80 Revelations

 “I’m not the flash friend, the one everyone wants to copy and follow around … I’m the raw and vulnerable friend, the one who wears her heart on her sleeve and makes it OK for you to do the same.”

 Phoenix Wright
June 23, 2017

Looking back at that second trial, Phoenix still couldn’t fathom how after six months apart from his best friend, he’d gotten her back in his life, only to have to defend her against her second ersatz murder charge, approximately five minutes after she’d re-entered it!

Of course, it had turned out his assistant was innocent of the accused crime, as he’d suspected all along, and she was free to go once again. He really couldn’t help but reflect on the competency of the LAPD as well as the Prosecutor’s Office; how many more bogus trials would they make poor Maya have to go through before they all realized that she simply wasn’t capable of taking a human life?!

Man, he’d thought Edgeworth had been brutal to square off against in court. Miles Edgeworth had been a cakewalk compared to what he’d gone through when he’d defended Maya against the sadistically whip-happy Franziska Von Karma, Manfred’s daughter. Her attractive exterior and petite stature were supremely misleading – that whip of hers…boy… did it hurt! While Phoenix had an admittedly high pain tolerance, in the ultimate act of being a sore loser, the enraged German still managed to whip him at one point till he’d passed out.

He still shuddered at the memory.

Of course, normal daily occurrences would also have him shuddering…but mostly only when he looked at his bank account statements and credit card bills…

Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey
Wright & Co. Law Offices
July 14, 2017, 7:30 PM

She just thinks of me as a brother! Phoenix’s mind cried pitifully.

Objection! She made sure you came to see her before she agreed to channel Mimi Ini, his heart argued. She has put complete trust in you several times. There’s the fact that she got tasered by Von Karma for the DL-6 evidence. The fact that when she’s in trouble, you’re all she thinks about. The little hints she drops, the glances you know you’ve caught her casting just outside your field of vision… shall I go on?

Lord help me, this is hopeless! The Ace Attorney groaned as he swore and tried to readjust his tie for the umpteenth time. I can’t even decide from my heart and mind which is winning! I mean…what the hell is wrong with me? I’ve been in court for too long!

The spiky-haired man studied himself up and down in the mirror and attempted a smile. He straightened out his shirt and ran a hand through his hair; trying to fix it up the best he could with the little gel he had left on his hand.

That weekend Larry had invited them to tag along to a splashy cocktail affair. It was a “Model Party” that was being held at a swanky restaurant sponsored by the talent agency of his flavor-of-the-month girlfriend. The skirt-chaser insisted they keep him company as his gal pal would be too busy rubbing elbows and hobnobbing. Her name was Heidi Lobes, whose cover girl claim to fame was that she was the poster girl on the subway ads for Clear My Ears anti-ear odor spray and Sitting Pretty hemorrhoid cream.

He felt ridiculously nervous. Little Pearl was away training in Kurain that weekend – normally she was up in the village throughout the week and spent Friday through Sunday nights at his place – so she wouldn’t be there tonight as the much-needed buffer between him and Maya during that evening’s plans.

Plans that felt an awful lot like…a date of sorts.

The mere notion made him panic. This wasn’t mere burgers or Samurai dogs at the park. This was getting dressed up, both of them, and mingling amongst other adults in a formal setting…together.

Suddenly the idea of staying home and spending their usual Friday nights watching the brain-numbing Steel Samurai on TV while being surrounded by headache-inducing, MSG-filled Chinese food takeout boxes sounded infinitely more appealing.

Lately, all he could think about was the spirit medium in training currently taking up the spot on the small sofa next to him. Sure, she was quite the handful sometimes, and she was the reason his wallet seemed to never have over fifty dollars inside, but she always managed to smile regardless of the situation and stood by him throughout his many cases. That was something he could seriously appreciate in the moments he had when everything he was trying to accomplish seemed impossible.

Still, that was not a very good excuse for why she was occupying his thoughts as of late. Thoughts he was uncomfortable with thinking. Such as earlier that day, when he’d accidentally caught a glimpse of Maya, who’d obviously forgotten her bathrobe in the bedroom, making the mad dash out of the shower wearing nothing but a skimpy towel. He’d noted that she had developed some curves on her formerly lanky frame. The questions in his mind, where he’d occasionally wonder what was under that purple robe had unwittingly been answered!

And now that he’d gotten a firsthand glimpse of the said answer, it was harder than usual to resume his normal reaction of slapping himself inwardly at the perverted thought and quickly begin to think about something else entirely!

Baseball. Kittens. My grandma’s neon-green sweater. Wendy Oldbag in a bikini… Gah! Why did I have to go there?!

This train of thought was only followed by a series of more questions he had no answer to.

Why had his mind even wandered down that path, anyway?

Maya was nothing more than his friend…right?

Right.

So no, he shouldn’t think thoughts like that. Maya was just a friend.

Just a friend, just a friend, just a friend. He tried to drill it into his head, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling.

He made a mental note to accompany her the next time she went to train at the waterfall he had found close by for her. He could use the freezing cold of the beating water to clear his mind.

Maybe I should just fully go for it and confess these conflicting feelings…

Perhaps he could just talk this out with her. After all, communication was what you were supposed to have with your best friend, right?

Sure. Great. Who am I kidding? She’d completely freak out!  I can just picture how it would go…

He facepalmed.

“Look, Maya, ever since you’ve come back into my life, I’ve had these weird feelings for you . . . and at first, I didn’t know what they were but lately, I’ve been starting to think that, well- maybe I’m a bit attracted to you. As more than a friend and I know this is incredibly stupid and will probably wreck our friendship and you’re way too young and pretty and outgoing for a stodgy Old Man like me really but …” 

Sighing he stopped and rolled his eyes.

Yeah, that’ll convince her, Phoenix. Point out all the reasons why she shouldn’t ever consider you. Mmm, sexy! Not!

The defense lawyer had decided to try to spruce up for the affair, and in a surprise turn of events, his underling, for once, hadn’t demanded he take her shopping. She had figured she’d just throw on something of Mia’s, joking that if this had been for a wedding or something more grandeur, she’d have ensured that she dragged him to the mall to get her a new outfit. Ergo, he should consider himself lucky that she was letting him off easy this time!

Maybe he should go for flattery? Hmmm…women liked compliments, didn’t they?

Phoenix put on his most sincere expression in front of the mirror as he rehearsed how this preliminary speech would sound.

“Truly, you’re not just pleasing to the eye but take my breath away beautiful…”

“Wow, Narcissus, I’ve heard of learning to love yourself…” Maya drawled. “But this is just ridiculous!”

Spinning around, blushing furiously, the blue attorney caught sight of his friend standing in the door frame, grinning broadly. He leaped away from the glass, realizing how bad this must have looked, but not knowing how else to explain the scenario, which, fortunately, since she was acting like her normal, jesting self, she hadn’t figured out.

“I guess I should be flattered that you’ve taken such efforts this evening, considering it’s just me who you’re escorting to this shindig and I’m the one who’s got to look at you all night.” She was still grinning. “Kudos on the rarely seen black suit and tie that’s been collecting dust in your closet along with the hair gel…I get making the effort, but you are aware that vanity is a sin, right, Wright?”

He flushed. He knew by now not to take anything his assistant said personally, as she was a total kidder who liked to bust his balls all the time. If he took her jibes seriously, he’d truly have very low self-esteem, since Maya liked to make fun of him a lot.

“Maya, there’s nothing wrong with looking after yourself. If I want to look nice for this soiree, I will,” he replied coolly. “So, how do I look?” He extended his arms and turned in a circle, giving her an all-around view, and raised his eyebrow.

Caught off guard by the question, which he’d never asked her before, Maya found herself uncharacteristically speechless. Jokes aside, her friend looked quite nice.

Nice? Oh please, who was she kidding?

Phoenix was truly a handsome sight to behold; the blue shirt he’d opted for to go with the black suit brightened his sapphire eyes to a lighter shade of royal blue. He looked downright delectable in that outfit.

Her date that night was a babe. And here she was, in turn, in Mia’s oversized hand-me-down dress, like a little girl playing dress-up. She’d be lucky if some slutty model didn’t dig her claws into him that night and drag him off to Paris or Milan or something.

Answering him in a quiet voice she said, “They might mistake you for one of the male models at this fiesta tonight.”

He felt his cheeks redden at the unaccustomed praise, and took a good look at Maya, who was picturesque sophistication personified.

While the elder Fey sibling had been much taller and more … endowed than her little sister, the two were the same shoe size, and about equally as slender. The Chief’s Chinese-print dress had the glamorous retro look of the ’70s. It was a long-sleeved, black printed silk shirtdress with an allover white print. The spread collar, buttoned cuffs, concealed placket, curved hem, and the loosely tailored fit was cinched with a self-tie satin sash around the waist. On Mia, it would have been knee-to-mid length, but on Maya, the modest dress fell to her toes, even in the raised platform pumps he saw peeking under the hemline. A jeweled clutch was in her hand.

The girl wasn’t even wearing any makeup, as her natural beauty needed none whatsoever. Already he knew, that even in a room full of models, he’d be there with the prettiest girl at the party.

Phoenix’s words died in his throat then, and he found himself unable to return the compliment, even though he desperately yearned to.

He was saved by the bell, literally, at that moment when the phone rang. Grateful for the reprieve, he grabbed it quickly.

“Wright & Co. Offices…”

“Mr. Nick! Have you confessed your love to Mystic Maya yet?” Shouted a voice the duo knew all too well, resounding throughout the small room with no requirement of a speakerphone.

“Pearly! Don’t tell me you’ve taken a break from your important spiritual training just to bother us with this thing again!” Maya felt the heat rise in her cheeks and she looked down, obviously embarrassed by the bluntness of her starry-eyed cousin.

“Why? It’s going to happen one day isn’t it?” Pearl demanded. “Right, Mr. Nick?”

Phoenix blushed as well, shaking his head profusely before he realized the child couldn’t see him over the phone.

Pearl sighed in a way no 8-year-old should be allowed to.

“I wanted to check on you, Mystic Maya. To see if Mr. Nick was treating you in all the right ways!”

She says it like we’re dating, the lawyer groaned inwardly. Dating someone wasn’t on the list of his priorities at the moment. Being a lawyer was – or so he kept trying to tell himself. Why is Pearls always so keen on having the two of us date?

Maya awkwardly cleared her throat. “He certainly is. Don’t worry about it, OK?”

“Goody!” The pint-sized Phaya shipper crowed happily. “Is he taking you out to get burgers every day?”

He sat back down on his bed, absolutely speechless. He buried his face in his hands and groaned as he felt the blush deepen on his cheeks. 

More than twice a day. Why does Pearls care so much?

Maya’s jaw dropped.

“…Sure, Pearly.”

“That’s right!” The youngest Fey squealed. “You’d walk over miles of hot coals for Mystic Maya, wouldn’t you, Mr. Nick?”

Pearl was right. Every single wild adventure Maya took them on, Nick carried on with little to no resistance, even if his wallet was empty and he was sore all over at the end of the day. In truth, Maya kept him alive most days.

“Um…” That was all Phoenix could manage in response.

“Good job, Mr. Nick. I completely approve!”

“…Thanks?” That was all Phoenix could think of to say.

“Well then,” Pearl chirped. “I’ll be going now. I gotta go to training. See you two lovebirds next weekend!”

The spirit medium groaned and said her goodbyes, as did Phoenix. Then she turned to look at him and immediately turned away.

“That was…embarrassing. Sorry about that, Nick.”

“It wasn’t a problem at all. She does it every day, doesn’t she?” He replied with an indulgent grin.

The psychic nodded, still mortified. She had talked to her cousin about doing this type of thing before, but she had taken a wild guess and guessed that it didn’t stick to Pearl’s memory.

“Anyway, let’s get going.” He rose off the bed and placed his hand on the small of Maya’s back, about to usher her out the door when she stopped abruptly, forcing him to do so as well. Her brow furrowed as she looked at him critically.

“What’s wrong?” The spiky-haired man asked warily as she bit her lip while studying him in a manner that was now more diagnostic than complimentary.

“Your tie is on a little weird,” she informed him, frowning. Without warning, Maya leaned toward him and stuck her hand at his collar, shifting the silky, flimsy fabric hanging off his neck. With her raised height, her lips were at level with his throat, and he could feel her warm breath and soft skin inadvertently caressing the rough skin exposed above his torso, causing Phoenix to unconsciously erupt into goosebumps.

“Um, um, uhhhh…” he stammered, feeling awkward about the distance between them. He uncomfortably squirmed backward, nudging his assistant away from him.

“Hold still, Nick,” she commanded. She stepped closer, trying to correct whatever mistake he had made in his mindless hurry to get dressed. He felt his face redden as she bumped up against his body so that she could get a better grip on his clothing.

“I’m almost done…” The psychic continued to fumble with his tie, shifting it. The lawyer wondered whether or not she could feel the fast tempo of his heartbeat now that her chest – which seemed to have grown a bit from when he’d first met her! – was pressed up against his.

Finally, she stepped back, bouncing on the heels of her feet.

“There we go!” She eyed him up and down, seemingly oblivious to his flushed skin, goosebumps, and nervous trembling. “Now you look good.”

“Uh, thanks,” he mumbled, trying to suppress a stupid grin. “For that,” he lamely added after a brief pause, as if that made a difference.

Maya smiled at her handiwork and nodded her approval.

“Come on, Nick!” she exclaimed. “We don’t want to keep The Butz and his backdoor model waiting! Maybe she can score us some samples to give to poor Mr. Grossberg for his ever-inflamed ‘roids!”

“S-Sorry,” Phoenix muttered. He stared at Maya, beginning to suddenly notice everything about her was breathtaking. Her hair was done in a simple bun, with a few strands on either side of her cheeks, caressing her shoulders, and she was an elegant vision in her dress, which was neither too long nor too short.

Even though the girl was a beauty, she wasn’t subjecting herself to men in this outfit – never did – and she always blew off the men that approached her, including the Butz on several occasions. It was one of the many things he had always appreciated about her. She was herself. She was a channeler or a spirit medium, either name would suffice. Maya was Maya, and that’s who Phoenix liked.

As a friend. Right…just a friend.

“About the way you look tonight…” the spiky-haired man was unsure of what to do as he stared at the spirit medium. I…um…”

He trailed off uncertainly.

“Yes?” The necromancer smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. “Spit it out, Nick.”

“I um, I like your hair,” he finished lamely, unable to make himself say anything better. “It looks good…um, up like that. More grown-up.”

How sweet. He liked her hair. The one thing that she hadn’t done much with at all! It had taken her ages trying to find something amongst the statuesque Mia’s wardrobe that didn’t trail past the floor on her overly short frame, or worse, fallen to her navel in the neckline area since Maya didn’t possess the required assets to hold the garment up!

Oh well, he’d looked not entirely displeased with her appearance, she’d seen as much in his eyes (or maybe that was wishful thinking on her part!) even if his mouth made him compliment stingy.

“You like my hair, Nick? How sweet!” She opted to go for flippant graciousness. “I like your spiky hair, too. You remind me of a porcupine. A cute porcupine in a blue suit that’s black tonight!”

“You like my hair…?” How had he been demoted from being mistaken for a model to being the prick of the animal kingdom?

“I do,” she smiled mischievously. “You’re my cute porcupine with pretty eyes!”

“A .. .porcupine? I’m hopefully cuter than a porcupine, Maya!” He irrationally felt more than a little hurt.

Dark eyes twinkled as the girl leaned closer to her friend, a naughty glint in her eye.

“Did I hurt your feelings, Nick?”

She appeared worried for a second and came closer and closer to the attorney’s face until they were mere inches apart and, their mouths nearly brushing. Then she crushed her lips against his cheek and began to sashay down the hall, flashing a jaunty wink over her shoulder.

“Well, too bad! I’m not apologizing! Porcupines are adorable! Would you rather I call you Sonic, as in the Hedgehog?”

Phoenix just gaped after her in astonishment.

“Now, you know cocktail parties always have stuffy people and undersized food so, after this snooze fest, you owe me a burger or six!” The girl declared. “And then after that, we’re watching at least four back-to-back episodes of the Steel Samurai! And don’t bother making any objections, since they’ll all be overruled anyway, Nick!”

The attorney remained rooted in place, grinning widely from ear to ear like an idiot. The only thing he was dreading was buying his assistant six burgers. His wallet could only stand for two burgers. And that was if his burger was about the size of Maya’s Steel Samurai charm. He would need to go to an ATM on the way there.

“Hey, wait for me!” The legist called as he ran after her. When he came downstairs, he noticed the brunette was waiting at the main office door for him, smiling.

“No need to yell!” Maya grinned. She interlocked her arm with Phoenix’s and they were off on their non-date to a model party…followed by a burger…or six.

Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey
Wright & Co. Law Offices
August 31, 2017, 6:30 PM

“Nick, why are you still working?!” The psychic shrieked. “I told you ages ago I’d be back in half an hour to pick up Pearly from the train station yet here you are, still trudging away!”

She gestured with annoyance where the lawyer was still at his desk, frowning at the contents of a manila folder filled to the brim. The gleam of the freshly polished surface was completely invisible, buried beneath a sea of papers, pictures, tabs, and paper clips that flooded his desktop.

He barely stifled a sigh as he looked up at his assistant standing in the doorway beside little Pearl and her weekend bag. His assistant placed one hand on her slim hip while her angry finger pointed at him, courtroom-style, as she affixed him with her accusing gaze.

Unaccustomed to seeing her good-natured cousin so incensed, the tiny spirit medium merely bit her thumb anxiously and said nothing.

“Maya, you know I have this huge murder trial coming up in a week, right?” Phoenix sighed, knowing his speech would fall on deaf ears. “It’s going to take a lot of time and effort to be prepared for it. It’s a police officer who was allegedly murdered by another fellow officer …”

“Nick, you’ve worked on that stupid file for ages…including all day today! Time to put your pen down, Old Man, it’s Friday night!” Maya whined. “Does that mean nothing to you? At all?”

When Phoenix made no move to respond and simply stared blankly at her, she crossed her arms across her chest, scowled, and in her most withering voice, informed him what was up.

“It’s movie night! Which I can tell you forgot all about!”

Guilty as charged, Phoenix admitted silently.

“Can’t you guys just go ahead without me and I’ll catch up once I’ve got some paperwork completed?”

“But, Old Man, we’ve had movie night every single Friday since I started working here! And – and Pearly just started joining in on the fun. You can’t deny her movie night!”

She affixed him with her best puppy-dog eyes.

“C’mon, Nick,” she cajoled, clamping her hands in front of her and dragging out his nickname. “Fridays are a movie night tradition!”

Staring at the two females before him, imploring him with their big, bright eyes, Phoenix felt his resolve wavering. In the end, he was a complete pushover for these crazy Fey girls, and Maya knew he’d never be able to refuse Pearl.

With a sigh, the lawyer sank into his swivel chair, placing his forehead in his palm. Defeat had washed over him before the battle had truly started. Hopefully, his backbone would grow before his court date in a few days…

“You win, Maya,” he sighed. “You always win!”

“Yay!” The spirit medium cheered, already heading upstairs to the loft. “What will it be tonight, The Steel Samurai or Pink Princess?”

Like it matters, he thought grumpily. Either way, I lose!

“Surprise me!” Phoenix called back.

“Mr. Nick?” Pearl peered up at him with her luminous doe eyes. “Um, can I ask you something?”

His annoyance vanished at the nervous hesitation on her cherubic face. Unlike her cousin, who always took for granted that his answer to all requests would be yes, the child had yet to be in a place where she was so presumptuous, which only made Phoenix adore her all the more.

“What’s up, Pearls?” He asked kindly.

“Can we order something for dinner? Mystic Maya has been telling me about something called pee-zah and I’m a little hungry.”

“Well, far be it for me to deny a growing girl food,” Phoenix allowed, grinning at the youngster. “Go on upstairs to the living room. I’ll order the pizza and be up in a moment.”

Four brain-numbing hours later…

Like the little angel that she was, Pearl had fallen asleep after only one slice and lay curled up on her side, head resting on Phoenix’s lap, and Maya occupied the attorney’s other side, eyes glued to the TV set and fist-pumping excitedly.

He honestly couldn’t fathom how the child could remain in a blissful slumber when her cousin was all but bouncing on the couch while the Steel Samurai twirled his sword about and thrust the victorious blow at the Evil Magistrate, as she shouted words of encouragement at the screen.

“You go Steel Samurai! Kick his butt!”

Phoenix barely suppressed an eye roll as he took a bite of pizza.

This movie is even worse than the last one – if that’s even possible! It’s even lamer than Barry Manilow and a three-legged horse combined!

The end credits began to roll, and the man released a sigh of relief. Well, he had survived another Steel Samurai flick and he had participated in movie night – and even managed to stay awake this time. If that didn’t earn him the Best Friend/Boss of the Year Award, he didn’t know what would!

The teen was still gurgling with child-like delight and she bounced on the cushions, earning a frown from Phoenix as he looked down at the sleeping Pearl, but miraculously, she was still conked out. Maya spotted him trying to shift away and let out a wail of distress.

“Nick! What are you doing!? Where are you going?!”

“I am going to go back to my files, which I should have done two hours ago,” he told her firmly, finally managing to wriggle free from Pearl, whose eyelids fluttered but mercifully remained closed. “However, you insisted and begged me to stick around and watch the sequel with you, and invertebrate I am, I gave in. But enough is enough, Maya! I need to get back to work – now!”

Ignoring his tone, the psychic eyed him beseechingly.

“But…it’s movie night…”

Phoenix shook his head.

“And any other night I don’t have case files to the ceiling, I am happy to indulge you and watch movies till dawn! As it is now, I will probably have to bluff my way through this case unless I want to send Ms. Byrde to the gallows, as I am so far behind!”

Her lip quivered and he ran a frustrated hand through his spikes. No. He was not going to be swayed by her tears. Not this time.

“Maya, I have to ask…what is it with you and movie night and the damn Steel Samurai?” He demanded, unable to hide the exasperation in his voice as she sniffled. “I mean, I know you’re like a big kid with a lot of things, and most of the time, I find it endearing, but …I cannot fathom how your devotion to a children’s show is supposed to surpass my devotion to my job! I want to comprehend …and I’m giving you this one opportunity, here and now, to plead your case!”

“You honestly feel that I’m just some emotionally stunted, overgrown kid, and that’s why I like this show?” she whispered, eyeing him with a pained expression. “Is that really what you think of me, Nick?”

Suddenly the attorney felt like the world’s biggest shitheel. No that wasn’t how he felt about her at all. He merely wanted to try to understand her, this woman/child, zany girl. This crazy lady’s obsessive samurai passion. Had it been so wrong of him to ask her? Should he have just shut the hell up and indulged her? After all, he owed her so much.

After only a year of knowing her, Phoenix was certain that had it not been for Maya, his life would have fallen into complete chaos. Every time misfortune had struck her, and he’d needed to defend her in a trial, it kept giving him the momentum and strength to carry on her sister’s vision, neither of which he’d even known he’d had. If a teenage girl could overcome the grief of her sister’s death why couldn’t he, her protégé, continue Mia’s legacy?

Moreover, she was like a ray of ray sunshine in his otherwise dreary existence. She kept that smile on her face in the best and worst of times, all the while keeping herself together and giving him her ever-unwavering steadfastness. She had smiled in the hardest of times, trusting his instincts, giving him her unfaltering loyalty, and taught him what he should have already known.

She’s my shining star. She finds the light in the darkness I’m forever seeking but can’t always find, and reminds me to never lose hope because, without that, all is lost…

Realization dawned on him then and there. Phoenix now knew the reason Maya watched these shows and it definitely wasn’t because she was immature – all the strife she’d suffered in her young life attested to that.

“In my life,” she said hollowly, staring at the ground and unable to meet his eyes. “I’ve seen good guys both win and lose to the bad guy. I’ve seen bad guys win and lose to the good guy. I have seen firsthand proof that evil exists in this world and not just Neo-Old Tokyo…I guess…to me, this isn’t just about a TV show…” her voice trailed off and she looked beyond miserable. “It’s going to sound so childish…”

“Maya.” Her name was spoken in a soft breath, but there was an authoritative undertone. He gently hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I’m asking you as your friend now, not as a lawyer requesting evidence. Don’t keep secrets from me, please.”

“He – he’s proof that a silver lining exists and that there are forces of good in this world to combat and ultimately triumph over all the evil and corruption in this world.” She gazed up at him, her eyes welling with tears. “Nick…he reminds me of…”

Finger still under her chin, he moved his thumb to stroke the soft skin near her lips.

“Of?” He prompted softly.

“Please don’t laugh at me,” she begged, peering up at him with limpid dark eyes.

“Never,” he promised, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. He knew what she was going to say before she was even going to say it.

“He reminds me of you, Nick,” she whispered helplessly. “These movie nights with you…I treasure them so much. They represent the one thing in this life I can depend on, and count on as a consistent tradition. Since Sis died…you and Pearly…you’re all I’ve got left. So while it may seem childish and immature to you, I – I love these nights, because when we’re not working, it’s the only quality time that I get to spend with you. With my best friend. My hero.”

At last, she drew a deep breath, feeling nearly naked, as she had essentially bared her soul to him, even though in doing so, she’d risked coming across as a hapless, needy girl instead of the strong, independent woman she kept wishing he would now see her as. Peeking up at him through her lashes, she braced herself for him to tell her she was distastefully codependent, or worse, pity her.

Phoenix ogled her in dumbfounded silence as he absorbed her words.

Hearing that Maya held him in such high esteem…that she needed him, was the most unexpected, non-childish, non-dumb thing he’d ever heard from her.

Or perhaps anyone. Ever.

The girl’s poignant words touched him to his very core, making his heart swell with warmth and pride…and something else his stubborn heart and mind wouldn’t allow him to put his finger on just yet.

But it did bring a smile to his lips.

Gently scooping Pearl into his arms, he nodded toward the DVD player. “Put the next movie in. I’m going to put this little one to bed. You may be bunking on the couch tonight, Miss Fey.”

“You really mean it, Nick?” Maya’s cheeks were still pink from the embarrassment of her confession, but her eyes lit up with joy at the words. “But what about those files?”

“It can wait till morning,” he dismissed. “What’s a few more hours?”

Returning to the living room, Phoenix plunked himself down on the couch next to his assistant with a resigned smile, focusing his gaze on the brightening screen. It was almost as though their previous exchange had never taken place. The plucky gal was once again his burger-loving, Steel Samurai-squealing, happy-go-lucky Maya. And somehow he had allowed himself to be conned into watching another samurai movie. He had let her words sway him, and now he was going to be forced to sit through another two-hour-long escapade.

And he called himself a lawyer.

If anything, Maya appeared to be the one who’d missed her calling!

As the spirit medium shifted into him, head resting lightly against his shoulder, he surprised both the woman and himself by wrapping an arm around her, securing her against him as he took a surreptitious glance at her profile, her gaze riveted on the screen.

As he looked at those beautiful eyes, and that cute little smile of hers, Phoenix felt his grin from seconds earlier return.

He was an admitted sucker for these Fey girls alright…yet he couldn’t find it in him to complain. Not one little bit.

Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey
District Court, Defendant Lobby No 1
September 8, 2017, 2:16 PM

In neither the first nor the last of injuries Phoenix would sustain in his legal career, an innocent nap on the courtroom lobby sofa had resulted in his suddenly getting an impromptu fire extinguisher to the head! The blow had rendered him unconscious. The subsequent pain itself hadn’t nearly been his undoing, as much as the fact that he had suffered a spell of temporary amnesia – all the while trying to defend Maggey Byrde from her first murder trial.

Throughout the whole trial, he’d managed to blunder and bluff his way through, while having no recollection of anything – of ever taking a murder trial, or what his own name was, or even having ever been a lawyer.

It wasn’t looking too good – another witness for the prosecution was about to be called. There was a short recess.

And then, Maya the Magnificent had appeared, fuming as she had phoned him several times and gotten no reply. She then told Maggey not to worry about her case and presented him with a list, containing some names and phone numbers that belonged to a group of con artists that the police were currently investigating, which Phoenix had asked her to look up. It was with this evidence that the defense attorney had been able to prove Richard Wellington was the true murder culprit of Maggey’s then-beau, and not Lady Luckless herself.

All the while, he had no idea who this tiny spitfire of a girl was. She wore the strangest clothing on her petite, coltish frame, along with an indignant expression, despite which, he absently noted, she was quite cute. And for some reason, something about her reminded him of someone…

Finally, he couldn’t bluff anymore. He was willing to risk this animated girl’s ire and just profess to her post-trial that while his memory had almost fully returned at that point, he was still guilty of not yet remembering who this Maya Fey person was, even though she obviously knew him – enough to be exasperated with him and to take that withering tone and expression she’d had when she’d greeted him. Apparently, their work relationship was most informal, to say the least…was that typical of their dynamic, although he was supposedly her boss?

“You’re OK, and that’s what counts,” the girl chirped once the grateful policewoman was gone. “You really had me worried! Come on, let’s go back to the office!”

“This might sound bad,” Phoenix mumbled apologetically. “But who are you again?!”

A look of shock and annoyance crossed the sylph’s elfish features as she glared at him incredulously.

“What!? I thought you said you got your memory back!”

She puffed out her cheeks in her familiar expression of irritation, but he caught a look of barely suppressed… hurt in those mocha orbs as well, one which she wasn’t able to conceal. The man cringed, knowing he’d been the one to put it there.

Think, Phoenix! Think!

Suddenly, images flashed through his mind. The kindly, bumbling detective. The easily swayed, good-hearted, chrome-dome judge. The talking hairpiece prosecutor whose name eluded him at the moment, with the screechy voice that had sounded like nails on a blackboard, and during the entire trial had only worsened the agonized throbbing in Phoenix’s skull. He’d forgotten how many times he’d winced in pain…

At that moment, everything really did come back to me…

He blinked and stared into that now familiar, dear face before him.

“Maya,” he whispered.

Tears filled her dark eyes, turning them into translucent pools of liquid chocolate.

“You…you finally remembered,” she cried.

This is Maya Fey, my assistant. That’s right… I have so many unforgettable memories of her…For example…

Maya was… good heavens, where did he even begin? She was the sun when he woke up, shining even more brilliantly than the real thing. She was energetic to a degree that he didn’t even know existed, with her ever-present, charming beam, and cheery disposition. When she laughed, it was as if a child lived inside her, waving through her eyeballs. Every day with her was an adventure, whether it was cleaning around the office or taking a trip to the drug store. Her burger-eating habits did seem to empty his wallet quite a bit, but he never denied her such privileges. It was his humble way of conveying his gratitude for making his life interesting. God knows he would stay holed up in the office if it wasn’t for her…

Maya Fey. Faithful assistant. Chief’s baby sister. Moreover, his best friend. How on earth could he have forgotten her, even momentarily? Well, it would take more than a mere metal cylinder to the skull to ever do away with his copious recollections with this little firecracker!

Before he could continue on his newfound trip down memory lane, Maya interrupted his thoughts, her now dry eyes sparkling with merriment.

“Earth to Nick! What’s wrong? You keep staring at me! Don’t tell me you’ve missed me?” She teased, grinning impishly.

“Uh, well, yeah I suppose I have,” he muttered sheepishly. When she smiled in that way of hers, he couldn’t help but notice she surpassed being merely cute…she was as pretty as a picture! “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head at him and smiled benignly. “Well, I’m back now. So it’s time for us to create new memories together!”

“Alright.” Phoenix returned the smile. “Sounds good.”

“Come on Nick! Let’s go to our usual burger joint!”

Had it only been a couple of months since she’d been back in his life? Because now it seemed like she’d never been gone – his wallet certainly hadn’t had much time to recover in her absence!

“OK, OK!” Phoenix chuckled, allowing her to take him by the hand and drag him outside the courthouse door – for such a small girl she had surprising strength, as well as one helluva grip! “We can get your burgers, Burger Queen! But actually, I was hoping we could stop at Eldoon’s. I’ve got a sudden yen for his salty special.”

“That’s great!” Maya patted her flat tummy. “I could totally do noodles, too! What are six stomachs for if I can’t indulge both our cravings?”

This girl is going to eat me out of my house and home!

“Fine, but this is the last time this week.” Truthfully, he going to struggle to afford this one excursion, anyway. But it was worth it if it made her smile. He never wanted to be the cause of that hurt look in her eyes, ever again.

Maya was pretty stoked about going for burgers with her colleague. She liked to pretend it was like a real date – it was an innocuous role-play she kept within her mind, so she figured it was harmless enough. Going for burgers always made her excited, but lately, since she’d been back with him in the city, she couldn’t help but note that Phoenix had been looking better than usual – insanely good. What was it? A new gel so his stiff spikes had more of a sexier, mussed-up thing going on? Had he bought some man moisturizer or had his skin always looked so soft and smooth?

It’s pretty cool to go places with him; having a hot best friend who takes you out for burgers all the time is pretty damn nice.

Later, the Burger Queen was happily slurping down her noodles as he watched her, endeared at how when she slurped the ends of her noodles, the noodles hit her nose.

It’s kind of cute… Wait! What?! He put a hand over his face as she regarded him quizzically.

“Something wrong, Nick?”

Where did it come from and why did I think that? Phoenix blushed. Why am I being such a dork around Maya?

“Nope, what could be wrong?” Even as he said the words aloud, he shook his head and sighed soundlessly.

I’ve got to blame that blow to the head for my sudden mulling of how she is kind of cute and she is always cheerful no matter what…She is my mentor’s sister! This is ridiculous…! Oh no… I’m arguing with myself.

He made a face and turned back to his noodles, eating them in silence.

As usual, the human garburator finished her meal way before he did and tugged at his arm, urging him to finish quickly.

“Come on, Old Man, you owe me burgers now!” She teased. “After all, I did save your heinie in court today by bringing you that evidence, right?”

She figured Nick didn’t mind her ribbing him the way she did – it was how their friendship worked. He was the more rigid one, whereas she was more laid back, so they balanced each other out. She could rely on him to tell her when she was going over the top and she’d tell him if he was acting too boring and old. Of course, she didn’t seriously think he was ever boring, or old for that matter. But he could be way too uptight about money sometimes! After all, he’d just had a client, and surely another case would come up soon enough, right? Ergo, money was no big deal…you only lived once, and you couldn’t take it with you in the end!

They walked side by side on the pavement. Luckily, the usual burger place was right around the corner, but somehow, Phoenix kept nearly barging into her and then apologizing and walking too far away from her. Maya was bewildered.

He’s acting weird again. He’s been doing that a lot too lately. Truthfully, it’s just been little things, he’s been acting oddly about us being too close. He got all embarrassed the other day when I hugged him. I think it might be an age thing. He’s probably worried he looks like a pervert who has a girlfriend who’s much younger than him. I hope it’s not this though, I like hugging Nick. It’d totally be bummer balls if he decided all contact was inappropriate suddenly.

That day, Maya ate so many burgers that Phoenix’s wallet was emptied.

“Thanks, Nick!” The glutton patted her stomach and smiled cheerfully, noting he didn’t seem as happy as she did.

“Aww! Come on!” She cajoled, putting an around his waist in a consoling hug. He stiffened at the contact and drew away; quick as lightning.

I wish I knew what was up with him! The baffled psychic eyed him with mounting hurt.

Phoenix caught the perplexed look and cursed himself for such a churlish reflex reaction.

Maya had become more open with him as the months had gone by, and in no time at all, they were back to their normal rapport as best friends. Lately, he’d begun to notice how close they really were. When she’d gone back home, he realized how much he’d missed the subtle touches, rare hugs, and general closeness their separation had robbed them of. Therefore, he didn’t know what his problem was at that moment. He loved it when she touched him! Perhaps a bit too much…

“This isn’t the first time I’ve cleaned out your wallet!” She kidded, hoping to ease the sudden tension with her typical humor.

He still didn’t look amused, and the bewildered diviner studied his sullen expression. They’d gone for burgers a million times, and he’d never acted like this before. What was with him?! She had to get him out of this funk!

“Do you want me to tell Pearly you’re treating me badly?” She smirked, nudging him with her elbow.

That seemed to do the trick.

“Ack! I’m fine Maya.” Phoenix said quickly, not wanting Pearl to come all the way here just to slap him.

She grinned impishly.

“I can’t mourn the death of my wallet?” He asked with a small smile.

“Your wallet isn’t dead.” Maya flashed open his billfold, tauntingly holding it up for him to see, but keeping it out of reach. “See that? You still have some credit cards!”

“Hey!” He yelped, wide-eyed. “How did you get my wallet?”

“The hand is quicker than the eye,” she snickered. “Your reflexes are slowing with age, you old fart!”

The mischievous girl then began to run.

“Maya get back here with my wallet!” He yelled and gave chase.

Then the mischievous girl had the upper hand, and they raced down the street, through People Park, right until she suddenly tripped on something protruding from the ground and fell face-first on the grass.

“Maya!” He shouted, catching up to her, barely winded but slightly sweaty from exertion. “My goodness, are you alright?”

“The only thing hurt here is my ego,” she grimaced, wriggling her ankle, which was twisted oddly beneath her from the way she’d fallen. “Serves me right for running in these damn sandals!”

“I’d say serves you right for being a little pick-pocket, but first I want to ensure you didn’t break anything,” Phoenix frowned, his brows knitted together with concern as he gently touched her ankle. It didn’t appear to be broken, but it did look badly bruised. “I think maybe you just twisted it. Let’s get you home and put some ice on that thing. Do you think you can stand?”

Maya tried to rise, using her boss as a crutch, but when she gingerly tried to apply any weight on the injured ankle, she couldn’t help but cry out in pain.

“Oh crap, no, I can’t! She wailed, falling back to the ground defeatedly. “What are we going to do?”

The lawyer sighed and squatted down, reaching behind him to grab her wrist and pulled one arm so it fell across the front of his chest, then the other.

“We have no choice, it looks like I’ll have to carry you home,” he said simply. “Hop on.”

Maya blushed frantically as Phoenix effortlessly saddled her up onto him and began carrying her, piggyback style, while he began the journey back to their residence. She could feel the hardness of his muscles, usually concealed by his suit, as her breasts crushed against his back, along with the warmth of his skin as her arms brushed his neck when she wrapped them around his broad shoulders.

Had the circumstances been different, she’d have been enjoying herself immensely, but as it stood…the fact that she was dependent on him first to save her life twice, and now to keep her mobile was embarrassing as hell!

“The perfect end to the perfect day,” he grumbled after about ten minutes, grunting slightly as he shifted her on his back into a more comfortable position. “You’re heavier than you look you know! Must be those ten pounds of dead cow you consumed weighing you down!”

He was hoping that complaining about the scenario would distract his thoughts. He was trying hard not to notice the silky feel of her legs against his hands as they pressed into his sides and the satiny feel of her hair tickling his cheek.

Maya tried not to be wounded by the onslaught and attempted to ignore the pounding in her heart at being so close to him, despite his grumpiness.

“I said I was sorry a million times, didn’t I Nick? Besides, this is kinda fun, I’m liking being carried like royalty by my noble steed!” She giggled suddenly. “So stop being such a killjoy and giddyap, good stallion!”

“I am not your workhorse! Forget steed, I feel more like a pack mule,” Phoenix groused. “This is just like all the times I’ve taken you shopping and you’ve loaded me down with your millions of bags while unloading the contents of my wallet in the process! Therefore, I will cease being a killjoy when you literally get off my back, Maya!”

“Oh please, Nick, stop denying the truth!” Maya giggled, as though sensing he wasn’t seriously mad. “You know that I know that you know that I know that you love carrying me! Just like I know you love the Steel Samurai!”

He rolled his eyes at her Steel Samurai comment. It may or may not have been true, but he would never admit it to her!

Maya decided this was a perfect chance to mess with him. Proceeding to pull herself closer to him, she rested her head on his shoulder, allowing him to get a closer whiff of her vanilla scent, and put her lips directly next to his ear, before whispering in her most flirtatious voice: “Isn’t that right… Phoenix?”

The suggestive tone, along with the unaccustomed use of his proper name, made him tense up immediately beneath her.

Sensing she’d gotten the upper hand, the necromancer snickered and wrapped her arms tighter in a quick hug.

“You’re too easy to tease, you know that, Nick?”

He huffed and turned his head away from her in mock anger, but in reality to hide the red stain rising in his cheeks.

They finally arrived home, where Phoenix abruptly deposited his assistant onto her bed, pausing for a moment and giving her an odd look before curtly telling her that he was going to take a walk and would be back shortly.

“Enjoy, Nick! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She singsonged playfully.

“Like eat burgers until my wallet is empty?” He asked sarcastically.

“No, I would do that… and I did do that!” Maya laughed merrily for a second, then got quiet and silently stared at him for a moment, as though waiting for something, but then she just smiled, instead. “See you later, Nick. And thanks for being my hero again.”

“Don’t get too used to it, Miss Fey,” he shot back with a grin. “That was the last time I save your damsel in distress self from the trouble you keep getting yourself in!”

Neither of them had any way of knowing that six months later, Phoenix Wright would come to regret those words.