Phoenix lowered his arm, letting the phone fall to his side. What an odd rollercoaster of emotions he was going through. From his shock at Miles Edgeworth's arrest, to the pain of Manfred von Karma's stun gun, to the agony of knowing that his old friend had been set up by his own mentor, who was a murderer. And he could not even begin to comprehend the full scope of what Franziska was going through, even if he had done and would do anything he could to help her.
But here was one odd, unexpected, and yet totally welcome stroke of pure good luck.
He had just gotten the call from Maya. Mia had woken up. She was not yet ready to leave the hospital, but both her younger sister and her mother were there to see her eyes open. His heart pounding, he had listened to Maya explaining that she was planning an impromptu celebration at the hospital. It would be sudden, but she had already called a few relatives and they had said they would show up.
And as it turned out, he was invited, too. Presently, he put the phone in his pocket, and then heard the voice behind him.
"Who was it?"
He whipped around. Franziska was awake, sitting upright and looking up at him. They were still in her room, although he had woken up first and had moved out as quietly and as softly as he could. He had not been afraid of her whip. Her face was as serene as it had ever been, and it seemed to him almost criminal to disturb it in any way.
He saw that the guarded caution had come back to her eyes. He cleared his throat, and relayed what had he had been told. Then he paused again. He felt he already knew the answer, but it was worth a try…
"Would you want to come too?"
Franziska winced. "I...would prefer to stay here for the time being."
Phoenix lowered himself, putting one knee on the mattress. "Or, I could stay behind too for now…"
"No." Franziska shook her head. "It would be proper to see your mentor as soon as possible. And I'm sure you will enjoy meeting the rest of her family." She managed a slight smile. "And who knows? Parties can have their surprises."
Phoenix could have chuckled, or agreed straightforwardly , or tried to come up with another witticism. But instead, he found himself bending forward. He laid a single kiss on Franziska's forehead. It was quick, and before long he blushed and pulled back. But Franziska kept her smile, and he allowed himself one in return.
Maya smiled as the door opened, and quickly dropped on both knees. Pearl Fey, just half a year shy of her eighth birthday and dressed in her favorite pink kimono, came running to her with open arms.
"Mystic Maya!"
Maya brought the younger girl in her arms, chuckling as she was held in return. "Please, Pearly. There's no need to be so formal today. We're all family here!"
"All right…" Pearl finally let go of Maya and took a look behind her, and her smile grew wider still. "Hello, Mystic Mia! Hello, Mystic Misty!"
Misty Fey stood next to her daughter's bed, putting the sleeve of her coat to her mouth and chuckling softly. Mia, propped in a sitting position by a few pillows, shook her head.
"It's great to see you too, Pearl!"
"You shouldn't worry me like this, Pearl!" Another voice came into focus as someone else materialized at the doorway. It was a short, middle-aged woman dressed in a black kimono bound with a red sash. Her long hair was bound in an enormous bun, and she carried a travel mug in her hand.
She surveyed the room, shaking her head in mock despair. "Please remember I can't run as fast as you anymore."
Pearl giggled. "I understand, Mother!"
Maya looked forward, elated to see yet another family member.
"Welcome, Aunt Morgan!"
The Daffodil Killer was sure that everything was set up. She was in her temporary hideaway with her new identity and her alarm system primed. It was not feasible to carry out her next job when she was freshly on the run, but that could not be helped. The opportunity would eventually present itself. She had felt prepared for everything.
Everything except a sudden intrusion.
She had been sitting in her living room, downing another cup of tea, when there had been a rapid-fire set of raps on the door.
"OPEN UP! POLICE!"
Before she could react, the door was kicked open, and a large man in a green trenchcoat had lumbered through. Four uniformed police officers had filed in from behind him. One stood guard at the door, one stood just behind the man in the trenchcoat, and two more came her way.
The Daffodil KIller did her best to control her breathing as she was lifted by her arms into the air. She heard the sharp click as one of the officers handcuffed her wrists behind her back.
The man in the trench coat finished his rueful glance at the door he had kicked down, then turned back with a scowl. He sized up the handcuffed woman, as if he expected her to try to attack him. That he held a pistol in his hand did not seem to assuage his fears. The chain jangling behind her, she fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm Detective Dick Gumshoe, homicide division! You are under arrest, pal. You have the right to stay quiet! Anything you say will probably be used against you in a court of law! You have the right to an attorney, but only after we get to the Detention Center! Do you understand these rights as I've told ya?"
The Daffodil Killer did not bother to make note of the scruffy fellow's misquotations. Very slowly and coolly, she asked, "What am I being arrested for, specifically?"
"Besides all the murdering from before?!" Gumshoe gnashed his teeth. "We got a tipoff, pal. You've been caught red-handed in the murder of Misty Fey at the city hospital! We're also pressing charges for the assault on Mr. Phoenix Wright, too!"
The Daffodil Killer paused. That...does not sound like me. She thought. For once, she was not the guilty one. Someone had beaten her to the punch and killed Misty Fey. And whoever it was had found out about her, and where she had been hiding.
What a conundrum, she mused as she was led out of the hideaway and towards a police car.
-A multi-chapter story; Chapter 30; story idea by CRed1988 and writing by Jerviss.