[01] a dream is a wish your heart makes

[judicialassistant]

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. ]

Comments

[chippedsoul]

...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?

[judicialassistant]

[ 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.

[chippedsoul]

[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.]

[judicialassistant]

[ 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. ]

[chippedsoul]

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?]

[judicialassistant]

[ 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. ]

[chippedsoul]

. . . [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.

[judicialassistant]

[ 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.

[chippedsoul]

[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.]

[judicialassistant]

[ 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.

[chippedsoul]

[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.]

[judicialassistant]

[ 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?

[chippedsoul]

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.

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato wonders if he'd ever believe it, if she told him that he would eventually decide to stay in Great Britain as a prosecutor. That he would choose--under no duress!--to work under Lord van Zieks again.

Instead, she just quietly listens, understanding all too well the feeling of being homesick, even if she doesn't understand it as well as he does. ]

If I toss you like when we were children, would you wake up?

[ No. But hopefully the thought brings back some pleasant memories for him. ]

[chippedsoul]

[He be angry about it, but knowing himself, he could see the reason why he would.

A nervous bit of laughter.] I think that would only leave me with a bump on my head. [. . .] Are you really thinking about doing it now? [Cause on one hand, he deserves it, on the other, those tosses are no joke.]

[judicialassistant]

[ . . . No, she hadn't been serious, but maybe she is thinking about it a little bit now. Is he actually nervous? Him? Kazuma Asogi? (It's cute. Stop it.) ]

Not if I use the bed to cushion your fall.

[ As if to demonstrate, she shrugs, leaning back against the pillows--making herself feel a bit bigger by stretching out her arms. For a moment she seems content to leave him with that thought, but she continues. ]

But no...I'm not. [ She can still recall the guilt she felt, doing it to Ryunosuke so many times. She doesn't know that she could do it to Kazuma without him explicitly allowing it...no matter how much he may or may not deserve it. ] I don't think it would end too well for me.

[ Other things she remembers, begrudgingly: the way he almost twisted her arm when he was just a little bit startled. But also: sleeping parental figures and all that. ]

[chippedsoul]

[Hmmmmmmmm. He says nothing to her suggestion, honestly expecting the toss to come. But then she reconsiders the idea. He might have visibly relaxed a little there.]

For you? [. . .] Are you worried you can't lift me like before? [That's, not it at all Kazuma. Oh no.]

[judicialassistant]

. . . I don't think I could take you in a fight.

[ Idly, she had reached for Iris's paw, and is now drawing circles around it with her thumb. She doesn't want to disrupt the projection of the sky, though, so she keeps her largely in the same place. ]

[chippedsoul]

...Oh, well. [Well, he feels a little bad now. He can't help needing to protect himself. It's become a natural reaction to handle any unexpected threats directed at him.]

I wasn't even thinking of fighting back in this case, knowing you wanted to toss me.

[judicialassistant]

[ He wouldn't fight back? Well, that doesn't seem very fair. She more than understands his reflexes and the need to protect himself, especially after all those years alone. ]

You should. I'd like training with you again.

[ 'I miss it,' says girl who just admitted he would kick her ass. ]

You could teach me how to wield the Karuma. [ Just kidding. (Unless...?) ]

[chippedsoul]

Hoh? Didn't you just turn down a possible fight a moment ago? [He didn't miss that and just teasing her. He nods.] But sure, we can do it again sometime.

As for Karuma...well, you'll have to show me if you can wield a sword first. [That's neither a yes or no.]

[judicialassistant]

[ . . . Well she didn't mean now! And also... training is different from fighting. So there. ]

Hmm... I wouldn't feel right, using Karuma against you, so I will just have to get my own. [ She pauses, considering this. ] It's not a sword, but Leia did gift me a staff for Christmas.

[chippedsoul]

I know someone we could talk to for a sword. [Just don't get him going about having a fight. He won't leave you alone.]

Has she? Have you been practicing with it?

[judicialassistant]

You do? [ Some sort of blacksmith, maybe? Replica swords are nice for decoration, but she can't say they're too impressive...

(They do happen to also be good for practice and training though.) ]

Ah... a little. Its length and reach work well to make up for my height, but I find myself wondering if it suits me... if hit has the same spirit as a blade would.

[chippedsoul]

He's a bit of a sword maniac. I believe your father is acquainted with him. Rokurou.

[He crosses his arms, humming to himself.] That can only be determined between you and the weapon you choose. If there is a bond, then it will carry that same spirit for you, regardless of what form the weapon takes.