plotting post for edgeworth!

[objectioning]

aim notes:

Papa Austria (20:27:01):	Hm. I was thinking we could start with something like a case investigation. A murder that seems innocuous but they find out its a serial killer?
Loraine Lazaro (20:31:15):	So like a simple cause of death but the crime scene has like small clues that are kind of like the killer's signature?
Loraine Lazaro (20:37:33):	like maybe they always put the body in a certain position or it's always the same murder weapon and the killer usually has someone either framed or volunteering to be the main suspect since they have blackmail on a lot of people/a lot of people on strings or i guess they're just really clean
Papa Austria (20:38:16):	Yeah!
Papa Austria (20:38:39):	So it seems unconnected at first but they find the connection and the hunt is on
Papa Austria (20:39:04):	Eventually one or both pf them become targets perhaps
Loraine Lazaro (20:39:24):	Would the murders be in quick succession?
Loraine Lazaro (20:39:37):	At least one of them, hehe
Papa Austria (20:39:45):	(established relationship or not?) it might not be perfecrly timed. Sporadic so its hard to tell
Loraine Lazaro (20:41:20):	Well, we could have them sort of hinting at each other about their ~feelings~ or whatever and then they feel more urgent when the other is put in danger. but sporadic is good. how crazy is the serial killer? d:
Papa Austria (20:49:36):	Like. They start havibg to go over cold cases and find that this guy has been active for longer and his or her victims change over time
Papa Austria (20:50:24):	Yeah
Papa Austria (20:50:50):	i think he is scary methodical. Crazy in that fashion
Papa Austria (20:51:55):	And hinting is good. Good place to start
Papa Austria (20:52:30):	Sorry for delay emergency costume repair!
Loraine Lazaro (20:55:16):	Like he has changing trends? maybe these trends have a trend and they use it to pinpoint his next victim. it's sort of trial and error but they get to it in the end. and it's all good!
Papa Austria (20:56:45):	Yeah! One of them has to be the next victim. Killer slips into office or home but they might suspect. Could catch him in the act
Papa Austria (20:57:10):	(tie ALL the cravats backstage)
Papa Austria (21:00:40):	That he is innocent. And the murders keep happening so they opt to work together
Papa Austria (21:00:51):	When i say next victim I mean eventually. Perhaps the prime suspect is innocent and is Nick's client. And Edgeworth is not the DA on this but is inclined to agree
Papa Austria (21:00:59):	Sorry that qent out of order
Loraine Lazaro (21:04:53):	So he'd be a bit like Nick's usual assistant? :b
Papa Austria (21:05:52):	Well they are working as equals. So not assistants as a team. Two different mindsets
Papa Austria (21:06:54):	But they are like assistants to one another :-)
Loraine Lazaro (21:07:35):	Yeah. I just meant that he might sort of be filling in Maya's role. But I guess they probably just work together in investigating, not always necessarily together on the same scene. Though it might appear strange that they're working together, so maybe they only really convene in the evening at someone's office?
Papa Austria (21:08:42):	Possibly. They could convene. Miles is investigating freely. He probably thinks the DA assigned the case is a fool and blind to the facts.
Papa Austria (21:08:57):	Maybe oooh
Papa Austria (21:09:54):	Nick gets the case. He starts to investigate as usual when Edgeworth shows up at his office.
Loraine Lazaro (21:11:05):	hello wright i am home and my shirt is open?
Papa Austria (21:11:35):	He at first thinks it is an isolated case. He offers to help at risk of his job. Truth is most important to him. But as they investigate they find out that there is a pattern
Papa Austria (21:11:39):	Lolololol omg whatt XD
Papa Austria (21:12:38):	I play Miles post AAI2 btw
Loraine Lazaro (21:13:10):	http://art3.server01.sheezyart.com/image/224/2245192.jpg
Loraine Lazaro (21:13:48):	I see. I wanted to ask which games you've played, haha. I have yet to play any of the edgeworth games, so.
Papa Austria (21:13:48):	He has changed in mindset since they last spoke at length I think
Loraine Lazaro (21:14:14):	How far is the end of that game from the end of T&T?
Papa Austria (21:14:33):	Ahhh! He actually gives up his badge in AAI2 rather than deal in lies. He gets it back but still.
Papa Austria (21:14:56):	Uhhhh only months? I need to check when I get home
Papa Austria (21:15:35):	AAI2 never got translated. So i read about it haha
Loraine Lazaro (21:16:02):	Boy. Nah, I'll have a look. But I figure Nick will be concerned about Edgey's involvement in the case because of the dangers to his person and his job.
Loraine Lazaro (21:16:30):	I have completed case one of the first game, I think! And idk. It didn't stick as well as I thought it would.
Papa Austria (21:18:12):	He will not be bothered. Composed even as he sits in his office. "Simply a risk of the job. Ensuring that an innocent man does not go to jail is of paramount importance. As for my safety. There are plenty of men who hate me. I accept it. Now. How may I assist."
Loraine Lazaro (21:19:59):	Yesss very good. And according to the timeline on cr.net, AAI ends only about a month after the end of T&T, unless I'm reading that wrong. Nothing about AAI2, however.
Papa Austria (21:20:04):	(the aai games have great insight into Edgey's character and development and details about his father too)
Papa Austria (21:20:23):	Ahh okay makes sense.
Papa Austria (21:20:30):	Thanks!
Loraine Lazaro (21:20:46):	Welcome!
Loraine Lazaro (21:21:33):	I do want to play it eventually, haha. at the moment i have canon review to do for Nick and Apollo, plus exams next week, so no it's a no go for now.
Papa Austria (21:21:29):	Meet a different Miles, Phoenix. He has you to blame for the change of attitide entirely.
Papa Austria (21:21:42):	Aaaaaah i understand!
Loraine Lazaro (21:22:15):	Oh and I guess this will either take place before Nick is disbarred or we can go a different route and so that it never happened

Comments

[pursue_the_truth]

Like I said before, this first murder seems isolated, and they manage to exonerate Phoenix's client, but in doing so, pick up a string of murders stretching into the cold cases.

Sporadically timed, with the victims changing over time, but there's something of his method that doesn't. His OR her, of course. It's like a game to him, or a hunt.

[objectioning]

Loraine Lazaro (01:05:07): i think we could start after he gets the case. edgeworth hears the news of phoenix picking up another case after being idle for a while (idk people keep an eye on nick, he's famous)
Papa Austria (01:05:54): Miles certainly would - he thinks of Nick as a friend, even though he's really bad at expressing that in words. And of course he's got feelings for him beside
Papa Austria (01:07:25): Let's say the unnamed DA who filed the charges is an idiot. Miles can't say so professionally but he can try to get those charges dropped by assisting freelance in an investigation...unofficially. His actions could be construed as an obstruction of justice, but hey. The truth is most important! So this might be the first time he's come to Phoenix since the events of AAI1-2...which I won't use info from really in plot.
Papa Austria (01:16:04): I wonder if maybe...remember we said we were gonna have one of them become a target and get attacked?
Herr Forehead (01:16:51): Yeah? And does it matter who that is?
Papa Austria (01:16:56): Nah I'm not particular. WE can make it work with either of them
Papa Austria (01:17:43): but maybe the perp gets away but puts whichever one in the hospital. So it ups the ante even more, and now they have a basic description and potential evidence at least
Papa Austria (01:18:17): and of course, the emotional ramifications of the attack between them
Herr Forehead (01:19:19): right. when it comes to actually catching the guy, will it be some grand chase or something?
Papa Austria (01:19:37): Oooh. Not sure
Papa Austria (01:20:07): What you think? What do you imagine?
Papa Austria (01:20:21): The perp could be trying to flee LA
Herr Forehead (01:21:01): it depends on the character, i guess. we'll have to build the killer's character too, if it's going to be something serious like a serial killer who's been doing this for god knows how long
Papa Austria (01:21:09): Yeah, I've been musing on him
Papa Austria (01:21:50): Heck, they could think it's a he this whole time and it's actually a woman - no DNA or anything left behind to determine
Herr Forehead (01:22:38): i guess it depends on how they feel about going up against opponents like nick and edgey d: cause i figure if they think of it as a game, the game has to abide by certain rules or something, right? standards? something like that, idk exactly
Papa Austria (01:22:48): Likely. Like a chess game
Papa Austria (01:23:26): And s/he fancies themselves the Queen of the opposing side, most powerful piece on the board
Herr Forehead (01:25:36): ooh, so like by the time they get to edgey/nick they're very confident. maybe going after their pursuer seems like a challenge to them, like more for bragging rights than any sort of preference or sensibility
Papa Austria (01:25:39): I like that idea
Papa Austria (01:25:47): To prove they can beat them
Herr Forehead (01:26:15): yeah, but no one can beat team edgewright |D
Papa Austria (01:26:13): It's actually shown that serial killers do degenerate over time in their methods, so this could be their way of doing so
Papa Austria (01:26:17): DAMN STRAIGHT
Papa Austria (01:26:46): hubris brings their downfall, but not without incident. A botched murder attempt is a sign that they're starting to falter
Herr Forehead (01:28:40): and in failing to complete this challenge maybe they start to go a little crazy... (crazier?). and i think cornering them would be the outcome, but i'm not sure how they'd try to escape. maybe make themselves really hard to find
Herr Forehead (01:28:50): i mean, moreso than usual d:
Papa Austria (01:28:44): Chess pieces could be a sort of calling card, but it's so subtle a common place that a black chess piece sitting somewhere inconsequential might go unnoticed as a piece of evidence
Papa Austria (01:29:07): Hmmmm...how could they try to escape...
Papa Austria (01:29:28): Could try to fly out of LA International Airport, prompting a high speed footchase through the terminal
Papa Austria (01:30:06): and someone can do some manly tackling (We know it's Phoenix who can do that, rawwwr)
Papa Austria (01:30:47): (I've flown in and out of LAX so I know the terminal! XDD)
Herr Forehead (01:31:34): i feel like just plain ol' fleeing is too simple for them, though. like if they're driven by pride, they'd try to lure their pursuers into their game where it's their rules, their turf, etc. like if we're going with a chess motif, having a puzzle warehouse type dealie where the final showdown is a chess match with people as the actual pawns involving dangerous consequences...
Papa Austria (01:31:41): Ooooh that's cool too
Papa Austria (01:31:56): bad for them that Edgeworth is a genius chess player heh
Papa Austria (01:32:19): (I still think Phoenix needs a manly epic tackle at some point haha)
Herr Forehead (01:33:22): yes. like maybe the killer figures out that edgeworth is not a simpleton and they panic and then flee
Herr Forehead (01:33:25): cue chase scene!
Papa Austria (01:33:22): AHA
Papa Austria (01:34:22): It could be set up like the murderer is hidden, and you've got Edgeworth and Phoenix and the task force of detectives and cops and SWAT making up the White pieces - the murderer would always be black. White goes first...out of some twisted sense of mercy
Papa Austria (01:35:37): and one wrong move and you are ended. Perhaps it is some sort of place and there's a whole wall of photos of the victims and shit, like sick trophies. This person's mind has degenerated completely into pride and vanity and megalomania at this point I think
Papa Austria (01:36:26): Edgeworth could play the game of chess, and Phoenix could be figuring out the pattern. Working together to figure out the method
Herr Forehead (01:37:19): i figure nick and edgey would take the route of caution, considering, but maybe one of the task force would make a bad move because, idk underestimating them, and then something bad would happen. black pieces come and make them deli meat.
Papa Austria (01:37:52): Yeah. Or it could even be something as simple as the murderer is hidden, with some sort of rifle a la Moriarty. Dude gets pegged right there
Papa Austria (01:38:35): hmmmm.
Papa Austria (01:38:56): I wonder if in their hubris they start to taunt the two of them a la Zodiac
Herr Forehead (01:39:33): hmm, i like that idea. though i guess the killer can't be operating all those things by themselves in their throne. but i guess that's why they're a genius/madman/etc, eh
Papa Austria (01:39:29): with letters with the chess logo, or something along those lines. not everyone, just the two of them.
Papa Austria (01:40:07): Argh. Whichever one of them gets attacked walks into their home/office, and instead of a letter being in the mail, it's sitting there on the desk/coffee table/etc
Papa Austria (01:40:17): and it's like...a cold weight of horror
Papa Austria (01:40:36): or just a chess piece sitting there
Papa Austria (01:40:41): that's somehow more terrifying
Herr Forehead (01:41:16): yess, this is good.
Papa Austria (01:41:26): I guess we need to figure out which one
Herr Forehead (01:42:48): hmm. i guess which would have a bigger impact to the public? like is it common knowledge that edgeworth is working on the case? targeting him in the end might out him and such
Papa Austria (01:44:12): they're both capable of fighting off an attacker.

Well, it's probably not common public knowledge, but the murderer knows regardless. It would be harder to get access to Miles - his office at the DA's office is under surveillance, and his house has an expensive security system, I'm sure. In that way, it's a challenge.

But Phoenix is also well known and well-liked, moreso than Miles
Papa Austria (01:46:07): (stop being likeable Nick gosh)
Papa Austria (01:46:56): The other question is who would be more emotionally impacted by the other being killed in the killer's eyes. Who would be more satisfying to watch suffer
Herr Forehead (01:47:37): while phoenix wears his heart on his sleeve, getting the stoic to crack might be an interesting idea for them
Papa Austria (01:47:39): Yes
Papa Austria (01:47:56): It's probably easier to bust into the Wright and Co Law Offices too
Herr Forehead (01:48:15): mmhmm. cheap as phoenix is, haha.
Papa Austria (01:48:13): Poor Phoenix XD
Herr Forehead (01:48:57): we should also figure out the killer's method
Papa Austria (01:49:13): Ugh that just makes me shiver. Phoenix walks into his office after a meeting with Miles or something and hangs up his coat and...sitting on the desk...ugh.
Papa Austria (01:49:16): I was thinking about that
Papa Austria (01:49:34): They obviously gain entry without making a fuss
Herr Forehead (01:49:59): I like it being simple and clean, but as for details i got nothing. brain is slowly fading, it's late |D
Papa Austria (01:50:36): before the victim is suspected home. Simple and clean is good. There's strangulation - perhaps that was the norm. Knives are horribly messy and guns spray
Papa Austria (01:50:52): blunt force is messy too
Papa Austria (01:51:14): but perhaps Phoenix's attack isn't clean at all. He fights back hard after all, and the killer is getting sloppy
Herr Forehead (01:52:44): how would they stop the victim from making struggling and making a mess?
Papa Austria (01:53:33): Hmm. Hmmmmmmmmm....
Papa Austria (01:54:15): Are we to say that the scene is in perfect order? Or by simple and clean do you mean just no blood or other DNA evidence? *ponders*
Herr Forehead (01:55:46): drugs could be involved? the same one each time, maybe something over the counter but in the wrong dosage, enough to knock a person out so they can deal with the victim as they please. but i like the idea of the crime scene being pristine and when the police come to investigate, it's like the victim came home and just fell into a sleep they'd never wake up from
Papa Austria (01:56:22): Perhaps injected? How would they get the victim to take the drugs every time...well, fear, I suppose
Papa Austria (01:56:51): Likely the killer has a weapon that they don't intend to use but to threaten and put into submission.
Papa Austria (01:57:09): like a gun
Papa Austria (01:57:41): possible the killer tries the same with Phoenix but Phoenix fights back and the gun goes off, and then there's blood and just a mess (that office sees too much bad news)
Herr Forehead (01:57:57): if they carefully follow the victim, then they could somehow work it into the victim's schedule - like maybe they get regular headaches and use pain killers so those wouldn't but out of place at all when it's investigated. though intimidation would probably end up being the best route for several cases, for simplicity's sake
Papa Austria (01:58:01): fffffffffffffffffffff coldkiller X
Herr Forehead (01:58:16): the great history of the wright and co law offices
Herr Forehead (01:58:21): welllll you know d:
Papa Austria (01:58:18): Yeah
Papa Austria (01:58:54): But you're right about the stalking
Herr Forehead (01:59:25): depends on the killer's obsession with the victims themselves as opposed to the game. though i figure they wouldnt find anything particularly interesting about the victims themselves if it's just for the game
Herr Forehead (01:59:33): though there would probably be special cases
Herr Forehead (01:59:40): depends on how many murders take place
Papa Austria (01:59:39): Perhaps Phoenix HAS had a cold but simply didn't take the meds that evening yet...so he wasn't drugged when he arrived and this is why he can fight back
Papa Austria (01:59:44): I'd say Phoenix is a special case for sure
Papa Austria (02:00:14): In the killer's mind, most victims are pawns. Inconsequential. But then you have Rooks. Bishops. Knights.
Herr Forehead (02:00:28): the murder nick initially takes on is a special case which is why it doesn't line up with the earlier killings at a first glance