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It was 5 AM when defense attorney Apollo Justice woke from a sleep that was not so restful. Sleep difficulties were certainly troublesome, but considering what he had gone through recently, they seemed like the least of his worries. His best friend since junior high, Clay Terran, had been murdered. In the middle of a trial,the courtroom had been bombed, and Apollo had been injured. Things went from bad to worse when the evidence began to point, almost damningly so, towards his own friend and coworker, Athena Cykes. Some nights he was plagued with nightmares, which would disrupt his sleep until he finally gave up on trying to rest.
His physical wounds would heal in time, all suspicion of Athena had been cleared, and by now the real culprit was surely in prison, having recovered enough from being shot. As grateful as he was for all that, it just wasn’t enough. Clay’s death had left a gaping hole in his very soul, which refused to heal.
Today, though, maybe that hole would close, even just a little bit.
Not long ago, after all the hectic cases had been resolved, Phoenix got a chance to formally introduce Apollo to Pearl Fey, who had assisted Athena and Phoenix in the defense of Ora Shipley and Sasha Buckler. Apollo was aware of her, of course, but he didn't really know much about her.
As soon as he heard the words “spirit medium”, his heart stopped.
A part of him had been hesitant to even bring the topic up, but he knew this could be his only chance. During a slow day, he spoke to Pearl alone, and explained everything that had happened with Clay. He wasn’t sure what she would say, but she listened patiently to his every word. She agreed to set up a channeling session, wherein she would call Clay’s spirit.
He had never felt more excited, or more nervous, in his whole life.
Apollo carried out his morning routine like he usually did; he had breakfast, showered and styled his hair in his signature fashion, and did his Chords of Steel workout. But lately, he only felt as though he were going through the motions and nothing more, trying to maintain some illusion of normalcy. At this moment in time, “normal” would be the last word he would pick to describe his life; Without his best friend, he doubted anything would ever feel normal. He checked the clock, seeing that more time had passed than he had thought, and that it was time to get to the train station.
At this point it was a little before 7 AM, and yet he was still surprised at how crowded the terminal was. Of course, the railways always saw quite a bit of foot traffic, but today even moreso than usual. Apollo barely noticed the crowds or the noise, though. All that mattered to him at this moment was getting on the train bound for Kurain Village, two hours away.
The particular line he boarded ran above ground, which made sense, seeing as Kurain Village was in the mountains. For all the people in the station, this train was nearly barren. The quiet suited Apollo just fine, of course, and so he looked out the window for much of the ride. As the cityscape disappeared, the view became rich forest punctuated by rolling green hills, meadows of wildflowers, and a beautifully sparkling lake. The scenery was enough to set Apollo’s heart slightly more at ease, though it didn't last the whole ride. Soon, it became clear that the train was ascending the mountains, as the temperature inside the train dropped.
It wasn’t terribly long later that Apollo got off at the station. The station itself was a little ways away from Kurain Village, but the walk wasn’t long at all. It gave him just enough time to gather his thoughts, take some deep breaths, and if he was being honest, question whether he was making a good choice or not. Nevertheless, he kept moving.
He was surprised at how small the village seemed. He hadn’t expected a sprawling metropolis by any means, but it seemed the only features that stood out at first glance were the ancient pay phone near an equally ancient bus stop, and a stone monolith of some description. There were some small buildings as well, put together in a simple style. However, there was a single large estate. Apollo had seen larger homes in the city, but this manor was fairly grand and not small by any means. This, he supposed, had to be Fey Manor. He knocked on the door after hesitating for a moment.
Pearl greeted Apollo very soon, and invited him in. “I'm glad you were able to make it,” she said kindly. “I know the trip was long. Can I get you something to drink?”
Apollo shook his head. “No, but thanks.”
Pearl handed him a map. “I've almost finished with preparations. Feel free to wander the manor until everything is ready.”
With that, she returned to the Channeling Chamber. Apollo looked at the map, which told him the manor was even bigger than it appeared at first glance. Even so, he didn't feel like doing much wandering, so he stayed where he was. He just wanted to see Clay.
Pearl came back out of the chamber a few minutes later, right on time. “We can begin whenever you're ready,” she said.
Apollo nodded. “I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”
Pearl shut the heavy doors after they had both entered the chamber, leaving it dark save for the candlelight. Apollo hadn't seen so many candles in one place before, and the effect was almost eerie. There were tatami mats on the floor, and an altar in front of an ornate folding screen. Pearl removed her sandals and knelt on a mat, and so Apollo did the same.
They both bowed their heads and closed their eyes, and Pearl began the channeling.
Apollo could hear Pearl saying something, though he couldn't understand what. Whatever it was, this had to be the way she called a spirit. But would it really work?
Though his eyes were still closed, he could tell there was a bright light, one that made the candles seem like mere pinpricks in comparison. A powerful force he had never encountered before also nearly knocked him back. When things calmed after a moment, he opened his eyes.
Pearl-supposing this was even still Pearl- looked drastically different. Her hair remained mostly untouched, though a bit more wild than usual. Physically, she looked much bigger with a more athletic build. Was this the power of the Kurain Channeling Technique? Apollo could hardly believe his eyes.
He spoke uncharacteristically quietly, in a halting voice. “Clay?”
Suddenly, Pearl’s head raised and two eyes gazed at Apollo.
His heart nearly stopped again.
Eyes the color of deep earth, filled with kindness and brimming with unfettered optimism, shining as though they contained all the stars of the universe.
Clay.
“ Clay!” Apollo cried out, reaching for his best friend. He felt more than a little odd hugging him, since Clay was currently inhabiting Pearl’s body, but he didn't particularly care at the moment.
Clay reciprocated the hug. “Apollo! Hey, don't cry! I'm fine and so are you!”
But Apollo wasn’t listening. Every tear he had been fighting, every ounce of sadness and grief he’d been hoarding, every last bit of guilt weighing on him, they were all flowing from him, unable to be held back any longer.
His voice is exactly the same...
“Damn it, Clay,” Apollo managed, trying his best to speak through sobs. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t do anything to stop what happened to you!”
Clay pulled Apollo closer and put a hand on the back of his head. “Hey, it’s not your fault! Sure, I’m dead, but you can’t blame yourself for that. Besides! You helped find the guy who killed me AND Doctor Cykes! What more could I ask for?” he said, his voice full of cheer.
Apollo stepped back and wiped his tears, though his eyes still stung. “You… You know about that?”
Clay put his hands on Apollo’s shoulders, still smiling as he always did. “Of course! You couldn’t see me or hear me… But I was right by your side the entire time. I can’t just leave my best friend, after all! You were never alone, and as long as my spirit exists, you never will be!”
That was almost enough to make Apollo cry again. “... So then I was right after all. So many times I got this feeling, like if I just looked to my side, you’d be there like you always were.”
Clay nodded. “And I was, even if you had no way of knowing. Maybe I should have tried something a little more creative to get your attention. I could have knocked something over, or taken my jacket off your shoulders! The look on your face would have been priceless!” he laughed at the mental image.
That got Apollo laughing too. It had been way too long since he’d had a good laugh. After a moment he found the courage to ask what had been weighing on his mind. “So, Clay, tell me one thing… You’re at peace now, aren’t you?”
Clay grinned and flashed a thumbs-up at Apollo. “I may be dead, but I’m fine! I’m not sad. Do you know why?”
“W-why’s that?” Apollo asked.
Clay made a motion like he was adjusting his hat, even if he wasn’t actually wearing it. “From the afterlife, I can watch over you now! I can always make sure you’re safe! I can keep an eye on Sol too! And… And…”
He looked upward, a tear flowing down his cheek.“...Apollo, there’s no other view like it. In the afterlife, I can see everything. All the stars I could ever dream of. Galaxies, nebulae, planets mankind has yet to discover… Why would I be sad in what’s paradise for me?”
Apollo’s heart was set more at ease hearing that his best friend was okay. “I’m glad you’re doing well, Clay.” For the first time in quite a while, he genuinely smiled.
Clay wiped his tears with the back of his hand, gazing into Apollo’s eyes. “See, that’s the smile I remember! You’re fine! We’re both fine!”
Apollo looked back at him and took his hand. “Once more, for old times sake?”
Clay nodded and looked very determined. “You’re on!”
"I'm Apollo Justice...!"
"I'm Clay Terran...!"
“And I’m FINE!!!” The two shouted in unison, with more passion than ever before, laughing as though nothing had happened.
There was another bright light, just as intense at the first, though without the knockback force, and Apollo held his arm in front of his face to block it. When the light faded, Clay was gone, and Pearl was lying on the floor, having returned to normal. She seemed unconscious for a moment, but then opened her eyes again and stood up. “I hope your reunion with Mr. Terran went well,” she said, in her usual voice.
Apollo smiled at her, though his smile still held a tinge of sadness. “It did. Thank you… for everything.”
Pearl bowed politely and seemed pleased. “I’m glad. Please give Mister Nick my regards!”
“I will,” Apollo promised as he turned to leave the chamber.
He stepped outside the manor and looked up at the sky, seeing a streak of light zip across the expanse of light blue. It lasted only a moment, but to Apollo, that was a sign that what Clay said was true.
He would never be without his best friend. Never again.