Catch-All for Fourth Wall.... And Other Things

[spoilsfun]

Characters: Conan Edogawa and You
Date: Feb 18 to March 11
Location: Various locations
Situation: Fourth Wall
Warnings/Rating: Probably none


1: Not-221B

Conan was putting a lot of effort into avoiding his housemates as much as possible. After the events of the last month, he had very little interest in being cornered into talking about everything that had happened. He'd show up for meals and at night, but for the most part he spent as much time as possible outside of the apartment.

He needed time. Time to figure out how he felt about all the new revelations.

2. Central District
Conan spent a lot of time skateboarding around the district, sometimes stopping to practice soccer or to get something to drink at one of the restaurants. He watched for trouble, as always, but for once things seemed to be quiet. Perhaps it was because of the strangely large number of new arrivals.

3. Library
At the library, Conan happily found a chair and buried himself behind stacks of books. Between the on-going study of the kedan languages and the numerous question he was investigating about this place, he had more than enough to occupy himself for hours.

4. KPD
Even though he was mostly certain that the work he had been assigned at the police department was meant to keep him busy and out of trouble, Conan still made a point of stepping in every day. Sometimes there was something interesting for him to work on. On occasion he stops in to see some of the different officers he was slowly getting acquainted with.

Comments

Central District

[wizard_redfive]

One of those new arrivals has been watching Conan intently from across the street. Dairine recognized the young detective almost immediately as the same one she had met in Paradisa. However, she wasn't sure if he would remember her. After all, memories of the castle often vanished when a person returned home. This left her in quite a pickle. She wanted nothing more than to run over and give him a big bear hug. But if he didn't know her now... Well, for starters it would be an extremely awkward introduction.

Of course, Dairine was pretty sure this would be awkward no matter what she did. At least on her end.

At first Dairine sticks to keeping an eye on him from a distance. She skirts a bit closer once he enters a local restaurant, trying to act as casual as possible. Perhaps by the time he's done she'll be able to think of a good plan. When he exits, Dairine decides it is now or never.

"Hey, excuse me!" she calls out and trots over towards him.

Library

[blacksheeps]

Books. Books! B o o k s.

Chappie had the internet, sure, but there was something about a book that made him happy. So when he'd heard that Keeliai had a whole building full of books, he'd jumped for joy. Literally.

But there was a catch. The robot was running his finger along the spines of some of the books, frustrated that he couldn't read them. "'xcuse me," he said to the boy, who was reading quite a few books, "Do you know if they have Black Sheep and Little Bird? I want to read it."

Re: Library

[spoilsfun]

A robot? Looking for what sounded like a children's book? Well, Conan couldn't say it was the oddest thing he'd seen here.

"I don't think I've seen one by that name around." Conan takes a second look at him, taking in the name of the book he was looking for and combined it with his body language."

"Are you looking for the children's books here?"

[spoilsfun]

"So you finally decided to come out." He looks distinctly unimpressed. "What do you want with me?"

KPD

[didntfall]

Takagi entered the KPD building with trepidation. He hadn't wandered lost into a police station since he was a small child, but suddenly finding himself in an entirely different town with no way of calling anyone he knew had brought the old standby from childhood back. Stepping inside, he calmed somewhat. This was familiar territory...even if the office itself was unfamiliar.

He stood waiting patiently for someone to assist him, constantly looking around with some worry.

[spoilsfun]

It had been many, many months since Conan had seen anyone he recognized from home. Not since just after arriving on the turtle, in fact.

The last thing he had expected was to see someone from home just standing in the waiting room.

"Takagi-keiji? When did you get here?"

[didntfall]

The familiar voice prompted Takagi to swing his gaze downward in surprise.

"Conan-kun?!" he asked, startled, even as that little bit of cynicism in him snidely remarked that of course Conan would be around here somewhere. Ignoring it, he crouched down, hands on his knees, to be at eye level. "I ended up here about an hour ago. I don't know how though."

And it was that part in particular that was making him feel a little twitchy. In the year he'd been on the force for the Tokyo MPD, he'd been knocked out and kidnapped far too many times for comfort.

"When did you get here?"

[spoilsfun]

"Almost eight months ago," he says promptly. "People here say that time can be a bit complicated, getting here."

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine stops in her tracks and looks puzzled for a moment.

"Come out? Wha-?" Until it clicks that he must have noticed her following him. It wasn't like she bothered hiding. Which naturally would looks suspicious to someone who deals with as much crime as Conan.

So much for avoiding awkwardness. And sadly his response doesn't really give her much of a clue whether he recognizes her or not.

"Dude, it's nothing sinister, geez," she mutters, waving her hand to the side. "You're not native to this place, are you? How long have you been here?"

1

[redorchid]

This place is dizzying.

She's not sure what she's doing here in the first place. She could swear that she'd gone to sleep in her own bed, that she'd fallen asleep trying to remember theorems for a test the next day. But she's been wandering around what seems to be a market for some time now, dressed in everyday clothes, with absolutely no memory of how she got here.

That man over there - did he have scales? And that woman over there - was that a third eye? Ran tries desperately to back away from the strangeness, but finds it all around her, as though she's been tossed into some kind of Halloween party or set for a science fiction movie. At the sight of a man? woman? slithering across the street without any legs at all, she backs away (half-stumbles backward) into the nearest alley.

Her hands are shaking a little as she fumbles for her cell phone, sliding down into a crouch against the wall. She doesn't know who she'll call, but it feels like she has to call someone. Her arm is already bright red and a little bruised from where she's pinched it, and she hasn't woken up yet.

[spoilsfun]

Conan was more than bored enough to take interest in the slightest incident. Noticing someone vanishing into an alley just ahead, he was just curious enough to hop off his skateboard to investigate. It only takes one glance to recognize the girl crouching against the wall. In his shock, his skateboard falls out of his hands with a clatter.

"Ran? Ran-neechan? When did you get here?"

[redorchid]

Her eyes dart up at the name and the familiar voice.

"C-Conan-kun?"

Is he in this dream-that-may-not-be-a-dream too?

Temporarily the phone is limp her hand. "How--?"

[spoilsfun]

He hurries over to her, leaving his skateboard where it had fallen.

"It's okay, Ran-neechan. I've been here a while, and it isn't as scary as it looks."

[spoilsfun]

"Do you often stalk the people you want information out of?"

He was so suspicious right now.

[redorchid]

"You've been here?" She still doesn't sound like she's quite absorbing the words -- or at the very least, there's a strong undercurrent of uncertain anxiety. Cell phone dropping to her lap, both hands reach out to grasp one of his. He's warm and solid, and that's reassuring. Her fingers steady a little, and her eyes don't look quite so wild.

"Where are we? This isn't home."

[spoilsfun]

"No it isn't. We're not even in Japan any more. This is a city named Keeliai. People just find their way here sometimes."

He decides not to mention the part about the turtle just yet. Letting her hold his hand, he tries to project as much confidence as possible.

"I've been here for almost eight months now."

[wizard_redfive]

An offended expression crosses Dairine's face. Seriously? Seriously?! Did he have to be so obsessively paranoid at this exact time?? This was already going to be difficult enough.

"I wasn't trying to stalk – just keeping an eye out for someone who could help me!"

Which was true. Dairine knew that Conan, being the observant detective, would probably have noticed a great deal about this place. Of course, that was hardly the only reason she wanted to talk to him specifically.

"You see, I just arrived today. My name's Dairine Callahan."

[redorchid]

"Eight months?"

That's not reassuring in itself. The idea that this isn't even Japan isn't either - though given the people around, it's not a complete surprise, either.

Breathing out, still holding on she sinks to the ground fully. She's definitely a little less wild, but not much less overwhelmed.

"I was just... I was home in bed. I woke up and I was here."

She's looking at him a little desperately, as though she hopes he can explain that.

[spoilsfun]

"That's how I came here too. I was just on the way home from school, and then I was here."

There was no good way to explain any of this.

[redorchid]

"But... you're home. At home. You went to bed too not long before me. I said good night."

All right, there's that anxiety creeping back in again. Her fingers tighten on his, her eyes squeezing shut.

"I tried to wake up. But I couldn't."

[spoilsfun]

"This isn't a dream Ran-neechan. I still don't really understand how it works, but it seems like time can be strange here, between what we remember at home and what we experience here."

And oh, it hurt to see how upset she was.

[redorchid]

She breathes quietly, eyes not yet opening.

Softly, "Dad's going to worry . . ."

[spoilsfun]

He showed no sign or recognition at the name.

"You could have just gone to the Welcome Center, you know. That's what it's there for."

[spoilsfun]

"That's the time thing again. He probably won't notice you are gone, just like you didn't notice I was gone."

Whatever little comfort that was.

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine's heart sinks like a stone at the lack of response. Yet she tries not to let it show.

"I already have. But I want to know more. That's why I'm looking for visitors who have been here a while."