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July 2 9:55 AM

District Court - Defendant Lobby No. 3

(Okay, Julias, it's gonna be fine! You've checked your evidence seven times, already... Ugh! I still haven't gotten over the news about Adrian...)

"You okay, Julias?" Phoenix asked. "You look like fainting."

"I-I'll be okay... At least I will be with Apollo helping me..." (... Out? Come to think of it, he isn't here. Is he running late...?) "Um... Where's Apollo? He's the one you told to help me, isn't he?"

"Well, yes, that's true," Phoenix confirmed, "but actually, I was waiting for someone else to arrive."

"Another lawyer? But you only have three employees."

"Did I say he was an employee?"

"Well who did you get?"

At that moment, someone else entered the room... Orbis.

(Oh, terrific! Don't tell me...) "That kid's helping me?! You're actually letting him in the agency?!"

"For your information," Orbis confronted, "I am 17 years old!"

"Why wouldn't I?" Phoenix asked. "I was actually expecting him."

"What...? You mean you met him?"

"Oh, well," Phoenix scratched the back of his head, "I've met his family members, but that's a long story."

(My whole life, apparently, consists of stuff that just don't fit. By the end of today, the judge will be blasting hip-hop through the courtroom.)

"So," Orbis began, "I have your okay?"

"Mr. Wright's, that is. I'm only letting you in because of that."

"Where is he?" Another voice asked. He entered the lobby. The man had his red hair styled into three-large points: one straight up, and one out of each side, pointing the tiniest bit upwards. He wore an unbuttoned, beige suit-coat over a light-brown vest. His apparel was finished with a red necktie, on which was pinned a prosecutor's badge. "Are you Julias Freedom?"

"Um, yes... And you are?"

The prosecutor ignored the question. "Yes or no, are you the greenhorn Mr. Payne told me about?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"Listen, Mr. Freedom, I'm giving you-"

"Would you do him a favor and answer the question?!" Orbis interrupted.

"Prosecutor Brutus Contammis." He answered, hands on hips. "I was getting to that part, but if you're so insistent..."

"What are you doing in the defendant's lobby?" Julias asked.

"I wanted to warn you."

"Warn me?"

"Yes. Mr. Freedom, I've been prosecuting for three years now, compared to your, what, one day's experience? I want to give you a chance to opt out and delay the trial just long enough to find a replacement."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's not healthy for anyone to fail early in their career."

(Does this guy want me to chicken out?) "Sorry, but... I think I'm Mr. Nerio's only chance..."

Contammis looked at him through the corners of his eyes. "Hm?... I get it. You're one of those 'truth seekers', then?"

"I suppose I am..." (I made a promise to Adrian...)

"... You just hope you can keep up with me." Brutus said nothing more and left the lobby.

(So... That's 'Prosecutor Hades'... I don't dare figure out how he got that nickname...)

"The trial will start, soon," Phoenix pointed out, "but before that, here." He held in his hands a letter.

"What's that?"

"Something from Adrian. He wrote it back in the hospital... His last words, it seems."

Adrian's Letter added to Court Record

"Court will begin in one minute!" The bailiff announced.

"And so it begins." Orbis noted sneakily.

"Listen, just stay out of my way, all right?" Julias instructed.

July 2 10:00 AM

District Court - Courtroom No. 3

Day 1:

Court Is Now In Session

All Rise

"Court is now in session for the trial of Casey Nerio." The Judge announced. "Is the prosecution ready?"

"Yes, your honor." Contammis answered, his right hand on the bench. "I am prepared."

"The d-"

"The defense is ready, judge." Orbis finished. He was relaxed, with his right forearm lying on the bench, going across to his other side. His left hand hung off the edge.

(Hey! That's my line!)

"Hm?" Judge looked at Orbis. "Mr. Freedom, who is this young man?"

"..." Orbis didn't answer.

"His name is Orbis Fey, your honor." Julias explained. "He comes from Kurain village." (Wherever that is...)

"... Fey..." The Judge repeated, thinking hard. "Fey? Any relation to former attorney Mia Fey?"

"A complicated one." Orbis shrugged.

"Alright, then." The Judge nodded. "And Mr. Freedom? Mr. Fey will be acting as co-council?"

"As per..." (That's right! I'm already treating Mr. Wright like he's already my employer... Though it's still not official.) "As advised by a friend of my mentor..."

"Very well, but before we call in the first witness, I want to disclose some news about the defendant."

"News?"

"You are aware that the defendant runs a casino?"

"The Nerio Casino."

"Correct." The Judge nodded. "However, there have been rumors that the defendant had recently declared bankruptcy. You know what this implies?"

"That there is a chance I might not get paid?"

"Correct," The Judge nodded, "and as such, I want to be sure if you will continue with his defense."

"..." Julias thought hard. "If I don't take his case, who will? Besides, my mentor is involved with this."

"Yes, I have heard of Adrian Hawkfenn's passing. How unfortunate. I almost expected you to find another attorney to replace yourself."

(All these reasons for me to drop out...) "I will continue on my own, your honor."

"OUR own." Orbis reminded.

(*sigh* Yeah.)

"Very well," The Judge consented, "I see you've made up your mind. And now," he raised his head, "Prosecutor Contammis, your opening statements."

"I will do just that." Contammis held a document in his right hand. "At around 4:50 AM yesterday, a homeless man by the name Homer Lester was shot and killed. Through investigation, we have found our suspect! Nerio Casino!"

"And what did this investigation yield?"

"The defendant's fingerprints were lifted from the handgun. We have an eyewitness testimony that confirms this was the gun that had killed the victim. The murder weapon was a .38 caliber handgun, which I will submit to the record."

Handgun added to Court Record

(Nothing much new. That's always good news, right? ... Wait... There's something wrong with these statements... And I think I know what it is.) "Prosecutor Contammis, Before you call your witness, the court should-"

"At least know what motive the police have theorized?" Contammis finished. He tilted his head downwards with a smirk. "Wait and see, Mr. Freedom, wait and see."

"Now if we have nothing else," The Judge concluded, "let the prosecution call its first witness."

"The prosecution calls Detective Bulder to the stand."

Even at the stand, Bulder was still shifting his wig to and fro.

"Witness, state your name and occupation." Contammis addressed.

"You already know my name, Prosecutor Contammis." Bulder reminded.

"Nonetheless. It is required by law that all witness give their information at the stand."

"Detective Gaten Bulder. Homicide detective..."

"He looks tempted to try again." Orbis commented.

"My guess he knows this guy too well to even try." Julias thought aloud.

"Detective Bulder," Contammis continued, "you were assigned to investigate the victim's murder. And since the greenhorn has asked us so kindly," he gave a condescending look, "you should also give testimony on the Defendant's motive."

"Will do." Bulder obeyed.

WITNESS TESTIMONY

-The Investigation-

"I suppose I'll give you the motive first."

"The defendant was worried that the victim might start seeing too much."

"He took his position behind him in the graveyard and..."

"... shot him in shoulder from the top of a hill."

"After killing the victim, the killer snuck into the casino."

"At least, that's what a potential witness guessed."

"On the map, you can see exactly where the defendant shot from."

"Thanks to leaving his shoe-prints, we know his exact location."

"Before Mr. Freedom begins his cross-examination," The Judge began, "I have a question of my own."

"Yes?" Bulder asked.

"You said that the victim might start seeing too much. Care to explain what that means?"

"Aside from bankruptcy," Contammis answered, brushing his chin with the index finger of his right hand. "there are also rumors that the Nerio Casino has connections with the Cadaverini family. Should this be true, the victim would've had full exposure to whatever suspicious activity the defendant hosted."

OBJECTION!

"B-but what evidence do you have of these rumors?" Julias stuttered.

"Quite a bit." Contammis smirked. "First off, we investigated the casino itself. And it seems like someone has taken up quite the ammo collection. In the basement, that is."

"That's... That's ridiculous! The basement of the Nerio Casino is a... Is a...?"

"Used for ammo storage. And the defendant himself has been proven to be very proficient with a handgun."

"The same-"

"Yes, the same caliber as the murder weapon. That reminds me, I have one more piece of evidence. I got the ballistic reports finished just before the trial began. Allow me to submit them to the record."

"The court takes this new evidence into the record." The Judge proceeded.

Ballistic Report added to Court Record

"Well," The Judge confessed, "this business about the casino is very interesting. But that will have to wait. For now, Mr. Freedom will cross-examine the detective."

(How can I cross-examine Detective Bulder with the prosecution trying to give me a heart attack?)

Court Record

Evidence:

- Attorney's Badge: This badge is a must for all attorneys. Taking the defense bench without one is a federal offense.

- Recall Ring: Apparently, a ring that allows me a glimpse of someone's past. A souvenir from my first trial.

- Adrian's Bloodstain: A bloodstain on the sidewalk. This is where Adrian was shot in the right shoulder.

- Nerio's Footprints: Found near the cemetery's northeast exit. Another set was found near a grave stone. Matches his location on the map.

- Lester's Autopsy Report: Time of death was around 4:45-4:55 AM. Death was caused by loss of blood due to a bullet wound in the left shoulder.

- Cemetery Diagram: A map of the cemetery, showing killers, the victim and other things.

- Casino Ad: A flyer advertising the Nerio Casino. It provides, for lack of a better word, a small map of the casino.

- Thiffing's Vest: A vest dropped by Snipe Thiffing, near the Nerio Casino.

- Thiffing's Address: Apartment 13, Direct Apartments. The building is a straight shot from the casino.

- Adrian's Letter: Adrian's last words to me before he died. Right now, I don't have time to read it.

- Handgun: A .38 handgun. It's been proven to be the murder weapon.

- Ballistic Report: The report for the rifling marks on the murder weapon.

Profiles:

- Adrian Hawkfenn - Age 36: My former mentor... He died just recently...

- Casey Nerio - Age 41: My client for this case. Currently runs the Nerio Casino.

- Homer Lester - Age 29: The victim of this case. Was homeless before his death.

- Gaten Bulder - Age 39: The detective for this case. As far as detectives go, he certainly wasn't what I was expecting...

- Gray Rigget - Age 37: The grave-keeper, though a bit confused about his occupation. A witness to the murder.

- Snipe Thiffing - Age 27: A firearm consultant. Recently part of Detective Bulder's investigation.

- Phoenix Wright - Age 37: A legendary attorney. Apparently a very good friend of Adrian's.

- Apollo Justice - Age 26: Another attorney. Employee of the Wright Anything Agency. Sub-ordinate of Phoenix Wright.

- Athena Cykes - Age 21: Another attorney of the Wright Anything. Energetic co-worker of Apollo Justice.

- Orbis Fey - Age 17: The same kid that gave me my ring. Apparently banished from Kurain.

- Vera Misham - Age 23: Close friend and former client of Apollo. Currently working with police as crime scene sketcher.

- Director Hotti - Age ?: So-called "director" of Hickfield Clinic. Certainly not someone I'd make friends with...

- Brutus Contammis - Age 25: The prosecutor for this case. Practicing law for three years, he has earned the nickname "Prosecutor Hades".

And so it begins!

THX & God bless

~RLS legacy