Phoenix Wright
-Fanfic
-PhoeniXEdgey
-Takes place between Turnabout Samurai and Turnabout Goodbyes
-Wright and co. Law Offices
I stared at my watch intensively. The moment I had been waiting for was finally coming. The red digital numbers changed. 9.00 PM. At last!
I stretched my muscles like I had had really tough day. Well, it had been, but only psychologically: No clients today either. It had took some time since someone had walked through my office's, Wright and co.'s, door other than me, Phoenix Wright, or my assistant, Maya Fey.
Right now it had been more than half a week from the last time Maya had been here. She was on one weird Samurai-fans meeting convention or something like that. I wouldn't have wanted to let her go there with those psychos, like that movie assistant whatshernameagain and Cody, the 2nd grader, and leave me all alone, but she was just 17 years old. She should be having some fun and do stuff, other than following unemployed lawyer. Plus, she had insisted it so hard, with huge, teary eyes of hers and pretty please. I had no other choice than let her go and wish she had some fun for me too.
My situation was far from fun. I had done some calculations about my budget and found out that if there wouldn't soon come any case to take, there were no way for me to buy food and presents for coming Christmas. And, because it looked like no-one wanted to have the "rookie-defence lawyer" that everybody kept calling me, I had rented my rent-room for few weeks to some tourists to get some income. (Now I was reading Mia's law books to see, if it was even legal rent rented room without telling the landlady…)
Because some random strangers had been living in my room for almost a half week now, I had used the couch of my office as my sleeping spot. It was somewhat comfortable and to be honest, I wasn't that much an evening person, so I slept there very well when I finally closed my office for a day.
And the time, 9.00 PM, had just come!
I yawned with all my soul, it was so exhausting to only sit behind the table with hopes up, read law books or watch TV. The phone hadn't ringed since Maya had called me and asked why in my home number people were talking Spanish. I was so tired of this whole situation that I didn't notice I had walked over the room and sat down on the couch before I had taken off my jacket and opened few buttons of my shirt.
Another yawn got stuck in my throat because of sudden words,
"I didn't think that even you would get so low"
I turned around and saw the familiar face. The face I didn't want to see.
"Edgeworth!" I gasped when I finally caught my breath. Yup, it was THE Edgeworth, prosecutor from the same district as me, standing right there, in my office. "Wha- why… How did you get in?!"
Stupid question, but I couldn't make up any better at that state of surprise.
"Through the door. You haven't locked it." He was right; I had been too tired to even notice it was still unlocked for pizza boy. "That was a stupid question even from your mouth. But we all have gotten used to that kind of questions, since you shout them in court all the time… Which reminds me, why are you cross-examining me?"
Well, because you just appeared out of nowhere into my office. It is my place to ask you, not the other way round!
"Uhm.. Yeah… sorry for that… I was... well, you scared the hell out of me, standing right there…" I mumbled and suddenly remembered his last words for me after WP was found Not Guilty.
I don't want to see your face ever again
Yet, there he was. Coming to my office at this late hour, apparently to see me. At least it seemed so. It was too weird to even think the possibility that he was here to see Maya. What has changed in these few weeks so much?
Edgeworth gave me the look. The look that says "idiot" more clearly than words. Then he sighed, like I would have been lost case and looked with pity my tie. It was messed up, and there was a good reason for it! I had been untying it when I almost jumped off my skin!
The pity on his face made me angry, so I tried to make the tie better… or should I just take it off like I was going to?
"It sure has been a time since we have met…" I stuttered while playing with my cravat. I tried to take the discussion to that weird comment he had said last time. "It was after the Steel Samurai case?"
No answer. I cursed in my mind, the tie stayed in that messed up state that resembled very much my own mind right now.
"But how have you been? I heard that you've won your cases after that…"
"Are you trying to gloat still in your victory?"
Finally! Response! But not the kind I really would have wanted to get…
"N-No! I just..!"
"And stop playing with your tie already! Haven't you learned how to tie it even after all these years?"
My mouth opened in amazement. I have thought that he had forgotten me and us from the 4th grade!!
Because I was so confused about that statement, Edgeworth had just the right time to take my tie in his hands and with fast stroke and loud SNAP! -voice it was off my neck.
"What are you doing?!!" I yelled at him, and took the tie back to my hands. "You just don't come to other people's offices and slice their ties!"
My burst didn't have any effect on him. I looked at my poor little tie… and noticed that it was unharmed.
"Ah… uhm… Sorry, I thought… Well, if your way of getting of the tie is so extreme I can sure see why you wear that strange frilly thing… But, when I have already said it… why exactly you are here? At this hour?"
Edgeworth's expression changed. For a minute he looked like he was troubled. But that wouldn't have been too weird, since we both knew about those last words he had said to me. I don't want to see your face ever again. But it would have been too awkward to say about them out loud.
But we all knew Edgeworth. If he even was troubled, he soon hid it. Admired ability in a prosecutor, but not in person.
"Where is your assistant?" He changed the subject and left me without answer.
"Oh, Maya? She's on some Samurai Convention. Have you something for her? I can carry the message-"
"She was related to Miss Fey, right?" He said as he walked around the room like he had owned it, finally stopping in front of office's window.
"Yeah, they are… were sisters," I answered with little sadness in my voice and waited to find out where he was leading our conversation. Maybe I would get the answer why he was here that way?
For a while he was silent and observed the view. At the moment the room where April May and Redd White had stayed was darkened. If there were quests staying, they were all sleeping.
"And that girl was Steel Samurai fan, wasn't she?"
Now THAT was unexpected turn! I had already thought he would have wanted to talk about Mia!
"A-a… Yes, your information is right! But why? If you are asking for her trade cards, she has them with her right now and wouldn't want to give them away for free!" (And if she wanted, you would be the last one on her list…)
He ignored my joke, but that was so very like him. Actually, it seemed for a moment that he had ignored my every word, since he was just standing there. I didn't see his face, but even I knew he was finding a way to express his thoughts through words.
When he finally had cleared his thoughts enough, Edgeworth turned to me. "Why aren't you taking any cases?"
What the HECK he was trying to find out?! "I- I… Well, first of all, my work is none of your business as long as we don't share the same court room-"
"You are sleeping in couch of your office, renting your own room for Spaniards and living with fast food, yet you will not work to get the money you would need. Why is that?"
I lost my ability to speak for a moment. I was absolutely offended about his words! And how did he know about all those things?
"I went last night to your apartment to speak to you, but they told me you had rented it," he answered like he would have heard my thoughts. It wasn't the first time he had done so. When we were just kids, this habit of his had started to get really annoying, since he had been doing it all the time. "And I can see week's fast food boxes in your trash can."
He walked in front of me and I took some steps backwards to get some more space. The freakish situation had just turned a lot more freakish! He was here… to talk about my money issues? It did make as much sense as the talk about Maya's interest of samurai shows!
"And all your cases, the all three you have had, have some kind of connection to you personally…"
"What?! No, they don't-"
"Your first one, the murder of a model. The victim was Larry's girlfriend, wasn't she? And Larry was the suspect."
"Ye-yeah…" I didn't like the way of the conversation at all.
"Of course you did defend him. After all he was Larry Butz, your good friend from grade school"
And yours too! Don't forget it!
"And the second case. Again murder case and this time the victim was your dear author, Mia Fey. The suspect was her little sister. You wanted to defend her, since he was related to Miss Fey. I'm I right so far?"
"Y-yes, but I would have defended her even if they weren't related! She didn't do it!" I got little angry about his words.
He ignored me again and just kept going. "After her name was clear, you were the one who got suspected about it. No need to say how this was personal to you."
"But the murder at Global Studios wasn't-!"
"Yes it was! You already stated that your assistant was fan of the Steel Samurai. You are kind natured, Wright, and although I bet you didn't want to take that kind of case, you did. And why is that?"
I blushed. "Maya insisted…"
"Exactly. She is close to you and was suffering about her idol committing crimes, so you had no choice but to take it."
"But I… WP was innocent after all! Of course I'll defend innocent!"
Edgeworth laughed a little. "But no one would have guessed so in the beginning! It looked very clear at first, that Powers had been the murderer. Not that kind of case that any rookie would take. It was personal issue and you can't deny it."
He was absolutely right, so I didn't.
Now that the Prosecutor had gotten a victory in this minor fight of wills, so why would he have stopped there?
"So tell me why you keep getting messed in that kind of personal cases?"
I hadn't have thought about it. Yes, all those cases were somehow connected to me, not only by my job. Why hadn't I noticed that before? Why did I need Edgeworth to tell me that?
When Edgeworth noticed that I didn't answer, he went on. "Is it because they are the only cases you have been offered? I would say that not. The Steel Samurai is so popular; the murder case was really famous, so why wouldn't someone offer you job after that? But you still lie in your couch without any better things to do"
Once again, he was right. Right after the Samurai case I had been offered many jobs, but somehow I just couldn't do them. I didn't even know why. Something about them, maybe? Or was there problem in me?
After hearing the lecture from Edgeworth, I think it was the last one.
Edgeworth had kept observing my face with his cool eyes. I think he figured out very clearly what kind of thoughts were running through my mind. So he didn't say anything, just let me think about the whole situation.
Had this problem been there in the beginning, when I started this job? Or was it Mia's death? Maya, my assistant? Or the cruel words this same man who was standing right in front of me has said to me?
I don't want to see your face ever again
"You are absolutely right about that personal cases-statement…" I started feeling myself uncomforted, but as I spoke I got more confidence and I knew exactly what and how I wanted to say. The blood ran through my veins the same way it runs in the court room when the case finally becomes crystal clear. Yes, it was exactly the same feeling. "And yes, I can't deny that I didn't get any offers. But those cases were not like the cases I had swore to take. Just the huge company managers and others wanting to get richer and richer. I, however, didn't take them, 'cause I want to be free for helping those, who are all alone and nobody is there to help them. I defend ordinary people who are suffering yet innocent!" I almost yelled the last sentence, I was so fully motivated!
Edgeworth looked surprised and turned his head away. When he started talking, his voice was so low I had to take one step closer to hear his words. "So… Can we come to the conclusion that you won't help anyone who has money and power? Even if they are innocent and suffering?"
I blinked for a moment. What is he talking about? "Of course I would help them… After all, the money doesn't matter. It's the same way like helping people without money or those who have piles of pure cash! It's the helping…" Still, he looked somehow down. It was very difficult to actually tell it, because he was Edgeworth, the super Prosecutor without feelings, totally expressionless. But because he was Edgeworth, the same boy who I had known very well, I was sure something kept bugging him. That's why, I thought, this would be right place to cheer up the mood! "Hell, I'd even defend you if you were in trouble"
Suddenly he turned with amazing speed his head back up and the look on his face was somehow mad, but my smile, although its cheerfulness went down in couple levels, didn't die. He stared me right into my eyes for a long moment, so long it started to felt awkward. At least the silence did the job, so I had to open my mouth again. "Sure it's not just because it's a personal issue, since I know you and we happen to be in the same job, but also because I know you wouldn't do anything to actually be sitting in the defendant's seat." (Because you wouldn't want to ruin your career, would you?) "It's because of trust" I smiled to him and hoped he would just react somehow, and turn those eyes elsewhere!
But the reaction I got was very different I had even pictured. Okay, 'very different' is lame way to express it. It was something I wouldn't have ever imagined! There was no way I would have even considered that! Not from Edgeworth!!
He suddenly grabbed me and gave me hug.
I was so surprised I didn't have a clue what to do. I didn't even realize it was a hug first! I thought he attempted a murder or something!! I felt the blush on my face, I was so glad there was no-one to see that! Or as the matter of facts, I was glad there was no-one to witness the whole hug thing!
When I finally started thinking somehow clearly, I realized his grip on me was like he was drowning and I was the last help he could get. I placed my hands on his back and tapped it a little, very carefully.
My God! I hope he doesn't start crying! If he starts, what will I do then?!!
Luckily, I didn't have to wonder about that, since he stepped back a few steps. Now I could actually see his face. I guess we had very similar expressions at the moment. Awkward blush on the cheeks, which we both tried to hide best we could, and little bit of surprise in our eyes. It seemed that even Edgeworth hadn't seen that one coming.
Then he let out a relieved and little amused sigh and, I could be wrong, but I thought I saw a tiny smile on his face.
"Thank you about your time and good night, Mr Wright." he said as he bowed and started moving towards the door. The bow, however, made a letter fall from his jacket's pocket.
Edgeworth didn't seem to notice it, so I picked it up for him. "Hey, excuse me Edgeworth! You dropped this!"
He turned to me with confused look on his face, saw the letter and took it away from my hand furiously. I, of course, had examined it before mentioning, but still I just get the caught of the sender. It was Hammond or Hammad or something like that…
"Eh… Sorry, about that… It's very important letter, so…" He apparently had realized at least one of his impolite manners.
"No, it's really okay! And good night for you too!" I smiled and waved after him.
The door closed and he was out of the office.
"Wow…!" I talked to myself, "That was random meeting…" While looking a beer can to get over it, I looked out the window to the street and saw Edgeworth coming out. There was a car waiting for him. What?! He has even his own chauffeur?! At least there was someone keeping the door open for him…
I squinted my eyes to see better. The figure of the chauffeur seemed too familiar…
Luckily the detective Gumshoe turned his head up and waved to me merrily.
I should have known… Edgeworth and his loyal pawn… I smirked to him and gave a little wave, although I knew he couldn't actually see me.
"Edgeworth, that bastard!" I laughed, "He has even money to use detectives as his servants! And what do I have? A room rented for punch of Spaniards! He could have even given me a change… Wait, what's this?"
There was something on my office table. I looked at it with amazement. "What? 5 dollars? I don't remember putting my money here… No, I can certainly say that this isn't my money… But then who? There hasn't been any visitors this day! Absolutely no-one! No other than..."
I tightened my grip around the money so tight my hand started shaking. "Edgeworth, that cocky bastard!!"
