(no subject)

[onthetrail]

[You can smell smoke.

This is not usually a good development, so it's natural that no matter where you are in the mansion, you'd stop what you're doing and look around. Maybe glance towards the open window and catch sight of a plume of grey smoke in the distance. Glancing out of the window, you can see that there is a small -- shed? shack? At this distance it's hard to tell -- building erected on the lawn.

In front of it a small campfire is burning brightly. There's no sign of anyone tending it. Do you invest--

Sorry. Silly question! Forgot who I was talking to a moment there.

Of course you investigate.]

Comments

[orchid_below]

[not the best development, but not particularly a concern for this one.

Still, the shack is peculiar, and any excuse to venture into the sunlight is a welcome one. The investigation is just a bonus.

Venturing close enough to peer inside the structure or knock on the door if it has one]

Hello?

[onthetrail]

[No door, but a piece of cloth has been tacked up against one end of the shack to act as one. On closer inspection, it has been cobbled together from a collection of miscellaneous boards, scavenged possible from a wagon, supplemented by a framework that seems to consist of branches cut from trees that look very like those that appear in the garden. It's bare inside, with a sack stuffed full of leaves the only furniture.

Outside, near the the fire, a barrel has been placed as a chair. Ran is welcome to take it as she waits for the owner of the shack to return. He's not long, having been searching for a suitably young stick to cook the rabbit he's hunted on, and he is clearly pleased to see his visitor.]

Kaa-chan!

[orchid_below]

.....'Kaa-chan'?

[has dressed down a bit today, in a slightly stained red dress with a shawl and a bonnet to protect her from the sun]

[onthetrail]

I haven't seen Kaa-chan for months!

[The rabbit is set down without preamble, Conan coming over to park himself directly in front of Ran, prime position for the expected hug.]

I haven't been sick -- I've even grown some!

[It is hard to know if this statement is true or not. In height this kid seems no different to any of the other Conan's, and he is just as scrawny. He is considerably more tanned, however, barefoot and wearing simply made clothes that have seen better days.]

[orchid_below]

You certainly have.

[no harm in indulging him. leans forward a bit, but no hugs!]

It's Conan, isn't it? I'm afraid I'm not your kaa-chan.

[onthetrail]

No?

[There's a distinctly confused child looking back at you, Ran. It's true that from memory, 'Kaa-chan' doesn't have such a pretty dress, and doesn't smell faintly of sulphur, but she looks and sounds just like her--

Something occurs to Conan and he reaches for Ran's hand, turning it over to look at her wrist. Whatever he is expecting to see isn't there and he lets go, frowning.]

If you're not Kaa-chan ... what are you?

[orchid_below]

'What'— honestly. There's no need to be rude! [scolding lightly, though she'll take his hands in hers in a reassuring manner if he'll let her]

My name is Miss Ran Mouri, but you likely don't know me. You've come to a rather strange place. Have you seen the Mansion at all yet?

[onthetrail]

[Conan will allow his hand to be taken, although there is some hesitation. Ran might notice that there is a patch on his left arm, just below the wrist, stretching a good ten centimeters down that doesn't look much like skin. It's smooth and shiny -- plastic? Glass? It's hard to say.]

The big house? I walked around it a few times. [Should he admit to peeking in the windows? Probably not.]

[orchid_below]

[notes that shiny patch, but doesn't comment on it]

But not inside? [well, she supposes that's reasonable if he doesn't know who's living in it]

It's fairly... unusual. There are endless numbers of rooms that can take any form you can imagine, and enough food for anyone who might appear.

Where were you before coming here?

can't tell if bad or good idea- OH WELL.

[attitude_adjustment]

[Smoke? SMOKE??? Recent... Happenings in this guy's life have made that quite an intolerance but uhmmmm...

YEA. SMOKE. AND A CAMPFIRE. who the heck camps right beside a mansion oiii-

Of course he's investigating. And potentially tapping the ashes of the campfire with his foot.]

...The heck...

[onthetrail]

Don't put it out! It took me ages to find all that dry wood!

[And here is the owner of the fire, a Conan dressed in pretty simply made clothes that seem to have seen better days, barefoot and about as scrawny as you'd expect.]

[attitude_adjustment]

[WOW WHO THREW YOU IN A WOODCHIPPER CONAN- wait what-]

...

[He'll just... Gesture to the enormous mansion not so far from you.] Really. You're looking for firewood with that right beside you?

[onthetrail]

[The look that Conan gives his companion is equally non-plussed.]

I'm not going in there. It's obviously theirs.

[attitude_adjustment]

[Uhuh...

WELL, seeing how the sight of him hasn't gotten you running (he's sick of that, really, he is), 'theirs' obviously doesn't include him...

As to who 'they' are however, well...]

And just who are 'they' then..?

[onthetrail]

The Controllers. In white?

[How do you not know this, strangely familiar silver-haired kid?]

[attitude_adjustment]

[White? Some raised eyebrows at that. GOOD THING HE WEARS RED NOW... andddd black occasionally. it ticks the conan of his world off oops]

Controllers..? Not sure what you're talking about, but wherever they are, it's not here. Maybe a lot of people that look like you, but no 'controllers'.

[also please don't take their word as gospel he'd really like to have someone other than himself to talk to]

[onthetrail]

Not ... here?

[Conan frowns, but the mention of people that look like him has him interested.] Is this where they live? The others, I mean.

[That would certainly explain why this kid is familiar.]

[fishpanties]

[This one would look just like any other Aoko, if it wasn't for the scars—claw marks—raked across her right forearm, and the heavily weaponized mop she's carrying: staff-quality wood, with a steel tip and steel core.

… Definitely going to investigate that.]

Hello~?

[onthetrail]

[Conan's returned to his shack and fire after a tour of the mansion that's given him a lot of disquietening food for thought -- so a familiar face is very welcome.]

Aoko-neechan!

[There's a pause as he takes in the scars.]

You are Aoko-neechan?

[fishpanties]

Ah…

One of my names is Aoko, but I'm not the one you're looking for. Sorry.

[onthetrail]

You don't need to be sorry. It's hard to tell, from looking.

[fishpanties]

Mm, it can be. You can call me Isabelline instead, if you want—or Isa.

[onthetrail]

Isabelline or Isa. I'm Conan.

[fishpanties]

Nice to meet you, Conan-kun.

[onthetrail]

[Conan nodded, inwardly debating. He'd come back, intending to cook the rabbit he'd caught earlier over the fire, but whether there'd be enough for both of them, or if Isabelline would even want to eat fire-cooked rabbit after what he'd seen in the mansion ...]

Are you hungry?