021 [voice/video; forward-dated to around 8am]
[...at first, it seems as if Phoenix's Pokegear is transmitting by mistake, because at first, all that can be heard is silence. No static, no talking -- maybe a lght gust of wind, but that might have just been your imagination.
But, wait! Was that breathing? I think it was! and a sigh, even, before the lawyer actually begins speaking;]
...is that it ( Read more... )
..... Phoenix. You all right?
[It's the same thing she's said to just about everybody she's checked in on, but this time, her tone is almost cautious. SOMETHING'S up. ... She's not sure she has any RIGHT to be concerned, considering, but.... she is, so she'll show it.]
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...really, anyone would have expected him to freak out a LONG time ago, but this is Phoenix. Phoenix never gives up, nor is he one to let life beat him down. Too much, at least.
At Heather's feed, Phoenix...is quiet, almost brooding, ruffling Mia's wool as the sheep Pokemon looks up at him quizzically. Then, he shrugs and says;]
I'm...fine.
[He says that so hesitantly, though, that it's obvious to anyone that he's kind of NOT.]
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... No offense or anything, but... I don't really buy that.
[She's not totally sure what to say-- after all, it's not like it's really her business, and as brash as Heather often was, she actually had a pretty healthy respect for other peoples' privacy.]
... Did something happen while the world was all.... uh... [She makes a weird hand gesture that was apparently supposed to mean 'glitched out'.]
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...I wouldn't either. [A pretty feeble attempt at a laugh.]
Er--well, not exactly because of the... [He...vaguely imitates her hand gesture, making a fairly squicked out face to accompany it.] ...y'know, that, but it...well.
Someone turned up.
[and by someone, he means that woman he'd told Heather about a mere few weeks before.]
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[Heather quirked a brow and inclined her head questioningly.]
.... 'Someone'?
[SHE AIN'T A MINDREADER, PHOENIX, YOU GOTTA GIVE HER A LITTLE MORE TO GO ON THAN THAT.]
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And, well. He keeps his reply short and sweet.]
Dahlia.
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[Okay, that was all right then.]
[.... WAIT. He was talking about his psycho ex-girlfriend.]
.... Oh, shit.
Dude, are you going to be all right?
She's not like...after you now, is she?
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I...I don't know.
I've talked to her, and--it looks like she's from right before the trial.
...the trial where she gets convicted.
[Which made things all the MORE complicated, because she was still acting. And Phoenix, ever the Fool, is falling for it all over again.]
I--
...I don't know. I don't know, Heather.
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.... Phoenix.
[When she speaks, her voice is serious. She doesn't know that he's actually falling for the lady's acting, but ... she does know how abusive relationships work. Hell, she still remembers how stupidly, tail-waggingly happy her seven-year-old self felt whenever Dahlia gave her a kind word instead of a slap or a vicious yank of the hair. It screwed you up and sometimes you did not think clearly. Even when you knew better.]
I can't even begin to imagine what's going through your head right now, but stay the fuck away from her.
[Because dude... she'd tried to kill him.]
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Oh, trust me, he knows what he should do. He should make sure all his friends know about the horrible things Dahlia's done, warn them to stay away from her, stay away from her at all costs, that he never should have even ANSWERED her desperate little plea over the Pokegear.
But...he really did still love her. And love turns the wisest men into fools.]
I--
I can't.
She's--she's already talked to Edgeworth, I don't know who else she's spoken to but now they're involved, and I can't just...I can't just let her--
[You can't let her go, can you, Phoenix? That was what he found himself about to say, but he atops himself, seemingly realizing how pathetic it sounds.
He pauses, staring down at some spot on the ground, eyebrows furrowed with fear and worry and ashen with past pain brought anew. A weary sigh.]
...maybe this is my second chance.
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[Heather listens with more worry than sympathy. It's not that she doesn't feel for him-- no, it's not that at all. It's just that... well. You know how it is. It didn't take a brain surgeon to know that this spelled bad, bad news. But then the worry became alarm.]
Wh-- NO. Phoenix, NO. That's-- ... NO!
Don't think like that!
I know how tempting it is, but-- NO!
[It wasn't very eloquent, but the message got across at least!]
[There were so many things wrong with looking at the situation like that, Heather couldn't even begin to cover it, even in her own thoughts. After all, just how was it that Dahlia had convinced her darling little daughter to be a good girl and do this one thing for mommy? Surely it wasn't by pretending that from now on she'd be nicer, from now on she'd stop hurting her if Alessa would just do this one teensy-weensy ( ... )
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...really!
But at the moment, there's only two things on his mind.
One, find out what the fuck happened during that trial.
Two.
...two.
...he still wasn't entirely sure what exactly that second thing was yet, but it was something he just couldn't put into words. He shakes his head, something like a bitter smile ghosting his expression as he clenches his choulders, looking anywhere but at the camera.]
Y-yeah, you're probably right.
...but. [a pause, and a breath.] There's only one truth.
And I don't think I've found it yet.
...I can't let this go until I find it, Heather. It's--I need to know, I need to know what happened.
And now, all these people involved...they need to know, too.
It's not just for my sake anymore.
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... Are you.... are you saying you don't think she actually tried to kill you?
[Because... that um... that... yeah. STOP PHOENIX IT'S A TRAP]
... I obviously can't stop you from doing anything... but whatever you do, be careful.
[I just started putting my trust in you, I don't want you DEAD.]
People-- ... people like that don't change. [There were justifiable motives for murder in Heather's opinion, but ... some kinds of killers were just sick. The kind of sick that didn't get better.]
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...the Dahlia I saw on the witness stand, she--there was no way that could have been her. She would never...she could never do that. I know it couldn't have been.
And if that wasn't her, then...
[He shakes his head, frustrated.]
I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Edgeworth's already caught up in this, I can't let him get hurt, of all people--!
[...he acknowledges Heather's warning with a nod.] I'll do my best.
...who knows? Maybe we just didn't have enough faith in them. [Says the idiot who ALWAYS believes in people, who always gives them the benefit of the doubt. When will you learn, Phoenix?
Although, to be fair, he's actually partially right about this one. WAS that really Dahlia?]
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I hope you know what you're doing...
[The 'faith' comment riles her, makes her want to comment with something scathing, but she bites her tongue this time. Faith in people got you killed. Or hurt. Or burned alive.]
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...in all honesty, Phoenix isn't sure at all how this is going to end. He...somewhere in his weary head, he knows that this can't end well. But it ALREADY won't end well -- possibly even worse, if he doesn't get his say in it. Who's going to protect everyone from Dahlia if he's staying away from her? Running away won't do him any good, and he knows that.
...somehow, though, this doesn't give him any more inkling of confidence. No, he has no idea what the hell he's doing, but like heck is he going to say this out loud. He can't have Heather worrying, after all. Even if it does tug at his heartstrings a little. Okay, a lot. But seriously.]
Don't worry, Heather. [He breaks into a smile, slightly forced, true, but it appears warm and genuine enough, all the same.] I'll...I'll be alright. I can fix this. I know I can.
[also I'm thinking of just copy pasting all of Heather and Phoenix's conversations and using them for NaNo because FUUU SO ( ... )
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