trace (vestiges)
The sun shining over the crest of the mountaintop is breathtaking, and for a moment, Miles slows down the convertible, soaking in the view. There is no one else on the road, after all; they have all the time in the world to focus on rays of sunlight shining down from above, breaking through the overcast sky which has haunted LA for the past week. It brightens up the world, reflecting off of glittering buildings and the distant tint of blue upon the horizon, the sky and the sea melding together to make the world glisten, born anew.
Miles' eyes do not linger upon this view for long, instead tracing the sunlight to his right-hand side, looking at the figure seated there. Phoenix's visage is still haggard, still weary, after everything he has been through over the past four days; however, the spark in his eye has finally returned, a hint of colour lightening his cheeks, his chin smartly shaved and his lips smooth and minty. The sunlight strikes his skin in sharp lines through the windows; Miles' breath catches as it hits Phoenix's dark eyes, turning that darkness into the warmest umber he has ever seen.
He is here. Phoenix is here. They are together.
It still does not feel real, he thinks idly to himself as he turns back to the road. The day previous had been spent in a blur, the two of them merely spending their time eating and quietly chatting upon the couch before promptly returning to sleep. Days of stress and utter exhaustion had caught up to them sharply, and Miles' jetlag had left him with that headache that had only dissipated this very morning as he had gotten dressed to take Phoenix up the mountain.
"Maya's the official master now, huh?" Phoenix breathes, breaking the serene silence which has hung over them both since leaving Miles' home.
Nodding slowly, Miles can only reply, "I suppose that is the case."
Softly, Phoenix begins talking about Maya- about how they had met after the murder of her older sister; about how she had inserted herself so seamlessly into his life; about how she has always been fighting her obligation to train in Kurain Village, and her obligation to Mia, who had asked her younger sister to look after the novice attorney who had been left behind. He speaks softly, his voice almost barely audible over the quiet rumbling of the engine carrying them forwards. Miles hears every word, though.
Phoenix needs someone to listen. That, Miles can do.
Eventually, they arrive at Kurain. It does not take long to find Maya and Pearl, the two Feys seated right inside the village's entrance. Miles hesitates to enter, discomfort and fear and revulsion almost physically blocking his footsteps past the front gate.
This village had caused so much pain in his life.
Now, however, as he looks at the traditional architecture and quiet atmosphere, fresh and invigorating upon this high, isolated mountaintop, the animosity which used to swell into his heart at the mere mention of it does not appear. This place has harmed him, but it has aided him, too. Phoenix had told him how much Mia's spirit had helped in both Miles' case, as well as Maya's kidnapping the previous year; and, after the recent trial, there is no longer any denying the utility- and the horrifyingly real danger- of spirit channeling.
Or, perhaps it is Phoenix's words which have eased his heartache. Gregory Edgeworth loved him, Phoenix had said. His father had loved him. Everything else he had gone through had been pain caused by more insidious men, of no fault to Misty Fey.
Either way, he steels himself, then takes that first step; the world does not end with this action. He sighs in relief, then takes another. His knees shake. He takes another.
Then, a small hand slips into his, gently pulling him along. "Mr. Ejiwerth, you'll like the garden," Pearl says confidently, beaming up at him.
Miles freezes at the contact. After taking a moment to calm his heart, he feels himself smile, following her insistent pulls; as he walks, his eyes catch sight of Phoenix's, the attorney following behind, side-by-side with a still-exhausted but much healthier-looking Maya. Phoenix's face melts, a strange mixture of adoration and heartache shining from his eyes as he looks at Miles walking hand-in-hand with Pearl. In response, Miles prepares himself to speak up, to say something, to calm the other man down- there is no need to, however. Not with Maya around.
The young woman's face falls into doubt and distrust as she glances fervently between Miles and Phoenix, a myriad of emotions flitting her face too quickly for the two men to even process. Thin brows furrow, dainty lips twisting into a confused pout as her eyes snap from one to the other, clearly trying to decode what is going on.
When she unable to find the answer, she announces loudly, "Hey Pearly?"
Immediately, Pearl screeches to a halt, spinning around and bouncing giddily in wait for her older cousin. "Yes, Mystic Maya?"
Jogging up to Miles and Pearl, Maya hands Phoenix over to her younger cousin. "You should show Nick how you decorated the altar!" she says brightly, clapping her hands together in excitement. "It's Miles' first time here, so I'm going to give him a tour."
They do not need to exchange words to know what is going on; a simple glare from Maya makes it clear that she intends to put to practice all of the interrogation skills she has picked up from helping Phoenix with all of his investigations. With a sigh, Phoenix relents, stepping forward and smoothing out Pearl's hair. "Alright," he says softly, looking at Miles. His expression is somber, resigned. "Do your worst." Then, turning to Pearl, his smile grows as he gestures towards the largest manor at the end of the road. "Let's take a look, Pearly!"
"Okie, Mr. Nick!" Pearl giggles, dragging Phoenix forward.
Within seconds, Miles is alone with Maya. She does not hesitate to loop her arm through his, clinging to him like a teen on her first date; grinning, she tugs Miles into a near side-street, loudly proclaiming, "Well, we've got to start the tour here."
The moment they're alone, however, her smile falls away, expression growing bleak. Gesturing towards a nearby bench, she takes a seat, waiting for Miles to join her; once he relents, she murmurs, "What happened between you and Nick?"
He debates hiding it from her. The thought disappears just as soon as it had arrived, however; judging by the stern resolve in Maya's gaze, he doubts he would've been able to fight off her inquiry, anyways. So, once, he can no longer hear Pearl's peals of laughter echoing down the quiet main road, he begins to speak, explaining the history of Dahlia and Phoenix- of Iris and Phoenix. He tells Maya of the sordid details of the case, of Phoenix's abandonment, of Miles' flight back to America with ever nerve standing on a cliff's edge only to find Phoenix's eyes only trained upon another. His words are slow and measured, far too practiced after having only heard it two days earlier.
It is a little pathetic, just how many times those words have run around his head the past few days. He is tired of feeling this way. He wants to forgive theoretically, but each time, the truth returns to mind and he grows restless and uncomfortable once again, and he knows not of what to do.
At the end of it all, Maya whispers, "Hey… you love Nick, right?"
He nods. Always.
"You're not…" He realizes far too late that her voice hitches up at the end, fear growing more evident on her pale features, "…you're not leaving him, are you-"
"Preposterous!" he cries, nearly leaping back in shock. "Gods, of course not-"
"Oh thank God," Maya gasps, clutching her chest in an exaggerated display of relief. Then, she lifts an accusatory finger. "Do you know just how much happier he's been with you in his life? I won't let you two break up!" Miles opens his mouth to retort, but she continues fearlessly upon her tirade, adding, "But honestly, I cannot believe him! You yelled at him, right?" When Miles does not respond, she growls, rolling up her sleeve as she stands. "Dammit, I know I'm the Master here now, but do I have to do everything myself?!"
Miles laughs, seeing her indignant outrage. He laughs and laughs and laughs, the sound coming from deep within his belly, shaking him to the core; he laughs until her anger has dissipated, her protests of embarrassed confusion garnering attention from passersby.
And then, he holds out his hand. "This is your home, I believe?"
Taken aback by the sudden comment, she nods. "Well… I mean, yeah. This is Kurain! Where the heck did you think you were?"
Shaking his head, he keeps his hand extended. When she finally takes it, grabbing on and squeezing with all her youthful energy and boundless strength, Miles stands once again, beckoning for her to join him. "We should go find Wright," he says simply.
Groaning, Maya nods, joining him back onto the path towards the main house. Pearl wouldn't be happy if they spent too much time off on their own, after all.
By noon, Phoenix is contented with the state of affairs in the village. Maya promises to come back to the Wright & Co. office in a few weeks for when Phoenix begins defending again, and Pearl promises to take care of Maya in his absence; that seems to satisfy the attorney, the man finally indicating to Miles that it is time to leave. So, they go, steps in tempo with each other, heads held high as they march through Kurain's main gate, knowing full-well that they have kept the tradition of this village very literally alive in the form of saving Maya Fey again and again.
Miles does not mind walking through this village, he finds. He is not angry. After all, it is difficult to maintain anger towards the existence of a tradition when all he can think of is Maya's beaming face when he had promised to stay by Phoenix's side from now on.
"What is it?" Phoenix asks as they close the doors of the car.
Miles shakes his head. "I'm glad they're doing well," he says, turning the keys and allowing the engine to rumble smoothly to life.
He had missed them, too. It is good to be home again.