Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. This is a work of fiction written out of whim and not for profit. No copyright infringement is intended.

"S-sir! You're bleeding!"

A single gunshot was heard that afternoon.

"I am perfectly aware of that, Scruffy!"

Fortunately, no life was taken at the front of the Gatewater Hotel at that moment. Another death was the last thing the prestigious hotel's image needed.

"Prosecuting Prodigy" Franziska Von Karma had just wrapped up the investigation for Juan Corrida's murder and felt more than ready to crush the defense, Phoenix Wright, in the courtroom the following day. The previous trial did not conclude with a proper verdict which led to the continuation of the investigation. Detective Dick Gumshoe, the lead detective for the case, accompanied the prosecutor in her investigation but secretly assisted the defense lawyer simultaneously. Once Franziska got hold of this alliance, she became hellbent in subjecting the lowly detective to physical punishment. Never had Gumshoe felt so scared to hear the crack of a whip.

After the gunshot, it seemed the tables were turned. Franziska and Gumshoe were on their way to the Von Karma daughter's limousine when an unknown assailant fired at the prosecutor. The bullet entered Franziska through her right shoulder, mimicking the same fate her father had suffered through. The sound of the gunfire tapped the detective to immediately draw his revolver gun and point it at random directions, hoping to get a clear view of the gunman.

With no one else in sight, he withdrew his gun and attended to Franziska. She clutched the area of her wound to compress the blood. The sight of blood was making the detective nauseous but he was obliged to serve his superior in any way he can. He opened the door and escorted her into the limousine.

As soon as he slammed the door shut, he barked at the driver, "Miss Von Karma needs to get to the hospital, pal! Step on it!"

Normally, she didn't allow him to stay at the passenger's seat of the limousine. She would always command him to stay with the driver at front. Gumshoe must've realized the mistake he just made, too. As soon as the limousine was in motion though, it was all too late. Still clutching her shoulder, Franziska's piercing eyes stared daggers into the detective who was a little too close for comfort. He slowly edged away and looked more and more like a dejected puppy. He pouted his lips and twiddled his thumbs innocently. A long pause followed. As comfortable as the rear compartment was, it was a bit too crowded for Franziska's taste and a bit too tense for Gumshoe's. The detective attempted to defuse the tension.

"Guess this means Matt Engarde's not going to be guilty, huh?"

He followed this remark with his usual hearty laugh. It only made things worse for Franziska who winced at the thought of losing to Wright yet again. Gumshoe returned to his previous position.

"It's a good thing that bullet didn't kill you, Miss Von Karma, or else I would've been accused of murder!"

Franziska rolled her eyes and turned the other way. The prosecutor found it more convenient to just ignore his childish voice and endure the ride to the nearest medical facility. (Foolish fool. If being alive meant being stuck with you on this highway to hell, I would follow my brother and choose death.)

"It's all my fault, Miss Von Karma. I guess I should've been shot instead..."

This apologetic statement caught her attention. She didn't turn her head but her eyes moved to catch him in her peripheral vision. He was still twiddling his thumbs and looking down on his shoes.

"I didn't get to protect you from that bullet. Now some guy's gonna go scot-free because you won't be there and it's all my fault. I should've been shot, sir, not you... The court needs you more than me."

He scratched the back of his head after sharing his sentiment. He expected a reply from his boss but she couldn't muster up any response to his heartfelt testimony. How could one possibly respond to that?

The limousine came to a halt in front of the Hotti Clinic. Gumshoe wasted no time in opening the door, rushing out to the opposite side to open the door for Franziska. He extended his right hand to assist her in leaving the vehicle. She looked at his hand and turned to look upon his face. He still appeared down from what happened earlier. She placed her blood-smeared gloved hand into his and lifted herself off her seat. Instinctively, she placed it back on her wound to control her pain. The detective, who usually would've made it his first instinct to wipe the blood off his hand, moped his way to the nurse's station.

After all the paperwork and the surgery, Franziska was wheeled into her room to rest. She had in her hand the bullet that was lodged in her shoulder. She insisted on keeping it around as a souvenir by claiming it as evidence. She looked around the room and found her belongings resting on the table next to her.

(Scruffy McTrenchcoat must've placed it there...)

At the subject of Gumshoe, she then wondered where he went off. She heard a beeping sound coming from her bag. She reached over and discovered the source of the sound. It was the locator to her tracking device. The beeping was getting more and more frequent and high-pitched. Even she was starting to get irritated by the sound. She pondered on whether or not she was actually suffocating Gumshoe with this piece of technology. She searched for the power button and switched off the locator. And just in time, the scruffy detective arrived at her door.

"I called up Mr. Edgeworth earlier, sir!" he announced. "I told him what happened at Gatewater and told him that you were here in good condition!"

It seemed he was in high spirits again. He had a smug grin on his face and felt proud of his actions. Franziska looked down at her hands, a bullet in one hand and a tracking device locator on the other. She placed her hands down on the bed and turned to the detective.

"Do you despise me, Scruffy?"

The question took him aback. He scratched the back of his head and displayed his puppy dog-like eyes as if it would convince her that he refused to answer her question.

"Miss Von Karma, if there's anything Mr. Edgeworth taught me in all the years I've worked for him... He's taught me how to be grateful! Sure, he's not afraid of cutting my salary to a point where I'd have to pay to have a job... But after all he went through for me in the past; I swore to serve him through and through! I could never hate the man that saved my life at the court room!"

As heartfelt as Gumshoe thought his speech was, Franziska didn't seem pleased at his answer. It seemed to her like he was avoiding the question.

"I don't remember asking you anything about Miles Edgeworth! I clearly asked about me, you foolishly foolish fool of a detective with your foolish brain and hearing!"

She searched her bag for her whip and the detective could feel her anger from a mile away. When Franziska winced from the stress she caused on her healing shoulder, Gumshoe joined the search for the whip as well.

"D-don't worry, sir! I'll just whip myself!"

As he fiddled through her belongings, she slumped back to her bed and glared at her feet, defeated. When he finally found the whip, the usually proud prosecutor strangely spoke with a still voice.

"Look at me, Scruffy..."

At those words, he stopped moving his hands and turned his attention to the prosecutor.

"I give you pain and misery, physically and mentally. I put you on the edge with a tracking device. I christen you with a demeaning nickname. I leave you at the mercy of my whip... How could you just stand there and take it all in? What did I ever do to you to earn your loyalty?"

Franziska was perplexed at how she just bared her soul to the lowly detective. There was even added confusion when she noticed a smile on his face.

"Aww, sir... Don't you remember? You were there, too! You were there, helping Mr. Edgeworth out with his investigation!"

"Helping?" (He must've misinterpreted our little competition as assistance.)

The memories of that case were flooding back. The memory of joining her father, Manfred Von Karma, in the courthouse to watch Miles Edgeworth in his debut trial came to mind. It was also on that day she first met the scruffy detective who was even more inexperienced than he is now as a detective. He was accused of murdering two men in the Defendant's Lobby which he was assigned to guard. She proposed a competition with her "little brother" in who could piece together the information the fastest.

"So you're grateful to Miles Edgeworth and me because of that one case?"

Gumshoe nodded with a pleased smile.

"In fact, I could never make myself hate you two despite all the stuff you guys put me through. Sure, it hurts my feelings when my salary dips an all-time low or when I get whipped "accidentally" but I try to look at those things positively!"

"How could... How could any non-masochistic human being look at that positively?"

"I just take the salary cuts and whippings as motivation to work extra hard at my job and to avoid mistakes!"

(Well, he's clearly asking for it...)

"Quitting the force never crossed my mind, sir! I get by at work with the hope that maybe one day, you and Mr. Edgeworth would be proud of the man you helped set free! Through all the slashes and lashes, you will always have my loyalty!"

(Ugh. There's that word again. "Helped.")

And just like any member of the force, Gumshoe clicked his heels and saluted Franziska with his right hand placed over his temple. The prosecutor observed his hand and noticed her blood was still there, no sign of being wiped off. She had the urge to crack a smile but she had to maintain her superior image. With her right shoulder still in therapy, she raised her left hand and greeted with a salute in return.

"You best be off, Scruffy. You'll be the first witness tomorrow. Just give me a few hours here and I'll be—AAH!"

Franziska had attempted to rise from her bed but she was still feeling the pain in her shoulder. Gumshoe rushed to her side, concerned at the physical state of his boss.

"Miss Von Karma! I don't think you can be at court tomorrow! You have to stay here!"

"I can't remain in this godforsaken clinic! Matt Engarde must be found 'Guilty' by any means necessary!"

Franziska was right. What's a trial without the prosecution? And then he had a plan.

"You want me to call Mr. Edgeworth, sir? He can take your place tomorrow!"

The prosecutor cringed at the thought. And then she winced in pain. With no other options left, she conceded.

"Fine! Call Miles Edgeworth!"

Gumshoe whooped at the sound of her command. He whipped out his cellphone and started searching for Edgeworth's name.

"Oh boy, just like old times! Miles Edgeworth! Franziska Von Karma! Joining forces! Helping each other to find the truth!"

CRACK!

Franziska's right arm was incapacitated but she mustered enough strength for her left hand to grab the whip and strike at Gumshoe. It was weaker than usual but the suddenness was still enough to scare the detective.

"The Prosecuting Prodigy is helped by no one and helps no one!"

At first, Gumshoe was scared and wide-eyed but he recalled what he said earlier and started to smirk.

"Yes, Miss Von Karma, sir!"

With the cellphone still in hand, he started to shuffle out of the room and left his superior to rest. She waited for him to leave her sight before she could finally bare that pleased look on her face she was holding back from the scruffy detective.