[ That earns a chuckle. ] Yeah... I don't think being channeled quite counts.
[ He takes a seat at the kitchen counter as he watches her finish up with the flowers. ]
It's still a work in progress, but as long as we're both here, might as well make the most of it. Although... [ Moment of truth. ] I might be a little rusty.
What are you talking about? You didn't get forced into early retirement like me. You'll be fine, I'm probably going to wind up getting tips from you now.
[Flowers done, she moves the vase over to the counter and leans against it opposite him.]
How about making it "Fey and Wright and Co?" We can't rule out expansion this early in the game.
I thought it might be a little ambitious for a two-lawyer start up, but who knows, maybe it's just what we need to get someone interested.
[ Much as he'd like to go along with the conversation, and kind of just let this whole confession thing slide back away, he really does need to tell her. And if not now, Phoenix doesn't know when he'd be able to bring it back up again. ]
It wasn't so much early retirement as... early disbarment.
[ He can't quite look her in the eye as he says it, his gaze fixing itself on the flowers instead. A slightly involuntary smile plays on his lips, partly out of nerves. ]
[Mia's eyes are wide as she looks at him, certain that she must have misheard as she looks at him, even though he's avoiding eye contact with her. It has to be a joke, and not one she finds particularly funny at that, but looking at him it dawns on him that he's not making a joke. And she's momentarily speechless.]
[ That he's still working himself up to tell. It's been a long time since he's had to explain the specifics of what happened... at least, truthfully. He'd only just put things into motion to unravel it at home, after all those years of searching for the truth. Nothing has been proven in court yet, but... he has a pretty clear picture of what happened.
Phoenix takes a second to think about where to even begin. ]
As always... it began with a defense attorney and a client. I'd taken on a case from a client who'd switched from his previous lawyer for reasons unknown to me. It was a very high profile case. Enough so that when I was caught presenting forged evidence halfway through the trial, it caused quite a stir.
[Mia looks absolutely horrified and stunned. She searches his face for any indication that this could all be some horrible joke or untrue in any way, shape or form, but the longer she looks the more apparent it becomes that he's being deadly serious.
It's a good thing she put down the vase.]
Why? Why would you do something like that Phoenix? I don't understand.
[ Phoenix exhales and splays his fingers across the counter. It's his own fault for presenting the information like that, but her reaction is pretty much something right out of his worst imaginations of how this would go down. ]
My client's previous lawyer was a man by the name of Kristoph Gavin. He's... a very proud man. When his client decided to switch to me instead, he wasn't happy. [ To say the least. ] When my client's daughter came to me with evidence during a recess that someone told her to give to me, I didn't think anything of it. Until I presented it, and it turned out to be forged.
[Mia's eyes don't leave Phoenix for a second while he explains, all the while trying to keep her expression neutral as he explains.
Is she disappointed by what she's hearing? Of course. Disappointed and confused and sad. Phoenix is her legacy; it's maybe a sentimental thought and not one she's ever told anyone else, but she's so proud of the lawyer that Phoenix was shaping out to be. She has always seen so much potential in him, in the way he embodies all her beliefs and follows her footsteps (albeit sometimes a little more haphazardly than she would like), but he has never let her down. Not once.
Not until now.
She wants to open her mouth to chastise him, to berate him for being so stupid as to take something at face value and assume he can just present it in court like some wet behind the ears lawyer. The thing is though... as he continues something sits wrongly with her. He mentions the previous lawyer, the daughter giving him a piece of convenient evidence... it twists her gut with anxiety and leaves her feeling queasy.]
Then you were found out and punished.
[She keeps her voice as balanced as she can before she exhales heavily.]
[ Once, he might've said 'almost'. Almost certain, because even if he gathered all the evidence in the world, until it was proven, it didn't mean a thing. But he's spoken to Edgeworth. While he refused to say exactly what happens, Phoenix can read between the lines enough to figure it out. ]
It's been seven years since I was disbarred, but I didn't waste any of it. I investigated, and collected evidence, to find out the truth behind that case... and mine. Just before I came here, I set a series of events into motion that would bring all of it to light in court.
[ But it doesn't change what happened. His own part in the matter, and the reason why he still can't meet Mia's eyes now that the story is out. ] I know. I should've known better. [ She taught him better than that, and they both know it. ]
[Mia is still utterly flabbergasted by this turn of events and is still staring at him in disbelief.]
I don't- why? Why the hell would he ruin your career just because his client changed his mind about his representation? No one in their right mind would use that to fuel a vendetta and escalate it to that extent.
And why were you just disbarred like that? Why wasn't there an appeal or, I don't know, why wouldn't anyone vouch for you? Edgeworth or Grossberg or even the Judge! He's worked with you often enough to know that that's just not like you.
I wondered that for a long time, but there are some things I'll never understand about Kristoph.
[ To the latter part though... ] I guess they wanted to make an example out of my case. Put a stop to anyone else thinking of doing the same thing. Though I'd say it failed... miserably. [ Cue dark age of law! ]
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zvi
no subject
Date: 2014-04-16 12:23 am (UTC)[ He takes a seat at the kitchen counter as he watches her finish up with the flowers. ]
It's still a work in progress, but as long as we're both here, might as well make the most of it. Although... [ Moment of truth. ] I might be a little rusty.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-21 10:25 pm (UTC)[Flowers done, she moves the vase over to the counter and leans against it opposite him.]
How about making it "Fey and Wright and Co?" We can't rule out expansion this early in the game.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-25 02:19 am (UTC)[ Much as he'd like to go along with the conversation, and kind of just let this whole confession thing slide back away, he really does need to tell her. And if not now, Phoenix doesn't know when he'd be able to bring it back up again. ]
It wasn't so much early retirement as... early disbarment.
[ He can't quite look her in the eye as he says it, his gaze fixing itself on the flowers instead. A slightly involuntary smile plays on his lips, partly out of nerves. ]
no subject
Date: 2014-04-29 04:05 pm (UTC)[Mia's eyes are wide as she looks at him, certain that she must have misheard as she looks at him, even though he's avoiding eye contact with her. It has to be a joke, and not one she finds particularly funny at that, but looking at him it dawns on him that he's not making a joke. And she's momentarily speechless.]
How? What happened?
no subject
Date: 2014-04-30 06:59 am (UTC)[ That he's still working himself up to tell. It's been a long time since he's had to explain the specifics of what happened... at least, truthfully. He'd only just put things into motion to unravel it at home, after all those years of searching for the truth. Nothing has been proven in court yet, but... he has a pretty clear picture of what happened.
Phoenix takes a second to think about where to even begin. ]
As always... it began with a defense attorney and a client. I'd taken on a case from a client who'd switched from his previous lawyer for reasons unknown to me. It was a very high profile case. Enough so that when I was caught presenting forged evidence halfway through the trial, it caused quite a stir.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-05 01:03 am (UTC)[Mia looks absolutely horrified and stunned. She searches his face for any indication that this could all be some horrible joke or untrue in any way, shape or form, but the longer she looks the more apparent it becomes that he's being deadly serious.
It's a good thing she put down the vase.]
Why? Why would you do something like that Phoenix? I don't understand.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-05 03:10 am (UTC)[ Phoenix exhales and splays his fingers across the counter. It's his own fault for presenting the information like that, but her reaction is pretty much something right out of his worst imaginations of how this would go down. ]
My client's previous lawyer was a man by the name of Kristoph Gavin. He's... a very proud man. When his client decided to switch to me instead, he wasn't happy. [ To say the least. ] When my client's daughter came to me with evidence during a recess that someone told her to give to me, I didn't think anything of it. Until I presented it, and it turned out to be forged.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-07 07:54 pm (UTC)Is she disappointed by what she's hearing? Of course. Disappointed and confused and sad. Phoenix is her legacy; it's maybe a sentimental thought and not one she's ever told anyone else, but she's so proud of the lawyer that Phoenix was shaping out to be. She has always seen so much potential in him, in the way he embodies all her beliefs and follows her footsteps (albeit sometimes a little more haphazardly than she would like), but he has never let her down. Not once.
Not until now.
She wants to open her mouth to chastise him, to berate him for being so stupid as to take something at face value and assume he can just present it in court like some wet behind the ears lawyer. The thing is though... as he continues something sits wrongly with her. He mentions the previous lawyer, the daughter giving him a piece of convenient evidence... it twists her gut with anxiety and leaves her feeling queasy.]
Then you were found out and punished.
[She keeps her voice as balanced as she can before she exhales heavily.]
And you think you were set up?
no subject
Date: 2014-05-09 04:51 am (UTC)I'm certain of it. It was Kristoph.
[ Once, he might've said 'almost'. Almost certain, because even if he gathered all the evidence in the world, until it was proven, it didn't mean a thing. But he's spoken to Edgeworth. While he refused to say exactly what happens, Phoenix can read between the lines enough to figure it out. ]
It's been seven years since I was disbarred, but I didn't waste any of it. I investigated, and collected evidence, to find out the truth behind that case... and mine. Just before I came here, I set a series of events into motion that would bring all of it to light in court.
[ But it doesn't change what happened. His own part in the matter, and the reason why he still can't meet Mia's eyes now that the story is out. ] I know. I should've known better. [ She taught him better than that, and they both know it. ]
no subject
Date: 2014-06-03 10:22 am (UTC)I don't- why? Why the hell would he ruin your career just because his client changed his mind about his representation? No one in their right mind would use that to fuel a vendetta and escalate it to that extent.
And why were you just disbarred like that? Why wasn't there an appeal or, I don't know, why wouldn't anyone vouch for you? Edgeworth or Grossberg or even the Judge! He's worked with you often enough to know that that's just not like you.
no subject
Date: 2014-06-14 09:44 pm (UTC)[ To the latter part though... ] I guess they wanted to make an example out of my case. Put a stop to anyone else thinking of doing the same thing. Though I'd say it failed... miserably. [ Cue dark age of law! ]