Memories (Ace Attorney)
Title: Memories
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Requester: arthoniel
Characters: Maya, Mr. Eldoon, Phoenix, Trucy
Word Count: 2,274
Rating: PG/K
Notes: Written for gyaku_flash. Has Apollo Justice spoilers, kinda. Well, they’re really vague, but be familiar with it anyway? ^^;
Maya wonders why Nick hasn't called her in so long, and decides to find out why for herself.
“I wonder if it’s okay for me to just drop in on him like this,” Maya sighed to herself, as she thought aloud. “I wanted to surprise him, but…maybe…”
She was walking, alone, along the street she knew would lead her straight to Wright & Co. Law Offices. It had been quite a while since she’d last been there, she knew, but she still remembered every single turn and shortcut. It was a frighteningly cold night, too, particularly for L.A., but that didn’t stop her. Getting the time off from her duties as Kurain Master was so rare, she just had to take the chances whenever she could get them. It had been weeks since Phoenix last contacted her, and even longer since they had actually worked on a case-and as strange as it sounded, she missed it.
Searching for evidence, using her beloved Magatama to unveil all the lies and deceit from people, standing beside him in court-she missed it all.
It was mysterious then, that she suddenly felt so much doubt and hesitation within herself. Her stride shortened with each step she took-her demeanor, much more anxious and nervous, which was so different from her usual happy and carefree self. Was Nick… sick of her? Was that why he hadn’t called her in so long? She bit her lip, and before she knew it, she had stopped completely. She kicked an innocent rock that happened to be in front of her-a rock which probably didn’t deserve such treatment, she realized, but nonetheless, she watched helplessly as it rolled off towards the bushes nearby. She sighed again.
“Maybe I should have brought Pearly with me…”
She glanced back, quietly wondering if it was too late to catch a train to Kurain and back again. She could have used the company; she wasn’t even sure why she felt she needed to keep this visit from Pearly in the first place, but she did, and now she was regretting it. It didn’t take her long however, to remember how much of a big deal Pearly could make, when it came to her and Nick. How pushy she could be, how overwhelming and generally childish she could be… as lovable as she was, she could be a handful. And while Maya truly wouldn’t have had it any other way, she realized that her little cousin’s absence tonight was probably for the best.
“On second thought…” She let out a laugh, as she finally found the courage to continue walking. Mental images of Pearly’s attempts to get them together made her smile for a bit, as she shook her head at the unlikelihood of it all, when a certain voice snapped her out of her vivid imaginations. A familiar voice, but one she hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Maya?” It was the voice of an older man, friendly and wise. “That you?”
“Ah, Mr. Eldoon!” she exclaimed with excitement, turning to face him. She recognized his noodle stand instantly, and the smell coming from it never failed to cheer her up. “Long time no see!”
“It is you!” the man confirmed. He was smiling, reciprocating the excitement. “You know, I was starting to get worried. I haven’t seen you or that ol’ boss of yours in ages! How have you been?”
Maya laughed. “Oh, I’m just great! I’m going to see him right now, actually,” she replied, rather awkwardly. “We… we, um, haven’t exactly kept in touch lately.”
“Oh?” he asked. She could tell, just by the way he was looking at her that he knew-he could sense the insecurity building up within her. But he didn’t seem to be pressing her, so she was grateful for that. “Well… I guess that’s not too surprising, if what I heard on the news is true. Poor guy must be going through a rough time. Now that I think about it, no wonder he hasn’t been around…”
“Rough time?” Maya repeated. She looked confused, as if he’d used too many big words; her cheery attitude was quickly being replaced with a concerned one. “Er, what exactly do you mean?”
“You mean you haven’t heard about it?” Eldoon was hardly able to contain his surprise, which made her heart sink even lower. Just how much had she missed, anyway? She tried to think. She could have taken the time, she supposed, to explain all about Kurain and her living conditions, to justify how she’d fallen so quickly out of Nick’s life. But as she learned through the years as his assistant, sometimes simple answers were best.
“I… well…” She swallowed. “No, I haven’t heard anything…”
Silence followed, as she waited expectantly for him to elaborate. He sighed, and seemed to be staring at her now, deep in thought as if he was considering his answer. Choosing his words. Considering whether she even deserved to know. She was beginning to feel guilty again, letting her relationship with Nick go on for so long without trying to contact him… and now she was worried too.
Just when she was going to open her mouth again, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A hearty laugh rang in her ears, and when she looked up, Mr. Eldoon was wearing a smile so wide, she couldn’t help but smile a little too-but only a little.
“Hey, don’t look so serious!” he said; and he gave her a pat on the head. “It doesn’t suit you, you know?”
“B-but, what’s happened to him, then? What’s wrong?”
Why hasn’t he called me? She wanted to ask, though she knew he wouldn’t know the answer to that one. She jumped on the opportunity to finally ask outright, and he was still smiling. That was a good sign, she supposed, or at least she hoped so.
“Tell you what,” he replied, after some consideration. He had placed a hand on his chin in thought, and began putting his special noodles into two separate bowls. She could see the steam coming off each one, and admittedly, they looked more delicious than they ever had before. He began fanning them, presumably waiting for them to cool. “The agency’s not that far from here, is it? Why don’t you take these with you and talk it over with him yourself? It sounds like you have a lot of catching up to do.”
Maya was staring at the bowls, momentarily distracted, but quickly brought her attention back to Mr. Eldoon where it belonged.
“Oh, but… but can’t you just tell me now?” she asked, pleadingly.
By the looks of it, he had almost given in to her request. But in the end, he stood his ground.
“Trust me,” he said. “You’re going to want to hear it from him. And besides… I think he’d be really happy to see you.”
“Pretty please?” Maya tried one last time to sway him. He laughed, and when the noodles had cooled down far enough, he handed the two bowls to her.
“Go on,” he encouraged her. “The sooner you get to him, the sooner you can get some answers.”
“Oh, but, the money!” She looked alarmed, as the realization suddenly dawned on her: she’d brought very little cash, outside of what she used to pay for her train fare. “For the noodles-I forgot, I don’t really have any-”
Maya was patting at her sides, where her pockets would be, if her spirit medium outfit had any. Eldoon waved a hand dismissively at her though, and it was almost like he was trying to shoo her away. “Don’t worry about it,” he assured her. “It’s on the house this time!”
She was surprised at first, but she quickly remembered how generous of a man Mr. Eldoon could be. Back when she and Nick both frequented his noodle stand, he was often giving them discounts, and sometimes even allowing them to not pay at all-much like he was doing now. She smiled-a genuine smile, her face simply glowing as if some huge burden had been lifted. She was more anxious than ever now to see him, and she excitedly took a few steps back after taking the two bowls in her hands.
“Thank you, Mr. Eldoon!” she exclaimed. “We’ll pay you back one of these days!”
“Give him my best, will ya? Oh, and, Maya!”
“Huh?!”
She stopped in her tracks, the tone in his voice effectively terrifying her and nailing her feet in place.
“Be careful with those,” he warned. “I know you weren’t just about to go running with them in hand… were you?”
She blinked, staring at the steaming noodles that he had indicated. They were sloshing around a bit, presumably from the hasty, careless steps she had just taken. She supposed excitement had gotten the better of her. Funny, really-she clearly remembered taking the noodles, but gave no thought to how careful she had to be when transporting them. All she thought about was how warm they felt in her hands, and how delicious they would be, eating them with Nick. And to think, she almost ruined them…
She laughed, nervously, taking a few more steps back, slowly this time. “N-no, of course I wasn’t!” she proclaimed.
“Right, sure.” There was a smirk on his face, and notable sarcasm in his words.
Maya simply smiled at him, as she finally said her goodbyes. Not that she was anxious to leave him, particularly, but she was more anxious than ever to see Nick now. She supposed she had Mr. Eldoon to thank for that; for cheering her up a little that night, for telling her to check up on Nick, for the free noodles, for warning her to be careful with said noodles. She had said it at least once tonight, she knew, and she could’ve said it a lot more-but just how many ways were there to say thank you, anyway?
How many thank-yous did she owe Nick, after all the times he defended her in court, paid for her burgers, ramen, and everything else she and Pearly needed?
She began to count. She thought back on all of the times they spent together-some of the happiest times in her life-and each step she took was like a step into the past. It kept her calm, at least, until she finally reached the steps of the law office she knew and loved. It looked different, for sure; the darkness didn’t help. She just barely was able to recognize it based on the sign outside, which bore his name: Wright Anything Agency.
Her eyes went wide with surprise, and hesitantly, she knocked on the door.
Anything Agency. Anything Agency. No matter how many times she repeated it in her head, it didn’t ring any bells. She nearly dropped the bowls she was holding, trying to wrap her head around it. It was new, and just one more thing Nick would have to explain to her, she supposed. And when he answered the door, with that cute little girl next to him who looked like she might be dressed for a magic show… she knew there were going to be a lot more.
Awkward was an understatement. There was gawking. There was silence. And the only reason it broke was because he just couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Is… is that for me?” Phoenix asked jokingly, gesturing to the noodles.
Maya blinked, taken aback for a moment by his greeting, and how sudden it was. She took a moment to process it and made a face.
“That’s all you have to say to me after not talking to me for weeks? Not returning my phone calls?” she demanded. There was a hint of laughter in her voice, though she obviously still took some offense. “You’re kidding, right? How about… oh, I don’t know, ‘I missed you, Maya!’ or, ‘I’m so sorry, Maya,’ or even ‘I’ve been too busy and couldn’t be bothered to call, Maya’?”
“Daddy, who is she?”
“Trucy-”
The little girl next to him finally spoke. Maya was in for one surprise after another, it seemed. She stared disbelievingly, back and forth between her and Nick, who acted like a parent whose child just said something quite embarrassing. She didn’t quite know how to react at first, but before she knew it, words were coming out of her mouth.
“Oh, well, you’ve been very busy, I see.”
He sighed, opening the door wider, which Maya took as an invitation to come in. The room was different; everything was different, and the only thing she could even recognize was Charlie, their beloved plant. But she didn’t care. Just being in the place brought back memories-both good and not so good, that they had had over the years. It made her happy. It made her sad. And most of all, it made her miss being his assistant even more. She hastily placed the noodles down on the nearest table she could find, and turned to face him.
“I can explain…” Phoenix began.
And Maya threw her arms around him suddenly. Something had come over her. All the bitterness she had felt not moment before had suddenly disappeared, as if by magic. Now, it seemed she was just happy to see him again. She had to admit, her change in mood had surprised even her, but she knew it at least wasn’t anything Nick could complain about. She pulled back to see his surprised expression, and let out a long sigh, like she was relieved. Relieved that she was there with him; and relieved that he was okay.
“I’m listening.”
A/N: AAAAAHHH this is so late, I don't even--! >< I'm really sorry. Anyway, so um, YEAH, arthoniel wanted Maya-centric fic. And luckily, Maya is one of my favorite characters ever. :D This idea has actually been in my head for a while now, and I had the dialogue written out in script form to make into a comic originally. But I never saw it through. Years later, I still have the script, so I decided to use it, but it had to be edited substantially anyway, so I guess it was kinda like writing it from scratch.
I hope it was okay, I really haven't played Apollo Justice in ages so I didn't have a good grasp on Eldoon's character. But hopefully it was believable. I love "how Phoenix's friends find out about his disbarment" scenarios. ^^; Thanks for reading!
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Requester: arthoniel
Characters: Maya, Mr. Eldoon, Phoenix, Trucy
Word Count: 2,274
Rating: PG/K
Notes: Written for gyaku_flash. Has Apollo Justice spoilers, kinda. Well, they’re really vague, but be familiar with it anyway? ^^;
Maya wonders why Nick hasn't called her in so long, and decides to find out why for herself.
“I wonder if it’s okay for me to just drop in on him like this,” Maya sighed to herself, as she thought aloud. “I wanted to surprise him, but…maybe…”
She was walking, alone, along the street she knew would lead her straight to Wright & Co. Law Offices. It had been quite a while since she’d last been there, she knew, but she still remembered every single turn and shortcut. It was a frighteningly cold night, too, particularly for L.A., but that didn’t stop her. Getting the time off from her duties as Kurain Master was so rare, she just had to take the chances whenever she could get them. It had been weeks since Phoenix last contacted her, and even longer since they had actually worked on a case-and as strange as it sounded, she missed it.
Searching for evidence, using her beloved Magatama to unveil all the lies and deceit from people, standing beside him in court-she missed it all.
It was mysterious then, that she suddenly felt so much doubt and hesitation within herself. Her stride shortened with each step she took-her demeanor, much more anxious and nervous, which was so different from her usual happy and carefree self. Was Nick… sick of her? Was that why he hadn’t called her in so long? She bit her lip, and before she knew it, she had stopped completely. She kicked an innocent rock that happened to be in front of her-a rock which probably didn’t deserve such treatment, she realized, but nonetheless, she watched helplessly as it rolled off towards the bushes nearby. She sighed again.
“Maybe I should have brought Pearly with me…”
She glanced back, quietly wondering if it was too late to catch a train to Kurain and back again. She could have used the company; she wasn’t even sure why she felt she needed to keep this visit from Pearly in the first place, but she did, and now she was regretting it. It didn’t take her long however, to remember how much of a big deal Pearly could make, when it came to her and Nick. How pushy she could be, how overwhelming and generally childish she could be… as lovable as she was, she could be a handful. And while Maya truly wouldn’t have had it any other way, she realized that her little cousin’s absence tonight was probably for the best.
“On second thought…” She let out a laugh, as she finally found the courage to continue walking. Mental images of Pearly’s attempts to get them together made her smile for a bit, as she shook her head at the unlikelihood of it all, when a certain voice snapped her out of her vivid imaginations. A familiar voice, but one she hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Maya?” It was the voice of an older man, friendly and wise. “That you?”
“Ah, Mr. Eldoon!” she exclaimed with excitement, turning to face him. She recognized his noodle stand instantly, and the smell coming from it never failed to cheer her up. “Long time no see!”
“It is you!” the man confirmed. He was smiling, reciprocating the excitement. “You know, I was starting to get worried. I haven’t seen you or that ol’ boss of yours in ages! How have you been?”
Maya laughed. “Oh, I’m just great! I’m going to see him right now, actually,” she replied, rather awkwardly. “We… we, um, haven’t exactly kept in touch lately.”
“Oh?” he asked. She could tell, just by the way he was looking at her that he knew-he could sense the insecurity building up within her. But he didn’t seem to be pressing her, so she was grateful for that. “Well… I guess that’s not too surprising, if what I heard on the news is true. Poor guy must be going through a rough time. Now that I think about it, no wonder he hasn’t been around…”
“Rough time?” Maya repeated. She looked confused, as if he’d used too many big words; her cheery attitude was quickly being replaced with a concerned one. “Er, what exactly do you mean?”
“You mean you haven’t heard about it?” Eldoon was hardly able to contain his surprise, which made her heart sink even lower. Just how much had she missed, anyway? She tried to think. She could have taken the time, she supposed, to explain all about Kurain and her living conditions, to justify how she’d fallen so quickly out of Nick’s life. But as she learned through the years as his assistant, sometimes simple answers were best.
“I… well…” She swallowed. “No, I haven’t heard anything…”
Silence followed, as she waited expectantly for him to elaborate. He sighed, and seemed to be staring at her now, deep in thought as if he was considering his answer. Choosing his words. Considering whether she even deserved to know. She was beginning to feel guilty again, letting her relationship with Nick go on for so long without trying to contact him… and now she was worried too.
Just when she was going to open her mouth again, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. A hearty laugh rang in her ears, and when she looked up, Mr. Eldoon was wearing a smile so wide, she couldn’t help but smile a little too-but only a little.
“Hey, don’t look so serious!” he said; and he gave her a pat on the head. “It doesn’t suit you, you know?”
“B-but, what’s happened to him, then? What’s wrong?”
Why hasn’t he called me? She wanted to ask, though she knew he wouldn’t know the answer to that one. She jumped on the opportunity to finally ask outright, and he was still smiling. That was a good sign, she supposed, or at least she hoped so.
“Tell you what,” he replied, after some consideration. He had placed a hand on his chin in thought, and began putting his special noodles into two separate bowls. She could see the steam coming off each one, and admittedly, they looked more delicious than they ever had before. He began fanning them, presumably waiting for them to cool. “The agency’s not that far from here, is it? Why don’t you take these with you and talk it over with him yourself? It sounds like you have a lot of catching up to do.”
Maya was staring at the bowls, momentarily distracted, but quickly brought her attention back to Mr. Eldoon where it belonged.
“Oh, but… but can’t you just tell me now?” she asked, pleadingly.
By the looks of it, he had almost given in to her request. But in the end, he stood his ground.
“Trust me,” he said. “You’re going to want to hear it from him. And besides… I think he’d be really happy to see you.”
“Pretty please?” Maya tried one last time to sway him. He laughed, and when the noodles had cooled down far enough, he handed the two bowls to her.
“Go on,” he encouraged her. “The sooner you get to him, the sooner you can get some answers.”
“Oh, but, the money!” She looked alarmed, as the realization suddenly dawned on her: she’d brought very little cash, outside of what she used to pay for her train fare. “For the noodles-I forgot, I don’t really have any-”
Maya was patting at her sides, where her pockets would be, if her spirit medium outfit had any. Eldoon waved a hand dismissively at her though, and it was almost like he was trying to shoo her away. “Don’t worry about it,” he assured her. “It’s on the house this time!”
She was surprised at first, but she quickly remembered how generous of a man Mr. Eldoon could be. Back when she and Nick both frequented his noodle stand, he was often giving them discounts, and sometimes even allowing them to not pay at all-much like he was doing now. She smiled-a genuine smile, her face simply glowing as if some huge burden had been lifted. She was more anxious than ever now to see him, and she excitedly took a few steps back after taking the two bowls in her hands.
“Thank you, Mr. Eldoon!” she exclaimed. “We’ll pay you back one of these days!”
“Give him my best, will ya? Oh, and, Maya!”
“Huh?!”
She stopped in her tracks, the tone in his voice effectively terrifying her and nailing her feet in place.
“Be careful with those,” he warned. “I know you weren’t just about to go running with them in hand… were you?”
She blinked, staring at the steaming noodles that he had indicated. They were sloshing around a bit, presumably from the hasty, careless steps she had just taken. She supposed excitement had gotten the better of her. Funny, really-she clearly remembered taking the noodles, but gave no thought to how careful she had to be when transporting them. All she thought about was how warm they felt in her hands, and how delicious they would be, eating them with Nick. And to think, she almost ruined them…
She laughed, nervously, taking a few more steps back, slowly this time. “N-no, of course I wasn’t!” she proclaimed.
“Right, sure.” There was a smirk on his face, and notable sarcasm in his words.
Maya simply smiled at him, as she finally said her goodbyes. Not that she was anxious to leave him, particularly, but she was more anxious than ever to see Nick now. She supposed she had Mr. Eldoon to thank for that; for cheering her up a little that night, for telling her to check up on Nick, for the free noodles, for warning her to be careful with said noodles. She had said it at least once tonight, she knew, and she could’ve said it a lot more-but just how many ways were there to say thank you, anyway?
How many thank-yous did she owe Nick, after all the times he defended her in court, paid for her burgers, ramen, and everything else she and Pearly needed?
She began to count. She thought back on all of the times they spent together-some of the happiest times in her life-and each step she took was like a step into the past. It kept her calm, at least, until she finally reached the steps of the law office she knew and loved. It looked different, for sure; the darkness didn’t help. She just barely was able to recognize it based on the sign outside, which bore his name: Wright Anything Agency.
Her eyes went wide with surprise, and hesitantly, she knocked on the door.
Anything Agency. Anything Agency. No matter how many times she repeated it in her head, it didn’t ring any bells. She nearly dropped the bowls she was holding, trying to wrap her head around it. It was new, and just one more thing Nick would have to explain to her, she supposed. And when he answered the door, with that cute little girl next to him who looked like she might be dressed for a magic show… she knew there were going to be a lot more.
Awkward was an understatement. There was gawking. There was silence. And the only reason it broke was because he just couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Is… is that for me?” Phoenix asked jokingly, gesturing to the noodles.
Maya blinked, taken aback for a moment by his greeting, and how sudden it was. She took a moment to process it and made a face.
“That’s all you have to say to me after not talking to me for weeks? Not returning my phone calls?” she demanded. There was a hint of laughter in her voice, though she obviously still took some offense. “You’re kidding, right? How about… oh, I don’t know, ‘I missed you, Maya!’ or, ‘I’m so sorry, Maya,’ or even ‘I’ve been too busy and couldn’t be bothered to call, Maya’?”
“Daddy, who is she?”
“Trucy-”
The little girl next to him finally spoke. Maya was in for one surprise after another, it seemed. She stared disbelievingly, back and forth between her and Nick, who acted like a parent whose child just said something quite embarrassing. She didn’t quite know how to react at first, but before she knew it, words were coming out of her mouth.
“Oh, well, you’ve been very busy, I see.”
He sighed, opening the door wider, which Maya took as an invitation to come in. The room was different; everything was different, and the only thing she could even recognize was Charlie, their beloved plant. But she didn’t care. Just being in the place brought back memories-both good and not so good, that they had had over the years. It made her happy. It made her sad. And most of all, it made her miss being his assistant even more. She hastily placed the noodles down on the nearest table she could find, and turned to face him.
“I can explain…” Phoenix began.
And Maya threw her arms around him suddenly. Something had come over her. All the bitterness she had felt not moment before had suddenly disappeared, as if by magic. Now, it seemed she was just happy to see him again. She had to admit, her change in mood had surprised even her, but she knew it at least wasn’t anything Nick could complain about. She pulled back to see his surprised expression, and let out a long sigh, like she was relieved. Relieved that she was there with him; and relieved that he was okay.
“I’m listening.”
A/N: AAAAAHHH this is so late, I don't even--! >< I'm really sorry. Anyway, so um, YEAH, arthoniel wanted Maya-centric fic. And luckily, Maya is one of my favorite characters ever. :D This idea has actually been in my head for a while now, and I had the dialogue written out in script form to make into a comic originally. But I never saw it through. Years later, I still have the script, so I decided to use it, but it had to be edited substantially anyway, so I guess it was kinda like writing it from scratch.
I hope it was okay, I really haven't played Apollo Justice in ages so I didn't have a good grasp on Eldoon's character. But hopefully it was believable. I love "how Phoenix's friends find out about his disbarment" scenarios. ^^; Thanks for reading!