Work Text:
franziska von karma is perfection defined. franziska von karma is undefeated, with four years of ruthless prosecuting under her belt at the young age of seventeen. franziska von karma is ruthless and cunning, almost at her father’s tier.
but franziska von karma— franziska von karma was but a child. franziska recognizes that to her precious papa, she is perfect, yes— but compared to miles edgeworth, perhaps she isn't.
he was always better, always the overachieving little brother. miles edgeworth will never be a von karma but papa thought him dear. too dear for someone without perfection in his dna and a defense attorney for a father.
in another time, in another place, franziska von karma is the sole student of her papa and she would make papa so proud with her perfection. she would defeat edgeworth in court. she could step on his victory every time they meet. but this world is cruel— miles edgeworth, the outsider, the son of scum that gave papa his strike, is the favorite child.
so when she loses papa and miles edgeworth to a greenhorn named phoenix wright, she takes the first flight she could out of germany and establishes her position. management gives her miles edgeworth's office and miles edgeworth's fool of an assistant. she doesn't have the heart to throw away the foolish statue of a 'samurai' on miles edgeworth's desk or any of his personal belongings. so she keeps them, even the frivolous, unplayable chessboard set missing both kings. edgeworth's foolish title of high prosecutor is also passed down to her.
it's nothing new, she's always stuck with miles edgeworth's leftovers. leftover cases, leftover rivals, leftover glory... forgotten scraps of a life once lived are falling in her lap because he’s gone and left without words other than prosecutor miles edgeworth chooses death .
miles edgeworth is a coward. he runs and he hides. franziska knows that too well, that is why franziska thinks miles edgeworth cannot be dead. he cannot be dead, franziska von karma won't allow miles edgeworth to die until she bests him at long last.
so if she defeats the undefeatable; if she defeats the newcomer with a perchance for bluffing and tricks—she could force miles edgeworth out of hiding. would force miles edgeworth out of hiding.
the girl he left behind would’ve outgrown him if she wins against phoenix wright. so she doesn’t hesitate; she immediately takes state v. fey because she knows she’d face the man that cost her everything she’d ever wanted. victory, her father… even miles edgeworth’s first loss in court.
it seems open-and-shut, state v. fey, more complicated cases have crossed her way in germany and she had bested even the most competent of attorneys at age thirteen so she does not worry much. she conducts a perfect investigation with the help of miles edgeworth’s foolish fool of an assistant and no one else. she prepares witnesses, she sorts through evidence and connects the dots to form her case.
and phoenix wright, the bluffing buffoon of a fool, has the nerve to destroy her case and defeat her in court. by the time she gets tired of whipping him, the man miles edgeworth has lost to time and time again is unconscious on the floor and maya fey has crouched down to try and wake the man up.
she leaves abruptly. she doesn’t know that somewhere in europe miles edgeworth is waiting and learning and he hopes with her defeat the von karma name wouldn’t be a burden on her shoulders. but it doesn’t, because franziska von karma clings to perfection. perfection is the only thing left to her. she cannot mourn her father, and her sister has been estranged and disowned even before she learned to speak. miles edgeworth—is somewhere she isn’t and it wasn’t fair .
so she trudges on, even with a maimed record and shattered pride. she’s more irritable these days, and scruffy has taken the brunt of it. later state v. johns is assigned to her and she’s definitely sure she could defeat phoenix wright this time.
she deals with annoying clowns and animals and some puppet that thinks himself alive, even a wheelchair-bound gymnast. and when she sees phoenix wright and maya fey investigating the premises of the berry big circus and talking to scruffy, she can’t help but snap her whip and grip the leather tight. scruffy’s smarter than she expected him to be, running away at the sound of her tracker.
‘von... von... von... karma!’ phoenix wright stutters out, arm raised when he sees her handling her whip. he ushers the fey girl behind him—huh, so he has some kind of familial bond with her. no wonder he defended her from murder charges twice.
‘it was a battle today in court, wasn't it... mr. phoenix wright!?’ she’s tempted to crack her whip but she sets it down to her hips.
‘did you have to jump out and scare us like that? what can i do for you?’ he asks with narrowed eyes and a hand between her person and maya fey. maya fey clings onto phoenix wright’s arm and looks at her with pensive, mournful eyes. she hates it, the pity, the faux-mourning when it comes to her papa… manfred von karma—is her father and not much else.
‘tomorrow will be the day. the day my dream finally comes true!’ she declares, eyes trained at both attorney and co-counsel and a hand on her heart. revenge would be so sweet…
‘you mean the story of my defeat at your hands making the national news?’ phoenix wright says with mirth in his voice—the cocky prick. like phoenix wright would have any chance of defending the guilty in franziska’s court.
‘ha ha ha... national news? you possess such a small sense of scale... the global news, mr. phoenix wright! your miserable plight will be known internationally!’ she asserts. maya fey stifles a laugh but she doesn’t mind. maya fey has no idea the scale franziska von karma is at. attorneys older have bowed down to her time and time again and they will too.
‘von karma... it appears you got your hands onto something, eh?’ he guesses, correctly, franziska adds. there’s a glint of suspicion in his eyes and she guesses he has figured her strategy out.
‘hah! i'm amazed you picked up on that much. i've got conclusive evidence and a conclusive witness... need any more hints?’ she taunts, wagging a finger in front of his face. she turns to leave but phoenix wright has the audacity to stop her.
‘a conclusive witness... you must mean the acrobat, right?’ he asks. ah, so he does have a brain in that head of his. no wonder…
‘i'm putting in the summons for him to be called as a witness as we speak. it's the final nail in your coffin, mr. phoenix wright!’ she states, a smile on her face. oh, victory is so close… phoenix wright’s first defeat would be with her own hands and she would’ve beaten miles edgeworth at long last.
‘why do you keep giving nick the evil eye!? it doesn't matter if you prove the defendant guilty tomorrow... nothing will be able to bring your dad back!’ maya fey shouts, both arms raised and fists closed. phoenix shushes maya in surprise.the spirit medium squeaks.
‘... my... dad? you must mean the esteemed manfred von karma.’ she freezes, she looks at maya fey with narrowed eyes. the spirit medium puffs up her cheeks and begins to speak.
‘of course! your dad! i know you miss him...’ perhaps she does at the moment, but franziska von karma knows deep down that maya fey is wrong. she will never miss her papa. she will never mourn him. she will bury him and that would be the end of manfred von karma.
‘enough out of you... one more word and you'll get a mouthful of whip. now. when did i ever bring up my papa's name in this, or any other conversation...?’ franziska retorts, crossing her arms. maya fey’s jaw, in lack of a better term, drops. phoenix wright reacts similarly, the arm keeping his co-counsel at bay goes slack.
‘then... then what's this revenge thing you're talking about?’ he looks genuinely confused, eyes narrowed and jaw just the slightest bit open. maybe phoenix wright isn’t as smart as franziska thinks he is.
‘you wouldn't understand, mr. phoenix wright. i have to see him again, one more time.’ she admits, she fiddles with the handle of her whip before looking phoenix wright straight in the eye, expecting him to know whom exactly she was referring to. he has to.
‘ him… ?’ his voice sounds broken. it should be. all of this was his fault.
‘i'm sure you know to whom i refer... miles edgeworth!’ she shouts, cracking her whip for the added effect. perhaps if hearts made sounds, phoenix wright’s own would make one like the shattering of glass.
‘what!? edgeworth!? mr... edgeworth!?’ maya fey looks at phoenix wright with wide eyes and a furrowed eyebrow. phoenix wright… glares at her for a milisecond before shushing her.
‘m-m-mi-miles e-ed-edg-edgeworth!’ he blubbers out inelegantly. ’miles edgeworth... why would you even bring him up!?’ he asks, voice hoarse. franziska thinks he’s dead hangs on the end of the sentence but she does not press. for a man that caused a death, he’s strangely… affected.
she tsks, ‘you haven't forgotten, have you? do you know who it was that trained the gifted prosecutor, miles edgeworth?’
‘manfred... von... karma...’ maya fey whispers in shock.
‘exactly right. it was my papa,’ she chides.
‘that means that edgeworth was...’
‘right again. miles edgeworth was like a little brother to me.’ she points at phoenix wright with her whip, ‘it's your fault he is gone. it's the truth, isn't it mr. phoenix wright?’
‘i... i...’ he starts, unable to form coherent sounds.
‘nick! what does she mean !?’
phoenix wright sighs and wilts ever so subtly. ‘after that case, edgeworth was in a peculiar state, and he got worse every day. he never set foot into court again... and then one day, he just vanished . all he left was a simple note at the prosecutor's office.’ phoenix wright says with remorse and regret in his eyes. sl-9… state v. skye… he’s the one who solved it—and took franziska’s little brother away from her in the process.
‘prosecutor miles edgeworth chooses death.’ franziska finishes with gritted teeth and fingers gripping leather tight enough to leave nail indents.
‘that was one year ago. it was right after you left to go back home.’ he explains to maya fey, both of his hands on her shoulders. it’s left with an unspoken that’s why i never want to hear his name again. because in all honesty, franziska feels the same.
‘mr. edgeworth... he's dead?’ she asks, barely a whisper. she looks at phoenix wright with wide eyes and trembling hands.
‘i don't believe it. he's still alive. i'm sure of it... somewhere in this world, he's still alive. prosecutor miles edgeworth chooses death? of course he did! you ruined his reputation as a prosecutor! you effectively killed the prosecutor in him. just like your victory muddied the honorable name von karma! i'm going to find him... then i'm going to teach him the difference between right and wrong with my own hands!’ she grits her teeth hard.
maya fey whispers something to phoenix wright. he scrunches his eyes and sighs. ‘maya, i already told you this once. don't make me do it again. don't bring up his name in front of me again, okay?’ he says, voice broken and soft. so he mourns too… what’s the use of mourning a man you have so thoroughly broken? franziska will never know.
‘von karma?’
‘ what ?’
‘i don't know if you are god's gift to prosecutors or not, but i've had about enough of you! him too!’
‘hmph. this dog is all bark and no bite. he's already been defeated... regardless, i have nothing to inform you two of today. tomorrow will be the greatest courtroom battle this country has ever seen!’ she claims.
(she loses again.)
it's been a while since her last case against phoenix wright. engarde v. state is more clean-cut than the last, so if she does not get victory this time she doesn't know what to do.
the initial investigation has passed, yet a familiar problem lands in her hands again: the matter of scruffy and his meandering messes.
'i'm getting sick of dealing with one foolish idiot after another…' fransizka tsks. scruffy cowers in fear at her feet.
'm-m-ms. von karma!' he wails.
'you can't seem to stop allying yourself with the enemy, can you? i don't need a traitor in my midst.' like miles edgeworth , her mind supplies, she doesn't need any more betraying in her life.
'y-y-you don't... you don't mean…'
she ponders on it for a minute.
'i do. scruffy. you have thirty minutes to get out of here. you are no longer needed. good bye.' and that was final. no more betrayals. no more mucking of her once perfect record. 'w-wait... please wait, sir! if i don't get this month's pay, i'll star—' she cuts him off. the frustration has gone to her head now, her next words come out as more of a shriek.
‘quiet! if it weren't for traitors like you...’ she screams— only to be interrupted.
‘‘i would've won.’ is that what you want to say?’ no… it can’t be—
‘wh-who!?’ she manages to mutter. it can't be… she doesn't believe it.
'that voice... e-edgeworth!’ phoenix wright manages to squeak out.
‘it's been a long time... wright.’
miles edgeworth smiles at that fool of an attorney and she just… gets it. all this time, it’s always been phoenix wright and no one else.
the little girl (pearl… pearl fey wasn’t it? franziska wasn’t good with names) whispers something to phoenix wright and he nods, steady and slow.
‘what am i going to do with you...? still blaming others when things go wrong? you haven't changed a bit, franziska.’ hypocrite. he hasn’t changed much too, he’s still leaving her alone and showing up to take what’s hers.
'y—you... how dare you show your face to me without a shred of shame upon it!? you've soiled the von karma name and dragged it through the mud. run away with your tail between your legs like the ill-bred dog you are!' she's fuming, her hands shake and her heart might as well burst. edgeworth looks at her, almost pitying her.
'are you talking about the von karma family creed? ‘to be perfect in every way...’ then let's hear it, franziska. how are things going? i hear you are having a rough time maintaining perfection in this country.'he says, a little too detached and too cold for her liking. how dare he.
‘y-you!’
‘… you seem to be getting crushed under the weight of it all. that's why i came back,’ he admits, voice somber and quiet.
‘keep your assumptions to yourself! i... i haven't given in yet! i won't lose! this case is mine ! i'll never hand it over to you! never!’ she screams, but miles edgeworth is unaffected. she turns to phoenix wright and the younger fey, ’mr. phoenix wright! i will see you tomorrow... in court. it will be a clinical lesson on the meaning of ‘total victory’!’
and she leaves. there is no use in reasoning with both phoenix wright and miles edgeworth at this point of time.
miles edgeworth catches up to her before she leaves for another round of grueling investigation.
'franziska...' he starts. miles edgeworth grabs her wrist, eyes trained on hers. 'we need to talk.'
'you're in love with that fool of an attorney, aren't you, miles edgeworth?' she blurts out.
he laughs , softly, almost embarrassed. ‘you… are still as sharp as ever,' he admits.
she scoffs, 'i will pay no mind. just promise me something. you will let him know, and you will tell him as soon as you can. do not let him slip through your fingers as you did mine.'
'it isn't that simple franziska, nothing is. phoenix wright— is a dear and indispensable friend and i cannot risk our friendship with something as trivial as my—'
so he really doesn't know? she sighs. these two really are fools for each other.
' your feelings? you pretended to be dead for a year! do not talk about your own feelings— what do you think he must have felt!' she retorts, voice hitching and failing. miles edgeworth's eyes widen.
'i— i never thought he would mourn me. i have been nothing but a thorn for his side for sixteen years— i did not— i could not...’
'then you have assumed wrong, miles edgeworth. the mere mention of your name affects him so, and you think he did not mourn?'she tells him, the berry big circus investigation coming to mind.'he was inconsolable, he didn't even tell the fey girl until it was relevant.'
'phoenix wright— is meant to be nothing more than a friend franziska, this is the end of this story. i have already hurt him enough for one lifetime... and he deserves someone that would make him happy' miles edgeworth states, voice steely and almost robotic. he stiffens in his place, and franziska yanks her hand from his grip.
'you really are foolish, little brother,’ she says, looking at him with fire in her eyes and a broken heart.
'that, perhaps i am,' he says with a soft, self-deprecating laugh. ‘but i guess we both are foolish: failing your father and fraternizing with fools.’
'i care nothing about my papa’s expectations and i have to attend to the investigation. i will see you soon miles edgeworth.'
so she leaves. miles edgeworth merely looks at her with mourning eyes.
the investigation goes well. she talks to adrian andrews. she talks to the hotel staff and the people around it. she’s this close to defeating phoenix wright—then she feels pain and warmth and bright red blood on her shoulder blade.
she finds out later that scruffy brought her to the clinic without comment. later that day, head still hazy with anesthesia, she finds tulips from phoenix wright on her bedside. what a fool he is.
she is discharged early at her request. she does what he did before: she books a flight out of the country and flees.
‘where are you going... franziska?’
that voice makes her stop dead on her tracks. miles edgeworth… what was he doing here? ‘how did you know i was here...?’ she resorts to asking. she reaches for her whip before realizing that she threw it out—so instead she balls up a fist as tight as she could.
‘with this.’ miles edgeworth brings out the bulky tracker from somewhere and it beeps in response. franziska tsks.
‘that's...’
‘i heard you were planting things on a certain person. things like tracking devices in his coat, for example.’ he looks at the tracker a moment longer and faces her with those narrow gray eyes she’d been hunting down for months now. it hasn’t changed since sixteen years ago, and franziska guesses that some things never will.
'hmph. that's just like you. i only planted it there because he was always wearing it. this... filthy, drab coat of his... i don't know how it ended up in my luggage. but it's going in the trash, i promise you that.'
she unhands the coat and gives it to him. miles edgeworth looks at it for a moment before turning back to her.
‘oh, that's right... speaking of that man... he told me something very interesting,’ he says, ‘ when i ran off with the things from de killer's hideout... i was sure i took four things total sir ,’ miles edgeworth recites from memory.
‘four items...?’ she asks.
‘it seems he put the last one in his coat pocket.’
'he put it in here...? ... it doesn't matter anymore. the case is already over.'
there is a silence. franziska turns and starts to walk.
'... what are you going to do now?' miles edgeworth asks.
'... that's none of your business,' she replies, still not looking at him.
' are you running away?'
franziska could sense the amusement in his tone. she grits her teeth.
'shut up! you don't understand a thing! you can't possibly understand what it means to be ‘manfred von karma's daughter’!' she claims. tears prick at the corner of her eyes.
'franziska…'
'so many expectations from everyone around me... expectations i must fulfill! i'm expected to win no matter what. and failure? such a thing is not an option for me! my father was a genius. there's no doubt about that! but... but me... i'm no genius. i've always known that. but i... i had to be one. i had to.'
' ... you may not be a genius like your father…' he reassures, 'but... you are a prosecutor. you have been and always will be.'
'no, i'm not... not anymore. i've even thrown my whip away.'
her hand feels light without the whip in her hand. she misses it.
'speaking of that... wright gave me this to hold onto.' there's a crack of a whip, and that could only mean the phoenix wright had found it and given it to him, 'i'm going to say this again. we prosecutors do not fight for personal honor or pride. i hope you will think deeply... about what you should be striking down with that whip.'
he hands franziska's whip back to her, a small smile on his face.
'... you haven't changed a bit... you've always... you've always left me alone and walked on ahead without me. miles edgeworth... i've always hated you,' she admits. miles edgeworth looks… intrigued? `and then... finally, my chance to take my revenge on you arrived. if i could win against that man ... if i could make phoenix wright bow down in defeat... then this ‘girl’ you left behind would have risen higher than you! that was supposed to be my ‘revenge’...'
'i see…'
'you know, i can't do it... i can't change who i am. i can't throw away everything i've been until today,' franziska continues, miles edgeworth shakes his head in disagreement.
'i believe you can. just like how adrian andrews did,' he tells her.
'adrian andrews...?'
'you were going to use her during the trial, right? but you... you were ‘dependent’ on your father by using his tactics. isn't that right?'
he is right, she muses, but she doesn't want miles edgeworth to derive satisfaction from it.
‘today, you chased after me after i had left you behind all these years. and that's why we're standing here now, side by side,’ he starts, slow and steady. the trenchcoat is folded in crisp lines in his arms. ‘but i have no intention of stopping. if you say you are going to quit your walk down the prosecutor's path... then, this is where we part ways, franziska von karma.’
‘i... i... i am franziska von karma. don't think i'm going to walk in your shadow forever... our battle... begins now... so you had better prepare yourself, miles edgeworth!’
miles edgeworth smiles at her. she does not remember much his goodbye at that time, yet she fiddles with the card bearing phoenix wright’s face on the way home, wondering how he has wrapped her little brother around his fingers.
their ‘battle’ comes sooner than expected. less than a year later miles edgeworth calls her in the middle of the night saying that phoenix wright has fallen off a burning bridge, b. he was to take over as defense attorney while phoenix wright was convalescing, and c. that miles edgeworth was in need of a skilled prosecutor to help him find the truth of hazakura temple.
and she accepts, a smirk on her face and a hand already holding on her whip, a new one, a simpler and sleeker one made out of black leather—her last was given to adrian only six months prior. ‘little brother… i would be glad to finally face off against you after so long.’
‘that’s the franziska i know,’ he says, ‘i have arranged a flight for you. and franziska? i’ll see you soon.’
miles edgeworth hangs up and franziska rubs a thumb over her phone for a moment and smiles.