The Framing of Justice

[loverofinnocence]

Who: People and Caim
What: This is a catch all.
When: November 26 ~ November 30
Where: See the aforementioned cut.
Warning: Probably not.



What is this? Why, it's a 'catch-all' log. Very simple!

Caim doesn't have an office, unfortunately. You can find him in any number of places, however, between the dates listed previously. So if you're looking to... 'talk' with the mute, try looking in the following.

♦ Personal Quarters - TD-07 (It's a very organised and somewhat barren room.)
♦ Fencing Classroom - (There's not much in here yet.)
♦ Greenhouse
♦ The Lake

He's available for talking to, whether you're interrogating him over past events, recent dick cat events, future events, or if you've never met the man at all.

Make a separate thread for each character and in the subject line, specify an approximate time, day, and location. Action or prose, either's fine. Backdate, futuredate - whatever is convenient for you. That's all you need to do!

INSTANT MUTE MAGIC!

Comments

27th / noon (after lunch) / fencing class

[stillawoman]

[ Furiae had learnt of Caim's new position as the academy's fencing instructor from the man himself, a job she had thought at the time might suit him well. When it came to the use of a blade, Furiae knew that he was quite skilled, having watched him and Inuart practice against each other when they were all younger.

She wondered if it would do him good. Caim- Furiae knew he had been at Smash Academy for a long length of time and had been a teacher there in the past, but it was hard not to look at this occasion as his first time. It was her first time to witness it, after all, and so she hoped that he would find enjoyment in the work. It was not something that she could have ever imagined Caim becoming before, but the events of her life had been greatly unpredictable. And there was no bad in it; it was a respectable position.

That Caim would be spending time each week in there, it was the reason why Furiae decided to take a look at the classroom. In the hours she did not spend with her brother, Furiae tried to do some good and get out now and then by herself to become more used to the school- to this new life. She knew the room number already after reading on the different classes available at the school for her to take. So, with a map of the school that she regularly took with her (so as not to get lost) and a book from the school library that she had checked out earlier, she headed towards the direction of the fencing classroom.

When she reached its door, she entered in (when feeling it wasn't locked) without a knock. Well, she didn't think there would be anyone inside... ]

Re: 27th / noon (after lunch) / fencing class

[loverofinnocence]

[His classroom was not a fancy one. There were the bare minimums: desks, a whiteboard - a few actually, windows, bookshelves, and so on and so forth. Headmaster Hand had been generous to him, a murder at that, and Caim could only assume he had done so in order to keep the prince's mind busy. For some believed that a wit was sharper than any blade crafted in a hot forge. But Caim couldn't deny that he had a fatal attraction to gleaming steel.

He hadn't taught a class yet. He didn't quite know how he would either. Considering his mute nature, the man couldn't very well lecture his students without using someone else to be his voice box. That was a thought in itself. Simply writing the lecture notes and taking on a student to read them for him, in his stead. It would have made the class far more interesting.

He still thought over his options when he heard the door to his classroom open. His head turned and he paused at his desk, mid-shuffle of a stack of papers - likely curriculum for the school year. When his gaze found his sister's youthful face, he softened only a mite and turned to write at the whiteboard behind him.]

Princess

[A suitable greeting, as that was what she was.]

[stillawoman]

[ When she saw him sitting there, it gave her a surprise, a small startle that made her take a step back near to the door that she had just entered through. But when she realised who it was, that it was Caim, she relaxed.

But she did feel embarrassed about being caught in the midst of her curious little adventure. Seeing him write her title on the board, she gave him a nod. ]

Caim. [ For that was who he was. ] Did I disturb you? I can leave if you are busy.

[loverofinnocence]

[Arching an eyebrow, if he could have spoken, he would have simply asked if she was being silly intentionally. Instead, he shook his head and beckoned her in with his other hand, after he gave her a slightly amused bow.

For sometimes, it was nice to act like royalty, even with a kingdom lost. Somewhere in the very back of his mind, he was playing with the thought of remaking their kingdom. In one of the worlds that the portals led to. If Furiae wanted it, he would do so in a heartbeat.

His hand found the board again.]

I was getting the room ready for its first session. Next week, I think. What think you?

[stillawoman]

[ To be teased so - it was still such a strange thing for Furiae, who hadn't been victim of it in a long time. It easily made her feel slightly foolish, but she accepted it when she was given it, and moved into the room at his invitation (after closing the door).

For a moment, she took a look at the room around them. The teacher desk, the rows of smaller ones for the student, the bookcase by a wall - it struck her as odd, if only because it didn't meet with the image she had in her head.

But when she heard the sound of the writing, she brought her attention back to the board and her brother to see what he wrote. Ah, another for her... ]

If you are close to ready, then it should be fine. Are you?

Quarters - 12PM -26th

[star_punched]

Mac came prepared for this talk. He brought a notepad and a pen. He was ready to have a long talk, as maybe he expected perhaps.

But oddly, Mac was no longer scared of approaching him. Why was this?

It was because there was some sort of...trust. Kinship. Maybe not "friends", but "allies". If that made any sense.

Mac told Knuckles how he felt and what he had to do. Caim was onboard, and that actually made him happy.

They had to figure out who killed Charlise. For her and her friends and family. That are some of the things that matter to Mac the most, and he knew Caim found supreme value in family. So they can relate.

A knock.

[loverofinnocence]

The prince was seated at his desk, thoughtful and contemplative as he spent a good chunk of his time when he wasn't sleeping or with Furiae. Thinking... mostly of the situation that surrounded the girl who had been killed. Thinking... of whoever it was that conveniently targeted him. What genius thought him so foolish as to do what Knuckles had mentioned. Caim was too smart for anything like that. And while he was far from innocent, the man was clever and intelligent. Educated, too - as far as his era would allow.

The knock caught his near immediate attention and a few moments after, he rose, pushed his chair in, and moved to answer the door. On the other side he found Mac, who wasn't... who he expected to see. Not that he was avoiding the boxer, only that the last time they'd really met face-to-face was his confinement. Bad times, those were.

After a moment's pause, he moved and gestured to invite Mac in, if that was truly what he was interested in. I do wonder what you have come for. Perhaps you too, are one of my accusers. I imagine the campus is filled with them, after all, and rightfully so.

[star_punched]

Right off the bat, Mac wanted to say something. Just in case if he was thinking what he thought he was thinking. After having a chat with Knuckles, Mac knew Caim was in the loop.

"I don't think you did it. I ain't here to jump on you."

He handed the notebook and pen to him. Maybe he had one in his dorm already. But maybe MAC giving him one would mean he was seriously wanting to talk. Sanely.

"Knuckles filled me in already you're in to help. I just wanna hear the info from you. I think we, uh, need a long chat anyway. We were due for one. Personally."

Y-yeah.

[loverofinnocence]

Caim visibly regained some form of composure, even for as subtle as the change might have been. The tension formerly in his left arm that held the door relaxed and in favour of what appeared to be some kind of 'peace offering,' he accepted the notebook and pen. While he didn't allude to it in the slightest, he had to admit that the very gesture was something of an odd one. Caim was accustomed to carrying around his own means of communication, and he seemed to get Mac's ultimate goal very well.

He nodded and as his head inclined, he wrote without hesitation before he moved to show it to the boxer.

He is attempting to obtain photography of the young woman. It is my intention to examine the damages done and use my blade expertise to give more information on the method and possibly other traits of the responsible party.

Which he was more than pleased to actually admit publicly - if he'd needed to - had absolutely nothing to do with him. In spite of the idea that evidently, someone felt that he needed to be put in the limelight. Again.

[punch_in_pink]

"Oh so...like some sorta blade expert."

Like some CSI stuff ah...Okay, well. That was a thing. Kind of cool.

He nodded but then went to something else. Something else that concerned him after a moment when he gathered his thoughts after the news statement.

"That so-called eye witness thing described ya though. If there was no way it was you then you musta be framed by the guy cuz you were an easy target after last year...As far as I know, you got your sword taken away."

He was updated since he was involved when Caim was arrested. Mac placed a hand on his head. He was contemplating outloud, feel free to intercept.

"I dunno 'bout what you think, but if that's the case, then they got no real evidence. And the cops're gonna need solid evidence if it ain't you."

Any thoughts Caim?

The day after the news broadcast

[thewrightidea]

Without evidence, Caim was innocent until proven guilty. At least, that's the philosophy that Phoenix subscribed to, regardless of however Los Angeles conducted their laws. Brown hair and a sword. It seemed like a dead giveaway for Caim. If Phoenix hadn't been through what he had, that whole incident in fourth grade, all of those clients he had saved, then he would have immediately assumed Caim was the killer without a second thought.

However, Phoenix was a defense attorney. He only defended the innocent, and that's why he was here: to see if the man was truly innocent. Caim had confessed to the other killings last time, but it was still entirely possible that he could lie. After all, he probably didn't want to be imprisoned again, did he?

Either way, there was a hesitant knock on Caim's door early one evening. Phoenix had his magatama tucked away in his pocket, though he still wasn't entirely sure if the thing would react from writings alone. In retrospect, perhaps he should have brought Edgeworth with him. Being alone with a man who had killed others in the past was unnerving enough.

[loverofinnocence]

He had taken to reading, which seemed a healthier pastime than murdering people. At least, he might have said so in jest. With the year journey in search of Furiae still on his mind, his sense of humour seemed to lack substance. Jaded, perhaps. But all soldiers were jaded. And he was more than a soldier. He was a prince and since his return, that thought had registered to him all the more. His actions were no longer reflecting on him alone, but also his sister and provided that some celestial being had seen fit to give her to him again, it was a distinct reminder not to misuse that 'gift' - especially considering Angelus had been rather easily stripped from his side.

He eyed his door first and after a few moments, decided it wasn't simply his imagination. He folded the top right corner down to save his place, shut his book, and set it at the same desk his computer sat. Then he moved to the door and with a surprisingly fluid motion, he opened it and blatantly paused as he eyed the former lawyer.

Wright, was the first thing he mouthed, evident of his surprise.

Then he cast a look around for his notepad and pen at the very least before placing his attention back onto the rather pallid man. And instead of moving away, he opened his door a little more and lightly rested to it. With raised eyebrows, he eyed Phoenix expectantly.

[thewrightidea]

Phoenix wasn't surprised at all when Caim didn't motion to invite him in. After all, their interactions in the past had not been exactly pleasant, even with Phoenix doing his best to remain polite. It wasn't a nasty look that Caim gave him, but even so Phoenix couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated.

"Good evening, Mr. Caim." He stood up straighter, doing his best to look Caim directly in the eye. He didn't speak meekly, but rather in a formal, slightly assertive tone.

"I... was hoping I could ask you a few questions, if that's all right." He glanced slightly over Caim's shoulder to evaluate his room, though it just looked rather bare. Unsurprising since he hadn't been back too long.

[loverofinnocence]

Truth be told, Caim could have and perhaps not so long ago, he would have simply shut his door again and ignored Phoenix. The lawyer's - former lawyer's - black and white perspective regarding Caim, his society, his living situation, was infuriating at best and the prince had never once cared for it. He would have been the first to admit that he was not free of guilt - and he wasn't - but that his entire persona was judged because of it was oddly repulsive.

Especially once Caim had the time to regain some form of sanity in his solitude.

Phoenix spoke up again and any idea Caim had to turn him away vanished and he fully opened his door for the dark-haired man. If it pleases, you may enter. Then he motioned around to his room and even as he was mute, he mouthed his words as clearly as he could, fully within Phoenix's eyesight. There is little of luxury in here. You may find it unbecoming.

But he wasn't about to apologise for that. Luxuries had somewhat gone out the window once Caerleon had fallen to the Empire.

[thewrightidea]

There were certain circumstances to killing another human that didn't necessarily make a killer "bad." But from what Phoenix knew, Caim had killed all of those innocent people for little rhyme or reason; how could he not detest the man? The only excuse Phoenix could think of for needless killing was being a soldier in war, but the people Caim killed weren't soldiers, and they were not in a war.

Even so, the truth was the most important thing at this moment, and Phoenix had to gather all the information he could about the recent murder. Whether or not Caim had killed the woman was something he had to find out, and Caim likely knew that's why Phoenix was here.

He wasn't good at reading lips, but the message was clear from the way Caim gestured, so he cautiously stepped inside. Indeed there was very little furniture in the area, so he hesitantly took a seat at one of the chairs, waiting for Caim to do the same. Once he was seated, Phoenix would begin to talk. Or else if he decided to stand, Phoenix would make sure his attention was fully on him.

"I'm sure you're aware that there was a murder recently in the area, and... the description of the alleged killer seemed to match yours." He drew in a breath, though, and sat up straighter. "But... I'm not going to make assumptions. I just want to know if you did it or not."

28th, afternoon, fencing class

[majorjealousy]

[ Jin didn't know much at all about the accusations that met with Caim once upon a time. News of a murder had him reaching for his sword out of reflex, before remembering that the uniform that had been sitting, folded in his closet for the past six months held no authority here. Were he to know all the specifics of Caim's previous trial, he would be counted among the large percentage of the school's population currently circling around the man like a pack of hungry wolves. As it was, his visit to the still sparse fencing classroom was only because the whispers he had heard had piqued the blonde's interest-- that, and he made it a point to keep an eye on the rest of the instructors who claimed the blade as their talent. He would continue to sit in on Katarina's class, and as soon as Caim's began, he would do the same here.

He entered into the classroom, eyes immediately darting to the practice swords leaning on the wall. He knocked twice on the open door. ]

[loverofinnocence]

[If one would have said Caim was a 'welcoming' man, it would have been purely stated by mistake, or by simple appearances. He was perhaps charming on one occasion or another, but more often than not, being a less than talkative individual, it was easier to feel tension accumulate in only a matter of moments.

If he'd had a voice, perhaps he would have created some inward resolution about improving his public portrayal when not repeating actions of hack and slash behaviour. But he had no intent of the latter anyway - at least not without good cause - and one compromise seemed good enough for the time being.

His attention drew to the classroom door and he looked up from a desk, neatly organised and pitifully bare of anything that provided it personality. His strides were quick, curiosity sitting between his ears in that complex jungle that was his mind, and eventually he came to tug on the handle. He found Jin on the other side, an unfamiliar visage, and took only a brief, fleeting glance of the man from head to toe, as if to size him up in the case that he were an unfortunate opponent.

Then in the same fashion as he had many times before, he raised an eyebrow, remained utterly wordless, and hoped whatever expression he wore was amplified enough for Jin to readily offer up an explanation as to his presence at Caim's classroom's doorway.]

[majorjealousy]

[Caim got a similar sizing up. Jin's expression remained aloof.]

You're Caim?

[loverofinnocence]

[A brief pause and the realisation came afterward that he had no reason to claim to be anyone else, no matter how entertaining it might have proven. So instead Caim nodded and motioned toward Jin.

And you are? remained unsaid, but as pointed as Caim could make it out to be.]

[majorjealousy]

[Jin glanced around the room beyond Caim, looking quite distracted.]

Jin Kisaragi. Teacher. Like you.

27th, TD-07, around 9 PM?

[idealisms]

[ They needed to talk. Now.

For him to deceive N... sorry, possibly deceive N, was just unthinkable. Knuckles had helped to convince him that maybe, just maybe Caim wasn't the culprit, but he had to see what he could gather here fist. He wanted his alibi and words on the murder before he set out for more evidence for or against him or anyone else. That much was a clear starting point.

He took heavy footsteps towards the door to his room, giving it a loud knock or two to ensure he would hear him. There was no way he was getting away with this if he did it. If not...

Well, what else would he do but find the real murderer? ]

[loverofinnocence]

[He was only mute and not deaf. Fortunately for N, anyway. And Caim certainly had heard him loud and clear.

It was one of those evenings that he'd lied down and spent very little time sleeping and a lot of time thinking. There was plenty to think about. Plenty of things he'd wanted to accomplish. Plenty of things he could easily see going wrong. And plenty of things that he would infinitely pay the consequences for - whether he was guilty of said 'things' or not. This murder of Charlise was definitely among the top ideals rotating about in his head.

For a moment, he wondered if the knock he heard was meant for one of other rooms stationed on either side of his. But when the footsteps did not retreat, he managed to coerce himself from the 'solitude' that was his bed and regardless of how disheveled his tunic looked or how messy his longer hair seemed to be, he managed to answer the door.

And it was there that he found N. He'd seen the hair before and even the face in passing, but it was the first time their paths had ever crossed specifically. As he poked his head just past the door frame, he looked to the left and then the right before placing his blue eyes back onto the trainer.

Hm... he thought as he eyed N. It begins, evidently.]

[idealisms]

You! How could you?!

[ Ahh--

No, no, that was not the way to begin this. What Knuckles said might have been right. What if- What if Caim hadn't done it? What if he wasn't lying to him about everything he said, every word that poured from his mouth? What if he was chastising someone who didn't even deserve it yet?

N froze and unfurled his fists, attempting to center himself. Innocent until proven guilty. ]

I mean... let me in. We must talk. Now.

ruins everything again

[star_punched]

Mac facepalmed from a distance

son i'm disappoint

[loverofinnocence]

[Caim cocked an eyebrow and silently sighed with all of the disbelief he could muster. After all, he'd known it was all going to come up somehow. First it had been Knuckles. And certainly Mac had vaguely been suspicious. But Mac and Caim had their odd form of kinship, which resulted in a unique trust between the two of them.

So as if he had any other choice, he stepped aside, opened his door as he could imagine himself doing many times over for the same reason, and with a bow from his younger days, waved the trainer in. Then he motioned about to his room, indicating for N to take a seat and to make himself comfortable. Not that there was much to sit in. A couple of chairs, Caim's bed.

The room was sort of a sorry looking one.]