Maya Fey and Pearl Fey
Darwin International Airport
April 21, 2026, 9:00 AM
The shocking news about her former lover resulted in Maya’s frazzled nerves jumping together simultaneously, and all in different directions.
Completely reduced to a zombielike stupor at Pearl’s bombshell, the Kurain Master was barely cognizant of stumbling forward in the lineup to check their luggage, her lips barely forming the words to answer the baggage agent’s questions. While the woman punched the necessary information into her computer, the shaken spirit medium turned panicked eyes back to the teen.
“Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand Trucy’s message about Nick, somehow, Pearly?”
Even as she asked the unnecessary question, in her building anxiety, she constructed elaborate rationalizations for why everything would turn out alright, while the still nagging voice in the back of her mind cautioned of nothing but impending doom ahead the entire time.
“I mean… there must be some sort of misunderstanding or crossed communication wires here! This simply cannot be possible!”
Pearl shook her head and could see her own growing tension mirrored in her cousin’s face.
“I can play it for you again, Mystic Maya, but the voicemail Trucy left me was impossible to misunderstand! Mr. Nick has been charged with first-degree murder and she left me that message while heading out the door to the courthouse trial.” Her doe orbs were wide with fear and worry. “Sh-she knows how much I cared about him and thought maybe I’d want to know. Then she promised to call me back and let me know what happened… But that’s the only message she’s left so far.”
“Then you call her back! You can’t just hang around waiting when it comes to something as catastrophic as this!” The Master could hear the mounting hysteria in her voice as she barked the command at the shaken spirit medium while frenziedly groping in her bag for her cell. “I’m going to call Gumshoe! Of all people, surely the Chief would know what’s going on!”
Her heart hammering wildly, she listened as the phone at the police precinct rang about a dozen times on the other end with no answer before getting voicemail.
Biting back a savage curse, she tossed the cell back into her purse and stared anxiously at her little girl, who had her own phone clamped to her ear and felt her heart plummeting down to her feet when her cousin shook her head, obviously not having had any luck reaching Phoenix’s daughter.
“What are we going to do, Mystic Maya?” Frightened tears sprang to Pearl’s eyes. “Disaster is happening back home while we’re stuck on the opposite side of the world! I feel so – scared! And – and helpless!”
You and me both! The diviner thought wildly but forced herself to take deep, calming breaths and focused on remaining placid for both their sakes. She could still barely fathom how this was the third time something of this calamitous magnitude had struck her fortune’s fool of an ex-lover! Moreover, calamity was ensuing once more whilst the psychic had been misfortunate enough to be cut off from all communication and located on the other half of the universe! What were the odds?! About 1 in 64 million?! There’s a higher chance of winning the lottery, surely?!
Irrespective of what had transpired between her and Nick, and regardless of how hurt and betrayed Maya had been by the fallout of the relationship, her former swain couldn’t have done anything terrible enough to deserve this! She also instinctively knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the man she’d now known for a decade was innocent of these charges. Phoenix Wright, no matter how far from grace he had fallen since his disbarment, would never even harm a fly! For crying in the night, he couldn’t even stab a French fry with a plastic fork! That was why the big dork had preferred to eat them with his fingers!
“Somebody has to pick up eventually! We’ll just have to keep on trying until we get through!” Maya stated firmly as they headed towards the indicated departure lounge for their flight. She flopped down into a chair and was already reaching for her cell once more. “At this point, I’m so desperate that I’ll even call Iris at Hazakura Temple! She obviously would be in the know about what’s going on since it’s her boyfriend!”
“And our flight doesn’t take off until noon.” Pearl’s fingers rapidly flew over the buttons on her mobile as she typed out an urgent text to Trucy. “So we have three hours to try and get some answers…”
Just then, a pleasant Australian male voice was heard over the airport speaker system, and both spirit mediums froze in disbelief.
“Flight 1354 Virgin Australia to Los Angeles International Airport is now boarding at gate 13B. Will all first-class passengers please proceed to the boarding gate for the 10:00 AM departure?”
“Holy freaking tater tots! You’ve got to be shitting me!” The necromancer shrieked, uncaring about the several curious heads that’d turned to peer in her direction. Jumping out of her seat, she stormed over to the agent standing by the entrance to their homebound plane, her cell clutched in a death grip. “How in the name of arse can the flight be boarding already?! It wasn’t supposed to take off until noon!”
“Our pilot was making good air time, therefore the flight was early, madam,” the woman replied politely, in what the village leader considered a maddeningly composed voice. “Such circumstances are why passengers are always advised to arrive at the airport three hours before all international flights.”
“B – But…” Maya was completely floored.
“Mystic Maya?” Pearl asked timidly. “The announcement said first-class passengers need to start boarding the plane. Um, that’s us, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Pearly, that would be us!” Her guardian answered impatiently. “Nonetheless, I still have to try to make one last call…”
“Madam, if you and your companion have first-class tickets for this flight, we kindly request that you please proceed to board right now,” the agent instructed in a no-nonsense tone. She gestured prepensely at the iPhone Maya was still gripping tightly in her hand. “Also, please your mobile is to be turned off immediately before boarding the airplane.”
“Come on, Mystic Maya,” the teen said in a small voice, lightly tugging at her cousin’s sleeve. “We have to get going.”
“Madam, if you’re not going to board yet, would you please have the courtesy to at least step aside?” The politeness in the agent’s voice was beginning to sound strained now. “You’re holding up the queue for all the other first-class boarding passengers.”
“Have a heart! Just one more tiny second, I beg you!” Maya implored the now visibly unimpressed-looking woman, stepping aside from the gate so that the other travelers, who’d been lining up behind her, could pass by and board the plane. “Please! I need to make this one phone call – it’s a matter of life or death!”
Her fingers were already dialing Gumshoe once more, this time trying his cell number. Once again, she got voicemail after about half a dozen rings. Shrinking slightly under the agent’s impatient glower, the panicked spirit medium spoke as quickly as she could, her heart thudding against her ribs as she did so.
“Gumshoe, it’s Maya…”
Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth
Wright Talent Agency
April 20, 2026, 6:00 PM
Astonished midnight blue orbs stared up into serene steel grey ones for several moments before Phoenix, at last, found his voice, incapable of masking the wonderment within it as he addressed the smirking man standing before his seated form on the sofa.
“Ed –Edgeworth?”
“Wright.” Edgeworth nodded coolly and took a delicate sip from the teacup in his hand as his observant eyes assessed his childhood mate, who somehow looked both young and old at the same time; hunched over posture, same ratty sweatsuit, tired lines around his unsmiling mouth. The most heartbreaking thing to see was that underneath the despised beanie, those eyes, formerly filled with bright vitality and unending optimism, although presently reflecting amazement by the prosecutor’s unexpected presence, were now forlorn, lonely, and distant, like a waterfall, causing a wave of benevolence to wash over him on his brother from another mother’s behalf.
More than anything, the cravat wearer wished his reticent self knew how to properly convey his supportive compassion, as well as the fact that he shared Phoenix’s obvious beatitude at finally being reunited, after so long. As his mind searched for a way to let this fact be known, the gobsmacked former attorney croaked out his name yet again.
“Edgeworth!”
Never mind, the moment of attempted sentiment has passed instead of habitual, and much more comfortable, regalement!
“Well, it has now been firmly established that we still remember one another’s names, seven years later.”
The prosecutor’s expression was as halcyon as ever, although a hint of amusement now laced his wry tone.
“I can also safely observe, hobo chic gear notwithstanding, Wright, that while you appear to be well enough after all this time, you certainly seem to be less exuberant than I would envision a man who has escaped death row, for the third time, would be! In this instance, I know I am not being excessively presuming, since I witnessed you lamenting, out loud, your list of woes, as opposed to your blessings, just a moment ago. Tell me, how long have you had the idiosyncratic habit of talking to yourself?”
The recently acquitted defendant ignored the mocking query and shook his head as if to clear it. He was still so exceedingly astounded at the unanticipated sight of his closest buddy in the flesh, at long last, and found he simply couldn’t stop gawking at the other man, almost afraid to believe that he was real and not some sort of mirage!
Whereas Phoenix knew he looked like hell, having paid little heed to his appearance over the years, Miles Edgeworth didn’t appear to have aged whatsoever since they’d last parted ways. He was still as impeccably groomed as always, with not even a single, stray charcoal hair out of place. The trademark, ever-pristine, magenta suit was in check as well, with the only variance being that the black buttons on the matching-colored vest now displayed a double row of gold-colored ones instead, which only made the debonair man appear even more refined.
Upon closer inspection though, the intuitive pianist could see some signs of slight disturbance on that normally composed countenance. The urbane prosecutor’s comely mien was still as aristocratic as ever, but his mouth now had a tired, slightly downward slant, and there were slight shadows beneath his eyes, as though suggesting lack of sleep. The hobo also couldn’t help but note that the familiar, cool gray orbs presently appeared more guarded than usual, as though the other man was making an extra effort to keep his tightly reined-in emotions even more shuttered than the norm.
“How did you get into my house?” He blurted out.
“I can’t believe you’ve forgotten.” Edgeworth folded his arms across his broad chest. “You gave me an emergency key years ago. Don’t you remember?”
“I did?” Phoenix gawped in surprise. “When?!”
“No, you didn’t, you naïve fool.” The magenta-clad man’s lips twitched slightly, as though to hide a smile. “It’s nice to see that some things never change, Wright. On top of said atrocious fashion sense, I can tell you’re still as gullible as ever to boot!”
Phoenix’s visage morphed into its characteristic scowl at this typical Edgeworth jibe, and the prosecutor emitted a soft chuckle. He’d never been able to resist an opportunity to rib his closest comrade, and the former defense attorney always made it so damn easy!
“Relax, Wright. I assure you I neither scaled the building walls to break in through a window nor did I require the utilization of my latent lock-picking skills. Trucy let me in.” Another ghost of a smile. “Or rather, I assume that the whirlwind of blue that whizzed by me nearly an hour ago was your magical daughter, anyway…”
Miles Edgeworth and Trucy Wright
Wright Talent Agency
April 20, 2026, 5:15 PM
After leaving the courthouse, Gumshoe’s car was only a few blocks away from The Wonder Bar when Trucy suddenly let out a gasp of dismay.
“Oh no!” She wailed. “In my haste to get to court this morning, I forgot an important magic prop at home! I hate to inconvenience you, Uncle Gumshoe, but could you please stop by the apartment so I can rush upstairs and get it? I promise I won’t even be a minute!”
“No problem, pal.” The amiable Chief immediately pulled an impromptu U-turn back towards the direction of the Wright Talent Agency. “Understandably, you had a lot on your mind earlier today.”
“I’m so sorry about this, Uncle Gumshoe!”
“These things happen! Don’t worry about it.” He pulled up in front of the main entrance. “Go on upstairs, kiddo. I’ll wait right here. By the way, what magician prop did you forget, anyway?”
“My wand! I’ll be back before you can say Alakazam!”
Trucy sprinted through the doors and up the stairs. She cursed her absentmindedness as she tore the office upside down in search of the coveted item.
How could I be such a forgetful airhead?! She berated herself, props flying haphazardly in the air, and being strewn about as she continued her frenzied hunt. What kind of ditzy magician forgets her wand?! I thought I’d packed everything I would need for today… sodas, Twizzlers, popcorn, chocolate-covered almonds, and chocolate-covered raisins… My trick deck of cards, that Trump Card of decisive evidence that got Daddy off the hook…for Criss Angel’s sake, I even packed ice coffee to keep me and Uncle Gumshoe alert, just in case the trial dragged on longer than expected! But I forgot my signature prop?!
The thought of her father made her bite her lip nervously as she glanced up at the clock on the wall. That was one confrontation she was not looking forward to whatsoever!
Speaking of Daddy, he’s probably on his way home, on the bus right about now… And is probably none too pleased about that, since Uncle Gumshoe was supposed to be his ride, and instead wound up being my getaway car!
“Abracadabra!” She crowed triumphantly as she finally found what she was looking for. It had been hidden under the plate of floating spaghetti, where she had last left it. Heaving a sigh of relief, the harried magician raced to the front door and sharply yanked it open, almost toppling over a handsome, well-built man, wearing a frilly, fluttery napkin thingy around his neck, just as he was about to knock.
“Ngh!” Edgeworth grunted as he almost knocked the teenager off her feet and nearly fell forward, but managed to catch himself on the doorframe at the last split-second.
“Holy David Copperfield!” Trucy squealed in shock, a white-gloved hand flying to her mouth.
They both straightened up, and Trucy shamefacedly smiled at the new arrival, who, upon second glance, looked vaguely familiar to her and appeared not to be such a stranger after all! Howbeit, in her state of haste, she was unable to immediately place where she knew him from.
“My sincere apologies about the near mishap, sir,” she apologized quickly. “If you’re here on business regarding the need of a magician, I’m afraid at the moment, I literally have a foot out the door as you can see… although if you’re looking for a pianist, my Daddy isn’t here right now either although he should be back really shortly…”
Ergo, I need to make sure I am long gone before the time he returns! I’m in no rush to face the music regarding my non-compliance!
“…So it’s entirely up to you whether or not you want to come back later, or wait here for him…”
“I am here to see your father,” the man replied in a genteel baritone, with just a trace of British inflection. “Although my visit here is entirely personal, not at all business in nature.”
Forgetting her hurry, a frown of concentration marred the teen’s smooth forehead as she stared at the man in front of her while she wracked her memory. The man smiled indulgently.
“You’ve grown so much since I saw you last.” The man’s smoky eyes met Trucy’s, and a flicker of warmth flashed through them. “It has been a long time since we first met, although you were very young at the time, so I wouldn’t expect you to necessarily remember me.”
That voice… Her mind went back to seven years ago. I could never forget that voice…
Flashback to Wright Talent Agency
May 6, 2019…
“Trucy, can you do me a favor?”
She nodded.
“Be a good little girl for Phoenix, OK? And please take very good care of him.”
“You care a lot about my Daddy, don’t you? You’re not a client, are you?”
“No,” Miles mumbled, his voice tinged with sadness. “I’m an attorney that worked with your Daddy. I…was a friend of his. I wanted to make sure you looked after him really well, because your Daddy…has a lot of people that care about him, very much.”
End Flashback
“Mr. Miles!” A beam of recognition brightened up the magician’s sweet face. “I know you! You’re Daddy’s attorney friend! You came here when he first adopted me!”
“Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, pleased to make your re-acquaintance, Trucy.” The visitor gave his customary bow and treated the girl to another one of his rare, genuine smiles. “I do believe I shall take you up on that offer to wait for your father to return.”
Trucy faltered slightly with her enthusiasm the full title sunk in and her eyes widened in alarm.
Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, he’d said?! Holy granoly and cheese and rice!
“Yes…I totally remember you now! It’s really nice seeing you again!” Trucy began rambling quickly, her pulse racing with apprehension, for more reasons than one! “I’m sorry I can’t stick around longer and play catch up with you, but I’ve got to get to work, although I certainly hope to visit with you shortly! Also, I swear to you I did just as you asked and have been a very good girl for my Daddy…”
For the most part anyway, this one little act of disobedience notwithstanding!
“…And I have taken very good care of him, just like I promised you I would!”
The petite teen bounced up on her toes to reach up and plant a kiss on the surprised Miles Edgeworth’s cheek then, giving him her most winsome smile as she did so, and the rest of her words tumbling out of her mouth in a rush, not even allowing him a chance to respond.
“Feel free to make yourself at home, Mr. Miles! Our house is your house! Please excuse the mess I just made! Oh, and if you want any refreshments, our kitchen is upstairs. Help yourself to whatever you want in the fridge, and our coffee is on the counter, although it’s only the instant stuff. However, if you prefer a spot of tea, we have some tea bags in the far-right cabinet above the stove, along with a very nice teapot! One more thing… No matter what you hear about today’s trial, please don’t prosecute my Daddy, he’s innocent in every way! Wow, will you look at the time! I’ve seriously got to go now – my ride’s waiting for me! Bye!”
With those as her parting words, Trucy sprinted out of there so fast she nearly left smoke trails in her wake, not even pausing to shut the door behind her as she left a completely flummoxed Edgeworth standing there by the front door.
As the magician hurried down the stairs, a small niggling reminder that could not be suppressed gnawed away at the recesses of her memory. There was a vitally important thing she was supposed to do. There was somebody significant that she was intended to call about something imperative …but who? About what? For the life of her, in her current frazzled and rushed state, she couldn’t figure out the answer to this elusive riddle!
Oh well, if it’s that important, it’ll certainly come back to me later! Right now, I just gotta make sure I get the heck outta here before Daddy gets back, and since I am going to be working, I don’t need to worry about answering any angry phone calls from even angrier fathers… and anybody else in the meantime can just wait till I’m done my shift! Putting cell phone in silent mode…right about… now!
Back at the agency, Edgeworth blinked dazedly, trying to digest exactly what had transpired in those last few moments of whirling cyclone conversation!
God’s teeth! What was that all about?!
“So Trucy let you in, and told you to help yourself to some sort of hot beverage?” Phoenix stared at Edgeworth uncomprehendingly as the other man completed telling the narrative. “Right before she dashed out of here like a bat out of hell?!”
“Yes, she did.” Edgeworth sipped pleasurably at his cup. “Mmm. Quite nice. Much better than the Earl Grey they insist on giving you on commercial airlines. That swill tastes like dirty dishwater.”
“We have tea?!” The pianist exclaimed disbelievingly. “Since when?!”
“I can discern which one of you does the grocery shopping around here.” The barrister took another sip. “Although I must admit, your daughter does have exquisite taste. Orange pekoe is one of my favorites. I confess that while I was waiting for your return, I did make an entire teapot of it.”
“We have a teapot?!”
“I can also see which one of you isn’t in charge of the cooking, either,” the prosecutor observed dryly. “Thank goodness at least one of you is competent and knowledgeable in the kitchen.”
“Hey, for your kind information, I happen to make killer blueberry muffins!” Phoenix protested defensively. “But anyway, we’re getting off track here! Around what time was it that you arrived here at the agency and bumped into Trucy?”
“I believe it was approximately a quarter after five that I encountered the delightful Miss Wright. She’s grown into quite a lovely young woman.” Edgeworth flashed a wry grin. “It was a shame she couldn’t visit with me a tad longer, but she seemed to be in quite a frenetic haste to get to work.”
“At quarter past five?” The former attorney scoffed. “Oh please! She doesn’t even start until seven!”
“Nevertheless, I have seen Olympic gold marathon medalists with slower footwork than your daughter, in her mad urgency to rush out to her ride.” Edgeworth snickered. “A cursory glance outside the window confirmed for me that her driver was none other than a certain former scruffy detective, who didn’t even notice me passing right by his vehicle on my way upstairs to the agency. I see the good man is as perspicacious as always.”
“So Gumshoe’s the one who was responsible for aiding and abetting my little outlaw in training!” The pianist muttered under his breath. “That explains why I had to take the bus home!”
“Was Gumshoe supposed to be your ride home from the courthouse, but ultimately shunted you for Trucy?” The prosecutor smirked. “Not very forthcoming of him, was it? For what it’s worth if he were still under my authority, I would cut his salary on your behalf for this gross misdeed.”
Phoenix had to crack a smile at that one.
“Your daughter, diligent little employee that she is, was not only concerned with getting to work on time but whether or not I was going to prosecute you regarding certain particular details that might have occurred during the trial,” the magenta-clad man deadpanned. “Logic would dictate there’s a correlation between this ‘Outlaw’ behavior you spoke of, Trucy imploring me not to hold you responsible for it, and her desperate need to be out of here before your arrival. Would you care to elaborate on this, Wright?”
“It depends.” The hobo yanked his beanie over his eyes. “How much do you know already?”
“Well, I still had quite a bit of time to pass until you got here, so I patiently waited approximately 20 minutes for Gumshoe to drop your daughter off to work before I decided to ring him and say hello,” the prosecutor drawled. “He gave me the lowdown on Gavin’s breakdown and subsequent confession, all of which came to a head due to a certain piece of decisive evidence in the form of a bloody Ace card, produced by your defense attorney.”
The DILF let out a loud moan of despair.
“Is it a safe assumption that this trump card was not completely legitimate evidence?” Edgeworth regarded him meaningfully. “Might we even go as far as to say that it was … Forged?”
“Please do not use that blasted word!” Phoenix dragged a hand down his face. “I forbade her to do it! Hell, I even told her not to be at the trial in the first place, and just be a good little girl and go to school! But did my rebellious teenager obey my commands? Of course not! She wouldn’t be my daughter if she actually listened to orders, would she?!”
“Don’t worry, Wright.” The jollity in Edgeworth’s voice was unmistakable now. “I meant what I said about not letting any court in the world lay a hand on your daughter if it had ever come to that. Regardless, since Gavin already confessed to the murder, the questionable evidence is no longer of any relevance. And now it’s too late to do anything about it. The only person who could have contested it was Winston Payne, who did not, because he always has been, and always will be, a complete bumbling buffoon!”
“No kidding!” Phoenix let out a rueful chuckle. “Boy, did Apollo and I ever get lucky that we had that screechy-voiced, walking hairpiece, dunderhead as the prosecution!”
“Yes…” The prosecutor purposely lifted his teacup to his lips at that moment to hide his knowing smirk. “Very lucky indeed.”
Although there was no change in the prosecutor’s tone or expression, over 20 years of knowing him was enough to make Phoenix regard his guest suspiciously at that statement, scrutinizing those unreadable features until at last, the truth dawned on him.
No matter how the years have unfolded, Edgeworth remains the same individual who was my closest companion in childhood, always watching over me. He must have been the one to have Payne assigned to my case, although he would never admit it; that’s just the way he operates, Phoenix realized. Since he’s more a man of action than talk, Edgeworth speaks sparingly. In our youth, if I was ever distressed, he’d offer me a Coke and a seat on his couch. We’d then immerse ourselves in video games until our fingers were raw. When I was prepared, we’d discuss the issue. He’d listen without judgment, reserving his comments until I bared my soul. Setting down his Coke, he’d meet my eyes, offering guidance like the brother I never had. Even in adulthood, he refrains from mockery unless a good push is needed, and he’s never divulged a whisper of our discussions to anyone. Edgeworth has perennially been my trustworthy confidant for secrets – an unparalleled, true friend. Always has been, and always will be.
“But that’s not the reason I’m here.” The debonair legal eagle set down his teacup on the coffee table and took a seat beside the hobo on the couch. “While I am aware that I have been out of touch for a while due to the nature of my undercover operations overseas, I still tried my best to stay up-to-date, as best I could, about the very important things. Even while away, I became aware of not only your third false murder charge but of other monumental events, such as baby Jeff Gumshoe’s baptism, to which I received an invitation. Both of these were surprises, albeit only the latter a pleasant one! Conversely, there were no words to describe exactly what element of surprise I experienced by yet another invitation received at my German residence. And that is what I am hoping you can help shed further light on.”
The pianist knew what was coming, and was mentally bracing himself for the moment of impact, but vainly attempted to bluff his way around the matter at hand for as long as he could, as was tradition.
“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He purposely dropped his chin so only the brim of his beanie was visible to that prying gaze. For some reason, try as he might, Miles Edgeworth was one of the few people in the world who he couldn’t completely fool with his poker face.
“It sounds like you’ve got all the information you need out of just talking to Gumshoe. I’ll tell you right now that I have sort of been out of touch with most of the old gang for the past year or so. Therefore, I may not be the best person to approach for the latest information on what everyone’s been up to.”
“Wright, don’t even think about trying to play the daft card with me!” The legist snapped. “You know that I know that you know that I know what I’m bloody well referring to!” He affixed Phoenix with a steely-eyed glare. “I admit to having been gone for a spell now, but the last time I was live video chatting with you and Maya Fey, I was given no reason to believe that a mere year later, I’d be receiving an invitation to the nuptials of my dear spirit medium friend… To a man who is not you!”
“Why is it you insist on asking me questions that you already know the answer to?” The poker champ countered, still not looking at him. “Maya is engaged to be married to somebody else because she and I aren’t together anymore. This would be indicative that we split up, despite the loving couple front we presented when we last Skyped with you! So what more do you want from my life?”
“What about an explanation?” Edgeworth demanded. “Or something I’m not quite sure you’re comfortable giving nowadays, Wright! How about the Goddamn truth? What the hell happened with you two?!”
“Exactly what is it you want to hear?” The disbarred lawyer asked tiredly, finally lifting his head and viewing the other man with dead eyes. “It’s hard to tell someone that things don’t always end up the way you thought they would, but what can you do? These things happen. In the end, we just didn’t work out, OK? It sucks, but I’ve accepted it and moved on. You can understand that, can’t you?”
For a split second, the slate-haired lawyer hesitated, and it was his turn to look away as if trying to collect his wits. But just as Phoenix thought that his chum was mercifully going to make like a hot potato and drop it, the other man spoke again, his tone less accusing this time, but equally as intense.
“Yes I can understand very well that these things happen,” he said quietly. “More than you can ever know. Nevertheless, you should understand something as well. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and hence, you’re one of the few people in the world who is quite privy to the fact that I am equally as stubborn as you are, Wright! Ergo, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what happened!”
The musician turned his head away once more, and the prosecutor felt the slight sting of rejection at this refusal to confide in him. The spiky-haired man had always been an open book, and as much as Edgeworth had razzed him repeatedly in the past for always wearing his heart on his sleeve and being an emo head case, it was still preferable to this cold, detached, tsundere persona that had now consumed the hobo’s identity. It made him yearn for the man Phoenix Wright had once been, the man who had never, until now, changed from being the dedicated, heartfelt, trusting boy Edgeworth had once known him to be.
Raised by a single father with demanding work hours, I frequently found solace at your house during our childhood. It served as a warm, secure sanctuary for me. Your parents, always hospitable and kind, offered me a firsthand experience of a normal and affectionate family dynamic whenever I visited. Undoubtedly, your kindness emanated from the nurturing environment they provided. Never once did I feel unwelcome or rushed to leave. As a precocious, studious, yet shy child who struggled to connect with peers, you became the first true friend I could call my own. You extended a hand of friendship to a lonely, motherless boy, filling his childhood world with your unique blend of charm and magic.
He swallowed back the lump in his throat.
Separated for 15 years, I discovered that, unbeknownst to me, you had been diligently writing throughout that time. Despite appearances suggesting I ignored you due to Manfred withholding your letters, you never lost hope. For all you knew, I may have moved on without a second thought. When we reunited as adults, you never expressed anger, whether regarding the unanswered letters or my initial lack of recognition. Your enduring kindness prevailed; you were simply delighted to see me again, proving you remained a mensch through and through.
Edgeworth briefly shut his eyes, lost in treasured childhood memories.
Wright, as an adult, your tenacity and unwavering earnestness have remained constants. Your advice, consistently honest, is delicately crafted to avoid causing harm. Despite my initial departure from the person you once knew, you swiftly rekindled our friendship, proving your enduring nature since childhood. You never relented, persistently breaking down my defenses until I confessed how much I had missed and valued you. Presently, we’ve reached a juncture where, even across oceans, I am fully committed. If ever you need me, in mind, body, and soul, a simple call will bring me to your side.
He felt a tightening in his chest which ached with sympathy for this man, who had done so much for him and those in need. Who had somehow strayed from his path of justice, and now seemed so helplessly lost.
You did more than save me on the defendant’s stand, Phoenix Wright. You saved my soul from eternal darkness. And because of that, there is nothing I won’t ever do for you. Let me be there for you, the way you were for me. The way you’ve always been there for everybody who needed a heroic champion to stand by their side until the cruel hand of fate intervened in your life seven years ago and made you a shadow of who you used to be. But it doesn’t matter, because just as you always believed in me, it’s now my turn. I need to believe that the great man I once knew still lives within you. I need to try to bring him back to me. But how?
Silence from the disbarred lawyer. He looked as if the muscles of his face had gone on strike. Everything about it was slack and it gave him the aura of one who would insist on spurning every one of his best friend’s well-meaning attempts to strike up a conversation. Even his shoulders drooped and as he fell back against the couch cushions like a sack of potatoes, refusing to make eye contact with the prosecutor, he stared sullenly into space.
Goddammit, Wright! I beg you to please cease this unsuitable, aloof façade you’re masquerading behind and go back to being the hot-blooded, overly passionate, basket case I’ve always known and loved! As much as I badgered you relentlessly about the unchecked reign of your emotions, I never actually wanted you to turn into me!
“You know Wright, while my work is the result of my return to the States, my investigations don’t officially resume until later this summer. Subsequently, I have absolutely nothing better to do in the meantime, than just sit here patiently and sip this resplendent tea while I wait for you to regale me with your side of the story.”
The poker champ eyed him dispassionately but said nothing.
It seems desperate times call for desperate measures.
“I’m a patient man when need be. Ergo, playing the waiting game will not be of any inconvenience to me in the least. I would welcome the opportunity to further visit with that delightful daughter of yours in the meantime as an additional bonus!” The former Demon Prosecutor smiled benevolently and propped his feet up on the coffee table. “Shall I get comfortable then?”
“It’s none of your damn business, Edgeworth,” the beanie wearer growled.
“Very well, Wright. You have left me with no choice. I suppose since you refuse to tell me what transpired between you and Maya, the only other alternative I have is to ask the fair maiden herself.” Von Karma’s one-time disciple pulled out his phone. “So, what’s it going to be?”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Phoenix glared at him contemptuously. “I know you’re bluffing.”
“Now, now Wright, we both know bluffing was always your area of expertise. Far be for me to try to usurp the title away from the Baron of Bluffing.”
Edgeworth’s voice hardened.
“I assure you, I don’t bluff. If you weren’t being so bloody thick-skulled right now, you would already know that! I believe I still have Maya’s number on speed dial unless it’s changed within the last year, which I’m going to assume it has not.” His finger hovered over the keys on his phone. “The choice is yours.”
“You presumptuous, busy-bodied, meddlesome son of a bitch.” The poker-faced mask was already beginning to crack.
“Why thank you, good man. I do my best.” A disarming grin. “Shall I take this to mean you’ve made up your mind to remain notoriously tight-lipped then?”
More petulant silence.
“So be it then.” Undaunted, the prosecutor pressed down on the speed dial button.
“Hold it!” Phoenix cried out. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were cast down in a defeated gaze, his icy pretense completely vanquished. “Fine, you win. I’ll talk.”
He released a shaky breath.
“But for the record, Edgeworth, you are still a manipulative, nosy, over-meddling bastard with zero respect for boundaries!”
Arigato, Mr. Roboto! I shall try not to let my triumphant glee at finally having cracked that poker-faced veneer be too obvious!
“All in a day’s work.” Edgeworth smiled smugly. “Proceed. I’m all ears.”
And so Phoenix told him. He explained the entire convoluted series of unfortunate events that had forced him to live a lie for the past year because his psychotic German stalker had left him with no other choice! His voice was lifeless as he rehashed the entire lurid tale, although the expression in his eyes was one of undisguised suffering and anguish as he relayed how he’d had to tell Maya he was leaving her for Iris, and how the shrine maiden had been forced to play along and lie to both Maya and Pearl, further straining her ties with them consequently, all for the greater good of keeping her loyal promise to assist him with saving her impetuous cousin’s life.
Edgeworth listened quietly, without interruption, just nodding his comprehension as Phoenix released the pent-up floodgates until he was finally spent, and blearily fell back against the sofa cushions, drained from releasing the weight of his long-suppressed confession. Finally, the ash-haired man spoke.
“So now what, Wright?”
“What do you mean, now what? Do you think I have any earthly idea? I just wish someone would come and tell me, like, ‘This is how the rest of your life should look’.”
The card shark noted the sympathetic grey gaze and laughed hollowly.
“I’m fine. I’m really good, actually, and sometimes feeling really good all the time feels really bad. But I’m on a journey. It’s my journey and I’m OK. So please, Edgeworth, don’t pity me.”
“It’s not pity, you fool. It’s empathy. It’s commiseration. It’s the genuine sadness felt by someone on behalf of the person closest to them, who has just told one of the most gut-wrenching stories of love and selflessness ever known to man.”
“Don’t make me out to be some sort of martyr.” The recently exonerated defendant shook his head and buried his face in his hands, but not before the DA saw his tormented expression. “I only did what any man, who made a promise to his revered dead mentor many moons ago, and who loved a woman so damn much that he’d been driven to near madness, would’ve done.”
“You did all that, even though surely the heartbreak you thus endured was no less than a hurricane, and the devastation was absolute. Stop undermining yourself, Wright.”
Edgeworth placed a hand on his dialogue partner’s rigid shoulder.
“You did a noble thing, and you need to believe that someday the universe will reward you for such a saintly act. I know from your position it might be hard to be the optimistic man you once used to be, so I’m going to be the positive one in your stead. I’m going to not only believe in you but now be shamelessly sentimental enough for both you and me with my beliefs.”
“Your beliefs?” Phoenix repeated dully.
“Yes. I honestly believe that there are more dreams to come for you, my friend. Sunshine on rainy days, laughter, and fulfillment. Perhaps just not right now, but in days to come. I believe you are not only deserving of it, but I also wish you, happiness, joy, and love. I’ve always wanted the same for both you and Maya. The two of you always were at your best when you were together.”
The normally austere man crossed his arms.
“Therefore, I don’t understand what’s stopping you from running to Maya, right now, and telling the truth, now that the threat to her life has been omitted and Gavin is behind bars.”
“Perhaps it is my turn now to accuse you of playing the daft card?” Phoenix lifted his head from his hands, his pained expression fading and replaced by one of incredulity. “As evidenced by the wedding invitation that you previously referenced, old pal, Maya has moved on. She is getting married, in less than two months, to another man. I am her past and Longines is her future.” His voice shook slightly. “Sh – she doesn’t love me anymore.”
Miles Edgeworth and Dick Gumshoe
April 20, 2026, 5:35 PM
“Hello?”
“Greetings, Gumshoe. I hope this is a fitting time for us to perhaps have a little catch-up chat?”
“Mr. Edgeworth? Sir? Is that really you?”
“None other.”
“You sound so clear this time! I don’t hear any long-distance crackles at all! Where are you calling from now?”
“Approximately 20 minutes away from The Wonder Bar at the Wright Talent Agency,” the prosecutor responded casually.
“You mean you’re back in town?! Since when?”
“About an hour or so ago. I shall presume unless I’ve miscalculated Los Angeles traffic, that by now you have completed your task of driving the getaway car and Trucy is safely at work?”
“I’m not even going to ask how you knew that, Sir,” Gumshoe replied sheepishly. “Yes, she’s gone to work. I was just about to pull out of the parking lot, but of course, I’d be happy to chat with my favorite prosecutor!” A quick pause. “Er, don’t tell Ms. Von Karma I said that, OK?”
“My lips are zipped,” Edgeworth said dryly, ignoring the slight sting that’d unintentionally been caused by mentioning his former lover’s name. “Also Gumshoe, as you are Chief of police and no longer my subordinate, you no longer need to address me in such a formal manner.”
“I guess that’s true. But I can’t help it! Old habits die hard!”
“Indeed. Would you mind giving me a rundown on the fate of our dear mutual chum and the court trial today?”
Gumshoe gave his former boss a brief but thorough synopsis of the dramatic courtroom antics that had transpired earlier in the day, unable to conceal his stupefaction about the last-minute “surprise evidence” sprung on by the defense counsel, nor his satisfied grim amusement as he described Kristoph Gavin’s breakdown and the magnificent way Phoenix had confronted, and then extracted the truth out of him, all the while essentially playing no-badge, defense attorney for himself.
Edgeworth could already deduce that the card’s validation was fishy at best but wisely kept this to himself as the Chief went on to discuss a new topic of interest.
“I just finished listening to my voicemail right before you called,” Gumshoe told him hesitantly. “It was from Maya. I knew she and Pearl were away on business in Australia for the past week or so, but somehow they found out about Phoenix’s court case, but not the actual outcome.”
“Oh, dear. I imagine she was quite concerned?”
“Concerned? I don’t know if that’s quite the word I’d use for the full-blown histrionics in the voicemail she left me! Her verbatim message was: Gumshoe. It’s Maya. What the hell happened to my Nick?! I’m going crazy here! I need to know! I’m getting on a plane to come home right now but please message me or call me the second you get this!” Gumshoe coughed awkwardly. “I figured after all they’d been through together, Maya would surely still care about Phoenix’s well-being, but I sure wasn’t expecting … that.”
“I confess that I am slightly taken aback by her extreme reaction to the news as well,” Edgeworth admitted.
“I’m not quite sure what to make of it, Sir!” The Chief exclaimed helplessly. “I was always rooting for those two, and the way she sounded in that message, I can’t help but wonder… I mean, I know she’s getting married and all, and Longines does seem like a great guy, from the few times I’ve met him, but … do you think it’s possible she still loves Phoenix? She referred to him as my Nick!”
“I can’t deny the possibility…” Edgeworth began hesitantly, but Gumshoe cut him off before he could continue.
“Well, if Maya is still in love with our pal, she has no business getting married to this other guy!” The former Detective cried. “Irrespective of how Phoenix even feels, you can’t go into a marriage half-assed! It will only end up in a disaster! It just ain’t right! Shouldn’t we say something?”
“I don’t think there’s enough proof for us to get involved, to be honest,” Edgeworth sighed. “While it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that Maya’s reaction was that of a woman still desperately in love with her ex-boyfriend, it just isn’t sufficient evidence to ruin somebody’s upcoming wedding! She and Wright have always been identical in the sense that they’re both very emotional, act first, think later, kind of people.”
“But Sir…”
“We also don’t know how she actually feels about this Longines fellow… It’s fair to assume she must love him somewhat if she chose to unite herself with him for the rest of her life. As for her calling him my Nick… We can’t entirely rule out the possibility that, as you said, old habits die hard.”
“So you’re saying we should stand back and not do a damn thing while one of our dearest pals possibly makes a huge mistake?” Gumshoe asked dubiously. “You truly believe that doing nothing is our best course of action right now?”
“No, Gumshoe. I’m of the conviction that there are junctures in life where you must allow events to unfold, irrespective of the consequences. I firmly believe in the notion that every occurrence serves a purpose. People transform to teach you the art of detachment, mishaps occur to amplify your appreciation for things when they’re right. Deceptions are encountered so that you can cultivate a trust solely in yourself, and occasionally, favorable situations crumble, paving the way for superior circumstances to coalesce.”
Edgeworth stared at the morose figure next to him while the heft of his conscience weighed heavily upon his soul. Had he done the right thing by persuading Gumshoe to remain silent about the Master? At the time it’d seemed like a sound choice; the last thing he wanted to do was destroy everybody’s lives based on mindless conjuncture. The poor girl had suffered enough hardship in her life. And as much as his loyalty lay first and foremost with Phoenix above all else in this instance, he couldn’t deny the fact that Maya meant a lot to him, as well.
Never before had he felt so torn.
“Don’t you get it, Edgeworth?” Phoenix’s eyes were red as he stared powerlessly at his guest. “It doesn’t matter that Gavin is in jail! Ultimately, nothing has changed! I’m still a disgraced, disbarred defense attorney and she is still the prestigious Master who was always urged by her village and probably by everybody around her to do better than me! I’ve never wanted anything but the best for her, and now she’s found herself a billionaire who can give her everything her heart desires, whereas I still am … and apparently, eternally doomed to be … just …a hapless nobody.”
“So this is it? This is how it’s going to end for you? You’re just going to curl up like a trapped onshore shrimp and die, Wright?” Never before had Edgeworth felt so helpless and frustrated. “You’re just going to give up? On everything? You used to be a fighter! You fought for everybody that you believed in! Why can’t you do that for yourself?!”
Phoenix didn’t answer.
“Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me that this newly restrained disposition of yours simply means that you’re revving yourself up and getting ready for the next step of the battle.”
“No. Don’t mistake my calm for a readiness to take on more, to deal with more. Perhaps once it was. But not anymore.” Bleak indigo eyes stared sightlessly at him. “Now it is only exhaustion, quiet and subdued, always hoping for an eventual respite from this never-ending shit-storm that is now my entire life.”
“Dammit Wright! Listen to me! If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
Edgeworth placed his hand back on Phoenix’s shoulder again and shook it gently, fervently wishing he could rattle that indomitable, justice-seeking spirit back into the defeated man.
“Let your past failures illuminate your motivation; therein lies your path to success. Life’s battles favor not always the strongest or swiftest but those who believe they can prevail. Pray not for an easy life but for the strength to endure challenges. Courage may wound the strong without wisdom, but it propels the brave to victory. Persist in your self-belief, for giving up on yourself means giving up on others. I will not allow you to cease the fight, not you, not after all you’ve done for those around you.”
“Why are you doing this to me?” Phoenix shouted suddenly, shaking the intrusive hand off his shoulder, looking as though he were near tears now. “Why do you insist on beating a dead horse, Edgeworth? There are times in life when you’ve got no choice but to give up on somebody! That time is now! Why can’t you just let me be?!”
“For the reason that you mean too damn much to me!” Edgeworth yelled back, his calmness completely shattered as he found himself raising his voice with each passing word. “I will never stop believing in you, Wright, do you hear me? Never! Why? Because there’s something of you in my DNA and it probably codes for all of my best features!”
He inhaled a deep breath for courage, not even caring anymore that his voice was trembling slightly.
“A mere reflection on our childhood instantly conjures your smile and the comforting warmth that permeates my tired heart. A simple closure of my eyes transports me to our bygone street, you in your denim, and me in my ill-fated short pants. Recollections flood in – the mud pies, our ant wars, Mrs. Butz’s half-burnt biscuits devoured with unparalleled enthusiasm. The echoes of our laughter resonate at the back of the classroom, our sides on the brink of breaking. Do you remember those days?”
Edgeworth had to stop to take in a long, ragged breath before he allowed himself to continue.
“Can’t you see…you aren’t a nobody because…there is nobody better than you! I might encounter countless remarkable individuals with captivating lives and altruistic deeds and not one of them could replace you. You are one of a kind, Phoenix Wright. You were a hero to the world around you. Justice needs you. I need you. And if you think I’m going to let you throw that all away because you have chosen to just give up, then you’re an even bigger fool than I ever thought you were!”
A flicker of hope glimmered in his heart, and then, a muscle twitched beside the former Ace Attorney’s mouth at this impassioned speech, the most wholehearted and meaningful one he had ever heard in his entire existence. He had never before seen his best friend so unraveled, and it touched him more than he could ever say that it had been because of him. Phoenix mulled all this over for another moment, then flashed a hesitant smile.
Edgeworth saw the old, familiar spark reigniting in his eyes and stepped up his argument.
“So let’s get you off your duff, climb off your one personal train to pity town, and work on getting your damn badge back!” Flushed slightly from his emboldened oration, Edgeworth coughed slightly and attempted to resume his conventional stoic exterior. “Or do I have to resort to giving you a matching mark on the other side of that mug of yours to make my point and spur you into action?”
“Gah!” Phoenix raised his hands protectively in front of his face. “Don’t you think I’ve suffered enough abuse today already, Mike Tyson?!”
The prosecutor chortled grimly.
“For the love of God, Wright, why is it that whenever I see you nowadays, it appears somebody has resorted to unleashing mindless violence upon your person?”
“Last time it was you!” The hobo looked as though he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry now.
“Your point being?” Edgeworth derided, the beguilement evident in his voice now. “How do you manage to spurn such volatile reactions in people, anyway?”
“What can I say?” Phoenix shrugged, although his own eyes were twinkling with mirth as well. “It’s a gift.”
He sobered for a moment, then his brother in arms with anxious but hopeful eyes.
“Now that you’re back, do you honestly think I’m no longer fighting a losing battle? Do you genuinely believe you can help me clear my name so I can get my badge back?”
“I do.” Edgeworth nodded somberly. “As much as I believe in you, I truly have faith that if we put our conjoined efforts into this, we can manage to right the wrong that was done to you.”
“Game on! You win, Edgeworth!” Phoenix smirked and put up his hands in mock surrender. “Well, maybe not in the courtroom against me, but this round can go down on your victory record!”
“You are going to pay for that cheeky remark next time we square off in court,” the legal eagle warned him, although the twinkle in his eyes belied his attempted ominous words.
“Guess that means you’re going to have to work extra hard to help me get my badge back then!” Phoenix quipped, suddenly feeling as though an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He wanted to jump up and cheer about the exhilaration of finally having his best friend back in his life; about having such an incredible ally by his side again.
However, as happy as he was at the moment, there was something that was still left unsaid, and he couldn’t properly rejoice until he got to the bottom of it.
Something … such as the truth behind his confidant’s impromptu return to LA in the first place.
“It’s my turn to be making the demands now.” Phoenix suddenly sprang up from the couch and stared down at his startled-looking pal.
“Demands?” The chess lover cocked an eyebrow. “About what, pray tell?”
“Let’s start with the real reason why you came back here to the States, by your admission,
months ahead of your regularly scheduled program?” The spiky-haired man crossed his arms over his chest and subjected his courtroom rival to his most penetrating stare. “I don’t need to have my attorney’s badge to see the glaring contradiction here!”
“What baseless conjecture are you spewing now?” Edgeworth huffed. “I have no idea what nonsense you’re prattling about!”
“Objection! We both know I’m Wright – in more ways than one!”
The prosecutor groaned at the shameless pun, but Phoenix didn’t allow him another word in edgewise as he pushed forward in his relentless cross-examination.
“Spill it, Edgeworth! What are you doing here now, when you have a wife and baby back home? As much as you’re an ambitious career man, I know for a fact that you value your loved ones even more!” Phoenix pointed his finger, courtroom style, right at him. “I want the truth… And I want it now!”
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