01

[buriedvigil]

Sender: Anonymous, but signed as 'Gossip' on the bottom
To: Everyone
Subject: Helpful titbit

A place that dozen't ask for any coin, you'd think that'd be a beggar's haven! But findin' myself lacking reason to sell my wares, so feel fortunate you're gettin' the best gossip from Fresno Street for completely free here.

And I got here a bit that's an absolute smasher! Now, got ye eyes glued to the page?

[Since it's all reading now, it's definitely different from telling passer-bys on the street. It's okay, he'll adapt.]

Just between uz, saw a man throw a shoe directly at another fella! Straight from the ground to a treehouse and it knocked the guy clean over! Everyone talkin' about these dreamotion abilities, but I witnessed with my very eyes how effective a shoe can be.

Maybe we should all start practicin' that move. But if you wanna tell me an effective alternative, I got me eyes open. Ya know, in case I run outta shoes.


[Contrary to his icon, Vigil is dressed in a nice enough suit, the blue overtone matching the gloom that seems to surround the man. There's definitely an exhausted air to him as he stares up at the fruit hanging from the tree, because this is apparently his life now. And he thought the whole business back home was tiring...]

Exploding fruits.....

[Because it can't be normal fruits here, they have to explode if touched. So, the only way to get them down is through those abilities everyone's been using, but... he really hasn't been practicing that. He looks around to anyone that's also working on this task and he musters up some courage, before addressing the other person.]

I do apologize, but... are you familiar with these dreamotion abilities?

Comments

[judicialassistant]

[ Huh?? He's actually going to tell her? Only... she has to tell him something first? Can't she just pay him?!

...And by "pay him," she means make Ryunosuke pay him???? ]

But how am I to know if it's interesting?

[buriedvigil]

Think of a story or bit that would be the talk of town. That sort of thing.

[judicialassistant]

[ An idea starts to form in her head, but she already hates it. Nevertheless, if it works, it would keep her from spilling something that could actually affect someone here.

S i g h. ]

A young lady once broke the law while pretending to be something she's not, and got away with it.

locked;

[buriedvigil]

[Broke the law...? It sounds like something related to back home. When Vigil sends her his next message, it's made private only to them.]

Breakin' the law, is it? Talking some thievery here?

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato is thankful for the privacy. She makes a mental note to remember to do that herself the next time. ]

Not exactly? You could say it was... trespassing. She was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be, doing something she had no business doing.

[buriedvigil]

Must've been somethin' real important to her. Takin' it upon herself to do that business and potentially gettin' in trouble for it.

[judicialassistant]

Yes... well, she was lucky. She had help, otherwise the punishment could have been quite severe.

One way or another, someone's life was at stake.

[buriedvigil]

The life of a friend or family of yours, Miss Mikotoba?

[judicialassistant]

[ ...... ]

A friend. [ It was difficult to tell whether that meant he'd figured out who she was talking about. But then, she supposed it was always coming to that anyway. ] My best friend needed someone to believe in her.

[buriedvigil]

[With how serious this topic is turning, Vigil finds himself dropping most of his earlier persona, writing in a more neat manner as he responds to Susato's comment.]

She was all alone? ...That's an extremely lonely feeling. I'm certain she appreciated your support, even if she was also concerned about you breaking the law for her.

Perhaps without knowing all of the details, I cannot speak fully, but it seems that you made the correct choice. There are few worse things than finding oneself alone against seemingly insuperable challenges.

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato noted how his handwriting changed. It certainly was encouraging to know that Vigil had agreed with what she did, though... that's twice now she had ruined a perfectly good conversation by bringing up this case. The first time, she heated up her tea so much out of anger that she spilled it. Aaaah, Susato, when will you learn? ]

I appreciate that, Mr Vigil. I know you would understand better than most.

[ ...Well, she can stop holding back now. After taking a moment to see that the lock was still in place- ]

The truth is, she did not know how alone she truly was. She stood accused of murder, and I could not bring myself to tell her that no defense counsel in our country would advocate for her.

...So I did it. Only because of Japan's laws, I had to dress as a male student to do so.

[buriedvigil]

[He's spoken to Lord van Zieks since their last conversation and he helped to clarify some of the missing pieces, namely, that the trial where his life as Gossip is revealed to the court hasn't been something he experienced just yet. Still, it's the trial that she's spoken to him before and therefore, she knows a lot about some of the shadier things he's been a part of. He's not entirely sure if the whole bit with Gregson has been revealed, but he wouldn't be surprised at this point.]

A law preventing women from defending others in court...? That sounds rather backwards, I must say. I'm entirely certain that you're far better as an attorney than myself, for instance, and to be denied that sort of opportunity based just on that...

[Although, the British Empire is probably still lagging on certain things. Evie could probably speak far better on that sort of topic than him.]

I didn't realize that you're a lawyer and at such a young age, that's truly impressive. I'm assuming that you managed to successfully defend her in court?

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato doesn't really know if she'd go that far as to call herself a lawyer, but she can't find it in herself to deny it, either, after a lifetime of studying all the same things and basically--being a lawyer in everything but name. ]

Yes, thank goodness. I got by with a little help from my father, and we found the truth.

[ And a certain judge we are still not talking about. ]

The law doesn't just prevent women from being counsel. Unless we're the accused, we're not to appear in court at all. It was just one of the things we were hoping to change about the system, when we got back home, but... clearly fate had other plans.

[buriedvigil]

[Jigoku?? We don't know a Jigoku here.]

...That's truly a relief. Capital punishment is the harshest of sentences a court can deliver and I'd hate to think of an innocent being found guilty of it. It's not a pleasant sight even for people that do deserve it.

[Not that he's personally executed anyone, but... he still remembers setting up the gallows for the executioner and later confirming the corpses in their coffins before stapling them shut. All of that was grim... and probably one of the reasons why he resigned ten years ago. ...Right?]

That's terribly narrowminded. I'm afraid I don't have any advice how to bring about such change, but I believe that your father and yourself will be able to change the system. You've already succeeded in defending someone that was facing the highest of punishments and I don't think that can simply be ignored.

[judicialassistant]

[ HONESTLY she will be the first to admit she would not have the stomach for Vigil's (old) job. Resigned or fired, she appreciates him weighing in on this, in a way she never expected. ]

Thank you... Unfortunately, I don't believe this is something I can look up in any book. No protocols to follow--how can there be, when our protocols are the problem? But your support is definitely noted and appreciated from across the sea.

[ But also, can they get back to less heavy gossip? ]

In any case... Mr Gossip, does my story earn me a name?

[buriedvigil]

Oh, most certainly!

[He's almost forgotten about that. Although with everything she's told him, he doesn't exactly feel right spreading that story around to others. However, he intends to keep his end of the deal, and he takes a moment for himself, as if sliding back into his other persona.

And the writing becomes slightly more rough again.]

So the lad that threw the shoe... I saw with me two eyes that he was Nipponese. Couldn't tell you his name, but he had real short black hair.

[judicialassistant]

[ It is truly adorable (?) that she's able differentiate when Mr Gossip returns. Still, he just described most of the Japanese-passing population.

... ]

Was he wearing black as well? An armband, perhaps?

[buriedvigil]

[Oh ho, so Miss Mikotoba does know him, quite possibly. Everything's just gotten a bit more interesting.]

Got it in one, there. He a friend of yours? Gotta tell ya, he has a good arm on him. That shoe sure sailed through the air.

[judicialassistant]

[ What? Is he kidding? Even she's not usually this on-point-- ]

Well, I suppose I'd have to check for anyone else wearing a Yumei University uniform here in Reverein. But... with the chances of that being as low as they are, I feel you must be talking about Mr Naruhodo.

He is my friend, but what was he doing, throwing a shoe at someone?

[buriedvigil]

[Naruhodo... didn't she mention that name to him when they first met at that café? Now that he thinks about it, Miss Mikotoba stated that she was his partner during a trial, probably the same trial that he's yet to experience.

So, that means... he witnessed a lawyer throwing a shoe at another lawyer. Guess the battle continues even off court.]

Now we're gettin' to the real good bit...

[Vigil is gonna pause here for minute, just for dramatic effect!!]

It wuz the only weapon that could reach that creature of the night... the one standing so menacing from the top of his treehouse!

[judicialassistant]

[ Vigil, you're killing her!! ]

Huh?! [ Mr. Naruhodo vs. a creature of the night........... why does this sound stupidly familiar ] He was probably just trying to get his attention, before causing an unfortunate fall...

[ The things that happen!!! when she is not around!!! Grrr!! ]

[buriedvigil]

He was pretty spooked, I think. Made a mighty yell of 'look out' before lopping that shoe at him. Then... he went up the treehouse to directly confront the shadowy figure!

He's a very brave lad, won't lie. Although, I haven't seen him since.....

[Of course, Vigil is pretty sure that he's actually fine. Lord van Zieks wouldn't actually kill this Mr. Naruhodo... he's about 90% sure.]

1/2

[judicialassistant]

[ She fully trusts van Zieks at this point, or at least in the integrity of his character, so she can fully believe he wouldn't kill him. Maybe with a little wine in him, he'd......maybe... leave him unconscious? She should probably be more worried about Ryunosuke, but considering he already has a history of "disappearing" and reappearing here... ]

[judicialassistant]

[ Damn it. That armband-showing dork had better be OK. ]

...Mr Gossip, who was the shadowy figure?

[ She didn't realize it, but she assumed the answer. She can already picture him with his cape. Tell her anyway. ]

[buriedvigil]

Wanna tell me another story?

[Is he serious.......]