[text] god I'm sorry I can't help myself I love posting in this game too much you guys are so great

[glassinine]

[ That's right. It has been one week - less than one week - and Edgeworth is already bored and restless on vacation. So here he is. ]

A few items of business.

Wills. The risk of unexpected disappearance due to Porter malfunction is significant. Please be advised that, in the absence of kin or a legally recognized will, any possessions accrued in this world by a disappeared imPort will revert to the government.

I would recommend that all imPorts visit an attorney to write a will with them so that their possessions and funds either go to a friend or stay in the imPort community. I am willing to do this work pro bono; I have little doubt that other members of our legal community here would be willing to do so as well.

Please spread this offer to new imPorts when they arrive.

My thanks to April Ludgate for bringing this vital issue to my attention.


Employment. There are two primary difficulties facing imPorts if they choose not to register. The first is finding employment. I have been accruing a list of imPort-friendly businesses who are willing to hire unregistered individuals, and I am currently working on setting up a service that will help new imPorts find job placements. The first step is finding someone who will work as a career counselor and manager of this service; please contact me if you wish to apply for this job.


Fund. The second difficulty is, of course, finding money. It is difficult to sustain ourselves, being as we are refugees, if we do not have support from the government; those who reject government support are often at a loss.

To counteract this, I've set up a legally registered fund. This fund will make interest-free loans to any imPort in need of support.

The current endowment is $26,000. This is a paltry sum, as you can see. It is desperately in need of donations. All donations will be completely tax-deductible. One-time donations are appreciated, but continuing donations are even more so; I myself am donating 10% of every paycheck to this fund. It need not be so much; every bit helps.

Phoenix Wright is the other individual working with the fund. Contact him or myself if you have any questions.



Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Comments

voice;

[doneproperly]

[MANDRAKE HATES TYPING. He's the one starting this conversation, so he figures he can set the medium this time. Thank god. The voice that comes across with the caller ID is painfully British. Received Pronunciation. And young-- his voice broke some years ago, so it's deep enough, but... you can still tell. He's young, for someone so stiff.]

It seems you're quite the Good Samaritan, Mr. Edgeworth.

voice;

[glassinine]

[ Well. That is a comment that makes Edgeworth self-conscious; he sounds just a touch flustered when he speaks. ]

Nothing of the sort, Mr. Mandrake. I am merely trying to provide basic services for this community.

[doneproperly]

There's no need to be modest. This undertaking-- it's something that requires quite some amount of time and effort on your part, especially for being pro-bono. Certainly, no one else has yet offered the same services that I can see. I would say that's the very definition of the term.

[Mandrake can't work out if he's quite the skilled social and political player or if he's just simple.]

[glassinine]

I am merely filling a gap, sir. If I did not step forth and do so, someone else would. Praise is quite uncalled for, though I thank you for your kindness.

[doneproperly]

Would they, though? I suppose now we shall never know.

[glassinine]

[ A little dryly: ]

Apologies for curtailing a possible thought experiment.

[doneproperly]

[That earns a soft chuckle; a rare sound indeed from this kid.]

I did not mean it like that, sir. Just that you seem to have rather more faith in the general population than I do.

[glassinine]

Hm. In my experience, faith is not infrequently rewarded by people being stirred to action. Reason enough to have it.

[doneproperly]

In my experience, faith frequently leads to disappointment. It seems we may have to agree to disagree, on this point.

[glassinine]

And what experience has led you to that conclusion, precisely?

[doneproperly]

Precisely? I wouldn't say it was "precisely" anything. There was no shining turning point, if that's what you're looking for. Simply put, my dealings with others and life experience over the years has been such that, by and large, most people are only out for themselves.

[He says it very matter-of-factly.]

[glassinine]

Hm.

Even if that were true, that doesn't precisely matter. Perhaps you are correct; perhaps one does find one's hopes for others frequently disappointed. Yet those few, scant times, people are inspired by being believed in. Whether because of shame, pride, or simple surprise, the fact that someone is believing in them leads them to be better and act out of a desire to do good.

If I must suffer disappointment ninety nine times, but once I see someone deciding to do well because of belief that I or others had in them, so be it.

[doneproperly]

[A slightly foolish man, then. Ah well. At least that makes him easier to manipulate.]

... You must have great fortitude, sir.

[glassinine]

I try to.

[ A slight hesitation. ]

For what it is worth, Mr. Mandrake, when I was your age, I held beliefs not dissimilar to those you now have. I lost them as I saw more of the world. I would urge you not to cling to cynicism too tightly as you grow older.

[doneproperly]

[He might grow out of it sooner than you think. And then you'll wish he hadn't.

Mandrake, however, rolls his eyes on the other end of the line-- but only because Edgeworth can't see him. His voice, after a beat, is quite agreeable.]

Of course. I believe you would know best.

[glassinine]

[ A slight pause. Then: ]

Mr. Mandrake, you do remember what I do for a living, don't you?

[doneproperly]

[That actually garners a surprised laugh out of him.]

Indeed. ... I confess, most adults are usually not so quick to call me out when I'm agreeing with them, however.

[glassinine]

Well, I don't like to be agreed with. I especially don't like it when perfectly intelligent people swallow their thoughts and grovel at me for no reason other than I have an impressive title. After all, if I wanted to be parroted, I would buy a parrot.

[doneproperly]

[Another laugh. God. What is this? Kindergarten?? It suddenly strikes Mandrake that he can't remember the last time he laughed openly before he came to this place.]

Apologies. That would make you then singularly unique among all the adults I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with in my short lifetime.

[glassinine]

[ "Displeasure"? You sure got fresh in a hurry, Mr. Mandrake. ]

Did you act towards those adults as you have been towards me?

[doneproperly]

[YOU ASKED FOR CANDOR. YOU GOT CANDOR. Don't ask for it if you can't handle it, Edgeworth.]

I'm hurt, Mr. Edgeworth. I treat adults with nothing but the utmost politeness.

[glassinine]

Exactly.

[doneproperly]

... No, not really.

I've been candid before in the past. It never ends well. People don't like to hear unpleasant truths-- especially if they're coming from someone much younger.

[glassinine]

Hmph. I take it these "unpleasant truths" are things along the lines of advocating trusting no one because people will always disappoint you?

[doneproperly]

Somewhat ironically, I suspect that particular point is one on which just about everyone I know from back home would agree with me on.

Politics is somewhat cutthroat.