Happy New Year! :D :D :D
I hope you've had a nice December and will have a great year in 2014, full of great happiness and joy for all of you! :)
I also hope you've had a good time reading this fanfiction. As much as I didn't really update in time (sorry about that...:c), I enjoyed writing this and I really hope you liked it.
On another note, I'm on Case 3 of Dual Destinies now. IT'S AWESOME. :D
I love how Blackquill calls the judge 'Your Baldness'. XD
He's like Godot and Edgeworth combined, in my opinion. But anyway... :)

Here is the New Year chapter of A Law-some Christmas, and I hope you have a very, very happy new year! :D

When Phoenix Wright arrived at the local field to watch the fireworks display with his trusty assistants in tow, he certainly didn't expect a crowd as large as what he came across. There were several stalls situated around the premises, some of which were expelling some rather tantalising smells and scents from the food being sold. There was a hog roast (of which Maya despised), a few stalls scattered here and there selling handmade merchandise, one particular stall selling glow sticks and sparklers, and many other food stalls. Phoenix first noticed, though, that Maya's eyes had been suddenly drawn to a small barbeque, on which sausages and burgers were grilling away.

"Nick…?" Maya asked hopefully, tugging on his sleeve with a grin on her face. Phoenix laughed and shook his head, taking her by the hand and dragging her away from the captivating sight Maya had set her eyes upon, Pearl following closely behind.

"I'll buy you one later. For now, let's just take a little look around and see if there's anything you really want, and let's also talk to some of our friends first. OK?"

"But, Niiiiick-"

"No buts. Come on, let's actually speak to somebody. Look, there's Miles!"

Phoenix let go of Maya's hand and rushed up to his friend. As usual, Miles was wearing his crimson red suit and cravat, but was obviously entranced in his own thoughts as Phoenix swore he was genuinely smiling- though that, he considered, could just be his eyes playing tricks on him. Nevertheless, Miles stood in front of him, and before he could start a conversation Maya ran and hugged him tightly from behind.

"Hey, Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Who's th- Oh, hello, Maya. Hello, Phoenix."

Phoenix grinned. "Hi, Miles. How have you been?"

Miles stared at him with an exasperated look upon his face. "…We spoke on the phone yesterday, Phoenix."

"Oh, yeah. We did, didn't we?" Phoenix realised, chuckling lightly and an embarrassed blush coming to his cheeks. Miles smirked.

"Always the forgetful one, weren't you?"

"Pretty much. So, how's Franziska been?"

Miles smiled warmly. "She's been great, actually. Having Adrian around has really done her good, you know. She hardly takes her whip around anymore…oh, look, she's over there now."

Looking in the direction Miles was pointing, Phoenix and Maya spotted two figures standing next to each other in the distance, one enthusiastically pointing at the star-filled sky.

"Look, Franziska! Soon, there'll be colours of all kinds embellishing the sky with light and wonder…don't you think that's a wondrous sight to look upon on the very last day of an entire year, 364 days of hard work and stress already over?"

Franziska laughed. "Indeed, it is quite a wondrous sight- but, Adrian Andrew, you don't need to tell me things I already know to be true."

Adrian faltered for a moment, but Franziska noticed and rethought her words. "Still, I can't fault your enthusiasm."

"And I can't fault you at all- after all, you are a von Karma, and von Karmas are destined to be perfect; much like the stars and fireworks up there, filling the night with beauty." Adrian said, with a playful wink at her friend. At this, Franziska grinned- after all, everyone appreciated a bit of ego-stroking.

"Much obliged, Adrian. However," Franziska began, a small sigh escaping her lips and her head tilted downwards, "nobody isborn perfect by name- it is but the choices they make in their life that determines perfection."

Adrian frowned and put a hand on Franziska's shoulder- it was obvious that Franziska was thinking about her father, Manfred von Karma, who had received the death penalty for murder and was to be executed around late February of the following year. "I know, I know. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"That's alright."

Turning back to Miles, Phoenix grinned once more. "D'you think they're in love?"

Miles' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he stared at Phoenix, dumbstruck. "N-no! They're only friends, you know, and I'm quite sure that Franziska isn't-"

Miles was stopped by Phoenix bursting into quiet laughter. "What?"

"I was joking! Anyway, they'd make a good couple, don't you think?"

Miles looked at Adrian and Franziska, then back at Phoenix, then back at Franziska and Adrian, and then slowly back at Phoenix. He nodded, much to Phoenix's amusement.

"I suppose they would…but I'm not saying that it's my personal opinion, because you're the one that brought it up…"

After a conversation and a half later, Phoenix, Maya and Pearl left to go look around the stalls. When Maya and Pearl had promised to stick close to each other and meet Phoenix at the glow stick stall, they had run off together to a small handmade jewellery stall that had many colourful bracelets on sale. After laughing at the enthusiasm of the duo, Phoenix made his way toward the glow stick stall, accidentally bumping into a man in front of him.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there-"

"It's alright, Mr. Wright." replied a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

"Thanks…wait, how do you know my name?" Phoenix asked the man, before the man turned around and Phoenix gasped as he recognised who it was.

It can't be…

"…Winston Payne…is that you?"

Payne smirked. "We meet again, Phoenix Wright."

An awkward silence came between the two of them as Phoenix struggled to think of what to say to his courtroom rival. Payne had been nicknamed the 'Rookie Killer' and had faced up against Phoenix on his very first trial and some others across his career, seemingly not living up to his accolade.

"So, uh…how have you been?"

"Fine. You?"

"Good. Won any trials lately?"

"None."

"Oh, that's too bad." Phoenix replied, trying to hold in his laughter at Payne's monotonous expression.

"But, Phoenix Wright," Payne began, a rictal grin on his face, "the next trial I have against you will be my greatest yet, mark my words!"

With that, and a triumphant laugh, Payne turned on his heel and walked away.

…Why am I not convinced?

As Phoenix, Maya and Pearl regrouped back outside the glow stick stall, Phoenix gave both of them a purple glow stick and told them all about his encounter with Payne. Pearl looked confused- she had never met or heard of Payne before- but Maya's jaw dropped as she realised just what Phoenix had said.

"N-no way! So, you met Payne? What happened, Nick?"

"Oh, he just went on about how he'd beat me next time and stuff. Nothing much."

Maya laughed. "Like he'll ever beat you!"

All at once, a noise pierced the air- Phoenix, Maya and Pearl instantly recognising it. Rushing over to the middle of the field in which a crowd was rapidly gathering, they watched in awe as the first firework went off, showering the pitch-black night-time sky with a red glow and hue. The display went on as everybody in attendance kept their eyes transfixed upon the sky, watching the colours mix together, the sparks fly in sequences and the bangs and whizzes go off. Marvellous Catherine wheels lit up the heavens amidst the crowd's claps and cheers, oblivious- in their inanimate state- to the joy and happiness they were bringing.

Near the back of the crowd two figures stood together, one of the two clad in a large trench coat and the other with short black hair, holding hands. After looking at each other for but a moment they smiled warmly before turning back in awe to focus on the display once more. Across from the duo, two other people stood, one of them looking happier than ever before.

"Wow…Franziska, isn't this amazing?"

Franziska smirked as she gazed up at the ensuing blasts of colour and wonder filling up the sky above her. "Yes, Adrian, it is amazing."

Adrian checked her watch, grinning as she realised something. "Only five minutes to go!"

To Franziska's great surprise, Adrian took her hand and clasped it tightly, looking at Franziska with a look of fierce determination in her eyes.

"Let's still be friends for the upcoming year, and all the years after that! Let's make that our resolution for the year coming in only around three minutes."

Franziska was still shocked, but- to Adrian's shock- grinned back at her, squeezing her hand back in assurance.

"Of course."

As the fireworks display came to a close, everybody clapped and cheered, their hearts full of happiness and gleeful feelings they just couldn't let go of. A massive Catherine wheel, flanked either side by other wonderful fireworks, finished off the display for good- and as it withered away amidst the crowd's happiness, the clock struck twelve.

A new year had begun.