Sorrow & Mercy: a Great Ace Attorney AU

The Shapes of Things

Lady Baskerville took Susato on a wonderful outing. They strolled through a lovely park, ate delicious dessert at a beautiful café, and shopped for ribbons and accessories. Lady Baskerville even took Susato to a tailor ordered some custom dresses for her. Susato felt absolutely overwhelmed by the lady's generosity and endlessly delighted by her kind company.

The two women returned to the van Zieks' manor. Lady Baskerville ushered Susato over to the stables at the side of the property, eager to show her the horses she had talked about during their journey home.

"I should teach you how to ride," Lady Baskerville said, clasping her hands together with excitement.

Susato looked out over the impressive wilderness stretching beyond the house. There was a fence surrounding a pasture, and beyond that flat lawn and rolling hills. And right at the back of the manor lurked a thick cluster of woodland. As Susato peered around breathlessly at the landscape, a hunched, inhuman shape emerged from the trees. A massive, dark shape, bristling at the edge of light and shadow.

Susato slid back a step, tensing.

The shape lingered in the shadows between the trees. And then two other figures appeared, tall and broad. Klint and Barok. Klint was in a white high-collared shirt, his jacket draped over his shoulder, the bright red a pennant of light as they broke out of the treeline. The two brothers spoke animatedly, while Klint carried a string of coneys and small pheasants in his other hand.

The dark shape stepped away from the forest, bounding between the brothers, and then loping a pace ahead of them. Some kind of giant dog.

Barok turned his head. He slowed, catching sight of Susato and Lady Baskerville. Klint noticed his younger brother's attentions and followed his gaze. Seeing the two women, he grinned. Lady Baskerville waved to the men, smiling brightly.

The hound padded towards them. Susato stiffened and retreated as Lady Baskerville bent down to scratch its ears. The dog panted, jaws parting happily, revealing pink-stained teeth, darkened saliva dripping down past a jeweled collar that encircled its neck. Susato watched the dog with immense apprehension.

"Hello, my dear lady! Hello, Miss Mikotoba!" Klint greeted.

Barok glanced between Susato and the direction of her frozen gaze. He smiled at her faintly, a notch appearing beside his brow. "Are you alright, Miss Mikotoba?"

"Th-That's some kind of dog?" she said.

"Balmung?" Barok said. He knelt down and the dog leapt at him, licking his face. Barok's smile grew broad, showing teeth. Susato would have found it charming were she not so afraid. Barok slung his arm around the dog. Balmung wagged his tail happily as he continued to lick Barok's cheek, nosing at his face. "There is no need to be frightened. Balmung is a gentle dog, and loyal besides."

"The fiercest hunting hound in all of Britain," Klint joked as Lady Baskerville gently plucked the jacket from his shoulder.

"We have had him since I was just a small child," Barok continued. He stood and Balmung pranced happily by his feet.

"I have never seen a dog like this before," Susato said, touching her cheek nervously.

"Would you like to greet him?" Barok said and held his hand out towards her.

Susato hesitated then slowly placed her hand in his. She felt even smaller, seeing her fingers resting in his palm. Barok gently guided her hand towards Balmung's nose, cradling the back of her palm as the dog sniffed her skin. Susato flinched. The dog's wet nose pressed into her palm. And then Balmung gave her a soft lick and stared up at her face, wagging his tail.