A Victim for Six Years

Chapter nineteen: The Best News

When I came back to Phoenix's apartment, I found him asleep in the armchair. Checking my watch again, I saw that it was 6:35. Well, maybe I could wait a bit to wake him up. He should get rest while he can, and I can just wake him up before we leave.

Around 7:45, Phoenix woke up groggily due to his phone vibrating. He practically jumped out of his chair, picking up his cell phone and flipping it open. His eyes grew wide. He turned to me and mouthed the word, "Hospital."

He put his phone to his ear, clearly freaking out.

"Hello, Phoenix Wright here." He said. Someone spoke on the other line a bit. "Yes? Yes, she's here. You want to speak to her? Okay, here she is." He held out the phone to me. "It's the hospital." He said. "They want to talk to you."

I was practically shaking as I took the phone from Phoenix.

"Hello?"

"Is this Piper Edgeworth?" A voice came from the other end.

"This is she." I reply.

"We figured you should be the first to know, Miss Edgeworth." The voice replied. "Your father survived the surgery. He's recovering well."

Everything for the next fifteen minutes up until we made it to the courtroom that day went by a bit like a blur. I was so relieved, I couldn't think straight. It was so amazing. My father was alive, and recovering. He was okay.

When we got to the courtroom, practically everyone else was already in there. Phoenix and I made our way inside, hoping that no one would yell at us for almost being late.
I began to walk towards the jury where Gumshoe was, but Phoenix stopped me by calling my name. "Piper." I turned around.

"What's up, Phoenix?"

"You don't have to witness anymore," he said. "So would you care to stay in the defense stand with us? Not only are you my pupil, but you were a victim. If you want to help me defend your aunt, you should."

I look at Phoenix with complete surprise. "You're kidding."

He shakes his head. "I mean, unless you don't want to..."

"Yes!!!" I exclaim, then look around a bit embarrassed. That was pretty loud. "Yes." I say more quietly. "I'd love to."

Phoenix nodded, and pointed towards Maya. "Go stand in between Maya and Franziska, and wait for the magic to happen."

The judge banged his gavel twice.

*bang bang*

"The trial of Franziska Von Karma will come to order once more." He said. He looked over towards the defense. "Is the defense ready?"

Phoenix nodded, "We're ready, your honor."

"Very well." The Judge said. He turned to Manfred. "Is the prosecution ready?"

Manfred didn't say anything, but just growled his response. The judge nodded.

"Mr. Von Karma, you may call your first witness."

Von Karma's eyes immediately shot open. He pointed directly at the defense stand.

"You." He said, his words sounding like they could shoot through someone. "I call Franziska Von Karma to the stand." We stood there in shock for a few moments before the Judge looked at Franziska and nodded.

She left the defense stand and began what felt like a walk of shame to the witness stand.

Phoenix looked at me and Maya with an uneasy expression.

"What's he doing?" Phoenix whispered to us, and we shrugged. As far as I knew, Manfred had never called the accused to be a witness.

Franziska made it to the stand, waiting for her father's next demand.

"Witness!!!" He exclaimed, Franziska flinching a bit. "State your name. And occupation. For the court."

"My name is Franziska Von Karma." She said, her voice shaking a bit. "I am a prosecutor of law."

"And how did you find yourself accused of attempted murder on the day of the crime, Miss Von Karma?" Manfred asked.

"Well," She began. "I was prosecuting a case in another courtroom." She said. "I heard a loud noise, and I knew that it sounded like a gunshot. I knew that the victims, who are my brother and niece, were walking towards a room in the direction of the sound. I worried for their safety, so, despite my Judge's orders, I ran out of the room and down towards the room that I knew they were headed for. When I rounded the corner, I saw my older brother laying on the ground with a bullet wound in his neck and a woman dressed in all black, backing my niece against the carpet. My niece had a bleeding shoulder, and was too weak to get up and run away. So, I whipped at the lady, knocking her gun out of her hand. She turned around in surprise and grabbed the end of my whip, yanking it out of my hand and yanking my right glove off in the process. I grabbed the other end of my whip with my other hand, and tried to keep the woman away from her weapon at the same time. I knew that I couldn't keep it up for long, so I picked up the weapon myself with my now ungloved right hand. I pointed it at the woman, attempting to scare her off, and it worked. I rushed to Miles, and Piper told me to check his pulse. Shortly after we found out that he was still alive, Piper went unconscious, and Detective Gumshoe rushed to the scene and called the police. I was arrested before the day was over."

Manfred stood in his stand quietly for a few minutes, tapping his finger on his arm.

"Mr. Von Karma?" The Judge asked. "Do you have any further questions for the witness, or can Mr. Wright cross-examine her?"

"Go ahead, Wright." Von Karma said. "But you won't find anything. If my daughter knows what's good for her, she told the whole truth. But her claims can not refute anything."