video; Hakuba is not impressed by your fishbowl

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

Character: Saguru Hakuba
Fandom: Detective Conan/Magic Kaito
Player Name: Mel


[Hello Vatheon, have a soaking wet high school detective with a faintly irritable look in his face. He shoves damp bangs out of his eyes and addresses the network with as much dignity as he can currently muster up. Which is still quite a bit, considering the circumstances. He is British, after all.]

... I'm sorry, but the God of this place is a giant coral?

At least if it were a giant sea sponge it could do something about getting me dry.

[Hakuba unknots the tie around his neck and wrings it out before stuffing it in his pocket. He shrugs out of his suit jacket as well, and rolls up his sleeves.] This is quite possibly the most ridiculous kidnapping that I have ever been witness to. And that includes the one in Devon with the witch's coven.

Comments

[kid_in_disguise]

[ Just when he thought the situation couldn't possibly get any more complicated. Seriously, there ought to be law about how many things can possibly go wrong while stuck in a giant fishbowl under the sea. But then, he knew very good and well all things related to the ocean were evil. He should have expected this. ]

[ He checks to make sure his disguise is perfect before prowling right into the lion's den and offering the soaked detective a towel. ]

I'm afraid it's something you'll have to get used too.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Hakuba stares at Kaito blankly for a moment before accepting the towel from him and beginning to towel off his hair.]

Kuroba-kun, why am I not surprised to see you here? [He knows of Shinichi, but he's never met him in person so of course when he sees that face he's going to think of Kaito first, different hairstyle or not.]

[kid_in_disguise]

[ Kaito just offers a slightly confused look. Although Hakuba will never know how hard it is not to start laughing. ]

I think you might have me mistaken for some one else. I'm Kudo Shinichi.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[A long, quiet pause as Hakuba stares at Kid, considering. After a moment, he smiles apologetically at him. Though whether or not he actually believes Kid is anyone's guess.]

I apologize.

I've heard of you of course, but this is the first time I've ever seen you in person. You look quite a lot like a classmate of mine.

My name is Hakuba Saguru.

[kid_in_disguise]

[ During that silence, Kaito doesn't say a word and just nods politely at the introduction. ]

Yes, I believe Conan-kun's mentioned you before. Nice to meet you, Hakuba-san.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

Ah yes, your cousin, isn't he? Quite clever for his age.

[He tilts his head to the side and smiles wryly.] Quite clever for anyone's age.

[kid_in_disguise]

Yes, it runs in the family. Not to mention I've taught him a few things myself.

[ And he really doesn't want to talk too much about Conan since that backstory is depressingly under-developed. ] He should be around here somewhere.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Ahahaha, Hakuba's smile might be looking the tiniest bit strained right now. How lovely, Shinichi and Conan all in one enclosed space? What exactly had he done to deserve that?]

Yes, well, I suppose it does pay to start young.

[He has a sudden, awful, horrible thought.] His friend isn't around here too, is he? That excitable fellow from Osaka.

[kid_in_disguise]

Hattori?

[ Kaito just shakes his head. Personally glad of this because no way would Hattori-kun be able to keep his mouth shut. ]

No. Not last I checked.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Just. Breathing a big sigh of relief. Like he really needs to be stuck in the same place as both Shinichi Kudo and Shinichi Kudo's number one fan. He'd much rather kill himself, if it's all the same.]

Ah. Probably for the best, I'm afraid he and I don't exactly see eye to eye on a few things. [Read: Everything.]

[kid_in_disguise]

[ Interesting... Hattori Heiji has always struck Kaito as being most level and down to earth of the three detectives and easiest to get along with. ]

I.. see... well.. he can be a bit.. ill-tempered.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Inquisitive stare.] Do you really think so? He seems to think quite highly of you, Kudo-kun.

[kid_in_disguise]

Ah, he's a good friend of mine, though that hasn't blinded me to his faults.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Makes a small, vaguely agreeable sound in his throat.] I was curious to know... how exactly you two met. If you don't mind my asking, Kudo-kun.

[kid_in_disguise]

[ ....Oh. Oh Shit. He has no idea how Tantei-han and Tantei-kun met up. ]

How else would a detective meet another? A case.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Smiling in a misleadingly friendly manner.] Which case was that? I'm sure I've heard of it, it both of you were there.

I am interested in old case files, you see.

[And he has. Only, he also knows that by the first documented case of the two of them working together, Shinichi and Hattori were already acting quite familiar with each other. Which is... curious.]

[kid_in_disguise]

[ Note to self: consult Conan about the cases he's worked on with Hattori. Wait a minute-! ]

I'm afraid it won't do you much good, here lately I've asked the police to leave my involvement out. So there would be no record of me involved at the case, unless you just want the case details.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Playing innocent.] Really? Why is that? I seem to recall that once you couldn't open the paper without seeing your picture.

[kid_in_disguise]

[ ..you're doing this on purpose aren't you? ]

I'm afraid that must remain confidential.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Yes. Yes he is. Hakuba arrows his eyes thoughtfully.] If it's confidential that means you're either on the run from someone or working undercover for something.

And considering your near celebrity status preceding your odd about of radio silence, Kudo-kun, I'm afraid that an undercover role would be quite impossible for you.

[kid_in_disguise]

Then please respect that I wish to keep the case confidential.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

Of course, Kudo-kun. I apologize, but as a fellow detective you must understand that it is sometimes difficult for me to, ah, "mind my own business".

[He doesn't meeeeaaaaaaaan it.]

[kid_in_disguise]

No worries, I've hidden everything that might reveal even the tiniest details away.

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Y-you do realize that's just like waving a red flag in front of a bull, right Kid?]

... understood. [Translation: Challenge Accepted.]

[oneechan]

Hakuba-san! [Ran runs toward the fountain. She's seen many a person enter that way--and she, too, was one of them at a time--but never anyone she recognized!]

Did you just get here?! [Duh. Obviously.] Just in time, too! There was a murder!

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Still dripping quite profusely, Hakuba delicately makes sure that as Ran rushes him, he doesn't get her wet as well. He gives her a friendly smile, even if the edges do look a bit strained.]

Mouri-san, it's nice to see you again, even under the circumstances.

Ah, a murder, you say?

[oneechan]

Yes. [She has a worried frown on her face as she looks off to the corner.] It was horrible--decapitation and...so much blood...

[She pauses for a moment, as though dedicating a moment of silence to the victim, though she never knew them...She then looked to Hakuba, quickly being sure to offer him a welcoming smile.] Ah! But now you're here! I bet Shinichi would love to have your help solving the case! [Light chuckle.] With the both of you here, it's only a matter of time, right?

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

Well then, I suppose you had better show me where this body is, Mouri-san.

[He pauses as the rest of what Ran said seems to register, the faintest taint of surprise on his face.] Shinichi? Shinichi Kudo? Is he here as well, then?

[oneechan]

[Ran wrings her hands slowly.] Well, you see...I think it's already been cleaned up...it was a little over a week ago...

[Ran feels a bit of pride swell in her chest. Even a skilled detective like Hakuba-san was impressed by Shinichi.] He sure is! He just arrived a while ago! Conan-kun is here, too. But he's been asleep for a bit...

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

[Less impressed, more... interested in knowing what he's been getting up to lately, Ran. He nods in acknowledgement of her mention of Conan but doesn't quite understand what she might mean by "asleep" at this point.] A week ago... and has the scene of the crime been disturbed since?

[oneechan]

Not that I know of. It's just been cleaned up--that's pretty disturbed enough, isn't it?

[She frowns thoughtfully.] And then these letters showed up--calling it some 'April Fool's Joke'...

[keepcalmandcatchkid]

April Fools... [Slight consternation.] Could you tell me precisely what happened?