...*huff*...*huff*...

How did I get into this mess...?

"That's far enough! You can't run forever, Mr. Phoenix Wright!"

Wha...!? What have I done wrong!?

"I cannot allow you to go on like this!"

B-But I'm just a simple defense attorney!

"Not anymore you're not! You are no longer worthy of your title."

My... badge! It's...

"Steel Samurai Sushi Slice! Your badge is now no more!!"

My eyes open groggily to the sound of the Steel Samurai theme song. As I rub my eyes, thinking of what a weird dream that was, I groggily yell for Maya to turn down the TV, only to stop mid-yell when I remember that she is no longer here.

The sound doesn't stop, and I jolt awake when I realize that it isn't the TV, but my phone, that was making all the racket. Stretching, I get up from the couch and pick up my cellphone from the table.

That's strange, I thought I turned it off...

"Hello?" I answer cautiously, hoping it's not another tabloid reporter who wants an interview with me.

"NICK!!"

I wince and pull the phone away from my ear. But a smile is forming on my lips upon hearing that familiar voice.

"I've been trying to reach you all day yesterday! Why didn't you answer your phone?"

I open my mouth to explain, but the girl on the other end didn't give me any time to.

"Ack, nevermind, meet me at our usual burger place at noon, got it?"

Before I even have time to ask any questions, or even confirm the meeting, she hung up. I sigh and sink back into the couch, and run a hand through my unruly hair.

It's been what, a week, since that fateful trial. Was it really a week? I can't remember exactly. These past few days have run into one another and I've lost track of time. Not that it matters anymore, since I'm out of a job.

Maya... I wonder if she knows... Of course she does, it's all over the news, and even Kurain would get wind of it

I had wanted to call her, to know what she thought, to tell her the story from my own lips, to ask her what to do. But every time I tried to dial her number, I'd stop myself. Was I afraid to face her? Maybe. Or maybe I simply don't know what to say to her.

But now that she has decided to find me, I have no choice but to go. She didn't exactly give me a chance to say no. And in a way, I'm kind of glad she's coming. Maybe having someone to talk to will make me feel less depressed.

I look at my watch, two more hours to kill until she gets here. Sighing, I decide to get dressed and mope around a bit before heading out.

---

I enter the restaurant and head toward our usual booth. Halfway there, I stop in my tracks. Someone is already there, a scary-looking person wearing a black mantle, the hood covers half of the person's face. A chill goes down my spine as I'm reminded of a ghost from this horror movie I once saw.

I look around for Maya's gaudy outfit. Nope, don't see her. I decide to wait for her at the front of the restaurant, when that familiar voice call out, "Nick, over here!"

I turn around, and my eyes almost popped out as that person at our usual booth waves and beckons for me.

"M-Maya?!"

I can't hold in my laughter as I sit down across from her. "What are you doing wearing that thing in the middle of May? I thought you were the Grim Reaper."

She pulls her hood back, revealing her signature topknot, and rolls her eyes. Then, she leans on the table and says in a low voice, "Shh, it's a disguise, 'cause I'm undercover here."

"Undercover?"

"Well..." she looks down, "I kinda had to sneak out to come here, because they wouldn't let me..."

She trails off. She doesn't have to continue, I immediately understand her concerns. It's the same reason I can't just visit her, because I'm a disgraced lawyer, and she is the new Master of Kurain. The tabloids would probably twist the truth to make a scandal, and the Kurain village can't afford one of those, not when it's just getting its reputation back on track.

An awkward silence follows, I'm not sure what I should say to her, or even if I should say anything at all. Should I start telling her my story now, in case she got the wrong idea from the tabloids?

"Burgers!"

I look up, and I must've looked confused, because she starts laughing.

"I already ordered for us, they should be here any second now!" she grins, and I find myself smiling. It's been a while since we were last here.

The burgers came, one for me, and three for Maya. Even now, I still wonder where she puts it all. We eat in silence. A thousand things run in my head as I try to sort out what I should tell her.

"So Nick," Maya breaks the silence. "How's er, the office?"

Immediately after she finishes speaking, she looks like she regrets it.

"I, I mean," she fumbles around with her drink as she tries to cover up bringing up a sensitive subject.

"It's fine," I answer simply, putting on a smile, trying to assure her I'm not offended or anything.

"I almost didn't recognize you either you know," she quickly changes the subject.

"Eh?"

I sigh. I expected her to notice the changes in my appearance; the bags under my eyes, the unkempt hair, the sweater and jeans, and the stubble that was growing in.

"Yeah, I guess so," I answer.

"Guess so nothing! You should clean yourself up before someone mistakes you for a hobo!" she points at me with a french fry.

"Ahaha," I laugh, "I dunno, I kind of like this look, takes a lot less time and effort to maintain." She rolls her eyes in reply.

"Nick, you look....tired," she remarks softly.

"I know," I sigh. I should probably stop pussy-footing around the subject and tell her what happened, she is probably dying to know.

"Maya, I'm sure you've already heard what happened in that trial--"

"Nick," she interrupts me, making me look up at her. She stares me right in the eye, her eyes full of... determination.

"Nick, I believe in you."

I am caught off-guard by that. "I--"

"I believe in you," she repeats, "I know you didn't do it. Forge evidence I mean."

Well, she gets right to the point, doesn't she. I feel a lump in my throat. For the past week, everyone had been looking down on me, convinced that I was a liar and a cheater. But here she is, someone who still believes in me, despite everything.

"..." I want to thank her, to tell her how much it means to me, but I can't speak. So instead, I simply nod.

"Still..." she speaks up softly, fidgeting with her fingers, "What happened Nick?"

So I tell her everything. About how I was suddenly hired by Zak Gramarye by winning that Poker game, how I was handed that diary page, how I presented it as evidence, and was caught by the forger's testimony. How Zak disappeared before the verdict was announced. And how a few days later, I was called in by the Bar Association and had my badge taken away.

Maya listened quietly. I avoided her eyes while talking. When I finished, I see her trying to smile.

"Geez Nick, I'm away for one trial and look what you get yourself into. I guess you really are hopeless without me." She tries to joke, but then realizing it was entirely not funny, apologizes.

"So, what are you going to do now?" she asks while staring at the leftover fries.

I shrug. I honestly have no idea. I think I've been trying to avoid thinking about that in the past few days.

"Do you want me to channel my sister? Maybe she could help--"

"NO!" I exclaim, and a few people turn their heads towards us. "I mean no, please don't."

"Are you sure? She's very good at giving advice and stuff."

"Yeah I'm sure," I look away, "I, I don't think I can face Mia. Not now, not like this." I am honestly scared of what Mia would say if she sees me now.

"Then... have you asked Mr. Edgeworth for help yet? Maybe I can talk him for you, if you're too proud or embarrassed to," she suggests.

"No!" Realizing I am probably yelling again, judging by her reaction, I tone down, "I mean, no, it's not like that..."

Gumshoe had offered to do the same thing. That day after my badge was taken away, he barged into my office, yelling up a storm. In the end, I thanked him and sent him away. I felt a bit bad, seeing his sad face as he walked out the door, but there wasn't much he could do.

"But why?" Maya insists, "I'm sure Mr. Edgeworth has connections and stuff, he could help get your badge back! Maybe I can too, now that I'm the Master of Kurain, we have plenty of connections, I think, and Ms. Von Karma could--"

"Maya, stop." I slam the table, almost by reflex.

"Nick... but..." she looks like she is about to cry, and I immediately feel bad.

"It's not..." I find it hard to explain. I've been thinking of asking my friends for help many times in the past few days. But just like how I couldn't even bring myself to phone Maya, I couldn't bring myself to get my friends involved.

Or perhaps it is as Maya said, that I'm simply too proud or scared to face Edgeworth, much less ask him for help. I don't want to see the look of disapproval on his face. I can endure those looks from strangers, but not from Edgeworth. And Franziska von Karma? I'm sure if I were to set foot within her sights, she'd whip me until I fainted. Right now... I can't face them. I feel like I've let them down.

"Why are you being so stubborn Nick! This isn't like you!" Maya practically screams in my face. "The Nick I know would never just give up! He would find a way to turn the situation around, right?"

"Because Maya," I sigh, she is voicing that little voice in my head aloud. "Even if I didn't forge that page, I have no evidence of that, since the forger himself testified against me."

"So what?" she demands, "You've always defended clients who have mountains of evidence against them and came out on top, because you believed in them! So why can't you believe in yourself?"

The arguments she is using, I had the exact same argument with myself many times in the past few days. If I could prove my clients innocent, why couldn't I prove myself innocent? And I've always came to the same conclusion.

"Because Maya, I'm not innocent."

"WHAT?!" she exclaims, causing a few heads to turn our way. "You don't mean..."

"No, I didn't commission the forgery. But I still presented forged evidence in court. And that evidence has been proven to be forged." I sigh. "Whether I commissioned it or not, I still made a grave mistake. And I'm being punished for it. That's all."

"But that's..." Maya looks like she was about to cry again. "You didn't know though..."

"That excuse isn't going to stand up in court you know. Besides, unpremeditated murder is still murder."

"Nick..." she replies quietly, the fight out of her, "Don't you think you're being too hard on yourself?"

Perhaps I am. But I can't forgive myself for my mistake. I should have known better. I should have talked to my client about this evidence I got from a little girl I didn't know. I should have investigated more. I shouldn't have been so hasty. The events play back in my mind over and over again, and every time I regret the things I should and shouldn't have done.

I shake my head, "It was my responsibility, and I failed. Besides," I sigh, "I couldn't even save my client. I failed, Maya."

Maya looks like she wants to retort. She keeps on opening and closing her mouth, but nothing comes out.

"And..." I look down, unable to meet Maya's eyes, "I feel like I've failed you, and Mia, and Pearls too, after all you've done for me. I... I'm sorry."

There is silence between us. And it isn't until I hear her sobbing that I look up and see tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"M-Maya!" I start to panic, quickly grabbing a pile of napkins and shove it in front of her. "D-Don't cry!"

"Nick you idiot!" she manages between sobs. "If you don't want to believe in yourself, why can't you at least believe in your friends to help you?!"

"I-It's not like that!" I protest, "It's not that I don't believe in you, it's just that I'm at fault for all this--"

"I was -hic- supposed to take care of you," she continues as if she didn't hear me, "And I -hic- promised that I'd help you. And I -hic- couldn't be there that day, and now I can't even -hic- do anything for you. Even though -hic every time I was in trouble you were always there for me. -hic- I know how important that badge was to you, so why can't you let me at least try to do something for you?"

I sit there in astonishment, staring at her small frame as she cries. As she cries for me.

I haven't shed a single tear in the past week, even though I wanted to. Despite the despair and regret that washes over me many times a day, I've been unable to cry.

And now, this girl in front of me is crying for me, shedding the tears that I couldn't.

"Don't blame yourself Maya," I finally find my voice.

"But I...."

"I'm sorry, I... It's not I don't want your help, it's just..." I find myself not knowing what to say to comfort the girl crying for my sake. "You believe in me, and that's all I need."

"Really?" she looks up, teary-eyed.

"Yeah," I smile. "I really needed that. Thanks, Maya."

She finally wipes her eyes dry, and gives me a smile. "I know what I can do, the burgers are on me today."

I hold a hand over my heart and pretend to have a heart attack, "Is it the end of the world already?!"

She rolls her eyes. "No really. You're probably short on cash now more than ever, right?"

"Hey what do you mean 'more than ever'!" I protest. Sure, I wasn't rich even when I was a lawyer, but I wasn't that poor!

She just grins. Then, reaching into her bag, she pulls out an envelope.

"Actually, I do have something I can do for you right now," she says as she hand the envelope to me.

I open it, take a look, and immediately look back to her in shock. Inside is a cheque.

"M-Maya! T-This!"

"It's for you, silly," she explains when I stare at her blankly.

"But I can't accept this..."

"You need money right now, don't you? You do have to pay the bills for the office you know. Unless... you're not selling the office are you?" she suddenly looks concerned.

"No, of course not!" The office is something Mia entrusted to me, I won't sell it. Besides, I practically live there now.

"But I should have enough saved up to last for some time. Besides, isn't this Kurain's money?"

"It's okay," she grins, "It's my own money. Well, Pearly chipped in a little, she insisted. I could delay getting those Steel Samurai special edition DVDs for a few months. This is more important."

I feel so touched. "You'd give up the Steel Samurai DVDs for me, really?"

She looks a bit embarrassed right about now. Looking away, she mumbles, "J-Just think of it as me paying you back for all those times you paid for my burgers."

"Alright Maya, you win." I'd feel bad if I were to refuse her - and Pearl's - kindness. "Thank you." I smiled as I tucked the cheque in my wallet.

"Speaking of Pearls, does she know? About... er, me I mean."

"Oh," Maya looked a bit worried at the mention of Pearl. "She kind of knows. It's kind of hard not to, with everyone talking about it. I don't think she knows the details though." Maya looked up and smiled, "But don't worry, she believes in you as well!"

"That's a relief." Even if all of the world is against me, I feel I'd be fine as long as my friends still believe in me.

"But, she was crying all night when she found out..." Maya looks worried. "She kept on blaming herself for not being there to help you in my place that day."

Poor Pearls. "But she's okay now, right?"

"Yeah" Maya smiles, "She was more worried that I haven't gone to see you yet, so she helped me sneak out today."

"So why didn't she come with you today?" I kind of wanted to see Pearl, to make sure she was really okay. Although I doubt she'd approve of my appearance right now.

Maya looks a bit red all of a sudden, and mumbles something like "Because she wanted me to have some 'alone time' with you."

"Oh, right."

"I think you should be lucky she's not here to see your hobo look," Maya laughs. "But maybe you need a few slaps from her to get moving again."

I wince at that. For someone so little, she sure slaps hard.

"So what are you going to do now Nick?" Maya looks worried.

There isn't much I can do. But a lot of things from that trial remain unanswered. And I want to find out the truth, to satisfy own curiosity if nothing else. I guess I'll start by seeing if Gumshoe can help me get into the Detention Center to ask a few questions.

And there's also a matter of Zak's daughter. I remember the little girl who handed me that journal page. I think only Zak escaped, he left by himself, leaving her behind. It's probably not my business, but she reminds me of Pearls, and I feel that I can't just leave her alone like that.

I start telling Maya everything about the trial, and my plans for finding the truth behind it all. She listens intently, nodding here and there. When I finish the story, she sighs.

"I wonder why that Zak guy left like that. Why didn't he trust you like your other clients did? Do you think he was really innocent?"

"Yeah, I think so. I think Valant is the culprit, but I need to investigate further." Also, just how did that new prosecutor guy know about the forged page? To even have the forger prepared as a witness, something smells fishy here.

"Ack, I have to go!" Maya's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "I have to get back before anyone notices I'm gone."

Maya paid for our burgers, and we walk out of the restaurant to the station together. On the way there, Maya told me about her life for the past few weeks. It seems that being the new master is no easy task. She tells me how some people think she's too young for the job.

"But it's okay, Pearls and Sis are there to help me!"

When we finally have to part at the station, she bid me farewell with a big smile.

"Take care of yourself Nick! Call me if you need anything okay!"

I smile and wave to her, "Yeah, I will."

"Maybe I'll sneak out again. Let's have burgers together some time!"

I laugh, "Ok, but only if you pay for them."

As I watched the train head off toward Kurain, I feel much better than I did this morning. It's good to know that I'm not alone after all.