[all Edgeworths, all the time.]

[prosecutory]

[You are on a cruise ship - to be more exact, in a hall adorned with paintings of various historical scenes (many of them groundbreaking moments in legal history), a giant crystal chandelier and polished walls and stairs. This could be a dining hall, but there aren't too many tables. Not only that, there are shelves full of books against one wall with detailed dog bookends. And instead of a grand buffet, there is a wide selection of...tea. Tea from every corner of the world, tea you never thought existed, iced tea...and no, no teabags. That stuff does not exist. >_>

You are also most likely wearing a pink/wine-red/burgundy suit and a white cravat, unless you're from some other universe or timeline, because those things tend to happen a lot. The fourth wall doesn't exist here, really. Maybe you came from what we call the canon timeline, or some other world you got shipped to. In any case, you're here right now.

Have a nice day...Miles Edgeworth. Oh, and feel free to explore the rest of the fancy ship. Maybe you're going to some foreign country to study more legal systems, or maybe you're on your way to ~choose death~. Whatever. Don't be surprised to see other Edgeworths with you.

...

GENTLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN, I GIVE YOU...THE EDGEWORTH PARTY.] 

Comments

[truthsnomiracle]

[On one hand, this Edgeworth is familiar with the concept of parallel universes thanks to two King Arthurs of different genders who both claimed to come from a Holy Grail War. On the other, the last time he saw another of himself, it broadcasted his faults to the network (fortunately, he was too new and the phenomenon too old for anyone to take notice) and demanded that he accept it or die, so don't mind if he glances at your eyes suspiciously to make sure they're grey and not glowing gold. Especially if you're a young enough Miles Edgeworth to still be wearing that overwrought, bright magenta copy of Manfred von Karma's suit...]

...wow and I didn't tag my own post

[prosecutory]

[One of these men is sitting quietly at a table, sipping a cup of tea while reading a book. Now, at first glance nothing seems out of the ordinary with this picture.

That is, until you glance at the book and notice that the cover is black, and a cartoon skull is on the front. Glance at the spines of the other books on the table that are stacked up neatly...and you'll see that not all of them are about law. Others...are actually about magic and Norse mythology.]

[truthsnomiracle]

[As a particularly wary Edgeworth passes by this Edgeworth's table, those mythology books catch his eye first.]

(Curious. Is this version of myself also caught in a situation steeped in mythology, merely more focused than the one I am?)

[And then there's the grimoires -- a somewhat less comfortable thing to see, yet also something that begs a question...]

Excuse me. I don't suppose you've come upon a symbol like this in your studies?

[With that, this Edgeworth will show off one of a pair of silver cufflinks he's wearing, with this design masterfully carved into them -- perhaps with lasers given the precision and size?]

1/2

[prosecutory]

[He's speechless for a moment as he sees who just walked up to him. Just because he's seen his share of magic and battle doesn't mean he'd expect everything. And this was, by far, one of the most unexpected things that happened to him all day.

But he manages to keep his composure, and sets down his teacup with a clink that is a bit louder than usual. Then he shuts his book...still staring at this other man.]

Ah...I...

[prosecutory]

[He clears his throat, and manages to look at the cufflinks instead. Well, this day just got weirder.]

N-no, I haven't.

[truthsnomiracle]

Hm. A pity.

[He can't help but be somewhat amused, though...]

I suppose that you've been so absorbed in your studies that you've failed to notice where you now are -- not that I can't relate, for obvious reasons.

[prosecutory]

We are on a cruise ship, are we not?

...

And not just any cruise ship.

[Oh, he knew something was going on. He just didn't think...it was like this.]

[truthsnomiracle]

Am I the first of our company that you've noticed?

[Seriously, other self, take a look around the room...]

/HORRENDOUSLY late. My apologies!

[cantacquityou]

[Here is one Miles Edgeworth, finding himself immediately thrust upon the deck of said ship, somehow. He is alone for the time being... that is, if you don't count the somewhat canine companion he's accompanied with (the less-discerning may confuse it to be a tiger from afar). With a cup of tea in one hand, an open book - The Moral Landscape, by Sam Harris - in the other, he turns his gaze upwards from his book to notice the vast expanse of ocean that was...not there before.

...


Oh well.


He leans against the railing and takes a sip, resigning himself to the presumption that he was somehow transported to the same ship that brought him, and all other residents, to Castelia City a week back, and that he's now on his way, returning to the castle. Though, one must admit, it's quite, unnervingly quiet in comparison to the last trip...]

1/2

[prosecutory]

[He glances up from his work. Honestly, so there were two of them on the same ship - ]

[prosecutory]

[...okay, not just two of them, apparently.

This day just got weirder again...but even though he's clearly surprised, it quickly ebbs away into a more dignified expression of oh-whoa-didn't-notice-that. Because he's seen his share of weird.]

I...I see what you mean.

GET OUT I mean LATE DOESN'T EXIST IN EDGEWORTH-LAND

[prosecutory]

[It won't be quiet for long. A second Miles Edgeworth emerges from the hall, a book under his arm as well and several papers in his other hand. Now, if he had not known who were the guests on this ship, he would have dropped everything at the sight of the second prosecutor leaning against the railing.

But instead, he manages to keep his dignity, stopping in his tracks and keeping everything in his hands.

...no, wait, one sheet of paper full of notes flutters down onto the floor. He knows what's on that paper - his observations of how his ice magic has developed over the months, how it has become easier for him to create ice, and how he seems to have gained magical stamina -

The moment he crouches down to pick up the paper, a sheet of ice spreads from where his fingers touched the deck.]

Nngh...not again...

[When he brushes his hand over the ice, it dissolves as quickly as it had formed.]

Au Contraire, EDGEY IS A TIME-NAZI =D

[cantacquityou]

[The 'dog' senses the movements from afar, and upon seeing that familiar red/magenta suit in the distance, she jumps to her feet immediately. Her eyes widened even further upon noticing the sudden appearance and disappearance of what seemed to be ice. This sudden action alerts Edgeworth, and his eyes trail towards the direction of her intent attention. Now, he was aware of the castle's antics, but nothing could prepare him for the sight of none other than himself standing several yards ahead. This had to be some sort of hologram.

He mutters exasperatedly to himself.]





...You have got to be kidding me.

[truthsnomiracle]

This clearly differs from the last time I saw another of myself. I'm reminded of the concept of parallel universes rather than of hostile self-aspects.

[Apparently this Edgeworth's seen some weird stuff himself.]

Even TIME bows to him.

[prosecutory]

[He hadn't gotten a good look at the dog because he was far too busy noticing his double, but now...yup, that dog definitely doesn't seem to be like other dogs. Still, she seems to act like one. For now. In any case, Miles has seen (and even fought) stranger creatures.

After rearranging his notes, he focuses on the other prosecutor, and clears his throat.]

...It seems we have more guests than I thought.

[prosecutory]

When did you see another version of yourself?

[He calms down eventually, surprise giving way to curiosity.]

[truthsnomiracle]

The night following the day when I first awoke on the island of Prospero. [Edgeworth eyes those books for a moment.] ...It would, technically speaking, be more properly termed as an embodied self-aspect.

Black holes distort time. Time bends to Edgeworth. Ergo, Edgeworth = Black hole. LOGIC.

[cantacquityou]

...




[He looks at his double...



...Then, to his teacup...




...to his double...




...Then, to his tea...





...Then to his double...




...




...He then proceeds to dump the contents of the teacup overboard. Because whatever's in that tea has got to be some strong shit.]

[prosecutory]

An embodied self-aspect...a part of you, then, and not another you? [He closes the black book with the white skull.]

NNNGGGHHOOOOOOH

[prosecutory]

[He raises his eyebrows; that was a waste of perfectly good tea. Especially since he knows that it has absolutely nothing to do with the tea served on board.]

I am not a hallucination, if that's what you're thinking. And neither are the other guests. [Miles gestures to the door of the hall from which he came, where they would encounter several more doubles of themselves.]

[truthsnomiracle]

Indeed. At the time of my arrival, apparently kidnappees had been experiencing attacks by denied aspects of themselves in such forms for well over a week. Acceptance of the truths they laid bare was the key to their defeat... however difficult such acceptance might have been.

[prosecutory]

...why did they attack? [Were they mad over being denied or something?]

[truthsnomiracle]

By my understanding, most attacked only verbally until directly denied, as in my own case. Unfortunately, we have little idea how it is that they gained such autonomy to begin with, only that the phenomenon differed from the usual sort that happens as the moon waxes.

[prosecutory]

A repressed aspect of yourself that only attacks further upon denial, and is only defeated upon acceptance.

...Clever, I must admit.

[truthsnomiracle]

"Clever"?! I suppose it's simple to trivialize from an outside perspective.

[prosecutory]

It is rather comparable to an extreme form of psychological therapy.

Assuming, of course, that you do indeed accept this part of yourself instead of simply denying it to defeat it.

[truthsnomiracle]

I did, though not unaided. The one who held it at bay asked a crucial question whose answer was vital to my acceptance of the truth.

AGH "denying" was supposed to be "admitting" or something like that /headdesk

[prosecutory]

What sort of question was it, if I may?

You were tired and I was still waking up, I guess..

[truthsnomiracle]

...What motive Father would have to lie.

...timezones.

[prosecutory]

...

Ah...of course.

[truthsnomiracle]

[That expression is obvious enough, other-him.]

I presume that you already realize what it is I speak of.

[prosecutory]

[A slow but sure nod. Yes. Obviously. What else could he add?]

[truthsnomiracle]

[In the interest of changing the subject to one more comfortable to... well, both of him, this Edgeworth glances down at the books again.]

You appear to have found yourself facing rather unusual situations as well.

[prosecutory]

I may not need to confront repressed aspects of myself, but I certainly need to confront strange worlds and even stranger powers granted to me.

[Thank you, other self.]

[truthsnomiracle]

A plurality of them?

[prosecutory]

Correct.

[truthsnomiracle]

I've found myself in only one other world, though I too have been granted a power in the process.

[prosecutory]

What sort of power?

Of course, this begs the question of whether

[truthsnomiracle]

...An explanation would make little sense without context. I suppose I could simply make use of it without explanation, but I can't predict whether it would be visible to you as it would be to other kidnappees or invisible as it would be to a native -- to say nothing of the open question of the difficulty of summoning it here and now.

[prosecutory]

Then try your best to explain.

[truthsnomiracle]

It will sound absurd, but very well.

Everyone kidnapped from across space and time to the island of Prospero finds themselves with both the ability to perceive and operate within a so-called "Dark Hour" at midnight that's apparently unique to that world... and the potential to awaken the ability to summon what's called a "Persona" -- a self-aspect with a typically mythological form and powers suited for combat with the monstrous "Shadows" that fill the island during that time.

[prosecutory]

[He listens attentively, not saying a word, taking it all in as best as he could.]

...And do you gain this power upon accepting that certain aspect of yourself?

Oh hey, didn't expect a new reply to this one!

[truthsnomiracle]

No; the incident in question happened but once, and to my knowledge no one obtained their Persona in this way. Given that I chose to focus on investigating the hotel rather than that one-time lunar event, however, it is possible that this event was the necessary stressor for someone and I simply didn't hear of it.

Typically, one's Persona awakens in a life-or-death situation or other highly stressful circumstance. In my own case, Forneus awakened in the midst of a heated philosophical argument.

The bottom of my inbox is mostly memes and musebox tags.

[prosecutory]

It was stressful enough to awaken your power?

[truthsnomiracle]

It was with someone who believed there to be no need for a bookstore to reflect the progress and values of modern civilization, merely those of his own time in order to glorify himself and belittle what mankind achieved in his absence.