Ace Attorney: Council of Crime

Part 39 (Buddy)

//February 24, 2030. GatherLaw Incorporated, 4:23 PM//

I got home much earlier than I assumed that I would, so I did what I did every day: I looked for Clarith. She always started panicking when I didn't go talk to her once I got home. "Clarith!" I called, cupping my hands around my mouth. "Where are you?"

Neptune came walking in, rubbing her eyes unhappily. "Why are you being so loud?" Neptune asked me, an angry flare in her eyes.

I took a step back, not wanting to risk the onslaught of her anger. She was pretty terrifying when she was angry. "I was looking for Clarith. I can't find her, though," I frowned.

"I don't know where she is either. She ran off a while ago, asking where you were. I haven't seen her in a while, but I bet that it's nothing. You're probably worried over nothing," Neptune told me, though I could tell that she was nervous, too. Neptune had always been overly defensive of Clarith for whatever reason, though she often refused to tell me why this was. 

I began pacing the length of the entrance hall, wondering where I should check first. Stalkomi waddled in, her plush feet squeaking on the ground. "Hello, Master Buddy!" The robot bunny spun in excitement. "How was your day?"

"Have you seen Clarith anywhere? I can't find her," I said, cutting right to the chase. 

"Mistress Clarith was up in her room last time I saw her," Stalkomi told me. "Do you want me to get her for you?"

"No," I said, running past the robot. "Thanks for the offer, though!"

The room Neptune and Clarith shared was on the top floor of the mansion near the company. There was an isolated segment of the house where they lived. It was almost like an apartment building, honestly. 

The door was cracked, which I admit surprised me. It was often closed to hide the cat Clarith had gotten for her birthday last year. Misty the kitten was prowling around the perimeter of the room, as if she were a lion looking for its prey. I crouched down to the cat's level and began to stroke the kitten.

"Have you seen Clarith anywhere?" I asked, though I already knew that I wouldn't get an answer. 

Misty purred, curling into my hand, before bounding away. She hopped onto Clarith's bed, which was up against the far wall in the left corner. Neptune's was adjacent on the other hand. Neptune's was messy as usual, though Clarith's was entirely clean.

Well, except for a note that sat on her bed...

I gulped, suddenly having a bad feeling about all of this, and approached the note. I picked it up and began to read over it:

'If you want the girl back, leave the Kuranin alone'

I gasped, suddenly feeling the fear of Clarith's disappearance build up inside me. I grasped the note tighter and ran from the room. I looked for somebody, anybody, that I could find walking around the building. 

I ran smack into Mr. Wood, who had been flicking through a stack of papers. The papers went flying through the air, falling to the ground in heavy clumps. I kicked the papers to the side. "Mr. Wood!" I cried.

"Whatever is the matter, Buddy?" Mr. Wood asked, beginning to gather his papers back into the stack they had previously been in.

"It's Clarith! She's gone!" I yelled, thrusting the note at him. "I found this in her room!"

Mr. Wood took the paper and read over it, his eyes going wide. Before he had a chance to respond to it, I grabbed the note from him and ran out to one of the family's cars. Byakuya could yell at me all he wanted for this later, but I had to get down to headquarters. 

//February 24, 2030. Interpol Headquarters, 5:01 PM//

I ran recklessly into M's office. M was sitting at his desk, looking at a small piece of paper. "M!" I yelled, making the older man look up.

"Why are you yelling, X?" M complained, setting the note down on top of a paper stack.

"The Kuranin have a hostage!" I exclaimed, showing him the note. 

"No, they don't have a hostage. They have three of them now," M told me as he read the note.

"What do you mean?!" I asked, suddenly afraid of what he could mean. 

"We got a note a while ago saying that they took two others. Griffin and Celosia are gone as well. The Kuranin took them for some reason," M explained. "We sent out J, T, and L to look for them, but we haven't heard any good news. The Kuranin aren't in the train station, so they must have found some other hideout to use as means of headquarters."

"How long until you think they'll be found?!" I asked, my heart racing from adrenaline by now. 

"We have no idea. What's got  you so worked up, anyways?" M questioned.

"The forensic scientist, Clarith Blake, is the one that they have!" I yelled, as if that would explain everything.

M still didn't seem to understand, sighing and shaking his head. "Who cares? She did nothing but mess up our investigation."

I wanted to retort, but I couldn't waste my time on this. I turned away, my scarf flying. I stomped from the room. If Interpol wouldn't help me find Clarith, then I'd just have to do it myself! I wouldn't rest until Clarith was back home with me!

I mean... Until Clarith was back home with us... Yeah...

Back home with us.

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'AND HINATA WAS LIKE WHAT THE HECK BECAUSE KOMAEDA WAS BEING CREEPY AND USAMI IS WEIRD-'

-Digital