Chapter Six: Leaving on a Jet Plane

Miles Edgeworth
High Prosecutor's Office
May 6, 2019, 9:30 AM

Miles bit back a frustrated curse as he got the same undeliverable communication bouncing back to his email for the umpteenth time, telling him that the mailbox he'd been attempting to send a message to was full. He'd gotten a similar message when he'd tried to call Phoenix's cell phone. Voicemail was full. And as for the number to his law office, the answering service didn't even turn on anymore! The phone just endlessly rang, and rang and rang. He would know. He'd been relentlessly trying for the past two weeks to reach his friend. Had even knocked on the door of his residence a few times, with the same outcome. No answer.

Phoenix Wright appeared to have completely vanished, in a manner not at all eerily dissimilar to his last client, Zak Gramarye.

Miles' emotions had shifted from shock, to concern, to minor annoyance, and finally, to frustration. He'd circled back to concerned again. It didn't make matters any better that he had a frenzied spirit medium calling him at all hours of the day as well, frantically trying to reach her boyfriend, also to no avail, since she'd gotten back in town, demanding, begging, pleading with him to update her on Phoenix's whereabouts.

"I've been trying to reach him for four days now, Mr. Edgeworth!" Maya had wailed during her dozenth call to him that morning – and it was only half-past nine! "Please let me know if he's alive… if he's all right…if there's anything I can do…"

Four days and she was already at this level of histrionics? Try fourteen!

But he remained calm, polite, and reasonable with his friend. Yes, he was sure Phoenix was alive as neither she nor her cousin Pearl was able to channel his ghost from the 'spirit world', (Miles still couldn't get past the surreality of that conversation; after all, he was a man of logic who now had idle conversations about otherworld occurrences as readily as he did about the weather!); yes he'd let her know if Phoenix was alright and most certainly, he'd advise her if there was anything she could do.

The logic lover felt incredibly sorry for the spirit medium. Whatever her reasons – he'd been too mannerly to pry – for her being unable to come down from Kurain herself to try to see her boyfriend, he'd accepted that it was now his apparent responsibility to keep tabs on the missing man. Moreover, he could tell that underneath the girl's hysteria was a deep hurt and confusion, as well as contriteness for any inconvenience she was causing him with her repeated calls and requests.

Miles had his own reasons for now adding anxiousness to the list of his kaleidoscope of emotions. The 'potential' news he'd wanted to convey to Phoenix for some time now was no longer optional; he'd put the deadline off as long as he possibly could. It was at a point now where his delay tactics were beginning to take their toll with him and Franziska, who had already flown back to The Continent without him to hold the down fort. The time had come where he had to make his final decision about whether or not he was going to, as his fuming fiancée had so eloquently put it, "Scheiße oder steig aus dem Topf."

In other words, shit or get off the pot.

He couldn't put things off any longer. There was no more of the 'should I stay or should I go' game to play anymore. He was going to have to go.

Today was going to be Miles' final day in the States for a very long time. The night before Phoenix had been disbarred, he and Franziska had gotten the call that they were both required for a top-secret investigation in Europe for Interpol, with Miles being requested as the prosecutor in charge of the investigation. Both attorneys would most likely be inaccessible via phone, and only sporadically via email to any outside contacts.

But it was an incredible opportunity, one that could not be missed.

Miles had tried to stall the motions as long as possible. It wasn't a matter of choosing between Franziska and Phoenix, he'd patiently explained to his fiancée, who had wanted to leave the very next day. She'd wryly cited the obvious, which was that they were basically immigrating back to Europe literally just as they had made the monumental decision to move back to the States, and had even gotten a new puppy, Pess!

He'd decided to accept Shi-Long Lang's offer the moment it had been made; Franziska and his career were always his top priorities, and it would be both challenging and exciting to be working together again alongside the brilliant Interpol agent. As for their furry daughter, Pess was bloody well coming with them! It had been his sole stipulation in agreeing to the whole thing!

The wheel in motion was already turning. Unable to remain in LA any longer without risking the Interpol agent's ire – Lang had never been a patient man – Franziska had left over a week ago now, taking the golden retriever puppy with her. It was a toss-up for the barrister about which parting had been more difficult for him to endure, even though he knew he would be reunited with both his girls soon enough.

No, bidding temporary adieu to his fiancée and puppy wasn't what had Miles in such turmoil. It would be saying goodbye to Phoenix, especially at this particularly low point in the former attorney's life, when, despite his valiant efforts to hide from the world, he needed compassion and support more than ever.

But despite his fervent efforts for the past two weeks, Miles had been unable to reach him. The deadline for him to make contact with his old friend was today. His flight left the next morning.

He had officially run out of tomorrows.

He could no longer make the excuses to Lang that he needed some 'time to tie up loose ends and get his affairs in order.' Franziska had made it quite clear when they'd spoken on the phone the night before that the implied ultimatum wasn't coming from her, even though she supported the beliefs of the Wolf-Man.

"You have been hounding that foolish man for weeks now, Miles!" She'd stormed, the aggravation evident in her voice even over the long-distance connection. "Enough is enough! Phoenix Wright is a grown man. He does not need a babysitter! You have been trying in vain to reach him and offer your assistance and sympathies, and he obviously does not wish for either one!"

"We don't know that," Miles protested weakly, although, at this point, he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Franziska or himself.

Ultimately, Wright is my best friend. I need to be there for him right now. I need to tell him: "even though it seems everybody else loathes you, you'll always have a friend who protects you and wishes to uplift you from pain, misery, and suffering, and that will always turn and remain the hardest blow to those who hate you…"

"Miles, listen to me." Franziska's tone softened. "I know how much you care about him, but he is not your responsibility any longer – if he ever was! There are some things you just can't bail him out of. He's got Maya now to be his shoulder to cry on."

"He won't even take her calls!" The prosecutor grumbled with aggravation. "Which is almost more maddening than him dodging mine! She's his girlfriend. After everything they have been through, after all the trouble they went through to be together, why would he cast her aside as he has? I've been around the two of them more than you have, Franziska. She needs him just as much as he needs her. Their relationship, even before they got together … I can only describe it as symbiotic. If one falls, the other falls. When one is strong, so, therefore, is the other."

"You have already given them a lot of thought, Liebling. I suppose you have naught better to do with your time, what with our four-legged daughter and I stationed so far away," the German woman teased.

"Not thought so much as witnessed," he corrected her. "I saw what Wright was like when Maya got kidnapped by De Killer, meine Dame. She was helpless, so he felt vulnerable and useless. Not even having Pearl channel Mia helped much."

"Yet it took the fool another year or so to declare his love for her after that whole fiasco," Franziska muttered. "The poor girl nearly had to die a second time after that to make him smarten up."

"No, nearly losing her after that whole Hazakura Temple ordeal still wasn't what did it, if you recall," Miles chuckled. "If memory serves me correctly, it was a martini to the face that was the ultimate eye-opener for Wright."

"Enough about Phoenix Wright! Liebling, I am lost without you," she cried in frustration. "We head off to Borginia the day after tomorrow. After that, I do not know if you will be able to reach me – or if Lang's offer will still be on the table. What should I tell him?"

Miles expelled a resigned breath.

"Tell him I've booked the 11:00 AM flight to Germany for tomorrow morning."

"Your daughter and I will be there waiting for you at the arrivals gate. I can tell how much she misses her Papa."

"Has Pess been the only one to notice my absence, meine Dame?" There was a grin in his voice.

"I was planning on showing, rather than telling you, Herr Edgeworth," she purred silkily. "I shall produce some irrefutable evidence of just how much I have been missing you."

Miles remembered how he'd felt his pulse quicken at the underlying premise of the words. He was still hot and bothered after they'd rang off. That night, he'd had the coldest shower known to man.

Twelve hours later, he was still wondering if it was already too late to bump up his flight time.

Probably. He let out a small sigh. It was just as well. He genuinely did have some matters to finalize, non-Phoenix-related ones, if he was going to be able to take off to Europe with a clear mind, and conscience.

He attended to those affairs first and foremost. Then, at about 4:00 PM, picked up his desk phone and called Phoenix's office number one last time. Hell, he hadn't gotten to be a successful prosecutor without having some level of perseverance!

To his complete surprise, this time someone actually answered.

"Hello, this is the Wright Talent Agency!" A young girl's voice twittered gaily. "President and CEO Trucy speaking!"

Had Miles not heard the name Wright in that sentence, he would have assumed he'd dialed the wrong number. Nevertheless, he had to be certain.

"I'm looking for Phoenix Wright?" He said hesitantly.

"Daddy is napping right now. May I take a message?" The child asked.

Daddy? Since when did Phoenix have a daughter?

"No, it's fine, Miss. I will call back later," Miles replied abruptly, and hung up. Reaching into his drawer for his car keys, he headed swiftly for the door.

Wright, you've got some 'splaining to do…

Miles Edgeworth and Trucy Enigmar
Wright Talent Agency
May 6, 2019, 4:20 PM

Miles was relieved to note that Phoenix still had the same office, although when he got there, the professional-looking gold name-placard had been replaced by a paper one. Written on a notecard the office was now labeled, in crayon, as the "Wright Talent Agency."

I'm not sure what that means, but it can't be good.

Miles couldn't believe he'd taken time off work to come there, the day before he left the country when he still had to pack and complete about a million other things in preparation for his travels. But he couldn't help it – there was just something about Phoenix Wright; the man had this magnetic, almost magical draw about him, and he, Maya, Pearl were all the victims.

He shook his head as he knocked on the door.

Why must I be grouped with those two nutty girls? I'm a grown man! Why did I let this spiky-haired fool make me open up my heart, and start having feelings again? Yes, in doing so, I wound up with Franziska, but now I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum, where I care about things, about people… about him…too damn much!

The door swung open, and an adorable little moppet, wearing an odd cloak-like garment and matching pink hat looked up at him with a smile.

Humph. For the record, I'd like to state for the record that what she is wearing is literally pink in color! My suit is not pink, it's magenta!

"Hello, and welcome to the Wright Talent Agency!" The girl chirped, ushering Miles inside and closing the door behind him. She gave a dramatic bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Trucy, President and CEO." She offered him one of her tiny hands to shake.

Miles awkwardly shook her hand, all the while wondering what on earth was going on. The office was still the same as it'd been since he had last seen it, except now it was littered with magician's props everywhere, including a plate of plastic spaghetti with a fork that appeared to be floating over it. "I'm Miles Edgeworth. Is um, your father still napping?"

"Oh, you're the client that called before! This is so exciting! Yup, he's awake, he's just scrubbing the toilet right now. I'll go get him." She ran off before Miles could explain that he was a friend, not a client of any sort. Sighing, he mulled over what he'd say when he finally saw Phoenix.

He was seated on one of the two chairs at the office conference table in the corner when the former defense attorney entered.

The spiky-haired man carried himself in a kind of slouch and slumped into the chair across from Miles without looking up then, his lifeless cadence belying his congenial greeting.

"Hello there. Trucy told me we had our first client. Man, we just opened up the shop three days ago. Word sure gets around fast…"

Phoenix's eyes met the prosecutor's then. Midnight blue against steel grey. His composure visibly slipped.

Miles wasn't in a much better state as he took in the sight of his best friend, and was rendered completely speechless.

"Edgeworth?" Phoenix gasped.

Mood music from this chapter - full video and lyrics on thejordanphoenix dot com:
Fleetwood Mac – Don't Stop

September 12, 2021: This story is now being uploaded to be more family-friendly as the previous version was removed for being too steamy and setting off the site smoke alarms, and for having song lyrics. No harm, no foul. Seriously, I'm not worried - who the heck only reads a story for song lyrics and like, TEN chapters of canoodling out of 195? That's grossly underestimating my amazing and loyal readers, wouldn't you agree?

In the meantime, as I go through the painstaking task of ensuring my new version complies with regulations per the admin's advising, in the meantime, the full uncut version of Turnabout Everlasting, and Filling The Void (the other far too sexy for this site previous casualty, which I've started reposting in a less risqué format) can be found on THEJORDANPHOENIX dot com

All 195 chapters are now on my personal site and going forward, I will be posting there first when I write new chapters, so make sure to follow me for the latest updates and direct music video links! (I am still taking reader song requests, BTW) 😄