shroudedinsecrecy | INBOX (IC)

I...did, yes.

But work isn't that far from here. [She was already at the gym] And it is...part of my job to help others should they stop in.

[Meaning visitors were always welcome. Even if they come bearing stories.]

[Well, maybe Iris had to prepare or some people were already waiting for her...

Edgeworth glances to his right, where the cat has decided to curl up while still watching him with luminous eyes.]

All right, then. I'll just finish this part of my routine. [He pauses, sighing.] I...suppose I'm obligated to tell my story, if only to set a few things straight.

[Edgeworth turns back toward the pool, stretches out his arms and dives back into the water. To his credit, he does try to dive smoothly and not splash Iris. And off he goes, swimming toward the opposite side at a moderate speed with a bit of grace. Like it's obvious he's been practicing a lot but not to compete. Just to stay in shape.]

[She averted her eyes all the while.]

[...most of the time.]

[Okay, so maybe she stole a peek. Once.]

[...or twice...]

[But definitely no more than ~~three~~ four times before he reached the other side.]

[Luckily for both of them, Edgeworth doesn't notice Iris peeking at him. Once his outstretched hand touches the edge, he straightens up with a gasp, shaking hair out of his eyes...in the most dignified way possible, if that's even possible.

He looks around to see if Iris is still anywhere close by...and makes eye contact with the cat staring straight at him from a fair distance. It hisses at him and for a brief moment, Edgeworth is tempted to try and splash it out of frustration because WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAT.]

[Oh, it was possible...]

[But then...at that distance, Iris only caught him staring at something in her vaguely general direction. She glanced around, seeing no one else, then turned back in time to catch the look of...she could only assume to be annoyance. Or frustration, perhaps.]

[Her cheeks reddened, assuming he had caught her staring and was put out by it. Her eyes lowered.]

S-sorry...

[That reminds him; he hadn't asked Iris about the animal situation. From the way she's reacting, it's obvious she can't see it.

The cat begins washing a paw.]

...You wouldn't happen to be followed by a ghostly animal only you can see, would you, Iris?

[Her brows rose, but not for the reason one might think.]

How did you...?

[She still gave no indication of seeing the cat he was referring to, but there was a certain furrow to her brow. An uncertainty in her gaze as she thought back to early that morning. A glimpse out of the corner of her eye. At the time she thought she'd been dreaming, or seen some trick of light, but now...]

There was...this morning, I thought I saw a creature back at my apartment.

Then, I could have sworn I saw that same creature twice on my way here. I thought...I thought, perhaps, I was just tired or something. But if you can see it too...

[...maybe it was real afterall.]

No, I can't see yours. But I see mine, which is a cat.

[Edgeworth points toward the direction of the cat, which looks up from where it's washing before returning to its business.

So yes, that was what he was staring at. Not you, Iris.]

I presume all of us have one such creature close by.

[Another time, and she might have been relieved by that little revelation.]

But...why?

And how is it possible for me to see such a creature when no one else can? I wasn't born with any spiritual powers.

The same way I can see mine, when you can't. You thought I was staring at you, but I was staring at the cat.

[Edgeworth doesn't have spiritual powers, either.

...the powers he has doesn't allow him to see spirits, at least.]

[Her face reddened.]

I didn't--!

[...except, okay, yeah, she did think he was staring at her. Oops.]

...a goat. [She finally managed, voice a little weaker than usual.] Mine...that's what I've been seeing. A little goat. One who looks so ill, I would have thought it really was a ghost.

[In fact, there it was again. Out of the corner of her eye. Bleating silently at the two of them, but closer to Edgeworth than her.]

[Edgeworth braces one elbow on the edge of the pool, watching the cat finally stand up to walk toward Iris - taking the long road, so to speak, so it wouldn't get too close to Edgeworth.]

My cat is missing patches of fur and looks gaunt. [He clambers out of the pool again, watching the cat and instinctively glancing around to see if he could find any signs of a goat. Of course, he would find none.]

Anyway, I'll just take a shower. Then I'll tell my story.

Alright.

[Her eyes still averted, more so when he mentioned taking a shower, she was too distracted by that glimpse of goat she was seeing once more to note the invisible cat Edgeworth's eyes followed. It stood just behind them both now, directly in the path of the showers.]

I'll...wait for you in the meditation room, then. Please feel free to enter when you are ready.

[With that, she too turned to leave.]

[Edgeworth turns to leave as well after retrieving a towel. He dries himself along the way...and just happens to cross the goat's path.

Oops. What memory will Iris' goat give him?]

[What memory, indeed?]

["Wait up, Feenie!"]

[A burst of soft giggles erupted into the air as the 19-year-old struggled to balance the lacey umbrella in one hand while following after the boy in question. At first, all she could see was the back of a bright pink sweater. And notably spiky hair. Then, he turned around, revealing the giant P inside a red heart splayed across his chest. And a bright, sheepish smile.]

["Oh, sorry Dollie! I did it again, didn't I?" He rubbed the back of his neck and waited for her to keep up. Not noticing the small twinge of pain across her face at the name. "Guess I'm just excited."]

["It's alright." Once the girl in question caught up, tucking some of her bright red hair behind one ear--feeling the difference in texture from the recently altered coloring--she lowered her gaze. If only to keep from blatently staring at the necklace around Phoenix's neck. Her entire reason for being here, and yet...this time, she was reluctant to bring up the question. Not because she was afraid that he would refuse (again); because she was afraid...he would finally agree, to make her happy.]

[Edgeworth halts in his tracks when he sees the memory play out, eyes widening. He sees Phoenix as a college student; he's seeing it all from the point of view of Iris disguised as Dahlia. If he hadn't known the full story, he would have wondered why he was seeing one of Dahlia's memories.

And when it's over, he shakes his head to clear it and looks around for Iris.]

Iris! I saw...

[His voice trails off. No doubt she would be feeling the effects of showing her memory of Phoenix. No doubt Edgeworth had come in contact with that goat.]

[She'd already turned back at the sound of his voice--]

You saw...?

[But before she had a chance to feel those memory effects...she, too, brushed against a certain invisible ~~spirit~~ animal. This time, Edgeworth's. With all the flash of memories that came with it.]

[And when Iris brushes against the cat, two things happen. One, Edgeworth feels the familiar wave of vertigo and sways on the spot.

Two, Iris will see this memory from a nine-year-old boy's point of view. This boy is standing next to a man in a suit just outside the courtroom, and this man is proudly wearing a defense attorney's badge.

"I know you'll win, Father," the boy proclaims proudly as the man squeezes his little hand.

"I'll do my best, Miles," the man replies. "I believe our client isn't guilty, and I will prove it." He ruffles the hair of little Miles and places a hand on his back, ushering him into the courtroom.]

[The images flashed before her, and even before they faded, Iris had fallen to her knees. Weak. The room--both imagination as well as the real one--seemed to spin around her, and she rose a hand to her head in hopes of alleviating the nauseating sensation.]

That was...oh, my head.

[She bowed her head low, letting out a small whimper.]

[Edgeworth feels like he's on a ship on a violently rolling sea, but he spots Iris fallen on her knees and swoops down on her to help her up. In the process, he drops his towel.]

T-That was more than just your head. And...a-and mine.

[He braces one hand against her back and extends the other for her to take, his own knees weakening.]

[~~Remind her to feel embarrassed about this later~~]

I saw...

There was a man. And he...I think he was talking to you. Only...you were just a child.

[~~Duly noted. Also note that without his towel, his shirtlessness is once again in full view and very close to her.~~]

[He grits his teeth with the effort of remaining upright and holding Iris up as well. And her words tug at his heart. She saw his past...she saw him as a child. But which man did she see him with? Gregory Edgeworth...or Manfred von Karma?]

What did the man look like?

[~~Preceisely why she will feel embarassed, At least she's currently wearing her highly modest acolyte robes?~~]

He looked...

['like you', she wanted to say, but instead tried to focus on the details of her memory.]

He was...tall. I think. With grey hair. Glasses. A...trench coat, I think. And his eyes...he had such kind eyes.

[~~And Edgeworth is totally oblivious to the effect he's having on her right now because this memory thing is a lot more important.~~

He relaxes a little while he's still holding her in his arms. So, she saw a memory of his father. Not Manfred von Karma, the man who would never be a father to him. But there's a tinge of sadness in Edgeworth's eyes, and in his voice.

Gregory DID have kind eyes. It's a pity his son's eyes are a lot less kind.]

I...I see. Were we...at the courthouse?

I...think so. It looked like the room I was told to wait in before my trial started.

[But why would Edgeworth and his father be in that same room? What was it they'd been talking about...? Something about...winning?]

He mentioned a...client. About believing he was innocent.

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