002

[modernholmes]

[It hadn't taken long for Shinichi to head straight into the first disaster.  Less than a day after arriving in Olympus he had burned himself on Phlegethon's flames.  And now all he could think of was Ran.  All the pain he'd caused her.  All the guilt of the lies he'd told.

Feeling like this, there was no way he could take any joy in his true age.  And so he had shrunk back into Conan and found an isolated corner to sit and brood.]

....I'm sorry, Ran.

Comments

[ofdeath]

Whew, you look a little out of it, kid. Tell me, does this Ran person mean anything to you?

[modernholmes]

[He gives the new person an irritated look. Why couldn't he just brood in peace?]

I don't see how that is any of your business.

[ofdeath]

Everything is my business, kiddo. My realm of godliness is pretty obtrusive, after all.

Let's forget about that for a moment. You're in a bad situation. What would you be willing to do to...resolve your little guilt problems?

[modernholmes]

There is nothing that can be done.

[ofdeath]

Nothing is a big word. Why don't you leave that decision to the experts?

[modernholmes]

And what kind of expert is that?

[Have a skeptical look.]

[ofdeath]

I'm Hades. What am I not the expert of?

[modernholmes]

Hades. Of course. [He'd been pulled into this strange situation. Why wouldn't the pantheon of Greek gods be here?]

Hades. According to myth, the lord of the dead and ruler of the nether world. Hades possessed the riches of the earth, and was thus referred to as 'the Rich One'. Associated with the narcissus and the cypress.

That is common knowledge. I do not see how any of that makes you an expert in this.

[ofdeath]

Don't you get it? It's the big bad Zeus who brought you here. And me? I just like to see that waste of space have trouble, which means giving you ways to do that...by giving you things you want.

[modernholmes]

Ah, politics. [He briefly wishes he had paid more attention to western mythology. But at the time he'd studied it he'd primarily been interested in symbolism and associations. It often came in useful for riddle solving.]

But there is nothing I want that can simply be given.

[ofdeath]

Traded then.

[modernholmes]

If you offer me candy I'm going to scream.

[ofdeath]

Don't look down on candy! That aside, I can get you whatever you want.

[modernholmes]

I'm not in the habit of allowing other people to fix my problems for me.

[ofdeath]

You're not in the habit now...but we have a long time for you to change your mind.

[modernholmes]

That's unlikely.

[thesecondcoming]

[ A short distance away is a boy. Well, he doesn't look natural by any stretch of the word. Gray skin, horns poking through the hood of his cloak.

But he certainly doesn't look happy as well. ]

[modernholmes]

[Conan watches dully. Even as he brooded, the part of his mind that was the detective cataloged everything about his surroundings and the clues in the other boy's appearance.]

[thesecondcoming]

[ And Karkat snaps to attention. ]

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT.

[modernholmes]

Everything.

[thesecondcoming]

HA HA HA HA HA
ACTUALLY FORGET IT
FAKE LAUGHTER IS BEYOND ME RIGHT NOW
ACTUALLY I CAN'T MUSTER UP A FUCK ABOUT ANYTHING, WHICH IS PHYSICALLY SHOCKING
BECAUSE USUALLY I HAVE THAT DOWN TO A PAT

[modernholmes]

Is it so strange?

[thesecondcoming]

YES.
BECAUSE USUALLY I CAN SHAKE THE FUCKING HEAVENS WITH HOW ANGRY I GET.
AND A DIVERGENT TIMELINE
A DOOMED TIMELINE
AFTER ALL THE SHIT I WENT THROUGH TO AVOID THEM
SHOULD BE EVOKING THE WRATH OF TEN THOUSAND MES NOW THAT I'M HERE TO BABYSIT HUMANS

AND INSTEAD ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS HOWSDLFGK;DF
NEVERMIND.

[modernholmes]

[Conan gives him a disbelieving look.]

Have you ever considered anger therapy?

[thesecondcoming]

WHY?
I'M THE ONLY SANE PERSON I KNOW
YOU DON'T FIX WHAT ISN'T BROKE.

[modernholmes]

I'll take that as a no, then.

[maidenly]

[well, there's no way Zelda can ignore a brooding child. with concern on her face, she approaches him, her voice soft so as to not disturb him any more than she has to.]

Are you all right?

[modernholmes]

[He glances up at her dully.]

I'm fine.

[maidenly]

Are you sure you wouldn't like company?

[modernholmes]

I'm fine. I don't need company. [Do you believe him?]

[maidenly]

Usually the ones who say that are the ones who need it the most.

[maybe.]

[modernholmes]

That's only sometimes, isn't it?

[maidenly]

Mm, I can't argue with that.

Should I just be leaving, then?

[modernholmes]

Suit yourself.

[maidenly]

I'm sorry to have bothered you.

Sorry he's being an antisocial brat

[modernholmes]

You didn't bother me.

haha no worries!

[maidenly]

You're not just saying that, are you?

[modernholmes]

Of course not.

[noisyclockhands]

[ We're very sorry to disturb your nightly sulking but this is a pretty important message. Tonight will come with rain {maybe, not really, who knows} and Oz-fall--

most likely right into your lap. He really should look better where he's going. ]

[modernholmes]

[Conan yelps and desperately attempts to scramble out of the way.

[noisyclockhands]

[ Well, kind of too late for that! He'll be floor'd by Oz - but it's okay, Oz isn't all that tall either.

They make for a good ball-o-limbs however. ]

[modernholmes]

...Get off me.

[Have a grumpy and squashed mini-detective glaring at you.]

[noisyclockhands]

Hahahaha, sorry. Didn't mean to do that! [ he scrambles off and looks around, clearly puzzled. ] I was chasing one of the boys you know? Did you see him?

[modernholmes]

...Boys?

[noisyclockhands]

Yes, around your age maybe a bit older? he was the last one of the bunch. We were playing tag with the entire group. [ distracted like a pro here ]

[modernholmes]

I haven't seen anyone like that.

[noisyclockhands]

I wonder what happened. The last time I looked around we were at the other end of the city. Now that's certainly weird [ and maybe weirdness makes him hungry? but in any case Oz is going to pull a fig from...somewhere and eat it. ]