Chapter 1: Meet Sandra Castro

“Well, Miss Castro? How do you explain that?!” Phoenix Wright, the idiot attorney who always smelled of hair gel, pressed. It's amazing to me how many people forget that my hearing is more sensitive than others.

“I explain the supposed 'contradiction' you found by the fact that you're a moron and have called me on the wrong thing yet again,” I answered calmly. “The fact that the bottle of pills we found did not have your client's fingerprints on it doesn't prove his innocence or guilt. Only an idiot would suggest that he'd use the pill, one that is obviously fatal to use on someone not suffering from the condition it's used to treat, and put it in the medicine cabinet where it would be found quickly and conveniently.” I made sure to glare in Dick's general direction as I said this, to which I could hear him whimpering. “The right question to ask would be 'what is my client's motive?', because the prosecution decided I should leave that out for some reason. You'd think this trap would be set by the lead detective, but oh, well. I guess the prosecution thought he was far too incompetent to handle this. It's not surprising.” I shrugged. “Can I go now?”

Franziska, of course, whipped the ground in front of me. She wouldn't dare actually whip me after last time, when I caught her whip and pulled her into a slap on the cheek. That was a good day. She threatened to sue me for assault, but no one would deny she deserved it. Besides, I'm the best private investigator in the entire world. I hold more power in pretty much everyone's eyes than even Franziska. At least I don't forge evidence. So, naturally, when we were brought before the court, the judge ruled in my favor with a “please don't do it again”, though I suspect he only didn't want me to hit her again because he was tired of replacing his robes after all the whipping. I calmly told him that as long as Franziska never harmed me again, I wouldn't hit her. Naturally, she hasn't whipped me since.

“No, you cannot go now! What was the motive?!” Phoenix yelled, undoubtedly pointing at me with his index finger. I can't explain why. He just sounds like a guy who likes to point when he yells, because that's the best way he knows how to emphasize his point besides slamming his hands against something.

“I told you asking for the motive was a trap not two seconds ago. You really are dense, aren't you?” I countered. As I rattled off boring details of the defendant's need for revenge, I knew Phoenix would solve the case and it would turn out one of the witnesses would be the killer yet again. I provided a taped recording of the victim calling to receive security detail to the court and submitted it into evidence. Finally, I was allowed to go. Usually, a detective will stay in court after he or she is dismissed to see the case he or she worked so hard on come to its fruition. I, however, have better things to do, like nurse the headache that always came with all the yelling in the courtroom. Even though it certainly felt like I was the lead detective, especially for cases like this one, I'm a consultant; ergo, I couldn’t care less what happens next unless it directly affects me.

“Leaving so soon, Miss Castro?” came the voice of Miles Edgeworth from down the hall. Apparently, he followed me out. I shrugged.

“What happens from here is of no consequence to me,” I replied.

“In that case, would you mind if I accompany you?”

“Why? So you can ask me about my past? I have to admit, it's taken you longer to pry than most,” I responded, crossing my arms.

“I know it's a subject you like to avoid, but I must ask you these questions now. There is...something that concerns me greatly about you.”

“That would probably be my blood-shot eyes. People always think that just because I lost my eye-sight in an accident, there is some reason to worry about me.”

“No, it's not that. It's just...I didn't even know you until last year, when you seemed to 'magically' appear to investigate the prosecutor's office.”

“Luckily for you. Had I not done the investigating, you would've been accused of murder yet again, considering--”

“--where the body was. I know. I'm just wondering where you were before then,” Mr. Edgeworth said.

“In the island of None-Of-Your-Business off the coast of Stay-Out-Of-My-Personal-Affairs,” I retorted.

“I figured you would say something like that. Would you at least tell me what caused you to lose your eyesight?” Mr. Edgeworth asked.

“Something that I don't talk to anyone about,” I answered. “Why are these questions necessary again?”

“Because, Miss Castro, I am tasked with solving a case in which the victim looks exactly like you,” Mr. Edgeworth responded.

“Huh. How about that?”

“And the victim's name is also Sandra Castro, which is your name, if I'm not mistaken.”

“Wow. What an eerie coincidence. I suppose this means someone wanted to get rid of the actual her, or they wanted to get rid of me without knowing me at all.” I tapped my cane against the ground, something I tend to do when I think. It helps drown out the other noises nearby and give me a steady pulse to focus on instead. “If you would like my services so I may solve the case with you, you should know I don't come cheap.”

“I do, and I would like it very much if you would help me on this case.” Sandra Castro, the best private investigator in the world, does not get scared. However, I was very apprehensive when he said that. If I helped him solve the case, would I be forced to tell him my life story? Still, I'd rather have that happen than force someone into being falsely accused once more.

“Very well. Do you have a suspect?” I asked. If Mr. Edgeworth noticed my brief hesitation, he didn't say anything about it.

“Not as of yet.”

“Then take me to the crime scene so I can find the killer.”

~*~

Finding the killer wasn't easy. Finding the late Sandra Castro's stalker, on the other hand, was. In the bushes near her house, I heard a rustling and instantly prepared my cane.

“You, in the bushes, show yourself now or take a cane to the crotch!” I threatened. Mr. Edgeworth let out a sigh.

“Miss Castro, how do you know what's in the bushes isn't an animal of some kind?” he asked. By his tone, I assumed he was smirking and wagging his finger.

“Because animals don't have that stench.”

“What stench?”

“That of a pathetic loser,” I replied. “I'm going to count to three! One, two--”

“Okay, dude! I'm out!” a really annoying voice shouted. I could hear Mr. Edgeworth face-palm.

“What are you doing here, Larry?” he asked.

“Well, Sandra and I had a date. She's a model, you know?”

“Actually, she's unemployed.”

“Right. Well, make that future model. You know, for my artwork. One look into her eyes and I couldn't resist. Say, she looks kinda like that feisty chick over there, now that I think of it. Although I wouldn't think of asking her out, dude. Her eyes creep me out!” Mr. Edgeworth tapped his foot impatiently.

“You still haven't answered my question,” he said. He sounded very annoyed, giving me the impression that he had very little, if any, patience for Larry.

“Right. I was getting to that. Anyway, so we had a date, but...” I could smell the water that was the tears forming in his eyes. What a wimp. “She didn't show up!” And then the smell of tears was gone. “So, I decided to see what happened, but, well, I thought I'd seem creepy if I were to show up at her house without her ever giving me her address, so I decided to look through this window.”

“I see. So, you thought stalking her was less creepy than knocking at her door and politely asking what was keeping her,” Mr. Edgeworth commented. He tried very hard not to show just how exasperated he was, but I picked up on it, anyway.

“Well, yeah!” Larry confirmed. Mr. Edgeworth sighed.

“Larry, I don't know how to tell you this, but--”

“Your girlfriend's dead,” I jumped in. “This is a crime scene.”

“W-what? S-Sandra's...d-dead?” Larry asked. Then, he burst into tears. “Nooooo! Not her! Why?! She was...waaaait a minute!” He suddenly stopped crying. “If this is a crime scene, then...then I'm going to be charged with her murder!”

“No, Larry, that's not--” Mr. Edgeworth started to say, but, of course, the idiot wasn't paying attention.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!” Larry cried as he ran away. I flipped my hair.

“Welp, that takes care of that. Let's go,” I said.

“You didn't have to be so harsh, Miss Castro.”

“Are you kidding me? He sounded like someone so utterly stupid that he wouldn't have understood if I phrased things any other way,” I protested. “Besides, what's done is done. It's time to investigate.” Mr. Edgeworth muttered some form of agreement, and then we walked into the crime scene.

~*~

Being blind isn't all bad. In fact, there are a few distinct advantages. For example, when investigating a crime scene, I don't see the details that would lead ordinary people like, say, Dick, to arrest the wrong person. I can instead focus on putting together the full picture from the little pieces put in front of me. However, there are disadvantages. The inability to see is one in and of itself, but sometimes, the sharpened senses are even worse than that. For example, walking onto a crime scene, I can still smell the scent the corpse left behind if it’s not still there. If it is there, then the scent is ten times worse. I've smelled the smell enough times that I don't have to step out to vomit anymore, but it still distracts and bothers me. I wouldn't dare plug my nose so I wouldn't have to breathe it in, though. There are some important pieces of evidence I can only find by sniffing them out.

“Detective Gumshoe, would you explain the investigation so far to Miss Castro?” Mr. Edgeworth asked.

“Certainly, Sir! Okay, pal, the victim, Sandra Castro, who isn't you, was stabbed in the chest. The wound was too large to be a knife, so we assume it was a sword of some kind. We can't tell for sure because the murder weapon hasn't been found yet. Also, there were a few cuts along her arms which signal that she tried to shield herself from the sword, but failed in the end. We're guessing the sword is long, though we don't see enough evidence to know for sure,” Dick explained. I listened intently. A sword as the murder weapon that hasn't been found and is likely long...so the weapon might be like my cane sword. Come to think of it, the sword has felt odd since getting it back from the security checkpoint in the courtroom.

“I see. Excuse me one second. Mr. Edgeworth, come with me,” I said, grabbing the prosecutor by the arm and leading him to another room.

“What is it, Miss Castro?” Mr. Edgeworth wondered.

“Take me somewhere we can be alone,” I ordered. Mr. Edgeworth considered for a moment.

“Very well.” He led me to an isolated spot. At least, I assumed it was, since I couldn't hear anyone else milling about. “Now, then, what did you want to see me about?”

“I need you to check something for me,” I replied. “You can see very well, right? Have you noticed anything different about my cane today?” Mr. Edgeworth hesitated, presumably because he was concentrating.

“Actually, it does look a little thicker.”

“I knew it.” I took a deep breath. “Look, Mr. Edgeworth, there was a new guard at the security checkpoint today. I thought something about his smell wasn't quite right. I'm pretty sure that he replaced my cane with the murder weapon.” I made myself appear perfectly calm as I explained this, even though I was fairly sure what would happen next. Going to the detention center is hazardous for most people, but for someone who tries to convict criminals, it's even worse. I wouldn't die, probably, but not through other people's lack of trying.

“The murder weapon was not a cane, Miss Castro,” Mr. Edgeworth said as coolly as ever. I forced myself to smile slightly.

“You're right. It wasn't,” I responded. Then, I unsheathed the sword from the cane. I heard Mr. Edgeworth gasp.

“M-Miss Castro, that sword--” he began. I braced myself.

“It's covered in blood, pal!” Dick jumped in. I knew that would happen. I could hear him coming. “Th-that means...Drop that sword right now and put your hands up!” I pursed my lips and obliged the detective.

“I suppose that means I'm charged with murder. You don't have to read me my rights. I know them well,” I commented. “Just be sure to keep investigating. I'd hate it if you were to overlook any evidence.”

“Erm...Yeah. Sorry to do this to you, pal.” Dick put handcuffs on my wrists.

“There's no need to apologize. You're just going where the evidence points you. At least if I die in there, I'll be comforted by the fact that you feel mildly guilty about arresting an innocent person.” And, with that, Dick escorted me to the detention center, where I could end up living the rest of my life.

Chapter 2: I Learn The Truth.

The interrogation room was my first stop, where I kept being asked whether or not I killed Sandra and was repeatedly threatened with more things the men would take away from me unless I confessed to my crime. After a really long time, though I'm not sure how long (if I had to guess, it would be in the double-digits of hours) of being stuck in there without food or water, I stood up.

“What are you doing? Sit back down!” one of the men shouted. I turned to him.

“You've asked me questions this whole time. Now it's my turn to ask you something. I think I've earned the right,” I responded calmly. My voice was incredibly hoarse and my throat was sore.

“We're the ones asking the questions around here!”

“Yes, but you suck at it. My question to you is simply this: in what universe does a piece of planted evidence give you the right to threaten and harass a private investigator with whom you both have worked before?”

“The evidence wasn't planted. Quit lying to us and tell the truth!”

“I've been telling you the truth this whole time. If you don't believe me, make me take a polygraph test. Otherwise, I'm done wasting time here.” I knew I couldn't leave, but I started to, anyway, only to get myself pinned down on the table.

“You've had means, motive, and opportunity. You did this. We know you did.”

“Where do you get the 'motive' and 'opportunity'? All you know of the case is that I have means, and even that is shoddy at best. Hey, I know the solution. My answers might be completely different tomorrow. Why don't you question me again then?” I was being sarcastic, of course. I just wanted to leave. After they asked questions in circles for another hour or so, they finally decided to let me go to my cell, but not without my water, which they made sure to pour directly onto my face. Ordinarily, if someone did that, I'd whip out my cane and smack them with it, but since I didn't have one and was too hungry and parched to care, anyway, I let it slide as I was escorted away.

~*~

My blindness helps me not be afraid. I can't see the other prisoners and how intimidating they look. I can't see if they're gearing up to attack me, or they're casting me looks that would scare anyone else out of their minds. However, these advantages are countered by the fact that I have to smell all the prisoners, and the scent is horrid! They're better-smelling than a compost pile that is several miles high and a few miles wide, but only by a slim margin. As soon as I was led to my cell, I knew someone would approach and try to kill me. Call it a natural instinct. So, I was hardly surprised when a pair of huge hands grabbed me by the neck and started squeezing. My throat had already been hurting, but this caused it to hurt even more. Had I not been trained, I would’ve tried to get my hands under his and push them away, but I knew such actions would be futile as I gasped, trying to get air.

Even though I was pretty sure my attacks would be pointless, I tried bringing my elbows down on his arms, which did, well, nothing. I know I elbowed something, but the guy had the strength of an ox. I tried kicking, but his arms were too high for me to reach, and the rest of him was too far away, so I dug my nails into his wrists. That, of course, did nothing to help as I was pushed up against the bars of the cell, struggling, unable to breathe, and no one would save me. I could hear guards milling about outside, and they did nothing to help. If I could see, I'm sure the world would've spun, but since I couldn't, that didn't happen. I did, however, know I was going to pass out any moment. I curled my legs up until I could reach his arms with them. Without the bars to brace myself against, I wouldn't have been able to lift my legs that high. I summoned what little strength I had left and kicked him in the wrists, then in the elbows. It didn't work...or did it? I felt the pressure on my neck lessen very slightly. Then, I heard commotion and fell to the floor. I gasped for air as I heard noises which I couldn't make heads or tails of. I felt someone lift me to my feet, and the next thing I knew, I had been taken to the visitor's room of the detention center. I heard the door close behind me, but all I could do was stand there, confused.

“Well, Miss Castro,” Mr. Edgeworth's voice said. “You look disoriented.”

“Me? No. You must be imagining things,” I explained coolly. My voice sounded like someone rubbed sandpaper against my throat. I coughed to clear it, but that did nothing to help. If anything, it only made my throat hurt more. I took a deep breath. “So, you wanted help on the case, right?”

“The evidence against you seems to be piling up, Miss Castro. I'm afraid the real killer knew what he was doing. There's a video of you killing her and everything. Detective Gumshoe's completely crushed about it. As far as I see, it's been expertly edited. There is, however, one flaw I can see with it.”

“Let me guess: the flaw is my eyes.”

“No. The flaw is that the ring on your finger is missing in the video,” Mr. Edgeworth corrected. I stiffened. “I've noticed you haven't taken the ring off, no matter what you've been doing. I can't help but wonder of its significance.” I didn't say anything. Instead, I rubbed my thumb over the diamond and dented metal that Mr. Edgeworth was talking about. “Please tell me something. Every bit of information could be vital to the case!”

“The significance of the ring is too much for anyone to grasp,” I responded after a long pause. “And, unless you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has something to do with our current case, I won't say a word about it.”

“Why must you be like that?” Mr. Edgeworth asked.

“You mean hostile? Uncooperative? Distrusting? It's just how I am, Mr. Edgeworth,” I replied. I assumed Mr. Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at this, though I wouldn't know for sure whether or not he did.

“You are that way, yes, but it seems like you are a little less of all three of those things to me than you are with anyone else.”

I didn’t say anything.

“You can't deny it.”

“You're right. I can't,” I said after a pause. “It's because I respect you.” I fancied that his eyebrows might've risen even higher at this statement until they rose above his head, though I know that didn't happen.

“I see. You aren't the type to respect just anyone, which means I must've done something exceptional for me to earn that from you. What exactly did I do?”

“Well, first of all, you saved my life just now,” I responded. “Had you not wanted to visit me, I would have likely been strangled to death.” Mr. Edgeworth let out that grunt that meant he was flinching with his eyes rolled to the back of his head like he's been punched in the gut or something.

“What?!” it sounded like he slammed a single hand against his leg. “That's ludicrous! Surely the guards would have intervened!”

“The fact is, they wouldn't have,” I said calmly. “Because they were either threatened or bribed into leaving me be.” I heard Mr. Edgeworth gasp at this. I imagine he paled as well.

“I-I see.” His voice sounded strangled and a little shaky, which made me quite sure he was trembling, but when he next spoke, it was in his usual calm, cool, and collected tone. “You respected me long before this, though.”

“Which has nothing to do with the case at hand. You came here for answers to the wrong questions,” I responded.

“How do you know they're wrong?” Mr. Edgeworth asked. “I believe the answers to these questions will lead me to the real killer and his or her motive.”

“I'm not going to tell you anything based on a belief of yours, Mr. Edgeworth.” Then, a thought hit me. “Why did she decide to go out with such a pathetic loser?”

“Well, he is Larry. I'm betting she said 'yes' just to shut him up.”

“Hmmm...Just to shut him up...” The gears in my brain started turning. “He was calling too much attention to her.”

“Well, my statement doesn't necessarily mean--”

“And so, to get him to stop doing that, she agreed to go out with him, though she had no intention of following through with that. Why was she trying to avoid the attention, though? If she was trying to cosplay as me, or whatever, wouldn't she want others to see her?” I thought aloud. “Unless...” I paused. What I was thinking was ridiculous, of course. Still, if I was right... “Mr. Edgeworth, you should transfer this case to another prosecutor.”

“What makes you say that, Miss Castro?”

“I'm afraid I can't tell you. It's just a feeling I have,” I answered.

“I can't quit based on a feeling of yours.” I clenched my fists and opened my mouth to protest. “Besides, I'm needed in the courtroom. I doubt you'll open up about anything if I'm not there.”

“Have you ever known me to be wrong, Mr. Edgeworth?!” I asked as loudly as I could manage, which was barely louder than my regular speaking voice. “I'm telling you, if you don't drop this--!”

“Are you threatening me, Miss Castro?”

“No. I'm saying...” I was saying that he should transfer the case because I was feeling uneasy. I felt like his life would be in danger if he didn't drop it. Still, he wouldn't transfer the case onto someone else just because I felt this way. It wasn't enough. I let myself trail off.

“It'll be okay, Miss Castro. I've filed for your attorney. Wright should be here soon,” Mr. Edgeworth commented, trying to comfort me. I forced a smile, but wasn’t comforted at all.

“Why do I get the feeling he'll be too late?”

The guard said our time was up and brought me back to my cell, where I could think in private. I suspected the victim didn't look like me and share my name by some coincidence, nor was she a fan of mine. She was going to kill me and try to replace me, though for how long, I didn't know. Why would she go through all that trouble? Why didn't she just kill me?

Because she didn't want a huge investigation. That was the only answer I could think of. The police would investigate even harder than usual if I was murdered. Perhaps that was the very same reason whoever planted evidence on me didn't kill me outright. Why didn't the victim go through with the plan, though? Why was I still alive, not her? As I thought of these questions, my cell door opened.

“Phillip?” I asked. Besides Mr. Edgeworth, I made it a point to get everyone's name wrong when I spoke to them.

“No one's here for you, if that's what you mean,” a voice responded. I backed away as I recognized the scent. He was the man who swapped my cane with forged evidence...and the one who likely killed, or at least had a hand in killing, the victim. “You're coming with me.”

~*~

The man used chloroform to put me to sleep after we left the building. Apparently, he didn’t want me to know where I was. He had convinced the guards that I was being transferred way too easily. The idea that my suspicion the guards were paid off or blackmailed was proven to be true was no comfort to me at all as I pictured what this man might do to me. When I awoke from my slumber due to the chloroform, I realized I was tied to a chair. Perfect. I would’ve found a way to unbind myself and escape, but I knew if I did, there would only be a giant manhunt for me. Not to mention, I’d probably miss out on my own trial. I’m not stupid enough as to cause that. This man also didn’t strike me as an idiot, so he probably wasn’t going to kill me just yet.

“So, I take it you want to convince me to plead guilty. I hope you’re good with bribery,” I commented.

“Shut up.”

“Of course, knowing my luck, you’ll blackmail me instead, telling me that if I don’t plead guilty, my death will be slower and more painful.”

“If you’re so smart, then why can’t you understand the phrase ‘shut up’?!”

“I’m not sure I know why--”

“Shut. Up!” He smacked me in the face in his anger. Do you know what the great thing is about when I’m in pain? I think clearer. Suddenly, I understood everything, and it turned out, Mr. Edgeworth was right. This case had everything to do with my past.

“Shit. You’re a mafia hit-man.” Saying that aloud earned me a punch to the face, but I took that as confirmation. For the first time in over a year I was truly scared, and, like I was back then, it wasn’t for me. I knew what I had to do to protect everyone, especially Mr. Edgeworth.

~*~

I was in court the next day. I could barely walk, but the man left no marks anyone could see unless I made a conscious effort to show them. His slap and punch had connected at my cheeks, which I covered with my hair so no one would notice it. My neck was covered by the turtleneck I wore under my dressy shirt to keep warm. Who says blind people can’t make fashion statements? If any marks were showing, people would suspect I was coerced into what I was about to do, and I didn’t want that.

“Oh, Miss Castro. You’re here,” Mr. Edgeworth said.

“Yes. You may now rest easy and return to the prosecutor’s lobby, where you should be,” I responded.

“There’s no need for that attitude. I was concerned about you, particularly after Wright said he hadn’t seen you.”

“You may be reassured, then. I’m fine and still in one piece. You can worry about yourself and your flimsy case now.” Mr. Edgeworth made that irritating “tsk”ing sound he always made when someone said something wrong. At least I didn’t have any annoying habits like that.

“If you’re ‘fine’, then why are you limping like that?” he asked.

“I’m perfectly fine!” I exclaimed exasperatedly. “The limp is nothing.”

“Very well,” said Mr. Edgeworth, after some hesitation. “I’m sure we’ll extract the truth from you at some point, but I don’t have the time now. Good luck with your trial.”

With that, Mr. Edgeworth left the lobby.

“Erm, Sandra--”

“What is it, Phoebus?”

“It’s Phoenix!”

“Sorry, Doofus. My bad,” I countered. “What do you want?”

“I just wanted to say that even though I didn’t get a chance to see you before now, I’m confident that we can win this trial. Edgeworth assured me that you’re truly innocent, and I believe him.”

“That’s very touching, Flatulence. And I suppose your assistant, Maria, is eager to save me, too, even though neither of you like me.” I’m sure Phoenix would’ve said something had we not been ushered into the courtroom by the bailiff right then. I had arrived for my trial far later than I’d hoped to, but since I had to walk the whole way, it’s amazing I was even on time.

“Court is now in session for the trail of Sandra Castro,” the judge said.

“The prosecution is ready, Your Honor,” Mr. Edgeworth announced.

“The defense--”

“The defense’s preparedness doesn’t matter, Your Honor,” I interrupted. I could feel the eyes of everyone on me.

“Why is that, Miss Castro?” the judge wondered.

“Because, Your Honor, I’m changing my plea to ‘guilty’,” I replied.

Chapter 3: The Really Long Trial Chapter

You’d think pleading guilty is controversial or something judging by how everyone reacted. The spectators erupted into conversation, Maya shouted “Whaaaaaaaaaat?!”, and Phoenix objected, but the judge was too focused on restoring order to the courtroom to hear him, and Mr. Edgeworth made a sound as if he had been punched in the gut. I plugged my ears, trying to dull the sounds. This was exactly why I always hated court. It was way too noisy.

“ORDER!!!” the judge boomed, which finally shut everyone up, though the incredibly loud sound left my ears ringing for a moment. Good thing a simple shake of the head fixed it this time. “Miss Castro, please take--”

“I’m already there, Your Honor,” I interrupted, already behind the witness stand. I did mention I knew my way around a courtroom, right? While everyone was making noise, I had made my way to the stand while plugging my ears because I’m such a great multi-tasker. “I murdered the late Sandra Castro in cold blood.”

“This is preposterous!” Mr. Edgeworth shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.

“Mr. Edgeworth, if you have a problem with what she said, then--” the judge began.

“Please excuse him and his outburst, Your Honor. He is merely upset that I did not arrive soon enough to follow protocol and see him in the Prosecutor’s Lobby before changing my plea.” I flipped my hair and shot Mr. Edgeworth a significant look, one that I hoped said, pull yourself together, you whiner or something like that.

“Nick, Edgeworth seems more upset about Sandra’s plea than we do,” Maya whispered. “I don’t think Sandra’s late arrival is what’s getting such a reaction out of him.”

“You’re right, Maya. Something else is going on here,” Phoenix responded in a low voice.

“You both know I can hear you, right?” I asked as I glared in their general direction. The judge slammed his gavel.

“Well, this trial has gone quickly. With Miss Sandra Castro pleading guilty to murder, the court has no choice but to--”

“Objection!” Phoenix and Mr. Edgeworth shouted at the same time. And then they slammed their hands on the table in unison, as if people didn’t already think they were gay for each other before that.

“I want her to testify about the murder!” Phoenix shouted.

“Agreed. I don’t think she’s telling the truth,” Mr. Edgeworth commented. I imagine they shot each other a significant look at this point. They were on the same side, which was on the side of bullying me, unfortunately.

“Oh, you caught me. I’m pleading guilty so I can get the death sentence because death by lethal injection is so awesome,” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. You try to protect people and they don’t even have the decency not to ask questions. Don’t you hate that?

“Well, if both the prosecution and defense are in agreement that Miss Castro should elaborate, I guess I can’t argue. The defendant will testify about the murder.”

“Oh, fine, but you won’t find anything wrong with my testimony, so you might as well give up this charade right now and hand down my verdict,” I predicted.

“Try me,” Nick challenged. I shrugged.

“If you insist.” I cleared my throat.

~*~ Testimony ~*~

“Sandra Castro was incredibly stupid. So much so, in fact, that she was using my name so she could eventually replace me by killing me. Once I learned this, I decided to launch a preemptive strike. I decided not to get the police involved because every single police officer on the force is incompetent.” I rolled my eyes as I said that because it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t. “But I knew using my own cane-sword as the murder weapon would’ve been incredibly stupid, so I procured another, heavier and slightly longer one from a really nice fellow who likes to collect cane-swords as a hobby. Come to think of it, he’s kind of crazy, but I came to him because he was the man who gave me my first one. He didn’t ask me any questions because unlike some people, he knows not to pry.” I glared at Phoenix when I said this. “In any case, with this new cane-sword, I stabbed the late Sandra Castro. I wasn’t sure where until I came back to the crime scene. I just knew it was somewhere deadly because she died. The cane-sword was almost certainly covered with blood. If I had time, I would’ve cleaned it off and moved the body somewhere it couldn’t be found, but that was when I was called in to investigate the lovely case that was brought before the court just yesterday. It’s amazing how quickly you people try your criminals, by the way. You’d think more evidence could be found if you’d just wait a week. In any case, I had no time to clean up after myself, or even grab my original cane-sword, which I miss terribly.”

After that really long testimony, the courtroom was silent. I guess no one was expecting me to use so much detail right off the bat.

“Well? Are you satisfied?” I asked impatiently. I wanted to get my sentence over with quickly. After all, the sooner I was sentenced, the sooner I could say my good-byes.

“That was a very good testimony, Miss Castro,” Phoenix replied.

“However, unlike your usual testimonies, this one has a gaping flaw,” Mr. Edgeworth continued.

“One which I will exploit!” Phoenix concluded. I raised my eyebrows.

“Then are you going to tell me where I went wrong so I can actually explain myself or what?” I wondered.

“Yes, if you’ll repeat your testimony, I will--” Phoenix started to say.

“Shout ‘objection’ in the appropriate spot and point your finger at me accusingly. Well, forgive me for not granting you this opportunity. My throat happens to be very sore. Maybe water would help.” Silence again. “I said, ‘maybe water would help!’ What kind of courthouse is this?”

“Erm…Miss Castro, there’s water right in front of you,” Mr. Edgeworth said.

“Nobody tells me anything around here,” I grumbled as I reached out, grabbed the glass, and took a drink. Yup. Tasted just like water. “That’s better.” I looked in Phoenix’s general direction. “Now, then, which part of my testimony is flawed? Please, enlighten me.”

~*~ Cross-Examination ~*~

“You say you were called in to investigate right after the murder, right?” Phoenix asked.

“That is correct,” I answered just before plugging my ears. I wasn’t an idiot. It was obvious what would come next.

“Objection!” the lawyer shouted. I rolled my eyes. “You say you were called in to investigate right after the murder, but according to the autopsy report, the victim was killed between 12 and 2 A.M.! You couldn’t have prepared the case against my then-client in so short a time! This is clearly a contradiction!”

“Huh. How about that?” I wondered, unplugging my ears.

“Hmmm…He does have a point. That is awfully late to investigate, and I have trouble believing that Miss von Karma would wait that long to call you in. Explain yourself, Miss Castro,” the judge ordered. I shrugged.

“It’s really not a huge thing as Mr. Wonka makes it out to be. I just phrased that sentence poorly. I wasn’t called in to investigate the first time at that hour. I was called in to investigate again.”

“Wh-what?! What do you mean?!” Phoenix screamed like a complete idiot.

“I mean that at that time, von Cormack was mailed new evidence for the case which was sent by an anonymous party. My task was to find out who sent it before the trial started.”

“I thought Franziska slept at that hour so she could get the perfect amount of sleep for her perfect case,” Mr. Edgeworth commented.

“Well, this time, Farfignewton was working in her office late. The one who sent that evidence was obviously counting on her being asleep at that time so she’d receive the evidence just before the trial. It was stupid on his part because she couldn’t use that evidence if she had received it so late, anyway,” I explained.

“How did you find him?” Phoenix asked.

“That is irrelevant to this case, Mr. Wrotten.” I glared in his general direction. “You may call von Kazuma to the stand if you don’t believe me.”

“We will, of course, verify the time you were called in with her, Miss Castro,” Mr. Edgeworth interjected. “But for now, we will assume you’re telling the truth.”

“Good. I will amend my testimony to reflect this information so Mr. Witless doesn’t get confused again.”

“H-hey! I’m supposed to request you amend your testimony!”

“And I’m supposed to reluctantly order you to after Mr. Wright tells me why you should do it!”

“Sorry to steal your thunder.” I rolled my eyes. “Oh, and it turns out the evidence he sent is irrelevant, anyway, seeing as how von Kilimanjaro didn’t use it, just so you don’t get any bright ideas to question me about that.”

“How do you know what is or isn’t relevant?” Phoenix asked.

“I’ve worked cases here for a year. I think I would know by now, don’t you?” I retorted, wrinkling my nose. “Do you have any problems with my testimony now?”

“Uhhh…I…” Apparently, the question caught Phoenix off-guard.

“I see one clear as day,” Edgeworth stated calmly. “Surely you can, too, Wright.”

“Nick, I don’t know what he’s talking about. Do you?” Maya whispered.

“Ummm…” I could practically smell Phoenix’s brain overheating as he thought. “Actually, I think I do!”

“Alright, Nick! Go ahead and nail her!” Maya stage-whispered, which means she was loud enough for the entire courtroom to hear her. I could feel Phoenix glare at me as he slammed his hands on the table.

“There is still a giant flaw in your testimony!” he shouted.

“Well, then, do tell. I’m all ears until your constant yelling renders me deaf,” I said coolly.

“You said you were called to track down someone for Miss von Karma shortly after the murder. So shortly after the fact, you had no time to clean up after yourself, right?” Phoenix inquired.

“Yes. What are you driving at?”

“If that’s true, then what about your clothing? I’m quite sure Miss von Karma wouldn’t ignore you showing up at her office in bloody clothes!” Phoenix responded.

Witnesses usually do an over dramatic gasp here and get all riled up. I didn’t do that, though. Instead, all I said was, “Oh.” The spectators started chatting loudly.

“Order! Order in the court!” the judge shouted, banging his gavel. The spectators quieted down as the judge looked at me. At least, that’s what I assume he did. “Miss Castro, explain this!”

“No need to yell. I’m right here,” I grumbled. Then, I let out a deep breath and looked in Mr. Edgeworth’s direction. “This is what you noticed, huh?”

“If you would tell the truth from the start, then you wouldn’t be in this situation,” Mr. Edgeworth said as he “tsk”ed me. I just glared at where I thought he was.

“I am telling the truth,” I insisted. “I covered up the mess on my clothes with a jacket. Does this satisfy you?”

“No, it does not!” Phoenix bellowed. “If you didn’t have enough time to clean the murder weapon, then I doubt you had time to find a jacket and put it on to cover up the mess on your clothing!”

“A fair point,” I commented. And that’s when something clicked in my head. “I apologize for using the term ‘jacket’. What I meant to say was ‘trench coat’. Detective Gummyworm was also called in to find this person and we met outside of the building. He couldn’t see the blood on my clothes, so when I asked to borrow his trench coat, pretending I needed it because it was cold out, he happily obliged.” I smirked. It was true that I borrowed Dick’s trench coat that night. He could even confirm it for them. Surely, I had no more flaws in my testimony.

“NO WAY, PAL!!!” Dick screamed from somewhere among the spectators. “You weren’t lying about being cold! Your teeth were chattering and you were shivering so hard, I thought you’d fall!”

“It was all a clever act by a cold-blooded murderer, Darius. Nothing more,” I responded calmly. This made the spectators start chattering again. I could swear Dick was trying to say more, but his yelling was drowned out by those people. The judge banged his gavel and shouted the word “order” several times before the courtroom was silent again. He then took in a breath to signal he was about to say something, but because I’m a rebel, I spoke instead. “I append this information to my testimony. Now that I’ve done that, is there any problem with it?”

“Um…no…” Phoenix admitted. “But I think we could use more details!”

“Oh, please, Mr. Wickerbasket, have some consideration. Even with this water, my voice is giving out. Do you really want me to completely lose it over details which you could figure out yourself?” I asked.

“Well, uh…” was Phoenix’s absolutely brilliant response.

“Much as I hate to say it, she does have a point, Mr. Wright. We can’t be here all day,” the judge said. “Is there really anything we could learn by pressing?”

“Of…of course there is!” Phoenix answered.

“Please. I can hear the doubt in your voice,” I said. “You do realize that all you’ll do if you don’t press the right thing is give me the same sentence I would’ve gotten, anyway.” I heard Phoenix gulp.

“Yes, I’m well aware of that, but--”

“There must be something you could use, right?” I interrupted. “There is nothing because I’m telling the truth.” I smirked. I would achieve my victory at last. If the judge would penalize Phoenix for pressing the wrong point, I could trick him into getting penalized until he lost. At that point, not even Mr. Edgeworth could save me from the inevitable verdict.

“We’ll see about that!” Phoenix shouted determinedly.

“Wait, Mr. Wright,” Mr. Edgeworth cautioned. “I think she’s trying to bait you. Any details she left out, she did so on purpose, and could likely convince the judge that they’re irrelevant. Don’t take that bait.”

“Why is Edgeworth trying to help so much, Nick?” Maya whispered.

“He wants justice,” Phoenix muttered.

“I know, but isn’t he trying harder than usual?” Mr. Edgeworth cleared his throat.

“What do you say, Mr. Wright?”

“Well, I think you make an excellent point…”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m a criminal mastermind. Just decide what you’re going to do already,” I huffed.

“Nick, you have to press her. Who cares if it’s a trap?” Maya whispered.

“…Mr. Edgeworth is the one who knows Sandra best. I think not trusting his judgment is a bad idea,” Phoenix finally said. “I don’t think I need to press her.”

“I see. In that case, I declare the defendant, Miss Sandra Castro--”

“Objection!” Mr. Edgeworth shouted, slamming his hand on the desk. Was it just me, or did he sound desperate? “Your Honor, there is something else Miss Castro should testify about.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I commented.

“I don’t, either. What are you talking about, Mr. Edgeworth?” the judge inquired.

“You investigated the crime scene with me after yesterday’s case, which is where you were accused of this crime. I’d like you to testify about that, please,” Mr. Edgeworth replied calmly.

“Why? You were there. You know what happened.” I could feel Mr. Edgeworth’s glare as soon as I said that.

“I feel you should have a chance to explain what happened to the court in detail.” To the untrained ear, Mr. Edgeworth sounded calm, but I could hear a slight harshness in his tone.

“Very well. I have nothing to hide,” I said. “This is still pointless, though.”

“Let the court decide that,” Mr. Edgeworth responded. I rolled my eyes, but didn’t address what he said. Instead, I opened my mouth and started testifying.

~*~ Testimony and Cross-Examination II ~*~

“When Mr. Edgeworth told me he wanted my help investigating this case, I decided this was my best chance to forge the evidence against me. When we got there, I realized there were far too many police officers for me to get away with doing that. So, I did the next best thing.” I looked Mr. Edgeworth in the eye. At least, as close to in the eye as I possibly could without seeing. “I pulled Mr. Edgeworth aside and made up a story about my cane-sword being replaced at the security check-point in this very courtroom. It seems to have worked. After all, look how hard he’s fighting for me right now, even while I’m feeling so guilty that I’m owning up to the murder.” Mr. Edgeworth made a sound like he’d been punched, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t care.

“Mr. Wright…,” Mr. Edgeworth managed out, sounding agonized.

“Erm…yes, Mr. Edgeworth?” Phoenix asked.

“Press her hard. Make her tell the truth,” Mr. Edgeworth answered, sounding like he regained his composure on a dime. He’s good at that sort of thing.

“With pleasure,” Phoenix said.

“Poor Edgeworth,” I heard Maya whisper. “This is so hard on him. We have to end this as soon as we can, Nick!”

“I agree, Maya.”

“Good luck with that,” I sneered. The judge banged his gavel.

“You may cross-examine, Mr. Wright,” the judge said. If he heard anything Mr. Edgeworth and Phoenix were saying, he didn’t show it. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was hard of hearing, or just staring off into space until the right moment to jump in.

“Gladly, Your Honor,” Phoenix responded. I could feel him glare at me, and knew what was coming. He’d press me at each sentence, finding mistakes if I wasn’t careful. I couldn’t let him do it. There was too much at stake. “Miss Castro--”

“I know. Repeat my testimony from the beginning so you could try to nail me with your pointless questions.” I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before repeating myself. And so he pressed every single detail I brought up, and I mean every. Single. One! It was so annoying! He even asked me why I didn’t confess to Mr. Edgeworth if I felt so guilty, so I had to say I was planning to use him the second I knew he was investigating the murder I had committed. I just wanted the trial to be over already. I guess I managed not to screw up, because Phoenix seemed hopelessly lost when it was over. Lucky for him, though, Mr. Righteous Edgeworth knew exactly what to say.

“Miss Castro, you’ve come up with one extravagant lie. You managed to weave a web of them even Mr. Wright couldn’t trap you in,” Mr. Edgeworth began. “And there is only one possible explanation for why you would cling so determinedly to a guilty plea. Miss Castro, you’re lying to protect someone, aren’t you?” I glared at him.

“No. I’m merely telling the truth,” I answered harshly. Mr. Edgeworth “tsk”ed and I knew he didn’t buy it.

“Even now, you’re treating me with the utmost respect, something you wouldn’t do if you were indeed ‘using’ and ‘manipulating’ me this whole time,” Mr. Edgeworth stated calmly.

“What? This is a courtroom. I’m trying to show some decorum and respect everyone,” I explained, but I could tell he wasn’t falling for that one, either. Mr. Edgeworth always was too smart for his own good. He’ll most certainly die today if I’m not careful, I thought.

“Really? I’ve noticed you have been addressing Mr. Wright incorrectly this whole time, and I know you’re not bad with names.”

“…What does this have to do with my testimony? Absolutely nothing. Quit dragging this out!” I snapped.

“Notice how she’s getting defensive, Your Honor, and allow me to continue,” Mr. Edgeworth said.

“But isn’t it the defense’s job to make these accusations?” the judge asked. He was starting to make sense.

“Usually, Your Honor, but I believe only I can extract the full truth. I’m the only one she respects enough to be completely honest with,” Mr. Edgeworth responded. “In the courtroom, we value the truth above all else, don’t we?”

“That is true,” the judge said. I couldn’t believe it! He wasn’t actually about to let Mr. Edgeworth do Phoenix’s job, was he? That was out of line!

“But it’s the defense attorney’s job to prove the client innocent, which you are trying to do right now,” I pointed out, trying to stay calm. “The prosecution’s job is to make the accusations against the defendant and present a solid case to back those up. The defense picks it apart if they can, but if they can’t, then the defendant is guilty. The defense hasn’t been able to pick my claims apart because I told the truth. Your Honor, you can’t let this farce continue!”

“I can’t sit idly by as Miss Castro is found guilty of murder based on her lies,” Mr. Edgeworth explained. He was far better at remaining calm than I was. “She’s spun the best of them, of course, if even the defense couldn’t figure out how to draw a contradiction out of it that stuck.”

“I did not lie once this whole time!” I shouted.

“I disagree. I believe if the judge allows me to continue stating my thoughts on this matter and sees your reactions, I can show everyone that you laid a clever web of lies, most of which were based on truth.”

“Hmmm…” the judge said, considering. That was not a good sign. “…I will allow Mr. Edgeworth to say what he thinks is going on this one time, but if he is wrong, I will find Miss Castro guilty on the spot. Does that sound fair?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Mr. Edgeworth answered.

“Hey, wait a minute!” Phoenix shouted. There’s lots of shouting in a courtroom.

“Mr. Wright, stay out of this, please. This is my deal now,” Mr. Edgeworth requested.

“…Alright. I trust you…” Phoenix said, though I could hear the hesitation in his voice. I readied myself for what I thought would be a really pathetic attempt at absolving me.

“I agree to those conditions,” I stated. “Say your wild theories, by all means.”

“Very well. I believe you are lying in a desperate attempt to protect someone, and I think I know just who.”

“Please. As if you could possibly know--” I started to say.

“It’s me. You’re trying to protect me, aren’t you?” Mr. Edgeworth interrupted. I opened my mouth and closed it without saying anything. No, it was too obvious that Mr. Edgeworth was the only person I cared enough to protect in this fashion. It was nothing more than a logical conclusion based on what Mr. Edgeworth knew of me. “What are you trying to protect me from?”

“Nothing, Mr. Edgeworth. I was merely telling the truth, as I’ve said before,” I answered.

“Well, as long as I’m coming up with crazy theories, I might as well say what I believe you are protecting me from. I think it is a very certain group of people who evade the law’s grasp, the group that makes everyone worry for their loved ones. A certain group called the mafia.” I was about to respond to that when I felt my instincts kick in. There are certain things I sense without knowing why. Maybe I hear something that I can’t quite place in my mind, or it’s a certain scent in the air that I don’t fully realize is there. Either way, I’ve learned in my year as a private investigator that I can sense when a gun is being aimed at someone, and even though I couldn’t tell who it was aimed at, my mind immediately jumped to Mr. Edgeworth.

“Get down!” I barked. Then, I leaped from the witness stand toward the prosecution’s table. I heard a gunshot go off, then another, and my first thought was that I was too late as I hit the floor, just underneath the table.

Chapter 4: I Tell The Truth At Last

I heard yelling and commotion all around me, but all I focused on was the sound of retreating footsteps.

“What do you know? The coward ran away,” I said as I got out from under the table, not that anyone was listening. I didn’t even hear the sound of the judge’s gavel. “Is everyone alright?!” Nobody responded to my yelling, so I focused my hearing. I imagined everyone was pale as sheets, as all I could hear were their shaky breaths. Still, it sounded like they were all alive, and there were no groans of pain, so it seemed like no one was hit. I sighed with relief. That could’ve ended badly. I took my place at the witness stand and waited patiently for the noise to die down. I was waiting for a long time.

The noise did eventually die down long enough for the judge to declare a recess, but I didn’t leave like everyone else. I needed to be alone, anyway. I had to think of a way to ensure no more of those men would be firing guns at us as the trial continued. After almost all the minutes for the recess were used up, I finally came up with something. I braced myself as the others filed back in.

“Court is back in session for the trial of Sandra Castro,” the judge announced.

“Someone tried to kill us. Let’s not waste time on formalities,” I said. I then looked to everyone, trying to envision each of their faces. “It’s time now for me to be perfectly honest. I say if we want to continue, clear the courtroom and strike everything said from here on out from record.”

“That’s an odd request,” the judge stated. Thank you, Captain Obvious.

“I know, but if you don’t do this for me, I’ll refuse to testify, and without my testimony, no theories you could possibly come up with hold any water.”

“But if you don’t testify--” the judge began.

“I’ll be found guilty. I know. You keep stating the obvious,” I finished. “And I was pleading guilty in the first place because I was counting on it. This really makes no difference to me.”

“In light of recent events, I don’t think Miss Castro’s request is too farfetched.” Mr. Edgeworth interjected. “Someone brought a gun here and shot it. It’s perfectly reasonable to think more people might do the same thing.” This caused a brief uproar from the spectators, but the judge calmed them down with his usual gavel-banging and “order” shouting.

“I-I think…” Phoenix stammered hesitantly. He was still shaken up from the gun-shots, I’d wager. Poor guy doesn’t get shot at enough not to be. He cleared his throat. “Ahem. I think that I agree with Mr. Edgeworth. We should finish this trial, and we can’t do it if Miss Castro doesn’t testify.”

“Very well, then. Spectators, out!” the judge boomed. All the spectators left in a hurry, and I took a deep breath as the place was cleared.

“I’m afraid you will have to hold me in contempt of court, Your Honor, as you do with just about every witness that takes the stand,” I began. “For, you see, it is as Mr. Edgeworth said. I’ve been lying this whole time to protect all of you. Of course, it was completely useless, as you all were shot at just now. At least, Mr. Edgeworth was.”

“Miss Castro, you were shot at as well. There is a bullet hole right behind where you’re standing to prove it,” Mr. Edgeworth pointed out. I smirked.

“I’m shot at a lot, Mr. Edgeworth. It comes with the territory of ticking criminals off,” I explained calmly. “In any case, I’ll come clean. I did not murder anyone. This all dates back…to my past…” I couldn’t stop my face from contorting as I said this. I didn’t want to say it, but it wasn’t as if lots of people were hearing this information. I just needed to focus. “I am from Babahl, part of what used to be Cohdhopia. I doubt any of you have heard of the place. I was born and raised there, became a detective over there…and received intelligence that the largest and most feared mafia of Babahl had a base of operations right here in the United States. An elite group of officers and detective joined me in an effort to take these people down. We came here under fake names and false identities as a safety precaution. I trust you’re familiar with the name ‘Martha Finch’, Mr. Edgeworth.” I heard the breath that meant Mr. Edgeworth was cringing.

“Th-that was you?!” he demanded, slamming his hand on the table. I nodded.

“And the man you managed to arrest on drug charges was my brother, Richard,” I added.

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!” Maya shouted. I was wondering when someone would do that.

“He always was screwed up in the head, which made him perfect for the mafia. Mr. Edgeworth originally charged him with murder and attempted murder, but those charges didn’t stick. The drug charges, however, did. Thus, I respect him,” I answered. “In any case, we came here and we raided the warehouse we believed to be their center of operations…but they knew we were coming. It turned out, all the protection and secrecy did us no good.” I laughed bitterly.

“What do you mean by that?” Phoenix asked.

“I’m getting there. So, we went into the warehouse to find nothing but cases loaded with what we believed to be drugs. We figured we at least had enough evidence of drug use to put those men away for a long time, so we tried to take that stuff. We didn’t realize we were trapped. I knew something was wrong when it was too late. I threw my case away from me as the building lit on fire. The cases all exploded upon contact with the fire, and what sprung out was some form of acid…known to cause chemical burns. I raised my arms to block the stuff that was flying at me, but I didn’t quite cover my eyes on time…and that is how I lost my eyesight. I tackled the door as often as I could, hoping to get out of there. I fainted due to lack of oxygen, and I was sure I’d join the other officers and detectives in death.” I averted my eyes. “I lived instead.”

“You seem sad about it,” Mr. Edgeworth remarked. I looked in his direction.

“It’s not easy when you love someone to…” I started to say, but I was too choked up to finish that statement. I could hear my voice break and I was ready to cry at any moment. I forced myself to concentrate. “That’s not relevant information. In any case, I thought my life was over, so I moved here permanently and waited for death to come. Instead of going quietly, though, I heard Mr. Edgeworth was in trouble. It looked like he was the center of another murder, as the victim was found in his house. I decided to investigate. That was when I became a private investigator and my life had meaning again. I trained myself with a cane-sword and focused on further sharpening my remaining senses. Now, I bet you’re wondering why I said all this. It all has to do with the case at hand.” I took a deep breath.

“The mafia has still been operating here. The late Sandra Castro was a hit woman for said mafia, and, as I testified at the beginning of this trial, was going to kill me and replace me. The plan was complicated, but they had no idea where I was until I became famous and a huge investigation would be launched into my death in the event of a murder. It would’ve been inconvenient to say the least.” I smirked. “I don’t know why she didn’t go through with this plan. Maybe she came to admire me, maybe she pitied me, but either way, she thought about leaving the mafia. Word came to them about this, so they killed her and forged the evidence to make it seem like I did it. Talk about killing two birds with one stone. They did kill her with a cane-sword, which they replaced my regular cane-sword at the security checkpoint in this courthouse. When I realized my cane-sword had been replaced, I told Mr. Edgeworth right away. I pieced the rest together when one of their members was careless and tried to torture me into pleading guilty.”

“Tried to? But haven’t you been pleading guilty this whole time?!” Phoenix yelled. I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, but not because of the torture. I wanted to protect all of you,” I responded. “And so, now you know the full truth. Surely you can see the only solution here is to declare me guilty.”

“What? Why? I don’t understand,” the judge said.

“You dope. If you find the real perpetrator and indict him for murder, you’ll all die at the mafia’s hands. I can’t have that on my conscience,” I explained. “I’d take the punishment for a crime I didn’t commit over putting you in such danger.”

“B-but, that’s not right!” Phoenix shouted.

“So what? It’s better than the alternative,” I countered.

“There is a third option,” Mr. Edgeworth interjected.

“What do you mean, Mr. Edgeworth?” the judge asked.

“You don’t have to find someone guilty of murder. You can declare Miss Castro ‘not guilty’ and leave the case open for later,” Mr. Edgeworth replied. “I believe this is the course of action to take.”

“Leave the case open so someone else can die trying to solve it? No, thank you. I’d sooner die,” I declared.

“I’m sure you would, Miss Castro, to join your fiancée,” Mr. Edgeworth stated. I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening. How dare he say that, even if he thought it was true!

“We…we weren’t--,” I attempted to explain.

“Save it for another time, Miss Castro. I think this is hardly the place to discuss your personal affairs,” Mr. Edgeworth interrupted. I grit my teeth and shook. How I wished I had my cane-sword with me! He was the one that wanted to draw that stuff from me in the first place! I was so angry, I could scream, but I managed not to do that.

“I don’t like the idea of letting the real killer get away,” Phoenix said.

“We would only be doing that for now, Mr. Wright. We’d be saving it for when we’re equipped to take on the mafia,” Mr. Edgeworth explained. “Which we certainly aren’t now.”

“Hmmm…I believe Mr. Edgeworth makes a good point. I’d forgotten that was an option,” the judge admitted. “And I can see that Miss Castro is telling the truth when I look into her eyes, something I didn’t see before when she was pleading guilty.” He looked around. “For this reason, it is my opinion she is innocent. Therefore, I declare the defendant, Sandra Castro, not guilty. Court is adjourned.” The judge banged his gavel and we filed out of the courtroom.

I told Mr. Edgeworth after we left that the man I loved hadn’t gotten around to proposing to me before he died. The ring I wear was saved from the fire and given to me because it wouldn’t serve any purpose as evidence. I believe I learned something through this whole endeavor. You can’t avoid the truth, no matter how much you want to. And no matter how good you are, you can’t always hide it from others, either. At some point, you just have to open up. …I also decided that it was time for me to try taking the mafia down single-handedly. That was my purpose. I was ready to accept it and do what had to be done to keep everyone safe and prevent them from meeting a fate like mine. Not to mention, it would be a great way to avenge all my friends that died in the warehouse raid.

Would this road lead me to my untimely death? Most likely. Is it possible I won’t be able to write anymore? Very. Is it worth it? Only time will tell.

The End...For Now.