//------------------------------// // Be Prepared For Anything // Story: Phoenix Flight: Ace Attorney: Welcome to Turnabout! // by Magic Step //------------------------------// The morning of Twilight’s trial was a cold one. No. He had to stop thinking about that. It wasn’t his case. He had to just let this go. It was 7 AM but Phoenix didn’t feel like getting up. There was no heat with the window broken and everything was dark. No sun to greet him. Phoenix lay in bed, staring morosely at the motionless ceiling fan. He had had a chance to finally be in court, and he blew it. No. He didn’t blow it. He did the best he could. But at the end of the day, he was just a talentless hack. Talentless. He felt- or at least imagined he felt- his skin heating up, so he sprang out of bed to mix up his medicine. When he got there he started in fear. Sometime yesterday, for some reason that was no doubt horrible, Mystic Faerie must have set up a mirror in the kitchen: a floor length one on the side of a cabinet and very avant garde, probably. But now Phoenix found himself faced with his own reflection, and internally he screamed. He hated how he looked. So scrawny and scruffy. Not to mention his broken wings. And he could almost still count his ribs despite how well the Faeries had been feeding him, a pitiful reminder of the stupid life he lived before the two sisters had rescued him. During the rest of his morning chores he did his best to ignore it, but after he put on his jacket, morbid curiosity drove him to check again. Well, the worst parts of himself were hidden now. He liked how he looked in a tie. He really liked his spikey mane. And most of all, he liked the shiny faux-gold attorney badge on his lapel, a reminder of everything he’d worked for. “Only girls worry about how they look in the mirror.” Phoenix started and whirled around to see an amused Mystic Faerie behind him. “H-how long have you been there?” “Just now, but I couldn’t resist,” Mystic Faerie said. She levitated another thick list over to Phoenix. “I have another bunch of errands for you; things are going to be slow for a while since I’ve wrapped up my most recent cases nicely, so you shouldn’t find these too arduous. I have a meeting with a window company, though.” “I’m sorry…” Phoenix repeated. “Well, here’s your chance to make up for it.” Mystic Faerie pushed the list into Phoenix’s hooves. “Please have lunch ready by noon; I’ll see you then.” She started to duck out, then looked over her shoulder. “Also, my sister said she’d be at the courthouse all day, so if I catch you two back here, no matter what your excuse…” “But Dusty’s not completely reliable,” Phoenix said. “Nuh-uh. No. No excuses.” Mystic Faerie snapped her head forward again and left the office. Phoenix turned and unfolded the list. It was nearly twice the length of yesterday’s. Partly because a good chunk of it was groceries to pick up. Not office groceries, either. Just personal shopping. Phoenix rested his forehead against the kitchen table. He knew she was within her rights to punish him for breaking the window… No. Wait. Was she? He’d been locked in and been unable to leave any other way. Wait. What if the building caught on fire while he was inside? Would she plan on making him pay for the window then…? Trying to figure it out made him feel ill; it was so much easier and avoided so much conflict to just do whatever Mystic Faerie wanted. But these chores were so menial… He lifted his head and studied the list. Despite Mystic Faerie’s speech that she wouldn’t tolerate Phoenix and Dusty being together for whatever reason, some of the items on the list were returning and borrowing books from the courthouse library. Phoenix had a feeling he knew why Dusty was at the courthouse. She probably wanted to make sure Twilight Sky was okay. Watching the actual trial would be out of the question, but it wouldn’t hurt to say hi to Dusty and Sky, would it…? Phoenix tucked the list into his organizer and set out. *** Following the directions of a helpful bailiff, Phoenix Flight loitered in the lobby beside courtroom number one. He’d been here several times with Mystic and knew the layout somewhat. The huge, golden double doors were to the courtroom proper, while the smaller wooden doors further down were the defendant’s lobby and the prosecutor’s lobby for the members of both sides to meet with witnesses, supporters, and others. There were guards inside each room, but they were usually pretty casual about letting ponies in and out, except the defendants themselves obviously, so Phoenix was pretty sure that legally he was allowed to walk right in, but socially… no, that would be awkward. Maybe he’d just hang out nearby and wave when Twilight Sky came out. While Phoenix was staring at the defendant lobby door, it slammed open, making him jump back in surprise. Teflon Slick, his horn alight so he could manipulate the doors, was walking out backwards, the better to continue his argument with Twilight Sky. “And guess what?” he was saying. “If you try and represent yourself, you’ll crash and burn because you know nothing of court etiquette or laws. You didn’t even know what a courtroom was until I just told you yesterday! But don’t worry; if you hate yourself enough to doom yourself to an isolated, hellish existence, then I can respect that. I’ll think of you when I look at the stars.” Twilight Sky suddenly stood up, staring at Phoenix over Teflon Slick’s shoulder. “Oh gosh… say you’ll stay and defend me! I’m sorry I turned you down!” “I knew you’d come crawling back,” Teflon said with a smirk. “No. Behind you. Get lost, Slick,” Twilight Sky said. Teflon Slick whirled around and glared at Phoenix. “H-how long have you…? You knew this would happen!?” Phoenix shook his head numbly. “I don’t even know what’s happening now…” “Phoenix Phoenix, please come inside, I’m scared to move,” Twilight Sky said, his eyes wide and wild. “Please, I’m not that trigger happy,” said an all too familiar younger voice. Phoenix wove around Teflon Slick, who was still stiff with indignation, and joined Twilight Sky in the defendant’s lobby, a nice room with a leather couch, a table with tea, and bars over the window. Except, or possibly including, that last feature, it was pretty much just like Mystic Faerie’s office, except with yellow walls instead of light gray. The only two ponies in the room were Twilight Sky and a guard. The guard couldn’t have been more than thirteen, but he already had a cutie mark of golden scales of justice. The colt saluted Phoenix happily. “Greetings, ex-prisoner 2100234! Glad to see your brief incarceration hasn’t hampered your employment prospects!” Phoenix cringed. “Wh-what’s he talkin’ bout?” Twilight Sky said nervously. “I was on trial for murder once—one I didn’t commit!—and that’s what inspired my current career path. Sort of,” Phoenix said. “Oh.” Twilight Sky shrugged. “I can’t judge.” “Obviously,” Phoenix said a bit too rapidly. “And naturally, I was his guardian, too!” the guard said, holding out the metal bracelet around his ankle. It matched the one around Twilight Sky’s ankle, except that the guard’s had a red button on it while Twilight’s had blackened fur underneath it… “The shock shackle burned you?” Phoenix said, taking Twilight Sky’s hoof. “That’s excessive, Justice Bright!” “H-hey,” the guard said, “I didn’t know…” “Oh no, no, no,” Twilight Sky said, laughing weakly. “Look closer, Flight.” Phoenix held Twilight’s hoof closer to his face, and he could make out a vague pattern to the blackened markings. “It’s a tattoo, silly,” Twilight Sky said. “That one’s a snake, I think. Tartarus, if I hadn’t wasted so much money getting dumb pictures on my fur when I was young maybe I could have afforded to live in an apartment and I wouldn’t even be here…” Phoenix wilted. “I blame myself…” “Huh? Why?” Twilight Sky cocked his head. Perhaps sensing that a delicate conversation was now taking place, Justice Bright retreated to a discreet distance, but kept a constant watch on them. “Because if I hadn’t kicked you out of the park then you wouldn’t have been in the area at all…” Phoenix said. “Or maybe I’da gotten kidnapped or somethin’.” Twilight Sky shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I’m just… so glad youse here now. I… I’m sorry I turned youse down before.” Phoenix shook his head. “I get it. You probably would be better off with Teflon Slick anyways.” He winced; he hadn’t meant to say that. “No, I wouldn’t. Creep wouldn’t believe I was innocent. Said he was gonna plead self-defense no matter how many times I told him not to.” Twilight Sky closed his eyes. “Nopony believes me…” “I believe you,” Phoenix said. “Because youse have powers. If youse didn’t and youse just looked at the evidence even youse wouldn’ta believed me. I’m not even sure I believe me anymore…” Sky mumbled. “Don’t say that.” Phoenix reached out and grabbed his client’s chin, causing Twilight Sky to open his eyes again. “You are innocent. Believe that. Believe in yourself. And today, I’m going to prove it.” “How?” Twilight Sky asked. “Have youse seen the evidence they have against me?” Oh. Oh dear. No, he hadn’t. Not one piece. Normal lawyers complained the trial was moving too fast if they only got one day to prepare. He was getting no time at all. He was going in completely blind: no prior knowledge, no tricks up his sleeve, nothing. Phoenix’s eyes widened, and he felt his skin grow cold. His breathing sped up. “Ph-Phoenix!?” Twilight Sky said, panic in his eyes. The floor tilted, and Phoenix felt his vision darken as unconsciousness claimed him. After what felt like only a few seconds, he was shaken awake. “Youse okay?” Twilight Sky asked, lifting Phoenix onto a couch. “Do you need me to fetch a herbal remedy? I got a 92% in my useful plants review in Manehattan!” Justice Bright said, standing at the foot of the couch. He looked much too happy about the possibility of using his skills. “N-no,” Phoenix said, feeling his cheeks grow red. How babyish that had been… “Not sick or anything?” Twilight Sky pressed. “Just a weakling.” Being honest was awful sometimes. A loud cough drew everypony's attention to the lobby door. A bailiff was peeking in. “Court starts in five. Where’s your defense attorney?” “Here,” Twilight Sky declared, pointing at Phoenix. “Last minute swap.” “Oh my… I’m not sure how I feel about that…” the bailiff muttered hesitatingly. “It’s not your place to judge! You’re just the bailiff!” Phoenix shouted. “A-anyway, please get ready,” the bailiff said, backing out. “You sure you want me?” Phoenix asked Twilight. Twilight Sky sighed. “I already switched last minute once; doing it again would just be ridiculous.” “At least you’re honest…” Phoenix muttered.