bewrightback | IC Inbox [Cerealia]

That- that may be true. [He falters slightly.]

...But you know, a lot of people here might have been worried sick about you. [He guesses he might not be the only one.]

[There is a moment's pause on the other end.]

Worried...about me? [Phoenix might be (W)right, though. Edgeworth thinks back to people who may have wanted to look for him...and it dawns on him that he can name not just a few people who would search for him if he disappeared.

And he had worried about people, too. Hadn't he worried so much over Kay's condition and fate that he resigned from the Prosecutor's Office to continue fighting for her? Hadn't he worried for Sebastian's emotional stability enough that he offered to mentor the young prosecutor?]

I-I see. [It wasn't his fault, but now he feels that he should apologize out of courtesy.] Sending a message over the network letting everyone know I'm back seems too...ostentatious, however.

Edited 2015-11-23 05:33 (UTC)

[If Phoenix couldn't tell from hearing his voice, Edgeworth's gratuitous use of a word like "ostentatious" would be the most definitive proof of his identity.]

You have more friends than you think, Edgeworth. And of course they'll worry when you're gone, in a place like this.

...Well, if you're not going to hit the network, then you should contact every last one of your friends and acquaintances here individually.

[Yeah...he did have friends. A good number of people who were willing to help him in a pinch.]

That will take a while, but yes...I should. Before they start posting to the network about my disappearance.

That's right. And you owe them, Edgeworth.

[A pause, and the steel in his voice withdraws.]

...Sorry. I think that I am being a little hard on you.

I - [His voice trails off.] No...no. You're right. [Edgeworth's tone is softer now, more even. Almost calm despite Phoenix's initial greeting.] During those several days away from the colony, I learned a thing or two about bonds. About trust.

You hadn't already...?

Have you ever heard of a learning curve, Wright? If I stop learning, I will stagnate.

[I never considered that Edgeworth would have a thing for curves...]

When you put it like that, I guess that's one course you did need follow-ups in... I'm glad that you managed to keep from stagnating.

So what exactly did you learn?

I learned...that there are people out there who are completely alone, and cannot trust others. They cannot grasp the idea of altruism - doing something with little or no benefit for themselves.

These people need to be saved from that kind of life. They need to know that they can trust others, especially law enforcement.

...I see. It sounds like it must have been a difficult case. I don't think that there's anything harder... than finding someone who was hurt, but is too far gone to be saved.

[Phoenix isn't sure if he's met someone exactly like that. Perhaps the Phantom could have been like that, but so much of his background remains an utter mystery.]

So you're intending to make a good name for law enforcement. [He prods, wondering how far Edgeworth has truly come.]

That's correct. The law is full of contradictions, and people who would take advantage of those contradictions.

[His tone is solemn.]

Their victims lose trust in the law, and take matters into their own hands - going as far as to commit crimes. Or...set people up to commit crimes.

[He pauses at that last bit, because it feels very likely that he's specifically referring to Phoenix's own forgery incident. Phoenix laces his finges together in thought.]

Yes, that's right. It's as I suspected.

You're starting to realize the darkness that's been hiding within the law, and you're preparing to combat it.

You're starting down the path to Chief Prosecutor.

The path to Chief Prosecutor...

[Edgeworth's voice trails off. Was that where he would begin? Did that mean that...if he ever stayed home again for a considerable amount of time, will he return as Chief Prosecutor?

He makes a dismissive noise.]

Hmph. I don't care for titles, but if that is where the path to the truth will lead me, then so be it.

Well... Yes, it's one way of putting it. It might take quite some time to actually reach there, but...

...Titles aside, that's the position where you will be most prepared to fend off that darkness.

[He smiles warmly.]

After all, I already personally know about a few wrongs that you will Wright.

I should hope that I am able to right wrongs in the future.

[The way he says it, one might think he was raising an eyebrow and had caught on to Phoenix's pun.]

Including your wrongs in the courtroom, Wright. Tsk tsk.

[Edgeworth plz.]

H-hey! It's only... partly my wrong!

Which means it's still partly your responsibility. Looks like some things don't change.

[Hue hue hue.]

[Yeah... Like a certain someone's attitude!

Sighs...]

Well... Yes, it was. That's why I saw it through to its end. I might have needed help to do so... But so did those who helped me.

Even chief prosecutors need some help from the other team, apparently.

I will admit that much. [Chief Prosecutor or no.] The law is full of contradictions, but both sides are needed to reveal the truth.

And sometimes, all that is needed to reveal the truth...is a person you can trust.

That's right. I think we learned that truth long ago. [When we went toe to toe with Engarde and De Killer...]

But I guess we learn about even more dimensions of it over time. As we grow even more.

It's one thing to learn about it; it's another to show that to someone else.

[The pause that follows seems, to Edgeworth, so much longer than it really is.]

Wright. Do you remember Kay Faraday?

Of course I do. How could I forget President Faraday?

[There's a slight chance he might be messing with you, Edgeworth.]

[Slight, but he can tell.]

..."President"? That's quite a jump from "Great Thief".

Not necessarily. Not when you can steal away the voters' hearts?

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