It's a mess.

September 7, 9:44 AM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 1

You were a little stress. It's a lie, I'm fucking terrified. And to be fair, you had good reasons to be. You were the main (and so far only) suspect in a **** case, you had spent two nights in prison, you would probably get the capital punishment if you were found guilty, the prosecutor was extremely intense and clearly focused on getting the Guilty verdict no matter what, and your boss had visited you while you were in the holding cells to tell you you were fired for abandoning your duty. Apparently, being arrested isn't a valid reason for not coming back to work, that fucking asshole. If he fired me for being a suspected murderer, I'd at least get it, but...

Your lawyer was really not helping either, she seemed to have her own panic attack in the corner, something about the prosecutor. Maya didn't seem to see the problem either, judging by her attempts at cheering her sister up.

Maya:

"C'mon, Sis, you got this. Surely that guy is not that scary, you eat tougher prosecutors for breakfast."

Mia:

"You don't get it, Maya. Von Karma is not an ordinary prosecutor."

Maya:

"You're right, I don't get it. Besides, you can't give up! Mr. Fortuna is counting on you. Remember what you always say, Mia. The worst of times..."

Mia:

"...are when lawyers have to **** their biggest smiles. You're right, Maya. I can't lose heart just yet."

She took a deep breath, and gave you a big smile.

Mia:

"Don't worry, Mr. Fortunate. We can win this case, and we will."

Chance:

"...I'd be a little more reassured if you didn't just tell out loud you were going to **** yourself to smile because you're convinced you're gonna lose the case."

Ms. Fey chuckled wetly.

Mia:

"I know, that wasn't very professional of me. It's just..."

Maya:

"...von Karma, I know. You never told me why you're so scared of that name."

Mia:

"Like I said, Manfred von Karma is not an ordinary prosecutor. He is the God of Prosecution, a man who never lost a single case in his 40-year career. He is ruthless, vicious and obsessed with victory, ready to do anything to win, no matter how illegal or immoral."

You blinked. That didn't sound like the prosecutor who had interrogated you the day before.

Chance:

"Well, unless he has a great skincare routine and changed gender recently, I don't think we're talking about the same von Karma. Although if we are, then congrats for her transition, the surgeon did a great job."

Ms. Fey froze, seemingly not computing your words. Maya burst out laughing.

Mia:

"...His daughter. We're not facing Manfred von Karma, we're facing Franziska."

Chance:

"...So, less scary?"

Mia:

"In a way. She's still a prodigy, who managed to pass the bar exam at 13 years old, and, like her father, was never defeated once in the 5 years she practiced law. The weird part is that she's supposed to be in Germany. I wonder what she's doing here."

You shrugged, then started to play with your good luck coin.

Chance:

"I guess you could ask her why after the trial. Or not, you know, she didn't seem like a forthcoming woman. Still, all this talk of prodigy is not very comforting, but... Ms. Fey? Are you alright?"

Ms. Fey had stopped listening and was staring at your heirloom.

Mia:

"That coin... Could I see it?"

You blinked, glancing at a thoroughly confused Maya. You normally didn't like being away from your coin or other people touching it, but you felt like you could trust Ms. Fey. You wordlessly handed the coin to your lawyer.

Maya:

"What's going on, Sis? What's the deal with this coin?"

Mia:

"...It's a spiritual artifact."

Chance:

"A... spiritual artifact? You mean like Maya being a spirit medium?"

Maya:

"Mia's a spirit medium too. All the Fey women are, we're very sensitive to the spirit world. She's even stronger than me, seeing as she actually completed her training and whatnot."

Chance:

"Is that how you can see secrets, Ms. Fey?"

She chuckled and held her pendant.

Mia:

"I have a spiritual artifact of my own. It's called a Magatama, and it lets me see Psyche-Locks, spiritual representations of people's secrets. When I asked you about Redd White, you had no Psyche-Lock, which is how I knew you genuinely didn't know about him."

Maya:

"Wait, Magatamas can do THAT? Does that mean that mine can also..."

Ms. Fey frowned.

Mia:

"They aren't toys, Maya. Trying to break a Psyche-Lock without training can damage your soul. Besides, the Magatama can't do it on its own, you need to charge it with spiritual energy, like so."

As she spoke, the coin she was still holding started to glow brighter and brighter. She handed it back to you, and the coin stopped glowing, though it felt warm to the touch in a way that had nothing to do with a metal coin held in the palm of a hand. It feels more warm like... like a hug, or something like that. Spiritually warm.

Chance:

"So, what does my coin do?"

Ms. Fey chuckled.

Mia:

"I have no idea, Mr. Fortunate. I guess we'll see, won't we?"

You blinked, not expecting that answer. You opened your mouth to ask for more details and...

Bailiff:

"Defendant and counsel for the defense, the trial is about to begin! Make your way into the courtroom immediately!"

Ms. Fey gave you a smile, and it was one you could actually believe.

Mia:

"Alright Mr. Fortunate, let's get this show on the road. Don't worry, I'll fight for you till the bitter end."

---

September 7, 10:00 AM

District Court

Courtroom No. 1

Well, your nerves were back. At least, you didn't have to do anything, it was probably a thousand times worse for Ms. Fey. On the other hand, at least she could do something, while you had to wait while others decided of your fate. That and Ms. Fey won't be sentenced to **** if she loses. I think that might be more stressful.

The judge, an old bald man with a gray beard, slammed his gavel.

Judge:

"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Chance Fortuna."

The prosecutor, a woman with short silvery-blue hair, gray eyes and a really impractical-looking black and white outfit with golden trims and teal gemstones, chuckled.

von Karma:

"The prosecution is ready to squash the defense like the insect she is, Your Honor."

Ms. Fey blinked at von Karma's remark, taken aback by the sheer contempt in her tone. It's like she doesn't even see Ms. Fey as a person, only as an irritating obstacle to be crushed and immediately forgotten.

Mia:

"The... the defense is ready, Your Honor."

Judge:

"Very well. Prosecutor von Karma, please give the court your opening statement."

von Karma:

"The line of the von Karma have one goal and one goal only. Perfection. None of them ever failed at achieving their goal, and I don't intend to be the first one. The defendant, Mr. Chance Fortuna, committed a heinous crime, that of murdering a young attorney named Phoenix Wright. I shall perfectly demonstrate the defendant's guilt, and ensure her receives the appropriate punishment."

Judge:

"Well, actually, I'll be the one to decide on the punish... Ouch!"

You blinked. Before your very eyes, and those of the entire gallery, von Karma had just pulled out a whip and used it on the judge. You knew firsthand how whip-happy the prosecutor was, but you didn't expect her to attack the judge. Surely, that's ****, right?

The judge didn't seem to think so, because he didn't react.

Judge:

"Hum, yes, of course. Well, how does the defense plead?"

Ms. Fey was as taken aback as you were, but she quickly gathered her wits.

Mia:

"The defense pleads not guilty, Your Honor."

von Karma:

"Foolish fool who foolishly dreams of foolish dreams... I shall crush those dreams, Ms. Mia Fey, and it will take no more than twenty minutes. Yes, in twenty minutes, the defendant will be declared guilty and sentenced, mark my words. Now, I shall call my first witness to the stand."

Judge:

"Hey, isn't it my job to call witnesses?"

The sharp crack of von Karma's whip was the judge's only answer. Well, that's certainly promising.

---

The first witness ended up being the cop who arrested you, a tall man with messy dark brown hair, a stubble and a bandage on his cheek, wearing an orange tie and a green trench coat who had clearly seen better days.

von Karma:

"Witness, your name and occupation?"

Gumshoe:

"Yes, sir! My name is Dick Gumshoe. I'm the detective in charge of homicides at the local precinct. Aah!!"

Well, von Karma was feeling quite indiscriminate with the attentions of her whip, it seemed.

von Karma:

"Get to the point, Scruffy. Explain to the court the details of this ****."

What followed was a messy testimony rhythmed by two whippings for Ms. Fey, one for the judge and five for the poor detective Gumshoe. In summary, Mr. Wright was bludgeoned to **** with a statue of The Thinker, the copy of the autopsy report submitted to Ms. Fey was outdated, the prosecution was claiming your motive was greed (you were apparently burglarizing the law firm when Wright tried to stop you, which explained the messy state of the office), and the whole case was hinging on the testimony of the woman in pink.

The prosecutor seemed to be pretty pissed off at the detective. Probably because you twenty minutes are up and I'm still not sentenced, right von Karma?

von Karma:

"Your Honor, I think we've all heard enough of this poor excuse for a detective's pathetic attempt at a testimony."

Gumshoe:

"That's a little harsh, sir, don't you, thiiiink!!"

von Karma:

"Silence, Scruffy, you said more than enough. Your next salary review will be quite unpleasant, believe me. Now, Your Honor, I think it's time to call in the next witness, the woman who saw the **** take place, Miss April May."

This was it, the cornerstone of the prosecution's argument. This was the real battle for Ms. Fey, where your fate hung in the balance.