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Nine years.
Nine long years had passed, but Sister Iris of Hazakura Temple had finally served the entirety of her prison sentence for her role as accomplice in the murder of Misty Fey.
A lot can change in almost a decade’s time; while Iris had spent it rooted in place, the world around her continued to evolve and change --probably for no one more so than Iris’s closest friend, Phoenix Wright.
In the interim, Phoenix had lost and then regained his attorney’s badge, adopted a daughter, developed a test of a jurist system, and taken two fledgling lawyers under his wing. And through it all, Phoenix had remained a steadfast friend and ally to Iris, an anchor for her to cling onto during her lengthy sentence. Though it had taken him some time to forgive her for what she’d done (not that she could blame him at all, of course), and the whirlwind of events following his disbarment and subsequent daughter obtainment had made his presence scarce for a while, they’d become friends once again through the glass partition of the detention center.
Despite everything Iris had done, Phoenix remained by her side -- because Phoenix Wright was a person who never gave up on anyone, no matter the odds, no matter the circumstances.
And that’s why, two days after her release, she sat at the kitchen table of Phoenix and Trucy Wright’s apartment in the early morning, sipping coffee idly while the man who defended her nearly a decade prior sat across from her.
Iris had initially intended to head back up to Hazakura to reunite with Sister Bikini after her release, but Phoenix insisted that she stay in the city with him and Trucy for a couple nights.
“I won’t force you, of course, but I’d love to spend some time with you without two inches of bulletproof glass separating us,” Phoenix had told her while visiting her at the detention center shortly before she was due to be released. “I’m sure Trucy would, too. Also, I know what you’re gonna say, and please don’t worry about feeling like you’re imposing, it’d be our pleasure to have you, cross my heart.”
She had no good reason to turn down his offer. Besides, spending time with Phoenix and his daughter sounded….absolutely lovely. Though she still intended to return to her duties as a nun eventually…she could get away with shirking them for a little while, at least.
Now that she was finally out of prison after nearly a decade, she found even mundane experiences to be somewhat surreal. Even the act of sitting somewhere without a guard hovering over her, or without her movements being restricted, took a bit of getting used to.
“So, anything you want to do at all, Iris?” Phoenix asked her between sips of coffee.
Iris was snapped out of her train of thought, looking up to make eye contact with Phoenix.
“Um…” She cocked her head to the side slightly. “Like what, exactly?”
Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, I know you don’t tend to be much for social gatherings, but it has occurred to me that you haven’t really met a lot of the people I’m close with these days.
“I know you’ve met Trucy before…and you’ve met miles, too, way back in the day, but not since he became my—“
Phoenix faltered for a moment, catching himself before he finished his thought by awkwardly clearing his throat. “ghhm—AHEM. Anyway—“
What was he about to say…?
Phoenix continued talking as if nothing had happened: “I’m pretty sure Maya and Pearls would love to see you again, too.”
Iris’s face fell upon the mention of the Feys, which Phoenix picked up on immediately, wincing slightly upon realizing his mistake.
“Hey. It’ll be fine.” Phoenix reached over to pat Iris’s hand sympathetically. “They don’t blame you for what happened.”
“I know, I know….it just…” Iris began. “…it still feels difficult to face them, even after all this time.”
“I understand,” Phoenix nodded. “You don’t have to see them if you don’t want to.”
“...No. I want to,” she said, as firmly as she could. “They’re my family, after all. I’m not going to just…ignore them, because I’m scared.”
Phoenix gave her a weak smile.
“Well, if you want, I was thinking I could put together a little ‘congrats on getting out of prison’ party,” he suggested. “Nothing big, of course, just something to celebrate you finishing your sentence.”
“Ooh, that sounds fun!!” Trucy suddenly chimed in, causing Iris to flinch instinctively.
When did she get here?! Phoenix, for his part, seemed completely unfazed.
“We host stuff like that at the WAA like, ALL the time!” Trucy continued, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Mostly spearheaded by yours truly!”
Phoenix smirked. “I swear, Truce, I have no idea how you managed to get the twisted samurai himself Simon Blackquill to lead a game of Simon Says because ‘it’s literally your name, you can’t not!’”
Trucy tilted her hat proudly. “Heh heh!! No one can resist my patented Trucy charm!!”
Iris laughed. “A party sounds wonderful. S-something small though, of course.”
“Yes, definitely,” Phoenix affirmed.
Iris hesitated a moment, before continuing -- “I…really, truly appreciate all you’ve done to help make this transition easier for me, Phoenix.”
“Oh, don’t think anything of it, it’s the absolute least I could do,” Phoenix said nonchalantly.
The LEAST you could do?! Far from it, this is going above and beyond …I don’t know why you still think I’m deserving of your kindness. Iris thought this, but didn’t vocalize it, pushing the thought to the back of her mind.
Despite the fact that she truly was grateful Phoenix still considered her a friend, she did still find it difficult to understand WHY. Why everyone, but ESPECIALLY Phoenix, continued to treat her with such kindness after all she’d done to hurt them. Though, she’d long since accepted that arguing with them about it wasn’t going to get her anywhere. She already carried so much guilt on her shoulders for far worse; what was the guilt for accepting kindness she didn’t necessarily deserve compared to the guilt of everything else she’d done?
“Alright, I’ll shoot off some texts, then, see what time’ll work for everyone schedule-wise,” Phoenix said, shifting in his seat to reach for his phone.
Iris was snapped out of her thoughts immediately upon seeing what Phoenix pulled out of his pocket. “Phoenix…” she began, “Is…is that the same phone you had when you defended me?”
Phoenix chuckled, admiring his clunky brick of a Nokia phone. “Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“Phoenix. That phone was obsolete a decade ago. I may not be familiar with smartphones myself but I know that they exist, WHY on earth are you still using that?”
“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Trucy interjected.
“Yeah, you and everyone else,” Phoenix said, ruffling his daughter’s hair.
Iris let out a sharp laugh. “Phoenix--”
“Listen, it’s still a perfectly good phone!!” Phoenix threw out his arms in mock-exasperation.
“Well, I see that you’re texting with the numerical pad,” Iris teased.
“’S’ is the worst letter to type with this thing, you gotta hit the 7 key FOUR times,” Phoenix groused. “I try to avoid words with s’s in them cuz of that. sometimes when I’m lazy I use a 5. People generally get what I mean.”
Iris doubled over laughing “Oh my GOODNESS, Phoenix…”
“You see what I have to deal with?” Trucy looked at Iris, hands on her hips. “I text Daddy and it takes him a half hour to send back “yes.”
“That’s an exaggeration, it’s like, twenty minutes at most,” Phoenix said, returning his phone to his pocket. “Alright, I texted a few people to see if they’d be free anytime soon. Now… we just wait for a response.”
A genuine smile spread across Iris’s face for the first time in far too long. “I’m looking forward to it.”
********
“Pearly Pearly PEARLYYYY!!!”
Pearl jumped slightly from her perch on the sofa, looking up from the book she’d been reading as Maya burst into the living room of Fey Manor, waving her phone around excitedly.
“GUESS WHAT!” Maya continued excitedly. “Nick’s hosting a little shindig at the WAA and he asked if we could come!”
“Ohh, no way!!” Pearl set down her book on the coffee table next to the sofa and shifted, turning towards Maya and tucking her legs under herself.
“UGGH, I’m so excited, it’s been like, forever since everyone’s managed to get in the same room together,” Maya beamed, plopping herself down on the sofa next to her cousin. “Not to MENTION, going into the city means I’ll get to meet up with Franzy again!! It’s been AGES.”
“You literally saw her last week, Maya.”
Maya turned her head, fixing a serious gaze on her cousin. “I know. AGES.”
Pearl rolled her eyes.
Pearl and Maya Fey were spirit mediums of the Fey clan’s Kurain School of Spirit Channeling, Maya being its (somewhat reluctant) Master; the two of them lived together in Fey Manor, located within the remote mountain village of Kurain. Though Maya had gone into the city a lot more often when she was a teenager to assist Nick with his cases, her work as the Master had made it harder for her to get down there these days, much to her chagrin.
“Shit, I gotta reschedule any channeling appointments I have, I’m not letting ANYTHING get in the way of this,” Maya grumbled, pulling up her phone’s calendar app.
“Do you know what the occasion for this is?” Pearl inquired. “Did they win a big case, or something?”
Maya paused for a moment, looking up from her phone. “…You know, I did not think to ask.”
“Maya….” Pearl sighed.
“Don’t WORRY, Pearly, I’m gonna call him back, one sec!!” Maya huffed. “We need to get shit squared away anyway, he didn’t even tell me when this thing was happening.”
“You’re a react first, think later sorta person, huh Maya?”
“Listen. Shut up,” Maya smirked, tapping Nick’s name on her contacts list and holding her phone up to her ear.
After a couple rings, a response -- “Hey Maya! Did you—“
“NICK!! You need to be more forthcoming with the details next time, like!! On the one hand, YES, I’m always more than happy to drag myself down there and see your sorry ass but ALSO you made it sound like there was some sort of occasion. So what’s happening, Wright, spill the beans.”
Nick laughed on the other end of the line. “Geez, I was gonna elaborate once you texted back.”
“Well, consider this a text back!” Maya declared. “Also, making you text me on that ancient relic of a phone of yours just feels cruel.”
“Cruel to me or the phone?”
“Take your pick.”
Maya could practically HEAR Nick rolling his eyes at her. “Well ANYWAY, I just thought I’d put a little something together to celebrate Iris getting released from prison.”
“OH NO WAY, I didn’t know that was happening so soon! When’s she getting out?”
Noticing Pearl’s curious expression, Maya mouthed “Iris” at her, and Pearl’s hand flew to her mouth in surprise.
“Um…” Nick began, somewhat awkwardly. “Two days ago? She’s….actually here in my apartment with me right now,” Phoenix said, glancing over at Iris, who was shaking her head and waving her hands back and forth frantically. “But ah, she’s. Busy-- at the moment, though,” Phoenix added hastily.
“SHUT THE HELL UP, SHE’S OUT OF PRISON ALREADY??! AND I’M JUST FINDING OUT NOW?!” Maya yelled into the receiver. “Oh my GOD, Nick, you are SO lucky that I’m like 100 miles away from you right now because I guarantee you if I wasn’t I’d be beating the shit out of you right now.”
“…Noted.”
“Alright, details, details, this changes like SO many things,” Maya said, pacing around the room. “I haven’t seen Iris in YEARS, not since me and Pearly went to the detention center like what, four years ago? Five maybe? when’s this thing happening, first of all?”
“Ah, not 100 percent certain about the timing yet,” Nick replied. “I need to cross-reference everyone’s schedules to find out when’d work for everyone. Is there any specific time that’d work best for you and Pearls?
“Shit man, I don’t ever have anything important going on, I’m only the Master of Kurain,” Maya deadpanned. “Just give me and Pearly like at least a day’s notice to get our shit in order and we’ll be down in a flash.”
Nick laughed. “Alright, can do. If you’re sure.
“Oh, also, just a heads up,” he continued, “Iris has the guest room in our apartment, so you guys won’t be able to stay with us like you usually do.”
“What?! Well, where the hell are we supposed to stay then?!” Maya said indignantly.
“A hotel, maybe? Wild thought?”
“Yes, but hotels cost MONEY, Nick, and I am, as you know, a cheapskate.”
“I do know this, yes.”
Maya sighed, plopping back down on the sofa next to Pearl. “Do you know anyone else I can freeload off of, Nick? You think Athena will let us crash on her couch? Also, do you know if Athena has a couch?”
“Can’t you stay with your wife, Maya? In her giant fancy apartment?”
“Oh, holy SHIT I forgot I had a wife. Okay, fuck yeah that’ll work.”
“How do you--?! Okay never mind, I’ve long since given up trying to understand how your brain works.”
“As you should.”
“Anyway…” Nick said, “I’ll update you when I get the timing squared away, but it should be sometime within the next week or so. Iris wants to get back up to Hazakura fairly soon, so it’ll probably be sooner rather than later.”
“Alright, good to know! Keep us posted bestie.”
“Can do. it’ll be great to see you guys again,” Nick said.
“DITTO!!” Maya bubbled. “I’ve missed you SOOOO much dude, I gotta see if I can get down there more often. Maybe one of these days I’ll finally move in permanently with Franzy.”
“The elders probably wouldn’t like that, huh?”
Maya scoffed. “They don’t like ANYTHING, Nick, that’s basically their job, is just to sit around and dislike things. They’re like….movie review YouTubers. Or Nintendo fans.
“Plus like, living outside Kurain doesn’t even necessarily have to impede my work, I can do spirit channelings over Zoom or whatever,” Maya continued. “Adapting for the modern age. It’d also mean people wouldn’t have to haul ass all the way up to the middle of nowhere to get a channeling done, works better for everyone.
“Wait, shit, that’s actually a really good idea—Pearly, can you write that down for me?”
Pearl nodded, hastily jotting down “zoom call spirit channelings” on a pad of paper.
“Anyway, cool, whenever this thing’s happening, we’ll be there,” Maya beamed.
“Great to hear.”
“Love you Nick, see you soon!”
“Love you too, Maya. Bye.”
With that, Maya took her phone from her ear and ended the call.
“Iris has been out of prison for two days and he didn’t tell us…” Maya grumbled, returning her phone to her pocket. “Can’t believe that dumbass is my best friend.”
“Were you serious about moving in with Franziska?” Pearl asked.
“Well yeah, I mean, I’ve been WANTING to move in with her long-term ever since we first started dating,” Maya said. “It’s just y’know, what with me having to do Master stuff and her being a bigshot international prosecutor, it never really worked out circumstance-wise.”
“Yeah…”
Maya thought for a moment. “Though, with me finally being settled into the role of Master and you heading off to college soon, it might finally be a good time.”
“We don’t know for certain I’m going to get into college, though…” Pearl said meekly.
Maya fixed a glare on her cousin. “HEY, don’t talk that way!! You gotta have self-confidence, Pearly! What’s that thing Apollo always yells? You’re fine? Just do that.”
“I’ll try…don’t think I’d be able to match his volume, though,” Pearl laughed.
Maya chuckled. “I don’t think anyone could.”
“Anyway, I assume we’re heading into the city soon?”
“Yep!” Maya grinned. “Nick doesn’t know when exactly yet, said he’d get back to us, but he said it’d probably be soon-ish. Paraphrasing, of course.”
Pearl shot up from the sofa, determination sparkling in her dark brown eyes.
“Alright then, first order of business!!!” she declared. “If we’re going to a party, then I need to figure out what I’m gonna wear!!”
******
Pearl’s wardrobe had expanded greatly recently owing to her newfound interest in fashion. Morgan had certainly never let her wear anything besides her traditional medium’s robes when she was little, and even after she’d been sent to prison and Pearl permanently cut off contact with her, she was still anxious for a long time about trying anything different.
The first time she’d worn pants around age 13 had been an eye-opening experience. “WHY HAVEN’T I BEEN DOING THIS THE WHOLE TIME!!” she’d yelled, eliciting a laugh out of Maya at the time.
After Maya and Trucy had taken her clothes shopping in the city shortly thereafter, well, THEN there was no going back. Aside from her magatama, which she wore fairly often, Pearl rarely wore her medium’s robes anymore except when she was on Official Kurain School Business, a fact that the elders of the village disapproved of, of course. Fortunately, some choice words from Maya (read: threatening to step down as Master) had convinced them to drop the subject.
Flash forward a few years and Pearl’s closet was nearly overflowing, so packed with clothes at this point that the doors weren’t able to close all the way. As she rummaged her way through the dense forest of garments, Maya poked her head into Pearl’s bedroom, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe.
“Whatcha gonna wear, Pearly?” Maya asked, snacking on a bag of chips that she’d seemingly produced from thin air.
“That’s always the question, isn’t it…” Pearl mused, tossing a pair of jeans onto her bed. “I’ve got to organize all of this sometime soon, it’s so difficult to find anything in here nowadays.”
“Good idea! Maybe you could even get rid of a few things while you’re at it,” Maya suggested.
Pearl looked at her cousin like she’d just grown a second head, causing the older medium to bark out a laugh.
“Or not, I guess,” Maya smirked.
Pearl squinted at Maya, then turned to shove her entire upper body into the garment jungle.
“Do you know what the dress code for this party is going to be, Maya?” her muffled voice came. “Did Nick tell you?”
Maya scoffed. “Oh, c’mon, it’s NICK, Pearly, he isn’t gonna care. You could walk in wearing a barrel with suspenders and he wouldn’t bat an eye.”
“I know, I just…wanna make a good impression,” Pearl said quietly, inspecting a ratty tank top she probably hadn’t worn in years.
“What are you talking about?” Maya frowned. “Nick said it’s gonna be a small low-key sorta thing, everyone who’s gonna be there has probably already known you for years.”
“…Not EVERYONE everyone.”
Maya thought for a moment, then her face lit up as she put two and two together. “OH!! Duh, Maya…! You know, I literally ALWAYS forget you and Iris are sisters!”
“I forget that I even HAVE a sister a lot of the time,” Pearl admitted.
Maya clapped her hands together. “Okay. I am OFFICIALLY invested in this situation now. Let’s get you a killer outfit put together, Pearly.”
“Oh, really?!”
“Mm-hm! What sorta big cousin would I be if I didn’t help my li’l Pearly out in her hour of need!” Maya declared. “Now then, you want me to help you pick something out? I have a bit of an eye for fashion myself.”
“Oh!! Yeah, that’d be great!” Pearl said enthusiastically. “Thank you!”
“Alright, let’s spitball,” Maya sat down on the edge of Pearl’s bed, crossing her legs. “So, what sorta vibes are you going for? Like, a garment category. Let’s start there.”
“Hm….” Pearl thought for a moment. “I feel like I want to wear something I don’t usually wear. It’s been a while since I branched out. Maybe….geez, I don’t actually think I own a suit, come to think of it…..”
“A suit?!” Maya gaped. “NO WAY!”
“I’m trying to think of the most un-Pearl thing I can think of!”
“Oh, you would look ADORABLE in a suit, Pearly, I’m one hundred percent on board with this,” Maya said eagerly, wrapping an arm around Pearl’s shoulders.
“N-nothing super fancy, though,” Pearly clarified hastily. “It’ll be weird if I’m OVER-dressed, too….”
“Gotcha gotcha.” Maya thought for a moment, tapping a finger against her chin.
“Y’know, I think some of my old dress clothes from when I was 12 or so are still laying around here in storage somewhere. You could borrow one of my old suits, if that’d work for you.”
“…You’re giving me clothes made for a twelve year old?” Pearl grimaced.
Maya put a sympathetic hand on Pearl’s shoulder. “Pearly. Listen. I love you. And I know you know that I love you. So you know I mean no ill will when I say you are an extremely tiny person.”
“I’m only like, two inches shorter than you are, Maya!” Pearl huffed.
“Three inches, actually,” Maya corrected her. Pearl rolled her eyes.
“Remember when I broke five feet that one time?” Pearl recalled wistfully.
“Oh, you were elated. Finally felt like an adult,” Maya smirked. “Then you IMMEDIATELY fell back down to 4’11.”
“I swear one day I’ll get that extra inch back….somehow,” Pearl grumbled.
“You’ll get there, kiddo,” Maya ruffled her cousin’s hair.
Pearl giggled.“Y’know, come to think of it, I’m surprised Morgan let you come within ten feet of a suit.”
“Oh, Morgan had NO clue, this was all mia,” Maya grinned. “I asked her for one of my own when I was in the city visiting her because I saw how pretty she looked in her suit and wanted one for myself. We had to basically pull an Ocean’s Eleven to get it past Morgan or the elders.”
“That’s amazing,” Pearl laughed.
“Alright, BRB, I’m gonna go digging for that old suit of mine, I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.”
The outfit they eventually managed to cobble together for Pearl was a bit of a mishmash; much to Pearl’s delight, the suit Maya had from when she was twelve was a bit too small for her, so she couldn’t button it up and the pants only went down to her calves; Maya jokingly dubbed them “dress capris.”
They decided to compensate for this with a pair of clunky brown high-topped boots (also formerly Maya’s; she said when she was 19 she’d seen Ema wearing a similar pair and immediately gone out to buy one of her own.)
To keep things from seeming too stuffy, Pearl wore a GYAXA t-shirt that Athena had gifted her underneath her suit jacket, giving her a look reminiscent of a presenter at an E3 press conference.
“Oh, this is a look, Pearly. I’m into this,” Maya said as the two of them inspected Pearl’s outfit in her full-length mirror.
“Pretty good for something we put together on the fly,” Pearl smiled.
“Pearly Pearly. Can I take your photo.” Maya insisted. “I need pictures of you on hand for when you’re away at college and you look SO darling right now.”
Pearl laughed. “Sure, go ahead.”
Pearl awkwardly grinned and held up a peace sign as Maya snapped a photo with her phone.
“Thank you!” Maya said, reaching over to pull her cousin into a hug,
“I’m going to miss you SO much, y’know,” she sighed. “I remember when you were just a little kid…..but look at you now. All grown up and heading off into the world….I’m going to literally start sobbing in a sec, hang on.”
“Mayaaaaa!!” Pearl laughed, plopping down next to where Maya sat on her bed. “I’m gonna miss you too...but, we’ll stay in touch, though…!”
“Um, of COURSE we will. If you don’t call me every day I’m suing you. I know a few lawyers, you know.”
“Yes, I’m sure they’ll all be more than eager to take on a case that frivolous,” Pearl giggled.
“Also, Pearly, listen to me.” Maya said, her expression serious. “I know you’re going to be tempted to take your entire closet with you. Don’t.”
“I need CLOTHES, Maya!”
“Yeah, yeah, and I get that. But Pearly—most people doesn’t need enough outfits to clothe a small army, you get what I’m saying?”
“I’m not most people though, don’t you always tell me I’m one in a million?” Pearl grinned.
“Stop using my own words against me, god damn you!” Maya laughed, playfully pushing her cousin.
*****
A couple days later, after scheduling and whatnot had been squared away, Maya and Pearl sat on an early morning train en route from Kurain into the city.
Pearl and Maya had both done the two-hour train ride countless times, so it was barely even an inconvenience anymore. Emphasis on barely.
Pearl leaned her head against the window, headphones playing music in her ears, idly watching the rural scenery whoosh by, her eyelids heavy.
“Did we have to take such an early train, Maya…?” Pearl mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Maya groaned, looking even more tired than Pearl did. “Pearly, a big part of being an adult is forcing yourself to do shit you don’t want to because it’s the better decision.”
“Not looking forward to that….”
Pearl felt her phone buzz in her pocket; pulling it out and clicking the lock button, she grinned upon seeing a notification from Trucy light up onscreen.
Truce!!
SO EXCITED TO SEE U LATER PEARLS!!
IM EXCITED TO SEE U TOO!!
actually can I ask u something Truce.
of COURSE anything!
Iris is staying with you and Nick right
yeas….
And u know shes my sister right
YEAS…….
Ok can u like. tell me what shes like now. I haven’t spoken to her in years and I want to mentally prepare for talking to her again
lmao youre so funny Pearls
IM NERVOUS :(((
ITS WEIRD HAVING A SIBLING WHO YOU BARELY EVEN KNOW. LIKE YOURE RELATED BUT ALSO STRANGERS??
How am I supposed to connect with someone like that
Not to mention the age diff, she’s almost as old as Nick is
omg thats SO OLD
I KNOW >_<
my honest advice is just be urself pearls!! urself is a wonderful person and im sure Iris will see that. shes like totally not judgmental or anything, itll be fine
Ya yr probably right….im still gonna be nervous tho
u got this pearls!!!! 😤
Thanks Truce love u!!!
LOVE U TOO!!! <3333333333333333333333
“Um, Trucy?”
Trucy looked up from her phone to see Iris nervously standing in the doorway to her bedroom.
“HI, Iris!” Trucy chirped. “Need something?”
Iris looked sheepish. “Um, yes, I just thought I would ask….Pearl is your best friend, right?”
A knowing grin curled onto Trucy’s face. “Mm-hmm! We’ve been besties ever since we were both little kids!!”
“Umm…what’s she like nowadays, If you don’t mind my asking?” Iris said hesitantly. “I haven’t spoken to her since she was just a child, after all….”
Trucys’ grin grew wider as she tapped her forefinger to her chin in faux-thought. “Hm….I might be able to tell you a thing or two.”
DADDY <3
daddy. iris and pearls both asked me about each other. u know what we have to do
code silver?
code silver 😎
****
That evening, after getting settled at Franziska’s apartment (and Maya practically tackling her wife into a hug), Maya and Pearl stepped out of the elevator in the WAA’s building, heading down the hallway leading to the office.
“Should we knock fir—oh,” before Pearl had finished talking, Maya had already opened the door.
Pearl breathed a sigh of relief; the get-together was indeed quite small, as Nick had promised. aside from herself and Maya, the only other people in attendance were Apollo, Athena, Trucy, Nick, Mr. Edgeworth, and, of course... Iris.
Her half-sister looked different than the last time Pearl had seen her; she wore a casual long sleeved indigo shirt and jeans, her jet-black hair trimmed down into a short bob; though she’d undoubtedly aged, she still looked remarkably youthful considering she was now in her mid-30’s and had spent the last decade incarcerated.
As Maya greeted everyone, Pearl hung back, trying to stay small, and largely succeeding, as she WAS small. Even though this was a room full of close friends and family, it couldn’t prevent Pearl from shying away from all of them. It’s a good thing like half of the WAA members were like, absurdly extroverted.
“Pearls!!” Trucy called as soon as she noticed she was there, bouncing over towards her friend.
“hey, Truce…!!” Pearl immediately felt the tension melt out of her shoulders as Trucy wrapped her in a hug.
Trucy pulled away, keeping her hands on Pearl’s shoulders. “Omigosh, you look amazing! Look at your SUIT!!”
“Thank you! I love your outfit too.”
Trucy was wearing a very cute, simple powder blue cardigan and black pleated skirt, with a beret sitting on top of her head.
“Hehe, danke!” she said, giving Pearl a small curtsey.
Franziska’s influence….
“I’m…sorta self-conscious about this outfit, actually,” Pearl admitted. “I’ve never really worn anything like this before, I don’t know WHY I thought this was the best time to do something like this…last thing I needed for tonight was MORE to be anxious about.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think it looks AMAZING.” Trucy beamed. “‘Sides, you love fashion, everyone knows it! They expect you to wear crazy stuff at this point!
“Plus, if it’s any consolation, you’re not the worst-dressed person here by FAR,” Trucy gestured behind her to Apollo, who shot her an annoyed look.
Apollo was wearing a maroon Gavinners t-shirt and distressed jeans, and somehow looking more distressed than his jeans was the person wearing them, whose face was curled into an awkward grimace.
“The worst part is, you aren’t wrong,” Apollo groaned. “Pearl, give me a second opinion here, I’m…way underdressed, aren’t I?”
Pearl thought for a moment. “Well, Maya told me Nick doesn’t care about dress codes, so I think you’re probably fine.”
Trucy pouted at her brother. “Oh, come on, Pearls is way too nice, Polly, even if you were underdressed she wouldn’t tell you.”
“Um, if it helps, I feel a bit OVERdressed,” Pearl said. “So, you aren’t in it alone, at least.”
“Hah! At least I have that,” Apollo chuckled. “It’s good to see you again, Pearl, by the way.”
“Oh! You too, Mr. Justice!”
“Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit before,” Apollo noted.
“Yeah! This is my first time wearing one.”
“Well, as someone who wears one almost every day, let me tell ya. The novelty wears off after a while.”
“Don’t crush her dreams, Polly!” Trucy pouted at him, hands on her hips.
“yeah, Polly, lighten up,” Maya echoed, appearing behind Apollo and flicking one of his hair horns; he looked none too happy about Trucy’s nickname for him spreading around.
“Aunt Maya!!” Trucy chirped, throwing her arms around Maya.
“Hehe! Hey Truce, how’s my favorite niece doing?” Maya asked, ruffling Trucy’s hair.
“Prreeeetttyy good,” Trucy said expectantly, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. “But you know what might make it even better…?”
“Hmm, I dunno…” Maya drawled, tapping her finger to her chin. “Could it perhaps be…A PRESENT FOR YOU?”
Maya pulled out a stapler from her robes, and Trucy squealed with delight.
“OMIGOSH a stapler!!! I can use it to sort my documents!! Thank you so much, Aunt Maya, you’re the best!!
“I’m gonna go use it right now!” she chirped, scampering away towards her office (yes, Trucy had her own office).
“You holdin up okay, Pearly?” Maya asked.
“Yeah! We’ve only been here like, five minutes, Maya.”
“I know, I just know how fast your social interaction batteries drain and I want to be sure,” Maya said through a bite of a burger she’d somehow obtained. “Also, heads up, Chief Prosecutor, five o’clock.”
A flash of magenta and ruffles caught the corner of Pearl’s eye as she noticed Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth awkwardly making his way over to her and Maya.
“Erm, good evening, Maya, Pearls,” he greeted awkwardly, adjusting his glasses. “I, ah… trust you’ve both been well.”
Maya rolled her eyes at him. “Oh my god, you’ve known me for like a decade, Edgeworth, no need to be so stuffy,” Maya teased, pulling a delightfully uncomfortable-looking Edgeworth into a hug; after she broke away, giving him a hearty thump on the back, Edgeworth offered a handshake to Pearl, who shyly accepted it.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Edgeworth,” Pearl said quietly.
“You as well, Pearls,” Edgeworth replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I hear tell you’ve applied to Ivy University, correct?”
“Oh, yeah! How did you…?”
“Phoenix told me,” he replied. “They’d be foolish to not accept you. I’m certain you’ll get in.”
“Don’t JINX it for her, Edgeworth!” Maya chided, lightly shoving his shoulder. “If they reject her I’m one HUNDRED percent blaming you now.”
Edgeworth scoffed, a smirk making its way to his face. “Oh, please, don’t tell me you actually believe in those silly superstitions, Maya.”
“I literally talk to ghosts for a living, you absolute clod, what did you expect?”
Pearl, wanting to preserve her social interaction batteries’ charge for the person she wanted to make a point of speaking to; quietly excused herself as Maya and Edgeworth got into a heated discussion about the newest Steel Samurai movie.
“Pearly!”
Pearl turned to see Athena barreling towards her, eventually scooping her up in a hug.
“UWAAAUUGH--!!”
“Good to see ya!” Athena beamed as she dropped Pearl back to her feet. ”Been a while!”
Being nearly a foot shorter than Athena, Pearl had to crane her neck up to make eye contact with the bright-eyed attorney, currently leaning back against the wall, arms crossed across her chest; she was wearing her usual work suit (minus tie and jacket) with Widget’s display flashing a bright green around her neck.
“You too, Athena!” Pearl replied. ”How’ve you been?”
“Eh, same old, same old,” Athena shrugged. “Oh my god, y’know, I had LITERALLY no idea that Iris was your sister?”
Pearl felt like she got whiplash from the sudden subject change. “WBH--”
”But like, not ONLY that, she and Mr. Wright used to date?!” Athena continued, oblivious. “Small-ass world, huh?”
“H-heh, yeah! For sure.”
Athena paused, her expression morphing into a wince, evidently picking up some major discord in Pearl’s voice (although even someone without super-hearing probably would’ve been able to pick that up.) Thankfully, Athena knew better than to press, instead sheepishly running a hand through her hair.
“Ah, sorry….” Athena said sheepishly. “Didn’t occur to me that...”
“N-no, it’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Pearl smiled. “I’m...just a bit nervous is all.”
Athena didn’t seem to fully buy it, but knew better than to press, instead reaching forward to give Pearl a couple pats on the shoulder.
“Well, you got this, Pearly. I’ll be rootin’ for ya.”
“Thanks, Athena….”
Well, that made everyone in the agency she’d spoken to except….
Pearl turned her head over to the opposite corner of the agency where Iris stood, currently involved in conversation with Phoenix and Edgeworth.
Suddenly, as if she could sense Pearl looking at her, Iris’s eyes snapped over, and the two made eye contact.
CRAP, Pearl thought, ducking behind a sofa before she could think about what she was doing.
“Hey Pearls, check out these papers, they’re SO organized now,” Trucy chirped, approaching Pearl again while waving around a stack of stapled-together papers. “Um.... Any particular reason youre hiding behind the sofa?”
“AGH, I don’t know, I saw Iris looking at me and just-- panicked.” Pearl groaned, putting her head in her hands. “UGHH, why am I like this….this is SO embarrassing, I’m gonna totally get us off on the wrong foot.”
“Looks like Maya’s talking to her right now, actually,” Trucy noted.
“She is?!” Pearl peeked her head over the back of the sofa, and sure enough, Maya and Iris were chatting it up.
“Son of an expletive….” Pearl grumbled. “Okay. Super quick, I’ll figure it out. I’ve had time to think about it, I just...need to get my thoughts in order.”
“What you need is to stop thinking about everything so much, and just…DO stuff! Here, one sec.”
“KAW!!! KAW!!” Trucy loudly called, drawing the attention of everyone in the agency.
“Trucy?? Why are you making bird noises?”
“Sometimes you just need someone to give you a PUSH in the WRIGHT direction!” Trucy winked at her.
“N-no, Truce, I’m not ready yet, TRUCE TRUCE TRU---EEAAGUUGHH!!”
With that, Trucy lifted Pearl up and pushed her out from behind the sofa, causing her to stumble directly into Iris’s line of sight; the two sisters made eye contact once more
SHIT.
Pearl sucked in a deep breath. Well...no turning back now.
Sheepishly, she walked over to where Iris stood. “Hi, Iris!! Um, sorry, for ah, ducking behind the sofa, I promise I, um? Wasn’t trying to be rude? I. uh. Well, you know how it is. A-anyway, ummm, how’ve you been?”
Iris squinted at her for a moment. “Um....I’m sorry, have we met before?”
If psychic damage was a real thing, Pearl just felt a truckload of it smash directly into the side of her skull.
“AH! S-sorry, I’m Pearl Fey, I’m your sister—ah, half-sister?? If that, uh, distinction matters—um--”
“Oh, Pearl!!” Iris stammered, her face growing red with embarrassment. “Ah, um, I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you, you’ve just --grown so much since I last saw you! Though, um, I suppose that the loops should’ve been a dead giveaway.”
Pearl let out a nervous giggle. “Gotta keep the trademarks intact, I guess….”
The conversation entered a short, painfully awkward lull.
“Um, how old are you now?” Iris asked quickly.
“Eighteen,” Pearl replied.
“Wow…I remember when you only came up to my waist.”
This is bad. We’re just making awkward small talk, Pearl thought, biting her lip. Okay, think…what would Trucy do in this situation? Probably….just keep talking. Keep the momentum of the conversation going. I can do that much. I’ll be FINE. I’m Pearl Fey and I’m FINE.
“I’m actually headed to college soon,” Pearl offered. “Well, assuming I get in, of course…I’ve always wanted to see the world outside of Kurain and spend more time in the city, and that’s as good an opportunity as any!”
Iris nodded. “That’s good! I certainly wish I’d spent more time outside of Hazakura when I was younger, under…less unpleasant circumstances, at least.”
“Yeah…” pearl said. “Uh, congratulations on your release, by the way!”
“Thank you,” Iris said. “It’s been…an adjustment, certainly. But I’m very grateful for the kindness Phoenix and everyone else has shown me.”
Suddenly, the world around Pearl and Iris faded to black, and a telltale clattering sound began to echo in Pearl’s ears. With snakelike precision, icy chains began wrapping themselves around her half-sister, and with a hollow clang, a single black Psyche-Lock appeared above Iris.
A BLACK LOCK?? Pearl felt a jolt of adrenaline surge through her. A lock protecting something Iris is hiding subconsciously…?
“Um, Pearl? Are you alright? D-did I say something wrong?” Iris asked worriedly.
Pearl snapped out of her daze at the sound of Iris’s voice, the chains and lock fading away from view. “Um, no no, don’t worry, you’re totally fine!!” Pearl clarified hastily. “I just, ah, spaced out for a sec.”
If Iris has her magatama on her, she’ll absolutely see through that, Pearl thought, grimacing.
Fortunately, if she did, Iris didn’t press, instead opting to continue the conversation.
The more Pearl spoke with her, the more one thing became clear - Iris was a very kind person. Pearl sort of hadn’t known what to expect, exactly, but she was warm, gentle, shy like Pearl was. They were a lot more similar than Pearl had realized. But her eyes betrayed a deep sadness lurking underneath. Pearl couldn’t help but wonder if hers did the same.
She felt almost silly for overthinking this conversation as much as she had earlier, because barring some initial awkwardness on both of their parts, Iris was a very easy person to talk to. She seemed to have a calming effect on people. Pearl felt at ease just talking to her and being in her presence.
But as she and Iris continued to chat, the sight of the black lock wrapping itself around her sister continued to prod at the back of Pearl’s mind.
The only other black locks she’d seen in person had been Athena’s during her trial; cold and dark, abyssal locks that seemed to take the temperature in the room down twenty degrees whenever they appeared. Locks guarding the deepest secret of someone’s heart, something they’re hiding even from themself.
What secret could Iris’s lock be protecting…?
*****
That night, Pearl lay awake in the guest bedroom of Franziska’s apartment, unable to get to sleep. Her mind was racing over the events of the day, and try as she might, she just couldn’t stop her brain from going a mile a second.
….Slightly out of character as it was, Pearl resigned herself to the fact that the only way she was getting any sleep was if she talked to someone and got this off her chest.
Sighing, she pulled her phone off the bedside table, squinting as the harsh blue light bathed over her face.
12:14 AM….even though she was doubtful anyone would be up around this time, she began to scroll through her contacts list.
Maya? Well, aside from the fact that she was literally one room over, she was almost certain she was asleep, and Pearl didn’t want to bother her. Especially since she was basically useless when jostled out of REM sleep.
Trucy...? they were best friends, sure, but Pearl wasn’t sure she’d understand.
No...there really was only one person to call.
A handful of rings, then a groggy voice answered: “…Pearls?”
“Um, hi, Nick…sorry to call you so late…”
“No, no, it’s fine, don’t worry…what’s up, is everything okay?” he asked, his voice oozing concern.
“I…um….it’s dumb, but I haven’t been able to get to sleep, so….
“Aw, I’m sorry,” Nick said. “I assume that’s not the ONLY reason you’re calling me, though...?”
Pearl took a deep breath. “I wanted to ask you about Iris.”
“…Yeah, I thought that might be it,” Nick replied, grunting, the rustling of sheets audible in the background of the call. “So what’s on your mind?”
Pearl hesitated for a moment. “When I spoke with her earlier…Iris had a black psyche-lock.”
“Mm, she still has those, huh….?” Phoenix hummed.
“Wh—Wait, you knew she had black locks?!” Pearl yelped.
“I did, yeah,” Phoenix said. “I saw them myself when I visited her in person at the detention center. Though, past a certain point, I stopped taking my magatama with me when I visited her. As I’m sure you know, black locks can be a bit…much, seeing them in person.”
“Yeah….”
“So she’s down to only one now…” Phoenix mused. “That’s interesting.”
“How many did she have when you saw them?”
“Last time I visited her with the magatama on hand was probably…five or so years ago, and she had four locks back then. Immediately after Hazakura, though, she had six.”
“SIX BLACK LOCKS?!” Pearl shouted, then winced, hoping she didn’t wake Maya and Franziska. “I didn’t even know it was possible for one person to have that many at once….!”
“Really speaks to how bad a place she was in around that time, I guess…” Phoenix said glumly. “I’m glad to hear she’s gotten it down to just the one now, though….silver linings and all that.”
“Geez, though...I had no idea it was that bad for her.”
Nick hummed in assent. “Pearls, what triggered her lock appearing this time, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Oh…! She said something like…she was grateful for everyone’s kindness, or something like that?” Pearl recalled. “The lock is black, so it’s not that she’s lying about being grateful….”
“Yeah...if I had to guess, it’s that she’s grateful for our kindness but doesn’t feel like she deserves it,” Phoenix finished.
“You think so…?”
“Iris carries…a lot of guilt for her past actions,” Phoenix sighed. “Not just Hazakura, but a lot of stuff beforehand, and even some stuff afterwards too.
“I know you were pretty little in the aftermath of Hazakura, so it doesn’t surprise me you don’t remember too well, but Iris was in a really bad place after that. Your sister is a person who has an easy time forgiving others, but a hell of a time forgiving herself. She’s improved on that front in the time that I’ve known her, but I know she still struggles with it a bit.
“I think that’s probably the source of the remaining black lock. She wants to forgive herself but just can’t.”
Pearl heard Nick laugh slightly on the other end of the line. “Lot of this is more Athena’s wheelhouse than mine. She’s the psychologist, I’m just a guy.
“Anyway... your sister is a very complicated person, Pearls. I mean that in the nicest way possible.”
“Yeah….” Pearl said. “I think we’re sorta all complicated people.”
“Hah…fair enough.” Nick seemed to hesitate for a moment, before asking, “Pearls…you aren’t going to try to break Iris’s last lock, are you?”
“No,” Pearl replied before her brain caught up. She honestly hadn’t even considered that possibility up until then. “I mean, I certainly won’t intentionally try to. Like, you’ve seen it yourself, black locks aren’t something to be tampered with lightly. They can permanently damage someone’s soul if they’re broken incorrectly.”
“Mm…” Nick hummed. “Are you worried about her? Iris, I mean.”
“A little bit, I guess...” Pearl sighed. “I…I don’t know, it’s weird. she’s my sister, y’know? But I still barely even KNOW her.”
“I understand.”
Pearl bit her lip, sinking a bit deeper into her pillow. “I….I want to get to know her better. But it’s difficult for me, even under the best of circumstances. I don’t even know...how I’d begin to go about it.”
“Do you mind if I make a suggestion?” Nick’s voice came from the other side of the line after a moment.
“Please do.”
“Lunch date.”
“Lunch date?”
“Tried and true. Way more casual than dinner. Don’t know why the time of day you eat at makes it infinitely more casual, but it absolutely does,” Nick said. “We could go to one of those tacky chain sit-down restaurants that have crazy photos on the walls. Plus, you’d have me there as a liaison, so things wouldn’t get too awkward for you.”
Pearl mulled it over for a second. “Do you think Trucy could come too?”
“Trucy? I mean, of course, but are you sure? Too many people and we might get too far removed from the goal of sister bonding.”
“…I’d just feel more comfortable with her there, I think,” Pearl said. “Trucy just really knows how to put people at ease. Her personality really is infectious like that.”
“Hah! Yeah…” Pearl could hear Phoenix smiling through the phone. “Well, alright, sounds like a plan. I gotta check my schedule, which I will do tomorrow because WOW it is late right now.”
“Heh, sorry…”
“No no, it’s totally fine, Pearls,” Nick reassured her. “I’ll talk to Truce and Iris about it, too, I pretty much KNOW Truce is gonna be on board, and Iris probably will too. Y’know, I think she’s curious about you too, Pearls.
“I feel like I came off weird at the Wright Anything shindig earlier,” Pearl admitted. “I was really nervous.”
“Iris was nervous too, y’know,” Nick laughed. “I tried to keep things small so it’d be easy for her, but I think she still ended up a little bit overwhelmed.”
“Mm…” Pearl hummed.
“Well, anyway, try to get some sleep, okay? You’re still growing, you need your rest if you ever want to get that extra inch back,” Nick teased.
“Hah! Thanks, Nick...you too. Love you.”
“Love you too, Pearls. Good luck.”
*click*
****
The next day, Pearl’s phone buzzed with a text from Nick --
Nick!
ok! on for tmrw, 12:30, spankys mealatorium
WHAT the hell is this restaurant called--?!
hey I didnt name it
:\
Since neither Maya or Pearls could drive (living in a secluded village without paved roads would do that) Franziska offered to drive Pearl to the restaurant.
“I could just take the bus,” Pearl said sheepishly. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
“Nonsense, Pearl, it’s no trouble at all,” Franziska insisted. “And I won't have a young woman such as yourself taking public transportation by herself unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Why did like half of Pearl's family have to be lawyers...it made arguing with them so difficult.
The next day, she and Franziska sat in the latter’s car, preparing to depart.
“What in the bloody hell is this place called,” Franziska muttered as Pearl told her the address to put into her GPS.
“I don’t know, Nick chose it.”
“Why does that not surprise me in the slightest….?”
After the car ride, where Pearl and Franziska caught up on recent goings on (Franziska was excited that she’d found a Steel Samurai shower curtain for Maya’s birthday, and made Pearl promise not to breathe a word of it to her), they arrived at their destination; Pearl quickly spotted Nick, Iris and Trucy lingering near the entrance.
“You don’t have to park, I can just hop out,” Pearl said, unbuckling her seatbelt as Franziska pulled the car to a stop. “Thanks again, Franziska.”
“It was no problem whatsoever,” she dismissed. “You’ll text me when you’re ready to be picked up, yes?”
“Uh-huh!”
“Very well. Good luck with...everything,” Franziska grimaced, not-so-subtly glancing at Phoenix as she said it.
Pearl let out a wry chuckle as she clonked open the car door and headed out.
---
As Phoenix promised, Spanky’s Mealatorium was one of those chain sit-down restaurants with a whole bunch of crazy crap on the walls, which Trucy observed with rapt fascination from the second they entered.
“Where do they find all of this stuff, I wonder…?” Trucy mused. “do they have a guy on staff whose job it is to find stuff to put on the walls. And followup question, are they hiring?”
“Hey, you’re already out-earning your old man, don’t need to rub it in with a side gig,” Phoenix smirked, ruffling Trucy’s hair.
Pearl stole a glance at Iris, who seemed almost as anxious as Pearl did.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her --from what she knew about Iris’s past, she had a hard time saying no to people she cared about. Could she only be here because Nick asked her to come…?
Pearl tried to push the worry out of her mind.
Pearl had eaten a light breakfast in anticipation of eating out, but now she wished she’d eaten something more substantial, because she was nothing short of STARVING. She was practically inhaling the chicken strips and fries she’d ordered (everyone’s go-to when eating at an unfamiliar restaurant, of course.)
She and Iris were both very quiet, just in general, so Phoenix and Trucy had obviously done some father-daughter scheming beforehand, actively teaming up to ask questions of Pearl and Iris to involve them in the conversation. Pearl appreciated it, even if the two could be a bit ham-handed with it at times.
“You know what I think is cool? The concept of siblings,” Trucy said. “Pearls, your thoughts?”
“Mmph?” Pearl grunted with a mouth half-full of french fry. “Mmngh, ah, well. It sure is two people who’re related? By like, blood or by choice, or whatever?”
“Well, you can’t argue with that!!” Trucy gestured. She was definitely in full showmanship mode. Not that she ever WASN’T, really, but Pearl could tell she was hamming it up. “How about you, Iris? Your thoughts on the concept of siblings?”
“Huh? M-me?” Iris was quiet for a second. “Um….very complicated.”
“Wonderful! Changing the subject entirely. Daddy, your thoughts on Mr. Edgeworth?”
Phoenix, in the middle of a gulp of water, almost did a spit-take. “*cough* KH-G-WH-WHAT?!”
“I’m just saying, you two have been beating around the bush ever since I was little! When is one of you finally gonna--”
Phoenix, frazzled, slapped a hand over Trucy’s mouth. “D-don’t talk with your mouth full, Truce! B-bad table manners, don’t you know.”
Trucy’s response was muffled by her father’s hand, but it seemed to be something along the lines of “There’s literally nothing in my mouth right now, Daddy.”
“Hang on, um….what does Mr. Edgeworth have to do with any of this?” Pearl asked, looking back and forth between Phoenix and Trucy..
“Yeah, Daddy, what does he?” Trucy smirked, lifting her dad’s hand from her mouth.
“We are NOT having this conversation in public, young lady.”
Pearl officially had no idea what was happening anymore.
“Besides, this isn’t about me, right?” Phoenix said quickly. “It’s about Pearl and Iris? Helping them reconnect, and all that!”
Iris looked up as Phoenix said this, a perplexed look on her face.
Pearl buried her head in her hands. GOD.
“Is that what this was about?” Iris said, lowering her fork, looking confusedly between her three companions.
Trucy pouted. “Nice going, Daddy, she’s onto us now!”
Nick, realizing his mistake, contorted his face in guilt.
“Ah, uh, yeah, it was my idea,” NIck said hastily. “You know...just...I dunno. Thought it’d be nice to help you and Pearls get to know each other better, y’know?
He’s trying to cover for me, Pearl thought. Nick is too sweet….
Iris looked slightly disappointed for some reason. “Ah...I see. Well, I appreciate it, Phoenix.”
“I think I need to go powder my nose, actually,” Nick said, abruptly standing up from the table. “Freshen up, and all that. Heading to the little Phoenix’s room, back in a flash, gang.”
As Nick got up, Trucy exaggeratedly slapped a hand to her cheek. “Aw, crap, I dropped one of my contact lenses! Pardon me a moment.
Trucy ducked under the table, pretending to look for a contact lens, which Pearl was 99 percent sure she didn’t wear.
They’re trying to get me alone with Iris.
“And I, um….left my refrigerator running. I’d better go catch it,” Pearl said hastily, making to get up from her seat, before a metallic CLONK rooted her in place.
Her eyes darted to her wrist, which had, at some point, been handcuffed to the table.
“T-Truce, when did you--?”
“When did I what?” Trucy’s voice came from under the table. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
Iris, for her part, looked bewildered. “I’m...not sure I know what’s happening.”
Pearl slumped back down in her seat defeatedly. “ I’m beginning to think that putting Nick and Trucy in the same room with a common goal is a recipe for trouble.”
Trucy bonked her head on the bottom of the table as she got up. “SHIT,” she hissed.
“Don’t tell Daddy I swore,” Trucy said, rubbing the top of her head as she retook her seat.
“I’m back!” Nick said cheerily, settling back into his chair. “Did I miss anything?”
“Trucy swore.”
“PEARLS--”
***
After they’d finished eating, paid, and unhandcuffed Pearl from the table, the gang made their way outside of the restaurant, Pearl squinting as her eyes adjusted to the harsh outside light.
“Lemme text Fran and tell her I’m ready,” she said, pulling her phone out of her pocket.
“Oh Pearls, we can give you a ride back to Franziska’s place, if you want,” Phoenix offered.
“Oh, really?” Pearl exclaimed “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, of course!” Phoenix said. “We parked…sorta far away, though, so I hope you don’t mind walking a bit.”
“Daddy wanted to park somewhere he wouldn’t have to pay,” Trucy explained, glaring at her father with her hands on her hips.
“Listen, $10 to park in one of those parking structures is an absolute racket. Don’t even get me started on the meters,” Phoenix griped.
“Alright, lemme tell Fran,” Pearl said, shooting off a text to Franziska as the four made their way down the sidewalk back to wherever it was that Phoenix had parked his car.
…
…….
……….
Wait a second.
…
…..
Nick doesn’t drive.
“OBJECTION!” Pearl yelled. “You don’t drive, Nick, what are you—“
“Oh look Truce, yacht rentals!” Phoenix interrupted her, pointing off to a building in the distance. “Y’know, we should look into renting a yacht sometime.”
“I was LITERALLY just thinking the same thing, Daddy,” Trucy lilted.
“Okay, really, you two, YACHT RENTALS? When the agency’s last like, five cases have been pro bono—“
“We’ll be right baaaacckk you two, going to grab a yacht pamphlet!!” Trucy singsonged.
“NICK, TRUCE--!!” Pearl called after the two as they essentially bolted away from her and Iris.
“Dammit,” Pearl cursed under her breath. Of course Nick and Truce would do this, the two of them together basically schemed nonstop, they weren’t even trying to be subtle about it. It was hard to believe they weren’t biologically related with how constantly in sync they were.
Speaking of biological relatives, though, Pearl was now alone standing awkwardly on the side of the road next to one of the two (2) living blood relatives she was on speaking terms with.
“...Those two make quite the pair, don’t they?” Iris asked hesitantly.
Pearl looked down at her feet.
“Yeah, they sorta. Do this sometimes. Scheme and plot. They always mean well, though. I think they wanted us to talk.”
“Hmm...that would definitely explain why Phoenix suggested we all go out for lunch.”
“To be fair, it wasn’t...entirely his idea,” Pearl admitted. “I….I asked Nick to put something together so I could get to know you better.” Pearl felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as the words left her mouth.
“Really?” Iris seemed surprised.
“Well, I mean, yeah...you’re my sister, y’know? I felt like I….wanted to at least know you, a little bit.”
“Even after…?” Iris’s voice tapered off.
“...
“...even after what?”
“Y...you know…” Iris began tentatively. ”The elephant in the room.”
“…There are a lot of elephants here, Iris, you’ll have to be more specific.”
This elicited a weak laugh from Pearl’s sister.
Her sister…she still had to get used to that.
“Um….I was talking specifically about Hazakura,” Iris murmured.
Pearl swallowed thickly. “Ah,” was all she managed to get out.
Well, this conversation had to happen eventually. Best to just do it now and rip the band-aid off.
“M-my role in what happened there back then was…undeniable,” Iris began, her voice shaky. “ I know ….that it profoundly hurt you when you were a very young child. And…I’m truly sorry.”
Pearl’s mind began to race. For all her worrying and overthinking, how to handle this conversation was something she’d only lightly thought about in the past. She was venturing into uncharted waters.
“Um... please try not to worry about it,” Pearl tried to reassure her. “I forgive you, Iris. Really, it’s okay.”
Iris didn’t respond for a long moment. “...Pearl. I need to ask you something. And I want you to answer honestly.”
“Okay…?”
“...Um….do you...do you hate me?”
“HUH?!” Pearl yelped. “What, no, no of course I don’t hate you!!”
Iris’s eyes snapped up, looking genuinely surprised. “Y-you don’t?!”
“No??” Pearl said incredulously. ”Wh-why did you think I would hate you?! That hasn’t even crossed my mind for a second!”
“Because of Hazakura, of course!!” Iris quavered. “I-I helped cover up our aunt’s murder, for goodness’s sake…! I hurt you so badly…what I did back then was unforgivable!”
“D-did you really think I’d agree to go to your prison release party if I hated you? Or out to lunch?!” Pearl exclaimed incredulously
“y-you’re a very polite person!!” Iris stammered. “I thought you just didn’t want to seem rude!!”
“Well, I’m glad you think so highly of me, but I’ve had enough experience with shitty family members to have zero qualms with avoiding them,” Pearl dryly laughed. “Trust me, you’re fine.”
“You’re too kind to me, Pearl…” Iris said. ”Everyone is.”
Without thinking, Pearl reached over to grab Iris’s wrist. “No. You deserve to be treated with kindness, Iris,” she said firmly, her eyes meeting Iris’s, which were wide as dinner plates. “I think you’ve had enough of people treating you like a doormat for one lifetime. Everyone’s done bad things in the past, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to be happy in the future.”
Iris was silent for a moment. Pearl awkwardly loosened her grip on her sister’s arm.
“You know…” Iris began, “the main reason I came back here…agreed to meet back up with everyone…was because I wanted to make amends.”
Iris clutched her hands to her chest. “I spent so long running away from all my problems. Running from the people I hurt. And it just made everything worse in the long run.”
Iris sighed shakily. “After Dahlia tried to kill Phoenix and was arrested, I decided it’d be best if I never spoke to him again because of how badly I’d hurt him…but I think that if I HAD spoken to him, after that trial…the damage could’ve been mitigated. I made things so much worse by hiding the truth from him. I let him think that the person he’d fallen in love with was a murderer who didn’t care about him, when that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Iris locked eyes with Pearl once more, her dark brown eyes brimming with determination. “I…I wanted to at least try to make things up to you somehow. Because I know that running away wasn’t an option this time.”
Pearl took in a deep breath to steady herself.
Preparation be damned.
“I mean….being completely honest with you….I blamed myself for Mystic Misty’s death for years,” Pearl began quietly. “After all…I was the reason why Misty had to channel Dahlia, and why she ended up getting killed by Godot….I always thought about how things would’ve gone differently if I’d gone to read with Misty like she suggested.”
Pearl’s eyes were fixed on her shoes, hands balled into fists in the pockets of her hoodie.
“It’s undeniable that…I played a role in what happened back then. Same as you did. But ultimately, Morgan and Dahlia were the ones who orchestrated it. They manipulated us into helping them, sure, but they were the ones at fault.”
Pearl sighed. “The way I see it, there’s no use dwelling on the mistakes you’ve made. It’s much better to learn from them,” she said. “I dunno….I for one am sick of having to learn lessons the hard way, but that’s life a lot of the time, it’d seem.” Pearl lifted her gaze to meet Iris’s, whose eyes had a film of tears over them. “Anyway, uh, I...I don't want to burden you with—“ Pearl gestured around vaguely – “all of that.”
“I’m happy to listen, Pearl,” Iris offered quietly. “if you ever need to talk.”
Pearl bit her lip.“It's...rough for me, sometimes. I’m still dealing with the fallout of all that to this day. All the shit my mother put me through. Well...OUR mother, I guess. Still not used to that.”
Iris looked pensive. “Bikini was more of a mother to me than Morgan ever was, to be honest….I barely even knew her. After all, she shipped me and Dahlia away when we were very little.
Iris’s face grew somber. “She cast us aside because we didn’t have spiritual powers. She didn’t care about us because we couldn’t provide an opportunity for her to take over the Kurain School. That’s really all we were to her.
“I’m not sure she cared about any of her daughters. Just viewed us as means to an end.”
Iris’s eyes widened, apparently realizing the implications of what she just said. “Oh, P-Pearl, I didn’t--”
“No, no, you’re absolutely right,” Pearl said. “I…I do think that Morgan loved me, albeit in some twisted, distorted sense of the word. But she also felt zero remorse in trying to get nine-year-old me to be an accomplice to murder, so who knows.”
Pearl ran a finger over the magatama resting in her pocket. “I do wonder, though…if my powers weren’t as strong as they were…would Morgan have even cared about me?”
Iris didn’t respond. This was the first time the thought had crossed Pearl’s mind, but thinking about it even on a surface level, the answer she arrived at was “probably not.” Logically, she knew she should be upset about that, but she really wasn’t. She’d long been past the point of caring about Morgan’s opinion of her.
“I guess it doesn’t matter at this point,” Pearl sighed. “It’s all water under the bridge.” Pearl cringed, realizing the unintentional double meaning of that metaphor; if it bothered Iris, she didn’t show it.
“...Thank you, Pearl.” Iris hesitated for a long moment. “I...I’m very glad that we spoke. It really helped me. A lot. And...I’m very lucky to have you as a sister.”
A smile crept onto Pearl’s face. “I am too.”
Somewhat awkwardly, the two moved into a hug.
“…This is weird, right?” Pearl asked.
Iris softly laughed. “Yes. It absolutely is.”
As they broke the hug, Pearl’s phone somewhat belatedly buzzed in her pocket --
Franziska
U dont have to worry abt picking me up btw, nick said hed give me a lift
-----NEW-----
Since when has that fool known how to drive?
Since never, apparently -_- it was a plot to get me and iris alone to talk
It worked btw
Utterly typical.
That man’s audacious bluffing never ceases to both amaze and infuriate.
I assume you still need a ride back, then?
yes’m
On my way, then.
“Well, we’re back,” Trucy’s voice chirped from behind Pearl.
Pearl turned to see Trucy bounding towards the two of them, Phoenix lagging not far behind.
“Welcome back. How was the yacht rental store?” Pearl asked with a smirk.
“Oh, fantastic!” Phoenix said, putting a hand on Trucy’s shoulder. “We grabbed a pamphlet. Bit out of our price range, but I’m glad we checked.”
“You two are so absolutely transparent,” Pearl giggled.
“No idea what you’re talking about, Pearls, we just wanted to look into yachts!” Trucy grinned, hands on her hips.
“Yeah Pearls, why would we ever do something like that,” Nick grinned, ruffling Pearl’s hair.
“You guys are the WORST,” Pearl laughed. “...thank you.”
****
Later that week, Pearl, Maya, Phoenix and Trucy saw Iris off at an out-of-the-way bus stop near the outskirts of the city as she prepared to head back up to Hazakura Temple.
A cloudy gray sky hung above the five of them, the sun barely peeking through to cast a glimmer on days-old snowfall, the crisp and chilly morning air biting at their skin as they waited for Iris’s bus to arrive.
“How’re you feeling about heading back up?” Phoenix asked her.
Iris adjusted her scarf over her face. “Well...if nothing else, it’ll be great to see Bikini again…” she said. “It was difficult for her to get down to the detention center all that often because of her back.”
Iris exhaled from her mouth, releasing a puff of condensation. “Plus, despite everything…Hazakura’s where I grew up. It’ll always be a home to me.”
Pearl’s eyes had been fixed on the horizon for some time, watching the stream of vehicles passing by, the Doppler effect of their engines nyooming by ringing in her ear.
“You planning on staying there long-term?” Maya asked.
Iris softly chuckled. “I’m not sure I’m planning anything long-term at the moment. Just taking things day by day.” She kicked her foot idly. “Why do you ask?“
Maya rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, a mannerism she’d picked up from Nick at some point. “Ah, it’s dumb...I know Hazakura’s your home, and I wouldn’t want to ask you to abandon it or anything, but...I was just thinking….if you ever wanted to….there’ll always be a place in Kurain Village for you. You’re our family, after all.”
Iris warmly smiled. “I’ll give it some thought. Promise.”
Maya’s face lit up as Pearl felt a shot of adrenaline jolt through her chest at the possibility.
“Oh!! Looks like that’s your bus, Aunt Iris!!” Trucy’s voice called.
Sure enough, a bus was making its way towards them off in the distance, slowing as it grew nearer to the station; its brakes creaked and the bus let out a sharp hiss as it came to a complete stop.
After Iris gathered the small handful of luggage she had with her, she leaned back to hug Phoenix.
“Good luck out there,” he smiled.
“Thank you so much for everything, Phoenix. I’m grateful beyond words.”
“I’m grateful I was able to see you again. I’ve missed you, y’know.”
Iris sniffled. “I missed you too.”
Phoenix gave her a pat on the shoulder as Trucy came up to say her goodbyes, offering her hand, which Iris shook enthusiastically.
“It was wonderful to see you again, Trucy.”
“Ditto!” Trucy lilted. “Oh, that reminds me! Aunt Iris, if you’d be so kind as to check your coat pocket….”
Iris obliged, reaching in and pulling out a single playing card.
“Oh! The three of hearts! When did you sneak that in there?”
“Heh heh, a magician never reveals her secrets!” Trucy stuck out her tongue, playfully bonking her head. “Assume that you picked a card at some point, and that was it!”
Iris laughed. “Can do.”
Next, Maya’s turn --
“Great seeing you, cuz,” Maya sniffled, hugging Iris as well and giving her a few (a bit too hearty) pats on the back. “You’re gonna kick SO much ass, I just know it.”
“I’m…a nun, but I appreciate the thought, Maya.”
Pearl’s eyes had been downcast, trying to distance herself from the entire situation...maybe if she ignored what was happening, it would never come.
“Pearl?”
Her gaze snapped upward to meet Iris’s warm brown eyes, her sister gently smiling. “It was so wonderful to see you again. And to get to know you better.”
Pearl immediately felt herself start to tear up. “Dammit…I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.”
Iris laughed, tentatively wrapping an arm around Pearl, who responded by flinging herself around Iris’s midsection.
“I’ll miss you…” Pearl said, muffled in Iris’s coat.
“I’ll miss you too, Pearl…” Iris said, gently patting Pearl’s back. “We’ll be sure to keep in touch.”
“Yeah,” Pearl sniffed. “Do you even have cell reception in Hazakura? Or internet?”
“Not exactly to either of those,” Iris chuckled. “But I’m sure we can work something out. There’s always the old landline phone. And snail mail, of course.”
“Heh…you know you’re out in the sticks when even Nick’s phone is more advanced than what you have.”
Iris laughed, a sweet, bubbly sound that filled Pearl with warmth just hearing it.
“I love you,” Pearl mumbled as her sister pulled away.
Iris smiled; a genuine, heartfelt smile, her eyes crinkling. “Love you too, Pearl. Good luck with everything.”
“I should probably board this bus before the driver glares me to death,” Iris joked, picking up her luggage and making her way over to the bus.
She boarded the bus, her glossy black hair lightly swishing as the door creaked shut behind her.
Tears streaked down Pearl’s face, which felt so hot despite the temperature outside being just above freezing.
Iris waved from the window, the Wrights and Feys doing the same as the bus began to move forward, forward, Iris getting smaller and smaller, until she and the bus vanished from sight, beginning its ascent into the mountains where Hazakura Temple rested.
Pearl sniffled, wiping her tears on her jacket sleeve. Slowly, she felt someone lightly reach down and lace their fingers through hers.
“You doing alright, Pearls?” Trucy asked quietly, giving Pearl’s hand a gentle squeeze.
Pearl met her best friend’s eyes, smiling. She could feel the warmth of Trucy’s hand even though they were both wearing gloves; fitting, perhaps, for the human embodiment of sunshine.
“Y….yeah,” Pearl croaked, crinkling her face as she sniffled. “I’m…way better than alright, actually.”
Nick approached from behind, gently patting a hand on Pearl’s head once, twice. “Hey. Whaddya say we go grab Eldoon’s? My treat,” he said softly.
“HELL YEAH, free food!!” Maya cheered.
“Hey, I never said I’d be treating YOU, Ms. Master of Kurain,” Phoenix teased. “I bought you so many burgers when you were a teenager, the least you could do is pay me back now that you’re an adult.”
“Well, since you want to be MEAN to me….”
Nick and Maya laughed as the four began to make their way back.
“….Hey, Nick,” Pearl asked quietly, quickening her pace to catch up with the attorney. “...Do you think Iris’s last lock ever broke?”
Phoenix put his thumb and forefinger to his chin in thought. “Hard to say,” he said after a moment. “But, broken or not….I can say with certainty she’s in a better place than she was before she met you and Maya again. You guys really helped lift a lot off her conscience.”
“Give yourself some credit, too,” Pearl smiled. “You’ve done a ton for Iris.”
“Well, if we’re assigning credit, Iris deserves most of it,” he chuckled. “She’s an incredibly strong person. Way stronger than she knows.”
Pearl smiled. “Yeah...”
Pearl fell back as Nick and Maya got to playfully bickering again, Trucy hopping back to her side immediately.
They walked together without saying anything for a brief while, before Pearl spoke up.
“You’re my best friend, you know that?”
Trucy beamed. “I do! You’re my best friend too!” Trucy bumped Pearl’s shoulder with her own. “Feeling sentimental, are we?”
“You could say that,” Pearl smiled. “I dunno...I’m just feeling...grateful to know you. To know everyone.“
“Aw, Pearls….”
“I wish that I didn’t live so far away from you guys,” Pearl grumbled. “We get to hang out in person so rarely….calling and texting just isn’t the same.”
Trucy was thoughtful for a moment. “Well, hey. Look on the bright side! When I graduate from high school next year, I’ll join you wherever you go to college. That’s a promise!” Trucy asserted. ”OOH, we can be roomies!! That’s a sitcom just WAITING to happen!”
Pearl giggled. “Thanks….I’ll look forward to it.”
The Fey family was a chaotic mess at the best of times. Pearl had felt disillusioned with it for quite some time. But that being said….she was endlessly grateful for the family members that mattered. Maya, Mia, Iris – hell, even Nick and Trucy and everyone else at the WAA were her family.
Growing up around toxic relationships, toxic people, toxic norms…it’d undoubtedly had an effect on Pearl when she was younger. But all that was (mostly) in the past. Nowadays? She wouldn’t trade the people she had in her life for the world.
Pearl still had a lot of healing to do, that much was certain. But she wouldn’t be going through it alone, not ever.
She was Pearl Fey. Ace spirit medium, fashion enthusiast, future college student, Maya’s cousin, and Iris’s sister. And there was nothing in the world she couldn’t accomplish once she set her mind to it.