Phoenix now officially meeting Blaise Debeste, along with his son, he can't help but compare it to an old trial feeling that even if Sebastian knows he isn't guilty of murder something- or someone- else is going to impede him from saying he isn't, so he falls on a gift from an old friend to help him and is left with more questions than answers.

-linebreak-

"Blaise... Debeste?... Your son wouldn't happen to be Sebastian Debeste, would it?"

"Of course, that idiot told a stranger who I was, he's never heard of stranger danger,"

"I mean I wouldn't exactly call him an idiot sure he gets words wrong but don't we all?"

"He's 17," So he is the exact same age as Maya was when I met her, Phoenix can already feel the exhaustion creeping up on him, let's just hope the case is cut and dry instead of what it was like on that one.

"So? He speaks better than some of the people I've had to work with," Not to mention doesn't stutter as much either, yikes, I'm glad I don't have to deal with another client like that. But that doesn't mean he's not as stubborn as that other kid I dealt with, I don't think I can deal with another Cody or a Steel-Samurai fan like Maya and that's not even mentioning Regina who...

"He should know the difference between words like that now, he's not a preschooler,"

"Look I'm not gonna argue with you on how to raise a kid especially since I don't have one but I can tell you that calling your son an idiot every time he makes a mistake isn't going to make him like you, it's just going to make him think he's an idiot."

"He is an idiot,"

"Do not call him an idiot you-"

"Okay okay. Idiot or not I am his defense attorney, Edgeworth here is my assistant," The man with the scraggly beard looked at him and raised a brow. "Y'know I didn't expect you to go downhill that quickly,"

"And I certainly didn't expect you to be that much of a failure of a father, I guess we both expected better things." And I thought girls were petty, Phoenix thought, guys, are on a whole other level.

"Listen, ladies," Maybe not the best place to start then maybe they shouldn't act like them. "I don't know what's going on, but if you're going to interrogate him then you have to record it, and tell the court you did."

"All I have to do is tell the court, I don't have to record it," Phoenix clicked his tongue, raising his brows an inch, well, he's smart, I can say that at least, smarter than Payne but that isn't much of an achievement in itself though. "I mean... I'm not trying to impede or anything but why not?"

"Am I not allowed to talk with my own son in peace?"

"Well- no. But-"

"Then no but's," He cut him off sternly. "there's no law forcing to me y'know, you should know you're defense attorney so we're done here." And just like that, he walked off, turning sharply on his feet and entering the room the two lawyers were just about to enter.

Wright didn't even have to turn around to know that Miles was absolutely fuming.

Before he could even open his mouth, maybe make a quick joke or maybe a suggestion before the man in question goes storming out of the hallway and to what he assumes is the outside for a breather leaving him all alone.

Huh, this is depressing.

So this won't be a cut and clear case then, Phoenix lamented with a groan, let's just hope this time doesn't involve a taser... Or coffee... Or just getting injured more than necessary since Franziska is a definite.

Well then, time to do some investigating of his own then.

-INVESTIGATION START-

Well, first things first, he's all on his own, there's no way he can question any witnesses, nor his companion on the case who he's sure he'll get a thrashing from if he tries to speak with him. So, Phoenix is at a complete loss, wouldn't be the first time though. So when he's at a complete loss there's only one thing left for him to do.

Time to break the law.

Wright, as slowly and carefully as he can he turns the knob of the door until he hears a small 'click', after internally hyping congratulating himself with a small 'Yeah! he opens the door just a smidge to hear whatever it is the man is saying.

"...if I wanted to be cruel then I'd have you be examined by doctors, then I'm sure they'd find plenty of more reasons for you to be jealous of her y'know? I'm sure that..."

Then he promptly closes it as quietly as he can, face pale as sweat drips down his face, he sees what Miles meant now. While personally, the only thing he can really relate to the boy is being an only child because he was an only child that's about it, he had a normal life, a normal mom and dad who now live a few states away because it's nicer there. God his life is much less depressing than the people around him, how did this always happen!?

It seems he's a magnet for troubled kids and adults, he isn't sure if that is good or bad. For now, he'll consider it undecided.

That's all fine, he has other ways to get his information.

"What do you mean you can't tell me anything about the case or anything?!" The receptionist shook their head, placing a finger next to their lip looking away from them. "I'm not getting arrested because of you, so, no,"

"But I'm a lawyer,"

"Are you anyone who's in jail's lawyer?"

"Well I plan to be-"

"Then where's the statement confirming this?"

"Well, about that-"

"Then I'm not telling you anything," To signify this, they crossed their arms and firmed their stance. "What if I'm going to become his lawyer soon?"

"Then come when you do become his lawyer, not before, identification first, how do I know your not a reporter." The mere implication that he looked even remotely similar to Lotta Hart was an insult in itself.

"Do I look like a reporter to you?!"

"You look like an idiot if I'm going, to be honest," He'd rather be an idiot than be compared to Lotta Hart.

"Fine then, I'll be back with a statement, will that make you happy?"

"That'll make me not be fired which will make me pretty happy, so yes, very," With a huff and a mumble of a  complaint on how this was too hard for its own good and back to Sebastian's cell with no other complaints, this investigation was a failure, and he missed Gumshoe, where was he when he needed him.

"There you are Wright, I've been looking everywhere for you." Wright didn't need to guess who it was when he looked up to see him. Miles walked towards him, holding a few files in hand, one of those files was zipped in a bag, and from the look on his old friend's face, it was a good sign. Maybe it was an updated autopsy report, maybe that was why he was so smug.

"Yeah... I hope you've been having more luck at investigating than I have," And is Edgeworth's smug expression growing even bigger told him anything, he did. "I do, in fact, you can go through these while I make a call," And Phoenix does exactly that.

It turns out they were finals, autopsy report included. The victim was Jill Crane, the cause of death was three fatal wounds to the chest, there was a wound on her head that had been caused after death, the murder weapon believed to be a three-pronged candelabra found nearby at the scene. On the backside of her hand was a burn mark which also held a keycard in it. The estimated time of death was around midnight yesterday and the coroner in charge was Bonnie Young.

At least he had someone to talk to, but without any more context on who was who, this was all he could gather. After he talked to Sebastian, next was Bonnie Young and he'd work his way up from there. Shifting the files in his hands to under his arms he looked towards Edgeworth who was surprise surprise, on a phone call with a gruffly sounding man. 

"I believe you owe me a favor?"  Wright watched him with a deadpanned expression, and who doesn't owe you a favor Edgeworth? He thought, then, a loud, rough voice came from the other end of the phone that made his eyes widen."I don't owe you shit, you made your moves and I made mine, we ended at a stalemate so stop making it seem like you saved my life."

Well, that doesn't sound like a very friendly man, Wright thought, once more, clueless to everything that happened beforehand. "Would you ever consider you and your... Friend?... Acquaintance, getting a new job since your last one has clearly gone array?" The man on the other line grumbles an answer to him once he can't hear.

"Let's just say that there is a lot that has happened that could have been prevented just like before if proper precaution was taken, ergo, I need your help to do that." Phoenix wasn't sure what kind of response Miles would get but it wasn't exactly:

"Sounds like a personal problem," then hung up and Miles shouted out a sound of either anguish or anger.

-linebreak-

Miles is denying the inevitable, that much is obvious. Mr. Debeste has left a few minutes ago, and here they are still standing here in the middle of the hallway not talking but just standing looking like a couple of clowns, or as Franzika would put it, fools. Speaking of Franziska, she should be here and he is not looking forward to that.

The things he does for his friends...

At least he's not going into some kind of financial debt this time, look on the bright side of things at least, he gets to see an old friend even if it's under less than pleasant circumstances once again.

It looks like he'll have to get them moving this time. 

"Don't you think we should be going?" Miles pauses at that, rigidly might he add before turning on his heels towards him with a slightly dazed look in his eyes. 

"Right right, we should go,"

Still dazed with whatever he was thinking, Edgeworth moves forward to go towards the holding cells door but Wright stops him, placing a hand on his shoulder and turning him towards him, taking an oddly green-shaped object out of his pocket.

"Do you see what this is?" Edgeworth just nods. "Of course, it's a magatama Wright,"

With a smile, he gives a nod. "Well yeah, I plan on using it Sebastian, since I forgot to give it back to Pearl so in the meantime I'll try and use it on him and we'll go from there. I'll tell you when I use it before I do, though,"

"You and your otherworldly methods..." The prosecutor scoffed but there wasn't any malice hidden in it. " You and your pyscho locks..."

"You mean psyche-locks?"

"Whatever Wright, if we stand here debating proper terms we won't get anywhere, and you certainly won't get any older." Phoenix briefly mulls over the decision to leave this case on that comment alone, but he decides against it no matter how much people are for bullying him today.

Must be bully Phoenix Wright day or something...

After not responding a short minute, Miles took the reigns and opened the door to the detention cell and Phoenix followed him in not long after. Upon hearing the door open Sebastian looked up from his seat directly at them. 

"It's you lawyers!" Laying his hands between his closed legs he looked away with a somber expression. "...My Pops said to be wary of you two... I'm not sure who to trust to be honest..."

"I'm not sure you have much of a choice, to be honest, it's either us or you get stuck with someone Grossberg who isn't a bad guy, to be honest, he's just..." Phoenix moves to slide in the seat across from him, laying the files on the table. 

"Not the best either,"

"I..." The teen let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "I dunno I'm not sure what to believe anymore at this point... I don't understand it all or anything..." In his lap, he fiddles with the finger ends of his gloves, hunched over and refusing to look at him.

"And that's fine, proceedings like this can be particularly confusing," Edgeworth swiftly cuts in, reassuring the teen who spares him a singular glance then looking back down. 

"It's okay... You probably know more than I do..."

"Um..." Sometimes Phoenix wishes he could be more eloquent like Edgeworth when it comes to talking, especially at things like this. He's found that talking to witnesses who are teens or children is harder than adults. "Is there anything you want to tell us?" Specifically about your father threatening you with medical attention earlier? That was pretty strange. 

Sebastian just shakes his head, frowning. "Not that you don't already know..."

Wright let out a sigh as he leaned off of the desk and gently placed his hands on the table, careful not to slam them, this wasn't going to be easy if Sebastian didn't cooperate with them. "How about, for now, I think it's best we as you some questions about what happened on that night and go from there." Wright's only answer was silence, so this time it was Miles who spoke up. 

"You do remember what you did on that night right?"

With a nervous glance, the teen looked away, fiddling with the cuffs of his gloves. "Well... Yeah, I was at home and since P-Pops wasn't home I was watching TV,"

"Why does it matter whether or not your dad was home when you watch TV?"

"He doesn't want me to watch TV, it... Rots your brain apparently,"

"What were you watching?"

"Perhaps, Steel Samurai, I wouldn't be surprised if someone of your age was watching it,"

"What's the Steel Samurai?"

"You don't know what Steel Samurai is?!"

"Oh thank god, I've heard enough talk about that show to last me a lifetime,"

Sebastian shakes his head. "No idea, t-that isn't bad is it?"

"Well- I wouldn't say it would be, I'm morely surprised you haven't heard about it with how mainstream the show has become, or at least clips of it."

"I consider that a good thing frankly, I hear enough about it from Maya when she decided to randomly call me when something the creators did piss her off and she rants to me about it."

With a reassuring wave, Miles shook his head and looked at the teen. "When this is over I'll introduce you to it, along with some other shows, perhaps Kay can offer some suggestions, I'll have to look them over, however."

"I always wanted to watch Animal Crossing, it sounded like a fun show,"

"Um- Sebastian, right?"

The teen nods. "Yeah,"

"Animal Crossing isn't a show, it's- it's a series of games,"

"Oh! Kinda like chess?"

With exasperation, Wright sighs while shaking his head. "Noooo, like digital games, on your phone or like that switch thing kids have, or a Gameboy or something!"

"What's a Gameboy?" God! Wright thought. How sheltered was this kid?! No wonder he ended up not being exactly the brightest bulb in the box but God! This is taking it to a new extent.

"You know what, never mind, we'll explain it went you get out, I did hear from Maya it's rumored that Animal Crossing might get a new installment next year so your chance is coming up. But I think for now we'll settle with phone games-"

"After, you watch Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo of course, there are far too many references to it in modern-day media for you to miss if you don't watch it."

Phoenix flashes him an exasperated look, scowling slightly. "I'm doing just fine without it,"

"Um !- Not to interrupt you two but I'm kinda uprightly being accused of murder so I kinda need your help here."

"'Uprightly'?"

"I'm afraid you mean unrightfully Sebastian,"

"Oh, okay! Unrightfully accused of murder,"

"Right right, well before we get to any of that I have a question for you,"

"Sure, shoot up,"

Sparing a glance at the ex-prosecutor, he gives him brief smile and then nods at him, under the table he holds out his hand with the magatama in it, Edgeworth reached down and took his hand in his and ignored the fleeting feeling of warmth in his chest.

"I want you to tell me why exactly are you so scared of your father if you trust him at the same time?" As the world around him darkened, Sebastian gripped at the end of his baton and started to bend it, tears welling in the corner of his eyes.

"Wha- What do you mean?! Why would I have a reason to? Are you saying my Pop is a bad person?! How dare you?!"

Then came the psyche-locks.

Red.

Red.

Red.

Red.

And...

Black?...

Black! Right in the middle of them all, right in front of his chest where his heart would be, its chains hidden behind the red ones.

Dread curled in the pit of Wright's chest as he stared at the black lock, waves of pure cold despair rolling over him.

Phoenix isn't sure he'll be able to unlock that one, he's never seen it before but at the same time he knows he has to, no matter the consequences.

A/N: Finally getting to the root of the issues through psyche-locks