“Shoot! How could I forget?”

It was just three days away to June 4. It wasn’t an ordinary day, it was her birthday. Iris’ birthday.

“Trucy! How could I forget her birthday?”

“I guess you just… forgot.” She shrugged.

“Man! What am I supposed to give her?” he panicked. “Apollo! Give me your wallet!”

“Forget it.” Apollo harshly snapped at him.

“Last time you used my money to get her a diamond necklace, and it’s not even real diamond.” Apollo peeked from behind his book. “Besides, when’s the last time you given me my paycheck?”

Phoenix dazed off for a moment. He tried to remember how many times he had ‘forgotten’ to give Apollo’s paycheck.

“I thought so.” He nonchantantly replied and returned to reading his book.


Twack!

“Trucy! What was that for?”

She had just whacked Apollo on his head with her wand.

“Come on Polly! Could you just help Daddy? Iris is a very special friend of his!”

“Fine.”

“Any ideas?”
“Mr. Wright, you are a pianist are you?”
“Not a very good one, but yeah.” Trucy answered.
“You could play a piece for her.”
“Yes! Thanks Apollo! I’ll double your paycheck!”
“Really?”
“No.”
Trucy had picked out Mozart’s Concerto No. 21 for him. A lovely piece sure to impress Iris. Yet it was also a complicated piece. Phoenix spent most of his time practicing, with Trucy and Apollo helping with constant supplies of grape juice, ice water and air horns.

Three days later…

“You look fabulous Daddy!”

Phoenix had groomed himself for the occasion. He looked like a concert pianist, confident and ready to impress his audience.

“Good luck to you guys.”

“Apollo? Where are you going dressed so fancily?”

“The Lordly Tailor. Vera’s paintings managed to go onto this art exhibition and I promised I would be there.” He said, a pink tinge appearing on his face. “There’s something else I put on the shelf below the clock is things don’t work out.”

“Bye then, oh yeah, say hello to a Ms. Adrian Andrews for me while you’re at it.”

“Sure, bye.” as he walked out.

Iris walked in a few minutes after Apollo left. She wore a white and lilac dress, her jet-black hair was as usual, neatly braided. The scent of a gentle flowery perfume followed her as she treaded.

“Hi Feenie, oh…”

Phoenix was distinctively well groomed indeed. He was wearing a pale blue silk jacket and a matching tie. Also, the slight scent of cologne hovered in the air near him. His hair was just like seven years ago, Iris felt a slight nostalgia with her happiness.

“And now, Phoenix Wright will now play Mozart’s Concerto No. 21 for the lovely lady here!” Trucy announced.
Phoenix sat down and cracked his knuckles. This is it. He felt as though he was in his first trial. Just that the courtroom did not have a black and white pattern and make music.

As he pressed down on the keys, he felt the apprehension in his fingers, represented by the occasional pressing of the wrong key. He resisted the urge to look back at Iris’ expression. Soon, apprehension managed to get a hold of him. Halfway through, he heard Iris burst into laughter, but he kept on playing.

At the end, Iris was lying on the couch, still laughing.

“How was it?”

“Feenie…to be honest, that was absolutely horrible.” She chuckled.

Phoenix felt his heart sink slightly, but as he turned back to look at the clock, he noticed it. Apollo’s backup plan.

“Flowers for the lovely lady?” he asked.

“Haha, thanks!” she received his gift with glee. A bouquet of white irises with a purple tint.

“Thanks a lot Feenie, for the song and the flowers.” She grinned. “Oh yes, here’s my present to you.”

She passed him a bottle of high-quality grape juice. His all-time favorite.

“Aw, Iris. You know me too well.” He smiled as he went to get glasses.

“This is so beautiful, I wish I could find my true love soon…” Trucy mumbled as she gazed at the amazing scene. This was real magic.

"In light of exemplary conduct while serving your term, I hereby grant you parole. Ma'am, you're free to go." Sooner than expected, the day had come. She was free. The irony did not escape her that the furrowed brow of Justice should relax on Friday, the 13th of March. It brought to mind her relationship with Feenie--another thing the world at large frowned upon. Many, including the late Mia Fey, had deemed it a thing of evil--the dreaded Queen of Spades in the Game of Hearts. It was certainly a risk. One couldn't reasonably expect much good to come from a bastard child of malice and convenience. Even so, against all odds, they had assembled a winning hand--the winning hand. They had bought it with great pain, but joy unspeakable was now theirs to claim. Amidst the rustle of her clothes, she discerned what might have been a whisper. Whoever seeks to save her life will lose it, but whoever loses her life for my sake will find it.

The thought brought a smile to her face as she entered her cell for the last time. Packing her things would have been a simple, speedy undertaking...had she not grown distracted when she began to organize the now-impressive collection of letters her darling Feenie had penned over the course of the year. Yes, she could've thrown them away...but why? Surely it wouldn't take too long to read one more... "Ah-AHHEMMM!" Half-expecting to see jolly old Marvin Grossberg, she looked up. The guard was now leaning against a pillar, arms folded. Blood now rushing to her cheeks, she stopped trying to sort the letters and stuffed them into her bag with redoubled haste. "Sorry...I'm ready to go now."

The familiar bite of the late winter wind brought many a pleasant memory with it as she ascended Eagle Mountain, but the sense of homecoming she had always felt upon arriving was all but gone. The temple at the top, though still a welcome sight, had a...distant look about it--as if she were viewing it through a window in time. She thought she had decided long before, but this clinched it. She didn't belong here anymore.

At the doors to the temple proper she hesitated. She knew she could no longer stay, but how would she break this to Sister Bikini? She smiled, letting out a soft sigh. All her preparation had been for naught and now that she stood at the temple doors, it was too late to retreat a ways and try to marshal her thoughts. But even though she had no plan, she soon found herself feeling strangely at peace. Such announcements as this were best delivered naturally. She would play it by ear, letting instinct be her guide. Almost as soon as she started knocking the doors swung open.

"My dear Iris...so good to see you!" Immediately she felt pudgy arms encircle her waist. "What brings you out here? Are you on furlough?"
She looked down. "Uh...not quite, Sister Bikini. I don't have to go back. I've been released."
At this news Bikini's eyes shone like polished onyx. "Parole! Of course! Welcome home, dearie!"
"Actually, I need to talk to you about that."
"Well then, let's talk about it inside, shall we? My back is killing me." Leading her in, Bikini shut the doors behind them. "There. Much better. Here...let me take that off your hands." Without asking for permission Bikini laid hold of the bag and carried it off to Iris's old room. "...Woo-woo!"
"What?"
Walking back to where Iris stood, Bikini wore a knowing smile. "Are these pieces of paper all letters?"
"Y-yes..."
Bikini nodded. "I thought so. I can see why you kept them. They're pretty hot reading."
Iris was blushing furiously now. "...Why did you open my bag?"
Bikini shrugged. "When I set it down, I heard a crinkling sound. Isn't it only natural to be curious?"
"I suppose so."
"Nothing to be ashamed of, dearie. In fact, I'm proud of you."
"Really? What do you mean?"
"These letters prove that you're an accomplished siren. There's nothing more I can teach you."
"Oh?"
"You lack the spiritual power to be a medium and you've grown into a fine young woman, so there's really no point in keeping you cooped up here any longer... Wait a minute. That doesn't sound quite right."
"It doesn't?"
"No...no, it doesn't. I sense a different power in you--one beyond my ability to cultivate...beyond the ken of the Kurain Tradition."
"Really?"
"Yes. And whatever it is, it's very old, very strong...and yet gentle. At any rate, I can't train you in the use of it. No one here can. And there's only one person who can advance your education in the arts of the siren any further: Mr. Lucky." Bikini winked. "Go get'm...Irie."
"W-well...thank you." What else was there to say? That was easy...
"In the meantime, I will gladly keep you on until you can move in, if you like. You are like a daughter to me, after all."
"You're too kind."
"Oh, not at all. So, has Mr. Lucky heard the news yet?"
"No...and he's probably planning to visit me at seven!"
"Well then, we'd better inform him, hadn't we? But you can't go dressed like that. If he doesn't know yet, we have the element of surprise. Let's make the most of it."

With that Bikini immediately began rummaging through the closets. Ten minutes later she returned wearing a conspiratorial grin and holding an old-fashioned pink dress, complete with tulle and a parasol.

"Didn't I see you wearing this rather often a few years ago?"
"Yes...yes, you did. It's perfect."

Before showing herself to Bikini, Iris cast one last bittersweet smile at the mirror. Well, Dahlia...it's a pity I couldn't redeem you personally but at least I can redeem your image. It's not much but it's all I can do, so it'll have to do. When she walked through the doorway, Bikini signaled her approval with a feline smirk and a "thumbs up". As Bikini watched Iris leave, her smirk mellowed into a benevolent smile. Good luck, child... A tear rolled down her cheek. May your marriage fare better than mine did.

Standing at the door to the small house Feenie had given up his office for, Iris studied the key now resting in her palm--the key he had enclosed with last week's letter. A door within her--one that guarded a heretofore untouched recess of her soul--had opened when she reached the end of that letter.



"As promised, I will now explain the key. It's my house key. You already have the key to my heart, so you might as well have this too. I would like to present it along with some lyrics. I can't say I wrote them; they come from a song that's as old as me. Neither can I say I discovered the song on my own; Joel Klein exposed me to it just this Wednesday. What I can say is that these lyrics jumped out at me. So...here they are:

The Sun sinks low
But I won't lose heart
My hope for you
Shines through the dark

I'll leave the light on
Like I do every night
I may wait a lifetime
It may be tonight
So I'll leave the light on...for you

On my way 'Out of the Grey',

Feenie"



She was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of muffled voices. Listening more closely, she noticed a baritone in the mix. Was there another man in the house? Surely that wasn't Feenie... Careful not to disturb anyone, she slowly inserted the key. Yes...it fit. This was definitely the right house. Very carefully she turned it. A turn of the knob and a soft push set the door swinging silently open. Apparently no one had noticed her yet. Ahead and to her left sat Feenie, sharing a laugh with a blond couple seated across from him. On the strange man's knee sat a little girl, probably no more than three years old.

Shutting the door behind her, she heard a sharp intake of breath. As she turned around, she saw that all eyes were on her. The blond couple looked moderately surprised but Feenie's eyes were as big as saucers.

"Joel...are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"A woman? I certainly am..."
"Mommy!!!"

Through a freshly opened screen door rushed Trucy, followed by a second young blonde. Never one to hesitate, she immediately began patting Iris on the feet, shins, and thighs for a reason which she soon made clear, concluding with a million-watt smile, "It's good to know you have legs too. Thought they might be a magic trick."

"I-Iris...?" Phoenix ventured, "Is that you?"
"Yes, Feenie...it's me."
"Y-you mean...?"
"I'm free to go. They released me today."

Eyes brimming with tears, Phoenix leaned forward, almost falling onto her shoulders. Joining his hands just below the nape of her neck, he hugged her gently but with an intensity that set her skin on fire. After five seconds he released his grip, pulling himself back and resting sweaty palms on her shoulders.

"I've been waiting to do that for a year, but it feels like ten... This is even better than I thought it would be."
Wiping away a tear of her own, she smiled. "My sentiments exactly and I don't mean to be rude, but...could you introduce me to these good people?"
He laughed. "That's right...I forgot to tell you... Irie, meet Joel and Jennifer Klein--my new friends."
"Ah...pleased to meet you."
"Likewise." Joel returned pleasantly.
"Weren't expecting us, were you?" Jennifer cracked, grinning.
Joel turned to his wife with an indulgent smile. "Was that necessary?"
Jennifer raised her hands in a calming gesture, as if to say I'm not finished. "It's alright. I wasn't expecting him either. Men like him are a rare breed."
"Well thank you, Jen. I'll take that as a compliment."
"Good, because that's what it is."
"Well then, I sit corrected--blissfully corrected." He turned his gaze back to the newly reunited couple. "That's a funny thing about joy, isn't it? It likes to surprise you. And that's one of the best things about it--it makes the bad times worth weathering, because you never quite know when you're going to find a diamond buried in the coal. Only ten years ago, I had none. Now I have three, and their names are Jennifer, Alexis, and Lois. I'll have to let go of two of them eventually, but one of them I get to keep and that's good enough."
"Alexis...Lois...are those the children's names?"
"That's correct, ma'am. They're six and three respectively. Different as night and day, those two. Alexis takes after her mother and Lois...well...she takes after me."
Sensing that introductions were concluded, Phoenix cleared his throat. "Uh, Joel...Jennifer...I probably don't need to say this, but there's been a change of plans. Would you mind...keeping the kids busy a minute?"
"Not at all." Joel replied with a smirk. "This room is going to be quieter than church on a Monday morning."

When they were at last alone, Phoenix resumed speaking. "At this point it's probably just a formality, but..." Taking her left hand, he got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?" After all this time he was still humble enough not to assume but to ask, and that in such a lowly posture. Mere words seemed so insufficient... Getting down on one knee herself, she wrapped her free arm around his shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss. His eyes widened with surprise at first, but gradually they closed as he gave himself over to the moment. How long the kiss lasted neither was certain. Time seemed to stand still for them. Growing conscious once again of time and the shortness of a child's attention span, Iris slowly pulled away. "Of course I will." Standing back up they gazed into each other's eyes a moment, taking it all in as best they could. Finally Phoenix broke the silence.

"Thank you... This means the world to me, you know. I'm afraid I don't have a ring to offer you at the moment, but we can shop for one--as a way to celebrate your release. After that, maybe...dinner?"
"Oh Feenie, I'd love to."
"By the way...about the wedding..."
"Yes?"
"I think I know exactly where I want to hold it."
"Really? Where?"
"Hazakura Temple."
"What did you say?"
"Hazakura Temple."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"But...you hate the cold."
"Exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have a lot of money, so I won't be able to present much physical evidence of my commitment to you. In the absence of evidence, build your case on testimony. And I can't think of a better way to testify to that than swearing my vows through chattering teeth."
"You don't have to do this, Feenie."
"No, but I want to. The world needs to know just how valuable a woman like you is." He cracked an impish grin. "And besides, the world at large thinks we shouldn't be. I want to pay them back--in spades."