May 17- 8:30 am-- Trin Household, Dining Area

The sound of spoons and forks scraping the plates in the dining table were drowned out in Holly's ears. Every part of her is blazing with nervous anticipation and tension on what would happen in the next few hours. She didn't notice that she was tensing until she felt that there was too much food on her mouth.

"Holly, are you okay?"Holly shook her head before she looked at her brother, his eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah, yeah..."Holly replied, swallowing her bacon. "Just... nervous."She then glanced at Oak, as she finished her breakfast. "Where's Dad? And why are you still not in your law school?"

"You know, leaving early at dawn to work."Oak answered, before he drank his coffee from his cup. "Also, I was informed that classes would resume this afternoon, considering that the administration has an emergency meeting to attend."

"Touche."

"Anyway, have you checked your notebook yet? Hazel would have replied by now. If you're lucky, heh, she would leave a good luck message."

"Not yet..."Holly shrugged, fiddling with her wet hair from her recent shower as she finished sipping her lemonade. "But I'll check it right now. I'll wash the dishes."

"But-"

"Come on, Oatcake. I'm sparing your hands."Holly insisted. ("Besides, I need to wash that nervous tension away.")

That eventually turned out to reduce her nervous state, but it didn't wash it all away. She tries to shrug it away as she skips to her notebook, opening it and flipping the pages to the latest entry. When she saw her sister's reply, she smiled as she read it.

Dear Holly,

You met the legendary Phoenix Wright?! Now I'm wishing I could see you so I can meet him. I bet Oatmeal is wishing that Miles Edgeworth would appear, heh. Anyway, I may not be seeing you in person and I may not be the one testifying, but like I always said, I'm with you in spirit. I know you will be fine, and I know that this testimony will give you the truth on the case.

Under Hazel's handwriting was four sets of words lined together. They say:

PERSEVERE with INTEGRITY.
Show KINDNESS within JUSTICE.
Be BRAVE in PATIENCE.
Do all in DETERMINATION.

"Writing our Creed again, huh, Nutmeg?"Holly yelped as she spotted Oak leaning towards her.

"What she wrote could help me. It's our Creed; it defines what to do to solve our problems, such as this."Holly replied, when she heard a loud honk near their door. She then began to place, the testimony files, her notebook and her pen on her bag. "I better get going bro, or Slimeball would probably scold me for being late to the trial... well in his limousine, to be technical."

"Alright, good luck, little sis."Oak nodded as he waved goodbye, Holly smiling before she left the house and entered Atishon's limousine.

---

May 17- 8:45 am-- Atishon Limousine, Back Seat

Silence reigned during the ride. It would have been pleasant for Holly... if Atishon wasn't seating next to her, that is. Of all the unlikely things she has to do, making small talk with Atishon is the unlikeliest thing to happen. The politician is usually the one starting the conversation.

("Right, well, I think skimming over the testimony would kill the time.") Holly then brought out Hazel's testimony file, reading it when suddenly, Atishon spoke.

"That is your testimony, Trin?"He asked with a scoff, looking at the paper.

"Yes, sir. I'm just memorizing it."Holly affirmed blankly when Atishon suddenly yanked the paper from her grasp.

"Hey, what gives?! Give it back to me, sir!"She yelped, trying to snatch the testimony back. It failed however, as the politician always move the paper quick enough to slip in her hands. He later gave it back to Holly with a scorn look on his face.

"You need to change that, Trin."He ordered. "You need to change that to make sure that the Defiant Dragons did it."

"But this is the truth!"Holly protested. "This is what Ha- er, I mean, I witnessed!"She added, with her gut feeling telling her that things will end badly if Atishon knew she wasn't the one who witnessed the murder.

"Do you want that secret to be exposed?"

"No... no, sir..."Holly's eyes glanced at the testimony, her mind recalling the day she lost it all. The day where she signed a contract that chained her to the politician was forever etched on her memory.

"Then let me revise it."Atishon demanded, grabbing the testimony from her, taking a pen and writing the revised testimony at the back of the paper.

Holly then pulled out a piece of Mintus candy from her pocket while the politician was writing, tearing its wrapper and popping the candy into her mouth, hoping that it would calm her. After a few minutes, Atishon gave her back the paper.

"Here, Trin. Read it. This is much more better fitted to prove my point."He said. "You're going to use that as your testimony."

Holly almost spit her Mintus candy when she read the revised testimony. The new testimony proved a different point than the original. It was wrong, she wants- no, she needs to protest, but she doesn't want risking their family's secret to be exposed, even if she has no idea what it is entirely.

"I thought this is what you witnessed, sir. One of the staff texted me this."Holly assumed.

"It is what I witnessed, but you will be speaking on my behalf that you're the one who witnessed it."Atishon answered. "Think of it as something you can do for me."

("...I hate you more than ever.") Holly thought before she said blankly, swallowing the candy in her mouth. "As you wish, sir. I'll use it as my testimony."She then sighed, bottling the sadness and anger within her as she began to write another entry to Hazel with her notebook and her pen.

Dear Hazel,

I despised Slimeball more than ever. He twisted your testimony into something... something... despicable. It's so different than yours. His revision showed a different idea than what you originally witnessed. I want to protest, but I can't. We know what's next if I did. We're still on the way to the District Court yet... I don't know anymore. He's forcing me against our Creed. What now?

After finishing the letter, Holly glanced at the closed window pane next to her that is away from the politician. The overwhelming negative emotions about the circumstances finally got into her, as she looked down, her tears silently shedding from her eyes.

She did cried yesterday, but that was for sympathizing for Mr. Wright and her worry for Pearl. This was different. This different kind is the kind where it involves twisting her moral compass and her creed that she and her siblings strongly believe and follow.

She closed her eyes, trying to stifle her tears, but unknown to her, her consciousness eventually fell asleep, her head now resting on the window pane.

---

May 17- ???-- ???, ???

"-y! Holly Ree Trin, wake up!"

"...huh..."Holly grunted as she woke up from her sleep, opening her eyes to see Atishon scowling at her,

"At least you're awake, Trin. We're finally here."Atishon said as Holly rubbed her eyes and packed all of her belongings. The limousine door opened as Atishon got out, with Holly meekly following him shortly. When Holly stepped out, she saw a building with a centerpiece depicting the scales of justice in a golden emblem on top.

("So that's the District Court...") Holly thought, before the nervous anticipation accompanied with dread settled within her.

Several minutes later...

Holly sighed as she rested her head on one of the walls of the Plaintiff's Lobby. She could hear Phoenix and Atishon talking in the distance about the case as she opened her notebook from her bag, hoping Hazel would reply.

She didn't. Her letter wasn't answered. All she could see was her entry scribbled a few hours ago.

("As expected, Holly. Do you think she'll somehow wake up and reply while you're asleep?") Holly thought before she shook her head. ("Of course she won't. Come on, Holly. You can survive this trial, with the truth exposed to all.")

"The trial will begin shortly. Please proceed to the courtroom at once."She heard the bailiff called as she got up, placing her notebook back to her bag.

"Oh, Trin, I'm going to bring my palanquin to court, so instruct the staff to bring it for me."Atishon said to her.

"Of course, sir."Holly said as she sighed wearily. ("Even after that's prohibited to use on night, you're still doing it to enslave the staff.")

---

Hours later...

May 17-- District Court, Courtroom No. 6

"I would like to call Ms. Holly Ree Trin to the witness stand."

Holly heard Atishon spoke as he tapped her shoulder. "You know what to do now."She nodded as she stood up with an anxious breath, her hands now gripping her notebook, her bag slung to her shoulder.

So far the civil case was pointing to the fact that the relic found was the Founder's Orb. However, it won't be handed to the defendant if they murdered Dr. Buff, proving an agreement they had with the victim null and void.

In short, things aren't going as well for Phoenix. Holly kept noticing that every time his apprentice proved an important point, more sweat trickled down on his face.

("If only they knew... no, they cannot... I can't burden the defense with the double problems we have...") Holly muttered as she stepped on the witness stand, feeling all eyes gazing at her.

"Witness, state your name and occupation."The judge stated.

Holly looked at everyone in the courtroom. Phoenix and (surprisingly) his apprentices gave her a smile and the judge looked at her expectantly. She then gave a (forced) smile back, hoping it would muster the courage to speak up.

"Good morning, I'm Holly Ree Trin. I'm 23 years old and I'm Paul Atishon-Wimperson's campaign manager."She greeted.

"My client divulged new information to me during the recess."Phoenix then continued, tapping his hand to his files. "He said that Ms. Trin has witnessed something crucial for this case."

"I see. Very well, Ms. Trin. You may now begin your testimony."The judge said.

("This is it... I can't believe I'm committing perjury... but what choice do I have?") Holly sighed before she merely nodded at the judge.

"Around 11 PM, I was heading home for the night. I was passing by Dr. Buff's house, when suddenly, I saw someone murdered him outside his study window. Mr. Are'bal snuck at him and struck him with an object. I think that weapon was a big suitcase. He's a strong man, so I think he has no problem sending the doctor to his unfortunate demise."Holly testified, reciting the revised testimony

After stating her testimony, Holly felt her heart shattering. It's got to be her conscience, telling her that she has to speak up that she was committing perjury under Atishon's orders. But she can't, she doesn't want to risk it all.

"Ms. Trin, you saw the murder when it happened?!"Phoenix's apprentice, Apollo Justice, questioned. "And you just informed us about this because..."

"I-I'm sorry. I-I-I was... too overwhelmed."Holly stuttered, her right hand fingers absently fiddling with her hair.

That was true in a sense; if she did witness a murder, she would be overwhelmed at the sight of gruesome crime. She knew the true reason on why she is here. According to Atishon, she's the trump card that's going to keep the relic with them.

("Much more like a trump card of lies, to be specific.") She thought angrily. She then heard Phoenix continued on stating that they finally found the murder weapon and that the evidence is a really strong point, considering that the suitcase belonged to Mr. Are'bal. It didn't take long before the judge stated that it's time for the cross-examination.

("After hearing that these cross-examinations can uncover the truth, I just hope the defense gets that what I was telling is completely off-base.") Holly bit her lip before she heard Apollo asked his first question.

"Ms. Trin, why are you only arriving to your home late at night? Shouldn't you have an earlier dismissal?"

"Yes, well... I offered my services to Mr. Atishon-Wimperson with his campaigning meet-and-greet at around 11 PM. He was okay on campaigning on his own so he let me go home."

"I see. It seems the you witnessed something rather shocking."

"Yeah. It's just..."Holly bit her lip again before she found the proper word. "It's delirious. I almost thought it was a nightmare."Once again, this would be true if she was actually the one who witnessed the murder.

"There haven't been many murders in Kurain, I believe?"Holly nodded at the question before Apollo asked her another question, his finger massaging his forehead. "You're saying that Dr. Buff didn't even notice that Mr. Are'bal was there, correct?"

Holly nodded. "Indeed; I believe he was reading a book. What happens next while the doctor was oblivious, Mr. Are'bal climbed up the bookshelf ladder and drowned his body with many books of his own. I think the killer is trying to make it look like an accident." The second statement was the one that struck a nerve on her. It wasn't on the original statement that her sister wrote. But she could say the other statements are true since Hazel wrote it. Luckily for her, Apollo noticed that something was wrong.

"You're saying that the doctor was reading a book when the murder happened? I request you add that on your testimony."

Or maybe not; it was the book, not the bookshelf. Darn, if only she could tell them...

"The doctor was standing in front of the bookshelves while reading a book."Holly added.

"Objection! You say that you saw the doctor was standing in front of the bookshelves, absorbed in a book? I found that hard to believe."Apollo objected.

"W-What do you mean?"Holly asked, gripping her notebook tightly. She was soon met with an explanation on how the doctor's eyes had gotten so bad that he needs reading glasses. Unfortunately, it was on his desk.

"The doctor's reading glasses was on his desk. I'm sorry, Ms. Trin, but there's no way that could have happened."Apollo explained.

Holly gulped. Is it time now? Should she confess now that she wasn't a true witness?

No, she can't. She could feel Atishon's eyes glaring at the back of her head. She tried to bluff her way through, but Apollo always caught them every time until...

"Ms. Trin, are you the one who swung the suitcase at the doctor?!"

"What?! No! That's crazy talk!"Holly yelped. Things soon escalated to the fact that Phoenix's apprentice is going to indict her for murder when he pondered about the position of the doctor and the killer relative to each other and how the murder weapon was used.

That was enough. She can't keep this charade any longer. If she thinks that he was planning to get her in a deeper problem than she already is... it has to stop. But since she was saying Atishon's testimony that time, and that testimony was enough to provoke a charge of murder...

Maybe she is safe, after all.

"Hold It!"She yelled as everyone looked at her. Holly sighed, her face showing a serious and determined face. "Your Honor, I would like to request to bring Mr. Atishon-Wimperson to take the stand for a certain reason."

"Why is that, witness?"The judge inquired.

"...I've got a confession to make."

"Ms. Trin! Are you saying that you killed Dr. Buff?!"The judge asked, shocked, with his eyes wide as saucers.

Holly chuckled humorlessly. "No, I didn't. In fact, I wasn't even a witness. My older sister was the true witness. Unfortunately, she's not here as we speak due to personal circumstances. That's why I was here; to fill in for her. However, what I testified isn't even hers."Holly then glanced at Atishon. "It belongs to the plaintiff, and I would like it if the defense would properly explain their bases with him on the stand."She then opened her bag, a feeling of relief and determination surging upon her as she pulled the testimony, showing to everyone the original file. Her sister's file.

"Your Honor, I would like to present my sister's Hazel Nut Trin's testimony to the court as evidence."She declared as the attorneys and the judge were given a copy. "I thank you for the time."She greeted before she walked back to the gallery. Before she sat though, she heard Atishon harshly whispered to her before he took the stand.

"Good luck with your secret."

Holly breathed in and out as thoughts of both positive and negative swirled her. She crossed her fingers, only hoping that things would end up for the best.

---

May 17- 8:30 PM-- Trin Household, Kitchen

After a long day of schoolwork, Oak entered his home. He was really worried on what would happen to his sister. Seeing his sister smiling happily surprised him as he saw her burn a piece of important paper on fire.

"Holly, what are you doing?"

"Oak, we're free."Holly smiled. "It's finally over."

"W-What do you mean?"Oak asked, cocking his head, when he felt Holly hugged him.

"That trial changed everything for the better."Holly said. "I've got to tell that to Hazel that we'll do our dreams together at last."She grinned, running off to her room, saying stuff that the trial could have been placed on the newspapers the next day.

"It's nice to see you so happy, Holly."Oak chuckled to himself before he frowned. "If only you know what is the family secret is... but I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand. That is because..."

"The secret is you, Holly Ree Trin."