*chirp, chirp*
Worker 1:
Hey, are you done packing? We need to move to the next performance location by tomorrow. If you don’t hurry, Ringmaster Ripley will have your head.
[T/N: Takasaka hence known as Ripley.]
Worker 2:
Yeah, I know. I’m almost done.
*meow*
Worker 1:
H-Hey, there it is again. I can hear that creepy sound again.
Worker 2:
Yeah. It’s coming from the ringmaster’s trailer.
Worker 1:
I keep hearing it every night for the past week! What the heck is it?
Worker 2:
It’s that thing the ringmaster’s so fond of. There’s rumors going around that it's a real cat monster.
Worker 1:
Cat monster?! Is that true?!
Worker 2:
Who knows. But it’s not much of a surprise if that ringmaster owned a cat monster or two, is it.
Worker 1:
Don’t freak me out! This circus already has enough spooky creatures as it is...
*scowl*
0:57
Apollo:
Mr. Wright! I finished write-up on those files you wanted.
Phoenix:
Thanks, Apollo. Good work.
Apollo:
Um, if there’s nothing else left for me to do here, may I go home for today?
Phoenix:
Hm? I don’t mind.
Trucy:
Hey, Athena. Don’t you think Apollo has been leaving here early more often these days?
Athena:
Yeah! Something must be going on.
Trucy:
Something? Like what?
Athena:
Like, maybe he’s got a girlfriend?
Trucy:
Whaaaat!? Apollo's got a girlf-
Athena:
Shh! Keep your voice down, Trucy!
Trucy:
I’m sorry! I was so surprised that I couldn’t help myself.
Athena:
Listen, Trucy. The number one reason why men leave for home early from work and turn down invitations from their pals to hang out... is because of a girlfriend.
Trucy:
Is that so?
Athena:
Yeah, it is! Well, not that I know for sure.
Trucy:
Then why don’t we just ask him?
Athena:
Eh?
Trucy:
Apollo, is it true that you have a girlfriend now?
Athena:
Wha!? Trucy!
Apollo:
Huh? W-What are you talking about?
Trucy:
Oh, so it's not? Athena said that the reason why you leave work early is because your girlfriend is waiting for you at home with a home-cooked meal ready.
Athena:
I didn’t say that much!
Apollo:
T-That’s not it! I don’t have a girlfriend.
Trucy:
Aw. Athena, it looks like we were wrong after all. Apollo doesn’t have a girlfriend. He said even when he’s back at home, he’s all alone!
Apollo:
! ...I didn’t say that much...
Trucy:
So why have you been leaving for home early lately?
Apollo:
I found a cat the other day. Since it’s wearing a collar, I figured I’d keep it at home until I manage to find its owner. I want to get home as soon as I can so I can feed it.
Trucy:
Oh, just a cat? I thought it was strange since I didn’t think you could manage to find a girlfriend.
Apollo:
!! ...So it’s strange if I find a girlfriend... huh.
Athena:
Trucy, your words are like a throwing knife hitting the bulls-eye every time...
Trucy:
Oh, that’s right! Speaking of cats, I have an announcement to make for all of you!
Phoenix:
Announcement?
Trucy:
I’m going to be holding a big magic show at a circus soon!
Athena:
A big magic show at a circus? That’s wonderful!
Trucy:
The world has finally realized my talent! Now I’m one of the big-hat magicians!
Apollo:
How did talking about cats lead you to that topic?
Athena:
Trucy, what’s the name of that circus?
Trucy:
Um... if I recall... I think it was called "Showy Shot Circus"...
[T/N: From now on, it's "Showy Shot".]
Apollo:
Have you heard of it?
Athena:
Nope.
Phoenix:
Hmm, it’s a circus that’s famous for its eccentric performing animals... right?
Apollo:
Mr. Wright, you know of it?
Phoenix:
I haven’t seen it for myself, though.
Athena:
What do you mean by eccentric animals?
Apollo:
Do you mean white tigers, or white lions, or white bears?
Athena:
Wouldn’t a white bear just be a polar bear?
Phoenix:
There’s those, and then there’s also a black zebra with white stripes and a chameleon with a 256 color palette.
Apollo:
A black zebra with white stripes... isn't really much to brag.
Athena:
If it has a 256 color palette, that’s a really tiny difference in between colors! Is it even easy to tell?
Phoenix:
I’ve heard they also have UMA and goblins.
Apollo:
UMA are unidentified mysterious animals that aren’t proven to exist, right? And goblins? This circus sounds fishy...
Athena:
Trucy, are you really going to hold your magic show there?
Trucy:
Yep. The ringmaster Mr. Ripley called our office the other day and asked for me directly.
Apollo:
I see... Maybe he didn’t want just eccentric animals but also an eccentric magician...
Trucy:
Apollo, did you say something?
Apollo:
N-No, nothing!
Athena:
So, what magic will you be performing, Trucy?
Trucy:
Well, my main magic trick was assigned to me by the ringmaster. There’s a calico cat named Michelangelo who’s the circus mascot, and he wants me to make it disappear in front of the audience. Of course, I’ll be coming up with the trick myself.
Apollo:
Michelangelo? That’s a fancy name. Is there something eccentric about that cat, too?
Trucy:
Actually, I met with the ringmaster yesterday to discuss the contents of the show. He introduced me to Michelangelo then, and from what I saw, it was a normal calico cat.
Apollo:
Eccentric animals is their selling point, isn’t it? Why would they have a normal calico, then?
Trucy:
Hmm, well, according to the ringmaster, Michelangelo is a very rare cat.
Athena:
In a circus filled with eccentric animals, there is one cat who looks normal at first glance. However, keep in mind that this circus has rumors that it houses goblins.
Apollo:
W-What about it?
Athena:
What if that cat isn’t a normal cat, but really some sort of monster? I bet it has nine tails like the Nine-tailed Fox, and cries with a creepy voice in the middle of the night.
Apollo:
Domestic cat monsters in mythology only have two tails.
Trucy:
Hmm, Michelangelo had only one tail.
Athena:
It transformed itself to look like a normal cat during the day! We even have ‘cat monster’ as a term for it. But when night falls, it reveals its true form and to the humans it’s next to, it opens its mouth wide and-
Apollo:
Then the ringmaster would already be inside its belly by now.
Trucy:
It was eating cat food when I saw it. It’s very cute.
Athena:
Aw, man. You guys have no imagination!
Phoenix:
Could that calico be...? Is Michelangelo a male cat?
Apollo:
Well, its name is male... but what about it?
Phoenix:
If it is, it would be a very valuable cat. Male calico cats are rare to come by.
Apollo:
Whoa, really?
Phoenix:
From what I’ve heard, one male calico cat would be born out of every 30,000.
Athena:
That means it’s really rare, huh?
Phoenix:
They’ll almost never be sold at pet shops. If you tried to buy one, the price for it would range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
[T/N: Several thousand to million in yen.]
Athena:
S-Several hundred to several thousand?!
Phoenix:
Male calico cats normally can’t reproduce, but apparently right now in the world there is one male calico cat who can, and some rich person from some country has put up a bid of one million dollars for it.
Apollo:
O-One million?! One million for just one cat...?
Trucy:
Hmm, I see.
Apollo:
“I see”... Trucy, look! This is one million we’re talking about here! If we moved to a super luxurious office, we’d still have tons of money left over!
Phoenix:
Well, this is only conjecture on my part. It would explain why they have such a normal-looking cat there.
Apollo:
W-Will you be okay, Trucy?!
Trucy:
Huh? About what?
Apollo:
If you hurt Michelangelo anywhere, imagine the indemnities we'll have to pay! Even if we moved to a rundown office, we’d never pay it all back!
Trucy:
Are you trying to say that I’ll mess up my magic trick?
Apollo:
No, that’s not what I meant but... a million bucks...
Trucy:
Apollo, do you know this saying? “Magic is taking back what’s been erased.”
Apollo:
Sounds like an advertisement.
Trucy:
Don’t worry. No matter what sort of cat Michelangelo is, I’ll make sure my magic trick is a success! Personally though, I’d rather erase a bigger animal... Like an elephant, or a giraffe, or a panda... or even a whale!
Apollo:
Circuses don’t have whales.
Phoenix:
Ha ha. It looks like the value of the cat doesn't mean anything to her.
Trucy:
Well, if something does go wrong though, I know that my generous Daddy will pay it off for me!
Phoenix:
...Don't go there...
Trucy:
In any case, come watch my big magic show!
Mr. Hat:
If I may extend a warm welcome to you with the expectation of great entertainment. Please do come.
10:11
*applause*
Apollo:
Mr. Wright, did you just see that?! That chameleon really did change 256 colors!
Phoenix:
W-Well, I didn’t manage to count them all, but... Apollo, you’re pretty excited
for this, aren’t you?
Apollo:
Actually, this is my first time seeing a live circus! It really is interesting!
Athena:
I get the feeling this circus is different from a normal circus...
Apollo:
Look at that clown! It’s a Yeti! A Yeti! A UMA as a clown, that’s amazing!
Athena:
It sure is! The Yeti can even speak normal English...
[T/N: Aka Japanese.]
Yeti:
Yay! Next up, the drop-dead gorgeous magician Miss Trucy Wright will perform the biggest magic show of the century! Yaaay!
Trucy:
Hello, everyone! I’m the drop-dead gorgeous magician, Trucy Wright!
*cheers*
Trucy:
Welcome to Trucy’s magic show! Please enjoy the biggest magic show of the century that I’m about to perform!
Phoenix:
Oh! It’s her turn! We were waiting for you, Trucy!
Apollo:
You can do it, Trucy! We’re watching over you! Trucy Wright is FINE!
Athena:
Apollo, your voice is too loud...
Phoenix:
That girl is actually my daughter. Oh, an autograph? Yes, of course that’s alright! I’ll ask her after the show. Ha ha ha...
Athena:
And Mr. Wright is too crazy about his kid...
12:01
Trucy:
Now, it’s time for the main event! Here I have this circus’s mascot cat, Michelangelo! I’m going to make him disappear in the blink of an eye!
Apollo:
That’s the cat worth one hundred million yen, huh... It does give off a high-class aura.
Athena:
We haven’t determined yet that it’s a rare cat.
Trucy:
What I’ve just pulled out here are the pink magic panties! First, I put Michelangelo inside these panties...
You can still see that he’s underneath it, right? Now, are you ready? Watch very closely. 3, 2, 1... Yah!
*cheers*
Apollo:
Whoa! It really vanished!
Athena:
Wow! Trucy, awesome!
Phoenix:
That’s it, Trucy! That’s my daughter!!
Trucy:
Now, everyone, look up! The Michelangelo whom you thought had vanished will now appear on a trapeze!
Apollo:
W-What!!? A cat on a trapeze!?!?
Athena:
Apollo, you’re getting way too excited.
Trucy:
Michelangelo, come on in! ...Come in, Michelangelo! ...Um... Michelangelo?
Athena:
He isn’t coming out...
Apollo:
Trucy sure does know how to build the suspense!
Athena:
Is this part of the performance?
Phoenix:
No, it’s not. If anything, Trucy looks like she's hit a roadblock.
Trucy:
H-Huh? Michelangelo? Heyyyy!
Athena:
T-Then, does that mean... she messed up?
Apollo:
What!? B-but, that can’t be...
Trucy:
U-Um... this is, um...
Ripley:
Michelangelo disappeared!?
Trucy:
Ringmaster!
Athena:
W-Who is that fat old man in the bright clothes?
Phoenix:
He seems to be the ringmaster. His name was "Mr. Ripley", if I recall.
Ripley:
What’s going on? Why en’t me darling cat coming out?!
Trucy:
Why? What are you doing here, ringmaster?
Ripley:
Oh, I got it! You used your magic show to take Michelangelo under me very nose!
Trucy:
Huh? M-Me?
Apollo:
Take Michelangelo?
Athena:
Under his nose?
Phoenix:
What is this?
Trucy:
N-no way! I wouldn’t steal Michelangelo. And I haven’t!
Ripley:
Then where is me Michelangelo now?! Bring him out now! Right now!
Trucy:
But! I...
Ripley:
You can’t, eh? Then it’s true! You pretended to make him vanish through magic and stole me darling!
You all saw it! This girl is the criminal who stole Michelangelo! Everyone here is me witness!
Trucy:
N-No!
Apollo:
Mr. Wright! What's going on here?
Athena:
Trucy would never steal Michelangelo!
Phoenix:
It's like Athena says. Still, why isn’t that cat showing up?
Ripley:
Police! Call the police right now and have them arrest the criminal who stole me darling!
Apollo:
This is bad, Mr. Wright! If we don’t do something, Trucy will...!
Athena:
Let’s get down there!
Phoenix:
Yeah, let’s go.
16:05
Worker 1:
Ringmaster, the police have arrived.
Ripley:
You finally came! We’ve been waiting for you!
Fulbright:
IN JUSTICE WE TRUUUST! Ha ha ha!
Ripley:
You’re... the police?
Fulbright:
Verily. I, Bobby Fulbright, a hero on the side of justice, have arrived!
Apollo:
Oh, no... it’s Detective Fulbright.
Athena:
I feel tired just watching him.
Fulbright:
Oh, I thought you looked familiar! It’s you guys! Why on earth are you here?
Apollo:
We came here to see the circus. Trucy told us she had a magic show here.
Ripley:
Hmph! You guys are friends of this thief then, eh?
Athena:
C-Can I punch this guy?! Trucy isn’t a thief, you jerk!
Ripley:
Everyone in the audience saw her steal Michelangelo!
Apollo:
It was just a magic trick! It’s still too early to say that she was the one who stole him!
Ripley:
Then why don’t you bring me Michelangelo back right now? C’mon! Right now!
Fulbright:
Now, now, calm down, sir! No need to rush! Now that Bobby Fulbright, the detective of justice has arrived, the case has already been solved!
Ripley:
Now that sounds promising! Arrest this thief at once, sir! I claim damages against me!
Fulbright:
A loud voice is proof that you’re energetic. By the way, who would you happen to be?
Ripley:
Oh, excuse my late introduction. I’m the ringmaster of this Showy Shot Circus, Kirk Ripley.
Fulbright:
I heard the gist of the incident here while I was on my way. A cat has been stolen?
Ripley:
It en’t just any cat! Me Michelangelo is a male calico cat, a very rare existence and of very, very, veeery high value! This brat here knew that and stole me Michelangelo from me! The damages I’ve suffered are enormous! I demand my consolation!
Phoenix:
So it was a male calico cat.
Athena:
Now you listen here, Mr. Ripley. Michelangelo vanished through a magic trick, not through some plot to steal him! If things had gone right, that cat was supposed to appear on a trapeze, right? Then we should be thinking that some kind of accident happened during that time to make the cat disappear!
Ripley:
No, this girl stole him! I can’t think of anything else! I claim damages! I claim consolation money!
Apollo:
Please, sir, try to be more flexible. You’re so hardheaded...
Ripley:
Don’t you go talking about me head, boy! Look at you, with that horn on yours!
Apollo:
! This is a set hairstyle!!
Fulbright:
WHOOOOAAA!! In Justice We Trust!! Don’t get so heated up!! Let’s all think about this calmly and rationally!!!
Athena:
Detective Fulbright, you're the most heated up.
Fulbright:
Whatever the case, it's undeniable that the cat has gone missing. Therefore, we must investigate whether the cat has indeed disappeared at some point during the magic trick!
Athena:
But how?
Fulbright:
Ha ha ha! With me around, that is simple! Asking the magician directly is the best way to go! Now, explain to us your magic deeds!
Athena:
Oh, so you’re relying on Trucy anyway.
Trucy:
You... want me to tell you the secret of my magic trick?
Fulbright:
Yes, of course. If we don’t know the secret, we won’t know where Mr. Calico Cat is hiding.
Apollo:
Tell us, Trucy. Then we can prove that you haven’t stolen Michelangelo.
Athena:
In any case, just tell us everything you know.
Trucy:
...
Apollo:
What’s the matter, Trucy?
Athena:
Don’t stay quiet, tell us.
Trucy:
I can’t.
Apollo:
You can’t?
Athena:
T-Trucy?
Phoenix:
Trucy, don’t tell me...
Fulbright:
Hm? You are suspected right now. If you stay quiet now, that means you admit to your crime.
Trucy:
I... did it.
Fulbright:
Eh?
Apollo:
W-Whaaaat!?