Author's Note: I'm not entirely sure if the paradox in TACAC has effected any other places. But for the sake of this fic, I'll say that it has and that certain places have meshed together like the complex.
Disclaimer: Inspired by Capcom's Ace Attorney series and this epic roleplay, TACAC.
Summary: A touching moment between friends, a two week time skip, and some shennannigans. Because this story needs shennannigans.
The next day Nick would wake up to discover Nicky gone and a small note in her place. The note would read the following:
Quote:
Dear Nick,
Thanks for allowing me to stay over night, Nick. I don't think I could have been able to walk back home alone. Not after what happened last night. ...which is why I left. I don't know what's going on or what could happen in the days ahead. But I don't want anyone to get involved, least of all you. I still remember what happened in the middle of that trail. Just seeing you in that condition, bleeding and close to death... I'd rather not see a repeat of that incident. Don't worry about me. I'm going to be cautious each and everyday until this muderer is apprehended. And please, don't go looking for me.
Nicky
Nick heaved a deep sigh as he read each word carefully. It seemed he wasn't the only one that was worried about that mysterious stranger's warning. But Nicky decided to make a decision without him. And that was to handle everything on her own. Handling things on her own...the two of them trully thought a like. Not getting anyone involved lead to Nick getting shot and bleeding to death in the middle of a trail. And it was all to prove that the man in the defendant's seat was innocent. It was risky and most people thought Phoenix would die that day. But he somehow lived and had been slowly recovering from that ordeal.
"I didn't know how badily it effected her," he sighed deeply and looked out his window. "And now she's making the same mistake I did." He sighed again and tossed the note to the side of the couch. He was going to find her and talk to her.
But unfortunately for Nick, he didn't find her. He spent all day looking for his female alter but couldn't find a trace of her. It was as if she had dissappeared. He relaxed lightly from his failed search in front of the steps of the complex and pulled out his cell phone. He texted a short, one sentence message and sent it to his alter. It read:
Quote:
Are you still alive?
And then he waited. Seconds turned quickly into minutes and minutes into hours. Then finally after three hours of waiting, his phone vibrated lightly. It was a sign that someone had sent him a message. He quickly pulled at his cell phone and checked to see who the sender was and then a wave of relief washed over him. The sender of the message was his alter, Nicky. The message was short, but it read...
Quote:
Of course I am.
Nick stared at the message for a while. Then without thinking, he dailed her number on his phone. The phone rang five times with no answer. He lowered the phone from his ear, expecting the voice mail to pick up. But just as he was about to hang up, a female voice spoke through the other end.
He quickly spoke through the reciever. "Hello? Nicky? Is that you?" His voice was frought with worry.
The person on the other end chuckled. "Yeah, it's me Nick." Her voice quickly shifted to a more serious tone. "Why are you calling me?"
"Why am I calling you? Nicky you left without speaking to me and left a note. You can't be serious about-"
"Taking care of myself, Nick? I've been taking care of myself way before I met you. I think I can handle things on my own." She interupted him in a calm tone.
"If you really think things will work out well by yourself, think again. Look what happened to me, Nicky."
"That was different, Nick. No one knew-"
"No one knew what I was doing or what could have happened to me. But I took a risk and got hurt because of it," he interupted her. "Please Nicky, let me help you."
There was an awkward silence over the phone that lasted a few minutes. The only thing that could be heard was the light breathing between them. And then Nicky spoke up.
"I'm not putting myself in danger and hiding it from everyone, Nick. I've learned from your mistake. But I need some time to think things through. To get a plan together." She paused.
"Will you come by the complex?" He asked.
"No. At least not for a while. All the murders have been around the complex. Needless to say, I think I'll be safe away from the complex for a while."
"Alright. But if you discover anything new, please call me Nicky."
She chuckled lightly. "Sure, Nick. Just promise me you won't do any crazy stunts while I'm away."
"Define crazy stunts." He knew he couldn't really promise anything. He was spontanious. If something happened to Nicky or Kaoru, the pink nurse and his girlfriend, he would do anything in his power to save him both. ...even if it meant being close to death.
She sighed lightly into the reciever. "Anything that doesn't involve dying."
"That I can promise," he responded. "Take care of yourself, Nicky."
"I'll try." And then she hung up.
Nick pulled his cell phone away from his ear and stared at it for a few seconds. Then he put it in his pocket. Waiting for the murderer to get apprehended wouldn't help to ease his nerves, so he decided. While Nicky is away, he will gather as much information as he can inside the complex...
~~~~~~
It had been two weeks since Nicky set foot in the complex. With in those two weeks, she kept her schedule of finding a new job and working at the Borscht Bowl. But in her spare time, she was investigating the strange stream of murders. Unfortunately, her reseach had gone little to nowhere. All that she discovered was that the murders were always at night. So, she broke her promise to her alter and stepped foot inside the complex.
Upon entering the lobby, she spotted someone sitting at a table by themselves. The person was deeply immersed and hidden behind a newspaper. On the front of the newspaper in big, bold letters was the title "Dracula Strikes Again." Without thinking, Nicky walked forward and leaned towards the newspaper. She quickly read the cover article. The article described everything that Rou had told her two weeks ago, about the strange stream of murders around the complex and downtown LA. It seemed the information that the international investigator knew was leaked to the press.
As Nicky continued to scan the article for more information, she heard a loud clearing of the throat. She turned her head lightly and found herself face to face with the owner of the paper. The owner was a young man, most likely in his early or late twenties. He had short, cropped hair and a white ribbon tied to the side. He wore a light green, buttoned jacket. His whole attire just screamed he was an individual that lived a very strict, serious life style.
"Do you mind?" He asked sternly.
"Hmm? What exactly do you mind?" Nicky responded in a plaful tone.
"I would like to read my newspaper in peace, miss." He scoffed lightly and immersed himself with the contents of the newspaper again.
But Nicky didn't let it go. She leaned in closer to him, almost causing her face to touch the newspaper. "The cover article is very interesting."
He sighed deeply before folding the paper and placing it to the side of the table. "Is this really necessary?"
She leaned away from him and grinned deeply. But before she could answer his question, someone else spoke up.
"Everything is necessary." The voice came from a man dressed in an orange hoodie and black beanie. He wore black shorts and sandals with bright orange socks. It was another male alter of Nicky. Except this one was the Chief of Police.
"Nick, long time no see." She grinned deeply at him. She met this alter when she first discovered the complex. She never bothered asking him how he gained his title as Chief of Police...which she was sure it was a story she would never know.
"Nicky, how have you been?" He smiled lightly and gave her a light hug. Unlike all her other alters, Nick was more forward with her and never hid his emotions.
"I've been okay, Nick. But what's with this article?" She pointed at the cover title on the newspaper.
"Oh, that nasty thing," he turned his attention to the young man dressed in green. "I think it may be best if you explained it to her."
"Sir, I don't think it would be wise to disclose information-"
"Non-sense. She's a good friend of mine. I think she can keep a secret. Right, Nicky?"
Nicky nodded and grinned toward her alter. She was trying so hard not to laugh. But her grin almost mimiced the Cheshire Cat's at this point.
"See. I think we can trust her." He concluded.
He sighed deeply as he looked between the Chief and Nicky. As much as he wanted to retaliate, he knew he couldn't. "Very well. Recently, there have been a stream of murders in this area. The victims are single, young to middle-aged females with strange puncture wounds on their necks. The murder weapon is still unknown. But the puncture wounds suggest that all of the victims may have bleed to death." He then went silent.
Nicky dipped her head down, allowing the shadow of her beanie to cover her eyes. "I see. Has there been any leads?"
"Unfort-"
"Unfortunately, there hasn't been anything new," the good chief interupted him. "But I'm afraid some of this information was leaked to the press recently. Isn't that right, Detective Fiore?" He grinned to the stern detective.
"Yes sir," he announced in an irritable tone.
"This case was already difficult with new investigators getting involved," he eyed Fiore carefully. "But now that it's public information, I'm afraid a few imposters have started showing up."
"Sounds like things have been hectic in the office lately," Nicky raised her head and smiled lightly.
"Oh you have no idea," he pouted. "Everyday it seems like a person claiming to be a vampire appears."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Nick. Maybe when this case is solved, we could go out to lunch."
"I'd love that," he exclaimed. But then his brow forrowed and he turned his attention toward the detective. "That reminds me, I need you to take care of this." He then handed him a manilla folder.
Fiore opened it and glanced at the contents within it. "I understand." He handed it back to him, gathered his things, and left. He only gave Nicky and her alter a gentle nod before running out the door.
"Well, this has been fun. But I'm afraid I have some fish to catch." He pulled out a net, from who knows where, and headed out the door after the detective.
"Things just keep getting more and more interesting," she sighed and sat down at her old spot on the couch. Rou never told her the victims were females. It seemed she would have to be cautious for the next couple of days. At least, at that time she thought being cautious was the only solution. But it seemed her first day back in the complex was going to become even more surprising.
