The silence was grating, as usual. With their headstart – which now turned out not to be a headstart – the journey to Folsense was going to take a little while longer than any of them would have liked. After another two minutes of stiff silence, Grosky puffed out his chest and coughed indignantly.
"I for one, would like to know what happened next in the story."
The other members of the Bostonius looked to each other and then outbursts of agreement found their way to the lips of all the agents. Despite how grim they felt, Flora and Clive both nodded. As painful as the story had been, they needed to know what happened next. They were only just getting to the exciting bit, after all.
Hershel sighed and crossed his arms.
"Very well. I shall regale you the order of events that proceeded our incursion to the Auriolus HQ."
Another sigh, and then Hershel found himself smiling.
"It was a trial involving the esteemed Phoenix Wright; that guarantees a high level of stress, anticipation, and stunning comebacks. All in all, it makes for quite a story."
*****
-Fourteen Months Ago-
-Note: For those who have not played Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, or are not familiar with the Ace Attorney series, there shall be many references in the following chapters that may confuse you. If you wish, you may skip ahead to the modern story (when it is posted), but should you still wish to read on and do not wish to be left in the dark, I shall provide a brief summary of characters here:
Phoenix Wright: A renowned defence attorney famous for turning hopeless cases around and getting his defendant found innocent, as well as finding the real killer. He has handled many cases in his career, losing only once to date. He founded the Wright Anything Agency, which comprised of several lawyers, and his old partner, Maya Fey, as seen in Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Wright seems not to have a very close relationship with technology. He claims to be no good at math, and when he encounters any form of advanced technology, he can only really regurgitate the information fed to him by others. Phoenix Wright is generally quite easy-going in his outlook. His relaxed attitude usually leads to his hyperactive friends leading him around or taking advantage of his good nature. Wright also has somewhat of a sarcastic side that he usually keeps to himself. This tends to manifest itself when dealing with the eccentric characters he comes across, including his friends. As a lawyer, Wright is dedicated to defending and believing in his innocent clients. This loyalty is so great that he often ends up risking his career and even his life for them on several occasions.
Miles Edgeworth: Chief Prosecutor of the prosecutor's office in Los Angeles. During his first four years as a prosecutor, he had a perfect win record in trials owing to his willingness to do just about anything to get a guilty verdict for the defendant. His defeat in court at the hand of his childhood friend Phoenix Wright was the beginning of a series of seismic shifts in his attitude concerning his profession. He even quit twice, only to return each time with a fresh outlook on how he conducted his life. By the time of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations (the third Ace Attorney game), he had become an international prosecutor who had prosecuted in five other countries, as well as being known as the top prosecutor in his homeland. His goal as a prosecutor is to seek the truth above all else, and to use the power of the law to save people. Edgeworth is usually calm and level-headed, but is typically seen as a snob due to his cold, ruthless, and generally aloof nature. He has a certain lack of social skills and tact, making him very insecure and awkward around others. In fact, he was taught as a child to glare at people who looked at him, unwittingly intimidating them. He also has difficulties with some names. Although generally loath to admit it, he cares deeply for his friends, going to great lengths to assist them.
Judge: The unnamed judge who has presided over nearly all of the cases taken on by the Wright Anything Agency. He is often confused as trials that should conclude quickly are thrown into chaos as Phoenix finds a contradiction.
Getting out of the Auriolus building proved a little more difficult than getting in. Fortunately, Alexandros led them through lesser used shortcuts, and they found their last leg of the journey crawling through air vents until they stumbled outside into fresh air. And of course, they solved a puzzle or two along the way.
Once the three were clear of the immediate area, they met Archie and Elizabeth, their N.P.A friends and bid them a fond farewell, yet a hasty one as well. Darkness ran a cloud over the trio's hearts: Hershel's and Luke's for the pain that was personal to them, and Alexandros, whose pain came from knowing the monster whom he called father.
And yet, as much as tears threatened to erupt into fits of depression, they knew they had a massive task ahead of them. Hershel and Luke had faith in Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney, despite the overwhelming odds presented. Sure, Auriolus would have the best prosecutor money could buy, but a great heart and inquisitive mind would take Phoenix a long way.
Pulling out the card Detective Gumshoe gave him earlier, Hershel made for the nearest telephone booth, Luke and Alexandros running to keep up with the Professor's rapid pace. He dialled the number and waited. A few seconds passed and then finally the call picked up.
"Hello, Dick Gumshoe speaking."
"Detective Gumshoe, this is Hershel Layton. I wish to call upon a favour. It involves our mutual friend, a certain Phoenix Wright."
Hershel could not see it, but the Detective's face had lit up like Barton's upon seeing a bag of doughnuts.
"Righto, Professor. I don't know what you've got planned, but I know this will be great. Whatever happens, count me in."
*****
"So you want to take on the most formidable company in America?" Phoenix Wright asked, sweat already forming at his brow. "If anyone else had asked me..."
Hershel smiled, but frowned at the noticeable lack of an old friend.
"Yeah," Wright sighed. "Maya couldn't be here, what with going off to master the Kurain technique."
Luke grinned slyly and nudged the Professor.
"Well, you've got the Professor at your side now!"
"That is true," Phoenix nodded. "Better there than opposite me again, hey?"
Hershel shared in his amusement, but the great weight of all he had learned still loomed over him. Phoenix noted his crossed expression and bit his lip. Coughing then, he moved the conversation along.
"Well, I'm honoured you would ask me. I'd have sent Apollo in for a case like this, but then I guess you are an old friend."
Luke pulled back his hat, marvelling at how fast things had happened in less than two days.
It had only been a day since the whole thing had kicked off. After the accusations - and a private meeting with Costillos that Hershel had yet to tell Luke of, the media went crazy. Hershel had been fortunate enough to slip away from the reporters back to the Triton household. From there, he had contacted Phoenix, and now, in the Wright Anything Agency law office, they were preparing themselves for tomorrow's fateful trial.
The office itself wasn't all too spacious, but it did look very homey, and Luke found himself resisting the urge to jump on one of the two sofas that faced each other. He only smiled thinly and thought of the days where he would have done so. Now he wouldn't. How strange, he thought bitterly. I must be growing up.
A strange blue top hat caught Hershel's eye, and Luke asked if the Professor wanted to try it on, attempting to regain some of that lost excitement.
"That's Trucy's," Phoenix chuckled softly, scratching his hair. "She's uh... Well she's kind of my daughter. I adopted her."
Hershel smiled, images of his own two children now springing to mind.
"It appears we have both adopted children of our own."
"Would Luke be one of them?"
Hershel grinned but shook his head, supressing a laugh.
"Not quite. I have a daughter, Flora, and recently a son, Clive. They couldn't be here on this trip. Flora is in her exam period, and Clive thought it best I go alone."
Luke raised his eyebrow, taking in this new knowledge. The Professor had kept such a big piece of information a secret all this time? It didn't seem like him?
And what about Clive? Could they not be friends now? Did Clive not want to see him?
"Professor..." Luke inquired, passing a precariously placed teapot, and avoiding a fork that had a spaghetti strand cling desperately from it onto the mess of pasta below. "Why didn't you tell me you adopted Clive?"
Hershel held back a sigh, and then took a seat, gesturing for Luke to do the same.
"Truthfully, I did not want you to feel jealous. Of course, I know you are a mature young man, but still I feared. It was foolish of me, and I apologise."
Luke slowly nodded, swallowing the Professor's words. Before he could say more, a small cough diverted their attention to their fourth, and almost forgotten last member.
"I don't mean to be rude," Alexandros coughed, eyes darting about, not settling on any one thing in particular. "But we have to deal with my father."
A severity gripped the room then, and Phoenix gulped.
"About that." The lawyer chuckled, closing his eyes as he scratched his hair nervously. "I wanted to say, I usually defend someone who is accused of being guilty. What you want me to do... It's a little out of my comfort zone."
Hershel shook his head slightly and offered the attorney a smile.
"Oh no, Mr. Wright. I assure you, you shall be defending the innocent in this case."
"Even so, I'll pretty much be a prosecutor myself. You'd be better off asking Edgeworth to do this."
"I only know of one attorney, and I was assured I had found the best."
Once again, Phoenix scratched his head, this time his cheeks flushing red.
"That's awfully nice of you, Professor. Still, I can't just become a prosecutor. I'm sorry, but I just don't think I can help you."
"I fear you may be right," Hershel sighed, standing and moving to the door. Luke's eyes followed the Professor urgently. Alexandros looked as confused as when he had walked in the room. "However," Hershel turned, a gleeful smile teasing now. "I am not asking you to attack Costillos Monriel, but to defend but one who is truly in need of defending right now."
As Hershel arched his arm upwards, finger pointing dramatically, gasps lit up around the room, all eyes focused on one figure now. The young lad Hershel now faced. Luke.
*****
"Professor..." Luke began, beginning to lose his words. "B-but I have done nothing wrong!"
"Quite right, Luke." Hershel nodded, placing his hand onto his cheek, eyes closed as he adopted his expression of deep thought. "And yet, there is one detail I have kept from you. When this court date was set, I slipped away from you, do you remember? Luke nodded, recalling how the Professor had told him the previous night that he needed to check on something. It was the usual espionage Layton mission that Luke had grown accustomed to.
"I had been called to meet Costillos. Alone." Before gasps and questions could fill the room, Hershel continued. "I was assured no harm would come upon me. Costillos merely wished to tell me one thing. He has declared you as a trespasser, and a villain.
"He has claimed that the diary was planted by you, and just as we have evidence against him, he has evidence against you."
Luke looked quizzically at the Professor, who crossed his arms then, continuing.
"Cameras caught you sneaking into the construction site. And into the Auriolus building."
Phoenix stood by Alexandros, both now caught in all the chaos. Luke shook his head and then held his hat with one hand, the other pointing at Hershel.
"B-but, you were at both places too! Couldn't Alexandros blame you as well?!"
Hershel offered his apprentice a sly grin, and nodded.
"That he has. We are both accused."
Phoenix scratched at his hair once more. He coughed.
"But you said only one person was accused?"
The Professor looked to Phoenix, shaking his head slightly.
"I believe you shall find I actually said something quite different."
Alexandros spoke up, surprising Hershel and Luke once more with his timing.
"He said... The Professor said to defend but one... That means..."
As the young boy trailed off, Phoenix crossed his arms, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That Luke was only one person accused. So I'll be defending two people now." Hershel nodded towards Alexandros. "Three... I see." Phoenix remained silent for a few seconds, before finally shaking his head warily. "Way to heighten the intensity, Professor!"
Hershel smiled once more, and took a seat, eyeing the teapot.
"We have much to discuss," he explained. "We have to gather some more evidence by tomorrow, and discuss a plan of attack. After what we have learned, and what is to come, there is little time for humour."
"So..." Luke started. "You were just livening the mood?"
"Precisely." Hershel sighed. "I don't think it lightened it, however."
"You can say that again!" Phoenix said in retort.
Moving over to the teapot, Phoenix grabbed it and walked to the kitchen area, pushing aside a mountain of dirty plates. Inwardly promising to clean up one day, he put the kettle on and sighed. What the Professor was suggesting was madness. To take on Auriolus!
And yet... Phoenix had faced innumerable odds before. Impossible odds. And he always defeated all doubt, and proved his skill. The Professor was right. If anyone could bring down such a powerful corporation, it was him. And if not...
Well, he could always move to Russia. It's nice up there this time of year isn't it? he thought grimly to himself.
* * * * *
A note to fans:
As I have stated several times over the last few weeks, this current part of the story is the most technical. As I write a whole Ace Attorney trial, I find myself changing details, removing others, and always being reminded of how hard it is to make a smaller version of the real cases seen in the games. It makes me deeply respect, and envy the Ace Attorney team for being able to come up with such complex trials, and sometimes in so short a time as well.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and enjoy all those to come!
P.S. I pride myself on clever titles, but just look at this one! I love it!