My Turnabout Princess

Ch. 1- The Client

Nearly three month have past since the Matt Engarde trial. I myself have been doing all I can to erase that case from my memory. Things soon return to normal around the Wright and Co. Office…meaning we've had zero clients after that.

Oh, in case you're wondering, I'm Phoenix Wright, defense attorney. I've been a lawyer for well near three years now, with a total of nine cases under my belt, eight of them I won, one lost. I'm trying to forget that incident, so don't bring it up. My assistant, Maya Fey, what involved closely in that case, but like I said, I don't like to bring it up.

However, its because of that said lose we don't have any clients. After those stunts I pulled, I hardly blame them…come on! Knock it off, Phoenix! What's done is done, and in the end, everyone was happy. Got to think about the future.

Speaking of which, Maya's been talking about a new movie she's been dying to go see. She pleaded to me for weeks to go see it. "Why can't you go watch it yourself?" I asked at one point.

She responded in a placated voice. "Because it's no fun to watch it by myself! Please?! You'll enjoy it!"

"Maya, I don't even like those samurai/ninja type movies. It's just not my thing."

"Awe, come one!" She shouted in a very childish manner. She always acts this way to coax me into something."

"Please?" She made sure I was looking at her face. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with such intensity I nearly thought she would blind me with them.

"No," I stated, cover my eyes.

"You're so mean!" She shouted. Uncovering my eyes, I found her glaring at me with her cheeks puffed up. Why does she always do that when she's angry?

"Maya, knowing how summer blockbusters work, it would be best we wait two weeks until the crowd calms down."

"Aw," she sighed, lowing her head in defeat, but then turned back up with a hopeful smile. "Wait! You 'want' to see it, don't you?"

Ack! There I go, shooting my mouth off before thinking. "N-no! It's not that!"

"I new you'd see how great the Steel Samurai was! After all, why would you have a Steel Samurai ring tone?"

"I-I…" I stammered. I couldn't tell her the real reason. I simply kept the tone because it reminded me of her, and all the good times we had. "T-that's not the point! I object to this evidence you brought up!

"Objection overruled!" Maya said in a rather goofy imitation of the Judge's voice. "Say what you want, you old geezer. I've hooked you on that show."

No, all you did was drag me around to events and force me to watch those shows with you. Not to mention you force me to represent the actor himself in court.

"It's doesn't matter, Maya," I said with a sigh. "I'll go see it with you."

She clapped her hands together in victory and rushed to give me a hug. "Yay! Remember, Nick! You promised!"

"Great…now please…let go!" I could have sworn she cracked a few ribs with that hug. How could a girl like her be so strong!

"We interrupt you're regularly scheduled program for this important new bulletin." Both Maya and I glanced over at the television. " Murder has been committed at the Rosemary Mansion." The Rosemary Mansion? That's where that rich European entrepreneur lives. It's not that far from this city. Wonder who was killed? "The French entrepreneur Monsieur Indigo Rosemary was found dead, murdered within his own mansion. No reports have been given, but a suspect has been arrested and taken into custody. The suspect in question is Rosemary's own daughter, Madame Violet Rosemary. We will have further details of the tragedy in a while."

"That's horrible," Maya stated, looking a bit gloomy. "Who could think a girl would kill her own father?"

"Life's like that sometimes," I replied. "There are some people out there we just can't understand. Immediately, I heard the familiar sound of "The Steel Samurai Theme" playing from my cell phone, which was still on the table where I left it. I saw Maya rushed for it, grabbing it before I could. "Hey, you have your own phone! Quit answering mine!"

She stuck her tongue out at me, replying, "Well I am your assistant," then answering the phone, "Hello? Wright & Co. Law Office, Maya Fey speaking…" At least she's getting the knack of answering the phone professionally. "Yes…yes…uh-huh……!" She covered the phone and shouted at me. "Nick! Nick! She sound's like she's only 13 years old. You think it's a prank call?"

A prank call? "Give me the phone," I said, reaching out to take it from Maya. "Hello? This is Wright."

A young girl's voice then filled my ear, causing me to pull the phone away in reaction. "Oh! Monsieur Wright! You 'ave got to help my zister! She did not kill my papa! I am telling you ze truth! Please, help my older zister!"

"Um," I began, trying to comprehend what this girl was saying. "Wait a moment, ma'am. Could you slow down and tell me what's wrong?"

I could her the girl sobbing as she tried to speak. "M-my zister, Violet, she had been taken away! They think she k-killed my papa! It's ez not true, I tell you! Please help her!"

Violet? "And who are you?"

"I-I…I am Scarlet Rosemary, Monsieur Indigo Rosemary was my papa, and…and Violet iz my older zister!" She then began to sob terribly.

"Okay, okay. Just calm down, now." I said. "Tell what has happened."

I heard her blowing into a handkerchief before answering. "Oui, I sure you 'ave 'eard the on ze television. My papa was killed, and they think that Violet was the one who did it. Pleaze, Monsieur Wright, 'elp my zister! I know she did not do it!"

"Okay, it's alright, miss," I said reassuringly. "I'll go visit your sister at the detention center, and we can start from there, alright?"

"Merci, Monsieur! I know I can count on you!" The phone clicked, and that was the end of the conversation.

"Nick?" I glanced back over at Maya, a worried look on her face.

"Looks like we've got another case on our hands."

"Yeah!" she said, balling her fist and glaring at me, her expression of determination, I've always interpreted. "Time to get to work! We better get down to the center right away!" And as energetic as always.

Date- July 24, Time- 10:15 am

Location- Detention Center

Maya once made a note about how we've become so familiar with this place, on both sides as well. We waited a few minutes for our client to arrive. She came, directed to the chair by the security guard. As I first glance at her, I was slightly taken aback at how she was dressed. I was rather surprised.

She wore a noble dark green French doublet, with silk curving to her features. Her shoulder guards were red trimmed with gold, the family crest decorated in the middle. What really took me by surprise was that she was wearing gentleman's pants, which seemed to fit nicely around her legs.

Maya seemed to notice how I was staring at her, and smacked me on the back of the head, making me hit the glass window. "Ow! What was that for!?"

She glared at me, folding her arms so much like her older sister. "I know you were ogling her. Stop it, or she'll get the wrong impression."

"And just who are you?" Came a clear and commanding voice. I turned my attention back to Miss Rosemary, and noticed her features for the first time.

She was a beautiful girl, probably as old as Maya, though taller and more mature with her posture, kind of like Franziska. Her violet eyes were radiant, but also quite cold as well…like Von Karma. Why am I all of a sudden reminded of that whip-happy prosecutor? She fluffed back her shoulder length violet hair and stared coldly. Too much like Von Karma!

"Well," she repeated in a matter-of-fact tone, "Come, have you simply came here to stare vacantly upon a Rosemary, or is there something important?"

"Uh," Maya began, knowing somehow I was paralyzed by this woman's coldness. "Well, we've come to take your case." She turned to me and whispered. "Nick, show her your badge, your badge!"

"Huh? Oh!" I pulled off the badge I always wear on my suit collar and showed it to Miss Rosemary. "I'm Phoenix Wright, defense attorney, Miss Rosemary."

" 'Mademoiselle.' If you don't mind, Monsieur Wright." Violet said abruptly.

"Uh, very well, Mademoiselle Rosemary. Anyway, I'm here to represent you in your trial. Now, if you could please…"

"…tell you all that has transpired at the time of my papa's murder? And what makes you think I would want you help, Monsieur Wright?" I was taken about by the harshness of her tone.

"Er, beg pardon?"

She gazes coldly into my eyes. "I will tell you something about myself, Monsieur. I do not trust anyone. This is a good enough example." She glanced around at the room to make her point. "I know about you. From what I've heard about you, Monsieur, you're no better than any other lawyer out there. From what I've saw with you're last case, I'd be better off declared guilty."

She doesn't mean…

"Nick? What's she talking about?" I looked over at Maya, and saw staring at me with a worried look.

"It's nothing," I said quickly. I could never tell Maya what I had to do to keep that trial going, never. "So you'd rather have someone else represent you, Mademoiselle?"

"Indeed," Violet stated, standing up and turning away. "I'm afraid you have wasted your time here, Monsieur Attorney. Now, I bid you adieu."

"Wait!" Maya shouted. "Wait! You can't go! We've come all this way just to help you! Why won't you let us?!"

Violet halted, the glanced over her shoulder. "There is no reason for me to trust this attorney. I've already made a mistake once, trusting the wrong person. I believe I have thoroughly answered your question, dear lady. And now, once again adieu."

"But…but…" Maya stammered, then shouted again. "But Scarlet wanted us to help you out!"

Violet halted as second time, only with a slight start. "Scarlet?" She turned around, and her face seemed to change from cold and harsh, to bewildered, and shock. She slowly came back and sat down once more. "You say my sister sent you?"

"Yes," I said, hoping I could grasp her with this. "Yes she did. She wants so desperately to help you, Mademoiselle Rosemary. And that's why we're here, too, to help."

"Scarlet," she whispered, glancing down at her hands. "Please," she said, straightening up. Her cold expression returned, but now there was softness in her voice. "Call me Violet."

"So you'll let us take your case," Maya said eagerly.

"Oui," Violet replied. "I trust my sister's judgment more than anything. Therefore I shall trust you. I just hope you don't betray that trust, Monsieur Wright." She stared at me with those cold eyes again, making me shiver.

"O-of course not," I laughed nervously. Boy, Von Karma would truly love this woman. "Anyway, could you give us some details about what had happen?"

Violet closed eyes in deep concentration, remembering the events that took place. "It was around 9 o'clock in the evening last night. My father called me into his workroom to discuss…family business." I didn't recognize it at first, but I thought I saw her seem troubled when she said that. "It was around 9:30 when I left. I went straight to bed afterwards. I woke up in the morning with my chambermaid came rushing into my room screaming 'M. Rosemary is dead! Dead! He was impaled!' I grabbed my robes and covered my nightgown, heading straight toward my papa's office. I…I nearly feinted when I saw him…" She faltered a little, her eyes watering as tears began to form. "My papa, run through with a rapier."

"What?!" Maya shouted in disbelief. "He was killed with a…"

"Oui, a sword." She slammed her fist down on the table. "My own sword!"

My eyes widened hearing that news. "Your sword? When were you given a sword!?"

"Monsieur," Violet said, smiling slightly at my ignorance. "I sure you are not aware of my family's tradition. In my family, the eldest sons are taught the fine arts of fencing, and on their sixteenth birthday, they were given their own rapier, their coat of arms, you might say. It defines who they are. My mama, however, never gave birth to a son before she…" she trailed off from her sentence, and more tears seem to glisten from her eyes. I understood.

"I'm sorry for your lose," I said, sincerely.

"Merci," she replied, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "Anyway, because there is no son to fulfill the tradition, it was my duty as the eldest child to take on the responsibility. My coat of arms was set into my sword, the very sword that stabbed my father."

"That's horrible," Maya stated. I could tell she was feeling bad for Violet. Having had her own sister taken away, Maya knew how it feels to lose family.

"Anyway, about the sword," I said.

"The sword was taken into police custody," Violet said. "You will have no way of examining it, I'm afraid."

Should have known that already. "Is there something else you could tell us, Violet?" She shook her head. "Well, guess I'll have to investigate the crime scene myself to find more clues."

Violet took a piece of paper and a pen. "I'll right down a letter of recognition. This will allow you to enter the mansion. Also," she pulled a ring from her right hand finger. "Present this to M. Onyx Obsidian, the head of household. He knows my crest and should be able to lead you around the mansion without getting lost."

I took the ring and placed it in my coat pocket. "Don't worry, Violet. We'll get you out of this mess. I promise."

She seemed to start a little. I swear I saw a tint of red around her cheek. She quickly averted her gaze from me. "For my sister sake, M. Wright, I hope you can fulfill this promise."

To be continued…