Turnabout Reversal

Rise From the Ashes: Chapter One

Miles sighed, glancing around his empty office, devoid of any life or happiness. It just wasn't the same without Ema here. He hadn't even had any motivation to take any cases recently... not since Phoenix's trial. And yet, he still came here every day anyway, and refused pretty much any and every offer. That is until... he met Pearl.

"Excuse me? Yo, coffee boy? Is Miss Lana Skye here?" She appeared at his office on a cold day in February, searching for his deceased mentor. She was a tiny young thing, barely reaching his shoulder. Her grey eyes blinked with anticipation, showing wisdom beyond her years. He sighed, she seemed so hopeful. He didn't want to disappoint her by telling her that Lana was dead.

"She's, er, not working here anymore."

"What? Really? Wait... ah! You're the guy who defended Nick! You'll do! Please you have to listen to me! This case is important! You have to take it!" Miles' mind flashed to Ema, how she'd begged for his help and he nodded, agreeing to hear this tiny girl out, "oh thank you Mister Edgeworth! I promise you won't regret this decision!"

"I don't believe I caught your name." She giggled, adjusting the multicolored glasses that sat atop her head.

"That's because I never told you silly! Boy, you sure are different from what I expected after Nick talked you up so much. Anyways, my name is Pearl Fey. I'm a scientific investigator."

"Surely you're joking... you couldn't be an investigator."

"Fine, I'm not. But I will be in the future! For now, I'm only a high school student!" High school?! She was that old?! She looked way younger.

"Why Lana?"

"My cousin told me to go to her if I was ever in trouble... and well, I'm in trouble! She needs your help! So please! You have to defend her!" Miles nodded and Pearl smiled, grabbing his hand and dragging him out the door to the Detention Centre.

~~~

"I thought I made it clear that I was to have no visitors. Do you people even know how to listen?" A woman with long brown scolded the guard as he entered the visitor's room and Pearl's face instantly fell. This must have been her cousin... she seemed almost familiar somehow. Miles had never seen her face before... it was more like the aura she was giving off. It seemed similar to Phoenix's in a way. Dull and bored, that was the impression she gave him when he first saw her face. The same emotionless look that always played across his, the dull tone of her voice. It was all so similar it was unnerving. He had said before that he had an older sister... so maybe she was...?

"Pearl... what are you doing here? I thought I told you not to come."

"But Mia! You don't have a defense attorney yet and I just thought-" She cut herself as her cousin glared at her and she retreated to Ema's corner, staring at the wall with a sad expression on her face.

"Pearl... it's none of your business. I'll be the one on trial tomorrow. You just stay out of this. Right, Mister Edgeworth?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I imagine you'd be quite famous by now... what with who your father is and all, and what you did in court in December. But I've heard about you personally. From both Lana and my little brother. You have quite the reputation, Miles Edgeworth," So she was Phoenix's older sister, that explained the lack of emotion. But what was she doing here? Phoenix had spoken of his sister as a good woman, not someone who would end up in a detention center. What ever crime she was accused of, she had to be innocent, "as you likely have already figured out, I am a Fey. Mia Fey, to be exact. I'm the district's chief prosecutor and if you intend to defend, I'll have you know that I've already confessed to this crime. I am clearly guilty, and the evidence proves that as does what I've confessed. Do you still want to defend me? I doubt you'll have much luck... this case is near hopeless." Someone else had said that quite recently... and Miles hadn't given up on him. Of course he was going to defend her. Her cousin's eyes reminded me so much of Ema's... that sad and lonely expression... there was no way he wasn't going to defend her.