A Girl Can Dream

Written by: Ryu-Takehshi

Game: Gyakuten Saiben Series (Post-Apollo Justice)

Maya's POV

They say it's impossible to have dreams if you're a spirit medium like I am. But, that can't be right… I've dreamt before! I can think of millions of dreams that I've had!

One time, I dreamt about eating the world's largest burger, at Nick's expense (obviously), and still keeping my, already awesome, figure!

Oh, and there was that other dream about a never-ending summer! That was great! Pearly was there and Nick brought us to the beach every single day! There weren't any cases to stress him out and Mr. Edgeworth and Larry even came along!

Whoever said that spirit mediums can't dream must've been crazy because I can't even count the number of dreams I've had!

But there are some times when I really wish I couldn't dream; because, of course, not every dream can be sweet.

There was a point in time where, whenever I closed my eyes, I could only see a sliver of light in a dark room, and a small white card with a pink shell picture.

There was another where I was all alone; trapped on the other side of a raging river that no one could cross because… well, a bridge can do no one any good when it's been burned to the ground.

And the worst, the absolute worst, was where images of Sis' lifeless body and the cold, dark detention centre would swirl around and around. When I'm in that dream, I wish I could just close my eyes and wait it out, but that wouldn't work because I'd know I'd miss something.

In those nightmares, there's only one thing to wait and hope for, and is the only thing that helps me bear through all of the pain that those dreams bring.

The ending…

Because, I know, these dreams are simply reflecting my memories and, in those memories, everything ended up okay - and it was all thanks to Phoenix Wright!

From the small sliver of light in that dark, dark room, Nick came bursting through and changed the sliver from a small slit and into a giant doorway to freedom!

When I was all alone in that tiny temple, I knew Nick and everyone else were out there doing everything they could until; finally, I was set free once again.

And that last nightmare; did it really need an explanation? No one believed a word I said. They had thought I had murdered my one and only sister - the one who had taken care of me through all of the years prior to that horrible night. But one person, a complete stranger to me at the time, rose about everyone like the Phoenix I know he is now, and took my case against all odds. Nick believed me. He knew how I felt then, and maybe, he knows just a little bit of how I feel now.

It's not like I haven't noticed… In all of my dreams, nightmares included, Nick was there. It was just like in real life: Nick was always there for me.

Was… Past tense…

Nick wasn't here now. In fact, I haven't seen his spiky head or heard his sarcastic comments on my childishness in years. And, it's really just a shame for me to only discover how much he truly means to me after he's gone.

But a girl can dream, can't she? Because, whoever said that spirit mediums can't dream, is as wrong as… as… as wrong as Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney losing a case!

I still have my dreams to look back at, because my dreams reflect my memories! I can dream about the peaceful, carefree days of hanging around my sister or watching the Steel Samurai with Nick. I can dream about the days I would help Nick investigate a crime scene or interview a witness.

And when I close my eyes, and imagine hard enough, I'm back inside the courtroom, at Nick's side as he points his index finger out at the witness and yells: "OBJECTION!" It fills me with this warm feeling inside when I see it clearly. And at the Prosecutor bench, it could have been Mr. Von Karma with his earth-shattering "Objection", as appose to Mr. Payne's wimpy little excuse of a voice. Sometimes, I can see Mr. Edgeworth's disapproving expression as Nick proves him wrong. Or, I could faintly smell the scent of Mr. Armando's coffee as he breaks Nick's spirits. And, at best, I can even hear the crack of Ms. Von Karma's whip as she recites how Nick is a "foolishly foolish fool, who foolishly leads the foolish court into foolishly believing his foolishly foolish claims". With all of that long gone, however, my dreams are all I have left, not just about the past, but of the future as well.

I can dream of the day when I become the master of Kurain, as both Sis and mom would've wanted. I can dream about how proud they would be if they could see me when I get that far, and how disappointed they'd be if they could see me now: going on and on about dreams I can only hope to come true.

That's the only problem with dreams, y'know. In the dream world, anything and everything is at your command; but the only thing you can't control is whether or not it'll really happen. You can only stay dreaming for so long before reality comes to wake you up.

If the world were at my control, like it is in my dreams, for one thing, Sis and mom would still be alive. I would dream up Mr. Armando as Mr. Armando, and not just Godot with his weird visor thing; and he and Sis could be together! I would dream and make Mom the head of Kurain again, and make things the way they used to be… with one very large exception:

Phoenix Wright

I understand it a little. If mom hadn't gone missing, and Mr. Armando was never poisoned, and if Sis had never been murdered… I wouldn't have ever met Phoenix Wright! I'm not saying that all of those things were good - I'd never say that… but, in breaking my spirits just a little, it made rebuilding them all the more enjoyable. And "why", you might ask. It's all because of Nick!

To be honest, if I could influence the world with my dreams, I might just leave it all the same. If I could suddenly change the world with just a thought, I would keep everything as is. Sis and mom can't be put through any more misery or sadness when they're dead, right? Sure, I guess Mr. Armando really wants to see Sis again, but maybe, just maybe, he's getting stronger by learning how to cope and knowing that he'll see Sis again someday. If I really could control everything like a dream, I would continue to sit here and remember all of the beautiful memories and peaceful times with Mom, with Sis, with Pearly… with Nick…

Okay, maybe I lied just a bit there. I would want to change just one certain thing. If I could mould the world as if I was dreaming, I would obviously make my definite biggest dream come true; I'm sure Mr. Edgeworth and Nick would agree that that would be very logical.

Sitting here and going through my dreams and memories and wishes… it's clear that there's only one thing I really want - and I've mentioned it at least twenty times in the last few minutes.

I want to know where Nick is!

I want to go back to the times when I could get him to buy me burgers whenever I wanted! Or take me and Pearly around to places like the beach, and the carnival, and the circus (so long as no magicians are accused of murder again). I want to see the Nick that risked his job as a lawyer to save me from De Killer, and his life to rescue me from the Hazakura temple; and the Nick who believed in every single one of his clients (Matt Engarde does not count), and me, till the bitter end.

I miss his spiky porcupine of a head and his snide remarks about my childishness, and my samurai fandom, and even my clothes! (It's a top-knot Nick, deal with it!) I miss the times behind the Defence bench when he really didn't have a clue as to which statement to press, or what piece of evidence to present. But, no matter what, he always came out on top, yelling: "OBJECTION" or "TAKE THAT" or "HOLD IT" and winning by the skin of his teeth.

And, in complete truth and confidence, if I could base the world off of my dreams, I would place myself wherever Phoenix is currently and tell him the one thing that I wished I could during all of those times in the past. It'd been my dream to tell him and it was the dream, above all, that I wanted to make a reality.

They say that spirit mediums like me can't have dreams, but that can't be right… No, it's downright impossible, because I've had millions of dreams! And, I have evidence to back up my claim, because out of all the dreams I've ever had, I remember one with extreme clarity. It's my biggest dream of all and the one that, I hope, will some day come true; and it went a little something like this…