Beauty of Every Kind: a Great Ace Attorney AU

Brilliance

While March had begun as a sunny month with rising temperatures, it quickly altered shape, slouching into a set of soggy weeks.

Barok was busy with work. He was acting prosecutor for a few trials—including two in which Kazuma and Ryunosuke acted as defense, Susato the assistant at their side. Outside of that, Barok built models, conducted meetings, and was capsized in his usual sea of paperwork. And all the while, he found his thoughts turning over again and again to whether or not his office would change within a year. Would he truly be recommended for the position of Lord Chief Justice? Was something truly amiss with the Knightley family or was that mere paranoia on his part? Every time he tried to meet with Lord Knightley to ask him, the man was busy with other affairs. And when they did catch brief encounters, he seemed his usual happy and dedicated self. Barok decided he could press on the matter more when he had a chance to visit their home. That should happen the following month anyway, since they intended a day together at the Knightley orchard, regardless of the outcome of the ball.

During those weeks, Barok had little time to meet with anyone outside of his immediate family and, on occasion, Inspector Gregson. However, he heard constant updates about Genshin and his students. Along with serving as the defense for a few trials, they attended Klint's lectures a few times, they visited with his family for hot chocolate (something they had not experienced in Japan, he was told), and Iris declared she had a special project she and Lady Baskerville were working on that was to their benefit. Gregson and Gina also visited them, and Gregson proudly announced that they were all helping Gina with learning to read and write. It was heartening to hear they were getting on so well.

As another week of daunting work staggered towards its end, Barok realised he had completed his projects for the week, meaning he would be free to take on the next trial in which either Kazuma or Ryunosuke was the defense. But Lord Chief Justice Knightly decided it was best that Stronghart tackle this particular trial instead. Let Mael have a chance to test the mettle of our Eastern friends, he had said.

And so, Barok was preparing to leave work early when his office door suddenly flew open.

"Uncle Barry!" Iris shouted.

Sholmes strolled in behind her, a pair of bizarre goggles lowered over his eyes.

Iris streamed right towards Barok's desk and held up a pink canister of some kind. "Tada! Look at this!"

"Hello, Iris. Mr. Sholmes," Barok said, his voice sinking into a flat tone. He withheld a sigh and stared at the object Iris was showing off proudly. "...What is this?" He reached for it. It felt strangely hot against his hand.

"You can twist the lid and see for yourself!" Iris said.

A scent was undulating through the air, but Barok could not understand why. Had Iris spilled some tea on herself, perhaps? No matter. He twisted the top of the slender canister as she said. And found himself staring down into tea, the steam wafting over him, scented heavily with what could only be the mixture of herbs that characterised one of Iris's unique blends. He took a small sip, and was shocked to discover just how entirely scorching the tea was against his lips and tongue.

"What is this!?" Barok demanded, looking at the container in confusion.

Iris giggled. "The old man eyebrows again!"

Barok stared at her.

"That's a special vessel for carrying tea around and keeping it nice and toasty-hot!" Iris said, clasping her hands together and beaming. "Mr. Hurley made it! Based on my idea! He's my technician now!"