Sorrow & Mercy: a Great Ace Attorney AU

A Curtain of Sorrow

Well, she would find out. She wasn't sure she believed Ryunosuke, but together they would discover what had really happened.

And then Sholmes was there, spouting theories, acting like he did not know her.

"Mr. Sholmes. It's me. I used to...I lived with you for a while," she said.

"Huh?! You lived in Britain, Miss Susato?" Ryunosuke said.

Susato glanced at him quickly then away again.

"I assure you, dear madam, I have no idea to what you are referring! I am most positive I would remember if a Russian was under my roof," Sholmes said.

"Japanese," Ryunosuke groaned, slumping.

"And where is Iris, Mr. Sholmes?" Susato said.

"Now, now, Miss Mikotoba. I know how dearly you wished to steal my darling child, but you will not provoke me to a slip of the tongue quite so easily," Sholmes said and continued his exploration of the room, picking up Kazuma's journal.

Susato sighed. "I think I just did, Mr. Sholmes."

But really...where was Iris? Was she still with Sholmes? And if so, where had he left her? For she clearly had not travelled with him.

These brief musings fell aside as they set to inspecting Kazuma's journal and delved into investigating his tragic death.

And soon, they discovered the truth was so much worse than Susato had expected.

***

A moment of panic from a Russian girl on the run. When everyone should have been asleep—drugged with pills in the chicken—Kazuma alone had been awake to discover Nikolina's secret entrance onto the boat, due to his distaste for the food. And she had pushed him in a fit of panic. A push. A stupid fall. That was what had killed him. That's what had killed Kazuma.

Susato stared into Nikolina's devastated face and felt an icy rage seal over the jagged wounds of her heart. Susato turned away from her numbly and returned to Kazuma's room.

Holding Karuma in her hands, Susato pressed her forehead to the sheath and wept. This was all too much. Genshin had perished due to an illness. Mrs. Asogi had died from grief and stress. And Kazuma had been killed by a mistake, an ill-timed shove onto a bedpost while the boat shifted and a cat darted and a girl gave in to her fears. It was so awful, so wretched, so wrong. The Asogis had all been so strong, so vibrant, so full of charisma and dreams and passion. And now they were all gone. Just like that.

How could he have died so easily? Genshin. Kazuma. How had they both been cut down so swiftly, so suddenly, in such a pathetic manner?

"...Susato-san?"

The voice startled her, ripped her from her tearful reverie. Susato turned. Ryunosuke Naruhodo was there. His wide and bright eyes, his emotionally open face, his clear concern. It was hard to imagine she had ever really thought he could have killed Kazuma. In fact, she felt a deep pang of guilt rush through her at the very idea.

How monstrous to even think something like that. To think someone could kill their best friend.

"I...I didn't know you had returned," she mumbled.

"Oh, erm, well...I haven't been back long. Inspector Hosonaga just told me I should pack. You know...ready to leave the ship tomorrow, and all that," Ryunosuke said.