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eldritchlittleblackdragon · 3 years ago

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Alice van Zieks in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Part 1

(Or, What Happens to her During and Post-Canon)

Follow Up to My Post I originally made about Alice Here, which included some of her basic stats and pre-canon lore. Image made with this Picrew. Warning! Contains Spoilers for The Great Ace Attorney Adventures (Cases 1+2), as well as some spoilers related to Kazuma Asogi’s character.

This is the first of five parts.

Tagging: @curiousobsession101 and @scarlettjskipper

Previously, in Alice’s story...

Alice had been living in Japan attending Imperial Yumei University for the past three years after separating from her husband, Barok van Zieks. During that time she made friends with the Mikotoba siblings (Susato Mikotoba and Kazuma Asogi), being first introduced to them through her father and Professor Mikotoba. She also befriended Ryunosuke Naruhodo, and encouraged him to participate in the speech tournament that led to him being introduced to and befriending Kazuma. She became especially close with Ryunosuke and Kazuma, although with Kazuma this also included romantic feelings taking root within her (which unbeknownst to her at first, were very much reciprocated).

While she initially had no intention of acting on these feelings for Kazuma, she was persuaded to try and divorce her husband in order to be with him. And this then in turn motivated Kazuma to take action of his own in the hopes the two of them might one day be able to be together as a couple. (This included gifting her a bouquet of flowers that served as a confession of love that he couldn’t say allowed. And she sent him back flowers to give her reply.)

Unfortunately, her husband challenged her petition to the courts, and as a result it was necessary for her to return to Britain sooner than she would have otherwise. As it happened, she would be departing around the same time as Kazuma for his study tour, and thus made arrangements to secure passage on the same ship, the SS Burya.

And Just Before The First Case of DGS1...

In order to provide a temporary reprieve from matters, Alice’s father decided to take her to a western style restaurant, Le Carnival, for meal out together. The conversation was mostly relaxing (discussion of forensics and the end to her training/education, fun recent events/happenings), but Alice found her mind wandering back to thoughts surrounding her current state of affairs. Her father wasn’t the best at comforting others, but he tried to reassure her and reiterated she has his full support. Which she deeply appreciated.

During the meal, she spotted Kazuma and Ryunosuke at another table, and with her father’s blessing/supervision, briefly got up to say hello to the two of them. She confessed that she wished Ryunosuke could be in Britain with both her and Kazuma, which Kazuma was in very enthusiastic agreement with. Having both of her best friends there would be wonderful. Kazuma said that he was trying his best to persuade him, but Ryunosuke wasn’t so sure how he would make that work. Alice hoped it could.

She wished them well before returning to her seat. The meal passed by uneventfully, although she noticed Kazuma left at one point, leaving Ryunosuke alone at their table. Her father then proceeded to take up her attention by asking her about topics he hoped would distract her from more grim matters. It seemed to work well enough, although she found her gaze drifting momentarily (and ever so slightly) to see that Ryunosuke had gone over, seeming to have noticed a gun lying on the floor. It seemed to be near the table of Dr. Watson (a professor in her department) and Jezaille Brett, one of her classmates, the two of whom happened to be dining together. Had Dr. Watson dropped his gun?

She looked away for only a moment when her father asked what she was looking at, when suddenly she heard gunfire.

Events took a sudden and terrifying turn. When she looked back, Dr. Watson was dead with a bullet would in his chest, and all eyes were on Ryunosuke who still had the gun in his hand. Oh no, She thought. Had some sort of terrible accident taken place? Alice squinted, trying to look for signs that the gun in Ryunosuke’s hand was the one fired. She got up from the table, hoping to question Ryunosuke about what happened. She couldn’t see any residue from where she was that indicated it.

So what had happened? She looked up, and noticed that Jezaille Brett was suddenly absent from the scene. And now the waiter was rushing in and forcibly taking Ryunosuke away. No, this was wrong. This was very wrong!

Eventually the waiter returned, revealing himself to be a police officer, and asked everyone else present to serve as witnesses. Initially she agreed, willing to give whatever testimony she could. She even put forth her credentials, and said she would be willing to lend her expertise if needed. But, he instructed they were not to mention Jezaille Brett was present in any testimony given in the case against Ryunosuke. Alice flatly refused this, and questioned the reason for this. The officer tried to take her aside, saying it was a delicate diplomatic matter. She was still opposed to it, and tried to argue about it. The more she talked to the officer, the more she was convinced Ryunosuke was being set up to take the fall for this as murder. And she refused to believe he was capable of such a thing. As she didn’t seem to be able to be convinced, The officer released her, saying that she would be called upon when needed. Based on what was said, it seemed the intention was that she would be benched as a witness. It was a similar situation with her father.

She ran to find Kazuma as soon as she could, and told him the news of what had happened. She pleaded with him to defend Ryunosuke, as he was able to practice law in spite of still being a student. It wasn’t a thing she needed to ask, however. Of course Kazuma was more than happy to help defend his friend. And with her telling him about it so quickly, he had time to prepare for the trial. But, Professor Mikotoba (would learned of things shortly thereafter) would fear how this trial might ruin Kazuma’s chance to go to England if he lost, so the professor had other plans in mind.

And now, onto canon!

--------

The Trial of Ryunosuke Naruhodo

This goes much the same as in canon, for the most part. However, there is an additional point of contention. When Ryunosuke defends himself at trial (with Kazuma aiding him, rather than being his lawyer), he discovers the Prosecution has no plans to call Alice as a witness in spite of the fact she was there. It is confirmed they were originally planning on calling her as a witness, but they felt her ‘biases’ muddled the reliability of her testimony. Once Ryunosuke is able to prove Jezaille Brett’s presence by other means however (and discovers it’s not bias but a refusal to lie in her testimony that benched Alice), Alice is brought in as a corroborating witness for the defense. She confirms Brett was present.

When Brett arrives Alice acts as an additional witness on the stand for a brief period, serving as an additional point with which Ryunosuke counters and dismantles Brett’s testimony. (She is excused however during the final part of the trial when the soldier and the antiques dealer are called back to the stand.)

After the trial, Alice comes to congratulate Ryunosuke on his victory and express relief that he is alright. She is impressed with her friend’s ability in spite of having no legal training, and wonders aloud if maybe he might do well switching fields of study. Kazuma’s laughs and says he agrees that Ryunosuke has the makings of a great attorney. From here, things go much the same as canon with hearing what has become of Brett, and what will happen going forward. Alice is frustrated that after all the trouble of proving her guilty, she’s simply being whisked away and may not face justice.

As in canon, Officer Hosonaga recommends the group dine at Le Carnival. But Alice thinks that may not be a good idea, especially with the murder of Dr. Watson fresh in everyone’s minds. Instead, she offers that everyone could come have dinner with her family (which her dad is cool with). She thanks Hosonaga for the offer, and for coming forward and doing what he could to bring the truth to light after he admitted to concealing Brett’s presence. She’s not so sure about the whole ‘keeping evidence in his house’ part of things, but she were it not for that, the truth might not have come to light.

As everyone is leaving, Alice talks with her friends about the upcoming voyage, and expresses that while she’s happy she’ll have Kazuma and Susato, she really does wish she could have all of her friends with her. And Ryunosuke expresses how grateful he is to have best friends like Alice and Kazuma, and thanks them for their help in the trial.

Between 1-1 and 1-2 - Close and Yet So Far

The time for their departure from Japan arrives. Alice boards the SS Burya, and stays in the First Class cabin across the hall from Kazuma (Cabin 3). Unbeknownst to her, Kazuma has smuggled Ryunosuke aboard in his luggage, and hides him in his room (or his wardrobe when others are in the room). He keeps Ryunosuke’s presence a secret from Alice, much for the same reason he doesn’t tell Susato about his presence. He doesn’t want to make either of them complicit in his doing.

For the weeks of the trip leading up to the second case, Kazuma and Alice have the most freedom to associate and unfettered access to one another that they’ve ever had. They visit each other frequently. But, with such an abundance of freedom to interact with one another unsupervised, it becomes tempting to be more open with one another than they’ve been able to be previously.

The two of them find their hands searching for each other’s, their fingers intertwined. A light touch or hand on the shoulder here, a comforting embrace there. And perhaps those touches are allowed to linger longer than they used to. Their words skirt close to the edge, stopping right before saying plainly what they know they can’t. At least not yet.

There is one night where they almost are pushed over the edge, to do something they know they shouldn’t. Emotions run high with talk of heavy subjects. About things that are known and not known. Alice tries to ask him about things he hasn’t elaborated on (his ‘mission’ in particular). But he doesn’t feel at liberty to tell her any more than he’s told Ryunosuke or Susato, or anyone else for that matter. She’s tempted to assure him with ‘you know you can tell me anything right’? The words leave her lips before she can stop herself.

“I wish it were the case. But there are some things I can’t tell you about. Not yet,” he says. “But I will in time. I ask for your understanding... and your trust.”

She says she trusts him. And for a moment, the two of them are facing each other, so tantalizingly close. For a moment, they forget themselves. Kazuma leans in with the intention to kiss her. Alice leans slightly forward. She’s not entirely sure if a kiss is his intention, or if she’s misinterpreting his action. Either way, she stops short, remembering herself. She opens her mouth to speak, to tell him that they shouldn’t be doing this. But a sudden noise from outside interrupts them, and that instead bring Kazuma back to reality and he remembers himself, withdrawing from her space.

The moment etches itself into her mind. It tempts her with thoughts of what could be. But also it also serves to give her a picture of what she has to give up if she isn’t successful in her endeavors in London. It pains her to think she might not be able to be with Kazuma romantically. But, all she can do is try. And even if she doesn’t succeed, she will have him as her dear friend. Her dear friend that she loves with all her heart.

The ‘Death’ of Kazuma Asogi

Alice is awoken by a commotion outside. She goes across the hall to Kazuma’s cabin to see what’s going on (as it seems like all the activity is coming from there). She is shocked to discover that Ryunosuke is in the room, clapped in irons, with Susato looking at him with a determined fury in her eyes. And also present in the room is someone Alice didn’t expect to see - an old friend of hers from London, a detective by the name of Sherlock Holmes. (Side Note: The Escapade Episode on the Burya happens as it does in canon, although Alice isn’t in her cabin at the time and is in fact visiting with Susato, and thus avoided the whole encounter/finding out Sherlock was present. Kazuma was going to tell her about it before the whole... ‘death’ thing happened.)

She panics and asks Ryonosuke if he’s hurt, why is he clapped in irons, etc. He says he’s a suspect for murder once again. Alice looks around in a panic, and then the next words out of her mouth are ‘Where’s Kazuma?’ But then looking around at the room, and seeing how everyone’s mood suddenly shifts, a horrid realization starts to set in. As Susato begins to explain, Alice can feel her heart starting to shatter inside of her.

Kazuma is dead.

“Please tell me this is some sort of cruel joke.”

But Sherlock explains that it is no joke. He looked over Kazuma himself and confirmed the man was dead before handing his body over to the ship’s doctor. Alice shakes her head, continuing to sputter out words of denial. Sherlock tries to counter her denial, to get her to use reason to accept the reality of the situation. But this doesn’t work at all, and only serves to push her into a sudden meltdown. She snaps at him, demanding to be taken to where they’re keeping the body and examine it herself. Besides, she’s more qualified than any ship doctor to perform an autopsy.

Sherlock refuses the idea outright. As qualified as she is, she is not the person who should be performing Kazuma’s autopsy. Especially if her behavior is any indication of her current emotional state. She barks back at him, telling him he’s being stupid and demands again to see Kazuma. Once again he refuses. She then derides Sherlock as it was his word that led Ryunosuke to be accused of being the murderer. There was no way he would ever kill his best friend. Yes, the door was locked, but there must be something else at work. It can’t be that simple.

But it’s not just about being certain her friend is innocent. She also is terrified of losing both of her best friends in short order.

Eventually, it is Ryunosuke who manages to calm Alice down. And although she is unable to examine the body (because Sherlock knows she’d be able to tell Kazuma is actually... not in fact dead) she is allowed to help Ryunosuke and Susato investigate. They are all shaken up, but at least doing an investigation around the room and the first class rooms nearby doesn’t require the steady hand and mind that an autopsy does (according to Sherlock’s reasoning).

So, Alice assists Ryunosuke and Susato during the case, and serves as a point to provide extra clues as to what might have befallen Kazuma. The trail leads to Nikolina Pavlova and they discover that it was through a misunderstanding and accident that Kazuma lost his life. Alice finds it hard to be hard on Nikolina, especially because she was trying to escape a bad situation and find a better life. That she desired freedom and feared that freedom being taken away. (She basically finds herself relating to her a bit because of her fear of being trapped in her marriage to Lord van Zieks and ultimately trapped from making decisions according to her own aspirations and desires.)

During the investigation, they happen upon a box among Kazuma’s things that comes with a letter, both of which are addressed to Alice. She is allowed to take the letter and the contents of the box, as it is clear Kazuma intended these for her. The letter plainly confesses his feelings to her and his wishes for the future, and the box contains a pair of twin lockets, both of a classic oval design with a detailed floral pattern etched into the metal. One was to be worn by her (according to the letter), and the other by Kazuma, so that they would always be together in some form, even when apart.

Alice takes one of the lockets, and puts it on, wearing it under her clothes. The other, she requests of the crew of the Burya to be left with Kazuma’s remains so that the locket might be buried with him. She snips a lock of her hair, and puts it within that locket, literally giving Kazuma a piece of herself to take with him in death.

Ryunosuke is given Karuma (Kazuma’s sword) for safekeeping, as well as his red hachimaki. And Susato gives Alice Kazuma’s journal, on the condition she not read anything beyond what they had to to solve his murder. (She entrusts Ryunosuke with Kazuma’s soul, and Alice with Kazuma’s mind.) Susato herself will take and care for his books, taking care of the knowledge he took with him to keep on hand for his studies.

And she would need them for the days ahead. With Kazuma dead, a replacement is needed for the exchange program. Ryunosuke steps up to the plate to carry on in Kazuma’s place (albeit with no knowledge of his mission, only knowing he was to study law while in Britain). Susato intends to train him until they arrive, and asks Alice to help her. Alice is not a lawyer or a judicial assistant, but her training and education could prove helpful. Alice is more than willing to help, and has the additional experience of having taught things to Ryunosuke before (when she was a teaching assistant in one of his English classes). So she can help Susato figure out the best way to teach Ryunosuke in what little time they have.

Between 1-2 and 1-3 - Arriving in London

Much of Alice’s time on the rest of the journey overseas is devoted to helping Susato give Ryunosuke a crash course on British law. She doesn’t allow herself as much time to grieve as she ought to at first, feeling she needs to focus on helping her friends. She tries to be source of support for them in their own grief, but struggles with hers. She is also plagued by nightmares born of her frustration and guilt with not being able to examine Kazuma herself. With feeling like she is being punished by the cosmos for loving someone she wasn’t supposed to.

She is eventually questioned by Sherlock about her situation, and after a tense discussion, they catch up with one another about what’s happened to each of them in the last three years since they’ve last seen each other.

Eventually, Susato is the one to get Alice to come out of her shell regarding her grief, and they have a heart to heart.

She then later has one with Ryunosuke as well, in which they promise to look out for each other in London. They’re best friends, and it’s also what Kazuma would have wanted. She also winds up warning him about some of the things he can expect to face in London. She tells him to be wary of Lord Stronghart. And she gives him advice on a couple of the other prosecutors she thinks he might face, as also tells him to be prepared. He may be treated unkindly by others because of being Japanese. (It isn’t right or fair, but it’s unfortunately a very common sentiment in London. Prejudice against many people and cultures abounds there, including those from Japan.)

Since she believes her husband (Lord van Zieks) is still retired at this point, she doesn’t expect her friend will be running into him much if at all. She’s spoken of her husband a little before this, but not in much detail. She mentions her husband’s fearsome reputation and how it’s affected him (and her, at least in terms of her having to watch her back in London). Ryunosuke might not run into him, but if he does, he ought to be aware of some things.

Eventually they reach Britain, and take the train from Dover into London. Ryunosuke and Susato part ways from Alice. She goes to meet her friend Agnes Ward and her husband William. Alice had no intention of staying with her husband as she was in the process of trying to divorce him. But she couldn’t stay with her Aunt and Uncle who live in London as they are against the divorce and have threatened to disinherit her if she doesn’t change her mind.

So instead, she’s staying with Agnes (whom she ironically met through her Aunt and Uncle originally, as Agnes used to work for Alice’s Uncle) and her family. Agnes will have her stay in their spare bedroom. She apologizes in advance as she has a pair of young children (twins), who can be a bit rambunctious. But Alice loves children and assures her friend it won’t be a problem. She’s even willing to help with them if Agnes needs it.

Agnes and Alice at first head to Agnes’ home to drop off Alice’s luggage. But then Agnes says that Alice might not want to get comfortable and start settling in just yet. Alice looks at her friend nervously and asks what she means by that.

And it turns out, Agnes has some serious and startling news to give her.

It would seem that her husband has come out of retirement, and he will be the Prosecuting Attorney for a trial being held that very day.

Alice asks when, and if it would be possible to hail a carriage to see in time. Agnes suspected she might be wanting to go see the trial, and says if they leave now, they can make it on time.

And so, they waste no time, and soon, they’re out on the streets again, hailing a carriage to the Old Bailey. And Alice is sure to cover her face so she’s not recognized, not only for her safety, but because she’s not emotionally prepared to meet with her husband again just yet. She intends to let him know she’s arrived in London safely of course, but she hopes to have a day or two to gain her bearings before she meets with him again.

Perhaps this trial will serve as a glimpse of how much he has changed or not in the three years she’s been gone.

Little does she knows she’s in for a rather startling discovery about the trial when she arrives. Particularly pertaining to who the opposing defense attorney will be.

The Trial of Magnus McGilded, The Two Soseki Natsume Trials, and Between Natsume and Lestrade (Part 2)

The Trial of Gina Lestrade, between Games, and During the Initial Two cases of the Second Game (Part 3)

The Trial of Albert Harebrayne and The 8 Days of Hell (Part 4)

The Trial of Barok Van Zieks and Post Game Ideas (Part 5)

#alice van zieks #tgaa #tgaa oc #barok van zieks #kazuma asogi #kazuma asougi #kazuma asougi/oc #kazuma asogi/oc #barok van zieks/oc

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phantom-curve · 4 years ago

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find the strength, find the melody pt. 9

SURPRISE SHAWTY! I literally made a post yesterday about how this wouldn’t update until the weekend but then I drank some wine at noon and now HERE WE ARE. I love this chapter and I haven’t felt that about my writing in WEEKS. man, these middle of the night chapters are just absolutely my favorite thing. hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. (and yes, I did cry while writing Julie’s lil rant about Rose. what else is new?)

taglist: @blue-hat-girl, @lwhoscribbles, @bluefyoto94, @5sosmukefan, @moonlightxnder, @leahthewonder, @kat-maybe-not, @lukewearingbeanies, @imastrugglingartist

Julie should have expected this.

When the boys had left earlier, she had seen the telling glances between Alex and Reggie going back and forth from Luke to the studio and occasionally skipping over Julie herself when they thought she wasn’t looking. She had waved to them from the steps leading up to the house from the studio as they made their way to the van. She knew the moment she had been blocked from their view by the way they started playfully shoving Luke around, hooking thumbs behind them to point at the spot they didn’t know she was still lingering in. She watched Luke duck away from their teasing, opting to climb in the back of the van where the instruments would usually be stored. No one chose that spot in a band van willingly. It was clear he was trying to hide from Alex and Reggie. She caught a quick glimpse of that damn hand rising to the back of his neck before he was lost in the darkness of the van’s interior. The other boys exchanged a knowing look, twin grins stretched across their faces, before they piled in the van as well and took off down her street.

So, the boys knew he had spent the night before sleeping in her mom’s studio. Whatever. She trusted them not to spread it around the school or make it into a bigger deal than it was. Whether or not they cared about her reputation, they would want to protect Luke. Julie firmly believed they would keep that knowledge to themselves, unless they decided she was fair game for teasing as much as Luke was. The fact that they hadn’t brought it up during rehearsal or in front of her made her believe the worst of the ribbing would be reserved for Luke. She figured that would be the end of it. Luke would have some explanation to give them, and Julie had gotten pretty good at dodging conversations she didn’t want to have, so on the off chance they tried to talk to her about it she would simply deflect. No biggie.

What she had not expected was for Luke to reappear several hours later, caught red handed sneaking back into the studio. She probably should have expected it, but she had spent a few hours away from his overwhelming presence, and the quiet time had been enough for her to convince herself that all of those fluttery feelings passing between them earlier were simply in her imagination. So, when she climbed out of bed at midnight to jot some lyrics down and tuck them into her dream box, she had been surprised to see a small light on outside. Her first reaction was panic. That studio held every important memory Julie had of her mom. If someone had broken in or caused any damage to the space, she might not be able to survive the emotional fallout. Not to mention, she had promised the boys she would keep their instruments safe, and she wasn’t about to break that vow. Which was how she found herself standing in the open doorway in her fuzzy monster slippers and mismatched pajamas, the heavy cross from the dining room wall held in front of her like a weapon, jaw on the floor.

“Luke, what the hell?!”

Julie couldn’t stop the exclamation, even as she cringed away from the defensive look in his eyes. She dropped her arms immediately, the cross dangling limply at her side.

“Julie! I...uh...forgot my pick?”

His voice was rough, rising to a squeak on the last word, and Julie couldn’t help the way her eyebrow rose questioningly. He wasn’t even holding a pick. A fact he seemed to realize as he dropped his gaze to quickly scan the area they had left the instruments set up in. She didn’t even have to guess that his next move would be to reach for his neck. Without thinking about it, she took three quick steps forward to grasp his wrist with her free hand as it started to rise. He startled slightly, turning back to meet her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat at the raw vulnerability swimming in the stormy ocean depths of his eyes. There was a tinge of red around his irises, and she could just make out the sheen of drying tears on his cheeks in the low light.

“Are you...” She swallowed hard against the butterflies swirling in her gut. “Do you need a place to stay tonight?”

Julie kept her eyes locked on his, even as they flickered with some kind of internal conflict. She didn’t push farther than that, leaving him the space to decide for himself what it was he wanted out of this interaction. He had come here for a reason, even if he had originally intended to keep that reason a secret. She fought against the desire to pull him close for a hug. They hadn’t breached that barrier just yet. She did allow her fingers to slip from their hold on his wrist and travel down to entangle with his. That kind of comfort was safe, still tiptoeing the line of being just friends. His eyes searched her face for a moment before he squeezed her hand, pulling just enough that she had to step closer to him. Just like earlier, the world seemed to shrink down to just the two of them.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up. I can go...”

Julie tightened her hold before he could pull his hand away. Queen of deflection that she was, she saw right through what he was doing. He might want to give into her on a subconscious level, but there was a part of him that he was holding back. She thought back to the whole dinner debacle and his fears over disappointing her family. His fears over disappointing her. He was trying to reject himself before she got the chance to, not realizing that ship had long since sailed for her. She was firmly a passenger on the SS Luke now, having jumped ship mere hours ago in this very same garage. To reject him in this moment would be like rejecting a part of herself.

“Luke, no, please don’t leave. It’s okay. You can stay here.”

She made sure to keep her voice soft. Luke’s conflicted gaze flitted across her face, like he didn’t fully believe it would just be that easy. She gave a tug of her own, stepping backwards so he didn’t topple her as he moved forward. She placed the cross on the floor, moving around it with Luke’s hand still glued to hers until they were in front of the couch. He didn’t fight her, following her lead willingly even as he avoided the concerned look on her face. She dropped onto the couch, curling her legs underneath her and reaching out with her empty hand to wrap around the one that still held his. It wasn’t the hug she wanted to give him, but it was as close as she was willing to get at the moment. He glanced at their hands, a slight smile playing at the edges of his lips before letting out a bone deep sigh and sinking down into the space next to her.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Julie murmured, her fingers stroking over the bumps of his knuckles and the rough calluses on his fingertips, “but my mom always used to say that the studio was the one place where I didn’t have to hide. You don’t have to hide here either. It can be your safe space, too.”

She didn’t look up from where she was drawing patterns on the back of his hand. It still hurt, to think about her mom, to talk about her knowing that she would only exist in memories from now on. But something about Luke made it a little bit easier. Her mom would have liked him, she realized somewhat ruefully. It was a shame they wouldn’t ever get to meet, but maybe that was part of what made him that much more important to Julie. He helped her remember those bits and pieces of her mom that she would have otherwise locked away. They sat in silence for a long moment, but it was more comforting than awkward. Julie tried not to jump when she felt Luke’s head fall to rest on her shoulder. His breath ghosted along her collarbone, sending goosebumps rippling across her skin.

“What was she like?”

It wasn’t a question she had expected him to ask. She could tell by the way he said it, whispered into the chilled air on a soft exhale, that he wouldn’t ask again if she chose to pretend she hadn’t heard him. All at once, she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything.

“She was...she was everything.”

The pain that was always under the surface when it came to talking about Rose Molina threatened to choke her, but a stronger feeling of needing to share this with Luke overpowered it. Julie cleared the emotion from her throat and pushed on.

“She was like the sun and the moon and the stars all rolled into one. An entire universe in one single person. No one loved like she did. It was all-encompassing. My dad told me once that he knew from the first moment he saw her that she would change his life. I thought that was just for us for a long time, just for our family. But I was wrong. She was like that with everyone. I remember one time I asked him why we couldn’t ever go somewhere without Mom making a new friend and he looked at me with so much happiness and whispered like he was sharing the secret to life itself: ‘Everyone falls a little bit in love with your mom when they meet her, mija. She’s magic like that.’ And she was. She was absolute magic. She had the biggest heart and the sweetest smile, and she always knew exactly what to say. When we lost her, it felt like my world collapsed in on itself. It still feels like that sometimes. Like, how can I exist somewhere that she doesn’t? Sometimes it feels like it has to be a dream because a world without my mom? A world without the very light that created existence itself? That shouldn’t be possible.”

Julie didn’t realize she was crying until one of Luke’s rough fingers was brushing the tears from her cheeks. She finally looked up from where their hands were still clasped together. His eyes drilled into hers, silently communicating that he understood, and she couldn’t fight against the need to be close to him any longer. She launched herself into his lap, face curled into the pocket of warmth where his neck met his shoulder, hands twisting into the fabric of his cut up tank-top like he was the only thing anchoring her to the world right then. He caught her without question, strong arms locking around her waist and one hand rising to rest on the back of her head. Julie let the sob that had been building in her chest explode.

“I miss her so much. She was the best mom, and it’s not fucking fair that she isn’t here anymore.”

The words were muffled against Luke’s skin, but she knew by the way he tightened his hold that he had heard them just the same. Julie didn’t know how long they sat like that. Being with Luke made time feel meaningless. He didn’t say anything, just tangled his fingers into her curls and nuzzled his nose against her temple until the tears finally subsided. She could feel the wet stain she had left along his collar against her cheek. That same smell that had drifted off of his towel earlier tickled her nose, foreign and yet comfortingly familiar all at the same time. She inhaled deeply, letting it seep into her bones until she knew she would recognize it anywhere. He swallowed and she felt the way his neck flexed, but she didn’t move from the cocoon of his arms.

“You’re like that too, ya know.”

Luke’s voice was so gentle she thought she might start crying again. The hand that was wrapped low around her hip traced feather light swirls against the thin strip of skin exposed there. Julie released a shuddery breath, pulling away just enough that she could look at his face, their noses almost brushing at the movement.

“The sun and the moon and the stars? That’s you, too. You’re just as magical, just as all-encompassing. All the best parts of your mom live on in you, Julie.”

His voice dipped, eyes blazing as they lowered to her lips for a brief second before rising to meet hers again. Julie felt her mouth fall open slightly, allowed herself to drown in the clear blue-green sea of his gaze. She gulped and watched him track the movement before he spoke again.

“I think I know exactly how your dad felt. I think I’ve been a little bit in love with you for years.”

His cheeks blazed bright red on that final quiet declaration, Julie’s warming to match. Neither one of them broke their stare down, and Julie thought she could feel the physical shift in the universe that was the two of them snapping into place together. The final piece of her soul being righted after a year of feeling lost and alone. Luke shifted impossibly closer, closing the last few millimeters of space between them so every part of their bodies pressed against each other.

“I wish you could have met her.”

The confession was wrenched from the softest part of her heart, meant only for Luke’s ears in this quiet moment that felt both infinite and precious.

“I do, too. But I’d like to think that a part of me did get to meet her. When I used to listen to you two play together, sometimes I would pretend I was right there with you, practicing scales and vocal warm-ups. You mom loved you so much, and I could hear it every time you guys were out here. I read that song so many times that even though I knew it was yours, it felt a little bit like mine, too. She might not be here physically, but her spirit is. I know you can feel it out here, and I can too. Nowhere else has ever felt as safe and loving as being here does.”

Luke’s voice had trailed off until it was nothing more than a breathy whisper on the last few lines. Julie felt her chest squeeze and burn, a fire lit within her soul for Luke and Luke alone. He was so right, and it was almost scary that he seemed to understand her so deeply after just a few days. And yet, at the same time, nothing else had ever felt so right.

Julie had never really believed in signs from the beyond before. She had begged for even a scrap of something to prove that her mom was still around for a year and had never received anything. But that had changed since the day Luke quite literally knocked her off of her feet. Now it was like everywhere she looked she could see the little parts of her mom that still lingered all around. Here, in the middle of the night, surrounded by the same four walls that her mom had infused with so much love, Julie felt like Luke was the ultimate sign. He had been the catalyst that led to her finding herself again, and all of that came down to her mom’s song. The song that Luke had rescued and protected for a year. The song that was the last love letter from her mom was also the first love letter from Luke. Everything had fallen back into place when he entered her life, and Julie couldn’t help but think that was her mom’s doing.

“Will you stay? The whole night? I meant it when I said this can be your safe space. She would have liked that.”

It wasn’t quite the same as Luke almost declaration of love, but Julie knew that he saw it for the serious gesture that it was. The way his pupils dilated and his hand flexed against her waist told her that he was reading in between her words, seeing everything she was leaving unsaid because it felt a little too big just then. He felt it just as strongly as she did, this thing between them that seemed to grow stronger with every passing second.

“I’ll stay.”

Two simple words, one simple statement. But Julie heard what he really meant. This promise wasn’t just for the night, it was eternal. The weight of it pressed against her like the baby blanket she still sometimes curled up with at night, strong and secure and never ending in its comfort. Two words that were a stand in for the three he couldn’t say just yet. Fire burned low in her belly, licking a path up to her heart and searing across her chest. Their eyes locked, a million emotions they weren’t ready to express flowing back and forth between them like a river. Overwhelmed, Julie pulled his head close and pressed her lips against his for the briefest moment before leaping from the couch. Stunned by her own boldness, she raised her fingertips to her lips and caught Luke doing the same. Like they could each feel the lingering phantom of the other.

“Okay, so, uh...I’ll see you in the morning?”

Julie’s voice cracked and she fought hard to steady it before continuing.

“My dad will leave at the same time so just, uh, wait until you hear him go and then come up to the house? Okay, yeah, okay...goodnight!”

She made a beeline for the studio doors, taking full advantage of Luke’s shocked silence to escape before she could embarrass herself even more by kissing him again. The sound of his melodic voice stopped her before she could make it outside.

“Hey, Julie?”

She turned, cheeks burning red hot and heart on fire. He was looking at her like she hung the moon, eyes bright and face shining with unbridled joy. Some of the jittery nervousness leeched from her limbs at the sight of him looking so at her so softly. Not trusting herself to speak, she tilted her head and waited a beat for him to continue. A smile broke across his face like the dawning of a new day and Julie found herself momentarily blinded by his shine.

“Sweet dreams.”

It was a gentle hum, his way of sending her off to bed with the sweetest lullaby imaginable playing in her head. It took everything she had to resist the urge to fling herself into his arms again. Instead, she bit her lip with a smile, turned on her heel, and fled back inside to the relative safety of her room. It was an hour and an entire ballad composed later that she was finally able to close her eyes and sleep, the memory of the way Luke’s lips felt against hers playing out in every single dream she had that night.

#look I was gonna save the ending of this chapter for the showcase but then JULIE JUST FUCKIN WENT FOR IT #AND NOW THERE WILL BE SO MUCH WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ANGST FOR THE REST OF THIS FIC BECAUSE IT'S NOT HAPPENING AGAIN UNTIL THE VERY END #don't worry tho because the next one will be like the REAL one and it will have a lot more weight attached to it #<- enjoy that spoiler-y easter egg cause AO3 ain't gettin it #only tumblr #me?? projecting my high school self onto Julie?? couldn't be #I did have a thing about kissing and running tho so uhhhh yeah #GOD I FEEL SO SOFT OVER THIS HELP ME #it's really nice to like my writing again thanks for that brain #Mads writes #find the strength find the melody #julie and the phantoms #jatp #juke #julie x luke #luke x julie #palina #jatp fic #juke fic #jukebox #julie molina #luke patterson

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euphemismfordeath · 8 years ago

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Eric Ambler: Epitaph for a Spy

When I started this blog the idea was to create a positive space for people to share their thoughts on crime fiction that they love. But I guess it is worthwhile to occasionally throw in the odd peice that is just a little less positive, even if just to prove that I am not a Pollyannna.

I came to Eric Ambler via a circuitous route. My first exposure was the film version of his novel ‘Journey into Fear’ a B-movie thrown together by Orson Welles not long after he had finished Citizen Kane, it is so much fun. Then I kept reading that if you enjoy the novels of Alan Furst(and I do) you will enjoy Eric Ambler. Indeed Furst is often talked about as the successor to Graham Greene, John Le Carre and Eric Ambler. Then there are the things Graham Greene said about Ambler on dust jackets. So Eric Ambler was clearly hitting right in my sweet spot.

‘Epitaph for a Spy’ is really disappointing. I don’t think it is badly written it just doesn’t engage me. The characters seemed to be types, although they may develop, half way through and only the protagonist has any real development and not much of that. The setting seems to be out of time. And there is just very little tension. I have not finished it yet(I prefer to write before the conclusion in case I inadvertently spoil the denouement) so this may be rectified, but I am sceptical.

The problem seems to be captured in one phrase where one of the characters describes our protagonists as Philo Vance. Vance is the central character in a series of phenomanally popular crime novels of the the 30′s who lost all relevance when Hammett and Chandler came along. Epitaph for a Spy seems to have that same flaw, it just doesn’t read true. It is spy novel as country house mystery and that rarely entertains me. It lacks the threat.

I am aware that Ambler is revered by many spy novelists and is talked about in the same breath as the best of them but if Epitaph for a Spy is anything to go by that seems over praise.

#ericambler epitaphforaspy grahamgreene #john le carre #alan furst #journey into fear #orson welles #philo vance #ss van dine

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almightyrozenidiot · 2 years ago

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I wish I could go back in time and give a PSP Vita and a copy of Danganronpa to SS Van Dine and watch him disintegrate from playing the game and seeing how many of his precious commandments the game violates.

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pdfsayar · 2 years ago

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Van Dine

10 sonuç Boyut Önizleme İndirme Download File Pdf The Greene Murder Case A Philo Vance …Mystery 3 Ss Van Dine with it is not directly done, you could bow to even more approximately this life, roughly speaking the world. We have enough money you this proper as well as simple artifice to acquire those all. We meet the expense of The Greene Murder Case A Philo Vance Mystery 3 Ss Van Dine and…

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tourismtattler · 6 years ago

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New Menu at Luce Restaurant Hyde Park

Chef Grant van der Riet’s new menu at the fine dining and elegant Luce Restaurant at Southern Sun Hyde Park takes Italian cuisine “back to basics” with uncomplicated but delicious flavours “that are put in where they belong” into traditional dishes that feature careful attention to detail, allowing the different ingredients to come alive.

Grant van Der Riet – Executive Chef SS Hyde Park.

Chef…

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#delicious flavours #Italian cuisine #July Article 2018 #Luce #New Menu #Southern Sun Hyde Park

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welcomehomeamerica · 7 years ago

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Welcome to beautiful West Oak Lane! Priced to sell. Reserve your appointment now! Showings start Friday, June 8th. Owners relocated, but loved this home! Hugh front cement patio great for BBQ's or just unwinding after a long day. As you walk up you will notice the updated bow window, and newer front and screen door. Main level features a large living room and dining room with hard wood floors under the carpet. Updated kitchen with exit to rear balcony. Kitchen features 42" soft close cherry cabinet, granite counter-top, wine fridge, 5 burner SS gas stove, and SS dishwasher. Upstairs there are 3 nice sized bedrooms, and updated common bathroom. Full basement with partial bathroom, and exit to rear. Rear is fenced, and can fit 2 cars. It is located in close proximity to schools, shopping, transportation and other amenities. Schedule your tour today! #BuyingSellingInsistOnTina #TinaTakeMeHome #BestDealEverytime #Buying #Selling #BuyingAndSelling #Realtor #SellMyHouse #PhillyToTheBurbs #Philadelphia #PhillyRealEstate #WestOakLane #RealEstate #RealEstateAgent #InsistOnTina Tina Van Deursen HomeStarr Realty 215-355-5565 Office 215-200-4122 Mobile (at West Oak Lane, Philadelphia)

#realestateagent #westoaklane #realestate #buyingandselling #sellmyhouse #tinatakemehome #buying #philadelphia #selling #insistontina #bestdealeverytime #phillytotheburbs #phillyrealestate #buyingsellinginsistontina #realtor

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industryinsights01 · 2 years ago

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Shop, play and dine at Mumbai’s Best Mall

Want to go shopping for a quick energy boost? Consider visiting Oberoi Mall, one of the top malls in Mumbai that is home to a number of well-known international brands, including Zara, Hamleys, Marks & Spencer, and others. For Mumbai residents, it takes just a few minutes to get to this quick relaxation spot.

The Oberoi Mall is both a terrific boon for people searching for a way to relax and the appropriate remedy for the everyday hustle and bustle. It includes everything you could possibly need to feel revived, including shopping that meets your style and personality (both high-end and budget brands in apparel, skincare, and makeup); salons to pamper yourself; restaurants, bars, and a restaurant with a broad variety of cuisines; and a selection of amusement for both adults and children.

A Paradise for Shoppers

There are a ton of brands available for various moods. Use one-of-a-kind statement pieces from international and national brands to add an exotic and upscale touch to all of your ensembles.Fashion apparel can be found at Oberoi Mall in the store’s Arrow, Jack & Jones, Louis Philippe, Manyavar, Nautica, Raymond, Selected Homme, Zodiac, Aeropostale, Allen Solly, Calvin Klein, Cottonworld, Fab India, Levis, Tommy Hilfiger, U.S. Polo Assn., Biba, Global Desi, Go Colors, INDYA, Label, ONLY, Van Heusen, Ritu Kumar, Nalli, Enamor, Forever New, Marks and Spencer Mumbai, and many more fashion stores in Mumbai are here.

At Oberoi Mall, ultimate skincare and cosmetics brands including Sephora, Forest Essentials, Kama Ayurveda, and The Body Shop are available at Oberoi Mall. Additionally, SS Beauty, which is the home of companies like Mac, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, and others, will be included.

Enjoyable Dining & Entertainment

You’ll need to refuel after an intense shopping trip at your favourite stores, and Oberoi Mall’s amazing selection of restaurants and food court is waiting for you. You can unwind and relax with your loved ones in a variety of restaurants. Indulge your taste buds at Oberoi Mall with a variety of restaurants like MOD, Bombay Street Co., Farzi Cafe, Social, Burger King, Maharaja Bhog, Coco Cafe, Pizza Express Mumbai, to name just a few.

Don’t forget to visit PVR Mumbai for a unique movie experience that includes comfortable recliners and meals delivered right to your seat!

Play N Learn is a special play zone Mumbai that is dedicated to the enjoyment and education of children. Here, you can watch your little ones have fun while you relax as you like. Another consideration is the timezone. Don’t forget to participate in some absurd gaming challenges to properly decompress from your everyday routine.

Oberoi Mall is a one-stop destination where you can shop, dine, and play with your loved ones.

#malls in Mumbai #play zone Mumbai #PVR Mumbai #Pizza Express Mumbai #fashion stores in Mumbai

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cimness · 7 years ago

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“You’ve made your point,” he said; “and I accept it with proper humility. I’m most grateful to you.”

Vance walked indifferently to the window and looked out. “I am happy to learn that you are capable of accepting such evidence as the human mind could not possibly deny.”

I had always noticed, in the relationship of these two men, that whenever either made a remark that bordered on generosity, the other answered in a manner which ended all outward show of sentiment. It was as if they wished to keep this more intimate side of their mutual regard hidden from the world.

- SS Van Dine, The Benson Murder Case

#philo vance #ss van dine #books #quotes #golden age detective fiction

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tuyetthienduong · 6 years ago

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Nhu cu mac

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No 18th just enough

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Kinfg gigi muon gietv tgang bay thyong

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runsonsweetpotato · 8 years ago

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race: dirty kanza 200

the race we set out to do.

in november of 2016, 7 women decided we would race dirty kanza on single speeds. in previous years, the ss womens category was non-existent due to “low registration”. this year, they said they needed 8 to create a separate category, so gabbi and allison got to work recruiting women with a simple facebook post. and it worked. (note: this isn’t to be taken lightly. allison is such a big part of why this all happened. she is, as the #200women200miles roundtable put it, a true community leader. no lie.)

for the next 5 months we rode. we rode in chicago and the driftless and at landrun, and hellkaat hundie, and the epic. we had meetings to arrange support crews and plans. we made bandanas to raise money and threw a party to do the same. we ate so many tacos and too many gummy bears (sike u cant eat too many gummy bears). we spent almost every weekend riding together. and when we weren’t riding together, we sure as heck were thinking about it. quickly, we became very good friends.

wednesday before the race our fellow comrade chris drove to chicago in his gleaming white vw eurovan to act as our support crew. chris sent numerous detailed spreadsheets for us to fill out and has an insane breadth of knowledge that makes him not only inspiring to be around, but the perfect guy for the job.

we left out early thursday morning for emporia, ks with 4 comrades and 4 bikes tetris-ed into the eurovan. the drive was easy. we picked up my mom, wanda, in kansas city, mo to act as the other member of our support crew. the team was assembled.

friday was filled with course recon and prep for the big race. some highlights include:

1 a jeep painted like the jurassic park jeep with an adorable dog (we nicknamed her clever girl) parked outside a family video (people still rent movies!)

2 dozens of swallow nests under the interstate bridge. they swooped and flew all around

3 the #200women200miles roundtable. made up of 6 super strong women who had conquered kanza in the past. they gave advice for women and men alike. the thing that stayed top of mind was “no matter how you’re feeling (good OR bad), it wont last”. hopefully ill make another post about that...

friday night we packed our vans (sweet potato tacos, check). laid out or clothes (shorts and jersey, check. no need for warm layers, we finally made it!). and said goodnight. [photo: bailey newbery]

3:50am and we are walking to the dining hall for breakfast. i saw lauren and elizabeth already there and sat down with them. kayci soon followed. oatmeal, yogurt, coffee, banana. 5:00am we are at the start line. i had another cup of coffee and anxiously waited. it was a beautiful day. the sky was a rich pastel and folks spirits were like fireflies.

at 6:00am “3...2...1...GO!” at that moment “roll out” by ludacris blasted over the speakers. sidenote: the morning of landrun, jen and sean woke our room up with this song. it was fuel throughout landrun and it was certainly a major hype up at dk. cocked back...

the first 50 miles were fast. i tried to stay on pace with the field, losing folks on the flats and gaining spots on the hills. there was a pretty rock section about 20 miles in and *gong* - rim slap. i pulled over and changed my front flat. kayci, elizabeth, mary and kelsey, and lauren all rolled by. each calling out with a “u good?!”. dang they are awesome.

okay. flat fixed, got rolling. 5 miles later *gong* - another rim slap. from rim again. damnit i thought. i fixed the flat, and, knowing that i had no more tubes in my bag, looked back at the spot where it happened. i watched rider after rider hopping a little over the jagged edge. right. okay. time to jump shit.

rolled into the first checkpoint and chris, brandon, and ma were setup in plain sight. they lubed my chain, gave me a couple more tubes. swapped my water bottles and asked one simple question “who believes in you?!” - “dinosaurs!!!!” and then i busted out. [photo: gravel guru]

i knew i had to make up time so i was spinning fast. save for another flat (this time rear), the second 50 miles went pretty quickly. it was punctuated by a climb around mile 70 called ‘the bitch’. we approached the climb and the group of men in front of me spun up. they looked like they would climb, but abruptly stopped. “cmon guys!” i yelled. i steered around them and continued to weave my way up the hill. once they all realized i was on a single speed they were yelling and encouraging me like hell. how freaking cool. this is why the heck gravel is the best.

at the second checkpoint, kayci and brandon both recommended i raise my tire pressure. this was the best advice in the world as i didnt get another flat the whole race. i ate a sandwich, stretched my back, and put in my headphones for some music time. big mistake. [thats chris, brandon, and my mom, wanda]

the third leg was 60 miles and was the hardest riding has ever felt. the music began to freak me out because i couldnt hear my bike. i had to turn it off and just relax. after that, some extremely low mental lows and super high mental deliriums happened. i talked to cows and to myself and to a few other riders. i sang aloud and laughed at god knows what and let my mind go free. lol. that final checkpoint was more than welcomed. less than 50 miles to go.

at the last stop i ate and had a tiny coke and a cold brew coffee. i was feeling amped and super capable. i wanted to make up more ground. i tore out of the check point and passed a screaming bobby wintle “GO GET IT”... “hell yea”.

the last segment went fast. the most notable part was a bit of mind tricks. i was convinced that my legs no longer belonged to me, they belonged to the land. i had no control over how they felt and so i just let them go back into the dirt. this proved to be very useful - it gave me a sense of freedom for having to think about the job that still had to be done. with about 6 miles to go, i saw the “EMPORIA” watertower. my eyes welled with tears. i choked them back, convincing myself they would waste energy. the final climb, weaving through emporia state campus, and then there was the finish chute. i could not hold the tears anymore. i cried and sprinted as hard as i could.

i made it. WE made it. allison was there to greet me. we hugged and she told me she got third! i hugged her harder. even more hugs came in and, best, a hug from my mom. she was the best support i could have asked for. and (keep it secret) she wants to do the 25 mile kanza next year. *he he he...*

the rest of the ladies rolled in - kayci, kelsey and mary, lauren, and elizabeth. WE ALL FINISHED. 207 freaking miles. it’s indescribable that feeling. the feeling of knowing that the women in front of you have poured their hearts into something, and then achieved it. they are strong and beautiful. they are persistent and giving. lucky does not begin to describe how i feel to be a part of it all.

this race has not been a race against each other or even the clock, but against ourselves. to see how strong our minds and bodies are, and where they can take us. the answer is undoubtedly, anywhere.

finish: 5th place single speed women (15hours 03minutes)

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