~~~~

April 17th, 2027

Time: ???

~~~~

"Hello, Blackquill. Your services are requested at the Office. You are encouraged to oblige."

"And why would I do that? Has he forgotten, I am to walk the final mile this December, just in time to make the ferry across the River Styx. Oh, how I do hope he doesn't make me miss my boat. Someone is waiting on the other side for me."

"About that, Blackquill. If you accept, your Prosecutor's license will be reinstated until your death. And I have a feeling you may want to accept."

"And just why is that, Skye-dono?"

"It's about the assigned defense attorneys. The chief prosecutor believes that someone who waits for your boat isn't on the other side after all..."

~~~~

April 17th, 2027

Time: 4:30pm

~~~~

Athena. Athena...

The chief thinks she's been alive all this time?

He clutched the court roster with his trembling left hand, the worn page of Athena's death certificate behind it.

Defense Co-Council - Dr. Athena Cykes, attorney at law

--

Legal Name of Deceased - Athena Venus Cykes

--

Summary of Co-Council - Immigrant from the States of the European Union, on work visa while immigration processes.

--

Manner of Death - Brain death related to traumatic injury; resuscitation failed

--

Notable Information - Some dead zones in the emotional lobe of her brain. Under observation. Age eighteen.

--

Age at Death - Eleven

--

Court Warning: Must always have co-council in case of seizure or stroke at the bench. Brain death advancing near life-regulating lobes. Seizures extremely likely, especially when stressed.

--

"S-she...-she had a seizure after being removed from your trial..."

--

Was it her? Could it be her? Aura was there when Athena died, Aura heard her stop breathing as all the light went out in her mind.

Solomon watched as they failed to bring her back.

Yuri got her death certificate from the hospital.

Could it all be wrong? Was his niece still alive? In the European States?

He'd required this meeting as a one condition before accepting his reinstated badge. But what if it wasn't her? What if it was some European doppelganger who had gone through the exact same trauma as his fallen niece, but survived? Someone else who just happened to be named Athena Cykes?

"Protector Blackquill, Doctor Cykes is here now."

He clutched Athena's death certificate to his chest one more time, soaking it in before he learned, in a few mere moments, whether it was true or not.

"Let her in."

"He's ready for you, Doctor Cykes."

"Thank you, Detective. But please, Miss Cykes is just fine. Doctor Cykes was my mother, God rest her soul."

That voice... He looked up at her.

Breath stopped, and he couldn't fight himself for new air.

Hip length hair, a beautiful and familiar orange, pulled back in a sideways ponytail that concealed everything above and behind her left ear. Bright blue, sparkling eyes full of hope...

Widget?! Metis' experimental holographic AI?!

What was Metis' AI doing around her neck?

He heard the air drop from her lungs as she locked eyes with him. Her eyes widened in fear.

That's when he lost control of himself. He lunged forward and took her in his grasp, pulling at the hair concealing where his niece had a scar.

"Protector Blackquill! What are you doing?! Unhand the defense now!" Detective Skye dropped a back of something that seemed to be called 'Snackoos' and whipped out a taser.

He didn't relent. He found exactly what he was looking for, exactly the wound that had been on his niece's head at 10am on October 8th, 2020.

She had Athena's scar.

She smelled like Athena.

She felt like Athena.

She curled up in his arms like Athena.

"U-uncle Simon...?"

She was Athena.

Athena was alive!

"Athena!" He clutched her tighter and tears burned out. He sniffled, then sorted once, then collapsed to the ground with her in his arms and sobbed. It was her, it was her, it's her. "Oh, Thena! Thena, it's you!"

She brushed her hands across his soaked checks, then frowned a little in concern. "Your heart is screaming, Simon. Are you okay?"

Those words broke his last strands of restraint, he squeezed her even closer and covered her forehead and temples in kisses.

"Simon, Simon! Uncle Simon!"

Her cries made him settle a little, and she instantly began wiping herself off with the deepest blush on her face. "Uncle Simon, what's wrong? You're unhinged."

He leaned his head a little closer, stopping once their heads were barely touching. "You've been dead, Thena... I've missed you so much." The tears started again and he handed Athena's death certificate to her.

She nearly toppled backward, and he braced her back just in case. "I'm dead?!"

"They gave this to Aura at 2:40-ish the day I was convicted. I thought you were dead... Aura said you had a hemorrhage on the stand and they couldn't bring you back..."

"Oh, Simon..." She leaned into his chest and held on. He observed just how she had changed. Biceps rippled through her suit, he felt her strength. The yellow bow in her hair was now blue, her moon necklace replaced by her mother's pocket AI. Yet, somehow, she was the same Athena; only stronger.

Skye gulped audibly, "Iiiii'm going to assume you to know each other?"

"This is my beloved niece, my greatest treasure. I called this meeting to make sure it was really her..."

"My uncle, Simon. Everything I have left."

"So the chief was right. She wasn't waiting for you on the other side."

"I don't want you to go. But you don't belong in this prison with me. You belong out in the world, free and happy. I assume your co-council is going to want you back sooner rather than later as well."

"Apollo and the boss could probably use me. I just got to the country, so I should probably make a good first impression."

"I want to hear everything later, but now we have work to do. Our story is not yet done."

She gave a gentle kiss to his forehead, brushing his graying hair back. "Of course... I love you, Uncle Simon."

After she left, he had one smug little goal to achieve. He trekked off to Solitary Cell 13, where a former defense attorney that had once rubbed salt in his wounds waited for the same fate as Simon. "Hey, Gavin. Come and talk like a man, instead of painting your pretty little nails."

"How crass, Blackquill. Have you no manners? I can't believe you and my brother will be working together. But what does your black little heart desire, hmm? Something of me, it seems."

"Just come over here, Gavin."

The drill-haired former lawyer had barely gotten within arm's reach when an objection nearly went up his nose. "Now what is the point of this, Blackquill? Looking to go out with one final bang, assault of a fellow murderer?"

"Not in the slightest, scumbag of lawyers. Just a little remark about seven years ago-" Simon shoved the court roster up into Gavin's face; so close the latter did not even need his glasses.

Murder of an Alderman

Homicide Case Incident DD-2

Defendant - Mr. Damian Tenma

Victim - Mr. Rex Kyubi

Prosecution Officer - Mr. Simon Blackquill

Lead Defense Attorney - Mr. Apollo Justice, attorney at law (Wright Anything Agency)

Defense Co-Council - Dr. Athena Cykes, attorney at law (Wright Anything Agency)

"You have always been wrong about my niece. And know she's risen to the rank of your escaped little manipulation project gone wrong.

Who's laughing now, Gavin?"