Chapter Text
Klavier Gavin + Apollo Justice DM
Apollo Justice: Prosecutor Gavin, I'm so sorry to ask this, but do you think you could pick me up from LAX airport in about 5 hours?
Klavier Gavin: sure, I could pick you up from the airport, ja
Apollo Justice: I would really appreciate it
Apollo Justice: About to go in airplane mode, I'll text you when I land!
Klavier Gavin: alright, good luck, Herr Justice
While Apollo’s in the airplane to get to Japanifornia, the Wright Anything Agency is about to go through a major situation. Everyone is worried about what will happen due to the prior doxxing in the public group chat.
Wright Anything Agency - Inside
Phoenix was trying his best to remain calm right now. This was a feat that usually came naturally to him, especially after seven years of practicing how to hide his emotions even in the worst of situations. But now, with his senses struggling through a mishmash of tiredness and absolute paranoia, stoicism was rather hard to maintain.
Instead of fully taking a break for Christmas, Phoenix had continued to take on clients, which was the main reason he hadn't contacted Edgeworth or his other employees, whom he HAD given breaks. He wanted to make sure he could afford all the items on Trucy's wishlist, along with sending an especially generous Christmas bonus to Athena, Maya, and Pearl. But he was certainly paying for his overworking now, with eyelids that were seared open with several caffeine blasts and a newfound panic.
Phoenix should've known better. Should've taken extreme precautions the second he saw De Killer in the main group chat, but he had made the silly mistake of assuming De Killer was solely focused on Matt and would turn all his attentions on his former client before taking on another. Stupid, utterly foolish mistake on his part. His heart was beating against his chest as he once again turned to ensure that Trucy and Athena were safe beside him. They looked worried but alright for now, standing slightly behind Simon who had arrived recently to help protect them.
The entire building suddenly rumbled and shook, and Phoenix stumbled towards his desk, papers falling from the impact. He looked outside the window and gasped, seeing the two robots that were usually so friendly starting to shoot lasers at the foundation.
“Guys, I don't know how much longer we can stay in here!”
He warned, knowing already that it wouldn't be much safer outside. The robots would just turn their attentions on them, not to mention the possibility De Killer was waiting to flush them out...
Phoenix steadied himself against the desk, trying to still his senses and put on a brave front. He had to stay strong, for his daughter and employee if nothing else. He did a good job of hiding it, the only sign of his fear his ever-shaking fingers.
“Maybe I should go out, on my own.”
Phoenix let out a weak smile, starting to walk past the others towards the door.
“He just wants me, right?”
-
“Daddy….”
Trucy tugged at her father’s sleeve. She usually was very composed especially when things went wrong, but now she was really terrified. It was as if they had no where to run and her father was throwing himself out into the fray with no promise of return.
Trucy held onto her father’s sleeve tightly. If he went he would have to take her with him. She knew enough magic to help her daddy fight. She would stay by her father’s side no matter what. He was capable but this… this was scary.
-
Athena’s eyes widened as Phoenix moved toward the door, and in an instant she was in front of the door, arms outstretched like a human barricade. Her voice trembled with sheer refusal to let him take one more step… and maybe a little fear.
“Whoa- no way, Mr. Wright! ABSOLUTELY not!”
She planted her feet, fists clenched, her usual bright energy sharpened into something fierce.
“Going out there alone isn’t brave, it’s reckless!! If you leave, HE will have an opening! Who knows if he isn’t outside the door RIGHT now?!”
-
Simon nods in agreement, moving in sync with Athena to block the door. His hands twitch with the desire to grab his knives out of their hidden sheaths. He's trying to not freak out the young Miss Wright any further, but he will not stand by and allow anyone in this office to get hurt.
“Don't be stupid, Wright-dono. Sacrificing yourself won't help anyone. Trust me, I would know. Let us protect you.”
Wright Anything Agency - Near The Window
Clay hoped that he was in time. He had run as fast as he could, having teleported near enough to the building. He knows what it was like to not have your own life in your hands, and he sure as heck would not let anything happen to Athena, Trucy, or Mr Wright.
Luckily, his job at the space station meant inventing and testing random gadgets which could be classified into extremely innovative or downright garbage.
He grabbed a yo-yo looking thing from his pocket and pressed a button on it before biting down on his tongue and throwing the device up to the floor the WAA was on. It immediately stuck itself onto the wall. Clay tested the industrial strength wire and immediately pulled himself up, clinging to the wall like his life depended on it.
“I hope I’m not too late…”
Wright Anything Agency - Inside
Phoenix stopped in his tracks as Trucy grabbed his sleeve, looking down to give her his full attention. Trucy seemed really scared, clutching his sleeve tight enough to leave creases in the fabric. He took a step back and wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her shoulders tight to reassure her.
“I'm sorry.”
Phoenix sighed. He looked up at Athena and Simon as well, with genuine regret in his eyes.
“I don't mean to make you all worry for me... But I figure it's better that just one of us is hurt, not everyone, right?"
Before his self-sacrificial words could be fully addressed by everyone, they heard a scrape against the window, and all simultaneously turned towards it.
-
Clay uses his utility knife from his pocket to pick open the lock to the window.
“Mr Wright! Hang in there it’s me!!!!”
-
Athena’s head snaps toward the window the moment she hears the lock click, sharp, sudden, like a startled cat hearing a twig snap in the dark.
The window creaks open.
A shadow lurches inside. Clay scrambles ungracefully through the window.
-
And Athena absolutely detonates.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK—!! GETAWAYGETAWAYGETAWAYYYY!! I DON’T WANNA DIE IN A DUSTY OFFICE, NO THANK YOU—!!”
She grabs the nearest object—
…which unfortunately happens to be a stapler… and brandishes it like it’s a holy relic capable of banishing evil.
“BACK!! BACK, FOUL INTRUDER!! I HAVE OFFICE SUPPLIES AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE THEM—!!”
-
“Gwehhh?!?!! Miss Thena it’s me ITS MEE!!!”
Clay smiles awkwardly at Athena.
“Heh… dun think about giving me a bionic arm or anything, my hearts got enough metal near it already.”
Athena freezes mid‑scream, mouth still open, stapler still raised.
“…Clay?”
“Oh.”
She completely froze, like a deer in the headlights.
“Soorrryyy….”
Phoenix gasped as he saw Clay's form suddenly pressed against the glass outside, and was frozen from pure shock for some time. Which means he didn't react in time to stop Athena from attacking Clay with an office stapler.
“Aw geez, I certainly hope you have a stronger plan for defending yourself against an actual threat.”
Phoenix groaned, already feeling sweat starting to brim on his brow. He crossed over to the window and helped Clay inside, then quickly shut the window behind him and clasped it tight.
-
“THENA!!! Truce, Mr.Wright!!! Yer ok…. Thank goodness I made it in time. I’m not lettin ya get hurt… not on my watch. Swear it on my mama’s name”
Clay exclaimed, he’s glad that he finally made it in time, he will never let anyone hurt them. Until then…
Wright Anything Agency - Outside
In the shadows, just outside the agency, Shelly de Killer waited with the stillness of a statue. The alley was narrow, lit only by the flicker of a failing streetlamp, but he preferred it that way. Darkness was an old friend. Reliable, quiet, and never asking questions.
A knife rested in one gloved hand, a compact pistol in the other. He rarely carried both. Efficiency was his trademark, and unnecessary tools were beneath him. But tonight was different. Tonight, he had been asked for something… unconventional.
Victims. Plural.
The request alone had been enough to raise an eyebrow, but the payment that followed had smoothed out any hesitation. Three million yen. Not a standard fee, but it didn’t matter. Money is money, business is business.
Shelly de Killer shifted his weight slightly, listening to the muted hum of the city. Timing mattered. Precision mattered. And tonight, subtlety would be his sharpest tool. From the small leather satchel at his side, he withdrew a tiny brass whistle, no larger than a coin, polished to a mirror sheen. He lifted it to his lips and released a sound too soft for human ears but unmistakable to its intended recipient.
Moments later, a flutter of wings cut through the stillness. A white pigeon descended from the rooftop, landing neatly on Shelly’s outstretched arm. Its feathers were immaculate, its eyes alert. The man lifts up a small photograph of Athena just for the bird to see before pointing at Widget.
“Bring this to me, my dear Bird Friend.”
Without further delay, the bird was up and away, on his way to the Agency’s window. The plan was officially in action. No failures from now on.
Wright Anything Agency - Inside
"Please, everyone, we have to be on high alert-"
Phoenix was just about to enter into another lecture, when another scratch against the window was heard. He looked back to see a menacing bird clawing at the window, eyes piercing through to glare at all of them...but looking particularly closely at Athena.
"Athena, do you have a habit of making bird-owners your enemy?"
Phoenix sighed, holding up a nearby curtain rod to give himself some small form of defense. He had a feeling that this bird might be another method of attack for De Killer, and that meant the man himself wasn't far behind.
-
Trucy skipped over to where her dad was standing and stood on her tippy-toes and bowing slightly forward to tilt her hat.
"I have a solution daddy!! Magic tricks aren't solely good for entertainment you know!!"
She took off her hat and pulled out a bouquet. She held it up like it was a baseball bat.
She turned to look at Simon Blackquill.
"Ready when you are!! teehee"
-
Athena chuckled at Trucy’s magic trick, shaking her head with a fond smile as she crossed the room. The little bird tapping insistently at the window had caught her attention, and she figured maybe it wanted to be friends with Taka, or it was simply hungry. It wasn’t every day a random bird showed up acting so… polite.
-
“Alright, alright, I’m coming..”
Athena murmured, unlatching the window and pushing it open with ease.
The moment the gap was wide enough, the bird darted inside, not toward Taka, but STRAIGHT toward Athena. Before she could react, it snatched Widget with its claws.
“HEY!! THAT’S MY MOTHER’S!! GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE—!!”
Her voice cracked with shock as the bird shot back out the window, disappearing into the shadows of the narrow alleyway below. For a heartbeat she stood frozen, processing what had just happened. Then adrenaline kicked in.
“Oh no you DON’T!!!”
She spun on her heel and bolted for the door, practically skidding across the floor as she made a beeline for the exit.
-
Simon stands still for a moment in shock, before following at Athena's heels, shouting back at Clay as he goes.
"Protect the Wrights!"
Taka takes off out the window, chasing the other bird and the two of them fighting in midair. Taka is much bigger and his attacks hold more power but the other bird is faster. Simon catches up to Athena at the bottom of the stairs leading out to the street, grabbing her by the collar and yanking her back and behind him as he scans the perimeter for danger. He grips his sword in front of him, eyes flashing dangerously as if daring anything or anyone to get close.
“Athena. Stay with me. Don't do anything else stupid. Trust me, we'll get Widget back.”
-
Clay nods at Simon as he dashes away. He turns to Trucy and Mr.Wright.
"You gotta stick with me, kay? That maniac doesnt even know im here so hes gunna take this chance ta get ya. So dont even think about movin. And... stay outta sight of the windows, got it? We cant let im catch on."
Clay crowled out before rolling up his sleeves.
He picked up his utility knife and closed it, shoving it back in his pocket before pulling another gadget out of the sling bag he had brought with him.
"Heh. Good thing Miss Quill helped me out makin' this extendable bazooka."
Clay narrowed his eyes and stood up, extending the thing to its full length and holding it at the ready.
Wright Anything Agency - Outside
He watched. He saw it all.
Pressed into the shadows of a narrow alleyway, he stood perfectly still, blending into the darkness as if he were part of it. The buildings on either side loomed high and crooked, blocking out most of the moonlight.
With deliberate calm, he reached into his coat and closed his fingers around the cold metal of the whistle. He didn’t even need to lift it fully to his lips; a soft, practiced breath was enough. The shrill note cut through the air like a blade, too sharp and too high for human ears to register… but the bird heard. Oh, it heard.
Instantly, the creature faltered mid‑flight and fight. Its talons loosened. The small device slipped free.
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then he stepped forward, one gloved hand extending into the open air. Widget fell neatly into his waiting grasp, as if gravity itself obeyed him.
… Now all he needed to do was wait.
Wait for them to take the bait.
Wright Anything Agency - Inside
Phoenix laughed numbly at Trucy's trick, the joy not quite reaching his eyes like it usually would. He appreciated her trying to lighten the mood, of course, but it was simply impossible for him to fully distract himself from the oncoming danger. Not when the floors were still shaking from the impact of the robot's attacks, and there were more people to watch out for inside now.
As if reading his mind, the situation worsened. Athena reached over to the window and unlocked it despite his warning, and Phoenix gasped as she had Widget stolen, ran from the room, and Simon Blackquill chased after her all in the span of a couple of minutes. There was no time to call out and stop them, even if he had the common sense to try instead of standing stockstill in shock.
Phoenix nods gratefully towards Clay, who was at least deciding to stay close by. He was just about to bend down beside Clay under his desk when a sudden laser blast shot straight through the window.
"Aaugh! Trucy, get down!"
Phoenix shielded Trucy with his body and leapt to the floor, just in time to escape the laser ray. Shards of glass, remnants from the window, cascaded down, and he winced as a particularly sharp fragment tore through his shoulder and drew blood.
"Are you two okay?"
Phoenix asked, placing one hand over his wound and using his other to sit up and give Trucy some space.
-
Trucy nodded, untying the red cloth around her neck and helping her dad dress his wound.
"D-daddy..."
She sobbed lightly. She was shaking violently.
Trucy had always kept it together, she needed to be strong in order to ensure the safety of her family. She needed to be strong to ensure that the people she cared about were ok.
If she wasn't strong...
“Everything will go wrong. I will loose everyone again. If im not strong... I'm going to loose Daddy and Polly again and Clayclay is going to get hurt more.....”
Trucy looked up past her father's shoulder to see smoke rising up from Clay's shoulders, the cloth being singed off so that it left an injury on his arm. He gritted his teeth and walked to the window, muttering curses about the robots which were causing havoc on the building. He aimed the bazooka and shot at them, casing him to fall backwards due to the force of the recoil. He yelled in pain as his shoulder hit a piece of glass and Trucy winced.
She didn’t know if she could be strong any more.
"Clay!!!"
-
Clay got up again, breathing heavily. He looked at her right in the eyes.
"Miss Truce. Please... p-plea....se..."
He lifted a shaking finger towards his mouth and pressed it against his lips.
Trucy had to be silent.
Trucy would be silent.
-
Athena stumbles when Simon yanks her back, her boots scraping against the stone. Her breath catches in her throat, and for a moment she can’t tell if the pounding in her ears is from the sprint down the stairs or the panic clawing up her chest.
Her hands tremble as she clutches the railing, eyes wide and darting toward the sky where Taka and the other bird are only flashes of feathers and violence.
“W–Widget…”
The name comes out small, almost broken. Athena swallows hard, trying to steady herself, but her voice still shakes.
“We have to get it.. and fast..!”
Her voice cracks on the last word, and she presses her lips together hard, as if she can physically hold the fear in.
“It should be laying somewhere in these shadows,”
Athena whispers, her voice thin and unsteady. Her hand shakes violently as she points toward the narrow alleyway, the darkness swallowing everything beyond a few feet. Even looking at it makes her breath hitch.
“If we just… if we just grab it and go,”
she says, though her voice wavers like she’s trying to convince herself as much as Simon. Athena forced herself to straighten up, feigning confidence.
“I’m sure if we get it and dip… he won’t get us…!”
-
"Athena, take deep breaths. Calm. We will get it back, but we need to be careful. This is the same man who shot Miss Von Karma. I would feel much better if you went back to the others and let me deal with this, but since I know you won't, we will just have to stick together."
Simon turns toward the dark alley where she points, his eyes narrowing. He doesn't like the idea of going into an area where he can't see his surroundings at all. He doesn't have any kind of light source on him, though. Simon clutches his sword tighter, raising it in a defensive stance. Holding tight to Athena's hand and blocking her with his body, the two of them step slowly and carefully into the alley.
…
Finally.
Shelly stepped forward with deliberate calm, the metallic click of his gun cocking echoing far too loudly in the narrow space. The barrel leveled at them with chilling precision.
“Greetings, Simon Blackquill… Athena Cykes.”
His voice was smooth, almost polite, but the malice beneath it was unmistakable. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched their reactions.
“We have not met before- allow me to introduce my humble self.”
Shelly’s eyes flickered between them, calculating, amused, utterly unbothered by the sword pointed in his direction.
“The name is Shelly De Killer… And you two are remarkably predictable,”
He continued, stepping just close enough for the dim streetlight to catch the edge of his glasses. He lifted his free hand slightly, revealing the small, limp form of Widget tucked under his arm. The assassin tilted his head, savoring the moment.
“But in all seriousness… I’d advise you to hand over Miss Cykes and the Wrights,”
He said, his tone shifting into something colder, more clinical. Shelly continued:
“I assure you… their doom will be quick and painless if you do so.”
He let the words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating. The alley seemed to shrink around them. The distant sounds of the city faded. Even the wind stilled, as if waiting to see who would make the first move. Shelly’s finger was rested lightly, almost casually on the trigger.
Without breaking eye contact, he angled the gun a few inches to the side.
The shot cracked through the alley like lightning. He wanted them to know… he was serious.
-
[Meanwhile.]
Clay's knees shook as he held the bazooka with shaking hands.
Mr.Wright was injured.
Trucy was shaking, tears streaming down her face.
And Clay felt his shoulder and the area near his scapula ache and burn.
It hurt. Everything hurts.
And worst of all....
“(I failed them. I failed Trucy and Mr.Wright... I failed Apollo. Why...
Why even after all this time am I still not strong? Not strong enough to protect myself not strong enough to protect others successfully... not strong enough....
Everyone gets nicked in some way and it's my lack of...)”
Suddenly the door burst open and Clay spun around, his eyes widening like a deer in headlights.
A broken robot made its way in, the robotic arms swinging wildly.
Clay tried aiming the bazooka at it, but it simply shot a lazer beam directly at it, ripping the bazooka clean in half.
Clay dropped it and immediately jumped towards the robot, punching it again and again with cries of pain being ripped out of his throat at the impact of his fists against the metal.
His hands, now bloodied, he ripped open the robot's panel to reveal its inner components and ripped the wires out.
The robot convulsed and lay still, and Clay felt his world spin.
He couldn't stand up so he fell limp, his hands still holding the wires he had pulled.
-
Phoenix took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as Trucy ties her scarf around his bleeding shoulder. He gives her a smile, hoping it works to mask his pain. He felt so guilty, seeing her neck bare and something she treasured so highly now stained...but he knew he couldn't focus on that. Couldn't focus on his flaws and burdens towards others...he had to keep moving if they were going to survive.
Clay shot a bazooka out the window, and he heard the heavy KA-THLUNK as one of Aura's robots crashed to the ground, broken. The other one seemed to stop flying, and Phoenix worried over what it could be doing.
"C'mon, Truce..."
Phoenix shakily gets to his feet, using the desk behind him as leverage to stand. He grabs the curtain rod from before again, trying to ignore how the hand from his wounded shoulder lets out little stabs of pain as he tries to move it.
Suddenly the other robot (it looked to be Ponco?) burst through the door, and Phoenix once again instinctively curled around Trucy protectively. He watched, horrified as Clay bloodied his hands smashing into it barefisted, and after several brutal moments the robot finally fizzled down and let out mechanical sounds of death.
"Mr. Terran... Clay, your hands!"
Phoenix dropped the curtain rod in shock, then shook his head. This was no time to be frozen with sheer panic, he had to take charge here.
"Trucy, can you grab the first aid kit from the bathroom?"
Phoenix requested, then went over to Clay and held the boy's hands above his head. He only had minimal first aid training, but he knew enough to keep severely bleeding wounds above the head so the bloodflow wouldn't be disrupted.
"Clay, that was very reckless, and you got yourself hurt, but...thank you."
Phoenix smiled softly, genuine concern on his face.
"I appreciate you protecting us, with all my heart."
-
Trucy ran into the bathroom, barely holding back her sobs and she searched for the first aid kit, knocking things over in the process.
Her chest hurt, everything hurt
She gasped the moment she saw the first aid kit, clutching it tightly to her chest. She ran back as fast as she could, setting it down so that she could open it to help treat Clay.
Clay breathed slowly, his eyes weren't open, but he was shaking and struggling to stand.
Phoenix and Trucy helped put the bandages on him and as they stood up, Clay murmured a thank you to them.
"Tru...truce... move the b-bookshelf... towards that wall..That way theres no danger of... of a p-projectile harmin ya...."
Trucy nodded and looked expectantly at her father.
-
Athena’s knees nearly buckled at the sound of the shot. It wasn’t the ringing in her ears that froze her because of their sensitivity, it was the realization of how close it had been. Her breath stuttered, catching halfway up her throat, and for a moment she couldn’t force it back out.
“Widget…”
Her eyes darted to the small shape under Shelly’s arm, and her stomach twisted so sharply she felt dizzy and nauseous.
“.. Shelly.. De Killer…”
Her voice cracked, the name barely making it past her lips. She swallowed hard, but it didn’t steady her.
“You… you don’t have to do this.”
Athena’s hands trembled despite her best effort to hide it. She curled them into fists, but even that didn’t stop the shaking.
Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, to do anything except stand here in front of a man who had just proven how serious he was.
This was way too familiar to Athena. Her mother’s death by the phantom… It all felt like she was going through it all again, but now, she was the one to die… Just like she did. By the hand of an assassin.
-
Simon doesn't stop to think. Not once does he consider his own life at all. He pushes Athena back, behind him, raising his sword to parry the next shot. When the bullet hits, the sword shatters like glass, the shards slicing into his skin, but he barely feels it.
"ATHENA, RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!"
Simon roars out, pressing the panic button that he keeps in his pocket from Aura, alerting her of his location and it also tracks his heart rate and sends the data to her. Taka is summoned by his shout and dives down, quickly flying after Athena with a wave of Simon's hand. Simon crumples to the ground once Athena is out of sight, the adrenaline leaving him as his wounds begin to bleed and the pain hits him. He gasps, but pulls out his knives and braces himself for another attack.
Aura Blackquill’s Home
Aura had already woken herself up from bed, having gotten the ping that her robots had both been destroyed around midnight. She knew they had been hacked, but had such ultimate confidence in her brother's capabilities that she figured he could deal with them. So she hadn't really started to panic until her brother hit the emergency switch, and her phone lit up with a red alarm light she'd never seen before.
Outside - On The Highway
Now she was racing along the highway at breakneck speed, having thrown on the closest clothes she could find in her wardrobe and gathering the only real weapon she kept at her apartment, a laser stun gun. Most of her actually dangerous inventions either ended up getting "borrowed" (stolen) by Clay, or were under strict orders to remain in her lab under government surveillance. So this would have to do for now.
Wright Anything Agency - Outside
Aura stopped her car right at the Wright Anything Agency, and exited it with an instinctive gasp. She'd only been here once before, for her brother's congratulations party after being released, but the contrast was so dramatic she couldn't help but be shocked. There were dark puncture marks near the buildings foundation and all over the walls, the distinctive scars of lasers all over the white-plastered bricks. Windows were all cracked and torn in, and there was smoke coming from one very black heap which looked kinda like Clonco. Aura pursed her lips into a frown, and tried to ignore it for now. There'd be more time to grieve and repair her robots later, AFTER she'd verified her brother was okay.
"Simon! You there?"
Aura asks, holding her gun ready as she marches down the sidewalk, looking back and forth. Her eyes JUST happen to catch a small flash of yellow down a nearby alleyway, and she makes her way in that direction, doing her best to quiet her footsteps even while jogging over.
"Please, please be alright you two..."
Aura whispers, with bated breath.
"If you aren't I don't know what I'll do..."
Wright Anything Agency - Inside
The man stepped closer to Simon, each footfall slow and deliberate. He slipped his gun into his satchel, but kept his knife ready at his side, its presence impossible to ignore.
“You think you can play hero, boy?”
Shelly growled, his voice low and controlled.
“I’m not after you. You’re lucky I’m not.”
He halted directly in front of Simon and seized a fistful of his hair, yanking his head back so their eyes met. The cold intensity in his stare made it clear he wasn’t bluffing.
“Remember this,”
he said, his tone almost calm.
“And pass it on. My threats are never empty.”
Shelly released him abruptly. As Simon staggered back, the man dropped Widget to the ground and crushed the screen beneath his shoe without hesitation.
“Give that back to Miss Cykes, It holds no value to me anymore.”
Without another word, he turned away, walking with the same measured confidence as before. Shelly de Killer climbed into a car with a fake license plate, started the engine, and drove off, leaving the horrid scene.
-
[Meanwhile.]
"You better do as he says, Trucy."
Phoenix nods at Clay's directions, then once more examined Clay's wounds while Trucy moved the bookshelf over the window.
The young man's hands seemed to be a wrangled mess, but Trucy and Phoenix had made sure to wrap them as tightly as they could with the gauze and medical tape they had, so he should be alright until they could call an ambulance. There were minor cuts and scrapes on his face, but those seemed to only be skin-deep, thankfully.
Phoenix's shoulder still ached, but he knew he had to go outside and check on the others. Simon and Athena had been gone for a worryingly long time, and the more minutes passed the more stressed he became about the possible reasons why for their absence.
"Trucy, can you stay here and call an ambulance for Clay?"
Phoenix requested, a pleading expression on his face.
"Please keep an eye on him for me...I just want to make sure Athena and Simon are alright downstairs."
He gave her a tight hug with his one strong hand, then cautiously exited and began to make his way down the steps of their office building.
-
Trucy went to grab her phone to call the ambulance but was stopped by Clay calling her name.
Clay had slowly stirred before he shot upright, clapping at his shoulder which had been cut earlier and realized there were bandages over his hands.
"Miss Truce..."
-
"Clay!!!"
Trucy turned back and looked at him.
-
"What are ya doing with that phone?"
Clays voice sounded dark and brittle, like a hollow log.
"Don't... call.... it can give your location away..."
-
Trucy paused.
"B-but aren't we at the WAA?? They already know we are here..."
-
"W-wheres your dad...."
Clay groaned before slowly standing upright and grabbing his trusty sling bag.
-
Trucy paused.
"You dont mean...!!!"
Trucy covered her mouth with her hands.
-
"Let's get out of here. Its not safe...
Th-that guy is gonna... urk-"
Clay struggled to stand up as he speaks.
-
"How are we going to let everyone know though..?"
Trucy asked.
-
"Leave yer phone here"
Clay adjusted his visor.
“I have something else.”
He placed something in trucy's hands... a tamagotchi?
It looked a bit different though... there was a red sos button.
"It communicates directly with the one Pollo's got on his bag. Say what you need ta. We are gettin out of here. And no ones gonna find you or your father. I wont let em."
-
Trucy watched as Clay hobbled towards the door.
She pressed the sos button and spoke into the tamagotchi.
"Polly...*sniff*- c-clays hurt and daddy is hurt too and... we can't stay here... there might be more r-robots... find us at-"
she didnt realize it but the recording got cut off.
Trucy then ran after Clay helping them catch up to Phoenix.
-
[And Now.]
Athena’s footsteps echoed sharply down the hallway as she ran, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. She had heard Simon shout, and didn’t have to be asked twice to run.
Her heart lurched violently, and before she even realized she was moving, she was sprinting toward the staircase.
She didn’t see Phoenix until she collided with him full‑force.
Her whole body trembled, and tears streamed down her face unchecked.
“M‑Mr. Wright—!”
Athena gasped, her voice cracking under the weight of panic, choking on her tears.
“S‑Simon.. SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM!…”
-
Simon scoops up the broken pieces of Widget, feeling like his heart is torn in pieces along with it. He gathers every tiny piece, in the hopes that just maybe, Aura would be able to fix it. He doesn't have the strength to get up, but he watches as De Killer drives away with a feeling of dread. He attempts to drag himself along the ground, towards the direction Athena went, but he doesn't get very far before he has to stop, gasping as his wounds sting and bleed. He scoots up against the wall, propping himself up and waiting for Aura to find him, as he knows she will.
“Metis... what do I do here? How... can I keep your daughter safe? Please, guide me... I'm not strong enough on my own.”
-
Aura rounded the corner right as Athena darted past, and she exhaled sharply in shock. She was about to call out to her and ask her to stop, but the next sound made her freeze in her tracks.
Her brother's scream. It rang out along the alley around her, echoing in a horrid crescendo inside her head. She stiffened, all her muscles tensing until it felt she was just one taut line.
Slowly, deliberately, she clenched her hands into a fist, and the dark purple bangs which fell carelessly over her eyes began to project a shadowy darkness over her face that would scare even the most stolid of men.
Aura marched forward resolutely, her fingers steadfast on the trigger of her gun, then finally rounded the corner. What she saw made her grit her teeth hard, and then run forward at a reckless pace.
"SIMON!!!!"
Aura knelt down beside her brother, putting the gun into her coat pocket before wiping a gentle line against his cheek. There were blood smears on his face, along with several tears in his clothes that had bloodstains to accompany them. She knit her eyebrows together furiously, and if looks could kill she would definitely be considered a murderer by now.
"Did De Killer do this?"
She whispered, recalling the threatening conversations in the groupchat earlier.
"I swear, I'll make that sick fuck pay..."
-
Phoenix cried out as Athena ran into him on the stairs, wobbling against the banister rail for several precarious seconds until he regained his footing. He turns towards her with wide eyes, concerned as he sees the terrified expression on her face and tears brimming in her eyes.
"Whoa, Athena, slow down."
Phoenix frowned, trying to make sense of what she was saying.
"What happened to Simon? Where is he?"
-
“I DON’T KNOW, I JUST… I HEARD A GUNSHOT WHEN I WAS RUNNING, OKAY…?!”
Athena’s breath hitched as she tried to speak, her whole body trembling. Her hands were shaking so badly she could barely keep her herself steady. Tears streaked down her cheeks, her voice cracking under the weight of panic.
“H‑H‑HE’S AFTER US..!”
She choked out, stumbling over her words as another sob tore free.
“I SAW HIM… I SWEAR I DID… HE’S AFTER US FOR REAL…!”
She pressed her back against the cold wall behind her, trying to make herself smaller, trying to quiet her breathing even though her lungs felt like they were collapsing.
Every distant sound made her flinch. Her eyes darted around the dim alleyway, searching for movement, for a shadow, for anything.
“I‑I don’t know what to do,”
She whispered, her voice barely audible now. She pressed her palms firmly on her face, as if trying to hide herself forever.
-
They were then interrupted by Clay and Trucy also joining them on the stairs, and Phoenix frowned. Seemed that no one was going to listen to him tonight, even after them breaking his warnings had been the reason they split up and ended up in such a chaotic state to begin with.
"Trucy, did you make that phone call?"
Phoenix asked, then turned to Athena.
"If not, you should do it. You saw Simon last so you can most accurately describe what kind of medical care he might need."
He then turned to Clay.
"You're doing nothing with those hands of yours until you get serious medical care. Thankfully you dealt with all the robots, so the only real threat is De Killer."
Phoenix then returned his attention to Athena, an authoritative tone and expression taking over. In the face of so much panic and despair, it really did force him to either fight or flight, and he refused to cow down with his family and friends in so much peril. Not again, anyway.
-
"w-we didn't make the ph-phone call.... hngh...!?"
Clay's body jerked as he felt a bolt of pain shooting through his body from his shoulder. He was still bleeding.
"T-th- Miss Cykes... call... ..."
He muttered. He felt his knees start to buckle a little but he did his best to stand upright.
He listened to Athena talk about how he was "after us" and how there were gunshots. How Prosecutor Blackquill was hurt.
He remembered that feeling of helplessness.
That feeling of being tired.
Wanting to rest.
Feeling a pain so searingly sharp it caused his eyes to shoot open being greeted with lights that were too bright...
His eyes closing...
Regret....
“(I cant...
In the end I cant save anyone. I cant... no matter how much I-)”
“(Im so sorry... Apollo....)”
He convulsed in pain again before shaking his head vigorously.
"N-no... you... you need to be safe... please...please...."
His whisper came out, a desperate plea for help ripped from out of his lungs.
"You need to stay safe. If Mr.Blackquill is i-injured then I...I need to protect you. We need to get him help... I.."
"G-get out of... leave... p-please..."
"Don't let h-him find you...."
He coughed violently, clutching at his shoulder as if it could keep him and his wobbly legs upright.
-
Simon looks up at Aura, vision blurry. He stares down at the blood on her hand from where she wiped his cheek, his own hand raising to press against one of his wounds. He shudders, the cold and the bloodloss taking their toll on him. He opens up his other hand towards Aura, showing her the broken pieces of Widget. A familar trail of tears rolls down his cheeks.
"Aura... do you think you can fix it? Athena will be so upset... I'm fine, but I need to go protect Athena..."
Simon pushes himself up, leaning against the wall and starting to limp his way out of the alley in the direction Athena went. His hair is a tangled mess from where De Killer grabbed him, a messy line of bruises quickly forming along his cheek. He stumbles but keeps going, determined to get back to the others.
-
Aura stiffens as Simon opens his hand towards her, trying her best not to lose her composure seeing how in pain he is. She sees him raising his hand and is about to chastise him, because he needs to REST, not be trying to move...until she sees the broken pieces of Widget in his palm.
"Oh no, Widget..."
She trails off, a pang of sadness settling deep in her chest. She instantly recognized the little guy as one of Metis's last technological achievements before her murder, and even though she'd had mixed thoughts on Athena at the time, had always been happy that Metis was able to leave something for her daughter. So to see it scattered into pieces, with only small chunks of its mainframe intact...the sight was quite sobering.
"I'm not sure,"
Aura answered truthfully, carefully taking the pieces from Simon and holding them closer to scrutinize.
"It looks like the main CPU is okay, so it's promising...but my skills were never quite the same as Metis's."
Aura fiddled around with her free hand, finally finding a medicine bottle in her pocket with exactly two pain meds. She took the pills out and filled it up with the pieces of Widget, then turned to Simon.
"Here, it's not much but these should help you until we get you to a hospital..."
She cuts herself off as she sees him push himself up against the wall, stumbling in obvious pain. She groans and stands to follow him, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to dissuade her stubborn brother.
"Fine, but first you take these pills. And after we verify she's fine you had BETTER come with me for medical care,"
Aura scolded, going towards his right side and draping his arm over her shoulders, to help him walk. Her tone was casual, almost mocking, but he would definitely be able to feel by her trembling shoulders and the slight stutter to her voice that she was deeply affected by all this. Aura was simply choosing to let it slide for now, to put on a brave face and pretend things were fine. She had gotten very good at hiding her feelings in seven years.
-
Phoenix looked between Trucy, Athena, and Clay, concern etched deeply into his face. His entire agency seemed to be breaking down into panic, and he couldn't comfort them all at once. Not when Clay was literally on the verge of passing out from his wounds, Trucy seemed to be in shock, moving automatically instead of intentionally, and Athena...
The pure trauma and terror on her face was enough to turn Phoenix's blood cold. There was no doubt in his mind that she was referring to DE KILLER, that she and Simon had seen him outside and Simon had potentially been shot. The thought of that, of having yet another prosecutor who'd intended to protect him getting shot by De Killer and maybe DYING this time...it brought Phoenix to his knees.
He knelt beside Athena, gently shaking her shoulder with his good arm.
"Athena, I'm so sorry...this whole situation, it's awful."
He sighed, shaking his head in regret, before continuing.
"But we can't break down here. We can't let De Killer win, because if we don't stay strong now that's what will happen. We need to use this fear to push us forward, no matter what. That's what Simon would want, I'm sure of it."
Phoenix reached out his hand to Athena, to help her stand with him, then took a deep breath when they had both fully risen.
"It seems like everyone here is shaken, which is understandable. In that case, I will call us an ambulance while we head downstairs and look for Simon. Athena, please help Trucy in supporting Clay...he got injured badly."
With a solemn nod towards them all, Phoenix turned away and began to lead the way down the stairs, flipping open his outdated phone and dialing three simple numbers.
"H-hello, we have an emergency on our hands..."
He began, leaning against the railing as he dispersed the details over the phone.
-
Trucy looked up at Clay. It seemed like more than the pain from his physical wounds he was fighting something in his head. He kept mumbling stuff out and muttering.
"you have to be safe."
Athena helped support Clay's other side and he looked at both of them.
"My bag... maybe theres something helpful in it. Take it and take what you need. Everything is got is either something I stole f-from Aura... ghh- o-or somethin I w-worked on..."
"At least... at least everyone is u-unharmed...
Guess im paranoid."
Clay laughs a broken empty laugh and Trucy frowns.
Athena is still shaken up by the incident, her hand still covering one side of her face.
Trucy nodded to her and they both took the sling bag Clay had offered to them to dig through for anything useful while phoenix called the authorities.
Gauze, bandaids... and a bunch of strange robotic parts that were probably scraps filled the bag, along with the aforementioned tamagotchi which Trucy saw no use in now. She dug a little deeper and found a lazer pointer(?)
Maybe that would be useful later.
Her phone was still in the WAA and she didn't want to go back.
She looked at Athena expectantly.
-
Athena’s breath hitched when Trucy looked at her, that silent question hanging in the air like a weight she wasn’t sure she could carry.
Her hand was still pressed to the side of her face, fingers trembling, but she forced herself to straighten. Clay needed them. Trucy needed her. There wasn’t time to fall apart.
“R‑right… okay. Let’s see what we can do with this…”
Her voice wavered, but she crouched beside Trucy anyway, peering into the bag with wide, anxious eyes.
Athena heard what Clay said. She hated that everyone was blaming themselves for this. She spoke no words, only silently going back to treat him.
She swallowed hard, blinking fast as she wrapped the gauze around one of the deeper wounds she could reach. Her hands weren’t as steady as she wanted, but she kept going.
-
Simon takes the pills with a grumble, unwilling to waste time with Aura fussing over him. He leans against her for support as he reaches the end of the wall leading out of the alleyway. They make their way to the entrance to the building, and Simon huffs as he allows Aura to sit him down on the curb.
"G-go look for Athena, I'll wait here. You need to make sure the others are okay. I'm fine."
Simon shrugs off his long overcoat to examine his wounds in the light of the streetlamp. He hears a caw and sighs in relief as Taka lands in front of him. He pets him gently, checking him over for wounds. He has a few shallow bites but nothing of real concern. He gathers him in his arms and buries his face in his feathers for a few moments, in a rare moment of vulnerability.
"Taka... I'm glad you are safe. I'll be okay, boy. We're gonna fix this, don't worry."
-
A small smile slips out before Aura can help herself, Simon's grumbles such a familiar sound that they put her somewhat at ease. She figured that if he had the strength to protest, even in that small way, he would probably pull through.
She carefully helps him lower into a sitting position, watching with worry as he lets out exhales of pain with each stilted movement. Aura wanted to do more, to be close to his side and hold him tightly the way she couldn't the last time he was in a serious conflict...but his resolute words and the glare he narrowed her way stopped her.
"Okay...Athena and the others. Got it."
She sighed, still not wanting to leave his side, but knew he wouldn't be happy sitting in one place until he had confirmed the status of his friends.
Aura had just reached the doors of the WAA when an incoming siren pierced her ears, and she flinched as two vehicles careened to a halt mere yards from her. A team of medical workers began to spill from the doors, and someone in a black uniform marched over to Aura.
"Hello Miss, do you know Mr. Wright?"
They asked, flipping open a clipboard.
"He called with an emergency notice, said there are two victims of battery and one possible victim of a gunshot wound?"
Aura nodded, stunned by the swiftness of the man's questions.
"Yes...well, I've only seen one."
She pointed to her brother sitting by the curb.
"My brother, he's been shot."
.
"Got it."
One team headed in Simon's direction, while the other entered the building, probably to look for Wright's group.
Aura leaned against the wall, a heavy exhale escaping her as she realized the crisis was ending. She heard several vrrmms from her phone, and picked it up to see several panicked notifications.
"Well, guess I better start responding to some of these..."
-
Phoenix finished his phone call and slumped against the wall by the stairs, rubbing a hand over his face to try and erase the tired lines from it. His shoulder was tied tightly with Trucy's neckerchief, but he could feel tiny pieces of glass stabbing into him with each movement he made. He couldn't focus on that pain though, couldn't collapse on the stairs and lose himself. He had to help the others.
He slowly trodded back up the stairs, grateful to see that Trucy and Athena were working together to help Clay. He was just about to join in when he heard sirens approach, eyes widening in shock.
"Wow...they got here fast."
He let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness..."
A team of about six EMTs rushed through the gaping maw that had once been their office building's door, three of them carrying a stretcher. Phoenix moved out of the way so they could get to Clay, then motioned to Athena and Trucy.
"We need to follow them downstairs...we should probably all go, it'll be safer than staying here. Plus, Clay will need company."
He tries to give them a comforting smile, but the edges were a bit...lopsided.
-
Trucy nods at Phoenix with a serious nod and dip of her hat.
"Don't worry Daddy!! Athena and I will stay right by big bro Clay's side!!"
They helped Clay, who was now completely unconscious into the ambulance.
"You are coming with us right?"
Trucy watched happily as Phoenix joined them.
The ride to the hospital was fast but it felt not fast enough
Trucy hugged herself and rocked back and forth. It was really really painful to see Clay hurt like this, Athena trembling like that...
Trucy had seen Clay in the hospital before, back when Apollo visited him when he was still in witness protection.
That time was after he had come back from space, and he was being treated for something little...
But still to see him like that hurt. Mostly because the look on her brother's face... the one of pain..
It hurts.
Trucy didnt want her brother to be hurt.
Trucy didnt want Clay to be hurt.
Trucy didnt want Athena or her Father to be hurt.
Trucy looked at Athena and curled up a bit more. She looked so... scared.
She thought about her daddy's injury.
Her daddy had gotten injured protecting her.
Maybe if she had moved out of the way in time her daddy wouldn't be injured...
She wanted to cry but the tears never came.
-
Athena’s breath was still uneven, her hand pressed to the side of her face as she helped Trucy steady Clay. Fear, guilt, protectiveness, all tangled and spiraling. It made her own panic spike, but it also sharpened something else inside her.
Simon.
It was her fault he got injured in the first place, after all.
She ran away when he needed help.
Athena swallowed hard, eyes darting toward the darkened stairwell Phoenix had gone down.
“Trucy… Clay… Mr. Wright…”
She murmured, voice trembling but urgent.
“Can I go with Simon to the hospital instead…?”
She hesitated, guilt flickering across her expression before she forced herself to continue.
“I.. owe him. A lot.”
Her grip on Clay tightened for a moment, steadying him before she gently shifted more of his weight toward Trucy.
“Can you hold him for a second? I’ll be right back, I swear. I just…”
Her voice cracked.
“I need to make sure he’s safe. I have to.”
Klavier Gavin + Apollo Justice DM
Apollo Justice: I'll be at gate 3 in 5 minutes.
Klavier Gavin: Alright, Herr Justice, I’ll be by the terminal.
Few minutes later.
Klavier Gavin + Apollo Justice DM
Apollo Justice: Thanks for the ride Klavier.
Apollo Justice: Hey, I know this is probably not the best time or way to tell you this, but I don't think I'll get another chance. Nothing else to lose now I suppose.
Apollo Justice: I'm in love with you.
Apollo Justice: Please stay safe.
Klavier Gavin: Danke, you’re welcome Herr Justice.
Klavier Gavin: I’ll stay safe.
Did Klavier forgot to say something else? His response was… underwhelming.
Meanwhile, Apollo has received a text from him… him, as if…
Shelly de Killer…
Apollo Justice + Shelly de Killer DM
Shelly de Killer: The nearest old warehouse at 9 pm. Be alone.
Apollo Justice: ...What?
Apollo Justice: WHAT DID YOU DO?
Shelly de Killer: Do what I say, or your precious colleagues will go missing.. forever.
Apollo Justice: ...Fine.
Apollo Justice: Fuck you.
Shelly de Killer: I’ve heard that many times, but this will be your last time using a phone if you give me an attitude, Mr. Justice.
Apollo Justice: You're gonna kill me anyways.
Shelly de Killer: Would you be surprised if I said you’re not my target?
Apollo Justice: You're after Mr. Wright. Well, you'll be disappointed. I won't make good bait, since he doesn't care about me.
Shelly de Killer: … Trucy and Athena as well.
Shelly de Killer: Do you see how little power you have in this situation now?
Apollo Justice: WHAT?!
Apollo Justice: WHY??
Shelly de Killer: I have been hired.. anonymously.
Apollo Justice: ...
Apollo Justice: I'll be at the warehouse.
Shelly de Killer: Good. I knew you would come to your right mind.
Shelly de Killer: Until then, “Mr. Forehead”.
Shelly de Killer: Do make sure you’re alone. Otherwise, I’ll kill *them* in under 24 hours.
Apollo Justice: I get it. I won't try anything.
Shelly de Killer: I’d hope so.
This is not going to end well for Apollo…
He’s at his apartment as of now, about to leave.
Apollo’s Apartment
After receiving the texts from him, Apollo had Klavier drop him off at his apartment. He'd been paying for it while in Khura’in, since he hadn't felt ready to move out at the time. Now, he was especially glad. Apollo spends the remaining time he has writing letters for each of his family members and friends. One for Trucy, Clay, Athena, Klavier, Mr. Wright, etc. He lays them all out on the table. He's glad that he'd left Mikeko in Khura’in now, he know Nahyuta will look out for her.
He surveys the mess, not even bothering to clean up or unpack. No point, if he'll never be returning here again. Apollo sighs, and throws his worn backpack over his shoulder. He's unarmed, he knows he could never do anything againt De Killer anyways. He heads out and gets on his familar old bike, cycling towards the docks with urgency.
This isn't going to end well...
To be continued…