Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: The Frigid Melody

The Fall of the House of Skellig pt. 1

Phoenix paused halfway up the stairway, hopped from foot to foot to warm up his legs and keep his muscles from freezing up in the cold, before gritting his teeth and starting up the second set of well-worn stone steps.

His foot slipped out from underneath him and he crashed into the snow with a yelp of shock.

Immediately his knee shot bullets into his nerves.

"...ow..." he groaned.

He got back up, forced to plunge his hand into snow and shake the wetness away, and gritted his teeth again – this time against the dull ache in his leg – as he set off up the steps again.

Already this morning was off to an absolutely fantastic start.

He shoved his wet-gloved hand into his pocket to keep it from freezing and didn't take it out until he had reached the very top, right outside the village hall, whereupon he tipped back his head to catch his breath. He had to close his eyes against the glaring sunlight, but he didn't care. He'd made it.

"Ah, there he is," he heard Edgeworth say. "Thank you for keeping me company, Officers, but it looks like your guard over me is no longer necessary."

By the time he had finished catching his breath, Phoenix felt like his throat was frosted over. He hadn't even run that far or for very long, but just breathing this cold air made his lungs feel like they were on fire. How was it that a cloudless sky made it so much colder out here than when it was snowing?!

He looked forward at the sound of the front doors clicking closed, but the first thing he saw was Edgeworth standing beside it, arms crossed, impatiently tapping his finger and huffing at Phoenix through his nose.

"Sorry, Edgeworth," Phoenix sighed. "I lost track of time over breakfast. You doing alright?"

Had he not already built up such a powerful resistance to it, he might have flinched under Edgeworth's harsh gaze.

"Have you ever tried sleeping in a prison cell in the middle of winter, Wright?" he asked. "Particularly one in a barely-funded police station. I can't say I recommend it, although it's perfect if you wish to relegate your sleep to half-hour bursts every two hours or so."

"Yikes," Phoenix winced. "Are you going to be okay?"

Edgeworth unfolded his arms and stretched them hard behind his head, grunting with the effort.

"Believe it or not," he said, "it wasn't the worst night's sleep I've ever had."

He collapsed his arms and blew out a gust of steam.

"How about you?" he asked. "How went your preparations yesterday?"

Phoenix pulled his journal out of his jacket and slapped it between his hands.

"I'll admit I still have my doubts," he admitted, "but I've worked miracles before."

"Thank you," said Edgeworth. "It's nice to know how incredibly confident my lawyer is in the case he intends to use to save me from prison."

"Don't give me that!" Phoenix snapped. "I'd like to know how you would handle a case like this!"

"I have before and you know it!" Edgeworth spat back.

He leaned to one side, peering past Phoenix down the hill and its icy steps, and glanced over his shoulder at the shadowy hall interior before leaning in conspiratorially.

"What about the Professor and Trucy?" he asked quietly. "I notice you're here all by yourself this morning."

Phoenix's mind wandered back to the cottage. The trio had probably departed for the cave by now. For all he knew, they were already inside, getting their butts scared off by whichever ghosts and ghouls and long-legged beasts were calling that place home.