A.N: Hello, everyone! This is my entry for Day Four of Wright Family Week 2022. Today is a free day, so there's no particular prompt. I hope you like this (stupid, admittedly) entry.


Day Four: The Gay Lawyers and the Magician

"Do you even have any idea of what you're doing, Daddy? It really seems like you're winging it right now."

Phoenix scratched the back of his spikes, unsure of what to say. If he was being honest, Trucy had a point. Well, he had built most of his career on bluffing, so this wasn't too far from the truth.

But hey, it worked! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

"I, uh… I don't know, actually," the lawyer answered honestly, failing to come up with a good rebuttal. "If you have any ideas… I wouldn't mind if you shared, Trucy."

Now that Apollo was gone, and Athena was getting her marks in the courtroom, Trucy didn't get to play defense co-counsel as often as before. This gave her a chance to focus on both her career as a magician and high school.

But still, once in a while, she would give a hand during an investigation or a trial. Today was one of those days, and for the first time ever, she was finding herself assisting her father at the defense bench.

Phoenix had wondered how this had never happened before, but it was the case. Nevertheless, he knew his daughter, and he knew what she could bring to the table, notably thanks to her perceiving skills.

"As I thought… this was yet another bluff, Wright. It seems you will never change," Edgeworth taunted with a smirk on his lips. "Perhaps you should leave your spot to Ms. Wright. I believe she would be more fitted for the role."

Always count on Edgeworth to rub salt into the wound… The defense attorney thought with a sweatdrop. They may have been rivals for years, but it seemed the man in red would never run out of ways to mock him during court. We're seriously getting backed into a corner here!

"Objection!" Phoenix exclaimed, trying to regain some footing. "The prosecution is trying to interrupt the defense's thought process with ridiculous taunts! I never bluff in court! That's common knowledge! Right, Your Honor?!"

Edgeworth chuckled at that, and to be honest, he couldn't blame him. Counting on the judge's near senility may have been a cheap trick, but it was always better than forging evidence (*cough* corrupt prosecutors *cough*).

The old man ran a hand through his grey beard, visibly deep in thought. "Overruled, I'm afraid, Mr. Wright. After all, Mr. Edgeworth is correct: you do appear to be bluffing as always. Perhaps your daughter would indeed be a better fit to be the acting defense."

A-And now the judge, too?! Why is the whole world against me all the time?! Phoenix wondered. The years had passed, but he still found the world to be unfair to him at every turn, for whatever reason. O-Okay, I do bluff almost all the time, but still!

"Honestly, I'd be up for it, Your Honor." The lawyer looked to his right and noticed Trucy shrugging. "I've seen so many trials so I think I could do a pretty good job at defending!"

"U-Um, Trucy…?" Phoenix waited until he had his daughter's attention before adding, "W-What do you think you're doing, exactly…?"

He looked at her, trying to gauge how serious she was. However, when he noticed the determined look on her face, he realized she was really serious.

"I'm just taking Uncle Miles up on his offer!" the girl said enthusiastically. "Besides, I think I know what we should be doing!"

Well, good for you… because I don't! Phoenix realized, starting to panic a little. I'm beginning to have a bad feeling about this…

The prosecutor on the other side of the courtroom crossed his arms. "You can consider lucky not to be as foolish as your father, Ms. Wright." He slammed his hand on his bench. "I say we remove this joke of a lawyer and let his daughter give it a try, Your Honor. If we are to be amused by the defense, let it be by a real showwoman, at least."

"W-WHAAAT?!" Phoenix pointed a shaky finger at his rival. "Y-You can't be serious, Edgeworth! Y-You make it sound like I totally suck!" After a second, however, he smirked. "Heh. Should I remind you that you have never beaten me yet, save for that one time?"

"Hmph."

The judge pounded his gavel, stopping the argument that was about to begin. "That's enough, you two. I'm afraid that if Ms. Wright wants to act as the defense, she will need to pass the bar exam in a few years. However, if she has an idea, the court is willing to hear her out."

"Great! Thank you, Your Honor!" the young magician said with zeal. Phoenix was happy to see someone was enjoying themselves on this side of the courtroom, at least… "Now, I think we should interrogate this witness a bit more! He's totally shady! I bet he's a stinky liar! Actually, I know so!"

The defense attorney's eyes widened, and his face turned as pale as a ghost.

This magician's remark drew quite the reaction from the crowd. Edgeworth rolled his eyes with a sigh. The judge was startled in his chair, staring at the defense duo with surprise.

"Damn, that's a direct attack! I know the defense's desperate, but still!"

"At least she's doing something, unlike her father!"

"Yeah, the defense sucks today! It's good that this girl is doing something to make the trial more exciting!"

Phoenix's shoulders slumped. Why was it that every time someone was praised inside this courtroom, it was at his expense? It had been the case for years, and he still had no idea why.

"H-Hm, Trucy…? Y-You might not want to insult the witness, you know…?" he said, seeing the old man give them a disapproving stare. "Y-You'll only end up in contempt of court…" And I'd rather not have to pay bail money, to be fully honest.

"H-Hey, I don't stink!" the witness suddenly exclaimed, gripping the witness stand with force. Phoenix almost found it amusing that he didn't deny the 'liar' part. "T-Take back what you just said, lady! T-That's mean! I-I feel attacked!"

"Objection! I would take it back only if it wasn't true!" Trucy argued, passion seeping into her voice. "I've seen you fidget for a while now! That means you're hiding something from the court! Spill the beans, Mister!"

Phoenix stared, wide-eyed, as his daughter managed to put the witness on the spot. He spent his time trying to come up with intelligent arguments to make his case, and she had just made more progress by literally insulting the witness.

However, this didn't seem to be impressing everyone inside the courtroom.

"Objection."

Well, that was the weakest objection ever… The man in blue thought, noticing Edgeworth's unamused expression. For some reason, I think your playtime is over, Trucy… Don't expect him to hold back…

"Do you have something to say, Mr. Edgeworth?" the old man wondered. "It is unlike you to be so unpassionate in your objections, to say the least."

"I don't believe I should be the one with something to say, Your Honor," the prosecutor claimed, pausing for a second to sigh again, before adding, "Ms. Wright, as much as I understand that you want to help your incompetent father, we are inside a courtroom. This isn't a playground."

I think I'm just going to leave and let them have fun together… Phoenix thought, feeling the weight of the insults coming from all sides make him shrink into the ground. At least our client hasn't been declared guilty… yet!

"W-What do you mean, Unc- Mr. Edgeworth?" the girl wondered, biting her nails nervously. She seemed to understand that this was as far as she was getting. "Y-You know I'm right!"

"What I mean is that things such as the witness's fidgeting are under no circumstances valid evidence," he explained. The defense attorney was jealous of how calm he was being. "Testifying for the court can be stressful. The witness is probably fidgeting for that reason. Ergo, your argument doesn't prove anything, Ms. Wright." He smirked at her the way he would smirk at her father. "Too bad."

Trucy looked at her father, seemingly annoyed. Phoenix merely shrugged. "What now, Ms. Wright?" he teased, finding himself enjoying the scene. "Don't worry; you get used to this guy after twenty years of knowing him."

The magician sighed. "If we can't prove that the witness is lying, we're going to lose, Daddy! What should I do?!"

I think you're getting too much into it… The defense attorney thought. He appreciated Trucy's enthusiasm, but this would get out of hand real fast at this pace. Or even more out of hand, actually. Time to get serious again.

"OBJECTION!" With a slam of his desk that caught everybody off-guard, Phoenix declared, "As much as you seem to have fun picking on a teenager, Mr. Edgeworth, don't forget who the defense is!" He pointed his finger again. "The defense requests another cross-examination! This shall give us the opportunity to expose the witness's lies to the whole court!"

"Objection!" Edgeworth immediately shot back. "I'm not picking on anyone. And at least, Ms. Wright is putting up a fight." He did his signature finger wave. "You should try taking a page out of her book, Mr. Wright. You would save yourself quite the embarrassment."

"Sustained!" the judge declared with a pound of his gavel. "I don't see any point in prolonging this trial anymore. The defense hasn't been able to cast reasonable doubt on the witness, and I cannot let you badger him, Mr. Wright."

"W-Whaaat?! B-But I'm sure it's him, Your Honor!" Trucy insisted, leaning on the bench so much Phoenix had to watch out in case she fell. "And it's not because Mr. Edgeworth's being a meanie that you have to agree with him!"

"I-I am not a 'meanie,' as you say!" the prosecutor denied, recoiling from the attack. "I-Is showing the defense's weaknesses forbidden in this court nowadays?!"

"Do not listen to him, Your Honor! Actually, I have a good argument to show that this trial was flawed from the very beginning!"

The judge seemed surprised by this declaration. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at this. It really seemed like Trucy had a plan… even if he had a bad feeling about this.

"Flawed, you say?" the old man wondered. "I'm curious to know what your argument is, Ms. Wright. However, please keep in mind that further waste of the court's time will be severely punished!"

Trucy grinned. "No need to worry, Your Honor! My argument holds in only one word, actually!"

"It does? Well, please enlighten us, Ms. Wright! What is that word that will prove that this trial was flawed?"

What are you scheming, Trucy…? Phoenix wondered, seeing a spark in his daughter's eyes that didn't reassure him. I hope that whatever it is, it doesn't get us into even more trouble… if that's possible, that is…

"Very well… This trial is flawed because of…"

Everyone inside the courtroom held their breath as Trucy took a pause, building up the suspense.

"Gay!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

H-Huh…?

"Hm, well… W-We're very glad to hear that you're happy today, Ms. Wright, but I don't see how this is relevant-"

"My father's gay for the prosecution! Surely that is a conflict of interest, Your Honor!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

If there was a way for him to die right now, Phoenix was taking it. The crowd turned silent in a millisecond, looking among themselves, trying to make sure if they had heard this correctly. And for once, Edgeworth seemed to be cornered just as much as he was!

"Well, um… This was a rather…" the judge paused, looking for the right word. "P-Peculiar argument, to put it lightly… N-Not that what Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Wright do outside the courtroom are of any interest to this court, obviously."

"Oh, you wouldn't want to know, Your Honor!"

Shut up, Trucy?! Phoenix thought, feeling his cheeks burn. "Y-Your Hon-"

"However, you have convinced me, Ms. Wright. Accounting for the defense's gayness towards the prosecution, this court shall be adjourned for another day of investigating. Hopefully, this will allow both of these men to sort out their personal feelings and leave them outside the courtroom."

"W-What the-?! W-What kind of kangaroo court is this?!" Edgeworth protested, stunned on his bench. "S-Surely that cannot be legal, Your Honor?! A-And besides, these are just stories invented by Ms. Wright-"

"Stories?" Trucy echoed, her voice showing genuine disbelief. "I wish it was! I can't sleep at night because of you two being so loud-!"

"C-Court is adjourned!"


"Well, that was a job well done! Now we just have to find more evidence for the next session tomorrow!"

"Thank you, Ms. Wright! You just saved the day!"

The young magician and the defendant entered the lobby together. Seeing a smile on their client's face was refreshing for the girl. After all, she had been in the seat of the accused before, and she knew how tough it could be.

"Trucy Wright."

The magician turned around and noticed her father exiting the courtroom. She had never seen such fury in his eyes. And yet, the fact that it was mixed with so much embarrassment made it more ridiculous than scary.

"You are in so much trouble."

"Oh, hey, Daddy! Did you see that?! I got us another day!"

The defendant nudged her in the shoulder. "I think you should run away while you still can, Ms. Wright…" they whispered to her, seeing the look in the defense attorney's eyes.

"Ha, catch me if you can, Daddy!" Trucy taunted, beginning to run around the room.

"C-Come back here at once, Trucy Wright! Y-You're grounded for twenty years!"

Magician and lawyer continued their ridiculous chair inside the Defendant Lobby, nearly tripping multiple times. However, poor Phoenix quickly grew tired, unable to keep up with Trucy's professional swiftness.

She stuck out her tongue at him, running to escape from the room and out of the courthouse.

"Go back to investigating, Dadd- ack!"

Suddenly, the girl landed on her bottom. She looked up and noticed she had not run into the door but into something else entirely.

"Oh, my. What a lucky coincidence. I was looking for you, Ms. Wright."

The magician gulped as she noticed Miles Edgeworth stand over her, arms crossed and eyes displaying more disappointment than she had ever seen.

"U-Uncle Miles… Heh heh… It's good to see you!"

She quickly got on her feet and felt her father closing in on her from behind. This didn't appear to be a situation she could easily escape from, even with her magic.

"I'm afraid we need to have a little chat about your behavior, young lady," the prosecutor told her, pushing his glasses up.

"For once, I agree with him about something," Phoenix added, wiping the sweat from his brow. "The chase ends here!"

Cornered by the two men, Trucy nonetheless smirked. The second the two lawyers jumped to catch her, she merely sidestepped away.

In the end, the two rivals ended up jumping in each other's arms, faces extremely close. Trucy noticed their cheeks turn red in an instant.

"Haha!" She pointed at them. "Gay! Gay! Homosexual! Gay!"

And as Trucy laughed, both defense attorney and prosecutor stood there awkwardly, unable to hide their little secret anymore…

The End.


A.N: Why did I even write this...? I must have been on drugs. Anyway, please leave a review, and I'll see you all tomorrow for Day Five!