Midsummer's Eve-Chapter One
Jasmine Justice
Lyn turned her face up to the sun as she walked towards the Prosecutor's Office, to start her work for the day. She loved summer; loved the blazing heat that made others flee to air-conditioned refuge; loved the incandescently blue sky that hurt your eyes to look at it; loved the sound of splashing from the pools.
Even today, she was dressed in dark colors and a jacket. It was chilly in the Office, as she had learned from experience, and the sun's warmth lingered a long time in dark fabric.
As Lyn walked through the double doors, she was greeted by the sight of Franziska von Karma tapping her foot on the floor. "Hello, Ms. von Karma," she said uncertainly; Franziska showing any signs of discomfort was never a good sign for those who feared her whip. "Lynette Chevalier!" Franziska snapped. Lyn jumped. "Y-Yes…?" she stammered; Franziska seemed to be in a foul mood today. She was grateful she didn't have to work directly with the woman today.
"I need you to take some papers down to that foolish defense attorney's office." Lyn couldn't hide her shock. "Wait, you're giving him records for a case?" she blurted, and then wished she hadn't, as Franziska's whip cracked across her face four times before she let up. "No!" Franziska retorted. "He's requested information about the movements of Misty Fey, and we have absolutely no way to deny his foolish request." Lyn sighed. "Where are the papers? I'll take them down as fast as I am able," she asked.
"The papers are under heading MV-9 in the Records Room," Franziska answered. Lyn stepped quickly towards the Records Room. She knew case records weren't the only things in the room, but she hadn't known the Prosecutor's Office had kept track of anyone's movements if they weren't defendants. "Oh, no, wait," she murmured to herself. "Misty Fey was accused of fraud, even though her name was cleared."
The Records Room was as messy as usual; Lyn fancied herself that she had made a dent in the stacks of papers. She had left off at MV-4 yesterday, so she couldn't expect it to be on the shelf already. She began digging through the stacks with a sigh; this could take hours.
Luckily, it only took fifteen minutes for her to find MV-9. She pulled it out of its pile and left slowly. Lyn sped up as she exited the Office and began running down the sidewalk. She dodged a group and turned the corner of Sheldon Street and Swordsman's Lane, a usually empty shortcut towards the Wright and Co. Law Offices.
It was empty today. Lyn started running all-out; she had told Franziska that she would deliver the papers as fast as possible. In her world, she had lied often, but she had broken that habit when she had come here, and was determined to keep it that way.
The office was quiet when Lyn came to it; she knocked, and a dejected-sounding voice-undoubtedly Phoenix's-answered, "Come in…"
She did so, and gasped with shock when she came in. The place was messier than Lyn could imagine anywhere ever being, and the atmosphere was one of general dismay and sorrow. Maya was making a halfhearted attempt to straighten out the desk, but Phoenix sat on the couch, head cradled in his hands. "Hello, Lyn," Maya said sadly. "What happened, Maya?!" Lyn demanded. Maya sighed. "You know what happened in the Hazakurain incident, right? Well…Iris has been sentenced to five years, and when Nick heard that, he kinda just…well, you can see for yourself." She gestured at the man on the couch, who seemed the very picture of grief. "I'm trying to clean up, but I can't really get into it. Nick won't move, and clients come in, see the mess, and leave. I don't know what to do anymore." Lyn didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Maya…" she said quietly. Then she winced. It seemed so inadequate. "Um…I have your papers." Maya nodded. "That's the only thing he's moved for-to call and request those papers. I don't know why-he didn't say." Lyn stared at her. "He hasn't eaten or drunk anything?" she gasped. "No…" Maya said. Lyn got mad. She walked over to Phoenix and whacked him on the head with the file. "Mr. Wright!" she snapped. "I can't believe you, of all people, would indulge in something so selfish as this! Iris wouldn't want you to starve herself, would she? Or for you to get kicked out of your office? You're leaving Maya all this mess, and you won't even move to get her-or yourself-something to eat, at least?" She thwacked him again. "Get up! Take these papers! Stop acting like a lump and start acting like yourself, you…you…you fool!" A year in Franziska's proximity had rubbed off, Lyn thought with a grimace. Phoenix seemed not to hear. So she kicked him. "OUCH!" he yelped, jumping up. "Thank you," she said coolly. Handing him the papers, she smiled at him. "Here you are." She turned to leave. "Good day." She stepped outside and ran back to the Prosecutor's Office.