The aftermath

September 7, 12:03 PM

District Court

Defendant Lobby No. 1

Chance:

"You know, I think she still needs to breathe."

Clearly, Maya was very happy to have been acquitted, judging by the big hug she was giving to her sister. Sister who was visibly turning blue.

Chance:

"I mean, if you hug Mia to ****, who will defend you in court?"

Maya blew a raspberry, but let her sister go.

Maya:

"You're just jealous."

Chance:

"That my ribs aren't bruised? Oh yes, I'm green with envy."

Maya:

"Jealous that I get to hug Mia and not you, funny guy."

Chance:

"...Touché."

Before you could say anything else, you were interrupted by the crack of a very familiar whip.

von Karma:

"This is preposterous! I refuse to accept it! You must have cheated! You couldn't have won against me by playing fairly! I'm perfect! Perfect!"

Well, seems like von Karma took her second defeat with much less grace than the first. Probably because she doesn't have another backup plan. I guess prosecuting me or Maya was part of the same trial in her mind. But now...

Mia:

"Prosecutor von Karma. I can't wait to see tonight's news. The prodigy prosecutor's first defeat will be broadcast all over the world, won't it? Owww!!!"

With a snarl, von Karma whipped Mia harder than you'd ever seen her do before.

von Karma:

"You find this funny, don't you!? If you think I'll just stand there and take your gloating-"

Chance:

"Hey, you came to us, we didn't go looking for yoooow!"

von Karma:

"Silence, you foolish fool! I came in here to tame the woman who marred my perfect record, not listen to your insignificant drivel."

Chance:

"I'm wouldn't be so sure about that perfect record, if I were you."

Von Karma slowly turned towards you and walked closer, speaking in a deceptively soft voice.

von Karma:

"What did you say?"

You had the sudden feeling that you had made a mistake, but frankly, you weren't in the mood to care.

Chance:

"Well, you were wrong today, weren't you? I mean, objectively, neither Maya nor I were the ones who actually murdered Mr. Wright, and you still prosecuted us."

von Karma:

"Spare me your foolish naivety. The only thing that matters to a von Karma is their perfect victories."

Chance:

"A prosecutor's job is to make sure the criminals are punished for their wrongdoings. So tell me, Ms. von Karma, how many innocent people does a perfect prosecutor send to jail?"

von Karma:

"You dare..."

Chance:

"You tried to have me killed for a crime I didn't commit. Then, when you failed, you tried the same with Maya. So yes, I dare. I dare to believe this isn't the first time you've done it, just the first time you failed. I dare to believe that not all of your perfect victories were perfect, because you didn't pursue the right person in the first place. And I dare to say that you have blood on your hands, Ms. 'perfect prosecutor' Franziska von Karma."

Said prosecutor's face twisted in a furious scowl, and she grabbed her whip.

Chance:

"You use that whip quite a lot, don't you? Is it because you're out of arguments, or do you just have the impulse control of a toddler?"

You could see on her face that she itched to whip you until you bled, but couldn't without proving your point.

von Karma:

"I... I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you. But mark my words: today, you and Ms. Mia Fey have sullied the von Karma family's honor. We will face each other in court again, and I shall clean that stain in your tears. Then, you will understand the foolishness you have demonstrated by trying to stand against perfection as an equal!"

And on these words, von Karma sharply turned away and left the defendant lobby.

Maya:

"That... was... AWESOME! I thought she was gonna explode. Or, you know, **** you."

Chance:

"Well, I'm happy she didn't choose the latter option. Although I'm surprised she didn't use her whip. I really didn't think the 'you whip people because they're smarter than you' thing would work."

Maya:

"Yeah... Her whipping is not pleasant. If I ever get arrested again, I hope she's not gonna be my prosecutor."

Mia sighed.

Mia:

"Please don't say that. I don't want you to tempt fate."

Chance:

"Besides, I'm surprised to hear you say that. I heard that some people would pay good money to be whipped by a hot woman for an hour."

The dope slap that Mia gave you was entirely deserved, and you regretted nothing.

Mia:

"Still, I don't think that was the smartest thing to do, antagonizing her like that."

Chance:

"I know, but she made me angry, ranting about you stopping her from helping a businessman getting away with **** like you were in the wrong."

Mia:

"Ranting about us stopping her. I couldn't have done it without you, literally."

Chance:

"Hey, if White is going to cheat in court, I don't see why I shouldn't."

Mia:

"Don't say that, Chance. Using your coin isn't cheating, it's more like a trump card."

Maya:

"Hold on, what are you two talking about."

Chance:

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you. My magic coin allows me to win bets."

Maya:

"Like, any bet? You could win the lottery?"

The coin pulsed in your pocket, as if to say absolutely not.

Chance:

"No, it only works with more... personal bets, I guess. Bets that involve either me or the person I'm betting against. I'll always win those and the coin will make people pay up without complaints. They'll also always accept the bet in the first place."

Maya:

"Huh. So you could have made White confess at the beginning?"

Chance:

"Yeah, but I'm trying not to. It's more of a last resort type of move."

Maya:

"...I don't get it. If I had this coin, I'd use it to get a lots of free burgers and to skip lines."

Mia:

"...My sister is a delinquent."

Chance:

"Well, that's tempting, but I'm trying not to **** it. Absolute powers corrupts absolutely and all that jazz."

I mean, what I did to April definitely counts as an **** of power. Not that I regret it, but still.

Chance:

"Besides, I don't want to leave Mia jobless."

Mia:

"How generous of you."

Maya:

"Sooooo... Could I borrow the coin sometimes, pretty please?"

Mia:

"Absolutely not! You just told us what you would use it for."

Chance:

"Besides, it wouldn't work with you. I have a feeling it's a family thing."

And you were starting to trust those feelings. Using the coin is really intuitive, especially when it communicates with me.

Maya:

"Anyways, what's gonna happen to White?"

Mia:

"Well, he'll go to jail for Phoenix's ****. With his connections, he'll probably escape the **** penalty, but he's not going to wriggle out of his punishment."

Maya:

"Yeah, but what about all the people he blackmailed? What about mom? Won't he get punished for that?"

Chance:

"Mom?"

Mia:

"Our mother was involved in a police investigation 15 years ago, but the man the victim's spirit accused ended up acquitted. White leaked mom's role in the affair to the press, which ruined her reputation as a medium and with it, the reputation of our own clan. Mom couldn't handle the shame and ran away. That's, at least partly, why I started investigating White's crimes. Unfortunately, he destroyed most of the evidence I had on those crimes. I can rebuild some of it, but it won't be enough to get a solid enough case."

Chance:

"You don't need to."

Mia:

"What do you mean?"

Chance:

"Well, remember the terms of my bet with him? I never specified an end for his penalty. He'll have to answer any question honestly as long as he's in a courtroom. You don't need a case solid enough to win, you just need it solid enough to get it to court."

Mia:

"I admit, I didn't see it coming. That's pretty clever, Chance."

You shrugged.

Chance:

"White told it himself: he controls the courts. I decided no to take a chance and leave him no escape."

Maya:

"Heh. Take a chance..."

Mia:

"I see. Well, I'll be as thorough as possible anyways. It'll be a good learning opportunity for you."

Chance:

"A learning opportunity?"

Mia nodded.

Mia:

"For your new job, of course."

Chance:

"What new job?"

Mia:

"Do you not remember the bet you made with me? You didn't specify an end either. You're my new judicial assistant now, at least until you can pass the bar yourself. I'm surprised you didn't realize."

You had the feeling you made a pretty big mistake. Unfortunately, it was too late and you couldn't back out of your job. Literally. I can't back out, the coin won't let me. Said coin let out a pulse of amusement. Dick.

Maya:

"Hey, I told you about how hard it is to study all those boring, dusty books, didn't I? There was even a time when Sis..."

Mia:

"Anyways, the point that Maya is trying to make is that a law career, even as a judicial assistant, requires a great deal of study. But I'm sure you're willing to provide the hard work, aren't you, Chance?"

You chuckled nervously.

Chance:

"Haha, I'm in danger."

Maya:

"Anyways, enough about all this boring nerd talk. I'm hungry!"

Mia:

"Maya, you're always hungry."

Maya:

"Hey, I was just accused of **** and went through trial. It was a harrowing experience, and I require burgers to comfort me."

Mia:

"And I suppose I'll be the one to pay for those burgers?"

Chance:

"I mean, technically, Maya was your client. Shouldn't it be her who pays you?"

Maya:

"H-hey! Don't put ideas in her head! Besides, being a spirit medium really doesn't pay the bills that much. Why don't you pay, huh?"

Chance:

"On a delivery boy's wage? I hope you're not too hungry."

Mia sighed.

Mia:

"Fine, I'll pay. Now, you children stop bickering and let's go to the food joint."

Maya:

"Yeah, burgers!"

---

September 7, 10:34 PM

Location Unknown

???:

"You wanted to see me?"

???:

"Ah, Manny! Right on time."

Manny:

"Do not call me that, Gant. What is it?"

Gant:

"Oh ho ho! So dramatic. Very well, Manny, I'll go straight to the point. I suppose by now you've heard of little Franny's first loss."

Manny:

"I am aware, yes. But surely you didn't ask me to come just to taunt me about my daughter's failure."

Gant:

"It's not about little Franny, no. It's about who was arrested afterwards."

Manny:

"Get to the point!"

Gant:

"Calm down, Manny. We're not a courtroom, and your little glares won't work on me. Seriously, you're so tense, you should do something about that. I know, why don't we go swimming together one of these days..."

Manny:

"The point, Gant."

Gant:

"Bup-bup-bup! What's the magic word?"

Manny:

"...Please."

Gant:

"There we go. That's a good prosecutor. Getting back to the point, Reddy's arrest is a little worrying for our little group."

Manny:

"I don't see the problem. White was never really a member of our group."

Gant:

"Neither are you, Manny. You're closer to us than him, sure, but you always had some... issues. Not a team player, for example, and that's me saying that. Also, you have trouble thinking ahead. Reddo might not be one of us, but he still knows a lot of our secrets. That could be a problem."

Manny:

"Heh. You know, you're not as omniscient as you pretend, Gant."

Gant:

"...What do you mean?"

Manny:

"Do you think you're the only one who thought about this little issue? I had dinner with Winner, and we already talked about the problem at lengths."

Gant:

"Oh? And what conclusion did Celsius reach?"

Manny:

"That White was a liability to be dispatched of."

Gant:

"I agree, but it will be difficult to..."

Manny:

"He already took care of that too. Winner made contact with de Killer."

Gant:

"...I see. He really should have discussed it with the rest of us before making that kind of unilateral decisions."

Manny:

"He thought it would be better to handle it as soon as possible."

Gant:

"Well, I would have preferred to keep it in house, but de Killer will do, I suppose. Still, Reddo is not our only problem."

Manny:

"Oh? Who else?"

Gant:

"Why, Mia of course. She investigated Reddo and who knows what else she might have found."

Manny:

"I was under the impression that Fey believed White was the mastermind and that all his accomplices—those of us who used his services—were his **** victims."

Gant:

"You mean Celsius thought that. Stealing others' ideas for yourself, huh? Naughty, Manny, naughty. Still, we should keep an eye on Mia for the time being, at least until we're sure she doesn't suspect a thing. Besides, I'm sure Franny will want her **** for her humiliating defeat."

Manny:

"Yes, she will have to if she wants to prove herself worthy of our name."

Gant:

"Yes, or else it might give you a bad reputation. After what happened to your little protégé..."

Manny:

"Edgeworth has nothing to do with this! And no one would dare insinuate my teachings are responsible for his disgrace."

Gant:

"No, of course not. I'm sure little Franny will crush Mia and her new assistant next time they face in court."

Manny:

"She will. And if she keeps failing, I'll take care of this. Mia Fey might be able to defeat Franziska, but she will fall before Manfred von Karma!"