27 (shortly after the ending of the Feast of Fools)

[takethat]

[Staring at the empty door, sans nameplate, Phoenix can feel his throat burning with the effort not to cry.

Someone, some ethereal shadow of a memory, had once told him that the only time a lawyer can cry is when it's all over. Now, defeated, he stands there with tears leaking from his eyes anyway. He'd taken Maya's presence for granted, just assuming that since she'd been such a staple of the castle when he arrived, she would always be there.

He stands for a long time, silent and heartbroken, before leaning heavily against her door and clumsily thumbing open the journal.

These kinds of announcements never get easier--especially not when they're about one of his closest friends in the world.]

For... for those who knew her... Maya Fey went home.

[What else can he say? He will be leaning on the door there in the hallway for a while yet, tumbling into silent thought.

After some time, he writes a filter in the journal.]


[Trucy Wright]

Trucy--I want to talk to you. I can tell you've been avoiding telling me a few things I would really like to know.

Comments

[magicalwright]

I can come over to your room if you want.

I'm in mine at the moment.

[takethat]

No, no, I'll just meet you in yours.

[If that's okay with her, anyhow.

If she doesn't protest, he'll be on his way.]

[magicalwright]

[ She won't protest. There's a small burst of tidying, just to straighten up the room. There's still a small explosion of magical props scattered across all the available surfaces, a pack of cards here, a set of flags there.

Now to wait. ]

[takethat]

[He takes his time in arriving, and knocks gingerly on the door when he finally shows up.]

Trucy?

[magicalwright]

Hey, Daddy.

[ Trucy opens the door with a smile, stepping aside to let him in. ]

[takethat]

[He slides into the room, glancing around it once he's inside.]

...thanks for letting me come by.

[magicalwright]

You're always welcome, silly! Come on, come sit! [ She drags him by the hand to sit down, before facing him with her hands on her hips. ]

Do you want something to drink or anything like that?

[takethat]

No thanks, I'm good.

[He smiles a bit grimly up at her.]

You're not getting my mind off it, either.

[magicalwright]

I'm sure I can somehow! [ She begins to hunt around her room, picking up various magical props whilst muttering to herself: ] No, that one probably wouldn't work. This requires something big. ... Where's Mr. Hat when you need him?!

[takethat]

Trucy.

[His voice is as stern as he can muster.]

I want you to tell me.

[magicalwright]

Well, there's a lot to tell, Daddy. It all happened a long time ago and I don't really know what exactly you want to know...

[takethat]

How did you end up as my daughter?

[Might as well get to the point.]

[magicalwright]

[ Wright, Trucy, you can do this. You can keep this neat and not distressing for him and you. ]

Well, both of my parents are gone.

[takethat]

I assumed I didn't kidnap you.

[Though he's being sarcastic, he softens his tone a bit for her benefit...]

I'm sure it's hard to talk about something like this, but... I'd really like to know the details, if you can at all tell them.

[magicalwright]

[ it's not that she's reluctant to talk about her parents,, it's just clear where this conversation could lead if she's not careful. ]

My parents were part of the Gramarye Troupe, Zak and Thalassa. They were practising a magic trick when I was very young, but it went wrong and my mother disappeared.

And then Daddy... He was murdered.

[takethat]

Murdered...?

[At least that explains how he probably got involved in the first place.

He hates to pressure her into talking more about something so sinister and clearly upsetting to her; really, his resolve is wavering. Maybe he doesn't have to know.]

I'm... I'm sorry to make you talk about it.

[magicalwright]

Yeah, that was Polly's first trial. He didn't know the victim was my Daddy at the time.


It's okay, you have the right to know why you have a daughter now.

[takethat]

..."Polly" tried the case? Why didn't I?

[magicalwright]

Oh! Um, well, the murderer was a man called Kristoph Gavin. He was a defense attorney and Apollo's mentor.

He was supposed to be on the case but [ ... This is where she remembers that Phoenix is the one who made the change to his representation... ] something changed and the case got given to Apollo.

[takethat]

[Sorry, Trucy. Noticing hesitations like that is his life.]

...and what was it that changed?

[magicalwright]

I suppose the accused didn't trust Mr Gavin.

[takethat]

You "suppose"? Would there be some reason not to trust him?

o gee dw thanks for that there notif...

[magicalwright]

Well, he was the murderer, Daddy! The accused must have just been a really good judge of character.

[takethat]

Who was the accused, exactly?

[Because he's definitely noticed that she isn't naming any names, there.]

[magicalwright]

Shadi Smith.