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He would have, had I not directed him elsewhere. And then afterwards, he all but begged me to let him participate in the task force seeking to bring Lucifer to justice.

He mentioned that he's intending to go into law enforcement. I can see why he'd be trying to help, if he did some detective work at home too.

Except that this man is far too dangerous for him. Lucifer can kill with nothing more than a gesture. Is that the sort of man that some nineteen-year-old boy should be going after?

From the sounds of it, he's too dangerous for anyone to be going after. And doesn't seem to care who he kills or doesn't kill.

[ there's a lot he wants to know about this 'Lucifer' too, but it can wait. ]

There's more to a task force than physically going after a suspect. Can't you give him something, away from the action? It'll keep him out of harm's way, and you'll be giving him something to do with his time.

Frankly, even if I do give him that sort of work, I don't trust him to stay put. The boy is too ambitious for his own good. I'm sure he wants to be the one to take him down.

Now you're just making assumptions.

If you don't trust him to stay put while doing something he's asking for, how exactly do you expect him to stay put when you tell him to stay out of it completely?

He won't have enough information to find Lucifer.

[A slight pause.]

And Lucifer won't come for him.

And what did the people in the museum do to Lucifer?

Nothing. But Lucifer did...He has a pattern of behavior where he does go after those who are trying to stop him.

So he goes after people who are trying to stop him, and he also goes after people who've done absolutely nothing to him. In that case, isn't having more knowledge safer than knowing nothing?

Edited 2014-03-22 19:43 (UTC)

[Edgeworth's voice is quite quiet.]

No. I don't think so. There was a difference between...There was a difference.

[ Phoenix frowns. ]

What happened?

[Edgeworth is quiet a moment, then finally forces himself to answer.]

I was the one he came after. The only reason I'm still alive is because he wanted me to spread a message more than he wanted me dead.

[ he stays silent, and when he speaks again, his voice is tight. it's not that hearing about the careless destruction and disregard for lives didn't make an impression. but this? this is personal. ]

Why did he come after you specifically? What point was he trying to make?

I was one of the first on the network after he acted. I was the one who coordinated the effort to stop the fire and rescue the people inside.

He...wanted to show that he was - all-powerful. That fighting against him was pointless. I suppose.

Anyway. Don't sound like that, Wright. I'm fine now.

( How did you expect me to sound?! )

You... [ he sighs, running a hand through his hair. ] Here, you're going on and on about your housemates' safety, and you completely forget to mention the part where you were targeted by him. How long ago was this? How did he find you?

One expects to take on a bit of risk when one is in this line of work. It's fine.

[With anyone else, Edgeworth would sound fierce and defensive. Phoenix alone gets to hear his real attitude towards this: he sounds quiet, a bit resigned, and very unhappy.]

And it was...within moments of his attack on the museum. I don't know how he found me; he simply appeared in my office, then disappeared just as quickly.

He must have some kind of power that lets him find people. Teleportation. None of which will make it easy to find or stop him.

[ damn it. he's concerned and that gives his tone a more agitated edge than he intended. ]

Line of duty or not, that's no excuse for throwing yourself into danger. Leave that to the people who can defend themselves, like the police or those so-called superheroes. I shouldn't have to be the one telling you that.

[ Phoenix takes a breath, before asking more quietly: ] What did he do, when he showed up?

Honestly, Wright, you're acting like I invited it upon myself. I did what I could to protect people, and a madman got it into his head to retaliate. That is the fault of the madman, not my fault.

[But he can't recite that with too much tartness, because of the answer he has to give to Phoenix's next question. He tries to act casual, careless:]

In any case. It was a great deal of speechifying about how he was above human law. A few parlor tricks to show off his power.

[ Edgeworth trying to act casual is in and of itself a cause for concern. ]

Unless you're telling me he made a few doves fly out of his sleeves, which I'm having a hard time picturing, you're holding back on me.

[He struggles to figure out a way to make this sound less horrible than it does. The last damn thing Edgeworth wants is Wright getting upset, and he will get upset - but it's not morally correct to hold back this information. So finally, with some difficulty, he says:]

He - used some - ability of his to temporarily remove one of my lungs. To prove he could. [Then, quickly and aggressively:] The damage was undone, and I've gone to the doctor and confirmed that there were no lingering aftereffects, so do not get worked up about this.

[ 'Upset' is putting it lightly. Phoenix is furious, so much so that he can't even make words come out. that his friend would try to play off something this serious, and that there's someone powerful enough to do something like that without any consequences.

but more importantly, he's beyond worried, and he suddenly needs to see for himself that Edgeworth is as fine as he's saying. ]

Don't get- You're unbelievable, Miles. Where are you?

[Wright sounds as upset as Edgeworth feared he would be. As ever, his instinct is to flee from this conversation - to plead work, to hang up the phone, to desperately avoid the emotion involved in this confrontation, but, well...Wright deserves better than that.

So, uncomfortably:]

I'm...at the office.

I'm coming over.

[ then he hangs up. ]

[And Edgeworth is, as promised, waiting in his office. He does take a few moments to make himself look particularly in good health; he puts on his suit jacket, opens the blinds behind him, puts on the kettle for tea, places some work in front of him so that it's clear that he's busy and important.]

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I'm dictating that we do action you can't stop me