This was an incredibly difficult chapter to finish for many reasons - one of which is that I recently suffered the loss of someone I grew up with and loved.
Songs in this chapter that are not mine:
Lyle Lovett - I Think You Know What I Mean
Bryan Adams - Never Let Go
Songs (poorly) written by me:
Stormy - Dying Star
Latin Proverb: Acta est fabula, plaudite - the play is over, applaud
As always, poem is mine.
I promise more progression next chapter.
5-6 chapters left.
Invitations
.'.
Below the poison of the faithless sky,
The other world's echo is a chilling cry
Before the moon's dying breath
The door opens and the end is nigh
' .'
Klavier drove his car (Ema had refused to ride his 'glimmerous hog') up the driveway, listening with some amusement as his girlfriend muttered something under her breath as they were greeted by an assemblage of glass, chrome, pools and white walls. He saw her craning a neck as if she couldn't quite believe she had just caught a glimpse of a—
"Does he have a helicopter?"
Klavier smirked, guiding the car into the underground garage. "Two. One was Seren's."
"Of course. No house is complete without a pair of helicopters," she said dryly as Klavier slid into a space dead ahead. "I guess I was right when I called Ray-Ray the King of Fops."
"Ja, I daresay you were." Klavier laughed, turning off the engine.
"Why does he need a helicopter? Is he going for a fop award?" Ema said as she got out and shut the door behind her. "Because if he is, you can tell him to stop. I don't think anyone can outdo him; he is Fop Central, King of Fops, Fop Supreme—"
"Proud of it." Raoul's voice echoed. Ema's head whipped towards him where he was dawdling up a staircase.
"Wait, I thought we were underground," Ema said, looking around with a confused expression at the garage.
"You are," Raoul said, walking towards them and waving bottles of alcohol at her, wearing a magnificent grin that promised so much mischief, it had Klavier chuckling in anticipation of Ema's reaction. And she didn't disappoint – he looked at her sideways, catching her exasperated eye roll. "Just been to the wine cellar. And babe…" He made a display of looking her up and down, his eyes roving over the dress she was wearing. "You look fine."
Although his amusement quickly evaporated, Klavier couldn't disagree – he had never seen Ema dressed up the way she was tonight. In fact, he had been there when she had re-stocked her wardrobe and he had never seen her buy such a romantic – albeit casual – little number. She was in a strapless, black dress with a draped hem that made him think things he knew he would get smacked for if she could read his mind.
He took a swipe at Raoul's head, who ducked with a smirk. "Achtung! Keep your eyes in your head, ja?"
"Ugh, you're so disgusting," Ema said at the same time.
"I was paying you a compliment, ain't my fault you heard vulgarity where there ain't none," Raoul said with a shake of his head and motioned for them to follow.
"Maybe we assume that because that's your resting state," Ema sniped as they followed and Klavier laughed, dropping a kiss on her cheek as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
"At ease, liebling," he said with a smile, rubbing her back then directed his attention to Raoul. "I noticed a few other cars; who else is here?"
"Deston's raiding my candy stash," Raoul scoffed. "Hobo and co are also here, though the whip-happy broad hasn't shown up yet. Edgeworth said she would be along shortly but here's to hoping she doesn't."
"Franziska von Karma?" Klavier said with a little surprise. "I did not know you had invited her."
"I invited Edgeworth but I guess she sorta follows him around like a little puppy," he said.
Klavier cast a glance at Ema but she seemed absorbed with her surroundings. He could see her shock at the extravagance of her surroundings which made him chuckle. It was hardly her first encounter with luxury over the past few weeks yet she was still taken aback by rich, flashy things. Without realising it, he found himself wondering how she would be once they got married since he had every intention of—
Married?
Yeah… Married.
Sure, it was an unexpected thought and his prosecutor's mind was telling him to examine where this had (so casually) come from – but it was faint and lacking in strength compared to the voice that told him this was only natural. Even though he hadn't actively thought about it, it only made sense for Klavier to start pondering on their future... in fact it made sense for him to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted to.
No big deal.
"Don't call Phoenix a hobo, you big jerk," Ema was telling off Raoul, making Klavier turn his focus back to them. "Just because the rest of us don't live with your obscene wealth doesn't—"
"I'm gonna stop you there, 'cause what the hell? You've been living with Gavinners for the better part of two months and you're gonna criticise my wealth?" Raoul arched a brow at her, shaking his head. "What the fuck ever, bella."
"I changed my tactics." Ema scowled at him. "Now, I reserve my energy for criticising the Fop Supreme."
"I see, the titles are getting loftier with each visit," Raoul scoffed. "Well this place was Seren's too," he added and Klavier felt Ema stiffen in his arm. He glanced at her sideways, saw her face fall a little and sighed as he rubbed her back.
"Oh… You shared it?" she asked.
"Yeah. We offered the others a share but they weren't interested."
Ema looked at Klavier and he explained: "This was a very expensive and well-publicised project. It was put up for auction before it was even finished and we all considered it. However, Seren and Raoul were the only ones who got their pilot's licences. Two helipads. It seemed to make sense."
"And then there's the fact that they were gay for each other," Deston added, joining them with a large jar of skittles. Ema came to a stop and focused on him, her smile blooming the way it did when she saw her best friend – Klavier let her go and Deston scooped her up into a one-armed hug.
"Deston was always jealous of our relationship," Raoul joked.
"What the hell are you doing with all that candy?" Ema said, looking at Deston whose fingers were knuckles-deep in Skittles. "You look like a big kid."
He grinned. "Got to get out the taste of all those awful Snackoos I ate trying to befriend you."
Klavier laughed when Ema smacked Deston who fumbled to catch the Skittles jar she had dislodged, causing a few to bounce and roll on the marble floor. "I still haven't forgiven you for that."
Deston was staring morosely at the rainbow coloured Skittles at his feet. "You made me spill the yellow ones…"
Klavier was now focused on his other friend, feeling a surge of disappointment at what he was seeing. "Raoul, you were giving up, ja?"
"Fuck off, man."
Ema and Deston turned just in time to see Raoul flicking open his lighter for the cigarette between his lips. Deston leaned in and blew out the flame – Raoul ignored him and sparked another, this time protecting the flame with his hand. They all watched him with the same level of disappointment Klavier was feeling though he cringed when Deston said, "Seren would kick your ass, Ray."
"Well, Seren ain't fuckin' here anymore," Raoul snarled suddenly and Klavier saw Ema recoil in surprise. He stepped closer to her just as Raoul snatched up the bottles of liquor and stormed off, leaving a trail of smoke behind him.
"He's been like this all day," Deston said quietly, staring after their friend. He crouched down and started picking up the scattered candy. "He got a call this morning and he's smoked two packs since."
Klavier frowned. "A call from who?"
"He won't say… Told me to mind my own business," Deston said.
"Do you think it's—? Deston." Ema crouched as well with a long-suffering sigh as she drew all the Skittles in a mound and scooped them up with both hands, handing them to him. "Really? Picking them up one by one?"
Klavier and Deston laughed. "I was trying to be macho."
"You failed," Ema snorted and went off after Raoul. Klavier saw the look in her eye and knew she was going to check up on him.
He and Deston waited a moment before following slowly. "No idea who it was?"
"He wouldn't say and I didn't pry," Deston said with a shrug.
"Have you tried talking to him?"
"Yeah, of course I have, man," Deston sighed tiredly.
"Me too," Klavier said sliding his hands into his pockets, staring at the ground as they went. "I guess time is the only thing that will help him deal."
In the silence, they heard Ema calling Raoul, the sound of her heels going further and further away. Klavier smiled at the sound, feeling comforted in the knowledge that Raoul was in good, caring hands.
"So, are you ready to talk about what happened with Kristoph?"
All of his warmth turned to ice at this question and he threw a sideways glance at his friend. After his visit to Kristoph, Klavier had informed both Raoul and Deston of his decision to cut off all contact with his brother. They hadn't needed Klavier's "I do not wish to talk about it yet" to know that all he needed right then was a nod and promise that they would take this into consideration if Kristoph reached out to them. Raoul had outright cussed the other Gavin and offered (begged) to kill Kristoph. Deston had been a little more tactful in showing his support for which Klavier had been grateful.
Because… How was he going to tell his friend the woman he spent 7 years mourning was the enemy, not the victim? Klavier felt a stab of panic every time he thought about it. He hadn't been sleeping; in its frantic attempts to process the secret of Irina, his brain had tortured him with endless nightmares. In the wake of his grief over Seren and Daryan, this revelation had further frayed the rope holding him to sanity – if he allowed himself to linger on these thoughts, Klavier could feel the walls close in on him. In fact, just that morning he had been in the middle of a conversation with a detective about a case when he had been hit by an onslaught of fear that had made his chest tight, constricting his breathing and forcing him to retreat to his office. He had dialled Ema, thinking he was having a heart attack, that he would die at his desk, alone, with nobody knowing the truth about Irina.
Thankfully she had not picked up. He wasn't sure he was ready to tell her quite yet that the woman who had been trying to kill her was his sister. He hadn't even fully explained his history to her or how evil his father had been. He knew Ema would support him no matter what but there was a part of him that could not help but wonder if she would look at him differently if she knew that insanity was in his blood. And if she did, could he blame her? He had been avoiding his own reflection, afraid of what he would see there.
"Not yet," he said quietly, running a hand through his hair. "Let us enjoy one more day – the madness will still be there tomorrow, ja?"
"I'm worried that if you keep dealing with it alone, you'll get sucked into that madness," Deston pointed out.
Klavier forced a grin. "I can handle one day. Besides, I could say the same for you."
"Me?" Deston said but Klavier could see his friend knew exactly what he meant because he looked away, discomfort creeping into his features.
"…I know we have said this to you many times but you know that you are not to blame for Daryan and Tessa's deaths, right?"
Deston's expression tightened with pain and he said nothing. It was something, Klavier knew, that was affecting his friend more deeply than he was letting on. Weren't they all suffering in their own way, carrying some of the blame? Deston blamed himself for leaving behind Daryan and Tessa, Raoul blamed himself for not being there for Seren and Klavier blamed himself for not listening to the warnings so many had given him about Kristoph. It did not matter that Deston had had only two choices: die or run. It didn't matter that Raoul had been unconscious because of a blast and could not have saved Seren. And it didn't matter that Klavier hadn't known how deep his brother's madness went.
Or had he?
Had he really needed any more proof than the fact that Kristoph had adopted their father's doctrines? Shouldn't he have probed more, tried to find out the truth of what Kristoph was up to the moment the name Gordon Mazzare had fallen from his lips so many weeks ago? Maybe if he had been more vigilant, if he hadn't been so damn afraid of learning the truth, he would have raided Kristoph's belongings and found that letter that would have saved Ema all the pain she had suffered. He would have found the piece of paper that had been getting worn away between his fingers since yesterday.
It's time to collect, big brother.
Klavier had gone through Kristoph's possessions himself to find anything else that could help him, trusting nobody else with such a task. The whole time, he had hoped that Kristoph's revelation about this sister had just been a lie to manipulate him, to somehow force him to return for another visit… but he already had the evidence. It had been seven years but he could still recognise her handwriting even if he hadn't ordered an analysis of it.
It was strange to him that Raina – Irina – had clearly made the effort to corrupt her handwriting in one note but not the other. It niggled at him, something wasn't right…
"Well, let's save it for tomorrow," Deston said, rerouting his thoughts, nodding towards the sound of voices coming from the lounge. Both of them headed that way to join the rest of the group (and find out what the commotion was about).
"Who invited this clown?"
"Nobody, Mr Adagio. I told him I was going to a party – he must have followed me here."
"Of course he did. It would be too much to hope for some common sense or manners… He's not in possession of anything other than utter stupidity."
"Edgey man, you can't talk about me like thaaat!"
"Someone get Franziska."
"He likes her whipping, Edgeworth."
It seemed that the remaining members had shown up: in the middle of the room was Larry Butz, looking like a kicked dog while his two best friends stood nearby, sighing and rolling their eyes. Edgeworth looked exasperated while Phoenix (whose hobo outfit was in the first stages of evolving into something a little more sophisticated) was running his hands through his hair.
"Larry, you can't be here," he said with a frown.
"But—!"
"Leave him," Raoul said, waving a hand dismissively. "He's here now, can't kick him out."
Ema looked at him. "Wow, you're actually being decent for once?" Raoul scowled at her then insolently blew smoke in her direction. Ema's eyes widened and she furiously waved the smoke away (even though it had faded before it even reached her). "Hey, don't blow that cancerous air at me, you asshole!"
"Would you like me to kick his butt?" Lana offered with a quirk of the eyebrow from where she sat.
"I have some hot coffee here that'll cool him right down, kitten," Diego said from the other side.
Klavier took particular note of the distance between the two now, considering what Ema had divulged to him earlier. "Perhaps you should smoke your death stick outside, Raoul," he said, turning to his friend.
Raoul rolled his eyes and backed up a few steps, taking a final, drawn-out drag then put out his cigarette in an ashtray. "Killing my buzz."
Klavier noted that Ema was still furiously fanning the air around her and chuckled, walking over to her and wrapping her up in a hug. He was pleased when she just melted into his embrace and hugged his waist, and even more when he saw the way Lana was smiling at them. Ever since Ema had told him about the woes of her sister, Klavier had been thinking of some way to ease this burden. Obviously, the simplest solution to the problem of finances was to give both sisters money but he somehow doubted that someone as proud as Lana Skye would appreciate the offer, let alone accept it. It hadn't taken him long to come up with a more elegant solution – and discuss it with the appropriate party. He just needed the right time to present it to her.
"Dinner is ready, sir."
Eight sets of eyes turned towards the smartly dressed, older man in the doorway and Klavier glanced down at Ema just in time to see her jaw drop. "You have a fucking butler?" Ema exclaimed.
"Ema!" Lana chastised loudly.
A few people laughed, including Klavier while Ema looked at the man and quickly said, "Wait, I didn't mean it like that!"
He was just smiling and shook his head. "It's no problem."
Raoul smirked. "Don't take it personally, Harris. She's just got a problem with all things Adagio."
"That's not true, you fop!"
"Oh, I'm not taking it personally," Harris said and flashed a mischievous grin at Raoul. "I don't blame her."
"Get the fuck out of here. We need an extra plate at the table."
"Oh my god, you can't treat your butler that way!" Ema shouted.
"He's not my damn butler, woman, calm your titties!" Raoul said, with a wide smirk. "He's tonight's flavour."
There was a moment's silence filled with discomfort before it was broken by Phoenix's "Good thing I left Trucy at home with Apollo" followed by Larry's horrified "You're going to cook him?"
The room erupted into gales of laughter at this and Klavier was glad to see Ema laughing along, looking like all her worries had fallen away for this moment.
"I knew you were in the closet," Deston teased, popping some Skittles into his mouth.
"Well consider this me takin' a fuckin' sledgehammer to that closet," Raoul said, rubbing the fresh scar on his cheek that he had gotten after the siege of his house. It had been driving his fans crazy, many of whom found him more handsome than ever – a fact Klavier found deeply amusing. "And quit stuffin' your damn face with all those—" He tried to snatch away the jar of Skittles but Deston held it out of reach.
"Chill, Ray," Deston said soothingly as if he was trying to calm a tantrum. "Lana and I are going to make some nice little treats out of these! Shall we go do that, Lana?"
They all looked at Lana who smiled and rose to her feet. "Let's."
"Well, I hope you're all ready for a fun night of food and singing," Raoul said looking around at everyone.
"Singing?" Phoenix echoed, looking a little nervous now which Klavier found interesting considering he had been playing bad piano for years in front of strangers.
"Singing. You're at a Gavinners' party, Mr Wright," Ema said, surprising Klavier at how calmly she had taken this news. Beaming, he kissed her nose and felt for the first time that things might be okay.
.'.
As expected, dinner was amazing. There was something for everyone and in abundance. Even Franziska (who had finally shown up) couldn't fault the feast that Raoul's staff had prepared. There had been plenty of chatter, including everyone having to convince Larry that Raoul was messing around when he skewered a strip of lamb with a fork and proclaimed "redheads taste the best." The Italian thoroughly enjoyed making the man-child squirm and was howling by the time he finally reminded Larry he was in law enforcement and cannibalism was definitely still illegal. Klavier found his patience being tested by the moronic behaviour of the Butz (especially when he blatantly hit on Ema and proclaimed his love for her) and could not understand how Edgeworth and Phoenix had made such a friend. Even after he learned the origin of their friendship, he could not understand how they had maintained it.
Lana and Diego sat far away from each other – or rather, Diego attempted to seat himself beside her only for Lana to excuse herself to wash her hands, going to sit beside Ema when she returned. This did not go unnoticed by Diego whose lips turned down at the corners ever so slightly. A sympathetic Klavier wondered how much Edgeworth was aware of but every time he looked at the man, he was busy telling off Larry.
When dessert had been polished off and everyone was evacuating the table to retreat to the lounge, they were roaring with laughter at Edgeworth's expense; Phoenix brought up a woman that seemed to be interested in the prosecutor and simply would not desist in her pursuit of him.
"What's the old bag's name?" Diego asked with a smirk.
There was a pause in which Edgeworth, Phoenix, Lana and Franziska looked at each other before Franziska finally answered. "Oldbag. Wendy Oldbag."
"No way," Deston immediately said, as he stared at them in horror.
Klavier looked at him then at the rest. "So, when you say 'old bag', you are actually—"
"—referring to her name, yes," Lana laughed. "She's been terrorising me from the day I started to date Miles."
"Wow," Deston said with a laugh. "Damn. I know that woman. She's a nightmare."
"You know her?" Phoenix said.
He made a face but it was Raoul that answered for him. "Oh yeah. Grandma Wendy likes to wait outside his office with gifts."
"Oh my God," Ema gasped. "She's an old lady?"
Raoul smirked. "MILF."
"DUDE!" Deston roared uncharacteristically, making a few people jump. "Don't even!"
"An old lady," Ema was still saying, staring at Deston as Klavier sat down and pulled her in his lap. "An old lady is sending you fan mail and using her money to buy you gifts and you're talking about her this way?"
"Ema," Deston started defensively turning to her. "There's a fine line between a fan and a stalker and she's so far gone past it, it's barely a dot."
"Probably 'cause she needs glasses," Raoul snickered as he fiddled with some gear that hadn't been there before, holding a mic in his hand.
"Oh. My. God." Ema was glaring at Deston. "I never thought you could be so awful."
Deston turned to look at Edgeworth, holding out a hand. "Help me out here, man."
Edgeworth looked thoroughly taken aback at being asked for reinforcement in this argument; he cleared his throat and crossed his arms as if he was preparing for court. "Ah… Yes… There is a certain… That is to say, Mr Cavatin is quite right, Ema. The old—" He stopped himself there and cleared his throat again. "Ms Oldbag lacks a certain respect, shall we say, for personal space. She has trampled over the fans and joined the crazy collective. For example, she has threatened your sister on more than one occasion."
"It's true," Lana said, taking a sip of her champagne. "She texted me the other day and told me I would never make Miles happy because I was too old for him."
"What?" Everyone tittered while Ema gaped at Lana. "You're kidding!"
"Nope."
"She's still texting you, huh?" Diego asked. Klavier noted how nonchalant this question was but when he looked at Edgeworth, he was clearly trying to remain as pokerfaced about it as possible.
"Yeah," Lana said casually. "She doesn't know that Miles and I called off our engagement."
Klavier was taken aback by how casually Lana had dropped this little bit of news and knew Ema felt the same, given the little gasp that escaped her. Silence fell over the room at this revelation and all eyes turned on Edgeworth who was suddenly tugging at his cravat uncomfortably. "Ah, yes… We thought it best…"
"We were a little hasty in our decision to get married and realised we were doing it for the wrong reasons," Lana said with a smile, clearly trying to save Edgeworth the embarrassment of having to explain. "Besides, poor Miles deserves someone closer to his age."
Phoenix snorted. "I think he needs someone older to keep him satisfied—"
"Wright!"
"—intellectually," Phoenix continued with emphasis though he looked fit to burst with laughter. "Jeez, Edgeworth. You always jump to the worst conclusions, don't you?"
A few people laughed as a mortified Edgeworth struggled to regain composure. Klavier however, was more interested in Diego, though he wasn't sure why he had bothered since the only bit visible was his mouth. His head was tilted towards Lana who was adamantly keeping her gaze fixed on Edgeworth and Phoenix.
"Ha ha! Edgey got dumped!" Larry was teasing, striking a ridiculous pose as he pointed to his friend.
"I did not get dumped," Edgeworth snarled. "It was a mutual decision!"
"Whatever, man," Larry said dismissively.
"Maybe now you two can finally make a go of it," Diego said, pointing at Edgeworth and Phoenix with a devilish grin.. This caused everyone to fall silent and look at the pit who had grown still.
"What?!" Phoenix exclaimed.
"Make a go of—ack!" Edgeworth yelped, a little slower to catch on.
"Whoa, I didn't know you two swung that way," Deston said with a grin, watching them both spluttering and fiercely avoiding looking at each other as they rapidly devolved into a pair of blushing high school boys. "Makes sense though."
"We don't!" Phoenix protested. "I don't know where you—"
"Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska's voice cracked like that whip she loved to carry around. She was glaring at her adopted brother and pointing at him. "You like men? Why have you never said?"
Edgeworth looked like he was ready to explode. "I do not! I have no idea where these baseless accusations are coming from! I have no desire to— to make a go of anything with anyone!"
Klavier could see Diego sniggering behind his coffee cup, enjoying the mischief he had unleashed.
"Lana and I ended our arrangement because it was ill-suited not because I was — am —"
"Oh stop teasing him," Lana laughed, taking mercy on him.
"You are foolish," Franziska spoke up, staring down Edgeworth. "You will not find another woman of her caliber."
"So you admit you're as foolish as the rest of us?" Phoenix was staring at her with a poker face and Klavier saw her touch the seat next to her, no doubt looking for her whip and he was thankful that Raoul had managed to force it out of her hand, hiding it somewhere she could not use it that evening.
"Silence, fool!" she threw at Phoenix.
He laughed before turning to Edgeworth. "So what did you do to get dumped, Edgeworth?"
"It was a mutual decision," Lana reinforced, answering for him. "I believe I've been out of the game too long and Miles— well he deserves a woman that is closer to his age…"
"Let me guess," Phoenix offered, a glint in his eye. "You dated for a few months – which is a few months longer than he's dated anyone – and he decided the logical thing to do was propose."
"Lana is intelligent, level-headed and a woman of great honour," Edgeworth said, glaring at Phoenix. "I believe she would make an excellent partner. Of course it was logical to ask her to marry me!"
"Still waiting to hear the epic proclamation of love," Diego said before sipping his coffee.
"Of course he loves her!" Larry exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Aw Edgey, you dog!"
"W-What?" Edgeworth recoiled. He had hardly recovered from all the prior teasing and was clearly not in great form. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Don't you care about Lana?" Phoenix teased, for once joining in with Larry.
"Of course I care about Lana!"
"Do you loooove her?"
"Are we in kindergarten again?" Edgeworth was spluttering, still attempting to correct his panicked demeanour.
"All right, settle down kids," Raoul's voice suddenly boomed through the speakers, startling a few of them, and just like that, everyone's attention was diverted.
"Fool!" Franziska snapped, pressing a gloved hand to her ear. "You almost burst my eardrum."
"Now you know how the rest of us feel when you talk," Raoul drawled.
Diego was laughing into his cup. A few others had breathed in sharply, while Franziska looked outraged. "Why you—!"
"So, as everyone found out, the theme of tonight is music – shocker —" Raoul went on as if she hadn't spoken and he was waving at everyone which made a few of them sigh with exasperation, some of them even groaning. Klavier laughed, since he knew singing wasn't always everyone's cup of tea.
"He has a gift for taking the limelight off others," Ema said under her breath to Klavier but she was smiling up at him.
"He does," Klavier agreed with a chuckle.
"He takes the attention off others to help, doesn't he? Like Mr Edgeworth was embarrassed and Raoul distracted everyone… Because he doesn't care what people think of him."
Klavier's smile widened. "Ja, he is good at the distraction game."
Ema was now staring at Raoul. "He's a softie underneath it all, isn't he?"
"I would not go so far as that," he laughed. "He does not always do it for that reason."
"So, you know who I'm throwing this party for," Raoul went on, making Ema and Klavier fall silent. "Celery-stick, Sharkboy and Blondie. They died and we had the funeral, the public memorial," he drawled, as if the people he was talking about had just gone on holiday. "But hell, we needed just one last shindig. So here y'all are – well, you're just a scrounger, Butz, and I oughta kick you out but my momma taught me better than that."
Ema's scoff was lost on everyone else but Klavier heard it and chuckled, kissing her head. Larry simply gave Raoul a thumbs-up as if he'd just been complimented.
"We all knew Daryan or Seren as a friend or as a colleague – sometimes, as both. Tonight, we'll honour Daryan's marriage, Seren's courage, their dedication to the law and their loved ones," Deston added.
"So, the rules are this—" Raoul motioned at the speakers and waved the mike. "Sing with all your fuckin' heart!"
A silence had followed Raoul's order in which everyone's exasperation and reservations seemed to have melted. It was Ema that broke it, a catch in her voice that was lost on nobody: "And if you don't, I have a bag of Snackoos just waiting to be used." She earned herself a few smiles at this.
"For those of you who aren't comfortable with a song, a few words will suffice," Deston added kindly and Raoul didn't contradict him. He grabbed the mic from his friend and waved it. "Who wants to go first?"
For a moment, nobody moved. It was as if the reality of this task had hit them and Klavier saw a few faces shining with stage fright – except, of course, Diego's thanks to his mask. And yet, he surprised them all by setting down his mug of coffee and holding out a hand for Deston. "I didn't really know any of them but I know what they did for this country," he said as Deston walked over to give him the mic. At his next words, Lana finally looked at him, her expression softening towards him. "And I can certainly say I empathise with Mr Crescend… Ha…"
"What do you got in mind, old man?" Raoul asked, picking up his guitar. "I'll strum you a tune."
"Not sure you're old or classy enough to know this one," Diego said with a smirk, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Besides, it's all about the lyrics. Lana, do you want to join me?" he suddenly asked, turning his head in her direction.
If Lana was surprised or displeased, she didn't show it. Instead, she tilted her head thoughtfully, rubbing her lips. "Lyle Lovett?"
Diego's smirk grew. "You know me too well."
"…sure, I think that's a decent song," she said with a nod and moved so she was sitting next to Diego and they both exchanged a few words, looking for all the world like the couple that Lana and Edgeworth should have been. Klavier glanced at Ema when she rested her head against his arm and was pleased to see how relaxed she seemed as she stared at Lana. Even Edgeworth looked unperturbed by the intimacy.
Lana took the mic and cleared her throat, apparently taking the lead on this. "I walked in his office, he told me pull up a chair and he looked in my eyes with a cold steely stare. And he spoke with a wisdom that I'd never heard, and as I was hanging on every last word—"
She tilted the mic towards Diego suddenly, while humming, and he took over. "He said son, I think you know what I mean. He said the hallway is lonesome and the hallway is long; and one end is shiny and one end is gone; and the middle burns brightly with the colour of night, and the doors are all open but no one's inside."
They weren't going to win an contests but Klavier was pleasantly surprised by their voices, Lana's softer feminine voice complimented Diego's deeper one perfectly as they merged in almost perfect synchronised singing.
"He said son, I think you know what I mean. Hell, he hollered and he hopped up, and he kicked back his chair and he said I'd be stupid If I didn't care to understand better… would leave him no doubt, in a world full of something, that I'd be without! But it's springtime in Texas and my memory grows faint, as the bluebonnets dance with the Indian paints… The highway is lonesome, but the highway is straight; and some things are heavy but they ain't worth the weight. I think you know what I mean, I think you know what I really mean, I think you know what I mean…"
Without realising it, Klavier had begun clicking his fingers (an unstoppable side-effect of listening to anyone sing) and Ema had joined in at some point. Before long, everyone was doing the same, giving a rhythm to the singing that was as good as any instrument, jiving well with the tenor of Lana and Diego's voices. Everyone was smiling and when the two were finally done, they were met with applause headed by Ema who kissed her sister on the cheek and hugged her.
"Fraulein Skye, have you ever considered a career in music?"
Lana laughed. "I think that I will leave that to you."
"Ema's not bad herself," Raoul said, smirking at her. "I mean, Seren and I heard you singing to—"
"Who's next?" Ema loudly cut him off and Klavier laughed, knowing she didn't want everyone to find out she was secretly a Gavinners fan.
"I'd like to say a few words," Edgeworth said, standing up with his glass in hand. Ema took the microphone to him before perching herself on the edge of the sofa, sipping her juice. "I have had the honour of working with all of the Gavinners at some point in my career. Mr Gavin is an invaluable ally in the fight against crime but also in the fight for justice." He nodded towards Klavier in acknowledgement who responded in kind. "A few years ago, Mr Aded approached me with some information about a case that I was trying – this resulted in the acquittal of the man I was prosecuting. However, it also indicted someone very close to Mr Aded himself and he knew this before he approached me."
Klavier stiffened at the turn this dedication had taken but was able to let out a sigh of relief when Edgeworth said nothing further about it.
"I have seen time and again an extraordinary group of young men, dedicated to the path they took so many years ago. I, for one, will always remember all your sacrifices."
It was short and simple, and Klavier was glad. The heaviness in his heart was growing and it was Ema's hand coming to wrap around his that snapped him out of the funk that was so easy to snatch him away these days. Everyone had already toasted to them and Klavier was slow to take a sip while a seemingly untouched Raoul took the mic that Edgeworth was holding out (but Klavier heard the gruffness of his voice when he asked who would like to go next).
"While we're doing dedications—" Franziska paused to wave off Raoul. "No, you fool. Why do I need that? Everyone can already hear me or are you all deaf?"
"I think everyone has selective hearing when you start talking," Raoul retorted. "Y'know. Since your voice grates and all that."
"If I had my whip—"
"I would tie you up with it," Raoul interrupted. "Now how about that speech? And make it snappy, yeah?"
Klavier saw Ema cough into her hand to try and cover the laugh that bubbled out and Phoenix and Edgeworth were smirking at the look of outrage on her face. "Hmph. Fool."
"No, I'd be a fool to let you bring your kink into my party," Raoul drawled, ever determined to have the last word. "Now, I'm usually down with that but today's more about remembrance of my dead friends so how about you get on with it?"
Franziska seemed to realise it might have been pushing a button if she continued to argue, so instead she just edged forward on the sofa. "It's simply an addendum to Miles Edgeworth's speech. In German, we have a saying: anfangen ist leicht, Beharren eine Kunst. It means starting is easy, persistence is an art." She held up her glass in a toast. "To Seren Aded and Daryan and Tessa Crescend – three people whose lives imitated that art."
It was surprisingly cool speech, Klavier thought and he realised he wasn't the only one – there was a stunned silence in the room for a moment before everyone raised their glasses in unison, a low murmur of 'hear hear' that trickled off into silence again.
"I guess that leaves Ema and me," Phoenix said and smiled at her. "Do you want to do one together?"
Ema glanced at Klavier and motioned with her fingers. "So, are you three going to sing together?"
"We have something planned," he said cryptically, not wanting to give too much away. Ema noticed the vague response because her gaze lingered; then she hopped up and took the seat beside Phoenix.
"Any ideas?" she asked him. "Nothing too old though, Mr Wright."
Phoenix chuckled. "It's Phoenix. And I'm not that old. At least, not as old as those two," he said pointing at Lana and Diego, both of whom respectively glared and smirked at him. Phoenix looked back at Ema thoughtfully and then leaned in to murmur something in her ear, making a secret of this. Whatever he said (or whatever song he suggested, Klavier guessed), Ema nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I know that one! Lana always used to sing it!" She smiled almost sadly as if she remembered something. "It's perfect…"
"You want to start?"
Ema shrunk with shyness but before Klavier – or anyone else – could give her any encouragement, her back straightened and she nodded. She took the mic and cleared her throat, glancing at Klavier (which she clearly didn't think was a great idea because she then averted her gaze almost as fast). Klavier had been looking forward to this – Seren had mentioned what an amazing voice she had but he had never had the fortune of listening to her sing himself.
"Can you lay your life down, so a stranger can live? Can you take what you need but take less than you give? Could you close every day without the glory and fame? Could you hold your head high when no one knows your name? That's how legends are made, at least that's what they say…"
Klavier was smiling as he watched her sing, his eyes flicking to his friends and was unsurprised to find Raoul and Deston tapping their boots and nodding with the rhythm of the song. The fact that it was soft and shy was no surprise but she had somehow managed to imbue it all with a strength and sweetness that tugged at the musician in him. It was a shock when Phoenix suddenly took over, and he looked to the man, slightly annoyed that Ema had been interrupted.
"We say goodbye but never let go, we live, we die 'cause you can't save every soul. Gotta take every chance to show that you're the kinda man who will never look back, never look down and never let go…"
He saw Lana's lips moving to the song as she watched Ema take the mic back and she gave her little sister a thumbs up which seemed to give Ema the confidence she needed to pick up the next verse with gusto.
"Can you lose everything, you ever had planned? Can you sit down again and play another hand? Could you risk everything for the chance of being alone? Under pressure find the grace or would you come undone? That's how legends are made, at least that's what they say."
In this moment, Klavier had no worries besides the sad little wish that Daryan and Seren were here to listen to these words. Whatever this song was – because he couldn't claim to have ever heard it before – it struck a chord with him and judging by the expressions on his friends, it did with them too. When they had started their jobs, they had been full of idealism and a passion for their jobs that had allowed them to get through some of the toughest times.
But as time had gone on, they had begun to feel the weight of their undertaking. The loss of his girlfriend had aged Deston much faster. On many occasions, they had encouraged him to move on but in that entire time, he hadn't looked at another woman which was why the media had gone crazy when Ema had come into the picture. Seren had had a difficult choice forced upon him – the law or his brother… a choice that Klavier now understood only too well. He remembered the hardships Seren had endured as he tried to find a way out of that situation only to be let down in the end when he was forced to accept that his brother was guilty. And Klavier? On the day that he had dethroned Phoenix Wright, he had been high on his triumph at having outwitted such a legend, but the moment he had stepped out of that courtroom, Klavier had begun to feel the weight of his actions. Even before something had started to feel off to him about Kristoph's involvement, he had known that though he had upheld the tenets of the law, that justice had not been served. That trial had forced him to reevaluate his perception of the law and his role in it. And did he even need to think too much about Daryan? The man had fallen in love with a woman who was forced to wither away and die because of politics. He had been enraged by the embargo on the Borginian cocoons – as would anyone who was told there was nothing to be done about the impending death of a loved one, even though he knew that a cure existed.
Perhaps the only one who had gone into this with open eyes had been Raoul. He had known from his own childhood the corruption and flaws that existed within the legal world. He had always taken everything with a pinch of salt, had never fully trusted orders or superiors – he had often been in trouble for deviating and though he had come close to being disciplined, he remained in service because he produced results. He was perhaps the only one of them not disillusioned in some way because he had not come in an idealist.
What would they do when he told them the truth about Irina?
"—can't save every soul. Gotta take every chance to show that you're the kinda man who will never look back, never look down and never let go."
He had been only half listening to the singing as he stared at Ema, lost in his thoughts and it was the jarring of the clapping by everyone that snapped him out of it. Ema was staring at him with an odd expression, as if she knew what he had been thinking, but Klavier quickly smiled at her in a bid to cover his jumbled emotions and clapped along with everyone else.
"I know who I'd pick to go through to the next round," Raoul said into the mic after reclaiming it and pointing at Ema with a wink.
"I smell favouritism," Phoenix teased.
"Don't I get to sing?" Larry exclaimed after he tried reaching for the mic and Raoul held it out of reach.
"Did you actually know Seren and Daryan?" Raoul said, raising his eyebrows.
"Of course I did! I watched all their interviews!"
There was a silence that followed this confident declaration which was broken by Deston clearing his throat and Edgeworth saying, "He's your responsibility, Wright."
"What? Why is he my responsibility?"
"You're the one who brought him here," Edgeworth reasoned.
"I didn't bring him here," Phoenix shot back. "He followed me. And he wouldn't even have been hanging around the office if you picked up your share of Larry duty!"
Edgeworth recoiled. "Larry duty? I don't recall agreeing to taking responsibility for him!"
"You expect me to take care of the Butz by myself?"
Everyone was clearly amused by the argument unfolding before them and Diego leaned into Lana to murmur something into her ear which made her grin, all the while watching Edgeworth. The exchange became funnier when Larry chimed in with a "Aww, look at you two, fighting over me!"
This halted the arguing for only a moment before Phoenix said, "Not in any way that's flattering to you, Larry," in such an exasperated tone that everyone chuckled. Before Larry could say anything else however, Edgeworth took control of the conversation and redirected it (thankfully for Larry since Raoul looked ready to throttle him).
"Are we going to hear you sing, Mr Adagio?"
"You think I'd throw a party for my buds and refuse to sing?"
"Oh man, this is gonna be sweet!" Larry said excitedly which caused both Edgeworth and Phoenix to look at him warily.
As the group started to chatter with Raoul and chuckle over the interaction of the trio, Klavier took the opportunity to lean towards Lana, touching her elbow discreetly. She turned from the scene to glance at him and when he nodded towards the balcony doors, she took the hint and excused herself. He caught Edgeworth watching them slip away and when their eyes met, Klavier's boss nodded to him in approval of what he was doing.
"This all seems very mysterious," Lana noted when he closed the balcony doors behind them, effectively drowning out the noise of the bickering party inside. "Should I be worried, Klavier?"
"Nein," he chuckled, motioning at a chair. "Please take a seat." He remained on his feet until Lana had sat down, being the perfect gentleman. Then, he dragged the other chair closer to her, turning it so they were facing each other. "I realised very recently that I have not spent enough time with you and decided it simply would not do."
Lana's features turned soft with amusement at this. "I see. Perhaps you and I should go out for lunch soon."
"I entirely agree. I have no doubt that Ema has not exaggerated in the least when she has told me about you but I would like to experience all these virtues myself."
She laughed. "I can see why Ema goes on about your cheesiness."
Klavier grinned, feeling a surge of pleasure. "Oh she does, does she?"
"…you didn't hear it from me."
"That's easy enough to say," he said. "She has spent the better part of our working relationship acquainting everyone we know (and don't know) with this opinion."
"I notice you haven't tried to put a stop to it," Lana said.
"How do you know I haven't?"
"Because Ema would have told me if you had told her to stop." Lana took some of her hair between her fingers – a gesture that was almost identical to Ema, he noticed – and twirled it. "I mean, I get it. Every minute she talks about you (even if it is to criticise you) is a minute she's thinking about you."
He stretched back into his chair, locking his fingers behind his head as he returned her knowing smile with a sheepish one of his own. She had him and he wouldn't even bother trying to deny it. "Do not tell her, ja? She will immediately stop."
"I think ragging on you boys is her favourite pastime but sure, I won't say a word," Lana promised. After glancing over her shoulder at the door as if making sure they were alone, she took her cue from him and leaned back in her chair. "So, why did you really bring me out here, Klavier?"
He wasn't too surprised that she had guessed he had a motive beyond getting to know her but decided to play coy for the sake of it. "What do you mean?"
"You didn't step out of a party this important just to spend some time with me," she said kindly. "What's on your mind? And before you answer me, I must warn you – if you tell me Ema is pregnant—"
Klavier was laughing, waving his hands in an immediate denial of this. "Nein, nein. That is not why I brought you out here. And when that happens, I certainly will not go behind Ema's back to tell you."
Lana's eyebrows rose. "When that happens? Is this something you two have been talking about?"
It took him a second to realise what he had said since he had said it without really thinking about it. It was, he noted, the second time that evening he had made plans for their future without having had any basis to do so. He didn't even know if Ema wanted children. "No," he admitted to Lana, feeling embarrassed. "But I hope that I can entice her toward that particular future."
He had expected Lana to bombard him with a desire for more information about how he planned on doing that, what made him think he deserved her – questions of that nature. Perhaps it was because that was how Ema reacted to situations like this. She questioned everything, made snide remarks and from what he had heard and seen, the Skye sisters mirrored each other in many ways; however, Lana did none of that. To his surprise, she simply nodded in acceptance of his answer and said, "So, please tell me what I can help you with, Klavier."
It took him a moment to remember what he had brought her out here for and he cleared his throat, wondering if this meant that Lana approved of him as a lifelong partner for Ema. Had he just inadvertently received her blessing for when he decided to propose?
"You have heard of the International Society of Chief Prosecutors?"
Lana nodded. "I have."
Klavier was already aware that she had many acquaintances within the organisation and had dealt with them during her short term as prosecutor. "They are launching an international consulting firm, the purpose of which is to provide advice and guidance to governments, law firms, corporations and other such parties on topics ranging from—"
"—international criminal law, law of war, domestic prosecution of international crimes and corporate responsibility. Services will include investigations, factual and legal analysis, audits and fact-finding missions. I am aware, Klavier," Lana finished with a tiny smirk. "I may not be a lawyer anymore but I certainly keep up with the legal world."
He smiled and nodded. "Of course, forgive me. You know that the consulting firm is being launched and managed by three Chief Prosecutors, one of them being Herr Killian Winter, Berlin's most famous prosecutor. He is here on business and Herr Edgeworth has entrusted me to look after him."
"You poor boy," Lana chuckled, apparently acquainted with the man in question since she gave Klavier a sympathetic look.
"Ja," he said morosely. "I knew this would be a strange visit when Herr Edgeworth said 'Winter is coming.'"
"Miles likes his subtle humour." Lana laughed and shook her head then suddenly looked like something had occurred to her. "Tell me he warned you not to comment on his socks. Killian is very particular about his socks."
Klavier laughed. "Herr Edgeworth was kind enough to give me advance warning. Has he always worn mismatching socks?"
"He's the Dobby of the legal world," she said with a nod.
Klavier frowned, not understanding her. "He is a what now?"
"…you haven't read the Harry Potter series?"
"I beg your pardon?" he asked incredulously. "Harry Potter?"
"I have a lot of time on my hands," she said in an almost defensive tone that was lost on Klavier who was trying to understand how a conversation about an eccentric prosecutor's sock habits had taken a turn towards children's books. Suddenly he was imagining Lana reading Harry Potter books while Edgeworth tuned in to a season of Game of Thrones "Please continue. You're helping Killian…?"
He was still confused and stared at Lana a moment longer, trying to figure out what had just happened. "Ahem… Yes… Herr Winter is recruiting for an investigative team and while we were talking, your name came up. He had only the highest praise for you, of course, and expressed a desire to work with you again. He was incredibly pleased to learn that we are quite well acquainted and has wished to meet with you."
He could see Lana's polite interest turn into confusion and then surprise before coming together in suspicion. "He wants to meet with me?"
Klavier maintained his innocent countenance. "More than that, he's ready to rock and roll with you. He said he had never met a finer investigator."
He could see that Lana wasn't buying it. How ironic it was for him to lie to such a legend while extolling her investigative skills. He knew it wouldn't be particularly hard for her to find out that he had summoned Killian Winter himself, nor that Edgeworth had gotten involved when he'd needed the extra muscle. However, there wasn't much else that she could berate him about as he had remained as truthful as possible. He could see the gears turning in her head, could see her putting it together: Ema had found out about Lana's financial troubles, Ema had told Klavier and here he was mere days later, bringing her an opportunity of a lifetime...
"Killian is a strict man, Klavier," she said. Despite the shrewd expression in her eyes, she was not calling him out on her suspicion; Edgeworth had warned him Lana would try to trip him up. "And last I spoke to him was only a few years ago. He knows I am a disgraced, disbarred lawyer."
Klavier shook his head, saddened by the way she was talking about herself. "Lana, you are a legend in the legal world. Your crimes were committed under duress and you were disbarred because our legal system demanded it, not because you deserved it. Everybody knows this. Even now, the newer generations of detectives and prosecutors go through school hearing your name, reading your cases, wanting to surpass you. Do not be so surprised that you are of interest to an agency such as the ISCP."
The entire time Lana was listening to him flatter her, the look on her face didn't change. She was examining him, trying to find the shift in his expression that would tell her he was lying but the fact was he hadn't lied, not once. Perhaps he had omitted the fact that he was the one who had invited Winter to LA but really, what difference did that make except potentially hurt Lana's pride?
"Klavier," she said, clearing her throat and leaning forward, fixing him with a stare. "I'm not stupid. I am aware that Ema tells you pretty much everything. I won't—"
"Lana, I know what you are about to say," he interrupted, holding up a hand to stop her. "But I promise you. Herr Winter wants you. He wishes to speak with you at the earliest opportunity and you owe it all entirely your own merit. If you believe that he is doing me a favour by attempting to recruit you, you do not know him as well as you say."
Lana seemed to believe him here. "But you are the one who suggested me… don't bother denying it. And thank you. I appreciate it."
Klavier was taken aback at how calmly she thanked him instead of biting his head off for his interference. "I informed Winter I would relay to you his request to meet. Would you be happy for me to pass on your details to him so he can contact you directly?"
Lana smiled faintly and nodded. "That would be brilliant. Thank you, Klavier."
He found himself returning her smile and reached out to put his hand over hers. "What is family for?"
.'.
"Did you get her approval then?" Raoul asked brashly causing everyone to turn and look at Klavier and Lana when they rejoined the party. Ema looked confused as if she had only just noticed that her boyfriend and sister had been missing.
Klavier rolled his eyes as he slid an arm around her. "On the stipulation that I kick you out of the band," he shot back at Raoul who scoffed.
"As if you—"
"I agreed, of course," Klavier continued, winking at Ema. "I have just been looking for an excuse to get rid of you."
"What the fuck ever," Raoul scoffed, throwing a mic each at Deston and Klavier "Why don't you two put your mouth to some good use and blow me?"
"Ema has a monopoly on Klavier's mouth," Deston quipped.
Klavier caught the mic and walked over to the three stools Raoul had set side by side, chuckling as Ema and Franziska both made disgusted sounds.
"Deplorable fool!"
"Deston! Don't encourage him!"
Klavier perched on the stool, knowing he would probably get a smack for this but unable to resist, and held the mic to his lips so his words echoed loudly around the room. "My mouth isn't the only part of my body Ema has a monopoly on."
Everyone fell quiet and the only sound was of Raoul and Deston snickering. Klavier grinned widely at Ema who was staring at him, her jaw practically on the floor – he waited for that exclamation of disgust and irritation and thought he saw her open her mouth to do just that but things went in a direction he hadn't expected. It was Klavier's turn to be stunned as she turned on Raoul and said, "Yeah, he's mine. Keep your dirty mitts off."
Raoul and Deston let out identical hoots of laughter and fist-pumps at her response. "Em, you're learning."
"Maybe you shouldn't look so proud of yourselves," Phoenix said and nodded towards Lana when they gave him questioning looks; the older Skye was glaring at the boys.
"We are just joking, ja?" Klavier said and threw his hands up as if to ward off Lana's menacing stare. "I believe in celibacy."
Another brief silence before—
"Who the fuck do you think you're fooling?"
"K, that word doesn't mean what you think it means."
"Perhaps Klavier Gavin needs a refresher in the English language?"
"Oh my God, Klavier, shut up!"
The air echoed with laughter and for a while, it was as if none of them had any worries: their friends hadn't died, they didn't have the monolithic task of finding Irinia, there weren't any secrets threatening to destroy them… No. Tonight, they were carefree, enjoying each other's company.
"So, are we doing this or what?" Raoul said, as he took the stool beside Klavier, prompting Deston to take the other.
"Are… Are we getting a Gavinners show!?" Larry yelled, barely able to contain his excitement which made Edgeworth and Phoenix cringe.
"Yes. Try to act your age, would you?" Edgeworth said irately.
"Shut up, fool!" Franziska said immediately when Larry looked ready to snap back.
Klavier waited patiently, making sure he wasn't about to be interrupted and cleared his throat. "We wrote a final song," he started off explaining, his eyes downcast as he didn't want to see pity or sympathy. "We spent a while trying to write something that would – could – honour our friends but how can you sum up a life that has not even been fully lived? How could we write and perform something when two of us are gone?"
"Daryan was the lyricist of the group," Raoul said with a shrug, waving in Klavier's direction with his mic. "And he kept this diva in line. If it wasn't for him, we'd have shitty love songs all the time."
"Daryan said something like that," Ema said quietly and smiled at Klavier who wondered when that had been. Had it been one of the last things Daryan had said to Ema?
There were a few smiles all around. "Point is, we didn't do nearly as well with just the three of us," Deston continued, running a hand through his hair and laughing a little sheepishly.
"So this is just some long-winded apology for the song you're about to perform? Ha…" Diego smirked as Lana smacked him for his comment. "Just get on with it already."
Klavier smiled. "We are explaining why the Gavinners are no more," he said and looked to Ema for her reaction; she looked stunned for all of a moment before her features grew sad with understanding. "This is our last song."
Even Larry was quiet and the boys took their cue; Raoul pointed a remote at his sound system and music filled the room. Usually, they had trouble agreeing on notes, on instruments – perhaps it was the reason their music had always been such a hit – but when they had gathered to write this, their final song, it was as if they could read each other's minds. It began hauntingly soft as they recalled the ideals with which they had entered the arena of their chosen careers...
"They gave us lightning to strike, they gave us hopes and dreams alike and we were washed in their light – so far from the sea of the lost, where everything has a cost... and heroes drown."
...their voices rode the steady rise of raging guitar, fierce drums and mournful piano, exploding into a chorus of a promise...
"But the hour is late and fate has knocked me to my knees, setting these heights just beyond my reach. In the dead of night, Destiny screams for me and I swear! I swear on the heavens of the night, I will never forget who we are. Here is my last stand and I'll fight, with the full force of a dying star..."
Klavier could have sworn his chest cracked as they sang these words together and he lowered his gaze, afraid that if he saw his pain mirrored in his friends' eyes he would be unable to finish the song...
"We navigate this sea of shadows, sealing our place in the everlasting night that knows— you can wash away our colours, paint us in the blood of our brothers! But you'll never take our will and their memory you'll never kill!"
...but it was no use. He heard Raoul's voice break, piercing him more painfully than he could have imagined. Tears pricked his eyes, a hand gripped his arm but he didn't dare look at who was attempting to comfort him...
"Fate has knocked us to our knees, tried to set justice beyond our reach – but in the morning light, Destiny sings with us and we swear, we swear! We swear on the heavens of the night, we will never forget who we are… Here is our last stand and we'll fight with the full force of a dying star..."
Maybe there was no guarantee that they would win – there was nobody to promise them this would end well. The loss of Seren and Daryan had made them all too aware of their mortality; after years of feeling the sky was the limit, Klavier knew there was nothing they could do but their very best. They had always been hailed as brave but was it really courage if one thought they were indestructible? Had they allowed their fans to give them a false sense of security, made them think the hatred of others couldn't touch them?
The applause jarred the three out of their post-performance haze. They hadn't been foolish enough to think they would be a band forever but never had they envisioned a time part of the band would sing for the sole purpose of a tribute to their fallen brothers. Never had they thought they would receive applause with only half of them there to accept it. Klavier looked at Raoul and Deston and saw them staring back at him and the haunted expression in their eyes told him they were thinking the same thing.
The unidentified hand on Klavier's arm squeezed him again and he looked to it, expecting and finding Ema who was staring at him with heartbreak. He gave her faint smile and she responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss of such tenderness to his temple that he felt some of his pain abate.
"Good men must die," Edgworth said in the quiet that followed the applause. "But death cannot kill their names."
It was true. All must die, even the good and yes, death could not kill their names – at least not while there were those among the living to remember them. It was even true that a party, some words and a song couldn't bring back those they cared about... but they could fuel them for the fight ahead. Because he knew that nothing would stop him or Raoul or Deston from avenging them. Klavier didn't intend to fall to Irina's level but he was certainly done playing by the rules she broke. And as he looked at his fellow bandmates – his remaining brothers – he could see that they felt the same way.
.'.
The evening ended in revelry, remembering lives well lived. They laughed, they bickered (while rifling through many of Seren's books and albums that Raoul found in his as-yet untouched bedroom) and it was after midnight when the party dispersed. Franziska was the first to go, practically whipping Larry out of the door since he was "a foolish nuisance that ought to have had the decency to leave hours ago." Nobody stepped in to defend him.
Klavier forgot all about the secret he was carrying or that he was now without a family – a biological one anyway. Raoul, Daryan, Seren, Deston had always been more his siblings than Kristoph. And yet, even after disowning Kristoph and denouncing Irina, he now felt as if his family had expanded beyond anything he had imagined or expected. He couldn't even remember a time when he had disliked Phoenix; he very much believed that if he now met the Klavier of two weeks ago, he wouldn't have recognised himself. Had he really been that naive?
"That was beautiful."
He turned away from the sight of Raoul cursing in Italian when his attempt to teach Lana how to strum a guitar resulted in her dropping it (she looked so surprised by what had happened that she was blinking down at the instrument while Raoul made a meal out of looking it over).
Ema had wrapped her hands around his arm and was smiling up at him gently, something akin to gratitude in her eyes. It seemed so strange an expression (if anything, he was indebted to her for her support) that he wondered if he wasn't misunderstanding it. "I am relieved you liked it," he said gently, pulling her in for a tender kiss.
"You never told me the Gavinners were breaking up," she said softly, staring up at him.
He felt a pang in his chest at simply hearing the sentence, something he wouldn't have felt if perhaps the circumstances had been different. If they had been given a choice, wishing each other well as they moved forward... that would not have hurt. "It is not that we are breaking up, angel," he murmured, stroking her hair. "It is that we cannot go on when we are not whole."
He felt the impact of his words in her body; she inhaled sharply, her gaze fell and she pressed her cheek to his chest. Klavier kissed her head and sighed when he saw a tear fall on his sleeve. He knew she was hurting as much as he was: Deston had told him that Ema had gone that night to save Tessa, how she had fought against Deston's final decision to leave Daryan and Tessa there...
"They are in a better place," he reassured her, even though he knew by now that she may not necessarily subscribe to a religious worldview. Even he didn't know what he believed but it was nice to think that Daryan and Tessa had gone together... that they all rested in some peaceful afterlife... "Perhaps Seren and Daryan are rocking away together, ja?"
Ema's response was drowned out by the sound of Lana's laughter being abruptly cut off which was so strange that they turned that way to see what had caused it. It was only then that Klavier noticed how still the room was becoming and that Raoul and his butler were standing in the middle of the room, facing each other.
"What is it?" he asked, catching sight of four envelopes in Raoul's hand which he was staring at. He briefly eyed Harris who was looking at his employer with particular concern and he could understand why: Raoul's face was lined with hot rage.
In response, Deston snatched one of the expensive-looking envelopes from Raoul's hand and handed it to Klavier; his eyes lingered on Deston's stormy expression, wondering what had made both his friends so angry when they had been laughing only moments earlier. With consternation, he pushed out the tucked flap to find a red invitation card inside and as his eyes ran over each word, he felt the dread in his stomach thicken and twist into a sickening, violent beast.
IRINA RAINSFORD INVITES YOU
TO AN ELEGANT EVENING OF REMEMBRANCE
ON NOVEMBER 1ST
IN HONOUR OF
SEREN ADED
DARYAN CRESCEND.
DINNER, DRINKS, DANCING
AT THE NEW HOPE GALLERY
2769 PROSPECT VALLEY
BEVERLY HILLS
ACTA EST FABULA, PLAUDITE.
*Acta est fabula, plaudite - the story is done, applaud