IC INBOX | cerealia

[prosecutory]

Good day. This is Miles Edgeworth.

I cannot accommodate you at the moment, but please leave a message and I will respond as soon as possible. 

Comments

[prosecutory]

[Oooookay. What the fudge.

In any case, looks like Rapunzel's back to her old self and that's all that matters.]

I'm fine, and yes, you may come in.

[corona]

[ Rapunzel's only response to this is a hasty

on my way! sorry about the caps lol ( ¨̮ )

After that, she winds her way up the mammoth staircase and into the glorious building she's learned is Cerealia's police station - an understatement for what, in her opinion, is one of the most striking works of aggressive, piercing architecture in the city. It's so large compared to everything else! Not as large as the central tower, but...

Still. Very futuristic. Very intimidating!!!

Not unlike making the first move in apologising to a frilly secretary after having acted like a robot around him for an hour. That's pretty nerve-wracking too, so Rapunzel is going to paper over her uncertainty with a broad smile and what... appears to be a basket of something. ]

Hi! [ SO CHIRPY ] Hope you're not working too hard!

[prosecutory]

[He just waits for her, setting aside some of the paperwork so his table is a bit tidier, and brewing tea for the both of them. So when Rapunzel enters his office, the smell of steaming tea is in the air.

Two teacups are at the ready on his desk. His chessboard is folded up and off to one side with the organizer he had shown her the first time they met. Edgeworth himself has his elbows on the table, hands knotted together as he regards today's visitor. Chipper and chirpy again, but that was a sign of normalcy. He can't help but smile a little - in relief, and just because it was good to see her in one piece, alive and well, and...okay, it's just good to see her, period.]

Hello, Rapunzel. [Gray eyes flick toward the basket. Edgeworth gestures to one of the comfy chairs in front of his desk.] Please, have a seat.

[corona]

[ Of course. People here are good, after all. ]

Ah... thank you, Mr. Edgeworth.

[ Too good, even. Kindhearted, polite... marvellous, really.

Rapunzel beams despite the vivid red in her cheeks and settles into the chair, doing her best to appear relaxed, collected, and confident.

...ha! ]

Are you, uh-- Are... you sure you're not trying to solve any murders or anything?

[ GREAT PLACE TO START! ]

[prosecutory]

No, not right now.

[He shrugs and shakes his head. Then he gets to the point while the tea isn't ready yet, watching her in case she slipped back to an expressionless shadow of her former self.]

What brings you here? [Edgeworth glances at the basket again as if searching for clues.]

[corona]

A-Actually-!!

[ She lurches forward, cutting herself off, before fumbling and settling back.

And already she's playing with her hair, too. So different from either of the Rapunzels he met before. ]

...Actually I - I came here to ask if I could take you out for coffee and pastries. I've... heard people say police officers like that sort of thing?

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth stands up.]

[She's beginning to learn about stereotypes.]

Oh? Some police officers do, yes, but I prefer tea. [He gestures, with a bit of a flourish, toward where his teapot is, and picks it up slowly.] And I was preparing it before you arrived. Would you like a cup?

[Plus, she wouldn't have to spend any money for him.]

[corona]

Tea, huh.

[ There's a moment before she answers, which is spent staring warily at the pot as if it's grown fangs.

Desire for tea overwhelming desire for politeness... ]

...yeah all right. Hit me, I love tea.

[ Something she's never said in casual conversation, but which carries pretty nicely! Slang and stereotypes are about the only thing anyone's ever willing to share without her having to badger them into it. ]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth is used to hearing this sort of talk from the young(er) folk, so he takes little notice of that. He nods before pouring tea into her cup, and then doing the same for himself. He brings out a small pitcher of cream and a little pot of sugar.]

Here's the cream and sugar. How have you been?

[After everything that's happened, of course, but he presumes that's a given.]

[corona]

[ He's so casual about it that Rapunzel can't help but grin and throw him her version of a knowing look. ]

Now that we're not being followed around by sinister masks, you mean? And thank you. [ For the sugar, that is. She'll take as much as she can get right now... ]

[prosecutory]

[He pays not much attention to how much sugar she puts in her tea. But that knowing look makes his mouth curl into the most fleeting of grins.]

Yes, that's right. [On the other hand, Edgeworth ignores both the cream and the sugar and takes a sip from his cup.]

[corona]

I've been... well! Well enough, anyway. [ Now that she has his approval in the form of tea, which is very important, she's feeling comfortable enough to relax and risk taking a look around the office.

It is, after all, her first time at the famous police station. ]

How are you? I'm sorry for the way I behaved, by the way. [ SO CASUAL!!! SO SMOOTH!!! ] I know it was a side-effect of - of wearing my mask, but– ...It's no excuse.

[ She smiles, albeit self-consciously this time. ]

You know it seemed kind of empty out there. I... thought there were more of you than this on the police force. [ SUBJECT CHANGE SO CASUAL SO SMOOTH ]

[prosecutory]

[Apart from Edgeworth's desk, there are shelves of files, folders and books. There's a window opening out to the streets, and a corkboard with some documents and post-it notes on them, along with a list of the contact details of the top brass in the police force. It's a standard secretary's office, although it's not quite an Edgeworth office. Not yet, anyway.

The curtains on the window are burgundy though. And his tea set is quite fancy.

He lowers his cup, his expression calm and attentive. Yeah no, your smooth subject changes can't fool him!!!

...he'll get back to that later.]

I'm fine, as well. And I figured your behavior must have been a side effect of something. You don't have to apologize. [Edgeworth waves a hand dismissively, briefly.

He pauses before adding:]

We were fewer when I first arrived.

[corona]

[ People here are the worst. What's wrong with them that they're all so used to being treated horribly and going through creepy, traumatic experiences like each is a literal ocean wave?

Oh yeah, she's one of them.

Still.

Her shoulders curl in slightly, making her smaller in an already somewhat plush chair. ]

When did you first arrive? Six months is the longest anyone's been here right? I... I can't imagine losing so many people in such a short amount of time.

[prosecutory]

[He had picked up his cup to drink again, and when he's done, he gazes at Rapunzel from over the rim of his cup. There is a certain weathered depth in his gray eyes, his mouth a solemn line. It's clear that Edgeworth has been through a lot, far more than Rapunzel thinks.]

I arrived in September. I've been here for eight months.

[His tone is almost apologetic. As if he wants to say sorry, six months is nothing, he's been away from his home for eight months - no, much more than that, if he added the time he spent in yet another world.]