10 [forward dated slightly, to 3.24]

[takethat]

[Wafting over the journals today is the sultry sound of one lawyer with a very inadequate singing voice, belting along to a distant radio.]

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!
Cry if I want to!
Cryyyy if I want to!
You would cry, too, if it happened to you!

[This continues for the duration of the song, punctuated by rustling, general sounds of movement, and--after the song is over--a door slamming shut.]

It's my birthday today! I'm going to find cake in town or something. Any suggestions where I should look?

Comments

[cantacquityou]

[Okay, so. He's, uhm...startled by that. Don't know why though, because...so typical of Phoenix to think its necessary to make some sort of cacophony over the journal system.

But this time, it is admittedly not as cacophonous as usual.

Back to his hotel room in the City Royale, he keeps his journal open and listens until the end. That is to say, as opposed to his usual reaction of shutting it immediately.

That's right, it's his birthday.

Not that he had actually forgotten, but he did lose track of time. Nevertheless, he was not unprepared for the occasion.

After the last disaster of seeing him again after two weeks of unspoken leave, he was convinced that Phoenix would probably not want to see him now... not to mention that it probably would ruin his birthday. He didn't want his efforts to go to waste, however...

...so he employs a messenger. He thought long and hard about how to do this - have a present delivered to him discreetly and anonymously, but decided against it. The contents of the package would have been a rather obvious giveaway, anyway. Instead, he opts for having Veritas deliver the package. He walks with her part of the way towards the castle, and sets her off before reaching the gate in an attempt to lessen the risk of being seen.

That morning, at around 10:00 am, Phoenix will have a growlithe scratching at his door. She'll be carrying a large, brown package.]

[takethat]

[Unsurprising that Edgeworth would pick up on the very slight lackluster tone in Phoenix's voice--although he's doing a very good job of trying to hide it. In any case, he nearly runs over the top of Veritas as he's leaving his room in search of cake; he hadn't heard her scratching there over the noise from his... serenade.]

Huh? Vera? What are you doing here? ...and what's that you've got?

[He kneels down and gives her a scratch behind the ears.]

[cantacquityou]

[She wags her tail excitedly. Take the package bro its fucking heavy]

[takethat]

[He picks up the package and peers at it.]

What is this? I don't think it's mine, Vera.

[cantacquityou]

[Have you ever seen a canine do a, 'WTF' face? Because she's doing it right now.


No wonder my master thinks he's stupid.]

[takethat]

[Frown]

Sometimes I think you're judging me just as harshly as Edgeworth does...

[He tugs on the package's string until he manages to untie it, and opens the box. Well, Vera seems to be insistent on it, and if it's not for him, he'll just wrap it back up and send it on its merry way...]

[cantacquityou]

[See? That's better! Use that noggin of yours.

But, actually, no. Vera thinks you should stop that. Right now. Because she wants to give you a proper greeting, first. So, before you get a chance to look inside, have a growlithe tackling you to shower you with kisses. Hey, she hasn't seen you ages!]

[takethat]

Agh! S-stop--hold it!

[Now he's sprawled in the hallway with a giant dog thing licking the crap out of him! Normal day in the life of Phoenix Wright.]

[cantacquityou]

[She's a growlithe god damn it She stops planting kisses all over his face, but doesn't move. She wags her tail, looking down at him. She barks happily.]

[takethat]

...gonna make me lie on the floor all day?

[He grins at her. Yeah, she's growing on him. but his magikarp is still better]

[cantacquityou]

[She releases him and sits off to the side.]

[takethat]

[He sits up, rubbing the back of his head.]

Have you missed me?? I've missed you.

[Now, back to the box--he pulls it over and has another go at opening it.]

[cantacquityou]

[She nuzzles his shoulder. Oh, yes, she has. Especially since her owner has been attempting to keep her from visiting you for the past two weeks.


But no nonono! Wait! Look at this! She hops on over to the other side of the box, places her paws up on the lid of the box, sways side-to-side...and begins to bark the, 'Happy Birthday' melody!]

[takethat]

[Grinning]

That's quite the talent! Surely he didn't teach you that... where'd you learn it?

[Totally talking to the dog like she will be answering him.]

[cantacquityou]

[She barks. She knows the Happy Birthday theme...it's the most commonly-sung tune in the world! At least she does it to signify that the box is a birthday gift.]

[takethat]

[Yeah, it does take a minute for that to dawn on him--a dog barking out "Happy Birthday" sort of overshadows all else.]

...wait, so it's a birthday present for me?

[Far more interested now, he's on his third attempt at digging into the box.]

[cantacquityou]

[You might want to wait to look through everything, because contained within the package is a MASSIVE amount of various knick-knacks, toys, quirky books, and such things, including...oh...just see for yourself:

* A birthday card. It simply says, "Happy Birthday, Phoenix" in gold letters, and has an image of a fire bird.
* Whiskey Stones: for all your drinky-drink needs.
* Book of "Forbidden Knowledge"
* A beautiful, large wallscroll of a city scene at night with fireworks... animated fireworks.
* Wrapped in red, tissue paper, he'll find the newest copy of his favourite porno mag, 'Hot Asian Babes'.
* ...A tiny, ornate hourglass.

...Amongst many other things.]

[takethat]

[At the sight of the huge pile of presents, he's all smiles, and he drags the box into his room, leaving the door open just in case Vera wants to come inside, too.

Once in, he sits cross-legged on the floor and examines every present, one at a time. He's not too impressed with the card--the picture is nice, but he would've appreciated something more than a plain "happy birthday" written in it--but everything else is much to his liking and approval. Although he's not sure how Edgeworth knows about Hot Asian Babes, but he'd rather not know the answer to that.

When he unrolls the wall scroll to get a look at the picture on it, he gives a little gasp. It's one of the nicest gifts he's ever been given, in no small part thanks to the fact that Edgeworth paid attention to his love of fireworks, and of course it is a gift with some meaning behind it. And Phoenix just sits there on the floor, staring at it.]

[cantacquityou]

[K, so uh...Happy Birthday. Enjoy your shit.]

[takethat]

[Finally finished mulling over that wall scroll, he returns to digging through the presents for a good while, until everything is opened and strewn about all around him.

He looks over his shoulder, back at the door, as he turns the hourglass over and over between his fingers.]

...Vera, next time you see Edgeworth, let him know I liked the presents. Okay?

[cantacquityou]

[She barks happily again... But don't think she's going anywhere. She fully intends to spend your birthday with you. Because chilling with Edgeworth is boring as hell]