Important Note: After reading my first review, I figured he might be right, so I've decided to repost this story with no spelling errors left behind. If there are still something's I should correct, let me know in your reviews, okay? Thanks. Enjoy!
An Angel going Free
In a jail cell, Iris Fey was sleeping peacefully and comfortably, as foot steps were heard. They got a bit louder, indicating that someone was coming close. When the footsteps had stopped, a man called out softly "Um... Ms. Fey?" Iris didn't move, meaning she didn't hear the voice. "Er... Mystic Iris? Or... Sister Iris?" Still she didn't budge, except when she needs to move to feel comfortable. "Ms. Iris Fey!"
When the man yelled out, Iris woke up with her eyes wide open. "Hm? Wha? Oh... Good morning, officer..." Said Iris as she yawned in a polite manner.
"Uh... My apologize for waking you rudely young miss, but I've come to tell you that todays the day. Your time service is up. You're free to go."
"Oh, already? I suppose I should have kept track of the calendar." Iris moved her legs from the bed and placed the bottom of her feet on the floor.
"Actually, since you've been very polite and didn't cause any trouble at all, the warden's decided that you should be set free for good behavior."
Iris smiled in modesty and said "Oh. Well, thank you, sir. Would you tell the warden I said thank you?"
The guard made a salute and said "Not a problem, ma'am! I'm sure he would be very happy to hear that!"
"Will you be escorting me out?"
"Well, no. I mean... you will be escorted out, so don't take it the wrong way! It's just, someone else is going to do that. Someone you know very much."
Iris made a confused and curious expression, wondering as to who this someone she knows so much could be. "May I have some hints of who this person is, please?" She asked softly.
The guard pondered on this to think of a good clue to give to the sweet little angle. "Well... He has spiky hair, he likes the color blue, and he's named after a mythical bird."
When Iris heard all those hints, she immediately blushed with a smile saying "Feenie?"
"... Uh... Yeah, I'm sure that's the nickname you gave him while everybody else that's a friend of his would call him Nick, so... you are correct!"
Iris giggled politely at this as she got up patiently as Phoenix showed himself from behind the wall, looking at Iris with a glad look on his face. Iris knew that he was happy to see her being able to be as free as a bird. "Good day, Ms. Fey. I trust that you have served your time here very well." Phoenix said as he bowed in a gentleman manner.
Iris bowed back in a polite lady way as she answered "Why yes, I was well behaved during my time here, Mr. Wright. As I've been told, you will be escorting me out?"
"Indeed, I am." Phoenix and Iris looked at each other for a moment, then Phoenix chuckled as Iris giggled.
Then Iris hugged Phoenix as she felt him giving her a hug back. "It's so good to see you, Phoenix!"
"I'm glad to see you too, Iris! Sorry I couldn't pay you a visit the last two weeks. You know, duty calls!" Said Phoenix. Iris knew what he meant. After all, as long as there are crimes being committed and people getting framed for it, a lawyer has to take a case.
They broke the hug as Iris said "It's alright. By the way, speaking of which, I hope you haven't been having any headaches from all the stress you were having while handling these cases."
Phoenix scratched the back of his head and made a modest smile saying "Well, that's why they break trials into three days, with one day of no trial in between the first and second day and another in between the second and third ones. Heh, heh."
Iris was quiet for three seconds then said "I suppose you felt the urge to want to come see me leaving this place?"
"Actually, yeah. I was wanting to see if anybody was being harsh on you in a way."
"Oh, don't worry, Feenie. I was doing just fine. The guards and the in-mates have been very friendly towards me."
"They better not have been too friendly! Not that I'm jealous or anything. Just making sure no one was trying to trick you into helping them break out." Hearing that, Iris' smiling face turned upside down. Seeing that, Phoenix felt guilty. "Uh oh... No, wait. Don't cry! I... I didn't mean..."
Iris wiped the sad look off her face and looked at Phoenix saying "Oh! No, it... it's alright. Don't blame yourself. I was just wondering what might have happened if I haven't been easy to fool... Easy to manipulate..."
Phoenix gently placed his hands on her shoulders saying "Hey, it's okay. We all get fooled by what isn't what they seem."
Iris made a smile at Phoenix then looked back down thinking aloud "I suppose it's time I should give up on hopping that my departed twin sister would change... She is dead after all... And she's been so stubborn to be what she was when she was alive. It might be unhealthy as well..."
"Well, at least you'll have Pearls to take extremely good care of when she decides to visit you. Speaking of wich, she, Maya and Mistress Bikini are here as well!"
Iris made a surprised expression and then a happy one saying "Really? Their all here?"
"Really, really. Let's go." Said Phoenix faced the guard. "If you'll excuse us, officer."
"Of course, Mr. Wright. You two have a nice day." Said the guard as he allowed Phoenix and Iris to leave the cell.
As they walked down the halls, they came across a cell that held Iris' envious mother, Morgan Fey. When Phoenix saw the cell, he made a disapproving look as he looked away from the cell. He could never forgive that woman for the times he tried to kick Maya out of the position as the right of wearing the name Master of Spirit Channeling. After all, she was a woman of evil intentions and selfish and prideful desires.
Iris looked at the cell, almost having the same look as Phoenix had, staring right at her mother, who was sitting on her lower legs as if meditating. Before they passed the cell, Iris stopped and said "Phoenix? Wait." Phoenix did so without looking at Iris. He understood what she wanted to do when she saw her mother. And even though he'd rather not hear Morgan's voice, he instead chose to respect Iris' request, as long as he didn't take a look at her mother.
Iris knew that Phoenix is allowing her to have a moment of speaking with her mother about what she has done and what she thinks about it without him telling her so. When Iris approached the cell, Morgan opened her eyes giving out a cold and bone-chilling stare. She eyed her older daughter and spoke "I suppose I should consider myself fortunate for having one of my living daughters to at least spare a few words before they leave...!" She said in a cold and calm tone.
Iris ignored how sinister her mother's voice sounded and responded "I have heard on the news of what you have been doing since years after father took me and Dahlia away from the village when you were denied of the title Master of the Kurian Channeling Technique. And, truth be told... forgive me for saying so... but... I had expected better of you...! You have committed sins against others and yourself, all because you didn't receive what you wanted! You always claimed your self as the member of the Fey Clan that had suffered the most... But... your wrong...! Aunt Misty had suffered more than you have...! And you know it...!"
Morgan clutched her fist when she heard Iris mention her sister, Misty Fey, the very woman who Morgan had grown to despise ever since she was picked to become the master over her. She, however, maintained her anger and continued. "Hmph...! The DL-6 Incident...! The proof that your aunt couldn't hold the title of Master for long when she tried to gain the answers of who murdered that fool Edgeworth by contacting his spirit...!"
Phoenix was reminded of how that incident that haunts Miles Edgeworth till this very day. The case that he took and dug up the truth, set Edgeworth free from charges and send his mentor Manfred von Karma to his well deserved demise. Thinking that, Phoenix was wishing that Morgan deserved the same fate as von Karma.
"That incident harmed more people than just Mr. Edgeworth, mother! Your nieces... my beloved cousins were also hurt by that case...! You, however... You kept yourself occupied on bringing a new child to the world of which you wanted to take Maya's place as clan leader."
Morgan, after hearing those very words come out of Iris' mouth, answered "I had no choice...! Unlike you... or your sister, who had other matters in mind... I am determined to see to it that our family take what is rightfully ours! To become a powerful branch family in the Fey clan...! And having a second marriage and bringing birth to Pearl was my advantage...! All that was left was to have your dear younger cousin out of the way... one way or another...!"
It didn't show, considering that Iris only had a stern look on her face, but it was easy for Phoenix to tell that Iris was feeling hurt from hearing that from her own mother. If only he could end the conversation immediately and continue on leading her out, but he insisted himself to wait until Iris was ready to move on.
Iris, trying to show no signs of being hurt, said in a more serious voice "Mother! There is more to life than holding on to a possible chance of living a life of pride and power! We all have successes and failures... We even chose to accept failures as well as our successes... But you mother... you've seen your failures more of a victory for your own sister!"
"If only you were like your sister... If only you knew what it was like... to have a younger sister be chosen as the heir of clan master...! If only Pearl did as she was told... and became master... you would have known what it was like...!"
Iris became even more hurt and angered after hearing all of that. She held her anger in as great as she could and said "If Pearl had become the heir, I would not show signs of jealousy! I would be filled with satisfaction. I would accept her as a master. But for now, I will know Maya as master. I will show my utmost loyalty to her till my time comes. She has looked after Pearl for you. She has shown her great love during my unawareness of her existence. If you will not show gratefulness to her... then I will! For both our sakes...!"
"Do you really think that you could be forgiven for being so naive? For allowing yourself to help those who have committed sins against the law?"
"If they do not accept my begging for forgiveness, I will understand... I would know that at least I have shown them that I deserve a second chance... unlike you, who continued to be an endangerment to the family name... by being notorious in having Pearl receiving our right of become the strong family branch. You've had a chance... to seek redemption, and yet, you threw it away...! I can't believe that you would do this...!" Iris sounded as though she was about to burst into tears, even though she didn't.
Morgan took it as childish lecture and said "You think that being like a guardian angel for everyone including those with evil interests would make you close to godliness, I'm afraid you being vulnerable enough to be manipulated by anyone has proven that you have failed in doing so... and Maya will soon see the same thing... as well as Pearl...! Just like Dahlia had...!"
Iris was silent for a moment after hearing what she didn't want to hear especially from her mother. Then she gave her mother a stern and angered glance as she said in a half whisper "Good-bye, mother...!" Iris closed her eyes tight as she walked up to Phoenix, informing him that she was done. Phoenix held Iris's shoulder gently in comfort as they left Morgan's cell.
It pained Iris to disown someone in her family, but she knew that it was for the best. She finally burst into tears, seeing as how there is no way that she could forgive her mother after hearing what she had just said. Phoenix wiped the tears out of her eyes as she looked at his gentle smile that told her that everything will be alright, making her smile back at him.
As they went down one more hall of cells, they ran into one that had Diego Armondo a.k.a. Godot in a cell. Phoenix looked at Godot with no hint of anger at all. He understood that Godot had tried to run away from the guilt of not being their for Mia the night she was murdered, but since the day Godot admitted he killed the very mother of Mia and Maya, he had learned to accept his faults and let the past be the past, and for that, Phoenix showed pity, but mostly gratefulness for saving Maya, even though it was sad that Misty had to let herself get killed in order for Maya to be safe from Dahlia's spirit.
Phoenix decided that he had to thank him for all the sacrifices he did, his reputation, his freedom, anything he had to give up in order to protect those that know how to treasure their lives and the ones how share it, so he stopped and faced the cell saying "Hey."
Godot, without looking at Phoenix as a response, made a smirk and said "What's up, Wright? Got any innocent people out of being blamed for assisting Death recently?"
Phoenix took it as a compliment and said "Yeah, I've been searching for evidence to defend my clients... letting Edgeworth show me the contradictions in my theories, and having von Karma whip me for humiliating her multiple times, the usual."
"Very good...! And you... Ms. Fey? You must be happy to be out after a few months of waiting." Godot said.
Iris smiled in modesty and answered "Yes, actually... but... I'm not sure if I should be happy about it... I mean... You have to pay a longer sentence then I have... It just doesn't seem fair...!"
Godot's smile went away into a blank one as he responded "You know what they say... Life's not fair... But it doesn't matter to me. I may have been seen as a jerk to many people... of course, I have returned from the depths of Hell and back to the living. Yet, to you... and maybe some others out there... I was more of an angel... trying to protect those that are precious to others... And if those having to be sacrificed in oder to protect people is the only way... Well... you get the picture..."
Iris held her fist to her heart and said "Will it be alright for me to say I forgive you for killing my aunt...? I... I understand that it's what she wanted... At least she knows that she died to save her own daughter from being murdered by my sister, Dahlia... the one who tried to kill you and Feenie... No thanks to me that is..."
Godot admired her humanity and commonsense, and he appreciated her kindness and concerns. "There are times where I know that I'm forgiven for a sin by few people... And when you have to do desperate measures, and know the risks, you know that you will be hated for doing the most rash of things, then in the end... it will be seen as a necessary motivation and that there was no other way... The world we live in is a garbage dump... yet all the great things about this world make us forget that it's a trash bin. You see, out there, from this garbage dump, is a paradise. A paradise for those who accept their mistakes and that they have flaws and admit their guilt... Asking for forgiveness... that's a whole different level... The creator of everything we see once said 'to err is human, to forgive is divine.'"
Iris couldn't think of anything to say. She respected his wisdom and humility, and she couldn't thank him enough for keeping Maya safe from harm. Phoenix broke the silence by saying "Well... can we at least say thank you... for all that you did?"
"Thank me for killing a good person's mother, or killing a good person's mother who told me to kill her before she does something terrible? You don't have to answer! I know what you meant. I just wanted to mess with ya! You should learn to be specific of what you want to thank people for, Trite. Otherwise... they will take it the wrong way. Oh, and one other thing. Don't forget, Mia was right, to have you as her assistant and apprentice."
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Said Phoenix. "Well... I guess... we'll be seeing you... eh... later..."
"Take care, Mr. Godot...!" Iris informed before she and Phoenix left.
"Back atcha, angel face." Godot said to Iris with a smile, telling her that he'll be fine.
When Phoenix and Iris came through the door, Iris saw Maya, Pearl, and Bikini just like Phoenix said. When Maya saw Iris, she immediately made a face of excited happiness as she and Iris hugged. "I'm so glad to see you out from behind bars! I hope you weren't sad or scared..."
"I'm alright, cousin Maya. You shouldn't have to worry about me." Said Iris as they broke the hug with her hands on Maya's shoulders and a sad look on her face. "I should be worried of how you will be able to deal with... I'm sorry... I shouldn't say..."
Maya made the same sad look and said "It's okay... No one was to blame for my mom being dead... especially Mr. Godot. She did it to protect me, to protect Pearl. So stop feeling bad about it like it's your fault, alright?" Maya gave Iris a stern yet encouraging look.
Iris sighed and said "Okay... I wont."
"That a girl!" Said Maya cheerfully, making Iris hold her hand to her mouth as she giggled. "Your nothing like your twin sister, I mean she's... Er... your much more nicer and more better than her. I... I didn't mean to..."
"Maya, it's alright. Your right about having high hopes that Dahlia would change. I should learn to let go of things that are too late to happen and think about what isn't."
Maya sighed in relief and said "Well, there's always catching up on your relationship with Pearl, and show her that your more wonderful cause unlike me, that's her cousin, your her sister!"
Iris smiled and said "Thank you." as she and Maya gave each other one more hug. Iris then approached Bikini, who was just as glad to see her. "Sister Bikini, I'm so glad that you could pay visits, but I can tell that it wasn't enough. I know."
Bikini made a hearty laugh, held Iris' hands up and said "Oh, my dear Iris! I'm just feel as though I've just got out of a soothing jacuzzi, seeing you here free as a bird just as you should be!"
"You've given me so much kindness than I deserved, and you've always believed in me, and for that... I am forever grateful and will always accept you as the mother that has been there for me. If there is anything that I can do to repay you..."
"Wah, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho! Oh, Iris..." Bikini interrupted. "You being a hard working nun at the Hazakura Temple is more than a way for you to say thank you to me."
Iris felt very happy from the bottom of her heart to hear Bikini say that. She has been like a mother to her ever since she took her in. "I hope Maya was able to complete her training in the Inner Temple. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to take the cold waters. Is she feeling any numb?"
"Hey, don't worry!" Said Maya. "It was uncomfortable, but it was worth it!"
"Indeed, and I agree with young Maya! She made it through the session, as well as good old Mr. Wright!" Said Bikini.
Iris made a surprised expression and looked at Phoenix in curiosity asking "Does she mean that you...?"
Phoenix scratched his head in modesty and said "Yeah, Pearls insisted I do it to. It was actually pretty alright!" Then he said in his thoughts 'Although... I did come home with a cold and my feet felt numb for four weeks...!'
Then Pearl said softly with a guilt looking face "Um... Mystic Iris...?"
Iris gently turned to Pearl, wondering what she wanted. She kneeled to her so that her face leveled with her's and asked "Yes, Pearl?"
"Ever since... I've learned that... I had older sisters that were twins... I've always wondered why mother never told me about you..." Pearl said in a confused voice.
Iris wanted to tell her, but as much as she wants to say the truth, she knew that the truth would be to painful for Pearl to hear, so she placed one hand on Pearl's shoulder and gently stoke her hair saying "I'm not entirely sure why myself. But... I'm sure she had her reasons."
Pearl looked at Iris in the eyes and asked "Do you think that mother will ment her ways?"
Iris knew that she should be thankful that Pearl didn't hear what their mother said to her when she decided to have last words with her before she said good-bye to her forever. "I'm for certain. But for now, I believe you should take good care of Maya and Phoenix for me. Understand?"
Pearl smiled at Iris with sparkling eyes as she said "I will. You can count on me!"
"I'm sure I will." Said Iris.
"You know, your much more nicer than our other sister... I don't remember her name, but... she was very mean and scary... But you... your more of an angel that was looking out for me, Mr. Nick, and Mystic Maya. To me... even though Mystic Maya has been like a sister to me... I believe that you will be just as wonderful!"
Iris almost felt like crying happy tears when she heard that. "Thank you."
Then they both hugged each other dearly and lovingly as Pearl, with a tear in her eye, said in a soft voice "I love you, Mystic Iris."
Iris also shed a tear when she heard those heart warming words come from Pearl's mouth as she said "I love you too, Pearl."
Phoenix, Maya, and Bikini nearly cried, seeing this beautiful moment between these sisters who didn't know they existed or were related to each other until recently.
After the sweet moment of hugging, Iris and Pearl broke the hug as Iris looked at Phoenix with gentle eyes as she said "Thank you for the escort Feenie."
Phoenix scratched the back of his head again and said "It was nothing, really. I was happy to do you a favor."
Seeing Phoenix stare at Iris in a way, Pearl gave Phoenix sudden slaps on the face "What are you doing making those googly eyes on my sister! You should do that to Maya!"
"Ow! Ow! Ngh! Oh! Ow! Pearls! Ow" As Pearl slapped her palms on Phoenix's face multiple times, he complained in a whimpering voice in his thoughts 'What have I done in my life to deserve these unfair punishments...? I can't even tell which is worse... Franziska's whip or Pearls' slaps...!'
Iris saw it with surprise and said with her mouth covered "Oh dear... not again..."
"Pearly!" Maya snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop trying to making me end up with Nick? I mean, which part of 'we're just friends' are you not understanding?"
Bikini made an exhausted sigh and said "The energetic and chaotic behavior of youth these days..."
Fin
(R&R)