"Seven Years earlier ago, flashback into the past"
phoenix frowned when he saw the little girl staring down at the floor, her hat was covering her face, and she was using her cap to hide, he played with his locker for a little before he got down on his knees, getting on the same eye level as her she would be less intimidated, ..he was just going to wonder if she would say yes or not, ..he had already discussed it with miles, he was fine with it as long as trucy was okay with everything
'hey, trucy, you doing okay their kid?'
she didn't say anything, but phoenix saw the tiniest little nod from her
'you might remember me, my name is phoenix wright, i was the person your father played cards with'
'...'
'i know you're going through a lot right now, but we need to talk about this, you don't have to speak, you could just nod your head, okay?'
she nodded again
'while taking it slow with the questions, and if it gets too much I'll stop and let you breathe, we're going at your pace, i don't want to overwhelm you
'....'
'it's been about 2 weeks since your father vanished, ..we need to think about your living situation'
she nodded, showing she was understanding
'i did some calling and searching, ..i'm so sorry trucy, but i couldn't find any living relatives of yours'
she bowed her head further at his words
'..what i'm going to say next is completely up to you, you don't have to agree to anything at all, ..do you need to a moment before i tell you?'
she shook her head
'okay, ..you could either go to an orphanage, ..or i could take you in and raise you, ..or at least until we find your father, ..do you understand trucy?'
he asked very gently, ..she didn't nod or shake her head
'i know this is very overwhelming, the choice is completely yours, we can go wherever you like--'
'...Mr. attorney, daddy told me about you'
she finally said, looking up at him, she didn't move her head, but he could see her blue hue eyes, then very slowly, tilted up her head at him
'he said i could trust you'
'..he did?'
she nodded
'...so if i stay here, does that mean you'll be my family'
phoenix held back his surprised expression as best as he could, never in his life did he ever meet a kid like trucy, ..but he wasn't about to complain either
'..if that's what you truly want then yes'
'..um mr attorney..'
'you can call me nick if you want, or whatever really'
trucy beamed as she smile brightly
'okay, I'll call you daddy!'
phoenix blinked at her
"..that was way too fast, ..should I get her a child therapist?"
'..only if you're comfortable with it, then it's fine, anyways, you were saying?'
'oh yeah, I move here, I have to switch schools, right?'
he nodded
'and this office?, It's like a really fancy library, it's pretty but maybe we should add in some toys and magic tricks, you know, to make it more entertaining'
Phoenix couldn't help but chuckle, this was the most bizarre child he had ever met, and he's seen some interesting things from children
'hey Trucy... how old are you anyway?'
he suddenly asked, now taking that in
'Oh, I'm eight. But don't let appearances deceive you! I'm a young professional!'
phoenix grinned at her, but he couldn't help but feel a small ping in his heart when she said she was only eight years old, ..he was nine when he lost his mother and was forced to become an adult at such a young age, ...he wasn't about to let this little girl go through anything like that, he pushed back down the sadness deep within him and changed back the subject
'right, so, what do you wanna do for the office again?'
he wasn't actually going to change anything, if anything he'll make a little area for trucy to play in whenever they visit his office, he couldn't help but grimace when she got all excited and started speaking her ideas
'So, here's my idea. We'll make a new office! "Law" just seems so stiff, doesn't it?'
Phoenix chuckled again at her reasoning
'magic, this is a law office, remmeber'
'Maybe the problem is calling it an "office". We should run an "agency" instead!'
'like a talent agency huh?'
she grinned ear to ear
'You've got me, don'tcha? I'm a professional!, I am directly descended from the famous Zak Gramarye!, Oh...! And now I'm directly descended from the famous Phoenix Wright, too!'
phoenix tried to hold back a red blush, ..it was un-successful
'trust me kid, i-i'm nothing famous really'
"am i seriously getting fucking embarrassed about being complimented by an eight-year-old!?"
'a-anyways, do you know any magic tricks?'
he cleared his throat as he tried to calm down his blushing, trucy nodded as she smiled proudly
'Yes! Um... It's like that thing they say! "Baby frogs grow up to be frogs"...?, I always thought it was funny, though'
phoenix leaned back on the ground, his back against his desk as he crossed his arms over his chest, making trucy appear taller then him
'how come?'
'Aren't baby frogs called "tadpoles"...? Maybe they thought it would be easier to understand that way for kids. How stupid!'
'your really smart kid trucy'
'thank you daddy!, Well? Well? Wanna see a trick?'
phoenix grinned
'sure, show me your best trick'
trucy jumped, phoenix was honestly expecting a card trick a best, but apparently, trucy had other idea, she pulled down on her sattle and out came mr hat, his eyes widen in surprise
'That's the spirit! ...Ready? Here goes! Ta dah!!!'
'Hey folks, it's Mr. Hat! I gotta say it's good to be seen!'
'..whao'
phoenix mumbled, he was honestly pretty amazed, and he was a very hard man to surprise or please, trucy huffed out her chest, showing her proudness
'The Amazing Mr. Hat! Isn't he great?'
'Your friendly neighborhood Mr. Hat, at your service!'
Phoenix clapped his hands
'yeah, certainly makes an impression'
trucy bounced in her spot
'Doesn't he? Ha ha ha! I'm so glad you like him, Daddy!'
'Though my routines do get a bit "heady" at times! Hah! Get it? Heady!'
after a few more claps and praises from phoenix and a few more tricks from mr hat, trucy eyes narrowed to phoenix's beautiful vintage heart locket, and to her own, phoenix followed her gaze
'oh you like my locket?'
she nodded
'it's very pretty, it reminds me of my mommy'
'your mother?'
she pulled the locker out of her pocket, showing it to him, it was gold like hers, but more into a shape of a circle than a heart
'Mommy was so pretty... She was like an angel up on stage, She was always there with Zak & Valant, smiling! But then... she went away, It was a grand illusion... but she made a mistake. She vanished... and I guess she didn't know how to get back, I cried then, a lot. That's when Daddy gave me this. ...Here'
she clicked the button, opening the locket, phoenix glanced at the woman inside, it was a woman, mostly likely in her 20's or 30's, trucy had her features, the resemblance was uncanny
'Her name's Thalassa. Thalassa Gramarye'
she frowned as she stared at the photo, phoenix frowned as he gently patted her head, comforting her
'hey you wanna know something?'
he said gently, trucy looked up at him, her eyes full of arrow and curiosity
'i lost my mother too when i was around your age, ..she died in a very tragic incident'
'..what about your daddy?'
phoenix sighed as he played with his locket in his hands, a nervous habit he did all the time
'..never had one either'
..william was not his father, phoenix didn't care if he was biologically related to him, ..william was a monster who abused him, trucy then suddenly looked up at him with a nervous expression
'Hey, Daddy? You won't...'
she didn't need to finish, phoenix understood at once what she was gonna say, her gestures said it alone, he gently held her hand in his reassuringly
'Don't worry, I won't vanish, I promise'
Trucy saw the honestly in his dark sapphire eyes and smiled, but phoenix could see still her fear deep within, he didn't point that out or judged in anyway, he understood what it was like
'Right! You can't even do magic! You're like a backup plan! Daddy always said to have a backup plan'
phoenix looked at the clock on the wall, it was getting late
' that's enough for today. Sorry to ask you so much all at once like that magic'
'It's OK! After all, we're family! I just hope you're ready! The Wright Talent Agency opens tomorrow!'
'sorry magic, where not re-branding, and my office is temporarily closed until i can get better'
she cocked her head to the side
'get better?'
'i'm currently on leave until i get better, don't worry nothing is wrong with me, nothing bad is gonna happen'
he quickly reassured, trucy seemed to be in deep thought, then smiled
'okay!'
'heh, alright kid, let's go back to my home, you'll meet my boyfriend'
'you have a boyfriend?!, is he also my new papa!!?'
she asked excitingly, phoenix blushed a tint of red as he stuttered a bit on his words, miles and him had started talking about marriage and kids, they were both on board with the idea
'..i-if you want to call him that g-go right ahead'
'yay!, i never had two dad's before!!'
phoenix gently held onto trucy's hand, guiding her back to his car, driving them both home, after introducing her to miles, (and an awkwardly/sweet moment of her calling him "papa", which caused them both to blush and nervously laugh), showing her around the place, showing her where her new permanent room was going to be, the two men went back into their bedroom,, as soon s miles closed the door, phoenix started to cry small happy tears, miles smiled as he gently held him in his arms, comforting him
shelly had always told him that he was just like his mother, in every way shape and form, from looks to even personality, she had once told him a story about his mother, apparently, when tulip found out she was pregnant with him, she cried of pure happiness, and wouldn't stop smiling all-day
"I've never seen her so happy before, you were the one thing that made her smile, the light in her life", phoenix now felt like that, so overwhelmed by happiness, ..having a child of his own, ..his protective and naturing instincts kicked in at once, ..he wanted to protect and care for trucy, to love and provide for her, he would do anything for her, ..he would die for her..., ..phoenix from that day, now understood his mother much more than ever before
'..we have a kid miles'
'..yes we do'