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The food at Très Bien was completely disgusting. Of this, Franziska was certain. She refused to take any more bites of the horribly bland cuisine and watched with some satisfaction as Miles Edgeworth pretended to enjoy the meal with a painful, agonous expression.
She'd compensate Wright later. After all, it had been his treat. The man currently sat opposite of her in the booth, both closest to the wall. Pearl Fey sat between him and Maya, nodding off in response to the lateness of the night.
They had met at the train station after they found Pearl in Hazakura Temple. And since just going there and back took hours... she wondered why they even agreed to eat together in the first place. It was hardly a jovial celebration of the end of the case, because everyone and their dead mother knew Maya was faking a smile.
Franziska watched with an uncomfortable feeling in her gut as Pearl rubbed her eyes gently. That girl... She had been told off by her earlier. If that girl thinks this way about me... then Maya must... But Pearl did not seem to notice the woman's unintentionally icy gaze and slumped against Wright.
Maya noticed this. "Aw," she said. "Looks like we better get going. Sleep is an important thing and it's way past our bedtime." She and Pearl exited the booth, freeing up much space for Wright.
"You'll be fine on your own?" asked Wright, who had only ordered an ice cream that was apparently not as lethal to the taste buds as everything else had been.
"Yeah, the bus goes directly to the office from this street. You can stay here if you want to," said Maya, pointedly not taking the leftover box that the flamboyant server offered when he came to refill drinks. "Bye, you guys!"
"Wait, Mystic Maya... I must use the restroom before we go," said Pearl, giving Maya her little backpack and running away to the back of the restaurant.
"I'll be waiting by the hallway then," Maya called after her, slumping her handbag onto her shoulder. Franziska's breath caught. If she leaves now, I don't know when I'll have the chance to speak with her again. And this is one moment I can catch her alone without that child who despises my existence...
Three whips cracked through the air along with a stern command to "Move!". Edgeworth, Gumshoe, and Larry complied by piling out of the booth, all completely speechless. Wright gave her an insufferable look, as if he knew exactly what she was planning to do. She tightened her grip on the whip. I'll stay my hand for now.
"Miss Maya Fey," said Franziska, her voice squeaking unintentionally. Maya raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Mystic Maya Fey, you mean?" she said playfully, turning her head up with faux smugness. "That's me. At your service. What's up?"
"Ah... it's about... what I did," said Franziska, suddenly finding her tongue tied. The confused eyebrow raise Maya returned to her made the back of Franziska's throat close and flutter.
"You mean... about Larry?"
"No, I mean... last year. When I prosecuted you... I was... ruthless. I didn't think of your feelings or of your family's..." she said, unable to look her in the eyes and instead, shifted it to her nose and mouth. "It was... unfair."
"Huh? But you were just doing your job!" said Maya, smiling slightly. "That's the job of a prosecutor, right?"
"H-how do you know what the job of a prosecutor exactly entails?" said Franziska, tensing up even more. "What I did was wrong and I... I won't ask you to forgive me, because what I did was unforgivable. But I would like you to know that I regret my actions deeply and would be willing to repent."
"Aw, don't beat yourself over it," said Maya, her lips turning upwards even more. "Edgeworth prosecuted me once too, and there's no hard feelings there! Maybe it just runs in the family."
"The... family?"
"Yeah, you know since Edgeworth's..." said Maya, trailing off awkwardly.
"Oh, yes, I did say he was my little brother," she said, her confidence returning as the awkwardness of the conversation dissipated. "He may be several years older, but he still has a lot of growing up to do."
Maya laughed. "Haha...! That's true. But I think you do too!"
Ouch. The awkwardness returned...
"N-no wait, I didn't mean it like that, I meant-"
Franziska, again, defaulted into a glare.
"I meant that... I mean, we're only nineteen so... and well... look at me! Sometimes, it feels like Pearl's the one to keep me in line half the time, you know? We might be considered adults, but that doesn't mean we're grown up yet. We have to work hard to earn that title."
"I... I suppose," said Franziska softly. "I'm sorry."
Maya's eyes widened, now understanding that Franziska wasn't going to give up unless she answered clearly if she forgave her or not. "It's okay, Franziska. Seriously. I forgive you."
"I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for giving me a chance," she replied, turning to face the main room of the eatery. "You know... I must say the food here is not quite as good as other places I've been to."
"No kidding?" said Maya, turning to look at the booth where they had sat. Franziska did not know what Maya was thinking when her eyebrows knitted downwards in confusion. Perhaps she saw the whip marks on those fools' cheeks.
"I can... recommend some other places nearby. Within a modest budget, too," she began slowly, trying to divert Maya's attention from their painful marks. "We can go sometime next week before I have to start my regular work schedule."
"Really?" said Maya, touching her magatama lightly. "You and me?"
"Of course," said Franziska, restraining herself from adding a 'you don't have to if you don't want to'. "After all, I'm free at any time, since Edgeworth asked me to cancel my previous cases for this."
"Ah...I'm sorry!"
"N-Not that I mind. It was very important that the, uhm... truth came to light," she replied, beginning to sweat. "Here, I'll give you my number. Do you have a pen?"
"I think so, maybe a marker will work?"
At that moment, Pearl emerged from the bathroom. She and Franziska shared a brief, odd glance before Pearl turned her attention to Maya. When Maya finished writing the dictated number, she bowed slightly and took her leave cheerfully.
Pearl trailed behind her slightly and turned to Franziska, her face unexpectedly light. "I'm very happy that you apologized to Mystic Maya," she said quietly so that Maya could not hear.
"I- er..." Franziska wasn't sure how to respond to that. 'You're welcome' just seemed inappropriate. "Farewell, Miss Fey."
The two girls left and Franziska returned to the booth, sitting next to Wright instead of her usual spot.
"Smooth moves, von Karma," said Wright loudly, almost daring to bump her arm with his elbow.
"S-silence, you fool," she replied, staying her whip once more, but shooting daggers at the defense attorney. "And you! D-don't give me that look, Scruffy. And wipe that grin off your face, Miles Edgeworth! It's very unbecoming for a von Karma! And Butz, so help me, if you don't put that sketchbook away right now..."
Larry seemed not to be moved by this and worked quickly to capture her current expression and the other men laughed in response.
*CRACK*
Franziska wondered, months later, just what she had gotten herself into at Très Bien that night, as curious, sickly sweet and painfully secret thoughts of Maya Fey's presence and embrace overwhelmed her mind without end.