A/N: Thanks for the reviewers!
Anabelle Harpe: I'm actually following your story! :3 I look forward to the next part!
Lyndis: I'm glad you think so! :D
"Edgeworth!" Phoenix Wright stood at the door of the Wright Talent Agency. He stuck out his hand. "Good to see you again."
"Likewise, Wright," said Edgeworth, taking his hand. "It's certainly been a while."
"Yeah. I don't think emails quite cover it all." Phoenix let Edgeworth inside. "Trucy! Apollo!" he called. "Edgeworth is here!"
As a rush of footsteps sounded in the other room, Edgeworth glanced at Phoenix. "There isn't anything that I should know before I see these two, is there?"
"No, I don't think—"
"Mr. Edgeworth!" A blue-clad magician ran toward him and threw her arms around him. "It's so nice to finally meet you!" The girl was followed by a young man, two strips of hair spiked up.
"Er…nice to meet you…Trucy," said Edgeworth, slowly peeling off her arms. "You too, Mr. Justice." Apollo nodded.
"Mr. Wright's told us a lot about you, Mr. Edgeworth!" said Apollo, loudly.
Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Wright…" Phoenix laughed. "Don't worry, I just used you as an example of a 'good' prosecutor…"
"A 'good' prosecutor…?" Frowning, Edgeworth continued to stare at Phoenix. "What's that supposed to mean…?"
"Oh! I think someone's at the door!" Phoenix opened the door, quite clearly relieved to halt the line of conversation. Inside came Ema and Lana, shivering from the cold.
"Geez, it's freezing out there—oh! Mr. Edgeworth!" Ema smiled. "Nice to see you again."
Apollo poked Trucy. "Did you see that?" he whispered. "Ema's smiling!" Grinning back, Trucy responded, "I know! It's so wonderful!"
"…Mr. Wright?"
Slowly turning around, Phoenix braced him for a minor scolding. "H-hello, Ms. Skye."
"I'm sorry to impose. I just got back into town, so Ema brought me along." Lana laughed softly. "Mr. Wright, I almost didn't recognize you! My goodness…" She scanned Phoenix from head to toe. "…I heard about what happened. I'm sorry."
"Nahh, it's fine." Phoenix waved a hand lazily in the air. "My life now's grand. Isn't that right, Trucy?"
Trucy waved from the other side of the room. "That's my daughter, by the way," said Phoenix, pointing a thumb back toward her.
"Y-your daughter! But-!"
"It's a long story." Phoenix laughed. "Anyway, come on in! Hopefully there's enough room for all of us here…"
The group congregated in the main room of the office/agency. "So!" said Phoenix, clapping his hands together. "Let's go eat, shall we?"
The six of them walked down the street. "I heard that there's a new restaurant opening down this street. A friend of mine told me it's good!" Phoenix smiled cheerfully.
"It better be better than that horrid excuse of a restaurant Jean Armstrong ran, Wright." Edgeworth shuddered at the thought of the food at that particular establishment.
"Don't worry, I think the health department shut him down. His food was a safety hazard!" A few people laughed softly at the joke. Soon, however, the group separated into three pairs of people walking. Phoenix was explaining what had happened to Lana, Ema and Edgeworth walked side by side, and Apollo and Trucy followed everyone else.
"So, have things changed a lot around here, Mr. Edgeworth?" Ema asked, in an attempt to fight off another silence. "Since you were last here, I mean."
Observing the streets, and his present company, Edgeworth gave a semi-grin. "The city hasn't really, but the people…well, that's pretty obvious."
Nodding, Ema continued, "Yeah. I was pretty surprised, too. I came to visit Mr. Wright and…well." A small laugh escaped her lips. "I found out about all of this."
"I was shocked when Wright first told me about his circumstances as well," Edgeworth responded thoughtfully. "But, we had been in contact, so he sent pictures of his new 'family', I suppose one could call it. Nevertheless, it's certainly different to meet them in person than via a photograph." Edgeworth glanced at his companion. "Actually, Ema. I was rather surprised to see you."
"O-oh, really?" Blushing, Ema turned her face away so Edgeworth couldn't see her. When she regained her composure, she looked at him again. "How so?"
"You just…reminded me of your sister when I first met her," said Edgeworth softly, looking ahead at Lana, who was talking about something animatedly with Phoenix. Edgeworth smiled. "You seem to have the same determination, despite your apparently vehement dislike of your career. And your eyes…you two have the same bright eyes…" Edgeworth trailed off.
"…"
The silence returned.
Apollo and Trucy observed them from behind. "Hey, Polly," whispered Trucy, gently tugging on Apollo's shirtsleeve. "What do you think of Mr. Edgeworth?"
"Huh? Oh…" First studying the back of Edgeworth's head, Apollo whispered back, "I dunno. He seems nice enough, but…he sort of reminds me…nah, forget it."
"…He reminds you of Mr. Gavin, doesn't he, Polly?" said Trucy quietly.
Apollo looked down at her in surprise. He'd always been marveled by Trucy's ability to think on the same wavelength as him. "…Yeah, I guess."
"But Polly!" Trucy looked at him with serious eyes. "Daddy says Mr. Edgeworth is a good friend of his!"
"…" Didn't he say the same thing about Mr. Gavin?
"It's different from Mr. Gavin, because Mr. Edgeworth and Daddy have been through a lot together!" said Trucy fiercely. "They're real friends. Mr. Gavin and Daddy were fake friends!"
"…" I guess it makes sense…
"Excuse me, Mr. Justice, was it?"
Apollo and Trucy halted in their tracks as Edgeworth called out to them. "Aren't you coming with us?" In their conversation, Apollo and Trucy had missed the entrance of the restaurant.
"O-oh, yes, sir!"
Edgeworth frowned slightly. "Please, there's no need to call me 'sir'."
Trucy giggled. "You'll have to forgive Polly. He's kind of a dummy sometimes."
Scowling, Apollo followed Trucy into the restaurant.
"So, Ms. Skye," Edgeworth said after the meal. "What were you doing during your time abroad?"
"Me? Oh, I…I was traveling across Europe, studying various judicial systems," Lana replied. "Actually, it was based on what I heard you did, Miles."
" 'Miles'?" Phoenix, Apollo, and Trucy exclaimed in unison. Phoenix never called Edgeworth by his first name, so Apollo and Trucy had never heard it.
"…His name is 'Miles'?" Apollo whispered to Trucy, who giggled. "I guess…isn't it cute?" she responded playfully.
Edgeworth shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Anyway, Ms. Skye," he said, trying to ignore Apollo and Trucy's grins. "Based on what I did…?"
"Well, you see, after you came back from being…well…gone," Lana continued, recalling the tragic memory of Edgeworth's "death", "I heard that you had gone abroad from one of the guards. You found yourself. I decided that when I got out, I would do the same." She smiled. "I must say, it was a wonderful experience."
"I…I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. But how did you find out-?" Edgeworth paused as Lana gave a significant look toward Phoenix. "Wright, how many people did you tell?"
"Hey! I was just making sure they knew you were okay!"
"But guards at the police station? I didn't exactly want it broadcasted!"
"Well, I didn't tell them! It was probably Gumshoe! But, I don't see what's so wrong here. Don't you realize how miserable you made everyone you knew when—"
"That's enough!"
Everyone grew silent and turned their eyes toward Lana. She glared at Phoenix and Edgeworth. "There is no need to bring this up. I thought the past is behind us, isn't that what you just told me, Mr. Wright?"
Phoenix looked away. "Yes, ma'm."
Lana turned to Edgeworth. "And you, Miles. I would have thought you would have told me yourself, but seeing as you didn't," she stopped momentarily, recalling the last day she saw Miles Edgeworth before his disappearance. "…I didn't think you would care if I knew or not."
The last statement stung Edgeworth. "I-…"
"Anyway," said Lana, taking out her cell phone and checking the time. "I have a few small matters to take care of, so I'll be taking my leave…"
She stood up to depart. "Thank you for the dinner, Mr. Wright," she said, a familiar cold look beginning to creep back into her eyes.
Edgeworth followed suit. "W-wait, Ms. Skye! Would you…like me to walk you back, or perhaps call you a taxi-"
"I'll be fine by myself, thank you." With that, she walked out the door.
The entire table looked up at Edgeworth, who was staring at the exit. With force, Phoenix pulled him down. "Soooo," he said whimsically, attempting to lighten the mood. "Everyone'll chip in for the bill, right?"
"But Daddy, I didn't bring any of my tip money with me!"
"Everyone except Trucy?"
"But, Mr. Wright! I haven't gotten my paycheck—"
"Everyone except Trucy and Apollo? Oh wait, I still haven't paid the bills this month…so…Edgeworth and Ema?"
Sighing, Edgeworth pulled out his wallet. "Don't be ridiculous. I won't have a lady pay for the meal."
Ema, who had been sitting in silence throughout the course of the meal, blushed again. "Th-thank you, Mr. Edgeworth."
Taking a small look at his old friend, Phoenix raised an eyebrow. Edgeworth seemed rather dejected as he signed the bill. Phoenix knew it wasn't because of the cost
I'll have to dig into this later, he thought to himself.
A/N:…The plot thickens.
