Chapter 1: Investigation ~ Opening
“Those who climb Mount Ebott never return.”
Or at least, that’s what the supposed legends of this place say.
But a von Karma is perfect. A von Karma could climb this mountain, and make it back intact.
And maybe, just maybe, it’d help alleviate the anguish in her heart.
Phoenix Wright, the man who had bested her and her little brother, disbarred. Just as she had started to care about that foolish fool, he lost his badge!
Just like her little brother almost lost his.
Except this time, there was no getting it back. Phoenix Wright had been caught using forged evidence. There was no recovery from that for a defense attorney.
But not a prosecutor?
Franziska lashed her whip against the mountain as that thought entered her head. No, a von Karma was perfect! A von Karma didn’t need to forge evidence for the perfect victory!
She took a deep breath, and pulled out the newspapers she took with her. A reminder of her mission here.
Seven children, last seen in this area, only to never be seen again.
While most of the names, such as Chara and Clover, were unfamiliar to her, one stood out among the rest.
Bailey von Karma. Included was a photo of a girl in a tutu and ballet shoes, bearing a striking resemblance to herself.
Franziska had never gotten to meet her second cousin, or much of her extended family. She only found this photo from looking through an old photo album.
But perhaps, she could get some answers here.
Franziska was so lost in thought, that she didn’t notice herself wandering into a cave, at least until the ground slipped away under her feet. And by then, it was too late.
Though she tried to grasp onto the ledge, she couldn’t get a good grip, and so with a scream, Franziska plummeted
deep
down
below.
…
Franziska almost couldn’t believe it when she woke up after her fall. Somehow, despite the odds, she had survived, with nary a scratch on her body.
She looked down at what she was laying on. Golden flowers. Did they save her from her fall?
Well, she was unhurt. And even if she was hurt, that wouldn’t stop her.
She took her cell phone out of her pocket, and dialed an emergency number. If someone could lend her a rope so she could climb back up…
But nobody picked up.
Strange.
She tried another number, only to receive the same result.
It seemed like her phone wouldn’t do any good, at least for getting help.
But perhaps there was another way out of here. The cavern did seem to continue deeper.
So, Franziska walked onwards, until she reached a strange archway made of clearly carved purple stone.
Franziska stared at the archway. What was architecture doing down here? Surely nobody lived down here, right?
But it wasn’t like she’d get any answers standing around here, so she walked through the archway…
…only to come face to face with an impossible sight.
That flower had a face.
“Howdy!” it said, as if it wasn’t defying everything she knew about botany. “I’m Flowey! Flowey the Flower!”
…no, it couldn’t be real. It was probably an audio recording hidden in a mechanical flower.
But the Kurain Channeling Technique was real, so maybe…
“Don’tcha know it’s rude to stare at people you don’t know?” Flowey said, and its facial expression changed, sticking its tongue out at her.
“Don’t you know it’s rude to stick your tongue out at people?” Franziska said.
“You’re new to the Underground, aren’tcha?” Flowey said, smiling again. “Guess little old me will have to teach you how things work down here!”
It winked, and Franziska felt something strange. A bright yellow light shone from her chest, in a heart shape.
“See that heart? That’s your soul, the very culmination of your being!” Flowey said. “Your soul starts off weak, but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV. And what’s that stand…for…?”
Flowey trailed off, staring at Franziska’s soul.
“If you’re going to say something foolish, say it before you make yourself into more of a foolish fool than the fool you already are,” Franziska said.
“...you already have a LV of 3,” Flowey said, its grin beginning to widen. “Then I guess you already know all of this. You already know the true meaning of this world.”
“Just what are you insinuating?!” Franziska shouted, reaching for her whip.
“In this world, it’s kill or be killed. And it looks like you know that already!” Flowey said, its expression turning into something sinister.
Suddenly, hundreds of white, spinning pellets surrounded Franziska, and the flower began to laugh.
“Die.”
The pellets began to close in on her—
CRACK!
—but her whip rang true, and it struck Flowey.
“OW!” It yelped, and the pellets flickered for a moment.
“Foolish fool who foolishly believes I am a fool!” Franziska yelled, as she prepared to strike the flower again.
But before she could, a ball of fire struck Flowey, and he burrowed into the ground.
Franziksa looked towards where the fireball came from, only to come face to face with another impossible sight.
A tall…creature of some kind, with white fur, long floppy ears, and two small horns, wearing a purple robe with some strange symbol on it.
“What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth…” the creature said, gazing at where Flowey once was.
“What are you?” Franziska asked, whip still in hand.
“Ah, do not be afraid, my child,” the creature said. “I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins, and I am a monster.”
Franziska had seen a lot of strange things, such that foolish fool she often saw behind the defense bench.
But “Toriel” was perhaps the strangest of them all.
But a von Karma was not rude. A von Karma didn’t show weakness. A von Karma was perfect.
So, she did a curtsy towards Toriel, and said, “I am Franziska von Karma. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Toriel.”
“My, aren’t you polite! It is a rare sight to see a human here,” Toriel said. “You are the first to fall down in a long time.”
“There were others?” Franziska asked. Perhaps she truly would find her answers down here.
“Yes…” Toriel’s tone seemed to grow somber for a moment, before she said, “Come, I will guide you through the catacombs. We can discuss more on the way.”
The glow in Franziska’s chest faded, and Toriel began to step towards another archway a short distance away, before turning to wait for her.
Franziska didn’t need help. A von Karma didn’t need help.
But Toriel seemed to know a lot about this place. And knowledge was one of the most valuable things you could have, even outside a court of law.
“I will follow you for now,” Franziska said, walking after Toriel, and the two entered the archway together.
Now they were in a proper room, made of bricks and carved stone, away from the rocky walls of the cavern chambers Franziska was just in. Twin staircases led to a doorway, with a pile of autumn-red leaves between. And just in front of that pile was a strange, star-like object.
Franziska approached the star. As she was about to touch it, she heard…
…a voice in her head, different from her own.
* The shadow of the Ruins looms above, filling you with determination.
* File saved.
=====
“Greetings. If you’re hearing this message, it means that I am either asleep and you are a fool, or I have been incapacitated in some way. Please leave a message after the beep.”
Edgeworth dialed the number again, and received the same message.
He dialed again. The same message.
Again, and again.
“Mr. Edgeworth, sir? I don’t think she’s going to pick up,” Gumshoe said, from the corner of the office.
Edgeworth knew, deep down, that Gumshoe was right. Calling her again and again was very unlikely to accomplish anything.
But it was very hard to avoid the urge to dock his pay right then and there.
Is this what Wright felt, when…?
Deep breaths.
“I…suppose you’re right, Detective Gumshoe,” Edgeworth said, putting down the phone.
These past several weeks had officially become the worst weeks of his life. Ever since March 12th, it was one horrid event after another. From facing an international smuggling ring, to discovering the depths of the corruption in the CPE, to Wright losing his badge, to potentially losing Franziska.
At least after the DL-6 Incident, he had Franziska. At least he had his new sister.
And sure, over the past several weeks, he found all sorts of both new and familiar allies. Eustace Winner, Verity Gavèlle, Eddie Fender, Shi-Long Lang, and Kay Faraday.
…though speaking of Kay, where had she gone?
“Mr. Edgeworth! What’re you up to?” a familiar voice asked. Edgeworth would have smiled, if he hadn’t noticed where the voice was coming from.
Edgeworth turned around, and saw a girl with a key in her hair climbing through his open window. His 12th-story window.
“Kay,” Edgeworth said, exasperated. “Please stop entering my office through the window.”
“Fine, I’ll use the door next time,” Kay Faraday said. “Why do you look so glum?”
“It’s…Ms. von Karma,” Gumshoe said.
“What happened? Is she ok?” Kay asked.
The resounding silence spoke more than any words could.
=====
COURT RECORD:
Evidence:
Prosecutor’s Badge - Proof of my profession. Like my papa and little brother, I keep mine in my pocket.
Cell Phone - My phone. It seems to be getting signal, but nobody is picking up.
Newspaper Articles - Articles detailing the disappearance of several children on Mount Ebott.
Photograph - A photograph of my second cousin, Bailey von Karma. I never met her.
Doodle - A drawing that I had obtained during my third trial with Phoenix Wright. I had meant to return this to him, but now…
Profiles:
Bailey von Karma - An aspiring ballerina who went missing on Mount Ebott, and my second cousin.
Flowey - A talking flower that attacked me shortly after I found myself down here. I couldn’t make sense of its inane ramblings.
Toriel - A self-proclaimed “monster” who shooed away Flowey. She insists on guiding me through this place.
Odd Voice - A voice that appeared in my head shortly after I met Toriel. Why are they in my head?
