dreamcrystals | [01] a dream is a wish your heart makes

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[01] a dream is a wish your heart makes

Sender: Susato Mikotoba
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive dream recording
Notes: Based on an AU idea and thus deviates from canon. Susato "inherits" Kazuma's resolve upon his mysterious death and faces some opposition in trying to take his place in Great Britain.

* * * * *
"Preposterous." The words were practically spat as the scene hazily came into view. An older male voice spoke, voice nasaly and unpleasant, though his features were obscured.

"Why?" A second man, recognizable to those in Reverein as Yujin Mikotoba, responded. His tone was more polite than was deserved.

"You know our laws."

"I know that women are subject to the same laws as we men," Yujin argued, "and yet none are afforded the same right to even set foot inside the courtroom to aid in their own defense. Why do you suppose that is?"

"It matters not, professor." The first man, now with a pair of glasses and other recognizable features, shook his head grimly. "A boy is dead. Now is simply not the time for her childish fantasies."

"That boy was like her brother," Yujin said, unable to mask the offense and growing irritation in his voice. "Susato has studied all the same texts, the same laws. She learned a second language in order to be able to assist him. Who better to take his place in the exchange and finish what he started?"

"We have plenty students of law at Yumei who would qualify. Male students."

"None with his resolve." Yujin spoke immediately with confidence, as he looked to his daughter with pride. "Nor hers."

Susato didn't react, remaining stoic as she accepted judgement. She was angry. First at her loss, and then that her hard work would be reduced to this, a petty argument to prove her worth. The more she showed that anger, though, the worse it would be, so outwardly, she only clenches her fist, tugging the edge of her kimono.

"...That is okay, father. I understand." Susato spoke calmly, as someone who has already made her decision. "I understand that they do not wish for me to practice law in Japan--but the way I see it, I am leaving anyway, so this argument is irrelevant. I do not expect to be back until I find the truth he sought."

The voice. Follow the voice, to Great Britain. Susato turned to leave, with Yujin reaching for her moments after, but both stopped at the same nasaly voice.

"Our agreement for the exchange still requires that you have an assistant!"
.
Yujin sighed, sensing the older man's desperation at bringing up such a trivial matter.

"Ah... as it so happens, I know just the young man," Yujin said. "Kazuma's best friend, in fact. I believe he was caught trying to board the steamship already..."

His voice seems to trail off, vibrating as the scene flickers. In the final moment, an image of boy in a black student's uniform appears with his signature wide eyes; but the image statics as Susato stirs in the real world.

Then it fades away abruptly as she awakens with a start.

* * * * *

[ Susato's eyes spring open to the familiar darkness in her room. Even as memories of the dream start to fracture and fade, she tries to make sense of everything she just saw. None of that actually happened, right? Yet somehow, it didn't feel too far off the mark, and she can't seem to decide whether she is thankful for that, or woefully disappointed.

She's never had her dream recorded before, but rather than act embarrassed or ashamed, she just shuts her journal with an apologetic sigh to no one in particular.

Instead, she grabs another journal--a normal one--along with a quill, and starts writing down anything she can remember. ]

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[He half expected for her to open the door to be honest.]

Ah, no...I was actually here to see how you're doing. [Let me talk about that dream without talking about the dream.]

[ Oh. Right. So, that was definitely a thing that everyone saw then, Kazuma included... She blanks for a moment, staring at her quill, like it'd just occurred to her that she could just watch the journal playback of her own dream, rather than writing based on her imperfect memory.

(But what fun would that be?)

After a brief moment of brain fog, Susato steps back, opening the door to her room a little wider. A small inviting smile illuminated her face, knowing that he'd gone out of his way to come over. ]

Would you like to come in for a while?

...If it's all right with you. [There was a slight bit of hesitance there. Even back home, he never ventured into her room, for understandable reasons. He takes another moment, to be sure it's really ok before taking a step inside. He tries not to look over her room too much, but knowing the kind of person she is, the setup is about as he imagined.]

Is there somewhere you would like me to sit?

[ Briefly, as she watches him hesitate, all super stiff and proper, she wonders why she didn't just suggest they talk in the living room. She doesn't want to risk waking Yujin though, and definitely not Jack, so ultimately she feels she's made the right choice, even as the knot ties itself in her stomach.

She leaves the door slightly ajar, at least. Walking over to the bed, the most obvious choice, she picks up the journal she'd been writing in (which was on pause, for now), and then places it with her quill on the shelf nearby. She also starts to adjust some of the pillows, and Iris, before wondering why Kazuma would ever want to sit on her bed of all places, and then she just... kind of gives up. There are some soft chairs she has laid out against the wardrobe partition, either of which Kazuma is free to take.

Meanwhile, she still has Iris in her hands. She brings her comfort. ]

A, Anywhere you'd like. [ Family, they're family. He belongs anywhere here. ] My apologies. I'm not accustomed to having guests in my room. [ Not even family. But he already knew that. ] ...I am still glad you're here, though.

[. . .Well she said anywhere, so she can't be mad if he sits somewhere and it turns out that's not ok. He'll go ahead and occupy one of the soft chairs then, still feeling awkward.]

If you rather we talk somewhere else, that's okay as well. [No need to force anything, even as she says she's happy he's here.]

Did that rabbit doll come with the room?

[ What else would the chairs be for?

Feeling like she can't or shouldn't do anymore impromptu tidying, she joins him on that side of the room, taking a seat on her bed while facing him. Too late for that, she thinks. She's made her decision to let him stay.

She looks at Iris, as if she hadn't realized she was still holding her. ]

Her? Ah... no. She was a Christmas gift. [ ......She doesn't feel comfortable saying she was gifted by van Zieks, considering the man refused to confirm it. Also van Zieks may or may not still be a touchy topic with him, so she'll just leave it at that. ] ...Would you like to see what she can do?

[He tilts his head, curious.] Sure. [Is it going to come to life and hug the nearest person?]

......

[ She can only guess what he must be thinking. She can't help but let out a light hum in amusement, and ends up pushing herself off the bed temporarily to turn off the lights. Then... she'll meander her way back to the bed, giving Iris a light squeeze around her stomach.

Moments later, a faint whirring can be heard. The constellations on Iris's back light up, and her ceiling is filled with a sea of sparkling stars. ]

Edited 2022-02-05 04:55 (UTC)

Oh...! [He looks up at the ceiling in awe. Well, safe to say this was definitely not any of the ideas he thought this doll could do.]

This is a rather convincing night sky.

[ Susato chuckles at his surprise. She sits back down her bed, facing him again, and sets Iris on her lap so that the constellations can continue to shine as they speak. The faint whirring continues, though eventually fades from her hearing as white noise. Despite the sound suggesting some complex mechanisms at play, however, the doll is light and soft, as if made of feathers.

If he stares long enough, the stars seem to move slightly as well, as they would in a real sky. ]

She doesn't seem to run out of power, so most nights I just leave her on to help me sleep. It is curious, but I couldn't bring myself to take her apart to find out why.

[ Kazuma didn't come to discuss her doll, though, she knows. There's an "Anyway..." that goes unsaid. ]

[He smiles, looking down to her.] That is a very considerate gift to receive. [If he ever found out who gave it to her, he would eat his own words. But she's right to think he isn't here to talk about presents and night skies.]

. . .I did want to check up on you after that dream of yours, but...we don't need to talk about it if you don't want to. [He shakes his head.] Prosecutor Auchi though, you're far above him.

[ ...Well, she did best him in court as a mere rookie with zero experience, and before that, there was Naruhodo. In both cases, they had help, though she still thinks Naruhodo is far more impressive than she is, even at that stage. She simply shrugs, unable to argue. ]

It's strange, isn't it? I've hardly thought about him before today.

[ She hums thoughtfully, trying to keep up her smile as she continues counting stars. ]

Then again, I... don't tend to dwell on the SS Burya, either.

[ Events may not have unfolded that way, but at least one part did. A boy is dead. Fuck you, Auchi, you don't get to talk about him...... even if you were just a figment of her imagination. ]

...That experience is not something one can easily forget. [Even without his memories, his time going from freight ship to freight ship was rough. Probably shaped him into the harden individual he had become by the time he reached Great Britain.]

Was that a desire...to take up where I left off yourself?

[ A desire...? She hadn't really thought of it that way, but the more she did, the more it made sense. She can feel a warmth coming from inside of her, a heat that is comforting but at the same time all-consuming. Inner fire to accompany the voice. ]

I could feel the weight of Karuma by my side in that dream. [ She speaks wistfully, but the pride is evident in her voice. ] Nothing could stop me, just like nothing could stop you.

I suppose... [ She trails off, for a moment feeling the rest of the sentence is obvious, but she'll finish it anyway. ] I suppose it is. I would've loved to show them.

I would've loved to show them all.

[We're just going to ignore the part where continuing where Kazuma left off, means getting involved in the assassination plot. No big deal. He chuckles lightly.]

Defense attorney Susato Mikotoba in the Great British Empire. That would certain cause quite the ripple. [A pause, his smile lessens.] ...But is it something that you truly want? [Ryunosuke felt he had to continue where he had left off. While he's appreciative and proud of his resolve to do so, sometimes he wonders if his presence, or lack thereof, led him into a decision he had no choice in.]

[ WHAT DO YOU MEAN, IGNORE IT... this is the face of a killer those fools just didn't see it.

But no, she won't ignore it, because it's something she already realized while she was writing in her dream journal. She did momentarily forget though, getting wrapped up in her own imagination... ]

Maybe? [ She is 16 and never had to think about this. ] I was already prepared to help Mr Naruhodo with his own law firm, as you know, but we agreed that it would be in Japan... so Great Britain may have to do without defense attorney Susato Mikotoba for the time being.

I was actually thinking... Well.

[ Never mind, it's a stupid idea. ]

Hm? [He tilts his head.] ...What were you thinking? [He could take a guess, but it can be just about anything. Did she want to be an attorney here? Want all three of them to work together with a law firm here?]

[ Yes, and yes. She would love nothing more than to see them work together, and to work along side them.

...But she'll be honest and tell him what she'd been mulling over since she was on the steamship. ]

That... once we're set up in Japan, we would change the system. We could make it so that anyone could become a lawyer, regardless of their gender.

[ Among other things. That's not the stupid part, though. ]

And, that maybe once I'm a little older, with a little more experience... I could start taking my own cases at his firm. As his equal. [ See? Stupid. ]

. . . [He gets up from his seat, deciding that perhaps he should sit beside Susato on the bed instead.]

Sounds like you know what it is you want to do afterall. I wholeheartedly support this idea. I'm sure Ryunosuke would as well. [It's not a stupid idea at all, silly.] Women can be just as capable as any man. A shame society doesn't think otherwise, focused on gender instead of their skills.

[ What no why is he leaving--she didn't think the idea was that bad, honest--

Oh. Mouth open, she watches him take a seat next to her. Her hands squeeze Iris, feeling her extremities go a little stiff. She's listening, she swears she is, but if she'd been about to say anything, it seems like she's lost it. ]

Well... [ Right, gender... equality. That's... that's a thing. She looks up towards her ceiling, her lips twitching into a smile. ] They may not be real, but I could still wish upon some stars.

[Meanwhile Kazuma is oblivious to her flustering.]

If the stars fail you, remember you have people here, and back home. [If not just Ryunosuke and himself, her father, her friend, the friends she made in Great Britain he's sure.]

[ As if Iris is listening, a small star in her ceiling-sky glows ever brighter, before falling into an arc as it shoots across her eyesight. In a rare moment of strength, thanks to Kazuma, it doesn't even feel like she needs to make a wish. She does close her eyes anyway, though, giving a silent prayer--just in case. ]

I know.

[ She opens her eyes after moment and looks at him. ]

You do, too. Jack, my father, and... me. I'm here for you, even if you don't need me.

[He may have caught a glance of that shooting star, wondering if that's the doll's doing or willed from Susato herself?]

Heh. It isn't so much not needing you, and more that I hardly ever ask for help. [So please stop speaking like you're unwanted.] I know I do...there are just some things that are hard to be open about. [Murder is not exactly a great topic.]

[ Her point was more that they would be there for him, even if he never asked, though singling herself out like that was... unintentional, and something she is working on. They both have homework, it seems--she misses the days when simple law homework was the worst of her worries. ]

I understand.

[ Murder... Maybe he's still not ready to finish that conversation, but she could think of other things she would love to know about him that are less... difficult. ]

What about your desires?

My desires...? [To find out the truth about his father. That's all he ever wanted, justice for what happened to him. Now that he technically has it...what is it that he wants now?]

...I think I just want to see my homeland again. [He glances up at the false night sky.] With the way time is here, I've been away for far too long. Would be nice to be someplace familiar again.

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