wheeeeee

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[It's not really his forte, but in his spare time when he's bored, Phoenix doesn't mind learning a few card tricks. At the moment, he's sitting in the park, by the Fagsona fountain a random fountain, shuffling up a deck. It's kind of quiet today, though. Maybe if someone passes by he can get a volunteer for his latest trick. For now, though, he just idly shuffles the deck, bridging it in one hand; lather, rinse, repeat.]

Comments

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[Something barrels by - was that a plane, a bird? Maybe if you're quick to the eyes, you'll see a girl sprinting in that blur.]

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[Phoenix has definitely learned to be the observant type over the years; even if he comes off to be... well, a little more absent-minded than that. He looks over slowly in the direction the blur was heading.]

...?

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[It skids to a stop, and the blur solidifies into a lanky, short-haired girl. She looks around, before turning and calling to him.]

Oh, hey, 'Jii-san! Can I ask you something?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[A few blinks, and then Phoenix smiles. what the heck's a jii-san]

Didn't you already?

[suruga.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm, I guess that's true!

[Undeterred in any way, Kanbaru backtracks to him and sits on the bench, swinging her feet.]

Have you seen a girl in my uniform with walking around?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

Hm...

[He looks thoughtful, then shakes his head.]

Nope, 'fraid not.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

So she hasn't been here...

[suruga.livejournal.com]

So, say, who are you looking for? Maybe I can help out!

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[Phoenix seems to give that question some thought, too.]

A volunteer for my card trick, maybe.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[A hand shoots up, high into the air, almost as soon as the question is asked (good reflexes). It almost hits Phoenix, but good thing it doesn't, because this is the bandaged hand, though whether that means it would've ended up worse for Kanbaru or Phoenix is hard to say.]

Oh! Me, me! I can do it!

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[There's a moment when he notices that, too; not that he's forward enough these days to bring it up, or knows enough to think it could be dangerous for him. He just laughs at her cheeriness, readying his deck, tapping it against his hand. She reminds him of someone.]

Well, I'm sure you're familiar with the pick-a-card-any-card tricks, right?

[Spreading the cards face-down, he holds them out in front of the girl.]

Go ahead and pick. Don't show me.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[She takes one, surprisingly ginger for a girl whose personality seems to be so rough-edged. This, she holds to her chest, watching Phoenix intently.]

What next?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

Do you have your card memorized?

[suruga.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[Phoenix bunches the cards back up into a neat pile, holding them out again.]

Alright, put it back in the deck and shuffle it real good.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[She does it obediently enough, but the left hand seems to bend the cards a little too much when shuffling them, and nearly half of the deck ends up being conspicuously creased near the center. She realizes this, and looks slightly apologetic.]

Oh, sorry about that.

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

...Huh. That won't do, will it?

[He taps his chin thoughtfully with a card. Wait, where'd he get that?]

That's alright. I have plenty of spare decks at home.

[Then he turns the card in his hand over.]

Five of spades?

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[She blinks at him.]

Yeah, and?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

...

Isn't it yours?

[suruga.livejournal.com]

Well, that is the card I picked...

[suruga.livejournal.com]

But I already knew that. Not much of a trick, then, huh?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[...Maybe some people just aren't meant to understand tricks.]

The trick is that your card miraculously appeared in my hand.

[He holds out his hand for his bent-up deck back.]

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[She hands it back to him.]

Ah. Did it?

[She smiles to herself for a moment, and then looks up, beaming.]

That was a cute trick! Are you a magician?

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

Nah. I just pick up a few things from my daughter.

[Phoenix slides the card back into the deck, straightening it out.]

[suruga.livejournal.com]

So your daughter's a magician.

Just like a magical girl!

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

I guess that's one way to think of her.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

I bet she's cute!

[Wait, what's this vibe you're getting...?]

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[No way, it... can't be. Only Edgeworth gives off this kind of vibe!]

Most adorable thing on the planet.

[suruga.livejournal.com]

[A hand to her face, is that a hint of a dreamy sigh?]

That's so sweet.

[acehobo.livejournal.com]

[Or maybe it's just a girl thing, admiring the beautiful relationship of father and child.]

You two would probably get along.

[Or maybe he's on to you.]