DECEMBER 2016, PRISON LAKE, 4:32PM
This is ridiculous weather to be outside on a boat.
This thought crossed Dahlia's mind as she made her way to the miniature lake in the prison yard, Frank Sahwit just two steps behind. The lake had been implemented last year (at Dahlia's request) so she could have a place to watch the sun travel across the sky. There was the swimming pool at the other end of the complex, but it was indoors, and the other inmates tended to hog the pool. Dahlia greatly valued her privacy. Maybe she wouldn't have committed so many crimes if people had simply left her alone.
Dahlia chuckled at the thought, then focused her mind on the task at hand. It was New Year's Eve, a light snow was falling, and the freezing temperature forced Dahlia to wear one of her fur coats. But there was one man sleeping on a boat, dead centre in the middle of the lake, without a care in the world.
Yanni Yogi.
The man who had his life ruined fifteen years ago in the DL-6 Incident, then was forced to play the part of a broken man for the rest of his days. Dahlia didn't expect to learn much from such a fool. Redd White had already told her everything regarding DL-6 that she needed to know. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask. And she really did like her lake.
'Push the boat out, Frank. I'll row to him.'
'Are you sure? I'd be happy to-'
'I wish to talk with him alone, Frank.'
Sahwit did as instructed. Dahlia got into position as he pushed her into the water. Dahlia took up the oar and expertly rowed around the rock formations dotted around the lake. She'd had plenty of practice doing so after the lake's construction. In no time at all, her boat was floating side by side with Yogi's.
He was still asleep, and the parrot from the trial was resting at the boat's edge. Dahlia had no interest in waiting for him to wake up. Carefully, she pulled the oar out of the lake, balanced some water on top, raised it above Yogi's head and poured it right on his face.
'WHAT THE HECK!' Yogi screamed, jumping out of his slumber and almost falling head-first into the water. The parrot didn't move. Yogi frantically scanned the area and noted Dahlia's presence by his side.
'Now see here young missy, it's unpolite to... wait a minute...' Yogi's voice faltered away, taking a closer look at Dahlia. She had a feeling she knew what was coming.
'Meg, is that you?'
Dahlia had no time for this.
'I'm not Meg you blithering idiot, now drop the act and talk to me normally.'
Yogi smiled. He sat straight up and a serious expression crossed his face. The parrot seemed to note this change in demeanour, as it opened its eyes to watch the exchange.
'You don't waste any time, do you young lady? Forgive me, I'm so used to acting like a simple-minded old man that it's become... almost comforting to me. I assume you have something to ask me?'
'Nothing in particular. I'm looking for information on Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey. Anything you can tell me that isn't on the news?'
'Not especially. They seemed like a nice enough couple to me.'
Dahlia raised an eyebrow, 'They're a couple?'
'Well, they didn't say it out loud, but I certainly got that impression.' Yogi noted Dahlia's reaction, and smiled again, 'Ah, I see now. Mr. Wright dumped you for Ms. Fey and now you're looking for payback?'
Dahlia was disgusted at the idea, 'Of course not. I couldn't care less who Feenie dates.'
'Feenie, huh? Cute nickname.'
She'd had enough of this nonsense. It's true she had dated Feenie once, but not out of any physical attraction to the man. Plus Iris did most of the work.
'This conversation bores me. I'll be leaving now.' Dahlia went to steer the boat back to land when she noted the parrot looking at her. Out of curiosity she asked, 'Am I forgetting anything, Polly?'
'squawk, Don't forget von Karma, squawk.'
'Hmm, that prosecutor must've re-trained Polly to say his name. Wonder why he did that.' Yogi said, getting ready to go back to sleep.
'I'll be sure to ask when I see him later today.'
DECEMBER 2016, PRISON LIBRARY, 5:05 PM
Dahlia was never a fan of this library. Most of the books were dull self-help reads designed to help the inmates rehabilitate and become model citizens. Dahlia figured she had little chance of seeing the outside world again, so there was no point in bettering herself, right? But the person she was looking for happened to be here, so she endured the stuffy atmosphere and entered the room.
He was in the reading section, and wearing the same ridiculous Victorian-era garb he had worn during the trial. The title of his book was some German nonsense Dahlia couldn't understand, and it looked like he was barely halfway through, and Dahlia didn't feel like waiting:
'Manfred von Karma, I presume?'
'What do you want?' von Karma grunted, not taking his eyes off the novel.
Dahlia couldn't help but tease the man, 'I just wanted to congratulate you on not only losing your perfect win record, but failing miserably in your quest for revenge against Miles Edgeworth. Tell me, how do you feel right now?'
Manfred wasn't fazed, 'At the moment, I feel curious that criminal scum such as yourself thinks they can criticise a von Karma. I may have failed, but I have accomplished more in my life than you could ever dream of, girl. Now get out of my sight.'
Dahlia was just about ready to smack this stupid old man across the head, but she controlled herself. She needed him on her side.
'Oh my, Mr. von Karma. I apologise. I didn't know you were so quick to anger.'
'You hear anger in my voice? I'm simply trying to rid myself of an annoying pest.'
'Answer a simple question and I'll leave you be. What do you know of Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey?'
'Wright? That's the bug of a defense attorney that I faced in my last trial. And Maya Fey was his assistant, I believe.'
Dahlia waited for more, but von Karma had gone back to reading.
'That's it?' she asked incredulously.
'What did you expect? My goal was destroying Edgeworth, those two didn't matter.'
'Argh, this is useless! How am I supposed to get my revenge at this rate?!'
Manfred looked up at her for the first time, 'You want revenge?'
'I do. Well, the one I really want revenge on is dead, so I have to make do with those two. But how can I do anything from in here? Maybe I should just give up and-'
'You should NEVER give up on revenge!'
Manfred stood up suddenly, almost knocking Dahlia off her chair. She hadn't expected this kind of outburst.
'Excuse me?'
'If someone has wronged you, then you do everything in your power to make them suffer. That is the von Karma way!'
'Yes, well, I'm not a von Karma so-'
'It matters not! Wright and Fey foiled my plan, so I will now help you gain your revenge against them! Tell me everything you know so far.'
And so, inexplicably, Dahlia Hawthorne found herself discussing her entire criminal history with Manfred von Karma. Everything, from the very first jewel heist with Terry and Valerie, to her defeat in court at the hands of Mia Fey. Manfred listened patiently, asked questions every now and then, and even offered his own suggestions for Dahlia to use. Their conversation went long into the evening, and before she knew it, the guard was calling for everyone to return to their cells for the ten o'clock curfew.
'Thank you for your assistance, Mr. von Karma. It's nice to talk with someone as passionate about revenge as I am.'
'No need to thank me. When I see a plan for revenge, I simply must ensure it goes as perfectly as possible. I'm only sorry I couldn't be of more help.'
'Nonsense, you've given me an excellent lead. I'll let you know how it goes. Can we talk again later?'
Manfred von Karma nodded curtly, then left the library to return to his cell. Dahlia followed suit, their long conversation still rolling around in her mind. von Karma had given her an excellent idea, but it would be difficult to carry out.
The first step would be contacting her mother; Morgan Fey.
