Updating for Pippa since I did for Thunder. Today is my birthday. A lot of shit has been happening for sure. Pippa hasn't been writing at all, but she still has a few chapters left until she has to stop updating :)

Chapter Thirteen

Larry

I stare after Phoenix. What did he expect me to say? I mean people leave you all the time, right?

I know he misses Edgey and I do too, but the days of us playing samurai together has gone a long time ago.

Then again I guess I should fix this, if I don't I may lose Phoenix too, and I really don't want to do that.

I don't want to be alone anymore. I know I became their friend because I'm a bit of an idiot. I mean I stole Edgey's money and then Phoenix got blamed. I didn't expect him to get blamed so I decided I should stand up for him because Edgey was and it just wasn't fair.

They had no proof they were just ganging up on poor Phoenix.

I guess I should have onfessed, but I just didn't know how.

I don't even know how to tell Phoenix and Edgey the truth. Maybe Illl be able to repay them someday, but right now I can just live with that they don't seem to care.

I head out to find Phoenix sitting under a tree. I walk up to him.

"Hey man, I'm sorry about earlier."

"It's okay, I'm sorry I hit you," he says looking up as I sit down next to him.

"Nah, it's fine. I probably deserved it."

"I mean, I know you're right that Miles hasn't contacted us in a while, but he's probably just adjusting."

"I just wish he'd given us an address to write to him with, you know? I mean that would have been nice."

"Maybe he just didn't know where he'd be livign. I mean my mother said that adoption is really crazy and you sometimes never know when or where someone will adopt you."

"You mean you were adopted?"

"No, mom was."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, she says she doesn't mind."

"How did you even know?"

"I told her about how I miss Miles and she told me about it, you know? I guess he wanted me to feel better."

"Did she miss her friends too?"

"Yeah, she did, but luckily for her she only moved to a different state so it wasn't that big of a deal."

"So where do you think Miles moved?"

"Dunno, I mean since we haven't heard from him, maybe it's somewhere far away."

"You think he's gone to Europe, I've always wanted to go to Europe."

"You have?"

"Yeah, maybe one day I can travel the world!"

"You'll need money for that, Larry."

"Yeah, I know that, but you'll see, one day I'll have more money that Edgey!" I mean he's clearly rich, not that I blame him for that, but he was always well off.

"I wouldn't mind traveling either, though I don't like heights so I'd rather go by boat."

"But that would take forever, and what kind of Phoenix can't fly? 'Sides isn't your name like those guys that made the plane or something?"

"You mean the Wright Brothers. Why does everyone ask me that?"

"Cause you're named after a bird and you have that last name, silly!"

"I don't like heights, it's not my fault, I didn't ask for my nape."

"I mean if a Phoenix is a fire bird then wouldn't you hate water not heights."

"Larry!"

"Sorry, sorry," I say. "I'm just teasing, man."

"I know, but what if he did go to Europe?"

"Well that would be kinda cool, right? I mean, isn't he from Italy or something?"

"No, his family is British, so he's from England."

"Isn't that right next to Italy?"

"No, I think you're thinking about Ireland, Ireland is right next to England."

"Oh, right! I forgot! Italy is that boot country!"

"Yeah," he laughs. "Of course you'd focus on the shape."

"Yeah, I mean that's all I'm good at. I'm not good at eography so may as well make myself useful with something."

"So you going to pursue art when you're older?"

"Meh, I don't know. School just isn't my thing." and it's not like my family would have the money to send me to college.

"You don't need to go to school to do art, you know. I mean you just have to draw and stuff like that."

"Come on, man, you sound like Edgey, art is way more than just putting pen to paper."

"I know, you need inspiration. You need the spark."

"Yeah! Hey speaking of drawings!" I pick up the paper he'd been writing and look at the small drawing at the bottom."

"Hey!" he exclaims reaching for it and blushing a bit..

"Nuh-uhh, let me see!" I say moving away a bit so I can look at the drawing of the three of us. "Aww, it's so cute!"

"Larry! I just…"

"See, you got some talent, man! I wanna draw something for Edgey too!"

"Maybe you should. Mom said that sometimes writing or drawing is a good way to get your feelings out so that's why I've been writing to Miles. Even though he may never see these letters they make me feel better.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense…"

Maybe I will start drawing as well. I mean it can't hurt, right?

"Thanks, man."

"It's okay, Larry, I mean we're still friends, right?"

"Of course!" I say handing the paper back to him.

Before I do I notice something at the end:

P.S. You're still the girly one, but I don't care.

What's that supposed to mean?

Miles

I tap my pen against the paper on my desk. It's my free time after all my lessons and studying. I've got all my work done, and now I have time for myself. Franziska's having her nap so I'm left all on my own.

I look down at the pen. It's just a ball-point pen, but it's a lot nicer than the usual plastic kinds you can get from the dollar store. Mr. von Karma apparently believed that you should always have good writing implements and there was no point in buying ones that died after you used them for a day.

One day I wonder if I can have a quill pen like my father used to. Though he wasn't the best at writing. I mean he was alright, but his hand-writing was kind of poor.

Though I guess I'm not old enough for anything too fancy, but maybe one day?

I look down at the paper in front of me. What am I going to do?

Maybe I can write a letter to Phoenix and Larry?

I wonder if Mr. von Karma would let me mail such a letter? I mean they are my old friends.

Well, either way, it wouldn't hurt to put pen to prepare.

Dear Phoenix and Larry

No, should they have different letters? I mean there are some things I might want to say to one, but not the other, yeah, maybe that's the best idea.

Dear Phoenix

How are you? I hope you are well. I'm just writing to form you that I am well.

I stop looking down at my words. Larry would say I'm being "stuffy" as usual if I write like this.

I move to start again.

Hi Phoenix

How are you? I'm okay. I'm sorry I had to move away so suddenly. I didn't mean to. It was just very hard. The time just moved so fast for me, and I'm still trying to figure things out. I don't know why I haven't tried for the last year. I guess I just wasn't sure what to say, and how to say it. To be honest I'm not very good at this kind of thing.

I know I've moved really far away. I'm living in Germany right now after all. It's very interesting living in the von Karma household.

He's a prosecutor by the way. He's a very good one too. That's like the opposite of a defense attorney.

Anyway, he's kind of scary, but he's not all that bad. He has a two-year old daughter. Her name is Franziska. She's a total sass, but she's alright. Apparently now I'm going to be her English tutor when her old one quit. Something about not wanting to deal with smart-alik kids.

Missile is well as well. He has a nice little yard he can run around in, and Franziska really likes him as well.

I'm learning German too, it's kind of hard, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. I can't start school until I've learned how to be good at German. Apparently no school that has English as a first language is good enough.

Anyway, I hope you're doing well and keeping Larry out of trouble. I'll do my best to write to you as I can.

Your friend,

Miles Edgeworth

I close my eyes staring down at the paper. It's not that bad of a letter really. I hope it'll be good.

Now what would I even write to him?

It's not that I don't care about Larry, I mean I like him well enough. He's a fool, but he means well.

I mean we did always say "when something smells it's usually the Butz", but often it's not his fault.

Though I have a feeling that he may have stolen my money. I mean he wasn't ins school that day so that would give him the opportunity to come in when no one was paying attention.

People overlook him because he was absent, but that really just means he doesn't have an alibi for the crime.

Still, I suppose it doesn't matter. Let's start this.

Hello Larry,

How are you? I hope you've been behaving yourself. I'm alright. I had to move to Germany so I can't keep an eye on you. I have a "sister" now. Apparently she's convinced him her "little" brother. She's the daughter of the man who adopted me. Her name is Franziska. She's only two, but she's pretty smart. I have to teach her English.

She'd certainly keep you in line as well. I hope you're doing alright in school since I can't help you with your homework anymore. You're smarter than you give yourself credit for so don't think you're stupid.

I mean you're better at art than I am for certain so you should harnass that as best you can.

What else can I say to him? It's really hard to know hat to say to the guy.

Yours,

Miles Edgeworth

I stare at the two letters. Am I sure I want to send them? I mean they'll probably just be annoyed or something.

Really I'm not good at this kind of thing.

Talking to people is hard enough, but writing letters?

What were you even supposed to say? Why would you do this? I mean what if they don't get it? What if it takes them months to even get them, and then they take months to reply? It's not like I would know if they even got them or not.

And why would it matter anyway? They had each other.

I was always the odd one. Sure Phoenix invited me over, and we had some fun, but I always feel so awkward around them.

It's not because they aren't as smart as me, but because they're so open about what they like. I mean they just shout about the Signal Samurai like it's not big deal.

I know it shouldn't matter, but it's just so embarrassing.

Yet nothing seems to embarrass those two. They're just so good at expressing what they want and what they like.

I couldn't even ask Father to buy me that Singal Samurai figure that I wanted back last Holiday.

He'd done it anyway. I guess he caught me staring through the window of a shop one day when we were heading home.

Then again I kept it in a drawer these days. I suppose I'm embarrassede or worried, or both. I mean I don't want Franzizka breaking it.

Not that she would mean to, but…

Larry and Phoenix always know what to say, and how to say it. I'm just really awkward around people.

Even now reading the letter to Larry I sigh. Why did I bring up school? Who does that?

I ven brought it up with Phoenix as well. Who cares about that right now?

Father would just tell me I'm over-thinking things again. He'd say I do that a lot and that I should just say it.

I would tell him it's hard and he would pick me up and tell me that it may be, but the truth will come out, and that I just have to believe in myself.

Father…

Before I even really know what I'm doing I start to write again.

Father

I miss you. I still can't believe you're actually gone. Sometiems I think it's just a bad dream, but I know it's not. I know your'e gone. I'm really scared to be honest. I mean what if I… I keep having this dream that I'm the reason you're gone. I know you'd say I'm just being silly, but it just keeps haunting me. That scream… it keeeps haunting me.

But you said it was the Bailliff, so why didn't he get the guilty verdict? I don't understand. Everyone was saying that medium was a fraud so was she?

I mean to be fair there is no science be3hind this sterange ability so maybe… maybe she was wrong, but why would she lie? What would she have to lie about? I mean why would she say that Yogi did it if he didn't?

I miss my friends too. I wonder if I had them if I'd feel a lot better, but I don't. I'm here and it's very strange. I mean I don't mind being here, and I'm very grateful for Mr. von Karma, but…

It's just not the same, Father. It's just not like it used to be. I mean Franziska is cute and Mr. von Karma is not so bad, but he is very strict. Yet, I just wish you were here with me instead.

I mean what am I supposed to do? I can't really talk about you to them. I mean Mr. von Karma knew you a bit, but only as a rival. I'm trying to keep an open mind even if he seems to dislike you.

Still… I'm not sure what I want anymore. I've always wanted to be a defense attorney, but here lately I've been thinking…

No one seems to care about your case or the fact the criminal got off free. I dont' know. I dont' want to abandon anyone, but I just…

I wanted to protect people like you did, but I'm wondering if I can. If I can defend people like the person who hurt you.

And also, I wonder if I just want to punish msyself because of my nightmares.

I gues it's too hearly to know, Father. I guess I can't say whether or not I want to even go into law at all. Maybe I should just stop.

But you always taught me better than that. You taught me tokeep going no matter what. So I can't just stop becuase it's hard.

I won't stop, I promise. I'll nver stop trying to be the best that I can be. I just hope you can be proud of me. I would ahte to let you down.

I love you so much, Father. I wish I could just see you once more, but I know that's not possible.

I miss you

Miles

I feel tears sting my eyes and drop onto the paper blotching a little bit of the ink. I shake my head shoving the paper into a drawer. Enough of this. I need to be strong, and this is just…

I don't want to think about the nightmares right now!

Why did I even start writing letters in the first place?

Get a grip, Miles!

I'm broken out of my thoughts by a knock at the door.

I get up to open it and see the little girl horse plushy in hand. It's not time for her to be awake yet, at least I don't' think so.

"Franziska?"

"I had a nightmare, little brother."

Franziska

"A bad dream?" he asks. His pronunciation of German is still bad, but I'll let it slide.

I nod. "Yes, so let me in."

"Why didn't you go see Edda?"

I stomp my foot. "Because I want little brother!"

"Alright, alright," he says stepping aside.

I head into his room crawling into the bed.

He follows me sitting on the bed pushing the covers aside a little bit. "So do you want to tell me what you dreamed about?"

"Mama…" I whisper.

He pulls me close so my head is laying on his chest. He runs his fingers through my hair softly.

"Need to talk about it?"

"Mama was going, but I couldn't catch her, but I just kept going and going, but she just was…"

"Oh, I see, so you felt like your mom was leaving you, and you couldn't catch her."

I nod.

"I haven't ever seen your mother."

"Papa said she's gone now."

"Gone?"

"That is all Papa said," I say snuggling close r to him. "I just…"

"I know it's hard," he says. "But some nightmares are just nightmares, they're not real."

"But Mama is gone!"

"Yes, I know that, but there must be some explanation for her disappearance."

"Like what?"

"I don't know right now? But I doubt it was because of you."

I sniff. How would he know? He doesn't know Mama!

"How were your horse lessons today?"

"They were fun. I really liked my new horse."

"That's good. You really like horses huh?"

"Yeah! They're the best!" I declare hugging my horse as welll as gripping his shirt.

"I'm glad you like them so much."

I nod closing my eyes. I feel a bit sleepy, but I'm really actually awake. I don't need naps! Papa says I do, but I don't!

My little brother rubs my back gently.

"You won't leave me, right little brother?"

"Huh?"

"You better not leave me or I'll whip you with my crop."

"I'm not going to leave you, you sassy girl," he says gently.

We stay that way in silence for a bit. Maybe I have to come here more often. I like hearing Miles' heart and being close to him. He's so nice to be around.

Not that I'm going to tell him that. He'd just laugh at me.

Still if he won't leave me then that's good. I don't want him to leave. I know why Papa always has to go to work, but at least he comes back.

Mama never came back. Mama was just gone. She told me I had a sister, but she's also gone. Why is everyone leaving me?

That's why I had to stay up late when Papa was supposed to come back.

I had to make sure that he was alright, and wouldn't leave me.

But Pap won't leave me because he's great!

And he even got me a little brother! So who needs a big sister anyway?

I mean little brother is amazing. He plays court with me, and he's actually good at it. He also tells me about things hes reading.

Sometimes I think I'm bothering him, but I think he likes it.

I look up at him. "Little brother?"

"Yes?"

"Have you been crying?"

He wipes his face with his hand. "Oh, umm.. No, I mean it's nothing."

"You're lying," I mutter. Maybe it's just another thing I'm not allowed to know about because I'm too little or something.

"Okay, I was crying a little bit, but it's not that big of a deal."

"Did one of your tutors get mad at you? I can whip them or tell Papa to fire them."

"No, no, it's nothing like that. I just miss my father is all."

I stare at him for a while. "Miles."

"Yes?"

"If your Papa was here would you still want to be my little brother?"

He looks down at me. "Huh? Of course I would."

"You mean that? I mean, even if you didn't live here would you still want to be around me and play with me?"

"I mean it. I don't say things I don't mean, silly."

"Would you still be my little brother if you becamse a defense attorney?"

"Yes."

"Would you ever leave me?"

"No, never."

"Do you like being my little brother?"

"Yup, Sass."

"Am I special to you?"

"You sure are."

"Would you watch my first case?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I'd watch your first case too."

"Thanks."

"And I love that you're my little brother."

"Oh is that so?":

I nod. "And I would never abandon you either."

"I'm glad to hear that," he says kissing the top of my head.

I close my eyes still laying my head on his chest. He's so warm. I love being close to him.

I'm not sure why I like having a little brother so much. Guess I just can't explain it.

But I'm glad he won't ever leave me. That' he'lll be here forever.

"Miles?" I ask after however long it's been.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me a story?"

"A story? A story about what?"

I close my eyes. Usually Papa tells me stories about his trials, but Miles can't do that. But maybe…

"Tell me a story about your Papa."

Translations:

GermanEnglish:

JapaneseEnglish:

Preview

Manfred

Impossibly the man's eyes open and he looks right into mine. "You killed me. For something so small. Is this really what it means to be a von Karma? You better take care of Miles. My blood is on your hands, don't let his be as well, von Karma.

I look over to see the boy staring at me with those intelligent grey eyes.

I take a step back.