Date: April 20th

Time: 2:05 PM

Location: District Court House, Courtroom No. 4


The sound of a gavel banged three times throughout the courtroom. "I believe that's enough." The old judge with his gray beard spoke, looking over to the prosecution and the defense. "The prosecution has sufficiently proven their case. I see little to no room for doubt. Unless the defense has an objection?"

The defense attorney, Kristoph Gavin, stood at the bench. This man was known as the Coolest Defense Attorney in the West, and his popularity had only risen in the past week. Yet, here he stood, on the losing end of a trial. Despite that, his expression was completely calm and collected. "Unfortunately, the defense has no more objections."

Across the courtroom from Kristoph Gavin, was an infamously great prosecutor: Franziska von Karma. She was from Germany, but recent events had her overseas for a while, and taking this trial no less. Franziska leaned over the bench, resting her face against her cheek, while wagging one gloved finger in an amused fashion. "You are a smart man, Mr. Kristoph Gavin. Only a fool does not know when he is beaten.." And there was a certain fool that came to mind when she said that. "I think I prefer you much better to that foolishly fool, Phoenix Wright."

Phoenix Wright? A name he'd heard no end to lately. When Franziska said it like that, he couldn't help but wonder if this was an insult or a compliment. But his calm expression didn't fade. "I see, Ms. von Karma."

"Yo, are we done here?" The voice came from the man on the witness stand. A young man in his 20s, with messy gray hair and brown eyes. He wore a red shirt and blue jeans; nothing special, but his expression was pretty bored. "I gave my testimon-AGH!?" Before he could finish his sentence, the crack of a whip interrupted him. "Ow!?"

Franziska's amused expression faded when turning to her witness. "I am NOT finished with you, Mr. Caleus Reed! Your unwarranted outburst will not go unpunished! Do you understand me?" She snarled at him.

"Y-Yipes...!" Caleus gulped. He knew he was in for it now...but he knew what he did. "I can...explain..."

"YOU WILL." Franziska narrowed her eyes. If looks could kill...

"Ms. von Karma, I ask that you withhold any punishment until after this trial, if you please." The judge said with his usually worried expression. Whatever happened after this trial was not his concern.

"I am not finished with him yet." Franziska growled. But she was soon able to calm herself, because what was coming next, was something she was no stranger to: victory. "But please, announce the verdict, Your Honor." She did a little bow, pleased with the impending outcome.

With Caleus off of the stand, it was time for the defendant to face their judgement. The Judge looked over to the young man. A man with short, messy blonde hair; and a bit of a muscular build. His eyes were hazel and his expression was tense. Around his neck was a rainbow colored necklace, which he scratched nervously. "Well then." The Judge cleared his throat, raising his gavel. "This court finds the defendant, Maximus Goldstone...

GUILTY."

Kristoph said not a word as the verdict was handed down. "..."

"The defendant will have a trial in a higher court to determine his sentence. That is all. Court is adjourned!" The Judge slammed his gavel down, and court was dismissed for the day. The trial of Maximus Goldstone ended with a guilty verdict.


Location: District Court House, Prosecutor's Lobby.

With the trial over, Franziska was taking a moment to sit and bask in yet another victory. Things had been going well for her as of late, both in and out of the country. "That foolish witness...just what was he thinking." That wasn't something she would get over anytime soon. He practically vanished from the courtroom as soon as the verdict was handed out, presumably to avoid her whip and punishment. But she would find him! Her work was far from finished, but she would take this moment to rest. The doors to the lobby soon opened. "Who..."

To the surprise of Franziska, the one that came inside the room was none other than Maya Fey. She pretty much bounced into the room, full of energy. "Congratulations on your win, Franziska!"

"Maya Fey!?" This was the last person Franziska expected to see. She hadn't seen the spirit medium for a while now; not since the trial of Iris Hawthorne. "What in the world are you doing here?"

"...I got bored and wanted to watch a trial." Maya admitted with a silly grin. "I'm leaving the country for special training next week, and I needed a little spice in my life!"

"So you sought me for entertainment?" Franziska rolled her eyes. "If it's a trial you seek, why not just partner up with Mr. Phoenix Wright again? In fact, why don't you find a trial with him now, so I can crush him once and for all!" Suddenly, Maya's appearance wasn't so bad with this possibility out on the table.

"Um..." Maya's gaze drifted off to the side when Franziska said that. "A-About that, Nick, well..."

Oh, great. What happened now? "What trouble did that fool Phoenix Wright get himself into now?"

"Er..." Maya hesitated. It was something she was still trying to accept herself, but she was failing hard.

The door opened once again. The one who stepped inside this time, was Kristoph Gavin. "Pardon my intrusion, but I heard you mention Phoenix Wright."

"Mr. Kristoph Gavin. I am surprised you are willing to show your face despite your defeat." Franziska crossed her arms. Most people wouldn't even want to look at her after a loss, but Kristoph Gavin held a calm disposition. "Do you know something about Phoenix Wright that I do not?"

"One must allow the losses to roll off their backs." Kristoph said calmly. "But yes, I do. It's all over the news as of late, but I was there when it happened. Phoenix Wright was caught using forged evidence in a trial a week ago, and he was stripped of his attorney's badge."

This news hit Franziska like a truck. Her eyes grew wide and she practically recoiled. "WHAT!? You must be joking! Maya Fey, tell me this is a bad joke!"

Maya let out a heavy sigh. "I wish I could say it was...I don't believe it either."

"Forged evidence? Phoenix Wright? The man who barely came to trials prepared!?" No. Franziska already knew something was wrong with this. Phoenix Wright was a lot of things, but he was not the type of person to use forged evidence!

"It sounds as if the two of you are acquainted with the man. As am I." Kristoph spoke with a friendly smile. "Unfortunately, he was caught in the act, and there was no getting out of it after the fact. I was among the Board members who voted on his fate, but I was the lone person who believed in his innocence Alas, one vote against the many is not enough to turn the legal tide..."

"I refuse to accept this. How dare he lose his badge before I crush him under my foot!" Franziska's whip lashed out at the ground. She had no reason to let anyone present feel its fury. She was so enraged, she turned to Maya, grabbed her by the wrist, and started to drag her off. "Maya Fey! You will take me to your office right now! I'm going to give that foolishly foolish man a piece of my whip and my mind!"

"W-Wait, hold on! I haven't even seen him since...!" Maya's free arm flailed about as Franziska dragged her off.

"Barely came to trials prepared? You could say that again." Kristoph felt a dry laugh leave him at Franziska words. His lips curled into the slightest frown. While she was right, something about her reaction also irritated him deep within. Even though Phoenix Wright gave her the taste of defeat, her words implied a deep respect for the man...which he could not understand. But he didn't need to, because nobody could ever turn to Phoenix Wright for help ever again.

.

.

Kristoph made his way to the main hall of the courthouse. He was on his way out, when he spotted the man whose name had been uttered a lot recently: Phoenix Wright. The man was still in his classic blue suit, but it lacked a noticeable sheen to it. It lacked the sparkle of the attorney's badge that used to adorn his lapel. "Can't stay away from the courthouse, can we?"

"No, not at all." Phoenix replied with a faint smile. "I still find myself being drawn here, even without a badge. I thought I would drop in and see how your trial went."

"Oh? Then I'm quite embarrassed to have lost." Kristoph shakes his head.

"I wouldn't be. Ms. von Karma is quite the formidable opponent." Phoenix states. "Lasting as long as you did against her is no laughable feat, Kristoph. Plus, you kept your cool in moments I would've been sweating. I see why they call you the Coolest Defense Attorney in the West now."

"That's just a title." Kristoph replies with a small chuckle. "She was looking for you, coincidentally. She appeared quite flustered as well."

To that, Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck. "So she heard, did she? I was...planning on avoiding her as long as I could." He knew he had a whipping in his future if they ever crossed paths now. And what happened was not something he wanted to explain...

Kristoph could only chuckle faintly. "I would like to pose a question to you, though. Do you think the defendant was innocent?"

Phoenix paused for a moment. Normally, he would believe in his clients until the bitter end. But, in this case, it wasn't his client. As such... "It's a hard question. You and Ms. von Karma made excellent points, but her evidence was stronger in the end, as was her witness. So, I have to give my opinion with the court and the ruling."

"I see." Kristoph turned his body slightly. There was a question on his mind...but it wasn't one he thought it was worth asking. Such a question was foolish. "Thank you for your answer. I have some work to do now. I hope things go well for you, my friend." As as he left... "Would Phoenix Wright have...No. No. He would've bluffed his way into a corner and made a fool of himself. But it's nothing I have to worry about. He'll never step foot in a courtroom again..."

"As with you, Kristoph." Phoenix nodded as he and Kristoph went their separate ways. Phoenix, however, found himself in a bind. He saw Franziska drag Maya off, presumably back to his office. Or rather, budding agency. That was an encounter he wanted to avoid... "...So, what exactly am I supposed to do..."

.

.

Franziska sort of forced Maya along for a drive in her car. Maya say in the passengers seat, hands in her lap. This did feel a little awkward. She'd never been in a room alone with Franziska before, let alone a car ride. She felt the silent tension, but that was mostly from Franziska and her silent rage. "...Forged evidence, this has to be an elaborate joke." She grumbled under her breath, but Maya could hear her loud and clear. "Weren't you with him? How did he do something so foolishly foolish!"

"I wasn't with him, but I wish I was." Maya sighed. "Maybe I could've stopped him, but I don't know how he got that evidence in the first place. I know Nick isn't the sort of person to do that!"

"Of course he isn't." Franziska agreed, but it wasn't exactly coming from the same faith that Maya had. "When I get him..." But her fury wasn't going to last this entire car ride. She let out a sigh. Until she saw Phoenix, she would remain calm. If there was a good explanation, he would allow him to speak it. For now, she did give Maya some of her attention. "You said you were leaving the country soon?"

'Mhm!" Maya nodded, glad the topic was shifting away from Nick's impending demise. He had enough to deal with on his plate already. "I'm going to be leaving for the Kingdom of Kurain soon. It's where I'm going to complete my training so I can become the head of the Fey clan."

"...I see. I've heard some things about that Kingdom. It's quite a ways away." Franziska replied idly. It wasn't exactly a place she would visit. "Still, despite everything you've been through, I'm surprised you're still going through with the training."

"You were no help there." Maya stated, a little bluntly. Franziska couldn't really argue that, and she sure got a mouthful from little Pearl about it either. "But everyone has things they have to do. I'm also...certain I don't have any murder plots against me to worry about. I want to do this, because of what my mother left for me."

"...I've honestly underestimated you, Maya Fey." Franziska admitted. "You are much stronger than I initially thought you to be. Though you are a trouble magnet, you have endured things that would make a lesser person quit. I commend you."

Wow, a compliment from Franziska? Maya pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Ow. Nope, I'm awake. But thank you, Franziska...! And I've heard you've been doing well for yourself in Interpol."

"Naturally." Franziska said with a prideful grin. "It is a von Karma's nature to to excel in all things."

"You sure know how to take a compliment." Maya couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. "Oh hey. Mind if I turn on the music?" She asked, but she went ahead and pressed the play button anyway, before Franziska could even say anything. The moment she did, a rock song started to play. "Whoa?"

"Don't just touch things without permission!" Franziska said with a slightly annoyed expression. Maya just smiled, because this was not the first time she heard this exact sentence. And it would not be the last either.

"Hehe. Sorry." Maya said, completely unapologetically. "What is this song anyway? It's...actually not that bad!"

"13 Years Hard Time for Love." Franziska answered, a little too quickly. "This is from that new band, the Gavinners."

"That's a mouthful of a name." Maya stated. "But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't bad. Wait, if you have this song, does this mean you're a fan of them?"

"Well...the music isn't bad." Franziska admitted quietly. "It isn't as if I've gone to a concert or anything, I'm far too busy for that. This song was simply their debut, from what I've heard. Supposedly, it went platinum overnight." And right as she said that, the song was just about over.

"Wha-!? It's over already!" Maya checked the time of the song. "Only two minutes and fifteen seconds!? What a rip off!"

"I don't disagree." Franziska said. That song was pretty short, all things considered.

"Oh, here it is!" Maya pointed ahead. The Wright and Co. Law Offices. Although, she did get a twinge of sadness upon seeing the office. "I don't know if Nick is here, though."

Franziska pulled up to the sidewalk and stopped the car. "I hope he is! I have a lot of things to stay to him!"

"...Good luck, Nick." Maya could see the rage in Franziska's eyes. He was in so much trouble...


Location: Wright and Co. Law Offices

A young girl in a pink magician's outfit was currently moving some things around, all by herself. It was a little bit of work, but she was capable of doing it! There was then a knock at the door, which caught her attention. "Oh? Are you back?"

"Coming in!" Maya spoke while stepping inside. "Nick?" Franziska was right behind her, and the two of them had to pause at the sight before them. The office was being remodeled!? "Uh..."

"Phoenix Wright, come out!" Franziska had her whip at the ready. But instead of the grown man she was hoping to run into, there was just a little girl. "..."

"..." Maya was also silent.

"Maya Fey, did you bring me to the wrong building!?" Franziska gave Maya a mildly annoyed look.

"N-No! This is it, I swear! I only walked into the wrong building one time!" Maya quickly sputtered. Why was there a random child in the office!?

"Hello!" The little girl exclaimed with a smile. "Are you looking for Daddy? He just stepped out."

"...I'm sorry?" Maya blinked a few times. She wasn't sure what she just heard. "N-No, sweetie. I'm looking for Nick!"

"Phoenix Wright!" Franziska said. "...Why is a young girl such as yourself here, alone?"

The girl placed her hands on her hips, proudly. "Yeah, Phoenix Wright is my Daddy now!"

"WHAAAAAT?!" Maya and Franziska gasped at this information, looking at each other with horrified and shocked expressions. "N-Nick is a dad!? Since WHEN!?"

"Since six days ago!" The girl replied. "My name is Trucy Wright, it's nice to meet you!"

"W-W-What is..." Franziska felt her head spin. This was the last thing she ever expected to see.

"You must be Daddy's friends! It's nice to meet you!" Trucy spoke with such a sweet smile. "Daddy stepped out for a little bit."

"He left a child at home, all alone!? How irresponsible!" Now Franziska had a completely different reason to be upset!

"I need to sit down." Maya weakly wandered over to the couch, and took a seat. "I knew he told me he was busy after last week, but he didn't mention he had a whole child to take care of! Um, I'm Maya Fey, by the way. I don't know if he's told you about me yet. This is Franziska von Karma, who is currently too shocked to properly introduce herself."

"Oh, it's okay!" Trucy explained proudly. "I'm going to be working hard for Daddy! Starting with remodeling this office! Since he's not practicing law anymore, we're moving onto something else!"

"Something...else?" Franziska also needed to take a seat. This was too much.

"That's right!" Trucy nodded. "We're going to become the Wright Anything Agency! I'm going to be it's main talent!"

"I'd commend her responsibility if not for the fact it is wholly irresponsible for that man to allow this." Franziska pinched the bridge of her nose. Little Trucy clearly had a great work ethic. But it was not up for the eight year old to be the money maker!

"Oh! Oh! Do you two want to see a trick!?" Trucy's eyes lit up as she spoke.

Maya and Franziska looked at one another. "You couldn't possibly say no to that face, could you?"

"No. No I couldn't." Franziska admitted.

"Great!" Trucy clasped her gloved hands together. "Now, behold...!" And from behind Trucy, her favorite little trick spawned into existence. The Amazing Mr. Hat appeared in the blink of an eye, swiping her hat in the process. "Say hello to Mr. Hat!"

"G-GAAAAAH!?" Maya squealed in surprise. "W-What is that...!?"

"Hello everyone, it's nice to meet you! So sorry I'm late, traffic was awful!" Mr. Hat spoke. Trucy had to bounce her small arm a little to make sure the wooden man could properly articulate.

"..." Franziska did not say a word. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she was capable of burying down the scream that nearly clawed its way out of her on instinct, along with the urge for her whip to lash out. On the outside, she appeared calm. But it was a completely different story on the inside. "...That was...quite a trick...very impressive." Her composure wasn't broken, but that surprise pushed it to its limits. She let loose a deep nose exhale, keeping herself calm. "Well done, Trucy Wright." Saying that last name felt too strange.

"Thank you!" Trucy's cute smile almost made that heart attack worth it. Almost. The two women needed a few minutes to calm down before going forward.

"Nick has a daughter now...okay, wow. What a bombshell to learn completely on accident." Maya's head was still spinning. "Trucy, how old are you?"

"Eight!" Trucy declared.

"She's younger than Pearly!" Maya's jaw dropped. "Where did Nick even..."

"Oh, my other Daddy vanished after his trial...so Daddy took me in after that." Trucy explained, arms crossed.

"Dadd...wha...is there something I'm missing here?" Franziska looked at Maya, who waved her hands.

"D-Don't look at me! I just learned about this too!" Maya defended herself. There was Trucy, just standing proudly.

"...If Phoenix Wright isn't here, I'm going to take my leave. I still have work to do regarding my last trial." Franziska slowly stood up. Whatever rage she felt at him was currently quelled because of Mr. Hat. She was too startled to be angry right now, but that didn't mean it was over. As she stood up, she held her hand out to Maya. "Give me your phone."

"I'm not liking where this is going." Maya complied, however. Franziska typed something into Maya's phone before handing it over. "What did you do?"

"You have my number now. So whenever you see Phoenix Wright, you will let me know." Franziska stated. Maya expected as much. "And if you find yourself in trouble for the fourth time, I will lend you my assistance, provided I am not the one tasked with prosecuting your trial, that is."

"Oh, um. Thanks." Franziska surprised her. Maya was not expecting that, but it was a nice sentiment...even if she wasn't entirely out of the clear.

"That reckless man has no idea how his actions effect the people around him!" Franziska grumbled loudly, practically stomping her way out of the office.

"Bye, Ms. von Karma!" Trucy waved as Franziska left, leaving just her and Maya.

"...Man, this is so weird." Maya said to herself. But when she looked at Trucy, she did get an idea. "Oh, Trucy! I know someone your age. I think you two would get along great!"


Date: April 22nd

Time: 11:15 PM

Location: King's Storage House

Despite being late, Franziska was determined to tie up any and all remaining loose ends on her previous trial. The King's Storage House was an outdoor storage facility. Numerous individual storage units were spread out across the area; a grand total of 36. They were all fairly large storage units as well. Franziska pulled out a key while approaching the unit numbered 14. "I'll be sure to return this key to its owner once I'm finished. One final once over will suffice." She told herself, a slightly irritated expression on her face. Something earlier in the evening had her in a foul mood. She approached the storage unit, turned the key, and slowly opened the door.

But what she saw...

"W-WHAT IS THIS...!?" A body lying flat on the ground, on his stomach, Blood slowly pooled around him, spreading outward onto the floor. Even worse, she recognized this body. It was...Caleus Reed. The moment she registered this fact...

Darkness.


Late at night. Miles Edgeworth planned to turn in soon, but rise early tomorrow. But of course, before he could get settled, his phone rang. A quiet, but very weighted sigh passed his lips. Hopefully it wasn't Larry with another insane request in the dead of night. Edgeworth reached for his phone, only to see that it was from Detective Gumshoe of all people. Great. So, he answered. "This is Edgeworth."

"S-Sir! It's bad! Ms. von Karma...and! It's...!" Gumshoe was suttering through the phone.

Edgeworth, who was moments away from sleep, suddenly sat up to attention. "Detective, calm yourself and slowly explain the situation. What is so pressing that you called me at this hour?"

How Edgeworth could remain so calm was a mystery beyond Gumshoe. He was freaking out over here. Calm down? That wasn't happening, but he was at least able to articulate his thoughts, to deliver a single piece of terrible news.

"It's terrible, sir! Ms. von Karma...has been arrested under murder charges!"