[003]

[grip_on_reality]

[when Menzies arrives on the Plane this time, she looks nothing like the calm investigator that she did the last. she's still dressed in a suit for work, but she's visibly frazzled. she's also wearing black gloves, although she doesn't have a coat on, nor is she showing any other indication that she's recently been outside]

Great. If this is somebody's idea of a cosmic joke? It's not funny. [she sighs] It's not even properly ironic!

[putting her left hand to her forehead in exasperation, she mumbles to herself:] Where the hell can I even go where I won't run into anyone? And how far is far enough?

[ooc: Menzies is now suffering the effects of the candy! She currently causes bad luck for those who get near her--and particularly anyone who touches her. Feel free to have any minor misfortunes befall your characters in her presence that you'd like (slips, falls, saying or doing something they didn't mean to; whatever you want!), or we can assume they're far enough apart that nothing goes wrong. Also, if you want anything more major to happen, please just give me a head's up through e-mail/AIM/plurk first]

Comments

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

[Conan's in his elementary school uniform, backpack on, going tiptoe to post a couple of warning notes -- after his experience with the armed teenager, he's made up his mind to warm the children he's met on the Plane.

He's surprised to see Menzies although relieved that she's still in one piece.]

Inspector Menzies!

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies stares at him. of all the people!] Stay back, would you!?

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

[Conan holds up both hands in a 'relax' gesture.]

I'm staying back! I just came by to send some letters.

[grip_on_reality]

[she wishes that was comforting... the last thing she wants to do is hurt a kid]

Did something else happen?

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

No, I just remembered something the boy with the gun said. He didn't say he was waiting for me-- his words were 'someone like you.' I'm worried he meant the other children.

I can tell Haibara to stay home, but the other kids ...

[grip_on_reality]

[...oh god]

What are you telling them? And how many do you know about?

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

I told Hiccup and Mu not to come here, or if they have to, to bring a friend. That's -- ah. Hang on.

[His school bag doesn't seem to have to been secured properly, its contents suddenly spilling out.]

[grip_on_reality]

[she sighs, rolling her eyes] You might want to take a few steps back. [at least that wasn't anything serious]

If you can, contact Tsuna. Riku should at least be able to take care of himself.

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

[Conan pauses in scooping up his recorder and work books.]

Tsuna?

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods] He's a kid I met here--short, messy brown hair. Said he had a friend named Dino. If you're warning kids away, warn him.

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

Okay. I'll try that.

[And instead of picking up his notebook, Conan's going to rip a page out of it and start on that letter.]

Dear Tsuna who is a friend of Inspector Menzie,

Something bad's happening on the Plane and she thinks it's a good idea you know so you can avoid it. Please stay away from the Plane or if you have to come here, bring a friend and be very careful.

... do you think that's okay?

[grip_on_reality]

[she nods] Yeah, should get his attention, at least. Cheers.

Hey, ah, if you don't mind staying for a minute... Have you thought about the fact that most people don't know they're making something happen that they're afraid of?

[and why that would be. it has to be designed for them to find out eventually, doesn't it?]

[holmes-fanatic.livejournal.com]

[Conan finished the letter folding it up and writing 'Tsuna who is a friend of Menzies' on it.]

Ah. In many ways -- you're the exception.

[darkercalling]

[Riku happens to be nearby. He hears her voice, but not anything she's said. When he looks over, though... clearly something's bothering her. He starts her way.]

Inspector?

[grip_on_reality]

[her first thought is to wonder why people on the Plane keep calling her that--but that's really not important right now]

[sharply] Stop right there. Don't come any closer. [dryly] Seems like I'm in the middle of one of those famous "experiments."

[darkercalling]

[It was that, or a 50/50 shot at calling her the right name. He figured he'd go with the title. Well, part of it.

He stops, blinks... and at the explanation, he actually sighs.]

An experiment, huh? What happens if I get too close, then?

[grip_on_reality]

Let's just say, if you don't believe in Sod's Law now? You will do.

'ave you met any of the people who've suddenly decided the Plane needs a makeover?

[darkercalling]

Sod's Law? [Headtilt]

Yeah. can't say I agree with their visions, either. [He crosses his arms.] Is this all an experiment? [And the unspoken question: "Am I next...?"]

[grip_on_reality]

Bad luck? Anything bad that can happen will happen? [and she's watching you, Riku, to make sure you keep your distance]

[she snorts] I'd hope not.

What else would you call it? Unless you've got a better idea of what's going on? [and if you do, she's all ears]

[darkercalling]

That's a law? [He smirks a bit.] I should have known.

[He shakes his head.] That's the best explanation yet. Though, I can't decide if I like that better or worse than the thought of everyone deciding this on their own.

[grip_on_reality]

[sarcastically] Oh yeah, we put things like that on the books all the time. It's always good to have laws for events with no perpetrators and no way of policing them.

[she scoffs] You know, somehow I have a feeling they "decided" to go madly destructive about as much as I decided to start giving off bad luck. Only problem is, I don't know what did start it--or how they're choosing the people who get affected.

[darkercalling]

[Just as sarcastically] Well, I guess if you're keeping the universe safe from random happenings, no one can complain.

A single experiment, that makes some people set things on fire and makes others give off bad luck? Why not pick one or the other? And as for who gets affected... it could be random. It wouldn't surprise me. [He quirks an eyebrow.] Unless you want to ask the pyromaniacs if they did anything different lately?

[grip_on_reality]

[she grins, amused. clever kid] Sounds about right.

Ah, no. I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you. But I spoke to kid--Conan--and he had some ideas about why we're all different. It could be that something's making things that people are afraid of happen--like magic being destructive. And fire? Well, I could see why somebody'd be afraid of that.

[not to mention her own fear of causing harm to the people she's meant to protect]

[darkercalling]

[If that's the case, he can guess Menzie's fear well enough. He also doesn't even have to wonder what would happen to him. He just hopes that he gets spared, for everyone's sake. Besides, it's not like Sora's awake right now to help him, if that should even happen...

He shakes his head, pulling himself out of his own thoughts. No sense dwelling on it, better to just fix this. Somehow.]

That sounds more like something this place would do. So is this one of the ones that wears off in time, or do we have to take more drastic measures?

[grip_on_reality]

I had a feeling it would be. [but she gives him a flat look at that suggestion. he's impulsive, too, isn't he?] I don't know what sort of "drastic measures" you've got in mind--[and she's not sure she wants to, at that]--but think about it. If this place is going to all this trouble to make fears come true, why bother when most of the victims don't even know their fears are coming true?

[why bother--unless they're going to snap out of it after a bit and find out?]