V.E.: Need to do a oneshot. Once again, I need a break from the stories and my regular life so a small simple story should be fine. Right?

Granted, I haven't written for Ace Attorney before. But I hope this is a good first effort. At least, I thought it would be. Apollo's never really talked about his past and I thought exploring a bit of that with his bracelet would make a good story.

To any of you who are reading me for the first time, you should know I now start my chapters with quotes rather than disclaimers.

Quote: "Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future."- Corrie Ten Boom

After the hair, the thing most people noticed about Apollo Justice when they met him for the first time was the bracelet that he wore on his left arm.

In normal circumstances, it would have been pretty innocuous; fitting to his wrist perfectly(he still wondered how he didn't notice Filch removing it form his wrist that time) and wasn't at all flashy or eye catching as other jewelry that was out there. But even in the present day, some people would look at a young man wearing that type of jewelry rather strangely.

Needless to say, it certainly caught the attentions of the older boys that lived in the foster care home that he grew up in. Not a day would go by that he didn't receive a taunt or a jab at wearing something was considered to be meant for a girl. Granted, some of the taunts went away when he had befriended Clay (who honestly didn't care, accepting Apollo just as he was and was more understanding after Apollo told him about it) and his friend had what Apollo lacked physically to stand up to those bullies, but he could still see the looks the guys would shoot him when they knew he was looking.

Many times in the past, he had stayed up in the evenings just staring at the bracelet.

The one thing he had from a life from before he could really remember it, the only thing he had from his mother. He had heard from one of his caretakers that his father had died in some sort of an accident (though he never knew what type of accident) and his mother had left him with the bracelet and had never been heard from since.

Most of the time, he'd just be lost in his thoughts of the day. Other times, he'd get angry. He'd take it off his wrist and throw it across the room. (One time he accidently threw it into the garbage can. Long story short, he had got to dumpster diving to get it back.)

Honestly, what kind of parent would think that a piece of jewelry could erase the fact that they abandoned their own child?! Apollo often heard many of the other kids who had never known their parents wishing they had some clue about them. In his opinion, what was the point of having such a clue? It didn't change the fact that he had been left to the system. Never once did Apollo ever make an attempt to learn more about where he came from or find his mother.

After he'd think these thought during those evenings, he would turn and face the wall and go to sleep. He'd manage to ignore the bracelet on the ground for a few days, but he'd ultimately end up putting it back on.

His wrist felt naked without it there. For some reason, it was almost like his body could not let him throw it away. (Though, now that he thought about it, it might have had something to do with his perceive ability.)

Every now and then, he'd wonder why he couldn't just get rid of the bracelet. Perhaps there was just a corner of his mind that could just not let it go. A part of him that hoped he would meet his mother someday and get some answers out of her.

"Apollo, you there?"

The red vested lawyer snapped out of him musings while staring at his bracelet to find Athena standing there looking at him with a concerned expression. The office had been quiet since Mr. Wright had left to visit a friend a while ago and Trucy had gone to the Wonder Bar early to prepare for her new trick in tonight's magic show.

He shook his head lightly and sighed. "I'm fine Athena. What is it?"

Athena's concern seemed to relax as she answered. "You'd been staring at your bracelet for like thirty minutes. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the past I guess."

Athena's expression was completely understanding as she leaned closer to his desk. "Want to talk about it?"

He took a deep breath before he answered, sitting back up to look at the paperwork on his desk. "Maybe someday. Right now, I should probably get back to work."

The orange haired girl didn't look like she wanted to drop the subject, her eyes noticing his bracelet. "Why stare at your bracelet though?"

He looked back at her, the two staring each other down until Apollo conceded and talked. "I guess…I was also thinking about how differently I see this bracelet compared to when I was a kid."

Athena's expression changed to a more curious one. "Differently?"

He nodded, lifting up his arm to look at the bracelet once again. "There was once a time I really hated this thing. Now, considering my ability and how it helps me with cases, I don't even think about taking it off other than when I go to sleep."

"Something to do with your complicated past you'll tell me someday?"

Apollo gave her a hard look, but still smiled as he spoke. "Maybe someday."

"Don't take forever to tell me, okay?"

"I promise. And Athena?"

"What?"

Apollo smiled gently. "Thanks for forgiving me. Considering I'm not the most forgiving person myself…"

She smiled at him. "Don't mention it!"

She turned to go back to her space of the office as Apollo turned back to his own work, but his thoughts still turning back to his earlier ones.

The real reason I hated this bracelet...was because I couldn't let go of my mother. Because I could never really forgive her and move on. And I've been trying so hard not to look to the past…

In reality, maybe I should have realized sooner that she probably had her reasons for leaving me….and giving me this bracelet was her way of saying that no matter what happened, she still cared about me. Proof that she loved me.

That brought a small smile to his face.

I still have a lot of questions, but….maybe I'm fine with not knowing all the answers. I'm fine with what I know, for now.

V.E.: Good? Bad? Okay?

Note to self: Next time do Mia and Diego.

Please give me a review.