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Wright’s Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Story of Christmas Channeling.

Stave One

December 24, 9:00 AM
Wright Anything Agency

“Alexa, what’s the weather?”“Right now, it’s 16 degrees celsius with cloudy skies. Expect a high of 19 degrees and a low of 7 degrees.”No rain, then, so a bike ride home wouldn’t be awful. A bit chilly, maybe, but not wet.Phoenix sighed and tapped his pen against the papers on his desk. Another week with no cases. Another week in which he couldn’t fairly compensate his subordinates. And no, he was absolutely not going to discuss this with Miles, who would find some sneaky way to help him because that was just the type of man he was.“Good morning, Mr. Wright!”“Guten morgen, hola, aloha, and hi-hi!”Wow, the pair of them were loud. Apollo tossed his jacket onto a chair, and Athena immediately instructed Alexa to “play Christmas music” followed by “volume eight” the second she heard Mariah Carey’s voice.“I loooooove this song!” Apollo, in an unusually festive mood, twirled Athena, and both of them sang along—off-key, probably on purpose.“Oh, my god, will you two please be quiet?” Phoenix stared them down.Athena whispered, “Alexa, volume 2.”Apollo just looked guilty.“Athena!” Phoenix barked. “You’re on Trucy duty.”He handed Apollo the toilet brush, no instructions required. Both of them trooped off to wherever, but Phoenix heard Athena mutter under her breath, “Jesus, he’s grumpy today.”“It’s that time of the year, you know…” Apollo’s voice trailed off as they fell out of Phoenix’s earshot.He breathed a sigh of relief, told Alexa to stop, and sat back down at his desk. He absolutely had to do something. Trucy’s income simply wasn’t enough to support four people, three of whom were only randomly employed. Apollo could’ve had his own practice, really, but for whatever reason, he chose to come back to…this.This being an underemployed, underfunded law office plagued by numerous and persistent other issues. Like a superior who had spent more time disbarred than actually practicing, for example. He did his best to hide some of it from Apollo and Athena—and even Trucy—but he wasn’t convinced his subordinates weren’t surviving solely on instant ramen.They’d had a couple of high profile cases in the previous few months, which did enough to cover overhead and a handful of other expenses. That might have led the others to believe things were looking up. For about five whole seconds, Phoenix entertained the idea of taking up a life of crime just to ensure the others would have plenty of people to defend. He realized that would only work once, however, and abandoned the thought.Before he could come up with a better plan, Apollo stuck his head into the inner office. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”“Haaaangh. Y-yeah, sure. Come on in.”Apollo didn’t sit. Instead, he tapped his fingers on Phoenix’s desk. “Um.”“What is it, Apollo?” (I know I must sound impatient. Probably because I am.)“Well, see, tomorrow is Christmas, and even though it’s not really a big deal…I mean, it’s not like we’re…well, anyway, it is technically a federal holiday, and I was wondering if…we might…maybe…havethedayoff. Ahem.”Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “You want tomorrow off. As in, completely.”“Well, yes.”“Fine. Take a half day. Just make sure you’re here early on the twenty-sixth.”Apollo’s mouth thinned into a straight line, and he looked like he wanted to say something. Instead, he gave a quick nod and retreated. He hadn’t looked happy, but at least he hadn’t argued. Although Phoenix wasn’t entirely sure what the point was in having either of them come in at all, other than taking turns helping Trucy practice or cleaning the already pristine toilets. At this point, he could’ve served a meal off the seats.With nothing else in particular to do, Phoenix left his desk to check on the others. In the messy outer office, Apollo and Athena were seating themselves on the couch with the tea set in front of them, and Trucy was pulling a blanket out of her magic panties. She handed it to Athena, who wrapped it around herself. Phoenix noticed Apollo had his jacket back on. Well, it was a bit chilly in the office.Athena glanced up then, her expression guilty as she noticed Phoenix watching her. He gave her a curt nod, and she returned to talking with the others. He supposed there wasn’t any harm in having tea, unless someone showed up in need of a defense lawyer.Speaking of showing up, the door opened at that exact moment, and a far too cheerful Larry bounded into the office.“Hey, Athena! Hey, Apollo!” He winked and gave them both a thumbs up. “Nick! Just the person I wanted to see.”For a fraction of a second, Phoenix almost hoped Larry was there because he was in trouble again. But it was obvious from his demeanor that he was not in any kind of pickle.“What’s going on, Larry?”“Oh, the usual. New copies of Laurice Deauxnim’s latest Christmas book, that’s all.” He grinned. “Having a holiday party at my house tomorrow to celebrate. Why don’t you stop by? Maya and Pearls are coming. Plus, you can meet my new girlfriend!”“Uh…girlfriend?” (Are you sure you’re actually dating this time?)“Wow, man. You could at least sound happy for me.”Feeling only a little bad for doubting him, Phoenix frowned. “Do you even celebrate Christmas?”“Dude, you came over to my house when we were kids. And I said holiday, not Christmas.”That was true. Larry’s father showed Phoenix how to light the menorah, and his mother made the whole living room look it was decorated by an elf with ADHD. That was the origin of Larry’s infamous attempt at caramel apple latkes.Phoenix had to think fast to find a way out of it. “I-I don’t think I’ll be able to, but thanks for the invite.” He waved his hand vaguely in the direction of his inner office. “You know, so much to do and all. I mean, Christmas is just another day, isn’t it? Not much of a reason to do anything big.”“Oh.”Larry’s face fell, and he looked so disappointed that Phoenix almost relented. Almost.“May-maybe next time, huh?”“Yeah, sure. Next time. I guess that’s all right.”Slumped over and looking like a kicked puppy, Larry headed for the door. When Apollo called out a cheerful, “Happy holidays, Larry!” he temporarily brightened, giving Apollo a winning smile and a thumbs up before exiting stage left and letting the door swing shut behind him.“Well, back to work.” Phoenix made a half-hearted attempt at sounding cheerful, which didn’t fool anyone, and retreated to his office.Behind him, he heard Trucy diverting the others’ attention by asking if they wanted to see her latest magic tricks. He didn’t hear their response because he’d already closed his door.He twisted back and forth in his desk chair but finally crossed his arms and rested his head on them. It was no use. No amount of hiding in his office, staring at lists and old files would bring in clients and turn their luck around. There were only two people he might ask for any kind of help, and he’d be damned if he was going to admit to either of them that he was feeling like a failure of late.At quarter past five, someone knocked on his office door, startling him. He must’ve fallen asleep at his desk. Shaking himself, he cleared his throat before answering.“Yes?”“Hey, boss. We’re heading home.” Athena’s voice.“All right.”“Daddy?” And there was Trucy. “You did remember I had plans to sleep over at Polly’s tonight, right? Since Mom’s in town.”“Y-yeah, I remember. Have fun!” He hoped he sounded enthusiastic enough.“Are you…” She paused. “Never mind. See you tomorrow, Daddy.”“Okay.”She was wise to stop herself from asking. Of all of them, she was probably the most aware of how he was feeling, but they didn’t talk about it. Not like they used to, back when it was the two of them trying to figure out how to keep the lights on and a roof over their heads. If she’d followed through, and he’d tried to lie, Apollo would’ve known. Athena probably had a pretty good sense too, but she kept it to herself.Phoenix waited until he was sure they were all gone before he packed up his bag and left the office. It was mostly dark now. He hopped on his bike and headed for home. His own apartment, not Miles’. They’d been together more than a year, and he still hadn’t made up his mind on whether or not to move in. Not that Miles hadn’t asked, more than once in fact. Phoenix had always turned him down with one excuse or another.Regardless, Phoenix wasn’t headed to see Miles anyway. He was spending the evening with Franziska, and they wouldn’t see each other until the following evening anyway. So now it was back to his own place for a long, hot shower and an evening of not having to hold it together for anyone else.

December 24, 6:00 PM
Phoenix Wright’s Apartment

Phoenix turned the key in the lock, opened the door, and instantly knew something was off. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and a long, slow shiver ran down his spine. He flicked on the lights and nearly screamed.On his sofa, looking as posh and polished as ever, sat Kristoph Gavin.Who was supposed to be dead.He was definitely dead. Phoenix had been there, nearly a year ago. Yet here he was, seated on Phoenix’s couch as if that were the most natural thing in the world.“You’re dead,” Phoenix blurted.“Yes, of course I am.” Kristoph huffed and shoved his glasses back into place.“Okay, good. I was starting to think—Objection! What the hell are you doing here?”Obviously, someone was channeling him. It was a good bet it was one of the Fey women, but for the life of him, Phoenix couldn’t figure out why. He was fairly sure neither of them would consider this a particularly good prank nor a pleasant holiday gift.“Oh, Wright.” Kristoph shook his head, making his silky blond hair sway.Even after all this time, and all the terrible things Kristoph had done, Phoenix still found him irresistibly attractive.“Don’t you ‘Oh, Wright’ at me. I thought I was rid of you, and yet here you are.”“Yes, because I must deliver an important message to you. Not that I wanted to, but I wasn’t given the option to say no. Trust me, I would rather be anywhere else right now.”Ah, good old Kristoph. Still an ass of epic proportions, even in the spirit realm.“So, what’s the message? Go ahead and deliver it so you can get out of my perfectly spiky hair.”Kristoph chuckled. “Still impatient, I see. Give me a moment to enjoy your discomfort first.”“Whatever.” Phoenix sat in a chair across from him and glared at his former associate. Former lover. Former person he trusted who ended up finding at least six different ways to betray him.Apparently Kristoph had enough time to relish Phoenix’s annoyance because he said, “I was instructed to come here and tell you to get your head out of your ass.”“Those were the exact words? ‘Tell Phoenix Wright to get his head out of his ass’?”“Perhaps not precisely, but that was the idea, yes.” He scowled. “I was also told to let you know you could end up like me if you don’t.”“That’s certainly motivation enough right there.”“Harsh, and I highly doubt it. The one who sent me seems to think you need a push in the correct direction. To that end, you will be visited by three more spirits tonight.”“And will they be as delightful as you?”“Who knows? I certainly don’t, nor do I care.”“I see death hasn’t mellowed you in the least.” Phoenix snorted. “I never did understand why someone like you had such an intense need to target me.”“As though you don’t already know the answer to that.” For a fleeting moment, Kristoph looked almost regretful.“Fine. You’ve said what you came to say, and now you can go.” Phoenix stood and crossed his arms.“Ah, looks like I shouldn’t expect a proper send-off from you.” Kristoph gave him a wicked smirk.“Not a chance. Not only do I not know whose body you’re using—which is all kinds of icky—but I wouldn’t put my lips on you if you were the last human alive.”“Fair enough.” Kristoph elegantly uncrossed his legs and stood. “I hope not to see you on the other side, Wright. Good luck with the rest of your night.”He let himself out of the apartment, leaving Phoenix staring after him and wondering what was to come.
To be continued...

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Stave Two

December 25, Midnight
Phoenix Wright’s Bedroom

Phoenix woke with a start and instantly had the distinct impression he was being watched. The bells from a nearby church were playing a gentle melody, and light from a street lamp poured in through the open curtain. That must’ve been what woke him, since he was sure he’d closed them when he went to bed.Now fully awake, eyes adjusted to the light, he looked for the source of the eerie feeling he had. A young man sat on his dresser, reading the book Miles had left the last time he stayed over.“Oh, good, you’re awake.” The man smiled. He had traces of an upperclass English accent, but it was fairly obvious his native language must’ve been Japanese.At least he was more pleasant than Kristoph. Phoenix hauled himself up and then regretted it as his back twinged.“Y-yeah. You must be the first of the ‘three spirits’ Kristoph mentioned.“Christmas past.” Another smile; was it a little shy? “I have to admit, I like the form the channeling took. Usually, I think we’re stuck with the age at which we died. I was elderly by then. It’s nice to be a young man again, even for a short while.”He did look very young indeed, at least ten or maybe even fifteen years younger than Phoenix. He also looked familiar, a sense which grew the longer Phoenix stared at him. Not anyone Phoenix knew from a trial, though, as this man had apparently died of natural causes.“I didn’t know there was ever a choice of how a spirit appeared when channeled. I suppose there must be a reason you’re here in this form.”“Most likely.” The young man slid off the dresser and stood, back straight and hands behind his back. That was when Phoenix noticed his arm band, yet another clue. “Are you ready for our journey?”“I suppose so.” Phoenix swung his feet over the side of the bed and stuck them in his slippers. He shrugged on a bathrobe. As he tightened the sash, he said, “Who are you? I know I’ve seen you before.”“Of course you have.” The man chuckled but hid it as a cough into his fist. “You and Miss Fey—Maya?—visited me once in Japan.”“I remember that! We had a devil of a time getting home.” Phoenix relaxed. (I also hadn’t known we could visit history that way.)So the spirit of the past was his own ancestor, Ryunosuke Naruhodo. He supposed it made sense. In a weird sort of way, it also seemed right that he would be his younger self now. At least this was one spirit who Phoenix knew would show kindness, unlike Kristoph. Although he did feel some shame in having his forebear see him in this state.Now that he knew who his visitor was, he wondered why he hadn’t recognized him from the start. He had fond memories of paging through his mother’s well-worn scrapbooks, which had decades’ worth of photos, news clippings and details about their family history dating back to long before her parents came to the U.S.“Why don’t you go make us some tea, and I will prepare everything we need.” Ryunosuke offered another shy smile.Phoenix padded into the kitchen to put on the water. (Is this strange for him?) He wondered how his guest would feel about the electric kettle or if he’d seen one in another instance of being channeled. He also wondered what Ryunosuke was up to in Phoenix’s absence.A short time later, Phoenix brought the tea into the living room and set it on the scuffed coffee table. Ryunosuke was already seated on the shabby sofa with a tower of photo albums and files on the floor at his feet. He patted the space next to him.“Mm. The tea smells wonderful. We should drink it—”“—while it’s hot,” Phoenix finished, and they both laughed.They sipped quietly without conversation, yet the silence between them wasn’t strange or tense. Ancester Ryunosuke was a gentle soul, and his presence comforted Phoenix in a way he couldn’t put into words.Afterward, Ryunosuke pulled the top photo album off the stack and opened it. Phoenix almost laughed at the first picture. It was of Miles, Larry, and him at the class holiday party. Because their school had students from many different places and cultures, the party was a hodgepodge of every possible winter holiday. In the photo, Larry was decorating a very grumpy Miles with silver garland, and Phoenix was making a silly face at the lumpy handmade dreidel he was holding. Behind them, there were decorations to represent eleven different world holidays celebrated in December.Ryunosuke was eyeing him, that same little smile on his lips. He was obviously getting some vicarious enjoyment from watching Phoenix flip through the photos. That was the only one Miles was in, but there were a good number more of Phoenix celebrating with Larry’s family.“Until I lived in England, I didn’t know anything much about Christmas.”“My family didn’t really celebrate it, other than having off school and work because it’s a national holiday here. I guess it’s pretty religious for some people but not everyone.” Phoenix pointed to one picture taken at Larry’s house. “His mom, like mine, is Japanese, but his dad isn’t. They celebrate Hanukkah as well as Christmas.”Ryunosuke’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s a lot of candles really close together. Did they ever set something on fire?”Phoenix laughed. “This is Larry we’re talking about, so yes. But I guess that’s not typical.”“Let’s look at the next one.”Phoenix cringed. Those were his college years, when he’d started off as an art student. A little ambitious—he’d wanted to be a museum curator of fine arts. He’d spent a lot of time in the theater department too, painting sets. He had to admit that as bizarre as they could be, Larry’s drawings were much more skilled than his own had been.“Have you ever wished you’d kept studying what you started with?”Phoenix wondered if there was more to the question than simply asking him if he had regrets. If he were honest, the answer would always be no. Kristoph treated him like he wasn’t too bright, and Miles sometimes teased him about his (lack of) reading habits. But in truth, Phoenix loved his legal studies and did his best to keep his skills sharp. There was a good reason Miles kept him in his emergency contacts even when he was disbarred. Had he read the extensive collection of books Mia had left to him? Nope. But he had his own, and they were well worn.“No. Not even once,” he told Ryunosuke.“I understand.”What he did regret, however, was the young woman in the next several pictures. Whether it was Dahlia or Iris, he would never really know. No more than he would ever know if he’d truly loved her or merely the idea of her. The first girl to take an interest in him. Larry sometimes got it backwards and chased the wrong women, but he also had more than his share of women who were happy to fawn over him. Phoenix had never been so lucky. Maybe he hadn’t really wanted to be.For the next while, Phoenix flipped through old pictures and case files. Looking at the ones of Mia was painful, and once or twice, he had to stop. He’d been so happy then, working with her. He ran his finger around the edges of one he’d taken of her wrapping a string of tiny, colorful lights around Charley, her eyes and her smile bright.“I miss her,” he finally said. “So, so much.” He put his head in his hands.So softly Phoenix almost missed it, Ryunosuke said, “Remember what she taught you.”

“That evidence is the only ammunition you have in court.”

Phoenix’s head snapped up. “Is that why you’re here?”“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”“Let’s see if I can put it together, then. Your purpose in coming here is to show me memories and get me to think about why I wanted to become a lawyer in the first place. Someone—whoever thought this was a good idea—believes I’m on the verge of quitting and is sending spirits to convince me not to.”Ryunosuke was listening intently and tilted his head. “What evidence do you have for this?”“The pictures of Larry and Miles and Mia, and your prompt to recall what she said.”“I fear you are a long way off the mark, Phoenix.”He pulled the next album from the stack. Phoenix shot out his hand to stop him. “Please.”Ignoring him, Ryunosuke opened the book. The first Christmas after Phoenix had been disbarred. He wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, look away, slam the book closed—anything to avoid looking at himself. He was a shell of a man, disheveled, drunk—for all he’d downplayed that history to Apollo—and barely doing what he could to make the holiday less painful for Trucy. The next Christmas was no better. He’d nearly lost her that year.By the third Christmas with Trucy, he looked marginally better. For two years, he’d been sad and angry, mostly allowing Trucy to do the caretaking. He knew Athena’s word for what he’d done: parentification. He’d placed a child in the role of an adult and given her the responsibility of looking out for his depressed, drunk ass. It was a near miracle no one had contacted child services again.His gaze kept wandering to the pictures from those first two holidays. He suddenly wanted to hit things when he realized who had taken them. Kristoph, the person responsible for his situation, had also enabled him in numerous ways. He got off on Phoenix’s misery. It wasn’t surprising he’d wanted it immortalized in print.What he hadn’t captured was the trauma.“Please,” Phoenix begged. “Stop.”Ryunosuke nodded. He opened one of the albums to a picture of Phoenix and Mia immediately after his first trial. Phoenix wasn’t sure who took the picture, but the two of them were both smiling. There was an extended silence, during which he remembered something else Mia had said.

“We never really know if our clients are guilty or innocent. All we can do is believe in them. And in order to believe in them, you have to believe in yourself.”

She’d believed in him from the moment she defended him in court until the very last time he’d spoken to her. At that time, she’d told him he was ready to set sail on his own. He wasn’t a baby lawyer anymore, but he also no longer had the same faith in his abilities he’d once had.“A long time ago, I would have agreed with Mia. Now…”Ryunosuke gripped his hand. “You’ve got this."“I wish she were still here to help me.”“She is. Your Mia is in here.” He placed a hand over Phoenix’s heart.Phoenix wiped his eyes. “She told me she would be watching me and we would meet again one day.”Warmth spread through his whole body. Maybe he couldn’t still see or hear her, but he always felt a little bit of her each time he defended someone in court. Could he find his lost faith again? Maybe. While he was thinking about it something else she’d once said came to mind. He couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up.

“Her clothes are a bit small.”

The first time she’d been channeled by little Pearl. It made Phoenix blush just thinking about exactly how small those clothes had been. He’d had difficulty keeping his eyes where they belonged. He’d never been interested in Mia as anything other than a friend and mentor, but she truly did have the world’s most fabulous—and distracting—breasts.He blushed even harder when he realized Ryunosuke was eyeing him strangely. “Sorry. I was remembering all the…ah…fun we had together.”“Of course.”“So what do I do now?”Ryunosuke shrugged one shoulder, the motion elegant in a much different and better way than Kristoph’s airs. “Only you can answer that. I have great hope that you’ll be able to after the other spirits’ visits.”He gripped Phoenix’s upper arms affectionately for a moment before he retreated and bowed. Phoenix clumsily returned the gesture. Ryunosuke smiled again over his shoulder before leaving the apartment.Phoenix sank down on the ancient sofa. He didn’t feel especially sleepy anymore and had in mind to stay awake until the next spirit arrived. However, the universe had other plans for him, and he slowly drifted off. The last thing he remembered was yet another wise piece of advice Mia had given him.

“Never let go of what you believe in. Never.”

To be continued...

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Stave Three

December 25, 2:00 AM
Phoenix Wright’s Living Room

“Nnngghhhh,” Phoenix groaned.He’d fallen asleep on his couch. Not as bad as the one in the office, but not good, either. His back protested when he sat up, blinking and rubbing his eyes. It was no wonder he’d woken up. Every goddamn light in the entire apartment was now on for absolutely no reason whatsoever. When he finally adjusted to the brightness, he groaned again.In the chair opposite him sat Dhurke Sahdmadhi.He wasn’t as unwelcome a sight as Kristoph, but he also wouldn’t be quite as pleasant company as Ryunosuke. In fact, he was positively grinning at Phoenix right then.“So you’re the next ‘spirit,’ huh?”“Of course!” Dhurke stood. “Get up, Wright. We’re going on a little trip!”God forbid he’d give a man some time to get dressed and brush his teeth. The entire time, he kept yelling at Phoenix to hurry it up. The only reason Phoenix didn’t yell back was that he had no doubt he’d be in even bigger trouble if Apollo’s father-by-nurture had any idea how much worse off his son was now compared to his life in Khura’in.“You’ll want a jacket.”
(Yes, thanks, Mom.)
Phoenix obeyed and grabbed a light coat. They stepped out into the chilly night. A car was waiting outside for them, hopefully not to be driven by Dhurke. He was in luck; somehow, Dhurke had managed to get them a car service. He passed a piece of paper up to the driver, and they were off.At the first stop, Phoenix shrank down in his seat. He probably should’ve realized that they were going to hit up all his friends and chosen family. In the two-story house where they sat parked in the driveway, only the kitchen light was on. Electric candles shone in the other windows, elegant and understated compared to some of the outdoor decorations on other nearby houses.“Out,” Dhurke ordered. He said something to the driver and followed Phoenix. “I’m sure you recognize this place.”“Of course I do.”How could he not know Miles’ house, the place he’d spent most of his time over the previous year-plus? Although in fairness, it was a bit strange to be creeping around to the back instead of going in through the front door.Dhurke put a finger to his lips and motioned for Phoenix to sit in one of the chairs on the back porch. The window was open, so they could hear every word of the conversation taking place inside.“…foolish fool knew exactly what I would do to him if this happened.” Franziska, naturally.“It isn’t like that.” Phoenix imagined Miles shaking his head.“Then tell me what it is like, because from here, it looks very much as if he’s causing you great pain.”Phoenix cringed. She definitely didn’t mince words.“Not in the way you believe, no.” Miles sighed, and there was a longish pause. They were probably having tea, and he was taking the moment while he sipped to think of what to say. “He is far too proud to come to me. I understand the feeling.”“So he does not trust you.”“That is only partially true, and only in this instance. But admit it, you do not trust me either.”“Not when I can see how much this is troubling you!”“Franziska.” His tone was stern. “I have already spoken with Miss Fey, and you will need to wait and see. If this goes as planned…”“And if it does not?”“Then you still have your whip, yes?” A low chuckle.“Hmph.”“………”“…yes.”“Good answer.” Another long pause. “I do love him, you know.”“I am aware, although I still think you are both utter fools.”Dhurke crooked his finger and beckoned to Phoenix. They slipped back around to the front and slid into the waiting car before either of them said a word.“He thinks I don’t trust him.”“That’s because you don’t.” Painfully, yet accurately, blunt.“I shouldn’t be relying on him for every little thing!”“Is that something you’ve ever done?” Dhurke sounded genuinely curious.He wouldn’t know anything at all about Phoenix’s history with Miles. For an eternity, Miles had been convinced he owed Phoenix some kind of life debt for putting all the pieces in place about his father’s murder. If that had ever been the case, he’d long since paid it, and now the situation was reversed.“Sort of, yes.”“Hm.”Phoenix eyed him suspiciously but then changed the subject. “What did they mean about a plan?”Dhurke laughed. “Can’t give away all our secrets yet, my friend. Let’s go to our next destination.”They drove to an unfamiliar neighborhood full of quaint, small houses. Here, the holiday decorations had a vintage feel, and they were much more of a hodgepodge than Miles’ street. Somewhere nearby, music filtered out into the night. The place they pulled up to only had a porch light on. There was still a menorah in the window, unlit, as Hanukkah had ended some weeks prior.The two of them sat on the front stoop. Like Miles’ house, the window was open, despite the chill. Inside, Phoenix heard light laughter and glasses clinking. He wondered whose home it was, as this wasn’t any place he’d ever been. His curiosity was satisfied a moment later when he heard Larry’s voice.“Hey, thanks, Anya. This was super.”Phoenix imagined Larry’s wide grin, and it made him smile too. He’d never heard him this happy before.“Aw, love, you’re so welcome.”“You’re okay with everything else I told you?” Larry sounded worried.“Of course. When you explained it, I knew I had to help you.”“You’re the best, An.”What in the world could she be helping him with? Larry wasn’t exactly known for making good decisions, but he actually sounded…well, like he had his head screwed on straight for once. Phoenix doubted this woman—Anya, apparently—would be doing anything for him if all he wanted was sex and money.“I know I’m not the brightest bulb, but I knew something wasn’t right.” Larry sounded oddly serious.“Your friend is hurting. There’s a lot of history there.” Pause. “You’re doing the right thing.”“I sure as heck hope so.”“You know, I’m looking forward to tomorrow night.” Anya giggled. “I mean tonight, I guess.”“Wait til you see my mom’s tree. Looks like a damn holiday special puked in there.”They both laughed. Phoenix had to put his hand over his mouth so he wouldn’t be heard. Larry wasn’t wrong. Dhurke gave him a dark look, and he forced himself to calm down. That led him to realize…Larry was inviting Anya to meet his parents?So it was serious. In nearly thirty years of friendship, Phoenix couldn’t recall Larry introducing any woman to his family post-high school. He marveled at Larry having found someone who fit so well he wanted to take the next step with her.Dhurke put a hand on Phoenix’s shoulder, indicating it was time to go. They returned to the car, and Phoenix was so caught up in his thoughts about Larry that he remained silent the entire drive to their next destination. He was so distracted he didn’t realize at first where they were until Dhurke said something.“Last stop.”“Wait.”Phoenix was frozen in place. This was where Apollo lived. He didn’t want to see it, to know what sort of place Apollo could pay for on the measly income from the Wright Anything Agency.Dhurke’s low chuckle brought him back to reality. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, and you’re dead wrong.” He laughed even harder when he said “dead.”“I’m sorry, but I’m confused.”“You’re worried that my son—my son!—is living some kind of terrible existence. You do know he grew up hiding from the public, right?”“Uh…well, yes, but—”“It’s not a glamorous life. Apollo isn’t some delicate blossom who can’t handle a challenge. Now, let’s go.”They climbed the stairs to Apollo’s apartment. Phoenix supposed it couldn’t be terrible, or Thalassa might not want to stay there. He didn’t question why the door was slightly ajar, although that was a little strange. He seemed to recall some traditions where that was typical, and he supposed Apollo might also be poking a little fun at Trucy about her childhood belief that Santa couldn’t come in if they didn’t leave the door open.Christmas had never been of much importance to Phoenix, but Trucy had lived her early years with magicians. Naturally, anything magical sparked her interest. He remembered her begging him to put out milk and cookies for Santa and wondering whether he would visit their apartment since they didn’t have a chimney. She’d outgrown that stage all too quickly.Something brushed against Phoenix’s leg, and he jumped. When he recovered, he spotted a fluffy tail disappearing through the gap into Apollo’s apartment. Only Mikeko, then, which explained the door being ajar. Phoenix relaxed and settled against the wall next to Dhurke.Like Anya’s house, this one too was filled with laughter. It sounded like more than just Apollo, Trucy, and their mother. After a short time, he picked out Athena’s voice and…was that Klavier? He muffled a snort. It was about time. Dhurke elbowed him and gave him a reproachful glare. Right, they were trying to be quiet so no one would know they’d been eavesdropping on multiple people’s conversations for the last forty minutes.“Athena’s got the giggles,” Trucy said.“Mom! Did you let her have the champagne?” Apollo sounded horrified.“She’d never tried it before.”“Yeah, because she’s barely legal!”Athena hiccuped loudly, which sent her into another fit of giggles.“Herr Forehead, I don’t think that is from three sips of champagne.” Klavier did sound a bit tipsy.“Oh no!” Trucy gasped. “I think she’s absorbing Mr. Gavin’s emotions!”“Oh, my god.” Now Apollo sounded exasperated. “How the hell did you get drunk from one glass?”“You said we were toasting your successful return to the Wright Anything Agency. I may have had more than one. This is a celebration!”“It’s also how we’re going to get my boss to listen to us for once, and I don’t see how you’re going to be any help at all if you’re hungover tomorrow.”That grabbed Phoenix’s attention. Not only for the somewhat amusing prospect of seeing Klavier after overindulging but also because…listen to them about what?They all went quiet. The only sound was some light music, something soft and jazzy. It was a while before anyone spoke again.Athena asked, “Have you talked to Maya again?”“Not since yesterday. She assured me she would do what she could. I guess we’ll have to see come tomorrow.”“I’m worried about Daddy,” Trucy said.“He’s definitely not been himself. But I think we know why.”“We do. But he doesn’t seem to remember.” Athena paused, and Phoenix imagined she was twirling her earring. “Or maybe doesn’t want to remember. None of us were even there, but I’m losing my mind from all those colliding emotions. I swear I can feel them all the way over here.”Phoenix’s heart skipped a beat. He’d forgotten Athena would be able to sense him even now.“He’d gotten sober by the time I met him,” Apollo said. “But he was still…I don’t know, honestly. I gather it was a lot worse before that.”“Did you know it was Christmas when they took Trucy away from him for a while?” Klavier asked. He sounded less intoxicated now.“Wait, what?” Athena was probably staring at him with her mouth hanging open.“It’s true,” Trucy confirmed.“It’s my fault,” Klavier told them quietly. “Or…well, it was my brother’s doing, really, but I never stopped him.” Extended pause. “Fucking bastard.”There was another silence, during which Phoenix imagined Apollo offering comfort to Klavier.“Did you know what he was trying to do?” Athena asked.“Not in full, no. He had me convinced he had Herr Wright’s best interest in mind.”“Then how is it your fault?” Apollo demanded. “You couldn’t have foreseen it.”“I did finally realize he wasn’t being helpful or a good friend, and what he’d done backfired. He’d thought Herr Wright would lose Trucy and it would finally destroy him.”“But it had the opposite effect,” Athena said.“Yes, except every year since then…” There was a pause. “Herr Wright’s been avoiding our office again.”“Herr Wright’s been avoiding our office again.”“I know, because he’s been sending me on all the errands.” Apollo snickered. “I think it was mostly for my benefit at first.”“And mine.” Klavier Klavier sounded adoring.“I love the boss, but jeepers, it’s been bad lately. Nice to have a night to ourselves, honestly,” Athena remarked.“And be able to talk about things without worrying it’ll send him over the edge,” Apollo added.They were quiet again for a moment before Trucy said, “I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to tell him Mom needs another surgery if he thinks he’s responsible for all of us.”“Which he’s going to think, unless Maya’s plan works.”So it was Maya’s doing, this whole “three spirits” thing. Phoenix cringed at the idea either Maya or Pearls would’ve had to channel Kristoph. At least he’d managed to behave himself, more or less. He suspected Maya was the one Channeling Dhurke, since she’d done it before.Speaking of which, Dhurke nudged him. Time to go, then. They crept silently away from the open door, and Phoenix only looked back once to see it closing.Back in the car, he had a lot to consider. He still didn’t understand what Maya was doing. Everyone had said she had a plan, but it couldn’t just be sending dead people to drag him through old photos and overheard conversations. He wanted answers.“What’s really going on?” he demanded the minute the driver pulled away from the curb.“I can’t tell you that. I think you’ll know once you wake up in the morning, but even I wasn’t given all the details.”“Well, what details were you given? Let’s start there.”“A letter, which I read as soon as I awoke. It had instructions to bring you to those three locations. The person who left the note only said it was to help you.” Dhurke clapped him on the shoulder. “I figured you’d done so much for me, I could easily return the favor.”“I…didn’t know it had meant so much to you.”“More than you know.”They arrived back at Phoenix’s apartment. Dhurke didn’t come inside this time. Instead, he pulled Phoenix into a crushing embrace.When he could breathe again, Phoenix said, “Y-you’re not upset about Apollo?”“What’s there to be upset about? He sounded as if he was in good spirits.” Dhurke chuckled.“But—”Dhurke cut him off. “You’ve nothing to apologize for.” He leaned in, his expression turning serious. “Although if I hear he’s been poorly treated, I will return to…discuss it with you.” He roared with laughter. “You should see your face! I was only joking.”“W-well, that’s good…”“Listen. You’ve taken good care of my son, and that’s all I can ask. Don’t go so hard on yourself.” He grinned. “I hear that’s what the prosecutors are for.”His booming laugh rang in Phoenix’s ears even as Dhurke got back in the car and sped away. Phoenix trudged up to his apartment, suddenly aware of exactly how exhausted he was. He fell into bed, his last waking thought to wonder how long he had to sleep before the last spirit woke him.
To be continued...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Stave Four

December 25, 4:00 AM
Phoenix Wright’s Kitchen

When Phoenix padded into the kitchen for a glass of water, he stopped short in the doorway. It seemed he was destined to be plagued by the spirits of deceased defense attorneys that night. Seated at his table, somehow both casual and professional, was…Mia Fey.It took every bit of his strength not to rush to her and hold her. Even though he was now quite a bit older than she had been when she died, he still saw her as a beloved big sister. He wanted to absorb her energy, the wisdom she’d always possessed far beyond her age. Instead he stood, unmoving, too overcome to do anything more than stare at her.She looked up then and smiled, flipping her hair away from her face. “Hello, Phoenix. It’s been a long time.”That undid him. He rushed to her and knelt beside her, laying his head in her lap and sobbing. She ran her fingers through his hair and whispered soft shush-shushing sounds like a mother comforting a child. His whole body shook, and he gasped, trying to regain his composure. Eventually, he got hold of himself and sat back to look up at her.“I’m so sorry,” he said, fresh tears collecting.“No, I understand. How long has it been? Ten years?”Phoenix wiped his eyes and nose. “Yeah, I think so. B-but that’s not what I meant.”“I know.”“Why are you here now?” He hauled himself off the floor and pulled out the chair next to her.“Maya said you needed me.” Mia adjusted her position and reached out a hand.Phoenix didn’t take it. “But why now, Mia? There were so many times I needed you. I-I—” (Made a mess of everything you left me, even after you believed in me.)“You made some mistakes, yes. We all do. We’re only human, after all. Are you so sure I could’ve done anything?”
(Could she have stopped me from presenting false evidence? Or recognized Kristoph for who he was?)
“I don’t know.” He thought about her last words to him.

You were as good out there today as any defense lawyer could ever hope to be. There’s nothing more you can learn from me.

“I meant what I said. Everything you’ve done you had to learn for yourself. I might have been able to put it off a little longer, but in the end, you had to make your own choices.”“Yet you’re here now.”He finally let her take his hand. “Because this isn’t about what you do in court. You haven’t faced your own future yet.”“What does that mean?”Mia didn’t answer. Instead, she stood and began looking through Phoenix’s cupboards. She eventually produced a bag of coffee, which he only kept around for the occasional guest who didn’t enjoy tea. He watched her prepare it, noting that she was wearing her professional attire and not the clothes of whichever spirit medium was channeling her. Both Maya and Pearls now had enough experience and practice to be able to fully take on the appearance of whoever they channeled, and they’d probably had a set of size-appropriate clothes ready. Phoenix chuckled.Mia turned. “What?”“Just thinking that Pearls’ clothes are still a bit small for you.”“She is tiny, isn’t she?” Mia laughed as she brought her coffee and Phoenix’s tea to the table.Mia made a face at the first sip. True, it wasn’t as good as freshly ground coffee would’ve been, but it was all he had. No one else ever drank it. He and Apollo would grab whatever tea was on hand; Larry was a beer guy; Maya, Pearls, Trucy, and Athena preferred cocoa; and Miles was picky enough that he brought his own. Yet Phoenix still replaced the coffee every time it expired. Maybe it was his way of keeping Mia close.“What did you mean about not facing my future?” Phoenix stirred his tea as a way of avoiding Mia’s gaze.“Not going to give us time to work up to it, I see.”“Nope.”“Tell me, do you really not remember why you hate this time of year?”His head snapped up. “Objection! I don’t hate it!” At Mia’s arched eyebrow, he amended that to, “I just prefer to get it over with quickly.”“You used to love it,” she said softly.“That was a long time ago.”He scrambled not to allow the memories popping up—spending the holiday with Larry in his religiously-diverse household; the company Christmas party, which consisted of himself, Mia, and Charley; Trucy eagerly asking him to explain Santa and then begging to leave out cookies and milk. The year he spent Christmas investigating and in court to defend Miles.“Either way, you have to face it.” She squeezed his hand then let go. “Your future depends on it.” She stood, leaving her half-finished coffee. “Come on, let’s go.”He lost track of how they ended up there, but the next thing he was aware of was unlocking the office and Mia following him inside. She went straight to the file cabinet and knelt to see the bottom row—all the documents from Phoenix’s first year. He knew which one she was after and he tried to make his mouth move, to demand she leave it where it was. He didn’t want to look at it. Hadn’t he already been visited by one spirit charged with a trip down memory lane?Mia seemed unaware or unconcerned with the Official Rules of Holiday Spirits. She plunked the heavy file on the desk. Phoenix had long since put everything in digital format, but he hadn’t gotten rid of the chunky binders containing old case notes. Now he regretted it, though Mia likely would’ve found another way. Maya had probably left her a note with his passwords.“You need to see it,” she said, opening the binder.“No.” He backed away. There was nothing new in there.“What I don’t understand,” she said, running her finger down the page, “is why you’re worried about it, all this time later.”
(That is why. We never talk about it. Why would we? I ruined at least five people’s lives while trying to save one. In the end, I wasn’t even able to do that.)
“How many times has Miles asked you to come live with him?”“What’s that got to do with—”“How. Many?”Phoenix sighed. “Three. He asked after the new year, but I said I wasn’t ready. Trucy hadn’t finished high school. Then he asked again around our one year anniversary.” He swallowed. “And last month.”“Would he really do that if he thought you would ruin his life or reputation?”(No.) “He might!”“Really, Phoenix?” Mia huffed. “You can be more dense than a holiday loaf.”He slumped. “There’s a lot you don’t know.” (Which you would have if you’d come to see me any time in the last ten years…)“Don’t you dare blame this on me.”(Yikes.) “I can’t give all of them what they need.” He swallowed thickly.“Since when is that on you? If there was one thing I failed to teach you it’s that you can only be responsible for your own choices, even when you’re the boss.”“But—”“When did you lose your faith in yourself, Phoenix?”“I—”“Because,” she said, crossing her arms, “this is not the person I left. Not even the person Maya told me you were last year.” She tapped the page in the binder again. “I know a case from a dozen years ago isn’t the cause, even if it’s somehow a factor. What really happened?”He sank down in the chair reserved for clients. “So many things.” (Apollo came back. Athena’s now a full adult with another college course of study under her belt. Trucy graduated high school. Maya’s leading Kurain Village. The loose ends are tied up…)There it was. It struck him then what was wrong. The world had changed around him, in largely good ways, but he’d failed to change with it.

We must never stall or stagnate but continue to grow and change.

The point wasn’t that he couldn’t be everything to everyone, but that they didn’t need him to. He looked up at Mia, and as his resolve slowly grew firm, he saw the mirrored change in her expression.“You have it now.” Her smile was warm and affectionate. “Go, use what you’ve learned.” She winked and flipped her hair again. “And for god’s sake, take Miles up on his offer. Why wouldn’t you want to live in his gorgeous home?”Phoenix laughed. They both stood, and she drew him into a hug. This time, he didn’t cling to her at all. They parted ways outside the office, and he made mental notes the whole way home. In the morning, he had a lot to do.
To be continued…

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Stave Five

December 25, 8:00 AM
Phoenix Wright’s Apartment

Phoenix had been awake until nearly six, then dozed off for about an hour. He took the world’s fastest shower, drank a quarter of a cup of tea, and sat around as long as he could stand it. He knew leaving at eight wouldn’t be too soon.Luckily, a hired car was nearby, so he didn’t have long to wait once he put in his request. On the way to his first stop, he bought breakfast for two. He was practically buzzing with excitement and a very long to-do list. Or rather, a long to-see list. He hoped everyone had gotten a good night’s sleep after their wee hours conversations.At some point, he would need to find Maya and both thank her and get the whole story. The more he thought about it, the more he figured she and Pearls had swapped out. It didn’t really matter, but he was curious how they’d managed it. He also wanted to know how they’d organized the entire group in order to make sure he caught the important parts of their conversations. Of course, Maya would probably keep it her secret, but he might as well at least ask.Time for his first stop. Fingers, toes, and spiky hair crossed for luck, he gathered the food bags and slipped out of the car.

December 25, 8:35 AM
Chief Prosecutor’s Office

Phoenix didn’t knock on the door. He knew it would be open, although whether he was still welcome remained to be seen. Miles looked up from whatever he was doing, his expression morphing from surprise to annoyance.
(Uh oh.)
“Phoenix Wright, what the devil are you doing in my office before nine in the morning in your goddamn pajamas?”Phoenix looked down. (Oops. Must’ve grabbed the wrong pants.) “Uh…coming to visit?” He rubbed the back of his head, attempting to win Miles over with an apologetic smile.“A visit.” Miles peered at him over his glasses. God, those were sexy.“I know it’s early…and it’s Christmas…and you have umpteen thousand things to do. But please hear me out, okay?”The corner of Miles’ mouth lifted a fraction of an inch. “You have my undivided attention.”Phoenix swept farther into the room and dragged a chair up to the desk. “I know I’ve been kind of a pain in the ass lately—”“Kind of?” Miles repeated.“Okay, a massive, huge pain in the ass. Satisfied?”“Quite.” The smile grew marginally.“I’ve been—if I can quote Franziska—a foolish fool acting foolishly. I know you think I don’t completely trust you, but I do. It’s just…well, I’m not used to this whole idea that I don’t have to take care of everyone all the time.”Miles coughed, but that smile remained firm. “No, you certainly don’t. In fact, I believe you may have earned some much-needed time being taken care of yourself.”“Which is what you’ve been trying to tell me, isn’t it?” Phoenix sighed. “I know what I want now, and…it’s you. Us. For us to be able to come home every night and cook our evening meal and talk about the day and watch Steel Samurai and argue about which season is best and make love and wake up every morning next to each other and have your pretentious tea together. Can…can we do that?”“Indeed.” Miles slid out of his chair and came around to the other side of the desk. “It is what I offered you in the first place.”“I know.”Phoenix stood and put a shaking hand on Miles’ shoulder. He couldn’t resist pulling him in for a long, slow kiss that rapidly turned into something that would’ve easily led to one of them bending the other over the desk if Miles hadn’t stopped them.“This is neither the time nor the place. But…I certainly wouldn’t mind continuing later, perhaps somewhere more…appropriate. And less likely to cause one or both of us to throw our backs out.”Phoenix laughed. “Fair enough. Listen, I’m going over to see Larry later. Are you joining us?”“Of course, but do check the location first. I do not believe Larry is hosting in his cramped apartment.”“Is it at Anya’s?”“Oh, you know about her, then. Yes, I believe so, but you will want to confirm that.” Miles gave him another quick kiss. “I shall see you later.”“Right. Yes! Oh.” Phoenix held up the bag. “I brought food, and then I forgot.”“I am pleased that I have that effect on you. Would you like to stay a little while?”“I could eat, yeah.” (I may need my strength for the next stops.)They finished the food quietly, Miles still reading through one file or another. It didn’t bother Phoenix. He appreciated the way Miles worked so calmly and diligently. The way he scanned and processed the documents with such ease and efficiency was a marvel, and Phoenix thought he might never get tired of watching him. Every so often, Miles glanced his way, amused when it made Phoenix flush.Eventually, he said goodbye and left Miles’ office. Outside the building, a pair of children were riding what looked like brand new bikes. They stopped and stared at Phoenix for a minute.“Isn’t that—” one of them stage-whispered.“—the Turnabout Terror,” the other one finished, sounding awed.
(I haven’t been called that in years.)
“He was just in the news a couple days ago. My mom was watching it online.”Both children tracked Phoenix with their eyes as he wheeled his bike.“I want to be a lawyer when I grow up,” the second kid said.“Not me! I’m gonna be a prosecutor. I heard my dads talking about how the Turnabout Terror and the Demon Prosecutor are back, and they’re really good role models.”“Pfft. Grown-ups always say stupid stuff like that. I just think lawyers are cool is all.”Phoenix chuckled softly and shrugged off his backpack. He had a bag of candy in there he’d planned to use to apologize to his staff, but he figured they wouldn’t miss a couple of pieces. He gave a few to each of the kids. They both politely thanked him, still sounding a bit stunned.“He’s so nice,” the first one whispered.“Yeah, not really a ’terror’ at all."As Phoenix mounted his bike again, he overheard both kids giggling and practicing their “Objection!” It gave him the courage he needed. He thought he might find everyone important in the same place, so that was where he headed. Whether or not they would welcome him in was another story.

December 25, 10:10 AM
Apollo Justice’s Apartment

This time, he did knock. When Apollo opened the door a crack, Phoenix gave him his best I’m-really-sorry-please-let-me-in look. It worked, because Apollo opened the door farther and gestured for Phoenix to enter.He was greeted by a sleepy crew of coworkers and family. Only Athena seemed to still have her usual amount of energy, but she appeared wary. So did Apollo. Phoenix couldn’t say he blamed them.“Uh. Ahem. I just wanted to say…that it’s fine for all of us to take the whole day off. I’m sorry for being so insensitive about it.” He cleared his throat. “And…I think it’s time to stop working as if I’m the only one who can make decisions. It might even be time to do a little rebranding.”“So…no more cleaning toilets no one uses?” Apollo asked.“And no more—” Athena glanced at Trucy and cringed. “—having to be sawed in half?”“No.” Phoenix came into the living room and sat on Apollo’s sofa. “It’s been…a lot lately. I should’ve trusted you more.”“Yes,” Athena said. “You should have.”He grimaced. “That’s fair. I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, but so much has changed. I didn’t know what to do with it all.”Apollo crossed his arms. “I came back because I knew I could do so much more than when I left. It hurts a little that you didn’t give me more credit.”“I know, and I’m sorry.” Phoenix put his head in his hands. “I understand now.” He finally looked up. “We’re in this together. I may be the one with my name on the door, but we’re…partners. Equals.”Apollo’s mouth dropped open. “Do you mean that?”“Of course I do.”“And me?” Athena asked. She sounded so hopeful.Phoenix nodded. “I think you’re ready.”By this time, Thalassa and Klavier had joined them. Thalassa perched daintily on one of the chairs. Klavier stood behind Apollo and wrapped his arms around him. It warmed Phoenix to see them so happy.For his own part, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been when Trucy was young, every day spent fighting his personal demons and searching desperately for the means to catch the person who put him in that position. But it was still bad, and one night of Maya channeling his deceased mentor wasn’t enough to fix it.“I need time to process everything, maybe with…some help. I promise, I’ll do what I need to.”“No shame in that, boss,” Athena said. “You know how I feel about it.”“Me too,” Apollo agreed.Klavier squeezed Apollo a little. “You saw how it was for me last year. You don’t grow up with that and not come out needing some therapy.”Phoenix turned to Thalassa. “I didn’t know things were so difficult for you. I’m sorry.”She waved a hand dismissively. “No need. I didn’t tell you because it’s not truly a big problem as long as I take care of it. You don’t need to worry, and you aren’t responsible for this.”Trucy had crept up without Phoenix noticing until she put her arms around him. “So you’re okay, Daddy?”“Hm, that’s a tough question. I’ll go with ‘yes and no’ for now. Will that do?”“Good enough for me.” She hugged him tight.“Since we all have the day off, I’m going to call Larry and accept his invitation. Should I ask if he’d welcome you too?”Athena grinned. “We already told him we’d be there.”“You were that sure Maya’s plan would work?”“Of course we were!” Apollo practically yelled, making Klavier jump. “After all, who knows you better than Maya, except maybe Mr. Edgeworth?”“Fair enough.” Phoenix looked down at himself. “Um…maybe I should go change first.”“But the Pikachu pattern is so charming,” Klavier said. Apollo swatted him, but he only laughed.“Charming or not, I’d rather not meet Larry’s girlfriend like this, thanks. I’ll see you all soon!”Two down, one to go. Phoenix could do this.

December 25, 4:00 PM
A Small, Quaint House

It had been a good party. Phoenix didn’t know everyone who stopped by—some of them were surely Anya’s friends or family—but there had been a few nice surprises. Ema joined them for a short time, and Phoenix was surprised she’d brought his old friend Adrian with her. Gumshoe and Maggey had been there, Maggey’s third baby bump just beginning to show. Even Franziska had come, complete with a dark look for Phoenix before she kissed him sweetly on both cheeks.Anya’s little home was cute and cozy. Anya herself was cute and cozy, tiny with frizzy brown hair and dark, sparkling eyes. Whether or not she was Larry’s forever love remained to be seen, but Phoenix was hopeful. He at least wanted her to stick around long enough for him to get to know her better.At some point, Phoenix pulled Maya and Pearl aside. He didn’t ask them what he really wanted to know—who was doing the channeling. Instead, he decided it was best not to know and thanked them for bringing him back to his senses. If he was lucky, they’d never have to do it again.As things were winding down, Larry suggested, “How about a group photo before everyone goes?”“Oh, I’ll take it!” Maggey offered.“Uh…no, I’ve got this,” Phoenix said.“You should be in it,” Thalassa told him. “I’ll take the picture.”As they were moving into place, Phoenix felt something and looked around. There, beside the sofa, were Mia, Dhurke, and Ryunosuke. Phoenix smiled, warmed by their presence. He’d never thought much about how or why he could sometimes see, hear, or feel their spirits, only that it was a comfort when he did.He looked past them, and to his surprise, Kristoph stood apart from them. Phoenix wondered if it was really true that spirits didn’t change after death. Dahlia certainly hadn’t, for the worse, and the other spirits hadn’t either, for the better. Yet here he was, looking as though he wished he could join them.

“As though you don’t already know the answer to that.”

He’d always been envious of Phoenix, almost from the beginning. They hadn’t even been romantically involved; it was purely physical, as far as Phoenix knew. But something now made him think it had been Kristoph’s attempt to deconstruct what made Phoenix rise so quickly. He also realized Kristoph’s envy extended to a place deep inside himself, somewhere even he didn’t want to acknowledge.In the present, Phoenix focused on Kristoph’s spirit. Klavier must’ve sensed his brother’s presence as well because he followed Phoenix’s gaze, a flicker of sadness passing across his face. Phoenix nodded first to Klavier and then to Kristoph. He received Kristoph’s raised eyebrow in exchange, followed by a return nod. Slowly, he faded out, and Phoenix and Klavier joined the rest of the group.The other spirits remained for the photo. When everyone was in position, Thalassa pointed the camera at them.“All right everyone, in three…two…one…everyone say—”
“Objection!”

End.