yatagarasu | dream 003 ☄ when I was little, I thought I could be...

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dream 003 ☄ when I was little, I thought I could be...

[ Warnings: None? Yeah, pretty much. Unless you consider pictures of younger!Kay and her father spoilery, but they're in link form so you can opt not to click on them.

Effects: Don't be surprised if you find yourself reminiscing about your parents, or your childhood in general. Warm and fuzzy feelings. General nostalgia. ]

The hallway was lit by a single bulb that shone over the area just outside the bathroom, where a little girl about nine or ten years old and clad in carnation pajamas was just coming out. She stood there for a moment, and her bright green eyes wandered toward the door to her right. It was ajar, and a sliver of light shone through.

That was odd; the clock in her bedroom had told her that it was already 1 AM when she woke up to go to the bathroom. She walked over to the door, took one peek, and pulled it until more of the light filled the hall. Blinking, she looked inside.

The room was actually an office, its west and east walls dominated by file cabinets and shelves filled with books, awards, framed photographs, and odd little things such as bottles, containers of fingerprint powder, and what looked like bits and pieces of weapons. Those items, of course, were too high for the girl to reach. Outside the window behind the desk, the sky was as dark as it should be in the wee hours of the morning; not even the moon or stars graced the world with their presence. And as for the desk, it was almost lost under a pile of papers, books, files, pens and pen holders, a framed photograph of the black-haired girl wearing a bright blue dress, and a few clips that held some of those papers together. The man seated behind it had been poring over a thick dossier, but he looked up from it when he heard the door creak open slightly.

"Kay? I thought you were asleep." He blinked, put the documents away, and stood up.

"I went to the bathroom," the girl answered. "I thought you were asleep too..."

Byrne Faraday sighed, walking over to her. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his little brown ponytail was a bit of a mess. He wasn't wearing the scarf, and a couple of pens were tucked into his pocket. His daughter stared up at him; he looked very tired, and that made her frown sadly. He was working hard and she understood why, but...sometimes he worked too hard.

"Daddy..."

"Daddy can't sleep yet," he said, resting a hand on her head; his other hand, the left, was ink-stained. Smiling weakly, he added, "He has a very important trial tomorrow - I mean, later - and he can't let the criminal get away." Byrne glanced at his watch; sure enough, it was only a few minutes past 1 AM.

"But you need to sleep too," Kay pointed out, looking down at her bare feet.

"I will, Kay. I promise." He ruffled her hair a bit. "I'll take you with me so you can watch, okay?"

"Okay." She nodded, but she didn't look relieved. "You promise?"

Byrne was silent. Then he half-knelt in front of her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Lots of bad guys work really hard to get away with it," he said softly. "Which means Daddy has to work harder, so he can catch them." Despite his weary expression, there was a spark of determination in his eyes - akin to that of a predator ready to do whatever it took to bring its prey down. "So don't worry. Go back to sleep. Want me to accompany you?"

Kay nodded again. "You'll keep your promise, right?"

"Yes, I will."

He opened his arms, and embraced her. She clung to his neck, resting her head on his shoulders and telling herself that her father was a hero; he would bring criminals to justice, like he always did. Still, that didn't stop her from worrying. Once, he had gotten sick after one too many sleepless nights. And it broke her heart to see him stumble around in the kitchen, exhausted from his work but still managing to take care of her.

Yet, this was an important case for him, she knew. Kay understood why he pushed himself.

She hugged him more tightly, and slowly smiled.

"Good night, Daddy."

"Good night, Kay."

[The dream ends, and anyone who has been to Edgeworth's apartment will recognize the couch Kay is lying on. She is still fully dressed; clearly she had not intended to fall asleep on his couch.

Somewhere in her gaze was a glint of longing, of nostalgia.

And then the feed ends as well.]

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[This isn't the first time Kay's fallen asleep here, and Edgeworth isn't surprised. He just ignores it for the most part since arguing about it never seems to yield any results. His days begin early, so by the time she wakes up, he's already had breakfast, read the newspaper and seen her dream. All that remains is to go and get dressed so that he can take Apollo for a walk -- he's just walking around in pajamas and a bathrobe right now because in spite of waking up early nearly every single day, he is not a morning person.

On his way back to his bedroom, he sees that Kay is awake and speaking with someone on her Dreamberry. Polite enough to not interrupt, he waits until she is done, then walks into the room.]

...Good morning, Kay.

[Kay sits up slowly, and when she yawns widely, she covers her mouth with her free hand.

Normally she's okay with mornings, but...the fact that she spent yet another unexpected night on Edgeworth's couch instead of her own bed...]

'Morning...what time is it?

Seven thirty.

[And though he probably shouldn't be insulting her for this, it's just the way he is, so he must point out the glaringly obvious.]

I see that you've neglected to keep track of time once more. Or have you simply been working too hard to stay awake?

[Would you rather have Kay fall into a sleep coma on your couch? ~~Which I may or may not be planning while I'm gone?~~

She stands up, pulling that giant key out of her hair and undoing her ponytail. While her black hair falls gently into long waves past her shoulders and down her back, she narrows her eyes at Edgeworth.]

Hey, being your assistant isn't always easy, you know!

I never said it would be.

[He doesn't mean to be so short with her, but now, even more than usual, the prosecutor is under a lot of stress. It's not the first serial killer to go on a rampage in Somarium, but it's the first one who attacked someone so close to him. This is personal to the point where Edgeworth really shouldn't be involved in the investigation, but he refuses to let it go until the mystery is solved and the killer is brought to justice.

Yet bit by bit, he's been learning to pay closer attention to visual cues. The narrowing eyes and resulting glare would once have resulted in a glaring contest. Now? He takes a moment to think and realize that Kay is agitated, and even if partially, his words are responsible. Save for falling asleep in the wrong apartment, she really has done nothing wrong.

The tension in his brows lessens as much as he can force it to, and his tone becomes less bitter as he speaks again.]

...Breakfast is on the table.

Thanks.

[With a neater ponytail and after smoothing out her skirt, she nods. Then she wanders over to the table, then plops down into a chair very unceremoniously. But before she could eat...]

...sorry for falling asleep on your couch again.

[Really. She means it. Even if her tone is more deadpan than usual.]

[Breakfast will consist of Kay's choice of bread with various toppings, ham, a soft boiled egg and freshly made orange juice (because that boxed stuff is about as good as tea made from teabags). So while this may not be the best morning, at least there is tasty food.]

It's better that you fall asleep here than someplace dangerous.

[And here, at least, Edgeworth feels as though Kay will be somewhat safer than she would be elsewhere. He couldn't prevent the murder last time, even though he was so close by, but it's still better than Kay being alone or falling asleep in some stereotypically dark and creepy alley.]

[Kay starts by pouring herself a glass of juice. Then she takes a couple of slices of bread, and butters them silently. She nods slowly when he speaks. Normally she would have answered him with something like, "The Great Thief NEVER falls asleep while on the job!" complete with that mischievous yet determined glint in her eye and while pumping her fist in the air, but today? She's not exactly in the mood.]

...

I'd never do that.

[And that's all she has to say while constructing her sandwich. Or not.]

Did you...see my dream?

I did.

[And while there is much he can say on the subject, including talking about his own similar experiences with his father, Edgeworth ends his answer there. He is not in the best state of mind at this time, so the idea of engaging in such a conversation could hardly be moved any further down his mental list of things he wants to do.]

[She nods...luckily for him, she's not pressing him for details.]

Oh.

[Her breakfast is just waiting for her right now, but she just stares at her plate for a while.]

[While Kay has a staring contest with the food on her plate, Edgeworth goes off to change into his usual daytime attire and returns several minutes later.]

[At least by the time Edgeworth returns, her sandwich already has several bites into it.

Kay has been thinking about a lot of things lately. Franziska's murder, the culprit, and on top of all that, her dream and her father. Was she not working hard enough? Or had she been working too hard?]

[Edgeworth rarely finds himself facing such a dilemma. Though he knows perfectly well that he is only human, he always pushes himself to and beyond his own limits in the hopes of making a difference. He will not be able to rest properly until this killer is brought to justice.

Returning from his room, all that remains is to fix up his cravat and make sure it's symmetrical as always.]

[Kay sighs, staring into her glass. Then, as if out of the blue...]

...Hey, Mr. Edgeworth?

[Edgeworth frowns at himself in the mirror: he must be far more distracted than he thought, because his frilly neckwear is now asymmetrical. Untying it, he starts over.]

Yes?

[And this is about as out of the blue as it can get.]

The next morning, after what happened in my dream...I remember that we watched something on TV about ballroom dancing.

He...he promised me that when I turned sixteen, he would throw me a party and dance with me.

...

[That is both drastic and unexpected enough to force Edgeworth's attention away from his cravat. As he continues gazing into his own reflection in the mirror, a memory flashes through his mind. In it, his far younger self stares intently into a mirror much like this one, adjusting his little bow tie so that he can look presentable in the courtroom alongside his father.

Such a memory might seem insignificant to those unaware that later that very same day, his father would be shot and killed in an incident that would redefine a young Miles Edgeworth's entire life. He forgets at times how similar he and Kay are in that regard. What she's just told him only serves to remind the prosecutor of the promises his own father made, promises that would never be realized.

He answers quietly.] And you never got that party.

[Caught by surprise, it's all he can think to say at first.]

[Kay, on the other hand, doesn't know how much she and Edgeworth truly have in common. The dream affected her too...she had been thinking about Byrne a lot this morning. Though many significant (and distressing, and devastating) events had transpired during the party, Kay found herself thinking about how she had danced with Edgeworth then.

About how she had compared him to her father once or twice, back home.

About how he had taken her hand and led her on the dance floor, the way her father would have.

Her answer is quiet, reminiscent.]

...my relatives and friends took care of that, but it wasn't the same without Daddy dancing with me.

[She isn't being ungrateful. That was a great party, and she had danced with her friends, her cousins and even her uncles, but...she can't help but think of the promise her father made to her as a child, to take her hand and lead her, to have her first "real dance", as she had called it when she was nine. It was no one's fault, but if only Byrne had been there...if only he had been there to take her hand and lead her...

Looking back, Kay wonders if that was the real reason why she had enjoyed ballroom dancing with Edgeworth. No one at her sixteenth birthday had taken her hand and led her into a dance that way. He wasn't her father, but...

...still.]

[With more time to analyze the scenario presented, Edgeworth is able to combine the points of logic flawlessly to arrive at the conclusion that Kay subtly refers to dancing on the night of the banquet. The memory had a far more lasting effect on her, as Franziska's death still took priority over all other events of that night in the prosecutor's mind. Yet now that he's been reminded, he understands what Kay means to say.

The cravat is ignored and set aside on a nearby dresser for the time being. Edgeworth quietly walks back to the dining table and takes a seat across from Kay.]

When I was nine years old, my father took me to court with him, as he promised to. On that day, many unfortunate events transpired one right after another, leading up to his death.

[It isn't often that he will share this information with another. He hates appearing so weak in another person's eyes, and he's not fond of letting down his guard, either. In this case, he feels that making an exception is necessary; Kay does need someone to share this burden with.]

Regardless of what may be said by others, the pain from such loss never heals, not entirely. But we grow to accept it as part of who we are. And we look to others to help rebuild the connections lost.

[Kay is a little surprised to see Edgeworth dressed up without his cravat...but there were far more important matters to discuss. In fact, what was more surprising was this revelation - that Edgeworth had lost his father as a child, and in the courtroom, even. It was rather surreal, to be sitting across from a man who apparently felt - and still feels - the pain she had experienced upon discovering her father's death.]

Mr. Edgeworth...

[What else should she say? A part of her just wanted to get up from the table to hug him without another word. Another part of her wanted to know more, but this was probably not the best time to pry, even though she was itching to. For one thing, they weren't investigating the death of Edgeworth's father.

She blinks, looking sadder than before.]

I'm...I'm really sorry. [Then she looks up from where she had bowed her head a bit.] But...you're right.

You don't need to apologize for anything.

[Delving further into this story would reveal that the man who adopted him following this event was actually the murderer, and that Franziska is that man's daughter. It's not something Edgeworth necessarily feels the need to conceal from Kay, but at the same time, this is not the right place to bring it up at all. It's a story best saved for another day.

He might question why she's saying that he's right, but this is Edgeworth. He knows that everything he just said is right, so it's up to Kay to elaborate if she wants to.]

...I was talking to others who saw my dream about Daddy. Even though...even though we finally caught his murderer and figured out everything about the smuggling ring and the first Yatagarasu, even though we know he died for the truth, it still makes me sad, knowing that none of that will bring him back.

[She kneads her hands together. It was true - after everything, after all the pieces had fallen into place, none of it would ever change the fact that her father was gone.]

[Edgeworth could mention here that there is still always the possibility that her father might arrive in Somarium, but he doesn't dare. It's a cruel thing to say, when the odds of it happening are close to nonexistent. Getting her hopes up would accomplish nothing.]

Remember this well, Kay... The truth is not always fair.

[She nods.]

I know...it wasn't fair seven years ago either.

[For her father to be murdered by someone he trusted, he had worked so closely with...that was just low.]

No, it wasn't.

[No such crime should go unpunished, and that is what Edgeworth once dedicated his life to: punishing criminals. Though his overall motivations have changed since then, ultimately, he does believe that those who truly are found guilty deserve their sentence.]

But your father would be very proud, were he to see the strong person his daughter up to become.

dream 003 ☄ when I was little, I thought I could be...

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