013 [video; it was supposed to be private buuuut]

[miniworth]

[Forward dated to Monday morning.]

....Wright.

[The video turns on and shows that the boy is standing in a hotel room. The lights are on, and... it looks like the room was in use until just recently. The camera - held in trembling hands - captures the sulking figures of three Pokémon sitting on the messily made bed.]

---Wright.... he's gone.



[[ooc; -- With permission from our dear Gumshoe-mun, who dropped (SOB), Miles will be taking care of Missile from now on... but Gummy also had two other characters and y'all should ask Officer so the poor babes can have homes. ;A; ]

Comments

[video]

[miniworth]

[.....He would have responded immediately. Misaki had been kind to him, worried about him, and he didn't want to cause Misaki any more trouble than he had to. He would have responded immediately in any other situation.

But this was... this was different. Even though, during his two months in Johto, Edgeworth had seen many people disappear. People he'd spoken to, people he was friends with. None had shocked him as much as Detective Gumshoe's disappearance, though.

"I don't have work today, Mr. E-- Miles! We can go buy things for Christmas together, how's that, pal?"

Those were Gumshoe's words of invitation that morning, and Edgeworth (admittedly, he was looking forward to this outing a lot) had bounded downstairs a couple of hours later to meet up with his friend from the future, only to be met by an empty room. At first, through the shock, he'd started crying, and still in that state he'd spoken to a few people.. eventually, he'd calmed down, even had a few hours of normality after being encouraged that Gumshoe was home safely and he might come back again anyway. But left alone, hours later, with only his thoughts and Gumshoe's abandoned Smeargle (the other two had found new trainers).. it settled on him how tired he was now. Tired from crying, and tired of seeing people disappear, especially in December. He also felt so... so scared of answering messages now. He tried to call Gumshoe, and he was greeted by the monotonous operator ( "This number has been disconnected." ) and he stares warily at Misaki's replaying message. It's been hours since he received this... if he called back now, would Misaki still be there?

.....With a deep, shuddering breath, he presses the "Connect" button.]

.....Mr. Misaki?

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

Miles-kun. Are you... ... are you alone right now?

[video]

[miniworth]

..Yeah. [A tiny nod. Phoenix was out comforting Heather right now, for reasons Edgeworth didn't pry. The room Edgeworth was in is dark, as Edgeworth hadn't bothered to turn on the lights.]

I'd.. rather keep it this way, for now.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's a good idea to be on your own for too long. Someone will be coming to check on you soon, won't they?

[video]

[miniworth]

My roommate should be back in a little while, but I'll be fine.

I'm.. used to this, so.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

I... hate being alone.

[video]

[miniworth]

...I don't like it. [He shakes his head slightly.]

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

Then I don't see how you can even stand it especially... now.

[video]

[miniworth]

...Because, there are others that I need to be strong for.

I might be able to see Mr. Gumshoe in the future, but his Pokémon.. they can't. I have to be strong for Missile, because she's more lonely than I am.

That's... that's how it was back home, as well. I had to be strong for my mother.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

That's... That's really great of you, Miles-kun. I wish I was that strong...

[video]

[miniworth]

....Haha. I wish.

_{If I... if I allowed myself to depend on anyone now, I won't be able to keep up this act.}

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

I'm... really starting to think we're a lot more alike that I would have ever thought...

[video]

[miniworth]

--Alike?

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

I think... we both have things we don't want people to see in us. And, like you, I lost my parents at a young age. And it was because I...



Erm, anyway, I think we try to cope in... similar fashions.

[video]

[miniworth]

......I'll be fine, Misaki.

I'm sure we'll all be able to get over this, one day. [All? Yep. He knows so many people suffering from murdered parents.]

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

Yeah.... someday.

[video]

[miniworth]

...It can take years. I know it takes me at least fifteen.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

F-fifteen?

......... that sucks.

[video]

[miniworth]

Fifteen until I found out how my father really died. I'm not.. sure if that leads to me feeling better, though.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

How he really...? S-so, they do eventually figure it out?

I'm sure knowing helps with the process a little. In your case, at least.

[video]

[miniworth]

.......It's a long story.

[A pause.]

My friend.. he's a lawyer in my future, and he defends me, after my father's real murder tries to frame me for another murder. [He wasn't planning on making much sense.]

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

Framed for murder?!

W-why? And he already... your father... That's just...

[video]

[miniworth]

....I hope you aren't with anybody, Misaki.

...He wanted revenge, that's all. My father and I ruined his life, so he killed my father, and framed me for murder, knowing that even if I was proven innocent for Mr. Hammond's death, I would confess to killing my father.

[video]

[usaginouke.livejournal.com]

.... But... but why would you confess to killing your father? I know... I know it seems like it might have been you because of what you said about the trials before now, all the conflicting evidence, but... but that's just...



Even if he felt he had a reason, even if he wanted revenge, to make you think you killed him...

[video]

[miniworth]

...Ever since that trial, I believed that it really had been me to have shot my father. But the bullet I discharged hit Mr. von Karma and-- and he knew that, so he took that to his advantage.

[And this is where he stops. He knows how easily Misaki cries, and he doesn't really want to make him cry anymore. He won't explain something to the older boy, who's been so kind to him, and add even more to his burden than he already had. It wasn't fair to Misaki.]