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Edgeworth glared at anyone who dared to comment on his headgear; Pearls had made him a crown out of tinsel, and after everything that had happened to her, he didn't have the heart to say no.
At least he wasn't the only one wearing the ridiculous tiara; Pearls had made several of them, braiding the shiny silver tinsel into circlets that settled on many a man (or woman's) head, some with bits of green and red, but mostly all silver.
Even Franziska had gotten one, though Edgeworth had not seen the younger prosecutor in quite some time. Frowning as he realized this, he moved away from his corner (where he was not sulking, not matter what Larry said), and began to look for her.
She was sitting in a room with Pearls, watching bewilderingly as the younger girl gave Franziska an empty cup.
"There is nothing in here." She said flatly.
"You have to pretend." Pearls said firmly. "That's what the TV show said."
Franziska looked so funny, sitting their in the half dark room, holding an empty tea cup, and wearing a silver tinsel tiara that Edgeworth almost smiled.
Almost.
What stopped him was the simple knowledge that Franziska looked so out of place because neither she nor he had ever had a chance to learn about such frivolities thanks to the machinations of her father.
"Would you like a cookie Princess Franziska?" Pearls asked, holding out an empty plate.
Franziska looked as though she was about to argue again, but then she shut her mouth, and carefully picked up an invisible treat. "...Thank you very much Princess Pearl" she said formally, and she was rewarded with a giant smile from the child.
Edgeworth did not smile, but there was a lightness that he had never felt before as he walked away from the scene he had witnessed.
As he walked away, he wondered how much Franziska would whip him if he brought them actual cookies from the party, and promised to keep their meeting a secret.