Ace Attorney: Sins of the Mother

2: The Purple Monster

In the late hours of the night, Phoenix laid asleep in the living room on the pull-out couch. For the time being, the new defense attorney couldn't afford much more than a one bedroom apartment. And being the doting father that he is, he gave his daughter the only bedroom. But he does plan on finding a two bedroom apartment once he starts taking more cases. For now, though, Phoenix was perfectly content with sleeping on a cheap, springy pull-out couch if it meant his little girl could have her own room.

"DADAAAAAA!" Daisy screamed in distress from her bedroom.

Phoenix faceplants on the hardwood floor in his haste to scramble out of bed. He picks himself up and hurries to Daisy's room, where the three-year-old was sat up in bed, bawling her eyes out.

"Daisy? Baby-girl, what's wrong?" Phoenix asked, kneeling next to his daughter's bed.

"I....*sob*...I had a bad dream, a very bad, scary dream, Dada." Daisy whimpered, crying.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry." Phoenix said, sitting on the small bed, pulling Daisy into his lap.

Clinging to her father like a koala, Daisy sobs and sniffles into Phoenix's neck.

"It's okay, flower, it was just a dream." Phoenix said calmly, rubbing Daisy's back.

"But if felt real, Dada! A mean purple monster attacked Auntie Mia in her office and hurt her really bad!" Daisy told him, crying a little harder.

"We gotta protect Auntie Mia from the purple monster, Dada! He's gonna get her, we can't let him get her!" she babbled through her tears, tugging and pulling at the collar of Phoenix's t-shirt.

At this point, Daisy was inconsolable and Phoenix's attempts to soothe her weren't working. So, Phoenix carries Daisy to the kitchen where his cellphone was charging on the counter and calls Mia. He figured that seeing that Mia was okay would help calm his daughter.

"Hello?" a tired sounding Mia answered.

"Hiya, chief, sorry to wake you." Phoenix said shyly.

"Oh no, its okay, I was already up." Mia yawned.

"What are you doing up at 2:00 am?" Phoenix asked her.

"What are you doing up at 2:00 am?" Mia replied throwing his question back at him.

"Because my darling three-year-old is in hysterics after having a nightmare about her favorite aunt being attacked by a purple monster." Phoenix said as his daughter wiped her snotty nose on his shoulder.

"Do you think you could talk to her for a bit? Let her know that you're okay...she's really upset about this, I don't know what else to do." he requested, frowning worriedly.

"Of course, pass her the phone." Mia said, her concern evident in her voice.

When Daisy is handed the phone, she immediately recounts her nightmare to Mia, her bottom lip quivering. Mia calmly tells her that she is safe and that she'll keep an eye out for purple monsters.

"Thanks, Auntie Mia, I feel a lot better." Daisy said, her voice raw and tired.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Mia replied.

"I love you, Auntie Mia." Daisy mumbled into the phone.

"I love you too, Daisy. Now, you and your daddy have a good night sleep." Mia said to her before Daisy passes the phone back to her dad.

Mia and Phoenix talk for a few more minutes before Phoenix hangs up and puts his phone back on the counter. Next he cleans the tear tracks off Daisy's cheeks with a damp dishtowel.