Chapter Text
The disbarred attorney was walking back home when he saw a blue suit being displayed in a store. He came to a halt and faced it. The huge glass window gave a faint reflection of himself, creating an illusion of him wearing the suit. Phoenix stood there, staring at the suit, though he seemed to be staring at something distant...something he could no longer grasp.
He snapped back to reality and continued walking. He had a daughter to feed, and she’s waiting back home. He may be entangled with the past, but he must not stop. Phoenix told himself again and again that he shall not fall any deeper.
But action is harder than just words.
“Daddy want to take a nap,” Phoenix said to little Trucy after putting the groceries in the cabinets and fridge.
He walked toward his room, unaware of his daughter’s concerned look. Phoenix pride himself with his bluffing skill. All those hard times in courtroom had molded his ability in keeping himself together, forcing him to keep going somehow, and won. Now, he utilized that skill to the fullest, though apparently, he couldn’t fool everyone. Yet he insisted on smiling and to not cry. Not yet.
A lawyer can only cry when it’s all over.
He was, however, no longer a lawyer. No, he had been disbarred and shunned by both society and the world of law for forging an evidence. Phoenix let out a bitter laugh whenever he thought about it. He was not the first, and definitely not the only one, to ever forged an evidence and got busted. Manfred Von Karma did it so many times and even the judge knew, yet they let him slipped. If Phoenix didn’t prove his guilt for DL-6, who knew how many more innocent lives would fall victim.
Thinking about that just hurt even more. He had exposed the perfect prosecutor for fabricating evidence and orchestrating a murder in christmas eve. He had exposed the Deputy Chief of Police Damon Gant for directly tempering with evidence, blackmailing, and even murder. He had exposed so many actual culprits and saved the innocents. He had made a reputation of himself, winning impossible trials.
Yet, a single forged evidence brought an end to all that. What’s worse, he didn’t notice it. He had unknowingly presented a forged evidence, and the next thing he knew, he could no longer be in the courtroom as a lawyer. There was no proper investigation either, and he became the face of the dark age of law.
Phoenix Wright was ditched, just like that.
He’s no longer a lawyer, but he’s not giving up. Thus, he smiled. He wouldn’t cry. For his daughter’s sake. For his friend’s sake. For Edgeworth’s sake, who had been helping him despite his busy schedule in Europe. He must be strong, for his flame is undying.
But sometimes, he wished to start all over again, and to roll down a hill.
Before he knew it, his very own blue suit was in his grip. He had mindlessly rummaged through his cupboard, dragged out a rather big box which contains remnants of his past, and took out the suit. He stared at it with uncertainty, then got up.
He walked a little to the side where a tall mirror hung on the wall. Phoenix took a deep breath before changing his attire. It didn’t take long before he stared at the mirror again, but this time, in his lawyer outfit.
It hurts.
Phoenix felt something was missing. He walked closer to the mirror and touched the surface, right on the area of his badge’s reflection. Except, there was no badge. He instinctively reached that area on his suit with his other hand.
It’s not there.
Phoenix felt his chest burned. Years. Literal years of study and hard work to pass the barr exam for a chance to meet his childhood friend, and that proof was no longer there. The badge that he proudly showed to people, and a symbol of his status as an attorney to help people, gone.
Phoenix felt tears threatening to form and roll down his cheeks. He shook his head and covered his eyes with his hands. He pushed them slightly, fighting the tears. He wanted to see the badge on his palm again. He wanted to proudly show it to people again, especially to Edgeworth, the very reason why he became an attorney.
“No,” Phoenix thought to himself. “Not yet.”
As he took off the suit, he once again noticed the small wounds on his body. He didn’t pay much attention earlier as he was eager to wear the suit again, but this time, unfortunately, he took notice. Few of them were actually from bar fights that occasionally happened—and Phoenix was involved somehow. The rest, well, there were times where Phoenix decided to roll down a hill.
He hated those wounds. He told himself to not get any lower, yet he did, and Trucy knew. He was supposed to be a good example to his daughter, not, whatever state he’s in right now. What’s more, Trucy herself always helped tending his wound whenever she found out. Phoenix felt overwhelming shame washed over him.
“Never again,” he thought, again.
Phoenix continued living his life, doing his best to survive. He had a loving daughter, a partner that regularly called from Europe and occasionally came over, a friend that’s like a sister to him, and other people that still cared about him. Phoenix always tried to be grateful that he hadn’t lose it all. He kept it all in his heart.
But that didn’t mean he was not hearing all those noises. It’s been a year, yet every now and then, he would see TV news about the dark age of law, newspapers talking about heinous acts done behind the courtroom, or some people talking about someone they knew that didn’t get justice. But the most annoying of all, was the fact that his face got attached on those news, be it nearby the headline or in a compilation of corrupt lawyers.
It frustrated him. It’s as if all those genuine works that he did had never happened. Those news and talks filled his head, eventually blending over again, and again, and again. It’s hard to focus, but he must keep going. Phoenix put on his façade again, and said a mantra to himself.
“No problem.”
Just another day, just another bluff, another lie. Like in court, Phoenix Wright bluffed his way in life to survive until he could reach a victory—a good night sleep with his daughter. That’s the only finish line he could see for now. His plan for the long run is to reveal the true culprit and changed the legal system, but he, too, needed rest and more simple goal.
However, as time went on, Phoenix’s feeling of pain & guilt amplified. He wanted to solve this huge mess as soon as possible. He felt so bad for Trucy who had to live with him. He’s not a good example of a father, so he thought. To Maya or Edgeworth, Phoenix would occasionally let out his frustration. They were very encouraging to him, and were willing to help.
“You’ll be fine,” was what they say, in all honesty.
Phoenix tried to hang on to that. He wanted to believe that. He wanted to, at least, clear up the mess, and live a happier life. He wanted to see Trucy performed without having to worry about money. Whether he could become a lawyer again or not, it didn’t matter. Phoenix just wished for their life to stop becoming rougher.
Maybe it was a monkey’s paw situation for him, as he saw a bright light while crossing the street on a rainy night.
“Is it, though?” he thought.
While the time slowed down, almost freezing, Phoenix thought about it. If he died, then that’s it. Trucy would be taken by someone else, most likely Edgeworth.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad.”