So, I haven't posted anything in quite a while. I wrote this because I was struck with inspiration when I found out about GS5 coming. This is on the more serious side, but Larry just doesn't get enough love on here.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney Series or any of its characters.

"When something smells, it's usually the Butz."

Larry never minded the adage that had followed him since grade school. He laughed with the others, often bending over backwards to make the others laugh even more. Humor was something that came naturally to him. Even if it was completely inadvertent, he had been graced with the pure talent of bringing smiles to the lives of some of the most stoic people around him.

Larry even liked his signature saying, but sometimes, his gift could be a curse. When people saw him, they saw the funny guy. They saw the screw up who managed to completely ruin every opportunity he had. They saw the clown, who would laugh along with the rest of the world.

Larry was deeper than that. It didn't really bother him that people didn't see what was underneath. He was given the gift of humor, after all. Even his two best friends, the people who knew him the best, were often blindsided by his goofy image. But Nick and Edgey were his best friends, and Larry didn't need them to prove anything. They went along with his humor, but Larry knew they were his true friends, and they stuck up for him when he needed it.

So that's why, without a doubt, that night at Hazakura temple was the worst night of his life.

Ironically, it had been at the end of what he had hoped was his big break. He had met a woman who changed him. Elise Deauxnim had been the kind of woman who could look past the humor. After a few words, she had already learned the depths of his soul, and Larry had never had that experience. He had sketched something on a napkin and showed it to Elise, and her face had softened as she smiled warmly.

Larry had found Elise the first person who didn't treat him like a fool, aside from his two best friends. Actually, Edgey and Nick often got frustrated with Larry's antics and called him an imbecile, but they had no need to prove that they relied and somewhat respected Larry for the humor he brought them. He never forgot that look of faith that Edgeworth had given him from the defendant's chair when Larry had thrown all caution to the wind and stood up against that Von Karma character, without a clue as to what he planned to do. It was very slight, but even in the direst of circumstances, Edgeworth had given him a rather smug smirk, and Larry understood that his humor was not only wanted, but vital.

Larry's respect for Elise drove him to the freezing shack up at Hazakura Temple, naming himself her apprentice, in a move that was so characteristically – him. And rather than scoff or roll her eyes, Elise welcomed him, even encouraged his art, telling him that he could do great things. It was nice to hear encouragement from someone other than Nick (who seemed to always be masking some kind of hidden snark), and for all he could tell, Elise's encouragement was sincere and genuine. He had also seen another beautiful woman, and trying to woo Iris the nun would be his biggest challenge yet. Surely, he could charm her with his smile, laugh, and, of course, his humor.

But that night, he thought his humor would never see the light of day again.

He had been up by the burning Dusky Bridge, sketching madly, trying to capture the ridiculous sight he had seen. He had been interrupted by his friend running up to him. Larry greeted him with his usual goofy smile, his shining sense of humor, only to have been interrupted by Nick's panicking.

"Larry! Hurry up and call the police!" Nick shouted, not bothering to explain. "I'm going to the Inner Temple!"

Larry felt his heart drop into his stomach. Nick was making no sense, since the Inner Temple was only reachable by a bridge that was currently aflame.

"D-Don't be stupid!" Larry stammered, trying to talk some sense into his insane, idiotic best friend. "The bridge is a burning wreck right now!"

Normally, it would be Phoenix trying to talk Larry out of doing something completely irrational. But it was Nick who was being the imbecile this time, only in this case, he was about to do something stupider than Larry had ever attempted. Phoenix would only act this irrationally if something was very wrong. Nick wasn't paying any attention to Larry's protests, and Larry would never forget the feeling of impending dread that captured him at that moment.

"Listen to me! There's been a murder! Here! At Hazakura Temple!" Nick yelled.

"Wha-whaaaaaat!?" Larry gasped, astonished. His heart stopped. Nick was freaking out, someone was dead, and they were on an isolated mountain. With a murderer. Larry's feeling of dread intensified, and even he couldn't mask his feelings with his prized gift of humor.

"The murderer might have fled across the bridge! I have to make sure Maya is safe!"

Larry saw how rash and how utterly crazy his best friend was. It made sense, but if Nick kept acting like…well…the Butz, he was going to do something horrible. Like try to run across a collapsing bridge.

"B-b-but!" Larry stammered, grabbing Nick in an attempt to stop him. Normally, Larry would beat Nick in a physical altercation. However, he stood no chance when Nick was fueled by a desire to save someone he cared for.

"Please! Call the police! I've got to go!" Phoenix shouted, struggling against him. Larry tried his hardest, using every ounce of his strength to stop the inevitable. He was going to lose him. All he knew was that if Nick crossed that bridge, he was going to lose his best friend, and he couldn't let that happen. But he would never forget that feeling where he knew it was lost.

"Get out of my way Larry!" Phoenix yelled maniacally, throwing Larry to the ground. Larry pleaded with his friend desperately.

"It-it's too dangerous! Nick, w-wait!" Larry screamed, practically crying now, his voice quivering in fear. He tried to pull himself up, running after Nick hysterically, but he saw what he had feared most.

Phoenix had taken two steps across the bridge before Larry heard a sickening crack, followed by a bloodcurdling scream that pierced the desolate mountain. Larry raced to the edge and reached out a useless hand, screaming Nick's name. He watched his friend fall, hit the water with a thud, and disappear under the rushing waves.

Larry had just watched his best friend die. And he was too useless to stop it.

Larry kept looking over the edge of the cliff before his stomach gave a violent lurch, as he retched into the river. That was it. The humor was dead. If Nick was dead, then Larry had no reason to be around. His humor meant nothing to anyone.

But he wouldn't be completely useless. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve before making his way over to the payphone to call the police. He told them exactly what Nick had said, that there had been a murder. He also, in a voice completely devoid of humor, managed to tell the police that Phoenix Wright had most likely died falling into the river. He hung up the phone, and began to sob. He couldn't handle it. Nick had died. Someone else had been murdered. The killer was across the bridge, most likely going after Maya next. There was no way his humor would ever show itself again.

The police came quickly, with Detective Gumshoe racing towards Larry at a ridiculous pace.

"Butz! Tell me everything! What happened to Mr. Wright?"

Larry told him everything. Well, just the part about Nick plummeting to his death. Nothing else really mattered, did it? Gumshoe wrote everything down, his ear pressed to his own cell phone, barking orders at his men like he was a real cop. His face continued to grow white as Larry talked, and as he gathered information about the incident.

Larry was terrified to ask, but he had to know.

"Detective…who was murdered?"

Gumshoe sighed.

"Pal…Elise Deauxnim was murdered. Sister Iris has been charged with the crime."

"No!"

Larry gasped. He couldn't see straight, and as he started to pitch forward, Gumshoe steadied him.

"Easy, pal. We're doing everything we can. I've got dozens of men searching for Mr. Wright now. Based on what you told me, he may be alive," Gumshoe said quietly. "I'm going to have one of my guys get you back to the precinct. We'll need your statement."

Larry couldn't speak. He swallowed, hoping, praying that Nick might be alive. The detective was probably full of it. But his words gave him a slight inkling of hope. Not much, but it was definitely there.

But Elise was dead. And Iris…well, there was no way Iris could have committed such a crime. He knew it. But the one person who could help her was probably dead. He asked the officer to take him to the detention center so he could be near his Iris…his beloved Iris.

He couldn't even crack a lame joke in front of the officer who brought him to the waiting room. The only person who could save Iris was Nick and he was probably dead. Nick had saved him; and he had saved Edgeworth, so he…

Edgeworth.

A light bulb went off in his head, and he quickly dialed the prosecutor, fueled by one remaining speck of hope. He had to be there. He could help. He could save Iris – Larry didn't know HOW yet, but if anyone could, it would be the only friend he had left.

Larry called frantically, panicked. Edgeworth almost dismissed him as the village idiot, but when Larry mentioned Nick, Edgeworth said he'd be there.

Then, Larry waited.

Those hours were horrible. He thought about the death of the kindest woman he knew, and he prayed for his best friend, knowing that prayers could only do so much. After two hours of waiting, Detective Gumshoe came to where Larry was sitting and sat down.

"He's alive."

Larry looked up, shocked.

"Gumshoe, don't mess with me," Larry whispered. "I saw…"

"We found him washed up along the shores of Eagle River a little ways downstream. He was unconscious, but alive, and we airlifted him to Hotti Clinic for further evaluation. I don't know much more than that, pal, but I thought you should know."

Larry began to tear up, and Gumshoe put a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Mr. Butz...if you didn't call when you did…Mr. Wright wouldn't have had a chance. He's lucky to have a friend like you."

Larry began to wonder. That was the first time that anyone had praised him. Lucky? Lucky to have the Butz in his life? No one ever told him anything of the sort. He smiled, having found the strength to show a little humor.

Edgeworth had skidded into the detention center hours later, looking like a mess. His hair was unkempt, his suit was wrinkled, and his face was even paler than usual. Larry greeted him, shaken, but he managed to crack a goofy smile and cause Edgeworth to roll his eyes. Edgeworth explained everything he knew, start to finish. When Larry told him to represent Iris, he expected Edgeworth to laugh, like it was some joke. But, despite his initial shock, he actually agreed to talk to her.

Larry sat back in the waiting room, burying his head in his hands. Everything would be okay. He had his friends. But the day took its toll on him, and Larry could no longer smile. When Edgeworth was finished, he came out and sat down next to his friend.

"I realized Larry…that you must have had a rough night." Edgeworth began. Larry's expression was unreadable as he chuckled darkly.

"Look at you Edgey! Pointing out the obvious!" Larry remarked with a sneer. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't deal with being the clown any longer. Edgeworth's mouth hung open a few seconds before he spoke softly.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, my friend," Edgeworth said quietly.

"Miles…" Larry began, causing Edgeworth to look up at the mention of his first name. "My mentor is dead, Iris is in jail. And most importantly, I watched Nick plummet into Eagle River. I saw one of my only friends fall to what could only be his death, and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

Edgeworth's eyes widened with shock and understanding.

"Larry…no one should have to watch someone they care for die. I am truly sorry that I wasn't here sooner." Edgeworth said, swallowing hard. "However…I'm probably the only one who can sympathize with what you're feeling right now, so if you need to speak…I will listen."

"Edgey…I never felt time stop before. I have never felt so…hopeless and pointless as I did then. I couldn't feel. I couldn't think. I knew it was going to happen, and I was shouting, yelling, grabbing at him. He wouldn't listen…He…he just…"

"Larry…I understand completely. Watching someone die is…just…horrible." Edgeworth muttered, trailing off.

"Edgey…I didn't mean to dredge up…" Larry began.

"Don't apologize, Larry. What you witnessed…it was hard to grasp the magnitude of it until now, but…God Larry, I'm so sorry…"

"Yeah, well, maybe if I wasn't a constant screw up, this wouldn't have…" Larry spoke before Edgeworth held up a hand.

"Larry…I may be harsh on you. I may be critical, and I may chastise you. I apologize for that. And it will continue, because I don't have the ability to see the humor in such grave situations. But know that you are not useless. You saved Nick, as far as I'm concerned. You saved me. And if Iris is acquitted, then you saved her too. You are more than your humor, and Wright and I both know that."

"What are you…?"

"I'll do it. Not for Iris. Not even for Wright, though there are a lot of questions on my mind right now. I'll defend her for you. You make the best out of everything, Larry. You smile, and you crack jokes when the rest of us are so distracted by everything else. We get short with you. We smile at you. We may even call you some pretty mean things. But, just as you bring levity to our lives, we have to bring reality to yours. But when you need us…we'll be there."

"No offense Edgey, but I just got the biggest dose of reality I can take right now."

"Understandable," Edgeworth said shortly, a small smile reaching his lips.

"Miles…thanks." Larry whispered. Edgeworth responded by patting Larry on the back.

"Anytime, old friend."

"Miles…I've got one more favor to ask," Larry began, causing Edgeworth to look at him directly.

"Yes?" Edgeworth asked kindly.

"Please…when you investigate…let's just go back to normal."

"Normal?" Edgeworth questioned, raising his eyebrows. Larry nodded, his eyes meeting Edgeworth's.

"Let me be the humorous clown. And you can knock some sense into me. Just pretend this conversation never happened."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah…I think I need the humor…for myself now." Larry stood up, with a determined look on his face, and Edgeworth understood.

"As you wish. We shall never speak of this again."

Larry walked out of the detention center with a genuine smile on his face. It would be a while before he'd get over that horrible nightmare, but he finally knew his purpose. His humor wasn't just for his friends' amusement. Larry's humor was for him, and he could count on it when he needed it most.

I hope you all enjoyed! Reviews are always welcome!