#greg is like... based off of that. i didn't have much idea for him specifically. oh wait now that i think of it he could be like... a -

[zepuffer]

gem au?? 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

GEM AU!!!!! oog i already went off about this in the nm server but. 

miles is a zircon, phoenix is some type of quartz, not sure what yet but the important part is: he can shapeshift, like amethyst

(a bunch of words and some drawings under the cut)

this au is only very loosely based on su. literally the only thing it takes from su are the gem shit, so. some context.  - fusing, no matter what gems, is technically fine, and legal. - however. while it is starting to be more accepted, many gems are NOT ok with it. - like. a fusion could, if they wanted, walk around and just. live their life? but it's dangerous bc they could be attacked, or poofed, bc, again, many gems are VERY against it. - mvk is one of those gems - as in, he would shatter miles without hesitation if he learned he was fusing with a non-zircon gem - another thing - half-gem, half-humans are more common - there's definitely a few of them, but they're uncommon enough that basically no homeworld gems have seen a hybrid before

miles and phoenix were birthed at the same nursery. greg needed a quartz bodyguard, so he went down there, and he chose phoenix. but then he saw that baby phoenix and baby miles had gotten very attached to each other. well. i guess he has a zircon now

eventually, greg gets shattered

manfred von karma needs a zircon, so he takes miles. he has no need for phoenix, so he stays on earth, not really with a specific gem, just assigned to the earth colony in general

phoenix is very friendly and curious. he talks to everyone, whether they're human or gem. one day, he meets mia. it goes something like: [they've been talking] mia: oh, and i'm a defense attorney, so- phoenix: defense attorney?? mia: yeah, like a lawyer? i defend people in court phoenix: oH???? in cOUrT yoU saY??????

phoenix basically got all of miles' stuff after he left. it wasn't much, but lil baby miles had some gem law books in there. phoenix had tried to learn them, but they were random law books, and he didn't know the basics, so they were basically useless to him. but, now, he's met mia. and she's offered to teach him some law basics...

he's doing well, and now that he's had some teaching from mia, he can start to understand the gem books. he even goes to some of mia's earth trials. then. mia dies,,,,, 

the killer isn't redd white here, and he gets brought to justice. but. mia is still dead  ENTER MAYA

maya is half human, half pearl. but, she was raised on earth, without any gems, and doesn't have much knowledge of her gem abilities. phoenix is basically her new dad rn.

now. phoenix has his plan. his plan to see miles again. i mean, that's the whole reason he was learning law from mia.

he fills maya in on his plan, telling her that he's so sorry, but she's going to have to live with her aunt 

maya is not having this. she's part gem too, she is coming, end of story. phoenix isn't so sure about this, but maya has 100% made up her mind. besides, she wants to learn about homeworld and her gem powers

so, phoenix has maya poof him, and he regenerates with an outfit resembling a zircon. he shifts his body shape to match, and slicks his hair. he's going to be passing as a zircon, and maya is going to have to be a stowaway.

now. they make it to homeworld. it's a difficult adjustment, but they observe, and learn how to act and speak. and, well, phoenix is off! he's going to court, acting as a zircon. his first case against miles is defending will powers, a jasper who was accused of shattering his soldier partner.

and, well. he wins!! but. miles has no idea it's him. and, well, phoenix is kinda relieved, he supposes, because who knows what miles would do if he found out. but, at the same time, it's hard, seeing miles this broken and miles not even knowing who he is. they've stolen some tech at this point, and they've made maya pass as a full gem. it's going decently well, but thEn. . .MILES IS ACCUSED OF A SHATTERING!!! >:000

of course, phoenix defends him, and, of course, he didn't actually commit the crime, and golly, manfred von karma is accusing miles of shattering gregory edgeworth, all those years ago. . .and, of course, phoenix finds von karma guilty.

miles is. slightly suspicious that phoenix knew so much about him and greg, and the events that led up to the shattering, but he always had a source for his information, so he ignores it

now. keep in mind that miles STILL is not aware of phoenix's true identity. phoenix is planning out how to tell him, but miles is still in the dark rn 

now. well. zircon miles edgeworth chooses death

and, now. phoenix is devastated. he blames himself, feels absolutely miserable. wants to just disappear. but now, after defeating manfred von karma in court? he's famous. he can't just disappear, can't drop the zircon act and go back to being a simple quartz. so he keeps going.

then. miles edgeworth comes back... 

he returns, and phoenix looks horrible. it's very tiring, being shapeshifted for so much of the day, any time he goes out, any time he's not inside his apartment, phoenix needs to be shifted. it's miserable, and miles is very concerned. he, of course, doesn't know the reason phoenix looks so bad, but he's still worried

phoenix yells, gets angry at him. they still work together, and maya is safe. they're sitting, after that exhausting day. maya is asleep in the other room. phoenix: edgeworth. i. . .i need to tell you something. miles: . . .what is it? phoenix takes a deep breath, and stops shifting. some of the tension in his shoulders disappears, his face looks less pained. he's still wearing a zircon outfit, but he is unmistakeably a quartz soldier

miles: p-phoenix!?!? you. . .what? you're a quartz!?! but. . .why? why go through all that disguise and trickery? phoenix: i had to see you again, miles. you. . .you just dissapeared, and i had to know. i had to know if you were okay. miles: you. . .wait. . .p-phOENIX? i. . .you're that same phoenix!? gregory's bodyguard in training?? i. . . phoenix: geez, edgeworth, "gregory's bodyguard in training"? that's how you remember me? we were best friends. . . miles: are. phoenix: what? miles: i corrected you. you misspoke, it's "we are best friends". phoenix gives a tentative smile. phoenix: oh, right. my bad.

eventually, phoenix stops taking big cases, and he's not as well-known then, finally, he can go back to being a quartz phoenix wright "went to earth" and won't be coming back to homeworld court phoenix becomes miles' quartz bodyguard, and they are very good friends on homeworld ::)))) (jk they're pining lmaooo)

phoenix totally knows what's going on, right away. he looks at miles in court, yelling out an objection, the light hitting his dull grey-red hair in a way that seems magical, and he knows. he's in love. 

miles, on the other hand, is both an idiot and in denial. unlike phoenix, who grew up on earth (a very loving and accepting colony, where many gems were in relationships), miles was raised by manfred von karma. he is 100% fine with any fusing, but he has no idea what romantic love really is??? he is familar with the idea, of course, and knows what it is in theory but. he's clueless when it comes to himself. and, once he does realize and accept that fact that he is in love, he's not gonna DO anything???? lmao as if PHOENIX could even reciprocate his feelings. clownery

THEIR WEAPONS:

phoenix is kinda a misfit: quartzes normally summon some type of weapon, but he summons a shield. a rather sunflower-shaped shield, to be exact. because of this, he has to carry around a normal spear so he can fight

and miLES. zircons don't need to really summon weapons so he never really thought about it, but even after he's free from von karma, he can't do it. he should be able to, but he just can't. he feels miserable about it, and it really bothers him. but. i don't know how they get in this situation yet but. phoenix is in trouble. he's hurt, and tired, and some bad, evil gem (not sure who, maybe just a random gem) is about to poof him, and once he gets poofed, he's getting shattered. he's in danger. the gem raises their weapon, and- miles is in front of phoenix, raising two katanas. he summoned them, without even thinking, and saved phoenix's life

and. not too important but. miles doesn't actually see phoenix's weapon for a while. when they were little, neither of them could summon it yet, and after they meet again and phoenix is his guard, phoenix is using his gem-made spear. so the first time he sees the shield he's all >:000

phoenix’s shield and an idea for their fusion’s weapon:

half-pearl maya, and a phoenix + maya fusion based on opal (and a lil wrightworth fusion):

phoenix + edgeworth fusion........

oh! and. phoenix’s gem is right above where his heart (or where his attorney badge) would be, and miles’ is on his neck