I was hoping to come up with a question while I was objecting.

“Ah. Right.” Apollo nodded slowly, running out of thoughts to contribute to the investigation. Mr Edgeworth was much less new to this than he was, of course, but it was hard not to feel dumb around him. He wondered if the Chief Prosecutor had been hoping enough for worthwhile ideas from him to be disappointed, or if this collaboration was just due process.

He perked up at the suggestion to go to the crime scene; even if Ema wasn’t finished there, she couldn’t turn away the Chief Prosecutor. “Can we, sir?” he asked, and then immediately caught himself sounding too eager. He could probably learn a lot from Mr Edgeworth’s methods in a hands-on investigation; they weren’t technically on the same side, but assisting more experienced people in their work always had the potential to be enriching. “Um– that’s probably a good idea.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with the photos, Mr Edgeworth…”

Making to stand up, Edgeworth paused for a moment, shooting Apollo a look over the rim of his glasses. “You were plenty helpful; don’t sell yourself short.” Did he sound patronizing? He hoped he didn’t. He was far too used to speaking to the younger prosecutors who took all of his words at face value at all times. It could get tiresome. “It helps to talk to someone who doesn’t have the same bias as I do. Since it’s impossible to be completely unbiased.”

Now standing, he gathered the photographs back to their folder, and shut them in one of the drawers of his desk. Then he went to gather his coat and gloves, expecting Apollo to follow him.

Long years’ practice made it possible for him to make the same assumption when he headed immediately for the stairs, not even sparing a glance to the elevator. He was still self-conscious about that, and would probably be till his dying day, but he was no longer apologetic. Instead, waiting only a couple of seconds for the young lawyer to catch up with him, he changed the topic smoothly. They would have ample time to focus on the crime once they were back at the scene. There wasn’t anything else they could progress with on that front at this point. So perhaps it was okay to focus on the other important thing that was on his mind – understandably.

   Nine? [ he mutters, surprised. he’d been leaving the office at the normal time, right? yikes. he turns a little pink. ] I see.        [ he feel rested, but probably not rested enough. he also feels a bit restless  already, wanting to get up and move, though that will be difficult with his leg in the state it’s in. and as thankful as he is for miles taking care of things here for him, he feels plenty embarrassed to be seen in such a state. oh well. ]

     Well, good that you caught him. [ he figures it was mostly just an accident, and the guy had had no idea he’d run klavier off the road, though he can’t deny he isn’t worried that there’s something more to it. he supposes he’ll find out later. ]         [ he’s also not surprised to hear he’s taking off. he certainly hopes it won’t be for the entire time he’s healing, because he already knows he’ll be feeling stir crazy with so little to do. ] …Okay. But if something needs to be done…I’ll have plenty of time to do it.

     [ he’s not looking forward to being left alone to his thoughts. ]

   Ja, that’d be good. Thank you. [ he sits up a little more, looking around. ] The papers…? Oh. [ he spots them on the bedside cabinet, and shift to snag them by the corner. ]

Edgeworth simply nods to each of the things Klavier says, up till the point the blond offers to help out with what work he can do. At that, the Chief openly rolls his eyes, though he bites back the first retort that jumps to the tip of his tongue. (It’s not rude, per se, but far more familiar than their relationship is supposed to be.) Instead he says, “I shall consider it, only if it doesn’t compromise your health, Gavin.” And while the other may find this strange – after all, a desk job shouldn’t compromise his leg’s ability to heal – Miles is thinking about more than just his broken bones.

He knows Klavier can get restless, but honestly, it won’t kill him to pick up a novel instead of a stack of court records for a couple of weeks. Maybe work more on his music to relax. Just decompress in general. He’d been through more than enough.

Apollo looked a little cowed under Mr Edgeworth’s judgmental gaze, sure he’d disappointed him with his answer. He felt his approach to his job was practical, but it sounded a bit shallow when stated in juxtaposition to what the Chief Prosecutor was probably used to. ‘Because someone is paying me to’ didn’t make him sound very invested in the end result.

He blinked in surprise when he was apologized to, and it was pointed out that he had no obligation to explain himself. He turned a little pink. Of course. He could have sounded cool and on top of things if he’d reminded Mr Edgeworth that that information was privy to the defence only, but unfortunately it rarely even occurred to him until after the fact to say no to people in positions of authority. The fact that he’d tried to answer his question at all was probably sufficient evidence that he was a doormat.

He nodded stiffly, determined to have more of his wits about him for the remainder of the conversation, but not having a very good idea how to go about it. He just looked nervous and restrained. “Right. But people don’t just lose consciousness for no reason – it’s probably related to the crime somehow. Uh… right?” He couldn’t help himself from tacking that on. There was no way Mr Edgeworth was going to come out of this impressed. “I just. Don’t think it should be overlooked? N-not when we’ve got such little to go on…”

Edgeworth had to stifle a smile at the expression on Apollo’s face. He was way too easy to read (at least right now). He hadn’t even thought to refuse, had he? It wasn’t really a good sign, but at the same time, Edgeworth was unfortunately used to people reacting this way. How was it that the better he did his job, the more difficult it became?

He gave the question some thought, biting down on the inside of his cheek. “Not without reason, no… I believe we may get an answer for this particular mystery when she gets further medical examination.” He decided not to mention that his first thought was himself – Apollo wouldn’t have understood anyway, and it had no bearing on their case. Still, Miles was a little too familiar with the concept of losing consciousness without much cause. He made a mental note to look for any variation of panic disorders in the suspect’s medical history.

At having the Chief Prosecutor so easily approve of his assessment, a stunned smile barely touched Apollo’s lips (score one for Justice!) – before Mr Edgeworth immediately launched into a list of plausible ways in which the disruption of the crime scene didn’t rule out his client’s guilt. Certainly, an early lesson in not letting his guard down; if his arguments were so easily picked apart while they were still in the initial investigation stage, he could only imagine what he was in for when they got to the courtroom.

A little disheartened, he cautiously accepted the photo of the body to look at for reference while he listened to Edgeworth’s synopsis of the crime. He nodded along with each of the points, frowning in thought. Her fingerprints on the weapon and being covered in the victim’s blood certainly didn’t look good for his client, but from a simple presentation of the facts, it didn’t seem like there was anything that conclusively pointed to Arta’s guilt. “I see… and I’m guessing Ms Thlan was alone with the victim when the scene was discovered?” Apollo was used enough to making a case for the presence of a third person that he immediately had to wonder if there was anyone else with access to the apartment, though that wasn’t the only avenue he could pursue. “It’s possible that she was unconscious since before the crime occurred, isn’t it? She could also be a victim; she might’ve been drugged, or attacked, prior to the murder.” If that was the case, she might have killed her ex in self-defence, but he wouldn’t even suggest that possibility unless his client expressly wished him to.

He looked up from the crime scene photos at Mr Edgeworth’s question, taken slightly aback. “Uh. My ‘reason’, sir? Besides doing my job?”

He was quite familiar with Mr Wright’s belief-based approach to defence and the almost-ridiculous amount of faith he always had in his clients’ innocence… did Mr Edgeworth expect the same of his protégé? Apollo’s convictions when it came to accepting clients weren’t nearly as slanted towards the morally pure; innocents weren’t the only ones who needed a defence attorney to represent them in court, after all.

“I actually got the defence request from Ms Thlan’s neighbour, Nessie White… she was the one who heard the altercation next door and reported it to the police. She called because she was worried for Ms Thlan’s safety, so she was pretty shaken up when the call resulted in her arrest instead.” He shrugged bashfully, not sure this was the answer Edgeworth was hoping for. “Is there, um, a reason I shouldn’t be defending Ms Thlan? I mean, somebody has to, right…?”

“Ah.” Edgeworth took a moment to just look at Apollo over the rim of his glasses, his gaze contemplative. He was unsure why he had expected a different response – he really ought to have stopped treating Apollo Justice as if he was the exact same kind of lawyer Phoenix Wright was. Indeed, Apollo had a point – even criminals deserved to have an attorney assigned to their case. It was a sad testament to the state of the justice system that the majority of Edgeworth's experience with lawyers was that they either believed in the client's innocence (Wright, after all, never took cases unless the defendant was wrongfully accused – not since Engarde, anyway), or they were corrupt, chose to defend criminals for riches.

“Of course, you're right. I apologize. I was not aware that you haven't spoken to your client yet. And, as a matter of fact, even if you have, I shouldn't have asked that question. After all, the defense is not required to share information with the prosecution.” If it was anything more serious than this, it could have even been grounds for a mistrial, and Edgeworth would not let that happen under his watch.

   [ he feels a little cloudy-minded still, but most of the heavy pain killers have worn off by now. he shifts to sit up a little more, wincing a little as he moves his bum leg but otherwise looking alright. he glances to the window, taking note of the change in daylight. yikes, how long have they been here? ]

     Mmm–tired, but not super tired? And like my leg is broken. [ he remembers bits and pieces of what’s happened, so he’s aware of what happened. not to mention it’s a little hard to ignore the cast now on his leg and the way it twinges a little when he moves. everything after the ambulance ride, though, is a mystery. ] ’m okay otherwise, I guess.          [ he scrubs at his eyes, before yawning and stretching. this is actually the best he’s felt in a while. maybe he really ought to not try running himself into the ground so much, this whole well rested feeling is nice. he turns to miles, stifling another yawn. ] Wie spät ist es?

    [ now that his brain is back to its normal state, he starts remembering little things. honestly, right now he’s just pissed at that asshole who made him swerve in the first place and got them in this mess. but from what he can remember, that should be found out rather quickly. ]          [ klavier looks to the door, then back to miles. ] What happened while I was out?

A hint of amusement glints in Edgeworth's eyes as he takes in Klavier's response. “I'm aware of that,” he replies, his voice level enough to not show the humour. “Es ist vor neun,” he adds after checking his pocket watch. He finds himself somewhat surprised at the revelation, too – has it really been that long? Sure, he noted at the back of his mind that the sun went down, but he didn't actually take notice of it. He was far too immersed in his book and occasionally, work (he was in a few ongoing instant messaging threads with Sebastian and Gumshoe).

“Not very much,” he answered the next question, after a moment of contemplation. “Detective Gumshoe has apprehended the person who caused the accident; he's in police custody. I have divided your workload between Prosecutors Debeste and Blackquill until you get well.” Frankly, if there is one good thing about this whole mess, in Miles' opinion, it is the fact that it forces Klavier into taking some time off work. He knows it's his own fault to an extent – the office is short-staffed enough for him to not be able to truly justify giving people less work, and Klavier is not the only one staying longer hours than strictly healthy, but Edgeworth has been watching with slowly growing worry how Klavier looked unhealthier by the week.

Apollo’s gaze travelled back to the photo he’d grabbed as he listened, comparing it to another in the stack to get a better idea of what the crime scene had looked like in three dimensions. “Yeah… that’s probably for the best,” he agreed, guessing by Mr Edgeworth’s tone that he didn’t need to be told how little Ema would enjoy that task. Though, he didn’t know anything about their relationship; maybe she’d just be glad to answer to a prosecutor who was more humble and level-headed than Gavin. “Hopefully she’ll find something that can point us in the direction of who’s responsible, or why they needed to tamper with the crime scene.”

If it was worth it to someone to interfere with the investigation, chances were good that the scene had contained some sort of conclusive evidence at the time it was discovered. Think positive: finding what had changed would tell them which pieces of evidence were most important. This wrench in the works could still be a blessing in disguise.

“… My client’s still being questioned by police, so I haven’t properly spoken to her yet.“ Not that that was new; at this point, most of the trials he’d been in had started without him having gotten the defendant’s account beforehand. “But if she hasn’t even been able to speak to her lawyer, I doubt she would’ve been able to contact an accomplice to compromise the crime scene for her while she’s still in custody. It had to have been someone else.”

That was what made sense to Apollo, anyway, and in order not to disappoint the Chief Prosecutor and his high expectations, he was determined to sound sure and convicted in his ‘insights’. He doubted he’d have any answers that Mr Edgeworth couldn’t arrive at himself, but he had to try.

“Was Prosecutor Gavin able to gather any information before he, um. Learned about Mr Gavin?” Apollo had been counting on being brought up to speed when he arrived at the scene; his understanding of the crime and how his client had been implicated was still quite vague, though the photos painted an adequate picture. “… Anything he would’ve been able to share with the defence?”

Edgeworth looked at Apollo over the pictures, nodding approvingly of the attorney's line of thought. “Yes, it can be said with certainty that she is not complicit in the disruption of the crime scene, but I'm afraid that doesn't automatically exonerate her. It could easily be that she had an accomplice who had specific instructions in case she was arrested – or it could simply be that the person responsible has witnessed the crime, and this is their attempt at protecting your client, with or without her knowledge.”

He pushed the photos around on the top of his desk, looking for the one picture taken of the corpse. It was a relatively clear-cut case, as far as Edgeworth was concerned – at least, he'd seen much worse than a stab to the heart death. He slid the picture towards Apollo. “I am certainly obligated to share the facts, if not my interpretations of said facts. Mr. Hailek Thlan was found in this position, stabbed to death. The apartment belongs to his ex-wife – that is, your client, Ms. Arta Thlan. Her fingerprints were found on the knife handle, and her front was covered in her husband's blood. Police found her unconscious next to the body.” Edgeworth pushed the rest of the pictures around for a bit, but he knew he wasn't going to find a photo of what he was thinking of. “As far as I'm aware, there is no picture of her unconscious, because she was taken into emergency care as soon as the policeman realized she was not dead.”

@miilesedgeworth​ liked for a starter!

To hear she had the son of the best prosecutor in the country assigned to her case was the biggest relief she’s heard in years. She never had support, not through her entire life. 

It’s what got her into this whole situation. Her whole life she’d been taken advantage of, walked all over, beaten, underestimated.

And this time she was going to win. Terry was going to be out of her life forever. She was going to be free. No more fear. No more being taken advantage of. No more. 

She had faith in him. He was raised under Manfred von Karma, the man who has never lost a case. She had hope. 

Sure, she’d killed her stepsister, but with a bit of her infamous acting, and the protegee of the best prosecutor in the country on her side. She wasn’t worried. Especially since she had a trick up her sleeve.

“You don’t think he really killed her did you?” a small frown as she asked the man in front of her. Act as innocent as possible. You’re almost free.

Miles Edgeworth eyed the woman in front of him for a long moment. What a foolish question to ask, especially from the eyewitness of the murder. “Of course I do, Miss Foster,” he replied curtly. “That is exactly why both of us are here today -- to prove that to the court.”

She wasn’t having second thoughts now, was she? He could not have that -- a lot depended on her testimony today. There was rather little decisive evidence at hand; testimonies were all they had to rely on.

Of all of the possible reasons for Prosecutor Gavin to be taken off of a case and that an investigation could be compromised, Apollo never imagined that the explanation would begin with his mentor’s death knell. His feelings about Kristoph Gavin were complex, to say the least, and that the sentence Apollo had condemned him to was finally being carried out was a bitter pill to swallow so suddenly.

“Oh. I see,” was all he said about it, looking up from the photo in his hand and staying quite still and silent as Mr Edgeworth went on. He would have to go see Mr Gavin before it was too late… and check on his brother… but he tried to push the thought to the back of his mind; now was not the time to worry about it. They had work to do, and Mr Edgeworth seemed to be having a bad enough day without having to sift through the defence’s baggage.

The rest of the account of the day’s events all made sense, and whatever indignation Apollo’d been preparing to feel when he arrived was replaced with sober acceptance – and trepidation at the prospect of tackling this case with so little evidence. Mr Edgeworth’s exasperation seemed quite justified, now; this would not be an easy trial for either of them.

“Of course, sir!” he said earnestly. Working alongside (had they established that? that they were working together and not against each other?) the Chief Prosecutor was a big deal; he wouldn’t abandon this opportunity just because the circumstances were difficult. But he felt his face heat up and his shoulders stiffen again as Mr Edgeworth continued – Mr Wright said that? He talked about his protégé? What other expectations had he given the Chief Prosecutor? “Um!!! I-I’ll do my best, sir! I won’t let you down!”

Edgeworth managed to keep his face impassive, not showing the exasperation he felt on the inside at Apollo's stiff reply. What exactly did this young man believe of him? Or was it perhaps simply his position? Miles was aware that he was not the most easygoing person around the office, and it was probably quite a harsh change for anyone to be working with him right after Klavier Gavin. Still… a part of him hoped he would get the benefit of the doubt – but then, apparently that required the other party to have a personality like Detective Gumshoe's (always accepting, ready to just roll with the changes, loyal to a fault) or Kay Faraday's (also takes everything in stride, never took him too seriously, especially when he was taking himself too seriously). Apollo Justice didn't know him, and so his reticence was completely natural.

It also made it quite difficult for Edgeworth to inquire about Apollo's own feelings regarding Kristoph Gavin's sentencing. The Chief liked to keep a professional distance, but that didn't mean he didn't care – and, from what little he knew, there were enough similarities for the situation to vaguely remind him of himself and Manfred von Karma.

Alas, they had work to do, and Apollo was all too eager to jump into it, definitely way too eager to impress Edgeworth. In fact, it wouldn't have taken more than to prove his character – but that, too, would come with time.

She couldn’t stop herself from being antagonistic, not while he was. She listened to him, he seemed not to be antagonizing her this time. Her body relaxed a bit. Her voice softened as she spoke once more.

“What’s next? Simply to find the truth, to drag the truth out of criminals to make the streets safer. Hopefully also to expose some shady people in the precinct…though, it’s hard to say if anyone will do anything once exposed.” She held out her hand. “If we are to work with each other at some point, I believe we need to put the past behind us. We both did and said unsavory things. We are not the people we were before. Am I right?” She was still going to be a little on edge around him. However, there was a chance that he did change.

Edgeworth looked at the woman for a long moment. Perhaps she was right – at the very least, it seemed she was willing to start fresh, and frankly, Edgeworth needed people who would do that, considering he still hasn't completely shaken off his reputation as the 'Demon Prosecutor'. He likely never would, but he hoped to at least turn it into something that only people who were truly guilty needed to fear.