"Man, why the hell did I do that?" Phoenix was partners with Ema Skye during Science, or at least that's what everybody called it, since it didn't have an official name and all they did was practice with chemicals for missions and etc.
"It's alright. At least you stood up for Mr. Edgeworth." "Mr.?" "Yeah I always called him that when he was dating my sister, so why should I change it?" "Oh, okay."
Luckily for Phoenix, Ema was skilled in the forensic field, so he let her do her thing while he explained his problem. Larry told him that Edgeworth was the chemical and technical one anyway.
"Now I'm gonna die my first day here because I ran my mouth. Edgeworth didn't want me to go over there and it gave him an anxiety attack, too." "You were just trying to stand up for your friend, isn't that what you're supposed to do?" "Well, yeah, but I could have handled it a different way and not ask for the death penalty."
Ema poured the pink looking liquid slowly into the tube. "Well, if I were you, hide behind Kay." "Why?" "Why? You're seriously asking? Mia can beat Shi-Long, but she's not in his class. Kay actually almost beat Mia in the whole assembly wrestling finals." "They seriously do wrestling matches?" "Not pro wrestling crap, like, actual wrestling like you did during training." "Oh thank God."
"Anyway, so I'm sure Kay could beat Shi-Long. She fights smart, then hard." "What do you mean?" "Kay looks like an ant compared to Shi-Long. However, she uses that to her advantage. When they're standing, she gets under his body and lifts with her knees, not back. When she has him on the ground, she can easily just wiggle out of bad positions, since she's so tiny. Plus, she clings like a monkey." "I can see that," Phoenix said, remembering her acrobatic performance at lunch.
Ema leaned towards the edge of the table and grabbed a yellow looking liquid. "So, long story short, have Kay fight for you." "No, I got myself into this and I'm gonna get myself out." Ema patted Phoenix's back. "Good for you."
They continued to work on the assignment until they were finished, way ahead of everybody else. "So, do you know if Edgeworth dated any other girls after your sister?" "I'm not sure. I heard that he might have asked Mia out, but Mia hasn't even talk to most boys after what happened with Godot." "Oh, yeah. Forgot about that."
"Well, if we're gonna talk about relationships, then I want to give that Larry guy a piece of my mind. I think he belongs with Franziska, not Maya, but that's just my opinion." "O-okay?"
"What about you, Mr. Wright. Have you dated?" "Well...I did have a girlfriend once, but she tried to kill me." "Wait, when was that?" "A year a-" "Holy crap, so Mia Fey rescued you, right?" "How does everybody know this?" "Um, yeah." "So are you and Mia a thing?" "What?! No!" "Oh, okay. Everybody keeps wondering. You don't seem like the type for her either, just friend type." "Y-yeah."
"Have you dated after that?" "Um, well..." "Oooo, who?" Ema was in Phoenix's face now, her true teenage self showing. "How do I explain this? During training, I met this one guy, but he was booted out anyway." Ema was shocked to hear what Phoenix was saying, but let him continue. "We...got kind of close. Closer than friends. If you can call that dating, then yeah." "So, did you feel better with a boy then a girl?" "I just felt...more comfortable. Like I could be myself."
"Well, I don't know much about gay relationships, but I think you'll find somebody closer than you think." "I don't want to date anybody the first da-" "Guess who it is." Phoenix sighed. "Didn't know we would get into it." "Who?" "I can't tell you. Guess first." Phoenix's eyes popped open when he realized who Ema was talking about. "Edgeworth," he whispered. "Yes! Ding ding!"
"Ema, I literally just met him today and he doesn't want to get clo-" "It's a love at first sight thing and you know it. Look how you're already standing up for him. I mean, nobody does that the first day they meet somebody. Plus I think he has a crush on you!" "No he doesn't!" "Of course he does! I mean, why else would he act all weird around you. Tsundere I tell you." "A what?" "Something from anime. If he says baka, then he for sure has a crush on you.
"Now back to business. If you can even survive a whole match against Shi-Long, then you'll gain everybody's respect, except for his, but you get my point. At training, did they show you how to deal with bigger guys?" "A little bit, but not much since I'm fairly built." "Okay. My advice for Shi-Long, don't go for the double leg. He beats everybody at wrestling. Maybe try a headlock uchi matta." "A what?" "It's a Judo throw. So you get the headlock and then you take your right leg and kick out their left leg." "You'll have to show me later." "Have Kay show you. I'm not in your class." "Damn. Okay."
Phoenix and Ema were allowed to leave early, so Phoenix took his time in the boys changing room for workout. A teen aged looking boy came in with a friend. "Hey, what's your name?" "Oh, my names Phoenix. Nice to meet you." The boy took Phoenix's hand. "My names Matt and this is Juan. He's great at music." "Nice to meet ya, Phoenix." The boys went to their lockers and a few more boys came in. Phoenix decided to go to the gym area after a while, not wanting to see Shi-Long in the changing room, or at all, really.
"Hey, Phoenix!" He turned around and found Kay bouncing up and down behind him. "Oh, hi Kay." "I heard from Ema that you got in a fight with Shi-Long and he wants to kill you now." "Not exactly but close eno-" Kay grabbed Phoenix in a headlock and tripped him, making her fall on top of him in a side control position. "What the hell?!" "That's the uchi matta." "Well, thanks," Phoenix said sarcastically.
Kay helped him off the ground. "I don't want Shi-Long walking in and seeing me showing you stuff, so that's all, okay?" "Okay, but I'm going to die." "You know submissions from there, right?" "Well yeah, bu-" "Okay, good. You'll do just fine then. I'll be your partner for the workout part. It's girls with boys anyway." "But I'm a completely different size that yo-" "So? I can beat the coach." "Oh okay. Not gonna argue."
More people started walking in, including Shi-Long, but Gumshoe was with him and not Badd. "Let me go ask the coach if I can be partners with you." "Okay, hurry back before Shi-Long kills me." "Will do." Kay ran over to the coach.
Phoenix began rubbing his head. "I wonder what was in Edgeworth's notebook," he thought. "Diary? No. Story? No. Maybe song lyrics." Kay came back over, smiling. "He said I could partner with you!" "Cool. Um, Kay?" "Yeah?" "You're close with Edgeworth, right?" "Of course. He's like a big brother to me. Plus he called me his sis if you didn't hear that." "Do you know what he's writing in his notebooks?" "Oh yeah. His own song lyrics. He is obsessed with music. There's actually a music room I can show you later. It has a bunch of instruments. Edgeworth goes there when he's...more upset than usual." "Oh, alright. Thanks for everything, Kay." "Anytime Phoenix."
The coach blown into the whistle, signalling everybody to start the workout. Kay helped Phoenix along. "This isn't much different from training." "Yeah, except much easier." When they finished, everybody took a five minute break, then started the wrestling matches.
"Oh man. Shi-Long is going to kill me." "Don't have that attitude Phoenix. If you just last till the end, or even halfway through, you'll gain most people's respect." The coach tweeted the whistle, signaling that the match was over.
"Okaaayyy, Shi-Long! Who do you want to go against?" Shi-Long stepped onto the mat. "How about I give porcupine hair a nice welcome!" "First newbie, now porcupine." "You got this porcupine," Kay whispered, smiling. "Remember, Uchi Matta." Phoenix nodded and put his feet on the mat. Nobody cheered for anybody, afraid of Shi-Long Langs wrath.
"You ready boys?" Both nodded. "Go!" Phoenix immediately got low and bent his knees, hearing that Lang went for the legs. "You scared, porcupine?" Phoenix got ticked off and went for the move. He got the headlock and threw Shi-Long over his hip. He didn't pay attention to the surprised shouts. "Go Phoenix!" Kay shouted.
"American Lock, American Lock," Phoenix repeated in his head. Shi-Long was shocked when Phoenix threw him down, but recovered quickly. "Not today, pretty boy," he whispered. He put his forearm against Phoenix's neck making him choke. He then quickly got control of Phoenix's back. "Crap, cover your neck!" Phoenix quickly bent his elbow and placed the palm of his hand against the back of his head. Phoenix then put his other arm across his neck so Shi-Long wouldn't choke him. However, Shi-Long pushed his knuckles against the edge of Phoenix's jaw, making him move his head up. Phoenix quickly turned around while Shi-Long was distracted with his own hand.
Shi-Long's legs were still around Phoenix, controlling him, but Phoenix was on top now, his domain. Phoenix shoved his boney elbow right into Shi-Long's knee, his legs instantly opening. Phoenix didn't waste anytime jumping back into side control, grabbing Shi-Longs arm. When he went for Phoenix's neck again, Phoenix changed the side control position.
He pulled Shi-Longs arm and got his leg under, the leg wrapping over the top of Lang's arm. Phoenix then pushed up with his hip and down with the leg around the arm. Being the stubborn boy he is, Shi-Long just screamed out in anger and pain, not tapping to note the submission. The coach stopped the match.
The voices that had drowned out to Phoenix during his adrenaline rush returned for him to see several people clapping. "Go Phoenix!" Kay yelled. Shi-Long growled, up on his elbows, Phoenix's back to him. He lunged for Phoenix and pulled his legs out from under him, Phoenix's face hitting the ground. Phoenix answered with a kick to Shi-Long's stomach.
Gumshoe pulled Shi-Long to the side while Kay grabbed Phoenix while the two were separated. The coach pulled Shi-Long over.
"Phoenix...that was amazing! I didn't think you would last a whole round with him, much less submit. Are you okay, though?" "What do you mean?" Phoenix sniffed, realizing that it wasn't his allergies. The pain entered his face around his right eye and entire nose. "Here, lets get you to the medical area."
Kay walked Phoenix down the hall, still praising him. "I don't know what came over me. When Shi-Long got my back...that's actually the last thing I remember." "You went into beast mode after that! But just before you totally armbared Lang, I think I saw your bracelet glow a little. Might just be me, though." "Can the magnetama detect more than lies?" Phoenix asked himself. Despite the pain, he walked down the hallway, smiling with Kay.