Title: Straight Forward Cases

Summary: Sometimes… Straight-forward cases are the worst. Unless you twist them, of course. Then again, life is never easy for our ace attorney.

Disclaimer: I do not own Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.

Pairing: Hints of KlavierApollo during trial, and obvious KlavierApollo after trial. So basically, yes, there's KlavierApollo. Not to mention EdgeworthPhoenix.

Warning: Well…None.

" Who does he think he is!?" Apollo yelled, slamming the door behind him.

Trucy looked up from her book and sighed. " Polly, don't destroy the door, and I'll make some tea, okay?" Trucy said, getting up. Apollo sat down on the sofa and ran a hand through his hair.

" Here." Trucy handed him a cup of tea.

" Thanks… and sorry for just now." Apollo apologized.

" It's okay, Polly… What happened?" Trucy asked.

" I don't really want to talk about it, sorry…" Apollo replied, letting out a breath. Trucy nodded and returned to her book. Phoenix walked in.

" Both of you should be going off soon, right? Apollo, remember you have a trial tomorrow." Phoenix said, walking past. Apollo nodded.

May 29, 10.00a.m.

District Court

Courtroom No. 2

All murmurings eased as the Judge banged his gavel. " Court is now is session for the trial of Mr. Larry Butz." The Judge announced.

Apollo swallowed the lump forming at his throat.

" Prosecution is ready to rock, Herr Judge."

Apollo took in a deep breath and took his turn. " The defense is… ready, Your Honor." The Judge nodded. Apollo ignored the pair of azure eyes looking at him.

" Very well, Mr. Gavin, your opening statement, please."

" This case is very simple, Herr Judge. The defendant is accused of murdering his… previous girlfriend. A perfect motive for murder, actually."

Apollo narrowed his eyes. The Judge nodded. " This is a fairly straight-forward case. The prosecution may call its first witness."

The prosecutor nodded. " Will the witness please take the stand."

Apollo steadied himself. ' Okay, a witness… Nothing to worry about.' He sighed. ' Sometimes, straight-forward cases are the worst…' He added.

" Your name and occupation?" The witness looked bored.

" Brandon Hugel, photographer." He answered.

" Tell us about the incident, ja?" The witness nodded.

Witness Testimony

The Incident

" It happened on May 27, at the Veil Park. I saw a man, who is probably in his thirties, near a lake, with a woman. The man was holding a knife in his hands. I knew that something was amiss, so I stayed for a while. Suddenly, the man stabbed the woman in the chest. Then he quickly left."

The Judge nodded. " I believe this case is rather simple. Alright then, this court finds the defendant, Larry Butz…"

Apollo wanted to bang his head against something. He gathered his breath and shouted. " OBJECTION!!"

The Judge blinked at him. Apollo sighed.

" Aww, come on Polly, keep it up!!" Trucy cheered beside him.

" Your Honor, the defense would like to cross-examine the witness." Apollo said.

" But the case is quite clear-cut." The Judge argued.

" The defense has the right to cross-examine the witness, Your Honor." Apollo replied.

" Alright. But be warned that you have only once chance in this." The Judge replied. Apollo nodded.

Cross-Examination

- The Incident –

" Mr. Hugel… According to the autopsy report… The time of death was between… 8p.m. to 8.15p.m., right?" Apollo asked.

" That's right." Brandon nodded.

" Why was you there at that time?" Apollo asked.

" OBJECTION!! That question is irrelevant, Herr Forehead." The Judge nodded.

" Prosecutor Gavin is right, Mr. Justice."

Apollo took a moment to consider about it, and promptly backed off. " You mentioned that the man 'looked to be in his thirties' And you identified that it is the defendant, Mr. Larry Butz?" Apollo asked. Brandon nodded. " The knife in question… is this, right?" Apollo asked, holding up a plastic bag. Brandon nodded once more.

" Hey Polly… The witness sure doesn't like to talk, huh?" Trucy whispered.

Apollo shrugged. " How long did you stay?" Apollo asked.

" Only a few minutes. Before the man stabbed the woman." Brandon replied.

Murmurs flew around the court. The Judge banged his gavel to silence the court. " Order!! Order!! Order!! If order is not restored, I will clear the court!!" The court quickly regained silence.

" You quickly left? Did you call the police?" Apollo questioned.

" Of course, Herr Forehead. And before you ask about the motive, I've heard that it's a regular thing that the defendant's girlfriends always dump him." Apollo gulped.

" What do you mean by that!! My Mercury would not do that to meeee!!" The defendant yelled.

Apollo gulped. A chuckle was heard. " An excellent motive for murder, if you ask me."

The Judge banged his gavel. " That's enough. This case is extremely clear. A motive is presented and there are no contradictions. This court finds the defendant, Larry Butz…"

" HOLD IT!!"

" … Mr. Wright!?" The Judge exclaimed.

" Mr… Wright? What exactly are you doing here?" Apollo asked.

" I would like to request a 5 minutes recess, Your Honor." Phoenix replied.

" OBJECTION!! The prosecution requests to hear a reason."

" How about, the defence requires 5 minutes to prepare its case?" Phoenix smiled lazily.

The Judge thought hard about it. Eventually, he nodded. " Request granted. This court will now take a 5 minutes recess!!" The bang of the gavel resounded in the courtroom.

May 29, 11.04a.m.

District Court

Defendant Lobby

" Now, now, Apollo… First of all, I know you had a fight with Mr. Gavin yesterday, but you shouldn't like that affect you." Phoenix reprimanded.

Apollo lowered his head in guilt. " I'm sorry about that."

Phoenix chuckled. " You shouldn't say sorry to me, you should say it to the defendant."

" My apologies, Mr. Butz." Apollo said to Larry, who grinned in return.

" Trucy, let me take over. You go to the audience." Phoenix instructed. Trucy nodded. " Secondly, Apollo… Recall the witness's testimony. There was something that didn't fit with the evidence, right?" Phoenix asked with a smile.

" Something that doesn't fit… Ahh!!" Apollo exclaimed.

Phoenix smiled. " Keep that in mind as we start." Apollo nodded.

May 29, 11.10a.m.

District Court

Courtroom No. 2

" Court is now back in session!!" The Judge announced.

" Your Honor, the defence wishes to cross-examine the witness again." Apollo spoke.

" Hmmm… But there was no problem with the testimony just now." The Judge closed his eyes.

" If Herr Forehead is requesting for another cross-examination, I'm sure that he has found a contradiction during that 5 minutes recess, ja?"

Apollo nodded. " That's right."

" Well, Mr. Justice? You claim that something contradicts the testimony Mr. Hugel gave us. So where is your evidence?"

" TAKE THAT!!" Apollo brought out a cell phone. " This is my evidence."

The Judge looked confused.

" Very good, Apollo. Oh, and remember to smile." Phoenix chuckled, his hands in his jacket pocket.

" Err, smile?" Apollo asked.

" If you can't smile at the beginning, how are you going to smile when everything is over?" Phoenix replied.

" Well-spoken, Mr. Wright." Klavier commented.

" My mentor's words. Now, I believe the court is still waiting, Apollo." Phoenix chuckled.

" Ack!!" Apollo fumbled with the cell phone. " Er… Will the court listen to the recorded conversation?"

Cellular: BEEP

Phoenix: Phoenix Wright.

Butz: NIIICCCCKKKK!!

Phoenix: Larry? What is it?

Butz: My… My Mercury…

Phoenix: Again, Larry?

Butz: She left me just now!! With another man!! Right in front of me!!

Phoenix: Larry… Why don't I meet you at the Wonder Bar in ten minutes?

Butz: Really…?

Phoenix: Yes…

Butz: You're the best, Nick!

Cellular: BEEP

Cellular: Conversation recorded, May 27, 7.49p.m.

Silence washed over the court. " As the court can see, I can testify to the defendant's alibi on the day of the murder. Ten minutes after the call ended… That's 7.59p.m., and we met at the Wonder Bar… Hmm, I didn't know that Larry had a twin that could have committed the murder…" Phoenix commented.

" OBJECTION!!" Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

" Herr Judge… Mr. Wright is on currently on the defense team… For all we know, he could be lying." Klavier said.

" OBJECTION!! You say that Mr. Wright was lying? Where's your proof, Mr- Prosecutor Gavin?"

Apollo asked, a grin on his face. Klavier winced, before a smug look returned to his face.

" OBJECTION!! Proof? I believe the defense should be providing it… After all, it was the defense that made the statement."

Apollo winced. " Urk…"

The Judge banged his gavel. " Mr. Justice… Prosecutor Gavin has a point, you'll need proof. Do you have a proof? If so, what is it?"

Apollo gulped, while Phoenix laughed.

" Apollo, remember, in the event that there is no decisive evidence, we would rely on testimony to arrive at the verdict. Think through it. Do you have some evidence? Or do you need a witness? The Judge, not to mention the court is waiting for your answer, Apollo." Phoenix advised.

' He really is an Ace Attorney…' Apollo thought.

" Your Honor!!" Apollo yelled.

" Yes, Mr. Justice? As Mr. Wright stated, this court is waiting for your answer." The Judge replied.

" If the prosecution doesn't mind… The defense has a witness; A witness that can confirm Mr. Wright's statement of the defendant's alibi!!" Apollo replied.

" A…" The Judge said.

" …witness?" Klavier ended.

" Incidentally, the witness is already at the Defendant's Lobby." Apollo smiled.

" Before that, does the prosecution have any objections?" Phoenix interrupted.

" Nein." Klavier shook his head.

" Very well. Will Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth please take the stand?" Apollo called.

" What!?" Klavier exclaimed. " Mr. Edgeworth?" The Judge questioned.

" Sorry, Mr. Edgeworth… Mr. Wright told me it was your day off…" Apollo said, scratching his head sheepishly.

" Wright and Larry has always been troublesome, it seems." The prosecutor replied.

" It's not really my fault that Larry got in trouble, again." Phoenix sighed. " Besides, it is still true…"

Edgeworth sighed. " 'When something smells, it's usually the Butz.'" Edgeworth replied.

" If you don't mind, Prosecutor Gavin?" Apollo called.

" Please state your name and profession for the court." Klavier said.

" Miles Edgeworth. I am a prosecutor." Edgeworth replied.

" Very well, Mr. Justice, you said that Mr. Edgeworth could confirm the defendant's alibi. Mr. Edgeworth, please testify to the court, about the alibi of the defendant." The Judge asked. Edgeworth sighed, and nodded.

Witness Testimony

- Larry's alibi –

" Wright gave me a call on May 27, at 7.50p.m.. Apparently, Larry had gotten dumped again. He probably got me as a backup, considering the amount of times Larry had gone to Wright after these… incidents. We met up at the Wonder Bar, where Wright's daughter was performing at, at 8.00pm.."

" Well, this certainly clears up the defendant's alibi." The Judge commented.

" Indeed…" Klavier agreed.

" Ehh? He isn't going to pull out some sort of evidence?" Apollo whispered.

Phoenix shrugged. " Oh, and by the way, Edgeworth helped us to obtain a little something." Phoenix smiled.

Edgeworth glared at him. " This."

The Judge blinked. " Is that… a tape?" He asked.

" More specifically, the tape from the Wonder Bar. And I assure you, the three friends are inside, and the time recorded on the tape… is 8.02p.m…. And the time of the murder? 8p.m. to 8.15p.m.. I don't see how the defendant could be in two places at one time." Apollo grinned. Phoenix chuckled.

" However… That leaves us in another problem." Klavier pointed out.

" Another?" The Judge asked.

" Who killed our Fräulein?" Klavier explained.

" Well, Apollo?" Klavier asked. Apollo frowned.

" Come on, Apollo. Although Larry is off-the-hook, we still have one mystery to solve. Recall your investigation, along with what we've heard today." Phoenix advised.

" Well, Mr. Justice? Who is the real murderer? The court is waiting." Apollo closed his eyes and gave it a thought.

' Up until now… The only person that I've met that could have been the murderer… is him.' Apollo nodded. " The real murderer is… you, Mr. Brandon Hugel!!" Apollo shouted, pointing his finger at the witness.

Brandon gasped. " Me!?" Apollo nodded.

" And your reason?" Klavier asked.

" Actually, I've been noticing something…" Apollo started. Phoenix chuckled.

" …You may not notice it, but the moment you said 'stabbed the women', you started to curl up your right hand." Brandon gasped again.

' I'm on the right track, I know it!!' Apollo thought.

" Oh and by the way, those gloves of yours… Why do you wear them?" Apollo asked.

" Well… I don't want to leave prints on my camera. Also, to keep fingerprints from getting onto the photographs. I wear them all the time."

Apollo grinned. Silence washed over the court.

" Mr. Justice, do you mind explaining why you're grinning like a schoolgirl on a prom night?" The Judge asked.

Apollo gasped and scratched his head sheepishly. " Ack!! Erm… Er… Mr. Brandon Hugel!!" Apollo shouted.

" Apollo, there's no need to rush. Oh, and be mindful of calling people by their full names, I've had bad memories of that." Phoenix chuckled.

" Opps… sorry. Anyway, Mr. Hugel, you said that you wear the gloves all the time?" Apollo asked. Brandon nodded.

" Prose- Mr. Gavin!!" Apollo called.

Klavier looked surprised. " Yes, Herr Forehead?" Klavier replied.

" Please, tell me. Was there any fingerprints found on the murder weapon?" Apollo asked.

" None. Not a single… Uggnnn…" Klavier replied.

If possible, the grin on Apollo's face widened. " Not a single fingerprint, Mr. Gavin? Hmm, the only way possible, that I can think of, is that the murderer is wearing gloves. Oh, Mr. Brandon, you testified that you wear gloves all the time." Apollo finished. Brandon gulped.

" !!"

" …That is all, Your Honor." Apollo finished.

The Judge blinked, Klavier had his eyes closed and was snapping his fingers while smiling, Phoenix was also smiling, Apollo was grinning, Edgeworth looked to be sighing, and the witness was crying.

" I admit it… I killed her. It's her fault!! She lies to people. She lied to me!!" Brandon cried.

" Something like a con artist, hmm? Looks like our defendant is lucky man." Klavier commented.

" Now then. I believe a verdict is clear. This court finds the defendant, Larry Butz…"

Not Guilty

" Court in adjoined."

May 29, 1.12p.m.

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 2

" You did it, Polly!!" Trucy tackled Apollo.

" You know, sometimes, I really hate these kind of cases. The Judge always wants to end it without the defense doing the cross-examination. And most of the time, we have to end up making a fool out of ourselves in order to proof that that twisted story is the truth. Why are attorneys' lives never easy…?" Apollo sighed.

" NIIICCCCKKKK!!" Larry yelled.

" Wright…" Edgeworth walked over.

" Larry, you're innocent now, and yes, your girlfriend wanted to cheat money off you. And Edgeworth, sorry for calling you like that." Phoenix quickly said.

" Looks like all's well that ends well, Apollo."

Apollo spun around. " Kla…vier…" Apollo muttered.

" You know, I'm sorry for yesterday… Shouldn't have forced you like that." Klavier apologized.

" I'm kinda sorry too. I shouldn't have let Mr. Gavin affect me like that." Apollo replied.

" Which one are you talking about again?" Trucy interrupted.

" Prosecutor Gavin's brother of course. Though, I'll admit. I'm getting confused too. After all, Apollo did call him Mr. Gavin just now, in court." Phoenix smirked. Apollo blushed.

" Really now, Phoenix. Let's not forget about yourself, shall we?" Edgeworth interrupted.

" W-What!?" Phoenix exclaimed.

" Before you told Mr. Justice not to call one's full name, I believe you did yourself, and twice, in fact. First, when you objected to the judge's verdict, you called the prosecutor by his full name, and second, when you called me to the stand." Edgeworth smirked.

Phoenix flinched. " Urk… Wait, that's… irrelevant!!" Phoenix argued.

" I don't recall you not correcting mistakes, even outside of court, Phoenix." Edgeworth replied.

Phoenix's face was getting redder by the minute. " But… but… that's…"

Edgeworth chuckled. " Ahh… stammering, a sign of nervousness, not to mention being guilty, Phoenix." Edgeworth said.

" Yeah, Daddy. Me and Polly don't even need our ability to see that." Trucy teased. Apollo nodded in response.

" Looks like the verdict has been decided, ja?" Klavier joined in.

" Just give it up, Mr. Wright." Apollo laughed.

" Wait a minute, wait a minute. What about them!?" Phoenix retorted, pointing at Klavier, who, at some point, had his arm around Apollo waist, and Apollo, who started blushing again.

" Hey, but the topic's on you." Apollo replied.

" I believe we started with you, Apollo." Phoenix replied smoothly.

" Okay, okay. Cut it out!!" Trucy interrupted.

" Now, Daddy and Polly can go out with your respective boyfriends while I go back and get ready for my show tonight." She added with a smile.

Apollo's blush was back with twice the amount of force, while Phoenix merely started. Edgeworth chuckled while Klavier flashed a smile at Trucy.

" Well, since the Fräulein had said so, shall we?" Klavier asked.

" Where to?" Apollo asked.

" You'll find out." Klavier replied, pulling Apollo along.

" My treat." Edgeworth said. " It's French today. I supposed it's fine?" He asked.

Phoenix nodded. " I'll see you later, Trucy."

Apollo and Phoenix called. Trucy nodded and waited till they were gone before sighing. She placed her hands on her hips and pouted.

" Sheesh, they're more indecisive than a dating girl." She smiled once more before walking off.

In a corner, someone forgotten whined.

" What about me, Nick, Edgeyyyyyyyy!!"

…Poor Larry.

Edited on 21 February 2010

A/N: You know, I think I went really off-track at the end. Since Larry doesn't seem to fit in the conversations at the end, so I made him forgotten until the end. I couldn't resist the last comment made by Trucy at the end. –laughs- Well, thanks for reading!!