Chapter 8: Exposition

"W-what!" James stammered. "What are you talking about!"
She smiled. "Come on now, even with the disguise I still recognized you. I am not as dense as some of the other Elders." Adrianna said.

"…" James went silent.

"What are you gonna do?" Maya asked desperately. "Are you gonna kick him out?"

"No, I'm not." She replied.
"You're not? Why?" I asked curiously.
"I wasn't in favor of having you permanently banished." Adrianna stated. "Even though you left on your own, I still hoped you'd come back. But that's not what happened."
James looked down at his lap; unhappy at first, but then he raised his head and locked eyes with her.
"You know why I had to." James replied angrily. "Those Elders were denying us what shouldn't take place. I can't believe they would make such accusations against Mr. Wright and deny the murderer from that case."

She sighed. "James…"

James continued. "I couldn't bear to stay here if that was what this place was going to be. And even with Maya as the master, the Elders still wouldn't let me back anyway."
"Why not?" Pearls asked.
"It needs to be voted upon." Maya explained. "The Elders and I have a vote on most issues. Since James pissed off nearly all the Elders, he probably won't be allowed back here for a while.

Adrianna nodded. "You really did a number on the Elders' psyche when you left. Many of them started talking amongst each other about whether what they did was just."
"Well they should've." James said still angry. "Nothing they have said has made me any less mad."
"And I can see why." She agreed. "After that fiasco with that red haired girl (Mimi Miney) and Morgan's plot to kill Maya, it's a shock that the other Elders would deny the truth here."

James sighed. "So I guess nothing has changed in the 3 years I've been gone?"
"Some things have changed." Adrianna said. "Like the plots and ideas to kill Maya have been dispersed. She has become a very responsible leader and earned the favor of the Elders."

Maya giggled. "Oh Adrianna stop it!"
I sighed in relief. "That's good, because I was worried that something very bad might happen." It usually does…


As I walked to my room, I recapped the day's events.

"Ok, so I just gotta head back home and work on Iris's sentence, then I gotta start finding new clients. Maybe I'll give Edgeworth a call and see how he's doing with the sentence too…"
As I was walking through the garden I wasn't really paying attention where I was going, so I found myself in the Winding Way.

"Huh…" I muttered. "Wrong way…"
But as I turned around, I heard a scream.

"AHHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

I gasped, and took off past the Winding Way and into the Fey Manor. I saw a girl on the ground being pulled by the neck of her shirt by a dark figure, who was holding a knife!
"HEY!" I yelled. "Let her go!"
The figure looked at me, and dropped her.

"Then I'll kill you instead." The man spoke.

I got into a fighting stance. Great…
He then raised his knife and charged. But as he was about to meet me head on, another figure sprang out from the main entrance and collided with him, sending him to the ground.

I looked, and saw it was James.

"Mr. Wright!" James shouted. "What's going on here!"
The figure quickly rose up and started for the main entrance, but James was faster. He kicked behind the figure's leg, causing him to stumble. James then ran in front of him and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to his stomach, causing the figure to double over in pain.

I quickly took out my cell phone and called the police. I then started to hear noises outside.
Maya and Adrianna bolted into the Manor, along with a few other Elders with the Head Elder.
The man tried to get up, but James kicked him back down.
"You're not going anywhere." James said furiously. He then pinned the man down on the ground with his hands and knees.

"What is the meaning of this!" the head elder cried out. "James!"
"No kidding." James replied.
"What are YOU doing here!" she asked angrily.
"Saving the girl." He replied. He looked over at the girl on the wall, who was in shock.
I walked over to her, and saw it was Miranda Fey.

"Ohhh…" she groaned. "My chest hurts…"

I looked and saw a gash across her shirt. It wasn't too deep, but she still needed medical attention.
"Make way now! Police!" voices yelled outside.
The elders stepped aside, and out came Detective Gumshoe with a squad of policemen.
James quickly got off the man, allowing the police to handcuff him.
"What happened here!" Gumshoe exclaimed.
James went over to Miranda.

"Are you alright?" James asked.
"I-I think so." She replied weakly. "My chest hurts…"
"Just a gash." He replied. "You'll be fine with some medical help."
"Miranda was attacked by that assailant." I said, pointing to the main being handcuffed. By now, candles were being lit and the man's identity could be seen. He was white-skinned, brown haired, wearing a black overcoat with blue pants.

"Hmph…" the man muttered.

"Get him out of here!" Gumshoe ordered. On cue, the police whisked the man away.
"Huh…I thought. What if that was the guy in the 'fake evidence'? If that is him, then that evidence might not be so false after all…"

As he was thinking that, a stretcher was brought into the manor, with paramedics rushing in. They lifted Miranda onto the stretcher and started out.

"Wait." I said, stopping them. "Miranda, did you know that person?"
She shook her head slowly, staring at me. "Never...seen him before. I know…what…you're thinking. But I…don't know him…"

I nodded. "Alright, that's alright. Get better soon."
"Don't worry, you'll be just fine." James added.
A small smile crept to her lips. "Thank you…"
The paramedics then rolled her to the ambulance, and the white vehicle took off for the hospital.
"N-nick?" Maya stammered. "W-what's going on?"
"Miranda's been hurt by some guy." I replied. "She claims she doesn't know him."

James looked down at the ground. "What now? I feel like I'm in the wrong now…That 'fake' evidence…"
"James Fey!" the head Elder called.
He turned. "What?"

"Still disrespectful aren't you?" she replied seething. "I thought we banished you?"
"You did." James replied. "But then, when have I ever listened to you?"

"How dare you!" she spat furiously. "I never thought you'd carry this much hate for us!"
"I don't." James said flatly. I'm just pissed off at your choices. You know they're erroneous and should be changed. But since when do you care about what I say?"

The other Elders said nothing.

"Thought so." James answered. "Well I hate to end this gracious reunion, but I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. Don't worry, you won't see me tomorrow."
With that, he turned and stalked into the Winding Way and out of sight.

I looked at where James had disappeared.

"James…"