Phoenix looked around in the courtroom, his eyes landed on two people, a man and his daughter. Never had any of them thought her own father would really be the killer. Phoenix did everything in his power to get a not guilty. 'But I failed…' He thought. Maya came up next to him. "Everything will be ok." She said lightly. "Yeah, but what about her. Shelbie?" He asked. "Well, her father has asked me to take… Her… In." She said, rocking back and fourth on her heels. "Let's do it then." Phoenix said, walking over to the two. Maya stood there shock. 'Never thought he would really do it.' Phoenix smiled at the eight year old child and the father. "Will you?" He asked, and Phoenix nodded his head. "I will."

Over the next years, Shelbie grew up with Phoenix and Maya. She went and visited Pearls at the Kurian Village, and something about the air around her made really fit in. How? One day as Pearl showed her the technique of the Clan; she followed along and summoned a well known spirit, Mia Fey. The whole group was shocked. Who was it in her family that had the blood? Nobody figured that out.

Thirteen Years Later

September 13 9:45

Defense Court Lounge No. 2

Phoenix looked around for his 'Daughter'. 'She worked hard just to get here.' He thought, as he smiled. But as his eyes laid a pond her, he broke out in to a cold sweat. 'No, no…. NO!!' He thought, as he shook his head vigorously. "So, how do you like her?" Maya said. "No." Phoenix muttered. "Oh, come on… Pearly and I worked so hard on her." Maya said with a displeased look on her face at Phoenix's disapproval. Phoenix sighed. "Thirteen years ago." Phoenix muttered, and walked over to Shelbie. "Don't wear a big red ribbon like that, please." He begged her. "Sorry, papa." Shelbie said, with a giggle. He looked up and down her; Shelbie's entire appearance screamed "I'M STILL IN SCHOOL!!" A white long sleeved tee shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, a black skirt that went to her knees, and the ribbon, anything but that. Yet if it wasn't with her right eye cover up, she'd look very childish. Then a dark figure came from behind. "Hello." It said bluntly. Shelbie jumped behind Phoenix. He slightly chuckled. "Malinda." He said. "H-hello." Shelbie said, walking from behind her dad. Malinda sighed. "I'm ready for this." She said in a dull voice. "You don't very confident, are you sure your aren't the one?" She asked. Phoenix japed Shelbie on the arm with his elbow. "OW!" She said, rubbing her arm, glaring at Phoenix. "Believe in your client." He whispered to her. "Yes, sir." She mumbled.

September 13 10:00

Courtroom No. 4

As the Judge quieted to the courtroom, Shelbie walked in and took her place, along with her father and the defendant. She looked across to see a boy with a short ponytail. 'And I look weird today.' She thought to herself. "Is the prosecutor and defense ready?" The judge asked. "Wait, you two can't be it. You're children, right?" He asked, looking confused. "Your Honor." The boy said. "The persecution is ready. Kane Celina." He said with a bow. "And the lovely looking defense?" He asked. "Shelbie Wright." She said, sweating a little. 'I don't really feel ready.' She thought. "Darling, we don't know---""That's my name Your Honor. Shelbie Wright." Shelbie said. "Oh. Well are you ready, Miss. Wright." "Yes." Shelbie said crossing her arms. "Don't feel intimidated." Phoenix said with a smile. "Ok, ok."

"Well, I'll call on my first witness. A friend to both girls." Kane said, as he crossed his arms in a smugged way. 'What does he have on mind?' Shelbie thought as she saw him. Then a blond haired girl, around her late teens was up in the stands. "Your name and occupation." Kane said, in a pleasing voice. "Catharine Medal. I am a high school student." Catharine said, with a smile. "Well, you look like a lovely girl… But do you really need to have that big coat on, dear?" The Judge asked. "I'm sorry, but I do feel comfortable right now." She said, reaching in with her left hand in to the right sleeve. 'Hm.' Shelbie thought. "Ok then. Your testimony, please." The Judge said.

--Friends, one of a kind--

"We all have met in Jr. High. Malinda, me, and Kathy. Kathy… She had a heart of gold, she naturally attached every to herself. I don't why Malinda would kill her… The murder… I never thought I would see her, Malinda, Kill Kathy. The shiny knife, swoosh, through Kathy's throat, but I didn't get a good look at the knife. Only early, we all had gotten friendship bracelets and now… Malinda is never like that. Please, hear me out…!"

"…" Shelbie blinked a couple of times, confused. "That… Is on holy testimony." Phoenix said, thinking. "You should be able to find the contradictions easily…. But, the Judge needs to see that it's strong." He said, pointing up to the Judge, who was also confused. "I don't see anything wrong… They were friends and one just snapped." The Judge said, shaking his head. "I would never." Malinda said, looking up a Shelbie, who jumped up in surprise. "Sorry, forgot that you're here." Shelbie chuckled. Then she focused on Catharine. "Can I call you Cat?" She asked her. "Yes, ma'am." Catharine said. "In your testimony, you talked about a knife. What kind?" Shelbie asked. "It was a… Kitchen knife." Cat said, fiddling with something on her right arm. "And you saw all of this?" Shelbie asked. "Um… Only Malinda taking the knife out." Cat said. Shelbie frowned. Phoenix leaned over and whispered, "Look in the court records." Then, she raised an eyebrow and checked it out.

Autopsy report- Time of death was 4 PM. Cause of death was a straight cut of the throat with a Bread Knife.

Knife- Murder weapon. Bears the defendants prints and another unknown, smugged prints.

Bracelet- Four different charms, smashed.

"I have another question, Kat." Shelbie said. "What kind of Kitchen knife?" Cat broke out in a cold sweat. "W-what…? A, um, Bread knife.'' She said, getting her composure back. "And how did you know that! You said: 'but I didn't get a good look at the knife.' So now you're saying that, you have seen that knife." Shelbie said, taking in a breath and letting it go, with a smile. Catharine snarled,OBJECTION "Just a luck guess." Shelbie looked over to the persecution, 'WHAAAT!' Shelbie thought. "I told her about the weapon, before we came in." He said, laughing. "Then... Then what about the other prints found on the knife." "Oh, what's this accusing our witness here?" He asked, with heavy sarcasm. "Can you prove that it's her prints?" He asked. "Uuuuh… No." Shelbie said, feeling everyone in that court, staring her down. She could already feel the comments: How could she accuse her, they were close friends. That Goth girl deserves a guilty verdict, mommy I want to look just like her. No you don't honey.

'Great, just great…' Shelbie thought. 'Wait… I remember Malinda telling me that she had lost her bracelet that Kathy still had hers, but it was hidden.' OBJECTION "Do you remember Kathy having her bracelet on her at that time?" Shelbie asked. OBJECTION Kane countered. "That's just a pointless question, Your Honor." He said. "Well, Ms. Wright, is this question important?" The Judge asked. "It is, Your Honor. Very important." Cat looked at Shelbie, her teeth clenched. "No." She hissed through her teeth. "Then I wonder who's bracelet this is… The one with less charms… Hmm?" Shelbie asked. Cat's eye twitched vigorously. "Hers… She had to come… All mopie… Malinda deserves to die! SHE THINKS HER LIFE IS ALL WORTHLESS AND IT ISSSSSSSSSSS!!!!" Cat yelled out, her face red, her chest going in and out, plainly seen through her heavy coat. Catharine's head slammed on the witness stand. Complete silence, until Malinda cleared her throat and asked to go to the bathroom.

Then a sudden snap was heard. Shelbie and Phoenix looked at the witness. "You'll never catch me. NEVER!" Cat growled. She brought her hand out, there were bleeding marks, marks of a bread knife, then she showed her right wrist, the 'friendship bracelet', about three charms were crushed. "What…?" Shelbie whispered. "Poison. I didn't want anyone to figure out that all three had poison. So, I crushed Kathy's bracelet after I killed her. She was about to snap, about some past crimes, we both did. Malinda was just a back up friends, but she and Kathy became close… It made me sick. So, I stopped it all. We made arrangements to meet at Malinda's house and there I committed the crime. But know no one will hurt me, in any way." Cat said, coughing, and then falling down. "The deed is done." Shelbie was in total shock. "SOMEBODY CALL THE AMBULANCE!" She screamed out. Phoenix ran over to Cat's body, he shook his head. "She dead. Panic gripped her, so, it went faster through her body." He sighed out. The courtroom got really loud with all the people talking. Then the Judge slammed his gravel. And the court looked at a bailiff running in. "The defendant killed herself." Everyone in the room went dead silent.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo." Shelbie screamed out. She looked up with tears in her eyes and ran out. "Shelbie!" Phoenix yelled out. 'She couldn't handle it." Kane said with a stifle smile.

September 13 12:39

Court lounge No. 2

Phoenix looked around, trying to find Shelbie. "If you're looking for her. She ran away." Kane said bleakly. Phoenix glared at him as he started for the door. When Phoenix finally had gotten to his office, a hunch of course, he found her there on the couch, her back towards him. "Nick…" Maya said. "How did you get here?" "I… Snuck out." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "This took a toll out of her, huh?" Maya whispered. "Only…" Phoenix stopped, and shook his head.

Time: 12:00

Fey Manor

"Think I can stay for while?"

"Yeah, Shelbie. You're always welcomed."

"Thank you, Pearl." Shelbie said quietly.

September 14 9:45

Wright & Co. Offices

"Shelbie…?" Phoenix whispered. "Are you feeling better?" He walked in to see an empty office. "Crap…" He muttered. 'I shouldn't have believed her…' So, he went over to the Kurian Village. "Is Shelbie here, Maya?" Phoenix asked her. "No, why?" Maya asked. "She's gone." Maya's eyes widened. "PEARLS!" Maya yelled out in shock. "Yes." Pearl said running over to Maya and Phoenix. She changed over the last thirteen years, her hair was long and had a top-knot like Maya, the rest hung loose, but her innocents is still the same, but there was something else about her that Phoenix couldn't figure out. "Have… Have you seen Shelbie?" Maya asked. Pearl shook her head. "No." She said the last thing Phoenix wanted to see were five Psyche-locks.

Shelbie's POV

The years went by. I have been considered 'missing'… A couple of weeks later after that trail, I cut my hair. Nobody recognized me at the village. I asked Pearl if she could help me on both Spirit Medium training and being a lawyer. She told me one person could…

Pearl's POV

Shelbie came back… She has totally changed since that day… I can't really blame her. She lost both of her parents, both total differences, if only she knew.