Certain Demolitions: Play a Fantasia

Summary: "German" does not equal "Nazi". The town Phoenix Wright lives in has a pretty loose grasp on this concept, which is why they think that Phoenix is a Nazi lover.

Chapter 6: Jordan's a Hard Road to Travel

December, 1941

"I'm going to figure out how you did that," Anna said determinedly. She looked about ready to turn Trucy's hat inside out. She remained convinced that her friend had some hidden pocket in her hat that allowed her to pull off her magic tricks.

Trucy just smiled. "You can try, but a magician never reveals her secrets!" She announced. It was lunchtime at school, and in the lunchroom that doubled as an extra classroom when it was needed, she was showing off her newest tricks to her friends. "I have another new one, too, but I need three balls to do it. I know! You can come by after school and I'll show you!"

"I can't come," Laura said. "I have to help Momma take care of Carl." Laura's new little brother had been born just a few weeks before.

Anna frowned. "My mother's expecting me home, too," She said with a sigh as she handed the hat back to Trucy.

Trucy turned to look at the last girl at the table. "Ruby, do you want to come over? If not, I'll bring the balls tomorrow."

Ruby ducked her head apologetically. "I don't think that my father would like it if I came over."

"Why not? He never minded before." Trucy asked.

Ruby bit her lip. "My Dad said that your Dad is a Nazi lover." She didn't add that he didn't want her associating with the Wright family anymore.

Trucy looked confused. The only thing she knew about Nazis was what she saw in the newspapers when the war over in Europe was discussed. "Not true. Daddy doesn't love Nazis."

"But there's one living with you." Anna pointed out.

Trucy looked more confused. "Klavier? He isn't a Nazi. And he's really nice. He's like a second big brother!"

"But he's from Germany."

The school bell rang before Trucy had a chance to reply, and the students filed quietly out of the room and back to classes.

But she didn't forget what Anna had said. After school, she detoured on the way home and went to the Wright & Co Law Office in town.

Phoenix was in his office, typing out a document on his typewriter when Trucy came into the room. "Hi Daddy!" She said cheerfully.

"Hi Trucy. How was school?" He asked as Trucy dropped her books into one of the chairs in front of his desk. Then she perched on the desk.

"It was okay." Trucy said vaguely. "Daddy, Klavier isn't a Nazi, is he?"

Phoenix stopped typing and looked at his daughter. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Someone today at school said that Klavier was a Nazi, and I said he wasn't, and she said that he was from Germany. But Uncle Miles is from Germany too, and he isn't a Nazi." Trucy sounded confused.

Phoenix had been hoping it wouldn't come to this. He would have like to believe that this town is better than what it is, but so far he's discovered that not to be the case.

The town does not like Klavier. He's German, and that's all they need to know about him to know they don't like him. Especially since Germany had declared war on the United States.

He thinks it has something to do with how small the town is. Most people are born here, grow up here, live here their whole lives and die here. Newcomers aren't readily accepted, and he knows that the war isn't helping.

"You're right. Neither of them are Nazis. But…" Phoenix trailed off. Now he was the uncertain one. How was he supposed to explain this? "But some people hear that someone is from Germany, and …" In this town, they hear Klavier's accent when he speaks, and stop listening to him. "Some people think that because the people in charge of Germany are Nazis that everyone from Germany is a Nazi."

"But they aren't!"

"You're right." Phoenix agreed. "They aren't."

Trucy looked much happier at this. "I'm glad. I like Klavier. He's like having another big brother."

Phoenix chuckled. "Well, good. I'm glad to hear that." Because he's aware that with the war on, Klavier might be with them for awhile.

Trucy slid off the desk and picked up her books. "I'm going to go to the upstairs office!" The room upstairs was one that she had selected as her own office in the building. There were too other offices on the ground floor, plus the reception area.

"Alright. I'll get you when it's time to go, okay?"

"Okay!" Trucy agreed cheerfully, and darted out of the room. Phoenix watched her go, then turned his attention back to the document he was working on. He made a mental note to thank Edgeworth later for all the time he's spent telling Trucy about life in Berlin. He hadn't been sure how the other man had appreciated the questions, but Edgeworth hadn't declined to answer any of them.

He hadn't expected it to pay off like this, but Trucy was a smart girl. He should have expected her to make the connection.

(-)

April, 1942

Apollo had just set out the door to head to work one morning when he suddenly darted back into the house.

Klavier has been unable to find work so far. He's in the kitchen washing the breakfast dishes when he hears the door and turns around. "Herr Forehead?"

Everyone else was getting ready to leave. Trucy was upstairs gathering her school books. Phoenix, at the dining room table, had just finished organizing the papers he was going to need for the trial that afternoon and was getting ready to pack everything up and take it to his office.

Apollo darted over to Phoenix and whispered to him, "I need you to come outside and look at something."

"Really?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes. You need to see this. Right now." Apollo said. But he didn't raise his voice.

Phoenix followed Apollo outside. The younger man walked off the porch until he had a good view of the front of the house, and the gestured to it. In bright pink chalk, the words "Nazi Lover" are scrawled in big letters across the white paint.

Phoenix did a double take, then looked exasperated. "Really?"

Apollo didn't look any happier. "I thought you needed to see this before Trucy did."

"Was anyone out here when you came out?" Phoenix asked.

"Not that I saw. Of course, they'd be dumb to stick around. It's daylight now." Apollo pointed out.

"I'll go call Edgeworth." Phoenix said, turning to re-enter the house. "Are you going on to work?"

"I have to, or I'll be late." Apollo said.

Phoenix nodded and went back inside. I thought I was more respected in this town than this, He thought as he went to phone and asked to be connected first to Edgeworth's house, in case the other man hadn't left for work. When the phone kept ringing, he finally asked to be connected to Edgeworth's office instead.

He was trying as hard as he could to ignore the curious look that Klavier kept shooting at him. But when he got off the phone, he knew he'd have to tell Klavier what happened.

He wasn't looking forward to doing it.

(-)

"I do appreciate you not allowing Larry to cover this," Edgeworth said as he stood on the front lawn of the Wright home, inspecting the writing on the house.

"Well, I figure pictures should not be in the newspaper about something like this, and Larry always likes to have no less than two pictures submitted with his articles," Spark Brushel said he jotted down some notes for his story. "Not that that's a bad thing, but in this case I felt like it shouldn't be done." Detective Gumshoe was investigating the edges of the property, looking for clues as to who could have done this.

"I'm not going to publish the color of the writing or what was written," Brushel continued. "So if someone comes up with those details they'll either have to have seen it or done it."

"Thank you," Edgeworth said. "There's not a lot of traffic out here, so I don't know how many people could have seen it."

"I can't believe that someone would do this to Phoenix Wright of all people." Brushel said. "If half the rumors we get over the wire at the paper are true, there's no way that Mr. Wright would want anything to do with the Nazis."

"I would agree with that," Edgeworth said. "But they're doing this to Wright because Klavier is here."

"That German kid?" Brushel asked. "No way. I met him last year when he came by to see if we had any openings at the newspaper. He's way too good-tempered to be associated with the Nazis."

"If only the rest of this town agreed with you." Edgeworth replied.

"Aren't you German?"

"I'm actually American, but I hold dual citizenship in both countries." The prosecutor replied.

"I'll pass any word that comes into me wt the paper along to you," Brushel promised, closing his notebook. He's already composing the byline in his head.

"I appreciate that," Edgeworth replied, turning away. "Detective! Have you found anything?"

(-)

Klavier tends to hide his emotions, usually behind a smile.

It's probably, Phoenix thinks as he comes into the living room where Klavier is sitting, the only way he can get by in this town. Things would probably have been easier on the German if he had stayed in some larger town, where the fact that he was a foreigner would have been less noticeable.

This morning, though, Klavier isn't smiling. He looks downright miserable.

He speaks before Phoenix can. "I will leave, if you want me too."

"I'm not sure you can. You were paroled to me, remember?" Phoenix asked as he took a seat in one of the chairs. He hated having to bring it up, but it was true.

Klavier looked at the floor. "Oh."

How very much like this stupid town to make the jump from Enemy Alien to Nazi, Phoenix thought suddenly. Klavier is the only German most people in this town have ever interacted with, so he's the one they blame for the war and all the other sins Germany has committed. The logical suspect.

The unexpected thought makes him wince.

"The money the school raised to help pay for the new heaters was stolen. You were the only one who was out of class that day, Phoenix. That's why we want you to tell the truth and give the money back." The administrator of the small school told him. The rest of the class was watching with unabashed interest; the matter was so important that the administrator had actually come to the classroom, rather than call Phoenix out of class.

Phoenix, about nine years old, can't believe what he was hearing. "But I wouldn't steal the money! I would never do that!"

"You're the only logical suspect."

"It's not your fault." Phoenix told Klavier with more force than he'd intended.

"I do not think that that is true." Klavier said quietly.

"Well it is." Phoenix said. "You're not responsible for other people's actions. Just yours."

"If I had not been here-"

"Objection!" Phoenix shouted, pointing at the blond, then dropped his hand and looked sheepish. "Sorry. Force of habit. Don't tell yourself that. You are not responsible for the actions of other people. This is not your fault."

Phoenix wasn't sure that the German actually believed him or not, but after a moment Klavier nodded.

I know what it's like, Klavier, to feel like no one is on your side, Phoenix thinks as Klavier rises and goes back into the kitchen presumably to finish the dishes from that morning. But he isn't sure how to explain that without giving a lot of history that he doesn't really want to go into.

"Klavier!" He said suddenly, and the blond turned back to face him, his expression neutral. "You'll always have a place here." Phoenix promised him.

The German looked down at the floor again, then looked at Phoenix. "Thank you."

Phoenix gave him one short nod. "You're welcome." He said, and he meant it.

Klavier went back into the kitchen.

Phoenix went outside to see if Edgeworth had what he needed so that he could get on with washing the chalk off the house. At least it's just chalk. Trucy had been informed of what had happened, but ended up having to depart for school before Edgeworth and Gumshoe arrived.

(-)

He's too old to cry, really, but Phoenix can't help it. No one in class believes him, even though he was nowhere near the office and didn't take the money even if he did sit out of class yesterday.

"Objection!" Someone shouts, and Phoenix is surprised to see it's Miles Edgeworth.

"You can't accuse someone without evidence," Miles says, pointing at the teacher. "Suspicion isn't proof!"

By the time Miles is finished, the administrator is no longer blaming Phoenix. She apologizes to him, in front of the rest of the class, and departs.

Phoenix sniffles, trying to regain some composure. Miles looks pleased at the outcome.

During recess he finds Miles sitting under a tree, reading. Miles looks up when Phoenix approaches him. "Thank you for helping me." Phoenix tells him.

"It's what defense attorneys do! They protect people who are innocent." Miles replied. "Someday, when I grow up, I'm going to be a defense attorney, just like my dad!"

This intrigues Phoenix enough to make him forget the troubles of the day. "Really?"

"Really! Sit down. I'll tell you about my Dad's last trial."

Awed, Phoenix sits, and spends the entire recess listening to Miles' stories of his Dad's work as a defense attorney.

[A/N:] The graffiti incident in this chapter was a scene that I wanted to work into C.D., but I couldn't figure out where it would fit. Hence, this chapter. Phoenix doesn't get a lot of time to shine in CD proper, so I wanted him to get an opportunity somewhere.

The title for this chapter comes from an old American Folk song, "Jordan's a Hard road to Travel. I liked the first verse and the chorus, which I found online in an article by Lyle Lofgren:

I'm gonna sing you a brand new song,
It's all the truth for certain;
We cain't live high, but we can get by,
And get on the other side of Jordan.

Oh, pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeves,
Jordan's a hard road to travel;
Oh, pull off your overcoat and roll up your sleeves,
Oh, Jordan is a hard road to travel, I believe.

I felt it sort of fit Phoenix here. (Yes, for my non-American readers, "cain't" is not a typo there.)

So...let's talk about some of the stuff in this chapter.

By Chapter 34 of C.D. we can see that Klavier is a victim of the Nazis too, though not a "shipped off to the death camps" victim, but a victim nonetheless. He was going to be sent to Russia in an attempt to achieve a madman's dream: conquering a country where General Winter is biding his time, waiting to come out and help. As is typical of Stupid Plans To Invade Russia (See also, "Napoleon's Stupid Plan to Invade Russia"), Germany got curbstomped, as we've already covered in C.D. Klavier is separated from the only family he has left in an attempt to spare him from this fate. Arguably, many, many people during WWII had it worse, but Klavier's not gotten off easily either. At least, tht's the perspective that I have of the situation. And he lives in a town where he's reviled for being German, because in this town, Germans are all evil Nazis.

It would be easy to say that if we were in this situation, we wouldn't blame Klavier ... but I know where the townspeople are coming from (if we're honest, we all know. Human nature is almost as messy as war.) These people have lived in this little town their whole life, they all know people were in the Great War which was started by Germany, and now they're involved in another war where their loved ones are being sent over to Europe to fight...Germany (and also Italy, to be fair, but Italy was bad at war. I touched on that in Chapter 39 of C.D.) They want someone to blame. Klavier is the only German they interact with, so he gets to be the scapegoat. It's easier to blame the person they can see rather then some shadowy Nazi leaders back in Berlin. Edgeworth is a dual citizen, and never denies that he lived in Germany, but the town seems to have a blind spot for him. It's probably because they know him, and they know what kind of person Edgeworth is. But they won't give Klavier that same chance. Realistically, there's nothing Klavier could have done to change events anymore than Edgeworth could, but that's the emotion vs logic argument.

I'm not sure how else to explain this, so I hope that was clear. If not, feel free to question me about it and maybe it can be cleared up more.

Phoenix's perspective on all of this is that he knows what it's like to feel like no one is on your side, and he knows Edgeworth, and he did go to college, which was less common then than it is now. So has traveled a little bit and seen a little more than most people. So, he understands it a bit more.

I hope that's everything I was supposed to say here.

Please review.