DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the installments of Ace Attorney or any of the characters.
A/N: This prompt was suggested by unicornix15. Thanks for the idea and I hope you enjoy it! *Virtual hugs*
ACE ATTORNEY SCRAPBOOK
Chapter 33: Wet Paint
Case Tag: 1-5 (Rise from the Ashes)
Quote: User Suggested Prompt!
Gumshoe:
If it's any help, one time I took a nap on a bench with wet paint.
December 31, 2016, 10:45am
Gourd Lake Nature Park
Detective Dick Gumshoe yawned and stretched after sitting up. It was a nice nap that he had. It was the first time over the past week that he had been able to sleep soundly, without fretting internally about Mr. Edgeworth's murder trial. Now that Edgeworth was a free man again, Gumshoe was finally able to relax.
There was a pretty strong breeze that rustled through the trees and whipped through Gumshoe's hair. He inhaled deeply. It smelled like pine trees and sand; it reminded him of Gourd Lake. Rubbing his sleep ridden eyes with the back of his hand, the detective blinked and then looked around him. Well, no wonder it smelled like Gourd Lake; that's where he was!
He had taken a walk the previous night after the big victory dinner he had with Phoenix Wright, that girl Maya and Larry. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet, a challenge that Gumshoe full heartedly accepted. Of course, after eating so much, the detective felt a little stuffed and thought that a quick stroll through Gourd Lake would help him feel better.
Checking his watch, Gumshoe was surprised to find that it was already nearly 11am; he figured that he must have fallen asleep on the park bench in a 'food coma' after eating so much for dinner. The detective yawned again before getting up from the bench. The bench wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep overnight, especially since it was half the size of the big bodied detective, but he still felt pretty good. Optimistic, Gumshoe considered. And why shouldn't he be? Mr. Edgeworth was found Not Guilty and freed from a both literal and metaphorical prison. Things were pretty darn good right now in the world of Detective Dick Gumshoe.
Thinking of Edgeworth, Gumshoe got up from the bench and made his way toward the exit. He figured he'd drop in on the prosecutor to check up on him. Edgeworth would probably be at his office, settling back in after the whole Gourd Lake incident. It was going to be great to see Edgeworth in his office, where he belonged, not behind the glass in the detention center.
Walking down the street, Gumshoe smiled and nodded at the people he passed by. He was a little confused by the reactions that some of the people were giving him in response, however. A couple people gave him strange looks. A little kid laughed. What was the deal? Did they recognize him from tv with all of the coverage there was with Edgeworth's trial? Yeah, that was probably it.
Reaching the prosecutor's office, Gumshoe headed up to the High Prosecutor's Office. Just as he figured, Edgeworth was at his desk when he arrived. The detective stood in the doorway and smiled at the sight; it was great to have Edgeworth back.
"Mornin' Mr. Edgeworth!" Gumshoe announced happily.
Edgeworth looked up from his paperwork.
"Good morning, Detective," he paused, looking Gumshoe up and down. "Are you all right, Detective? You look like you just spent the night camping without a tent...or any supplies for that matter."
"I'm great, Mr. Edgeworth!" Gumshoe said. "I fell asleep on a park bench last night after a huge dinner. I was really stuffed, so I went to take a walk and, well, I guess I was more tired than I thought."
Edgeworth gave him a nod.
"I see," he said. "That makes perfect sense...for you."
The prosecutor was quiet for a moment, seeming to be thinking something over.
"Detective, you said you fell asleep on a park bench; where was this bench?" he asked.
"Gourd Lake, Sir," Gumshoe explained. "I went for a walk and ended up there. I figured the nature trails might be nice to take a stroll on."
"I see," a small smile passed Edgeworth's lips. "Detective Gumshoe, may I ask you to turn around, please, slowly?"
"Sure,"
Gumshoe did as Edgeworth had asked and spun around slowly, just like if he were modeling a coat or a shirt for the prosecutor. When he was facing Edgeworth again, Gumshoe could see that the prosecutor appeared to be fighting a bigger smile from breaking out on his face.
"It's a funny thing, Detective," Edgeworth said. "When I went to Gourd Lake a few days ago, before the whole incident occurred at the lake, I noticed there were signs posted all over the place that the benches at the park were going to be repainted. Did you, by any chance, notice these same signs?"
Gumshoe thought for a moment.
"No," he scratched his scruffy chin thoughtfully. "No, I can't say that I did."
Edgeworth rose from his chair and came around his desk and walked over to Gumshoe. He stepped behind the detective, pulling something off his back, before returning to stand in front of him. Edgeworth held the piece of paper he pulled from Gumshoe's back out for the detective to see.
"I guess you missed this sign," he said. "Caution, Wet Paint."
Gumshoe looked over the sign. Yeah, he definitely missed that. Wait, if the park bench had wet paint, then that meant…
Gumshoe shrugged off his coat and held it up to look at the back of it. Yep. Bright green paint. The detective looked between the coat and Mr. Edgeworth. After a moment, Gumshoe burst out laughing.
Edgeworth said nothing. He simply handed the wet paint sign to Gumshoe before heading over to his desk. Edgeworth grabbed his car keys from the desk and then returned to where the detective was standing.
"Where ya going, Mr. Edgeworth?" Gumshoe asked, wiping away a tear of laughter.
"To Gourd Lake," Edgeworth said. "I must admit, I truly want to see the park bench with the paint that dried with a Gumshoe-shaped-stain on it."
"Sounds like a great idea, pal!" Gumshoe said. "Hey, maybe they can name the park bench after me or dedicate it in my honor!"
Edgeworth sighed as he walked out the office door.