[He feels a twinge of guilt when she begins crying. But he's never been one to soften his words just because someone is upset. That's Wright's area; right now, he's a prosecutor - and just like she said, he's pursuing the truth.]
Yes, we're all killers. No, nothing's going to change that. Is joining the Fog your way to assuage your guilt? To tell yourself that all that killing means something? That it's always been in your best interests the whole time, because it's her plan for us?
[The badge of his halo shines brighter. This is unfair of him, perhaps, but it's what he's thought about the Fog since he's arrived, and it's a betrayal coming from her specifically...but he doubts she'd listen as to why, right now.]
Defending herself has never come easy. She doesn't even want to do it now. She can only defend others with any conviction— and to do it now Maya tries to convince herself she's defending more than just herself. She's defending Makoto, Dandy, Fidds and Marco— anyone who has been here for a very long time.]
Every. Time. I killed someone— every time! It meant someone else didn't die!
And sometimes that person who didn't die was me!
[More pearls clatter to the ground. All they're doing is frustrating her, getting in the way, reminding her of what she can't return to.
But she knows she has to ask for this power, preserve herself. If she dies to Ryslig too many times, then she'll never remember Pearl.]
You couldn't stop the poachers from taking my throat! Not you, not Dandy— not even me!
But all you can do is think about what the Fog God wants.
[Maybe it's the monstrousness— the selfishness and vanity of mermaids finally pushing Maya's negative image into the positive. Maybe it's the stress. Maybe it's because Maya has been holding these thoughts and feelings back for years.
But it gets her to ask something she'd have never had the strength to— never had the worth to— until now.
Maya chokes back a sob and manages—]
When does anything get to be about the things I want?!
Is this what you want, Maya? [he says, his voice a shade short of cold.] Bowing before the entity that made us all killers?
Is that really what you want?
Or have you succumbed to the will of this place and its alleged god so totally that its will and yours have become the same?
[Witnesses cry on the stand. Witnesses scream. Witnesses yell and pout and justify their actions to themselves and others. Edgeworth has never been moved before. He won't be moved now.]
[At first Maya seems a bit afraid again, but the longer she listens, the harder her glare becomes. She stares for a beat— it must only be a second, though it feels longer— before her face falls into something not entirely calmer, but sadder, more resigned.]
Of course, Prosecutor.
I've given up just like everybody else.
[It doesn't sound convincing. It doesn't sound like she's defending herself anymore, like there's any punch to her words. Maya's voice is tired, and it's no accident that it's tough to read what's going on in her head by what's on her face.]
It just broke me, you know? Sorry.
I'm not the person you knew before you came here. I'm not that strong. So—
[She raises her hands, not as much in a defensive position, but gesturing as if giving Edgeworth the entire argument, and shakes her head.]
You're right.
[And then she at least tries to turn to walk away, but there's no guarantee she won't stop at his next reply.]
Then he turns and walks the other way, jaw set. Even if she's given up, he hasn't. And this has further confirmed what he's already thought about the gods of this place.
He has a lot of things to think about. She'd come to her senses, in time.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Yes, we're all killers. No, nothing's going to change that. Is joining the Fog your way to assuage your guilt? To tell yourself that all that killing means something? That it's always been in your best interests the whole time, because it's her plan for us?
[The badge of his halo shines brighter. This is unfair of him, perhaps, but it's what he's thought about the Fog since he's arrived, and it's a betrayal coming from her specifically...but he doubts she'd listen as to why, right now.]
no subject
It's always meant something!
[She takes a step forward.
Defending herself has never come easy. She doesn't even want to do it now. She can only defend others with any conviction— and to do it now Maya tries to convince herself she's defending more than just herself. She's defending Makoto, Dandy, Fidds and Marco— anyone who has been here for a very long time.]
Every. Time. I killed someone— every time! It meant someone else didn't die!
And sometimes that person who didn't die was me!
[More pearls clatter to the ground. All they're doing is frustrating her, getting in the way, reminding her of what she can't return to.
But she knows she has to ask for this power, preserve herself. If she dies to Ryslig too many times, then she'll never remember Pearl.]
You couldn't stop the poachers from taking my throat! Not you, not Dandy— not even me!
But all you can do is think about what the Fog God wants.
[Maybe it's the monstrousness— the selfishness and vanity of mermaids finally pushing Maya's negative image into the positive. Maybe it's the stress. Maybe it's because Maya has been holding these thoughts and feelings back for years.
But it gets her to ask something she'd have never had the strength to— never had the worth to— until now.
Maya chokes back a sob and manages—]
When does anything get to be about the things I want?!
no subject
Is that really what you want?
Or have you succumbed to the will of this place and its alleged god so totally that its will and yours have become the same?
[Witnesses cry on the stand. Witnesses scream. Witnesses yell and pout and justify their actions to themselves and others. Edgeworth has never been moved before. He won't be moved now.]
no subject
Of course, Prosecutor.
I've given up just like everybody else.
[It doesn't sound convincing. It doesn't sound like she's defending herself anymore, like there's any punch to her words. Maya's voice is tired, and it's no accident that it's tough to read what's going on in her head by what's on her face.]
It just broke me, you know? Sorry.
I'm not the person you knew before you came here. I'm not that strong. So—
[She raises her hands, not as much in a defensive position, but gesturing as if giving Edgeworth the entire argument, and shakes her head.]
You're right.
[And then she at least tries to turn to walk away, but there's no guarantee she won't stop at his next reply.]
no subject
He spreads his wings, feathers quivering with some kind of emotion, as unreadable as her own, before he says:]
You are an adult; do what you want.
no subject
That's right.
I had to grow up when I got here.
[And then she looks over her shoulder, face completely relaxed.]
And you missed all of it.
[Before she turns her head again and keeps walking.]
no subject
Then he turns and walks the other way, jaw set. Even if she's given up, he hasn't. And this has further confirmed what he's already thought about the gods of this place.
He has a lot of things to think about. She'd come to her senses, in time.]