[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

[noblegarnet]

[Ah... well, this has taken a downturn, hasn't it. Still...]

I'm sorry to hear it. I lost mine almost a year ago now, I guess. Two years, if you count the time I spent in that other world.

[He still has a hard time reconciling that difference, sometimes, like he might get overwhelmed if he thinks about it too hard.]

I can't imagine never knowing her, but that must be hard, too.

[judicialassistant]

[ She still struggles with that, too. This mainly comes in the form of realizing that Kazuma is three years even older than her than he was before, which is just so rude.

Regardless, a year or two feels like a fresh wound by comparison. ]

Sometimes I wonder if that should actually make it easier for me. I suppose it is true what they say, though. It is better to have loved and lost.

[noblegarnet]

I would agree with that.

[It's part of what makes him seek out what he can here; he knows he is going to lose everything when he leaves here, so all he can do is seek out that kind of happiness while he has the opportunity.]

Better to focus on what you did and do have, rather than what you didn't, I think. You have a good relationship with your dad, right?

[judicialassistant]

[ The subject change works, though she still sees what he did there. It's not like she wants to bring Ferran down either, though, so she'll happily go with it. Especially since she is so proud to be Yujin's daughter. ]

Oh yes. Well... [ He wasn't there for her in her early years, but how can she hold that against him now? ] It took some time to close the gap he created, but he really has been rather wonderful.

He looks just as you saw him in my dream. Hardly aged a day. So if you see him around Reverein, you should say hello.

[noblegarnet]

[Is asking about that gap too personal, he wonders...? Hm. Maybe over the journals it is. That kind of thing is probably best kept for in person.]

I will if I do. Maybe I'll let him know how wonderful and talented a daughter he's lucky to have?

[That's embarrassing, Ferran. You should have gone for the personal question.]

1/3

[judicialassistant]

[ HE REALLY SHOULD HAVE? Not that Ferran could see this or anything, but if he could, Susato would have likely heard his laughter ringing in her ears for a long time, because she just throws her hands up in the air in disbelief, causing her journal to fall and flip over before landing face down. ]

[judicialassistant]

[ It should have been Ferran. Close enough, though!

Susato just quietly grumbles to herself, still managing to feel embarrassed as she picks the journal back up. No need for it to suffer on the kitchen floor on her account. ]

I don't have a sister.

[judicialassistant]

[ Actually--even as she writes that, it feels wrong. She does have a sister, and her name is Iris. But even Susato won't play that dumb. She does recognize a compliment when she hears one, even if she doesn't quite know how to take it. ]

Don't worry, I know what you meant... thank you.

[ SIGHS. ]

When you meet him, you'll see I'm the lucky one.

[noblegarnet]

You're welcome. 😉

[And it really is a shame she can't hear that laugh, because he absolutely would have been delighted if he'd seen that reaction.]

It's not a competition, you know. There's plenty of luck to go around. But I'll be sure to report back with my findings.

[judicialassistant]

[ Careful Ferran, he might try to adopt you... ]

Good. You can come find me at the Wild Harvest.

[ WHERE SHE NEEDS TO KEEP WORKING and not Victorian not!texting. (But if she's advertising, it counts, right?) ]

[noblegarnet]

[god he really does need a genuinely good father figure these days though—]

Oh, are you working there? [He has actually heard of the name, if just through word of mouth.] What's it like?

[judicialassistant]

Busier as of late.

[ Checking in given another lull in customers, which are rarer these days, but Ferran guessed right. ]

My partner in crime in the kitchen has taken some sick leave. You should still stop by, though. I'm told I am a fairly decent cook.

[noblegarnet]

I may have to test that judgment.

[If someone is willing to put her in a kitchen to make food for customers, he's willing to bet she's better than she's implying. Self-confidence, girl...]

I'll let you know whenever I decide to try it out. :)

[judicialassistant]

[ He should have seen that message a few seconds before she sent it, in which that statement was actually followed by a question mark. She seems cautiously excited though, for whatever it's worth!

She promises she won't poison your food :) ]

I will be waiting!