"The coffee's cold. Did I forget to drink it yet...?"

[ergomaniac]

Who: Miles Edgeworth and Shikamaru Nara
When: April 5, because I am A MONSTER, THE WORST
Where: In un petit cafe!
Summary: Edgeworth got his memory wiped. A while back. I AM THE HUMAN STAAAAIN.
Warnings: Nothin'! Aside from DANGER DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE WHEN WE KISS WHEN WE TOUCH



[It's rather worrisome; there's no question of that. And deep down, those worries do catch at him, but only in a strange remove...He isn't worried so much as he's worried that he isn't worried, maybe, but even that is remote.

There's a lot that he does know. He knows Latin and German as well as English, and he knows the definitions of the terms jurisprudence and adjudication, and he knows too that he's in Canada and that the weather is decent for this time of year. He knows that he's to tuck in his scarf and pull snug his gloves and turn up his collar against the wind. He knows lines -

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough -

And those words ring around him as he sits in that cafe and drinks tea that tastes worryingly familiar and watches people go by. He sips, and his throat is flooded with the heavy scent of jasmine, and he feels in that moment on the edge of some great revelation...But it slips away as the flavor fades.

Another cup of tea, and he casts his eyes about and catches sight of a face. Again, he feels as though he stands on some precipice – but he studies the young man for a long time, and it's as though he'd taken a step and expected a tumble but his foot found solid ground. It's jarring and unpleasant but ultimately harmless.]

Comments

[underachiever]

["No," he almost says by reflex. He'd prepared himself for this after Edgeworth died, expecting the man to return without memories. It was something he'd decided would be better for Edgeworth, to have never known him, to have forgotten what they'd been through together.

But because Shikamaru hasn't heard anything about Edgeworth disappearing again, he decides to investigate this first. He sets his coffee cup on the table. If Edgeworth's looking closely, his hand is shaking as he does it.]

Did you just get here? To Siren's Port.

[ergomaniac]

[Edgeworth(?) hesitates. Had he? Like that anesthetized patient, he probes at the hole in his memory, only really remembering that it would be there once he'd been reminded.]

I don't...believe so, no. I'm sorry - what's your name?

[underachiever]

[So Edgeworth hasn't gone home. That makes the situation much more serious. Shikamaru pulls a chair up and sits next to Edgeworth, studying him now.]

Shikamaru. We used to work together.

How much do you remember? Only today? Do you remember yesterday or last week?

[ergomaniac]

Shikamaru.

[He nods, but his puzzled frown isn't a particularly positive sign.]

Well, I must first of all thank you for taking an interest in my situation, I suppose.

[underachiever]

[He shakes his head at that, dismissing it. He doesn't want to hear thanks, and he doesn't... want to hear Edgeworth talk to him like that, like a stranger.]

Do you remember where you come from?

[ergomaniac]

[There's a moment, and then he nods.]

By my accent, I'm American.

[underachiever]

You're guessing. You don't remember.

[ergomaniac]

Well, I should say it's more an informed supposition than a guess, but - no. I am not basing this off memory.

[He furrows his brow and shakes his head. A bit more concern is creeping into his manner now.]

How did we work together? In what context?

[underachiever]

I was your assistant. You're a lawyer. You don't remember that either, do you?

[ergomaniac]

[He shakes his head, but the worry in his face is growing.]

Forgive me. [A slight pause.] I don't want you to take this the wrong way, of course, but if I requested it, would you be able to provide evidence of your claims?

[underachiever]

What kinda evidence? You're the one with the office, not me.

[He shakes his head with a sigh.]

Check your NV if you've still got it. You've probably saved all your correspondence.

[ergomaniac]

My NV?

[underachiever]

NetVice. It's this machine that -

[Nevermind, too much effort. He pulls the watch off his wrist, messes with it for a second, and slides it across the table. It's playing this conversation.]

There. That's the last time you called me. It was a couple weeks ago.

[ergomaniac]

[And Edgeworth listens. Lines are deepening around his mouth. His gaze travels between that watch and Shikamaru's face. After a long pause, he asks:]

I...presume that I have wronged you in some way.

[underachiever]

No, you didn't. Doesn't matter anyway. Your mysterious amnesia's way more important than that.

[He takes his NV back and secures it on his wrist again, then slouches back in his chair.]

[ergomaniac]

...Right.

[But his face remains troubled - ]

It was...Nara that I called you?

[underachiever]

My surname.

[He rubs at his eyes wearily and picks up his coffee cup. He looks down at it for a moment before taking a sip.]

[ergomaniac]

Was that...unpleasant, perhaps? I suppose it sounds rather abrupt.

[underachiever]

What? No. I don't... care.

[His eyes remain lowered.]

[ergomaniac]

Forgive me, but you don't particularly seem to be telling the truth. It seems that I might have the right to question that, at least.

[underachiever]

[He glances over at Edgeworth now.]

Call me "Moron" for all I care. I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with you.

[ergomaniac]

[There's no question that that spark of Edgeworth's personality remains: he scowls at that.]

I am not going to call you that.

[underachiever]

Whatever.

[He almost smiles, but not quite. At least Edgeworth's still under there somewhere.

But the cause of this could be anything. A head injury, or the Core, or someone's power, or a drug of some kind. Edgeworth has hundreds of enemies who could be responsible. And Shikamaru's in no state to help him solve the mystery.]

How long have you been here?

[ergomaniac]

I should say...forty minutes.

[What if they are enemies? That prior conversation...It hadn't exactly sounded like a positive conversation. But Edgeworth had heard a note in that voice that sounded like his own...He'd sounded sad. Wistful.]

Before this, I was walking along the street. And prior to that, I remember nothing.

[underachiever]

You talk to anyone else?