A/N: So... I haven't written an Ace Attorney fic in a long time since I abandoned my old account (heytherestalker) in 2008 or something hehe but just so you know, I'm going to revive some old stories (and write them WAY better than I did), if any of you even read those back then! But okay, enough of that, I hope you guys like this one too! And I hope it makes up for my crappy 11 year old writing so I'm just going to think of it as a comeback or something!
Disclaimer: The idea's mine, sadly, not Ace Attorney.
- lostconcoctions
I.
"Court is adjourned!"
Gavel slam.
Apollo slumped onto the defense's desk, every part of his body sweating bullets and relief. And it was December.
That was way too close…, the fresh attorney thought. He was sure the judge was out for his head, with the way he handled the trial today.
Court chatter had erupted from the jury as the small audience started to file out of the room, mostly about how the defendant's face looked so guilty, how Apollo was a rookie that shouldn't believe so much in his clients, how Prosecutor Gavin's mere presence heated up the whole courtroom. In all honesty, Apollo was grateful that the civilians were allowed out first, just so he could sulk in his little bubble of relief a little bit longer. The judge was having some trouble gathering his skirts and gavel at the same time, cursing a few Canadian curses as he did. He tried not to make it seem like he was wearing three sweaters underneath his judge's dress for the winter.
"Not bad," Phoenix nodded his head at Apollo, eyeing the younger boys shaky frame.
"N-Not bad? You think that was not bad?!" Apollo was stammering at the ex-attorney, who looked as relaxed as ever in his place beside him, "I—Our client—she almost—she was almost thrown in jail until around five minutes ago!"
"Once," Phoenix tucked his hands into his hoodie pockets, "I was saved between letting a killer run free, or choosing death for my assistant and closest friend, by mere seconds, by a whip-happy woman and a sullen prosecutor. It was one of the scariest things I ever had to encounter." He said it so coolly, Apollo wasn't really sure Phoenix knew the definition of scary.
"Bested me again, Herr Forehead," The familiar sounds of designer shoes clicking against the courtroom tiles were getting closer. Klavier Gavin leaned over the defense's table. His blond hair was perfectly in place, like his perfectly white smile, and his perfectly shined Gavinners' necklace. When he spotted Phoenix though, he straightened right up, "A-Ah…Mr. Wright!"
"Klavier Gavin." Phoenix acknowledged with curve of his lips.
Heh, I have this guy wrapped around my finger, he thought cheekily. Ever since it came out that Klavier had been the real reason the great Phoenix Wright lost his attorney's badge, the blond prosecutor always seemed to be in debt with the former defense attorney, not that Phoenix even asked for that kind of attention. Still, he found it extremely amusing that he had a rock god stumbling over his words at the sight of him.
Oh if Edgeworth could see me now…
Wait.
I wear a hoodie to court, a daughter that couldn't possibly be mine unless I had a kid with that one girl I hooked up with in high school, and still no attorney's badge.
Never mind Edgeworth. Stay away from me.
"Stellar performance at court," Phoenix nodded at the blond with a warm smile. Klavier tried to keep his cool, though the definition of the word was slipping farther and farther away the longer he spoke to Phoenix Wright.
"Obviously mein skills were stellar enough against your own, Mr. Wright, as seen in Herr Forehead's performance here of course," Klavier said humbly, stepping slowly away. Phoenix felt like The Godfather around this guy, or better yet, God Himself.
Suddenly, it was as if the whole courtroom was shaken by just the swinging open of the two doors. And that munching sound. Klavier found himself involuntarily smiling already.
"I swear Gavin—" MUNCH "I told you we should've run fingerprint analysis on those picture frames—" MUNCH "—but nooo—" MUNCH "—they're-" MUNCH "-'irrelevant'-" MUNCH "-'to'-" MUNCH "-'the'-" MUNCH "-'case,'-" MUNCH "-'ja?'-" MUNCH "Ugh! Now look what you did! She's gone free! My boss is going to kill me!"
Klavier chuckled to himself at the sound of his favorite detectives extremely irritated yelling. She really was something.
"If you'll excuse me," Klavier locked eyes with both Apollo and Phoenix, "I think it's time for me to tease my girlfriend."
"I heard that Gavin!" Ema admonished, walking over to the defense's table with her hands on her hips. She was far from amused that yet again, she failed to find a suspect guilty with her evidence. "For the last time, I'm not your girlfriend and you can stop telling everyone about it too!"
"Oh mein liebe, you're so cute when you're mad." Klavier chuckled, brushing his knuckles against Ema's cheek. He chuckled even more when her face turned a noticeably pink color, before she slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch m…M…Mr. Wright!" Ema gasped, her whole face suddenly lighting up like a hundred watt bulb. Klavier had never seen her smile so hard.
Did she even smile?
"Ema!" Phoenix broke into one too, and Klavier was suddenly, extremely, extremely uncomfortable.
What the hell am I missing here?
Is fraulein seriously…with Mr. Wright…
So she likes older guys?
The two were suddenly bounding towards each other, Ema skipping over to wrap Phoenix into a tight hug. To the both of them, they were back to that case ten years ago, spraying Luminol over Edgeworth's office or gagging at the smell of Angel Starr's lunchboxes.
"I got the new kit you sent me!" Ema was gushing, an unwavering grin on her face, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! How'd you know I wanted it?"
"It screamed forensic scientist Ema Skye, how wouldn't you want it?" Phoenix laughed. Ema dropped her gaze at the mention of her childhood dream, and the reality she was in as just another detective.
"Is this guy bothering you?" Phoenix raised a crooked eyebrow at Klavier. Ema rolled her eyes. Klavier felt his golden skin start to pale. Ah shit.
"More like when isn't this guy bothering me?" Ema rolled her big blue eyes.
Please fraulein, shut. Up.
Phoenix flashed a dark look towards him. Klavier was definitely sure his legs turned to jello just then. Not that Phoenix even had a scary bone in his body, but hey, Klavier didn't need to know that. He could come off as the protective guy that could beat your guts out for as long as Klavier was gullible enough for it. And Ema wasn't going about to volunteer the fact that Phoenix was probably the most easy-going guy in the world, assuming Larry Butz wasn't around.
"Ho ho ho! Another case under your belt again, pal!" A gruff sound came from the jury bench and started making his way towards the small crowd forming.
"Gumshoe? What…What are you doing here?" Phoenix asked the green-coated detective.
"Well, as Head Detective, I was assessing Ms. Skye over there's salary for the month!" Gumshoe chuckled to himself.
How in God's name did this guy get promoted to Head Detective? Phoenix shook his head.
"Gah!" Ema buried her face in her palms. "Thanks for losing, you fop! Now I come off as useless! And I probably won't be able to pay rent any more after this!"
"Now, now, pal, don't forget! You're still getting that Christmas bonus!" Gumshoe gave Ema a flimsy thumbs up.
"And you can always move in with me if you feel like it." Klavier purred into her ear. "Maybe I should be losing more cases to Herr Wright to get just that."
Erm, it did everyone forget it was me that was the defense attorney today? Apollo thought as everyone talked around him.
"You're disgusting." Ema rolled her eyes, before turning to Gumshoe. "Just give it to me straight Detective, how bad did it drop?"
"Oh come on, pal! Let's not talk about salary for now, I've got a surprise for Mr. Wright, and you actually—"
"Daddy-o! Po-lly!" A high-pitched voice came from the lobby, but slowly echoed through the courtroom.
"Hey kiddo!" Phoenix beamed as the magician skipped over to the defense's desk. "You were supposed to wait outside."
"You're the one taking forever," Trucy pouted, crossing her arms to keep herself warm. They may have been inside the courthouse, but it didn't make the winter weather any more bearable. "Plus, Pearl and I are getting hungry!"
"Yeah Mr. Nick! Is that a way to treat your holiday guests?" Pearl Fey jumped up and down happily. She might have been a little bit older than Trucy, but Phoenix couldn't help but see her as the same nine year-old.
"And your coolest spirit medium ex-assistant!" The dark haired, top-knotted woman stepped in from behind the two girls. Scratch that, Maya was the one that hadn't changed; perky, happy, and still as immature as ever. Phoenix wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, seeing as she was the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique now. On top of that, she still wore the same purple channeling clothes. "C'mon Nick, I want some grub!"
"Please don't say burgers again." Phoenix muttered under his breath, recalling how ever since the Christmas season's started and Maya and Pearl had come to visit, burgers were the only thing in his system by now.
"Last time I checked, Wright, you liked burgers."
Phoenix froze in his spot.
That voice…His voice…no, it couldn't be…
CRACK!
"OW!" Phoenix stumbled backwards, his feet losing balance, sending him to fall flat on his butt.
"Fool!" The von Karma interrupted Phoenix's reeling thoughts, though she didn't seem to be talking to the ex-attorney, "That's the best greeting you can come up with after not seeing him after all these years?!"
Then there was the clucking of his tongue, and Phoenix was sure he wasn't mistaken any longer. No one did that, but…
"Now, Franziska, it was a better introduction than your whip across Wright's face." Phoenix finally cracked open his eyelids to meet the dark eyes of the prosecutor that he knew all too well. Miles Edgeworth. Phoenix's brain failed to find words for his mouth to speak, but his body seemed to have a mind on his own. Edgeworth didn't look that much different, permanent scowl lines still in place, burgundy suit and the ever-present cravat. If anything, the only thing that looked different with Edgeworth was that he looked taller, and more built. But that was probably because Phoenix was on his ass, staring dumbly at him. When Edgeworth held a pale hand out for Phoenix to take, he didn't even hesitate to reach for it and let the prosecutor pull him to his feet.
Before he could say anything, he was interrupted by someone else.
"Edgey?!" A strong manly perfume scent filled the room as Larry Butz stalked in, arms open. Instead of his usual orange jacket, he wore a security guard's uniform. "Well, well, well, who knew you were visiting for the holidays?"
"Actually, I did." Gumshoe chuckled. "This was my surprise pal."
CRACK!
"Don't speak like we're mere presents to be given, Scruffy!" Franziska unleashed her whip's punishment on the detective.
"Yeowch!"
"Well it is Christmas, mein liebe." Klavier smirked, finally recovering from feeling out of place with everyone.
Franziska raised at eyebrow at the prosecutor, mostly because she hadn't heard her native tongue in this country in a long time.
"It's a wonder we even caught the flight." Edgeworth said, sliding his hands into his pants pockets. "We missed the snow storm by seconds."
"F…F…Fra…Franzy!" Larry threw his arms up, jumping over to envelope the blue-haired prosecutor in a lung-crushing embrace.
"No…No…Not…you!" she gasped, feeling helpless as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp and breathe at the same time.
But Larry and Phoenix weren't the only ones affected by the surprising visit of the pair. Ever since one of them stepped into the room, Ema's cheeks were tinted a rosy pink.
Oh my God he's back. He's…back. The only guy I ever looked forward to working with…is…back.
Mr. Edgeworth!
The detective was like a sixteen year old again, infatuated by Miles Edgeworth, and Klavier Gavin saw her falling for him right in front of his eyes. No, he wasn't happy one bit.
"L-Larry?!" Phoenix finally found his voice. "What…What are you doing here?"
"Nick!" Larry finally detached his hold on Franziska, who was red in the face from all the unnecessary contact. Her arms were so numb, she barely had the strength to raise one to whip the hell out of the Butz. "How could you…You didn't know?"
"Know what?" Phoenix frowned, unable to find words to say to Edgeworth, so he decided to pointedly just ignore the man until he found them.
"I work here, Nick!"
"You—what?!" Half the crowd gasped what Larry said.
"I can't believe you guys!" Larry's eyes glassed over. "No one cares…I'm a bailiff now! Jeez!"
"You've got to be kidding me…" Edgeworth breathed. And man, did Ema hold on to everything he said.
Now that is a real man, she thought admirably.
"Wow Larry," Maya bowed her head, "Congrats on your job!"
"Aw it's my favorite girl in the world, Maya!" Larry winked. "Happy holidays!"
Franziska stared at Larry Butz like he was a cockroach.
"A-After Franzy, of course," Larry winked. "I may not be an artist anymore, but she's the muse of my life!"
"Don't even come close again." Franziska hissed.
"It looks like the old gang's all back together!" Gumshoe laughed, obviously extremely pleased with himself. "And some new guys too!"
"I don't think he should be part of this gang." Ema muttered, nudging her head towards Klavier Gavin, who was smirking.
"Him too." Franziska pointed at Larry.
"Now let's not make any rash decisions, Franzy!" Larry pouted.
"Ah, the spirit of Christmas…just like the scent of fresh lem—"
"MR. GROSSBERG?!" Maya's jaw dropped open. "What…What are you doing—"
"Oh I just dropped my pen." Grossberg murmured, waving a pen over his head, before walking outside.
"Well," Apollo clapped his hands. "Who says we should all get out of here?"
A bunch of I's erupted from the group, and they dispersed quickly, everyone filing out into the lobby with their own conversations. Trucy was focused on getting Apollo to tell Pearl a victim's name of an old case so should she could see spirit channeling with her own eyes, Maya was chatting on about a nearby burger joint to Gumshoe that even he might be able to afford, Larry already had Franziska straining against his hold as he boasted about his bailiff responsibilities, Klavier had his eye on Ema, who had her eye on Edgeworth like he was the whole world, who was coolly ignoring Phoenix just as Phoenix was doing the same to him.
Just as Franziska was about to reach for the handle, Larry's radio went off.
"Larry the lady killer speaking," Larry smirked into the receiver. Everyone else who heard just rolled their eyes.
"*crackle* *crackle* B…Butz…snow…storm…alert all the other guards…"
"Wait, what?" Larry had walked off to talk into the radio out of everyone's ear shot.
"There's a snow storm?" Maya gasped, though she didn't look sad about it even a bit. In fact, the spirit medium (who really should be acting her age) was already pretty intrigued.
Oh God, what could be worse? Franziska contemplated whipping the door to shreds. She knew coming back to LA with Miles was a mistake.
"Okay guys," Larry returned, tucking his radio into his belt again with a feigned look of regret and a mix of mischeif. "It looks like we're snowed in."
A/N: Leave a few reviews please? Just so I'll know whether I should continue this or not? :D
- lostconcoctions