Ace Attorney Collection

A Child's Cry

Summary: The sound of a sobbing child is enough to make Manfred Von Karma cool his anger about killing his enemy and care for the child until help arrives. Even making a simple decision can change a man to making the ultimate promise to never soil his hands with blood over a perfect record.

AU No DL-6

"H-Help! I can't breathe!" The bailiff screamed, his hands below his neck where his collar was. It was clear he was struggling to breathe.

"Quite! I said quite! You're not making this any easier!" The Defense Attorney, Gregory Edgeworth, rebuked the bailiff.

The young boy across from him was sitting across from Gregory, his father, breathing in and out in pants. He was trying not to cry, having remembered his father's words about conserving what little oxygen was left in this tiny box. Normally, this elevator, like all, weren't so airtight, but the earthquake had snapped the cables holding the elevator. Luckily, it was only from a story high from the basement floor, so no one was hurt, but a bunch of rubble had fallen on the roof of the elevator, blocking any ventilation.

The emergency button was pressed, but considering the phone was not working, there was little hope that rescue would come. It had been hours upon hours. Everyone had lost count at this point. Everyone was desperate. Everyone was losing oxygen. The young boy was scared and perhaps in shock.

"I want to get out! Help! Get us out!" The bailiff cried in agony. He was practically shaking.

"Don't shout! You'll just use up more oxygen!" Gregory warned, trying to stay calm, but even the boy knew his father was panicking.

Some moments had passed. The young boy couldn't tell how much. He was trying to conserve as much oxygen as his little tiny body could take. He was literally shaking. What was happening? Where was he? Who was he? Oh right, Miles Edgeworth. He was trapped inside the elevator with his father and the bailiff. He's trying to conserve oxygen until help arrives. It was dark, hot and full of despair. Miles only wanted to go home.

"I... I can't breathe! You... You're using up my air!" The bailiff shouted. That put Miles in alert.

"Wh-What!?" The sound of his father cried. Suddenly, there were sounds of choking Miles could hear out of his father's mouth. His eyes widened. There was barely any light, say from the two windows from the elevator door, which was now fogged.

"Stop breathing my air! I'll... I'll stop you!"

"Aaaah! Wh-What!? What are you...!?"

"Stop breathing my aaaaair!"

Miles panicked. His father was being attacked. He couldn't think, couldn't see anything else besides one dark shadow attacking the other. He saw a gun dropped before his feet. He quickly picked it up, then threw it without a second thought, slipping and falling frontwards onto the floor. The gun hit the back of the bailiff, sending him falling beside Gregory, who had already fallen unconscious from his attack. At the same moment, the gun went off, shooting with a bang.

"Uuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" A sickly scream was heard.

All Miles could do was stare at the window with the bullet hole. There was a shadow on the other side of the elevator. Dizzily, Miles laid there as the lights turned back on before the elevator door opened. Just as it opened, Miles could no longer hold it back. He began screaming bloody murder.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!" Miles screamed, tears rolling down as he no longer had to conserve oxygen anymore. More was coming from that open doors.

The man that was on the other side, holding onto the gunshot wound on his shoulder, stood with widened eyes and a horrific gasp. A child!? What was this!? Where were the parents. He searched around and only saw the unconscious bailiff and... Gregory Edgeworth. His anger kindled at the man that dared to soil his perfect record. Then, all too quickly, that kindled anger cooled the louder the child's screams of anguish entered his ears. He turned back to the child once more.