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As per usual, Franziska von Karma was not in a good mood.
She had hoped to end the trial with a guilty sentence yesterday. But Phoenix Wright's trickery and the buffoonish testimony of that clown prolonged the proceedings to a second day. The battle was far from over, and Franziska was still quite confident she would defeat Phoenix Wright. But after waiting so many months, she had grown impatient. She just wanted gratification of defeating Phoenix Wright already--the satisfaction that would come with surpassing Miles Edgeworth by doing the single thing he never could, and by avenging her late father by ending the perfect win streak of the one who defeated him. Yes, when she at last triumphed against Phoenix Wright in the courtroom--she would finally feel content. No longer would she be the second-rate von Karma who walked in her adopted brother's shadow, whose father always looked upon her with vague disappointment despite everything she had accomplished. At last, she would prove herself worthy of the von Karma name and legacy.
But for now, she found herself trudging through the snow, in near sub-zero temperatures, scouring this damned circus for any last piece of evidence she could use as ammunition in court tomorrow. And as if this wasn't bad enough, she found herself being trailed by that foolish, scruffy detective. She had decided she needed to keep an eye on him, as he had a bad habit of leaking critical information to her enemy. But that came at a cost--he tended to blather on when he was nervous, saying any idiotic thing that sprang to his tiny mind. And since Franziska caused his anxiety to spike, that meant she was subjected to a lot of his worthless, distracting chatter. So it was that, as they walked through the snow, he (against his better judgment) decided to try and make small talk with Franziska.
"Soooooooo..." Gumshoe said, scratching the back of his head as he followed Franziska. "...Circuses, am I right? Are you a fan of circuses, Miss von Karm-AAAAHHHHHH!"
"Don't talk to me." Franziska said, whipping the snow beneath his feet, causing him to leap backwards in fright.
"...OK, sure." Gumshoe said. "...Sorry, pal, I was just hoping to provide some levity to the situation--YIKES!"
"What part of 'Don't talk to me' do you fail to understand!?" Franziska said, again whipping the ground. "Shut up and let me investigate!"
...But she had to admit, Gumshoe's question did get her to think about her own personal history with circuses. It wasn't extensive, but back in Germany, her father would take her and Miles to them every now and again. And in Franziska's humble opinion, European circuses weren't like the second-rate, chintzy sideshows found in the United States! No, circuses and their performers actually had some class. High-flying trapeze artists who seemed to defy the laws of gravity. Strongmen who could juggle huge dumbbells with ease. Dancers in frilly outfits whose routines were straight of a 19th-century Parisian cabaret.
But what she remembered most were the horses. Bareback riders equipped with nothing but riding crops would perform an elaborate routine that must have taken hours to get perfectly right. These were always her father's favorite part of the show. Watching these performances were the closest Franziska ever truly came to seeing her father look amused.
"Pay close attention, children." He would say to her and Miles. "Notice how perfectly organized everything is. Observe how one single mistake could cause the whole thing to end in disaster. Take note of the importance of perfect obedience on the horses' behalf. If the horses do not do precisely as their riders command...not only can they hurt themselves and their trainers, but also others around them. They obey, not only out of fear of punishment...but because they understand that their trainers know what is best for them."
Miles never quite saw the appeal. Horses seemed boring compared to the more exotic animals, such as elephants and tigers. When the horses came trotting out, he would lean back in his seat, yawn, and gorge himself on popcorn, just waiting for it to be over so they could get to "the good part." But Franziska, she always tried to show her father that she was interested. She'd pay close attention to the horses, remark loudly when they pulled off a particularly impressive trick, and do everything she could to demonstrate that--in comparison to her brother--she understood what her father was talking about. It was a running theme throughout their childhoods.
And look at all the good it did her...
None of that matters anymore, Franziska said, shaking her head, trying to banish the memories from her mind, That is all in the past. All that matters is that I defeat Phoenix Wright. That alone is what I must live for and strive for. Nothing else matters!
A few minutes passed in silence. Franziska and Gumshoe made their way to the crime scene; the area outside the lodging house. As Franziska looked around the scene, Gumshoe glanced up when he heard the sound of a window opening. A monkey jumped out of the second-story window and began climbing around on the building, hopping from window sill to window sill, before setting eyes on Franziska--specifically, the shiny, glimmering object attached to the lapel of her jacket.
"Uh...Miss von Karma?" Gumshoe said as he watched Money hop onto the ground and slowly begin to approach her. Franziska was kneeling down, examining the footprints in the snow, too wrapped up in her work to notice. "Miss von Karma! Watch out--!"
"Will you please be quiet, Scruffy--!" Franziska said, before Money suddenly hopped onto her shoulder. She screeched and tripped as Money grabbed her prosecutor's badge, then ran off. "...Ah! M-My badge! That damn orangutan has got my badge!"
"Looks like he's headed towards the tent..." Gumshoe said.
"Stay here and keep investigating, Scruffy!" Franziska said, practically growling as she got up, dusted the snow off herself, and marched off after him. "I'll be right back."
__
"Say...I've got a riddle for you folks!" Moe said.
"Oh, no..." Phoenix said, rubbing his temples as he felt a headache coming on. "Please. No more riddles. Not now."
"Ohhh! I love riddles!" Maya said. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
While speaking with Moe over the course of their second day of investigation, Maya had off-handedly mentioned that she was hungry. Moe responded that he would be happy fix them up some "genuine circus grub; some real artery-clogging goodness." Of course, Maya was on board...even if Phoenix wasn't that hungry at all. But regardless, Moe led them to one of the concession stands by near the entrance to the big top and fired up the deep fryers.
"OK, here goes!" Moe said. "What kind of pets do scarecrows have? ...Corn dogs!"
As he delivered this oh so hilarious punchline, he handed both Phoenix and Maya one freshly-prepared corn dog each. Maya laughed uproariously, while Phoenix merely groaned.
"...Hilarious." Phoenix said. "Thanks for the lunch, Mr. Curls. But we really should be getting back to our investigation now--"
"Hey! Watch out!" Moe said. "Money at six o'clock!"
"Huh...?" Phoenix said as he and Maya turned around to see Money the Monkey running towards them. Maya screamed as Money hopped onto her back, swiped something from the inside of her jacket, and ran off into the tent. "Maya! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." Maya said, standing up and checking her pockets. "...Ah! Oh no!"
"Let me guess." Moe said. "Money stole something of yours."
"Not this again..." Phoenix said.
"Mia's Magatama...he must have stolen it!" Maya said. "I carry it around as a good luck charm."
"C'mon, let's go get it back..." Phoenix said.
"Nah, don't worry about it, Nick!" Maya said. "I know you've got a lot of work to do. You keep investigating! I'll go get the Magatama back myself!"
"Well, if you say so." Phoenix said. "But if you need any help, let me know."
"Will do!" Maya said, shoving the corn dog in her mouth as she took off after Money.
"Hey! Maya! Don't run with food in your mouth! You could choke--!" Phoenix called after her. "...Oh, never mind."
__
Franziska saw the monkey run into the big top. Stopping to catch her breath for just a moment, she then gave chase once more, running after him at top speed...
...Before colliding head-on with Maya Fey.
"GAH!" Franziska said, falling into a pile of snow on the ground for the second time today. "Wh-What is the meaning of this!?"
Maya sat up. She waved to Franziska and tried to speak to her, but the corn dog in her mouth made her impossible to understand.
"Take that food out of your mouth at once!" Franziska said, standing up. "I can't understand what you're saying to me!"
"...Mmmm. Sorry!" Maya said, standing up as she took the corn dog out of her mouth, with a big bite taken out of it. "Have you seen a monkey pass through here, Ms. von Karma? A little one, with a blue jacket and a hat, carrying some glowing, green, rock-looking thingy."
"Of course I have!" Franziska said. "That psychotic chimpanzee made off with my badge!"
"...I don't think Money's a chimpanzee." Maya said, taking another bite of her corn dog. "He looks more like a macaque to me. Or maybe a--"
"I don't care what he is!" Franziska said. "I need my badge back!"
"And I need Mia's Magatama back!" Maya said. "...Say, why don't we team up and take him on together--!?"
"No."
"Whaaaaat?" Maya said. "Oh, come on, Ms. von Karma!"
"You're an ally of Phoenix Wright, and thus, an enemy to me!" Franziska said. "In fact, I don't know why you're treating me so kindly! Do you not remember a few months prior, when I tried to have you convicted for murder!?"
"Yeah, of course I remember!" Maya said. "And trust me, I still haven't forgiven you for everything you put me and Nick through! However, something similar happened a while ago, with another prosecutor. I never thought I'd be able to forgive him--but eventually, we became friends! And hey, even if we can't become friends, we've still got a common enemy right now, so we should be working together either way!"
"Give me one good reason why I should agree to let you help me!" Franziska said.
"Well, I happen to know one of the circus' animal tamers." Maya said. "If you want to take on Money without the help of a trained professional, be my guest. But if you want to get your badge back quickly..."
"Ugh! Fine!" Franziska said. "Take me to this animal tamer! But don't expect me to be grateful for your 'help'!"
"Yay! " Maya said. "Let's get going! ...Oh, by the way, are you hungry? You can have some of my corn dog if you'd like!"
Franziska looked with disgust at the half-eaten corn dog for a moment, before whipping it out of Maya's hand and walking into the tent.
"Hey!" Maya said. "Moe put a lot of effort into making that for me, y'know!"
"I don't have time for your foolishness, Miss Maya Fey!" Franziska said. "Let's go!"
__
"Reginaaaaaa?" Maya called as they walked into the big top. "Are you in here?"
"Right here, Maya!" Regina said. "Hiiiiii! What's up?"
"Have you seen Money?" Maya said. "We've followed him into this tent, but I don't see him in here."
"Money?" Regina said. "...Oh, yes! He's playing trapeze artist right now!"
She pointed upwards. And indeed, Money was sitting on one of the trapezes hanging from the ceiling, suspended several feet in the air.
"There you are!" Maya said, whistling. "Heeeeeey, Money! Can you give Auntie Maya her Magatama back? Pretty please?"
Money didn't seem to notice her. Franziska groaned.
"This is ridiculous!" Franziska said, before pointing to Regina. "You! Animal tamer! Get that lousy bonobo down here and have him give me my badge back!"
Regina stared at Franziska for a moment. She then hugged her, causing Franziska to jump in surprise.
"Ahhhh! What a cute girl you are!" Regina said. "You must be one of Maya's friends, right?"
"What!?" Franziska said. "No! Of course not! Maya Fey is one of my sworn enemies! Unhand me at once!"
"What's her name, Maya?" Regina said, letting go of Franziska.
"This is Franziska von Karma." Maya said. "She's the prosecutor assigned to Max's case."
"Ohhh...you're a prospector!" Regina said, turning back to Franziska. "I didn't know there were still prospectors these days! I thought they were only a thing back in, like, the Wild West! Say, have you found any gold nearby?"
"I am a prosecutor!" Franziska said, drawing her whip. "Don't you know what that means, you stupid girl!?"
"...You talk kinda funny for a prospector." Regina said. "You should have a cowgirl voice, but instead, you have a German accent. How odd!"
"...You and Miss Maya Fey really are on the same wavelength." Franziska said. "Foolish minds think alike. Why am I even surprised... Listen! Just help me get my badge back and maybe--just maybe--I will consider not whipping you!"
"Alrighty, Fran!" Regina said, "Mind if I call you Fran, Fran?"
"Yes." Franziska said. "I mind terribly."
"Cool!" Regina said. "Just gimme a sec, Fran. Ohhhh, Money! Treat!"
Regina reached into her jacket and pulled out a banana. Money took notice and immediately hopped down.
"Trade, Money!" Regina commanded. "Trade...good boy!"
As Regina handed him the banana, Money handed her the Magatama and the badge. Money then ran off back towards the lodging house with his newfound snack. Maya placed the Magatama back in her pocket as Franziska pinned her badge back onto her lapel.
"Regina, you're the best!" Maya said. "Thanks! ...Miss von Karma, don't you have something you'd like to say to Regina?"
"Do not talk to me like I'm a child, Miss Maya Fey!" Franziska said, before clearing her throat and looking to the side. "...Though I suppose it would only be polite if I...said thank you."
"Aw! You're welcome, Fran!" Regina said. "Good luck with your prospecting! If you ever want to change careers, maybe you and Maya can come to the circus! I've always wanted some cute girls to be perform with, and you two fit the bill! ...Of course, you'd have to be comfortable working with tigers and elephants and the like."
"Yeah, that won't be happening." Franziska said, turning her back on Maya and Regina as she walked out of the tent. "Goodbye. May our paths never cross again."
"Miss von Karma, wait up!" Maya said, following her out of the tent.
"What is it, Maya Fey?" Franziska said. "Just let me get back to my work!"
Maya suddenly extended her hand. Franziska raised an eyebrow, confused at the gesture and that foolish smile on her face.
"I don't want us to be enemies." Maya said. "We don't have to be friends either, but...maybe we can call a truce?"
"A truce?" Franziska said, laughing. "Why on earth would I agree to such a thing?"
"Don't you think it would be better for everyone if we all just set aside our petty grudges when it comes to trials and stuff like that?" Maya said. "There's no room for stupid things like rivalries in the courtroom. Let's put all that stupid stuff behind us and focus on what really matters--finding the truth! It might be hard...but the first step is by agreeing to be civil with each other, I think. So, what do you say?"
Franziska looked at Maya's hand. She was positively perplexed. Why would Phoenix Wright's assistant--someone who was supposed to be her enemy--make such an offer? It was troubling--doubly so because, for some reason, Franziska couldn't get this stupid girl out of her mind. Even for months after the Kurain Village case...Franziska would find herself thinking about Miss Maya Fey, the things she had to said to her...and how pretty she was...
She felt like whipping herself for even admitting such a thing to herself. Her father...he always told her that he never recognized the lawyers he faced off against in the courtroom. They were so beneath him that he never exerted the effort to learn their names or faces, let alone let them take up space in his mind. Franziska felt so horribly weak for not being to replicate this behavior. No wonder her father viewed her as a disappointment...as a failure, who was so far from perfection that she brought profound disgrace to the von Karma name. She needed to rid herself of all these sinful, foolish thoughts and focus entirely on destroying Phoenix Wright. He and all his allies--they were her enemies! Maya Fey was her enemy! She always had been and she always would be.
"Miss von Karma--" Maya said.
"Don't talk to me as if we are equals." Franziska said, turning her back on her. "You are far, far below me, Miss Maya Fey! And tomorrow, in the courtroom, I shall prove it to you! I shall show you and everyone else just how utterly and irreconcilably different we are!"
"Miss von Karma, wait!" Maya said as Franziska walked away. "It doesn't have to be this way."
Yes, it does. Franziska thought, shaking her head. Of course it does. I am Franziska von Karma. I am my brother's superior. I am my father's successor. This is merely fate, Miss Maya Fey. No matter how much you and I wish it were different...this is merely fate.