159 I Believe I Can Fly

In desperate love, we always invent the characters of our partners, demanding they be what we need of them, and then feeling devastated when they refuse to perform the role we created in the first place. Such a love can never flourish, for when you are with the one right partner, the story changes: Love me without fear. Trust me without wondering. Love me without restrictions. Want me without demand. Accept me how I am. A love like that will be eternal.

Miles Edgeworth, Phaya, Magshoe, and Feyt
Kurain Village, Courtyard
June 16, 2026, 6:30 PM

Once the vows were done, the congregation had begun milling about, giving their congratulations to the happy couple and socializing a bit before making their way towards the exit, most of them headed to the reception down in the city that evening.

After having taken some portraits with the bridal party, the newlyweds went to take some post-ceremonial couple photos and video footage with Lotta and Jesse. The teen couple, along with Feyt, then went to join Phoenix and Maya, who were standing by Edgeworth and the Gumshoes near the parking lot.

“That was such a beautiful ceremony!” Pearl gushed. “It was just so romantic, wasn’t it Luke?”

Like most teenage boys, the youth had no idea how to express the correct words in these situations and merely shuffled awkwardly.

“Quite!” Luke readily agreed. His girlfriend shot him a withering stare for such a succinct response, and he smiled weakly. “Um, Iris is a lovely bride!”

“No argument there!” Gumshoe agreed, his arm draped around his wife’s shoulders. “She’s almost as beautiful bride as you were, honey,” he added, leaning down to drop a kiss on Maggey’s forehead, who blushed prettily in response.

“Up until today, I hadn’t realized that both you and Larry were such sweet talkers, pal!” Phoenix chuckled, tousling the hair of the drowsy Gordy, who was leaning his head against his father’s leg, obviously exhausted from the long day.

“He’s got his moments,” Maggey affirmed, her brown orbs twinkling as she shifted the sleeping baby Jeff to her other hip. “I suppose weddings bring out the hidden romantic in all of us, don’t they? If I’m not mistaken, I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of emotion even on your face, Mr. Edgeworth!”

The prosecutor looked slightly flustered to have been outed for showing something as unnecessary as feelings.

“It was a very moving ceremony indeed.” Edgeworth cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Although at this point in my life, I’ve certainly been to enough weddings to have been one of the few guests who didn’t require the use of a handkerchief to wipe at their streaming eyes! Which was just as well, since Wright stole mine!”

“What can I say?” Phoenix shrugged unabashedly as he slung an arm around Maya’s waist. “Turns out I’m a sucker for weddings! Sue me!”

The best man flashed his fellow groomsman a wicked grin.

“Although I’m pretty sure Maggey is not completely wrong about even your android self being affected, my friend! I also saw you swiping a finger at your eye during Larry and Iris’s vows when you thought no one was watching!”

“Perhaps your own watery orbs were blurring things, Wright!” The slate-haired man responded loftily, even though his cheeks reddened slightly. “I merely had something in my eye!”

“Yeah, I know!” Phoenix shot back smugly. “It’s called a tear! Don’t worry Edgeworth, one single drop won’t make you rust!”

“Ngh! Shut up, Wright!”

“Cease fire, fellas! The last thing we need is a wedding … and then a funeral!” Maya laughingly stepped in between the two men and placed a hand on each of their chests. “Anyway, I guess once the bride and groom are done snapping pictures, we’ll all head down to Los Angeles for the wedding reception at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Longines has already cleared things with them, so they know not to expect tonight’s celebrations to be for Mr. and Mrs. Beaugosse!”

“I’m pretty excited!” Gumshoe grinned. “I think the last time I dusted off my dancing shoes was at my wedding reception, many moons ago!”

“I must say, Maya, you and Longines are most fortunate the invitees were all so gracious about the sudden change of circumstances,” Edgeworth remarked idly. “Seeing as how the flight and travel arrangements they made, not to mention the gifts they purchased, ended up being not for the two of you but a couple of  strangers!”

“There are some perks to the two of us socializing in such affluent and elite circles, Miles!” Maya replied cheerfully. “Not only are most of the guests going to be attending the reception tonight, but the majority of them have informed Longines and me that they’re perfectly fine with the newlyweds getting the presents that were originally intended for us! Most of them are richer than God and therefore will not begrudge us anything – the forsaken gifts, or the money it cost them to come here!”

“Plus, the majority of them are die-hard romantics,” Longines inserted, coming up from behind the group, Armstrong in tow. “They were just so happy that today, Maya and I aligned ourselves with our true life partners, regardless of the circumstances. Also, they were so touched by Larry and Iris’s nuptials that they couldn’t have dreamed of grumbling about the impromptu plan change!”

“But just to be safe, mon petit chou fleur, thoughtful love cake that he is, made Max and Regina go fetch the rest of the stash of Millie’s stolen swag bags, and is bequeathing an extra one for each of the guests – one to keep, and one that they can pawn to recoup their expenses if they so wish!” Armstrong smiled adoringly at Longines. “After all, those extra bombonieres have already been paid for – they may as well be put to good use!”

WHOP WHOP WHOP!

The familiar loud noise from overhead caused everyone except Phoenix and Edgeworth to gasp in dismay as they spotted yet another black helicopter hovering directly above them in the sky just then, which appeared to be descending upon them!

“Don’t tell me it’s the pesky media again!” Maya clapped her hands over her ears to drown out the roar of the chopper blades as the aircraft circled lower. “Those vultures sure are determined! They could even give the tenacious Lotta a run for her money! Damn you for alerting them, Dragon Lady!”

WHUMPA-WHUMPA-WHUMPA-WHUMPA!

“The Dragon Lady’s list of villainous crimes, for which she is accountable, the great Mr. Edgeworth has assured me will be brought to further light within a fortnight, when I return to LA, as in the meanwhile, he and Mr. Wright will be doing their investigations,” Longines informed the startled group, reaching into his breast pocket and slipping on a pair of aviator shades. “But while there are many things to curse Mildred Latrine for, this particular airliner isn’t one of them, because this ride’s mine!”

The billionaire treated his lover to a roguish grin as a rope ladder suddenly fell in front of them, and he clamped his hand onto it.

“Or should I say, our ride, Jean – to my private jet! It’s set to take us on our pre-wedding honeymoon to Curaçao! Don’t worry about not having a bag packed – it’s a clothing-optional vacation we’re going on, mon amour!”

“Oh, you little devil!” Armstrong tittered girlishly, slinging his arms around Longines’s shoulders as the hair heir grabbed him around the waist and lifted a leg in the air behind him as the ladder slowly began pulling the two skyward. “You do know how to sweep a girl off her feet! Tee hee! TTFN folks!”

“Yes, Ta-ta For Now!” Longines’s megawatt Hollywood smile gleamed in the lingering rays of the sunset as the two men began their James Bond-style exit. “All the best to you! I know our paths will cross again in the future! A fond farewell to you all!”

The circle of friends sighed in relief when the loud chopper left the premises, omitting the deafening, windy roar and restoring their hearing to normal.

“I thought the former groom making his entrance coming down the aisle following Regent was a big enough splash, but boy, does that man sure knows how to make one helluva exit, as well!” Gumshoe chuckled. “But in the end, he really was a good guy. I’m happy for those two. Everyone deserves love in the end.”

The big man cocked his head in the direction of the now tiger-free but still cuffed Mildred, who Max and Regina had deposited back to the Chief’s hands just then, with Regent, Jylan, and Desse at their sides. He arched a brow at the conniving crone.

“Except you, Dragon Lady. Because you just – suck!”

Everyone snickered at his candid commentary, while the handcuffed hag simply scowled in response.

“Max and I need to drop these guys off back at the circus before we can head down to the reception, so we’re heading out now,” Regina told them sunnily. “It was so nice of you to include the entertainment staff in the festivities, Maya!”

“Are you kidding? It’s the least I can do! We owe you guys so much! If it wasn’t for you two and your animals, today would’ve been a huge disaster!” Maya smiled warmly at the couple. “See you guys at the Regent Beverly Wilshire!”

As the Big Berry Circus crew left, the others slowly made their way towards the parking area as well, with Gumshoe dragging the sullen Mildred behind him.

“Jylan was definitely the unsung hero today for stopping this attempted fugitive from escaping justice!” The “shaved ape” acknowledged. “But on that note, we ought to figure out how we’re all getting down there. Maggey and I will be a bit late, as not only do we need to escort a particular fiend to their holding cell, but we also must drop the boys off at my wife’s sister’s place for the evening. It’s close to both their bedtimes. If any of you guys need a lift, although I already have four in my car, I can squeeze in a fifth no problem, if I just do some seating rearranging.”

He wiggled his bushy brows mischievously at the Dragon Lady.

“We’ll just toss Madam Flight-Risk into the trunk alongside my sweaty gym shoes!”

“I’ve already been fumigated by that foul simian beast and nearly had my arm dislocated on two separate occasions at the hands of this oversized baboon!” Mildred muttered darkly. “I suppose, at this point, suffocation would be almost welcome!”

“Don’t tempt us!” Luke retorted with a cheeky grin, passing Feyt over to Gumshoe. “I’ll be going in the chopper with Mr. Edgeworth, but I don’t think this little guy would share my enthusiasm for the friendly skies! Besides, while he’s no Regent, our son can still play watchdog with your prisoner on your trip down to the city!”

“This puny little thing?” The village elder scoffed as she let out a derisive cackle. “What’s he going to do, aside from annoying me with his ear-grating yipping noises for the entire trip down?”

As though understanding he had just been disparaged, Feyt sat up on the Chief’s arm and snarled at Mildred, proving once again, that animals truly could sense evil!

“Oh, did I hurt your itty, bitty feelings, you little mutt?” Yzma’s clone waggled her shackled bony fingers tauntingly in Feyt’s face. “What are you going to do about it, hmmm?”

Constantine’s infuriated offspring lunged forward and proved that Phoenix wasn’t the only victim of the family canine chompers, as, without warning, he sharply snapped his teeth down onto Mildew’s extended, skeletal index.

Hard.

The agonized shriek The Dragon Lady emitted pierced the ears of everyone present, and they all let out a unanimous gasp of shock.

“Gaaaaaaaack!”

The staggered circle of friends barely stifled back their horrified laughter then, as, in the next instant, Feyt and Mildew decided to do a live enactment of every dog versus man comedic cartoon scene ever known.

“Owwwwww! He bit me! The little mongrel bit me!” Mildred screamed, hysterically waving her hand to free herself from the puppy’s jaw, which, to everybody’s morbid fascination, remained firmly clamped on his new chew toy, despite the frantic waving of her arm. “Don’t just stand there with your mouths gaping, you slack-jawed simpletons! Somebody do something!”

Swallowing back a snort, Gumshoe, paying no mind to be gentle nor careful in loosening the old woman’s entrapped digit from the source, simply pulled the puppy back with a sharp yank. Luckily for Mildred, the action gave Feyt no choice but to let go, leaving the gasping harridan with a nearly skinned, bright red finger, bearing visible teeth marks upon it.

“Argh! I probably have rabies now!” Mildew glared hatefully at the puppy, who simply growled back defiantly. “That creature is as much of a menace as his meddling parents are!”

“Calm yourself, madam!” Luke said huffily, biting back a smirk. “You’re barely even bleeding. ‘Tis nothing but a flesh wound!”

“FYI, Feyt has all his shots! If anything, my puppy probably has cooties now!” Pearl snapped, grabbing Feyt from the Chief’s arms and hugging him protectively against her chest. She dropped a kiss on his furry white head, cooing softly as he began happily wagging his tail. “Serves you right, you mean old witch! Good boy, Feyt! Good boy!”

“Normally dog bites are subject to investigation and possible removal of the canine from his parents’ custody, especially if the injured victim seeks more dire ramifications,” Gumshoe informed Luke and Pearl solemnly, but then turned on his most innocent smile. “But that’s assuming that there was an actual witness of the incident! I didn’t see a thing!”

“A dog bite? On my property?” Maya assumed her most angelic expression. “What dog bite? I didn’t see or hear a thing! Nobody did! Did you, guys?”

A collective knowing smirk was exchanged by the group as everyone shook their heads.

“A pox on you all!” Mildred stamped her foot, nostrils flaring at Luke and Pearl. “I’ll get you! And your little dog, too!”

“Ugh, someone give that wyvern a muzzle already!” Maya grimaced. “I’m starting to get a headache!”

“Me too!” There was an evil glint in Phoenix’s eye as he looked over at his best friend. “Edgeworth, just how badly did you want back that handkerchief of yours?”

“I’m willing to forsake it for some peace and quiet!” Edgeworth smirked, immediately reading the ex-defense attorney’s mind as he waved the hanky at Maya. “I shall allow the esteemed village leader the honors!”

A few moments later, the infuriated Dragon Lady’s fire had been extinguished, with the prosecutor’s cotton cloth now stuffed into her mouth like a gag, which Maya had ensured was knotted around her head as tight as possible.

“Much better!” The spirit medium announced with satisfaction then turned her back on her nemesis with a dismissive toss of her head and faced the chopper pilot with a bright smile. “Now, back to the topic of how we’re all getting down to the city! I, of course, am going in that helicopter with you, Miles! I’ve never been in one before, and it’ll be so romantic, don’t you think, Nick?”

Phoenix visibly paled as he remembered his tumultuous journey to Kurain and gave his girlfriend a sickly grin before staring pleadingly at Gumshoe, whose vehicle they’d now approached.

“Er, how serious was that offer to stuff Mildew into your trunk so I could squeeze in there with you guys?”

“Are you serious?” The Master sulked, folding her arms over her chest. “You would rather be in a cramped car than on an exciting chopper ride with your girlfriend? What is wrong with you, Old Man?”

“I gather you’ve forgotten Wright’s deathly fear of heights, Maya?” Edgeworth asked dryly. “He loved you enough to try conquering it for your sake in our hurried voyage to halt you at the altar, but he nearly passed out in the process, had it not been for the sudden appearance of your benign sister to pacify him.”

“Besides Maya, it’s only a four-seater helicopter!” Phoenix said desperately, sweat starting to form on his brow at the idea of being in the not-so-friendly skies once again. “There would be no place for you to sit with Luke and Pearl also coming along!”

“Oh stop being such a scaredy-cat, Nick! I’ll just save a seat by sitting on your lap while soothing your frayed nerves just as well as my sister surely did!” Maya declared, then narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Now that I’m not in that ridiculously heavy bridal gown, I’m sure you’ll have no objections to my weight this time around… will you?”

Phoenix wisely chose not to touch this loaded topic with a 39 ½ foot pole, but luckily, Edgeworth intervened on his behalf.

“I can’t say I’m overjoyed with the idea of flying a helicopter that’s overcapacity,” the magenta-clad man frowned. “I know the newlyweds will probably get a ride down with Jesse and Lotta, but I’m not sure if they’ve left already, so I may not have a choice. However, Pearl is much more petite than you are Maya. Would it not make more sense for her to double up with Luke, and allow you to have your own seat?”

“Mr. Nick will be fine holding Mystic Maya!” Pearl lifted her chin haughtily, her tone leaving no room for argument as she passed Feyt back to Gumshoe. “My non-wedding enthusiast boyfriend can keep you company upfront, Mr. Eh-ji-worth! I plan on sitting in the back with the Special Someones – where all the love is!”

“Blast it, Pearl!” Luke clapped a hand to his face. “You’re not seriously still cross with me about this whole wedding hullaballoo, are you?”

The teen simply made a “humph!” sound as she turned on her heel and stalked away from the parking lot, heading towards the other end, where the helicopter was.

There was an awkward silence following her dramatic exit, and Luke’s face burned with embarrassment and regret while he moaned inwardly about how he was going to atone for what a mess he’d unwittingly made of things.

Finally, Gumshoe spoke, addressing the pianist with his query.

“So pal, what’s the final answer? You coming with me or going skyward?”

The spiky-haired man stared at the scratch on the otherwise polished chrome bumper from the earlier scuffle with the BMW and felt a sinking feeling in his gut as he suddenly realized who would be driving back to LA! Despite being one of his closest friends, the accident-prone Gumshoe was also infamous for historically being Mr. Magoo behind the wheel of a car! The rear mark made it appear those infamous skills were still very much intact!

“Er, is that dent…new?”

“A small collision in the hospital lot earlier,” the Chief confessed sheepishly, scratching his head. “Nothing a little touch-up paint won’t hide in the meantime! The other guy with the Beemer had it much worse! Huh. Makes me wonder how long poor Meekins was out there waiting for him to come out…”

Phoenix’s mind raced as he thought of his transport options. In the evenings, the trains came only hourly, and it would take two hours to get down to the city, not to mention then taking a cab to the ballroom, and it was getting late as it was!

It seemed his choice was really no choice at all.

Suddenly the concept of being thousands of feet in the air again didn’t seem so terrifying a concept anymore…in comparison to the alternative!

“Hey, I need to conquer that acrophobia of mine someday, and there’s no time like the present, with the love of my life by my side!” The poker champ gulped and quickly grabbed Maya’s hand. “Gumshoe, Maggey…see you down at the reception! Maya, Luke, Edgeworth…to the Fop Copter!”

R. Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly