Chapter Text
Chapter One: Clothes Don’t Talk
“Ow...”
Phoenix winces in pain as the blade nicks his cheek despite the generous amount of shaving cream he’s used. With how little he shaves these days, perhaps this is to be expected. Today’s been marked on the calendar for some time, though. He ought to at least look decent.
“Are you gonna be done soon, Daddy?! We’re going to be late!”
“Gimme a minute, Trucy! I’ll be right there!”
Upon saying that, Phoenix realizes he probably needs a bit more than that, but a minute will have to do now. After fastening his razor strokes, the young man looks at his reflection in the mirror. Well, it’s not like he’s attending a gala, either. He swiftly puts on some aftershave and grabs his trademark blue suit.
“I don’t wear you much these days, do I?” Of course, clothes don’t talk, so he receives no answer. Phoenix is okay with that. If anything, it would have been scary had it replied. Nonetheless, his point stands, though no one but himself hears it. A reminder is all it is.
After all, what better way to start the day than with some self-loathing?
With an ironic chuckle, Phoenix puts the suit on and quickly ties his tie.
“Ah, Daddy! You look good!”
“Thanks, Trucy. I don’t really bother dressing up much nowadays, do I...?”
“Maybe not, but you’re still the best-looking Daddy out there!”
Good to know... Phoenix thinks. Of course, the criteria his own child uses are bound to be tainted with bias, but at this point, he takes any compliment thrown his way. “That doesn’t matter, though. What’s important is that my little girl is as cute as a button.” With a smile, he ruffles Trucy’s hair, freed from her usual silk hat, and she blushes slightly.
After glancing at the clock above the front door of their messy apartment, it becomes apparent they’re running late. Phoenix has lost many things these past few years, and his timeliness may be first on that list.
“Let’s hurry,” he tells his daughter, who nods and eagerly grabs his hand. As he locks the door behind them, Phoenix notices Trucy looks everything but nervous, which, he supposes, is a good thing. Hopefully, that doesn’t mean she isn’t taking this seriously. Even if they have other business to worry about, Phoenix values Trucy’s education. She’s only starting middle school. If he got lucky, she would begin to complain about how boring school is in another few years.
It’s still summer, but the early morning temperatures have dropped slightly. The cool breeze does little to ruin Trucy’s mood, and Phoenix is forced to admit it feels refreshing. There remain some lingering worries at the back of his mind, but he tries not to let them overwhelm him. Will Trucy be okay at school after not going for so long? Are there any subjects she was likely to struggle in? That sort of worries.
I guess there’s no point worrying about it now... I’ve brought Trucy more trouble than she did me, so I don’t suppose I have any right to worry. A sigh punctuates that thought.
It did a number on his budget, but Phoenix wanted to make sure his daughter had a pretty backpack to go to school. Same with her clothes. He will have to thank Edgeworth again for helping with that. Kids were quick to make fun of their peers. The young man wants none of that for his girl. Reversely, he had raised her never to make fun of others.
“Are you excited, Trucy? You sure look thrilled.”
“Yeah! I wanna make a bunch of friends at school!” Trucy replies. How typical of her. He can even tell in advance what her next line will be. “And I can’t wait to show them my magic tricks!” He’d called it. “But I’ll still work hard to make money for you, Daddy!”
“T-Thanks, Trucy.”
Truth be told, it embarrasses him. She’s ten years old, so Phoenix knows it isn’t her role to be concerned with putting food on their plate. He at least wishes she didn’t shout that in the middle of the street, but what can he do? The Gramarye genes came with a loud voice, it seems.
Thankfully, the rest of the walk allows him to relax. Like everything else in fatherhood, first times make him nervous. He can tell his hands are sweaty, and while it lacks the life-or-death stakes of a murder trial, everything related to Trucy’s education, Phoenix wishes to do correctly. He’s regarded as a shady character in the eyes of most, but with some hard work, he’s sure Trucy won’t. His reputation matters little next to that.
Father and daughter chat and laugh until they reach the school gates. Phoenix infers they’re still on time because they aren’t closed yet. Well, it’s not like they’re early, either, but they can’t have their cake and eat it too.
“So that’s gonna be my school for the next three years?” Trucy asks with a hint of curiosity in her voice. Phoenix nods. “Cool... It looks very different from my previous school. Even if I rarely went,” she add.
“That’s... probably something you should keep to yourself, Trucy...”
One thing the former attorney immediately notices is the number of parents waiting around the playground. It also dawns on him that his little girl is not as little anymore, though she’s still just a small kid compared to what looked like last-year students. Slowly but surely, as Trucy gets older, he gets older, too, which does not make him feel any better.
A friend of his would have a field day if she could read his thoughts.
“Over here! Sir!”
Phoenix turns around. The sight of a bearded old man greets his eyes. A sort of Judge with hair, even if the comparison lacks sense in the current context. Whatever he looks like, Phoenix and Trucy head his way.
“Hello, sir. I am the principal of this school, Mr. Jakes. I take it this is the first day here for the young one?”
“Yeah, that’s right. We’re kinda lost, to be totally honest with you.”
“Hm, then you have the right person!” the old man tells them, seemingly all too thrilled to be of help. Father and daughter share a smile at that. “Could you tell me your daughter’s name, sir?”
“Wright. Trucy Wright.”
There was a split second of silence. Phoenix swears he saw the old man squint his eyes in thought. In all likelihood, Trucy realized it, too. Unfortunately, being named Wright around these parts of town remains somewhat of a curse. On the bright side, his disbarment happened almost two years ago. People’s collective memory does not last that long, and Phoenix’s grateful for that.
“Let’s see here...” After flipping through a notebook, the old man puts his finger on Trucy’s name. “Ah, there you are. Class 1-B! You’ll find the classroom on the first floor of the building to the back, right next to the emergency exit.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope everything goes well for you, young Ms. Wright.”
“Thanks, sir!”
This is typically the point in the conversation when Trucy shows off Mr. Hat. Thankfully, her companion had been left home. It’s probably for the best. As impressive as her trick was, it was unlikely to leave a good impression here.
From there, the two easily find their way. Other parents are filing inside the classroom, which appears satisfactorily well-equipped. While the school is nowhere near elite status, the two are lucky enough to have a public school in their neighborhood that does somewhat decently in the rankings.
“We sure didn’t have all this high-tech stuff back in my days.” Trucy smiles as her father’s expression turns nostalgic. “Kids these days sure are lucky!” Though it necessarily brings him back to the fateful class trial, Phoenix enjoys recalling his school days from time to time. There were highs and lows, but being a kid was fun overall. If anything, it was more fun than being an adult.
Though that’s not saying much.
“Daddy, let’s sit here!” There are a couple of empty seats left at the front of the classroom. Through quick math, Phoenix counts about twenty-five students in the class. With their parents there, it makes for a bit of a crowd.
“Sure.”
They sit and wait for the meeting to begin. Trucy looks pleased to be there. In turn, Phoenix’s pleased to be there, as well. Even though she’s still a little kid, seeing his daughter grow up is an aspect of life he doesn’t wholly despise – there aren’t many left. None of the other parents strike up a conversation with him, but Phoenix notices a young boy chit-chatting with Trucy. She isn’t shy, so Phoenix has little doubts she will make friends fast.
I just hope my situation doesn’t bring her trouble... I guess I’m still a little famous to this day, but not for the best reasons...
A few minutes go by before somebody enters the classroom. It’s a black-haired woman wearing plain beige pants and a plainer white buttoned shirt. Probably the homeroom teacher. All conversations quiet down as she walks up to the desk, looking the slightest bit intimidated by the crowd, a bunch of papers in hand.
Phoenix blinks once. Twice.
He knows this woman.
“What the hell...? That couldn’t be...”
“Huh? Is something wrong, Daddy?” Trucy whispers. In his state of confusion, the words don’t even reach her father’s ears.
Something in his mind stops functioning right at this moment. Weirdly enough, it’s not the first time he’s experienced this feeling of meeting someone he swore looks familiar. Yet, it’s stronger than ever now. A single word escapes his lips as a mere murmur at the sight of the young woman, and when their eyes meet for no more than an instant, Phoenix feels his chest get a little tighter, and breathing becomes surprisingly more difficult.
“Iris...?”
To be continued...