I suppose "Holy Crap" would be sufficient here. I intended for this to be a longer story compared to my other oneshots, but 19 pages is just ridiculous. Although I kinda like this one, though that may just be biased because of all the effort put into it. It may be rather early, but Christmas is only about a week or two away (at the time of release), so I guess it isn't too bad. And I'm sorry if it seems like I'm guilty of commercializing Christmas, but I'm Catholic myself, and I can't think of any evidence showing the religions of PW characters, so I was forced to neutralize it. Sorry if that offends anyone. Anyway, NickxMaya was always a favorite pairing of mine, and I'm glad that I was able to write a fanfic that is able to express that preference of mine so well. Also, Pearls might seem kind of OC at times, but it has been seven years, so I think her more mature moments are justified as such. But I think that Apollo's characterization might anger some, as I kind of portrayed him as a punching bag. Actually, to a lot of PW vets, he's kinda "that one", including myself. Ach, I'm just rambling on and on, aren't I? Forget about me, and please enjoy (read: review) the story!

Missed Time

December 23, 11:39 AM
Train Tracks

The train rolled down the tracks, almost whistling due to the velocity. Inside our car were a magician, a lawyer with horns, and a hobo, the former both trying to console the latter. "Come on, Daddy! You're worrying over nothing," Trucy exclaimed, exasperated.

Apollo nodded in agreement. "If all I've read about you is true, Mr. Wright, then there's no way she would have forgotten about you. She'll probably be ecstatic to see you, and her little cousin, too!"

I looked up at the two, smiling a melancholy smile. "It's been eight years since we've exchanged a letter, and nine since we've seen each other in person. It's nice of the two of you to care, but I can't help feeling nervous."

The two siblings looked at each other worriedly, exchanging a silent conversation. They were probably thinking something along the lines of "He's never this out of it, not even during that time when you destroyed a wall practicing one of your more complicated magic tricks and the only builder in town was also the most expensive."

"Kurain Village, Kurain Village! Last stop, Kurain Village!" the conductor yelled out. Apollo reached up to grab our suitcases, Trucy gathering up the various snack wrappers that were lying around on the seats. I got up lazily, sliding the door open. Everyone else left on the train was already in the hallway, itching to be let off.

Apollo came through the door, gasping and wheezing due to the weight of the many bags (most filled with Trucy's various magic props), followed by Trucy carrying an armload of pudding cups and grape juice bottles. "Geez, Daddy," she panted. "You've really got to lay off with the drinking." Then she looked up at her brother. "But you've really got to hit the gym, Polly, they can't be that heavy." He scowled down at her through the suitcases.

December 23, 11:46 AM
Kurain Village
Train Station

We stepped onto the platform into the crowd, most of which was dispersing for the mountain paths, Kurain being a very rural, out-of-the-way place with no real attractions. I scanned the multitude for any sign of Maya, her purple robes, her bouncing topknot, her cheerful, melodic voice. Trucy peered out too, shielding her eyes from the sunlight with her gloved hands, having met Maya once in her youth. Apollo simply sat down, relieved of his heavy burden. Trucy looked up at me, her eyes filled with concern. "I don't see her, Daddy. Do you think she didn't get the email?"

My reply was interrupted by cries of "Mr. Nick, Mr. Nick!" erupting from our left. A teenage girl dashed through the crowd, ducking and weaving, headed straight for us. Her light brown hair was done up in a pair of circles, and her purple outfit was that of a spirit medium. Her slippers slapped against the concrete as she came up to us, a large grin plastered on her face. "Mr. Nick, it's been so long! I hardly recognize you!"

I ruffled her hair affectionately. "It's good to see you too, Pearls. You've grown a lot, haven't you…?"

She grinned. "You think? Mystic Maya says that she was a lot taller than me at my age. And guess what? My channeling is so good now, I'm a member of the Village Council!"

I had no idea what that was, but I smiled anyway. "Good for you, Pearls. Is Maya here today?"

She gasped and smiled, obviously happy that I had asked about her. It looked as if she still hadn't given up on her "Mystic Maya's special someone" fantasy in the past nine years. "She would be here, too, but she had some business as Master to take care of. She should be free by lunchtime, so let's get up to the mansion now." She paused, looking at Trucy and Apollo. "Mr. Nick, who are these people?" she asked.

"This here is Apollo, my disciple," I said, clapping him on the back as he glared at me. "And this is my daughter, Trucy—"

Pearls gasped, then glared at me heatedly. "Daughter?! Mr. Nick, how could you?! You lying, cheating, filthy scum!!" She slapped me across the cheek each time to emphasize each syllable, which hurt a lot more now that she was about shoulder height and had an increased vocabulary. "What- About- Mystic- Maya?!?!" she cried. "To think I trusted you!"

Apollo laughed, then stepped in to grab Pearls' arm mid-slap. He looked as if he were half-sad to end it. "Actually, Trucy is Mr. Wright's adopted daughter. He's completely innocent."

Pearls looked at me, then Trucy, then Apollo, then back at me, pointing her finger at each person in turn, opening her mouth yet not making a sound. She raised her hand and scratched the back of her neck nervously. "Ha ha…" she said, smiling and sticking her tongue out. "Oops. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you, Mr. Nick." She blushed and ran up the path, waving for us to follow her. Apollo groaned at the prospect of having to carry the bags even further.

December 23, 12:13 PM
Fey Manor
Winding Way

Fey manor hadn't changed at all since I had been there last, the green gardens, the raised wooden walkways, the classical Japanese aesthetic style, and especially the blue urn in the corner. Pearls avoided it, looking the other way and whistling, quickly steering us into the nearest empty room. "Here is where you'll all be staying," Pearl said cheerfully. "I'm sure Mr. Wright recognizes it. Anyway, it's empty now, but I'll send for a couple of our best futons later."

She took off again, motioning for us to follow her. Apollo set down the bags with a thump, sighing with relief. She stopped in a hallway leading to the kitchen. "Lunch is always at 12:30 sharp, so I'm afraid we'll have to wait a bit longer. What would you like to do until then?"

Apollo spoke up hastily, probably not wanting to give Trucy the chance to unleash Mr. Hat or some other abomination. "Uh… That Koi pond we passed earlier… It was very… Uh… Pretty. Could we go back and see it?"

"Sure thing," Pearls replied. She had gotten a lot more responsible since I last saw her. We walked out the nearest door back into the bright sun, making our way through the stone path to a small pool of water where an array of multicolored fish all swam about.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" Trucy exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Look at that big blue one with the whiskers!"

Pearl leaned over to get a better look at what Trucy was pointing to. "Oh, that's our prize catfish. The cooks are always talking about gutting him and serving him up, but Mystic Maya and I are always quick to shut them down." Trucy exhaled, gladdened, and Apollo mirrored her, though not quite as loudly. "We named him Judgey after his whiskers." Trucy snickered, Apollo snorted, and I smiled, all having the same mental image of the Judge's balding head mounted on the pair of blue fins.

Trucy suddenly got an evil look on her face. She whispered something in Pearls' ear, covering up her mouth with her hand. Pearls gasped, then smiled, giving Trucy a thumbs-up. Looks like she had developed a mischievous streak as well. Trucy grinned back, then tiptoed to Apollo's back, the front being occupied with the fish swimming about. Suddenly, she shoved him, sending him sprawling into the water, his arms swinging wildly about for something to grasp onto. A few seconds later, his head emerged from the pool, spluttering and gasping for breath. "Trucy!" he yelled. "What the heck was that for?!"

She laughed. "No reason. Here, I'll help you up." As Pearls ran off to get a towel, Trucy bent down to take his hand and help him out. Also for "no reason", I stuck my foot out, causing Trucy to flip head over heels into the pool and onto Apollo. They shouted at me angrily as they came up. Laughing, I extended my hand to them both as Pearls came running back with a dry towel.

"That's what you get, Trucy."

She glared at me.

December 23, 12:28 PM
Fey Manor
Dining Hall Attachment

Pearls smiled, clapping her hands together. "Alright, lunch is just about ready. Shall we go in?" she said, with an almost mischievous grin. I was afraid to learn what was behind the sliding door. Trucy and Apollo didn't seem to catch on, however, as they nodded enthusiastically. Pearls stepped to the side, sliding open the door. Though Pearls tried to stop him, Apollo walked in first.

And promptly came tumbling out, tackled to the ground by a purple-clad woman screaming "Nnnnnnniiiiiiicccccckkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!" When the dust settled, Apollo was on the ground, unconscious, his limbs splayed out wildly. The woman was sitting upright on his stomach, her hands on his chest, her legs bent back as if kneeling, grinning, her topknot bouncing up and down happily. "It's been so long, Nick!" Then she took a closer look at him. "Hey, you're not Nick…" she muttered, frowning.

Pearl spoke up from the corner of the room. "Actually, Mr. Nick is over here…" she said, biting her lip.

The woman looked at me expectedly, looking me over as if disbelieving. Then a look of dawning came on her face, and she jumped off of Apollo and tried to tackle me. "Nick!" she cried, squeezing the breath out of my lungs. "It's been forever, you look so different, and so old, too!"

She was clad in a purple robe, that of an acolyte, with a grey master's cloak draped over her shoulders. She had gotten much taller since I had last seen her, so that her head just about reached my chin. Her face had changed too, so that you could still see that it was her, but her features had morphed slightly to resemble that of Mia. And her eyes especially, they showed a much wiser person behind them, an older and more mature one, but yet you could still tell that most of that wisdom was centered around children's action shows.

"Good to see you too, Maya." I said with a hint of sarcasm, hugging her back lightly.

She grinned. "C'mon, let's go eat, we can talk then, I'm hungry." She led us in, dragging me by the hand. Pearls followed, helping Trucy carry the groggy Apollo.

December 23, 12:35 PM
Fey Manor
Dining Hall

"Sho, Mnick," Maya mumbled through her mouthful of ramen. "How'f yooh bin dese lasch fyeew yeerz?" she asked, pointing her chopsticks at me.

"Fine," I replied, smirking at her antics. "Tried taking a few piano lessons after being disbarred. Didn't work so well, but the Borscht Bowl Club still employs me, so it's alright."

"He's still in top lawyer shape, you know," Apollo added. "I was reading about the cases he took while you were still with him, and he's still just as sharp. He's always able to help me out on my own cases."

Trucy giggled. "But wouldn't that mean that you always need his help?" Apollo quickly became very interested in his chicken soup, inciting snickers from Pearl and Trucy.

I leaned back in my chair, chewing on one of the Snackoos that were sitting in a nearby bowl. "So, yeah –munch- it hasn't been –munch- too bad –munch- at all. What about –munch- you, Maya?"

Maya swallowed a large bite of hamburger, then let out a loud belch, causing several Kurain elders to give her disparaging looks. "Actually, I'm the master now," she said, tearing at a piece of steak with her teeth and pointing to a broach hanging about her neck. "The elders are always on my case about something or other, but I don't really have to do any work, so it averages out pretty well." She looked down at her empty plate. "Hey, cook!" she waved. "Could I have some more?" I smiled, seeing the stack of dishes next to her that must have already been twenty high. Same old Maya.

December 23, 2:12 PM
Fey Manor
Winding Way

Maya and I sat by the water, dangling our legs in. Pearls had insisted that "Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick have some alone time" and whisked Trucy and Apollo off to other parts of the property before anyone had any time to object. The fish swam about, darting in between our feet. It was cold, but it was refreshing, too.

"Hey, Nick," Maya said, turning to look at me. "How come you never wrote? I know you can't write very well, but you could've at least said 'hi' once in a while. I wouldn't even have known your name was cleared unless I had read the newspaper."

I looked down at the fish. "Well… Ever since I got disbarred, I was ashamed of myself, angry at myself for being such an idiot…I guess I just didn't want you to see me like this."

Maya puffed her cheeks up, slapping me on the back of my head like she always used to. "Idiot," she said, sighing. "I wouldn't have cared if you had become a hobo or a millionaire. To me, you're just plain old Nick, and you always will be." She yawned, resting her head on my shoulder. "It's nice to have you back."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Pearls and Trucy gasping and squealing silently from behind a corner, accompanied with a sighing Apollo. I smiled. They'd either be all over my case about this, or spend the whole night with flashlights devising ways to get us together. Might as well give them a show while they were here. I placed my hand around her waist. "Yeah, it's good to be with you again, too."

December 23, 8:21 PM
Fey Manor
Side Room

The rest of that afternoon had been spent playing various games. Maya had brought out a vintage strategy game featuring various Steel Samurai characters. Normally she would have come in last, but, naturally, as the game revolved around the Samurai Series' world, she won all three games. I got her back in poker, though.

Dinner had also been hectic, as the chefs had been insane enough to serve both three courses' worth of hamburgers and an extravagance of pudding. Apollo, Pearls and I had to sit on the opposite end of the table so to not get sprayed by much of Trucy and Maya's feeding frenzy. Thankfully, we were allowed showers afterward, so no one was really damaged, except for those unfortunate enough to wear white during the occasion.

By this time, Trucy and Pearls were off in the corner of the room, whispering heatedly and occasionally glancing at Maya and I. Apollo had gotten out his laptop, probably looking up some old case. Either that, or, judging from his expressions, talking with someone online, probably Klavier. Maya and I were just talking casually, catching up on old times. "Hey, how has Edgeworth been? Is he still watching the Samurai Series in secret?"

I laughed. "Last I checked, which was about a couple years ago, he had his office redecorated to resemble Neo Olde Tokyo in homage to the Steel Samurai. I think he got fed up with being scared that someone would find out about his obsession."

Maya smiled. "That's good to hear. Have Detective Gumshoe and Maggey gotten married yet?"

"Yeah. The wedding was pretty quiet, thanks to Gumshoe's salary, but Edgeworth paid for the reception. Trust me, you don't want to see Larry or Franziska drunk together."

Maya pouted. "Aw, but that would've been so funny…" I was scared to think of what she was thinking. "Hmph. Anything else of interest happen?"

I looked up to the ceiling, counting on my fingers. "Let's see… Jake Marshall and Lana Skye got married… Oh, but you wouldn't know them. Um… Gumshoe got a raise… Trucy and Valant now work together, their magic tricks are a hit everywhere… Larry's managed to stay with the same girl for half a year now… Godot broke out of jail, he now runs Armando Coffee… Lotta really did hit the jackpot with a photo, she got a clear shot of a UFO… Cody Hackins got a job with Global Studios, now he's the Iron Samurai… There's no one who hasn't heard of Berry Big Circus now…Desirée and Ron had a kid… Iris was released from prison, she works with Godot—"

In a split second, Pearls was across the room and on top of me. "Mr. Nick!" she cried, slapping me with unnatural force. "How could you still be seeing Sister Iris?!"

Maya laughed, helping Apollo heave the squirming Pearls off of me. "Geez, Pearl!" Apollo muttered as Trucy produced a tissue from her panties to ease the bleeding from my nose. "Talk about overreacting, all he did was mention a girl's name!"

Pearls glared at him, twisting to get free. "It's not like that!" she shouted. "Sister Iris and Mr. Nick used to see each other in college! Now they're dating again!" She glared at me. "How could you?! What about Mystic Maya?!"

"Alight, alright, Pearly, calm down," Maya said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Nick and Iris haven't been dating each other at all." Pearls puffed up her cheeks defiantly. "Now, it's almost nine, so let's get ready for bed."

Apollo and Trucy lit up at the prospect of a good night's sleep after the day's activities. They rushed to the bathroom, followed by Pearls, eager to change and brush their teeth. "Must be nice to have that much energy, huh…?" I said in mock distance. "Then again, why am I talking to you about missed energy?"

Maya punched me in the arm. "Shut up, old man," she joked, her black hair flowing. "You couldn't run five feet without stopping for air."

I smirked back at her, poking her in the forehead and pushing back slightly. "And you wouldn't run five feet unless ramen, hamburgers, or money were involved."

She pouted, her cheeks blowing up. "That's mean, Nick, no matter how true it is." She collapsed against me, closing her eyes and yawning. "I'm tired. Can we go out for food tomorrow?"

I laughed. Nothing had changed at all. "Sure. But this time, you pay."

She sighed dramatically, raising a hand to her forehead. "If you insist," she moaned, raising her eyes to the ceiling. "But you have to at least pay for drinks. It's practically a tradition!"

"Some host you are."

December 24, 7:20 AM
Fey Manor
Side Room

I was awoken by a crash that sounded as if it was coming from Pearls' room. Apollo rose at the same second, his blankets falling from his chest, revealing his justice scale pajamas underneath, rubbing his eyes groggily. He looked around. "Mr. Wright, where's Trucy?" he asked, his voice strained from the early hour.

"I dunno," I replied, getting up and throwing on my bathrobe, walking surely and swiftly towards the door. "Follow me if you want to find out." I closed the door behind me forcefully as I strode down the hall, wrenching open the door to Pearls' room.

Trucy was standing on the bed on her tiptoes, reaching for a box of pens on a nearby shelf. A large box of crayons was already on the floor, presumably knocked aside. Pearl was on the floor, looking at a few sheets of paper with writing and scribbles all over them. Both glanced up and grinned shakily when they saw me. Pearls attempted to shift the papers behind her back in an effort to hide them. "Good morning, Mr. Nick!" she exclaimed, trying to hide her uneasiness.

Apollo appeared behind me, craning his neck to get a better view of the scene. He immediately noticed and recognized the nervous grin on Trucy's face and pointed at her accusingly. "Trucy, what have you done now?"

She glared at him in reply, bouncing off the bed and onto the floor. "We haven't done anything, and even if we had, it'd be none of your business. And what do you mean, 'now?"

I attempted to mask my suspicion by smiling and waving my hands. "Alright, calm down, everyone. Let's go eat breakfast, alright?" Trucy filed out of the room sulkily, followed by an equally disgruntled Pearl. Apollo sighed and walked after them. I took the opportunity to seize one of the nearest papers, uncrumple it from its ball, and scan it.

Dear Mystic Maya,

I love you very, very, very, very, very, very much and have felt this way since I first saw you. Please meet me at the village ramen shop today so we can go out on a date at noon.

Yours forever,

Mr. Nick

I had no idea whether to be impressed or disgusted.

December 24, 8:26 AM
Fey Manor
Dining Hall

By this time, Maya was awake, albeit rather groggy, as Apollo was, so we had all began to cook and eat breakfast. Maya and I had worked out a pattern for making the pancakes, serving them, and grabbing a bite for ourselves to eat. The system worked pretty well.

"Chocolate chip with strawberries!," Maya yelled, flinging the pancake through the air, still whistling steam. Pearls and Trucy practically leapt onto the table to fight over the treat. Their forks and knives clashed in midair, suspending the cake and causing it to levitate. You could practically hear the sparks fly. Apollo, however, using his finely honed pointer finger thrust, was able to stab the cake in one blow, skewering it with his knife in the air, causing juices to ooze out. He whistled mockingly, popping a bite into his mouth and looking the other way, ignoring and acknowledging the defeated tears and glares directed at him from the two teenage girls.

The girls rushed up to the stove, resting their fingers and chins on the countertop, eager to not let Apollo get the better of them this time. But, Murphy's law took full effect here. As Maya prepared to toss another completed cake, her lips opening to announce it, Trucy saw it coming, and Pearls followed suit, leaping five feet in the air to reach it. They crashed into me, sending me back and groping my arms wildly for a handhold. I found one. Maya.

Pearl swooned, as did Trucy. "Ooh, Mr. Nick! That was such a romantic embrace! Does this mean you're dating now?" the former asked, blushing.

I twitched. "I refuse to testify. Period." Pearls spluttered, but I held firm. She practically jumped on me, beating on my back so for me to cave in and "admit it". Hurting, I winked at Maya, who grinned. "Alright, Pearls, alright! Maya and I will go out on a date, but just this once. Just get off of me!"

Pearls clapped, giving Trucy a high-five. Apollo groaned, giving himself a facepalm. "Get going, you two!" Trucy grinned, bouncing up and down. "You don't want to miss lunch!"

Replying that it was barely 9:00 was what I normally would have done, but in the interest of keeping my head secured firmly to my head, I wisely decided to go change my clothes instead, Maya doing likewise.

December 24, 10:13 AM
Kurain Village
Shopping District

Kurain was rather crowded today, being the last day before Christmas, the dirty streets lined with frantic shoppers trying to scrape up gifts for unwanted in-laws and bratty nieces nephews. The cold winter air didn't help, either, tearing and biting at my sleeves.

Maya paused every so often at a store, admiring some toy or another in various windows. She nearly cried when she saw a vintage Dynamite Samurai action figure sitting in a pawn shop window, along with a three-digit price tag. I had to pretty much peel her from the glass.

I checked my wristwatch. "10:30. Far too early to eat… What to do until then…?"

Maya looked up, then down, then up again, thinking. Finally getting an idea, she collapsed her fist in her palm. "I know! The department store is having a 25% off sale today! We can go shop for presents!"

Knowing her, that probably meant something along the lines of "buy stuff for myself", but I wasn't about to say that out loud, so I followed her down the path and into a large building, the only one that looked as if it might fit back in the big city. Inside, the whole place was decorated in cliché holiday arrangements, such as a gigantic fake Christmas tree, holly and tinsel, and lots and lots of candles and angels and candy and the like. There was even a Santa in the corner, in addition to a long line of whining, screaming, crying children. I wonder how much he got paid. Probably as much as Gumshoe.

Spying the sign that read "Toy Aisle", which wasn't at all difficult to do, considering our materialistic society, Maya ran at full speed, dodging other customers like mad. She even jumped over an ornament display, ignoring security. Oh dear.

Ahead, she screeched to a stop, admiring something in a glass case. I ran up to her, panting and out of breath. "What… Are you looking at?" I asked, my hands holding onto my knees for stability.

She moved out of the way, pointing to where she had been. "Rings," she grinned. "Because of the sale today, we can buy them and sell them back elsewhere for about a $50 profit each!"

I lit up. Money wasn't exactly my strongest point, considering my paycheck. We ended up buying only three of them, as there was a limit on purchased jewelry so to prevent fraud, but $75 was nothing to complain about. I couldn't help mirroring Maya's get-rich-quick hand rub.

December 24, 11:41 AM
Kurain Village
ELDOON NOODLE- Kurain Chain

Maya and I slid into the nearest booth, glad to be relieved of the chilly air. A waiter came and went, taking our orders with him. Maya yawned, thrusting her arms back. "Just like old times, huh, Nick?"

I smirked. "Unfortunately. Now quit it, you're making me have flashbacks." I ducked just in time to miss Maya's flying disposable chopstick, causing it instead to embed itself in the wall. Maya quickly grabbed the beer list and pretended to peruse it as the management looked our way.

"Spicy soba for the gentleman, Eldoon specialty for the lady," the waiter said, reappearing and confirming our orders. We nodded, and he set a bowl down in front of the each of us. Mine was mixed with various vegetables and an array of meats, with a neat little bowl of broth sitting on the side. Maya's was the size of three regular platters, and was more like six with all the food piled height-wise. She gasped, smiling, and began tearing at it wildly, slurping noodles left and right.

Though she finished up in a few minutes and quickly demanded another bowl.

Needless to say, she earned us quite a few spectators that afternoon.

December 24, 1:26 PM
Fey Manor
Main Entrance

As we approached the manor, laden with bags, Trucy and Pearls bounded into sight, followed by a rather disgruntled Apollo. "So, how'd it go, you two?" Pearls asked, jumping up and down with glee.

Setting down my bags with a thump, I smiled down at her. "We didn't kiss, if that's what you're thinking." Her face instantly fell, and she trudged back to where Trucy was pouting and Apollo smirking.

"Hey, Apollo, give me a hand with these bags. They're a bit heavy, so watch your back," I said, turning to him. His face fell to resemble Pearls, and he muttered something about how he was "not as old as you…" I craned my neck back to look at him as he crouched to pick up the mountain of packages. "Quit whining. Your Christmas present's in there." He instantly began smiling again.

December 24, 1:30 PM
Fey Manor
Side Room

Apollo set down the last of the bags in the third pile with a sigh. "So… What now?" he asked, wiping his brow of sweat. "I don't suppose I can take a nap?"

"Well, we could always check out the game room," Pearls said, putting her index finger to her lips in thought. "Mystic Maya had it installed when she became the master, but she's always complaining about how she has no one to play with."

Trucy whooped, speeding out the door into the hall. She quickly poked her head back inside. "Where exactly is the game room?" she asked, grinning sheepishly. Apollo sighed, putting his hand to his eyes, probably both at Trucy's antics and at his lack of sleep.

December 24, 1:36 PM
Fey Manor
Game Room

If I had ever doubted how rich the Fey family was, all of my doubts were cleared up now. The room was basically three arcades in one, jam-packed with every sort of game imaginable, including racing games with actual cars. I shuddered to think of Maya playing them.

Trucy instantly spotted a large cabinet with a pad under it marked with arrows. Pressing a few buttons, music started, and she began stepping on the pads with a rhythm that sounded nothing like the music blaring out. Boos quickly sounded out, soon accompanied by a loud "game over" voice, taunting her. Apollo let out a snicker.

Trucy nearly exploded on him, accustomed to winning every game she touched. "You think it's so funny, Polly, why don't you try?!" she yelled, pushing him onto the pad despite his flamboyant protesting. Pearls stepped in and chose a song, while Trucy focused on keeping him on the floor. The music started up. Apollo blinked, stuttered, tried a few arrows, and promptly fell flat on his face, much to the amusement of the girls.

I smiled, then meandered off to find a nice poker simulator. Maya, however, had different ideas, and steered me off to a classic cabinet emblazoned with capital letters announcing the title of the game, "Boulevard Fighter II.V: The Other World Warrior". She booted up the game, choosing a character named "Nek Wasters", a red-clad warrior with an incredibly styled blonde hairdo. I shrugged, opting for an oriental girl called "Jun-Lee", who had a large amount of speed counters and amazingly disproportionate thighs.

The fight began. Maya began pushing random, or at least to me, random, buttons and proceeded to beat the everliving stuffing out of my character, and occasionally the real me with her flying elbows. Pearls, Trucy, and Apollo appeared as spectators for round two. "Look!" Pearls said to Trucy, pointing at our characters. "Even in the game, Mr. Nick can't help but hug Mystic Maya!"

"Pearls, it's called a grapple," Apollo said, shushing her, intent on the pixelated fight.

December 24, 5:30 PM
Fey Manor
Dining Hall

Once again, we were lined up in the dining hall. It being busy Christmas Eve, the chefs had opted for a buffet-style dinner, so the train of people stretched twice around the hall and a bit into the attachment. Thankfully, we had gotten there early, so we had merely to wait between a couple of elders and a big, buff woman no one had the guts to tell her that she had cut in front of about twenty people.

Maya, first out of us, immediately began reaching for everything in sight, occasionally even grabbing someone's hair, in which case she swiftly began pretending to reprimand the utterly clueless Apollo. Fairly soon she had filled five plates sky-high, two she carried, another two balanced on her arms, and the fifth placed carefully on top of her head. She must have done this often, as she was the first one out of the hall, yelling at us to hurry up.

Trucy and Pearls loaded up their plates identically, mostly consisting of junk, rushing out of the room to follow Maya. Apollo filled two plates with turkey and chicken and beef and exited in the girls' direction. I myself loaded up on various stereotypical Christmas foods and a few choice bottles of grape juice.

December 24, 5:41 PM
Fey Manor
Winding Way

The sun had already set, so the grounds were illuminated by a multitude of lamps and candles, making for a rather peaceful setting combined with the stars above and the air's perfect temperature. Or, at least, it would have been, had the girls not have learned how to eat from a pig. Currently engaging in an eating contest, Maya was the clear winner in all three categories, speed, amount, and technique, so Trucy and Pearls were competing for second, though it was still pretty one-sided.

I laughed, taking a bite of the mashed potatoes. They tasted of powder, as if instant made- "just add water"- in other words, something that I would normally make back home. Next to me, Apollo was nearly choking from lack of air, probably due to this meal being so good relatively to the stuff we normally had.

Maya got up, stretching her arms back and yawning. "I'm going to get something to drink," she said. "Want anything, anyone?"

I shook my twenty-third empty bottle of grape juice. She nodded and dashed off, scanning left and right for a waiter.

Apollo leaned back, resting his head on his elbows. "Ah, that was good," he said, patting his stomach and reaching to remove his belt. "If only I got paid this much," he muttered, shaking his head sadly. "We could eat like this every year…"

A green bottle flew over Apollo's head and landed in my hands. Maya sat back down with a thump, uncorking her own bottle. "How's that, Nick?"

"Perfect," I replied, raising my bottle to her. I noticed her drink and its unfamiliar label. "What do you have?"

Looking at the paper, she shrugged. "I dunno. It looked good, so I just grabbed it off the platter." She took a long swig, tilting her head back. Sighing, she wiped her mouth, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, that's really good. The more you drink, the more it works!"

Apollo raised an eyebrow nervously, then looked over her shoulder. He gasped. "Maya, don't—"

She swatted him away like a fly. "Aw, don't be such a party-pooper. This stuff's great," she exclaimed, taking another long gulp.

Pearls gasped, glancing furtively at Apollo, who nodded, biting his lip. "Mystic Maya!" she yelled, reaching for the bottle. "Mr. Apollo is right, stop drinking this instant! That's beer you're holding!"

Maya looked at the bottle's label and shrugged, hiccupping in the process. "So what?" she drawled, her eyes foggy. "I can handle it…"

Sensing the urgency of the situation, I got up and shook Maya by the shoulders, who was getting more drunk by the second, her cheeks even redder than Apollo's vest. "Maya…" I said slowly, nervously. "Look at me. How many fingers am I holding up?" Not garnering a reaction, I tried pointing in the direction of the pond. "Look, Maya! It's the Steel Samurai!"

She collapsed into my arms, smiling and gazing into the distance with her diluted pupils. "Ahh…" she mumbled. "Happy New Year, Nick…"

And she reached up and planted a kiss on my lips, wrapping her arms around my neck. It tasted something like candy canes.

Trucy swooned. Pearls gasped and furrowed her brow in anger. "But… Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick's first kiss was supposed to be meaningful and romantic, not drunken!" She glared at me, as if it were my fault.

Apollo simply sighed, pressing his palm to his face, walking over sullenly and helping me dunk Maya's head into the water.

December 24, 11:55 PM
Fey Manor
Infirmary

The clock ticked monotonously, mockingly, watching me. Everyone else had long went to bed, dreaming of NBox720-9's and new teddy bears and money and whatnot. I sat next to Maya's bed, my hands folded to my mouth, waiting for her to wake up. The room was cold and dark, the only light coming from the moon outside, casting a dim glow on the medical tools and such.

A soft groan alerted me to Maya's waking up. She raised her hand to her head, wincing. "Ugh… Nick… My head hurts… What happened?" she asked, looking at me with half-lidded eyes.

I looked away in a near-futile attempt to hide my nervousness, scratching the back of my head. "Uh… Well, during the party, some idiot left a banana peel on the ground, and you tripped on it and, uh, hit your head on some rocks… So, yeah…"

She frowned, stroking absently at a strand of her silky raven hair. "Hm… But, I had the strangest dream while I was knocked out… Somehow, I got drunk, and then…"

Sweating, I cut her off, staring at the clock. "Oh, would you look at the time! It's already nearly midnight. I'd better get to sleep. You too, you need your rest after such a painful fall. See you in the morning!"

I left the room in a hurry, whistling as I grabbed my sweatshirt, glancing back nervously. Out of the corner of my eye, she rolled over in her bed, pulling up her blankets and yawning, her back facing me. And I could've sworn I saw the faintest hint of a smile as she turned.

December 25, 4:36 AM
Fey Manor
Kurain's Spare Room

All of a sudden there was a sharp pain in my chest, one that throbbed back and forth, as if something, or someone, was bouncing on top of my would-be sleeping body. I groaned, opening my eyes to see the grinning face of Trucy roughly two inches from mine. "Daddy," she nearly screamed right down my ear. "Wake up already! It's Christmas!"

I winced, struggling to turn and grab the portable clock next to my futon, using my middle finger and thumb to pull the sides of my face down in a tired effort to stay awake as Trucy moved on to bounce on Apollo, who was sleeping soundly next to me, the latter letting out a loud profanity as Trucy pushed down on his stomach. "Trucy, it's four in the freaking morning! Go back to bed, I don't care if it's Christmas!"

Trucy pouted, putting her hands to her hips. "But, Polly, that's no attitude to have! It's practically a tradition to wake up early to open presents! Besides, it's not four, it's closer to five. And if you don't get up now, you won't get that expensive new watch that you've been wanting for a whole year!"

His eyes immediately snapped open and he let out a loud whoop, leaping up and following the grinning Trucy out the door with the waiting Pearl. Sighing, I got up as well, a few of my bones cracking in the process.

An equally groggy Maya appeared from the nearest door on the left at the end of the hall, the infirmary, clutching a blanket and rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Nick, what's with all the noise? What happened?" she mumbled.

"Pearls, Trucy, and Apollo did," I answered, my vision and thoughts finally clearing up. "They're going to open their presents. Now. Before sunrise."

She laughed, trudging down the hall after them. "That definitely sounds like them. Ah, well. We're up, so we might as well join them, huh?"

I scoffed mockingly. "You don't have to hide it from me, I know you. Run and cartwheel down the halls announcing Christmas morning, follow them, see if I care."

She pouted.

December 25, 4:41 AM
Fey Manor
Storage Room

Pearls flipped on the light, revealing a small, dusty little room. Shelves of junk littered the sides, while a miniscule tree sat in the center, adorned with various colored, spherical ornaments and a veritable mountain of packages underneath. It seemed as if the room had been set up specifically for the five of us.

Apollo held a hand out to block Maya and I from entering. "Don't do it," he muttered, shaking his head in annoyance and reaching up to the ceiling to peel off a forest of little hanging boughs. "Mistletoe, and lots of it. You take a step in here, and you'll be kissing for an hour before Pearl and Trucy let you go." The girls sulked in the corner, angry that their carefully set up plan had been foiled.

Laughing, Maya seized the nearest package with her name on the tag, ripping the paper off greedily, a maniacal happiness shining in her eyes. Triumphantly, she held up a Pink Princess Season 1 Box Set. "Yes! These are impossible to find anywhere these days! Thanks, Apollo!" She ran over and tackled him again, though he managed to keep his balance this time and pat her awkwardly on the back.

Trucy seized the opportunity to take a package of her own, carefully tearing the paper off methodically, probably to reuse in the future for a magic show or something. "Wow, a Microtenny BS! These are so expensive, too!" she exclaimed, clutching a portable gaming console. "Thank you so much, Daddy!" I nodded, acknowledging her, though I'd probably be in debt for the next several years.

Apollo went next, his eyes scanning for a smaller package with his name on it. Spotting one, he ripped it open greedily, reminiscent of Maya. A black box unveiled itself, which popped open to reveal a gold watch. "A real, honest-to-goodness Bowflex! Yes! I've wanted one of these since forever! Thanks, Trucy!"

Pearls looked for one of her own presents. Picking out a large red one bearing her name, she lifted the top of the box, which opened to reveal another, smaller box. Which opened to contain another box. And another one. And yet another one. Ad infinitum. Pearls sniffed. "What if there isn't anything at all in here…?" she whimpered. "Whoever did this, it's –snif- not very –snif- funny…"

Maya clapped her cousin on the shoulder. "C'mon, Pearly, lighten up, I wouldn't do that to you. There's something really good at the end!" Pearls nodded shakily, wiping her eyes, then opened a few more boxes, revealing a small spotted kitten on the inside, who promptly took a gigantic lungful of air and sighed contentedly.

Pearl gasped. "A mate for Phoenix! She's wonderful! I think I'll call her Maya… Thank you oh so very much, Mystic Maya!" She leaped and gave Maya a gigantic bear hug, which the latter returned affectionately.

December 25, 5:23 AM
Fey Manor
Storage Room

As the morning wore on, and as the sun rose, more and more presents were unwrapped, including an electronic keyboard for me, a new red vest for Apollo, another Mr. Hat for Trucy, and a pearl necklace, pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet, and even a pearl hair tie for Pearl. Maya even received an explosive chemistry set from Trucy, which probably wasn't the smartest idea ever, but it was Christmas, after all, so I decided to keep silent about it.

Finally, only one present remained, labeled "From Pearl, to Mr. Nick." Smiling, I tore it open. It was a simple, white box, cardboard and yelling in gigantic rainbow letters, "OPEN ME." I did so.

Inside was a small green leaf, with two red berries near the base.

Pearls smiled, as did Trucy, bouncing up and down happily. "It's mistletoe, Mr. Nick! Now, you have to kiss Mystic Maya! And on the lips, too! No chickening out!"

Maya blushed, twiddling her fingers and staring at the ground nervously. "Do we really have to…?

Trucy nodded vigorously, jumping up and down. "Yeah! This one really is a tradition! C'mon, have at it, you two!"

Shaking his head, Apollo sighed. "You two do know that this could easily be prosecuted as a form of sexual harassment, and neither Klavier nor Mr. Edgeworth has a case at the moment…"

Trembling, I closed my eyes and moved closer to Maya, hoping that this would be over with soon. Maya's breath was held, labored, as if she was nervous, scared, as was I. Our lips met.

Surprisingly, it felt good, amazingly so, like a high, as if every care I had ever had was gone, disappeared, all of my cases, the pains I had felt from disbarment, the loneliness I had felt when I left my friends. The only thing that existed was Maya, Maya and Maya only, she was with me, she was inside me, she was me. Finally, after an eternity or a second, or lips parted slowly, a slight puckering sound coming from the moisture, saliva, that was still intertwined between our lips, disconnecting, falling.

Apollo blinked in the background, his mouth hanging down agape in disbelief. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Trucy looking at us, amazed, holding her hand over her mouth in surprise, attempting to stifle an audible gasp and failing miserably. Behind Maya, Pearls nearly fainted, swooning, holding the back of her hand to her forehead to stop from falling to the ground. "Mr. Nick!" she said lightheadedly. "That was sooo romantic!"

Maya opened her mouth, as if to say something, but, finding no words to fit the situation, simply smiled.

I did the same.

December 25, 9:29 AM
Fey Manor
Winding Way

Breakfast that morning had been a rather light affair, Pearls producing one of Gumshoe's favorite instant noodle brands, a flavor that Maya was also a fan of. Following that, the kids had dispersed to test their new gifts, leaving Maya and I alone together.

We sat much like we had two days before, dangling our legs into the water, resting against one another. However, no one had anything to say. Many times one of us had opened our mouths to speak, but had found no words. We sat in silence for well over half an hour.

Finally, Maya broke the silence. "Hey, Nick…" she started softly.

"Yeah?" I replied, not looking at her, instead choosing to keep staring at the water to avoid her seeing my blush.

"About earlier… You aren't a very good kisser, are you?"

I laughed a cold, forced laugh. "Yeah. Iris was constantly saying that. I guess I don't have very much experience."

She smiled. "Actually, I kind of… Enjoyed it." My heart skipped a beat. "So maybe we could remedy that."

I nodded, smiling also.

"I've missed you, Nick," she said softly, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I have, too."