Author's note - Here's the second chapter, hope you enjoy it! PS - Thanks to Diana Lily and Isabella for a much needed confidence boost!
"What in the name of all that is right, no pun intended, were you thinking!" Phoenix asked Maya incredulously.
"Aww, come on Nick! It'll be fun!" Maya replied.
"How on earth will it be fun? You've basically condemned me to spending time with a bunch of people who hate me!" Phoenix said
"Edgeworth doesn't ha-" Maya began,
"Don't start listing the people you invited that don't hate me." Phoenix interrupted. Maya puffed her cheeks out angrily.
"Why are you acting like I've done something horrible? You love tennis!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to play competitively! Also, most competitors get a say in whether they participate!" Phoenix replied heatedly.
"I asked everyone involved if they wanted to play and they said yes!" Maya said, apparently oblivious to the point Phoenix was making.
"OBJECTION! You didn't ask me!" Phoenix said loudly, getting angrier.
"Well if I had, would you have said yes?" Maya asked.
Well that depends, would I have been able to change your mind? That's the real question. But I suppose if I'm honest I would have to say…
"No." Phoenix said at last after thinking for a while.
"See? I had to surprise you, or else the tournament would have never happened!" Maya reasoned.
Phoenix sighed.
I really don't want to have to go through this again…
"Maya, my arguments against you are threefold. Firstly; what you have organised, is not a tournament. In a tournament you have other people going against each other, eliminating lesser players until the two best go head to head in a final. In this…whatever it is, you have me, and only me, pitted against all the prosecutioners you could think of. Can I please ask why, in a 'tournament' intended to be defence versus prosecution, I am the ONLY Defence Attorney?" Phoenix asked, tired of explaining why this was not what tournaments were.
"All the other Defence Attorneys said no…" Maya replied quietly, looking at the ground.
"Which brings us to my second argument: if there aren't enough competitors in a tournament, then really it should be cancelled-"Phoenix said, cut off suddenly by Maya.
"There are enough competitors!" She said heatedly, puffing up like a balloon.
"NOT ON MY SIDE!" Phoenix shouted in reply.
The two were quiet for a long time. Maya had never heard Phoenix shout before. In fact, Phoenix had hardly ever heard himself shout before. He was still standing, breathing heavily.
I'm never going to get through to her, am I?
Phoenix looked over at Maya. She was turned the other way, shoulders shaking.
Oh man…I must've scared her. I didn't…make her cry…did I?
He exhaled quietly and walked tentatively over to the quivering teenager.
Fantastic. Well done Phoenix, you made a woman- no, a nineteen year- old GIRL- cry. Nghh…what should I do…?
He put a hand out slowly onto her shoulder. She continued to shake.
"…Maya…look…I didn't mean to…" Phoenix said reluctantly.
"…umm…what I'm trying to say is…I'm s-"
A snort came from Maya.
"…Maya?" Phoenix said, confused. He tried to turn her around, but she wouldn't move.
"What are you…?" He pulled harder and she spun round. Tears were rolling down her cheeks
"Pfft- BWAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! Maya burst out laughing.
"YOU WERE LAUGHING!" Phoenix shouted incredulously as Maya fell to the floor.
Phoenix just stood eyes and mouth wide.
…I…but…why…how…I thought…
"WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING!" Phoenix asked loudly. Maya just continued to giggle hysterically.
…I can't believe I worried about her…now how do I get her to listen…
"OBJECTION! I object to the defendant's loss of control!" Phoenix shouted, pointing vigorously at the slowly quietening Maya.
"…Y'know…we…aren't…in a…courtroom…Nick…" Maya huffed, clearly exhausted from her fit.
"Well…you weren't listening…so…" Nick muttered self-consciously.
"Anyway…what was your third argument?" Maya asked breathlessly.
"My third argument?" Phoenix asked in response.
"Well you said you had three arguments against me, so…" Maya said.
Huh…that's true, I did say that. Hmm…aww man! Why'd I say that! I really need to stop that bluff tactic of mine…
"Uh…well…" Phoenix said, a goofy grin spreading across his face as he realised he didn't have a third argument.
"Honestly Nick! You really never learn, do you? Time for a penalty!" Maya said, throwing a nearby paperback at him.
*thunk*
"OW! That's not a penalty! That's just assault!" Phoenix cried after the book hit him square in the head.
"Oh well! Now, time to make you take back that second argument!" Maya said, marching towards the phone.
"Hey wait, what do you mean by…who are you calling?" Phoenix asked, unable to ignore the fact that Maya was dialling the phone as he spoke.
"Furio Tigre." Maya said, raising the receiver to her head. Phoenix slammed it back down immediately.
"No." Phoenix said, keeping his hand on the phone.
"But…!" Maya began.
"Just no." Phoenix said, elaborating no further and still putting a large portion of his body weight on the phone.
"Well if you won't let me invite him then what do you expect me to do!" Maya asked, clearly annoyed.
"I expect you to call the 'tournament' off." Phoenix responded.
"It's not that simple!" Maya exclaimed.
"Why not?" Phoenix asked, dreading the answer.
"…Well you see…it's sort of…this afternoon…" Maya replied reluctantly.
"…This afternoon?" Phoenix said, turning pale.
"Yeah…" Maya replied, looking guilty.
Everything went white before Phoenix's eyes.
*thud*