I've started to update this story today (my birthday LOL the happiness) and I hope this chapter will be able to satisfy you, dear reader.
-drops of jelly
Standard Disclaimer Applies
Seventh Turnabout
Cecile's House?
June 6 3:21 pm
"............. Ughhh." Miles Edgeworth groaned, fluttering his eyes open. His head was spinning from the fatigue he experienced since last night and from oversleeping.
His vision was blurry and he was sweating bullets. He closed his eyes once more, only to be awakened by Franziska's hand touching his forehead.
"... How long have you been awake? Had you eaten breakfast?" he asked.
"We're not exactly in the best position right now, Miles Edgeworth." She whispered.
"What do you mean?" before he could inquire any further, the door to the room they were staying in flung open and Cecile walked in.
"I see you have come to, Prosecutor Edgeworth." She snickered so sinisterly.
It was a side of the middle-aged woman that she had so carefully concealed all this time.
"What's going on, Madame Cecile?" he asked, blinking his eyes to improve his vision.
"I have a few questions for you, sonny."
"It depends... A question for a question, an answer for an answer." He replied coldly but uneasily.
"Did you ever think that we were careless enough to keep you alive?" she lit a cigarette then puffed out some smoke.
"So... You did keep an eye out for us. You were too insecure." He commented, more than giving an answer.
"You are the prosecutor in charge of this case, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes, and I think you knew that from the beginning, didn't you Madame?" he replied.
She grunted.
Franziska helped Miles Edgeworth stand from the bed he laid on. She gripped his arm tightly, letting him know of her uneasiness.
"You were lucky indeed, Prosecutor. If only it hadn't been for that attorney's intervention, then that stupid excuse for a surgeon would have been done for." She laughed maniacally in frustration.
"I thought Dr. Steelbird was your daughter, Madame Cecile..." Franziska said.
"Hah... she's not even my blood-relative! If not for her, all that inheritance would have been mine!" she spat out some more smoke.
........ Now we know she's connected to this recent case. Miles Edgeworth eyed Franziska.
"You both were quite unlucky from the minute you stepped into my house." She pulled out a gun from her sweater.
".....!" Franziska's face turned into a horrified expression of alarm.
"Let me ask you one question then. I've answered two of your questions, but I'll only ask one of you." Miles Edgeworth straightened himself up.
"... Hmph, but you do know I'll only answer if I feel like it."
"Who is your accomplice, the mastermind?" he asked directly, not feeling an inch of fear. He had to know the truth.
"You know better than to ask me that... sonny." She grinned, then pointed the gun at him.
In a split second, she pulled the trigger, and Franziska embraced him, blocking him from the shot, and pushed him down back on the bed.
In that same time, someone held Cecile's arm and body upwards into an arrest, which diverted the gunshot onto the ceiling.
"... Franziska!" Miles called out to her in panic, feeling her weight on top of him on the bed, she was still holding him tight. He was more scared of what happened than being disturbed about their position, how they laid together on that bed.
"Mr. Edgeworth! Ms. Von Karma! Are you alright?!" Ema ran into the scene next with two other policemen.
"We were just right on time... Any other second late, Herr Edgeworth and Fraulein von Karma would be as good as dead... in each other's arms, anyway." Klavier chuckled after karate-chopping Cecile at the back of her neck and confiscating her gun.
"...Shut up fool. Now's not the time to-" Franziska blushed.
"We have to get out of here quickly." Miles stood up, not looking any better, but more sturdy.
"More men are coming!" Ema spotted four more men walking to the front door.
"Fraulein Detective, get away from here with Herr Edgeworth and Fraulein von Karma now! The policemen and I will take on these guys until backup arrives." Klavier snappily ordered Ema, after noticing Franziska's injury, and Miles' unwell state.
"Are you insane?!" she protested.
"You have a better idea? Go!" they heard the distinct sound of footsteps from the lower floor.
"YOU IDIOT!" she screamed at him, running with Miles and Franziska towards the stairs.
"... Heh, maybe she doesn't hate me that much after all." He smirked, muttering to himself as he and the other two policemen ran to the entrance to block off the enemy reinforcements while the three escape.
O-o-O
Ema, Miles and Franziska were on the run from the area.
Ema led the way while Miles carried Franziska who still couldn't walk, much less run.
"How did you find us?" Franziska asked Ema.
"Apollo Justice went to investigate around the crime scenes, as we speak, he's continuing to scan all the crime scenes. On your case, the old warehouse, he found a vital piece of evidence and sent it to me." She panted, running.
"Didn't he encounter any danger at all? Foolish boy, just like his mentor!" Franziska snapped, annoyed yet relieved.
"There was apparently no one at the vicinity, or he wasn't noticed." Ema responded.
There were running through a thick forest.
"How large is this forest?" Miles huffed.
"It's not a very big one, but it's fairly dangerous. This is a mountainous area. No car or bike can climb to that house. We had to hike this out, parking our car at the Hazakura temple.
"... So we are near that place once again." He sighed, remembering the case eight years ago.
"... Are you still up for this, Franziska?" he panted, huffing and puffing as they went on.
"I should be the one to ask you that, Miles Edgeworth..." she had a rather hard time speaking, from where she was positioned. He was carrying her on her back.
"I'm... I'm still fine. I can go on, but you're hurt." He breathed.
"Drat... I know. I'm such an utterly foolishly foolish, useless foolhardy fool." She displayed such frustration, not noticing she had been hitting his back for quite some time.
"Ugghh..." Edgeworth swivelled carelessly aside, almost hitting a tree nearby.
"Ahh!!" Franziska braced herself, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, and trying to hang onto his back with her legs, and her injured ankle.
In a split second, Miles Edgeworth realized that they were about to fall, he got his body to act against his will, being able to stand up straight once more.
"You fool... You're burning." She felt his hot neck as she had held onto him tighter, then touched his forehead, almost covering his eyes.
"H-hey, I can't see Franziska!" he was starting to fall again.
"Put me down Miles Edgeworth." She said as calmly as possible. She was trying to contain her frustration-covered guilt, and doing a bad job of doing it.
"No, I can still go on. Trust me this once." He muttered.
"If I trust you this once, we will both die." Her voice accelerated.
He put her down, frustrated, letting a soft grumble escape his lips.
He seated her and himself onto the grass in the forest they were in.
"You know if we idled around like this we wouldn't win." He wearily stared at her.
"If we went on like that, we would lose even more." She was serious, yet annoyed as well. Both of them were weak, she admitted. She had to get a foot injury, while her little brother had to have a temperature of slightly above 39 degrees.
"Miles Edgeworth, we made a pact with each other before this battle didn't we?" she pulled his head closer by his hair and bumped her head softly onto his hot forehead.
"Yes, I suppose we did." He said discreetly, careful of not contaminating her with his hot breath.
"Then act seriously from now on. You should know better what is best to do now." Her words were as sharp as how her whip would slash.
"Please be careful. We've haven't covered a lot of distance yet. Maybe I should help Ms. Von Karma walk, Mr. Edgeworth." Ema suggested.
"No, I'll be fine in a minute." He took deep breaths.
"I think I have some medicine in my bag." Ema searched her sling bag full of test tubes. She found a paracetamol tablet and handed it to Miles with a bottle of water.
He took it obediently.
"I'm curious as to what this pact is, and what you both are trying to win." She smiled at the two.
"We won't leave each other behind, right Franziska?"
"Yes." She blushed as he smiled a little.
"Hmmm." Ema smirked.
"We're going to win no matter what." Franziska commented.
"Win? But this criminal's as good as guilty." Ema eyed Edgeworth.
"We're going to win the truth of course. I don't plan to let the criminals walk free. Dr. Steelbird may have an acquittal at our prosecution's expense, but we will catch the true murderer." He said.
"That's... good enough for me." Franziska admitted, losing was her most despised happening, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive the crazy masterminds of this serial murder case.
"My question is... Why was the prosecution targeted?" Ema wondered.
"I think I wasn't the only one in danger either. Phoenix Wright could have been next if they found out he did Dr. Steelbird's defense any sooner." Edgeworth explained.
"What do you mean?" Ema asked.
"Don't you remember that Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth are well-known in America for their ability to always uncover the truth together, guiding each other to prevent error?" Franziska reminded her.
"Yes. That's right! I myself have seen it with my own eyes... that ability of you two, Mr. Edgeworth!" Ema smiled reminiscently.
"That's what the criminals didn't want. They didn't want Phoenix Wright or Miles Edgeworth to take this case and find the truth. It perfectly makes sense." Franziska explained.
"Well, unfortunately, I'm more determined than ever to reveal all this felony, with Wright of course." Edgeworth said, getting up.
"Are you all better now, Miles Edgeworth?" Franziska asked.
"I can stand. I feel a little better having some water and medicine. Thank you, Ema." He turned to her.
"Don't mention it, Mr. Edgeworth." She smiled courteously.
He picked up Franziska into a sweetheart's carry once again.
"You can always carry me on your back, Miles Edgeworth!" she felt uncomfortable, and embarrassed.
"You're much easier to hold this way." He retorted.
"Hmph!" she barked.
They continued running until they reached the end of the forest and found the police car at the front of the Hazakura temple. Ema helped Franziska into the back seats of the car while Edgeworth took the driver's seat and started the engine.
He made way speedily but carefully to the sloped roads of the area and drove down while Ema made follow-up calls on the back up Klavier requested minutes ago.
You better be alright you fop. You owe me snackoos. She ripped open a new pack and furiously began to munch on them while Franziska watched in slight awe.
to be continued
Sorry, it's a shorter chapter once again. TT_TT But then I'll continue to update, don't worry. I'd be so glad if I received feedback from you, so please review! Thank you very much for reading this chapter!
-drops of jelly