Cloud: While I'm going through and fixing my mistakes and holes in the story, ie. editing. I figure we need to take a break, and I've cooked up a good chunk of one shots for you guys to enjoy. Hmm, I think they're all shipping too, just a little bit. Don't blame me for "Steel Samurai Surprise", one of my friends corrupted me and said they'd be cute together.

Interval

Test Tubes and Burgers

"Hmmmmmmm."

"What?"

"Hmmmmmm."

"What... are you staring at me for Ms. Fey?"

Wright and Justice Law Offices had been without case offers for a good few weeks now. This caused an epidemic of laziness to spread around to its coworkers. Due to this fact, any client would be put off by such a lazy atmosphere. Currently, Maya and Apollo were sitting on the couch, watching TV. Maya had taken to studying Apollo, and the rookie defense attorney didn't know what to make of it, "It's just... nah, that's not it."

Apollo frowned, "You've kind of been watching me for the past ten minutes, it's a bit creepy."

"THAT"S IT!"

"Wah!" Apollo screamed, falling off of the couch. He sat up with widened eyes, "What's it, what's wrong Ms. Fey?"

"I know now!" exclaimed Maya, pounding a fist in the palm of her hand, "You're some failed test tube baby right? Nick, desperate for cases and unable to do the one thing he loved, turned to science!"

"Um... what are you talking about?"

"Don't you see Apollo? You were supposed to be a clone of Nick, but he bumbled the experiments and came up with a second rate attorney."

"H... hey! Second rate attorney?! That's a low blow."

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

'Hmm,' thought Apollo, 'There's only one person I know who could have such a carefree laugh.'

Phoenix came walking in from the office room, hands in the pockets of his grey hoody, attorneys badge proudly displayed just below the hood, "I should have warned you that Maya here has a really active imagination. Just last night she woke up screaming. Turns out she was having a nightmare where she was being eaten by burgers."

"B... burgers?! And what the hell are you doing wearing your badge on that thing!?"

Phoenix frowned for a moment and pulled out the collar of his hoody where the badge resided, "Oh, this? I make it a point to wear it wherever I go, you never know when your next client is gonna come a knockin'."

"It looks ridiculous with that grey sweater, and that pink beanie..."

Maya frowned at Apollo, "I helped Trucy make that beanie thank you very much! We put all our heart into it, and Nick... he..." Maya turned her head away, cheeks blazing.

"I gave her a little peck on the cheek to show my appriciation."

'These two are really something else,' thought Apollo, 'I never thought that two strange people like this could be together.'

"It... It wasn't fair at all Nick, it caught me completely by surprise. Hey, you wanna go out and get some burgers?"

"It's your lucky day Maya, Alice paid us handsomely for defending her."

"Objection!" shouted Apollo, "Th... that's my money."

"Don't worry Apollo," said Phoenix, "I won't spend it all, and I'll pay you back."

"Please Apollo?" Maya put her hands together and her eyes widened, watering slightly.

'That's not very fair,' thought Apollo, 'Who could resist a face like that?'

"Okay," said Apollo, "But just this once."

"YAY!" shouted Maya.

"Good show Apollo, you do have a heart of gold after all," said Phoenix.

'And you have a heart of stone,' he thought.

-------------------

Steel Samurai Surprise

Edgeworth frowned and sighed heavily, crumbling up the paper and throwing it in the trash can next to his office desk, "I can't do this. It's so stupid. Some things are just better left unsaid." He turned to his computer, clicking the moniter on and getting back to work, yet every so often he would glance down at the paper in the trash can. "Argh... this is interfering with my work now?"

"Mr. Edgeworth?"

"This is an office, you should knock before entering."

Iris blanched and cowered behind the door, holding the file folder she had brought close to her chest, "I'm sorry Mr. Edgeworth! It's just... I brought the case file you wanted, and the door was open, so I thought I'd..."

Edgeworth felt heat rising to his face, "Ahem, I apologize for startling you. Please come in Ms. Hawthorne."

Iris nodded and slowly stepped into his office,setting the files down on his desk. "The suspect was declared guilty due to decisive evidence that was found at the scene of the crime."

"Oh," said Edgeworth, "You're first guilty verdict? Good job."

Iris smiled and nodded, "I did learn from the best after all."

Edgeworth cleared his throat again, "The best, surely you don't mean m..."

"Feenie."

The frilly prosecutor coughed, "Wright! You must be joking!"

"Okay Iris, listen up. You saw me do this in the trial with Godot right?"

"Right!"

"Now say I just threw some really descisive evidence at you that proved the client innocent, what do you do?"

"Well, if it proved them innocent I guess... I would take the Not Guilty."

Phoenix shook his head, "You can't do that Iris."

"But... why not?"

"Mia taught me something, something that was passed down to her from Mr. Armando. Something that Edgeworth had to learn all on his own."

"What is it?"

"A lawyer has to keep smiling until the bitter end. On the defense's side, it's our job to believe in our client and get that Not Guilty verdict. On the prosecution's side, it's your job to doubt, and to find the real culprit, whether it's the defendant or someone else entirely."

"But what if the client is innocent?"

"Then ultimately, the truth will come out, you have to believe in that. The prosecution works with the police for a reason. Combined with the defense, and with a Judge and Jury to top it off, the truth will come out. There are times when false verdicts are declared, innocent people punished, but unless you keep smiling, you'll never move on, you'll never become better at your career. So next time I see you in court..."

"Right! I'll get that guilty verdict."

Edgeworth smirked and rubbed his chin, "Wright sure has changed," he said softly, "I suppose I have too." Edgeworth reached into the trash can and plucked out the crumbled piece of paper he had been writing on, "I suppose it's time to let that change take effect."

"Mr. Edgeworth, what's that note?"

"Oh, this? Just something I was writing for an old friend, nothing much."

"Ummm... one more thing..."

"Yes Ms. Hawthorne?"

"Please, call me Iris."

"You can call me Edgeworth then."

Iris frowned, "That's your last name."

Edgeworth chuckled, "I never liked my first name, I always got made fun of for it. I even had my lunch money stolen by a certain someone once."

"Alright... Edgeworth."

"What was the one thing?"

Iris' face turned beet red, and she slowly began backing out of the office, laughing nervously, "Eh, heh heh, oh it's nothing, don't worry your head off over it. I'll be back if there are any other updates on the case." She slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, breathing a sigh of relief.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, 'That was... odd behavior,' he thought. He uncrumbled the note he had been writing and read it to himself.

Wright,

I rarely say it, so I figured I'd take the opprotunity with a letter. Wright, I just want to thank you for all that you've done for me. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't still be a prosecutor.

-Edgeworth

Edgeworth smiled and turned back to the file that Iris had brought him. He opened it up and his eyes widened, "This... this is...

"A STEEL SAMURAI PREMIUM ULTRA RARE CARD!"

Edgeworth,

Thank you for being so kind to me in the office, this is a gift for you.

-Iris

'How did Iris know my secret?' he thought.

--Outside Edgeworth's Office--

"Where is it, oh, I didn't mean to give him that. Detective Gumshoe, was there a card in that case file?"

"Sure was pal! I thought it was evidence... hey! What are you turning so red for?!"

--------------

Heartache

"Phoenix Wright, you are here on trial for presenting false evidence, how do you pleed?"

Phoenix hung his head in shame, "Guilty... your Honor."

The box was full of things from around the office, random papers from cases had been shoved into the trash can. His computer had been unplugged, and the desk lamp shoved into the box as well. Phoenix sighed, looking at the office around him, 'I can't stay here anymore... I lost my badge.'

"Nick!"

Phoenix flinched when the door to the office burst open, revealing a panting Maya, "Nick... I... I came as fast as I could. What happened?"

Phoenix looked away from her, "I lost my badge Maya... I presented false evidence in the trial without knowing, and they stripped me of my right as an attorney."

Maya stepped forward, holding a hand out, "But, how can this be?"

Phoenix turned away from her, walking to the window next to his desk and leaning on the seal, "It is. Now I'm left with a daughter that no one else can care for... and no way to pay for it. That's not even it, they took away the thing that I loved, the thing that made my life complete."

Maya lowered her hand and felt a sting come to her eyes, "Nick, I'll help you, I'll help you with money, but I don't know what else to do. I'm sorry,this was an impossibility."

"Just leave, I need to be left alone right now. I need time to think."

Maya frowned, 'I can't leave now,' thought Maya, 'Not when he's in such pain.'

Phoenix closed his eyes and let his head fall, "Please Maya, it's over for me, just leave."

"It's not over for you yet... Phoenix."

'That voice!' Phoenix wheeled around, and Maya no longer stood before him, "Chief!"

Mia smiled, "It's good to see you again, old friend."

"What are you talking about? My badge is gone."

Mia frowned and glared, "Phoenix, your badge may be gone, but you are still a defense attorney!"

"W... what?!"

"Don't forget what I taught you, the thing that Diego passed down to me, a lawyer never stops smiling until the bitter end. Phoenix, they took your badge away, but they can never take away your spirit, your drive to find the truth. You MUST find the truth. Was Zak Gramereye innocent?"

"Yes! Of course he was, there was another murderer, I know it!"

"Then you must prove your client not guilty... by any means necesarry. The Phoenix I know wouldn't lay down and take this like a wounded puppy dog. The Phoenix I know would fight back, even when backed into a corner with nothing left."

"How?"

"Investigation, what else do you have? Find the evidence that will put the real culprit away forever."

"Mia, this is crazy, even if I found out the truth I could never take any of this to court."

"You need a certified lawyer, someone young, fresh off the bar exam, not easily corruptable by the powers that be. Someone with a strong will, someone like you. I know you can do this Phoenix. If you turn this case on its head, there's nothing you CAN'T do. Prove Gramereye innocent, and in doing so, you will prove your own innocence. With your name cleared, you would be able to take the bar exam again."

"Is that really possible?"

Mia nodded, "It is very possible. It's not over until the bitter end Phoenix. Your friends are here for you, never forget that, and we will help you in any way we can."

Phoenix nodded, "Right. I'll solve this case, and I'll get the real killer!"

Mia beamed, "That's more like it, now I think my sister wants to talk to you."

Before Phoenix knew what had happened Mia was already gone, and Maya stood before him once again. He walked to his desk and pulled the trash can up onto it. He began to pull out the case files and sort them in alphabetical order as they had been, "Nick, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I'll stay at the office... I probably couldn't afford a new place anyways," he said with a grin.

Maya grinned right back, "You bet, there's no way I'm dropping money on an apartment, and I am NOT letting you stay at Fey Manor."

"Maya, I just wanted to thank you. If it wasn't for you being by my side all this time, I would've never become who I am today. I don't know if I'll get my badge back, but I do know one thing..."

"What's that?"

"That I will prove Gramereye's innocence, as well as my own."

"Right! First things first! We need to review the case file again!"

"Already on it," said Phoenix with a smirk, holding up a single manilla folder, "Partner."