I.
December 31, 2016
Gumshoe handed him a small parcel wrapped in newspaper. Phoenix gave his best attempt to tone down the look of confusion on his face, but Gumshoe stayed there, standing in front of him looking at Phoenix and the gift expectantly.
"Open it, c'mon!" The attorney raised his eyebrows. Gumshoe only nodded his head.
"Oh, um…" Phoenix fumbled the unexpected present, tearing the newspaper off to reveal a Christmas Badger toy.
"Well, pal?" the detective grinned.
"Um," he repeated. "Thanks… pal?"
Gumshoe roared with laughter. Phoenix took a step back. "Ah, I knew you'd like it! Sorry it's late, but Christmas itself kinda got pushed aside when…" his grin deflated as both men recalled the events of the past week. The trial, Edgeworth, Von Karma… Ack. Better speak up before things get weird and depressing.
"Thank you Detective Gumshoe," Phoenix offered. "I didn't get you anything though…"
Gumshoe's face brightened once again. "What're you talking 'bout, pal?! That 'festive-size' box of instant noodles you sent was a real treat! I won't be starving through the New Year!" Wait, festive what noodles and when did I… oh. She must've sent them. "Ha ha!" he clapped Phoenix on the shoulder as he turned to leave, a stern-faced Edgeworth waiting for him and tapping his finger impatiently.
"Happy New Year, pal!" he called out, waving goodbye. Edgeworth briefly nodded in Phoenix's direction.
"Happy New Year." He smiled grimly as he half-heartedly waved back at the magenta-suited man.
"My regards to you and Miss Fey." Was all Edgeworth said. "And thank you for the… present, I guess. I trust Miss Fey was the one who chose it."
"You shoulda seen how happy he was that you guys got him a Steel Samu- OW- Yeah, pal! Tell Miss Fey we said Hi when you see her back at the office!"
"Um." Phoenix stood in place, slightly dazed by his encounter with the detective and the prosecutor.
Right, he thought. The office.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The stillness that blanketed the Wright and Co. Law Offices was unsettling to Phoenix. The trial that had ended three days ago had left an impact on everyone involved. But it was the silence ringing through the office that bugged Phoenix the most. He cradled the receiver closer to his ear.
"… It's alright over here, I guess." The voice on the phone continued in a blank tone. "The elders were pleased to hear that my powers were awakened, but I spared the details from them."
"Hmm," was all he offered, as he stared out the window to the snow falling outside. Both ends of the line were silent for a moment, until the voice spoke up again.
"How're things over there, Nick?"
Phoenix glanced at his attorney's badge on his desk in front of him. This time last year, he would not have expected anything like the last six months to ever happen to him. His first trial (and win), losing the Chief, meeting Maya, seeing Edgeworth in court, and a few more victories after that…
"Could be better, could be worse." He shrugged. "Today my wallet's the thickest it's been in months, but I gotta say, it's pretty quiet on my own. Are you sure you won't be coming back any time soon?"
The spirit medium in Kurain smiled, "Sorry, Nick. Training takes months."
"What's one day to take a break from… what was it again? Sitting under a waterfall?" he asked. "The waterfall's still going to be there when you come back."
"Ha, ha. Nice try," Maya chuckled wryly. "Y'know, when I was younger I thought the New Year meant everything really was brand-new. I looked forward to the first training after the New Year because I thought the water in the waterfall was new."
She paused and laughed at how silly the thought was, and Phoenix couldn't help but join in.
"Sis always said she thought it was cute when I'd wake her up to greet the first sunrise with me because I thought the sun was new too." Phoenix smiled at the thought of a young Maya causing mischief for her big sister. "But then one year I asked her what happens to the old sun from the last year, and that's when I realized."
"Realized what?" the young attorney asked.
"New Year doesn't mean that everything automatically changes and we leave behind everything that's happened in the past twelve months. The same sun will keep rising and setting. We just… we carry on."
Phoenix let her words sink in as they fell back into their comfortable silence. It was these rare quiet moments with Maya where her wisdom would unexpectedly shine through.
Phoenix decided to try the question again. Not having the "and Co." around in the office was unsettling, even if had only been two days. He wouldn't admit it to her face just yet, but she'd become a fixture in his daily life. "So I've gotta ask one last time: are you absolutely sure you won't be visiting the city ... Not even for one delicious, mouthwatering burger?"
The tinkling laugh filled Phoenix's ears. "Nii~iick! Training takes months, I told you." She chided. "It'll take even longer if I keep having these hour-long calls with you every night."
"I need to focus if I want to become a better medium," her tone changed to wistful. "And I don't think it'll happen soon if I don't dedicate every minute of my time to it."
A sigh filled the receiver. Phoenix braced himself; he knew where this was going. "… I'll need to shut myself from the outside world as part of my training, and, well, that includes contact with people who are not in Kurain…. Nick. Nick? You still there?"
"Hmm? Ah," Phoenix cleared his throat. Knew it. "Yeah, still here."
"That's good. It's kind of a bummer, really, I mean they've already got me on a strict training diet and now, this, well…" Maya paused. "Never mind."
Phoenix thought about pressing her further on what she was going to say. "So Nick," Lost your chance to ask. "Next time you see me, I'll be a full-fledged spirit medium."
He picked up his badge. "Looks like you've got your New Year's resolution." He mused, running his thumb over the grooves and raised scale. "Ace Spiritualist, right?"
"You know it, Nick. Can't be a fumbling rookie like this guy I met this year was." Maya giggled. "I'll give training my very best and next thing you know you won't even recognize me when I walk into the office!"
"… Because you'll be channeling someone?" he deadpanned.
"Because I'll be channeling someone!" she exclaimed. "Let a girl have her punchline, Nick!"
Laughter filled both ends of the line once again. Phoenix wished his friend all the best and she the same.
"Happy New Year, Attorney Wright."
"Happy New Year, spirit-medium in training."
A/N: Thank you for reading! I'm not very good at summaries and these one-shots are meant to stand alone, because I think my writing style changes (eheheh, oops). But since they all have the same theme, I decided to keep them as a collection of stories as I go.