Chapter Text
Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright were currently standing outside the courthouse. It had been about a month after the whole case regarding Misty Fey's murder was settled, a case that Phoenix was still grateful to Edgeworth for helping defend Iris when he was in the hospital. They had just finished up another trial, the verdict being another win for the defense attorney. Edgeworth had learned at this point that as much as the other man pisses him off, he had to let go of such grudges and accept that not every battle can be won.
"Man, that was another tough case," Phoenix sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. Maya and Pearl were both still staying in Kurain village, so this was one of the moments when he had to go at it alone. He prevailed as always, much to Edgeworth's annoyance. "You put up a good fight as always, Edgeworth."
Edgeworth crossed his arms and nodded curtly in return, letting out a 'hmph' at Phoenix's compliment. "Of course, Wright. I can't simply let you win so easily." He grumbled, his gaze moving down to see the snow that was melting bit by bit. It's the middle of March, after all, and Spring was soon to arrive.
Deep down, Edgeworth felt doubt. Something had been nagging at him since the day the Phoenix got out of the hospital two days after he fell into the Eagle River. He didn't acknowledge it until after the last trial of Misty Fey's death was over, due to how busy that whole case was from the get-go. But now that he's finally had some proper time to think, he's come to notice that Phoenix... didn't seem the same as before.
"Do you still not remember what happened when you fell in the river?" Edgeworth asked. He's been pressing Phoenix about that specific moment for a while now. Not when he ran across the burning bridge, no — but when he was in the river and how he even got out and survived that whole accident.
Phoenix glanced at Edgeworth, letting out a light-hearted laugh at the question. "Sorry, Miles. But I just can't seem to remember that," he spoke, shrugging to emphasise how clueless he was. That action only made Edgeworth slightly more exasperated than he already was. "Maybe I hit my head on a rock in the river or something." He added.
"Don't give me that excuse, Wright. Don't you know how worried everyone was for you?" Edgeworth spoke back, not pleased with how Phoenix seemed to try and dodge the question, coming up with some excuse to dismiss it entirely. Bullshit. "How worried you... made me?" The prosecutor mumbled, quieter than before, as if he didn't want Phoenix to hear that.
The two stayed silent for a bit, the awkwardness of bringing up an incident from a month ago stretching between them, almost suffocating.
Edgeworth couldn't take this anymore. He knew he had to ask, sooner rather than later. If my suspicions are correct, then Phoenix is... he let his train of thought trail off, not wanting to jump to conclusions.
"...Can I ask you something, Wright?" He requested, unsure why he even did so. Normally, he'd have no problem asking immediately, but when it comes to this... he felt like he needed permission to know the truth. And that rattled him more than he thought it would.
Phoenix just turned to Edgeworth and let out a questioning hum, wondering what Edgeworth wanted to ask. He could see how the prosecutor was becoming more serious, his face stern and cold. It's a face Phoenix had seen many times in court, but it felt more different this time, and he's not sure why. "What is it?"
Edgeworth seemed hesitant. He's a prosecutor, a man of the law who swears to find out the truth, no matter how harsh it may be. But this truth, this one, might be the first one that he'd ever regret knowing, if he's correct.
"Something has been on my mind, ever since you fell in the river," Edgeworth started, running a hand through his hair. Fuck, why is he so nervous? He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay calm.
Don't panic. Don't stress. Just stay calm and face the truth.
"This has been going on for far too long," Edgeworth muttered. He didn't know why he let this pass for a whole month. Maybe it was his busy workload at the prosecutor's office, or... it was because he didn't want to face the truth, at least not that early on. He swallowed nothing in his throat before finally getting to the matter at hand.
"You're not Phoenix Wright, are you?"
Phoenix seemed dumbfounded. How can he not be him? What kind of a question is Edgeworth even asking right now? It's so stupid, it's so silly. It's something he hoped that Edgeworth would never have asked at all.
"W-What are you talking about?" Phoenix questioned back, stammering a bit. Fuck. For the past month, he had never felt more panicked than now. And it overwhelmed him until his true self was revealed.
Half of his face started melting a bit, like the snow that melted off the roof of the courthouse. Blood dripped down, leaving drops on the concrete floor. It looked like something else was also excreting from his face, but not in the same way as his skin and blood did. But in a way that it looked like something was forcing itself out of him. Something out of this world, an amalgamation that disturbed the prosecutor to his very core.
"My imitation was supposed to be perfect."
The words that came from the creature made Edgeworth feel even more uncomfortable. He couldn't help but stare at the mess the creature made of the defense attorney's face, how that something that looked like an abnormal, oozing spirit seemed to reach out towards him, trying to drag him in as well. Before he knew it, the creature had already enveloped him in a tight hug.
"Please, I'm begging you, Miles, don't tell anyone about this," The creature resembling Phoenix pleaded, speaking into Edgeworth's ear as if relaying a private message, for him only. "For the first time, I was living as a human, an attorney, even if it's only been a month. Even though I borrowed this body and this person, I loved every single moment I spent here, especially with you."
"Please..." The creature trailed off, hugging Edgeworth a bit more tightly than before. "I don't want to kill you."
Edgeworth had never felt more conflicted in his life. Kill? So if he refuses to play along, then he'll die? A part of him refused to do that, to act along the whims of a monster that took over the body of the man he worked against, the man he had unnecessary feelings for. The truth is right here in front of him, and the only thing left to do is to face it.
Yet another part of him, a sick, desperate part, wanted to play pretend. To act like Phoenix was still here, that this was the defense attorney he had been with. Because either way, Phoenix was already gone. And no matter how much Edgeworth didn't want to acknowledge it, he thought that it was better to have a part of Phoenix here, rather than losing him again, for good this time.
"Okay," he reluctantly replied, quiet and regretful. "It's good to see you, 'Phoenix'."
So he blinded himself to the truth.