ACE ATTORNEY AU

[enigmaster]

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[agoodname]

How do you know that song?! [Oswald's face twists into a grimace--and he's shooting to his feet, aiming to grab Edward by the collar]

[enigmaster]

[He won't have any trouble doing that, because Edward freezes, staring at Oswald as it happens. Wide-eyed.] I-- I don't, really, I was just... She told me to--

[agoodname]

"Oswald! You release him right now, that is no way to treat this young man--!" [naturally, though, her words fall on deaf ears as Oswald leans in, teeth bared in a snarl] She who?

[enigmaster]

[Edward breathes in. Managing to calm himself down. Because it's... fine. This is fine. Why wouldn't this happen? It's not the first time someone's gotten aggressive with him. It's nothing he hasn't dealt with before. So he manages to get his face neutral again, even as Oswald leans in close.] Your mother. ...I forgot to ask her name. Kind of rude of me. [And almost calmly, he glances over at her.]

[agoodname]

[at that, she pauses, licking her lips, looking back and forth from Edward to Oswald and back again] "Gertrude. Gertrude Kapelput." [but Oswald's gone, somehow, paler--and has abruptly released Edward, jolting back like he suddenly can't stand to be near him, and his eyes are wet and wide and spilling over--and he's shaking pretty badly as he looks away, shoving his papers into his file, scooping it up] Why--you--[he shakes his head, breath hitching in his chest, expression still twisted into a grimace]

[enigmaster]

[Edward only blinks as Oswald lets him go. Adjusting his collar a little so it's right again. It's fine. Just a little scare. No real harm done. Nothing to get upset about.] ...Gertrude Kapelput. That's it. [He's quiet, as he just... watches Oswald.] ...I'm sorry.

[agoodname]

Shut up. [snarled] You--[his breath hitches dangerously]--fuck you.

[and with that he's turning and getting out of that room as fast as he possibly can.

Gertrude watches him go, brow creased into a deep frown, wringing her hands--before she turns her attention back to Edward]

"--I'm so sorry. I thought he would react better than that, for certain--"

[enigmaster]

No. That's fine. [Edward doesn't really look up again. He just smooths out his collar some more.] As far as reactions go, that wasn't so bad. [........the fact that that wasn't so bad is, of course, extremely worrying.]

[agoodname]

[she sighs at that, glancing at him worriedly]

"...he will come around. I'm sure of it."

[enigmaster]

So I'm told. [First from his father, now from her.] It's fine if he doesn't. [He won't. People never do.] I'm used to it.

[agoodname]

"No, it is not fine!"[and Gertrude scowls, and stamps her foot] "He is a stubborn boy, yes, but he is also a smart boy! The facts are there--he should know better!"

[enigmaster]

People don't like to believe these these things. It doesn't matter if there's no other explanation. It's not... about logic, I don't think. [It's something he almost understands, maybe, but it's hard for him to imagine it properly. Seeing the dead has always been a thing. He can't imagine a world where that's not the reality.] ...Why did he become a prosecutor?

[agoodname]

[she looks about ready to protest again, but--then she sighs, and sits on the table again]

"...my husband and I...we were killed. Murdered. But it was made to look like an automobile accident."

[she pauses]

"Never the less, there was a trial. Oswald had just graduated, you see, and he...well. He received it as his first trial. To prove that the man accused of driving the other car was innocent. And he did very well--because the man accused was innocent. Someone had stolen the plates off his car and put them on the murderer's. So Oswald did what he should have, and very well."

[her lips press together as she frowns.]

"But...it did not give him the real culprit. No revenge. No justice. Not in the way that he wanted. So he decided that it would be better for him to be a prosecutor. At least that way, he could put people away that deserved it, I suppose. At least, that was his reasoning at the time."

[enigmaster]

...Oh. [So that's how it is. He can kind of see it. It must have been awful. Terrible. That feeling, that emptiness. It's something he can kind of imagine. Though not in the same way. Edward's never lost anyone, never really had anyone he felt the need to avenge. But he can understand it, maybe. Being around Gertrude, realizing what sort of person he's missing. And there's that darker part, again. The part of himself that he tries to silence, that looks at these things - spirits staying close to their loved ones, people who have lost - and just feels... envious. It's not fair to feel that way. He puts that away.] I see. [It's all just unfair.] ...I'm sorry. About what happened.

[agoodname]

[she smiles a little at that]

"You're a good boy, Edward Nygma. Thank you for trying, with my son. It was very brave of you."

[enigmaster]

[He doesn't feel very good or brave. Not considering what he was feeling, just now. Not considering how he's been in general. ...He's not even sure what to say to something like that. So he just ducks his head again.] Sure... Um. No problem... [And then he hears the door opening behind him. That'd be the guards, here to escort him back now that Oswald's gone. And Edward tenses up, a little, fists clenched in his lap.]

[agoodname]

"Deep breaths. Stay strong. It will be alright, yes?"

[enigmaster]

[Edward frowns a little, looking almost... confused, at the encouragement. Like he's never heard it directed at him before. (He hasn't, really. Never genuinely.) And he starts opening his mouth to reply, but the guards are here and the last thing he wants is for them to think he's talking to them. So he's just... quiet, as he stands up and lets them escort him back to his cell.]

[agoodname]

[the next day, Edward's taken to court as usual. The judge, climbing up onto their stand, looks rather tired. Usually by the time Edward gets there, Oswald is already there, preparing.

This morning, however...he's absent.

Edward's new lawyer is there, fiddling nervously with her watch. She looks like she very much doesn't want to be there; like Edward could turn around and bite her at any moment. Fortunately, the trial's about to start, so maybe she won't have to suffer so long, but....no Oswald. The prosecutor's hearing table remains suspiciously empty. The judge frowns, glancing at their watch.]

"Does anyone know where Mr. Cobblepot is?"

[there's a low murmur that goes through the courtroom but...no. No one has seen hide nor hair of Prosecutor Cobblepot. The Judge's frown deepens as the minutes tick by--and then, just as the time ticks over, the doors burst open, and in strides---


--not Oswald. Instead there's a different man that enters]

"Sorry for bein' late, your honor--Mr. Cobblepot didn't show up to work t'day, so I was sent over."

[enigmaster]

[This whole time, during the wait, Edward has just been silently staring ahead. It doesn't feel like it'd be any use to do something else. His lawyer's skittishness doesn't bother him much. It's whatever. And then... the prosecutor. A different one. He frowns, actually turning his head to look. ...This is probably not good.]

[agoodname]

"Mr. Meroni...I'm sorry to hear that. Is Mr. Cobblepot alright?"

[Meroni shrugs, setting his briefcase on the table]

"I'm afraid I don't know, your honor. They tried callin' 'im....apparently he just didn't pick up." [he smiles a little, but it's smarmy at best] "Kids, y'know? All inflated ego, no sense of responsibility."

"...I see. Well. I hope he's alright...Have you been briefed on the trial, Mr. Meroni?"

"I've been followin' it along. It's caught people's eye in the office, considerin' how many defense attorney's this guy's gone through." [Meroni throws that smile briefly at Edward, smirking] "So yes, your honor, I know enough to do my job and do it well. So whenever you're ready."

"In that case, I think we'll get started."

[enigmaster]

[As Maroni smirks Edward's way, Edward just looks him in the eye. Not blinking. He's nothing if not very good at quiet, unnerving stares. While he's not expecting a lot from this man - Oswald's description was incredibly accurate, truly - that doesn't really matter much. Not considering who he's going up against. Honestly, he doesn't even have to look his lawyer's way to know that. He can just about feel her nervous glances over him. This is bad for him. Oh, well. Alright then.]

1/3

[agoodname]

[Meroni looks pleased at this, pulling out a piece of paper from his briefcase.]

"Much obliged, your honor."[he starts to move around the desk, lazily strutting, like he knows exactly how this is going to go--] "Now, for my opening statement, I'd like t'address--"

2/3

[agoodname]

3/3

[agoodname]

[it's certainly a loud enough shout--as the doors burst open for the second time that day, though this time with far more impact as Oswald comes stumbling in. He looks, well...he looks a mess. Really, rather out of sorts. His suit is smudged with dirt, his hair is out of place, there's a scrape on his cheek and his limp is definitely more pronounced as he drags it behind him]

Don't you even think about it, Meroni!

[it's snarled as he drags himself up to the gate, leaning on it heavily once he gets there.]

Apologies, your honor! For some reason, the breaks in my car didn't work this morning, and that unfortunately sent my car into a ravine with me in it! [he smiles, but it's all teeth, biting and vicious] So! Again, apologies for being late, but I had the ambulance drop me off here. I'd hate to miss a court date! [he whips his head over, eyes narrowing at Meroni]

You can leave now, Sal~ [it might be the most mocking that anyone's ever said a name] We won't be needing your services.