#I’M ALMOST DONE WITH DUAL DESTINIES

[toniodarling]

I love how bro was experiencing the horros and I unknowingly had the same exact facial expression while looking at him

[perplexingly]

I’m almost done with Dual Destinies, I don’t have coherent thoughts but I really appreciate that plotline where two siblings care deeply for the same person, but the one who has strictly professional, platonic feelings for her is a man, and the one who cares for her in a passionate, romantic way is a woman, thank you Ace Attorney…

I’ve heard people saying that DD is bad but I can’t analyze such things, head empty, only lesbians

[jupitersyndrome]

Finished Dual Destinies and currently playing SoJ!! Simon is such a cool character, especially in 5-5, and I love Nahyuta’s design! I can’t wait to get to DGS but I’m also very sad I’m almost done with the mainline games :,(( Enjoy Nahyuta wip at least lol

[haldenlith]

Warframe x Destiny 2

Okay, since I’ve kind of, on and off, compared the two, my brain got thinking on a “What If xyz Destiny 2 Character was an Operator in Warframe? What frame would they use/main?”

So here we go!

This will be excluding a lot of the new frames because I’m just not familiar enough with them. So that means we’re excluding everyone added after (and including, because I only know him vaguely as Gotta Go Fast frame) Gauss.

I also might have gone in and done custom appearances too... (Fashion frame, the true endgame.)

I’ll start with my D2 OC, Hal.

Hal: Inaros

At first, I was going to say Rhino or something, given Hal’s beefy build and tendency to just charge in and not often die (mm, yes, delicious almost 100 Resilience). But then, I realized, wait, he’s not just a Warlock, he’s a DEVOUR Warlock, and there’s one frame that ticks both the “eat your enemies and regain health” and “never die” boxes. That’s the Sand King himself, Inaros.

 Gotta love the Ramses helmet looking a bit like Nezarec’s Sin.

   Crow: Harrow

You know, you’d think, with his bird theme, I’d immediately say, oh, Zephyr. I’ll grant you, it’s not a bad choice. However, think about Crow’s whole character arc: it’s ultimately been about redemption and penance for past sins. There is a perfect frame for that, though the religiousy theme doesn’t fit, the idea of penance fits. Harrow. It also works in that Harrow tends to be something of a support and protection frame, while also being able to do damage. Another good suggestion would be Ivara, for her mechanics (they’re very Hunter-y). Maybe Crow would main Harrow, but would have Zephyr and Ivara back in his Orbiter for if he needs them?

   Ikora: Nova

So, initially I was going to say “Saryn”, but then I remembered that sheeeee got kinda nerfed, so she doesn’t deal out damage like she used to, and she doesn’t have very good survivability. Then I realized there’s another frame that works for our Warlock Vanguard: Nova. Ikora is supposed to low-key be the most powerful warlock in at least the entire system of Sol (yes, stronger than Osiris), so a frame with incredibly high DPS would be appropriate for her. There’s also Mesa, but I feel like her theme doesn’t fit as well, being a Gunslinger frame. Also, come on, the name. Nova. It’s perfect.

   Zavala: Hildryn

Big Shield Woman for “GET BEHIND MY SHIELD” Titan. Memes aside, I do think Hildryn is good for Zavala. She can take a lot of damage and still stay standing, while also protecting her allies. Very appropriate for our Titan Vanguard Dad. There’s not much else to say, honestly.

I don’t have Hildryn so I can’t do customizations to suit Zavala.

  Cayde-6: Mesa

Also why Ikora didn’t get Mesa, because I was going to give it to Mr. (Dead) Gunslinger, Cayde. At first, I considered Mirage, given her trickster theme, and Cayde was certainly a trickster, or Ivara because of her kit, but ah, the theme of Mesa just fits too perfectly, along with her general kit and damage. Also, just look at that fabulous hat with her Prime version. Cayde would wear that fancy ass cowboy hat if he wasn’t doing a cloak.

I also don’t have Mesa because I hate grinding Alad V, and I have terrible RNG with farming Prime parts.

  Saint-14: Rhino

Big chonk frame that offers some small amount of support to his allies (increases their damage), but is ultimately about charging in, head first, and wrecking face. This is very much the sort of frame you run in and headbutt things to death with. Also I feel like Rhino’s big Stomp ability is very Saint-ish. Angrily stomp the ground so hard you send your enemies flying into the air.

And an honorable mention:

Uldren Sov: Excalibur Umbra

Okay, so, I almost went with Equinox, because of the dual thing. Why? Well, when I think of Uldren, I think of co-dependent, unfortunately. As much of a badass as he was, he... required having another half, which was Mara. He fell to pieces when that other half wasn’t there. So, it’d have to be a frame that works in some dual-dependent sense. Equinox’s kit doesn’t really fit, though. Or, rather, only the Day form fits. Sure, one could go “Oh, but the Night Form is Mara,” buuuut this is a singular frame used by a singular operator. Also, I... don’t think Mara would play pacifist support. SO! I went with Excalibur Umbra.

Excalibur because he’s just an all around good frame to run into a fray on his own and be a badass, plus his Exalted Blade ability performs essentially the exact same as the sword that was dedicated to Uldren, Black Talon. However, it has to be the Umbra version, not just because the whole “edgy tortured existence” thing (although that too), but because Umbra is unique in that, when the Operator steps out of it, it can act on its own, unlike other frames which are basically just... weapon suits, at the end of the day. Umbra is, in essence, dependent on the Operator, in spite of being able to move on his own.

As an addendum, I’d really pick Stalker, but Stalker is unique and not a Warframe, technically. That said, Stalker is 100% an irritating bully to every Operator and Warframe out there. (No, Stalker, I don’t feel like fighting you today, please get out of my mission, ugh...)

(I used the Zato helmet because it’s so damn extra and I don’t have any of the other fancy helms. Also, careful not to get cut on that red/black EDGE.)

[godzilla-reads]

🐉 The Color of Dragons by R.A. Salvatore and Erika Lewis

Based in a fantasy realm, we get dual perspectives between two characters as their destinies intertwine. Maggie is a magician’s assistant, but harbors a secret power of her own which fuels his magic acts. Griffin is the king’s champion and friend to the prince, but slowly realizes he’s being used. Also, yes!, this book has dragons!

Filled with a wide-range of characters and a compelling plot, you’re reading a book that leaves you wanting more and more. It’s too bad that the authors tried to fit a conclusion into 10-pages, leaving you literally wanting more by the time everything is supposed to be done. There was also a lot of gratuitous death, killing off people needlessly and almost without purpose in some cases.

I really enjoyed this book, until it came to the ending, which felt rushed and anticlimactic. If there was 20 more pages I’m sure the ending would’ve been better.

[ot3]

how do i put into words that aa5/6 are not good compared to the rest of the series. like they feel shallow and absurd for the sake of being absurd but that case could be made for any of the games. what sets aa4 apart from aa5/6?

I am not done with AA5 and have not started AA6 so my knowledge of their events and content is incomplete, take everything I'm saying with a grain of salt. But here's my beliefs based on what I've seen, other people's general consensus about AA6, and just general rules of story writing. Below the cut because shock of fucking shocks this got long

in order for a narrative to be impactful the conflict has to be about interpersonal or ideological stakes. material stakes mean nothing for an audience without some emotional connection. The 'shallowness' you're feeling is the lack of any conflict that provides meaningful insight to the character's personalities and worldviews and instead focuses on events and setting that feel 'dark' and 'dramatic'. Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice seem to be of the belief that bigger conflict means bigger impact, but it's not true. More investment means bigger impact, but we are not given any meaningful reason to be invested in most of these characters and their arcs.

In the later Ace Attorney games, characters' behavior is adjusted to fit the writer's desired plot points, rather than the other way around. I find a lot of what hbomberguy says about Moffat-era Dr. Who in his Sherlock video to be really applicable to AA5/6. He talks about how the show stopped being about the people, and it stopped being about giving the characters a chance to grow, and instead started being about big grand events and how cool and brooding the doctor was. There's an emphasis on constantly raising the material stakes, which is all flash and no substance.

If you take a look at the original trilogy, the material stakes are actually at their highest in AA1, during RFTA; the question of whether or not they'll be able to oust a corrupt prosecutors office and a corrupt police force has the biggest and most longstanding implications of any of the trilogy's actual events. But even then that's not what RFTA is about... RFTA is a much better question of 'do the ends justify the means' than ANYTHING in turnabout academy. It's about the ethical and interpersonal strain the events caused, not about their systemic implications.

Then arguably the next highest stakes comes in 2-4, when they're dealing with a hired assassin, who, well, escapes in the end. Because 2-4 isn't about stopping an assassin. 2-4 is about Phoenix's worldview being stress tested with the life of his best friend on the line as collateral.

And then, yet again, the material stakes are even lower at 3-5. The trilogy's grand finale case has absolutely zero longlasting implications on the world. but it doesnt need to! we all love bridge! because it's about getting to see how all of the characters have grown in a way that lets them now collaborate with each other to solve this big mystery together, and to save just one person who isn't even anyone significant or powerful. she's a nun living a quiet life in a mountain temple. iris isn't not an astronaut or a princess or a child prodigy or a celebrity. She's a girl phoenix was close to in his life that he wanted to believe he could trust.

I am probably 20 hours into dual destinies and i can not tell you what these characters need to learn, how they need to change and grow, or how the events of the story are challenging their worldview. As far as i can tell, the ideological dilemma presented by dual destinies is 'isnt it bad when people do bad things? That sucks. they shouldn't do that. when people do bad things it makes the people effected by them sad :(' and it just falls fully flat. like. jesus everything theyre doing with apollo here? whats my takeaway from this other than 'apollo is acting shitty and dramatic because hes sad' whats the POINT of it what does it mean for the people in his life! what does it mean for him!

As for it feeling absurd for the sake of absurd, i absolutely agree with you there too but there's very little objective way to pin that one down. it's just something you Feel. You can almost always tell when a 'weird' character is being written by someone who Isnt weird, trying to Force a quirky personality, vs when someone who IS weird is just writing weird characters because they know how to be weird. it makes a huge difference.

All of the characters in dual destinies feel very gimmicky. Like. they have an overwhelming 'concept' to them and you can tell their entire personality was constructed around one particular gag. But part of what made the weirdness of the trilogy characters so charming was that they were bizarre in ways that you would not initially expect. the DD cast is very much 'exactly what it says on the tin' in a way that makes the characters extremely flat.

theres a lot more i could say about where and how i think DD falls flat in the comedy department too but i've already talked enough.

[dmsden]

A History Lesson - Looking back at D&D’s history

Hullo, Gentle Readers. Well, this is the 5th Monday in March, and that means I get to write about anything I want! It’s also my birth month, which means it’s my anniversary of getting into D&D (42 years!), and that has me feeling nostalgic. Coupled with a discussion I had recently with some friends, I thought it would be fun to look back at the various editions of D&D and give you all a bit of history. I’m not going to get into Gygax vs Arneson or any of that. I’m only talking about the published game itself, not its creators or its storied origins.

The original D&D (or OD&D as it’s sometimes called) came in a small box. It had three booklets inside - Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures - along with reference sheets and dice. Each was softcover and roughly the same dimensions as a DVD/BluRay case. The game was pretty rudimentary - for one thing, it assumed you already had a copy of Chainmail, D&D’s direct wargame predecessor. It also recommended you have a game called Outdoor Survival for purposes of traveling through the wilderness. It had only three classes - fighting man, magic-user, and cleric - and nothing about playing other races. It did have the insane charts that 1st edition would ultimately known for, and it was possible to play a pretty fun game of D&D with it, as its popularity would come to show.

The game expanded through similar chapbooks - Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, Gods Demigods & Heroes, Swords & Spells. With the exception of the last one, each brought new facets to the game - new classes like Thief and Monk, new spells, new threats. It was clear the game was going to need an overhaul, and it got one.

I consider this overhaul to yield the real “1st Edition”, as so much of the game didn’t exist in those original games. The game split into a “Basic” game, just called Dungeons & Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

The basic game was a boxed set that included a rulebook, a full adventure module, and dice...or, well, it was supposed to contain dice. The game was so popular and new in those days that demand for dice outstripped production. My copy of D&D came with a coupon for dice when they became available and a sheet of “chits” - laminated numbers meant to be put into cups (we used Dixie Cups with the name of the die written on it), shaken, and a random number pulled out without looking. It was meant to introduce new players to the game, so it was a trimmed down version. Races were human, elf, dwarf, and halfling, and classes were fighter, cleric, magic-user, and thief. The box only included rules for going up to 3rd level, with the intention that players would then graduate into AD&D. This is where I joined, with the old blue cover box set and In Search of the Unknown, before Keep on the Borderlands even existed.

AD&D was the game in its full glory. Along with the races I mention above, we got half-elves, half-orcs, and gnomes. The four basic classes also had sub-classes, like paladin and ranger for the fighter, druid for the cleric, illusionist for the wizard, and assassin for the thief. There were rules for multi-classing, as well as “Dual-classing”, a sort of multi-class variation for humans only, which, when done in the correct combination, could yield the infamous bard...which didn’t actually yield any bard abilities until around level 13 or so.

This edition had 5 different saving throws for things like “Death Magic”, “Petrification & Polymorph”, “Spells”, and so on. It had the infamous Armor Class system that started at 10 and went down, so that having a -3 AC was very good!  It also had specific attack matricies for each class; you would literally look on a table to determine the number you needed to roll on a D20 based on your class, your level, and your opponent’s armor class. It was fun, but it was very complicated.

It also had some, frankly, shitty rules. There was gender disparity in terms of attributes, which my group totally ignored. Because the game designers wanted humans to be a competitive the game, and because non-humans had so many abilities and could multiclass, non-humans were severely limited in the levels they could achieve in most classes. In fact, some classes, such as monk and paladin, were restricted only to humans.

As the years went on, things got a bit muddled. It probably didn’t help that the rules in Basic D&D and AD&D didn’t perfectly line up. In D&D, the worst armor class was a 9. In AD&D, the worst armor class was a 10. All of this led to an overhaul, but not one considered a separate edition. AD&D mostly got new covers and new books, like the Wilderness Survival Guide and Dungeon Survival Guide, Monster Manual 2, and the Manual of the Planes. It got a number of new settings, too. In addition to the default Greyhawk setting, we got the Forgotten Realms setting for the first time, details of which had been appearing in Dragon Magazine for years, thanks to the prolific Ed Greenwood. We also, eventually, got the whole Dragonlance saga, which yielded the setting of Krynn.

In this new version, Basic D&D broke off into its own game system to some degree. Elf, Dwarf, and Halfling started being treated like classes rather than races, with specific abilities at different levels. Higher level characters could be created using progressive boxes - Expert, Companion, Master, and Immortal, each with its own boxed set and supported by Mystara, a completely different setting that got its own updates over the years. It was odd, because D&D essentially was competing for players with AD&D, and I remember arguments with friends over which version was better (I was firmly in the AD&D camp.)

In 1989, when I was in college, they finally brought forth 2nd edition D&D. This streamlined things a little. Armor Class still went down, but now attack rolls boiled into a single number called To Hit Armor Class 0, or THAC0. It made the whole process of figuring out what you needed to roll a bit less cumbersome, but it was still a bit awkward. The classes got a lot of overhaul, including making Bard its own core class. But what I remember best about 2nd edition was the boom in settings. This was the age of settings, and many beloved ones got started, including Dark Sun, Planescape, Ravenloft, and Spelljammer.

It was also the age of the “Complete Handbooks”. They brought out splatbooks about every class and race in the game, as well as books expanding several concepts for the DM, such as the Arms & Equipment Guide, the Castle Guide, and the Complete Book of Villains. There were also splatbooks about running D&D in historic periods, such as Ancient Rome, among the ancient Celts, or during the time of the Musketeers. The game got new covers for the rule books again, and a bunch of books about options started coming out. It was a boom time for books, but many people complained there was too much.

Without going too deep, TSR ended up in severe financial troubles. They declared bankruptcy, and there was real fear of the game going away. And then Wizards of the Coast (WotC) stepped in. They helped TSR get back onto its feet, and they helped produce some modules specifically engineered to help DM’s bring an end to their campaign...possibly even their whole campaign world...because something big was coming.

That something big was, of course, 3rd edition D&D. The game got majorly streamlined, and many sacred cows ended up as hamburger. AC finally started going up instead of down. Everything was refined to the “D20″ system we’ve been playing ever since. Races could be any class. There were no level or stat limits for anyone. After years of the game being forced into tight little boxes, it really felt like we could breathe. I had stopped playing D&D, but 3rd edition brought me back into the fold. I often say that 3E was made for the players who’d felt constricted and wanted more flexibility.

The trouble with 3E, and its successor 3.5, is that it was still a dense and difficult game for newcomers to get into. It’s been acknowledged that D&D essentially created many of the systems we see and know in other games - experience points, leveling up, hit points, etc. But trying to break into the experience for the first time was difficult. The look of 3E was gorgeous, but I understood that it must seem awfully daunting to someone who’d never played.

4E and its follow-up, Essentials, was an attempt to course correct that. They tried to make this edition incredibly friendly to new DMs, and, frankly, they succeeded. By creating player classes and monsters and magic-items that were all very plug and play, they did a great job of creating a game that someone who had never DMed before could dive into with no experience or mentor and start a game pretty easily. Encounter design was given a lot of ease, and there were promises of a robust online tool system that would help out with many of the more tedious aspects of playing.

There was also a lot of shake up in terms of choices. Suddenly, new classes and races were proliferating like crazy. We got the dragonborn, the tiefling, and the eladrin right in the core book, but we said good-bye to the gnome and half-orc at first. Suddenly the warlock was the new class everyone wanted to try. We got paragon paths and epic destinies that would really shape a character as time went on. The game went very tactical, as well, which some of us loved. The concept of rituals came into the game. Later books like the Player’s Handbook 2 and 3 gave us back gnomes and half-orcs, and also gave us minotaurs, wilden, shardminds, and githzerai. We got new psionic classes, brand new class concepts like the Runeknight and the Seeker...

But there was a tremendous backlash. People felt that, in making the game so very plug and play, they’d taken a ton of choice away from the players. Without the tools (which were never that robust, frankly), it was almost impossible to navigate the massive panoply of options. And, worse, it was harder and harder to develop encounters without those tools. People complained that the game had gone more tactical in order to sell miniatures and battlemats. Given that I have never played the game without miniatures and battlemats (since I started in the days when D&D was still half-wargame), I found this odd, but I also understand my style of play isn’t everyone’s.

The one argument I will never understand is that it didn’t “feel” like D&D, or it was somehow ONLY a tactical game and not a role-playing game any more. Again, given that the original game didn’t even call itself a role-playing game, this felt odd. Personally, I roleplay no matter what game I’m playing. If I’m playing Monopoly, I’m roleplaying, doing voices, and pretending to be something I’m not. I honestly enjoyed 4E, and I know a lot of folks who did, too. A lot of it may simply come down to style of play. But I also enjoyed all the games that came before, including Pathfinder. To paraphrase the YouTube content creator The Dungeon Bastard, “Does your game have dungeons? Does it have dragons? Great. I wanna play.”

As a sidenote, in the months leading up to 4E’s release, a lot of internet videos were released by WotC emphasizing the nature of change and talking about differences in the rules. They also released some preview books showing the direction they were heading. WotC must have anticipated that people were going to find this edition very different indeed. They also cleverly brought in some very funny folks - Scott Kurtz from PVPOnline and Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik from Penny Arcade - and got them to play D&D for podcasting purposes. Looking back, this must’ve brought in a lot of listeners who might never have played D&D and given them a reason to try it out.

After its release, WotC clearly noted that missteps had been made, as this edition of the game was losing them players. They began work on what they referred to as D&D Next, and, this time, they did massive amounts of playtesting, some of which I participated in.

I don’t feel like I have to describe 5E to any of you, Dear Readers, as you could go to virtually any store and pick it up. I am a big fan of 5E’s simplicity and elegance, and I suspect this is the edition of D&D we’re going to have for some time to come, especially given its popularity. Given the effect of podcasts like Critical Role (and I might save an article on Critical Role’s importance to D&D until my next Freestyle article), D&D is likely more popular now than it’s ever been, with a much wider and more diverse audience than ever before.

I know I’m painting with broad strokes here, but I hope this was, at least, entertaining, and maybe you learned something, Gentle Readers. Until we next meet, may all your 20s be natural.

[synnefo-nefeli]

Ughhh so I’ve been debating posting this because: a) I don’t want to be *that* fan b) I don’t want to impose on how ppl interact/interpret fandom c) at the end of the day it’s just fiction so it doesn’t matter

But it’s eating at me and uhhhhhhgghhh I have to say something. Please don’t come for me, this is not me calling anyone out- you are all valid, this is me being an old lady yelling at cloud. Ignore me, ignore me if you don’t agree with me and seriously go on with your lives.

So to start out, I have friends in the video game industry in licensing and merchandising for a few AAA studios-specifically in the creation of the guidebooks/official art books/lore compendiums etc.

These books are created off of information from the game’s artists, writers and narrative producers.

And the general rule of thumb is: unless noted otherwise- character traits such as height, weight, etc. do not account for clothing, accessories,hairstyles, etc.

If a character has augmentations which may effect a stat and it’s vital to the character or story at large-it’s listed.

A good example of this is Peridot from SU. There are character sheets that list her height in relation to her environment with and without her leg extenders. We have two stats for her height.

This for the most part, is pretty standard across the board in the video game/animation industry because they want people(artists and designers in particular) to understand a character’s scale in relation to their environment. Help cosplayers understand how an outfit/character’s form works (not that they *need* to 100% accurately represent a character to cosplay as that character), and because they know their fellow nerds live and breath to know this information.

Soooo this is my long winded explanation to say that Apollo is most likely not 5ft tall and running around with two almost half-foot spikes on his hairline.

I feel if this was the case, AA is silly enough to state that fact. And yes, while this is the world in which Daryan can have a 3ft pompadour, the main attorneys’ designs are less gonzo compared to the clients and witnesses. So it’s unlikely based on what I’ve been told by my friends, that Apollo’s design, which is meant to have appeal while being distinct to AA’s style, would have his hairstyle effect his official stats. The horns are an element to Apollo’s overall design- the Art of Ace Attorney says they’re symbols of him as a “young sprout” in the legal world.

They’re visual elements on the same level as his red suit. You wouldn’t assume Apollo’s listed weight includes him wearing clothes (maybe if he was wearing armor, but then his weight with and without armor would prolly be listed)- so when a stat is listed, that character most likely is that stat regardless of how they styled their hair that day.

And if we follow the logic of what people are sharing about Apollo’s height then we have to ask ourselves things like- “is Trucy really her official stated height or is that including the top hat? Maybe she’s 5 inches shorter” “Is Klavier really 6ft? He is wearing motorcycle boots so that could be giving him some height so maybe he’s actually 5ft 8in”.

And if you believe that, fine. You do you. It doesn’t matter, I stg, I may delete this once I’m done writing this. But I just wanted to share what I know from “the inside”.

And considering that the Japanese studios go into more depth on character details due to fandom, cosplay, virtual idols,doujin/fanworks being a huge industries in parts of Asia- if Apollo was actually 5ft with two 5in horns in his head- that is a detail that would have been noted allllll the way back in the AA4 guide, and there would have been even more meta jokes -official and unofficial- about him being a smol fierce loud lawyer man.

Sooo yes, he’s still a small birb when compared to Phoenix, Miles, Klavier, and Simon, but he’s more than likely not *that* short.

And honestly, if you love 5ft Apollo, I love and support you and wish you nothing but the best in your pursuits of fandom happiness.

I think the idea of 5ft Apollo, who has to climb Klavier like a tree, is cute. But also I’ve had in my brain for the last 13 years that Apollo is 165cm/5ft 5in-ish (okay he’s like 5ft 4.961 inches, I’m rounding up- I’m not his doctor) so it’s what I’m defaulting to when I write.

I guess if anyone wants to ask the artists/creators the next time there is a con or an interview, if Apollo’s spikes are included in his height-please do. I would love to know XD. And if I’m wrong please let me know, but rn I’m going off of the Art of Ace Attorney and the Dual Destinies art book.

But yeah, just needed to write my feelings out- I’m sorry I stg I never do this; please carry on with your lives and leave me to scream at my cloud.

[bevioletskies]

meet me halfway (across the sky)

summary: Video calls back home were a rare treat for Apollo, considering how busy his life in Khura’in could be. Catching up with Trucy, Athena, and Phoenix was one thing. Getting a sudden call from Klavier was another. And talking to Klavier every day for hours about everything they never knew about each other was possibly the most unexpected thing of all.

word count: 12k | read on ao3

a/n: For @klapollo-week, day five of seven (prompt: "parallels"). All seven of my fics take place in the same continuity! However, each can be read as a stand-alone, with the exception of day seven being a sequel to day five.

Mild spoiler warning for Spirit of Justice, along with implied spoilers for Dual Destinies. Fic title is from the song Meet Me Half Way by Kenny Loggins.

“Uh, Mr. Wright, you’re way too close to the screen. Can you sit back a little?”

“Oops - sorry, Apollo! Still not used to this kind of technology, heh.”

“Sheesh, Daddy, you make yourself sound ancient - ”

“Ah! Did you guys start already? Attendez-moi!”

Chuckling, Apollo leaned back in his seat and waited while the three of them rearranged themselves in front of their webcam. He’d missed this, this camaraderie that he didn’t quite have with his current companions in Khura’in. There was something immensely comforting about it, about every time he managed to schedule a video call with everyone back home. It didn’t happen as often as they would’ve liked, given how busy they all were, how tricky the time difference could be, but when it did, it was the best part of Apollo’s week.

“Hey, guys,” Apollo said, waving sleepily. “What’s been going on?” He leaned closer, peering at his screen. “...Athena, why do you have a banana sticker on your forehead?”

“Why don’t you have a banana sticker on your forehead?” Athena retorted, peeling hers off with a flourish. “Anyway, everything’s been sehr gut! We’ve had, hm...I think four clients since we last talked? All acquitted, of course!”

“Anything interesting?” Apollo asked. “I’ve had twelve clients, myself.”

Phoenix frowned. “I’m...not so sure that’s a good thing. Are you getting enough sleep? I can’t imagine you having that many cases and not mixing them up. Keeping track of evidence alone must be a nightmare!”

“It’s been...a process,” Apollo said diplomatically, trying not to think about the dozens of folders he had on both his desktop and his actual desk that needed to be sorted in a way that made some semblance of sense. “Don’t worry about me, Mr. Wright, I-I’m fine!”

“Famous last words,” Trucy huffed. “Polly, you need rest! We want you back home in one piece, after all.”

“At least I’m not accepting odd jobs anymore,” Apollo chuckled. “I don’t mind helping someone set up their internet or move their couch every now and then, but I can’t do everything.” He startled suddenly at the sound of his phone going off. “Oh - sorry, one sec.” His brows knitted together when he read the call display: Klavier Gavin.

“Apollo? Is something wrong?” Athena asked, concerned.

“I - uh…” Apollo hesitated, unsure of what to do. “I’m gonna mute myself for a second, hang on.” He did just that, then answered his phone. “Gavin? Are you...wait. Did you call me by accident?”

There was a long, lingering silence. Then, “Ach, I only just realized what time it is where you are. I should’ve texted first, ja?”

“Yeah, probably,” Apollo said, laughing awkwardly. “Is this, uh, urgent? It’s just - I’m in the middle of a video call, so…”

“Nein, nein, not all!” Klavier’s voice was too loud, too sharp. Apollo didn’t need to see his face to know what that meant. “You know what? Forget I called, it’s nothing.”

“Hey, no, don’t do that,” Apollo protested, frowning. “If you wanna talk for whatever reason, we can - ”

“I have somewhere I need to be, anyway, so, er - Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Forehead.” Klavier quickly hung up before Apollo could get a word in edgewise. He stared at his phone, perplexed, before unmuting himself. The others looked as confused as he was.

“What happened?” Phoenix asked.

“...Prosecutor Gavin called me?” Apollo shook himself a little. “I’ll get back to him later, so - anyway, what were we talking about?”

_____

Three days passed before Klavier responded to the inquiring text message Apollo had sent him after he’d finished talking to the others. He still didn’t seem ready to talk about it - whatever it was - but he did suggest they do a video call of their own, to which Apollo agreed. Something about Klavier’s behavior was bothering him, and he was more curious about it than he expected to be.

“Forehead? You’re staring, achtung. I know I’m handsome, but you should really keep those eyes of yours under control. They’re going to get you in trouble someday, I’m sure of it.”

“I - ” Apollo’s eyes narrowed. “Really, Gavin? That’s how we’re starting this?”

“It was you who started it,” Klavier said petulantly, his tone not unlike a five-year-old’s. But really, Apollo couldn’t stop staring - not because of Klavier’s looks; he’d long made peace with how attractive he thought Klavier was and how much he didn’t want Klavier to know, but because of how tired Klavier seemed. Apollo had expected him to be in his usual “uniform”, his silver jewelry and perfect makeup and impeccably styled hair. Instead, Klavier was wearing an oversized sweater, his hair up in a loose topknot, his face completely bare. He still had that lazy, slightly flirtatious smile on his face, but he was slouching quite a bit, his arms loosely wrapped around his propped-up knee. With his cracked lips, acne scars, and hunched shoulders, he looked more human than Apollo had ever thought possible.

“How’ve you been?” Apollo asked, ignoring him. “I’m surprised you called. I haven’t heard from you in, like. Three months? Four? I swear, I’m losing all sense of time here.”

“Well, it’s not like we had a habit of talking in the first place, ja?” Klavier pointed out. “But...to borrow a phrase, I’m fine, though the courts have been so boring without you here. I almost miss the ringing ears I got after every single one of our trials.”

“Har, har,” Apollo drawled. “Congratulations, you and everyone else have broken me down into exactly two personality traits: sarcastic and loud. Are you proud of yourself?”

“You forgot ‘oblivious’,” Klavier supplied helpfully.

Apollo blinked. “...to what?” He blinked again. “Wait - ”

“Too late,” Klavier interrupted gleefully, beaming. “You’ve proven my point beautifully.” Apollo glared; not five minutes in, and he was already prepared to hang up. “Anyway, I’ve been sehr gut, for the most part. Work has been keeping me busy. You?”

“I’m pretty settled here by now,” Apollo said, shrugging. “It’s rough, y’know, trying to rebuild an entire legal system as the only defense attorney in the country, but, uh...at least I’m not completely alone. And as nerdy as it sounds, I’m actually really liking the work. Not the stress - that, I could do without - but the fact that I get to be a part of this big...thing. It’s exciting, I guess.”

“It’s not that nerdy,” Klavier reasoned. “Nerdy is reading law textbooks at night, under the covers. As a child.”

“...is it weird that I actually did that?” Apollo asked, wincing.

Now it was Klavier’s turn to blink, stunned. “Wait, really? I was talking about me.”

“Oh.” Apollo shifted in his seat, surprised. “Never would’ve guessed. I mean, obviously, I know you became a prosecutor at seventeen, but I just assumed you were a musical child prodigy and...I dunno, switched career paths at some point.”

Klavier let out a soft laugh. “Again, you flatter me, Herr Forehead, but I’m not a prodigy of any kind. Just some good old-fashioned hard work, you know?” He then frowned very slightly. “Though...I’ll admit, I’m not sure how much of my standing at the prosecutor’s office also came down to good old-fashioned nepotism. After all, Kristoph…” He trailed off, unwilling to say more.

Apollo shuddered. Even after all this time, he couldn’t get his former boss’s maniacal laughter out of his head. “Right, um...oh, have you had any interesting cases lately? Athena was telling me she had a literal gravedigger as a client - no prizes for guessing where the victim’s body was discovered…”

The next hour seemed to fly by surprisingly quickly, with the two of them exchanging light-hearted anecdotes about work. As it turned out, they’d both had many interesting cases since the last time they spoke. It wasn’t until Apollo could barely keep his eyes open that he realized what time it was.

“Ach, don’t let me keep you,” Klavier said when Apollo yawned for what seemed like the hundredth time in a row. “You have work in the morning, I’m sure.”

“Wait, but - ” Apollo yawned yet again “ - but we never got around to...whatever it was you were calling about the first time. Your so-called ‘nothing’.”

Klavier’s expression sobered instantly, his mouth pulling back into a hard line. “I’m not going to bother lying to you, Apollo. But I’m not interested in telling you, either. So let’s leave it at that, ja?”

“I...oh.” Apollo nodded, feeling somewhat chastised. “Fine. Fine, we don’t have to - but if you wanna, y’know, catch up again sometime, let me know, okay? I’ve got time to talk. Er, I think.”

Klavier laughed, surprised, though his eyes were still wary. “Do you actually...miss me, Forehead?”

“You really know how to ruin a moment, Gavin,” Apollo sighed, shaking his head. “Anyway, talk to you later...maybe. Haven’t decided on whether I actually want to anymore, jerk.”

Klavier continued to grin. “Auf Wiedersehen, baby.” Apollo tried not to think about how the last word had made him shiver.

Weeks went by before Apollo heard from Klavier again, a few days after he’d had a two-hour long call with Trucy. Apollo’s voice was a bit hoarse from all the talking he’d done - not to mention how angry he’d gotten in court just yesterday after a particularly smug witness tried to take over the entire trial - but nevertheless, he was surprised at how happy he was to see Klavier, a feeling he was mostly unfamiliar with.

“Do you have a cold?” Klavier asked. “Your voice sounds a bit strained and raspy.”

“My brain feels strained and raspy,” Apollo groaned. He then paused; for some reason, the exchange sounded familiar, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. “It’s nothing, I just got pissed and yelled at someone in court yesterday. Not my finest moment, I’ll admit.”

“But isn’t yelling your default?” Klavier smirked. He looked more relaxed than last time, the tension in his face less noticeable. “I hope the rest of the trial went well, at least.”

“Oh, it didn’t,” Apollo said, snorting. “But...past’s in the past. I have too many cases to deal with to bother worrying about one crappy witness. My client was acquitted, I got the real culprit, you know the deal. It’s all starting to blur together, to be honest.”

“It sounds like you need to get out more,” Klavier suggested, not unkindly. “Is there any sort of...nightlife in Khura’in? Recreational activities, maybe? Don’t make me bother Fräulein Detective and get her to drag you to a bar every now and then.”

“We go out to eat or drink sometimes,” Apollo replied, shrugging. “But...I dunno. I don’t really have the time to take up a new hobby or whatever. My free time is for eating, sleeping, and catching up with people back home.”

“Fair enough, though you really should lighten your workload,” Klavier said sagely. “It’s not like you took cases every day when you were here, ja? I know Khura’in needs your help, but what good are you to them if you’re burnt out?”

Apollo’s eyes widened slightly, stupefied. Then, he tried - and failed - to stifle a laugh. “Okay, Dad. Sheesh, you sound like Mr. Wright trying to give me a pep talk.” He sat back in his seat, loosely running his fingers through his hair. “Fine, then, question for you - when’s the last time you took a day off?”

“I went to visit my parents last Saturday,” Klavier answered after taking a moment to think. “They needed help cleaning and packing away some of...some of his things.” He visibly swallowed, though he tried to hide it with a sharp cough. After some consideration, Apollo decided not to comment on it.

“That’s hardly a day off,” Apollo retorted instead. “I mean, it’s technically not work, but - wait. Do you usually work on weekends, too?”

“Natürlich,” Klavier replied, confused. “Do you mean to say you don’t?”

“No, I - I work on weekends more than I should,” Apollo admitted. “But it’s kinda hypocritical of you to tell me to get out more when you don’t have much of a life, either, y’know. Also, are you seriously telling me you don’t have, like. Other things to do? People to see, places to be? Not that spending time with your parents is a bad thing, I-I mean, it’s cool that you do, it’s just...well.”

Klavier averted his eyes, reaching across his desk to pick up his mug of tea. He took his time with it, drinking at a leisurely pace, before finally speaking again. “Do you actually care to know, Forehead? Or are you just asking to ask?” he said evenly.

“I…” Apollo found himself caught off-guard by both the question and his own answer. “No, I actually wanna know. ‘Cos it’s just - it’s not what I imagined. I’ve seen all the headlines and photos and stuff, so…”

“Ah.” Klavier smiled ruefully. “From the early Gavinners days, I take it? Back when I had Daryan around to be my bad influence? Nein, that’s not exactly my style anymore. I already feel too old for that kind of scheisse. Now, I do these things out of obligation, you know? Work parties, family events...nothing too wild. Not when I’ve been involved in too many scandals. Better to lay low than to put myself out there again, ja?”

“I...I see.” Apollo went quiet for a moment, ruminating. He couldn’t help but notice Klavier had neatly avoided the word “friend”; he was starting to wonder how many he actually had. Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time Klavier had ever mentioned anyone outside of people that Apollo himself already knew.

“You’re staring again, Forehead.” Klavier leaned closer, resting his chin in his hands, a wicked grin plastered across his face. “There’s no one nearly as pretty as me in Khura’in, I take it? Don’t worry, I’d be surprised if there was.” Apollo said nothing, instead lifting a hand from his own mug of honey lemon tea to flip him off. Klavier merely laughed in response, delighted.

_____

After that, the gap between video calls went down from a few weeks to a few days. Neither of them knew why, but somehow, they’d come to a silent agreement that they were going to talk once or twice a week about nothing in particular. However, Apollo still hadn’t quite figured out why Klavier had called him the first time. Initially, he suspected it had something to do with Kristoph, given that the Gavins were finally starting to pack up his things. Maybe Klavier had visited him recently, or maybe he’d reminisced a little too long about their shared childhood, whatever that looked like. But when Apollo had asked, Klavier had simply shrugged it off.

“It’s no secret that even thinking about thinking about Kristoph puts me in a foul mood,” Klavier had replied. “But I haven’t seen him lately, nein. I’m done, I’m - I just want to move on with my life, without his shadow lurking in the darkness.”

Not all their conversations were so heavy, though; once they’d finally caught up on everything they’d missed out on over the last several months, their topics turned mundane, even silly. Apollo never expected to spend one of his precious free Saturday mornings arguing with Klavier, of all people, about breakfast, of all things, but here he was.

“Yes, I’ve had instant ramen for breakfast, what of it?!” Apollo had exclaimed defensively. “Add an egg, some bacon bits...what’s your problem?”

“My problem is your sodium intake,” Klavier had protested. “Bitte, tell me you eat actual fruits and vegetables from time to time. Tell me you have some semblance of a balanced diet and your stomach hasn’t just turned into a toxic wasteland.”

Apollo wasn’t sure why he was talking to Klavier so often, so suddenly, in all honesty. Part of him supposed it was because Klavier just happened to be there - after all, he seemed freer to talk than Phoenix, Trucy, or Athena, and he wasn’t bad company when he wasn’t not-so-stealthily insulting Apollo in court. But another part of him, the part he desperately wanted to ignore, felt oddly comforted by Klavier’s probably-fake accent and his too-wide smile. Klavier’s presence in his small, chilly Khura’inese bedroom almost made him feel like he was back home.

“Have you seen the others lately?” Apollo asked one evening, bundled up in the thickest blanket he could find. There was a draft coming in from somewhere that he had yet to take care of, and neither Datz nor Ahlbi were too interested in checking it out, either. “Or...I dunno. Watched any of Trucy’s shows?”

“I’ve only seen them around at crime scenes and the courthouse,” Klavier replied. Apollo couldn’t stop himself from sneaking a peek over Klavier’s shoulders at his surroundings in curiosity. For once, Klavier was sitting on his bed instead of at his desk or in what was presumably his home office. Unsurprisingly, he seemed to have a huge, ostentatious-looking bedroom that was probably bigger than Apollo’s office. “Things have been...busy at the Gavin estate. I don't have much time to socialize with colleagues.”

“Busy?” Apollo echoed, sitting up. “More cleaning, you mean?”

“My parents aren’t retired, but sometimes, they act like they are,” Klavier said wryly. “They want to remodel so many rooms - the kitchen, the conservatory, my old playroom...so I’ve been going home quite a bit these days, helping them with the little things. It was nostalgic, seeing all the toys I used to play with. Feels like a lifetime ago, achtung.”

“What was your thing?” Apollo asked. “Beanie Babies? Barbie Dreamhouses? Legos? Wait, let me guess - you had one of those Fisher-Price piano playmats, didn’t you? Don’t even lie to me.”

“I would never own something so tacky,” Klavier protested; he almost seemed offended. “Nein, Mama was all about wooden toys - blocks, cars, dollhouses, kitchen sets - it’s very aesthetically pleasing. With the occasional soft toy, ja, but we never had plastic.”

“Interesting,” Apollo said, humming. “Same here, no plastic for us. Only, uh - not for the same reasons. More out of...necessity.”

“Oh.” Klavier’s expression softened. “Ja, I suppose in your...situation, you wouldn’t be able to get new things easily.” He then smirked. “Now I’m trying to imagine you and Herr Sahdmadhi as children. I can’t picture either of you with dolls or teddy bears.”

“Try actual frogs and actual bunnies,” Apollo said, sinking down further into his chair. “We were outdoorsy kids, believe it or not. Scraped knees and sunburns and all. But now, uh, good luck dragging me away from air conditioning and indoor plumbing. You couldn’t pay me to abandon my weighted blanket.”

“Picky, picky,” Klavier teased, grinning. “I don’t blame you, though. I’m too comfortable with being comfortable to like change. Though...I suppose that’s not really up to us, is it? Changing?”

“How philosophical of you,” Apollo drawled, rolling his eyes. “It’s not that deep, Gavin, I’m just saying I’m not interested in sleeping outdoors again anytime soon. One instance of me waking up with ants in places that you definitely don’t want ants was enough.” He then chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. “And honestly, who does like change? It’s like when I get a new client, right, and every time, something changes on me. Evidence, circumstances, logic...hell, it’s your fault sometimes!”

“When did this become about me?” Klavier chuckled, still smiling.

“Isn’t everything?” Apollo shot back. “It’s like you have this...this uncanny ability to turn any normal conversation into an opportunity for you to wax poetic, just so you can sound cool. If you ask me, it’s more dorky than anything else.”

Klavier’s mouth dropped open. “...Apollo Justice, are you calling me a dork?”

“Maybe I am, Klavier Gavin. What are we, Prosecutor von Karma?” Apollo snorted. “Sorry, Gavin, but between you and her, I think I know which one of you is actually German.”

“I’ll have you know that I’m very German,” Klavier protested, wagging an accusing finger at his screen. “Both of my parents grew up in Germany; they only came to the States so they could get their master’s. They had me learn German by watching Janoschs Traumstunde and Die Sendung mit der Maus, and Mama taught me how to make spätzle and schupfnudeln and reibekuchen - ah, and my favorite dessert? Bienenstich.”

Apollo held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, I believe you. I just think your accent’s a little...questionable. You sound like someone who got too overconfident in their dedication to Duolingo.”

“Ach,” Klavier said, laughing. “Anyway, do you mean it? Am I really...dorky?”

“Wow, you’re even more hung up on that than I thought,” Apollo teased, biting his lip to stop himself from laughing as well. “Though I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Image is a big deal to you, after all. Yes, Gavin, you’re a huge dork. How can you not be when you say shit like - like ‘tell me you share my angst, Herr Forehead’ - ”

“And you think my accent is terrible,” Klavier mused, sighing. “So sue me, I like to embellish. I like a little romance in my language - it makes life more interesting, you know? Though I suppose you wouldn’t understand, being the kind of person that you are. You wouldn’t know romance if it asked you to dinner.”

“Ugh, that reminds me.” An involuntary shudder went through Apollo’s entire body. “I had a client ask me out a few weeks ago. Like, seconds after I got him acquitted. As if that was all he was thinking about while the judge declared him not guilty.”

Klavier went still. “...really? What happened? What did you say?”

“I said no, obviously!” Apollo exclaimed, loud enough that he briefly wondered if he’d accidentally woken up his neighbors. “He wasn’t a murderer, but he was still a shitty person. Besides, shitty or not, it’s kind of an unspoken thing to not date clients and co-workers, isn’t it?”

“Ja, of course,” Klavier said, waving a hand aimlessly. “I’m just...surprised.”

“That someone was interested in me? Thanks, Gavin,” Apollo drawled, rolling his eyes.

“That someone thought it was a good idea,” Klavier corrected, mouth twisting into a slight frown. “You’re perfect...ly acceptable, Forehead. As a, ah, person to go on a date with, I mean.” He cleared his throat; it seemed to get stuck quite often these days. “Anyway - surely, he didn’t think you would agree!”

“I dunno what he was thinking, if he was thinking at all in the first place,” Apollo sighed, shivering once more. “At least Ema got a good laugh out of it.”

Klavier straightened up, his expression quickly returning to normal. “How is she, by the way? I can only imagine that Khura’in is completely covered in luminol by now.”

“She’s adjusted pretty well, though she’s used to living overseas,” Apollo shrugged. “Her Khura’inese needs some work, though. Er, not that mine’s much better, I’ve been gone for too long. It’s coming back to me...slowly. Very slowly.”

“Sometimes I forget that you speak another language, too,” Klavier remarked. “Considering your grasp of English…”

“My English is fine, thanks,” Apollo huffed; it seemed like he couldn’t go one conversation without wanting to stick his tongue out at Klavier like they were unruly children on a school playground. Or, alternatively, flipping him off like they were fighting over the last parking spot. “Just ‘cos I don’t get all fancy with it - ”

“Here we go again,” Klavier sighed, dropping his chin into his hands. “And you say I make everything about me, hm?”

“Two-way street, Gavin. Two-way street,” Apollo said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. “Besides, that’s...it’s kind of our thing, isn’t it? Poking at each other until someone gets legitimately pissed? Usually me, but still.”

“I didn’t know we had a ‘thing’,” Klavier said, cocking his head in curiosity. “Tell me more about this ‘thing’ of ours, bitte.”

“See? There you go again!” Now Apollo’s neighbors were definitely awake; he didn’t have to look out the window to know that their lights were coming back on. “You can’t go two seconds without being...smarmy about something. It’s like a bad habit of yours, and I know a thing or two about bad habits.”

“What’s yours?”

Apollo blinked. Klavier had asked so suddenly, so immediately, that he’d barely heard what he’d said. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“Your bad habit,” Klavier elaborated. “I know you were talking about spotting other people’s tells, but I’m more curious about yours. You’d think that, since I get on your nerves so easily, I’d be able to see it myself, but…” He shrugged, still smiling. It was one of those indiscernible expressions of his that frustrated Apollo so much, the kind of bland, indifferent smile that seemed to mean anything and nothing at the same time. The kind of smile Klavier had in court as he reviewed the facts of the case, or when he ran into Apollo at a crime scene, or even when he talked about not talking about his brother.

“I...I, uh, never really thought about it.” Apollo hummed, thinking it over. “Messing with my hair, I guess? I’ve definitely, literally pulled my hair out before whenever I’m, like. Nervous. Stressed. Worried. Or, y’know, all of the above. I even had a crooked hairline in high school ‘cos I used to do it all the time.”

Klavier lifted his head from his hands, looking at Apollo in awe. He was quiet for so long that Apollo almost asked him if his internet connection had cut out, only to watch Klavier fuss with his bangs, then push them back completely, exposing his hairline, near-identical to what Apollo’s used to look like. It was only then that Apollo realized he’d never seen Klavier with his hair completely up. Of course, he’d seen Klavier do ponytails, braids, even space buns if he was feeling particularly stylish, but his bangs were always swept over his left eye. Now, he could see why.

“...oh.” Apollo wasn’t sure what to say. “I...I see. Is that, uh, recent?”

Klavier nodded shortly, then briefly turned away to grab a hair tie from his bedside table. He held the hair tie between his teeth while he gathered up his hair and twisted it into a neat knot; Apollo tried not to stare at the fullness of Klavier’s bottom lip, sticking out in a perfect pout, as he did. “Can I tell you a secret, Herr Forehead?”

“Oh - er - okay, abrupt change of topic there,” Apollo muttered, more to himself than to Klavier. “I guess so. What’s up?”

“I...haven’t decided how I feel yet about my parents remodeling our family estate.” Klavier’s tone was casual, but Apollo knew by now that it meant nothing. “I know why they’re doing it, I just don’t know why they’re doing it now. Nothing has changed, you know? They’re still working, I’m still working...Kristoph is still in prison.”

“Well, I don’t...know your parents or anything,” Apollo said carefully. “But i-it could be, like, a healing process thing. Starting fresh and all that, you know? But maybe it’s really not that deep. Maybe they literally just felt like, hey, now’s the right time to renovate. You could ask ‘em.”

“Ah - nein, I couldn’t inconvenience them like that,” Klavier said, chuckling awkwardly. He was already starting to mess with his hair once more. “If I expressed anything other than my complete support, they would stop immediately. And they’ve already sacrificed so much for me, I would never...I can’t…”

“Gavin,” Apollo said softly.

“It’s just a few rooms.” Klavier inhaled sharply. “What does it matter? It’s not like I live there. If Mama wants to turn our playroom into a crafting room, it...it makes sense.”

Their conversation, understandably, didn’t last too long after that. Apollo crawled into bed, still wrapped up in his blankets, with over a dozen trains of thought trekking through his mind, more of them about Klavier than he wanted to admit. He’d never thought of Klavier as an inherently private person - at times, he seemed almost too open to speaking his mind - but now, he could see that in some ways, he had been completely wrong.

_____

Unlike before, a few weeks passed before they had another video call. Klavier was wearing a muscle tank this time, his hair scraped back into a messy bun, his bangs perfectly placed. Apollo found himself more than a little distracted by the broadness of Klavier’s shoulders, by the length of Klavier’s neck. “Entschuldigung for last time,” Klavier said smoothly, by way of greeting. “Let’s not have me treat our conversations like my therapy sessions, ja?”

“It’s fine, Gavin,” Apollo reassured him. “One comment about how you’re feeling is no big deal. If you wanna talk, then...talk. Honestly, I’m a huge law nerd, and I could talk about Khura’inese legal practices all day, but, uh, I could definitely use a conversation or two that’s about something completely different.”

Klavier nodded, seemingly thinking it over. “...I like your hair.”

Apollo raised an eyebrow. “...and I like your shirt. What, are we on a shitty speed date? C’mon, you can do better than that!”

“Ach, you didn’t let me finish,” Klavier protested, chuckling. “I just meant...I like your hair like this. It looks...soft. Less severe. Something that would be nice to touch, you know?”

“I...oh.” A pleasant tingle went up Apollo’s spine. Klavier’s voice was low, warm, especially through his headphones. He brushed his hair back behind his ears, ducking his head slightly so Klavier wouldn’t notice the heat rising in his cheeks. “Trucy introduced me to some new hair products a while back. Said it was stuff she uses to make her hair look extra shiny under the stage lights. Er, n-not that that’s why I’m using it, just...it’s nice to treat myself every now and then.”

Klavier suddenly perked up. “Speaking of treating yourself, that reminds me - you know the best way to help you with all that stress and tension you’re dealing with? A gut massage. Surely, there are some facilities like that in Khura’in, ja?”

Apollo fixed Klavier with a withering look. “...Gavin, we just had a revolution here, like, six months ago. Getting a massage and a facial is hardly anyone’s priority right now, believe me. It’s not like the legal system is off in its own little world, y’know? The economy, the sociopolitical order…everyone considers themselves lucky that they can go about their day-to-day lives, but luxury goods and services? Not here, not yet.”

“Shame, though I can’t fault Khura’in for having its priorities in order,” Klavier said, frowning slightly. “Well, if I ever get bored enough and feel like hopping on a plane, maybe I’ll come visit and give you a massage myself.”

“I’m not paying for your ticket,” Apollo retorted, his cheeks reddening once more. “And are you even qualified?”

“I always massage Papa’s shoulders whenever I go to my parents’ house,” Klavier mused thoughtfully. “He gets sore from all the gardening he does. You should see our estate garden; it’s like something out of a fairytale.”

Apollo’s nose twitched. “I’m, uh, I’m sure it does. Hey, so - tell me about your parents. You’ve mentioned them a bunch of times, but I don’t actually know that much about them.”

“High school sweethearts,” Klavier said with an almost dreamy smile on his face. “The old-school kind, slipping love letters into each other’s bags between classes and all that. Now, they’re both college professors at the same school. They both act like practical, no-nonsense people, but the truth is, they're both romantisch at heart.”

“And then passed that on to you,” Apollo nodded. “Makes sense. They sound adorable, actually.”

“I never had a high school sweetheart of my own,” Klavier sighed wistfully. “I can’t imagine how...all-consuming that must feel. To be so young, to be so sure that this one person, the only person you’ve ever loved, will be the only person you’ll ever love.”

“I guess that’s where we differ,” Apollo said quietly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, surprised at himself. He wasn’t sure where his comment had come from, why he’d blurted it out loud without a second thought. “I, uh, I had...something like that. Someone like that.”

“...oh.” Klavier furrowed his eyebrows, confused. “What happened?”

Apollo ducked his head, unable to look Klavier in the eye. “...you know what happened to him.”

Klavier’s eyes widened in realization. “Ach - Apollo, I’m so - ”

“Don’t, I - don’t,” Apollo insisted, a lump forming in his throat. “It’s not, uh. It’s not something I really wanna talk about.”

Klavier seemed unable to speak for a moment, his eyes shining with pity. Apollo hated it, hated how genuinely sorry Klavier looked, as if he had anything to do with it at all. Klavier opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “...I’ve written songs about my parents, actually. Not that you’ll find them on any Gavinners’ albums, just little love ballads that I played at their anniversary parties and vow renewal. They were big hits with my extended family - the one I wrote when I was ten years old is an absolute classic.”

“I’m sure it was,” Apollo chuckled, shaking himself out of his thoughts. “How about now, you write anything recently?”

“Barely a tune since the Gavinners disbanded,” Klavier admitted. “I haven’t felt all that inspired lately. Maybe someday it’ll come back to me, but right now...nothing. Nichts.”

“Good luck, I guess,” Apollo offered. “By the way, what’s with the tank top? Is it that hot over there already?”

“I’ve always been hot, Forehead, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Klavier said, grinning victoriously at the almost too obvious bait.

Apollo groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “I will hang up on you someday, Gavin, don’t think I won’t.”

_____

The gap between video calls quickly dwindled down from a few days to no days at all. Text messages were constant, to the point where Apollo had to sheepishly ask Nahyuta how to upgrade his phone plan. Even phone calls started to increase in frequency; Apollo was starting to think he heard Klavier’s voice more often than he heard Ema’s, and they often spent entire days in each other’s presence.

“How do you feel about peaches?” Apollo asked, his phone carefully sandwiched between his ear and his shoulder as he deftly navigated his way through the farmer’s market, nearly tripping over a stray dog as he did so.

“Great emoji,” Klavier replied semi-seriously, though Apollo could tell he was trying not to laugh. “Although...Forehead, if this is your subtle way of asking me for my opinion on Call Me By Your Name, I’ll have you know I never learned how to play Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo. Now, Zion Hört Die Wächter Singen, on the other hand - ”

“Need I remind you, I only speak English, Khura’inese, and college-level Spanish?” Apollo interrupted, shaking his head. “Anyway, peaches are basically a delicacy here. Sucks for me, since I’m allergic to stone fruit.”

“Same, I can only eat them cooked. I love a good cherry pie,” Klavier hummed. “Did you remember to get kale this time?”

“Yeah, I got a huge bundle of it right here,” Apollo said, jostling his wicker basket loudly enough so Klavier could hear. A few market patrons turned to look at him strangely. “Thanks again for the tip, by the way. I’m still getting used to cooking stuff that’s not instant or frozen, so roasting vegetables is a total game-changer.”

“Glad to hear you’re eating actual fruits and vegetables now,” Klavier replied, chuckling. “So, I had a case go kaput today. Thought you might want to hear about it.”

“Obviously!” Apollo said, lighting up. “What did you do?”

“Achtung, why do you think it was my fault?” Klavier protested, his laughter warm in Apollo’s ear.

“Isn’t everything?” Apollo shot back, laughing as well. “Seriously, what happened? Can’t be as bad as...literally anything that’s happened to me.”

“Nein, not quite,” Klavier agreed. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t up against Athena or Herr Wright. Some rookie, I think; I was going to go easy on them. That is, until the defendant, apparently overcome with guilt, decided to bring their own decisive evidence to prove that they did, in fact, kill the victim.”

“No!” Apollo exclaimed. More market patrons turned in his direction, glaringly so. He shot them apologetic grimaces, then ducked behind a watermelon display. “Really? Like, are we talking fingerprints, photographs…”

“Everything, Forehead, everything. I couldn’t have convicted them better myself,” Klavier remarked. “Obviously, I take no joy in celebrating crime, especially murder, but ach, I consider that one of the highlights of my career. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if you were there. I can picture your dumbfounded expression now.”

“You’re terrible,” Apollo informed him, with no real bite behind his words. “But...not gonna lie, that’s kind of incredible. I feel bad for the defense, though. I’ve been screwed over by clients before, but usually not that badly.” He then heard a sharp wuff somewhere by his feet; he glanced down to see the dog he’d nearly tripped over before was now sitting on top of his toes, looking up at him with literal puppy-dog eyes. “...uh, hello. Did you need something?”

“What’s that?” Klavier asked.

“Oh - sorry, not you, Gavin. A stray dog just came over to say hi, I guess.” Apollo crouched down, taking care not to tip his basket. “Hey, buddy. I’m not the one to beg for food, if that’s what you’re looking for. All I can offer is, like, a belly rub.”

“Wait, switch to video, I want to see this,” Klavier pleaded, laughing again. Sighing, Apollo turned on his camera, then aimed his phone at the dog, who was now rolling over onto its back, its tail thumping enthusiastically against the cobblestone. “Ah, what an adorable hündchen! Go on, Forehead, don’t make him wait.” Sighing yet again - at Klavier, naturally, not the dog; he could never begrudge the dog - Apollo carefully set his basket down, then began rubbing the dog’s belly, smiling at the adorably goofy look the dog gave him in return, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, his eyes closing in utter bliss. “Hold still for a moment, bitte? I want to make this my contact photo for you.”

“Gavin, I swear - ”

“Uh, Apollo? What are you doing?”

Apollo startled at the sound of a new voice; his eyes widened when he looked up and realized who it belonged to. “Ema! He-e-ey, wh-what are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Ema replied, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you petting a dog while video-calling Gavin at the farmer’s market?”

“...because I can?” Apollo offered meekly, straightening up. He quickly hung up on Klavier before Ema could attempt to talk to him, silently noting the need to send him an apology text later. “Hey, um - th-there’s a discount on tangyuan today, you wanna go all out and split the cost with me?”

Ema continued to eye him suspiciously. “Sure. But please don’t insult my intelligence - you can’t just distract me with snacks, you know.”

“I know, I know,” Apollo sighed, giving the dog one last pat on the head before leading Ema across the market, towards the aforementioned snack stall. “We just...we talk sometimes. What’s the big deal?”

“Nothing, if you guys just do video calls every now and then,” Ema said. “But here you are, shopping for produce and chatting with Gavin at the same time. It’s...a little domestic, don’t you think?”

“D...domestic?” Apollo echoed, scratching the back of his neck.

“I just didn’t think you and Gavin had that kind of relationship, that’s all,” Ema continued, shrugging as she popped a grape from her own basket into her mouth. “Listen, I couldn’t care less about that guy. But you’re my friend, so...I have to ask. Is something, y’know...going on there?”

“Wh - no, no, no, o-of course not!” Apollo ducked behind Ema the second he felt the glares of the market patrons turn to face him, again. He was starting to think he wasn’t going to be welcome back for a couple of weeks, at least. “I - he - we’re friends! It’s kinda new, b-but we’re friends. Just friends. He’s, like...pretty decent when he’s not being obnoxious in court. Or at a crime scene...or just in general.”

Ema snorted, reaching over to steal a strawberry from Apollo’s basket next. “I think it’s time you hop off that bicycle of yours, Apollo, because you’re obviously backpedaling.”

“Tortured metaphor, but okay,” Apollo muttered, glowering at her.

“How’d you guys end up talking in the first place, anyway?” Ema asked, chewing noisily. “I can’t imagine you were the one to initiate it.”

“It...I’m not sure, actually,” Apollo admitted, slapping her hand away before she could steal his entire carton of freshly-picked strawberries. They were probably more expensive than all the vegetables he’d purchased, combined. “Gavin called me a while back, seemed embarrassed about it, and then hung up. I asked him later what was going on, we started doing video calls and stuff, and then it turned into a thing, but…I never figured out why he called the first time. And I don’t think there’s any point in asking.”

“Fair enough, though I gotta admit, I’m still curious. For scientific purposes, of course,” Ema added, humming to herself. “Maybe he...no, there’s no way.”

“You know something I don’t?” Apollo asked, nudging her. “What happened to ‘I couldn’t care less’?”

“Believe me, I really couldn’t,” Ema retorted, elbowing him back. “Surprises me that you have enough to talk about, though. I mean, it’s Gavin.”

“Hey,” Apollo protested; suddenly, he felt weirdly defensive of Klavier. Again, it wasn’t a feeling he was too familiar with. “We have more in common than you think. It’s not all just - just guitar riffs and hair tosses with him.”

“If you say so,” Ema sighed, clearly uninterested in pursuing the topic any further. “C’mon, let’s pick our flavors already. And if you short me on black sesame, I will be taking those strawberries of yours.”

Later that evening, Apollo was cocooned in his usual plethora of blankets, poring over the evidence for three separate cases - honestly, the autopsy reports were starting to blur together, which explained why, for a moment, he thought one of the victims had somehow ended up with a bullet hole in their stomach from being stabbed with a blunt object - when his phone went off. He immediately perked up when he read the call display. “Gavin, hey. Sorry again about earlier, you know how Ema is.”

“Keine Sorge, you already apologized,” Klavier replied. “That’s not why I was calling, in any case.”

Apollo frowned slightly, putting Klavier on speakerphone and nestling his phone among his files. “Oh? I, uh, I thought you were just calling to chat.”

“Ja, we can talk about whatever we feel like after, it’s just - I had a question for you.” The deep breath Klavier took before speaking again made Apollo nervous. “Are you homesick?”

“...huh?” Apollo wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it certainly hadn’t been that. “Well, I mean. Yeah. Yeah, obviously. Khura’in was my home once, so it’s not like I’m in a completely new place, but it’s...yeah, I miss being back home, traffic jams and heatwaves and all. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Klavier said innocently, in that sort of tone of voice that made Apollo want to reach through the phone and strangle him. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

“There’s either no reason, or a reason that I’ll learn soon enough. Pick one, Gavin,” Apollo drawled, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. All he got in response was warm, throaty laughter that sent pleasant tingles down his spine. “Fine, don’t tell me. So, what’re you up to?”

“Just got back from my morning run.” There was a rustling of sound on Klavier’s end that suggested he was still walking around somewhere, presumably inside his apartment. Apollo could only imagine how sweaty he still was, how his skin glistened in the mid-morning sun - and now, he realized belatedly, he wasn’t sure if it was something he should be thinking about at all. “You know, after all this time - I still hate it. Running, I mean.”

“Then why do you do it?” Apollo said, trying not to laugh. “Though to be fair, I feel the same way. Athena used to make me run laps around the agency’s neighborhood sometimes ‘cos I need to ‘improve my cardiovascular health’ or whatever. Never got any good at it.”

“I do it because it’s good for me, but achtung, I wish I actually liked it,” Klavier sighed. “The fresh air, the endorphins, it’s all gut and well, but you know what I can’t stand? Sweat-soaked hair. Sore ankles and stiff knees. Don’t get me started on the sunburns, ach.”

“Okay, old man,” Apollo chuckled. “You sound like a guy twice your age, you know that?”

“I’m not the one who once said they were starting to prefer blander foods over spicy foods - calling me an old man, mein Gott, the disrespect - ”

A few hours later, Apollo was fully curled up beneath his duvet, head resting on his pillow, eyes closed, with his phone tucked under his ear. Neither of them had spoken in a little while, though Apollo could hear Klavier humming under his breath while he worked on clearing out his email inbox. “...you really should take a day off, Gavin.”

“You first,” Klavier said without missing a beat. “Don’t trick yourself into thinking you have to take every case in the country, ja?”

“Same to you,” Apollo mumbled; he was starting to drift in and out of consciousness. “You’re working, like...stupidly long hours. It’s not like you’re the only prosecutor in the district.”

There was a long pause. “Mama said that to me the other day. She told me I should live a little.”

“And she’s right,” Apollo yawned. “Anyway, I’m not gonna get into this again. And it’s not like you have to do anything major, just...take a day off. Go get a massage or whatever. Hang out with friends, go on a date, I dunno.”

“Go on a date, right,” Klavier drawled sarcastically. “Easier said than done, ja?”

“What, is it the fame thing?” Apollo asked, eyes snapping open in curiosity.

“It’s the, ah. ‘Trusting people’ thing.” Klavier let out a quiet laugh. “After convicting mein Bruder, after convicting someone I thought was my best friend...who’s to say any future romantic partner of mine wouldn’t end up facing that same fate?”

“...oh.” Apollo’s face softened; part of him wanted to see Klavier’s expression, while another part of him had the feeling it was better this way, to only hear the slight rasp, the slight crack in Klavier’s voice as he spoke. He could only imagine the noticeable twitch in Klavier’s eyes, the forced smile on his lips, that he’d seen a surprising amount of times over the past few months. “I see. I-I get it. Not like I’m any good at trusting people, either.”

Klavier went quiet again. “Apollo?”

“I...oh. Yeah?” He couldn’t remember the last time Klavier had called him by his actual name.

“Be honest with me, ja?” Klavier murmured. “When we talk every day, when we text and chat and send each other silly things...is it something you actually like doing, or...or are you just bored?”

Apollo snorted. “Oh please, you know my schedule. I couldn’t be bored if I tried.” He nestled deeper into his pillow, yawning. “Nah, you’re...we’re friends. Talking to you is like...part of my routine now.”

“You mean it?” Klavier asked. He sounded so uncertain that it made Apollo’s heart ache.

“I don’t send stupid memes to just anybody, you know,” Apollo teased. “And look, I’m not pretending like this isn’t weird. If you asked me a year ago if I could see myself talking to you on a daily basis, I would’ve said, y’know, ‘never in a million years’. But things are different now, so...yeah. You’re not so bad, Gavin.”

“Ah, danke. What high praise, coming from you,” Klavier drawled, laughing. “But really, I’m glad to hear it. I...wasn’t sure if I was bothering you. When I called that first time, I suppose I had my answer. Then after that, I never really knew for sure.”

“Now you do,” Apollo affirmed, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from smiling too much.

“Now I do,” Klavier echoed, satisfied. “So, how about you, Forehead? Any clients ask you out again recently?”

“No, thank god,” Apollo said, shuddering. “Besides, I’m, uh. I’m not exactly looking to date right now, either. I’m...I’m pretty good with how things are going at the moment. Maybe after I get back. Thinking about thinking about dating, I mean.”

“Smart.” Klavier’s voice was so clear, so warm, that it almost sounded as if he were in Apollo’s bedroom, too. Apollo briefly wondered what it would be like to have Klavier visit, to wander the farmer’s market with him, to take evening walks along the river and watch the fireflies together, to go through an endless number of cases with him by his side. He had to admit, it didn’t sound half-bad. Better than half-bad, really, not that he was going to say so out loud. “Long-distance is never easy. The time zones, the uncertainty, the inability to truly be together...I can only imagine.”

“Right,” Apollo hummed, his eyes drifting closed once more. “I can only imagine.” When he woke up the next morning, he found a text message waiting for him - a screenshot of Klavier’s home screen; its background was a photo of Apollo and the friendly dog. sehr süß, Klavier had texted, and the hündchen isn’t so bad, either. It was too early, in Apollo’s opinion, for his heart to be racing this quickly.

_____

Almost four months to the day since they started talking, Apollo arrived at the post office with a delivery slip in hand, visibly confused by its earlier presence on his front door. “Was this really meant for me?” he managed to ask in his steadily improving Khura’inese. “I never ordered anything from the United States. Just paying customs would make me broke!”

“It really is for you, Mr. Justice,” the receptionist replied. Apollo watched, stunned, as she dragged a crate-sized package out from behind her desk. “You must have people who really love you back home, sir.”

“I...w-wow.” Apollo didn’t know what to say. “Er, do you have someone who can help me bring this back to my office?”

Twenty minutes later, Apollo was sitting on the floor of Justice Law Offices, embarrassingly sweaty and sore from how much effort it had taken him and one of the post office employees to haul his delivery here. Groaning, he reached for his pocket knife, then carefully sliced through the tape, unwrapping the enormous package layer by layer. When he finally reached its actual contents, he sat back on his haunches, stunned by the sheer amount of items inside.

The package consisted of two sturdy boxes; one was labeled with Ema’s name, so Apollo took it out and set it aside. He then opened the one that bore his name, only to find it was packed surprisingly tight. Boxes and boxes of his favorite snacks that were too expensive to import to Khura’in, well-loved copies of his favorite manga that had clearly been taken from his apartment back home, thick stacks of the most obnoxious California-themed postcards known to humankind with handwritten notes on their backs - before Apollo knew it, his eyes started to well up with emotion. Finally, at the bottom of the box, cushioning the other items nicely, were a few of his sweaters and hoodies, some of which still had a few stray Mikeko hairs on it.

“Oh,” Apollo said faintly, wiping his eyes hastily despite being completely alone. Then, he frowned. “Wait, what is…” He pulled out the only item of clothing he didn’t recognize, an unusually large hoodie in a familiar shade of purple with an embroidered rose on its breast pocket. Stuck to its left sleeve cuff was a sticky note; Apollo peeled it off and began to read what was on it.

herr forehead,

wear this the next time you go out, just in case you run into that hündchen again. It smells just a little bit like my parents’ dog - and like me, if you’re into that sort of thing.

alles liebe, klavier

Later that day - well into the evening, really - Apollo was eating dinner at his desk, rummaging through a hefty stack of police reports, when his laptop pinged, reminding him he had a scheduled video call that was about to start. Grinning, Apollo turned on his webcam, his heart pounding in anticipation. “Hey, Gavin. So, what do you think?”

“What do I think about - oh.” Klavier’s mouth fell open. “You’re...I didn’t think you were actually going to wear it.”

“Is, uh...is that a bad thing?” Apollo asked, suddenly nervous.

“Nein, nein, not at all! You look...achtung, you look good,” Klavier said hoarsely, swallowing. He then cleared his throat; his cheeks were flushed pink, much to Apollo’s delight. “Bitte, stand up for me? I want to see how long it is on you; it’s amazing you haven’t completely disappeared inside of it.”

“Asshole,” Apollo said affectionately, getting out of his chair and taking a few steps back so Klavier could see. He smoothed out the front of the hoodie, realizing belatedly that its hem only just grazed the tops of his bare thighs. “Er, don’t mind my legs. I-I’m wearing shorts underneath, I swear!”

“I don’t mind at all,” Klavier replied, cocking his head. His eyes were darkening, shining with something that Apollo couldn’t quite identify. “Have you worn it outside yet?”

“Nah, not yet. I was actually planning on wearing it to bed since it’s kinda cold, and this thing’s the biggest thing I have,” Apollo admitted, sitting back down. At Klavier’s exaggerated eyebrow raise, he groaned. “Shut up. Don’t make it weird.”

“I said nothing,” Klavier teased, dropping his chin into his hands. “So, did you like our care package? Trucy reached out to me on the same day you ran into that hündchen and asked if I had anything to contribute. I also sent Ema some old Gavinners’ merchandise, in case you didn’t know.”

“Oh, I heard about it from her, alright,” Apollo chuckled, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “Amazing how you manage to continue torturing her from several continents away. Maybe that’s your real talent.”

“To be fair, I was also the one who got her the beaker shot glasses and the glow-in-the-dark periodic table blanket,” Klavier pointed out, laughing as well. “I think all would be forgiven if she knew that was me.”

“So she gets new stuff and I get hand-me-downs, huh? I see how it is,” Apollo said, tucking his knees into his chest and yawning. “Seriously, though, thanks. This thing smells like that cologne of yours I don’t like.”

“And the backhanded compliments continue,” Klavier said, amused. “I hope you feel a little less homesick, at least.”

“Oh, I’m more homesick than ever,” Apollo snorted. “But I appreciate the care package, really! Having all this stuff here is amazing. It’s just...well. Stuff isn’t, uh...it’s not exactly a substitute for people, y’know?”

Klavier nodded thoughtfully, his smile sympathetic. Apollo took a moment to look at Klavier, to really look at him, and see how he was doing. He looked good; his skin had a glow to it, and his eyes and hair seemed to shine a little brighter than they had the very first time they’d talked. Klavier was bare-faced more often than not - aside from his tattooed eyebrows and eyelash extensions - though he seemed to be experimenting with his hair here and there, occasionally sporting different styles of ponytails, braids, and updos. It almost made Apollo forget how sullen he’d looked four months ago.

“Is that why you’re staring again?” Klavier asked, smirking. “Are you finally ready to admit you miss me, Forehead? That you miss my charming personality and my devastatingly good looks?”

“So what if I do?” Apollo huffed. He then frowned at Klavier’s wide eyes. “...what?”

“Nichts, it’s just - you do realize you just said you actually miss me, ja?” Klavier said disbelievingly. “Do you really mean it, or...or are you just saying that?”

“I-I...well.” Apollo shot him a small smile. “Yeah, Gavin, I miss you. Thought that was, uh. Kinda obvious by now.”

Klavier grinned victoriously; he looked seconds away from pumping his fist into the air. “Achtung, I knew it!”

“And the dorkiness continues,” Apollo said mockingly, rolling his eyes. “I mean it, how did you convince an entire generation of teenagers that you were cool? You go around saying crap like ‘let’s rock with these documents’ and ‘you have to get on up in order to get on down to prosecuting’ - are you an internationally-renowned rockstar, or an awkward dad trying to connect with his teenager through the power of classic rock? What’s next, Gavin, you gonna go buy a lawnmower and some cargo shorts? Fire up the grill and wear a kitschy apron?”

“Mein Gott, you’re vicious sometimes,” Klavier sighed, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Ich vermisse dich auch, by the way. I think I've been...a little more obvious than you.”

“Maybe,” Apollo hummed. “But hey, I’ll take it. It’s nice to feel appreciated for once.”

“When do you think you’ll be coming home?” Klavier asked.

“I’m, er...I’m not sure,” Apollo said hesitantly, leaning back in his chair. “I didn’t think I was gonna be sticking around for this long to begin with, and now it’s...it’s gonna be the rest of the year, at least. Maybe even another year on top of that.”

“You...you think so?” Klavier’s voice was small. Nothing about his expression seemed remotely cheerful now.

“It’s not like I can leave whenever I want to,” Apollo shrugged, sighing. “Khura’in needs more defense attorneys before I could even begin to consider it, and that’s not gonna happen overnight. Not with their deeply ingrained feelings towards ‘em.”

“Wait - you’re not still in danger, are you?” Klavier asked worriedly, his voice suddenly filling with urgency. “No threats, no death sentences - ”

“I-I’m fine, Gavin, don’t worry,” Apollo reassured him. “It was a little touch-and-go there for a minute, back at the beginning, but everything’s fine now. Trust me, if something was going on, you would’ve heard about it earlier.”

“Gut,” Klavier said, satisfied. “After all, if something were to happen to you…” An odd expression flitted across his face, too quickly for Apollo to catch, though he had his suspicions. “Well. Trucy would be devastated, natürlich.”

“Right...just Trucy, huh?” Apollo murmured, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully. “What about...oh, I dunno. Athena would be upset for sure. Can’t forget Mr. Wright, either.”

“Nein, definitely not,” Klavier said, clearing his throat. He paused before speaking again. “Forehead, do you ever wonder what Herr Wright really thinks of you?”

“Sure, all the time,” Apollo admitted. “We didn’t, uh...well, let’s just say we didn’t start off on the best foot, you know that. Why?”

“Because I do, too,” Klavier confessed. “Ach, I want to go the rest of my life not thinking about mein Bruder and all the lives he ruined, all the lives I helped him ruin, but - ”

“Gavin, that’s not what happened and you know it,” Apollo said gently. “And I’m not exactly sure how Mr. Wright feels about you, but I seriously doubt he still has a problem with you. He probably just feels a little, y’know, awkward. You guys went seven years without knowing the whole truth, after all.”

“Ich weiß, ich weiß, it’s just…” Klavier laughed bitterly. “...I’d like to go at least one day without worrying about what someone else thinks of me. Just one.”

Apollo suddenly found himself wishing he could reach through the screen and pull Klavier into his arms; it wasn’t the first time, and he knew it wasn’t going to be the last. “Well, you don’t have to worry about me. You already know what I think about you.”

“Do I really?” Klavier teased, though he still looked somewhat worried.

“Yeah, sure,” Apollo replied, smirking. “You’re the most insufferable person I’ve ever met. And, uh...I wouldn't have it any other way. I think.”

Klavier laughed, shaking his head in amusement. “You have a way with words, Forehead, you really do.”

“Thanks,” Apollo drawled, chuckling. “So, today’s case went about as well as expected - meaning it didn’t go well at all…”

_____

Khura’in was beautiful year-round, Apollo mused as he walked alongside the riverbank, but it was especially picturesque in the height of spring, during the month of May. He’d woken up unusually early today, especially given it was one of his very rare days off, not to mention the fact that he’d stayed up late last night, talking to Trucy, Athena, and Phoenix. For whatever reason, he had felt like taking his breakfast - anpan and a warm thermos of green tea - outside, while the sun was still rising. It was a peaceful backdrop for the start of what he hoped would be a peaceful day.

Yawning and stretching, Apollo dropped down to sit in the long grass, the worn-out toes of his boots grazing the water’s edge. He lifted his saddlebag off his shoulders and set it aside, raking his fingers through his hair. It was getting quite long in the back, he noted, but he didn’t care enough to cut it. Before he could take his first bite of his anpan, his phone started to ring. “...Gavin? What’s up, aren’t you going to bed soon?”

“I just wrote a song for the first time in ages, so I’m too alert to sleep at the moment,” Klavier admitted, his voice deeper and raspier than usual, sending shivers up Apollo’s spine. “I’m surprised you’re awake, too. It was only when I started calling you that I realized you were probably still in bed.”

“Felt like catching the sunrise for once.” Apollo turned on his phone camera, then switched it to the rear-facing one so Klavier could see what he was seeing. The entirety of Khura’in, it seemed, was momentarily bathed in a warm, yellow-orange glow. “Nice, isn’t it?”

“It’s wunderschön,” Klavier remarked, awed. “Almost makes me wish I was in Khura’in.”

“I wish you were here, too,” Apollo said quietly. His eyes then widened. “Er, I-I mean - ”

“...Apollo?” Groaning internally, Apollo fumbled with his phone, reluctantly switching to his front-facing camera so he could shoot Klavier a nervous smile. He could see now that Klavier had turned on his camera, too; he appeared to be sitting on his bedroom floor, leaning up against a window, his face illuminated by moonlight. Somehow, his blue eyes were even brighter in the darkness, the angles of his jaw and cheekbones sharpened by the shadows. Apollo’s breath hitched as he was momentarily rendered speechless. “Achtung, you still manage to surprise me after all this time.”

“I-I said nothing!” Apollo said hastily. “You’re - I - i-it’s early, I don’t know what I’m saying!”

“If you’re planning on staying for even longer, I really should come and visit, ja?” Klavier continued, his grin equal parts sleepy and teasing. “For one thing, I can finally make good on that massage I promised you, get all that stress and tension out of your body. I could also bring you more of my clothes, since you seem to really like that hoodie of mine.”

“What would you even do here, anyway?” Apollo asked, momentarily looking away so Klavier wouldn’t see how red his cheeks had gotten. “There’s no nightlife, barely any recreational activities...not to mention the wi-fi kinda sucks. Besides, it’s not like you’re allowed to prosecute in Khura’in.”

“Let me be your co-counsel,” Klavier offered. “After all, if Herr Blackquill can help Athena, why can’t I help you?”

“That...would be kinda interesting, actually,” Apollo admitted. “And where would you stay?”

“WIth you, natürlich,” Klavier replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “After all, if you want me there, I should be as close as possible. I’d make the perfekt roommate, you know. I can cook for you, clean for you...it’d be domestic, nein? Like I’m your stay-at-home husband or something.”

Apollo shivered again. Despite his distaste for his lyrics, Klavier certainly had a way with words. “You wouldn’t be...I dunno, bored out of your mind? Things are definitely slower here compared to California, you know.”

“The change of pace would be nice,” Klavier said diplomatically. “And I certainly wouldn’t complain about the company.”

“Well, uh, sorry to break up your super-specific fantasy, but I think I’m actually pretty close to getting out of here,” Apollo said, trying not to linger too much on his own mental picture of what Klavier had described. “Another few months, maybe? Six, at most. And since it’s sorta unknown, I wouldn’t recommend booking plane tickets anytime soon.”

“Really?” Klavier perked up. “You’re coming home? Have you told the others?”

“Yeah, I talked to ‘em last night,” Apollo said, setting his phone down by his bag so he could finally take his first bite of anpan. “It’ll be weird once I return, that’s for sure. I’ve been in Khura’in for exactly one year, right down to the day, but...well. It’s definitely grown on me, even with all my...my mixed feelings about it. Though I, um...I guess those mixed feelings are more about a person than a place, and he’s...he’s, well...you know.” He swallowed thickly, reaching for his thermos and taking a generous gulp of his tea.

“Any regrets?” Klavier asked softly.

“About Khura’in, or d’you mean in general?” Apollo asked, his sarcastic tone betrayed by his nervous laugh.

“However you’d like to interpret it,” Klavier said, gesturing aimlessly. “I can be generous sometimes.”

“Yeah, real philanthropist, you are,” Apollo retorted, chuckling. “Well, you know I’ve had days where, like. I feel like I shouldn’t have stayed behind, after all. Like I’m way in over my head, and..like I’m not...not good enough. Like I’m just winging this whole thing, which is scary, ‘cos it’s like the entire country’s future is in my hands, and I can’t just - I can’t improvise. I can’t make it up as I go along, I-I have to know it. Do it, be about it. Make it my whole life, you know?” He stopped to take a breath; the sympathetic crinkle of Klavier’s brow was more welcome this time. “But no, I don’t regret sticking around. I just wish I’d gotten some closure.”

“Closure?” Klavier echoed.

“Yeah, there’s...I’ve got stuff I wish I’d been able to do or, or say before I ended up living here for twelve months,” Apollo confessed. “It’s not like I knew I was moving here when I did, so...it’ll be nice to head back home and settle in and...and get all of that out of the way.” He took a few more bites of his anpan as they ruminated in their shared silence. “How about you? Any regrets about, well, anything?”

“Me?” Then, to Apollo’s surprise - though maybe not to his surprise, given all that had been said and done between the two of them, just the two of them - Klavier let out a bitter laugh. “Always.”

Apollo’s face softened. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not particularly, nein,” Klavier said, visibly shuddering. “Just once, I’d like to not drag our conversation down. Ach, and I used to think you were the buzzkill. Now look at me, ja?”

“Don’t worry about it, Gavin,” Apollo insisted. “I get it, you - you feel things really intensely. I know that now, and, uh. Well, I do it, too. And we hold it all in and we don’t say anything ‘cos there’s bigger things to worry about, a-and then it’s like...like a dam breaks. Like everything just comes rushing at you all at once. There’s no way of stopping it, as much as you want to, and when it’s finally over...you never know how to feel about it. Because it’s not cut and dry, i-it’s not black-and-white, it’s just...it just is. So you move on, ‘cos there’s nothing else you can do about it, and you keep going. And then it starts all over again.” He let out an awkward laugh. “Or, uh, or maybe I’m just describing what a trial feels like.” Apollo glanced back at his phone, only to see Klavier staring at him in wonderment. “...er, too much?”

“Not at all, it’s just...you’re always full of surprises,” Klavier murmured; he almost sounded impressed. “That was incredibly astute, especially for you.”

Apollo wilted. “...thanks. Glad to know you think so highly of my intellect.” Still, Klavier’s warm laughter managed to get him to crack a smile. “So, you said something about writing a new song? How’d that go?”

“I had a burst of inspiration, you might say,” Klavier said, nodding. “Like my muse sat beside me on the piano bench and hummed a melody in my ear.”

“That sounds more creepy than anything else, but okay,” Apollo snorted. “Can I hear it?”

“Nein, not yet,” Klavier replied mysteriously. “When the time is right, ja? Besides, it’s...it’s a bit personal.”

Apollo shifted slightly in his spot. “Personal, huh?”

“It’s about...someone who means a lot to me, and something I’ve been meaning to say to them,” Klavier said carefully. “Because...I’ve been looking for closure, too. And possibly, if I do it right, I might also get a new beginning. Does that make sense?”

“It’s a little cheesy, but, uh, yeah. Makes sense.” Apollo pulled his knees into his chest, resting his chin on top of them with a quiet exhale. “Do I know this someone of yours?”

“Ja, definitely,” Klavier murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “And they’re not mine, but...I want them to be.”

“I...I see.” Apollo felt his own pulse pounding in his ears, so loudly that he could barely hear his own voice. “Hey, Gavin, I - I wanted to - there’s something I’ve been wanting to say, and...and I…”

“What is it?” Klavier asked, sitting up, hopeful.

“Well, I...no, n-never mind.” Apollo cleared his throat. “Probably should, um. I should probably save it for when we see each other in person.” Klavier leaned back, disappointed. “Anyway, you, uh, you should probably sleep now if you wanna be awake enough for work. Unless you take the day off like I did.”

“I might actually consider it,” Klavier chuckled. “And we’ll talk tomorrow, ja? Or later today for you, I suppose.”

“Definitely,” Apollo confirmed, nodding.

Something in Klavier’s eyes seemed to shift then, something Apollo couldn’t quite understand. It happened more and more with each passing day, with every conversation, and Apollo wasn’t sure if he was ready to figure out what it meant, if it meant something other than what he hoped it meant. “Du siehst wunderschön aus in diesem licht.”

Apollo blinked. “Sorry?”

“Never mind,” Klavier said, a sleepy grin stretching across his face. “Guten Morgen to you, Herr Forehead.”

“And goodnight to you, Gavin,” Apollo replied, waving briefly before ending the call. He sat in silence for a few minutes, finishing his tea and enjoying the sun’s warmth. Then, he stood, stretching his arms over his head, and smoothed out the creases in his pants and what was now his oversized purple hoodie. “Someday,” he mumbled to himself, slinging his bag over his shoulder and turning back in the direction of the bazaar. “Just...not yet.”

_____

a/n: Welcome to my fifth entry for Klapollo Week 2021! Continuity-wise, this is the second of seven fics, but again, there is no need to read the others to follow each fic on its own. However, as I mentioned in the top notes, day seven is a sequel to this one, so look out for it! This is the second-longest fic of all my Klapollo Week fics, and for good reason - I could've easily included an endless number of random conversations and made this fic twice as long if it weren't for the posting deadline. One of my favorite things about writing Klapollo is their back-and-forth, so I love writing fics where they simply just...talk, and hang out. And I know it's definitely a concept that's been done before, but someday, I wanna write my own version of "Klavier visits Apollo in Khura'in and they fall (more) in love". That might end up being my longest Klapollo fic yet 😜

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Likes and reblogs would be much appreciated. Hoping you’re all safe and healthy and doing well ❤️

[ssaltbending]

Ok, guys, hear me out: Zuko is a Capricorn, Katara is a Cancer —and here’s why (it would be so poetic).

Part 1: Zuko

TW: explicit mentions of child abuse.

I know this statement might seem weird and out of place, but in the last couple weeks I’ve been digging a lot into astrology and, in order not to forget my roots, I thoroughly felt the need to combine both of my most recent obsessions in one post, given that this headcanon hasn’t been able to leave my mind ever since I came up with it: if we applied astrology to the Avatar world, I’m sure Cancer and Capricorn would be Katara and Zuko’s signs, respectively. And I don’t say this in a superficial way, just by looking at zodiac memes and associating Katara with the crybabies Cancers are portrayed as or saying Zuko is a Capricorn buzzkill as people who know astrology on a surface level would assume they are —those are some of the most common stereotypes about the signs. No, I’m saying that they embody those signs on an archetypal leve: in the way their stories, especially Zuko’s, resemble the myths that originate the zodiac signs and their respective traits.

Therefore, without further ado, let me explain.

The Capricorn archetype: the sins of the father...

As any casual astrology enthusiast may probably know, the sign of Capricorn is connected to qualities such as perseverance, integrity, resilience and ambition, typically treated as the CEO or boss of the zodiac. However, the sign itself has a richer and much more complex story as we look at the deities it is associated with as well as the planet that rules it: Saturn, linked to the Roman god of the same name and the greek gods Cronus, Zeus, Hestia and Pan. Some astrologers choose Cronus as Capricorn’s patron god and others prefer his children, but that can be explained very easily.

The myth goes like this: Cronus, a giant and father of what we would know as some of the main greek gods (Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera and Zeus), was actually the son of Uranos, who he subverted thanks to the advice of his mother Gaia to use an agricultural tool to kill him. But as time went by and Cronus had started having children with his partner, Rhea, the fear of his descendants becoming stronger than him and doing the same thing he had done to his father took over him, which led to his decision of swallowing them all whole. He started with Hestia all the way back to Zeus, whom he couldn’t swallow right after he was born, unlike his other children, because this time Rhea had hid him in the island of Crete to protect him from his father. To deceive him, Rhea then covered a rock in cloth to make it resemble a baby for Cronus to eat it, thinking that it was a newborn Zeus.

Time passed and Zeus grew stronger until he was ready to confront his father and save his siblings from his womb, and when he finally did it, he managed to force Cronus into disgorge them one by one, in the reverse order they had been swallowed —which left Hestia as the last sibling to be disgorged.

After that, Zeus was left with a prophecy, where he would also be possibly overthrown by a son of his. And after Métis, the woman he was told would bear said child, gave birth he swallowed the newborn whole just like Cronus had done with his brothers and sisters. The child in question, however, started giving him headaches as it grew older and bigger inside of him and would become the goddess we know as Athena. What Zeus did with her was the repetition of a cycle perpetuated by his forefathers, a cycle of abuse and trauma that seems inescapable. What this part of the duality of the Capricorn archetype shows one of the ways in which those ideas of tradition and legacy can be carried on (a very negative one, to be honest), but that’s not the only way they can manifest, which gives the archetype this… almost cinematic quality, in my opinion. (And if we take this into account, I might headcanon Azula as a Capricorn rising due not only to the archetypal coincidences but the overall mastermind outlook she has and how much of a natural, domineering and calculating leader she is, but that’s besides the point.)

Now, let’s talk about the other side of the archetype, which gives it this incredible dual quality: Hestia’s path. Unlike her brother Zeus, Hestia was the one who not only had been devoured by her father, but she had spent the most time inside him as well. This is often associated with the emotional isolation many Capricorns experience in their youth, the lack of warmth and love by one of their parents, along with the desire not to become the abusive parent they were exposed to. Hestia is the other side of the story, the unspoken leader of the Olympians, the one who broke the toxic cycle running in her family for generations, vowing to become an eternal virgin and protector of the earth. Besides, Hestia means “hearth”: the inner fire, the one that is never allowed to go out.

(art by @elisebrave​)

That is the soul of the Capricorn archetype: the crossroads of destiny, the moment when the child decides whether to become like their parents, or forge their own path like Hestia did. Do you guys see what I see now? Are the similarities clear enough?

As my dear friend @persephobeee​ points out in her Capricorn essay (a crucial source for this one): “The Capricorn archetype is a cycle of stuck parents putting stress on their children at such a young age so then their kid ends up making money in retaliation, but then treat their kids the same as well due to the lack of warmth and freedom they had in their own childhood. The intense pressure put onto them as a child [then] leads to isolation and depression. It’s a cycle. ‘I don’t want to be my parent, but also… how they have ruined me’. The chain can continue with Zeus (projecting sorrows and nightmares onto their own children) or it could break with Hestia (the path of love, light and protection).”

This is why Capricorn’s planetary ruler, Saturn, is also associated with ideas found in this myth: restriction, limitation, order, boundaries, leadership, responsibility… pretty much dad vibes, to be honest. Do you guys see what I see or do I have to dig deeper?

“But isn’t zuko a firebender?? Why would he be an earth sign??”, you may ask.

The way that I might be making headcanons about the Gaang’s western zodiac signs isn’t gonna be based on which element they bend, because that would be quite reductive and restrictive for me as an astrology junkie, but their similarities to each sign’s archetype and overall characteristics. And yes, I do see Zuko as an earth sun, but that wouldn’t be his only sign, there is also the moon and the rising sign, which also have an important impact on the individual. In my opinion, Zuko’s personality embodies the qualities of fire signs as well: competitiveness, drive, passion, impulsiveness and loyalty. But to me those qualities are better shown in his character through his moon sign: an Aries moon, to be specific. See those anger outbursts? The “I don’t need any [fucking] calming tea!!”? The “you never think these things through”? Aries moon behavior, right there. But I’m not going to focus on moon signs right now. Let’s get back to the behavior I am the most well-versed at: Capricorn behavior.

So, the sign of Capricorn is also a cardinal sign, a leader, since they are the ones that begin each season. In the Northern Hemisphere, Capricorn season starts right on the winter solstice, and the opposite happens in the South. However, since all the astrology lore comes from the North thanks to the Greeks, Babylonians and more, the seasonal connections are related to the seasons there. As a consequence, Capricorn is the cardinal sign that brings the coldest, darkest season of the year: winter. And incorporating that into Zuko’s character would be incredibly fitting, in my opinion, because of some stuff I’ve read here on Tumblr saying that making him being born during the coldest time of the year would make it a terrible omen for a firebender, worse in this case due to him being born into the royal family, symbols of the power and “supremacy” of the Fire Nation. The fact that he would be born in winter, if we follow this reasoning, would have made him seem as a disappointment to his father ever since birth. 

… or maybe I’m just cruel, guys.

Moreover, I think Zuko embodies many of the Capricorn qualities in the way he carries himself (because no, not all Capricorns are confident managers with the world in our hands) and how hard he has to work to earn everything he gets. A key part of what this sign represents is “the path of hardships the goat has to overcome in order to reach the top of the mountain”, which along with the myth I have described before, could easily be applied to Zuko. It describes values of endurance, hard work, discipline and drive in order to achieve your goals, something that can be seen in Zuko all throughout the series, but changes its focus as the seasons go by. Besides, uhm… have you guys seen “The Day of Black Sun, Part 2”? That is literally the positive outcome of the Capricorn myth made into animation: the confrontation between an abusive father figure and his abused child who has decided to part ways with him in order to become a better person.

On another note, I think it is important to highlight how the Capricorn in Zuko could be seen based on how the rest of the Gaang treats him as well when he changes sides and he’s accepted into the group. How?, you may be wondering: as a father figure, but in a positive way. In many scenes it can be noticed how he naturally takes a position of leadership within the group as well as he takes care of the younger members such as Aang and Toph but, especially in Aang’s case, tries to ground them and teach them. As examples, take the following: Zuko reminding Aang that soon he will have to face the fact that he might have to kill Ozai, him trying to get everyone to train when the comet is about to arrive; how when Aang gets lost, it is him the one people look to in order to lead the group, etc.

Another thing that is well-known in Capricorns is our resilience and perseverance and, honestly: do I even need to explain that? When it comes to the guy who would get his ass beaten again and again and again for one season straight in order to get what he wanted which would also give him the approval of his father, what he craved most? It screams earth sign behavior to me, but with a heavy saturnian influence due to Zuko’s background which, to me, can be quite an interesting reflection of the Saturn/Cronus myth with his children. Said tenacity could also be exacerbated by the willpower and energy brought by the possibility of him having a fire moon, I don’t know, think about it. I stick to that headcanon.

That perseverance can also be seen when it comes to Zuko’s firebending, given how much he’s always trying to improve his skills. Although it could be argued that in reality he’s doing so due to the expectations put on him to be a proficient bender just like his sister in order to be accepted by his father, and his constant training to the point of exhaustion is just a manifestation of that toxic behavior. I am sorry to tell you, but that’s textbook Capricorn behavior, associated with the symbolism of the hardworking goat in general: working the hardest in order to get what you want is always on-brand when it comes to important Capricorn placements, and in my opinion Zuko is no exception.

Final thoughts.

Anyway, what I think would be most relevant is what I mentioned before about the Capricorn archetype and how it could tie in nicely to Zuko’s character arc with him as a representation of Hestia, who could grow out of the abuse she experienced and got a chance not to make her father’s mistakes and break that horrendous cycle she had been a victim of. I would go into this more deeply, but I think it has been enough for now. However, I’ll be back soon with a part two, talking about my water queen Katara. What do you think about this headcanon? Do you agree? If not, why? 

Thanks for coming to my weird-ass TedTalk at 1am. I needed to vent and I haven’t been able to put the computer down since 9pm, I literally only stopped to eat, lol.

See you soon, 

a Capricorn sun.

[youngbounty]

My Issue With Narumayo and Narumitsu Shippers

Just to be clear, I have nothing against Narumayo. The only issue I have with it is that I don’t like colleague dating, especially if it is an employee hooking up with their boss. Though, this is only a pet peeve at best and it isn’t illegal. I just consider it distasteful and I feel no different about Justicykes. Though, this isn’t about that or my distaste for Narumayo. I just wanted to make it clear I don’t have anything against anyone that may like Narumayo. You can like whatever ship you want or not like whatever ship you don’t like. It’s your right. Same with Narumitsu, since I am a fan of that ship myself.

That being said, I will call out any BS claims about a ship by those that oppose it. I’m talking about both sides. Just to be clear, the “fans” of both ships that do this are a very small minority compared to the entire Narumayo/Narumitsu fan base. It just goes without saying that the more eggs you place in the carton, the more bad eggs you will find in that carton, even if it is a small percentage or number.

For the Narumayo fans, I am talking about the claim that the opposing ship fans cherry picks reasons from canon as reasons for their ship being canon, even though they’re not proof that the two parties are in love and could just as much equal a platonic relationship. I mostly see this from Narumayo fans towards Narumitsu shippers where they make fun of how Narumitsu shippers depend on the “Unnecessary feelings” line as their reason they support their ship. Point taken, except don’t Narumayo shippers do the very same thing? They depend on the words from a sheltered 8-year-old little girl that doesn’t know how to read, let alone understand what romance is. I’m not going to say we Narumitsu fans never scrape the bottom of the barrel for proof that our ship is canon, but Narumayo fans literally do the very same thing.

Other reasons Narumayo shippers claim their ship is “canon” is because Phoenix is always concerned and trying to save Maya. Again, didn’t Phoenix do the same for Miles in Turnabout Goodbyes? How is Phoenix saving Miles from having his life ruined or getting the death penalty any different from saving Maya from the hands of Shelly De Killer or the Minister of Justice in a foreign nation? What? Because Phoenix saved Maya more times than Miles? Bold excuse. If that is your argument, then I guess Phoenix loves Maya more than Trucy, because he only felt concerned for her safety during the one time she was kidnapped. Phoenix saving Maya constantly doesn’t mean he’s in love with her or cares about her more than Miles or anyone else, just like Miles saying “unnecessary feelings” doesn’t mean he’s in love with Phoenix. Even though I like Narumitsu, I am aware that they are not canonly in love, just like a majority of Narumitsu and Narumayo fans, that cherry pick excuses that probably doesn’t mean romantic, already know their ship is not canon. 

I do understand that many noncanon shippers that cherry pick reasons from canon that don’t equal their ship being canon can come off as annoying. They can get very obnoxious. Though, you cannot claim that your ship is better when it does the very same thing. You’re basically the pot calling the kettle black. The same would go for Narumitsu shippers that are calling out Narumayo shippers for the same thing. The only difference between Narumitsu and Narumayo is the sexuality and backstories of the characters involved in the ship. Though, to the Narumayo shippers’ defense, at least they don’t accuse the other ship of being a pedo ship. Get ready, because I’m about to rip the Narumitsu pedo accusers a new one.

Maya is NOT a minor. She owns her own place, works a full time job, pays the bills and even cared for a child only a year later. Also, being Ace Attorney takes place in Japan, the age of consent in that country is 13 years old, so 17-year-olds dating 23 or 24-year-olds is not considered pedo. Even if you were to call her a minor, by California’s standards, which already has BS laws about 10-year-old little girls being allowed to marry or have sex with older men with parental consent, Maya was only age 17 during the first three months she was with Phoenix. I doubt if he is going to remember Maya being a minor for those three months out of the 12 years they’ve known each other. Count the months between Turnabout Sisters to Turnabout Goodbyes, technically that is three and a half months in total. That is literally how long Maya was 17 years old hanging around with Phoenix. That’s hardly enough time to ask her out on a date, let alone falling in love with her. 

Another thing, people like Phoenix, falling in love with young people like Maya, happens more often than you think. Again, Maya lives like an adult, so it would make just as much sense for Phoenix to be attracted to Maya, especially since she looks almost like his ex girlfriend. Men fall in love with very young women. I’m not going to say it’s tasteful, but that’s how the real world works. In the real world, men like Miles Edgeworth will date young women like Ema Skye. Yes, she was a minor when he first met her. She also grew older and of consent. I’m not saying it’s right or tasteful, but that is the real world. Men love them women young and ripe. Does it make them pedophiles? No. It’s distasteful, but they’re not pedophiles. Falling in love with someone, who is an adult, you’ve only met as a minor for a few months or so before they grew into an adult, does not count. It takes more than a few months to fall in love and even attraction itself isn’t always there when you first meet the person you are dating. With every shipper, you need to think ahead. I doubt most Narumayo shippers have their ship shipped together during the time of the first game. It’s likely they’re shipped together after the trilogy or Spirit of Justice. 

In truth, both Narumayo and Narumitsu ships equally have potential. There’s no reason for either ship to go against each other. It’s petty. Neither ship is canon or makes more sense than the other. They’re equally okay, if done correctly. I’ve seen Narumayo where Miles Edgeworth is supportive of Phoenix and Maya getting together. Same with Narumitsu with Maya being highly supportive. Hell, most Narumitsu fan fictions have Maya as the one trying to pin Miles and Phoenix together like Pearl tried to do with Phoenix and Maya. Now, as I said before, I consider Narumayo distasteful, because of the employee x boss thing and the fact Maya is the younger sister of Phoenix’s dead boss. Of course, my reasons are from experiences and I know not everyone shares mine. You don’t have to like a ship and it can be for whatever reason under the sun, but that’s not a reason to accuse the opposing ship of something your ship does or of something they’re not. 

Before you are to accuse a ship of being a pedo ship, always think ahead. Is the ship of an adult having romantic feelings or doing romantic things with a child? Do the shippers ship them together when either character is a minor? If no for all of them, it’s not a pedo ship. Even if character A has known character B since character B was a minor before being shipped, that doesn’t make it pedo. It might be distasteful, due to the age gap or having known the other character since they were a minor, but it is NOT a pedo ship. It only is when either character in a ship is a minor the moment they are shipped, get together, fall in love or the older one crushes on the younger. Always. think. ahead. 

The same goes for any ship accusing the other of cherry picking reasons for their ship to be canon when it’s not. If your ship is also not canon, then why even call the other one out for cherry picking? Narumayo and Narumitsu cherry pick reasons for their ship being canon all the dang time. Narumitsu’s reasons for claiming their ship is canon are no more reasonable than Narumayo’s reasons for the same thing. I’ll even list the basic excuses Narumitsu shippers use to prove their ship is canon:

“I have been settled with unnecessary feelings,” Turnabout Goodbyes, Phoenix was angry at Miles for leaving him in Justice For All, Phoenix pined for Miles since he was a child, Phoenix became a Defense Attorney because of Miles two times, Phoenix helps Miles with cases more times than anyone else including Maya, Miles had helped Phoenix retrieve back his badge, they fight like a married couple in court, Miles helped Phoenix save Maya the two times she was kidnapped, Miles had helped Phoenix investigate in the two later games, Miles denying wishing for marriage in Turnabout Time Traveler, Miles bringing up Phoenix so many times that I could make a drinking game out of it in Miles Edgeworth Investigations 1 and 2, Phoenix calling Miles ‘Daddy’ in Dual Destinies, Miles telling Phoenix he should ‘strip naked’ in Farewell my Turnabout, the creator saying that Phoenix would find Miles ‘cute’ in a Steel Samurai costume and Miles telling Phoenix “as you wish” for anyone making a Princess Bride reference.

There is more, but those are all I could think of. If you can think of one reason for any Narumayo shipper to believe their ship is anymore reasonably canon than all of the Narumitsu excuses I’ve listed, I may reconsider, but I have found non. I’d argue that not all of these excuses are unreasonable to assume the two parties maybe in love. It still could mean something platonic, but it can easily mean something different, if they were the opposite sex. And yes, it’s the same with Narumayo; some of their excuses are reasonable, but that’s the point. Most of the excuses I listed are obviously dumb reasons like the “strip naked” part, but it’s not unreasonable to think there might be something more between them based on Phoenix pining for Miles or Miles constantly thinking or admiring Phoenix in his own games and comics. The same can be said for Phoenix and Maya. It’s not unreasonable to think Maya might have feelings for Phoenix based on the fact she talked about him a lot after leaving for the Kurain Village in Turnabout Goodbyes. Not my thing, but I can understand why people ship Phoenix and Maya, because I ship Phoenix and Miles for many of the same reasons.

Feel free to comment. What are your thoughts.

[redrobin-detective]

hope is the promise of future happiness

its 11am, I’ve not dressed or done anything and I got hit with The Feels

XxX

Izuku had walked by the shop, stopping and staring and wondering, for almost two weeks. He stopped again, as he had most every day walking home from school, to stare at the new sign that had recently been hung up in the window. 

‘Takazawa Fortune Tellers: now offering precognitive services! Temporarily transport your mind into that of your future self! By Appointment Only, inquire inside.’ He mulled around the words in his head as he let the crowds carry him away again. Izuku kept his head low so the conflicting emotions weren’t obvious on his face. There was a decent amount of precognitive quirks but most were vague and not helpful in the long run. Any quirks that were useful were immediately snapped up by heroes and other government agencies. The chances that a small town psychic could tell him anything useful was low but...

Izuku rubbed lightly at his red and peeling palms where Kacchan had blasted him 2 days ago. Most days all he felt like was a pile of burns, bruises and depression. He was 13 years old and he was miserable every day of his life with no end in sight. If only he could find something, anything, to tell him that tomorrow would be better than today.

He nervously pulled at his lip as he muttered quietly to himself. But what if the future was worse than the present? What if he was still alone, still unhappy, still a stupid, quirkless Deku? What would he do if there was no future for him, some future him deciding enough was enough and-

Izuku shook his head, to clear it of such dark thoughts. He walked past a store filled with TVs, all bearing All Might’s grinning face as he gave a brief interview following a villain attack early this morning. The sound was off but Izuku knew the steady rumble of his hero’s voice better than his own. Watching that smile, that easy care and confidence All Might radiated eased some of the tension off Izuku’s shoulders. As long as All Might was there to spread peace and joy, the future couldn’t be all bad. No matter what, he would be Izuku’s future, a guiding light to lead him to where he needed to be.

It took him another week to work up the courage to enter the shop. The little bell when he opened the door might as well have been a blazing alarm, it almost caused him to run right then and there.

“Welcome to Takazawa Fortune Tellers, you’re here for the precognitive services, correct?” The secretary at the front said with a small smile. 

“Oh well I uh how did you-”

“Mild telepathy, lets me know people’s intentions,” the woman explained, tapping her temple. “That and I’ve seen you stopping and staring at the sign for almost a month.” Izuku ducked into the collar of his uniform and considered running again. He could find a new way home from school, possibly change schools altogether, maybe a new country?

“Please don’t go,” the woman said with a light laugh, “in fact, you picked the perfect day to stop by. We’re booked up for months but our last appointment was a no show so we have an open slot right now. We’re not supposed to take walk-ins but, well, you’ve been waiting for this a long time, haven’t you?”

Izuku flushed but the woman stood up, “I guess destiny brought you at the right time, I’ll let Kenma-san know you’re here. Please sit and fill out these forms while you wait.” 

It took all of his inner strength to shakily grab the clipboard from her and begin signing his consents, each making him more nervous than the last. Waiving liability in case he didn’t like his future. Accepting trauma from anything unpleasant he may see. Paying the full amount in the event he was dead in the future and thus could receive no predictions. 

“She’s ready for you now.” Taking a deep breath and summoning All Might’s brave smile in his mind, he handed her his completed forms and made his way to the back room. It was a small, almost claustrophobic room with heavily scented candles and dark mood lighting. A woman dressed in elaborate robes with a veil over her face was sitting at a small table. She gestured to the empty chair.

“You’re younger than my usual clients,” she said in a weathered voice, it was hard to tell if she was old or simply worn down. Izuku found himself sympathizing. “How old are you, young man?”

“13,” Izuku squeaked.

“A good age, you have your whole life ahead of you,” she nodded holding out both of her hands. “Now, here’s how this works. My quirk can transport you into your body at twice your current age so when you are 26.” Izuku tried to wrap his mind around being 26, an adult with a job but found he couldn’t. His palms began to sweat. “You will be transported to a time, 13 years from now, when your adult self is asleep so there’s no struggle over dual consciousness. You will be able to see, hear and feel your immediate surroundings but not interact much. The more you try to assert control the more your future self will awaken. Once they’re awake, you’ll be transported back to your current body. You don’t need to worry about privacy, I will only be facilitating your transfer and won’t be able to see anything you do. Understand?”

Izuku nodded, he wouldn’t be able to see or do much if he was confined to wherever his future self was sleeping. It was seemingly innocuous and yet...

“You do understand that, if between now and then, you’ve died that the transference won’t work. Are you prepared for that possibility?” She said cautiously. Having already come this far, he nodded. “Alright then young man, lets see what the future has in store for you. Take my hands and let your mind go as blank as possible. Close your eyes and the next time you open them, you will be in your future.”

Izuku grasped her hands, supple and firm leading him to believe he was correct that she wasn’t as old as he first believed. He tried to quiet his thoughts but it like wiping a white erase board in permanent marker. There was so much to fear, so much to worry about in his future. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed, for once in his life, his hopes weren’t painfully crushed. 

He opened his eyes and saw All Might. Specifically a really nice framed All Might poster featuring the hero back to back with a skinny blonde man hung on a wall. It looked like it was signed by someone but he was too far away to read what it said. The date at the bottom of the poster was 6 years from the current year. Well, he was alive in 13 years which was nice to know. The relief that echoed through him was surprising, had he really believed- No, no time for that. He didn’t know how long this would last so he had to make his observations now.

Izuku was in a large bed lying on his side facing a wall, the All Might poster was the biggest and most obvious but the whole wall was covered in various pictures and posters. A smaller poster with explosions on it caught his eye and he couldn’t help but smile. Looks like Kacchan made it as a hero after all, he felt bitter, just a bit but overall was happy for his well former friend. Another had a girl in pink floating standing next to someone who looked like Ingenium. It’s not surprise he maintained his fanboy habits even as an adult. It was comforting in its familiarity. 

Speaking of which, he observed what he could see of what was most likely his home with some surprise. It was clean but still comfortably lived in. It was also quiet large with some nice, traditionally Japanese furnishings. Much more than a quirkless salary man could probably afford. The bedside table next to him had a clock, which flashed 0547 in bright green letters, a cracked phone he assumed was his and a worn and ripped notebook. It read Hero Notes vol 25. 

Izuku instinctively reached for the notebook only to falter. His shoulder hurt, it ached and pulled from what felt like a recent injury. But that didn’t surprise him nearly as much as the scars covering his right hand and forearm. They ached, the way old wounds did, something he would always be aware of but would get used to. What the hell did his future self get up to? He briefly latched onto the idea that he had become a hero but quickly discarded it. Quirkless people didn’t become heroes, he probably got a career as a quirk analyst or something which is why he could afford such a nice place. It wasn’t a bad life from the looks of it.

He clenched his scarred right fist hard, not a bad life still wasn’t anywhere close to his dream. Izuku felt a stirring in the back of his mind and he carefully relaxed his hand. Right, he couldn’t wake his future self, not until he was done. Before he could wonder what else he could do, an arm brushed against his back before draping over his side as another body pressed close to him.

“Too early, go back to sleep,” a soft voice mumbled sleepily into his back.

Izuku froze, so conditioned to hands hurting him but the arm instead just held onto him lightly, like they didn’t want to let him go. It was cool to the touch but it felt good, like chill breeze on a warm day. Oh. He stared down at the pale arm gently embracing him until his vision became blurred. Oh. Izuku had been so prepared to accept a miserable future, even one where he didn’t exist. The idea that he was happy, that he was loved? Even more than being a hero, that had seemed too impossible to even dream about. 

He grasped the cold hand and intertwined their fingers like it was his only lifeline. Izuku sniffled, holding onto the hand until he blinked and found the only hand he was holding was that of the fortune teller. She let him grip her fingers as he composed himself, re-orientating himself back into his small, unscarred body.

“Are you alright, my boy?” She asked gently.

“Yeah,” Izuku said through his tears which probably didn’t help his case. “Really yes, I saw-” his breath hitched. “It was good, it was so good and I never thought- I couldn’t imagine someone like me could have that.” She relaxed and gave his hands a squeeze before letting go. 

“I’m glad, most people who cry during my sessions don’t do it for happy reasons. Take your time to calm down, Nami-chan will help you when you’re done. After that, your future awaits you.”

“Yeah,” he cheered, sloppily wiping his tears. No matter how bad things were now, they would eventually lead to the cozy home, the wall full of pictures and comforting hand around his side like it belonged there. He would wait a lifetime for that, 13 was nothing.

(luckily he didn’t even need to wait that long for his future to begin with a fated encounter, a question and a promise that his dreams could be reached)

13 Years Later

“‘zuku, you okay?” Shouto asked sleepily from behind him. 

“Yeah, why?” Izuku questioned as he blinked himself back to awareness feeling a bit muddled and out of it. 

“You’re gripping my hand pretty hard,” Shouto said pushing himself up onto his elbow, “also you’re crying.”

“Aren’t I always crying?” Izuku joked turned to look at his beautiful sleep rumbled boyfriend. Shouto just gave him a thoughtful look. “I’m fine, look,” he responded wiping the tears away. “I just, I think I was dreaming and you know how emotional I get.”

“Was it a nightmare?” Shouto asked settling himself back down into the bed, cuddling close on one of the rare days where one or both them wasn’t patrolling. 

“No, no, I don’t think so,” Izuku said shaking his head. He can’t be sure but he thinks he’d been dreaming of his past, of that sad, quirkless boy he’d been. If only there was some way he could tell that kid that things would get better, better than he could have possibly imagined. With the feel of Shouto’s dual temperatures pressed up against him, Izuku looked over at what Shouto called his Wall of Worship as if supporting his friends and colleagues was a bad thing.

All Might’s poster, the exclusive one of a kind poster his mentor had presented to him upon Izuku’s graduation as always drew his gaze. Too far away to read it properly Izuku still had memorized the words from the moment he’d read them, etched onto his heart.

To my boy,

Your bravery and kindness have inspired me from the moment we met. I cannot wait to watch you shine. Your future begins now. 

All Might Yagi Toshinori

[moiloru]

About the so-called "Third-Case Syndrome"

I've been in the Ace Attorney fandom for a few years now, and there is a story I've heard more times than I can count: the story of the "Third-Case Syndrome." After joining the Danganronpa fandom, I realized - not without surprise - that a similar "Third-Chapter Syndrome" had admittedly cursed the series. However, I do believe that, in both cases, it would be wise to exert caution: things are never as simple as they seem. Now, even if this seems evident to me, I'll say it just to be sure: this is only my opinion. You might disagree, but please do not be toxic about it.

Before we proceed, I'd also like to warn you all: spoilers ahead for the entire Danganronpa and Ace Attorney series (even the Investigations and DGS games). Now, let's begin.

Ace Attorney:

AA1 - Turnabout Samurai:

To start off, we have 1-3. I agree with most of the fandom that it is slightly too long and the investigation segments drag out. Going from Studio One to Studio Two, to the Detention Center, etc. is quickly boring. However, its cast is solid (especially Powers and Oldbag), Dee Vasquez's motive (self-defense) is original, the Steel Samurai's theme slaps, and Edgeworth gets the first bit of his character development! I believe it outweights the negative aspects of the case and make it enjoyable. I believe it is far better than 1-1 and 1-2 (with its obvious twists and rushed ending), although it doesn't compare with 1-4 and 1-5, of course. But it's definitely not the case that people point the finger out when arguing about the "curse."

JfA - Turnabout Big Top:

I'll definitely be playing Devil's advocate on that one, but I like 2-3. Of course, the whole "love triangle" thing was shit, but the rest of the case was fine! Regina sucks, that I can agree with, but Moe was funny (in my opinion), Max got some quality character development in the end, Ben & Trilo were a nice duo, and Acro... Acro is one of the best culprits in the series, hands down. His theme is amazing and he is one of the most tragic characters in the series. Knowing that he unknowingly killed the person who had helped him is just sad, and his motive for trying to kill Regina, while not excusable, is understable. Losing the two people he was closest to, and him explaining that he couldn't "up and leave" (literally, too) before Bat had woken up was just sad. Also, while 2-3 isn't amazing like 2-4 (my favorite case) is, it's miles ahead of 2-1 (which objectively sucks) and 2-2 (which lasts for hours with an annoying and predictable culprit). Besides, the plot twist at the end with Edgeworth appearing sets the tone for the upcoming final case. In my opinion, Turnabout Big Top gets some undeserved hate.

T&T - Recipe for Turnabout:

3-3 is really good, no questions asked. The mere fact that it's better than 3-2 (predictable culprit, forgettable victim...) is obvious to me. But it also features the return of Maggey, and the first (and only) appearance of amazingly comical characters like Furio Tigre and Victor Kudo (who both have amazing theme songs). The victim might be a little forgettable, but he at least gets some development, unlike Bullard in The Stolen Turnabout. Of course, Tigre is obvious as the killer, but he's meant to be this way, and the way you corner him is amazing. The reveal that Godot can't see red on white matters in 3-5, and the case is hilarious. Special mention of Viola Cadaverini, who's underrated by the fandom, in my opinion. 3-3 is probably the strongest third case in the Trilogy, and it is definitely not the worst case in T&T.

AJ - Turnabout Serenade:

Okay, this case sucks. I dislike it very much and I can't find anything that would redeem it. The victim is boring, Daryan is obvious, Valant isn't good enough, the mini-game is tedious, and the "Phoenix saves the day" thing is repetitive. However, 4-3's biggest flaw is the defendant, Machi Tobaye. Lamiroir is an enjoyable character, and the plot twist surrounding her eyesight isn't bad, but it doesn't make Machi good enough not to ruin the case. This case is the weak point of a great game, but fortunately, 4-4 more than makes up for it.

DD - Turnabout Academy:

Dual Destinies is my least favorite game in the main series, but it has some solid cases, 5-3 being one of them. The trio of Juniper, Robin, and Hugh is amazing (even if the twist around Robin was pretty obvious), the WAA trio works very well, and we even get a chance to see Klavier again (his objection clip sucks, though)! It is definitely a strong case, even if Means was a bit obvious, and while it doesn't hold up to the great ending of DD, I do believe that 5-3 is better than 5-1, 5-2, and maybe even 5-4.

SoJ - The Rite of Turnabout:

Maya's comeback makes this case good, albeit not great. It is better than 6-1 for sure (drags on too much for a tutorial case) and probably 6-4 and 6-6, but it pales compared to 6-2 and 6-5, of course. Nayhuta is the weak point of 6-3, but everything else about this case is pretty good! The "new" Maya is a right balance of her former self with some more maturity, Datz is funny, Beh'leeb Inmee was a really emotional character, and while I don't like Tahrust too much, the plot twist around his death was pretty cool. Also, this case also makes it clear why Phoenix did what he did in 6-5 when Inga blackmailed him: he can't lose Maya. It could have been better, but this case is solid, and definitely not part of a "curse" of any kind.

AAI - The Kidnapped Turnabout:

Unfortunately, AAI kinda sucks. The first three cases aren't that good, and while I1-3 is probably better than I1-1, I'll admit it's terrible. It's long, the Amanos sucks, Lauren Paups isn't that great, and if it wasn't for Kay, the case would probably be the worst in the series.

AAI2 - The Inherited Turnabout:

Is there anything bad to say about I2-3? I mean, you play as Gregory freaking Edgeworth, so what more do you want? Ah, yes, it also has DL-6 development, the exceptional Katherine Hall and Jeffrey Masters, plot twists, flashbacks done right (!), and while the villain isn't great, he is satisfying to catch, and he matters in I2-5. Honestly, this case would probably be enough to prove my whole argument.

DGS1 - The Adventure of the Runaway Room:

After a somewhat disappointing second case (in my opinion), DGS1-3 is really good! Megundal (I'll use the names from the fan translation, since I'm used to them and like them better) is quite the interesting character, and the Engarde-like plot twist surrounding him is amazing. His death in the final cutscene is also good and ties in nicely with the final case. Ryunosuke's first trial in England gives him cool development, and damn it, Barok van Zieks! His legslam, glass throw, and objection clip suffice to make him an amazing character, and there's more to him that just that. This case is better than DGS1-2, DGS1-1, and maybe even DGS1-4 if you don't consider its link to DGS2.

DGS2 - The Return of the Great Departed Soul:

While not as good as the two following cases in my opinion, this case is definitely above-average. Gina's comeback is just great, and her new mentor-protégé relationship with Gregson is nothing short of wholesome. Enoch Drebbler is one of the best culprits in the duology, and Courtney Sithe's character is very good, too. She gives a confident vibe that really serves the case. Benjamin Dobinbough (because his canon English name is one I refuse to acknowledge) is a great clueless defendant, and his relationship to Barok is quite nice! It definitely makes the case trickier! Rozaic has a really mysterious and enjoyable atmosphere surrounding her, and finding Herlock standing like statue at the wax museum was amusing. Of course, the best thing about this case is Asogi's return. It is handled well by the game that doesn't try to cover the obvious plot twist.. The final cutscene is just *smooch*. I also can't forget the Joint Reasoning with Herlock when looking for Enoch. Again, this case is definitely not part of a "curse" of any kind.

Overall thoughts:

I don't think the Third-Case Syndrome holds for Ace Attorney. Some third cases weren't good (4-3 and I1-3) but most are either good (1-3, 3-3, 5-3, DGS1-3) or excellent (I2-3 and DGS2-3). I know Turnabout Big Top traumatized most of the fandom, but I don't think it's that bad, and definitely not bad enough to start a curse revolving around third cases.

Danganronpa:

Trigger Happy Havoc:

Chapter Three of THH is... good enough. The pointless argument between Taka and Hifumi is annoying, to be sure, and Celeste did us a favor by getting rid of them. And her plan wasn't bad, either! It could have worked if Makoto and Kyoko had not been there. However, I do believe that this chapter is too boring before the first murder. The motive is also... meh. The plot twist oh Hifumi waking up and remembering Celeste's true name was enjoyable, though. 1-3 isn't amazing by any means, but I think it's better than 1-5 and 1-6, but it stands no chance against 1-2 and 1-4.

Goodbye Despair:

Well, this one sucks. I think it's the only DR chapter that literally has a plot hole. The "Despair Syndrome" motive is probably the worse in the series and this case pretty much ruined Mikan's character. Her execution is lame, Ibuki shouldn't have been a victim (seriously, why?), the culprit is obvious, and the timeframe to execute her plot doesn't work if you aren't Sonic the Hedgehog. Also... that attempt at fanservice was cringe, and it almost killed Hajime. The only thing that redeems this chapter a bit is the name "Titty Typhoon" but that's it. This one definitely alimented the "curse," and rightfully so. In-between two great cases, 2-3 doesn't make a good impression.

Killing Harmony:

3-3 is a chapter I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, the atmosphere was excellent and fitting of the killer, and Kokichi's prank had us all freak out at first. I don't like neither Angie nor Kiyo (sorry, Kiyo fans), but somehow, it didn't make the chapter worse for me. On the other hand, the Necronomicon motive sucks almost as much as the motive in 2-3. It could have worked in DR2 considering the Killing Game happened virtually, but in V3, the motive was just an outright lie from Monokuma, so it doesn't work. Also, Kiyo was a bit too obvious: the music, the theme, his sudden importance in the plot, the séance... it was just a bit too much not to make him suspicious. Finally, this chapter's major flaw, which I can sum up in one word: sister. That, was traumatizing. Without even going in details, everything that happened after Kiyo's "sister" appeared during the Class Trial ruined it. I'm also curious to know if the writers at Spike Chunsoft are mentally stable, considering Kiyo's relationship with his sister and the fact that they ship Monotaro and his sister Monophanie in the next case. It's not a bad chapter at all, but it has its flaws, unfortunately.

Overall thoughts:

While I wouldn't call it a "curse," it's true that third cases in Danganronpa aren't amazing, especially in DR2. You'll also notice that I didn't mention UDG simply because it's too different a game to be compared to THH, DR2, and V3. If we ever get another Killing Game, I hope that the third chapter will be better, because we've yet to have an awesome Chapter Three so far.

Final thoughts:

I don't believe there are curses revolving around third cases/chapters, neither in Ace Attorney, nor in Danganronpa. However, it's true that in the case of Danganronpa, on average, third cases are the weakest, while Chapters Four and Five are almost always great. Third cases in Ace Attorney definitely get an unfair treatement, though.

Thanks for reading, and I'm open to discussing all of this if you disagree!

[jadedjo]

Flufftober day 8: Unwavering

Better late than never. 

~~~

“Stop!” Mara called, closing down her lightsaber, as Luke spun away from another of her attacks. He’d been using Form III this entire duel, never once going on the offensive. She hadn’t wanted to stop, hadn’t wanted to admit that she could never beat him in a pure and clean lightsaber duel. But 30 minutes of nonstop combat had shown her that some battles just couldn’t be won.

“Apprentice Mara Jade Skywalker,” Master Kyle Katarn intoned. “What have you learned this day?”

She started just a little, having forgotten that he, and the other master’s were in the room, watching, judging. Just as they’d been quietly judging her all day. The day of her Jedi Trials.

“Master,” she said formally, bowing to him. It was Kyle overseeing her trails rather than Luke to eliminate any bias. They’d also had a dual Master/Apprentice relationship once upon a time. In this moment, that felt like another life.

Thinking back to the other trials she’d completed, many needed calm as she puzzled out what was required of her and then either using the Force to execute the task or her own ingenuity. Those had been relatively easy compared to this last task.

A lightsaber duel with her Master, and husband.

The latter only gave her false confidence that she knew his techniques and could anticipate his strategies. Mara hadn’t expected to cheat and used their Force bond, and wasn’t surprised to find it shut down tight. But she also hadn’t expected that Luke wouldn’t be fighting to win. The whole duel and been a stalemate.

“I have learned that not all battles can be won through physical strength or one's ability to use the Force,” she said.

“Is that all?” Kyle asked.

She dared not look in Luke’s direction. This was her test and her failure if she was wrong. “And I have learned that I’m not supposed to do it alone.”

The burst of radiance from the bond out shone Kyle’s grin and left her breathless in a way the duel hadn’t, leaving her dazzled.

“Apprentice, you stand before us, training complete. Finally.” Kyle said not even trying to keep his joy hidden while the other masters laughed. After all, of all of the first students to attend the Jedi Academy, she was the last to complete the training, nearly 15 years later.

“Will you take your pace with your fellow Jedi,” Kyle continued. “To defend and protect those that can not? To follow the Will the Force and stand against the Dark?”

“I will,” she said and meant it with her whole heart.

It was then that Luke took his place as head of the Jedi and said with a broad smile full of pride, “Then kneel, Jedi Knight Mara Jade Skywalker, and pledge yourself to the Force.”

Many years ago, Mara had vowed never to kneel or serve another master again. Would never be subservient and would remain in control of her own destiny.

She had fought this path. To the point where she almost lost out on the love of a lifetime because of her silent vow and stubbornness. But she was done fighting it. Ready to embrace this path with an open heart that was full of love. Love for her husband, but also love for her fellow Jedi, her family.

And it had all started with a long walk in the woods and the unwavering support of the man before her.

Kneeling, head bowed in humility she recited the oath:

“Emotion, yet Peace, Ignorance, yet Knowledge, Passion, yet Serenity, Chaos, yet Harmony,

Death, yet the Force.”

[echoes-of-the-clockwork]

Book Four: War (Gladiolus x Reader) Chapter Twenty-Two

It had been three years since Noctis was absorbed into the Crystal. Darkness had descended upon all of Eos as the sun was vanquished by the starscourge. Daemons wandered the land and forced many to fear for their lives. Hunters wandered the darkened lands of Eos to hunt down the daemons while others acted as escorts to protect civilians from town to town. The only thing keeping the daemons at bay were the bright fluorescent lights surrounding the settlements located across the Leide, Cleigne, and Duscae regions.

For the past three years, Gladio has been a hunter to assist with slaying the daemons. Of course, (Y/n) was by his side. They took up hunts together and fought daemons side by side. The two hadn't seen or heard from Prompto or Ignis in the past few months, but they weren't worried. Famine was with Prompto and Pestilence was helping Ignis with healing. Death was in Hell, protecting the daemon king from his subjects.

Today, Gladio and (Y/n) were heading to the Vesperpool to slay a horde of red giants that were wreaking havoc in the area. The two were riding together in a truck Cid provided them a couple years back. The old man had installed powerful headlights that kept the daemons from attacking their car while on the road.

War glanced out the window, watching the darkness as the daemons prowled the land. She crossed her legs and didn't realize one was shaking. Her gaze was torn from the window when Gladio places a hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "You're getting antsy as usual," he said.

"Why wouldn't I be? It's been almost an entire week since we hunted down daemons," she said.

"Nothing's stopping you from going out there and slaughtering them when we don't have a mission."

She purses her bottom lip. "What's the fun in doing it alone? I have you now."

Gladio smiled at her for a second before returning his gaze back to the road. His relationship with the Horseman was going well. (Y/n) wasn't as fiery-tempered as she was three years ago and she's learned to speak her true feelings. She had more patience and was more welcoming to strangers. She even made friends with some of the hunters at Meldacio HQ. Like with any relationship, they had their ups and downs. Whenever an argument did arise, they'd calmly think through it together.

After an hour of driving from Hammerhead to the Vesperpool, the couple arrived at Capitis Haven. They pulled out the camping gear and set up everything. Gladio sat down in one of the chairs around the fire while (Y/n) strolled over to the edge of the haven. She watched the daemons in the distance, searching for their targets.

However, she was promptly torn away from her position at the edge of the haven by Gladio. He'd snuck up behind her, tossed her over his shoulder, and marched her into the tent. She blinked in surprise when realizing she was now laying down on one of the sleeping bags inside the tent. Her (e/c) eyes locked with Gladio's amber ones when his hands grabbed her hips and dragged her towards him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Remember what Dave said? We've still got some time before those damned red giants appear," he said.

"Of course I remember what Dave said. My question was what are you doing?"

"Recharging my batteries before we hunt some daemons."

She eyed the way he sat between her legs. "In this position? No way."

"You weren't complainin' yesterday when I was-"

She jammed her heel into his back, silencing him. "That was yesterday. Today is today. Putting it in Prompto's term, we aren't gonna "do the dirty" while we're camping. There's no way in hell that'll ever happen, especially with these damned daemons everywhere."

He grinned down at her. "Whatever you say, (Y/n)." He removed himself from between her legs and laid down beside her.

Once he was comfortable, she snuggled into his side and rested her head on his chest. One of his arms wound around her shoulders, his fingers trailing through her crimson locks. "This is much better," she mumbled contently.

Gladio chortled. "Y'know, I never took you for a cuddler."

"You learn something new every day..." Her voice trailed off, (e/c) eyes sliding close. She was enjoying his fingers as they combed through her hair, soothing her and bringing a semblance of peace. She knew it wouldn't be long until she fell asleep due to his ministrations.

Gladio has figured out a year ago that if he stroked her hair for a short amount of time, he'd cause her to fall asleep. It's how he'd get her to sleep with him whenever he needed to rest. It worked every time without fail. When she was finally asleep, he pulled out his phone and set the timer. Once he was done, he put the phone down and fell asleep.

It would only be a couple hours later when the phone would go off. Gladio woke up at hearing the device go off, but (Y/n) remained fast asleep. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before deciding to wake her. "C'mon, firecracker. Time to get up."

Over the past three years, (Y/n) no longer abhorred the nickname. She tuned it out more than anything, but she soon learned to love it. However, she wouldn't say that to Gladio. "No..." she mumbled.

"Aren't you the one who doesn't need sleep?"

"Need? No. Want? Yes..." She snuggled closer to him. "It's your fault..."

"Can't deny that," Gladio sighed.

When (Y/n) was about to fall back asleep, the sound of daemons nearby caught her attention. Her eyes flew open and she dashed out of the tent. She ran to the edge of the haven just in time to see five red giants manifests in the middle of the road. She turned to Gladio once he joined her and peered at his phone. "Dave was right on the nose. It's 1 A.M. and a horde of red giants have appeared." She held out her hand and summoned her sword. "Let's do this."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Gladio conjured his own greatsword, following (Y/n) into battle. They faced off against the daemons, swinging their weapons around. War tossed her sword, piercing one of the red giants' heads as she performed a warp-strike. It tried to grab her, but she quickly dislodged her blade and landed back on the ground.

Gladio defeated one of the five red giants while (Y/n) dealt the killing blow to another. Now only three remained. Because of their attention being focused on two other red giants, they failed to see the third one maneuver behind them. The Horseman was the to realize what it was doing when it targeted Gladio. She shouted his name, warning him of the red giant that was about to bring its sword down on him.

The brute turned around just in time to block and parry the red giant's blade. Using the katana gifted to him from Gilgamesh, he dual-wielded it and slashed widely at the daemon. His quick swings caused the enemy to fall to its knees. (Y/n) switched from her sword to a halberd and used it to decapitate it. Two red giants remained.

Teaming up, Gladio and (Y/n) performed a linked attack. She leapt onto the flat side of his greatsword and he tossed her into the air. Once reaching high enough, she activated the armiger and sent a barrage of spears, javelins, swords, halberds, and daggers towards the two remaining red giants. Each weapon pierced the daemons' bodies, killing them both. Landing back on her feet, the Horseman stretched her arms up to the darkened sky. "Looks like our job here's done." Her hands fell back down to her sides when she finished stretching.

"We're a pretty badass team, if I do say so myself," Gladio said. He replayed their current battle in his mind until a frown appeared on his face. Every time (Y/n) warped or activated the armiger, his mind races to his memories of Noctis.

War noticed his expression, already knowing what was going through his head. "I know you, Ignis, and Prompto miss Noctis dearly. He won't be gone forever."

"And how do you know that?" He asked with a hint of hostility.

She knew Noctis was still a sensitive subject even after three years. "Because he succeeded where I failed. He will return when he's ready."

"What're you talking about?"

"Every 500 years, Vanaheim's ruler would be absorbed into the Crystal in order to receive the knowledge of the Astrals. After some time, they'd return to share such knowledge with the rest of the kingdom. I was supposed to be absorbed into the Crystal on my 22nd birthday, but that day never came."

Galdio fell silent. This was the first time she ever told him about her destiny as Vanaheim's queen. All he knew before now was how she was a tyrannical ruler due to Gaius' influence and she was able to harness the second Crystal's power. He dispelled his greatsword with a sigh. "After three years, I'm still learning new things about you."

"What's the fun in sharing everything at once?" She grinned. Her sword vanished from her hand. "Let's head back to the campsite. You look terrible."

"I'm not the only one who-" Gladio stopped talking when witnessing her minor cuts and bruises heal. "I stand corrected."

She laughed. "I'll heal you when we get back to camp."

The couple returned to Capitis Haven. There, War provided healing for Gladio. She watched his minuscule wounds heal before sighing through her nose. "Better call Dave and tell him the good news."

She began sauntering away, her hips swaying with each step as she grabbed a towel. Gladio watched her for a couple of seconds before asking, "Where're you going?"

"I'm gonna enjoy a dip in the Vesperpool. I don't like smelling like sweat and dirt."

"I think it suits you."

She glared feebly at him. "That is not a compliment. Don't make me punch you."

Leaving the haven, (Y/n) wandered through the darkness with her flashlight. She headed towards the large body of water not far from the campsite. Arriving at her destination, she made sure the area was clear before stripping her clothes off. She entered the cold water, her heated skin cooling. She lowered herself into the water until only her neck and head were visible. Her crimson locks floated on the surface as she scrubbed her arms and legs.

Once she finished scrubbing away the dirt and sweat, (Y/n) delved deeper into the water. Now, only everything from her nose up was visible. She closed her eyes, sighing through her nose. The sounds of daemons in the distance didn't disturb her one bit. She continued soaking in the waters until she heard a small splash from behind her.

Before the redhead could turn around to see the cause of the splash, two toned arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her body against a bare chest. (Y/n) recognized the muscular form without having to turn around. "So, you decided to join me, huh?"

"May as well. I didn't smell all that pleasant, either," Gladio said.

The couple floated aimlessly in the water in silence for a short while. (Y/n) was the one to shatter the silence lingering between them. "How'd the call go with Dave?"

"Told him the good news and said our payment would be ready when we get back. He also mentioned a new mission for us."

This grabbed the horseman's attention. "What does he need help with now?"

"You know that imperial base in Leide near Hammerhead? Well, apparently there's been activity inside and he wants us to check it out. Iggy and his new sweetheart are gonna be joining us."

She furrowed her brows. "You mean Pestilence? She's not his sweetheart. She's just helping him with his eyes."

"You might not see it, but I've known Iggy a long time. I can tell when he acts differently around someone. It just so happens that someone is your sister. Whether he realizes it or not, he's head-over-heels for her," Gladio said. "He could use a woman in his life."

"Guess I'll have to see it for myself," she replied. "We'll leave once you've gotten some rest."

After a few minutes, the couple exited the water. They dried themselves off and put their clothes back on before returning to Capitis Haven. Gladio rested in the tent while War gathered and packed up the items they wouldn't be needing any longer. When that was done, she sat down by the fire and stared into the flames. Her head was filled with the memories she's made since arriving on Eos, both good and bad. She hadn't realized how much time had passed until she heard Gladio exit the tent. She tore her gaze away from the fire and looked at him. "What time is it?"

"4 A.M. Don't tell me you've been staring at the campfire this entire time," he said.

"Got lost in though," she confessed. "Since you're up, let's pack everything else up. We'll meet Ignis and Pestilence at Hammerhead."

They packed up the remainder of the campsite and traveled to Hammerhead. There, Gladio called Ignis and learned he and Pestilence wouldn't be arriving until another couple of hours. Hanging up, he put his phone back into his pocket and shared the news with his girlfriend. He threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side with a grin. "While we wait, we can get a bite to eat."

"You can get a bite to eat," she corrected him. "I'll just keep you company."

They walked into the diner and saw the place was packed with various amounts of supplies. Takka still worked behind the counter, providing some good meals for the hunters that passed through. There were only a couple of booths opened due to the large amount of boxes scattered about the diner. They sat down at one and Takka took the shield's order.

While waiting for his meal, Gladio stared across the table at (Y/n). He admired her (e/c) eyes and crimson locks while she glanced out the window. He suddenly felt a foot kick his knee under the table.

"You're staring at me," the Horseman grumbled, tearing her gaze away from the window to stare back at Gladio. "Have something to say?"

"Nope," Gladio answered. "Just admiring the gorgeous woman sitting across from me, and trying to figure out how the hell I got so lucky."

"I'm still trying to figure that last part out, too," she teased with a smirk.

Just then, Takka returns with the dish Gladio ordered. As he ate, the couple discussed their past missions and what they should expect from their upcoming one. While wondering why the imperials returned to Formouth Garrison, two people sauntered into the diner. (Y/n) perked up when seeing one of the figures was Pestilence. She waved at the ivory-haired girl. "Hey, sis."

"My, my, it's been quite a while," Pestilence smiled at the two, approaching the table with Ignis by her side. "You both seem to be faring well."

"You both look like you're doing well, too," War replied. "Kicked any daemon ass lately?"

"We just returned from Lestallum after having dealt with troublesome flans encroaching near the city limits," Ignis stated.

Gladio glanced between the advisor and the ivory-haired Horseman. He noticed how close they were standing to each other and grinned. "So, have you two sealed the deal yet?"

"Gladio," Ignis hissed.

"Fool yourself all you want, Iggy, but you're not pulling the wool over my eyes."

(Y/n) noticed her sister's confusion at what Gladio was referring to and decided to change the subject before she could ask any questions. "How're your eyes, Ignis?"

The strategist removed his visor to reveal his once dull eyes were back to being a sparkling emerald. "Visibility has returned although portions of the scarring remain."

"With one more dosage, I should be able to heal the remainder of the scar," Pestilence explained.

"I am in your debt for you assistance, Pestilence," Ignis said.

The lilac-eyed girl smiled warmly at him. "You don't owe me anything, Ignis. Being your partner throughout the years is a reward in itself."

Gladio gestured to the two, smirking in War's direction. "See? What'd I tell ya?"

(Y/n) glanced at her sister and the tactician. She could see how much they cared for each other by simply analyzing how they were gazing at one another. She didn't want to tease the two and didn't answer the shield. "Anyway..." She scooted out of the booth and got to her feet. "We've got an imperial base to infiltrate. What's our plan going to be?"

"Our first course of action is to survey the stronghold and search for an infiltration point," Ignis explained. "From there, we shall observe the empire's movements to gain an understanding of why they've returned."

"So no killing?" (Y/n) asked.

"For the time being, no."

"Ugh..."

Gladio was amused at her disappointment. "I'm sure we'll get to knock some imperial heads together before the day's up."

"I will try to keep my sword sheathed," she mumbled.

"Then shall we be off?" Pestilence asked.

"Hell yeah. Let's see what those bastards are up to," Gladio responded.

"We best keep the truck here," (Y/n) advised.

"How're you planning on us getting there?" The brute questioned.

"Horseback. If we take the truck, they'll spot us easily. Even though daemons are everywhere, our cover won't be blown if we ride Ares and Erra."

"I second the idea," the ivory-haired girl chimed in. "Although more dangerous, it'll keep our approach from alerting the entire stronghold."

"Then horseback it is," Ignis stated. "Let us depart."

[mischievous-tree]

With Open Arms

"Honey, you have no idea what I can do at places like this." "What is it, then, that you can do?" "I can make pretty little boys like you scream and beg me to destroy them and when I am done they will thank me for my work and smile as they whither beneath my gaze." "Sounds creepy, interesting, fascinating. How do you do that?" "Naïve little boy. You'd walk into any knife with open arms and widened eyes as long as it's my hand closing down around the handle. I could tell you to go. Scream warnings at your face until my throat is hoarse and hit you before the chest to try to make you turn, but you'd walk into my blade willingly, like a moth to the flame." "You blade is quite wooing, your dark nature too fascinating." "I am of excessive beauty indeed, not pompous like those tiny mortals wrapped in golden-laced fabric und painted in colours of peacocks and gardens, but beautiful like the glitter in a jaguars eye before it rips you limb to limb, beautiful like a butterfly dancing through the air on burning wings, beautiful like the ocean. There are days when the waves of old can be restful and kind, but the sea sees nights where it knows neither laws nor mercy, and like the beauty of a wave reaching its highest point, just seconds from crashing down on you, my beauty will bring you only pain. Run away little boy, run while you may think you still can, and scream my name into the void at night, praying you do not get an answer." "I... I cannot run from such beauty, I am too fascinated by it, chained to it. I'm not strong enough to run, and I wouldn't be if i wanted to. I'm a magnet attracted by your knife, a moth attracted by the light, life attracted by death. I will welcome the wave crashing down on me, the cold refreshment before I fall." "You would let me rip you apart just to see the blood rich rubin glitter, let me make you into a piece of art, seeing with your dying breath the beauty I can twist your bones into? You would welcome the pain, the sharp sting, the agony that follows, only to have my hands roaming over your skin be the thing to doom you? You would make yourself a sacrifice just to see the way the light catches in rivers of your tears?" "It... it would be an honor to be extincted by something so perfect, wouldn't it be? And for a short moment, nothing compared to my life and what could follow, I will reach your beauty - a dying artwork yet still living. The perfect moment, the infinite beauty of the things that elapse." "Then you're a fool. Trading your life for a moment of bliss like so many before you, but then again, there are no atheists in the trenches, not a wise man on the battlefield, and no man not worthy of the title fool finding his way into my pretty little domicile." "Why am I here then? What led me to you, offering my eyes such beauty, and then denies my disappearing in a dual way? What instance offered my this chance just to see it get destroyed by you? And yet I am standing here, can't go farther nor nearer, waiting for the gorgeous art that you will not make of me?" "Your choice ahs been stripped away from you the second you laid your eyes on the curve of my lashed, the glint in my eyes and the way my hands drive through the air as if guided by an artform older than time itself. You cannot rip your eyes from me any more than you could rip the part of your mind that loves your mother out of your head. I could gently ask of you to go on your knees and ram your head into the floor until your teeth crack and you'd give me a smile as you bend your leg, but I couldn't let you leave if I screamed to you and the old gods and the firmament to banish you from this cursed place. You are here because you can't for the life of you not be." "I'll have some fun then, it seems, beautiful creature. What are you going to do to me? Shall I stand here forever, waiting for roots to grow from me and becoming the dirt I once have been? Or shall I serve you happily. I am chained to you, thus I can't go. Whatever will I do?" "I have nurtured pretty little boys like you until there were roots piercing their feet and

wrapping around their bones, have kept them breathing and crying under my skillful hands until flowers in the colours of the sun kissing the sea grew out of their eyes and skull and their mouths were tear-filled ponds for fairies riding on frogs to rest their feet, vines and ranks that blossom in ways the words to describe have long since been muttered for the last time by beings that would make both of us go mad in horror. I have made pretty little boys like you blossom and grow into divine shapes, but that is not your fate. You are not here to die, nor are you here to live for me." "What is my purpose then?" "You are here because there is a want, a need in your stomach that might as well be barbed wire clutching its arms around you like the mother you left for me. You are here, because there is a whisper in your head that might as well be a banshee screeching in your skull, a whisper that this is the only way. The blood and the flesh and the minds I make into art need to be broken down to dust before I can weave them into the old gods themselves, but all beauty I could find in your shards doesn't stay hidden in your blood or bones or flesh or mind. You yearn for this, but like a moth can only stand aflame for seconds before it falls apart by the love for the fire it apes, you can never become the fire, become the dance so beautiful it kills." "What is it that is special about me? What makes me inflammable, so that my ashes shan't be formed into art?" "There is nothing of value to be found in your ashes, no bone curved in a way to make gods weep with bliss upon seeing it. There are no secret shining marbles hidden in your head, to be found by tearing it apart, there is no shine to your skin that would make the world stop and hold its breath. I told you, I told you to run, I told you that there is nothing but pain found for you here, and I meant it. You are worthless to me, sweetheart. You are not the one to be taken apart under my hands and dying with bliss on their mind. You're a toy for me to throw away at best, something to keep my occupied between the rushes of artists blood filling my veins and making me create. You'll perish with nothing to be, nothing to be seen as, nothing to prove, just a stupid child that didn't run when it was told to." "You think you can just do that? Do you really think there is nothing more than a pretty face not pure enough to become art in front of you? I came here honestly and with a wish laying on my lips - a wish that's been blown away by you as if it was nothing, and yet it was just a tiny, silly wish, and not a destiny given to me, was it? You did not grant my wish, but that does not give you the position of ruling over me, possessing me." "A pretty little child that may even be pretty enough to toy with on a day the stars are not in the right position to shine over my work, a stupid little kid with stupid little dreams looks me in the eyes and tells me it believes that I am powerless over it. I could make you scratch out your eyes and laugh about it with but a small, gentle suggestion if i wanted to, yet here you stand, thinking you have a right to what I do." "Do I not? It is my right to be possessed by me, and by me, it is my right to go. But rules seem to be a little different up here, don't they? Your rules may be different to mine, yet rules live from being broken, rejected, questions, and I challenge your rules, shadow." "Then walk away from me. Come on, try it, don't be shy." . . . "... yet your beauty is irresistible... ... yet your mastery is undeniable... ... yet your art is untouchable... ... I-I have to leave, I h-h-ha-have t-to go. I... I will go. Now." "Tell yourself that often enough, and maybe you will almost believe to have ever actually left this place." "Tsk... monster... Another beautiful night up here. We will see each other again after all the dreams are over - or never." "Dream about old stones and older paths, dream about seeing the skies part and leaving this place, dream about walking out of my grip and seeing your family again, dream about whatever

pretty puny things you had when you still were a real person, but know that at any time I could decide that you have dreamt enough and that now is the time to play until I can feel your bones under my tongue. Know that anything you choose to believe is freedom you will know only at my mercy. You're lost, little child, because you couldn't run when you were told to."