Hey there! Haileyvoir here! This is my first story, so no flames please.

Italics outside of quotes are the narrator's thoughts, bolds are testimonies, and underlines are titles of testimonies.

-BANG!- -Thud-

"Wh-what the...!?"

"Hello there."

"Y-you! What're you doing!?"

"You've made my life a living hell. Time for some payback!"

-O-O-O-O-

"The case of State vs. Theodore Climber will now come to order. Is the Defense and Prosecution ready?"

"The defense is ready your honor." I said.

"The prosecution is ready your honor." Winston Payne said while tapping his head with the tips of his fingers,

The Judge nodded. "Okay. Opening Statements?"

Payne stood up. "At the amusement park, Castle of Nations, an artist by the name of Dood Pallette was murdered in the middle of the night. Several witnesses claim the murderer to be the man in the defendant's chair, your honor."

"I see." Said the Judge. He then turned to me. "Before we start, I have a question for the defense."

Uh oh, I heard this Judge likes to ask questions. "Y-yes your honor?"

"This is your first case in this state, correct?" He asked.

"Yes, your honor." I answered.

"Could you please inform...Uhh...The courtroom of your name?"

...The guy doesn't know my name. You suck at covering things up, your honor."My name is Hailey May. I've been a lawyer in the state of Arizona for five years, but recently I moved here due to a sudden demand for an expert attorney." I also have short brown hair, brown eyes, and a forest green suit. I didn't think the court needed my physical description though, unless they were blind.

"May...May....Hmm..." The judge seemed to think for a second. "I remember! Are you by any chance related to April May?"

"Can we get on with the trial, your honor?" I asked irritably.

Judgy nodded. "If you insist. Would the prosecution like to call out their first witness to the stand?"

"With pleasure!" Payne smirked. "I think this one witness will be all we need." Five bucks says you're wrong."The prosecution would like to call Karl Arma to the stand."

A tall man walked up to the witness stand. He had blond hair, most of it covered by a yellow bandanna, and beady black eyes with a large scar over his right one. He was wearing an open brown jacket over a fancy white shirt that had a tear in its collar. Payne asked for his name and occupation. "Karl Arma, employee at the Castleof Nations for two years." He said with a kind smile.

"Would you like to testify about what happened on the night of the crime?" I asked.

The judge seemed shocked. "H-hey! It's my job to say that!"

"I'm sorry, but I have a date later, and I want to get this thing over with."

"I see..." Judgy nodded. "Alright Karl, please testify."

Karl smiled even more. "But of course. Anything for you, dear Hailey." ...Is he hitting on me? I just said I was going on a date after this!

-Night of the Murder-

"Oh, it was so terrible! I've never seen so much blood!

As I walked into the art studio after hearing a gunshot coming from there...

There! Doodlaying on the ground with a pickax through his heart!

As I diverted my eyes from his black-clothed corpse, I saw Climber passed out on the floor, covered in Dood's blood!"

As he talked, I saw his words appear on the built-in screen of my desk. In Arizona courts, we point out contradictions as they say them, here I learned we wait until they finish then point out their lies from what they've said. The judge told me I could start my cross-examination,which I did. There was one thing that struck me as odd. "Hold it!" I shouted. "Gunshot? I thought Dood was killed by getting stabbed by a pickax!"

"Hee hee heeeee." Payne chuckled. Creepy. "Did you ever get a chance to look at the crime scene?" ...Crap. I knew I forgot something. "From that blank stare on your face, I can assume you didn't."

"Just get to the point." I demanded.

The prosecutor wagged a finger. "Learn to control your temper a bit, okay rookie?" Must. Control. Violent. Thoughts.Suddenly, a picture popped up on my desk-screen. It showed Dood Pallette, dead on the tile floor with a bare hand intruding into the shot from the side. Payne moved a cursor onto a spot right next to Dood. It looks a lot like... "As you can see, a blast mark from a bullet is right next to the victim. Unfortunately, the gun hasn't been found, but it looks like the defendant tried to kill by shooting instead of stabbing."

The judge accepted the picture into evidence, and I continued with my cross-examination. ...Wait a second! "Objection!" I called out. I brought out the crime scene photo. "You said: "I've never seen so much blood!"...Correct?"

"Yes! It was a frightening amount of blood!" Okay, Karl. Stop smiling. We're talking about a murder here.

"How much blood would you say there was?"

"Well, you know that saying "a pool of blood?" I'd say an ocean."

I smirked and shook my head. "I'd like to bring your attention to this photo." Said photo showed up on everyone's panel. Turns out the judge and witness also have panels. "Now tell me, where do you see blood?"

Payne grunted. "Where he was stabbed of course!"

"Where else do you see blood?"

"I see a few specks on the boy's clothes, but...AUGH!!!" Payne visably jumped in shock.

I nodded. "That's right. Not an ocean, not a sea, not a pool, I wouldn't even call it a puddle of blood! And another thing!" Ahah, this is where my little "habit" comes into play. In the Arizonan courts, I'm known to jump from one topic to the next when something pops into my head."As you can plainly see in this photo, Dood is wearing white, NOT black like you testified!"

"...So he is..."

...He's not freaking out. WHY IS HE NOT FREAKING OUT!?I slammed my hands on the desk. "Karl! These contradictions are too big to be blamed for "bad memory" or "traumatic confusion!" Tell us why you lied," horribly, I might add. "or you'll be held in contempt of the court!"

"Stop stealing my thunder, Miss May." The judge mumbled. It sounded more like a blow to his pride than a demand, so I ignored him.

Karl gave that never ending smirk of his. "Why, it was all for you, Hailey."

...What."Excuse me, Mr. Arma?"

"You see, I know that this is your first time lawyering," ...Lawyering? Hey wait, this isn't my first time! "and I just wanted to give you a course on how to spot contradictions and the like."

If he won't shut up, I'll be the one sitting in the defendant's chair tomorrow. "Whatever. Anyways, I have a question for the prosecution."

"Yes, rookie?" Payne smirked.

I will find a time machine and prevent this guy from being born. "Has a motive for the murder been established?"

The prosecutor was visibly sweating now. "Uhh...Err...Well..."

"A motive is a reason for a crime, right?" Karl asked from the stand.

"Yes...?" The judge raised an eyebrow.

Karl gave his trademark grin. "I can give you a motive that Climber may have had."

FFFFFFFFFFFFF."Very well." The judge slammed his gavel. "Testify what you think the motive is."

-A Reason to Kill-

"Dood was always kind of a jerk to Climber.

Always making fun of him or throwing things at him, it was kind of sad.

I'd assume that eventually, Climber'd snap.

I was kind of hoping it'd end up in a fist fight, not a murder..."

Damn you Karl! DAMN YOU! The judge told me to start the cross-examination, so I did. "Hold it! Why'd you assume that my client would snap?"

"Well, isn't that what happens to most people who don't do anything about their feelings for too long?" He asked mockingly.

I ignored that statement. "So how long has this torment been going on between the two of them?"

Karl seemed thoughtful for a second. "I'd say about...Three years now?"

"You sure about that?"

He seemed to think about it again. "...Yes. I'm positive."

"Have you been there the whole time to experience it?"

"Yes, it's been terrible to see my dear friend get tortured by Dood these years."

Gotcha."Mr. Arma, you're clearly lying to the court!"

The man's grin seemed to falter for a second. "Wh-what?! H-how am I doing that!?"

Maybe this guy does have a faulty memory?"In your introduction, you stated that you worked for Castle of Nations...For two years." Karl's jaw dropped from shock (still grinning though). "Also, you clearly knew that Theo was getting tormented by Dood, yet you implied that you just sat on the sidelines and did nothing while you watched!"

"Objection!" Payne called out in a screechy voice. "Miss May, this court is about facts, not moral obligations!"

I slammed my right fist on my table. "Payne, this entire courthouse is bult upon murder cases, and you're saying moral obligations have nothing to do with the court system?!" The prosecutor reeled in shock and the audience started talking loudly.

Judgey slammed his gavel twice. "Order! Order! Miss May, what are you saying?!"

"What I'm saying, your honor," I stated. "is that this witness is unreliable! I demand we get a new one in here to find out what really happened on the night of Dood's death!"

"What are you talking about, Hailey?" Karl seemed to have cooled off dramatically, and had his normal, creepy grin plastered on his face again. "I was the only witness. No one else saw the murder. Who else is there?"

I put a grin on my face, one that surely matched the one on Karl's. "Why who else...But the one accused of the murder!?"

"...!" Karl's whole right side of his face twitched.

"I demand Theodore Climber take the stand!"

The judge banged his gavel to calm the excited audience. "Order! Alright, as this witness has proven to be quite unreliable,"

"HEY!!!"

"...We will have a fifteen minute recess while we take the current witness into custody for contempt on the court. Dismissed!"

About a minute later, I was sitting on a bench in the defendant's lobby, waiting for my client to show up. In all honesty, I never really had a chance to speak with him. After all, I just took this case-

"Miss...May, was it?"

I look up to see a pale man in a grey climbing outfit. And a very large helmet. "Yes, that's me."

He seemed nervous for a second. "I-I'm Theodore Climber...Your, umm, client. Thanks for taking this case on such, uh, short...Notice?" Okay, he constantly seems nervous.

And he's right. I took the case just last night. I got a call from some girl telling me to take this case for some reason. I was offered a pretty big check, so of course I didn't refuse. "No problem." I told the man. "Also, can I ask you a question?"

"...Sure?"

I doubt you really ARE sure, Mr. Climber."Did you kill Dood Pallette?"

He seemed genuinely shocked at this question. "Oh, Ferris Wheel, no!" ...Ferris wheel?

The baliffdecided just then to enter the courtroom...With a megaphone. "ATTENTION!!! THE COURT IS NOW BACK IN SESSION!!! EVERYONE PLEASE REPORT BACK TO THE COURTROOM!!! THANK YOU!!!" That was a short fifteen minutes. And when this trial is over I am going to stuff that megaphone down that guy's throat.

Before we walked into the courtroom, Theo placed something into my hands. "I think you'll need this." He said with a small smile.

After everyone got in their respective seats, the judge pounded his gavel. "Karl Arma is now in custody for lying to the court under oath. Now, would the defendant, Theodore Climber, please take the stand?"

The pale man did as he was told, but he was a bit twitchy. I guess he doesn't like being in front of people.Payne tapped his forehead. "Would the defendant like to state his name and occupation?"

Theo looked horrified that he was being forced to speak. Oh dear god no! Not the speaking! ...Anyways."I-I-I'm Theo-d-d-dore Cli-i-imber. I-I work at an at-t-traction at the Cast-tle of N-nations." ...I'm screwed.

The judge nodded. "Alright, now, will you testify about...Uhh...Miss May? Why DID you request Mr. Climber to take the stand?"

"Mr. Climber," I spoke. "would you please testify about the night of the crime? With as little studdering as possible?" I added as an afterthought.

"O-okay." ...Shoot me now.

-Night of the Crime-

"I-I was walking to my trailer, when Dood called out to me.

He t-told me to come with him back to the Gallery wh-where he worked.

As soon as we entered, a gunshot rang out, and I think I f-fainted from sh-shock.

When I woke up, I-I was being handcuffed by the police for being the prime suspect of a murder.

I looked behind me and saw my pickax stuck i-in Dood's body."

After a bit of mocking from the peanut gallery (Payne), I was allowed to start my cross-examination. A thought struck me as I read over his last statement. "Hold it!" I shouted. "What kind of job requires a pickax at an amusement park?"

Theo tapped his chin in thought. "Well, the attraction I work for is a mountain-climbing stunt in the food court. It's all real, even the tools." A content smile appeared on his face and he lost all of his nervousness. I guess he really likes his job.

"So you were carrying your pickaxewhen you went with Dood to his workplace?" I inquired.

The defendant shook his head. "That's the th-thing." And now he nervous again. Dammit. "I-I lost it that m-morning. My gloves t-too. I was hoping they'd be in my t-trailer."

Judgy raised an eyebrow. "Is this line of questioning relevant, Miss May?"

I nodded. "Yes, it's very important. I request that the defendant adds this info to his testimony."

"Mr. Climber, please add what you just said to your testimony."

The pale man nervously nodded his head. "I-I was walking to my trailer to look for my l-lost stuff, when Dood called out to me."

I went to his revised statement. "Hold it!" I put my gaze onto Payne across the court.

"...What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Mr. Payne," I stated. I pulled out a picture of the deadly pickax and put it onto everyone's desk-screens. "This is the murder weapon, and also Theodore's pickax, correct?"

"...Yes?" The prosecutor scratched his almost-bald head. "I think we've established that, rookie."

"Were the defendant's fingerprints on it?"

"No...?"

"What's one of the ways to prevent fingerprints from getting onto evidence, Mr. Payne?" I asked with a smirk.

"With gloves of c-WAUGH!!!!" He jumped in realization.

I then proceeded to slam my fist onto my desk. "That's right! Theo LOST his gloves that day! There's no way he could've NOT left fingerprints if he was the murderer!"

"Objection! H-he could've gotten another set of gloves!" That's right, squirm, you pathetic excuse for a prosecutor!

"Objection!" I shouted. "From right before the murder to the morning after, Mr. Climber was unconscious! Did the police find any gloves on his person, or in the vicinity for that matter?

"N-no! B-but," Payne was visibly shaking now "you can't prove th-that he was unconscious!"

"Objection!" I love my job.I looked through the court record and found the paper that Theo gave me right before he went on the stand. I was barely able to convince the bailiff that this was evidence. I placed the contents of the paper on the screen. "These documents are from the local prison's infirmary. If you'd read closely, you'll see that it says 'Slight bruising to back of head. Mild concussion.'" I then pulled out the crime picture. "As you can see, the floor is tile. I think if you slammed your head onto that, you'd be pretty unconscious!"

I could've sworn Payne was hyperventilating. Score one for the Hailey! The judge slammed his gavel to quiet the noise that the audience was making. "Order! Order! This...This all makes sense! But, if Mr. Climber isn't the murderer, then who is?"

"I plan on finding this out right now your honor." I said. Then a smirk crept up my face. "If the defendant could testify about Dood and Karl's relationship?"

Everyone in the courtroom seemed shocked. "...Hailey? Are you accusing Mr. Arma of the murder!?" The man in the black robes gasped. "On what basis!?"

"Why else would he lie to blatantly to the court, then to cover up his own crime?" I asked hypothetically. "Now, testimony please, Mr. Climber."

"...Okay." The man seemed a bit relieved that things were looking up for him. Payne, on the other hand, was furious, but he didn't say anything.

-Karl and Dood-

"Karl was originally the one working in the Gallery.

When Dood came along, they saw his talent and had to kick Karl out.

Karl then started to get worse and worse, and started to play cruel jokes on Dood.

Karl was demoted to a pirate attraction, and he's been hating the entire staff ever since."

After he was done, I decided to ask, "Just for curiosity's sake, what was YOUR relationship with Dood?"

Theo smiled sadly. "He was a good friend of mine." I have a feeling that this guy isn't the only person that's walked into this courtroom because he was accused of killing a friend.

"You have my sympathy." The judge said. "Miss May, you may cross-examine the-"

"No need." Came a voice from behind Theodore. Seemingly faster than we could blink, Karl had gotten into the courtroom and was lazily holding an old-fashioned pistol to the defendant's head. OHMIGODOHMIGODOHMIGOD!!! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"Yeah, I admit it, I killed the boy." The man grinned evilly. "He deserved it after what he did. Art was my entire life until HE came along. He took away my life, so it was right that I should take his. On that fateful day, I took my personal hand gun just in case someone saw what happened. I then stole Theodore's gloves and pickax, so I could blame it on him. The building had no ceiling, so I hid on the rafters until Dood walked in. I shot at him, causing this guy right here to faint." Theodore looked like he was about to die any second. And he could! "I then jumped down and used the pickax to stab the guy. Now then," He looked at his wrist of the opposite hand from the gun-holding one. I think there's a watch there, but I'm kind of panicking right now! "it's not gonna be too long before the SWAT guys get here or something, so I'm just gonna leave my mark."

The next three seconds seem like a blur, yet I remember them clearly. Karl pointed his gun at me, fired, and I then felt a searing pain in my chest. The last thing I saw before I blacked out, was the grin of a man who's mind has cracked like a statue that was struck by the hammer of cruel fate.

The reason why I didn't put a disclaimer at the top, was because I didn't want to spoil anything.

Hailey May belongs to me, Karl and Climber belong to Unknown-person from Deviantart, and Dood belongs to lan-kun from Deviantart. Everything else belongs to Capcom.

This story came to my mind when I was wondering, "What happened in that seven year time period between PW:TT and AJ?" Then I came up with a few cases, and then I thought. "Dude, Karl would make the PERFECT Phoenix Wright villain!"

Also, I promise that this is the last chapter that uses OCs that aren't mine. This was just a "I HAD to do it!" thing.

EDIT: I fixed a lot of errors. The fanfiction dot net spell sheck is wonky. It considered "what" to be misspelled, and the "OMHIGOD" thing to be correct. What the hell?