Sorrow & Mercy: a Great Ace Attorney AU

Oceanborne-Blossom

On the eve of Susato and Kazuma's departure to London, something terrible happened. Something that should have been regarded as a dark portent: Dr. Wilson was murdered.

The loss of yet another kind soul that Susato had met during her stay in Britain rattled her deeply. Yujin was shaken as well, Susato could see it in his eyes, in the faint unsteadiness in his hands, but he hid it well. They had both been through enough loss that they knew how to keep moving when its shadow fell over them. At least, that was how it seemed at the time.

Susato and Yujin had both been glad to assist Kazuma in finding proper justice for Dr. Wilson. Thus, they lent what aid they could to guide his falsely-accused friend, Ryunosuke Naruhodo, in the trial that would prove his innocence and expose the true culprit: an insidious gentlewoman from Britain.

While Susato felt her part had been rather small, she was filled with a sense of justice, of rightness. A taste both sweet and bitter, exhilarating and solemn. Almost like revenge, but rightful. And the knowledge that the truth was found and justice would be carried out helped ease the pain of loss, drawing her thoughts and feelings back around to eagerness and anxiety for their upcoming journey across the sea. To Britain. To the people she feared she would never see again. To Barok van Zieks and a future chasing after justice.

And this eagerness made it impossible for Susato Mikotoba to keep still. She kept wandering in and out of Kazuma's room as they prepared to depart early that very morning.

"I can't wait to see them again!" Susato said for probably the ninth time in the past hour. "I know you will get along so well! And we can all go for fish and chips together!"

Kazuma watched her pace as he stood in front of his largest suitcase, his arms crossed.

"What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he...what if he married? I'm sure he did. It has been ten years," Susato continued.

Kazuma sighed.

"Do you think that's why he never responded to any of my letters?" she said, and stopped to look Kazuma straight in the eye.

"I have no idea, Susato-chan. And I don't really care. We are going to study and to practise law," he said stiffly.

Susato nodded and glanced away, shamefacedly. "Yes, of course. That's important to me, too. I just...I have missed them all so much. Inspector Gregson. Lord Stronghart. Mr. Sholmes. And...And Lord van Zieks..."

"I know, Susato-chan. You haven't stopped speaking about them for days," Kazuma said, face averted, chest sinking with another sigh.

"I just know you'll like them so very much! Inspector Gregson is as obsessed with fish and chips as you are with sukiyaki. Who knew that was even possible!" Susato said, letting out a nervous laugh.

Kazuma tensed. "Susato-chan."

"And Lord van Zieks loves the theatre! You enjoyed that ballet you went to recently so much. Perhaps we can all go to one together!"

"Susato-chan! That's enough, alright? I really don't want to keep hearing about these Englishmen," Kazuma snapped.

Susato stared at him, stunned by the harshness, by the unusually tense cast of his features. She withered.

"Sorry, Kazuma-sama. I know you must be so nervous too..."

"I don't mean to be harsh with you, Susato-chan. But I really don't want to hear any more about them. Let's just focus on what's ahead of us."