#and since he's not a lawyer in AA 4

[alynnl]

I've been thinking about AA4 era Phoenix (Beanix, if you will) - and the theory that he distanced himself from his friends from the original trilogy so that they wouldn't get caught up in the web of Kristoph Gavin's conspiracies.

It's a nice theory, but I have one objection.

Does Phoenix Wright really believe his friends to be so incapable of defending themselves?

With Maya and Pearl I guess it's understandable. They almost got caught up in their own family's plot in AA 2 and 3 so maybe it's best they're well out of it.

I guess you could include Larry with the Fey girls in the "for the best he's not involved" category, since he probably would be unlucky enough to truly be in danger (if Kristoph took any interest in him, that is.)

But then we get to Edgeworth. And by extension, Gumshoe (possibly Kay) and Franziska.

Edgeworth and his whole team have proven themselves to be very capable of holding their own, and helping Phoenix solve cases when he couldn't do it alone. AA2 and 3 show Edgeworth, Gumshoe and Franziska coming through when it really counts, and Phoenix is grateful for their assistance.

On top of that, the Investigations games show Edgeworth taking down multiple corrupt people, making me believe he'd be more than a match for Kristoph if they did face off.

Edgeworth vs. Kristoph would have been a great logic chess sequence if it actually happened.

There's only one way to explain Edgeworth's absence from AA 4, and that's him being out of the country during the Zak Gramarye trial and the subsequent fallout. And perhaps one of Phoenix's regrets was not taking the time to contact Edgeworth and ask his advice before the trial started.

Maybe my bias towards him is showing, but I feel like that trial would've gone differently if Edgeworth was there instead of Klavier. Perhaps it was a coincidence, or maybe it was by design, but we'll probably never know for sure.

[science-lings]

More info on the options below the cut

1- My guy just lost his job and has to live out of his old office there's no way he can be allowed to adopt Trucy immediately, but if he had a rich husband who lives overseas and lets them technically commit fraud by moving into his old apartment during social worker visits... that would be much easier. Edgeworth isn't against being a little underhanded in his methods with the law and he has witnessed Phoenix with the Feys so if an infamous attorney were to adopt a child left behind by a tragic trial, he'd be so glad it was Phoenix. That guy has been reeking dad energy for years. It's also important to note that no one doubted the authenticity of their relationship since they went to go sign the papers because most people who have seen them already assumed that they were together. They don't have to try to convince anyone.

2- The things they call each other are so important to me, as kids they're Miles and Phoenix/Nick, in court they're Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Wright, outside of court but still in a professional setting they're Edgeworth and Wright, when they're flirting they're back to Miles and Phoenix, but when they're insufferably flirting, Pheonix is 'Mr. Edgeworth' and Miles is 'Mr. Wright' They do this before they get married, both legally and actually.

3- They would be so funny on a reality tv show or some kind of game show, if their motive is doing something better than the other, they will put their whole pussies into whatever that thing is, even if it's like the great british baking show and Phoenix is the only one who can kind of bake. If they get to work together they're insane, put these assholes in an escape room and they will fuck that shit up. With Miles, who learned how to pick locks, and Phoenix, who got used to puzzles when working with Professor Layton, they would speedrun an escape room.

4- idk Pheonix just seems like he gets super affectionate with the people he loves, he kisses Trucys forehead/head so constantly it's habitual for him to pop off her hat to smooch her scalp and replace it right after. I also think it would be funny if he was so unprofessional about his love for Edgeworth except when they're in court but that's because they have to stand like twenty feet away from each other. Edgeworth turns red every time but he rarely protests, at least not seriously.

5- I just think they should be each other's 'oh shit' moment because that is funny to me. Phoenix didn't really realize he was attracted to men, at least in that capacity until that newspaper article and Miles had accepted that he was aro until he caught feelings he thought he was immune to. They both deal with it so well... /s

6- Connected to my hc that lawyers in the AA universe get kind of a celebrity status, but both Phoenix and Miles are so offline that they are completely unaware of it. Maya and Trucy and Kay especially are definitely not unaware and they think it's so funny. They contribute to the rumors. There are Edgeworth and Phoenix fancams made from court footage set to kpop. Apollo had a Phoenix Wright stan account and he used to fight the PW haters on twitter before he actually met the guy. He forgot the password so he can't delete it and it's only a matter of time before someone connects the dots. Anyway they trend on twitter every time they meet in court like when a new season of a show comes out and the fanbase goes bonkers.

7- obviously they call and message each other but they both think it's nostalgic to send letters, and Phoenix likes having a reason to send physical pictures from when they were kids since Miles wasn't allowed to keep any of that in the Von Karma household. Edgeworth usually sends sweets from whatever country he's in for Trucy.

8- I personally think that Phoenix has more of that kitten look but I was recently reminded of how often in the of trilogy when ppl have to tell him to put those things away. He can weaponize his big brown eyes and Miles pretends to be unaffected but he's weak to it just like everyone else. He has that kitty vibe, he asks for things by looking really pathetic and sad and it works in his favor every time.

9- Phoenix is the type of guy to fall asleep during most movies if he isn't judging it intently or particularly interested and when they were kids they tried to binge more than one samurai movie and Phoenix fell asleep before the first one ended. That official art just makes him look like such a sleepy guy. Again the kitty energy returns, he's a big napper.

10- these bitches are so good at arguing, but they both want to win so it takes forever to decide on things that actually don't matter that much. If they can't decide on a restaurant to go to for a date they won't finish arguing their case about their preferred place to go until after they close. They never yell at each other or get too emotionally invested in a lot of things but they will draw that shit out and take out evidence and witness testimony if it helps their case. Sometimes it gets so extensive that they have to pull out the whiteboard/ corkboard. Just as long as it's presented like a court case it will be so well communicated between them so they take advantage of that because or else they kinda suck at talking to each other about their problems.

[cyandreamz]

Just finished case 5 of SOJ (will be starting the DLC case soon though idk how long that'll take cuz I do be a slow gamer :P) and honestly I am surprised to say I like SOJ a lot more than DD!

More thoughts under cut

I'm surprised because the first case I HATED, it almost turned me off finishing the game! But than I loved the second case (would be S tier if Phoenix wasn't a shit Dad!). 3rd case I found to be overwhelming and too long but, really liked the ending and Maya is still a super cool character, she has grown but, in ways that make sense imo. 4th case I loved Simon's dialogue with Athena and Nayuta but found it to be super mid, I felt completely indifferent to the case itself and it's characters. 5th case was a LOT and felt like a two for one deal but, even though it was so loooooong it was very nice, I loved how it wrapped up the story, the fun Edgeworth and pearl fan service (I guess they both affect the plot but they both felt like they were only there for fans, I don't care cuz I'm fans and they're my faves!), and where it leaves Apollo off I quite enjoyed!

I also loved the new story characters, Rayfa and Nayuta are both so fun and, I was surprised by how much I also ended up liking Datz, Dhurke and especially Ga'ran! Not my favourite aa antagonist (that's Morgan Fey fun fact) but, she's definitely a fun villain and horrible person, she's basically a better Manfred (compared to his appearance in aa1, yet to play aai1-2 plz no spoilers for those) because unlike him she is the law! Until she wasn't because she can't sprit channel lol.

Plus new models! Phoenix and Trucy look so much better, shame that Apollo and Miles still look... weird :/

Though I do definitely have strong points of dislike. For one, the overall story is very "look guys our legal system is so good and perfect, because this fictional country has a ridiculously dystopian legal system that can only be saved if they do what we do!" and look, I expect all aa games to have a stance on law I disagree with (as I don't respect the law at all) but, it was frustrating enough to see Phoenix and Miles being like "our legal system was perfect... before the dark age of the law" in DD, when I don't feel like they'd think that? (Also how did the dark age of law not start with how Edgeworth v state ended when all it took for it to start was a lawyer forging evidence and a procecutor being accused of murder? Though this rant is unlrelated to SOJ... sorry) but they really lean into not just those two but EVERYONE thinking American (Japan in original version of course) has a perfect legal system and I really dislike that (especially since it kinda goes against AA4's message).

Also this game pacing was so weird, like case 1, way too long! Why did I have to talk to white Jesus for so long!? I know he's the killer! Case 2, perfect imo. case 3 too long again! Case 4, kinda short??? Case 5... long is an understatement -_-. Only reason I don't completely hate this is because it's better than DD as that game felt like it dragged on and oooooon (to be clear I don't hate DD! Though it is my least favourite of the aa games and found every case but the DLC case to be mid, DLC case I did enjoy quite a bit and glad I played it 3rd and not last like many recommend :D).

Also fuck insight, I'm sorry but I just hate it.

[genderqueer-karma]

Welcome ♡

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BASIC INFO:

☆ my carrd ☆

Here are some of the names I use:

Dio: If you’re a stranger, you are here! If I don’t know you or don’t feel 100% comfy enough with you yet, please stick to this one or one of the others.

Dora: If you’re a stranger, you are here! Mostly a joke in reference to an old url of mine that also is based on a childhood memory. You can call me this regardless of familiarity as well, but use caution, as it is more of a joking thing.

Devin: If you’re a friend, you are here! Refrain from using this one if I’m not really comfortable or familiar with you. That's all. Thanks.

Damian: If you’re a stranger, you are here! This name is based on a favorite character of mine, Damian Hinge (localized: Colias Palaeno) from Ace Attorney Investigations. Feel free to call me this whenever.

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Serina: If you’re a stranger, you are here! This name is in reference to the first (known) stage name of MALICE MIZER/Moi dix Mois guitarist Mana, who is also referred to as Mana様 (romaji: -sama) by fans, including myself. Feel free to call me this whenever!

D: If you’re a stranger, you are here! Shorthand for all names that start with D! Call me this if you want to.

☆ I’m Black. Keep that in mind, always.

☆ My pronouns are they/them. I also use þei/þem (still pronounced they/them), but mostly jokingly. You may use she/her if we’re close, but please ask beforehand! He/him is fine for jokes, but not always. And finally, never use “it/its” for me, since I personally find them to be dehumanizing. I’m a Black enby, so surely you can understand why I feel that way. Any neos and whatnot are just what they are 🤷‍♀️. I’ll let you know for sure if a pronoun makes me uncomfortable.

☆ I have four sideblogs:

@dios-multiverse ~ my writing and oc sideblog

@crucible-memes-4-salem-teens ~ my sideblog based on the 1953 play The Crucible where I am head mod.

@melanated-attorney ~ my Ace Attorney-centric sideblog. i may get a little mean there on occasion but it's entirely out of love for the series.

And another, (not very) secret blog. If you can find it, I’ll give you a cookie 🍪.

○°•°○°•°○

MY CURRENT INTERESTS:

♡ Ace Attorney! I love the silly little lawyer games, so feel free to talk to me about them! I’ve watched playthroughs of the trilogy and am currently playing Investigations 2 as well as the DGS duology. In addition, I’ve watched most of the stage plays as well as the anime and the live-action film. I have yet to watch the musicals. Plus, AA gave me THE problematic fave~

♡ Ouran High School Host Club! OHSHC is a lifelong love of mine. However, I’ve only watched the anime and have only read the first three volumes of the manga. Still, I don’t mind spoilers, so if I come across them, I’ll be okay. I don’t have a *favorite* host, though I am somewhat partial to Mori-senpai. (Also Ranka my love, my light ♡)

♡ JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure! I really like this series, but I am also fully aware of the reputation of the fans. I will try not to be annoying as shit but no guarantees. Also, maybe basic or wtv but DiU Josuke my beloved <33. (+ Does anyone wanna give me access to all the manga parts up until now?)

♡ Markiplier! Once again, lifelong appreciation for him as a person and creator. One of my favorite series from him is probably his playthough of West of Loathing, though I love most of his other videos as well and find myself coming back to his channel again and again.

♡ RTGame! Another favorite youtuber of mine. I love most of his videos as well, though his Planet Coaster videos are what drew me to his channel initially. I really like his content, so I frequently watch his videos.

☆ The Crucible! Yes, that play from the 50s. It gripped me in a hyperfixation when I was in 11th grade and hasn’t let go since, hence the blog! I also like other works of “classic literature”, though my interest in those is a bit more tame.

♡ Percy Jackson and the Olympians! (and related franchises, such as Heroes of Olympus). Though I’m out of the “target” demographic for those books, they are still near and dear to my heart. However, (possibly controversial opinion) I don’t like Jason Grace as a character. Sorry guys, but he’s mid. 🤷‍♀️

♡ My Chemical Romance! This band has stuck with me since middle school and I did cry when I found out they got back together, so jot that down. Also stream Foundations of Decay.

♡ Fall Out Boy! Another lifelong love of mine. I’ve loved this band since before I knew it existed. It truly has been there for me from the start. Also, M A  N   I    A is a good album, you guys are just anti-black. 🤷‍♀️ Stream So Much (For) Stardust!

♡ MALICE MIZER! I started listening to them (and the members’ solo work) in September of 2022, and am stuck in MIZER hell. It feels weird to be obsessed with a band that was created and broke up went on indefinite hiatus before I was even born, but I’m used to it at this point. Mentally I’m here.

♡ Queen! I typically only listen to music from the 90s and 2000s, but I love Queen a lot. Like with Fall Out Boy, I liked a lot of their music before I even knew it was them, which is interesting for a number of reasons. 

♡ ABBA! Another golden group from the 70s. Absolutely love them and I think it’s funny how they can now say they went on a 40-year hiatus. How many of your faves can say the same?

♡ BABYMETAL! While I’m not caught up on all the lore (I’m getting there, okay?) I really do like them. I started listening to them in 2019, right before METAL GALAXY came out. When that album came out, I obsessively listened to Night Night Burn! almost every day. It was crazy.

♡ ♡ ♡ Honorable Mentions: Greek Mythology, the novels Homegoing and Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, too many WEBTOONs to name, Kamigami No Asobi, Waterparks, DE'WAYNE, Kero Kero Bonito, MARINA, Lil Nas X, and Paramore!

○°•°○°•°○

DNF 

(My love for the marginalized and downtrodden overrides my hatred for you 100% of the time.):

× Anti-Black/Racist/Neo-Nazi. I don’t tolerate that shit here. Leave me and my blogs alone.

× TERF/SWERF. Our trans siblings and sex working siblings belong in our community. If they hadn’t fought for us, we wouldn’t be able to live as freely now.

× Homophobes. I’m not explaining this one. Just know you shouldn’t care who other people want to kiss or fuck.

× Exclusionists. Ace people, Bi/Pan/Poly/Omni/etc people, and Nonbinary/Genderqueer people do not have to explain themselves to be allowed to exist in our community. I don’t care if you don’t understand their identities. It’s not their job to teach you.

× Transmeds/whatever the hell you people are called these days. Trans people do not need to suffer for you to consider them valid.

× Anti-Semites. Idc. Y'all’s hatred of Jewish people is quite literally irrational. They haven’t caused any problems for you and don’t secretly control the government. Don’t believe everything you read.

× Islamophobes. Again. As a whole, Muslims are not causing problems for you, and if you think that, you’re too far gone.

× Pedos/MAPs/NOMAPs. It’s not okay or right or normal to be an adult attracted to children. I don’t give a fuck. Get away from me. I don’t want you fuckers around.

× Pro-ship. I don’t care if it’s fictional. It’s weird. I personally just feel like “ship and let ship” can’t and never should apply to real-person, pedophilic, abusive, or incestuous ships, and that’s a normal opinion to have. It doesn’t “squick me out” if it’s straight up illegal! It disgusts me.

× AO3 simps. I use AO3! I like the platform. Its tagging system is well-organized. However, I would not put my moral character on the line for it. It’s not that deep, babes. I promise. No one’s going to cleanse the internet of your Destiel smuts.

× DDLG/DDLB/MDLG/MDLB. Why does another person acting in child-like manners or dressing like children arouse you? Quickly. Prove with facts and research how that doesn’t make you adjacent to being a pedo. Fuck off.

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Finally, I hope this blog is a safe and happy space for everyone to be in! Let’s have fun together~! 

Thanks for reading, dears~ ♡

[luciddreamslikeelectricity]

invincible iron man #4.....

Today's issue was probably my favourite one in this series so far. We finally got to know the villain, Feilong a little (I'm not caught up with x-men comics right now, but I understand he's featured there as well). I liked how their first exchange went a lot...

It is refreshing that there's no doubt about why Tony does what he does-he does it to help people and save lives and people losing their lives because someone's gunning for him is not acceptable to him, and I'm glad Duggan seems to get that. (I know, the bar is super low after Cantwell's run).

This was a moment I really liked as well. I like how angry Tony is, and also how in control he is (of the narrative and in general). I also like how Tony actually sounds like the veteran hero he is, which I think a lot of his recent runs struggled with.

I just really liked this panel.

This was funny, but I also like how Tony dealt with not really knowing anything about Feilong. He wanted him to talk, and he was smart about it, and it actually worked. I also liked how smart Tony was during their fight.

Tony beating himself up for being too busy saving the world is so him.

He invented something impressive...can't remember the last time that happened. The fact that it (and his suit) actually worked the way he wanted them to was good too, since for some reason he's been having issues with that?

One thing that I found interesting is that he's threatened Feilong's life multiple times... it definitely shows how desperate all of this made him feel. Also, he broke Feilong's hand and this was his third (I think) adversary whose hand(s) he broke/crushed lately (the first being his father from an AU) and I don't know if this means anything other than that he's getting rougher with his opponents due to circumstances (the thing with Howard was a strategic decision though) and he very much seems to be in control, but it's certainly interesting to me.

I liked both the She-Hulk appearances in this run and it's nice that she's Tony's lawyer and also a friend who cares about him (especially since she's Patsy's best friend and choices could've been made).

Tony meditating in space because he couldn't attend an AA meeting was nice. The Emma Frost cameo was...not bad. We won't know more until the next issue drops, but it looks more like he'll try to make a mutually beneficial deal with her than anything, which makes sense.

[beevean]

If you're still doing the 5 characters prompt...

Mia Fey, Gregory Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice, and Athena Cykes

5) Apollo. Dunno, aside form his finale in SOJ, I never vibed with the guy. He's fine. I played AJ ages ago and wasn't impressed, so maybe that soured my perception...

4) Athena. She's cute and with a legit disturbing trauma! Yay! She's only penalized by the games not allowing her to take actually important cases, which is a shame, because I'm all for a female attorney with the spunk of an assistant.

3) Gregory Edgeworth. I2-3 is the stuff of legends. My man is very down to earth, and that makes him stand out in the colorful cast of AA. He's calm yet sharp and determined, until the bitter end. And he loved his son so much.

2) Mia. I made a whole post about her :P

1) Phoenix. The man of all time. I do think Ryuu is an improvement over everything Phoenix did, but the original is always the original. He's determination and faith incarnate, ever since he was a child: pretty much the superhero of lawyers. Also he's funny as hell lol.

[akihikosanada]

finished ace attorney!!! thoughts under a read more because of spoilers and it got kinda long. only opinion i'll state here is that i enjoyed it a lot and i would recommend it to anyone slightly curious about it ❤

ended the trilogy with mia and gumshoe as my favs. mia was too cool to live and gumshoe is pookie no other explanations are needed for either of them

the music was so good!!!! i think the trial music for the first game was the best one by far, but some of the songs related to specific cases were incredible (shoutout to aa1 case 4, aa2 case 2 and aa3 case 1)

my favorite case absolutely was the fourth one in aa2, i didn't know a single thing about it. from the maya kidnapping, the involvement of a serial killer, phoenix losing his very first trial, being able to get a bad ending and obviously the matt engarde plot twist. i did genuinely think adrien was the culprit

related to the matt thing it was the one twist i was not expecting at all nor had spoiled, i mean at one point godot looked like the only culprit possible (and accidentally had it spoiled to myself. rip) and manfred von karma just looks guilty as hell. also his theme song slayed i was mad they reused it in aa3 for the trials and other moments. he did not summon a glass of brandy out of nowhere while in jail for you to do this to him!!!!

i still stand by what i said in an earlier post, the cases with a fey right in the middle of them were definitely the best ones. also i really liked how the third game was practically all about the clan, even the prosecutor introduced in it. it's good that miles got his own spinoff series because we cannot forget that the two protagonists in the aa trilogy are phoenix and maya (and by extension the feys) !!!! you think at first mia will be the deuteragonist but then it turns out it's actually her sister!!!! this is their world!!!! all miles got was one case and even the dl-6 incident was about maya and mia's mother!!!!

not a fan at all of the franziska whip thing. it got old really fast as well. i can excuse murder but i didn't find the whole hitting people with it thing funny or entertaining.....it bothered me to the point i couldn't stand her tbh. remake the entire trilogy without her hitting people with a whip and i'll stan

already said a negative thing above so i'll say another one now. the gumshoe shit salary thing got old extremely fast like by the third game it felt like he got reduced to only saying he can't pay the bills and how all he eats are instant noodles. no idea what happens in the investigations games but i hope miles gives him a huge raise or i will keep hoping gumshoe petrol bombs him!!!!

kinda related to the gumshoe thing since they are both comic relief characters but larry also got turned lowkey into a creep that both phoenix and edgeworth couldn't stand while in the first game phoenix literally describes him as a "likeable guy who has been my friend since grade school" and thinks of him as a "good guy at heart" (started the first trial for these two quotes alone) miles also never describes him as a bad person or even a loser, he's a bit too silly alright but that's it. justice for larry!!!!! the writers don't know shit!!!!!

a while ago i said mia was too hot to live (i stand by it) but now i can add to this that diego was also too hot to live (he technically didn't die but you know what i mean) had they both lived and continued dating they would have outslayed outserved outcunted every single attorney in whatever country the games takes place in i mean murder suspicions aside no wonder dahlia wanted them both dead

speaking of dahlia i mean yes i wanted mia to beat her ass in both of her trials but before finishing the final trial in the trilogy i replayed aa3 case1 and like. ok yeah dahlia was highkey a girlboss like come on she staged her death at 14, murdered her half sister, (almost) murdered a lawyer in the courtroom and quickly disposed of the poison, attempted to kill the PROTAGONIST, killed her ex, and as a literal ghost she tried killing maya???? shelly de killer wishes i'm not sorry

speaking of mr. diego armando/godot i do wish it had been foreshadowed even slightly in the previous games, i mean there is a huge chance they had not planned it that early on in the series but still you know. planting seeds here and there. maybe in grossberg's office or even in fey & co. wasn't grossberg involved in another case in aa2? was that the final case? i forgor but maybe show something in his office by then? considering from the morgan scene post case 2 they had already planned stuff for later idfk. the fact that maya knew of him but was never mentioned by her even in the third game feels weird

oldbag was the best witness character by far. missed opportunity to have her interact with larry on scren so they could both give edgeworth an aneurysm. wuved will powers too ❤ can't be a coincidence the two slayest mfs came from the same case (even though i consider it the weakest one in aa1)

i am acros-girl till the end. free my man (from jail and being in the floppest case)!!!!

aa1 case 5 despite the new features and fitting quite well despite having been added later wasn't that hot tbh. it felt too long and i couldn't really connect with ema and er. her sister i forgor her name. the damon gant reveal was obvious from the moment he popped up too. COME ON even his leitmotif was evil as hell. on the other hand it also was the case that made me realise how much i missed maya LMAO sorry ema but you will never be her. starr and jake slayed though

aa1 fucked severely, aa2 was kind of boring honestly i can only say i enjoyed the second and fourth cases. aa3 was really good, but even though i cried and everything i didn't think its final case was as good as the fourth cases in the previous two games. it started very well but it kinda lost me with the pendulum honestly. i can accept channeling the dead but i have my limits!!! i also felt that the final segment with maya and godot could have been done better, a lot of time got spent on the stupid ass pendulum, not enough time spent in the emotional beats

this is a thought i had yesterday but it made me laugh that both desiree delite and matt engarde are brunettes who wear red clothes and like riding motorcycles. also come on one is rich and the other likes spending money??? you would think desiree is actually a matt who escaped jail and started hrt so shelly de killer wouldn't find her #girlboss #dahliawishes

i thought the whole trilogy being in 2d fit the game really well, honestly i'm kind of worried re: apollo trilogy and tgaa because i know some of it is in 3d but somehow i don't think it fits the style? also this is stupid maybe but i like how the only people that are voiced are the attorneys saying "objection" or "take that" or "hold it" in court, idk if they are voiced in the other games or not but i'd fear that. giving them enough time to speak and hear their accents would ruin the experience for me SJFLSDJKFJSDKL

i liked that the final scene of the game was with pearl and maya, in case you haven't realized it yet this is the phoenix and feys trilogy!!!

ok i was finishing this and i realized i had not talked about the gay lawyers at all. i see it and everything but also i think phoenix could do better. all in all it was gay but nothing that drove me insane playing the games (phoenix becoming a lawyer "to save him" was homosexual activity through and through though. same with the "unnecessary feelings" line

final thoughts: the feys would survive succession but not a single roy would survive ace attorney. also i hope aa7 is about ami fey's spirit getting revenge for the amount of times her urn got broken

[swldx]

6080Khz 0258 4 APR 2024 - VOICE OF AMERICA (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) in ENGLISH from MOPENG HILL. SINPO = 55333. English, dead carrier, @0259z w/Yankee Doodle int fb news anchored by Richard Greene @0300z. A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's eastern coast near Hualien County on Wednesday morning, killing nine people and injuring more than 900. Taiwan's biggest earthquake in at least 25 years is likely to tighten the supply of tech components such as display panels and semiconductors as manufacturers in the global tech powerhouse restore operations at affected facilities. The bodies of six foreign aid workers killed in an Israeli airstrike were moved Wednesday to Egypt for repatriation to their homelands, while Israel faced wide condemnation for their deaths. A total of seven staff members of the U.S.-based food charity World Central Kitchen were killed in the late Monday airstrike that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said was “unconscionable” and "an inevitable result of the way the war is being conducted.” U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are scheduled to speak Thursday, according to a U.S. official familiar with planning for the call. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday on how to bolster the alliance’s long-term military support for Ukraine. The United States will host a NATO summit in Washington from July 9 to July 11. Blinken discussed priorities for the meeting with his counterpart as the alliance celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Uganda's constitutional court has declined to annul or grant a permanent injunction against the enforcement of the country’s anti-gay law. In their ruling Wednesday, the judges said the law does infringe on some fundamental human rights. Lawyers representing members of Uganda's LGBT community described the ruling as retrogressive. A 12-year-old suspected of shooting and killing a classmate and wounding two girls at a school in Finland said he had been motivated by bullying, police said Wednesday. Flags flew at half-staff as the northern European country observed a day of mourning a day after the boy opened fire in a classroom in Vantaa. Police also said that the young suspect had been a student at the school only since the beginning of the year. The police opened an investigation into murder and attempted murder but said the suspect has been handed over to social services as he could not be held in police custody because of his age. A New York judge on Wednesday denied Donald Trump's bid to delay his April 15 trial on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star until the U.S. Supreme Court reviews claim to presidential immunity in a separate criminal case. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on April 25 the former U.S. president's arguments that he is immune from federal prosecution for trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat to President Joe Biden. In a court ruling on Wednesday, Merchan said Trump had waited too long to raise the issue. @0305z “Daybreak Africa” anchored by male announcer (w/African accent). MLA 30 amplified loop (powered w/8 AA rechargeable batteries ~10.8vdc), Etón e1XM. 100kW, beamAz 350°, bearing 84°. Received at Plymouth, MN, United States, 14087KM from transmitter at Mopeng Hill. Local time: 2158.

[characteroulette]

"I love Apollo Justice it's my fave game in the AA series" I say as I proceed to *completely trash the third case every single time*

4-3 is such a hot mess. why the fuck did we all just. accept that a 14-year-old baby shot a man with a hand cannon and then lugged that fully grown adult man's dead body to the stage, without being detected???? excuse me??????

What bugs the shit outta me every time is the whole "Machi did it obvs and no other suspects exist!" Like!!!! Bitch he's a year younger than Trucy and you're telling me he not only shot a hand cannon without dislocating his shoulder, but also moved the dead body of a full-grown and giant man on his own without anyone else noticing him?????

Like no one even checks if he hurt himself shooting the gun because he didn't!!! I'm fucking incensed about this Machi Tobaye actually the strongest 14 year old ever I heard he can pick up a grand piano with one hand >T

Machi's whole situation was fucked, since he was gonna get executed if you failed to defend him. I wanna know the circumstances that led to Machi requesting Apollo specifically still. who told him that Apollo was a lawyer?? did Lamiroir talk to him about it? did Klavier?? is it the vague resemblance to Lamiroir Apollo has going on??? Did Machi recognise Apollo's bracelet????

also Apollo watched a man die? I don't think we talk about that as much as we should

Apollo literally heard the dying words of a man and was haunted by it constantly in 4-3 and yet it's totally forgotten about after the fact. boy needs therapy please someone ::::

Romein LeTouse sat on the ground, bleeding out for like 20 minutes before Apollo and Ema found the scene (and also oof he had to deal with those firecrackers going off right in front of him ;;; ) only for Apollo to sit with him as he desperately pleaded for them to listen to Lamiroir, whom he knew had "witnessed" his death because of the song playing as he was shot. interpol agents do not fuck around (and also Apollo's life is a nightmare ;m; ;;; )

(actually mentioning the firecrackers, what sort of fire-retardant shit were those made of so that the room didn't catch on fire?? what type of wacky firecrackers you got Japan??)

Shark boy also lucky we live in a world of dumbasses

in going over this case for my AU, I've realised that. the existence of the dying message alone indicates that he was shot long before Ema and Apollo heard the bangs.

the bullet holes from the gun also would've been like, smoking or had dust coming out of them if they were any kind of recent BUT maybe I'm also thinking about this too hard hahahaha and considering his time of death matches up with when Apollo and Ema found him, it would be very hard to prove when exactly he was shot, so like shark boy got REAL lucky :T

I dunno what the fuck Daryan's deal was, but he just comes off to me as having a personal Grudge against Apollo specifically??? I don't have any evidence to back this up, it's just a general feel I get because of how goddamn antagonistic he is towards Apollo throughout the whole case

like, all Apollo did was acquiesce to Klav's whole "point out who the fuck missed the cue here!!" minigame. then Apollo and Trucy talked about how the lyrics mirrored the crime and *gave him an idea to make his alibi more solid*

(which was move the fucking body Daryan you FUCKING WEIRDO)

but he's just. Hostile. for no good reason!!

the biggest twist would be if Daryan figured out a way to pin the crime on Apollo. Woof that would've been wild.

[jeffwingxr]

omg i would love some fic recs for jeff and his IssuesTM

since they're all about jeff winger and his issues there are different potential triggers written in - so be sure you're taking care of yourself by checking tags and avoiding anything that would be harmful.

also, many of these are in multiple parts that extend the stories- so i would recommend double-checking when you read in case there's more you're missing out on lol

these all range over different ships/no ships at all (there is no jeff/annie though bc i personally don't ship it or read it)

-----------------------

okay here we go:

we'll start off with two of my absolute favorite jeff winger has issues series- Jeff Winger Is Bipolar and Therapy by @1mechanicalalligator. very, very highly recommend. the author is also my favorite community fic writer, so a lot of these on this list will be their works because they're genuinely so good.

Topics in Romance and Recovery- this is another incredible series by onemechanicalalligator - it is Abed focused, but part 7 is about Jeff and makes sense on its own if you were looking for just jeff-focused stuff

Introduction to Breaking Down Walls - jeff and his eating disorder!

Of Recklessness and Water. - short but so good. is about jeff opening up to abed about his ed

Corpus Delicti - jeff has major trauma from his lawyer career

I Can't Do This All On My Own- i love this series SO MUCH. it's literally so good. focused around jeff's ed struggles. it's by another one of my top fav community fic writers, anemicaxolotl

Batman Saves Rachel Dawes - this is a cute abed being a good friend to jeff and helping him talk out his depression. it's short but good.

Psychology of Getting Hurt - this is in a series that's pretty good. the next link below is part 4 of it and it's one of my favorites ever

Introduction to Coping Mechanisms and Supporting Friends - fairly long fic, focuses around jeff's alcoholism.

Image - the first part of this series is about jeff's self-image issues and part 2 focuses on dean pelton's near-constant sexual harassment of jeff and jeff growing to realize he deserves better. it's not anti-dean pelton or anything so don't worry about that. very well-written, def recommend.

Introduction to New Beginnings - these revolve around jeff's trauma and him in quarantine. i like the first two works in the series. have not read the last one yet.

Studies In Integrated Dysfunction Theory- this is a series: they're both pretty short but the first part is one of my fav shorter fics.

Basic Modern Asexuality - jeff struggles with coming to terms with being asexual- various mentions of his issues and stuff

Trespassing and Shower Studies - abed's psychoanalysis of jeff. short and beautiful.

Cooperative Independent Studies- a series. so good, so so good.

Use Somebody- introspect into depressed jeff

Principles of Holding On And Letting Go (In Theory and Practice)- alcoholism/withdrawal/etc

Interdimensional Lizards- jeff's issues with alcohol and jabed one bed trope

Round-Table Therapy Sessions - panic attacks, ed, functioning alcoholism, etc

Parallel Anxiety 101 - anxiety, body issues, jeff opening up in therapy, etc. i've reread this one a lot. i'm pretty sure i've put a few of jabedalien's (@jabedalien) fics in here already so far, they're another one of my absolute favorite community writers.

Independent Study: Dalliance and Despondency- occurs post-series finale. jeff loses himself.

Seminar on Inherited Dysfunction- a better ending to basic rv repair and palmistry. daddy issues and alcoholism

Advanced Friendship- post 5x11 (when jeff's in the hospital after his suicide attempt)

Advanced Psychology Analysis- psychoanalysis of jeff and abed and the way they relate to each other (from jeff's pov)

Cuts At The Skin and It's Sinking In (how deep it goes)- jeff goes to AA, alcoholism, withdrawal

Intersections of Grief and Guilt- jeff deals with childhood trauma, grief, etc

Advanced Despair- alcoholism, short

Botched Ventures and Adverse Alimentary Comportment - takes place after 5x11, heavy themes of suicide and eds.

Intro to Neurodiversity- idk how to explain this one but it's a lot. it's jabed and cute and also dark and heavy.

Try Explaining a Life Bundled With Episodes of This- deals with sh, touches on alcoholism

A Catalog of Non-Definitive Acts - the plot twist in this one takes me out every single time

The Jeff and Abed Pilot - involves talk about suicide/mental health. is post-series finale and is about them going on a road trip together- i always yearn for more roadtrip jeff and abed content after i read this one tbh.

-----------------------

hope this helped some of you find some enjoyable fics! i'm sure there are more jeff winger has issues fics written about jeff's mental health (mostly based off canon), but these are ones i've read and enjoyed. they're all good quality - wouldn't recommend if they weren't lol :)

these are all from ao3, i haven't really explored any other fanfiction sites besides ao3 and wattpad but the latter doesn't have anything on this topic as far as i know. if anyone has any recommendations that aren't on this list let me know!! i'm always looking for more to read :)

and finally, once again, these are all varying levels of deep/dark topics that deal with a range of mental health topics. please check the tags on the fics themselves before reading to make sure it wouldn't do you more harm than good to read :)

[genderqueer-karma]

hi~ welcome to my blog! ♡

(if you follow or are already following, please like or interact to let me know you've read this)

BASIC INFO:

☆ my carrd ☆

☆ My name is Dio, but you can call me Dora or Devin as well. Ultimately though, I prefer Dio if I don't know you irl. Bonus points if you can guess how many inspirations I had on that ;)

☆ I'm Black. Keep that in mind, always.

☆ I'm a minor. If that bothers you, feel free not to interact.

☆ My pronouns are they/them. I also use þei/þem (still pronounced they/them), but mostly jokingly. You may use she/her if we're close, but please ask beforehand! He/him is fine for jokes, but not always. And finally, never use "it/its" for me, since I personally find them to be dehumanizing. I'm a black enby, so surely you can understand why I feel that way. Any neos and whatnot are just what they are 🤷‍♀️. I'll let you know for sure if a pronoun makes me uncomfortable.

☆ I have two active sideblogs:

@dios-multiverse ~ my writing and oc sideblog

@crucible-memes-4-salem-teens ~ my sideblog based on the 1953 play The Crucible where I am head mod.

○°•°○°•°○

MY CURRENT INTERESTS:

♡ Ace Attorney! I love the silly little lawyer game, so feel free to talk to me about it! I've watched playthroughs of the trilogy and am currently playing Investigations 2 as well as the TGAA duology. In addition, I've watched most of the stage plays as well as the anime and the live-action film. I have yet to watch the musicals. Plus, AA gave me my current problematic fave~

♡ Ouran High School Host Club! OHSHC is a lifelong love of mine. However, I've only watched the anime and have only read the first three volumes of the manga. Still, I don't mind spoilers, so if I come across them, I'll be okay. I don't have a *favorite* host, though I am somewhat partial to Mori-senpai.

♡ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure! This is a recent interest of mine, so I've only watched up through Part 3 (started Part 4 recently!) and have yet to read the manga for any part. Once again, I have no qualms with spoilers, so feel free.

♡ Markiplier! Once again, lifelong appreciation for him as a person and creator. One of my favorite series from him is probably his playthough of West of Loathing, though I love most of his other videos as well and find myself coming back to his channel again and again.

♡ RTGame! Another favorite youtuber of mine. I love most of his videos as well, though his Planet Coaster videos are what drew me to his channel initially. I really like his content, so I frequently watch his videos.

☆ The Crucible! Yes, that play from the 50s. It gripped me in a hyperfixation when I was in 11th grade and hasn't let go since, hence the blog! I also like other works of "classic literature", though my interest in those is a bit more tame.

♡ Percy Jackson and the Olympians! (and related franchises, such as Heroes of Olympus). Though I'm out of the "target" demographic for those books, they are still near and dear to my heart. However, (possibly controversial opinion) I don't like Jason Grace as a character. Sorry guys, but he's mid. 🤷‍♀️

♡ My Chemical Romance! This band has stuck with me since middle school and I did cry when I found out they got back together, so jot that down. Also stream Foundations of Decay.

♡ Fall Out Boy! Another lifelong love of mine. I've loved this band since before I knew it existed. It truly has been there for me from the start. Also, MANIA is a good album, you guys are just anti-black. 🤷‍♀️

♡ MALICE MIZER! I've only recently started listening to them (and the members' solo work), but so far I really like them! It feels weird to be obsessed with a band that was created and broke up went on indefinite hiatus before I was even born, but I'm used to it at this point. Like the blog description says: I experience gender envy for Mana-sama.

♡ Queen! I typically only listen to music from the 90s and 2000s, but I love Queen a lot. Like with Fall Out Boy, I liked a lot of their music before I even knew it was them, which is interesting for a number of reasons.

♡ ABBA! Another golden group from the 70s. Absolutely love them and I think it's funny how they can now say they went on a 40-year hiatus. How many of your faves can say the same?

♡ BABYMETAL! While I'm not caught up on all the lore (I'm getting there, okay?) I really do like them. I'm actually a fairly new fan, having only started listening to them in 2019, right before METAL GALAXY came out. When that album came out, I obsessively listened to Night Night Burn! almost every day. It was crazy.

♡ Honorable Mentions: Greek Mythology, the novels Homegoing and Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, too many WEBTOONs to name (though currently I'm really into Get Schooled), Waterparks, DE'WAYNE, Kero Kero Bonito, MARINA, Lil Nas X, and Paramore!

○°•°○°•°○

DNF (Just remember, I firmly stand with all of my marginalized family. My love for them overrides my hatred for you 100% of the time.):

× Anti-Black/Racist/Neo-Nazi. I don't tolerate that shit here. Leave me and my blogs alone.

× TERF/SWERF. Our trans siblings and sex working siblings belong in our community. If they hadn't fought for us, we wouldn't be able to live freely now.

× Homophobes. I'm not explaining this one. Just know you shouldn't care who other people want to kiss or fuck.

× Exclusionists. Ace people, Bi/Pan/Poly/Omni/etc people, and Nonbinary/Genderqueer people do not have to explain themselves to be allowed to exist in our community. I don't care if you don't understand their identities. It's not their job to teach you.

× Transmeds/whatever the hell you people are called these days. Trans people do not need to suffer for you to consider them valid.

× Anti-Semites. Idc. Y'all's hatred of Jewish people is quite literally irrational. They haven't caused any problems for you and don't secretly control the government. Don't believe everything you read.

× Islamophobes. Again. As a whole, Muslims are not causing problems for you, and if you think that, you're too far gone.

× Pedos/MAPs/NOMAPs. It's not okay or right or normal to be an adult attracted to children. I don't give a fuck. Get away from me. Even when I ultimately do become of legal age, I still don't want you fuckers around.

× Pro-ship. Idc if it's fictional. It's weird. I personally just feel like "ship and let ship" can't and never should apply to real person, pedophilic, abusive, or incestuous ships, and that's a normal opinion to have. It doesn't "squick me out" if it's straight up illegal! It disgusts me.

× AO3 simps. I use AO3! I like the platform. Its tagging system is well-organized. However, I would not put my moral character on the line for it. It's not that deep, babes. I promise. No one's going to cleanse the internet of your Destiel smuts.

× DDLG/DDLB/MDLG/MDLB. Why does other people acting in child-like manners or dressing like children arouse you? Quickly. Prove with facts and research how that doesn't make you adjacent to being a pedo. Fuck off.

○°•°○°•°○

Finally, I hope this blog is a safe and happy space for everyone to be in! Let's have fun together~!

[beevean]

Baroryuu for the ship meme! I saw you talk about it a little in that narumitsu section And I’m curious on your full opinion on it

FUCKING

FINALLY

THANK YOU

okay, okay so, baroryuu, otp, best ship, disgustingly underrated for being the residential lawyer/prosecutor ship

First of all, Ryuu and Barok are my favorite AA characters. I can safely say that Ryuu beat Phoenix and Barok beat Miles. And I love Phoenix and Miles. They're that good 💖

Ryuu and Barok break an important trend that all lawyers/prosecutors followed: the first time they meet, they are nobodies to each other. They don't have a shared past (Phoenix and Miles), nor Barok resents Ryuu personally (Phoenix and Franziska/Godot). You know what this means? We get to see their relationship develop in real time from scratch! And, since Barok benefits from being the prosecutor of 5 cases, rather than just 2 or 3, his character development is palpable: he goes from mere indifference, to conflicted feelings that... don't show up in the best of ways, to begrudging respect, to trust, to full blown admiration. He has no other reason to feel this way, it's just that Ryuu made that much of an impact to him :)

The biggest difference between Barok and Miles is that Miles is very reserved, and struggles with putting his feelings into words - his awkwardness is what makes him endearing, of course. "Whooop!" But Barok, oh no, the dude showers Ryuu with so many nice words once his jerkass wall breaks apart. Absolute integrity, boundless talent, I believe you saved my life, he says it! He opens up to Ryuu! Phoenix had to pull Miles' tragic past out of his teeth (to be fair, during 1-4 Miles wanted to protect Phoenix from the horrors of DL-6 and von Karma, I'm not complaining); Barok decides, on his own, that Ryuu has earned his trust. Barok is the one that twice called Ryuu in the courtroom to explain something - most importantly after G1-5, where he admits that he's been oddly fascinated with Ryuu and wants to "cross swords" with him again. c'mon. this should be the Baroryuu equivalent of Miles' unnecessary feelings.

And Ryuu himself? Look, I don't care that it makes no sense, he is. so. smitten with Barok by the time G2-3 rolls along. He hears that Barok has been attacked, but despite everyone telling him that he's fine, really, this is just a normal Tuesday for him, he freaks out and goes to his office. He goes into his office to check on him! He becomes obsessed with learning his tragic past! Again, he has no previous reason to care this much, he just does!

(he also proceeds to be a giant jerkass to barok, but to be fair, he deserves to be bullied a little)

This is also where the "they have no shared past" dynamic makes their relationship retroactively cuter. Phoenix wanted to save Miles for years. He knew him, he wanted to know what happened ever since that fateful incident, of course he wouldn't turn his back to his former friend! Ryuu? Ryuu owes nothing big to Barok. Yes, Barok is one of the most cooperative prosecutors in the series, and this is not something to ignore, but dude's also been a giant asshole to him for months. But he still does it, because he trusts his clients no matter what, and he trusts Barok to be a good person underneath. He suffered so much, he's been betrayed by everyone he knew, and he still is a good person, behind his extremely abrasive walls.

And this is the first time in ten years someone has ever shown a modicum of unconditional kindness to Barok. He's no longer cursed. Ryuu truly is a paragon of justice like Klint was, but unlike his darling brother, he's too pure to be dragged into the darkness.

Barok's last appearance in the game is him bowing to Ryuu in the credits. I'm crying here, man.

Both of them are smart. Both of them are absolutely determined to know the truth. Both gleefully trample over corrupted authorities if necessary. And both of them are funny as hell :P

also. height difference. barok is one head taller than ryuu.

look at how fucking adorable they are <3 <3 <3

Also, can we talk about this shit? This shit right here? Where's my Barok breakdown, game? Where's his smile, while we're at it? Barok being overwhelmed by gratitude, his curse lifted, with the full knowledge that he has an ally, a partner at his side who accepts him even at his most broken, and Ryuu being happy that he helped someone in need and he found an invaluable friend... that's some good stuff right here, mmh I am nourished 👌

So yeah. Baroryuu best ship. I like watching funny dragon man and sexy drunk vampire bantering together. i like finding fanart where they kiss (and barok bends over because he's too big). they cute. let barok pine for ryuu pls. (and I sure hope that the number of Baroryuu fics on AO3 goes over 100 in my lifetime :V)

[wildfey]

Anon from yesterday back again! About the set-up, a post on twitter explained the theory much better and I gotta look up the name. The gist is that Phoenix could've proved that he was set up. He did not have the time to have a forgery done since he got the job for defending Zak only the day before. Plus the money. Instead, there is no evidence at all he even tried. Why? Because he'd seen the courts' corruption before and decided it didn't matter anymore, plus too dangerous.

(continued) You could even point at his reply to the Judge's words and wonder if Phoenix has nothing to say because he knows it's useless to argue. Hidden powers have already decided that they will attack him and try to drag him down.

okay, okay, hello again anon, good to see you back with another excellent ask.

I always think that there are two ways to look at Phoenix's disbarment:

a) that the problem was straight-up with bringing forged evidence into court, no matter what the circumstances were.

b) that the problem was that Phoenix was assumed to have created the forged evidence and bought it into court intentionally.

Ace Attorney really flips around on which of these is true in universe (it's a plot point to some extent in 1-5, 3-3, 4-1, and 4-4) but considering that Phoenix gets his badge back almost immediately after it's proved that the second wasn't the case, I'm going to assume that presenting forged evidence accidentally is either not an issue or less of an issue. This tends to be the fanon majority stance too. (It's worth noting that Edgeworth is implied to have pulled some strings irt getting Phoenix's badge back. Ymmv and so on.)

With our framework safely in place, the question arises: If Phoenix could have avoided punishment, or at least public shaming, by revealing the set-up, why wouldn't he? As you point out, the forgery doesn't make sense once you start to look into it and we know that Phoenix did put a lot of these pieces together. Hell, he could have made these arguments when Misham testified during the Gramarye trial. But he doesn't. (Warning: this is a more headcanon-y meta than my last one, because the 7yg is... a gap and we have very little concrete info on what the fuck Phoenix was up to. He got a kid, worked on jury trials, played good poker + bad piano, and had some sort of frenemyship with Kristoph. That's pretty much all we've got).

Firstly: Corruption. The AA court system is ridiculously corrupt, and at the point that Phoenix is disbarred, he becomes emblematic of this - he's a man with a history of revealing injustice - notably Von Karma & Gant, but even without them he still won some high profile cases - and once he's disbarred, it's implied that the narrative is flipped, turning him into a figurehead for that which he fought against (dark age of the law, etc). The obvious conclusion is that his disbarment was a convenient way to discredit him - powerful and corrupt figures (and in AA there are many) don't need to fear Phoenix Wright if he isn't a lawyer and his reputation is ruined. The counter argument is that Phoenix... has always done some questionable things with evidence (1-5, 2-4, and 3-3 stand out to me). But no more so than anyone else in this fucked-up universe. Either way, Phoenix has always worked in a system stacked against him, and it's very possible that he suspected there to be manoevering behind the scenes (and there was! We know Kristoph existed and was purposefully working against Phoenix.) HOWEVER, I don't believe that any of this would stop him on it's own, because it's been long established that Phoenix Wright does not give a shit about bad odds.

So, what would make him accept it? Anon, you mention danger in your ask, and I do see that as partially true - Phoenix isn't concerned about danger to himself, but he has a kid to care for. I would say, however, that especially when we come to Kristoph, as much of a bastard as he is, Phoenix had no evidence that he could be violent to the point of murder until 4-1. Before that, his influence was long-distance life ruining, rather than active threat (though long-distance life ruining is pretty scary on its own when you're raising a small child with low funds). I do see that as a cause, but one of many, and this is the point where I'd like to go back to the conversation on motivation.

I am going to make the argument here, as I did in the other answer, that Phoenix, in the 7yg and possibly elsewhere, is depressed, and that one symptom of that is a loss of motivation. It's implied by the game itself, and makes more sense than most of the alternatives.

(I won't get too personal, but the years of my life where I dressed like this... not good years lol)

My headcanon has always been that by the point that Phoenix had sorted out his guardianship of Trucy and got himself out of that initial low that came from having his life ruined, it was too late to fix his disbarment and he had to change tracks, and that's when he became interested in MASON. (Not to self-promote, but I'm realising that a lot of what I've said here is rephrased ideas from The Path Once So Clear, so if you want 15,000-ish words on the subject, it's there). Of course, when talking about Phoenix's 7yg depression, I think it's also important to mention that Phoenix in AA4 is very much implied to be putting on an act (which is pretty common in AA4 in general. Most characters in that game have both a public and private face). Being 'Beanix' - eg. the piano/poker player with no prospects who works in a shitty restaurant and takes nothing seriously - is a convenient cover while he works on the things that he doesn't want to be targeted for (and here we come back to the corruption angle).

As to how far the depression helps that act... well, that could be a whole conversation on its own. Once again, I'm very much coming into headcanon here, but I'm reminded of the phenomenon where someone with depression will deliberately exacerbate it, either as a form of self-harm or as some attempt to fit a role (artists are especially prone, due to the 'depressed artist' stereotype. I see it most in the emo scene). Beanix has always seemed to me as someone who is deliberately messing up his own life - he repeatedly provokes Apollo, essentially sabotaging their relationship, he puts himself into dangerous situations for no real reason (this is a general Phoenix trait), and despite the fact that we KNOW Maya and Edgeworth were supportive of him during this period, we never actually see them around, presumably because he's keeping them at a distance. How much of this is for the act, and how much is real?

Again, we've come very much off topic (whoops) but I see a lot of this as another aspect of Phoenix's low self worth - is there a difference between the image he projects of a man who has given up due to being disbarred, and the real Phoenix who is still actively working behind the scenes but is very obviously not doing well because he can't 'save people' - the thing which so much of his identity relies upon? I think there is, but I also think the image too often becomes the reality, and AA4 does carry this underlying theme of how wearing these masks of a public persona can affect your 'true self'.

As always, I genuinely love to see other people's takes on this, either in the tags, in reblogs, or via asks. This one is very headcanon-y, and I know there some entirely different perspectives out there, some of which I really like. (Also this one got to be heavy. Look after yourselves guys.)

[someoneintheshadow456]

TFW you realise that the Ace Attorney trilogy actually fits the model of the Heroine's Journey when you think about it. If Wrightworth wasn't canon enough...

SPOILERS UNDER CUT.

HEROINE SEPARATES FROM THE FEMININE: PW: AA: Mia, Phoenix’ mentor and friend, dies in Case 1-2. He is made the de facto guardian of her sister, Maya Fey and has to help her clear her name. At this point he is no longer the protege of Mia, but a lawyer of his own right (pun).

IDENTIFICATION WITH THE MASCULINE & GATHERING OF ALLIES: PW: AA: Edgeworth is introduced soon after Mia’s death, and this is the first case where they go up against each other. While Phoenix was already a lawyer before this, from now on he has cemented his rivalry with Edgeworth. And his own career, outside of Mia’s shadow, has started. His “prescribed role” in this case could be the role of a protege/assistant to Mia, which ended prematurely.

ROAD/TRIALS AND MEETING OGRES & DRAGONS: PW: AA: Cases 1-2 and 1-3 are where Phoenix’ abilities are truly tested. 1-2 has him go against Redd White, a CEO of an information brokerage firm with a lot of connections and power. Edgeworth, his old childhood friend (and possible/eventual lover) is the prosecutor in this case and has no qualms with accusing Phoenix of the murder. Since he is still a novice lawyer, his abilities are also in question, thus very few people believe him. Edgeworth also is the prosecutor of Case 1-3, and he is a formidable challenge against Phoenix until eventually he decides to give him the win, and declare Vasquez as the culprit. This is also where Edgeworth reveals he might possibly have romantic feelings for Phoenix, and there is the implication they have a history with each other. Needless to say, being on the opposing counsel and having a turbulent history (and considering the place and time period, being both men), provides a great conflict for any potential relationship. Case 1-4 is where the biggest conflict happens. Edgeworth is accused of murder and the case is connected to the DL-6 incident of his childhood, when his father was murdered. Phoenix has to defend him, and this is where their backstory and childhood friendship is revealed. Phoenix has to forgive Edgeworth for his past misdeeds and make him come to his senses through his faith (and possible love). It is also where he has to face his strongest foe - Manfred von Karma, who is also Edgeworth’s abusive adopted father.

EXPERIENCING THE BOON OF SUCCESS: PW: AA: Manfred von Karma is revealed as the murderer of Gregory’s father and jailed. Edgeworth appears to have realised his misdeeds and his relationship with Phoenix is somewhat repaired. If Case 1-5 is included (which was cut from the anime), it would come somewhere between stage 3 and 4 as Edgeworth, while he is somewhat reformed, still faces distrust because of his past history of false evidence and other malpractices. Thus, as is, he cannot truly stay in his profession because of his bad reputation.

HEROINE AWAKENS TO FEELINGS OF SPIRITUAL ARIDITY/DEATH: JFA: Edgeworth leaves a fake suicide note and leaves for Germany, leaving Phoenix to go mad with grief as he is under the impression that he died. He takes up several cases (2-1 to 2-3) after this, and succeeds, but that success does not have the same impact as it would if Edgeworth had been present. He also has to deal with a new prosecutor - Franziska von Karma, Edgeworth’s adopted sister. And her tactics are much more belligerent, requiring him to be more on his guard. He spends most of JFA behaving like a bereaved lover, refusing to hear Edgeworth’s name, and not wanting to speak about his fate. Without Mia to guide him in these troubled times, he must deal with his turmoil on his own.

INITIATION & DESCENT TO THE GODDESS: JFA: Case 2-4 has Phoenix deal with a client that is truly guilty for the first time. This results in a crisis of everything he once knew and he has a dilemma as to whether he can defend a person like that. Edgeworth returns, and their reunion is harsh because Phoenix is hurt by what he considers a betrayal. Even though in the end, this client manages to get convicted even with a “not guilty” verdict (that too only with Franziska’s help), things will never go back to the way they were. Edgeworth still has to go back to Germany and take care of affairs there, leaving Phoenix alone again.

HEROINE URGENTLY YEARNS TO RECONNECT WITH THE FEMININE: T&T: Phoenix ends up being forced to reconnect with the “feminine” unwillingly when his new opposing prosecutor is Godot - Mia’s mentor and boyfriend who was presumed dead and comatose, and now blames Phoenix for Mia’s death. He is also forced to confront Iris - who resembles his deceitful and criminal ex-girlfriend, Dahlia Hawthorne. He has to get to the bottom of their history, and get closure with his past bloody relationship. However before he can do so, he sustains a dangerous injury. So Edgeworth has to take his place as the defence.

HEROINE HEALS THE MOTHER/DAUGHTER SPLIT: T&T (but this stage takes place after stage 8): Phoenix, through Edgeworth, discovers the truth about Iris and Dahlia. That Iris, while she was good intentioned, still manipulated Phoenix while under her sister’s pressure. He manages to confront and reform Godot - so now he gets over his grievances and befriends Phoenix.

HEROINE HEALS THE WOUNDED MASCULINE WITHIN: T&T (takes place before stage 8): The scene in the anime where Edgeworth and Phoenix meet in the hospital resolves most of their deep-seated issues, allowing them to develop a closer friendship and implied romantic relationship.

HEROINE INTEGRATES THE MASCULINE & FEMININE: Phoenix finally gets closure with Mia’s death and with Dahlia/Iris. While he acknowledges Iris was good at heart, they cannot have a relationship with each other because all said and done, Iris still manipulated him for Dahlia’s schemes. They part with no ill feelings towards each other. Meanwhile, his relationship with Edgeworth is completely healed and they both have established their careers and ambitions to pursue the truth.

[heres-pyrasaur]

Excuse me AA fandom, I have a legitimate question: why is shipping Gumshoe/Mia such a rare thing? I know it’s no one’s first thought when Gumshoe ships come up, but it could be cute. So cute. And it’s wild how rare this ship is considering how many times Gumshoe brings up that he likes Mia in canon! He’s practically asking us for fluffy art and wish fulfillment fanfic!

So please allow me, the author of 66% of the Gumshoe/Mia fics on AO3, to present some points in support of the thing:

Okay so even when AA1 was a one-shot game, Gumshoe thought highly of Mia. As seen in 1-2 if you ask Gumshoe twice about her:

Lot of folks miss that exchange, since double-checking statements isn’t generally a thing in AA1! She was a beautiful person, what a sweet thing to say.

In the 3-4 flashback, we see Gumshoe first meeting Mia and he apparently melted like ice cream on a hot day at the sight of her:

yes of course I had to include the part where Edgeworth scolds Gumshoe for simping. Anyway, after Gumshoe can’t handle looking upon this angel (big mood), he gets a hold of himself and answers Mia’s questions as honestly as he can without actively disobeying Edgeworth, consistently calling her “ma’am”. And then... it’s heavily implied he never talks to Mia again. :(

But! If you show Mia’s profile to Gumshoe during 3-5, two entire years after her death:

He’s got an.........interesting interpretation of that cross-examination, ok sure. But what the heck, Gumshoe liked and respected Mia so much that he still misses her years later, despite barely meeting her in life??? that’s adorable???

Mia, on the other hand, says in 2-2 that she barely remembers him:

To be fair, cross-examining Gumshoe was *delicate cough* not the most notable part of Mia’s first day in court? But hey, Mia did remember finding Gumshoe sympathetic! If she got to interact with him more, she’d probably quickly see his heart of gold.

Look, AA fandom, all I’m really saying is that there are a lot of interactions on the table for Gumshoe/Mia if you’re willing to bend canon slightly. If Mia was around the police station a lot, why the hell couldn’t she chat with Gumshoe for some reason? Or maybe Gumshoe could arrive at a crime scene location in time to save Mia from thugs? She’s less of a dingus than Phoenix but she could still get herself in trouble while investigating! Maybe Gumshoe notices that Mia works late at the office alone an awful lot, and she’s getting a lot of buzz lately for her lawyer stuff, so he quietly finds excuses to pass by Fey and Co. just in case? AU where Gumshoe is there to stop Redd White, and Mia can’t help swooning a little over the man who bodily defended her from her greatest enemy??

Whatever timeline/AU stuff needs to happen, Mia deserves a big strong teddy bear boyfriend who thinks she’s amazing! He takes an interest in stuff like her plant’s Latin name. He seems to like acts of service, so Mia would get all the favours and errands and cuddles and backrubs she wants. And Dick probably has a very large........ desire to help Mia with DL-6 because that might also help Mr. Edgeworth! :Dd

If you want to stick to canon-compliant stuff, IIRC Gumshoe doesn’t get to react to channelled Mia? He indicates in 3-4 that he doesn’t believe in ghosts, so it could be fun to let him see Maya channel Mia up close and register what’s happening. tfw you get to talk to your long-time crush but she’s dead?? On the other hand, you crashed your entire car to help rescue this crush’s little sister from a famous assassin, so that might merit a weird-but-nice conversation. Y’know, just normal lawyer fanfic stuff!

anyway, I hope this has inspired some folks to consider the all-but-untouched fannish potential that is Gumshoe/Mia, thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[aceredshirt13]

Today in “Things I Shouldn’t Be Unreasonably Bothered About But Super, Super Am” - Raymond Shields apparently having passed the bar at nineteen.

First off, this is absolutely not a dunk on Ray. Anyone who knows me knows that I love him to death, and he proves numerous times throughout the game that despite his laid-back attitude and entrenched self-deprecation, he is clearly very intelligent, capable, and good at his job. This series is full of bright young law prodigies, after all, and it’s easy to think Ray would be no exception. I mean, we’ve got Edgeworth prosecuting at twenty. We’ve got Klavier prosecuting at seventeen. We’ve got Franziska prosecuting at freakin’ thirteen. Heck, by the time we hit Dual Destinies, the fact that Athena is a lawyer at eighteen and Simon was at twenty isn’t even really considered noteworthy by the cast. But it bothers me a lot because when it comes to every other lawyer pre-DD, it is considered a MASSIVE deal how young they are.

Like, everyone’s talking about how much of a prodigy Edgeworth is for becoming a prosecutor at just twenty years old, and this is in the time period of AAI-4 and AA3-4 - which means that even in 2012-2013, this is not considered a normal thing in the AA universe. If Raymond became a defense attorney at an even younger age than that, more than ten years before Edgeworth became a prosecutor, how is that not a more well-known fact?? I understand that Ray would not be going around boasting about his youth, and unlike Edgeworth he didn’t have a perfect win record and wasn’t working under the flashy, frequently-discussed von Karma, but I just can’t imagine he flew under the radar entirely. The first case he stood in court as an assistant for was the trial of one of the most famous chefs in the nation, immediately followed by the incredibly bizarre unsolved murder of his mentor. Combine these factors with him becoming a lawyer at nineteen and trying to pick up that very case where Gregory left off, and... wouldn’t that shit be all over the news?? I could see the news dying down initially, but if Raymond passed the bar and began consistently studying law, that history would follow him everywhere he went. People would know the name of the nineteen-year-old law prodigy with the unimaginable trauma.

So, since it bothers me - and I know it goes against canon, and for that I apologize - I instead always imagined that Ray didn’t actually become a lawyer at nineteen, but was allowed to take over the case because no one else wanted to touch it, because he’d been Gregory’s assistant, and probably even because von Karma and his replacement prosecutor figured it would be easy to win against a teenaged rookie without a law degree. When the appeal failed, he had nowhere to go, and no one to look up to, but because of the press he’d gotten from his involvement in the Master case, he was given a good scholarship to a university and went through law school there. He then returned to the lawyering sphere after graduating, took over Gregory’s old office, and bam, went on from there. That’s where we get the Ray we have today.