The Kitten's Cubicle

Klavier had just finished his story when the waiter appeared to take their order. He placed it - an americano and one of the cakes of the day - before turning his attention back to Mia, who seemed genuinely interested in him. Not that kind of interest that his fans showed him, no. She really wanted to know more about him, as a prosecutor.

Yeah, Kristoph wasn’t exactly happy. My father was surprised too aber he didn’t mind much. He had my brother to take over the family business, after all.

With the menu taken away by the waiter Klavier had nothing left for him to play around with, so he moved back to doing what he always did when his hands started to get restless. He fiddled around with one of the many rings on his finger.

Nun, you have to know, my parents died in an accident when I was just a teenager. Kristoph was an adult already, back then, after German Law. So he got custody for me.

He took over my father’s company at first, but he figured out that staying in our hold home wasn’t good. Neither for him nor for me. He knew about Themis Legal Academy and thought it was a good school for me. And he too always wanted to go to America, for a few years maybe, to get some experience.

He decided to make our stay a permanent one. Getting me as far away as possible from Berlin so that I could heal properly. Losing my mother… it had been hard on me. I have struggled with their death. I wasn’t exactly happy about coming here at first aber it turned out to be a very good idea in the end. We both are quite happy with how things are.

Mia’s eyes widened as she listened to Klavier talk. She knew all too well the pain of losing one’s parents and having to comfort and raise a younger sibling. Under the table, her restless fingers plucked at the end of her scarf as she listened to him talk about his brother. Shame filled her as she thought about how she had abandoned Maya to become a lawyer. 

“I’m sorry for your loss. It sounds like Kristoph did a phenomenal job as your guardian, given the circumstances. Losing your parents at that age is really rough. I’ve been there. Again, my deepest condolences to you and Kristoph.” She gave him a rueful smile, but didn’t volunteer any more information. Mia wanted to learn more about the man sitting across from her, and she didn’t find much purpose in talking about herself. 

@kittenfey​ got caught in the fray

If he was honest, he could probably get used to this. The thrill, the chase, the way adrenaline coursed through him and the sound of his boots pounding the pavement were much unlike anything else he’d experienced in his life. The police would no doubt be hot on his trail quite soon, but with everything planned and in place, he allowed himself a moment of premature victory. Ron panted and laughed to himself horsely. Using the wall of a narrow alley to take his weight, the thief leaned back.

    “W-wow…”

He tugged at his collar to encourage airflow onto his skin.

    “Did I do it…?”

She wasn’t normally out this late, but she had a pre-trial meeting run over time by some hours. Ever since the White incident only a few years ago, Mia had sworn to herself that she would lay as low as possible. Hearing heavy footsteps racing behind her, she was wholly convinced her worst fears were about to come true. Slender fingers wrapped around the purse strap hanging from her shoulder as she braced herself for inevitable impact. 

The strange footsteps suddenly stopped coming closer and relief washed over her. If someone wasn’t running towards her, then they must have been running from something. Worry set in again, this time for the mysterious running stranger. They could be mortally wounded, or worse.

Against her better judgement, Mia hurried towards the alleyway she thought she had heard the person run into. She peered into the darkness to find a breathless shadow leaning against the wall. Not wanting to scare the stranger off, she crept closer before calling out to them softly.

He had been excited, almost thrilled when he had noticed Mia sitting in their usual spot but one look on her face, that wistfulness in her eyes was enough for him to know that something was off.

He wouldn’t be a good prosecutor if he wouldn’t see a major change like that in a familiar face. Yet, he said nothing about it while sitting down on his usual spot, his blue eyes gazed on Mia.

The wistfulness, that had been there just a moment earlier, was gone again and she almost seemed like her usual self again.

Yeah, business as usual. We got a difficult case in a few days ago aber I couldn’t take it. My band is currently recording a new album and it would clash with the date of the trial.

I would have delayed the recording of the album aber the Chief Prosecutor said it’s fine. He had someone else take it.

The waitress came by briefly and Klavier simply ordered his usual dark coffee. Nothing special, not even dessert or a snack that day. He had planned only to stop by for a quick coffee anyways.

How about you, Fräulein Lawyer. You have been awfully quite the last few days - I guess you were busy with a especially difficult to defend client?

Her wide eyes gazed at him intently as he spoke. It still amazed her that he could balance prosecuting with being a rock star with such ease. She marveled at how casually he could mention a difficult case and recording an album in the same breath. 

“I’m glad the Chief Prosecutor is willing to work with your schedule. It must make your jobs a lot easier, yeah?”

Her face clouded over again as he asked about her. She was forcibly reminded of the texts Klavier had sent her, and that she didn’t have the energy to reply to. She knew that she shouldn’t let August 27th send her into a spiral every year, but seeing Diego age in the hospital room had her reminiscing over where she could have been if Dahlia hadn’t taken him from her. 

“No, that’s not quite it. I owe you an apology, Klavier. I’m sorry for the radio silence the past couple of weeks. I should have let you know what was going on with me sooner. It’s just...” She took a long sip from her coffee as she raced to gather her fragmented thoughts. 

So much had changed in those seven years. Mia was no longer the naive junior partner she once was. Mia Fey was now a name that garnered respect in the legal scene of LA, but she would happily give up her legal empire if it would revive Diego from his coma.

As attorneys came and went, Mia had remained a constant in the courtroom. She had once hoped that Phoenix Wright would become a constant, too...until his fall from grace. Since Diego’s death, Mia thought nothing would be able to break her heart again, but Phoenix’s disbarment proved her wrong. 

“Eheh. Well, I’ve heard a few…” the hair was his most prominent feature, after all. Without it, he’d probably be completely forgettable.

He twisted up his mouth at Mia’s question, trying to figure out how to answer.

“Um, well, I was going for a Dramatic Arts major. But…” he clears his throat, “A-acting is a tough business to get into, and I’m way too ordinary to stand out. Besides! Uh, I don’t think criminal law is small enough to be a side hustle…”

He’d been rethinking a lot of things, lately.

“It’ll be easier if I focus on one thing. I’m not the best multitasker…”

Mia gazed intently at him as he puzzled over his answer. She had noticed during his trial that he was the most serious when talking about his legal studies. It made her wonder what made him want to become a criminal attorney. 

“Too ordinary to stand out? Your hair begs to differ,” she chuckled. Learning that Phoenix had been studying dramatic arts wasn’t a surprise to Mia. He definitely had the intense temperament of an actor, if his courtroom performance was anything to judge by. She was tempted to press him, but decided against it. It was too soon after his trial and consequent breakup. 

Mia stared intently at the chaotic cork board Maya had seemingly slapped together, random pictures connected by lines that led seemingly to nowhere. Still, it must mean something to Maya, if she took the time to craft something like this. 

Robin wondered if she should refrain from buying food out of the courthouse vending machines. But Robin got hungry easily, and her appetite often won over her common sense. 

From Mia, she learned that the big deal about the new prosecutor was that he became a new prosecutor at very young. “Oh, do you think that means that I could become a prosecutor too? I’m young, but I really want to be one!” The understanding that Robin had of the job of “prosecutor” was that it was a person that stood at a bench and shouted loud, while other people also shouted at them. Robin knew that she could shout very loudly, so she believed that she could be a good prosecutor.

“Of course you can be a prosecutor, Robin. But you’ll have to go to law school to learn how to be a prosecutor. It’s a lot of responsibility, but you seem like you’re a responsible kid.”

Even if the child walking beside her didn’t quite understand what a prosecutor did, Mia refused to talk down to her or invalidate her dreams. The courthouse hallways seemed to stretch out forever and Mia knew they were only halfway to the prosecutors’ lobbies. 

When Maya had first bulldozed her way into Reiji’s awareness, he’d considered her to be an impish anomaly, quite unlike her older sister. As he sharply lifted his head to regard Mia again now, he realised just how wrong he’d been. It seemed roguery was a family trait.

Socialising had become a chore at the best of times; the prospect of making small talk with her was a waking nightmare. But if this was her idea of a challenge, his pride would just have to take to the hit. The integrity of his collection was on the line.

He pulled himself a little straighter, and his face set with a withering grimace that was entirely at odds with what next left his mouth.

“What a thoughtful invitation, Miss Fey. I’ve always thought it beneficial for members of our profession to remain cordial with one another.” The bow he offered her was just as cloying as it was unconvincing, and his tone was too mechanical to imply he meant a word of it. “If it’s tea you’re preparing, I should tell you that I much prefer black to green, and oolong above all. I suppose I could stomach Earl Grey if you have it.”

She shouldn’t have been surprised to find that Reiji wasn’t willing to play nicely, but Mia quickly decided that she would refuse to stoop to his level. This version of Reiji almost made her nostalgic for the twenty-year old who had called her a “novice bimbo” only a few years ago.

It took everything in her to offer him a genuine smile, one that was able to reach her eyes. Determination to wear down his haughty facade set in and she could tell this was going to be the longest afternoon tea of her life.

"Of course we should be cordial, we both want the same thing at the end of the trial, don’t we?” She ushered him into the office’s lounge and shut the door behind him. At his pretentious tea preferences, Mia was grateful that her Auntie Morgan had taught her so much about preparing it and keeping it fresh in her office. “Don’t be silly, I’d be delighted to make us a pot of oolong! I prefer a nice darjeeling tea myself, sometimes I’ll get a chai latte from the cafe down the street.”

He had not expected her to offer her first name to him, but he didn’t complain about it. Instead he nodded softly before adding his own name.

Then call me Klavier, ja? No need for formalities outside the courtroom, after all.

He chuckled softly, wondering if she would still call him Klavier if they had to face each other in the courtroom. No, he knew that if they would meet in court, they would go back to being ‘Prosecutor Gavin’ and ‘Fräulein Lawyer’ again. Because in courtroom, the prosecution and the defense weren’t friends.

Ah, yes, Kristoph had been complaining about having more paperwork. Aber he also told me that he got himself some help for that problem. Apparently a young lawyer that wants to study under his name? I haven’t met him yet… huh, and thinking about it I guess I even forgot to ask about his name.

He lowered his gaze again, opening up the menu once more to glance over it. He knew already what he was going to order but it couldn’t hurt to double-check.

It’s fine. You’re not the first one to ask.

He offered her a brief smirk before putting away the menu for good.

Our father had his own law firm in Germany and Kristoph wanted to take over one day. So of course he became a defense lawyer like our father. I wanted to be one too at first aber then… nun, I had been watching a trial in Germany with Franziska von Karma being a prosecutor at the young age of 13. I was fascinated how she handled the case. And I have to admit, watching her sparked some kind of fire that made me change my wish to become a defense lawyer to becoming a prosecutor instead.

Mia’s face lit up as Klavier offered his first name in turn. She was very much aware that most prosecutors viewed defense attorneys as the competition, even outside of the courtroom. She hated that competition mentality, she believed prosecutors and defense attorneys should be more akin to colleagues in search of the truth. 

“A new attorney?” Her eyes widened at the news. New lawyers were always a source of excitement for Mia, who had seen the same six or seven attorneys in the past decade. “I’ll have to pay him a visit, then. I’m sure Mr. Gavin has his hands full with training.”

She listened to him talk with wide-eyed attention. Mia knew that a lot of lawyers had come from some sort of family legacy that fueled their motivation and wasn’t surprised that Klavier had considered joining the family business. What caught her attention was the mention of Franziska von Karma, the prodigal prosecutor from Germany. 

She was about to open her mouth to ask a followup question when the waiter returned for their orders. She straightened up in her chair as she ordered her usual latte and pastry, suddenly self-conscious by how she’d been leaning forward in rapt attention. She waited for Klavier to place his order and the waiter to bow away before continuing her interrogation.

Being selected for this agency had been a dream long coming, and his heart’s long desire to fulfill the legacy his now mentor had set up for him. There were few paths to success, but even with the bruises he’d gotten, it was worth  everything he’d endured thus far.

“You make it sound like he passed into the Twilight realm. He’s still with us... I think.” Sometimes that glazed over stare into the distance concerned the young attorney.

“ I want that too.  There’s a lot of wrong in this world…” However, his footsteps slow.There’s a distinct feeling that he himself can’t  shake off, stopping to stare  to his left, into the thick of brush and greenery that barely rattled with the wind when it breezed past them both.

“ ….Miss Fey, was there anything in that visitor’s pamphlet about local laws?”

“Sometimes I wonder about him, especially now,” she muttered. Watching the Wright Law Offices turn into the Wright Anything Agency had been painful after watching Phoenix climb his way up. 

“Local laws? Hm, maybe. Give me a second to check again.” Mia stopped to fish out the pamphlet from her purse. She thumbed through the pages to find the section she needed to consult. Her face dropped in surprise as she noted the laws regarding signage and paint markings. 

Klavier wasn’t that kind of person that would nervously watch the door for his lunch-date to arrive. He was used to meet up with pretty girls, although usually they weren’t lawyers, so he simply kept browsing in the menu until a familiar voice called his name.

He lowered the menu and raised his head, smiling at Mia when she sat down.

It’s so nice to see you again, Fräulein Lawyer.

He chuckled softly, setting the menu aside fully for a moment. Now that Mia was here, she was of course a lot more interesting than the drinks and food that the cafe offered.

My week has been quite alright. Lots of paperwork, but what can we do? It’s part of the job, unfortunately.

He laughed, brushing aside some of his blonde bangs that had fallen into his eyes.

How has your week been so far? I hope less paperwork-heavy than mine.

She couldn’t deny the nice ring that “Fräulein Lawyer” possessed when Klavier casually rolled it off his tongue, but it occurred to her that she had never told him that her first name was okay, too. She often forgot that she was the older veteran attorney compared to the newer lawyers like Klavier.

“Please, call me Mia. Especially if we’re going to make this a habit.” She gave him a warm smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. She opened her menu, but kept her gaze fixed on him as he talked. Not that she needed the menu, she always ordered the same thing.

“I’m sorry to hear that you’re drowning in paperwork, but you’re right, it’s what we signed up for. I can’t complain about how much paperwork I have this week. Your brother’s growing reputation in this city has helped take some clients off my hands. Maybe it’s a sign that I need to stop working so much.” 

She chuckled, hoping it would let him know she wasn’t bitter about her lightened workload. She wasn’t bitter, not truly. Kristoph taking some of her clientele helped her realize how very hard she’d been putting her nose to the grindstone. 

“N-no, I– I-I was just worried about you!” he said, waving his hands.

He abruptly stopped when Mia pushed something small and foil-wrapped into them. He glanced down at them, eyes wide.

“O-okay,” he mumbled, putting the chocolates into his pocket.

He felt like he was being babied a little; Mia hadn’t scared him, or anything! He just happened to be very passionate! And he tended to over-worry about people he cared about.

“I won’t quit, no matter what!” he assures her, wiping the last of the dampness from his eyes, “I’ll get that badge or die… u-uh, dye my hair pink trying!”

Lame save, Nick. His face fell again as she brought up school.

“Uh, yeah… I’m just finishing them off. It’s more important to study law, anyway!”

Going back after the trial had been… difficult. If he hadn’t thought of seeing Mia again, he’d probably still be laying face down on his mattress, trying not to succumb to dehydration. 

And then there was going back to classes themselves. Of course people were going to stare. Of course they were going to wonder about his absence, since he’d been acquitted, right? At least the extra workload took his mind off things.

Worried about her? Mia would never admit to what she was truly working on when she pulled late nights or early mornings. Two people could keep a secret if one of them was dead. Even if she wasn’t worried about Phoenix accidentally talking to the wrong person, his concern for her would only serve as an obstacle. He was sure to stop her for her own safety if he even had the slightest idea of what she was up to. Maybe that same line of reasoning was why Diego died. 

She chuckled at his weak attempt to save face after his unintended pun. “Are the jokes about your spiky hair getting boring? I’m not sure if the judge will let you in the courtroom with pink spikes.”

It was a relief to hear that Phoenix was back in the classroom. After his trial, Mia had thought he would still be sulking by now. When he showed up at her office, she had been afraid he was in more legal trouble. She had wanted to reach out to him to make sure he was okay, but thought it might have been inappropriate. 

@kittenfey liked for a starter!

THAT WAS IT; it was over.

COURT HAD ADJOURNED over what felt like an eternity ago now, yet twenty-year-old Miles Edgeworth could not bring himself to stand up from the stiff suede sofa in the prosecutor’s lobby. Part of him feared that if he attempted to walk, the world would sway just as precariously beneath his feet as it seemed to be already doing all around him. His legs felt heavy and leaden. A hard, erratic pulse jumped in his throat, beneath the thick wool and silk of his jacket and cravat. His head felt oddly weightless on his shoulders; even blinking was enough to send a tingling sort of unease through his body, the kind that made him feel uncomfortably on the verge of a faint.

NOT FOR THE first time, he found himself exceedingly glad of the fact that neither Manfred von Karma nor Franziska had deigned to fly to America to see him handle this case. There was little doubt in his mind the sort of contempt the two of them would feel for the sight of Edgeworth behaving like this — for there was no way to hide how shaken he felt, even in spite of his best efforts. Miles had always been gifted in the art of shutting out emotion, keeping himself cool and unreadable, but his youth betrayed him in this instance. If anyone were to look at him now, they would see a man and boy warring for control over the same face.

DIMLY, IT OCCURRED to him that he ought to be frustrated with himself. Why exactly was he so bothered in the first place? He’d done his job, had he not? It was the duty of a prosecutor to prove the defendant guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. He’d met his expectations in spades, and the logical part of him, the part that usually reigned over his decision-making, knew that he couldn’t blame himself for what had happened in that courtroom. But still … it didn’t change the fact that he could still hear Terry Fawles thanking that lawyer for the coffee, could still see the blood trickling from his mouth before he collapsed into a heap on the witness stand.

EITHER WAY, HE wasn’t given too much longer to brood on it. The sound of footsteps behind him alerted Edgeworth to another presence in the room. Quickly, he straightened up, correcting his posture and doing his best to clear any traces of doubt or fear from his facial expression. He stood as fluidly as possible from the seat, turning around and coming face-to-face with the very last person he’d expected to see here.

❝ HAVEN’T WE SEEN just about enough of one another today, Miss Fey? ❞ Edgeworth quipped smoothly, his mouth pressing into a thin, impatient line. ❝ What are you still doing here? ❞

Mia could faintly hear Diego saying something in her ear as she watched the end of her first trial come to a screeching halt. The shattering of ceramic long after everyone had left the courtroom only barely broke through her muddled senses. Seeing the scarlet stain on the defense bench, she wordlessly moved into action. 

Bandaging up Diego kept her from having to talk, but she couldn’t stop mentally replaying the scene of Terry Fawles dying on the stand. Diego had chastised her for not pushing hard enough, but Mia held back from bitterly asking if pushing harder meant killing Terry Fawles faster. Even though it was a suicide, she felt responsible. She had let Terry down by not being able to save him in time. 

Diego had been in the process of shuffling her out of the defendant’s lobby when she remembered the prosecution. Miles Edgeworth had seemed so cool, collected, and cruel in the courtroom, but...this was his first trial, too. He had been as shocked as she was by how the trial ended, but did he have anyone to reassure him? Mia was very much aware that her guilt would continue to bother her until she checked on Edgeworth.

Alone, she made her way to the prosecutor’s lobby and stopped outside the door. It seemed almost illegal to go in, but recalling Edgeworth’s stunned face as Terry collapsed was all the motivation she needed to open the door and enter the lobby. 

She should have been offended by his sarcasm, but she didn’t have the mental energy to waste on childish squabbling. She took in his face, noting how much more boyish he seemed up close. It struck her that he was truly just a kid, despite his middle-aged demeanor. 

@kittenfey [x]

Klavier’s face brightened when he saw that Mia Fey did indeed answer his text. He was already on his way to the cafe, simply jeopardizing if she would come or not. Not that he minded having a drink all by himself… it’s just that he didn’t bring any work, so it would be quite boring being there all by himself.

[Text to Mia Fey:] Great! I’m looking forward to see you!

He put his phone away again and entered the cafe, asking the waiter immediately after the table where he and Mia were sitting the last time together. He remembered her mentioning that she came to the cafe more regular and if she was anything like Klavier she would prefer her usual table just the way he did.

He picked up the menu while waiting for her, but signalized that he still wanted to wait with his order for his guest to arrive.

She smiled at his reply before grabbing her purse and locking up her office. It had been too long since she had a lunch date, Maya was busy with her duties in Kurain, and Phoenix was busy with his own endeavors. Mia was looking forward to picking Klavier’s brain. Something about the rock star-slash-prosecutor intrigued her. Maybe attorneys were just becoming cooler. Maybe, just maybe, she was getting old.

She had thought she would arrive at the cafe before Klavier, but was pleasantly surprised when she saw him already at her usual table. She told the host who she was meeting with and was promptly handed a menu then shown to her seat.