Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: The Frigid Melody

Epilogue

The next day, as Michaela had promised, was one entirely reserved for the celebration of Fatargan's newfound freedom.

All the village gathered in and around the King's Arms as Jack and Henry fried up every egg, every strip of bacon and every sausage they had for the biggest breakfast this side of Hadrian's Wall. Nobody listened to Dr Wallace's warnings as they filled their bellies with hot, greasy food. Phoenix had to admit; it was the best breakfast he'd had in a very long time.

In blatant defiance of the innkeeper's protests, Trucy gathered all of her tables together to form a stage, which she stood upon to declare – rusty swords in hand – that she wanted to show all of Fatargan the wonders of Troupe Gramarye.

She asked for an assistant from the audience.

Nobody volunteered.

Not that it mattered to her. She didn't even hesitate before latching onto Luke's arm and dragging him up onto her stage.

Luke begged the Professor for help, but Layton simply smiled and provided dramatic instrumentation for the performance with the Silver Violin while Edgeworth rested a hand over his heart, saluting Luke's sacrifice.

Phoenix couldn't help but smile at the sight of his talented daughter. He had no idea where that box had come from, but she definitely seemed proud to have locked Luke in there and her enthusiasm as she brandished those swords was palpable.

He sat down at Jack's bar and picked up an orange and blue can boldly labelled IRN-BRU. He didn't even want to begin to speculate about how that was meant to be pronounced, but as he popped it open and took a sniff at its contents, Michaela sat down beside him and snatched up a can for herself.

He took that opportunity to look around and take in the sheer exuberance that radiated from every person in the room. Even Edgeworth, insistent as he had been about refusing to be the Minstrel, was taking turns with Layton in using that violin to add some drama to Trucy's performance.

"You know, I..." he said to Michaela, "I'm pretty surprised at this."

"What's so surprising, Mr Wright?" Michaela asked casually, smiling as she popped her can open.

"I hope you don't mind me saying," said Phoenix, "but... your mom."

Michaela hesitated with the can halfway to her lips.

"Shouldn't you guys have a funeral?" Phoenix pointed out. "She was a pretty major part of this village, after all."

The smile fled away from Michaela's face. She gently lowered the open can to the bar, staring into its contents with a thoughtful frown.

Phoenix took a look into his own can. The drink was bright orange.

"I will," Michaela said. "Even as monstrous a person as she was, Mother was still a person, and she deserves to be laid to rest just as much as the Painted King."

She raised her can again, managing to pull her smile back up.

"We'll have time to mourn," she told Phoenix. "For now, let us celebrate our freedom."

She held her can up to Phoenix, who clanked his own can against hers and finally took a sip from it.

He didn't know what he had expected from a drink called IRN-BRU, but it tasted like...

...like bubblegum.

The can said it was a 'unique blend of mixed fruit flavours' but the drink itself tasted like fizzy bubblegum. How the hell did that even happen?!

Not that Phoenix was complaining.

Scotland, he considered as he took another sip, was an unbelievably weird place.