Okay, Phoenix, try to keep a cool head. The lawyer looked over his pile of evidence one more time. You've gotten past the worst of it, and you're back in familiar territory. And after everything that's happened, you should be more than prepared. Let's see here. BSAA report, check. Photo album with Maya's pictures from the last few days, check. Mishima background files, check. Apple bomb, still can't believe I have that, but check anyway. Shinra's affidavit, check.

"So, Nick," Maya said, breaking him out of his thoughts, "you feeling okay? It hasn't been that long, so are you sure you can handle this?"

"I know it's only been a couple days since that last encounter," Phoenix replied, "but that still gave me a couple days to rest and go over the case."

"What do you think our chances are?"

"Pretty good, I'd say. We know for a fact that Heihachi didn't smuggle the Thanatos virus to Japan, so we have that going for us. At the very least, we have a much more solid lead to start with than usual."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Maya said. "It's just, after everything that's happened, it's kinda weird going back to business as usual. I guess I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

The doors to the defendant's lobby opened, revealing two bailiffs on either side of their client. Heihachi hadn't even bothered to change into something more respectable for a court of law, instead favoring his black martial arts uniform, but Phoenix realized he didn't seem like the type to bow to the whims of society; heck, it was a wonder he allowed himself to be arrested, although Phoenix figured it would have been even worse for Heihachi's case to resist arrest and cause bodily harm to his captors.

The bailiffs released Heihachi and stood by the door. "Mr. Mishima," Phoenix greeted, "how are you doing?"

"Well, I'll say this for the precinct," Heihachi answered; "spending all day in that holding cell allows a man to relax."

"It was that comfortable?" Maya asked.

"Course not!" Heihachi smiled. "I just did some pushups and sit-ups the whole time."

"The whole time?" Maya repeated.

"What can I say? Even in incarceration, I gotta keep in shape." He turned to Phoenix. "So, Wright, how we looking?"

"Better than most of my cases, that's for sure. Knowing the truth of the matter before the trial starts is always a plus."

"Ha! Too bad Bison himself isn't here," Heihachi said. "The trial would be over in minutes."

"Somehow, I doubt Bison would be the type to freely give a confession, especially after all the trouble he went through to frame you."

"A man can dream, can't he?"

The door to the lobby opened again. Everyone turned to find an unexpected face, complete with an eyepatch. "Yo, Prof! You doing good?"

"Majima!" Phoenix said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"You mean to tell me that one of the least scummy of people I know is getting ready for his big day and I can't show up to give him some support?" Majima replied. "I thought you knew me better than that."

"I'm not saying I'm not glad to see you. I just never expected it," Phoenix defended. "Is Kiryu with you?"

"Ya know, he said he'd be at the trial today," Majima said, "but I haven't seen hide nor hair nor suit of the guy."

"Wonder where he could have gone," Maya wondered.

"Eh, I'm sure he'll pop up somewhere." Majima turned back to Phoenix. "Anyways, like I said, I got your back, Prof. After everything this big lug's done for us, I'm sure I could get a few guys together and jailbreak him out of this mess, but I'll let you try keep that from happening first."

"Uh, gee," Phoenix stammered, "thanks… for the… offer." He cleared a sudden lump in his throat. "Hey, uh, Majima, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"While you were out there, did you happen to see anyone who might look like the prosecutor for this case? I'd just like to get all the information I can, maybe find the best way to handle this trial."

Majima thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, I did see this one lady walking around with some of the bailiffs. European chick, I think. A real princess, this one, and I'm not talking the storybook, damsel-in-distress variety. She kept ordering them around like they were her lackeys. Even had a whip just to make the whole slave-driver image complete."

Phoenix felt his face go cold. He turned to Maya. "Well, Maya, I think we found your other shoe."

"Someone you know, Wright?" Heihachi asked.

"Let's just say I'm more than familiar with that whip, more than I'd like to be."

"Heh, it's a small world after all," Heihachi joked.

Sometimes, I think it's too small.

"You gonna be alright, Prof?" Majima asked. "You look like you're about to throw up."

Phoenix blinked a few times, breathed in, and slapped himself on his cheeks. "You know what? Let her come. I've dealt with her plenty of times. Besides, we have the truth on our side, and no matter what Franziska von Karma has up her sleeve, she can't deny it forever."

"Wow, Nick," Maya said, "you sound almost convincing."

There was a short pause. "Maya, please don't ruin my confidence boost," Phoenix said.

"The trial will begin shortly," one of the bailiffs at the door said. "The defense and their client will make their way to the courtroom now, please."

Phoenix gulped quietly. "Well, this is it. You guys ready?"

"Let's do it, Nick."

"You said it yourself, Wright," Heihachi said: "the truth is on our side. Take that confidence and show me just why I hired you in the first place."

"I gotta get back to the gallery," Majima said. "See ya' there, Prof."

As they walked out of the defendant lobby, Phoenix steeled himself. Okay, Phoenix. You got this. You managed to survive against world-conquering despots, killer machines of every kind, and even literal demons. If fate is for real, than hopefully there's a reason it let me live through all that. And I am not going to waste it.

"All rise!" the bailiff yelled out. Phoenix, Maya, and Heihachi stood up from behind the defense bench. Across the aisle, he saw the familiar scowl of Franziska von Karma. He felt some of his earlier unease return to him. True, he knew the true facts behind this case; he had witnessed that truth firsthand. But to get it out there, he had to get past von Karma's machinations, and that would prove to be an uphill battle.

He heard the gavel fall and looked up at the judge. Phoenix wasn't truly expecting it, but he was just the tiniest bit surprised to find that this judge was not the same as he was used to from back home. Rather than being bald with a full, white beard, this judge actually had well-groomed, black hair and only the smallest hint of a beard and mustache.

"Court is now is session for the trial of Heihachi Mishima," he said. "Are the defense and prosecution ready?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix stated, hoping his discomfort did not show through.

"The prosecution is indeed ready, Your Honor," Franziska said evenly.

"Very good," the judge returned. "Before we begin, though, I'd just like to make sure I understand the situation. I know that neither of you are from this country, so I want to make sure I have my story straight."

Franziska spoke first. "Due to the nature of this particular crime, I was called in by Interpol to preside over the prosecution."

Interpol, huh? Phoenix thought. Well, that explains why she's here. Hmm, I wonder if Chun Li knows about her. I'll have to ask if we ever cross paths again.

The judge nodded. "Fair enough. And what of you Mr. Wright? No offense, but you don't look like the international sort."

Phoenix breathed in once before speaking. "Believe me, Your Honor, I'm just as surprised I'm here as anyone else." In more ways than one. "The defendant, Heihachi Mishima, knew of me by reputation and called me himself."

"Unorthodox, to be sure, but acceptable."

"Well, personally," Franziska said, "I could think of no better opponent for this case."

"I know I'll regret asking this," Phoenix said, "but was that a compliment?" A sharp and loud crack on his bench forced him back. Yep. Here we go.

"Don't be so foolish, you fool," Franziska spat, holding her whip. "Time and time again, we have matched wits in the battlefield of the law, but you have managed to best me every time. But that streak ends today. Today, we battle on neutral ground. This time, I shall finally triumph over you."

von Karma, you need a hobby. Preferably something nonviolent.

"Well," the judge muttered, "this will certainly be a lively trial." He cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Ms. von Karma, your opening statement, please."

"About a week ago, the people of Sinjuku's Kamurocho neighborhood found themselves with an unusual predicament. Through the use of a powerful chemical agent, known as Thanatos, many citizens were laid low by its terrible grip. And the person responsible for bringing this plague to an otherwise peaceful area? None other than that man in the defendant's chair, whose heart is as black as his gi."

OBJECTION!

Phoenix raised his outstretched finger at Franziska. "Ms. von Karma, I would ask you to refrain from personal attacks on my client."

The judge nodded. "I agree. Please do keep your statements focused on proven facts."

Franziska flinched a bit, but quickly regained her composure. "Understood, Your Honor. If it pleases the court, I'd like to call my first witness."

The judged nodded. "Very well."

Franziska stood up straight "The prosecution calls Kazuma Kiryu to the stand."

"WHAT?!" In addition to his own, Phoenix heard two other voices; one was Maya's, and the other must have belonged to Majima, who had been sitting a few rows above his bench.

The doors to the courtroom opened, and a bailiff leading the man that Phoenix recognized as Kazuma Kiryu came in.

"KAZZY, YOU SONUVA BITCH! YOU TRAITOR! IF YOU MAKE THIS DIFFICULT FOR THE PROF, I'M GONNA—!"

"Order in the court!" the judge demanded. "You, sir, will return to your seat or be held in contempt of court!"

"YOU WANT CONTEMPT, BUDDY?!" Majima yelled back with his fist held up. "I GOT YER CONTEMPT, RIGHT HERE!"

"Majima, just do what he says!" Phoenix pleaded. "Don't worry, I've faced bigger curveballs than this. And for the love of God, please remember what I told you last time."

Majima sighed and relaxed his pose. "Yeah, yeah, I remember: 'No punching the judge.' But you better not go easy on this guy, Prof. Show him what it means to betray his fellow yakuza!"

Is that something you really want to admit in a public courthouse?!

"If that is all," the judge interjected, "this court would like to continue the trial."

By now, Kiryu had approached the witness stand. Franziska spoke up. "Witness, state your name and occupation for the court record."

"Kazuma Kiryu," he said evenly. "I run the Sunshine Orhpanage in Okinawa."

"Orphanage?" the judge repeated. "Well, that is certainly a surprise, given what we just heard from the gallery."

"I was once affiliated with the Tojo Clan in Kamurocho," Kiryu explained, "but no more."

I don't know, Phoenix said to himself. Given what I've seen, maybe you really can't take the yakuza out of the man.

"Ah, I see," the judge said. "Very well, then, let us begin the testimony."

"Before we do, Your Honor," Kiryu said, "I just want to make one thing clear: I do not believe Heihachi released the Thanatos virus on Kamurocho."

The judge looked surprised for a moment. "Ms. von Karma, I hope you know what you are doing with this witness. Calling someone who disagrees with your position to the stand does not appear to help your case."

Franziska snorted a little. "What he believes about the defendant's guilt is of no consequence for now. His purpose in testifying is to relate to the court the effects of the virus, to better understand the impact of Mr. Mishima's crimes."

The judge nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. Witness, your testimony please."

Kiryu sighed. "Of course, Your Honor."

Well, this trial took an interesting turn already, Phoenix thought to himself. Let's just hope I can steer it back on course.

Witness Testimony: Thanatos

"I don't know too many details about the virus itself, but one need only look at what it has done to understand it. It causes some form of mutation that turns its victims into, well, monsters, for lack of a better word. It varies from victim to victim, some looking reasonably human, others… less so. And the only known cure usually involves a deadly weapon."

The entire courtroom was silent. If Franziska's goal was to shock the court, it clearly worked. Even Phoenix, who had seen firsthand the kind of monsters Kiryu described, found himself with a new sense of unease.

"My word," the judge said, finally breaking the silence. "What a terrifying account."

"If it would put everyone's minds at ease," Franziska said, "most of the population was evacuated before the spread got too far out of hand, and specialists arrived to treat any survivors and purge any remaining traces of the virus before it could spread further."

"I suppose that is good to hear," the judge said.

"But the message is still clear," Franziska continued. "What occurred in Kamurocho could be described as bioterrorism. I trust no sympathy for the defendant exists within this courtroom?" The murmurs that followed seemed to agree with her assertion.

OBJECTION!

All eyes turned to the defense bench. "Not so fast, Ms. von Karma!" Phoenix interjected. "All you've established thus far is the effect of the virus, not whether my client is responsible for its spread."

"That may be so, Mr. Phoenix Wright," Franziska returned, "but it is on you to prove that your client did not release this near literal 'Hell on Earth.'"

"Give me a chance to cross-examine your witness' testimony, and I may do just that."

"Very, well, Mr. Wright," the judge said. "Begin your cross-examination."

"Can you really turn this around, Nick?" Maya whispered.

"Won't know until we try," Phoenix answered. He turned to Kiryu. "Mr. Kiryu, I understand you have only limited knowledge of the Thanatos virus. But how familiar are you with the overall effects?"

"I've seen more of these monsters in the past few days than anyone should ever have to," Kiryu answered. "I'm no expert, but I've certainly gained more than a passing knowledge."

"You mentioned the effects of the virus vary from person to person," Phoenix continued. "How much variation is there?"

"Like I said, some still look recognizably human," Kiryu said. "Others, though, resemble monsters more than anything."

"Okay, but even in similar camps, are there variations?"

"Some slight differences, perhaps. Many of them appeared to be their own species of monster."

"Okay, now here's my big question: Were there any unique mutations, those that looked nothing like their other counterparts?"

Kiryu thought for a bit. "Two do come to mind. Both were human-shaped and could even think on a near human level, but they were just as monstrous as the worst of them."

"Could you describe them in more detail please?" Let's hope Kiryu knows where I'm going with this, Phoenix thought as he pulled out the BSAA report.

"One of them looked like some slasher movie villain: mask, giant blades for hands, never said a word. It was rather muscular, more so than any human I've seen. The second was mostly covered in a trench coat, but its face was deformed, like it was folded in, and its mouth was more like a carnivore's than human, if you can even call it a mouth."

Phoenix flipped through the pages of the report as Kiryu talked. He finally found the articles he was looking for. Ustanak and Nemesis. I remember these guys. And if what I'm reading is true…

OBJECTION!

"Your Honor, there is a contradiction in the witness' testimony."

"Wait, seriously?" Maya asked. "Kiryu lied?"

"Not necessarily," Phoenix assured her. "But what he just said is in direct contrast with the evidence I have."

Franziska whipped at her desk in defiance. "Impossible. I've looked over the record myself. Nothing about my witness' testimony is fallible. It is perfect, like everything else about my case. Unless this 'evidence' you have tells a different story. Just be aware that I've seen your bluffs enough times to call them."

"It's not really what he said, Ms. von Karma, but rather what it means in the larger context." Phoenix held up the report. "This report was given to me by the Bioterrorism Security and Assessment Alliance."

"The… I'm sorry, but I don't believe I've heard of this organization," the judge said.

"They're a global group dedicated to studying and eradicating threats of bioorganic nature, such as the monsters that struck Kamurocho. In this report, the two creatures that Mr. Kiryu described just now are featured quite prominently."

"And this contradicts his testimony how?" Franziska challenged. "If anything, it only proves its veracity."

"On the surface, maybe," Phoenix admitted. "But it's what the report says about them that truly interests me." The bailiff approached Phoenix, who handed him the report. He continued, "Both creatures were designed from the ground up as bioorganic weapons from a now largely defunct corporation years ago and have since been dealt with." By now, the judge had received, and was looking through, the report. "If that's true, then where did these two very unique monsters come from? They certainly couldn't have just sprung up from a random mutation; the details of both the original versions and their present-day counterparts are far too similar to be mere coincidence."

"Mr. Wright appears to be correct," the judge added. "I'm looking through the photos provided in this report, as well as attached copies of the previous incidents he mentioned. I have to agree that the similarities between then and now are far too alike for my tastes."

Phoenix nodded. "Exactly. So if Mr. Mishima truly released the Thanatos virus in what we can easily assume to be a random location, how did these two, very specific and deliberately designed mutations just appear?" The gallery started murmuring to themselves, seemingly in agreement with Phoenix.

OBJECTION!

Franziska's outburst was enough to silence the whole courtroom. "Do you truly believe this will sway the court to your side, Mr. Phoenix Wright? You may have introduced an oddity that seems improbable, but it does nothing to vindicate the defendant. Not with the evidence I have yet to present."

She cannot be serious, Phoenix thought.

After a moment, the judge spoke. "As convincing as your theory is, Mr. Wright, I'm afraid I must agree with the prosecution. However unlikely the chances are of these two creatures reappearing as they did, this could only be counted as circumstantial evidence at best. And if Ms. von Karma has more decisive evidence, I would be more inclined to listen to her."

He cannot be serious!

Franziska bowed, rubbing salt in Phoenix's wound. "Thank you, Your Honor. I believe that will be all, Mr. Kiryu. You may step down, now."

But Kiryu stayed for a moment. "Know this, Professor," he said. "I know you will win this, no matter what this foul woman has up her sleeves."

"That will be all, Mr. Kiryu!" Franziska repeated more harshly.

"Um, thanks, Kiryu," Phoenix said slowly. "That… means a lot." Kiryu nodded and walked off the stand and out of the courtroom doors.

Franziska calmed down. "Fortunately, my next witness shall provide a much more condemning account that will ensure Mr. Mishima's fate."

"Very well, Ms. von Karma," the judge said. "You may call them as you please."

"Before I do, though," Franziska said, "I must open with a brief… disclaimer, so to speak."

"Disclaimer?" Phoenix repeated.

"My next witness can be considered to be of… ill repute," Franziska explained. "He would not talk unless granted temporary immunity."

"Temporary immunity?" Maya asked.

"It means he can't be arrested for anything he might have done so long as the trial goes on," Phoenix answered.

Maya blinked. "Since when does von Karma deal with criminals?"

The judge sighed. "I have to say, I did not see this coming when I woke up this morning." He turned to Franziska. "And you are certain of this witness' trustworthiness on this matter?"

"To use his logic," Franziska argued, "he would not have come forward, to Interpol of all people, if he was not absolutely sure of what he had to say."

The judge sighed again. "Then the court accepts this condition. Bring him in."

"The prosecution calls… Master Bison… to the stand."

"WHAT?!"