Note: Crikey! Possibly my longest one-shot EVER. It's about Miles Edgeworth being obsessed over by a character who is based off myself...And we all know I'm insane ;D In my opinion, it's a pretty good story except for the ending where it gets a little bitty random. But I don't care, because I wrote it under stress from my exams. Also, if you don't like male pairings, don't read this! Hm...Is that everything? How about a disclaimer:
I do not own Miles Edgeworth, Larry Butz or anyone else in this story. Except the Pills. Oh yeh! The Pills. *ahem*
Beverley Pills - possibly named after Beverly Hills. Her last name hints to her "illness". Oh, and Beverley is one of my middle names [enter manic laughing here]
Kimberly Pills - chosen to go with Beverley.
Turnabout Obsession
Miles Edgeworth flicked through the mail that had been delivered to his office. Bill, greeting card, useless ad – ah! Here it was, just as he had been anticipating. He picked the pink envelope out from the rest of the more conventional ones. Reaching for his envelope opener, Miles hesitated. It was the same routine every week, ever since that case. The victim's killer had been proven to be just that, regardless of the defence's uselessly weak hypothesis that they were innocent and Miles had had the satisfaction of finally getting one over on a certain spiky-haired defence attorney. However, that was the day the trouble began.
The victim's sister had been eternally grateful to Mr Edgeworth for getting the killer convicted, ensuring there was justice. The case had occurred three months ago and had been all over the news as the victim had been an A-list celebrity. Kimberly Pills had been in the public eye often and was most commonly known for using herself to publicize her family's chain of popular bakeries set up all over the globe. She went to all the right clubs, got invited to all the right parties and was friends with all the right people. Kimberly had been seeing a number of men at the time of her death and Miles had proven one of them, 'Sharkie' Shaquille, to be the murderer. He had found out about his girlfriend's promiscuity and when he confronted her, Kimberly reportedly 'saw it all as a joke' and wouldn't take Sharkie's suggestion to have an exclusive relationship with him seriously. Sharkie had had a history of bad anger management and that night he had completely lost it with Kimberly and smothered her to death using a pillow from the very bed they slept on.
Beverley Pills had been the younger sister of Kimberly, and had been the one to discover the body. She had also been the one who the defence seemed to think had better motive to kill Kimberly. Beverley had grown up in her older sister's shadow and while her parents praised and valued Kimberly, they hardly took notice of Beverley – even preferring to hide her very existence from the public eye after the accident.
The accident had been Miles Edgeworth's decisive proof that Beverley had no motive to kill her own sister. It took place ten years ago when Beverley was just thirteen. Her sister had been instructed to watch the teen whilst their parents went out for the evening. Kimberly slipped out of the house to meet her boyfriend for a few hours and when she got back she was horrified to find her sister collapsed on the kitchen floor. Kimberly quickly called an ambulance but there had been a road accident along one of the main roads and help was delayed greatly. Kimberly checked on her sister's condition and was shocked to discover that she wasn't breathing. Panicking, Kimberly raked her brain for any sort of first aid that would come in handy and when none came to mind she improvised, giving Beverley CPR. Kimberly was clueless when it came to first aid but she had seen a lot of television dramas where at least one character had been required to either give or get given CR.
Kimberly must have done something right that night because her sister's life was spared, although Beverley didn't survive the incident unscathed. Her entire personality had undergone a massive change, thanks to a severe lack of oxygen to her brain for too long. Beverley became less knowledgeable to the point where she was no longer held accountable for her reckless behaviour, and so was excused from many close-calls with the law because of her condition. Beverley's mind was permanently similar to that of an unintelligent nine year old, and she was even more innocent because of the way her parents had hidden her from the outside world.
This brought Miles back to the matter at hand. It had started harmlessly enough, with Miss Pills sending Miles the occasional muffin basket using her family connections to get the best combinations shipped directly to Miles' office. At first Miles had thought it sweet that the naive young woman went out of her way to send him the baskets by way of thanks. Detective Gumshoe had been most pleased when Miles had given him the baskets – he could tell the good detective needed some food other than instant noodles. It was Miles' understanding that Beverley's carer at the time had moved on, and the replacement had been a much sterner person who frowned upon the flittering away of a possible profit to the Pills family company. The muffins stopped, but nothing could stop Beverley's undying persistence to thank Miles. She deftly moved on to the letters, one every Monday without fail. They usually contained updates of what was going on in her life – which wasn't much, seeing as how she spent most of her time hidden away in her parent's home – but mostly they were about how much Beverley loved Miles and how she couldn't wait to see him again. Since she had only really met him for a few short minutes face to face, Miles found it difficult to understand how he had managed to make such a huge impression on the young woman.
Sighing, Miles proceeded to slide his envelope opener under the flap and neatly sliced it open without tearing the paper. He pulled the letter out with a sinking feeling. Beverley always used the same paper: it had lines so far apart that it could only be fitting for a child to write on in crayon. Beverley lived up to this expectation, writing all her letters to Miles in purple wax crayon. The first time, Miles had assumed it was some sort of practical joke but as he read on, he found that he was mistaken. His eyes scanned the shaky words.
Dear Mr Miles Egdeworth,
How are you? I am fine. Not a lot has happend since my last letter, exsept I got a new carer. My old one, Imogene Patient, left really unexpectedlie so my parents had to get a replasement on short notice. He says he knows you, and he promissed to take me to your offise one day! It's going to be sooo cool! Lots of love and hugs and kisses,
Beverley Pills
P.S Thank you again for getting Sharkie found GILTY! I'm sure my big sis is happy.
Miles found it hard to be annoyed with the young woman for continuously pestering him with such letters. She was completely harmless after all, and Miles felt some of the things she wrote to be rather sweet, despite the obvious spelling errors. He wasn't worried about Beverley's claim that she would pay him a visit at his 'offise', as the security around the building was fairly tight. Only a highly skilled thief like the Yatagarsu or Mask*DeMasque would be able to sneak in undetected and there was no way Beverley would have their assistance. The chances of Beverley actually leaving her house was next to nothing, so the chances she would make it all the way to the prosecutors' office? Below zero.
With that comforting thought, Miles reached for the rest of his mail. He planned to go through them before getting down to the ever soul-destroying paperwork that demanded to be completed by the end of the working day.
It was late in the afternoon when Miles decided to take a break from working diligently. He stood up and walked aimlessly around his spacious office to stretch his legs. He paused at the scenic view from his window. The novelty of the awe-inspiring view had worn off years prior to this day and Miles didn't spend a great amount of time staring out the window. With a heavy sigh he realized that if he pushed himself then he could be done with the paperwork in a quarter of an hour, tops. Tearing himself away from that part of the room, Miles retreated back to his desk. This was the part of being a prosecutor he didn't find appealing. He was much more at home when he had a case and was free to investigate. Of course, that was nothing to the thrill of being in the court, stating his case with precision and confidence in the facts and the truth. Miles lifted his pen and picked up where he had left off.
However before he could write another word, a loud knock on his office door interrupted him. Irritated by this disruption, Miles grumbled to himself and got up to open the door for the person responsible for ruining his day.
Miles' heart sank. Of all the people to drop by, why did it have to be this person? Could he not go about his work peacefully without being reminded that he could know such a useless person? Just one day to him self...Was it too much to ask?
"Hey Edgey! How's it going?" exploded Larry Butz, overjoyed at seeing his old friend after so long. He was wearing his signature orange jacket that was so bright it threatened to damage Miles' sight. Miles tried his best to remain in control of his annoyance. He wouldn't let Larry Butz get the better of him..!
"L-Larry!" spluttered Miles, losing his cool. "Just what exactly are you doing here?"
"Aw jeez, can't a guy make a surprise visit to his best bud's office without being treated like a pest?" whined Larry. Pest? More like a parasite...Miles thought darkly.
"Larry, you've never visited me voluntarily – it's usually down to some misfortunate circumstance that our paths cross. Would I be correct in assuming you are yet again in trouble with the law..?" Miles folded his arms, looking down on the other man. Tears filled Larry's eyes as his friend's harsh words cut into him like a knife.
"Edgey! How could you be so cruel?" he cried. Miles rolled his eyes; Larry was such a drama queen. Tapping his finger on his arm impatiently, Miles begrudgingly amended himself.
"My mistake. To what do I owe the pleasure, Larry?" Larry recovered immediately and tried to act cool and aloof, while in actuality merely looked like he was trying to remember something. Miles chose to ignore the ridiculous expression fixed on the man's face and waited for Larry to reply.
"Well as you know, the beautiful Jessica left me to pursue a modelling career in the small country of Twungsen and I was left feeling heartbroken. I swore never to love again! But then, as chance would have it on the very same day I met this woman...Boy Miles, she was gorgeous! I knew we had a connection so I started following her around for a bit but when I discovered that she had more boyfriends than I had fingers I felt like there was something fate was trying to tell me!" Perhaps it was that it is wrong to stalk innocent young women? Miles thought desperately to himself. This man clearly had no clue about women, and Miles didn't want to be the one to teach him.
"Well, that was how I ended up meeting her ultra-cute little sister! Actually, I brought her with me because she insisted on coming to see yo– hey!" A blur zoomed past Larry and threw itself at Miles, who yelled out in response. The blur embraced Miles tightly, rubbing against his very expensive suit much like a cat. Miles hoped it didn't shed like one. The blur stepped back and Miles saw that it was a young woman with short, dark hair cut into a messy bob. She was wearing a low-cut yellow t-shirt with long white sleeves and an indigo skirt with red boots that were a little too big for her. Her skirt allowed a lot of her brown legs to be on show, which Larry seemed to appreciate. The primary colours of her outfit made her look childish. She smiled brightly at Miles and when she did, it clicked into place. It had been three months and she had since had a hair cut – not to mention was wearing different clothes – but this was no doubt the infamous Beverley Pills. Larry took his place next to her and Miles found himself wondering what the real connection between the two of them was. There was no way Beverley's parents would let her wander the streets with just anyone: the world was far too dangerous to a girl like Beverley for that.
"Oh Mr Miles Edgeworth, I'm so happy to see you!" exclaimed Beverley, bouncing up and down on the spot. Her eyes scanned Miles' face frantically. "Did you get my letters okay?" Miles confirmed he had, before demanding to explain himself immediately. Larry was taken aback.
"Wh-what do you mean, Edgey?" Beverley giggled.
"He-he! You called him 'Edgey'!" Miles was beginning to lose patience with Larry, and pulled him to one side.
"Ms. Pills has a certain condition that restricts her from being outside without correct supervision!" he hissed in Larry's ear. Larry stared blankly at him for a long while, Miles' irritation growing immensely within that time span. Could this sham of a man not get anything right? Suddenly, a switch appeared to be flicked on inside Larry's mind.
"Ah! There's something I didn't tell you yet...Bevsy's parents hired me to be her 'carer'. Isn't it great? I get to be with her every minute of every day and care and love her – and I get paid, too!" explained Larry merrily. Miles' frustration with Larry rose to a new level at that moment. Miles cursed himself for ever opening the door to allow this man in. He clearly had no idea what a carer was supposed to do and Miles didn't have the tolerance to clarify it for Larry. He'd just have to find out the hard way, and Miles had no doubts that he would when Ms Pills' parents discussed why they were actually paying the man.
"Mr Miles Edgeworth?" said Beverley uncertainly. The two men turned back to the young woman, one beaming happily, the other smiling weakly.
"How may I be of assistance, Ms. Pills?" Beverley giggled once again, and waved her hand at Miles.
"You can call me Beverley, silly!" Miles remained silent and Beverley cleared her throat, trying to look serious. She stepped closer to Miles and Larry, and the intensity of her stare surprised Miles. For someone with the mind of a child, Beverley definitely knew how to give a perfectly penetrating stare. He had to applaud her for the effort she was obviously putting into it.
"I want..." Beverley stepped closer, careful not to trip in her large boots.
"Yes?" prompted Miles.
"I want very much..." she stepped even closer.
"G-go on," Miles encouraged her, becoming just a little bit nervous. Just what was Beverley getting at?
"I want very much to become Mrs Beverley Edgeworth!" she said, a look of sheer determination displayed on her face. Miles and Larry spluttered; both undeniably shocked for very different reasons. Larry and his delusional imagination had thought that he and Beverley had something special and the fact that she was proposing to another man was heart-wrenching. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest and cawing 'noooooo' at the ceiling. Miles on the other hand, remained perfectly silent in his stunned state, too busy trying to come up with a way to let her down gently to do anything else.
"Oh Mr Miles Edgeworth, please say yes. It would make me ever so happy! Just tell me you'll do it..?" Beverley persisted. Larry stormed out of the office, having heard quite enough. One of his oldest friends had just stolen the love of his life right in front of his very eyes! His heart needed mending, and he couldn't fix it in the presence of the one who had snapped it. Larry swore to never love again...Until he caught the eye of a curvaceous secretary working in the prosecutor building and automatically found him self tailing her to the elevator.
Back in his office, Miles was speechless. What could he say? How could he get out of this? There was no way he could marry Beverley Pills, or even allow her to entertain such preposterous thoughts. She wasn't even aware of what she was saying – she probably had no idea what a marriage would require, or what love was. Besides, Miles already had someone in mind...
Now why would I think something like that? Miles mentally shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to hurt this poor woman, of that he was sure. He couldn't marry her though. He didn't even entertain the thought. Such nonsensical scenarios weren't worth Miles' valuable time. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come next.
"Ms Pills, you can't marry me I'm afraid. I simply won't go through with it." Beverley blinked at Miles a few times. She screwed up her face. Then she let rip, crying like a baby. She wailed long and loud, tears pouring out of her eyes like waterfalls. Miles flinched: he hadn't known Beverley would give such a huge reaction to his rejection. Beverley stamped her feet and shook her head, not able to calmly accept Miles' refusal. She began shouting that Miles was a horrible man, who didn't care about anyone and Miles began to feel a twinge of guilt. Not because he had said no – he was glad he had made his opinion on the matter clear – but because Beverley had taken the news so badly. He decided to try and cheer her up, if only a little.
"Er, I didn't mean it to come out like that..." he said loudly, over the din of Beverley's wailing. Beverley brightened up; Miles words taking effect over her emotions instantly. She wiped her eyes one the back of her sleeve and looked up searchingly at Miles.
"Oh Mr Miles Edgeworth! You won't regret this! You've made me the happiest girl alive! It's definitely what my sister would have wanted," she said. Miles realized that Beverley had got the wrong idea from him going back on his words, and he wanted to hit himself for being so vague.
"Ms. Pills, do you honestly believe that marrying me will make you happy?" he asked sceptically. Beverley nodded enthusiastically.
"Yup! Kimby would be so pleased! We can live in a big house and have three children and be happy with each other for ever and ever and ever and ever and..." Beverley continued on with her 'and ever's, giving Miles time to think of a quick solution. How could he get Beverley to decide against marrying him? She had grabbed the wrong end of the stick with hopeful hands and he didn't want to upset her once more. Think Miles! he urged himself. There has to be something...anything! What can I use that will put her off wanting to marry me? Miles decided to put together everything he knew about Beverley Pills to see if he could come up with a suitable solution.
She had grown up in the shadow of her sister until the accident. Her family were rich as a result of their flourishing bakery. Her sister saved her life. She wanted her sister to be happy, even though she was gone from this world. Beverley had the mindset of a child. She required a carer wherever she went, to keep her out of trouble. She was a very determined girl – hence the letters. Miles' forehead creased as he struggled to connect the pieces of logic.
Beverley watched him in awe, not really sure what was going on but loving it all the same. After three long months she had finally been reunited with her beloved 'Mr Miles Edgeworth'. Nothing could be better than that. She had been greatly anticipating this visit from the very moment she had planned it. Ever since her sister had been murdered, Beverley liked to think she had become more independent and mature. She was finally taking control over her own life, instead of allowing her parents to dictate her every move. This felt so right – she felt free. Miles would make the perfect husband for her: he was smart, tall and not to mention very handsome. The way his forehead crinkled when he was thinking hard about something made Beverley want to melt.
Finally, with a shriek of 'Eureka!', Miles had the answer to his problem. He grinned to himself, pleased with the solution his logic had created for him. It was all a matter of looking at what was important to Beverley and using it in his favour. He motioned for Beverley to wait a moment – she would have gladly waited an eternity if it was for Miles – and excused himself from his office. He took out his mobile phone but paused before dialling any numbers. Could he go through with this? It was all very well coming up with a plan but now that he realized he might not have the guts to follow it through he–
Chuckled. He was Miles Edgeworth, the great prosecutor. The thought of him not having the guts to do something was ludicrous. Miles very purposely punched in the number for a certain law office. He listened to the sound of the phone ringing, growing more irritated when it the person waited until the last minute to answer his call.
"Hello, Wright and Co. Law Offices! How can I help you?" a cheerful female voice sang.
"Hello, Ms Fey; this is Miles Edgeworth. I'd like to speak t–"
"NIIIIIICK! MR EDGEWORTH IS ON THE PHONE FOR YOU!" Maya hollered in Miles' ear, causing him to wince in pain. Before he could explain that actually, he wasn't calling for Phoenix Wright, the man himself was on the other end of the phone. Miles grumbled quietly to himself: you just couldn't get useful assistants anymore.
"Well Edgeworth, I have to say I'm surprised you called," Phoenix admitted. Miles struggled to remain calm.
"I didn't call for you, Wright. I wanted a word with your assistant, if that's possible?"
"S-sure. It's just...I haven't seen you since..."
"Since I beat you?" replied Miles smugly. It wouldn't be professional of him to gloat over his win but Phoenix had practically handed him that one. Of course, being a prosecutor wasn't all about winning but it didn't make his victory against Phoenix any less sweet.
"Yeah well, the defendant was obviously guilty..." tried Phoenix.
"Is that why you tried to pin the crime on an innocent bystander?" Miles rounded on him. If it hadn't been for Phoenix, then there would have been no reason to call Beverley in to testify in her defence, and therefore she would have never met Miles. In a way, it was all Phoenix's fault that Beverley was head over heels for Miles. And of course, there was that whole business with accusing the innocent...
"Can I put Maya on the phone now?"
"Certainly." Miles told Maya why he required her services and Maya was only too happy to oblige, after negotiating a fee of twenty nine burgers. Miles hung up feeling satisfied with him self and the situation. He felt that he had finally had control over what was going on and this made him feel secure in the knowledge that if things went the way he planned, everything would be sorted out. He slid his phone back into his pocket and returned to his office to find Beverley sitting behind his desk, riffling through his drawers.
"Gnnk! Wh-what are you doing?" spluttered Miles. Miles' return had taken Beverley by surprise and she dropped what she had just taken out from his drawer without noticing what it was. She hoped for her sake that it wasn't fragile. Beverley didn't want to look at Miles but knew she had to – she had been caught red-handed, after all. Her eyes slowly lifted over the desk, across the carpet, up Miles' magenta suit and to his stern face. She smiled guiltily.
"I guess you caught me, huh?" she said good-naturedly. Miles' frown didn't flicker.
"And what, I hesitate to ask, did I catch you doing?"
"Nothing! I swear! I was just...looking for my earring!" said Beverley, obviously lying. Miles saw straight through her.
"Beverley," he began through gritted teeth. "I know what you were doing, and we both know that it was wrong." Beverley stared at him, wide-eyed and innocent.
"Nuh-uh," she disagreed. "We're going to be married soon and there shouldn't be any secrets between us!" Miles hand snaked up his body to grip the opposite arm tightly. Beverley was beginning to try his patience and he silently urged Maya to hurry up before he completely lost his temper with this woman. It took Miles several deep breaths and more than one session of 'counting to ten' in order for him to let the issue rest. He walked over to his desk and retrieved the item from where Beverley had dropped it. He hadn't been expecting it to be what it was. Miles had thought he had put it at the back of his drawer where not even the sunlight could touch it...Clearly he had been wrong. Miles hastily shoved the photograph of him, Phoenix and Larry back when they were classmates in the drawer it had been originally and turned to Beverley.
He explained to her that he had invited a 'guest' to visit his office and Beverley seemed excited at the prospect of meeting 'a special friend of Mr Miles Edgeworth's'. Miles turned his attention to the paperwork that had managed to escape completion with longing in his eyes. Beverley noticed this and recognised it as one of the signs her parents showed when they wanted to get on with some work. She assured him that she wouldn't mind if he got on with it – she would be content watching him work. Miles wasn't so sure but Beverley made it clear that she wanted him to work, so with her blessing Miles sat behind his desk and picked up his pen. At once Beverley was at his side, merrily breathing down his neck. Miles cringed and tried to ignore the feeling of her warm breath tingling against his skin as he forced himself to continue filling out the paper work. Just a few more paragraphs and he would be finished for the day...
It was no use. Beverley was simply too much of a distraction and Miles' grip on his pen tightened as he realized he wouldn't be able to do any work with Beverley acting as his shadow. It took Beverley a while to understand that she was the reason Miles was finding it difficult to work and after apologising profusely, moved to sit on the uncomfortable magenta sofa located on the other side of the room. She had expected it to feel a lot softer and it came as a surprise for the cushion to feel so firm. She squirmed around in an attempt to get comfortable, squeaking nosily as she did so. Behind his desk, Miles looked up to see the look of displeasure displayed across Beverley's face as a result of his sofa. It hadn't actually been designed for comfort – more for decor. Beverley began to find the fun in making the sofa make so much noise and shifted more for her own joy rather than to get into a position that felt right. The irritating squeak of Beverley's bare thigh against the tight plastic cushion grated against Miles' ears and prevented him from working once more. He was beginning to feel like he was never going to complete that particular file in one day, as he had originally planned.
A knock on the office door interrupted Miles from this line of thinking. Throwing down his pen with relief, Miles rose to his feet and strode over to the door to open it – however the visitor burst through without waiting to be called in. Maya Fey, fresh-faced and willing to eat, entered Miles' office wearing her usual short cream kimono and purple cardigan, with Phoenix following close behind in his signature blue suit and red tie, quietly muttering that he shouldn't be there. Miles stared coldly at the unwanted guest and reminded Maya that he had only asked for her assistance.
"When we're on a case, I'm Nick's assistant. When I'm doing a channelling, Nick is my assistant," she explained. Beverley joined the gathering at Miles' side and beamed happily.
"Hiya! You must be Mr Miles Edgeworth's friends! I'm his fiancée," she said by way of introduction. Maya smiled and nodded before she introduced herself as 'Mystic Maya', while Phoenix practically had a heart attack. No-one had explained the situation to him and so he believed Beverley when she claimed to be engaged to Miles. His eyes repeatedly darted from Miles to Beverley and he found he couldn't see the happy-go-lucky young woman and moody Miles Edgeworth as a couple. He wondered who had proposed. Phoenix looked as if he was about to ask Miles about it but Miles muttered 'don't ask' and Phoenix felt obliged not to. Maya beamed at Beverley.
"I love your clothes! They're so cute," she exclaimed. She and Beverley were almost the same height, and standing next to each other Miles and Phoenix could see a likeness in their expressions. Beverley grinned, taking a liking to Maya instantly. She thanked her and returned the compliment.
"But you're much cuter than I am," argued Beverley optimistically.
"No way; you're definitely cuter!" protested Maya.
"Nuh-uh; you're cuter!" They got into a battle over which one they thought was cuter and it probably would have gone on all day had Miles not interrupted them mid-flow. He handed Maya a picture of the woman he wanted her to channel and it was only then that Maya considered what it was she was about to do.
"You know, I don't actually have much training in channelling spirits outside of Kurain, and even then it's usually my sister." Miles blinked at her in astonishment. He had been confident in her up until this moment when she confessed to not knowing whether it would work! Maya looked at the photograph and Beverley craned her neck to see it to.
"Hey, it's Kimby!" she exclaimed happily. Maya could see the resemblance between the two girls at once and came to the conclusion that they were somehow related. She already knew of the situation between Miles and Beverley and that this channelling would help him get her off his back in some way. Maya psyched herself up; she wasn't sure if she could channel the woman's spirit but she would try – if not for Miles' sake then for her twenty nine burgers. She ordered Phoenix to close the curtains and told Miles and Beverley to sit on their knees in front of her. The room became shrouded in darkness and a feeling of ready anticipation grew within each of the four people in the room. Phoenix didn't know where to put himself and waited until Maya had positioned herself facing the space between Miles and Beverley and Phoenix stood behind her, having not been directed to be anywhere specific. Maya stared hard at the photograph of Kimberly Pills, concentrating really hard. She closed her eyes and placed the photo next to her so her hands were free to clasp together in front of her. Beverley and Miles watched her, fascinated by her ritual. Beverley's leg kept bouncing with excitement as she eagerly anticipated what was to come – even though she wasn't really sure what was happening. Miles hoped that Maya could channel Kimberly's spirit and if she could that, that Kimberly said what he wanted her to.
Beverley watched, transfixed as Maya's magatama amulet glowed gently, casting a dim light upon the darkened room. Miles had to hold Beverley back as she impulsively reached out a hand to touch the magatama. She pouted, although Miles missed it because he was too busy concentrating on what Maya was doing. He had heard about her channelling spirits of course and had even seen her after she had channelled certain spirits but never had he seen her perform the action with his own eyes. He had always wondered how she did it – it definitely went against any logic Miles knew of. If Miles hadn't seen Maya channelling a spirit for himself then he would have doubted her ability to do so. The notion of channelling those whose souls had departed this world was absolutely absurd to a man of reason.
Then without warning, Maya was no longer kneeling before Miles and Beverley. Instead, a woman around Miles and Phoenix's own age was there. She was still in Maya's kimono and cardigan but her physical appearance had changed drastically. Maya's pale skin was now honey brown, and her nose was longer and turned up at the end. Her eyes had transformed from grey to brown and her lips were fuller and pouty, while her eyebrows were more defined. Her body had become shapelier and curvaceous, and there were no doubts in anyone's mind that this person was no longer Maya Fey. Beverley's eyes lit up like a bulb.
"Kimby!" she cried, and threw herself at her sister. Kimberly Pills was slightly disorientated from being channelled through Maya so it took her a moment to collect herself together and organise her thoughts coherently. Upon seeing that the channelling had gone well, Phoenix walked over to the curtains and re-opened them, letting the afternoon sunlight pour in through the windows. He blinked at the sudden change of light and turned his back away from the source. Beverley was still hugging Kimberly and Miles had got to his feet and was patiently waiting for the two sisters to separate so he could continue with his plan. The girls eventually let go of each other and rose to their feet slowly. Kimberly was taller than Beverley by a head and she held on to her sister's hands. They hugged again, and Beverley had tears in her eyes while Kimberly stared fondly at the top of her younger sister's head, and Phoenix found himself having a déjà vu moment – he could have sworn Maya and her older sister had done a similar thing when they saw each other two years after Mia's death. Kimberly looked up and noticed the two men who were also in the room. Smiling to herself, Kimberly adjusted the kimono and winked flirtatiously in their direction.
"How's it going boys?" she asked huskily. Beverley giggled.
"Why are you speaking like that?" she asked, finding it hilarious. Kimberly quietly hushed her sister and stepped towards Miles and Phoenix, tossing her dark hair behind her.
"I'm Kimberly Pills, and you are..?"
"Miles Edgeworth."
"Phoenix Wright." Miles glared at Phoenix irritably.
"I believe the kind lady was addressing me, Wright." Phoenix shrugged, not caring either way. Kimberly was a stunning A-list woman and to be in the same room as her – even if she was dead – was an honour in itself. Phoenix so rarely had the opportunity to meet famous people not involved in popular TV shows directed at children. Beverley tugged on her sister's arm playfully and Kimberly turned her attention back to her.
"Yes, Bevs?" she asked, smiling at her younger sister.
"I miss you. Are you staying for good this time?" Kimberly didn't know. She had no idea she was being channelled by a spirit medium and that she wasn't really back from the dead. She wanted to stay, to be there for her sister and also to resume the fun life she used to lead. Kimberly held on to the small glimmer of hope that would ensure she was well and truly alive for all of six seconds when Miles cut in.
"Ms Pills, your sister can't stay, I'm afraid. She's only here for a short time period while Maya is channelling her spirit. Once this is over she'll go back to wherever she's been these last three months," he explained gently. Beverley stared at him, not understanding most of what he said although she knew enough to comprehend that Kimberly was only there for a short while. She clutched at Kimberly's sleeve desperately.
"Can't you stay forever?" she pleaded, batting her eyelashes. Kimberly looked to Miles for help, but the look on his face convinced her that it wouldn't be possible. Kimberly looked away from everyone, deep in thought. Phoenix snuck up behind Miles and whispered in his ear, demanding to know what was going on. Miles waved Phoenix's question aside with a flick of his hand and turned his focus on Kimberly Pills. She had one hand to her mouth and was anxiously biting on her thumbnail. She looked nervous and upset. Without warning, she shook her head violently and muttered something out loud to herself. Beverley asked her if she was okay, and when Kimberly looked at her, it was obvious to Miles and Phoenix that she was forcing the smile she directed at Beverley.
"Of course I am, silly!" she lied brightly. She looked away from Beverley briefly, but returned her gaze almost as fast as she had moved it away.
"It's just...I was thinking about the way I led my life. I messed it up and that's the truth." Kimberly laughed bitterly and continued to bite her nail. Beverley frowned and kindly pulled Kimberly's hand away from her mouth. She gave her elder sister a stern look that she had learned from her parents. They were always giving her the same look when she behaved naughtily although they didn't bother punishing her: they knew how upset it would make Beverley and they didn't much like her tantrums.
"You did not mess up your life. You enjoyed it and had fun and that's what life is all about! But mostly, you were the best sister ever!" Beverley said in an attempt to cheer her up. Kimberly shook her head.
"No, I was the worst sister ever. You deserved better. I was never there for you, and I hardly took any notice of you when I was," she admitted sadly. Kimberly regretted not being kinder to her sister when she had the chance, especially since Beverley needed more kindness than most people. When she was alive, all Kimberly cared about was having a good time and that usually didn't involve being her little sister's permanent babysitter. Beverley didn't know how to respond to that and so remained silent. Miles wondered if this would be a good time to cut in with his problems but somehow it didn't look like it. A tense silence filled the room as each person waited for someone else to talk first. And then...
"OBJECTION!" Miles glowered at Phoenix for such a rude interruption – and in his own office too! Phoenix paid him no mind, glad to have the attention of everyone in the room. Kimberly gave him a strange look, whilst Beverley looked delighted. She clasped her hands together and beamed.
"That's what you kept yelling when I was on trial!" Phoenix pretended he hadn't heard her: he knew how badly that would sound to Miles' ears. The sooner everyone forgot about that particular case the better, in Phoenix's opinion. He fixed Kimberly with an intense stare.
"What you said just now...That's not true! You are a good sister. If it weren't for you, Beverley wouldn't be alive right now!" he burst out. Miles rolled his eyes. Did Phoenix have to sound like he was in court? Miles was pleased he didn't have such characteristics, at least. Kimberly faltered.
"That's true..." she confessed, though still not convinced. Phoenix nodded.
"You saved her life and I know Beverley is incredibly grateful for that. I'm certain she thinks the world of you," he continued, with too much confidence for Miles' liking.
"Oh you are, are you? I'd like to see some evidence to back up this claim," Miles said without meaning to. He hadn't meant to say it; it had just slipped out. He realized that he sounded like a horribly negative person and quite possibly ruined the good image Phoenix had built up of Kimberly in a few short seconds. It was a stupid and thoughtless thing to have done, and Miles couldn't for the life of himself work out what had triggered such outlandish comments. Phoenix smiled boldly. Of course he had evidence...He just had to find it first. There was a pause.
"The evidence that proves Beverley loves her sister no matter what is...HERE!" He produced the letter Miles had received from Beverley that very morning. He had noticed it on Miles' desk earlier and had been curious so picked it up to read. The three people didn't know what to make of it and Phoenix was forced to explain himself further.
"See this line here: 'I'm sure my big sis is happy'. All Beverley ever wanted was for Kimberly to be happy. It was – and still is – her only dream. I remember when I cross-examined Beverley in court she wouldn't stop talking about how she just wanted her sister to be proud of her so she could be happy and not worry about her. It really slowed down the trial, actually and –"
"That's quite enough, Wright," said Miles, cutting him off. Phoenix nodded; glad Miles had stopped him mid-flow. There was no telling how long Phoenix would have gone on for. Kimberly's eyes were glistening and Beverley wouldn't stop smiling at her.
"You...You really love me, no matter what?" asked Kimberly tearfully. Beverley nodded enthusiastically.
"Yup! Come on Kimby, you're my big sister. How could I not?" Kimberly's face broke out into a smile and for a moment she appeared almost identical to her younger sister. Her face was soon blocked from view as she enveloped Beverley in a tight hug and she whispered in her ear 'I love you too'. Swept up in the emotion of it all, Phoenix felt an urge to hug someone as well and turned to the only other person available. Miles gave him a withering look and Phoenix shrivelled up, regretting his choice in hugging partners. Where was Maya when he truly needed her? Kimberly and Beverley broke apart and it was clear that Kimberly had been crying, although she covered it up well.
"So is that it?" she asked worriedly. She didn't want to leave Beverley so soon but knew that the longer she prolonged the inevitable, the more painful it would be for Beverley when she did eventually go back. She hadn't given her sister's feelings much thought when she was alive but now that she was dead it was all she thought about.
"Actually, there is one thing..." Miles told Kimberly about her sister's behaviour in the three months after her death and her attitude towards Miles. Every so often, Beverley would cut in to add a snippet of information she thought was useful to the discussion, however Miles thought it just made her dig her hole even deeper. Admitting to things like 'paying the nice, scruffy detective for pictures of Mr Miles Edgeworth', made Beverley come across as an obsessed stalker of the worst kind. Kimberly listened to them both with interest, not giving much of a reaction to anything she heard. She had grown used to her little sister's erratic behaviour over the years and nothing she did surprised her anymore. Miles watched Kimberly keep a level head with surprising respect, as he knew she must have been keeping her horror hidden from Beverley so as to not hurt her feelings. Luckily he had saved the best for last.
"Beverley wants to marry you?" spluttered Kimberly. Miles nodded gravely; Beverley did the same but happily. Phoenix was relieved: everything had been explained (indirectly) to him and he was no longer worried that the two very different people were going to get married. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he saw Miles in a new light. He never could imagine cold-hearted Miles Edgeworth being the warm and delightful Beverley Pills' husband. Their relationship had virtually no chance of ever working out.
"But you're so old!" protested Kimberly. Phoenix snorted loudly and quickly tried to suppress his laughter, earning a defensive glare from Miles. Miles hotly informed Kimberly that they were the same age.
"And you're so stuck-up!" she went on, not really listening to Miles. His glare deepened as Phoenix failed to hold back his hysterics and threw his head back, laughing heartily. Phoenix was beginning to think that he should go out with Maya more often, if their outings were going to be this much fun. Hearing Miles being put down by a woman who wasn't the fearsome Franziska Von Karma was entertainment enough for Phoenix to last a whole day. Miles' hands tightened into fists as he struggled to remain calm as Kimberly threw insult after insult at him. Miles was too pristine, too emotionless, too stiff. Beverley looked up at her sister, her eyes wide and moist.
"You mean...You don't approve, Kimby?" she asked innocently. Kimberly put a hand on Beverley's shoulder and peered into her face carefully. She had the concerned expression a mother might wear when her child had been injured.
"I just want you to be happy. You wouldn't be happy with Mr Edgeworth because he's no fun at all. Besides, you shouldn't tie yourself down to any one man at this age. You're young and beautiful so you should look at your options," she wisely advised her.
"Like you did?" queried Beverley.
"Not like I did. I had no idea who I was with half the time – and look where it got me. No, you should get to know the men before jumping to become their wives. Promise me that you'll take things slow and won't be so silly as to marry an old fuddy-duddy like Mr Edgeworth." Urrkk! Such harsh words from a beautiful woman...Miles knew Kimberly was only trying to help but he didn't think she needed to be so blunt about it. Beverley promised, wrapping her pinkie finger around her older sister's one. Their eyes met and they shared an identical smile. Kimberly gave her sister one last meaningful hug, kissed her cheek gently and became Maya Fey once more. Maya looked around, feeling a little tired but otherwise unharmed.
Beverley didn't know what to do with herself. She studied the room warily, not sure of where to go from there. She had seen her dead sister and had made her happy – now what? She felt lost and alone. She clutched at the sleeve of her shirt, seeking comfort in its familiar feel. Maya sensed Beverley's loneliness and volunteered to personally take her home. Beverley was grateful for that and the two girls exited Miles' office after a short goodbye to the men.
Miles was indescribably thankful that Beverley would no longer be pestering him with childish love-letters and that he had successfully rejected her marriage proposal without hurting her feelings. Aside from the incomplete paperwork, it had been a very triumphant day for the prosecutor. Ah – the paperwork. It was still sitting on Miles' desk with the pen on top of it, just waiting for him to be done with it. There were only a few paragraphs left to write and then Miles could send it down to the precinct, ready to be checked and filed the next day. He strode over to his desk and sat down heavily in his custom-made leather chair. Rubbing his temples, Miles steeled himself for the gruelling task ahead. It was just a few measly paragraphs. It shouldn't take Miles more than fifteen minutes at the most to complete. There was nothing to stop him. With great determination, Miles lifted his pen for the umpteenth time that day and prepared to write the next word of the official document.
If only his pen hadn't run dry. Why hadn't he checked that the lid was on properly before abandoning the ink to such a cruel fate? Frustrated and annoyed with his reckless behaviour, Miles tossed the pen in the direction of the waste bin across the room and was even more irritated when he missed the shot. Nothing ever seemed to want to go his way today, and Miles cursed his bad luck. Clearly it had been too much to ask for, for one day where everything went right for Miles Edgeworth.
An object was placed in front of Miles' face and as he focused his attention on it, Miles discovered that it was a plain black ballpoint pen. He looked up into the face of the person who had offered it to him and frowned.
"You looked like you needed it for something important," said Phoenix, dropping it on top of the paperwork when he saw that Miles wasn't going to take it from him himself.
"Wright, why are you still here?" asked Miles with little interest, completely ignoring the pen. Phoenix smiled guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck in a goofy manner that he did so well, Miles thought.
"I'm not sure really. But at least I was here to give you my pen!"
"Mm," agreed Miles distractedly, now ready to give the pen his full attention. Sensing that he had been dismissed, Phoenix moved away from Miles' desk and sought sanctuary in the magenta sofa across the room. He mistook it for something of comfort and winced when his rear end made contact with the firm cushions. He waited patiently for Miles to finish his paperwork, not minding that he was sat there in complete silence. Phoenix took joy in watching Miles work, the little lines embedded on his forehead proof that he was working diligently. Miles was aware of Phoenix's scrutiny as he worked, and this spurred him on to do so twice as good a job of it than he normally would have. He didn't want the defence attorney to leave his office with the false impression that Miles didn't take all aspects of his job seriously, did he? Phoenix's pen whizzed across the page as Miles expertly filled in whatever it was he had to fill in, doing so in record time. Miles glanced up, thoroughly satisfied with himself. He grinned smugly at Phoenix, who shook his head disbelievingly. Miles was something else.
Miles frowned.
"Really Wright, why are you still in my office?" Phoenix felt uncomfortable talking to Miles from across the room and so walked towards his desk, stopping just short of it.
"Are you telling me to leave?" he asked. Miles shook his head.
"On the contrary: I have nothing else to do with my time so frittering it away with you will do just fine," remarked Miles. Phoenix wasn't sure whether to take it as a compliment or an insult. His eyes went to the thick paperwork lying on Miles' desk and he asked Miles if he was going to take it to the precinct that day. Miles confirmed he was and it clicked that Phoenix was hoping he would ask a specific question. Miles sighed heavily.
"Would you like to come along for the drive, Wright?" he asked tiredly.
"I wouldn't mind," he replied, a smile playing on his lips. Miles rolled his eyes and got to his feet. He tucked the file into a secure folder and followed Phoenix out of his office door. Miles locked the door behind him and walked straight past Phoenix, as he had stopped in front of the elevator. Too late Phoenix remembered Miles' fear of them and rushed after him in the direction of the stairs. They were on the top floor so there were a lot of stairs to descend. As Miles took the journey every day he had grown accustomed to it; Phoenix however was wheezing like an old smoker by the time they reached the ground floor. He barely managed to stagger across the lobby and fell into the front seat of Miles' car. Miles grimaced, hoping for Phoenix's sake that he hadn't damaged any part of his brand new Porsche. Miles got in more carefully and after securing his seatbelt, started up the car and set off at a roaring speed. Phoenix was thrown back into his seat and scrambled to put his seatbelt on. He fumbled with the thin straps as Miles weaved in and out of cars, seemingly reckless with his driving. Phoenix didn't think his heart would be able to take much more shock. Miles pretended not to notice Phoenix's panic as he shot down the road. He enjoyed going as fast as the speed limit allowed and having a passenger wasn't going to change the way he liked to drive. Phoenix's heart hammered against his ribs until the very moment Miles parked neatly outside the precinct. He didn't bother to ask Phoenix if he was going to follow him inside; he could see the petrified expression frozen on the man's face and knew he wasn't going anywhere for a while. Chuckling softly to him self, Miles headed into the precinct building.
Phoenix clutched his chest. He hadn't been that terrified since...Ever. His hands shaking, Phoenix finally managed to click his seatbelt safely across his chest. At least he didn't have to worry about that on the way back.
The sun was beginning to set now, signalling the end of another day. The sky was stained in varying shades of reds and oranges with the occasional pink. The road was calm and Phoenix felt his pulse returning to its normal rate. This was the first and last time he willing went anywhere with Miles Edgeworth driving. Phoenix's head throbbed as he mentally relived his journey there. It was a life-threatening experience, one he didn't wish to have a repeat of anytime in the near future. It was a pity Miles returned at that moment, car keys in hand and ready to go again. Phoenix whimpered. Miles smirked. He got in and turned the key in the ignition.
"Ready for round two?" asked Miles, his eyes glinting. Before Phoenix could say actually no, he wasn't, Miles had put the pedal to the metal and sped all the way to Phoenix's apartment. Phoenix's heart was in his mouth as Miles made sharp turns and skilled manoeuvres that ensured he was never driving at a pace that would have been acceptable in Phoenix's mind. They arrived outside Phoenix's apartment a lot sooner that Phoenix thought was physically possible and Phoenix practically threw himself out of the car, almost kissing the concrete pavement with relief. Miles raised an eyebrow.
"Not used to driving in the fast lane, Wright?" he asked with mock-concern. Phoenix shot him a dark look.
"You shouldn't be on the roads! You're a maniac!" he exclaimed. Miles chuckled at Phoenix's accusation and promptly got out of his vehicle. He was on Phoenix's side in a second, helping the weakened man to his feet graciously. Phoenix's breathing was laboured and Miles began to worry for his health. Perhaps going so fast wasn't the best idea after all, even if Miles thought it the best way to travel. It occurred to him that maybe Phoenix had very narrowly escaped having a mild heart attack as a result of his driving. Miles perished the thought. It was highly improbable: the defence attorney looked to be in near-perfect condition. Even now he was returning to his normal physical stature.
"Er, Edgeworth? You can let go of me now," said Phoenix. Miles released his hold on Phoenix's arm, masking his embarrassment well. He hadn't realized he was still holding on to Phoenix. The trick to hiding embarrassment was to look away and that was exactly what Miles did.
"I guess I'll see you another time, Wright." Phoenix nodded with certainty.
"Definitely." Miles began to walk back around to his side of the car where he intended to get in, drive away and not look back. Just before he could though, Phoenix called and Miles paused just as he was about to climb into his car.
"Actually, are you busy now?" asked Phoenix hopefully.
"No," answered Miles, waiting for Phoenix to get to the point. Suddenly, Phoenix wasn't so sure he wanted to follow through with what he wanted to ask. Miles was a very imposing figure at the best of times and usually didn't care about being tactful towards Phoenix's feelings. If he was honest Phoenix had always been a bit wary of Miles even when they were children. Miles had always been so sure of himself, so full of confidence. Phoenix would never admit it but Miles was sort of his role model. Miles sighed.
"Come on Wright, I haven't got all night!"
"I thought you said you weren't busy?" questioned Phoenix, worried by Miles' words.
"It's just a figure of speech," replied Miles testily. Phoenix stared purposefully at his shoes.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to go out somewhere. Like have dinner maybe," he mumbled uncertainly. Miles' words got stuck in his throat. Whatever he had been expecting Phoenix to ask, nothing had come close to that. So Phoenix Wright wanted to have dinner with him. That was do-able. Co-workers had dinner all the time – or so was the belief Miles had. He wasn't one for socialising. Judging from the way Phoenix avoided eye contact and the blush spreading across his face, Miles asserted that this was more than a mere social event between friends that Phoenix was offering. Miles reminisced back to his earlier thoughts from when Beverley had proposed to him, that he 'already had someone in mind'. However not wanting to look like a fool, Miles had to get clarification from Phoenix before jumping to any wild conclusions.
"Dinner as friends?" enquired Miles. The word 'friends' sounded like a foreign word to his tongue. Phoenix hesitated. He could tell the lie that would save him or he could speak the truth that would most likely shoot him in the foot. He was a lawyer. The truth was the only thing acceptable to him.
"Not as friends." Phoenix chanced a glimpse at Miles and regretted it instantly. The other man gave off an air of coolness that was unsettling and made Phoenix wish he had just gone into his apartment without a backward glance. It would have been far less embarrassing.
"Just forget I said anything! You obviously don't want to..." Miles wagged his finger at Phoenix patronisingly. He smirked and winked cheekily, which startled Phoenix.
"Oh Wright. Wright, Wright, Wright. Always so quick to jump to conclusions, aren't you?" Phoenix looked puzzled. What was Miles talking about now? He couldn't just reject him quickly so Phoenix could move on with his life – no, he had to drag it out and make the pain worse.
"When did you hear me say I don't want to have dinner with you?" said Miles, smiling. It was actually kind of scary, like a cat trying to be nice to a mouse. Now Phoenix was even more confused. Miles...wanted to have dinner with him? Phoenix's mind was beginning to hurt with the mix-up.
"You...You know I mean like a date, right?" checked Phoenix. It didn't make sense for the prosecutor to be so willing like this. Why would I even ask if I was so sure he would say no? Phoenix thought desperately to himself. Miles chuckled.
"Of course I know. Get in the car."
"No way!" Although Phoenix was dazed, he still had enough sense to know he was never letting Miles drive him anywhere. Ever. "We're walking." Miles rolled his eyes but abandoned his car to join Phoenix on the other side of the vehicle. After making sure the car doors were locked, Phoenix led the way to the nearest restaurant, shooting concerned glances at Miles along the way. He had expected Miles to turn him down, not agree to going on a date with him. It made Phoenix think he had been wrong to judge Miles before hearing him out. Miles wasn't oblivious to the way Phoenix continued to stare at him and it made him laugh inside. He found Phoenix to be quite naive at times and this quality in him appealed to Miles. He liked that Phoenix was a – for loss of better words – 'nice guy'. As they walked down the street with their arms almost touching in a silence that wasn't very bearable to Phoenix, the man had had enough. He stopped walking and turned to Miles.
"Why did you say yes?" he asked incredulously. Miles mouth twitched as he forced himself to come across as deadly serious, although he very much wanted to laugh at Phoenix's question.
"Would you rather I said no?" he shot back.
"O-of course not!" Phoenix was beginning to question his own sanity. A few people walking past them gave them odd looks but none lingered long enough to find out what was going on between the two well-dressed men.
"Then what's the problem?" Miles began to get annoyed with Phoenix. He had already agreed to have dinner with him; Miles didn't see what was so wrong with that. Why would Phoenix ask if he was going to be this surprised when Miles said yes? Miles had guessed that Phoenix had doubted he would accept his offer for dinner but Phoenix was just going to have to get over his shock if he wanted to have a good evening.
"The problem is...is you! When did you start liking me?" said Phoenix accusingly. Miles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Clearly this was a bad time.
"Okay Wright, if you don't want to have dinner tonight that's fine. You have my number, give me a call when you're sane." Miles attempted to walk away but Phoenix blocked his path, his eyes slightly wild. Miles backed away from the madman.
"You won't get away from me that easily, Edgeworth! Answer my question and then we can go to dinner," said Phoenix, almost hysterical. Rather than argue, Miles gave in to his demands. Now that they had made plans for it, Miles was looking forward to having dinner with Phoenix and any time spent making idle conversation was a waste of his precious time. The sooner he was sitting down across a table from Phoenix Wright, the sooner he would be a happier man for it.
"When I 'started liking you', as you so blandly put it, can't be pin-pointed to a particular time. Now can we please have dinner?" Miles' patience was running thin and if Phoenix didn't hurry up and resume walking then Miles was going to walk – right back to his car. Phoenix looked thoughtful for a moment as he considered Miles' answer. However the time he had to think about it was limited: he could tell Miles wasn't willing to wait much longer for him. Phoenix decided to accept it and move on. Miles was glad Phoenix came to his senses at last and they continued walking for a couple more paces. The restaurant Phoenix had intended on dining at eventually came into their line of vision. It was a bit of a walk but nothing too trying for either man. Phoenix leaned across to Miles.
"Wanna hold hands?" he asked eagerly.
"No."