What'd you see, girl, on the love train? [CLOSED]

[thesegreyskies]

Characters: Tatiana, Edgeworth, Matilda
Content: In the wake of Tatiana and Matilda Do Melior, Edgeworth has decided that someone needs to keep an eye on Miss Wormwood. Guess who gets this dubious honor?
Setting: Edgeworth's office, on the VicII
Time: Backdated to a few days after the aforementioned log.
Warnings: Probably an upset loli, and a lot

Comments

[minorbook]

Matilda had no idea why she had been called to Edgeworth's office. Or why he seemed so agitated. The only thing she could imagine was if he had somehow found out about the incident earlier...

Which was a possibility, she supposed. If Tatiana had spoken to him about it, or if he found out some other way. She couldn't imagine how else he might have known. So it was with a guilty conscious that she made her way to his office. Matilda had been trying very hard to keep herself out of people's hair. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden. Now look, she had done the exact opposite of that.

She really hoped that this was something completely different. Tatiana had arrived before her and was standing at the door. The small girl gave her a smile and a quick, polite curtsy before waiting by her side, hands folded in front of her.

[edge_of_honor]

"Come in."

While Edgeworth's voice lacked the sharpness it had over the network, it was still as clear and firm as ever. He received Wisla's report on what happened, and while he was pleased by her actions, he wished he could say the same for Matilda's. That foolish child...what was she doing wandering around by herself in that part of town? He thought she had more sense than that.

Apparently, though, intelligence did not cancel out naivete. While she had a wealth of academic knowledge in that head of hers, that didn't stop her from being completely ignorant about the world. In a way, Edgeworth supposed it was his fault; he should have made more efforts to ensure she had supervision, before she nearly got herself killed.

Well, there was no point focusing on the past. It was time to fix this situation, before it got worse.

[thesegreyskies]

Tatiana acknowledged Matilda with a quick nod and a smile, tainted a little bit by her nervousness.

When Edgeworth called back, she opened the door and stepped through, holding it open for Matilda as well. She then closed it behind her and saluted smartly. "Reporting as ordered, sir."

[minorbook]

Matilda whispered a small thank you at Tatiana and entered, curtsying for Edgeworth as well. She stood up, posture straight, uncertain if she should take a seat or wait.

She decided on the latter, taking a leaf out of Tatiana's book and remained still. As she watched Edgeworth she tried to gauge his mood, and it wasn't good. That much she could tell.

[edge_of_honor]

Edgeworth nodded in reply to Tatiana, before he glanced between her and the girl. "First of all," he announced, "I would like to commend Wisla for her quick thinking during this...incident." Edgeworth didn't specify what incident he meant; he assumed they both knew what he was talking about.

"However, that brings me to my first question. Ms. Wormwood, what were you doing out there to begin with?" He looked straight at Matilda, and waited for a reply.

[thesegreyskies]

Tatiana nodded at Edgeworth's praise. "Thank you, sir," she said. She maintained her professional demeanor, despite the warm glow his words gave her insides. It seemed like she'd had nothing to worry about at all.

She didn't envy Matilda, though. Being put on the spot by Commander Edgeworth was never a pleasant experience.

[minorbook]

So her guess had been right. Not that it was a very difficult thing to have figured out, there really wasn't much more that she could have done to have incited Edgeworth's anger.

At least not recently.

Honesty was best here. Matilda knew she had done wrong, and so she raised her head from the floor and spoke quietly, but clearly. "I left the airship because I had a little money with me that the Professors had given me. I wanted to get a book, but when I was walking past one of the bridges I saw..."

What was that area? Downtown? The slums? There were quite a number of other possibilities, she still didn't know if it even went by any particular name "...an area of Melior that seemed terribly unkempt. I was confused as to how such a place could exist next to the rest of the city. And well. I wanted to know why, just what it was."

[edge_of_honor]

Edgeworth felt a headache form, throbbing near his temple and pounding behind his eyes. As exquisite as Melior's reputation was, every city had its sleaze, and this "shining jewel" was no exception. By the time he was Matilda's age, he had taken this fact for granted, and was hardly surprised when he heard some tale of crime or misery from the dark underbelly of the cities. While they weren't the automatic death traps people assumed them to be, they were still places one didn't want to go without a firm idea of what they were doing, and what their surroundings were like. He doubted Matilda had this knowledge.

The first mate rubbed the side of his head, and took a deep breath. "That would be the slums," he said slowly. "While Melior hides them better than other cities, that doesn't mean they're nonexistent. As for why they're here, I'm afraid it's because not everybody can be a scientist or an actor

[minorbook]

Matilda still had more questions, but she figured now wasn't the time to be pestering Edgeworth with them. She tried to maintain her eye contact with them but her head dropped despite her efforts and she cast her gaze to her shuffling feet.

"Yes, Mr. Edgeworth." she said, voice dour but clear. It wasn't as upsetting as one might think. Years of being on her own made any company enjoyable, that had been part of the reason she'd been so grateful towards Tatiana for sticking with her after saving her, but she couldn't imagine very many people being willing to go along with her any time she wished to get off the ship.

Meaning Matilda doubted she would be seeing very much of Melior, or any city for that matter for a long time. Not until she proved she was capable again...which could take a very long time after all the damage she had done.

[edge_of_honor]

Hmph. The girl sulked, but at least she didn't make any obvious sign of disrespect. Edgeworth let it slide for now, and turned to look at Tatiana. He cleared his throat, and said, "However, I'm afraid we aren't finished yet. Wisla, you have a new assignment. Until we can find a proper guardian for Miss Wormwood, you are to watch over her, so long as it does not interfere with your usual duties or the commands of higher officers." It wasn't the most glamorous work, but Edgeworth thought carefully over his other options. While he had nothing against Wisla, out of all the other candidates, she was the least likely to cause some sort of disaster.

[thesegreyskies]

Tatiana blinked. Wait, had Edgeworth jsut said what she thought he had? Surely not. Babysitting was not part of her skills. She wasn't even very good with children!

"I beg your pardon, sir?" she asked, disbelievingly. "I don't think I heard you correctly."

[minorbook]

At what Edgeworth said, Matilda visibly perked up. Matilda had come to be very fond of Tatiana, especially since the day they spent together yesterday. Even without the fact that the woman had saved her life, Matilda felt very safe and content by the pilot's side.

She felt that perhaps this turn wouldn't be such a bad thing--that is, until she saw Tatiana's reaction. Her smile faltered. Had she been wrong? She had felt yesterday that Wisla hadn't minded her presence all that much.

She cast her gaze away for a moment, trying to pretend she didn't feel slighted but she could only hold it off for so long before they returned to Tatiana in hopes that perhaps the Lieutenant really simply genuinely felt she misheard.

[edge_of_honor]

"I said that you're to watch her," he repeated. "Only until we can find somebody more suitable, mind." She was as unhappy about it as he suspected, but Edgeworth didn't care at the moment. It was only a temporary inconvenience, really, and he couldn't take care of it. If Tatiana decided to make his life easier, he would certainly repay the favor. However, if she decided to make his life harder ...well, let it never be said that Edgeworth didn't believe in equal rewards.

He raised a silver eyebrow at her, and asked, "You are capable of this much, yes?"

[thesegreyskies]

"I'm certainly capable of that, sir," she said through gritted teeth. "But to be frank, do you really think this is the best use of my abilities? Sir."

Tatiana's mind was churning with barely-restrained rage. A babysitting post? Babysitting? Her? That was no fit position for a pilot such as herself.

[minorbook]

Matilda could feel the tension in the room beginning to rise and rise. So much for being genuinely confused, it was quite obvious that Tatiana was not pleased about the situation and it took all of Matilda's will power not to sigh.

Courtesy. That was all that small moment had been about. Tatiana saving her out of ethic, and then sticking by her for no other reason than courtesy. Well, at least it was better than being treated like a maggot, like most of the adults in her life had done up until now, but Matilda thought she had started to make a friend in Tatiana.

Well she'd just have to buck up then. Moping would do little good. Part of her considered intervening and saying that she'd just stay on the ship so as not to burden Tatiana, but after what had happened she was certain Edgeworth wouldn't trust her to keep to that.

[edge_of_honor]

"No," he admitted, "but as I said, it's only temporary. As for why you've been chosen..."

Edgeworth paused, and thought how to best word this. He couldn't very well say "the girl was stuck on our ship because her teachers were afraid she'd wish them all away to a cornfield - but don't worry, she's taken a liking to you." Still, he had to give her some sort of explanation.

"Miss Wormwood is different than most girls her age," he said simply. "And, unlike several others on this ship, I believe you have the intelligence and foresight to handle it." Edgeworth looked away from Tatiana, and turned his gaze to Matilda. "However, it would be easier to explain with a demonstration." With that said, he opened one of the drawers in his desk, and pulled out a small, but thick book. He set it on the edge, and gave Matilda one firm nod.