Goodbye Means Beginning [PW:AAJFA&PW:AAT&T] [xOC] [2]

Magical Murder

"That was pretty good, right Pearls?" I asked as Phoenix chuckled at her excitement, "I'm still trying to catch my breath." Checking the time I had yawned, "It's time for us to go, right Pearls? I'll stop by to help clean the office before New Years, okay Nick?"
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"Phoenix! You need to turn on the TV! Maximillion that magician was arrested!" Lyla shouted as she told me to meet her at the detention center while stating she'd clean later, though even after we won the case she forgot to clean with me that day, "Sorry! Was it that time already?" Five hours later she arrived at the office in a flurry, "Sorry, I'm late...had to tuck Pearl in." She smiled brightly, "Still need help?"

Together we cleaned the office together and after a brief conversation about our next case which was about Corrida and Engarde who according to their shared agent, had been in a publicity war for a while to make each other look bad after Engarde caused Corrida's fiance and former agent to hang herself after telling him they had been seeing each other, but not specifying when. On top of that, Gumshoe suspects that Engarde hired a hit man to take out Corrida after he finally made his move to ruin Engarde's spring breeze reputation and presentation to the public, and that hitman was the infamous Shelly de Killer.

"We can solve it together, like always!!" She cheered which made me smile again, something I'd been doing more recently because of her and how she made everything around her even brighter, "I've gotta go for now, but I believe in you Phoenix."
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Final Day of Trial
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"What do you mean they're holding Mystic Lily hostage!!" Pearl cried out after Gumshoe told them what happened to Lyla when she saved Pearl from being kidnapped by Shelly de Killer, who was presumably under orders from the same client to pressure Phoenix into dropping the case and proving Engarde's innocence despite him being guilty, "Complete what I've demanded or I will kill her." Gumshoe repeated what de Killer had told them when he made the ransom call, "Guys like him...they don't play around, Nick."

The radio played her voice, "I'm fine, Phoenix!! Just show him the tape!! Engarde kept a recording of the murder as blackmail and I didn't see it when de Killer came back today, so he must've dropped it somewhere!!" She added quickly, "Don't let Franziska see it, Gumshoe!!" The radio went dead shortly after and de Killer answered with another threat, "Your partner has guts, Mr. Wright. But I have no idea what she told you, so I'll just advise you to not listen. Now go get Mr. Engarde acquitted."

Phoenix told them all, "We have to find that tape before Franziska does, or she'll use it to convict Matt and he'll have Lyla killed. Everyone go search!!" Miles had shown up before they split up to search, "I'll help you guys. Lyla is like a sister to me, and I don't want to lose her either." They ran around searching the whole day for the tape, but unfortunately one of Gumshoe's team members had found it before them and handed it over to Franziska, who was prepared to use it at the trial the day after.
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Trial [Next Day]
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"This was his present?" Mia asked through Pearl's body as they found out that she was in good health despite being shot, and Miles took her place with Mia shaking her head in a nostalgic way upon remembering the stories that Lyla told her about him, "She was right....he really does care. Even if he sucks at expressing it...all the time." Phoenix agreed as Gumshoe gave his testimony, "He returned to his room and was stabbed. We investigated the guitar case but it came up unrelated. And both victim and defendant had gone back alone."

He confirmed, "He was stabbed in the chest after being strangled. The knife was used to distract us from the true cause of death." Phoenix asked about the guitar case, "It was left open and the guitar was missing. But given that it was essential to Juan's character, it was deemed strange he wouldn't have it and the instrument case only bears his fingerprints." He added, "It was later found to be left at the studio even through the first ceremony."
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De Killer's Hideout
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"Mphh!!" I struggled to get the ductape off of my mouth but was stuck until Shelly left to find the evidence he had no doubt dropped, 'Now's my chance!!' Focusing my energy in my second magatama which had a sharpened end, I sliced the ropes on my wrists and ankles off and ripped the ductape off my mouth while looking for an exit route, "There has to be one...I can't stay here now that my sister has started to remember me!" After locating a window, I checked outside of it and saw a stretch of road ahead, 'I have to go or he'll find me and kill me since I've escaped my bindings...'

Grabbing the window and hoisting myself onto the ledge, I jumped out and barely landed without breaking something while checking to see eif de Killer was on his way back, though luckily he wasn't at the moment. So with all the energy I had, I ran down the road and barely made it to a town where I hitched a ride back to where the law office was, and managed to stumble in as I felt my legs giving out..."Phoenix....help...please..."

*KRASAJKK*!!
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Five Hours Later [Courthouse]
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"Wake up, Mystic Lily!!" My eyes fluttered open as I saw Phoenix, Pearl, Miles, and everyone hovering over me with a worried look, "..Hi...?.." hugs from all of them came soon after as they told me what happened in the last few hours of the court, with de Killer enraged over her escape and subsequently more do after learning of Engarde's betrayal by recording him killing, and threatening to murder Engarde the next time he set foot outside which resulted in him scratching at his already scarred face and begging to be sentenced guilty despite hating that word as if he went psychotic.

"Well he did get what he deserved, but are you okay, Lyla?" Her sister who was twelve had asked with a worried Pearl beside her, "I'm fine, Anne. But how did you get here? Dad and Mom are probably worried."

As we talked, Phoenix still seemed really worried about me and deep down...I couldn't blame him especially after how we had first met..though he probably doesn't remember because that trial was very traumatic for him in more ways than one, because it was the turning point that began his career in law.
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Next: Origins of the Fated Pair
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Aghhh....this was hard and probs bad but I don't really care.

- Grace.