maskormenacelogs

Entry tags:

† kaito kuroba | kaitou kid

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WHO: Conan Edogawa and anyone
WHERE: Various places throughout Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Feb 10
WHAT: Conan arrives in Maurtia Falls and starts making plans.
WARNINGS: Probably none.

a. Maurtia Falls 005:

Conan spent his first few hours in Maurtia Falls panicking very, very quietly and sneakily checking to see if the two strangers he'd been assigned for housemates happened to have any black trenchcoats in the coat closet.

After all, it was only paranoia when you didn't have an international criminal syndicate to worry about. Given his situation, he had not been pleased to discover that the government here had a file somewhere with his real name printed in it. Even if he had been willing to trust a government that had apparently kidnapped him over such a dubious thing as superpowers, the very existence of such a file was dangerous.

But Conan never had been willing to let his completely justified worries interfere for long. It doesn't take him long to settle down with all the documents he'd been given at his arrival and analyze them with an eye for picking out every inconsistency and vague wording. From there he moves on to examining the network. He spends a few hours reading through weeks of posts. Not commenting on anything. Not yet. But analyzing the what was said and more importantly what was unsaid. Along the way he carefully notes some familiar faces.

If he must deal with this situation, Conan refused to do it without being prepared.

b. Exploring Maurtia Falls:

Finally satisfied that he'd learned all he could from the network and the documents, Conan heads out into the town of Maurtia Falls. There were some things here that he needed to see for himself.

Unfortunately he'd severely underestimated one thing. The difficulty of being a unaccompanied seven-year-old in a city filled with busybody adults. Conan sighs as he carefully tries to explain why there really wasn't a problem at all and of course his parents knew where he was. For the fifth time.

As he speaks he idly glances around the crowded street, hoping for a distraction before someone tried to ask for his entirely fictional parents phone number.

c. Checking up on an old friend:

Conan carefully checks the address one more time, and then eyes the door in front of him. He spots the doorbell and grumbles a little at the height. Standing up on his toes and stretching as high as he can reach, he just barely manages to press it.

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Max wasn't one to stay in one place for long. While he liked to portal hop to explore the country to satisfy his wanderlust, sometimes the ImPort Cities were just... easier. Maybe that's how the government wanted it to feel.

There was a bit of a commotion off to the side as Max strolled down the sidewalk, and he glanced over, seeing a small kid getting harassed by adults. He wasn't sure if the kid was supposed to be out on his own, but the least he could do was help him get a little breathing room.

Taking a moment to compose a decently frustrated demeanor, Max makes his way through the crowd and motions to Conan. "There you are. Your mom and dad have been looking all over for you!" He finally stops right in front of Conan, crouching down to his level. He winks and whispers, "Just play along, okay?"

Conan had no idea who this kid was, but a distraction like this was just what he needed. With practiced ease he slips into the act and plays along. Taking a few steps closer to the kid, he looks up at the adults with his best impression of a lost and upset child.

"I've been looking all over for them too! It was really scary!"

He turns and looks at the kid. "Can we go find them right now?"

"Yeah, I'll take you right to them, Kiddo." He turned to the crowd, gently waving them away. "Move along, guys, nothing to see here. Give him some air."

As they start to disperse, Max offers his hand, noting how well the kid slipped into the deception. That, or he actually believed Max?

...boy, this was gonna get awkward fast if it was the second one.

As the crowd clears away, Conan relaxes his expression as he stuffs his hands into his pockets. He makes no move to take Max's hand.

"Thanks for the help," he says in a rather business-like way. "I was betting tired of trying to talk my way out of that."

The shift in demeanor tells Max everything he needs to know. He relaxes, too, withdrawing his hand and crossing his arms in amusement.

"So, how are you holding up here? Since I've never seen you before, I figure you're a new arrival." Besides, someone would have mentioned the kidnergartener getting caught up in the war, right?

"I just got here this morning." He pauses, considering his words carefully. "It's been really confusing so far!"

The shift between childlike to all-business and back to childlike? Sure, Max'll indulge it, but he can already tell there's way more to this kid than meets the eye. But that's always been his own strategy, too; Use his youth to catch his enemies off-guard. WHo is he to blow this kid's cover, too?

"I'll bet it has been," Max answers with a wink. "Anything you need my help with? I'm not exactly a seasoned vet, but I've been here a few months already."

"Could you tell me about what has been happening around here recently? I've been trying to ask around, but I don't really know anyone around here yet."

He'd figured out that Hattori and possibly Kid were both here, but he hadn't gotten around to contacting them yet. And from what little he had learned from watching the network, Conan had figured out that he needed to gather as many different points of view on the situation as possible.

And, Max figured, not a lot of people would be willing to tell such a small kid about the truth of the situation. He decided not to sugar coat it, but at the same time, didn't want to bum the kid out with too many details.

"Well, uh... you just stumbled into a Cold War that seems to be slowly warming up." Max frowned, crossing his arms, looking thoughtful. "And we — the ImPorts — are apparently right in the middle of it."

"About that. Is it actually the cold war? Or is it just named after it?"

Because that was one of the many things Conan was having a hard time believing.

"I'll put it this way," Max muses, putting a hand to his chin in thought. "Did a little research and as far as I can tell, the Berlin Wall is still standing."

"Has anyone here seen it? It isn't hard to manipulate photographs."

"I'm sure someone has," Max mutters, rubbing his chin in thought. "But they're pretty strict about who comes and goes, so I sure haven't."

There was no way for Kaito not to have recognized that face. Even if the teenage version was almost his twin, the compact version was just as well known to him, if not more so. He had no idea, however, that the little Tantei-kun was back in town. Made his comments to Hattori all the more amusing, he thought, especially when they had discussed Kudo being missing.

How ironic that said missing detective would show back up again.

Judging how the little detective had been acting, he surmised that he was once again here alone, with no Ran-neechan in sight. As much as that thought was tempting, he didn't want a repeat of last time, he's pretty sure Tantei-kun would figure him out in mere minutes this time around. Instead, he hung back, taking refuse in being able to use his powers (especially since he couldn't in that dingy, disgusting- not now, Kaito, his mind told him, you have other things to worry about), and watched, waiting for the right moment to accidentally slip the small child a note - a riddle - which, if Conan solved it, instructed him to meet on a rooftop in the city that night.

Kaito signed it with KID's signature doodle, because he knew, more then anything, that would get the detective's attention.

Which was why, several hours later, KID was standing on said rooftop, cape billowing in the wind, white casting an imposing figure against the dark sky, waiting for his guest to arrive. He knew it was only a matter of time.

Oh, it got his attention alright. When Conan finds the note in his pocket he recognizes the doodle immediately. (He knows better than to wonder how Kid had managed to slip the note to him.)

It doesn't take him much longer to figure out the riddle. It was not one of Kid's more complicated riddles.

He arrives right on time that night. As Conan pushes the door to the rooftop open and steps out, he takes a moment to be exasperated at Kid's dramatic presentation.

"Somehow I can't find myself surprised that you are here as well."

KID sends a customary grin over his shoulder at the detective. As if Tantei-kun can say anything about dramatic presentation. He's heard stories and seen news reports of Kudo Shinichi, the Great Detective of the East. He's seen how big!you operates, detective.

He steps away from the ledge of the roof, footfalls silent as he walks across the roof towards his rival. "We do seem to find each other when we're both pulled into these sorts of messes, aren't we?" He levels his gaze at the other. "Unlike you or Tantei-han, I haven't left."

Conan shoves his hands in his pockets as he neutrally watches Kid approach.

"Hattori filled me on some of the background here." It went without saying that some of the things he had learned he only believed in because it had been Hattori.

"He didn't have much to say about what you've been up to."

"Did he tell you about what had happened recently to some of the imPorts?" His head tilted in a curious manner, poker face still firmly in place. KID wasn't sure just how much Hattori let slip to the smaller detective regarding his own unfortunate roll in that.

And honestly, other then that, he really hadn't been up to much, especially worth Hattori mentioning. Most of what he had been doing was with his civilian persona over his nighttime one, not that he was about to tell Tantei-kun that.

"I managed to get the summary." Some from Hattori, and some from his other investigations. At this point Conan had a good general idea of what was going on, and he was absolutely certain that it would take a few more days of investigation before he was satisfied.

As far as the basic facts here went, that is.

"The summary can mean much more then just the basics when it comes to you, Tantei-kun." KID knew that the detective was digging for information. "Especially if you spoke to Hattori."

Because he knew that Heiji was aware of the fact that he had been among the missing. Kaito hadn't really wanted to talk about it, since his way of dealing with unpleasant things (or anything, really, let's be honest here) was to bottle it all up behind his Poker Face and just get on with life. Because no matter what happened, he could never forget his Poker Face.

"What did he tell you?"

"Enough for concern."

Conan kept his reply short and vague. As Kid should know, Conan preferred to keep the extent of his knowledge on any topic a secret until the moment he chose to reveal it.

KID's face was a careful blank mask even as he stared down at Conan. "Tantei-kun, while normally I wouldn't mind bantering with you, this isn't one of those. How much did he tell you, so I don't have to rehash things you already know?"

Conan frowns as he takes in Kid's expression and tone. To most people it might not mean anything, but he had had enough dealings with Kid to know that something was off. He'd never showed this much of a reaction before. Not in any of the disasters they'd encountered before.

"I'm starting to think that I missed some important details. All I know is that a large number of people were imprisoned by the Russians, and that you were involved."

KID would probably be amused if he knew that his sudden lack of reaction is what tipped Conan off about something being wrong. "Then he didn't inform you as to the type of imprisonment that they suffered."

Yes, they. Because Kaitou KID didn't experience that, Kuroba Kaito did and he wasn't Kaito right now, was he?

"About how they were left in a cramped room, with nothing more then mere buckets to serve as their bathroom."

Conan's expression darkens.

"No, this is the first I've heard about this part of it."

And he was really unhappy about that. Both the news, and the fact that no one else had bothered to mention it.

Edited 2016-03-04 01:39 (UTC)

There is probably something telling in the fact that KID doesn't react to that, other then being silent for a long moment, regarding the small detective in front of him.

"I know several people who were held." Himself included, not that he's about tell the other that. "It was not a pleasant experience, Meitantei. From what I've heard, it's not one that I would wish even on the most nefarious criminals."

"Were the people responsible arrested?"

In lieu of actually showing concern, this was the best he could do.

"Some were, yes." KID answered, after a long moment. "They captured LACKEY as well, the program that had hijacked the imPorter. After that, the Imports were brought home and well," here he raises his arms, spreading them out, the palms of his hands up, "here we all."

There's a single bark from inside at the sound of the bell and then quick, familiar footsteps.

It's probably a measure of how used he is to being around Conan that his eyes immediately drop to child height the moment he opens the door. Heiji freezes, staring in surprise at him. He's been back a month, and he honestly hadn't expected to just open the door and see Kudo standing there.

It's the large elkhound peeking shyly around Heiji's legs that pulls him out of it. A soft, pointed 'woof' makes him shake his head and grin. "Well aren't ya a sight for sore eyes. It's about time." He steps back to let Conan inside.

Conan raises an eyebrow at both the dog and Hattori's obvious surprise as he steps inside.

"You say that like you've been waiting for me to show up."

Does he...not know how this all works?

Heiji falters for words for a second, but grins anyway. "Course I was! Any time somethin's happening, yer not too far behind are ya? It'd be weird if ya didn't."

Conan had focused on immediately recent events during his research. He had not yet come across any mentions of his own previous residence here.

He gives Hattori a suspicious glance at that reaction.

"Isn't that putting a little too much trust in coincidence?"

"Yer askin' me about coincidence when yer the one who happens t'show up when murders happen?" It's a dry question as he leads the way to the kitchen.

His house is largely undecorated, just the standard furniture that came with the place, but the kitchen table is covered with notebooks and folders filled with his messy scrawl. Some of the paperwork even looks official.

"It isn't like I'm the only one." Conan sticks his hands in his pockets as he follows Hattori into the kitchen. His glance rests on the papers for a moment, although he holds any questions for the moment.

"Yeah, but I'm already here."

He grabs a couple cans of iced coffee from the fridge and holds one out to Kudo before pulling out his chair with his foot and flopping down onto it. The elkhound promptly lays his chin in Heiji's lap, still watching Kudo curiously.

"And? How did you get here, and how long have you been here? What's going on?"

He takes the coffee and climbs up into the other chair.

"Went home for about two months, but I got here last April. All've us come from dozens of different worlds." Surprise, alternate dimensions are a proven science now. "Brought here. There's a lot more than theories, but a lot've it depends on yer suspension of disbelief." Which he knows personally how hard it's been to get past that.

"Since you're saying this, I'm assuming that you've found enough reason for this suspension of disbelief."

It had only been a day. Conan wasn't nearly ready to give up on finding a logical, scientific explanation yet.

"Not nearly enough, but there ain't another explanation, either. Yer the Holmes fan, ya tell me what that means."

He pushes up his sleeve so that Conan can see the faint leopard spotting on his skin. "It gave me this when I arrived last month."

Conan stares blankly.

"What is that? Its not a tattoo."

"Best I can guess? One of my powers evolved while I'd gone home. Don't know anythin' about it beyond that. It doesn't do anythin'." As far as he knows it's purely cosmetic, and that just sucks. He hopes it doesn't get any worse.

"Isn't this thing with powers a little too implausible?"

He couldn't help but feel like there had to be a better explanation.

"Entirely, but I can't deny the results. Compared t'how I am now? Back home I was slow and out've shape."

He looks down at his hands, contemplative.

"If ya find a better explanation than what we're given, I'll be more than happy, but until then...I can jump two stories and see in th' dark. "

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B

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because this is how KID rolls

looks like its time for another dramatic rooftop meeting

let's be real, it's how these two roll

all the drama

all of the turns of phrases

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sorry, waited to reply until the thread with Heiji actually started

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C. After an extended hiatus .__.,

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