himagsikan | she spreads her wings and takes to the skies.

Talking to dolphins is easier compared to seagulls.

[Kay shrugs, like that makes sense. She outpaces Edgeworth soon enough, and once she's ahead, she flips over onto her back to talk to him properly, doing the mermaid equivalent of a backstroke.]

So, are you gonna start investing in a waterproof suit and cravat now?

[It doesn't seem to make sense to Edgeworth, given the perplexed look on his face.]

[As for the repeated assertion... Kay, you're making him have to stop swimming to speak again. At least it's not as big a setback when the water isn't full of dolphins trying to play with him.]

One would think that even a cravat made of materials suited for the water would be far more prone to fluttering to an inconvenient degree beneath the waves, particularly given that swimming people aren't consistently upright as walking and sitting people are.

[It's not that hard to talk while swimming as long as you stay on the surface...right? Right?]

Boy, you think of everything.

Speaking of thinking of everything, I could be your Ace Coach along the way, and see how far you can swim without coming up for a breath!

[Kay, is this really the right time to be Edgeworth's Ace Life Coach?]

[Not for humans using a stroke much more advanced than a dog paddle, alas.]

Thinking of everything is merely one part of what I strive for.

[As for Kay's reply:]

You're rather intent on this, aren't you?

[Unless it's the backstroke, in which case talking shouldn't be a problem at all.]

I promised I'd help, didn't I? [She's just casually floating on her back right now. Almost like a show-off (again).] We'd be...catching two fish with one net! [That was an attempt to change a figure of speech around.]

[Yeah, about that backstroke...

In any case, Edgeworth simply sighs.]

Over my protests, I should note. I still believe this is a matter I can address on my own, urgent though it may have become. Also, are nets not designed to catch multiple fish at once in the first place?

You gotta admit, whether I promised or not, this is a good time to give it a shot.

[She suddenly straightens up, faces forward, and dives with an extra flourish of that fish tail. Kay manages to cover a good distance pretty quickly so that when she surfaces again, she waves over to Edgeworth and has to raise her voice a bit to be heard.]

Come on!

(Admittedly, she has a point.)

[With that internal admission, Edgeworth takes a deep breath, then turns and dives considerably less gracefully than Kay — not that any ordinary human has much chance of matching a mermaid's grace in the water in the first place. He swims towards the rock fully underwater for about fifteen seconds before deep unease begins setting in and he hurries to gasp for breath on the surface.]

[When he dives, Kay dives down as well to watch his progress underwater, her arms folded across her chest casually. Mentally she counts the seconds, and when she gets to fifteen, he surfaces, and she does the same, pushing some of her wet bangs away from her face.]

Not bad. [She nods.] Next time, try for twenty seconds.

(The rock isn't much farther. Perhaps I can reach it within that timeframe.)

[Edgeworth pauses to calm his nerves, then takes another deep breath and dives to just below the surface again. Once more, he does his best to focus on simply moving forward while submerged...]

Edited (Typo) 2014-11-28 06:32 (UTC)

[...but he only stays down for seventeen seconds before he scrambles the mere foot or two upward necessary to catch his breath, looking disturbed.]

[This time, Kay swims alongside him. In her point of view, it's kind of odd how someone who's a pretty good swimmer has a problem with holding his breath. More of a fear, actually.

When he rises to the surface, she joins him yet again, looking rather concerned as she stays at his side. Noting the look on his face, she places a gentle hand on his shoulder.]

Mr. Edgeworth, are you okay? [Uh.]

That's none of your business!

[The verbal snap is more reflexive on Edgeworth's part than anything, as is his lurch away from Kay's touch. The latter reflex is more adapted to land than water, however, and so leaves the prosecutor facing Kay more fully than he'd prefer.]

[That...honestly scares her a bit. She backs away with a small fearful sound, raising her hands as if in surrender, eyes wide.

Kay is not sure if telling him to calm down will have the opposite effect and agitate him further.]

[Edgeworth takes on the air of a cat who just missed a jump even as he dog-paddles the rest of the way to the rock.]

I don't care for exposing my belly to others.

[Kay is silent, watching him cover the rest of the distance, feeling a bit guilty even though she does believe he needs to conquer that fear.

In fact, she doesn't even move yet, looking a bit apprehensive. Ugh...that didn't go so well.]

[Edgeworth climbs up onto the rock as best he can given his wetness, then turns around to see what's keeping Kay... only to notice the expression on her face. His discomfort at what he sees competes with his discomfort at having his emotional weaknesses dragged to the surface again, leaving the prosecutor visibly conflicted and awkward.]

Er...

[Kay slowly swims over, now more apologetic as she opens her bag and offers him the choker. She meets his eyes for about a second before glancing away and whispering:]

...s-sorry...

[She's not sure what to be sorry for. What she's sure of is that she feels that it had to be said.]

[Edgeworth is quiet as he accepts the choker, but he doesn't put it on right away... or do anything else immediately, for that matter. It doesn't take long for the prosecutor to find his words, however:]

I owe you as much of an apology, given my behavior when my weakness overcame me. I suppose that entails another reason why this particular fight is best fought alone.

[Kay rests her arms on the rock, folding them and then resting her chin on top of them, looking like an inquisitive and wistful child staring up at the vast sky. Her tail moves slowly and gently with the ripples of the water.

For a moment she remains quiet, until:]

Well...at least what you did was a start, right?

One which suggests a rather steep climb ahead, but yes. For the moment, however, I believe I should focus on the opportunities your assistance affords me instead.

[With that, Edgeworth lies down on his back in the center of the rock, then uses both hands to fasten the choker around his neck.]

Ah...!

[The prosecutor's eyes pop wide at first, then he grits his teeth. His legs fusing together and the complete change of structure below the waist hurts, and his entire respiratory system hurts, especially his lungs; that much he expected. What he's not ready for, however, is the deep discomfort in his arms, lower back, ears, and eyes as subtler changes take place, and especially not the headache and vertigo. He rocks a bit as he struggles in vain for some way to mitigate any of these sensations...]

[...but as long as it seems to stretch on from Edgeworth's perspective, it's over in about five seconds. He's confused and still disoriented, but glances down at his tail — a dark silvery one, as though to match his storm-grey hair and steely grey eyes. An experimental swing of said tail comes as simply as he remembers a step forward having been.]

(It's strange; the idea that I ever walked seems oddly surreal to me. But I was human, was I not?...)

[Edgeworth shakes his head at himself.]

(I must enter the water. All will become clear then.)

[With that, he rolls to the right until he slips off the rock, finding himself reflexively exhaling as he enters the water and muscles that seem at once familiar and not shifting inside him as his mode of breathing changes.]

Open Post: The Kay Faraday Edition
This is my permanent Kay Faraday open post. Spam me with prompts, picture prompts, AUs, and the like. Indicate canon point or universe when necessary. Please note that I don't do slash, smut, anything sexual or anything overly and excessively violent.
Canon	Future AU
Choose a canon point, any canon point! Even from AAI2, why not.	7-8 years later, AJ/DD era. Prosecutor who studied under Miles Edgeworth. Still hyper and makes thief jokes. Still the Yatagarasu.
Somarium	Mask or Menace
Lived with Edgeworth and Stitch. Recruited Ema, Trucy and Maya into the Yatagarasu. 19 years old. Had college plans.	Can command and talk to crows, replicate voices and sounds perfectly, and use Charter Magic. Juror for Teen Court.

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