Disclaimer: Ace Attorney and all characters are copyright by CAPCOM; World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, all incidences and characters were created by Max Brooks. I'm just a fan, imitating. The stories presented are influenced by the multiple games as well as the comic (Manga written by Kenji Kuroda), and the book World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.
This story is set several months following Bridge to the Turnabout (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations) and in the early months of the Zombie War.
Part 1
Chapter 10
No Surrender
May 8, 2052
Stand Up! SoCal
Southern California Greater Metropolis, California
[Was is really her? He doesn't reply right away, just fixes me with his endless dark eyes. I can't be sure what I see in them—fear; pain... regret. After several moments he clears his throat.]
There was never any doubt it was her... I almost got Miles killed over it... I was so desperate for a positive ending to our "adventure" I was willing to throw myself blindly at the first familiar face I saw.
I remember that night. The thundering storm battered against the temple, and we were so exhausted we didn't move from the entrance. We just lay there, shivering and wet and scared out of our minds.
It was stupid to stay there. What if Maya or Pearls had been...
But we were just so exhausted. We'd both reached the end of our endurance in that mad dash down the mountain. Then having to break into the temple...and fighting... her...
[Was that when Miles was bitten?]
Oh man! No way! He was fine. We were both fine. As fine as one could consider us in our state...
We spent that first night on the temple floor, huddled together for warmth. Miles was shaking so bad he couldn't speak—but I don't remember if it was from the cold or from the exertion. I remember that night lasting forever. It just dragged on and all I could think was that this was how it was going to end.
I was sure we were going to die there that night. Shaking and holding onto each other so tight I felt like I could hear Miles' breathing in my head.
I remember that I thought about Trucy and how I'd not only failed Maya and Pearls, but that I'd failed her. It was probably the longest most horrible night of my life—and we fought in the War.
[What about Maya and Pearls?]
Huh? You didn't talk to either of them? They're around here somewhere...
January 5, 2020
Hazakurain Temple
Kurain, California
Phoenix awoke to sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the broken door; warm and cheery and completely at odds with their current predicament. Phoenix turned to Miles and was met by the dirty tangled mess of his hair. The steady sound of his breathing told Phoenix he was asleep.
That's a relief... Zombies don't sleep...
Phoenix put up a hand to shield his eyes from the over-bright light and pushed Miles away gently so as not to wake him. He sat up slowly and gasped at the white hot pain that shot up from his hip and leg. His whole body ached, really—but the pain of his injury blotted everything else out.
He paused to catch his breath and his bearing, and stared at the familiar entryway of the temple. It was hard to believe they'd been here barely a year ago. In the morning light it was easy to see the derelict remains of what was really a rather warm and inviting entryway. Now it sat cold, unkempt and uncared for—no had been here for months. No one in any natural state of mind.
Phoenix pushed through the pain, muffling his own groans and managed to stand wearily to his feet. He swayed slightly, feeling dizzy and faint; and shivered in the chill air. There was water pooled near the broken door from the rain and the myriad detritus that found its way in after them—mud, sticks, leaves... Blood.
Phoenix turned back to look down at Edgeworth and exhaled with a frown. Miles was covered in mud and blood. Dark streaks across the floor told of their struggle last night and the scent of fresh mountain rain was mingled with the pungency of decay. He knew it was a bad idea the moment it crossed his mind. But he had to know for sure.
He limped toward the door and shoved it open enough that he could peer outside. Just outside the door, close enough that he could see every disgusting detail, was a disembodied hand. The fingers flexed slightly as he stared at it. Without thinking, Phoenix kicked the hand away and watched it skip down the temple steps.
He stared at it for several moments longer, as if he would wake up and the nightmare would be over. He scanned the grounds anxiously and shuddered at seeing scraps from those acolyte robes he knew so well. Poor Iris...
"EDGEWORTH!"
Phoenix turned toward the temple, where he swore he just heard Miles shout his own name. Oh geez—what if—?
"Miles! What happened? Are you—?" Phoenix stared at them when he burst through the door. Three figures, hunched under what looked like bearskins with hoods. The tallest one had a spear trained right under Miles' chin.
"Hey! What the he—" Phoenix started.
The figure holding the spear reached up suddenly and dropped her hood. Maya grinned at him as if this whole zombie apocalypse thing was just a made up rumor.
"Nick! Is it really you?"
May 8, 2052
Stand Up! SoCal
Southern California Greater Metropolis, California
[How long were you guys holed up in the temple?]
We weren't. We just went by every now and then on our rounds. I was the Master of Kurain at the time. So it was my responsibility to keep the village safe. When Sister Bikini...
Well... after they...
I just sort of figured my responsibility carried over to the temple when we lost the other sisters. Plus we would come by once in a while to scavenge what we could from the temple stores. Kurain Village was pretty isolated, so we were used to fending for ourselves for the most part. But without the city or towns nearby, we did start to miss out on a few things—medicine and certain supplies.
So that's why we went. It had been storming the night before, and we had to make sure the temple was secure. There were a couple of ghouls that still haunted the area and we didn't want them inside the temple.
Come to think of it, I thought Mister Edgeworth was a zombie when I found him. He looked so gross and pathetic.
[She giggles brightly, and I gather if anyone else was talking about him like this, Miles Edgeworth might have taken offense. But this was Maya Fey—the most disarming, charming, and strange woman I've ever met.
What happened after you found them?]
You mean after we rescued them?
We went back to the village. Nick was hurt and badly too. Both of them were in such an awful state, it was hard to believe neither of them got sick. Mister Edgeworth was up and about and causing a ruckus after a couple of days. But Nick—Nick took a while to heal.
[What made you decide to leave Kurain?]
Those guys really. But I know the other girls were starting to get frustrated out there. The village itself was pretty small, but the forest around us was crawling with ghouls. With the weather warming up and the city's monsters spilling over into our region, I knew it was only a matter of time before we would be overrun.
We waited until summer to make sure we'd have enough supplies. Nick and Mister Edgeworth both needed the rest and some time to gain weight—they were both very thin when they got here.
Then we got the whole village together and headed out. Back to the city.
[How long did it take you to reach the University Compound?]
About a month or so. There were almost fifty of us in the group. Mostly old women and young girls. It wasn't exactly pleasant going, but we were ready for the challenge—thanks to our training.
[Do you ever regret leaving Kurain?]
The Kurain Channeling Technique is what our people are famous for. With all of the recent dead our talents were in high demand. So many people lost relatives and friends to the plague—but you couldn't exactly interact with them once they turned. There were no funerals, no real closure.
Just fear and violence.
When you lost someone to the plague, their corporeal form became a monster. So bringing our people out into the world—really revealing them to the public was cathartic for all of us. We suddenly had requests for our special kind of service all the time. Because we gave people a way to say goodbye.
Besides, home is where your rump rests, right? We might have left Kurain Village, but Kurain was carried with us. It was great having a purpose.
So I guess the short answer is no. I don't regret leaving. But I never would have left if it weren't for those two.
September 7, 2020
Ivy University Compound
Los Angeles, California
"Hey, Miles," Phoenix joined his friend on the roof of the Science building trying to follow his gaze, "What are you looking at?"
Edgeworth only shrugged without meeting his eye. Phoenix stretched and let out a contented sigh, "Dinner was amazing! Who ever thought canned ham could be so scrumptious? You really should thank Franziska for us."
Edgeworth smirked, "Don't let her fool you. That was all Lang's doing. Even now, Franziska doesn't cook."
"Oh... Well thank Lang then," Phoenix ran a hand through his hair before shoving them both into his pockets, "Say are they a thing? Franziska and—"
"Who knows?" Edgeworth shrugged and then turned to look at Phoenix, "I know you're not stalking me to find out about Franziska's love life."
"Uh stalking? I'm not stalking—"
"What do you want Wright?"
"Nothing," Phoenix grinned sheepishly, "We just haven't seen very much of you lately. I mean I'm glad you guys invited us over for dinner, because I was starting to worry you'd left or something. Not that it isn't up to you. I mean, do what you want with your life. I just... I mean I would hope that you wouldn't leave without saying goodbye is all. After everything we've been through—"
"Wright!"
"Uh yeah sorry, am I babbling? I didn't mean to—"
"What makes you think I'm going somewhere?"
"I don't know Miles, you've been pretty scarce these days. We kind of miss you."
Edgeworth let slip the slightest hint of a smile, "Do you miss me, Phoenix Wright?"
Phoenix rubbed his head, "Me? I mean sort of—but Trucy misses you a ton. She's always going on about Uncle Miles this and Uncle Miles that... Don't get me started on Maya—she just absolutely—"
Edgeworth cleared his throat and crossed his arms.
Phoenix grinned again, "So what have you been up to? Studying?"
Edgeworth snorted derisively, "What do you suppose I would be studying? International Trade Law? Precedents in Case Evidence in Criminal Trials? There isn't exactly a need for people like us anymore. The Law is dead."
Phoenix frowned, "I know but maybe someday. When things go back to normal..."
"Does this feel normal to you?"
Phoenix shrugged, "Yeah I guess. I mean we're here, alive. Surrounded by firends and family. What more could you want?"
"This isn't normal. The fact that it's starting to feel normal frightens me to my very core."
"It's the best we can do," Phoenix said, "To stay strong and survive. Someday, things will be better. We just have to be patient and weather this storm."
Edgeworth frowned thoughtfully and then he sighed softly and looked Phoenix directly in the eye, "What if I don't want to sit inside until the storm passes? What if I decide to put on a raincoat and go outside?"
Phoenix stared at him dumbstruck for several moments until the silence between them grew awkward. Edgeworth only shook his head.
"Come on," he said, "There's that German kid with a guitar playing tonight by the fire pit. Franziska's down there, and I'm sure your women are missing your presence."
"Miles, promise you won't do anything rash?"
But Edgeworth was already heading into the doorway exiting the roof. Phoenix hesitated before following him down. They took the stairs to the ground floor, partly because electricity was still shoddy at best, making elevators exponentially more frightening for anyone, and partly because Edgeworth refused to use the elevators even on a good day.
They walked in silence across the university compound; families were sitting around on the once verdant lawns, now trampled and brown from lack of care. But there was laughter in the air and children's voices echoing around. The fire pit was the only source of heat that first winter, but now it was just there to remind them of what they had gone through.
They heard the 'German Kid' before they saw him, a young man who once had bright prospects in the law, now just another survivor trying to get through. He was finishing a song that might have loud and impressive if there was the luxury of using electricity for entertainment. It sounded odd and giddy with acoustic accompaniment, but the small crowd gathered around the fire cheered gratefully at the respite he was providing.
"You remember him, don't you?" Edgeworth said as they drew near, "He was the prosecutor on your last case."
Phoenix made a noise and crossed his arms, "It doesn't matter now anyway."
"Now, ladies and gentlemen," Klavier Gavin spoke above the din if the crowd, "We have one more song for you—some Bruce Springsteen by special request. It took me two weeks to learn this song, but I'm ready to share with you now."
The gathering cheered more loudly and then faded into silent anticipation as Klavier struck the first few notes on his guitar, "Bob who used to own the hotdog stand on fifth, this one is for you... Well we busted out of class; had to get away from those fools. We learned more from a three-minute record babe, than we ever learned in school..."
"Daddy!" Trucy appeared as if from nowhere, materializing out of the crowd and ran to join them, "Where were you?"
"I was just visiting your Uncle Edgeworth!"
Edgeworth blushed slightly and crossed his arms, "hmph!" was all he said.
[Tonight I hear the neighborhood drummer sound; I can feel my heart begin to pound;
You say you're tired and you just want to close your eyes and follow your dreams down]
"Daddy! You're just in time to see the Gavinners!" Trucy exclaimed cheerily.
Phoenix couldn't stop himself from frowning, "For her, this is normal."
[We made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender]
Edgeworth frowned and led them to a spot near the fire pit where they could sit, all the while Trucy was expounding the virtues of the Gavinners. Phoenix kept looking back at his friend, studying his face for some clue as to what lay in store.
[Like soldiers in the winter's night with a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender]
They're not terrible," Edgeworth said, "I imagine it's been rather a blessing not having electricity for some things."
"Uncle Edgeworth! The Gavinners would have made it big if this hadn't happened!"
[Now young faces grow sad and old and hearts of fire grow cold]
Phoenix met Edgeworth's eye, sure that his own expression was just as solemn. Trucy was still a child—she didn't know better.
[We swore blood brothers against the wind]
For her this was just life. To her this was normal. She couldn't understand everything they'd lost. The sacrifices they'd made.
[I'm ready to grow young again]
Phoenix didn't fault her for it. But he did envy her ability to accept the new normal. To brush off the last couple years as 'that thing that inhibited her favorite band's rise to stardom'.
[And hear your sister's voice calling us home across the open yards]
"She's just a girl," Edgeworth said under his breath and he studied his hands quietly, "God knows you were right to spare her all of the horror of our travels."
[Well maybe we could cut someplace of our own]
Phoenix nodded and put a hand on Trucy's shoulder. She was watching Klavier sing and had her arms wrapped around her knees.
[With these drums and these guitars]
"You were right about one thing," Edgeworth spoke in an undertone, certain that only Phoenix could hear him.
[Cause we made a promise we swore we'd always remember]
"It seems, my friend, that you can read me like a book," Edgeworth forced a laugh, but Phoenix could only close his eyes in dread. He knew what was coming.
[No retreat, baby, no surrender]
"I joined the Army, Wright," Edgeworth continued and Phoenix bit his lip, he didn't need to lose it in front of Trucy or this crowd, "A couple of weeks ago, when they came through. I leave next week and I'll be commissioned within the month."
[Blood brothers in the stormy night with a vow to defend]
"Why didn't you discuss it with—" Phoenix started, biting back anger.
"What's to discuss? I can't sit around here while those monsters overrun the world. I want to do something."
[No retreat, baby, no surrender]
"You can do good here, close to home," Phoenix had a hard time controlling the volume of his pleading.
"I already signed the papers," Edgeworth retreated away from his friend, crossing his arms and frowning, "I couldn't change my mind if I wanted to."
[No retreat, baby, no surrender]
A/N: Thanks for reading! That's the end of Part I: The Great Panic. Stay tuned for Part II: The Zombie War!
23 May 2016
Now that part 1 is complete, I've re-edited the whole thing to fix dates and errors-because I owe it to you! There is a part two and three (it lines up with the book World War Z) so yes there's more. But part one was difficult to get through and I'm so grateful for your attention.
I'd love to hear your feedback and I love reviews (but PMs are fine, if you'd rather not have something read by anyone besides me)! Thanks again!
