Case 001: Surviving a Fall

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[When Sherlock Holmes hits the ground, he is in a great deal more pain than he expected, considering where he was supposed to land. He groans loudly.]

Ow! I think I missed...

[He slowly and carefully rolls himself over to his back and cautiously opens his eyes. No John to talk to and no skull either, talking to himself will have to do.]

Oh, oh... Is this death? Did I die? Oh, how disappointing. To make it that far and loose in the end. Perhaps Moriarty is right. Perhaps I am an angel.

[Then he realizes that the metallic smell and taste to the air wasn't blood. He sits up slowly, then checks himself over.]

Okay, not bleeding, that's a good start. Doesn't feel like anything's broken.

[He blinks a few times and looks around him again, he doesn't quite believe what he's seeing.  He looks around him completely bewildered, taking in the sight around him.]

John was right. I shouldn't have deleted all that information about the universe.

[He slowly and carefully gets to his feet, checking to ensure his legs will support his weight, when a memory stirs.]

Oh! That shop that had appeared in Bart's! Something about my being chosen...

[He shoves his hands in his coat pockets and winces as he realizes he doesn't have his mobile. He looks around again and calls out.]

Hello?! Anyone about?

Comments

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock might be amused. He's suddenly not bored.]

Are you young, or simply short? Because that's very observant for someone who looks as young as you.

[holmes_fanatic]

[...

Conan's been called on his persona a lot frequently -- but not this quickly (and seldom as directly). He's startled -- and despite all his better instincts, impressed.

This -- who is this guy?]

Ah -- that's a compliment, right? But I wouldn't say observant -- I'm just getting used to how this place works ...

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

You noticed our clothes being from a similar time period. Men's clothes change more slowly over time. So for someone as young as you look, I say that's observant.

[Yes it's a compliment, but he's not going to tell Conan that.]

[holmes_fanatic]

I guess Mouri-ojichan'll be happy to hear his training's paying off!

((deliberately using the Japanese honorific because from it Sherlock can infer that 1. Mouri is older than Conan, but not old enough to be a granddad. 2. That Conan's familiar enough with him to give him the affectionate/familiar 'chan' suffix and 3. Conan is not actually related to him. 4. Conan is/is trying to appear a polite Japanese child.))

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

And what sort of training is your mentor offering?

[Could be uncle, but something in the child's tone tells Sherlock he's simply being respectful. Sherlock doesn't know any Japanese. He's piecing things together more from the child's tone of voice.]



{{Thanks for the info. Googling, I would have gone with uncle, so that's helpful XD}}

[holmes_fanatic]

Ah -- well, while I'm living with him, he's been taking me on his cases! He didn't want to at first, but I've got a habit of noticing things that have turned out to be useful later so he said he might as well teach me if only to stop me asking so many questions ...

((no worries! I am a bit of a Japanese language geek.))

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock cocks his head thoughtfully at that.]

How old are you?

[holmes_fanatic]

I'm seven, Mister ...

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

That is the number of years since your birth. How old are you?

[He taps the side of his head to show what he means.]

[holmes_fanatic]

[This is the strangest feeling. Every move he's made has been neatly, deftly blocked. It's not a sensation that Conan is used to -- and his mind is racing.

The man is clearly an expert reasoner. Doesn't feel the need to disguise it or hide his intelligence -- which means it's unlikely he's one of them. But that still leaves so many options, and Conan's recent experience working with the Doctor and an MIB representative don't help him narrow the field in further. The only thing he's sure of is that this isn't a man who is used to working in covert ops.]

Who are you?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[And Sherlock is going to push some buttons, just to see if Conan cottons on.]

Sir.

[holmes_fanatic]

[Not the answer he was expecting.]

Who are you, sir?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

That's better.

[He winks, to try to lighten the mood again. It probably looks more scary than anything.]

I am Mr. Holmes. And you?

[holmes_fanatic]

[That is one formidable wink and if Sherlock's questioning technique hadn't already identified him as someone for whom children are a theory rather than a reality, the wink would have given it away.

Conan notes it purely on reflex. He's more concerned with the answer he got.]

Mr ... Sherlock Holmes?

[There's no way. Just no way.

But if it is--]

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

You know of me? Read my website, then?

[He might look very pleased with himself right now.]

[holmes_fanatic]

[Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes.]

Are you really -- no, don't answer that. You've already proved that.

[This was -- Holmes had been his idol almost as long as he could remember. Being a real life Sherlock had always been his goal. He'd learnt the violin in imitation of him, trained himself in observation and deduction. Of course he'd wondered what it would be like to meet him, what Conan Doyle's creation would make of the modern world. But this--

This was--

He could worry about how it was possible later. For now, Conan was going to enjoy this once in a lifetime chance to talk to his hero.]

In my universe you're widely acknowledged as the greatest detective in the world. But I haven't read your website, and you didn't recognise Mouri-ojichan's name, so I'm guessing we're not from the same universe. I --

You came here in the middle of a case?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

I...

[He brakes off as he thinks about was he was in the middle of when he arrived here.]

No... the end of it.

[Well, near enough. But never mind that. He grins.]

Greatest detective in the world? John would take all the credit.

[That blasted website of his.]

[holmes_fanatic]

His writing might have made you famous, but its Holmes's own acheivements that have earned him his title!

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

And all it took was one man and twenty-four hours to destroy it all.

[That was the hardest part: telling John that he was a fake.]

[holmes_fanatic]

Destroy it?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[Sherlock nods.]

Clearly. I die in disgrace, which is what the newspapers said.

[holmes_fanatic]

But that's not what really happened, is it?

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

[He looks down at the child.]

I don't know yet. It was in the middle of that, that I was brought here.

[He pauses.]

You still haven't answered my question. You were born seven years ago, but how old are you?

[holmes_fanatic]

Ah.

[It's so tempting to ask about 'that' -- but does he have the right? Conan wavers -- and as he does, Sherlock turns the conversation back onto him.]

I --

[Coming to an abrupt decision, Conan smiles. It's wry and definitely not a seven-year-old smile.] Given it's Holmes, there's no point denying it! But I also can't answer. You'll understand when I say it's not just my secret and that it's a situation with a lot at stake.

[highfunctioning_sociopath]

You continue to refer to me in the third person... Interesting.

[He looks around them.]

And who do you think I'm going to tell?

[It's not like he has friends.]