Scenario II: Guy Time

Apollo, Simon, and Phoenix were sitting on the edge of a park's fountain, located in the center of the area. Lushly bushes surrounded the fountain, with stone walkways. It makes for an aesthetically pleasing park.

"You're the last person I expected to see here, Simon. Thanks again for coming to lunch with us!" Phoenix greeted the black-clad prosecutor.

Simon took the feather out of his mouth and smirked as he felt the weight of his bird Taka on his right shoulder. "It is my pleasure. I've been feeling much better these days, so I may as well bask in my good mood by sharing it with my fellow men."

Apollo chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "I-I'm not used to seeing you smile like that, Mr. Blackquill."

"…What's wrong with the way I look?"

"N-Nothing! Nothing!"

The guy time would be interrupted by a certain girl's cheery voice. "Simon! Oh, Simon~!"

The smile that was once on the prosecutor's face vanished and was now replaced with a panicked grimace.

Athena was running toward the guy trio and then stopped once she was within breath distance to Simon.

Simon groaned at her. "What is it, Athena? Can't you see I am busy here?"

"Doing what?"

Simon looked back and forth between Apollo and Phoenix, both of which were silent. He glinted an eye at each of them to say something.

Phoenix went first. "O-Oh! W-Well, uh, we were just having...guy time."

"Ooh! Guy time! Can I join?" Athena asked as she raised a hand.

Apollo's forehead started to sweat. "Athena, you're not a boy so..."

Athena scoffed at her colleague. "I am also a good friend here! I was especially happy to see Simon when I was going out for a walk! Although, Simon, you didn't say anything about meeting up with the boss or Apollo."

Simon spat out another one of his pet bird's feathers that had protruding out of his mouth. "What are you, my mother?"

Athena's face flushed red. "N-No! B-But... Wait, why is it such a big deal that you don't tell me?"

Simon leered at her. "Because this is the time for us men to have our leisurely time to ourselves. So if you'd be a good girl and just go back to what you were doing…"

Athena hung her head. "You're right… Guy time is guy time. Sorry, you three. I'll leave now." She took her leave by using the walkway that led away from the other side of the fountain from where the three men were sitting.

"It was that easy? Hmm…"

Hidden within a bush was Athena. She giggled insidiously, intent on spying on them, see what they were talking about. In reality, Athena was quietly sneaking around the fountain and then hiding within a bush near their six and out of their peripheral vision.

"Alright, Simon… Let's see what you're going to talk about with the boys, shall we?"

Phoenix scratched the back of his head. "Geez, Simon. I think you were a bit harsh in telling her she wasn't invited."

Simon growled underneath his breath at him. "If you want me to be completely honest, I needed this time away from her."

"Eh?"

Apollo jumped slightly at that. "Wh-What?! Why?"

The prosecutor sighed. "She's been giving me a headache lately and the sight of so much orange juice in the refrigerator has been driving me over the edge."

"Wh-What?!"

"O-Oh…" Apollo said. "Well, she does love her orange juice." A question popped into his mind to ask Simon. "By the way, Mr. Blackquill, we had no idea that you already had a history with Athena. Why don't you tell us what you think about her?"

"Ooh, this should be interesting!"

Simon's left eyebrow quirked at that question. "…Noisy, a glutton for orange juice, and a bathroom hog."

"Aww… S-Simon…come on, you're killing me, here…"

And then, an awkward silence loomed over them.

"…Anything else?" The red defense attorney pressed.

Simon scratched the bottom of his chin. "Let's see… Her voice makes me have migraines sometimes, she can be a stage diva, and once she starts talking, there is almost nothing that can shut her up."

"The fact that there's no discord from him is making me sadder…"

Phoenix Wright's face fell from the feedback Simon Blackquill was giving them about their fellow defense attorney. His jaw gaped open but he quickly picked it back up. "S-Simon, so far, you've been telling us…the negatives about Athena. Sure, we all have some things we hate about each other, even myself. But, there has to be some things about Athena that you like. ...Right?"

"Hmm…"

"Does he really not like me? Why do I care this much about what he thinks of me?"

Simon scratched the break of his bird Taka and he flew off. "Some things I like about Athena? Well, I cannot deny that Athena's first defense was flimsy at times, it shined brightest when it was at its darkest."

"W-Wow… That was so poetic of him to say."

Apollo nodded at him. "Y-Yeah. You really put a lot of pressure on her but I was a bit surprised when I saw you helping Athena when Professor Means was getting in her head. I think it was a big deal that you helped her in that instance."

Simon huffed. "I just gave her a push. That's all. She fought her battle to the very end and proved that her resolve isn't just for mere display. All the things I said about her so far? Well, even though there are many things I do not like about her, I've always admired in her that…that…"

"Yes?" Apollo asked.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"What's he going to say? This is killing me!"

"KAW!"

"Eek! Where did he come from!?"

Both Apollo and Phoenix turned around and looked in the direction the scream was coming from. They were stunned to see that Athena was being flushed out of the bush she was hiding in by Simon's pet bird Taka.

Simon whistled back for Taka's return and the bird obeyed by flying back and resting on his right shoulder. He slowly turned around to look at Athena as she was cleaning up the leaves she had on herself from hiding within the bush.

He smirked at her. "Athena, I knew you wouldn't just leave. It was almost too easy. Now then, why don't you leave before I sic my bird on you again?"

Athena pouted at him. "Well, could you at least tell me what that last part was that you admired in me?"

The prosecutor shrugged his shoulders. "…The one thing I've always remembered to admire in you, Athena," he smirked at her. "Is that you're my best, irreplaceable, and most valuable friend."

Once again, silence took over the area. Only this time, the silence was a kind that resulted from being pleasantly surprised.

Athena could not sense any discord from Simon. He was being completely honest, she could sense. Her chest suddenly felt warm, knowing that to Simon that despite what he dislikes about her, he thought of her as someone who's irreplaceable.

"Hehe… Thank you, Simon." Athena giggled at him. She turned around and started to skip away as the surrounding people looked at her confused.

The prosecutor sighed as he put a new feather tip into his mouth. "…To be the truest friend you can be, you must be willing to acknowledge both their faults and perks."