msjuniperwoods

[msjuniperwoods]

Almost in perfect unison, Juniper and Hugh reached out to touch Robin comfortingly.  Juniper placed her hand over Robin's, and Hugh placed his on her shoulder.

"If it becomes too much, you're free to stay with me."  She offered easily.  She didn't know the full extent of how Robin and Hugh had been treated, but the places her imagination took her were enough to make her shudder.  Hugh nodded, looking serious.

"Yes, the offer extends to my home as well.  You're a legal adult now, Robin, you don't need to stay there."  He was giving her a long look over, considering her face and skin as if comparing it to something in his mind.  "Food and shelter isn't...Worth your sanity."  Juniper regarded him with a morbid sort of curiosity.  She could make guesses as to what he'd meant by that.  Surely they could discuss it later, however, it seemed like a more 'in the quiet of the night' sort of discussion.  She also noticed that he'd glanced over at her for a moment before pointedly going back to look at Robin.  Hmm...

Before too much more could be said, Juniper flinched when the phone went off, snapping her out of her thoughts.  Excusing herself, she answered the phone.  With the phone in the same room, it was easy to overhear that she was talking to another member of the student council.  Once she was finished with her call, Juniper turned around to address her friends.

"So!  Ah, that was Varyn."  Varyn was Juniper's vice president.  "He's asked me to pick up decorations for the Spring Festival."  She explained that he'd done the ordering for the special decorations, but they'd arrived earlier than planned and he couldn't get them himself.  "The seller is at the mall~  Care to come with me?"

---

The mall itself was a large and glorious building.  After stepping inside, Juniper checked the mall directory.

"The store I need to go to is on the third floor.  It's early, however, so we can hang around here~  Did you have any places you wanted to go to?"  

[msjuniperwoods]

Of course, Juniper loved elements of all three dresses.  The shapes, colors, and fabrics could be swapped while still in the design phase but she had to agree that she adored the flower dress the most.  She took note of which suits Hugh and Robin seemed drawn to and put a little star next to those designs.  Privately, she enjoyed Hugh's compliment.  She wasn't the type of person who took encouragement and well-meaning praise for granted.  It was always nice to know you were doing good at something.  After finishing a bite of toast, Juniper glanced outside the window.

"I need to do some watering in the garden, but why don't we go out somewhere?"  Oh!  "Ah, unless you have to work later today, Hugh?"  Hugh himself was in the middle of sipping his coffee.  He shook his head to signify that he was free and then verbally explained once he'd set the mug down.

"I've explained my school situation to my boss.  Even one job a day can take several hours.  If I am to have any chance at graduating on time I have to chose school over work."  He seemed a little saddened by this.  "I do work two shifts on Sunday, otherwise how could I hope to pay the rent?"  Hugh was living in an apartment building maybe five blocks away from the school.  Juniper could easily recall the dark blues, browns, and blacks he decorated with.  A very 'dark modern' sort of design.  Having asked him how much he made some weeks ago, Juniper did some mental math to see if two shifts on Sunday was enough for him to live on.  As if reading her mind, Hugh reassured her.  "Ah, I, I promise it's enough.  I already had money saved up and I can certainly feed myself."

"Promise?"

"Yes.  I promise."  At the thought of home, both Juniper and Hugh looked at Robin.  "Robin, how is your situation?"  Hardly the first time they'd asked her this, but it was something they felt the need to check on regularly.

[msjuniperwoods]

She continued to sing even after he spoke, holding the sweet words in her heart in order to finish her attempt to help him relax.  He seemed to appreciate her efforts, making her feel a bit more confident.  When the song was over she curled up into a loose ball and took a few breaths.  She wanted to bask in her happiness.  Being compared to an angel made her cheeks flush pink and her heart feel lighter.  That lightness, however, was short lived.

"Do you want another one?"  She sniffed softly, wiping at her tears with the sleeve of her dress.  "I-I'll sing whatever you want, Apollo..."

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

He couldn’t help the rush of emotions, and he knew if Athena were on he other end of the line, she’d be spouting some psychological factoid or another. He also knew that psychological factoids were not what he needed to hear right now. He wanted nothing more than to scatter the papers and other detritus about his office, but he also didn’t want the headache later. As he mourned his loss, he registered her voice, soft, calm. He grabbed on to that sound and pulled, straining against the darkness.

It was singing. It was singing and it was beautiful.and it was everything he needed. He lifted the phone and held on to it tightly. This was his anchor, right now, tot he world apart from his anguish. And the voice on the line, and the girl on the other end, was the one person making sure he wasn’t swallowed whole by his grief.

“Y-you… have the voice… of- of an angel.”

[msjuniperwoods]

Juniper hadn't actually intended to sit down  and relax just yet.  She was instead considering getting a glass of water when the mood in the room seemed to shift.  Looking properly at Athena's face, it was clear that something upsetting had happened.  Concerned, Juniper sat down as requested and considered the red head quietly.

The name 'Fey' came up often whenever Juniper looked something up regarding Mr. Wright for a project or homework.  That didn't seem to be the main point of discussion, however, as the real meat of the story came next.

"Kidnapped?  What could the three of you do to help with that?"  They were lawyers, not the police.  They weren't even negotiators.  "How incredibly dangerous.  Was anyone hurt?"

Don’t Forget || Drathenacykes

[msjuniperwoods]

I promised I wouldn’t be shipper trash this time around but Capcom just won’t let me live

[msjuniperwoods]

And thus, the mystery of why Apollo doesn’t wear the red jacket has been solved!

[msjuniperwoods]

dailyaceattorney:

I like this. A lot.

[msjuniperwoods]

If anyone can link me the original vine of this, that would be awesome ;v;

It was going though my head non-stop during the beginning of one of the cases.

[msjuniperwoods]

snowthefirst:

“Eh heh heh. If you’ve seen me in all different kinds of colors then I’m doing a good job as an artist!” Robin said in response to Juniper’s words. In her mind, art was about how much you threw yourself into your project. So to her it made sense to come away have covered in paint, as she always did.

Robin couldn’t help but redden slightly when Juniper said she looked good in anything, and muttered an embarrassed thanks. Truthfully, she’d been worried how Juniper and Hugh would react to the fact that she was a girl. But they had welcomed Robin with open arms.

The measuring passed within issue. Robin had no problem having Juniper close to her. They were best friends, after all. Then Juniper started musing about wanting measurements before this.

“W-e-l-l, I can definitely understand not wanting things to get awkward. But I think we’re all close enough now for this!”

To Juniper’s mention of her designs, Robin said, “Oh! You really did that for us, Juniper? Then I definitely want to see what you made from me! Maybe we could use that design to make something even better now that you can design for the real me.”

"Of course I did~"  Wasn't it natural to want to spoil your friends?  "I've got the sketchbook in my room."  While leading Robin back into her bedroom, Juniper paused at the sight of Hugh sitting up and rubbing lightly at his eyes.  Whoops!  Did they wake him up?  Preempting him, Juniper moved over to her bedside table so that she could pick up and hand him his glasses.  He murmured a thank you and then blinked until his vision cleared.  Hugh offered his favorite women a tired smile and asked if the bathroom was free.  After getting confirmation that it was empty he excused himself to occupy it, leaving Juniper to set the bed nicely.  "Since we're all up now I might as well put on something to drink while we look over the sketches.  What would you prefer this morning?  Tea?  Coffee?  Juice?  No soda first thing in the morning."  They weren't having that mishap again.

She gently herded Robin towards the kitchen, following after with the notebook.  By the time Hugh joined them in the kitchen, Juniper had tea going and was working on making breakfast.  Oatmeal, bananas, and toast was on the menu today.  She made a serving for her grannie and left to bring Willow her share.  Sitting down, Hugh poured himself some coffee, made himself a plate, and eyed the sketchbook.  

"It's been a while since I've had a chance to draw."  He muttered to himself.  All three of them had been punished for their actions during the mock trial.  For Juniper it was the occasional bullying and extra written assignments she'd been given for helping Robin cheat.  For Hugh he'd been going through a rough re-do for all of his major tests, assignments, and essays.  Since he was twenty-five, he was actually pushing the age limit for students to it's max.  He was essentially on a fast track course that ate up most of his free time.  This weekend was a much needed respite for certain.  Quietly he sipped his coffee and waited for his aspirin to kick in.  When Juniper came back she fixed her own plate and sat down.  She explained to Hugh what it was she was showing off and then let Robin open the book up.  The first page was of several suit designs for both Hugh and Robin, as well as pretty dresses for herself.

"It shouldn't be too hard to transfer these suits into gowns?"

[msjuniperwoods]

Though he'd put down the phone, the banging on the desk and the screams hurt Juniper's ears and heart.  She didn't need Athena's sensitive hearing or fancy tech to get the full effect of Apollo's pain.  Falling back onto her mattress, Juniper covered her eyes with her arm and listened to him yell.  What could she do?  What could she say?  He'd suffered two huge loses in such a short amount of time...

"You didn't do anything."  Though it was true, it was hard to accept loss and not feel as if the world itself had turned on you.  Though she felt guilty thinking once again of her own situation, she hoped that making herself remember the pain she'd felt when losing Professor Courte, whom she'd formed a close, motherly bond with in the last two and a half years of the woman's life, would help her empathize more properly with Apollo.  If anything, it made her want to throw up.  Her feelings surrounding the many complex and interwoven issues that came to light during that trial could still make her dizzy with pain.  Shaking her head to try and shake the memories from her mind, she realized that Apollo had gone quiet.  Could he even hear her anymore?  "Ap...Apollo?"  She called to him weakly.  

"Apollo...I can't...Imagine, that someone in his position wouldn't understand your feelings."  She sniffed.  "You said he was gone for thirteen years.  I-It's obvious how you'd react.  I-I think, if he wanted to see you so bad h-he...Was p..Probably ready to accept any sort of reunion.  Don't you think he's happy, s-seeing that you're healthy a-and alive?  If being with him was as dangerous as you said, then you making it to this point is his victory."  Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.  As she lie there trying to think of how to help, her mind wandered to what had happened after the court ruling.  It was the Themis mock trial, and then the concert.  She could remember smiling at Apollo when she saw him watching her.  He'd looked happy.  She couldn't see his face now but...  "Hmmm....Hm...Hmm..."  Mindlessly, she began to hum.  It didn't last long, as she transitioned to singing soon after.  Something slow and soft.  Something calm.  The intent was to distract;  to soothe.

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

“But, Juniper… I said such awful things to him, and he was dead. All he wanted to do was see me, but all I could think about was how he left me!”

He wanted to break something, to take the chair that he was sitting in and smash it over and over until it were reduced to splinters. But he knew no matter how many pieces it lay in, it would never be in as many pieces as his shattered heart. He set his phone on the desk and slammed his fist down onto the hardwood, screaming as loud as he could.

“It’s not fair! We… He was supposed to live! He was supposed to come and GET me! He promised! We were supposed to be a family, but he left me behind! He ditched me…! And now we’ll never get to… He’ll never… He was supposed to… GOOOOOOOD DAAAAAAAAAMN IIIIIIIIIIIIIT!”

He slammed his head down onto the desk, just as he had in court when he learned the terrible truth. “…Why me? What did I do? …This isn’t fair…”

[msjuniperwoods]

There was a sinking feeling in her stomach when Apollo didn't immediately reassure her that no one close to him had died.  Oh God.  The uncomfortable silence was only broken up by Apollo's failures to start his story.  She curled up into a ball around her plush and held her breath as he began to sob.  Apollo...  Again there were small tears in her eyes but she ignored them in favor of waiting for him to speak.  

Dammit, Justice, not now.

Juniper felt a wave of uselessness wash over her when she heard that.  She couldn't help him with this distance between them.  No tea to offer, no friendly smiles to give, no soft reassurances...Well...She did have that at least.  Before she could speak he finally launched into his story.  She'd known of course, about his being an orphan.  She hadn't known anything about his parents until now, however.  At first she wasn't entirely certain what the big issue with Khura'in and lawyers even was.  Perhaps they were going through their own Dark Age of the Law?  She gasped softly when Apollo spoke about Dhurke suddenly showing up at the Agency.  So suddenly?  Why?  After so long too...  The mention of spirit medium's got a look of surprise from Juniper but not much else.  He was lucky that Mr. Wright had made such a name for himself.  Doing essays or projects about him was bound to lead the curious Themis student towards certain cases involving certain Feys.  She just didn't think Apollo was likely to get himself caught up in that.  When Apollo began to cry, Juniper sat up in her bed.  She couldn't help him, she couldn't hold him, she couldn't do anything but talk.

"D-Don't be mad at yourself!  It's human nature to be wary of the unusual!"  He was crying.  He was sobbing.  Juniper tried and failed to stop herself from doing the same.  "When someone leaves you behind for so long it's only normal to want to protect your heart!"  

Of course...Oh of course Juniper had to think about Athena just then didn't she?  This wasn't about her at all but she couldn't help but let out a sob of her own.  

"Y-You at least under...U-Understood in the end...Th-That it was...Really him?  If he wanted to s-see you from th...The grave it just...Mm..."  She had to cough a few times and take a deep breath.  "Means that he, l-loves you."  But still...  "But still...I-I'm so...I'm so sorry...  Why do so many bad things happen to you...?."  

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

“Pfooh… Where do I begin with this?”

He sighed once again, collecting his thoughts as best he could. He tried to start a few times, soft, cracking vocalizations breaking the silence, becoming more and more ragged with each one until, eventually, they give way to soft sobbing. It took him about a minute to pull himself together with a “Dammit, Justice, not now” before he continued.

“So-sorry about that. I… As you know, I’m… an orphan. Well, my dad was in Khura’in when he- when he was killed. I was a baby, maybe about a year old. I was taken in by a man named Dhurke and raised as his own son, but he never shied from letting me know that I was adopted. Not in a bad way, he just didn’t want secrets between us. Well, when I was about ten, he broughtme to America and I was put in an orphanage.

“See, things are dangerous for lawyers in Khura’in, and that’s what he was. The Defiant Dragon, they called him. And a dragon never yields, that’s what he taught me. So, he comes back to fight a revolution, and I don’t see him, ever. Until about a week ago, when he shows up on my doorstep. I don’t trust it, I mean, he left me in America for thirteen years without a peep. Well we end up going back to Khura’in, and I need you to suspend disbelief for this next part because all of it’s true.

“His spirit was being channeled by a spirit medium when I saw him. His last wish was to come see me, and I didn’t trust him. I almost punched him, and all he’s done my whole life is save me from pain, and now I can’t- I’ll never-”

And then, the tears he’s been holding in since the shocking death of his father came unbidden, wracking his body with horrible, pain-filled sobs as he finally lets emotions he’s been fighting against take him where they need to.

[msjuniperwoods]

"Mhm."  Though she'd answered his question about time automatically, it hit her a few minutes later that he'd basically confirmed right there that they weren't in the same timezone anymore.  She wrapped her arms around her plush tighter, feeling an uncomfortable shortness of breath tugging at her chest.  She managed to hear his compliment regarding her gardening and nodded in response even though he couldn't see it.  He seemed to be moving around a bit and then after an uncomfortably long silence he sighed.  

The confirmation of his departure left Juniper feeling...Strange.  There was an odd but heavy mix of emotions running though her right now.  There was a bit of loneliness creeping up her spine, followed by the grief she'd expected.  She was confused as well.  She had no idea where Khura'in even was!  ...Or did she?  He mentioned it being famous for hating attorneys so Juniper tried her best to recall the name in her textbooks or research.  Her mind was overcome by the return of the vertigo she'd been suffering before.  Beneath those feelings was a small but growing sort of bitterness that she herself had yet to notice.  It would hit her with more force soon enough but for now...

"Y...Yes."  She wiped the tears that had begun to form with the back of her hand.  She grew nervous again when he mentioned that this was a 'fresh wound'.  Maybe it was because their chosen professions had a tendency to attract death, or maybe it was because she couldn't get Clay Terran (and more specifically Apollo’s change in demeanor) out of her mind since that last big trial, or maybe it was because she was just generally on edge right now, but the first thing she could think to say was, "W-Wound?  I-Is someone dead?!"  Her voice cracked as she spoke.

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

“Afternoon? ,,,Oh, right, it should be about that time over there, huh?” That was one thing Apollo was not quite used to yet; the stark difference in timezones between Khura’in and America. It made keeping in touch with people just that much harder since there was such a limited window of time in which he could call without it being way too early or way too late.

“Yeah, I heard you did a great job. I’m not surprised, though, you seem like the kind of gal with a real green thumb. I bet Charley’s in better shape now than whenever Mr. Wright waters him.” He chuckled and stretched, letting out a groan as he propped his feet up on the desk, narrowly avoiding sending the Leaning Tower of Pisa that had accumulated tumbling to the floor. He had twenty-three years of potentially false accusations to go through, but he was currently in the process of separating those who’d received their executions from those who’d received stays of the death penalty in lieu of the legal and political revolution.

Then came the hard part. He could hear the hitch in her voice, the question left unanswered. There’s a pause, followed by a drawn-out sigh. “I’m sorry, Juniper. I didn’t want you to find out like that, but I no longer work at the Wright Anything Agency… Or… Well, I also no longer live in America. I’m in Khura’in now. The country that famously hates defense attorneys. It’s… a long story. If you want to hear it, I have the time. It’s just… Kinda hard to recall. It’s a fresh wound, what happened in this past week or so.”

[msjuniperwoods]

Juniper had always thought that red suited Robin.  Red was a passionate color and her friend, whether in her manly persona or as she was now, was one of the most passionate people she knew.

"Thanks to the art club, Hugh and I have seen you in all sorts of colors."  Colorful splashes of paint, naturally.  "With your confidence I'm sure you'd look good in anything."  When Robin asked about stripping, Juniper clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle some laughter.  Half embarrassed by the thought, and half amused by the realization that she didn't actually have a real reason to be embarrassed anymore, Juniper was clearly smiling as she shook her head.  "No it's fine, you can stay like that.  I'll be right back."  She went to fetch a measuring tape and kept her notebook and pen in the bathroom.  

While she took down all of the necessary measurements, Juniper thought about a particular sketchbook she had.  She was an incredibly busy person when it came to school.  Being the student council president came with it's share of sacrifices, namely spare time, though Juniper, overachiever that she was, managed to cram in some time to sketch as well as everything else.  As she held the measuring tape up to Robin's waist she thought back to before Courte's trial and blushed lightly.  

"I...Wanted your measurements before this, actually.  Your's and Hugh's.  Despite being best friends I was embarrassed about having to get this close to men."  Obviously they’d all hugged before but this was....This was different.  Of course she could have just asked them to take measurements themselves but something or other had always come up and to be frank Robin's persona didn't exactly give off an aura of 'I know how to take accurate measurements'.  "I designed clothes for you two before you know.  Prom, for example."  Oooooh the prom outfits!  "If you want I'll show you it's just,"  She rolled up the measuring tape when she was done.  "I was designing for 'him' at the time."

"Now that I have these, I can design for 'her'~"  

[msjuniperwoods]

Juniper was happy to see that Athena (and presumably the others) had returned safely.  She stepped in when she was invited to do so and gently shook her head at the offer of juice.  Normally she would accept the drink, but today she had something else in mind.

"Not today~  Today I come baring gifts."  Juniper held up the basket she'd brought with her and carried it over to the couch.  "While I was caring for Charley I noticed you were low on essentials and thought to bring some."  Milk, butter, salt and pepper, bread, coffee, tea, some fruits and vegetables, lunch meats and some home made cookie dough.  It also appeared that Juniper had gone through the trouble of packing some lunches for the lawyers to eat during trial recesses (or during practice breaks in Trucy's case).  She hummed lightly as she put things away, accepting help from Athena if it was offered.  She was probably more comfortable with this office than any judge should be...Heh~  When all was put away, Junie folded up the blanket that had been covering her basket and set it inside instead.

"Are you hungry?  I can make you something."  Who here was the guest and who was the host exactly??  "I'd like to hear about your trip too."

Don’t Forget || Drathenacykes

[msjuniperwoods]

His greeting to her caught her off gaurd.  To be fair, she hadn't exactly expected him to sound horrible or something, it was just that she found the fact that he was planning to call her soon so sweet that she needed a moment to process the information.  Hah...How kind~  Since he diidn't sound like he was terribly exhausted (just a little weary), she lied back on her bed and responded properly.

"Good afternoon, Apollo."  Oh boy, how to begin?  Despite her feelings for Apollo; her admiration and reverence, she didn't know if he himself considered her to be a close enough friend for a personal level talk.  She shifted uncomfortably, thinking of how easily he talked to Athena and couldn't help but bite down a teeny bit of jealousy.  "I-I um, while you four were away, I did as asked and cared for Charley."  She reached for a soft, stuffed kitten and held it.  "I went to...I went to the offices today...Y...Your things were...Gone..."  She trailed off, hoping he'd catch her hint and take the conversation where it needed to go.  

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

The Justice Law Offices were a bustling place on the slowest of days, and today was no exception. The mountain of cases had quickly overtaken Everest in scope and size, but Apollo, despite his vocal outbursts, actually didn’t mind. Currently, he was the only lawyer openly practicing in Khura’in, but he was satisfied with the way his life was going. He had a place in this new world, a place to call his own and a meaning he’d never felt before. Just as his mentor had abolished the Dark Age of the Law in America, so too would he banish the shadows from Khura’in.

But things still nagged at him, mostly about the people he’d left behind. He’d been here for several days, but the only time he’d spoken to anyone from America was when he contacted Phoenix to coordinate the shipment of all the rest of his belongings from his apartment in American to his new home in Khura’in. He had finally come to a break in his work, a light in the tunnel, when The Guitar’s Serenade began to fill the air. Fishing his cell phone from his desk, he looked at the display with a weary smile and answered.

“Hey, Juniper. I was just thinking about calling you.”

[msjuniperwoods]

Better Late Than Never? || herexcomesxjustice

@herexcomesxjustice

She was nervous.  No...More than 'nervous'.  It was a sickly sort of anxiety.  She'd felt it before plenty of times.  When she'd been afraid that Hugh was a killer.  When she'd worried that Robin was going to be disowned by her parents and kicked out of her house.  When Athena was in the middle of that awful case with the Phantom, and of course while she was waiting for news of Apollo's recovery after Mr. Tonate's attack.  She was sitting at home, having arrived in something of a daze.  She sat in her room now, on her bed, and after several minutes of silent thought, glanced over at her cellphone.  Apollo Justice wasn't in at the Wright Anything Agency today.  Between the look on Athena's face and the gentle pity in Mr. Wright's voice she couldn't help but imagine the worst.  What on Earth could have happened to him in the few days the Agency had gone away?

"You need to talk to Apollo yourself..."

Juniper was uncomfortable in her own skin as she reached over to her bedside table and picked up her phone.  Her phone charms made a small ringing noise as she opened the cell and searched through her contacts.  Obviously, he wasn't dead, or she would have been told that point blank.  But what was wrong??  After Clay's death...After...After Clay's death...What else could fate possibly have in store for him?

Juniper swallowed thickly and pressed 'call' when she reached Apollo's number.

“.....”

[msjuniperwoods]

Don’t Forget || Drathenacykes

@drathenacykes

In the Wright Anything Agency, the Wrights and Athena were coping with their loss.  News of Apollo’s departure would no doubt spread soon to Prosecutor Gavin and eventually to the public proper.  For now, one of the many that did not know what had happened quite yet was making her way from home to the Agency with a basket in hand.  Athena, Apollo, Trucy, and Mr. Wright had apparently been called out of state for a case last week.  Juniper only knew because she'd been sent a hasty text asking her to take care of Charley in their absence.  Upon their return, Juniper had been swamped with a large school event and was unable to visit until now.  Though she knew where the hidden key was, now that Mr. Wright was back home it seemed wrong to let herself in without permission.  Instead, Juniper knocked lightly and waited to be invited it.