Chapter 4: Mia Fey, The Ghost of Christmas Present

Miles didn't have to wait too long for the clock to chime two. He again thought of his old mentor's warning. What did he mean by a former rival? No one beat him in court until Phoenix came along, so who could be a former rival of his?

As if to answer his question a light in the next room over shown brightly below the gap in the door. A voice came along with the light, "Come in, Miles Edgeworth."

It was a woman's voice, so Miles knew it was a woman who was his previous rival. He couldn't think of anyone right now so he just followed the voice to the hallway outside. But now there was no hallway outside his bedroom, it was a defendants lobby in the courthouse he usually worked at. There was only one person in the lobby. She had long brown hair, wore a black jacket with a matching skirt, and had a rather large bust. It took a few seconds to recognize her but he eventually figured out it was Mia Fey, who was indeed, a former rival of his.

He walked closer and said, "Hello Ms. Fey. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

She smiled, "My, aren't you outgoing? Whatever happened to cold as ice Miles Edgeworth?

He shrugged and shook his head, "Oh, your student took care of him. But let me assure you, I may be warmer than I used to be, but get on my bad side, and you will see cold as ice Edgeworth yet again.

She chuckled and asked, "So, do you know why I'm here?"

He nodded, "Yes. I do believe that you are going to show me parts of my past."

She shook her head and sighed, "Actually, no. I'm here to show you what tomorrow will look like if you just stay at your office all day long."

Edgeworth looked surprised, "What good would that do? The present has nothing to do with my hatred of Christmas."

She just smirked, "It's all about you, isn't it Miles Edgeworth? This is how everyone around you reacts to you decision. So if you could please grab my arm, I'll show the consequences of you hatred.

She extended her arm and Miles took it, but instead of everything melting, there was a bright flash, and he found himself in the Los Angeles mall. There were last minute shoppers everywhere. Miles couldn't help but speak his mind, "Where and when are we?"

She laughed, "Where and when? This is Los Angeles on Christmas Day! I thought you would have figured that out Miles."

He shook his head, "Well, I haven't exactly been around here before. Incidentally why are we here any way? Is there anyone I know here?"

She nodded and said, "Follow me."

Even though there was a crowd of people in front of them, she just went right through people without any trouble. Miles went toward the crowd more slowly than Mia, but he also went right through the people. He had to run to catch up with Mia, but he found her standing outside a magic shop.

He was going to ask why they were there, but she pointed at the shop window before he could. Taking the hint, he looked through it and saw the familiar gray sweatshirt and blue beanie of Phoenix Wright, and the red vest and two hair spikes of his apprentice Apollo Justice. He walked in and found himself surrounded by top hats, capes, magic kits, and anything else a respectable magician would need. He walked over to were his best friend, and his apprentice were talking. Apollo was the first he heard, "Really? He said that?"

Phoenix nodded, " Yep, and I've never seen him act like that before. I mean, I know that around December a lot of bad things happened to him, but to take it out on me, Gumshoe, and Trucy? Its so unlike him."

Miles paled. He knew who Phoenix was talking about, even though he never said his name. Was he really that bad? Maybe he did overreact a little. Apollo responded to Phoenix, "Well he must have a reason for it. Maybe he broke up with a girlfriend a few Christmases ago."

"Well," Edgeworth thought, "he's half right."

Phoenix scoffed, "Yeah, there's only one person I can see him with, but I highly doubt they like each other, and I know for a fact that never had a girlfriend before, so I don't think that's the reason."

"Is he talking about Franziska?" Miles thought.

Phoenix spoke again, "Anyway we're not here to talk about my friend's love life or lack thereof.

Were here to pick out a few presents for Trucy."

Apollo fake gasped, "A few! You never struck me as someone who would pay for anything if he could help it."

Phoenix rolled his eyes, "Oh tee hee, very funny. First of all I wouldn't call myself cheap, I'd call myself frugal. Secondly considering the circumstances she could stand a Christmas where she gets everything on her list for once."

Apollo also rolled his eyes, "So tell me, why do you open presents after dinner?"

Phoenix shrugged, "So I can go last minute shopping and not suffer the consequences my easily replaceable protege."

Apollo sighed, "Getting back on an earlier topic, are you sure that she has incuritis?"

Miles looked on with interest. Incuritis is an extremely rare disease that until recently, had no cure. The cure could be extracted from the cocoon of a specific silk worm native to the northern European country of Borginia. It was strictly forbidden to export the cocoon out of the country, due to the fact that if made in a different way, that cure would become a poison with no antidote. Currently there was only one known case of the disease in America, so there was an extremely low chance that it would strike twice anytime soon, let alone have Phoenix's daughter contract it. Amazingly the Borginian trade regulations changed so that you can import the cure itself, but it would cost thousands of dollars to do so. Phoenix looked somber and said, "Yes, I'm sure. At her last check up the doctor said that he found the virus that causes it, so there is no doubt. Unless I can come up with 500,000 dollars, she will eventually die." he chuckled, "But if it wasn't for you, she wouldn't even have a chance."

Apollo smiled, "I didn't even know she would contract it, but at least I know that because of me she might have a chance at living."

Phoenix smirked his now trademark smirk, "Well at least I now the possible imminent death of my daughter won't stop you from stroking your ego.

Apollo flinched, "H-Hey! That's nothing to joke about!"

Phoenix sighed, "Your right, I shouldn't have done that. She is my daughter after all, blood or not.", he tried to change the topic, "Anyway, those presents aren't going to pick themselves now are they? Lets hurry up and find those things on her list."

They walked away from where Miles was standing. He had a somber look on his face to rival Phoenix's. Mia walked closer, "Poor Phoenix, his only family in the world, and she isn't even related."

Miles kept looking ahead, "I know, if she did die he would be crushed. When he lost his badge, he gained a daughter, but if he loses Trucy, he doesn't get anything back."

Mia put a hand on his shoulder, "We'll visit them again later, there are two more people you should see before we go to the Wright Anything Agency."

The bright flash of light returned and they were standing outside the crummiest apartment complex in town. Miles offered a look of disgust, "Who do I know that lives in this horrible place?"

She shrugged, "Well lets find out."

She went to a room labeled IS-7, "Shall we?"

She walked right through the door. Miles shook his head, as if to see if he saw that right. He attempted the same thing and he found it worked for him too. He walked inside and found, to his surprise, Detective Gumshoe fixing a few Christmas lights in the corner. Mia looked on with a look of pity on her face. She addressed Miles as he looked around, "I know he had to live frugally in order to get by, but this. You must like cutting his pay Edgeworth."

Miles' tone was defensive, "Well if he wasn't so incompetent at his job he..."

He saw something that made him stop. A little girl, no older than seven, ran out of a bedroom down the hall. She wore a smile on her face, but was incredibly thin. She had an exited tone of voice as she talked to Gumshoe, "Uncle Gumshoe? Is Maggey really coming to dinner tonight?"

Gumshoe chuckled, "Of course Janice, why wouldn't she. We are dating after all so I don't see why she wouldn't come?

Janice shrugged, "I guess because she hasn't been here for a while, I guess. Well, it doesn't matter now does it? Now I know shes coming over I can start making myself look nice!"

She ran back into her bedroom to freshen up, and Gumshoe went back to hanging the lights. Miles just stood there with his mouth open. He had no idea what to say, but fortunately, Mia said something for him, "You didn't now he was taking care of his niece, did you?"

Miles nodded, "No, I didn't. He never told me he took care of a little girl.", He thought about his next question, "How did she come to be in his care anyway?"

She sighed, "The sad thing is that her parents aren't even dead. Her mother, who also happened to be Gumshoe's sister, dropped her off here, and never came back. Its not like she couldn't care for her, she was incredibility well off, but I guess she just didn't want Janice."

It shocked Miles about how little he knew of his most loyal subordinate's life. He never knew that Gumshoe had a sister, let alone a niece. He also didn't know that this was all Gumshoe could afford on his salary. He knew that Gumshoe lived on instant noodles and off-brand products, but he thought that was so he could pay for his apartment, but this really was all he could afford.

He looked to Mia, "I think I've seen enough here."

She nodded, "Agreed, but there is one more person you should see before we go to the Christmas party."

She stuck out her arm and Miles took it, and again there was a bright flash of light. Now they were standing on the 10th floor of, what Miles recognized as the Prosecutor's Office. They were standing outside room 1028. He knew that was Franziska's door number.

They both walked inside to find Franziska... pacing? She was also holding something in her hand but Miles couldn't see what it was. He looked around the office and saw something that made him jump. Case files were strewn over her desk, but not one was filed, sorted, or even placed neatly on her desk. This was way out of character for Franziska, who always kept her cases neat so that she could find and sort them better.

She started talking to herself, "I hate this foolish holiday. All this cheer and goodwill nonsense is enough to drive me mad. Yet there is one thing I hate the most about these next few days.", she held up the object, which Miles now saw as a picture, "I hate you Miles Edgeworth, I hate that you spurned me all those years ago when you just said I love you to make me stop crying. I mean nothing to you, and you mean nothing to me. I hate your foolish personality, your foolish friends, your foolishly wonderful smile, your foolishly handsome face, and your gorgeous gray eyes..." she trailed off with a dreamy look in her eyes, obviously fantasizing about herself and Edgeworth.

She shook her head to shake off such thoughts and went to her desk, and out of nowhere pulled out a bottle of wine and a glass, poured herself some and said, "I don't know what to do. He is only two floors up, but I can never go up there and tell him my feelings. Why can't do it? Do I fear rejection, or a laugh or taunt in my face. I guess I'll never know.". She took a swig and went back to work.

Edgeworth didn't now what to say or do. Should he jump for joy knowing that Franziska loved him as well, or should he remain solemn knowing that she was so disheveled and depressed because she was unsure of how he would react to her saying she loved him. But this was totally unlike her, he visited her office on Christmas Day many times before, so why was this the day she cracked? He asked Mia this and she replied, "She has always been like this Edgeworth, she just got progressively worse over the years. First was the pacing, then the false hatred to your picture, then she started drinking while talking to herself when she was twenty-one, and now she just ignores her work until her routine is finished. That last one started this year, but you didn't go into her office today so that you could just work alone."

He looked at Franziska again, and felt even worse for her. Because of him and his hasty reaction all those years ago, she thought that he was just doing it so as to comfort her, even after he confessed his love. A part of her hated him for that, but a part also thought he was telling the truth, so now she was in an internal conflict, and it seemed that this time of year made her slightly unstable because of it. It didn't help that her father had told her many times that love was the most unnecessary emotion of all, and even though she threw off his courtroom tactics and much of his influence for perfection, she could not do the same to her personality as easily. She was stilled chained to her father, even after he died.

Miles felt ashamed, but he didn't know why. Was it because his other self could not think of a reason to come and not know of her sadness, or that he had once again seen her in one of her more vulnerable moments? Mia came closer, "Its time for the Christmas Party, Edgeworth."

He sighed and took hold of her arm, and again there was a bright flash, and now they were standing outside the Wright Anything Agency. There were cars outside the building and nearly all of them had personalized plates. To amuse himself after what he just saw, Miles read the plates to see if he could discern the people who drove them. There was FRAUMAN, SCIENCE, SCALEOF with a license plate holder from Justice, Oklahoma, ME.D., and I heart FEENE. In this order he knew it was Klavier Gavin, Ema Skye, Apollo Justice, Maya Fey, and Iris. He never knew that Maya and Iris knew how to drive, "Maybe they learned in the seven years they were gone." he thought. He also noticed a Lunch Land truck a little distance away, with a new tag-line, "Lunch Land, now serving dinner too!"

Mia and Miles walked through the door and there were Phoenix's closest friends and a few of his past clients. Miles swept his gaze around the room and saw all the guests. There was Klavier, Ema, Apollo, Maya, Iris, much to his annoyance Larry Butz, Pearl Fey, Will Powers, Lana Skye, Max Galactica (he was providing some fabulous entertainment for the guests), much to his surprise the Borginian songstress Lamiroir a mere few months after her eye surgery to make her see again, and Ron and Desiree DeLite. Also in the kitchen he could make out the silhouette of Angel Starr, who was probably cooking the Christmas Dinner. Trucy was intently watching Max work his magic (literally) and everyone else was mingling. Phoenix was catching up with Iris (who were both making googly eyes at each other) and both the Fey girls, and Larry was making his never ending and very annoying advances to Lana (Who thankfully wasn't looking interested). This was also happening with Klavier who, like Larry, was advancing on the other Skye sister, but she too, was putting him down. Powers and Mr. DeLite were talking about the many costumes they wore in their life, but for Ron it was just one.

Mia gave a crooked smile and thought up a quick a plan, "I'll be right back", was what she said to Miles. She went over to the place where Klavier was saying his many unwanted pickup lines to Ema, and also the place where a punch bowl happened to be. Even though she couldn't be seen, she was trying to play it sneaky by ducking and sidling in the shadows. She made it to the bowl and discreetly dumped the whole thing onto Klavier. Klavier shouted, "Ach! What happened! My suit is ruined!", he turned to Ema, "Fraulein Detective, did you have something to do with this?".

She shook her head trying not to laugh, "No, but either your weight leaning against the table caused it to tip over, or the universe is at work against you!". She couldn't hold it in now, she was laughing at full force while Klavier left to get the sugary substance off his deep purple jacket. Mia walked back over to Miles. Miles was also laughing a little bit, but it didn't obstruct his sentence, "That's your whole plan? Ruin a man's jacket so that he'll leave a girl alone?"

She just smirked and responded, "Just part one of a matchmaking scheme if you must know."

She left him again when she saw that Ema and Apollo were talking about a case they had just solved, and out of nowhere, pulled out a sprig of mistletoe. She started to float until she was above them and hung the mistletoe there. No one noticed the mistletoe until the roaming eye of the sixteen year old Pearl Fey (who was still vehemently opposed to people not having someone to love) noticed the two of them standing together under the garland and pointed it out to everyone by shouting, "Hey everyone! Ema and Apollo are standing under the mistletoe and they haven't kissed yet!"

This garnered the attention of everyone there, including Ema and Apollo, who both looked up, looked at each other as if to confirm it was real, and looked up again. Everyone was shouting things like, "Come on, its tradition!" or, "Don't just stand their kiss her!". Apollo looked nervously at Ema, and Ema looked nervously at the crowd. Without her bag of Snackoos, she felt oddly vulnerable, and she again looked to Apollo for help. He whispered nervously, "What should we do?"

She was stammering, "I-I guess we should give them what they want, s-scientifically speaking."

He nodded and they both leaned in for a peck on the lips for the both of them. Everyone was laughing now and now there were new things said like, "You can do better than that!" or, "Where's your Christmas spirit you two, that was pathetic!". Both of them were blushing profusely now that they were put on the spot even more then they had before they even did kiss. But it was two people, one person for each of them, that drew them over the edge, and their names were Phoenix Wright and Klavier Gavin. Klavier, having just joined in on the fun said to Ema, "Well if I knew you kissed like that, I wouldn't have gone after you for so many years, ja?", and Phoenix, deciding to be a smarmy bastard said to Apollo, "Well Polly, I guess that's why you couldn't get a girlfriend for the fist twenty-two years of your life, huh?"

That did it. They were going to give them a kiss they would never forget, hell, they were going to give them a kiss that the both of them would never forget. It started out slow but eventually picked up in

speed. It was a passionate kiss, it wasn't a total make-out session, but it wasn't all that formal either. She smelt of chocolate and to him, it suited her perfectly, because even though she was bitter, if refined enough, she could be very sweet. Only now had she just noticed that he was rather muscular, probably due to the fact that he almost always rode a bike everywhere he went, and he only drove his car at night or when it was raining or snowing. So scientifically- ah what did science have to do with any of this! "Plenty." said a small voice in the back of her head, "Its the primal instinct to want to reproduce, but for some reason is much more refined than that of, say a dog, and not only that...", it trailed off and then came back sounding entirely different, "Oh who am I kidding, I'm in love with someone who I can actually touch!"

The entire thing lasted for ten seconds, and Phoenix had a bet going with Klavier, Phoenix thinking it to be less than or equal to ten seconds, and Klavier saying otherwise. Phoenix won fifty dollars that day (he made a mental note to put it in the fund for Trucy's cure). When they finally broke everyone applauded and cheered, making their faces even more red. Miles found himself joining in, even though he could not be heard.

Phoenix stepped out from between them and said sarcastically, "Well, I thank you Ema and Apollo, for the quality entertainment you have just given us."

Everyone laughed, including Ema and Apollo, who were now physically a little bit closer than usual. Phoenix continued, "Anyway, it has come to my attention that dinner will be ready shortly, however it will still take some time, so I propose that we play a game to pass the time."

Trucy replied immediately when he finished, "Can we play 20 Questions Daddy?", her voice was sounding raspy.

Phoenix smirked his all knowing smirk, "Of course Trucy. That is if everyone else wants to play too."

Everyone heard the unspoken part of that sentence that was basically saying, "You wouldn't deny the wishes of a dying child, would you?"

Phoenix was the first up and Apollo asked the first question, "Is it an animal?"

"Yes", was his reply.

Pearl asked her question next, "Is it small?"

"Nope", said Phoenix.

Lamiroir thought a few moments before she said, "Is it beautiful?"

"Depends on your definition of beauty.", Phoenix said in a wry tone of voice.

Then Max went, "Is it a circus animal?"

Phoenix laughed, "Please, it would be nowhere near a circus. Trust me on that."

Iris was next, "Is it rare?"

Phoenix shrugged, "Well there's only one of 'em if that's what you mean"

Trucy's voice was still raspy as she asked her question, "Is it a person Daddy?"

He answered confidently, but his eyes betrayed his worry, "Yes it is Trucy."

Klavier thought his question over and asked, "Do you know this person?"

Phoenix smirked as if he had thought of something funny, "Yeah, I know him."

Will Powers asked his question carefully, "Is he a helpful person?"

Still he smirked, "Sometimes yes, but he is quite disagreeable right now."

It was Ema turn to ask a question, "Is he cold"

Phoenix answered, "You have no idea."

Maya's turn, "Was he raised by possibly the worst family in the history of ever?"

Phoenix changed his smirk to a smile, indicating they were getting closer, "Yes he was Maya, yes he was."

Ron DeLite was up next, "Does he despise criminals, and normal people too?"

Phoenix was still smiling, "Why yes, yes he does."

Desiree DeLite was now asking, "Does he fear earthquakes?"

Still Phoenix was smiling, "Above all other things."

Larry was last up, "Well I'm gonna go out on a limb and say its Miles Edgeworth."

Phoenix looked at everyone and said, "Your right, and that's the game!"

Everyone had a good laugh, but there were two literal souls there who were not laughing. Miles was shocked at how badly his name was treated, and most of the things said after Will Powers' question were hurtful. He knew he could be cold but that was because he was socially awkward. Due to being taught how to be a prosecutor by Manfred von Karma and eventually Alphonse Gavin, he was kept away from the world. That and von Karma told him that he should always be cold, to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies and would be enemies, he would say. And the von Karma's being the worst family ever?

Sure they weren't the Brady Bunch, but it was a stable household, and no matter what, Manfred von Karma never abused them. He had the perfect chance to do so while Miles was in his care but he never did. Also he met the love of his life while living with the von Karma's, so it couldn't have been that bad.

But the thing that hurt the most was the hate criminals and normal people comment. Ever since he decided to go abroad without telling anybody and instead leaving a note saying 'Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death.' so as to throw them off the trail, he dedicated himself to finding the only thing that matters in court: the truth. Ever since he never left a crime scene without looking over every tiny detail that might help to find the real culprit, or get a wrongly jailed man a second chance. So to say that he hated the innocent, even after all he had done, was heartbreaking.

They did a few more rounds of 20 Questions until Ms. Starr told them that dinner was ready. At the head of the table their was Phoenix and on either side was Trucy and Apollo (Ema was next to him in case you were wondering). Before they began, Phoenix stood up and addressed his guests, "Before we begin eating, there is something I must say. As you may or may not know, my daughter Trucy is suffering from incuritis, a condition that is, as you may have guessed, incurable.", he paused to let it sink in. Miles noticed that Lamiroir was crying, which wouldn't be unusual in a situation like this, but something was a little off about it. It was as if she was losing one of her own children. Phoenix continued, "Now I am not going to ask you for handouts so that I can import the cure. All I'm asking is that your prayers and sentiments be with her tonight. Thank you."

Trucy was speechless. She didn't know what she could say to thank her father for such kind words, and that he wanted to pay for this himself. The fact he wouldn't except handouts, was something she was proud of him for. For most of her life spent as the daughter of Phoenix Wright, she had to use her talents in order for both her and her adoptive father to get by. Now that she couldn't preform her magic act anymore, Phoenix really had to overhaul his piano playing in order to both live as they were now, and pay to import her cure. She was proud of her Daddy, for finally being able to stand on both of his feet without her help, and with her being like a weight on his shoulders. She could only muster a few words, "Thank you, Daddy."

Miles was moved by Phoenix's words, and even though he advised himself not to, he had to ask, "Mia, will Trucy live through her incuritis?"

She sighed as though she didn't want to answer that question. But she did, "I am not entirely sure, for my realm is the present, but I do see an empty seat next to Phoenix's, and a top hat and cape, carefully preserved."

Miles didn't now which was worse, Franziska's melancholy or Trucy's imminent death. He couldn't decide, to him, both options were horrible. Miles asked Mia a question solemnly, "Is there anywhere else we need to go Ms. Fey?"

She nodded and stuck out her arm once again, and once again Miles grabbed it and the bright flash returned. When he opened his eyes he saw that they were in a cemetery in front of a row of graves. Fearfully, Miles asked, "Mia why are we here?"

She had a serious look on here face, "I haven't got much time left so listen well. You are not the person you once were, and I am happy for you because of it, but because of the children you have bore into this world, you still have ties to your old ways of life."

Miles was confused, "C-Children? I'll have you know that I'm a virgin, so I highly doubt that I have had any children."

She retained her serious look, "Oh, really? Then who are these behind me!"

When she said that, two young children, one a boy, and one a girl, stepped out from behind her, as if out of nowhere. Miles was disgusted at the sight of them. They had a likeness of features to himself, but the thing was, they didn't look like him at all. They were both dressed in rags, had sunken in eyes, and their lithe figures reminded him of Janice, but Janice would never look like these two hideous children.

Mia started talking again, "Their names are Anger, and Ignorance. They are twins in a right, as they compliment each other wonderfully as Anger leads to Ignorance of others strife, and Ignorance of many things would lead to Anger taking control of a person. Fear these two Miles Edgeworth, for both spell doom for any man."

Miles couldn't take it anymore, he had to look away, "Please take them away, I no longer wish to see them."

Her expression softened as a light appeared in the children's place and took them away, "Their gone now Miles, and soon so shall I."

Miles looked to her to see her fading from existence. He asked her one more question before she left, "Mia, earlier my father told me Franziska was beyond the help of ghosts, what did he mean by that?

She looked straight at him, "Exactly that, no ghost can help her. I don't want to give it all away, but I guess I can give you one more hint."

She wrote something on a piece of paper, and handed it to Miles. He read it, but it looked like gibberish to him, "What's the meaning of this? Did you plan to give me false hope?"

She sighed, "Geez, your a mirror image of you younger self Miles. I thought I told you better."

She was right, he did go to far, maybe their was a hidden meaning to the paper that he didn't understand. He looked up to apologize but she was gone. Instead there was a large man with white hair, a green dress shirt, a white vest that had pinstripes, and a large visor on his face with three glowing red lines to see with. He smelt of strong black coffee, and also held a white mug of it in his hand. He tilted his head back and took a long swig of it and finally addressed him, "Hello Dullworthless.".