Hi guys! -waves-

It's an update!

I am still lazing around in my pajamas, sadly... I was up late last night. Birthday parties do that to you. :)

And now I have a mess to clean up and summer homework to do.

Joy.

Okay. Some notes about this chapter.

Toward the end of the chapter, Phoenix's behavior will seem over-the-top, like I was doing a terrible job of exaggerating things. The explanation for this, however, can be found in the dialogue at the very end of the chapter. Just go with the flow, okay?

Thankfully, I can get away with some tiny things because this is supposedly the future, and medicine and technology have improved. Yay!

Um. Anyways.

Thank you all for your reviews, and I'm so sorry that I made a few of you think I had abandoned this story. I most certainly have not, as I have several more chapters done in a rough format.

Enjoy!

Chapter 12

April 2

8:00 A.M.

Wright & Co. Law Offices

Miles Edgeworth had a file to deliver to Phoenix Wright. He wished to drop it off quickly and get back to work...

So why had Wright opened the door wearing a tank top and boxers, in desperate need of a hairbrush and a shave, with a toothbrush clenched between his teeth?

As soon as Phoenix saw his visitor, he mumbled something that sounded like "Oh, shit" and slammed the door in Edgeworth's face. Edgeworth heard the buzzing of an electric razor, the frantic scrubbing of a toothbrush, and the rustle of fabric. Phoenix opened the door again, and Edgeworth said nothing, only handing him his magenta hairbrush and pointing at his unzipped pants. The defense attorney panicked, slammed the door shut again, and yanked the brush through his unruly hair, zipping up his pants. He opened the door again, a bit out of breath, and motioned for Edgeworth to come in.

"So," Edgeworth remarked airily, setting the folder on Wright's desk, "you never found a place to stay, hmm?"

Phoenix shook his head, embarrassed.

"No, not really."

Edgeworth grunted.

"I would suggest taking a case soon, Wright. You didn't exactly get any pay from the last defendant," he smirked as he exited. Phoenix stared dumbly after him.

"Wait - but - oh yeah."

...

April 2

8:30 A.M.

Room 202

Franziska von Karma had had enough of this foolish tension. Every foolish moment between those two foolishly held so many foolish sparks that those fools were going to break down if she didn't do something. She guessed that Scruffy and that foolish Harry Butz were in on this with those foolishly snooping girls. They needed some refinement. They were foolishly being much too obvious. If Miles Edgeworth foolishly thought that foolishly pining after that foolish Phoenix Wright and foolishly not saying anything was the right thing, he had another think coming. It was foolishly distracting him from his work. This irritated Franziska. She paced around her hotel room, occasionally whipping some of the foolish furniture.

Being a von Karma, she was not a fool. She knew that this foolish emotion called "love" could not dissipate easily. Her papa had warned her never to fall in love.

"It makes you a sentimental idiot," he had said. From what Franziska had heard, Manfred von Karma had not been perfect while her mother was alive. Of course, she had never believed this until she saw an old picture of her papa and her mother... smiling foolishly. Seconds later, he had ripped the picture from her hands.

"Do not think about her. She is a memory from my imperfect past... and she died from my then-imperfect driving," he had barked as she cowered. "Get up! You are a von Karma! If I vowed to be perfect from then on, then you are surely able to do that as well!"

Franziska sighed. Foolish memories.

There was only one other way to get him to concentrate. After all, what good would surpassing him be if it was too easy?

And that was not to destroy the foolish affection. If the great Manfred von Karma had been unable to free himself from love, then these fools would not be able to either. No, her job was to foolishly create a foolish couple. That should stop Miles Edgeworth's foolish longing, and prove that even the great Miles Edgeworth could be manipulated. Oh, how she wished she could inform him of his ever-nearing defeat.

Making her decision, she coiled the whip around her hand with a flick of her wrist and headed toward that Fey girl's house.

...

April 2

8:45 P.M.

Maya Fey's House

The doorbell resounded throughout the house. Rubbing her eyes, Maya padded over to answer it. When she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of an extremely irritated nineteen-year-old.

"Maya Fey!" Franziska announced, pushing past Maya into the house. "I have come to perfect your plan of pairing those foolish fools together. This shall be yet another victory of the von Karma household..."

As Franziska continued to recite her lecture, Maya motioned for Pearl, who had been watching, to call Ema. This was quite a development.

"MAYA FEY! ARE YOU LISTENING?!" The whip cracked against the floor. Maya jumped a few inches into the air before facing the prosecutor warily. "Better. Now, you fools are being much too obvious... but you are also not being forceful enough!" She snapped her whip for emphasis. "A von Karma always finishes everything as soon as possible! This foolish little game has dragged on for far too long!"

"So... what do you propose we do?" Maya asked.

Franziska grinned, an evil little grin that made Maya shiver slightly.

"I have had enough of your foolish spying. Have you ever heard of the term 'blackmail'?"

"Ms. von Karma! We can't do that!"

"And why not?"

They were interrupted by the doorbell, which rang several times. Pearl dashed over and opened it.

"Hi, Miss Ema! Oh, it's Mr. Larry and Detective Gumshoe! How are you?" She beckoned for the trio to come in. As soon as Gumshoe saw Franziska, he immediately turned around and bolted for the door. Franziska, without blinking, snapped the whip, which curled around his ankle. She pulled the whip toward herself, dragging the defenseless detective back inside.

"As I was saying," she stated, "if this is to succeed, then we must be forceful. I am weary of watching them stare at each other like foolish, love-starved puppies."

"Finally, someone who agrees with me!" Larry exclaimed. "So let's use my idea and get it over with!"

"NO!" everyone yelled.

"I hardly believe that anyone of your caliber could come up with anything worthy of my time," snorted Franziska.

"But we can't blackmail them!" protested Maya.

Pearl finally spoke up.

"Umm… should we… leave the office, and have Mr. Edgeworth deliver Mr. Nick's paperwork? Detective Gumshoe can pass on the message."

"We can try," mused Larry. "And then… we lock them in the office, and leave them to – "

"NO!" the group shouted again. Larry slumped and muttered to himself.

"Let's try it!" grinned Ema, standing up. "So… two o'clock good for you guys?"

"Yeah, pal," nodded Gumshoe.

"I suppose the plan is worth a trial run," Franziska said.

"Or," Larry interrupted, "we could make the paperwork have a hidden love note inside!"

Maya sighed.

"That wouldn't work. As soon as they talked, they would know that we planted it. Besides, I don't want to know what your idea of a 'love note' is."

They departed then, Franziska's whip "encouraging" them to walk faster.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

April 2

1:45 P.M.

High Prosecutor's Office

"Hey, Mr. Edgeworth," greeted Detective Gumshoe as he strode into Edgeworth's office.

"Good afternoon, detective," replied Edgeworth, glancing up at him before returning to his paperwork.

Gumshoe scratched his head.

"Uh, Mr. Wright needs that GS-3 file…" The radio in his pocket started beeping. He pulled it out and pressed a button, and a man's panicked voice filled the office.

"Hey, ya gotta help me! There's this crazy girl chasing after me with a…" The radio crackled and fell silent.

"Whoa, gotta go! You think you could deliver that file yourself, pal? Thanks." Before Edgeworth had a chance to respond, Gumshoe dashed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Edgeworth sighed.

'I could have sworn I already delivered that file…' Scanning his shelf, his eyes locked on a haphazardly stashed folder, labeled "GS-3". Pulling the file out, he put on his magenta coat and made his way down to the parking garage. 'Why couldn't Wright have picked it up himself?…'

………………………………………………………………………………………………

April 2

2:00 P.M.

Wright & Co. Law Offices

"Wright. I believe you needed this?"

Phoenix opened his eyes, picking his head up off his desk.

"Huh?… Edge…worth?…"

Miles put the file on the corner of Phoenix's desk.

"Why so tired, Wright?"

"He's been sleeping all the time since he moved here…" Maya sighed, as Phoenix closed his eyes again. "That couch isn't very comfortable."

Pearl touched Phoenix on the shoulder, worry in her large brown eyes.

"Thank you for dropping the file off, Mr. Edgeworth. Sorry to bother you."

Miles nodded.

"Don't worry about it." He noted the dark circles under Phoenix's eyes, and the way his clothes seemed slightly too big for him. "Has he lost weight?"

Maya frowned.

"I hadn't noticed, but maybe… has he eaten?"

"Maybe he spent too much money on your burgers," Miles commented, smirking a bit. Maya gasped.

"M-maybe you're right… he said that he needed to take out a loan from the bank…" She stroked Phoenix's spiky hair, then whirled to face Miles. "That's it! He's moving in with you!"

"What?!" Miles' grey eyes widened slightly. "That's… not a good idea…"

Pearl slapped him.

"Mr. Edgeworth! Don't you care?! Mr. Nick hasn't slept in a bed for a long time, and he hasn't even eaten much! Would you just leave your special som- I mean, friend… to waste away?!" She then became very interested in her sandals. "Please, Mr. Edgeworth… take care of him…"

Miles blinked, then gazed at the exhausted Phoenix Wright.

"…I'll let him stay for tonight."

"Yay! Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth!" Pearl cried, hugging him, then stepping back quickly. "Sorry…" Maya grasped Phoenix under the arms and hauled him out of the chair.

"You're the one with the car," she gasped out, slowly dragging Phoenix to the door. "You drive him." Phoenix's blue eyes flickered open.

"Hey… what's… Maya… lemme go…" He struggled slightly, but gave up when Pearl kicked his leg a bit.

"Nope!" Maya chirped. "You're moving in with Mr. Edgeworth! Pearl, grab his suitcase, will you?" With much effort, Pearl hoisted the heavy suitcase after them, while Edgeworth trailed behind.

"Maya…" Phoenix muttered, a slight blush spreading over his cheeks. "I don't want to be a bother to Miles…" His eyes flickered closed as a loud growl emanated from his stomach.

"He'll be glad to have you. Now be quiet. It's not easy dragging you." Edgeworth opened the door to his shiny red car as Maya's arms gave way, Phoenix's head slamming against the asphalt. "Oh my God! Nick!"

Phoenix rubbed his head, wincing.

"Way to nearly give me a concussion again, Maya. A little help?" Edgeworth bent down to pull Phoenix into the car.

"You can fasten your own seatbelt," he remarked, shutting the door and putting the suitcase in the back.

"Don't worry, Mr. Nick! We'll take care of everything!" Pearl called as the car pulled out of the parking lot. Maya grinned as Pearl turned to her. "I'm sorry, Mystic Maya, but I don't understand what you did to his coffee earlier… that's what made him so tired and weak, right?"

Maya pulled out a small white bottle and grinned. "I used the magic of extra-strength sleeping pills, Pearly."

"Wow! Magic? Really?!"

Maya laughed.