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There could be worse places for a child to hang out than a courthouse. The scene of an active murder investigation, for example. Or some kind of soup-themed gambling den. Still, Edgeworth suspected that Wright could have put a little more effort into finding someone to watch Pearl instead of dragging her along and then abandoning her in the defense lobby with him.
“Um, Mr. Edgeworth, can I ask you a question?”
Edgeworth looked down at Pearl, who was tugging on his sleeve with one hand and holding a little notebook with the other. “What is the question?”
“Um.” She flipped open the notebook. “Um. How do you show someone you love them?”
Edgeworth frowned. “What kind of question is that?”
“I’m asking everyone,” she answered, flashing the notebook at him. He could see Wright’s and Maya’s names, but she pulled it away before he could read any answers. “I’m trying to figure out something. I…” She glanced around before leaning in to whisper, “I have a plan to help Mystic Maya with her special someone.”
Edgeworth tried not to sigh. Pearl’s delusion was cute, in a way, but he shouldn’t indulge it. Then again, it was always fun to watch Wright squirm. “I suppose the easiest way to show someone you love them is to give them a gift.”
Pearl nodded seriously and wrote something down. “A gift.”
“Yes. Something nice, something you think they’d like.”
“Hmm.” Pearl studied her little book intently. “Thank you!” she said before suddenly running away.
Edgeworth shook his head, then looked up at the sound of laughter.
“She asked you too?” said Wright, leaning against the doorframe.
“I’m not sure I understand that child,” Edgeworth sighed. “What a strange question.”
“Did she tell you why she’s asking people?”
Edgeworth smirked. “I haven’t the faintest idea, Wright.”
Wright groaned. “Edgeworth, come on. She’s up to something, isn’t she? Tell me what she said.”
“Oh, I think I’ve answered enough questions for today.” Edgeworth patted Wright on the shoulder as he walked past him and out the door. It was always fun.
Gumshoe was always delighted to see Pearl, even when she was running through the halls in the courthouse. He’d have stopped her, just to keep an eye on her, but she stopped herself right in front of him.
“Mr. Detective Dick, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, pal!” Gumshoe crouched down to Pearl’s level. “What’s up?”
“Um…” Pearl flipped open a little notebook. “How do you show someone you love them?”
“Hmm.” Gumshoe stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I guess the best way to show someone you love them is to do something for them.”
Pearl frowned. “Do something?”
“Yeah, do something nice! Like clean their office or polish their desk or make them some tea. It can just be little things, but it shows ‘em that you care.”
“Hmm.” Pearl jotted something down, then frowned intently at her little notepad.
“Something wrong?”
“Well, everybody’s saying different things and I don’t know what’s right! Mr. Edgeworth said you should buy them a present, and Mr. Butz said that you should make art for them, and Mr. Wright said you should just tell them, and I don’t know which is right!”
“I think everybody does it differently,” Gumshoe replied. “That’s part of what makes it hard, but also fun. You gotta figure out what the person you like would want.”
Pearl huffed. “That’s not very helpful.”
“Ouch.” Gumshoe flinched, mostly as an act. “Well, maybe you just gotta do a little more investigating!”
“Yeah…” She chewed on the end of her pen. “I guess I gotta find more people to ask.” She tucked away her little notebook. “Thank you, Mr. Detective Dick!”
“Hey, no problem, pal.” He patted her on the head and stood up as she darted off. Something she’d said was stuck in his head.
“Buy them a present…”
Edgeworth stepped into the hall just in time to witness Pearl running from Gumshoe. “Pearl,” he said, catching her before she could pass, “are you bothering Detective Gumshoe?”
“I was just asking a question!” Pearl said.
“The same question you asked me?”
“Yeah!”
“Hmm.” He couldn’t help himself. “What did he say?”
“He said you should do something nice for them!” She raised a hand to her mouth and chewed on her thumbnail. “I guess buying a gift for someone is doing something nice for them? I’m not sure I understand.”
Edgeworth paused for a moment, contemplating it. “In a way,” he said, “they are similar. It’s a gift of time and energy, after all.”
Pearl considered this for a moment. “That’s funny. You and Mr. Detective Dick almost said the same thing, then! And Mr. Butz, too.”
Edgeworth grimaced. “I wouldn’t give too much weight to Larry’s suggestions in regards to romance. Or anything, really.”
Pearl giggled.
“Right, I expect you want to ask everyone here,” Edgeworth said. “Off you go.”
Pearl left, and Edgeworth was left thinking about what she said.
“Do something nice…”
Three days later, on the 14th, Gumshoe arrived at Edgeworth’s office shortly after lunch. He was unannounced, which was normal. He was carrying a small colorful package, which was not.
“Good afternoon, sir,” he said, stepping carefully into the office. He almost looked nervous.
“Afternoon, Detective,” Edgeworth answered. He was a bit nervous himself, although he wouldn’t care to admit it. “You have excellent timing. I have something to tell you.”
Gumshoe went wide-eyed and hastily hid the package behind his back. “O-oh?”
Edgeworth cleared his throat and tried to look casual. “I noticed that your vehicle was in need of some maintenance. So I took it to be serviced. It should be ready by the end of the day.”
Gumshoe blinked. “Oh! Uh… is that why you wanted to borrow it?”
“No,” Edgeworth answered too quickly. “I had to… to transport some, er, gardening supplies and didn’t want to soil my own car.”
“Oh. That makes sense. Um.” Gumshoe looked confused. “So you just… did something nice for me? For no reason?”
“No reason at all,” Edgeworth confirmed, looking away. No reason for that either.
“Um.” Gumshoe shuffled his feet. Then, with a deep breath, he presented the box. “This is for you, sir!”
Edgeworth stared. “For me?”
“Yes, sir. I-it’s a gift.” Gumshoe set the box on Edgeworth’s desk and took a respectful step back. “From me.”
Edgeworth swallowed hard at the package, wrapped in hideous bright striped paper and tied with a ribbon. “I see. What’s the occasion?”
“Uh… no occasion. I just, um, thought you’d like it.”
Edgeworth slowly untied the ribbon to open the box. It didn’t really matter what was in it, if this meant - if it meant what he thought it meant. But still, he carefully unwrapped the paper and opened it. Inside, laying on a pillow of tissue paper, was a silver pen. On closer inspection, however, it was no ordinary pen. The barrel had white stripes wrapping around it, like a twisted rope. The clip resembled a spear, and there was a small red jewel set into it. The top was flat and steel blue, and the button was white with a black tip.
“This is…” Edgeworth picked it up, impressed by its heft. “From the Steel Samurai Executive Stationary series?”
“Uh, I don’t know about that,” Gumshoe admitted, rubbing his head. “I got it used…”
“You’d have to,” Edgeworth replied, examining it. “It was discontinued five years ago. But this is in perfect condition!” He clicked the top and the tip popped out. “It’s extremely rare now, especially one this well-preserved. Pens are often misused and discarded; I had rather expected I’d never get my hands on one.” He looked up suddenly and was startled by the affectionate expression on Gumshoe’s face. “T-thank you, Detective,” he said, aware he had been gushing.
“I’m glad you like it. Sir.”
They both paused, then. Edgeworth wondered if Gumshoe was thinking the same thing he was.
“Detective…” he said slowly, still holding the precious pen, “did Pearl share with you the results of her little survey?”
“S-she may have let something slip,” Gumshoe mumbled, staring at his shoes.
“Indeed… she is lacking in discretion. She…” He cleared his throat. “She also told me your answer.”
Gumshoe looked up. “Oh?”
“And now, you’ve… given me a gift.”
“And you… did something nice for me.”
Edgeworth could feel his heart racing at the implication. It could mean nothing. It could just be that Gumshoe was trying to be nice, and thought that Edgeworth was just doing him a favor. Pearl’s question was hardly conclusive, and it didn’t mean - it didn’t have to mean…
Edgeworth closed his eyes and took a breath. “Detective,” he said, closing his fingers around the pen, “I think we may have something to talk about.”
He didn’t dare open his eyes until Gumshoe said, “Yeah, I think so. Uh, sir.”
Edgeworth nodded and looked at Gumshoe. “Over dinner, perhaps?”
Gumshoe grinned, and relief washed over him. “I’d like that,” he said. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Then it’s settled. This evening, when you’re done for the day, meet me here. Now,” he said, his voice growing stern, “I believe you have work you should be doing?”
“Oh, right! Thank you, sir!”
Gumshoe marched out of the room, and Edgeworth tucked the pen into his breast pocket.