[SCENE] Phoenix and Edgeworth - Confrontation
Wright: *moves from Klavier's office to the door next to it, but before knocking he takes a moment to collect himself. It's the first time he'll be seeing or speaking to Edgeworth since the afternoon at the courthouse, and in all that time he still hasn't figured out exactly what he's going to say. With a deep breath, he knocks on the door--probably harder than is necessary*
Edgeworth: *loudly, from within* Detective, if you haven't found the witness, you can turn yourself right back around without coming in.
Wright: *rolls his eyes--he had hoped to find Edgeworth in at least a better mood than he was. He lets himself in* It's me, Edgeworth.
Edgeworth: *is sitting at his desk as usual--when Phoenix enters, he's glaring at the pages of a file folder as if demanding it to spontaneously produce answers. When he realizes who it is at the doorway, though, he shuts the folder with a thud and places it aside*
Edgeworth: *somewhat curtly, though without hostility* Wright. I was expecting this visit a little sooner.
Wright: I know, but I've been...busy. *strides forward and thumps down in the chair across from Edgeworth. He rubs his eyes* Do you have some Aspirin or something?
Edgeworth: ...That bad, hm. *reaches into the top drawer, producing a bottle and setting it on the desktop. Following that, he swivels in his chair, and pours some plain water into a scalloped teacup, offering that forward as well* I take it... no solutions as of yet.
Wright: No...not yet. *takes two and drinks them down before continuing* I paid Gavin a visit, but I didn't get much out of him. I need something that'll rattle him before I try again.
Edgeworth: ......You're still on his case? *raises an eyebrow and glances over to the wall of bookshelves on his left* I've talked to him on several occasions, before and after your hearing. Klavier Gavin's harmless-- a loud, attention-craving, thrill-seeking child, but harmless. You're looking in the wrong direction.
Wright: *stares at him, for a moment confused--he didn't expect Edgeworth to shut him down that quickly* What other direction is there? Gavin had more to gain than anyone by sabotaging that trial. *pulls the magatama out of his pocket and puts it on the desk between them* He's hiding something, more than just his informant's name.
Edgeworth: *jabs a finger in the air* More than anyone--that we're aware of at the moment. I'm not ruling him out purely on the grounds of working beside him, Wright. Of course he seems the most likely culprit at first glance. But he doesn't seem the kind--
Edgeworth: *falls silent, seeming to contemplate his words. He turns his glare to the small green jewel on his desk briefly before surveying Phoenix's expression* He showed psycholocks, then?
Wright: Psyche--er, yeah. *runs a hand through his hair* I was able to figure out it wasn't someone from one of my old cases--as far as Klavier knows, that is--but that's all. If only I had something he wasn't expecting, to give me an edge.
Edgeworth: Hn. *laces his fingers together, resting his chin upon them. He spends almost a full minute in contemplation before looking up* I've been meaning to ask you. Have you spoken with his brother?
Wright: His...brother? *It takes him a moment to think of who Edgeworth means.* You mean, Kristoph Gavin? Only for a second after the hearing. Why?
Edgeworth: *his brows furrow further* I talked to the man-- you two didn't so much as know each other before the hearing? Don't you find his actions in the whole matter suspicious?
Wright: *leans back, and as he catches on his expression sours* You find it "suspicious" that someone would stand up for me? Just what are you trying to say?
Edgeworth: Oh come off it, Wright. Out of all the attorneys in the city, the one man to stand against the decision just so happens to be the prosecutor's brother? *bluntly* I don't trust him. What's his motive?
Wright: Not everyone needs a motive to stand up for someone when it's the truth, Edgeworth. *Gripped by sudden defensiveness he leans forward against the desk.* Unless you think I'm so obviously guilty that you'd have to be crazy to believe in me. What's with you today anyway? I call out a prosecutor so you have to call out a defense attorney, is that it?
Edgeworth: *lowers his hands to the table* Are you so stuck on your theories of prosecutorial corruption that you can't contemplate any other possibility? *a pause--then he shakes his head, and shrugs* Ah. I see. This is that whole "classroom trial" thing again, isn't it?
Wright: That whole... *with a scowl of frustration Phoenix stands and moves behind the chair restlessly* Okay, yeah, maybe it is. Maybe I find it hard to believe that the one person who stood up for me on the most humiliating day of my life was just trying to trick me. Why? They had me--if any one of them had something to do with it, why not just keep their mouths shut and let me fry?
Edgeworth: *waves his hand dismissively* Overconfidence, a case of overinflated ego--I don't know. Because he has something to gain by lowering your guard? You've certainly shown a willingness to do so to date.
Wright: That's ridiculous--we don't even know each other. And it doesn't make half as much sense as an arrogant young prosecutor trying to make a name for himself by taking out the city's most famous defense attorney. *glances at Edgeworth's chess set next to him, and childishly flicks the blue "pawn" over. It skids across the board and knocks two of the red "knights" to the floor*
Edgeworth: *rises to his feet as the two pieces clatter noisily on the hardwood* Are you four years old, Wright? What the devil did you do that for? That set is worth more than your suit!
Wright: *flinches--he hadn't meant for them to go flying, but he's not about to pick them up. He folds his arms* S-So what? You're rich. Buy a new one.
Edgeworth: *scowls* I'll have you foot the bill if anything is damaged. *rounds his desk, picking up the two pieces and setting them away from the attorney* Recent loss of employment be damned.
Wright: *watches Edgeworth with annoyance that melts quickly to anger* Is that supposed to be a joke? Your little pet protege's taken everything from me, and you're worried about your stupid toys?
Edgeworth: *grits his teeth* Your half-baked grounds for suspecting him have long since turned into petty absurdities. He's a prosecutor who took the correct actions given everything placed before him, Wright. Until you can show otherwise--
Wright: *cuts him off with an accusatory finger jab* You want to talk about basis, how about the fact that every prosecutor out of this office for the last three years has been guilty of something? Face it Edgeworth--your whole department's been corrupt from the start, and until I came along no one was willing to do anything about it, including you!
Edgeworth: *his expression turns stony* Is that your summary of events? With that kind of mindset it's some wonder nobody else knocked you down a peg years ago!
Wright: Tell me I'm wrong! *takes a step closer, putting them uncomfortably close* Just this year you've had to lock up two more prosecutors, right? Not to mention Gant and Karma before them. Even you would be in jail now if not for me, and don't get me started on your sister. If that prick Gavin is innocent he'll be the first!
Edgeworth: *brings his hand up, and in a motion eerily reminiscent of his mentor's finger snaps he backhands Phoenix clean across the jaw*
Wright: *is stunned momentarily out of his anger, and as he rubs his jaw he stares back at Edgeworth with a look of betrayal* You were never going to defend me on this one, were you?
Edgeworth: *remains silent for several moments--when he finally speaks, it's eerily calm and with a bitter smile* Is your faith in me really so frail? Yes. Yes I am, even now, as you try your damned hardest to squander your last efforts and your last remaining days.
Wright: *the smile does it--resentment burns like bile at the back of his throat, and before he can think better of it, he swings his arm and punches Edgeworth full in the face*
Edgeworth: *the fist connects full with his right eye, and he staggers back from the hit. Unfortunately, his hip collides into the nearby chess table and it overturns with a noisy THUD and the clatter of innumerable tiny pieces as they hit the floor. Recovering, Edgeworth shields the wounded side of his face--and though he's even paler than normal, his open eye never looks away from Phoenix* You're in no shape to be reasoned with--get out.
Wright: *for some reason the clattering pieces make Phoenix jump, and his expression struggles between guilt and remaining anger* If what I've seen lately is your idea of faith, you can keep it. *He manoeuvres past Edgeworth to snatch the magatama back from the desk* Maybe I should be glad you weren't at the hearing after all.
Edgeworth: *something in his resolve falters-he turns away, voice firm* You can hold that against me as long as you want... and as long as you need. But just see to it that you bring your turnabout.
Wright: *shoves the magatama in his pocket, and hesitates, his jaw working. At last he turns toward the door* I will.
Edgeworth: *doesn't seem to have anything more to say-- with a brief nod he walks back over to his desk, not bothering to fix the overturned table or the mess on the floor. He hasn't removed his hand from his eye*
Wright: *opens the door swiftly, as if getting ready to slam it shut, but he hesitates in that too. After one last glance back he shows himself out and closes the door--softly--behind him*
Edgeworth: *scowls into the air for some moments, in silence. After some time, he reaches for the file folder he'd been pursuing before the interruption, and opens it up again. It's the transcript and copies of all relevant evidence in regards to Phoenix's disbarment, of course. Ignoring the throbbing of his eye, Edgeworth resumes reading again, searching for an answer in the pages that just isn't there...*
Edgeworth: *loudly, from within* Detective, if you haven't found the witness, you can turn yourself right back around without coming in.
Wright: *rolls his eyes--he had hoped to find Edgeworth in at least a better mood than he was. He lets himself in* It's me, Edgeworth.
Edgeworth: *is sitting at his desk as usual--when Phoenix enters, he's glaring at the pages of a file folder as if demanding it to spontaneously produce answers. When he realizes who it is at the doorway, though, he shuts the folder with a thud and places it aside*
Edgeworth: *somewhat curtly, though without hostility* Wright. I was expecting this visit a little sooner.
Wright: I know, but I've been...busy. *strides forward and thumps down in the chair across from Edgeworth. He rubs his eyes* Do you have some Aspirin or something?
Edgeworth: ...That bad, hm. *reaches into the top drawer, producing a bottle and setting it on the desktop. Following that, he swivels in his chair, and pours some plain water into a scalloped teacup, offering that forward as well* I take it... no solutions as of yet.
Wright: No...not yet. *takes two and drinks them down before continuing* I paid Gavin a visit, but I didn't get much out of him. I need something that'll rattle him before I try again.
Edgeworth: ......You're still on his case? *raises an eyebrow and glances over to the wall of bookshelves on his left* I've talked to him on several occasions, before and after your hearing. Klavier Gavin's harmless-- a loud, attention-craving, thrill-seeking child, but harmless. You're looking in the wrong direction.
Wright: *stares at him, for a moment confused--he didn't expect Edgeworth to shut him down that quickly* What other direction is there? Gavin had more to gain than anyone by sabotaging that trial. *pulls the magatama out of his pocket and puts it on the desk between them* He's hiding something, more than just his informant's name.
Edgeworth: *jabs a finger in the air* More than anyone--that we're aware of at the moment. I'm not ruling him out purely on the grounds of working beside him, Wright. Of course he seems the most likely culprit at first glance. But he doesn't seem the kind--
Edgeworth: *falls silent, seeming to contemplate his words. He turns his glare to the small green jewel on his desk briefly before surveying Phoenix's expression* He showed psycholocks, then?
Wright: Psyche--er, yeah. *runs a hand through his hair* I was able to figure out it wasn't someone from one of my old cases--as far as Klavier knows, that is--but that's all. If only I had something he wasn't expecting, to give me an edge.
Edgeworth: Hn. *laces his fingers together, resting his chin upon them. He spends almost a full minute in contemplation before looking up* I've been meaning to ask you. Have you spoken with his brother?
Wright: His...brother? *It takes him a moment to think of who Edgeworth means.* You mean, Kristoph Gavin? Only for a second after the hearing. Why?
Edgeworth: *his brows furrow further* I talked to the man-- you two didn't so much as know each other before the hearing? Don't you find his actions in the whole matter suspicious?
Wright: *leans back, and as he catches on his expression sours* You find it "suspicious" that someone would stand up for me? Just what are you trying to say?
Edgeworth: Oh come off it, Wright. Out of all the attorneys in the city, the one man to stand against the decision just so happens to be the prosecutor's brother? *bluntly* I don't trust him. What's his motive?
Wright: Not everyone needs a motive to stand up for someone when it's the truth, Edgeworth. *Gripped by sudden defensiveness he leans forward against the desk.* Unless you think I'm so obviously guilty that you'd have to be crazy to believe in me. What's with you today anyway? I call out a prosecutor so you have to call out a defense attorney, is that it?
Edgeworth: *lowers his hands to the table* Are you so stuck on your theories of prosecutorial corruption that you can't contemplate any other possibility? *a pause--then he shakes his head, and shrugs* Ah. I see. This is that whole "classroom trial" thing again, isn't it?
Wright: That whole... *with a scowl of frustration Phoenix stands and moves behind the chair restlessly* Okay, yeah, maybe it is. Maybe I find it hard to believe that the one person who stood up for me on the most humiliating day of my life was just trying to trick me. Why? They had me--if any one of them had something to do with it, why not just keep their mouths shut and let me fry?
Edgeworth: *waves his hand dismissively* Overconfidence, a case of overinflated ego--I don't know. Because he has something to gain by lowering your guard? You've certainly shown a willingness to do so to date.
Wright: That's ridiculous--we don't even know each other. And it doesn't make half as much sense as an arrogant young prosecutor trying to make a name for himself by taking out the city's most famous defense attorney. *glances at Edgeworth's chess set next to him, and childishly flicks the blue "pawn" over. It skids across the board and knocks two of the red "knights" to the floor*
Edgeworth: *rises to his feet as the two pieces clatter noisily on the hardwood* Are you four years old, Wright? What the devil did you do that for? That set is worth more than your suit!
Wright: *flinches--he hadn't meant for them to go flying, but he's not about to pick them up. He folds his arms* S-So what? You're rich. Buy a new one.
Edgeworth: *scowls* I'll have you foot the bill if anything is damaged. *rounds his desk, picking up the two pieces and setting them away from the attorney* Recent loss of employment be damned.
Wright: *watches Edgeworth with annoyance that melts quickly to anger* Is that supposed to be a joke? Your little pet protege's taken everything from me, and you're worried about your stupid toys?
Edgeworth: *grits his teeth* Your half-baked grounds for suspecting him have long since turned into petty absurdities. He's a prosecutor who took the correct actions given everything placed before him, Wright. Until you can show otherwise--
Wright: *cuts him off with an accusatory finger jab* You want to talk about basis, how about the fact that every prosecutor out of this office for the last three years has been guilty of something? Face it Edgeworth--your whole department's been corrupt from the start, and until I came along no one was willing to do anything about it, including you!
Edgeworth: *his expression turns stony* Is that your summary of events? With that kind of mindset it's some wonder nobody else knocked you down a peg years ago!
Wright: Tell me I'm wrong! *takes a step closer, putting them uncomfortably close* Just this year you've had to lock up two more prosecutors, right? Not to mention Gant and Karma before them. Even you would be in jail now if not for me, and don't get me started on your sister. If that prick Gavin is innocent he'll be the first!
Edgeworth: *brings his hand up, and in a motion eerily reminiscent of his mentor's finger snaps he backhands Phoenix clean across the jaw*
Wright: *is stunned momentarily out of his anger, and as he rubs his jaw he stares back at Edgeworth with a look of betrayal* You were never going to defend me on this one, were you?
Edgeworth: *remains silent for several moments--when he finally speaks, it's eerily calm and with a bitter smile* Is your faith in me really so frail? Yes. Yes I am, even now, as you try your damned hardest to squander your last efforts and your last remaining days.
Wright: *the smile does it--resentment burns like bile at the back of his throat, and before he can think better of it, he swings his arm and punches Edgeworth full in the face*
Edgeworth: *the fist connects full with his right eye, and he staggers back from the hit. Unfortunately, his hip collides into the nearby chess table and it overturns with a noisy THUD and the clatter of innumerable tiny pieces as they hit the floor. Recovering, Edgeworth shields the wounded side of his face--and though he's even paler than normal, his open eye never looks away from Phoenix* You're in no shape to be reasoned with--get out.
Wright: *for some reason the clattering pieces make Phoenix jump, and his expression struggles between guilt and remaining anger* If what I've seen lately is your idea of faith, you can keep it. *He manoeuvres past Edgeworth to snatch the magatama back from the desk* Maybe I should be glad you weren't at the hearing after all.
Edgeworth: *something in his resolve falters-he turns away, voice firm* You can hold that against me as long as you want... and as long as you need. But just see to it that you bring your turnabout.
Wright: *shoves the magatama in his pocket, and hesitates, his jaw working. At last he turns toward the door* I will.
Edgeworth: *doesn't seem to have anything more to say-- with a brief nod he walks back over to his desk, not bothering to fix the overturned table or the mess on the floor. He hasn't removed his hand from his eye*
Wright: *opens the door swiftly, as if getting ready to slam it shut, but he hesitates in that too. After one last glance back he shows himself out and closes the door--softly--behind him*
Edgeworth: *scowls into the air for some moments, in silence. After some time, he reaches for the file folder he'd been pursuing before the interruption, and opens it up again. It's the transcript and copies of all relevant evidence in regards to Phoenix's disbarment, of course. Ignoring the throbbing of his eye, Edgeworth resumes reading again, searching for an answer in the pages that just isn't there...*