IC INBOX | cerealia

[prosecutory]

Good day. This is Miles Edgeworth.

I cannot accommodate you at the moment, but please leave a message and I will respond as soon as possible. 

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[prosecutory]

[And that's why when Edgeworth opens the door, he doesn't hesitate to gesture for her to enter. He's more relaxed than when he was speaking to her over the CEREvice but there's still a part of him tensed and watching for anything wrong with her.]

Please, come in. [A tricolor border collie bounds up to her, wagging his tail eagerly. To the dog Edgeworth says with an upraised hand:] Down, Pess. [Sorry, playtime is not now. But he can socialize while Edgeworth and Franziska discuss stuff.]

[gerte]

Oh? You seem to have made a friend. Greetings, I am Franziska Von Karma.

[ Franziska's going to do her usual curtsy bow for the dog. ]

Is this your pet, Miles Edgeworth?

[ Not that it's her business or anything but yooo she didn't know Edgeworth had it in him to look after a tiny animal. It's actually kind of cute, you know.]

[prosecutory]

Yes. This is Pess, my border collie.

[Have I...truly not introduced her to Pess before?!]

[Miles Edgeworth: Brother of the Year. He really hasn't. Anyway, the dog (which isn't that tiny) looks up at her, panting and wagging his tail. He's way friendlier than his master.]

[gerte]

Press' brows aren't furrowed like yours, fool. [ It's like Edgeworth's brows get more furrowed every time they meet. ]

If you hadn't told me he belonged to you I would have assumed he was a stray.

[prosecutory]

I have many reasons to furrow my brows, Franziska.

[And your disappearing act is one of them.

Edgeworth leads the way to the living room and extends a hand toward the couch.]

Please, have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?

[gerte]

Tea please. Just don't hand me the lowly kind you can purchase at a normal store.

[ She sits down on the chair and adjusts her skirt. ]

Only something refined is suitable for a lady like me.

[prosecutory]

Hmph. I always buy the freshest tea leaves. I'll get the tea ready.

[Edgeworth gestures toward the kitchen and disappears there. The clink of chinaware and the sound of pouring water can be heard while Pess sits down next to Franziska - though not actually on the couch.]

[gerte]

This dog is well behaved unlike a certain someone I know.

[ Who is she referring to? It's a mystery. Franziska feels more relaxed here than she did back in whatever hell hole she was in earlier. It's tempting to just sleep, but that can wait. ]

Tell me what happened during my disappearance.

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth is going to conveniently pretend he didn't hear that first bit.]

[He also doesn't hit others, unlike a certain someone I know.]

Nothing happened here, except that any attempt to contact you resulted in a "User Currently Occupied" message and many of you were gone.

[gerte]

So I hear. Take an educated guess, Miles Edgeworth.

How many of us do you think went missing? Within my group there were five of us in total. Surely, there must have been at least twenty missing.

[ It'd be nice if they could get a complete list of who vanished and when. ]

[prosecutory]

I would estimate more than that.

[Unfortunately Edgeworth doesn't know EVERYONE in Cerealia even after being here for so long. And if there were near twenty people he knew by name who couldn't be reached, then surely there were more he barely knew or didn't know at all.]

Perhaps at least thirty.

[gerte]

With that many people involved we should be able to gain more clues in regards to this situation.

Interviewing them should be our top priority. [ Knowing the who and the what could answer why they were taken to begin with. ]

[prosecutory]

[Did Pess fall asleep at Franziska's feet? He may or may not have curled up right on top of her shoes, oops.]

Indeed. I'm certain they'll be willing to discuss anything they've found out and what happened to them.

[Usually that was the case.]

But for now, can you tell me about what happened to you? Who were with you?

[gerte]

Tenten, Imanotsurugi, Okita Souji, and Yusuke Urameshi. Any of those names sound familiar?

I had never seen those fools in my life. As afar as most of us were concerned, we're all strangers. I couldn't figure out a connection between us.

[ Pess you can do whatever you want man. Franziska's not moving from her spot out of respect for the dog. ]

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth shakes his head.]

Wright visited me before you. He knew only two people in his group, prior to this incident. We also weren't able to deduce a pattern in that group.

[gerte]

It could have been a random selection for all we know.

Even so, it would be foolish to ignore any other possibilities.

[prosecutory]

We'll find out as soon as we interview the others.

For now, I'll interview you. Where were you?

[gerte]

A place riddled with foolishness! But to be exact, I was in something similar to a maze. Hallways went as far as the eye could see!

And to think they would make us walk down those in our night clothing. The very thought of it is infuriating!

[prosecutory]

Better to be seen in night clothing than in the humiliating swimsuits we were forced to wear when you arrived.

Was there anything in the maze? Traps, or clues, perhaps?

[gerte]

There were clues within the maze itself. We found a crystal-like stone object, but grabbing it made our presence known to a ghost.

It wasn't exactly friendly, mind you. Is that much a surprise? I think not! The very notion of a ghost being polite is unheard of.

[prosecutory]

[The very idea of being sent to different worlds used to be unheard of, as well.]

Apart from the ghost being unfriendly, what else can you tell me about it?

[gerte]

The ghost is nothing but a forgotten being. CERES has discarded many things during its time --the ghost just happened to be one of them. I believe there are more ghosts out there and we just haven't come across them. [ This is giving her good reason to distrust them man. ]

Come to think of it, aren't they Fey's here? Do you think it's possible for them to channel spirits with these conditions?

[prosecutory]

[Wait a minute.]

Maya is here. She hasn't tried to channel anyone, as far as I know, but I do know people with powers retain them when they're brought here.

[gerte]

Excellent. Losing powers would be an inconvenience.

You're more familiar with Maya Fey than I am. Would you care to mention this to her? The spiritual realm is her forte. [ Even Franziska knows how much attention and care the Fey's put into learning channeling techniques. It came up a few times in their former cases. Edgeworth's probably more comfortable speaking with Maya which is why she's asking this him to do it in her stead. ]

[prosecutory]

I will. [Maya only disappeared, according to Athena; she didn't die. Surely she'll return from where she was whisked away to.] As soon as she returns, since she was also abducted.