Author: Justin Laws
Fandom: Ace Attorney series
Rating: K+, for safety's sake. The rating may rise to T later…
Series: Justin Laws: Ace Attorney
Title: Rise of a Turnabout
Characters: Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, Pearl Fey, Dick Gumshoe, Winston Payne, Justin Laws (OC)

Pairings: Implied Maya/Phoenix
Summary: It's a regular day at the Wright & Co. Law Offices, until Phoenix receives a phone call. A murder has occurred and Gumshoe is being held responsible. With Phoenix unable to defend, his protégé, Justin Laws, steps up to the plate. REWRITTEN.
Other Notes: Semi-AU:Phoenix never disbarred. Set 2 years after PW:T&T. Mild spoilers for T&T's Case 5, this chapter only.
Author's Notes: My old computer crashed with all my documents on it. So I've started the story over. I'm going for a totally different writing style, and I hope it will turn out better than last time. We'll see, though…
DISCLAIMER: I'm only gonna say it once, so listen up. Phoenix Wright and all publicly recognizable characters are property of Capcom.

Justin Laws the character belongs to me, Justin Laws the author.

Believe me, if I owned Phoenix, he would never ever EVER have been disbarred. EVER. …And this story wouldn't NEED to be AU. In fact, it would be canon by now.

R&R please, this is my first story. I know it could be better, so I'm counting on you, the reader, to tell me how.
I'm looking for a beta reader - just in case, you know? If you're interested, contact me.

Justin Laws: Ace Attorney
Case 1
Rise of a Turnabout
Day 1 – Average Day

April 17, 1:12 pm
Wright & Co. Law Offices

It was an average day at my workplace, the Wright & Co. Law Offices. My boss, Phoenix Wright, and his assistant, Maya Fey, were sitting on the sofa watching Steel Samurai reruns, Maya's younger cousin, Pearl Fey, was sitting on the floor, legs crossed, drawing something in the sketch pad I had just bought her, and I, having nothing better to do, was sitting at the desk, reading one of Mr. Wright's old case files. "So let me get this straight…" I said loudly enough for him to hear me over the television. "What's that, Justin?" he replied, without taking his eyes off the TV for a second. "You attempted to cross a burning bridge." "Yep." "Said bridge overlooking a 40-foot drop, into the raging river below." "That is correct." (Still not looking at me…) "In spite of your deathly fear of heights." "Indeed." "And you did that in an attempt to rescue Maya, who was trapped on the other side?" "That I did." I shook my head. "Unbelievable… What were you thinking? Were you even thinking?"

He stood up, turned around and looked me in the eye. "No. The only thought in my head was, 'I have to get across. Maya's over there, I have to get across.' " I pondered that for a moment. "… You really do care about her, don't you?" Phoenix reeled back. "That has nothing to do with anything!" he shouted. Maya, who seemed totally oblivious to what we were talking about, shushed him. "Be quiet, Nick! The best part's coming up!" I smirked. "Yeah, 'Nick', be quiet." Phoenix glared at me, saying, "Remember, this is your boss you're talking to." I folded my arms. "Yeah, and when was the last time I actually had any work?" Phoenix shrugged. "Touché, Justin, touché." He then sat down and turned his full attention back to the show. I couldn't resist one last crack, though – "Oh, and isn't that a kids' show? Bit young for you, don't you think?" "Mind your own business." he said sourly to me, again without turning away from the TV.

I then leaned over to look at what Pearl was drawing. "What's that you're doing, Pearl?" She looked up at me. "Oh, hi, Mr. Justin. I didn't see you." She then showed me her picture. "Wow, that's actually pretty good." I said, and then snickered. "And not that far from the truth, either." Maya stood up and took the picture from Pearl. "Pearly, come on! When will you stop this?" The picture showed Phoenix and Maya sitting together on the sofa, holding hands and looking at each other in a lovey-dovey kind of way. I chuckled. "You can't deny that she's got talent." Pearl giggled. "Really? You mean it?" Maya glared at me. "And don't encourage her, Justin!" I shook my head. "Why do you think I bought her the pad in the first place? I happen to actually agree with her on that particular issue." Maya sweat dropped. "Please, don't start this again!" I smiled. "The fact is that you and Mr. Wright happen to make a good couple." "But the thing is, though, we AREN'T a couple!" Maya yelled in reply. "And we never will be! Right, Nick?" Phoenix, who was still watching television, shook his head. "I'm going to stay out of this one." "Ugh, you're USELESS!" (Never will be? Not if I can help it.) Pearl and I glanced at each other, and nodded simultaneously. (Check that - not if we can help it. Besides, they already bicker like an old married couple!)

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Steel Samurai theme started to play. "Oh, that's just my cell phone." Phoenix said, and, indeed, it stopped when he picked the phone up. "Phoenix Wright speaking. …Yeah… mm-hmm… is that right? …WHAT?! I'll be right there." He then hung up. I raised an eyebrow.
"So, what's the good word?" Phoenix seemed pale. "There's been a murder." "Yeah? So what's new? And more importantly, what does it have to do with us?"

"The suspect… is Detective Gumshoe."

A/N: DUN DUN DUUN! Yep, who would've thought Gumshoe would actually end up arrested, eh? Oh, and Pearl and Justin, partners in crime, FTW!