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Miles Edgeworth was a solitary man. Liked to stay alone for most of his time, though he sometimes talked to people he were close to. He had his childhood friend Larry, his adoptive sister Franziska, her girlfriend and his dear friend Maya, his friends in the police department and the prosecutor’s office, friends from high school and college that he still talked to occasionally, and that was that. Honestly, Miles was fine with not knowing that many people. He was an introvert, though he always enjoyed spending time with those he loved. Investigations with Gumshoe, Steel Samurai binges with Maya and Franziska, lunches with Larry. He was content with the people in his life.He worked his job as a prosecutor with seriousness, a no nonsense man committed to his work. There were many times where he worked late in the office, just to figure out a case that was stumping him, to the point that Maya or Larry would drag him away and out of the office. He’d worked for years, building up a good reputation among his peers. He was well respected by the prosecutor’s office and the police department, even the entire legal world. A man who put justice and truth above all, dedicated to his job no matter what. He was even set to become the next chief prosecutor of, after Lana Skye’s early retirement, just so she could spend her time with her sister Ema.Miles was working another late night, for some paperwork that he really needed to catch up on. A cup of some nice warm earl gray tea laid on his desk, as he typed away on his laptop. Paperwork was always the worst part of being a prosecutor, but it wasn’t bad all things considered. He loved his job as a prosecutor. Miles looked away from his laptop screen to take a sip of his tea, and as he did, his eyes flickered to a photo at his desk. A photo that had been there ever since he was a young prosecutor, a photo that he treasured with all of his heart, for the memory that it captured in paper. The beach, a young smiling Miles.His father.His father Gregory Edgeworth. He died when Miles was young, leaving him in the care of Gregory’s friend Manfred von Karma. Manfred had long since died too, and now it was just Franziska and Miles. He remembered the nights when his father would read him court cases to sleep, or when Manfred would help him study, no matter how impatient he got. Those were moments that Miles still treasured, even to this day. Sure, those memories were bathed with a blue melancholy, sadness that he could never have moments like those again. But Maya, she had told him that the beauty of life was that he experienced them in the first place. He liked that line of thought.He smiled, reaching out and caressing the photo of his father.At the sound of a notification on his laptop. He looked back at his screen, noticing another email from the prosecutor office’s professional email account.Ah, now was not the time for reminiscing, he had work to do.Miles was took a sip of his tea, before going back to his work. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ The beach.Miles loved the beach, ever since he was a child. His father loved the beach, taking him there frequently before he died. His father Gregory at some point joked that the beach was his second home. He hadn’t been to it in years, though. He still went frequently in high school while Manfred cared for him, him and friends swimming and building sand castles and wandering through the shores of the beach. But he’d just been so busy with his job as a prosecutor that he never found the time to. Larry was always saying that they should go sometime, and though they kept making plans, time and time again it got rescheduled and delayed. And really, it was comforting, being back in the beach. The sway of the palm trees along with the breeze, the feeling of warm sand on his feet, the sounds of crashing waves, it was all so calming that it had Miles smiling. He stared out into the seascape horizons, at the sparkling sapphire blue waters, and he felt right at home. The breeze was brisk on his face, looking up at the sky, at the white fluffy clouds that floated along lazily against the blue expanse of the sky.  And for some reason…he felt the need to walk, to wander through the shores of the seas until he found…something. He wasn’t sure what that was, he really wasn’t. But he just knew he needed to find it.As he walked through the shores, admiring the sights that the beach had to offer to him, he came across two lawn chairs. And sat on one of those chairs, was a man. A man that felt familiar, though he couldn’t exactly place why. He had a kind smiling face and spiky black hair, overlooking the waters of the seas. He seemed…lost, his gaze faraway as he admired the beautiful seascape around him, the light of the sun dancing in his eyes. He looked ethereal, in the gentle sun rays, light illuminating every handsome feature of his. And for some reason, he couldn’t explain why, he knew that he found what he was looking for.The man turned to Miles, seeming to expect him.“Ah, Edgeworth.” The man said, a kind smile on his face. “I’ve been waiting for you.”“You have.” Miles replied.“Come.” The man patted the other lawn chair. “Sit with me.”Miles nodded, sitting down on the lawn chair. He leaned back on the chair, admiring the waters of the sea. It really was beautiful, lights dancing in the crashing waves, blue and clear as a polished gemstone. He never got tired of it, watching every little way the waves danced along the waters, imagining how cold the water would feel on his skin. But he wanted to stay with this man, who sat next to him, silent. Something about his presence was…calming. As if just his presence would pacify even an enraged bull. His face was calm, kind and caring, as if he thought only about helping others.“The beach is beautiful, isn’t it?” The man finally said, after a few moments of silence.“Yes.” Miles replied, and he smiled. “I love the beach. My father and I used to come here often.”“It’s not a bad place to spend your time in.” The man said, then adding. “I’m sure you have lots of memories you treasure, here.”“I do. A majority of them, actually.” Miles smiled at the memories, and then he let out a little laugh. “Lord, I remember the time Larry tried to chase a hermit crab when we were children. He fell flat on his face.”“That must have been funny!” The man said, snickering.“It was, Franziska and Maya and I were laughing even after hours it happened. Larry wasn’t too upset about it.” Miles said, then humming thoughtfully. “It’s…unfortunate, that I no longer have the opportunity to have more memories to share with my father. Sometimes, I wish I could spend a moment longer with him.”“Well, isn’t the fact that you got to experience it all that matters? Life is beautiful cause it doesn’t last forever, and it makes the time you spend that much more precious.” The man said.“That’s the same thing Maya always says.” Miles said.“Well, it’s good advice.” The man said with a shrug.“That’s fair, uh…” Miles trailed off, just now realizing he didn’t know this man’s name.“…Phoenix.” The man, Phoenix, said. And he smiled. “My name is Phoenix Wright.”“Ah. Like the mythical being?”Phoenix laughed. “Yeah. After the mythical being.“The two laughed together, and Miles had to admit…it was comfortable. To talk with Phoenix. He was easy to talk to, making insightful comments, listening intently to every word that Miles said. Before long, they were talking for hours. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ “Miles Edgeworth, you’ve gotten paler.”Miles sighed.He had gotten paler, he had noticed. And thinner, and less energetic. Miles had never been an active man, pale from the lack of sun exposure. But he wasn’t deathly pale, he wasn’t lethargic, like he was now. Lately, Miles hadn’t had the energy to get up from his bed, or eat, or even take a casual stroll with Pess. He was sure it was nothing, the human body was an enigma and he was willing to chalk it up to his body being weird. Franziska must have noticed, watching with a keen eye whenever Miles ate less than he usually did whenever they had dinner together, or how quickly he became tired while climbing up the stairs. Honestly, he was stupid for thinking she wouldn’t.But really, it wasn’t a big deal.“It’s not serious, Franziska. I don’t go out often, of course I’m pale.” Miles said.“It’s not just that, Miles Edgeworth. You’ve been eating less, too.” Franziska said.“Yes.” Miles said.“You’ve been losing weight.”“Yes.”“Your health has been deteriorating.” Franziska said, matter of factly.Miles sighed in exasperation. “Yes, your point being?”“You need to go to the doctor.”“I’m probably fine, Franziska.”Franziska frowned. “I’m serious, little brother. Go to the doctor. This can be the sign of a serious ailment.”“Or maybe you’re just paranoid.” Miles shot back.Franziska glared at him.“…Alright.” Miles said with a sigh, he knew that Franziska meant well. “I’ll go to the doctor.”Franziska smiled, satisfied. “Thank you.”And it turned out that Franziska was right, something was wrong when he first went to the doctor.First Miles went for tests, and tests, and more tests. Some results were concerning, the doctors said, so he kept going back. At some point, it was getting tiring, and Miles was tempted to stop going to the hospital. But Franziska insisted, and when she insisted, she insisted. Days had passed, and then weeks, and still no results. Miles worked the rest of the days, deciding in his head that it probably wasn’t that serious. If it took this long, it probably wasn’t a big deal, right? Though, when Franziska had insisted that they go to the hospital for the results, Miles sighed and caved. But something was…different when they walked into the doctor’s office. She was somber, serious, unlike the light and optimistic tone she had before. And then, she broke the news.Leukemia.Miles Edgeworth had leukemia.Franziska was with him for the news, and she was so surprised that she whipped the doctor.The doctor had droned on, medical bullshit that Miles did not exactly understand. Acute something leukemia, Miles didn’t catch any of it, didn’t understand any of the medical terms that she said. Her words seemed to all blur together into one cacophonous noise. The shock of it was too much, the fact that he had cancer, and the whole world seemed to fade away. The red ink on his results were mocking him, taunting him with devastating news that would change  the rest of his life, even if he had any life left. He wasn’t sure when, but he was walking out of the office and down the corridors. He was thankful that Franziska was with him, because he caught none of what the doctor was saying.“You are to start treatment immediately. Chemotherapy.” Franziska was saying. “You will have to talk with Lana Skye about taking a medical leave, but I am sure she will allow it.”Miles frowned. “Oh.”“Doctor’s orders, Miles Edgeworth.” Franziska said, then adding. “This is a matter of life and death. Work can wait.”“I’d think that a fellow workaholic would know how I feel.” Miles grumbled.“I’m not foolish, little brother.” Franziska replied.“I am not foolish either.” Miles protested, and when Franziska raised a brow, he sighed. “I’m sorry, Franziska. This is just…very devastating news. I suppose I’m lashing out.”“No worries little brother. I understand, no matter how foolish it is.” Franziska replied.Miles rolled his eyes.Soon, the two were in the parking lot. He unlocked the car, watching it unlock with a beep, but before Miles could open the door, Franziska grabbed his arm.“No, you’re sick. I’ll drive.” Franziska simply said.Miles frowned. “You’re acting like I’m actively dying.”“Cancer is serious, Miles Edgeworth.” Franziska said, opening the car door on her own. “I’ll drive.”Miles scoffed, throwing up his hands in defeat.Though, he was thankful that Franziska was driving, even if he’d never admit it. He could be left alone to his thoughts, watching them pass by like the passing cars he saw out the window. He stared out the window, watching the surroundings pass by, surroundings that had become familiar to him as he grew up in the city of Los Angeles. His thoughts were jumbled, a mess of wires and tape that he didn’t know how to untangle. Miles sighed, looking down at the results in his hands, the doctor had given it to him.Guess he was going to spend a lot more time at the hospital. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ Miles smiled as he listened to the birdsongs of the forest.He had only ever gone camping to the forests once, with his father when he was around 12 years old. Miles wasn’t an outdoors person, and neither was his person. He honestly had no idea what possessed Gregory into getting them to camp. He was miserable the entire time, mosquitoes repeatedly biting him and getting scratched by every bush they trudged through. But when they had arrived at the campsite, his father setting down the tent for them, Miles had looked out to the lake they were next to, and he was amazed. It looked magical, straight out of a picture book. Serene, singing birds accompanied the gentle wave of the lake.And it looked just as magical now, even more so actually. Towering trees with dense foliage, sunlight filtering through the leaves, making speckled spots on the soft ground below. The lake was practically shimmering, the sunlight dancing along the waters. The lake shore was dense with foliage, lake weeds swaying along with the waves and water lilies bobbing on the water’s surface. From far away Miles could see great mountains, mountains that he was sure were mighty, but looked so small where he stood. He smiled at the birds singing, each individual bird singing in their own way, soon joining the orchestra of nature.And there, swimming in the waters, was Phoenix. Miles was starting to see him more often, in his dreams. Whenever he dreamt, he saw Phoenix. They would spend time with each other, talk about nothing in particular, and admire whatever beautiful scenery they were surrounded by. Miles…he liked Phoenix. He was wise, always giving him good advice on whatever ailed him. He was interesting, had such fresh perspectives on things that Miles had never thought about. He was kind, able to sympathize with anyone and everyone, always willing to lend a helping hand. Before long, Miles was comfortable calling him his friend.Phoenix surfaced from the waters, smiling when he saw Miles.“Come on in, Edgeworth! The water’s great!” Phoenix called out to him.Miles smiled, stepping into the lake waters.The two swam with each other, laughing as they had battles in the water, trying to splash each other. The water was cold on his skin, refreshing. Miles had fun swimming, he remembered being part of the swimming team when they were in high school, though he quickly dropped that when he went to college. So he was always glad whenever he got the opportunity, swimming was always fun. And once they were done swimming, he and Phoenix walked through the lake shores, Miles was recounting some funny story from his college days and Phoenix hung on every word, like everything Miles was saying was the most important thing on earth.“…And really, I am unsure how Larry ever thought it was a good idea. Thankfully Franziska was with us, though she had no qualms in calling me foolish after.” Miles was saying. He stopped as he realized that he was talking too much, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. “Ah, sorry. I apologize for talking too much.”“No no, it’s fine!” Phoenix said, and then he added. “I like hearing you talk, it’s nice.”Miles smiled. “Thank you, Wright.”Phoenix smiled, and then he said. “Oh! Maya, I’m curious about her. How did you two meet?”“Ah! We met in high school. Franziska was the one to introduce us to each other…as her girlfriend. I can’t believe she got a partner before me…”Miles continued to talk, his words floated in the air, joining the singing birds. Phoenix listened intently. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ It only set in now, just how sick he was.Miles was miserable in the hospital, sitting in his bed with nothing to do all day, except for reading and watching the TV whenever he had free time. That was, if he had free time. Nurses were always in the room, checking his vitals or whatever the hell they were doing. There were so many injections, of drugs that Miles didn’t know the name of, that he became used to the sight of syringes and the familiar sting of the needle on his arms. Even just the smallest abnormality was reported to the oncologist and it became a huge ordeal, and it happened so often that it became tiring at some point. Miles had trouble sleeping, he hardly ever had an appetite, and something was just off. Something he couldn’t pinpoint, couldn’t explain how or why, but he just felt off.He hated it.The only solace he had were his friends’ visits. Larry would reminisce about their childhood with him, Franziska would describe her recent cases, and Maya would watch Steel Samurai episodes with him. Their visits was always the highlight of his day, or the entire week. Larry’s funny jokes, Franziska’s detailed accounts, Maya’s optimism, it had Miles smiling even when they had already long left his room. And there was also Phoenix, visiting Miles’ dreams whenever he actually fell asleep. Getting to talk with Phoenix, explore the fantastical scenery of his dreams, it helped a lot. Miles always woke up with a smile after his dream.And then, at some point, Miles had noticed that his hair was thinning. He’d always had thick hair, he got it from his mother. His father had always said how jealous he was of Miles’ hair. His mother had died in childbirth, Miles never knew her. His hair was something that his mother had given him, the only thing he ever had of her. He wanted to hope, to hold on hope that his hair would recover. But after a week of his hair growing thinner and thinner, he knew it was hopeless. He asked Franziska to help shave his head, and she did. And when he saw his bald head, he almost wanted to cry. He was sick, extremely sick, and now…that sickness took away Miles’ only reminder of his mother.Miles had tried to hide how much it bothered him, but he knew that his friends had noticed. And it turned out, Larry had noticed the most. When he had walked into the room the next time he visited, he wore a big oversized orange beanie. Miles knew exactly the reason of why he was wearing it, but he decided to go along with whatever shenanigans Larry had in mind.“Heya Edgey!” Larry greeted Miles, a wide smile on his face.“Hello, Larry.” Miles said, then asking. “Why are you wearing a beanie?”“Oh, about that! I got a surprise for you!” Larry said, grinnng. “I know chemo’s been tough on you, Edgey. So…” He took off his beanie in a flourish, grinning as he showed off his bald head. “Tada! I shaved my head!”“Larry…” Miles smiled. “You didn’t have to.”“I wanted to, dude!” Larry said. “I wanted you to know Edgey, you aren’t alone! I know this cancer bullshit has been rough on ya, and I wanna help in any way I can! Even if it’s just shaving my head.”“You’re very proud of your hair…”“Yep! It gets me the chicks. But hey, bros before hoes right?”Miles chuckled. “I’m sure your ex-girlfriends wouldn’t appreciate being called “hoes”, Larry.”“Hey, I’m saying that affectionately!” Larry protested. “Hoes are the best! I love hoes!”“Larry, you are ridiculous.” Miles said, though he couldn’t stop himself from laughing.Larry was grinning. “C’mon, Edgey! Hoes! Hoes, bitch!”The two of them burst out laughing.Once Larry was done laughing, he said. “God, all of this hoe talk is making me think of literal hoes. Like, the one used for gardening and shit.” He then asked. “You remember Michael from sophomore year of high school, don’t you Edgey?”“Ah, Michael. Where is he now?” Miles asked.“He’s a florist now! Owns his own flower shop.” Larry answered.Miles was surprised. “Really? I’m surprised. He was uh…not very delicate in high school.”“A dick, yeah.” Larry said with a snicker. “I went to some random flower shop to buy some flowers for my girl, and there Michael was! We talked for a bit, and god, imagine my shock when he told me he had a wife and seven kids. Seven!” He shook his head. “Can you believe that?”“How did he meet his wife?”“Ah man, that’s a long story! I don’t remember much of it, but hoo boy it was a doozy to hear about…”Larry recounted a long winded story that was probably full of inaccuracies, but Miles didn’t care, smiling as he listened to his lifelong friend talk about some guy they used to know in high school. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ “…Come on, Edgeworth! I’m sure we’ll find it!”“Wright- slow down!”Miles wasn’t sure what he was expecting, when Phoenix led him away to the entrance of a cave, walking in like he owned the place. The cave carried their voices as they talked, echoing around them. He wasn’t sure how, but he could see everything in the caves, as though the caves wanted to make themselves known to the world, instead of being hidden like most caves  were. The stone around them was gray and rough, making sure to watch his step around the stalagmites that stood tall and proud from the cave floor. But Phoenix was leading him, kind and patient like he always was, that smile on his face a smile that Miles memorized at this point.They knew each other deeply at this point, months of spending blissful dreams together that Miles looked forward to every night. Their conversations, the time they spent together, the way they laughed with each other, Miles treasured each moment like it were a precious gemstone. Something was blossoming, something between them that Miles didn’t know. Something about his presence, his calm presence, his kind smile, his melodious laugh, it made Miles’ heart swell in joy in that wonderful way. It was beautiful, the feelings that burst from his heart every time he saw him, even if he had no idea what those feelings were. But right now, as Phoenix talked and Miles listened intently, he didn’t care. All he cared was that he was feeling them in the first place, and wasn’t that enough?“Where are you taking me, Wright?” Miles had asked as he stepped over another stalagmite.“You’ll see!” Phoenix answered.“…That’s not ominous.” Miles said.“You’ll like it, I promise.”“I make no promises, Wright.”Phoenix sighed, though he was smiling.Soon they made it to a cave opening, and when Miles saw what was inside, he found his breath taken away. There were crystals erupting from every nook and cranny, all different brilliant colors and sizes, sharp and angular, each facet catching each other’s light. The big crystals towered over them, mighty in their beauty and size. The wind danced through the crystals, filling the air with a clear song that was practically mesmerizing. And for some reason…Miles found himself enchanted, every single thought and dream of his washing over him in crashing sensations. But it wasn’t overwhelming, letting him experience his entire life to his comfort, as if they only wanted Miles to know his own story, to tell it to those who wanted to listen. Miles looked around, seeing crystal after crystal, amazed.“…What is this place, Wright?” Miles asked.“The memory cave.” Phoenix replied.“The…memory cave?” Miles said, confused.“Yeah, and the crystals are memory crystals. They’re basically the physical manifestation of your memories. Not many people get to see them, but…” Phoenix glanced at him, his eyes shining in the gemstone light. “…I thought you’d like to see them.”“…Thank you, Wright.” Miles said.“Anytime! Now, go have a look! It’s nice taking a trip down memory lane.”Miles nodded, walking up to one of the crystals. He touched it, and soon he was able to recall it vividly. A study date with him, Larry, Franziska and Maya, laughing with each other as Franziska insisted they actually study, before joining in with them. And there were more memories, sad memories, funny memories, happy memories, angry memories, all stored away in every brilliant shining crystal. Miles reminisced with every single one, letting the memory play in his mind whenever he touched the crystal. He smiled at the happy memories, laughed at the happy memories, sighed at the sad and angry memories. Every single one, his entire life, stored away in this cave, waiting for someone to remember them. And Miles was remembering now, as he wondered the crystalline cave.Just as he retracted his hand from the memory crystal of another study date, he turned to Phoenix, who spoke up.“Look at this, Edgeworth.” Phoenix said, showing off a rock in his hands.“…That’s just a regular rock, Wright.” Miles said.“On the outside, but on the inside…” Phoenix picked up another rock, smashing the two together. One of them cracked, and as he dropped the other rock, he showed off the two halves of the geode. “…It’s beautiful.”The crystals inside the geode were beautiful, bluer than anything Miles had ever seen, bluer than the oceans or the vast blue sky. It shined in the light, like shining was what it was meant to do. When Phoenix offered the geode to him, he took it. And as he held the geode, a memory washed over him. Of him and his father at the beach, his father cooking something on the grill as Miles swam in the oceans. He could see it now, the waters as blue and clear as the crystals that shone inside the geode. And as the memory faded away, Miles stared at the geode for a moment, before looking up at Phoenix. Then, he realized, just how beautiful his eyes were.“…It really is beautiful.” Miles finally said.“It is, isn’t it?” Phoenix replied.“Yes…” Miles glanced back at the crystals. “To think…these are all of my memories, my entire life.”“It’s remarkable, isn’t it? How…diverse human life is. How so much could happen, how so much emotion can be felt, in a short amount of time…” Phoenix glanced at Miles, he saw that he was breathless. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”Their eyes met, Phoenix smiled.Staring into those blue eyes of Phoenix’s, sparkling along with the crystals, Miles had never felt happier.He would do anything to stay a moment longer, in the calming presence of Phoenix Wright. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ Today was a day like any other, medical tests he didn’t know the purposes of, eating and sleeping. Miles was used to it at this post, no matter how exhausting it was. At this point, he got used to the nurses tending to them, one of them even recounted her life with her wife whenever she was checking his vitals. But their hope was dwindling, the entire medical team assigned to him was. And no matter how much they tried to hide it, Miles could sense it. He wasn’t responding well to chemotherapy, but he was holding out hope. Hoping was all he could do, and hope he would. Especially with all those he loved, he needed to be strong…for them.Maya happened to be visiting him that day, and he looked forward to her every visit. She had always been strong, a smile on her face even through the hardest times. She never cried in front of people she wanted to comfort, she always found a way to be optimistic about everything. Honestly, Miles wasn’t sure how she did it, how she saw the bright side of things during the darkest hours. But it was…comforting, to see her smile and hear her laugh, making jokes that made everyone in the room laugh, that made the air around them feel lighter. And Maya was still smiling as she entered his room, adjusting the strap of her backpack.“Hi Edgeworth!” Maya greeted. “How are you doing?”“Aside from having leukemia? I’m fine, Maya.” Miles replied with a chuckle.Maya giggled. “You shouldn’t be joking like that! You’ll be fine in a few weeks!”“Let’s hope so, though treatment hasn’t been going well…”“It’ll get better, promise!”Miles smiled, Maya’s enthusiasm was comforting, made fighting easier.“Well, I got you a little something!” Maya said as she sat on the chair, digging through her backpack. She then took out an ancient leather bound book. “Tada! Here it is!”Miles took the book from Maya, looking it over curiously. There was a big pink shiny gem encrusted in the middle. “…What is it?”“It’s a book passed down from the Feys, about spirits and stuff. I know the whole spirit realm thing isn’t your thing, but it might be interesting!” Maya said.“Well…it’s certainly different from my usual catalogue, but I’ve become rather bored of my library. I’ve reread every single one of my book around seven times, so this is a nice change.”“That’s good, then! Get to reading, you nerd! Miles chuckled.He read through the book as Maya watched the TV, some soap opera that she found amusing for some reason. The spirits were fascinating, even if Miles believed not a single lick of it. The writing on the book was handwritten and cursive, the leather worn and faded, the pages yellowing and thick. It was well loved, Miles could tell. Passed down from generation to generation, sharing knowledge collected over decades of knowledge. The spirits from the book seemed like things only found in fiction, though he was sure that Maya dealt with them every day of her life. He read about a spirit of some sort, then flipping the page. He read about another spirit, and as he did, something about this particular one…seemed familiar. They were described as benevolent spirits, spirits of pure good and selflessness. Only wanting to comfort those who were dying, those who lost hope for any happiness in their dying time. They visited their dreams, giving a small comfort to them before they died, before they joined the complex tapestry of souls that the Goddess of Fate wove. Beautiful, kindhearted, patient, only wanting the best for humanity, no matter what. And Miles realized, what this sounded like, why this specific spirit stuck out to him as intimately familiar, familiar to him over the months of his dreams.This was… just like Phoenix.“Maya?”Maya looked up at him. “Hm?”Miles pointed at the page. “What’s this?”“Huh?” Maya leaned over, smiling when she saw the page. “Oh! That? That’s a bird of solace!”“Bird of…solace?” Miles repeated, looking back at the book.“Mhmm!”“…What is that?”“Well, they’re spirits!” Maya said, adding at Miles’ confused face. “They’re basically comfort spirits, made from the Goddess of Fate herself after her battle with the God of Endings. She couldn’t stop death…so instead, she decided to comfort those who are dying. They like, visit people who are about to die, to comfort them and stuff.”“I see…” Miles trailed off, then asking. “…Do they have bird names?”“Yeah, duh!” Maya said with a laugh. “They wouldn’t be called birds of solace if they weren’t!” Miles nodded.“Why do you ask, Edgeworth?” Maya asked, curious.“…It’s nothing, Maya.”“Um…okay…” Maya shot him a strange look, before she moved on. “Oooh! Actually, Edgeworth! Did you see the new Steel Samurai episode?”Miles smiled. “I have yet to watch it.”“Good! I haven’t watched it either, let’s watch it together! Let’s just hope the hospital wifi isn’t too shitty…” Maya dug through her backpack, looking for her laptop.“It probably is.”“Ha, yep! I swear, hospitals never have good wifi.”The two watched the Steel Samurai episode, but the spirit, it never left Miles’ mind. He glanced at the book, laid open on the table, the cursive handwriting catching his attention.Birds of solace. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ Miles found himself in the beach again.The very same beach that he first met Phoenix, with the same swaying palm trees and crashing waves. He still remembered that dream, treasured it in his heart like it were the most important thing in the world. And he knew, somewhere along these shores, would be Phoenix. Phoenix Wright, a spirit of pure good, who only wanted to comfort those who were nearing death. And so, Miles walked through the shores of the sea, taking in every sight that this ocean dreamscape had to offer.  The sun was shining bright, the sand warm on his toes, the sound of crashing waves calming. But Miles was determined, to find Phoenix, the man, the spirit, who had been comforting him for months now.And soon, he found him. He was standing amongst the beach, the water up to his ankles. Phoenix was simply staring at the horizon, admiring the beauty of the beach. Miles walked up to him, and though Phoenix noticed him, he said nothing. The two admired the scenery before them for a moment, before Miles looked at him. The sunlight illuminated every kind feature of his face, the face that Miles had become intimately familiar with over the past few months, the face that he had fallen in love with.The face that knew he was dying.“…You’re a bird of solace, aren’t you?” Miles said, after a moment of silence.“Oh…you found out.” Phoenix just sighed, defeated, and then letting out a humorless chuckle. “You’re…one of the smartest humans I’ve ever met, Edgeworth. I was stupid for thinking you wouldn’t ever find out.”“I found out through a book…”“Doesn’t matter how you found out, you know now.”Know that you’re going to die, Miles knew Phoenix wanted to say.“…I’m going to die, aren’t I?”“Yes.”“And…can you change that?” Miles asked.Phoenix sighed. “That’s…that’s not my job, Edgeworth. My job is to comfort those who are dying, not stop it from happening. It was what I was made to do…no matter how much I hate it.” Miles could see it, his eyes said it all, that he had seen tragedy again and again. “It hurts, you know? Spending time with someone, knowing they’ll die, and knowing you can’t do anything to stop it.”“Wright…” Miles trailed off. Really, what could he say?“I know, that I shouldn’t get attached. You’re dying, and I can’t change that…but I want to change that. But I can’t, I know I can’t…” Phoenix’s lip was quivering, a deep sorrow in his eyes as he fought back tears, as if eons of burden was finally getting to him. “You’re…you’re different, Edgeworth. Different from all those I’ve visited before. I know I’ll never get to see you again, and I want to, but…I can’t help you, I can’t save you, no matter how much I want to…”Miles realized, how fragile Phoenix was. Despite being a divine being, a being of pure good, he still felt sadness, felt hopelessness, felt heartbreak. Heartbreak that the universe was cruel, cruel enough to make even the brightest of spirits lose their light. And Phoenix, he was the brightest one of them all. There to spread good around the world, there to give Miles a small comfort before he was so cruelly taken by the goddess of fate. He must’ve seen hundreds, thousands, millions of people die, unable to help them, unable to help him. But he helped them, because he could, because he wanted to. Even if he was powerless, powerless to ever help.But he did, he did help. He helped give Miles some comfort, during the worst part of his life. To make him smile and laugh. And wasn’t that enough?“I…I don’t want you to die, and believe me, if I had the power, you wouldn’t. But I don’t, and I…” Phoenix murmured, he reached over, tenderly touching at Miles’ cheek, like the wrong move would shatter him into a million pieces. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…”Miles leaned into the touch, Phoenix looked heartbroken. But his touch was warm, loving. Love that he had for humanity, for Miles.“I love you, Phoenix.” Miles whispered.“Miles, I…I love you too…” Phoenix replied, his voice as delicate and fleeting as a red rose.A soft gentle kiss, a gentle solace that would soon end. But in a way…Miles was glad, glad that he ever had the opportunity to experience this solace, this comfort, this love. And no death could ever take that away from him. ━━━━ ❰ · ❉ · ❱ ━━━━ Miles Edgeworth was dead.He wasn’t responding well to the treatment, Franziska knew. But she held out hope, hope that he would get better, hope that leukemia would soon simply be just a part of his past, hope that his story would be a story of triumph, and not just another statistic. It got harder, as time passed, as the doctors and nurses had started to lose hope for Miles. But she refused, refused to lose hope, just like Maya who looked at the bright side of things. Miles was strong, she knew, he could beat something as silly and foolish as cancer. And so, she hoped, hoped like her life depended on it.But…that hope didn’t matter anymore. Not when life had so cruelly taken him from her.Franziska felt numb as she attended the funeral. It was all a blur. It had been a blur since the doctor had told her that he was dead. Honestly, Franziska wasn’t sure how she went about her day, how she got out of bed knowing that Miles and his tattered Steel Samurai shirt wouldn’t greet her in the mornings with a cup of tea. He was dead, nothing would ever change that, no matter how much Franziska wanted to, no matter what she’d do just to have a moment, a single moment, with him again. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t. He meant so much to her, one of the closest people in her life, why did he have to die?She wasn’t even sure how she’d gotten to the funeral home, and before she knew it, she was giving Miles’ eulogy. The eulogy of the man who she knew since childhood, who stood by her side, who was practically her brother. She didn’t even remember any of what she said, simply glad to be gone from the gaze of all his friends and family. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how she didn’t burst out crying at the front, having to face everyone who ever loved Miles Edgeworth, knowing, just as much as the rest of them, that she would never get to see Miles again, that he was truly gone from this world.Soon, everyone was talking amongst each other in groups, reminiscing about memories they had with Miles Edgeworth. Some people approached Franziska, giving her their condolences, she hated it. It just made his death all the more real, made his death all the harder to deny. She couldn’t deny it now, not after the funeral, not after seeing Miles’ casket descending down to the ground, and not as she stared at the picture of Miles, surrounded by red peonies. They’d always been his favorite flowers, something about them being roses but better. Franziska had scoffed at that at the time, but now she would do anything just to hear any foolish pretentious thing he had to say.Franziska simply sighed as another person walked up to her to strike a conversation with her. She didn’t even know him, a friend of Miles’ from college that she vaguely recognized. Condolences, awkward reminiscing about Miles, both of them knowing they couldn’t ever make more memories with him ever again. Just as she had finished up awkward conversation with him, the man walking away, Franziska saw Maya walk up to her. She’d never seen her face as serious as it was now.“Hi Franzy.” Maya greeted, unenthused.“Hello, Maya Fey.” Franziska greeted back.Maya sighed, her eyes flickering to the picture of Miles, her voice barely a whisper as she said. “He’s dead…”“Yes.” Franziska simply said.“He’s…” Maya sniffled, her eyes welling up with tears. “He’s…dead.”Maya was silent for a moment, her grip on the rose growing tighter, uncaring that the thorns punctured her skin. And then, she burst out crying. She bawled, bawled like the very hope of the world had been extinguished forever. Franziska wasn’t sure what to do, wasn’t sure how she didn’t cry at the sight of Maya Fey, the strongest person she knew in her life, crying for the first time in years. She hugged Maya, uncaring that Maya’s tears stained her coat, feeling a few tears escape from her eyes. That was all she could do, hug someone who was hurting just like she was, someone who held him as dear as she did.“It’s not…it’s not fair!” Maya sobbed. “Why did Edgeworth have to die? Why him? Out of all the people…why him…it’s not…it’s not fair…”“It isn’t, Maya Fey.” Franziska whispered. “It’s not fair.”And as Maya’s sobs filled the air, Franziska glanced at the picture of Miles Edgeworth, knowing that she’ll only ever see his face in her memories and dreams.