「鞭のお姉さん」

i am franziska von karma. prodigal daughter of manfred von karma prosecutor and interpol liaison. i do not tolerate anything less than perfection (and a lot of other things). tread carefully. (independent aa rp. sideblog to miilesedgeworth. please read the rules before following/interacting!)

[rysia-el]

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[largehearts]

tinyredlawyer:

Fire or no, Apollo’s laughter still died immediately at the look he was served by Ms von Karma, and he innocently went back to puffing on his cigarette while he listened. She wasn’t wrong. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind if Mr Wright’d spare some of that luck for the little guys.”

It seemed that Ms von Karma’s rivalry with his boss was more about her brothers’ honour than her own, but it didn’t seem prudent to ask her to elaborate on her ‘grudge’. It was all smoothed over by now, anyway; whatever had happened between Mr Edgeworth and Mr Wright didn’t much matter anymore.

“Ah– yes, traditionally the queen is a priestess with the power to channel spirits,” he explained, glancing up for her reaction. If she was bringing up ‘what the Fey family does’ she was probably already familiar with the concept of spirit mediums, but he knew it could be a hard thing to believe in for anyone who hadn’t witnessed it firsthand. “The current government is just temporary until the next in line completes her spiritual training, so the acting regent being a prosecutor is mostly a coincidence. But at the very least it’s good for the public image of the justice system, which always helps.”

He smiled. “No, no, I appreciate the offer! It’s just… it’s sort of all a mess of red tape and politics, so I’m surprised you’re interested in helping. We’ve had to avoid officially bringing in foreign assistance while we’re still working on rebuilding public trust in the courts, but any expertise you have would help a lot.” He sighed. “Help’s hard to get when people are so wary of corruption that they’ll threaten to revolt all over again if they think outsiders are meddling with their national institutions.”

Franziska couldn’t (but nor did she want to) help the feeling of satisfaction welling up at the sight of Apollo’s expression. Ah, she still had a knack, didn’t she? Not that she made it her mission to alienate people, but it was good to have a reminder every now and then that she could intimidate people when necessary, with her personality just as much as with her reputation. The latter would only go so far, after all.

She could see that he was still curious about her past with Phoenix Wright, but she did not fancy dredging up the details. Perhaps she had forgiven him for not being there when Miles needed him most, perhaps even for humiliating her so thoroughly, but that did not mean she wanted it public knowledge. He could always ask Wright himself, couldn’t he? Albeit, if Franziska had mellowed out, Phoenix seemed to have done the opposite, having become more bitter and closed-off. Likely a by-product of the temporary loss of his attorney badge.

The prosecutor focused back on the topic at hand, pursing her lips slightly. So, the next in line was also young, wasn’t she? Though Franziska had never had the responsibility of a whole country, she could still imagine the pressure, and momentarily, she allowed herself to feel sorry for the next queen of Khura’in.

“Frankly, after a decade with Interpol, it seems I must seek out challenge rather than wait for challenge to seek me out,” she said after a moment of pause, finishing her cigarette in the ashtray wired to the railing’s metal bar. “I have been thinking of returning to prosecuting,” she added, her voice dropping slightly, a small note of hesitation in it. “For the past couple of years, I must admit, I stayed where I was out of complacency. I am good at what I do, after all. But I am still a much better prosecutor than an investigator. Still…” She folded her arms, unsure of why she was telling this to Apollo Justice when he didn’t know her at all. Then again, perhaps that was precisely why. “Miles Edgeworth has built up this office from the ground. After the Dark Age, him having found so many people he can trust is quite a feat. He does not need me here, even if we overlook the fact that I am the daughter of one of the most prominent men who had a hand in the ruin of justice.” And the person who ruined Miles’ life, but Franziska was not about to say that.

“So, I have been looking for something else worthy of my attention and effort,” she said instead, quirking an eyebrow at Apollo. “Albeit I’m not quite sure what effort could that be, specifically, considering what you said. I am quite obviously a foreigner, after all, and doing anything to undermine the authority you already established there would be quite counter-productive, would it not?”

[instantkaruma]

Starter call!!!

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[instantkaruma]

tinyredlawyer:

Apollo’s interest was immediately piqued at the confirmation that Mr Wright and Ms von Karma had once been courtroom rivals. As much as he had admired him for the notoriety his tenacity and righteousness had earned him back then, Apollo was still rough on the details of his former boss’s early cases. It had never really become a topic of discussion.

He didn’t mean to laugh when she illustrated how badly she had been beaten, but he was honestly a little surprised. His idolatry of Phoenix Wright had waned quite a bit since meeting him – a few years ago he would have simply nodded in agreement, but now… Ms von Karma gave a far more intellectual and capable impression than he had of Mr Wright. “H-he did?” From her expression, he hoped that the subject wasn’t a sore point. “That was a long time ago, though, right? Y-you’re not… still furious at him, are you?”

He did nod, and sigh, at her pontificating about the state of affairs in Khura’in. “Heartily agreed… and a good foundation is what we’re shooting for. The acting regent is also a prosecutor, so thankfully the courts are getting the funding and TLC from the government they deserve.” Unfortunately, it also meant there was a lot of needless politics involved, but he could slog through it for the greater good. He looked up curiously at her offer.

“You want to help?”

Franziska pulled on one of her most terrifying scowls when Apollo laughed. A couple of years ago, it would have made half of the prosecutors and the entire precinct start looking for a hiding place, but now there was no real fire behind it. She’d long since come to terms with her defeat by Phoenix’s hands; they’d both grown from it in their own way. And she was not as keen on appearances as she’d used to be, either.

“To be fair, he got lucky,” she said, somewhat sourly, but the corner of her mouth was twitching into a badly concealed smile. “He really does get lucky an unfair amount, don’t you think?” Franziska didn’t know anyone else who’d survived being poisoned and falling into rapids from bridges and who knew what else. She took another drag of her cigarette, and when she exhaled, a puff of laughter came with the smoke. “No, I’m no longer angry with him. He is the foolest of all fools, but if Miles forgave him, I have no real reason to hold a grudge.

When Apollo went on to describe more of Khura’in’s justice system, Franziska pursed her lips, trying to dredge up whatever she could remember of the kingdom. She’d never worked there, so the list was woefully short. “Isn’t the queen a priestess?” she asked, eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion. “I thought it was something similar to what the Fey family does. Do they prosecute also?” For a moment, she was interrupted by the intrusive image of Maya as a prosecutor, and she snorted in a rather unladylike manner. “I do hope not; that would most certainly be a disaster.”

(Although, come to think of it, that might have just been Maya’s personality rather than her profession…)

At the question, the prosecutor tilted her head, quirking an eyebrow. “And why not? You don’t seem to have an overabundance of resources on your hand, and I’m not currently doing anything of import.” Coincidentally, she had just finished a months-long assignment a couple of days prior – and while she didn’t know a whole lot about Khura’in’s justice system, she always welcomed a learning experience. She’d always treated them like challenges, ever since her father had adopted Edgeworth; from that point onward, they had always been competing, and perhaps it was a little childish, but the idea that she would have an opportunity to learn something Miles didn’t know gave her an extra sense of satisfaction.

[instantkaruma]

fotismeni:

   [ klavier stays turned away for the moment, partially to keep an eye on their dinner, partially because he knows he can’t school his face right now. he feels his head dip a little, his chest tighten uncomfortably. vongole whines quietly, pressing against his leg a little to reassure him. ]         [ part of him does worry that what kristoph was like–at the end–rubbed off, that he has unconsciously become someone who is just as awful as his brother but has managed to fool everyone into thinking he’s someone worth trusting. but he hears truths in her words–reminders that he is his own person. that klavier is indeed the person he has prided himself in being since he struck out on his own. ]

    [ when he does turn, he keeps a mostly neutral look–but it’s clear his brain is running wild. he takes a deep breath, before managing to respond. ]

        I was lucky to have who I did. I owe most of who I am to Professor Courte. And to Daryan, too. And I wouldn’t have even gone into law were it not for my brother. Could not have turned out the way I have were it not for them. [ courte especially. she was probably the reason he worked the way he does now, the reason why he decided to pursue two full-time careers at once. ]               [ thinking of her only reminds him that she’s gone yet again. pain flickers across his face for a moment, and he bows his head. everything starts rushing back in–all of the blame he places on himself for how everything turned out. ]

           But the reason I didn’t feel that stress when I was seventeen was because I didn’t see what was wrong. I didn’t….I didn’t–

       [ he falls silent, his jaw clenching. he turns to the soup, taking it off the stove for a moment. anything to avoid going further with that sentence. ] I have to–have to put this through the blender to make it smooth. Just so the noise doesn’t startle you.

Franziska can't really read the situation in its entirety. It is a shortcoming that annoys her to no end, but it's still the truth; she is nowhere near enough of a people person to be able to read from body language in personal situations. In court is an entirely different matter; it is something that can be learnt, there are patterns, most interactions are clear-cut, the endgame unquestionable. In personal affairs, these things are always muddled, and while Franziska has learnt to sympathize, she is not an empathic personality, and she doubts that can be learned simply by sheer willpower.

Her gaze is fixed on Klavier when he finally turns, trying to figure out what's really happening. It is obvious that Klavier has trouble with the topic, and something in what he says is painfully familiar, yet Franziska cannot put a finger on what it really is. She thinks maybe the core difference is that she had never been complicit in her father's crimes in any manner – but she realizes that that would probably be unkind to say.

“Naíveté is not a crime, Klavier,” she says after a moment of pause that she lets stretch between them after the other stops talking about the soup. Franziska unfortunately has little patience for beating around the bush. She likes clear-cut things where she doesn't feel like she has to read other people's minds. She would not take offense if Klavier simply said that he wished to stop talking about this – but he didn't say it, and so Franziska would simply ignore his attempts at steering the conversation so awkwardly and half-arsedly. “We are all foolish at that age. Some more than others. My brother claims you have never been corrupt, and with how much hatred and disdain he has for those that manipulate the system, I am inclined to believe him. Refusing to forgive yourself for things everyone else claims were not truly your fault is little better than self-pity.”

Is that harsh? Probably. Does that make it any less true? Not at all. Franziska is well aware of her own tactlessness, but it's one of the few things she simply refuses to endeavour to change about herself. Why should she drag out the pain when she can just as well execute it to the effect of ripping off a bandaid?

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[instantkaruma]

tinyredlawyer:

Apollo was happy to see a touch of recognition in Ms von Karma’s expression at the mention of Khura’in; it was a tiny, quiet country that didn’t get much international attention, so it was always nice to get something other than a blank stare from foreigners when he mentioned it. Khura’in wasn’t an extremely exciting place (outside of his hectic work schedule, anyway), but he was proud to live there and he liked educating people about it.

He was a little confused when she denied working with Mr Edgeworth – if they weren’t coworkers, then how did they know each other? – and a little more so when she referred to him as her brother. Oh. They didn’t really look related, and he was certain Edgeworth was not the younger brother she’d mentioned earlier… but he’d dealt with enough odd families that he wasn’t willing to question it. “I see. Did you meet Mr Wright through him, then?”

He actually laughed a bit at her reaction to his work situation, in a bit of a self-deprecating way. “‘Preposterous’ just about covers it, but it’s what I signed up for.” He shrugged, taking a puff of his cigarette. “And I’m kind of the only person for the job, until we get more local attorneys – and even then, I’m the one who has to train them all. There’s a lot of public distrust of the courts right now; it would go a lot easier and faster if we brought in foreign lawyers to help, but letting a bunch of outsiders run things would be a PR nightmare. I’ve got a hard enough time convincing the people to trust me sometimes, and I grew up there; I’m the closest thing to a native lawyer they’ve got.”

She was absolutely right, though: it was far too much weight for one person to shoulder, even without considering his lack of experience. But there wasn’t much to be done about it; it wasn’t ideal, but he and Nahyuta agreed it was for the best. “With any luck, it’ll be temporary. We got a lot of work done in just the last six months, so hopefully we’ll get far enough soon that I can take some time to start teaching.” That’s what he was really looking forward to; once the system was stable enough to base a training curriculum on and his workload was light enough that he could actual teach it, it would all be downhill. “It’s hard, but it’s been a good experience. I’m learning a lot.”

Franziska slowly started to realize that Apollo Justice really had no idea of her background. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised by that, considering his age, and the fact that they'd only met in passing, but she was far too used to most people practicing law in Los Angeles knowing perfectly well who she was, both because of her father's lingering reputation, and because of her own, as a prosecutor and with Interpol.

“Something of the sort. It was because of Miles that I came here from Germany to prosecute, and Phoenix Wright turned out to be my opponent.” Digging into her pocket for another cigarette, she smiled slightly. It was a rather obviously bitter smile, but to anyone who knew her at least a little bit, it was a positive sign that she was smiling at all, as well as the fact that she was openly admitting, “He thoroughly mopped the floor with me.” Sticking the unlit cigarette into the corner of her mouth, she ran her fingers through her hair. “It's a rather complicated story, to be fair, but the crux of the matter is that I was only seventeen, and I let my judgment be clouded by how incredibly furious I was with him about some personal matters regarding him and my brother. Well, that, and he had that little trinket of his from Maya Fey, which, when you think about it, is a little unfair.”

The prosecutor lit her cigarette, turning her attention back to the other topic at hand. “It's difficult to imagine a country in so much disarray that they would disrespect the legal system to that extent. The law should be the foundation to any government.” She shot a contemplative look towards Apollo, her words cautious, yet giving the impression that they were well thought out. “Perhaps I could help you.”

[instantkaruma]

fotismeni:

   [ it’s hard to get a read on him for the longest of moments–the moment of respite in the conversation that lead to this was nice, but he still would prefer not to say anything about the topic. the only real indication he gives that he heard her is the way the tips of his ears turn pink in embarrassment at the compliment. he focuses on the pot before him before speaking. ]         It wasn’t just me who brought them to justice. [ he refers, of course, to the brunette attorney he’d faced in those cases. apollo justice is the main reason those cases turned out the way they did. he turns to face her for a moment, expression calm. he doesn’t seem offended at her assessment. ] And–Kristoph is incredibly smart. He did almost get away with it.

  [ again, he falls silent. he’s glad she isn’t claiming to know exactly how he feels in this moment, in those moments in the courtroom when he was forced to give up his loyalty to his friend, his brother, in favor of the truth. it still sits heavy in his chest, reminding him of what has happened constantly. he chews his lip, bowing his head after a moment. ]         I actually don’t remember how I felt for most of that trial. I only remember how I felt when I realized it all…and what pulled me out of it. [ he turns back to the stove, voice quiet. ] I assume I blocked most of it out, or I simply didn’t register anything until that moment, when it all clicked into place.      [ vongole makes a quiet noise, pressing into klavier’s leg. he leans over to pet her, thank her for her concern. the unease has settled back in. perhaps not as intensely as before, but it’s back. ]

Franziska can feel the heaviness settling back onto the conversation, and for a few moments, she wonders which direction she ought to take. Would it be better to stir the topic back towards lighter things? It would perhaps make it easier for Klavier in the short run of things – but what of the long run? Wouldn't it be better to talk about it? But then, it would be presumptuous of her to assume she is the right person to listen. She and Klavier aren't that close – it's just an unfortunate coincidence that their lives parallel in certain things enough for her to relate to some of what he is going through. It does not immediately qualify her to offer any kind of comfort. On the other hand, when she was wading through her own grief, she was surrounded with people who cared about her – Miles, first and foremost, but also all the people who cared about Miles, even though Franziska did not think herself deserving to be included in their circle. Phoenix Wright, Maya Fey, even Pearl took her into their tightly knit coccoon of friendship, even in spite of her abrasiveness. Klavier… after Kristoph and Daryan, does he really have anyone? Franziska simply doesn't know.

And yet, even like this, it is undeniable that Klavier is dealing with it all much better than Franziska did, considering the hurdles he had to overcome. “You are quite strong, you know,” she says, her hands fidgeting with her glass, her gaze fixed on the young man's back. “Perhaps stronger than you might believe. You did not let yourself be steered from the path you believed to be right; you stood your ground to prevent innocents from being harmed further. You managed to become your own man in spite of how close you were to the people who have chosen the wrong path. Those are things I still struggle with to this day. Sometimes I still struggle to separate my own values and morals from my horribly faulty upbringing, from that of my father. Sometimes, when I miss him the most, I still find myself entertaining poisonous thoughts. Blaming Miles Edgeworth, even – despite the fact that he suffered far more by Manfred von Karma's hand than I did. When I was your age, I couldn't yet let go of that poison; I lashed out at the whole world, hurt the people who tried to help me. If I were in your place at age seventeen, I would have bent and snapped in half like a twig.”

She pauses for a moment, waiting to see if Klavier will turn around. Whether he will or won't, though, she finishes her line of thought with, “It is natural that it hurts. But just because you wish things had been different, just because you regret the way things turned out – doesn't mean you made the wrong choice.”

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[instantkaruma]

tinyredlawyer:

“Don’t worry about it,” Apollo said, waving a hand and offering a wry smile. “I’m pretty sure Mr Wright still tells everyone I’m his employee, anyway; he hasn’t stopped acting like my boss, yet, either.”

And he didn’t mind. After suddenly transplanting himself into a new country with a new office and new laws and new people, and struggling to adjust to a different way of life and a ridiculous level of responsibility, it felt good to come back to a familiar position at the Wright Anything Agency and be treated like he’d never left. It was comforting to know that not everything in his life had irreversibly changed.

He nodded, very much catching Ms von Karma’s drift about avoiding getting himself involved with Interpol. He had enough on his plate without an international law enforcement agency on his case. “Unfortunately I’m not in a hurry to start any international incidents, so I guess I’ll have to wait to meet you in court. But if your work ever brings you to Khura’in, I’d be happy to show you around.”

His tone was jocular; light-hearted, low-stakes conversation was a good way to relax and distract himself from the sombre thoughts that had been poisoning his mood. Smoking helped, too. He thanked her for the light and took a puff. “No kidding.” He knew all about getting grief for his smoke breaks. “At least Mr Edgeworth seems to be too busy hosting right now to give you a hard time. I take it you two work together a lot?”

He wasn’t exactly sure how Ms von Karma fit in with the rest of the people here; Mr Wright seemed to have known her for a long time, and she was clearly on a first-name basis with the Chief Prosecutor, but how they’d made themselves acquaintances with an Interpol liaison was a mystery.

He actually laughed at her question. Better opportunities? That was one way of putting it. “Haha, I guess you can say that… in a nutshell, Khura’in went through some political upheaval just before I moved there, and the legal system is more-or-less being rebuilt from the ground up. Defence attorneys couldn’t safely practice under the previous government, so I’m currently running the only law office in the country.” He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. He was still a bit modest about admitting how important his position in Khura’in was. “… There certainly isn’t a shortage of work.”

Franziska couldn't help but roll her eyes, though it was in good humour; Phoenix Wright did have a tendency towards the foolish and inappropriate, didn't he? She would have never admitted it to anyone that she had grown somewhat fond of him over the years.

She tilted her head a little when Justice went on, trying to remember what little she knew of Khura'in; she'd never had to go there with her Interpol work, not yet anyway. “I would like that, I think.” All she could remember was that it was a politically incredibly messy place – frankly, she did not envy Apollo's job there. Franziska had never liked messy. She preferred clear-cut situations where all she needed was the law and her wits (and sometimes her whip) to solve a crime. Politics just bored her most of the time.

A moment of surprise flashed across her features at the next question. Work together? “No,” she replied simply, taking another drag of her cigarette. “We used to, when his path crossed mine, sometimes by sheer chance. And when he spent time living in Germany, of course. These days, though, I don't spend a lot of time in Germany either, and my brother is settled in as Chief Prosecutor.”

She leaned against the railing of the balcony as she listened to his explanation of Khura'in's legal system – good heavens, it was even messier than Franziska had assumed. The only law office in the country?! Justice wasn't even thirty yet, was he? “Preposterous,” she said without really thinking, a knee-jerk reaction that carried a definite echo of the haughtiness that had used to be the only tone she spoke in – not anymore, though. A moment later, she caught herself, blinking a few times before turning away to flick her cigarette into the ashtray fastened onto the outer edge of the railing. “That is to say, it is an enormous amount of stress for someone so young. I mean no offense – I know you are capable, but a responsibility of that magnitude is… something I would not put up with in your place.”

Her look had a hint of knowledge in it as she turned back to face the attorney. Franziska had more than enough experience with having to carry expectations far beyond her age.

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[instantkaruma]

tinyredlawyer:

Apollo smiled smally in relief when he was allowed to join her, though he chose to recline against the doorframe rather than the railing – he came out here to relax, and his fear of heights was one thing that unfortunately hadn’t changed. Ms von Karma didn’t give off the friendliest of vibes, but he was content that she was just willing to chat and tolerate his presence while he got some air.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, nodding. He seemed to recall Mr Wright mentioning that there were other guests here from away, though he still had it in his head that their international career titles were somehow more prestigious and impressive than his own. “Yeah, that’s me… I haven’t worked for Mr Wright in a while though. I moved overseas last spring, so I’m just here visiting.”

In contrast to Ms von Karma, Apollo was quite unbothered by the evening chill; he hadn’t even bothered to do up his jacket. He wasn’t ever one to complain about the cold anyway, but after seeing his first December in Khura’in in over a decade, winter in Los Angeles was rather comfortable in comparison. He chuckled a little at her question, and dug in his pocket for his own pack of cigarettes.

“Nah, it’s fine. I could use a light, though… if you don’t mind.” His lighter hadn’t made it out of his luggage, yet. He shrugged, awkwardly. “It’s a good excuse to get away from everyone for a minute.”

Franziska blinked; this was news to her. She tilted her head slightly, considering her words for a moment, then deciding to be generous and go with the polite route. No apology had sliced her tongue off yet, after all – perhaps a little bit of her pride, in the past, but, among many other things, she'd grown out of that, too. “I'm sorry,” she said, though at the same time she also gave a small shrug; she had deciphered from Justice's tone that it wasn't a big deal to make this mistake. “Last Spring happens to be the last time I spent time here in the States, and I believe you were still under Wright's employ at the time. I don't really follow anyone's career except for my little brother's,” and Phoenix Wright's, but those two went hand in hand, and it wasn't like Franziska had to admit to everything, “so unless you attract Interpol's attention somehow, we're unlikely to cross paths professionally.”

Her smile, even in the half-light, definitely said the rest of the sentence: and you don't want to attract Interpol's attention.

Even so, at the same time, she fished out her lighter from her pocket, holding it out to Apollo while lighting the flame on top of it simultaneously. “Not a good enough excuse not to be given grief for it, though,” she commented, even as her smile melted into something marginally softer. “Not that Miles is one to talk about bad habits.”

Once Justice's cigarette was lit, Franziska pocketed the lighter again, and took another drag from her own smoke, rolling her shoulders a little to ease their stiffness. “Are there better opportunities where you moved to?” she inquired. She was interested about a fresh view on practicing law in multiple countries; she already had her own experiences, and she knew how Miles felt about the matter, but she had a feeling that this young lawyer's thoughts might be different – and not just because he wasn't a prosecutor.

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

[instantkaruma]

tinyredlawyer:

Apollo was glad to be here; he’d been looking forward to this. The past six months had been brutal, living in a country with a decades-long history of prejudice against defence attorneys and every moment having both his coworkers and the public mercilessly judge his performance as he struggled with the insane level of responsibility he’d accepted. It was all worth it, of course, and he wouldn’t shy away from doing it all over again once the holidays were over, but for now…

It was good to take some time off to be with friends. People he’d missed, people who were glad to see him and whose expectations were far easier to live up to than anyone in Khura’in. He didn’t know everyone here, but the atmosphere was warm and jovial and the conversation came easily. After all, he had half a year of news to catch up on.

And that was where his mood unfortunately began to wane. He hadn’t banked on the party being this exhausting. Unwinding and enjoying himself wasn’t supposed to take this much effort… but his heart still felt a pang whenever the subject happened to turn to old friends and Christmases gone by, which only made relaxing and smiling seem that much more like work. So much had happened in the year since he’d lost Clay, but that wound was no less fresh.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a well-dressed woman fleeing to the balcony – maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a break from this heavy-duty socializing and get some air. He excused himself from the conversation as quickly as was polite, grabbed his jacket, and slipped out.

“… Mind if I join you?” he asked as he stepped through the door, feeling a bit sheepish about the possibility that he was interrupting the woman. But it looked like she was just taking a smoke (another good idea), so hopefully she wouldn’t mind sharing the balcony while he took his moment of solace.

“You’re, ah–” He mentally cycled through the names and faces Mr Wright had pointed out to him when they’d arrived. “–Miss von Karma, right? I don’t think we’ve met…”

Initially, Franziska had thought that whoever had come after her was here because of her; learning that the other seemed to just happen upon her was a relief. She did not need anyone concerned about her (or about appearances – with Miles, it could be both) haranguing her about going back to the party. The newcomer, however, didn't seem to know her, and Franziska could hardly say she knew anything about him. “Suit yourself,” she said simply, turning slightly so that she was leaning against the railing with her side rather than her front – it would have been impolite to outright ignore him, and besides, however haughty she must have looked like, silhouetted against the railing with the shadows of the window curtains on her face amidst the light seeping outside from the room – she didn't mind the prospect of talking to someone here, where they weren't surrounded with so much noise and useless babble that made it hard to even think.

She nodded at his hesitant use of her name, taking another draw of her cigarette before replying. “Yes, I am Franziska von Karma. Prosecutor, though I've mostly been working in an investigative role abroad for the past couple of years.” Thus explaining why they hadn't made each other's acquaintance before. “And you are one of Phoenix Wright's protégés, correct?” She had to search for his name for a moment – all she could recall at first was that it was something outrageously flashy. “Apollo Justice – I think.”

She stuck the cigarette in the corner of her mouth to free both her hands, and he rubbed them along the length of her upper arms. It was chilly out here, though it was refreshing after the stuffy interior. She eyed the young man in front of her for a moment longer, as if trying to gauge if he was worth the trouble, but in the end, manners won out – she was a von Karma, after all. “Does the smoke bother you? I don't mind putting it out if it does.”

[instantkaruma]

deathbydahlia:

“Male dominated huh? I’m always behind girls rising to the top and taking over the patriarchal society, but a whip seems like the wrong way to go about that.”

“As captain of the Ivy University feminism society, it seems counterproductive.”

“Counterproductive? How so?” Franziska tilts her head. “I never did claim I was a feminist, you know.”

[instantkaruma]

hidden hearts

@tinyredlawyer

Franziska's fingers curled around the handle of her whip, even as she imagined she could feel Miles Edgeworth's disapproving look on the back of her neck. Perhaps she shouldn't have brought it to an event such as this, but – truth be told, an event such as this was one of the few things that brought out that specific feeling that she needed to have the comfort of her weapon at her side, even if she didn't use it on anyone. (Though, frankly, a few more minutes of having to be even in the same room as the Payne brothers, and that was subject to change.)

The German prosecutor had never really felt at home here. Her true home was, and would always be München, though she'd gotten used to travelling a lot. Still, there were different interpretations of the word home, and spending holidays with people she cared about was definitely one of them. Which was why she was in Los Angeles for Christmas; to be with her little brother, and, by extension, with Phoenix Wright and his daughter.

Why she had to come to the office party, though, was beyond her. She felt out of place and frustrated. There wasn't really anybody intelligent to talk to – the people who would have sufficed were all otherwise occupied. It seemed nobody quite wanted to bother attempting to talk to her – she still had a reputation. On one hand, that was satisfying, but on the other, it made tonight rather insufferable. She couldn't even seek out Miles; as Chief Prosecutor, he was practically the busiest, having to talk to literally everyone.

Finally managing to catch his gaze for a second, Franziska grabbed her coat from one of the hangers, wrapping it around her shoulders, and heading for the balcony through one of the magnificent French doors. She would not disgrace him by leaving so early, but she needed a break.

Once outside, she wrapped herself into the coat properly, tying it with the sash around her midriff rather than buttoning it up, and then she dug out a pack of cigarettes from one of the pockets, and lit one. She'd been leaning against the railing looking down at the landscape of the late evening city below for a whole of one and a half minutes before the door opened behind her again. She didn't turn – she could tell it wasn't Miles; she could recognize the fall of his footsteps, and this was someone else.

[instantkaruma]

Which Film Noir Archetype Are You?

Quiz here! Repost, don’t reblog!

result: the femme fatale

key characteristics: mysterious, self-destructive, charming, subversive

you are capable of using charm, beauty, and wit to work for your own gain. you understand people's desires easily and know how to use them. you may find yourself relying on others too often, and have difficulty extracting yourself from a situation once it has begun. you may one day find yourself accused of something unjustly, but if you take a moment to step back from the driving force within yourself you may avoid destruction.

film recommendations: double indemnity, out of the past, murder, my sweet

tagged by: @tinyredlawyer tagging: anyone

[instantkaruma]

Anyone want a starter? Like this post for one!

[chigasu-deactivated20170720]

[fiircbird-archive-blog]

perfectedblood:

chigasu:

i found these sketches from my art folder? and thought “alright”

@fiircbird !!

[kriscrash]

Interpol seems to be a very sexy place in the Ace Attorney universe, so just imagine how Franziska will be in a few years if she keeps working for them. Photoshop. Support me on Patreon!

[instantkaruma]

fotismeni:

   [ he huffs out a laugh–he can see where her confusion came from, he’d be the same were he not familiar with how the soup was made. he doesn’t miss the change in her tone, and he’s pleasantly surprised to find her teasing something that is genuinely funny. maybe it’s just the demeanor she gives off that makes it seem like her teasing would be a little more–intense? maybe. ]        Well, I guess so you don’t just drink hot milk all the time. [ he winks, picking up the pan and giving the vegetables inside a flip just to show off a little. he’s smiling warmly, clearly happier than he had been when they’d first gotten in. he adds in the hazelnut milk, stirring everything together. ] Might get boring, having hot milk all the time…

     [ he pauses in stirring as she asks her question, not sure how to respond to it. she’s hit the nail on the head, of course; it’s no coincidence that three people he considered himself to all wound up in jail or six feet under. at least, klavier is convinced it isn’t. ]

        I… [ he rubs the back of his head, not sure what to say to that. he’s wondered about it, sure, but he doubts it’d make any difference for them, but be bad for himself. ] I have. But–I think that would only affect one of them. I don’t even know what I could be doing other than law and music, anyway.           [ he blinks and looks up at her other comment, partially flattered and partially anxious. klavier has had those exact thoughts himself–that if he was the common factor between kristoph and daryan and courte, then he’d be the next to be dead or in jail. it’s a rather unsettling thought. ] I would rather I did neither as well.

Time was, Franziska didn't know how to actually tease people. She used to verbally poke Miles with barbed wire on her tongue; she did not think she was mean, but now she knows she was – much like she'd seen her father act. It's taken her the amount of time she's spent with Miles's other assorted family members (that are now, by extension, her family as well) to learn how to poke fun at people gently enough so that it may be fun for both of them. So yes, if Klavier thought Franziska would be more intense, he wasn't entirely wrong. But he isn't right either; the Franziska of today is a mixture of the girl who grew up wanting to be nothing but perfect, and the woman who sees the world around her for being what it is – far more shades of gray than it is black and white.

She considers his words, her lips pursed. “I suppose, in the end, it may not have changed much if you were only a musician. Except – if my little brother is to be believed, your participation may be the pivoting point for both Crescend's and your brother's trials. In the hands of a less qualified prosecutor, they may have walked free. In fact, I am fairly certain your brother would have – he is rather smart.” She does her best to keep her voice emotionless; she knows that what she is saying might be perceived as insensitive, while in reality she simply isn't a person who would sugarcoat things, and Klavier could easily have grown accustomed to that by now.

At the next moment, though, her voice drops lower, achieving a kind of softness Franziska von Karma isn't known for at all. “I cannot even imagine what that must have felt like. I was fortunate enough not to have to prosecute my own father; he dug his own grave while standing at the prosecutor's desk, and the case Phoenix Wright built against him was so solid even Gaspen Payne would have won the death sentence for him.”