When the day of his execution dawned, Simon Blackquill was prepared.

He had been prepared to encounter the hangman for over a month now, ever since they had announced his execution date. He had not exactly appreciated Aura's last minute attempt to get him off the hook, as she had not hesitated in implicating Athena.

At least she's safe, he thought as he was led down the corridor to the death chamber. That was all he needed to know to be calm in his final minutes.

His calmness persisted as he ascended the scaffold and let the executioner put the noose around his neck. Simon sincerely doubted that anyone would show for his execution. Eyes closed, he faced the currently curtained window of the spectator's room, and waited for his fall.

Then, additional light flooded the room, and Aura's voice cut through his inner peace.

"There, little princess. Take a good look at what you've done. You may not go to jail for your crimes, but at least you'll have to live with this!"

Simon's eyes flew open, taking in Athena staring at him, wide-eyed, held in his sister's firm grip. Aura was holding her laser drill against the girl's temple to make sure she could not look away, while very pointedly not looking, herself.

The executioner boredly checked his watch and addressed him.

"It's time. Any last words, Mr. Blackquill?"

Simon knew he did not have much time, and so he dedicated his last moments in this world to once again protecting Athena, until the bitter end.

"Please close your eyes, Athena."

He saw his sister's eyes widen, saw Athena's tears as hers, oh-so-blue, slid closed as he had requested –

- and then there was no floor under his feet anymore, a glorious moment of weightlessness, ending abruptly as the final noise he heard was that of his own neck snapping.

Aura let go of Athena right after it was over to vomit on the seat next to her. She could not bring herself to raise her eyes, could not face the mortal shell of what had until now been her little brother hanging there.

Athena had jumped forward, towards the glass, as if her futile gesture could change anything.

"Simon… no no NO NO NOOOO!" She began pounding against the glass with her fists, startling the executioner, who was just about to redraw the curtains.

"Wake up please don't be dead oh why couldn't I save you I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…"

Athena's babbling lost itself in a series of heaving sobs as she slowly sank down against the wall. She did not even register the elder Blackquill sibling leaving the room, nor that the curtains had been redrawn for the removal of the body.

Hours later, Phoenix Wright found her still sitting there, in a quasi-catatonic state.

Athena Cykes would never fully recover.