Follow the Sun
Kazuma Asougi × Original Character
SPOILERS FOR THE GREAT ACE ATTORNEY CHRONICLES ~ Read ahead at your own risk!
Rating: T
Word Count: 4k
WARNINGS: depression, amnesia, psychosis, mild swearing
Summary: The botanist gets a bit too settled into her new status quo, and the amnesiac finds himself in an unexpected yet strangely familiar position.
Notes: Special thanks to @angeaxil and @pretxel for letting me include their OCs Genevieve and Shiryen in this series! It’s both an honour and a pleasure to be able to work with these lovely girlies~
Masterlist
After four and a half years away from home, her return to London didn’t feel nearly as much like the homecoming it ought to have done. Even now, when the summer season was at its peak, the streets were far colder and foggier than she remembered.
When Cecelia arrived at the dormitory she’d resided in during the period of her academic career prior to studying in Japan, she was surprised to find everything just the way she’d left it. Not only that, but her roommate, one Shiryen Kang, who’d travelled with her as part of the same exchange programme in her own academic pursuits in the field of herbalism, was still living there in their dormitory, waiting for the day her long lost peer would return home. During their time abroad, Shiryen had come to be like the little sister she’d always wanted but never had. The look on her face the moment she saw Cecelia at their door, having had no way of knowing whether she would ever see her again until then, should have been enough to melt her heart.
Finally, she was able to conclude her scholarship just as intended, albeit a few months late. Shiryen had been holding onto and taking good care of all the hard-earned fruits of Cecelia’s forty long months of labour as well as the rest of her belongings since they’d been left behind on their boat home from Japan all those days and nights ago, and the university staff, though she didn’t deserve it, had all shown her tremendous amounts of kindness and understanding.
From that point, she and her dear friend at last went their separate ways and onward to forge a path for their respective futures. At least, such was the intent. Cecelia was lucky enough to come across a humble yet comfortable third-floor suite (which was really more of an attic) within walking distance of the marketplace at Covent Garden. The landlord, a kindly old man who ran a shoe shop on the ground floor of the building, lived on the floor below hers. The place was decent enough, and she was grateful that she could manage to afford living there all on her lonesome.
But even with all the blessings bestowed upon her, she was still plagued with unhappiness. And for this, she couldn’t help but feel guilty as well.
What reason did she have to be so deep in melancholy in spite of such hopeful circumstances? She’d had so many ambitions for what she’d do following the end of her studies, but somehow none of them seemed within reach anymore. She felt empty. Devoid of all the empowerment and drive she’d once had at the start of her journey. And her journey wasn’t over yet. The exchange programme had been nothing more than a precursor to the tasks ahead: the promise to her mother that she had yet to fulfil. Cecelia wanted desperately to see her mother again, as she wrote in a letter to her, but until she made good on her word, for her to show her face in the home she’d grown up in would be unthinkable.
Yet despite this ruthless driving force boring into her at every hour of the day, she was petrified. Every time the face of the strange, amnesia-ridden young man she’d met overseas who had accompanied her all the way home entered her thoughts, the hollowness she felt in the place where hope should have been was filled in by an uncanny bitterness that she couldn’t escape, which only weighed on her heavier when the thoughts progressed to the way he had left the SS Vitesse without a single word to her in parting. All those daydreams she’d played out in her head during the long hours of ship maintenance and cargo inspections—of the two of them together in London after they’d finally arrived, and of him by her side as she would pursue her dreams all the way to the finish line—in the end, the one chance to live them out with him that she would ever have had simply disintegrated before her eyes. She would never have another chance to fully convey to him how he’d made her feel. He was practically nothing more than a memory. And so was she to him, at most.
Like this, the days went by, and by, and by. Nothing brought her fulfilment like it used to. Every meal, not excluding her favourites, was bland and difficult to swallow. She still needed to pay back that smith in France for that beautiful piece of metal she’d worked so hard on, but with what money? The last time she’d felt this crushing misery of complete and utter uselessness had been the months following the passing of the one whose dreams she’d since resolved to carry.
As days turned to weeks, and weeks to months, Cecelia was going out less and less often, until it came to her accepting just about anything as an excuse to stay shut up inside the confines of her room, clinging to some rubbish magazine or another. Anything to keep her mind from straying toward thoughts of him. She hadn’t the first idea where he’d gone to, nor any means of knowing whether he was faring well or poorly (though, having seen the signs, frankly there wasn’t much question about that). What business did she even have with him anyway? She didn’t even know his name, for pity’s sake. Dwelling on it any further was pointless. But then again, so was everything else, it seemed.
Though his evidently figmental companion kept assuring him time and time again that this was the correct path to be on, the voice rarely if ever offered him insights any less vague or more helpful than just that.
Since his audience, so to speak, with Lord Stronghart at the Supreme Court the day of his arrival, he’d realised something quite significant about himself; namely that he possessed a wealth of knowledge on the subject of British law. Of all things. When and where could he have acquired such a deeply ingrained understanding of such concepts? Had it been there all along and he simply hadn’t had the chance to make use of it until now? If Cecelia-san’s deductions on the day they’d first met were to be acknowledged, his best guess was that this had been his chosen field of study as a university student in Japan back in the day. That woman could be so clever when she wanted to be. Sometimes he worried whether he’d not been giving her the credit she deserved.
The voice cleared its intangible throat. “You’re getting off-track again. Focus.”
The apprentice prosecutor looked down through the eyes of his mask to see his quill stagnant in his hand, bleeding an unsightly blot of black ink into the paper he was writing his report on. He hung his head. Talking back to this estranged part of himself was pointless, as he had come to accept. All it would ever allow him to focus on for longer than a minute at a time now would be one of two things. One was the tasks given to him either by the Lord Chief Justice himself or by the prosecutor who’d taken him on as a pupil as ordered by Lord Stronghart. And the other was the aforementioned prosecutor himself.
‘Barok van Zieks.’ That name had been burning at the backs of his eyes ever since he’d first seen it written. Though his mentor certainly stood out from the average Londoner in more ways than one, he shared as much of a potential connection with him as any of them did, as far as he knew. Regardless, the voice insisted otherwise. Constantly it pressed, demanded, pleaded with him to remember. “Remember what?” he would ask, only to be ignored and for it to continue on with its oppressive nagging just the same.
No matter how hard he strived to remember his past with each passing day, the fear only grew that his affliction would come to swallow up the new memories he’d made along the way to where he found himself now. Cecelia-san was the one person he still had memory of who he’d formed any sort of close bond with in all his life. Some days, her radiant smile had been the only thing keeping him going. Nothing was more terrifying than the possibility that, one day, her face would fall into the realm of obscurity where all the rest lay.
But of course, that wasn’t important, was it? He just had to trust in the voice and keep his focus. Though his own objective was still shrouded in mystery, all he could do was have faith that he would reach it eventually. Focus. Focus…
His thoughts were once again interrupted by a calm knocking from the other side of the office door. This was followed by a woman’s voice. “Barok?”
“Come in.”
The apprentice didn’t turn away from his desk as the visitor entered and closed the door behind her. “I’ve made you two some cucumber sandwiches.”
“Oh, Genevieve,” sighed Van Zieks. “How many times must I remind you that you are no maid?”
“You needn’t remind me so at all. I know I’m not. Taking care of you is something I look forward to doing every day. It’s never a bother.” Then her footsteps traversed toward the apprentice’s side of the room, and a silver platter was placed down beside his unfinished report. “Here you are, dear.”
He regarded the little triangular slices of crustless bread containing what he assumed were cucumbers and some sort of colourless condiment slathered in between. He picked up a sandwich, then met the expectant gaze of the lady standing over him.
“It’s cream cheese. Have you never had cream cheese before?”
Since she’d been so kind as to go out of her way to prepare food for him as well as his mentor, he took a bite out of one of the corners. It wasn’t bad by any means. In fact, it didn’t taste like much of anything. ‘Cold’ was the only way he could think to describe it.
He took a second bite, and Miss Bellerose, as she was called, smiled, kissed the prosecutor behind him goodbye, and went on her merry way.
“Well…that’s the long and short of it, I suppose.”
Cecelia peered into the murky depths of her cold herbal tea, cupping the vessel containing it between both hands.
“I see.” Her houseguest, the one seated across from her, had her arms folded and eyes at half mast. “You’ve been through a great ordeal, it seems.” Shiryen, the other guest, meanwhile sat between the two at the hostess’ cheap, lacklustre tea table, listening quietly and attentively whilst she relayed to them her tale. “I wish I could help you find him,” continued the first guest, “but if you don’t know his name and the last time you saw him was in Dover, then…I’m afraid I don’t know what to suggest.”
With tremendous effort, Cecelia fought the tightness in her throat with a clumsy swallow.
“I’m so sorry, dear—”
“No, it’s alright.” She took a breath to collect herself, then attempted a smile. “It’s probably for the best that I leave him be, after all.”
“Oh, sunflower…” There was the deepest, most heartfelt sympathy in her manner, but no indication of disagreement.
“For what it’s worth,” Shiryen started, “I think you’ve done the best thing you could have done. Leaving him with something to remember you by, I mean. Though, I certainly wouldn’t have thought to commission a sword as a parting gift to someone like that.” She gave a sideways smile, putting a bashful blush on her friend’s face.
“I do understand your inclination to cage yourself indoors and keep your distance from others now after everything that’s happened,” said the other. “Truly I do.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it, Miss Bellerose.” This was in fact Cecelia’s first meeting with her old friend Genevieve since her return to England. She’d meant to thank the woman for all the letters she’d sent to her in Japan over the course of her study abroad and to apologise for making her worry by failing to stay in touch with her since its conclusion, but…
“But Cece, you can’t go on living like this,” Shiryen butted in. “Look around you.”
Her so-called ‘sitting room’ was barren, at best, much like the rest of her suite. Her kitchen cupboards were nearly bare, save for some stale bread and a small collection of more or less empty jam jars. She hadn’t been to the market in days. Genevieve had brought the tea over herself, having asked permission by telegram for her to drop in for a long overdue visit along with Cecelia’s fellow former exchange student. She hadn’t had a clue how nor when her two friends had come to know one and other, but she had given her consent, despite not having much to offer so as to make them feel welcome.
Shiryen reached out her hand, resting it atop Cecelia’s. “I know you, nē-san.”
“We both know you.”
“Exactly. We know that you need to be outside, smelling the flowers and getting your hands dirty. This,” she gestured to all sides of the barely furnished, cobweb-covered room, “is no good for you. Surely you realise that.”
A depressive silence moved in, somehow turning the place even drearier than it already was.
“Here’s an idea.” Miss Bellerose rose to her feet. “What say the three of us take next Saturday to attend the Great Exhibition together?”
At this proposal, Shiryen straightened up in her seat and clasped her hands together, giving Cecelia a hopeful glance.
“I know none of us would much care to call ourselves ‘inventors,’” continued the chemistry specialist among them, “but there are supposed to be loads of other exciting things to see and do.”
“Oh! Maybe we could all go for a ride on one of those…” Shiryen stopped short, her zealous look going sour. “Oh, what do they call those blasted things? The big, tall, spinning structures with little carriages hanging off the rims…”
“Ferris wheels?” offered Genevieve.
“Yes!”
Her warm eyes brightened. “I think that’s a splendid idea. Ooh, I’d also love to try flying in a hot air balloon, given that we can secure a decent spot in line for a ride.”
“Yes, yes!” Shiryen’s eyes now glinted behind her too large spectacles. “I’m certain we could. We just need to get there before anyone else does.”
Both heads turned in the direction of their hostess as Genevieve kindly asked, “What do you think, Miss Cecelia?”
For the week leading up to it, having the day at the Great Exhibition to look forward to had been a much needed source of motivation to get her up and performing the necessary tasks for one’s survival as a human being residing in an attic in the middle of one of London’s bustling shopping districts. It was the bare minimum, but an improvement nonetheless. Her cupboards were stocked and her linens were washed. Of course, she couldn’t have managed much of this without the vehement support of her friends Shiryen and Genevieve.
The agreed-upon Saturday was no different. It was at the arse crack of dawn—barely past six o’clock—when there came a thunk from her bedroom window. After another thunk or two just like it, she awoke and pried the window open, poking her head out to see none other than the two of them down below. Shiryen was hopping in place on one foot and struggling to get her shoe back on while Genevieve called up to her, telling her there wasn’t a moment to waste.
So Cecelia hurriedly dusted off the best day dress and hat she could find amongst the crates and piles of her belongings (most of which were still packed from when she’d moved in), then with bleary eyes clumped her way down the stairs to street level before being whisked away to catch the next omnibus to Hyde Park.
“Please don’t misunderstand when I say this, Ms. Bellerose; I’m ever so grateful for the tickets and for everything you’ve done for me,” mumbled Cecelia, having arrived at their destination roughly an hour later.
“It’s my pleasure, petal,” she interrupted, paying the balloon proprietor for the three of them. “What was it you were going to say?”
“Oh, it’s—it’s nothing.” Genevieve cocked her head at her as Shiryen boarded the fire-powered flying contraption. Cecelia floundered. “Well…wasn’t getting here before the park even opened a bit, erh…overboard?”
“Oh, shut up.” Shiryen was already leaning over the edge of the basket, anxiously waiting for takeoff.
“Whilst I can’t say I approve of that tone,” gently admonished Genevieve as she herself came aboard, “I can’t say she’s entirely wrong, either. This experience will be well worth it, I’m sure.”
“I heard someone behind us saying there was something like a three-hour queue for this yesterday,” Shiryen added, still faced away from the other two, but now with hints of a smile set into the corners of her lips, “which means it must be worth the wait.”
“Exactly! So cheer up, won’t you?” Genevieve held her right hand out to her while steadying herself on one of the four hefty cords attaching the big rubber dome to the basket with her left. “Today is your day, after all.”
Cecelia took her hand, helpless to resist her friend’s infectious smile. “Okay.”
But as she boarded, the basket tilted to the side the two of them were now standing on.
She cried out and wobbled to the opposite corner as fast as she could, covering her eyes. “Gracious, are you alright?” asked Genevieve, placing the hand she’d helped her on board with on her shoulder as Shiryen turned her head.
Cecelia evicted the thought of how strikingly similar this felt to sailing in the middle of a storm surge from her mind. “I will be… Just need a moment.”
Her stomach did a flip when the proprietor announced the start of their skyward climb. But once both she and the carriage had found their bearings, she opened her eyes and was met with the magnificent Crystal Tower in front of them, the reflections in the glass migrating across every facet as the balloon rose up, up, up. The higher they went, the brighter the view became all around. The next thing she knew, they were soaring high above the entire Great Exhibition, including the very top of the Tower. A flock of pigeons flew by down below, and Shiryen snapped a rather precarious shot of them with Genevieve’s camera.
Turning her gaze to the east, Cecelia’s eyes were overwhelmed by the sight of the rising sun as it burned through the overcast and painted the horizon with brilliant red and yellow hues. The scene filled her up to the brim with an incredible feeling of longing for some unknown and unattainable thing, and yet, even when the dry air and blinding light combined continued to bring forth steady streams of tears from her eyes, she couldn’t find it within herself to look away.
But alas, this bittersweet moment could not last forever, lest she be doomed to a fate similar to that of the great Galileo. Sooner than expected, they’d begun their descent back to solid ground, where a sprawling line of people had quickly accumulated.
From then on, she did her absolute best to enjoy the rest of her day at the Exhibition. The first hour or so was a bit rocky as she was having some trouble adjusting to the throngs after being shut up in the attic for the past three odd months. Everywhere she looked, she kept seeing his face and hearing his voice, no thanks to the cruel jokes her own mind seemed to be playing on her. Once the three of them had stopped for some good old-fashioned fried street food, though, things were much better.
“That ‘rollercoaster’ was quite something, wasn’t it?” chirped Genevieve.
“Oh, I loved it!” Cecelia said. “I really think we should go for another ride before we leave.”
Just then, a figure in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Her heart clenched. Their whole body concealed by a dark cloak, the stranger didn’t even resemble him in the slightest, save for maybe in height. And posture. She shook it off, but kept them in her line of sight.
“Me too. For a minute there, I felt like I was going to lose my chips,” joked Shiryen, “but it turned out to be loads of fun.” The other two laughed and bobbed their heads in agreement. “What’s next on our list, Gen?”
Said gentlewoman referred to her notes on the available attractions. “Well, we could try having a peep at an exhibit or two.”
“We could,” nodded Shiryen while the cloaked figure slowly passed them by, barely even visible through the crowd.
“Or, we could carry on this way and see what they have out at that souvenir stand,” said Genevieve. “We should do that sooner rather than later if it’s something we’re all interested in.”
“Souvenirs, yes! Having something to remind us of today is an absolute must, don’t you think, Cece?”
“I—”
A cluster of blue and white petals gleamed at her through the bodies with the reflection of the sun, derailing the rest of her sentence.
It really was him. It couldn’t be, and yet, it had to.
When the familiar hilt disappeared a second later, a single word materialised in her mind like a flash of lightning. Its force cracked her voice.
“Anata…!”
He halted, thrown into turmoil like nothing he’d ever experienced the instant he heard her call. The surrounding crowd seemed to vanish within the blink of an eye, if but for a fraction of a second. When he turned, she was there, standing before him and struggling to catch her breath, not more than an arm’s length away. She hardly looked any different from when he’d last seen her, but she was too vivid for just another illusion. He wanted to reach out and touch her to make certain she was real, but what if she wasn’t? Or worse, she was? Then he would surely never want to let go. She wasn’t safe here. Not with him. Not like this. Not while he was armed, for God’s sake. He kept trying to settle on one emotion, but the shrieking continued. It destroyed him, his every train of thought being violently torn from the rails. “She’s here to sabotage your mission, you cretin!” It made his ears ring and his head throb with pain. “What are you waiting for? Leave her, now!”
The voice of the nobleman looming behind him cut through the deafening silence like a blade through canvas. “Apprentice,” he calmly addressed, “are you and this gentlewoman acquainted?”
Some of the tension in the masked man’s frown let up, only to then shift into his jaw. After a long moment’s pause, he answered the question with a wordless shake of his lowered head.
“But, it’s me, Cecelia! Don’t you remember?” The two men turned and vanished without a single word to her between the two of them. “Wait, don’t leave! Please!” She tried to pursue them, but the crowd was impenetrable. “Come back…!” she cried. “Please…”
“Barok! Wait!” Her two friends caught up to her moments later with Genevieve in the lead. She and Shiryen barely caught a glimpse of the stranger’s pale face covering before he turned, but it was no use.
“He’s gone,” said Cecelia, frozen where she stood. “Again.”
She fought the urge to crumble to her knees right then and there, but couldn’t contain the tears once Shiryen had wrapped her arms around her from behind. She caved, turning about and weeping openly into her ‘imōto’s shoulder. “There, there,” she soothed, using the same tone of voice her ‘nē-san’ would have used with her on homesick nights during their shared time abroad.
She directed a look at Genevieve—an unspoken request—which she returned, saying to their dear friend, “You’ll see him again soon, sunflower,” and placing her own arms around her wilting form from behind. “I promise you.”
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