[SCENE] Lang and Edgeworth in: What Happened Next
Edgeworth: *it's mid afternoon at Gatewater Land, and a scowling, ill-humored Miles Edgeworth paces beside the all too cheerful dancing badgers, creating a rather amusing contrast for all the visitors to the park to enjoy. In the distance, cheerful amusement park music and the laughter of children wafts through the air*
Lang: *a crowd of men in suits suddenly mill around where they were not before; they are alternatively buying balloons and eating cotton candy, enjoying the sights of the park in a way they didn't the last time they were here*
Lang: *Shi-Long Lang emerges from that crowd, momentarily leaving the Pack behind as he walks up to Edgeworth. He walks with purpose, though he seems relaxed otherwise* Hey, Prosecutor! Got a minute to spare?
Edgeworth: *flinches in surprise--but he recovers quickly, with a curt shake of his head and a further frown* Not at the moment. *tap tap tap* I'm in the middle of looking for someone. What are you doing here?
Lang: I'm looking for you. Your office said you were here, so I came looking. *a pause as he looks around* Looking for your date or something?
Edgeworth: The magician girl. You spoke with her online as well, I recall. .........I've lost track of her.
Lang: *beat*
Lang: *flinches openly, falling back into a defensive pose* You did WHAT?
Edgeworth: I lost track of her. *defensively* S-she's been escaping from everyone else these past few days! She's a trained magician!
Lang: *holds up one finger to silence Edgeworth* Stop. No excuses. *turns back to the Pack and yells over the crowds* Listen up! There's a little girl lost in this park and we're going to find her!
Subordinates: *they all turn as a body; several drop their drinks or cotton candy in shock* "A child, lost!?" "How horrible! We must find her!" "Shifu, leave it to us!"
Lang: Look for a girl who's about four feet tall - four and a half with her hat! Her outfit is all pink, and she's dressed like a magician! She may hide from you! Find her and bring her here now! *the Pack disperses in all directions*
Edgeworth: *sighs and rubs at his forehead but bears with the terribly loud broadcast of his failure with some patience* Your flare for theatrics continues to vex me.
Lang: You lost a little girl. That strips you of any right to be sanctimonious.
Edgeworth: I'm quite aware. *paces* It couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes ago. She should still be in the park; I've ordered the gates monitored and closed for departures.
Lang: If she's here then they'll find her. *turns back to Edgeworth* No use worrying further, right? It's not like you're the one doing the searching.
Edgeworth: Hn. At times I'm grateful for your excessively sized... posse. *stands up straight, raising an eyebrow* You've yet to properly answer my question.
Lang: Right. *looks off to the side* I wanted to ask your permission to access some of the prosecutors' office's files on certain cases. State vs. Fey, State vs. Engarde, State vs. Iris.... *he trails off*
Edgeworth: ... *finger jab* Doing a little investigation into Phoenix Wright as well, I see. Any particular reason?
Lang: His disbarment has affected people a lot more than I would have thought. I need to know his cases in order to be able to form a proper opinion of the man. See the kind of prosecutors he managed to weasel past, where detectives failed in trapping his clients.
Edgeworth: *tap tap tap* You can spare yourself the trouble. I've seen or read every single trial he's defended. And had an active hand in over half of them.
Lang: *cocks an eyebrow* You mean he went up against you? Does everyone in this city know each other?
Edgeworth: *cocks hiseyebrow* ... I've gone up against over ninety percent of defense attorneys in this city. At least.
Lang: ... You've done WHAT?! *takes a moment, regains his composure* Regardless, I need to do study for myself. Otherwise I'm left only with what I know now: he was part of an outmoded system that protects criminals too zealously.
Edgeworth: I don't think a refusal to perpetually detain individuals without just cause makes a system outmoded. *gives it a moment of consideration* Alright, I'll speak to the Chief Prosecutor about it--I doubt he'll have any issues.
Lang: Xie xie. I owe you a favor. *pauses* No one is detained without just cause in this country. If you faced this man in court, then his clients were guilty, right?
Edgeworth: We had just and reasonable cause to believe his clients were guilty in each case. But each time, he presented irrefutable evidence as to their innocence. Hence the acquittals.
Edgeworth: *turns, studying the happily dancing badgers with a scowl* I don't have time to personally investigate each case prior to trial, you know. And you've met the detective who heads the majority of my cases. Sometimes all the work I do has to be spearheaded in the courtroom.
Lang: ...You have time to face off against people in the courtroom as often as you do but not to do your own investigations? *shakes his head* You people have such weird priorities. Worrying more about one room than a whole world needing scrutiny.
Edgeworth: Hmph. You don't know the first thing about the courtrooms in this country. I'd suggest you start your reading there before worrying about the matters of a singular attorney.
Edgeworth: *points his finger again, waving it about* And on top of all of that, Phoenix Wright is... a personal friend of mine. He's an idealistic, stubborn-headed fool... much like you yourself, really. *smirk* He has my full, unhindered trust, including in this issue.
Lang: Heh. That trust doesn't matter as much as you would think.
Edgeworth: *shakes his head condescendingly and shrugs* Still raw about that personal case of your own, hm?
Lang: *scowls* It is not befitting of a professional to prod at old wounds. And fine. I'll do my own investigations before approaching you about this again.
Edgeworth: *generally unmoved* If you should feel compelled to study any particular case, you need only let me know. But what may serve you best is to talk with those whose experiences have caused them to tread into the courtroom, be it one way or another.
Lang: So to learn about a den of criminals, I'll need to talk to the criminal element? Ha ha ha ha ha! *nods* All right, fine. I'll do just that. And when I see you again, I'll be ready to explain why your courtroom is outmoded against proper investigative technique!
Lang: *turns* I'm going to go help look for the girl. I'll call your cell when we find her.
Edgeworth: *nods* I'll be here at the entrance, then.
Lang: *stalks off without another word, shouting orders to his agents as he goes*
Edgeworth: *watches him leave, resuming his pacing without another word*
Lang: *a crowd of men in suits suddenly mill around where they were not before; they are alternatively buying balloons and eating cotton candy, enjoying the sights of the park in a way they didn't the last time they were here*
Lang: *Shi-Long Lang emerges from that crowd, momentarily leaving the Pack behind as he walks up to Edgeworth. He walks with purpose, though he seems relaxed otherwise* Hey, Prosecutor! Got a minute to spare?
Edgeworth: *flinches in surprise--but he recovers quickly, with a curt shake of his head and a further frown* Not at the moment. *tap tap tap* I'm in the middle of looking for someone. What are you doing here?
Lang: I'm looking for you. Your office said you were here, so I came looking. *a pause as he looks around* Looking for your date or something?
Edgeworth: The magician girl. You spoke with her online as well, I recall. .........I've lost track of her.
Lang: *beat*
Lang: *flinches openly, falling back into a defensive pose* You did WHAT?
Edgeworth: I lost track of her. *defensively* S-she's been escaping from everyone else these past few days! She's a trained magician!
Lang: *holds up one finger to silence Edgeworth* Stop. No excuses. *turns back to the Pack and yells over the crowds* Listen up! There's a little girl lost in this park and we're going to find her!
Subordinates: *they all turn as a body; several drop their drinks or cotton candy in shock* "A child, lost!?" "How horrible! We must find her!" "Shifu, leave it to us!"
Lang: Look for a girl who's about four feet tall - four and a half with her hat! Her outfit is all pink, and she's dressed like a magician! She may hide from you! Find her and bring her here now! *the Pack disperses in all directions*
Edgeworth: *sighs and rubs at his forehead but bears with the terribly loud broadcast of his failure with some patience* Your flare for theatrics continues to vex me.
Lang: You lost a little girl. That strips you of any right to be sanctimonious.
Edgeworth: I'm quite aware. *paces* It couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes ago. She should still be in the park; I've ordered the gates monitored and closed for departures.
Lang: If she's here then they'll find her. *turns back to Edgeworth* No use worrying further, right? It's not like you're the one doing the searching.
Edgeworth: Hn. At times I'm grateful for your excessively sized... posse. *stands up straight, raising an eyebrow* You've yet to properly answer my question.
Lang: Right. *looks off to the side* I wanted to ask your permission to access some of the prosecutors' office's files on certain cases. State vs. Fey, State vs. Engarde, State vs. Iris.... *he trails off*
Edgeworth: ... *finger jab* Doing a little investigation into Phoenix Wright as well, I see. Any particular reason?
Lang: His disbarment has affected people a lot more than I would have thought. I need to know his cases in order to be able to form a proper opinion of the man. See the kind of prosecutors he managed to weasel past, where detectives failed in trapping his clients.
Edgeworth: *tap tap tap* You can spare yourself the trouble. I've seen or read every single trial he's defended. And had an active hand in over half of them.
Lang: *cocks an eyebrow* You mean he went up against you? Does everyone in this city know each other?
Edgeworth: *cocks hiseyebrow* ... I've gone up against over ninety percent of defense attorneys in this city. At least.
Lang: ... You've done WHAT?! *takes a moment, regains his composure* Regardless, I need to do study for myself. Otherwise I'm left only with what I know now: he was part of an outmoded system that protects criminals too zealously.
Edgeworth: I don't think a refusal to perpetually detain individuals without just cause makes a system outmoded. *gives it a moment of consideration* Alright, I'll speak to the Chief Prosecutor about it--I doubt he'll have any issues.
Lang: Xie xie. I owe you a favor. *pauses* No one is detained without just cause in this country. If you faced this man in court, then his clients were guilty, right?
Edgeworth: We had just and reasonable cause to believe his clients were guilty in each case. But each time, he presented irrefutable evidence as to their innocence. Hence the acquittals.
Edgeworth: *turns, studying the happily dancing badgers with a scowl* I don't have time to personally investigate each case prior to trial, you know. And you've met the detective who heads the majority of my cases. Sometimes all the work I do has to be spearheaded in the courtroom.
Lang: ...You have time to face off against people in the courtroom as often as you do but not to do your own investigations? *shakes his head* You people have such weird priorities. Worrying more about one room than a whole world needing scrutiny.
Edgeworth: Hmph. You don't know the first thing about the courtrooms in this country. I'd suggest you start your reading there before worrying about the matters of a singular attorney.
Edgeworth: *points his finger again, waving it about* And on top of all of that, Phoenix Wright is... a personal friend of mine. He's an idealistic, stubborn-headed fool... much like you yourself, really. *smirk* He has my full, unhindered trust, including in this issue.
Lang: Heh. That trust doesn't matter as much as you would think.
Edgeworth: *shakes his head condescendingly and shrugs* Still raw about that personal case of your own, hm?
Lang: *scowls* It is not befitting of a professional to prod at old wounds. And fine. I'll do my own investigations before approaching you about this again.
Edgeworth: *generally unmoved* If you should feel compelled to study any particular case, you need only let me know. But what may serve you best is to talk with those whose experiences have caused them to tread into the courtroom, be it one way or another.
Lang: So to learn about a den of criminals, I'll need to talk to the criminal element? Ha ha ha ha ha! *nods* All right, fine. I'll do just that. And when I see you again, I'll be ready to explain why your courtroom is outmoded against proper investigative technique!
Lang: *turns* I'm going to go help look for the girl. I'll call your cell when we find her.
Edgeworth: *nods* I'll be here at the entrance, then.
Lang: *stalks off without another word, shouting orders to his agents as he goes*
Edgeworth: *watches him leave, resuming his pacing without another word*