Notes: In the Japanese version, Payne's name is Auchi, which is a play on "Ouch", hence Payne/pain. The puns at the end are "Couch" and "Pouch". Maya's bean comment is referring to the bean throwing festival.
I think I've solved a little of the confusion I was having. I think Edgey's just been looking back through historic cases, and telling them how everything seemed to be disastrous back then, and then the 15 year old case comes up as an example. I think.
Episode 9 — May 2005 Issue
Takumi Snippet
Takumi Shuu (??)
Ace Attorney's director and scriptwriter. It's rumoured his fuel is alcohol.
Status: Recently, I had the chance to follow a certain mystery author's diet. As for the enjoyment of the mystery, my true feelings ended up going beyond words.
Letters Corner
• I'm crazy about Suekane-san's wonderful illustrations! (Saika, Tokyo Metropolis)
~ She also drew this issue's cover for us! It's the appearance of the new character, Akane [Ema]!
• It's so funny! I think "Larry-kun" is a really great character. (nas, Mie Prefecture)
~ The story is calmer this issue, but for March and April's issues, things were really crazy! I wonder what will be in the new episode?
• In the "three tiered court system" and the "district courts" and so on, the citizens are so complacent! Is this another effect of Ace Attorney? (lol) (Shiitake, Chiba Prefecture)
~ The effectiveness of Ace Attorney is that one after the other, we are getting people who are seeing the same effects?!
• With the number of pages decreasing, I became a little, no rather, considerably, dejected. I don't expect you to raise the number of pages, but please restore it back to the original number. (Risetto Cat, Saitama Prefecture)
~ With Takumi-san being really busy with "Rise from the Ashes", increasing pages is difficult, but we'll continue to report information!
First-Years and Rookies — At the Wright & Co. Law Offices?
Spring has arrived, and it appears to be the time when many people are starting their new lives. On this occasion, Phoenix and Maya are waiting in the cafeteria, when Prosecutor Edgeworth appears before them. They go from talking about rookies, to talking about a person from the distant past?!
Edgeworth: This seat is free, I presume?Maya: This is the first time I've been to the courthouse cafeteria.
Phoenix: I have bad memories of this place. They're only just starting to fade.
Maya: So do you ever occasionally, you know, have good memories of something, Nick?
Phoenix: It's April, isn't it? It's the time of year again when all the rookies start coming to the courthouse.
Maya: There really are an awful lot of people coming to the courthouse this time, huh?
Edgeworth: Certainly, there are fellow prosecutors here whose names I don't even remember. It happens a lot.
Phoenix: Even so, I'd really rather not remember my days as a rookie.
Eh? What happened? You still have bad memories of your victory?
At any rate, it was a terrible debut.
Edgeworth: Ahh, as I recall... your first client was Larry Butz. That guy.
Phoenix: And I've read the case files for your first trial, too. That guy on death row...
Maya: Harry Butz was on death row..?
Edgeworth: In those days, we only seemed to get terrible cases.
Maya: Ahhh... is that right?
Edgeworth: As I remember, the second case I dealt with was a very troubling affair, too.
Maya: Even you have had really tough struggles then, Prosecutor Edgeworth?
Edgeworth: That first case itself was simple. The criminal had given himself up, after all.
Maya: Huh? Well then, what do you mean?
Edgeworth: There's this one case that went unsolved from 15 years ago.
Phoenix: F-Fifteen? The statute of limitations would be just about up, no?
Edgeworth: For the time being, I'm reading through historic court records... but there's so much to get through.
Maya: I see.
Edgeworth: The investigation was botched, and there was a mistake when assembling the case. Taking the wrong evidence by mistake, the prosecution's closing statement didn't make sense. Somehow, this case has really left me shaken up.
Maya: Mixing up the evidence like that, that's so incompetent.
Payne: Well, if it isn't Mr Edgeworth.
Ah... Hello.
Payne: It's rookie time, hm? When people get their bitter memories. May I sit here, Mr Wright?
Ah, um, please, sit down.
Payne: Well. There's no need for you two to be so formal. Please relax a little.
Phoenix: Y-Yes.
Payne: So what year are you in, now?
Phoenix: I'm in my third year.
Edgeworth: Six years for me.
Payne: Me, well... let's see. This year will be my 20th round.
Phoenix: 20th round? "Round"? Why do you say that?
Well, this is only as far as I'm concerned. It is still spring, the season that's never forgotten.
I get the feeling you're trying to tell us something.
Payne: That was the April I was 33 years old. I was a rookie back then, and my first time at court was to deal with a murder case.
Maya: You and Nick both.
Payne: I made a promise to the victim's family. "I will surely have the criminal found guilty!"
Maya: Wow! Super cool! And then..?
Payne: I was naïve. I became desperate, but... I was defeated. The case was left unsolved.
Maya: Oh, so that's how it went.
Payne: As for me then, after court was adjourned, I made the mistake of walking up to the victim's family.
Maya: To ask for forgiveness?
Payne: I had iced water thrown at my head.
Phoenix: So not just plain "water", but something with a deeper meaning.
Payne: The next April, I visited the victim's family. Again, I was splashed with ice water.
Maya: N-No way! Every year?
Now, it's this family's annual event. The corners of the ice hit my forehead the most and I end up feeling faint.
If you go in February, you'd only end up getting hit by beans instead.
Payne: Even when you become a veteran, you must never forget your original intention... You'd do well to remember that.
Maya: Hmmmm, very wise words!
Phoenix: You say that about everything, though.
Payne: Let's see. I wonder if I will go this year, too. To my 20th round of "spring" greeting.
Maya: ...Aaand he's gone.
Phoenix: By the way, Edgeworth. That story you were just telling us.
Edgeworth: What about it?
Phoenix: The name of that senior prosecutor who made that massive failure. What was it?
Edgeworth: If I recall correctly, it was "Payne", I think, but I can't remember his face at all.
Phoenix: "Payne"...
Maya: You know him?
Phoenix: Nope, never heard of him.
Edgeworth: Or perhaps it could have been "Stain".
Maya: I think it's more likely he was called "Slain".
Prosecutor Slain? No, that doesn't ring any bells.
Well, I don't suppose that prosecutor lasted very long anyway. I don't think I've ever met him.
Hmmm, after all, this world is a very harsh place.