[Repost] Parts 6/7
August 8th, 8:12 AM
Detention Center
"I apologize again for the trouble, Wright."
"It's really okay. Honestly, I think I'm getting used to it."
The sad part was, Phoenix really was getting used to this. He'd barely gotten home with the girls before his cell phone rang ... and after that, it was back to the familiar, frenetic pace of trying to scrape a case together with barely any warning. If anything, this one was downright luxurious; he had an entire three days before his client was scheduled to appear in court.
Still, he couldn't help but think fondly of his aspirin bottle as he followed Edgeworth down the metallic hallways of the detention center. Pearl had opted to stay back at the office today, but Maya was there as usual. "Nick's right!" she said, clenching her fists in a show of determination. "We've done a lot less with a lot more!"
( Doesn't she have that backwards? )
Edgeworth had the grace to look mildly embarrassed. "Regardless. This is a personal favor, and I appreciate it."
They passed several near-identical windows. Some had prisoners already in conference with their lawyers; others were empty, save for the the security guards. "Nobody else would come on this kind of short notice, huh?"
The prosecutor tilted his head thoughtfully to one side. "There is that. But the fact of the matter is, your client's already been convicted."
Phoenix stopped suddenly, causing Maya to bump into him. "What? Wait, what?"
"... you didn't read the report before taking the case?" Edgeworth was frowning now.
"Of course I read it!" It was in the Court Record, anyway, which was practically the same as reading it. "Not all the way through yet, but -- why are you asking me to defend him if the case is already over?"
"I didn't say that," replied Edgeworth, massaging his temples with one hand. "He's been convicted for two previous murders, with the exact same modus operandi for the third." He looked uncomfortable. "The results are ... rather distinctive."
An image of that photographer's twisted body flashed before Phoenix's eyes. Distinctive didn't even begin to cover it.
"Added to the fact that he's only in our district out of sheer coincidence ..." Edgeworth shrugged, lightly. "I fear this is going to be difficult even for you."
( And by difficult, you mean impossible, don't you. ) But Nick couldn't say that out loud, not when it had cost Edgeworth enough pride to ask him for this to begin with. "Anything else I should know about?" he said, forcing himself to laugh a bit.
The three of them drew up to the window. Someone (his client, presumably?) was already seated behind the glass, head bowed and clothes slightly askew. Hearing them, the client looked up. He had a sheepish, lop-sided grin that looked looked off-kilter somehow, like he'd forgotten how to wear it properly. Combined with his half-undone tie and haphazardly cut hair, he seemed the very picture of quiet ineptitude ... if not for the eyes. They were sharp, clear, and calculating, even when the rest of the man's body seemed just the opposite. Phoenix was reminded inexplicably (but very firmly) of Matt Engarde.
Phoenix swallowed. "Mister, uh -- " he glanced at Maya, who helpfully handed him his set of case profiles, "-- Adachi? Tohru?"
Adachi smiled and said something Phoenix didn't quite understand.
"Eh? Er, say that again?" Phoenix looked back helplessly at Edgeworth.
"Ooh, I've got this one! He said 'Ohio'!" Maya paused. "I think he's confused, Nick." And then she turned to the window, leaning against the chair with her hands. "We're in California, Mr. Adachi. California!"
"... that would be the other stumbling block," said Edgeworth, exuding a faint sigh. "I don't suppose you speak Japanese?"
"Uh ... " Phoenix tried valiantly to recall his highschool classes. "I could probably order sushi?"
"As I expected." Edgeworth really didn't sound surprised, or even put out by this fact; he merely gestured to someone sitting just outside Phoenix's line of sight. As the figure stood up, Nick could see that it was a teenaged boy. Small and slender, he was dressed in a blue button-up shirt and a yellow tie, both immaculate. Phoenix stifled the urge to make sure his own tie was still straight. "This is Detective Naoto Shirogane," continued Edgeworth. "If you don't mind taking on one more teenaged assistant ...?"
"Er, not at all," replied Phoenix, extending a hand. At least he'd be getting a boy teenaged sidekick for once. He loved Maya and Ema dearly, really, but it would be nice to have some variety.
"I assure you, I'm mostly involved in translation at the moment," said Naoto, returning the handshake. His English was a bit stilted, overly crisp, but otherwise perfect. "Though I must admit that I have a more ... personal interest in this case." The diminuitive detective seemed to be quite intent on not making eye contact with Adachi.
"Detective Shirogane was involved in the first case," continued Edgeworth. "You'll be able to fill in the rest of the details yourself, I'm sure." He adjusted his cravat meticulously, which was practically Edgeworth-speak for 'I'm busy and I want to leave, but I couldn't possibly just walk out of here without being impolite.'
"Ah -- right. We'll be just fine," said Phoenix. "Right Maya?"
"Karate! Um, sushi?" Maya looked up from where she was currently torturing their poor client. "Hey Now, what's the Japanese word for hamburgers?"
Naoto blinked slowly, but answered the medium. "Hanbaagaa."
"You really do know Japanese! That's amazing! How do you say 'Go make me a sandwich, Nick'?"
"Yeah," said Phoenix, wondering (for neither the last nor the first time that day) if he could request aspirin from the police department. "Just fine."
Detention Center
"I apologize again for the trouble, Wright."
"It's really okay. Honestly, I think I'm getting used to it."
The sad part was, Phoenix really was getting used to this. He'd barely gotten home with the girls before his cell phone rang ... and after that, it was back to the familiar, frenetic pace of trying to scrape a case together with barely any warning. If anything, this one was downright luxurious; he had an entire three days before his client was scheduled to appear in court.
Still, he couldn't help but think fondly of his aspirin bottle as he followed Edgeworth down the metallic hallways of the detention center. Pearl had opted to stay back at the office today, but Maya was there as usual. "Nick's right!" she said, clenching her fists in a show of determination. "We've done a lot less with a lot more!"
( Doesn't she have that backwards? )
Edgeworth had the grace to look mildly embarrassed. "Regardless. This is a personal favor, and I appreciate it."
They passed several near-identical windows. Some had prisoners already in conference with their lawyers; others were empty, save for the the security guards. "Nobody else would come on this kind of short notice, huh?"
The prosecutor tilted his head thoughtfully to one side. "There is that. But the fact of the matter is, your client's already been convicted."
Phoenix stopped suddenly, causing Maya to bump into him. "What? Wait, what?"
"... you didn't read the report before taking the case?" Edgeworth was frowning now.
"Of course I read it!" It was in the Court Record, anyway, which was practically the same as reading it. "Not all the way through yet, but -- why are you asking me to defend him if the case is already over?"
"I didn't say that," replied Edgeworth, massaging his temples with one hand. "He's been convicted for two previous murders, with the exact same modus operandi for the third." He looked uncomfortable. "The results are ... rather distinctive."
An image of that photographer's twisted body flashed before Phoenix's eyes. Distinctive didn't even begin to cover it.
"Added to the fact that he's only in our district out of sheer coincidence ..." Edgeworth shrugged, lightly. "I fear this is going to be difficult even for you."
( And by difficult, you mean impossible, don't you. ) But Nick couldn't say that out loud, not when it had cost Edgeworth enough pride to ask him for this to begin with. "Anything else I should know about?" he said, forcing himself to laugh a bit.
The three of them drew up to the window. Someone (his client, presumably?) was already seated behind the glass, head bowed and clothes slightly askew. Hearing them, the client looked up. He had a sheepish, lop-sided grin that looked looked off-kilter somehow, like he'd forgotten how to wear it properly. Combined with his half-undone tie and haphazardly cut hair, he seemed the very picture of quiet ineptitude ... if not for the eyes. They were sharp, clear, and calculating, even when the rest of the man's body seemed just the opposite. Phoenix was reminded inexplicably (but very firmly) of Matt Engarde.
Phoenix swallowed. "Mister, uh -- " he glanced at Maya, who helpfully handed him his set of case profiles, "-- Adachi? Tohru?"
Adachi smiled and said something Phoenix didn't quite understand.
"Eh? Er, say that again?" Phoenix looked back helplessly at Edgeworth.
"Ooh, I've got this one! He said 'Ohio'!" Maya paused. "I think he's confused, Nick." And then she turned to the window, leaning against the chair with her hands. "We're in California, Mr. Adachi. California!"
"... that would be the other stumbling block," said Edgeworth, exuding a faint sigh. "I don't suppose you speak Japanese?"
"Uh ... " Phoenix tried valiantly to recall his highschool classes. "I could probably order sushi?"
"As I expected." Edgeworth really didn't sound surprised, or even put out by this fact; he merely gestured to someone sitting just outside Phoenix's line of sight. As the figure stood up, Nick could see that it was a teenaged boy. Small and slender, he was dressed in a blue button-up shirt and a yellow tie, both immaculate. Phoenix stifled the urge to make sure his own tie was still straight. "This is Detective Naoto Shirogane," continued Edgeworth. "If you don't mind taking on one more teenaged assistant ...?"
"Er, not at all," replied Phoenix, extending a hand. At least he'd be getting a boy teenaged sidekick for once. He loved Maya and Ema dearly, really, but it would be nice to have some variety.
"I assure you, I'm mostly involved in translation at the moment," said Naoto, returning the handshake. His English was a bit stilted, overly crisp, but otherwise perfect. "Though I must admit that I have a more ... personal interest in this case." The diminuitive detective seemed to be quite intent on not making eye contact with Adachi.
"Detective Shirogane was involved in the first case," continued Edgeworth. "You'll be able to fill in the rest of the details yourself, I'm sure." He adjusted his cravat meticulously, which was practically Edgeworth-speak for 'I'm busy and I want to leave, but I couldn't possibly just walk out of here without being impolite.'
"Ah -- right. We'll be just fine," said Phoenix. "Right Maya?"
"Karate! Um, sushi?" Maya looked up from where she was currently torturing their poor client. "Hey Now, what's the Japanese word for hamburgers?"
Naoto blinked slowly, but answered the medium. "Hanbaagaa."
"You really do know Japanese! That's amazing! How do you say 'Go make me a sandwich, Nick'?"
"Yeah," said Phoenix, wondering (for neither the last nor the first time that day) if he could request aspirin from the police department. "Just fine."