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Therapy Sessions, #13: Opportunity (Ace Attorney)
Title: Opportunity
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Prompt: What person has most influenced her development as an adult?
Characters: Athena Cykes, Phoenix Wright
Word Count: 1,107
Summary: It was the kind of offer Athena worked for years to get. There was no way she could refuse.
Notes: Pre-Dual Destinies, flashback fic set in Europe.
Athena's eyes were wide. Her heart was pounding out of her chest.
Everything, literally everything was telling her that this was really happening, that it wasn't just another dream. Even so, she could only stare, dumbfounded, at the snappily dressed man sitting before her, who somehow made spiked hair look elegant.
She'd met him before, of course. She knew his face well, and his reputation preceded him. She'd even worked with him a few times, when he visited her university, but she never would've guessed that she actually caught his attention. The demonstrations of her special ability, of Widget in particular . . . to someone like Phoenix Wright, surely it was all just make-believe, her special hearing merely an act. He was a man of the law, of science, of hard evidence!
Sometimes, she supposed, it was a blessing to learn she couldn't always read people as well as she thought.
"I wouldn't be able to assign you your own cases right away," Phoenix was saying. "Trust me, you don't want me to do that, anyway. But you'd still be considered a full time lawyer with my agency."
They were sitting in a place of her own choosing: her favorite German cafe just around the corner from the apartment where she was staying. Phoenix took a sip of his tea, something he acquired a taste for in his travels abroad, no doubt thanks to a certain chief prosecutor friend of his back home. Athena's cup remained untouched though as she tried to wrap her head around all this. Not that she would ever dream of refusing him! But this was . . .
It was life changing. Was she ready?
"But I . . ." she muttered, uncertainty clouding her voice. "I don't even have an American attorney's badge. I graduated here, in Europe."
It was a bridge she hadn't yet crossed, though she always planned to return to America someday to take on its courts. The question was whether now was the right time for it.
"Right . . ." Phoenix touched a hand to his chin, seeming thoughtful. He was prepared, though. For once. "I did bring that up with a friend of mine. You'll need to pass the bar, but that should convince them to let you practice over there without any more schooling." He paused for breath, watching her reaction carefully. "I'll vouch for you, too, of course. Plus, I'm not exactly a stranger to the exam, so I could help you study."
Athena opened her mouth, but no words came out. A moment later, she stammered: "That's it?"
More studying? That she could do. She had studied all her life.
"Was there something else?" Phoenix asked.
She swallowed, hesitating. "The plane ticket," she answered. There was no way she could afford the move, but he evidently had an answer for that, too.
"Oh," he said. It was apparently such a nonissue in his eyes that he hadn't even thought to bring it up. He flashed a grin. "The agency will cover that as a courtesy. One way only, of course. If you ever want to come back on vacation or something, you're on your own."
Athena bit her lip to curb her growing excitement. "Where will I live?"
"That," Phoenix mused, "I don't know. It'll be up to you, but there are plenty of cheap apartments near the office that take applications online. I'm sure they offer video tours as well. We can look into it."
We. She could hear the inclusiveness in his voice that had been present from the very beginning when he put the offer on the table. She hadn't met any others from his agency just yet, but she could tell they were like family to him. It was presumptuous of her, perhaps, to assume she could expect similar treatment, but she stood abruptly before she could think of more questions to press him with.
"Athena?" He looked startled, straightening his back.
"I accept."
Phoenix said nothing at first. His lips slowly curled into a smile though as her answer processed, and he clearly looked pleased. She had to ignore the prying eyes she sensed on her all of the sudden, all the murmurs around her that burned with curiosity. She glanced about the cafe uneasily, but nodded, as if to finalize her answer.
"I have no idea . . ." Her voice trailed softly, and she continued: "I mean, I don't know if my special hearing can really help you. I hope you're right. I hope that it does. But no matter what, I've worked for this, and this is something I have to do. I would have to be crazy to even think about turning you down!"
Phoenix laughed. "I was hoping you'd say . . . well, something like that."
The girl was certainly full of surprises. He wasn't quite expecting the dramatic outburst of emotion, nor did he expect that hug after she closed the distance between them. Nevertheless, he reciprocated by snaking his arms around her shoulders carefully.
"Thank you," she said, and he was almost certain she was crying.
"I'll book our flight today." The awkwardness finally got to him and he had to pull away, though his hands still remained squarely on her shoulders. He squeezed gently. "It won't be for about another month or so, but I'll have a contract ready for you to look over and sign by then. Sound good?"
"Better than good." She grinned, returning to her seat to make herself comfortable. "Great."
"Then we'll be in touch." Phoenix held out his hand. It took her a moment to notice— she was still starstruck— but she shook it eagerly as he added: "And I'll let Apollo know the good news."
Athena could sense the conversation coming to an end. At least it would be on a high note. She asked: "Are you leaving?"
"Yeah." He was already standing. His head was held high, though, and she followed suit, almost like she was planning to follow him. "Sorry to rush out on you, but I actually have a trial to observe at the courthouse today. I just wanted to make sure I squared things away with you first."
Ah. Athena tried to hide her disappointment, though evidently didn't do a particularly good job.
"Hey," he said, chuckling. "Don't give me that look. Next time you can come with me. Okay?"
She saluted him playfully. "You got it, boss."
It was a little soon for that, he thought, but she already seemed comfortable with the idea. It made him feel old, too to hear himself called that, but he had to admit, it wasn't a bad feeling.
He would teach her a thing or two yet.
Fandom: Ace Attorney
Prompt: What person has most influenced her development as an adult?
Characters: Athena Cykes, Phoenix Wright
Word Count: 1,107
Summary: It was the kind of offer Athena worked for years to get. There was no way she could refuse.
Notes: Pre-Dual Destinies, flashback fic set in Europe.
Athena's eyes were wide. Her heart was pounding out of her chest.
Everything, literally everything was telling her that this was really happening, that it wasn't just another dream. Even so, she could only stare, dumbfounded, at the snappily dressed man sitting before her, who somehow made spiked hair look elegant.
She'd met him before, of course. She knew his face well, and his reputation preceded him. She'd even worked with him a few times, when he visited her university, but she never would've guessed that she actually caught his attention. The demonstrations of her special ability, of Widget in particular . . . to someone like Phoenix Wright, surely it was all just make-believe, her special hearing merely an act. He was a man of the law, of science, of hard evidence!
Sometimes, she supposed, it was a blessing to learn she couldn't always read people as well as she thought.
"I wouldn't be able to assign you your own cases right away," Phoenix was saying. "Trust me, you don't want me to do that, anyway. But you'd still be considered a full time lawyer with my agency."
They were sitting in a place of her own choosing: her favorite German cafe just around the corner from the apartment where she was staying. Phoenix took a sip of his tea, something he acquired a taste for in his travels abroad, no doubt thanks to a certain chief prosecutor friend of his back home. Athena's cup remained untouched though as she tried to wrap her head around all this. Not that she would ever dream of refusing him! But this was . . .
It was life changing. Was she ready?
"But I . . ." she muttered, uncertainty clouding her voice. "I don't even have an American attorney's badge. I graduated here, in Europe."
It was a bridge she hadn't yet crossed, though she always planned to return to America someday to take on its courts. The question was whether now was the right time for it.
"Right . . ." Phoenix touched a hand to his chin, seeming thoughtful. He was prepared, though. For once. "I did bring that up with a friend of mine. You'll need to pass the bar, but that should convince them to let you practice over there without any more schooling." He paused for breath, watching her reaction carefully. "I'll vouch for you, too, of course. Plus, I'm not exactly a stranger to the exam, so I could help you study."
Athena opened her mouth, but no words came out. A moment later, she stammered: "That's it?"
More studying? That she could do. She had studied all her life.
"Was there something else?" Phoenix asked.
She swallowed, hesitating. "The plane ticket," she answered. There was no way she could afford the move, but he evidently had an answer for that, too.
"Oh," he said. It was apparently such a nonissue in his eyes that he hadn't even thought to bring it up. He flashed a grin. "The agency will cover that as a courtesy. One way only, of course. If you ever want to come back on vacation or something, you're on your own."
Athena bit her lip to curb her growing excitement. "Where will I live?"
"That," Phoenix mused, "I don't know. It'll be up to you, but there are plenty of cheap apartments near the office that take applications online. I'm sure they offer video tours as well. We can look into it."
We. She could hear the inclusiveness in his voice that had been present from the very beginning when he put the offer on the table. She hadn't met any others from his agency just yet, but she could tell they were like family to him. It was presumptuous of her, perhaps, to assume she could expect similar treatment, but she stood abruptly before she could think of more questions to press him with.
"Athena?" He looked startled, straightening his back.
"I accept."
Phoenix said nothing at first. His lips slowly curled into a smile though as her answer processed, and he clearly looked pleased. She had to ignore the prying eyes she sensed on her all of the sudden, all the murmurs around her that burned with curiosity. She glanced about the cafe uneasily, but nodded, as if to finalize her answer.
"I have no idea . . ." Her voice trailed softly, and she continued: "I mean, I don't know if my special hearing can really help you. I hope you're right. I hope that it does. But no matter what, I've worked for this, and this is something I have to do. I would have to be crazy to even think about turning you down!"
Phoenix laughed. "I was hoping you'd say . . . well, something like that."
The girl was certainly full of surprises. He wasn't quite expecting the dramatic outburst of emotion, nor did he expect that hug after she closed the distance between them. Nevertheless, he reciprocated by snaking his arms around her shoulders carefully.
"Thank you," she said, and he was almost certain she was crying.
"I'll book our flight today." The awkwardness finally got to him and he had to pull away, though his hands still remained squarely on her shoulders. He squeezed gently. "It won't be for about another month or so, but I'll have a contract ready for you to look over and sign by then. Sound good?"
"Better than good." She grinned, returning to her seat to make herself comfortable. "Great."
"Then we'll be in touch." Phoenix held out his hand. It took her a moment to notice— she was still starstruck— but she shook it eagerly as he added: "And I'll let Apollo know the good news."
Athena could sense the conversation coming to an end. At least it would be on a high note. She asked: "Are you leaving?"
"Yeah." He was already standing. His head was held high, though, and she followed suit, almost like she was planning to follow him. "Sorry to rush out on you, but I actually have a trial to observe at the courthouse today. I just wanted to make sure I squared things away with you first."
Ah. Athena tried to hide her disappointment, though evidently didn't do a particularly good job.
"Hey," he said, chuckling. "Don't give me that look. Next time you can come with me. Okay?"
She saluted him playfully. "You got it, boss."
It was a little soon for that, he thought, but she already seemed comfortable with the idea. It made him feel old, too to hear himself called that, but he had to admit, it wasn't a bad feeling.
He would teach her a thing or two yet.