This is just a cute idea I thought of one day. More little drabbles like this will be on the way soon. This one is set during the first game. Unfortunately, I don't own any rights to the Ace Attorney franchise. Enjoy!
It was quite an odd arrangement if anyone stopped for a moment to think about it. But it had become a sort of tradition now. After every case Phoenix won, he would invite his client and everyone who had worked on the case to go out and celebrate at the diner down the road from his office. It was a cheap place with average food and less than average decor but it suited them perfectly. Maya had been the one to start it all. After Phoenix cleared her name for the murder of her sister and put the true killer safely behind bars, he had suggested that they went out somewhere together. He knew he was tight on money, but he felt it was his duty to look after his mentor's sister for at least a little longer. Much to Phoenix's surprise (and his wallet's relief) all Maya wanted to do was go to the cheap diner down the street that Mia always used to tell her about and scoff hamburgers. So, that's exactly what they did. Then a month later when Will Powers was clearer, Maya suggested they did the same thing. But what really sealed the tradition- if anyone could really call it that- was when Phoenix proved Edgeworth's innocence in both the murder of Robert Hammond and Edgeworth's father 15 years ago and convicted Manfred Von Karma for the criminal he really was. Everyone had gathered in the defendant's lobby, chattering excitedly and congratulating Phoenix on winning the case. His eyes found Edgeworth's and his smile grew.
"So, it's finally over Edgeworth"
"Wright. I... I'm not sure how to say this"
"I know, I know! Try 'thank you'" Maya butted in, causing Phoenix to roll his eyes. A vaguely stuttered 'thank you' came from Edgeworth's lips and Maya was definitely not impressed. But Phoenix could only smile because he knew that not matter what, his friend had meant it with everything he had even if he couldn't show it. Everyone gathered in together for a photo thanks to Lota. A shiver travelled down Phoenix's spine and for a moment he heard the whisper of someone who sounded almost like Mia. But the thought was washed away in a tidal wave of cheers as the moment was snapped in the form of an everlasting photograph. The talking and laughter started up once more until Maya yelled something about food (as usual) and a chorus of voices agreed with her.
"I was thinking somewhere nice; a fancy restaurant fit for the occasion!" Maya teased with a sarcastic tone that even Edgeworth seemed to pick up on. Phoenix instantly knew what she was up to and after a moment of consideration, he agreed. The whole group of them wandered down to the little diner. It wasn't too far from the courthouse and they arrived in under 20 minutes. The regular waitress greeted them with a friendly smile and even called Phoenix by name once their table was ready (which was almost all of the tables in the tiny diner pushed together in the middle of the room). Phoenix and Maya sat opposite each other at the very end near the window. Larry sat beside Maya (the two of them had been talking non-stop about the Steel Samurai the whole way there) and Lota sat on the other side. Gumshoe sat opposite her, a huge smile on his face, and Edgeworth finally sat himself down between Phoenix and the detective. The combined force of their hunger caused them to collectively order almost everything on the menu.
After that, it became a cemented idea that after Phoenix won a case, everyone would be dragged down to that little diner. It was cheap and tacky, the room was usually either too hot or too cold, and the chairs were almost always broken.
But none of them would have had it any other way.