A Victim for Six Years

Chapter five: The Prosecuting Prodigy is now the Fool?

I went with Phoenix and Maya to visit Franziska at the Detention center. Phoenix recommended that I stay to the side, where she couldn't see me, so that they may be able to get information from her without her getting too distracted.

It took a few minutes before she came into the visiting room. She looked so ashamed, her gray eyes failing to look Phoenix in the eye.

"Must be fun to see me like this." She remarked. "Your rival prosecutor, locked up so that you can't go against her." She scoffed. "If there's one thing good about me being in here, Wright, it's the fact that you can't beat me while I'm in here." It was sad to see Franziska like this.

"Franzy, tell me. Why did they arrest you?"

"Do NOT call me that, Wright!!!" She exclaimed. "Now is NO time to be joking around. As for why I was arrested," she looked down at the ground. "I was careless when trying to defend my brother and niece. But you don't believe me. You're convinced that I did it."

"No I'm not. I don't think you're the attacker."

For the first time since they started talking, Franziska looked at Phoenix. She then looked down again. "Don't make me laugh, Wright.  Both of us know that with the charges and evidence against me, there's no way that anyone could believe that I wasn't the culprit."

"Unless of course, told by a witness." Phoenix said, a determined smile on his face.

Franziska looked up again. "Witness? But...that means..."

Maya nodded. "Piper told us all that she saw. With what she said, as she was right there to witness it, we have a reason to believe that you're innocent, Franziska." This time, they had her attention.

"You're serious?" She asked. "You talked to Piper? She told you that I'm innocent?"

"If you saved her life, I'm sure she would remember that." Maya said. Franziska wouldn't take her eyes off of the two.

"Franziska," Phoenix started. "If you'll let us, we want to defend you in court."

Now she looked back down. "Why should I trust you, Wright?" She asked. "We're rivals in court. How do I know that you're not going to purposely lose the case just to rub it in my face? How do I know that you really want to help me?"

It was quiet for a few moments, before Phoenix said, "Franziska, Piper said that every single defense attorney that you've called has turned you down."

"Would have probably helped to not have a bad reputation with those defense attorneys before phoning them, by the way..." Maya muttered under her breath.

"You don't have any time left. Today is your last day before the trial." Phoenix pointed out. "If you don't choose a defense attorney now, there's no definite promise that you'll get one assigned to you by the state, or that they'll be any good in these kinds of trials."

She sighed. "I know that, Wright. But why would you, of all people, want to defend me? After what I've done to you, to Miss Fey..."

"Because I know what it feels like to have everyone against you. To be alone, accused for something you're innocent of." She looked up again, her mouth hanging open a bit. "I know that feeling, Franziska. No innocent person should go to jail. No one should pay the price for a crime they didn't commit."

"You...you can't possibly know how this feels, Wright. You don't know what being found guilty could mean for me. Life in prison. I lose my job. But that's not the worst part."

"Oh?" Maya asked. "What's the worst part?"

"I'm innocent, Miss Fey." Franziska said. "Which means that if I'm given the guilty verdict, the true killer is still out there, and I have no way to stop her if she decides to attack my brother and niece again...I-" she cleared her throat, but I heard her voice beginning to crack. "I won't be able to stop her."

"So...the main reason you want to be proven innocent...is because you want to protect Mr. Edgeworth and Piper." Maya said.

"Yes." She answered. "Wright." She said. "I will let you defend me..." she put a finger up to say that she wasn't finished talking. "If you are positive that you may be able to win this case."

Phoenix nodded. "I'm sure I can." He said.

She nodded. "Then, I'll allow you to defend me in tomorrow's trial." She said. "I hope you're right, Wright."

"You know, Franziska," Phoenix said, "I wouldn't be here asking to defend you if it wasn't for someone who convinced me."

"Convinced you? Convinced you of what?" Franziska asked, confused.

Maya waved me closer, to where Franziska could see me. "Why, of your innocence of course." Maya said.