[video] // 01

[iusferendum]

[The prosecutor's face appears, blinking irritably down at the tiny screen. He seems ruffled, with his hair messy and his cravat wrinkled, and slightly out of sorts.]

This is Miles Edgeworth, prosecuting attorney for the Los Angeles County Court System. The time is--

[He scowls, squinting at the screen and turning the device over in his hands

Comments

[Voice]

[notguiltyplz]

[The voice is rushed and excited, it's obvious the first thing Phoenix did when he saw the prosecutor's face on his screen was fiddle with his SFC to respond, even if he barely listened to the end of the video.]

Edgeworth?! Edgeworth, is that really you? This has gotta be a joke, I can't believe you're here! Oh man, when did you get here? You look a mess! I can help you get some clothes and stuff, the people here are kind of nice. Though this one guy said they might be trying to kill us and well, yeah.

[...

...]

Is it really you?

[Voice]

[iusferendum]

[He takes quite a long time to reply, and when he finally does so, his voice is tight, his words rather clipped.]

...Wright. [He'd know that voice anywhere, and yet--]

Yes, it's really me. You sound-- [Different. Younger. Normal.] ...you sound well.

[Voice]

[notguiltyplz]

I guess I'm well! [Wait, no Phoenix, that... what. Silence for a moment before he speaks again, still excited.] I mean, for being here and all. I woke up the other day in the crowd and it was just so weird. I don't know much about Vatheon yet, just that most people were pulled in here from... wherever they were from. I was just trying to get rid of the feeling of being wet for the last day or so, and I took up an apartment in the Lower District that has a balcony that looks up to the ... church? I think it's a church at least. Soon I'll go out and ask questions, but a lot of people seem to be doing the same. Though, that won't stop me from trying, I guess. Maya would've probably forced me to do that by now, I wonder if she's okay...

[Ramble ramble ramble. He realizes this and gives another pause, before a concerned tone of voice.] Uh, so, are you okay?

[Voice]

[iusferendum]

[He can't help but stare at the odd communication device while Wright rambles, blinking in a slight daze. The man sounded so...alive...and happy. Like his former self. And absolutely nothing like the ghost of a man he had abandoned last seen nearly a year prior.]

[Again, it takes a second before he can reply, his mind catching up belatedly to the fact that he'd been asked a question.]

I-- Yes, I'm fine. As well as can be expected, at any rate. ...how are you? [He doesn't seem to realize he's already inquired once after Wright's well-being, and the question seems to carry more weight than such a simple inquiry should.]

[Voice]

[notguiltyplz]

[Phoenix does in fact realize that Edgeworth is kind of asking the same question again and he looks at his device confused before writing it off as the poor prosecutor just disorientated from arriving in Vatheon. He does wonder if Edgeworth has got himself a fresh pair of clothes yet. He wasn't really paying enough attention to the video to see if Edgeworth was... well, dry. He answers anyway, in a softer, calmer voice.]

Yes, I'm fine. I just wish I knew where I was. I do miss my office, Maya, and Pearls though. I'm really worried about them, I'm sure they could get on without me, but the three of us were going to go out for burgers the day I disappeared to celebrate Pearl getting a 100% on a test. I don't want them to think I abandoned them.

[He won't admit to the other man that he did in fact, miss him too. Even if he was only here for a few days so far, he wasn't sure where or when he was going to see his friends again and that made him quite upset. To be alone was one of the things he feared, which was what kept him so quiet the

[Voice]

[iusferendum]

Maya and Pearls..? [It had been ages since he'd heard mention of the Fey girls, and yet Wright spoke of them as if he saw them as often as ever; as if everything had gone back to normal once he'd--]

I'm sure they don't think that. They're certainly as worried about you as you are about them.

[He barely even registered the fact that he was responding, his voice having dropped to that distant monotone he used when responding automatically, while his mind was trapped on one looping thought that had invaded his brain and refused to ease up: So he was better off without me.]

...in fact they probably had the entire police force out searching for you within the hour, if you failed to show up for something as important as burgers.

[He could almost smile, in a pathetic way, at how achingly typical this conversation was. It was as if he'd somehow slipped into the past, and was speaking with Wright just like old times. As if nothing had ever happened to cause the former attorney to lose his badge, or their friendship to splinter and

[Voice]

[notguiltyplz]

[Phoenix knows you almost too well, Edgeworth. Only almost though as he can tell the prosecutor is thinking of something by the tone of his voice, but he can't tell if it's a distressed thought or not. If this was via video, he probably would be able to, but no, it's not, so he just gives a hum of thought and a chuckle at his words.]

No no, I don't think they'd take it that far. [They're not ones to charter private jets at least.] They will be worried though, unless somehow they show up here. I hope Maya thinks to take care of Charley while I'm gone at least, she has the keys to the office so maybe.

[A pause before he grins, sitting back in his seat as he talks into the SFC.] I bet you're worried about your office too, hopefully Gumshoe won't trip over your precious chess table while you're away~.

[He was really just to relieved to be talking to Edgeworth again, that he didn't even think too much of the teasing. Just wanting to hear more of the other man's voice, it helped him more than you realize, Edgeworth.]

[Voice]

[iusferendum]

[And thank the heavens this wasn't video, or he would no doubt be faced with all sorts of awkward questions he had no interest in formulating answers for right now. Wright always had been one of those annoying few who managed to render his practiced mask of indifference completely moot, and he could tell from the imploring tones in Wright's voice he'd already allowed too much of his stress to communicate.]

[He cringed a little bit at the mental image of Detective Dick Gumshoe bumbling around in his LA office in his absence. He knew very well to expect a few unpleasant surprises when -- if -- he ever returned to LA, but so far he'd managed to set his mind well enough at ease by trusting that his secretary, Hannah, would at least make sure the well-intentioned detective didn't destroy his workspace entirely.]

Better the chess set than my tea set. [Mumbled] I've already had to replace that set once, damnit.