April 11, 12:13 PM
District Court
Courtroom No. 2
"Court will now reconvene. Mr. Payne, please call your witness." The Judge said.
"This next person is someone who witnessed the crime as it happened. The prosecution calls Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne to the stand!" Payne said, as Dahlia walked up to the stand without saying a word. "..."
"..." The Judge said.
"Awkward…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Wh-What's with this stiff silence...?'
"In my long career as a judge, I have been deceived by many witnesses. It's my job to doubt; to take no one at their word... But in your case, I must admit that you radiate a glow of complete sincerity." The Judge said.
"Um…" I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'I can't believe he actually said that!'
"Oh! Um, now then, witness. Could you please state your full name?" Payne asked.
"... I, umm…" Dahlia said, nervously.
"Don't worry, sweetie. There's no need to be nervous!" The Judge said, happily.
"If anyone says anything rude, you can be sure, I'll cut them right down to size!" Payne yelled.
"And I will bash them with my gavel!"
"Uh…" I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'I love how they look straight at me when they say that…'
"Um, thank you... for calming my nerves. You are all so nice... I almost feel right at home." Dahlia said.
"Not at all!" Payne said.
"It was nothing!" The Judge said.
"If we may move on now... What is your full name and occupation?" Mia asked.
"My name is Dahlia Hawthorne. I'm a junior in Literature at Ivy University. I just want to say... It's an honor for me to be here in your noble presence." Dahlia said.
"The honor is all mine!" Payne said.
"No... The honor is all mine." The Judge said.
"Looks like she got a reverse harem." I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Well, we know whose milkshake brings all the boys to the yard…'
"...Umm. Sir?" Dahlia asked.
"Is there something I can help you with?" Payne asked.
"You just go on and say whatever is on your mind!" The Judge said.
"I'm sure that there must be some kind of mistake. Feenie wouldn't kill anyone. I just know it!" Dahlia said.
"Yes, yes... I can see why you'd say that."
"Mia, Dahlia is a tough nut to crack." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'She's going to be a tough witness, alright... It only took her 12 seconds to wrap them all around her little finger.'
"Now then, please proceed with your testimony. Let's hear about what you witnessed on the day of the incident, if you please." The Judge said.
Witness Testimony
-- What I Witnessed --
"I had been planning to go back to Feenie's place after class was over. Feenie and Dougie... They were talking behind the building. Then suddenly... Dougie got all wobbly and just collapsed. That's when Feenie noticed that I was there. I went to go and find some other students and they called the authorities." Dahlia said.
"I-I don't know what to say! According to you, Ms. Hawthorne... ...the defendant didn't do anything wrong!" The Judge said.
"Young lady." Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "As old as I am, even I recall how hot the flames of young passion can burn. Nevertheless... It is my job to discover the truth. Please, tell us the truth…"
"But... But, I... I would never…" Dahlia said, nervously.
"That's more than enough, witness." Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "I won't allow this to continue."
"Wh-What do you mean by that?" The Judge asked.
"Please, just let me proceed with my cross-examination, Your Honor. I, for one, don't plan to win my case on a bunch of paper-thin lies!"
"...Tee hee." Dahlia said, giggling. "You haven't changed a bit... Mia Fey."
"..." Mia said.
"What's this? So, you two are... acquainted?" Payne asked.
"Yes. We've met before... Once."
"..." Dahlia said.
"Dahlia, it's been a while." I said, looking at Dahlia. "I see you haven't changed."
"Neither have you, Jared Shay."
"In any case, Ms. Fey, the floor is all yours." The Judge said.
"It's good to see you again, Madame Fey!" Dahlia said, excitedly.
"'Madame'!?" Mia exclaimed, and she thought this to herself. 'I'm no one's grandma yet, girlie!'
Cross Examination
-- What I Witnessed --
"I had been planning to go back to Feenie's place after class was over. Feenie and Dougie...They were talking behind the building. Then suddenly... Dougie got all wobbly and just collapsed. That's when Feenie noticed that I was there. Um, actually, I didn't see the moment he pushed Dougie. It didn't look like they were fighting, and I didn't hear any noise either." Dahlia said.
"Wrong." I said, handing Phoenix's testimony to Mia. "Here you go, Mia."
"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, presenting Phoenix's Testimony and doing the Objection pose. "You say you didn't hear any noise. Is that correct?"
"Yes. That's why I was very relaxed, looking at the scenery around me." Dahlia said.
"That's nice, but I find that just a little odd. I have here, the testimony of your boyfriend, Mr. Phoenix Wright. And he clearly testified to the effect... ...that when he pushed the victim, he heard a sharp, loud noise." Mia said.
"H-He said that?"
"If you were really that close to the two of them, why didn't you hear this noise as well?"
"I...!"
"W-Well, maybe the noise just wasn't all that memorable." Payne said, doing the Objection pose.
"But according to Mr. Wright's testimony, it was a sharp noise like a 'SNAP'!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "There's no way a noise like that could fail to make an impression!"
"Ack!!"
"Umm... May I have a moment to answer?" Dahlia asked.
"B-By all means!" The Judge said, happily.
"I know the reason why I didn't hear the noise. You see, the truth is... I had my headphones on, and I was listening to music at the time."
"Wait, you were wearing headphones. So your ears were covered." I said, sadly. "Guess they were the over the ear kind. Even so, they might not be the noise cancellation and transparency kind."
"Yes, you're correct. The rain was just beginning to let up... But it seemed as though Thor wasn't ready for his fun to come to an end yet. So the sky continued to flash and rumble." Dahlia said.
"Thunder and lightning, huh…" Mia said.
"Yes, I'm afraid of the sound of thunder. So I put my headphones on to block it out…"
"Hee, hee, hee, hee... Well, Your Honor? As you can see, there weren't any contradictions in her testimony after all." Payne said, smiling.
"Hmm…" The Judge said.
"Mia, Dahlia's testimony mentioned lightning." I said, frowning. "There was lightning that day. It could change this whole case."
"Your Honor! There is a problem with the witness's testimony!" Mia said, angrily.
"Wh-What do you mean!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Didn't you notice? She said there was lightning, correct?" Mia asked.
"Yes... What about it?"
"Well, lightning is actually a large discharge of electricity in the atmosphere, am I right?"
"Now's not the time for a science lesson, Ms. Fey!"
"Yes, Your Honor. Anyway, since the cause of death was electrocution... ...isn't it possible that the victim died from being hit by a bolt of lightning!?"
"Oh!" The Judge said, happily.
"Ah!" Payne said, worried.
"...!" Dahlia said, at a loss for words.
"Hmm... I must admit that the thought had not occurred to me!" The Judge said.
"At least it didn't activate the time circuits of a Delorean." I said, smirking.
'Just what kind of thoughts DO occur to this guy anyway?' Mia asked, talking to herself before speaking aloud. "This entire case is built on the premise that Mr. Doug Swallow was 'murdered'... ...but that very premise itself is mistaken! The defense believes that Mr. Swallow was, in fact, the victim of a stray bolt!"
"I-It appears the defense may be on to something! Could it be that the death was actually accidental?" The Judge asked.
"Nice work, Mia. If all goes well, you'll get the 'Not Guilty' verdict." I said, placing my arms on the table.
"Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee…" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "I'm hurt that you have such a low opinion of me, Ms. Fey."
"Huh...?" Mia asked.
"I'm not a fool, you know. The prosecution has done its research, Your Honor. We found that there were no lightning strikes on that day at that location!"
"Whaaa!?"
"What's more... We have evidence that the electrical cable is definitely linked to this case."
"E-Evidence, Mr. Payne!? Well, what is this evidence?" The Judge asked.
"This affidavit." Payne said, taking out a piece of paper.
"And who is this affidavit from?" The Judge asked.
"The Pharmacology students who were conducting experiments in their labs that day. Allow me to read out to the court the testimony of the Pharmacology students. 'All equipment in the labs lost power all of a sudden at around 3:00 PM that day.'"
"Was it a blackout?"
"All of the labs' equipment runs of high-voltage, Your Honor."
"So you're saying the equipment lost power because…" Mia said.
"Precisely. They lost power because of the severed electrical cable. The power outage occurred at approximately 3:00 PM…" Payne said.
"And that fits the time of death listed in the autopsy report." I said, letting out a sigh.
"Exactly! In other words... The victim died as a result of touching the severed electrical cable. According to the students, the cables were very old. They were planning on having them replaced in the near future." Payne said.
"Hmm, I see…" The Judge said.
"Apparently the cables had become so brittle... ...that even the smallest bump would've caused them to break."
Students' Testimony added to the Court Record.
"However... There is one thing that troubles me. If the cable could have been broken by any small bump... ...then it wouldn't have snapped if it hadn't been bumped into, correct?" The Judge asked.
"W-Well... I suppose you could say that." Payne said.
"Hmm, Ms. Fey. Do you have any thoughts regarding the cause of the severed cable?" The Judge asked.
"Y-Your Honor…" Mia said, sadly.
"Mia, I don't like this. You can come up with something good! I believe in you. Just try to regain the momentum you lost." I said, smiling.
"Thank you for believing in me, Jared. If it pleases the court, the defense would like to state its opinion." Mia said, looking at the Judge.
"Well then, let's hear it. Who or what was it that caused the cable to break?" The Judge asked.
"Mia, here you go." I said, handing Phoenix's Testimony to Mia. "This might help."
"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, doing the Take that pose. "Your Honor. Please think back to Mr. Wright's testimony."
"The defendant's testimony?" The Judge asked.
"He said that after he pushed the victim, he heard a loud, sharp noise. Now, this happened at around 3:00 PM, correct?"
"Yes, that sounds right. Wait! Are you saying that…"
"The lab equipment lost power at 2:55 PM... which fits right in Mr. Wright's timeline. In other words, it was Mr. Wright's shove that caused the power outage."
"Yes! The prosecution also came to that same conclusion. And it was that very shove that caused Mr. Swallow to be electrocuted!" Payne said, worried.
"I'm afraid I can't agree with you there, Mr. Payne." Mia said, doing the Objection pose.
"Wh-What's that supposed to mean?" Payne asked.
"Take a good look at where the victim landed after being shoved. See the umbrella? It's by the electrical pole. That's right. The victim banged into that pole as a result of being pushed. It was that impact that caused the cable to break."
"Hmm... Well, that makes sense. And then the victim was electrocuted." The Judge said.
"I'm sorry Your Honor, but no. It doesn't make sense at all. If the victim was shoved into the far pole... ...then he couldn't have been electrocuted by this severed cable in the foreground here!"
"AAAAAAAAAAHH!!" Payne yelled.
"In other words... Someone other than my client must have electrocuted the victim!" Mia said, angrily.
"Order! Order in the court!" The Judge yelled.
"Nice work, Mia." I said, while Mia thought this to herself. 'Ah, the lamentations of my enemy. How I've longed to hear them!'
"It-It's true... The defense is absolutely correct! There doesn't seem to be any way the defendant could have done it--" The Judge said.
"Umm... Mr. Judge, sir? May I say something? The madame attorney's explanation... She said some things that are a little different than I remember them." Dahlia said, sadly.
"Wh-Wh-"
"Wh-Wh-" Payne said, at a loss for words.
"What the...!?" Mia exclaimed.
"Please, just once more. May I please testify one last time? Please... Mr. Judge?" Dahlia asked.
"Of course it's alright! Just go right ahead and give your new testimony!" The Judge said, excitedly.
"Finally. Dahlia is showing her true colors again." I said, smirking.
Witness Testimony
-- What I Witnessed, Part 2 --
"The truth is... Feenie pushed him twice. The first time was into the electrical pole. That's when the cable broke. Then Dougie tried his best to run away from him… But Feenie caught up and crashed into him from behind. The cable snapping, and Dougie being electrocuted -- it all occurred in less than a minute." Dahlia said.
"Hmm... So after being shoved... ...the victim got up and tried to run away." The Judge said.
"And that is when the defendant pushed him for the second time." Payne said.
"I'm so sorry, Feenie... But I... I just have to tell the truth. Am I doing the right thing? Am I, Mr. Judge?" Dahlia asked.
"Of course you are, my dear! As painful as it may seem, you are."
"Now then, Ms. Fey. You may proceed with your cross-examination!" The Judge said.
Cross Examination
-- What I Witnessed, Part 2 --
"The truth is... Feenie pushed him twice. The first time was into the electrical pole. That's when the cable broke. Then Dougie tried his best to run away from him… But Feenie caught up and crashed into him from behind. The cable snapping, and Dougie being electrocuted -- it all occurred in less than a minute." Dahlia said.
"Here you go, Mia." I said, handing Mia Crim Photo 2. "This should shut her up."
"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, presenting Crime Photo 2 and doing the Objection pose. "That's enough, witness."
"I'm afraid I don't understand…" Dahlia said, sadly.
"You will in a minute. Could you please take a look at this picture?"
"Oh. That medicine... That's the one Feenie likes to take for his cold."
"It's not the medicine I want you to look at... It's the wristwatch. It stopped at the precise time the victim was electrocuted. In other words... 3:05 PM."
"Yes, and your point is, Ms. Fey...?" The Judge asked.
"My point is this! What time was it when the lab suffered that power outage due to the cable snapping?"
"Well, according to the students' testimony, the answer is clear. It was 2:55 PM... Yeeaaaaaaarrrgghhh!!" Payne said, terrified.
"Would you care to explain to the court, Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne... ...what exactly happened during this 10 minute interval!?" Mia exclaimed.
"...!" Dahlia said, at a loss for words.
"The defense proposes that... ...it was during this interval that the real murderer killed Mr. Doug Swallow!"
"Or-Order! Order in the court! What is this all ab…" The Judge said.
"Th-This is nonsense!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "The 'real murderer'...!?"
"Even you can't deny that the time between the cable breaking and the electrocution…" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "...are completely unaccounted for!"
"Th-Then who was it!?" Payne exclaimed, doing the Objection pose. "Who else are you saying could've done it!?"
"There's only one person who could have murdered Mr. Swallow. Only after my client had left the scene... ...was there a window of opportunity for the real killer!"
"Ms. Fey. Is the defense ready to indict someone as this 'real killer'?"
"It's time, Mia. This is the moment you've been waiting for." I said, happily.
"I know. Yes, Your Honor. We are ready." Mia said, smiling.
"Very well. But remember! If you accuse the wrong person, you will be penalized. Think very carefully before you speak, Ms. Fey. Now then, Ms. Fey. Let's have it. Who is the 'real killer'!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"I really don't like her." I said, passing Mia the profile of Dahlia Hawthorne. "Here you go, Mia."
"It could only have been you, Dahlia Hawthorne!" Mia said, doing the Take that pose and presenting the profile of Dahlia Hawthorne.
"Waaaaah! H-How... H-How can you...!" Dahlia said, terrified.
"Th-The defense is grasping at straws!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose.
"Ten minutes passed between the time the cable broke and the time of the electrocution! What exactly were you doing that whole time, Ms. Hawthorne? Were you really listening to some music while 'cheering them both on' as they fought? I find it hard to believe that you didn't lift a finger to stop the men 'dearest' to you!" Mia said, looking at Dahlia.
"Order! Order! Ms. Fey! Wh-What... I mean, why... That is to say…" The Judge said, at a loss for words.
"Ms. Hawthorne! I believe you did witness the two men fighting on that day. However! After Mr. Wright pushed the victim, and subsequently left the scene... ...it was YOU who pushed Mr. Swallow to his death by your very own hands!"
"AAAAAAAAHHH!!! H-How can you say something so mean, Madame Fey...! I... I didn't do anything...!" Dahlia said, worried.
"Ms. Fey! This is a very serious charge you are--" The Judge said.
"Your Honor! P-Please, I have something I want to say!" Phoenix said, doing the Hold It pose before sneezing.
"Y-Y-You! Wh-What is it!?"
"Please... Please strike everything the defense said just now from the record!"
"What the...!? Are you daft!?" Mia exclaimed.
"You're totally wrong, Miss Fey! Dollie... She... She couldn't do something like that!" Phoenix said, getting out of his seat.
"Mr. Wright!! Get back in your seat! Bailiff! Grab that man!" The Judge said, angrily.
"Aaaarrgghh…" Phoenix said, sneezing. "Leave my Dollie alone!"
"Oh, Phoenix…" I said, as Phoenix sneezed then coughed.
"... That boy…" Grossberg said, letting out a sigh. "He's gotten himself in way over his head."
"Oh...! Mr. Grossberg! You're back!" Mia said, happily.
"It seems I've arrived just in the nick of time. I found the police report on that incident in your newspaper clipping!"
Police Report added to the Court Record.
"Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was hoping for!" Mia said, happily.
"You'd better take a good look at it... It... err... details how you came to lose your boyfriend." Grossberg said.
"Now then, the defense has made a very serious accusation. Mr. Payne, what do you have to say about this?" The Judge asked.
"W-Well really, Your Honor... I... I... That is I…" Payne said, nervously.
"May I interrupt you for just a moment, Mr. Prosecutor?" Dahlia asked.
"Ah, don't you worry, my dear. I have this situation well in hand."
"..." Dahlia said, sniffling. "..."
"Err, that is I... Um... G-G-Go right ahead."
"Madame Fey, are you seriously accusing me of killing my sweet Dougie?"
"Yes. I am. Not only am I saying you murdered Doug Swallow... ...but you also tried to pin the whole thing on your current lover, Phoenix Wright!" Mia yelled.
"I told you that you should let me handle this…" Payne said, doing the Objection pose.
"..." Dahlia said, weeping. "..."
"Urk. Sorry. P-Please go ahead."
"How can you say that!? I'm absolutely devoted to my dear Feenie. The notion that I would try to frame him is ludicrous! This is all just too much for poor little me to bear!!"
"Ah, I believe the girl is trying to ask what on Earth her motive would be." Grossberg said.
"Mia, look in the police report." I said, taking out another bottle of Coke to drink it. "Something might be in there."
"Right." Mia said, looking down at the Police Report. "Eight months ago, an incident occurred in the basement cafeteria of this building. And then... that same day the two of them 'accidentally' meet…" She then looked up at the Judge. "Your Honor. The defense requests further testimony from Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne!"
"F-Further testimony...? What about?" The Judge asked.
"About the events of the day when she first met the defendant, Mr. Phoenix Wright." Mia said.
"What could that possibly have to do with this case!?" Payne exclaimed, doing the Objection pose.
"The witness claims that she has no reason to frame the defendant, am I correct?" Mia asked, doing the Objection pose. "Well I have evidence that suggests that she, in fact, had a very good reason!"
"Very well then, the court grants the defense's request. Young lady. Would you mind staying on for just a bit longer?" The Judge asked.
"Of course not, Mr. Judge." Dahlia said, smiling.
"Hope you're ready, Dahlia Hawthorne. Get ready for the battle of your life." I said, smirking.
Witness Testimony
-- How I Met My Feenie --
"I first met my darling Feenie eight months ago. It's like we were destined to meet in this very courthouse's basement reading room. The moment our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat! We've been going out ever since that fateful day." Dahlia said.
"We're so lovey-wuvey, we literally make people sick! It's just jealousy, I think…" Phoenix said.
"Mr. Wright! Do that again and you will be held in contempt of court!" The Judge said, angrily.
"We've finally entered the final act of a romcom." I said, happily. "Good luck, Mia."
"As we used to say in the days of my youth, 'Go get her!'" Grossberg said, excitedly.
Cross Examination
-- How I Met My Feenie --
"I first met my darling Feenie eight months ago. It's like we were destined to meet in this very courthouse's basement reading room." Dahlia said.
"The courthouse reading room?" Mia asked, doing the Hold it pose. "That's a strange place to meet the love of your life."
"That's not true, Madame Fey. After all, Feenie was... Feenie was not only an art student, but he was also planning on becoming a lawyer."
"I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about you, Ms. Hawthorne. What was a literature student like you doing in a courthouse reading room?"
"Tee hee. There's nothing strange about that. Ma'am." Dahlia said, smiling. "I had come to this courthouse to do some research for a paper I was writing. The moment our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat! We've been going out ever since that fateful day."
"Ms. Hawthorne, you weren't here because of your research paper, were you? Didn't you actually come here for a much more important reason?" Mia asked.
"...!"
"Wh-What is the meaning of that cocky smile on your face, Ms. Fey!?" Payne exclaimed, doing the Objection pose.
"Eight months ago, right here in this very courthouse, there was another tragedy." Mia said.
"Another tragedy...?" Payne asked.
"Do you mean the incident in which an attorney was poisoned?" The Judge asked.
"..." Dahlia said, at a loss for words.
"The name of the suspect in that incident is listed here in this report. And that name is... Dahlia Hawthorne!" Mia said, angrily.
"What!?" Payne exclaimed.
"D-Dahlia H-Hawthorne!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Yes! The sweetie-pie of everyone's eye, Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne! She was the prime suspect in a criminal case just eight months ago!" Mia said, looking at Dahlia.
"Order! Order! Order! ... Th-This is unbelievable! It's true then... The loveliest rose can hide the cruelest thorn…"
"Ms. Fey!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "Th-That's not fair! You can't slander my witness with an unrelated case!"
"Umm…" Dahlia said, nervously.
"I, Winston Payne, will not allow it!"
"Mr. Prosecutor... I believe I was speaking."
"Urk. P-Pardon me... G-Go right ahead…"
"It's true that about eight months ago... ...the police expressed some interest in me."
"Hmm... Expressed some interest, huh?" The Judge asked.
"Mr. Judge, sir... I know I'm under oath, so I'll tell you the absolute truth. I did not commit the crime that occurred during that incident eight months ago."
"I see…"
"Nice work, Mia. You tied the two crimes together. The one from eight months ago. And this one. Now all you have to do is stay on the offensive!" I said, happily.
"Well done, Mia! Ooohhh... You've really lit a fire in my heart... And my buttocks! I can hardly tell which is more inflamed, my spirit... or my hemorrhoids!" Grossberg said, excitedly.
Witness Testimony
-- The Poisoning --
"I met the lawyer who was poisoned to discuss something in the cafeteria that day. I left my seat for just a moment, and that's when it happened! From what I heard, it was a liquid poison that is lethal at just 2 teaspoons. Not only that, I heard it was a very special kind of poison. So you see, I'm innocent! I wouldn't even know where to get a poison like that!" Dahlia said.
"Hmm... So that's what happened here eight months ago." The Judge said.
"However, as you've heard from the witness's testimony, she had nothing to do with it. I think the defense is just about out of tricks…" Payne said.
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Payne. But I'm afraid the defense has many more tricks up its sleeve today. And I'll be sure to show them to you before the end of this cross-examination!" Mia said.
"Unnggh! What the...!? Why does the defense suddenly feel stronger...?" Payne asked.
"Aha! Mia! You're glowing with a true lawyer's aura, m'dear! That proud posture and self-confidence! Absolutely smashing!" Grossberg said, looking at Mia.
Cross Examination
-- The Poisoning --
"I met the lawyer who was poisoned to discuss something in the cafeteria that day. I left my seat for just a moment, and that's when it happened! From what I heard, it was a liquid poison that is lethal at just 2 teaspoons. Not only that, I heard it was a very special kind of poison. So you see, I'm innocent! I wouldn't even know where to get a poison like that!" Dahlia said, worried.
"Another lie." I said, passing Mia the Doug Swallow Profile. "Especially for the poison."
"You're not wrong, Jared." Mia said, presenting the Doug Swallow profile "You wouldn't know how to get that kind of poison? I don't believe you."
"What...!?" Dahlia exclaimed.
"In fact, you had easy access to that kind of poison, didn't you? At your boyfriend's lab!"
"B-Boyfriend!? You mean the victim, Doug Swallow!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"That's right. Up until eight months ago, Ms. Hawthorne was dating Mr. Swallow. And if you'll recall, Mr. Swallow was a Pharmacology student at Ivy University." Mia said.
"Ph-Ph-Pharmacology…" Payne said, sadly.
"His laboratory contained highly advanced chemistry equipment. In fact, without such equipment... ...the culprit could never have obtained such a rare and special poison!"
"...!" Dahlia said, shocked.
"Well, Ms. Hawthorne? It seems you had access to such a poison after all. And then, it was a matter of slipping it into the victim's coffee when he wasn't looking. The only person who could've done that was the one sitting at his very table -- you!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dahlia yelled.
"Order! Order! Order! C-C-Could it be...!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Th-That's nothing but a baseless accus…" Payne said, doing the Objection pose.
"May I say something, Madame Fey?" Dahlia asked.
"What is it, Ms. Hawthorne?" Mia asked.
"The amount of poison in the coffee was 2 teaspoons, correct? In order to carry that much liquid... you would need some kind of container."
"Yeah. That is true." I said, frowning. "I onced helped combine poisons to combat another poison using things you could find in a plane."
"I was searched immediately after the incident took place."
"Quite true. In fact the entire courthouse was turned upside down." Payne said.
"But... they didn't find a suspicious container anywhere, did they?" Dahlia asked.
'She's right... They even mentioned that in the report!' Mia said, thinking that to herself before talking aloud. "W-Well, you could've easily gotten rid of something that small!"
"Excuse me, Madame, but this is a court of law! If you're saying I threw the poison container away... ...I think you need to show some kind of proof!"
"P-Proof...!?" Mia exclaimed, before thinking this to herself. 'She got me good with that!'
"Provide some evidence or I'll have to disallow this line of questioning, Ms. Fey!" The Judge said, angrily.
"Unless we can come up with some evidence, we're going to lose this lead!" Grossberg said, worried.
"Mia, think. The police did a full body search of Dahlia and the entire courthouse eight months ago. The container holding the poison disappeared after the crime occurred." I said, looking at Mia.
"If you're going to accuse the young lady of committing the murder... ...then where is the container the poison was carried in? What happened to it?" The Judge asked.
"I think your answer is right here, Mia." I said, passing Dahlia's Present to Mia. "This could help you."
"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, presenting Dahlia's Present and doing the Take That pose. "You were forced to get rid of the container in a hurry, weren't you? And that's why you passed it on to someone that had nothing to do with the case! Someone that you knew wouldn't be searched!"
"W-Who is this person!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Mr. Phoenix Wright, of course."
"So the defendant was this witness's accomplice?" Payne asked, doing the Objection pose.
"Of course not. She gave the poison to him disguised as... a present."
"Wh-What...!? B-But... But that's...!" Dahlia said, at a loss for words.
"Hmm... That's a charming little necklace. Is this... a little bottle? It's really quite cute. So what about it? What does it mean, Ms. Fey?" The Judge asked.
"The day that the witness met and fell for Mr. Phoenix Wright was eight months ago... August 27th. The very same day as the poisoning incident. Under the pretense of love, the witness gave my client a present. All for the purpose of hiding the one piece of evidence that would give her away!" Mia said.
"Whaaat!? Are you saying there's a deadly poison in here!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"No, there's no longer any poison in that bottle. However! I'm certain if the crime lab were to analyze it, they would find a trace amount!"
"... NOOOOOOOOOO!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" Dahlia yelled.
"Or-Order! Order in the court! Ahh, umm…" The Judge said, sadly.
"On behalf of Dollie, I object!" Phoenix said, doing the Objection pose.
"M-Mr. Wright! Control yourself!" Payne said, looking at Phoenix.
"I-I won't let you bully her like this...!"
"Mr. Wright! I thought I told you to stay in your seat!" The Judge said, angrily.
"Phoenix. Why? Why are you going through so much trouble to protect her?" I asked, looking at Phoenix.
"Why? B-Because...! Because I'm madly in love with her!" Phoenix said, happily.
"Really? You sure?"
"Hmmm, hmmmm... 'Madly in love'... I haven't heard anyone say that in a long time…" The Judge said.
"Mr. Wright... Have you ever thought about this... Why exactly would a woman like Dahlia Hawthorne want to date you anyway?" Mia asked.
"W-Well... I guess she must be madly in love with me too…" Phoenix said.
'Mr. Wright... Please! Open your eyes...!' Mia said, thinking that to herself before speaking aloud. "At this point in the trial, I think it should be obvious to everyone. The real reason that Dahlia Hawthorne is dating you is… because of that necklace. Dahlia Hawthorne was not and is not madly in love with you. The only thing she's after is that bottle necklace you love to wear around your neck!"
"My n-necklace...?"
"Back there in the waiting room, you said it yourself…"
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 3
"Yeah, but she's so shy. Every time I see her, she always says the same thing to me. 'Please give it back now'." Phoenix said.
"What a strange girl, asking for a present back like that…" Grossberg said.
District Court
Courtroom No. 2
"For Dahlia Hawthorne, that necklace is irrefutable evidence of her crime. That's why she absolutely had to get it back." Mia said.
"Y-You're lying!" Phoenix said.
"But you never gave it back to her. And to make things worse for her, you insisted on showing it to everyone you met. That's why she..."
"...I don't... I don't believe you... NOOO!! Th-That's a LIE!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
"Eeeeeek!!" Mia said, while Phoenix slammed into her.
"Mia. Are you okay?" I asked, as Phoenix was running away. "Shit. Phoenix is getting away."
"Bailiff! Hurry! After him!" The Judge said, angrily.
"Mia! Mia! Are you alright!?" Grossberg exclaimed.
"Y-Yes, I-I think so…" Mia said, sadly.
"That boy...! He went completely insane!"
"Where... Where's Mr. Wright?"
"It looks like the bailiff caught him, so he should be brought back here soon."
"Thank goodness... ... Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" I asked, still sipping on my bottle of Coke.
"The bottle necklace...! Ms. Hawthorne's 'present'...! It's gone...!" Mia said, worried.
"Whaaaaat...! That's terrible!" Grossberg said, worried.
"Mr. Wright must have grabbed it when he slammed into me!"
"Foolish boy...! That's the only thing that could have saved him... What in blazes are we supposed to do noooow!"
"Mr. Wright!! This sort of behavior is unprecedented in the history of this court!" The Judge said, and Phoenix is brought back into the courtroom.
"I-I'm sorry…" Phoenix said, sadly.
"I'm afraid that your apology is not enough!" Payne yelled.
"Mr. Wright! What did you do with the bottle necklace?" Mia asked.
"F-Forgive me... I... I... I'm sorry…" Phoenix said, frowning.
"It's OK. Just give back the necklace."
"... I ate it."
"... You what?"
"Wait. You ate it?" I asked, looking at Phoenix. "Why would you do that?"
"I had to. It was too big to swallow, so I had to chew it into little bits first, but yeah... ...Ugh. Aaaaaaaaahhhh!" Phoenix said, crying.
"What the...?" Mia asked.
"Wha--...?" Payne asked.
"What is he doing now!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Y-Your Honor!" Mia said, doing the Hold it pose. "You've got to stop the trial!! Mr. Wright! Mr. Wright! Are you feeling OK!? Does your stomach hurt!? That bottle you swallowed may have had some poison left in it!"
"Ehee hee... Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee…" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "It seems the defendant has proven the prosecution's case for us. Clearly that bottle did not contain a deadly poison!"
"H-How can you be so sure!?"
"Hee, hee, hee... I think that's obvious... As you can see, the defendant is still very much alive. As for the poison? More like a fledgling defense attorney's overactive imagination!"
"Hmm... So it would seem." The Judge said.
"No!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "There must be some mistake! The bottle must not have had any poison left in it! Either that or the poison must have lost its potency…"
"There, there... It's alright, rookie. Trusting your client is the most noble thing a defense attorney can do. And it's heartwarming to see that you placed this much faith in Mr. Wright." Payne said, looking at Mia.
"...!" Phoenix said, at a loss for words.
"But that's how it is for us on the prosecution side, too! For example, I would trust the witness, Ms. Hawthorne, with my very life! Which is why I can state that your assessment of her is completely wrong!"
"That's enough! Unfortunately, Ms. Fey, I cannot accept your explanation of the events." The Judge said.
"B-But why!?" Mia exclaimed.
"This may be impossible for a beginner like you to understand... ...but in a court of law, evidence is everything."
"Unngggh!" Mia said, before thinking that to herself. 'Even though I've proven so much, is she going to get away with everything...?'
"Well, now that the suspicion surrounding Ms. Hawthorne has been cleared up... I would like to proceed with the trial."
"Stop it…" I said, while Phoenix did the Hold it pose.
"M... Mr. Wright!" Mia said, looking at Phoenix.
"I'm sorry, Miss Fey. It totally slipped my mind. I'm really, really sorry... I know you believed in me, and I feel like I really let you down." Phoenix said, sadly.
"Mr. Wright... What are you trying to say?"
"Um... There's something I forgot to tell you."
"What is it!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"That day... The day I met Doug Swallow…" Phoenix said, sadly.
(Open POV)
"That girl... You shouldn't see her anymore." Swallow said.
"Hey! It's none of your business!" Phoenix yelled.
"I'm telling you for your sake. If you continue to see her, it's going to be bad news."
"Y-You're lying!"
"Just listen to me. There's something you need to know about that girl... …Last night, someone stole some poison from our lab."
"P-Poison...?"
"The same thing happened eight months ago. A drug sample was stolen. She came to the lab that time, too. It could only have been her! That girl is a thief!"
"Stop it! D-Don't talk about her like that!"
(Jared's POV)
District Court
Courtroom No. 2
"Can't remember everything. Sorry." I said, sadly. "But is it true? Did Doug Swallow really say that to you?"
"Th-That's ridiculous!" Payne said, scoffing.
"There's one more thing... After I pushed him that day... I got worried and came back to have a look. And she was there... Dollie was right there. She was crouched down next to him…" Phoenix said, frowning.
"What!?" Mia exclaimed.
"She told me not to ever tell anyone about it, but... I'm sorry, Dollie!" Phoenix said, worried.
"Y-Your Honor!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "This is... The defendant is…"
"Miss Fey! You tell them! D-Dollie didn't do it... Sh-She's innocent!"
"Mia, think. Dahlia stole the poison eight months ago. All you need to do is combine that with Phoenix's testimony for you to get one possible conclusion!" I said, placing my bottle of Coke onto the table.
"Right. The defense believes that Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne... ...stole some poison on the night before she killed Doug Swallow." Mia said.
"The night before...!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Naturally, her motive for stealing it was to kill someone!"
"Miss Fey…" Phoenix said, looking at Mia.
"If you're so certain of your theory, then let me ask you this." The Judge said.
"Mia, this is your last chance. No doovers. Just think carefully. There's something Dahlia wants to get back." I said, picking up my bottle of Coke to drink the soda again.
"Exactly who was Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne planning to kill?" The Judge asked.
"It's Elementary, my dear Fey." I said, passing Phoenix Wright's profile to Mia. "It's pretty simple."
"There was one person that was standing squarely in Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne's way... And that person was... Mr. Phoenix Wright!" Mia said, presenting Phoenix Wright's profile.
"... M-M-M-M-M-M-Meeee!?" Phoenix exclaimed.
"Th-That's preposterous!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "After all, it was Doug Swallow that was murdered!"
"Well, it's true that that's how things worked out... But, let's remember that Mr. Swallow died of electrocution, not poison. The person that Ms. Hawthorne was planning to poison was in fact... You, Phoenix Wright. There's no one else that it could be." Mia said, looking at Phoenix.
"B-But how can that be!? I-I thought Mr. Wright and Ms. Hawthorne were in love!" The Judge said, at a loss for words.
'Poor Mr. Wright... This must be killing him... Hang in there... I'll bring her to justice... I swear it!' Mia said, thinking that to herself before talking aloud. "As I said before, the only thing Ms. Hawthorne truly cared about was... ...the one piece of evidence linking her to that incident eight months ago. That's right. The bottle necklace. That's all she cared about."
"But even so... Why... Why would she go so far as to murder him!?"
"Eight months ago, just after the fall of that attorney in the basement cafeteria... Dahlia Hawthorne could think of only one thing. How to get rid of the bottle necklace as quickly as possible!" Mia said.
"N-No... It-It can't be…" Phoenix said, sadly.
"It was a pretty good move she made, too. The evidence was missing for a long time. But there was just one big problem. Although she got him to hide the evidence, Mr. Wright refused to return it to her. To him, the tiny little bottle was a cherished treasure. He even showed it to everyone he met!"
"Y-You mean... TH-THAT'S why she tried to kill Mr. Wright...?" The Judge asked.
"Correct, Your Honor. It was to retrieve that piece of evidence." Mia said.
"... Th-Th-Th... That can't be trueeeeeeeee!" Phoenix yelled.
"'Feenie'... What a joke you are. Honestly, how can any woman ever count on you for anything? I even told you time and time again to keep your trap shut about me and that necklace. ...You disgust me!" Dahlia said, scoffing.
"M-Ms. Hawthorne...?" The Judge asked.
"Well, all's well that ends well. It looks like this trial will be ending soon." I said, happily.
"Fine. I can tell you and the defense attorney plan on making me into a criminal no matter what I say!" Dahlia said, looking between Mia and I.
"Dahlia, I know. So, you are a criminal!"
"We'll see about that. But first, where's your evidence, Miss Fey? It seems your sniveling little crybaby of a client has eaten the bottle as a snack." Dahlia said, looking at Mia.
"Urk...! W-Well, umm…" Mia said, nervously.
"Hey! Old man! Are you senile or something!? Why don't you say something instead of sitting there with that dumb look on your face!" Dahlia said, looking at the Judge.
"M-M-Ms. Hawthorne! What's happened to you...!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Hmph! Are you really that shocked? ... Or do you prefer me... this way, Mr. Judge?"
"Nnnnggghh...!"
"With absolutely no proof, you treat a voluntary witness like she's a mass-murderer... Well, I have nothing more to say. I'll be heading home now, if you don't mind." Dahlia said, starting to leave the witness stand.
"B-But y-you're not finished…"
"Fine! Then ask this nasty old hag to finish up already!"
"Mia, you can't let her get away." I said, when Mia did the Hold it pose.
"Stop, Mia! If you keep on listening to Jared and pushing without any evidence... ...you could pay the ultimate price as a lawyer!" Grossberg said, angrily.
"The ultimate price...?" Mia asked.
"You'd be forced to take off your attorney's badge forever, I'm afraid." The Judge said, sadly.
"N-No...!"
"You'd better think it over carefully, Ms. Fey... Or should I say, Ms. Gray." Dahlia said, smirking.
"Well, Ms. Fey? Can you provide evidence that would establish her guilt once and for all?" The Judge asked.
'If I mess up here, my career as a lawyer is over! But to be honest... at this point I don't have any evidence that's well-founded. Even so... I'd rather lose my attorney's badge than let her get away with murder!' Mia said, thinking that to herself before speaking aloud. "Your Honor! The defense would like to present proof!"
"Im-Impossible! You can't possibly…" Payne said, at a loss for words.
"Stupid woman!" Dahlia yelled.
"It is the opinion of the court that there has already been enough discussion. Therefore, I will allow only one piece of evidence to be presented." The Judge said.
"J-Just one!?" Mia exclaimed.
"If you are unable to establish her guilt... ...then I'm afraid that a very harsh verdict will immediately be handed down on Mr. Wright."
"I understand, Your Honor."
"I can just imagine the headlines for tomorrow's newspaper. Up-and-coming lawyer plummets to Earth before she gets the chance to soar…" Dahlia said, smugly.
"Mia, remember. Dahlia was planning on poisoning Phoenix. The timeline has played out how I remembered it so far. If that's the case, then the poison is still in there." I said, smiling.
"Well then, Ms. Fey. Please present your evidence. Show to this court irrefutable proof that Ms. Hawthorne was planning to poison Mr. Wright!" The Judge said.
"Here you go, Mia." I said, handing Mia the bottle of Coldkiler X. "This should wrap up the trial."
"Thank you, Jared." Mia said, presenting the bottle of Coldkiller X and doing the Take That pose. "Here it is, Your Honor! The evidence that will prove her guilt once and for all."
"Coldkiller X... Phoenix Wright's beloved cold medicine." The Judge said.
"Hee, hee, hee, hee... Does our rookie defense attorney have a bit of a cold?" Payne asked.
"If I did, I still wouldn't take this cold medicine. After all... It's been poisoned." Mia said, smirking.
"Wh-What!?" The Judge exclaimed.
"Remember what the defendant said in his testimony."
(Open POV)
"But I lost my bottle of it around lunchtime on the day of the accident." Phoenix said. "I always eat with Dollie... Just the two of us."
(Jared's POV)
"She was the one who took his bottle of Coldkiller X. Then she poisoned it, knowing that Mr. Wright was going to take some." Mia said.
"Now you're really grasping at straws!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "After all, it was the victim, Doug Swallow, that was holding the medicine."
"I would like the court to recall the crime that happened here eight months ago. Where did Ms. Hawthorne hide the evidence?"
"Huh? What are you talking about?" The Judge asked.
"Eight months ago, the poison was hidden in her bottle necklace... ...which she then gave to someone else for safekeeping. Someone she had accidentally run into in the reading room. My client, Mr. Phoenix Wright! Yes, that's right... She did the same thing this time as well. After shoving the victim, Mr. Phoenix Wright left the scene of the crime. That is when the murderer, Dahlia Hawthorne, appeared. With her, she was carrying the poisoned bottle of Coldkiller X. This, of course, was so she could carry out her plan to murder Mr. Wright."
"Hmm, I believe she did testify that she was going to meet with the defendant."
"Yes, and she heard and saw everything that happened at the scene of the crime. Including what the defendant and victim were arguing about, and the cut electrical cable. That's when she realized, 'I can't allow Doug Swallow to live!' She used the severed electrical cable to silence him forever. Unfortunately for her, this is when the problem occurred. Mr. Wright, who she thought had left the scene, came back to check on the victim. And on top of that, because of the power outage, some students showed up as well. It's hardly any wonder that she was, as she put it, in a state of panic. Recall that she was carrying that bottle of poisoned cold medicine. She must have thought, 'What if they search me like they did eight months ago?'"
"E-Eight months ago...?" Payne asked.
"Yes, she disposed of the evidence exactly the same way as she did back then! She had someone else hold it! In this case... Doug Swallow!" Mia yelled.
"You're on a roll, Mia." I said, looking over at Dahlia. "Oh no…"
"Oh come on now, everyone. Surely you aren't fooled, are you? This stupid woman! She's nothing but a filthy, stinking liar! Right, Mr. Prosecutor...?" Dahlia asked.
"Huh...!? Y-Yes... Th-That's exactly right. It's just pure desperation!" Payne said, angrily.
"Hmm…" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "I wonder which one of us is the desperate one? So, Ms. Hawthorne. This cold medicine... I wonder if you wouldn't mind taking some?"
"...!?" Dahlia exclaimed, at a loss for words.
"Well, Mr. Wright ate that necklace of yours, right? Now it's your turn to prove your innocence. What do you say?"
"...!"
"If I'm just a filthy, stinking liar, then there's no need to worry. So come on! Show us! I dare you to take some of this medicine right now!"
"... ...Grr... Nngghh... Hnnn... MIA FEY...! JARED SHAY…! MIA... FEYYYY...!! JARED… SHAY…!! Do. You. Think. You've. Won? Well!? Do you, Mia Fey and Jared Shay?" Dahlia asked, looking between Mia and I.
"...!"
"I don't know. Did we?" I asked, grabbing Mia's hand.
"Heh... Heh... Heh... Heheh... That's. Just. Fine! For the time being... For the time being, victory is yours." Dahlia said, smirking.
"'For the time being'? Jared, what does she mean by that?" Mia asked, looking at me.
"Spoilers." I said, letting out a sigh. "I know when that is. And I am not looking forward to it, Mia."
"Well... I have a very long memory, you know. The three of us will meet again... I'm certain of it." Dahlia said, smiling.
"...?" Mia asked, while I squeezed her hand.
"Well then, Mr. Judge... I'll see you later too, OK?"
"Huh...!? Err, why, um... Y-Yes…" The Judge said, sadly.
"I'm going to go spend a little quality time with the men in blue now. I wish you all the best." Dahlia said, walking away from the witness stand.
"It's finally all over, Mia." I said, letting go of Mia's hand. "No more Dahlia for this trial."
"I... I refuse to accept this!" Payne said, doing the Objection pose. "The defense hasn't shown a scrap of evidence to support their outrageous claim!"
"B-But even so, your witness seems to have accepted it…" The Judge said, sadly.
"I don't care!! I'm Winston Payne! And I don't believe one word that this rookie lawyer has said!"
"Well then, Mr. Payne, let me ask you this." Mia said, looking at Payne.
"Y-Yes!?"
"Would you care to try this cold medicine?" Mia asked, holding out the bottle of Coldkiller X.
"WHAT!?" Payne exclaimed.
"Just a little earlier, I could've sworn you said…"
(Open POV)
"There, there... It's alright, rookie." Payne said. "For example, I would trust the witness, Ms. Hawthorne, with my very life!"
(Jared's POV)
"So, if she's so trustworthy... ...then I'm sure there couldn't possibly be any poison in here, right?" Mia asked.
"Err... Well... Ummm... You see... Umm... Y-Yes…" Payne said, sadly.
"...And here comes the backpedal!" Mia said, doing the Objection pose. "Come on now, 'Rookie Killer'! Show this rookie how it's done! How much trust do you really have for this woman? Are you willing to bet your life!?"
"Gggg... Nnngh... Unnngggggh... NNNNNNYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA M-M-My HAAAAAAAAAAIIIIRRR!!" Payne yelled, while his hair is flying off his head. "IT-IT-IT'S FLYYYYYIIIIIIIING OOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!! MY BEAUUUUUUUTIFUL HAIR!! NOOOOOOO!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!! WAAAAAHAAAAWAAAAHAAAA NO-NO-NO-NO-No-No-no-no noooooooooooooooooooooo..."
"Umm, Mr. Payne? About Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne...?" The Judge asked.
"Y-Y-Yes, Your Honor! I'll file papers for her immediate arrest…" Payne said, sadly.
"Hmmm... Tragic... but not surprising. I knew there was something suspicious about her from the very beginning!"
"Liar…" I said, as Mia thought this to herself. 'Don't lie! Just admit you were wrong!'
"By the way, Ms. Fey?" The Judge asked, looking at Mia.
"Y-Yes, Your Honor?" Mia asked.
"You said earlier that you, Mr. Jared Shay, and Ms. Dahlia Hawthorne knew each other...?"
"... Your Honor... How we knew each other had nothing to do with this case."
"Hmmm... Very well... Err, Mr. Payne." The Judge said, looking at Payne.
"This can't be happening! It's a nightmare! It's like losing to my daughter!" Payne said, worried.
"...It appears Mr. Payne has lost his spirit along with his hair. Does the defendant have anything further to say?"
"It-It can't be true... My... Dear... Dollie…" Phoenix said, sneezing.
"Hmm... Very well then... I believe I am ready to pass judgment and bring this trial to an end. The court finds the defendant, Phoenix Wright…" The Judge said.
Not Guilty
"This court is adjourned!" The Judge yelled.
April 11, 3:16 PM
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 3
"Mia! You were wonderful in there!" Grossberg said, happily.
"Yeah. You were amazing, Mia." I said, smiling.
"Thank you for everything, Mr. Grossberg, Mr. Shay." Mia said, looking between Grossberg and I.
"During the verdict, I thought my hemorrhoids were going to explode like Mt. Vesuvius!" Grossberg said, excitedly.
"Been there. Going to Pompeii on volcano day was awful." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Umm, Mr. Grossberg... Do you, um, maybe think you could stop talking about them?" Mia asked.
"Hmph!" Grossberg said, scoffing. "That's rather rude. Anyway, this case really made me think. What does it really mean to have a relationship of mutual trust with the client? Perhaps it is we veteran lawyers who have lost sight of this."
"..." Phoenix said, at a loss for words.
"Oh! Mr. Wright...! Congratulations!" Mia said, walking up to Phoenix.
"Th-Thanks... Um, you know... I was thinking…" Phoenix said, frowning.
"Go on…"
"The Dollie that I saw up there on the witness stand... I don't think that was really her."
"Wait. What? That was totally Dahlia." I said, letting out a sigh.
"Yeah... The Dollie I know could NEVER have said those kinds of terrible things... Maybe... Maybe she was like... I don't know... A fake or something." Phoenix said, looking at me.
'Boy... This poor kid still hasn't got a clue…' Mia said, thinking this to herself.
"Phoenix, you need to forget about her. For your own sake…" I said, grabbing Mia's hand.
"Yeah, you're right... That's probably for the best." Phoenix said, smiling.
"Also... You need to relax a bit more. Try to grow up a little." Mia said, as I squeezed her hand.
"B-But... Out of all my friends, everyone says I'm the most grown up!" Phoenix said, annoyed.
"Okay…" I said, and Mia thought this to herself. 'Eek! What kind of company must this guy keep!?'
"... Right now I... I'm studying to become a lawyer myself."
"Wait. Hang on. I thought you were in the Art Department, Phoenix." I said, letting go of Mia's hand.
"Well, yeah... I guess I am... But there's a friend that I desperately want to help! And if I hurry, then I should still be able to save him in time!" Phoenix said, happily.
"I see." Mia said, her eyes widening.
"Say, Miss Fey? A lawyer is someone who can help people when they're in trouble, right?" Phoenix asked.
"Mr. Wright, I'm still new at this myself. But... I think that's exactly what a lawyer is."
"It totally is!" I said, excitedly. "It's like being a superhero in another way. You should do it, Phoenix."
"OK... I'm going to do it. I'll study my butt off. I'll become a lawyer for sure! I hope... I hope the three of us see each other again someday, maybe even in court." Phoenix said, smiling.