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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[ Susato doesn't feel it's her place to go into the details of Kazuma's past, more so than she already has. It's such a simple question, though she still finds herself awkwardly trying to explain. ]

Because... I was raised to be his assistant, on a professional level. He would never see me that way.

I'm probably just... [ vague gestures with her hands, like "I don't know" ] like an annoying little sister. [ or something. ]

[Oof. That sounds all too familiar- the part about being seen as family instead of a potential love interest? Yeah. It sucks. She averts her gaze for a moment, her voice lowering, as that feeling hits a little too close to home.]

I... kinda know what you mean.

[Then she perks up a little, determination in her eyes. If Susato really likes Kazuma, then maybe she could help her to not repeat her own mistakes.

Although she can't really imagine Kazuma in any sort of relationship. He's kind of... Ah, what's the word? Haunted? The brooding type? She's trying to imagine Kazuma in some lovey-dovey relationship, but it's kind of...

Well. Best to just support her friend!]

But, seriously, you shouldn't let that stop you. A person's feelings for someone can transcend any boundary!

[If only she followed her own advice.

In all fairness, it's always easier to give it than it is to follow it yourself.]

[ . . . She could ask so many questions right now. The look on Leia's face looks like she's struck some sort of chord, and perhaps she will get to ask--but just as quickly as she's seen it, Leia bounces back.

It is a little jarring. She is kind of jealous. Why can't she bounce back like that when she feels down?

... ]

Boundary?

[ Kazuma certainly does have walls up, that's for sure. She liked to think her feelings reached him that night, but there are still some days when she isn't sure. Nevertheless, there seems to be a look of understanding on her face, like she's answered her own question.

She hums, pondering her next one. ]

...You know, I never did ask how you two met.

Ah-- haha, oh, uh, well... that certainly is a story...!

[The question is just how much of it should she tell. But they seem super-duper close, surely Susato knows way more than she does?]

So, um, I kinda met him back in the Story Realm. And we got into a teensy little fight.

[Teensy. Maybe coming right out the gate with how he threatened to kill her isn't the best way to start this.

Of course, she's assuming Susato knows about the whole Hyde deal, so this should make sense to her.]

[ . . . Not at all! Of course, she knows Kazuma is one proud, stubborn Japanese man, but somehow, from Leia's tone, she is already suspecting that their teensy fight was not so teeny.

She stops walking again, looking at Leia like she wants her full attention for this. ]

Did you offend him?

I don't think so? He said he was just testing me. The tavern he- or, well, Hyde too, I guess- ran back in the Story Realm was kinda sketchy, so I think he wanted to make sure I could handle myself.

[She really had been sitting at that table ~~stalking Julius~~ minding her own business when he happened by. The fight was sudden and came totally out of left field. But that was likely Hyde's doing.]

[ It's been a while since she heard that name. A brief snippet of memory plays in her mind as she remembers mid-November, and searching for Kazuma in the forest, listening to him and Jack reminisce.

At the time, she remembers assuming that Hyde was just an awful boss, but she did start to suspect there was more to it as she figured some things out about Kazuma. She'd just sort of let it slide since. She also remembers Kazuma saying that she wouldn't have liked or approved of the place, so Leia describing it as sketchy checks out. ]

I suppose I can see him being concerned, if he saw you in such a place completely unsupervised, but--starting a fight with you seems... quite opposite of that. [ He should have escorted he out like a gentleman? Would he have done that? If it were Susato, he would have... she thinks. ] I don't understand.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's because it was Hyde and not actually Kazuma at the time.

[Was that not clear that she was referring to Hyde? Technically, her first encounter with Kazuma wasn't entirely Kazuma, it was mostly Hyde, but even Leia is confused on how much of Kazuma was present. Considering the things she's heard, there had to have been some of Kazuma in there, else she probably would've been killed.]

Huh?

[ Susato is pretty smart, but she is also 16. There's a lot she doesn't understand, especially here in Reverein, and she has never been shy about asking about what she doesn't know.

She just kind of hates it when what she doesn't know involves people she cares deeply about.

While waiting for Leia to explain, her expression changes subtly. She draws in a breath, like a soft gasp. ]

[Blinks.]

You know, his Essence?

[That word will ring a bell... right?]

[ Oh. Just when she thought she had something... or maybe she does?

Whatever recognition had been in her expression disappears. ]

His what?

[Maybe Kazuma never explained the term to her before? She has to think for a second how to explain it so that it makes sense... even though it's kind of hard to make sense out of it.]

An Essence is... kinda like having a part of someone else inside you? In the Story Realm, everyone had their own Essence; they were all characters that you'd find in stories and fairy tales. And you'd gain some of their abilities or traits, and those would manifest as either magic, skills, or it could change your appearance. Even your personality.

Wait.

[Then it all dawned on her, and Leia finally sees the sheer confusion clouding Susato's expression. Oh, crap...]

... Did Kazuma never tell you about Hyde? His Essence?

Edited 2022-02-13 07:30 (UTC)

[ Even your personality.

Could that be it? Is that even possible? But she doesn't know why she even bothers asking herself that. Here she is, in a whole nother world, some dream dimension where fire powers can be a thing and feelings are twisted and manipulated all the time. Of course it is possible, and it would explain so much.

Her hand moved to cover her mouth at some point in shock, but by the time Leia asks, that hand loses all weight, slowly drifting down and away from her face. ]

No. He only told me that... that he--

[ . . . Then again, he didn't even tell her that much. She had figured it out and rather cruelly twisted his arm. It was worth it, of course, but sometimes the guilt is so palpable and thick she wants to wring it with her bare hands. (She can only imagine how Kazuma must feel.)

Susato shakes her head. ]

No. The story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was popular where I'm from, but I'm afraid I didn't hear about it until I went overseas to Great Britain. I--I was busy and didn't get a chance to read it.

[It's not something she's read, so she can't really explain too much. But maybe that's for the best. She's probably said more than she should have, and maybe Susato can hear about the rest from Kazuma.]

I don't know much about the story, either. It doesn't exist where I'm from. But from what I understand, Hyde wasn't a very good person, and he managed to take control of Kazuma sometimes.

[It would seem, at least, that Susato is aware of some information regarding Hyde. But was clearly missing that one big detail.

She feels bad. Susato's reaction leads her to believe this isn't pleasant news, and Leia knows it's not, but... having to be the bearer of that news is tough. And it seems that she's potentially upset Susato without meaning to. She hangs her head, feeling guilty.]

I'm sorry, I thought you knew.

[ What Leia says checks out with what she's heard about the story. Either way, she could have guessed what kind of person Hyde was just based on everything she's heard about him. Susato stays quiet, only perking up when Leia apologizes. ]

Oh, no! I, It's not your fault. In fact... I must thank you for telling me.

[ It's a piece of the puzzle that she's been missing for a few months now. ]

Please don't worry. I will figure out how to deal with him.

[It's more than being the bearer of bad news, it's also that she's managed to expose something Kazuma may not have wanted Susato to know... and for good reason.]

Still... he must've had his reasons for not telling you. I'm sure it's that he didn't want to disappoint you.

[Truthfully, were it her, and Jude was keeping some dangerous secret, she'd want to know. But it still probably would've been better hearing it from the source.

At the very least, Susato isn't upset with her, and maybe this did do some good if it alleviated some of her worries.]

. . . He was afraid. You're right.

[ She could sense that, however subtle. She understood, at the time--the things she confirmed that night should have been impossible for her to accept. Yet she did, despite everything, despite even him trying to convince her not to. ]

Even so, I thought I made things clear.

[It's not hard to imagine her and Jude in a similar situation- namely, him trying to protect her. It's relatable. Frustrating, but relatable. People have their reasons for sometimes hiding something, or not being forthcoming with every detail.

Fortunately, there's a workaround.]

Yeah, I get it. If my best friend hid something from me, I'd be pretty pissed, not gonna lie. I'd give him a sound beating so that the next time he tries that again, he'd strongly reconsider.

[ Susato has to laugh. She definitely needs just a fraction of Leia's spirit in her life. ]

He offered, you know, when he came over last night. I regret that I did not toss him now.

[ She's just joking. Mostly. ]

[... Is he into that? Wow. She's learning a whole new side of Kazuma that she never knew existed.

What if he's secretly a huge softie?]

You can't think like that. Trust me! It's never too late to toss someone.

[Seriously, what else can she find out? Getting some dirt on your boss is never a bad thing.]

[ He is a huge softie. But also... it just hits different when you know the person is asking for it. (It was satisfying to see him flinch though, she has to admit.) ]

I will get another chance.

[ Even if she has to create that chance herself. ]

It looked like he was going to stay at the Wild Harvest for a while longer though, and father is probably still with Dr Mathis. If you're not busy, why don't you come over for awhile?

[Never let go of that satisfaction, she'd say. If she knew what Susato was thinking, anyway.

Instead, it's Leia's turn to pause when she hears her say a very familiar name.]

Did... did you just say Dr. Mathis? As in Jude Mathis?

[Sure, it's not really all that shocking. She knows Jude is opening a clinic and doing tons of research. And the population here isn't exactly huge, so that they are connected by mutual friends isn't surprising at all. Not totally. But it still manages to catch her off guard considering just how closely connected they both have turned out to be to each other.]

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