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Athena Cykes was positively glowing. She was happily married to Juniper Woods (who was now going by Juniper Cykes) and carrying their child. The pair was ready to have kids, but Junie’s weak constitution meant that pregnancy would be extra dangerous for her. Luckily, Athena was super fit and up for the challenge.
At this point, she was pretty far along in her pregnancy and confined to desk duty. She hated being unable to do fieldwork, but she knew it was for the best. Plus, she had Apollo Justice around to keep her company. His brother, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi, had business in the States, and Apollo had tagged along to visit his friends.
The two of them were alone in the Wright Anything Agency office this morning. Their boss, Phoenix Wright, had been calling in sick quite a bit lately, and his daughter, Trucy Wright - star magician and the agency’s top earner, had been helping care for him.
It was almost midday when the door to the agency opened and a very fatigued Phoenix slunk in, Trucy following close behind. “Are you sure you’re ok, Daddy?” she asked him with great concern dripping from her voice.
“The boss should show up to work at least once a week,” Phoenix replied groggily. He slumped into his desk and almost immediately fell asleep.
Trucy sighed and joined Apollo and Athena. “Couldn’t hold him back today, huh?” Apollo asked.
“I don’t get why he insists on coming to work,” said Trucy. “I’m the one who manages the finances, after all.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to miss out on Apollo’s visit,” Athena suggested. “I do feel bad for Mr. Wright, though. Reminds me of my first trimester - I didn’t have much trouble with morning sickness, but I’d never been so tired in my life. It turns out that building another human is a lot of hard work.”
Trucy gasped excitedly. “Maybe his nausea spells have been morning sickness! You think Daddy’s building me a baby brother or sister?!”
Athena was taken aback. “I would think you would know all about the birds and the bees by now, Trucy. Mr. Wright is a man, and men don’t generally get pregnant. I mean I guess it’s not impossible, but…”
“Oh, I know all about that stuff,” said Trucy. “Daddy’s a man the same way that Polly’s a man.”
Apollo was a transgender man. His gender identity was common knowledge around the office because of Trucy’s nickname for him - Polly. Because the name “Polly” is traditionally female, he’d sat her down and discussed his comfort levels with different gendered words and phrases. They had come to the agreement that “Polly” was fine, but only Trucy could call him that. She was practically a sister to him, so he knew she had no ill intentions. As long as it wasn’t his deadname, she was free to nickname him as she pleased.
“Is Mr. Wright seeing anyone?” Apollo asked.
Trucy nodded. “He can’t hide anything from me. I know whenever he’s dating. He’s tried dating a few different times over the years but never wants to tell me who he’s going out with.”
“That’s pretty common for single parents,” said Athena. “He probably doesn’t want to introduce you to anyone unless he knows it’s going to be a long-term thing.”
“But if he’s having a baby, then it’s definitely gotta be long-term this time, right?” Turcy bounced up and down. “Plus, whoever he’s dating now has definitely been better for him than the men and women he’s tried dating before. He’s been extra happy lately. Before he started getting sick, anyway.”
“Aw, good for him! Congratulations, Trucy!” Athena squeed.
“Hold on,” said Apollo. “This is just speculation. We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves. We’re lawyers, we need evidence.”
“I bet the corner store down the street sells pregnancy tests. I’ll go get one!” Trucy was practically out the door already when Apollo stopped her.
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re a super young public figure, you can’t be seen buying a pregnancy test,” he told her.
“Why not?” she asked genuinely.
“If the barely eighteen sole heir of Troupe Gramarye was caught buying a pregnancy test, the tabloids would go wild,” Apollo explained.
“So I’ll just say it’s for Daddy. Problem solved!” And with that, she was gone.
“I’ve got to tell Junie about this!” Athena grabbed her phone.
“Why do I have to be the voice of reason,” Apollo mumbled to himself. He turned to Athena. “You shouldn’t be gossiping about our boss’s personal life.”
“It’s just Junie, she can be trusted,” Athena insisted.
“Nothing is confirmed yet, you should at least hold off until later.” Apollo tried to swipe Athena’s phone from her and was met with a swift punch to the arm.
“I may be pregnant, but I can still kick your ass!” Athena smiled proudly. “I’m going to send this text, and you can’t stop me.” Her thumbs swiftly flew across the screen of her phone. When she was done, she turned the screen around to show Apollo.
His eyes went wide. “I thought you said you were texting Juniper!”
“I did, didn’t I?” She looked down at her phone and realized her mistake. “Oh, shoot, I clicked on the wrong contact! This is your fault, Apollo!”
“How is this my fault?”
“You distracted me! If you hadn’t tried to take my phone, the text totally would’ve gone to Junie.” She crossed her arms. “It’ll be fine. What harm can one little text do?”
Meanwhile, at the Prosecutor’s Office…
Simon Blackquill was in the break room when he felt his phone buzz. He checked it and saw that it was a text from Athena. The words “OMG Mr. Wright might be pregnant!!!” appeared on his screen. He wasn’t one to engage in gossip, so he shrugged it off and was about to put his phone away when one Klavier Gavin appeared next to him.
“Well, isn’t that interesting,” Klavier mused.
“It’s none of our business,” Simon grunted.
“Where’s your sense of fun?” Klavier teased. “This information would make for the perfect office gossip!” Just as Simon was about to slip his phone back into his pocket when it was snatched away by Klavier. “Apologies, Herr Samurai, but I’ll need the evidence to spread this around properly.”
“Hey, give that back!” Simon called after him, but Klavier was already gone. “Taka, after him!”
The hawk was hot on Klavier’s tail. In an attempt to elude the bird, he zipped around the corner and ducked behind Winton Payne and Eustace Winner, who were currently having a discussion in the hallway. The plan worked, and Taka flew right into the two men, causing them to fall into a tangled mess on the floor. By the time Taka freed himself from the men, Klavier was already safely in the elevator.
“Prosecutor Gavin, I’m sure I will regret asking this, but what in the name of the Holy Mother are you up to this time?”
“Something foolish, I’m sure.”
Klavier had just barely slid into the elevator as it was closing and didn’t notice that it was already occupied by Nahyuta Sahdmadhi and Franziska von Karma.
“Ah, Herr Sahdmadhi and Frau von Karma - the foreign prosecutors! What brings you here?” Klavier asked. He'd tried calling Franziska “fraulein” once. He was lucky to escape the office alive that day. Never again.
“We are on our way up to meet with Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth,” Nahyuta explained.
“And I take it you are causing problems on purpose,” Franziska deduced.
“Of course,” Klavier beamed. “I just got some interesting information and I intend to spread it around.”
“Isn’t that Prosecutor Blackquill’s phone?” Nayhuta asked.
“Oho, and why did you recognize it so quickly?” Klavier smirked.
“Did Mrs. Athena Cykes have her baby?!” Franziska’s demeanor changed. Despite her rough exterior, she had a soft spot for babies. Although she had yet to formally meet Athena herself, she was hoping to have a chance to meet the new baby when it arrived.
“Nein, this is much more interesting. Have a look.” He held out Simon’s phone.
While she was reading, the elevator doors opened and Taka flew in. “I’ve got you now, Gavin-dono.”
“How did you get up here so fast?!”
“I have my ways.” Simon pulled Klavier into the hallway and wrestled him to the ground to get his phone back. Nahyuta and Franziska calmly exited the elevator and watched the chaos. “Got it!” Simon exclaimed, his phone now rightfully in his hands.
“What is all the commotion out here?” Miles Edgeworth stepped out of his office.
Franziska marched up to him. “Little brother! If I am going to become an aunt, you are to tell me at once!
“What on Earth are you talking about?” Edgeworth asked.
A devious smile appeared on Klavier’s face as he picked himself up off the ground. “This just got exponentially more interesting. Herr Samurai, show the Chief Prosecutor your phone!”
“You’re not the boss of me,” said Simon. “I already said that none of this is our business. Leave it be.”
“Someone give me an explanation,” Edgeworth demanded.
“Prosecutor Gavin and Prosecutor Blackquill are squabbling like children over some sort of gossip,” Nahyuta explained.
“Hmpf, I expect this sort of thing from Prosecutor Gavin, but you as well, Blackquill?” Edgeworth’s face had a look that said “I’m not mad, just disappointed.”
“I apologize, Edgeworth-dono.” Simon bowed. “I had intended to keep this to myself, but Gavin-dono stole my phone.”
“Both of you will be meeting with HR in the future,” Edgeworth told them.
“I really think this information would interest you, Herr Edgeworth,” Klavier said.
“I have better things to do than engage in idle workplace gossip,” Edgeworth replied.
“As much as I loathe to agree with fools,” Franziska began, “Mr. Klavier Gavin may be correct. I believe this ‘idle gossip’ concerns you.”
“Hmpf, very well,” Edgeworth relented. “Show me.”
Simon held his phone out to his boss. “I received this text from Cykes-dono.”
Edgeworth adjusted his glasses and squinted at the screen. Suddenly, he went back into his office, came out with his keys in his hand, and headed straight for the staircase.
“...We’re going to follow him, ja?”
“Fool! Of course, we’re going to follow him!”
Later, back at the Wright Anything Agency…
Phoenix woke up to see Trucy bouncing in front of his desk. “Daddy! Look what I got!” She produced a boxed pregnancy test from her magic panties.
Upon seeing his young daughter with a pregnancy test, Phoenix jumped to the completely wrong conclusion, as any father would. “Who do I need to kill?”
“What? No, it's not for me, silly.” Trucy cheekily poked out her tongue. “Athena gave me the idea that maybe you could use it.”
“Huh?” Realization then dawned on Phoenix’s face along with a light blush. “T-that would make sense, wouldn’t it… Thanks, Truce.”
“Do you need any help taking it?” Trucy offered. “I can hold your hand and wait with you until the results come back.”
“I think it’s a good idea, Mr. Wright,” Athena called over. “I can hear some serious discord in your heart. Maybe you shouldn’t be alone.”
“I guess maybe I should take this opportunity to tell you about my boyfriend…” said Phoenix. “Just… wait until after I finish peeing on it and put my pants back on. Then we can talk.
“You got it! Let’s go!” The pair disappeared into the office bathroom. It wasn’t the biggest bathroom, but two people could reasonably exist in there at the same time.
Apollo, meanwhile, has his eyes glued to the window. “Um, Athena? Take a look at this.”
Athena’s eyes widened in shock as she looked out the window. “What the heck? That must be the entire prosecutor’s office!”
“What was that you were saying about it being fine?!” Apollo asked incredulously.
The crowd consisting of Franziska von Karma, Klavier Gavin, Nahyuta Sahdmadi, Simon Blackquill, Eustace Winner, and Kay Faraday filed into the office.
“Wait, how did we get here first?” Eustace asked. Klavier had grabbed him on their way out of the office, and Eustace had insisted that they stop to pick up Kay on the way. He knew she would be incredibly interested in any developments between Edgeworth and “that man.” But thanks to the detour, Edgeworth definitely should have arrived at the Wright Anything Agency first.
“Well, the Chief Prosecutor did take the stairs while we took the elevator, perhaps that made a difference?” Nahyuta suggested.
“No, my little brother has been taking the stairs for as long as I’ve known him,” said Franziska. “Something so minor would not cause this much of a delay. Could we have been wrong about his destination?”
“What are you all doing here?” Apollo shouted, chords of steel in full effect.
“Hello, Apollo,” Nahyuta waved cheerfully. “We are investigating a lead regarding our employer’s personal life.”
“Simon, how could you?!” Athena asked. “Wait, ‘our employer’?”
“Let the record show that I wanted no part of this,” said Simon.
“You started it, you finish it,” Klavier insisted.
Another car pulled up outside the office - a bright red sports car. The crowd went silent as Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth entered the office and glared at his subordinates. “I know for a fact that all of you have work you should be doing. I am severely disappointed in all of you. Oh, hello Kay.”
“Hi!” Kay greeted. She then turned towards the group of prosecutors and poked her tongue out at them, rubbing it in that she was the only one not to be scolded.
“Hey, Pals! Did we miss anything?” Chief of Police Dick Gumshoe and Forensic Investigator Ema Skye were next to enter the office.
“Oh, good! Now the police are here!” Apollo practically screamed.
“The fop texted us,” Ema explained. “This is exciting! I brought champagne. Not for Mr. Wright or Athena, obviously.”
“Does the police department really have nothing better to do?” Edgeworth turned his fierce gaze onto the new arrivals. “I will remember this when it comes time to reevaluate salaries. And you two,” he then moved the Apollo and Athena, “I would think you would know better than to start rumors.”
“The chief prosecutor himself has come down to scold us…” said Apollo. “Sir, this is one hundred percent Athena’s fault.”
“Wha- hey! No it isn’t!” Athena shot back.
“Liar, liar!” Widget chimed it.
“What’s all the ruckus out here?” Phoenix and Trucy emerged from the bathroom. Upon seeing the large group of people, he hid the pregnancy test behind his back - a move that did not go unnoticed by the room full of professional investigators.
“It would appear that our subordinates are spreading rumors about you,” Edgeworth said. “I came to see if there is any truth to the claims.”
“Are they, now?” Phoenix shot a look towards Apollo and Athena, who averted their eyes bashfully.
“It was an accident,” said Athena.
“We’re sorry!” Widget added.
“Well, I guess we’re having this conversation sooner rather than later…” Phoenix cleared his throat. “Miles, I’m pregnant. And I have evidence to back up my claim.” He revealed the positive pregnancy test.
Edgeworth thoroughly examined the evidence. “I see…” The crowd was silent as he reached one of his hands into his pocket. “I stopped by my residence to grab something in the event that the rumor was true. I was going to do this somewhere more private, but I suppose that right here, in the presence of our friends and coworkers, is as good a place as any.”
He dropped to one knee and revealed a ring. “Phoenix Wright, will you marry me?”
The crowd gasped with excitement.
“Miles!” Tears of joy filled Phoenix’s eyes. “Yes, of course!”
Everyone applauded as Miles slid the ring onto Phoenix’s finger.
“A new sibling AND a new dad?! This is the BEST. DAY. EVER!!!” Trucy squealed.
The uproarious cheering died down as Edgeworth turned towards the crowd. “I expect all of you to get back to work immediately.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, Pal!” said Gumshoe. “This is a real special occasion.”
“He’s got a point,” said Phoenix. “The whole gang’s almost here already. Might as well make this an engagement party. I’ll call Maya and Larry and see how soon they can get here.”
Edgeworth’s expression softened. “Alright, I suppose I’ll let this crew get away with shirking their responsibilities, just this once.”
Larry was there almost immediately after being called. Being the childhood friend of both Phoenix and Miles, he was ecstatic that the two had finally gotten together. Kurain Village was two hours away by train, but luckily, the party was still in full swing when Maya and Pearl arrived. For such an impromptu event, everyone had a great time. And it all started with a little office gossip.