Hold it!

Welcome, everyone, to my first ever Ace Attorney story! This story will contain MASSIVE spoilers for Ace Attorney to Spirit of Justice, so if you haven't played those, DON'T READ ANY FURTHER!

AA has been something I've been into for years, leaving it for a few as well since I got way too confused in Turnabout Sisters.

I was like, eight, gimme a break XD

But yeah, now that I've played through the original trilogy, convicted the final foe in Apollo Justice, proved who the true culprit behind eveyrthing was in Dual Destinies, and ended the evil in Spirit of Justice, I think I can put in Herr Forehead and Hyper Hearing with only a few problems with out of character. Also, Polly's back from Khura'in because reasons.

I don't personally like Khura'in. It's just me, but I don't really like it. So, I'm gonna try to avoid using it...and likely fail miserably.

My first ever M rated story! No censors, no mercy! I will unleash almost everything I can!

...No pure adult content though! Just...just very strong language, blood, death, gore, all dat fun shtuff. No...no shown sex or rape. That's...that's not a thing.

Without further prolonging this A/N, I shall hand down my chapter...

Chapter One: The Foreigner's Turnabout

September 20th, 8:34 AM
Wright Anything Agency

"Mr. Wright!" a male voice called to his boss. "There's a new defense attorney in the country! And he's taking on Gaspen Payne!"

The blank stare he received told him his boss had no clue who he was talking about.

"Y'know, the prosecutor that came back with me on my flight?" he said,

"A new attorney?" Wright asked, setting down the paper he was reading on the coffee table in front of him, taking a glance at his daughter to his right, who was completely invested in the television.

Said girl was leaning forward, fists balled up in front of her, still wearing the magician's attire from her show that morning, a blue cape with hollow diamonds at the end, a black, almost chestplate-looking shirt that had thre golden diamonds on either side up and down.

Wright then looked back at the man from before, who wore almost pure red, the three exceptions being the white undershirt he wore, his golden bracelet, and his brown shoes.

Wright had completely forgotten about Gaspen at this point. "Perhaps we should see this one, Apollo," he said. "We may finally see someone get off the hook after so long."

The Wright Anything Agency hadn't gotten a client since Apollo had returned from Khura'in. Unfortunately, every trial they had seen, and the ones they hadn't, resulted in guilty verdicts.

But, today, things would be different. "C'mon, Daddy! Let's go!" Wright's daughter called from the door.

"All right, Trucy. Ready, Apollo?" Wright asked, slowly rising from the couch he was sitting at, regaining feeling in his legs and nearly falling over.

"You bet!" Apollo responded, biting the inside of his cheek trying not to laugh, arms crossed over his chest. "I just hope Athena isn't too mad at us for not telling her..."

September 20th, 8:45 AM
District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3

"(First trial in this country. You've got this,)" I muttered to myself.

I felt my right shoulder pulse. "(Damn it...why now?)"

My name is Niro Maxwell. I'm a Canadian defense attorney who wishes to learn how to better defend in this country. My first case here is simple. My client was accused of murder, and I'm going to prove her innocence.

"Mr. Maxwell...?" a nervous voice asked.

I turned to the small couch in the lobby to see my client, Anabel Hertzmark. She had light brown skin and wore a white dress, with matching colored gloves and hat.

Said hat was covering her jet black hair, and also had a blue hem on the most former clothing. I knew very little about her, but I knew she couldn't have done it.

"Oui?" I asked, and at the slight wrinkle in her brow, I winced and hastily corrected myself. "Er, I mean, yes?"

"Are you...sure about this?" she asked, playing with the hem of her dress, a slight tone of worry in her voice. "I mean, you just arrived here, you don't even know me-"

"That's enough," I responded, raising a hand to silence her. "I'm going to defend you, madame Hertzmark. End of story."

Her brown eyes widened, before they softened again. I swore I could see a tear in her eye as she dropped the hem of her dress, hands wavering slightly in front of her. "Thank you," she said.

"Now then, can I get your side of the story?" I asked her, slowly easing myself into the small chair across from her, allowing myself to feel if only slightly confident.

"I-I'm sorry..." she said, hugging herself tightly. "B-But..."

I held up a finger to silence her. "I understand. You're shaken up by all of this. I understand that you do not wish to talk, I will build my case in court off of your testimony."

"Y-Your shoulder...!" she stammered, gasping in shock, covering her mouth. "It's..."

I instinctively reached for it with my left hand. It was soaked with blood, staining my black suit. "Damn it..." I cursed.

"Thank God I brought this," I mumbled, pulling my sweater out of my suitcase, which lay adjacent to the multiple, small baggies that held the evidence I had for the trial.

I pulled the garment on, which shielded the blood from view. I adjusted my orange tie, one of which I knew was an old friend's, and zipped the hoodie up, stuffing the baggies into my pocket, making sure not to crush anything.

"Court will commence shortly," the bailiff said. "Please enter the courtroom now."

"This is it," I said, sweating. "Time for maximum effort."

September 20th, 10:00 AM
District Court - Courtroom No. 5

A gavel slam shattered the chatter of the spectators. "Court is in session for the trial of Ms. Anabel Hertzmark. Are the defense and prosecution ready?" the Judge asked, looking back and forth between us, a stern look in his eyes.

I watched as the prosecutor across the room played with his stupid-looking hair. "The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," he said, a stupid smirk on his face.

"The defense has been ready for a while, Your Honor," I said, adjusting my glasses.

"Mr...Maxwell, was it?" the Judge asked me.

"Yes, Your Honor," I replied. "Monsieur Niro Maxwell, at your service."

"Well then, "Mon-zyer Maxwell," the Judge poorly imitated the French. "I shall have you know that America's law is much different than yours. For the sake of your client, I hope you know what you are doing."

"If I came unprepared, Your Honor," I said, staring directly at the Judge. "Do you truly think I would be standing at this bench?"

"Very well, Mr. Maxwell," the Judge said. "Mr, Payne, your opening statement, please."

"Yes, Your Honor," the prosecutor said. "The prosecution will prove the guilt of Anabel Hertzmark beyond a shadow of a doubt!"

"Very well. The prosecution may call its first witness," His Honor said.

"The prosecution calls the defendant, Anabel Hertzmark to the stand!"

As my client walked up to the stand, I examined her. She was extremely nervous, shaking all over, eyes darting around, hugging herself, almost tripping on her own feet. The basics for someone on trial for murder. I also noticed two males and a female staring intently at me from the gallery.

The males looked to be lawyers, and the female was in a...magician's outfit? There was something strange about the second lawyer's bracelet, though I couldn't pinpoint it then. I decided to ask him later, if I saw him again.

"Witness," Payne said. "Please state your name and occupation for the court."

"M-My name is Anabel," she stuttered. "Anabel Hertzmark...I-I'm an engineer at Eribourne Mechanics."

"I think we have heard the defendant's name enough," I said, putting my middle and index fingers on the bridge of my thick glasses. "that it can be burned into everyone's mind were it said once more."

I took mental note of how the second lawyer, who I noted was wearing red, stiffened when he saw how I placed my fingers. "Very well," Payne said. "Defendant, testify to the court of the night of the murder!"

Witness Testimony
- The Night of the Murder -

"It was late at night," she said, crossing her arms. "The victim was walking home alongside me."

She put her hands on the witness' stand, looking scared yet determined. "Then, suddenly, I heard a bang!"

"I looked over at the victim," she crossed her arms. "And then I saw..."

"...he was dead!" she finished, hugging herself.

Witness Testimony
- The Night of the Murder -

"Incidentally, why was the victim with you?" the Judge asked.

"The victim and I were close friends," Anabel replied.

"Very well. Mr. Maxwell, your cross-examination, please," the Judge said to me.

"Gladly, Your Honor," I said.

Cross-examination
- The Night of the Murder -

"It was late at night," she said, crossing her arms. "The victim was walking home alongside me."

"Hold it!" I said. "Why was the victim walking alongside you back home?"

"Because he was a very close friend of mine," Anabel responded.

"I'm sorry, could you add that bit to your testimony?" I asked.

"Of course!" she responded, smiling.

"I walked home with him," she said, arms at her sides, smiling.

"Hold it!" I said. "Why did you decide to walk home with the victim that night?"

"U-Um...I would...rather not say that aloud..." she said, covering her face.

"...Oh..." I responded, laying my hands on the desk in front of me, sweating. "You can...continue your testimony now..."

She put her hands on the witness' stand, looking scared yet determined. "Then, suddenly, I heard a bang!"

"Hold it! Are you positive the victim died right next to you?" I asked.

"Y-Yes!" she said. "I don't know why I wasn't killed, too, though..."

"That is curious..." I said, placing my right index finger on my chin, left hand holding my elbow. "Perhaps...this piece of evidence explains it? Take that!"

I showed the court the report on the pistol that was used in the murder. "According to this report," I said, reading off a piece of paper on my desk, arms behind my back. "the gun was only fired once, and only had one bullet in its chambers. And yet, the victim was killed from point blank. So, we must ask ourselves, who killed the victim?"

"That's obvious," Payne said. "The defendant!"

"Maybe," I said. "Or, maybe not. All I know is that my client could not have killed the victim if she was walking next to him."

"Objection!" Payne shouted. "The defendant could have merely slowed her walking to shoot the victim, or just reached over!"

"Not neccesarily," I said. "Was the defendant examined for gunpowder? What about blood? All I'm saying is, if she killed him, her clothes should be proof enough."

"She could have easily changed her clothes," Gaspen said. "The police arrested her at her house, you know."

"Ah...I see...," I said, struggling to stop myself from looking vulnerable. "Please, continue, madame."

"I looked over at the victim," she crossed her arms. "And then I saw..."

"Hold it!" I said once again.

The rest of the room looked expectantly over to me, some with exasperated eyes. The Judge eyed me, and after a pause where I simply didn't know what to ask, he snapped like a twig.

"...Well?!" the old man demanded, one hand almost threateningly holding that little hammer of his up. "Are you going to ask something or not?!"

"I was...getting to that," I said, running my hand through my hair, smiling bashfully. "(What do I ask...? Hrm...) Did you see anyone else at the crime scene?"

"Now that you mention it..." she said, one hand on her hip, the other's index finger curled around her chin. "I think I saw a chef from a nearby restaurant staring out the window."

"(A chef from a nearby restaurant, huh...?)" I muttered. "Monsieur Payne, is said witness currently here?"

"Oui," he said in an accent that actually made me cringe, playing with his hair.

"Never, ever do that again," I said, folding my arms and frowning. "I take so much offense to that, it's not even funny..."

"Oof..." he said, gasping in pain.

"(...Oooohhhhhh, now I get it,)" I muttered. "(Gaspen Payne...Gasp in pain...)"

Slamming my desk with my left fist, I said, "The defense demands that the chef be brought to the stand to testify!"

Nodding, the Judge said, "Very well. The prosecution will prepare their witness in a short, ten minute recess. I ask that the defense and prosecution come fully prepared. This court is adjourned!"

With a final gavel slam, the spectators slowly cleared out, and I was greeted with a stare from the three from before. I stared right back at them, not moving an inch.

They slowly made their way down to me, where I could get a closer look. The one in blue had black, spikey hair, the one in red had two spikes protruding above his large forhead from the base of his brown hair, and the little girl/magician had shoulder-length hair with a gold earring in the shape of a diamond. "Yes?" I asked.

They said nothing, just looking. "Hello?" I asked. "Anyone in there?"

Still, silence. "Look, if you've nothing to say, then I've to be going," I said.

Nothing. Shrugging, I turned to leave.

"HOLD IT!"

I felt my ears pop as I looked back. The one in red was pointing at me with his left arm, bracelet shining in the light. "Yes?" I asked again.

"...Um..." he said, sticking his right hand on his pocket and fiddling with his spikes."I, uh...forgot my question."

Sighing, I then shouted, "OBJECTION!" just as loud. All three recoiled, and I cleared my throat. "There is nothing that you're forgotten, red one," I said. "I assume you wish to know who I am?"

They all nodded. "Well, you heard my name already, and you know my occupation. I'm from Canada, here to study abroad."

The one if red gripped the arm his bracelet was on, and the one in blue clenched his hand in his pocket. "Hmm?" I asked.

"Can you repeat that?" the one in red asked.

"All right," I said. "I'm from Canada, here to stu-"

"Gotcha!" he shouted, cutting me off.

"Excuse me?" I asked, slightly, no, very pissed.

"Why are you fiddling with your zipper?" he asked.

"What the-huh?!" I asked. I hadn't even noticed I was playing with my zipper.

"What are you actually here for?" he asked.

"Well, in all honesty..." I said. "I'm here to try to learn something."

The one in blue shook his head, before saying, "Take that!"

"...Mr. Maxwell. There's something your hiding from us. Is this true?" he asked.

"Objection!" I snapped. "You've no evidence I am."

"I'm afraid I do," he said. "Take that!" he shouted, showing me a bright green...

"...A...magatama...?" I asked.

Oops.

"Gotcha," he said, hands on his hips, smirking confidently.

"All right," I said. "What does that prove?"

"It proves that...you're here...for...uh..." he said, trying to think of something, hunched over, mouth agape, sweating.

"It proves he's here for the Kurain Technique," the girl said. "That's the only way he would know what a Kurain Magatama looks like."

"Good eye, Trucy," the one in red said. "So, is this true?"

"I see no reason to tell you," I said. "Please, just leave me alone."

"Very well," the blue one said. "Sorry to have bothered you."

"M-Mr. Maxwell!" Anabel called from behind me.

I turned to look, and saw that someone was holding her, a gun pointed at her head. "What the-?!" I shouted, recoiling a few steps.

I turned to face the three, pointing my right index finger at them. "Is he working for you!?" I demanded.

But they were gone.

And then everything was black.