AN: Sorry for the wait! Welcome back to the next installment! Lol, you guys asking about Trucy can relax, I already had planned for her to be in this chapter. Writing wise it didn't feel right to smush her in with SO MANY THINGS going on in the last chapter.
For those of you who like Milyn ship, I'm considering writing a separate fic possibly for that. Wondering if ppl would be interested in reading lol.
It's honestly really weird to be at this point. I never imagined that five years I'd still be writing this and have as many people reading and enjoying this. Honestly? I always found myself struggling to write prose, so it's funny that I'm even able to write such a long story now. I always found it easy to write scripts. Not so much fiction. Lol. Anyway, I hope it inspires anyone who is unsure of themselves in writing or any other creative endeavors. Sometimes you just gotta jump in. Take an idea and see where it goes haha.
I'm really excited because I'm pretty sure no one can guess where I'm going with this and it's gonna be so interesting to see what you guys think. I think this will be the last calm chapter for some time. I consider the next chapter the beginning of phase 2! Oh and the stories Lyn mentions are based on true events ;). As usual, thanks for reading, reviewing, faving, and following! Hope you enjoy this one!
Gilgamesh The King of Heroes: Yep! Maybe one of these days he'll get a good one to the balls.
HyperMonkeyBird: Thanks for sticking around for so long! Yes, that's the right word haha.
DJJ680: I had a lot of momentum and excitement for this one. Glad you think so! For them, I was thinking it would be shocking but not that crazy considering the stuff they've already encountered. Oho, it will be interesting...
Magesong: Yep, yep, yep, and yep! This is where the real fun starts hehehe. I can say yep, UR-1 will happen down the line since the date is sometime October 2020. And it's still April 2019 currently.
trilbybard: Yep, you had it ;). I can't answer that quite yet, but you'll see what happens soon enough. Indeed! We're kicking up to the full gears now. Let's see if Lyn can handle it...
Aster's Descendants: That's pretty far out so I can't really say. But I do have ideas for Apollo, I can say that much.
OBSERVER01: Hope so! Yeah, it sucks for Vera...yep, it was a long time coming for them to hear the truth.
bwburke94: We'll see
Jack54311: Don't worry about Trucy; I've not forgotten about her. It didn't really feel right for me to put her in the last chapter with so much I was writing. But Trucy will be around. Lol...you'll find out what I have planned for that. I won't spoil the surprise yet. And we might find out about the other Lyn's perspective one of these days ;-).
FSOA: Lol, I didn't forget about her I just didn't use her in this chapter. Don't worry, you'll be seeing her soon enough. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)
Silver4700: Thank you so much for the compliment, I really appreciate it. I'm really glad you enjoyed this chapter. When I wrote, I didn't feel like they'd be overly surprised, after all they've experienced spirit mediums. Yeah, I actually wrote about Phoenix Wright for my college entry essay haha. The series means so much to me so I really want to do it justice. Thank you so much :3
Lily Fey: Yeah, my friend and roommate in college had an alarm that was so loud and she'd sleep through it anyway lol. I had moments when I just whipped my pillow across the room to get her to wake up and turn it off haha. Glad you enjoyed their interaction, it was fun to write. Hehe, it's frustrating I know, but he'll probably get his in due time. Yeah, maybe I could have edited better. Thanks!
KrypticShizz: Nope, even if this takes me forever I'm going to finish this. Life issues, writer's block, and sometimes my own doubts get in the way.
If you want to start writing a fanfic, just do it. I started writing stories on here when I was like 9. I had an idea and ran with it. It was fun. So, just have fun with it. I wrote this as a challenge to people saying self-inserts sucked because I had managed to find gems that do it so well. I also had things I didn't like about the AJ to DD timelines. So, I wrote it really as a what if. That's mainly now how I write. What if...? And come up with loose outlines. How everyone writes is different, but most important is to have fun.
That's really cool that you feel immersed. Lol, I'm not sure. I think with any good story original or fanfiction, the world building has to be strong. I like AA because it's contingent, very self-contained but with clear rules to how the universe works. However, there's a bunch we don't know and can speculate on, so I like to fill in those blanks with my own ideas that seem like they could be realistic based on those rules. When I write, I feel myself there. I throw my feelings into it. If I don't feel what I'm writing or find it boring, people will feel the same way. So when I write this story and my original stuff, I put myself there. I am always playing the original soundtracks from the games when I write as well as any other songs that help me feel a mood I need.
You'll see this chapter. Zak didn't actually leave her in Phoenix's care in the original timeline; she was just left behind in AJ. Phoenix notes that she has no other living relatives and asks if she would be okay with him adopting her basically like a week or more after the escape from court thing. Thanks! Hope you enjoy!
JordanPhoenix: Buahaha, I love whenever you leave reviews. It really makes my day lol. I like to think the two of them tried to quietly mess around later, but Phoenix heard some odd sounds. And then he put two and two together like the ace attorney he is pfft. Yes, Kristoph is a bum, sucks for Klavi :(. I'll admit writing his parts made me wince a little. Yep, I mean it's Kristoph he's good at slithering away honestly...thanks! It's always my favorite parts to write lol. Yep, I was thinking for all the bizarre things he's normally witnessed, it wouldn't be SHOCKING but more like uh, what? That's weird. LOL well we'll see...
GlaresThatKill: Thank you! Glad to know I haven't been going in reverse haha. Oh jeez, I don't know, pal. It took a long time to edit those earlier chapters once lol, doing it again now seems unlikely for the time being. I have a lot I still want to do with the story still so maybe once the whole thing is completed, if I don't want to shoot my eyes out from how long it is lol.
Lol, glad you enjoy that part. Mmmmmmmmmmmm most of your questions I can't answer without spoiling what I have in mind lol... I'm just going to stay she'll be there as long as she needs to. More to come on that aspect. Other!Lyn is more or else taking a backseat. They didn't switch though. Oh, I'll be moving forward...in a direction, I bet no one would have thought lol. I'm looking forward to the reactions xDDDD. Soon.
KrypticShizz: I mentioned her parents in chapter 12. Her father was killed and her mother was already deceased, leaving her to be taken in by her aunt and uncle. I don't plan on doing anything with them~
April 21st, 8:08 AM
Miles Edgeworth's residence
We had spent most of the night talking.
It had been a relief to finally let go of everything. Beyond the lies, I had my fears about Kristoph, the current course of the future, and the safety of all the main players. With the truth out, I could finally express these things more freely to another human being (alive) for a change.
Being the more grounded personality between the two of us, Miles was best to talk with. Sometimes I'd feel like I had trapped myself. Sometimes my emotions were so real to me, that I was blinded, like a person staring into the sun. And well, Miles wasn't really like that, thankfully.
I heard a shifting in the bed next me. "...I'm just calling to inform you, that I won't be in today...I thank you for your concern, but I'm fine...yes, you too."
The sunlight cracking through the windows hit my face, forcing me to open my eyes to very blurry vision. "Miles? You're not going to work today…?"
With a bare torso, he sat on the edge of the bed, placing the cell phone on the nightstand beside him. His hair was messy from what I could see. Miles turned to me, his face a bit red, not entirely awake.
"Ah. Good morning," he said. "Not today."
I flushed. "Sorry. Guess that's my fault."
Somehow, he still managed to look cool with bed head and a half awake expression as he smirked at me. "5 in the morning is rather late."
And somehow I felt more embarrassed. "Ahaha. Yeah…"
Yeah, who was I kidding? He was pretty serious when it came to requests. He said he wouldn't leave me alone and kept his word.
I started to sit up. I had been a bother so I should probably get going. I should just find the rest of my clothes and-
"Go back to sleep."
"But-"
"You must be exhausted. And I'm exhausted myself," he admitted.
"You actually get tired?" I asked half seriously. "You sure had me fooled…"
Miles yet again, just smirked in response. He really was something else. He wouldn't outright admit it now, but he was so full of himself...but I couldn't totally blame him. He did have a lot to feel proud about.
"Now, that you've had enough time to admire me, go back to sleep."
"Wha…"
(He was psychic now too?)
"It would be incredible, but I don't really believe in such phenomena," he replied. "Now, go. Unless you want me to make you suffer the consequences of having me miss work."
I gulped. It would be best for me not to find out what type of suffering he had in mind. "...Totally. I'll go." I said, slowly lying myself back down under the sheets. Miles did likewise.
I had to admit it was strange for me, being here in Miles' place. Coming here a year ago I wouldn't have guessed anything like this would have ever happened. None of it feels real.
If I had some time later before I left, I'd look around here some more. I didn't get the chance last night. Besides, it's not every day you get to visit a video game character's home after all. And I might find some interesting dirt on him hehe.
His home was a nice two story abode. Although, it of course had that natural...snobbish atmosphere to it. Very well kept, much like his office. Neat and tidy.
Well, minus his dog Pess. But you can't expect much from animals, especially over excited dogs.
It's funny, though. I would have pegged him as a cat guy, honestly. But he got huffed up when I brought it up. Apparently, he's not a huge fan ever since one's claws got stuck to his cravat. It was a hellish time getting the cat to calm down and get unstuck, it seemed. I wished I could have been there to witness that debacle myself.
But...I did feel tired. So, perhaps, one time I would listen to his advice willingly and go back to sleep.
Miles had his back turned to me.
It was silly of me, but I couldn't help but smile to myself. I'm glad he was facing away from me because I knew if he saw, he'd start making fun of me once more for being gushy.
Keeping my happiness a secret, I closed my eyes.
April 21st, Time ?
Miles Edgeworth's residence
I yawned. How could it be that I somehow felt groggier than the last time I woke up? These were the mysteries of sleep that I would never be able to unravel.
Stretching out my spider monkey limbs, I sat up in bed, noticing that the man on the other side had vanished.
(Now, where did he run off to?)
Not like he'd ditch me in his own house. He wouldn't ditch me anyway, but that's besides the point.
I grabbed my glasses from the nightstand beside me. With clear sight, I saw that my clothes were laid neatly in his gray armchair across from the bed. His clothes were gone. Guess it was really time to get up.
Slinking out of bed and over to the chair, I put on my clothes as best as a half awake person can. I was about to head out of the room, but my attention was caught by a framed picture next to Miles' nightstand.
A young girl with blue hair and a riding crop looked exceptionally haughty standing next to the taller more stoic looking teenager with a fancy suit and cravat. He couldn't smile, but rather curled one side of his mouth to the side. An older man in his 50s or 60s stood behind them with a cane.
(This must be a family photo. But not just any family photo...a von Karma family photo.)
It was curious. Considering the truth of the matter, why was this particular photo in his room? I'd have to ask when I got the chance.
I wondered if he had other photos laying around. I walked out of the bedroom and into the hallway. Outside of a door, the collie was lying down resting. I would pet Pess, but I didn't want to disturb her slumber.
Looking around more, I saw there were plenty of rooms along the hall that I hadn't examined. But before I could think to take a peek, I was distracted by a comforting aroma of fresh food from the kitchen. Specifically...pancakes. I'd know the smell of pancakes anywhere.
The investigator in me died at the notion of eating, so I made a beeline down the hardwood steps, down the hall into the first floor, skipping past the living room right into the beige colored kitchen.
I paused as soon as I stepped foot inside. At the stove was Miles holding a spatula in one hand and the frying pan handle in the other, waiting to flip the beginnings of pancake over.
On the simple wooden table were a couple of empty plates and utensils laid out, with one plate holding all of the food that was already made on top. Pancakes, eggs, bacon...you know, the good stuff.
I wasn't surprised that he knew how to cook. But I was surprised at how he was wearing a white apron over his clothes, which were his usual working outfits.
(What a dork.)
Being preoccupied at the stove, he didn't notice my arrival. So, it was then I decided, I must do something fun...
"Good morning!" I said grabbing him from behind.
"Agh!" he said, jerking in surprise. "Would you mind not doing that when I'm cooking!?"
"Aww, but you were so preoccupied in your cute apron that you didn't notice me. How could I miss the opportunity?" I grinned letting go.
"It's not cute. It's practical," Miles remarked. He briefly turned around and scowled at me. "Why don't you go and sit at the table like a good girl would?"
"Hey!" I flushed. "Don't patronize me."
"Let the adults focus on the important tasks...unless you want disciplinary actions to be taken against you," he said pointing the spatula threateningly.
I gulped. He actually sounded testy, so I obliged. I took a seat in one of the four empty chairs around the table. "...Alright, pops. Happy now?"
"Wha… where did it go…?" Miles ignored me and was looking at his spatula and then back at the frying pan.
"Where did what go?"
The prosecutor looked right and left, on the stove and on the floor. "The pancake I was making before you caught me off guar….LYN!"
"H-huh? What?"
The man was now looking above. He pointed at the ceiling with the spatula. "Look what you made me do!"
My eyes were directed above and then I saw the reason why he was so upset. The pancake he had been making was stuck on the gray ceiling…
Oh my God.
"Hahahahahaha!"
"That's not funny!"
"Oh man, we should call them stickjacks now...or flopjacks?"
"Lyn!" he growled. "You're cleaning my ceiling!"
Still laughing, I took a second to breathe. "But I can't reach up there, how am I even gonna get it?"
Just as the demon prosecutor was going to answer, the pancake answered for him.
SPLAT.
It fell directly from the ceiling and directly onto Miles' face as he had been looking up at it.
"Nghhhhhhhh!"
"Pfffffffffffffttttttttttttttttttttt!" At this point, I couldn't stop laughing. I was laughing as bad as Calisto Yew.
But between laughs, I realized I needed to do something important. I reached into my pants pocket for my cell phone and quickly snapped a picture of Miles 'Pancake Face' Edgeworth.
He removed the pancake and threw away without hesitation. I slipped my phone back into my pocket. Luckily, he missed me taking the photo, because I know he'd make me delete it in a flash. His face was as red as a woman on her wedding day.
"Lyn…" he started to approach me from the chair I was seated in.
I knew I was in trouble so I sprang up and tried to flee, but alas, it was to no avail. The demon had quickly caught me.
"H-hey," I started trying to hold back my laughter, "what are you doing?"
Without warning, he picked me up and barbarically slung me over his shoulder as if I were a sack of potatoes.
"You have two options: I take you out with the trash or you clean my ceiling."
"B-but it's too high-"
He walked over to stand directly in front of the waste bin which was half way filled with trash already. "Out you go."
Miles started slowly dipping me into the wasteland of unfinished scraps of food, emptied cans, food wrappers and strange unidentifiable materials head first.
"W-wait!"
"This was your choice…" Miles said menacingly, still lowering me into the deathtrap of foul, spoiled food.
"Okay, okay! I'll clean your ceiling! Please don't dump me in the trash," I pleaded.
He pulled me from the trash can of hell and plopped me back the brown tiled floor. "A wise decision."
"You're truly the demon prosecutor. In and out of courts…"
"And who's the one tried to pull a prank on me and started this?" he asked tapping a finger on his folded arms. "Do not start things you can't finish."
I pouted. "Yeah, yeah...whatever."
There was the hint of a smirk appearing. "Stay here. I'll be back with a ladder and the cleaning supplies."
The prosecutor strode out of the kitchen.
(Current score: Lyn: 2. Miles: 3. Ugh. I need to regain my footing somehow. But...it's better to just wait til later for some type of surprise attack.)
It was not long before Miles returned to the kitchen with the clean up supplies for the mess that graced the ceiling. The step ladder was opened up and locked down while I climbed it with a pair of gloves on and a soaped up sponge to attack the spot that had the pancake batter. Luckily, it hadn't been up there for too long so only a little bit of elbow grease was required to wash that spot. It certainly beat being thrown in the stinky trash. And it was worth it, just to see a pancake that had fallen from above, as though being called down upon from the heavens, directly land on his face...gold.
Once I climbed down, I removed the gloves and threw them in the bucket of soapy water along with the rag. Still somewhat annoyed with me, Miles suggested that for the time being we just moved the cleanup supplies and ladder against the wall before all the food went cold. So quickly, we moved that stuff out of the way and sat down at the table next to each other.
Eagerly, I piled on a few pancakes and eggs on to my plate.
"Be sure to actually leave me some," Miles teased.
I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'll do my best, but I make no promises..."
He shook his head, taking the fork I was using to steal food, to shovel some onto his plate.
The table had been prepared with care- no surprise there since it's Edgeworth we're talking about. But butter, syrups of maple and strawberry, sugar, fruits...everything you could have wanted was right here. I snatched up the maple syrup and dowsed my pancakes. It was time to get down to business hehehe…
After some time, Miles looked at me in bewilderment having already consumed his smaller portion of food. "Just how do you do it…?"
"Easy! I can't say no to good cooking. It's impossible," I said swallowing the last of a few sweet pancakes.
He shook his head.
"But seriously," I started as I set my fork down on my sticky plate. "What aren't you good at? You could pretty much be a demon butler at this point!"
Miles rolled his eyes at the very thought. "You have some strange fantasies."
(Hey, it's not just a fantasy. Wasn't there an official art image of you delivering food or something?)
Speaking of images, I remembered what I wanted to ask about. "So, I'm kinda curious…"
"About what?"
"In your room on the floor, there's a photo of you, Franziska, and Manfred. Just wondering why you decide to keep that particular photo in your room...all things considered."
Miles caught on to what I was implying because he nodded slightly and looked off to the side for a second.
"I imagine you're wondering why," he strummed his fingers on his right arm. "It's a bit complicated… Even after knowing the truth, he was the one who raised me and I can't exactly erase that fact."
Maybe I shouldn't have asked something like this so early… "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"It's fine," he said shrugging. "You thought it odd. And I can't blame you for that...perhaps there is a bit of truth in what you said to me the other night, in believing in who you thought someone was..."
"...So, it wasn't bad?"
"Living with him? No. He was strict and focused on perfection, no doubt. But he did teach me how to do regular things like a father would, like how to shave or ride a bike."
"And here, I thought you'd say how to horseback ride or something," I said trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"I would say that was more of Franziska's forte," he replied in amusement.
(...Well, it would make sense with the riding crop.)
"In any case, it's...very complicated. To be honest, I do like the picture. It reminds me of a simpler time back then. But my feelings on everything are..." he trailed off while grabbing his arm. "...simply hard to describe. It's as though, I'm being pulled in two very different directions when I think about it too hard."
"I can only imagine," I said, starting to feel more guilty that I had pressed the matter. "Thanks for sharing."
"What was your life like before this trip into our world?" he asked changing the subject. "Were you just as ridiculous at home as you are now?"
"Hey, watch it!" I lightly punched him in the arm, chuckling. "I mean, my life was pretty normal. I had been in college for a couple of years, studying English and being confused about my future. You know, the usual. And define ridiculous."
"Being a troublemaker."
"...Somewhat," I flushed. (Let's hope he doesn't ask about the details…)
"And pray tell, what did you do to start chaos there? I'm curious to see if it was as catastrophic as what you do to me on a regular basis."
Dammit. "Err...s-state secret."
He glared at me, eyes saying, 'you really expect me to take that as a legitimate answer after I've spilled my guts to you? When you torture me all the time?'
I lost the contest yet again and sighed. "Alright, one time I did something- a couple of things, really, that were interesting."
Miles smirked. "Such as?"
I was sweating a whole lot. "Uhm. Well, me and my roommate, went around our dorm building hanging her underwear on the handles of certain rooms- our guy friends- as a joke."
"H-her underwear?!" he sputtered out, turning beet red.
"H-hey, wait! Lemme explain," I said hands raised. "Her mom bought her underwear, for some inexplicable reason, and they weren't even the right size. They were huge. And they looked as hideous as some old lady's shower curtains. She didn't know what to do with them, so I thought of a perfect solution."
"To hang them up on door handles."
"...Yes."
"Mhm. Incredible."
(Why do I feel an excess amount of judgement emanating from his being now?)
"And the other thing?"
"Uh...well. I do stupid things when I'm drunk…"
"Oh, really?" he asked mockingly. "I had no idea. Not in the foggiest."
I slapped his arm again. "S-shut up!...Anyway, I got drunk one day and um... Made out with ...two people."
"...Is this just a regular occurrence for you?" he smirked. "Do you just become a wild animal after a few drinks?"
I bit my lip. "Well, most days I only need one drink...anymore and it's overkill on my behalf."
"Interesting. So that explains New Year's," he mused to himself. "Did those people mind that you attempted to make out with them?"
"Everyone was mostly drunk...so she didn't mind it. I don't think he did either...but the rest of my friends didn't like to watch us do that haha…." I couldn't believe I was telling this story to HIM of all people.
"...She?"
I flushed even harder. "H-hey. It's college...and my drunk self really wanted to test and see if I might have had a thing for girls."
"...Do you?"
I blinked. He had asked that incredibly fast. "...Why are you so interested?"
"Curiosity."
(...Perv.)
"I tried, but I wasn't feeling it. Girls just don't do it for me. I mean sure, boobs are great and stuff. But they aren't…well...you know..."
Miles said nothing, he just took amusement in watching me squirm as I desperately tried to explain myself.
I coughed, stopping myself from digging my grave any further. "ANYWAY. Those are a couple of my stupid tales."
"So, we've confirmed you have always been a perverted troublemaking individual. Duly noted."
I buried my face in my hands.
(The points are just racking up against me today aren't they…)
"And well, I'm still curious about the...games or our lives, so to speak," he started becoming slightly more serious in demeanor. "I heard what you told Wright about being inspired and such."
"Yeah, it's true. Without knowing your stories, I'm not sure where I'd be honestly," I said nodding. "I was lonely and so depressed, but when I played the games about you and Mr. Wright's adventures I felt like I could keep going."
"I see," he said quietly. "It's a bit hard to imagine...you being sullen, I mean."
"Haha. Is it?" I stroked my chin. "To be honest, I...was a lot more like you when I was a teenager. I used to be serious and focused on work, in my own head. And well...I really admired you. You were always my favorite."
"Your favorite…?"
(Yeah, so much that I'd even cosplay as you for like every convention. And pick you for online roleplays...but I'm not gonna even go there. This is already weird enough.)
"Yeah, I could relate to your personality a lot." I found myself turning red again. "At times, when I felt weak, I'd always try to think what you'd do in a certain situation. Silly, I know."
"...I'm flattered that I could be of some use to you in hard times." He was trying to hide it by briefly turning away from me, but he was a bit flustered by hearing it.
I grinned. "Well, it goes without saying, but thank you for being you."
He murmured something unintelligible in response, with a slight blush.
(It's kinda cute how he's not good at handling compliments like that. Perhaps I can use this to my advantage at some point hehe...)
After some time, he spoke again. "Are you finished with eating?"
"Yep!"
"Then I'm going to tidy up the table."
He stood up from his chair and started to pick up both of our plates and utensils. Trying to help, I picked a few condiments and put them in the fridge. After he placed the dishes in the sink, he took care of the rest on the table; he insisted he knew where everything belonged and that I was a guest, so I shouldn't bother.
"But that didn't stop you from making me clean the ceiling…"
"Because that was a mess you helped to create," he remarked sternly.
"Point taken," I said sheepishly. "You're not gonna wash the dishes now?"
He shook his head, as he wiped down the kitchen table for the last time with a sponge before dropping it in the sink. "Don't worry about the dishes. I'll do them later. Since there are other more pressing matters to attend to."
"Like?"
"Getting you to visit that girl in the hospital and picking up your car...and I suppose making the most of this day off."
I gasped. "Does that mean...you actually want to hang out with me?!"
"There is no need for theatrics," he said rolling his eyes. "But I suppose you're not entirely wrong."
"Ya know, a yes would have sufficed," I smiled. Well, minus all the chaos happening, and the distancing between us which had now come to an end...it was nice to have things slow down, albeit even if it was temporarily.
"Well, you told Wright you wanted to meet at the clinic around 3 last night. It's only about 12 now. Anything in particular you want to do before then?"
"Hm…" I scratched my chin. There were so many possibilities to choose from. "Oh! I want to see the rest of your house and challenge you to a game!"
"Alright, but what kind of game? I don't really have much."
"Hey, don't lie! You said you'd kick my ass before, so I know you must have a game console around here."
He tapped his temple lightly. "Ah, that's right. If you're up for losing a few rounds, I have no issue playing."
I huffed. "So cocky...I'll beat you no problem!"
Miles only responded by laughing at my so called 'ridiculous' idea that I could ever beat him. Once he was done riling me up, he showed me around his house for a full tour. He showed me the last stop, his game room (though he refused to call it such, opting for entertainment center instead despite it being loaded with game systems and games) upstairs.
And it was...it was...impossible. He had to be cheating. Or lying. There was just no way he wasn't still playing games. We had played a few fighting games on the Playstation 3. Some were familiar like Street Fighter or Marvel v Capcom... so I thought I had a chance. But I was very wrong. Very wrong. And it got worse when he pulled out his favorite Steel Samurai Fighter...I wanted to cry. How many times could I be pummeled to death, by the stupid Steel Samurai over and over?! No matter if I picked the Pink Princess, the Evil Magistrate, the Nickel Samurai and those other random spin off or side characters, I was utterly helpless! It was simply too hard for me to believe that that cravat loving, fancy pants, proper grammar speaking, law nerd had beat me twen- as many times as he did.
After many failed attempts on my part to win, it was time to head out to the hospital to check on Vera.
April 21st, 3:03 PM
Hickfield Clinic, Intensive Care
White. White. White.
That's all I remembered from this place since my last stay in the hospital. Everything was shining bright white. It drove me crazy with how much there was. The walls, the ceiling, the doctor coats...agh. And that clinical smell. Yuck.
Beyond that, the place had a few anxious visitors in the waiting room today. We didn't stay there very long as we walked up to the nurse at the front desk asking to see Vera. The older nurse gave us instructions to head down through the doors down the hall and to head left to room 101. We thanked her and went on our way.
In a flash, we entered the room, though it was a full house. Phoenix was already there along with Misham...and a certain little girl clad in a magician outfit.
We briefly said our hellos. Obviously, this wasn't a very happy atmosphere. I took a look at the child lying in the bed, eyes shut with no movement minus the rise and fall of her chest. It really just looked like she was asleep but I knew it wasn't really the case.
"Ms. Doom, and a friend, I suppose?" Misham asked.
I nodded. "This is Miles Edgeworth, a prosecutor."
Miles slightly bowed. Misham eyed him curiously for some time, scratching his head.
He nodded, as though confirming something for himself. "I see. Thank you both for coming to see Vera."
"So...how is she?" I asked.
"I suppose I should be more grateful, yet I feel as low as one of my paintings valued at 49 cents," he frowned deeply. "Vera is very lucky to be alive. She will wake up...though, it's a question of when. It could take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months."
I found myself frowning as well. I'm glad she was at least alive, though. It's just...stupid that this had to happen to a kid who's done nothing wrong.
"I should have known something was wrong with how she took to that client," he mused. "I still can't believe you were right about these things being poisoned..."
(Well, I guess it's not hard to believe now seeing the proof before your eyes...)
"Actually, do you still have those things? The nail polish and the stamp?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes, though I'm going to get rid of them soon."
"Can I keep them?" the attorney asked. "Just in case we can use it to nail the guy who did it."
"Then by all means, take it, Mr. Wright. I don't ever want to see those items again." The artist covered his mouth. "If you come back tomorrow, I'll bring them with me."
Phoenix nodded. I bit on my lip for a moment.
"Just be careful," I started. "I'm worried that the man who did this might be watching or planning something now that his plan's gone awry."
"What more can that monster do?" snapped Misham. "He nearly took Vera away and for what?"
"...He wanted you AND Vera out of the picture. The nail polish was for her to use, since he must have picked up on her bad habit of chewing her nails when she got nervous. The stamp was meant for you when you replied back in the letter."
"It's just now...he knows that we know. And because the two of you aren't dead like he hoped, I have no idea what he might do next," I sighed.
Miles folded his arms. "I think for the time being it may be best that this room, as well as Mr. Misham's residence, be guarded by the police. His first attempted murder was subtle and I feel if he were to try again, the same approach would be likely."
"...You think poison again?" asked Phoenix.
"Nothing else comes to mind that's as subtle," he replied. "And since he was a hair away from being caught and put on the spot, it would be very foolish to try again in more bold fashion."
He had a point there. If I were him I'd either back off and watch or try to kill again with poison since it would bring far less attention.
"If that's what you think is best," said Misham. "Thank you."
"By no means I condone what you do," remarked Miles tapping his fingers on his arm. "But to drag a child into this and have her potentially killed...it's just not something to be overlooked."
The artist bowed his head. "I'm well aware, sir. I've never been more ashamed of myself than I am now."
"So in the mean time, what will we do?" asked Phoenix scratching his chin. "Should we be on the defense?"
"If you're defending, I know who can help!" said Trucy placing her hands on her hips. "Tada!"
Then from pretty much out of nowhere, the amazing Mr. Hat popped up from behind her. "I'll have your backs!"
"Ngh! What in the world?" asked Miles sweating.
Misham, mildly surprised, seemed to take a mental note of what he was observing.
"It's Mr. Hat, Uncle Miles!" grinned Trucy.
"Uncle...?" he looked at Wright. "Why is she here anyway?"
Phoenix placed a hand on the back of his head with a goofy grin. "Well, with her father gone, she has no other living relatives so..."
"He's my new Daddy now!" she beamed.
Miles started at Phoenix for a very long time. "Wright...do you even know how to take care of a child? Do you even have the funds?"
"Er...well, we'll figure it out as we go along. We have a bit of time before it's totally official haha..."
The prosecutor covered his face with his hands.
"Don't worry about us, Uncle Miles! I can support us with my magic," she said assuredly. "And Daddy's a lawyer too, so together we can pool our funds!"
"I...I see," Miles said. "I suppose I can help if need be as well."
"Ohoh!" clopped out Mr. Hat, as his wooden mouth opened and closed. "I knew I could count on the boy in red!"
Even though, it seemed weird if this didn't happen like in cannon, it still seemed...wow. Trucy really had a lot of spunk. "Oh boy, this will be, quite the adventure," I remarked.
"It's always an adventure when magic's involved, Aunt Lyn!"
"Wha...why do I have a nickname too?" I asked sweating.
Trucy cocked her head up at the ceiling. "Huh? But Daddy told me you and Uncle Miles were together. You even came here together!"
"Wright..." said Edgeworth with a glare.
"Ahaha. I said that?" the attorney grinned sheepishly. "Must have slipped."
I flushed. "Oh boy..."
"Don't worry! Your secret is safe with me," Trucy winked.
Jeez. I didn't know why this felt so embarrassing, but it did. I should be grateful Pearls wasn't around. Yet, somehow this was worse...maybe because Trucy was mature for her age. That and I knew she could perceive things even now...
At this point all I could do was awkwardly chuckle. "Thanks, I suppose..."
Miles was slightly flustered, though trying his best to hide it. "It's getting late. We should pick up your car."
"Ah! That's right, I almost forgot," I said blinking. "We'll visit Vera sometime soon. As well as try to stop that Gavin guy for what he's done. Please be safe in the meantime."
Misham nodded. "Thank you, Ms. Doom. You as well."
"We should be headed out too," said Phoenix. "We'll be back tomorrow."
"Goodbye, Mr. Wright."
Together we all left the room and headed out into the hospital's semi full parking garage.
"Wright, I demand further explanation about this situation later," Miles said shaking his head in disbelief.
"Haha...Yeah, I'll call you when I get a chance," Phoenix said. "Anyway, we have to plan dinner tonight. Can't miss the next train. See ya!"
And avoiding the conversation, Phoenix started off hastily. Trucy giggled, putting Mr. Hat away into her invisible pocket I guessed, and followed suit. "Bye Uncle Miles, Aunt Lyn!"
With that they were out of the lot and into the street.
"That man...! Unbelievable," Edgeworth muttered to himself. "Just adopting children willy nilly without a plan..."
I chuckled. "He has good intentions. Honestly, it's better than the foster kid system..."
Miles sighed. "I suppose, that's true, but still. One day, he's struggling to save his main source of income and the next he's adopting a child. What a world he must live in."
(He lives in a crazy one, that's for sure.)
But, in any case, I was glad that he was gonna adopt her. That's one good thing still happening. I didn't want to imagine what the world would be like without her as his daughter. Trucy Wright was simply too awesome to return to that jerk Zak. For if he didn't leave her now, there was still a possibility of her being left behind later, most likely without Phoenix's knowledge.
"Come on," I said giving his hand a slight squeeze. "The only lot I'll stand around in is the one that has my car."
"Right, right," he nodded. Together we walked towards the very back of the lot where his red sports car was parked. And within no time we were traveling to the next lot.
April 21st, 5:10 PM
Prosecutor's office parking lot
Finally. The traffic was a bitch. I honestly wanted to give up getting back here, but it wasn't like we could escape the back to back bumper car flow of traffic. I really just wanted to sleep at this point. I guessed I was still tired from staying up so late. I'd have to remedy it later when I went back to my place.
In any case, the lot was mostly empty at this time since most prosecutor's tend to start shuffling out around 5. The huge nerds like Miles tend to stay a bit later.
My car wasn't hard to find considering how obnoxiously colored it was. After driving down a couple rows, it was spotted.
Except, it just wasn't...how I left it.
My car...
...was tampered with.
The driver side and passenger side windows were smashed out, as well as the windows for the backseats. Glass shards were all over the ground. Miles immediately hopped out of the driver's seat, leaving the car running to examine the scene. I felt a cold chill run through my very being. Someone wanted to get into my car...but why? What were they looking for? Or maybe there was some other reason? Maybe, perhaps a warning?
I didn't know.
But I did know one thing: It was starting.
The war was starting...
Evidence:
Prosecutor's badge: With this, I can prove I'm a prosecutor. Dunno why we don't wear them on our lapels like defense attorneys though.
Profiles:
Maya Fey: Age 19. Probably my best friend at this point.
Miles Edgeworth: Age 26. A good friend, even if he's a bit of stick in the mud sometimes.
Detective Gumshoe: Age 33. The guy who's saved my hide more times than I can count.
Judge: Age ?. Oldtimer judge. No one knows his real name.
Mia Fey: Deceased. My spirit guide who pops by occasionally to give advice.
Phoenix Wright: Age 26. The man I'm supposed to be saving. Pretty awesome dude.
Klavier Gavin: Age 17. Rockstar and new prosecutor. I'm totally not a fan.
Kristoph Gavin: Age 25. Called the 'Coolest Defense Attorney in the West'. He makes me uneasy.