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Chapter Text

Hiro rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on the math textbook in front of him. Groaning, he shut the book and instead began to shuffle the deck of tarot cards that he kept handy in his coat pocket. He could practically hear Taka’s nagging in the back of his head, telling him to get back on track. After all, this latest study session was largely Taka’s doing, the prefect demanding that Hiro study to ensure that he finally graduated at the end of the month with the rest of the class. 

Originally, tonight was going to be another night of goofing off with Leon, of course none of the activities they’d had planned (getting high and blasting metal music) were Taka approved. The hall monitor happened to overhear him complaining to Leon and Makoto as they were exiting class about his latest grades, and he’d even joked that he’d be getting held back again. Of course, Hiro hadn’t meant it, besides, getting held back would at least guarantee him protection from the mafia, or even the illuminati. However, he wasn’t sure if he could handle being a high schooler much longer, but Taka wasn’t going to afford him the option of failure. 

The ultimate moral compass insisted that he take the night to study, stating that the first wave of exams were coming in a few days. “Yasuhiro Hagakure, you cannot put this off any longer,” he’d stated matter-of-factly. 

Of course, he and Leon had both objected on the grounds that it was a Friday night. “No sane person does school shit on a Friday night,” Leon insisted. 

Taka’s eyebrows furrowed. “I do schoolwork on a Friday all the time! What are you insinuating?”

“You are a bit insane, with all that rules crap-”

“-Why don’t we just have a study group tonight?” Makoto jumped in desperate to keep the peace. 

Hiro couldn’t help but grin when he saw Makoto’s instincts to help take over. It was just one of the reasons Makoto was one of his favorite classmates, the dude was genuinely well-intentioned, chill, and was the kind of person everybody just liked. Heck, Hiro could remember multiple times he’d snuck clients into the dorms for his admittedly overpriced readings, and Makoto saw, and didn’t say a word. He’d offered Makoto a discounted reading after that, though he’d politely declined. It was hard to find a single person in the class who really disliked him, even Byakuya, who seemed to hate everybody. 

Leon groaned, and muttered about his Friday being trashed by a study group, and Hiro felt a bit bad. Leon’s grades were fine, and besides, he was a kid. Well, he was only a few years younger than Hiro, but it was enough so that Hiro felt a bit like an older (albeit even more irresponsible) brother to Leon at times. Sometimes though, he felt a bit out of place among the other students due to his age. After all, he was the only one who could legally drink. 

Also, he had to admit he wasn’t the best academically. He wasn’t stupid, but he had some catch up to do, considering he’d put everything off until the last minute, instead focusing on earning money through readings. He’d reasoned with himself that he was saving up for when he graduated, but he hadn’t really thought of the whole “actually making sure you graduate” thing. Maybe Taka had a point. Hiro agreed to study, but he’d insisted it wasn’t a group thing, and that he could do it on his own. 

“Dude, I was being overdramatic,” Leon said. “I’d be fine with staying with you.”

“Nah, dude. As the ultimate clairvoyant, I can see that there will be, uh, bad stuff that’ll happen if you stay. You’ve been meaning to bug Sayaka about teaching you some more music stuff, why don’t you ask her tonight, now that we’re not hanging out?” 

“You sure?”

“Totally, I’m telling you, bad stuff will happen, man.” Hiro gave Leon his best serious face, which caused Leon to roll his eyes with a grin. 

“Sure, man.” Leon scanned the hallway, until his eyes landed on Sayaka, who was talking with Junko. Leon grinned and raced over to where the two girls were standing, leaving the remaining three boys in the dust. 

“Well,” Taka started. “I will have to cancel my plans with Mondo, Sakura, and Hina, but it will be worth it for-”

“-Taka, dude. C’mon. You can’t just ditch them for something as mundane as studying. I predict… if you do, you’ll grow a second head, and you’ll both have to compete for Mondo’s attention all the time, and he’ll break up with you for the other head-”

Taka’s features contorted with confusion, and Makoto looked profoundly freaked out. “-Hiro, I’m afraid I don’t understand exactly what point you are trying to make,” the hall monitor said. 

“I think he’s saying you shouldn’t cancel your plans,” Makoto said. “I’m not doing anything tonight, and I promise I’ll swing by Hiro’s dorm to help him study. You’re always helping everyone with study stuff anyway. You should enjoy the night!”

“I could not possibly-”

“-Or, you could stay and possibly get two heads like Hiro predicted. I’d rather go on a double date than get a second head.” Makoto smiled a mischievous smile. 

“I will drop off textbooks and notes with sections I will highlight for further review before I leave tonight!” Taka stood up straight and turned towards Hiro with surprising ferocity. “Tomorrow, however, I insist on studying with you Hagakure!” 

Hiro could only nod and mourn his now wasted Saturday as Taka’s eyes suddenly were drawn to a lower classman sprinting across the halls to get to class. Hiro could only wince in sympathy as Taka stomped after them, detention slips in hand. 

“Guess I’ll see you tonight, Hiro! You can get started without me, I’ll be a bit late. I have some stuff to do!” Makoto grinned and split off from Hiro, before Hiro could question exactly what said “stuff” was. 

Now here he was, waiting for Makoto, the door was unlocked for him to walk in at any time. He stared blankly at the comically large pile of notes and textbooks Taka had dropped off for him. He’d even started to give specific instructions on how Hiro should approach each set of materials, before Hina had gotten so impatient, she’d dragged him out of the room. At least, Hiro thought, this gigantic mountain of schoolwork was Taka’s way of showing he cared. He would’ve preferred cash, but it’s the thought that counts. 

Hiro casually laid out his cards, quickly scanning them. 77. Huh, he thought. There’s a missing card. Studying abandoned, he began to inspect the deck. The three of swords was missing, and Hiro couldn’t help but feel a slight chill. That card tended to bring bad news. Heartache and loss is what tended to be associated with that card.

Hiro tried his best to shake off the feeling. After all, he’d been wrong dozens (way more than dozens actually) of times. He’d probably just misplaced the card somewhere, once he’d dropped a card in the courtyard of the school and it had taken over an hour for him (and a search party involving Leon, Makoto, Mondo, and Chihiro) to find it. 

He flipped over the first card, six of wands upright. Hiro could feel a bit of his confidence coming back, as this could mean success in his studies, as progress was one of the main things this card predicted. Maybe, tonight’s boring study session was fate. 

Hiro moved to flip a second card, the three of cups, upright again. A celebration of friendship. Maybe this could be referring to the possibility of him and Makoto becoming official study bros, or whatever that meant. If Makoto would ever hurry up and get here. 

Hiro flipped over the last card, justice, upright. Once again, another good prediction, justice and fairness. That meant something, right? Hiro tried to convince himself that it was true, that his predictions were right, but he couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut, that the deck itself was wrong. That the missing card was crucial somehow, and he could feel a vision at the back of his mind. Heartbreak and loss, three of swords. He touched his crystal ball, but then thought better of it. No use freaking himself out more. Hiro placed the remaining cards back into his jacket pocket, leaving the three drawn cards on the table. 

The door suddenly creaked open, and was abruptly shut and locked with a quiet click. Hiro sighed and rolled his eyes. 

“Dude, Makoto, it’s been forever where have-” Hiro paused when he saw the person standing in the room. They were wearing all black, with a mask that Hiro swore he recognized from somewhere. They picked up the crystal ball in their gloved hands. “Makoto?” Hiro asked, stepping closer. “Is this a kind of joke?” 

The person giggled, saying nothing. Hiro’s eyes widened in horror as the person lunged at him, and with a flash of silver, he felt a blinding pain in his gut, and a pain on the back of his head. 

Stunned, Hiro looked down at his stomach and saw the rivers of pink gushing from it.  On the ground, there were fragments from where his crystal ball had once existed. Desperately, he clutched at his stomach, trying to keep the blood from pouring out. Hiro barely had enough time to cry out before the figure lunged at him again, clamping a hand over his mouth as they stabbed him, over and over again. Hiro fumbled desperately at the plastic mask, managing to rip off a white piece in the struggle, before the figure stabbed again, and he released with a cry. 

Hiro felt a blinding pain as the assailant finally ceased their attack, and merely watched with a tilted head, like they were studying him, as he fell weakly to the ground. He tried to speak, to scream, but all he could do was cough up blood. His vision began to fade as the assailant began to leave the room, crushing the piece of mask under their foot as they did. They turned around towards him again, as if to take in the anguish in his features, and he got another look at the mask. The stranger, once they’d seen enough of his writhing, left, leaving the door open just a hair. Just enough for Hiro to know he had no hope of shoving it open in his state. Hiro couldn’t hear anyone else nearby. No one was coming to save him. 

Hiro’s mind began to race, and he suddenly remembered where he’d seen that mask. His heart began to slow as more blood poured from his wounds. Hiro felt himself slipping away. Not like this, he thought. He had to warn the others somehow, he had to let them know it wasn’t safe. Makoto was on his way here, maybe they’d already gotten him… no, he couldn’t spend his last moments thinking like that. He held his stomach and inched determinedly towards his desk, and he barely managed to grab the justice card before collapsing. His fingers shook as he dipped into his own blood, and began to draw shakily on the card. 

Hopefully, this would be enough. Hopefully, this would… he felt his hands going slack, a coldness beginning to overtake him. The card slipped from his hands, but he was too weak to feel for it with his limp, nearly lifeless hands. He faintly heard the door open, and Makoto’s voice, but it was like it was muffled by a dozen cotton balls. 

“Hiro! Hiro, oh my god!” Makoto ran over to Hiro, and dropped to his knees beside him. 

Hiro tried to open his mouth to speak, but Makoto’s voice was getting further away, and he was fading from view. The justice card had his message, but it was lost, and Hiro couldn’t get the words out to tell Makoto. He couldn’t even see Makoto anymore. He could only see a bright light now, and he faintly heard the echoes of Makoto’s voice, which were fading into cries. 

Hiro’s eyes began to closeas his life force ebbed away, his lifeblood falling into Makoto’s hands. As his eyes shut for good, Hiro realized: the cards were wrong, but he’d been right. The one card he’d known was the right one all along, but he hadn’t wanted to believe it because of what it stood for. 

Heartbreak and loss. 

Three of swords. 

Chapter Text

April 30th, 9:00 AM

Wright & Co. Law Offices

“Hurry, up Nick!” Maya called from the main room of the office, where she and Pearl were eagerly sitting in front of the TV. “It’s starting any minute now! And you better bring out the popcorn, too! Nevermind that it’s too early in the morning stuff you were saying!”

“Yay, Usami!” Pearl cheered, holding the wooden figurine Maya had received, bearing the rabbit’s likeness. Phoenix rolled his eyes at Maya’s remark, yet he still grabbed the bowl of popcorn he’d made before heading out to the main room. Ever since Steel Samurai had gone on a hiatus, the show Warriors of Hope vs. Despair was all Pearl and Maya could talk about. They’d even recorded the new episode to watch today, since Pearl had stubbornly insisted that watching the episode live would cause her to stay up too late, and Maya had pouted, but agreed. Phoenix himself wasn’t a huge fan, but these types of shows were meant for kids, though he had to admit the show got a bit dark sometimes. Maybe that’s why it had such a mass appeal. He found himself wondering if Edgeworth would like the show, but before he could dwell on Edgeworth’s surprisingly childish taste in shows, Maya stormed over and pulled him over to where her and Pearl were sitting. 

“Nick, you’re taking forever,” she complained through mouthfuls of popcorn, as Phoenix sighed and sat between her and Pearl.

“Mystic Maya, Mr. Nick, Usami is going to win in the end, right?” Pearl’s eyes filled with a precocious sadness. “Her magic stick was broken by Monokuma, and after he said all that stuff about despair being stronger than hope, and he defeated Usami’s hope warriors, can she still win?” Pearl’s lip quivered. “Monokuma is scary, Mr. Nick!” 

Phoenix was about to open his mouth to reply, to tell Pearl that of course Usami would win, because good always overpowers evil in the end (not to mention it was a kid’s show at the end of the day), but a pounding at the door interrupted his thoughts. 

“Screw this, he’s either here or he’s not,” A frustrated voice grumbled from outside. Maya perked up from the popcorn bowl, as if the voice was familiar to her. Phoenix swore he could hear more voices outside the door, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Right as he was about to get up and investigate, the door was thrown open by an angry looking boy with several piercings, striking red hair, and an overall look that Phoenix could only describe as “punk rock”. Behind him there were two girls, a rather apologetic looking blue-haired girl in a school uniform, and a stone-faced, white haired girl wearing gloves and a lavender tie. Both of the girls seemed familiar to him, and he suddenly realized where he’d seen the bluenette. 

“Sayaka Maizono?! The pop star?” Phoenix was incredulous. Why would a pop sensation come here, and not to mention, he suddenly realized how messy the office looked, with popcorn crumbs littering the floor and papers scattered everywhere. 

Maya’s face lit up into a huge grin, and she rushed towards the three. “Kyoko, Sayaka, Leon! It’s great to see you guys!” Maya grinned and hugged Sayaka, who managed a small smile. “Nick is a huge fan of yours! Oh, and my cousin Pearly really likes you as well!”

Phoenix suddenly remembered the names, and he glanced down at Pearl, who was still clutching the Usami figurine, but was now gawking at Sayaka with stars in her eyes. Maya had mentioned these names before, shortly after the case with Maggey Byrde and Furio Tigre. She’d somehow snuck into their school and done a channeling for them, and gotten the figurine somehow… the details largely evaded him. He mostly remembered being in shock that Maya had met all these kids, and disappointed when she’d only presented him with an empty donut box, but Pearl got the wooden Usami figurine. 

“We didn’t come here to talk, damnit!” Leon’s voice cut through the reunion. 

Maya separated from Sayaka with a frown. Upon hearing the distress in Leon’s voice, Phoenix could see it in their faces: despair. He’d been too caught up in a celebrity (with very catchy music) in his office to really see their expressions. Leon had of course been furious, but now Phoenix could see his eyes were bloodshot and rubbed raw, his hair was askew and clothes were wrinkled. Sayaka looked put-together, but her smile had an undeniable hint of sadness. Kyoko, who Phoenix remembered from a few previous investigations now, had an unreadable expression, but it was clear she wasn’t happy. 

“Leon, they probably don’t know.” Sayaka’s voice was gentle, but sad. “I wish we could’ve met again under happier circumstances.” She turned to Phoenix and Pearl, who were standing a few feet away, unsure of what to say. “It is nice to meet fans, though. I appreciate your faith in my talent.” 

Pearl smiled at Sayaka. “I think you’re pretty! And your dresses are so cute! I didn’t know a lot about pop mu-sic until Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick showed me!” Sayaka managed another smile, and thanked Pearl, who glowed with adoration. She must be good at putting on happy faces, Phoenix thought glumly. Kyoko and Leon clearly were not. 

Kyoko walked wordlessly over to the TV and switched the channel over to the nearest news outlet. The TV showed a reporter standing outside what looked to be a rather preppy looking school. 

“Hey,” Maya said. “Isn’t that-”

The newscaster cut her off. 

“Breaking News! This just in, a murder has taken place in the once prestigious Hope’s Peak Academy! A member of the graduating 78th class, Yasuhiro Hagakure, the Ultimate Clairvoyant, was found dead in his room last night, and now a suspect has been officially placed in custody. Police have fellow classmate, Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student, placed under arrest due to evidence and witness accounts placing him at the scene. He is now being held in the detention center at Criminal Affairs. Well, let me just say that Mr. Naegi is far from lucky-”

Leon turned the TV in a huff. “I can’t listen to that stuff much longer.” His voice cracked, and Sayaka placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off. 

“We need your help.” Kyoko faced Phoenix, her eyes bearing into him. “Makoto needs a defense lawyer, and no one will take his case. Everyone thinks he did it. I know there has to be more to it, and I’ve read about you, how you’ve won impossible cases.” Kyoko’s arms crossed, and her eyebrows furrowed. “Surely, you could pull off one more, correct?”

“Please, I know Makoto,” Sayaka’s pleading voice cut in, and her deep blue eyes misted over with tears. “He wouldn’t do something like this. I feel like everyone is giving up on him, but I can’t lose hope on him like that! You’ve got to help us, Mr. Wright!”

Before Phoenix could even get a word out, Maya cut in. “Of course we’ll help! We’re friends! I’ll make Nick take the case, even if it kills him! Besides, I’ve met Makoto… once. He didn’t seem like a murderer to me!” 

“Hey, Maya, take it easy!” Phoenix sighed, it didn’t seem like he really had a choice in this. It wasn’t like he would’ve refused anyway. Sayaka’s genuine belief in Makoto had reminded him of another case. He’d remembered when he defended Edgeworth, everyone else had written him off as a lost cause, but Phoenix refused to give up, even when Edgeworth himself had. There’s no way he’d let someone else suffer like that. He hadn’t given up, and thanks to that, Edgeworth was a free man. Free to mutter “Wright,” at him in a disapproving tone whenever he did something rash, or smile one of those rare smiles that made his heart skip a few beats. “I’ll take your case. If all three of you really believe in Makoto-” 

“I don’t know what to believe.” Leon clenched his fists and looked down at the floor. “I don’t f-” He glanced at Pearl and quickly stopped. “I just don’t know. All I know is that Kyoko said you’d help uncover the truth. I need to know who killed Hiro. That’s it.”

“I don’t know either.” Kyoko adjusted her gloves. “I just wanted to make sure Makoto has a good lawyer, one that I knew would defend him. He deserves that much, at least.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll defend Makoto, and avenge Hiro,” Maya swelled with determination. “Let’s go to the detention center!” Maya strode affirmatively out the door, taking Kyoko by the arm, the detective clearly not as openly enthused. 

“Can I walk with you?” Pearl smiled her cutest smile at Sayaka, and the popstar nodded. “Of course you can!” The two left hand in hand, Pearl grinning, clearly the least affected by this whole affair. Sayaka, to her credit, seemed genuinely charmed by the little medium. 

Phoenix sighed, already he was being ditched, and now it was just him and Leon, the latter clearly not up for conversation. Still, Phoenix felt bad. He’d seen this type of pain before. 

“We’ll find the truth,” he offered. “I promise.” 

Leon didn’t respond, silently storming out of the office. Phoenix shook his head, and brushed off the encounter. He’d talk later, he reasoned. Phoenix felt around in his pockets. Badge, check. Magatama, check. Alright, he thought. Let’s do this. 

*****************************************************************************

April 30th, 10:00 AM

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

Well, at least I know nothing’s really changed around here, Phoenix thought. The detention center was the same drab grey, with the transparent window separating the detainee from their visitors. What had surprised him however, was that Makoto was already talking to a visitor. A small girl wearing a green jacket and a brown skirt was talking quietly to Makoto, while anxiously typing into a laptop she was holding. 

“Chihiro, what are you doing here?” Kyoko said, and the girl practically leapt out of her chair in shock. 

“Oh, Kyoko!” The girl turned around to face the group, and she looked rather startled when she saw Phoenix, and her eyes darted around to the rest of the group, taking a mental tally of who all was there. “Sorry, I was just making sure Makoto had some company. We’re trying to make it so that he’s never alone, someone will always be visiting him!” The girl tried to offer a smile, but it was clear she was too upset, her eyes were still wet with tears. 

“That’s really sweet, Chihiro.” Sayaka smiled back, and offered a hug to the smaller girl, who managed a sniffle before hugging her back. “You already know Maya, but let me introduce Pearl, Maya’s cousin,” she gestured to Pearl, who waved politely. “And this is Phoenix Wright, he’s going to be representing Makoto in court.” Sayaka nodded towards Phoenix, who showed Chihiro his badge, as if to reaffirm what Sayaka said. 

Phoenix extended a hand to Chihiro. “It’s nice to meet you, Chihiro, right?” 

“Y-yes. I’m Chihiro Fujisaki, the ultimate programmer. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Wright,” Chihiro shook Phoenix’s hand with a surprisingly impressive grip. “Thank you for helping us… hopefully this will all just be a huge mistake…” Chihiro looked sadly at the floor. “I guess I’ll head back to the school now, and tell the class about this. I-it was nice to see you again, Maya.” 

“It’s nice to see you too, Chihiro! I just wish I’d be introducing you to Nick and Pearls under different circumstances.”

“Pro-gram-mer?” Pearl asked. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it involves me designing computer software to perform certain tasks-” Chihiro stopped, noting both the impatient expressions of Leon and Kyoko, and the utter confusion on Pearl’s face. “-I’ll explain later.” 

With that remark, Chihiro ran off towards the exit, leaving the group to face Makoto. The boy wore a brown hoodie, his brown hair seemed almost like it was sadly wilting on his head, but his green eyes still sparked with a hope Phoenix usually didn’t see in his clients. 

“Makoto, I’ve brought your lawyer.” At the sound of Kyoko’s voice, Makoto perked up. Phoenix raised an eyebrow as Kyoko’s expression almost seemed lighter upon seeing the look of renewed optimism on Makoto’s face. 

“I knew I could count on you! You believe in me, right?” Makoto smiled at Kyoko, but she didn’t smile back, her expression resetting to a stony gaze. 

“I don’t know what I believe, Makoto. I’m a detective. I’ll decide what I believe when I investigate the crime scene myself. I’ve gotten permission by the prosecution to aid them. I merely accompanied Mr. Wright, along with Leon and Sayaka, who insisted on coming-” Sayaka gave Kyoko an almost sympathetic look, while Leon scowled and looked at the floor. “-to visit you just to make sure he took this case. I have to go now. Goodbye.” Kyoko turned and left the room, and Phoenix was stunned at her surprising coldness. Maya looked stunned as well. He’d gotten the sense that Kyoko cared about Makoto. Was he wrong? He couldn’t help but feel bad when he saw Makoto visibly deflate at her remarks, but he still nodded. 

“I-I understand,” he called out, but she’d already left. 

Makoto turned to face Phoenix. “Thank you, for helping me. I’m Makoto Naegi, the ultimate lucky student.” 

“You don’t seem very lucky,” Pearl blurted out. Makoto managed a small chuckle. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“Leon, Sayaka, why’d you guys come? I totally appreciate it but-”

“-I didn’t come for you.” Leon glared, and Makoto’s face fell again. “I came because Kyoko said that Mr. Wright would find the truth behind Hiro’s death. Even if that truth is that you killed him. I just need to know.” Leon’s glare softened, but he still didn’t meet Makoto’s gaze. 

Sakaya, on the other hand, looked clearly at Makoto. “I believe in you, Makoto. We’ve been friends even before Hope’s Peak. I’m here because I want to help prove your innocence!” Her eyebrows furrowed, her body language flared with righteousness. Makoto perked up again, clearly relieved that someone had faith in him. 

Phoenix coughed awkwardly, and the three broke from their conversation. Phoenix got out his attorney’s badge and showed it to Makoto. “I’m Phoenix Wright, and I’m a defense attorney. I’m here to help you. These are my assistants, Maya, who you already know, and this is her little cousin Pearl.” 

Maya grinned and waved at Makoto, who awkwardly waved back. Pearl merely nodded at him, and Makoto returned the gesture with a small smile. “I-I actually know all about you, Mr. Wright. Kyoko told me about you. I’ve been thinking about a career involving the law, actually. She thought that I’d be a good fit for your company too-” He laughed a little bit, but his expression was sad. “I guess that didn’t really work out, huh?”

Maya snapped her fingers. “Oh yeah! Kyoko had been talking to me about-”

“Maya, we’ll talk about it later. I have to ask Makoto some questions.” Phoenix gripped the magatama in his jacket pocket. 

Sakaya raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in your pocket, Mr. Wright?”

“It’s a magatama!” Pearl beamed at Sayaka, not even letting Phoenix answer. “It’s filled with spiritual power, and it helps to see lies.” 

“Woah, seriously?” Leon jumped up. “We could solve the whole case with that thing, then!” 

“No,” Maya shook her head. “It merely exposes a person’s psyche-locks, which shows they are hiding something. We don’t know what they are hiding until we unlock them, and there is no guarantee it has to do with the case. A-and there have been times people have fooled the magatama…”

Maya trailed off, seeing the excitement fade from Leon’s eyes as he frustratedly sat back down. Maya’s speech made Phoenix remember Engarde. He’d fooled the magatama, he just hoped that Makoto wouldn’t prove to be a similar person. He seemed nice enough, but then again, so had Matt Engarde. 

“It is still going to be helpful, I’m sure,” Makoto offered hopefully. 

“Makoto,” Phoenix started in a serious tone as he gripped the magatama. Everyone’s eyes locked onto Makoto, who shrank back from the accusatory stares. “Did you kill Yasuhiro Hagakure?” 

“No! I would never do that!” 

Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief as no psyche-locks appeared. That meant he was most likely innocent, and everyone else took note of Phoenix’s relieved expression. Maya and Pearl grinned at each other as Sayaka’s face lit up, and even Leon looked a bit relieved, before seemingly remembering the drawbacks of the magatama and reverting back to his closed-off stance. 

“I believe you,” Phoenix said as he put the magatama away. “I’ll start by asking you this. What happened leading up to the murder?”

Makoto’s face grew clouded with thought. “Well, Hiro had been forced to study for the evening, because the beginning of our final exams are coming up. He kinda slacked off with studying, and he was worried about not graduating, and one of our other friends made him study. He was going to be spending the evening in his dorm studying, and I had something to do, but was going to be free later, so I offered to come by and help him. But when I got there… I found him bleeding out, trying to inch himself towards the door… choking on his own blood…” 

Makoto trailed off as his expression sank, and he gazed remorsefully at the floor. Sayaka’s shoulders slumped as well, and Leon’s expression went from angry to pained. Phoenix felt his own expression morphing into one of pity. “That must’ve been awful,” was all he managed to say. “What did you do when you saw him?” 

“I-I tried to stop the bleeding, but he’d lost too much blood. He was already dying when I got there, but I’d gotten his blood all over me. I’d seen a knife in the corner, and after he died, and I went to investigate, but that’s when I was found, and I know how bad it looked.” Makoto looked at Leon and Sayaka. “I swear, that’s my story.” 

Makoto continued. “I’d gotten to his room at 9:45, because the thing I was supposed to go didn’t end up happening, and I was waiting for a while-” 

“What’s the thing?” Maya asked with a cheeky smile.

“O-Oh, it isn’t important! It has nothing to do with this, anyway.” Makoto asserted, but Phoenix gripped his magatama out of instinct, and sure enough, a single red psyche-lock flew into place. Maya’s smile vanished as she saw Phoenix’s skeptical expression as he gripped the magatama. 

“He has a psyche-lock?” Maya bit her lip. “Maybe it has nothing to do with the case?”

“Are you freaking kidding me, Makoto?!” Leon stood up in a rage. “You’re hiding sh-stuff now?! You’re the prime suspect, and you’ve got the balls to lie to us, and even your freaking defense attorney?! Whatever you’re hiding, spill it!” He turned and punched the wall, and everyone else jumped back, startled. Phoenix couldn’t help but agree a bit with Leon’s sentiment. Makoto shouldn’t have anything to hide if his activity had nothing to do with the case, right? 

Makoto just shook his head. “You have to believe me, it has nothing to do with the case… oh, the guard is calling me back for more questioning. Thank you for taking my case again, Mr. Wright, Maya, and Pearl.” 

With the tension from Leon’s blowout and Makoto’s lie still hanging in the air, Makoto got up and left. Phoenix sighed. This was going to be harder, now that he knew that Makoto was hiding something, he couldn’t piece together Makoto’s whole alibi if he wouldn’t even tell him. Maybe this was the reason almost no one believed him. 

“Um, you’re still going to help him, right? I’m sure he’s right about his activity having nothing to do with the case. I trust him.” Sayaka turned towards Phoenix with an affirmative look on her face. “Please, don’t give up on him, Mr. Wright.”

“Of course not! I’m a lawyer, and he’s my client!” 

“We’ll totally defend him!” Pearl and Maya chorused at the same time, and Sayaka smiled appreciatively. 

“Thank you all so much!” 

Leon rolled his eyes. “Whatever, let’s just go. It’s about time we get to the actual crime scene. Sayaka and I will take you to Hope’s Peak.” 

The pop star nodded, and the group filed out of the detention center. “Hope you guys are ready to meet the rest of our class,” Leon said with an exasperated expression. “Some of them can be… difficult.” 

“Everyone I met was great!” Maya said. 

“You didn’t meet everyone else, though.” Leon stated with an eye roll. “Some of them can be a pain in the-” Once again, he quickly remembered Pearl’s presence and stopped. “Just stay on your guard, okay?”

Phoenix nodded, but he couldn’t help but feel nervous due to Leon’s last remark. They’re all high school students, right? And wouldn’t they all be friends, considering they’re all in the same class? As Phoenix left the detention center, he wondered just what kinds of students roamed under the prestigious halls of Hope’s Peak. 

****************************************************************

April 30th, 11:00 AM

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

The first thing Phoenix thought when he saw Hope’s Peak in person was: wow, this place is huge. The tall, iron gate to the school opened up to an impressive structure of several tall buildings, each seemed expensive, as if to emphasize that the best of the best attended this school. The black and white school crest caught Phoenix’s eye right away as well. 

“Welcome to hell,” Leon deadpanned. 

“It’s so cool! It doesn’t look bad to me,” Pearl said. 

“You haven’t gone to school yet, have you?” Leon remarked. 

“Nope!” Pearl beamed. 

“Lucky.” 

Phoenix thought of his own high school, it wasn’t nearly as fancy as this school. At least he wasn’t alone in thinking that school could be a bit of a drag. He’d spent all that time attached to Larry, which in hindsight, hadn’t done him a lot of favors. Sayaka and Leon began to direct Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl to the dorms, when a very tired-looking man in a suit ran up to them. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Only Hope’s Peak students, faculty, and law officials are allowed in the building-oh, your badge. Are you-” he paused to catch his breath. “Are you representing Mr. Naegi?” 

Phoenix nodded and offered a handshake. “I’m Phoenix Wright, and these are my assistants, Maya and Pearl.”

The man shook his hand. “I’m headmaster Kirigiri. I’m sorry I’m in such a state, this is just unprecedented. It’s quite a tragedy. You know, Mr. Wright, my daughter has talked about you before.”

“Who’s your daughter?”

“Oh, her name is Kyoko. She’s the ultimate detective.” 

“Oh!” Maya jumped up. “I know her! I had no idea her Dad was the headmaster!” 

The headmaster’s expression fell slightly. “She doesn’t like to talk about me much, though she is rather secretive regardless. I’m surprised she even mentioned you to me. She talked about how your offices would be a good fit for… well, it doesn’t matter now, does it? Considering what he’s done.” 

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “You believe it was Makoto?” 

“The evidence is pretty damning, yes. I liked Mr. Naegi too, he was a good student, and- nevermind.” Phoenix could see the psyche-locks around the headmaster, but he decided not to press it. He’d realized that those probably had a lot more to do with Kyoko than they did with Makoto, and some things weren’t meant to be scrutinized. 

“Is there anything about the school I should know? Anything involving what could’ve happened last night?” 

“I’ll give you the same statement I gave the prosecutors. There are cameras on campus and in the hallways to make sure students follow the rules. They aren’t allowed to bring in any outside visitors without getting my permission first-” Phoenix had to suppress an eye roll as he saw Maya’s guilty expression, along with Leon and Sayaka conveniently choosing this time to start looking absentmindedly at the sky. “-Of course, there aren’t cameras in their rooms. There is a curfew where all students must be inside the school by 10 PM, as that’s when the gates close. They reopen at 7 AM. Their rooms are usually only accessible to them through a student handbook.” Headmaster Kirigiri quickly procured a tiny notepad from his suit jacket and began to write furiously. “Now you have it in writing. I’m sorry I can’t talk more, but I have a school to manage.” With a sigh, the tired headmaster walked off. Phoenix immediately sympathized with him, it looked like he hadn’t slept a wink since the incident went down. 

“Handbooks?” Pearl looked confused. 

“Yeah, see?” Sayaka took out a small, black booklet from the pocket of her uniform’s blazer, and showed the group. Phoenix could see a place where it could be scanned, along with Sayaka’s basic student info. Leon got his out too, and it showed the same thing. As they walked to the dorms, Phoenix took note of the handbooks and the headmaster’s statement. Odds are, he’d need those later on. 

*********************************************************

April 30th, 11:20 AM

Dormitory Hallway

When the group arrived at the dorms, Phoenix immediately felt a sudden discomfort as multiple pairs of eyes landed on him. He could feel himself starting to get nervous, what could he say to these kids. Hi, I’m Phoenix Wright, and I’m defending the classmate you all suspect of murder just didn’t seem like it would make a good first impression. Pearl seemed overwhelmed as well, and scooted closer to Sayaka, who placed a reassuring hand on Pearl’s shoulder. Maya, on the other hand, had no such discomfort, in fact, running up to a ponytailed girl wearing a red sports jacket. 

“Hina! Hina!” Maya ran towards the girl, who’s weary-looking face managed to twist into a grin. 

“Maya,” the girl, presumably Hina, said as she opened her arms in greeting. The two girls hugged, and Hina snapped her fingers. “Wait right here, I’ve got something.” 

Hina ran like a bat out of hell back to her dorm room, and came back with a box full of donuts. Phoenix’s stomach rumbled, and he mournfully remembered the popcorn he’d never gotten to eat. 

“Donuts!” Maya licked her lips. “You’re the best, Hina! You and I, we think alike.”

“Yeah,” Hina’s shoulders slumped, and her ponytail almost seemed to droop. “Ever since this whole Hiro thing, and Makoto probably being guilty, I’ve been stress eating. Luckily, Sakura got me these donuts on her way to visit Makoto. She’s really the best!” Hina opened the box. “You guys should totally have some! Chihiro said you guys are here to defend Makoto, and that’s really cool of you… even if he’s guilty. He was a really nice guy, so I guess he should at least get a lawyer, but then again, Hiro didn’t deserve to die! I’m just so torn!” 

Maya nodded and took a donut. “I totally get it,” she said in between bites,  “You want to believe your friend, but it just looks really bad, and there’s the chance that he did do it-”

Phoenix sighed. Maya, he thought exasperatedly, aren’t we supposed to be defending Makoto? Either way, Phoenix couldn’t help but eye the alluring box of donuts. He was hungry. 

“Hey, Mr. Spiky Hair!” Hina turned towards him and offered the box. “I know you want one! I know the gleam in a person’s eye when they see the glazed perfection of a donut! And, uh, Chihiro said who you were, but I forgot your name.” She laughed apologetically. “Sorry.”

“My name is-”

“Phoenix Wright.” A cold voice interrupted their conversation, and a boy in a green suit and glasses strode up behind them. 

Hina’s smile disappeared, and she rolled her eyes. “What do you want, Byakuya?” 

“Simple, I just wanted to meet Mr. Wright here.” His expression was neutral, but there was an undeniable hint of smugness to his voice that Phoenix instantly disliked. He was also suddenly aware that the eyes of the rest of the students in the hallway had just locked into them. “I’m Byakuya Togami, the ultimate affluent progeny,” he began. 

“I just wanted to ask Mr. Wright here to grant me a quick favor. I’ll make sure the Togami Corporation awards him handsomely if he complies.” Byakuya turned towards Phoenix, and scanned Phoenix with a gaze that screamed: I’m above you. “Give up. Makoto is obviously implicated in this crime, and quite frankly, all this silly investigation is doing is delaying my graduation and ascension to the head of my family’s empire. I don’t have time for you to fight your losing battle in court, and quite frankly, if sacrificing Makoto is what it takes for my future, then so be it.” 

Phoenix was taken aback by the sheer nerve of this kid, to throw his classmate under the bus so easily, and for what? A smooth graduation? The others in the room were muttering amongst themselves, several glared at Byakuya, but none of them spoke, waiting for Phoenix to reply. Before Phoenix could tell him what for, Pearl of all people, finally piped up.

“No way, you jerk! Mr. Nick would never do that! It’s wrong, and mean! You’re mean!”

“I’m practical. I’m not a naive child like you are, and I don’t believe in unwinnable cases, and it’s not like I care for a tale of vengeance either. Hagakure was nothing but an annoyance to me. His death shouldn’t affect how we move forward-”

“-How the hell can you say that? Hiro was our friend! Hell, Makoto is still our friend!” Leon’s fists clenched, and he glared at Byakuya. 

Byakuya smiled wryly at Leon’s last remark. “If Makoto is still your friend, then why do you believe he’s guilty? Why do all of you? The only one who doesn’t is Maizono, and she will soon enough.” 

Leon’s fight vanished, and he pursed his lips, unable to come up with a retort. Phoenix raised an eyebrow. The way Byakuya had emphasized Makoto’s guilt, yet he’d never actually said what he believed. 

“I won’t do it, Byakuya. I fight for my clients no matter what. However, I noticed that you never said you thought Makoto was guilty. Do you have a reason to believe he’s innocent?”

For a brief moment, Byakuya’s smugness vanished, and he seemed to weigh his words before answering. “It doesn’t matter what I think, Mr. Wright. What matters is what needs to happen to guarantee my success, whether or not Makoto is there to see it. I’m disappointed you didn’t take my offer.” With that aloof sentiment, Byakuya turned and left. 

As soon as he left, Hina rolled her eyes. “I can’t stand him, ugh! Stuff like this makes me wonder why Makoto hangs around him at all.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “Makoto and Byakuya are friends?”

Sayaka cut in. “Makoto is basically friends with everyone. He’s one of the only people that Byakuya tolerates. I guess if you can call that friendship, then yeah, they are friends. Part of the reason a lot of people are so upset about this is that they feel betrayed by Makoto. Everyone trusted him.” 

Phoenix only needed to see the expressions on Leon and Hina’s faces to affirm what Sayaka said. If anything, it made him believe in Makoto more. It takes a special kind of person to be patient enough to bond with all these rather… unique kids. Hina offered to help introduce Phoenix to the rest of the class, except for the previously mentioned Sakura, who Hina informed him was visiting Makoto. He couldn’t help but gawk as Hina showed him a picture of her and Sakura, as the latter was absolutely beyond muscular. It was fitting that she was the ultimate martial artist, and what made it all the more ironic, is that when Hina talked about her, she gushed about how Sakura was one of the sweetest, most gentle souls she’d met. Looks could be deceiving, Phoenix thought. 

Sayaka introduced him to the twins, Mukuro Ikusaba, who had freckles and short hair, wearing rather plain clothes, and Junko Enoshima who’s hair was blond and styled in pigtails, with a rather bold outfit, the ultimate soldier and the ultimate fashionista. Mukuro merely nodded at him, standing silently at her sister’s side like a sentinel. Junko, on the other hand, grinned wide and shook Maya’s hand, who returned the gesture with equal enthusiasm. Her eyes went wide with a manic delight as she saw Pearl’s Usami figurine, and she showed off the Monokuma hair clips she had, which made Pearl question why she liked the evil Monokuma so much. 

“He’s just so adorable with his bashful little face, and all that adorable despair stuff he says!” Junko giggled. “Besides, his cuteness helps me look cute and trendy too!” Junko winked and struck a pose. Mukuro was expressionless behind her, but eyed Phoenix warily. Maya did admit that she thought Junko looked cute. Phoenix decided he’d have to drag Maya away before she got distracted making more friends, especially considering Junko’s manic presence. 

Leon, wanting to get the introductions done as quickly as possible, introduced him to Celeste and Hifumi, the ultimate gambler and ultimate fanfic creator. Celeste wore a frilly, black dress and her hair was done up in elaborate drills, displaying a look of gothic grandeur. Hifumi, had a heavier build, and wore a regular shirt, orange, tie and jacket, and he adjusted his glasses quite frequently. Phoenix noticed that Celeste had a similarly smug air as Byakuya, and Hifumi seemed utterly servile to her. He seemed to wait for her cues to speak, and she even referred to him as an underling, which Phoenix was shocked to see him just accept with no pushback. 

“It has been nice meeting you Mr. Wright, now, my underling has to go and make me some milk tea. This ambiance of death that hangs over us is quite suffocating, no?” Celeste smiled mysteriously at Phoenix, and he felt an icy dread. She scared him for some reason, and he instantly felt bad for poor Hifumi, who ran as fast as his legs would take him to the kitchen, as the expecting click of Celeste’s heels chased him down the kitchen.

Finally, Hina, Leon, and Sayaka took the 3 members of Wright and Co. to Chihiro, who was busily typing in her computer, while a tall guy with a rather ridiculous haircut watched over her shoulder almost glaring at the computer.  The tall guy looked up at the group, and his eyes widened when he saw Maya. 

“Maya? What are ya doin’ here?” He questioned. “You’re with the suit?”

“Mondo!” Maya grinned. “Yeah, this is Nick! I’m basically his assistant. Well, sometimes I like to think he’s my assistant.”

“Hey!” Phoenix protested, as Pearl giggled. The tall boy introduced himself as Mondo, the ultimate biker gang leader. He told Phoenix that Maya had channeled someone close to him, and that he could never repay her enough, even though Maya insisted that he didn’t owe her anything. He then pointed out that he’d made the Usami figurine that Pearl coveted, and Phoenix had to admit he was impressed. Chihiro, meanwhile, hadn’t looked up from her computer. 

“Hey, where’s Taka?” Leon asked. 

Mondo frowned. “He went off with that prosecutor guy. Supposedly, he’s testifyin’ or something. I wanted to go with him, but that guy insisted he brief Taka alone.” He crossed his arms. “He better not upset him or nothin’.” 

Phoenix’s eyes widened. “The prosecutor? Was he by chance, wearing red?”

“Yes, he was,” Chihiro piped up from her typing. Of course. Of course it just had to be him. No matter what, they always seemed destined to face off against each other. Before Phoenix could think of what to say to Edgeworth, a voice from Chihiro’s computer rang out.

“Master, I’ve finished the task you’ve given me!” A small face, a miniature of Chihiro, lit up the computer with a sweet smile. 

“Woah!” Pearl raced over to the computer and got close to the screen. “It’s you!”

“Yeah, it’s a copy of me. Meet, Alter Ego!” Chihiro smiled as Pearl oohed and aahed, gazing at a piece of technology she’d never been exposed to before. “Alter Ego is an artificial intelligence program, which means it has the capacity to learn and grow like a human. Alter Ego can even emote like a human, and truly feel!” Chihiro blushed before adding, “I’m really proud of it.” 

“You should be!” Maya said. “That’s amazing!” 

Phoenix nodded. “I’m impressed! What did you ask it to do?” 

“I asked it to make a layout map of the dorms of Hope’s Peak. It is going to provide who’s dorm is where, along with camera placements and possible blind spots. I also got Alter Ego to print out copies of an overall layout map of Hope’s Peak!” 

“Can I have that?” Phoenix asked. 

“Oh! I originally did it because Kyoko asked me if I could get a copy for her and that detective guy who’s been calling everyone pal. I can print you one too!” Chihiro typed rapidly into the computer, and Alter Ego smiled before fading to a screen with a loading taskbar. “It will take a minute, but I’ll be sure to find you guys as soon as it prints and give you some copies!”

“Oh!” Pearl exclaimed. “I’ll stay with Chihiro to help with the copies, and to learn more about Alter Eg-go! Chihiro’s so smart, and she’s super cool, just like Sayaka!”

“Oh, um-” Chihiro looked as if she wanted to say something, but then bit it back. Phoenix couldn’t help but notice that Chihiro winced slightly when Pearl had said “She”. Chihiro quickly reverted back to a smile. “Of course you can stay! I’d love to explain Alter Ego to anyone who wants to hear! Ehehehe!” 

Pearl beamed and scooted closer to Chihiro, who smiled at the attention, clearly being charmed by Pearl as well. Phoenix cracked a small smile. That was two students that Pearl had already managed to win over effortlessly. Judging by the fact that Pearl was now showing off the Usami figurine and thanking Mondo, who grinned at the affirmation, Phoenix knew that those numbers would only go up. Both Pearl and Maya seemed to be adored by most of the students. So this is what it feels like to be a third wheel to your own assistants Phoenix, he thought. 

Hina had since run off with a buzz of her phone, supposedly to meet Sakura at the detention center to swap places visiting Makoto. Now, it was just him, Leon, Sayaka, and Maya. “Hiro’s room is just up ahead. That’s where the actual investigation is happening.” Leon grimly gestured to a room that Phoenix could clearly see was outlined in caution tape. 

“Are you sure you’re able to go in there?” Phoenix asked Leon. 

“Yeah, I can handle it. I’m not a fucking baby.” Leon stared straight ahead. 

“Language!” Maya elbowed him. 

“Hey, I waited until Pearl was gone!” Leon protested, as they headed towards the room that had formerly belonged to the ultimate clairvoyant. Phoenix felt a mess of butterflies in his still empty stomach as they headed towards the room. He really should’ve taken that donut.

********************************************************************

April 30th, 12:15 PM

Yasuhiro’s Room

When the group got to Hiro’s room, Phoenix looked around. Besides the outline of a body drawn against the wall and the various blood stains on the floor, it looked semi normal. There were a stack of textbooks and notes that cluttered the desk, and a poster on the wall describing meanings behind palm lines. It seemed like the typical room for a clairvoyant, assuming he’d actually had that talent. Phoenix couldn’t help but be a bit skeptical. However, below that, a flyer caught his eye. It was a flyer that brought back a lot of memories. Recent memories, too. It was the all-too familiar Oh-Cult! Flyer with Sister Bikini and Iris on the cover, illustrating a potential for a getaway to Hazuraka Temple. What would Yasuhiro be doing with this? Phoenix picked up the flyer and raised an eyebrow. Before he could ask Leon or Sayaka about it, a thundering voice interrupted his thoughts. 

“Hey, don’t touch that, pal!” Detective Gumshoe, who Phoenix could now see had been with Kyoko on the other side of the room, came stomping over. The other, much calmer detective, followed him. “This room is a crime scene! That poster could be evidence!”

“From what I’ve gathered, Mr. Wright here has played an investigative role in the past. He’s probably used to it.” Kyoko seemed bemused by this. Huh, Phoenix thought. He wouldn’t have taken her to have a sense of humor. “I don’t see the problem. Every side should get a look at the evidence in order for us to arrive at the truth, even if the truth is ugly.” A brief flash of emotion danced across her face, but it was gone in an instant. Phoenix reasoned if he’d blinked, he’d have missed it entirely. “Now, I’m going back to the investigation.”

She turned and walked a few feet away, where she began to inspect around the outlined area of Yasuhiro’s body. Detective Gumshoe’s face fell. “I think she’s really upset about this, pal. I mean, I was upset about Maggey, so I understand.”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “How do you know she’s upset? Her expression hadn’t changed at all.”

“Well, she’s similar to Mr. Edgeworth. That’s my boss. When he gets upset, he kinda retreats into himself, y’know? She has that same look in her eye, that same kinda guarded stance, and she’s been muttering under her breath a lot. I try not to listen though, pal. I feel like she wouldn’t want me to know.” Gumshoe scratched his head, tucking his pen behind his ear. “Of course, I could be wrong. I’ve only worked with Kyoko a few times, but she seemed to really like that Makoto kid.”

Maya grinned cheekily. “I honestly thought she-” 

“Hey, it isn’t cool to talk about something as delicate as young love so loosely, pal!” Detective Gumshoe cut in. “Especially since the evidence is all pointing to him-” Gumshoe’s angry expression dropped. “-unfortunately. I really don’t want to convict this kid. Kyoko’s got a whole lot of potential, pal, and this Makoto guy seemed to make her happy from what I saw. I just hope she’ll be okay after this.”

“It’s nice of you to worry, detective.” Sayaka said. “I’m sure Kyoko is just processing everything in her own way.” 

Gumshoe’s eyes widened as he looked at Sayaka, recognition spreading across his features. “A-are you the pop sensation?!”

Sayaka smiled and nodded. Gumshoe grinned. “I gotta tell you, pal, my girlfriend Maggey and I have listened to so many of your songs! I even got Wright over here hooked! Isn’t that right, pal?”

Phoenix put his head in his hands and groaned, while Maya laughed. Sayaka looked bemused, and Leon rolled his eyes, but Phoenix noted that he seemed to be biting back a small smile.  Gumshoe’s expression grew serious again. “I’m technically not supposed to help you, pal, but here’s the thing. If there’s a chance that this Makoto kid is innocent, I want you to prove it, okay! Do for Kyoko what you did for me and Maggey!” Detective Gumshoe got out a manilla folder from his coat. “Here’s the autopsy for the victim.” 

Phoenix opened the folder as Maya, Leon, and Sayaka all crowded around over his shoulders. There was a photo of Yasuhiro, slumped over in his own blood against the wall. There was blood mainly on the stomach area, but there appeared to be bloodstains in his hair as well. Phoenix read over the details and closed the folder. 

“W-who would do such a thing?” Sayaka sniffled. “Hiro was-”

“-It’s not about to get any easier, pal.” Gumshoe’s expression of sympathy suddenly filled Phoenix with dread for what he could have next. Gumshoe picked up a bag with a knife inside of it. “Here is the knife we found at the scene. We had it tested, and it had Makoto’s prints all over.”

“Were there any other prints?” Maya asked.

Gumshoe shook his head. “It isn’t looking good, pal.” 

“No.” Kyoko’s voice cut through. “Even if the knife has Makoto’s prints, it doesn’t mean he did it.” 

“Hey, weren’t you the one who said you didn’t know what you believed?” Leon asked.

“I needed to see for myself, but from what I’ve gathered, there is reason for doubt.” Kyoko gestured to a bloodstain on the floor, a few feet from where the outline was. “The majority of Hiro’s blood is over here, yet he was found slumped against the wall. This points to the possibility that Hiro wasn’t attacked with his back to the wall, he was attacked and fell here.”

“Look closer,” Kyoko kneeled down, and gestured for the others to follow suit. When they did, she pointed out several tiny purplish shards, along with a few white fragments. “The autopsy report stated that Hiro suffered from stab wounds, but they also found head trauma. This would mean that he was hit with an object hard enough to stumble down here, and his usual crystal ball is missing-”

“-so someone took it and hit him with it, causing it to shatter, right?” Phoenix asked. “Then… that means that Hiro actually fell here? Then how did he get to the wall?” 

“That’s my point,” Kyoko swept up the pieces into an evidence bag. “How did Hiro move from there to the wall, without leaving a trail of blood? He had to be picked up, and why would Makoto do that if he’s the killer? Why bother moving Hiro to the wall, where he’d be supported, and thus have an easier time surviving? Of course, he was too late regardless.” She stood up, and the others followed. Phoenix scanned the room, and saw that she was right. The large bloodstain in the middle of the room had no connecting trail that led to the rather minimal amount of blood that adorned the wall where the outline was. He made sure to take a note of it. 

“Smart as always, pal!” Detective Gumshoe flashed a thumbs up towards Kyoko. “They really don’t call you the ultimate detective for nothing, huh?” Kyoko thanked him in the same monotone voice that Phoenix was accustomed to. At least she seemed modest about her talent, he supposed. She was genuinely impressive, definitely better than Gumshoe had ever been in the years Phoenix had known him. Phoenix realized that the one time he’d met Kyoko, her deductions had been accurate then, too. 

Phoenix noticed something else, just barely sticking out in his peripheral vision. It looked to be a card of some sort, though it didn’t have the suit that a playing card might have. He walked over, and the eyes of the group followed him as he picked it up. The display of the card read: Justice. There was a design on the card, but it was obscured by a bloody message. The others peered over Phoenix’s shoulder and their eyes widened. 

“That’s a tarot card,” Leon said. “Hiro used those to do his readings. That one is part of the major arcana.”

Sayaka gave Leon a confused look. “Since when did you become an expert on tarot?”

“Hey, I hung around with Hiro a lot, it’s only natural I’d pick up on what he does. I mean, this was his whole talent.”

“I guess that just proves you were a great friend, Leon.” Sayaka placed a hand on Leon’s shoulder, and he blushed. “I- uh, thanks, Sayaka.” 

Kyoko’s eyes never moved from the card. The bloody message was a weird looking symbol that looked like a lumpy ball of some sort, with dots in the middle. There was a letter below it, however, that made Phoenix’s blood run cold. Beneath the drawing, a single bloody letter M was clear as day. Phoenix was shocked at how neatly the letter was written. Kyoko stared at the card and pursed her lips. 

“The drawing could be.. Hmmm,” She crossed her arms, unsure if she wanted to speak. 

Before she could decide, Maya spoke for her. “It looks kinda like a clover, with the bumps and stuff. I don’t get why-”

“-He’s the ultimate lucky student. That’s why.” Kyoko interrupted. “This and the M, it could be Hiro’s way of telling us.” 

“If it even is his handwriting. It could be a forgery.” Sayaka offered, desperate to clear the new cloud of suspicion. 

“Nah, it’s his writing pal. Compare that to these notes that are lying around.” Gumshoe picked up a piece of paper and handed it to Phoenix. He had to admit, the handwriting was as close as you could get, both were impeccably neat, making the mystery of the weirdly drawn clover that much more prevalent. However, there was something else that caught his eye. 

“This note, it’s a reminder from Hiro that Makoto is coming. It says he left his door unlocked.” Phoenix crossed his arms. “That means anyone could’ve come in before Makoto, even from outside the school, no handbook needed.”

“I don’t know, pal. We have a virtual log here from the headmaster detailing if any outside visitors came to the school. It says no one was authorized from outside that night.” 

“It isn’t a guarantee, detective. There are ways around that.” Kyoko said, while looking at Maya, who grinned bashfully. Detective Gumshoe scratched his head in confusion. “You lost me, pal.” 

“We have to finish our investigation and prepare the detective’s statement.” Kyoko stated matter-of-factly. “I’m sure you have the evidence you need here regardless. Well, I suppose you can have this.” Kyoko gave Phoenix a knowing look as she took the Oh! Cult poster from off the wall and handed it to him. Phoenix nodded, and a plan started to form in his head as he left the room, the other 3 in the group in tow. He looked back one last time to where Kyoko and Gumshoe stood. Hopefully, whatever they managed to find, it would help. They needed all the help they could get. 

***********************************************

April 30th, 1:30 PM

Dormitory Hallway

“Fukawa, you can come out. Everyone has left,” a deep, yet gentle voice coaxed. Phoenix turned and saw who he recognized from Hina’s pictures to be Sakura, the ultimate martial artist. If anything, those pictures hadn’t done her justice. She was an absolute giant. Yet, her face was painted with a gentle concern as she stood in front of another dormitory room. 

“Oh yeah, you never met Toko.” Leon rolled his eyes. “She hasn’t come out of her room since the discovery of Hiro’s body, and barely even spoke to that detective. Byakuya did most of the talking anyway.” 

“She’s um, a bit self-conscious around groups,” Sayaka said, clearly trying to be more delicate than Leon. “She is the ultimate writer, have any of you read her book So Lingers the Ocean ? It’s her bestseller.”

Phoenix’s eyebrows shot up. That book was huge just a few years ago, and it was insane that it was written by a high schooler. Especially considering some of the more… adult scenes in that book. He had to admit, he’d enjoyed parts of the book, it was hard to admit he’d been a sucker for a love story involving a particularly dashing fisherman. 

The group looked up to where Toko was tentatively stepping out of her room, but once she made eye contact with Phoenix and the rest of the group, she shrieked, clutching her braids like a lifeline. “Y-y-you lied! T-there’s a-a spiky h-haired g-guy and s-some weird g-girl right there!” 

Sakura turned around, and her expression conveyed a mild surprise, yet she kept her composure. Unlike Toko. “I didn’t know they were there, Fukawa. My apologies, but I’m sure they mean you no harm.”

Toko said nothing, instead scanning her handbook to her room, and quickly throwing open the door. 

“Hey, wait! I’m not weird, I promise!” Maya ran up to where Toko and Sakura were. “I’m Maya Fey, and I’m a spirit medium. I’m with Nick over there, and he’s Makoto’s lawyer! It’s nice to meet you!”

Toko’s eyes only widened further, and she ran into her room and shut the door. “G-go away! You’re only going to b-blame m-me! Y-you can’t b-blame M-makoto, and even though h-he’s guilty, you’re going to b-blame m-me instead!” 

Phoenix came up behind Maya. He was honestly a bit in shock. Toko’s writing was so romantic and insightful that he’d thought she’d be wise beyond her years, a calm presence, instead of the paranoid, awkward girl he’d just seen. “We’re not trying to blame you, we’re just helping Makoto.”

“L-liar! Y-you’re all ganging up o-on m-me because it’s e-easy, and n-no one would m-miss the ugly g-girl, and m-master said-” 

“You’re not ugly!” Maya said emphatically. 

Silence came from the door, and it was clear that Toko was done talking. Phoenix sighed exasperatedly. That had gone nowhere, and now he was sure that one of Japan’s most promising young authors now hated him. 

“I apologize for my classmate. She is… prone to paranoia. I am Sakura Ogami, the ultimate martial artist. Hina told me about you, Mr. Wright. I have met Maya before.” Sakura bowed apologetically towards Phoenix. 

“No worries,” Phoenix said. “It’s nice to meet you. When Toko said master, who was she referring to?” 

“Byakuya. It is a rather concerning nickname, considering his general disregard for her. She, on the other hand, is quite devoted to him, and his word has significant weight to her.” Sakura crossed her arms. “I do not pretend to understand her infatuation with him. Fukawa is a… complicated person.” 

“Why is she so scared to come outside? And what’s with all that stuff about being a suspect?” Maya questioned. 

“That is not my place to answer. All I will say is that Fukawa cannot stand the sight of blood.” Sakura’s expression made it clear she was thinking carefully about every word, and there were knowing looks in Leon and Sayaka’s eyes that put Phoenix on edge. There had to be something about Toko that they weren’t telling him. All he knew was that it would be that much harder to make a case with a class full of secrets. When Leon told him to stay on guard, he definitely meant it. Phoenix and the other 3 left the hallway, leaving a stoic Sakura to stand vigil over Toko’s door.

******************************************************

April 30th, 1:50 PM

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

It shouldn’t have been a surprise when Phoenix saw a certain red-suited prosecutor standing by the gate. He should’ve known that Edgeworth would be there. Chihiro had pretty much confirmed it a while ago, but he’d since pushed it out of his mind to concentrate on the case. Now, here he was yet again, they were destined to battle in court no matter what, it seemed. Edgeworth was jotting down quick notes in a manila folder while listening to a rather loud boy with spiky hair (not nearly as spiky as his own) and a white uniform. 

“I won’t disappoint you, Prosecutor Edgeworth, sir!” The boy saluted. “I promise to give accurate and truthful testimony, despite my previous friendship with Makoto!” 

So this must be the witness, Taka, as he was called. Phoenix didn’t know if that was a nickname or his actual name. The only thing he knew was that he seemed rather orderly, and very loud. Phoenix resisted the urge to smirk at Edgeworth’s tired expression, clearly Taka’s overenthusiasm wasn’t Edgeworth’s cup of tea. Edgeworth assured Taka that he’d do fine, with a rather awkward attempt of a salute of his own, and Phoenix felt himself grin seeing Edgeworth trying to assure the boy. 

Edgeworth looked over Taka’s shoulder and caught Phoenix’s gaze, and Phoenix felt his face burn up for a moment. Edgeworth managed a small half smile. 

“Wright,” he called out. “I should’ve known I’d see you here. I was naive to think anyone else would rise to this occasion.” 

Phoenix and the group walked over to where Edgeworth was standing with Taka. “It appears that your detective agency has gained a few more members, Wright. Though, I didn’t think of the ultimate pop sensation or ultimate baseball star as possible detectives.” 

“Wait, you know them already, Edgeworth?”

“Wright, I’ve been at this school since 7 o’clock this morning talking to students to get potential leads, and oversee the start of an investigation. Besides, I’ve met the 78th class already. I gave them a tour of criminal affairs years ago. Besides Kyoko and Makoto, I didn’t think I’d see any of them again. Of course, meeting again like this is not ideal.” 

“Why’d you think you’d see Kyoko and Makoto again?” Leon asked, his hands folded across his arms. 

“Kyoko is the ultimate detective, so it was a natural career interest for her. I’ve actually overseen some of her investigations… well Franziska actually helped with her first. From what I could tell, she and Makoto seemed like a pair. Though, Makoto is far from the person I judged him to be. I suppose you can’t know a person based on a measly tour, however. It was foolhardy to place judgment on any of them, good or bad.” 

“I’ve met Makoto too! He didn’t seem like a bad guy to me!” Maya said. 

Edgeworth shook his head, clearing a stray hair from his face. “Did you spend more than a few hours with him?” Maya shook her head, and Edgeworth nodded. “See? Exactly my point.” Sayaka opened her mouth to protest, but Edgeworth spoke before she could. “This is pointless to talk about. Wright, you might as well meet the witness for the prosecution. This is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the ultimate moral compass. Based on his account, we can place Makoto at the scene of the crime.” 

“It is an honor to meet a civil servant of justice!” Kiyotaka said with gumption. He offered Phoenix a salute, and Phoenix found himself giving one back, despite inwardly making fun of Edgeworth for it moments ago. He flushed when he saw a small smile spread across Edgeworth’s face over his awkward gesture. 

“I apologize for my testimony, especially to my classmates!” He bowed towards Leon and Sayaka. “I take no pleasure in what I’m saying, but I must tell the truth… even if it is against my own friend.” Kiyotaka’s enthusiasm ebbed away, his rigid posture slumping slightly. 

“It isn’t easy, but you’re doing the right thing.” Edgeworth offered. “Don’t be hard on yourself. And I’ll be giving you questions. I’ll make sure Wright doesn’t harass you.” 

“What?!” Phoenix balked. Of course Edgeworth just had to get a jab in, even when he was being encouraging.  Still, it was nice to see Edgeworth making an effort to make Kiyotaka feel at ease. It really reminded Phoenix how much Edgeworth had changed over the years. 

Phoenix turned towards Kiyotaka. “Why do you suspect Makoto? And where were you the night of the crime, considering you saw him?” 

Kiyotaka placed a hand under his chin. “Well, I was with Mondo then we met with Hina and Sakura for a large portion of the night- just a casual hanging out of course-”

A single psyche-lock flew into place. “Hanging out?” Phoenix questioned. Maybe this is where he caught him in a lie, crumbling his testimony before it even started. He’d seemed uneasy about this, and he was lying about something. Before he could question Kiyotaka, who was now staring at his boots with a beet red expression, Edgeworth cut in.

“Yes, Wright. Hanging out. Until certain prejudices in our world go away-” Edgeworth grimaced. “-that is what we are going to say. Besides, it does not affect his credibility as a witness.” Edgeworth gave Kiyotaka a brief, knowing glance, and the prefect’s face was washed with relief. 

Phoenix blushed as it dawned on him. Those four specific people together. He remembered Maya talking about how touching she found Mondo and Kiyotaka’s bond, and of course there was the way Hina glowed with adoration when she’d described Sakura to Phoenix this morning. He felt like an idiot, especially since it seemed like Edgeworth had picked up on it immediately. 

Maya, having also grasped the hidden meaning, immediately spoke up. “Of course! We’d never judge, besides, I thought you and Mondo would make a good couple anyway. Same with Hina and Sakura. I mean, who wouldn’t go out with a girl who goes on late night donut runs with you?” 

“I appreciate your kind words. I assure you, I am not ashamed of the way I feel, or who I am with.” Kiyotaka’s rather large eyebrows furrowed, bringing out the almost unsettling intensity in his red eyes. “It is just that I plan to run for Prime Minister of Japan someday, and something like this… would hurt my chances, which due to my family name are already low. As wrong as that fact is, it is the unfortunate truth.” Kiyotaka’s psyche-lock shattered. “When I become Prime Minister, I plan on changing that fact. I want to be able to have a relationship that goes beyond my school. I want that for other people as well.”

Phoenix nodded, and now he could see where Kiyotaka got his talent. There was no question that he was committed to what was right. Phoenix saw Maya smiling at that remark, and Edgeworth nodded his head slightly. “You’ll have my vote, Mr. Ishimaru,” he said. 

“Wait,” Phoenix said. “What made you trust your classmates enough to tell them about your relationship?” He cast a quick glance at Leon and Sayaka. “I’m not trying to pry, but it doesn’t seem like everyone is necessarily all close, and this is important to you.” 

“Oh! Well, our class may not seem like it, but we all have a bond with each other. I didn’t have any friends before Hope’s Peak, but now I have found lifelong companions! We have gone through four years of schooling together, and have gotten to know each other well! I trusted them enough to let them know of my relationship… though some of them even knew me well enough to know my feelings before I did!” 

“Yeah,” Maya said. “I know people like that. They obviously like each other, yet somehow won’t admit it.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “Wait, what? Who?”

Maya rolled her eyes, and smiled her same devious grin. “It’s not important, Nick.” 

Phoenix shook his head, and turned towards Edgeworth, who shrugged. Leon and Kiyotaka looked vaguely confused as well, but Sayaka’s face lit up with a realization and she grinned behind her hand. Phoenix wondered what she could possibly know. He felt his face flush, and rushed to change the subject. “Anyway, you were saying,”

Kiyotaka cleared his throat. “I thought I could trust my classmates, so when I saw Makoto… I could not believe it. I confided so much in Makoto, he was always a sympathetic ear. It made me wonder if some of the bonds I’d made here were even real. I don’t wish to doubt any of my classmates, so my hope is that this is the work of an outside force!”

“That is unlikely.” Edgeworth crossed his arms. “You can hope however you want. It does not change what you saw. It does not change the facts. People can lie to you, make you think they care.” 

“Don’t talk like you know Makoto like that!” Sayaka glared at Edgeworth. “You’re making him sound like a monster, when he’s not!”

“I don’t want him to be guilty, Ms. Maizono.” Edgeworth stated his shoulders upright, a no-nonsense expression lining his tired features. “I am merely doing my job. Catching criminals.” 

“He sort of sounded like Byakuya for a second there,” Leon muttered. 

Maya whispered back, “Edgeworth used to be way meaner. He was way more like Byakuya a few years ago than he is now!” 

Before Phoenix could tell them to stop whispering, because Edgeworth was obviously staring at them, Mondo came running up to them, Pearl and Chihiro in hot pursuit. Mondo stopped in front of the group, giving Pearl and Chihiro time to catch up. Pearl was clutching a handful of picked flowers, and Chihiro had a flower that looked like it came from the bunch in the pocket of her jacket. Phoenix hopes whoever did the gardening in Hope’s Peak wouldn’t get mad at that.

“That’s not fair,” Pearl huffed. “You’re bigger than us.” 

Mondo grinned apologetically while Chihiro nodded in agreement with Pearl while catching her breath. In Chihiro’s hands were several papers. She took half of the papers, and handed them to Phoenix.

“There,” she wheezed. “Here’s the stuff you wanted printed. I got copies for you. This first paper is the dorm and camera layout, the second one is the Hope’s Peak Map!” She wiped sweat from her brow and laughed sheepishly. “Sorry we took so long, Pearl wanted to see what kind of stuff Alter Ego could do, and we ended up talking to them for a while, then we saw some nice flowers, then Mondo wanted to race here… sorry for wasting your time.”

“It’s no problem.” Phoenix took the papers, now he had the dorm layout, camera spots, and an overall map of Hope’s Peak. “You were a really big help, Chihiro.” 

Chihiro blushed at the praise. “I-I just wanted to be helpful, that’s all.”

“I’d assume those other copies are for Detective Gumshoe and Ms. Kirigiri, correct?” Edgeworth asked. Chihiro nodded shyly. “Perfect. I was just about to check up on them again. Hopefully, Ms. Kirigiri has found some evidence, and Gumshoe is at least trying to keep up. I’ll accompany you to the scene.” With a final, “good luck, Wright,” Edgeworth left, poor Chihiro running off after him, barely catching her breath again. 

Phoenix sighed, and stuck the papers in his jacket. He turned towards Kiyotaka, who moved to stand next to Mondo. “What exactly was your reason for suspecting Makoto?”

Kiyotaka’s expression grew pensive. “As I was saying before, our group was hanging out on the campus that night, we’d gone to the gym. We stopped on the way out, and I decided to separate for a brief moment to check on Yasuhiro, since it was my fault that he was studying-”

“-your fault?”

“Yes, the whole studying session was my idea. I was concerned about Hiro’s ability to pass, so I wanted to start his studying right away, but I had plans, so Makoto offered to help, with my help coming tomorrow. So, I went up, and that’s when I came to the room and saw Makoto-wait-I am not supposed to be sharing this! The prosecutor told me I was to wait, in order to not be swayed by outside influences! I’m sorry, but I must stop!” Kiyotaka promptly clammed up, and rigidly stood at attention. 

“C’mon, bro,” Mondo protested. “I mean, you know that Maya’s legit at least-”

“-No way, bro, it’s proper procedure. No exceptions! It’s what is right!” With that last burst of conviction, Kiyotaka walked off.

“Hey, Leon, you’re okay, right dude?” Mondo asked. “I mean, ya and Hiro were always with Chi, Taka, and I. If you’re upset-”

“-I’m fine,” Leon said abruptly. “It sucks, but doing this whole investigation thing has made me feel a bit better. I at least feel like I’m doing something, y’know?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true. Well, I’m going to catch up with Taka, but if you need anythin’, don’t hesitate to come by, bro.” Mondo punched Leon in the arm, in what Phoenix could only interpret as a sign of affection before running off. Leon managed a slight grin, despite cradling his now bruised arm. 

“Sometimes, I think Mondo forgets how strong he is. Save those punches for someone like Sakura.” Leon quipped, as Sayaka giggled at the remark. Leon’s face flushed, and Phoenix couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for Leon when he saw the spark of realization hit Pearl’s face, and she put her face in her hands and grinned. Pearl grinned at Phoenix, and he shook his head. Not now, Pearls. The case was hard enough as it is. 

Based on the lack of psyche-locks, Kiyotaka wasn’t lying about the fact that he’d seen Makoto, and that did not bode well for the case. It was about time he headed back to the detention center for a final check with Makoto before he officially started to prepare for the case. 

“Leon and I will stay here as well, Mr. Wright. Thank you for letting us come along on the investigation, it means a lot.” Sayaka said. Leon nodded in agreement. 

“Hey, before Pearl, Maya, and I head out, there is one last thing I want to know.” He turned towards Leon and Sayaka. “Why did Hiro have this poster about the Kurain channeling getaway?”

Sayaka shrugged, but Leon stepped forward. “Hiro actually wanted to go to one of those retreats once he graduated. He said he thought it would enhance his clairvoyance, especially after he met with Maya… and he thought the mafia wouldn’t find him there…. Or the aliens…that conversation was a weird one.”

"Wait, Hiro's wanted by the mafia?" Maya's eyes widened. "Was he in some sort of trouble?"

"That's what he said," Leon shrugged. "Honestly, he's ripped people off before, but he did talk about it. The weird thing was that he thought they'd finally moved on, considering he'd been held back enough for them to potentially find other targets. Besides, that Hazuraka Temple thing was going to help with that too. Honestly, a lot of us tended to ignore it when he rambled about that stuff." 

Sayaka crossed her arms. “I know he’s the one who met Maya first, but didn’t Hiro not like the occult-”

“-the Kurain channeling technique isn’t occult, it’s spiritual! It’s my culture!” Maya protested. 

“Sorry,” Sayaka blushed. “It’s just that they flyer says-”

“-Yeah, that’s what Hiro thought at first too,” Leon said. “He originally started looking into the Kurain stuff because he thought it would be a threat for business, and he dislikes the occult, but then he said the same thing Maya just did. He realized it was a spiritual thing, and he actually got interested in it… even if it wasn’t for a profit. That’s how he was able to pick you out as a medium, Maya.” 

Maya smiled. “It sounds like he would’ve liked the retreat. I went on it, actually…. It didn’t go as planned, but if it had, it probably would’ve been great! I mean if Larry could go, anyone could, right, Nick?”

“Larry?” Leon and Sayaka said at the same time. 

“He’s not important,” Phoenix quickly said. “But that does answer my question, thanks. It was no problem, bringing you guys, and I promise, we’ll find the truth. One way or another.”

“Thank you, for believing in Makoto!” Sayaka said.

“Thanks. Really. I trust you guys, you’ll do right by Hiro.” Leon said, finally cracking a full grin. 

“Goodbye,” Pearl said, but then she held up the flowers to Sayaka. “I picked these for you, because you were so nice to me, and it will go with your cute i-dol dresses you told me about on the way to the detention center!” 

Sayaka beamed, and graciously accepted the flowers, even tucking one of the less dirty ones behind her hair. “These are beautiful, Pearl! You’re so nice to give these to me!” 

Pearl grinned with stars in her eyes as Sayaka gave her a gentle hug, and promised they’d sit together in court tomorrow. 

“You, me, and Chihiro!” Pearl grinned, and Sayaka nodded. Phoenix smiled. It would be nice to know that Pearls would at least be sitting with friends tomorrow in court. 

“Bye, you guys! See you in court tomorrow! I’ll be with Nick on the bench!” Maya waved enthusiastically, and Leon and Sayaka waved back as they walked away, into the gates of Hope’s Peak. 

*************************************************

April 30th, 2:45 PM 

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

“Chihiro was just so smart, Mr. Nick! Alter Ego is like a person. I got to talk to them about Kurain, and they taught me so much, like how to read a bus map, or how to use a phone-book! She was so nice to me too, she answered all my questions and everything! She even said that I was teaching Alter Ego with the spirit medium information I had. All they had was information about Maya given by Chihiro,” Pearl said. 

“No wonder you guys took so long then, Pearly.” Maya said with a grin. 

Pearls had been going on about her adventure with Chihiro and Mondo, and to her credit, it seemed like she did learn about Alter Ego at least, and she’d had fun. Even if it did seem like Pearls had basically gotten a break from investigating with the group. As they walked into the visiting room, Byakuya was already there, talking casually with Makoto.

“Hey, what are you doing here, you jerk?” Maya questioned angrily. “Aren’t you the one who said you just wanted this whole thing to be done?”

Byakuya stood up abruptly, and gave Maya a snide stare. “Oh, it’s you. And the lawyer. I was just leaving.” Byakuya strode out, not even bothering to say anything else, or even say goodbye to Makoto. 

Maya glared at Byakuya. “How do you stand that guy?” she asked Makoto. 

“He’s not all bad,” Makoto shrugged sheepishly. “I guess I’m more patient than a lot of people. He doesn’t really get to me all that much, I actually think that’s part of the reason he actually bothers to talk to me. He knows I don’t take what he says personally… usually.”

Pearl frowned. “He said he wanted you found guilty!”

“Yeah, he told me. He wanted to say it was nothing personal, actually. He actually said he believes me, he just thinks there is no way you’d prove it, and it would just inconvenience the class to drag out a trial. He, uh… called you a fluke. Said you only get lucky with using spiritual, um, nonsense.” Makoto quickly sat up. “I-I don’t think that at all, though. I have total faith in you, Mr. Wright, and Maya too! After all I’ve heard about you from Kyoko, how could I not? Even if she doesn’t exactly believe in me…”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. So, Byakuya did believe in Makoto’s innocence. Out of all the members of Makoto’s class that he’d met, Byakuya Togami being one of the few who fully believed in Makoto’s innocence was definitely shocking. However, he wondered if Makoto knew about all the investigating Kyoko was doing, how she seemed to believe in him, despite her claims of impartiality. Besides, there was something in the autopsy report that bothered him.

“Makoto,” Phoenix sat down to face him. “You were in Hiro’s room the night he died, correct?”

“Yes.” 

“Did you touch the knife that was there?” 

“Yeah,” Makoto’s face fell, and he flushed with embarrassment. “I know it was a bad idea, but I just felt this instinct to investigate the scene and as soon as I picked up the knife that’s when-”

“-Kiyotaka came in, and saw you,” Phoenix finished. “So, you didn’t find anything else, and you didn’t leave the room after Kiyotaka ran to call the police?”

“No, I stayed. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t even move. I was just in such shock, and I didn’t realize I was still gripping the knife when the police came and took me in for questioning, and that’s how they arrested me… but I have hope. I know that my classmates want to believe in me, and my name will be cleared,” He smiled. “Even if Byakuya’s graduation is slightly delayed. He’ll just have to live with it.” 

“That’s what I thought. We’ll have a chance, then.” Phoenix got out the autopsy report. “It says here that Yasuhiro had stab wounds of different diameters. Of course, some matched the knife, but there are a few that were too thin. That would mean there is a different weapon, possibly with different prints.”

Makoto’s eyes brimmed with hope. “So, how will you prove this? I want to help, could I testify?”

Phoenix shook his head. “We’ll have to pick apart Kiyotaka’s testimony. That, and press Gumshoe or Kyoko. Whichever of them choose to present their findings.”

Makoto bit his lip. “Kyoko could testify against me?” 

“No way, she’d just be presenting facts. Besides,” Phoenix got out the Oh! Cult flyer. “She let me have this from Hiro’s room, for whatever reason. I think it will aid us in the case tomorrow, and she was helping us during the investigation, pointing out inconsistencies. She does believe in you, but she wants to make sure she is able to investigate without conflict. Of course, despite her efforts, you can tell she wants to believe in you.”

Makoto’s green eyes glittered with optimism, and he smiled a genuine smile, a blush lining his cheeks. “Thank you, Mr. Wright. I needed to hear that.”

“You better get ready for court tomorrow, Makoto!” Maya said. “People are going to be staring at you, and some of your friends might have doubts, but we’ll make sure to clear your name!” 

“Yeah!” Pearl cheered. 

Makoto grinned, and pressed his hand to the barrier that separated them. “I know you guys will! Your hope and dedication is truly impressive!” He removed his hand and placed it in his jacket pocket, still smiling. “I think I know why Kyoko thought I’d like you guys so much.” 

Phoenix smiled back at him, and got up from his chair, Maya and Pearl following suit. Makoto got up from his own seat, and was led away by a guard, still maintaining his hopeful expression. As Phoenix left, he couldn’t deny that he liked Makoto’s spirit. It was easy to feel hopeless when stuck in a place like the detention center, yet Makoto still had faith. He still believed in his classmates, even when they doubted him, and he had hope for Phoenix, despite the fact that they’d just met. Hopefully, Phoenix would prove Makoto right, and find the truth behind this murder. There is definitely more to the 78th class than meets the eye, Phoenix decided, there were hidden secrets, despite the supposed camaraderie. However, he wasn’t deterred, he’d faced worse. The truth would come out, one way or another. He’d make sure of it. 

Chapter Text

April 29th, 10:17 PM

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

Kyoko was writing rapidly in her notebook when she saw the police cars pull up at the front gate of Hope’s Peak. She’d been sitting outside, enjoying the solitude of the evening before curfew, when the sirens interrupted her train of thought. She then saw the group of Mondo, Hina, Sakura, and Taka running up, and it was clear that Taka had been crying. The police came up to where Taka was waving them over, and she couldn’t make out what Taka said, but saw him pointing towards the dorms. Kyoko shut her notebook, putting it in the pocket of her jacket as she ran to the others. 

“What’s going on?” she asked. 

“Kyoko, you may not want to hear this.” Sakura grimaced. The alarm bells began to go off in Kyoko’s head. Sakura was the only one in the group who could even look at her. 

“I-I’m sorry, Kyoko…” Taka forced himself to meet her eyes, and his voice was the softest it had been since she’d known him. 

Kyoko was starting to get impatient. “What is-”

“Hiro’s dead!” Hina burst out. “Taka saw him, and M-M-Makoto was there, and-” 

Wait, what? “Yasuhiro is… are you sure this isn’t one of his boneheaded pranks? Him and Leon-” 

Just then, the police walked out, and Kyoko couldn’t believe what she saw. This has to be a mistake, was the first thing she thought when she saw Makoto getting led away in handcuffs. The police insisted it was for questioning as they passed the five, but Kyoko knew enough about police procedure to realize he was a suspect. 

“Why is Makoto being arrested? What did you tell the police, Ishimaru?” Kyoko’s eyes burned into Kiyotaka with an icy intensity. 

“Ya should take a look at his room. Only Taka’s seen it, but maybe then-” Kyoko walked off, not even letting Mondo finish his sentence. Kyoko hardly cared to look back to make sure the other four were following her. This couldn’t be happening. She was the ultimate detective, yet a classmate of hers was murdered, and the one person she thought she could always trust was the prime suspect. A feeling of guilt began to fester in her. Her talent was about deduction. Shouldn’t she have seen this coming? Could she have prevented this?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 29th, 10:23 PM

Dormitory Hallway

The dorms were in pandemonium when Kyoko arrived. Everyone was crowded around Hiro’s dorm room, the door had been shut and taped over in police tape. Out of the corner of her eye, Kyoko could see the coroners carrying out a body bag, trying to be discrete. However, Kyoko wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. 

“Please, let me see him! It can’t be! It just fucking can’t!” Leon burst out, trying to get to the rather nervous looking coroners. 

“Mr. Kuwata, I understand your pain,” the headmaster, her father, cleared his throat. “However, you must let the police do their jobs. We can’t interrupt their work.” 

Kyoko, feeling an obligation to help her father and use her talent, stepped forward. “The coroners need to perform an autopsy right away. The fresher the body, the more accurate the results will be.” 

“Jesus, you say that like he’s not even a person anymore.” Leon’s brows furrowed in anger, and he wiped desperately at his eyes, as if trying to prevent the tears from escaping. 

Kyoko winced. She knew that she wasn’t the best with other people’s emotions, she could deduce what a person was feeling just fine, it was actually dealing with those feelings that was the problem. She often came off as insensitive, even when merely stating a fact, because she just came off detached and cold. She’d been trying to work on that. Makoto was the person she’d confided this in, and he’d immediately set out to help her, practicing scenarios that involved emotional responses, and even talking through her own feelings. Makoto had said that maybe a large part of her aloofness was that she had trouble acknowledging her own feelings. Out of all the things she’d investigated, her own mind wasn’t something she’d wanted to dig into, but Makoto insisted, and it was so hard to refuse him with his rather cute smile and shining green eyes. His earnest hope in her filled her with a type of warmth she’d never felt before, motivating her even more to reach out. Ever since, Kyoko thought she’d made significant progress in understanding her classmates, and they’d started to warm to her in turn. However, she could see now that she still had work to do. Bitterly, she realized that Makoto would probably know what to say right now to get everyone’s spirits up, but he was gone. 

Another thought occurred to her. Another person that maybe could’ve said something else, if they were here. Of all people, Yasuhiro was actually one of the better mediators of the class. Despite her skepticism about his talent, over the years of knowing him, Kyoko realized that Yasuhiro’s readings involved a lot of listening to others and picking up on their subtle body language. It was how he was able to interpret the meanings of his cards in a way that fit the person that was the recipient of the reading, and it increased his credibility. Of course, Yasuhiro used this gift primarily for monetary reasons, but she’d seen him use it for the benefit of his classmates on multiple occasions. There was a time during their 2nd year that Leon was having rather awful anxiety attacks concerning being torn between baseball and singing. At the time, no one had caught on to why he’d become more withdrawn and angry, but one day, Kyoko saw Hiro pull Leon aside after class, and the things he’d said made Leon’s shoulders finally relax, and the two walked off together. Kyoko followed, her detective instincts had taken over, despite knowing that this would be one of those things that her classmates would point to as evidence to her disregard for boundaries in pursuit of evidence. At the time, she hadn’t cared about things like that. She’d expected to hear Hiro babbling about aliens, but instead, he was presenting Leon with the seven of cups tarot card, and talking about all the choices he had in front of him. 

“At the end of the day, it’s your decision, dude. All I can say is, you need to do what makes you happy. Do that, and the stars will like, totally align for whatever you choose. Life is about these moments man, a decision at a crossroads. Just remember to enjoy that road too.” Hiro then got up, and walked away, telling Leon to come by any time for advice, surprisingly free of charge. Kyoko had never heard him give anything away like that before.

Leon must’ve said something, or maybe his improved demeanor must’ve given away Hiro’s aptitude for advice, because his readings got a lot more popular after that. His words, even though they weren’t meant for her, still rang in her head. Her road was determined already, she’d be a detective, but that part about enjoying the road stuck with her. It was around the time she started to get close to Makoto, and subsequently the rest of the class. She had to admit Hiro’s reading of subtle cues was impressive, even if she still didn’t fully believe in his clairvoyant abilities. It was more like profiling, and she understood that just fine. She’d seen it in action a few times when Makoto brought her to a reading Hiro would do on him, but she’d never partook herself. Frankly, she’d been afraid of what Hiro would say, but now she’d never know. Maye Hiro would’ve said something wise here, or something boreline nonsensical about the stars being illuminati spaceships, but he was gone too. 

A crushing weight of despair was all that remained in Makoto and Hiro’s absences. Leon’s face had turned almost purple from trying to contain his tears, but he finally broke, and he began to sob. It was ugly, a mess of snot, tears, and ruined eyeliner caked his face, but his screams of pain made everyone look past that, and it was like a dam had broken with Leon’s cries. Chihiro began to cry softly, the tiny boy hugging Sayaka, who also shed gentle tears. Taka and Hina began to weep as well, Taka’s sobs being more akin to a kind of scream, and Hina’s being accompanied by wet hiccups. Both Mondo and Sakura had yet to cry, being the supposed strongest members of the class, Kyoko guessed that they were trying to be strong out of an obligation to the rest of the group. Based on the pained looks on their faces, it wasn’t easy. Mukuro’s expression of stoicism wavered, and she placed a hand on her sister’s back, as Junko buried her face in her hands as she quivered, probably on the brink of tears. Hifumi blinked a few times, trying to keep from crying, though he removed his glasses to wipe a few stray droplets from them. There were two outliers. Byakuya, who was checking his watch out of boredom, and Celeste, who merely stood in place with her hands folded in front of her, a rather pensive expression on her face. 

Kyoko looked towards her father, and saw a pain in his eyes that hurt her to see. She and her father didn’t have the best relationship, she still resented him for leaving her behind. Of course, he’d accepted her into his school (that he’d abandoned the family to create) and had apologized numerous times over their years together in Hope’s Peak. It was complicated, but she still felt sorry for him at that moment. This atmosphere of hope and success he’d worked so hard to try and foster with the ultimates was crumbling before his eyes. 

“So, headmaster, when are the investigators going to get here?” Byakuya’s voice cut through the cacophony of sobbing. 

“I’m not entirely sure, Mr. Togami. However, Mr. Hagakure’s room is now a crime scene, so no one is allowed inside without special permission from criminal affairs. I know that things are hard now, but, you all will have to return to your rooms for the night. Please know that we have officers searching the campus for any threatening party that may remain-”

“-Where’s Toko? What if Makoto got her, too?” Junko sniffled. Kyoko looked around the group of students. Toko was nowhere to be found. Of course, knowing about a certain “aspect” of Toko’s personality, she doubted that she’d fall prey to a killer. Unless-

“-She’s just obeying the headmaster’s orders.” Byakuya countered. “She’s been in her room this whole time. As soon as she saw the police, she ran to her room and locked the door.” Byakuya strode over to Toko’s room at a leisurely pace, as if it was an ordinary day at the academy. Kyoko gritted her teeth at his smug attitude, clearly he was enjoying this a bit too much. 

Byakuya knocked on Toko’s door. “It’s Byakuya. Just say something to let these idiots know you’re not dead. They finally noticed your absence.” 

“O-okay. I-I’m not d-dead. N-now s-stop talking about m-m-me!” Toko cried out from behind her door. 

“Are you going to come out here, or what?” Hina asked, wiping away her tears. “Hiro’s dead! Makoto’s been arrested, you know!”

“L-leave me a-alone! Y-you’re j-just going to b-blame me!” 

“See,” Byakuya said. “Unfortunately, she’s completely alright.” 

“Unfortunately?” Mukuro’s eyes narrowed. 

Byakuya merely smirked, ignoring Mukuro’s question. Several students glared at Byakuya, but it didn’t seem to bother him. Kyoko figured it wouldn't, considering that he didn’t seem to care about most of their class. The fact that he hadn’t mentioned Makoto at all seemed off, though. She thought the two of them were actually friends, though she wasn’t sure how someone like Byakuya defined friendship. 

“I am surprised,” Celeste finally said, turning towards Byakuya with an air of disapproval. “I am surprised that you haven’t dropped dead, considering that your heart is probably too small and shriveled to properly pump blood to your selfish body. I do not understand how you say the things you do.” 

“Please!” the headmaster shouted. “Please go to your rooms, and try not to incite infighting with one another. You are all ultimates, and you need to rely on each other!” 

“Tell that to Yasuhiro,” Byakuya said smugly. 

“What the fuck did you just say?” Leon growled, his hands bunched into fists. If Makoto were here, he’d surely step in, try to deescalate the situation. Yasuhiro would probably say something about the illuminati, or something really nice. Kyoko desperately wracked her brain. She knew she didn’t have the patience Makoto did, or Hiro’s natural easygoing aura. Still, she had to say something. 

“Don’t listen to him, Leon. He’s enjoying getting a rise out of you. That’s why he says the things he does. He knows that this is the one time we’ll be forced to listen to him. Once our time here is over, we will forget about Byakuya, because he’s an asshole, and when he looks back on his life, lonely and alone in that building bought by his family’s wealth, maybe then he will regret his actions. For now, we just have to ignore him.” Kyoko said. Well, it definitely wasn’t what Makoto would’ve said. Makoto was in jail, currently a murder suspect. Honestly, she didn’t think Hiro could’ve ever said something like that. Hopefully, her words would be enough. 

Leon’s fist uncurled, and he huffed angrily and walked off to his room, slamming the door. Byakuya, whose eyes had widened at Kyoko’s remark, quickly regained his composure and walked away, with a small glare in Kyoko’s direction. A crushing silence filled the hallway, and one by one, the students trudged back to their own rooms. Finally, it was just Kyoko and her father. 

“I-I thought this school would be a place of hope, of dreams,” he sighed. “I had such a vision, I’d house all kinds of talent within these walls to create the next generation of problem solvers to lead us to a better future. I never thought anything like this would happen.”

Kyoko bit her lip, unsure of what to say to him. “You couldn’t have known,” she said at last. “This school is something good.” 

“I’m sorry,” he buried his head in his hands. “I’m sorry that I put so much into this and I just left-” 

“-not right now. Now is not the time for you to collapse. Everyone needs to calm down, and assess the facts. Your emotions are clouding your judgment, the school isn’t sunk yet. There are dozens of students still counting on you, they will look towards you for guidance. You need to try and remain vigilant and stable. For them… and for me.” Kyoko placed a hand on her father’s shoulder, and he managed a small smile. 

“I still mean what I said-”

“-I know.” Kyoko turned and walked off, getting to her room and shutting the door. The conversation with her father just reminded her of everything that was going wrong. Her father was beginning to falter, and her conflicting feelings about him were already a sore spot. Of course, she had to add into that the very real possibility that Makoto was a murderer. Someone she’d trusted and liked-maybe even loved- could be a fraud, and she’d let her guard down. She’d let him in, he’d seen her at her most vulnerable, he knew some of her biggest secrets, and it could all be a lie. Their years together, a massive lie. If Makoto of all people was a fake, then who could she ever trust? Kyoko buried her head in her hands, and slumped down against the door. 

Suddenly, she heard the sound of light footsteps in the hallway. Her heart raced as she opened the door just a sliver. Maybe it was the real killer, trying to dispose of evidence and Makoto was--her heart sank as she saw the footsteps belonged to Hina, who was merely making her way across the dorms to Sakura’s room. The two girls embraced each other as Sakura led Hina inside her room, and Kyoko shut the door with a sigh. So much for a secret killer. Makoto was still the only suspect, his guilt looking more likely by the second. She could feel a prick behind her eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d cried. She blinked desperately. Today wasn’t about to be the day she broke that streak. She instead picked up her phone, remembering what her father said about no one entering Yasuhiro’s room without permission. She began to punch in a familiar number, and she just hoped that Prosecutor Edgeworth would be willing to do her another favor. 

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April 30th, 7:00 AM

Dormitory Room

Kyoko hadn’t slept a wink last night, and based on the noisy chatter that had picked up the second the school opened for the day, neither had anyone else. Kyoko stepped out into the hallway to see the rest of the class (sans Toko, who still hadn’t emerged from her room) surrounding Taka, probably wanting to hear exactly what he’d seen. Kyoko was curious as well, so she headed over. 

“Hey, why don’t ya pricks backup and give him some fuckin’ space!” Mondo’s voice rang out, his face contorted in a fiercely protective snarl. “Do ya guys have any idea how hard seein’ this shit is?!” 

A few members of the class began to mumble apologies, but Taka held up his hand. “I appreciate your concern, kyoudai, but the class has a right to know. After all, Makoto i-was our friend.” Taka’s eyes welled up, but he took a breath, seemingly trying to keep his composure. “I saw Makoto, just past Hiro’s body. He was… covered in blood and holding a knife and-” 

“I suppose you’re the witness, then?” A deep voice cut in. Kyoko’s features lit up in recognition, and she, along with the rest of the class, turned around to face Prosecutor Edgeworth alongside Detective Gumshoe. 

“Yes, sir!” Taka stood up straight. 

“Then I humbly request you cease your testimony. It is important for the security of your reliability as a witness that you don’t give out information before it is asked of you on the witness stand. Your classmates will hear what you have to say in court.” Edgeworth said succinctly. 

“I apologize for my mistakes,” Taka’s face reddened. “I can assure you I am a reliable witness, on my honor as the ultimate moral compass!” He stood up straight, the badges on his uniform taking on a particular shine. Kyoko noted with a fair amount of amusement, that Edgeworth seemed fairly outmatched in terms of enthusiasm. Based on what she’d gathered of him from their limited conversations, Prosecutor Edgeworth was always calm and serious. 

“We’re going to be taking a look at the crime scene here!” Detective Gumshoe bellowed, clearly a bit nervous from all fourteen pairs of eyes being on him and Edgeworth. 

“Yes,” Edgeworth said. “We are truly sorry for the loss of your classmate, and we hope to solve this case as quickly as possible for you all to resume your school lives, and rest assured that we will serve justice.”

“What if you have the wrong guy?” Sayaka raised her hand. “Makoto would never do something like this! How can you serve justice when you have the wrong person? Isn’t he only supposed to be in for questioning?”

“We’ve connected him to the crime scene, pal. We’ve got hard evidence it’s him-” Edgeworth gave Detective Gumshoe a swift elbow to the ribs, but it was too late. The class already began to murmur amongst themselves, worried expressions overtaking their faces. So, the prosecution had decisive evidence? A lump formed in Kyoko’s throat, but she forced it down. This was all the more reason she had to see the crime scene for herself. 

Sayaka’s face fell, but Kyoko could still make out an undeniable fire in her eyes. She still believed in what she said, Kyoko realized. Kyoko wished she could afford to have that much blind faith in a person, but that just wasn’t who she was. She needed hard evidence. 

As the students began to talk, Gumshoe tried to duck under the police tape, already getting tangled within it. Edgeworth tapped Kyoko on the shoulder. “I received your phone call, Ms. Kirigiri. I thought it over and I’ve decided that the prosecution could use a detective of your talents,” he cast an exasperated glance towards Gumshoe, who was still tangled in the tape. “We… could use the help. Besides, this case is important to you, I figured you should have a hand in it, as long as you can promise me that you won’t let your… attachments get in the way of pursuing the truth..” 

“I’m a detective first, and a classmate second,” Kyoko nodded. “I will be unbiased in my search for the truth.” 

Edgeworth returned her nod. “It’s what I’d expect of the ultimate detective. I’ll tell Gumshoe you have permission. Feel free to join us whenever you are ready.” Edgeworth walked over to Detective Gumshoe, freeing him from the tape with a roll of his eyes, and the two men ducked into Hiro’s room. 

Kyoko wanted to go in right away, but she knew there was something she had to do first. Something she’d promised herself she’d do for Makoto, no matter what. Even if he was lying to her, there was no way she’d turn her back completely on him. She wasn’t sure if she believed him, conversely that also meant she wasn’t certain of his guilt as well. Besides, after years of being by her side, he deserved a fighting chance in this case. 

Kyoko began to slip away from the mass of students, and as she neared the dorm’s exit, she was confident she’d escaped them all without detection. However, the ultimate pop sensation and ultimate baseball star proved her wrong. 

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Leon questioned. 

“Kyoko, you have to believe in Makoto too, right?” Sayaka pleaded. “Please, if you’re going to prove his innocence, let me help you! He was my friend even before Hope’s Peak, and I’m not abandoning him! So, wherever you’re going, I insist on coming.” 

“I don’t know what you’re-” 

“We know you’re doing some detective stuff.” Leon sighed, and smoothed back his hair. “Look, you don’t have to tell us exactly what you’re up to, but I-I just need to know the truth. I mean, I could’ve stayed behind with Hiro last night, but I didn’t a-and I think it’s partly my fault that he’s dead. I need to at least be able to be there for this investigation stuff, someone needs to be in this for Hiro’s sake.” 

Clearly, there would be no getting rid of either of these two. Kyoko sighed. It wasn’t exactly like she could blame either of them, and their intentions were good. She supposed that if she was going to be investigating with the prosecution, it couldn’t hurt to have people from Hope’s Peak on the defense. From what she could deduce, neither Leon nor Sayaka stood out as potential suspects. Nobody did, which is what worried her. 

“Fine, come with me, but don’t alert the others. We don’t need any more chaos.” Kyoko paused. “In terms of trust, what happens during this investigation does not leave this group.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are we clear?” 

“Crystal,” Leon nodded. 

“Of course,” Sayaka agreed. 

“Good. Now, we need to catch a bus. After all, Wright and Co. is a bit too far for us to walk there.” The three barely managed to make it out of the dorms before Sayaka stopped in her tracks. 

“Wright and Co?” Sayaka raised an eyebrow. “That sounds kinda familiar.” 

Kyoko nodded, a very small smile began to form on her lips. “You guys remember Maya Fey, right?” They both nodded, obviously confused. “Well, she happens to be the assistant of a rather renowned defense attorney. Makoto’s case seems impossible, which is why I know he’s perfect for the job. He’s got skill, and most importantly, he seems to have a lot of luck.” 

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April 30th, 9:00 AM

Wright and Co. Law Offices

The bus ride to Wright and Co. was silent, all three of them were deep in thought. Kyoko knew she wasn’t one for conversation, but even social butterfly Sayaka was silent. When they’d arrived, the door was closed. 

“Maybe we should knock?” Sayaka asked. 

“Screw this, he’s either here or he’s not!” Before Kyoko could stop him, Leon threw open the door and stormed in. Kyoko shared a tired look with Sayaka, who shook her head before following Leon inside. 

Wright and Co. seemed like a typical office, if you didn’t count the two girls in spirit medium robes, or the various popcorn crumbs littering the floor. Or the TV being on a channel that mainly played children’s television. Phoenix Wright, to his credit, looked fairly embarrassed over the state of his office, but he was looking at Sayaka with a wide eyed gaze. 

“Sayaka Maizono, the pop star?!” he managed to say at last. Kyoko rolled her eyes. She’d at least thought that Mr. Wright worked with enough famous people as to where his initial words would be a bit more professional. Then again, this was the man whose assistants were not even closely related to the law, one of whom wasn’t even 10 years old by the looks of it. He was an odd man, Kyoko thought, odd but very clever. 

Maya Fey, just as enthusiastic as the day Kyoko met her, ran to hug Sayaka, offering a greeting. She was surprised none of the three had asked what they were doing here. However, a biting remark from Leon snapped Maya out of the reverie of a reunion. Suddenly, the confused expression on Mr. Wright’s expression changed, and his eyebrows furrowed in sympathy. He’d clearly picked up on the fact that something was wrong. Kyoko made sure her expression didn’t waver, it was pure instinct taking over, making sure she remained unreadable, even though she knew that Mr. Wright was someone who she could trust. Unless Makoto was guilty. Then, he’d be their greatest threat. It was all a game of “what if.” 

Sayaka’s gentle words cut through. “Leon, they probably don’t know. I wish we could’ve met under happier circumstances.” She turned to Mr. Wright and Maya’s cousin, Pearl. She thanked them for being fans, Mr. Wright awkwardly avoiding eye contact, and Pearl beaming and complementing Sayaka. It was clear that she was starstruck. Kyoko knew that time was ticking, the crime scene was getting colder, so she strode over without a word and flipped on the news. 

The broadcast spat out the facts of the case. She’d known it was likely the case was being broadcast on every major news channel by now, a mysterious murder occuring at Japan’s most prestigious school was going to be all over the place. She’d seen her father trying to handle the media circus as she’d left the school with Leon and Sayaka. Leon shut off the TV in a huff, clearly already at a breaking point with seeing pictures of Hiro and Makoto being broadcast all over. 

Kyoko turned towards Mr. Wright. She was aware of the coolness of her own gaze, she could see Mr. Wright tensing up as she stared him down. She didn’t care. She just needed him to say yes. “We need your help. Makoto needs a defense lawyer, and no one will take his case. Everyone thinks he did it. I know there has to be more to it, and I’ve read about you, how you’ve won impossible cases… surely you could manage one more, correct?” 

“Please, I know Makoto!” Sayaka cut in, with a plea of her own. “He wouldn’t do something like this. I feel like everyone is giving up on him, but I won’t lose hope in him like that! You’ve got to help us, Mr. Wright!” Sayaka’s eyes started to grow watery with tears, and Kyoko saw that her heartfelt plea had gotten to Mr. Wright more than her appeal had. Phoenix Wright was someone who thought with his heart, she’d heard before, and now she knew that to be true. However, before Phoenix could even say a word, Maya jumped in. 

“Of course we’ll help, we’re friends! I’ll make Nick take this case, even if it kills him!” Maya paused. “Besides, I’ve met Makoto once, and he didn’t seem like a murderer to me!” 

Mr. Wright sighed, clearly at a bit of a loss for words. However, after a brief moment, he turned to the group and nodded. “I’ll take your case. If all three of you really believe in Makoto-” 

“I don’t know what to believe,” Leon said with frustration in his voice. “I don’t f-” Leon stopped, suddenly aware of the presence of little Pearl Fey. “I just don’t know. All I know is that Kyoko said you’d help uncover the truth. I need to know who killed Hiro. That’s it.” 

Kyoko’s shoulders tensed with the mention of her name. This was all her idea, and she wasn’t even sure about it, after all, there was the chance that Makoto was guilty. She knew that Mr. Wright was motivated by Sayaka’s heartfelt pleas (and Maya’s nagging) to take the case, but she knew there was a chance that her and Leon’s lack of certainty would hurt their chances. Still, he needed to know the truth if he’d trust them with the information for the case, she reasoned. “I don’t know either. I just wanted to make sure Makoto has a good lawyer, one that I know would defend him.” Her face softened, ever so slightly. “He deserves that much, at least.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll defend Makoto and avenge Hiro! Let’s go to the detention center!” Before Kyoko could say another word, Maya grabbed her arm and began to drag her from the room with a surprising amount of vigor. 

“Don’t worry, Kyoko! We’ll save Makoto’s butt! I totally knew this was your idea, way before Leon even said!” Maya grinned, still holding Kyoko’s arm. 

“How’s that?” Kyoko asked. 

“Simple. You like him too much to not think of a plan with that detective brain of yours. Besides, you told me about Makoto’s desire to be in law and stuff, and talked about him maybe getting some kind of job working for us.” Maya’s expression went from enthusiastic to sensitive as she released Kyoko’s arm, but held onto her gloved hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. “We’ll help you. It’s what friends do.” 

Kyoko almost felt a smile at the corner of her lips. She’d only met Maya a few times, and the girl already considered them friends. She didn’t know about the fact that Kyoko normally never made friends on her own, or that most people found her too cold on an initial impression to try and befriend without Makoto as a buffer. Maya didn’t even know about her lingering doubts about Makoto, or the fact that she wasn’t even going to be working with them. It made her feel slightly better, to know that Maya liked her. She hadn’t thought that someone as bubbly and happy and Maya would like to be around her. If only, Kyoko thought, if only the circumstances around their reunion had been different. Maybe, they could’ve really been friends, because Kyoko knew after Maya saw her working on the opposite side, going against Makoto despite his kindness, she wouldn’t want to be friends at all. It was a bandaid that Kyoko knew she’d have to rip off, no matter how unpleasant. For now, she let Maya grab her hand and talk excitedly about their defense, blissfully unaware of Kyoko’s thoughts. 

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April 30th, 10:00 AM

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

Kyoko hadn’t expected any of her classmates that she’d left behind to leave the school. She figured they’d be hanging around, aching for any sort of answers they could gleam from this tragedy. Whether it would be for their own satisfaction or a desire to honor Hiro’s memory honestly depended on the person. So, when she saw Chihiro Fujisaki chatting with Makoto, the programmer anxiously typing into Alter Ego, she was surprised any of them had thought to come to the detention center. “Chihiro, what are you doing here?” 

The little programmer leapt up with an almost comic jolt, before explaining that a large section of the class had worked out a visitation system to make sure Makoto was never alone. Sayaka complimented Chihiro on the thoughtfulness of the idea, and introduced him to Mr. Wright and Pearl. Kyoko couldn’t deny she felt relieved at knowing that Makoto would never be alone in the detention center if possible. Even if the class didn’t believe in his innocence, they weren’t ready to abandon him like that. It just spoke to Makoto’s likability. Even as a murder suspect, people still wanted to be by his side. It was heartwarming, but Kyoko recognized the danger in that kind of power as well. If he was guilty, he still had sway over the class. She didn’t want to admit he still had credibility in her eyes, too. That’s why she had to be on her guard, she couldn’t let her feelings get in the way this time. Those feelings of warmth may have caused her to overlook clues about a possible hidden agenda of Makoto’s. Maybe she was overthinking again, and throwing away one of the most important relationships in her life. She stopped herself. Now was not the time to get in her own head. 

Chihiro had been rambling on to Pearl, who was seemingly technologically unaware, about programming, before realizing he was taking away from the investigation, and quickly scrambling away. Kyoko looked at Makoto’s face. He looked exhausted, he’d probably been searched and questioned all night, and she doubted the detention facilities were comfortable. Still, despite the undeniable slouch in his posture and overall deflated demeanor, there was still a spark of hope visible in him. She didn’t think that anyone could have that kind of hope in a place as dismal as the detention center, swathed in its monotone greys and stocked with stoic guards. 

“Makoto, I’ve brought your lawyer.” Makoto perked up, his posture straightening up. As he made eye contact with her, Kyoko felt her heart twist into a pretzel. It was like he’d been given a second wind when he’d looked at her, and it pained her to see how happy he was to see her. He probably thought she was here because she was going to be helping defend him. She didn’t want to be the cause of even more grief for him. She felt a heat rising to her cheeks. She had to leave, investigate the crime scene. That would clear her head, and hopefully clear up the buzz of conflicting thoughts in her head. 

“I knew I could count on you!” Makoto smiled at her. “You believe in me, right?” 

As if she was on autopilot, Kyoko found the words leaving her lips before she could even stop them. “I don’t know what I believe, Makoto. I’m a detective. I’ll decide what I believe when I investigate the crime scene myself. I’ve gotten permission from the prosecution to aid them. I merely accompanied Mr. Wright, along with Leon and Sayaka, who insisted on coming-” She could feel everyone’s gazes turned towards her, but she continued. “-to make sure he took this case. I have to go now. Goodbye.” 

As soon as the words left Kyoko’s lips, she regretted them. You believe me, right? Such a simple question, and Makoto needed her support. After years of helping, maybe she could’ve given him that spark of hope. A little white lie, to help Makoto get through the day. Instead, she’d told him the truth, the ugly truth. She always thought that the truth was the right thing to say, no matter what. When people asked her for her opinion, she’d always state her true feelings, no matter how harsh they were. A brief look back to the looks of disbelief on Maya and Mr.Wright’s faces, and the pitying look on Sayaka’s put that belief to bed really quickly. She saw Makoto’s face fall, and that was enough to break her heart. She’d tried to tell herself that he could be manipulating them, but that look just felt so real, and it was her fault. She’d crushed an integral part of his hope. Cold and robotic, was something she’d often been called before. The reason she never had friends before Hope’s Peak. She tried to shake the feeling of regret and guilt that was creeping all over her as she left the detention center. She couldn’t look at the group, and she knew that this moment would come, and it would be unpleasant, perhaps resulting in the group thinking less of her. What she wasn’t prepared for was the intensity of her guilt, and the feeling of heartache in her chest. She didn’t think she’d care what the group would think, or that Makoto’s reaction would get to her like it did. 

She cared, she realized as the expressions of the group burned into her mind. She cared so much, and it tore her up inside, but she forced those feelings down like so many times before, like swallowing a bowling ball. She’d made a promise to search for the truth, and now more than ever, she had to go in with a clear head, and a clear heart. 

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April 30th, 10:35 AM

Dormitory Hallway

Despite repeating to herself that she was going into this investigation unburdened and unattached, Kyoko knew that wasn’t true. Makoto’s betrayed look haunted her all the way back to Hope’s Peak. The looks of disbelief on Mr. Wright and Maya’s faces, as if she was heartless, plagued her mind as she entered the main gate and made her way to the dorms. 

The dorms were still full, the students milling about as close to Yasuhiro’s room as they could get without actually being inside, hoping to get any sort of information they could. Kyoko walked past them to the room, where Edgeworth was just emerging. 

“Miss Kirigiri, I was worried for a moment you wouldn’t be joining us after all. I regret to say that I’ll be taking my leave of the crime scene for now, so it will just be you and Detective Gumshoe.” 

“So, wait, if Kyoko gets to go in, do we get to go inside too?” Junko popped up behind Edgeworth, a mischievous grin adorning her features. Junko seemed to have cheered up considerably since the start of the day, though Kyoko reasoned, the fashionista had always been odd. She had a way of expressing herself, while seemingly sunny, actually tended to put a lot of people on edge, or just creep them out. Other times though, she could be ridiculously charming, people flocked to her natural charisma, but her almost unnatural demeanor countered it at times.  In the sea of her classmates' various personality quirks, Kyoko had grown used to it.  Based on his grimace, Prosecutor Edgeworth was not accustomed to the uniqueness that was Junko Enoshima. 

“Yes, Junko does raise a point.” Byakuya barged into the conversation. “Why does Kyoko get to investigate? I would think she is too biased. I believe that if one of us gets to investigate, we all should.” Kyoko rolled her eyes at Byakuya’s statement. She knew that if he were the one who was allowed in the crime scene, he wouldn’t give the rest of the class a second thought. 

Edgeworth sighed, and turned to face Byakuya and Junko. Kyoko couldn’t help but notice that both Byakuya and Edgeworth carried themselves in a similar way, both stood in a manner that screamed refinement and seriousness, but Byakuya had an overconfident air that Edgeworth didn’t seem to have. “Mr. Togami, Miss Enoshima, I regret to inform you both that Miss Kirigiri is a detective. Detectives look at crime scenes and help us prosecutors deduce the truth of a case. Neither of you are detectives, and will only serve to muddy the waters. Miss Kirigiri was considerate enough to ask my permission, and based on my talks with her, I believe her to be as naturally unbiased in her pursuit of the truth as any detective.” Edgeworth straightened out, and Kyoko could see a hint of smugness in his posture. Maybe he was more like Byakuya than she originally thought, though she’d like to think better of him than that. “Now, I have more important things to do than debate with a mere heir and a fashion model.” 

“Mere heir?! Don’t you know-” Byakuya trailed off, as it was clear Edgeworth was done talking to him, and was already walking away. 

Edgeworth strode down the hallway to where Taka was standing, talking to Mondo and Chihiro. “Mr. Ishimaru, it’s time I took your testimony. We’ll be going outside, away from prying eyes and ears.” Taka nodded as he set off with Edgeworth, and everyone’s gazes left Kyoko and trained on Edgeworth and Taka. 

Kyoko faced Chihiro, who clutched his laptop to his chest. “Chihiro, could you somehow get Alter Ego to print out a layout of the dorms and a map of Hope’s Peak?” she asked. “I believe it will aid the investigation.” 

“Of course!” Chihiro said, flipping open his laptop. “It will take some time, though,” he said. 

“That’s fine. Just deliver them to Hiro’s room when you’re ready.” 

“I don’t really want to go in…” Chihiro’s expression fell, and he looked close to tears again. “I don’t want to see all that blood, and think about poor Hiro like that.”

Kyoko nodded. “I understand. Just knock, and we’ll get the papers so you don’t have to step foot inside.” 

Chihiro nodded, and Kyoko walked to Hiro’s room. Kyoko slipped inside Yasuhiro’s room and shut the door, not before sneaking a quick glance at Byakuya and Junko. The former was stewing in the indignity of getting snubbed by Edgeworth, presumably because Edgeworth’s words had minced him with a condescending brand of confidence Byakuya was used to dishing out to others, but not receiving. Kyoko couldn’t help but feel satisfied in seeing his face. 

Junko, on the other hand, seemingly took it in stride, saying “It was worth a shot! No wonder he’s the demon prosecutor. What an uppity jerk. ” with a shrug, heading over to where Mukuro was standing. Kyoko sighed in relief as she shut the door. Finally, it was time to start investigating. 

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April 30th 10:42 AM

Yasuhiro’s Room

“Hey, pal! You made it!” Detective Gumshoe waved her over. “Here, you’re going to need this, first of all.” He handed her a manila folder reading: Autopsy Report-Yasuhiro Hagakure. Kyoko flipped it open and began to read through it. There were several things that immediately caught her eye, and her mind began to race. 

“Detective,” she started. “The autopsy says that Yasuhiro suffered from head trauma, but he died from blood loss from wounds in his stomach and abdomen. Why would the killer hit him over the head just to stab him in the stomach, and what would they use to hit him?” At that point, Kyoko’s questions were less so directed at Detective Gumshoe, and more so her own wonderings. 

Detective Gumshoe’s face furrowed. “Your guess is as good as mine, pal. According to the autopsy, the victim died from stab wounds of different lengths. The killer’s strikes were inconsistent. Maybe… maybe the victim fought back!” 

Kyoko’s brow furrowed, and she nodded. “If Yasuhiro fought back, maybe the hit to the head was to disorient him, and maybe that’s why the killer’s strikes are inconsistent. But… if that was the case, why didn’t anyone hear him? Wouldn’t he have screamed?” 

Detective Gumshoe frowned. “You’ve got a point, pal. I don’t know why he wouldn’t scream.”

A glint on the floor caught Kyoko’s eye, and she kneeled down to inspect it. There were purple shards littered over a rather large bloodstain on the floor. A few miscellaneous white pieces lay intertwined with the purple shards. Kyoko scanned the room again, and she snapped her fingers with recognition. 

“Detective, you haven’t taken anything out of this room, right?” 

“No way, pal. That would be disturbing the crime scene!” 

“Well, for as long as I can remember, the victim always had a crystal ball-”

“-Like some sort of psychic?” Detective Gumshoe scratched his head. “Wasn’t he a, uh, um…” 

“Clairvoyant,” Kyoko finished. “His talent involved him predicting future events using his crystal ball and tarot cards. However… it was rare that any of his predictions actually came true.” 

“So, he was a fraud, then?” 

“No,” Kyoko crossed her arms. “He actually had a gift. Thirty percent is better than zero, I suppose. I never thought the fortune telling is where his gift really was, actually.”

“Then what-” 

“-Detective,” Kyoko interrupted, not in the mood for reminiscing. “We’re getting off topic. The point is, I believe these shards are proof that the crystal ball was the object used to injure Yasuhiro. Take a look at this shard.” Detective Gumshoe squinted at the tiny shard in her hand. “There appears to be a fleck of blood on it, probably from his head. If you examine the other pieces, there is probably blood on them as well.” 

“Woah, you’re probably right, pal!” Detective Gumshoe’s face broke out into a grin. “I thought the victim had just dropped a cup or something!” 

Kyoko sighed. “I suppose you wouldn’t have known, detective.” Kyoko moved across the room to where Yasuhiro kept his posters. There was the typical one with the palm reading methods, an ad for a fortune teller, a conspiracy theorist anonymous, but there was one that caught her eye even more. The flyer read: Oh! Cult, and on the poster were two women wearing similar outfits to the ones Maya and Pearl wore. Kyoko remembered, when Maya had come to the school, Hiro had been the one to recognize her and bring her, knowing of her spiritual abilities. The odd thing was, the flyer advertised spirit mediums as an occult group, and she knew of Yasuhiro’s distaste for the occult. 

“Detective,” she called over. “Is the Kurain Channeling technique considered occult?” 

“Depends on who you ask, pal. Some people think of it as raising the dead, and others see it as spiritual, a way of reaching out into the afterlife and stuff.” He looked at the flyer, and his eyes went wide with recognition. “Hazuraka Temple! I’ve been there!” He laughed. “After what happened, I’m surprised they’re still doing visits!” 

Kyoko turned towards Detective Gumshoe. “What do you mean by that?”

“You don’t know? I’d think you’d know, being a detective and all. The case was recently, too! It was all over the place!” Detective Gumshoe’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry, pal. I didn’t mean to say-” 

“-It’s alright. I’m not insulted. I’m aware of many of Phoenix Wright’s cases… I must just be forgetting it. I apologize, Detective. It’s… nevermind.” Kyoko put the flyer back on the wall. “It’s not important. Let’s just get back to examining the room.” 

“Hey, are you sure you’re up for this, pal?” Detective Gumshoe gave her a sympathetic glance, and his face fell. “I-I just realized that Makoto was that one guy that you met up with after the Prince case. You seemed to really like him.” 

Kyoko grimaced, this conversation was already going to places she wasn’t sure she was ready for. However, she realized that if anyone could help her right now, it was Detective Gumshoe. After all, when they’d first met, he’d been investigating Maggey Byrde’s case. It was a similar predicament now, and he’d gone through the doubt of having someone he cared about on the stand twice. 

“When Maggey Byrde was on the stand… how did you separate yourself? How did you investigate a scene where the clues seemed to point to her, listen to testimony that implicated her, yet still have faith?” Kyoko looked down at the floor, unable to meet the other detective’s sympathetic gaze. 

“If I’m being honest pal,” Detective Gumshoe adjusted the pen behind his ear, before looking at Kyoko. “I didn’t separate myself. I don’t think I could’ve done that! I cared about Maggey too much, so when I looked at the crime scene and collected clues, I had to still believe! Despite what I found, I had to hold out hope that she was innocent, and just had to have hope that Mr. Wright would do right by her!” His shoulders slumped, looking at her expression. “I can tell… that wasn’t what you wanted to hear, pal. I just think that… if you really care about someone, it would be impossible to be totally separated, that’s all.” 

“He asked me if I believed in him. I said I didn’t know.” Kyoko muttered. “I was detached enough to say that, but-” 

“-I don’t think you’re heartless or anything, pal! You just need to see the facts, and you’re dedicated to the truth, Prosecutor Edgeworth is the same way!” Detective Gumshoe said, almost yelling the encouragement. She had to admit, she found herself thinking that she was similar to Prosecutor Edgeworth at times, and he was called the Demon Prosecutor. He had a reputation for being harsh and frigid. Of course, he’d be the person she was most like. 

She forced a nod, despite the sinking feeling. “Thank you, detective.” Detective Gumshoe looked at her with a skeptical look on his face, and she could tell that he knew she was still upset. She turned towards the outline of Yashuiro’s body, wanting to change the subject before Detective Gumshoe could press her further. It had been foolish to bring it up. 

“Why is Yasuhiro’s body outline over here, by the wall?” She asked. “Shouldn’t he be over where the shards are?” 

“Well, that’s where the police found him, pal. Him and Makoto. Why would he be over with the shards?” 

“Well, I’d have to investigate the room to make sure, but the majority of the blood is here. That points to the possibility that Yasuhiro fell here instead, and was moved… wait, where is the murder weapon?” 

“It’s here, pal.” Detective Gumshoe held up an evidence bag with a peculiar knife. Something about it seemed almost familiar. “Before you ask, we had it tested for prints. It… had Makoto’s prints all over. No one else’s.” 

Kyoko examined the knife. “There is no doubt Makoto picked up the knife, but there is a possibility that the killer could’ve picked it up too.” 

“Could the killer have been wearing gloves?”

“Exactly. If the killer left the knife at the crime scene, they were probably counting on the possibility that someone would pick it up, thus getting their prints all over it.” Kyoko felt lighter all of a sudden. A path to Makoto’s innocence was becoming clearer the longer she investigated the crime scene. The inconsistencies were starting to pile up. 

“Hey, don’t touch that, pal!” Detective Gumshoe had turned away and promptly stormed over to where Phoenix Wright was standing, with Maya, Sayaka, and Leon in tow. Kyoko followed, and she found it odd that the Hazuraka flyer was the first thing he’d noticed. Maybe he had a hunch that would be important later. 

“From what I’ve gathered, Mr. Wright has played an investigative role in the past. He’s probably used to it.” Kyoko said, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. Mr. Wright was anything if not conventional, but she wondered if they were still thinking about the detention center incident. “Now, I’m going back to the investigation.” 

Kyoko left and began to examine the blood stains again as Mr. Wright and the group talked with Detective Gumshoe. It wasn’t right. The bloodstain where Yasuhiro had supposedly fallen against the wall was too small. The amount of blood by the shards was much more appropriate for that kind of injury. It didn’t make any sense for Makoto to bother to move Yasuhiro, in time he could’ve spent fleeing the scene of the crime. 

She turned back to listen in on the conversation, and saw that Detective Gumshoe was presenting the knife with Makoto’s prints. He could see their faces fall, and she knew what she believed now. Based on the evidence, there was room for doubt, more room than she’d thought possible. “No,” she said authoritatively, as she joined the group. “Even if the knife has Makoto’s prints, it doesn’t mean he did it.” 

“Hey, weren’t you the one who said you didn’t know what you believed?” Leon crossed his arms and stared at her. 

“I needed to see for myself, but from what I’ve gathered, there is reason for doubt.” Kyoko gestured to the bloodstains on the floor, and began to explain what she’d deduced earlier. She bade the group to examine the blood and shards with her, and she could see Mr. Wright’s brows furrow with understanding as she explained. That bode well, hopefully he could use this in his defense. Maya, Leon, and Sayaka looked like they followed as well, which meant that her deductions must have merit, if it didn’t take a law degree to understand them. Detective Gumshoe just looked impressed, almost proud of her. 

“Smart as always, pal!” Detective Gumshoe gave her a thumbs up. “They don’t call you the ultimate detective for nothing, huh?” 

“Thank you, detective. I was merely making a logical deduction. I’m sure Mr. Wright could’ve come to the same logical conclusion as well.” Kyoko bowed her head in formal thanks, she wasn’t one to brag. She did take a bit of satisfaction in everyone’s rather stunned looks at the end of her deductions. 

Phoenix Wright’s eyes darted suddenly, to a corner of the room. Without warning, he strode over, and picked up a card. Kyoko joined the others as they crowded around him. The card read: justice, and on it was a bloody M, and a drawing of something indistinguishable. Her eyes never left the card, despite the fact that Leon and Sayaka had started talking, she drowned them out. She looked harder at the card, and a certain shape started to form, from a lumpy ball to-her heart stopped and she pursed her lips. It couldn’t be. 

“That drawing could be… hmmm..” She crossed her arms, not sure if she suddenly wanted to cast doubt on Makoto after just showing how he could be innocent. Unfortunately, Maya had seen it too. 

“It kinda looks like a clover, with the bumps and stuff,” she said. “I don’t get why-” 

“-He’s the ultimate lucky student, that’s why.” Kyoko’s hands curled into fists. The most probable explanation was definitely not ideal. “This and the M, it could be Hiro’s way of telling us.”

“If it even is his handwriting, it could be a forgery.” Sayaka said, trying to clear the new cloud of suspicion cast over Makoto. 

Kyoko knew that wasn’t true. That M was impeccably neat, despite the circumstances, and Hiro’s handwriting had always been neat. They had a whole stack of notes on his desk to prove it. Of course, Detective Gumshoe did just that, showing Mr. Wright one of the notes on Hiro’s desk that he’d written. However, Mr. Wright didn’t merely nod or accept it, instead he read over the note, and his eyes widened. 

“This note, it’s a reminder from Hiro that Makoto is coming. It says he left his door unlocked.” Mr. Wright crossed his arms. “That means anyone could’ve come in before Makoto, even from outside the school, no handbook needed.” 

Kyoko’s mind began to race as well. She remembered her point earlier, about the killer leaving the knife as bait. Suddenly, that possibility was opening up again, but it clashed with the justice card. There was evidence for and against Makoto, and it was frustrating that she couldn’t make it fit together. 

Gumshoe piped up. “I don’t know, pal. We’ve got a virtual log here from the headmaster detailing if any visitors came to the school. It says that no one from the outside was authorized that night.” 

“It isn’t a guarantee, detective. There are ways around that list.” Kyoko pointedly looked at Maya, who grinned and blushed. Clearly, everyone but Detective Gumshoe knew about Maya getting smuggled into the school, based on his confused expression, and varying degrees of guilt on everyone else’s faces. 

“You lost me, pal,” he said. 

“We have to finish our investigation and prepare the detective’s statement,” Kyoko stated, ignoring his last remark. “I’m sure you have the evidence you need regardless. Well, I suppose you can have this.” Kyoko moved over to where the Oh! Cult poster was hanging, and plucked it off the wall, handing it to Mr.Wright. The fact that he’d been drawn to the poster first definitely meant he could use it. Maybe he’d seen something she missed. She gave him a knowing look, and he nodded as he took the poster and left. 

Now, it was just her and Detective Gumshoe again. She appraised the evidence they’d already collected, the autopsy report, the flyer (now in the possession of Phoenix Wright), the shards, and the blood stains. “Detective, did you bring a camera?” 

Detective Gumshoe nodded and rustled around in the pockets of his shabby trench coat. “Here it is, pal! Prosecutor Edgeworth said something about photographing the scene if necessary, but I hadn’t done that yet. You want to do the honors?” 

“Sure.” Kyoko took the camera from Detective Gumshoe and snapped pictures, one of the blood stains on the middle of the room, the small stain against the wall, and one of the whole room. She handed the camera back to him. “We should get these processed.” 

“Don’t worry, pal! I’m on it! As soon as we’re done here, I’ll rush these, along with that virtual log, down to criminal affairs to be submitted as evidence!” 

“Whichever one of us is testifying to the court tomorrow will have to present the photos,” Kyoko crossed her arms. “If it’s alright with you, detective, I’d like to be the one to testify.” 

“You sure, pal?” He looked pensive. “This is evidence for the prosecution, after all, and if it’s used to put Makoto away, then you might think it was your fault or something, and I don’t want that. It’s hard testifying against someone you care about, even if it’s just stating facts.” 

“I’m testifying because I care, detective. I can handle it. I want to testify because…” she took a deep breath, weighing her words heavily. “I believe in him. There is evidence for and against him, that is just a fact, which I will be presenting.Your thoughts about it helping to convict him is true, and I wouldn’t want that, but on the other hand, if it helps to prove Makoto’s innocence, then I’d want the testimony to come from me.” 

Detective Gumshoe smiled. “That’s real nice of you, pal. That testimony is your way of showing you care, and you’re dedicated to the truth. I’ll tell Edgeworth that you’re testifying in my place! I won’t let him refuse!” 

Kyoko smiled, just for a brief moment. “Thank you, detective. It means a lot.” Detective Gumshoe may not be the greatest detective in the universe, Kyoko reasoned, but his heart was definitely in the right place. “Do we have any other evidence?” 

“Yeah, pal. A statement from the headmaster about the rules of the school and stuff.” Kyoko looked it over, reading over the basic curfew rules and camera placements. “The gate closes around 10 PM, and the victim died at around 9:50. If the killer was from the outside, that gives him a really small window of time to get away, pal.”

Kyoko placed a gloved hand pensively under her chin. “Exactly. It makes it seem improbable that the killer could get away. I was by the main gate, and I didn’t see anyone. However, they could’ve slipped out during the window in which the police arrested Makoto, the gate was open.” 

“How would they hide from the cameras, pal?” 

“I don’t know. Tomorrow’s testimony in court should raise these questions, and point us in the direction we need to go in terms of investigation.” Kyoko looked at Detective Gumshoe. ‘Hopefully, Mr. Wright will buy us another day of investigation, and if he does, we can investigate knowing what the court needs to see.” 

Detective Gumshoe nodded. “Yeah, pal. I don’t know, though. Prosecutor Edgeworth seems confident we can close this case, but I’ve learned never to count Wright out of anything. It’s going to be exciting, tomorrow, well, besides Makoto potentially going to jail,” he crossed his arms. “What I mean is that any time Mr. Wright and Edgeworth face off in court, it’s always a battle!” 

“So I’ve heard. I’ll admit I’m curious to see them in action.” Kyoko heard footsteps nearing, and she tensed up, hoping that it wasn’t going to be anyone trying to barge their way into the crime scene. Instead, Prosecutor Edgeworth entered, with an out of breath Chihiro following, handing him a stack of papers before running off, making sure not to step foot in the room. 

“Thank you,” Prosecutor Edgeworth called out to a retreating Chihiro. 

“Here, she said that you requested these, Ms. Kirigiri. Since it has been a while since I’ve checked in on the investigation, I figured I’d deliver them myself.” 

“What is it?” Detective Gumshoe took the papers. “Oh, it’s a map, and these are the dorms! What are these red dots?” 

“Those are where the cameras are in the hallway,” Kyoko explained. Detective Gumshoe and Edgeworth nodded as she drew in their lines of sight. “These are where the cameras cover. Anything not shaded in is a blind spot.” 

“It appears that there are several of them.” Edgeworth observed. “I could use this. This case is looking more assured by the minute.”

“Hey, I don’t know, sir. Kyoko has brought up some inconsistencies with the crime scene, and you know that Mr. Wright always has something up his sleeve.” Detective Gumshoe crossed his arms. 

“I am aware that Wright has a penchant for clever and unconventional contradictions. However, the witness testimony is rather decisive, and based on his reputation as the ultimate moral compass, I doubt there will be any lies for Wright to discover like he does.” Edgeworth turned towards Kyoko. “As for these contradictions, Ms. Kirigiri, I would be quite curious as to know what they are.” 

Kyoko knew she had a choice here. If she told Edgeworth, it could lead to Mr. Wright losing ground in court, when he needed every inch he could get. Also, Edgeworth was right about Taka, his title would definitely put the prosecution ahead in the court’s eyes in terms of credibility, well assuming none of them knew about his grandfather, but there wasn’t a reason to bring that up. On the other hand, he’d been generous in allowing her to assist in the investigation, and she guessed that he’d be able to tell if she held back. 

“Hey, you can see in court!” Detective Gumshoe burst out. “Kyoko has volunteered to present the information for the prosecution tomorrow!” 

“What? Detective, I thought you were testifying.” Edgeworth crossed his arms. “Why the change?” 

“I wanted to testify. This case is important to me, prosecutor. I want to fund the truth, and I want to be a part of uncovering that truth. Please, allow me to testify. I will be factual and succinct. My goal is to find the truth. I’d never lie about that.” Kyoko looked at Edgeworth, and he returned her gaze. It was like a silent battle of wills, until finally, Edgeworth’s gaze softened. 

“Very well. I see your dedication, and I understand this case’s importance, as your debut, and it concerns your very school and classmates. I will allow it. Don’t make me regret it.” He offered his hand, and Kyoko shook it. 

“I promise, sir.” 

“Now then, I believe it is time for Detective Gumshoe and I to head to criminal affairs and process the evidence. Tomorrow, you will meet us in the courtroom to be prepped for testimony. Come early. And… thank you for your assistance, Ms. Kirigiri.” Prosecutor Edgeworth turned and left, Detective Gumshoe shooting Kyoko a smile and a wave as he followed. Kyoko gave him a grateful smile and waved back. He’d definitely done her a favor, and now she was going to testify. She just hoped it would help Makoto. Speaking of, she figured it was time to pay him a visit. She had a few things to say to him.

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April 30th, 2:20 PM

Hope’s Peak- Main Gate

When Kyoko got out to the main gate, she saw Leon and Sayaka walking over to her, Sayka waving her over with a polite smile. 

“Kyoko!” She exclaimed as she got closer, and Kyoko curiously eyed the bundle of flowers in Sayaka’s hand. 

“Flowers? Who gave you those?” Kyoko asked. 

Sayaka giggled. “Pearl did. She’s very sweet, and I promised her that I’d sit next to her in court tomorrow. Though, I do wonder where she got these.” 

“Does that mean you guys split up?” 

“Yeah,” Leon said. “Pearl went off with Chihiro and Mondo to get those papers from Alter Ego. Whatever you asked him to do, Mr. Wright has those same papers. Y’know-” Leon sighed. “I know I was kind of a jerk before, and I got short with you. I’m sorry. You really knew what you were doing, even if I didn’t realize it. That Phoenix Wright guy is pretty legit. I think he’s got a real chance, even if Makoto’s innocence isn’t proven yet. I think he’ll find the truth.” 

Kyoko nodded. “You’re grieving. I understand. You and Yasuhiro were good friends. I know I come across as… insensitive at times. I’m sorry as well.” 

“No, you were just doing your job, being a detective and all. It’s got to be hard for you too, considering how close you and Makoto are… or were.” Leon crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow. “You know, the fact that Mr. Wright has no idea about Toko’s whole deal, or even that Chihiro is a boy… he really doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into, huh?” Leon grinned. “If he ever finds that stuff out, I want to be there to see his face!” 

Sayaka laughed too, and Kyoko couldn’t help but smile. It was comforting to see her classmates start to regain a bit of their spirit. She supposed being along for the investigation, Sayaka getting to see that Makoto was going to have a chance, and Leon knowing that both sides were working hard to uncover the truth was good for them, it had given them the hope they needed. In fact, she believed that the investigation had given her hope back too, and along with it, a renewed faith in Makoto. 

“I’m going to the detention center,” Kyoko said.

“You’re going to visit Makoto again?” Sayaka asked. 

“Yes, and I need to do it alone. I need to tell him that I have faith in him. It’s what he needs to hear… and it’s the truth.” Kyoko said. Leon nodded, and Sayaka grinned. 

“I knew you’d come around!” Sayaka said. “This investigation helped me confirm my belief in Makoto, and it did the same thing for you, right?” 

“Yes, I just hope he’d still want to see me. He might not like that-” 

“-He’d love to see you!” Sayaka said with a bounce. “No matter what, Makoto will always like you! I see it in his face whenever he talks about you, and there’s a reason he’s always so engrossed when you talk about your detective stuff! He likes you so much, Kyoko! He was hurt, but I think he knows that you’d never abandon him, after all, you’re the one who brought Phoenix Wright to him!” 

Kyoko blushed. “He’s probably just engrossed because he’s interested in law enforcement as well-” 

“-Nope! My psychic senses tell me it’s more than that!” Sayaka smiled. “You know, for two people who are great at telling how others are feeling, you’re both surprisingly clueless. Anyway, we’ll catch up with you after your visit!” 

Kyoko blushed at Sayaka’s comment, and Leon’s knowing smirk as he elbowed a giggling Sayaka as they walked away. What do they know, Kyoko thought with a roll of her eyes, yet she still had a blush on her face. Hopefully, at the very least, Sayaka was right about Makoto still wanting to see her. It wouldn’t hurt if she were right about his interest in her as well, Kyoko decided with a small smile. 

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April 30th, 3:05 PM

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

Kyoko ducked behind the doorway as Mr. Wright, Maya, and Pearl left the visitor’s room. She didn’t feel like talking to them just yet, though she could make out what they were saying. 

“This case isn’t going to be easy,” Mr. Wright said. 

“Since when is it ever easy for you, Nick?” Maya grinned and elbowed Mr. Wright, who winced as Pearl giggled. 

“Well, we’re going to do our best no matter what tomorrow, for Makoto.” Mr. Wright said with a grin. 

“For Makoto!” Pearl and Maya echoed, and the three left the room, seemingly in high spirits. Kyoko’s lips curled into a small smile. She knew she’d made the right choice. Based on Maya’s words, she’d described Mr. Wright as having a very similar spirit as Makoto, hopeful in the worst of times, and it was relieving to see that her instinct to believe that endorsement paid off. 

Kyoko entered and sat down in front of Makoto. His eyes widened as he saw her, and she could see him biting back a smile, as if he was trying not to get his hopes up. 

“You came back,” he said. “To be honest, I didn’t know if you would. I was getting worried because visiting hours are almost over for the day.”

“How long do we have?” Kyoko asked. 

“Just over twenty minutes, I believe.” Makoto said. “Why’d you come back? I thought you said you were investigating with the prosecution-” 

“-I believe in you.” The words left Kyoko’s lips before she could stop them. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I looked at the crime scene, and I realized… there is so much that didn’t add up, but I should’ve believed in you from the start.”

“You left before I could tell you,” Makoto finally smiled, and Kyoko felt her heart race. “I said I understood. I know you, Kyoko. I wanted you to believe in me, but I knew that there was a high chance you’d be skeptical, that’s who you are… but I never doubted that you cared about me. There’s a few pieces of proof that are pretty indicative of that.” 

Kyoko crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What is that evidence, Makoto?” She allowed herself to smile, and Makoto’s grin seemed to grow even wider. 

“Well, first of all, it was you that first contacted Mr. Wright. Without you, I’d be a goner for sure. No sane lawyer would’ve taken this case.” 

“Are you calling Mr. Wright insane?” Kyoko nearly laughed. 

“Nope, I’m just saying he’s got a lot more spirit than your average lawyer.” Makoto remarked with a chuckle. “And for the second clue, your tie. You normally wear your orange one, but you’re wearing the lavender tie I got you for your first official investigation a few years ago. You wouldn’t have worn it if you didn’t care for me anymore. You wanted to believe in me, Kyoko. You just needed to see it for your own eyes first.” Makoto crossed his arms. “The proof is indisputable. You really care about me, and our friendship is still as intact as ever… that means a lot to me. It helps to give me the hope to stick it out here!” 

Kyoko’s brow furrowed. “How can you say that, though? I doubted you, I’m with the prosecution, and you understand? We’ve been friends for years, and… you and I have a bond. One that I shouldn’t have questioned. After all, you have a similar bond with Sayaka, and she never waivered.” 

Makoto looked at her with an unusual intensity. “You’re just doing your job, and the way I see it, you aren’t working against me. The prosecution is just trying to find the truth, like the defense, and the truth is that it isn’t me! You and Sayaka are two different people, she thinks with her heart, you think with your head, and neither is a bad thing! It just means she’s quicker to come to a decision like belief! You aren’t a bad person for questioning things, it’s what makes you smart, and it’s one of the things I like about you!” Makoto’s impression softened, and he smiled, a faint blush adorning his cheeks. “Besides, I wouldn’t expect our bond to break so easily, I’d fight to keep you by my side. I wouldn’t want to truly lose you. I’d miss you too much.” 

Kyoko’s face reddened, and she looked down at the floor, before meeting a blushing Makoto’s gaze. Makoto looked at her, and she could see the gears in his brain turning. 

“Whatever you’re going to say, just say it. I can tell when something is on your mind.” Kyoko said. 

“Well, if you’re with the prosecution, does that mean you’re testifying tomorrow?” Makoto asked. 

“You need to stop hanging around Sayaka, I think she’s passing her psychic powers onto you.” Kyoko said with a smile. 

“Maybe Hiro’s lending me his clairvoyance from beyond the grave,” Makoto laughed. “I figured you would, though.” 

“Visiting hours are over!” A guard shouted. “Say your last goodbyes!” 

“I’m your friend, Makoto. Tomorrow, and the day after, I will fight for you. I’ll testify about the evidence, but I’ll look for answers. I won’t let you get convicted, no matter my allegiance. I promise you I’ll find the truth.” 

Makoto nodded, but Kyoko noted that his smile was gone. She frowned too, wouldn’t he want her to find the truth? Makoto got up as the guard began to approach them. 

“Kyoko,” he began. “No matter what, please trust in our class. I believe in them!” 

Before Kyoko could even nod, or ask him what he meant, or who specifically he was talking about, Makoto was led away by that guard. She was glad that Makoto and her were back on good terms, but now, new questions plagued her mind. Did Makoto know something about the true culprit, and if he did, why was he protecting them? Kyoko stood up, staring at the now empty chair, with more questions racing through her mind than ever. 

Chapter Text

May 1st, 9:30 AM 

District Court

Defendant Lobby No.2

“We’re here!” Maya announced as she, Pearl, and Phoenix came into the courtroom. The whole class of 78, even the reclusive Toko, had shown up to court. However, most of them merely gave Maya small smiles, or avoided her gaze before turning back to their own conversations. 

“Sorry,” a voice said from behind them. “It’s me they’re probably avoiding. They really think this is it for me.” Phoenix turned around to see a sheepish Makoto, still trying to get used to his handcuffs. 

“Not all of us,” said another voice. 

“Sayaka!” Pearl grinned and ran over to the other girl and gave her a hug. “You’re wearing a flower!” Pearl pointed to Sayaka’s hair, and sure enough in place of her hair clips, there was a flower from the bunch Pearl had given to her. 

“Thanks, Sayaka.” Makoto gave her a tired smile. “I appreciate it.”

“I’ll be rooting for you the whole time! If you need to see a friendly face in there today, just look at me and Pearl! We’ll be rooting for you!” Sayaka said with determination.

“Hey, don’t forget me and Nick!” Maya pouted. “We’re doing the actual defending, so don’t even sweat it, Makoto!” 

“I appreciate it, but I can’t deny I’m nervous.” Makoto looked over to his remaining classmates. “They won’t meet my eyes. Thinking about them all here, watching me possibly get convicted… it scares me.” 

“Hey! You’re making it sound like you’re already guilty!” Phoenix protested. “I haven’t even started yet!” 

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Makoto countered. “I just don’t want them to lose hope, but I can tell they aren’t convinced.” 

“Which is why Mr. Wright is going to convince them.” The group turned around to see Leon, the latter having made his way over to the group. “Seems Sayaka and I are the only ones willing to talk to you guys right now.” 

Well, Phoenix thought, you guys were with us yesterday, I’d be more surprised if you guys weren’t talking to us. Phoenix took a look at the group, and counted ten students. If Leon, Sayaka, and Makoto were here with them, that still left two unaccounted for-

“I can see you looking at the group, Mr. Wright.” Leon pointed to the other side of the lobby. “Mr. Edgeworth waved Taka over the minute he got here with us, and Kyoko was gone before the rest of us even left the school. I’m pretty sure she got here early.” He paused and frowned. “Wait, she was just there-” 

“-That was a good deduction, Leon. Have you ever considered becoming a detective?” Kyoko’s rather monotone voice questioned. Phoenix once again found himself realizing that Kyoko actually had a bit of a sense of humor. 

“Ha ha.” Leon grumbled. “Seriously, where were you?” 

“I arrived early so that Prosecutor Edgeworth and Detective Gumshoe could brief me for my testimony.” Kyoko looked at Phoenix briefly, before returning her gaze to Leon. 

“You’re testifying?!” Phoenix said, a shocked expression adorning his face. “I didn’t think-” 

“I wanted to be a part of this case to the fullest extent, besides, I have faith that Makoto will pull through, and maybe my testimony will help with that.” Kyoko and Makoto shared a glance, and Phoenix felt very out of the loop. 

“Wait, I thought you said that you didn’t believe him and-” 

“-I never said I didn’t believe it. I just didn’t know what I believed at that time. I admit, I did come off as rather… unfeeling. I’d understand if you think less of me.” Kyoko looked down at the floor. 

“No freaking way!” Maya shouted. “We’d never think less of you! You’re crazy smart, and besides, you really helped us out yesterday with the evidence.” Maya smiled. “When I said we were friends, I really meant it.” 

“That’s very nice of you to say,” Kyoko smiled a rare smile. Phoenix couldn’t help but smile too; Kyoko and Maya seemed like an unlikely pair, but he reasoned that it was nice that they were friends. Sayaka, Pearl, Leon, and Makoto seemed similarly pleased with the interaction, and Kyoko was readily accepted into the group without a word more. 

“Now, Mr. Wright, Prosecutor Edgeworth tells me that you’re a formidable opponent, and that your cross examinations can be brutal. Detective Gumshoe has let things slip before, I gather-”

Phoenix sighed, of course Edgeworth had told Kyoko that he’d be harsh. “I won’t-”

“-I expect your toughest questions, Mr. Wright. Promise me you’ll question me as much as possible, leave no stone unturned. I can handle it… and you’ll find me harder to crack than Detective Gumshoe.” Yeah, Phoenix thought. That’s for sure. “I look forward to the challenge. Oh, and please, call me Detective Kirigiri on the stand. It’s more professional.” Kyoko said with a half-smile, before walking off to rejoin Edgeworth, Gumshoe, and Kiyotaka. 

“She’s definitely ready for you,” Makoto smiled. “I’d watch out.” 

“Why are you smiling?!” Leon looked at him incredulously. “She’s testifying against you, y’know!” 

“She’s not testifying against me, she’s just stating facts. Besides, she promised me she’d look out for me, and I believe in her.” Makoto’s smile faded. “Taka’s testimony is what worries me.” 

“Yeah,” Sayaka glanced over to where Kiyotaka was standing, the latter hadn’t once glanced over to their side. “He’s got his reputation as the ultimate moral compass riding on this too. He has no reason to lie.” 

Phoenix furrowed his brow. “No matter what, there are bound to be contradictions in his testimony. It’ll be up to us to pick it apart.” 

“We’ve got this!” Maya said, before her shoulders slumped. “... probably…. maybe.” 

“You guys can do it!” Pearl said encouragingly, her and Sayaka giving matching smiles to Phoenix and Maya.

“Everyone inside! Please, find your seats! The trial will be commencing shortly!” The bailiff by the door shouted. 

“C’mon, Pearl.” Sayaka outstretched her hand, the tiny medium eagerly taking it before giving Phoenix and Maya a final wave. 

She, Sayaka, and Leon walked over to the rest of the class, where Phoenix was at least relieved to see that Pearl was being well received by the rest of the class, Chihiro took Pearl’s free hand as they walked inside to their seats, and he could hear Hina complaining about the fact that Sayaka and Chihiro got to sit next to Pearl. Funny how everyone seemed to like Pearl no matter where they went, Phoenix thought. Well, to be fair, a few of the kids, Toko, Byakuya, Celeste, Mukuro, didn’t seem terribly enthused by her, but oddly enough, they didn’t seem to mind overall. 

“Are you ready for this, Makoto?” Maya asked, as the three of them headed into the courtroom. 

“No, but it’s happening. I’ve just got to remember not to give up hope!” Makoto’s eyes flashed with optimism mixed with nerves. It was an odd combination to see. 

The three of them walked into the courtroom, and as the doors shut behind them with a definitive slam, Phoenix’s heart skipped a beat. No matter how many times he’d gone through this, and would go through it again in the future,  it would always be daunting. Makoto’s fate was now in his hands. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st, 10:00 AM

District Court

Courtroom No.3

Phoenix knew he had mere moments before the trial started. He glanced at Makoto, who sat in the defendant’s chair, and they shared a knowing look. Phoenix looked towards the stands, amusingly enough, the class of 78 plus Pearl had all crammed into one row on the benches, Pearl waving at Phoenix and Maya from her spot in between Sayaka and Chihiro. Phoenix suddenly felt very nervous, as all of their eyes pressed into his back. Would it kill at least one of them to stare at Edgeworth like that?! In the row below them, Gumshoe sat down, his pen in hand, preparing to take notes. Knowing him, the notes would probably be terrible-

“-Court is now in session for the trial of Makoto Naegi,” The Judge said, snapping Phoenix to attention.

‘The defense is ready, Your Honor.” Phoenix said with a nod. 

“The prosecution is ready as well,” Edgeworth said. 

“Your opening statement, Prosecutor Edgeworth.” The Judge turned in his chair towards Edgeworth. 

“The prosecution believes this to be an open and shut case, Your Honor. We have a reliable witness and solid evidence that place the defendant at the scene of the crime. Through testimony and evidence, Your Honor will see that Mr. Naegi was caught in the murder of his classmate, Mr. Hagakure. The prosecution asks that he be punished as any other criminal, despite his age.” Edgeworth finished his statement with a bow. 

“Man, he always does that,” Maya quipped. Phoenix nodded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. 

“The prosecution may call its first witness,” the Judge said. 

“The prosecution calls one of the detectives who worked the scene of the crime, and has been briefed on all details concerning the investigation. Despite her age, her talent and reliability is unquestioned.” Edgeworth gestured to the witness stand. “The prosecution calls Detective Kyoko Kirigiri to the stand.” 

Kyoko walked up and took her place on the witness stand, her expression calm. She nodded to Edgeworth. 

“Wow, Nick!” Maya looked at Kyoko. “She’s as cool as a cucumber up there! I’d never know this was her first real testimony! I’m impressed.” 

Phoenix sighed. “Maybe save the compliments for after the trial, Maya.” 

“As a formality to the court, please state your name and profession.” Edgeworth said to Kyoko. 

“I’m Kyoko Kirigiri, a student at Hope’s Peak academy, and the ultimate detective. I was cleared to investigate this case by the prosecution due to my ultimate talent.” 

“Hmm, Kirigiri,” the Judge said. “I swear I’ve heard that name before…” 

“I come from a long line of detectives, Your Honor. Maybe one of them gave testimony for you before as well.” Kyoko said. 

“Oh! That could be it!” The Judge said, his eyes widening. “I have been around long enough to see generations go by in this court!” 

Yeah, Phoenix thought, looking at the greys of the Judge’s beard. That’s for sure. Sometimes, the fact that the Judge even remembered what day it is was a feat in itself. 

“Anyway, Detective Kirigiri, please tell us about the incident.” Edgeworth said, hoping to stop the Judge before he went on a tangent about being old. 

Kyoko nodded. “The incident occured at night, around 10 PM. On the night in question, the victim, Yasuhiro Hagakure, was in his room. During that time, he was attacked with a crystal ball and stabbed. The defendant was found by another student with the victim, and the police were called. The defendant was found by police to still be in the room with the victim, and promptly arrested and questioned.” 

“Oh, that seems very dire indeed,” the Judge said, shaking his head. “Well, it does sound fairly open and shut.” 

Phoenix gulped. Seriously, how easy was the judge to convince?! “Your Honor, I still have to cross-examine Detective Kirigiri!” Phoenix quickly interjected before the Judge declared poor Makoto guilty on the spot. 

“Oh, yes! I almost forgot about that! By all means Mr. Wright, go ahead!” 

“Here’s your chance to get Kyoko to say what you want her to, you just have to press the right stuff, Nick!” Maya gave him a reassuring nod. 

“Yeah,” he said. “I think she was being vague on purpose. She wants me to think through what I ask.” 

Phoenix took a deep breath. “Detective Kirigiri, you say the incident occurred around 10 PM last night. How do you know that?” 

Kyoko gave him a rather unimpressed look. Ouch. “Simple,” she picked up another piece of evidence. “This is a statement given by the Hope’s Peak Academy Headmaster. It states that at 10 PM, the gates of the academy close for the night. By the time the police arrived at the scene, the gates had been closed, and were reopened for them. Also, there is the fact that the victim’s death is dated at approximately 9:50. This means that the incident took place around that time frame.” 

“The victim was in his room, right? What was he doing?” Phoenix asked. 

“He was studying, evidenced by this note he wrote himself.” Kyoko displayed the note, and the Judge nodded. 

“That handwriting is awfully neat,” the Judge said. 

“Yes, his handwriting was rather neat despite his lack of interest in his studies.” Kyoko said. 

Phoenix, sensing the Judge could potentially go on a tangent, changed the subject again. “Why was the defendant arrested? Weren’t there other students in the vicinity?” 

Kyoko shook her head, and gave Phoenix a stony stare. She’s looking at me like I’ve suddenly said something rather dire, he thought with a gulp. He looked over to Edgeworth, who suddenly seemed rather assured. 

“The defendant was the only student seen at the scene, and was seen with a knife.” Kyoko lifted up the evidence bag with the knife in it. Phoenix could see that the knife still had blood on it. “He was taken in on account of his proximity to the defendant, his condition … and the fact that his prints were found on this knife.” Kyoko’s face looked grim, she clearly hadn’t been enthused about having to say that last part. 

“You see?” Edgeworth gestured to the court. “Without a doubt, Mr. Naegi is linked to this crime scene. Detective Kirigiri, that will be all-” 

“OBJECTION!” Phoenix cried out. “I want to hear from the detective about… the condition of the defendant when he was brought into questioning!” 

“Where are you going with this, Wright?” Edgeworth’s eyes narrowed.

“I wonder that as well, Mr. Edgeworth,” the Judge said. ‘Mr. Wright, what will this prove?” 

“I believe that the defendant’s condition upon arrest is critical knowledge the court needs in order to decide this case fairly!” Phoenix emphatically stated. 

“What do you say, Mr. Edgeworth?” The Judge questioned. 

“I have briefed Detective Kirigiri on every detail of this case, so she knows this quite well.” Edgeworth turned to Kyoko. “However, I would like to ask the good detective herself, do you believe that your testimony is necessary here?” 

“Yes, Prosecutor Edgeworth, sir. I believe it is necessary for the court to have as much detail as possible when it comes to this case.” Kyoko locked eyes with Phoenix for a brief moment before meeting Edgeworth’s gaze. Phoenix felt a chill all of a sudden. He’d only been trying to offer a strong front after letting the knife thing slip, but now, he’d probably stumbled onto something here. Something Kyoko would probably want him to discover. 

“I hope Makoto is doing alright,” Maya said. “Hopefully having Kyoko of all people testifying against him isn’t too much for him.” 

“I think he can handle it,” Phoenix said, looking to where Makoto was in the defendant’s chair. He was laser-focused on the trial. Phoenix could hardly blame him, his life was on the line.

“Well, Detective Kirigiri, please testify about the defendant’s condition,” the Judge said. 

“When the defendant was brought in, he was fingerprinted right away. Those prints were found on the knife. The defendant had no external injuries. The defendant had blood on his hands, and certain areas of his hoodie.” Edgeworth nodded to Kyoko, and she revealed a brown hoodie with several blood stains, the brunt of them gathered at the lower part of the sleeves. “Criminal Affairs finished processing this jacket late last night. The prosecution would like to add it to court evidence.” 

“Approved,” the Judge said. Phoenix could feel himself starting to sweat. He didn’t know they’d processed the jacket as well. 

“The blood from the hoodie matches the blood on the knife, which has been linked to the victim. Finally, the knife with his prints was found on the defendant’s person, and confiscated from the defendant as soon as he was arrested.” 

Hmm, Phoenix placed a pensive hand under his chin. There was a lot in that statement. He racked his brain. There wasn’t anything he could press about the fingerprints, those were there without a doubt. There was a statement that did strike him as odd, though. 

“They found the knife on him and everything… this isn’t a great topic to hear about, Nick.” Maya looked worried. Now that was only making him more worried. Still, he saw one statement he could press. 

“Detective Kirigiri, you said that the victim had no external injuries, correct?” Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

“That’s correct.”

“Well, that seems rather unlikely, don’t you think?” Phoenix asked.

“What are you getting at, Wright?” Edgeworth asked, crossing his arms. 

“The fact that the defendant had no external injuries contradicts with the evidence!” Phoenix gestured to the shards. “Evidence states that Mr. Hagakure was attacked with a crystal ball, which is confirmed by these shards that were found in his room. His talent as the ultimate clairvoyant granted the killer access to that otherwise improbable weapon. It isn’t an ideal weapon, as it isn’t as heavy-hitting as other blunt objects, and it has a large chance of injuring the assailant as well. For instance, if the killer was indeed barehanded, like the defendant was, they would’ve cut their hand when the glass shattered!” 

“What?!” Edgeworth’s eyes widened. “Maybe the defendant merely protected his hands with something-” 

“-not possible.” Phoenix shook his head. “Recall the knife presented moments earlier. The knife is said to have the defendant’s prints. However, if the defendant did indeed assault the victim with the crystal ball and gotten by unscathed with some kind of protection on his hands, there would’ve been no reason for him to handle the knife with his bare hands and leave evidence! It’s contradictory!” 

“Huh!” The Judge said. “That does seem odd! Why wouldn’t the defendant have gotten injured? Surely, some of the glass would’ve cut his hand, right?” 

Kyoko gave Phoenix a look, and Phoenix could tell she was pleased. Even if her face hardly changed from its normal stoic expression. 

“Detective Kirigiri, how do you explain this major inconsistency?” Phoenix said. “The blood on the defendant’s hoodie, none of it belonged to him, correct?” 

“Yes, all of the blood was the victim’s. It is rather inconsistent.” Kyoko looked towards Edgeworth, who gave her a cold look. Kyoko cleared her throat. “However, there was still enough evidence concerning the knife and the witness account to lead to the defendant’s arrest. May I remind the court, Mr. Naegi is the ultimate lucky student. If anyone could have avoided injury by a miracle, it was him.” 

“That does seem like a wonderful talent to have,” the Judge said. “If that is all-” 

“No, that’s wrong!” 

Phoenix’s eyes widened and he and Maya, along with the rest of the court, whipped around to the defendant’s chair to see Makoto had stood up, and slammed his hands on the table. 

“It was impossible for me to avoid an injury! After all, there is evidence that shows that Hiro went down with a fight, as he didn’t die instantly. The autopsy says 9:50, but when I got to him, he was still alive at around 9:47.” Makoto continued, despite Phoenix desperately trying to gesture for him to stop. “He was bigger than me, and I have no fighting experience. Even if I used the crystal ball successfully, he still would’ve fought me! I would have scratches, bruises!” Makoto rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie. “It would’ve been impossible for me to win that fight without getting injured! Good luck doesn’t-” 

The Judge slammed his gavel down, trying to silence the buzz that had overtaken the courtroom during Makoto’s apparent testimony. Phoenix took a quick look at the gallery. Class 78 was abuzz, most of them looking confused. 

“Yo, is he allowed to do that?” Phoenix heard Mondo whispering to Chihiro, the latter shrugging, 

Sayaka was clutching Pearl’s hand, and giving Makoto a concerned look. Pearl was saying something too quietly for Phoenix to hear, but based on Sayaka’s small smile afterwards, Phoenix reasoned it was comforting. Strangely, Byakuya looked rather amused, and he merely shook his head at Makoto with a smirk. Toko was now staring rather intensely at Edgeworth. Junko whispered something to Celeste, and both girls snickered. Leon, Hifumi, Hina, Sakura, and even Detective Gumshoe from the next row, had now gotten in on Mondo and Chihiro’s conversation and were starting to get rather loud. 

“Makoto does have a point, Yasuhiro did outmuscle him,” Sakura murmured. 

“Does that mean he’s innocent?” Hina questioned, holding onto Sakura’s arm. 

“No way!” Hifumi squeaked. “The knife!” 

“The knife does make this thing seem clear, huh pal?” 

“What was your name again?” 

 The Judge, seeing class 78’s (and Gumshoe’s) chatter plunging his court into chaos, glared at Makoto, slamming his gavel with authority. “Mr. Naegi, I understand you wanting your say, but I can’t abide an unruly defendant interrupting proceedings in my courtroom! You will cease at once, so that this court can have order!” The Judge hit his gavel again. “That will be a penalty against the defense!” 

Makoto slumped sullenly back in his chair, his cheeks beet-red. The class instantly went silent again, the Judge’s glare quieting them. 

“Good thing Taka isn’t here right now,” Maya grinned. “They’d all have detention otherwise. Well, I guess Makoto is pretty much in detention now.”

Despite getting a penalty for Makoto’s outburst, Phoenix still felt bad. Besides, his point was valid. There’s no way that he could’ve gotten out completely unscathed. Next to him, Maya looked at Makoto and winced. 

‘Poor Makoto, you can tell he really wants to help,” Maya sighed. “You know, I think I know why Kyoko said he’d fit in with us. You would’ve totally done that if you were in that chair, Nick.” Phoenix shook his head, despite knowing that what Maya said was 100 percent true. 

“It’s a pity you can’t get your defendant in line, Wright. I believe that is all from Detective Kirigiri, whose testimony was most informative.” Edgeworth gave Kyoko a small bow. “Quite a respectable debut, Detective.” 

“Thank you, Sir. I only hope my testimony will aid the court further in this trial.” Kyoko said with a nod, and a slight bow towards Edgeworth. Phoenix couldn’t tell if it was out of respect, or a way of mocking Edgeworth’s habit. 

“Quite an informative and lively testimony! You lived up to your Kirigiri reputation, young lady!” The Judge said with a smile. “I will now call a 10 minute recess, for the prosecution to prepare its next witness!” The judge banged his gavel, and Phoenix let out a deep breath. One testimony down, one to go. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st, 11:10 AM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 2

“Makoto! You can’t just have an outburst like that in court!” Maya gave Makoto a jab with her elbow to his formerly uninjured arm. “You got us a penalty!” 

“Sorry,” Makoto said, shoulders slumping. His face was still fairly red. “I just couldn’t hold it in anymore. I had to say something! I mean, I know that Kyoko’s words were deliberate. I knew what she was trying to prompt you to say and-” 

“Makoto,” Phoenix sighed. “I honestly get it. You’ve got that kind of personality. You have to be the person who helps and defends other people, even if it gets you in trouble. You believe the best in people.” Phoenix gave him a small smile. “I’m the same way.” 

Makoto looked at him, and smiled as well. “Yeah, I could sorta tell. You’re a defense attorney, after all. It’s a logical deduction to make.” Makoto looked over to his classmates, who were in a frenzy of discussion. This time, a few of them snuck glances at Makoto. “They’re looking at me, that’s a start. Well, some of them.” 

Phoenix followed Makoto’s gaze over to where Edgeworth, Gumshoe, and Kyoko were standing, talking to Kiyotaka, whose eyes seemed to be glued to the courtroom doors. To be fair, he was probably very nervous. It was a stark reminder that they were definitely not out of the woods yet. 

“We’ve still got a long way to go,” Phoenix warned. “Be ready… but maybe don’t have another outburst. At least, not today. The Judge will probably penalize me again.” 

Makoto nodded and Maya slapped him on the back. “You can do this, Makoto!” 

“Ouch, and thanks!” Makoto said with a pained smile. 

Maya grinned and waved him off as the bailiff announced that it was time for them to come back into court. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st, 11:20 AM

District Court

Courtroom No.3

“Court is back in session,” the Judge said once everyone had taken their seats. 

Once again, class 78 and Pearl were sandwiched into their row, Pearl still sitting next to Chihiro and Sayaka. This time, Kyoko had joined them, sitting in the row below with Detective Gumshoe, who was grinning like a proud parent as she took out a notebook and pen of her own. Phoenix realized that Pearl had probably taken up the space that Kyoko would’ve sat in. Luckily, Kyoko didn’t seem to mind, if anything, enjoying the extra room. 

“Mr. Edgeworth, you may call your next witness,” the Judge said. 

Edgeworth nodded, reading from his notes. “The prosecution calls the student who reported the defendant to the police after seeing him and the victim. The prosecution calls Kiyotaka Ishimaru to the stand.” 

Kiyotaka climbed up to the witness stand, alert and at attention. He was comically rigid, his hands placed tightly by his sides, his uniform was impeccably neat and professional. At least he dressed for court, Phoenix thought. 

“Would the witness please state his name and grade in school for the court?” Edgeworth said, looking at Kiyotaka. 

“My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru! I am in my final year of Hope’s Peak Academy!” Kiyotaka yelled, half of the courtroom covering their ears. Ironically, Makoto, along with the rest of the class, seemed pretty unaffected. “I am the ultimate moral compass, and the president of the school’s public morals committee! I also monitor the halls and-” 

Edgeworth held up his hand with a sigh. “That’s quite enough, Mr. Ishimaru. We get the picture… and the prosecution would appreciate it if you brought your voice down. These courtroom walls have a nasty echo effect.” 

“My apologies!” Kiyotaka barked with a salute. He was only slightly quieter than before, and Edgeworth sighed, clearly giving up. Phoenix figured he could get used to it. 

“Taka’s really nice, but he’s got no indoor voice, huh?” Maya sighed. 

Phoenix nodded. “At least it’ll be easy to hear his testimony.” 

“Hmm… Ishimaru…” The Judge looked pensive again. “I swear, I must be going senile. I’ve heard that name too, I’m sure of it!” 

Suddenly, Kiyotaka’s face grew even paler than it already was. Phoenix wasn’t sure how the Judge didn’t immediately remember that Kiyotaka’s grandfather had been in one of the biggest political scandals in recent history. The trial against him was something they taught in law school.

“Your Honor, if we sat here all day trying to remember where you’ve seen someone, we’d never get anywhere,” Edgeworth interjected, coming to a mortified Kiyotaka’s rescue. “Besides, the past is not important, we are not defined by our ancestors and their actions.” He looked straight at Kiyotaka when he said this, and the latter’s expression relaxed ever-so-slightly. “What matters now is that this witness is brave enough to testify in front of his own classmates, and against his former friend to serve justice.” 

Phoenix couldn’t help but appreciate moments like this, moments that showed that Edgeworth actually cared. Even if he liked to pretend otherwise. He knew that there was an undeniable part of Edgeworth that would want to extend protection to this loudmouthed boy that put himself on the stand for Edgeworth’s case, as he viewed his witnesses as those who spoke out for the truth. Judging by the way he’d praised Kyoko’s testimony, he’d also had her interests in mind as well. Phoenix shook himself from these thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to get distracted by Edgeworth’s subtle displays of heart, after all, Edgeworth was priming Kiyotaka to condemn Makoto. 

The Judge nodded, abandoning his train of thought. “Quite right, Mr. Edgeworth. Truly, you do have a way with words.” 

“Thank you, Your Honor.” Edgeworth took another bow. 

“Man, Edgeworth already charmed the Judge again.” Maya said. “Where’s your inspiring speech, Nick?” 

Well, if I’d known we’d be giving inspirational speeches, maybe I’d have prepared that instead of the court record, Phoenix sighed. He knew that he’d never have that kind of refined charm that Edgeworth had, he had to rely on his brain. It always helped out in a bind. Well, almost always. 

“Witness, please describe your recollection of the night the incident took place.” Edgeworth said. 

Kiyotaka placed a hand under his chin. “I was out with three of my friends, Mondo, Hina, and Sakura, as it was a Friday night, and we’d all done our studying during the week. We’d gone out during the evening, and returned precisely at 9:40 PM, as I did not want us to be at risk of violating curfew.” Taka took a quick glance at his wristwatch, as if to affirm what he said before continuing. “My friends stopped by the courtyard, and I decided to go to the dorms. When I got there, I noticed Yasuhiro’s door was ajar. When I decided to look…” Kiyotaka hung his head, and Phoenix could see he was trying to keep his composure. “I saw Makoto there, covered in blood and holding a knife. I immediately ran to call the police.” 

“Hmm,” the Judge’s expression clouded with thought. “Well the testimony seems solid to me. Mr. Wright, do you wish to cross-examine the witness?” 

“Yes, of course!” Phoenix said. Of course he had to cross examine the witness! If he didn’t, this case would be over! 

Edgeworth shook his head. “I just hope you don’t dig yourself into a deeper hole, Wright.” 

“He’s just trying to psych you out, Nick!” Maya said, giving Phoenix a reassuring smile. “You can do this, no surrender!” 

Phoenix took a deep breath. “Mr. Ishimaru,” he began. “Before we begin, I couldn’t help but notice your watch. Were you wearing it on the night of the murder?” 

Kiyotaka nodded. “I always wear my watch, that way, I will never be late to class!” 

Sheesh, Phoenix thought. Is this guy a total control freak? “Thank you, witness. Now, why did you go to the dorm rooms alone? Why did you leave your friends? Did you know that something would be amiss?” 

“N-no!” Kiyotaka’s hair seemed to stand on end. “Well… two of my friends decided it would be a great idea if they had a push-up contest right there in the courtyard, as we’d gotten to school with time to spare.” Kiyotaka’s shoulders relaxed, and he rolled his eyes fondly, as if he were reminiscing about the night in question. 

Maya snickered, subtly nodding to the benches, where Mondo and Hina both had rather bashful looks on their faces. Sakura, for her part, looked fairly bemused. Now Phoenix found himself wondering who won. 

“Anyway,” Kiyotaka continued, “After the two showed no sign of stopping, I decided to go to the dorms to check on Makoto and Yasuhiro. I figured I wouldn’t be long, so I just decided to slip away, with the intention of returning shortly.” 

“Wait a minute,” Phoenix asked. “How did you know that Makoto would be with Yasuhiro?” 

“Wright,” Edgeworth cut in harshly. “What are you implying?” 

“If Kiyotaka knew about the night in question-”

“Do you really believe I would stoop to such a low?!” Kiyotaka glared at Phoenix, his eyebrows furrowing together to bring out the intensity of his red eyes. “I knew about Makoto and Yasuhiro because the idea of studying was mine! I didn’t attend the session because I had already made plans.” The anger faded from Kiyotaka’s eyes, and his eyes grew misty instead. “If I had stayed behind… maybe this wouldn’t have happened. I am the one who permitted Makoto to help Yasuhiro!” Kiyotaka shook, visibly on the brink of tears. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” Phoenix said. He felt bad, seeing Kiyotaka’s state. He remembered that Leon felt similarly based on their conversations yesterday. Phoenix now wondered, did Makoto feel that way as well, as if he’d failed to prevent Yasuhiro’s death? 

“I would like to continue please!” Kiyotaka shakily yelled. 

“Of course, Mr. Ishimaru,” Edgeworth said. “Please, continue with your answer.” 

“When I arrived there, I realized it was rather quiet for a study session, and I saw the door was open a crack already. I opened it, to see Makoto holding a knife, and then I saw Hiro’s body and I ran.” 

A lightbulb went off in Phoenix’s head. “What time would you say you arrived?” 

Kiyotaka fiddled with his wristwatch. “I’d say around 9:49 PM!”

Phoenix held up the photo of Yasuhiro’s floor. “Can you point out to me exactly where you saw his body?” 

Kiyotaka looked closely at the photo and closed his eyes, trying to visualise the scene. Finally he pointed to the spot on the floor with the most blood, not the spot that the police had ultimately outlined. Phoenix remembered Kyoko’s theory, Makoto had moved the body, and if he’d done that after Kiyotaka came and left then...bingo. 

“Just to clarify, you left as soon as you saw the body, correct?” Phoenix asked. 

Kiyotaka nodded. 

Phoenix slammed his hands on the desk. “Therein lies the contradiction, Your Honor! The witness claims that he saw the body over here,” He gestured to the larger bloodstain, “But in reality, the police found the body over here, as shown by the outline!” 

The Judge’s eyes widened. “Well, that is certainly a contradiction! Does the witness have an explanation for this?” 

Kiyotaka looked very confused. “That’s impossible! I am positive I saw Yasuhiro there!” 

Edgeworth slammed a hand onto his table, commanding the conversation to him. “There’s an easy explanation for that! The defendant moved the body once the witness fled the scene!”

“That doesn’t make sense!” Phoenix countered. “Why would he bother moving the body if he’d already been seen! That shows his priorities weren’t covering up a murder, because if they were… he would’ve attacked the witness to silence him!” 

Edgeworth grinned and shook his head. “Wright, aren’t you forgetting the point your very own defendant made earlier in the day? He said he couldn’t have taken the victim in a fight. If he couldn’t take the victim even with the element of surprise, there’s no way he’d be able to fight the witness, who was fully aware of his weapon, and stronger than him in terms of stature regardless.” 

“Wouldn’t a potential scuffle alert students nearby as well?” The Judge asked. “If the defendant had attacked the witness, surely the witness would’ve screamed.” 

“Exactly,” Edgeworth nodded. “The defendant couldn’t have attacked, it would’ve blown his cover for sure.” 

Damn it! Phoenix began to sweat. He’d been onto something there, he knew it. He had to get Kiyotaka to testify some more, reveal more details to cast doubt on Makoto’s guilt. 

“So, Mr. Wright,” the Judge asked, “What reason would the defendant have to move the body?” 

“Hey, Nick. Taka said he saw them at 9:49, right?” Maya crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t that mean that Hiro was still alive?” 

Phoenix’s eyes widened. That was it! “The reason he moved the body was simple, and it shows who the defendant really is! The reason he moved the body was to try and save the victim’s life!” 

“What?!” The Judge’s eyes widened. “Why would Mr. Naegi try to save his own victim?” 

Phoenix placed his hands on his hips. “Simple, Your Honor. Makoto isn’t the killer. If he was, he’d have no reason to do this. If you look at the photo,” Phoenix presented the photo to the Judge, who studied it carefully. “The victim was originally found lying on the ground by the witness and the defendant shortly after one another. The victim was bleeding out, of course. So, the defendant took it upon himself to try and stop his bleeding by first applying pressure with his hands.” Phoenix showed the hoodie. “The placement of the blood on the defendant’s hoodie is evident of that. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, and to make matters worse, the witness walks in and completely misunderstands the situation, leaving before the defendant can explain-”

“-Why didn’t the defendant go after the witness to clear the matter then?!” Edgeworth interjected. “He had ample time to do so!” 

“No, not with the victim’s life in the balance!” Phoenix replied. “The defendant tried to prop the victim against the wall, to try and give him support, instead of fleeing the scene and disposing of his hoodie and the knife as any killer would’ve done. Instead, he tried to help the victim, but it was too late. According to the autopsy report, the victim died mere minutes after, or even during this transfer to the wall.” 

Phoenix looked at Makoto, whose expression was pained, clearly reliving his friend dying in his arms all over again. He probably felt powerless right now, Phoenix realized, the Judge had penalized the defense when he’d tried to interject, and he’d previously tried to save Yasuhiro’s life, only to be arrested for it. 

“That theory is quite plausible,” the Judge admitted. “It is quite odd that the defendant wouldn’t immediately flee the scene. I am starting to find some inconsistencies here myself-” 

“-Not so fast, Your Honor!” Edgeworth exclaimed. “There is still a sizable amount of time unaccounted for. There is the time in which Mr. Ishimaru called the police, to their arrival. We do not know what happened then, if Mr. Naegi tried to dispose of evidence then or-” 

“I can testify about that!” Kiyotaka interjected. 

He’d been silent awhile, transfixed by the argument between Phoenix and Edgeworth. Based on the look of desperation on his face, he was starting to have doubts about his own recollection. He probably wanted to make sure he hadn’t condemned an innocent man. Phoenix sighed, Kiyotaka probably wasn’t going to take his cross-examination all that well. 

“Alright,” Edgeworth said with a nod. He looked slightly apprehensive. “The witness will testify about what happened after he left the room.”

“Good job, Nick!” Maya said. “You bought us another testimony!”

Phoenix sighed, feeling his body deflate. He wasn’t sure he had the court there, but he had no idea what Kiyotaka was going to say now. For all he knew, this could be Makoto’s death knell. 

“You may begin your testimony, witness,” the Judge said. 

“After I ran out of the room, I ran from the halls, to the stairs, and immediately used my cell phone to call the police.” Kiyotaka produced a small flip phone from his pocket. “It is rather outdated, but it works fine. After I called the police, I ran to the headmaster’s office to alert him of the situation. The headmaster left for the dorms to alert the other students, and I ran outside back to my friends and told them everything. Then, we went to the front gates of the school, and waited for the police, who arrived at exactly 10:19 PM. They arrested Makoto at around 10:23.” 

“I just have another question for you before the cross-examination, witness. When you were waiting for the police, who all was there?” Edgeworth asked. 

“It was me, Mondo, Hina, Sakura, and… oh! Kyoko was there as well! Nobody else was around.” 

“Was Detective Kirigiri already by the main gate when you arrived?” Edgeworth questioned. 

Phoenix narrowed his eyes. What was Edgeworth trying to prove? He had to stay on his guard now, because Edgeworth was definitely up to something. Maya’s face was twisted in confusion, and Phoenix snuck a quick glance at Makoto, who watched Edgeworth intently, as if he was trying to decipher his line of questioning as well. 

“Yes, she was.” Kiyotaka placed a hand under his chin, and furrowed his eyebrows in thought. “In fact, she was there, writing in her notepad when we’d first arrived back at 9:40! We passed her on our way back into the school, though she didn’t notice.” 

“I see, that’s very helpful.” Edgeworth nodded. “The defense may cross-examine the witness now.” 

“Hey, that’s my line!” The Judge protested. 

“My apologies, Your Honor.” Edgeworth said. 

“So, Mr. Ishimaru,” Phoenix interjected, “What route did you take to get to the headmaster’s office? Please, show us on this map.” Phoenix got out the map of Hope’s Peak that Alter Ego made and handed it to Kiyotaka. 

“I was here,” Kiyotaka pointed to the dorms. “Then, I ran up the stairs to the Headmaster’s Office on the fifth floor.” 

“Did you see anyone on either of your trips?” Phoenix inquired. 

“No! I’ll admit, I wasn’t paying attention like I should’ve been. I was scared and I was… well.. I was in disbelief. I didn’t think that Makoto could ever-” 

“-No off topic tangents, Mr. Ishimaru.” Edgeworth interrupted. 

Kiyotaka’s face flushed with embarrassment, though an unsure look was splayed across his features. Maybe I can use this, Phoenix thought. He’s having second thoughts, maybe even wondering if he’s doing the right thing right now.  

“Well, it all took about twenty minutes. I don’t think I’ve ever ran so fast. I am surprised the police were able to arrive so fast as well,” Kiyotaka admitted. 

“Just how long of a gap was there between you leaving the room, and you alerting the headmaster?” Phoenix asked. 

“Around seven minutes,” Kiyotaka said. “Maybe a few more if you count our descent, and his alerting of students.” 

“Woah, when he said he ran fast, he really wasn’t kidding,” Maya muttered. 

“I believe that statement right there was rather revealing, witness.” Phoenix said, looking directly at Kiyotaka. 

“Why is that?” Kiyotaka asked, nervousness creeping into his voice. 

“It means that there was a seven minute window that Makoto could’ve used to leave the room, or even dispose of evidence!” Phoenix slammed his hands down emphatically on the desk, making sure the court’s attention was on him. “He had the knife already covered in his prints. There was also another incriminating piece of evidence he should’ve tried to find and get rid of,” Phoenix held up the Justice card. 

“What exactly is that?” the Judge squinted at the card. “Why is there a lumpy balloon drawn on it… oh! I see it! There is a rather neat M written on this card! And it is… covered in blood!” 

Phoenix nodded. “That blood has been identified as the victim’s as well. The handwriting also matches that of the note he’d written earlier.” 

“What exactly is this card?” The Judge asked. “It is rather peculiar, regardless of a bloody message.” 

“It’s a tarot card!” Kiyotaka barked from the witness stand before Phoenix could even answer. “Yasuhiro was the ultimate clairvoyant, and those tarot cards were part of what he used to help read people’s fortunes. He always carried around the cards with him.” 

“Fascinating!” the Judge said. “I wonder, did those cards ever actually predict the future? I wonder what my cards would’ve been.” 

Phoenix took the Justice card and showed it to the court before the Judge could go on again. Based on his limited knowledge of what Yasuhiro was like when he was alive, Phoenix guessed the Judge probably wouldn’t have gotten a very accurate reading. 

“Exactly, Mr. Ishimaru,” Phoenix said. “It was public knowledge to anyone in the school that Yasuhiro carried this card deck, and it would’ve been an easy thing to check for if you were a killer, as they could be used like this Justice Card was.” Phoenix took a breath. “The fact that the defendant didn’t look for this, or if he did find it, he didn’t rip up or try to dispose of this very incriminating piece of evidence, along with the fact that he did not attempt to dispose of the knife only show how my client isn’t guilty!” 

“OBJECTION!” Edgeworth pointed at Phoenix. “I’ll admit, you do know how to put up a fight, Wright. However, there is a much more sinister reason that the defendant didn’t leave the room. In fact, it’s twofold.”

 Edgeworth took a piece of paper from the court record. “This,” he said, “Is a map of Hope’s Peak dormitories, and the camera placement in the hallway.” Edgeworth gestured to a particular mark. “Just a few steps into the hallway, and the defendant would be caught on camera. Plus, if he managed to escape with the intent to leave the school, Detective Kirigiri, who was established to be by the front gate, would’ve seen and apprehended him.” Edgeworth cleared a stray hair from his face before slamming the desk with authority. “The defendant wasn’t being altruistic, he was stuck!” 

“OBJECTION!” Phoenix slammed both his hands on the desk, matching Edgeworth’s demeanor. “There are fatal flaws in both of your points, Edgeworth!” 

“Oh, then educate me, Wright.” Edgeworth glared. “Just what are these flaws?” 

“The flaw in assuming Makoto is trapped because of Detective Kirigiri’s presence is simply that he would have no way of knowing that she is there!” Phoenix continued. “If Makoto was busy committing and planning for a murder, surely he’d plan for an escape route, and he would try to plan for a time where Detective Kirigiri isn’t by the front gates! Plus, if he was in the room for the amount of time he was, he’d have no way of knowing who was where, including Detective Kirigiri’s location!” 

“Hmmm, the defense does make a solid point…” the Judge pondered. “But, how do you explain the cameras, Mr. Wright? Prosecutor Edgeworth is correct, it would be hard to consider a path to avoid them.” 

“Hard? Yes.” Phoenix grinned. “Impossible, however, is a different story.”

Edgeworth’s eyes narrowed. Next to him, Maya’s face lit up with realization. On the witness stand, Kiyotaka’s mind appeared to be racing, trying to think of what Phoenix was going to say. From the defendant’s chair, Makoto gave Phoenix a nod, it was clear he trusted him. Don’t mess this up, Phoenix, he thought. You’ve got to stick the landing here, or we’re done. 

“Prosecutor Edgeworth took the liberty of bringing a map with the camera’s fields of vision shaded in.” Phoenix gestured to the map. “If the court would look here,” he pointed towards the cameras, and illustrated a path from Yasuhiro’s dorm to the exit, “You’ll see that these cameras all have blind spots that someone could exploit to pass through the hallways undetected, thus freeing them to go outside!” 

“OBJECTION! That would take an insane amount of maneuvering, Wright!” Edgeworth stared intensely at Phoenix. Phoenix felt his stomach start to buzz with nerves, but he made sure not to let it show. He couldn’t give Edgeworth an inch right now. “Besides, there is no guaranteeing that the defendant even knew about this path of blind spots in the first place!” 

Phoenix couldn’ help the grin that broke onto his face. “Edgeworth, I’m afraid that your last point doesn’t hold water. The defendant knew about the blind spots, and I have the evidence to prove it!” 

“What?!” Edgeworth’s eyes widened, and the confidence vanished from his face. “I never saw any evidence that-no-it’s impossible! I call your bluff!” 

Maya grinned. “Should I tell him about my little visit to Hope’s Peak, Nick?” 

Phoenix shook his head. “Not yet.” 

“I am very intrigued,” the Judge said. “Now tell me, just what is this evidence?” 

“Take a look at this, Your Honor.” Phoenix took out the flyer for Hazuraka Temple, and showed it to the court. “This is a flyer advertising a retreat to learn more about spirit mediums, their culture, and the Kurain channeling technique.” 

“Ah!” The Judge sat upright. “Now I know I’ve seen this flyer before!” 

“Yes, it was from a previous case from a few months ago.” Edgeworth said. “Is this some sort of joke? Why bring months old evidence?” 

Phoenix shook his head. “This is brand new evidence. It was found in the victim’s room. Mr. Hagakure had an interest in the Kurain Channeling technique, and one day, around 5 months ago, he happened to run into my assistant Maya Fey,” Maya waved awkwardly to the courtroom. From their spots in the stands, both Pearl and Chihiro waved back. “He and another student, Leon Kuwata, brought her back to the school to perform a channeling, but as evidenced by the headmaster’s statement, visitors need authorization, and they didn’t have that. Instead, they used this system of camera blind spots to sneak her in, but they had help-” Phoenix pointed to the defendant’s chair, “-from the defendant himself! This proves that the defendant knew full well about the blind spots!” 

“This is ridiculous!” Edgeworth growled, striking his desk. “Who else could even corroborate-” 

“-I can!” 

Edgeworth’s eyes widened as none other that Kiyotaka spoke up. 

“What?! Mr. Ishimaru, you-you were…” Edgeworth seemed to be at a loss for words. He probably hadn’t expected to be undermined by his own witness. 

“Man, I wanted to be the one to say that,” Maya pouted. You’ll probably get another chance someday, considering your habit of ending up in court, Phoenix thought. 

Kiyotaka continued, standing up straight, at least having the courage to look Edgeworth in the eye. “I was there when Yasuhiro and his group, Makoto among them, snuck in Ms. Fey-I mean Maya- for the channeling. It was quite a sight, too. They used a similar strategy for their exit, but there were more of us by then, so we merely used our bodies to block Maya from view.” 

“Aren’t you the ultimate moral compass?” Edgeworth tried, grasping at straws. “Surely, you wouldn’t have been participating in a flagrant rule violation-” 

“-I recognize your need to try your case, Prosecutor Edgeworth, sir. However, the channeling that Hiro had arranged was for someone very dear to me-” Kiyotaka’s cheeks grew beet red. “-Someone I was willing to bend the rules for, just that time. Hiro actually used that blind spot path for a bunch of things that I did give him detention for, like unauthorized readings and such.” 

Kiyotaka sighed. “Mr. Wright is correct… Makoto did know… and now… I thought that testifying was the right thing to do… but… was I wrong? Is Makoto…” Kiyotaka finally looked up to the defendant’s chair, where Makoto sat, and it looked like he wanted to comfort Kiyotaka. He gave Kiyotaka a small smile, and Kiyotaka’s body began to quiver. 

“I’m sorry!” He shouted, his eyes pricking up with tears. “I cannot testify against my friend! Not when I don’t know the truth anymore! I thought I did, but there is so much I didn’t see…” Kiyotaka began to sob, his loud, sad screams reverberating across the courtroom.

The courtroom was abuzz, the class of 78 was at it again. The parties present at Maya’s channeling were confirming Phoenix’s story to their peers and Detective Gumshoe. 

“So… she can summon the dead?” Mukuro asked. 

“No,” Kyoko answered. “She just provides a vessel for the spirit for a brief time, so they can communicate with the living.” 

“And she takes on their features and everything,” Chihiro added. 

“She’s the master! You all should call her Mystic Maya!” Pearl interjected, a bit too proudly. 

“Hey, you can do that too, right shorty?” Junko asked. 

“Taka… he’s been real strong about this… I was worried he’d feel guilty… damn it!” Mondo swore from the gallery. Mondo sounded like he was aching seeing and hearing Kiyotaka break down, as the chatter around Maya’s ability abruptly stopped, and Sakura placed a hand on Mondo’s shoulder. 

The judge banged his gavel down, and the chatter stopped, and Kiyotaka rubbed his eyes, trying to stop the tears. 

“Poor Kiyotaka,” Maya winced. “He really thought he was doing the right thing.” 

Phoenix nodded. He turned to Edgeworth, who seemed noticeably worn, yet he didn’t look angry. In the past, Edgeworth would’ve probably been close to threatening Kiyotaka by now. Edgeworth merely sighed, and shook his head. 

“Mr. Ishimaru, you believed you were doing the right thing,” he said. “I still believe that you are. There is still sufficient evidence pointing to Makoto. The justice card does point to him. The knife has his prints. He was the only student in the vicinity of the killing. The prosecution’s points still stand.” 

Kiyotaka managed to stop crying, though he didn’t seem all too convinced by Edgeworth’s words. He said nothing at all, merely staring blankly at Edgeworth with teary eyes. 

“That’s not true!” Phoenix said. “Witness motive notwithstanding, the point remains that there are too many inconsistencies with this crime to convict my client. There were multiple options for escape for him, yet he didn’t take it. He should’ve been injured in a scuffle with the victim and using the crystal ball, yet he’s unscathed. It doesn’t add up!” Phoenix turned towards the Judge. “It’s too early to decide this case, Your Honor! We need to be certain of the facts, and we need to evaluate the alibis of the other students! Please, extend the trial!” 

The Judge sighed. “This trial has been a fight as always. I can’t deny that Mr. Naegi still has a rather hefty case against him…” The Judge paused. “However, I cannot pass judgement now, considering the amount of holes in the case presented by the defense, along with evidence that point to Mr. Naegi’s innocence. I am not ready to decide the fate of this boy without being certain. Therefore, I will extend this trial another day, and I, along with this court, expect both sides to investigate and gather evidence to support their cases, and a confirmation of alibis.” 

“Consider it done, Your Honor.” Edgeworth said with a bow. 

“We’re on it.” Phoenix said. 

The Judge nodded and gave his gavel the final slam for the day. “Court is adjourned!” 

******************************************************************************

May 1st, 1:25 PM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No.2 

Phoenix wiped sweat from his brow. Damn, another close call. The tide had certainly turned in his favor near the end there, and he could even see some of the students starting to come around. Heck, Kiyotaka started to believe him, and he was Edgeworth’s key witness. 

Phoenix turned to Makoto. “Sorry about how hectic it got-” 

“-Hectic!” Makoto’s eyes were wide. “Are you kidding?! That was so impressive! I could tell that Edgeworth wasn’t budging, but you refused to give up, and you had the Hazuraka poster as your secret weapon this whole time… you’re very impressive.” Makoto managed a smile. “I’d want to learn how to pull off something like that.” 

“Based on your statement during Kyoko’s testimony, I think you’ve got the groundwork for it,” Phoenix said with a half-smile. 

“I know we’ve still got a battle, but I’ve got hope you can win, if you can just pull off what you did today again tomorrow!” Makoto said. 

Phoenix sighed. He made it sound so easy, after all, he’d nearly lost the case in there multiple times, and he was pretty sure he’d almost passed out for a minute there. 

“Hey, since we’re going to be digging up alibis, what’s yours Makoto?” Maya asked. “After all, we’re going to be defending you.”

“Naegi!” The bailiff motioned Makoto over. 

“Oh, I’ll tell you tomorrow.” Makoto walked off, and Phoenix frowned. 

He’d seemed just a little too eager to be called away. He’d never even unlocked his psyche-lock, Phoenix realized. There was something about the night of the murder that Makoto wasn’t telling them, and it could very well be about his alibi. If he couldn’t figure it out, this whole case could fall apart. 

“Hey, there’s Pearly!” Maya opened her arms as Pearl ran to her. “Where’s the rest of the class?” 

“Oh, they had to go back to their school. Sayaka told me to thank you guys. She’s really happy you guys got an extension. She was almost in tears.” Pearl let go of Maya. “The whole class is talking about you guys now!” 

Well, let’s just hope they’re all saying good things, Phoenix hoped with a sigh. After all, he’d need to talk to them as soon as possible. If the exit was indeed blocked off, then that means that the killer would’ve still been in the school, and thus the student alibis were called into question. It couldn’t have been anyone who wasn’t already there. 

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Phoenix realized what he should’ve seen all along. The killer was among the 78th class of Hope’s Peak Academy.

Chapter Text

May 1st

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

When Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl arrived at the entrance of Hope’s Peak Academy, it was scarily deserted, aside from a few stray policemen acting as sentinels, probably to hound off the press, or prevent their mystery assassin from killing another student. Not like it would do any good, Phoenix thought. The real killer had probably walked past the cops a dozen times by now. Still, it was a bit weird that no one was here to greet them. 

A part of Phoenix was relieved, he wasn’t sure which of the students he could trust just yet. There was a part of him that didn’t trust any of them. More importantly, he didn’t want to lose track of Maya or Pearl, neither of whom seemed to suspect the killer was a student. He wanted to tell them his discovery, but a voice stopped him before he could utter a word. 

“Mr. Wright! Mr Wright!” 

Phoenix turned to see Sayaka running towards them, waving her arms in greeting. Before Phoenix could ask her anything, he felt the wind being knocked out of him as she gave him a rather strong hug. Phoenix found himself wondering if she’d accidentally crushed the ribs of her fans with those hugs. 

“Oh, thank you so much!” Sayaka’s eyes pricked with happy tears as she let go of Phoenix. “The way you fought for Makoto was amazing! I was so worried, but you really pulled through! Thank you so much!” 

“Oh, uh… it’s no problem!” Phoenix said bashfully. “It’s just my job.” 

“Hey, where’s my thank you?!” Maya said. “I was an invaluable member of the team!” 

Phoenix rolled his eyes. Maya was great moral support, but it couldn’t be denied that he did most of the work. Of course, Maya would kill him if he said that out loud. Sayaka didn’t seem to mind, hugging and thanking Maya as well, who beamed with pride. 

“Was I nice to sit with?” Pearl asked.

“You were the best courtroom companion an idol could have, Pearl.” Sayaka smiled and hugged Pearl, who glowed with adoration. “I have your flowers in a vase in my room now too.” 

Pearl jumped up for joy, and Maya laughed. Phoenix found himself smiling too, but he reminded himself that Sayaka could be the killer. All of this kindness and charm could be a ruse. Already, Pearl loved her, and Maya did too. They were enamored with her, as they laughed with Sayaka, the latter now scooping up Pearl to get a piggyback ride, the little Fey squealing with delight. Phoenix admitted he’d been a bit starstruck by her reputation at first, and he found her to be surprisingly sweet, considering she was a celebrity. Maybe that was part of her act, to use her sweet reputation and star power to lure people in--he needed to calm down. Phoenix took a deep breath. If Sayaka was the killer, why would she be advocating so hard for Makoto? Still, he had to be sure. 

“Sayaka, can I ask you where you were on the night of the murder?” Phoenix gripped the Magatama in his jacket pocket. 

“You don’t trust me?” Sayaka’s face fell suddenly. 

“I trust you! Mr. Nick’s just being mean!” Pearl said from her perch on Sayaka’s shoulders. 

“N-no, I didn’t say I don’t trust you!” Phoenix lied. 

“It’s alright, I can tell you’re suspicious. You think I might be the murderer or something. You’re starting to suspect a lot of people, probably.” Sayaka looked straight at Phoenix, before giving him a slight smile. “You don’t have to lie to me, I’m psychic. I can read your thoughts.” 

“You’re psychic?!” Pearl giggled. “Wow, you must have so much spiritual power! You should be a medium! I’ll train you!” She rolled up her sleeve, trying to look tough from her place on Sayaka’s back. 

Phoenix tried to mask his shock, but failed miserably, his eyes widening. Maya mouthed “knew it”, and he couldn’t even come up with a retort. 

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Sayaka laughed apologetically. “I’ve just got great intuition. I like saying I’m psychic. It tends to freak people out. Like you, Mr. Wright!”

“Your alibi?” Phoenix sighed. “Please? Before I pass out from whiplash?” 

“Sure,” Sayaka said. “I was in the music room on the fourth floor the whole time with Leon. He can back me up. He asked me to practice some music with him, he wants to be a musician. He’s really talented!” 

“Sorry for asking,” Phoenix said. Well, he was kind of sorry. It did give him peace of mind knowing that Sayaka had an alibi. He really did like her, and she seemed to be a good role model for Pearl, who was now starting to tie Sayaka’s hair up like Maya’s from the latter’s shoulders. 

“It’s no problem,” Sayaka said. “It’s your job! Besides… maybe it’ll help Makoto.” 

“Oh, so you and Leon, all alone, huh?” Pearl sighed dreamily. “Were your songs romantic?” 

“No, why?” Sayaka asked, seemingly missing the sappy tone of Pearl’s voice. 

Judging by the slight blush that adorned her face, Phoenix guessed she’d probably just chosen to ignore Pearl’s tone. Pearl had a habit of finding romance in everything, even if the moment didn’t really call for it. 

“Oh! I came to get you guys!” Sayaka snapped her fingers, probably wanting to change the subject before Pearl could go on. Phoenix could hardly blame her. 

“Yeah, where is everyone?” Maya asked. “It’s a total ghost town up here!” 

“Well… you guys should just come with me.” Sayaka’s face grew worried. “Let’s just say that everyone wants to know more about you after today’s trial.” 

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, and he felt a lump in his throat. One of those students was a killer, and they’d definitely want to pick his brain, get to his weaknesses. Matt Engarde did that with kidnapping Maya, Dahlia Hawthorne by toying with his emotions. He needed to stay on his guard, not just for his sake, but for Maya and Pearl as well. As Sayaka set off with a laughing Pearl on her shoulders, Maya raced after them. Phoenix ran too, not wanting to let either of them out of his sight. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Library

“Where are we?” Pearl asked, as Sayaka led them inside the building. 

“We’re in the Hope’s Peak Academy library, Pearl.” Sayaka said gently. “This is where we probably would’ve been studying right about now, if…y’know…” She trailed off, suddenly looking dejected again. Sayaka lowered Pearl from her shoulders, and gently set her on the ground. 

Worriedly, Pearl took Sayaka’s hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Sayaka gave Pearl’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “You didn’t say anything wrong, Pearl. Besides, I could never be too sad when you’re here to do my hair.” Sayaka smiled and flipped her hair, showing off the top knot Pearl had given her. Pearl smiled back, once again thrilled to have the pop star’s praise. 

“Man, she looks better with my hair style than I do, Nick.” Maya whined. “It’s not even fair.” 

Phoenix sighed, honestly not too concerned with Maya’s hair woes. He looked around the room, and he saw an area with lamps and tables, and more importantly, a large majority of the students were there, reading. There was a room behind the tables labeled: Archives , and it looked utterly ransacked, papers and files strewn about everywhere. 

“So…” Sayaka bit her lip sheepishly. “You should know that Hope’s Peak has access to a lot of legal records and stuff, so um-” 

“-Ah, you are here. I must say, your luck impresses me, even if you yourself are not remotely remarkable.” 

Phoenix turned to see Celeste, holding a steaming cup of tea. She gave him a perfunctory curtsy, though based on the thinly-veiled contempt in her eyes, she probably did it as a formality, not respect. If anything, Celeste’s stare creeped Phoenix out. He shuddered. Hifumi came up to the group, stuffing a manila file into his backpack. 

“I got the most interesting looking one, like you said, Mistress Lundenberg,” Hifumi said. “O-oh!” He looked up at Phoenix, then hastily zipped up his backpack. 

“Hey, what’s in that file?” Maya asked. “You can’t just not show us!” 

“Miss Fey, it is none of your business!” Hifumi said. “What Mistress Lundenberg chooses to look at in her spare time is none of our business!” 

“Oh, you can allow them a small peek, underling. It won’t do any harm. After all, it seems everyone else had the same ideas as us.” Celeste snapped her fingers, and Hifumi opened his backpack. 

Hifumi took out the file, and Phoenix’s eyes widened. His name was printed on the tab. Wright-Powers , was exactly what the file said. 

“Is that… about me?” Phoenix asked, nervousness creeping into his voice. 

“Hmm, you really didn’t need to state the obvious, Mr. Wright. Honestly, I am not sure how you’re a lawyer. Have you not guessed what everyone is doing here?” Celeste rolled her eyes. 

Phoenix felt rather small in that moment, with Celeste, a student, calling him an idiot to his face. She seemed to view him as rather inferior, but based on the rather annoyed look on Sayaka’s face, he could at least take comfort in knowing that he wasn’t the only one she treated this way. Well, it could be worse, Phoenix reasoned. He could be in Hifumi’s position, which seemed like a place only a masochist would enjoy. 

Hifumi flipped through the file, eyes widening at the pictures of the Steel Samurai. Based on his talent, he’d probably be into that kind of show, Phoenix reasoned. “Everyone’s been looking at your case files, and Mr. Edgeworth’s!” The doujin exclaimed. “This all seems so exciting, and we just wanted to know more! I can’t believe we all missed out on this! You have to tell me about the Steel Samurai! But there were some that were already missing-” 

Celeste held up her hand, and Hifumi fell silent. “Don’t beg him, underling. It’s undignified.” Hifumi sighed and nodded, like a kid whose lollipop had been taken away. 

“Before I forget,” Phoenix started. “Can I ask you two where you were on the night of the murder?” 

“Of course you may ask,” Celeste said, twirling a lock of her hair. “Yamada and I were in the media room the whole time with Junko. We were playing cards, and watching that little show of Junko’s that she adores so much-” Celeste paused. “What was it, again?” 

“W-warriors of Hope vs. Despair,” Hifumi said. “The episode was quite good.” 

“Don’t spoil it!” Maya said. “We never got to watch it!” 

“So, can you confirm Celeste’s alibi, Hifumi?” Phoenix pressed. 

Hifumi wiped some sweat from his brow, and took off his glasses. Phoenix clutched his Magatama. “Yes,” Hifumi said, wiping his glasses before placing them back on his face. “I can confirm everything Celeste said is true.” 

Two psyche-locks flew into place in front of the oblivious Hifumi, the latter sighing with false relief. I can’t let him know I’m onto him just yet, Phoenix thought. I need to gather evidence to confront Hifumi with, and get him to tell the truth. Just what was he lying about, though? Was he covering for Celeste, or himself? Maybe Junko? Still, he didn’t trust Hifumi or Celeste, that was for certain. She was condescending and creepy, and he was too servile to her to be reliable. 

“Come on, underling. I’ve grown bored of this conversation.” Celeste took a sip from her tea, before handing the cup to Hifumi, whose sweaty palms fumbled it, leading to some of the tea spilling out onto the floor. 

“Look what you’ve done, damnit!” Celeste snarled. “That was perfectly good tea! You incompetent loser!” Celeste glared daggers at Hifumi, who cowered in fear. 

“Hey, it’s just tea! Let up a little!” Maya interjected, trying to save Hifumi from certain doom. 

“You butt out of this, you lowly, mousy FREAK!” Celeste spat angrily. 

Phoenix gulped, and Maya shrank back. He’d never seen a side to Celeste that wasn’t creepily poised and in control, so this was new, and absolutely terrifying. How did Hifumi put up with her like this? Based on his cowering, Phoenix reasoned that Hifumi had a healthy dose of fear when it came to Celeste. Maybe he could use this, and maybe that was the real reason Hifumi had been lying, not to protect Celeste, but because he was too scared to say anything. 

“I’m sorry, Mistress! Your servant will make up for this! I promise total obedience!” Hifumi blurted out, clasping his hands together in apology. 

Celeste took a deep breath, and her rage seemed to subside. “Naturally, you will make up for your ineptitude. Now, we shall take our leave from these people. I’m already annoyed with them.” She glared at Maya. “Especially her.” 

Hifumi and Celeste walked off, Hifumi carrying Celeste’s tea like his life depended on it. Well, it probably did, actually. Phoenix felt worried. If Hifumi spilled that tea, they might never see him again. As odd as he was, he didn’t deserve to die. Unless he was the killer. Phoenix doubted it, he couldn’t seem to do anything without Celeste’s approval. 

“She called Mystic Maya a freak!” Pearl fumed. “She should apologize!” 

“Celeste is… like that, sometimes. She likes being revered and perfect, and tends to say some nasty things when she doesn’t view you as a worthy opponent or useful in any way.” Sayaka sighed apologetically. “I’m sorry she called Maya a freak, but knowing Celeste, she’ll probably never apologize.” 

“I think I kinda… undermined her with her meltdown there.” Maya said with a dejected shrug. “I get liking tea, but that’s pretty excessive.” 

“Everything about Celeste seems kinda excessive. Her clothes, hair, and uh… unique personality.” Phoenix said with an eye roll. 

“I don’t like her,” Pearl said with a glare to the spot where Celeste had stood. 

“I wonder if there is anyone she actually gets along with, considering her nasty attitude,” Maya said, crossing her arms. 

“Actually,” Sayaka said, “Celeste and I get along fine, though we never hang out. Celeste also seems to not mind being around Kyoko, Junko, or Chihiro. There’s also her kinda odd friendship… or whatever it is… with Hifumi,” Sayaka’s eyebrows furrowed. “I actually think that if you’re smart enough and have status, she’ll respect you well enough. I don’t think she views you guys as anything special, that’s all. Sorry, her views, not mine.” 

“What about Makoto?” Phoenix asked. 

Sayaka nodded affirmatively. “Yeah, actually. She actually got along with Makoto pretty well, probably because he put up with her so easily. He and Hifumi have that rare ability to do whatever she says without questioning it.” 

Phoenix nodded. Well, there goes a possible motive for framing Makoto. Still, Celeste was definitely not off his list. She had the detached demeanor and hidden rage needed to commit a murder. Maybe Hiro accidentally spilled her tea one time or something. 

“Hey, Sayaka!” Leon ran up to the group, a file in hand. This one read Wright-Byrde. “You took forever!” Leon turned toward Phoenix. “Hey, Mr. Wright! Great job in court today, I thought it was going to be boring, but you and that Edgeworth guy really surprised me.” 

Maybe, if it was boring, my job would finally get easier, Phoenix thought. “First, Celeste, now you too?!” Phoenix pointed at the file. “Is everyone going through my old cases?!” 

“Yeah, actually.” Leon shrugged apologetically. “We all wanted to know more about you, and it helps us to keep our minds off of Makoto being in jail, or Hiro…” Leon sighed. “Actually, I don’t think it’s working. Everyone’s still on edge, now even more so with Makoto’s guilt being questionable. And of course, no one’s forgotten about Hiro.” 

“Of course,” Phoenix said. “He was your friend, and Makoto still is your friend.” 

“It’s not just that,” Leon said with a frown. “Its-nevermind. Maybe later.” Leon bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair, trying to act casual. He obviously had something on his mind.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, but he realized he had a more important question to ask. “Leon, where were you on the night of the murder?” 

“We’re asking everyone,” Maya interjected. “This isn’t us singling you out!” 

“I was in the music room with Sayaka on the fourth floor,” Leon said. “We were practicing together the whole time. She’s helping me with my vocals.” 

Phoenix nodded. “That’s what Sayaka said too.” 

“Yay, Sayaka and Leon totally didn’t do it!” Pearl cheered, hugging Sayaka. “I knew it couldn’t be Sayaka! I didn’t know about Leon, though.” 

“Hey!” Leon protested. “Hiro was my friend, you know! I’d have fought off that killer with a baseball bat if I’d been there!” Leon crossed his arms, clutching at the sleeves of his jacket. “I wasn’t there, though.” 

Pearl guiltily looked at Leon, but avoided direct eye contact. “I’m sorry.” 

Leon chose to look at his shoes. “Don’t apologize,” he said sullenly. “It doesn’t matter anymore anyway. What happened, happened.” 

Phoenix felt the mood in the room, which was already tense to begin with, plummet. Leon, wanting to avoid the pitying gazes of the rest of the group, motioned for them to follow him, where he led them into the study area of the library, past the shelf they’d been standing behind. 

When they arrived, Phoenix could see that the students had split up into certain groups that he guessed held over into their regular school lives as well. Junko and Mukuro were sitting together, Mukuro intensely focused on reading the file in front of her, while Junko doodled in the margins of the file. At a table by herself, Toko was furiously writing, already amassing quite the stack of paper, occasionally looking in a file by her side. Phoenix was surprised she was out with the rest of the students. Hina and Sakura were flipping through a few papers together, exchanging whispers as well. Chihiro was also looking through a file, elbowing Mondo to show him something in the file. Mondo looked rather preoccupied with trying to comfort a rather forlorn looking Kiyotaka, who didn’t look much better than he had a few hours ago on the stand. 

Toko was the nearest one to them, and Maya wasted no time walking up to her table. Considering what he knew about Toko, that being that she was a major flight risk, Phoenix didn’t think this was the best idea. Unfortunately, it was far too late. 

“What are you writing?” Maya asked with a cheeky grin, popping up behind Toko and looking over her shoulder. 

“H-h-hey!” Toko shot up, and began to gather her papers in her hand. “L-leave m-me alone!” She looked around frantically. “M-master is gone! H-he was j-just here!” 

“He left over an hour ago,” Hina interjected. “You do realize he grabbed his files and just left, right?” 

Toko clutched at her papers and looked at the floor. “H-he s-said he’d b-be right back,” 

“He obviously can’t stand you, get a hint,” Junko said with an eye roll. “Seriously, it’s pretty embarrassing for you.” 

“Can I ask you some questions about the night of the murder?” Phoenix asked. He tried his best to look encouraging, as he could see Toko already eyeing the exit. “I promise-” 

“N-no! I don’t k-know a-anything!” Toko shrank back as she felt everyone’s gaze shift to her. 

Phoenix gripped his magatama, and sure enough, two psyche-locks flew into place in front of Toko as well. Seriously?! Would there be students who actually weren’t hiding something? Phoenix felt himself starting to grow frustrated. 

“Please, at least let me see what you wrote down,” he tried. “It’s about me anyway-” 

“I-it’s n-not about y-you! I-I w-was with m-master, b-by the g-gym-” Toko stopped, unable to take the stares, and she sprinted past them, her braids flying behind her in a panic as she fled the room. 

Well, that went just as poorly as I thought it would, Phoenix sighed. It wasn’t a total loss, however, Phoenix soon realized. His eyes trailed down to the ground, where two pieces of paper had fallen from Toko’s arms. In her frenzy to get away, she’d dropped them, and didn’t realize it. Before he could grab it, Maya walked ahead of him and picked it up. 

“Oh, this one is a title page, Nick!” Maya scanned the page, and a rather mischievous grin broke out on her face. “Oh… it’s called Fiery Passion of the Demon Prosecutor ,” Maya’s grin widened. “Sounds like something you’d be into, Nick.” 

“Give me those!” Phoenix’s face reddened as he snatched the papers from a smirking Maya. “Is this based on… Edgeworth?” He read the back of the title page and the other page that Toko dropped. The demon prosecutor was a literal demon who banished his witnesses and defendants alike to the depths of hell, all while being seductive and handsome. Phoenix felt his face burning up as he read. 

“Hey, let me see!” Pearl said. “I want to read it!”

“No!” Phoenix said quickly, stuffing the pages into his pockets. “It’s… uh… not something you’d like.” 

“It’s a romance isn’t it,” Leon said with an eye roll. “Gross. Who’d even like someone as stuffy as that Edgeworth guy anyway?” 

“Well, Toko would.” Sayaka said. “She does like Byakuya, after all.” 

“Yeah, good point. They’re both a couple of snobs,” Leon said. 

“Hey, Edgeworth isn’t like that Togami kid!” Phoenix said without even thinking. “He really cares about justice, even if he seems intense and stuffy at times! He’s really a good person.” 

“Yes, of course. You do know him,” Sayaka said, giving Phoenix a knowing smile that caused his already red face to burn up even more. “I guess Toko didn’t do him justice by making him a demon.” 

It is an interesting choice, Phoenix noted. If she really did like Edgeworth, wouldn’t she give him a portrayal that was more flattering, like a white knight? Phoenix patted his jacket where the pages were. Maybe he could ask Toko about that later. If she’d even talk to him. 

“Mr. Wright!” Kiyotaka stood up abruptly, as if he’d finally come back to Earth. He marched over to where Phoenix was standing, and started to take off the badges that adorned his uniform. His red eyes were still puffy from crying, Phoenix noticed. “I insist that you take my badges, because I am clearly not worthy of upholding justice!” He offered the badges to Phoenix. 

“Don’t ya dare say that sh-” Mondo was elbowed by Chihiro, who nodded her head towards Pearl. 

Mondo sighed, knowing that everyone would be furious if he swore in front of Pearl. “Kyoudai, come on. Ya aren’t a bad guy. Ya just thought ya saw the murder… anyone woulda done what you did! Ya proved you’re more worthy of those badges than anyone!” 

“He’s right,” Phoenix said. “You testified because you thought you were doing the right thing, even though you and Makoto are friends. Besides, I already have my own badge.” Phoenix managed a small smile and pointed out the attorney’s badge on his lapel. 

Kiyotaka sniffled, and clutched his badges in his hand. “You are a most admirable man, Phoenix Wright. If you need my help for anything, you will have it!” Kiyotaka gave Phoenix a salute. 

“Wait, so do you believe Makoto now?” Maya asked. 

Kiyotaka nodded. “I do, though I am not certain.” His eyebrows furrowed. “I still saw what I did, and Prosecutor Edgeworth still seemed to think it’s Makoto. He seemed like someone of sound judgment. I trusted him going into the trial, anyway.” 

“Why?” Mondo asked, crossing his arms. “He seemed like a total-” he trailed off, noticing Kiyotaka’s glare as he nodded his head towards Pearl. “Man, can someone jus’ cover Pearl’s ears?” Mondo sighed. “It’s really fuckin’ hard not to swear.” 

“Mondo!” Kiyotaka scolded. “You will watch your language around Pearl!” 

Luckily, Maya had lunged to cover Pearl’s ears in the nick of time. They’d gotten lucky this time, but Phoenix knew that if Pearl spent enough time around the delinquent, she’d definitely pick up some new words. 

“If my cousin picks up any swear words from you…” Maya shook her head. “I hope Hina beat you in that push up contest.” 

“I was so going to!” Hina piped up from the next table. 

“Ya f-freakin’ wish!” Mondo turned to Hina, who stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Anyway,” Kiyotaka shook his head. “I trusted Prosecutor Edgeworth because he is logical, and we have talked before when we met years ago! Besides, he is clearly in his field because he wants to serve justice. He defended me when the judge asked about my family, and was rather understanding about…well, us.” Kiyotaka caught Mondo’s eye, and the latter blushed with realization. 

“Ya told him? What about-” 

“He said he could tell, based on how I looked when I talked about you.” Kiyotaka’s face turned pink. “I guess I was obvious. He seemed very understanding about it, anyway. I do not believe he is a bad person. I just… think he isn’t right on this one. He does not know Makoto like we do, that’s all. But… it means he is unbiased in his assumptions as well.” Kiyotaka clutched his armband. “It is a rather fine line, isn’t it?” 

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. He’d wondered if the students had changed allegiances at all, and it seemed like the tides were turning, but it wasn’t for certain. There was still doubt lingering, and Edgeworth certainly hadn’t lost all his credibility with the students. More importantly, it seemed like Phoenix gained some credibility, as if his case wasn’t a sinking ship anymore. 

“So, your alibi can be confirmed by Mondo, Hina, Sakura, and the headmaster when you went to get him, is that right?” Phoenix asked Kiyotaka. 

Kiyotaka nodded. “Affirmative! I can confirm Mondo, Hina, and Sakura for the time I was there as well.” 

“I suppose the three of us can vouch for each other in the time you were gone,” Sakura said, standing up and gathering up the file she and Hina were reading. “We were all together the whole time.” 

No psyche-locks, Phoenix observed. He supposed it would’ve been near impossible for one of them to do it, considering that they’d have to pass Kiyotaka in order to commit the murder. Still, he had to admit that Mondo and Sakura definitely had the physiques to overpower just about anyone. Though they didn’t seem to have motives, they both seemed to like Makoto and Hiro well enough. 

“Hey, were you guys friends with Hiro?” Maya asked. 

“Yeah,” Hina said, her ponytail slumping. “Hiro was kind of an airhead, but he was fun to hang out with. He was kind of a calming presence, you know? Well, when he wasn’t talking about aliens and the illuminati.”

“Yasuhiro was a good person!” Kiyotaka almost yelled. “His academics needed improvement, but he did care about his friends!” 

“I take it the whole class liked him, then,” Maya said. 

Mondo frowned. “I wouldn’t say everyone,”

“Well, some people are just harder to get along with, hehe.” Chihiro said with a weary smile. It was rather obvious who she was talking about. 

“Hey, where were you on the night of the murder, Chihiro?” Phoenix asked. 

“There’s no way it’s Chihiro, Mr. Nick! She’s too sweet!” Pearl said with a frown. 

Once again, Phoenix noticed Chihiro’s momentary tenseness at Pearl’s last statement, but it disappeared as soon as it was there. What’s so wrong with being called sweet, Phoenix wondered. It seemed rather unlikely that the murderer could be Chihiro regardless, the programmer was rather soft in nature, and appeared to be the smallest kid in the class. 

“I was in my room the whole time,” Chihiro said, and her eyes began to prick with tears. “I was just watching that new episode of Warriors of Hope vs. Despair , and I had my headphones in, so I couldn’t hear anything! If I hadn’t been wearing them… maybe I could’ve helped.” Chihiro sniffled. 

“Do not be ashamed, Chihiro! You are not at fault!” Kiyotaka insisted. “You would have just put yourself at risk if you’d gone to help!” 

“No!” Chihiro protested. “I should’ve been more alert. I would’ve helped. I’m not so weak that I’d be useless!” 

“I never said you are weak,” Kiyotaka said, a concerned look spreading across his face. “Besides, if I had not declined to study with Yasuhiro and Makoto then maybe-” 

“You both need to relax. You guys aren’t the sole ones who could’ve prevented this or anything,” Leon said with a sigh. “Let’s face it, multiple people could’ve done more. Hell, if Mr. Wright’s argument is the truth, then Makoto was the only one who actually helped Hiro!” Leon’s fists curled. “Makoto tried to help, a-and we just abandoned him, left him behind and Sayaka tried t-to tell us b-but… ” Leon took a deep breath, and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself before he broke down. 

An overwhelming silence enveloped the library as the weight of Leon’s statement fell upon the group. No one seemed to know what to say, their silence seemingly confirming Leon’s statement. Phoenix frowned. He didn’t realize just how much some of them really blamed themselves. There was an undercurrent of despair that tainted the atmosphere at the school, and it flowed over into the way the students acted. Even if they put on a smile, or tried to encourage their classmates, there was no denying the ramifications of the murder and Makoto’s arrest were still reverberating around the school. Phoenix sighed. He didn’t know quite how to proceed, but he knew he couldn’t just say nothing. 

“Look,” Phoenix sighed. “You guys can’t blame yourselves, okay? It isn’t what Hiro would want, and it is certainly not what Makoto would want. He’d want you guys to have faith in him and band together! You guys need to support him, and each other!” Phoenix found himself getting a bit pumped up. Staring at the group in front of him, it was hard for him to envision any of them as the murderer.

“Mr. Wright is absolutely correct!” Kiyotaka said. “I am most ashamed of questioning any of my classmates. Let us all have faith in each other!” 

“Yeah, we can’t lose hope! Mr. Wright will find the real killer, and our class can reunite with Makoto!” Chihiro added. 

Phoenix maintained his smile, but on the inside, his momentary burst of energy had faded. He still suspected a student of the crime, but they couldn’t know that. It would tear this fragile group apart to know that one of them was the killer. Phoenix felt bad about keeping his suspicions a secret, but he reasoned it would do more good for the group’s unity and as to not alert the killer. 

“You always believed in your defendants too, right spiky?” Hina said with a grin. 

“Yeah,” Phoenix lied, choosing not to tell them about Matt Engarde. He was surprised they hadn’t read about that one. 

“We only got to see some of your files,” Hina added. “Byakuya had already gotten to the archives first and took a bunch without even letting us see. He’s always hanging around here, it’s annoying.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t even remember which ones he took. Hey, Mukuro--” Hina crossed her arms. “Oh, she and Junko just left.” 

“Why would they leave?” Maya questioned. “They knew we were questioning people!” 

“Junko just wanted to relax a bit. She’s sunbathing outside,” Mukuro’s deadpan voice rang out as she reentered the library. “We were not running. As for my alibi, I was watching the new Warriors of Hope vs. Despair. Junko was playing cards with Celeste and Hifumi.” Phoenix reached for his magatama. No psyche-locks. That ruled Junko out of being the person Hifumi was protecting with his lie. 

“Thanks,” Phoenix said. 

Mukuro nodded, though she didn’t look comfortable with being there. Come to think about it, this was the only time he’d seen Mukuro without her sister. “I saw what files Togami had.” Mukuro said gruffly. “Two of them had Wright-Fey on the tabs.” 

“You’ve got a good eye,” Sayaka smiled at Mukuro. “Befitting of the ultimate soldier.” 

Mukuro blushed slightly at the praise. “Thank you. It is not much of a talent.” Mukuro turned and left, without another word to the group. She was all business, Phoenix reasoned. 

“Mukuro can be nice when you catch her in a good mood,” Sayaka said, as if she was reading Phoenix’s thoughts. “Makoto always seemed to bring out a fun side of her.” 

Phoenix found himself wondering how a seemingly universally beloved student like Makoto would have somebody who’d even want to frame him. Maybe, the scene had never been intended for Makoto. Phoenix had more questions now then he did answers. 

“Where’s Kyoko?” Pearl asked. That’s a good question, Phoenix thought. Kyoko was nowhere to be found. 

“Oh, shi-” Leon was interrupted by a rough elbow from Sakura, and a glance towards Pearl. “Sorry,” he wheezed. “Kyoko mentioned to me that she was going to look at Hiro’s room again. I was supposed to tell you, but I just started reading about this case with Mr. Wright and this Maggey Byrde chick. I mean, who’d buy a yellow baseball glove? That’s an ugly color.” 

“The cases are quite cool to read about,” Hina said. “Sakura and I were reading this one involving this clock, and this guy named Larry Butz. I had to put the file down a few times because his name was so funny.” 

Phoenix sighed. Of course, Larry was inescapable. “So, which files are accounted for?” Phoenix glanced around. 

The group of kids left in the library, plus Maya and Pearl, gathered the files and stacked them on a single table. Phoenix scanned over the files, and he felt his heart drop. Engarde’s case was missing, and so were both of Dahlia’s. Also, the case involving Damon Gant and Manfred von Karma were also gone. 

“Nick, both of the cases you defended me in are gone,” Maya said with a worried look. “Didn’t Mukuro say something about Byakuya having them?” 

“I guess that means Byakuya has all the missing ones,” Phoenix felt a sense of dread. These cases were deliberately taken, they were his most personal ones. If it was Byakuya, then he was planning something for sure. Something involving his past. He pushed those thoughts out of his head. He’d have to confront Byakuya later.

“Let’s go meet up with Kyoko,” Phoenix said, trying not to look worried. “We’ll track down the files later.” 

Maya and Pearl nodded, though they both looked concerned. 

“Hey, Sayaka and I can come with you again, right?” Leon asked. “We really need to see this through, Mr. Wright. Please.” Leon stared down Phoenix with a determined look, and Sayaka’s eyes were just as pleading. 

“Sure,” Phoenix sighed. “For now.” 

“Thank you!” Sayaka said. 

“We won’t get in your way,” Leon promised. 

“Chihiro, do you mind assisting me with something?” Kiyotaka took Chihiro aside, and whispered (Phoenix didn’t realize Kiyotaka had a whisper voice) something to the programmer. Chihiro smiled and nodded. The two sat down at the table and Chihiro opened her laptop and began to type feverishly. “When we are finished with this, we will show you, Mr. Wright! We hope it will help you!” 

Phoenix just nodded, completely unaware of what they were doing. 

“We will track down Togami and those files,” Sakura said, gesturing to herself, Hina, and Mondo. “Hopefully, it will ease your mind.” 

“Yeah, thanks.” Phoenix said. “When you find him, come get me. I’ll need to ask him questions.” 

Sakura nodded, before she set off with Hina and Mondo in tow. Chihiro and Kiyotaka were crowded around the former’s laptop. Phoenix sighed as he left the library, with the rest of the group in tow. Even if he was uncertain of how long this uneasy harmony would last, it was nice to have allies. At least some of the students weren’t his enemies. Probably.

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Dormitory Hallway

Phoenix nearly missed it. He’d been in such a hurry to get to Hiro’s room, that he’d nearly missed the piece of paper in front of Toko’s room. He stopped to pick it up. He scanned it quickly as the others ran up to him. It was another page of Toko's manuscript. It was deeper into the story than the first two, and on this page, there was another character. It was a knight clad in blue velvet, who was trying to banish the demon prosecutor back to hell. The knight was condemning the demon for mercilessly boiling his witnesses along with the defendants, and the knight was described as having wild hair-

“Hey, what’s that, Nick?” Maya asked. 

“It’s nothing,” Phoenix said, placing the third page of the manuscript in his pocket with the other two. So, was Edgeworth the antagonist? What did that say? The gears began to turn in his head, but he pushed it aside. 

Phoenix resumed his stride forward towards Hiro’s room, the rest of the group following him.He couldn’t deny he felt a bit more… noble than before. He’d definitely have to buy Toko’s book once it was released. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st 

Yasuhiro’s Room

“I should’ve figured you’d show up eventually, Wright.” Edgeworth said, eyeing Phoenix as he entered the room. 

Kyoko turned from where she was, hunched over Yasuhiro’s desk, and walked over to Phoenix and the rest of the group, who’d filed in. Kyoko was shuffling Yasuhiro’s card deck with a quizzical look on her face. 

“Hey, Kyoko. Are you alright?” Maya asked, concern splayed across her features. “You were really good on the stand yesterday, but still-” 

Kyoko held up her hand. “I’m fine,” she said. “I was just doing my job.” 

“You sure?” Maya prodded, trying to get the guarded detective to open up. “I mean, you and Makoto-” 

“-Testifying was my decision, I was prepared to deal with my conflicting emotions.” Kyoko said. She fiddled with her gloves, and her brows furrowed. “I did not think he’d speak up, though.” A look of fondness flashed across her face for a brief moment before she became stoic again. “However, Makoto is nothing if not intuitive and determined. Maybe I should’ve expected it. I just wish… I could’ve helped him.” 

“There is nothing you could’ve done, Detective,” Edgeworth interjected. “You did a very commendable job on the stand, especially considering your closeness with the defendant and the fact that it was your first official testimony as a detective. Makoto… I feel he is the type of defendant who would like to take the case into his hands when he can and make sure the truth is out there,” Edgeworth managed a small smile. “I was the same way in my own trial. I nearly cost myself my trial.” 

It was weird to reminisce about Edgeworth’s trial here of all places. He’d accused himself of the murder of his own father, and of course Phoenix had to prove his own defendant wrong. God, he hoped that Makoto wouldn’t suddenly admit to Yasuhiro’s murder. That psyche-lock suddenly came back into Phoenix’s mind in full force. 

“Well, hopefully he won’t accuse himself,” Kyoko said, giving Edgeworth a knowing look. “He’d probably really help, but the Judge won’t go for it.” 

Edgeworth crossed his arms. “It appears that you’ve done your research, Detective. I am not surprised. As for the Judge, he’s fair, but he’s set in his ways. I apologize for that. I had to admit… Makoto’s point was… rather reasonable.” 

“I hated seeing him after he got shot down,” Kyoko frowned. “Dejected… he looked hopeless in that moment. I bet he thought he’d screwed up, and he got you a penalty,” Kyoko turned to Phoenix. “I hope you realize that Makoto was only trying to help.” 

Phoenix nodded. “Of course I do! In fact, I would do the exact same thing!” 

“You would, Wright.” Edgeworth said. 

“You just admitted you already did!” Phoenix protested. 

Edgeworth allowed himself a small chuckle, and Phoenix’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t often Edgeworth let himself laugh. 

“You were a defendant too, right, Mr. Wright? I remember reading about a case involving you before,” Kyoko asked Phoenix. 

“Wait, hold up!” Leon interjected. “You’re telling me that both of you guys have been accused of murder?!” 

“I have too, actually. Twice.” Maya added, raising her hand with a smile. 

“Oh my god,” Leon said. He turned to Pearl. “Let me guess, you too?” 

Pearl shook her head. “Not yet!” 

“Don’t say that, Pearly!” Maya said. “It’s really not fun!” 

Phoenix turned to Edgeworth. “They’re looking us up, you know. All the students are tearing up their library’s archives reading about our previous cases.” 

“Is that so?” Edgeworth seemed bemused, not as alarmed as Phoenix thought he’d be. “I failed to get most of them interested in the law years ago, but all it takes is one trial for them to get a taste for legality. Mayhaps that’s what Gant should’ve arranged.” 

“That tour was seriously boring, man.” Leon shrugged. “Sorry. I forgot about everything except for the Steel Samurai stuff.” 

“Leon! That’s rude!” Sayaka frowned. 

“Name one thing not Steel Samurai related you remember from that tour.” 

“Um, well,” Sayaka tried to remember, but it was clear the idol had forgotten the experience largely as well. 

“I remember plenty from that tour, Prosecutor.” Kyoko offered. “I found it fascinating. I remember talking with Makoto about it for a while afterwards.” 

Edgeworth crossed his arms. “I suppose it was more geared to you regardless. Still, I appreciate your attempts to spare my feelings, Detective. Luckily, I happened to forget about most of you anyway--well, you and Mr. Naegi made an impression on me.” 

“Both of us?” Kyoko questioned. 

“Yes, I thought you guys would make quite a pair.” Edgeworth said, a hint of remorse in his voice. “It surprised me that you’d testify for the prosecution, but I suppose you are a detective first.” 

“I testified because I believe in Makoto, and I believe the facts will reflect that.” Kyoko said. 

“That’s admirable, Detective Kirigiri.” Edgeworth admitted. “I suppose you need a bit of faith in others to succeed.” Edgeworth looked at Phoenix. “I learned that lesson myself from someone important.” 

Phoenix blushed again, hoping no one would notice Edgeworth’s brief glance at him. Leon and Pearl seemed completely unaware, but both Maya and Sayaka were stifling grins, and Kyoko merely looked at each of them once, not commenting. Phoenix quickly changed the subject. 

“There were some files missing, you know. The ones with Dahlia, Engarde, Von Karma, and Gant. I think that Byakuya has them.” Phoenix blurted out, Edgeworth’s face growing more concerned with each past offender Phoenix listed. 

“Why would Mr. Togami want those files?” Edgeworth’s brows furrowed. “Those files…” 

“I don’t understand it either,” Kyoko said. “He’s probably read those cases a dozen times already. I don’t know why he’d take them.” Kyoko gathered the tarot cards she’d been shuffling. “How many cards in a tarot deck?” she asked. 

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. Why would she ask that? “I don’t-”

“Seventy-eight.” Leon said, before Phoenix could even finish his sentence. 

“How did you know that?” Sayaka said, looking at Leon with a bemused smile. 

“Hey, I said I hung out with Hiro a lot.” Leon shrugged. “You soak this stuff in after a few lectures about the major arcana or whatever.” 

Kyoko’s eyes narrowed. “I counted the cards left in this deck, and there are seventy-six. Of course, one of the missing cards is the justice card. However, that means there is still another card unaccounted for.” She spread out the cards and began to flip them over. “Leon, how well do you know the deck?” 

“Not enough to pick out a missing card,” Leon said apologetically. “I can do you one better, though.” 

Leon moved towards Yasuhiro’s desk and began to rifle around inside, before pulling out a small book. The book title read Tarot Cards and Their Meanings: A Beginner’s Guide . Leon flipped open the book, as the group huddled around him. “Hiro wanted me to read this, and said something about the fate of the world depending on it. I thought he was just being crazy, so I lied and said I read it.” 

“In hindsight, not your best idea,” Maya teased. 

“Yeah, no sh- ow!” Leon winced as Maya elbowed his ribs and nodded towards Pearl. “Right, sorry,” he muttered. 

“Let’s speed this up,” Edgeworth said with a sigh. “There are five of us here, excluding Pearl, whose reading skills aren’t yet up to par, and Mr. Kuwata, who is holding the book. We’ll split the deck between the five of us, and read aloud what cards are there. Mr. Kuwata will mark them down in the book, and we will find the missing card through the process of elimination.” 

Everyone nodded, and Kyoko took the deck and split it, so that everyone got 15 cards, giving herself the extra card to make her stack 16 cards. Kyoko handed the pen to Leon, who flipped open the book and nodded for everyone to start reading. Everyone took turns listing their card suits, with Leon furiously crossing out each suit that came up. As Kyoko read her last card, the tower, Leon crossed it off. 

“Well, that leaves, uh, three of swords,” Leon said, looking closer at the book. 

“I remember that card from the time Hiro did a reading for me,” Maya’s face fell. “It stands for heartbreak and loss.” 

“Then it can’t be a coincidence that this card is missing,” Kyoko said, placing a gloved hand under her chin. “The killer probably chose to take this card, knowing its meaning.” 

“But who would even know the meaning?” Sayaka asked. “I mean, Leon didn’t know, and he hung around Hiro the most!” 

“Maybe they looked it up,” Phoenix said. “I mean, this school does have internet.” 

“If they looked up the meaning, that would mean that Mr. Hagakure’s murder was planned out,” Edgeworth said. “They’d put the research in to know which card to steal when they murder him. The only question would be, why?”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Kyoko countered. “We don’t know who has the card, or even when it went missing. Yasuhiro could’ve lost the card before the murder even happened. This could be a dead end.” 

“It seems a bit too convenient to be a dead end,” Phoenix mused. “I better take note of this.” 

“Hey, where’s Detective Gumshoe?” Pearl piped up. “Why’s he not here too?”

“He’s at Criminal Affairs,” Edgeworth answered. “He’s processing the testimonies and evidence from today’s trial. I figured since Detective Kirigiri would already be here regardless, there was no point in bringing him down here too. If we find new evidence, we’ll be running it to him for processing right away.” 

I hope Gumshoe isn’t being replaced, Phoenix thought. If anyone needs a job, it’s him. 

“Prosecutor Edgeworth and I are going to stay here,” Kyoko said. “If something like this card was taken, odds are the killer didn’t stop there. I’m going to try and find a photo of what Yasuhiro’s room looked like before the incident.” 

“I can help you with that,” Leon offered again. He took out his phone. “I’ve got some pictures here from a few months ago. I took pictures for Hiro, of him giving readings in the room and stuff. Supposedly it was a business venture, but knowing Hiro… he was too cheap to hire an actual photographer.” 

“Leon, would you be willing to stay behind with us?” Kyoko asked. 

“Sure,” Leon nodded, though he did look out of place next to the formal Edgeworth and all-business Kyoko. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” he said to the rest of the group. 

This is probably all we’ll find here for now, Phoenix reasoned. Leon would hopefully fill them in if Kyoko or Edgeworth found anything amiss in the photos. It was time to focus on the student alibis, he reasoned. It was about time he got Hifumi and Toko to talk. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Dormitory Hallway

Now one person short, Phoenix walked down the hallway with Maya, Pearl, and Sayaka. Before they could get far, they noticed Celeste’s door open, and her and Hifumi were standing in front of it. Hifumi was saying something to Celeste, and he’d dropped his backpack on the floor, papers, presumably from his own file spilling out. Pearl got a glint in her eye, and before Phoenix could stop her, she raced down to the floor and snatched the backpack with its papers, scooping up the papers and placing them inside. 

“Unhand my backpack at once, tiny Fey!” Hifumi screeched, snatching his backpack from Pearl. 

Pearl gave him her best puppy dog eyes. “Sorry,” she said. “I was just trying to help you,” 

“Oh, well then, I thank you for your valiant efforts, Miss Fey junior!” Hifumi said, placing both hands on his hips. 

“Ahem!” Celeste cleared her throat. “I believe I asked you for more tea and a new file, not to drop your backpack and dawdle with unimportant conversation!” 

“Y-yes of course, Mistress! I will not disappoint!” Hifumi said. 

“Wait,” Phoenix said. “Celeste, there are still some questions I need to ask you.”

“I have said all I am going to say to you,” Celeste said with a dismissive tone. 

“What if I win against you in a game of poker?” Phoenix asked. “If I win, will you give me more information?” 

“Why bother?” Celeste said with a roll of her eyes. “I have played lawyers, spiritualists, and pop stars. I have beaten them all. There is nothing that you can do or say that will intrigue me.” 

Maya snapped her fingers, as if a lightbulb went off in her head. “I bet you’ve never played a dead person before,” she said with a smile. “Not only that, but I’ll bet you all the money in Nick’s wallet that you’ll lose to the person I’ll summon. She’s taken on way smarter people than you, and beaten them down.” 

“Is that so?” Celese said, raising a single eyebrow. “I’d like to meet this person, well, assuming you really can summon the dead.” 

Maya sat down and closed her eyes. Hifumi opened his mouth, but Sayaka motioned for him to be quiet. Celeste began to scoff, but as Maya began to transform, she couldn’t maintain her composed demeanor, openly gaping at Maya’s growing body. 

Mia opened her eyes, looking around curiously. Pearl waved, and Phoenix smiled apologetically, knowing what Mia was about to be subjected to. 

“WH-WH-WHAAAT?!” Hifumi finally shrieked. “SHE’S A WITCH!” 

“That is… rather… extraordinary…” Celeste managed at last, trying to regain her composure. 

“Who are you?” Sayaka said, still looking shocked, despite having seen this before. 

Phoenix supposed there was no real way to get used to seeing a dead person channeled. He honestly still had his moments of shock. 

“I’m Mia, I was a defense attorney.” Mia smiled politely at the students. “My sister Maya has told me about this case during her meditations where she’s reached out to me. It is nice to actually meet you all.” 

“Celestia Lundenberg, charmed.” Celeste extended her hand to Mia, who politely shook it. 

I guess this was part of Maya’s plan, Phoenix realized. Mia was definitely the type of person that someone like Celeste would take seriously, especially after making an entrance like being summoned from the afterlife. Mia wouldn’t be phased by Celeste, and maybe that would impress Celeste enough to agree to play with her. Phoenix had to hand it to Maya. Still, he had to clue Mia in, subtly. 

“Hey, Mia,” Phoenix said. “Maya told Celeste that if you beat her in cards, she’d tell us more information about a murder case we’re investigating here, you can do that, right?” 

Mia smiled. “I was a pro in court, and that extended to recreational activities as well. I’m sure I could make quick work of Celeste.” Phoenix bit back a smile, Mia was already on the same page as him, and lying through her teeth. She’d never even mentioned gambling in front of him, though Celeste seemed almost too in-awe of her to notice. 

Celeste’s lips curled into a cat-like grin. “I doubt that. You must not know of my ultimate talent.” 

“I think I know enough about you just by seeing the way you hold yourself,” Mia crossed her arms over Maya’s admittedly too-small robes. She had Celeste’s attention now, and she knew it. “Isn’t that what people like us do? We size people up so we can beat them.” 

“Yes, I suppose you are right. I must say, I am excited to add a channeled woman to my resume of people I’ve beaten,” Celeste said. “Please, Miss Mia, you’re welcome to challenge me for your information. However, only you are permitted inside.” Celeste stared coldly at Pearl, Sayaka, Phoenix, and Hifumi. “The rest of you must disperse. Oh, and underling-” 

Hifumi stood at attention, still staring at Mia. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel slightly creeped out about that. 

“-fetch me some more tea, it would be nice to have refreshments. Oh, and bring a cup for Miss Mia as well,” Celeste said with a wave of her hand. 

“Actually, I prefer coffee if you have it,” Mia said. “Coffee brings me fond memories. Maybe I can tell you about it, Celestia.”

“I’d be delighted,” Celeste turned towards Hifumi. “Now, make yourself useful, and go get my tea, and Miss Mia’s coffee. Go, now!” Celeste said, slamming the door once Mia stepped inside. 

Hifumi took off down the hallway as fast as his legs could take him. Phoenix heard a small giggle, and looked down to where Pearl was standing, she had her hand over her mouth. 

“What’s so funny, Pearl?” Sayaka asked. 

“Hifumi’s backpack spilled, so I grabbed his pink box! I think it’s called a ca-me-ra! Miss Hart had one, but it was bigger,” Pearl triumphantly held up a pink camera with a cutesy character on the sides. Princess Piggles, apparently. Phoenix thought that was a terrible name for a princess. 

“Woah, I didn’t even notice!” Phoenix exclaimed. “No one did!” 

“I guess it’s an advantage of being small,” Sayaka shrugged. 

Pearl handed the camera to Phoenix. The photos were digitally dated and timestamped, so Phoenix went back to photos with the date of the murder on them. April 29th, let’s see, he flipped through the photos. There were many photos of him, Celeste, and Junko playing cards. Celeste was all-business, focusing on the cards, Junko was grinning and flashing a peace sign to the camera, Hifumi’s face awkwardly took up half the frame in his attempt to take the picture. There were pictures of Hifumi watching Warriors of Hope vs Despair, with Junko and Celeste looking at their cards, but then, Celeste wasn’t in one photo. Then another, then another. Just Junko chilling with her hands in her pockets, smiling at Hifumi, who was looking at his cards. Another photo of Hifumi pointing at the TV screen, both of them forgetting about their card game. From 9:30 onwards, Celeste wasn’t in a single photo. Phoenix grinned. 

“Pearls, you may have just gotten the most important piece of evidence for the day,” Phoenix said, ruffling the girl’s hair. “This’ll help us get Hifumi’s real story.” 

“Good job Pearl!” Sayaka cheered, and the little medium grinned with pride. Sayaka raised an eyebrow. “Wait,” she said, “What about Celeste? You do realize Mia can’t win, even if she is as good as she said. Celeste is an ultimate.” 

“Mia doesn’t need to win, she just needs to keep Celeste busy while we talk to Hifumi.” Phoenix said with a grin. “We just need to follow Hifumi and confront him!” 

“Alright,” Sayaka said. Pearl tugged on her sleeve, and she sighed before lifting her up for another piggy back. “You earned this, Pearl. Oh, and Mr. Wright, you do realize that Maya bet all your money you have on you to Celeste, right? You’re going to have to pay her when Mia loses.” 

Phoenix put his head in his hands and sighed, now trudging after Pearl and Sayaka, who led the way. There went his plans to swing by the donut place on the way home. He’d been craving donuts lately. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Cafeteria

Hifumi was busily preparing the coffee pot, placing it under the filter. He’d already started boiling the tea, probably having already done this a thousand times. Hifumi was humming the theme song to Warriors of Hope vs. Despair, Phoenix realized. He’d been subjected to that show long enough to know the theme song. 

“Hifumi,” Phoenix said. “I’d like to have a word with you.” 

Hifumi leapt up in shock and whirled around to face the group. “You followed me!” he screeched. “What do you want from me?!” He held up his hands together, pleadingly. “I swear, I have nothing to say!” 

The two psyche-locks floating in front of him begged to differ. 

“So, you’re sticking to your story, right?” Phoenix questioned. “Why?” 

“B-because it’s the truth?” 

“No, I think you’re protecting someone.” 

Hifumi tensed up. “W-who would I even be protecting?” 

“Celeste,” Phoenix said. “You’re protecting her because you’ve learned to have a healthy dose of fear for her. You’re afraid of what she’ll say to you if you disagree with her.” 

The first psyche-lock snapped and shattered. The coffee continued to brew, the tea kettle drew closer to a boil. 

“Wh-why would I protect Miss Lundenberg?” Hifumi offered desperately. “There is no proof that she did anything wrong! She did not leave the media room!” 

“Sorry,” Phoenix shook his head, and took out the Princess Piggles Camera. “I’ve got proof. Celeste is in these pictures, up until 9:30 PM, but after that, she is gone for the remainder of the pictures. You and Junko are both there still. This is proof that Celeste left the room. Hifumi, you and Makoto are friends, right? If you know something, you should speak up.” 

The remaining psyche-lock shattered, and the chains surrounding Hifumi cleared away, leaving him staring hesitantly at the now boiling tea kettle. Hifumi took the kettle off the stove, and sighed. 

“Y-you stole my camera,” he said weakly. 

“Actually, I did,” Pearl said, looking a bit too satisfied. “It was in your backpack.” 

“Hifumi, we needed this evidence.” Phoenix said. “Please, tell us the truth. Makoto is being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, and he needs your help. We need this camera to confront Celeste. We’ll need you to confirm she left the room, and let us have this camera as evidence.” 

“I’m almost a b-rank,” the doujin said, pouring the tea into a porcelain cup. “If I go against Celeste now… she’ll totally kill me! I’ll get demoted back to d-rank where I started!” 

“D-rank?” Pearl questioned. 

“Miss Lundenberg has a system, you know. She ranks people based on their worth. Most humans fall into the d-tier, she says. C-rank is reserved for those smart enough to fall in line with her, like myself, or people she considers smarter than average. No one has made B-rank yet. She’s promised me I have a chance,” Hifumi said, adding the milk to the tea. 

“That sounds dumb,” Pearl said bluntly. 

“T-that’s what a d-rank would say!” Hifumi flared up. 

“Hifumi, please,” Sayaka interjected. “Please, do the right thing. Tell us the truth. For Makoto. Celeste would sell you out in a heartbeat too, look at how she’s treated you today! She’d do anything to save herself, and you know it!” 

“Miss Maizono…” Hifumi’s shoulders slumped. “Miss Lundenberg can be… abrasive… but she is one of the few students who ever went out of their way to include and speak to me.” He paused. “Mr. Naegi was the other one. He’d help make tea for Miss Lundenberg, he’d listen to my ideas for my writing… he never mocked me for my interests…” Hifumi took off his glasses, blinking desperately before putting them back on. He sighed. “I’ll help you, even if my rank will suffer.” 

“So, we can keep your camera?” Phoenix asked.

Hifumi nodded hesitantly. “Yes, but I expect it right back afterwards! It’s limited edition!” 

“Of course,” Phoenix said. “So, you can confirm Celeste did leave the room during the times she’s absent in the photos?” 

“Yes,” Hifumi said. “She said she was going to get some more tea, which I found odd considering she’d normally make me do it. She never came back until after Hagakure’s body was discovered. I just assumed she was telling the truth because of this,” Hifumi showed them the milk carton. “Whenever a new carton of milk is opened, the date opened is written on this sticker by the person who opened it. I last opened one a few weeks ago. Normally, it’s me, but this is Celeste’s writing, so I know she was at least here.” 

Sayaka gave Phoenix a concerned look. “You think this was Celeste’s way of giving herself an alibi?” 

“Maybe,” Phoenix said, furrowing his eyebrows. 

“O-oh!” Hifumi said. “There was something weird I, uh, noticed too.” He walked over to the trash can, which was overflowing. Murder myster had apparently taken priority over school cleanliness. “If she’d swapped the milk cartons, wouldn’t she have thrown hers out? When I came here yesterday to make Celeste tea, there was no carton in the trash.” 

Phoenix crossed his arms. “Does Celeste have a motive? If she didn’t hate Makoto, what about Yasuhiro?” 

“Miss Lundenberg considered Mr. Hagakure to be a d-tier human, much like many others at this school. He struck her as rather stupid, and well, she never liked his name. Just hearing it tended to put her in a foul mood,” Hifumi unzipped his backpack and took out a student handbook. “Miss Lundenberg makes me carry around her handbook, to open doors for her and such-” 

Phoenix barely suppressed another eye roll. Hifumi’s life seemed to revolve completely around making sure Celeste’s every need was met. It was both sad and pathetic. 

“-Her real name?” Sayaka blurted out. “I mean, why would she kill over something as small as that? Everyone here knows and calls her Celeste anyway… it’s the best way to not get your eyes scratched out.” 

“Her real name?” Phoenix looked at the handbook that Hifumi flipped open, and his eyes widened. Celeste’s vitals and picture lined up with what he’d seen already from her, but her name was different. Taeko Yasuhiro. Considerably less glamorous of a name than Celestia Lundenberg. I guess she wouldn’t want a plain name, considering her massive ego, Phoenix thought. Maybe Hiro was a reminder to her, a reminder that she’d never truly be Celeste… but if she killed him…

“What does that say?” Pearl asked, squinting at the handbook. 

“It’s Miss Lundenberg’s real name,” Hifumi said. “She’s really Miss Yasuhiro, though you will never call her that if you want to live,” Hifumi warned. “I-I do not think that Miss Lundenberg would kill for such a petty reason but still, I am not certain of anything anymore.” 

Phoenix snapped a picture of Celeste’s (technically Taeko’s) handbook and Hifumi placed the handbook back in his backpack. He stirred the tea and poured Mia’s coffee, but his hands were now trembling with dread. 

“Y-you cannot tell Mistress Lundenberg I cracked!” Hifumi cried. “She’ll never forgive me, her underling turned traitor,” he wailed, still managing to gather the tea and coffee onto a tray. 

“Don’t worry, we won’t sell you out,” Phoenix said. Well, that was kind of a lie. Odds are, Celeste would figure out Hifumi sold her out once Phoenix decided to confront her. Knowing Hifumi, he might crack and admit it himself. Still, he could at least lie for now, to try to provide some solace for Hifumi instead of freaking him out even more. 

“I must be going now, Mistress Lundenberg will no doubt be getting impatient!” Hifumi said, before he left with the tray of coffee and tea. Hopefully, Mia won’t mind that her coffee doesn’t have any sugar, Phoenix mused. Hifumi was too nervous to really notice what he’d done to which cup, though Mia was probably polite enough that she’d drink the coffee regardless. 

“He’s kinda weird,” Pearl frowned. “But at least he helped us!” 

“Yeah, that’s Hifumi for you,” Sayaka sighed. “I didn’t think he’d help as much as he did. I guess that’s just Makoto’s charm for you.” 

Even when he’s not here, he’s still driving people to help, Phoenix thought. It just confused him more that someone would try to frame Makoto then, who seemed to be unanimously liked. Maybe he’d been looking at this wrong. Maybe Yasuhiro was the person he needed to focus on, in terms of being targeted. He remembered what Edgeworth said about the card. Maybe he was onto something.

“I have an idea, Mr. Wright,” Sayaka said. “We should check trash cans on the first floor for that other milk carton. If it isn’t in any of the cans, then we’ll know Celeste lied about making tea,” 

“Great idea! Let’s do it!” Pearl cheered, before Phoenix could even get a word out. Rooting through trash cans did not sound fun, but if it helped to solve the case, he supposed it couldn’t hurt. 

“Let’s start with the gymnasium, then.” Sayaka said, offering her hand to Pearl, who took it. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll make Mr. Nick actually look through the trash cans,” Pearl giggled. 

Phoenix sighed. No donuts, and now he’d be rooting through garbage. This day was definitely not getting any better. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Gymnasium

“Alright, Mr. Nick! Time to start digging through the trash,” Pearl said. 

Of course, Pearl made no move to actually go near the trash can, instead standing by Sayaka, who also didn’t seem eager to go digging through trash. Well, I guess I have to do this, Phoenix sighed. He rolled up his sleeves, mournfully realizing that he’d have to get garbage on his suit. He really liked this suit too, it was his favorite one. Of course, he had a dozen more of the exact same suit, but it was the principle of having to sully this one that upset him. 

Phoenix sighed and began to rummage through the trash can. Banana peel, gross. Half eaten sandwich, donut box. Old drawings of an anime character, probably Hifumi’s, Phoenix reasoned. Ah! He pulled out a milk carton, dated about three weeks ago, around the time Hifumi said he’d opened the carton. So, Celeste had left the room to throw the carton away. Why? There was a glint beneath the carton, and Phoenix pushed aside a candy wrapper to find a pair of scissors that had been strategically hidden by the milk carton. Tentatively, he pulled out the scissors. 

“I found the carton,” he said. “And… uh… these.” He held up the scissors. 

Sayaka’s face went pale. “No… it couldn’t be,” she murmured. “I thought that she-” 

“So, those are Celeste’s?” Pearl asked. “Did she put the carton on top to hide those? What about the knife?” 

“There’s a real chance that-wait-didn’t Toko say something about the gym earlier? About her and Byakuya?” Phoenix’s mind started to race, and he knew he had to confront Toko right away. And Byakuya too-

“-Mr. Wright!” Hina came bounding into the gymnasium. “I found them, you guys!” she shouted into the hallway. Hina turned back to the group. “We got Byakuya, Mr. Wright. We caught him heading back into the school. He won’t tell us where he’d gone. Oh, and you have a candy bar wrapper stuck to your jacket.” 

Just as Phoenix moved to unstick the candy bar wrapper, Byakuya came into the room, flanked by Sakura and Mondo. Byakuya took one look at Phoenix in his ruined suit and rolled his eyes. He still had the files in his hands. Wait, why were there only-

“-Your goon squad dragged me here,” Byakuya said, looking at Phoenix like he was an ant waiting to be crushed. Suddenly, his eyes flitted to the scissors in Phoenix’s hand, and his eyebrows shot up, before he resumed his haughty expression. “What do you want with me?” 

Sakura sighed, trying to be civil. “Togami, we told you, your alibi and the files you took-” 

“I told you, you behemoth, I didn’t take all the files. These ones are the only ones I took.” Byakuya extended the files out, two files, both reading Wright-Fey. 

“That still doesn’t explain where the hell ya went!” Mondo said, glaring at Byakuya and cracking his knuckles. “Why would ya leave with no reason?” 

Byakuya sighed, rolling his eyes. “For the record, I am not beholden to any of you idiots. Where I choose to go shouldn’t be dictated by any of you-” 

“-Hey jerk,” Hina interrupted, glaring at Byakuya. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a murder case going on, and everyone needs to check in with each other and stay close! What if the killer strikes again?” 

“You do realize the killer can’t very well strike if he’s in jail, right?” Byakuya smirked. “That is, unless, you believe in Makoto all of a sudden. After all, why do you think I left? I wanted to take these files to him, to prove to him that Mr. Wright is more of a spiritualist than an actual lawyer-” 

“What’s your problem?” Phoenix blurted out. “Why are you so against me taking this case? You tried to buy me off on the first day-” 

“-He did what?!” Sayaka interrupted, glaring at Byakuya. “How could you try to sabotage Makoto like that, considering what he’s put up with from you!” 

Byakuya glared at Sayaka. “You may be too naive to understand this, Maizono, but there is a world out there waiting for us. The Togami corporation is counting on me to graduate without delay, and this case is one big delay. In case you haven’t noticed, our schooling has grinded to a halt. I won’t be held back from ascending to the top of the Togami Corporation-” 

“-How could you consider something like the innocence of your friend a setback!” Phoenix couldn’t contain himself anymore. It felt slightly embarrassing to get worked up over the words of a school kid, but Byakuya’s callousness angered him. “You were even one of the few who seemed to actually believe in Makoto from the start too!” 

“Wait, what?” Hina raised an eyebrow. “Byakuya said that?” 

“No, but I implied it.” Byakuya crossed his arms. “In fact, I tried going to Makoto again today to talk to him about dropping you, and these files were my proof. I wanted to show him how you rely on spirits and lucky breaks to win your cases. I was going to offer him real representation once our school year is over and I have graduated on time. He turned me down the first time, something about how he had faith in you, and Kyoko’s choice and all that garbage. I wanted to take more files, but… these two were the only ones left of the ones I had envisioned taking. However, Makoto was unavailable. The guard said he’d be in for questioning for the remainder of visiting hours,” Byakuya glared at Phoenix. “It’s unfortunate, but he’s stuck with you for another pointless day. You merely dragged out the trial for another day. That’s all.” 

“No, that’s wrong!” Pearl glared at Byakuya, and Phoenix noted her stance was similar to Makoto’s when he’d blurted out those same words yesterday. “Mr. Nick is a great law-yer! He won those cases! Luck isn’t bad, it’s what brought us together to defend Makoto! We’re getting more evidence too!” 

“Yes, I do see that,” Byakuya said, pointing to the scissors. “I suppose you think that those scissors are important? Or that milk carton in your hand?” 

“These scissors, I think they have to with Toko,” Phoenix said, not even realizing he’d voiced it out loud. It was like all the atmosphere had been sucked out of the room, and the silence seemed to confirm Phoenix’s theory. Why did they seem so worried about it? 

“You’d be correct,” Byakuya said at last. 

“Shit,” Mondo said, Pearl’s ears luckily being covered by Sakura, who was surprisingly gentle with the little medium. “Does that mean that she-” 

“Mr. Wright, you’re going to have to talk to her,” Byakuya sighed. “She’ll talk to you if I’m there. I’ll do this one thing for you-only because I wasn’t able to get to Makoto today. However, it will just have to be you and me… Toko doesn’t like the extra attention.” 

“Fine,” Phoenix said through gritted teeth, placing the milk carton and scissors in his evidence collection. “Pearl, please stay with Sayaka.” Phoenix turned towards Sayaka. “Please, watch her carefully. Keep her safe.” Luckily, Phoenix trusted Sayaka the most of the students there, and Byakuya, the least trustworthy one, was coming with him.

Sayaka nodded politely. “Of course, Mr. Wright.” Sayaka turned towards Pearl. “Pearl, you want to hear the story of how I met Makoto? It’s something you’d probably like.” Sayaka giggled as Pearl nodded eagerly, and the two walked off to sit in the gym bleachers to talk. 

“Hey, where’s Maya? She okay?” Mondo questioned. 

“She’s uh, busy channeling her sister to play cards with Celeste,” Phoenix said. Maybe if the rest of them went to see Mia, they’d stall Celeste for even longer, which would be ideal. Plus, it would annoy Celeste to no end, and maybe give Mia some reprieve, so that could work too if maybe-

“-Maya’s channeling another spirit, and we’re missing it?!” Hina squawked. “Sakura and I missed it once, and we’re not gonna again!” Hina ran off, grabbing her girlfriend’s hand on the way, Sakura striding after her without protest. She probably wanted to see too, despite her calmer demeanor. 

“Man, I gotta see this. This sister was the reason she helped me with Daiya,” Mondo muttered as he left, running after Hina and Sakura. 

“Huh, that was a good distraction,” Byakuya conceded. “I must admit I’m curious too, but we have to go find Toko. I think I know where she might be. And… be prepared to meet someone new.” Byakuya smiled. “I think...Jill will like you. Toko’s not the only one in her head.”

“Wait, who’s Jill? Toko has an alter ego?” Phoenix asked, but Byakuya was already leaving. Phoenix scrambled after him, trying to put his thoughts together. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Dormitory Hallway

Byakuya stopped in front of a door that had Toko’s pixelated likeness. Phoenix recognized it as her room. He remembered the last time he’d been here was yesterday, when Toko had shut herself in and refused to come out. Why would she open the door this time?

Byakuya knocked on the door. 

“G-go away!” 

“It’s Byakuya. Let me inside.” 

“O-oh! M-master!” Toko’s voice went from paranoid to happy. “O-of c-course.” With a click, Toko unlocked the door. “I-I’ll just be a-a s-second,” she sighed. “L-let yourself i-in.” 

I guess that’s how you get her to open the door, Phoenix noted with awe as Byakuya opened the door and gestured for Phoenix to step in. He wasn’t sure he’d ever understand what she saw in Byakuya, though.

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Toko’s Room

Toko’s back was turned to Byakuya and Phoenix, she fiddled with her braids, clearly trying to make herself look nicer. She still looked frazzled, Phoenix thought. No amount of messing with her hair would change that. 

“H-hi M-master-A-ah!” Toko turned around, her eyes widening as she saw Phoenix. “W-what a-are y-you doing here? Y-you c-creep!” 

“I’m not a creep!” Phoenix protested. “Byakuya brought me here!” 

“M-master w-would never-” 

“I brought him,” Byakuya sighed. “I said you’d talk to him. Besides, he can tell when you lie, you know.” 

Toko suddenly looked ill, and she tugged her braids so hard, it looked like she was going to pull them from her head. “Y-you t-told him… a-and he c-can see m-my lies… that’s i-impossible,”

“You know I’ve read up on him,” Byakuya said smugly.  “He has this thing, called a magatama, it’s blessed with spiritual energy. I, quite frankly, think it’s a hoax he uses to make people cough up information, but nevertheless, it seems to work.” 

Phoenix sighed. “Toko, I’m not here to prosecute you. I just want to prove Makoto’s innocence. I know that it’s not me you’re really afraid of.” 

Toko’s psyche-locks flew in front of her. Byakuya could believe what he wanted, but the magatama was as real as they came, and Toko’s lies were visible to Phoenix. Toko sweat nervously, she was hunched over. 

“P-prove it,” she challenged weakly. 

“I have some pages from a manuscript you dropped,” Phoenix took out the pages of Demon Prosecutor . “The antagonist is a prosecutor that sends defendants to hell, and witnesses as well. The protagonist is a knight that… admittedly has wild hair like me. The demon is a stand in for Edgeworth. You’re afraid he’ll condemn you for something, Toko. Maybe something to do with the murder?” 

“I-I-I,” Toko stammered as her first psyche-lock snapped. It was almost sad, Phoenix thought. Toko looked genuinely scared. However, the slight blush on her face diluted the effect a little. 

“W-what w-would that h-handsome p-prosecutor condemn m-me for?” She said shakily. Well, she clearly wasn’t lying about the fact that she found Edgeworth handsome, based on her reddening cheeks. She must have a thing for aloof guys, Phoenix thought, staring at an impatient looking Byakuya. 

“I found these in the gymnasium trash can,” Phoenix held up the scissors, and Toko grew pale with fright. “I think they’re yours. Well, they’re not exactly yours, per se.” 

“T-those a-aren’t mine!” 

The psyche-lock was still there. 

“They’re Jill’s,” Phoenix said. “She’s a part of you, from what I understand. Byakuya told me about her, and they’re her scissors, which means they belong to you as well.” 

The psyche-lock shattered, and the chains cleared away, leaving Toko staring at Byakuya with a look of betrayal in her eyes. Phoenix felt a pang of guilt at seeing her state, she looked a few steps from fainting. 

“Y-you t-told him?” Toko whimpered.

“I told him that you have a split-personality. Her name is Jill. Mr. Wright here put the rest together on his own. Now, tell him what you know about the night of the murder. You were around the gymnasium. I would know, that’s where I ditched you.” 

“I-I w-was around the g-gym…” Toko said. “I-I was looking f-for you, b-but I s-saw s-something i-in the h-hallway, and t-then I-I fainted… then s-she t-took o-over,” 

“You mean Jill?” Phoenix questioned. 

Toko nodded, still unable to meet his gaze. “I-I really d-don’t know what s-she s-saw. We d-don’t share m-memories, so…” 

Byakuya crossed his arms. “You faint at the sight of blood, which can bring out G-er-Jill. That would mean you saw something bloody on the stairs, try to remember.” 

“You didn’t want to say anything earlier because you were afraid,” Phoenix said softly. “You didn’t want to have to testify.” 

“I-I’m s-sorry, I-I c-can’t testify… I-I’d be r-ruined…” Toko crossed her arms, making herself small. “I-I remember a-a flash o-of silver a-and black a-and w-white… then I-I fainted…” 

Byakuya adjusted his glasses. “I remember you-well, actually Jill-tracked me down in the library, where you were with me the rest of the night. You had no blood on you, so I doubt she did it… unless you regained control long enough to cover up your involvement-” 

“-N-no! M-my scissors w-went missing that d-day, and I-I d-didn’t realize it until t-that n-night a-after H-hagakure w-was discovered, a-and I was a-afraid…s-she’d done it,” Toko said. 

“Wait, is Jill violent or something?” Phoenix raised an eyebrow, looking at Toko. 

She still wouldn’t look at him. “I-I’ve b-been b-better at c-controlling h-her, b-but-” 

“Hagakure isn’t exactly Jill’s type,” Byakuya said. “Jill likes to hurt more… svelte boys. She’d like Prosecutor Edgeworth.” 

“Hey! Don’t hurt him!” Phoenix said. 

“I-I w-wouldn’t!” Toko insisted. “I-I’ll n-never l-let her o-out again!” 

“You’re going to have to show us now. Jill has the rest of your alibi. Unless you want to testify. Just show us now.” Byakuya glared at Toko. 

Phoenix started to say something on Toko’s behalf, but he was cut off by a rather loud sneeze. Suddenly, Toko’s sullen blue eyes were replaced by lively red ones, and her tongue flew out of her mouth, which was curled into a giant grin. 

“Kyehahaha!” Toko-no wait, Jill, laughed. Phoenix nearly choked, her demeanor had completely flipped, as if she were channeling a spirit. “Hey, Master! Oh, you brought a friend! Oh, he smells terrible! Did he roll around in garbage or something?” 

Jill moved closer to Phoenix, inspecting him. Phoenix could feel himself beginning to sweat, his nerves starting to get the better of him. Toko didn’t scare him in the slightest, but Jill was already starting to terrify him. 

“W-where were y-you on the night of the murder?” Phoenix squeaked.

“Aw, don’t be shy, porcupine!” Jill grinned, her tongue hanging out. “You sound like my other self, and she’s pretty pathetic. Huh… I remember being in the hallway, and I decided to go find my master!” Jill looked at Byakuya, she was practically drooling. Byakuya looked disgusted, and Phoenix could hardly blame him. “I passed the gym, oh and I saw Macarena heading away from the gym! He said hi to me, and pointed me towards the library!” 

“Macarena?” Phoenix asked. 

“She means Makoto,” Byakuya said. 

“Ding, ding! We have a winner!” Jill crowed. “Where is the little guy anyway? I was going to ask him if he’s seen my scissors.” 

“He’s been accused of murdering Hagakure,” Byakuya said, stating this like it was no big deal. “He’s currently in prison, and this-” Byakuya gestured to Phoenix, “-is his lawyer, Phoenix Wright.” 

“Huh, you’re a lawman, huh?” Jill’s overwhelming energy seemed to fade a bit, and she seemed to eye Phoenix a bit more warily. He felt even more afraid all of a sudden. “Can’t say you look the part, what with your trashy smell and stained suit. Kyehahaha!” Jill busted out laughing, and Phoenix blushed with embarrassment. 

“You caught me at a bad time,” he sighed. 

“I’m shocked someone as sweet as Macarena would even do something like murder! It takes a real sicko to do that!” Jill began howling with laughter, and Phoenix couldn’t help but feel like she was telling a joke not meant for him. 

Byakuya, for his part, didn’t appear to find her funny in the slightest. “So, there it is, Mr. Wright. I can attest that I was in the library from 9:25 onwards, and Jill, and Toko by extension, came in at around 9:35. She has an alibi for that time. 

“Wait, Jill, what time did you see Makoto?” Phoenix asked. “Isn’t there a clock in the gymnasium?” 

“I never went to the gym, porcupine! Keep up!” Jill stood up on her tiptoes and rapped her fist on Phoenix’s head playfully. “I don’t know the exact time, sorry! Tell Macarena I say hi!”

“Can you tell him yourself?” Phoenix asked. “Would you be willing to testify for us? You or Toko?” 

“No way, Jose!” Jill glared at Phoenix, and whipped out a pair of craft scissors, a rather underwhelming substitute for the real thing. Her tongue curled up in several knots, and Phoenix wondered how that was even possible. “I’m not touchin’ that stand, ya hear me! A girl’s gotta look out for herself, porcupine! I liked Macarena, but I’ve got to remain available and free, for Master here! Find someone else!” 

Phoenix put his hands up in surrender. “Fine… just please lower the scissors.” 

“Lower those things now,” Byakuya interjected. 

Jill pouted and put the scissors down. “I would like to meet that gorgeous prosecutor once this is all over though,” she giggled. “The way that morose loser Toko writes about him… he sounds dreamy! He could condemn me to that fiery passion anytime,” She sighed, putting her face into her hands, once again near drooling. Phoenix felt very sorry for Edgeworth all of a sudden. 

“We have no more need for you,” Byakuya said. “Let us see Toko again.” 

“But she’s so boring-” 

“Now.” 

Jill sneezed again, and her liveliness left her, her tongue went back into her mouth, and she was now Toko again. Phoenix was honestly thrilled to see her. He’d take morose Toko over terrifying Jill anyday. 

“W-what did s-she s-say?” Toko looked utterly terrified. “I-I know t-that y-you think I’m a f-freak now.” 

Phoenix sighed. “She basically confirmed your alibi, and that you won’t be testifying.” Phoenix looked at Toko, feeling sorry for her. This split-personality stuff clearly wasn’t easy for her, and there was a part of Phoenix that was impressed by Toko. Her writing was amazing, even if it’s romantic content wasn’t normally something Phoenix would admit to liking. “I don’t think you’re a freak. It’s just like you’re channeling a particular… energetic spirit.” 

“Y-you don’t h-have t-to lie,” Toko said, finally meeting Phoenix’s gaze. 

“No, it’s the truth,” Phoenix said. “Honestly, I’ve seen weirder. Besides, you’ve got enough talent to really not have to care what anyone says,” Phoenix took out the pages of Demon Prosecutor. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually really liked this. I wanted to read more and more. Even if it is about Edgeworth,” Phoenix said with a laugh. 

“Y-you’re i-in it t-too, you’re the b-blue k-knight,” Toko said, and Phoenix could’ve sworn she was starting to smile. A blush spread across her face. “E-eventually, during the d-duel, t-the d-demon and k-knight were g-going t-to r-realize they w-were m-madly in l-love-” 

“-In love?!” Phoenix could feel his face turning just as red as Toko’s. 

“Ahem!” Byakuya cleared his throat, and Phoenix nearly collapsed in relief. 

There was a part of him that wanted to know how the demon prosecutor and the knight fell in love, but he knew he’d probably get flustered by the answer, and Toko was already starting to drool a bit, and it was freaking him out. 

“We should take our leave, Mr. Wright.” Byakuya looked at Toko. “Stay here.” 

Toko nodded, and raced back to her desk, where she began to write furiously. Phoenix could already feel his face burning as he imagined what she could possibly be writing about now. As he and Byakuya left, he wondered if Edgeworth would read the book once it came out. 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Dormitory Hallway

“Well, now you have both of our alibis,” Byakuya smirked. “You do realize for your case, you’re going to have to get her to testify, right? It will be interesting to see how she reacts to your inevitable betrayal, or how you’ll get her on the stand in the first place. She actually seemed to like you, too.” 

Phoenix wanted to retort, but he pursed his lips. Byakuya was right, as much as he hated to admit it. He had to get Toko on the stand somehow, and get her to bring out Jill. It wouldn’t be fun, Phoenix reasoned, and he could already feel the pit of guilt in his stomach. He already knew that Toko would be terrified, scared, and betrayed by him. However, it was the only way he could place Makoto that wasn’t the crime scene, and his client took priority. It didn’t mean he didn’t feel bad, though. 

“You feel bad, based on that look on your face,” Byakuya said, and he actually looked at Phoenix, not down on him like he had previously. “You’re a lawyer, it isn’t your job to spare feelings, it’s your job to prove your client’s innocence… so if you see your opportunity to get her on the stand, you do it.” 

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted this trial to end.” 

“I do, but there is also a part of me that wants to know the endgame of this killer, and you’re part of their plans now.” Byakuya took Phoenix’s files out of his coat pocket. “I already know your cases. The fact that these were the only two that I could find when I got to the library… it made me realize the killer is planning for you, they want to know your weaknesses. I know those cases,” Byakuya adjusted his glasses. “Von Karma. Gant. Engarde. Hawthorne. Those were pivotal cases in your career. I just want to know who else in the school would know that,” Byakuya gave a shrug to Phoenix. “Well, I guess it’s your problem anyway. Besides me, Kyoko is the only one who would… though she doesn’t seem likely. Not impossible, just unlikely.” 

With those parting words, and biting back a smug smile, Byakuya walked away, presumably back towards the library, where he could go without anyone bothering him. That guy is starting to enjoy this, Phoenix realized. He likes the thrill of unraveling the mystery, nevermind that his classmate was dead, and he knew that the wrong guy got accused. Phoenix frowned and shook his head. Still, he couldn’t deny that Byakuya was helpful, at least for today. Odds are, he’d be his enemy again tomorrow, so Phoenix knew not to expect too much. 

“Stay back!” A shout echoed from the dorm. “Mistress Lundenberg requests that you heathen vacate her room at once!”

Phoenix raced down the hall towards the shout, which Phoenix could tell was Hifumi, based on the nasal quality of the yell. When he got there, he saw Mondo, Sakura, and Hina crowded around the door, Hifumi trying in vain to drag Hina out of the room. Sakura pried Hifumi off of Hina like he was made of air. 

“Ah, Phoenix!” Mia smiled, and got up from her chair. “I’m sorry, but I believe you owe Celeste all the money in your wallet. I lost our game quite handily.” 

“She did put up a fight, at least,” Celeste tittered. “Most of my opponents tend to lose right away. I was not bored, Miss Mia.” 

“You certainly are an ultimate, Miss Celestia,” Mia said, as Phoenix sighed and fished a handful of bills out of his wallet. “With my compliments,” Mia said as she handed Celeste the money. 

“Ah, I must thank you for the good conversation, Miss Mia. It appears to be a lost art among… others,” Celeste looked at her more unruly classmates with contempt. “Truly, this Armando man sounded utterly fascinating, and I hope my underling’s coffee did not disappoint.” Celeste gave Hifumi a pointed glare. 

“Oh, Hifumi’s coffee was wonderful,” Mia said, nodding towards Hifumi, who blushed. “And, I enjoyed meeting all of you, I really did,” Mia said, addressing Hina, Sakura, and Mondo. “You all are very exciting to talk to,” 

“You’re just as cool as Maya said you were!” Hina said with a grin. 

“Fuck yeah,” Mondo agreed. “I wonder… have ya seen my brother around in the afterlife? I told ya what he looked like when Maya channeled him, hair like mine, white jacket, ya know?” 

“Sorry,” Mia said. “Spirits don’t really exist in an afterlife until we’re summoned. I wouldn’t have been able to see your brother. I wish I could, though.” 

“Worth a shot,” Mondo said dejectedly. 

“We should all go now,” Mia said. “Celeste would like us to vacate her room.” 

They all filled out, except Celeste and Hifumi, joining Phoenix, who was standing in the hallway. Phoenix sighed, already a bit overwhelmed. 

“Do you guys mind giving Phoenix and I some space to discuss our case?” Mia asked the other three. “I promise, I will see you all again soon. Then, maybe we can talk when I don’t have to help Phoenix here.” 

“Alright,” Hina conceded. “I really want to hear about that one story you were going to start with, about that first time you were channeled!” 

“I promise, I’ll tell you that story soon, Hina. I’ll even bring donuts.” Mia said, as Hina smiled and walked off, Sakura and Mondo in tow. 

Once again, Phoenix realized everyone else on his investigation team: Maya, Pearl, and now Mia, had endeared themselves to Hope’s Peak student body more than he ever did. At least Makoto seemed to favor him the most, though to be fair, he was his defense attorney. Mia let out a sigh, and Phoenix could see that she was clearly worn. 

“Phoenix, apparently that biker boy swore to Maya that she’d have the protection of his gang after she channeled his brother.” Mia laughed. “Does that mean that Wright and Co. is affiliated with one of Japan’s most infamous biker gangs? I’ve clearly missed a lot.” 

Phoenix sighed. “I-I didn’t even know that. Maya told me the basics. I never even got my donut.” 

“What?” Mia crossed her arms. 

“Nevermind, about-” 

Before Phoenix could continue, they heard a loud shout from Celeste’s door. However, neither Phoenix or Mia could make out the words. The shout quieted and moments later, Celeste and Hifumi stepped out of the room. Hifumi’s guilty expression made it all too obvious what had just happened. Celeste glared at Phoenix as if he’d spat at her. She’s almost as terrifying as Jill, Phoenix reasoned. Hifumi couldn’t meet Phoenix’s gaze. 

“Mr. Wright,” Celeste hissed. “It appears you got my underling to say some rather incriminating things about me. He will be reprimanded, but I am glad he came to his senses and told me.” She straightened up, and regained her composure, even going so far as to give him a small smile. “That is why we are going to sort this out tomorrow. In court. There will be no more speaking to the others. Just me versus you. I will be giving a vital testimony to Mr. Edgeworth, and we will face off in court. If I can beat Miss Mia, I will make short work of you,” Celeste turned and stomped off down the hall, towards Yasuhiro’s room. 

“Mistress Lundenberg, I’m so sorry! I was weak!” Hifumi squealed, as he ran off after her, fear fueling him to sprint down the hallway. 

Mia grinned. “That worked out pretty well, Phoenix.” 

“Wait, what?” 

“During that chaos with everyone in Celeste’s room, I was able to get us some evidence… though I don’t know what it was. I found it among one of her card decks. It stuck out, considering it was a weird suit, so I took it.” Mia reached into her bust, and pulled out a single card. 

Phoenix’s jaw dropped. Three of swords, and Celeste had it. However, she didn’t know that Mia swiped it. Suddenly, the ball was in his court again, and Celeste didn’t even know it. Phoenix grinned, and Mia grinned back. 

“Let’s go outside Phoenix, we don’t want to show Celeste our cards too early,” Mia said, crossing her arms, still smiling. “After all, that’s how I lost your money. Celeste isn’t one to be underestimated. If we’re going against the ultimate gambler, we’ll need a trump card.” 

******************************************************************************

May 1st 

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

Phoenix and Mia walked out toward the main gate, Mia commenting on the sheer size of Hope’s Peak. Phoenix agreed that it certainly was impressive. 

“We should get these scissors to criminal affairs to be processed right away,” Phoenix said. 

Mia nodded in agreement. “We just need Pearl. Where is she?” 

“Oh, I had to leave her behind to talk to this one student to get a lead-don’t worry, I left her with a student I’m pretty sure I can trust.” Phoenix said. “I just find it hard to be certain when I have this nagging feeling that there are things that everyone is hiding from me. These little moments pile up… and it’s making me nervous.” 

“Stay alert, Phoenix.” Mia said. “Make sure you pay attention to every odd quirk, every twitch at something you’d say. Listen to the exact phrasing they use when speaking to you. I’d guess that based on the details of the case, there’s a high chance the killer is among them.” 

“Exactly,” Phoenix nodded. “I wanted to tell Maya and Pearl, but I didn’t get the chance. I’m the one hiding stuff now, but I can’t tell any of the students, even if I’m sure they didn’t do it. I’m just worried my paranoia will put them in danger.” 

“You should be paranoid, it’ll keep you alert. As for the killer, I’m not sure who I’d suspect yet. Though, I do think it’s good to keep it a secret. The killer won’t act if they don’t suspect we’re onto them, so it is a good way to keep everyone else safe.” Mia placed a supportive arm on Phoenix’s shoulder. “You’re doing a good thing, Phoenix. All this will stay between us, which should be easy, considering I’m a spirit and all,” Mia chuckled. 

Phoenix managed a weary grin. “You think you can help out at the trial tomorrow? It’ll give you a chance to observe the students and hear about the case, and I could use you against Celeste in particular.” 

“Of course,” Mia nodded. “You’ll just have to decide if you want to have Maya or Pearl do the channeling-oh! There’s Pearl now.” 

Mia waved to Sayaka, who was carrying Pearl in her arms. When they got closer, Phoenix realized that Pearl was asleep. Sayaka smiled and pressed a finger to her lips as she gently handed Pearl to Mia, who smiled warmly at her sleeping cousin. 

“I told her all about the time I met Makoto, and she told me about the time she met you,” Sayaka whispered, “And then, she wanted to hear some songs, so I sang for her. I sang her this one lullaby I heard as a little girl. I didn’t think she’d actually fall asleep, it was pretty adorable.” 

“Thank you for taking such good care of my cousin,” Mia said. 

“Yeah, thanks for keeping her safe,” Phoenix nodded. 

“Of course,” Sayaka said. “Anything to help, and I really do like Pearl. She kinda makes me wish I had a little sister I could teach my music to.” 

Phoenix couldn’t help but smile at that. It seemed odd that a pop star would seem to enjoy hanging out with a young spirit medium, but Phoenix couldn’t deny that it seemed to be a nice friendship. At any rate, Pearl was certainly happy. 

“Yo, Mr. Wright!” Leon shouted, running up with Kyoko. Pearl’s eyes opened slowly, and she began to rub them. 

“Wha? Sayaka?” Pearl blinked. “Oh, hi cousin Mia!” Mia smiled at Pearl, who yawned. 

“You seem to have woken up Pearl,” Kyoko chided, and Leon laughed apologetically. 

“We came to tell you about those pictures, Mr. Wright-wait Maya?!” Leon’s eyes widened into saucers. “She’s um-uh-well-”

“She’s different,” Kyoko managed. “Certainly some differences can go without saying, right Leon?” 

“Yeah, uh, right,” Leon said, his face turning as red as his hair. 

“I’m Mia, Maya’s older sister,” Mia offered. “I’m being channeled.” 

“Right!” Leon said, slapping a ringed hand to his forehead, causing him to wince in pain. Sayaka suppressed a giggle, and even Kyoko looked bemused. Phoenix just winced in sympathy. “I don’t know why I didn’t think about that, considering I was there for that whole channeling thing-” 

“-The pictures, Leon,” Kyoko said. 

“Yeah! Uh, we looked at all the photos I had, and there weren’t any meaningful items gone, except for that crystal ball, and that thing was shattered.” Leon’s shoulders slumped. “It was kinda a dead end, sorry. Though, uh, Celeste came in looking like someone had stomped on her cat, and she basically shooed us out to talk to Edgeworth. That’s when we decided to print out the photos, then come here.” 

“Did something happen with Celeste?” Kyoko asked, eyebrows furrowed. 

“She’s testifying,” Phoenix sighed. “It’s a long story.” 

“I see,” Kyoko crossed her arms. “You’re going to have to be extra vigilant when picking apart her testimony then, Celeste has a habit of, well, lying. A lot.” 

“Mr. Nick can do it!” Pearl cheered drowsily. 

“We can agree that this stays between us, right?” Phoenix said. He’d already said more than he’d intended to, and he intended to keep Toko a secret for now. Partly because he felt sorry for her, but another part of him knew that Toko wouldn’t even show up to court if she got even a whiff of the fact that Phoenix was planning to make her testify. How, though, was still a mystery, even to Phoenix. 

“You got it, Mr. Wright.” Leon and Sayaka said at the same time. 

“Oh, jinx!” Pearl yawned again. 

“I’m on my way to criminal affairs to process the photo prints anyway, there could be something we’d overlooked,” Kyoko said. “I want them in evidence anyway.”

“We’ll go with you,” Phoenix said, gesturing to Mia and Pearl. “There’s some evidence I want checked out too.” Phoenix kept the scissors in his pocket, not wanting to take them out in front of Leon, knowing he’d confront Toko for sure. Luckily, both Sayaka and Kyoko didn’t press him.

“Alright,” Kyoko nodded. “We’ll set off, and you guys stay here. Maybe…  try and see what Celeste is doing. Though, I doubt she’ll tell you guys anything.” 

“We’ll try, anyway,” Sayaka said, and she and Leon headed back into the school. 

“You didn’t reveal that evidence you have for a reason,” Kyoko said, staring at Phoenix. “I’ll be quite curious to see what it is at criminal affairs. At any rate, I’m sure Detective Gumshoe will be glad to be put to work. It’s probably been a slow day for him.” 

******************************************************************************

May 1st

Criminal Affairs

The bus ride to criminal affairs was probably the most calming thing that happened during this whole roller coaster of a day, Phoenix thought. Mia and Kyoko hit it off, and Mia spent the bus ride going over some of her old cases with Kyoko, who seemed to know the details just as well as Mia herself. Mia, for her part, seemed quite impressed with Kyoko. Pearl, bored with all the detective talk, had fallen asleep leaning against Phoenix’s shoulder, still thinking of Sayaka’s songs. 

“You kinda smell, Mr. Nick.” Pearl said as they walked into criminal affairs. 

“She’s right pal, you reek!” Detective Gumshoe said, popping up behind them like a jack in the box. 

Phoenix could’ve sworn his hair was standing even more on end now. “I… went rooting through garbage today, you know.” 

“Ah, getting your hands dirty, eh, pal? I like it! Though, you may want to wash that suit.” 

“Detective,” Kyoko said, steering Gumshoe gently back on track. “I have some photos for you to process. You did already process the evidence from yesterday’s trial, right?” 

Gumshoe grinned and offered Kyoko a salute. “Of course, Detective! I got yours and Mr. Ishimaru’s testimonies officially in the court record! And I’ll have these photos in there as well!” Detective Gumshoe took the photos. 

“Actually, detective, we were hoping you could help us with some evidence we have as well,” Mia said. “Phoenix?” 

Phoenix took out the scissors and placed them on the table. 

Kyoko’s eyes sparked with recognition, and her face fell. “Where did you find these?” 

“Trash can,” Phoenix sighed. “In the gym. I already know they’re Toko’s. Or, well, Jill’s.” Phoenix shuddered. “I’m not sure what it is about her… but she scares me. Anyway, Byakuya actually helped me drag it out of her, though she refused to get on the stand.”

“What exactly do you guys want me to do with these?” Gumshoe asked. 

“We need them dusted for prints,” Phoenix said. “Also, if you could spray them with luminol testing fluid, we can see if there was blood on them that was wiped off.”

Kyoko and Mia both nodded in agreement, and Detective Gumshoe left to get the luminol spray and fingerprint kit. He came back with both, and began to dust the scissors for prints. 

“These prints are faded and kinda smudged, pal. I think that someone handled these scissors over the prints. Well, maybe that was you,” Detective Gumshoe said with a shrug. “Oh, here’s a print. We already have Makoto’s fingerprints in our database, so I can run a quick scan and-oh.”

“What is it Detective?” Kyoko asked, anticipation lining her voice.

“They’re not his prints, pal. It’s not even close. I don’t understand whose they’d be, though.” Detective Gumshoe scratched his head. 

“They have to be Toko’s then,” Kyoko said, looking visibly relieved. “Makoto never touched these scissors, and Toko had at an earlier point, hence why the prints are faded. However, someone may have handled the scissors later than her, and smudged her prints.” 

“If Toko used these as a weapon of some sort-” Mia chimed in, despite not actually knowing who Toko was, or the significance of the scissors. Now that he thought about it, Detective Gumshoe had no clue either. “-If Toko used these, then it would be more likely that she’d have wiped the scissors of her prints entirely,” Mia’s brows furrowed. 

“That’s right,” Kyoko nodded. “Still, we have to test for blood.” 

Detective Gumshoe sprayed the luminol fluid onto the scissors. The steel part of the scissors were awash in blue. Even if it was wiped off, the scissors had been soaked in blood at some point, and some point recently if the testing fluid found this much of it. 

Kyoko swore under her breath. “I should’ve known…” 

“The autopsy said the wounds were different lengths!” Phoenix said, snapping his fingers. “The knife wasn’t used excessively, there were two different weapons!” 

“Why would Makoto-” Detective Gumshoe paused. “-I mean why would the killer use two different weapons, pal? It seems like a total hassle.” 

Mia crossed her arms. “That could mean that Toko merely hid the scissors, and used gloves, hence why the prints are smudged, and why there are no prints of hers on the knife. If these scissors are, ahem, her signature, then she’d need to hide them, but not necessarily the knife, creating a trap for Makotot to incriminate himself.” 

“I just don’t get why,” Kyoko said. “Hiro wasn’t even her type. He’d have a chance of getting killed if she actually liked him, but they were always at odds. They never saw eye to eye once. Normally, that’d be a motive, but for someone like… Toko… or Jill… that would be a deterrent!” 

“It might not be Toko,” Phoenix said. He thought of Celeste and Byakuya, who he distrusted more. It was clear that they were in control to a degree, and students like Toko and Hifumi were their shields, to be discarded at will. There was a part of Phoenix that wanted to stick up for them, even if they seemed to strangely enjoy being servile. “There are other suspects.” 

“Of course,” Kyoko nodded. “You guys should start preparing for your trial tomorrow. I’ll fill in Detective Gumshoe on the details of the day-” Detective Gumshoe breathed a sigh of relief, as he’d been getting more confused by the second. “-You will need to get Toko on the stand somehow, Mr. Wright. Hopefully you can link her and Celeste. I’ll see what I can come up with, and I’ll talk to Prosecutor Edgeworth.” 

“Okay, thanks.” Phoenix said, and he, Pearl and Mia walked off. 

“Are you ready for tomorrow, Phoenix? It sounds like it’s going to get dicey.” Mia gave him a knowing look. “Of course, things always seem to be dicey for you.” 

“Di-cey?” Pearl asked. 

“It means it’s going to be hard for Phoenix,” Mia said. She smiled. “Though, when has a challenge ever stopped you, Phoenix?” 

“I’ll do my best, and you being there will help, Mia.” Phoenix said. “Today’s trial was the warm-up, though. Tomorrow’s trial is going to be tougher for sure.” 

“I guess you better hop to it, then, Phoenix,” Mia said. “We should get to the office, because I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be around.” 

“Yeah, about that…” Phoenix’s shoulders slumped. “We’re going to have to walk. Kyoko paid for the bus here, and Celeste has all my money.” 

Pearl groaned, but Mia just smiled and picked her up. 

“I don’t mind,” Mia said. “It’ll be nice to walk, to feel the sun, and to talk with you. Just talking casually, like with the ultimates.  I’m lucky to be channeled so often, but it would be nice to just get to go on a walk with my friend and my cousin. ” 

“I do miss talking casually with you, Mia,” Phoenix said, managing a weary smile as the three headed out of criminal affairs. 

“I miss it too, Phoenix. Though, now is as good a time as any to start,” Mia said, as the three began their trek home together. Maybe walking wouldn’t be so bad. 

Chapter Text

????

Hallway?

Mia opened her eyes. She felt the familiar robes of her sister, and as soon as she saw Maya’s dark hair falling down her shoulders, she knew she was being channeled. During her meditations, Maya reached out to Mia, and happened to mention Phoenix had taken a new case, pertaining to a schoolboy named Makoto Naegi. This must be the school, Mia thought, glancing around. They were in a hallway, adorned with nameplates and pixelated portraits of students, some of whom she remembered Maya mentioning. It was a large haze of details. Instead of trying to remember, Mia focused on the present, and felt several pairs of eyes on her. 

She recognized Phoenix and Pearl, Phoenix looked apologetic, and Pearls waved, a cute smile on her face. There were three new faces, though. There was a blue haired girl in a school uniform with a shocked expression on her face, and she noticed that Pearl was clutching her hand. The second face was that of a bigger, sweating boy, clutching the straps of his backpack like a lifeline, his eyes wide under his glasses. The third face is what really caught her eye. It belonged to a girl who sported impressive twin drills and was dressed in a gothic fashion. Mia could see the shock in her eyes, though she was trying to play it off. 

“WH-WH-WHAAAT?!” the boy shrieked, his tie flying in the air with the force at which he jerked back in delayed shock. “SHE’S A WITCH!” Well, that wasn’t the nicest thing to hear, was it?

“That is… rather… extraordinary…” the gothic girl said at last, regarding Mia with a quizzical fascination. Mia felt like she was being studied, and she instinctively tensed up, though she quickly corrected herself. Something told her this girl would pounce on weakness. 

“Who are you?” the bluenette managed to gasp. 

“I’m Mia, I was a defense attorney,” she said, making sure to smile politely and inoffensively at the students. “My sister Maya told me about this case during her meditations when she reached out to me. It’s nice to actually meet you all.” She was here for a reason, and she was going to make a good impression. Phoenix needed her, but for what?

“Celestia Lundenberg, charmed.” the gothic girl, Celestia, said, extending a hand. 

Her fingernails were painted black, and she had a silver ring. Mia politely shook her hand, and Celestia managed a small curtsy. Mia noticed two things about Celestia in that moment: she had an aura of refinement, and she appeared to be the only person in that hallway Celestia deemed important enough to focus on. Her body language made that clear, she was utterly disinterested in everyone around her, bar Mia. Mia wondered why she seemed to deem everyone else unimportant. 

“Hey, Mia,” Phoenix said. Mia turned away from Celestia to face him, and she felt Celestia’s eyes follow her. To be fair, everyone’s eyes were still on her. “Maya told Celeste that if you beat her in cards, she’d tell us more information about a murder case we’re investigating, you can do that, right?” Phoenix’s body language made it clear, this was why she’d been summoned. So, Celestia was holding back information, and it was clear she didn’t deem anyone worthy of her knowledge. Truth be told, Mia never even remembered Maya mentioning a Celestia or Celeste, but it wouldn’t stop her from stepping up. 

Mia grinned, and faced Celestia with confidence. “I was a pro in court, and that extended to my recreational activities-” Of course, that was a lie, Mia never really enjoyed card games- “I’m sure I could make quick work of Celestia-” If Celestia was someone who enjoyed cards, the risk, the gamble, this was bait, Mia realized. Phoenix was biting back a smile, but of course, Celestia was too focused on sizing her up to notice. 

Celeste’s lips curled into a rather bemused smile. “I doubt that. You must not know of my ultimate talent.” 

Mia maintained her confident front, knowing that a single slip could give someone like Celestia an opening Mia couldn’t afford to give. She’d forgotten about Maya’s mention that all the students in this school were gifted with some sort of ultimate talent. She’d mentioned some of them, though Celestia’s alluded her. Of course, it probably had something to do with playing cards, which would mean she was at a disadvantage. 

“I think I know enough about you just by seeing the way you hold yourself,” Mia said. That part was true, at least. One of the core aspects of being a lawyer was being able to size up a person based on body language and initial impressions. She had her attention, now she just needed to make sure Celestia would deem her a worthy opponent. “Isn’t that what people like us do?” Mia asked, crossing her arms to look directly at Celestia. “We size people up so we can beat them.” 

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” Celestia’s eyes glinted with a calculating flash. “I must say, I am excited to add a channeled woman to my resume of people I’ve beaten. Please, Miss Mia, you’re welcome to challenge me for information.” Celestia gestured towards her room, and opened the door, and Mia stepped inside. “However, only you are permitted inside.” Celestia glared coldly at the Phoenix, Pearl, and both of the other students. It wasn’t just disregard she felt for them, it was downright contempt, Mia realized. 

“The rest of you must disperse,” Celestia said icily. “Oh, and undering-” the boy finally snapped up from his daze. Mia realized he was staring at her too, but not in the same way Celestia was, it was a bit more… off putting. 

“-fetch me some more tea,” Celestia said with a wave of her hand. “Oh, and bring a cup for Miss Mia as well.” 

“Actually,” Mia said. “I prefer coffee if you have it. Coffee brings me fond memories.” Mia allowed herself a brief smile, thinking about how Diego probably would’ve enjoyed the mind games of trying to interrogate a witness over coffee. Well, he would’ve before Dahlia at any point. Mia faced Celestia. “Maybe I can tell you about it, Celesta.” 

“I’d be delighted,” Celestia said, with a sincerity that sounded rather odd. Maybe she wasn’t used to being so sincere, or actually wanting knowledge pertaining to another person. As soon as that glimmer of sincerity came, it went, and Celestia turned towards Hifumi with an air of annoyance. “Now, make yourself useful and go get my tea and Miss Mia’s coffee. Go now!” Celestia said with surprisingly unrefined forcefulness, as the boy, Hifumi, sprinted down the hallway with fear. Before Mia could even utter a goodbye to Phoenix and Pearl, or ask that slightly familiar looking blue haired girl what her name was, Celestia promptly slammed the door in their faces, leaving Mia all alone. 

______________________________________________________________________________

??????

Celestia’s Room

She’s very into these risk games, Mia noted as she glanced around Celestia’s room. The room was littered with various gambling items, a roulette wheel, multiple decks of cards, poker chips, though littered wasn’t exactly accurate. It was all gathered relatively neatly on a shelf behind the table that Celestia gestured for Mia to sit at. Mia sat down, still glancing around the room. She spotted more black dresses hanging up on a mannequin, some of which had pins sticking out of them. Celestia picked up a case full of poker chips, and moved to pick a deck of cards, her hand hovering over the deck. At the last second, she quickly switched, selecting the deck next to the one she’d bypassed. I wonder what was wrong with that first deck, Mia wondered. 

“Do you sew?” Mia asked, gesturing to the dress with pins sticking out. She had to admit, it looked quite elegant. Besides, it would be good to break the ice if she wanted Celestia to talk to her. 

“Yes, I do,” Celestia said, showing off the ruffles on her current, just as lavish looking dress. “Many stores just don’t measure up to my taste, so I find myself having to take matters into my own hands at times.” 

“Your dresses are lovely,” Mia said. 

Celeste dusted off the top card in the deck, clearly indicating this deck hadn’t been picked up in a while. “Yes, why thank you,” she said. “They’re certainly a step up from your robes, no?” 

Mia bit back a frown, and instead opted for a polite chuckle. “I suppose, though that’s just your point of view. When I wear these robes, I feel closer to my sister, and my past.” 

Celestia sat down across from Mia, folding her hands under her chin. “Oh? They looked rather uncomfortable, though I suppose you being taller than your sister would account for that. So… your past is something you’re fond of? I must ask, what is it like being dead? Is it cold? Are your greatest desires laid in front of you?” 

Mia shook her head. “That’s not how this is going to work, Miss Celestia. We’re going to play for information, remember?” Mia gestured at the cards. “For every turn in which you win, you may ask me a question, and I’ll answer honestly. If I win, the same condition applies to you, agreed?” 

Celestia giggled, placing one hand over her mouth. “I am the ultimate gambler, Miss Mia. I hope you are prepared to answer my every question. It is a deal.” 

Mia steeled herself as Celestia started to deal the cards, and explained that they’d be playing poker. Dealer’s choice, after all. If Mia had known that, she’d insisted on dealing and playing go fish instead. They’d make bets with the amount of chips they’d been given, and the rules of this game were that loss was officially conceded when one person ran out of chips. For every turn in which chips were won, that would result in a break for questioning. Mia couldn’t deny, she was nervous. Her two cards were a six of hearts and a jack of clubs, in other words, not great. She made sure not to show it in her face, as Celestia was stoic as well. Celestia was the ultimate gambler, and Mia hadn’t played poker in years. The only real leverage she had on Celestia is that Celestia seemed more focused on her than the game itself, and Mia figured that being dead must’ve made an impression on such a macabre girl. 

“Just one thing,” Mia said. “Can I ask what day it is? It’s been a while since I’ve been summoned.” 

“It’s May first,” Celestia said. “Now, since I gave you a free answer, you must answer something for me.” 

Mia grimaced. She’d wanted to know the date, but Celestia had taken advantage. At least she knew it was May first now, she thought, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes. 

“Have you really played poker before?” Celestia stared at Mia, her red eyes scanning for a crack in Mia’s armor. 

“Yes,” Mia said. Technically, that was the truth. She had played, thinking of a rainy night in the office with Diego, his deep laugh echoing as she lost another round. “You really shouldn’t have folded kitten”, he’d say with an affectionate smile. After his death, she’d just never pursued it. “I really have played before.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t push it. Instead, she gestured to the table, and pushed forward a few chips, the beginner’s ante. Mia mirrored her, reminding herself this was Phoenix’s money she was playing with. 

“Do you choose to bet?” Celestia asked. 

Mia shook her head, clutching her terrible cards close. 

“Hmm,” Celestia hummed, shaking her head. 

Mia kept a stoic exterior, but on the inside she was suspicious. Celestia was toying with her, like a cat with a string. She must have good cards, Mia reasoned, and is waiting for a larger buy in. Celestia flipped over the three flop cards. A six of clubs, a queen of spades, and a jack of spades. Celestia slid over a considerable quantity of her chips. Yup, definitely toying. Not wanting to be baited, Mia slid over a few chips, not enough to make her hand seem weak, but not overconfident like Celestia seemed. Mia compared her cards, she could bet now. She had 2 pairs, and she’d reasoned that if Celestia got overconfident, she’d just wasted a lot of chips. 

“I’ll bet,” Mia said. 

“Marvelous,” Celestia said. “I will bet as well.” 

Mia gulped. She lay out her cards, making her two pairs of sixes and jacks. Not bad, Mia, she thought with a slight grin. 

Celestia giggled. “Oh, Miss Mia. You really must not bet this early. I do admire your tenacity, though.” Celestia laid out her cards, and Mia bit back a gasp. There were three of a kind, the three queens: spades, diamonds, and hearts. “Three of a kind… mayhaps you could’ve bested me if you’d waited, Miss Mia. Though, I suppose you must have a limited time here, so why not be spontaneous? Still, I’d expected a bit better,” Celestia tutted, as she slid the chips over to her, and began to shuffle the deck.

“Ask your question,” Mia said, wanting to get over the initial burn of loss. It wasn’t the end of the world, Celestia was an ultimate, after all. Still, it hurt. If she’d waited, maybe she could’ve had it. Though, there was a chance that was a lie too, and Celestia’s win was all but guaranteed with those queens. 

“What’s it like being dead?” Celestia asked. “I’ve envisioned it as an Elysium of your greatest desires. You could have a mansion with glorious manservants of the underworld catering to your every whim.” 

That’s probably Celestia’s fantasy, Mia realized, as she looked around at the room. Dark, gothic colors, a cold demeanor. Not to mention the poster she’d noticed, a drawing of Celestia labeled “Queen of Darkness”, with the signature H.Y. on the corner. Maybe she could still win, Mia thought. Celestia could reveal these little things about herself inadvertently, in a desire to appear sophisticated to Mia. I still have an edge, Mia thought, keeping a nice, stoic poker face.

“Being dead is a lot of nothing,” Mia said, shaking her head. “I am sorry to disappoint you, Miss Celestia, but it is not glamorous. I am submerged in an inky nothing until I am channeled again. There are no Victorian mansions or… um, manservants.” 

“Oh,” Celestia sighed, looking slightly disappointed. “I suppose I will have to get my mansion while I still breathe, then.” 

“I guess you will,” Mia said with a slight smile. She wanted to bait Celestia into sharing a bit more. “When I was alive, I never thought of that. I just thought of my next case, or my loved ones. I thought of my little sister and mother all the time.” 

“I suppose that is a difference between us, then,” Celestia said. “I do not think of such things. I have no such attachments to humans. Only my precious.” 

“Your precious?” Mia blurted out. 

“Not until you win,” Celestia tutted, turning Mia’s attention back to the deck. 

Another round went by, and Celestia squeaked out another win, though this time, it was much closer, and Mia remembered to hold until the last round. It was by Mia’s straight versus Celestia’s full house. 

“You’re already improving,” Celestia said, a hint of admiration creeping into her voice. “It took that crybaby Ishimaru months to even tie me in Shogi.”

Ishimaru? Mia furrowed her eyebrows. “I’ve heard that name before.” 

“Of course, his grandfather was in a political scandal-” Celestia began. “-Even that senile old Judge faintly remembered him.” 

Internally, Mia’s heartbeat began to quicken. This Ishimaru kid had been a witness, and Celestia, in her attempt to slander him, just let that information go. She was giving things away, and Mia figured she had to think she was winning to be comfortable to do so. Maybe losing wasn’t so bad, though, Phoenix’s wallet begged to differ. 

“You said coffee brings you fond memories, why?” Celestia asked.

It wouldn’t do any good to lie about something like this, especially with someone like Celestia who could probably sniff out the lie, Mia reasoned. She needed Celestia to feel at ease, and lying would set her back. Besides, maybe reminiscing would be nice. Even if it was with someone like Celestia. 

“It reminds me of my lost love,” Mia sighed. “He was an avid coffee drinker. He was an attorney as well.” 

“I take it that’s where you two met,” Celestia said. “Now, where is useless Hifumi with our beverages? I hate to keep you from your memories.”

“I suppose tea does that for you as well, reminds you of your precious,” Mia assumed. 

Celestia giggled lightly. “No, not quite. Tell me, since I feel your answer is incomplete. What was the name of this love?” 

“Only if you tell me something.” 

“I will tell you the name of my own precious love.” 

“Alright. On three, we’ll both say at once.” Mia said, and Celestia nodded. 

“One,” 

“Two,” 

“Three-” 

“Diego Armando,” Mia sighed. 

“Grand Bois Chéri,” Celestia giggled. 

Mia raised an eyebrow. “What person-that’s a pet name!” Mia said, unable to contain the laugh that escaped her lips. “Your love is a pet!” 

Celestia began to smile, but this smile seemed much more genuine than the one she’d given her in the hallway with the others. Celestia laughed, but this laugh sounded rougher, more real. “Yes, Grand Bois Chéri is my cat,” she said, her voice wavering from laughter. It sounded odd, Mia thought. Almost… natural. “Grand Bois Chéri is my only love,” Celestia leaned over in her chair and showed Mia a picture of a rather fat black cat in a frilled collar, with a rather grumpy expression. 

Mia laughed. “He is utterly precious, Miss Celestia. My Diego Armando was much more unkempt.” 

Celestia nodded. “I’d imagine so, men are such a headache.” 

“Diego called me kitten, actually,” Mia said. “It was his way of showing affection.” Maybe, if she kept this conversation going, more would come of it. Celestia seemed to be opening up, just slightly, and that was progress. Besides, maybe Mia could save Phoenix a little money. 

Celestia frowned. “That seems rather unprofessional. I wonder if your dynamic ever cost you cases.” 

Mia pursed her lips. A moment of sentiment doesn’t equal a warm person, Mia. She chastised herself, but this wasn’t the time to give in. “Diego was plenty professional, and I believe we helped each other quite a bit. It was him who gave me the mantra I keep close to my heart to this day, that keeps me going, even from beyond.” 

Celestia’s eyebrow raised. She was interested again. “That mantra being?” 

“Win and find out,” Mia challenged, and Celestia shook her head, almost fondly, and reached for the cards. 

Another round came and went, and this time, Mia was triumphant. She’d known something was going to change, seeing how Celestia suddenly got very stingy with her chips. A faith based bet during the flop stage gave her and her three of a kind an unexpected win. Mia resisted the urge to cheer.

“You got very lucky, Miss Mia. It takes time to beat me. May I remind you, you won the battle, not the war.” Celestia tutted, trying to maintain her cool. Her pride must be hurt, Mia noted. 

“It’s like you said, Miss Celestia. I’m dead. Time is something I don’t have. Besides, I’m finally warming up.” Mia grinned, and Celestia eyed her. It wasn’t like she’d eyed Phoenix, with undeserved scorn, but with a grudging respect. Mia could live with that. 

“Do you have something against Makoto?” Mia asked, looking Celestia right in the eyes, as if she were on trial. She placed a hand on the table. “Maybe that’s why you wouldn’t tell Phoenix the truth.” 

Celestia shook her head. “I have nothing against Makoto. He is dutiful and obedient. He is a c-rank human, nearly a b-rank. He brings me tea when I ask-much quicker than this-” Celestia gestured with annoyance towards the door, as if she were expecting Hifumi any second now. He was taking a while, Mia thought. “-I would not do anything to hinder Makoto if I could help it.” 

“What about Yasuhiro?” 

“That is another question. Let us play again.” Celestia’s posture tensed for a brief second. Maybe that’s the sore spot, Mia thought. 

However, the next game proved to be the beginning of the end for Mia. She lost rather handily to Celestia, giving away a large portion of her chips. Sorry Phoenix, she thought as Celestia greedily took the chips and added them to her growing collection. 

“Mr. Armando’s mantra, please. It is probably something like: Kitten, you must not fret, for your tender tears are embarrassing me in court. As I said, men are exhausting. Boorish creatures.” Celestia’s lips curled in distaste. 

Mia frowned. “You don’t have a very nuanced view of people, Miss Celestia,” Mia said, and Celestia faced her with her face in her hands, seemingly not understanding Mia’s point. “I’ve noticed you put people in tiers. You box them into where you believe their limitations are. That’s why you’re so surprised that I even beat you once. I was probably in your d-tier, which is why you didn’t think I’d even win one match. You have boxed in Diego with this rather crude view of all men, when you have never met him.” 

Celestia leaned closer to her, almost leering. She probably wasn’t used to being challenged. There was a glimmer of excitement in her eyes, though. It was like a game, and Mia was at least bringing the entertainment. “I have deemed you worthy of c-tier, so I suppose that is something you assumed wrong.” Celestia said. “Now pray tell, Miss Mia. What was this mantra?”

“He said this to me after our first loss. I felt so powerless and defeated… we’d been so close, and everything went wrong. We’d lost our defendant to death… and he’d turned to me. He’d broken a cup in his conviction, I remember the blood pouring from his hands and staining the ground. He did something I never thought someone could do at their lowest point. He turned to me and smiled,” Mia paused, preventing herself from getting too emotional. Celestia was clearly engaged, but she was still on her guard. “Diego told me… a lawyer is someone who smiles no matter how bad it gets. I was on a ledge of hopelessness, and in that moment, Diego saved me. He helped set me on the path I went on, one where I defend clients and serve justice. I will never give that up.”

“I see that not even death will stop you,” Celestia breathed softly, her voice was slightly different. It was less refined, and Mia found she liked it better. “Mr. Armando’s words seem to have vitalized you, even from beyond. It is rather… admirable,” 

Mia smiled, and before Celestia could say anything else, the door swung open. Panting heavily, a very sweaty and red-faced Hifumi came in bearing drinks. He shakily set Mia’s coffee down in front of her, and gave Celestia her tea. Mia looked at him oddly, and his gaze flew to her; he blushed when she gave him a polite smile. Of course, she pointedly placed her arms across her chest, since she figured that was the next place Hifumi would try and stare. Celestia’s soft expression vanished, and she returned to her usual demeanor, if anything even more annoyed. 

“It took you long enough,” she tittered in her usual refined and snobbish fashion. 

She’s back, Mia thought with a frown. While Celestia was busy berating Hifumi, who looked at the ground guiltily, Mia’s eyes flitted to the shelf which housed the card deck Celestia had rejected. She squinted at it, raising her coffee mug at the same time to take a sip. That’s when she noticed two things. Firstly, Hifumi made surprisingly good coffee, and Diego would be proud. Secondly, there was something off-color in the middle of the deck. It appeared to be relatively the same size, but it was brownish, while the other cards were all clear white, creating a thin stripe in the middle of the cards where there shouldn’t be one. Mia knew she had to get to that card pile somehow, but she couldn’t do that now.

The game of poker continued on, this time with Hifumi in the room spectating. Mia lost again and again, her chip pile growing dangerously small as Celestia’s grew and grew, her cool features growing increasingly smug. Of course, she maintained a poker face, but Mia could feel the smugness. Mia was frustrated, but she kept her cool as well. The card game wasn’t her main focus anymore and she could still help the case, even if Phoenix lost whatever cash he had. For his sake, Mia hoped it wasn’t a lot. Mia continued to answer Celestia’s questions: her defendant had poisoned himself, she was Phoenix’s mentor and friend despite what Celestia deemed his “bumbling ineptitude”, and yes, Diego Armando was indeed no longer in the land of the living. She was impressed Celestia had picked up on that one. Mia hadn’t learned much, a fact she attributed to Hifumi’s presence, though she was impressed to learn he was the artist behind Celestia’s “Queen of Darkness'' portrait. His other artwork wasn’t nearly as impressive to Mia, this Princess Piggles seemed rather childish to her, and Hifumi’s stares were discomforting, but he’d insisted he was only into 2D women, and Mia thought that was rather pathetic. Based on Celestia’s eye roll at that statement, she wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Finally, Mia lost her final chips to Celestia, a final mistake of betting and raising early, she was certain she’d won with a four of a kind, but of course Celestia had the one thing better, a straight flush. Celestia stood up, and offered her hand to Mia. Mia shook it, but she was nervous. She had to stall somehow or else she couldn’t-

-A loud knock rang out. With a snap of her fingers, Celestia pointed Hifumi towards the door, and the boy scrambled to answer it. He opened it to a girl with a red sports jacket holding the hand of an extremely muscular, white-haired girl. On her other side, there was a boy with his hair done up in a rather… odd fashion. It reminded Mia of a baguette. Before Hifumi could even utter a word, the girl in the red jacket locked eyes with Mia and squealed, forcing her way in. 

“You’re Maya’s sister,” the girl said, racing to Mia. “I’m Hina! You know your sister came here to channel a spirit but Sakura and I were out getting donuts and-” 

“-Hina,” the white-haired girl said, placing a steady hand on Hina’s shoulder. “I believe you are confusing her.” 

“Sorry,” Hina blushed. “People have called me a super-spaz before. Lemme start over. I’m Aoi Asahina, the ultimate swimming pro. I-I’m just really excited! You’re a spirit, and you’re here!”

Mia grinned, she honestly found Hina’s bubbly energy to be refreshing. Especially after she’d spent an extended amount of time with someone like Celestia. “I don’t think you’re a… super spaz, Aoi, or well, Hina depending on what you prefer. Your energy reminds me of Maya,” Mia’s smile twitched with an element of fondness. It was like a part of her sister was here, in this girl. “I bet you two must’ve gotten along. I’m Mia.” 

Hina grinned, her ponytail seeming to almost curl with joy. “You can call me Hina, that’s what my friends call me! Oh, and Maya and I get along so great! I was out with Sakura, right, and we’re getting donuts for Mondo, and I get back and there’s a bunch of people in the hallway with Maya, and I learn that she’s a spirit medium, and we start talking, and turns out she likes eating as much as I do! I ended up giving her a box of donuts!” 

Mia sighed. “Maya is a voracious eater.” 

“Oh, and we even read some old files and stuff about you, and spiky,” Mia bit back a smile at Phoenix’s apparent nickname, “-you had that thinker clock and Harry-no Larry! You’ve got to tell us that story sometime. Oh, or about your first time being channeled, what was it like?” Hina laughed, still holding onto the other girl’s arm, leaning into her, causing the other girl to smile and wrap her arm around her. “Man, if only you and Maya could both be here! You both are so cool!” 

“Maya was quite kind,” the quieter, larger girl said. “The fact that she went out of her way to help, despite not knowing any of us… it was quite admirable.” She turned towards Mia and extended a hand. “I am Sakura Ogami, the ultimate martial artist.” 

“I appreciate your kind words about my sister. Maya really grew into a kind, confident woman while I was gone, huh? At the very least, I’m glad to know she still makes friends as easily as she used to.” Mia said, shaking Sakura’s hand. Sakura had a collected aura about her, one that balanced out Hina’s energetic one quite well. Seeing as they hadn’t separated since they’d entered, they’re holding hands, and Sakura’s expression while looking at Hina could only be described as loving fondness, Mia guessed they were together. Good for them, she thought. They seemed like a cute couple. I guess love is a common theme today, Mia thought. 

“Yer sister’s channelin’ helped me when I thought I was beyond savin’,” the boy with the odd hairstyle finally piped up. “Name’s Mondo Owada, nice to fuckin’ meet ya,” he extended a hand to Mia. “Yer sister channeled my older brother.” 

“Nice to meet you as well,” Mia said, shaking Mondo’s hand, ignoring the curse words peppered throughout his speech. She doubted he meant anything malicious by it; instead it seemed rather second nature, like a verbal tic or something. “I hope your brother didn’t mind inhabiting a female body,” Mia said with a slight smile. 

“Aw, he got used to it, he still had his hair like mine, though his jacket was missin’. It was like mine, but white.” Mondo gestured to his hair, then his long, black jacket. It had a logo Mia couldn’t quite make out on the back. He furrowed his eyebrows, like he was glaring, but there wasn’t any malice again, like it was more of a reflex. “I was thinkin’, maybe Maya could channel Daiya again sometime for my gang. I know they’d wanna see him again, they’d lose their shit too. They already know I swore I owed her. Anytime your sister needs the Crazy Diamonds, we’ll fuckin’ be there! She’s got my loyalty as the ultimate biker gang leader!” 

Mia crossed her arms, biting back a smile. That’s Maya for you, befriending everyone from swimmers with donut addictions to bikers with foul mouths. Mia turned towards Mondo. “You can ask, but it’s Maya’s choice. Still… I wouldn’t rely on the dead like that. We’re gone for a reason… there comes a time, I believe that you should let a spirit rest once their business here is done. I know that, it isn’t healthy to hold onto a person for too long like that.” Mia looked at Mondo, who’s posture slumped. She felt bad, all of a sudden. Maya probably went through similar emotions when she’d lost her, Mia realized. Two little siblings dealing with the deaths of the older one, the one who’d raised and looked out for them. Well, she didn’t know about Mondo’s life like that, but based on the way his eyes lit up at even the mention of his brother, she could guess they were very close. 

“I-I know,” Mondo said, his voice gruff. “I just wanted the gang to get to say goodbye like I did. They never-I mean-” Mondo crossed his arms. “I can fuckin’ let him go, honest.” His eyes darted away from Mia’s. 

He wasn’t fully ready to let go, Mia thought sadly. She’d been talking about Diego, and his own inability to let go, to let go of her, had driven him down a dark path. She didn’t want the same for Mondo. He seemed like he had support, though, based on how Sakura placed a supportive hand on his back and he smiled slightly. Hina also mumbled something to him, with a kind smile that seemed to help put him at ease.

“You don’t have to forget about him or anything,” Mia assured, wanting to make him feel better. “I mean, I’m obviously still remembered. You can keep him alive in memory, just don’t encapsulate your life around planning his next channeling, or anything like that. I’ve just seen what obsession with the dead can do.” Mia looked at Mondo, and he finally met her gaze and managed a nod. 

“You’re real different from Maya,” he said at last. “You’re a lot more calm and stuff than she is. Kinda like me and Daiya were. He was always the calm one-well, calmer. He wasn’t all brainy like you are-” 

A scoff came from the side of the room. In Mia’s talking with the other ultimates, she’d almost put Celestia and Hifumi out of her mind. It had been a good few minutes when she hadn’t had to manage them, and instead got to talk to some more… pleasant people. People she didn’t have to watch every word around, at least. 

“Excuse me,” Celestia said, walking over. Her expression was marked with pointed irritation, and Mia reasoned that she was frustrated at both the intrusion, and that she wasn’t the sole focus of Mia’s attention anymore. Celestia folded her hands together and cleared her throat. “I’m afraid you simple-minded people forgot that you have barged into my room, and interrupted my time to talk with Miss Mia. If I have to listen to Owada talk in that crass, improper way of his about his admittedly brainless brother, or Hina’s mindless drivel, I believe I will go mad.” 

“The fuck did you say about my brother?!” Mondo growled. 

“Mindless?!” Hina protested. 

“Oh please,” Celestia scoffed. “You were the one who said he wasn’t logical. I am agreeing, as the apple does not fall far from the tree.” 

Mondo looked like he wanted to rip Celestia’s head off, and to be honest, Mia couldn’t blame him. Celestia hadn’t said a lot about Maya, but the little jabs she’d taken at Phoenix, and even Maya’s clothing had bothered her. There was no denying that Celestia thought of herself first, and the feelings of others were a rather unimportant afterthought. 

Celestia had begun to argue with both Mondo and Hina, and Hifumi tried to even pry Hina away, but Sakura intervened the second Hifumi moved towards Hina. Mia inched away, finally not being looked at, and made her way over to the card deck. I hope this is helpful, Phoenix, she thought. Her hand darted to the deck, splitting it at the line where the oddly colored card was. In a flash, she took it and stuck it in her robes without even looking at it, not wanting to risk Celestia seeing. Luckily, no one seemed to notice, and Mia made her way back over to her chair and sat like nothing  happened. 

“Please,” Sakura said, clearly trying to keep the peace. She stepped towards Celestia, who backed away. “We merely wanted to meet Mia Fey, and we didn’t mean to start an argument, Celeste-” 

“Stay back!” Hifumi shouted suddenly. He was sweating buckets, and it seemed as if he was finally ready to spring into action for his “Queen of Darkness.” Mia held back from rolling her eyes. “Mistress Lundenberg requests you vacate her room at once!” Hifumi grabbed a hold of Hina’s arm, and began to try and drag her out from the doorway. 

Before anyone could retort, a familiar spiky head of hair poked his head in from the hallway. Phoenix’s eyebrows raised, taking in the confusing scene of Hifumi tugging on Hina to no avail, Sakura putting an end to it once again. Honestly, Mia was relieved to see Phoenix. She’d long since finished her coffee, and this was starting to get a bit tiring. 

“Ah, Phoenix!” Mia stood up from her chair. It’s time to tell him the unfortunate news, she thought. “I’m sorry, but I believe you owe Celeste all the money in your wallet. I lost our game quite handily.” 

“She did put up a fight at least,” Celestia tittered, her composure completely returned, as if she hadn’t just been fighting with Mondo about her insulting his dead brother. “Most of my opponents lose right away,” Celestia turned towards Mia, offering a cordial but fake smile. Mia had seen Celestia’s rare and real smile. This was not it. “I was not bored, Miss Mia.” 

“You certainly are an ultimate, Miss Celestia,” Mia said, giving Celestia an equally fake smile. Phoenix sighed dejectedly and handed Mia a wad of cash, eyeing it mournfully. “With my compliments,” Mia said, handing Celestia the money. Mia wanted to say something about it being an equal transaction, and hold up that mysterious card, just to see Celestia’s fake demeanor drop, but she resisted the temptation. 

“Ah,” Celestia sighed, looking at Mia’s cup of coffee, then back at Mia herself. Her smile was smaller, but it was real as well. Well, realer than before, at least. “I must thank you for the good conversation, Miss Mia. It appears to be a lost art among… others.” Celestia’s small smile vanished from her face as she turned to her classmates. “Truly,” she said, “This Armando man sounded utterly fascinating, and I hope my underling’s coffee did not disappoint.” Celestia glared at Hifumi, as if to imply that if he messed up the coffee, his head would wind up on a spike. Hifumi looked very nervous. 

“Oh, Hifumi’s coffee was wonderful,” Mia said, smiling at Hifumi, who blushed. It really had been good, even if he’d taken a while. She turned towards the rest of the ultimates. “And I enjoyed meeting you all, I really did. You all are very exciting to talk to.” 

“You’re just as cool as Maya said you were!” Hina said with a grin. Mia smiled too. It was nice to know that Maya was still talking about her sis, but Mia also hoped that wasn’t indicative of any lingering regrets, especially considering-

“-Fuck yeah,” Mondo nodded. “I wonder, have ya seen my brother around the afterlife? I told ya what he looked like when Maya channeled him, hair like mine, white jacket, ya know?” 

Mia looked at Mondo sadly. He was making progress, she reasoned, but there was a part of him that still held onto his brother, almost wanting to will him back to life, trying to tell himself he was still around in some capacity. Maya isn’t like that, Mia thought. She’d at least fully accepted Mia’s gone, but she had channeling at her disposal. Those meditations, were those her ways of not letting Mia go, or was it how she maintained her powers? Now wasn’t the time for worry, Mia reasoned. 

“Sorry,” Mia said, facing Mondo. “Spirits don’t exist in an afterlife until after we’re summoned. I wouldn’t have been able to see your brother.” Mia sighed. “I wish I could, though.” 

“Worth a shot,” Mondo’s shoulders slumped, but he didn’t say anything else. 

There had been a part of Mia who’d wanted to lie to Mondo, to try and make him feel better, but this was necessary. Sometimes, the truth was ugly, but she couldn’t lie, like someone like Celestia would. A lie would only set Mondo back further. Maybe it was because of Maya, but Mia felt a connection to his story. The least she could do for him was tell him the truth.

“We should all go now, Celeste would like us to vacate her room.” Mia said, moving towards the door, the others bar Celestia and Hifumi following her. She glanced back, Celestia had cornered an increasingly anxious looking Hifumi. Suddenly, she was hit with an alarming comparison. Celestia and Hifumi, the girl who could coax the unwitting fool of a boy to cough up anything, to degrade himself by any means just to further her own ends. She’d been looking at Dahlia Hawthorne and Terry Fawles this whole time, and she didn’t even know it. The worst part was, she couldn’t do anything about it, as she’d already shut the door.

______________________________________________________________________________

May 1st

Dormitory Hallway

Mia was eager to get back to the case. She tried to push down all the bubbling memories: Diego, Dahlia, Fawles. The parallels and emotions swirled around her head, and she knew she had to focus. Phoenix needed her. She stepped out and faced Phoenix, noticing immediately that his suit was stained, and he looked frazzled. She turned towards the other ultimates, who all looked at her expectantly. “ Do you guys mind giving Phoenix and I some space to discuss our case?” she said. “I promise, I will see you all again soon. Then, maybe we can talk when I don’t have to help Phoenix here.” 

Hina pouted before conceding, making Mia promise to tell the story of her first channeling. Mia agreed, even promising to bring donuts. This seemed to satisfy Hina, who gave her a last wave and smile before running off with Mondo and Sakura. Mia finally let a laugh escape her lips. It felt like she’d just been through the eye of the storm, dealing with the ultimates. They’re certainly unique kids, Mia thought with a sigh. All with their own stories, talents, and quirks. They were all quite interesting, though they were a handful, judging from Phoenix’s demeanor, he looked like he wanted to pass out. 

“Phoenix,” she laughed. “Apparently that biker boy swore to Maya that she’d have the protection of his gang after she channeled his brother. Does that mean that Wright and Co. is affiliated with one of Japan’s most infamous biker gangs? I’ve clearly missed a lot.” 

Phoenix sighed wearily, though with how tired he looked, it could’ve been a yawn. “I-I didn’t even know that. Maya told me the basics. I never even got my donut.” 

Mia crossed her arms. “What?” she said. Again with the donuts, she thought. 

Before Phoenix could even offer an explanation to her, or begin talking about the investigation, a rumbling began to grow louder from Celestia’s door. Mia remembered Celestia cornering Hifumi. Their confrontation must be coming to a head, she thought, and icy dread spreading through her. It probably wasn’t even a confrontation, Celestia probably had broken him instead, her will was iron and his was glass. Odds are he’d messed up something again, maybe she’d noticed the card or- the shouts quieted, and Celestia and Hifumi stepped out of the room. Hifumi’s expression was drenched in guilt, and he looked briefly at Phoenix, but opted to look at his shoes instead when Phoenix tried to meet his gaze. So that’s why Hifumi took so long, Mia thought, a lightbulb going off in her head. Nice going, Phoenix. 

Celestia turned to Phoenix, giving him a stony glare. “Mr. Wright,” she hissed, “It appears you got my underling to say some rather incriminating things about me. He will be reprimanded, but I am glad he came to his senses and told me.” She straightened up, and regained her composure, even going so far as to give Phoenix a small, but very fake smile. It was just as fake as Celestia herself. Just as fake as Dahlia’s innocent gaze. “That is why we are going to sort this out tomorrow. In court. There will be no more speaking to the others. Just me versus you. I will be giving a vital testimony to Mr. Edgeworth, and we will face off in court. If I can beat Miss Mia, I will make short work of you,” Celestia turned and stomped off down the hall. Hifumi followed her, squeaking out an apology. 

She’s testifying, and she didn’t know about the card?! Mia grinned, she’d shown her hand far too early. She really was like Dahlia, overconfident, and ready for a fall. Seeing her grin, Phoenix looked at her like she was crazy. 

“That worked out pretty well Phoenix,” Mia said, unable to resist messing with him just a little. 

“Wait what?!” Phoenix looked at her incredulously. 

“During the chaos with everyone in Celeste’s room, I was able to get us some evidence… though I don’t know what it was. I found it among one of her card decks. It stuck out, considering it was a weird suit, so I took it,” Mia reached into her bust, and pulled out the card. 

This was the first time Mia got to look at her find. It wasn’t even a playing card, Mia realized. No wonder it had stuck out. It read: Three of Swords, and it had a picture of a heart being punctured by three swords. Well, maybe Celestia would like something seemingly dark like this. Mia turned towards Phoenix, and his eyes were bulging out of his head as he took the card, his mouth agape. He grinned and whooped as he put it in his jacket pocket. So it was important, Mia thought with a grin. 

She glanced down the hallway where Celestia had gone. “Let’s go outside, Phoenix. We don’t want to show Celeste our cards too early.” Mia crossed her arms, still smiling. “After all,” she faced Phoenix with an apologetic smile, “That’s how I lost your money. Celeste isn’t one to be underestimated. If we’re going against the ultimate gambler, we’re going to need a trump card.” 

She’d done it, Mia realized. It had taken time, a lot of unexpected reminiscing, and all of Phoenix’s money, but she’d done it. She’d out-gambitted Celestia. I guess she was right, about one thing, Mia thought. Never play your cards too early.

______________________________________________________________________________

May 1st

Hope’s Peak-Front Gate

“This school is truly impressive, Phoenix.” Mia noted as she and Phoenix made their way to the front gate. 

Phoenix nodded, taking in their surroundings as well. Her law school wasn’t nearly this prestigious, Mia thought, she was almost envious of Hope’s Peak with it’s big, comfortable dorms, large impressive structures, and aura of refinement. The only thing that wasn’t fitting into this mould of perfection were the ultimates themselves. She wondered what the criteria for being declared ultimate was. Did all of these students have to be wealthy enough to afford a place like this, or were applicants selected solely on talent?

Phoenix mentioned some scissors he’d found in a trash can with Pearl and the blue haired girl, who Mia learned was called Sayaka. Phoenix left Pearl with her, insisting that she could be trusted, and that did worry Mia slightly. Pearl was her cousin, after all. She had a right to be scared, considering the next thing Phoenix said. 

“I have a nagging feeling that there are things everyone is hiding from me,” Phoenix sighed. This is taking a toll on him, Mia realized. He’s used to putting faith in others. “These little moments pile up… and it makes me nervous.” 

“Stay alert, Phoenix.” Mia warned. Maybe a healthy dose of distrust would be good in a case that seemed to involve so many people, Mia reasoned. At the very least, Phoenix needed to remain vigilant. “Make sure you pay attention to every odd quirk, every twitch at something you might say,” Mia thought of Celestia, the way her eyes would dart and spark if Mia said something with interest. The other students had to have subtle tells too, Mia figured. “Listen to the exact phrasing they use when speaking to you,” Engarde’s tricking of the magatama flashed in her mind. Maya and Pearl were friends with these ultimates, and that left them open to getting hurt. “I’d guess based on the details of this case, there’s a high chance the killer is among them.” That fact unnerved Mia the most, she hadn’t even scratched the surface here, or even met all the students. She could’ve spoken to the true killer, or never even met them. 

Phoenix’s crestfallen expression seemed to confirm her belief. If anything, he’d have even more pressure, seeing as he’s probably met everyone. He had to have a better idea of a suspect than she did, at least, though he seemed at a loss for a definitive answer as well. He ran his hands through his hair. “Exactly,” his eyes flashed with worry. “I wanted to tell Maya and Pearl, but I didn’t get the chance. I’m the one hiding stuff now, but I can’t tell any of the students, even if I’m sure they didn’t do it. I’m just worried my paranoia will put them in danger.” Phoenix looked at Mia desperately. He doesn’t know if he’s doing the right thing, and it’s eating at him, Mia thought sadly. He must feel the burden of all these school kids looking to him for answers about a friend’s death, and he can’t even tell them. Not yet. 

“You should be paranoid, it’ll keep you alert. As for the killer, I’m not sure who I’d suspect yet.” Mia looked directly at Phoenix, her expression softening. “Though, I do think it’s good to keep it a secret. The killer won’t act if they don’t suspect we’re onto them, so it is a good way to keep everyone else safe.” Mia placed a supportive arm on Phoenix’s shoulder, causing his tense shoulders to relax. “You’re doing a good thing, Phoenix. All this will stay between us, which should be easy, considering I’m a spirit and all,” Mia chuckled. 

Phoenix managed a smile, which warmed Mia’s heart. He needed someone to confide in, and Mia was glad to help. “You think you can help out at the trial again tomorrow?” he asked. “It’ll give you a chance to observe the students and hear about the case, and I could use your help against Celeste in particular.” 

“Of course,” Mia said with a nod. She definitely wanted to know more about the case, take Celestia down, and she was curious to meet the rest of the students. She didn’t doubt they’d be just as… unique as the ones she’d already met. Of course, she’d have to be alert and observant, seeing as one of them could be the killer. Still, she couldn’t deny she was excited to see what the other ultimates of Hope’s Peak academy were like. Plus, there was the matter of the defendant, Makoto. She was curious to see what he was like, even Celestia seemed to like him, or well, tolerate him. That had to take skill. She crossed her arms. “You’ll just have to decide if you want Maya or Pearl to do the channeling-oh!” Mia waved over to where the bluenette, Sayaka, was walking over, carrying Pearl. “There’s Pearl now,” she said to Phoenix. 

For a second, Mia was almost worried that Sayaka had done something to Pearl, because she was still in the bluenette’s arms. However, as they got closer, Mia was relieved to see that Pearl was asleep. Sayaka gingerly handed Pearl to Mia with a kind smile, which Mia mirrored. Mia could feel the rise and fall of Pearl’s back as she held her close. This was nice, Mia thought. She felt a sense of relief wash over her as she clutched Pearl; Maya was with her in spirit, Phoenix was alright, and now Pearl was here too. Everyone was accounted for and safe. 

“I told her all about the time I met Makoto, and she told me about the time she met you,” Sayaka whispered, facing Phoenix. “And then, she wanted to hear some songs, so I sang for her. I sang her this one lullaby I heard as a little girl. I didn’t think she’d actually fall asleep, it was pretty adorable.” Sayaka’s smile was aglow with fondness as she looked at Pearl’s sleeping form. 

“Thank you for taking such good care of my cousin,” Mia said. She was glad that Phoenix’s instincts had been right about Sayaka at least. She really did seem like a nice girl, and the way that she looked at Pearl, like an older sister, made Mia smile. Though she was curious as to hear about Sayaka’s first meeting with Makoto, though Mia figured she could ask later. 

“Thanks for keeping her safe,” Phoenix said, giving Sayaka a nod. 

“Of course,” Sayaka said. “Anything to help, and I really do like Pearl. She kinda makes me wish I had a little sister I could teach my music to.” 

Both Phoenix and Mia smiled at that. It was nice to know that Pearl had another sister figure besides Dahlia Hawthorne now, Mia reasoned, pressing back a shudder. Well, she’d have Iris too once she got out of jail for being an accomplice, and absolutely no one could replace Maya, Mia reasoned. Still, it was nice to see. Sayaka talking about singing reminded her where she’d seen Sayaka’s face. Phoenix had several CDs lying around the office with her, and several bandmates, on the cover. Mia reasoned it was the pressing matter of a murder, and her fancy outfits on the album cover that prevented Mia from making the connection. The ultimate pop sensation, Mia remembered. No wonder Pearl liked her. 

“Yo, Mr. Wright!” A boy with orange hair called out, running up to the group, with a white-haired girl by his side. 

The boy was dressed in a fashion Mia could only describe as punk, with lots of rings and piercings, and a rather ill-advised goatee. The girl next to him gave off the aura of being all- business, she wore gloves, a lavender tie, and a serious expression. 

Pearl blinked a few times, and the girl chastised the boy, who Mia gathered was called Leon, and laughed apologetically. He began to talk about something to do with pictures, when he turned towards Mia, and his eyes widened, his face turning redder than his hair. Mia thought he looked like a tomato with piercings, and she stifled a laugh. 

“Maya?!” he sputtered. “She’s-um-uh-well-” 

“She’s different,” the white haired girl said, clearly growing impatient with Leon’s lack of verbage. “Certainly some differences can go without saying, right Leon?” 

“Yeah, uh, right,” Leon said, still red-faced, though he was able to make eye contact with Mia this time at least. 

“I’m Mia, Maya’s older sister,” Mia said, for what felt like the 5th time in a row. “I’m being channeled.” 

“Right!” Leon slapped his hand to his forehead and yelped when the several rings he was wearing made contact with his face. Mia politely covered her grin with her free hand, the other one holding Pearl. Phoenix winced in sympathy, the white haired girl looked like she wanted to smile but held back, and Sayaka openly giggled. “I don’t know why I didn’t think about that,” Leon said, “Considering I was there for that whole channeling thing-” 

“-The pictures, Leon,” the white haired girl interrupted. 

As Leon talked about the pictures of the victim’s room, Mia found herself growing more curious. So, Leon was there too, she thought. She remembered Maya saying something about who all was there, but a lot had happened since that day, and Mia had forgotten. She wondered which ultimates were there that night, maybe that would reveal something about the group dynamic, who’s on the outs, who’s friends with who, Mia thought. Still, she didn’t want to butt in now, not while Phoenix was going about his investigation. When Leon brought up Celestia, the white haired girl frowned, calling Celestia a liar. That intrigued Mia, it was interesting to note at least some of Celestia’s classmates were onto her demeanor. This white haired girl was starting to interest her as well. 

Phoenix made the group swear to secrecy about the evidence, and to Mia’s relief, they all seemed to be on board. It was interesting to note who seemed to be in this little core group Phoenix made up. It was an eclectic mix for sure, the white haired, serious girl, Sayaka the pop star, and Leon, whose ultimate talent still eluded her. He didn’t seem like the type to want to be here, though, Mia thought. That was another question she had. The white-haired girl declared that she was on her way to process some evidence, and Phoenix offered to go as well, of course bringing Mia and Pearl as well. How did she have access to criminal affairs, Mia wondered. 

Phoenix made a point of not telling what specific evidence he was getting processed. Why would he bother to keep it a secret? Trusting Phoenix, Mia kept her mouth shut, and soon, Leon and Sayaka split off, leaving them with a group of four. 

“You didn’t reveal that evidence you have for a reason,” the white-haired girl said, staring at Phoenix. Her stoic expression nearly masked the burning curiosity in her violet eyes. “I’ll be quite curious to see what it is at criminal affairs. At any rate, I’m sure Detective Gumshoe will be glad to be put to work. It’s probably been a slow day for him.”

Oh, this girl’s smart, Mia recognized, but she had access to criminal affairs somehow, yet she still talked to and exchanged information with Phoenix. Just who was she, and what side is she on?

______________________________________________________________________________

May 1st

Bus to Criminal Affairs

The first thing Mia did when the group got on the bus, once setting Pearl down in her own seat, was introduce herself yet again to the white haired girl. The white haired girl gave her a respectful nod before offering a gloved hand, which Mia shook.

“I’m Kyoko Kirigiri, the ultimate detective,” she said. 

“So that’s why you have access to criminal affairs,” Mia said. Kyoko was a familiar name, and she realized Maya talked about her. Mia remembered her being quite fond of Kyoko, though she seemed a bit stoic for someone like Maya to hang out with. At least with Hina, they’d had very similar personalities. Mia turned to Kyoko. “I’ll admit, I was wondering how you’d managed that one. Are you with the prosecution?” 

“Technically yes,” Kyoko explained. Her eyes sparked with intensity. “However, I am doing my search to pursue the truth, not a guilty verdict. I believe in Makoto wholeheartedly, and I will assist in proving his innocence.” 

“Why do you believe in him?” Mia questioned. 

“The evidence is wildly inconsistent,” Kyoko explained, “And I know Makoto, he’s not a killer. He is the most kind person I know.” Her cheeks dusted pink. 

Ah, another example to go along with the theme of love, Mia thought, especially tricky between a detective and a defendant. Mia gave Kyoko a sympathetic glance. The detective tried to brush it off, but Mia saw through it. After a day of relying on subtle cues to face off with Celestia, this was par for the course. Conversely, Kyoko’s seriousness and stoic expression didn’t give off the same undertone of malice and contempt that Celestia’s did, hers reading as more inexperienced in a way, as if she wasn’t used to expressing herself, or it just didn’t come easily to her. 

“I’m curious,” Mia said, changing the subject for Kyoko’s own sake, she figured it would be hard for her to talk about Makoto when he was being tried. Diego still lingered in her thoughts, and it caused her otherwise clear thought pattern to have lingering specks of heartache still floating around. She didn’t wish that for Kyoko, instead turning to a subject she was sure the detective would enjoy. “Have you heard of some of my cases?” 

Kyoko bit back a small smile. “Naturally, Ms. Fey. I remember your first channeled appearance in court to take down conglomerate Redd White, I read about it as soon as it happened.” 

“Do you remember who the defendant was?” 

“Well, first it was Maya, then Mr. Wright ended up defending himself.” Kyoko smiled a small smile. “I bet Makoto would have defended himself if it had come down to it.” 

“Is Makoto a detective too?” Mia asked. 

“No, he’s just smart and intuitive. He’s got the spirit of a detective,” Kyoko said fondly. “His hope and dedication is what makes him able to stand up for himself like that.” 

“Reminds me of someone I know,” Mia said with a fond smile, looking at Phoenix, who was staring out the window in his own world of thoughts. He’s probably already formulating his defense, Mia thought with a grin. He really does right by his clients, and Makoto would be no exception. 

“That’s exactly why I chose Mr. Wright,” Kyoko said matter-of-factly. “I thought he was reliable, and the closest thing Makoto could have to defending himself. He already tried anyway,” Kyoko sighed. 

Mia raised an eyebrow. “He did?” 

“During the first day, he tried to assist the defense, and he was doing a good job too. He still got a penalty, though.” Kyoko frowned. 

“Maybe he’ll get another chance,” Mia offered encouragingly. “After all, penalties aren’t the end of the world.” 

“Hopefully,” Kyoko said, though Mia noted she didn’t look terribly convinced. “Anyway, I’d like to ask you a question. Will you be assisting more at any point?” 

Mia nodded. “Yes, actually. I’ll be Phoenix’s co-counsel tomorrow.” 

Kyoko’s expression remained solemn, though she regarded Mia with interest. “Just like Phoenix’s other cases. I remember the ones where you were co-counsel.” 

“Oh?” Mia asked with a smile. 

Kyoko spent the remainder of the bus ride listing off cases in which Mia helped Phoenix, Mia interjecting with her own thoughts of those experiences. Mia listened intently, as opposed to Phoenix, who drifted in and out of the conversation, and Pearl, who’d fallen asleep. She was impressed with how much Kyoko knew about her and Phoenix, she figured her ultimate detective title was nothing to sneeze at. It eased Mia’s mind to think that Kyoko was on their side (mostly), though she did wonder if Phoenix considered her a suspect. However, based on the subtle tells she gave off, the brief expressions of fondness, the blushing, the descriptions, Kyoko seemed to love Makoto too much to frame him for a crime. Hopefully it isn’t Kyoko, Mia thought as the bus pulled into the station at criminal affairs. After all, I’m beginning to see why Maya likes her so much. Makoto is a lucky guy.

______________________________________________________________________________

May 1st

Criminal Affairs

The group of four shambled off the bus, Pearl especially looking tuckered out. Kyoko courteously paid the fare, which no one protested over, since Phoenix was broke now. Well, broke until they got back to Wright and Co. 

“You kinda smell, Mr. Nick,” Pearl mumbled, rubbing her eyes. 

“Yeah pal, you reek!” Detective Gumshoe said, popping up. Based on the grin adorning his puppy-dog features, he was probably thrilled to have company. He didn’t seem like the type to enjoy office work anyway, Mia thought. 

Phoenix, his spiky hair standing even more on end, slumped over with embarrassment. “I… went rooting through garbage today, you know.” 

Mia stifled a laugh, of course he had. She’d been too polite (and preoccupied) to point out his disheveled suit, but that was the explanation. She’d have to ask Phoenix what exactly caused him to go dumpster diving, though she at least figured it was related to the case. 

“Ah, getting your hands dirty, eh pal?” Detective Gumshoe clapped Phoenix on the back, before wrinkling his nose and detracting his hand. “Though, you may want to wash that suit,” he said, trying to mask his disgust. Before Gumshoe could continue, Kyoko butted in, anxious to get to business. 

“Detective,” she said rather gently, immediately catching Gumshoe’s attention. “I have some photos for you to process. You did already process the evidence from yesterday’s trial, right?” 

Gumshoe lit up and offered Kyoko a salute, and proceeded to affirm he had processed the evidence, that being the testimony of Kyoko and Ishimaru, whoever he was, Mia had yet to meet him. The more she heard about this trial, the more anxious she was to be completely in the loop. She didn’t know Kyoko testified, she must be even closer with the prosecution than she originally thought. Of course, the genial way Gumshoe grinned at her, akin to that of a proud parent, made her think that they’d at least met before. Kyoko seemed to know how to steer him in the direction they needed to go at least, and they were getting down to brass tacks. 

“Actually, detective,” Mia interrupted, turning towards Gumshoe. “We were hoping you could help us with some evidence we have as well. Phoenix?” 

Phoenix took out a pair of rather sharp looking scissors and placed them on the table. Kyoko’s eyes widened, as if she’d seen them before. What was going on?

“Where’d you find these?” She asked, her voice sharp with urgency. 

“Trash can,” Phoenix sighed. “In the gym. I already know they’re Toko’s. Or, well, Jill’s.” Phoenix shuddered. “I’m not sure what it is about her… but she scares me. Anyway, Byakuya actually helped me drag it out of her, though she refused to get on the stand.”

Phoenix sent off Gumshoe to get the fingerprinting kit and luminol testing fluid. All the while, Mia found herself thinking: who’s Toko? Jill? Which one of them owned the scissors? And who was this Byakuya? They’re probably ultimates she hadn’t met yet, and she just wished she’d had more time at the school, though she supposed she’d meet the rest of them at the trial. She didn’t ask Phoenix, figuring he needed to concentrate on the case instead of trying to catch her up, and Mia reasoned she could at least try and piece together the case from what she had. 

Detective Gumshoe returned and began to dust the scissors for prints, and the ones he found were smudged. He went to test if they were Makoto’s. “Oh,” he managed at last. 

“What is it detective?” Kyoko pressed urgently. Everyone was on edge. 

“They’re not his prints, pal. It’s not even close. I don’t understand whose they’d be, though.” Detective Gumshoe scratched his head, looking even more confused than Mia felt, and she’d just started on the case today. 

“They have to be Toko’s then,” Kyoko said, her features awash in relief. This must be what she meant by inconsistent evidence, Mia reasoned. “Makoto never touched these scissors, and Toko had at an earlier point, hence why the prints are faded. However, someone may have handled the scissors later than her, and smudged her prints.”

“If Toko used these as a weapon of some sort-” Mia chimed in, wanting to help, even though she didn’t know who Toko was, or why she owned these scissors. “-If Toko used these, then it would be more likely that she’d have wiped the scissors of her prints entirely,” Mia’s brows furrowed. 

Kyoko agreed, and Mia felt a touch of pride. It’s nice to know I’ve still got it, she thought. It was odd though, she figured this Toko would at least be smart enough to use a different weapon or wipe her prints if she’s known for scissors, especially so considering that Mia remembered a knife with Makoto’s prints was a piece of evidence. She’d think Toko would want to avoid that trap if she were the true killer. Mia was also concerned about how someone would be known for carrying around scissors in the first place. Just what kind of person was Toko? She pushed those questions aside as Detective Gumshoe sprayed the scissors with luminol testing fluid, and the overwhelming presence of blue all but confirmed the scissors were a murder weapon. 

Kyoko swore under her breath. “I should’ve known…” 

“The autopsy said the wounds were different lengths!” Phoenix said, snapping his fingers. “The knife wasn’t used excessively, there were two different weapons!” That’s right, Mia thought. So, the killer used two weapons, but why?

“Why would Makoto-” Detective Gumshoe hesitated, glancing at Kyoko. “-I mean why would the killer use two different weapons, pal? It seems like a total hassle.”

Mia crossed her arms, trying to think of an explanation. “That could mean that Toko merely hid the scissors, and used gloves, hence why the prints are smudged, and why there are no prints of hers on the knife. If these scissors are, ahem, her signature, then she’d need to hide them, but not necessarily the knife, creating a trap for Makoto to incriminate himself.” 

“I just don’t get why,” Kyoko said, her eyebrows furrowing. “Hiro wasn’t even her type.” Wait, Toko had a type? For what? Now, Mia was definitely concerned, this Toko seemed very suspicious. Kyoko placed a hand under her chin. “He’d have a chance of getting killed if she actually liked him, but they were always at odds. They never saw eye to eye once. Normally, that’d be a motive, but for someone like… Toko… or Jill… that would be a deterrent!” 

“It might not be Toko,” Phoenix said, jumping to stick up for Toko. That’s odd, Mia thought. Maybe there was something about Toko that Phoenix knew, she reasoned. “There are other suspects.” That statement was true at least, Mia thought, thinking of Celestia.

“Of course,” Kyoko nodded to Mia and Phoenix. “You guys should start preparing for your trial tomorrow. I’ll fill in Detective Gumshoe on the details of the day-” Detective Gumshoe sighed gratefully; he’d been trying to follow the discussion to no avail. “-You will need to get Toko on the stand somehow, Mr. Wright. Hopefully you can link her and Celeste. I’ll see what I can come up with, and I’ll talk to Prosecutor Edgeworth.” 

“Okay, thanks.” Phoenix said, walking off with Mia and Pearl following. 

“Are you ready for tomorrow, Phoenix? It sounds like it’s going to get dicey.” Mia said, looking at him with her familiar “you ready for this?” gaze. “Of course, things always seem to be dicey for you.” 

“Di-cey?” Pearl asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“It means it’s going to be hard for Phoenix,” Mia said, smiling at her cousin. She turned to Phoenix. “Though, when has a challenge ever stopped you, Phoenix?” 

“I’ll do my best, and you being there will help, Mia.” Phoenix said, looking both scared and determined. “Today’s trial was the warm-up, though. Tomorrow’s trial is going to be tougher for sure.” 

“I guess you better hop to it, then, Phoenix,” Mia said, reaching to take him by the arm, but stopping, remembering he’d rooted through the garbage. “We should get to the office, because I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be around.” Mia was always impressed by how long Maya could channel her, but she figured Maya could use some rest before tomorrow’s trial.

“Yeah, about that…” Phoenix’s shoulders slumped, and he sighed with exhaustion. “We’re going to have to walk. Kyoko paid for the bus here, and Celeste has all my money.” 

Pearl groaned, clearly tired, but Mia, with a second burst of energy from her coffee, smiled and picked up Pearl. Her grin steadied as she felt Pearl’s arms wrap around her. 

“I don’t mind,” Mia said, stepping towards the exit, feeling at peace. “It’ll be nice to walk, to feel the sun, and to talk with you. Just talking casually, like with the ultimates.  I’m lucky to be channeled so often, but it would be nice to just get to go on a walk with my friend and my cousin.”

“I do miss talking casually with you, Mia,” Phoenix said, giving Mia a small smile. She did love seeing Phoenix happy, or at least, not stressing out in the middle of a trial. That was a rarity for her nowadays. 

“I miss it too, Phoenix. Though, now is as good a time as any to start,” Mia said, as the three left the building.

Mia’s grin stayed as she stepped outside. She could feel the sunlight kiss her skin, the sensation filling her with a sense of determination. Phoenix stepped out to greet her, and ruffled Pearl’s hair, and she grinned at him from her perch in Mia’s arms. This is why I’m here, Mia thought. As long as my friends-no, my family- need my help, I’ll never be done with this world. She’d always be around to aid Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl, to serve the justice she swore to protect when she’d first received her attorney’s badge. Based on Phoenix’s increasing confidence as he began to lay out the details of the case to her, while she took mental notes and offered encouragement and ideas, she was already doing her part. A lawyer is someone who smiles no matter how bad it gets, and Mia was grinning ear to ear.

Chapter Text

May 2nd, 9:15 AM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No.2

“So, one of us is going to have to channel Mia?” Maya said, as she, Phoenix, and Pearl made their way into the courtroom. 

Phoenix nodded. “Sorry, but I could use her help. Besides, I filled her in on the case yesterday during our walk home, so it’s not like she’s going in blind.” 

“Is that why my legs are so sore, Nick?” Maya whined. 

“Who’s Mia?” The familiar voice of a certain luckster butted in. 

Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl turned to face Makoto, who looked rather worn. All that questioning and not being able to talk to his classmates must be getting to him, Phoenix reasoned. 

“Mia’s my older sister,” Maya said. “She was a great lawyer when she was alive, even better than Nick! She’s going to help us, and I’m sure she’ll love you.” 

“Hey! Mia’s only a bit better than me,” Phoenix protested. “She did say she was eager to meet you, Makoto. Especially after she heard about your, uh, moment during yesterday’s trial.” Phoenix chuckled as Makoto’s cheeks went pink. 

“Can Pearls do the channeling?” Maya whined. “I want to see what I missed yesterday. Is that okay, Pearly?” 

Pearl nodded. Before she could close her eyes to begin the channeling, a cry rang out. 

“Hey, Mr. Wright is here!” Hina shouted, pointing to their group. 

Suddenly, the large majority of the class was headed their way, a far cry from yesterday. Notably, Celeste and Kyoko were missing, both standing over with the prosecution. Hifumi, for his part, was also hovering close to Celeste, holding a teapot in his hands. Seriously?! Phoenix suppressed an eye roll. 

“Hey, Wrighto, I heard something about you channeling a spirit yesterday!” Junko beamed at him. “C’mon, don’t hold out on us, my poor sister and I haven’t gotten to see any supernatural stuff yet!” 

“I haven’t seen it either,” Byakuya noted. “I wonder if it is really all smoke and mirrors.” 

“It’s totally real!” Maya said, glaring at Byakuya. “Pearly was about to channel my sister, Mia! She’s going to help Nick today!” 

“Mia’s coming back!” Hina grinned. She nodded to Sakura, who produced two familiar looking boxes from behind her back. Phoenix’s rumbling stomach recognized them as donut boxes. Hina offered a box up, and Phoenix reached for a donut, only for Hina to slam the box shut. “They aren’t for you, spiky! They’re for Mia! I thought she’d want some food, seeing how she’s a spirit and all, she probably doesn’t get to eat much.” 

Phoenix sighed mournfully. At least it’s a nice gesture, he reasoned. Maya was nudging Pearl to start the channeling, but Pearl shrank back, looking nervous at all the attention suddenly on her. Byakuya was muttering something about it being a hoax, and Mondo had shot back with something about how Byakuya’s head was rammed too far up his-nevermind. Others in the class were starting to get involved, and he couldn’t keep up. Phoenix was getting a headache. He did notice Makoto, despite being handcuffed, trying to help Maya comfort Pearl. 

“Hey, stop it!” Sayaka shouted. “You guys are scaring Pearl! Let her focus, and shut up!” 

Everyone stopped, surprised at Sayaka’s outburst, except Makoto, who actually broke out into a grin. Pearl, motivated by Sayaka’s encouragement, closed her eyes, and in mere moments, Mia was standing before them. 

“Close your mouth, you're bound to catch flies,” Mia said with a smile, facing a slack-jawed Byakuya. 

Leon and Mondo howled with laughter as Byakuya’s face flushed with indignation; Hina and Sayaka began to giggle as well. Of course, Phoenix considered it a bit hypocritical on Leon’s part at least, he remembered how red Leon turned when he’d first seen Mia. Kiyotaka chided them for laughing, while Sakura merely stood silently by. Toko tugged at her braids, frozen in shock, and he noticed her face flush as she eyed Mia. Honestly, he didn’t think Mia seemed like Toko’s type, though Phoenix noted Mia tended to have that effect on people. Mukuro, for once, lost her stoic veneer, and her eyebrows furrowed with fascination. Junko grinned ear to ear, clutching onto her sister’s arm. As for Chihiro-

“-Holy shit!” Junko laughed. “Look at that! No wonder Hiro blabbed about this stuff!” 

“It’s definitely something,” Mukuro nodded. “Pearl must be quite skilled.” 

“You bet she is!” Maya said, grinning with pride. “Pearly is one of the best mediums in our village, despite her age!” 

“Cute but useful, I like it!” Junko said, flashing a thumbs up. “Just like my limited edition Monokuma hair clips!” 

“They are super cute,” Maya admitted, reaching out to touch one, before Junko batted her hand away with surprising force. Maya pouted. “Aw, man.” 

“These don’t leave my person, Maya!” Junko wagged a finger at Maya, who giggled. 

“Oh, Mia, Sakura and I got you these!” Hina grinned and presented the box of donuts to Mia. 

“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful, Hina.” Mia smiled. “You too, Sakura. You girls are very considerate. Your classmates are lucky to have you two.” 

Sakura merely nodded, while Hina beamed with pride. They still had the other box of donuts, and Phoenix reasoned it was for them. Even though he wanted one very badly. Mia tucked the box of donuts under her arm and turned to face the rest of the students.

“In case any of you didn’t catch it before, I’m Mia Fey, and I was a lawyer,” Mia said, trying to get back on topic. “It’s nice to see you guys again, and it’s nice to meet those I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet.” 

Before Junko could even put out her hand, Byakuya cut in front of her. “Byakuya Togami, ultimate affluent progeny,” he said, extending a hand. “I’ve read about your cases. I know you help Mr. Wright here when he can’t help himself.” 

Mia shook Byakuya’s hand with a frown. “I’ve heard your name before, Mr. Togami. You’re next in line for the Togami corporation, correct?” Byakuya nodded, and Mia’s face twisted into a small smile. “You should know that the last corporate leader I faced off with ended up with life in prison.” 

“Redd White was a buffoon,” Byakuya said. “I am nothing like him.” 

“I see,” Mia said. “I believe I know enough about you from Phoenix here to make my own judgments.” 

Before Byakuya could retort, Junko cut him off. “I’m Junko Enoshima, the ultimate fashionista, and this-” she gestured to Mukuro, “-is my twin sister, Mukuro Ikusaba, the ultimate soldier!” 

Mia shook hands with Junko, before extending a hand to Mukuro. Mukuro had a moment of surprise before shaking Mia’s hand. 

“What’s wrong?” Mia asked her. 

“She’s just shy,” Junko said. 

“I was asking Ms. Ikusaba,” Mia said rather suddenly. “I believe she can answer for herself.” 

Junko pouted, and crossed her arms. Mukuro tensed up, and placed a hand on Junko’s shoulder. 

“She’s right,” Mukuro muttered. “I-um,” 

A sneeze interrupted Mukuro before she could finish. Makoto bashfully attempted to cover his mouth with his elbow, but the cuffs made it rather awkward looking. Mia, noticing the cuffs, turned to him with interest.

“You’re Makoto, right?” Mia said. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard great things. Though, you don’t seem terribly lucky.” She smiled and reached out to gingerly shake one of Makoto’s cuffed hands. 

Makoto smiled back. “Yeah, it’s nice to meet you. Maya talked about you… and you seem familiar. I mean, like your name.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Oh yeah, Kyoko! She talked about cases you handled sometimes.” Makoto smiled, looking over to where Kyoko was talking to Detective Gumshoe. His face softened with a blush. 

Mia hid a knowing smile behind the palm of her hand. “They really are rather obvious about their feelings, aren’t they, Phoenix?” she whispered with a titter, looping an arm around Maya as well, who grinned devilishly at poor Makoto.  

Phoenix nodded. He had no idea how they hadn’t caught onto the other’s affections yet. After all, with one of them being a detective, Phoenix thought that they’d had to have figured it out by now. How could anyone be so dense? 

“It’s funny sis,” Maya whispered with a grin, looking at an increasingly flushed Makoto. “They know so much about everyone else, yet they’ve got no clue! Just like Nick and-” 

“-hey, what are you saying?” Makoto asked. “It’s about me, isn’t it.” 

Maya attempted to deny it, but Mia shook her head, affirming Makoto’s suspicions. “You’ve got a natural knack for deduction, Makoto.” She smiled. “I think I like you already- though,” Phoenix raised an eyebrow as he saw worry begin to dot Mia’s features. “Where is your family? I would think they’d be supporting you.” 

That’s actually a good point, Phoenix thought. He hadn’t thought about it before, mostly because Makoto hadn’t mentioned them. Phoenix heard mutterings from the class, and Makoto looked forlorn, like he’d avoided bringing up his family for a reason. 

“That’s true,” Mukuro said. Phoenix was shocked that she of all people spoke up. Mia’s eyes widened as well. “Where are your parents? Komaru?” 

“I-I don’t know, I’ve been in the detention center the whole time,” Makoto said, his eyes losing spark for the first time. “I haven’t heard from my parents or sister, and I’m just worried. What could they think of me? I didn’t want to bring it up, because I didn’t want to lose hope in them, or their faith in me but...” he sighed. “I hope they’re okay.” 

“I’m sure they’re rooting for you,” Sayaka said, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. Many of the others of the class also offered sympathy, though it didn’t seem to do much good.

“I just wish that I could see them,” he sighed. 

A resounding crack echoed across the lobby, and both the defense and prosecution groups turned to face the source of the sound. Phoenix shuddered as his eyes traced the sound to an all too-familiar whip. He gulped as he saw Franziska von Karma whipping an unfortunate looking reporter, standing in between him and a short-haired girl with an ahoge and rather familiar looking eyes. 

“You should stay away from Ms. Naegi, unless you want to taste my whip again,” Franziska leered at the man, who cowered in fear. “Now, go cower outside with the rest of your foolish media hounds.” The man, probably grateful to be alive, ran outside. There was a part of that statement that struck Phoenix. Did she say Naegi? 

“Holy shit,” Leon breathed. “Did anyone else just see that lady whip a guy?” 

“Komaru?” Makoto said softly, disregarding Leon’s statement and looking at the girl standing beside Franziska. Phoenix could’ve sworn he saw the spark of hope immediately reignite in Makoto. If she had the last name Naegi that must mean-

“-Makoto!” Komaru ran towards Makoto, and swept him up in a hug, managing to lift him off the ground. “I never thought I’d make it here! It’s been really bad at home with the press and everything and…” Komaru took a deep breath, her face growing red from lack of oxygen. “Miss von Karma really helped me out. She seems really nice!” 

Phoenix almost laughed at that last statement, and he could see Maya holding in a giggle. However, Franziska coming up behind Komaru quickly put a stop to any potential laughing. 

“I noticed Miss Naegi being hounded by some foolish reporters as she tried to get into the courthouse,” Franziska said, her hands still around her whip. “I decided to escort her in myself, I figured she deserves to see her brother’s trial.” 

Komaru nodded. “Ms. von Karma was like a hero in a manga, riding up with their trusty weapon to slay the demons! Like, the media was all around our house the first day, and we couldn’t even leave the whole time, or we’d be mobbed! I decided to sneak out, because I couldn’t take it anymore,” she looked at Makoto with a smile. “I wanted Makoto to know we support and believe in him. I snuck out, past those cameras and news crews surrounding our house, but as I got to the courthouse someone recognized me, and then it was happening again… but Ms. von Karma introduced herself, then began whipping everyone in sight! It was amazing!” Komaru’s eyes seemed to light up as she looked at Franziska, who actually seemed slightly unsure of how to deal with Komaru’s admiration. 

“Thank you so much,” Makoto said, nodding at Franziska. 

“Why are you here, Franziska?” Edgeworth’s voice cut through. 

He’d left his group, leaving Kyoko and Detective Gumshoe to watch over Celeste, who was busy leering at Phoenix. He shuddered, but he did note Kyoko’s expression lightened when she saw Komaru. She said something to Detective Gumshoe, who grinned as well. 

“Ah, I was in town, and I heard about your trial, little brother. I wanted to see how it is that such a seemingly open and shut case got botched in your hands. I know that if I were in charge, this case would be done,” Franziska looked towards Kyoko and Detective Gumshoe. Kyoko nodded towards her, and Gumshoe saluted, his features awash in fear. “I also wanted to check in on the career of that Kirigiri girl. I read the transcript of her testimony, and I was rather impressed.”

“Wait, you two are related?” Junko said, pointing at both of them. “You look nothing alike!” 

“We are not blood relatives,” Edgeworth answered. He turned towards Franziska. “I’m not here to win, I am here to find the truth. And the truth could very well be that Makoto is innocent.” 

Franziska pursed her lips. “I see. I suppose, Mr. Naegi doesn’t appear to have the coldness one would suppose a murderer to have.” 

“He didn’t do it!” Komaru cried, despite seemingly being unaware of the details of the case. Franziska for her part, did nothing to correct or contradict her. Komaru tugged on the cuff of Franziska’s uniform. “You’ll see, Ms. von Karma! This trial will show you that my brother is too much of a softy to be a killer. Trust me, I’ve watched enough TV and read enough manga with him to know that Makoto’s kind of a sap.” 

“Komaru!” Makoto squawked. “This is going to be about facts!” 

“Yeah, and the facts are you’re a big sap.” Komaru smiled. “Oh, this character has so much hope! Oh, Kyoko would love this character-” Makoto elbowed Komaru, which was impressive, considering he was cuffed. 

“Well, you’re definitely siblings,” Mia said with a small chuckle. “That’s how you know you love each other, the teasing.” 

Edgeworth sighed. “I suppose you have a point there, Ms. Fey. Now I have a witness to attend to, and I believe my detectives have suffered her presence for too long already.” 

“I will be going with you, of course.” Franziska said, leaving before Edgeworth could protest. He sighed and followed Franziska. 

“I actually missed this,” Makoto said with a laugh. “And it’s only been a day.” 

“I couldn’t let you down, Makoto,” Komaru said. “I’ll be here for you, every step of the way. Don’t give up, because I won’t give up on you, and neither will Mom and Dad! As long as you have your family, you’ll have hope!” 

Makoto nodded, and smiled. The mood seemed to elevate, and everyone seemed to be rather invigorated by the energy Komaru brought. 

“Makoto!” Kiyotaka’s voice rang through the group. Seeing how his shout reverberated, he flushed, probably not meaning to be that loud. “I wanted to apologize to you and-” 

“-It’s okay, Taka,” Makoto said, offering Kiyotaka a small smile. “I understand why you said what you did. It wasn’t against me at all.” 

“I also wanted to warn you,” Kiyotaka said, his shoulders slumping. “My father-oh, he is a police officer by the way-he volunteered to be among those dispatched to talk to Hiro’s mother and tell her the news… and he told me she’s going to be here today. And…” Kiyotaka’s eyes fell to the floor. “You’re the only one she can think to blame. Just… be prepared.” 

“Yeah, you said that last night,” Chihiro, who had been silent up until that point, mumbled. Upon looking at the tiny programmer, Phoenix was shocked. She looked awful, she had bags under her eyes and her clothes and hair were askew. 

“I don’t remember meeting you both,” Mia said, quizzically. “Chihiro and Kiyotaka, right? I remember Phoenix saying you testified,” she said to Kiyotaka, who nodded. “And you,” she turned towards Chihiro, “You’re the ultimate programmer. Quite an impressive feat.” 

“Chihiro’s probably one of the smartest girls I know!” Maya said. 

“Uh-uh,” Chihiro mumbled sleepily. “That’s uh, not right,” 

The whole class fell silent, and Kiyotaka hastily began to speak. “Don’t mind her!” He almost yelled. “She is just very tired, as we stayed up all night with something for Mr. Wright. It took a lot of skill… though I will confess it was mostly on Chihiro’s end. Chihiro?” 

“Left it at school,” was all Chihiro could get out before she slumped over, Mondo barely managing to catch her. He gently slung her over his shoulders like a rag doll. 

“I’m uh, gonna get Chihiro to the benches… we’ll uh, catch up with ya later. Besides, it’s better if I scram before you’re dad shows,” Mondo said to a frowning Kiyotaka, who’s expression flickered with guilt. “It’s nice to see ya again, Miss Mia,” Mondo said, before taking off with an asleep Chihiro, and Phoenix was more confused than ever. He looked at Mia and Maya, both of whom shrugged. 

Before Phoenix could comment on anything, or begin to ask questions, a tired-looking man wearing a policeman’s uniform who looked very similar to Kiyotaka walked in, escorting a woman with pink hair. She was smoking a cigarette, and offered it to the man, who declined. Phoenix squinted, barely able to make out the name on the man’s badge: ISHIMARU. The woman’s eyes flitted over to the group, and as soon as she saw Makoto, her eyes became clouded with rage. Despite the man trying to steer her towards the benches, she stormed over. 

“You,” she spat, jabbing a finger at Makoto’s chest. “You killed my son in an act of senseless violence, and you have the nerve to fucking lie about it! He was your friend, he was finally going to graduate and y-you’re both so young-” her voice broke, and her face softened for a moment before reverting back to hardened anger. “-You’ll pay, if I have anything to say about it.” She put out her cigarette on the floor, leaving a single mark. She stormed off, leaving the remaining students in shock. 

“I’m sorry,” the man, Ishimaru, said. He picked the cigarette off the ground, muttering something about littering. Well, Kiyotaka has to get it from somewhere, Phoenix reasoned. Officer Ishimaru sighed. “I tried to tell her, but… she is-was-no, still is very protective of her son. I can’t say I wouldn’t be furious as well.” He gave Kiyotaka a glance and nod, as if to say he was grateful his son was spared and left to go after Hiro’s mother. 

“Her name is Hiroko,” Leon said quietly. “She’s always been really protective of Hiro. I met her once, she seemed, uh, a lot more chill.” 

“She needs someone to blame,” Makoto said sadly. “She probably feels like she failed Hiro.” 

“That doesn’t mean she should blame you!” Komaru protested. 

“She’ll blame whoever is easiest, because the only other option would be to blame herself,” Mia said solemnly. “Though, maybe she already does. I don’t know for certain.”

“Everyone, please head inside! The trial is about to commence!” The bailiff's voice cut through before anyone else could speak. 

Everyone headed off, Maya leaving with the ultimates, leaving Phoenix and Mia. Despite Komaru’s positive energy, and the assurances the other ultimates had offered Makoto before heading in, like Hina offering a supportive smile, Kiyotaka giving a salute, Sakura merely telling him to stay calm, Leon giving him a thumbs-up, and Sayaka giving him a hug, had all been overrun by Hiroko’s grief and anger. Now, the crushing weight of despair and death loomed in the courtroom, Hiroko’s presence serving as a harsh reminder of the gravity of the case. Besides, they hadn’t even stopped to consider that the challenge was just beginning, Celeste waiting to battle them. In fact, Celeste made a point to walk up to Phoenix and Mia as they were heading in.

“I look forward to our game, Mr. Wright. I am sure that even with the help of Miss Mia, you will lose.” Celeste said, holding two cups of tea. 

“This isn’t a game, Celeste,” Phoenix said. “This is Makoto’s life at stake. It’s Hiro’s memory, too.” Phoenix thought of the grieving of the other ultimates, Komaru’s worry, and Hiroko’s loss, and wanted to slap the tea cups out of Celeste’s hands. “Do you really not care at all?” 

Celeste turned towards Mia, completely ignoring Phoenix. She raised one of the teacups. “Here, Miss Mia. To wash down the nauseating sweetness of those donuts.” 

Mia took the cup, though Phoenix noticed she didn’t drink. “Thank you, Celestia. This will help me relax. Though, I have a feeling you’ll need this more than me.” Mia smiled. “After all, we’re not playing cards anymore. This is our territory… and I do believe the house has an edge.” 

Celeste pursed her lips. “I do believe I am needed,” she said, giving Mia a curt look before taking a breath, her face reverting to a pleasant smile. She headed inside, where the bailiff was guiding her.

“We can take her, Phoenix,” Mia said, as if she were reading his mind. “Celeste is fake. At the end, that fakeness can and will slip. We just have to help it along. We expose one part of her, and she’ll unravel.” 

Phoenix nodded as they headed in, but he couldn’t help but be nervous. Now, there were even more eyes on him, and he was about to face a witness who specialized in lies. At the very least, he was grateful to have Mia by his side.

******************************************************************************

May 2nd, 10:00 AM

District Court

Courtroom No.3

Phoenix glanced around at the benches of the courtroom. This time, the seating arrangements differed. Instead of sitting together, the ultimates had split up. The majority of them still sat in one row, Chihiro was barely awake and leaning against Mondo, who was next to Kiyotaka. Kiyotaka was talking to Sakura, and he seemed nervous, though Sakura seemed to have a calming effect on him. She did seem like one of the more grounded members of the class, Phoenix reasoned. Sakura was sitting next to Hina, who’d opened the box of donuts, and was sharing them with Maya, who was sitting between Hina and Leon. Sayaka rounded out the group, sitting on the end of the bench, smiling comfortingly at Makoto. 

Mukuro, Junko, and Hifumi sat in the row below them, despite there being room on the bench. It was odd to see who’d stuck together, Phoenix noted. Mukuro and Junko seemed to be on an island, Mukuro even looking away when Sayaka moved on from Makoto and tried to engage her with the offering of a donut, and Junko filed her nails disinterestedly. Hifumi seemed too terrified to even comprehend where he was, probably thinking of what Celeste was going to say.

Toko and Byakuya were in the row below theirs, Toko no doubt just went wherever Byakuya did. Byakuya made a point of sitting by Kyoko and Detective Gumshoe, and that unnerved Phoenix. Judging by Kyoko’s aside glance towards him, it bothered her as well. Though, if anything, Byakuya just looked annoyed at Detective Gumshoe, who’d offered a rather zealous introduction from the looks of it. Also in that row, Komaru was sitting in between Kyoko and Franziska. Komaru was talking to Kyoko, and he saw Kyoko blush, and Komaru grin. Even Franziska seemed bemused. Phoenix wondered what she’d said, and glanced towards Makoto, who looked like he wanted to leap into the stands to join the conversations. 

“He definitely isn’t the sidelines type, Phoenix.” Mia said with a grin, waving to Makoto, who waved back. “He reminds me of you already.” 

“They all sat together before,” Phoenix muttered. “Why would they split up now?” There was something about this new, visible division in the class that worried Phoenix. 

“Look at the other side of the court too, Phoenix,” Mia said. 

Mia gestured to the other side of the court, where Officer Ishimaru was sitting with Hiroko. Hiroko looked straight at Makoto with venom in her eyes, and Ishimaru merely gave him a cursory glance, and muttered something to Hiroko, though she didn’t seem to listen. Officer Ishimaru glanced at Phoenix, no wait, he was glancing above Phoenix, probably to where Kiyotaka was sitting. He saw Officer Ishimaru’s eyes narrow, and Phoenix vaguely recalled the earlier conversation in the lobby where Mondo implied that Officer Ishimaru wasn’t his biggest fan. Well that’s got to be super awkward-

“-Earth to Phoenix!” Mia snapped her fingers in front of him. She gestured to where the Judge was walking up to the podium. Once again, Mia saved him from almost daydreaming on the job. He had to admit, the drama in the ultimate’s lives was intriguing, though now wasn’t the time to think about that.

“Order, order!” The Judge hit his gavel, and the sideline conversations ceased. The Judge leaned forward in his chair, satisfied with the quieted courtroom. “Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Makoto Naegi!” the Judge said.

“The defense is ready, Your Honor,” Phoenix said. 

“The prosecution is ready as well,” Edgeworth nodded. 

“Let’s hear your opening statement, Mr. Edgeworth.” the Judge said, facing Edgeworth.

“Very well,” Edgeworth said. “Yesterday, we had witness testimonies concerning both the condition and location of the defendant on the night of the crime. However, both of those testimonies failed to account for a crucial amount of time during the window of discovery to arrest, and brought up inconsistent evidence, leaving the court to doubt Mr. Naegi’s guilt. The prosecution has called upon a witness who believes she saw the defendant on the night of the crime, to help us shed light on the case.” Edgeworth gestured to the witness stand. “The prosecution calls Miss Celeste to the stand.” 

Celeste walked up to the witness stand, looking just as collected as Kyoko did the day before. Her expression was serene, and she remained unmoving, a far cry from Kiyotaka’s nerves. She held a cup of tea in her hands. 

“Will the witness please state her name and grade in school for the court?” Edgeworth asked. 

Celeste merely sighed and took a sip of her tea, disregarding Edgeworth entirely. She’s seeing how much she can get away with right off the bat, Phoenix thought. Mia, seemingly noting the same thing, frowned as well. 

“Witness, name.” Edgeworth tried again. Nothing. “Name! Now!” Edgeworth slammed on the desk. It probably wasn’t good that Celeste had already gotten under his skin. 

“Ah!” Celeste perked up, finally looking up from her tea. “My apologies, good sir, but I’m afraid I am still getting my bearings. This courtroom is quite overwhelming to me, and I am merely nervous.” Celeste gave the court a polite curtsy. “I am Celeste, and I am in my final year of Hope’s Peak Academy.” 

“Oh, don’t be nervous, young lady!” the Judge said, giving Celeste a kind smile. “I was actually nervous too on my first day as a judge, but you’ll get used to it in no time! You introduced yourself quite well!” 

“Thank you, Your Honor.” Celeste gave the Judge a small smile. “I am glad to have found a friend in a kind man like yourself. You are certainly kinder to me than these attorneys will be.” 

“Oh ho ho! Think nothing of it, young lady!” The Judge laughed, clearly flattered by Celeste. 

“She’s already wrapping the Judge around her finger, Phoenix.” Mia said, crossing her arms. “She’s going for the fake innocence route… which wasn’t what I’d expected. I thought she'd go for the route of acting overly refined… though that may just be coming later.” 

“She’s probably adjusting her style to fit what the Judge would respond to,” Phoenix noted. “She’s used to sizing people up, and she saw him in court yesterday.” 

Mia smiled. “That’s a good observation, Phoenix. I don’t think Celestia gives you enough credit.” 

Edgeworth, for his part, was already sporting a grimace. He seems to at least have an idea of the real Celeste, Phoenix reasoned. Hopefully, that means Edgeworth will allow me to question her more, he thought. 

“Now, Miss Celeste, your testimony, please.” Edgeworth said, maintaining a civil tone. 

“Ah, you are already far more behaved,” Celeste said, giving Edgeworth a smile, as the latter grit his teeth at her remark. “I shall try my best.” 

“Yes, Mr. Edgeworth. You are already more polite!” The Judge said.

“Thank you, Your Honor.” Edgeworth said, doing his best to ignore Celeste’s mockery. “Now, witness, your testimony concering the night of the murder.” 

“Yes,” Celeste placed a hand under her chin. “I was with two of my classmates, Mr. Yamada and Ms. Enoshima on the night in question. We went to the media room around 9:00 PM. We were playing cards and watching the television show they like. The Warriors of Hope vs. Despair one. I left the room for a while to make some tea. While I was waiting for the water to boil, I saw Makoto throwing something away. I believe that was his opportunity to hide the evidence of his heinous crime.” 

That’s it? Phoenix thought incredulously. Seriously?! 

“Miss Celeste, I believe that you’ve solved this case. We now have proof that Mr. Naegi did attempt to hide evidence!” the Judge said. 

“Your Honor,” Edgeworth said. “You do realize that the defense must still cross-examine the witness, correct?” 

“Mr. Edgeworth, I do not believe it is your job to say that,” Celeste said, offering him a patronizing smile. 

“It’s my job to help this trial proceed fairly.” Edgeworth shot back, and Celeste’s smile dropped. She probably realized that Edgeworth wouldn’t go easy on her, Phoenix reasoned. Still, she didn’t lose her cool outright. 

“Very well then,” the Judge said, overlooking the subtle change in Celeste. “Mr. Wright, you may proceed with your cross-examination.” 

“Wait!” Edgeworth said. “ I have a question to ask of the witness before we proceed. Celeste, can you point out on this map where exactly you were in relation to the crime scene? It was unclear in your testimony.” He took out the layout of Hope’s Peak and offered it to Celeste.

“Of course, Mr. Edgeworth.” Celeste pointed to the cafeteria, then traced a path with her ring-adorned finger to Hiro’s room. “As you can see, these places are not far, as they are on the same floor and are minutes apart. Makoto would have time to traverse there and back with little resistance.” 

“They do appear to be close enough for the seven minute window mentioned in yesterday’s trial,” Edgeworth noted. “That is all.” 

“Well… that was illuminating,” the Judge said, still looking confused. “Mr. Wright, you may now proceed with the cross-examination.” 

“You can do it, Phoenix,” Mia said, her expression determined. “Her testimony was vague, if you press her enough, I’m confident she’ll let something slip, and then we’ll pin her with the evidence.” 

Phoenix nodded, then turned his gaze to Celeste. “You said you left the room to make tea? Why did you? Normally, wouldn’t you have H-Mr. Yamada make the tea for you?” 

Celeste sighed, shaking her head. “That hardly seems relevant, sir.” 

“Answer the question,” Phoenix said, not letting up. “From what I, and others in your class have observed, you treat Mr. Yamada like a manservant, having him make you tea and carry your things. In fact,” Phoenix gestured to the benches, “He’s holding a teapot identical to your cup right now! Why, on the night of the murder of all nights, would you suddenly change that?” 

“That does seem like a rather unfortunate coincidence,” the Judge said. 

“Do not paint this picture, Wright,” Celeste’s tone had shifted, it still sounded polite, but there were visible points of venom in her words. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Phoenix. “I am not some petty criminal. I merely wanted a reprieve from that awful show with the bear and rabbit that my companions insisted on watching. It isn’t even interesting, there is so much slapstick, it’s gross. Besides, I knew that show would distract Yamada from making quality tea. I merely took matters into my own hands at an unfortunate moment.” 

“At around what time would you say you left to make the tea?” Phoenix questioned, deciding to go another route. 

“Around 9:20 PM,” Celeste said. 

“Were you in the cafeteria until the police arrived? By yourself?” Phoenix crossed his arms. “I believe that would call your alibi into question, and that also means you could’ve tampered with the trash-” 

“-why would I sully myself by digging around in garbage?” Celeste glared at Phoenix. “I have an alibi. Mr. Yamada and Ms. Enoshima can attest to my return to our game.” 

“That’s not a wise thing to say, Celeste,” Phoenix said, crossing his arms. “You wouldn’t want to drag them down in your lies.” 

“You really are accusing me of lying?” Celeste giggled. “Oh, how desperate you look, covering for a murderer!” 

“TAKE THAT!” Phoenix took out the photos Hifumi had given him. “These,” he explained, “Are photos taken by Mr. Yamada using his, uh, limited edition Princess Piggles Camera. These photos show who was at the card game that night, and they’re timestamped as well. Celeste, after 9:30, you don’t show up in any photos at all! You didn’t return to the media room at all, meaning your alibi is completely nonexistent. Not only that, you just blatantly lied, putting your reliability as a witness into question!” 

Celeste, instead of getting angry, merely laughed. “Oh, is that all you have to show me? I must say, you are rather pathetic in your attempts to slander me. It hurts my feelings.” 

“Mr. Wright, if you cannot prove your bold accusation, I’m afraid I’ll have to penalize you,” the Judge said. “It is quite insolent of you to accost this polite young lady.” It appears Celeste even influenced the Judge’s vocabulary, Phoenix noted. Still, he wasn’t about to give up. 

He looked up at the defendant’s chair, and Makoto looked like he was deep in thought. His expression lit up, and he caught Phoenix’s eye. He mimed a pair of rabbit ears, and Phoenix’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. However, Mia grinned and nodded at Makoto. 

“He’s got the right idea, Phoenix.” Mia said, giving Makoto a fond look. “He knows he can’t yell out and risk a penalty, but he’s on the right track. We’ve got to talk about that show.” 

Phoenix crossed his arms. He saw the Judge’s expression of impatience, Edgeworth gave him a rather concerned look, and Celeste’s aura radiated with smugness. What could Makoto want him to say-that’s it!

“Celesle,” Phoenix said, shaking his head with a slight grin. “If you really did return to the media room like you said, and were lucky enough not to get caught on camera again, can you answer a simple question?” 

“I believe I can answer any question you throw at me, despite whatever hideous accusations that you will attach to it.” Celeste stared directly at Phoenix, like if she looked hard enough, he’d die on the spot. 

“Then you should ace this,” Phoenix said. “How did the show you and your friends were watching end? If you were there, you should know.” 

“I wasn’t even watching,” Celeste said. “I know nothing about it.” 

“That’s rather contradictory to your earlier testimony,” Phoenix said, shaking his head. “You referred to the show by name, and you knew the two main characters are a bear and a rabbit. Plus, you even know that one of the main features of Warriors of Hope vs. Despair is it’s pointless slapstick comedy!” 

“That is rather odd,” the Judge said. “Miss Celeste-” 

“-Oh! Oh my!” Celeste said, placing a hand over her mouth in a pseudo-gasp. “I believe I do remember something. The excitement of this trial and the events of the evening made it slip my mind. I do believe that the bear overtook the rabbit, and the episode ends with the rabbit getting repainted to match the bear.” 

“No, that isn’t how it ends,” Edgeworth said. Phoenix nearly laughed in relief, Edgeworth’s love of the truth and children’s television was combining in the best possible way. Edgeworth glared at Celeste. “That’s only the midpoint of the episode, since this was a special. You left at around 9:20, which would be around that time. If you’d returned, you’d know Usami triumphs at the end, despite getting repainted. You lied, Miss Celeste.” 

“Wh-wh-” Celeste glared at Edgeworth. “WHY ARE YOU QUESTIONING ME?!” She yelled, giving Edgeworth a death glare. “YOU’RE THE FUCKING PROSECUTOR! I’M YOUR WITNESS!” Her voice lost it’s refined and polite tone, instead sounding rough and furious.

“Miss Celeste!” the Judge gasped. “W-what happened to you?” 

“Your Honor,” Celeste said, her voice wobbly and contradictory, a false politeness clashing with a bubbling fury. “I do believe I am being ganged up on by an incompetent defense attorney and a prosecutor who doesn’t know how to STAY IN HIS FUCKING LANE!” 

“I’m here to expose the truth, Miss Celeste,” Edgeworth said, staring down Celeste, not losing his nerve in the slightest. “I let you testify because I believed that you would speak the truth, despite your reputation. I wanted to give you the time of day as a witness. However, if you are going to abuse that power, then I will call you out on it. Sides be damned.” 

Celeste glowered at Edgeworth, seemingly at a loss. Phoenix felt a sense of relief wash over him, at least he knew Edgeworth was willing to expose a lie when he saw it, Phoenix reasoned. Maybe he’d have to start actually watching Warriors of Hope vs. Despair now. Mia gave Phoenix a reassuring nod, and he saw Makoto give him a thumbs up. Pressing the show was a good plan, Phoenix admitted.

“Man, Mr. Edgeworth totally spoiled the episode,” Phoenix heard Maya complaining from the stands. “I haven’t even gotten to watch it yet.” 

“ ‘S pretty good,” a sleepy Chihiro said, having seemingly been jolted awake by Celeste’s yelling. “I watched it too. Guess Celeste didn’t.” 

“Of course she fucking lied,” Leon spat. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from the Queen.” 

“The Queen? Whaddya mean pal?” Detective Gumshoe asked from a few rows down. 

“Means she’s called the Queen of Liars, pal.” Junko answered, before Leon could. “If Mr. Edgeworth even knew that, I doubt he’d have let her touch the stand.” 

Kyoko sighed. “He has a commitment to hear out all potential witnesses, even if they have reputations. Why do you think Celeste didn’t say her ultimate talent like Kiyotaka and I did? It would’ve put her at a disadvantage with the Judge.” 

“That’s a real bright observation, pal!” 

“That is rather shrewd,” Franziska noted. 

“Makoto’s got a chance!” Komaru said, giving her brother a nod. 

“Phoenix, this is great,” Mia said. “She’s lost her composure once, and there’s no taking that back. The court has seen her real personality, and that’s going to shake her. We just have to tie her to the crime.” 

“Order, order!” the Judge slammed his gavel. “Miss Celeste, do you have an explanation for this? And… please no more shouting.” 

“Hehehe,” Celeste giggled, having seemingly gained her composure. “I am deeply sorry. I am afraid I have truly made a mess of things. I thank you for your patience, Your Honor. I assure you, I have an explanation for all.” 

“Let’s hear your explanation, then.” Edgeworth said with a frown. 

“Of course,” Celeste curtsied and took a sip of tea, as if the whole court hadn’t seen her lose her mind a few moments ago. “I was reluctant to admit my absence, as I was afraid I would be accused of the crime. That is also why I was so nervous to speak up about my sighting before yesterday. I believed that justice would be served yesterday with the testimony of Ishimaru, but he couldn’t be relied upon. I decided to take it upon myself to avenge poor Hagakure’s memory and convict his killer.” 

“Oh, that does sound noble,” the Judge said, nodding. “It appears this young lady felt pressured into lying.”

Do you have amnesia, Your Honor?! Phoenix wanted to shake him, to remind him of Celeste’s meltdown literal minutes before. He shivered as Celeste gave him a smile that was so devoid of any real warmth, it chilled him to the bone.

“That was nauseatingly fake,” Mia said, taking a sip of the tea Celeste had given her. “Luckily, we should be able to corner her. You’ve got the ammunition, Phoenix.” 

“The defense asserts that this witness’s reasoning is a blatant lie!” Phoenix said, slamming his hands on the desk. “This witness would have no reason to fear being accused unless she had some tie to the crime, and we were able to find evidence connecting her to the crime,” Phoenix cried, pointing at Celeste. 

“I fear there is no such piece of evidence,” Celeste said. “You surprise me with your lunacy, Mr. Wright. Do you really hate me that much? I just wanted to help.” She crossed her arms and looked down at the floor, in a show of false helplessness. 

“Wright, just what is this evidence?” Edgeworth questioned. 

“Yes, please show the court what this polite young lady could possibly have that connects her to the crime?” the Judge questioned. 

“TAKE THAT!” Phoenix produced the Three of Swords and laid it out for the courtroom to see. Celeste’s eyes widened. “This is the three of swords,” he said. “It’s a tarot card, and it was part of a deck belonging to the victim.” Phoenix got out the tarot deck, and the book. “This book contains the complete guide to the tarot deck, and its cards. Inside, the cards in this deck, that was found in the victim’s room-” he gestured to the deck, “-were marked off in the book.” He opened the book to the page Leon had marked yesterday. “Now, you’ll notice there are two unmarked cards. One being the separated justice card found in the room, and this card.” Phoenix glared at Celeste. “This card was found in the room of this very witness! Why would she have it, unless she stole it? She wanted a memento of the crime she's committed!”

“YOU!” Celeste howled, turning to Mia, her whole body rigid with rage. “YOU STOLE FROM ME!” 

“And you stole that card from the victim,” Mia said, facing Celeste with a calm air. In fact, Mia had a grin on her face. She crossed her arms and shook her head. “You wanted to battle us in court, because you thought we wouldn’t be able to gather new evidence that way, hm?” Mia continued on, despite Celeste’s growing rage. “It’s risk and reward, after all. Being the ultimate gambler, you thought the risk of being in a public forum was worth the reward of having us not be able to talk to other parties or gather evidence. However, you failed to account for the fact that we’d catch you in your lies, and you’d have no way out!” 

“You’re the ultimate gambler?” the Judge raised an eyebrow. “Wait, doesn’t that mean you are a natural liar?” 

“It would,” Edgeworth grimaced. “I believe she deceived me as well.” He glared at Celeste. “The lies will end here, though. The court will not be fooled by you, Celeste.” 

“Mia Fey,” Celeste spat, not once turning away from Mia. “You don’t know everything! You don’t! NO!” Celeste turned and glared. “I have no motive! NONE! I had nothing against Makoto,” she gestured towards Makoto, “and I certainly have nothing to do with Hagakure-” 

“-OBJECTION!” Phoenix shook his head. “You have the card, which you made no move to deny. Plus, there is something that you and the victim share, something you don’t like.” Phoenix turned to the courtroom. “Now then, what was the first thing you said in your testimony?”

“Wright,” Edgeworth said. “Her first words were an introduction. An apology, and her name.” 

“Exactly,” Phoenix nodded. “Her very first words in this courtroom were a lie. Celeste isn’t her real name.” 

“What?!” Edgeworth was taken aback. “Why would she lie about something so trivial?” 

“She’s lied about everything else so far,” Phoenix said. “This would just be another lie. However, it’s an important lie-” 

“-My name is Celestia Lundenberg.” Celeste said desperately. “I wish to go by Celeste, hence my reluctance to tell you anything besides Celeste when introducing myself. My apologies.” 

“What does a name like Celestia Lundenberg have to do with the victim?” the Judge asked. “I’m quite confused.” 

“That’s because Celeste is still lying. Or should I say, Taeko is still lying.” Phoenix smirked, slamming his hands on the desk. “This witness's real name is Taeko Yasuhiro, a name she shares with the victim!” 

“MY NAME IS CELESTIA LUDENBERG, GODDAMMIT!” Celeste growled, her face awash in fury. 

Suddenly, Celeste took the teacup she was holding and hurled it at Phoenix with all her might. Phoenix barely managed to dodge, the teacup shattering against the wall behind him, barely missing poor Komaru in the splashback. He could feel the hot flecks of tea splash against his suit, and Mia winced as well, the tea had hit her unprotected arms. 

“That cost so much money,” Hifumi whined from the stands. “I’m never gonna get that back.” 

“What a waste of a perfectly good cup,” Byakuya muttered. “She’s really embarrassing herself up there.” 

“Are you okay?” Mukuro asked Komaru, who nodded. 

Makoto’s eyes were wide, and he looked at Mia with worry. Mia gave him a small smile, as if to say she’d be okay. Despite his earlier assist, Phoenix could tell Makoto was still aching to help, and he probably felt bad that his former friend had just launched a teacup at them.

“Heh,” Mia laughed. “I did talk about Diego with her. I guess she got some ideas from him.” 

“It was never this bad!” Phoenix protested.

The Judge’s eyes were wide as he pounded his gavel. “Miss Yasuhiro-” 

“-Don’t you dare! Don’t call me by that lowborn name, you decrepit old IMBECILE!” Celeste turned to the Judge with anger. She wasn’t even bothering with her polite tone anymore. Her twin drills were flaring, and her appearance was beginning to become disheveled. “I am Celestia Lundenberg!” She tried to regain her original tone, but failed. “There is nothing that says otherwise!” 

“I’m sorry, but you’re wrong,” Phoenix said, shaking his head with a grin. “I have evidence here,” Phoenix took out Hifumi’s camera. 

“The pictures of the murder?” Edgeworth questioned. 

“No,” Phoenix said. “There’s another picture I took yesterday. It was a photo of the witness’s handbook, which contains all of a student’s information. That information includes their vitals, gender, appearance, and of course, their names. And if you’ll look here,” Phoenix pointed at the picture, “Her name is listed as Taeko Yasuhiro, her real name!”

Celeste grit her teeth, and drew back in shock. She looked into the stands, and made eye contact with Hifumi, who quickly tried to look away and clutched his backpack. Her eyebrows raised with realization, and she took a deep breath. 

“Hifumi,” she growled. “He failed to inform me…” she sighed, and faced Phoenix. “I fail to see how my true name proves anything.” 

Phoenix knew that wasn’t true. When he’d told Mia the truth, she’d laughed and exclaimed: “ It all makes sense Phoenix! She wants so badly to be Celeste, Celestia, it fits too well! Her name fit her demeanor like a glove, as if she’d been named in the world’s luckiest coincidence. No name fits that well unless it is chosen, like a pet’s! Yasuhiro, of course! It’s ordinary, plain, and Celestia can’t have that. It goes against everything she is!”

Phoenix snapped back to the present. “You hate your name,” he said. “That’s why you go by Celeste, and that’s why you’d have a motive to kill Yasuhiro. His name alone is a reminder of everything you tried so hard to avoid by renaming yourself. As long as he’s around, he’s a reminder of who you really are.” 

Celeste glowered at Phoenix, but she did something rather unexpected. She merely nodded. “I fold,” she sighed. “I underestimated your tenacity, Mr. Wright. I underestimated your ability to sway my underling, your deductive ability, and even Miss Mia. I failed to see her swipe the card from under me. I will admit, I see Yasuhiro as a fool, his name does grate on me.” She ignored the audible growl coming from Hiroko’s side of the bench and continued. “However, you are wrong. You still lose. I did not commit this murder, and I did see Makoto. The card… I am not sure how it arrived in my possession, but once I found it the morning after Yasuhiro was murdered, I was afraid of disposing of it until after the trial had concluded, as I didn’t want to get framed. However, when your questioning began, and you questioned my alibi, I decided I had to come forward, to avoid getting implicated. I merely was outwilled… as much as I loathe to admit it.” 

Phoenix froze. Wait, what? He thought he’d gotten Celeste for sure, and in a way, he had. However, she hadn’t admitted to the crime. Instead, that was the one thing she hadn’t admitted to. 

Edgeworth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please, witness. The truth. For once.” 

Celeste nodded. “I’ll say what I saw.” She sighed, clearly exhausted from yelling. “I did leave the media room around 9:20, and went to the cafeteria to make tea. I went to throw out the milk carton. I did, and I saw Makoto on my way back to the tea. He lifted my carton and placed something silver and bloodied under it.” 

“Mr. Wright, do you still wish to cross-examine Miss Yasuhiro-” Celeste glared at the Judge, still having enough malice to scare him into sweating. “-I mean, Miss Celeste,” the Judge sighed. 

Phoenix nodded. “Celeste, you said you saw Makoto. How did you know it was him?” 

“Simple,” Celeste said. “I saw his familiar hoodie.” 

“So you didn’t actually see his face?” 

“No, but he was wearing that hoodie, correct? That was established yesterday, from the testimony of Kirigiri,” Celeste gestured to Kyoko, who gave Celeste a stony look. “It makes sense that it was him.” Celeste rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t give me those looks. I have no more lies.” 

Damn it! One of the most important points of Celeste’s testimony still stood. Edgeworth’s eyes narrowed as well, as this actually lends some credence to his case. This testimony hasn’t been a dead end, at least for him. 

“There have to be some contradictions,” Mia said. “Celeste lies so often, there has to be something else.” 

Phoenix nodded. “Celeste, you said you were in the cafeteria, yet this milk carton,” Phoenix held up the carton he’d found in the garbage yesterday. “This was found in the gymnasium trash can. You left the cafeteria!” 

“Oh!” Celeste put a hand to her mouth. “Pardon moi, I appear to have omitted details again. I do apologize, I am accustomed to it. It is how I live.” She giggled, though no one else looked amused. “I left the cafeteria to put the milk carton in the gymnasium trash can, as the cafeteria can was overflowing, and I don’t touch garbage. On my way back to the cafeteria, I saw Makoto. There was no one around the gymnasium at all, I’m sure.” 

“Wait, what time did you see Makoto, if it even was him?” Phoenix asked. 

Celeste merely shook her head. “I am not Ishimaru, I am not obsessed with time. I do not know for certain.” 

“This proves it may not have been Makoto!” Phoenix said. “This time could have still been during the crime! Or even before! Besides, the knife was still at the crime scene, and the silver being disposed of was a weapon. Why wouldn’t he get rid of the knife?” 

“Maybe so, but,” Edgeworth countered. “We have no way of saying that it wasn’t during the seven minute window as well, Wright. Besides, he could’ve been getting rid of a second weapon, maybe meaning to get the knife on a return trip, but was forced to stay in the room, as his window of time was closed.” 

“That still doesn’t explain why he couldn’t just carry the knife as well!” Phoenix said. “These scissors-” he showed off the scissors. “-Were found in the garbage, with blood residue on them. These were a weapon no doubt. However, if someone was around in the gym after the crime, Makoto wouldn’t have gone at all-”

“Miss Celeste’s testimony said that there was no one around that she could see!” Edgeworth said, crossing his arms. “There would’ve been no reason for Makoto to avoid the gym, unless our timetable is incorrect.” Edgeworth’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“Actually, there is someone else who went by the gym a bit later, that can confirm they saw Makoto.” Phoenix said. “If Your Honor would allow it, the defense would like to request the prosecution call another witness.” 

“Mr. Edgeworth, is this alright with you?” the Judge asked. “If we call another witness, I’d like to hear their testimony right away! You’d have to prepare them in our recess!” 

Edgeworth nodded. “If it will help, I will take on another witness. Maybe we can figure out our times. Hopefully, this one won’t be a chronic liar.” Edgeworth gave Celeste a small glare, and Celeste returned it. “Make your choice, Wright.” 

Phoenix turned towards the stands. He felt a stab of guilt, but he needed her testimony. In fact, he needed both of their testimonies. He locked eyes with her, and she trembled, shaking her head desperately. 

“The defense requests that Toko Fukawa be subpoenaed and called to the stand!” Phoenix said, pointing towards Toko, who was clutching at her sides, already beginning to panic as eyes turned towards her.  “The defense has reason to believe she can provide vital testimony concerning the accusations made by Miss Celeste!” 

Edgeworth nodded. “Miss Fukawa will be prepped during recess.” 

“Very well,” the Judge nodded. “We will take a ten-minute recess, then we will reconvene for the testimony of Miss Fukawa! Court is adjourned!” The Judge hit his gavel as Toko’s cries of dread could already be heard throughout the courtroom, and the rest of the class was staring at her, whispering. 

Byakuya gave Phoenix a slight nod, disregarding Toko gripping his arm in fear. At the very least, Komaru looked to feel a bit bad for her, trying to catch her gaze, but Toko was too panicked to notice. Phoenix saw the inevitable betrayal and hurt in her eyes, and he felt awful. Sorry Toko, he thought. He looked at Makoto, who offered him a sympathetic glance. This is for Makoto, Phoenix reminded himself. Still, he knew what he was going to have to put Toko through, and he wasn’t going to enjoy it one bit. 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd, 11:30 PM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 2

“Holy shit, you had those scissors the whole time?!” Leon glared at Phoenix, before turning his gaze to Toko, who shrank back. “You fucking did this, didn’t you?! You psychotic-”

“N-no! I-I didn’t-” Toko cowered. “Y-you l-lied to me, y-you promised!” Toko said, glaring at Phoenix. She trembled, which didn’t make Phoenix feel any better about what he’d done. 

“Wait, you talked to her?! You knew?!” Leon turned back to Phoenix. The rest of the class was watching this exchange, even Celeste, seemingly about to get away with her blatant lies in the face of this new development.

“-Stop, now. Your yelling isn’t helping.” Kyoko said, coming up to the group. “Toko,” she said. “You need to come with us. Please. Prosecutor Edgeworth has to prepare you.” 

Toko frantically shook her head. 

“Please, if you can help my brother, you have to testify!” Komaru pleaded. “I believe in you!” 

“I-I don’t e-even know y-you!” Toko cried. “Y-you just believe b-because you don’t know m-me-” 

“I believe in you too, Toko,” Makoto stepped forward. “I don’t think you did it. Just answer what’s asked, and you’ll be fine.” He gave her a knowing look. 

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows, but she looked at Makoto with fondness. He’s still trying to hold the class together, to get them back on the same page, Phoenix noted. He wondered if he was worried about the new split in seating as well. Knowing Makoto, he’d at least noticed. 

“Just go, Toko,” Byakuya said. “I’ll walk you over, if it’ll get me away from this squabbling, and these loud idiots,” Byakuya cast an aside glare at Leon.

Toko nodded, clutching his arm, despite his notable grimace. They walked over to where Edgeworth, Franziska, and Gumshoe were waiting. Franziska said something to Edgeworth, and he sighed, placing his head in his hands. Knowing her, she was probably already giving him a hard time for Celeste’s testimony. Poor Edgeworth, Phoenix thought. 

“I’ll head over too,” Kyoko said, her notebook in hand. 

“You take really detailed notes,” Maya pointed out, her mouth half full with donut. 

“They’re to help me keep track of events, and keep my father informed as well. He’s busy trying to assure parents, and manage the media in school, so I took it upon myself to write these notes for him. I usually give my notebook to him after the trial, and pick it back up when he’s done reading it.” Kyoko closed her notebook and walked away. 

“I almost forgot about the headmaster,” Chihiro yawned. “He’s probably really upset. I feel bad.” 

“So, you guys found Toko’s scissors, and you didn’t even warn us?!” Leon said again. “She could kill any of us!” 

“We don’t even know that Toko had anything to do with this!” Maya protested. 

“Oh, I am afraid it must be likely, after all, they are her weapon of choice,” Celeste piped up. She walked over to the group. Hifumi trailed behind, still keeping his distance. Phoenix was surprised Celeste hadn’t attacked him yet. 

“You’ve got some fuckin’ nerve runnin’ your mouth after the shit ya pulled,” Mondo said, glaring at Celeste. 

“Let’s not devolve into an argument,” Mia said, keeping a cool head. “For the sake of the case, we need you guys to cooperate with us, and each other. For Makoto’s sake.” 

“If it’s really for Makoto’s sake that we’ve got to stick together and all this bullshit, why did Celeste just try and incriminate him?!” Leon glared at Celeste, and it was clear he wasn’t alone in his animosity towards her. A large wave of disapproval was being directed at the gothic gambler. “Why’d she lie?!” 

“I was looking out for myself, it was nothing against Makoto.” Celeste turned to Makoto. “Surely you understand, don’t you?” 

“I don’t,” he admitted. “I thought we were friends.” 

“We are. Well, we are acquaintances at least. You still remain a solid c-rank in my eyes. Certainly better than Hifumi.” Celeste glared at the doujin. 

“Then why did you lie about the fact that you saw me?” Makoto’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“I didn’t,” Celeste said. “I really did see that hooded person there, and I believed it was you.” 

“Yeah, right.” Komaru glared. “You’ve got the card, and you’re the Queen of Liars-” 

“-She’s telling the truth,” Mia said, and everyone turned to her in shock. “I believe her. If she were lying, her body language would be different. Her voice has that rough quality it gets when she’s telling the truth.” 

“You all have misjudged me,” Celeste preened. “Miss Mia is the most intelligent among you. It is no wonder I deemed us of a similar ilk.”

“You can have this back,” Mia handed Celeste her teacup. “To replace the one you threw at us. However, I can’t say anyone truly misjudged you. You view this as a game, when the life of your classmate is at stake, and disrespect the memory of a dead man.” Mia glared at Celeste. “We are not alike. You’re a despicable liar, and a rotten cheat.” 

Celeste’s look soured, and she merely focused on twirling a lock of her hair. “Oh, well. That is your opinion. If I were to stop lying, I would cease to function. After all, lying is like oxygen to me. I need it to live and thrive, and without it I would surely die. You wouldn’t want that, right?” Celeste turned and walked away, Hifumi following, offering her more tea.

“Don’t tempt me,” Maya muttered. “You showed her, sis.” 

“That did feel good,” Mia admitted. 

“You haven’t even touched one donut!” Hina gasped, pointing to the untouched box in Mia’s hands. 

She was attempting to lighten the mood, Phoenix noted. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to work, as anger and hurt permeated the lobby. Toko’s look of betrayal, Leon’s outburst, the mere presence of Celeste, the looming anger of Hiroko (despite the fact that Officer Ishimaru succeeded in keeping her separated from Makoto, she was still glaring daggers at the group), had succeeded in dragging down the class. 

“Here,” Mia held out the box. “You all seem like you could use these more than me-actually,” Mia reached and took out a donut, and offered it to Makoto. “You deserve this the most, Makoto. You really helped out. Besides… this isn’t going to get easier.” Mia smiled as Makoto took a donut, and ripped it in half. 

“You should at least get half,” he said. 

Mia acquiesced, and the two ate their halves of the donut. Mia handed the box to Hina. “You all should eat the rest. Thank you, though. That was delicious.” 

Hina nodded and took back the box, though it didn’t have quite the desired effect. Hina, Maya, Chihiro, Mondo, Kiyotaka (who’d already begun to chastise the group about processed foods) and Sakura all were around the box, but no one else joined. Leon had stormed off somewhere else, and Sayaka had stuck with them, opting to look at Mukuro, who was standing by Junko. The fashionista  made no move to join the group. Instead, she was whispering with her sister and pointing towards Toko and Byakuya. Celeste and Hifumi were obviously separated in their own island as well, Hifumi desperately trying to atone for betraying her. The pit of dread that was in Phoenix’s stomach at first seeing the courtroom split began to grow. 

“It’s a class divided,” Mia noted. Her face fell, and she crossed her arms. 

“This isn’t good,” Makoto said. “This is the last thing I wanted to happen. Everyone needs to stick together.” 

“Why?” Sayaka sighed, the first real time she’d questioned Makoto. “Mia’s right. We’re too divided. We’re starting to distrust each other a-and maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe we should be doubting each other. Because if it’s not you…” 

“Don’t say that, please,” Makoto pleaded, looking at Sayaka. “You’ve got to try, for me.” 

Sayaka sighed, before giving Makoto a hug. “I-I will.” Her voice wobbled, and it was clear she was trying to make Makoto feel better, but she didn’t believe in what she’d promised. Makoto’s shoulders slumped, despite Sayaka giving him a wobbly smile. 

The bailiff began to call everyone back in; Komaru and Sayaka left the group, joining the others by the donut box. Hiroko and Officer Ishimaru headed in, and Hiroko’s glare finally left Makoto for a brief moment, to focus on Celeste. She had called Yasuhiro a fool, Phoenix reasoned. 

“Well, time to get back in there,” Makoto said. “You guys have no idea how much I wanted to say something.” 

“Oh, we have an idea,” Phoenix said. “Everytime I looked over at you, you looked like you were about to leap out of your chair.” 

“Keep your head up,” Mia said. “There’s a lot we don’t know about timing, and Celeste didn’t see your face, so that’s a plus. We’ve got hope.”

“Yeah, we do.” Makoto said. He glanced towards the benches as they walked in. “I just don’t know what to do about them.” Makoto’s voice cracked slightly, and Phoenix hadn’t heard that sort of uncertainty before, as if Makoto was wrestling with something. 

Before Phoenix could ask him what he’d meant, or grill him further, he was taken away by the bailiff. Phoenix could practically see the psyche-lock in front of Makoto, and the fragile hope he had was crushed by the fact that even his own defendant was still hiding something. Mia placed a hand on his shoulder, but that feeling of dread was stronger than ever.

******************************************************************************

May 2nd, 11:40 AM

District Court

Courtroom No. 3

Phoenix looked towards the stands. The same split was still there, though notably, Celeste had joined the row with Mukuro, Junko, and Hifumi. Leon and Sayaka had swapped places, Leon glaring at Celeste from his new seat on the end of the row, scooting away from the others. Byakuya at least looked happier to not have Toko sitting by him anymore. Phoenix noted a crunching under his feet, and he realized there were still shards lying around from the teacup Celeste had thrown.

“Court is back in session for the trial of Makoto Naegi,” the Judge said. 

“The witness is present, though… '' Edgeworth paused, and grimaced, gesturing to Toko, who was shaking and clutching her uniform in terror. “I am not sure about this witness, Your Honor. She is quite… neurotic.” 

“Neurotic?” the Judge looked at Toko. “She does appear to be rather upset-” 

“-D-don’t stare a-at m-me, y-you creepy o-old p-pervert!” Toko stuttered, glaring at the Judge. 

“I didn't mean to scare you,” the Judge looked away from Toko, staring at the ceiling. “I um, see what you mean, Mr. Edgeworth.” 

“Y-you all a-already h-hate me, y-you all t-think I’m u-ugly a-and stupid, a-and you’re g-going t-to yell a-at me! J-just l-like with Celeste, a-and I-I’m g-going t-t-to-” 

“-Witness!” Edgeworth slammed a hand on his desk, startling Toko into silence. “I can assure you, as long as you have not committed this crime, and you answer us truthfully, you will not be looked upon unfavorably. I will personally make sure Wright does not yell at you… and I can assure you this court doesn’t think you’re ugly. We do not judge witnesses by their appearances.” 

Toko’s nervous shaking subsided, and she looked at Edgeworth as a blush spread across her face. “T-thank y-you,” she sighed, looking at Edgeworth. Suddenly, Phoenix felt very bad for Edgeworth. 

“Witness, please state your name and grade in school, and your ultimate talent.” Edgeworth said. 

“I-I’m Toko Fukawa, t-the ultimate w-writing p-prodigy,” Toko said. “I-I write r-romance,” she said, looking at Edgeworth with her face in her hands, the blush growing. 

Edgeworth grimaced, undoubtedly seeing where this was going. “Witness, please state where you were on the night of the murder.” Edgeworth was probably desperate to nip this bizarre attraction in the bud, Phoenix reasoned. Oldbag was enough for him to deal with. 

“I-I was f-following m-master w-when I-I lost h-him-” 

“Master?” the Judge raised an eyebrow, interrupting the testimony. “Who’s that?” 

“B-byakuya,” Toko sighed dreamily, pointing towards Byakuya in the stands, who rolled his eyes. “H-he’s the o-only o-one here m-more handsome than P-prosecutor E-edgeworth.” 

Edgeworth put his head in his hands and sighed, and Phoenix could hear Franziska snickering from the stands. Byakuya, for his part, looked rather exasperated as well. Mia gave Phoenix a look, clearly questioning his choice of witnesses. 

“Well, I am very sorry I asked,” the Judge said, shaking his head. “Please, continue.” 

“D-don’t l-look at m-me like t-that!” Toko snapped. “A-anyway, M-master h-had eluded m-me, a-and that’s w-when I b-began to s-search. I-I went d-down t-the h-hall on the f-first f-floor, and w-went b-by the g-gym on m-my way t-to t-the d-dorms… w-when I-I passed o-out. I-I saw something w-with b-black a-and white a-and…” Toko clutched at her braids. “I-I can’t r-remember!” 

“Wright,” Edgeworth glared at Phoenix. “What is this? This is nothing! Makoto isn’t even mentioned!” 

“N-no!” Toko cried out, “I-I’m not u-useless!” She held her head in her hands. “I-I remember… a h-hoodie! I-it was c-covered i-in b-blood, a-and the b-black and white…” 

“That sounds like Makoto,” Edgeworth frowned. “That would mean he made his way past Ms. Fukawa to the gym where Miss Yasuhiro was-” Celeste growled from the stands, but Edgeworth took no notice. “-and that was his path. Wright, this just incriminates Makoto more!” 

“I don’t get it Phoenix,” Mia frowned. “This is bad for us.” 

“I still get to cross-examine!” Phoenix said. He’d heard Toko’s story, and he knew there was more left to prove. There was a reason he did this. He looked towards Makoto, who nodded. He trusted him, Phoenix thought. It put more pressure on him, but it was reassuring as well. 

“Very well, Mr. Wright, you may cross-examine the witness!” the Judge nodded. 

“Toko, when you saw the hooded figure, what time was it?” Phoenix asked. 

“I-I don’t k-know!” Toko said, glaring at him and crossing her arms. “I-I don’t know! I-I j-just w-wanted to find m-master!” 

Phoenix sighed. “When you saw the hooded figure, where exactly was the blood on the hoodie?” 

“E-everywhere!” Toko shuddered. She looked up at Makoto, as if she were trying to visualize the hoodie. She clutched at her head, and her glasses tilted off her face. “I-It w-was splattered e-everywhere!”

“That’s contradictory!” Phoenix said, slamming his desk. “If we can recall what the defendant’s  hoodie looked like based on testimony, it had blood on it, but that blood was largely concentrated around the sleeves! Surely, if it was Makoto that Miss Fukawa saw, she’d remember that!” 

“I-I didn’t e-even s-see h-his f-face,” Toko admitted. “I-I’d a-already b-began t-to f-faint, w-when t-the black a-and w-white w-was t-the l-last t-thing I s-saw.” 

“What was this black and white?” Edgeworth asked. 

Toko shook her head. “I-I d-don’t know, I-I don’t r-remember a-anything e-else from t-that night,” 

“That’s it?” the Judge questioned. “How could you forget so much? What new information could this testimony bring?” 

“Yes, Wright. I’d like to know that myself,” Edgeworth said. 

“That’s because Toko’s isn’t the only testimony we need,” Phoenix said. “Toko has a split personality-” Toko gasped, seeing what Phoenix was getting at. She vehemently shook her head, biting frantically at her nails. Phoenix took a breath, and continued. There was no going back. “-this split personality doesn’t share her memories, and comes out after she faints. This personality holds the answers, and it explains what happened to Toko.” 

“S-stop it!” Toko cried. “N-not h-her!” 

“What do you mean?” Edgeworth’s eyes narrowed. “This witness is clearly in distress Wright, and I don’t see how she could have a split personality that truly functions this way. How would this person even get summoned?” 

“It ties in with the case, and the timeline,” Phoenix said, his mind racing. “Toko’s other half can be summoned when she sneezes, or when she sees blood. I believe her seeing the blood on the hooded figure caused her other personality to be released for the night, hence why Toko can’t remember anything else!” 

“This is quite an unbelieveale claim, Mr. Wright,” the Judge said, his eyes wide. “Just how will you prove this?” 

“I’ll show you,” Phoenix leaned over and picked up a porcelain shard from the ground below them. He gave Mia a brief glance, and she nodded. Phoenix winced before he sliced his palm in a fluid motion, blood beginning to flow from the wound. 

Edgeworth’s eyes widened. “Wright what are you-” 

A shriek came from the witness stand, and the Judge, Edgeworth, and Mia watched in shock as Toko crumpled and fainted. 

“Miss Fukawa!” the Judge cried out in shock. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Phoenix heard Franziska shout in the stands. “What is this?” 

“Is she okay?” Komaru cried. “Someone help her!” 

“What’s going on, pal?” Detective Gumshoe anxiously turned to Kyoko. 

“Please, remain calm,” Kyoko said. “She’ll be fine.” 

“Oh, she’ll be more than fine,” Byakuya muttered. “Just you wait.” 

“What’s happening?” Maya turned to Hina, who whispered something in Maya’s ear, which made her jump back in shock. “She’s what?!” 

“Phoenix, what did you do?” Mia asked. “I know you told me about her… but how long is this going to take?” 

Edgeworth ran over to where Toko had fainted. “Miss Fukawa! Witness! Can you hear me!” 

Suddenly, she sprang up. Her reddened eyes, elongated tongue, and wide grin was proof of Phoenix’s success. Jill was here. Edgeworth jumped back in shock. 

“Oh boy!” Jill sprang up, eyeing Edgeworth with a smirk. “What a pretty sight to wake up to! What’s your name, ruffles?” 

Edgeworth ran over to his desk before Jill could corner him. “I-I’m Prosecutor Edgeworth,” he said. “W-who are you? Miss Fukawa?” 

“Kyehahaha!” Jill laughed. “You’re real lucky you’re cute, ruffles! I’m Jill, and Miss Fukawa has left the building! Thank god, right? Now, I’d wonder what you’d look like without that ruffled suit-” 

“Please-” Edgeworth tried to keep his cool, though it was obvious he was very flustered. “Miss, um, Jill-” 

“-Woah!” Jill turned towards Mia. “You’ve got some serious assets there, goddamn! You better not try to seduce your way to victory with those jugs, milkmaid!” 

Mia grimaced, crossing her arms over her chest. “Phoenix… you didn’t say she was so vulgar. You said she was scary.” 

“I guess she didn’t find me attractive enough to harass,” Phoenix sighed, half grateful, half apologetic. 

“Don’t talk about my sister like that!” Maya said from the stands. 

“Ugh, I’ve been in her shoes,” Hina sighed. “Jill says that to me too.” 

“Her conduct is quite inappropriate in a courtroom setting,” Kiyotaka said, shaking his head. 

“Oh man, Toko is going to be so embarrassed when she hears about this,” Junko snickered. 

“I feel kinda bad,” Komaru said. “I don’t think she can even control her. I don’t think you should laugh.” 

“I agree, your snickering is quite crass in itself,” Fransizka added. 

“She’s freaking me out, pal!” Detective Gumshoe shuddered. 

“You are quite a pathetic detective if she is what truly scares you,” Celeste said, causing Gumshoe to sulk. 

“I don’t think you have any right to place judgments now,” Kyoko said coldly. 

“Order, order!” The judge cried, slamming on his gavel to silence the growing buzz.

Jill looked around, and her demeanor faltered as she realized where she was. Why would she be so opposed to being here, Phoenix wondered. She was terrifying, but he assumed she hadn’t done anything actually reprehensible. Probably. “Oh, shit.” She shook her head. “You really got me here, huh, porcupine?” She turned towards Phoenix. “You dirty trickster!”

“Miss, um, Jill, please!” the Judge said. “We need your testimony!” 

“For what?” 

“For this murder case,” Edgeworth said. “Wright has proven that Miss Fukawa’s… other side… can be summoned through blood, and I’d see why she wouldn’t want to summon her voluntarily. That means that Miss Fukawa saw that hooded figure bloodied, summoning Jill, who doesn’t share her memories.” Edgeworth turned towards Jill. “We’ll need your recollection of events after you came to. Wright thinks it’s necessary for his case.” 

“Oh, alright,” Jill sighed. “I’m here anyway, and Big Mac could use the moral support.” She grinned and stuck her tongue out at Makoto, who awkwardly waved back, unsure of what to do. “Here, lemme start from the beginning. I woke up in the hallway, and it was deserted. I wanted to find Master as soon as possible! I hardly ever get to see him!” She sighed and blushed, drool beginning to drip from her tongue. Phoenix couldn’t help but feel sorry for Byakuya at that moment. “I walked down the hallway and I saw Big Mac standing around near the gym! He pointed me towards Master, and there he was in the library, looking gorgeous!” 

Edgeworth looked like he’d aged ten years during that testimony. “Just so we are clear,” he asked, “Does the blood summon work in reverse of the personalities as well?” 

“Ooh, blood summoning! Sounds so hot, and coming from you… I’m on fire!” Jill’s tongue curled as she blushed at Edgeworth, who tried everything in his power to avoid shuddering. 

“No,” Phoenix shook his head. He showed Jill his still bloody palm, and she yawned and stuck her tongue out. “It only has an effect on Toko. If Jill saw blood, she’d be fine.” 

“Now then, Mr. Wright, you may cross-examine the witness,” the Judge said, looking rather uncomfortable at the scene unfolding in front of him. 

“What Edgeworth just questioned is crucial, Phoenix.” Mia said. “Keep it in mind.” 

Phoenix nodded. “Jill, can you just answer a question for me?” 

“Depends on what you’re asking, porcupine.” 

Phoenix sighed, then steeled himself. “When you saw Makoto, was he bloody? Was there anything off about his appearance?” 

Jill crossed her arms and shook her head. “No way, Macarena was as clean as a whistle. He looked a bit tense, but who doesn’t when they’re around me? He was even nice enough to talk to me and point me towards the library!” 

“Macarena?” the Judge asked. “Don’t you mean Big Mac?” 

“It appears those nicknames are interchangeable for the defendant,” Edgeworth said. “More importantly, if Toko saw a bloodied figure, and Jill saw Makoto with no blood on him, how is that possible? It’s a blatant contradiction!” 

Exactly,” Phoenix said. “We saw how fast Jill sprang up after Toko fainted. The defendant wouldn’t have time to clean himself off in that amount of time, and be around when she woke up. If Jill saw Makoto covered in blood, she’d remember that! That means one thing… there were two hooded figures that night, the one Toko saw, and the defendant!” 

“Two hooded figures?!” the Judge said. “But why?!” 

“Wright, you’re forgetting one thing,” Edgeworth said. “Why would this other hooded figure have a bloody weapon on them?!” Edgeworth gestured to the scissors, then took the autopsy report. “It is proven that the victim suffered multiple stab wounds of differing lengths, and that the knife was a weapon involved. It had trace amounts of blood-” 

“OBJECTION!” Phoenix cried. “The scissors had blood on them too! These were both murder weapons, proven by the autopsy report.” Phoenix picked up the report. “The killer used two differend weapons to stab the victim. The hooded figure had the scissors because they’re the true killer!” 

“OBJECTION!”  Edgeworth slammed his hands on his desk. “Wright, we discussed this earlier. Why would the killer bother to only take one weapon to dispose of?” 

“Easy,” Phoenix said. “They left the other weapon to frame the defendant, because they knew he’d leave his prints on it. These scissors don’t have his prints, which is another contradiction! If Makoto were the true killer, his prints would either be on both or neither of the weapons! Having them on one weapon is inconsistent! It proves my defendant is being set up! In fact, both of these weapons are set-ups!” 

“Phoenix,” Mia said. “You don’t mean…” 

“That’s right,” Phoenix nodded. “These scissors happen to have been stolen from someone as well. Jill, these scissors are yours, correct?” 

Jill’s eyes lit up, gaining a manic glow that made Phoenix shudder. “My scissors!” She took out a pair of craft scissors and brandished them at Phoenix. “Hand ‘em over, or I’ll make ya! You’re a liar and a thief!” 

“She had those little craft scissors the whole time?” the Judge asked. “She could poke an eye out with those!” 

“Relax baldy,” Jill crowed. “You’re not my type.” 

“I didn’t take these, Jill. I found them in the trash can under Celeste’s milk carton.” Phoenix placed his hands on his hips. “These scissors only have the faded prints of Jill, and Toko I guess, on them. These could’ve been handled by someone with gloves who’d stolen the scissors-” 

Edgeworth slammed a hand on his desk. “Or, they could’ve been handled by Jill herself. We could be looking at the murderer right here, Wright. Jill doesn’t have a clear alibi, not to mention her demeanor-” 

“-No, that’s wrong!” Makoto exclaimed before Phoenix had the chance. “Jill’s story is true, and I saw her, and pointed her towards the library. She was perfectly clean as well, and was wearing the same uniform she is now. If she was the killer, she’d have to be wearing a hoodie like Celeste saw, and she’d have to be bloody as well, as she’d just committed a murder, as I would’ve seen her trying to clean herself if she was. Besides, I know Jill, and she’d never part with those scissors. The only way they'd be left in the trash is if they weren’t used by her, and instead someone was trying to frame her! It also explains why the killer used two weapons-” 

“Mr. Naegi!” the Judge slammed his gavel. “I have already warned you once-” 

“Your Honor, he’s right! Please, spare us a penalty this time!” Mia said suddenly. “His point is absolutely true, and it merely fits with the point the defense is going to make. These scissors are too convenient of a weapon to have been placed by chance, and have the knife left behind. These scissors are incriminating in themselves, because they belong to Jill, someone with an unstable personality, who would be a natural suspect!” 

“Yes,” Phoenix agreed, with a nod of his head. “These scissors were an insurance plan by the true killer, the one with the hoodie. If the defendant somehow didn’t make his way to the victim’s room, these scissors were lying in wait to frame Jill! Besides, these scissors have smudged prints, which could be accomplished by a gloved user placing gloves over the prints of Jill, and of course leaving no trace on the knife!” 

The Judge sighed. “I will not give the defense a penalty this time, as this is a relevant line of thought. However-” the Judge looked at Makoto, and there was a degree of respect that wasn’t there yesterday. “-please understand that this can’t be a regular occurrence, Mr. Naegi. I must keep order.” 

“Of course, Your Honor.” Makoto nodded, but he looked like a weight had been taken off his chest. 

“He’d make a great member of Wright and Co,” Mia said, and Phoenix nodded. 

“Macarena is totally on the money!” Jill said, grinning at Makoto. “This killer totally tried to frame me too, and that’s gonna be their death warrant!” Jill brandished her scissors and glared at the stands. “Which one of you fuckers did it?! One of you jerks stole my scissors, and sullied them with the blood of that clairvoyant idiot! He’s not even cute! It couldn’t have been Master, but anyone else is fair game!” For such a manic presence, she’d deduced that the suspect had to be a classmate rather quickly, Phoenix noted. Based on the looks of shock on the benches (though some were more startled than others), she was one of the first to put it together, too. 

Edgeworth crossed his arms, and looked deep in thought. “Jill,” he asked, as she snapped back to him with a grin. “What exactly is your alibi? Can we have a timing check as well?” 

“Oh, anything for you ruffles. Kyehahaha!” Jill winked at Edgeworth, and he grimaced. “I went to the library, like Macarena said, he totally saw me walk over there! I got there around 9:35, or maybe a bit later. I remember Master referencing the clock and sighing about how he’d only gotten a short reprieve from me. If I had my way, he’d never be free! Kyehahaha!” 

“Mr. Togami,” Edgeworth gestured to Byakuya in the stands. “Can you confirm this? Just a simple gesture will do. There is no need for testimony.” 

Byakuya nodded. “She is telling the truth.” 

Edgeworth nodded back. “Thank you.” 

“Look at my two favorite boys, talking about me!” Jill sighed, blushing. “It’s every girl’s dream!” 

“Well, that will help with timing,” Edgeworth said. “If we place Miss Fukawa-er, Jill- at the library at around 9:35 after seeing the defendant, and Celeste saw the figure at around 9:30, that would make sense, and it would be impossible for the figure Toko saw to be the defendant in that short amount of time. It would be possible, however, for Celeste to see the figure in her trip to the gym to throw away her garbage. This would mean that while this figure was throwing away the scissors…” Edgeworth’s face grew pale with realization. “The defendant was on his way to the crime scene for the first time. The crime had already taken place, and the victim was just starting to die.” 

“Don’t you see it now, Edgeworth?” Phoenix said, as Edgeworth stood still with shock. “The defendant is being framed! This trial has proved it, through testimony and evidence! In fact… Celeste’s earlier testimony brought something to my attention… she said she didn’t know where the card she had from the victim came from. Could that have been a frame-up too? We’ve seen how volatile she gets, and she could’ve been arrested if the police had searched the other students, instead of focusing on the defendant!” 

“Wright,” Edgeworth said, his voice hesitant. He knows we’re right, Phoenix reasoned. “Why would the killer bother with three frame-ups? What would they be trying to do? Why would this happen? Why the defendant?” 

“Who could this mystery figure be, Mr. Wright?” the Judge said. 

“Do you know, Phoenix?” Mia said. 

Phoenix shook his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted.  

“It would have to be someone who’d want to frame these people for a reason, someone who knows them. Someone who’d have access to their things, to place the card and steal the scissors.” Mia said, looking at the stands in trepidation, her face grim with realization. “Of course, Celeste and Toko are easy targets, but why Makoto? He seems so well liked, and this crime would be out of character! I don’t get it…”

Phoenix looked towards Makoto. He refused to meet his eye and slumped in his seat, a stark contrast to the earlier moment in the trial. Phoenix felt sick to his stomach. Makoto has to know, he thought. He knows and he doesn’t want to say. Why? Phoenix looked to the class in the stands behind him, they were all tense with anticipation. Any camaraderie they had was gone, they were already sizing each other up, as Maya, Komaru, Gumshoe, and Franziska could only watch. Komaru even scooted closer to Franziska, who held tight to her whip as she scanned the students. 

“STOP! I DON’T UNDERSTAND!” Hiroko’s voice rang out, an anguished cry that seemed to suspend time. Officer Ishimaru tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but she batted him away. “WHY?! I-I thought it was him,” she pointed to Makoto, “B-but everything has been so contradictory… and I-I don’t understand. Why my son?” She faced the class, angry and devastated. “Why Hiro? Why did you do it? Which one of you…this is senseless! It’s fucking sensless and cruel and I don’t understand-”

The Judge hit his gavel, but his eyes were misty with sympathy. “Mrs. Hagakure, I’m sorry. I do not know what to say, but I cannot have you interrupting this trial… like that. Please, I don’t want to have to hold you in contempt of court.” 

Hiroko shook with rage, and she choked down a sob. Instead, she stormed out of the courtroom without another word, casting a withering glare to the class, notably everyone except Makoto. Officer Ishimaru hurried after her. The courtroom was silent and clotted with heartache. A few sniffles could be heard from the benches, but no one dared to make a sound. 

“Aw geez, this isn’t any fun anymore,” Jill said at last, breaking the heavy silence. “You’d think someone died or something… oh wait.” 

“Be quiet,” Edgeworth snapped, and Jill for once, shut her mouth. 

“Please, Your Honor,” Phoenix said. “Let us extend the trial another day, we need to find the hooded figure, and there is solid evidence that my client is innocent. Let us find the truth, for his sake… and for the sake of his classmates.” Even though one of them is a murderer, is what Phoenix wanted to say, but he knew the others were hanging on by a thread, and that would send the courtroom into pandemonium. Though, everyone seemed to have figured it out already, and it hung in the air like a deadly odor. 

“I agree, Your Honor,” Edgeworth said. “The prosecution also requests a final extension to look into the truth. We do not wish to convict an innocent man, but we have no suspects so far besides him. Let us investigate.” 

The Judge sighed, this trial having definitely taken its toll on him. “Alright,” he said. “I want this hooded figure found, and I want this case tied together for this court tomorrow, with proper evidence and testimony. I do not wish to convict anyone with such a wide array of questions still lingering.” Phoenix and Edgeworth nodded to the Judge. The Judge hit his gavel. “Court is adjourned!” 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd, 1:40 PM

District Court

Courtroom Lobby No. 2

There were no goodbyes, no celebrations or well-wishes after this trial. A loud sneeze signaled the return of Toko, who withered under her classmate’s stares, and glared at Phoenix with a betrayed look. The atmosphere froze over as the class headed back to school, warily eyeing each other, the silence deafening. They avoided Phoenix and Mia’s gazes as they left, and Maya ran from the group towards Phoenix and Mia. 

“I’m glad to be back,” Maya sighed. “The tension is really bad, Nick.” Maya frowned. “I don’t think they trust each other at all. Well, there are some who do, like the people who were together on the night of the crime, but it’s basically become a silent faction fight!” Maya sighed. “I wish they’d just get along already.” 

“It’s not about to get any better, you guys still have to investigate this crime, and prove one of them guilty,” Mia said, her face growing serious. “Phoenix, you have to be on your guard, and you too Maya. One of them is the true criminal. The guilty party would have to have known about Makoto and Hiro’s study session, and exploited it. That’s something only a friend would know.” 

“Some friend,” Maya said, her shoulders slumping. “Most of them seem so nice… maybe it’s somehow a shapeshifter!” Maya said, trying to convince herself. It didn’t work, and she just sighed. 

Mia gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Just stay close to Nick, sis. You guys can trust each other, at least.” 

“Yeah, we can.” Maya said, giving Phoenix a small smile.

It seemed like a small positive in a sea of negative, but nice to know that Phoenix had some people who’d always be in his corner. However, the one person he needed most to be 100% with him right now wasn’t. His defendant was still lying to him, and covering for the murderer, no less. He had to be, Phoenix reasoned. What else could he be hiding? He frowned and glanced to where Makoto was, talking to Komaru, who nodded to his words, her expression clouded with thought. Phoenix, Mia, and Maya walked over to where they were, and their sudden silence confirmed his suspicions, and now Makoto had roped Komaru into his unknown plan too. 

“Mr. Wright, Mia! ” Makoto said with a small smile. “Thanks for sticking up for me in there, and getting another day-” 

“-What’s going on?” Phoenix said, his voice growing frustrated. “Why are you lying to me? We’re on the same side-” 

Makoto frowned. “I haven’t… I haven’t lied.” 

“Makoto, please!” Maya begged. “We’re trying to help you!” 

“Naegi!” The bailiff called, and Makoto offered an apologetic glance as he left, and Komaru wordlessly left too, following Makoto and the bailiff. What could he have told her?

“He got lucky again, with that bailiff,” Maya muttered. “Is his ultimate luck actually hurting us? Oh, man.” Maya frowned, shaking her head.

“Hey, you.” 

Phoenix turned around and saw Hiroko standing there, her eyes red and puffy. Officer Ishimaru was beside her. Hiroko looked worn, but she’d calmed down from the looks of it. 

“I didn’t understand, and I didn’t come at first because I didn’t want to know how a kid would do something like committing murder,” Hiroko sighed. “However, I thought I owed it to Yasuhiro to come, and I thought that this would be a done deal… but I was wrong. There’s so much about his life, and those I thought were his friends that I don’t know about… I didn’t think a kid could do something so cruel.”

“Take it from someone with the last name Ishimaru with a child,” Officer Ishimaru said. “Kids are capable of being extremely cruel.” He crossed his arms, and offered a hand to Phoenix. “You are doing an honorable thing, sir,” he said as he shook Phoenix’s hand. “I appreciate you not villainizing my son as well...god knows you could’ve. I heard about his testimony too.”

Hiroko nodded. “I’m going to tell you the same thing I just told that prosecutor: find who killed my son, and bring them to justice. No matter what… please.” She extended a hand, and Phoenix shook it. 

“I promise, I’ll find the truth, Mrs. Hagakure,” Phoenix said. 

“Call me Hiroko, Mrs. Hagakure makes me sound old,” she managed a small smile before placing a cigarette in her mouth.

“I’m Maya, and I met Hiro,” Maya blurted out. “We talked about tarot and spirit channeling, oh I’m a medium by the way, and he had me channel someone for one of his classmates. He was friendly, and the people at the channeling all seemed to get along with him. I’m really sorry he’s gone,” Maya said, looking sadly at Hiroko. 

“That sounds like Hiro,” she said, lighting her cigarette. “I appreciate your words Maya and you seem sweet… but it doesn’t change anything. I still don’t trust any of ‘em. Well… I suppose your son is alright for now, Takaaki.” She elbowed Officer Ishimaru, who didn’t respond. He probably doesn’t disagree with her sentiment, Phoenix thought. “Good luck,” Hiroko said, giving Maya a small smile, and nodding at Phoenix and Mia before leaving with Officer Ishimaru in tow. 

“I feel really bad,” Maya said. “I just wanted to help.” 

“You did,”  Mia said reassuringly. “She probably liked hearing something nice about Yasuhiro, especially after today. I know it seems bleak right now,” she faced Phoenix and Maya, hands on her hips. “But I know you two and Pearl can figure this out. I believe in you guys, and I know you’ll solve this, just like you always do.” She looked directly at Phoenix, her gaze unyielding. “Phoenix, those kids are counting on you to show them the truth. Makoto is counting on you to prove his innocence. Komaru is counting on you to protect her brother. Hiroko is counting on you to avenge her son.” Mia smiled. “No pressure, though. I know you’ll do great. And keep smiling, no matter how bad it gets!” Just like that, Mia was gone, and Pearl was in her place, looking dazed. 

“Let’s get investigating, Nick.” Maya said, her fists clenched as she grinned determinedly. “Mia’s right, everyone is counting on us, and I’m not about to let them down!” 

Maya ran outside towards the bus, Pearl followed, despite not knowing what just happened. Phoenix followed too, but his stomach was exploding with nerves, and his steps grew slow with dread. He’d have to face the ultimates, all full of suspicion, doubt, and grief. It seemed like an impossible task. His faith in his client was plummeting as well. However, he still felt that spark of hope in his chest, that looked at these difficulties and refused to extinguish. It was maintained by Pearl’s innocent smiles, Maya’s determined expression, and Mia’s rousing words. The odds were against him, but Phoenix wasn’t about to give up. Not by a long shot. 

Chapter Text

May 2nd

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

The bus ride to the detention center filled Phoenix with anticipation and dread. He knew he had to get the truth out of Makoto if they were going to win this case, but he found himself hesitating. Did they even have everything they needed? Phoenix had a nagging feeling they didn’t. That feeling only worsened when they arrived at the detention center to see Komaru already there, talking with Makoto. As soon as Makoto saw them enter the room, he froze and stopped talking. Komaru followed his gaze to Phoenix, and stood up. 

“I’ll leave you guys alone,” she said. “I won’t let you down, Makoto!” Komaru nodded at him before rushing out, and Phoenix saw a piece of paper in her hand. 

“What was that all about?” Maya asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Makoto said with a sheepish expression. “I really wanted to talk about the trial anyway, I mean Mr. Wright, you and Miss Mia-” 

“-No.” Phoenix was taken aback by the harsh quality of his own words, but he figured it was reasonable. Makoto was the main factor holding them back now, and it was high time he knew that. “I’m done sharing information with you, at least until you start sharing with us.” 

Makoto’s eyes widened; even Maya and Pearl looked shocked. Phoenix immediately felt a pang of guilt, but he remembered the pleas of Hiroko Hagakure and that feeling subsided. This case wasn’t just impactful for Makoto, if the true killer isn’t caught, Hiroko won’t know justice. He’d promised her that much, and he couldn’t falter now. Phoenix gripped his magatama in his jacket pocket, and the singular psyche-lock flew into place in front of Makoto. 

“I really don’t want to hinder your investigation,” Makoto pleaded. “I want to help.” 

“Then tell me who you’re protecting,” Phoenix said. “I know that’s the reason you’re holding back. You’re so close with your classmates, and you know something damning about one of them.” 

“Mr. Wright,” Makoto said, shaking his head, “As far as I’m concerned, all my classmates have alibis, right? Why would I need to protect them? Haven’t they all been cooperating and talking with you anyway?”

Phoenix pursed his lips, the psyche-lock still floating in place. Makoto wasn’t going to admit it, Phoenix thought. He had to make him confess through evidence, Phoenix thought. Still, he thought, what evidence did he have?

“Makoto, I, uh, have these tarot cards-” 

“You’re grasping for evidence, Mr. Wright,” Makoto said, crossing his arms. “Just trust me on this, as long as my classmates are coming to you with the truth, you should see the true killer.” 

“You were kinda grasping, Phoenix,” Maya said.

“I promised Hiroko I’d find the truth,” Phoenix said. “I’m not about to let her down. Even if you won’t help me, I’ll find the truth. You have to know one of them did it!” 

Makoto sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’m not covering for a murderer, I swear. I-I just know that-I… I can’t tell you what I know. It’ll throw everything off.” 

Phoenix stared at Makoto, and he could see the conflict brewing in him. He looked at Phoenix with regretful eyes, and Phoenix faltered again. He’d felt a connection to Makoto, as if they were kindred spirits, but he remembered the last person he’d blindly defended on the stand. He’d nearly drunk poison for her. He didn’t want Makoto to make the same mistake, he seemed to have so much faith in this person he was protecting, while they seemed content to let him take the fall. Phoenix needed to find out who they were, but he didn’t have the evidence for it, at least not yet. Phoenix sighed, letting his magatama loose back into his pocket. He needed to go to Hope’s Peak. 

“Fine,” Phoenix conceded. “Since you won’t say, at least grant me this; help me get on the right path. What did you tell Komaru?” 

Makoto seemed to ponder what he should say. “I gave her a note with permission to enter the school and get some stuff for me.”

Phoenix crossed his arms. “Wait, what? We’re already investigating. What would you want her to see and not us?” 

“No, no!” Makoto waved his hands in front of him as a sign of misunderstanding. “I just wanted her to be able to get into the school, and see and talk to some people. In fact, maybe you guys can compare evidence if you won’t share it with me.” Makoto frowned. “I gave Komaru a note to show to the Headmaster, and to Chihiro.” 

“Chihiro? Why?” Pearl asked. 

“Chihiro has my handbook,” Makoto explained. “On the first day, she was the first to visit me, so I told her to get my handbook from the belongings the police had confiscated from me, and hold onto it. The note is going to have her give it to Komaru, so she can go into my room.” 

“Why didn’t you want us to have this?” Phoenix pressed. “Surely, we could’ve used this on day one!” 

“I-I just-” 

“It probably has something to do with that student, Nick.” Maya shook her head. “We’ve got to get to that evidence before Komaru can do whatever Makoto told her to do!” 

“No wait-” Makoto stood up in his chair. “It’s really not-” 

“We’ve got to go,” Phoenix said, abruptly standing up, Maya and Pearl following suit. “We’ll be back,” he promised Makoto. “We’re going to get the answers, Makoto. Whether you want us to or not… it’s for your own good. I promise.” 

“I know,” Makoto said sadly as they left the room. “I really want to catch the killer too.” 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Hope’s Peak Academy-Main Gate

The crushing weight of despair and suspicion was the first thing Phoenix felt when he stepped inside the gates of Hope’s Peak. The gates seemed to somehow get even darker and taller before, and he felt heavier as soon as he stepped inside, as if someone tied concrete blocks to his feet and threw him in Gourd Lake. There was a heavy police presence, no doubt because of the trial. He’d had to push his way past several reporters just to get into the school, and that only served to make him feel worse. It seemed like everybody knew that the killer was in the school, but no one had the guts to really say it, to make it real. Those reporters were salivating over this no doubt, waiting for some kind of sign delivered by this killer student, even if it was the murder of another student. In terms of a greeting, Phoenix expected to see Sayaka or Leon again, but they were nowhere to be found. However, it wasn’t long before he saw Headmaster Kirigiri coming up to him, Kyoko close behind him. As they got closer, Phoenix visibly recoiled. Headmaster Kirigiri’s suit was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot with heavy bags under them, and it was clear he was wearing the same clothes he’d been wearing on the first day he’d met him.

“He looks awful!” Pearl blurted out as they got closer. 

“Pearly! Be nice…” Maya cringed. “You’re not wrong though,” she muttered. 

“Mr. Wright and associates,” Headmaster Kirigiri said, barely keeping himself up. “I’ve been reading about your triumphs in the courtroom thanks to Kyoko. You’ve been digging up some rather important facts…”

“Where’ve you been?” Phoenix said, placing his hands on his hips. “You haven’t shown up to a trial yet!” 

“I’ve had a school to run, Mr. Wright.” Headmaster Kirigiri looked at Phoenix with tired and lifeless eyes, and Phoenix felt his own spirit drain. “I’ve had calls from concerned parents, asking if this academy will be safe for their kids, some have already withdrawn. I have reporters tugging at these students like they’re prize pigs at an auction. I have so many statements to give, I have to talk to Mrs. Hagakure… and I have to watch the school I poured my life into fall apart before my very eyes… all because of one sick individual.” 

“I’m really sorry, Headmaster Kirigiri,” Maya said. “This school seemed really nice.” 

“Yes, I suppose you got to see it before, with your little excursion here and all….” Headmaster Kirigiri smiled wryly. “Just another flaw in my seemingly perfect school. Those damned blind spots, and students keeping secrets. We authorize visitors for a reason.” 

“Yet it was one of us who committed this crime, not a visitor,” Kyoko interjected, her voice icy. “You spent your life here and shunned your family to build this place. You saw this as some golden beacon where only the brightest and best would fly to, and you never even considered… that not everyone who is talented is also good. There’s always been secrecy here… you were just too obsessed with what you saw as perfect, you never bothered to look further.” Kyoko looked at her father coldly, her eyes full of hurt and resentment. Phoenix felt uncomfortable, as if he was witness to years of pent-up emotions not meant for him. 

Headmaster Kirigiri stopped cold, looking at his daughter mournfully. “Kyoko,” he said, his voice tired and worn. “This school was supposed to be something beautiful. For kids as extraordinary as you. I just thought that if they all were to come together, they would help each other build a brighter future. This was supposed to be the breeding ground for a utopia… but you’re right. I never thought of this as a possibility. I wanted to believe in my students, but I never saw anything besides their talents. I-I-” Headmaster Kirigiri turned away, and took a breath. He still faced away from the group, as if he couldn’t look at Kyoko, who was still glaring. “I abandoned my family for this place… and it’s falling apart. The place I dedicated my life to is crumbling before me, and it’s my fault. I should’ve seen this, I should’ve seen that one of these students had this in them… but my head was in the clouds. I just wish this wasn’t how I came crashing to Earth.” Headmaster Kirigiri sighed and fiddled with the notebook in his hands, before handing it to Kyoko. “You can have your notebook back, Detective. I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me.” Headmaster Kirigiri walked away, each step seemingly weighing him down further. 

“Don’t worry about him,” Kyoko said suddenly. “He needs time to deal with this… though he had a part to play. He wants to have this shining place, but he needs to see the bad. He needs to know that these ultimates aren’t all interested in his vision of a bright future.” 

“He’s your dad!” Maya said. “How can you talk about him like that?” 

“He hasn’t really been my father for a long time,” Kyoko crossed her arms. “You aren’t one to judge. You can’t know what it’s like to grow up without a father.” 

“I can, actually.” Maya said, hanging her head. “Both my mom and dad left when I was small. My mom… actually… I reunited with her, but then she died, a-and-”

“-Misty Fey, from DL6,” Kyoko said, her eyes widening from realization. “I never connected the dots… though I should’ve. Your mother was a master, and she got lambasted for being a fraud… then that latest case with the exorcism…” Kyoko looked at Maya with a newfound respect and understanding. “You would understand,” she said, placing a gloved hand on Maya’s shoulder. Maya’s eyes widened. “In fact, you’ve known more parental heartache than I ever will.” 

“I-I just think you’re lucky to have a dad at all,” Maya said, placing her hand over Kyoko’s. “I understand why you’re mad though. I-I really don’t want to judge you-” 

“-No, I understand. You were trying to help… in a way. You’re my friend.” Kyoko gave Maya a fraction of a smile. “We’re just different in our situations… yet I’m glad to say we can understand each other still.” 

Maya nodded, giving Kyoko a smile. Phoenix found himself managing a slight smile as well, though it quickly subsided. He had more pressing issues to worry about, despite his genuine delight at Kyoko and Maya’s budding friendship. 

“Kyoko,” Phoenix said, causing Kyoko’s face to revert back to it’s usual stoicism. “Do you have any suspects so far?” 

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not sure,” she admitted, placing a gloved hand under her chin. “I was just giving my notebook to my father and discussing the case with him, but I was about to go meet Prosecutor Edgeworth and Detective Gumshoe. In terms of alibis… some are stronger than others.” 

“Whose are stronger?” Pearl asked. 

“Well,” Kyoko flipped through her notebook. “Hifumi and Junko have photo alibis, and Mondo, Taka, Hina, and Sakura have the largest group alibi, not to mention that Taka’s alibi involves my father, and I saw them together by the gate when the police arrived. Leon and Sayaka say they were together as well, but they don’t have as solid of proof. I’d say that they’re the safest so far, though it isn’t a guarantee.” Kyoko crossed her arms. “The natural suspects would be those who were alone … which everyone else was at some point. Including me.” 

“No way it’s you!” Maya said, leaping to Kyoko’s defense. 

“I didn’t say it was me,” Kyoko sighed. “I’m just saying my alibi is technically weak. Just be alert, okay?” Kyoko said, facing the whole group. “I’m not sure who we can really trust. I told Prosecutor Edgeworth, Prosecutor von Karma, and Detective Gumshoe the same thing, and we’re on high alert.” 

“Everyone was so nice,” Pearl said sadly, looking down at the ground. “I-I was gone as Mia for just a bit… and now everyone’s all… guilty.” 

“Only one of us is guilty,” Kyoko said, placing a hand on Pearl’s shoulder, and crouching down to her level. Kyoko looked hesitant, and Phoenix reasoned she wasn’t used to dealing with kids as young as Pearl, considering her rather aloof nature. “There’s a reason Hope’s Peak has such a reputation… and why my father had such faith. There are a lot of good people here, with genuine hope for the future. A lot of them are my friends. Just don’t trust them blindly because of their status. Think critically, Pearl.” Kyoko stood up. “You seem smart, I’m sure you’ll know who to trust.” 

Pearl nodded, looking at Kyoko with a small smile. Kyoko’s posture subtly slumped with relief, and Phoenix found it endearing that she’d try to help Pearl. She’d probably been afraid she’d say something to make Pearl upset, Phoenix thought. 

“Hey,” Phoenix said. “Where are the other students?” 

Kyoko grimaced. “They’ve split up, all around the school. I’m honestly not sure. A lot of them don’t want to be near each other. I just know that the prosecution’s investigation is going to be set up in the gymnasium today, as Prosecutor Edgeworth thought we’d find more there than in Hiro’s room. We’ll be there if you need us.” Kyoko turned to leave, then she stopped. “On my way to my father, I did see Komaru being escorted in by von Karma, who I saw whip a reporter rather forcefully. Komaru showed my father a note, but by the time I got to them, Komaru and von Karma were already leaving.” Kyoko turned and left before Phoenix could say anything, heading towards the gym without another word. Phoenix gulped, knowing that Franziska was with Komaru. If Komaru got to Makoto’s room, that meant that the prosecution would get the evidence, and Phoenix couldn’t let that happen.

“Mr. Nick!” Pearl tugged on Phoenix’s sleeve. “If Kyoko says she doesn’t know where the students are, then Komaru won’t either! That means if we find Chihiro first, we can get her to give us the handbook instead of Komaru!” 

“Great idea, Pearls,” Phoenix said, ruffling her hair.

“I think I know where she might be, too!” Pearl said with a smile.

Pearl grabbed Phoenix with one hand, and Maya with the other, and began to run, dragging them along. Phoenix was relieved that Pearl was here, at least. It seemed as if she were too young to really see the true sadness that had enveloped Hope’s Peak, and he was glad for it, though he knew she’d see it eventually. After all, she was already starting to see glimpses of it, and they’d just gotten here.

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Media Room

“This is where Chihiro took me and Mondo to print those maps made by Alter Ego!” Pearl said. “I remember all the tv screens, and Chihiro showed me all the cool buttons on the remotes and I talked to Alter Ego… I really hope it isn’t Chihiro, Mr. Nick.” 

Before Phoenix could respond, he heard a soft noise coming from the media room. Phoenix put a finger to his lips, and Pearl fell silent. Maya leaned in closer to the door, and they all peered in. Surely enough, Chihiro was there, all alone. The TV monitors were off, yet there was a faint glow coming from the room. She had her laptop open, and the familiar face of Alter Ego was there, looking at her with sympathy, which Phoenix found astonishing that a computer program could do. 

“Don’t cry, master!” Alter Ego said. “You’ve told me about your friends and how kind they are! I know that they will not turn on you! They will believe in you, and each other!” 

Phoenix’s heart sank when he realized the soft noises he’d heard were Chihiro’s sobs. The tiny programmer was crying gently, shakily typing into Alter Ego. Phoenix knew that Chihiro had one of the weaker alibis, but it still hurt to see her cry, considering she’d been one of the nicest and most helpful students. 

“Oh, yes!” Alter Ego said. “Your present for Phoenix Wright is now synched and completed!” 

“You have a present for me?” Phoenix blurted out, before he could stop himself. 

Chihiro turned around, and her bloodshot and puffy eyes widened. She blushed, aware of her state, and slumped in her seat. “O-oh!” She turned to type in Alter Ego. 

“Hi, Phoenix Wright, or as Pearl likes to call you, Mr. Nick! I would also like to say hello to Mystic Maya as well!” Alter Ego smiled at Phoenix. “I’m sorry to inform you that Master Fujisaki isn’t very happy. It is not your fault, though! Master thinks quite highly of you and your friends! I do as well! I’ve learned so much!” 

“Uh, thanks,” Phoenix said. 

“You’ve got to type it,” Chihiro said with a sniffle. Phoenix typed the thank you, and Alter Ego grinned. 

“What’s wrong, Chihiro?” Pearl said, walking up to Chihiro and taking her hand. 

“She’s probably upset about the trial, Pearly,” Maya said, approaching as well. “I know you weren’t there, but it got very emotional.” 

“It’s not just that,” Chihiro sighed. “I-I even slept through the first few minutes until Celeste started yelling because I was so tired… and I should’ve tried harder to stay awake. It just showed how weak I am. Weak and pathetic… and now I’m alone.” Chihiro’s eyes pricked with tears. 

“You’re so not weak!” Maya said. “No weak person pulls an all-nighter and shows up to court the next day.” 

Chihiro shook her head. “Taka did the same thing, yet he stayed awake.” 

“Taka’s a goody-goody, plus his dad was there!” Maya said. “He even said that whatever you two stayed up to make, you did the work!” 

“He was really encouraging, though, and he stuck with me the whole night. He said he felt responsible too, because it was his idea and he didn’t want me to neglect my own needs during the process. He brought me snacks, and his loud voice helped me make it through the night, no problem… ehehehe.” Chihiro giggled, though her eyes were still teary. “I-I just wish I could still hang out with them…” 

“Who’s them?” Phoenix asked. 

“Mondo and Taka. I always spend time with them, and Hina and Sakura as well. In fact, we’ve been training together, the five of us. I wanted to get stronger, and I asked Mondo first to help, but then it evolved and I began to train with all of them-” 

“-wouldn’t you feel like a fifth wheel?” Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “You’re in the middle of two couples!” 

“Not to mention all four of them are super in-shape,” Maya said. “I’d probably pass out if I worked out with them.” Phoenix rolled his eyes, despite knowing he’d definitely pass out too. 

“I never felt like a fifth,” Chihiro said. “They always welcomed me and helped me, and it never felt like I was a tag-along. We were just five friends… who happened to be made up of two couples. They’ve really helped me, but,” Chihiro slumped over, and she clutched at the hems of her skirt. “I wasn’t with them on the night of the murder, they’ve pretty much been cleared and my alibi is so weak… they didn’t say they suspect me at all, but when I tried to hang out with them after the trial, they seemed just so hesitant to talk to me… and I actually felt like the fifth wheel for the first time. I-I don’t think they e-even knew t-they were acting like that… b-but they’re right to hesitate because  I-I wasn’t there…” Chihiro began to cry again, and Phoenix felt rather powerless, in that he had no idea what to say. 

“You should talk to them,” Phoenix said softly. “Just let them know this, and if they’re your friends, they’ll trust you. I don’t think you’re a liar, Chihiro.” 

“B-but, I am,” Chihiro sighed sadly. “I want you guys to know I’m not hiding anything. I would never!” Chihiro shakily stood up, wiping her eyes. “You have that magatama, so you could see if I was, right?” 

Phoenix froze, and his eyes widened. “How do you know about my magatama… I never told you about it.” 

Chihiro shrank back, already wilting under the suspicion. “I-I read about it in your file! Plus, Pearl mentioned it to Alter Ego when she gave him data!” 

Phoenix sighed in relief, but he clutched the magatama out of caution. Already, the paranoia enveloping the school was having an effect on him. “Wait, Chihiro, did you say Alter Ego is a boy? Isn’t Alter Ego just supposed to be an extension of you?” 

“Y-yeah,” Chihiro sighed shakily. “The truth is-” 

“-You don’t have to say if you don’t want to,” Pearl said suddenly. “You seem kinda worried.” 

“I just don’t want you guys to think any less of me,” Chihiro said, knuckles whitening as she clutched her skirt hem. 

“I, uh, don’t want to make you uncomfortable, Chihiro,” Phoenix said, face twisting with worry. “If it doesn’t have anything to do with the case-”

Chihiro took a deep breath and stood up. “No,” she said. “I need to tell you this, because… well… I trust you, and I want you to trust me. So many people are lying to you, and you guys are just trying to wade through it all… and I’m strong enough to handle it. You have to have the truth from me, or your magatama will pick it up, and just confuse you more.  I-I can face it. The reason that Alter Ego is a guy… is because I’m a boy. I just dress like a girl, and am referred to as a girl in public.” 

Maya snapped her fingers, lighting up. “That’s why Alter Ego calls you master instead of mistress or something else feminine!” Chihiro nodded as Maya went on. “Everytime you were referred to as a girl like I did with Mia yesterday you acted kinda off, and that’s why!” 

“Maya,” Phoenix said. “I think you should calm it. That was clearly hard for h-him.” Phoenix turned towards Chihiro. “Why did you tell us this?” 

Chihiro sighed. “I-I just want the lying to stop. All of it. It’s a long story about why I do this, and my training is helping me get strong enough to face the music in the real world outside the academy… but I wanted you guys to know the truth. I saw that you guys were always noticing that stuff that Maya pointed out, and I thought you’d see it as a lie, and suspect me, then the magatama would pick up on it. Besides, I only tell this to people I really trust… like my classmates. They all know about it, and they’re all really cool about it.” 

“They all kept it a secret with no hesitation,” Maya said. “Anyone could’ve told us, and painted you as a liar to save their own hides. Even Celeste, but she never did.” 

“Funny thing about Celeste,” Chihiro looked down at his skirt. “Celeste is the one who sewed this part for me,” he gestured to some stitch marks around the hem. “I didn’t think she would when I’d asked her a few weeks ago, but she obliged, and even gave me some ribbons to accessorize with. She said I’d look adorable, and I’d make the girls at this programming expo I was going to really jealous. Even though… y’know. I actually did have people asking me on dates though…. hehe. That’s why the trial hurt too. I don’t think Celeste is a bad person… most of the time… but if I say that, people will turn on me even more! I-I just want things to go back to normal! W-we were all happy and we trusted each other-” the programmer once again burst into tears, and Phoenix found himself unsure of what to do. 

“Don’t cry!” Pearl said. “You’re so nice, and whether you’re a boy or girl or a computer program or something-” Phoenix bit back a smile, maybe Pearl didn’t know how this computer program worked after all. Pearl gestured to Chihiro’s skirt, “-or if you wear cute skirts changes none of that! You’re a good person, Chihiro! After this case is over, you’ll have all your friends back!” 

Not all of them, Phoenix thought sadly. He didn’t say that, as Pearl’s words seemed to help. Chihiro wiped away his tears, and instead focused on unplugging a handbook from Alter Ego. He took it and offered it to Phoenix. 

“I stayed up coding you a handbook, Mr. Wright! It was Taka’s idea, but I really decided to go all out!” Chihiro blushed as Phoenix took it. “I hope you like it.” 

Phoenix flipped open the handbook and his eyes widened. Inside, all of his vitals were listed, along with a photo of him on the front. Chihiro had him listed as Ultimate Defense Attorney, which made him smile. In bold, the words UNLIMITED ACCESS were next to his ultimate title. “I love it!” Phoenix said. “Why… exactly did you make this, though?” 

“It gives you access to everyone’s rooms,” Chihiro explained. “I took the code from my own handbook and expanded on it to make this! Kiyotaka and I thought if everyone wasn’t going to cooperate, we wouldn’t let Makoto take the fall! This will let you go wherever you want, without having to get the handbook of the student. It’ll save you time, and you can hopefully find the truth… so this can all go back to normal.” 

“Wow… this is amazing. Thank you!” Phoenix held the handbook, and nearly laughed with excitement. This opened up so many avenues and now they didn’t even need- “The handbook!” Phoenix slapped a hand to his forehead. He took Chihiro by the shoulders. “Chihiro, did Komaru Naegi come by here with Prosecutor von Karma?” 

“Yeah,” Chihiro said, and Phoenix’s heart sank. “That von Karma lady is really scary. She has that whip and… oh! Sorry about that. Off topic. She is pretty though. Komaru had a note from Makoto, so I gave her the handbook, because I trust Makoto’s judgment.” 

Phoenix winced at that, it’s not like Chihiro knew that Makoto was lying. Unless Chihiro was the one he was trying to protect-no. No way would Chihiro give him the handbook with unlimited access and reveal his most intimate secret if he were guilty. There was just no way. Besides, Chihiro was so small and sweet, there was almost no way. Still, his alibi wasn’t strong, though Phoenix remembered Kyoko’s words. There were definitely other suspects. 

“We have to get to Makoto’s room, now!” Phoenix said, racing for the door, Maya and Pearl in hot pursuit.

“Wait!” Chihiro stood up. “Just promise me you won’t tell anyone about… y’know. It’s not public outside the school… and those prosecutors are scary, even if that Gumshoe guy seems nice. I mean, Toko’s secret was exposed and-” 

“We won’t,” Phoenix said. “It’s your secret, and we’ll keep it. Toko’s secret was critical to the case… and I hated myself for exposing it. I didn’t want to… and I’m sure she hates me now, but I’ll deal with it later. Your secret has nothing to do with this, and we’ll keep it for as long as you want us to.” 

“I believe you,” Chihiro said with a small smile. “Good luck, Mr. Wright. We’re all counting on you.”

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Makoto’s Room

Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl raced down the hallway to Makoto’s room. They’d passed by the gymnasium and cafeteria, but they didn’t bother to stop. He wasn’t even sure if he’d seen anyone else, but he just cared about the evidence. They got to the dormitory hallway, and they ran past several rooms, until arriving at Makoto’s. Phoenix moved to use his handbook, but he noticed the door was already open a crack. Phoenix tentatively pushed it open to find Komaru sitting on the bed flipping through something, while Franziska was rummaging through drawers. 

“Franziska,” Komaru said, pointing to the book. “I think my brother has something he wants us to see here. He told me he wanted this.” 

“It is just a photo album of your brother and his friends,” Franziska leaned over Komaru’s shoulder and pointed at a photo. “That appears to be Detective Kirigiri with the victim, Hagakure. She looks rather exasperated with him.” 

“Yeah, it’s weird seeing everyone here…. they look happier.” Komaru said, pursing her lips. 

“Hey!” Phoenix said. “Prosecutor von Karma, you’re not even on this case!” 

“I’m assisting the prosecution, Phoenix Wright. I am merely trying to see what my little brother couldn’t.” Franziska crossed her arms. “I helped Komaru Naegi enter the school regardless, and I’ve decided I will stick by her, as I believe we are both a fresh pair of eyes for this crime. And it helps that we are not part of this rather murderous student body.” 

“I just don’t get it,” Komaru sighed. “Why would the killer want to frame Makoto?” Komaru held up the album. “He always talks about how close he felt with all of his friends, and how much they all liked him, and these photos show that! Why would anyone want to hurt him like this?” Komaru sighed, and Franziska, shockingly enough, placed a hand on Komaru’s shoulder. 

“You’re right,” she said, removing her hand as soon as it had been there. “It does not make sense. This Makoto Naegi is seemingly beloved by his classmates based on what I have gleaned from my time here. He seems like the agreeable type, the type to bring together those who otherwise would have nothing to do with each other-” Franziska gestured to the photo of Kyoko and Yasuhiro. “-I do not understand why the killer would frame him when there is lower hanging fruit, like Celestia Lundenberg or Toko Fukawa like you said in today’s trial. In fact, I read that in the first trial, Kiyotaka Ishimaru even ceased testifying in order to avoid condemning him further. He is an outlier, yet he bears the brunt of this case.” 

Phoenix nodded his head in agreement. “Komaru,” he said. “Is this photo album the evidence Makoto asked you to get for him?” 

Komaru nodded. “He didn’t call it evidence though. He just wanted it. I-I think that he wanted to remember his classmates when they weren’t all suspects, or something like that.” 

“Do you still have the note?” Maya asked. 

“Oh, uh,” Komaru blushed. “I actually kinda drew over it on the bus ride over here, and I could barely even show it to Chihiro and that Headmaster guy. I actually already drew over the rest in here, and gave it to Franziska, then I found the album!” 

“Yes,” Franziska reached into the pocket of her vest, and pulled out a drawing. It was Franziska and her whip, beating down a demon horde, drawn in a manga styling. “It’s quite representative of my fight for justice, and my impending victories. I intend to hang it in my office post-haste.” 

“Yay!” Komaru grinned. “It’s my thank you present, for escorting me! You really are like a manga heroine!” Komaru’s eyes were starry as she looked at Franziska. Between her and Toko, they were already dreaming up a whole series around the prosecutors, Phoenix thought with a sigh. Komaru cleared her throat. “Here, let me show you guys the album. Maybe Makoto wanted to show you something.” 

Everyone crowded around Komaru as she flipped through the photo album. The cover had Hope’s Peak, Class 78 on the cover. Based on the dedication inside, Makoto had been roped into some sort of class photography project spanning across the school, starting from someone named Mahiru Koizumi. Makoto had been taking pictures of his classmates throughout the years, and Phoenix guessed that the only reason this album was so full was because Makoto was the one taking the pictures. He was the one who could bring everyone else together like this. Everyone was in the album: there was Leon playing the guitar while Chihiro listened attentively beside him, Hiro showing his crystal ball to Kyoko, a picture of Celeste and Junko playing cards, Kiyotaka and Sakura sparring, Hina in the pool splashing water towards a scowling Byakuya, Mondo showing off his bike to an unimpressed yet fearful looking Toko, Hifumi drawing a portrait Sayaka was posing for in her idol dress, and there was a picture of Mukuro, by herself. She was looking at the photographer, presumably Makoto, and smiling, holding up a peace sign with a blush. There were so many more, but those were just a few. Looking at the photo album made Phoenix feel a spark of hope. This is who these kids are, Phoenix thought. All but one. 

Komaru finished flipping through the photo album, but as she tried to close it, Pearl yanked it from her. Komaru glared and tugged back at it. 

“Hey, give it back! I promised Makoto!” Komaru tugged on one end.

“No! Mr. Nick needs this, and Makoto is lying!” Pearl tugged back. 

The tugging was wearing on the book, and Phoenix cringed. He thought about stopping them, but Pearl was right in that they could use this--a piece of paper fluttered from the album and landed on the ground. It was probably hidden behind one of the pictures, Phoenix thought; Pearl and Komaru’s fight must've shook it loose. Phoenix bent over and picked up the paper. 

Everyone crowded around Phoenix as he looked it over. It read: To Makoto, I borrowed your hoodie, but I’ll return it tonight. I also wanted to talk to you about something important. Please meet me by the gymnasium this evening. -M

“M?” Komaru raised an eyebrow. 

“The killer!” Maya gasped. “Nick, Hiro left the justice card, and he wrote out the letter M. This M must be the same person!” 

“That’s right… and Makoto knew this note was in the album. He was going to have Komaru bring it to him, and we’d never know.” Phoenix crossed his arms and turned to Komaru. “Your brother is covering for someone who’s clearly guilty,” he said. “For his own good, please, let us have this album. We need him to tell us the truth, or we won’t be able to help him.” 

Komaru looked at the album in her hands and sighed. “Here,” she handed it to Pearl, who still hadn’t let go, despite being overpowered. “I-I don’t know why Makoto lied, and I thought it was weird he wouldn’t want to tell you guys. I’d guess he has faith in his classmates,” Komaru gestured to the book. “I just don’t think they deserve that faith right now. You guys have to help him see that! He can’t help everyone else if they won’t help him!” 

Franziska nodded. “You’re making the right call, Komaru Naegi. If you like, we can continue to search your brother’s room to see what else he’s hiding. So far, all I see are these rather plain hoodies.” 

“The note did say M borrowed one,” Komaru said. “We could look more. I promise if we find anything, I’ll tell you guys.” Komaru gave Phoenix a nod. 

“I will inform my little brother of anything we find as well,” Franziska said. She turned to a worried-looking Komaru. “Do not worry,” she said. “Miles Edgeworth is not the enemy here. We are working towards the same truth, and that truth will hopefully help us save your brother.” 

This seemed to put Komaru at ease, and she and Franziska began to investigate. Phoenix reasoned they should begin looking around the school for evidence and he should start trying to seek out the students, as uncomfortable as it was. Maybe, it was time to use his handbook as well. They were in the dorms, after all. 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Dormitory Hallway

“Who do you think M is, Nick?” Maya asked. “It could be an alias or something!” 

“Or it could just be whoever’s name starts with M,” Phoenix countered. “The only options besides Makoto would be Mondo and Mukuro.” 

“Mondo was out almost the whole night. Not to mention he has his own cooler looking jacket,” Maya said, crossing her arms. “That leaves Mukuro…. and her alibi was just as weak as Chihiro’s!” 

“Yeah, but when I questioned her yesterday, no psyche-locks came up!” Phoenix said. “Unless, she somehow beat the magatama, but how would she-” 

“-Y-you, r-rat.” Toko’s door opened a crack, and Phoenix leapt back, realizing how close he was to the door. “I-I can h-hear y-you t-talking a-about me, y-you’re g-going to t-throw me i-in j-jail, a-and y-you l-lied!” Toko glared at Phoenix from behind the door, and Phoenix hung his head. 

“Toko,” he sighed. “We weren’t talking about you, and I’m sorry. I didn’t want to deceive you, but I really needed your testimony to prove Makoto innocent-”

“-I-I know y-you are. I-I d-don’t c-care. I-I keep h-her hidden f-for a r-reason,” Toko said, looking down at the floor. “Y-you c-could’ve r-ruined m-my l-life.” Phoenix noticed a piece of paper in her hands. 

“Why?” Maya butted in suddenly. “She’s weird and vulgar but otherwise-” 

“-You a-all h-have done e-enough. Y-you all h-hate me, a-and I h-hate y-you. I-I just h-hope M-makoto is i-innocent or-or it’ll b-be for n-nothing.” Toko frowned and clutched at her papers. “I-I’m rewriting m-my book.” She shoved a few pages into Phoenix’s hands before closing the door in his face. 

“I don’t hate you, none of us do!” Phoenix tried, but the door didn’t budge. He glanced down at the papers, and he saw the new title. Passion of the Paladin Prosecutor versus the Quilled Demon. The book now featured Edgeworth as the shining hero rescuing an introverted princess from a spiked, ugly demon in a courtroom dungeon. Phoenix sighed, so much for being the protagonist in a famous book. At least Edgeworth wasn’t a demon anymore, though even as a demon, Toko had written him like a handsome prince. Phoenix missed being the blue knight, but it was something he had to accept. He betrayed Toko, and he was lucky being an ugly demon was the worst he’d gotten from her. 

“About M,” he sighed, walking over to Mukuro’s room, with his handbook at the ready. “If it is the most likely suspect, we need to start with her.” 

“I just hope she isn’t in her room, Nick.” Maya said as Phoenix swiped his handbook, and the door hesitated a moment, before unlocking with a short click. The trio stepped inside, just hoping Mukuro wasn’t there. 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Mukuro’s Room

It’s orderly in here, that was the first thing Phoenix noticed. As befitting of the ultimate soldier, he reasoned. The room was plain and unremarkable, kind of like Mukuro herself. As soon as he thought that, Phoenix felt bad. He’d hardly talked to Mukuro this whole time, she could have a secret side to her, though considering what he was about to investigate, this secret side wasn’t necessarily good. 

“Man, Nick. This room is so boring,” Maya sighed. “You’d think someone with the ultimate fashionista as a sister would have a more fun room. You know, maybe we should have Junko makeover Wright and Co sometime.” 

“Maya, not now!” Phoenix said. 

“Oh, pillow fight!” Maya grabbed a pillow and playfully whacked Phoenix, and a paper fluttered out of the pillow. Not again, Phoenix thought. 

He leaned over to pick it up, and his eyes widened. It read: Defendant: Phoenix Wright, Attorney: Mia Fey, Witness: Dahlia Hawthorne. Defendant found not guilty-

“Nick?” Maya looked in the pillowcase and continued to pull out papers. Phoenix ran to the other pillowcase and he saw more and more papers. Pearl looked under the bed and found more papers. As they read it over, Phoenix felt a lump of dread lodge itself in his chest. These are all the papers from the missing files, Phoenix realized. Mukuro had them, she didn’t have the manila folders they came in for some reason, but she had the important part. The information about him, about Edgeworth, about the culprits. All those transcripts, evil people poking and prodding at his weaknesses in the courtroom, all in black and white.

“We have to continue looking,” Phoenix said, trying to shake his nerves as he stuffed the papers in his jacket. Pearl and Maya both looked nervous, but they continued to search as well.

He began to rustle through Mukuro’s drawers, and he couldn’t help but feel weird about going through a teenage girl’s things. A potentially murderous teenage girl, but still. He flew through the clothing, and began to look through the sweatshirts. He laid them out on the bed, and there was one outlier. One looked smaller than the rest of them, it had been nestled tightly between the others, and the others were camo patterned and uniform. The smaller hoodie was brown, though it could look almost black in certain lighting. 

“Nick,” Maya said, her voice wobbling with concern. “Is that…”

“But there’s no blood on it!” Pearl said. “If Mukuro killed Hiro with Makoto’s jacket-” 

“-She could’ve washed it off or something. We should have it tested at Criminal Affairs for trace amounts of blood anyway,” Phoenix took the jacket and placed it in the court record. 

He looked in the drawer to make sure he hadn’t missed anything else, and his heart stopped. Inside the drawer, there were a few purple shards. He knew exactly what they were. “These shards… they’re from the crystal ball. A few of them must’ve clung to the hoodie when it broke...” 

“Then that hoodie has to be the one worn by the assailant! Mukuro… why?” Maya frowned. “What could Hiro have done to make her hate him?” 

“I haven’t found anything to show that,” Phoenix admitted, adding the shards to his record. “I don’t know how she’s connected to Yasuhiro at all.” 

“I did find this,” Pearl said, and gestured to Mukuro’s wall. 

The wall was bare and monochrome, barring two photos. One photo was of Mukuro and Makoto, Mukuro was smiling and looking at Makoto, a blush covering her face. It was odd seeing someone who was normally so stoic be so happy, Phoenix thought. He noticed that she had a tattoo of a wolf on her left hand. He hadn’t noticed that before. To be fair, he hadn’t thought to look. The second one was of her and Junko, both of them posing for the camera, though it was obvious Mukuro had no idea what she was doing. There were no photos with Yasuhiro.

“Should we take them?” Pearl asked. “What do they mean?”

“If they even mean anything,” Maya said. 

“Better safe than sorry,” Phoenix delicately plucked the two photos from the wall. As he did, he felt a sense of dread. Mukuro was the ultimate soldier, and she had the talent to kill. Odds are, she’d taken many lives already to earn her title. Makoto, Phoenix thought, clutching the pictures, why would you protect someone like her?

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Dormitory Hallway

Phoenix barely closed the door to Mukuro’s room, sighing with relief as the door clicked shut. No one would know they were there, at least for now. Maybe Mukuro would notice her photos were missing, but hopefully they’d already be leaving the school by that point. He, Maya, and Pearl had just started to make their way down the hallway, when they saw a familiar singer running towards them. 

“Mr. Wright! Maya! Pearl! I’m sorry for being late, I was just visiting Makoto until the next person arrived!” Sayaka said, running up to the group. “It was nice to get away,” the bluenette admitted. “It’s horrible here, and I just got back.” 

“Who’s visiting Makoto now in your rotation?” Phoenix asked. He hoped it wasn’t Mukuro. 

“It’s Chihiro, though she-” 

“-You don’t have to cover for him anymore,” Maya said. “He told us.” 

Sayaka’s eyes widened. “He did?! Why?” 

“He said he was tired of all the lying, and that he trusted us. He just wants everyone to be honest,” Maya explained. 

“Don’t we all,” Sayaka sighed. “Speaking of, have you guys found anything without me?” 

“Just this photo album,” Phoenix lied, not wanting to share the Mukuro lead yet. “Makoto wanted us to get it.” 

Sayaka’s eyes narrowed. She clearly wasn’t convinced, her great intuition no doubt tipping her off. “I get it,” she sighed. “I’m honestly glad you didn’t just tell me. It has to be one of us, right? I’d rather you told none of us, keep it cautious.” 

“I-I trust you,” Pearl said, gripping on Sayaka’s sleeve. “Kyoko told me I have good intuition, and I trust you!” Pearl faltered, but maintained her grip. “You told me about how you met Makoto and how he helped that bird… you just seem like such good friends and you’re so nice to me.” Pearl stopped and hung her head. “I haven’t met a lot of cele-bri-ties. I heard from Mr. Nick that they’re normally mean, but you aren’t. You’re an idol… and I look up to you, I’ve seen you on TV, and now I know you and you’ve talked and sang to me… you’re my friend, right?” 

Sayaka gave Pearl a watery smile, and it was clear she was close to tears. “Of course, Pearl. I’m honored you look up to me as an idol, and as your friend… I promise I didn’t do this. I want Makoto free, because he’s been one of my closest friends since before Hope’s Peak, and he’s so selfless-” Sayaka took a deep breath, to avoid tears. Pearl rushed to hug her, and Maya did as well. 

Phoenix hung back, not wanting to intrude. He really didn’t believe it was Sayaka, after all, Pearl believed, and he believed in Pearl. However, he didn’t want to talk about Mukuro without finding more evidence. He already had so much, yet he found himself hesitating. This atmosphere made him reluctant to accuse anybody, because he knew it would turn messy fast if even a whiff of it got out to the rest of the class. 

“Sayaka,” he asked, hesitantly. He didn’t know if he should go down this path, but Sayaka and Makoto were close. Maybe if he wouldn’t, she’d tell him what he needed to know. “Are there any students that Makoto is closer to besides you and Kyoko? Or anyone that really hates Hiro?” 

Sayaka untangled herself from the embrace of the mediums and brushed aside a few tears. “I’m not sure about Hiro,” she admitted. “There are a few people who think he’s stupid and he and Toko have clashed before, but it’s nothing that would warrant… murder. As for Makoto, Kyoko and I are his closest friends, but besides that he’s surprisingly close with Byakuya and Mukuro.” 

Mukuro. Phoenix tried to maintain a stoic expression, but his eyebrows betrayed him as they raised. “Why those two?” he asked. “Why is that surprising?” 

Sayaka frowned, but she chose not to press. “Byakuya is surprising because… well you’ve met him. He isn’t exactly the friends type. He doesn’t like hanging around us all that much, but he likes Makoto for some reason. He talks to him about business and stuff, and even asks his opinion when he happens to sit with Kyoko, Makoto, and I at lunch. Normally, Toko comes trailing after him and then we have to squish on the bench and stuff-” Sayaka giggled into her hand, and her eyes grew clouded with memories. “-And as for Mukuro, she’s always been a loner. She only ever hung out with Junko for a long time, and a lot of people were scared of her because of her talent. Makoto was the first person to go out of his way to befriend her, and he even invited her to sit with us at lunch, and she actually has more often! He really gets her talking, and when she does… she’s surprisingly feisty and funny! She can be really sweet,” Sayaka sighed, and Phoenix could’ve sworn she blushed. “Though, I think she’s crushing on Makoto.” 

Phoenix nearly choked on air. “Wait, what?!” he sputtered. “But- she’s so-” 

“Phoenix!” Maya chided. “Mukuro is clearly a girl with emotions below the surface!” 

Sayaka nodded, and looked at Phoenix knowingly. “I’ve gotten to know Mukuro more when she isn’t in Junko’s shadow,” Sayaka said, not letting up in her gaze. Phoenix felt himself rooted to the spot. “She’s not a bad person. She just has a lot of… history. She was a part of this mercenary group and was a child soldier… she had it rough before she got here. I bet Makoto would know more. Or Junko, though I doubt she’ll be helpful.” 

“Why not?” Pearl asked. “Junko is her sister!” 

“Yeah,” Sayaka frowned. “Junko happens to be in her own world a lot of the time. Mukuro’s a part of it for sure, but she has a tendency to drag Mukuro away whenever she hangs out with us… it’s just a bit annoying.” 

Phoenix frowned. “Speaking of, where are the other students?” 

“Oh!” Sayaka gestured down the hallway. “A lot of them have gathered by the gymnasium. They’re watching the prosecution… because the second a definitive clue is discovered, they want to see. I don’t think that Detective Gumshoe guy is used to having so many eyes right on him like that, I saw Kyoko trying to get him to calm down…”

“Alright, let’s go.” Phoenix said. 

Sayaka offered her hand to Pearl, and the tiny medium took it with just a hint of trepidation. The two went off down the hallway, with Phoenix and Maya following. 

“It makes me uneasy that they’re all crowding around the evidence, Nick.” Maya said. Her voice got lower. “Mukuro will probably be there.” 

“Just act natural,” Phoenix whispered back. “Depending on what Edgeworth and Kyoko find, we might get a different suspect… or confirm our suspicions.” 

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Hallway

Phoenix sighed with relief as he saw that Edgeworth or Kyoko (he doubted it was Gumshoe) had the good sense to cordon off the doors to the gym with caution tape and shut it. His relief faltered as several pairs of eyes that were locked on the door flew to him. 

“Where the hell have you been,” Leon said, crossing his arms. “Have you found anything? Who is it? Do you know yet?” 

“For all you know, he could’ve found evidence condemning you, Kuwata.” Byakuya rolled his eyes as Leon glowered at him. “I do think it’s rather counterproductive that the prosecution has shut us out-” 

“-You can’t live without knowing everything, huh?” Leon sneered. “You think you’re all high and mighty-” 

“-STOP!” Kiyotaka shouted. “I will not have any more discord on school grounds! We must try to hold ourselves together for Makoto’s sake-” 

“-Oh, shut up, Taka.” Junko waved him off dismissively. “We all know the killer is one of us, so what good will it do to hope otherwise? Makoto’s an idiot if he thinks we can stick together.”

“I agree,” Celeste said, nodding. “I do believe that trusting someone is what got Hagakure killed in the first place, after all. And let us not forget that Kiyotaka was the first to even testify against Makoto.” Celeste smirked as Kiyotaka’s posture faltered as his eyes clouded with guilt at her remark. She still knows how to spot a weakness, Phoenix reasoned, even after she’d lost her composure at the trial. She’d gained back her original demeanor in full. 

“At least he didn’t lie about what he saw,” Hina said, glaring at Celeste. “You threw Makoto straight to the wolves! Besides, you said you didn’t know how that card got in your possession, but I don’t believe you one bit. You could’ve helped to stop that hooded figure, but you did nothing!” 

“Believe what you want, you dimwit,” Celeste fired back, ignoring the now rather frightening glare from Sakura. “Just know that you are wrong, and if you choose to condemn me, there will be a killer among you still. And if I had tried to go against an armed assailant, I would be lying beside Hagakure in a grave somewhere. I am not foolish enough to interfere with someone shrouded in darkness. I merely decided to take my leave, and I am quite fortunate they were too preoccupied to see me.” 

“Did you happen to see what they did as you were leaving?” Phoenix asked. 

Celeste shook her head. “They hovered by that trash can, but I did not stop to look. My gut told me to fold, and I am glad for it.” 

“We should go, Nick.” Maya gestured towards the entrance to the gym, undoubtedly eager to get away from the brewing conflict. Pearl was also eager to get away, and let go of Sayaka’s hand to go inside. Sayaka, for her part, seemed content to stay outside with the class. She probably knows that if they took her in, the class would surely protest, and she didn’t want that. Phoenix gave her a small nod before heading into the gym.

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Gymnasium

“Don’t come in- oh.” Edgeworth breathed a sigh of relief. “Wright, it’s only you. I see you’re missing your usual baseball star and pop sensation.” 

“It’s for the best,” Kyoko said. “Leon’s a loose cannon right now, and if you include Sayaka people will kick up a fuss. There are even some lingering doubts about me getting involved.” 

“It’s real nerve wracking here, pal,” Detective Gumshoe said. “I can practically feel them staring at me from the door! And they’re all so suspicious and stuff… it just gives me the creeps, you know? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to go back to criminal affairs as soon as possible!” 

“Yeah,” Maya said. “All it took was us walking up for the fighting to start, not to mention the accusations.” 

“Have you talked to anyone?” Phoenix asked Edgeworth. “Who do you think the murderer is?” 

“I’d be curious to hear your thoughts as well, Prosecutor.” Kyoko eyed Edgeworth intensely. 

Edgeworth sighed. “I merely confirmed alibis when the students started to show up. I believe the foursome of Mondo-despite his rather lengthy record-, Kiyotaka, Aoi, and Sakura can be cleared rather easily. Their stories consistently match. Leon and Sayaka have also stuck to their stories, though there are only two of them. We could fingerprint Leon’s guitar, but I doubt it’s necessary. Obviously, the main suspects are Celeste, despite her potentially being framed, Byakuya also had a period of time before the murders when he left Toko on purpose. Also, Chihiro, and Mukuro. I believe the latter two have weak alibis, due to them being alone the whole night. They both say the same thing as well.” 

 “They were both watching Warriors of Hope vs Despair ,” Phoenix said, thinking back. “However, Chihiro said, uh, she was in her room, but Mukuro never bothered to specify the location of where she was…” 

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “Wright, do you suspect Mukuro? I’ll admit, her talent does predispose her to killing.” 

“I-I” Phoenix faltered as Edgeworth’s eyes narrowed. He figured he should at least clue Edgeworth in a little, though he wasn’t sure if he wanted to share the full extent of his discovery. “I wonder if someone as serious as Mukuro would even like that show anyway. I’ll admit-” 

“-It may feature slapstick comedy, but it is far from mindless.” Edgeworth managed a small smile. “I enjoy it, and it does explore the possibilities of a person giving in to their own despair… which is impressive considering its intended audience. You should try watching it with me, sometime. It’s no Steel Samurai but it is good. I can explain what I’ve seen to you.” 

“It’s a date,” Phoenix blurted out, and he blushed as soon as those words left his lips. Why did I say that?!

Edgeworth blushed as well, before merely nodding. “I look forward to it, Wright.”

Maya was grinning, and elbowed Gumshoe, whose grin just made Phoenix blush more. Pearl looked confused, as if her vision of Phoenix and Maya was crumbling before her eyes. Kyoko rolled her eyes, but Phoenix could see her biting back a smile. She whispered something to Maya, who giggled. 

“I believe the verdict is that Mukuro could enjoy the show,” Kyoko said, coming to the rescue of the two men. “Besides, there is more to Mukuro Ikusaba than meets the eye. Though, I will say that Makoto brings it out of her the most.” 

“Sayaka said the same thing,” Maya said. Kyoko raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Maya went on. “In fact, she said that Mukuro likes him! Like loves kinda like. Did you know that?” 

“I’ve suspected,” Kyoko said with a frown. “I can understand why she would. Makoto is a nice guy, and he is always especially nice to her.”

“Does that bother you?” Maya said, hints of a smirk showing. 

“No,” Kyoko shook her head. “I’m not about to be the kind of person who will be bothered by something like that. Mukuro can like whoever she wants.” 

“Yeah, no worries!” Detective Gumshoe clapped Kyoko on the back. “He’s totally into you anyway, pal! This Mukuro girl will just have to find someone else!” 

Kyoko blushed. “Here, let me show you what we have found.” Kyoko gestured to a pile of garbage, completely ignoring the subject. 

Phoenix wondered how much longer she’d ignore her feelings. It was understandable now considering the circumstances, but Phoenix found himself wondering just how long Kyoko had put her feelings on the backburner. 

“I dug through the trash this time, pal!” Detective Gumshoe said, elbowing Phoenix. Phoenix was glad it wasn’t going to be him this time, at least. 

“I offered,” Kyoko sighed. “Anyway, here is something interesting. It is a fragment of something, and it is white. I found a similar fragment, and it is black. It appears to be… some sort of plastic. I couldn’t figure out what it could be, but I remembered Toko’s testimony, so I figured it was important.” 

“Don’t forget these,” Edgeworth cringed as he reached into the garbage to produce some weird looking black strips. He rearranged them in a certain fashion, and Phoenix’s eyes widened as they came together to resemble a pair of shredded gloves. “The killer undoubtedly used the scissors to shred their gloves when they disposed of them, and it took us a while to really see the black strips. I can see why these would be missed on an initial scan.”

Phoenix’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the gloves. He picked up the shredded pieces one by one, and his eyes widened. There was something rather weird attached to the right index fingertip of one of the gloves. It was small and red, and it felt similar to the larger fragments, but not exact. It was triangular in shape. “What’s this?” he said. 

“I’m not sure,” Edgeworth admitted. “Maybe it is a miscellaneous piece of trash that got stuck. Though what it could be is beyond me.” Edgeworth looked to Kyoko, who shrugged as well. Detective Gumshoe also looked clueless, but that wasn’t anything new. “We also tested them for blood, and they had blood all over.” Edgeworth nodded to Gumshoe, who showed them a bottle luminol testing fluid. 

“Can I see that?” Phoenix asked. “I could use it, and it could save me a trip to criminal affairs.”

Gumshoe looked to Edgeworth, who nodded, and he handed the bottle to Phoenix. Phoenix figured he should spray the hoodie with this soon.

“Anyway, look inside the trash,” Kyoko stuck her head inside, and emerged with a cup of noodles on her head. 

“Uh, pal… you, uh…” Detective Gumshoe gestured to his head, and Kyoko’s hand flew up to her own head, where she sighed and batted away the noodles, muttering about how it was the second time today that had happened to her.

Phoenix stuck his head in the trash, and made sure to avoid any noodles. He saw what Kyoko must’ve been referring to. There were a few crystal shards inside the trash as well. 

“Did those come from the gloves?” Phoenix asked, as Maya and Pearl also stuck their heads in the trash to see what he had.

Kyoko nodded. “They fell from the shreds as we took them out.”

“Hey, did you check this other trash can over here?” Maya waved to the one further away from the door. “I know it’s not the one that Celeste was talking about but-oh!” Maya stuck her head in the other can, and began to rummage. 

Phoenix’s eyes widened as the top half of her body disappeared into the garbage can. Pearl ran over and began to tug on Maya, but was utterly ineffectual. Detective Gumshoe ran over and gently plucked Maya out with ease. Maya was holding two more fragments, and these ones were a mixture of black and white.

“I guess I should’ve rummaged around in there too, huh, pal.” Detective Gumshoe said as the three made their way back to the group. “Here, let’s try and fit these in with the others!” Detective Gumshoe configured the pieces together, and when Phoenix saw the final image he felt… confused. 

“Monokuma?” Edgeworth groaned. “Why would there be a Monokuma mask lying around and look-” Edgeworth pointed to the bottom part of the white mask. “Some of it is chipped off. Barely, but some.” 

“Look closer,” Kyoko said, taking a magnifying glass from her jacket. Wait, did she have that the whole time? She held the magnifying glass over the chipped part. “This isn’t an even split, and there is a barely visible fleck of blood by it. I believe there was a struggle, and Hiro tore this from the killer’s face.”

Phoenix nodded. “Remember those shards we found the first day? Most of them were purple-ish and transparent, because they’re from the crystal ball. However, there were some white shards that didn’t fit mixed in.” Phoenix picked out the white shards from the bag. “If you feel these-” he handed them out to the group, “-they’re made of the same material of these fragments, and not the crystal shards, or even this porcelain shard from Celeste’s teacup!” 

“You, uh, should really bandage your hand, by the way, Nick.” Maya said, looking at the still-raw cut on Phoenix’s hand. 

“These are bloody as well,” Edgeworth said, gesturing to the white shards. “I’d believe the victim had his own blood on his hands when he tried to rip the mask off, but he only managed to chip off a piece of this cheap plastic. Would this mean that the victim never saw his assailant’s face? He’d have no way of leaving any indication as to who-” 

“-We have a lead, actually,” Phoenix said. They’d shared their evidence, and Phoenix reasoned it was about time he did the same. 

“We found these,” Phoenix laid out the evidence he’d found. He told the three about Komaru and Franziska.

“Of course,” Edgeworth sighed. “She left a while ago to investigate some noise outside, and it figures she would go off to investigate without us.” 

“At least she’s helping Komaru,” Kyoko said. 

Phoenix showed them the photo album and note, then explained about the handbook and Mukuro’s room. 

“Man, why can’t we get handbooks, pal?” Detective Gumshoe whined. 

“I don’t think that’s the point here,” Edgeworth sighed. “Mukuro Ikusaba has information from our most important cases and evidence from the crime… this is not good. Her talent did make her a natural suspect.” 

Edgeworth’s frown got deeper and deeper, and Kyoko crossed her arms and looked frustrated. Kyoko remembered the testing fluid and took out the hoodie, motioning for Phoenix to spray it. He did, and the jacket was awash in blue splotches from blood presumably washed off. 

“Guess that settles it,” Gumshoe sighed. “This Mukuro girl is the culprit, pal.”

“Damn it,” Kyoko swore. “Ikusaba was getting better. I thought she was… I don’t understand. She likes Makoto, and she has nothing against Hagakure. This whole setup… but everything points to her.” 

“I really do think she likes Mr. Naegi,” Edgeworth said, looking at Mukuro’s photos. “Just look at these photos. She is looking at him with such fondness in every photo. Maybe… Makoto was an accident to frame. Think about it. Makoto is an outlier. Celeste and Toko are acquired tastes, but Makoto is unanimously liked. His frame up was the most up to chance. He could’ve easily never gone to Hiro’s room, and stuck by the gym. He could’ve never touched the knife. There are so many variables in his frame up… maybe Ikusaba never meant to implicate him.” 

Kyoko’s eyebrows furrowed. “That’s plausible. However, I’m just not sure, there’s something here that I’m not sure about. I don’t know what… but this feels… incomplete. How did Mukuro know about Makoto and Hiro’s study session? If she did and exploited it, this would have to be intentional, despite the risks mentioned. Why Hiro in the first place and not Makoto? Why the Monokuma mask?” 

Phoenix’s eyes widened with realization. “We need to confront Makoto, he’s got the answers. If he’s covering for Mukuro, it’s about time we found out why.” 

Edgeworth’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why would Mr. Naegi cover for the murderer? He’s the one on trial!” 

“I-I don’t know,” Phoenix admitted. “He said he isn’t defending the murderer… but… we need to talk to him.”

Kyoko nodded. “Make him understand that Mukuro isn’t his responsibility. Make him realize that she hasn’t offered anything up yet. Makoto isn’t being malicious… but his faith and hope in others can’t sink this case like this. We need him to come clean. I believe you guys have the tools to make that happen. We’ll keep looking here.” 

“Don’t worry,” Pearl said, rolling up her sleeve. “We can totally make that happen! We’ll get the truth, because we have the magatama, and Mr. Nick!”

A sudden shouting echoed from the other side of the door, and Phoenix cringed. It seemed like the ultimates were still fighting, and he’d have to walk in the middle of them to get out of it. Detective Gumshoe cringed and gave Phoenix a pitying look. Edgeworth sighed, but looked relieved to not be leaving. Kyoko shook her head before getting back to examining the evidence, though she was clearly bothered by the fighting. Phoenix left them the bottle of luminol fluid, he reasoned he’d gotten his use out of it, and now he didn’t need to go to Criminal Affairs. Maybe, the ultimates won’t notice us leaving, Phoenix thought. Who am I kidding, he thought as he neared the door, the shouting only grew louder, making him even more apprehensive.

******************************************************************************

May 2nd

Hallway

“Hey, you two need to fuckin’ cool it!” Mondo yelled, and Maya rushed to cover Pearl’s ears. Phoenix gave Maya a concerned look, shaking his head. 

“They’ve started again,” Mukuro said as she popped up behind them to gesture at Leon and Byakuya, making Phoenix jump several feet in the air. “They’re fighting about nothing… what is it?” Mukuro’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Pearl, who was pointedly glaring at her. 

“It’s nothing!” Maya said, also looking rather nervous. “Pearl just is… uh,” 

“She is scared of me, correct?” Mukuro gave Pearl a cool look, and her features unexpectedly softened. “I was a soldier at her age. I had a similar looking stare.” Phoenix could swear he saw a hint of a smile playing at her lips. Phoenix remembered what Sayaka said, about her being part of a mercenary group. Just what was her deal?

“You were?” Phoenix asked shakily. “What army did you fight for? If you were really that young-” 

Mukuro’s face hardened. “It is a long story. Not now.” Before Phoenix could continue to ask questions, Junko came bounding up. 

“Hey, you guys!” Junko grabbed onto Mukuro’s arm, and Mukuro grew rigid again. It is odd how Junko is so unafraid of her soldier sister, Phoenix thought. It was almost admirable how cheerful she was in the face of all this. Admirable, yet a tad unsettling as well, though at least she wasn’t as intimidating as Mukuro. Junko elbowed Phoenix. “You guys are missing the action!” Junko gestured to Leon and Byakuya. 

Phoenix took a look around, and he noticed that Chihiro was back, and now Kiyotaka was the one who was gone. Mondo was trying to hold Leon back, but he looked too angry to even hear Mondo’s yelling, which was impressive. Phoenix noticed Mondo was wearing Kiyotaka’s armband, and he was probably trying to do Kiyotaka’s job, though he didn’t seem to be nearly as efficient about it. Sakura was moving to try and talk to Byakuya, but Toko (who must’ve come out of her room) glared at her in response, Hina rolled her eyes and muttered something to Sakura and shook her head. Hifumi looked petrified of any conflict, and Celeste looked rather tired, rolling her eyes at the antics of her classmates. Chihiro looked like he was going to be sick, and Sayaka had a gentle hand on his back, and she worriedly locked eyes with Phoenix.  

“Take it back,” Leon growled. “Now.” 

“No,” Byakuya said rather succinctly. “I am not wrong. The killer could really be any of us who were alone that night. It could easily be Fujisaki despite h-” Byakuya glanced around, and saw Phoenix. “-her stature. It could be Ikusaba, or even Celeste.” 

“Haven’t we been over this?” Celeste sighed. 

“Yes, but how did you get that other card? It surely didn’t fall out of the sky.” Byakuya shook his head. “Anyway, I even said it could be you or Maizono, Kuwata. Think about it. You two vouch for each other, while one of you slips from the music room to commit the murder, for the briefest time. You say you’re going to get snacks or sheet music. Hell, this crime could have easily been the work of an accomplice-” 

“You’re really going to fucking accuse me, and even Sakaya?! Sayaka was the first one in Makoto’s corner, while you were trying to buy off his defense! And I’m one of Hiro’s closest friends!” Leon’s face grew red with anger, and the class began to murmur. Leon’s hair seemed to bristle, and it made him look like he was going to be lit aflame in rage. 

“How much money did he offer you, Wrighto?” Junko whispered to Phoenix. Mukuro glared and elbowed Junko. 

“What about you, asshole?” Leon crossed his arms. “You were alone for a while after you ditched Toko, and you could’ve easily done it, and you know Toko or Jill or whatever would cover for you. You act like you’re above us-” 

“-Leon,” Mondo warned. “He’s not fuckin’ worth it. Drop it. Now.” Mondo tried to get Leon to walk away, but Leon slapped his hand away. 

“No, you’re wrong. You’re so angry at being called out, you can’t think straight. You can’t accept the truth.” Byakuya said, rolling his eyes. He maintained his cool, detached demeanor.  “As far as I’m concerned, Makoto is one of the only smart people here. Why would I get rid of him instead of someone I didn’t care about? Everyone knows my alibi about the library, including Makoto and Toko, and no one but Maizono can vouch for you.” Byakuya glared at Leon, as if he were tired of having to state his case, and Leon was a mere child. “Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be caught dead around Yasuhiro in any capacity regardless. Unlike you, I would have no idea of a study session to exploit. You did know about it, making you a prime suspect. Though that session did no good anyway. He couldn’t even leave a cohesive dying message, or even cry out when being attacked. Useless. He’s like so many of you, a good for nothing-” 

A sudden whack rang out. Leon’s fist (along with its many rings) made contact with Byakuya’s face, sending the heir crumbling to the floor. Byakuya clutched his cheek, a bruise already forming. 

“Master!” Toko shrieked, and she ran in front of Byakuya. “I-I won’t l-let y-you touch h-him!” Toko glared at Leon with surprising forcefulness. 

“Fukawa,” Sakura moved to step between her and Leon, but Toko brandished her craft scissors at her. Toko swiped the scissors at Sakura out of reflex and fear, and Sakura’s skin was barely grazed. Still, Toko had swung them with enough force to draw blood. It was barely there but-Toko squeaked and fainted, though Sakura herself seemed unfazed and merely used some of her bandages on her arms to cover the scratch. Jill stood up with a laugh and began to swing the scissors again, and this time Hina glowered and stepped between them protectively. 

“Don’t you dare threaten her!” Hina glared at Jill. 

“Get any closer to my Master and you’re gonna be ribbons, Milkmaid!” Jill crowed.

“Everyone just fuckin’ stop!” Mondo yelled, and he gave Leon a shove, which was probably not the right call. “Ya need to chill the fuck out right now!” He glared at Leon. “Ya can’t fight Fukawa, she’s a girl!” 

“She’s Jill, a homicidal bitch!” Leon shoved Mondo aside, which only incensed the biker into shoving him back. The two began to shove with increasing force, until Leon punched Mondo as well, leading Mondo to shove him to the floor. Leon merely got back up and shoved back, though Mondo had clearly overpowered him that time.

“Guys! Please,” Chihiro ran up to the two boys despite looking scared, but Mondo and Leon were so concerned with each other, they took no notice of Chihiro, leading to Mondo accidentally knocking the tinier man to the floor with a stray arm when he got too close. Chihiro fell, Alter Ego flying out of his hands. Mukuro dove out, barely managing to catch the computer. Sayaka ran to Chihiro, who was now cradling his arm. 

“Nick, I think he landed on it wrong…” Maya looked at Phoenix with trepidation. “What should we do? They’re not listening, no one is-Pearl!” 

Maya yelled in alarm as Pearl ducked between the fighting to get to Sayaka and Chihiro. Mukuro, who was holding the laptop, handed it to Junko before racing after Pearl. She scooped up the tiny medium, who was about to be in the crosshairs of Jill swinging her scissors wildly and hovering over Byakuya like a protective harpy (despite Sakura’s efforts to calm her and Hina’s growing anger) and ran with Pearl in her arms, placing her gently by Sayaka and Chihiro. Pearl looked as surprised as Phoenix felt. Phoenix felt confused. How could she murder Yasuhiro in cold blood with the same hands that ferried Pearl to saftey? 

Junko clutched onto Phoenix’s arm as her eyes flitted from scene to scene, Leon and Mondo yelling at each other, Jill slashing towards Sakura and Hina yelling at her, Byakuya cradling the growing bruise on his cheek, Celeste looking on in distaste, seemingly losing her appetite for her tea and Hifumi clutching at her sleeve in terror. Pearl and Sayaka were now helping up an injured Chihiro with Mukuro standing by, and he was at a loss. What could he even say to stop them? Byakuya stood up with a scowl, clearly preparing to start hurling insults. Maya was frozen well, gripping Phoenix's other arm, and she just wordlessly pointed to where Franziska and Komaru were walking up. Komaru looked at the scene in shock, and Franziska frowned, shaking her head. 

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

Phoenix saw the whip fly, and heard the pained yells of the ultimates it was aimed at. Leon and Mondo stopped fighting, Jill’s craft scissors were whipped out of her hand, Hina yelped, and Byakuya’s bruise was now twice as bad. At the very least, Hifumi, Celeste, Sakura, Sayaka, Chihiro, Mukuro, and Junko had been spared. 

“Oh!” Jill looked at Franziska with a blush, her tongue curling in delight. “That was…” 

Mondo was the second to regain his composure. “What the-” 

“-Silence, you foolish fools!” Franziska glowered at the ultimates, and it grew quiet enough to hear a pin drop. “Don’t you fools see you are playing right into this killer’s hands?! You are all acting like fools. You all sit here and engage in foolish squabbles with each other, while the true killer is merely watching and thriving on the chaos. This person is trying to divide you all, and slip by. You are all ultimates, yet you are acting foolish, like chickens with your heads cut off.” Franziska’s grip tightened on her whip. “If you really were the best of the best, you wouldn’t fall for such an obvious trap. Is this all it takes to take down an ultimate?! I have heard so much about Hope’s Peak, about how it is a school for bright prodigies who come together to change the future… but all I see are petulant fools. Show this killer that they have not won. Stick together, and the guilty party will stick out, as they will be the one who thrives on division, and your unity will help to defeat them. If you can even manage it.” 

“Please,” Komaru pleaded. “Makoto wouldn’t want this at all.” 

“I-I will,” Chihiro’s voice tentatively wobbled. “I’m sick of everyone suspecting each other, when only one person is guilty. W-we can’t all stop trusting each other, and I’m sick of everything that’s been going on. I miss Makoto and I just want everything to be normal-” 

“-We all do, and I’m with you.” Sayaka placed a hand on Chihiro’s shoulder, careful to avoid his arm. “If we stick together like Makoto would want us to, the killer won’t win.” 

“I agree,” Sakura said, nodding. “We must close ranks and cooperate.” 

Hina nodded, and offered a hand to Jill, albeit with some hesitance. “I’m sorry I yelled at you,” she said. 

Jill looked at her, sticking her tongue out and crossing her arms. “I understand. You were just protecting Cherry Blossom. You girl on girl people get tough…. I like it.” Jill grinned with her elongated tongue, eyeing Franziska and her whip. Hina sighed and scuffed some dust from the hallway with her shoe. Jill sneezed. 

Toko looked at the martial artist, who had her arm around Hina, realizing what had happened. She flushed with embarrassment. “I-I j-just… didn’t w-want M-master to be h-hurt.” Toko looked over to where Leon was, and glared. It seemed the tension wasn’t totally gone. 

“Shit, Chi, your arm!” Mondo’s eyes widened as he saw Chihiro cradling his arm. “What happened?” 

“Uh, you did, Mondo,” Junko piped up, still holding onto Phoenix’s arm. Phoenix could feel her fake nails digging into his suit. “You and Leon were busy shoving each other, and Chihiro tried to stop you, and you accidentally shoved her into the ground. Luckily, Mukuro saved Alter Ego. I’m sure Taka will be thrilled with you.” 

Mondo’s face twisted with guilt. “I-I’m real sorry, Chihiro, I would never hurt ya like that...” Mondo couldn’t even look at Chihiro, and he silently took off Kiyotaka’s armband, clearly not feeling deserving of the trust Kiyotaka had given him. “I’m sorry Leon…” Mondo looked at Leon briefly. “I shouldn’t have shoved ya like that. I shoulda kept my cool.” 

Maya cringed next to him, and gestured to Leon, who was avoiding Mondo’s gaze. Phoenix could see guilt splayed across Leon’s features as well. “I’m sorry too,” Leon mumbled. “You would’ve kicked my ass anyway…”

“I’ll take ya to the nurse,” Mondo offered to Chihiro, still cradling his arm with a wince.

“I forgive you,” Chihiro said, managing a small smile and accepting Mondo’s offer. The two walked off towards the nurse’s office, Junko handing over Alter Ego on the way. 

“I’m going too,” Leon said rather suddenly, his face turning beet red, as he hurried to catch up with Mondo and Chihiro. He probably doesn’t want to face the fallout with the rest of the group yet, Phoenix reasoned, and he had been one of the key people acting out as well. He probably felt really guilty. 

Celeste sighed. “I believe it is best if we disperse and cool off,” she said. She walked off, Hifumi in tow. 

“Thank you for leaving me the sole male survivor of your rampage, Miss.” Hifumi bowed to Franziska as he left, who rolled her eyes. It was at least nice to see Hifumi not only keeping Chihiro’s secret, but showing his ability to grovel to any woman who scared him enough.

“Byakuya looks… rattled, Nick,” Maya gestured to where Byakuya was wordlessly walking away, still looking stunned. Toko was running after him, but he didn’t even seem to notice.  

“Man, I’m glad I didn’t get whipped,” Junko quipped, finally letting go of Phoenix’s arm. “Hey, Wrighto don’t you think this face is too pretty to get whipped?” 

“Yeah, it would be a shame,” Maya said, before Phoenix could say a word. Junko grinned, but Phoenix instead turned to where Pearl was walking over with Sayaka and Mukuro. Franziska was heading over as well, but Komaru was held up. Komaru was talking to Hina and Sakura, who seemed to be saying something nice, at least, judging by Komaru’s face lightening. The swimmer and the martial artist took their leave as well, and Komaru headed over. 

“Hey,” Komaru said to Junko and Mukuro, the last two remaining, “Do you guys mind giving us some space for a minute?” 

“Oh, for sure.” Junko grabbed onto Mukuro, whose eyebrows furrowed, like she wanted to protest. “We’ll be around.” She walked off with Mukuro close behind, and Phoenix could’ve sworn she saw Mukuro glance briefly at Komaru, then at Pearl, before turning to her sister. 

“We were coming to share our findings with you, Phoenix Wright.” Franziska said. “We just followed the yelling, because you have a tendency to cause mayhem wherever you go.” 

“You’re not wrong,” Phoenix sighed. “You, uh, really got upset at those guys.” 

“Someone had to break it up!” Komaru said, coming to Franziska’s defense. “Besides, you weren't doing anything. You were standing there next to the fashionista and Maya, and you looked like you’d seen a ghost. Franziska and her whip really showed them!” 

“I wonder if Makoto would approve of the whip,” Maya mused. 

“That one girl,” Franziska said. “I’d hoped that I’d never have to talk to her other vulgar personality again… and I am troubled that she took such pleasure from being whipped. That was meant to be a punishment.” 

“Not for Jill,” Maya sighed. 

“Let’s just talk about the findings,” Phoenix said. He really just wanted to get to Makoto now, and get out of the school. 

“Well, it wasn’t much,” Komaru admitted. “There was a lot of clothes and other crap, but we took note of the hoodies in his closet…. Makoto needs some variety in his wardrobe. Could you imagine wearing the same thing every day?” 

“Uh, what did you find?” Phoenix said, trying to ignore his blue suit. 

“I had Komaru make a sketch of the closet,” Franziska showed a manga style drawing of the closet, with the hoodies. There were three hangers empty, the rest had the hoodies. “I wrote on the back the sizes and colors of the hoodies. They are all the same.” 

Phoenix took the paper. “If this is what’s missing, then that means the three hoodies must be: the one Makoto is wearing now, the bloodied one from the first trial, and the last one worn by the true killer!” 

“Yes, but who would that be?” Franziska said. 

“Go to Edgeworth in the gymnasium, he’ll tell you,” Phoenix said, not wanting to go through everything a second time. 

“Was this helpful?” Komaru asked. 

“It is,” Phoenix nodded. “Thanks.” 

“As long as it helps my brother,” Komaru said, suddenly looking serious. “You’re going to talk to him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, we are.” Maya said. 

“Well, good luck.” Komaru managed a small smile. “Sometimes Makoto has a tendency to hold stuff in. Speaking as his sister, it’s kinda annoying.”

“My little brother is the same way,” Franziska said. “Komaru Naegi, will you be staying any longer?” 

Komaru shook her head. “I should be getting home… I’ve memorized the path I used so the press outside our house won’t see me. Thanks so much for helping me, and I’ll look for you tomorrow!” 

Franziska's lips curled into a small smile, and she offered Komaru a handshake. “I look forward to seeing you, Komaru Naegi.” Franziska released Komaru’s hand before heading into the gymnasium. 

“So, want to ride the bus with us?” Maya asked. 

Komaru nodded. “Sure! You guys seem like fun.” 

Maya grinned and tugged Komaru towards the front gates, Pearl following. Fun certainly was a word he could use to describe them, Phoenix thought. He certainly wasn’t having fun right now, though, and he had a feeling his day wasn’t about to get any better. In fact, this would be the toughest part, because he was about to face off with his own client.

Chapter Text

May 2nd

Detention Center, Visitor’s Room

The bus ride was mostly small talk with Komaru. She went on about some of the embarrassing stuff Makoto did when they were kids. Phoenix found himself managing a laugh or two with some of the stories, and he appreciated it. Komaru was refreshing to talk to, in that she wasn’t part of Hope’s Peak Academy. It got awkward when Maya started talking about some embarrassing stuff he’d done, though luckily the bus dropped Komaru off before Maya could humiliate him too much. Finally, they’d made it, and Phoenix’s good mood dissipated. The greys of the detention center and the coming questioning gave Phoenix a spike in nerves. Maya placed a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. They walked in to find Makoto talking to Kiyotaka, the latter listening attentively as Makoto talked. Makoto looked happy to see Kiyotaka, at least. 

“Taka, we need to talk to Makoto,” Maya said. “You can, uh, either wait outside or go back to school.” 

“I believe I should go back,” Kiyotaka said. “I am worried about missing a potential incident in my absence, as I must admit, it is rather tense.” 

“It’s uh, a little late for that,” Phoenix said bashfully. “There was a whole incident already… Byakuya said some things and Leon retorted and punched him-”