Chapter Nine: I Meant It (Kristoph Gavin)


Time: Five days after Apollo's death

Location: Prison yard


For his last visit to his brother, Klavier was understandably emotional. Understandably, but what a weak fool he was. Kristoph had never cared much for emotion before prison, and while in prison, he had discarded it entirely. Or so he thought.

But now, standing on the platform, staring at a faceless crowd in the prison yard while the executioner slid a noose over his neck, Kristoph Gavin felt a single tear slide down his cheek.

It wasn't for fear of death. He had known that this day would come for quite some time now. It wasn't for his brother's grief. For God's sake, the man was mourning a convicted killer on death row. As far as Kristoph was concerned, his end could not come too soon, and good riddance too. No, the tear was for the boy.

Justice. Why did Kristoph even care about him? After all, Justice had sided with Wright. Justice had betrayed him. Betrayed the law. By all rights, Kristoph shouldn't care about him at all. Should not care at all that he was dead. So why did he?

Kristoph shook his head as another tear fell. Simpleton. The reason was obvious; deep down, he still cared for his protégé, the boy he had trained to become a successful lawyer. Memories of Justice's time at the Gavin Law Offices began to surface...


When Kristoph answered the door, the young man who had rung was almost in tears. "Please, sir, you have to help me!" he managed to utter. "All other law offices I've been to have turned me down. You're my last hope as a lawyer!" Kristoph hadn't known why the other offices would turn him down at the time - although he suspected the hair - and while he generally adhered to a strict standard for his protégés, the young Apollo's earnestness took him aback, and he agreed to give the boy a chance.

Another tear fell...

As Kristoph packed up and prepared to go home after a particularly long day, he noticed that his gigantic stack of paperwork had disappeared. He later discovered it neatly filed in his filing cabinet, next to a snoring Apollo who had collapsed on the floor next to the cabinet. An amused smile played on his lips as he lifted Apollo up onto the couch before leaving.

...and another...

Kristoph had, of course, enquired as to why Apollo so feverishly pursued lawyering. It turned out that it had nothing to do with money or fame, like most attorneys these days; it was a matter of hero worship. He wanted to clear the name of Phoenix Wright. At the mention of that accursed name, Kristoph almost frowned, but managed to keep his poker face.

...and another...

On the day before Apollo's first trial, Kristoph had decided to reward his student for his hard work. They had gone to a restaurant and enjoyed a delicious meal, before visiting the Wonder Bar to view a magic show. The magician girl's name was Wright. Of course, Kristoph had had an ulterior motive. She was suspiciously similar to Gramarye's daughter. Still, he put on an amused face for Apollo. Still, before they parted, Kristoph gave his protégé one of his rare, honest smiles and told him that he was proud of him. And he meant it.

...until at last, they came no more. The official read his charges monotonously, and the executioner put his hand on the lever.

Kristoph saw his brother's face in the audience. He looked like he had wept again. Kristoph tried to catch his eye, but Klavier remained fixated upon the crossbeam of the gallows.

An order was shouted. The lever was pulled, and then the floor disappeared underneath Kristoph's feet. During the short, stomach-churning drop, he had time to think three words. I meant it.

Then the rope pulled taut, there was a sickening crack, and then nothingness.


Author's note:

I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter. Kristoph was pretty difficult to write for, and maybe I'm humanizing my Big Bads a little too much here. What do you think?