Seventh Case [Text and action. Anonymous for text]

[frilliance]

To anyone else who has 'regained' a pet at home, please tell me this:

Are they actually our pets or are they just another glamour imitation because of our captors' sick sense of humor?

If anyone can tell me the truth, I would be eternally grateful.

[Edgeworth can be later found on the hidden floor, sitting at one of the tables. A brown flat-coated retriever can be seen sitting at his feet, her tail between her legs. Sometimes, she tries to nudge her master. In response, Edgeworth raises a hand to stroke her...

Suddenly, he remembers that she might not be real and places his hand back on the table, going back to his notes which he has been writing in. The dog gives a little whine and lies down.

The prosecutor looks gloomier than usual.]

Comments

[Text]

[scentofmakai]

Pets are real. Their souls are attached enough to yours that they can be pulled as well, is the official explanation.

[Anon text]

[frilliance]

'Official' explanation?

[Anon text]

[scentofmakai]

As in, coming from our friendly hosts.

[Anon text]

[frilliance]

You believe it to be true, then?

[text]

[scentofmakai]

I'm pretty sure. It's the same principle that let other demons come here, and I'd like to think I can recognize one of my own from a fake.

[Anon text]

[frilliance]

[A demon? Edgeworth feels that he can no longer be surprised by this because of the tower. And that disturbs him.]

Even with the glamour?

Unless you've changed your collarfluid, I suppose.

[text]

[scentofmakai]

Especially now that I've changed it.

[action]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji is doing his usual rounds, but stops when he spots Edgeworth. He doesn't seem to run into him often, and is wondering if he should call out and try to hold a short conversation with him...

...and then the whine brings Ryoji's attention to the dog. His expression of vague concern turns into one of excitement, and without really thinking, he runs forward, slowing down when he approaches the dog and slowly trying to reach out and pet her.

No offense, Edgeworth, but big fluffy dogs are more exciting to Ryoji than prickly prosecutors.]

Re: [action]

[frilliance]

[Seeing the person coming up to her, Pess walks to Ryoji and sniffs to see if he is friendly.

When she has finished, she wags her tail and moves her head to accept Ryoji's petting.

Hearing the running, Edgeworth turns around, recognizing Ryoji.] Oh...

[He doesn't seem very enthusiastic. Or rather he sounds more grumpy and miserable than usual.]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji seems slightly relieved Pess has accepted him, and continues his petting, gently scratching her behind the ears. He only pauses for a brief moment when Edgeworth speaks, then resumes despite his nerves.]

Edgeworth-san. Hey. Is something wrong?

[Edgeworth sounds grumpy, but the misery in his tone means Ryoji’s more concerned with trying to figure out what’s wrong than preparing for a lecture.]

[frilliance]

Hmm? Uh.....hmph. Nothing's wrong. [He's not a very good liar.]

[notsogrimreaper]

Are you sure? I know I’m… kind of a kid, but if you need advice or just someone to vent to, I’m not going anywhere.

[frilliance]

[Sigh.] You being a kid has nothing to do with it.

[notsogrimreaper]

Then what is the problem?

[puppy_lancer]

[Today, Lancer wants to show the Aria and her retrieval units his horse, the horse that Aria had made for him. So, he'd taken Liath Macha downstairs and onto the secret floor. However, he quickly gets distracted by Edgeworth and his dog.]

...Woah, whose dog is this?

[frilliance]

Mine, or so it seems.

[Pess walks up to Lancer, sniffing him to see if he's friendly. She'll check out the horse in a second. Edgeworth, meanwhile, has turned around to face Lancer. He has his arms crossed, trying to look as normal as possible. He's squeezing his arm quite tightly though.]

[puppy_lancer]

[Liath Macha snorts at the unfamiliar dog. And she moves her lips in the direction of Edgeworth's cravat.]

Nice! I didn't know you had one!

[Edgeworth didn't seem like a dog person.]

Does she know any tricks?

[Lancer stands still and lets Pess sniff him. He also takes a chance to quickly sniff at her.]

[frilliance]

[It's okay, Cu. It wouldn't occur to Edgeworth to tell you about his dog, family or friends until they arrive at the tower.]

She knows a few - ah!

[Not that blasted horse again! Edgeworth gets up from his chair tries to move away from the horse. As far away as possible.

Pess, meanwhile, upon seeing that Lancer seems friendly, gives a little bark and wags her tail. Hello, Mister!]

[puppy_lancer]

[Now that the threat of getting bitten by Pess is over, Lancer reaches to grab Liath Macha and make sure she doesn't bite anything.]

Sorry. Guess she just likes your ruffles.

[He smiles at Pess.]

Yo, I'm Lancer. You're a bit tamer than my brother's dog, aren't you?

[frilliance]

I-I've figured that out already! [Wondering if he should glare at the horse to scare her away.

Horses don't attack people who look at them directly in the eye, do they?

Tamer than Mac um Chuill? Well, Pess is a really well-trained dog. She barks a lot in at the neighbours but in a friendly way - the only human she's really growled at is Edgeworth's mentor and who wouldn't growl at Von Karma?

[action]

[turnaboutlegacy]

[Franziska knows enough about her brother that she's able to track him down on the hidden floor. It was likely a difficult time of month, especially considering that he'd been locked out of the Tower in the weeks prior.]

[Seeing him with that dog of his confirmed her suspicions; that anonymous text earlier had been one that seemed eerily similar to something her brother would ask. As much as she disliked that dog of his, it did pain her to see him so upset over the fact that it might not be real. She puts on her best smug expression to hide her worry.]

Dear brother, that dog comes all this way to find you, and you can't even find the time to pet it?

[She 'tsks' her finger, almost tauntingly.]

[action] Oh sister why so tsun?

[frilliance]

[Awww c'mon, she's only growled at your dad! And Cu's horse. She does avoid Franziska when they meet, though. Scary human does not seem to like Pess and she does not know why. Because of that, Pess decides to stay close to her master.

Edgeworth gives a momentarily surprised look when he turns around and sees Franziska but he quickly tries to look calm and relaxed and crosses his arms. Because tsun tsun tsun, even though he isn't as tsun as Franziska. However, the fact that he is squeezing his left arm will probably give him away.

He notices that Pess is trying to avoid Franziska.]

Hmm. I see that Pess is trying to avoid you again, Franziska.

[ninjainviolet]

[Sheena hasn't seen the message, being too busy looking for and finding the hidden room itself--just in case she needed it sometime in the future. Having found it, she can't help but think how much the people of her village would have loved to have something like this, and is looking around appreciatively when she spots Miles and the dog laying at his feet.]

Hello.

[She heads over to the two of them and kneels down to the dog's level, her hand stretched out for her to sniff.]

I have a friend who would probably love to meet you. [She looks up at Miles.]

What's her name?

Sorry this is late!

[frilliance]

[Pess takes Sheena's offer to sniff at her hand and then suddenly licks it in approval!]

Her name is Pess. [Edgeworth says this while not looking up from his notes. He wouldn't normally be rude to Sheena - he's pretty polite to most women - but he's not in the mood to talk. :( ]

No problem! And my turn for apologies. :(

[ninjainviolet]

[Sheena smiles and scratches the dog behind the ears.]

Heya, Pess!

[The ninja continues the ear scratching even as she looks up at Miles, her expression concerned. She hasn't known Miles long, but something seems "off". Even when she was defending Zelos he had been polite about the whole thing.]

Is something wrong?