"Welcome to Wright and Co. Anything Agency, where-oh, it's you, Trucy." Apollo looked up from his tiny bit of workspace in the cluttered office, boxed in by magic show equipment on all sides and afforded only a threadbare view of the front door to the office and the signature blue of Trucy's dress. He disregarded her and went back to the legal forms he had been carefully penning that afternoon. "What's that you have in your hand?"
"Apollo! You have to take me here!" Trucy slapped the garish pink flier down on his desk, smearing some of the fresh ink on the legal papers before he could pull them away to safety.
"Could this wait?" He whimpered and turned away, but his boss' teenage daughter refused to let the flier leave his sight. "What's so big about Tres Bien?"
"Friday to Monday weekend event for Valentine's Day, couples get half off! That's like a buy-one-get-one-free sale!"
"It says that's on the admission charge, Trucy. You still have to pay for the meal." Apollo winced at the sight of the flier. The floral print and design was one thing, but the provocative imagery of scantily costumed young girls was something else. "Is this really the kind of restaurant for you, anyways?"
"Cody and Pearl are going, I wanted to hang out with them!"
"Then go with Machi."
"He has community service," Trucy huffed. "That and they don't allow unaccompanied minors in there."
"Go with your dad."
"He's taking Mommy." Trucy flatly stated, and Apollo looked at her quizzically. "...Maya Mommy, not Mommy Mommy."
"Speaking of which, what does your mother think of this?" Apollo took the damaged forms and replaced them with clean ones from a drawer-a precaution he had learned during his time at the agency. "...Our mother, that is."
"She's going with uncle Valant. But not as a real couple, that'd just be weird, they're like brother and sister. They'll still get the half-off, though, I think, it's not like you have to be a real couple. Which means you can take me!" She pointed and poked at the flier emphatically.
"Well, I'm now I'm definitely not going to." Apollo was looking down at his papers again and waved her off with his hand. "I'm not going to show my face at Tres Bien. Not with everyone there."
"Why not?" Trucy seemed genuinely curious rather than frustrated.
"It's really complicated, but let's just say the idea doesn't sit well with me." Apollo shrugged casually and continued writing. He felt something cold and smooth press up against his head, and he looked up yet again to see a big green comma between his eyes. "The way your father explained it to me, you don't have to actually press it against the person."
"Why do you have five psyche-locks, Polly?" Trucy had a mischievous smile on her lips, tilting her head as she pressed the magatama against his forehead. "And why are they black with little red hearts on them?"
"Okay, you want to play this game? Let's play this game." Apollo calmly folded his hands together and locked eyes with his magician half-sister. Calm as he seemed, and as easy-going as she was, there was a thick, tangible heat building up in the room, and for them reality seemed to freeze in place. He watched her watching him, sure that she could see each slight twitch of his face.
"You've been kind of skittish the past week or so. Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong." Apollo stuck his tongue out at her.
"Oh no, something is very, very wrong with this picture. I think you're missing something... Um, this is the part where I'm supposed to present evidence, but I don't really, um, have... um, anything to present. I mean, I don't have it, but I have it. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Trucy, this isn't a toy. You could hurt yourself. Maybe if you just told me what you were getting at?"
"Okay! Well, you're missing your bracelet. The one from Mommy, the one that lets you see things like I do." Trucy stared into him intently, watching how his breathing changed by milliseconds. "You have four locks now."
"I'm practicing using the power without it." He rubbed his bare wrist, visibly reddening.
"Who would you use it on? We haven't had any cases to investigate recently, and you only have this post-trial paperwork keeping you busy." Trucy's eyes widened, and she just about jumped five feet in the air. "Three locks!"
"Alright, this is embarrassing..." Apollo shook his head. "Do you really want to know the truth of why I don't have it?"
"Well, duh." She tilted her head and pressed the magatama against his head a little harder.
"I hate you forever." He rolled his eyes, trying to resist the mystical force urging the truth out of him. "It's... I don't have it any more."
"What, you lost it? Mommy's not going to be happy about that."
"Hey, it's mine to give awa-crap."
"Haha! Two locks in one go, there's one left! Who is it?"
"You can't ask me a question you don't know the answer to."
"Pfft, it's easy. You gave it to your girlfriend." Trucy placed her free hand triumphantly on her hip and waited for the last lock to break apart. She looked a little disappointed after half a minute of waiting and intense staring.
"Could you be more specific?"
"Well, I don't know her name. You never even told Daddy her name." She pulled the magatama away, and the aura that had been permeating the room evaporated.
"Wait, did Mr. Wright put you up to this?" Apollo rubbed the sore spot on his forehead. Realizing he had been sweating, he pulled out his handkerchief.
"Yes. No. Maybe. Your girlfriend's identity has kind of been on our minds for the better part of a year now." Trucy pocketed the magatama and wrung her hands. "But I really do want you to take me to Tres Bien this weekend."
"I can't, I won't. That's it." Apollo tried to return to his paperwork but was stopped by slender juvenile hands crashing down on his papers.
"Polly! You keep going out of your way to keep your private life a secret. I mean, I can understand in Daddy's case, because he's your boss, and he is kind of a nosy jerk sometimes, but..." Trucy couldn't keep looking at him, crumpling slightly as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm your sister, damn it. Stop treating me like a stranger."
"Trucy..." Apollo leaned up out of his chair slowly, rubbing her shoulders gently. "Alright. As your brother, I'll take you."
"Yay!" Trucy sprung up over the desk as though she hadn't just had an emotional breakdown half a second earlier and knocked Apollo over with an enthusiastic hug. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
"There, but for the grace of God..."
...
"Welcome back, Mister Justice!" The slender brunette stationed at Tres Bien's reception desk snapped her feet together and gave a quick salute. Apollo tried to maintain eye contact with the bespectacled woman, embarrassed as he was. "Phoenix Wright's expecting you."
"Yeah, Wright party. Couple discount?"
"Anything for you, Mister Justice." She smiled broadly and took a look at Trucy. "And who's this young lady?"
"I'm Trucy. Trucy Wright! And this is my brother, Apollo Justice!" Trucy mimicked the salute from earlier, and the receptionist returned it in kind. "What's your name, ma'am?"
"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Maggey. I didn't know you were related to Phoenix Wright, Mister Justice."
"It's complicated." Apollo shrugged. He craned his neck to look about the establishment. "Ah, which section are they in?"
"Oh, he reserved the Seven Stars buffet. You know where that is." Maggey picked up her clipboard and hugged it against her chest as she walked away. "I'll go let the other girls know you're here!"
Trucy looked at Apollo as he loosened his collar and quickly tried to make his way through the restaurant. He seemed to be avoiding looking at the waitresses and their frilly uniforms, so she finally asked, "Is she your girlfriend?"
"No bracelet." Apollo held up his bare wrist for her to see. The moment's distraction was enough for another familiar face to jump into view.
"Hi, Apollo!" The waitress's golden blonde curls bounced as much as she did; her body threatened to pop out of her bustier.
"Yeah. Um, hi." He gave a weak smile and tried to go on his way, but she grabbed him.
"Hey, now, we're on a first name basis... Is something wrong?"
"What? No, nothing-"
"Hi, I'm Trucy. Trucy Wright! You know my brother, too?" Trucy shoved Apollo aside to greet the blue-eyed girl.
"Oh, hi Trucy! I'm Regina. And yeah, actually, I do. Is he really your brother? Because around here, he's practically family!" She bounced in place and giggled. "Aren't you, Apollo?"
"Well-"
"Wow, he's real cozy with all the girls here?" Trucy mirrored Regina's enthusiasm.
"Totally, he comes around here all the time to see our-"
"Regina, I don't think I should be holding up your work."
"Ooh, you're right. But do say hi to all the other girls, won't you? We're working extra hard this weekend, and we could use the boost." Regina pinched Apollo's cheek and laughed before trotting off.
"Polly, there's something you're not telling me."
"Getting magatama'd in the middle of Tres Bien is the last thing I need." Apollo rattled off before continuing with Trucy in tow. She held on to his arm tightly, trying to slow him down. She secretly smiled to herself as another waitress came up to accost him, but it broke into a surprised gape when she saw...
"Ema." Apollo only nodded, trying to pass by quickly though his composure seemed to evaporate in the presence of her dress' nonexistent neckline.
"Justice, my face is over here." Ema gripped Apollo's chin and firmly turned him round to face her. She chuckled. "Wright said you two would be coming. I just wanted to say hello."
"Detective Skye, you do know it's February?" Trucy piped up.
"Uh, yeah, what of it?" Ema turned to the teenage girl.
"Why the lederhosen? Oktoberfest isn't for another eight months."
"It's not lederhosen, it's a dirndl!" Ema stamped her foot. "God, why doesn't anyone know that? This was such a stupid idea, I should never have listened to him..."
"Wait, Gavin put you up to this-" Apollo tried to cut in.
"NO." Ema straightened her hair and smoothed out her clothes.
"Ema, I have another question!" Trucy raised her hand high in the air. "Why are you wearing a dirndl?"
"We all wear costumes and such here, didn't you notice?"
"Yeah, but I thought you were a detective?"
"She moonlights as a waitress here, Trucy." Apollo coughed. "Being a detective doesn't exactly pay the bills these days."
"Neither does being a famous defense attorney."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
"Wait, so you knew Ema was working here all along?"
"Not that long." Ema laughed nervously. "I actually found the job through Apollo, when he got together with-"
"Well, it was nice seeing you but we have a party! Have a good evening and I hope your dare works out." Apollo rushed Trucy off towards the buffet room in the back. Ema just crossed her arms and shook her head before picking up another order.
"It's a good thing you don't have your bracelet, Polly, you wouldn't be able to walk five feet in here without getting your head stuck in someone's cleavage!"
"Did this ever seem like a good idea...?"
...
"Blonde or brunette?"
"Maybe she's a redhead, you know how he likes the color red."
"Is she a redhead?"
"Where did you meet her?"
"Does she know you're here?"
"What are you doing tomorrow for Valentine's? Or is that a secret?"
"Is she taller than you?"
"Who isn't?"
Apollo refused to answer any of their questions, burying his attention in tea.
"Apollo, I would love to hear more about her. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Thalassa placed a reassuring palm on his shoulder. "I'm your mother, you can tell me these things."
"Didn't you want to meet my parents first?"
"Yes, but you told me they live halfway across the continent. At least, that's what I remember!" The older woman laughed.
"You all really ought to leave the young man alone. He's an adult, and I can understand an adult's need for privacy. Being a magician by trade, I know the power of secrets." The old magician Valant nodded sagely.
"Then you should know the significance of that bracelet I gave him. I would love to meet the woman he gave it to, she must be interesting."
"Why aren't we eating dinner yet?" Apollo spoke up.
"We're waiting for one more guest." Phoenix pulled up the faded blue sleeve of his suit to check his wristwatch. "Not like him to be late."
"He has his reasons, I'm sure." Ema stepped in with a fresh pot of tea.
"You look tired, Ema, all that waiting and serving... You should join us!" Maya took the time to get out of her seat next to Phoenix to bring her teacup around the table for a refill. "Really, ask your manager, I'll cover the cost."
"Oh, Maya, you're too good to me." The two women exchanged a light hug, Ema still holding on to her tray. "Walking around all day in heels, I don't know how you do it."
"Consider wearing flats; they would be easier on your posture, and contrary to popular belief I think they don't detract from your appearance." A stiff, dry man spoke up from the entryway. He bowed slightly as everyone turned towards him. "Apologies for my late arrival."
"Edgeworth!"
"Edgeworth?"
"Son of a bitch!" Ema spun around and pitched the teapot at him; he summarily ducked, and the earthware landed square in the arms of a much taller man.
"Hey, careful, pal! I just washed this coat!"
"I'm sorry, Ema-" Edgeworth's apology was cut short as his lips were closed off by Ema's. The man with the teapot respectfully stepped out of the way as the couple bowled towards a nearby wall.
"So, uh, Gumshoe... why was Edgeworth late?" Maya couldn't take her eyes off the heated snogging going on in the corner.
"Oh, I'm really sorry about that. See, I had plans to visit Maggey here, but I couldn't afford to feed myself, let alone the admission charge... I spent the better part of the past hour begging Edgeworth to get me in on the couples discount. Yep! Edgeworth and I are a couple, how crazy is that, pal?" Gumshoe beamed, and save for the heavy breathing behind him, there was a pregnant pause in the conversation. He blinked, and coughed. "Uh, yeah, that came out wrong."
"Relax, you're among friends. You should bring Maggey in here. Don't worry about the bill, I was just telling Ema I would cover the cost." Maya smiled and continued past him to break up the reverie, and Gumshoe excused himself to fetch Maggey.
"It's weird seeing Edgeworth getting all hot and bothered like that." Phoenix remarked, then he turned to Apollo with a smirk. "You and your girlfriend like that?"
"I don't have to tell you anything." Apollo crossed his arms coolly and leaned back in his chair.
"Just a moment ago you were flustered at the thought, and now you're being the wiseguy?"
"Let's just say I had an interesting thought. Don't worry, I'll introduce everyone to her soon enough. In the meantime, let's figure out what we're ordering."
"Oh yes, dinner. I'm not the variety of man that frequents this sort of establishment, do tell, how is it?" Valant leaned over the table, if only to sneak glances at Ema's dirndl.
"It's phenomenal. Best cooking in the county, bar none." Phoenix slapped the table for emphasis. "But it wasn't always like that. I actually had a case involving this place once, Maya helped me with that one. A single lunch dish cost twenty bucks, and it tasted like crap!"
"So what happened, then? With the food."
"Well, I can't say for sure. I'm no restaurant buff, but the food here is good now, and that's what counts."
"And it wasn't always a place for pervy old lonely bachelors like Daddy and his friends!"
"Now, now, Trucy, Edgeworth and I only came here to give your Uncle Larry some moral support."
"Moral support nothing, frankly I'm apalled women volunteer themselves for such degradation." Edgeworth finally took his seat, cravat stained with pink gloss.
"Says the man who suggested I wear this stupid thing?"
"It was your decision to work here, and I'll respect that. Moreover, doesn't it remind you of our times in Germany? I thought you liked Germany."
"You're a dork, Miles." Ema kissed his forehead and took a seat next to him. "Ich liebe dich."
"Ich liebe dich."
"You sure you two don't need your own room? I mean, Maya is paying for everyone as it is."
"Nick, the point of this was to get everyone together! As far as I'm concerned, everyone here is family. Even you, Gumshoe and Maggey!" Maya reclaimed her spot next to Nick and waved over the latecomers when she spotted a third in the back. "And you, too, uh..."
"Oh, Maya! This is the manager. She needs to speak with you about the party arrangements." Maggey stepped aside for everyone to see.
Amidst the garish colors of the restaurant, the manager was like a single black brush stroke, graceful and composed. When he saw her, Apollo got up from his seat and never broke eye contact with her as he walked around to greet her with a tender kiss. Apollo turned to face the group, his arms wrapped about this lovely shadow.
"This is... well, like she said. This is my family. Everyone, I'd like you to meet Viola."
...END...