Wright and Co Law Offices
April 22, 2019.
11:03
I told Maya everything that happened. I told every last detail of the strange defense request with the poker match, the trial that ended so suddenly and unresolved, and how the Bar Association review board decided to take my badge away.
Maya: But Nick, isn’t it strange?
Phoenix: What’s strange?
Maya: I mean… The only person who didn’t vote against you was the brother of that Prosecutor Gavin, who revealed the court that you had made a forgery.
Phoenix: It wasn’t me!
Maya: I know, I was just kidding.
Phoenix: (Maya… Always remains happy, no wonder how bad the situation is.) Anyway… now that you mention, it is quite strange. You’d think that they agree since they are brothers.
Maya: Well, Iris and Dahlia are sisters, too… You know what I mean.
Phoenix: (Not to mention, they are half-sisters of Pearl and cousins of Maya, too.)
Maya: Have you talked with Gavin? I mean, the defense attorney Gavin.
Phoenix: No. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone that time. (I even wanted to avoid talking to Maya yesterday… but after all, I’m glad that I couldn’t.)
Maya: Did you even talk to anyone before me?
Phoenix: Actually… I didn’t.
Maya: Nobody called you, Nick? After all, it seems quite big news, being on a first page and all.
Phoenix: Well, Edgeworth and Larry did. But I didn’t pick up. Larry even tried to visit me personally.
Maya: And you pretended you weren’t here?
Phoenix: Yeah. (It was easier than with Maya, with Larry having neither a key nor patience.)
Maya: Edgeworth is in Europe now, right?
Phoenix: Yes. But even if he had been here but had known that I didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t insist on talking to me.
Maya: Why are you so sure?
Phoenix: If anyone, he’d respect someone’s will to be alone, thinking about a crisis of his life. Remember when he „chose death” and disappeared for a year?
Maya: Oh, yes… Nick! You don’t want to disappear for a year, do you?!
Phoenix: Of course I don’t. I wouldn’t leave you.
Maya: Pearly would search everywhere and find you anyway, hehe. And when she found you…
Phoenix: Okay, I can imagine. Anyway, I think we should tell Edgeworth and Larry not to worry about me.
Maya: Are you alright now?
Phoenix: Yes, thanks to you… Okay, let’s speak with Edgeworth first.
(Phone beep)
Phoenix: … Damn, I forgot to put money on the phone. I can’t make an international call now.
Maya: Well, you can use my phone if you want. But make it short, since there isn’t much money on mine either.
Phoenix: Thank you, Maya, but I’ll skip it.
Maya: What?
Phoenix: Let’s talk to Larry first. (That will be an easier conversation anyway.)
Maya: Well, you know it.
Phoenix: Okay, Maya, let’s go. That is, if you want to come.
Maya: We’re visiting Larry?
Phoenix: Yes. I haven’t left home since then anyway, so we have to buy food and everything else. And maybe I have to get a temporary job if it takes much time to clear up this whole mess. We still have to pay the rent and all.
Maya: Well, Nick, there is one thing you don’t have to pay for.
Phoenix: And what is that? (From the way you look at me, I have a guess.)
Maya: This…
Phoenix: (Good thing Pearl isn’t here with her camera.)
Larry’s apartment
April 22, 2019.
11:46
(Knock)
Butz: I’m coming!
(Door open)
Butz: Hello, I- …It’s only Nick… and Maya, of course.
Phoenix: (Way to greet an old friend.)
Maya: Hi, Larry!
Phoenix: Hello. Were you expecting somebody else?
Butz: No, what are you…?! I mean, yes. Not as if I weren’t happy to see you guys.
Maya: Are you waiting for someone?
Butz: No! I mean, yes… I mean, not at the moment! I’m just waiting for someone in general.
Phoenix: And who would that be?
Butz: My dear, my sweetie, my love, my destiny!
Phoenix: (You have had quite a few “destinies” in the past years.) Please tell me it’s not yet another model.
Butz: No, but she could be one! I mean, she is so beautiful, and cute, and kind, and…
Maya: Wow, Larry is totally in love!
Butz: But oh, so much pain and suffering! But maybe it’s good for artists like me. Pain and suffering give inspiration. Want to see my new pictures?
Maya: Of course, we’d love to!
Phoenix: (So if I were an artist, I would have had quite some inspiration in the past few days. Maybe I shouldn’t have quitted studying art back then?) Why are you suffering by the way? She doesn’t love you back?
Butz: No, it’s just that… She is in jail.
Phoenix: Wait, you mean… Iris?
Butz: If anyone, you should know how gorgeous she is!
Maya: Nick, you aren’t jealous, are you?
Phoenix: Why would I be… if I have you, Maya?
…
Butz: Please stop kissing! It reminds me how I can’t do that with Iris because of that stupid glass wall!
Phoenix: Do you visit her often?
Butz: Yes, I go to see her every day. We talk and laugh… and she loves my pictures!
Maya: Have you told her how you feel?
Butz: I sure have!
Maya: And she…
Butz: And she said that I’m cute, and I remind her of… you, Nick, when you were young!
Phoenix: (I really was like Larry is now? That’s just great…)
Maya: Wow, Nick, you really were like Larry before meeting my sister?
Phoenix: Eh… No comment.
Butz: So Nick, I heard from Edgey that your badge was taken away, right?
Phoenix: He… and you don’t believe that I really…
Butz: No, of course not! You are usually more obsessed with finding the truth than your clients.
Maya: Yes, you always insist on continuing the trial even if your client doesn’t want it.
Phoenix: But hey, it always turns out good!
Butz: So you are unemployed now, Nick? Come on, don’t worry, I am, too.
Phoenix: (Thanks, this is really comforting…)
Maya: Were you fired from K.B. security?
Phoenix: Let me guess, you left your post because of Iris.
Butz: How did you know?
Phoenix: (Because I know you, Larry.)
Maya: So now you are looking for a new job?
Butz: Of course I am!
Phoenix: (I can imagine…)
Butz: Hey, Nick, what’s with this look? Do you doubt me?
Phoenix: I didn’t say any…
Butz: Guess what, I was on a job interview yesterday!
Maya: And did you get the job?
Butz: No…
Phoenix: (Why am I not surprised?)
Maya: What kind of job was it?
Butz: Pianist in a Russian restaurant.
Phoenix: Are you insane? You can’t even play the piano!
Butz: But I didn’t know that, so I tried it.
Phoenix: Did you seriously think that you could play the piano despite never even trying?
Maya: Well, he didn’t know that he is so good at painting until he tried.
Phoenix: (Now whose side are you on?)
Butz: Anyway they said that I can play neither the piano nor poker.
Phoenix: What does poker have to do with it?
Butz: I don’t know, but after they made me stop demonstrating my knowledge in piano playing they asked me if I could play poker.
Maya: And you said you could?
Butz: Yes, then the man said that he hoped I was better at poker than at piano paying. Then we played.
Maya: And then what happened? You won?
Phoenix: (Take a wild guess.)
Butz: No. But the guy cheated. As if he always knew if I had a good or a bad hand.
Maya: Nick, why would he cheat when he wants to recruit someone for a job?
Phoenix: The answer is easier than you’d think.
Butz: Then that jerk said that he didn’t cheat, it’s only that I have a horrible poker face.
Phoenix: (For some reason I find it easier to believe than that he cheated.)
Butz: And I didn’t get the job.
Maya: Don’t cry, Larry! You will surely find some job.
Butz: Without a job, how will I support Iris?
Phoenix: Well, maybe you could try to get a job that has to do with your talent in painting?
Butz: Hey, that’s a good idea!
Phoenix: (It didn’t even occur to you?)
Maya: So Larry, are they still recruiting?
Butz: Unless they found someone in one day, I guess so. Why? Do you want to be a pianist?
Maya: No, being the Master of Kurain is enough for me. But Nick could get the job.
Phoenix: What?
Butz: What? You never told me that you could play the piano!
Phoenix: That’s because I can’t play the piano!
Maya: But you are good at poker. You beat a pro, that magician without even practicing before.
Phoenix: That’s true. But I’ll get back to being a lawyer as soon as I clear up this whole mess!
Maya: Yes, but who knows how long that takes! It can’t hurt to have a temporary job until then.
Phoenix: You are right. Well, thanks for the idea Larry!
Butz: Hey, you’re welcome!
Maya: This was my idea!
Phoenix: Anyway, I think I’ll check out this place tomorrow. And until then, Maya, if I asked you to practice poker with me a bit tonight, could I count on you?
Maya: Sure! I haven’t played poker in a while anyway.
Phoenix: But I’m telling you, we won’t play for money!
Maya: I’m sure we’ll find another kind of stake, Nick.
Phoenix: Yes, I already have an idea, and I bet you have the same, Maya.
The next day I went to that Russian restaurant, the Borscht Bowl Club. It was kind of cold, but after the mountain of Hazakura Temple and the Eagle River, it was nothing. I told them that I couldn’t play the piano in the first place, but it didn’t matter to them. What mattered were my poker skills, and those were first class. So I was hired. Officially, I became a pianist, but in reality my job was to play poker in an underground room, called the “Hydeout”. The stake wasn’t money, of course, but after a while, many people came just to play with me, that’s how good I was. And of course, they ate and drink at the restaurant, so it was worth for them to have me working there. And it was worth for me, too, since clearing my name and solving the mystery… took a lot more than I had thought.