#if we had dialogue options that allowed us to interject other character's dialogue

[shoutmonishere]

HAVE YOU NOT LEARNED YOUR LESSON AFTER VIOLETFAIR—

[runningfromevil-mp3]

Very tired right now but I want to add on from this addition now and its a bit long.

I also think that some of the hate to Lari from some of the community genuinely might be because she's a really well crafted female character who has personal values that won't align with the playstyle you're accustomed to (since this is a mmorpg with a focus on fighting and skill trees) and players need to actually consider why she has had a lot of negative emotions aimed at your character interjecting. Which takes time because of the pacing RoL has. HOWEVER every revelation about her story made me love her and people need to approach the story understanding we weren't always the main character. And the Dullahan quest is what made me appreciate this more because it was treated as a normal quest and the effect of it acting as a lore dump for her outside of previous RoL narratives really emphasised how grounded she is in this world, but having to balance that with a deeper understanding of the realms themselves, especially after what happened to Dullahan, her acting out is... understandable. So now Lari had to face everything by herself and became defensive.

But also, did I get frustrated at some quests focusing on Orphion? Yeah, absolutely. I thought part 1 was irritating because of the correct option. Having a good-aligned deity who views some negative actions as the best outcome makes sense and it does an amazing job at characterising it as more pragmatic. Yet the way it was written felt like it broke the binary of correct dialogue/wrong dialogue because he also talks to you directly. We are faced with a textual deity figure who still allows you to explore those options. What it values will be different from us (especially after that lab quest thing) and this tells us we probably aren't meant to trust him completely. Lari's complete faith in him breaking is genuinely heartbreaking since she has to reconstruct her opinions after she has lost so much to this power and then she should have a reason to question why that faith could never save her, her friends, or other important people in her life. But she will still dedicate everything to her fate because what else can she really do?

One thing I want to see explored in Wynncraft more is Lari and her relationship to the Light as a whole. To me, it always appeared to have a theme of religion and guilt and the heartwretching realisation you will never be enough or be able to do enough to prove you're worth it. She acts so angry when you start replacing her role because she's been through so much to try and fix things. It's meant to be her job to carry. Her pacifism got her friend killed, the one thing (caring nature) that had her protect this part of the Realm in the first place is getting her ignored and replaced. And when she finally cracks a little and tries to actually fight and harm you, only then is she actually given any kind of response. And, if I remember right, she feels AWFUL about it. But she still accepts that she can't do this alone. And it sucks! Because after all that time carrying death and guilt and EVERYTHING by herself, she has to have somebody else take over her role. And what does she even get by the end of it? Her mistakes aren't fixed. Everything still happened. Being replaced makes it all feel like it was for nothing.

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 6

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

And here we have the second half of The Unspeakable Story, because the case was so long I had to split it into two.

Episode 5: The Unspeakable Story – Part 2

When we last left off, Gina was allowed to testify about the omnibus murder two months ago. Sure enough, she talks about what really happened and how she was threatened into lying in court of law. The judge realizes that he made a grave error in letting McGilded walk. Again, I'm not sure why he's only realizing this now when that trial ended in disarray, with the entire gallery shouting about whether it was or wasn't a gross miscarriage of justice.

I'm giving Van Zieks an additional scumbag point for this remark, since Ryu had already admitted to his wrongdoing and, despite Van Zieks's repeated warnings of 'are you sure about this', brought the details of the falsified testimony up himself. Don't pretend to be understanding about the position this puts Ryu in if you're going to be a jerk about it afterwards, Van Zieks.

Some shenanigans and Gregson whispering to Graydon later, Scotland Yard returns with the small box! Turns out it's a music box! When suggested that the court should listen to the music on the disc, Gregson interjects and unconvincingly claims the music box and disc are unrelated to the case. Ryu objects to say that the disc is fundamentally important for understanding the motives of the crime and Van Zieks, on his own accord, chimes in that the prosecution has no objections. When Gregson continues to stammer that the disc is police property, Van Zieks says:

“But it is policy of this prosecutor to leave no avenues unexplored. And you, Inspector, have no jurisdiction here to prevent that from happening.”

So Gregson and Van Zieks are definitely not buddies. Since Gregson is a key player in this case (and I mean that in a negative way, since Gregson is actively hiding important knowledge from the court), the fact that Van Zieks is turning a deaf ear to his pleas does in fact make Van Zieks an accomplice of ours in a roundabout way. Only for this particular context, though. The point is, so long as the prosecution continues to agree with the defense about unveiling key pieces of evidence, Van Zieks is helping Ryu achieve his ultimate goal. Also it's just plain fun to watch Gregson panic. We're having a jolly old time in this courtroom!

Unfortunately, when the box is played, there's no music. It's just weird tones. So Ryu is confronted with the question of whether the music box's sounds are relevant to the case or not. Naturally, I chose that they aren't relevant to see what would happen. I don't know why I expected any different than this:

“When you speak, you must mean what you say. ...Or be prepared to suffer the consequences.”

Penalty from Van Zieks! He's right though, I never learn. Okay, so let's say the tones are relevant. Van Zieks jumps onto that like a cat pouncing on a mouse toy, of course. He wants to know just what that relevance is. Ryu says that the chimes aren't necessarily music, and Van Zieks pursues relentlessly. “Well, now that you've told us what they are not, I'm sure the court would like to hear what they are. Do enlighten us, my Nipponese friend.” This is all very standard fare, of course. In any Ace Attorney game, the player has to outline their reasoning in steps, which means the prosecution and/or the judge will continue to ask for elaboration until all the details are out in the open. Of course, Van Zieks has to be a jerk about it as he follows it up with the words “Surely you have an idea in mind? Because if not... It will be the death of your ill-formed argument!” Eesh. Harsh wording for such a simple concept of 'your argument is void if you don't tell us exactly what you mean'. What's bothersome about these moments is that often, the player already has an exact idea in mind, but the game's dialogue will beat around the bush a bit more and really rub it in. (example: Iris telling Ryu at this very moment that the music box isn't broken at all and it's meant to play these particular chimes.) But because the player isn't given the option to just figure this out for themselves and then gets scolded by the prosecution for 'taking too long', naturally the player may get frustrated.

I'm getting there! SHEESH! It's not my fault Iris is distracting me! I had the evidence ready to present like two minutes ago!

Anyway, Ryu finally links the chimes to government messages being intercepted and leaked to other countries. These messages are usually telegraphed in morse code, so it should be obvious where Ryu's going with this. Van Zieks looks horrified at the notion of the disc containing secrets in morse code. Still, alongside Ryu he works through the logic of what happened and how McGilded would've been involved in this. Graydon, who works at a telegraph office, is of course the prime suspect for intercepting those secrets and that's the reason why he broke into the pawn shop to recover the disc. Graydon is outraged by the accusation, saying “I've had to stand here in silence while that pretentious foreign lawyer has been prattling away!”, but Van Zieks cuts him off with an objection.

“The prosecution demands the witness testifies... in response to the accusations brought by the defense!”

It's Mrs. Garrideb all over again! Yes! So just to reiterate, the prosecution has nothing to gain by doing this, the way I see it. Ryu can't actively prove any of his theories, he's got no hard evidence. The only thing Ryu can do at this point is have Graydon testify and hope that he'll slip up; and Van Zieks is supporting this notion instead of demanding to see this currently non-existent evidence. So Graydon testifies, the topic of morse code comes up again, and we get a lesson in the basics of how it works with the dots and the dashes.

Surely it can't be that a prosecutor in an Ace Attorney game is being passive aggressive again? Anyway, turns out the music box doesn't play morse code at all because instead of dots and dashes, there's only one of the two. The testimony continues on to address that Graydon's last name used to be Milverton, a fact which causes Graydon to react very heavily and attempt to deny it. Van Zieks subtly reminds him that this effort is futile, since Graydon is a communications officer attached to civil service. His personal details would've been thoroughly checked when he was appointed to his position.

I enjoy it when Van Zieks finally gets turned around to point his sharp finger and sharp words towards people who actually deserve it. Yes, he's ferocious and a somewhat horrible person, but Graydon had this coming for being, y'know, a literal murderer who tried to frame a teenage girl. Van Zieks even reminds Graydon of the same sentiment (“it would really take no time at all for the court to subpoena those records”) later when Graydon continues to deny that Mason Milverton was his father. Good boy, Van Zieks. You're learning that not all British citizens are upstanding and it's okay to accuse some of them of wrongdoing. Because remember, in earlier trials when Ryu would indirectly accuse witnesses (or juror no 4) of lying or criminal activity, Van Zieks would overreact with an “HOW DARE YOU, SIR” of sorts. But not this time, oh no. How dared Graydon?

So with the relation between Graydon and the victim of the omnibus murder proven, we've made headway, but still not enough. So long as the music box chimes seem irrelevant, we don't have the full story to pin Graydon down for anything. For this reason, Ryu gets back on that topic and insists it's very much possible for the disc to contain secret messages. Van Zieks is still not quite convinced.

Covering his insecurities with fancy speech, I see. Van Zieks can act as smart as he wants, but the brutal truth of the matter will always be that he's not smart enough to take evidence in his own two hands and flip it over or open it up. Ryu's the only one who takes the practical approach, opens the bottom and finds out that the music box can actually play two discs at the same time. One for dots and one for dashes, which means there's a second disc out there. So with this out in the open, it's time for everyone's favorite type of Ace Attorney tennis: The back and forth truth reveal! Ryu and Van Zieks take turns in detailing the chronology of Graydon's illegal dealings with McGilded, with negotiations apparently turning sour in the omnibus two months ago, and thus the brickmaker met his end. McGilded attempted to hide the stolen disc by sticking it in his coat and pawning it at the pawnshop, but Graydon found out about this, etc. We've all played the case, we all know the story.

Graydon ultimately admits to having been at the crime scene that night, but still refuses to admit he worked with McGilded or stole government secrets. (Okay okay, ALBA, your denial is too powerful to let this game end, have it your way.) Ryu surmises that only Graydon could have shot Windibank, as he would've been the third intruder holding a third gun. Graydon flips this logic around; now that he's admitted he was at the crime scene that night, he can also admit to 'what he saw' as a 'key witness'. He claims that he saw the moment Windibank was shot by the pickpocket and he took the third gun afterwards, and he's ready to testify about it. Van Zieks, who should technically be jumping at the opportunity to hear decisive testimony for his precious guilty verdict, is instead not amused at all.

“If it is shown that your claim is false, you will have incriminated yourself as the killer.”

And these are some very telling lines once again. Why would he warn Graydon about this if he didn't have reason to believe those claims would be proven false? Why would he think Graydon could incriminate himself as the killer if he were 100% convinced that Gina is the culprit? He must know by now there's a strong chance that Gina is innocent and Graydon is the real killer. But sure enough, Graydon testifies about watching through a peephole and seeing blood spatter over the coat. Blood which he couldn't know is there unless he saw the murder happen. So the judge wonders whether the coat can be tested for blood and indeed, Van Zieks confirms that it can. A German scientist discovered that test 'very recently' and it's already being used in several courts around the globe because this test was actually, y'know, verified in the field of science.

“Ideas are no use to us here. In science, as in law, theories must be proven before they stand.” “We could shatter all vestiges of doubt within minutes!”

rip. To be clear, it doesn't seem as if Van Zieks actually knows for certain there's blood on the coat, because how could he? His insistence on the blood test doesn't seem to be motivated by hope of 'cornering Gina because the blood will definitely be there'. Rather, I think he just wants to either prove or disprove Graydon's testimony so we can all get on with our lives. Plus, I think he may want to flaunt these 'official methods' just to diss (S)Holmes's methods some more. While waiting for the results, Ryu is allowed to cross-examine the very suspicious peephole testimony. Despite Ryu being the one to press Graydon at every statement, Van Zieks will occasionally chime in with questions of his own to get some clarification. Which is funny, because the prosecution isn't the one who has to cross-examine witnesses. Van Zieks should technically be staying out of it. The fact that he's butting in to needle Graydon some more is just... I don't know, it's another one of those very telling moments, I suppose. Again, he probably already suspects that Graydon is the real killer.

The cross-examination is put on hold when the test results finally come back, confirming the blood on Gina's coat. Ryu still tries to save his case by saying the blood actually belonged to Mason Milverton, but that's obviously a very dangerous route to take.

“Did you not argue fervently for McGilded's innocence? And yet now that the man is dead... You brand him as a murderer? Your conduct shatters any shred of respect you may have earnt for yourself in this country!”

We all know he was a murderer for real. Van Zieks knows this more than anyone in the courtroom (well, except maybe Graydon). Besides, Gina testified about this like fifteen minutes earlier. To be frank, the fact that Ryu is admitting to this openly should actually warrant more respect as opposed to breaking it down. Because, remember, Van Zieks gave Ryu several options two months ago to blindly defend McGilded and instead of taking those opportunities, Ryu instead admitted he couldn't say for certain whether there was foul play happening. I think what's going on here may be that Van Zieks is emotionally conflicted. He was already buying into the theory that Gina is innocent and Graydon is the real killer, but the blood on the coat threw a wrench into it all. Graydon hypothetically could only have the coat knowledge if he'd seen it happen, which makes Gina the real killer after all. With something so conclusive, any belief he might've invested into Ryu's integrity has just been 'betrayed' and indeed, if Ryu's integrity is in doubt, anything else to come from him will also be relentlessly drawn into question. That doesn't just apply to Van Zieks; all the jury members who were on Ryu's side before immediately, unanimously vote guilty. Van Zieks assumes that there will be another Summation Examination, as has become the norm.

Ryu grows desperate, because changing the jury's minds is going to be exceptionally difficult now. Thankfully, our hero (S)Holmes appears! That mischievous scamp!

“Detective (derogatory)”. I think it would've been an interesting plotline if (S)Holmes actively investigated the Professor case back then, perhaps even at Van Zieks's request, and failed to find the killer in time to prevent Klint's death. That would explain why Barok now thinks so badly of (S)Holmes and the amazing detective he's described as in the novels. Unfortunately, the second game never really addresses whether (S)Holmes played a part in the Professor investigation and if so, why it ultimately came down Genshin's duel and Gregson forging evidence to 'close the case'. You'd think that if (S)Holmes investigated the deaths, he and his partner would've tracked down the real killer long before things could escalate that badly.

Anyway, (S)Holmes asks for five minutes of the court's time to pass some evidence on to the defense. Van Zieks begins by saying that the trial has already taken up many hours of the court's time. So 'having spent that long already...' Gregson cuts him off to agree, saying that since they've spent so long already, they don't want to waste even more time. Unfortunately for him, that's not what Van Zieks was about to say at all.

So he's fully on our side again! Hurray! All well and good, but he does still fling one of his chalices later to signify the five minutes are up. (S)Holmes thanks Van Zieks for allowing the brief recess, the reply being that he needs no thanks, since “the die is cast”. In other words, they've already reached a point of no return here. At first this seems like a very cryptic dismissal of gratitude, but what Van Zieks is actually saying is that the jurors have already made up their minds and settled on guilty. “Any attempt to alter the verdict now would be utterly futile.” Which still doesn't say much about whether Van Zieks believes they're headed in the right direction, it only says that he doesn't believe Ryu can convince them to change their minds this time.

Surprise! Ryu doesn't have to! When (S)Holmes came into the room in disguise to deliver the lab results of the coat, the cross-examination of Graydon was actually suspended. This means that, by law, Ryu has the right to continue that cross-examination instead of turning to the jurors for the Summation Examination. Van Zieks suffers through his damage animation (which has been rarely seen by this point in the game and honestly, it's a delight to watch), calling the whole matter absurd. This is the law, Ziekie boy! Deal with it! So with this final chance granted, Ryu presents the catflap device to debunk Graydon's testimony about the peephole. Susato tampered with the crime scene and made that cat flap mere minutes after Windibank was shot. So if the cat flap wasn't there before, how could Graydon possibly have witnesses what he claims to have witnessed?

Oh, he's thrown off now. He's got no idea what to believe anymore. I can't blame him; who would expect a trial to take a turn like this? We're getting close, but Van Zieks has one more obstacle to throw our way, as all prosecutors do. How can we prove that the peephole flap was made after the crime as opposed to before it? “When was the peephole cut? The prosecution demands proof of your answer!” Again, this is par for the course. This is what any prosecutor would demand. Evidence is law in Ace Attorney world and Van Zieks needs tangible proof that Ryu isn't just a 'lying traitor' like Genshin was. Naturally, we have proof and Van Zieks is the one we have to thank for that.

Considering Van Zieks is the one who showed up to court that day with a big stack of photographs from that very same 'infernal camera', this line will never stop cracking me up.  So now we know for sure the peephole was made after Windibank was shot! Unfortunately, in submitting evidence we now also know one other thing.

To be fair, Susato didn't know it was a legit murder scene until the cat flap was created and they could see the body. Up until that point, it was just a scene for breaking-and-entering, along with (S)Holmes shooting. I'm sure that was taken into account when discussing the punishment later on, though. Anyway, we've proven Graydon's perjury, but Van Zieks insists we still haven't quite proven that he's a killer. Luckily, Ryu's already two steps ahead of Van Zieks here. Since we've proven that Graydon was lying about what he saw, the question is now how he knows about these things to begin with. He couldn't possibly have seen the peephole with his own eyes, so how did he know it was there? And how did he know about the blood on the coat? Gregson once again decides to interject, asking Van Zieks for 'a word, please'. He wants to leave the courtroom and return to the station to put in his report.

“You will remain exactly where you are until this trial concludes.”

Heeheeh. Brutal. So with Gregson forced to stay, Ryu is free to insinuate that information about the crime scene must've been leaked to Graydon. And since Graydon had no idea he'd be summoned to court to testify on the murder, he could only have received the information after arriving at the Old Bailey. The only person with the opportunity to pass that information to him (in the middle of a trial, I might add) was Gregson. Gregson immediately barks that he had no reason to leak information about the investigation to someone like Graydon, but we know that's not true. Ryu suggests there was a deal.

I really enjoy this particular expression on Van Zieks, and it fits especially well in this context. While he usually looks very calm and cold on the surface, he now looks outwardly ferocious, slightly unhinged. Perhaps even in pain. This is the face of betrayal and humiliation. We learn in the second game that Van Zieks had already suspected Gregson of having dirty hands when it comes to the Reaper, so I expect this insinuation hits extra hard now. It's confirming to Van Zieks that Gregson is indeed not above dirty tactics. He doesn't take it lightly, of course. “With the stakes so high, the prosecution is not prepared to listen to baseless charges. It is incumbent on the defense now to present evidence in support of this diabolical claim.”

So let's do it. It all comes down to the music box disc and the stolen government secrets, of course. Gregson admits that he was ordered to retrieve the stolen information and do it “on the q.t.” Top secret mission, this one, though earlier on it was implied to have been ordered by Stronghart. Van Zieks concludes that Gregson objected so heavily to the disc being used as evidence because he knew of the information on it. Gregson replies that he realized there was a possibility of it. Since we know the music box plays two discs, the deal must've involved this second disc. Van Zieks is now thinking ahead very quickly, here. He asserts that since Gregson is a Scotland Yard detective, he would've approached this deal with extreme caution and not simply taken Graydon's word for it. He would have asked for the article in question to be handed to him immediately and so, it stands to reason the second disc is in the courtroom at that very moment. Gregson doesn't take lightly to the accusations and when Ryu suggests a cavity- sorry, I mean body search, Gregson agrees to it without so much as a flinch. Suspicious behavior, to say the least. But this means the body search is allowed and everything rests on the outcome.

“If, following the search of the inspector's personal effects, no disk is found... You will be deemed unfit for court service, this trial will end and my country's government will formally demand of yours that you are severely reprimanded.”

But Van Zieks, if Ryu were deemed unfit for court service, who would you face in hectic turnabout trials? He's your one true nemesis now, remember? The judge agrees with Van Zieks's sentiments, but Iris has some very interesting insight: “You're just threatening Runo because you're scared!” Since Iris is one of the most clever characters in the games, we have to examine this statement further. If he's scared, then what's he scared of? My guess would be the firm, undeniable confirmation that Gregson is willing to screw with a fair trial and let a killer walk free. Yes, he was ordered to do this by his superiors (STRONGHART), but it doesn't change that Gregson is throwing an innocent girl under the omnibus to get what he wants. And again, keep this in mind, Van Zieks already held suspicions that Gregson had something to do with the Reaper curse. But they were friends once; Gregson was Klint's friend. There's a difference between suspecting an old buddy of being up to no good and hard evidence that it's true. What adds credence to this being the reason of Van Zieks's fear is one of the game's recurring themes: You mustn't look away from the truth, no matter how blinding it is. No matter how painful, it needs to be acknowledged.

So the game asks whether Ryu still insists on the search, knowing there'll be grave consequences if nothing is found. By this point I was so tired that I didn't choose any of the other options and went straight for the correct answer: Search someone else! Gregson's being so cool about it that we can already surmise he doesn't have the disc on him, but he did have the perfect opportunity to hide it on the taller Skulkin brother earlier in the trial. So Ryu insists on there being a search, and Van Zieks says:

“But your typical Nipponese stubbornness may well land you in hot water this time. Perhaps the lesson will do you some good.”

This sort of implies to me that Van Zieks has also realized the disc isn't on Gregson's person. He's known the guy for a very long time, and so, he'd also know that Gregson is easily flustered with zero poker face skills. There's no way he could look so cool if there was a chance of the disc being found in his pocket. So this is the point where Ryu reveals that he doesn't want the search done on Gregson, which does succeed in ruffling our dear old inspector. Gregson starts accusing Ryu of having lost his mind and the court shouldn't have to put up with this nonsense, with the gallery also erupting into chatter. Iris snaps and tells everyone to be quiet. Ryu's just doing what he was told to do and having the courage of his convictions, so they should all respect that and listen to what he has to say. The judge admits that the court is in awe of the defense's convictions and I could write an entirely different essay here about Ryunosuke's growth throughout the games, but I won't. Point is, the cavity- sorry, I mean body search of Nash Skulkin is allowed. Gregson absolutey has zero poker face without a doubt, as he tries to object to the search in the name of Scotland Yard.

“In this courtroom, only the prosecution and the defence have the authority to object.”

Gregson tries to sputter his way out of this, but Van Zieks says: “I have no idea what forces are in play that might influence your actions, but personally I have no intention of obstructing the course of this trial.” (Gregson literally said that Van Zieks needed “Stronghart's paw print” to get more details on the top-secret investigation into McGilded's shady activities, but sure. No idea what forces are in play. Okay.)

Pin 'im down and use the rubber glove, bailiff! The missing second music box disc is pulled out of Nash's jacket and Ryu explains why he knew it'd be found there.

Uhhhhhhhhhh. I think what Ryu's trying to say is that Gregson would rarely fly into such a rage that he'd assault someone physically, but... This man absolutely loses his composure all the dang time. Just ask the fish n chips he keeps aggressively chomping down or scattering over his shoulder. He doesn't strike me as a composed character at all, so to say he behaved “extremely out of character” is kind of off to me. But whatever, it proved our point so I'll let it slide. When the judge asks why Gregson didn't just submit the second disc as evidence the second he got his hands on it, Van Zieks surmises that if the information on the disc were revealed in court, it'd be problematic. Gregson once again confirms he's working under direct orders from the ministry (STRONGHART) to keep the stolen info on the down low. But now we've got a problem. Neither Graydon nor Gregson will admit that they made a deal for the disc (it just magically appeared in Gregson's possession then, sure) and so long as they don't admit to that deal, we still can't prove Graydon lied about his testimony in regards to Gina being the shooter. The judge is ready to turn the matter over to the jury for their final learnings, and if these people had any common sense they'd all vote not-guilty because Graydon is getting away with his nonsense through a sheer technicality. Even so, Ryu intends to put the squeeze on Gregson by playing the second disc along with the first to determine whether there's truly morse code involved. Either Gregson admits to unlawful dealings with a witness to protect state secrets, or those state secrets get played out loud for everyone to hear. Gregson warns him he'll be making an enemy of the entire British government if he lets those secrets out into the world. Ryu insists he'll stop at nothing to do his job and protect his client, no matter who he makes an enemy out of. Van Zieks pours himself another glass of wine in silence.

Yeah, a real shrewd, calculating man. Uhuh. Again, I want to take a second here to point to the symbiosis we usually have between prosecutor and lead detective. Even in the case of Fulbright and Blackquill, with their unique circumstances, they still worked in tandem. You'd never catch them bickering about whether or not to present a certain piece of evidence. It's fascinating to watch Van Zieks consistently ignore Gregson's pleas. Speaking of which, let's have a leg slam to shut Gregson up.

“I'm a prosecutor. ...I'm no Scotland Yard puppet. In this courtroom, my duty is to the law. So let me propose a toast. To uncovering the truth... by fair means or foul.”

YOOO!!! Get him, Zieks! There's absolutely no denying now that Van Zieks is 100% on Ryu's side. He knows that playing the secret message will cause Gregson to cave and admit to his shady deal. And once we know for certain Graydon's testimony is one huge sham... Well, as Van Zieks already said earlier, Graydon will be incriminated as the real killer.

So the box plays for about ten seconds with actual morse code this time and Gregson cracks like cheap porcelain. When Ryu confronts him with how this dealing would lead to the defendant being wrongfully accused of murder, Gregson just kind of shrugs it off. On its own, you might be thinking Gregson is a scummy asshole for this, but there's some very important factors to keep in mind here from the second game. First of all, very simply, Stronghart ordered Gregson to retrieve the info 'no matter what' and Gregson isn't in any position to refuse at this point. But then there's the Reaper's curse, which is way more important. Even if Gina were found not guilty, she'd still have to die. Not just die; Gregson would have to arrange for her death. I doubt he enjoys being in that position, so it's easier for him to just willfully sabotage the trial and have Gina be executed by the government. Some of the blood would still be on his hands, but at least he wouldn't have had to orchestrate some elaborate death trap himself, leading to all the blood on his hands. (Cool justification, still second-hand murder.)

Uh, wait, this is a Van Zieks essay, not a Gregson essay. So anyway, after Gregson gets choked by Graydon and nobody steps in to help him, we finally get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Graydon has a semi tragic backstory and he was the one who cause the omnibus fire.

I guess Graydon wasn't too familiar with the Reaper's curse. Either that, or he didn't believe it was real. So now, to reiterate, we're told several times that anyone prosecuted by Van Zieks is doomed, but only one of the defendants Ryu's had so far has died a tragic death and it wasn't even because of the Reaper's curse. It was because someone else sought revenge, so even if Van Zieks hadn't been the prosecutor, McGilded still would've died. Graydon then goes on to talk about what happened in the pawnbrokery and how he shot Windibank without even thinking about it. Van Zieks has something to say about this.

“A man who used his wealth and influence to distort the facts and escape justice for the crime of murder. What tragic irony... For what you have done... is exactly the same. You've become the very monster you saw, and despised so deeply, in McGilded.”

I feel like this is even more elaborate setup to the fact that Van Zieks's brother, a wealthy and influential man, was actually a mass murderer. For bonus points: 'someone realized the wealthy man was a murderer, knew he wouldn't be confronted with his crimes and therefore took matters into his own hands with vigilante justice'. Does that sound familiar too? Gosh, I love foreshadowing. The judge tells Gregson he'll have to face charges as well, with Van Zieks chiming in that even if it was in the line of duty, Gregson's crime is a serious and inexcusable one. With that, the attention is turned to the defense. The judge says that the morse code thing was an unexpected revelation (and this is said in a complimenting sort of way), with Van Zieks unable to stay silent on this:

“In fact, I think we should applaud my learned friend's courage here today. I propose a toast. To demanding that government secrets be disseminated before the entire courtroom!”

Hee hee... Well, Gregson did warn him beforehand that he'd be making an enemy of the British government if he played those music discs. Ryu becomes very flustered and apologizes, but the telegraph juror interjects here to say that the dots and dashes weren't really morse code. Rather, it was just gibberish to her. So despite Iris looking thoughtful, it seems we didn't spill any beans after all and the matter is dropped. We move on to our verdict, a unanimous not-guilty for Gina Lestrade. Hurray!

Now there's a very clumsy scene transition of Ryu and Van Zieks standing in the abandoned courtroom, facing one another. I suppose Van Zieks made some sort of gesture for Ryu to hang back so they could speak in private? It's odd for them to still be standing behind their respective benches, though. Since court's dismissed, it'd be easy for them to just walk up to one another instead of shouting across an empty room. It may be symbolism that there's still a gaping void between the two of them; the Professor incident. Or maybe I'm giving the game too much credit there and they just couldn't be bothered to animate new backgrounds for this single scene. So here we have a very important conversation. I'll type it out:

“I must say you've surprised me, my Far Eastern friend. Despite being a Nipponese, you saw through the pretence to the malice that festered within that Englishman. And at the same time, you saw through the grime to the surprising heart of your English client. You have a curious talent for judging character, especially considering our very different cultures.”

So here we have a telltale problem with racial prejudice. Van Zieks assumed that because Ryu has a different background, especially culturally, he wouldn't be able to understand or relate to English citizens. We've seen this sentiment before in case 1-4, where Van Zieks is shocked that Ryu would understand the mind of an English policeman. Ryu says that he doesn't think there's anything curious about it at all, because whether people are from Britain or from Japan, they're all human beings. They're not so different on the inside. Ryu is effectively saying that Van Zieks needs to stop categorizing people based on their nationality because that doesn't work. Human beings are human beings; some of them are good and some of them are bad. Van Zieks doesn't directly reply to this, instead confirming what we already suspected.

“You know, I took this case for one very simple reason. To lock swords with you once again here in the courtroom. When I encountered you for the first time two months ago, it reminded me... of toasting friendship and trust with another Nipponese... only to find my trust betrayed. Through you, I hoped to look into the eyes of the man I once knew... and try to understand.”

So remember in the previous essay when I surmised that the torrid look of hatred in Van Zieks's eyes was directed at someone who died ten years ago? Well, it's confirmed here. Van Zieks didn't see a fresh newbie whenever he looked at Ryu; he saw Genshin Asogi. The betrayal which took place ten years ago was never given closure. Sure, Van Zieks managed to send Asogi to the gallows to exact 'justice' and get some form of payback, but he was never given Asogi's motives. He never got to confront this man with the emotional turmoil or the hurt, because he wouldn't have been given the opportunity to do so and even if he'd tried, he wouldn't have gotten satisfactory responses. Asogi was abruptly executed and Van Zieks never learned just what possessed a dear friend to murder his brother. He was left with boiling hatred, grief and a whole lot of questions. So indeed, now he hoped to 'understand' Asogi through Ryu, but that was never an option to begin with. Ryu has no relation to that man, so Van Zieks might as well have tried to grasp that understanding by 'locking swords' with Beppo. It's about the same level of futility. Van Zieks's misguided attacks appear to be born from the assumption that it must've been a cultural thing; that perhaps betrayal is something which comes naturally to people from Japan. It's an incredibly stupid, naive way of thinking, because by simplifying Genshin's motives down to his race and cultural upbringing, it takes away the option that there's a far darker truth to be found. Quite frankly, I think Van Zieks is afraid of that truth, just as he was afraid of confirmation that Gregson's not above dirtying his hands. To affirm that Genshin Asogi's friendship was genuine and he truly was an honorable man would imply that he'd had a reason to take Klint's life. I'm not saying it was a good reason! I'm just saying... a reason. When Ryu asks for more details on what happened back then, Van Zieks won't reply.

“Coming to be known as the Reaper of the Bailey, and my retirement from service five years ago... It gives me cause to wonder if our meeting has some deeper purpose. So... Farewell, my learned Nipponese fellow. Until we meet again.”

(He crushes another chalice in the process of saying this, because of course.) The deeper purpose alluded to here, along with the earlier line that Ryu may one day learn the answer, can only mean that Van Zieks foresees something of a journey here. A path to walk down together with Ryu in which, eventually, the Professor case will once again surface. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing for Van Zieks, we don't know. I'm not sure he knows. But he did admit to having been pleasantly surprised by Ryu and he had a civil conversation with him just now, so the sentiment here is that Van Zieks is slowly letting go of some of his earlier grudges. He doesn't outright admit that he was wrong to be a scumbag to Ryu, nor does he apologize, but by admitting he was only attacking Ryu to make sense of something that happened in his past, he's basically admitting to his behavior being irrational. He's softened up a little, and with a second game on the way, it means at the very least the option of further character development is there.

The conversation ends and in the defendant lobby, Gina is reminded she's not in the clear yet. There's the curse, after all. Gina's not afraid, because he say she sees it, “the Reaper is a bit like Him upstairs.” Sort of funny to equate the Reaper to God, but what she's basically talking about is karmic retribution. Rotten coves like McGilded get what's coming to them, but she knows she's a good person deep down and so, she thinks she'll escape the curse just fine. Which doesn't say much about all those other victims who came before McGilded, mind. We can't say for certain they were all rotten too. Well, the second game will tell us whether she escapes with her life or not. And normally I would also take a look at the little 'bit' that characters have in the end credits, but Van Zieks didn't get his own bit for whatever reason. He's only briefly mentioned by Pat and Roly Beate, so that's it when it comes to his character in the first game.

Next up, we're moving on to case three of the second game, taking place six months after The Unspeakable Story!

[thekrawra]

Ricky, Nini, and Gina: POST EPISODE 8 DEBRIEF - plantonic vs romantic

okay so ricky and gina have stolen my heart and soul apparently and in light of the new episode here i am, talking about it again.

so first and foremost i do want to say that i think ricky and nini have potential to be a good ship, and i’m not blind to say they have no chemistry.

however - the show’s writing is painting ricky and gina in a more favourable light than ricky and nini. this was extremely evident in episode 8.

ricky and nini’s relationship has been endlessly painted in negatives for both of them. we get confirmation this episode that they were very close friends, nini was ricky’s first crush, and then they started to date. after ricky didn’t say “i love you”, they took a break, broke up, and then their friendship kinda fell with it. this is the friendliest we see nini and ricky being with each other all season, and even then it was surrounded with an awkward tension... that to me at least did read as good.

and the writing was clever for that entire part: things were awkward, uncomfortable, then ricky starts reminiscing on their past friendship starting in kindergarten and it gets less awkward and more natural and they are friendly, then ricky brings up the big “i love you” issue and it gets awkward again.

then ricky gets the message from gina, who he’s been worried about. and while being an easy prompt to lead into the next subject also reminds us that this other person ricky is very close to and potentially growing romantically closer to is still present and a factor in this situation. to fully commit to ricky and nini, it would have been more helpful to leave gina out of the conversation entirely — and it would have been easy to slip in the gina leaving a day early comment at the beginning of the ep. they didn’t HAVE to include it during the nini and ricky conversation: in doing so they allowed for a more direct comparison between the characters.

so then nini and ricky continue to talk and nini mentions the school in denver and ricky’s response is interesting because he’s happy and supportive of her. again: heavily open to interpretation, but with everything going on with his parents and with the fact that last time nini went away (during the summer) she came back with a new boyfriend, you’d think he’d at least have a mixed reaction — because yes he would want to support her, but her leaving not only a) completely ruins his chances with her and b) wrecks his support system. that being said he didn’t hesitate in supporting her.

here’s where this piece gets subjective based on my interpretation: this to me, based on what i know and understand of ricky’s character, reads as ricky has moved past nini. to an extent that i don’t think he’s consciously realized. he’s okay with her going, he doesn’t NEED her as he once did.

the entire conversation is lead by ricky reminiscing on their friendship (nini too but ricky initiated the conversation). it’s also important to note that it only gets awkward and uncomfortable when ricky brings up elements of their romantic relationship (even something with a positive connotation like having a crush on her) but they click very naturally as friends.

yes they almost kiss, but a) they don’t and b) neither seemed all that happy about it after the fact. ricky seemed almost iritated or confused - he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. and nini outright said it wouldn’t happen again. if both were still interested in getting back together in anyway, it’s a strange reaction to have.

this episode showed us a ricky and nini happy as friends, and also made sure to showcase that the romance for them just doesn’t help their relationship, in fact instead only hurts it. every time something romantic came up, they both became uncomfortable, and awkward, and could barely look at each other afterwards.

where does gina fit in? sure her or ricky haven’t really engaged in anything explicitly romantic yet, but they’ve had happy moments, and ricky spent some key moments in this episode worried about her. in an episode based around ricky and nini reminiscing on their relationship, sure she wasn’t present, but she definitely lingered as a contrast.

ricky and nini’s romantic relationship, in the writing of this series, has yet to be posed as anything but negative for the two of them. it messed up their friendship, and sure some feelings might linger but the two just have hardcore friend energy. in many technical elements of the writing: there’s not much that really pushes forward hope for a positive romantic relationship between the two of them, and it almost seems like both of them are starting to acknowledge it.

if they were just going to write gina out to have ricky and nini, they wouldn’t have mentioned gina and they wouldn’t have had ever time ricky and nini begin any sort of romantic dialogue or action have their comfort levels with each other fall entirely.

this is pretty rambly but to me, this entire episode read as very focused on proving that nini and ricky are better friends than they are romantic partners.

also that ricky is very concerned about gina and is moving past nini. she still one of his best friends, but he doesn’t read as in love with her anymore. he didn’t react positively to almost kissing her, even though she’s not dating anyone anymore, and even though she seemed to want to kiss him in the moment this time.

in fact, he lingers on their past and honestly the only interjection about the future of them is when he supports her about leaving, which inherently puts them as not together.

so you know, who knows, but a) i hope that the writing remains consistent and they continue alluding to what it seems they are alluding to. ricky and nini getting back together just doesn’t seem natural, with how negatively the idea of them being back together seems to be implied (the show hasn’t really given a reason why they should be back together other than the insulated plot arc established in episode one — but there’s no justified character reason since we haven’t seen them romantically together in a positive light and the only times they’ve been friendly have been effectively ruined by the insertion of a romantic element). as someone who has ruined friendships because of romantic feelings that didn’t play out — i’d really love to see ricky and nini realize that they are better friends than lovers before it’s too late.

and b) we’ve seen ricky and gina grow close and build up and develop around each other, each pushing the other further into their development. a romantic relationship serves to in some way help the two of them, and there’s no underlying negative connotation to the two of them being romantically linked. no friendships ruined, no disaster mistakes threatening both of their opinions and ideals concerning the relationship. gina staying and leaving the option of a potential relationship between ricky and gina leaves room for stuff in season two but also doesn’t feel like we are being forced into any relationship. id love to see gina and ricky together officially but more than anything i just want to see them happy and they seem happiest with each other.

sure a lot of this is personal interpretation, but i’d hope the the writing remains consistent and continues to defy expectation. a ricky and nini endgame just feels cheap and inconsistent at that point when so far the series has pointed to almost anything else in its implications.

[tarithenurse]

Stranded

Pairing: Loki Odinson x fem!reader Content: FLUFF!! A tiny bit of angst in order to create a bit of plot. A/N: I rarely write anything as soft and sweet as I’ve attempted here. I would be incredibly grateful for feedback so I can find out if it’s okay or I should worry about being lynched by FRA (fluff readers associated). Any comments are appreciated.  

Stranded - One shot

The day has been long and with way too many issues at work to even bother pretending to be a part of real life. That in itself is not something new and explains why you've got a "care package" in the trunk of your car. It doesn't contain a lot, just a few blankets, some chocolate, an energy drink or water (depending on how healthy you are pretending to be at the moment), and a sketchbook with pencils. All of that is the key items you have found out you end up needing when driving off to your "secret" hideaway. It's almost an hour from work and in the opposite direction of where you live, but oh yeah, it's worth it!

You reach the forest in the late afternoon and park the car. About a mile down the official track between oaks and beech trees, you take a left onto the thin track made over decades by deer and other large mammals that tread silently among the trees and past the creek until you reach the hill. It's steep, and you have to hold on to branches and roots to reach the top where the clearing opens up to a world that seems untouched by man. Almost, at least. The noise of cars from the highway further north can be heard dimly, especially now that rush hour has started, but the view across the great lake is undisturbed and the sun beams down merrily for at least three hours still, so you spread out one blanket on the long grasses and settle down after stripping down to only your undies. Why? The question is “why not”. You've still never met a human being out here and you're pretty darn certain the animals don't care.

...

Even with your eyes closed you can feel that the sun has shifted considerably, meaning you must've fallen asleep. Stretching lazily, you inhale the scent of wildflowers carried on the cooling evening breeze. Glancing from under heavy eyelids at the horizon, it surprises you that the sun isn't exactly where it should be...in fact...it seems to be behind you, but that's wrong because that would mean it's morning. After you rub your eyes (several times, just to be sure), you have to admit that the lake isn't there either and now you come to think of it, you've never before been able to see the mountain range from here. It’s all too strange for you to truly fathom.

That's when you hear the voices – so much for no humans around. They could be tourists hiking because they don't speak a language you understand but foreigners or not, you're not ready to appear naked before innocent people. Reaching for your pile of clothes, your hand closes around...grass.

"Fuck."

It's the most intelligent thing you can think of at the moment. The clothes are gone and so is the backpack with the few things you always bring with you out there. There's just the blanket you're sitting on and the undies you're wearing which will be nowhere near enough to cover you decently.

...   Loki PoV   ...

For once Thor is the one complaining about the little surveillance-trip that the brothers have been sent out on. Maybe it is because it is mainly Loki's idea, but it could also be due to the fact that the indication for the trip is a "sense of change" which only the younger brother, Frigga, and the Bridge Keeper have experienced without pinpointing further yet. No one would dare question neither the queen's nor Heimdal's powers. Loki's though? Odin has a tendency to disapprove of the prince's use of magic and that has rubbed off on Thor who favours strength above cunning. Bumbling several paces behind, the brute is now loudly complaining while pushing at any old tree he can find just to hear the wood groan at his might.

"This is folly, brother," the blond complains, "leaving Sif and the horses behind just to walk all this way! And why?!"

Loki knows why and has in fact tried to explain it several times already which is the reason Sif refused to go along. Instead of attempting again, he quietly aims for the crest of the slope while the complaints continue behind him. The intangible sensation of something that does not belong draws him into the clearing where the tall grasses and wildflowers bow to the soft evening winds and the rushed flutter of a blanket pulled around a female figure. Stopping in his tracks, Loki takes in the stranger who looks so utterly lost. Big eyes, naked shoulders and arms that cling to the knitted shroud. A stray blade of grass in the hair.

"Hello," the pale prince offers, "do not be frightened, I shan't hurt you. What is your name?"

The pretty head cocks to the side, sparkling eyes squint at him almost as though she cannot believe he is there. At that moment Thor comes trampling out of the treeline, now swinging his axe at the highly hostile blossoms while making idiotic sounds as though he was a child battling an imaginary army.

"Thor...THOR!" The bumbling idiot finally stops to look at his brother. "Lower your axe, you are scaring our...guest."

"Thor?" The voice is meek but clear like water, captivating the attention of both brothers. "Thor...Loki?"

They nod, but if they had expected any further clarifications, they would have been sorely disappointed because the woman begins to laugh. Shy at first then louder and louder until her entire body is shaking. A string of intelligible words pour from her plumps lips, ending with an upwards lilt.

"Do you know the language?" Thor asks.

There is no language within the nearest realms that Loki does not speak, still this one is unintelligible though familiar to him. "Not yet. Stay here." He walks forward, hands spread to the sides to prove he is unarmed in the hopes that the woman will not be scared. "My name is indeed Loki," he speaks softly, "I do not understand your language, so I beg of you to allow me to cast a spell on you."

One step more, then another and...noticing the twitch in her body, the raven-haired god stops, holding out a hand to her instead. The entire world holds its breath as the stranger makes up her mind, looking about as if waiting for an answer that will not come before she moves slowly. The folds of the blanket part, allowing a glimpse of a bare leg as she carefully steps closer. There is a moment of hesitation before she changes the hold on the cover and takes his hand.

Thin silver particles pass between their fingers and enter her bloodstream. She does not panic (which would have been a reasonably logical thing to do) but watches with interest.

"What on earth...?" The incredulity is like sweet honey on the words.

Loki smiles, already two clues richer. "My apologies, my lady." He bows to kiss the soft hand. "I have cast a spell on you to improve the chances of a dialogue."

She does not pull the hand back unkindly, although the look she shoots Loki is hard. "How gullible do you think I am?"

"I beg you pardon?" The urge to reach out for the woman as she steps away is strong and even Thor must realize that things are not going as expected. "I assure you we have no reason to think less of you...nor are we trying to deceive you in any manner."

A scoff, bordering on a snort, clearly proves what she thinks. "Right, so two mythological characters are parading around in the middle of nowhere in a forest on Earth? Yeah right! There's no -"

"Asgard." Thor interjects helpfully.

The wind plays in the leaves, a bird sings goodnight to the last rays of the sun that will reach the hilltop, and the nameless woman stares tiredly from one brother to the other. When she finally does resume to action, it is merely to readjust the knitted blanket and turn away. Treading carefully about, she begins to search for something.

Thor leans over to whisper conspiratorially to Loki after a while. "She truly does not believe us."

"It appears not," Loki admits, "perhaps she would feel safe to come with us if we were in the company of another lady..."

"Sif?" Thor scratches his chin, while considering the options. He is not much for going back to the horses only to go up hill again and then eventually down once more when the girl ultimately, as he voices the concern, refuses to come along. But what other options are there? "As you wish."

…   Reader PoV   ...

Out of all the weirdoes in the world, at least the two Viking-wannabes seem friendly enough for now….except maybe, the broad dude with the axe. You sigh, unsure what to think of anyone who'd run around with what looks like a very sharp murder weapon. Anyways, you've more pressing matters to attend to because you need your stuff: clothes, shoes, keys, all of it...but you can't find it anywhere in the tall grass. It probably got lost with my mind, you bicker at yourself, considering that you almost believe the men.

Everything is wrong. You've come to the little slice of heaven for years and the place you're at now? It's just not "it". There are several similarities, sure, there just happen to be a lot more differences that you can't explain in any reasonable manner.

"Asgard," you huff, widening the perimeter of the search, "as if."

Painfully aware that the men are whispering behind your back, there's nothing comforting about the so-called Thor leaving a bit later. Correction, it's perfectly fine that he leaves, but less so that the slender guy stays…especially the way his watching you like he's trying to learn everything there is to know including your weaknesses and fears and… You stop yourself before you think further just in case the whole spell-casting-thing isn't some weird made-up thing. Oh, man. Of course it's made up! There's no such thing as magic and the shimmer when he took your hand was just a trick of the light. Rubbing your hand, it's comforting that it doesn't feel any different.

Your brain keeps searching for all the logical explanations for the things you can't actually explain, and it gets you so wrapped up in theories that you don't notice that the spirally path leads you right up to "Loki" again. Much too close to him, you back away only to step on the hem of the blanket.

It's exactly like in the movies: as if from outside your own body, you witness the slow motion rendition of how you stumble and almost fall. Almost, because Loki somehow swoops you into his arm while also managing to pull the little cover you have around your torso again. And there you are, supported in a stranger's arms gasping in surprise at the nearness of his body and gorgeous face. Turquoise eyes twinkle down at you with mischief and tenderness that you don't even want to recognize while at the same time drawing you in like a moth to the flame. Trying to shift your focus away from the sharp cheekbones and elegant brows, you find a new distraction in his shoulders where your arm is draped around. Oh, he might be slender, but there's absolutely shape under those weird clothes.

"Are you alright, lady…?" His deep voice hangs in the air like the scent of jasmine.

"[Y/N]," you offer lamely, "my name's [Y/N]...and I'm…I'm okay."

If it had been a movie then there'd be a 50-50 chance of a kiss at this point. Thankfully, it turns out the odds are in your favour (or so you remind yourself) and there's no romantic exchange, instead the man helps you get your footing and then he lets go of you.

"Fret not, I will see you safely returned to your home world." Loki probably meant the smile to be reassuring, it ends up as slightly sad instead. "In the meantime, however, may I offer you shelter for the night? And...proper clothes upon arrival at the castle?"

That's how you end up following Loki into the forest, meeting Thor and a fierce looking woman not far from the hilltop, and on until you reach three horses waiting for their owners. Thor and the woman, Sif, are in the saddles and on the move before you can blink, leaving Loki's horse as the only ride. It's a fair way up for a blanket-dressed person.

"I'm a good walker," you start to explain, wanting to remain safely on the ground as much as you hate being a burden.

But the handsome god (because you can't help but think of him as such) is already at your side. "Allow me to assist, lady [Y/N]."

And how can you refuse him when he smiles so kindly and look so worried? A nod, then he's wrapped those big hands around your waist and lifting you so effortlessly you can hardly believe it.

...   Loki  PoV   ...

[Y/N] fits so snugly against his chest it seems like she belongs there. The first part of the ride, she has been trying to maintain some distance between them, but the rocking motions of the gallop makes it impossible and eventually she gives up. Instead, she busies herself with watching the landscape. Loki can feel how her body tenses and he imagines a frown on her face.

"This...this really isn't Earth, is it?"

Midgard. "No, my lady," Loki acknowledges quietly. She must be frightened by the situation.

Rather than weep or panic, though, [Y/N] speaks calmly. "How did I get here?"

"I am not certain yet…we sensed a shift in the essence of the verses as though something or rather someone passed through the veils."

"Me..."

She lapses back into a pensive silence as the horse carries them across the plains under the darkening sky. The first stars are visible now that the fire of the setting sun has diminished, and the woman looks to the heavens with a sigh. How does she see our world? Already, the prince has been to scores of realms either in times of war or as a diplomatic emissary, and each time he has revelled in studying the foreign cultures as though searching for something he cannot quite identify. He is almost able to place himself in her position as they crest the hill, bringing the palace and surrounding city into view.

“Oh.” The gasp reaches him softly.

Valhalla and the roofs of the many surrounding buildings glitter with gold illuminated by braziers and magic. Beyond the city, the Bifrost appears like a straight, luminescent line of brilliant colours heading for the vastness of space beyond the lone observatory. Under normal circumstances, visitors to the realm of Asgard would arrive there on the edge of the world and follow the rainbow road to the palace. Not this time. How did a Midgardian come here unaided?

…

Already before passing through the city gates, Loki has swept his cloak around the maiden to protect her from the night’s cold and now the curious gazes of Asgardians. Under the shielding fabric, there is a slight shift in [Y/N] posture as she presses closer to the only ally she has at that moment. Her heart is beating wildly, her muscles like springs as though preparing to flee…but to where?

“Do no fret, my lady,” Loki whispers, “no harm shall befall you.”

“Some might argue that it already has…otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”

…   Reader PoV   …

You actually want to stay pissed off at the pompous, medieval, alien of a bastard but everything you see distracts you from it. Asgard, because what else could this place be, is nothing short of magical. You could almost believe it to be actual magic with trees that glow (that turns out to be fireflies, though), and space at the end of a road build of rainbows…your logic won’t buy it though. There’s no such thing as magic, just science we don’t understand yet. The argument sounds like a joke as the horses step towards the mighty gates of the castle. Of Valhalla.

The deep bows performed by anyone you pass aren’t meant for you but the princes and maybe the dark-haired woman. Sif. Not the Sif from the myths, though, that’s for sure. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding? This woman looks like a warrior, tall and strong upon the horse, with shield and sword at her sides. There’s no smile on her lips and she’s not once bothered to look at you as opposed to the Asgardians you’ve passed on the way through the city.

Turning slightly to face Loki, you whisper: “Who erm…the stern lady, who’s that again?”

An amused twitch of his lips light his eyes with a sparkle of green. “She is Lady Sif, a dear friend of my brother and me and among the bravest of warriors in Asgard…she is also the grumpiest after having been proven wrong –“

“Wrong?!” A clear voice cuts through from up ahead. “There was not, as I pointed out, any tracks or camps indicating the arrival of foreign forces.”

Both men chuckle good-naturedly, and you can’t help adore the rumble passing to you from Loki’s chest. It feels familiar to listen to the three of them teasing each other, feigning horror of being “abandoned alone”, and reminiscing on past rescues where Sif seems to have been more than capable to save the men’s asses. Royalty or not, the friendship is stronger than the ranks, helping you forget that part until it’s time to dismount.

“Brother, lady Sif,” Loki calls out while detangling himself from the cloak and allowing you to keep it, “go ahead and explain mother and the All-Father that we have a guest in need of a caring hand.”

Of course they find the suggestion reasonable, leaving you alone with the dark-haired man. Turquoise eyes beam up at you. How did he get down there so elegantly? Wordlessly, you slide into the waiting arms that bring you safely to the ground only for his hands linger on your waist as you stand impossibly close to him. Holy smoke, he’s handsome! Perfectly sharp lines softened by an almost eerie grace that you would’ve attributed the elves of the fantasy stories you once read. Thin but soft lips made more beautiful by a gentle smile. Hair so black you almost suspect it’s not real hair but magic – magic which you of course don’t believe in. Now he is looking down at you, the eyes have deepened in the shadows until they are endless pools of dark green and midnight blue with silver streaks.

“Allow me,” the perfect man murmurs before adjusting the cloak around you, closing the golden clasp by your sternum.

…

The grand hall with the king on the throne placed at the veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery far end makes you feel tiny. Not tiny the way a child in a grown up world does, or the way that stargazing will make you feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things. No, this is tiny in the way an insect must feel as the human tries to determine if it’s a mosquito or not. Thankfully, Odin is convinced by more than just Loki that you’re no pest but a frail butterfly that should be nursed and eventually relocated to the natural habitat; and queen Frigga takes charge of your wellbeing, bringing you to a room bigger than your apartment where she provides clothes and food for you before leaving you to do as you please.

Even though the guest room supposedly is “sparsely” decorated it still falls in line with the style of the castle. Woven tapestry covering parts of the bare walls with images of landscapes and plants so vivid it might actually have been portals to those places; soft carpets forming islands on the stone floor upon which heavy furniture of ornately carved wood and golden metals rest; windows offering a view to the palace gardens – a view that is echoed in the enormous mirror above the fireplace. The canopy bed isn’t far from another door which turns out to lead to the bathroom of your dreams. The choice is made. Bath first.

…

The old, knitted blanket is neatly folded on the bed, looking out of place against the silks and furs but bringing a tad of homey comfort to the weird situation you’re stuck in. The emerald cloak is resting next to it, waiting for a chance to be returned to the rightful owner. Instead of wearing any of those two items, you’ve dressed yourself in the softest tunic and leather pants, a wide strip of emerald cloth wrapping around the waist of the brown and white ensemble. It might not be what the queen would have chosen, but it’s the least foreign you could find in a closet full of dresses and cloaks and it allows you to sit comfortably curled up in the broad windowsill to enjoy the delicate cold meal with the best view.

A knock on the door and a voice calling for you softly. You immediately know who it is and call out for him to enter.

…   Loki PoV   …

She does as I do. All his youth, the prince has favoured sitting by the glass if he could not go outside. To see [Y/N] do the same warms his heart.

“I hope you find everything to your liking?”

His question makes her smile broadly for the first time, melting the frown away that had seemed near permanent since he first laid eyes on her upon the hilltop. The bright eyes never abandoned the curious intellect that captivates him, but to see the glimmer of joy there…perhaps this unwanted adventure will not break her spirit.

“It’s great. Thank you.”

Sliding from the seat, she walks to the bed to pick up something, yet Loki only has eyes for the green sash accentuating the waist and the faint shade of her skin beneath the white tunic. The fabric is wet on the shoulders and the seam of the neck from where the water has soaked in from her hair.

“Here,” suddenly she stands before him, teeth worrying softly at the plump lower lip, “it’s…erm…thanks for letting me borrow…it…”

How can it be so awkward being near the only one that feels right? “My honour, m’lady.”

Fingers brush against each other as he takes the bundle from her, begging him to linger, to say anything merely to hear her voice once more. Electric warmth tingles where she has touched him now and before.

“Why…” she begins, but then must think better of it.

“You may ask anything of me.”

“You call me my lady…but I’m not royalty.”

Neither are you mine, yet my heart sings to you. “Noble blood is not all there is to being a lady.” The answer elicits the sweetest shyness that heats her cheeks. “And furthermore…I may have a say in who is deemed worthy of titles, so if I wished for you to be a lady…I could sway the powers that be.”

“Oh?” A single eyebrow raises in challenge. “You can do anything? What else can you make me?”

“Happy?”

The magic Loki possesses is not strong enough to undo time, if it was then he would wind back a few seconds now to unsay that single word. The prettiest eyes he has ever been lost in open wide, the lips barely part to free a soft gasp of surprise at his boldness. Fool! The derogatory is far from the only one he mentally yells at himself, already stepping backwards out the door as he tries to formulate an apology.

“Wait…” Frozen in place he cannot bear to look at her. “You already saved me, prince Loki, but I do have a…a…plea…”

There is an unexpected gentleness to her voice, compelling the man to look up with hope. “Anything.”

“Please…show me your favourite place to be on your own?”

…   Reader PoV   …

You’re wearing his cape again, but this time he has brought one for himself too. The horse you share with him is the same as well just like the nerves that surge through your body from the constant pressure of his chest against your back.

None of you speak as the animal carries you through the city under the curious scrutiny of the citizens. What are they thinking? Hopefully nothing mean. It’s not like you’re likely to get to see (or at least recognize) them again before you’ll be…what? Frigga had promised that you’d be brought home, but that the king must see to the safety of his so-called realm first – in this case by gleaning some information from you or the place you had arrived at. There was no doubt the kind treatment mainly is due to the friendliness of the queen and her sons. Her son. Yes, despite the generous hospitality you have convinced Loki to take you away from the safety of the gorgeous room at your disposal on some impulsive whim that has you begging for the familiarity of your hill…but that hill is worlds away and you could only think of one person understanding what you might need.

While you’ve been pondering, the city has drifted away behind you, allowing the horse to gallop full speed in the broken darkness where everything appears in tones of grey. Maybe it knows the way. Maybe Loki is that good of a rider. Regardless, you feel safe under the alien stars as the creature thunders along an unseen road and onto a beach. There’s a steady rumble of waves sloshing against the shore, splashing high enough to wet your bare feet. Far beyond the waters, though not as far as you would expect, is the endlessness of space dazzling you.

Warm breath fans your chin for a second before it’s swept away. “Merely a moment longer, my lady.”

He is true to his word, of course. When you dismount, you follow a path off the beach to the top of a scraggy cliffside and continue no more than a couple of meters around a boulder until the two of you reach a natural shelf with the night sky reaching above and beyond. Constellations of stars (similar and different from those seen from home) make room for swirling galaxies the closer to the horizon you look.

“This is…” you try to explain the calming effect the place has on you only to find words aren’t enough.

It fuels a longing for somewhere you don’t know yet while giving you a sense of belonging because really…what else is there? Places, planets, will come and go through the endless eons while you’re nothing but a tiny blip that has been granted the chance to witness the vastness of it all, to be a part of it, and form the lives of those around you whichever way you see fit. It’s comforting that nothing you can do will be so bad they can mess up the grand scheme of things, while daunting to know that the time you have is full of endless possibilities.

“I know.”

Behind you, Loki has spread out a roll of fur on the ground for you both to sit on, leaning calmly against the cliff with his long legs stretched before him. Absurdly aware of your body, you join him while carefully keeping just a few inches of distance.

None of you try to fill the time with speaking, that’s not the reason for this place to exist. Cosmic clouds show off the brilliance of the newborn stars they hold while suns belonging to other planets blink as if sending signals in Morse code. A particular bright one has a green glow to it that reminds you of the eyes of the man beside you, and the thought alone sends a fluttery cascade of excitement through your chest.

This is ridiculous! A night bird tests the quiet air from somewhere further in land. I can’t be falling for him…it’s just…just the foreign feel of it all. The haphazard notes take shape of a gentle melody which quiets your frantic mind. How silly of you to think that there are any other feelings at play here than those logically ignited by being stranded. On a planet from old Norse mythology. Surrounded by people that have been known and sort of forgotten by humans for a thousand years. All very logical, yes. Sighing, you allow your head to fall back against the stone and the more normal-looking stars twinkle above.

“I am sorry, lady [Y/N].”

Glancing over, you can see how he’s looking at you with concern. “You don’t need to call me lady…just [Y/N] is fine.”

The nod and smile are subtle but still manage to send waves of warmth from your toes to the top of your head. “Very well…” the prince concedes, “allow me to forego formalities completely.”

“O-okaaay…”

“It is nigh impossible for any of us to understand how you must feel.” He covers your hand that’s resting on your thigh, sending electricity tickling through your veins. “And I fear I may be out of place when I confess…it warms my heart to have brought you some comfort by sharing this place with you.”

Loki has turned towards you, leaning close enough for you to wish for more as the mesmerizing eyes draw you in. If only you were to stretch a little extra. Or maybe let your fingertips brush the stray locks of black hair from his face. All the wonders of the universe seem to fade away as your hand moves on its own and the gentle man’s face comes closer yet to yours almost like he –

“My son.” The voice belongs to the queen. “Lady [Y/N].”

Seconds later, Frigga slips past the boulder and into view of Loki, who already has jumped to his feet, and you. Your face is burning, but at least the starlight won’t reveal neither that nor the harsh scolding you give yourself silently.

…   Loki PoV   …

Naturally, mother insists on being chatty company on the way home. She even takes it upon herself to see first [Y/N] to the room too before looping her arm into his and leading the way to his chambers. The prince knows Frigga is preparing to say something and that the sudden silence is a sign of her choosing her words carefully…after all, she is the true diplomat in the relationship with Odin.

“What is it, mother?” Loki sighs, knowing that the last paces to his door will not save him. “Do you not appreciate our guest?”

“Oh, my dear, you know I do,” she pokes him teasingly, but her face regains the severe calmness just as quickly as the joy had flared, “yet as you say…she is merely our guest. Lady [Y/N] comes from another world to which she must return.”

Although the words are true, Loki finds he is loath to hear them. People throughout the verses move from one place to another every day in the hope of finding shelter, work, or even love. As the second son, should it be impossible for him to do the same if he was wanted elsewhere? If I ask her…would she…? But Odin would refuse any possibility, leaving only one option.

“Of course,” tracing the line in his palm as though nothing of import was being discussed, he shrugs, “that is to be expected. She belongs on Midgard.”

“Loki, my son, please listen to me.” Stopping them both, Frigga grabs his hands in both of hers. “The Midgardians live short lives. Burning bright until their light is snuffed out all too soon whereas we live for thousand of years with the ghosts of their memories and a hollow ache left in their place. Please, protect yourself…let her go.”

Stunned at Frigga’s words, there is no answer readily available to the normally sharp-tongued god. Is this experience talking? But his mother has already kissed his cheek and left his side without giving Loki an opportunity to ask the many questions burning in his heart.

…

He brings [Y/N] to the garden the next day to enjoy the sun beaming down upon the fragrant lilies and roses of any colour. Again, she has chosen the simple clothes of trousers and tunic (this time one of light yellow silk) fitted with a sash, catching surprised glances from passing servants and members of the court which [Y/N] deftly ignores. Walking barefoot over the grass, she begs to know about life on Asgard and Loki is more than happy to tell. Nearly forgotten tales of mischief from his childhood are recovered and exchanged in return for a bubbling laughter echoed by the cheerful melodies of thrush and lark. As evening draws near, casting the garden in cool shadows, they are still deeply engrossed in conversation when Frigga finds them.

“Lady [Y/N],” the queen smiles sweetly, “I do apologize for interrupting such pleasant times…however, I do insist that you are made ready for tonight’s feast.”

“Feast?” A glimmer of anxiety widens the guest’s [Y/E/C] eyes. “Made re- erm…how so, your majesty?”

Loki stands to bid them goodbye, knowing that this is a moment for his mother to explain what has been arranged for the night, and although the prince would love to be a fly on the wall during that conversation, he himself has been lax in regard to the day’s tasks.

….

Unable to detain himself any longer, the youngest prince has already made his way to the dining hall in hope of distractions in the company of his brother, lady Sif, and the Warriors Three. Together, they form a merry group of friends where honesty is valued regardless of rank, normally leading to witty banter.

“Loki…Loki!” Fandral pokes the prince in question on the shoulder. “Where is your mind, my friend?”

He is not ready to admit it, but the raven-haired man had been lost in the memory of the glow of the Midgardian’s skin as she basked in the sun earlier that day. All through the chores, Loki had found himself unfocused, earning him more than one tumble during sparring as Thor now reveals.

Sif considers the subject of the laughter with a smirk on the lips. “One might think it’s the presence of the lady [Y/N], or am I wrong?”

“I always take an interest in our guests and their well being.” A simple answer meant to hide the flutter in his heart at the mere mention of the foreign woman.

“Does that mean, little brother…” Thor’s heavy arms lands around the shoulder of the sibling, “…that you do not find anything particularly compelling about…that.” With those words, he spins Loki around to face the doors at the far end.

There is no need to search for what (or rather: who) the crown prince refers to, and Loki allows the world around him to fall away with the exception of her. Her. The sweet memory of [Y/N]’s voice as she laughed in the garden grows in power, becoming a summon controlling Loki’s heart and soul. How…when did it come to this? Frigga’s warning is not forgotten, yet…how can she know? The risk of abandoning a love like the one he is feeling, to never live as true and blessed as his existence could be at her side must be far crueler than spending the summer in her sun before facing the winter of his life alone.

Love? No…I should not give in. But then [Y/N] smiles at him and he is lost.

…   Reader PoV   …

Frigga had promised to help you get ready…you had just never in your wildest dream imagined how much that would entail. At least the queen is lovely and intelligent company. Very intelligent. Maybe Asgardians can read minds (or at least they’re intuitive) because it wasn’t not long before she had you spilling the secret you’ve barely dared admit to yourself, the two of you chatting like you had been friends all your lives. It had felt good. Splendid, actually, because home on earth there’s no one for you like that.

And now? At this moment, none of the confidence-inducing cheerfulness is left within you as you set foot in the dining hall, once again reminded of the fact that you’re an alien stranded in a fairy tale full of magic and heroes. Every one of the Asgardians in the room is oozing with majestic grace. They belong. You’re a cheap copy although Frigga has dressed you in the most beautiful dress of gold and blue before fitting you with jewels to match. At the time you had felt like a princess, now you want to hide. Scanning the crowd, you try to find the queen, hoping that she will be occupied by someone, allowing you to slip away – you see Loki instead.

…

Your prince, as you’ve teasingly taken to call Loki in return, has been at your side all night and time has passed in the blink of an eye. Eyes of turquoise green that see into your soul even now as you walk slowly through the moonlit garden to cool down.

I’ll miss him. The thought is unwelcome, tarnishing the joy you’ve experienced at the feast where the princes and Sif have introduced you to their friends, all of them including you in the raucous company as though you were one of them. I wish I was. It’s an impossible dream, made all the more dismal by the sense of belonging you feel around Loki.

“Lady [Y/N],” his voice wavers slightly as he strokes a wetness from your cheek, “do not be saddened…I promise your safe return home.”

But that’s not what I want. “Sorry…d- I…sorry.” Tearing away, you stumble half-blinded by the sudden tears down the first path available but soon find yourself at a dead end among the roses.

How could I be so stupid?! Wiping angrily at your face to stop the blubbering, you try to recall all the good reasons for going back to Earth…there just aren’t any that you wouldn’t be able to replace. No family or friends to speak of anymore. And sure, the work and colleagues are alright but it’s nothing that brings you a sense of home.

“[Y/N]?” It doesn’t scare you that Loki is much closer than anticipated. “It pains my heart to see such sorrow,” he mumbles while folding you in his arms, “I will do anything in my power to…to…”

Words falter and instinct takes over. Holding your close, he tugs your head against his shoulder. Strong fingers stroke your back and head gently while you calm down, and you slowly become aware of the kisses your prince plants of your hair and temple.

“Thank you, Loki.” A soft whisper is all you can muster.

“Always, my love.”

Both of you freeze for a second, unsure if he really has spoken those words, but when you lift your head to meet his gaze there’s no doubt. Nothing needs to be said or explained, the silence allowing a calming warmth to grow inside your chest. You can feel your heart swell. Heal. When his lips meet yours (hesitantly at first) it makes your soul sing.

“Please.” Breaking away briefly, Loki gasps. “Stay with me…or let me come with you! We well find a way.”

There is barely time to answer and you hope the renewed caresses speak for you. “Always.”

[theartoflovingthomashunt]

I wish there was a third option.

I personally believe that Thomas feels like he isn’t good enough for MC because of his age. He is constantly making comments about it. I feel he is very self-conscious about it and because of that he always feels he is going to lose her, especially in RCD3 because he is struggling to find his next project. He feels lost and almost hopeless.

Thomas was obviously interested in MC for a long time but, stopped himself and kept pulling back. He kept her at arm's length, despite his own interests. He gave her every opportunity to say no, to choose someone else. She didn’t. She chose him. (If you are playing this path). I feel like if MC wanted a more casual, open relationship, any of the other LI would be more fitting. I feel like Thomas is not the kind of man you pursue half-heartedly. I feel like this particular choice makes sense with some of the other LI, but it feels out of character for Thomas x MC. Just my opinion...

Regardless, this began as a quick rant, but I just wrote a short fan fiction without meaning to... in hopes of having it make more sense for them. This is how I feel this conversation should have gone.

– – –

Characters: Thomas Hunt, Alex (MC)

Setting: Red Carpet Diaries Book 3, Chapter 2 Scene Rewrite. The scene starts immediately following the dialogue above.

Rating: PG

Alex takes a moment to consider her response carefully. She knows Thomas well enough to know that no matter how long they’ve been together or how deep their love, he still fears he isn’t enough for her. “I can’t do this over the phone, Thomas. It’s too important. Can I come over?”

“Of course, dear,” Thomas answered. “I hope I didn’t upset you.”

“Not at all,” Alex replied. “I just feel like this conversation should happen more intimately.”

Alex quickly heads to Thomas’s house. Thomas greets her at the door. Alex wraps her arms around him, savoring his embrace. He pulls her in holding her against his chest. Thomas rests his head on hers for a moment. Alex looks up at Thomas and smiles. Thomas kisses her forehead. Then, the two of them make their way to the couch in Thomas’s living room.

Alex places her hand on Thomas’s while letting her fingers gently caress his.

“To answer your question,” Alex began. “I want to be with you. Only you. You need to stop doing this.”

“Doing what?” Thomas quickly interjected.

“Trying to give me a way out. I don’t want it. I chose you. I want you. I want every part of you,” Alex explained while holding his gaze.

"Alex, that’s not...” Thomas started.

Alex continued, interrupting him. “You’ve been holding back from the moment I first met you. I know you, Thomas. I know how your mind works. I know that you love me but, I also know that it scares you.” Alex paused momentarily to move closer to him, her hand holding his face. She smiled lightly, allowing her fingertips to stroke his beard. For a moment, she loses herself in him.

Thomas melted at her touch, completely under her spell.

Alex composed herself and continued. “I know that right now, you are struggling with what to do next, professionally. I see how hard that is for you, how fearful you are that the right project won’t come. I’ve watched you question things in your life, but I won’t let you do that to us. I know you have always worried about our age difference. I need you to know that if I had any doubts, any at all, I wouldn’t be marrying you. I am yours, completely and always. I know you and what I know most of all is that I want to be your wife and I want you to be my husband.”

Thomas smiled looking at his fiancee. He was in awe of her grace and passion.

“I know you, Thomas,” Alex pressed on, tears forming in her eyes. “And if you know me, and I think you do, you must realize that there is nothing you can say or do that is going to make me leave you. I know we will disagree sometimes. I know we will have big fights. But, we will get through it... together.”

“Alex,” Thomas whispered, his fingertips wiping away her tears. “I never imagined anyone could know me as you do–truly, wholly, deeply, intimately. You astound me, every day. I don’t know what I did to deserve you. You constantly push me to be better. You are everything I want.”

Thomas reaches over to pull Alex into his arms. Alex allows herself to be encompassed by him.

“You are everything I want too,” Alex responded. “I hope this alleviates your fears once and for all. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Then I shall stop trying to push you away,” Thomas agreed. “I love you, Alex, with my heart, mind, and soul. Being your husband will be the greatest privilege of my life.”

“I count the days until I will be your wife,” Alex smiled. “Until I am Alex Hunt.”

“I like the sound of that,” Thomas held her face to his, pushing a strand of hair out of her face.

“I thought you might. How does it sound?” Alex teased. “Is it delicious, Mr. Hunt?“

Thomas pulled her to his mouth and kissed her deeply. Letting his fears and hesitations melt under her embrace. He let down the wall he had kept up for as long as he could remember, from Yvonne, maybe earlier. A wall that had protected him for so long... but not anymore. He didn’t need it, he had found his refuge.

– – –

* * * The Art of Loving Thomas Hunt Fan Fiction Masterlist * * *

Tags:  @hopelessromantic1352 ; @alleksa16 ; @pinkcoloredmarshmallow