songerein | [Closed] The Merry Ace Attorney

Entry tags:

[Closed] The Merry Ace Attorney

Who: The Great Ace Attorney cast
Which: Closed log
Where: Mikotoba house
What: The Mikotobas invite Kazuma over for Christmas on the 25th, and all their friends from home on the 26th
Warnings: Nothing here but Christmas cheer!

[25th, closed to Kazuma]

[It's Christmas day in the Mikotoba household, and no such celebration would be complete without their adoptive family member. For that reason, presents have not yet been opened and instead lie ready in a corner of the living area, the wrapping paper almost beckoning the curious gaze. The decorations in the house are minimal in number, though Yujin did learn a thing or two from the most recent dreamscape about crafting a strong Christmas aesthetic with bare essentials. Food has already been prepared for the most part by Susato; roast duck and an apple spiced tea. It only requires those few easy finishing touches, but it's not dinner time yet!

At the moment, they're still waiting for Kazuma to arrive.]

[26th, Cast Party]

[For today, the Mikotobas made sure to invite everyone they know from home to spend Christmas at their home. They have to stick together! While those who hail from London may have their own traditions regarding Christmas, they'll just have to make do with what's been set up! Yujin dragged in a small tree, there's hot cocoa for everyone and dinner will be later. After that, perhaps some drinks of the alcoholic variety for the adults? (Which means everyone except Susato, sorry!) The choices are between apple cider or wine, because we all know Van Zieks has a problem.]

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[December brings about the holidays and a Western tradition to be together with those important to you. Though Kazuma would rather keep to himself, it has been a long time since he had seen or stayed with the Mikotoba's. He feels he should take the opportunity while it present's itself, at least for a day or two. So Kazuma has opted to visit them for Christmas, preferring to stay at home for New Years when his pub will be opening around.

His attempt to dress nicely proves futile with the sweater he's been forced to wear, still refusing to come off. Then again, it's more of a "family gathering" then a holiday party, isn't it?

He had barely gone up the path when Susato is outside to greet him. He tugs at his coat, just barely hiding the stupid sweater. His tail still lingered from his Noctaere ventures last month. All the same, he will greet Susato with a bow.]

Merry Christmas. I hope I didn't keep you and Professor Mikotoba waiting too long. [In his left hand, he carried a bag with gifts wrapped up inside.]

[Yujin doesn't follow Susato outside the house. Not only is it rather cold out there, he'd rather give the kids their space for a little while. Still, that doesn't stop him from standing by the window to observe. He remembers the first time he introduced Kazuma to Susato and smiles when he notes how far they've come. Kazuma is still a bit distant, but it's different now. Genshin would be happy to see this as well, he likes to think.]

[ ...Don't say it.
Don't say it.
Your current sweater is not that much better, Susato, do not-- ]

Meowy Christmas. [ Gosh darnit. But of course she will bow in return, respectful as always, despite the chuckle that escapes. ] Not at all! He is waiting for us inside, but first, allow me to show you something.

[ Perhaps the confidence is ill-advised. Was Whoville even real? Nevertheless, the smile is evident as she closes her eyes, her pointer finger extended as if to say "wait." After a few seconds, she can feel a small warmth growing there, just at the tip, and when she feels the flame as grown large enough, she opens her eyes and shoots it towards the lamp that marks one side of the beginning of their path, glowing bright. ]

[The only indication he gave for that greeting was a raised brow. Maybe a quiet sigh. Yes, Meowy Christmas, haha.]

Hm? [What was she about to do with that hand? Oh. Ohhh. He watches with surprise and fascination as she lights the lamp nearby.]

Amazing...when were you able to do that?

...At first, only when I was angry. But with some training, it's finally gotten easier.

[ Practicing in Whoville helped, and that was only last night, but Kazuma shouldn't be shy. She's seen him do similar things, and she always aspired to make it look that easy. Since he has his hands full at the moment, however, she'll go ahead and light the second lamp too.

Now that she's done showing off-- ]

May I lend you a hand?

[ She doesn't know how heavy the bag of presents is exactly, but she wouldn't be a very good host if she didn't offer. Either way, she will lead him past the lamps and down the path to join Yujin in the house. ]

In such a short time...? Impressive. [He means that, really. His tail is wagging slightly under his coat and there's a warm smile on his face. It feels so long since he genuinely felt happy.]

Ah. It's all right, I can handle this. Let's not keep your father waiting. [He'll follow along behind her, the smell of the roast reaching his nose as they got closer to the home. Not letting the meal deter him, he'll bow his head to Yujin as well when he sees him.]

Merry Christmas, Professor.

[Gosh, he's proud of his daughter for mastering fire dreamotion. Has he told her that yet? He should tell her that m- Oh, here they come.

He goes to stand by the open door to greet them with a smile as they arrive, bowing his head to Kazuma in turn when prompted.]

Merry Christmas. I'm glad that you could make it.

[ No no no, "mastered" is such a strong word, and she is far from that, but she is quite ~~lucky~~ glad that it worked. How embarrassing that would have been for her had it not......

She chooses not to think about that, smile bright as sunshine as they greet each other. ]

I am glad too, of course. [ She knows he has been busy, and she has been helping to alleviate that best she can. Either way, she knows there are other things Kazuma could have been doing with his day.

The Mikotobas are new at this, but the makings of Christmas cheer are all there. In fact, the only thing left was that tree they were going to pick out and drag in together at some point, but the presents are rightly wrapped and in an designated corner where a tree would look right at home. ]

We decided to wait so that we might be able to open our presents all together. If you want, you can put yours over there too, Kazuma-sama.

[He could certainly feel the homeliness and the holiday spirit between the two of them. It manages to put a smile on his face, just being able to spend time with them. He looks to where Susato indicates to put down the gift, nodding.]

Something smells awfully good in here. [He remarks as he sets the bag down with the rest of the presents. He reaches for his coat, hesitating for a moment. It wouldn't be proper to keep his coat on...]

[Listen, Susato can light lanterns with her mind. As far as Yujin's concerned, that's the same as mastering it. If it were him, there'd either be nothing or he'd burn the house down.

Once Kazuma is inside, Yujin closes the door again to shut out any unwelcome cold breezes. He lingers in the hall, his eyes following Kazuma to the present pile. Something seems to be poking out from beneath Kazuma's coat, and it's not until a moment passes that he realizes it's a tail. Um. Alright. He'll just pretend he doesn't see that.]

That would be Susato's hard work.

[ Once upon a time, when Kazuma first returned from the forest, he said something like, "This too shall pass." As the month passed and Susato helped with the cleaning of his basement area, it hadn't... which is something of a concern, but Kazuma had been in such good spirits lately, she hadn't bothered to ask.

...She certainly isn't going to now. ]

Are you alright? If it's more comfortable for you to keep it on, I'm sure father wouldn't mind.

[ Maybe a tad irregular for a prim and proper Asian household, but after having a meal out in the wilds of the forest, she can think of worse. She gives her father a quiet look, as if he should confirm, but then she continues. ]

He is right, of course. It still isn't the same as the pheasant Iris once made, but if you like roast duck well enough, I will be happy to make more for the Wild Harvest when it opens.

[ While Supplies Last^tm, or something. ]

...No, it wouldn't be proper. You already understand why the sweater. [The gaudy sweater isn't the problem. He pulls off his coat, sweater and snake tail now in full view. White scales creep up behind his neck and other parts where his skin is exposed. Their presence seems to have receded a little since Susato last saw him.]

Roast duck sounds wonderful. I think it would fit well to the theming of the Wild Harvest. [A small smile as he goes to set the coat on the coat rack.]

I assume she has told you about what I've been working on...? [A glance over to the Professor]

[Indeed, Yujin wouldn't have minded, but the coat is already being discarded now. Wryly, he wonders how Sholmes would react to the snake tail. It's ironic, that's for certain. Still, he won't say a word about it.]

A pub of sorts, isn't it? It sounds like a very exciting project.

[And somehow, a bit of an odd one. He never pictured Kazuma as the sort of person to own a leisure establishment. But then... Kazuma isn't quite the same person anymore, now is he? Several years have passed for him. Situations like this really drive that point home. Yujin wants to get to know the current Kazuma better, and perhaps frequenting the pub will be a good way to do that.]

[ Rule #1 of the Wild Harvest, framed and displayed like rules of a steamship: dad is not allowed to pick up new husbands--

Haha, just kidding. Of course Susato told him all about it, rather excited at the prospect of something totally new. She had a similar thought, of course; the braided ponytail is a simple, yet constant reminder of how different a man Kazuma had become. She couldn't think of a more fitting excuse to work under him, even if it was at a different capacity than the one intended years ago. ]

Isn't it just? He has owned one before, in the Realm of Stories, but there will be a far more feminine touch to guide him this time. There will be a garden and everything.

[ Convenient and beautiful! ]

Heh, well...it won't be as exciting as the previous establishment. Certainly far more quiet and welcoming.

[He glances over to the sofa, standing by it, but not taking a seat. He'll wait for one of them to direct him.]

It's something to do at least. If it wasn't obvious, attorneys aren't exactly on high demand around here.

[Sure enough, Yujin will wander over to sofa as well, gesturing towards it with one hand before taking a seat in an opposite armchair.]

I suppose it's a blessing that attorneys aren't needed, nor even organized law-enforcement. Though with so many different people arriving and the town growing, it's only a matter of time before someone causes trouble.

...... [ He's brought this up before, and she does find it a little strange. The lack of legal troubles... perhaps the magic of the world has something to do with that, and why everything is seemingly free. ]

Well... if there is trouble that calls for it, we have the best.

[ Between Ryunosuke, Kazuma-sama, and of course, Lord van Zieks.

Susato takes a seat opposite her father on the sofa, leaving room for Kazuma to join her. ]

Hm, Ryunosuke would be outnumbered, but I'm confident he can handle either me or Prosecutor Van Zieks. [Is this bullying? He'll go ahead and settle down beside Susato then. The ring she had given him was still on his index finger.]

He'll have you to help him, I'm sure. [He glances to Susato before looking to Yujin.]

I have to wonder...how would the people here go about deciding who should be the authority for this theoretical law enforcement? In a world without any sort of rules.

[Since Ryunosuke defeated both Kazuma and Van Zieks on more than one occasion, Yujin is also confident the young man would stand his ground just fine. And if Susato's there to help him, that's even better. The bigger concern would be a repeat of the McGilded incident, then.

He raises a hand to his chin as he mulls over Kazuma's query.]

That's a very good question. For now, it appears we are not living by written laws, rather by common decency. That will work wonders so long as everyone here has common decency, though I'm afraid there will come a day when we'll be joined by someone who falls outside that category. [And he's not talking about you and your Hyde issues, Kazuma, gosh.] As we've got no true rulers nor even any sort of local nobility to turn to, perhaps a council of sorts ought to be established to compile some base laws.

[ You know what? This is fine. This is very reminiscent of their study sessions where they'd discuss the latest chapter of her law textbook over dinner. Plus, you know, while Japan isn't lawless, there might be some good information to go on when-or-ifever she and Ryunosuke ever wake up from this dream.

She just wish it didn't feel like a them vs. him situation. She had chosen Ryunosuke back home, and it was easier then, because it felt like he needed her more, as did Japan, but now it felt like Kazuma... at least in some ways, needed her just as much. She was glad, at least, that he still wore the ring to remind him of her support. ]

Given our experience with nobility and those high-ranking, perhaps it is best that we have no one in that regard for the moment. A trusted council would be better to establish some ground rules, but I wonder how they would be decided or how easy that would be.

Politics can be... quite messy, I've learned. I would worry if either of you were to be involved. [ Which they would be, or at the very least Yujin, who seemed to put forth the idea. ]

[He was admittedly thinking about the Hyde thing, cause that's always a possibility.]

Let's not forget we're dealing with people and beings from all kinds of worlds, with their own laws. [How does one tell someone considered a "god" from their own world to follow rules?] I would at least observe. I'd like to know who could potentially be our future "council" members. [Kazuma still doesn't have any bitterness towards authority or nobles or anything. Nope.]

[As Yujin became an official advisor to the government when he returned from his study tour, he supposes he would make for an adequate candidate for such a council. However, he doesn't know what sort of qualifications other people here might have. The more experience, the better. And as Kazuma pointed out, other worlds might have other laws. They'd need a very diverse council indeed.]

Hm... I suppose the only way to know what sort of council members we might get would be to put forth the idea to the public and see who responds. However, that's not the sort of thing to do on an impulse. Once such a process has started, I don't believe it can be stopped too easily.

[ Admittedly, the "wait and see" tactic is one she's often felt ill-advised. In the courtroom, she's learned to seize the momentum, the heat of the moment--but rather than that, in this case, it feels like they are the ones making the waves.

In which case, waiting might be wise. ]

People are celebrating the holidays as well, no doubt spending time with the families they've found here. That, combined with the Wild Harvest opening soon... perhaps it is a project we should tackle after the new year?

. . .You're right, it is the holidays right now. [He leans back in his seat, coming to the realization this is probably not holiday appropriate conversation.]

We can worry about it later. Should we do presents first or have dinner...? [How does this work?]

[Oop, can't have a family dinner during Christmas without it getting political, huh? Yujin bows his head a bit in an apologetic manner at that.]

I'd suggest we have dinner first. It'd be a shame to get too distracted from Susato's delicious cooking. [Though, the tone in which he says it implies he can easily be veto'd if the kids want their presents first.]

Edited (HTML!!!) 2022-01-05 07:42 (UTC)

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