Dream a little dream

Phoenix... Phoenix...

Phoenix looks around. He's in a haze of some sort, which makes sense considering the sheer amount of alcoholic beverage he had just consumed. But the voice that calls his name is easy enough for him to identify, even if he can't see the speaker.

"...Mia?"

Slowly she fades into view, as she appeared in life. Long, brown hair framing a beautiful, but seasoned face. A professional suit, with the shirt just low enough to reveal a busty frame. It has been a while since he's seen her like this.

"Mia... I --"

*SLAP*

Phoenix reels, his hand moving to where her open palm had just connected a moment ago. She'd... she'd slapped him. "Mia?"

She crosses her arms in annoyance. "Phoenix, what are you doing?" she asks in a tone suggesting that whatever he's doing, it's completely and utterly wrong.

Phoenix stares at her, then rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Um, getting drunk?"

She shakes her head. "That much is obvious. The question is, WHY are you getting drunk?" She stares at him, waiting for an answer.

Phoenix stares at her, trying to get the days events properly correlated in his mind. Ghosts, alcohol, court case... oh God, today's case. "Mia, I... I messed up. I wasn't pushing where I should've been, and my mind was in the wrong place and... and I let my client down." He hung his head, ashamed. He'd never lost a case before. Never. And now...

She continues to stare at him. "There's more to it than that. You're not the type to let something get you THAT down, and you're certainly not the type to let yourself get so distracted," she said. "I think I know what it is, but... it'd be better if I heard it from you."

He stared. Thought. Then closed his eyes. "Mia... why did the Nexus bring me here?"

Mia responded, "Hmm?"

He shook his head remorsefully. "What could I possibly bring? I'm useless. I don't have any powers, I'm terrible at keeping my cool... it's no wonder they left me behind with those ghosts. They must think I'm a total fool." He looks at her, guilt and self-loathing filling his heart.

Mia sighs. "I thought as much. Phoenix. First of all. Do you have evidence that they left you deliberately?"

Phoenix paused. "Evidence?"

"Evidence is everything, Phoenix. I've told you this."

He thinks for a minute. Was there evidence? They did leave him behind, yes... wasn't that --

"No. Think harder. Think actual, physical evidence."

He tries again. Fails. "Not a thing."

She smiles. "So what are you so worried about? If there's no proof, there's no case, right?"

Phoenix blinks. "But why else would they leave me behind?"

"Perhaps, as that Some creature says, it's the same reason you seem to think they left you behind: panic. Those ghosts, Phoenix... even I can tell you they're malevolent. You'd be a fool not to be scared by them," she says.

He rubs his chin. "So... it wasn't deliberate?"

A chuckle. "Surely you think better of them than that."

It was true, when he thought about it. They weren't the types. Perhaps it had been an accident. Perhaps he'd just taken it too far due to a lack of sleep and the tension from the ghosts. It made sense, when he thought about it.

Another thought. "Mia, the case --"

"--Can still be appealed. The initial trial system is inflexible, but not that inflexible. You may get another chance, you may not. Either way, there's no sense in dwelling on what's already done. The important thing is what you do next," she said, her voice soft and understanding.

Phoenix sighed. "I just... just feel like I've let you down, somehow."

She smiled wryly. "And you honestly think I won every single case?"

"Huh?"

She sighed. "Phoenix, your job is simply to believe in their innocence, and to follow through as far as you can go. This doesn't mean they are innocent, or that the evidence will always be there that proves they are. You simply do the best you can, and never stop believing. In your client, or in yourself."

"...Mia..."

"Yes Phoenix?"

"...I miss you, you know."

Mia smiled sadly. "I miss you too. But remember I'm always looking out for you, no matter what. And I'll help in whatever way I can. As I said before, you're lucky I'm a Fey."

He smiles as well. "Yeah..."

Mia begins to fade. "I have to go now, Phoenix. I can only do so much as a spirit. You understand, right?"

Phoenix starts to protest, then pauses. "Yeah, yeah I understand. I hope I can see you again soon, then," he says.

She is at this point but an outline. "You can count on it. Oh, and one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"You... may wanna wash your face when you wake up."

"Huh?"

But by then she was gone.