tvk | 07: [Action]

[That tone of voice could only mean a couple things.]

Did he...leave? Or was he...

[The implication that Phoenix could have become the serial murderer's victim was one Diarmuid couldn't bring himself to say.]

[Edgeworth shakes his head, leaning it on only one hand now while reaching down to pet his dog. She seems pleased to get reciprocation of her attention.]

Missing.

I see. I'm...sorry. You must have been close.

[Edgeworth nods weakly, still running his fingers through black-and-white fur. There was no sense in even considering hiding that from Diarmuid, after all.]

...I know it hurts. Believe me, I know that. And though I'm certain it will sound meaningless now...it's going to be alright.

H-how? Th-the case...

First of all, take a deep breath and calm down.

I have faith in you. And I believe your ability to handle this--you aren't alone. I'm certain the vast majority of us are willing to help you at whatever cost.

[Edgeworth shakes his head again. It's not that simple, for so many reasons he's in no shape to articulate right now, but he can at least try to fit one point between sobs:]

...One of us...

...

[Diarmuid waited patiently for Edgeworth to make his point, all the while not relinquishing contact with the lance in his hand. He seemed to treat it almost like an old friend, perpetually in as close contact with it as possible.]

I'm listening.

[As for Edgeworth, he climbs down from the couch to embrace the dog who seems to care about him so much and pet her more fully. And when it registers that he needs to clarify his last statement:]

...The killer is.

Clearly. But that's one out of a much larger number, and just because one of them is a murderer does not mean the rest are any less willing to help. Can you not at least trust in those of us you must know would not sink as low as that?

Edited 2012-03-27 06:52 (UTC)

(So he at least noticed that much.)

[Hesitantly, Edgeworth lifts his head from the dog's shoulder and looks at Diarmuid plaintively and pleadingly. His eyes are red, and more tears are adding to layers of streaks.]

(How can I possibly explain? How much does he really understand of the sort of help needed here?)

...Talk, I'm listening.

[Clueless as he could be about the world at large now, Diarmuid was never an idiot. That coupled with a fair amount of reading helped one become rapidly less clueless.]

What is it?

[Edgeworth takes a few deep breaths while continuing to pat and accept kisses from this dog. Once he finally gathers enough composure to speak properly, he does so:]

T-to lose Wright... i-is losing more than... th-th-than just a c-colleague, or a f-friend, o-or the m-man who saved my life a-and my heart. ...He... without him, how... h-how can we run... a t-trial here, am-mongst the k-kidnappees? How will th-those who care little for t-truth, wh-wh-who see acting on h-hatred as justice...?

[And he can't say any more. He hugs his dog again, who nuzzles him as he descends into sobs again.]

...There have been times, more often than I wish to admit, that I have fallen into despair and hopelessness. And while I can not say such situations have always ended well...

[He paused, grip tightening imperceptibly on the crimson spear as if he was recalling something.]

...my father once told me something to effect of 'if one stays optimistic, then things have a good chance of working out for the best'. Not his precise words, but it's been so long that I can't remember them exactly.

What I am attempting to convey here is that...there's always a chance. No matter how impossible it may seem, I still believe there is always a chance to improve things. It's just a matter of trying not to remain so focused on one's own despair that they miss it.

I have faith in you, and in the idea that you'll find a way.

[Those words help to calm the prosecutor enough for him to respond almost immediately.]

...I was already s-struggling, Diarmuid. Punishment... is a q-question I've yet to... to find a s-satisf-factory answer for. The existence of m-my very profession, of the c-courts in which I flourish... are th-things a great m-many kidnappees d-doubt the value of. I... I must n-not only pursue the t-truth, but defend my purs-suit of it, dissuade th-those who w-would act in ill w-will or ill cons-sideration, exp-plain what j-justice even is, attempt to b-build the place in wh-which I belong anew because wh-what's here is ins-sufficient to our needs desp-pite others' disdain...

[He smack the floor with his hand, causing the dog to jump and backpedal.]

I cannot do everything alone, Diarmuid! Egbert's death is a testament to that!

...Pess, I'm s-sorry. That wasn't int-tended for you. You're a good girl, Pess... it's all r-right.

[Edgeworth closes the short distance and tries to reassure Pess physically as well.]

You're not alone! I can not claim to know much about your kind of justice or how it functions, but understand me when I say that you are not alone.

If there is a single thing within my power that would help, name it and I will do it without hesitation.

...

(But what can you do that you either haven't already agreed to or wouldn't do anyway, Diarmuid?)

[Give him a minute, Diarmuid. His thought processes are flooded with tears right now.]

[Diarmuid waited patiently for Edgeworth to speak again, gold eyes calm and steady despite the utter chaos things seemed to be falling to.]

I... I fear the worst, Diarmuid -- that some among us will forcibly res-sist any laws upon us, th-that others will strive to c-conquer us and impose their own twisted ideals, that still others w-will be caught in the crossfire... th-that war is coming, Diarmuid.

If I may speak bluntly, I think you're getting ahead of yourself.

[He sighed, finally letting go of the lance only to lean it against a wall within reach and cross his arms. The knight's already formal speech patterns carried a particular weight to them now, as he chose each word as carefully as possible.]

There will forever be those who resist what is good and right in the world. Where and what era changes nothing, that remains a constant throughout. As an optimist it pains me to say this, but peace on a large scale is an impossibility. No matter how hard one tries, evil and cruelty will never be eradicated.

I have seen and participated in countless wars and conflicts, and in nearly every single one I have killed in the name of my lord and the pursuit of peace as well as the safety of others. And I will do it a thousand times more. I am willing to sacrifice all I have including my life in order to uphold such things.

This is the bottom line of it. Even among us trapped here, there is inevitably going to be conflict. Evil is regrettably too common a trait for those to be pulled here to all be lacking in it. But this is not yet anything I would call a war. For though there is evil among our ranks, there are far more I have seen willing to uphold what is right.

[He paused at last, taking a breath and sighing. The serious look hadn't faded for even a second, but he paused in order to contemplate how best to phrase his current thoughts.]

Glaine ár gcroí, neart ár ngéag, beart de réir ár mbriathar. [It was spoken mostly under his breath, as if it was some kind of sacred oath he took a measure of comfort in.] 'Purity of our hearts, strength of our limbs, action to match our speech.' Even in the face of unspeakable evils, it is those three things we must without question hold to.

[Even merely sitting across from Edgeworth, every word he spoke radiated an aura of strength and pride that matched the way he carried himself.]

You and I fight differently, there is no question of that. But if there are to be those who would try to bring forth evil, then all the same we will uphold justice and honor. No matter how many may try or what they might do...as long as there is evil, there will always be good to combat it with all that they have.

Your understanding of the situation is incomplete, Diarmuid. Were it only those like our serial killer who we had to concern ourselves with, there would be no conflict sufficient to splinter our community and cause blood to spill. However, the fact remains that while most of us agree about what is evil, far fewer of us agree concerning what is good.

This murderer... when he is caught, we'll have no justice to bring him to. Can we really all come to an agreement concerning what justice is in mere days -- perhaps even mere hours? And even were we to do so, would that agreement reflect the truth?

There would be no point in exacting revenge when no one even remains dead around here. A clear and concise argument needs to be made to convince others what needs to be done with him.

[The smallest of smiles twitched across his face for a fleeting second.]

When last I looked, you were the one whose chosen weapon happened to be his words. I think if anyone could unite the majority under one agreement, it would be you.

[Edgeworth pulls out a handkerchief with one hand while scratching Pess's head with another. He's finally attaining some measure of his usual calm, though a weight continues to bear down on him.]

If I knew what must be done with him aside from giving him a fair trial -- something we were only just barely in a position to attempt even with Wright -- then perhaps I would be more confident in my ability to obscure the existence of the power vacuum amongst us. As it stands, every form of punishment I can think of is either impossible in this situation or cruel and unusual except one, and that one contains a loophole -- this very hour.

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