[SCENE] Lang and Edgeworth in: Visitations
Edgeworth: *one of the few notable locations on Edgeworth's usual walks with Pess is the stately Mount Pleasant cemetery. The area, with its low traffic, open space and tended greenery is a good place to travel through--reason enough for any jogger or dog-walker to place it on their route. Of course, there are other reasons the high prosecutor stops there on a daily basis--and it is where he is found at that very moment on that very day*
Edgeworth: *at the headstone of his parents' grave, with Pess sitting obediently on the paved ground nearby, Edgeworth takes a moment to tend to the plots. Clearing a stray tissue here, a few dried brown leaves there, he finally straightens himself and stands back. A visitation that was once bordering self-inflicted punishment is now a tranquil routine in his schedule*
Edgeworth: *finished, Edgeworth resumes the walk, heading towards the exit of the cemetery with Pess. At the gates, they pass by a somber-faced man in a black suit-not an unusual sight at a graveyard, of course. Edgeworth thinks little of it even as another handful of men in black suits walk by... but when another dozen similarly-clad stream past him he glances up properly and realizes a hundred or so -well, probably a hundred men exactly-are streaming into the area*
Lang: *Agent Shi-Long Lang is standing at the head of the gathering pack, the last few members of whom are streaming into the graveyard. Lang himself is holding a shovel, while the subordinate at the front of the Pack is holding a small wooden box* Is everyone here?
Subordinate: Shifu! We will count off for you!
Lang: *stomps once - on the pavement, not on the grass* Do it quietly. *waits as they do so*
Edgeworth: *intrigued somewhat, he handles Pess' leash and turns back into the cemetery, approaching the group*
Subordinates: ...1! ....1! ....1! ....1! Shifu, everyone is accounted for!
Lang: Good. Now come on, let's get this taken care of. *but he sees Edgeworth out of the corner of his eye, and turns to look at him - and all one hundred men follow suit. Each of them looks somber, none more than Lang* Afternoon, Prosecutor. Out making a visitation, or just walking your... dog?
Edgeworth: A little of both. *a pause* And... you?
Lang: A funeral. *he looks to the Pack, who look back at him expectantly* Since you are here and you are responsible for uncovering the truth, I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend. *the tension in the air rises palpably*
Edgeworth: *a half bow* I would, of course, be honored. *straightening, he removes Pess' leash, and instructs the dog to stay on the pathway before walking toward the group* ... May I inquire as to the name of the agent the ceremony is for?
Lang: *the tension in the air is gone again and the Pack relaxes, though Lang's face darkens further still* It's for Shih-na. *he turns, the shovel leaned against his shoulder, and the Pack follows him into the cemetery*
Edgeworth: *raises an eyebrow as he follows along* A rather pre-emptive step, don't you think?
Subordinate: *leans close to Edgeworth, speaking low and with the proper measure of respect* Shifu has considered Shih-na dead since the night she was arrested, so that her legacy is not further tainted by the woman who bore that name.
Subordinate: *looks at Lang's back, then falls back into his place*
Edgeworth: ...Hn. And the acquisition last Friday... I see. *and that's all he offers, keeping pace with the "pack" as they move to their destination*
Lang: *after a time they come to a plot that's marked by a single smooth gravestone, itself bearing no marking. When they come to it, the Pack stops in its tracks, and Lang stands in consideration of the stone for a moment*
Subordinate: *the man behind the man holding the box steps forward, grabbing the shaft of the shovel* Please, Shifu, let us-
Lang: *his expression doesn't change, but he looks the other man dead in the eye, and doesn't break contact until his subordinate has released the shovel* This is for me to do with my hands. *he bows his head to them* Please, be patient.
Lang: *turns to the plot, takes the shovel, and breaks the soil with it*
Edgeworth: *a note of scepticism reaches his voice* ... If you're aiming for six feet under, we're going to be here all afternoon.
Lang: *he looks up for a moment*
Subordinates: *ten men step past him, and get on the ground, and plunge their hands into the earth* Shifu! We will be your hands! *and then they begin to dig in earnest, and the soil is quickly lifted away beneath them*
Lang: ... *tosses the shovel aside, and gets down and digs with his hands, too*
Edgeworth: ..... *and... the conflict resolved, he lapses into a polite-and perhaps mildly surprised-silence*
Lang: *five minutes pass before the hole is dug: they get out of it, and the box is handed to Lang, who places it inside. It only takes two minutes to fill the hole back in, and then the Pack returns to its formation while Lang dusts off his pants*
Edgeworth: *save for the occasional glance back to check on Pess, he keeps his attention on the ongoings, in silence*
Lang: *he turns back to the Pack after what seems a long time* We're here to pay our respects to Shih-na, a lost member of our pack: she was brave, and strong, and kind, and.... and loyal. *he stops on this last for a moment*
Lang: Lang Zi says, "Though the pack is gone, the hunts remain." I want each of you to take that to heart, when you remember Shih-na: though we parted ways with fangs bared, all that she did for us remains. She was still one of us. Our little sister. Our friend.
Subordinates: *when Lang stops, his face is serene, but tears stream freely from beneath the sunglasses of his followers*
Lang: That's all there is. When we pass by this place, remember her: remember the good she did, and pray that she rests in peace. *turns back to the grave* First bow! *he bows at the waist, a full ninety degrees, and the rest of the Pack bows with him*
Edgeworth: *frowns--the tradition is unfamiliar to him, plus he has no desire to show respect towards the grave of a criminal, much less one still alive... After a second's consideration, however, he bows with the rest*
Lang: *straightens* Second bow! *and the one hundred bow again* Third bow! *and again, for the final time. Then Lang turns back to his men, his face impassive* When we pass by here, we will make it our goal to clean this place, all of it!
Lang: No speck of grass will be soiled when the Pack passes through! And on this spot - on this spot we will heap flowers. Flowers bright enough that the Sun will look down on them and smile!
Lang: Lang Zi says.... *he pauses, searching for the words he had a moment ago, and then he doesn't look up* ...Dismissed. And watch each other. I'll meet you back at the compound.
Subordinates: *there is a long moment where they stare at their shifu, wounded by the helplessness of his posture, and not a single eye is dry. Then they turn and leave as a body, some talking to each other but none with a bright face*
Edgeworth: ...... *remains in place till the other men clear away--and even after they do, he gives it a minute before stepping up to the lone Interpol agent remaining in the area*
Lang: *is still standing over the grave: his expression is unreadable*
Edgeworth: *crosses his arms, tapping a finger against himself* ...A touch dramatic, don't you think?
Lang: *after another few seconds, he looks at Edgeworth. It takes a few seconds longer for him to see the other man* She was ... dear to me.
Edgeworth: ........
Edgeworth: In all honesty, I can't claim to understand.
Lang: You don't have to. *takes a moment, runs his hand over his face, and shakes his head* Show me where you were making your visitation. You paid your respects at mine: I might as well pay mine at yours.
Edgeworth: If you'd like. *walks back towards the asphalt path where Pess awaits them patiently; he re-leashes his dog, and together they lead the Interpol agent over to the gravestone they'd stopped at, no more than twenty minutes before*
Edgeworth: *at the headstone of his parents' grave, with Pess sitting obediently on the paved ground nearby, Edgeworth takes a moment to tend to the plots. Clearing a stray tissue here, a few dried brown leaves there, he finally straightens himself and stands back. A visitation that was once bordering self-inflicted punishment is now a tranquil routine in his schedule*
Edgeworth: *finished, Edgeworth resumes the walk, heading towards the exit of the cemetery with Pess. At the gates, they pass by a somber-faced man in a black suit-not an unusual sight at a graveyard, of course. Edgeworth thinks little of it even as another handful of men in black suits walk by... but when another dozen similarly-clad stream past him he glances up properly and realizes a hundred or so -well, probably a hundred men exactly-are streaming into the area*
Lang: *Agent Shi-Long Lang is standing at the head of the gathering pack, the last few members of whom are streaming into the graveyard. Lang himself is holding a shovel, while the subordinate at the front of the Pack is holding a small wooden box* Is everyone here?
Subordinate: Shifu! We will count off for you!
Lang: *stomps once - on the pavement, not on the grass* Do it quietly. *waits as they do so*
Edgeworth: *intrigued somewhat, he handles Pess' leash and turns back into the cemetery, approaching the group*
Subordinates: ...1! ....1! ....1! ....1! Shifu, everyone is accounted for!
Lang: Good. Now come on, let's get this taken care of. *but he sees Edgeworth out of the corner of his eye, and turns to look at him - and all one hundred men follow suit. Each of them looks somber, none more than Lang* Afternoon, Prosecutor. Out making a visitation, or just walking your... dog?
Edgeworth: A little of both. *a pause* And... you?
Lang: A funeral. *he looks to the Pack, who look back at him expectantly* Since you are here and you are responsible for uncovering the truth, I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend. *the tension in the air rises palpably*
Edgeworth: *a half bow* I would, of course, be honored. *straightening, he removes Pess' leash, and instructs the dog to stay on the pathway before walking toward the group* ... May I inquire as to the name of the agent the ceremony is for?
Lang: *the tension in the air is gone again and the Pack relaxes, though Lang's face darkens further still* It's for Shih-na. *he turns, the shovel leaned against his shoulder, and the Pack follows him into the cemetery*
Edgeworth: *raises an eyebrow as he follows along* A rather pre-emptive step, don't you think?
Subordinate: *leans close to Edgeworth, speaking low and with the proper measure of respect* Shifu has considered Shih-na dead since the night she was arrested, so that her legacy is not further tainted by the woman who bore that name.
Subordinate: *looks at Lang's back, then falls back into his place*
Edgeworth: ...Hn. And the acquisition last Friday... I see. *and that's all he offers, keeping pace with the "pack" as they move to their destination*
Lang: *after a time they come to a plot that's marked by a single smooth gravestone, itself bearing no marking. When they come to it, the Pack stops in its tracks, and Lang stands in consideration of the stone for a moment*
Subordinate: *the man behind the man holding the box steps forward, grabbing the shaft of the shovel* Please, Shifu, let us-
Lang: *his expression doesn't change, but he looks the other man dead in the eye, and doesn't break contact until his subordinate has released the shovel* This is for me to do with my hands. *he bows his head to them* Please, be patient.
Lang: *turns to the plot, takes the shovel, and breaks the soil with it*
Edgeworth: *a note of scepticism reaches his voice* ... If you're aiming for six feet under, we're going to be here all afternoon.
Lang: *he looks up for a moment*
Subordinates: *ten men step past him, and get on the ground, and plunge their hands into the earth* Shifu! We will be your hands! *and then they begin to dig in earnest, and the soil is quickly lifted away beneath them*
Lang: ... *tosses the shovel aside, and gets down and digs with his hands, too*
Edgeworth: ..... *and... the conflict resolved, he lapses into a polite-and perhaps mildly surprised-silence*
Lang: *five minutes pass before the hole is dug: they get out of it, and the box is handed to Lang, who places it inside. It only takes two minutes to fill the hole back in, and then the Pack returns to its formation while Lang dusts off his pants*
Edgeworth: *save for the occasional glance back to check on Pess, he keeps his attention on the ongoings, in silence*
Lang: *he turns back to the Pack after what seems a long time* We're here to pay our respects to Shih-na, a lost member of our pack: she was brave, and strong, and kind, and.... and loyal. *he stops on this last for a moment*
Lang: Lang Zi says, "Though the pack is gone, the hunts remain." I want each of you to take that to heart, when you remember Shih-na: though we parted ways with fangs bared, all that she did for us remains. She was still one of us. Our little sister. Our friend.
Subordinates: *when Lang stops, his face is serene, but tears stream freely from beneath the sunglasses of his followers*
Lang: That's all there is. When we pass by this place, remember her: remember the good she did, and pray that she rests in peace. *turns back to the grave* First bow! *he bows at the waist, a full ninety degrees, and the rest of the Pack bows with him*
Edgeworth: *frowns--the tradition is unfamiliar to him, plus he has no desire to show respect towards the grave of a criminal, much less one still alive... After a second's consideration, however, he bows with the rest*
Lang: *straightens* Second bow! *and the one hundred bow again* Third bow! *and again, for the final time. Then Lang turns back to his men, his face impassive* When we pass by here, we will make it our goal to clean this place, all of it!
Lang: No speck of grass will be soiled when the Pack passes through! And on this spot - on this spot we will heap flowers. Flowers bright enough that the Sun will look down on them and smile!
Lang: Lang Zi says.... *he pauses, searching for the words he had a moment ago, and then he doesn't look up* ...Dismissed. And watch each other. I'll meet you back at the compound.
Subordinates: *there is a long moment where they stare at their shifu, wounded by the helplessness of his posture, and not a single eye is dry. Then they turn and leave as a body, some talking to each other but none with a bright face*
Edgeworth: ...... *remains in place till the other men clear away--and even after they do, he gives it a minute before stepping up to the lone Interpol agent remaining in the area*
Lang: *is still standing over the grave: his expression is unreadable*
Edgeworth: *crosses his arms, tapping a finger against himself* ...A touch dramatic, don't you think?
Lang: *after another few seconds, he looks at Edgeworth. It takes a few seconds longer for him to see the other man* She was ... dear to me.
Edgeworth: ........
Edgeworth: In all honesty, I can't claim to understand.
Lang: You don't have to. *takes a moment, runs his hand over his face, and shakes his head* Show me where you were making your visitation. You paid your respects at mine: I might as well pay mine at yours.
Edgeworth: If you'd like. *walks back towards the asphalt path where Pess awaits them patiently; he re-leashes his dog, and together they lead the Interpol agent over to the gravestone they'd stopped at, no more than twenty minutes before*