#phoenix and edgeworth are both exceptions to that. i like them a lot. but i. naturally. dislike fics that dunk on my favs. even offhandedly

[satsuha]

i'm always really interested in how the characters call each other in japanese games, so i laid out a few differences between the japanese and english versions of some ace attorney games that particularly interest me. this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list but it did get really long 😭

i highlighted english nicknames/etc in blue while japanese nicknames/etc are orange just to make reading a little easier

AA1-2

while only playing the english version i liked that maya called phoenix nick, it's a nickname that makes sense and phoenix is annoying to say and write anyway (lol) but the reason maya gives for this nickname in english is that it's what larry uses for him, which pales in comparison to maya in the japanese version opting for how mia used to call him: naruhodo-kun.

to me, this is a LOT more meaningful and informative than the english nickname because it not only is evidence of how much maya heard about phoenix from mia using that nickname, it also gives us a glimpse of maya's personality and her relationship with phoenix. -kun is an honorific that's usually used for either male classmates or for teachers/superiors to use with their students/subordinates. maya falls into neither of these categories with phoenix, but it also lines up with how she acts like the boss of the office a lot of the time. SO LIKE... ultimately the nickname nick just does not hold up in terms of both maya's reasoning for using it, and phoenix's apprehension at her calling him that... which i just think is a shame!! in the same vein, this nickname is passed down to pearl, and again you see phoenix having a Reaction to it which makes sense considering it's funny that a kid is calling him naruhodo-kun...

i don't only want to talk about changes in english that i don't prefer, so i also want to mention that i'm very impressed that they managed to get phoenix and edgeworth referring to each other by their surnames in english to sound natural... because it's also exactly what they do in japanese except there, the idea of male friends using their surnames with each other is a very very normal thing. i AM torn on the fact that in japanese larry also refers to the two of them by their surnames, which means all 3 of them are on equal grounds in that respect. AT THE SAME TIME... english makes larry's "nick" and "edgey" work so well that i really can't say we missed out with this localization, but i do like the relationship between these 3 so i do like that the japanese is indicative of it too :)

AA4

i'm skipping ahead to aa4 because trucy's also a very interesting localization to me... the first time i played aa4 i felt like trucy wasn't sufficiently differentiated enough from maya's character which is like. debatable but those were my initial thoughts anyway. in japanese though she uses third-person pronouns (calling herself by her own name, minuki) which is VERY distinct from maya. there are a number of ways to interpret this choice but i like the one that indicates that it's part of her stage persona. aside from that though, she also has a very normal nickname for apollo (odoroki-san, with -san indicating general politeness) while polly is um well canonically the name of a parrot LOL

i do find it pretty interesting that the above exchange is the first instance trucy uses the polly nickname, because it's entirely different in the japanese version. phoenix says "if this onii-chan over here can't help you..." to which trucy responds by saying "how could you, onii-chan!" this exchange is hilarious to me because phoenix referring to apollo as an onii-chan is pretty normal? it's common to refer to any young man as that and in this case he's also referring to apollo from trucy's perspective. but trucy DIRECTLY calling apollo onii-chan (brother) is just so funny because HERE it's a lot closer to how an actual younger sister would refer to her older brother; there's a difference between saying "this onii-chan" and just "onii-chan". now i'm not saying this was direct foreshadowing because onii-chan is also used between close friends/acquaintances but like... the possibility is there.

AA5

now onto simon because i don't actually have a problem with the localization making him a british weeaboo i think that's really funny but i DO wish the nicknames he uses for the defense attorneys were more... appropriate? the honorific -dono that he uses in english does complement his samurai look but it's usually used in contexts where there's some respect involved, which is... not simon's intention in japanese. i'm admittedly not too familiar with the nicknames he uses in japanese; he uses "[kanji] no ji", while using a kanji from phoenix/apollo/athena's surnames. by searching it in japanese, i'm finding answers that it was medieval slang used by men usually in red light districts and such, and was used to refer to those with equal or lower status to oneself but never to those of higher status. this is kinda the opposite of what -dono is which is used for those of equal or higher status!!

i also find it pretty amusing that despite him using the first kanji in phoenix's name; 成 (turn into, grow), he uses the second kanji in both apollo and athena's names; 泥 (mud) and 月 (moon) respectively. i can only imagine that he did this because the first kanji in their names; 王 (king) and 希 (rare, hope) respectively, were too positive/complimentary for him? LOL

AA6

now i want to to talk about apollo in aa6 because NNGNRHGH i'm not normal about this one. because like, similarly to what i said up there about phoenix, edgeworth and larry's relationship, it's completely normal for close male friends to use their surnames with each other. phoenix, being apollo's boss, refers to him as odoroki-kun (mirroring how mia and maya call phoenix). trucy uses odoroki-san, indicating general politeness and athena uses odoroki-senpai, because he's her senior in their workplace. clay uses odoroki (no honorific), which is the same "level" as phoenix/edgeworth/larry's relationship.

a male character never being referred to as their first name is pretty normal, which is also the case in the aa games. franziska calls edgeworth by his first name reiji which is SUPPOSED to stand out because it's notably impolite/informal for someone who is younger than him, which suits the idea of her thinking of herself as the elder sibling. for additional reference, phoenix is only referred to by his first name by dahlia/iris; ryuu-chan ("feenie" equivalent) and desiree; ryuuichi-kun ("nicky boy" equivalent). so apollo is referred to exclusively by his surname, because there isn't anyone who's associated with him who would feasibly use his first name.

THAT IS. UNTIL we meet datz who is the first (!!) character to use apollo's first name in japanese. this moment doesn't stand out in english because i KNOOWWW datz uses the AJ nickname which is very cute but he doesn't actually use that nickname the first time he indicates that he knows apollo in case 6-3!! phoenix's momentary confusion here is also explained because while he obviously knows apollo's full name, he's never heard anyone refer to him with it!!!

so phoenix's thoughts in japanese here were originally "housuke... wait, that bracelet! that's odoroki-kun!"

dhurke and later nahyuta (during the last moments of the 6-5 trial) also refer to apollo with his first name, which is... really nice!!! they're family!!!! i mourn the fact that this distinction isn't visible in english because most characters just call him apollo but it's special in japanese... it's only dhurke, nahyuta and datz who use his first name.... i'm normal i promise

funnily enough i sort of have the opposite issue with nahyuta, who is generally referred to as prosecutor sahdmadhi in english but nayuta-kenji (prosecutor) in japanese. i'm assuming this is because his name is written with his given name first unlike japanese names, so they just used his given name instead of his surname...? unfortunately we don't have an example of any other foreign prosecutor as reference (i'm excluding van zieks here because they DO use his surname but it's also an entirely different time and place) but i prefer the english here since it also makes it stand out when apollo, dhurke and datz (with yuty hehe) use his first name with him.

but then again... rayfa also refers to him as prosecutor sahdmadhi in english, but just calls him nayuta in japanese. there aren't a lot of characters rayfa refers to by name but generally she's either overly polite (with ga'ran and inga) or overly impolite (with phoenix and apollo). it makes sense that the way she calls nahyuta is a little unique, since he's of lower status than her but not enough to get a rude nickname fdjhja... and then of course at the end of the game she tries to call him onii-(chan? san? sama? we just don't know) which nahyuta interprets as oni (demon) i think the localization here is really impressive actually. they somehow managed to seamlessly fit braid head into the mix of barbed head and horn head (both nicknames that refer to their hairstyles) while braid also begins with the same letters as brother... anyway i think i slightly prefer that rayfa (and ga'ran) call nahyuta by his first name rather than by his prosecutor title, it's indicative of their higher status because of the lack of an honorific but by the end of the game it fits in with the idea of them all being family...

TGAA1-2

you would think that because tgaa opted to leave japanese honorifics in the dialogue that there wouldn't be any differences in how the characters refer to each other but there are... first of all kazuma and ryunosuke are once again male friends who refer to each other by their surnames without an honorific in japanese, but the english has them use their first names with each other instead. i can understand this change because characters using only their surnames with each other feels oddly distant in english, and while it worked for phoenix and edgeworth's relationship it definitely doesn't suit kazuma and ryunosuke's.

additionally, the way susato calls ryunosuke was also changed from naruhodo-sama to naruhodo-san. this is... also an interesting change since it requires the player to have some basic knowledge of japanese honorifics but for some reason decided to change it anyway, despite the fact that susato also uses -sama with kazuma... one thing to note is that susato does use kazuma's first name instead of his surname like she does with ryunosuke, which helps indicate their closer relationship despite her still showing respect with the -sama honorific. in that sense naruhodo-san feels like an interesting middle ground because she's still using his surname but doesn't seem to view his position with her as equal to kazuma's? i assume that was the intent of the localization, similarly to how the way kazuma and ryunosuke call each other was changed to indicate closeness to the english-speaking player

--

anyway while i do prefer the original japanese version most of the time, my general view of original vs localization is like wow! two cakes! i might prefer one of those cakes more, but the english version usually provides enough that i like that both canons exist. because of this i can't agree with the idea that all localization is bad nor the side that believes the original doesn't matter because you're engaging only with the english side of the fandom. both are good and can reveal interesting things about the characters, story and setting!!

and thank you for reading if you got this far 🙇 i'm not an expert at japanese so i try to do my research and use multiple sources to get a better view of things, so please let me know if i got anything wrong! i also recommend checking out this post if you haven't seen it already since it's where i got some pointers on the trucy and simon segments

[locallepidoptera]

i've since finished my catch up. and now i'm both happier for it and incredibly sad there's not more. such is life. man. fans' fiction fucking rocks. and i needed a reminder. i'm on my way to reread. wishing you so much luck in all your endeavors!! thanks for being an inspiration!!

happy almost christmas. means it wasn't christmas :)) i had been listening to a new aa1 playthrough to pass the time and it reminded me that. unfortunately. i do think edgeworth is cool (i talk in jest. about it being unfortunate. lol. i'm just not into "cool" charas usually) and it reminded me that i. really need to catch up with saturation. hell maybe reread it once i'm done. i'm in need of good fic. i'm not really a quality snob usually but i've found i just don't have the energy right now to search through the main tag. and your style of writing lets me turn my brain off. < - positive connotation. if that wasn't clear.

^U^ Thanks, and Merry Actually Christmas! ;D And XD, no worries, I get it - Edgeworth is very much one of those "Unfortunately, I'm into it" characters in regards to his everything. And I say that as someone who's writing him one of the world's longest love letters in the form of a fic that's going to break 300k when the next chapter goes up and a tidy (if tiny) little AA merch collection that I'm quite proud of, if I do say so myself. ;)

"and your style of writing lets me turn my brain off" Good, wild as it may sound for a slowburn mega!fic, Saturation's meant to be a nice comfy read, so that you're able to switch off and just enjoy the fic is good. Like, I'm trying to ensure that there's plenty to be found on a deeper read, because I enjoy doing that, but if it's not enjoyable to partake in on purely the surface level, what's even the point? Anyway, thanks for the ask, and I hope you have fun on the catch-up/reread! ^U^

[kitamars]

in reply to your recent post about the pirate au asks: i mean, what is there to say except for "tell us everything"? you mentioned coming up with a storyline in the tags, so im obviously wondering about how the characters met, esp phoenix and miles and phoenix and maya. also, the angst?? did you implement the dl-6 incident/disbarment/any other canon angst into this somehow? so yeah, whatever you can tell us, i'm happy with it. also my god is your art good, i'm endlessly fascinated by the sketches

hehe well EVERYTHING is definitely a lot to tell but i can answer specific things like how miles and phoenix meet (and meet. and meet again) and the beginning of phoenix and maya's friendship, but half the credit also goes to my beloved wonderful friend @/rendevok for allowing me to scream in her dms ^^

so! maya and phoenix :) they meet after the disaster that is the Hawthorne affair, where dahlia accuses phoenix of murdering another man, and he's saved by the wits of one mia fey, a clever blacksmith who's looking for a way to restore her family name after... less than pleasant events in the past. she later takes on phoenix as an apprentice, bc no one else would want to deal with a commoner who's made an enemy of nobles, even if they were at fault in the end, bc the social game is dangerous

obviously, mia's efforts end about as well as they do for her in canon, and she's murdered for her snooping. phoenix then meets maya, and after helping her keep the family smith in the aftermath of the suspicions over her sister's death, they both get into shenanigans over the next couple of years, out of their incessant need to help, and their talent of literally not being able to stay out of the center of attention (unintentionally), maya is essentially phoenix's partner in arms, all through the days of the smith, up until they're forced to skip town on a stolen ship with one trucy and one pearl in tow

miles and phoenix are far more complicated than they ever need to be, but that's like, half the fun yk? they've vaguely met when they were kids, and miles obviously still inspired phoenix's general moral code. But, gregory still dies, miles is still taken in by the von karmas and all of a sudden he's just a ghost in phoenix's memory.

fast-forward years later, and miles has definitely heard phoenix's name around, especially since the mia's death. how phoenix makes a habit of taking on strays and giving them the help they need to not end up alone, and his sheer blind faith in people, and it's almost too uncomfortably close to home for miles. still, he somehow manages to actually meet phoenix! a very limited number of times though.

Miles still has a high position as an advocate, and phoenix still is only a very busy blacksmith, and travel isn't as fast as it is in the modern day. But nevertheless, phoenix's words and conversations do enough to spark the need to truly understand what went on during his father's death, it's just only unfortunate that he decides to go about it on his own (but like. Think him solving this mystery with the help of his aai buddies so he's not completely alone :))

He still leaves, and phoenix watches him go, and as happy as he is that miles is trying to figure these things out, he wishes he could help, or make him stay. what's worse is that the world's worst game of telephone ensues and now phoenix hears news of the "miles edgeworth chooses death" bit, so fun times for everyone orz

but then the gramarye affair occurs, and all of a sudden there's a bounty on phoenix's life for hiding a murderer and possessing (faked) evidence linking him to it all. it's not a situation he can talk himself out of, so he runs with his family in tow and disappears onto the sea. And miles isn't there.

So his canon disbarment era is essentially his piracy era, and the changes are obvious. He's more jaded and cynical, and painfully efficient to a fault. You wouldn't be able to recognise the humble blacksmith anywhere in those eyes, and he knows it. whatever was left of him was buried onshore before they set sail, and he hasn't looked back since.

Miles only hears brief hearsay about the events of the gramarye affair and he's absolutely stunned because there is no way the phoenix he remembers could ever be the same as the criminal they're describing who's disappeared, but it's been long enough that he hesitates at the thought of searching for the man himself, he's not sure his presence would be warmly received either. However he doesn't have to wonder anymore, bc his latest voyage is interrupted by a pirates ambush, and it's led by the ghost of a man he never thought he'd see again.

From then on its only a matter of miles being taken as hostage, and as a bargain, receiving phoenix's word that if miles can beat the captain at a duel, he'll let him off scot free. But obviously it can't be that easy, where else would 90% of the tension in the story come from then?

and that's pretty much part of the set up for the au hehe, i wrote a whole heck of a lot and i hope you enjoy reading it holy hell fnkskf

also thank you so much!!! I'm very glad you enjoy my crazed doodles of this au it means a lot to me :3 💖

[nutmeg-mayonnaise]

Hello! I think I just scrolled through your entire blog....or most of it. And I mist say I love your au. Just very cute stuff all around

So I have a question I wasn't sure if saw answered. (I honestly could have missed it)

But do Gregory and Mia struggle sometimes to live up to the legacy of the people they named after.

I can imagine that It might not bother them as much, but i doubt it never crossed their minds?

On a related note, was Maya or pearl ever able to channel Mia and/or Gregory Edgeworth so they where able to see/meet their niece and adobted grandchild

(I guess that might be a bit to fantastical. But it's a ace attorney related, if we can cross examen a parrot we can do anything)

...okay now I made myself think of a 3rd question with that line as I was writing it.

How did all the kids react about finding out about the parrot bit in court. It must be such a story for kids.

Sorry for the ramble. Like I said, enjoyed all that I saw, I be sure.to keep checking back in the future

Hello @mmd-ask-italy! Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm so glad you enjoy the au! Don't worry about rambling, I enjoyed reading your thoughts!

Gregory is rather proud of his name and what it means to his family. He has a lot of respect and admiration for his grandfather, but he doesn't feel like Gregory Edgeworth's identity is tied to him and that he's his own person.

Mia on the other hand has complicated feelings. She feels frustrated that her life was somewhat decided for her even before she was born, and that she has to fight for people to see her beyond her role as the next master and her namesake. She doesn't even feel like she owns her own name.

Maya and Pearl both channeled Gregory Edgeworth for different reasons and occasions. The first time was to tell him the truth about what happened to him and ask him for his blessing to allow regular use of spirit channeling in the court--an idea Phoenix had inspired by his visit to Khura'in. It was an emotional moment for Edgeworth, so after he had Gregory (Wright) as his son for a year and Gregory was four years old, Edgeworth wanted his father channeled once more. He wanted to show his father that he had a family, a son, and that he was happy, believing that would allow his father to rest in peace.

Mia was channeled so she could see her nieces and nephew as well. Little Mia herself channels her aunt sometimes as a joke--something no one finds amusing except her.

As for the story with the Parrot, it's certainly one of the kids' favorites--even if they weren't told the whole story of that case until they were a little older. I think children would find that story less ridiculous than adults would, because of course animals would be knowledgeable and capable to be testified in the eyes of children. Phoenix defending Orla the orca is another favorite story, too!

Thank you for the questions!

[vickyvicarious]

The Couples in T&T Represent Phoenix/Dollie

I played through the second investigation day of Recipe for Turnabout the other night, and it made me realize something properly for the first time.

All of the couples in Trials and Tribulations parallel one another. Honestly, it makes sense that they would - T&T has more canon couples than any other game as far as I can recall. The series typically focuses on familial or friend relationships rather than romance of any kind. But this game in particular has a lot of couples, all of a sudden; there's gotta be meaning to that. And there is.

Every single couple in T&T reflects some aspect of Phoenix's relationship with Dahlia/Iris, and the progression of them as you go through the game reflects his journey as he heals from the betrayal, as well as exploring possible other ways Phoenix's relationship could have turned out instead (both good and bad). In doing so, it also ties in really nicely to the themes of the other two games in the trilogy.

This gets pretty long since there are a lot of couples to talk about, so I'm putting it under a cut. Read on if you like!

First off, here's a list of the couples, in order of appearance:

Feenie/Dahlia (3-1) *

Doug/Dahlia (3-1)

Ron/Desiree (3-2)

Gumshoe/Maggey (3-3)

Tigre/Viola (3-3)

Mia/Diego (3-4)

Terry/Dahlia (3-4) **

Godot/Mia (3-5)

Phoenix/Iris (3-5) *

*I'm counting these as the relationship as it was presented at the time, as well as how Phoenix thought of the relationship. I'll get a bit more into the nuance of Dahlia vs. Iris later.

** This relationship is pretty upsetting in several ways and there's a lot that could be said about it. However, for the purposes of this meta, I won't be really getting into all of that fully, instead briefly discussing the thematic/interpersonal relevance.

There's at least one couple per case (typically two which contrast one another), and no matter how you count up characters, a minimum of 5 reciprocal relationships (meaning established couples, not necessarily reciprocated feelings). Every single one of these relationships has strong importance to the plot, and what's more, we see all of the characters alive onscreen and get to interact with them (with the exception of flashback couple Doug/Dahlia). This is a significant departure from the first two games. In PW, Larry/Cindy is important, and Yanni/Polly has relevance for motivations, but in both examples one of the characters is already dead, and they don't have impacts on other cases. In JFA there's a whole love triangle at the circus centering on Regina, as well as a different sort of percieved 'love' triangle in the final case involving Adrian. Neither of these actually show a reciprocal relationship onscreen, and while you could talk about the ways they contrast one another that's a different post. We get closest with Juan/Adrian and Maggey/Dustin, but again only one person is still alive in both those pairs by the time their cases start. (Granted, I'm not counting Larry's other infatuations or Oldbag's with Edgeworth in any of these metrics. But they have a very different feel, you know?) Even games released after this one don't have the same density of romantic relationships as far as I can recall. This game stands out.

As I said before, I think the reason why is clear: all these relationships reflect Phoenix. For the first time, a main character has a romantic relationship. Not only that, but the player character, the one the series is named after, and the one whose arc this game in particular is meant to tie up. Previous games centered far more around the Feys and Edgeworth's arc, and Phoenix grew in ways related to his relationships with both of them. And that's certainly still true, don't get me wrong, but T&T puts Phoenix's own personal feelings and motivations more front and center via the throughline of his relationship in college and the aftershocks thereof. This is why there are so many romantic relationships... and why they all reflect the central one of Phoenix/Dollie (meaning both Dahlia and Iris). The exception there is Miego, which is significant as well for the fact that this game's prosecutor/rival's entire motivation is tied up in a romantic relationship. And it still ties into some of the themes going on even if not as directly as the other couples.

I'm going to break this down couple by couple, going down the list chronologically by case. Then there's a final wrap-up at the end.

.

Feenie/Dahlia

This is the catalyst. In the first case, we flash back to when Phoenix was Feenie: quick to fall in love, naive, willfully blind, very emotionally demonstrative, very emotionally vulnerable, dedicated... betrayed.

As far as Phoenix understands his relationship, it was one of deep and real love. The person he knows could never have done the things she's accused of. The person he knows loves him back. Phoenix is willing to take the fall for her even when all the evidence points Dahlia's way, even when she seems to be turning against him, because he believes so completely in the person he knows. He's even willing to destroy evidence to save her. But finally, by the end of the trial, he's forced to surrender to the facts. They don't match up to his perception, and the conclusion we (players on their first playthrough as well as the characters themselves) have to draw is that Phoenix was wrong all along. He was fooled; Dahlia used him and then tried to get rid of him when his usefulness ended. She never cared about him at all, and in fact hates him. She thinks he's an idiot.

This has lasting scars for Phoenix. He is far more closed-off after this case, far more prone to hide his feelings, or at the very least be less demonstrative. He develops a deep hatred for two things: betrayal, and poison. And it seems pretty clear that he has a harder time trusting people, at the very least in a romantic capacity.

In terms of some specific details that later on get echoed: Phoenix fell in love at first sight. His partner lied to him, and he didn't realize for a long time. She tried to poison him. Even when he had lots of evidence, he couldn't bring himself to confront the truth for quite a while.

.

Doug/Dahlia - BAD END 1

This relationship is the only one in the entire game where we don't get to see and interact with both characters. Nonetheless, this is an important early contrast to Phoenix/Dahlia, in two significant ways.

First, Doug realized Dahlia was up to something, and he broke off his relationship with her. He was able to look past his feelings to become suspicious of her.

Second, Dahlia killed Doug. When he tried to stop her from hurting someone else instead of just keeping his distance from her, he paid the ultimate price.

Doug's entire story is a look at "what could have been" if Feenie had been less trusting of Dahlia in the beginning. But it's a bad end. Doug never came forward about what he suspected Dahlia had done to Diego, possibly because he felt complicit given the poison was his creation (an early parallel to Iris); when he did try to help the second time around, he fatally failed.

Doug trusts evidence over emotion, unlike Phoenix who believed in 'Dollie' till the end. He is at once a cautionary tale of how Phoenix could have been killed by her (/representative of Phoenix's love being 'killed'), and also a kind of model to trust the facts over your feelings. Their relationship reflects Phoenix's feelings of betrayal and reluctant acceptance of the verdict immediately after his trial. As such, it's fitting that we see this couple at the same trial - it represents Phoenix's initial trauma and pain.

.

Ron/Desiree - IDEAL END

There's already a really fantastic meta about how the Delites parallel Feenie's relationship by @eggpngg, and I don't want to just retread all of what she said. Please go read that post instead - suffice to say, there are parallels between both Phoenix=Ron + Dahlia=Desiree, and Phoenix=Desiree + Dahlia=Ron.

I do, however, want to add on slightly. Just as Doug/Dahlia was a "bad end" for Phoenix, this is a different kind of 'what could have been' scenario. In this case, it's the ending he hopes for. The partner who was lying (Ron/Dahlia) was revealed to have been doing so out of love all along, and was innocent of murder. The partner who fell in love at first sight (Desiree/Phoenix) had their affection returned and their faith in their partner rewarded in the end. Though there were still lies and betrayal, everything turned out okay in the end and they were stronger than ever.

The Delites represent the kind of relationship Phoenix hoped for. They are his last kernel of uncertainty about the trial, the part of him that stubbornly, even after so long, can't help but think about how different the Dollie he knew was from the Dahlia he saw on the stand. It's his wistful daydreaming and doubting, something he wanted but never got. This would be a recurring dream in the time shortly after the trial, as Phoenix dwells on his college relationship.

.

Gumshoe/Maggey - HOPEFUL END

Gumshoe's affections for Maggey aren't returned. In fact, she feels as though he has betrayed her when his testimony is unhelpful, and is angry at him for most of the trial. However, they are both good people who care about others. Maggey's anger is based on a misunderstanding, and by the end of the trial, Gumshoe's earnest affections and dedication to her is able to reach her. She may not feel the same way, but their relationship isn't broken. And there's hope that she may return his affection in the future (the gifted trenchcoat).

Maggey is Phoenix in several ways: accused of murder, feeling betrayed. But Gumshoe is Phoenix too: he believes in the person he loves, she doesn't love him back, he investigates and learns the truth for her sake. This time around, no one is really playing the role of Dahlia/Iris. Instead, both parts of this couple still represent a better outcome Phoenix wishes could have happened for himself.

However, once we are looking at them purely in terms of metaphor for Phoenix's relationship, Gumshoe/Maggey as a couple is asking for a lot less. Phoenix has over time given up on the idea of a true happy ending like the Delites got. Maybe it's true that Dahlia never loved him. Maybe it's been long enough that he's almost okay with that. But what if she weren't truly all that bad? What if she at least weren't a killer - what if he could have saved her? It's still a hope... just a smaller hope, something more tempered. Phoenix eventually moved on from still being in love with his Dollie; at the same time he never quite got over hoping she truly was the person he knew.

.

Tigre/Viola - BAD END 2

In the same case that we see Gumshoe/Maggey as a kind of softer hope, we get this couple as a harsh, even brutal, reminder of the reality of how Phoenix/Dahlia turned out. Tigre/Viola are sharply divided in who they represent, for the first time. There isn't any mixup between Phoenix mirroring both people in the couple, or even between Dahlia/Iris really. Instead, for the first time, Iris/Phoenix both share a representative. But I'll get to that in a moment; first, Tigre.

Tigre is firmly Dahlia. His only callback to Iris is when he impersonates another person to cover up his own crime - and that could be seen as relating to Dahlia too, given she later impersonates Iris. Tigre was the first one to approach his partner and initiate a romantic relationship, in an attempt to avoid consequences for a crime he had just committed (car crash/poisoning Diego). He stayed with Viola out of a fear of the consequences catching up to him, but despite her devotion, he looked down on her. Tigre even insulted her as soon as the jig was up, much like Dahlia expressed contempt for Phoenix once she was no longer pretending to love him. Tigre's weapon of choice was poison, just like Dahlia. And just like Dahlia, he used someone's love for him to help him get away with a murder he'd already committed.

Meanwhile, Viola is an amalgam of both Phoenix and Iris (and someone else, but I'll get to that later). She is Phoenix, once again, in that love at first sight. In trusting and believing her partner even against her own doubts. However, this time, that trust isn't warranted, and she's eventually forced to confront that fact. She is betrayed and injured by the one she loves... and all because she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (car crash/courtroom meeting). She's also Iris - despite knowing what she's doing is wrong, despite knowing Tigre is a murderer, she loves him and wants to protect him from being arrested, so she impersonates someone else (Viola faking being a waitress poisoning someone/Iris being 'Dollie' ).

This bad end comes later for a reason. Because Phoenix has to be the one to help Viola face the truth about Tigre. He's very gentle about it too, guiding her along with evidence in a Psyche-Lock conversation as he says things like, "But do you honestly believe that to be true?" and "Do you want to know what I think...?" leading into him asking her if it's possible Tigre is only with her because he's scared of Bruto. Phoenix doesn't often talk this way. He isn't usually callous or anything, but he generally speaks confidently when presenting evidence, making statements as opposed to questions. But in this moment, he just gives Viola the option gently. He leads her to the truth, just like he was led in his own trial - but not forcibly (unlike his trial). He's obviously empathizing with her feelings in this moment of horrible acceptance.

And then comes this exchange:

Viola: I wanted to believe him... I wanted to trust what Don Tigre said... He said it had nothing to do with my grandfather being Bruto Cadaverini... I wanted to believe he helped me because he cared about me. Not about my grandfather... But I knew... That wasn't really true... Maya: Wow. I'm so sorry. Viola: What he did to get the money was... It was... evil! Phoenix: ...! Viola: He said it was all for me... So I... I helped him...

Viola hands over her medical records, and as soon as she leaves, Phoenix exclaims, "It's inexcusable!" out loud, before going on to think, "(There are two things that I consider inexcusable. Poisoning, and betrayal! Only a coward would hurt people using either of these tactics.)" He's obviously visibly upset, because Maya asks if he's okay. And then right after this, when they meet Tigre, Phoenix gets so angry at him. In the second game, Phoenix mostly got over his tendency to show vital evidence to murderers and reveal his hand too soon, seeing as it never worked out for him (White, von Karma). But he does it again here, and the only reason the evidence isn't stolen from him is because of Gumshoe stepping in. Tigre demands the medical records back, and Phoenix shows them just to tell Tigre he won't be getting them. He brings up the betrayal of Viola's trust. He swears that he'll convict Tigre. It's no longer just about defending Maggey - Phoenix wants revenge this time.

And that's the big difference between this bad ending and the last one. Doug represented the pain Phoenix felt in the immediate aftermath. Viola represents the anger Phoenix feels when all is said and done. The hatred he has for Dahlia, the desire to confront her and get revenge for how much she hurt him. Viola isn't dead like Doug in the aftermath; instead, it's heavily implied that she poisons Tigre in prison, acting out the kind of revenge Phoenix wants to have. (But using a method he considers cowardly and would never do, foreshadowing how revenge isn't his primary motivator even when he gets the urge.)

This is also foreshadowing for Phoenix's urge to defend Iris later on. By merging Phoenix and Iris's roles together here, instead of Iris/Dahlia, Viola opens a path to putting them on the same side for the first time. Thematically we are shifting towards Phoenix/Iris reconciliation and Phoenix/Dahlia enmity, just in time for things to all start fitting together.

.

Mia/Diego - HOPEFUL BEGINNING

This brings us to the next flashback. Miego stand out among all the other couples in the game, because they actually hold nearly an equal share of narrative weight as Phoenix/Dollie. Their relationship is key to Mia's hatred of Dahlia (which lead to her and Phoenix inspiring one another), as well as motivating everything Godot does after he wakes up from his coma. As such, Mia and Diego don't quite reflect Phoenix's relationship in the same way that all the other couples do. Instead, they hold their own. In fact, some of the other couples reflect them as well, though to a lesser degree that more concerns things echoing what happened to Diego (e.g., an entire case revolving around poisoned coffee).

However, the difference between Miego when they're both alive, and the state of affairs in the present time, is a distinct contrast as well. Miego in 3-4 aren't a couple yet. Instead, their relationship is something hopeful, something that develops out of a comradery and dedication to the truth/justice. Every couple in this game has a relationship that is hurt by lies or misunderstandings. Miego and the Delites are the only established couples where those secrets are entirely about helping the other person, and were forgivable without costing the relationship. Yes, Diego meeting up with Dahlia ends up putting him in a coma and their relationship isn't resumed after that, but we don't see any evidence of Mia resenting him for continuing to work on the case, or anything like that.

Of course, none of that happens yet - that's for later, chronologically in between 3-4 and 3-1. During this trial, Mia and Diego's relationship is most importantly one of equal partners, both supporting and encouraging one another.

.

Terry/Dahlia - BAD END 3

Every time there are two couples in the same case, they contrast one another, as well as represent one good/bad possibility each. Everything about the Terry/Dahlia relationship is completely different from Mia/Diego.

Miego are just beginning; Terry/Dahlia are finished both as a couple, and also never going to see one another after this. Mia and Diego both want the same things, and work together to get them. In their initial relationship, Terry wanted love, Dahlia wanted money, and she actively sabotages him. When they met again, he wanted the truth while she worked to hide it. Miego are partners. Diego is a bit older, and more experienced than her initially, but they're both adults, clearly mentally on a level and even over the course of just this one trial he begins to start working with and supporting her as an equal rather than a subordinate. Contrast that to the many layers of inequality in Terry/Dahlia, from the pedophilic age gap (20/14) to Dahlia's cleverness vs. Terry being portrayed as slow/possibly disabled (a not-so-great portrayal to say the least), to him being her teacher and her his student, etc.

This relationship of course culminates with both possible bad endings Phoenix later avoids in his trial: Terry refuses to admit the truth that Dahlia betrayed him, and dies from drinking poison on the stand. Phoenix comes alarmingly close to both outcomes, but manages to escape physically/legally unscathed despite the trauma he experiences.

Neither of the couples in this flashback case directly correspond to Phoenix's recovery from/emotions about his relationship with Dahlia after the fact. That makes sense given that it is a flashback set before he even was in said relationship. However, they both represent one final "what could have been" contrast, one Phoenix learns about when he is in the hospital, preparing to defend Iris in court. Before he learns the full truth of the matter, he gets one final look at how things could have gone for him. Either a supportive partnership (what he wanted, but which could never happen with Dahlia), or a dismal end (what he nearly got).

.

Godot/Mia - BAD END 4

The thing is, as soon as he learns about Miego, Phoenix realizes who Godot is. And while he may not instantly know that he was the one who killed Misty and why, as soon as he knows Diego's identity, seeing Godot prosecute Iris has got to be ringing alarm bells. Godot at the very least could be drawing the same connections between Dahlia and Iris as Phoenix. (In fact he's way ahead of him for a while.)

Mia/Diego doesn't get to remain a simple "what if" of a happy couple for Phoenix. As soon as he realizes who the people involved are, he knows they ended in tragedy as well. But Godot's storyline doesn't represent a possible bad end for Phoenix/Dahlia back in the day anymore. Instead, his actions which lead to 3-5 are a continuation of what we saw with Viola/Tigre in 3-3. We're picking back up on Phoenix's current-day emotional arc, and Godot is following in Viola's footprints in one very specific way. He is obsessed with getting revenge on Dahlia (remember, Tigre = Dahlia. As I said, that distinct split there was significant in multiple ways, and Viola parallels one more character).

And Godot is the final bad ending. Sure, he gets his revenge... but it's at a terrible cost. A cost that both he and others are forced to pay. This is what comes of being more focused on the anger and pain you feel, instead of moving on and focusing on the people you still have. The comparison can go even farther because just like Phoenix always has a client he is protecting, Godot was 'protecting' someone in Maya. The plan that he/Misty/Iris use is bonkers and not the best way to keep Maya safe at all, but as @queergodot said once, that's kind of the point. It makes sense for all three characters, and for Godot specifically, it's clear that his drive to protect Maya got twisted up in his wish to be the one who protects her (a different thing than making sure she is protected) and of course his hatred of Dahlia and desire for revenge. Godot/Mia in the final trial is the counter to Phoenix/Iris in the same trial, because once again we have a bad end and a better one.

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Phoenix/Iris - TRUE END

Phoenix finally learns the truth at the end of the game. His intuitions/hopes were never wrong, exactly: the woman he loved wasn't the Dahlia revealed to him in the courtroom. Iris loved him back, and would never have tried to murder him. And yet, the betrayal he felt was just as real. Iris knew what Dahlia was up to and willingly went along with it. She lied to Phoenix for their entire relationship, and then was too afraid to admit the truth to him in all the years since. Just like Doug, her inability to admit to her complicity in her first crime with Dahlia put her in danger later.

Phoenix learning the truth and protecting Iris is the better end than what happens to Godot and Mia, but it's not a good ending. It's at best hopeful, and if we take the following games into account it's clear they never resume any kind of romantic relationship after this. That's not really any surprise, though. If we follow the 'good ends' leading up to this point, they have been getting less and less hopeful for that. It's been years, and Phoenix is no longer in love with Iris. But he still cares deeply for her, and for what they had. This 'true ending' is most importantly closure for him. It marries together the evidence/facts of the case with what Phoenix's intuition/heart always said. He wasn't wrong to doubt; he also wasn't wrong to accept the facts. Everything makes sense now, everything is out in the open, and he can finally move on.

Phoenix and Iris somewhat contrast Mia/Diego in this final case, by being on the same side. It isn't immediate, far from it... for a long time Iris refuses to fully cooperate despite allowing Phoenix (well, first Edgeworth) to defend her. But she does agree to be defended, she listens to Edgeworth's request that she tell Phoenix the truth, and later does in fact do so as much as possible without betraying Godot, before finally being ready to tell him all after the trial is over. In contrast, Mia and Diego are literally on opposite sides of the courtroom; as soon as they begin to work together even somewhat it's the 'death' of Diego as it leads right to what he did, whereas Iris cooperating helps Phoenix win the case. When Diego finally admits the truth, it's an admission of guilt, not innocence. Neither pair are exactly a team of in-sync partners like Miego were in 3-4, but Phoenix and Iris at least come closer to having a 'positive outcome' (though honestly, the death of Godot and resuming the identity of Diego is much healthier ending for his character than escaping repercussions would've been).

Really though, far more than 3-4 (generally more of an outlier case), both of them follow 3-3 better. Phoenix could have gone down the same route as Viola (is implied to have) and Godot did, becoming wrapped up in revenge. But just as, even in the midst of his anger, he felt so much compassion for Viola helping Tigre out of love, so too does his compassion for Iris win out over his anger towards Dahlia. This is what shifts Phoenix away from the track leading to a final bad end, and instead lands him on something much closer to the resolution of Gumshoe/Maggey from the same case. While Iris is actually guilty of crimes other than murder, and so doesn't walk free at the end like Maggey did, she's not guilty of the crime of trying to kill Phoenix, the most central one to their destroyed relationship. In the end, just like Gumshoe/Maggey, the misunderstanding is cleared up and they end on positive terms. In the final visit to the Iris in the detention center, there's even a hint that he may still have feelings for her, just like we got a hint that Maggey may feel something for Gumshoe. Neither turns into anything in this game (and indeed ever, for Feenris; I believe there's room to read into Magshoe in AAI but it's still not like a confirmed thing), but they don't really need to, because that isn't the point.

The point is that closure. The truth. And choosing compassion over anger. That's the final culmination of Phoenix's arc, and while it does result in Dahlia losing one final time and that's very satisfying, the most important thing is reconfirming his dedication to truly protect people and ensure justice. Justice, not revenge, even when the lines may start to get blurry between the two.

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Wrap-Up

Phoenix loved Dollie, and was betrayed horribly. In the immediate aftermath he felt deeply hurt (Doug/Dahlia), though a part of him still longed for it all to have been a mistake and for things to end happily (Delites). As time passed, he eventually got over being in love, but still couldn't completely let go of the idea that she hadn't been evil (Gumshoe/Maggey). At the same time, the pain he felt slowly transitioned into anger for all she'd put him through (Viola/Tigre). Finally, he learned the further truth and saw how much more was lost than he ever knew (Mia/Diego) as well as how much worse things could have been for him (Terry/Dahlia). He learned the last missing piece of the story and gained closure at last, choosing compassion (Phoenix/Iris) over revenge (Godot/Mia).

All the couples in the game tie in really well to his arc (with Miego as one partial exception). And not only that, but this storyline helps to conclude the trilogy by marrying themes from the first and second game together. In PW, Phoenix is driven by a belief in Edgeworth that initially flies in the face of the person he's become. It's 'I know my Dollie would never do that' in another guise, and while that faith is justified somewhat, it only goes so far. In JFA (as well as RftA, honestly) Phoenix is confronted with the limits to that sort of belief/motivation. @96percentdone wrote a really good meta about the themes of JFA, I highly recommend you read it. Not going over everything he already said again here, but in the end Phoenix's choice in the Engarde trial shows him the limitations of saving everyone and forces him to choose the truth. T&T now takes both those ideas and first pits them against one another in Phoenix's trial, before resolving the conflict in Iris's trial. We go from "heart" to "truth" to finally, both together instead of being in conflict.

[akihikosanada]

my aa5 thoughts could be summarized by saying i'm a fan of turnabout academy, athena and blackquill rock, apollo's joker era outfit fucks and that l'belle's theme song is too cunty to be real

i feel like they wanted bobby fulbright to be a combination of both gumshoe ("useless" detective who helps the protags) and matt engarde (guy who looks harmless but plot twist! he is evil and ruined everyone's lives) except they failed on both accounts

i mean part of the gumshoe thing is because he never appeared before so they couldn't build up on him helping the protags, even gumshoe by the end of aa1 is already quite helpful with phoenix and maya, mainly because he wants to help edgeworth but later cases like 2-2 and 2-4 show he wants to help them even with edgeworth out of the picture. obviously bobby never got this because he appeared for the first time in this game and in the one case he cooperates beyond basic stuff it's so he can later frame athena anyways so. also just the fact that he is always tasing blackquill only shows he was never to be trusted like????? if we see him through gumshoe lenses. interesting to note that bobby wearing a white suit that looks brand new (+ expensive shoes) makes him look less approachable than gumshoe with his old tattered coat. the sunglasses don't help either so if they really wanted him to be "gumshoe but evil" they did a bad job because he never seems trustworthy

then re engarde the "reveal" was laughably lame in aa5 with zero foreshadowing. i already knew about it and yet there was nothing in his actions that made him suspicious other than him seeming more helpful during 5-4 idk. meanwhile in 2-4 on a replay it's like. fairly obvious matt's the culprit almost from the moment you meet him but unless you suspect him from the start it's very easy to believe in him because that is also what phoenix is doing and there's also how he always believes his clients to be innocent (+ until engarde all his clients were innocent so you probably believe so too even with all the evidence stacked against him + every single character saying he is guilty). then matt drops him façade the whole case changes!!! it's no longer about helping your client but rather doing everything to save maya without having engarde be declared innocent. with bobby it's embarrassingly done at the last minute (in the final part of the trial no less) so despite him being an international spy or whatever he never feels like a threat compared to the literal actor. i mean by this point athena and blackquill were already declared innocent so there aren't any real stakes in the game other than finding out The Truth yk. also taking him down isn't even cathartic??? breakdowns have had a total downgrade in quality since phoenix's trilogy but that's a discussion for another day. the guy just rips his masks off and then gets shot by a random sniper only because they told him he's scared. taking down engarde is so much more gratifying after all the help phoenix had to take him down + it's one of phoenix's top bitch moments. a lot of people chimed in against the phantom too but it isn't cathartic whatsoever and again. you or the other characters aren't even who end up taking him down

in conclusion there will neverrrr be a case as good as farewell, my turnabout and next time they should just not make the plot twist guy so hateable to me i'm already wishing him to be dead from the very moment he appears

[box-dwelling]

As someone who watched a LOT of murder mystery shows growing up (it was my mother's favourite genre and it rubbed off on me a lot) there's always two catagorises of serialised mystery. Ones where the detective is like actually in the law profession and comes to crime scenes because it's their job and the ones where the detective is just some random guy (gender neutral) who happens to always turn up in the right place at the right time to investigate a murder. And as much as I like the former, the latter has always been a favourite of mine because of how inherently goofy it gets as the series goes on.

In my head it's the dichotomy between Midsummer Murders and Rosemary and Thyme (my apologies for being British), because they both tend to have very similar settings for cases. Except one of our detectives is an actual detective where as the other one are just two fucking gardeners who always seem to take jobs at houses where a murder happens.

Anyway the reason I'm saying this is that it's very funny that AAI has every excuse to be the former and not fuck with peoples suspension of disbelief but insists on being the latter (at least where I am in the game). Miles Edgeworth is a famous Prosecutor well renoun for his investigating abilities so of course he'd be involved in murder cases by being called in. He isn't though, he just keeps having murders happen no matter where he goes and has to deal with it. Great, incredible, I love it.

For the record the trilogy is definitely the former kind. Like 1-2, 2-2, 2-4, 3-5 are the only ones you're present for the murder. 2 of them are directly because Morgan was involved, 1-2 is because Mia was the victim which makes sense because she is wound up in that world and 2-4 was a fluke. None of which stop it being in that genre. Yes sometimes Phoenix has visited the crime scene just before but that's all well within the genre.

[rivalsforlife]

Kay and Tracy being Christmas FIENDS, like full on blasting Mariah Carey the moment the clock hits midnight post Thanksgiving. They both have always loved the holidays (maybe as a form of escapism for 2 lonely girls who have wanted a loving family for so long and made do with what they had) and the first year (Christmas #1) they are in their lawyer’s lives they were all to busy putting out fires* to properly celebrate or notice anything odd around the holidays in regards to each other

*(literally in Nick and Trucy’s case, girl was trying some advanced fire based tricks and oops, so they had Christmas at Kurain Village and it’s lovely if not the traditional Christmas Trucy wanted. Edgeworth got caught up in a marathon case that ended up chaining into a 3 week slog, crossing so many continents and time zones he ends up in locations that don’t really celebrate Christmas and he’s so lost in the investigation sauce he doesn’t even notice the date until (unless it’s clue based) like January 4th and he’s so tired he crashes in some hotel in Morocco for 4 days. Kay got sent back to Germany to stay with Fran after week one seemingly wrapped up and had to hunt Edgeworth down to help him in the last 4 day of week 3 and went sight seeing while Edgworth slept and lived off of room service at a 4 star hotel in Chefchaouen)

But this year! Christmas #2! Edgeworth and Nick are talking again! Trucy and Kay have meet and are basically sisters at this point! (Nick and Miles may or may not be dating yet??). Anyway, this year there’s going to be so much festive cheer and celebration and togetherness and it’s going to be awesome!!!!

And then Nick has to be like, ahhh girls maybe don’t include Edgeworth in your plans for…reasons? I don’t mind a crazy Christmas, go nuts decorating the office/apartment, but ummmm…yeah.

(Or worse, the girls kept their extensive holiday plans a secret to surprise Nick and Edgeworth and so they get their hopes up WAY high and have so many expectations that involve Edgeworth and uh oh)

In anycase, either they learn about the why, or they don’t because Edgeworth isn’t up for it at this point. Do you think:

They have a good, if less full Christmas that year while giving Edgeworth space

They have a quiet Christmas that does it’s best to accommodate Edgeworth

They have essentially trapped Phoenix and Edgeworth somewhere to celebrate Christmas (think remote cabin for some daft reason) and now they’re all stuck and it’s not going well and they have to confront lots of emotions…

Oops Edgeworth heard about their plans and doesn’t want to disappoint them and tries to force it, and the fallout of when he just can’t anymore taking up the rest of the season

CRAZY CHRISTMAS full of so many called in favours from both Phoenix and Edgeworth that involve magic and circuses and “fine” dining and cop car rides. And everyone is around all the time like Maya and Gumshoe and Larry, all except Edgeworth who is doing his best to rest and heal at home, who called in the favours but won’t partake and it’s for the best. And maybe after all the madness they have quiet 1 on 1 visits until Edgeworth works his way up to having a nice, sedate family night and dinner with no holiday trappings but all the famil he needs? (Maybe this will be Christmas #3 or 4 with them haha)

Unfortunately the first thing I was thinking of is that Trucy's second Christmas with Phoenix would be. um. 2020. so probably nothing asdgffdsfgh

BUT in a perfect world where the pandemic did not happen. Kay is at least a little bit aware of Edgeworth's Trauma, though maybe not likely to directly connect Christmas to it, but I feel like Trucy has so much emotional awareness that as soon as she would start bringing up Christmas around Edgeworth, and he was uncomfortable with it, she would immediately be able to clock that. I don't think Edgeworth is good enough at disguising his emotions to be able to get around most people, much less Trucy with her incredible perception skills. So I think for anything to happen they would have to not bring up Christmas around Edgeworth at all until their plans are in place.

Honestly I'm probably biased because I'm not big on celebrating holidays myself, but I think they'd settle with something more around 1 or 2 of your options. I think Edgeworth's trauma is less Christmas-centric and more Christmas being the big warning sign heralding the beginning of misery about DL-6 which lasts until the end of the year, so he could probably handle Christmas better than the 28th. I also think he does not like processing his trauma around other people, but over the years would be able to work his way up to small gatherings with the people he cares about to take his mind off of it, though I'm not sure he'd be there right away by year 2.

[grumfield]

If you don't mind me asking, who are your favorite romantic relationship's couples in books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series (can be canon or non-canon)? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi!! I don't mind at all, thank you so much for this ask!! I'm always happy to talk about my favorite ships :) These are in no particular order...and there's a lot lol so sorry in advance!

Mo Ran and Chu Wanning from 2ha ( Canon): dumb little mass murderer horndog is his pathetic depressed teacher who couldn't regulate his emotions if his life depended on it. They make me want to bite something and tear it to shreds.

Gideon and Harrowhark from the Locked Tomb series (Not canon...yet): Gideon is like if Utena was a big beefcake butch lesbian and Harrowhark is like what if Anthy was anemic and utterly swagless

Damen and Laurent from Captive Prince: (Canon) I read their story at an impressionable age and they changed my brain chemistry. They're the best enemies to lovers couple and I will die on that hill.

Enkidu and Gilgamesh from The Epic of Gilgamesh: (either or bro it's your interpretation) ancient story about a goat man who's sole existence is to kill a king and he becomes friends with him instead...what's not to like bro???

You Miao and Li Zhifeng from LSWW (Canon): Ouuughhh...i love them so much...spoiled little tea merchant's son and the mysterious Quanrong dude he hangs with...shit gets so crazy and political I love it and I love them

Hannibal and Will from Hannibal: (Canon) omg what if i was a suit-wearing pun-loving freak and i was psychosexually obsessed with a sweaty little fisherman who knows allllllll the ways I'm fucked up ahhah then what

Villanelle and Eve from Killing Eve: (Canon...?) bro don't even get me started

Shefali and O Shizuka from The Tiger's Daughter: (Canon) fantasy mongolian warrior woman and her soulmate a fantasy japanese woman. They fight demons together and it's GREAT.

Asako Minami and Kuroiwa Hiroto from Stigmata (Canon): Detective Guy whose body recreates the injuries of people who were recently killed in the area he's in and his detective partner

Jaime and Brienne from Game of Thrones: I fuck with the manlet/giant woman who tops combo

An Zhe and Li Feng from Little Mushroom: (Canon) they remind me a lot of the characters from No.6 which was really formative for me in middle school...except i find them more endearing bc they're both kind of like unexpressive dudes!! love their dynamic

Mizusawa and Takatsu from Young Bad Education/Young Good Boyfriend: (Canon): OUGH!!! pathetic pathetic teacher and his fucked up weirdass student...I love them...their relationship is so incredibly cute wah

Hector and Achilles from...the Illiad...: (Not Canon) yeah yeah yeah flame me all you want I think they're superior to Patroclus/Achilles yes i read fic about them (they're the only couple I read fic of)

I haven't read the series since I was 12 but I think Tessa, Will, and Jem from Infernal Devices should have gotten together period

Whatever the fuck Phoenix Wright and Edgeworth have going on

Those chicks from the Handmaiden

Anyways there we go LMAO

[meryton-etc]

directors commentary from any fic!!!! and also ⭐⭐⭐ please infodump about anything about your fics omg

Franziska is not a quiet person. She wishes she were, because it makes things easier for women, sometimes, to be in the corner.

That feeling when you realise that society prefers quiet women and you’re congenitally unable to shut up

Her brother is quiet, except for when he’s performing, be that at work or at home.

Miles Edgeworth would like to be left alone, although he’s showy. He and Franziska are both showy.

He’s constantly on at work, and then at home there are always people to reassure in some capacity or the other. Neighbours, or friends of dear friends, and so Miles Edgeworth is a part to be played.

He’s chosen an important role in an important profession, and there are pros and cons.

There are only a few people with whom he can be quiet. She’s one of them. The Defence Attorney is another.

Franziska doesn’t name Phoenix Wright at all in her internal monologue in this fic. This is because he annoys her, even as she recognizes that he's nothing but a positive presence.

Miles Edgeworth will sit and observe, sip his tea, and think whatever thoughts are filling his foolish brain at that point in time.

He’s thinking either about the steel samurai or tea or his dog or how pleased he is with the layout of his kitchen.

Franziska has never seen the point of observing if there is no corresponding action. Therefore, she comments on what she sees. If she doesn’t, then she is keeping the information for a more appropriate time. The key difference between herself and her brother is how and when they choose to verbalise what they see.

Sometimes Edgeworth sees things and lets them go. Franziska will live her entire life and never once do this.

But there is something about Maya Fey that silences her. They say, in English, tongue tied? Well, then, Maya Fey ties her tongue.

She’s hoping in more ways than one hahaha no but seriously Franzi has no game and doesn’t know how to speak if she’s not talking about work and maybe politics.

It’s not that the observation stops. Franziska’s powers of observation are active always. Even in dreams. Especially in dreams. But Franziska sees Maya, and everything is clear, all at once. Everything you could want to see, or know. She captures the attention – not because of the noise – not just because of the noise.

Homage to Sondheim’s Company – (“not because you’re bright / not just because you’re bright!”). I listened to Company a lot writing this. Bobby reminds me a lot of Franziska in this – learning you need a new language to start talking to people is difficult.

And Franziska doesn’t know how to start speaking. She falters, and lets herself follow trails that peter out into nothing. She tries to answer a simple question and ends up staggering around, spinning in circles, and choking out something nonsensical and foolish.

The Phoebe Bridgers song ICU includes the lyric ��I used to light you up,” which is such a good description of how that it feels.

Oh, Franzi? How are you doing?

And Franziska laughs, and shakes her head, and says something that doesn’t answer the question.

This happened to me once. How are you? Oooh, you know, Haha, well, haha, not great!! I think the friend I was with at the time has forgotten. I pray that she has, anyway. I nearly died of embarrassment.

She is awed to be in this space, in the village that Maya leads so selflessly, so fearlessly;

Franziska is experiencing the awe of noticing just how competent someone is while also realising that they're very attractive

to be able to picture her here accurately now, gliding through the wooden hallways, blessing the small roads with her presence, her dedication, her fierce step.

“Rebel Girl!” plays loudly in the background.

[nohara-rin-dot-mp3]

nart ships: a (very long winding tangent-ed) summary

danzen: hiruzen and danzo. they are not officially together and they never will be because of the nationalism. hiruzen is selfish and doesn't want danzo to die because he loves him. he would much rather sacrifice himself for his sake so that he doesnt have to live with the aftermath of losing him. classic hiruzen trait!!!! doesnt make moves because he also loves inaction. danzo is selfless to a fault and also applies this selflessness to everyone else whether they like it or not. the ends justify the means!!! (he has forgotten what the ends were). he doesnt make moves because of the catholic guilt. they pine after each other silently and occasionally send assassins after each other and then feel bad about the indulgence. fascinating.

the kakashi polycule: kakashi is a sex-repulsed gay demiromantic but he feels most comfortable not referring to his relationships in romantic terms regardless of whether or not the involved parties reciprocate romantic feelings. qprs for life baby!!! obito gai iruka and zabuza are usually my go-tos. all of them are desperately in love with him (the sad wet horse appeal. you know how it is.) but through sheer proximity they also get entangled with each other. mostly sexually. every single possible combination is terrible and everyone is aware of this and it is funny as hell. gai cant remember anyone but kakashis name but he objectively the best one in bed so thats just something they all have to live with. iruka wants to leave but he never does. he never leaves. he has no one but himself to blame.

tenzo: hes transmasc hes so transmasc and he's also gay and demiromantic and asexual. but i think he's pretty sex-positive and doesnt mind participating, even if he doesnt really get anything out of it. he and kakashi are also in a qpr but tenzo is not touching the rest of the polycule with a ten foot pole <3

minakushi: saw a post last week suggesting transfem 4 transfem minakushi and ive been obsessing over it ever since. the vibes are impeccable. war criminal no thoughts head empty minato and girlboss lying to herself to get through the week kushina and they were BOTH GIRLS???? that being said im also a big fan of malewife minato so idk. i go back and forth. any way you spin it kushina HAS to be transfem though i just. need her to be. these guys are one of the healthiest couples in the series i think. which says a lot.

kagurin: KAGURIN KAGURIN MY BELOVEDS!!!!! kind of like narumitsu except rin is literally nothing like edgeworth its just that kaguya has that "i can fix her" vibe that phoenix has (she is just as bad). absolutely impeccable. they have the symbolism. they have the chemistry. toxic yuri forever!!!! rin is aro but in denial and so she Decides to fall in love with kaguya because Moon Lady you know and kaguya tries to fix her and then they both die after a week because they are trying to destroy the world at the same time <3 women <3

tsunade: aroace romance repulsed sex repulsed touch adverse QUEEN!!! she and orochimaru meet up to bitch about everyone else's drama. (orochimaru is allo its just that he doesnt date because no one meets his standards.)

poly team 7: i will die on this hill. all of them are bi and they have a beautiful toxic codependent relationship <3 sakura and ino have flings every once and a while, same with naruto and gaara. the good ending in my head is the one where the three of them run off into the hills to live on a little farm as civilians after the war arc. the canon arc where they trudge back to konoha to drown in bureaucracy as they slowly drift apart from each other and the vision of a better world they once shared is kind of fun too except for the fact that thats DEFINITELY not the intend reading

rock lee: he is the perfect man. i believe he is straight as a ruler and the best guy you could possibly meet and incredibly unlucky. every girl he dates for longer than a week finds out that shes a lesbian. he has an army of lesbian best friends. eventually he had to result to mitosis to produce offspring. this is the only thing i know about boruto canon.

ankrin: yes rin gets two ships this is because she is my favorite. anko and rin happens in the timeline where she is the sole team minato member to stay in konoha and they meet and bond under orochimaru's tutelage. he ends up becoming hokage after minato is drawn and quartered by iwa for his crimes (<3) and they just kind of chill. both of them are aro and lesbians so this arrangement is GREAT for both of them. friends with benefits type of thing i think.

kisita: kisame is a mom friend. that being said i do not think he enjoys mothering itachi all that much. itachi is the exception to the worrying. kisame does it anyways. fascinating relationship. closer to that of a plant that produces flowers to attract an extinct species of bee and the fruit fly that has not adapted to co-exist with the plant but keeps it alive anyways than anything romantic i think.

[greentrickster]

Hi!! Just dropping by to say I love your Saturation fic! It’s probably the only AA fic I repeatedly read myself, since I think your writing for the characters is so strong and in-character, and you change details that make sense/fix problematic issues (such as the Trucy panties thing) also it just has the right tone of the AA series. Usually in fanfic people it’s their own writing style, the tone of the media they’re right for can get lost, so I like how you actively try to keep AA’s wacky funny tone while also being heartwarming. It’s just. Great. Makes it really fit you know?

Also!! I find it very cool you made Phoenix and Edgeworth get together during the disbarred era, I haven’t read a large amount of AA fanfic so i don’t know if it’s common for those two to already be in a relationship in other fics, but I think it’s really interesting you made that decision! Not just with AA, in pairing fics you don’t usually have the characters get together until the end since that’s the “goal.” I see very few of fics that actually explore how the relationship changes/morphs when they actually are together. That’s usually just a thing for most couples getting together in media now that I think about it.. You have any thoughts on that?

First off, thank-you so much, I'm both honoured and flattered, thank-you! ^U^ ^///^ Hearing that I've really captured the tone of a setting and its characters always feels wonderful! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

I've never seen them get together/be together in the disbarment era during a fic in quite the way I'm doing it - that's honestly a big part of why I am doing it as I am. Like... if AO3's a potluck, then I tend to devour all the yummy stuff everyone else has made, then try and cook any dishes I'm craving but no one else has made myself.

Except in this case I thought I was making a nice spaghetti dinner and discovered too late that I was, in fact, making an entire banquet and also desert.

Such is life.

In regards to Phoenix and Miles getting together and it not being the end of the fic... it could just be me being an aromantic (which I am), but I generally don't find 'they get together and then the story ends' stories very satisfying for long-form stories. Like... I can enjoy it in movies, but once we start getting past the hour and a half mark the snail in my ear shouting "NOW KISS" gets progressively louder.

Also, I just like seeing the post get-together relationship grow and develop! I've been cheering for these characters to become a couple, I want to see them actually get to be a couple, you know? It's more fun that way, a much more satisfying pay-off! And it's fun getting to follow them on their path, see how they relate to each other, how this shifts things in other aspects of their lives - it's really great! One of my favorite manga is called Otomen, it's eighteen volumes long, and the main couple get together for realsies in volume two. It's a series with its flaws, they all are, but dang is it a satisfying read in regards to their relationship and getting to watch these two grow up and grow closer together as they learn more about themselves and each other! This is my jam, I absolutely in no way want to ever date or be in a queer platonic relationship with anyone else (though I do have a BFF whom I love dearly), but I adore reading about other people being in love and enjoying being in love; makes me happy to see happy couples in real life, too!

As to why I personally think mainstream media doesn't tend to do this, honestly? Cowardice. Not because they're afraid to try new things (we've had some awesome shows recently that some fantastic creators have worked so hard to bring us), but because 'will they won't they' story lines historically sell, and sell well, and it's an easy way to get people tuning in week after week. I think a lot of people who call the shots and do the marketing research for shows believe that, if given the satisfaction of seeing their ship get together (or get together and be happy), then they'll stop watching or tuning in, because they've gotten what they wanted and don't need to watch anymore. They're afraid that giving the viewers any lasting satisfaction will cause them to lose interest in a show. I could be wrong, I'm in no ways an expert on this stuff, but this is the general vibe I've gotten over the years.

Anyways, thank-you again, I'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying my fic so much! ^_^ <3

[sircle-water]

Alright it’s theory time. (practically no spoilers I’d say).

This one’s a bit far out there but it’s been living in my head rent-free so it’s time to evict it to tumblr. 

Satoru Hosonaga is Miles & Gregory Edgeworth’s ancestor. YES I SAID IT WAS FAR OUT THERE PLEASE LET ME FINISH

Okay, so if you can’t read the horrible low-res screenshot, the gist is that there are a couple visual similarities between them, being:

- All three have a sprig of hair that sticks up in the back. It’s unnoticeable from the icons alone (exception of Hosonaga), but from the sprites and in-game art both Edgeworths have that little tuft.

Also on the topic of hair, in the AA trilogy icon for Miles his hair color not only matches his father’s a bit more but also Hosonaga’s. (however in DD and SOJ it turns into a much lighter grey)

- All three have glasses. Granted, Miles gets his glasses later on in life, however it implies that they all have bad vision. Poor vision “tends to run in families”, however is not genetic. 

- Both Gregory and Satoru have defined cheekbones. Miles doesn’t, however he is 100% related to Gregory so he is excused for this one. 

- Not written on the image, however on the wiki their heights are all pretty close to each other.

Miles Edgeworth: 5′10′’; 178 cm

Gregory Edgeworth: 5′9′’; 176 cm

Satoru Hosonaga: 5′10′’; 178 cm

Granted, Hosonaga is from the late 1800′s/early 1900′s, so the height likely isn’t accurate. However, it is written on the wiki & supports my argument, so I will be taking it as canon despite its flaws.

THINGS CAN CHANGE THROUGH GENERATIONS. Miles and Gregory have vastly different hairstyles, and yet they’re still related. Skin tone can be accounted to lighting/health conditions. (Hosonaga has a colored background for his icon and also probably suffers from iron deficiency/anemia due to his constant coughing)

Now for personality, I’ll be going off of the Ace Attorney Wiki.

- All three are honest & hardworking.

- Professional/Serious demeanor. (Hosonaga has the wackiest disguises yet treats them all seriously & professionally so I guess.)

- Dedication to the truth. (it’s Ace Attorney what else would it be)

- Caring/Dedicating a lot for family/friends. (Miles to Phoenix, Gregory to his son & maybe Raymond Shields, Hosonaga to Asogi/Ryunosuke)

In conclusion, there is proof that Satoru Hosonaga is an Edgeworth.

Anyways, that’s the end of this theory. Personally, I quite like it, however I understand why many people would prefer other possible ancestors. Hosonaga is a background character that doesn’t have a lot of screentime, but he’s also one of my favorite characters in the whole of the Ace Attorney franchise and he deserves more love than he gets. 

[spirit-small]

4 with borrower!phoenix and bean!miles?

"Are you scared of me?" Edgeworth asks Phoenix, sitting on his desk, munching on a snackoo.

"What kind of a question is that, Edgey?" Phoenix swallows and leans back, getting a better view of his face.

"A simple one. And I would appreciate an answer. I just notice that it seems as though no matter how much time we may spend together, even to the point of you living with me, you still flinch when I reach toward you. You still hide when you hear me approach. So, I reiterate: Are. You. Afraid of me?" Edgeworth's words grow more and more intense as he speaks, and he taps the desk a few times to the rhythm of his speech. Phoenix stands up and stretches, cracking his back like the old man he is.

"It's funny to me that you think that's a simple question."

"It's a yes, or a no, Wright. How much simpler could it be?"

"I'm not sure it could be any more complicated."

"Oh?"

"Oh, indeed. Listen to me. Listen. On the surface... no. No, I'm not. I feel safe around you. You're one of only a handful of beans that's true for."

"And I feel so very honored by that, you know." Edgeworth rolls his eyes. "Is that it? Doesn't seem so complex to me. In fact, I find it rather simple."

"No no, it gets more complicated. Listen- You’re, like, huge.” 

“I... suppose, comparatively. Though by human standards I’m fairly average size.”

“Uh huh. Sure. But like, to me, you’re a monster. As far back as I can remember, I had it drilled into my head that beans are horrible monsters that can and will maim, torture, kill, and commit all sorts of terrifying atrocities against me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Wright. You know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“Well, sure, but...” Phoenix sighs and rubs his temples. “Look. You're afraid of earthquakes, yeah?"

Edgeworth tenses up at the mere mention. "...yes. Though I fail to see how that is in any way comparable-"

"Let me finish." Phoenix cuts him off. "An earthquake is, potentially, dangerous- there's no shortage of potential damage to both people and property, the worst ones can even wreck entire cities."

"Wright is this building to something I would really prefer if we stopped talking about this-"

"But. But. An earthquake has never actually hurt you."

"False."

"Right, one earthquake one time hurt you. But you've lived through dozens since then and not a single one has caused any serious damage."

"I... suppose that would be the case, if you wish to frame it that way. Though I would consider the emotional toll to be far great-"

"It's the same thing with beans. With you."

"That's absurd. You know me. We've known each other for years. I've never met an earthquake personally."

"I hear they're a lot of fun at parties."

"This is no time for jokes."

"Fine, fine, alright. But you get what I mean, right? You had one bad experience with earthquakes, they have the capacity, the potential to do serious harm to you, and no matter how many you get through unscathed, you're still afraid of them. I had a fear of beans ingrained in me since birth, and despite that, most beans I've met have been friendly and helpful, aside from a... few exceptions, and I've since turned out just fine. Even if I know in my heart that you're not gonna hurt me, there's still a sort of... primal fear. I'm never gonna completely, 100% stop being afraid of you. Or Trucy, or Maya, or anyone for that matter."

"Wright..." Edgeworth reaches toward Phoenix but quickly stops himself. “I... I can’t subject you to this. A life lived in fear is no life at all.” Edgeworth reaches for a pen and paper and starts writing something.

“Wh- Edgeworth. Edgeworth what are you writing? Edge...” Phoenix tries to tear the paper away from him and get a look at it but Edgeworth fights back. “FINE!”  He slams his pen down on his desk and crosses his arms, pouting.

“’Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses dea-’ Edgey you can’t keep running away from your problems like this.”

“It worked the first time!” Edgeworth throws his hands up in the air.

“It literally did not!”

“How am I supposed to stay with you knowing that every time we touch you get this feeling of terror? Knowing that even just being near you fills you with dread? I cannot, will not subject you to this any longer!”

“It beats borrowing. Back then, before I had any beans to help me... that was just a state of constant terror. At least now, here with you, it only lasts a moment before it fades. I feel... y’know... safe! When I’m with you! That’s more than I could say than when I was on my own. Actually, that’s more than I could say than when I was living with Maya, even.”

“You... really feel that way?” Edgeworth raises an eyebrow.

“I really, really do. Plus, I need you to reach the high shelves.”

“Wright.”

“Fine, fine, all the shelves.”

[selfdestructivecat]

Headcannon game: Pearl Fey and Fransiska Von Karma

love to hear your thoughts ^.^

Wow you guys seem to really like my Ace Attorney headcanons! That makes me so happy, thank you so much!

OOOOH this is a good combo!

Realistic Headcanon:

It takes a while for Franziska to befriend Pearl, given the girl’s initial dislike for the prosecutor. It’s an arduous process, with how stubborn both of them are and Franziska’s tendency to ignore any mistakes she makes. And she makes a LOT of mistakes in befriending Pearl.

But they get there in the end, with a lot of help from Maya and perhaps even Edgeworth. Eventually Franziska becomes somewhat of a role model for Pearl, who looks up to her for her strength and determination. And Franziska wouldn’t say this out loud, but she is quite pleased with this development.

Unrealistic (but Hilarious) Headcanon:

Not only is Franziska good at using her whip, but she’s also proficient in martial arts. She believed it was necessary as a means to prove her strength and toughness as she entered a field dominated by men (which is also one of the main reasons I believe she uses a whip in the first place), and despite her shorter stature, she is incredibly strong.

Enter Pearl Fey, a similarly tiny girl who can also pack a punch. Franziska is struggling to connect with this child, knowing that Pearl still holds some resentment for her initial treatment of Maya and Phoenix, so when she sees Pearl throw a punch at Phoenix for “neglecting his special someone” (he probably just refused to buy Maya snacks for the third time), Franziska sees an opportunity.

She takes a bewildered and somewhat suspicious Pearl under her tutelage, teaching her the proper way to make a fist and how to knock out someone twice your size. Pearl is a quick learner, and soon she has a new set of tricks to use whenever Phoenix isn’t treating his “special someone” right. Franziska is very proud of the progress her student is making… and seeing Phoenix get knocked on his butt constantly is a fun perk.

(More Headcanons Below!)

Heart-Crushing and Awful Headcanon:

All of Franziska’s life, she’s endured the brunt of various nasty comments. When she first became a prosecutor, people called her weak and stupid because of her small stature and age. She was quick to disprove that with a flick of her whip and a thorough, perfect victory against all who underestimated her.

When she was no longer weak, she was cruel. She was a firecracker, unpredictable but explosive. She embraced these comments, for she would rather be mean than timid, and continued to rise in her field.

There are only three people whose comments cut her deep. The first was her father, Manfred von Karma, whose scoldings and harmful teachings she’s still struggling to heal from. The other two are the Fey sisters.

Franziska didn’t take Maya’s words seriously at first. How could she, when the girl is so silly and carefree? Except there’s so much more to Maya than that, and when Franziska finally got a glimpse of the weight this girl carried, of the wisdom and determination hidden behind a goofy demeanor and a love of burgers, her words held more value. And given how the two were the same age, both women who had to grow up way too fast, Franziska probably sees a lot of herself in Maya.

Pearl’s influence is similar, yet incredibly different. Like Franziska and Maya, Pearl also suffered a loss at a young age when her mother was taken away. And perhaps this is something Franziska relates to even more than she does Maya, given how her father was also jailed for a heinous crime. Pearl is reserved and disciplined, a mirror of a younger Franziska, and she only gets to truly act like a kid when Maya and Phoenix take her under their wing.

So when Pearl first lashes out at Franziska, it hits her hard for several reasons, many of which she wouldn’t realize until much later. First, Pearl reminds Franziska so much of Maya, a silly girl who she underestimated but now respects. Second, she is a child. The nasty comments Franziska received have been primarily from adults who either looked down on her or despised her, so to see such genuine emotion and hurt from a child was a bit more than she could handle.

Franziska doesn’t apologize to people. Apologizing is a sign of submission, an indication of weakness. It means you made a mistake you need to atone for, and as someone who is perfect, Franziska doesn’t make mistakes.

…But perhaps she can make an exception and apologize, just this once, to a little girl who earned her respect. Perhaps she can accept this mistake and, instead of ignoring it, learn from it and grow.

Unrealistic Headcanon That Will Probably Never Happen:

Like with Trucy, Franziska positively spoils Pearl. She is determined to give these two girls everything they’ve ever wanted. Pearl is a bit more hesitant to ask for things given her humble upbringing, but with enough coaxing she learns to be a bit more selfish, and Franziska couldn’t be prouder.

Thank you so much for the ask! ^.^

Send Me a Character or Relationship (Platonic or Romantic), and I’ll Give You Some Headcanons!

[prosecutors-gambit]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on best girl franzi! :]

well this isnt particularly dumb or smart in either direction you’re not giving me a lot to work with here.

lets see. hm. have a talked about this here outside of jay’s inbox. who cares. i think it’s really sad that franziska doesn’t really like. have any friends at all. she’s one of the loneliest characters, especially in the trilogy. (which is why i love her and lang’s weird friendship in aai) my solution to this is that i’ve assigned her a book club of middle aged women. who have all sort of adopted her a little bit but still very much treat her as an adult and everything they just also make sure she’s eating enough and taking care of herself. they meet once a month when franziska is back in germany and talk about the book they’ve chosen for the month which fran will read in plane rides and whenever she has a moment to relax and forget about her responsibilities.

in my mind whoever hosts ensures food for the meetings except when fran herself hosts. this is because a) she’s very busy and the ladies of the club are aware of this and don’t mind working together every couple months and b) i am so completely sure that both franziska and edgeworth have no idea how to cook. sometimes i see people say phoenix cant cook and they’re wrong he’s been cooking for himself for years and definitely learned to bake for dahlia. anyway. point is fran can’t cook for shit and while she’d be happy to just buy food for the group they all insist on doing a potluck for when fran hosts. it helps make the big halls of her inherited mansion less empty.

meeting are maybe 30% talking about the books and 70% talking about whatever is happening in the member’s lives. i think fran loves kids so she loves hearing about what the children of these moms are up to at school and i think she maybe lives a normal childhood vicariously through them a little bit. not consciously but she sometimes thinks about what it might have been like if she had grown up like that. all the moms are not totally sure what to make of franziska’s tales of prosecution but they definitely find it exciting to hear about them. a lot of the information is confidential but who’s going to believe some random pta moms that franziska von karma told them international secrets. besides they’d never betray her trust.

one time she brought phoenix because trucy is about the same age as their children and he could hardly believe what he entered into. phoenix franziska friendship is so so so important by the way