#🖋️ || Astro Attorney Bias Game - Submission.

[opalthea]

[ Entry #1. ]

Event-based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfship.

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧

"... Actually, maybe this was a bad idea." Esther shuddered, eyeing the exquisite dish warily as she pushed it away. Her order only stared back, as much as a meal could, as if mocking her for taking up the commission. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh, man, I don't feel so good..."

Her red-haired companion only chuckled softly, poking at his dish with his fork. It looked like he, too, was a little bit hesitant on eating it, or maybe he was just waiting for her to get the first bite. Who knew just what goes through his head?

"Aw, c'mon. You're chickening out right after I offered to pay the bill?" He cooed, his smile all cocky as he watched her expression morph into one of frustration.

"Can you blame me? I've been diving here in Fontaine before; if everything in this place has otter in them, I can't stomach it," she mumbled, then, "have you seen them? They're like rabbits. How could you eat something so cute and fuzzy and friendly??" Her hands cradled her face as she wallowed in her misery, wondering just how a restaurant could find people who were willing to chop up-- oh, ugh, Archons, the horror.

"The requester never said anything about the dishes actually containing sea otters." He rolled his eyes playfully, with that smirk on his face. He dug his fork into his food, and a knife tore into the meat. His intuition told him that it would be safe to eat, judging by the colour of the cooked meat, and the ingredients listed below the dish in the menu.

The menu itself also never mentioned anything about using otter meat. Much less anything that wasn't pork, beef or poultry.

She pushed her plate towards him, folded her arms and scoffed. "Okay, smarty-pants, you eat it then. Give me your honest opinion."

"You think I'd eat it? It's yours, you should have the first taste."

"Heizou," she groaned.

"Hey, I have my own food to finish, you should be able to finish your own!"

Esther could only return her head back to her hands, sobbing dramatically into them. Honestly, she could just eat it, but the guilt that came with it was something she wasn't prepared for. She'd been so interested in the sea life here in Fontaine, and never once had she been curious of the way sea otters tasted like. Even for someone like her — non-human origins and all that — eating exotic animals did not sit well with her. How did this restaurant even open, and why was it so full with customers? Do they realize they're eating otter meat?? Should she just run away, back to Mondstadt? WHY did she accept this commission in the first place?!

Heizou held his fork up, with a hand hovering below it. "Say ah." He smiled. His smile is ominous.

Her brows pulled together. "What is that..."

"It's my order, don't worry. Just have a bite, please."

"Your order also has meat in it," she muttered in distaste, pulling a face. It only made him lean closer, extending his arms to reach her, much to her chagrin. "Heizou, I'm really not..."

"You haven't had breakfast this morning so you could 'stomach the food', your words, not mine." His cheeky smile is long gone, replaced with obvious worry. Though Esther knew that the detective was capable of theatrics — recalling how he easily let charming flirts roll off his tongue, and the faces he'd make in doing so — this time felt real. Genuine. "Eat something at least, sweetheart. Can't have you fainting on me, or I'll get too flattered."

Well, it better be real.

With a shaky exhale and a defeated look, she leaned towards him, and ate the food off his fork. She chewed on it for a while, probably to judge on the taste, and from the grimace she was showing... She was either trying not to think about the taste too much, or the guilt. Whichever it was, she didn't look too happy.

"!"

Until she opened her eyes wide, humming in surprised delight.

"Oh- babe, it's good! What is this? It tastes like Sticky Honey Roast?!" She exclaimed, pleased with the taste, and the fact that he didn't feed her something she would've gagged at (which was something she was prepared for).

...

Babe. He had been waiting to hear that from her. He can only smile fondly at her sparkling eyes and the happy glow off her face.

"This restaurant doesn't actually serve otters. Here, I actually did a thorough investigation before we came here, so thank me after you're done with the..."

[ The Mystery of Otter-served dishes in Lumiere Restaurant: Solved! ]

To all the foodies who were concerned about this particular restaurant serving sea otters as their main ingredient, worry not! This is your favourite traveler speaking, here with her partner-in-crime, reviewing the Steak Tartare.

As the name suggests, the main ingredient is the beef itself, with a variety of ingredients put together to make the raw ground beef appetizing. I would have to admit, Fontaine dishes are as delectable as they are intimidating, but I didn't have to taste test many dishes for too long! Shikanoin Heizou — my companion — had done a full background check on the restaurant through legal means, and found that there is no such thing as otter meat in any of the served dishes. He's extraordinary, that one! Can't believe I was lucky enough to have him accompany me today, haha. ♡

- Esther.

Anywho, it is safe to say that the Lumiere Restaurant respects its customers and understands that it would be quite a bombshell to use its own patrons to experiment exotic dishes! Glad to know there's still some good in this world. Esther, signing out!

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Extreme Bias Game.

[opalthea]

Entry #5 : Paw Patrol Is On A Roll! Event-based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfships.

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧.

"Heizou, I don't think it's professional of us to cuddle with wild sea otters."

"What?!" The man in question turned around immediately with a crushed expression, offended that they were, sorta; kinda, not allowed to be affectionate with the marine life in Fontaine. Not that it was really his fault — all the animals here were unlike the ones in Inazuma, after all — but there was a reason why they shouldn't. And Esther planned to make sure that these critters stayed safe and sound in their natural habitat.

Esther reached down to grab the otter in his arms, only to let it free from Heizou's awfully clingy embrace. "Nope, sorry babe. Defeats the whole purpose of keeping them safe." (Letting wild animals be used to human touch would be detrimental in the future, because while we know we would treat them right, other people — like poachers — would take advantage of the domestic behaviours of these animals.)

Feeling rather stumped, Heizou groaned and laid back on the sand. "You're really no fun, Esther. I see you too; don't think I can't understand just how badly you want to put your face onto the otter's fluffy stomach."

"Your eyes are tricking you," she answered, smoothly. Too quickly, she winced internally, and her answer received an amused chortle from her fiance.

Archons, they were supposed to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity, and here they were, getting distracted by cute otters and the cool seawater. She had better things to do, like finding out why some of her memories were all faded out, blanked, and altered, but these commissions were her ticket to her truth.

(Like it or not, she just had to comply. If she didn't, then who knew what that Fatui magician might do to her mind- or the Hydro Archon and her loyal Chief Justice.)

"Alright, let's actually do some scouting before we visit our next client, yeah?"

[ Save Our Otters, Not Your New Fur Coats! ]

A fact that isn't known to many is that, truthfully, not ALL animals of Tevyat could be your regular household pet. Not Sumeru's Rishboland Tiger, nor the Spinocrocodile; none of the native foxes of Mondstadt; and not even Fontaine's dearly beloved otters!

Poaching is a real problem that occurs in every corner of Tevyat, regardless if the species is known as a domesticated kind or not. Those who conspire in these illegal activities would actively hunt or capture wild animals on land that do not belong to them, or in contravention of official protection.

Related to this issue, a client of ours is a representative from Fontaine Animal Welfare Bureau, and has spoken up about recent poaching cases that involve Fontaine's infamous otters! My, how absolutely cruel.

Could you really live with the fact that you are contributing to the problem - buying products made out of otters, or keeping illegally-caught otters as "exotic pets?" If you asked me, or my fiance, we would object to that. Not only did we take it away from its natural habitat, surrounded by its own kin, but we also desensitise these beautiful creatures to humans, which would be destructive to the nature of these otters and the environment!

Help us out by reporting any suspicious organisations, and contacting your nearest Wildlife Center. Let's all save the otters - we don't need more pets to show off as a trophy, and definitely no need for genuine fur coats! -

- Esther.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.

[opalthea]

[ Entry #2 ]

Event based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfship.

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧

"Huh."

Heizou looked over his shoulder, intrigued by the paper that caught his partner's attention. Of course, anything that managed to catch her fancy is worth noting — it wasn't everyday something could impress or surprise her. Even if she was a simple, little bird who enjoyed sparkly things.

He turned around, and placed his hand on the small of her back. "Now, what do we have here, hm?"

The word 'Fatui' instantly found its way to his vision, and he held back a frown. There was a commission set up for a Fatui couple? Not that he had anything against the huge Snezhnayan organization, but considering how much of a ruckus they've made in Inazuma, he'd rather not have her involved in any of their affairs...

But, alas, there was only so much he could stop. Her eyes were wide — sparkling much like those tiny, artificial pebbles she would pick randomly on the streets — and a grin stretched her lips so widely, he almost felt jealous. Keyword: almost. He supposed she only felt giddy because it was something to be happy about - marriage and the like, love and passion.

"Oh, Heizou, take a look." She ushered him closer, holding the paper at an angle so he could read better. From there, he managed to find the names of both the fiance and fiancee, but it didn't matter much to him. Even then, Esther only kept talking animatedly, and said, "I know these two from Mondstadt, and I've seen them around the last Lantern Rite! Can you believe it? They're finally getting engaged! I'm so happy for them!"

"Sorry, I'm not familiar with these two, but I extend my congratulations anyway," he smiled, a polite expression on his face. Her grin dimmed down, confusion spreading on her face.

"Have I never told you about Ms. Nadia? I was sure... She's an acquaintance of mine, despite the fact that she's a Fatuus and all..." Her lips were pursed, developing a pout when she realized that it was probably a mistake on her behalf. "Ahh, my bad, it's really nothing. Anyway, they need someone who's accustomed to Snezhnayan traditions, and I'm pretty sure I'm cut out for the job."

He chuckled, running his hand up and down her back for silent reassurance - that it was okay to assume he'd know them. After all, it was still his duty as her fiance to remember the things she told him. (Although, even if he reached the deepest, furthest parts of his mind, he had no recollection of her ever telling him about this Vlad and Nadia people. Hm. This would be worth investigating.)

"Of course you'd fit the part," he murmured, with a small laugh, "who else is better than this Traveler that took my heart with her? Seeing sights all across the world, and yet the best one I've seen is your smile."

He was rewarded with an affectionate (and gentle) punch to the shoulder. And was then shoved off her with a hearty laugh.

"Enough with the sap, Archons-" she rolled her eyes playfully, "let's just go, yeah? Stop dilly-dallying, Mr. Holmes."

"That's not my name, but alright. Whatever you say, noisy bird."

[ A lovely engagement for even the masked ones! ]

Mr. Vlad and Ms. Nadia were wonderful! What a pleasure it was to meet them again, and an honor to be able to extend a helping hand in helping them out with their venue! I only wish for nothing but happiness and longevity for their future relationship, should they take it a step further. 👀

It was a lot of fun organizing a traditional, but simple Snezhnayan engagement! Everything went smooth sailing: from the formal event planning; to the feast; to the music and the dancing; and last but not least, the small family party! Personally, I never knew Snezhnayans had so many traditions when it came to proposals, weddings and of the like, but here I am learning, and I'm glad to be able to tackle this commission. Thank you to both the requester AND the newly engaged couple!! ♡

I wonder when Heizou and I would take it to the next level...

In any case, if anyone needs any more help with any cultural events, don't be afraid to send a commission to The Steambird! I can't assure you that I would be the one completing your request, but I can say that you will be most satisfied with the services! Au revoir, as the Fontainians say!

- Esther.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.

[opalthea]

Entry #7 : Death is Beauty. Horror is Art.

Event-based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfships. (Prompt 2, 8th Edition. 400 points, doubled to 800?)

Somewhere in Fontaine…

✧.

"... Traveler, this isn't safe, is it?" Esther muttered under her breath, stepping back to avoid getting any closer to the pool of what they called as 'The Primordial Water.' She wasn't sure if the Traveler could see it — hell, she herself couldn't believe if she was seeing this right — but the water was pure black when one used their Elemental Sight. Just like the dark of night, or the claws of sleep.

It spelled trouble. Death, for the people, and corruption for those who weren't Fontainian.

Esther wasn't one to shy away from danger, nor was she easily afraid of something that could barely harm her, for she was not a child of Fontaine, but this made her hidden feathers ruffle in discomfort. This water was claimed to be so pure, and yet, some kind of abysmal energy...

The Traveler only sighed audibly, and continued to glare at the strange water flowing upwards, like that was normal. Paimon floated about, nervously bobbing in the air. Then, she spoke, "yeah, um... Your client had really said that he wanted a taste of this- the Primordial Water, didn't he?"

Drip, drip, drip, goes the water. Every ripple became too loud for her. Every rush between the walls, too deafening.

She swallowed. "This is disturbing. Master Albedo wouldn't be happy if I continued to pursue this."

Heizou patted her back, as if smoothing out her feathers and lowering her invisible hackles. He cleared her mind off of worry with his simple touch, and stepped in front of her, as though to shield her vision from the water that clearly disturbed her.

Her heart swelled.

"I don't.. agree with this client in particular. But from what we've concluded, non-Fontainians aren't affected much by the water, yes? Aside from being sensitive to the Hydro element..."

He reached for a vial that the Traveler held up, full of the water they all seem to dread. Heizou looked on skeptically as it settled around his fingers, this vial, and took a whiff.

Smelled just like any seawater. If he had that Kaedehara's sense of smell, he'd probably be able to say it smelled of salt, or whatever poetic language that he used.

Slowly, Esther managed to swallow down all her worries, switching to a much relaxed mood with Heizou around... Not that he wasn't around earlier, but she hated thinking about that last commission- and more about that cruel serial kidnapping case of 25 young women. She shook it off like dirt on her back, and gently took his hand that had the vial to bring it closer.

Like any curious soul — and she was her master's apprentice, and a free bird — she eventually caved to wanting to inspect it closer. He allowed her. This was her right.

The colors gleamed and glowed on its own, reflecting on her softer, blue eyes. Opal-like eyes meeting water that tried to rival their beauty, or at least, Heizou seemed to think so. Her lips were pursed as she kept her busy thoughts to herself, possibly thinking of a way to complete this man's impossible request, he deduced.

She drank it immediately after - making everyone yelp in surprise. Heizou, alarmed, had been too late when he snatched the item away from her, and his face contorted to one of horror.

.. Seconds passed.

"Huh. So you really do get sensitive to the Hydro element."

The voices of the Water whispered louder at her statement. She didn't look one bit disturbed at this new discovery, and the Traveler wondered if it was because it was that easy for her to actually separate work from personal things, or if she was prepared to be negatively affected.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.

[opalthea]

Entry #6 : Black Cat, Black Lab, Golden Cat.

Event-based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfships. (Prompt 3, 3rd Edition.)

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧.

Truthfully, Heizou never really signed up for this commission.

Usually, both his partner and him would skim through the available tasks that they get from The Steambird, present each other with the ones that awaken their curiosities, and some that would answer a few questions they might have.

(Patiently, he gloomed, and waited for the day he'd finally understand why he had been paired up with her. Why it took years for him to notice her — her attributes, then beauty, intelligence and quirks; everything that made her so, so- — and how her eyes still fill with an emptiness, waiting for some kind of divine light to shine on her gorgeous, opal-like eyes.)

But this commission had totally slipped his mind- he could not remember, for the life of him, when he agreed to find two runaway pets in Fontaine. For all he knew, someone else could've taken both of them, what with their lovely breed and what those breeds are known for.

Heizou was no pessimist, so he did not voice his thoughts. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Esther's waist, observing her face as she talked to their client, Alexandra.

He did not miss the way Ms. Alexandra subtly eyed his show of affection, and turned his head away in slight embarrassment.

"Do they respond to their names, by any chance..?" Esther tried, already preparing for the owner to say 'no, they don't...' and they'd be off-

"They do, Casper especially. Luciel would turn his head at most." She sheepishly smiled, her eyes holding a certain kind of fondness — the kind that one would get when reminiscing about old memories. "Um, but I guess Luciel wouldn't really come... Ah, you know how cats are."

(She does. She doesn't know why - she had never owned a pet for the centuries she had lived, and yet, she knew, like an instinct.)

Esther nodded with a small frown — to anyone else, it would've looked like she was taking this commission seriously, but to Heizou's perceptiveness, she was disturbed. By what, he didn't know - couldn't know. His smile turned strained for a quick second, before he replaced it quickly.

"Do you have any recent pictures..? They might help- ah, and if they're both wearing anything that could differentiate them from other pets..."

This would take a while, Heizou thought.

Casper sounded like it would've totally fit the dog in the picture they got. As for Luciel.. now, surely a gigantic rug mat would've sufficed as a name?

He jest. Luciel fit perfect for a gorgeous lad.

Now, the matter only laid in where they should start. The Court of Fontaine was a huge area to scout for just a white cat with black socks and mask, and a big, golden dog (which looked practically the same to any of the stray dogs in this nation).

"I wonder how she felt," Esther spoke up, out of nowhere. She looked up to his eyes expectantly, like she was finding for answers in him.

But what answers would he have? "Felt about what? Losing her precious furry friends? I'm sure she'll be comforted once we bring them back-"

"No, like, trusting someone with her precious pets. Not just anyone, for that matter... Her own spouse- y'know, somehow was careless. Hadn't taken responsibility, didn't even appear in front of us."

Huh? Wait- okay, why does she sound like she knew what this would've felt like? As far as he knew, she didn't have anything she could've called as a pet.

"Honey..."

She blinked out of her stupor. "Oh, um, sorry! I must've gone on a ramble. I.. I don't know where this came from." Her gaze was then averted from his, and casted to the path they were walking on, and the direction they were heading to.

He worried.

"If something's bothering you, you can talk to me. You know that I'm here for you - no matter what it is." There was a crease on his forehead, a pout on his lips that he was so sure she could feel without seeing. He worried. She spoke as if she really had been through a similar experience, but nothing about a cat and more about a person.

... A person. Maybe that was the clue he had been missing.

She shook her head, though. "I'm really fine, I just.. I don't understand this either. Must be because of my condition." She patted him on the shoulder, then leaned her head on it, though not placing too much pressure onto him. Just so they could keep walking straight.

... Not just a condition, it seemed.

[ Golden Oreo Duo! ]

(Attached to this edition's piece was an image angled from above, one of a goofy-looking golden retriever, with a human-like smile and his tongue peeking out. His tail was a blur in the background.

A smaller, but larger than average cat was beside it, stretched out on the floor. Its fur denser than an expensive rug. Its eyes as blue as Fontaine's sea. Its collar, an exquisite red. The two of them looked very proud of their escape.)

Troublemakers, the lot of them. Somehow, these two managed to gather a crowd of animal lovers, and they literally crowded this cramped street just to snap a photo! (Thanks to Charlotte for lending me your Kamera!!)

That's another quest done, thank you to the client for the experience today, and for teaching me the responsibility of owning pets, haha! Man, what a day! Guess this teaches you that you should really look out for your loved ones, especially if they only share one braincell!

- Esther.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.

[opalthea]

[ Entry #4 : He Said He'd Change. ]

Event-based writing (for Astro Attorney,) selfship.

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧.

In this small, humble home, was a heartbroken wife, inconsolable as she wept. Her lips never stopped for a second as she recalled every little thing she knew about her husband — the things she knew that she wished she didn't, and desperately wished wasn't real — and yet, they tremble and pause, quivering every time she remembered a detail that she missed. A detail that further proved that her accusations couldn't be JUST accusations alone.

"I'm so sorry." Esther frowned, instinctually wrapping up her client in a gentle embrace. Unfortunately, it only made her cry harder, her tears leaving marks on Esther's white blouse. It didn't matter, though, not to her, because she couldn't imagine how much pain she would be in, if this was her.

If this had been her.

Out of courtesy, Heizou slipped out of the room, and excused himself as he searched around the house. He said something about 'looking for the water from the Primordial Sea' and 'anything about his frequent outings', so she'll leave all that to her trusty detective. He has got his intuition, he would be fine on his own for a bit.

Her client whimpered, again, as her hands balled up the back of Esther's perfectly ironed, white blouse. "I just— How could-" she sniffled, and Esther felt compelled to rub her back soothingly, "no matter how bad things are, we wouldn't have- I wouldn't have..."

How horrifying. Downright cruel.

If marriage was a sign of love, trust, and effort, then how could a man not think twice? How could a man's first thought when a fight breaks out, be to kill someone?

Not just someone, too. His own wife.

She already hated men in general. If this was the rate — what with that crazy lunatic and the missing girls that he had dissolved — she was about to start actually doing crimes.

However, she was merely an attorney in this.. game that she was in. There was nothing else for her to do but complete the commission, and protect this woman.

"You didn't deserve that," she had murmured, frowning- no, glaring at the floor beneath them. As if the floor was the man she sought to put an end to. "Thank you for telling us everything, Mrs. Cecilia. Thank you for trusting us. I swear, I'll put this man in jail for good."

".. You really don't have to go that far-"

"He attempted a murder. It is more reason enough, and if it isn't, I'll take it up to Lady Furina herself if need be."

Cecilia suddenly stopped hiccuping and sniffling, and instead sent a wary look towards Esther.

"... You would actually go up against the Archon of Fontaine? I don't believe you."

She could only reply with a shrug and a hum. "I would do just about anything so I could make sure my beloved wouldn't cry like you did."

(Little did she know. Archons, little did she know.)

"Is she alright?" Asked Heizou, appropriate concern clearly in his voice. He did not want to intrude in her private space, much less be in between them while they talked - he respected whatever it was that women shared, in this odd, unexplainable way.

To his question, Esther sighed. "As alright as any girl could be."

She watched him drop his hand from his chin, and then take out a book from the shelves in Cecilia's living room. It looked like it had a leather cover, some sort of diary, perhaps? Whatever it was, it had Heizou's eyes trained on it, so it was probably something worth investigating.

From what they both knew, his name was Antoine Martin — Esther thought he'd have a very typical name, and that he wouldn't be a popular face, and she was damn right — and he worked as a bellboy in Hotel Blanche. Again, an irrelevant guy. He was described as an artificial-blonde man with a goatee, and wore these obnoxious glasses (her words, not Cecilia's), and had always been too forward in the things he did.

She wondered how exactly someone like him caught the gentle Cecilia's eyes.

Heizou clicked his tongue when he read the content of the book, snapping her out of her rather villainous thoughts.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worry dripping slowly into her tone. He quickly looked up at her, realizing he had alerted her, and shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong, my love," he sheepishly smiled, but there was a strain to it, "just... Have a look at this."

She does. She walked up right next to him, and peeked at what he had been scanning.

Huh.

"There's no way he's this stupid, right? He had Cecilia fooled... For years? And he wrote all these down?"

Heizou could only laugh at her dumbfounded expression, he too in disbelief. "Oh, but sweetheart..." He nuzzled his face into her hair, sighing in her scent and trying his best to contain his giddyness, as a 'treasure chest' opened before his very eyes. "This would be just the beginning to a whole lot of surprises."

After all, that man foolishly believed that his pretty flower would just wilt after drinking that water.

A trial was held as soon as their investigation came to an end, as per Heizou's clever plan.

Esther would argue, and say she was definitely as smart as he was, but when met with emotions — the feeling of vengeance creeping up on her skin when she faced Antoine's cheating ass — she had to admit that Heizou was ultimately the better one between them... At least, for now.

She was proud of him, too, but let's not stroke his ego this early. ♡

Lady Furina took her place in court, with a frown upon her usually arrogant face. Anyone would agree that she was furious, this Archon who enjoyed drama, performances, and twists. After all, one of her own people had committed a serious offense — not only did he attempt a murder by using the Primordial Sea's water, which had been forbidden ever since the case with Vacher, he had also been in touch with the people who formerly worked with Varcher, buying them constantly to get away with more crimes.

The Chief Justice's voice boomed in court as he listed down his wrongdoings: serial murders of other Fontainians, attempted murder, theft, kidnap, assault, so on and so forth. Many lives were affected by one man alone.

A twisted kind of hatred bubbled inside Esther as she smiled sickeningly sweet, and Heizou held her hand tight. Not that she needed any comforting, really...

Mrs. Cecilia was about to request a divorce, too, under the circumstances, before the defense attorney interrupted.

"Your Honor, if I may, my client is not guilty. If it was true that a slight altercation broke out between the couple, and if Mr. Antoine had truly hurt Mrs. Cecilia, where is the proof?" He had said, this defense attorney. "As far as medical records show, there had been no bruising, nor notable injuries on her body. Could we really say that Mr. Antoine had wrecked his own household, if Mrs. Cecilia had intended to make it seem as if it was only him to blame?"

At that moment, all hell broke loose.

A lovely, little songbird hid into the nest it made in a furious, lion's mane.

[ To Whom This May Concern. ]

This small piece today will cover a lot of heavy topics, so I'm sorry to all readers that would feel uncomfortable by reading this. At the very least, please be aware of the people around you, and cherish those you truly love.

First of all, I'd like to extend my sincerest apologies to my client for the events that had unfolded yesterday. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, you deserve so much better than three years of nothingness with a lowlife like that. May you find peace wherever you go now, and a support group who could treat you with the care and respect that was overdue.

Secondly, I genuinely cannot find the words to express how disgusted I am with the way this commission had been treated. It had affected many lives, and yet, so many see this as another tale to tell. Excuse my language, but can you not comprehend the horrors of which my client and the victims had to go through? If you want to talk about beauty, and how every real story is a beauty in literature, I get it, but please keep it to yourselves.

Those who are struggling with marital problems, and need to reach out to someone, please do not hesitate to come forward. If no one else, I would be willing to help. Stay safe.

- Esther.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.

[opalthea]

Entry #3.

Event based writing (for Astro Attorney), selfship.

Somewhere in Fontaine...

✧.

"Okay, this is a ridiculous commission." Esther mumbled, eyeing the commission she had accepted earlier. A commission that she was willing to take, due to how easy it seemed to be.

Easy? Oh, how utterly wrong was she. To her dismay, Monsieur Neuvillette was not only the Chief Justice, but also a man of what she can only say aloofness. He was not cold by any means — she met him once, during that genius magician's magic show, and he was as awkward as he was amicable — but he held a chilling front nevertheless. This made him intimidating to most, unapproachable to many, and especially just exasperating to some.

Or, you know, exasperating in her eyes. What use was it to pretend to be something you're not? An Archon could never fully comprehend human emotion, and neither would a creature that was not human. (And, she won't say this to just anyone, but she was sure that Monsieur Neuvillette wasn't just some handsome, gorgeous man who dropped out of the goddamn sky.)

Back to the task at hand... Apparently, this fanatic commissioner with a bowl cut that could rival a bowl had requested for more.. personal information on Monsieur Neuvillette.

First of all, she was sure that this was a crime. Second of all, okay, scary, you see your law enforcer and did not pay attention to anything but his looks. Third of all... What?

"I'd hate to interrupt you from your daydreaming of me, my love," a smooth voice drawled, and she couldn't stop herself from groaning internally, "but I feel as though we're running out of time. Should we not hurry, little lady?"

"Heizou, you work in the Tenryou Commission, so tell me: is it a crime if your client wants personal information about someone?"

"Well... I mean, morally, it is wrong, but-"

"Oh god--"

"I'm not from Fontaine, one, and I'm pretty sure it isn't a crime here, two, and third... As long as the person wouldn't cause any harm, like even the slightest uncomfortable feeling, it isn't really a crime..." He cringed. He worked as a detective, so the question wasn't really fair to him, because his work WOULD involve breaching private information so he could complete his cases.

(He had also done his own research about her: from her background to her origins; her species; her family and her friends; everything. Not one detail missed. It was for his own good, anyway, for the role he played as her fiance required him to do this much.)

Esther mumbled something incoherent, muffled even further when she sunk her face into the palms of her hands. She felt frustrated, but who wouldn't be? It felt sort of wrong, but if they truly did not have any sort of weird motive, and genuinely wanted Monsieur Neuvillette to feel appreciated (or so they said when she met them...) then it wouldn't be a bad thing to do.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to complete this commission then. Who better to go to than the Chief Justice himself for his preferences?"

(Nobody talked about the way Monsieur Neuvillette looked confused as to why so many people began barge into his office, just to inquire about his favourite food, color, or favourite day to take a stroll.)

[ The Hottest Scoop - Monsieur Neuvillette's preferences are..! ]

This piece had taken so much effort, I apologize for the delay! Who would've known that so many people were asking for an audience with Fontaine's revered Chief Justice? On the same day, nonetheless!

Ahem, and to answer your questions...

Unfortunately, I did not actually ask Monsieur Neuvillette about his preferences. I feel that they are too private to be aired on The Steambird, so this would be my second apology to the readers that were initially hooked onto the title! Some other journalists might've done their scoop, but I would like to remain on good terms with Monsieur Neuvillette, and I believe every person has a right to privacy! (Also, he rejected some of the people before us when they mentioned 'interview'. Please respect the Chief Justice!)

However, worry not! I have asked for the Monsieur's preferences when it comes to gifts, and from what I can summarise, he rather likes trinkets. Doesn't matter if they're cheap or priceless; shiny or dull; he enjoys all of them regardless. Oh, and books! His office's bookshelves were almost full with the amount that he has, and he said he doesn't mind the genre, as long as the content is understandable. He also speaks of how he would like to further understand human emotions... I think he says so because he sees the way Heizou keeps smiling in my direction. Must've distracted him enough to be talking way off topic - we were talking about his penchant for collecting things!

Good luck to our beloved requester, and don't forget that The Steambird's helpers are ready to help you out with your commissions! 'Til next time!

- Esther.

© faesther . Do not repost, rework, or translate any of my works.

Astro Attorney Bias Game.