WARNING: Any readers who get emotional very easily, I'd avoid this chapter.

Apollo stood at his bench, stunned. Icoivus had got him firmly in his mechanical grasp. It seemed he had affected the judge too, who was staring wide-eyed at Miles, who was nervously looking around.

Why have you been lying to me, Edgeworth?

"Mr Edgeworth, you will explain yourself to the court." growled the judge. "Bring the defendant to the witness stand." Two bailiffs almost dragged Edgeworth to the stand were the court's eyes were pierced on him. Apollo could see the beads of sweat on his forehead. The judge slammed his gavel.

"Mr Edgeworth, what was this reason that Dani blackmailed you?" the judge asked. There was a deadly pause. The whole courtroom had held its breath...waiting for the awnser. Edgeworth wiped his forehead.

"I..."

"...stand by my right to remain silent."

The words were like poison to Apollo. He stepped back, almost falling over. What on earth was Edgeworth doing? He glanced at Phoenix, who looked even worse. The courtroom was filled with chattering and gossiping, the never-ending sound of gasps.

"Right to remain silent?" one called out.

"Surely this means his guilty?" another yelled.

"Guilty! Guilty!" chanted another group. The judge glared at Edgeworth, slamming his gavel multiple times.

"Order! I will have order!" he boomed. Apollo glanced at Icoivus, his mouth formed into a deadly grin.

"Quite obviously the defendant is guilty. Your Honour, end this case now!" commanded Icoivus slamming his fists onto the table.

"Mr Troy, I will decide when to end this case...but as you say, quite obviously, the defendant is guilty." the judge shook his head. "Your plea to remain silence has cost you dearly, Mr Edgeworth."

Apollo felt his hands shake. Was this really the end?

"OBJECTION!"

The loud interruption was deafening. It didn't sound like Icoivus; it was a human voice. Apollo recovered and saw Phoenix glaring angrily at Icoivus. The judge blinked.

"Who was that?" he demanded.

"It was me." Phoenix responded. Apollo gasped. What was Mr Wright thinking?

"Mr Justice, your Aide...." the judge nodded. "What do you have to say?"

"Mr Troy, why do you want to end the case so quickly?" Phoenix asked. Icoivus grinned.

"Even you can see Miles Edgeworth is guilty." Icoivus replied. "Since when have I answered to you, a fool? I am of higher authority."

Phoenix put his hands on his hips. "Unless you have something to hide, Mr Troy."

"Inconceivable." boomed Icoivus.

"Are you sure? Since Mr Edgeworth, especially Mr Edgeworth, brings up bad memories. A certain case...where you were charged!" Phoenix yelled. The crowd erupted. Icoivus' masked flashed with anger, the light suddenly blinking red and then turning green again. His grin faded and was replaced with a frown. Apollo gasped. Miles Edgeworth had some connection to Icoivus. This means...

"Your Honour, the prosecution is quite obviously biased! If you don't believe me, check out Icoivus' last case eight years ago!" Phoenix pointed at the prosecutor. "You shouldn't be the prosecutor against Miles Edgeworth!"

"OBJECTION!"

Icoivus shook his head.

"I assure you, Mr Wright, the records were checked." Icoivus stated.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is the detectives checked it all. The file clearly states I was in Britain for nine years. I only just returned." Icoivus slammed his huge fist against the table again. "How could I have been involved in a case with Mr Edgeworth whilst I was in the United Kingdom and he was over here in America? That's over five thousand miles away!"

"Don't deny that you were in a case against me! I remember it well!"

Icoivus shrugged. "I've never seen you before in my life."

"OBJECTION!"

"Mr Troy, just go down to the records room and look for the NK-3 case." Phoenix grinned. "I'm sure you'll find something there."

"I never fought against you, Mr Wright. Believe that. The NK-3 case doesn't exist." Icoivus stood up straight, yet again completely emotionless. "If you still want to go on with your Cinderella story, go ahead." He's confident...too confident.

"Bailiff! Go down to the records room and look for the year 2017 section!" the judge ordered.

"Phoenix..." Apollo whispered.

"What is it?" replied Phoenix, arms folded.

"Icoivus...he looked really confident. A bit too confident, don't you think?"

"Don't worry. The NK-3 folder exists. It was a very important case in history." Phoenix nodded as the bailiff returned.

"Sir, there's no NK-3 folder. The case doesn't exist." the bailiff replied.

The crowd roared. The case completely turned just with that. The judge was too stunned to slam his gavel. Phoenix, his nails gripping into the table. Icoivus was standing, grinning.

"Don't say I didn't tell you so...Trite." an almost completely different voice said. It sounded more human that Icoivus could ever be. The voice sounded similar to something Apollo had seen on an old court film. Like Godot. Of course, he was dead. He had died in prison when he went crazy. The day after he was sent down. Apollo turned to look at Phoenix. His mentor let go of the table. Then he fell back and hit the floor. Apollo yelped as the judge suddenly returned to consciousness.

"Your Honour, it seems Mr Wright has returned to fairyland." Icoivus cackled.

* * *

Apollo knelt over the hospital bed with Trucy the other side. Her hat was on the floor next to her and her brunette hair was messy. Her eyes were red and filled with tears. On the hospital bed laid an unconscious Phoenix Wright.

Scientists had analysed and discovered that some explosive capsule had entered his body somehow. Normally, it would have been innocent considering the circumstances yet it was set off. The time was untraceable but it had exploded, damaging his ribcage and releasing a powder of poison. Phoenix was, as the doctors said, on death's door.

"It's all my fault." cursed Apollo. Trucy shook her head.

"Polly, it isn't..." Trucy replied.

"It is. I was supposed to be looking after him." Apollo clenched his fist. "I'll never forgive myself if he...if he..."

"Apollo!" cried Trucy. She ran into his embrace. "He'll be fine! Daddy always pulls through!"

"Yeah." mumbled Apollo, holding Trucy close to him. "You know, I always thought of you as my little sister. Ever since the Gavinners case, I always treated you like family."

"I always think of you as my big brother." smiled Trucy.

Apollo stood up.

"Mr Wright said that there was such thing as the NK-3 case. He said it had something to do with Icoivus. That must mean he's got a past." Apollo paused. "I'm going to investigate."

"What about the case?" Trucy asked.

"It was postponed until tomorrow." Apollo said. "Mr Wright, as much as I regret his condition, managed to buy me some time."

"...there's something dark about this case. I'll find out what it's about."