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

[puppy_lancer]

Hey, if it's a girl, I can even give you some advice.

[He trusts himself to be an expert in this.]

[frilliance]

[Smoking womanizer versus asexual workaholic. This is gonna be a great conversation.]

May I advise that you take that absurd idea out of your head and throw it back in the trash can you found it in?

[puppy_lancer]

Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Anyone can fall in love. Even you.

[frilliance]

I'm not embarrassed. Because your ridiculous assumptions are mistaken.

[puppy_lancer]

Why else would you write a letter on a secret floor?

[frilliance]

I can think of quite a variety of reasons why I might write a letter in secret, considering who is in charge of this place.

[puppy_lancer]

...Oh. That's true.

[His shoulders sag in disappointment.]

[frilliance]

(Good, that should clear up his pesky assumptions.)

[Suddenly, Edgeworth feels a nudge at his legs. Pess is trying to get a pat on the head from him. He looks a bit hesitant in fulfilling her request, though.]

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer looks curiously at the interaction between Pess and her Master.]

What are you waiting for? Go on. Pet her.

[frilliance]

.....Oh.

[There is a bit of hesitance before he looks down at Pess and gives her a pat. There is something off about it, however - it looks like he's doing it out of uncertainty rather than love.]

[puppy_lancer]

...Is there something wrong?

[Edgeworth seems a little too awkward with his pet.]

[frilliance]

Ah......nothing. Heheheh. Why do you think that something is wrong? [That chuckle sounds a bit forced.]

[puppy_lancer]

You're too nervous around your own dog.

[frilliance]

Nervous? Heh. Of course not. Why would I be?

[puppy_lancer]

Well, if you weren't, you wouldn't need encouraging to pet your dog.

[frilliance]

.....


I need to work.

[And suddenly, he gets up and grabs a random bunch of papers from Reno's journal. Then he sits down again.

He said that he was going to write letters, not take notes.]

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer raises an eyebrow. Edgeworth's behavior is really strange.]

[He goes down to his knees so he can pet Pess more.]

...Man, your master's really weird today. Did you notice?

[frilliance]

[Pess gives a little whine. She really does not know why her master is acting like this - what has she done wrong?

And it breaks Edgeworth's heart seeing her like this, but he can't give into emotion. Not until he is sure what the truth is.]

Hmph. Just your imagination.

[puppy_lancer]

[Lancer frowns.]

...Well, if you usually act like this to your dog, it's about time you started acting nicer.

[frilliance]

[And that makes him snap.] Of course I don't act like this way to Pess!

2/2

[frilliance]

[And then he realises that he kinda lost it.]

.....I apologize. I'm tired and I have a huge amount of things to do.

[puppy_lancer]

Then you should rest.

...Come on, you're not gonna pull a Waver, are you?

[frilliance]

Hmph. I cannot afford to do that. You know how long we have left. [In other words, yes, he is going to.]

[puppy_lancer]

Long enough so you can still get some sleep and not tire yourself out. What, you plan on not sleeping for two months?

[frilliance]

I'll be fine. Working long hours is something I'm accustomed to, believe it or not. [Working until 4 in the morning? Nooot unusual for him in his home world. Heck, he even slept in his office at times.

At least he is smart enough to be in his dorm at night, though - awake or not.]