Saturday. Eight hours, twenty-four minutes and forty-nine seconds.
That was the time he awoke, with his face laying on several files over the desk, in the Zheng Fa prosecutor's offices.
During the whole night he had been walking aimlessly through the streets, and by noon he had ended in front of the building. He had his hands in his pockets, squeezing the forbidden mobile, wearing the special gabardine, thinking of unnecessary things. He did need to saturate his mind with useful information, and force all his energy to change into a productive work flow. He thought that learning about the crime history of the country could be not only a demanding task, but also a useful one. Perhaps some interesting facts could be the key to the case they were facing. Or maybe not. It did not matter. He only needed to stop his mind and avoid doing things that he would regret afterwards.
He asked for access to the oldest files in the prosecutors' archive and brought them all into his office; that small and grey room with a complete lack of style. He was disappointed by it because its decoration consisted in, basically, dark curtains, old brown furniture made of pine and darkened over time, and the walls had several flags hung in them with phoenixes. He would have never thought how deep annoyance he could develop for a flag.
He read the files for several minutes until he finally fell asleep. It was expected, considering that all he had slept in almost forty hours were only two, filled with nightmares.
A knock on the door forced him to awake all at once. He sat upright in his chair, and rubbed his face with both hands. They felt so hard and coarse due to that dry, bloody cold.
"Come in." His voice was hoarse.
A woman in black stood aside from the door, and looked at him with stony eyes. "Prosecutor Manfred Wolff. I was informed you took some archives."
"I did. I'm actually-"
"I do not need explanations. You need special permission from the Chief to read those." She interrupted his words, and walked into the room, grabbing all the files spread on the desk in quite an aggressive way. Surprised, almost offended, Edgeworth leant back against the seat and looked at woman's face. She was wearing a citric perfume, but it did not smooth his mood in the slightest way.
"I was not informed about that when I requested the files..."
"I know. The new archivist is a good-for-nothing, like so many others in this building."
She put all the folders into the box and went out without a formal farewell. When she slammed the door, he sighed and stretched his neck.
Almost everyone at the prosecutor's offices were mad with the new and unexpected amount of foreign prosecutors from all around the world that had entered. Under the excuse they were required for teaching how to clean the corrupted Zheng Fa system, and get a better understanding in matters of Laws and court procedure, they were incorporated by replacing many old and prestigious native prosecutors.
Obviously, and despite the natural corruption of the country, it was a cover-up operation in order to explain the strange amount of new personal that had entered into the country due to the Interpol's request.
However, nobody knew about it at the prosecutor's offices. Thus, the new workers were forced to be seen as thieves of the sacred job of many others, and also were told not to report any kind of abuse from the remaining workers. Everything had to be accepted in the name of the camouflage.
Every time he thought about that fact, he could not avoid drawing a tender smile on his face, remembering that witty girl who, like the others, was left behind when he resigned to his name. The Yatagarasu was far from being unrequired in this world.
He was starting to feel a weird sensation in his belly. Although he hadn't eaten in the whole day, he was not hungry. He looked at his wristwatch and stood up from the desk, rubbing his eyes; then he stretched his neck, making a strong hollow sound. He should get a proper rest this time.
He took the gabardine and touched the mobile slyly, quite uneasy for having that phone on him. When he had fallen asleep, somebody could have checked it freely. It was like a mud spot, staining the cloth of his fake identity.
Hoping that feeling would disappear as soon as he left the phone inside his closet, he took the gabardine, ready to leave and get done with his day.
The key, his briefcase and a locked office door. It was everything he needed at that moment, late enough for any productive task. He could try to recover the lost time at his home, working the whole night. Probably, his sleep time was already shifted, and it would remain like so for a while.
He left the public building and walked to the park. The nights were splendid in that country, he could not deny it. From time to time, the chill breeze was interrupted by a random strong gust. which disappeared as fast as it came. The wind used to stop the peaceful walking of the pedestrians, overwhelmed by such amount of energy around them. Then, the chill breeze returned, moving his hair in a fake caress over his cheeks. He always loved that secret sensation. Another one.
He was passing by along the shops, until one of them caught his attention completely. It was called The nose. He stopped before the poster, and turned his face to the shop window. It was a book-store.
He stood there, examining each book which was shown on it. He had already read all those books; they were classics. Then, one of them made him swallow.
In a Grove.
He had to give that old book to the Interpol, because all the book's margins had many personal notes written by his father. The book was a bit complex for a kid, but his father had added several explanations to make it easy. The many faces that every fact had, the never solved case, and the dead man... summoned from his peaceful rest to give another version of the facts. A lie, yet the truth.
That book was so related to his own fate that it was ironic.
He entered into the shop and bought it. It was a luxury edition, with hard cover, and smooth beige sheets, with a golden ribbon as a bookmark. It would not have the most valuable feature inside, his father's handwriting, but at least he would be able to read the story once again, after a bad night.
Coming back to the street, he walked mind-lost, with a hand in a pocket squeezing the mobile as if it could disappear at any moment; and the other holding the briefcase, protecting the recently bought treasure in there. Despite the storm of memories that he was dealing with in his silent walk, he was enjoying the night by looking to the moon at his front, appearing for a moment, just to disappear again through the buildings.
He was almost in peace. In his usual, personal and paradoxical peace.
When he was almost in front of his apartment's door, he spotted the well-known dark figure leant against the wall: hands in pockets, wearing sunglasses, and his former red king in his mouth.
He sighed, because he knew he was not prepared to deal with the wild man. And that dirty piece was still in his mouth. So disgusting.
The last week their usual team work had been affected by the accumulated stress over those months. The case of the faceless people was leading nowhere.
"So, you finally showed up." Edgeworth glanced at him for a moment, silent. Then he started to look for the keys inside the briefcase, close to the door. He missed that electronic system that his former home had. "...Look, I know we weren't easy on each other these past weeks. The last argument was... uhm-" Lang took off his sunglasses and put them into an inner pocket of his jacket, trying to find a proper word.
"You do not need to apologize, if that's what you are attempting to do. I know my work should be giving more results by now. In fact, it should be giving some result. But yet..." his voice was tinged with frustration.
"I know, I get it. That's why I think we need to chill out." Lang said, smirking as usual. "There is a good place for that. It's been related to my family since... well, maybe the same Lang Zi's ages..." Edgeworth stopped his movements and looked at the agent, curious "...this would be a good start to understand a bit more about the Lang family, got it?. Weren't you interested in the real identity of them?" the agent chewed the piece a bit more. "...isn't that enough to satisfy your curiosity?". Lang took the red king and put it back into his pocket, but his grin never disappeared.
Edgeworth was not sure whether those words were reliable or a mockery. He was tired of being the fool with that man. He closed his briefcase and pressed the bridge of his nose. "What kind of joke is this now?"
"Joke?. Mr. Prosecutor, you got me all wrong."
Edgeworth could hardly believe it by looking at the smug smile in the agent's face. But clearly something was off with that wild man, there were no doubts. "Agent... please. Explain yourself."
"Like I said... we need to chill out. Since I've known you, I've never seen you relaxed."
I am, indeed, but when you are not around, agent. Edgeworth sighed before putting the idea into softer words, "I can relax myself as I please whenever I take Pesu for a walk".
"Well. I got that. But... c'mon. We both were too tensed those days with the damn case."
"And where is such a relaxing place supposed to be?"
"It's in the underground cir-."
"What!? Are you related to the criminal circles of the city?"
And there they went, straight to the starting point of the arguing.
Lang glowered at the prosecutor, wiping out his grin, "Not so fast. Hold your tongue, my ignorant pretty boy. The cubs must learn to listen to their elders. What you've just said is unfair, and damaging too. Lang family holds a proud heritage, do not dare to think that kind of dirty suspicions." Lang sighed, putting the chess piece back into his mouth. There was no use in keeping it in his pocket. The prosecutor had mastered every single way to make him feel upset. But this time, he tried to control his anger. He had gone there just to make peace with the fancy boy, and relax together. Certainly, he had to recall that twice to himself. "Like I said, it's a good place, known to be in the underground circles of the city."
"Underground?" Edgeworth frowned in disbelief. How, by using that word, would not he bring suspicious thoughts?. It was basic common sense. But as he had learnt during his time working with Lang, there was not always sense in that wild mind.
"Yeah. Only the elder families know about it. It's ancient-" Edgeworth raised an eyebrow when Lang wore his glasses again. "-and it's close from Zhin Lau Shi."
Hit by the sudden emotion, Edgeworth's eyes widened imperceptibly, but still Lang noticed it anyway. On the spot. He knew he had won. He turned his face, hands in pockets, and before leaving the other man in front of his home door, he added as if he did not care about it, "Well, I guess there is no use in insisting. So, good night Mr. Prosecutor, I will take my fun..."
"W-Wait... w-wait" Edgeworth's trembling words were a reward themselves.
Lang looked at him over his shoulder and smiled triumphant. Checkmate. "Your heart changed?"
"This is not a joke, is it?". Edgeworth was holding back all his self, in order to remain as neutral and cool as always, but his heart was pounding, and his cheeks were quickly coloured.
"A wolf never lies."
"Are... are you sure the place would be enjoyable?"
"Of course. There are some good drinks, and music. You will see Zheng Fa's underground. And Zhin Lau Shi." Lang remarked the last place with a hoarse voice, knowing so well what he was doing.
"I-I am not well informed about that, but... there exists the slightest chance that such a place named that way could be where the mighty castle of Zhin Lau Shi was built?."
Lang looked at him for a second, and continued his walk towards the elevator, grinning without saying a word. He was laughing so hard inside.
Edgeworth felt the wild need to stop that man, so he could have time to think properly what to do. His mind was slow due to the lack of sleep in those weeks, but he still could not restrain himself. He could not miss the chance, so he insisted, "W-Wait... Wait!"
"I'll be in the car. Come." Lang said a second before the elevator's doors were closed.
Edgeworth's eyes brightened. He was going to be so close to the mighty castle of Zhin Lau Shi?. That castle was where the special miniseries of the Steel Samurai had been filmed. In that special edition, the Evil Magistrate had associated with the Evil Saifu, to fight against the Samurai, in the Olde Lang Fa.
Childish enthusiasm. That was what he was feeling all along his body, a forgotten sensation he used to enjoy so much despite never being aware of it.
He entered into his apartment just to leave his briefcase and the gabardine on the sofa. He was not going to relish the experience if he had to think about the mobile all the time.
Happy and cheerful as usual, Pesu ran from the bedroom into him, fluttering her tongue and cravat in the air. However, his master was thinking about the castle, the Samurai, the new Season he was not allowed to see yet, completely lost in his thoughts. When she jumped towards him, Edgeworth avoided the encounter without even noticing her.
Pesu flew through the air for a second, and crushed into the closed door. Her trust had been betrayed so deeply. This time there were no hands to pet her, no warm body to run into; only a disgusting old woody door. She whimpered when knocked.
Only in that instant, aware of what had happened, Edgeworth approached her worried and guilty. She was whimpering, making more noises for something that was nothing more than a strong bump. His master stared at her after checking her paws, frowning with a serious look.
"My lady, what have I said before? No drama queen acting." Pesu whimpered even louder, until she looked at his master once again. His icy glare and deadly silence stopped her crying. "I will take some drinks with Agent Lang. Be a good Lady, and do not take this personal... did you understand?." the dog side-eyed her master, opening her mouth slightly in the same way that old meme about a shiba inu used to be. She was offended, and nothing would change that fact, unless such impertinent human would kneel before her, pet her belly, and put all the attention on her during the whole year.
"-did you understand?" Edgeworth repeated, this time in a deeper and commanding tone.
Pesu put her ears down and slowly walked under the table, from where she monitored all his movements along the bedroom and living room.
For a Shiba Inu, that was an extremely bad symptom. He knew it. He was going to regret it when he came back. For that reason, he covered most of the file piles with boxes, in order to save them from the Evil dog that Pesu was going to turn into. When he finally took his coat and looked at her once more time before leaving the apartment, she growled at him without averting his eyes. "My lady, please, restrain your bad mood until my return. Do not make my life a living hell, I beg you."
She just turned in the same spot and gave him her back.
The Hell had just begun.
Verily, he would regret it so much for having made a proud Lady as her crush into a filthy door.
"What took you so long?" Lang said bored for waiting, hand over his chin, looking at the people along the streets.
"Pesu and I had... some differences"
Squinting him, Lang turned his face to him slowly, not sure how to understand it. Was not that man an alpha after all?. Such a disappointment.
However, his thoughts were interrupted when he saw the small camera in Edgeworth's hands. "Are you thinking to take some pictures of the place?"
"Probably there would be no inconvenient in walking around the mighty Zhin Lau Shi."
Lang laughed, so pleased to understand a little more about that man, and his passion about that weird childish program that he had guessed he liked after two years of team work.
He started the car and waited for the eager Edgeworth to fasten his belt. Then he just made the car fly out of any control.