Pippa is at work. I was on my computer doing job applications, so I thought "might as well update our stories." Hope yáll enjoy! :)

Chapter Ten

Miles

I stretch feeling a bit strange in the unfamiliar bed. I look around to remember the events of the past while.

Of course, I'm living with Mr. von Karma now. I met his daughter the night before and her nanny was supposed to wake me up.

I wonder when that is because it looks rather late by how much light is in my room. I look at the clock. It's alright past 10 AM.

He doesn't strike me as the type of person to sleep in so I wonder why I didn't get woken up. I get out of bed fixing the covers before heading to the bathroom and brushing my teeth. I then jump into the shower and wash. It's strange having different products, but they'd been labeled so I knew what was what. I know I'll be expected to learn German, but I'm grateful for the help right now.

Once I'm done my shower, I wrap my towel around myself and go back to my bedroom getting some clothes and getting dressed. I fold my clothes on my pillow then put the towel back in the bathroom.

Then I realize that Missile isn't in my room. I wonder where he is?

I head outside and walk down the hall. I haven't gotten a tour of the house yet, so I'm not sure where I'm going.

I feel a small hand grab mine and I look down at the two-year-old girl who stares up at me with her light grey eyes.

"Hello," she says in halting English.

"Good morning," I reply and when she frowns I add. "Hello Franziska."

"I'm glad to see you're up, Herr Miles, I took the liberty of walking Missile since he was very insistent and going out, but Herr von Karma told me to let the two of you sleep in since you're jetlagged and Franziska was up too late," Edda says walking up to the two of us.

"Thank you very much. I hope he was well behaved."

"Of course. The cook went to the store and got some dog food for him, so you don't have to worry about that."

"I'm glad to hear it."

The little girl stomps her foot, and I look down at her. She's wearing a fancy little black dress with a little silver bow in her hair. It's rather cute even though it blends in with her silver-blue hair.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"I do not know what you are saying," she says pouting.

I can't help but ruffle her hair which makes her duck away from my hand. "Well, I'll learn German one day."

"Good because English is weird!"

"Weird? How so?"

"Not enough letters!"

"Huh? Not enough?"

"Yes!"

"German has four extra letters that don't appear in the English language," Edda clarifies for the little girl.

"Oh, I see, well maybe your language just has to many," I say tickling her.

"No!" she giggles.

"Yup! Sure does!"

"No!" She says stomping her foot.

I laugh a bit and she pouts.

Edda chuckles a bit too. "Well, I'm sure you're both hungry; let's go get some food, Herr von Karma is waiting for the two of you."

"Food!" she exclaims, but turns around and reaches up for me. I wonder what she wants for a second then I pick her up and Edda smiles leading the two of us to the dinning room. It's very nice and put together with a large wooden table in the middle of the room.

"Papa!" Franziska smiles seeing her father sitting at the head of the table. He looks up from the newspaper he was reading.

He has a small conversation with Franziska in German before looking at me. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes sir, thank you for asking. I'm sorry I slept so late."

"It's understandable. The time difference is always hard to adjust to, besides, you've had a trying three months. It'll take you some time to adjust to everything."

"Thank you, sir," I say trying to bow, though it's a bit hard with a two year old clinging to me.

"I can take Franziska now so you can have your breakfast," Edda syas coming over.

She protests in German and I think I hear the words for "little brother" in there as she grabs hold of my shirt even harder.

She and Edda start getting into a discussion in German, and I know how the little girl felt earlier not being able to understand the conversation.

"Franziska," Mr. von Karma finally says. Then tells her something in German.

She pouts shaking her head.

"I can help her if she wants it that badly," I say. I'm not sure why she's so attached to me though. It's a bit strange.

"There is no need for you to do that," Edda says trying to grab Franziska, but the little girl just grabs my shirt even tighter.

Mr. von Karma sighs a bit. "Let him help her; I'm not in the mood to deal with her tantrums right now."

"Of course, Herr von Karma." She says moving the high chair around so that it's next to the chair I'm standing right by. I put the girl in the chair and sit down next to her. She grins at me.

Once were both settled we're given some pancakes with some fresh fruit on them. Franziska's are already cut up into little pieces for her.

"Miles, pleaze," she says and then points to the bottle of syrup in the middle of the table.

"Don't give her too much," Mr. von Karma tells me.

I nod pouring a little bit of syrup on her pancakes and then adding some to mine as well.

"I'm still very grateful that you're letting me stay here, sir," I say after eating a bite of my pancakes. They're actually really good.

He doesn't reply to me right away. "Of course I do expect you to follow the rules of this house."

"Of course, sir," I say eating a strawberry.

"Breakfast is at seven so I expect you to be up and ready by then. I expect you to make your bed and keep your room tidy. I have maids who clean the house, but that's no excuse for being messy."

As if she could understand the English words and wanted to counter her father's words Franziska at that very moment put her hand in the sticky syrup and reached for me.

Edda gently grabs her hand before she can put a sticky mess all over my new shirt and wipes her hand clean. Now I know why she was only allowed a little bit. She may be dressed fancy, but she's just like I've heard any two year old is: she gets into everything and loves making a mess just for fun.

"I'll have Edda show you around the house later, I know you didn't have time to do so yesterday. You can, of course, go anywhere you please, though don't go into my rooms without permission. I do hope your dog is house trained."

"Yes sir, I trained him very well."

"Good, because I won't have him going in the house. I believe he's out in the yard right now. There's an area that is good for him to be able to spread his legs in, but I don't mind him sleeping in your room."

Though maybe not on the bed like he was yesterday? I decide I won't mention that part. I wonder why there's such an area in the yard though? Maybe Mr. von Karma had a dog before? It seems possible.

"I do expect you to be in your room at a certain time, but I'm not going to constantly check up on you, just be sure you're not too loud and that you are able to get up at a decent time. I also ask that you keep the other rooms and things in good condition and put things back where you found them. I have nothing against you borrowing books for example, as long as you keep them clean and put them back where they belong."

Not that I'd be able to read most of his books right now since I can't read German, but maybe he does have some English books? I do wonder. Plus I was going to show Franziska an atlas so I could show her where LA is. Maybe after my tour the two of us will have to see if we can. The girl seems rather attached.

Speaking of which the girl pokes me and I look at her. She holds up a strawberry slice as if she is really proud that she has a strawberry of all things.

"I have a strawberry too," I say holding up my strawberry."

She frowns. "Bigger!"

"Well yes, that's because I'm a big boy, but you have more than I do."

"Mo-re."

"Yup! See, you have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten pieces of strawberry, and I only have one, two strawberries." I ahd more, but I ate them already.

She cocks her head to the side.

"So even though I have bigger ones you have more so if you put them together they'd be the same size."

"Really?"

"Yup! Really!"

She seems to think about this for a while before putting the strawberry in her mouth.

I smile a bit at her before turning back to Mr. von Karma.

"Sorry sir."

"It's fine."

I nod eating the strawberry I'd been showing to Franziska.

"Your free time is yours to do with as you will as long as you do not do anything illegal or damaging. As long as you keep up with your studies that is."

"Yes, sir." I never had any intention of doing anything illegal or crazy anyway. I couldn't make any promises on the crazy part if it was Larry, but with me I've never really been interested in such things.

"Speaking of your studies I do have your information from your previous school, but I would like to test how your skills to see for myself what level you are at. Of course I will arrange for you to have a German tutor so you can better learn the language. Franziska does have an English tutor, though I have considered that you two would be good in terms of educating each other in your native languages. She is still a bit young to be trying to teach though. I will also check in on your lessons as well. I don't have time to fully oversee all your lessons, but I will make sure that you are learning properly and well. Even when you do go to school I will encourage you to learn other skills that will help you in life. If there are any activities you would like more educating in just let me know and I will see what we can do about it."

"Thank you very much sir."

"Of course," he says. "I have to contact some tutors so you have a few days to settle in and get accustomed to the routine and the house. I expect you to get started with your lessons this Monday."

So I have a week to get settled, that shouldn't be too bad.

"Edda can take you into town for anything you may want or need for you to be settled in properly as well."

I nod. "Thank you, sir. You are very kind."

I finish my breakfast in silence and look at the little girl who's still playing with her pancakes.

"Aren't you going to finish your food, little Franziska?"

"Not little!"

"Okay, okay, big sister."

"Not enough syrup."

"Well maybe if you didn't try to attack me with it earlier you would have had more."

"More!"

"Well that is how you use that word, but you won't get anything like that."

"More pleaze."

I look over at her father to see if I can give her a bit more syrup. He nods a bit and I pour a little bit more over the remaining pancakes.

She digs in again finishing her plate.

"Gone."

"Yup, you ate it all."

"Play!"

"Well I have to see the house first, and get some things I might need first, but we can play later."

She looks at her father telling him something and he responds to her. She bounces a bit in her seat grinning at me.

"I will show you, little brother."

"Alright, alright," I say and after getting excused from the table I pick her up. "But first we'll have to get your hands and face cleaned."

She just giggles holding onto my shirt. Maybe this won't be too bad.

Franziska

I hold my little brother's hand as Edda helps me show him around the house.

I love my house so much. It's so pretty. The garden is also just the best too. It's so nice and full of all sorts of flowers. One day I'll know the names of all the flowers in the garden.

Missile woofs at us when we go past his little run area. He seems to like it in there. I wonder if my horse will like the barn and the little area that it gets to run in as well. When of course I get a horse of my own.

Papa says I have to be a older, but I'm already a big girl. I can do things all on my own!

At least he's letting me take riding lessons, but the pony I have to ride is so slow. I don't want to be mean to it, but it's just that it never wants to do anything. It just keeps trying to eat the grass. I just want to run free on a horse. That would be the best. But Papa says I'm not ready for that yet, and so does my trainer, so I guess I'm not.

But I feel like I am, maybe Miles will let me ride on his back and he can run around.

Edda does that for me sometimes so I'll tell Miles to as well, and he'll listen because he is my little brother and he has to do what I say.

With that thought in mind we go back indoors to see the rest of the house. I'm not sure why we did the outside first, but still. We head through the house looking at the different rooms.

We look at Papa's rooms, but we don't go in. That's his space, and no one is allowed in unless he says so. That's the rule! I will whip anyone who breaks the rules!

I do of course have my trusty cop with me for just that purpose.

We go through the dining room and the kitchen. Edda tells Miles that on normal occasions he needs to bring his dishes into the kitchen to be washed up.

At least I think that's what she's saying. I'd be a lot better at giving him this tour if he was able to speak German. I don't understand why he has to speak that weird language with letters missing.

He dared tell me that maybe my language has too many, but just like my Papa German is a perfect language. Therefore it couldn't possibly have too many letters.

No! English is the language that's wrong!

But Papa says I have to learn the language and he's always right so I suppose I have to do as we says to do. Even if I dont' really like it that much.

We next go to the study. It's where we have most of our tutor lessons. Papa has a desk in here, but he doesn't really use it that much unless he's supervising our lessons. Most of the time the tutors just use that desk instead. I know because I've had my English lessons here.

My tutor's okay, but she thinks she knows everything, and that if I tell her I think she's wrong, she gets all upset. It's rather annoying actually. I wish I could just learn from Miles. I'd teach him German!

Then again I can't imagine Miles sitting at that big desk. He wouldn't even reach over the edge even in the chair. I mean he's not that short, but he's still little.

The other table in the room is where I sit right in front of the bookshelf. It has two chairs now, and I know Miles will probably join me there. I think that's where we'll do our homework when we get some from school. I've heard kids in town talking about it. I don't really get why it's so bad. I mean, of course you have to practice, how else are you supposed to be perfect.

That's what Papa says at least.

Next I show him our personal library. I love this room. It's got so many nice books to look at. Of course I don't know much about a lot of them, but I still love looking. There's also a table in here for reading and things like that.

"Hey, Franziska, you want to see where LA is?"

I look up at my little brother. "The place you are from?"

"Yes," he says walking over to the globe on one of the bookshelves. He takes it down and puts it on the table.

I jump onto the chair getting on my knees.

"Where?"

"See that?" he asks pointing to a spot.

"What is that?"

"That's where we are right now, that's Germany."

"Oh."

"And this," he says turning the globe and pointing to another spot, "is where I lived. The United States of America. I'd have to show you a map of the US to really show you, but California is right here."

"So how did you get here?"

"We took a plane from here," he puts a finger to the spot and traced it over the globe to the first place he showed, "to here."

"Oh, I want to go in plane."

"Well maybe you'll be able to one day."

"Yay! Does that mean I'll get to see your home."

"That'd be fun. Then you could meet my friends."

"You think the would like me?"

"Sure," he says with a smile.

"Do you like me, Miles?"

"Of course I do."

"So when we're done with your tour you will play with me?"

"Sure," he says messing up my hair again. Edda made it nice and neat and now he's playing with it.

Even so I'm more happy that he's going to play with me. "Yay! You be my horsey."

"I thought you were already riding one."

"Yes, but he is no fun!"

"Well, alright," he says kneeling down and letting me get up on his back. "How about you stay up there for the rest of the tour."

"Yay!"

We carry on through the house. When we get to the living room I look at the giant piano in one of the corners.

"Can you play, Miles?"

"I know a little bit, but I'm not very good at it yet. I was thinking I might want to take lessons."

"Oh, me too," I decide.

"Are you going to do everything that I do?" he teases.

"No! I decided first!"

"Did you now?"

"Yes! I'm the big sister so that means that I am always first!"

"Oh?" he asks swinging me off his back and tickling me.

I giggle squirming.

"Little brother!"

"Little brother."

"Little… bro-z-er."

"Almost."

I frown, almost isn't good enough! What is that sound? I don't get it. His name is confusing as well.

"It's okay, it takes time. I know I'm not going to get German right away either. That's why I have to learn."

"I know about learning!"

"Alright, you sassy little girl."

I scowl at him as we go on the rest of the tour. My little brother will probably get lost along the way so I'll have to help him out as best I can. Though I'll have to make sure Edda comes along so that he'll know how foolish he is when he does get lost.

"Now we play!" I say pulling him towards my room.

"Play what?"

"Umm… court! No one can ever play court with me! No one knows how to play, but your Papa went to ourt so you should know how to play court properly."

"Oh, well how do we do that?"

"Look." I go to my closet and with some help from Edda get out the model court-room that I have. I grab stuffed animals from my box putting my horsey at the prosecutor's bench and the jaguar at the defense bench. I take my hammerhead shark and set him where the judge is supposed to go.

"Oh, I see, does the defense have an assistant?"

Yeah, they usually do need an assistant don't they? I guess it's because they aren't as perfect. I think about it for a bit and grab my toucan putting it next to the jaguar.

"As for the detective… umm…" I grab a racocoon plush. It's one of my oldest toys. I think it was Mama's when she was really little.

But Mama isn't here anymore, at least that's what Papa said.

"We need a victim too."

"Umm… how about lizard?"

"We'd also need a defendant and witnesses."

"Sealion's the defendant, and umm… monkey, and starfish are the witnesses."

"You really have a lot of animals."

"That's because animals are amazing. I love them so much!":

"I'm glad. So we should now plan out the case."

"Yay!" I say setting up some of my other animals to be the riff raff. Then we sit down across from each other to start playing court.

Manfred

It seems Franziska has grown quite attached to Edgeworth. It's a rather unforeseen turn of events, but I suppose I can't blame her. He's the closest to her age in the whole house.

Him talking to her in English seems to have some benefit as well as she's having to learn the language as much as he is learning German.

They do say learning from a native speaker is the best way to learn a new language. Perhaps once she is older they can really start teaching each other.

It would certainly save some time.

I look down at Edgeworth's school reports. The only thing he's really bad in is art, and even that he's pretty decent in some areas. He seems quite intelligent and talented.

If he was able to become a prosecutor his skills would be incredible.

It's almost a shame he dreams of being a defense attorney.

No… perhaps shame isn't the right word to describe it…

What is it?

Am I…

No, there is no way that could be possible.

I would not be intimidated by a mere child!

By the mere child of a defense attorney!

I smack my fist against my table in my private office and hiss grabbing my arm as the pain stabs through it.

This is beyond ridiculous.

I can not allow such foolish lines of thought ot persist. What is the matter with me?

Why did I adopt this child in the first place?

What is my plan?

What am I even doing?

I'm spending money and resources on a child who might one day…

And maybe that's it. Maybe that's what I…

I really need to clear my thoughts of all this foolishness.

I stand up leaving my study and walk through the house for a bit, until I get to Franziska's room. I watch as the two kids play "court".

Franziska always complained that no one was "smart" enough to do it with her. They just didn't have the knowledge about law that would allow them to play right.

Though she had very limited knowledge herself, she always enjoyed hearing stories about my cases, so she understood enough.

She of course was playing the prosecutor while Edgeworth was stuck playing the defense.

Edda did her best to try and translate for the two of them, but it was clear she was a bit stuck on some of the words. Especially when Miles was using legal words he clearly picked up from his father.

I wonder if I should perhaps save the woman from the trouble and do it for her. It might actually give me some idea of how good the young boy was.

I did want to test him and see how well he was able to react to certain situations so perhaps this would be a good time to see what he can actually do.

To see what he learned from Gregory Edgeworth?

No, that was just foolish.

Though he was playing the role of the defense so perhaps that would be exactly what I would see.

He was certainly doing his best to get his point across trying to defend his "client".

He was focused, grey eyes serious and determined.

That look in his eyes was so much like…

Why… why is this still…

Perhaps I should just leave before I start thinking foolishly again.

Then Edda gets stuck on a word. I'm surprised Miles even knows the word. It's not a very easy word.

"Postmortem," I say in German.

The two kids and Edda jump a bit turning to look at me.

"Papa!" Franziska cheers jumping up and running over to me. She hugs me and I pick her up in my arms making sure to keep her on my left.

"Hello sir," Edgeworth says standing up and bowing a little bit.

"Herr von Karma," Edda says politely.

"How long have you been there, Papa?" Franziska asks.

"Not too long, I see you finally found someone to play court with."

"Yes! Miles is the best! He is really good!"

After the message is relayed to Edgeworth he blushes a bit. "I mean… I just know what my father taught me is all…"

"Papa! Papa! Will you help! Edda doesn't know all the words Miles is trying to say in his silly language!"

Edda looks extremely embarrassed by that. "I apologize."

"I can't expect you to know some of the things he is saying. I'm surprised even he knows those words."

"Really? So my little brother is smart?"

"It would seem to be the case. Well I will help you two for now."

"Yay! Yay!" Franziska says getting down and jumping up and down.

"Thank you, sir." Edgeworth says bowing again and sitting back down

Franziska runs back over to her spot and sitting down.

I grab her chair from her desk and sit down watching the two of them and translating.

The "case" is long and hard with both of them arguing back and forth. I wonder if giving them an actual mock truial script would be an interesting idea. Nothing too serious, but something more directed than this game they came up with on the spot.

It sounds a bit like one of the more tame caes I told Franziska about. Nothing too dangerous or horrific. Just a simple case that had been over very quickly.

Of course the attorney for that case had been a foolish man who had no idea what he was really doing. He wasn't even really prepared for court at all.

The defendant would have been better off defending himself.

But in this case the boy across from Franziska was paying attention. He listened to every argument made, and argued back. He was attentive to every different thing.

If this boy ever become a prosecutor…

But if he because a defense attorney who knows how far he'd go.

This boy has promise, I'll give him that. He has a lot of potential. Though I haven't seen what potential he has to be a prosecutor yet

It's still far too early to see where the path will lead him, and what he will be able to achieve. Still to early to know how to deal with this situation we've found ourselves in.

But there is one thing for certain.

This boy… is certainly Gregory Edgeworth's son.

Translations:

German→English:

Japanese→English:

Preview

Phoenix

"Yes, Magenta is just a type of pink."

He makes a kind of funny face as if just realizing that face. "Well," he says composing himself. "If we're going to talk about that we should go based on the current state of affairs."

Why does he have to speak so eloquently? Then something occurs to me. "So… you're the girly one?"