So, ah... here be an update. I KNOW I KNOW IT TOOK FOREVER I'M SORRY. D It's just that I'm the worst procrastinator on the face of the earth and then Harry Potter ATE MY SOUL and stuff. But I've updated now, and if you're still reading, I seriously love you. Thanks to everyone who commented!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, etc. etc.
Note: Yes, I know the game takes place in the future, but for the sake of my poor brain, I'm just pretending Disneyworld hasn't changed in ten years or so. Hopefully that's not a problem?
The flight arrived at the Orlando International Airport at 4:26 PM exactly- right on time. Edgeworth loved punctuality.
Others, however, seemed less pleased with the flight.
"God, that was so long," said Maya, slinging her backpack onto her shoulders. "Can't they make faster planes?"
"Oh, that would be interesting." Ema came after her. "I'd have to run some tests."
"Maybe," said Wright, dragging what looked to be an extremely heavy suitcase, "if you actually brought something to do instead of bothering me the whole time, it wouldn't be so boring."
Maya simply rolled her eyes at this apparently ludicrous statement. "Anyways," she said, "we need to go pick up the rental car."
"I'll drive!" chirped Larry, still drooling at Ema's feet. Ema, of course, didn't notice.
"Oh, no way you're driving," Wright panted, attempting to balance another suitcase in his arms.
"Well… I could drive, pal!"
"I don't think that's such a great idea, Detective…" Maya said cautiously.
"Why won't you let me drive?" Larry moaned.
"Oh, for pity's sake!" said Franziska, storming past the arguing group. "I will drive."
"Um… Ms. Von Karma, I'm not sure-" Gumshoe's statement was interrupted by a sharp crack.
"Yes, sir," he finished, rubbing the welt left on his arm from the whip.
Franziska shook her head and marched out the door, leaving Gumshoe to carry her suitcase.
"She is really, really like her father. In a creepy way," said Wright from behind Edgeworth, and promptly dropped his luggage.
"That's exactly what troubles me," Edgeworth said, leaning down to assist him.
Wright glanced up at him, puzzled, but allowed Edgeworth to continue.
"Do you remember when she was shot?" Wright nodded in response. "I was with her when it happened. It was so sudden- Franziska was just clutching her shoulder, everyone was shouting and my only thought was that I needed to get her to the hospital. She needed to remove that bullet- because, for her sake, I was not going to sit back and watch this girl turn into her father. The similarities were too eerie, and I desperately wanted to do something." He smirked. "Strange, but the concern for her personal safety didn't strike me until later.
"It's part of the reason why I took her on this trip," he continued. "I think that she wants to change, that she wants to become her own person, not her father's, but… she doesn't quite know how. And I thought that maybe if she had a chance to be someone other than Franziska the prosecutor, she might be able to become someone else than Franziska, the daughter of Manfred."
Wright was silent for a moment when he finished, one hand still resting on the handle of his suitcase.
"Do you know," he said finally, glancing down to hide the smile Edgeworth knew was flickering across his face, "I think that's the most emotion I've ever heard you express in one sitting."
Edgeworth stood up with a sigh and walked towards the car the others were gathering around outside. Silently, Wright followed.
"Edgeworth?" he said, after an awkward moment. "I… ah… for the record… you're doing a good job."
Edgeworth allowed himself the smallest of smiles before sitting next to Franziska in the van.
Pearl was absolutely beside herself as they pulled through the hugely colorful Disneyworld entrance.
"Is that it?" she gasped. "It's so big! Mr. Nick! Did you see? Did you see? It's huge! It's probably the biggest thing I've ever seen!"
Maya laughed gleefully. "You ain't seen nothing yet, Pearly!" she said. "That's just the entrance! Inside… it's even bigger!"
Edgeworth saw Pearl's eyes widen in the rearview mirror. "This is almost better than the circus," she whispered reverently.
They seemed a ridiculous bunch, crammed into the minivan. Pearl gazed, awestruck, out the window, with Maya, next to her, alternately pointing out landmarks and chatting with Ema, who scribbled down notes. (Edgeworth didn't know on what, exactly.) Behind her, Larry leaned over the edge of Ema's seat, rambling on about something or other that was most likely moronic. Ema didn't seem to notice. On the opposite side, behind Pearl, was Gumshoe, watching out the window and occasionally chiming in loudly to others' conversations. Wright was left in the middle, looking more than a bit uncomfortable and ducking every time Gumshoe flung out his arm enthusiastically.
Edgeworth couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
Franziska cleared her throat briskly. "I believe we're here," she said.
Pearl gazed up at the multi-building compound at which the group had arrived. "What's that?" she asked.
"That's our hotel, Pearls," said Wright with a smile.
Maya clapped her hands over her mouth, trying and failing to stifle a shriek. "Oh. My. God," she gasped. "Is that it? Oh wow, it's so much better than the pictures! It's so much better than anything! It's the most amazing hotel I've ever seen in my life! Come on, come on, we have to go in!" She grabbed Pearl by the hand and clambered over Ema to the door; the three girls raced out of the car and sprinted to the main building.
Wright groaned and began climbing out the door to get the suitcases.
As Edgeworth and the four others of the group entered the hotel lobby, they were overrun by a stunned Pearl, a frantic Ema, and an extremely overexcited Maya.
"Nick! Nick Nick Nick Nick Nick! It's gorgeous! And did you see-"
"It's like a palace, Mr. Nick! Are we really-"
"-the most amazing architecture, honestly-"
"There's a beach, Nick. In the hotel."
"-and all those flowers-"
"The waterfall's gorgeous, guys, you need to see this…"
The three of them continued to chatter as they yanked the group forward, receiving many affronted looks from the other guests; Wright gave them apologetic shrugs before Maya nearly yanked his arm out of his socket.
Just then, Franziska's cell phone rang in her handbag and she slipped surreptitiously away to answer it, while Edgeworth, with a frown, lingered back to watch her.
"Hello?" Franziska said, businesslike.. "This- oh, hello, Ms. Andrews." Her tone softened almost imperceptibly. "You're doing well, I assume?" A nod. "Good. …I see. Yes. I understand. …Yes, I know." Franziska massaged her temple at this. "I know," she repeated. "Of course. Thank you." Franziska closed the phone with a sigh; and then, abruptly, Maya stood in front of her, grinning.
"Ms. von Karma!" she cried, with the usual cheer. "We're… well… we're all going swimming and we were wondering, um, if you would like to come."
"I don't believe that would be appropriate," said Franziska coolly.
"Well, you could always just sit by the pool and read!" Maya said. "You're… ah… going to have to, anyways… Larry stole the room keys and he won't even let us go up to unpack until we go swimming."
Franziska followed Maya past the signs advertising the location of the pool, a look of furious contempt on her face.
Edgeworth watched her go. Something was going to happen on this vacation, he decided.
Something soon.
"Come on, Mr. Edgeworth!" shouted Gumshoe, grabbing Edgeworth's wrist as he sprinted past. "I'm going to do a Super Cannonball Deluxe and you're not gonna want to miss this!"
And another chapter of nothing happening. Sorry, guys. D: I promise next chapter will be full of Disney-ness.
Usual blather: Comments. Love. Hearts. Cookies. Thanks, everyone!