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Miles Edgeworth hated Christmastime.
The reasons why he despised the so-called “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” were not particularly complex. It was simply that he had some bad memories associated with late December. A lot of bad memories, in fact. He wasn’t always such a Scrooge. When he was a kid, he loved every aspect of the holiday season. The food, the music, the time off from school…and of course, giving and receiving presents. Miles’ dad spoiled him rotten all year round, he turned things up to eleven. Miles always received extravagant, expensive gifts--a bike imported from France, a brand new video game console, two tickets for a father-son trip to London (that they never got the chance to take). Even after his adoption by Manfred von Karma, when Christmas became quiet and entirely lacking in presents or merriment of any kind, Miles always looked back on the gifts his true father gave him with immense gratitude.
It was a tad ironic, therefore, that he came to loathe gift-giving, tensing up at the mere thought of being involved in the process. When he first started at the Prosecutor’s Office, he was signed up for the workplace’s Secret Santa event (against his will, of course). He was forced to shop for some vapid gym rat of a prosecutor who had absolutely nothing in common with Miles. After many hours of wandering around the nearby mall, deliberating on what to buy for this total stranger, Miles ended up gifting him a fancy porcelain tea set. It was something he would have loved to receive as a present, but apparently, not everyone was such a big fan of tea...
"I mostly drink protein shakes, actually!" The smiley prosecutor said, giving Miles an awkward thumbs up as he handed over his gift. "But it's the thought that counts. Thanks!"
In return, Miles received...a basketball, which he quickly pawned off on Gumshoe. From that day forward, Miles made sure that to visit with Chief Prosecutor Skye on the first day of December and tell her, in no uncertain terms, that he would not be participating in Secret Santa under any conditions. He was quite content to never receive another Christmas present in his life.
Then a small box wrapped in red paper appeared at the door of his office.
It showed up earlier that day, in fact, as he sat in his office and deliberated on what to do upon receiving that letter from Robert Hammond--who was asking to meet him at Gourd Lake, in order to discuss that incident. Miles' first instinct was to say no. He had gotten quite used to running away from his past. But look where that got him...
Assuming the present was from Gumshoe or some other, well-meaning co-worker, Miles stuffed the gift in his briefcase, forgetting about it entirely. It took him all day to make up his mind to meet with Hammond, and by the time he had to go to Gourd Lake, he was still in his office and had no time to swing by his apartment to drop off his things. He merely had to take his briefcase with him, he supposed. He sat in the driver's seat of his car, parked in the small asphalt lot outside the lake. He stared at his furrowed brow and anxious expression in the rear view mirror as he leaned out the window, breathing in the cold night air, trying his best to steady his nerves.
His stomach growled. He had neglected to eat anything all day. He reached for his briefcase, wondering if he remembered to bring any snacks along. As he entered the combination and popped open the lid, that's when he saw it again. The present with red wrapping paper and green ribbons. For the first time, he actually read the tag on it.
To: Miles Edgeworth. From: Phoenix and Maya.
"W-Wright...?" Miles breathed, taken aback. And...Maya? Wasn't that the name of Wright's assistant--that strange teenage girl who dressed like a shrine maiden?
He grabbed the gift and placed it in his lap. He briefly considered walking over to a nearby trash can and disposing of it. He wanted nothing to do with Phoenix Wright any longer. Dredging up all these former memories...it was just too painful. After losing to him not once...but twice, Miles considered giving up his career as a prosecutor entirely. The idea of disappearing and starting a new life elsewhere appealed to him greatly, though he wasn't sure if such a thing was even possible. Was it possible to outrun his past? Was it possible to escape what happened to him that day in the courthouse elevator? Was it possible...to escape him?
"Phoenix Wright..." Miles whispered. "...It would have been better if we never met at all."
Of course, he didn't mean that. Even though he would never admit it...he treasured the school days they shared together more than anything. Phoenix had been one of the few people who ever loved Miles...perhaps the only person who ever made Miles feel he was worthy of being loved in the first place. It was silly of him, to think he could just forget about Phoenix and move on. That feeling of Nick's hand in his own, of their knees touching as they sat next to each other in the schoolyard at lunchtime...even if the emotions faded, those tangible sensations--distant and faint as they were--would linger on forever in his memory. Of that, he was sure.
"It's all over now." Miles said. "It's far too late for me..."
But was it? What about his actions on the last day of the Will Powers trial? Just what was that feeling that struck Miles when Dee Vasquez appeared on the witness stand, and he looked into Wright's eyes and...and all of a sudden he felt a burning desire to help him reach the truth? If it was really too late, why had he objected and demanded Vasquez to testify? He could have let her walk away and claimed victory--achieved the hollow retribution against Wright that had become his sole motivation. But instead he...he wanted to help Wright solve the case and make sure justice was served...
"Wright..." Miles said. "What the hell have you done to me?"
Against his better judgment, his frigid, trembling hands began to tear at the wrapping paper. Opening the small cardboard box beneath, the first thing he found was a note. Not from Wright, but from that girl...
__
Dear Mr. Edgeworth,
Merry Christmas!
Nick told me I was wasting my time, trying to send you a gift. But I never got to thank you for your help. It was thanks to you that Nick was able to take down Vasquez and get Mr. Powers acquitted. Even if we are still enemies (and even though you did maybe, kinda, *sorta* try to have me sent to prison for my sister's murder), I know I wouldn't feel right unless I let you know how much I appreciate your assistance. I love giving gifts so...here you go! It's nothing major, but maybe you're a Steel Samurai fan like me! And if not, well, maybe Detective Gumshoe would like them?
Nick's also put something in there for you.
Ho, ho, ho, and a happy holidays to you, Miles Edgeworth!
Sincerely,
Maya Fey
(P.S. If you're wondering how I found out where to send this gift too--let's just say I have my sources. And by "I have my sources" I mean that I looked it up online and found your office number on the Prosecutor's Office website. The internet is pretty magical, huh?)
__
Miles stared at the letter--written on parchment labeled "Wright & Co. Law Offices"--dumbfounded for a few minutes. He then crumpled up the note and stuffed it in his car's glove box, convinced it must be some kind of practical joke. He then saw the gifts inside.
"What in the world is this...?" Miles said, picking up a small, glossy, pink packet of...something. He turned it over and realized immediately what Maya Fey had sent him. "Pink Princess...Trading Cards?"
Ahead of the premiere of the new reboot of The Steel Samurai, all sorts of merchandise was being produced--including a brand new set of trading cards, releasing just in time for the holidays. For a moment, he wondered if this Maya girl somehow knew of his obsession with The Steel Samurai before chocking it up to a mere coincidence. No one knew about the dozens of binders full of Steel Samurai trading cards taking up space in his closet--and no one would ever know.
He hadn't actually got the chance to pick up a booster pack of the new Pink Princess cards from his local convenience store yet. His curiosity got the better of him and he soon found himself opening up the packet and sorting through the cards inside.
"Let's see..." He muttered to himself as he sorted through them and read the name of each card. "...Sakura Rapier, Enchanted Kimono, Heaven-Piercing Bow of Light, The Dark Empress' Scepter...and the final one is..."
The last card he pulled was the "Radiant Crystal Talisman of Dawn." The card's description described it as a part of the Pink Princess' outfit; an accessory made of magical crystals that allowed the heroine to channel her pain and sadness into immense strength, allowing her to shapeshift into a dragon mid-battle and defeat otherwise insurmountable foes and obstacles.
"...That sure would be handy right about now." Miles said, placing the cards on his dashboard as he leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. What the hell was he doing? Allowing himself to geek out over these cards, at a time like this? In just a few minutes, he was due to meet with Robert Hammond. And here he was, letting himself get wrapped up in the inane present of some stupid little girl he didn't even know!
...He suddenly remembered that the letter said that Wright left him a present too. Picking the box back up after setting it on the ground, he rummaged around the tissue paper in the box before feeling something. Lifting it up, he saw it was a small plastic bag...full of an old snack they used to share as children. Oatmeal pies stuffed with raspberry jam.
"To think...he would remember such a thing after all this time..." Miles said, shaking his head. He opened the small bag, grabbed one of the pies, and bit into it.
It was delicious.
He glanced at the car's clock. It was time. He opened the door and stepped outside.
"Goodbye, Phoenix Wright." Miles said, looking at the bag of snacks, which he had placed on the dashboard right next to the trading cards. "...Take care."