[RL: - Thursday, February 19; Midday | Phoenix; Tyki; Edgeworth later?]

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix stared blankly at his computer monitor, idly tapping his pen against the desk. Thus far, the offices of Wright and Co. Law had been relatively quiet. It was a welcome change from the last few weeks, which had seen a steady flow of potential clients (a few had panned out, some of whom even paid), but while he was still up to his neck in debt, it was nice to have what seemed like a long-awaited break. In fact, looking out the window where he could see the Gatewater and the fading evening light behind it, he thought he might lock up early. There were only a couple hours left in the day, after all, and people rarely stumbled in any later than 2pm on a Wednesday, anyway.

Standing up, he lifted his arms above his head, wincing until he heard a satisfying pop in his back and then dropped his arms with a sigh. The whole being an average lawyer in Los Angeles thing was starting to take its toll on him. He couldn’t wait to get home, kick his shoes off, and enjoy some mindless television on the couch, a soda and warm TV dinner in hand…

…Or maybe not.

He nearly jumped at the sudden appearance of a gangly figure standing awkwardly in his doorway. Clearing his throat, he quickly smoothed his shirt and suppressed a sigh. (There went the rest of his day…)

Still, he smiled earnestly and said, “Hi,” holding out his hand in greeting. This was a rare occasion; people usually barged in and did the talking for him. “I’m Phoenix Wright.”

The man didn’t say anything in return. As a matter of fact, the man had yet to acknowledge Phoenix’s presence at all, which was a bit unsettling and caused Phoenix to frown. His arm sagged a little.

“Er, did you need a lawyer…?”

The man lifted his head slightly, then took an unsteady step toward Phoenix. He was shaky and he was limping, and his face appeared to be twisted in pain. He took another step and muttered, “I need… I need, I need…”

Phoenix swallowed and stared for a moment, his hand going for the phone. This guy didn’t look good at all… “Are you okay?” he asked, his brows furrowed. “Do you need me to call someone?”

“I need... I need to…” The man stopped about a foot away from Phoenix’s desk and dropped his head into his hands, shaking it back and forth. “I need to…”

“Hey…” Phoenix reached out as if to steady the man, but the distance between them was too great; he held his hand up in a placating gesture while his other hand grabbed the phone and lifted the receiver to his ear. “Just… hang on a second, okay?” He tried to sound reassuring. “I’ll get some help.”

Then the man suddenly looked up. For a brief moment, they locked eyes, but before Phoenix could possibly know what was happening, he suddenly found himself staring down a thick barrel aimed right at his face… a thick barrel that was coming out of the man’s forehead straight through his skin. Phoenix stepped back and dropped the receiver. “What--!?”

There was a strange sound, like the cocking of a gun, but Phoenix didn’t wait around to see what it was. It was a good thing, too; he jumped to the side just in time to hear the bookshelf with his law books (Mia’s formidable, mocking law books) be blown to smithereens, the aftershock of which nearly sent him sprawling. Without looking back, he scrambled to the bathroom and immediately slammed the door shut, already fishing for his cell phone. He an idea of what was going on, but God, what could he do?

Dialing without thinking, he used his free hand to pile whatever he could in front of the door (it wasn’t much: a wastebasket, a few towels, and a mop) which probably wouldn’t be very effective, but at least it was something. While the phone rang on the other end, he eyed the small window above the toilet. There was no way he’d be able to make it out of there, and he was on the second floor, anyway. Which, in short, meant he’d basically trapped himself. Fantastic.

He couldn’t hear anything on the other side of the door, but that probably didn’t mean anything. He stayed as far away as he could, wedging himself between the toilet and the sink, and proceeded to make a phone post.

Comments

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki glanced at him, his expression inscrutable. He wanted to snap a little, to point out that Phoenix had probably just gone through the most frightening, dangerous experience of his life, and that the only goal that Tyki really had in mind was not disappointing his lover, who believed this was right.

But the words died on his lips and he just nodded.

"Maybe you're right." He got to his feet and pulled his coat back on again with a bit of difficulty. "I would probably be telling Zechs to sleep right about now, so I might want to do that. But first, you wanted to get Edgeworth."

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix watched him for a moment, but the mention of Edgeworth derailed his train of thought. He looked at the sidewalk again, tensing at the sight of dust on the ground, and then immediately slid back into the car. “Right…” He went for his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, relieved to see that he finally had signal. “I should probably try calling again.”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki circled the car to get into the driver's side door. "I have no idea where he lives. Give me directions and call him as we go," he suggested.

He was no longer staggering, but he was still favouring his left arm, holding it stiffly as if it pained him and he didn't want to jar it accidentally or use it too much.

He slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

[attorneyatlol]

“Go straight and turn right at the third stoplight,” Phoenix instructed, looking out the window. He could hear sirens in the distance, and it sounded like they were getting closer. It was probably a good idea to get out of there as quickly as they could…

After hitting ‘send’, he held the phone to his ear and waited for it to ring, hoping Edgeworth would pick up. “I’ll tell you the rest as we go along.”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki nodded, glancing in his rear view mirror as he heard the sirens and taking off. He drove with the careful recklessness of someone who hadn't been driving all that long but wasn't a naturally cautious person, though he would have said he was being careful, as this wasn't his car.

He darted looks at Phoenix every so often, waiting as well.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix instinctively gripped the armrest on the door; after growing up with someone like Larry, he was more than accustomed to reckless driving. His grip grew tighter, however, as the cell phone rang once, twice, three times, until finally dropping him in Edgeworth’s voicemail after the fourth. His stomach sank as he pulled the phone from his ear, hit ‘redial’, and tried again.

“After this turn, you’ll be going straight again for a few more blocks,” he said, an undeniable note of concern in his voice.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki was glancing at Phoenix with growing concern as well. "You said that he was sick," he said. "How sick?"

He honestly hoped that Edgeworth was passed out on the floor in his living room, at this point. At least if he were really really ill, they could get him help. If he had encountered an akuma, nothing would help.

[attorneyatlol]

“Uh, well…” The phone rang two more times, and Phoenix scratched his neck. “He has typhoid.”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

"Typhoid? Isn't that something you get in jungles or something?"

Tyki stared at Phoenix for a moment, then had to put on the brakes to avoid slamming into the car ahead of him. He jerked his head forward again and quickly rolled down the window.

He stuck his left arm out and fired a glowing ball of light at a passing akuma, which was just bringing its nearest gunports to bear on the car in front of them. That was why it had braked so fast.

[attorneyatlol]

“On the Oregon Trail, actual--whoa!” Not wearing a seatbelt, Phoenix went flying forward and barely managed to avoid hitting his face on the seat in front of him by using his free hand as a brace. The impact knocked the phone out of his other hand, however, and it fell to the floor with a thump, dislodging the battery. He went after it with a muttered curse, ready to ask Tyki what the hell he thought he was doing, but the sight ahead of him effectively cut off whatever he was going to say.

Knowing that there were akuma out this way only served to heighten his concern. He went for his cell phone and scrambled to put it back together, struggling to get his seatbelt on at the same time.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tires screeched as Tyki swerved around the immobilized car full of terrified, confused humans, and he raced on down the street. "Oregon Trail, really?" he demanded. "Everyone who was in my wagon either died on route and recovered, or just recovered after it was over. I guess Edgeworth wasn't so lucky."

He drove on a bit more, scanning the skies for more Akuma, the wind ruffling his hair as it came in through the open window. "Which way next?"

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix finally managed to get his seatbelt buckled, though he still struggled with his battery. “Y-Yeah,” he answered. “I think it’s known to relapse.”

Success! He scanned the area for familiar landmarks while he waited for his phone to reboot. “Uh… you take a right two signals from here, and then a quick left at the next stop sign. After that, you’re practically there.”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

"It's not contagious, is it?" Tyki asked. He wasn't worried about himself, but it didn't seem like a good idea to take Edgeworth to another world while he had a potentially deadly disease. Not to mention that Phoenix might get it.

He watched for the signals and turned right, then left again, then launched another energy ball out the window at an akuma. It was hard to drive and use his powers at the same time.

[attorneyatlol]

“Well, it’s not airborne…” Phoenix held onto the armrest for dear life. He would have offered to drive himself, but being that his first and last venture behind the wheel ended in a minor car wreck, well…

Besides, the apartment wasn’t too much farther. Figuring it was useless now, he pocketed his phone and leaned forward in his seat a bit, looking through the windshield for Edgeworth’s apartment complex.

“There it is,” he said, pointing ahead as it came into view. But what came into view along with it caused his blood to run cold. “Oh no…”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

"I just don't want you or anyone else to get sick, that's all," Tyki said grimly. "I don't know anything about that kind of stuff."

He saw the akuma at the same time Phoenix did and cursed softly in several languages, none of them English as he brought the car to a stop. "Stay in the car," he said, throwing the car into park and reaching for the door handle. There were a dozen akuma out there, though at least Tyki couldn't see any second levels this time.

Hopefully it wouldn't take long to deal with them.

[attorneyatlol]

There was a clear path between himself and the door to the apartment complex, but with a dozen akuma hovering outside, even Phoenix knew not to press his luck. He could only hope that none of them had gone inside the building…

“Be careful,” he told Tyki, and then unbuckled his seatbelt. He wanted to be ready to run the second it looked safe.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki glanced at him, his lips curving in a smile. He was starting to look a little wild again.

There was a part of him that still deeply enjoyed the violence, the thrill.

"Don't worry. Just keep your head down. It'll be over in a minute."

Then he stepped out of the car and walked brazenly down the street, teases rising up from him in a great cloud once more and two balls of energy forming, one in each palm.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix cast him a wary glance; as long as that part of Tyki existed, there would probably always be a part of Phoenix that was disturbed by and distrustful of him, but that was the least of the attorney’s worries right now.

Giving the apartment complex one last look, Phoenix sighed and put his head down.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

The street shuddered with explosions and gunfire as Tyki leaped into the air and launched balls of white energy at the akuma. This time he didn't suffer any further damage, and he landed only minutes later, the acrid smell of smoke filling his nostrils.

He drew the teases back into his body and walked back towards the car. "Phoenix," he called. "Come on. It's safe now."

[attorneyatlol]

The minute the explosions stopped, Phoenix had looked up, unbuckled his seatbelt, and was already halfway out of the car before Tyki had even finished gathering the teases. He ran toward the apartment building, but stopped just inside the main entrance to make sure there weren’t any akuma.

All was quiet in the lobby, though. Maybe a little too quiet. As he made his way to the elevator, Phoenix could only hope that everyone had simply fled to their apartments because of the commotion outside. He pressed the call button, clenching and unclenching his fists impatiently.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki took one last glance around the street and then trotted off after Phoenix, arriving in the lobby while Phoenix stood impotently by the elevator.

He stood next to Phoenix, waiting for the elevator to arrive, then started forward as soon as the set of doors glided open. He stood back against the wall of the elevator, waiting for Phoenix to lead the way.

He was aware of Phoenix's impatience and frustration, but there was nothing he could say to help the situation. The only words he could think of were empty and meaningless.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix was about to hit the call button again when the doors finally slid open. He went in immediately after Tyki, hit the button for the 3rd floor, and then repeatedly pressed ‘close doors’ until they finally complied. Watching the numbers slowly make their ascent, he sighed and waited.

When they finally opened again, he darted out into the hallway, heading for the last door on the left, where he stopped and proceeded to knock so loudly, it hurt his knuckles. “Edgeworth!” he called and then knocked again. “Hey, Edgeworth!”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki didn't run, but he let Phoenix go ahead of him, and start pounding on the door. There was a sinking feeling in his heart as Phoenix shouted and knocked, and there was still no answer.

Since he didn't hurry, by the time he reached Phoenix's side it seemed clear to him that Edgeworth wasn't going to answer the door. He reached out for Phoenix's hand. "Do you trust me?" he asked softly.

[attorneyatlol]

“What?” Phoenix drew his hand away and hesitantly turned his attention from the door to Tyki, obviously confused. “Do I trust you to what?”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki left his hand outstretched. "To get you into the apartment without breaking down the door," he said simply.