(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]

If you're certain you don't mind...

[makes a mental note to catch another rabbit for him later, anyway. It certainly can't be harder than hunting wolves]

[onthetrail]

I don't mind! I haven't seen Kaa-chan for a really long time, and I haven't seen Ran-neechan at all so I have a lot of things I want to ask her.

because I am OCD about leaving threads hanging on my turn

[orchid_below]

Then I'll gladly accept your offer. [ smiles ]

May I ask why you call her "Kaa-chan"...? I don't believe I've heard the term before.

Re: because I am OCD about leaving threads hanging on my turn

[onthetrail]

It's cuter than 'Kaa-san'.

[orchid_below]

I'm afraid I don't know that one either.

[onthetrail]

You don't know 'mother'?

[orchid_below]

Ah, is that what it is? I'm not familiar with the language...

[onthetrail]

That's cause you look like her, but you're not Kaa-chan, right?

[orchid_below]

[ takes a seat on the barrel outside the hut, gracefully sweeping her skirts out of the way as she does so ]

That's right. I certainly don't have any children.

[ may be blushing faintly at the thought, but, well. She's already met her pregnant Japanese counterpart.

...And now that she thinks on it, Conan certainly does look quite a bit like Shinichi... ]

I do hope this isn't too forward, but... may I ask if you have a father?

[onthetrail]

A father? No ... I mean, there's Mouri-ojichan, but he's Kaa-chan's father, not mine!

[orchid_below]

Mouri-ojichan... eh?

[ rolls the pronunciation over her tongue, surprised. She hasn't remembered much of her life before the Neath, only a few extremely faded impressions of being energetic and happy, or sometimes lonely. The thought of having a father of her own is a strange one ]

Ah, that is— did your mother raise you herself? Aside from... Mr. Mouri.

[onthetrail]

Mm! Kaa-chan took really good care of me!

[orchid_below]

[ smiles a little sadly ]

And how old are you now?

[onthetrail]

Seven months!

[orchid_below]

S-seven months?

[onthetrail]

Mm! Seven months! [So proud of himself.]

[orchid_below]

But— you look much too old for seven months.

[onthetrail]

I was slower than the others. At least at first. Then I grew normally for a while. Kaa-san thinks I've stopped now. I only grow a little now. Like the other kids.

[orchid_below]

If you grew slower, then shouldn't you appear younger? [ and isn't "like the other kids" normal? Ran is so confused ] You have more the look of seven years than seven months!

[onthetrail]

I do appear younger! The other's are your height or more by now. Or -- I think they are. I haven't seen them in a while.

[Conan brightens, evidently very pleased by Ran's remark.]

Do you really think so?

[orchid_below]

I— yes, of course.

My height? At seven months?

And this is common for everyone?

[onthetrail]

I don't think it took the whole seven months.

I'm not sure.

[orchid_below]

And... how long do people normally live?

[onthetrail]

Until they die.

[So helpful.]

[orchid_below]

[the most]

But how long is that? Twenty years? ...Ten?