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The ambience of the idle chatter of the gallery was a familiar sound to Phoenix’s ears, though it wasn’t unwelcome. Whispers, mutters, and even some shouts were all present, coming out of the curious onlookers’ mouths. Phoenix’s trials seemed to have more gallery members present these days, him becoming a local celebrity did seem to contribute to that, no matter how much Phoenix denied that. The noise of the courtroom used to stress him out, used to make him feel nervous about messing up a trial, and sometimes it even gave him a heart attack. Now, though? The sound was almost like music to his ears, familiar beautiful mundane music. It was almost calming, in a strange odd way.
Two of the gallery members were Franziska von Karma and Miles Edgeworth, Maya and Phoenix’s partners respectively. And of course, the two were dressed like they were the ones that was prosecuting poor Larry. The two prosecutors usually butted heads against Phoenix and Maya, and in the past they had both given the duo a hard time defending their clients. So, it sure was…odd seeing the two sitting in the gallery, cheering the defense duo on. The past Franziska and Miles would have rather died than cheer a defense attorney on, but here they were, cheering Phoenix on.
Maya waved at the two, and the two waved back at them.
“Maya! We have a trial!” Phoenix scolded.
“Oh! Sorry!” Maya apologized sheepishly
Phoenix shook his head, though he was smiling.
“You know, it’s neat to see Franziska and Edgeworth on the gallery chairs instead of the prosecution’s desk for a change.” Maya commented.
“Yeah, it’s nice to have them be in the courtroom without giving me a heart attack for once.” Phoenix joked.
Maya snickered.
Before the two could continue on with their conversation, the Judge banged his gavel, signifying the start of the trial. No time for goofing off now, it was time to get serious. Larry’s life was at stake in this trial…again. Phoenix and Maya straightened up their posture, turning to the Judge as he started to speak.
“Court is now in session for the trial of Larry Butz.” The Judge announced professionally, his voice booming in the courtroom.
“The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.” Winston Payne, the prosecutor in this trial, said.
“The defense is ready, Your Honor.” Phoenix replied back cooly.
“Oooh! You sound so confident, Nick!” Maya whispered to him. grinning. “Which makes sense, ‘cause you’ve been doing it for so long…”
Phoenix rolled his eyes, but he said nothing. He was grinning widely, though. For the first time in what felt like forever, he was prepared.
Payne gave Phoenix a smug smirk, cackling to himself. “Ha! We meet again, Mr. Wright! You may have won last time, and all the other times…but this time, I will best you!”
From where Phoenix and Maya stood, they could see Franziska groan and Edgeworth facepalm. Phoenix had to restrain himself from bursting out laughing then and there.
“He seems…eager to beat you.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
“I know, it’s so creepy.” Phoenix whispered back.
“Heh, maybe he’s in love with you!” Maya joked in a whisper.
“Well, too bad for him, I’m dating Edgeworth.” Phoenix quipped back.
Maya giggled.
When he Judge began talking again, both Maya and Phoenix turned to the Judge.
“Mr. Payne, your opening statement.” The Judge said.
“Of course, Your Honor.” Payne said with a nod. “Late last night, an anonymous tipper called the police to inform them that the defendant was murdering his boss. His boss, Cedar Oakley, owned the flower shop “Oakley’s Flowers & Botanicals”. The defendant murdered the victim yesterday night, at 7:32 PM.”
“Carry on.” The Judge said.
“To better visualize how the murder happened, I would like to show a floor plan of the upstairs of the building.” Payne continued, taking out a floor plan of the second floor. He pointed to a spot in front of the stairs. “The defendant was stood here, in front of the victim, at point blank range. The victim, was stood right here.“ He pointed to the spot behind where Larry was supposedly standing. “They were both standing in front of each other. The defendant shot the victim through the front, and hit his heart.”
“Wow, he came prepared. He must really wanna beat you.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
Payne put the floor plan down on his desk, and he smugly smirked. “The prosecution will prove that the guilty party is none other than the defendant!”
The Judge nodded. “I see. The prosecution may call their first witness to the stand.”
Payne smirked. “The prosecution would like to call the defendant, Larry Butz, to the stand.”
Edgeworth groaned, so loud that it could even be heard all the way to the defense’s bench. Franziska facepalmed.
“Oh boy…” Maya muttered to herself.
“…Honestly, I should have expected this.” Phoenix whispered to Maya.
Maya nodded solemnly.
The entire courtroom watched as Larry was dragged from the defendant’s chair to the witness stand. Earlier in the defendant lobby Larry had been crying, absolutely miserable, and he kept blabbing on and on about his horrible, bad luck. Which if Phoenix was going to be honest, was accurate, since Larry had been accused of murder a second time. Though, thankfully when he was brought to the stand, he wasn’t crying anymore. Phoenix watched as Larry just stood at the witness stand awkwardly, looking away from the questioning gaze of everyone in the courtroom and with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Witness, your name and occupation.” Payne requested.
Larry looked back at the courtroom, smiling awkwardly. “Larry Butz. I’m a children’s book illustrator! And uh…” He scratched the back of his neck. “…I’m a security guard too, I guess.”
“You worked for Cedar Oakley, yes?”
Larry hesitated, and then nodded. “Yeah, dude…?”
“The prosecution would like you to testify about the events of the night of the murder.” Payne commanded.
“Yes, please testify about the events of the night.”
Larry seemed confused, but he then just shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”
“Good luck, Nick.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
Phoenix nodded, though he knew that he wouldn’t be needing said luck.
Witness Testimony
—Larry’s Perspective—
“Okay so like…it was kind of a weird day for me, dude.” Larry started. “Mr. Oakley was acting kind of weird all day. He was sorta…distracted, like something was on his mind? I dunno, honestly. The other employee there, Mace, he was gone the entire afternoon. I also had lost my gun that afternoon, I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I tried to find it. Strange day, overall.”
“Maya, take note of that.” Phoenix whispered to Maya.
Maya was confused. “Take note of what?”
“Larry losing his gun.” Phoenix clarified in a whisper.
Maya was confused, but she let it go. “…Okay.”
“Anyway, later that night while I was waiting up for Mr. Oakley to finally close the shop so I could go home, I heard a loud bang!” Larry continued. “It came from the second floor, so I went upstairs. Before I could see anything, I was tackled to the ground by Mace. We fought for a bit, and I saw my gun on the ground again at one point? Anyways, after that the cops came and I was arrested.”
Phoenix wrote down Larry’s testimony, making sure to take note of the most important parts, especially what he had told Maya to take note of. He looked up just in time to hear Larry continue his testimony.
“I don’t know why everyone thinks I did it, I had no reason to kill the guy. Like, he was a bit of a weirdo, but I didn’t hate him. So…that’s it, I guess. That’s what happened last night.” Larry finished.
The Judge listened to the entire testimony with his eyes closed, opening them once Larry was done with his testimony. “I see. Mr. Wright, you may now begin your cross examination.”
Cross Examination
—Larry’s Perspective—
“How was Mr. Oakley acting that morning? In what way was he “acting weird”?” Phoenix asked first.
“Huh? Hmm...” Larry thought about it for a moment, and then answered. “Like, he was acting sorta…spaced out I guess? Like, a lot was on his mind. He’s usually a really observant guy, but he kept forgetting stuff.”
“How long was the other employee gone?” Phoenix asked.
“Uhh, like, a long time?” Larry answered uncertainly. “He was gone for like, the entire afternoon I think. I only saw him when he tackled me.”
“I see.” Phoenix said with a nod, then asking. “What time did you lose your gun?”
“I guess like…1:20 PM? After lunch, I’d say.” Larry replied.
“Objection!” Payne yelled, his voice high pitched and screechy. “This is not relevant to the case at hand!”
“G-Geez! Just let me cross examine Larry!” Phoenix said.
Payne laughed mockingly. “Alright, I will. But only because it’s entertaining seeing you struggle.”
“Creep…” Maya murmured to herself.
The Judge nodded. “Of course you may cross examine the witness, but only ask questions that are relevant, Mr. Wright.”
Phoenix rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore that. He continued on with his cross examination. “When you heard the loud bang, did you immediately go upstairs?”
Larry nodded. “Yeah, dude! Why wouldn’t I? When you hear a loud noise, you immediately go to it!”
“That is very good advice, Mr. Butz!” The Judge exclaimed.
“…Those two are definitely dying first in a horror movie.” Maya joked to Phoenix in a whisper.
Phoenix tried his hardest not to laugh, composing himself and asking his next question. “How long did it take for the police to come?”
“Like…five minutes I think?” Larry guessed.
“Wow! That’s a short time!” The Judge commented.
“Yeah, kinda weird how quick they came though…”
Phoenix rubbed his chin, making sure to take note of that. “What do you mean when you said that you had no reason to kill the victim?”
Larry thought about that for a few moments, and then answered. “Well, I know how these trials work now ‘cause of you Nick, and I know that the accused people usually need a motive. I don’t have a motive. Like, I don’t know why I’d want my own boss dead. He pays me, for Christ’s sake!”
Before Phoenix could say anything else, Payne butted in. He slammed his fists on the desk as he made his objection. “Objection! The defendant is lying! He does in fact have a motive!”
“No I don’t!” Larry said.
“Have you not fought with the victim before? Specifically about your salary?” Payne asked.
Larry hesitated, before continuing. “Uh, yeah! I’ve fought with him before, but I didn’t murder the guy!”
Payne smirked. “Then why is your fingerprints on the murder weapon?”
“W-Well! It’s my gun! Of course it’ll have my fingerprints!“ Larry argued.
“Not only is the defendant’s fingerprints on the murder weapon, but we also have another witness!” Payne continued.
Larry gulped. “Y-You do?”
“He does?” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
“Yeah…he does.” Phoenix whispered back.
“…Shit.”
The gallery all erupted into loud hushed whispers with each other, all of them talking within each other. They all seemed convinced, except for Edgeworth and Franziska. Phoenix knew that they were dying to object, but at the same time they were aware that Phoenix could handle it. The noise that the gallery generated was practically deafening. Phoenix was sure he couldn’t hear the sound of his own voice over the noise even if he screamed the loudest scream he could ever scream.
“Order! Order in the court!” The Judge demanded, banging his gavel. When the court had all became silent, he turned to Payne. “You have another witness, you say?”
Payne nodded. “Yes, another witness. This witness has seen both the defendant and victim fighting both times about the defendant’s salary. Not only that, but he is also a coworker of the defendant’s.”
The Judge nodded. “I see. Please, bring this witness to the stand.”
Payne glanced at Phoenix, giving Phoenix a smug smirk. “Of course, Your Honor.”
Phoenix rubbed at his forehead, already feeling a headache coming.
“Well, you know what they say! It gets worse before it gets better!” Maya said, trying to lighten the mood.
“…Hopefully.” Phoenix said.
“The prosecution would like to call Mace Reeds to the stand.” Payne
Larry stepped out of the stand, and then he was quickly replaced by another man. The man was pale and small in stature, only about the same height as Maya. Mace seemed like a timid man, which was evident by the way that he carried himself. He had a light pink cat beanie on his head, which failed to hide his hair. His hair was a dark brown, though the tips of it were dyed a light green. The outfit the man was wearing was…odd to say the least. He wore a light brown turtleneck sweater, with a dark green coat and pants with the same color. Overall, he was a very strange looking man. Though, Phoenix knew that he couldn’t talk with his own hairstyle.
“Witness, state your name and occupation.” Payne requested.
“H-Huh? Me? O-Oh...” Mace coughed into his hand awkwardly. When he spoke, his voice was soft and light. “I-I’m…My name is Mace Reeds. I uh, work at “Oakley’s Flowers & Botanicals”…I work as a cashier and general worker, I guess…”
“…Wow, he seems like he’d shatter if I poked him.” Maya commented.
“Maybe…” Phoenix added.
“You’ve seen the defendant fight the victim about his salary, yes?” Payne asked.
“Y-Yeah. I u-uh, err, saw them fight…They fight a lot.” Mace said, mumbling out the last part.
The Judge nodded. “I see. Please testify to the court about the defendant’s motive.”
“Okay…”
Witness Testimony
—Larry’s Motive—
“L-Larry…he’s uh, he’s a nice guy really, a little intense but he’s still really nice…” Mace started, fiddling with the hem of his coat. “U-Um, he never seemed like the type to hurt someone…Until I saw him uh, g-get violent.”
“…Get violent?” Maya whispered to Phoenix, confused. “I know Larry is…Larry, but he isn’t violent.”
“I know. Maybe Mace is trying to portray as a bad guy so everyone believes that he did it, and then getting him thrown in jail.” Phoenix whispered back.
The Judge watched this all with a shocked expression on his face. “Violent, oh my!”
“…Seems like it’s working.” Maya commented in a whisper.
“U-Um, they first fought around 2 weeks ago…” Mace continued. “Err, they fought about their salary and all…Larry was really scary when he um, he fought about it. I-I guess that’s his motive for murder? Larry and Mr. Oakley really um, don’t like each other. In fact, I uh, I think Larry hates Mr. Oakley’s guts? I don’t know…I, err, don’t think they’ve made up yet…” He then finished, though he continued to fiddle with his coat.
“I see, so the motive of the defendant’s murder was his salary…” The Judge closed his eyes, thinking on it for a bit. After a moment, he opened his eyes. “Very well. Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross examination.”
Cross Examination
—Larry’s Motive—
“What do you mean when you say that my client is intense?” Phoenix asked first.
“O-Oh. He just…shouts a lot and he’s…intense I guess?” Mace answered uncertainly.
“WHAT’S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!” Larry shouted from the defendant’s chair.
Mace flinched. “Y-Yeah, intense…”
“Larry is not helping our case.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
“I know.” Phoenix whispered back, then turning to Mace. “So, the victim and defendant fought 2 weeks ago, correct?”
Mace hesitated, and then nodded. “U-Um, yeah…”
“Ask him about when they first fought.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
Phoenix nodded, and he turned to Mace and asked. “How did the first fight start?”
“I uh, wasn’t there for when they, you know, first started fighting?” Mace rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Err, I was upstairs tending to some plants, then I heard some shouting downstairs. I um, came down and saw them screaming at each other…That’s it.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but smile slightly, a plan already formulated in his mind. “And you claim that Larry and the victim haven’t made up since?”
Mace hesitated, and then nodded. “U-Uh, yeah. It seems that way, I guess…”
“Ohhhh, Mr. Reeds messed up big time!” Maya whispered to Phoenix, excited. “Come on, Nick! Deliver the killing blow!”
Phoenix smirked. He slammed his palms on the desk, the slam making a loud sound. “Hold it! I’m sorry Mr. Reeds, but I’m afraid that’s where you’re wrong.”
“What?” Mace said, shocked. Phoenix swore he could see his eye twitch.
“My client and the victim have in fact made up with each other.” Phoenix said. “They have for a long time, actually.”
The gallery all exploded into conversation, talking with each other about this new revelation. Edgeworth beamed at Phoenix, proud. Franziska on the other hand, seemed slightly impressed. Which was good thing, seeing as who Franziska was.
“Order! Order in the court!” The Judge commanded. Once the court was silent, he turned to Phoenix. “Is what you’re saying true, Mr. Wright?”
Phoenix nodded. “Yes it is, Your Honor.”
“Objection! This isn’t relevant to the case at hand!” Payne yelled.
“Objection!” Phoenix yelled back, slamming his palms on the desk again. “It is important! If my client and the victim have already made up, then there’s no reason for Larry to have killed him!”
Payne winced. “Oof!”
“W-Well? Do you have proof?” Mace stammered.
That was the biggest mistake Mace had made ever since this trial started.
Well, that and coming to the trial in the first place.
“Actually, I do.” Phoenix said.
“You…you do?!”
“Yes, I do.” Phoenix reached over to his bag, taking out a small painted flowerpot with a yellow flower planted in it. He placed it on the bench, showing it off to the court. “This is my proof.”
Now Mace was just confused. “A…flowerpot?”
“Oh my!” The Judge exclaimed. “Such a pretty pot! And such a pretty flower too!”
“This flower pot was given to Larry five days after his argument with the victim.” Phoenix said, then pointing to the note attached to the flower’s stalk. “The victim even wrote a note as an apology for the fight.”
Mace said nothing, though the glare in his eyes was hateful enough to burn a whole through concrete.
“Wh-What?!” Payne stammered. “Objection! I wasn’t made aware of this!”
“Objection overruled.” The Judge said, then asking Phoenix. “Please Mr. Wright, read what the note says.”
Phoenix nodded, leaning over and reading aloud what was written on the note. “Dear Larry, I’m sorry about our fight a few days ago. I loved the new coat you gave me, it’s beautiful. I hope our gift exchange is enough to put this behind us. Yours Truly, Cedar Oakley.”
“Oh wow, how thoughtful of Mr. Oakley!” The Judge exclaimed.
“And Larry, too.” Phoenix added.
Mace frowned, the timidness now gone from his voice. “What does this prove, exactly?”
“It proves that Larry isn’t mad anymore, duh!” Maya shot back at Mace.
Phoenix nodded. “Just as Maya says.”
Mace seemed to catch himself, his voice going back to the timidness there before. “I-I mean, well…it, uh, doesn’t prove that Larry still err, isn’t mad at Mr. Oakley…”
“Well…Larry took care of it, so it must mean something to him.” Phoenix pointed out.
“That guy killed a plastic plant once. The fact that this flower is still alive means that it has sentimental value to him.” Maya added.
“S-Still! It uh, doesn’t prove anything! For uh, all we know, Larry could be y’know…ass kissing.” Mace said.
Maya raised a brow. “I thought you liked Larry.”
“I-I do! Just uh, there are lots of um, err, possibilities…you know?”
“…I don’t know, actually.” Maya said.
Mace’s eye twitched slightly again. “W-Well, whether I uh, like him or not doesn’t really um, matter that much. Err, him not having a uh, motive doesn’t matter too. I err, I saw him murder Mr. Oakley. That’s what uh, matters right?”
Payne nodded. “Of course, the fact that the witness saw the murder is all that matters.”
“I see.” The Judge said, seemingly convinced.
“This is not looking good for you.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
“I know.” Phoenix whispered back to Maya.
“Please testify to the court about what you witnessed, Mr. Reeds.” The Judge requested.
“Oh, uh, of course Your Honor.” Mace said with a nod.
Witness Testimony
—Cedar and Larry’s Fight—
“U-Um, it was I think…night when it happened? Yes I uh, think it was night time if I remember correctly…It was uhh, real late when it happened. I err, usually stay uh, late at the flower shop cleaning, you know? As I was uh, cleaning the downstairs shop I, I heard angry fighting and stuff.” Mace started.
“No contradictions so far.” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
Phoenix nodded, listening intently to Mace.
“So I uh, went upstairs when I heard the err, fight getting louder?” Mace continued, starting to play with the hem of his coat again. “I was uh, really scared, but I err, pushed through…When I you know, was upstairs, I found Larry standing over Mr. Oakley. Mr. Oakley was uh…dead.” He shuddered, starting to shake slightly. “I uh, saw his cold dead eyes. It was…scary.”
“You know, liar or not, this guy is a good actor.” Maya commented to Phoenix in a whisper.
Phoenix rolled his eyes. “Now is not the time, Maya.”
“The two were err, facing each other.” Mace said, shaking less now. “Uh, the bullet went through the front and shot his heart, yeah. I err, saw the bullet wound…It was uh, terrifying. It was uh, really big. Larry was um, real close when he shot Mr. Oakley.”
Phoenix stroked his chin, thinking about Mace’s testimony. Something about it seemed…off, but he wasn’t sure. But then, he realized it.
Mace had just made a huge mistake.
“Nick!” Maya whispered to Phoenix. “Didn’t the autopsy report say that he was shot from behind?”
Phoenix smirked. “It did.”
Maya grinned. “Oooh! He made a contradiction! Glad I caught it.”
“I’m proud of you, Maya.” Phoenix said. Other times he would have been sarcastic, but now he wasn’t.
“Some part of me uh, kinda took over? I err, immediately tackled Larry and um, restrained him. It was…weird, I’m not usually physical. And that’s uh, it.” Mace finished.
The Judge listened to the entire testimony with his eyes closed. He opened them once Mace was done. “So the defendant shot the victim from the front, and when you went upstairs, you tackled and restrained him?”
Mace nodded. “Y-Yes, Your Honor.”
“I see…” The Judge then turned to Phoenix. “Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross examination.”
“Gladly, Your Honor.”
Cross Examination
—Cedar and Larry’s Fight—
Phoenix immediately struck his palm against his desk, turning to Mace with a questioning glare. “Mr. Reeds, are you sure that the bullet wound entered through the front?”
Mace frowned. “Y-Yes, I’m uh…sure. Why uh, bring it up?”
Phoenix grinned confidently. “Because Mr. Reeds, you’re wrong.”
“Heh! You show em, Nick!” Maya cheered on.
“What?!” Mace hissed.
“I’d like to present the autopsy report of Cedar Oakley.” Phoenix said, taking out the autopsy report from his bag. He flipped through it, and then he read aloud. “Victim was shot through the back, hitting his heart. He died almost immediately.”
The gallery all erupted into an explosion of murmuring and talking with each other. At some point, Edgeworth had started clapping. Franziska groaned softly, though she eventually started to clap with him.
“O-Order! Order in the court!” The Judge demanded, banging his gavel several timed. The gallery quickly went silent after that, including Edgeworth and Franziska. The Judge turned to Phoenix, his eyes wide. “Mr. Wright, you make an excellent point!”
“O-Objection! That is baseless!” Payne tried.
“I assure you, it’s quite based!” Phoenix shot back.
“Maybe there’s an explanation for that!” Payne argued.
Phoenix raised a brow. “Do you have an explanation for it then, Mr. Payne?”
Payne winced. “Oof!”
Phoenix turned to Mace, and he banged his fists on his desk. “Do you have an explanation for that, Mr. Reeds?”
Mace ground his teeth, glaring directly at Phoenix. His glare was hateful, his eyes full on twitching now. Though, he seemed to catch himself, and Phoenix could see the way Mace forced his anger down. “O-Oh, maybe he uh…pushed him? And uh, that’s why the bullet maybe…was from behind?”
The Judge nodded. “That seems like a reasonable explanation.”
“Damn.” Phoenix cursed. “I almost got him.”
Maya scratched her cheek in thought, then she thought up of something. She turned to Phoenix. “Hey Nick, remember when we first met Franziska?”
Phoenix looked at Maya, confused. “You mean when she tried to get you arrested, right?”
“Yeah, that. Remember the trial? About the…gunpowder burn?”
“What are you-“ Phoenix began, but he stopped himself when he realized what Maya was getting it. “Maya! You don’t mean…”
Maya nodded. “Yeah, I mean that! Mace’s coat had a bullet wound, but not a gunpowder burn.”
“Not only that, but Mr. Oakley was shot from behind…” Phoenix added. He took out a pencil from his bag, circling the spot where Cedar supposedly was. “So, Mr. Oakley was stood over here. The shooter had to have been behind Mr. Oakley, and far away enough to not cause a gunpowder burn.”
Maya looked over at the floor plan, pointing to the pile of boxes behind Cedar. “Which means that the only place for the shooter could have been is here. The boxes are far away enough from where he was standing to not cause a burn, and it’s the only place the real killer could have shot from.”
Phoenix’s mind slowly put it all together, the puzzle in his mind fitting together nicely. “That’s where we also found the gloves.”
Maya gasped. “Nick! That means that the…”
“…The gloves belonged to the real killer!” Phoenix finished for her. “Maya, we found a contradiction!”
“What are you waiting for, Nick? Stick it to em!” Maya said excitedly.
Phoenix nodded, turning to Mace. He banged his fist against the desk. “Mr. Reeds!”
Mace flinched. “U-Um…yeah?”
“How close would you say Larry was when he shot Mr. Oakley?” Phoenix asked.
Mace bit his lip, thinking about it. “U-Uh, really close. Like uh, only a few inches away? It’s called point blank, I uh think?”
At that, Phoenix grinned. “Are you sure?”
“I am…” Mace trailed off, frowning. “Uh, why is this important?”
“Well, if Larry shot Mr. Oakley at point blank range, then where is the gunpowder burn on the bullet hole?”
“G-Gunpowder burn?”
Phoenix nodded. “Yes, gunpowder burn.” He said, and then began to explain. “When something is shot from point blank, a burn area is left around the bullet hole.”
“A-And this is relevant how…?” Mace said, confused.
“I’d like to request for the bailiff to bring me the coat that the victim was wearing on the time of the murder.” Phoenix requested.
“What are you-“ Payne started, but then he realized what Phoenix was getting at. “Wait…no!”
The Judge looked confused at first, but he nodded. “Of course, Mr. Wright.” He turned to the nearest bailiff. “Please, bring Mr. Wright the coat.”
The bailiff nodded back, taking the coat from the evidence and then handing it to Phoenix. Phoenix picked up the coat, showing off the coat for the entire courtroom to see. There was a big bullet hole on the back of the coat, but there was a lack of something, which was a gunpowder burn.
“Wh-Why are you um, showing us this…?” Mace too was confused, but he eventually got it. “…Oh my god.”
“You see what I’m getting at, Mr. Reeds?” Phoenix said, smirking.
“Just…just what are you trying to say?!” Mace demanded, the timidness having gone from his voice completely now. “Are you suggesting that I’m…lying?”
“I’m claiming that loud and clear, Mr. Reeds.” Phoenix said.
“You’re a big, fat, stinking liar!” Maya added.
Mace glared at the two of them, and if looks could kill then Phoenix and Maya would have been in double hell. “Well then, I’d like to ask you a question Mr. Wright!”
“Eek! Why are witnesses and killers so persistent!” Maya whispered to Phoenix.
“I don’t know.” Phoenix whispered to Maya, then turning to Mace. “And what is that?”
“Why is any of this important?!” Mace said, his eye full on twitching erratically. “It’s obvious! That stupid Butz with his stupid fucking face killed him! That bastard killed him! So why the fuck is any of this bullshit important in the first place?!”
The entire courtroom all gasped, clearly shocked and terrified at Mace’s outburst. Even the Judge seemed shocked, staring on at Mace with his eyes wide. Larry was terrified too, though Edgeworth and Franziska just looked unimpressed. Phoenix saw Franziska whisper something to Edgeworth, and then Edgeworth laughing. Phoenix mentally made note to ask Edgeworth what she had said later.
“Order! Order in the court!” The Judge demanded, banging his gavel. Once the court had calmed down, he turned to Mace. “Please, Mr. Reeds, control your outbursts!”
Mace directed his glare to the Judge. “Oh to hell with you, you fucking stupid old senile man!”
The Judge whimpered.
“…Scary.” Maya whispered.
“I think we found Mr. Reeds’ true nature now.” Phoenix whispered back to Maya.
“Real angry dude?”
“Real angry dude.”
Maya nodded solemnly.
“B-But the witness does have a point, Your Honor!” Payne chimed in. “None of what Mr. Wright has said is important! They could all easily be explained away!”
“Exactly that! But everyone in this courtroom is too stupid to see that!” Mace said.
Phoenix turned back to Mace and Payne. “Normally, all the weird things wouldn’t matter, on their own. However, when they all add up? That’s when it turns from a mere contradiction to something more nefarious going on. With every little contradiction together, there’s only one explanation."
“And that is?”
“Larry is being framed.” Phoenix stated simply.
Mace’s eyes widened in shock for a moment, but that shock quickly went away. He scoffed. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Yes, it’s ridiculous!” Payne added.
“May I remind you that this isn’t the first time Larry has been framed for a murder he didn’t commit? And with you as the prosecution, no less?” Phoenix said.
“OH SNAP!” Larry had shouted.
“Th-That’s just a coincidence!” Payne yelled, starting to sweat.
“Who the hell cares about that stupid prosecutor?!” Mace yelled. “If you’re so right, then I have another question for you! If you’re right about Larry being framed, then where the hell would the real killer even hide? Mr. Oakley would have noticed if someone was there.”
The Judge nodded. “The witness is right, Mr. Wright. Where would the real killer have been during the day of the murder?”
Mace laughed mockingly. “Ha! I bet you can’t answer that question!”
Maya grinned. “Nick! This is your time to shine!”
Phoenix grinned back, then turning to the rest of the court. “I can answer that question, actually.”
Mace stopped in his tracks. “You…you can?”
Phoenix nodded. “Yes, I can. To illustrate my point, I’d like to have a floor plan of the second floor.”
The Judge nodded, turning to a bailiff. “Please, give Mr. Wright a copy of the floor plan.”
The bailiff took a copy of the floor plan, handing it to Phoenix.
Phoenix took the floor plan, showing it off to the court. He pointed to the pile of boxes behind where Cedar was. “This is the only place where the real killer could have been.”
Mace visibly paled.
“But, that’s…” The Judge trailed off.
“…A pile of boxes?” Payne finished for the Judge uncertainly.
Mace looked completely terrified.
Phoenix nodded. “Yes, a pile of boxes, behind and a few feet away from the victim. The boxes are far away enough to not leave a gunpowder burn.”
“Objection!” Payne yelled. “That’s…that’s ridiculous! This is outrageous! How could someone even fit in a box?”
Phoenix slammed his fists on the desk. “Objection! Someone could totally fit in a cardboard box! Especially if the box is big, which there was one at the scene of the crime!”
Payne winced. “Oof!”
“Where’s your proof?!” Mace demanded
Phoenix smirked, then taking out a pair of black gloves from his bag. “This is my proof.”
Mace’s jaw dropped.
“A pair of gloves…?” The Judge inquired, confused.
Payne too, was confused. “What does this have to do with the trial, exactly?”
“Well, I found these gloves inside one of the cardboard boxes at the scene of the crime. The one big enough to hold a person in it.” Phoenix said.
“…No.” Mace murmured, terror in his eyes.
“Exactly where the real killer could have hidden, as I have explained.” Phoenix continued.
“NO!” Mace screamed.
“Order! Order in the court!” The Judge commanded as the court all began to get noisy. Once the court was silent again, he turned to Phoenix with a shocked expression. “Mr. Wright…are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Phoenix nodded. “Yes, Your Honor. I am.”
“O-Objection!” Payne objected. “It’s impossible to know who these gloves belong to!”
“No it isn’t!” Maya shot back in a yell. “Just check it for fingerprints!”
The Judge nodded. “Ms. Fey does have a point.”
“W-Well! How about how the real killer got in? They obviously wouldn’t have gotten in without help from an employee! They’d need an accomplice!” Payne argued.
“And they did.” Phoenix said, directing his gaze to Mace.
“W-Wait! Mr. Wright…” The Judge trailed off, and then he burst out. “You’re not saying that Mr. Reeds is an accomplice, are you?”
Phoenix nodded. “I am saying exactly that, Your Honor. Mr. Reeds and the real killer both conspired to kill Mr. Oakley…and then frame Larry!”
The court all erupted into chaos, and they were only silenced by the banging of the Judge’s gavel.
“Order! I will have order in the court!” The Judge demanded.
“I think it happened like this.” Phoenix said, as he began to explain. “Mr. Reeds let the real killer inside the building, that was when he was gone from the shop, as Larry had stated in his testimony. The real killer hid in one of the cardboard boxes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The real killer had Larry’s gun, which Mr. Reeds stole from Larry, and that’s why Larry lost his gun. At night, before Mr. Oakley can close the shop and go home Mr. Reeds takes Mr. Oakley to the upstairs and talks with him.”
Mace was gripping the hem of his coat, staring down at the ground. His beanie covered his eyes, and that made his expression unreadable.
“That’s when the real killer shoots Mr. Oakley with Larry’s gun! Larry hears the noise and goes upstairs, and Mr. Reeds tackles him!” Phoenix continued. “The real killer goes to a payphone as an anonymous tipper to get the police to the shop. The police arrive, and Mr. Reeds accuses Larry of murdering Mr. Oakley. Thus! The two get away with Mr. Oakley’s murder!”
The Judge listened to this in a stunned silence. “Oh my! That does explain it!”
Mace said nothing.
“Mr. Reeds…?”
Phoenix slammed his palms on the desk. “Mr. Reeds! What do you have to say for yourself?”
Mace looked up, and the rage was evident from the expression on his face as he roared. “I….you…fucking…you fucking BASTARD!”
The court all gasped, and they all watched in horror as Mace lost his temper.
“You…You couldn’t just let your stupid friend go to jail like he deserves!” Mace snarled. “You think you know everything, don’t you?! Well! If you know everything, then let me ask this! What the hell would be our motive?! We have no reason for Mr. Oakley to die, none!”
“Th-This is true!” Payne stammered. “Mr. Reeds has no motive!”
The Judge nodded. “That is true. Your opinion on this, Mr. Wright?”
“Let me think about it, Your Honor.” Phoenix said.
“I’ll give you five minutes.”
Phoenix nodded, turning to Maya. “Any ideas, Maya?”
Maya shook her head. “Nope, not a single one.”
“Hmm…” Phoenix stroked his chin in thought, thinking about the trial so far. They had used up all the evidence, except for one…At that, Phoenix almost gasped. He got it! “Maya! I think I got it!”
“Really? That’s awesome, Nick!” Maya exclaimed, and then she asked. “What’s their motive then, Nick?”
“Before I reveal that, I want to ask you something. Remember the letter we found? The one in the coat on the coat rack?”
“The letter…?” Maya said at first, but then she got it. “Oh! The letter!”
“Remember what the letter said?”
“Something about feeling guilty for crimes, right?”
Phoenix nodded. “Right, and who signed the letter?”
“Aspen Byrch, heir to the Byrch family.” Maya answered.
“And who’s handwriting does it look like?”
“What do you-“ Maya gasped. “It looks like Mr. Oakley’s! Oh my god, Cedar Oakley is really Aspen Byrch!”
“And that means…?” Phoenix paused expectantly.
“That Mr. Reeds and this mysterious shooter-“ Maya continued.
“-were ordered to kill Mr. Byrch!” Phoenix and Maya said in unison.
“Oh my god, Nick! We cracked this thing wide open!”
Phoenix nodded, turning to the rest of the court. “Your Honor! I have an explanation for the motive!”
“Ha! Let’s hear this, then!” Mace sneered.
“Oh?” The Judge said, intrigued. “What is it then, Mr. Wright?”
“It has to do with one thing, and one thing only. The victim’s name.” Phoenix said.
“The victim’s name…?” The Judge trailed off.
Mace’s eyes widened, he seemed to know where this was going.
“Yes, the victim’s name.” Phoenix smirked. “Or rather…the victim’s real name.”
“Wh-What are you trying to say, Mr. Wright?!” Payne said.
“You see, we’ve all made a complete error here, about the victim’s real name. Cedar Oakley isn’t his real name, but simply…an alias.”
“An alias?” The Judge said.
Phoenix nodded, then taking out a piece of paper. “Yes, an alias. Mr. Oakley said so in this letter, which I found in his coat on the coat rack at the shop.”
Mace’s heart visibly dropped.
“O-Objection!” Payne yelled. “There’s no proof that this is Mr. Oakley’s!”
“Objection! There is!” Phoenix shouted back. “This letter and the letter Mr. Oakley gave to Larry have the exact same handwriting, thus proving that this is Mr. Oakley’s!”
Payne winced. “Oof!”
“Carry on, Mr. Wright.” The Judge said.
“Of course, Your Honor.” Phoenix said, and he then turned to Mace. “Do you know who signed the letter? The letter with the same handwriting as Cedar Oakley?”
Mace trembled, unable to make a response.
“The letter was signed by Aspen Byrch.”
The entire courtroom gasped at that, and they all began talking to each other. The Judge was so shocked that he forgot to demand order in the court.
Payne’s own eyes were wide. “You don’t mean…”
“Aspen Byrch, the son of the Douglas and Ellery Byrch, one of the biggest organized crime groups in this city?!” The Judge burst out.
Phoenix nodded. “I mean exactly that.”
“But…but what does this have to do with Mr. Reeds’ motive?” Payne asked.
“He doesn’t have a motive…because he was ordered to kill Mr. Byrch, by someone who does have a motive.” Phoenix said.
“Wh…Wh…” Mace stammered, and then screamed. “WHAT?!”
“That’s right, Mr. Reeds and the mysterious killer were ordered to murder Mr. Byrch.”
There was total fear in Mace’s face as he watched Phoenix continue to talk. This wasn’t the fake, manufactured timidness he exhibited earlier. This was real, raw, unfiltered fear.
“The only people who would want Cedar Oakley, who we now know as Apsen Byrch, is-“
The sound of a gunshot rang through the courtroom, the sound clearer than a crystal and louder than a roar. Then, came the hot, searing, horrible pain in Phoenix’s left shoulder.
“NICK!” Maya and Larry screamed, though Phoenix could barely hear it.
Nothing in Phoenix’s life could have prepared for the goddamn pain. It was like his nerve endings had erupted, hot lava pouring out from his veins and then into the rest of his body, and not in a good way! The rest of his body felt numb, it was as if the only part that his body could feel was his shoulder, and boy did it feel. At some point Phoenix had fallen to the ground, though he wasn’t even sure when that happened. He could see Maya, fear, desperation, and pure horror in her face as she tried to help Phoenix. Phoenix wanted to comfort her and tell her that he was going to be okay, but the pain made it hard to even just think, much less comfort a person.
Edgeworth was already beside Phoenix, though when he got here Phoenix was unsure. He knelt down beside Phoenix, and the overwhelming concern on his face was evident. “Wright! Speak to me, how are you feeling?”
“I got shot in the fucking shoulder, Edgeworth!” Phoenix shouted, holding on to his shoulder and sucking in a breath of pain. “Dammit! It hurts so much!”
Maya could do nothing but helplessly watch, her eyes wide from fear and shock.
Franziska, who Phoenix also didn’t know how had gotten here, had pulled his hand away from the wound. “Don’t hold it like that, you fool! You’ll make the wound hurt more!”
“B-But aren’t you supposed to apply pressure on bullet wounds?!” Maya said, finally finding her voice again.
“Not like how the fool is doing it!”
Phoenix could barely register the panicked shouts of everyone in the court, nor could he process the loud banging of the gavel or the Judge’s demands for order. All he could think about was the pain, the terrible aching sharp pain in his left shoulder. He couldn’t even process Franziska, Maya or Edgeworth around him, all panicking on what to do. He even heard Maya scream for someone to call an ambulance, though he wasn’t sure if that was just his mind playing tricks on him or not. The pain was so unbearable that his vision had started fading in and out.
At some point, Phoenix Wright had passed out from the pain.
━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━
When Phoenix woke up, the pain was still there. From the blurry silhouettes that he could see, which were slowly getting clearer and clearer, he could see that Maya, Franziska, and Edgeworth were inside…whatever they were inside in. The pain didn’t help though, and neither how uncomfortable he felt. Whatever he was lying on was uncomfortable, and whatever he was riding was bumpy…Wait, bumpy? Slowly, Phoenix’s mind put everything together, though the pain on his shoulder made his mind foggy and not work. He tried to sit up, though that caused the pain in his shoulder to sharpen, and he loudly groaned in response. When he groaned, the heads of Franziska, Edgeworth, and Maya all turned to him, and Phoenix could see the relief on their faces.
“N-Nick! You’re awake!” Maya exclaimed.
“Where…where am I?” Phoenix asked, a little dazed.
“You’re in an ambulance, Wright.” Edgeworth answered.
“We’re escorting you to the emergency room, Phoenix Wright.” Franziska added.
Phoenix blinked blearily, the sound of the ambulance hurting his ears.. He examined his surroundings, and he found no sign of Larry. “Where’s Larry…?”
Franziska frowned. “That’s not important at this moment.”
“But…he’ll be in the detention center-“ Phoenix tried, but he was cut off.
“Wright, shut up.” Edgeworth said.
At that, Phoenix shut up. He couldn’t have argued even more even if he wanted to, everything hurt too much. Now that the fog in Phoenix’s mind was starting to clear, he had noticed how worried everyone looked. Maya, Edgeworth, and most surprisingly Franziska all looked haggard, the stress and worry evident on their faces. The latter was the most surprising, as she never showed any kind of concern for Phoenix, ever. Phoenix wanted to comfort them, tell them that everything was going to be fine, though the unbearable pain in his shoulder made that hard to do.
He tried to sit up again, though it again made his wound hurt even more. He was unable to hold in the groan that escaped his lips as the pain shot through his entire body. At the groan, Maya frowned and then took Phoenix by the shoulder, gently keeping him down.
“Don’t try to force it, Nick. Just lay down and try to relax okay?” Maya said.
“Okay okay…” Phoenix laid back down, trying to get comfortable again. It was hard, seeing as how uncomfortable and hard the stretcher was.
Maya smiled softly at Phoenix. “Are you okay, Nick?”
“Aside from being shot in the shoulder? I’m fine.” Phoenix said sarcastically, though the pain made it hard to speak.
“Nick…” Maya laughed a little, though the laugh was sad. “You can still joke.”
Edgeworth frowned. “Now is not the time for jokes, Wright.”
“Hardly the time, fool.” Franziska added.
The ambulance drive there all seemed like a blur, and before Phoenix knew it his stretcher was being dragged through a hospital hallway. The medical staff’s commands were basically gibberish to his ears, all he could hear were panicked shouts of medical professionals and his loved ones. Quite soon, Phoenix was brought to the operating room. However, as Maya, Edgeworth, and Franziska tried to enter the operating room, a nurse stopped them.
Maya frowned. “Hey! What’s the big deal?!”
“I’m afraid you’re not allowed in the operating room.” The nurse said. “No visitors allowed inside the OR.”
“…Fool.” Franziska murmured to herself.
Edgeworth, the most understanding of the three, nodded. “I see, well I suppose we’ll just wai-“
“We can’t just wait!” Maya interrupted with a yell. “Let us in, and let us see Nick!”
“I’m sorry ma’am, but you can’t be with the patient while he’s having an operation-“ The nurse tried, but he was cut off.
“HE’S MY FRIEND!” Maya yelled. “I’m going to be there with him! I can’t let you poke and prod in his body without me watching!”
“Ma’am, we are trained professionals. We’ve handled gunshots before, and we haven’t magically forgotten how to treat them. Besides, the operation has a 88.3% survival rate. Your friend will be fine.” The nurse reassured.
Maya’s heart dropped. “88.3%…? So it’s not 100%?”
The nurse hesitated. “Well…no operation is truly 100%-“
“Then he’s going to die?!” Maya started hyperventilating, in a panic. Tears started flowing down her eyes, and she could do nothing to stop them. “Oh my god! Nick is gonna die! No! He can’t die-“
Edgeworth and Franziska both looked at each other, unsure of how to handle this.
“Do something.” Edgeworth mouthed.
Franziska groaned softly. She stood up, holding Maya by the shoulders. “Listen to me, Maya Fey. Phoenix Wright isn’t going to die.”
“H-He isn’t?” Maya said in between sniffles.
“No, he isn’t.”
“But the nurse said that the operation doesn’t have a 100% success rate.”
Franziska raised a brow. “So?”
“Doesn’t that mean he might die?”
Franziska hesitated. “Yes…I suppose there’s a chance he’ll die.”
Edgeworth glared at her.
“So, Nick might die?” Maya started to panic again. “Oh god, Nick’ll die-“
“Maya Fey, listen to me.” Franziska suddenly interrupted, her voice growing more serious than it already was.
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you know why I don’t think Phoenix Wright will die?” Franziska asked.
“…Why?”
“Because he is a strong, honest, good man. That fool would slap Death himself in the face and drag himself back to the living realm if he had to, just to help his friends. I believe in him, and so should you, Maya Fey.”
Maya listened to Franziska, and then tears started to stream down her face again. “F-Franziska, y-you're such a wonderful girlfriend. I…I…”
“Maya Fey, it’s going to be- OOF!” Franziska yelped as Maya tackled her in a hug. Once the shock had worn off, she hugged Maya back, murmuring to her softly. “It’s going to be alright, Maya Fey. That fool will be fine…aside from the fact that he’ll wake up as himself.”
Maya couldn’t even bring herself to laugh at that, and she continued to cry on Franziska’s shoulder, all while Edgeworth had watched this happen in a stunned silence.
“…I didn’t know you cared about Wright.” Edgeworth commented.
Franziska scoffed. “Shut up, Miles Edgeworth.”
Edgeworth shook his head, turning from the two and then to the nurse, who had been standing and watching the whole thing. “How long will the surgery last?”
The nurse thought about it for a bit, and then answered. “Around three to four hours? It won’t last more than five hours, it’s not a very complex operation.”
Edgeworth nodded. “I see. Well, we’ll be waiting here until the operation is done. Thank you, and…sorry about my friend. She’s…stressed.”
“It’s alright sir. I understand.” The nurse said, smiling sympathetically. “I should go back in to the operating room now, I’ll notify you when the operation is done.”
“Of course.”
The nurse gave Edgeworth one last smile, before leaving the hallway and then entering into the operating room. Once the nurse was gone, Edgeworth let out a big, deep, long sigh, and went back to the chairs and to Franziska and Maya. Maya was softly crying, while Franziska hugged her close and kept her safe in her arms. He sat down on the bench next to her, doing his best to be gentle. He failed, miserably.
“How are you feeling, Ms. Fey?” Edgeworth asked.
“Fucking terrible.” Maya said in between sobs.
“Before you ask, little brother. I’ve…been better.” Franziska added.
Normally Edgeworth would have made a joke about not asking, but now was not the time. “I see…”
Maya sniffled. “I’m just, I’m so worried about Nick. What if something bad happens to him?”
“Like getting shot?” Edgeworth said.
Maya looked up from Franziska, glaring at Edgeworth.
“What?”
“Be tactful, Miles Edgeworth.” Franziska scolded.
Edgeworth hesitated, trying to find the best way to comfort Maya. After a few moments of thinking, he came up with something. “Ms. Fey, I’m sure Wright will be fine. The doctors know what they’re doing.”
“I know, but…what can we do? What can we do to help Nick?” Maya asked, her voice soft and hoarse from crying.
Edgeworth sighed. “I’m afraid all we can do is wait.”
━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━
Maya paced around the hospital’s hallway in a blind panic. All the sounds in the hospital all seemed to blur together into one monotonous, anxiety causing, nerve wracking ringing in her ears. They had been in the hospital for hours, literal hours, and still there was no update on Phoenix. She knew that they were doing an operation, but why did they take so goddamn long?! The only thing Maya could do to even just manage her anxiety was pace around in front of the waiting chairs, where Edgeworth and Franziska were both sat. The two seemed oddly…calm, for someone who had their boyfriend and friend respectively get shot.
“Oh my god, I hope he’s okay. It’s been so long, too long. Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay…” Maya murmured to herself, unaware that Edgeworth and Franziska could hear her.
“Calm down, Maya Fey.” Franziska said, ever so tactful.
“I can’t calm down!” Maya yelled, stopping in her tracks directly in front of the two. “I’ve tried, but I can’t!”
“Come now, Ms. Fey. Wright has gone through worse.” Edgeworth tried to reassure, though that only seemed to make it worse.
Maya turned to the two, a deep frown on her face. “Gone through worse?! He was shot, dammit! SHOT! What’s worse than being shot?!”
“Falling off a burning bridge.” Edgeworth replied
“Being Phoenix Wright.” Franziska added.
“You two are not helping!” Maya snapped.
What felt like even more hours pass, and while Franziska and Edgeworth tried to comfort her the best they could, still Maya couldn’t eliminate her anxiety. Finally, finally, they saw the same nurse earlier walk up to them. Maya was both relieved and terrified when she saw him come up, he either had amazing or horrible news. Maya jumped up, staring on at the nurse expectantly.
“How is he? How’s Nick?” Maya asked.
Franziska and Edgeworth awaited the nurse’s reply, staring on at him in bated breath.
The nurse smiled. “Your friend is doing just fine. The operation was successful.”
Edgeworth let out a sigh of relief, Franziska’s expression softened, Maya almost sobbed when the relief washed all over her.
“We’ve transferred your friend to the PACU. He’s in stable condition, though he’s still unconscious. There may be need for a few follow ups, depending on how the patient handles the operation.” The nurse continued.
Maya tackled the nurse in a hug. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you! Thank you for helping Nick!”
“O-Oh!” The nurse smiled, hugging Maya back awkwardly. “Well uh, you’re welcome miss! That’s why we do it.”
“For praise…?” Franziska questioned.
“…Yes?” The nurse said uncertainly.
Franziska rolled her eyes, scoffing. “Fool.”
The nurse laughed, not at all offended. He’d heard worse. “Well, if you want, I can allow you three to visit him.”
Maya’s eyes widened. “Are…are we allowed to?”
“Visitors are allowed in the PACU.” Edgeworth whispered to Maya.
“Oh. Well, let’s go then!” Maya urged, grabbing Franziska by the arm and going in a random distance.
“The PACU is that way!” The nurse called out to Maya, pointing to the opposite direction.
Edgeworth, Maya and Franziska, and the nurse all made their way to the PACU. The walk was long, both literally and figuratively. As Maya walked through the hallways of the hospital she couldn’t help but feel nervous. What if the nurse was lying? What if Phoenix was horribly disfigured? What if he was dead? Though as she saw Edgeworth and Franziska walking with her…some part of her hoped that Phoenix would be okay. Maya had to be strong…for them.
They had to pass through a few rooms before they made it to their destination. The three of them all saw Phoenix, lying asleep on one of the hospital beds. Thankfully, he had enough privacy behind the curtains next to the beds. The three watched as Phoenix’s chest gently rose and fall, indicating that he was still alive, if not sleeping. Maya was relieved to see him, relieved to see her best friend still alive. Phoenix had various medical equipment on his body, to do what Maya assumed was to monitor his conditions.
“…He’s alive.” Edgeworth breathed out.
“Nick…” Maya sniffled.
“I’ll leave you guys be.” The nurse said.
The nurse left, leaving the three to watch Phoenix fall asleep.
Maya walked over to beside Phoenix, cradling his hand in hers. Edgeworth and Franziska stood back, saying not a single word…until Franziska said something.
“I will get us chairs for us to sit on. If we’re going to wait for this fool to wake up, I’d rather not wait standing up.”
“I’d like that.” Maya said, not looking away from Phoenix.
“I’ll help you.” Edgeworth said.
Franziska made no snarky remark, merely nodding and walking away with Edgeworth, leaving Maya alone by Phoenix’s side. As Maya watched Phoenix, sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed, she too felt at peace. The last few hours had been the worst hours of her life, the worry and anxiety she felt earlier were things that she never wanted to experience again in her life. Though, the sight of Phoenix asleep and okay made all her emotions earlier disappear, the relief washing over her like waves in the ocean.
Her best friend was going to live.
Maya smiled softly. “I’m glad you’re okay, Nick…”
Phoenix laid on the hospital bed, unable to make a response.
━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━
Phoenix’s eyes slowly opened, taking in the fuzzy world around him. First he saw a white tile ceiling with fluorescent lights, then he saw the depressing white walls of the hospital PACU, then he saw the other beds and the curtains that obscured them from each other, and then lastly he saw three people sleeping on the recovery room furniture. Phoenix languidly got up, his gaze settling on the three people inside the recovery room. He hadn’t recognized them at first, but when his mind caught up, he immediately realized who these people were. They were his loved ones, and they were here…with him.
The three were all talking with each other, though Phoenix was too tired to even comprehend what they were talking about. Edgeworth and Franziska were sitting on chairs in front of Phoenix’s bed, and they seemed to be talking about something. Maya had dragged a chair out to beside Phoenix, and she was cradling his arm as she listened to whatever Edgeworth and Franziska about were talking about. Phoenix slowly sat up, staring at the three.
“M-Maya…?” Phoenix mumbled.
Maya perked up at that, her gaze going to Phoenix. When she saw him, her mouth opened wide in a grin. “NICK!”
Phoenix yelped as Maya jumped on him, getting the attention both Franziska and Edgeworth. The two at first thought something bad had happened, though when they saw Maya hugging Phoenix tightly they both visibly relaxed.
“Nick! Nick, you’re okay!” Tears ran down Maya’s face, though they were tears of joy. “Oh, NIck! I thought I’d lose you…but I didn’t! I didn’t!’
“ACK! Maya…you’re squeezing me.” Phoenix wheezed out, barely able to breathe from Maya’s body crushing hug.
“Oh! Whoops!” Maya separated from the hug, sheepish. “Sorry Nick…I’m just happy you’re alive.”
Phoenix raised a brow. “You say that like you thought I was gonna die.”
“She really did, you know.” Edgeworth spoke up.
“Maya Fey cried about it, and everything.” Franziska chimed in.
“Cried like a baby.” Edgeworth added.
Maya shot the two a glare. “Shut up, you guys.”
“Oh, it’s okay.” Phoenix said, chuckling a bit. “I’m pretty sure I cried when Maya got kidnapped.”
Maya giggled. “Nick…”
Edgeworth gave Phoenix a small smile. “Well, we’re glad you’re okay Wright.”
“I guess you’ll have to live as a fool forever.” Franziska said with a sigh.
Edgeworth and Maya shot Franziska a glare.
Before any of them could say anything else, a familiar voice spoke up, a familiar voice the four knew all too well.
“Uh, hey pals!”
The four all turned to the source of the voice, and saw that it was Detective Gumshoe. He was smiling at all four of them, holding a bouquet of flowers. He was smiling cheerily at them, though at this point Gumshoe not being energetic would have been weird.
“Hey, Mr. Wright! Decided to stop by.” Gumshoe said, then holding up the bouquet he was holding. “Flower?”
Phoenix smiled tiredly. “Thanks, Detective Gumshoe. Just give it to Maya, my left arm still hurts.”
Gumshoe nodded, handing the flowers to Maya. He then turned back to Phoenix. “How are you feeling, pal?”
“…Like shit.” Phoenix answered.
Gumshoe’s smile wavered slightly. “Ah, I see. That sucks, pal.”
“He just got shot, Detective Gumshoe. In case you didn’t know.” Maya said.
“I know that…” Gumshoe paused awkwardly. “Again, sucks.”
“What exactly are you doing here, Scruffy?” Franziska demanded.
“Ah, well…” Gumshoe trailed off, trying to find the words to say. “It’s about the shooter, actually. The shooter that shot Mr. Wright.”
“WHAT?!” Maya screamed, jumping up at that. “Did you catch that son of a bitch?! Is he dead? Oh god, I hope he’s dead!”
“Or she.” Edgeworth added.
“Might be a she.” Franziska chimed in.
“Or she!” Maya yelled.
Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Actually…we don’t know anything about the shooter."
“What?” Maya hissed.
Edgeworth groaned. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“Fool.” Franziska added.
“I’m sorry pals, but we just couldn’t find them, whoever this shooter was.” Gumshoe said, and then he began to explain. “See, we checked on every member of the gallery and everything, but none of them were carrying any firearms. None at all, and none of them had any criminal histories or such.”
“Maybe the shooter left while the commotion was happening?” Phoenix suggested.
“That is possible. This isn’t the first time that the Byrch family has interrupted a trial, in fact they have a history of assassinating lawyers who get in their way.” Franziska said.
“Thank god they only shot Wright in the shoulder.” Edgeworth added.
Gumshoe thought about it for a bit. “Hey! It’s possible, actually that’s probably what happened. You’re still smart even after you’ve gotten shot, Mr. Wright!”
“…Thanks?” Phoenix said uncertainly.
“You’re welcome, pal! I’ll be sure to tell the rest of the police about your theory, ‘cause they’re stumped!” Gumshoe said. As if remembering something, he added. “Oh! I gotta go to some meeting about this incident, so I gotta go. See you later, pals!”
Phoenix waved to Gumshoe. “Bye, Detective Gumshoe.”
“Goodbye, Detective Gumshoe.” Edgeworth said.
“May we see you again, Scruffy.” Franziska added.
Maya was uncharacteristically silent.
Gumshoe waved to them, before quickly leaving the PACU. As he left, they noticed something, and that something was Maya. She was staring down at the ground, her fringe covering her eyes. Though, some part of all of them knew that Maya was angry, infuriated even. The three all looked at each other, and then back at Maya.
“Maya Fey…?” Franziska spoke up.
“…He’s still out there.” Maya murmured, looking up from the ground.
Phoenix was confused. “Huh?”
“The one who did this to Nick, he’s still out there!” Maya said, louder this time. Her voice was dripping with anger and contempt. “Whoever did this, whoever hurt Nick, he’s out there. He hasn’t been caught, they’re free to hurt even more people…”
Seeing Maya so angry terrified Phoenix. He’d never seen this much hate in her eyes. “Maya…”
Franziska was quickly by Maya’s side, cradling Maya in her eyes. “Maya Fey…”
“Ms. Fey, we’re going to catch whoever did this to Wright and put them to justice.” Edgeworth reassured.
Maya nodded, determined. “That we are! We can’t let them hurt more people, not anymore.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Thanks, you guys. I’d love to help catch the shooter too, but I’m kinda tired. I think I’d like to take a nap.”
Maya’s expression softened, the hatred gone as fast as it came. She smiled at Phoenix. “Alright, Nick. We’ll leave, you need to catch your Zs!”
“That he does.” Franziska said.
One by one, everyone bade their goodbyes to Phoenix, turning to leave the room. However, when it was Edgeworth’s turn to say goodbye, he leaned over and kissed Phoenix’s forehead. It didn’t make Phoenix feel less tired or make the dull pain in his shoulder disappear, but he appreciated it all the same. What Edgeworth said next also did not help.
“Sleep tight, Wright. Don’t die while I’m gone, otherwise I’ll grab you back from the underworld and kill you myself.” Edgeworth said.
Phoenix grinned. “I’ll try my best.”
Edgeworth smiled, shaking his head at his boyfriend. The three all filed out of the room, and Phoenix was left alone to sleep with his dreams.