Telepathic IC 'Inbox' and Messenger Bird Reception

[greatestdefective]

[Catch-all post for one-on-one messages that need to be delivered directly to Sherlock, either through the amulets or with a messenger bird. Meeting in person is also an option!]

Comments

[ryuwrighthistory]

[Hearing Sherlock play so passionately and not a rendition of "the saddest violin" was a good sign. He smiles, to hear him play with such on the gift he had given him. He finds himself closing his eyes and leaning back in his seat, letting the music through to completion before lightly clapping his hands to announce his presence to Holmes.]

That was a beautiful performance, Holmes.

[greatestdefective]

[At first, Sherlock doesn't really know why there's applause. He glances around the room, disoriented, and his eyebrows raise when he spots Naruhodou. GOSH, you Japanese folk and your ninja skills, always sneaking into the room when Holmes lets his guard down... Still, he takes a bow.]

Thank you, thank you. It was nothing, really. Only a bit of playing to keep the mind occupied.

[ryuwrighthistory]

That's pretty impressive then, if it's just to keep the mind occupied. [A pause as he averts his gaze with a small smile. He hates having to break the happy mood but...]

So it was Detective Gregson then, the reason you couldn't say anything to me after you returned here from home. [He folds his hands together, bowing his head.] I'm sorry...that it happened.

[greatestdefective]

[Aaand now that pleasant fall of snow outside the window becomes a mean flurry of white, the cold invading the house. Sherlock hangs his head, then sets the violin down on a nearby chair.]

... I'm sorry as well. I had hoped to save him. He was to be transferred to another country, along with Miss Gina, at my insistence. Unfortunately, his life was taken before that could happen.

[And he still hates that it ended this way. Not only because it left Gina without a mentor, not only because Holmes considered him a friend... It's because once, just once, he'd known beforehand that a murder might occur and even then he wasn't able to prevent it.]

[ryuwrighthistory]

Losing his life wasn't your fault. You couldn't have determine when it would happen. [He says pointedly]

We can still at least find the real culprit, so that his spirit may be at peace.

[greatestdefective]

[Even if it wasn't his fault, what's the point of being a detective when all you do is discover the truth retroactively, when the damage is already done? ...Still, he won't bother Naruhodou with thoughts like that. The guy's just trying to cheer him up.

He crosses the room to snatch up his pipe, lighting it.]

... Right. Yes. We'll find the true killer and drag them to court. Preferably before the current suspect gets a damning verdict. [He kind of doesn't want to see Iris's secret uncle in death row......]

[ryuwrighthistory]

[He nods.]

That was something I didn't ask about before. The suspect, the one who prosecuted Asougi's father...who is it?

[greatestdefective]

It was... Old Bailey's very own Grim Reaper. He prosecuted without mercy, for he'd been quite close to the Professor's final victim. Quite close.

[The smoke from Sherlock's pipe turns just a bit darker. The Van Zieks family remains a tricky subject for him. Either way, it may explain to Naruhodou just why Barok is so judgmental of the Japanese.]

[ryuwrighthistory]

...Prosecutor Van Zieks. [He didn't see that coming, and yet....if he assumed the Professor was Asougi's father, then it would make sense where his hatred toward the Japanese came from. There's a feeling of dread growing in his stomach. No doubt Asougi will likely want to be the prosecutor for that trial. That just leaves...he shakes his head. He'll dread on that that later.]

Was it someone in his family? [That's pretty close right?]

[greatestdefective]

His older brother, Klimt. [Or whatever, screw romanization.] At the time, Klimt van Zieks was the Chief Prosecutor, earning admiration and respect from many. His death was considered a greater tragedy than any before it.

[He decides to keep the whole... pregnant wife thing under wraps, because that whole truth of the four names and Asougi's 'death' side, he's not ready to talk about Iris's heritage. To do so without Mikotoba's permission feels wrong.]

[ryuwrighthistory]

His brother....a Chief Prosecutor. [He repeats feebly. He leans back in his seat. He can feel how much of a headache this is going to become for him someday.]

I can understand where they're both coming from now. I guess it'll up to me to find a way to unravel it all. [He doesn't even know if he's going to be the defense, but there's no way in good conscious he'll just leave something like this alone.]

[greatestdefective]

[Oh, it'll be a mess to unravel, all right. Even Holmes believes it'll be a nightmare to figure out what happened there. Sigh.]

... Up to us, Mr. Naruhodou! Myself, Miss Susato, Iris, Miss Gina, myself... We'll all be there to lend a hand!

[ryuwrighthistory]

[He looks to Holmes, laughing a little at his mistakes.]

Of course. I wouldn't even be where I am now, if I didn't have all of you supporting me. [He nods.] I'm counting on you guys. (...And Asougi as well.) [Even if they will be on opposing sides, he knows Asougi will be seeking the truth, just like he will be.]

Oh, there's one other thing I wanted to ask about.

[greatestdefective]

[He takes another long drag from his pipe while Naruhodou speaks, though his lips curl into a smile and the smoke is exhaled through his nostrils in such a stuttery manner that it implies withheld laughter.]

Ohhh? And what would that be?

[ryuwrighthistory]

[He gives Holmes a peculiar look]

Your partner, I was under the impression it was John H. Watson, but... [He crossed his arm.] The way you treated his death rather casually in the deduction theater earlier, I feel like that's not actually the case.

1/2

[greatestdefective]

What- Watson? [For a moment, Sherlock looks pretty baffled.]

2/2

[greatestdefective]

[Aaand then he just starts to laugh.]

Haaa ha ha ha ha haa! Like in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes? Tut tut, Mr. Naruhodou! That's only fiction, you know! Ha ha ha haaa!

[ryuwrighthistory]

Eh!? [His laughter gives him a start.]

B-But, the manuscripts detailing your adventures that Iris used to write her stories, they were written by Dr. Watson, right? The partner? [Look, those were the facts presented to him. He didn't even need to use the fictional works as an example.]

[greatestdefective]

The manuscripts... Hum... The case files inside the trunk? They were written by Iris's papa, of course! My partner! [He wags a finger at Naruhodou like this is a totally obvious thing, not realizing he's just making the misunderstanding worse.]

[ryuwrighthistory]

...That's what I just said. [Holmes, please. Don't be like this right now.]

So is it really John H. Watson or not?

[greatestdefective]

No, no, no. Whoever told you a thing like that? Was it Iris?

[He figured something might've been up when she started going by the last name of Watson, but to think she's going around actively telling people she's the daughter of John H. Watson... He'd have a word with her about it when he goes back home, but he won't remember.]

[ryuwrighthistory]

Just who is it then!? [Quit beating around the bush already!]

[greatestdefective]

[A quiet sigh escapes him because... wow, Naruhodou hasn't figured it out yet? He thought he was quite clear about it when explaining the Professor case. Well, time to spell it out, then. The pipe is placed in its stand by the ashtray for a moment. He walks across the room to pick up his violin and begins to play a tune similar to this. As he does so, memories of his most valuable friendship begin to flood his mind. The lights dim a bit, a comfortable warmth spreading through the room.]

My partner... came to England sixteen years ago to study forensic pathology. He was a doctor back then, and I was but a mere student working in a hospital lab. However, that's not why we were introduced. He was in need of a housemate, you see, in order to halve his rent. We hit it off right away, despite our differences. I had never met someone so polite, so discreet and so very honest. We became the best of friends. We discussed science, we enjoyed music, we solved the oddest of mysteries... And we danced- oh, Mr. Naruhodou, you should've seen us in our prime. Nowhere in our world could I find anyone who understands my way of thinking the way he does.

[Sherlock pauses, his bright smile weakening somewhat. The lights flicker. Even so, he doesn't stop playing the violin.]

He was with me for six whole years and then... Then he was forced to leave England behind once more. Iris couldn't go with him. He's a professor now, teaching at a university in Japan.

1/2

[ryuwrighthistory]

[What is this melody, this performance? There's a different feel to it, like he could really get a sense of the emotions Holmes was conveying about this partner.] (...A doctor studying forensic pathology, who was forced to leave England and return to Japan?)

[Wait...it's a Japanese person? His eyes widen as it finally starts to come together.]

A professor teaching at a university now. He said he had been overseas as an exchange student once as well...

Actually there's one more.

[ryuwrighthistory]

[He gives Holmes an incredulous expression. Are you serious!?]

Are you....are you saying that your partner is actually, Yūjin Mikotoba!? Susato-san's father!? [He's been right there, under their noses this whole time. What?]