure vice at the Golden Plum restaurant, causing the owner and head chef, Chef Roselle (who, incidentally, I've discovered I've referred to by both "he" and "she" pronouns in previous write-ups, so now he's genderfluid and changes pronouns and presentation depending on how he wakes up feeling. Most people think she's a brother-sister team; the trio are one of the few who know the truth thanks to this score), to recognize them as an up-and-coming scoundrel and indulge in a little light blackmail to get the Three Pillars' assistance in getting rare ingredients for new dishes. Which the Three Pillars are reasonably happy to do, with the caveat that Smiler gets first taste of what results (which Chef Roselle is happy to agree to). Now, I'd already decided that the dish that Roselle is so keen to make would be the local equivalent of pineapple pizza (for the LOLs, and to give Smiler a chance to eat one of their favorite foods from the more modern AUs), so all I had to do was justify the pineapple's existence in Duskwall --

And then I came across a certain tumblr post showing off how pineapple skin is weirdly fire- and heat-resistant. Which contained within itself a link to another post about how 18th Century Europeans considered pineapples major status symbols (given they were new and exotic fruits from far-off lands and thus were worth up to $10,000 in modern money, so only the rich could really get their hands on them), and thus a whole business of allowing people to rent them to show off their wealth and make a splash at dinner parties and suchlike popped up. Cue me deciding that, okay, the local equivalent of pineapples in this universe is the Dragon's Bane fruit, named for its incredibly heat-resistant skin, which comes from the tropical Dagger Isles and is extremely hard to cultivate in Akoros's much colder climate. As a result, it's pretty damn expensive and considered a major status symbol by the rich, and some enterprising Dagger Isles merchants have set up a business allowing the upper classes to rent the fruit to show off to their buddies. Those merchants are not about to sell any fruit to Chef Roselle to be cooked, not without some proof that people will like the dish she's trying to make -- which puts her in a bit of a Catch-22 situation, as she can't prove people will like the dish without Dragon's Bane fruit to make it. So he turns to the Three Pillars, hiring them to get their hands on a Dragon's Bane however they can --

And oh, look at that, one Lord Rowan just rented one to show off at one of his parties. XD Cue the trio infiltrating the party and stealing the fruit, and Rowan being furious that they managed to get one over on him yet again. XD We do love humiliating the landlord of all of Six Towers over here!

-->Now, if you guys know anything about me, you know that, in addition to being the Queen of Valice and Valicer, I'm also a big Back To The Future fan -- that trilogy was my life for ages, and I still have a fondness for it and some of the related media (the Telltale Game in particular was freaking great -- the final episode of that was literally the only thing that could lure me away from Alice: Madness Returns when I first played it). So naturally I wanted to put Doc and Marty into my version of Duskwall! And while I was coming up with how they'd fit into the wider world (Doc in this universe is a Leech who travels around the city doing repairs in his motorized cart when he isn't working on his own inventions, with Marty as his assistant who aspires to be a great musician), I had a thought about doing a score with them. Not a time travel-related score, though -- rather, I wanted to explore the consequences of a rather poor decision Doc makes at the beginning of the first movie. You know, the whole "partnering with a Libyan terrorist group to steal plutonium, pretending to make them a bomb, and then giving them a dud made out of pinball machine parts while he took the plutonium to power his time machine" thing? The thing that nearly got him killed until Marty was able to use his accidental time travel to warn him? Yeah, that. I thought it might make for an interesting score if the Duskwall Doc had done something similar and wanted the Three Pillars' help in getting the gang he ripped off to leave him alone --

And then I thought, "Hey, wait a minute -- I was already planning on making the gang Doc ripped off Iruvian because that felt like the closest equivalent to Libyan in the setting...but the book already HAS a major Iruvian gang in there as one of the factions -- the Red Sashes! Why not make it so they're the ones Doc ripped off, and now the Three Pillars -- who have been desperately trying to avoid getting involved in that whole war between the Sashes and the Lampblacks in Crow's Foot -- have to help them in some way?"

And so I did! I haven't got the whole score planned out yet, but the gist of it is that Doc made a deal with the Red Sashes to get some parts he needed for an experiment in exchange for a bomb, only to give them a fake because he didn't want them to actually blow up anything and possibly kill people. The Red Sashes of course now want his blood, so Doc hires the Three Pillars to help him negotiate a deal that will keep him alive and poor Marty out of the line of fire. The Three Pillars are annoyed but take the job (Doc's offering them a decent amount of dosh, or possibly to build them something useful), and the Red Sashes task them with sabotaging the Lampblacks in some way. Maybe THEY'VE got their hands on a bomb, and the Sashes figure that, if Doc gave them a fake bomb to use against the Lampblacks, the least he can do is make sure the Lampblacks don't blow them up in turn? *shrug* I'm sure I'll figure it out when the time comes! Probably going to be a very tense score, that's for sure!

-->In contrast to the above, here's a fun, much more low-stakes score inspired by one of my favorite British TV shows -- Taskmaster! If you're unfamiliar with it, this is a comedy game show run by Greg Davies and Alex Horne, where each season five comedians go spend time in the Taskmaster house doing utterly ridiculous tasks. Greg watches back the footage of how they did and gives them points, and whoever gets the most points by the end of the season gets to take home a fake gold replica of his head. Oh, and each episode starts with an in-studio prize task, where contestants donate objects to win according to a certain theme, and whoever wins that particular episode gets to take all the objects home with them (if they so choose/are able to -- one contestant once offered HIMSELF as a prize. And then lost the episode. XD Phil Wang, I sincerely do hope you did end up spending a few days at James Acaster's place!). It's an incredibly funny show that I thoroughly recommend you check out -- and even better, it has its own YouTube channel, meaning even us Americans have an easy way to watch it! :D

Anyway -- how did I adapt this weirdness to Duskwall? Why, by making Greg and Alex the owners of a traveling Taskmaster carnival of sorts! They go around to various cities in the Imperium, find a place to set up, get the local gentry to donate some silly, moderately-valuable prizes according whatever theme they come up with, then get the local citizens to compete for them by doing a bunch of goofy tasks -- five people competing against each other per go. My idea for this was that the trio would come across Alex while he was scouting for contestants, learn about the whole thing, and go "you know what, sounds like fun" and sign up, competing against each other and two other citizens (who, like in my "Tasksaw" story, may in fact be the local equivalents of Josh Widdicombe and James Acaster XD). I was just wondering how best to do it, as of course if you're doing Taskmaster, you need a Taskmaster House to set the tasks in and around --

And then I was like, "hang on -- the trio live in Six Towers, a neighborhood that is known for having abandoned houses all over the shop. Maybe Greg and Alex take over one of those temporarily for their games?"

And then I was like, "Ooooh -- if they're doing that, then they'll have to get permission from Lord Rowan...who might see an opportunity to try and use them to get rid of the Three Pillars..."

So yes -- currently, things start out with the Taskmaster and his assistant arriving in town and going to Lord Rowan to get permission to use a house in Six Towers for their games. Lord Rowan grants permission (perhaps even contributes to the "prize task"), but lets them know that, if a certain trio come to compete, that he want them to "take care of them." Alex makes a note, and indeed Victor, Alice, and Smiler end up in the games --

And find that Alex is weirdly nice to them, in particular making sure they always have snacks and tea. Turns out Alex chose to interpret "take care of them" as "make sure they're having a good time," because the OTHER interpretation is against the spirit of the game, as the Taskmaster himself lets Lord Rowan know when the guy comes to complain that they're still alive. Greg is more than happy to MOCK contestants, sure, but MURDERING them? Come on, mate. Lord Rowan is VERY annoyed, as you can imagine. XD Of course, he may get some small consolation in that I can't guarantee that any of the trio are going to win their round, but I'm hoping not. XD The real fun of this one is going to be setting my three against some of the weirdest, best tasks from the show -- and there are a LOT of them, trust me. Gonna have to take some time and refresh my memory before writing this one!

-->While we're on the topic of scores and stories inspired by fun and silly stuff, how about one inspired by 2023's The Smiler Takeover at Alton Towers? This was an event that celebrated The Smiler coaster's tenth anniversary by having all the other rides get a bit of Smiler-related theming and setting up some fun stage shows around the coaster in X-Sector -- the Fear Test with Dr. Gladwell and Agent Joytide; Meet the Ministry with a contortionist and a magician; and The Celebration of Happiness with Felix E. Lated! Who, as you may recall, happens to be my Smiler's uncle. However, the thing about Felix is, while I was looking up stuff on the Takeover on YouTube, I discovered he had two very distinct looks during the event -- a brunet Felix with no glasses, and a blond one with glasses. The brunet Felix is the one who is Smiler's uncle (I saw him first, and he looks a bit more like the guy from the Smiler Shop TV video that serves as Smiler's adoptive dad, Matt), but while trying to come up with story ideas for the VITD verse, I thought I might be able to do something with the fact that there were two Felixes...

And cue the creation of a score where the trio are hired by some angry people who paid someone to entertain at their party, only for the guy to never show up. That someone being, apparently, Felix E. Lated. Causing the conversation to go like so:

Smiler: [nervous grin] Oh, uh -- sorry, there's a conflict of interest here. That's my uncle. Client: You're related to that blond bastard?! Smiler: ... [suddenly much more serious] My uncle has brown hair; can you describe this guy you hired?

Yup -- turns out there's a con man in town who is impersonating Felix despite not actually looking much like him, taking people's money for shows and then just never doing them. Smiler is of course like "well, this just became personal" and the trio get the help of the actual Felix to track this guy down and get the money back. I'm not sure how the actual tracking him down goes, but I do know that the score ends with Real Felix and Fake Felix having a sing-off --

And it turning out that Fake Felix can sing. Like, he's pretty much on-par with Real Felix. Smiler is immediately like "why don't you go legit and actually do the shows, you're good!" XD I don't know if Fake Felix will be convinced yet, but I wouldn't be opposed to the score ending with there being officially two Felix E. Lateds in town. XD

-->Time to return to "scores inspired by various video games I've played" -- now, you guys already know that when my friend Squid first got me into Baldur's Gate 3, my VITD trio immediately went "free real estate" and inspired me to come up with a crossover where they end up in the BG3 world thanks to Nautiloid Shenanigans, get infected, and have to find a way to get themselves and their new companions cured and get home (complete with Not-Incorrect Quote collection). However, I also came up with a much more standard score (aka no getting yanked into another universe necessary) inspired by the opening tutorial missions on the Nautiloid! This story starts with the trio being hired by a woodworker named Larian (known for his high-quality craftsmanship), who has been recently hired to make boxes for a group that he considers kind of shady. He wants the Three Pillars to look into what they're doing so he can figure out if he wants to keep working for them or not. The trio agrees and investigates, and finds that the boxes are being used to transport unconscious people for unknown purposes --

But partway through their investigation, they get separated, and Smiler is discovered, knocked out, and boxed up. Victor and Alice realize that they've been kidnapped and hide in some supply crates, and the trio all are transported to the bad guys' base. Smiler wakes up in the storage room for the people, manages to free themselves thanks to the lid not being nailed on correctly, and wanders around until they find some unfortunate dead guy sprawled in a chair with his brain exposed --

And the brain calling for help. And if you're thinking, "wait a minute, is this entire score an excuse to get Us into the canon Duskwall timeline," well, you're not entirely wrong. XD Anyway, Smiler successfully frees Us from their skull prison, and shortly thereafter reunites with Victor and Alice (who are somewhat concerned about the brain creature following Smiler around, but Smiler assures them it's friendly, and not their own brain, so...) Anyway, they find more experiments in their travels, and deduce that the bad guys are attempting to turn people into various Horrors, though they're not entirely sure why yet. They do agree that the group needs to be exposed, though, and start looking for a way off what they assume to be a regular boat --

And then suddenly the side of the vessel is clawed off by some demonic hands, and the trio abruptly realize they're in an airship hundreds of feet above the Void Sea. Well, that makes things more difficult. D: They flee to the helm as more devils start attacking, and find the leader of the bad guys fighting a large air demon -- apparently this guy made a deal with said demon to get this airship afloat and start making his Horrors (haven't actually DECIDED on the reason why, maybe it's just standard 'I want to take over the city mwahaha' bullshit), but has not appropriately satisfied the demon's dark desire in return. And when you fail to satisfy a demon's dark desire, they get to work toward your destruction, so... The trio quickly realize that the bad guys are going to be hoist by their own petard very shortly and resuming looking for an escape. Fortunately, the airship does have lifeboats on the side in case of emergency, and the trio and Us are able to scramble into one --

But, unfortunately, as they start lowering themselves down, the demons attacking the airship notice them and decide to start harassing them too, trying to knock them out of the boat just for fun. Leading to what I think is one of the more badass scenes I've come up with for the trio: Victor -- who, at this point, has figured out the Meta word to make things levitate, but has only levitated light stuff, like books -- clamping his hands onto the sides of the boat as Smiler holds Us safely on their lap, then looking at Alice and saying "Do it" --

And Alice, a la that moment in the Jules Verne Otherlands short, using her Vorpal Blade to slice all the ropes holding them up. Cue the boat plummeting toward the Void Sea below, and Victor desperately pushing himself as hard as he can to make the spell affect the boat so the drop isn't fucking fatal. He does succeed, but it takes a lot out of him --

And oh, I imagine this taking place after he's picked up his "Phobia" trauma of the Void Sea and everything in it, so the minute they land, he's also fighting off a panic attack. ...At least until Us starts eating his fear, leading him to be like "wtf why am I calm now." (Us: Spicy!) He actually appreciates it once they figure out what's going on (though Alice gently scolds Us to "ask first next time"), and they manage to get themselves back to shore as the airship crashes into the water. Cue the gang insisting Larian pay them more (which he is happy to do when they explain what they just went through), and getting a new "pet"/companion in Us, who -- as per their home canon -- uses their powers to disguise themselves as a kitty to the rest of the city. :) Because brain kitty is best kitty.

-->Like scores based on CRPGs that everyone agrees are some of the best games ever? Well, here's one based on everyone's favorite vampire game, Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines! Or, rather, the Unofficial Patch version of that game, as the score in question is based on one of the cut quests that the Unofficial Patch restores -- "Night At The Library!" If you're unfamiliar with it, this is a quest you get via e-mail from Beckett (after meeting Gary Golden and completing the "More Fun With Pestilence" sidequest Downtown), where he asks you to meet with an associate of his, Scott, in Santa Monica. Which leads you on a wander all around Santa Monica tracking down the notes Scott left behind, and then infiltrating the library Downtown to rescue him from a Sabbat ritual and kill the Lasombra overseeing it. It's a fun little quest, and I thought it might be amusing to inflict it on my crime trio. XD

So! The Duskwallian version of this nonsense (perhaps called "Eternal Night At The Library" because, well, Duskwall does have eternal night) starts with the trio meeting the visiting Beckett, who in this reality is one of the contacts for the Advocates -- they occasionally work together to help Beckett learn more about the history of the world and its forgotten gods. Beckett is still a vampire in this verse, but he's a BITD-style one, meaning he feeds on life essence instead of blood -- he's still got the classic cat-like red eyes and claws though, since I've decided he's from Tycheros, a land where everyone has demonic ancestry and thus demonic "tells" on their body. Anyway, the group is introduced, and Beckett asks if they'd be willing to go meet with his friend Scott in a smoke shop in Silkshore about a cult they've been investigating recently while he attends to business somewhere else in the city. The trio are game, and go to the shop --

Only to find Scott isn't there -- but he did leave a note. Which leads them to a coffee shop at the edge of Crow's Foot, where another note leads them to a particular pier on The Docks -- where Victor's ability to sense supernatural creatures helps them avoid an ambush by another vampire. They manage to defeat it (I'm thinking by knocking it into the water, as vampires are pretty damn tough opponents) and find a hastily-scrawled note stained with blood directing them to a library in Charterhall -- which, fortunately, was where Beckett was going anyway. So they catch up with him and bring him up to speed, and together they infiltrate the library and find a secret passage into a basement, where they discover poor Scott's life essence being used to fuel some dark ritual by a couple of members of the cult he was investigating. The gang and Beckett stop the ritual, and a fight ensues with the leader of the cult, who has control over a demon that lets him manipulate Shadows. It's a tough battle, but the trio and Beckett prevail, and Scott is saved. Beckett and Scott thank the trio for their help, and perhaps in addition to some Coin, the trio also get a Duskwallian version of one of the occult powerup items from the game -- Beckett may not actually hand any of them over in canon, but I'm sure he could get his hands on one of them!

-->And now a brief return to scores based on things I have not directly experienced but have read about, with a major story based on an episode of Leverage! Which, as I understand it, is an excellent show about people using their crime skills to help the helpless and take down corrupt rich bastards that I should be watching, but finding time for new things is unfortunately difficult. *sigh* Anyway -- one of the reasons that I'm aware of Leverage is that it has its own OT3 of Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, and thus I keep running into it when I look up OT3/polyamory stuff (memorably, finding someone's Leverage OT3 video for the song "Parachute" led to it becoming one of my favorite songs for my Valicer trio -- and hilariously, I do specifically associate it with the VITD version XD). And looking up where a particular awesome gif set of the trio disarming a bomb came from led to me learning about the episode "The Rundown Job," where Hardison, Eliot, and Parker all have to stop someone from releasing a horrifying biological weapon on D.C. in a twisted attempt to prove that the United States is not equipped to deal with such an attack. I was like, "well, that's dark and I'd love to do something with that for VITD," but the idea wasn't quite gelling in my head as a disease-based threat --

And then I remembered Duskwall is a city full of ghosts and horrors, turned my thoughts toward the trio taking on a supernatural threat instead, and -- well. The story as it currently stands in my head starts with the trio having been arrested again (perhaps by the same guy from the "Rashomon"-style story, who now knows not to underestimate them) -- but while they're waiting interrogation, a Spirit Warden arrives and asks to talk to them. The request is granted, and the Warden proceeds to tell the three that one of their own has gone rogue and decided to solve the Shattered Isle's ghost problem once and for all --

By summoning a soul-devouring Horror to lay waste to the city. His fellow Wardens tried to tell him that the damn thing wouldn't stop with just eating the souls of the dead, it would consume every soul in the Shattered Isles, but he wouldn't listen, and now he's locked himself up in his house, preparing the ritual. The Spirit Wardens can't get inside because the guy has naturally warded his house against them, and this has happened so fast that they haven't been able to get any other factions to help (not to mention, they're not sure how effective the local Bluecoats really would BE against this thing). Plus they don't want to cause a panic by spreading the word around willy-nilly. And at this point, not only do the trio have a bit of a reputation as "freaking unkillable," the Spirit Wardens are well aware that they can do things like take down a Jabberwock in the Deathlands, so... The Warden gives Alice a special knife that can kill the Horror so long as it's still in the book that it's currently trapped in, draws them a quick map to the house from the police station, and helps them escape. The trio naturally BOOK it to the house and manage to work their way past traps both mundane (I of COURSE have to have my own version of the bomb defusing scene) and mystical, and make it to the basement to stop the guy --

But while they reach him in time to prevent him completing the ritual, he's managed to do enough of it that the Horror is partially free of the book and trying to claw its way out on its own. And with Alice and Smiler locked up in making sure the guy can't finish what he started, Victor does the only thing he can think of --

Throws himself on the book to keep it closed, sacrificing his soul to save Duskwall. Alice manages to finally knock the guy out not long thereafter and stabs the book, murdering the half-summoned Horror, but for a moment it looks like Victor's been Hollowed in his attempt to save the city...

Then he slumps to the floor, calling for Alice and Smiler in a weak voice. Turns out his soul wasn't entirely eaten (though he very much is suffering Level 3 "Soul Mostly Devoured" harm), and Alice and Smiler are able to get him home so Elder Gutknecht can have a look at him. Gutknecht tells them that it was a near thing, but there's enough of Victor's soul left to slowly regenerate, though it will take some time. Alice and Smiler are very grateful, though they do wonder why Victor's entire soul wasn't eaten --

Cue Victor whispering, "It couldn't...get past...the glass." Which Alice and Smiler realize in shock refers to the "unbreakable bell jar" they had Victor imagine around the core of himself back when they first started playing with hypnosis as a new polycule. AKA, their post-hypnotic suggestion (designed to make sure their games couldn't mess with his core personality) straight up saved his soul. As you might imagine, they have a lot of feelings about this, as do I. End of the score involves Alice and Smiler collecting their payment from the Spirit Wardens (which fortunately includes things like a vial of pure life essence that they can use to speed up Victor's recovery) and a lot of cuddling.

-->And finally, let's end with a story based on, and titled after, a song -- "Used To Be Young." I've talked before about how this particular Miley Cyrus song makes me think about the trio in their older years -- specifically, when they choose to retire -- so I figured, why not turn the music video into my head into an actual story? As per the linked post, the plot would focus around the trio's very last score as the Three Pillars, stealing something random from some rich toffs...and having a harder time than they expected thanks to not being as young as they used to be -- Victor nearly falls while climbing something and it takes him longer to recover; Alice isn't as fast on her feet while fighting some guards and gets hurt; Smiler -- actually, I'm not entirely sure how Smiler is affected yet, since they're the charming alchemist of the group, but I'll figure it out. XD Point is, while they pull off the job, it's more work than they expected, and a few injuries are suffered...

And while Smiler is patching them up back at their lair, Victor admits that he's not sure he can do this anymore. Some discussion reveals that it's been like 30 years since they first met and became the Three Pillars (putting them in their late 40s), and they all decide that that's MORE than enough time spent as career criminals. So they deliver the item to the client and ask them to please spread the word that the Three Pillars have officially retired. From there, they decide to check in on the greenhouse to see how that's going, and we get some major indications of how long it's been and how much they've affected the world around them. The specific ones I have in mind are:

a) The greenhouse being bigger than it used to be and absolutely FLOURISHING, with a whole staff of people tending to it

b) Six Towers in general being in much better shape, with working streetlamps, well-paved roads, and houses in much better repair

c) Smiler maybe encountering their now-elderly parents and letting them know that they're actually free to take over the shop they run for the Advocates now, giving them a happy retirement in Mar-Mal's grace

d) Alice DEFINITELY encountering the grown-up Angela and Charlie, who are now married and have at least one child, a baby girl named Beth -- who, yes, has a familiar rabbit doll

And after all that, the gang gets to go home, have supper, and head to bed, reminiscing on the good times and looking forward to the years ahead. :) Just a nice little epilogue showing that things have turned out very well for our favorite trio.

...yeah, that really went longer than I expected. XD But I hope that all impresses upon you just how much I love this universe and how much I want to write all the things for it. Hopefully you're with me in wanting to see what adventures the trio gets up to going forward! Now I just have to get this all into a rough timeline...

[doctorcorby]

In Justice We Trust (76501 words) by thesavagesabretooth

catch up here

With Simon Blackquill and Athena Cykes assigned as their psychologists, the Phantom and Fulbright must grapple with their identity, their deeds, their future, and their love for the twisted samurai whom they betrayed.

All the while, Edgeworth and Wright find their relationship tested as they walk the narrow path between pursuing real justice, and the dark age of the law.

-

December 24, 8:50 pm

14 hours in an airplane was a tiring flight, no matter how excited you were to watch your rockstar bestie film a commercial, and by the time Trucy and the gang shuffled out to go pick up their luggage, even she and Pearl were dragging.

Pearl stumbled, and caught herself on Trucy's shoulder, giving her an exhausted smile. "Oops! sorry about that."

“Oop!” Trucy caught herself from stumbling too, flashing a bright smile at her as she managed to keep them both from toppling over. She yawned. “Don’t worry about it! I’ve never been on a plane like that before. It felt like we were flying forever.” 

"Right? And Mr. Nick and Mr. Miles were like, mostly asleep the whole time," Pearl giggled, straightening up a bit in Trucy's arms. "I'm glad we at least got to chat with Kay! Do you think she'll be too busy to go see Klavier with us?"

Trucy put a gloved hand to her lips, her arms around Pearl’s shoulders as they shuffled along. “It was nice to talk to Kay. I’d been wanting to get that pickpocketing secret from her for like, years. Maybe we can ask her? I hope not, I think she’d be over the moon to see it instead of whatever Mr. Edgeworth wants her to do.” 

"Same," Pearl nodded. She chewed on her thumb as they waited by the baggage claim for their suitcases to appear. She dropped her voice low. "Whatever it is, they sure aren't excited to tell us about it, huh?"

“Nope…I tried asking Daddy and he went white as a sheet and told me it wasn’t something to worry about." She sniffed in quiet frustration as she watched the baggage belt roll past “which usually means it really is.” 

"For real!" Pearl nodded. "Mr. Nick always tries to handle all his problems himself. That's why we always have to butt in and help him, right?"

“Exactly! Just like always, yeah? Because who’s gonna help him if we don’t?” She shook her head. “He really should have learned by now that the more he tries to leave us out, the more we get involved, right?” 

"He really should have," Pearl nodded, and continued to chew thoughtfully on her nail. "But um, we'll do that after we go see Klavier, right?”

“Well yeah!” Trucy gave her a squeeze, her hat slipping down her forehead. “Like heck I’m gonna miss his show after he invited us all the way out here! He’d probably cry from a lack of Trucy and Pearl gracing his stage.” 

"I bet he would! And that would be awful!" 

"Hey ladies!" A voice greeted them from behind. "Need a hand with your suitcases?"

“EEEK!” Trucy jumped, her had leaping a full inch over her head before plopping back down on her brow 

"Whoa, whoa, sorry!" Apollo Justice held out his hands apologetically as they both turned around to see him. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Well, um, you did!" Pearl pouted. "Gosh make some noise next time…"

Trucy stuck her tongue out. 

“Polly, you usually boom everywhere with that voice of yours!” She pointed to him with a grin. “for that you get to carry my bag for me! And Pearly’s too!”

Apollo blinked at her, and pushed his hair back. 

"Trucy, I just offered to.-- you know what, never mind. You got it." He laughed and grabbed both their suitcases as they came down the track. "I don't have one to carry right now anyway."

“Really?” Trucy gasped in surprise. “...why didn’t you pack anything, Polly? You’re gonna worry Klavier!” 

"No, no, I packed," he explained, hauling the cases across the airport floor as he looked around for Trucy's dad and the rest. "Well– okay technically Athena packed for me. I didn't have any time, so, she's got my suitcase… I hope."

Pearl giggled behind her hands, but Trucy noticed she was watching Apollo carefully. "Gosh, Apollo! Kind of scatterbrained, aren't you?"

"Sorry to disappoint you Miss Pearl."

Pearl meanwhile, glanced significantly over at Trucy, and Trucy remembered what they'd talked about the night before.

Trucy nodded seriously at her, before she put on her best and brightest smile. 

“Hey, Apollo…I wanted to ask you something when you got a moment for your favorite little employer.” 

"Huh?" He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Um, sure, of course Trucy. Maybe when we're settled at the hotel?"

As Trucy looked at him, she thought, maybe it was a trick of the light but his eyes, and his hair looked darker than usual.

“Hmm…” Trucy’s strange eyes stared him down for a long moment before she broke into a bright smile. “yeah that sounds great!”

December 24, 9:20 pm

At the hotel, Trucy and Pearl hurriedly got comfortable in their room together. They laid out their things, brushed their teeth, checked the channels on the hotel's tv, and giggled with excitement about going to see Klavier the next day.

Soon, Pearl said, "I'm gonna take a shower if you don't mind, Trucy. Are you still planning to talk to Apollo tonight?"

“Of course!” Trucy replied as she leaned up and stretched, using the motion to ease herself to her feet. “I think I’m gonna ask him about the ghost thing…when you channel someone you can see it, right? At least a little.”

"With the Kurain technique of channeling your whole body transforms," she murmured thoughtfully. "I don't know exactly how it works for other types of channeling or possession, but i think you can see it at least a little.."

“I think I saw some of it. Apollo didn’t look…exactly himself.” she murmured to Pearl. “I think it was his friend.” 

"I thought that might be the case. Um, Trucy?"

Trucy leaned in with a tilt of her hat as she placed it upon her head .“Yeah Pearly?” 

"Be careful, okay? If Apollo doesn't want to talk about it, maybe don't push too much? Um, I don't know him too well, and I didn't know the ghost that's hanging on to him at all– I'm sure he was a nice person, but…" Pearl trailed off nervously.

“But you don’t want me to be ghost murdered?” Trucy said with a serious nod “...I get it. Ghosts can be kinda touchy, right?” 

She nodded seriously. "Exactly. Ghosts don't always react like living people, especially if they're not being channeled by someone with experience, or if they don't know they're dead and you make them think about it. They can get um, I think the word I've heard used is 'erratic'."

Trucy shivered as the ‘worst case scenarios’ flashed through her mind. Still, she bonked herself atop the head with a broad grin.

 “I promise, Pearly. The minute he starts getting too weird or makes a sudden move, I’ll bonk him with Mr. Hat and make a run for it.”

December 24, 9:30 pm

Apollo was staying in the same room as her Daddy, but she was pretty sure that Daddy was with Mr. Edgeworth in his room, talking about whatever it was she wasn't supposed to know about. Probably a murder. It was usually murder.

Anyway, that meant she was reasonably confident that Apollo would be alone– or as alone as possible given the circumstances– when she knocked on the door, and as luck would have it, she was right.

He popped his head out the door, wisps of unruly hair flopping over his face.

"Hey, Truce!"

“Hel-lo Apo-llo” she sounded out the words with a playful grin, leaning in with a flutter of her cape. “Got some time for your favorite boss?” 

"Did my favorite boss send you to ask that?" he teased. "Assuming you mean you– come on in."

“Uh huh.” She stuck her tongue out at him, before she slipped inside. “You haven’t been around as much lately. I’ve missed you!” 

Apollo's hotel room was already a mess with Trucy's daddy's things– she saw one of his blue suits laid out over the chair. Apollo stood awkwardly by the desk, and smiled over at her.

"I've missed you too. But it's been quite a week, huh?"

“It’s been crazy.” Trucy agreed, tucking her dark hair over her ear as she shut the door behind her. “I didn’t expect to be traveling halfway across the world so soon!” 

"Yeah, tell me about it," Apollo said. He shook his head. "I didn't know until this morning. Feel like I've hardly had a chance to catch my breath."

“Yeah? I know I’m coming to see Klavier~” she mused as she plopped herself up on the table beside him. “Daddy’s also here but he won’t tell me why. Typical. Like he thinks he can actually keep secrets from me.” 

"He didn't tell you?" Apollo raised his eyebrows. "So, wait– you didn't think I was coming to see Klavier too, did you?"

Trucy leaned towards him with a shake of her head. 

“I’d kinda hoped! But I figured you were here with Daddy…which means you know what’s goin’ on.” She pointed her finger at him. “I wanna know, a secret for a secret, okay?” 

He crossed his arms, leaning against the desk. "What do you mean, a secret for a secret?"

“I mean I’ll tell you a secret we noticed in exchange for what Daddy’s doing here, Apollo!” 

"I mean, your dad's not going to be happy with me if I tell on him– although I can't imagine it staying a secret for too long with everybody here," he muttered. "...is your secret a good one?"

“It involves you?” Trucy offered with a bright smile. 

"It involves me," he repeated, narrowing his eyes. He sighed heavily, and Trucy watched him fidget with his tie, loosening it. "Alright. Fine."

Trucy snuck closer to him, inching over the top of the table with a huge grin. “you first.” 

"Okay," he pulled his tie open, leaving it hanging over his vest. Trucy thought she saw his appearance seem to shimmer strangely as he stood there, a far away expression in his face. "You probably guessed it's for a case. Some interpol agents were killed, and Edgeworth wants us to look into it."

Trucy nodded sagely. She took off her hat, and left it on her lap as she hummed.

“Yikes. Sounds like it’s kinda a big deal if Mr. Edgy is getting involved too. So that’s why Daddy’s being secretive about it.” She tilted her head at him. “...Innnteresting. Alright, as payment...about the thing I wanted to tell you…” 

"I'm listening," he nodded, his dark gaze flicked toward her.

“We’re secretly brother and sister,” she lied with a wicked grin. 

He snorted, and she watched his shoulders jerk in surprise. 

"What?" He rubbed his bracelet–it must have pinched him– and looked at her with one eye open, "Trucy, it's not funny to lie about that kind of thing."

She laughed, kicking her feet with an innocent grin on her face before she bopped the top of her head with her tongue out.

“Sorrrryyyy. I was just kidding around! Sorry…but the real thing is ah..” she bit her lip. “Pearly said she saw a ghost in you. Like…you’re possessed.” 

His chin jerked up, and his dark gaze fixed on her again. She watched him rub his bracelet again, this time with a different frown written across his face.

"Can you say that again?"

“Pearl says she can see another spirit in you.” Trucy tilted her head to the side, as her hand reached back to rest on Mr. Hat’s mechanism, just in case. “She’s a spirit medium, you know? And I’ll be honest…I’ve kinda noticed too. Sometimes you look just a little different…and act different too.” 

He looked away still rubbing his bracelet. He had to know that she wasn't lying.

"Pearl shouldn't make jokes like that."

“It’s not a lie,” Trucy said slowly, “or a joke. Pearl wouldn’t joke about that kinda thing, Polly. I know I can joke around a lot, but I’m being serious when I say I noticed it too…and Pearl super did.” 

"I don't want to say anything unkind about Pearl, but I think maybe she's just got an active imagination, and wrapped you up in it, Trucy." Apollo had crossed his arms tightly and protectively over his chest. "I know Pearl was raised to believe in ghosts, but is that something you really believe in, Trucy?"

She stared at him incredulously. “I’ve got eyes that can tell when someone’s lying, and a family of magicians. Plus, Daddy says his old legal assistant Maya used to summon her dead sister into her body all the time to give him pep talks and stuff.” 

"Trucy, not to be negative, but 'eyes that see someone lying' is more like weaponized anxiety than anything else. And I know what Mr. Wright says but– I'm serious, Trucy, do you really actually believe in ghosts? You're not 12 you know."

Trucy felt a sting of irritation, causing her to pout as she leaned back on the table. 

“Yeah, no shit, Polly. But I’m saying stranger things happen every day…and Pearly says she can see and channel ghosts and I believe her. Did you know?” She pointed to him. “You’re a lawyer, so you super should. The existence of ghosts is a legal fact, dummy. It was proven in court like, 8 or so years ago. They had an exorcism on live tv! Daddy’s nasty ex girlfriend, everyone saw it!” 

Trucy knew that Apollo must have seen it too– after all, Apollo had hero worshiped her daddy for a long time. That was what he had said, that Phoenix Wright had helped him want to become a lawyer.

"Just because it was accepted as evidence in court doesn't mean it must have been real," he murmured bitterly. "Trucy– I don't want to fight with you. I don't want to make you upset but I– I lost someone really close to me recently, you know? You can't just say things to me like ghosts are real and not expect me to be upset."

Trucy grimaced, looking down with a slight flush of guilt. She gripped her wrist, glancing up at him with her focused eyes.

“I..I know, Apollo. I know you’re hurting, a lot. Trust me.” She shrugged her shoulders gently “I’ve lost a lot of people, too. But…you seem different. Really different, sometimes…maybe I’m a little worried that you don’t think you can trust me to talk about it….or I dunno. You’re going to start getting distant…or whoever’s in there with you will.” 

"Trucy," he repeated. He looked at her with absolutely heartbroken, exhausted eyes. "Trucy, I know the last time you lost someone you were really young. But I am grieving, okay? You have to understand that I am going to be different because I'm seriously– I'm seriously messed up about this."

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her with a dark, haunted expression. "I'm not going to tell you I haven't been different. I have– I know I have. Even after I made up with Athena. But grief does that, Trucy. Grief can make you somebody else for a while. I can't– I have to– I have to work really hard to get over this big part of my life that's just been torn out of the world forever."

Apollo's voice hitched and broke. His fingers dug into her shoulders. "I have to, okay? I have to work through this, and get over it. I have to. You can't come in here and tell me that when I hear his voice in my head that's real, that that's really him. That's not– that's not healthy, Truce."

His big, haunted dark eyes looked terrified, and were beaded with tears.

Trucy winced under his hands. It wasn’t exactly true that the last time she’d lost someone she cared for was when she was young. She’d seen pictures of her father’s corpse far more recently than that, and pushed herself to smile through the trial, forged evidence and all.

It wasn’t like she forgot what grief felt like, or how badly the gaping hole a loss left could sting.. But she couldn’t help but think that maybe knowing they were there, with you still, was a comfort rather than something unhealthy and hurtful. She liked to imagine Zak Gramarye there in the crowd at every show, clapping proudly as she performed quite literally in his name.

But it was clearly hurting Apollo to even imagine the possibility. She hiccuped, her shoulders shaking.

“S-sorry Polly,” she managed to say, “I just t-thought, you know…it’d be nice if you k-knew it wasn’t forever.” 

His fingers dug into her shoulders for another moment, and then he pulled her into a tight hug. She heard him make a choked noise as he held her, and she felt his body shudder.

"Sor–sorry, Trucy," he murmured, holding her tight. "Sorry to be such a bastard about it I just– I can't. I don't know how I'd– sorry."

Trucy rubbed his back, feeling even guiltier. 

“You’re not a bastard…Pearl was worried about me sayin’ something. I should have thought a little more before I …y-you know…said anything.”

If there was a ghost inside Apollo…it wasn’t erratic…it was hurting. 

Apollo swallowed so thickly that Trucy could hear it, and he didn't let go of her, just nodding against her shoulder.

"Can I… can I tell you something, Trucy? Without you thinking less of me?" he murmured.

Trucy nodded against him, holding him tight. “Of course..we both say all kinds of stuff all the time. Nothing you tell me’s gonna make me think less of you, okay?” 

He took a breath, rough and raspy, still just holding her, face buried in her shoulder. "Clay wasn't just– he wasn't just my f-friend, Trucy. He was– we were– we were together romantically, y-you know what I mean? Like dating…"

Trucy’s eyes widened in sudden understanding. 

That explained a lot, honestly.

“Oh. Oh Apollo…” she bit her lip “I’m sorry…I didn’t know you guys were dating, I didn’t…” She felt even guiltier. This had all been a big mistake. “He seemed like a really great guy.” 

He squeezed her again, and she could hear his embarrassment when he said, "it wasn't exactly the kind of thing you talk about at work, you know."

It wasn't exactly something you talked about at work. Her daddy and Mr. Edgeworth didn't talk about it. She hadn't even known for sure that they were together until a little more than a year ago, when she'd been sat down for a 'serious talk'.

It wasn't that it was something illegal, or that it was wrong, per se, but it just… wasn't talked about. It wasn't respected. Certain people wouldn't take you seriously if you 'weren't the marrying type'. It had just always been that way.

Trucy remembered that it had come up at the trial about Aura, and everyone got embarrassed and tried to dance around the subject.

It made sense why Apollo wouldn’t have told her, no matter how absolutely ridiculous she felt the social ‘norm’ was. She knew the way her own heart tended to lean, without heed to the arbitrary line of ‘gender’...and her own attractions.

It just wasn’t something talked about– and Apollo was suffering alone because of it.

“I know what you mean ..but you can talk about that with me. I understand it.” She squeezed him tighter, “I’m sorry, Polly. I’m sorry you lost your boyfriend, and I’m sorry I pushed you on it.” 

He took a deep, shuddering breath, and squeezed her again, sniffling. "Thanks, Trucy. I appreciate you understanding…"

“Of course I understand,” she murmured against him, doing all she could to hug him as comfortingly as she could manage. “You can talk about anything with me, okay Polly? Anything.”

He nodded against her, holding her for another minute. Then he took a breath and a step back, arms still on her shoulders.

"Thanks… I'm sorry I snapped at you. I've been barely holding it together this whole week…"

Trucy rubbed at her eyes with one hand, shaking her head. “It’s been a really hard week for you guys…don’t be sorry okay? I pushed a little too hard.”

Apollo squeezed her shoulders more gently this time. "It's okay. I know you just wanted to help."

She smiled at him , her big and bright showstopper of a smile that won hearts at the Wunder Bar. “Because you’re important to me, dork.” 

He grabbed the rim of her top hat and pulled it down over her eyes gently. "You too, Truce. Even if I'm kinda shit at showing it right now."

“Wah!!!” Trucy bopped the rim of her hat to knock it back up with a puff of her cheeks. “You’ll get better. Just gotta retrain you on Trucy Wrangling, I guess. Just don’t let yourself fall too deep in your own head.” 

She shrugged her shoulders gently.

"I'll do my best," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets and standing awkwardly in front of her. "So… h-hey…"

Trucy tilted her head to the side. “yeah Apollo?” 

"If Pearls thinks I have a…" he shifted uncomfortably as he spoke, and she watched him clench his hands in his pockets, "ghost attached to me… what did she want me to do about it? Did she want to.. I don't know, perform an exorcism?"

“No! Of course not!” Trucy put her hand to her lips with a gasp. “No way! She just noticed it and I thought it might…help. To know. You know?”

"So she just wanted to… bring it to my attention, then?" he asked, raising his chin curiously.

“I mean yeah? She didn’t exactly grab my shoulders and go TRUCY WE GOTTA EXORCISE THAT GUY. More like she just pointed it out and I had to agree?” 

He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled, his face tearstained and rough. "Well, that's a relief. Here I was worried I'd have to dodge her coming around the corner with spirit charms."

Trucy leaned forward and wiped away some of his tears with her gloved fingers. “Nah, Pearly’s not that kinda girl. She’s nice.” 

"Well yeah of course she is. But if she thinks I'm possessed or something she might be convinced the nice thing to do is help me whether i want it or not, right?" He rubbed his face again, and then started to root around the desk for a box of tissues.

“I think she’d probably ask first, Polly.” She wiggled her feet nervously. “Don’t worry. Nobody’s gonna try to kick whatever ghost you totally don’t have with you out. Promise.” 

"Alright," he nodded. She watched him wipe his teary face with a tissue. "Frankly, because I think the stress of it might kill me, not because I have a ghost possessing me, understand?"

He gave her a wry smile, but his voice was firm.

Still, Trucy wasn't sure whether he believed it or not.

“Of course!” She flashed her smile again. “We wouldn’t want to add to the ‘are ghosts real’ question by having YOURS around too after you have a coronary.” 

"Yeah," he chuckled, rough and pained. "One ghost is too many, but two would be complete anarchy."

December 24, 10:15 pm

Pearl was carefully combing out her long, long, long hair after her shower when Trucy returned to the room after talking to Apollo. She'd only seen it down a few times before– it had to be all the way to her knees, if not her ankles.

"How'd it go?" Pearl asked softly, looking up at her as the door closed.

“Preeeetty bad.” Trucy took off her top hat with the same weighty sigh as her father taking off his tie after a bad day in the courtroom. 

"Oooooogh…" Pearl put a hand over her mouth as she frowned. "Nobody's hurt, right?"

“No, nobody got hurt.” Trucy shook her head with a sigh as she plopped herself down next to her, before letting herself fall back against the bed with an ‘oof’. “But he got really upset…told me that it’s not real, and it can’t be…and then got really really nervous that you were gonna try to exorcize the ghost.” 

She chewed on her thumb gently. "I was kinda worried about that… we'd better keep an eye on him."