Chapter Text
It all started a month after the case up in those mountains. Edgeworth had stayed with Wright and Maya to help them both get back into rhythm; luckily for the three of them, not a single case came from anywhere. Although Edgeworth eventually had to go back to Europe, even with all the strings he pulled, it would not be enough to keep the courts from demanding his attention. To celebrate his last day with them and the beginning of Maya's birthday, they went to a brand-new ice cream parlor... who could have expected what that would later turn into?
11:45 The Verdict Scoop Ice cream parlor
"Well, Wright, thank you for the ice cream; it was needed," Edgeworth said with a smile before thinking about how unhealthy it was to eat this kind of stuff in the late morning. As he got up from the red cushioned bench, Wright followed his movement.
"Of course, Edgeworth, so you're going back to being a prosecutor in Europe," Wright said with a sadness that he thought neither Edgeworth nor Maya picked up on.
Edgeworth let out a sigh before shrugging with his eyes closed. "Well, I can't leave Fraziska to hold the fort down in Germany all by herself. She might do something, plus you, of all people, know more than anyone else... duty calls."
11:47 Outside of the Parlor
As the three of them walked out of the parlor, Maya smiled before hugging Edgeworth. "Edgeworth... don't be a stranger, I can't always control Nick's behavior... He might do something stupid to get your attention."
"Maya..." Wright said, with a hint of embarrassment in his voice, before looking at Edgeworth. Edgeworth looked towards Wright with a question stuck on his face (What do I do in this moment?) Expecting Wright to laugh or something, he was surprised when Wright hugged him as well. The three of them stayed like that for what seemed like hours, although in reality only minutes passed.
.....Ding..
....dong...
The echo of the nearby church bell grabbed their attention as Edgeworth coughed, "Well, it's noon, my flight leaves in two hours..."
Wight nodded as the three of them broke apart from the hug. Maya smiled as she noticed the somber look on Nick's face. "Do you want us to accompany you to the airport?"
Edgeworth stood there for a bit before shaking his head, "I'll be alright, thanks." He said before waving his hand towards an incoming taxi. "Oh, and here Maya." He smiled as he gave her a small, black, blueish box. Then he turned his attention towards Wright, "And Wright, I swear if I hear you jump off another bridge."
Wright smirked, "Well, Edgeworth, I thought you enjoyed playing as a defense attorney." Edgeworth face-palmed as he got into the taxi, "Just don't do it, again." Wright smiled as he placed his hand over his heart, "I promise to you, Edgeworth, I will not run or walk through any more bridges."
As the taxi pulled away, Wright sighed, "Well.. Maya, it looks like we can't go bridge jumping..." Maya laughed a bit before contorting her face into a sad pose, "Aww, but Nick! You were so good at it!" Wright let out a chuckle before noticing the small box that Edgeworth had given to Maya, "So what's in there?" Maya smiled as she opened the box, revealing a necklace with a small gem encased with a cool pattern made of some material. "It's beautiful."
Wright nodded while watching her eyes sparkle. "It truly is. Want me to help you put it on?" Maya smiled as she shook her head, "We can do that at the office... plus, it's getting really hot right now." Wright nodded as he took off his suit, "Yeah.. I really need to buy some summer clothing." Maya smiled as she closed the small box and placed it in her small handbag, which she finally got a few days ago.
The two of them started to walk back to the office. A few minutes in, Maya smiled and looked over to Wright, "Hey Nick, last one there has to make lunch." Wright grinned as he placed his suit back on, "You're on!" A couple of minutes into running towards the office, Wright started to cough his lungs out. (urgh, I'm an idiot.. why did I think I could run like this after that case..) "Hey.. Maya, Wait up!"
Maya stopped and turned around, looking down the street, watching as Wright was slowly walking towards her. She quickly ran down the hill, getting to his side and helping him to a bench. "Nick... are you okay?" Wright let out a cough before letting in a deep breath. "Y-yeah.. Just need to catch my breath.." Maya let out a sigh of relief, then looked at Wright, "Nick... I'm sorry I... I forgot about-"
Wright shook his head before standing up from the bench. "It's okay, Maya, it's my fault I forgot about it, too. It just means I'll have to rebuild my lung capacity." She nodded before standing up from the bench. Once they got to the office building's entrance, Wright smiled, "Well, looks like it's a tie." Maya smirked as she opened the door. "Looks like we'll have to go to très bien.."
12:30 Defense Office Lobby
"Hey, Mr. Wright, how goes the recovery?" Diva said before waving towards Maya. "Um, it's going well.. any clients yet..?" Diva shook her head, "It's been quiet here, although for a Friday, that's to be expected, I suppose." Wright smiled as he thanked her. A moment later, Diva watched the two of them head over to the elevator as she recalled something. "Oh, wait, there was one person. Right, Ms. Huntington wanted to see you."
Maya looked at Wright with surprise, "Wait, Nick wasn't that your landlord?" Wright nodded as he shook his head, (She moved in with her family in Paris... why would she come all the way back..?) "Is she...?" Diva nodded, "See, I tried to tell her that you two weren't here, although she just kept saying it was important that she see you..."
Wright nodded as Maya tugged his sleeve, "Cmon Nick, we should go and see Ms. Huntington." (Yeah, she's right.. but what could Ms. Huntington need?) Right as the elevator closed behind them, Wright could hear something. "Maya, did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" She asked while watching the floors change. "Oh.. must've been just my imagination-"
....Beep....
....Swoosh....
The door opened, showing off the detailed walls that broke into offices. Before them stood a tall man in a blue uniform. (Who in the...) Maya smiled as she waved towards the mysterious man. "Cmon Nick, can't you remember that's Dusty clean! A famously well-known janitor!"
Wright rubbed the back of his neck as he smiled, "Oh yeah.. Dusty. I totally remember you... heh.." Dusty smiled as he stepped to the side, allowing the two of them to get out of the elevator, "It's okay, Mr. Wright, heh, after all, I still know you."
"Umm...Dusty, did you want some iced tea or something cold?" Maya asked, hoping he would join them for some gossip since the lack of cas- "Sorry, Ms. Fey, I just got on my lunch break.. When I get back, I'll take you up on your offer." He smiled before entering the elevator and pressing a button on the panel, before waving.
"Maya, did this building always have a janitor?" Wright said with a bit of tiredness in his voice. She nodded and pointed towards the closet to the left of the hall, "Yeah, I guess you just never ran into him with the work schedule. After all, we are usually investigating scenes of crime, right?" Wright shrugged and yawned, "Yeah.. I suppose so."
12:51 Wright and CO office
Entering the office, Wright sighed as he looked at the darkened room. "Ms. Huntington?" Wright called out a bit more, no response... "Strange, Diva said.. Um, Maya did Egdeworth turn off the lights or something before meeting us at the parlor?" Maya shook her head as she peered into the room behind him. "Well, I don't think he did. Is Edgeworth known for this or something?"
"Not that I know of, but either way it would be strange for him to do so.. he even closed the blinds.." Wright said as he placed two fingers on his nose. Maya rolled her eyes a bit before taking a seat on a bench in the hall, "I'll sit out in the hallway till the lights come on..."
"That's fine, Maya (She must still be afraid of the darkness. I don't blame her. Now just to find that switch..) As Wright felt the wall for the switch, he took a step closer, hearing something squish under his shoe. (Great... can't wait to see what that was..)
Maya hummed to herself, "Iced tea or Iced coffee, which is better for today's weather?" She let out a giggle, remembering when Wright had spit out tea once, surprised by what was supposed to be Coffee.
(Where is this darn thing... You would think with how many times I turned this blasted thing on, it would be so much easier to find it...) As his fingers found the outline of the switch, Wright let out a satisfied laugh. He had finally found that darn.. (Shit..) He said as he slipped and fell to the ground.
SPLASH
"Nick, you alright?" Maya asked as she looked into the dark room, her worry starting to increase. A moment of silence passed as Wright groaned in a bit of pain, which made her take a step closer to look into the dark room.
"Ugh... I'm fine, just slipped on the floor..." He said as he got up and placed his left hand on the light switch. (Argh... finally.) Turning the light on, Maya froze as she looked at the area of the floor she almost stepped into, which immediately made her back up. She looked up at Wright, who was standing in the middle of nothing but blood with his back facing her. Then her eyes followed the trail of blood to the desk and saw a lady who looked..
"Nic...NICK th.. that's, Ms. Huntington!" A moment passed as Nick was still as a statue. Maya wanted to move closer, but the fear of stepping into the blood made her reconsider, "N..N..NICK, are you..." "W..who could do this.." Wright whispered under his breath as he looked at his desk with the body of Ms. Huntington stabbed with... his sword. (Urghg... First Mia now.. Ms. Huntington.) "Do I have blood on my suit?" Before Maya could answer, they both could hear a loud siren from the window.
"Maya, go!"
"W..what?!"
"Go before they think you had anything to do with this..."
"But Nick, I can't..jus-!!"
"and call Edgeworth..."
"I will," Maya said before quickly stepping out of the office and dashing towards the elevator. When she got there, she saw the numbers going up. "Damn it, they are already here... where do I go..!" (Think Maya Think... right! the janitor's closet!) As she got to the janitor's closet, she saw the elevator open, closing the door, she held her breath as she watched three officers and... (Gumshoe?) As she watched Detective Gumshoe breach the office door open, she quietly opened the closet and dashed through the staircase door, making it downstairs back to the empty lobby and across the street.
The office door slammed open almost off its hinges, "Freeze, it's the kaps." Wright stood still in the blood as he sighed to himself, (At least I know who it is...). "What the, Wright.. You did this?!" Gumshoe said to himself before letting out a frustrated grunt as he heard a cop next to him nearly throw up. "Hey, pal, save it for outside." "Uggg... ye..yes, sir," The officer said before stepping out of the office. Turning his attention back to Wright, Gumshoe placed a hand on his face, "...Officer Meekins.. arrest this guy.. I got to call.. an investigation crew.."
"YES, SIR!" Meekins yelled before saluting as Gumshoe walked out of the office. He looked at Wright for a moment, thinking he recalled him from somewhere, "Um.. you! Turn around and leave your shoes!" Wright turned around and took off his shoes before stepping onto the non-bloody carpet. "Hey, meek, I'm going to take pictures of this crime scene." Meekins turned towards the other officer, who had a nametag of Tom. "Tommy, we can't! We are just here to arrest this guy, you heard what the Detective said!" Tom shrugged as he pulled out a camera and snapped some photos. (Why would Officer Meekin care about pictures?) Wright thought to himself before he heard a pair of handcuffs snap on his arms. "You done yet, Tommy?"
"Yeah, yeah.. I'm done." Meekin looked at Tommy with a side eye before walking Wright out of the office and towards the elevator. "What are you even going to do with those photos, Tommy?" Wright glanced at the two cops next to him as Tom shrugged, "Well, I'll send them to the evidence locker." "And why's that?" Tom glanced over to Meekin, his eyes, "Why else, Meek, because it's our job? You on something?" Meekins shook his head, "It's... nothing." He said as the elevator opened.
New Characters:
Desk Diva Age: 34
A new receptionist, she gets angry at anyone who uses her first name, so we just get used to calling her by her last name..
Dusty Clean Age: 45
A member of a well-known family of Janitors, known for keeping office buildings completely free of dust and mold.
Ms. Huntington Age: ?? (Decceased)
Pheniox Wright's Landlord, not much else is known about her. Besides the fact that she gave Wright the house he lived in before she moved to Paris.