Fanfic / The Great Dual Substitute Turnabout

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"Phoenix Wright, defense attorney extraordinaire finds himself waking up in a universe where he is not a defense attorney, but a prosecutor! Meanwhile the Phoenix who became a prosecutor now finds himself waking up in a universe where he's a defense attorney! Join these two Wrights on a quest to solve mysterious on different sides of the courtroom, and how will they return home!"

The Great Dual Substitute Turnabout is an Ace Attorney Fanfic by AngelRin89, taking place after Dual Destinies. It features the idea of Alternate Universes. One features the canonverse, featuring the defense attorney Phoenix Wright. The other? Phoenix Wright was adopted by Manfred von Karma and is a prosecutor. One day, the two Phoenix Wrights wake up in each other's universes. In order to avoid suspicion, the two have to feign amnesia to explain their odd change in behavior and lack of memories of how their universes work and the people in them. Just how will they return home?

You can read it on Fanfiction.net or you can read it on AO3.

The author also has a blog dedicated to the fic where she answers any questions, shows off fanart, and gives updated info on the fic.

Examples

• Alternate Universe: This story plays with two universes, the canonverse from the games. And a universe where Phoenix became a prosecutor, the prosecutorverse.
• Armor-Piercing Response: In the Prosecutorverse, Franziska rants at Edgeworth in Chapter 10, Edgeworth response leaves her speechless.
  Franziska: There you go again repeating yourself, saying some generic diatribe of “Oh I understand what you're going through”, like every other pitiful fool does in television dramas and those emotional moments in movies. Foolish! Utterly foolish! Did you hold your sisters in your arms as you felt the life drain from them!? As their breath ceased!? As their blood continued to pour out, the smell staining your very soul!? What could a fool like you possibly know, Miles Edgeworth!?
  Edgeworth: You're not the only one in this room who felt fear and despair! Going on a tirade like a little child does him no favors! And you aren't the only one who is grieving for a loved one, Ms. von Karma! Be grateful that you still have time left with him, some of us never even got the chance to say goodbye!
• Brother–Sister Team: In the Alternate Universe, we have Prosecutorverse Phoenix and Franziska. As well as Edgeworth and his stepsisters, Mia and Maya.
• The Bus Came Back: Mia hasn't been channeled by either Maya or Pearl since the trilogy. But in this fanfiction, Mia is channeled by Maya after Prosecutorverse Phoenix wakes up in Canonverse and the others conclude that he has amnesia and needs help with defending Larry.
  • Franziska and Gumshoe have not been seen for a while in the games, they make a return here. Phoenix even comments on how much they changed.
  • Angel Starr from case 1-5 makes a cameo appearance.
  • Iris makes a comeback in the Prosecutorverse.
  • Doug Swallow, Mia Fey, and Misty Fey are all alive in the Prosecutorverse.
  • The Judge's brother from Trials and Tribulations makes an appearance in Chapter 3.
• But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Not the trope itself, but word for word, Chapter 11's title is a reference to this trope.
• Butt-Monkey:
  • Phoenix, Apollo, and Athena as in canon tend to get picked on a lot. Nearly every chapter there is some kind of joke at the expense of one of these three.
  • Larry has been accused of murder... again.
• The Cameo:
  • Raymond Shields makes an appearance, talking to Prosecutorverse Edgeworth.
  • Doug Swallow cameos briefly, and there it is revealed he's married to Iris Fey.
  • Juniper Woods and Clay Terran in the Prosecutorverse.
  • As mentioned above, Angel Starr is back in the Prosecutorverse and she's a detective still in the alternate universe.
  • In the Prosecutorverse, the Judge's brother makes an appearance in Chapter 3, and Gaspan Payne in Chapter 1.
• Continuity Nod: There are many, including nods to the Investigation games. There's even a nod to K'hurain, as Raymond explains to Edgeworth that he stepped forward to rescue a girl accused of stealing a national artifact.
• Death by Adaptation: In Prosecutorverse, Phoenix's parents, Phoebe and Nicholas, are dead. While in canon, Phoenix's parents' whereabouts are never mentioned, there's never an implication that they're dead. Understandably, Prosecutor Phoenix has a freak out when he sees a picture of them while in Canonverse.
• Dies Differently in Adaptation: Gregory lives longer in this universe but ultimately still gets murdered before the start of the story. In canon he was shot, in this story he dies from being pushed out of a window.
• Doomed by Canon: The story begins with the murder of Gregory Edgeworth in the Prosecutorverse, although he lived about 25 years longer, he sadly was still killed in the end.
• Easy Amnesia: Both Phoenix Wrights have to pretend that they have amnesia to explain away their differences in personalities, and lack of knowledge of the lives their counterpart have lead.
• Family Theme Naming:
  • Lily Fey-Swallow is named after a flower, like her mother, Iris, and aunt, Dahlia.
  • As in canon, Misty and her daughters. Their names all start with M.
• First Love: Canonverse Phoenix reflects over this, saying that while he no longer feels the same for her as he used too, he does mention that Iris was his first love.
• Flat "What": In the Canonverse... The Judge, Gumshoe, Mia, and Franziska all had this reaction when Prosecutorverse Phoenix called Franziska cute in court. He’s a doting older adoptive brother to her in his universe and his habits of adoration for her accidentally slipped out.
• "Freaky Friday" Flip: The whole premise of the story is that the Phoenix from the Canonverse timeline has swapped places with Prosecutorverse Phoenix.
• Good Stepmother: Misty Fey is shown to be this to Edgeworth, when she comforts him about Gregory's death and tells him that it's okay to grieve for his father.
• Happily Adopted:
  • As in canon, Trucy is this for Phoenix. Unfortunately, she takes it poorly when Prosecutorverse Phoenix states that he doesn't remember her.
  • It's revealed that Athena's last name in Prosecutorverse is Blackquill, which means that Simon Blackquill adopted her at some point after Metis's death.
• Happily Married: It's hinted heavily that Gregory and Misty were this in the Prosecutorverse.
  • It turns out that in the Prosecutorverse, Iris met Doug Swallow and eventually started dating and married him. They now have a little girl named Lily.
• He Is Not My Boyfriend: This exchange from Canonverse Athena and Blackquill in Chapter 9:
  Blackquill: Here I thought you understood that you're old enough to not need a chaperone for a date. For future reference, maybe ask Wright-dono to play babysitter instead.
  Athena: What?! Ugh! I'm not dating Apollo! And you're not funny so wipe that stupid evil smirk off your face! I told you it was important and you're the only person me and Apollo can consult on this!
  Later...
  Blackquill: Very well...but that is quite the interesting choice of words Athena. It seems to insinuate you and Justice-dono have eaten here together without the rest of your little squad...
  Athena: Give it a rest Simon! We're not dating!
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Prosecutorverse Blackquill and Maya are dating. They have a foot in height difference.
• Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Every chapter is named after a pop culture reference or meme.
• Knight Templar Little Sister: Don't mess with Prosecutorverse Phoenix or else face Franziska's wrath.
• Like Brother and Sister: Canonverse Phoenix and Maya have this dynamic, to the point that he gets a little jealous seeing how close Prosecutorverse Maya and Edgeworth are. He also admits to himself that he can act like a jerk to Edgeworth, to cover up the fact that he's not Prosecutorverse Phoenix, but he can't bring himself to be a jerk to Maya.
• My Sister Is Off-Limits: Blackquill first teases Athena about Apollo; when she denies they are dating, Blackquill drops the teasing banter and says with a straight face that if Apollo wants to date “Cykes-dono’s beloved daughter”... then he’d have to duel Blackquill first to prove himself worthy. Athena is unamused.
  • In the Prosecutorverse, Franziska was quite miffed at Chief Prosecutor Dinah Mite flirting with her adoptive brother Phoenix.
• Named by the Adaptation: Phoenix’s parents are named Nicholas and Phoebe Wright in this story.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Many have noted in both universes how Phoenix is not acting like himself, to cover their strange behavior to others, both have to play up they have amnesia.
• Patchwork Fic: This fic has occasional nods to the anime, but more closely follows the games.
• Punny Name: A lot of the new characters so far.
  • For example in the Prosecutorverse: Chief Prosecutor Dinah Mite (Dynamite), Prosecutor Tex Hawstion (Exhaustion), Klavier’s assistant and band manager-Laura Norder (Law and Order), and two criminals Apollo and Athena exposed-Gil T. Azell (Guilty As Hell) and Evelyn Tent (Evil Intent).
  • A female doctor that appears in the Prosecutorverse-Dr. Belle Pepper. Her name is a twofer pun. On bell peppers, and the soda Dr. Pepper. There is also a male nurse that works alongside her, Serge Ree (Surgery).
  • In the canonverse we have the two victims for Larry’s case: Ima Hicks (I’m a hick) and Candace “Candi” Barr (Candy bar). As well as a witness for his trial-Maxie Mumm (Maximum).
• Psychic Link: Somehow Prosecutorverse Phoenix could briefly hear and feel what canonverse self was experiencing after being shot. This is despite the two being in alternate universes.
• Relative Error: When Canon Phoenix learns from Prosecutorverse!Pearl that Maya is dating someone, he thinks for a fleeting moment that she is with Edgeworth, when they're step-siblings.
• Running Gag:
  • Canon Phoenix drinking something while he's told a shocking reveal. Examples include: the reveal that Misty and Gregory are married, so the Fey sisters and Edgeworth are stepsiblings, the reveal that Athena's last name is Blackquill, and Blackquill and Maya are an item.
  • Prosecutor Phoenix never remembering Apollo or Athena's names, even after hearing their names being told to him... multiple times.
• Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: Both Apollo/Athena and Blackquill/Maya have this dynamic.
  • Prosecutorverse Phoenix and Canoverse Maya art starting to have a platonic version of this dynamic. It's hinted from Prosecutorverse Phoenix in his interactions with Maya, that he also has this dynamic with Kay Faraday from his universe.
• Ship Tease:
  • It's heavily implied that Phoenix had feelings for Mia before she died. Apollo is also implied to have a crush on Athena.
  • They aren’t a planned official couple, but the author still gave a small ship tease in Prosecutorverse with Edgeworth and Franziska.
• Shout-Out: Phoenix's great-aunt Trish Chambers is a two-fer reference. Trish is the name of Dante's companion from the Devil May Cry franchise, and Chambers is the last name of Rebecca from Resident Evil. Like Ace Attorney, both game franchises are from Capcom.
  • He also has an Uncle Piers, who is also named after a character from the Resident Evil franchise.
• Shoe Slap: Prosecutorverse Pearl utilizes this, in order to keep away the cops.
• Sickeningly Sweethearts: Doug and Iris are this in the Prosecutorverse, much to Canonverse Phoenix's embarrassment.
• Silk Hiding Steel: Prosecutorverse Misty is shown to be this, with how she politely but firmly tells the security guard to give her some privacy with Edgeworth. But then again, canon Misty is implied to be this.
• Spared by the Adaptation: Misty Fey, Mia Fey, Apollo’s friend Clay Terran, and Doug Swallow are revealed to have lived in the Prosecutorverse.
• Spit Take: Poor Canonverse Phoenix does this a lot when he finds out that are quite shocking in the Alternate Universe.
• Taking the Bullet: Chapter 6 ends with Phoenix getting shot in the chest to protect Franziska from an unknown shooter. Considering this is Phoenix Wright, just like in canon, he survives.
• The Tease: The Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutorverse is extremely flirtatious.
• Whole Episode Flashback: Most of Chapter 11 is dedicated to the flashback, explaining the death of Prosecutorverse Phoenix's parents, Nicholas and Phoebe, who died while Phoenix was 10.