Be My Friend
Ch. 6

Disclaimer and notes: I own nothing, just had an idea of how character interactions could have gone in "Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright" and went with it.

In the real world, stories never ended. Arcs came to a close and the characters moved on to new, exciting plot lines.

Espella Cantabella was taken out of Arthur Cantabella's custody. Deemed an unfit father and sentenced to jail time, Arthur Cantabella legally lost all rights to his daughter. Espella instead chose to live with the woman known as Patty Eclair. Legally an adult, Eve Bellduke moved in with the two and took a job to cover utilities. Their exact whereabouts are unknown, but believed to be a small town within a short drive's distance from Birminghamshire.

Jean Greyearl was reunited with her family, along with many other Labyrinthia foundlings. The families accordingly sued Labrelum Inc. for emotional damages and various other charges. The exact amount is unknown, as Labrelum settled many cases out of court with only the higher profile cases going to trial.

Zacharias Barnham looked for a job in local law enforcement before receiving a settlement check. He has since purchased his own home and rents out spare rooms to students attending a nearby university. Although he has not found stable employment as of yet, he has told reporters that he enjoys the company and the chance to find the real him, as opposed to the role assigned to him. He still has Constantine.

Hundreds of stories branched into thousands of paths. Judges became singers. Drunkards went sober. Couples dissolved while trios grew more solid. Tales spun off and paths diverged.

One path diverged at the airport, where Maya and Luke wept on each other's shoulders despite having addresses and emails and Skye names and a great many hugs.

"It's not gonna be the same!" Maya whimpered. "It's like leaving family!"

Luke sniffled and tried his hardest not to drip anything on Maya's shoulder. "You have to send me letters! Letters with pictures in them! Don't you forget!"

"How could I ever forget my little brother?!"

There went Luke again, setting off Maya until they were both bawling and holding each other.

Phoenix couldn't keep a dry eye and turned his head away to wipe a few tears. Layton stayed close by his side, lip unsteady. They both sat in the airport's small, plastic chairs, separated by a tiny excuse of an armrest but still held just the smallest bit apart. It felt so different from this morning, from waking up from a long and glorious oversleep completely clear-headed and warm...

"I'll miss you," Phoenix said quietly. "I don't have any friends like you." He took Layton's hand in his, holding on tight and letting Layton squeeze him back. "But we'll keep in touch, and who knows? Legal League of Attornies could send me back next year and we won't get kidnapped at all!"

Layton's laugh sputtered, hidden behind a hand that clamped on his mouth to keep him from choking up. Phoenix could feel the pain, how the emotions were back to bottling up now that they were well rested. (Having slept so soundly that they hadn't moved from their initial cuddle would knock the tired out of any person.) Phoenix turned his body and offered himself in a hug. "Last cuddle before we leave for America?"

His arms were instantly filled with a small professor crushing his ribs in an embrace to last him over the Atlantic. Phoenix's arms felt oddly long to go over Layton's shoulders, but that was only an afterthought as he swallowed up his friend in a hug. Each man hooked a chin over the other's shoulder. Each one pulled closer until they were touching chest-to-chest and still closer. For as much as they knew, this would be the last one. It had to count for something.

They held the embrace even as Maya and Luke were parting. "You'd better write me as soon as you get back home, Maya!"

"Hey, your home is closer! You better write me!" Maya joked. "And address it right! Mystic Maya of Kurain Village, Ace Assistant and Spirit Medium!"

"Well then, you better address me right!" Luke quipped right back. "Luke Triton, apprentice gentleman!"

Phoenix snickered and broke the embrace enough to breathe, leaving he and Layton's hands clasped between them. "Hey, how come you all have titles? I want a title!"

"You already have a title, Mr. Wright!" Luke said obligingly. "You're... an ace baker!"

"Oh cut that out."

"You are the Ace Attorney, though! Can't forget that." Maya's fist pumped the air in triumph. "Saver of witches! Un-burner of innocents!"

Phoenix laid the sarcasm on thick. "How could I forget. That renders my entire previous point completely moot."

Professor Layton gave his hand one last little compression. "For what it is worth, Phoenix, you have a most glorious title in my mind."

"All right! That's the one that matters! What am I?"

"You are, and always will be, my friend."

Maya gasped so profoundly that people turned to stare. "He... he quoted a movie! Just for you!"

'One last little compression' be damned. Phoenix bodily pulled Layton into another hug. "Love you too, professor!"

"I say! We were on a first name basis but a second ago!" laughed Layton, holding his hat on with one hand and tussling Phoenix's hair in another.

"First name basis my ass! Layton's your last name! Come here you! I'm hugging you until we cycle back around to friendly rivals!"

Stories went on and on, but arcs concluded to make way for new tales. Phoenix Wright and Herschel Layton couldn't wait for the next chapter of theirs.