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Phoenix’s first day at Harvard was not going great. He was completely overwhelmed with paperwork and pamphlets and people (oh my), so when he actually entered his first class, he was already exhausted. He sat down at the back, and prepared himself to listen to the old guy here to teach them about being a lawyer. Said teacher introduced himself as professor Callahan, and then proceeded to make a long speech about sharks and blood. Phoenix knew it was a metaphor, but he was a bit too tired to care. When the professor made it clear he was going to test a few students, Phoenix hoped desperately that he would not be picked. Luckily, some random girl in the front got quizzed. She seemed a bit ditzy and responded in a way that made it clear she had no clue what was happening. Phoenix winced when she said her answer. Poor girl. Professor Callahan immediately kicked her from the class, which Phoenix thought was a bit harsh. Well, sure, she was clueless, but give her a chance.
After the rest of an admittedly boring class, he decided to see if he could find her. She wasn’t hard to find, wearing all pink, so he had little trouble. “Hey, are you ok? You seem a little…out-of-place?” He asked carefully.
She looked up, a bit confused. “Oh, well, I came all the way to this school to get back together with my boyfriend, Warner, but now he’s-“ she gagged, “he’s-“ she gagged again, “he’s dating this awful brunette girl!” She sighed, and Phoenix looked at her, shocked.
“You came all the way to Harvard, just to get a guy?” He asked incredulously.
She looked away, “I know, it’s stupid,” she replied.
He shook his head at her, amazed, “I’m doing the exact same thing,” he whispered.
She turned to look at him so fast Phoenix was sure she would have whiplash. “Are we friends now?” She asked.
“Yep,” replied Phoenix with a grin.
“My name’s Elle. Elle Woods,” she smiled, a Hollywood smile, and stuck her hand out for a handshake.
“Phoenix Wright, at your service,” he delightedly shook her hand.
“Oooh, that’s a terrific stage name!” Elle marveled, “You could get on Broadway with that one.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Well, I think Elle Woods is equally dramatic. You sound like the main character in a video game.” She giggled, which encouraged him to continue, “Elle woods, Legendary Lawyer! I can see the title screen now.”
She was laughing harder now, and quickly retaliated with “Are you kidding? Phoenix Wright is the leading role of Lawfully Lovely! Oh, that one wasn’t as good as yours…I can’t think of anything else!”
The two of them were both in a fit of giggles. As the laughter died down, Elle turned to her new friend and smiled. “Thanks for cheering me up, Phoenix. You're the first person I’ve met here that’s actually been nice to me other than the T.A, Emmet.” Phoenix frantically tried to remember this T.A, but his sleep deprivation was not doing him any favours. “Well, I’m glad to be of service. To be honest, you’re the first person I’ve talked to,” he responded, hoping to change the subject. “But let’s talk about the guy you’ve come to Harvard for. Warner, was it? Tell me everything!” Phoenix grinned as Elle launched into her tale. He absentmindedly wondered if being a gossip was a good or bad trait in a lawyer, but was quickly derailed by Elles description of the breakup. “WHAT? He said that? Ugh, I don’t blame you for the way you reacted, Elle, he’s being crazy!” Phoenix exclaimed, shocked that a guy would throw away a girl like Elle. The blonde quickly changed the subject, “enough about Warner, tell me about your girl that drove you to Harvard! What’s your story?” She asked. Phoenix suddenly realized he had two options here. He didn’t want to lose his first friend at Harvard and possibly ruin his reputation on the first day, so he decided a white lie was the best solution here, or at least an absence of the full truth. “Ah, well, their last name is Edgeworth, and that’s usually what I call them, so, yeah. We were childhood friends, and I don’t think they ever saw me that way, and I don’t think I even realized I was in love until after we parted ways. I mean, there were obvious signs I completely ignored, like wanting to hold their hand all the time, but I didn’t put the pieces together until too late, I guess. Anyway, they’re a prosecutor now, so I figure if I become a defense lawyer, I might see them again?” He said hopefully. He briefly worried that his storytelling abilities paled in comparison to Elles but the blonde seemed completely enraptured by his tale.
“Awww, yours is way cute! It sucks that she doesn't go to Harvard though, I don't get to meet her for a while,” she pouted. Phoenix refrained from mentioning that she could probably just Google 'prosecutor Edgeworth’, and is quickly thinking of a subject to change to when one inserts herself into the conversation for him; Vivian.
“Oh, Elle! I wanted to invite you to a party tonight! Everyone's been talking about it,” the girl paused to look directly into Elles eyes, “it's a costume party.”
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Elle spun on her feet, getting a feel for the knee length skirt on her skin and the plastic tiara on her head.
“Well?” She said with a smile. Phoenix hummed from his spot on her bed. They had gone to Elles dorm room to decide on a costume together, but neither of them could decide.
“I don't know, Elles, it's a bit overdone.” The Princess sighed and looked in the mirror again.
“Yeah, and I feel like I'm six. I wanna find something…shorter.” Phoenix nodded thoughtfully. Elle looked back at him and asked,
“are you sure you don't wanna come to this party with me? I don't really want to go alone in case something goes wrong.”
You hear things when you're pretty. Comments and compliments and jokes. But when you have pretty friends you hear about the times the commenters got closer and the compliments turned cold and the jokes weren't joking. When she brought Phoenix into her dorm she was holding her pepper spray just in case, and she still had it, in a hidden pocket in every costume she tried on, because you hear things when you're pretty.
“I'll wait outside, and if you storm out crying I'll be right there,” Phoenix replied, bringing Elle back from her thoughts. She smiled, and thanked him, and wondered what parties were like for guys.