Disclaimer: Ace Attorney and all characters are copyright by CAPCOM; I'm just a fan imitating. The stories presented are influenced by the multiple games as well as the comic (Manga written by Kenji Kuroda).
Snowfall
He turned twelve that winter. It would be his second winter in the Von Karma household. Of course, the season would always carry a much more somber reminder for him—a reminder of what he'd lost and why things would never be as he'd always imagined them. But he was twelve, and he could distract himself in the season and he didn't dwell too long on the things that kept him awake at night.
Franziska was five years old—and had been for a few months now. She had been given a party—it was summer then—and children had come from the village on the estate. There had been dancing and games, though Franziska had been prevented from enjoying these festivities held in her honor.
Miles' birthday passed without incident—for which he was grateful, really—only a quip from Mister Von Karma after dinner, reminding him that he was now twelve. Miles seemed to gather some ominous warning from the old man's statement, but as the days moved from Martinstag and slipped toward Christmas, he started to relax.
The first snow came in early December, on the eve of Mister Von Karma's departure to another city to prosecute a large government case of much importance. Franziska was beside herself with joy and excitement—and drew much scolding from her Papa.
It wasn't her first time seeing snow. But she was five and claimed that she didn't remember things from when she was 'little'. In a moment of compassion, or perhaps he'd grown tired of them, Mister Von Karma allowed them to go out into the garden to play in the new fallen snow.
Miles did not like the cold, nor the wet, and nothing else but snow could offer both so readily. But as he was twelve, and not inclined to argue with anyone in the household, Miles put on his coat and hat and boots and mittens and helped Franziska into hers. When they were both bundled up to the standard required by the stern-faced frau that Mister Von Karma employed as a governess for Franziska, Miles took the girl by her mittened hand and led her into the snow.
The snow was still falling and on the ground it lay light and powdery. The world was white and even the house was obscured into a mere shadow among other shadows. The garden itself was a world transformed, blank, clean and empty.
It was still and quiet and all of their movements and the noises normally encountered in the garden were either silent or muffled.
Miles walked steadily, pulling rather than leading Franziska into the center of the garden. When she protested her high thin voice was subdued in the still hush of the snowfall.
He stopped suddenly and stared up at the sky. It was white. The feathery snowflakes landed on his face, melting against his cheeks and clinging to his eyelashes. Franziska mimicked him and then opened her mouth.
"Es schmeckt nach Zucker!"
Miles looked at her blandly. He knew that snow was made up of tiny crystals of ice that only melted into water. He'd even eaten snow when he was smaller. Why would she make up so preposterous a lie?
"No," he said, "It's only water, Franziska."
"No Miles! Today it is more different. Heute ist es süß. Heute ist es besser als jeder andere Schnee."
Miles only stared at her. She was five. She wasn't trying to trick him. Franziska laughed and pulled away from him.
She spun in circles giggling, stopping only to point her open mouth toward the sky and eat as many snowflakes as she could catch. Eventually a small smile tugged at Miles' mouth. Then he turned his head up and opened his mouth.
At first he barely noticed them, and he thought perhaps he hadn't caught any in his mouth. Snowflakes were so light. Then he noticed it. A sharp touch of ice and the faintest hint of sweet water.
He closed his mouth and looked at Franziska. She was singing a song to herself and lying in the snow. He ran over to her—suddenly angry that he'd let her go off because he was too busy pretending.
"Franziska!" Miles said and he crouched beside her and took up one of her arms, "Come, you mustn't lie in the snow! You'll get dirty and wet!"
"Nein!" She wailed as he tugged on her arm, "Nein! Du wirst es zerstören!"
It took some struggling and he got himself covered in snow, but he managed to lift Franziska out of the snow and start back toward the house.
"Nein! Miles!" She wailed and started to cry.
"What? Don't cry, Franziska!" Miles turned away from the house. What would happen if Mister Von Karma learned he'd made the little girl cry? Would they beat him? Would he be locked away until he learned his lesson? Would they take away his books?
"Please, Franziska," Miles said.
"Mein Engel! Du hast mein Engel ruiniert!"
"What—?" Miles looked around in a panic and then he saw it. There in the spot Franziska had been laying was the impression of a tiny angel. One of the wings was stomped out by his own footprints, but other than that it was quite nice.
"I'm sorry," Miles said, "But you mustn't lie in the—"
Franziska kicked her little legs and swung her arms until Miles lost his hold on her and dropped her on the ground. She landed on her feet and was off before he'd realized he'd dropped her.
"Franziska!"
He could hear her giggle, but the falling snow made it hard to see. She giggled again and he followed blindly in that direction.
"Franziska!"
Suddenly, her giggling stopped and Miles caught her up and grabbed her hand.
"Don't run off!"
She didn't reply. She was transfixed by the form in the distance. It was dark and hulking but its shape was obscured by the still falling snow. Miles blinked. It was like staring into white shadows.
Franziska squeezed his hand with both of hers.
"Miles, was ist das?"
"I don't know," he said, almost in a whisper. He felt his breath catch in his throat.
The two of them stood there and stared. Eventually, it became clear that whatever it was, it was not heading in their direction, and they both relaxed.
Miles shuddered beneath the layers of his winter clothes and decided that they'd spent quite enough time outside.
"Come! We go there," Franziska said, "Ich will sehen, was das ist."
She started forward tugging on his arm. He planted his feet.
"I don't think we should," Miles said, "It might be a bear."
"Bear?"
"Perhaps," Miles looked at her and was startled by the amount of intrigue on her young face.
" Es gibt keine Bären in Deutschland," she said.
"How do you know that?" Miles said.
"I know!" Franziska insisted and clenched her little fists for emphasis, "We go!"
Miles stared down at her wide-eyed, "It might eat us. It would eat you and then, because you're so small, it will want to eat me next."
"So it eat you first," Franziska said matter-of-factly, "Damit es mich nicht essen wird."
"Um…" Miles tugged at her arm trying to lead her back to the house.
"Dann werden wir Freunde sein! Ich werde mein eigenes Bär haben!"
"So you would rather have a bear than a big brother?" Miles asked her.
"Du bist wenig! Ich war der erste!"
"Right," Miles said, "but I'm better than a bear."
"No," Franziska said, "Ich mag Bears mehr!"
"Really?" Miles frowned at her, "But a bear can't read you a book. Or make you tea. A bear won't open the biscuit tin for you."
"Ich mag Bears mehr!" Franziska insisted.
"Very well," Miles said with a fatalistic nod. He let go of her hand and started to walk toward the shape in the distance.
"Miles, what… Was machst du?"
He turned to look at her solemnly, "I'm going to feed myself to the bear. So that he'll be your friend and you can have a bear of your own."
He turned back around slowly and walked slowly toward the form. He paused once or twice to see if she was watching or following.
"Miles!" She screamed finally. Her voice was a high-pitched squeal of terror.
Miles was close enough to see the woodshed. The falling snow must have given the illusion of movement. He smiled a little and stopped walking.
"Miles!" Franziska screamed again, "Nein, Miles! Werde nicht Essen!"
Miles turned to face her. She looked so small in the snow.
"Ich mag dich, Miles! Werde nicht Essen. Komm zurück!"
He didn't move.
"Komm…" Franziska said and then she started to wail.
Miles felt his heart stop—what had he done?
He started to run toward her and slipped once before arriving at her side his coat sprinkled with fresh powder. He took Franziska's arms and pulled at them so she would stop hiding her face and her tears.
"Don't cry," he said, "I'm sorry. Please stop crying."
Franziska continued to sob inconsolably. Miles kneeled in front of her and hugged her. Finally she stopped quaking and put her little arms around his neck.
Miles stood, lifting her with him. He carried her toward the house and as he walked her crying dissipated and, finally, stopped.
"We'll go in," he said, "And you can have a nice warm cup of tea."
"Ich hasse Bears…"
Miles chuckled, relieved.
A/N: Thanks for reading! The magic of make-believe… ^_^
I hope Papa doesn't find out! Miles, you big meanie…
Franziska and Edgeworth… I love these two as a pairing, but I think the real beauty in their relationship lies in their connection as siblings under a strict hand. (They remind me of Catherine and Heathcliff—just not quite so tragic…)
Special extra special muchos thanks to PROBABLEIMPOSSIBILITIES for taking the time to Beta for me on this one and fix some grammatical errors in my German and for helping to give it that colloquial touch! You are AWESOME!
(If you've been reading "Turnabout Gone Wrong" like all the cool kids, you'd know that!)
Still working on a cover, unless someone wants to contribute-I've been a little swamped...
Translations: (or what I meant to say was…)
Es schmeckt nach Zucker = It tastes like sugar
Heute ist es süß = Today it is sweet
Heute ist es besser als jeder andere Schnee = Today it is better than any other snow
Nein! Nein! Du wirst es zerstören = No! No! You'll destroy it!
Nein! Miles = No Miles!
Mein Engel! Du hast mein Engel ruiniert = My angel! You ruined my angel!
Miles, was ist das? = Miles, what is that?
Ich will sehen, was das ist = I want to see what that is
Es gibt keine Bären in Deutschland = There are no bears in Germany
Damit es mich nicht essen wird = So it will not eat me
Dann werden wir Freunde sein = Then we will be friends
Ich werde mein eigenes Bär haben = I will have my own bear
Du bist wenig! Ich war der erste = You're little! I was the first!
Ich mag Bears mehr! = I like bears more!
Was machst du? = What are you doing?
Nein, Miles! Werde nicht Essen! = No Miles! Don't get eaten!
Ich mag dich, Miles! = I like you, Miles!
Werde nicht Essen = Don't get eaten!
Komm zurück! = Come back!
Ich hasse Bears = I hate bears