It was a very hot summer day, and, as usual, Phoenix Wright didn’t have any cases. He was sure that there wouldn’t be any cases, but he checked the office e-mail, just in case. He was about to doze off because of the heat, when he saw an e-mail entitled “Help Wanted: Urgent”.

“Maya, look, we have a case now!” Phoenix hollered, but there was no response. “She must be watching another episode of the Pink Princess,” he figured.

“Let’s click this thing…I’m not so good at technology, I can’t even guess where I can see the sender’s name,” Phoenix complained to himself as he opened the new e-mail, but was shocked and a bit frustrated at the contents.

“Nick! You have to help me! I’m watching the Pink Princess, and it’s a double episode! I need to have some popcorn, pretty please?” the message said. It turns out the sender was “maya_kurain_burger”, and she sent the message using a laptop, which Phoenix never knew she had.

Phoenix shouted immediately after finishing the message, “MAYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

END

“Niiiiiiiiick!!!!!!!!”

That was one of the many normal noises to be heard at the Wright and Co. Law Offices, whenever Phoenix Wright didn’t have a case. Maya Fey, assistant and friend of the aforementioned defense attorney, and a spirit medium by blood, was obviously complaining.

“Coming, Maya,” Phoenix said lazily as he approached Maya at the office table. “What’s the matter now?”

“Mr. Edgeworth’s coming over today!” Maya said, apparently excited. “What?!? Edgeworth, coming over today?!?” Phoenix practically screamed.

“He just called, in fact. He told me he flew here because of Franziska, but he has to wait for a while, and wanted to visit us, since he has free time. He’s on his way here now!”

Phoenix was still shocked. “Edgeworth is back, and so soon? What to do? Why here…?”

“Wright. Don’t sit around there all day looking dazed.”

“Edgeworth!” both Maya and Phoenix said in unison. “What’s the hurry, Edgeworth? We can just talk here, you know,” Phoenix told him.

“Yes, we can, but, embarrassingly, I’m hungry,” Edgeworth replied. “Can we eat somewhere?”

“Yay, we’re eating out! And Nick, you’re paying! Mr. Edgeworth’s a guest,” Maya said tauntingly. “Uh-oh. I feel like my pocket will have lost weight by the time we come back,” Phoenix thought. “At least we won’t have to eat just burgers this time.”

Edgeworth thought, then told them where he wanted to eat. “I’ve missed the American cuisine, although a bit sloppy. I think I’d fancy…burgers.”

“Yay!!!” Maya jumped with glee. “Noooooo!” Phoenix shouted in his mind.

END

It was one of those days when legendary attorney Phoenix Wright found himself without a case, and he had a habit of cleaning the toilet. Maya, the future Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique, and his devoted assistant & friend, just sent him a text message in fact, saying:

Nick:

I can’t go to the office. I have to train the students because they’re missing out on a lot with Aunt Morgan not around. Sorry! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!

Sender: Maya Fey

Time: 09:30

“Wow,” Phoenix thought. “Maya finally knows her responsibility as Master, for once. I can get along without her today, anyway.”

After reading the message, Phoenix put down his cellphone and was about to scrub the toilet again, when he saw all the books behind his desk, dusty and untouched for two years now. He thought, “How does one read all those books? But Mia read all of them when she trained to be a lawyer, so maybe I should too.”

He remembered other defense attorneys, like his mentor and friend, Mia Fey. He also remembered her mentor, Marvin Grossberg. He tried to imagine their trials and compare them to his. “They would always come prepared. I resort to bluffs and baseless assumptions,” he told himself. “Alright, I am going to study their techniques and really act like a defense attorney!”

He picked up the first book from the top shelf and began to read. He began thinking thoughts such as “This part is really getting dull,” or “Why do these textbooks always have to be so boring?” until he finally dozed off.



Maya got her key out and went into the Wright and Co. Law Offices. As soon as she was in, she said, “Nick! I finished their training early…” but stopped when she saw Phoenix slumped on his chair, sound asleep. She noticed the book he was holding, and picked it up.

“Let’s see…”Basics of Becoming a Defense Attorney: Volume I”,” she recited aloud. “Hmm, Nick never read any of the books sis read…Maybe he just learned his responsibilities of becoming a defense attorney…He’s really sleepy, and he must have read a lot, since he’s actually snoring…What page was he on?” she wondered.

She checked where Phoenix had left the book partly open. “Let’s see…this is page...ONE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!”

END

Another hot summer day came, and Phoenix Wright, the ace attorney, still found himself devoid of a case. He had a habit of scrubbing the toilet whenever he could, but no one seemed to care. The door opened, and Maya Fey, Phoenix’s assistant, and a spirit medium, came happily through the door.

“Nick!” she shouted. “Why do you keep scrubbing the toilet whenever I come to work?”

Phoenix tried to answer, but all he could think of saying was, “It’s become a habit, Maya.” Indeed, it has become a habit, because, Mia, mentor to Phoenix and Maya’s sister, made him do it whenever he forgot the names of the victims and defendants of her cases (he was always there with her during trials).

Maya pouted. “Well, I’ll watch old Steel Samurai videos. You should watch too!” she said, dragging Phoenix away from the toilet and onto the couch, as she inserted the DVD into the player.

The TV was turned on, and the title shone. “Episode 13: Assassin of the Night,” the narrator said, while Maya spoke up. “This is one of the scariest episodes, Nick. Be prepared for a fright!”

“I don’t really *yawn* like samurai movies…*snore*” Phoenix said groggily, until he dozed off. He dreamt he was the Steel Samurai, warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo fighting evil ninja warriors who sided with the Evil Magistrate. He said, “Remember, evil ninjas, that the forces of good will always triumph over the wicked souls.”

He fought the warriors courageously, but then, out of the bamboo forest, came the Evil Magistrate himself! The Steel Samurai’s archenemy then spoke, saying, “Graah! You have disgraced me for the last time, Steel Samurai! The pale moon in the sky cries for you blood!”

Then the Steel Samurai, or, Phoenix, cried out, “The moon? No, it is you who should gaze upon the moon…For it is the last moon you shall ever see!”

At once, both warriors brought out their weapons and Phoenix yelled, “See you in hell, Evil Magistrate!

Then he heard shouts of, “Nick! Nick!” which obviously came from Maya. He woke up, and heard Maya saying, “How did you do that?”

He was confused. What happened? “How did I do what?” he asked. “You recited all the dialogues of the Steel Samurai from the whole season!” she hollered. “It took me a week to do that!”

He stared at her blankly, asked, “I did WHAT?!?” and fainted.

END

Ema Skye was walking to the Police Department, snackoos in hand. As she walked, a street dog came running in her direction, its collar snagging onto her pants. “Ow!” she exclaimed as the dog pulled and ran towards an alley. Ema pulled as hard as she can, and the dog broke free, leaving a big rip in her pants. “What bad luck,” Ema thought, as she continued to walk to work.

Ema entered the Police Department and sat down into her office chair, eating her snackoos once more. After munching noisily on a few of them, she got up and walked around the room. “The chief is playing video games again,” she muttered, glancing at his computer screen. Then, the chief accidentally bumped his coffee cup, spilling its contents onto the floor. Ema slipped, and fell on her back. All of the detectives were laughing when she got up. “Ugh! Why does this have to happen to me? First my pants, and now this?!?” she muttered, walking back to her seat.

Frustrated, Ema decided not to show herself, and wrote reports for her previous cases, while continuing to munch on her seemingly never-ending snackoos. All of a sudden, a surprising holler came. “BOO!” Ema threw her snackoos up in surprise. She turned around to find the person she never wanted to see: Klavier Gavin. “Did you like my surprise, Fraulein?” he asked as snackoos fell on top of Ema’s hair. “Ugh! It’s you!” she said, now more furious than ever. “Look what you did!” Klavier stifled a laugh and apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, Fraulein. Well, I’ll get back to work, then.”

Now fuming, Ema got back into her seat, writing reports faster than ever. Then a person tapped her shoulder softly. “What is it?!?” she screamed, not knowing what could come next. “Ms. Skye,” one of the detectives said timidly, “Today’s the annual detective’s reporting. It’s your turn to report to the Chief Prosecutor.” Ema was shocked. She had totally forgotten! “Oh, uh, sorry. Yes, I’ll be right there,” she said, her face pale white. “Why me? Why now?” she thought, and fainted.

END

“Daddy!!! Happy Father’s Day!!!”

Those were the words that were heard loud and clear in the Wright Anything Agency on a sunny June day as a 15-year old girl with a blue cape was bouncing on the bed beside a man wearing a grey sweater.

“Daddy, wake up! It’s Father’s Day! I made you breakfast so you don’t have to tire yourself,” Trucy Wright said pleasingly to her father, former ace attorney Phoenix Wright, as he got out of bed.

Ever since the little magician’s real father, Shadi Enigmar, better known as Zak Gramarye of the famed Troupe Gramarye, disappeared in the final case of Phoenix Wright, the former attorney acted as her father for the last seven years, and now, since it was Father’s Day, Trucy wanted to show how happy and thankful she was for all the support that her father gave her during those seven years.

Phoenix looked at the egg and bacon on the plate and ate. The man’s smile was all Trucy wanted to see if he was happy with what she cooked. When he was finished, Trucy said as she picked up the tray, “Daddy, I’ll wash the dishes for you. Just take a bath and dress up! I’ll show you where we’re going later, okay?”

Phoenix replied, “Okay, Trucy,” and grinned because of the things the girl was doing for him.

When the poker player was ready, Trucy walked out the door with him and said, “Polly made reservations at a new German restaurant in town. He told me that we would meet him there as soon as you were up and ready, so let’s hurry up and go see him, alright?”

Phoenix replied with a nod, and they both headed into town.

Franziska von Karma sat in one of the chairs at the prison as the guard handed her a sheet for a one-day parole of a prisoner in solitary. She signed the spaces needed for authorization of release and gave them to the guard. “It will take about 15 minutes to process these, ma’am,” the guard told her.

The now-26 year old prosecutor last came to the country seven years ago, to help with the Iris Fey-Hawthorne case, when her “little brother”, Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, became defense attorney for a day when Phoenix Wright was in the hospital and out of commission. Now she came to visit her father, Manfred von Karma, who never lost a case in 40 years, but was sent behind bars for the murder of Gregory Edgeworth, and for planning the murder of defense attorney Robert Hammond by none other than Phoenix Wright.

The papers she signed were for a one-day parole of her father Manfred, so she could supposedly spend some “quality time” with him. “I wouldn’t have come back for a foolishly foolish reason like this,” she thought, “but it was Miles Edgeworth, my own brother, who told me to do this. I couldn’t say no to him, not in a million years.”

“Ms. von Karma?” the police officer asked to get the whip-wielding prosecutor’s attention. “Your, er, father, Mr. Manfred von Karma, is here.”

The white-haired, cravat-wearing man stared at her younger daughter, and Franziska exchanged the glance with a crack from her whip. “Franziska von Karma,” the deep voice said gruffly. “Were you the one who arranged for me to get out of my cell in solitary?”

“Yes, Papa,” Franziska said to her father. ”It was the idea of a certain Miles Edgeworth,” the lady prosecutor explained. “As you have taught me, I would not have disturbed you with something so trivial, yet I cannot refuse an offer of my little brother.”

Manfred simply nodded at her daughter, and followed her as she walked. “We are to meet Miles Edgeworth at a German restaurant in the district,” she said. “He said it would remind you of our own home in Germany, but I cannot guarantee that any of the food here will taste much like our own delicacies.”


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Apollo waited anxiously for the arrival of the young blue-caped magician and her poker-playing dad, when he spotted a magenta-clad man with a cravat. “I think I know him from somewhere,” the young defense attorney said. When the man spotted Apollo, though, the man came near his table and asked, “Are you Apollo Justice, the defense attorney?”

The shocked Apollo replied with a subtle nod, and was asked again, “You currently work at the Wright and Co. Law Offices, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Actually, it’s now the Wright Anything Agency. How do you know all this, and who exactly are you?” Apollo queried. The man replied, “I am Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. I was an acquaintance of Wright, who is currently acting as your mentor, correct?”

“Well, yeah, sort of,” Apollo told him. “Actually, Mr. Wright and his daughter are coming here,” he added.

“Wright has a daughter? Who is the mother?” Edgeworth asked, surprised at the thought that Wright had a child. “Maybe it was Maya?” he thought, “Or it could be that Iris girl from seven years ago.”

Apollo then explained to Edgeworth, “No, no. Trucy was adopted by Mr. Wright. Her real father was Zak Gramarye, or Shadi Enigmar, who died in a recent case, my first, actually. Her mother was Thalassa Gramarye, but she died in an accident in one of the Troupe Gramarye’s practices, Mr. Wright told me.”

“Ah.” Edgeworth breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, in any case, I really must go back to my seat. My guests will be arriving at any moment. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Justice.”

“Same here, Mr. Edgeworth.”

End of Chapter 1

“Here we are, Daddy,” Trucy said to her dad as they both neared a small German restaurant. The small sign above the doorway said, “Das gute Essen der Mama” which means “The Good Food of Mama”. “Yep, this is the place, Daddy,” Trucy said, checking her cellphone to see if they got the right address. “And look! There’s Polly, by the window,” Trucy exclaimed, pointing to the pointy-haired defense attorney with the red vest as they entered.

“Ack!!!” Apollo jumped at the sudden nudge of his shoulder. “Oh, Trucy, it’s just you. And, uh, hello Mr. Wright. Um, I met a specific Mr. Miles Edgeworth, who said he was your friend,” Apollo told Phoenix.

“Oh, so you met Edgeworth already. Isn’t he over there, at the table across from ours?” Phoenix asked, never imagining he would finally meet Edgeworth again in seven years.

“Um, yeah, and he says he has g-guests as well. Better not, er, disturb him until they a-arrive. And, uh, h-happy Father’s Day, Mr. Wright,” a nervous Apollo stammered.

Just then, a woman with a whip and a stern-looking man who seemed as though he was in his 90’s but still strong was at the door. Phoenix turned around and, to his surprise, he saw the von Karmas approaching their table and seating themselves at the table across theirs, where Edgeworth was sitting.

“Edgeworth never mentioned who his guests really were, right, Apollo?” Phoenix asked almost immediately. “N-n-no, Mr. Wright. He only said he had guests after our conversation. D-do you perhaps, uhm, know his guests?” Apollo stuttered again nervously.

“Sadly, yes, although I never expected them,” Phoenix said. “The woman with the whip is Prosecutor Franziska von Karma. She was quite famous at the Prosecutors’ Office when I was a lawyer, but about a year after I met her, she went back to Germany to lengthen her “perfect win record”. The other guest is Manfred von Karma, her father, and didn’t lose a single case in forty years, but after he was found out as being the murderer of Gregory Edgeworth, his rival defense attorney and Edgeworth’s father, he was sentenced to prison. Did you get all that, Apollo?”

Apollo simply replied with a blank stare, and then there was silence at the table for a few minutes.


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“Das gute Essen der Mama. This is the restaurant with Miles Edgeworth’s reservation, but let us see if Mama’s food is really that good,” a never-contented Franziska said to her father as they entered the German restaurant.

“There he is, Papa,” Franziska pointed out. She made her way through the front tables and near the window, where a hobo (she never would have guessed it was actually Phoenix Wright), a rookie defense attorney (she could only tell by the badge) and a magician-in-training were sitting, and sat on one of the chairs at the table where Edgeworth was sitting.

“Hello Franziska. Sir (that was what he was trained to say to Manfred during his training as a prosecutor),” he greeted them as they sat. He then passed out the menus saying, “Here are their specialties. I’ve already ordered my own food before you got here so please pick. I will be handling the bill, so do not worry about money either.”

“Prepared and organized as ever, I see, Miles Edgeworth,” Franziska commented him on his behavior, though when she looked at him, he seemed to be looking at the other table. Baffled, she asked, “Do you know any of those foolish fools at that table? You seem intent on gazing at them for quite a while.”

“I met the one with the attorney’s badge,” Edgeworth explained. “His name is Apollo Justice, and he has made quite a name for himself, considering he has defeated Kristoph Gavin’s younger brother Klavier thrice, like he did to me. The guest in the gray hoodie seems, well, rather familiar, although I can’t quite pinpoint where I’ve seen him before…Gaaah!”

Franziska’s whip apparently made quite an effect on the magenta-clad prosecutor, because his expression was surprisingly loud for a man who was used to the whippings. “Do not keep your head in the clouds, Miles Edgeworth! Do you expect us to just wait for our food idly while you stare at the fools by the opposing table?” Franziska roared furiously.

“The pastime that I would take pleasure in the most is to overpower the man that threw me in prison, Phoenix Wright, however, news from seven years ago discloses that he lost his attorney’s badge and therefore, I would like to challenge…him!” Manfred said, indicating Apollo at the next table with his finger.

“Papa, you are only on parole,” the always dissatisfied Franziska eagerly informed her father. “And even if you were free, Papa, I doubt there are many cases that the court would allow you to handle again.”


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“You know, Apollo, Trucy, this was a great surprise, but what would really make my day is to see a courtroom battle again,” Phoenix Wright shared with the two.

“But Mr. Wright, I don’t have any clients at the moment. You can’t watch a courtroom battle without a case!” Apollo practically shrieked at him, but then Edgeworth pulled him aside, saying, “Excuse me, but I really must talk to Mr. Justice, so if you’ll excuse us…” but was stopped at the reply that he heard.

“Okay, Edgeworth, and say hi to the von Karmas for me too,” Phoenix inadvertently told him.

Edgeworth then hastily dragged Apollo to a corner of the restaurant and asked him out of the blue, “Mr. Justice, this is not the reason I am talking to you here, but is that really Wright who is your guest?”

“Well, yeah. It is Father’s day and Trucy wanted to do something special for her dad, although he’s asking me to do an impossible request, actually. He wants to see me in court, having a courtroom battle. Wait, Mr. Edgeworth, why are you…grinning?” Apollo asked at the reaction he gave to what he just said.

Edgeworth clarified, “Actually, what you have just said would help me in my request. My two guests are my former mentor, Manfred von Karma, and his daughter, Franziska von Karma. Mr. von Karma actually asked of me the same thing that Wright has asked of you: a battle in court. I have strong ties with the government in this district actually, and could arrange for a case to be taken, but what he was asking was that he would battle either you, or Wright,” Edgeworth stopped to take a breath. “So will you oblige, Mr. Justice?”

“Well, if it would make Trucy and Mr. Wright happy then…I guess I have no choice,” Apollo told him glumly. “Well, I-I have to tell Mr. Wright, because this is really a v-very abrupt r-revelation, Mr. E-Edgeworth,” Apollo hesitated again uneasily, and walked briskly toward the table.

End of Chapter 2

A knock resounded in the empty Wright Anything Agency, one bright, sunny Father’s Day, as 16-year-old Pearl Fey, cousin of Maya Fey, the Master of Kurain, waited anxiously outside. After about 15 seconds with no response, she tried calling their names. “Hello? Mr. Nick? Trucy, are you there? Is anyone at home?”

Nobody was answering, but at least she had the key that Mystic Maya, Master of Kurain, used when she helped Mr. Nick. She unlocked the door, and found a note on the office desk saying:

Das gute Essen der Mama

8:30 a.m.

There was also a map on the back side of the paper, so she thought to herself, “Maybe Mr. Nick and Trucy are there for Father’s Day, so…”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apollo ran to the table and, gasping for breath, said, “Mr. Wright!!! *huff-huff* Mr. Edgeworth accepts your challenge *gasp*.”

Confused by his sudden outburst, Phoenix said, “Apollo, first sit down and get some air. Now, tell me, what challenge are you talking about?”

“Mr. Edgeworth said that, er, Mr. von Karma also wants to battle in court,” Apollo explained. “He said that he could arrange for a test trial, since he has close friends in the government, and that von Karma would battle either you, or me. So I had to accept, because that’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

Phoenix, happy, yet a little bewildered at the thought, told him, “That can’t be at all right, because von Karma isn’t a prosecutor anymore. Although, I suppose if it is only a test trial…They use test trials to train law students, so why not?”

“Thanks, Polly,” Trucy cried happily. “You’d never let us down! Now Daddy can see you battle again!!!”


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Miles Edgeworth walked calmly toward the table and announced, “You will have your wish, after all, sir. The young attorney, Apollo Justice, has agreed to your terms. And, it turns out that his guest is actually none other than Wright himself!”

Franziska raised her whip in fury. “Phoenix Wright?!? That foolish fool dressed in the foolishly foolish hoodie is the man who has defeated me twice?!? Never in my life have I seen such a man who has turned himself from a famous attorney into such a disgrace.”

Manfred frowned. “Phoenix Wright or not, I will battle a defense attorney in court! I may not be a prosecutor, but there are mock cases for trainees, no? I will have my battle,” he proclaimed. “Wait, Franziska, why is Edgeworth talking on the phone while I am speaking?”

Indeed, Edgeworth was notifying Gumshoe to arrange a test trial to be prepared. “Yes, Detective Gumshoe.” “At the Sunshine Coliseum? Yes.” “Perfect.”

“Papa, I believe he is making arrangements for a mock trial, but if, indeed, the trial will continue, I have to sign papers for a longer parole,” Franziska told her father.

“Let it be so,” he declared. “No one shall stop me in court now, not even Gregory Edgeworth ((he stares at Edgeworth)), who has given me a penalty that I still bear to this day!”

Edgeworth then put down his phone and announced, “The earliest trial that they can prepare is tomorrow, so we have the whole afternoon and evening to investigate. They have a real case, and the scene of the crime is at the Sunshine Coliseum. I’ll notify Wright and the others as well.”

“Papa, if you are finished with your food, let’s hurry and go to the crime scene,” Franziska hastily said. “Miles Edgeworth will be footing the bill, and we have no time to waste.”

Manfred agreed, and they rushed out the door, where they bumped into a teenage girl with a weirdly familiar hairstyle and weirdly familiar clothes.


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Pearl looked at the sign on the door, but was quickly knocked over by a pair of adults. She tried to shout to them, but they ran too quickly. She remembered the woman and quickly thought, “It’s that woman who tried to get Master Mystic Maya imprisoned,” but quickly forgot that when she spotted Phoenix and Trucy at a table, talking to someone who looked very similar to Mr. “Eh-ji-werth”, who she met in court about 8 years ago.

She opened the door, and went to their table, where she overheard bits of their conversation like “case” and “trial”, and that started her channeling ability. She quickly channeled Mia Fey, Phoenix’s mentor, her cousin, and one of the best defense attorneys of her time.


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“So, the trial starts tomorrow at 10, right?” Apollo asked, just to be sure.

“Yes, Mr. Justice,” Edgeworth replied. “Franziska and I will be joining the prosecution, as Wright and Trucy may join the defense team, if needed. So, goodbye, as I must see to the von Karmas. See you in court again, Wright,” Edgeworth told Phoenix, as he made his way to the door.

“Now, what is this about a case, Phoenix?” a gentle voice asked.

“Mia?!?” Phoenix asked in shock. “How did you…? Oh, you’re wearing Pearl’s clothes.”

“Yep,” Mia said, relaxed as ever. “Pearl channeled me here just a few seconds ago. If you’re going to have a case, don’t let me out on the fun.”

Phoenix explained, “Okay, Chief. Apollo here works for us now. He’s a defense attorney, and Manfred von Karma challenged him to a match, since I, well, I lost my badge. The murder happened at the Sunshine Coliseum, and the von Karmas and Edgeworth are already on the way.”

“Well, what are we all standing around for?” Mia inquired anxiously. “Do you want to lose for lack of evidence?”

“Miss Mia’s right, Daddy,” Trucy told Phoenix. “They’re already ahead in their investigation! We should hurry! C’mon, Polly! Let’s go!”

The team rushed out the door.

End of Chapter 3

An impact shatters the glass…I fall backwards…Flames surround me everywhere…I hear a familiar voice calling…”Lana, get out of the car!” Dad screams…I am taken out of the car by a firefighter…Ambulances everywhere, surrounding the crashed car, burning up in the smoke…I hear one last voice. “Take care…of your sister…Lana.”

One bright sunny morning, a little girl of five with brown hair woke up and smelled the morning air. “The morning’s always so amazing!” Ema said, and she went down the stairs to the kitchen. There, she saw her older sister Lana, her signature red scarf hanging from her neck. The always-upbeat Ema casually said, “Lana where’s Mom and Dad?” Lana said with a gulp, “They…they…” but Ema intervened, saying, “I know what you’re going to say, sis!” Lana froze, afraid that she heard about the accident last night.

“They went to work early because they have an emergency meeting! That’s what you always say!” Ema said, gleefully, and went to the dining table, where she munched on warm toast. Lana breathed a sigh of relief. “If she knew what happened, she’d lose everything,” she muttered.

After school, Lana unlocked the door and found Ema wearing an oversized labcoat. “Ema, what did I tell you about playing with my laboratory instruments?!?” Lana scolded. Ema jumped up from the sofa and hugged her sister tight. “Yay! You’re back!” Ema said, but Lana continued to scold her little sister. “Don’t do that again! Those things are very important to me…” “And so are Mom and Dad,” she thought. Ema asked her, “Lana, why are you shivering? And your face is so pale!”

“Mm. It’s time to tell Ema the truth,” she whispered. “Ema. Listen to me seriously, okay?” Ema nodded. “Mom and Dad…aren’t coming home,” Lana said, waiting for Ema’s response, but she gave none. “Mom, Dad and I went to the grocery, remember? Well, the car crashed. They…died.”

After Ema wiped her tears away, Lana said, “It’s just you and me, Ema. But they’ll always stay with you. In your heart.” Lana pulled her sister close in an embrace, looking at the stars. Ema drifted away in sleep, and Lana whispered, “Even if I have to die…No matter what happens, I’ll always protect you…”

“Court is now in session for the trial of Ms. Maya Fey.”

The judge pounded his gavel and all became silent as they waited for his remarks. “Now, Ms. Fey,” he motioned towards the woman as she stood at the witness stand, “please present your complaint.” Morgan Fey, Maya’s aunt, then spoke to the court, “Your Honor, as you know, I am, as the only sibling of Maya Fey’s lost mother, her only aunt. As such, it falls on me the responsibility to raise her and keep her safe, and with that responsibility, I have the right to give her consent in marriage. Come forward, Mr. Diego Armando,” she then called the man to the stand. “This man,” she said, “has my consent to marry my niece. Come forward, Mr. Phoenix Wright,” she motioned the blue-suited defense attorney. “This man, Your Honor, influenced my niece through trickery to follow him instead of Mr. Armando, and has caused Maya’s disobedience.”

The judge paused, and said, “This is a grave charge, Ms. Fey. What do you have to say to this?” Maya stood up from the defendant’s seat, and said, “Your Honor, I love Phoenix, and stand by this claim.” “Mr. Armando is an honorable and worthy man, Your Honor,” Morgan said to the judge. “And so is Nick!” Maya then objected. “Mr. Armando, you have my aunt’s love, then marry her!”

“This is enough!” Morgan raised her voice, infuriated. “Your honor, the penalty for this level of disobedience against a guardian must be immediate death, as is written in the Kurain law.” The judge slammed his gavel once more, shouting, “Order!” and stated, “Ms. Fey, following this law of Kurain and our own legal laws, you have three choices. Either die, live as a single woman all your life in a convent, or follow Ms. Fey and marry Mr. Armando. I will wait for your decision in four days. Oh, yes, that reminds me; in four days is my wedding anniversary! What a coincidence!” Hearing no more comments from either party, he then announced, “Court is adjourned.”