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the-judicial-assistants-notebook · 1 year

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You know, I think what really bugs me about the "Dadworth" dynamic applied to Kay and Edgeworth's relationship is that it usually makes Kay out to be this hyperactive, slight problem child (in the 'stealing and pranking' sense rather than the 'moody and abrasive' sense), occasionally with deep-rooted daddy issues like Edgeworth has, when that's... the opposite of her character.

(This post got away from me, so TL;DR: Kay is a quick-witted and independent young woman who has worked very hard to be both emotionally and practically intelligent enough to be seen as a legitimate successor to her father's legacy. Making her out to be the traits mentioned above, so she functions as Edgeworth's daughter rather than his investigative partner and equal, undermines her character and semi-conflates her with Maya [the deep-rooted issues bit]. Also I don't like it wksgskaj)

Kay is very, very sharp.

The thing about Kay is that she's not actually in the series as much as it feels like she is, which makes it easy for her character to be altered to suit the needs of the story (which I think happens in The Forgotten Turnabout, but I won't talk about that here). She turns up in two cases as herself in AAI (as in, teenager Kay whom we're most familiar with) and shares her role with Gumshoe, Ema and Franziska when she does, lessening her appearances even further. Nevertheless, there are still concrete elements to her personality that we're made aware of right from the beginning, and the first major one which I feel gets overlooked in favour of her hyperactive characterisation is this:

In terms of mainline assistants, I'd consider her the sharpest of all (maybe after Trucy? But I don't remember enough of AJ to comment on that). Yes, she's shown to be reckless and impulsive, but, when it comes to actual investigating and reasoning, she is solid. With Nick and Maya, you sometimes get the impression that they're both fumbling along until Phoenix catches on (most of the time with Maya's usually a little accidental help, and he still has to explain things to her near every time [not Maya's fault. Following Phoenix's reasoning is like being on a rollercoaster in a minecart]), but Kay is very rarely like that with Edgeworth. Within minutes of meeting him, she can predict what he's going to say (or 'steal his lines', as the game puts it), and there are several moments after he uses Logic and is about to explain what he's connected where Kay interrupts with the correct conclusion herself:

Edgeworth: A second Blue Badger that shouldn't exist... Clearly, the true identity of the person underneath is...

Kay: Oh, I know! It's one of the kidnappers, right!?

There's even a point where she tells him off for overexplaining things to her:

Kay: Yeesh, I told you I got it! Do you feel the need to explain everything!?

And, near the end of their first case together, he acknowledges that's she's generally quite quick:

Kay: OK, what should I re-create first?

Edgeworth: ...You haven't figured it out yet?

Kay: Heh, maybe I have, and maybe I haven't.

Even if you don't take these points into consideration, the fact that she comes up with a new way to use Little Thief, and knows how to use it at all actually, shows you that she's a really intelligent girl! Continuing on a bit from the point I made earlier about her being brash, Kay may be reckless, but she isn't irresponsible. Whenever she rushes into situations, she doesn't expect other people to come save her; she's quite assured that she can and will get herself out of them on her own, and, if she needs help, she asks for it in advance. She treats Edgeworth less like her guardian and more like her investigative partner:

Kay: I didn't get permission to enter Allebahst... so we're going to go gather whatever info we can over on the Babahlese side, OK!?

Edgeworth: Alright, I'm counting on you two.

Kay: Right, and I'm counting on you and Ms. von Karma to sniff out clues in Allebahst!

...

Edgeworth: A number of pieces connect in a very complicated way in this case... It's almost enough to make one completely mentally exhausted.

Kay: Let's not over-complicate matters, OK, Mr. Edgeworth? We've been so focused, like a laser, on only what seems strange and out of place... it's no wonder nothing's clicked and we haven't unlocked anything yet. But, if we think things through calmly, the answer should come to us!

There's an independence to her proactiveness that kind of forces Edgeworth to meet her on equal grounds, and this too is an element that gets lost when the Dadworth dynamic comes in because it involves making Edgeworth responsible -- or feel responsible -- for her actions and general wellbeing when Kay has never expected nor wanted that. She does things on her own terms, and she walks the path she's chosen by herself:

Edgeworth: Preposterous! On what grounds do you suspect her of such a thing!?

Shih-na: The fact that she calls the Yatagarasu. That in itself is a more elegant proof.

Kay: Ms. Shih-na.

Shih-na: Yes?

Kay: I... have no intention of taking back any of what I've said.

Shih-na: ...?

Kay: I am the Great Thief Yatagarasu. And I refuse to allow some imposter to claim that name as their own! The path of justice that my father pointed me towards... I will walk it the best I can!

Her relationship with Edgeworth works as an inverse to that of Nick and Maya's in the way that, where Nick and Maya have deep respect for one another beneath layers upon layers of playful insults and messing about, Kay outwardly respects Edgeworth first (and expects that respect to be returned) and razes him second -- that, too, never to an extent she wouldn't with anyone else or that crosses a certain boundary. Her messing with Edgeworth is shown to be more an attempt to get him to lighten up or not take himself too seriously than an act of (platonic) intimacy as it is with Nick and Maya (which makes sense because Nick and Maya have spent years together, while she's known Edgeworth for all of two weeks) or genuine obliviousness/silliness (although it definitely sometimes is). This is pretty obvious simply from the fact that she always calls him 'Mr Edgeworth', though she's perfectly comfortable calling Gumshoe and Badd, people whom she is more familiar and comfortable with, 'Gummy' and 'Uncle Badd' respectively. Also Kay, in general, is quite polite? Edgeworth calls something she said rude at one point and she gets insulted, and, when you ask for her opinion, she doesn't go 'What?' or 'What is it?', she specifically says, 'Yes?' (this changes in AAI2, which I promise I'm not discussing here) Upon meeting Oldbag, she has this exchange with her, where Kay chooses a more formal mode of address than what is actually offered:

Oldbag: My name is Wendy Oldbag. But you can call me "Wendy", or "Granny", or whatever suits your fancy.

Kay: Nice to meet you, Ms. Oldbag! I'm Kay Faraday.

She's also had moments where she calls Edgeworth out for being 'tactless', and she's shown to feel very strongly about rudeness throughout the whole game. I'm not saying she isn't mischievous or playful, she very much is, but the point is that she's really quite respectful, and this extends to her relationship with him. Her characterisation in Turnabout Ablaze, where she's considerably more excitable/high-strung than in Kidnapped, seems largely due to them chasing down Calisto Yew. Edgeworth even comments on this:

Edgeworth: Kay, you need to look before you leap. You tend to lose your cool when it comes to anything related to that woman.

Generally, though, you can tell that she was obviously raised with an adherence to certain formalities. She's not looking for another parental figure (because she doesn't need one, which I'll go into after this), but, if she was, she'd make that clear.

Kay's a very straightforward person at heart; she doesn't hide any part of herself, even the part that should be hidden (i.e. the Yatagarasu). There are points where she suggests that Edgeworth reminds her of her father, but, in AAI, she specifically mentions that it's both Edgeworth and Gumshoe who remind her of her father and Detective Badd. It's not about her seeing Edgeworth as a father figure; it's about their and her own dedication to the truth. Even in AAI2, where her comments could be read as leaning more towards the former angle, she doesn't get cut up about him not picking up on that or really paying it much emphasis at all, because it doesn't matter. The fact that he reminds her of Byrne is just that: a fact.

Returning to the point about Kay not needing/wanting another parental figure, I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but to put it succinctly: Kay has the guidance she needs without him.

To put it less succinctly, Edgeworth's possibly the worst candidate to go for for emotional support and guidance in the first place, and by the time she meets him again, she's basically processed her father's passing and has a better handle on herself emotionally than Edgeworth does (not a brag; most characters have higher EQ than Edgeworth); what she wants isn't necessarily closure for Byrne's death in the emotional sense but in the I-want-answers-to-this-mystery-that-will-restore-my-family's-honour sense. You could make the argument that Kay becoming the second Yatagarasu and shaping her entire future around continuing her father's work prove that she isn't over his death, but I don't think that's true and more of a result of conflating her with Maya a bit.

With Maya, becoming the Master isn't something she chooses; it's given to her by Misty and Mia. With Kay, it's the opposite. Kay's decision to become the Yatagarasu and pursue the truth is wholly her own, and her approach to that goal reflects that. While Maya uses her cheery, upbeat attitude to conceal a lot of self-doubt and vulnerability (and Franziska does the same with her hostility), Kay does not. Her cheerfulness is precisely who she is; it's not a mask so much as it is a distraction. It keeps people from looking at her too closely and realising exactly how capable she is, and, while I don't think it's fully intentional (again, she believes in living her life in a straightforward and upfront manner), she does imply that it's sort of her (or the Yatagarasu's) MO:

Kay: Well! By the time everyone notices, it's already gone! That's the Yatagarasu way!

Interestingly enough, this unintentional tactic of using humour and cheeriness as a distraction from her abilities makes her a mirror to Calisto Yew, who also uses her seemingly always light-hearted nature as a disguise for what she's actually capable of (Calisto's joviality is her true self, too, or at least as 'true' as she can get). The difference between them is that Calisto delights in ironically mocking the world around her, whereas Kay finds joy in life itself, and she's stronger for it.

The only part where we see Kay attempt to mask her feelings is when she's a child, and even then she admits that she feels better after crying, which, I believe, led to her becoming more open with her emotions later in life (see how her older self has a teary sprite which makes pretty frequent appearances where her younger self does not). In any case, to me, this shows that she has people in her life already who are helping, and have helped, her confront and process her trauma. She's not looking to Edgeworth to help her make sense of her father's death and she definitely isn't looking for a replacement (again, literally dedicated to continuing her father's [and Badd's] legacy). Whenever Edgeworth even gets close to becoming parental with her, she dismisses it, unless she acknowledges that she is in the wrong:

Edgeworth: ...Kay, it's not good for you to stay up late, you know.

Kay: Yes, gramps!

...

Edgeworth: ...I appreciate your sense of justice, however... I would appreciate it if you wouldn't go running into the heart of any more raging fires.

Kay: Nngh... Yes, Mr. Edgeworth... I'll try...

Despite her buoyancy and bright attitude, Kay is quite firm that she be treated as an adult (she doesn't see her cheeriness as a mark of youth; it's joie de vivre, it's who she is, and that's that), and, throughout the game, she gets annoyed when people don't respect that (her arguments with Lang are largely over how he calls Little Thief a toy and her crow-girl). She holds her own and relies on herself while being unafraid of asking for help.

Anyway, this post has gone on for long enough and I think I've addressed the points I wanted to. I should mention that I realise that a lot of how many people portray/interpret their relationship is validated by AAI2 but that's honestly a discussion for a separate post HAHA I feel like, when it comes to AAI, the father/daughter interpretation can maybe be argued with regards to the way Edgeworth treats her? Honestly, though, I think he'd treat any young lady who suddenly becomes part of his team/responsibility in pretty much the same way. And, like, he drops the ball almost every time he's supposed to give "fatherly" advice because he's just not that great with it/children!! It's actually hilarious HSKSDHSK

Either way, yeah! I just think Kay is actually given a lot less credit than she's due when the Dadworth card gets played and I just! Want better for her!!

#kay faraday #miles edgeworth #ace attorney investigations #EMBARRASSINGLY long post. i want to add that this isnt an attack on anyone who likes the dadworth dynamic!!! it's semi-supported by canon #and like. it's literally fandom wskdhdk do what makes you happy. i just feel like kay gets minimised a bit when it happens (including when #it's done in game) and i just want people to realise that she's not actually like that!! she's actually so smart and rly mature???#oh i want to add that i generally like both aai games i just prefer the first one. i know some people go for a sibling dynamic between them #rather than a father daughter one (which makes sense bc... they have 10 years between them hskddhk) but im an advocate for friendship being #just as important and valid as it would be if it did mimic a family relationship even if it didnt so that doesnt do much for me either #i just think she wants to be seen as an equal to him as any of his other partners would be #oh i didnt mention this in the post but i also feel like people mix her with ema a bit in the future versions of her?#like she becomes snarky and a little sarcastic (or suave/flirty in a roundabout manner if it's a ship post) when her whole thing is being #direct. she tells shih na to her face that 'those sunglasses dont do anything for her so she'll steal them next time' she's great #the snarky sarcasm thing is again ema. not maya or her but ema. and franziska #ok i need to shut up now im done thank u <3

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feynavaley · 2 years

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Hetalia Ficlet

I haven’t written in ages, then a funny accident sparked my inspiration. I hope you’ll enjoy!

———

Forgotten Item

Alfred sauntered along the sidewalk, whistling a cheerful melody under his breath. A cool, gentle breeze ruffled his hair and clothes, cooling down his skin from the kiss of the sun. At his sides, the two plastic bags than hung from his hands and bounced at every step, sometimes knocking against his legs, were a physical manifestation of his high spirits.

In those moments, Alfred loved progress – and, above all, technology. The enormous improvements they brought were undeniable and constantly in front of his eyes, inescapable: the smooth grey cement covering the street, fast cars running over it... Alfred remembered when that very street had been bare, alternating between a stretch of dried earth and slimy mud depending on the weather. Which was a big change, but there were also smaller things. For example, a mall three blocks from Alfred’s apartment had started running an online service that notified subscribers of new deals or products they offered. A ping of his phone had been what had led Alfred outside that morning, and presently, he was returning home with a supply of chips and candy that couldn’t easily be found in other stores and were also quite cheap on top of that. He has also taken advantage of the situation to shop for groceries and other items he needed, which meant he had the rest of the day free. The satisfaction felt good.

Everything was perfect... aside from a hint of alarm scratching at a corner in the back of his mind. A slight frown creased Alfred’s forehead. Usually, that feeling meant there was something he had forgotten... a quick mental list of everything he had bought, however, shed no light on the mystery. Alfred shrugged and decided to put it behind him – if it turned out he really needed something, he could always buy it later. Still, how odd.

By the time Alfred had reached his apartment, the unpleasant feeling had been relegated to a corner of his mind. He climbed the stairs two steps at a time, swinging the bag in his right hand in a wide arc in order to pass it to the left and have the right hand free to get the keys. Still whistling, he reached his landing – and stopped short as an unexpected sight filled his eyes.

A young man was huddled next to Alfred’s door, his skinny arms hugging his long legs to his chest and his chin resting on bony knees. In contrast with the slack, almost bored features of his pale face, a glimmer in his lilac eyes betrayed some strong emotions.

Time froze as Alfred stared at the unexpected apparition in confusion, unable to put the pieces together. For a moment, they both simply looked at each other.

Unwilling to talk for some reason, Matthew was gradually losing his struggle with keeping his face expressionless. The corners of his lips trembled, about to turn down in a disappointed frown.

Alfred diverted his eyes first.

“So, uh...”

A paper bag lay at Matthew’s feet, the lids of two paper coffee mugs sticking out.

The realization washed over Alfred like a cold shower. That was what had been nagging at him... Oh, he had forgotten something, all right. Only, not at the store. His eyes widening, he snapped back to his brother’s face.

“Oh, shit—”

“Should you really be the one saying this?” Matthew’s voice was colder than ice itself. Now that Alfred had realized what was going on, his previous composure melted away, leaving him almost trembling as his features contorted in frustration. “I hope you had a good walk, at least.”

***About two hours earlier***

Alfred woke up to a yelp followed by the thud of something heavy falling on the parquet. Groggily, he peeled his bleary eyes open.

How unusual for him to feel so dazed in the morning... even though it was quite early, the light filtering through his curtains was coloured by the pink hue of dawn. It was way too early to get up.

With a yawn, Alfred stretched on the mattress and turned in search of a more comfortable position in order to go back to sleep. As he was about to drift back into oblivion, another small thud reminded him why he had woken up in the first place. There was no feeling of urgency or lack of safety – still, checking might be better.

Sighing, Alfred peeled himself away from the bedsheets and trudged on to the living room, rubbing his eyes with his fist.

As he had suspected, Matthew was sprawled on the floor in front of the kitchen, his hands trying to untangle the lamp cord wrapped around his feet. He froze when he spotted Alfred.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you up, I just...” when words failed him, he gestured at the cord, his face the very picture of dejection.

“It’s fine. Give me a minute and I’ll be awake,” Alfred mumbled, trying to shake himself.

By the time he remembered to check whether Matthew needed a hand, his brother had finally managed to free himself and was back to his feet.

“I’m still sorry,” he said, his voice earnestly apologetic, “you must have gone to bed so late to be still this groggy... you were nice enough to put me up, and this is how I repay you.”

Alfred shrugged, his brain still too slow to come up with an appropriate answer. Fortunately, his brother perked up without needing his intervention.

“But, well, you know what? Since you’re awake, how about I go get something for breakfast while you get ready? My treat, of course.”

Well. Alfred didn’t think it was necessary, but he certainly wasn’t going to refuse some free food – especially if that free food consisted of some freshly-baked donuts such as the ones both he and Matthew liked.

“Sure, sounds good,” he yawned, stretching his arms behind his back.

Satisfied with his reaction, Matthew nodded and slipped on his shoes. Just as he opened the door, his confidence faltered for a moment.

“Oh, I forgot! My phone just died and I put it to charge, do you think you could answer if—”

“Of course, that’s fine,” Alfred answered automatically, waving off his brother without even registering what he had said. The apologetic tone had been enough – it was way too early to deal with Matthew’s peculiar brand of self-pity.

“Okay then. Thanks!”

With those words, Matthew was off.

Ten minutes and a coffee later, Alfred was finally fully awake, his attention engrossed by his own phone, which had started going off with an endless e-mail chain regarding some changes to the military expenses budget. The previous conversation had been forgotten, along with the fact he was waiting for the food Matthew would bring.

When Alfred received the notification from the mall, the entire notion his brother had spent the night at his place had slipped off his mind.

******

“—Can you imagine the embarrassment? You didn’t answer, I thought you might have had an accident... and when I went down to the porter to ask for some spare keys, he told me you had gone out! And he’s new so he doesn’t even know me, I must have looked so shady, I’m sure he thinks I’m some sort of wannabe criminal now...”

Sitting on the sofa at the opposite side of the coffee table, Alfred had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes.

“Come on, Matt, nobody would ever think that! You look like the nicest guy on earth.”

Matthew interrupted his nervous pacing to glare at him.

“Easy for you to say that! Just like it was easy to go for groceries and leave me locked out, I suppose?”

In spite of the bite of anger in his words, Matthew’s heart was no longer in it. Even his features were softer now, his eyes almost sorrowful. A deep, exhausted bitterness seeped from his voice.

In all honesty, Alfred would have preferred anger. Anger was easy to react to – anger didn’t make guilt simmer unpleasantly in his stomach.

“I already said I was sorry,” he defended himself, holding out his hands in a placatory manner. “I really didn’t mean to, I was still half-asleep when we talked so I forgot... it was just a mistake!”

“I had even gotten you breakfast!” Matthew burst out, pointing at the bag on the coffee table.

He didn’t acknowledge Alfred’s words, he was getting too worked up for that. Leaving him to work things out on his own would probably be for the best...

“Yeah, and it’s a nice breakfast,” Alfred declared as he rose to his feet, “which I’m going to eat now. Look, I am sorry, but what’s done is done. Wanna join me or keep sulking?”

Without waiting for Matthew’s reply, he grabbed the paper bag and moved to the kitchen. The donuts had gotten cold so he put them in the oven. One minute went by. Then two.

...Matthew still hadn’t reached him.

He really was upset, uh?

Privately, Alfred thought that his brother was exaggerating. He could admit that not waiting for him had been a mistake, that much was true... Even so, it wasn’t actually something that serious. Nothing more than a careless mistake due to the fact he hadn’t had enough sleep. Matthew being so hurt by it was highly irrational.

...But Matthew was hurt, and Alfred hated that he couldn’t swallow down the guilt scratching at his own insides.

(word count: 1,586)

#hetalia #hetalia fanfiction #aph america #aph canada #na brothers #feyna's writing #inspired by a real event #(that I just witnessed I wasn't personally involved)#this was supposed to be funny in my mind but it came out a bit angstier in the end #oh well #I hope I can still write haha #ficlet

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