Twenty-Two-
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Gumshoe/Edgeworth
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Instead of geese he got Detective Gumshoe, standing in front of the framed frilly jacket on Miles' wall and blowing his nose into a handkerchief roughly the size of a tablecloth. "Hey, pal," Gumshoe sobbed, his normally thick voice even thicker.

"Detective," Phoenix said, frozen in the doorway and completely at a loss. "... what are you doing here?"

"Hey, I could ask you the same thing," Gumshoe said, puffing up for a moment and trying to look intimidating. Then his big shoulders collapsed and his eyes watered again. "Aww, pal, you know I didn't mean it, it's just... I can't believe he's gone!"

"Who, Mi--Edgeworth?" Phoenix said cautiously.

Gumshoe's face collapsed like a landslide. Clutching at his handkerchief with both hands he bawled out another of those honking saxophone notes--he was, some part of Phoenix's mind noted, the first person Phoenix had ever met who actually said "BAWWW!" when he cried. "Bawwwww, pal," Gumshoe sobbed, his nose running and his eyes swollen and pink. "He was so young! Too young to go!" The detective honked again and blew his nose with a sodden thunderous rumble.

Phoenix edged into Miles' office. "He's not dead, Detective," he said cautiously.

"I know that, pal!" Gumshoe cried, wringing his handkerchief worriedly in both hands. "But... he and I were pals, see? We were a team! Fighting for justice! Keeping the streets safe! I'd bring 'em in and he'd prosecute 'em and now he's gone and I, I, I'm--BAWWWWWWW!"

Phoenix winced. "He'll come back," he said, tentatively offering reassurance. "I'm sure it's just temporary..."

"This is ridiculous," Miles said crisply behind him. Phoenix jumped, his hair trying (and failing) to stand on end in shock, and whirled around. Miles was standing in the doorway, his arms folded over his chest, his chin up. "Stop that bellowing at once, Detective."

"Bawwww, but Mr. Edgeworth--" Gumshoe's eyes watered again and his lower lip started to tremble.

"Stop it," Miles said sharply. Gumshoe jumped guiltily and fought down the sobbing. "That's better," Miles said, unfolding his arms and pushing past Phoenix, whom he grandly ignored. "Now, you listen to me, Detective. I don't want to hear another word about it. Do you understand me?"

Gumshoe was entirely too large to hide behind Edgeworth's desk, but he seemed to be trying, the big man folding up like origami. Phoenix gaped at Miles. He couldn't believe that even Miles could be this cruel--Miles reached out and put his hands on Gumshoe's shoulders, and Phoenix's train of thought derailed in Pittsburgh. "You have to carry on while I'm gone," Miles said peremptorily. "You can't just stand up here and cry. How is there to be justice if not from you?"

Gumshoe fell silent, blinking rapidly to clear his eyes. Miles paused, waiting, then drove on. "Do you want me to come back to find all my hard work undone? Is that it?"

"N-no, pal!" Gumshoe sounded shocked.

"Then get out there and arrest someone," Miles said. "Carry the standard of justice. I expect you to work harder than ever to cover for me while I'm gone. Do you understand me?"

Slowly Gumshoe began to unfold. By the end of that (somewhat horrifying, by Phoenix's standards) little speech, he was standing straight again, his big shoulders squared, and his eyes shining. "I hear you, pal," he said, his voice trembling in awe.

"Then don't just stand there," Miles snapped. "Go. Do your job. I expect it of you." He patted the big guy's shoulders, once, and then let his hands drop.

Gumshoe immediately grabbed him in a tremendous bearhug, squeezing out a startled (and somewhat resigned) 'oof'. Phoenix had the thoroughly startling experience of watching Miles' feet actually leave the floor before Gumshoe dropped him again. "You got it, pal!" Gumshoe said, saluting Miles with one ham-like hand before lumbering out the door at a thunderous trot.

Phoenix turned to watch him go, then turned back to Miles, who was shooting his cuffs and snapping his lapels back into place like a ruffled cat grooming itself. "Am I wrong," he said, "or did I just catch you doing something nice for someone?"

Miles sniffed in disdain and prodded his cravat with two stiffened fingers. "Shut up, Wright," he said crisply. "And get out of my office before I have him arrest you for breaking and entering."