Turnabout Flashback

Chapter Six:

December of 2001

Justice Elementary School

"Today is Friday, class! You guys are on Winter break starting today! Does anyone have anything special planned?"

Edgeworth flinched. He was leaving today... at lunch. He hadn't told anyone what was happening and where he was going. It was no one's business, after all.

Sadly, he glanced at Phoenix, sitting next to him. The spiky haired boy looked so tired... even his spikes were drooping, matching his gloomy aura. Oh Phoenix...

He was so sorry. So, so, sorry. Edgeworth wanted to tell him everything, but he couldn't. He couldn't hurt Phoenix anymore than he already has. Edgeworth just couldn't hurt his best friend, his brother, for his selfish needs.

The teacher cheerfully reminded Phoenix and the entire class that today was the start of Winter Break. As usual, he zoned out of the conversation, and just sat there. He felt so tired, so... different. He was so much different than his original energetic self. He didn't know what to do. There was nothing to do, anyways. He was completely gone from this world. Lost, in his own world. There was pain, there was always pain, but he couldn't feel it anymore. There were tears, there was always tears, but they no longer had any meaning to him. There were wounds, there were always cuts and scrapes he'd never recover from.

He kept reminding himself to be strong for Edgeworth, but he couldn't. Not for someone he'd hurt.

The bell rang, signaling lunch. The whole time, Edgeworth had buried himself in his own arms, crying silent tears. He muffled his sniffs, and didn't let anyone see him suffering. And the bell rang, finally telling him, that the time had come.

He had already packed up everything, and all there was left to do was say goodbye and leave.

"Where do you want to eat lunch today? I brought some of my grandma's cookies for you today!" Phoenix tried to say cheerfully.

Edgeworth couldn't hold it in any longer. He rushed forward, hugged Phoenix, buried his face in the warm embrace, and cried.

He sobbed. Over a relationship that was destined to die one day. Over their dead friendship. Over Phoenix.

It took so much more than just self control to not spill the beans. All he could do was just cry; cry for his loss.

"Edgeworth? What's wrong?"

He looked up into Phoenix's blue eyes. He couldn't do it. He couldn't do it any longer.

Forcefully his tore himself out of their hug. Their last hug. Their last moment together. Shaking uncontrollably, Edgeworth breathed heavily.

"Phoenix... I'm so sorry."

And then he ran away, ran away from all that he ever had, ran away from Phoenix. Never did he turn back once.

He was ready to take on the world. Ready to charge head-first into everything the world had to offer.

But he wasn't ready to do it alone.