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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[Oh, right! She totally spaced and forgot that invite! This will be fun. Susato's the first girl her age that she's interacted with in a long time. And she's way overdue for some quality girl time.]

Heck yeah! Let's make it a girls' night! I know I'd like to hear more about you and Kazuma.

[She'll just send a quick message shortly to Marui, so he knows not to wait up or anything.]

You would?

[ Of course she would... Haaaaaaah. The more she thinks about it, the more she is afraid that Leia's gotten the wrong idea about all this. But what if it isn't. ]

[ Before she can wallow for too long on this, though, suddenly she sees Leia's got her journal out. ]

Hold on now. Who's this? [ Her tone is teasing as she playfully tries to peer over her shoulder, though it could've been her grandma for all she knew. Pay back. ]

[The sudden question catches her off guard and she blushes.]

Huh? Oh, uh--

[For a second, she doesn't know how to respond. Saying it's her boyfriend, for some reason, doesn't come as easily as one might think.]

It's Marui. I'm just letting him know I won't be home tonight.

[But it's not that she's being secretive about it, or doesn't want to tell anyone. It's just not really the first thing that comes to mind. Plus the concept of being in a relationship is still pretty new to her.]

[ Marui is definitely not her grandma's name. As a matter of fact, hasn't Susato heard that name before? It takes her a moment to remember where, but it's tough to forget the anguished cry of that motherly fire owl. ]

I think I've met a Marui. Does he have red hair?

[ Stupid boy energy off the charts? ]

[There can't be many redheads here named Marui- as a last or first name. To her it's a unique enough name that she's positive Susato is talking about the same guy, but she'll toss out a few other descriptions just in case.]

Yep! Plays tennis, talks about how much of a genius he is, kinda obnoxious? He's actually a sweet guy underneath all that, though.

[It's clear she doesn't mean that obnoxious thing cruelly, in fact she says it all with a gentle smile and mildly apologetic tone. Because, well, guy's got an ego a mile wide and she knows it. It's usually one of the first things that becomes apparent when he speaks. And, usually, most guys with a huge ego are pretty insufferable. But, sometimes that isn't the case. Alvin's the same way.]

[ Susato's face seems to light up at Leia'a confirmations. She's only met him once, of course, and somehow, tennis didn't come up, but they're definitely talking about the same person. ]

We both carried some owl eggs back to its mother last month. I thought there must be a reason why they seemed so drawn to him.

I didn't know you lived together.

[That's what she gets for being so nosey about Kazuma. Looks like they're even now. Though she really doesn't think much about them living together- or what that might imply, if anything.]

That just sorta happened. He wanted a more conventional treehouse, and I offered him a room in mine till he could find one. But it just kinda stayed that way.

[Yet if she's to be completely honest, she didn't mind at all from the start, nor did she ask him how his search had been going. She just got used to him being there.]

[ ......And to think. Kazuma had rejected her offer to live with her and her father, before she could even get the offer out. That stung, it did, though after being independent for so long, she could hardly blame him for not uprooting his life just because they just happened to show up.

He ended up spending a fair amount of nights there anyway, so it worked out, she supposed. ]

That... sounds nice. He must enjoy your company.

[ She's going to make you say it!! ]

[It's not that she's avoiding it intentionally, it simply doesn't come to mind that's what Susato might be getting at.]

We're dating, so he'd better, else I'll have to knock some sense into him. What about Kazuma, is he staying with you?

[ Ha! She knew it... or something? Somehow that doesn't seem to have quite the same oompth when Leia follows it up so closely with a question back, so she kind of deflates a little. ]

. . . He is happy with his own place, I think. But he spends the night with us sometimes, and that's all father and I can really ask of him.

[Oh... She can just see Susato wither a little right before her. Was it insensitive to ask? But she's quick to follow up with a little pep talk, her voice low and gentle.]

Hey... Don't worry too much about it. He's probably just doing that to keep you both safe. I mean, if he hasn't told you about Hyde, then it's pretty obvious that's what he's doing, right? Besides, guys are dumb, it doesn't matter how clear you make things, they somehow end up convincing themselves of the exact opposite. So, yeah, maybe a good toss will knock some sense into him.

[As she said before- it's never too late to toss someone.]

[ For someone who claims not to know Kazuma well, Susato thinks that was a pretty sharp observation to make. She doesn't think Kazuma is dumb, but maybe he is, just a little bit... when it comes to certain things. Either way, Susato finds herself chuckling, not realizing how much she needed a little laugh at Kazuma's expense. ]

Do you often find yourself knocking sense into Marui, then?

[She's not a reporter for nothing! Sharp observations are part of the job, and she's certainly honed her skills a little. Hearing her friend laugh makes her feel better, and she smiles wide in response.]

Totally! It's kinda like when you're in the middle of writing and have to stop to shake the pen a little because the ink gets stuck. Just like pens, boys need a good shake sometimes.

[ Susato's a quill user, but she can still relate. She has to admit, though, that she's never thought to make the comparison before. It takes a while to sink in, but the images it conjures up makes her laugh a little harder. ]

That's the solution, then. I will shake the Essence right out of him. Then he'll never have to worry about Hyde again.

[ Because Essences work this way. Clearly. ]

[Pens are more common in Elympios, but people still use quills in Rieze Maxia, so she could go either way too. Although, pens are way more convenient since she's constantly on the go.

Least she's laughing again, and Leia can't help but laugh in return.]

That's the spirit! I think everything will be just fine. Might take a few shakes, though.

...Yes. He can be awfully stubborn.

[ As stubborn and hard to get out as ink.

Susato seems to have an extra kick in her step now, but just as they seem to settle into a decent pace into the Residential District, a shadow flies across them overhead. The flaps of its wings are quieter than they have any right to be, but the red glow from its chest seems hard to miss once she looks up. ]

Edited 2022-02-27 07:08 (UTC)

[Following Susato's gaze, she looks up and sees a very familiar creature. And immediately grabs Susato by the arm without hesitation, tugging her towards her and out from under the creature.]

Quick, come with me!

[Leia's personally dealt with this thing before, and it's no pushover. She's seen what that thing is capable of and the results of being possessed by it. The creature, perhaps drawn to them, angles its head and begins to pursue them.]

[ Susato is still staring in awe at the creature. She'd only just managed to move on from the glaring red to its ginormous tail when she's pulled forward, Leia's words of warnings snapping her back to just in time as the creature seems to give them chase. ]

Wha-- Where are we going? What is that? Some sort of unicorn?

[ No horn though, and aren't unicorns white? ]

[Leia is dragging Susato towards an alleyway. It's the closest thing to cover, and doesn't leave them as open. Less space for it to come at them too, but just enough to use her staff.

Which she tries to explain as they are running from it. Yeah it looks pretty, and kind of cute, but in this case the looks are totally deceiving.]

I'm not sure what it is, but we need some cover! Just don't let it get near you.

Do you have a weapon on you, or anything?

[Like anything remotely weapon-ish. This thing is pretty quick though, and she honestly doesn't know how skilled of a fighter Susato is.]

[ She is more skilled than she looks. As it is though, her specialty is close combat martial arts, which is far from ideal. As for weapons--she has had some practice forging weapons out of flame, using fire dreamotion, but man, is it unreliable. ]

Just the staff you gifted me for Christmas. But I really haven't--

[ She really hasn't practiced with it as much as she would like. ]

[She's not about to go too much farther down this alley, needing decent lighting, and skids to a stop before coming to stand in front of her friend. Yeah. She knows Susato is tougher than she looks, but she's had experience with one of these things, and all Susato has on her is the staff that she made for her.

When she stares down the alley from where they just came from, she notices that the creature is now on all fours and approaching them slowly, stalking them. It's cautious.]

Then it looks like you're about to get some serious hands-on training.

[Taking out her staff, she flicks her wrist, elongating it.]

I know it looks pretty, and even kinda cute, but that thing is capable of possessing people and making them act... weird. [not really going to get into how.] So we have to take it down before it can hurt anyone.

[Leia is in no way forcing Susato to remain behind her, she just wanted enough room to ready her weapon, assess this thing's whereabouts, and give her some details.]

...! [ Leia's not forcing her, but she finds herself staying there, at least for the time being while she tries to process everything. Seeing Leia get out her staff, she will get out her own to copy her.

She has about a million questions about what the heck Leia means by weird, but maybe that's not important right now. She simply stares in the creature's direction to try to study its movements, and it seems to be moving rather slowly. ]

It... It's just staring at us. Is it really alright just to go on the offensive?

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[01] a dream is a wish your heart makes

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