Chapter 4: James Fey

"Are both benches ready?" the judge asked.

"The Prosecution is ready, your honor." Edgeworth stated.
"The Defense is ready, your honor." Gavin retaliated.

"The prosecution may call its first witness." The judge said.

"The prosecution calls Detective Dick Gumshoe to the stand." Edgeworth said.

Gumshoe soon appeared on the podium.

"Name and occupation." Edgeworth stated.

"The name's Gumshoe pal!" Gumshoe boomed loudly. "I work for the police department!"

"Indeed." Edgeworth said.

"You may begin your testimony." The judge said.

"You got it pal!" Gumshoe said.

"Well," Gumshoe began. "A witness called our station and was shouting. She said that someone was trying to rob the Kurain vault! She said the vault door was open and stuff was being looted! After we got there, we saw a shadow of the defendant trying to escape! The thief got a piece of her robe caught on the hinge of the vault and it tore. She quickly ran at top speed towards the exit to the village. She dropped a bank document, but kept running. We pursued her, and nearly lost her at one point. She disappeared for a little bit, and then we came across a girl, looking very sweaty, with a tear on her robe. So we arrested her.

As the trial continued, Edgeworth had been on the offensive all day, shouting down Kristoph Gavin's evidence and accusations. The two witnesses called also pointed in Miranda Fey's direction, and near the end, the evidence sure pointed at Miranda Fey, so when a recess was called, I had a chance to talk with this Kristoph Gavin…

I was in the hallway with Iris, watching the people leave the courtroom for a break, and I saw Gavin pass by me.

Immediately, a chill went down my spine. The same thing happened to Iris because she clutched my arm very tightly.

I decided to talk to him. I walked over to him and greeted him.

"Hello there Mr. Gavin." I said.

"Ahhh Phoenix Wright." Kristoph replied. "It's so wonderful to meet you." He extended a hand, which I shook.

"This has been quite a case." I said.

"Indeed." Kristoph replied. "But I plan to end this soon."

I was confused, because all through that trial he had been shot down by Edgeworth.

Isn't he the one backed into a corner? I thought. Oh wait, I've been down that road hundreds of times…

"Well good luck Mr. Gavin." I said.

"Thank you Mr. Wright." Kristoph replied.

I walked back to Iris, and we set off to find Edgeworth.

"That man…" Iris started when Gavin was out of earshot. "He scares me. What's he like?"

What's he like? I thought. He's actually a well-spoken man who wants to prove his clients innocent. He's basically me with blond hair and glasses, and a helluva lot more experience than I do…Yet I still feel a little intimidated…

"He doesn't seem bad." I said. "He's well-spoken, and he fights hard. But I'm still uneasy."

"You should be uneasy, because that man is untrustworthy." A voice said behind them.

Both Phoenix and Iris turned. In front of them, was a teenager. He was dressed in an American Eagle t-shirt with a blue and white sweater with blue jeans. Next to him was Miles Edgeworth.

"Hello Wright." Edgeworth said. "Hello Iris."

"Hello Mr. Edgeworth." Iris said.

"Hey Edgeworth." I said.

The boy extended his hand.

"Hello there, my name is James Fey.

I shook his hand, but then another thought popped into my head.

Another Fey? I thought. What's with all these people from Kurain getting into trials?

"You must be Phoenix Wright." James said. "I've heard much about you from Kurain, as well as my hometown.

"Wait you don't live in Kurain?" I asked.

"Well I used to." James said. "But I left to go to New York City to study Technology, as well as law.

Technology and Law? I wondered. Incredible, this kid must know a thing or two.

"I also do music as a hobby." James continued. I went to the East Coast because of all the brilliant colleges that litter the Eastern Seaboard. It's great education for the young mind."

Well spoken too. I thought. At least he doesn't have an evil aura around him like Kristoph does…Wait a minute…College AND two majors! How old is this kid!

"That's great to hear." I said. "But how old are you?"

"I am 18 years old." James replied.

"18?" Iris asked. "A young boy like you is studying all of that?"

"Well I'm in my second year at MIT." James replied. "After my 4 years is complete there, I plan to transfer here to California. I'll enroll in another college here, and then find which major I fit best in."

"Now now James." Edgeworth said. "Enough of your bragging. Have you told me everything you know about Ms. Miranda Fey?"

James nodded. "Yes indeed. Oh she is guilty; you should be fine in this case."

"Don't get too cocky James." Edgeworth said. "Even though I feel very confident, I feel uneasy too."

"I know what you mean." I said. "I felt this strange aura whenever he was near. I talked to him during the recess, and he told me that he plans to end this soon."

James looked at me.

"Gavin is untrustworthy. There are rumors that say he uses illegal evidence. People go further and say that he forges his own to win cases."

"Really?" I asked. "Maybe that's why we felt so uneasy Iris…"

"Yes Feenie." She replied. "Even though I have no spiritual power, my training at Hazakura Temple has helped me recognize certain people. I felt very uneasy about that man, and I think you should stay away from him Feenie…"

I nodded. "Yeah, I agree. Whenever I finish my trials, I'll just cut and run whenever he's nearby…"

James laughed. "I'd do that too if I was near him."

"Mr. Edgeworth!" the bailiff called. "The court will resume anytime, please make your way back to the Prosecutor's bench.

Edgeworth started towards the door.

"Well Wright," Edgeworth started. "I'll see you later."

"Goodbye Edgeworth." I replied.

I don't know why, I thought. But why do I feel like Edgeworth is going to lose this trial? He has all the evidence, the case has been going his way all afternoon…I just don't know.

"Hey Mr. Wright." James said. "Mine if I sit next to you two?"

"No, go on ahead." I responded.

"Thanks." James said.

We made our way back into the courtroom and sat down.

"I really do not feel very good about this." James said. "I feel like Gavin is going to pull something…"

"What?" I asked. "You sounded confident a moment ago."

"No." James said. "I said she was guilty. I didn't say he was going to win."

Good point. I thought.

"Are we all settled in?" the judge asked.

"The Prosecution is ready, your honor." Edgeworth said.

"The Defense is ready, your honor." Kristoph said.

"Now we had earlier stated that the defendant had been seen leaving the vault in southern most Kurain. Both witnesses had clarified this report earlier," the judged said. "Also, all of the evidence seem to point at Miranda Fey, and I see no reason to continue this tr—"

"Objection!" shouted Gavin.

"Mr. Gavin?" the judge asked.

"Unfortunately, your honor," Gavin started. "The defendant, Miranda Fey, is not guilty, and the evidence is too circumstantial for her to be convicted."

"What!" Edgeworth shouted, annoyed. "What do you mean circumstantial! I have all the proof right here in front of yo-!"

"Let me finish, Edgeworth." Gavin retaliated. "I have here, which I could not present earlier because of relevance, a picture."

"!" Edgeworth was confused. "Why wasn't this delivered to me!"

The picture showed a man walking out of the vault at Kurain, with a gun in his hand. The man was shadowed in the background, but other things could be easily seen. On his shoulder, was a bag, and clearly seen on the top, was a bank document.

Murmurs quickly circulated around the room.

The judge slammed his gavel.

"Enough!" the judge yelled. "Gavin, what is the meaning of this!"

"What the!" James whispered, angry. "Who is that! And a gun to boot!"

Iris looked at me, worried.

"Feenie," she asked. "What's going to happen now?"

"Many things could happen now." I replied. "It's possible that he could flip all of the other evidence upside down and make it circumstantial like he says. It's also possible that he could accuse one of the witnesses of committing this crime."

NOTE: here's the evidence presented:

A piece of ripped cloth, likely from the person who fled the vault quickly.

A keychain, very likely fell out of a purse. Used for decoration.

A picture of the vault with the door open. The locks have been broken off. There are 5 locks to the vault. (They look like Psyche-Locks.)

Finally, a bank document. Found outside of the vault, it was likely dropped by the thief.

"As you can see," Gavin started. "The silhouette in the picture is clearly a man, not a woman. And even if it was a woman, it does not look like my client in the slightest. Furthermore, this picture unbalances the evidence presented, because the evidence can be made irrelevant to this case by a simple explanation for each."

The judge was shocked, and Edgeworth wasn't doing much better.

"Gah!" Edgeworth stammered angrily. "That's just baseless conjecture!"

"Is it, Edgeworth?" Gavin replied with a smile. "Or maybe it's you struggling to find a comeback."

Edgeworth went purple in the face with anger.

"Finally," Gavin continued. "This shows that my client cannot be found guilty under these conditions, there are just too many unanswered questions!"

Gasps were heard in the crowd, and people started to talk again.

James turned to us.

"I…don't believe it." He said. "He just embarrassed Edgeworth, AND is about to get her off! I really can't stand this!"

The judge banged his gavel. "Order! Order! "he shouted.

After the talking died down, the judge spoke.

"Well this is quite a turn of events." The judge said. "And this new evidence brought to light really opens up new possibilities. Because of this, I am afraid I have to rule in favor of Mr. Gavin.

"!" Edgeworth was shocked. "B-but, your honor!"

The judge shook his head. "I'm sorry Mr. Edgeworth." He said. "You have fought very well in this trial, but I will now announce my verdict.

"The court finds Ms. Miranda Fey…"

NOT GUILTY

"That is all this court is adjourned!" the judge said.

All three of us were shocked. We said nothing as we left the courtroom.

Outside of the courtroom, James exploded.

"You gotta be kidding me!" James yelled furiously. "That picture is fake! I know it!"

"You really think so?" I asked.

"I know so!" James angrily replied. "I'm 99% sure Miranda was the only one in that vault!"

"How can you be so sure?" Iris asked.

"I only have one theory, but it's the best one I have." James replied. "Mr. Wright, you've been to Kurain before, how many men have you seen in that village?"

I didn't even have to think about it.

"None." I said.

"Exactly!" James said. "The men that marry those from Kurain live elsewhere! Except the Master! And right now the Master is single!"

My thoughts then turned to Maya. Hearing the words "the Master is single," irked me for some reason. I pushed that feeling out of me.

Suddenly, I heard shouting coming from the Prosecutor's hall.

"What do you mean new evidence!" a voice said surprised. "All of our evidence was gathered that day!"

"Well apparently not!" yelled Edgeworth's voice. "You must have missed something!"

"I don't know sir…" the voice said.

Edgeworth stormed into the main area of the courthouse, clearly steaming.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" James called.

"What is it you want?" Edgeworth asked, upset. "I can't believe one piece of evidence was missed! And that cost me the whole trial!"

"That picture was a fake." James said sternly.

Edgeworth looked surprised.

"What!" Edgeworth stammered, astonished. "Fake! How!"

"I don't know exactly how." James replied. "But the fact that the silhouette in the picture looks like a man makes no sense to me. No man is currently living in Kurain at this moment!"

Edgeworth cooled down, a little.

"Unfortunately James," Edgeworth started. "Without proof, you can't accuse Gavin of forging evidence. It looks legitimate to my eyes anyway."

"Well it's not!" James huffed. "I've heard the rumors about him! You can't just accept that!"

"That's enough, James." I said.

"Feenie…" Iris started. "Did you talk to Mystic Maya and Mystic Pearl yet?

I slapped my forehead. Oh damn it! I thought unhappily. I forgot to call them! They need to tell me everything that happened! This case helped me understand some, but that's not enough. I need to hear from the Master herself.

"Ms. Iris Hawthorne!" a guard called. "The trial is over, please come with me back to the Detention Center."

"Understood." Iris said unhappily. She looked at me teary-eyed.

"Well Feenie…" Iris said. I guess this is goodbye…"

"For now." I added. "Don't worry Iris, before you know it, we'll be together again."

"Thank you so much Feenie…" Iris said.

Iris then stood on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

I didn't see it coming, and I was stunned.

She gave me a smile, and walked away.

I touched the place where she kissed me. Thank you…Iris.

I had completely forgotten about James in the vicinity.

"Well, Mr. Wright." James said "You seem set."

I reddened. "Hmph."

"Edgeworth already left." James said. "Well, I'm going to get to the bottom of this. A mystery on my hands, and I gotta figure this out."

"Our hands." I corrected. I'm going to Kurain when I have a chance, and I'm going to figure this out too.

"Wish I could go with you, but I unfortunately cannot." James said.

"Why not?" I asked. "Don't you want to solve this mystery too?"

"Oh it's not that I don't want to." James said. "It's just that I'm not allowed in Kurain anymore. I'm banished." He finished with a grin.