Chapter Text
The sound of chirping birds lit the morning air. The cheerful sound seemed to echo in the large bedroom, though it was soon disrupted by the sharp beeps of an alarm clock.
The demanding beers of the clock took over the airways, overtaking the birds idyllic song.
Within moments of the alarm clock starting to go off, however, it was shut off.
Grey eyes glared at the now silent clock in irritation.
Idiotic device. As if he needed to be reminded to wake up on time today of all days.
With a huff, the young man turned away from the device in order to examine himself on the mirror located on a nearby wall. He examined the reflection in the mirror, critically analyzing his appearance in it.
His eyes glossed over the major parts though. He spent little time on his hair and the main part of his suit, knowing that he had spent enough time on those parts already
But his gaze soon became locked on one item in particular.
It was a small golden badge, tucked securely on his burgundy suit.
He slowly brushed his hand over the badge, his lips twitching for just a moment as his fingertips made contact with the cold metal.
The moment soon passed though. Forcing his gaze away from the badge, he straightened his tie before deciding that his appearance finally met his specifications. WIth his appearance finally in order, he quickly moved from his bedroom to the living room positioned beside it. Barely giving the room a glance over, he grabbed the briefcase before exiting the apartment.
Taking a step away from the door, he quickly proceeds to lock the door before walking quickly to his waiting car.
He was well aware of the fact that he was quite early and he did not need to rush as much as he was at the moment. However, he also was aware that staying home any longer would not do him any good.
His mind was already on the trial ahead. At this point, he might as well go to the courthouse and get started on it early.
He glanced over at the clock on the dashboard of his car as he started the engine up.
7:30 a.m.
Perfect.
Within minutes, he is on the Los Angeles roads. For a while, it is smooth sailing. He manages to catch several green lights to his relief, allowing him to make ample progress.
However, his luck soon runs out. A yellow light suddenly appears in front of him, halting his progress. Grumbling under his breath, he obediently slows and ends up positioned right at the crosswalk as the dreaded red light appears.
Lovely.
Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he takes the time to glance around at the world around him.
For a few seconds, nothing really catches his attention. The world around him was the same as usual, filled with people just milling around the city buildings as they went about their lives.
His eyes do find something of note after a bit though.
It’s a group of three schoolchildren, primary school students most likely. They waved their pencils in the air, paying no mind to the world around them as they chased each other in their game of pretend.
Their voices were loud and proud, allowing him to hear them even behind the closed windows in his car.
“Ha! I have you now Steel Samurai!” one boy yells, his pencil held high above him, “Take your last look at the sun above! For it will be the last time you do!”
“No!” hIs companion yelled, a look of determination clear on his face as he raises his pencil in defense, “I shall never surrender to you Evil Magistrate!”
His fingers pause at the wheel as he watches the children play their game.
How childish.
That is his first reaction to the children’s antics at least. However, as he waits more and more at the accursed light, he can not help but let his mind wander to the days of his own childhood.
“Sense the enemies I do. So be careful, will you?” The brown haired boy did his best to look determined as he straightened up and struck a pose, “Signal Yellow!”
“Me next!” Beside him, a boy with spikes for hair jumps up from the perch he had been previously on. With a similar look of determination, he also strikes a pose beside the brown haired boy.
“Kick enemies to the curb and sally forth! Signal Blue!”
The two boys turn their gaze to him now, clearly waiting for him to act.
He winces, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment.
This was so silly. It was childish and unbecoming of a future defense attorney like himself. The smart thing to do was to just walk away and pretend he didn’t know these two.
Despite these thoughts in his mind, he finds himself slowly standing up from his seat and joining them, doing his best to mimic the pose he had seen the night before.
“You’re facing me, and I shall stop thee… Signal Red.”’
The boy with spikes on his head moves out of position at his words. His face was filled with happiness at his words, signaled by the bright smile on his face.
“Wow! You really did it Miles! I’m so glad!”
He ducks his head away in embarrassment, trying to hide the pink on his cheeks at his friend’s reaction.
“It’s nothing Phoenix…”
The sound of honking cars behind him quickly knock him out of his reminiscing. Seeing the suddenly green light before him, he silently curses as he speeds forward, cursing his previous lax in attention.
He speeds forward, forcing himself to leave his past behind as he fixes his mind on the approaching events of that day.
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8:19 A.M.
District Courthouse Lobby
The doors to the courthouse lobby are thrown open as the black haired attorney storms inside. If questioned, said attorney would forever deny the fact that the permanent nail marks in the wood were of his doing.
After all, if such marks existed, then they would clearly be created by the irritating parking clerk he had the displeasure of meeting that morning as he tried to park his car.
Upon entering the room, the attorney quickly straightens up, noting the looks shot in his direction as the entrance door crashed shut behind him.
Well at least he made his presence known….
“Miles!”
The yell disrupts his thoughts to his slight annoyance. He glances over at the person calling him instinctively, but finds some of the tension in his body ebbing away as soon as he saw who it was.
“Father.” he sighs with slight relief.
His father laughed a bit as he approached him.
“I see you have made quite the entrance son.” he teased, reaching out and ruffling his hair, “However, I am glad you managed to find the courthouse so easily. And so early too! I should expect that from you by this point though, huh?”
Miles huffed a bit, moving away to fix his hair. “It is the day of my first trial. Of course I-”
“EDGEYYYYYY!!!!”
He visibly flinches as the loud yell fills the room. He slowly turns to look to the source, clenching his jaw.
His childhood friend stares back, tears in his eyes as he somehow drapes himself on a nearby sofa in handcuffs.
“IT’S OVER MAN! I’M OVER! GIVE ME DEATH MAN! HOW CAN I LIVE WITHOUT MY BELOVED CINDYYYYY?!”
Fighting back a groan, Miles took a step towards the man.
Idiot! Was it impossible to ask Larry to grow up for one day?!
“Have some decency will-”
He pauses as he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks behind him, feeling his face turn red at the sight of his father’s very amused expression.
“Tip for you Miles? Getting into an argument with your client in the courthouse lobby is not exactly the best way to start a trial.” Gregory chuckled..
Miles looked hopelessly between his father and client.
“But he-”
“Is being… Larry.” Gregory gave him a sympathetic look, “Normally, I would say that you should comfort him. But.. We both know that it won’t be possible with Larry.”
“So what do you suggest then?” Miles grumbled, reluctantly taking a step away from his sobbing friend.
His father gestured to some empty chairs near Larry.
“Come practice for the trial with me. We have enough time to go over the case file and evidence before the trial starts. It should provide some help to you in there.”
Miles let out a sigh but nods.
Father was always right after all.
“Very well…” he says reluctantly, allowing himself to be led over to those empty seats.
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Red.
So much red.
He stared helplessly at the liquid slowly spreading across the floor, his heart racing in his chest.
He had to stop it. He had to stop the liquid from spreading.
Otherwise…
“...Phoenix.”
He jumped as a familiar voice spoke up near him. He looks away from the red liquid on the ground, instead looking to the face of the woman lying near him.
“M-Mom!” he quickly moves closer to his mother. With shaking hands, he reached out to her, feeling something wet on his cheeks.
His mother’s brown eyes peered up at him, strangely absent of her usual fire.
“Phoenix… Please…” she croaked.
“Phoenix?”
He leaned in close as he ignored the strange voice in the back of his head. He was desperately trying to hear his mother’s words, not the words of this mysterious voice.
“Mom?!”
With little strength she had, his mother reached out, her weak hand somehow managing to wrap around his own trembling ones.
“Please… Remember…”
Remember what…?
“Mom… I-”
“PHOENIX!”
“Ah!”
Phoenix jerked up in his seat.
Sunlight poured in from the window behind him, illuminating the office around him. Phoenix glanced around the room in brief confusion, taking in the pristine area around him. It was filled with bookshelves, overstuffed couches, and various end tables.
But no blood.
He slowly raised a hand to his forehead, a quivering breath escaping him.
A nightmare.
Just a nightmare.
Beside him, someone suddenly cleared their throat.
“...Phoenix?”
He moved his hand from his forehead as he turned to see who was beside him.
His friend and mentor blinked down at him, her brown eyes filled with concern as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“I see you had another nightmare…” Mia said softly.
He immediately straightens upon seeing her.
“M-Mia!! I-I… It’s nothing I swear!”
He waves off her concern quickly, putting on the best smile he can muster in an lame attempt to lower her worry.
“It’s just another dream. I am really used to it by this point, I promise!” he assured her.
Mia untwisted her arms in order to reach out to him. However, at the last second, she hesitated, drawing her hand back.
“Are you sure? You know I am always hear to listen if you need someone to talk to.” she reminded him.
“Of course Mia.” he nodded quickly, sheepishly moving a hand to the back of his head, “I promise that I will come see you if I need to.”
Mia’s hands tense for a second at his words. But as soon as he notices this, they relax, falling to her side.
“That’s all I can ask of you.” she sighed, “ In any case, I came in to tell you that the coroner’s office called about that autopsy you wanted them to do again. They said that the autopsy has been done and the revision should be on your desk tomorrow morning.”
Ah right.
He looked down at his desk, catching sight of the mess of papers residing on it.
He could recall only the basics of the case at the moment. It was a date gone wrong from what he remembered.
Two women had gone on a date to the park. One had left for a few minutes to buy ice cream for them both. When she had gone back though, she had been greeted with the sight of her girlfriend's corpse.
His stomach churned at the thought.
Despicable.
“Got it. I’ll review it before the trial.” he muttered.
He sits up straight at his desk, his hands mindlessly reaching for the papers in front of him.
“Is that it Mia?” he questioned.
There was a moment of silence. Then, Mia sighed again.
“Yes. That is all I have to say Phoenix.”
“Good.” Phoenix’s eyes don’t leave the documents in his hands, “Then we can talk more after tomorrow’s trial. I’ll take you and Maya out to that burger joint she likes so much to celebrate my victory."
“Right…” There is a hint of amusement in Mia’s voice now, “She will be ecstatic once she hears that. She’s bee complaining to me that she isn’t paid enough to go there as much as she would like.”
Phoenix allows himself the briefest of chuckles at that. “Then I’ll treat her to a buffet. It’s the least I can do for the work she does for the Prosecutor’s Office."
“I can hear her screams of joy already.” Mia said dryly.
She lingers for a moment after saying this, running her fingers on the table as she looks at her friend to say more.
However, Phoenix stays quiet. He merely stares at the case summary and evidence reports around him, as if they would spell out the murderer’s name if he just looked hard enough.
The corner of Mia’s mouth quirked upward as she turns away, exiting the room without another word.
She was far too used to her protege’s antics at this point.