[Backdated to around midnight. Action]

[cantacquityou]

 

[It was after midnight. Edgeworth was clad in a pair of deep-red pajamas, placidly enjoying a cup of tea in his kitchen, alternating between reading a chapter of the Steel Samurai manga, playing a digital game of chess, and idly researching comparisons between alternative medical treatments and conventional methods of medical practice of certain maladies on his tablet, when the Valentine's Day decor suddenly exploded into being all at once like some Harry Potter shit. Since he has headphones on, listening to 
Symphony No. 8 in B minor 'Unvollendete' by Schubert,  he doesn't notice the sudden change in decor until he looks up moments later.

He sighs. Another one of the castle's shenanigans, no doubt. He takes a few moments to check the Paradisa feed and notes that everyone else seemed to have the same 'problem,' so he realizes that it's probably unnecessary to make a castle-wide post inquiring about it.

He rises from the stool that he was sitting on, and walks about, surveying the place. As he descends the stairs towards his bedroom, his head turned upwards, studying the gaudy bedizenment of every nook and cranny of the place, he is certainly not prepared for the other part of the castle's surprise... 

He is, needless to say, very startled to find Phoenix Wright standing near the foot of his bed. His body tenses in fright upon seeing the unexpected visitor in his room, nearing dropping the tablet in hand. He begins to exhibit an array of speechless gestures of aggravation, including face!palming, clenching his fist and such, before he yells:]






...What the hell are you doing here?!


[/Edit: Room now looks something like this: Bed, Ceiling, Kitchen, and various elements from these rooms.  And when the lights are off, the walls of the room glows like this, this, and this. Others: Couch, Toilet, Misc1, Misc2, Misc3.]

Comments

[takethat]

...I guess that would've hurt, but I still think it would be better than forgetting your dad.

[cantacquityou]

It really does explain a lot, then.


...Ever since I came here, I've felt as though there was a massive void in my being... As though I was suddenly devoid of any kind of real ...love. It is so difficult to make sense of it, much less put the sentiment into words... I've felt as though I've misplaced much of my life's purpose and inspiration...and...as if I hadn't much reason to exist, anymore...

I've just felt so alone - more than ever before - and so... uncommonly lonely...

[takethat]

[The longer Phoenix listens to this, the more he feels deeply sorry for Edgeworth--and, beneath that, renewed boiling anger at the castle for doing this. He is horrified to hear Edgeworth talking like that, and, as per usual, he wants to fix it... even as he knows he can't.]



...no wonder... you must be left with so many awful memories and very few good ones to visit when you need to.

[cantacquityou]

I suppose there is not much I can do to change that other than to create new memories in the mean time, perhaps...

...Then, I can perhaps just look forward to reuniting with him when I return home...

[takethat]

....










[Great. Now he's got a moral dilemma to deal with. Tell Edgeworth the whole truth and depress the hell out of him all over again, or let it go and leave him to discover it some other way later on?

...no, it's definitely better to hear it from a friend. Phoenix looks at his feet, and his voice is shaky when next he speaks up.]

No, that's... not possible.

[He'll be dancing around the details as much as possible for now, barring any direct, unavoidable questions on the matter, anyway.]

keywords...

[cantacquityou]

[He is once again taken aback by Phoenix's reaction. At once, he experienced a horrendous tightening of the chest, and several terrible possibilities danced around his head, as he realized that he probably did not want to hear any of them...]










I-...I suppose it would be better if I didn't ask...

[takethat]

...if you do ask, I'll tell you. But if you don't want to know, then... no, don't ask me.

[A pause]

That offer stands any time, by the way. If you don't ask now... I'll be here to ask later if you change your mind.

[cantacquityou]

[He sighs, and swallows painfully. He figures he may as well know the very basics instead of having to endure the niggling unknown...]









...I take it he's no longer with us...

[takethat]

....yeah. That's correct.

[He's not offering more than that, feeling uneasy as it is.]

[cantacquityou]

[He sinks into his chair upon hearing that. He flings his head back onto the chair, exhaling as his eyes trace the red swirls of the ceiling decor...He attempts to force a pained smile...]











...That's... another hourglass broken...

[takethat]

[To be fair, up until... just now... Phoenix thought the matter of Edgeworth's father was one of the hourglasses or vases or whatever already.

He fidgets with the hem of his pajama top and looks everywhere but at Edgeworth.]

I'm really sorry I had to tell you this. I... thought... well I obviously didn't know you'd forgotten.

[cantacquityou]

It's...fine.

[takethat]

...it doesn't have to be fine.

[cantacquityou]

What do you mean?

[takethat]

I mean you can be upset. You don't have to just say all this is fine.

[cantacquityou]

I am upset. Obviously I'm not very thrilled to hear that the man is dead...

[takethat]

Well... that's not...

[Sigh]

...yeah. Okay. Of course.

[cantacquityou]

...Did I-...Did he look like me?

[takethat]

[This is Phoenix's heart shattering]










Oh, Edgeworth... yeah, he looked so much like you. I remember he even had the same little cowlick you do.

[cantacquityou]

Then...







Then all I have to do is look into the mirror, and... he'll be there...

1/2

[takethat]

[SEE ICON... on the inside...]

2/2

[takethat]

[But on the outside, Phoenix smiles, just a little, shakily.]

...very true. ...I'm guessing you don't want a hug.

[cantacquityou]

...I was just thinking I'd ask for one.

1/2

[takethat]

[ALL THIS AND MORE.... on the inside xD]

2/2

[takethat]

[Now he's really smiling, and he once again bends to wrap his arms around Edgeworth, only a little awkwardly, since Edgeworth is still seated and Phoenix is not. He doesn't hug too tightly... but he does try to convey though the hug that he really, really, really really really wants to be there for his friend in all this. Phoenix is a damn good hugger. So there.]