(no subject)

[stalking_horse]

[And somewhere in the jungle, there is a wandering detective in a drab tan suit, currently following something that might be a path, and might be a game trail, but should at least go somewhere sooner or later. His current mission: See if there's signs of other human life!
He may have been wandering off the beaten path for a while now.]

[While he can do quite a bit if he finds tracks in the trail itself ... wilderness tracking is not his strong suit; city boy is a city boy.]

[Besides that, he's weathering it rather well, if coping via resigned indignation.]

[Disturb/flag down/attempt to stalk/get tracked, stumbled across, or found?]

Comments

[stalking_horse]

[Only the special ones.]

I suspect it's part of how he plans things; as spectacular as his heists are, I doubt many people think much about the image of Kid when he's not Kid.

Just the whole, Nightmare business. I wasn't there for most of it, but... [frown] There's several things that weren't right about that case.

Oh? [Really should know better, you have his distinct interest now.] Did he say much about that other student, or why they bothered him?

Koizumi is another classmate of ours. She's... [Well, "witch" might get him disbelieved...] terrifying. [And muttered-]And he calls me a stalker...

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[True.]

...probably. [A hand goes to the back of his head.] He's good at blending into the crowds. During the Teleportation heist, he had the card gun at the back of my head when he was distracting me to plant a bug. No one noticed at all and it was hard to spot him even if he only had a second to get some distance.

Really? Odd that it's not known. Kid usually likes to have the entire truth revealed when a murder has happened. Other than his identity, of course.

[Shakes his head.] Not really. Said he just didn't like the woman. Doesn't matter much though. She died a few years ago.

[Raises an eyebrow.] Really? More so than others? And what about stalkers?

[stalking_horse]

[Nodding] He's a magician - half of it is learning to predict and control where people's attention is.

...It wasn't a murder. It was an accident. But... [frowning more] Eh. There's things I wonder about, but there's no evidence, and if it is right, then I would understand why Kid wouldn't have gone out of his way to drag the truth out. In some ways, it's enough that someone was trying to blackmail Kid to do their bidding, if not planning on killing him.

Even so - [Sigh] I almost wish I could ask him some questions on that; if something was up, it could still be relevant. [And as much as he'd like to press that one, if there was something up, Shinichi not telling Conan much would've likely been for the kid's own safety...] [[[<--You know at some later date this is going to come back to haunt you]]]

Yes. Nakamori-san will blow up for a while, maybe chase Kaito with a mop, and then calm down and everything will be normal. Koizumi does not blow up, she plots. And repays with interest. And she's very ... possessive. [Saguru respects Koizumi and gets along with her! ...she still scares him.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

I know. It's a pretty common thing to do.

An accident? I thought it was caused by that Nightmare and Kid just tried to save him? That was the verdict, wasn't it? [A pause.] But for someone to blackmail Kid...what could they have on him?

[Of course it's gonna haunt him.] It can't be that serious. Shinichi-niichan hasn't gone after Kid once since he went away on that big case. Besides, Kid doesn't kill people and she died when Kid wasn't even heisting. [A pause.] But you might get a chance. Shinichi-niichan was on the Island a little while ago. It was only for s short time, but he might come back.

[The thought of Kaito getting chased with a mop like that causes him to laugh. He's still a TAD bitter about that tazer.] Possessive, Hakuba-niisan?

[stalking_horse]

Kid did try to save him. And ... well. [He's going down this somewhat detached; logic, deduction, sidestep the squidgier reactions.] Nightmare worked by either bargaining his partners into cooperation with a cut of the take, or by blackmail if they wouldn't cooperate. Kid always returns what he steals, so he wouldn't bite on a share of the profits - if anything, he'd object to being told not to return it. So, Nightmare had to have blackmailed him, and I suspect just threatening Kid himself may not have worked - it probably included his accomplices as well. Of course, he'd have to know Kid wouldn't just accept the deal and let it go, and there was a precedent for Nightmare's ... less cooperative partners being found dead later. In order for him to've gotten Kid to play along, he likely had to know who Kid was, and who Kid's allies were. As for what bothers me, there's - inconsistencies, in the entire Nightmare affair.

[And oh look, something else.] Either Kid isn't directly related to whatever case Shinichi is working on, or Shinichi is being kept too busy with that case to deal with Kid; nevermind that if he's going to this much trouble to avoid showing his face, a Kid heist is the last place he probably wants to get involved. [Pause] And just because Kid wasn't connected to her death, doesn't necessarily mean she's not connected to other events of interest. [PS, your sudden implied running with the theory that Toichi was Kid is duly noted.]
I certainly hope he does turn up again; finding him to talk to him back home is apparently damn near impossible. [Oh the irony of Hakuba's irritation at this.]

Let's just say that when I was more ... vocal in my suspicions [Understatement is understated], from some of the looks I got from her, if I were to fear for my life because of anyone in that class...

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...so it's possible for people to figure it out then. [Frowning at that. It was ringing so many worry bells in his mind. If someone like Nightmare who usually got rid of partners figured it out, then how likely was it someone like Vermouth....? Damn, he really hoped this was just paranoia kicking in.] He threw a heist to protect an accomplice. It'd definitely make sense then. What other inconsistencies? [Starting to slip out of kid mode. His mind is starting to run a mile a minute and taking up his focus.]

Eh? [Looks surprised at that.] How did you know he was hiding his face? [Shrugs at the next part.] Well, you just seemed interested in her and since Kid is your interest. It just seems like if she might have been something big, then her death might be suspicious or something like that. [Another interested look.] You've been looking for Shinichi-niichan? [He hadn't heard a thing about it, after all.]

[Blinks.] Ah, so Kaito-niichan is pretty popular, huh?

[stalking_horse]

Oh, it's entirely possible for people to figure it out; any deception or trick to hide identity is going to have weak points.
[You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you. :| Also, you are lucky: it's not a major slip, and it's on a subject that's a little distracting.] Mn. He did succeed in stealing the target, and getting away from the initial scene with it, so I don't know if you could say he threw the heist; that he was going along with Nightmare at all was done to protect his accomplices. The inconsistencies have more to do with Nightmare's identity than Kid's actions, and the scene at the end. The mask was close to the body, and showed no signs of cracks or serious scrapes or impact that should've been there if it'd fallen off the bridge by itself. There was someone running heard leaving, but the witnesses were hazy and assumed Kid was pursuing Nightmare; nothing was heard after about Nightmare, and Kid's glider was seen not long after. If Kid had been pursuing Nightmare, I doubt he'd have let it go that easily; even if Nightmare escaped him, he wouldn't have packed it in and gone home easily, particularly not with a dead body to account for, and if Kid had caught Nightmare, he wouldn't have simply let him disappear into obscurity. Also, all of Nightmare's activity stopped after that. [He's not going to fill in the obvious conclusion that wasn't the official resolution of the case.]

[There's actually a surprised blink that it -came- as a surprise.] Well, he suddenly disappears, there's an occasional report of him but nobody knows where he is or what he's doing besides a nebulous case, my understanding is that even the people close to him haven't heard from him; it would have to be a large case to keep him busy this long, but there's not a peep in the news - really, if he's alive, the only explanation for him to have disappeared so thoroughly is if he's hiding for some reason, and being seen would mean something horrible happening; it's not like he's shied away from attention before. [The sad part is, he honestly hasn't taken that much interest in it, just ... Oh look, other high school detective disappears, the Koushien, people can't figure out how to contact Shinichi for the life of them- Huh, he must be up to something where he has a reason to stay hidden.]
Well, it wouldn't be the first time there was a death that got written off as normal that turned out to be something suspicious later, and I would think that a fellow detective wouldn't take a dislike to someone "because they were creepy" unless they had some reason to think it was worth worrying about. And I do get involved in cases besides Kid now and then... [He's not going to try to protest that one too hard, he knows he'd lose.]
...I haven't been before, no. I'd noticed he'd gone missing, but I think that's common knowledge. [And then there's this dangerous wheels-turning expression...] Although come to think of it, I do wonder what he could've gotten involved in that would necessitate him hiding out this badly for this long...

[but going back to the class, now that is amusement.] Something like that - he has a habit of being the center of attention, regularly pranks the class, and hasn't really lacked girls trying to get his attention. I do wonder what the story is with Koizumi, but from what dealings I've had, I doubt I'd ever hear it and I'm not sure I want to ask.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

I could see on a personal level, but when it could be anyone in Japan and the fact it's not common knowledge this Kid is a second one, it seems less likely.

[Sadly he's never paranoid, isn't it?] Ah, I met the Teleportation case. He gave up the target to get his accomplice out. [Listening to the deduction and frowning.] ...someone close to the agent was at the scene, weren't they?

.... [Well, damn.] I-I guess. It just...it seemed a jump you THOUGHT he was hiding. He was telling the police when we saw him to keep his involvement quiet, so I didn't know how...you knew. [Hakuba had been involved when attemtps to call Shinichi were made. That was the only reason he noticed, right? He hoped so.]

Ah, I guess. [Something HAD always unsettled him about Vineyard, but he had assumed it was just because his mother's friends were crazy. It was only recently he found out there was more to the woman.]

[Oh shit.] Hattori-niichan is helping him. I'm sure he's fine, whatever it is. And his parents know how to contact him! It can't be that bad.

Well, hopefully she never comes here. I think he has a thing with Tear-niisan.

[stalking_horse]

I don't know how more people don't figure some of it out, but then, I don't think most people want to. [They're different heights and appearances! The styles of the heists are different! There's weird time gaps! How do people miss all this ;_; ]

[Further frown] His son - Nakamori-san and their driver had been taking him home when he'd recognized his father's car. [And if that wouldn't explain Kid's actions...]

[Blink] Well, he's dropped off the face of the Earth compared to his previous activity, but there hasn't been any mention of a missing persons case for him. Hattori and Mouri-san didn't seem surprised that he wasn't there at the Koushien, and that attempts at contacting him for that failed, even though that normally should've been something he'd have been right there for; Mouri-san, what little I've seen of her, doesn't seem to know where he is, but isn't going out of her way to go looking, and Hattori acted funny about sidestepping his absence - between that and the lack of a missing persons case, he has to've given indications he's alive to them at least, so he has made some contact, just kept it very restricted, and apparently has the people closest to him either out of the loop or sworn to secrecy. I hadn't heard that he'd had police contact, but if he's told them to keep quiet, that would only confirm that he's hiding. [Whups. Can't say anything around him, really...]
...His parents are more elusive than he's become, and Hattori's oddly agitated about keeping people off the subject. [And you know something too, don't you, Little Sir Short Chopped Off Dodging Question Sentences? Congratulations, you are now getting subjected to the "I know you're hiding something" not-smile.] Considering some of what he's dealt with on record, it can't just be one simple murder case; it'd be over and done with by now, or at least have less reason to be quite that paranoid. If it were some more abstract serial murder, then it wouldn't make sense to be dodging public attention so much, or avoiding much contact with law enforcement; you don't worry about the mere mention of your presence for such an extended period of time unless you're hiding from more than one pursuer, and to be that thorough about avoiding traces of existence, probably pursuers that're organized, with resources to devote to the pursuit. [There is a very pointed edge to that look you're getting.]

...oh that'd be amazing. [Deadpan'ed] Granted, she hasn't begrudged Nakamori-san's presence.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...it could be. It's kind of like thinking santa died or something.

[A long pause and a nod.] Then he would do it. Hide the truth from the son who might have idolized his father, right?

... [Well, Hakuba COULD find it all out easily enough if he digged, considering his connections.]

Stop giving me that look. [Looks annoyed and puts on a kid pout, crossing his arms.] I don't know anything. If I did then I'd tell Ran-neechan. I know he's on some big case. I know he contacts his parents and Hattori-niichan. He doesn't like the police to say his name. I don't know anything beyond that. [And it was all information that Hakuba could gain too easily so hiding it would be too suspicious.]

Hattori-niichan is bad at lying. If Shinichi-niichan wants to keep something quiet and Hattori-niichan knows even a little bit, of course he'll get agitated. He doesn't want to betray that trust. Because he EARNED that trust from Shinichi-niichan. [And Hakuba didn't. He doesn't know near enough about Hakuba to know how well he'd handle the case.]

...begrudged her presence?

(Lesson in why he drives Kaito insane sometimes y/y? >.>; )

[stalking_horse]

Certainly one way to put it.

[Nods] Right ... As unpleasant as it all was, there's no reason for the child to suffer for it.

[....] Point taken. [Backing off. He is learning this.] I think I'm turning paranoid; I suppose there wouldn't be much point to involving you much and putting you at risk. [Besides, until there's evidence, coincidence can't be assumed to be so obliging as to have That connected to This, right?]
I think the Kid case is getting to me a little; too long knowing something is up, but not being in any position to do much besides wait. Although - I do have to wonder if I was the first one to give you the warning about not all criminals being alike.


Eh, well, Nakamori-san and Kaito grew up together; as possessive as Koizumi is, she seems to get along with Nakamori-san, so it's hard to say how she'd take someone else being close with Kaito.

Not as bad as his mother, at least.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Nods.] In that sort of circumstances, he probably did the best thing.

[Good or less he might get desperate.] It would be weird, considering everyone ELSE wants to keep me from danger. If Shinichi-niichan would trust a kid, he'd trust Ran-neechan with it first. [Exactly. Even if it might.]

I already said I've encountered Organized criminals. And normal criminals. And just insane ones. I've had so many warnings, I've lost count.

Oh. Hopefully she would or that might be bridging the point of dangerous.

Your capitalization amuses me.

[stalking_horse]

[Quiet nod...he's never commented to anyone official about the glaring holes in the official story.]

[It doesn't mean he's not still thinking it over >_>] Mm, depends. The more Mouri-san knows, the more of a target she becomes, and a noticeable one ... while in some limited capacity, as you've said, people don't pay attention to small children.

[At least he's relaxed from the sudden suspicion fit - enough for a chuckle at the bit about losing count] I should've known; you seem to spend almost as much time around police stations as I did when I was your age.

[...and "bridging" the point of danger with Koizumi gets a much more nervous laugh, and something half-intelligible muttered about snakes....]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

And what would be the point? I'm bright, but I'm not bright enough to help with something huge, mysterious dark group. [Crosses his arms and frowns.] Even if I was, it's not like I could do anything Shinichi-niichan wouldn't have to do himself.

[Shrugs.] I end up having to give a lot of Statements for stuff I see.

...snakes?

[stalking_horse]

[Loose shrug; he'll happily admit this part's "theory without evidence" and playing with ideas, and it's not said that seriously.] Keeping an eye out around people he cares about without being too obvious about it? It's not like Holmes ever asked Wiggins and company to confront anyone, just ... look for things and keep an eye out where it'd be too noticeable if Holmes himself were there.

[Amused!] And tagging along around investigations. From what I've heard, there's a good number of cops that know you by name. [Hey, at least Conan's not growing up around police stations like certain other people?]


[...Oh right. Koizumi-related trauma. Twitch.] Snakes do not belong in classroom desks.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Maybe he could have, but he didn't. Ran-neechan always gives him an update when he calls, Hattori-niichan checks on us a lot, and there's so many detectives around us, if there was danger, they'd surely notice and deal with it.

I don't do it on purpose. We just happen to be there and something happens. [Frowning. He...really doesn't know how to explain how it happens. It just does.]

She put snakes in your classroom desk?!

[stalking_horse]

Of course. [Dropping it... But will be keeping an eye on you. Just in case, you understand.]

You don't have to apologize or anything - luck happens, and when you're around it a lot, you probably end up noticing and getting involved in things others would walk right past. [You are unintentionally kind-of adorable right now.] Besides, I'm the one that was raised by police and the Yard as much as anything; I might be guiltier than you of seeking things out. [He didn't get that case record by being smart about not chasing/meddling >.> ]

.-. One snake. The wrong kind. Apparently it was supposed to have been in Kaito's desk. And I still don't know why he looks traumatized whenever she offers him chocolate. :|

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Oh great.]

Really is a messed up luck. But that's true. My friends and I are getting really good at figuring out stuff. [Sure, he loved to solve cases, but the rate he stumbled across them was plain disturbing. And he worried about the kids being there so much when he DOES.] You're a detective. That's only natural. [He did plenty of seeking when he was seventeen, after all.]

The wrong kind? She put a POISONOUS SNAKE in your desk?! Even if that's supposed to be for Kaito, that's illegal!

[stalking_horse]

[As long as he thinks there's reason for suspicion, there really isn't such a thing as "off the hook" with him. :D Enjoy!]

Well, at least you're not alone in it - makes it a little safer and sometimes means extra eyes to catch things. [Nod, nod .... wait] ...I think you misunderstand. I'm a detective now... Even with traveling, think about how long it would take to've gotten the record I quoted at the Koushien. [mild smile] Or why I wouldn't be too surprised at you being involved.


[... :| Eyetwitch. You don't think he knows?] Not arguing at all. :| It certainly looked like one - I rather hope I was wrong and it wasn't, especially with how she picked it up and was coddling it. She insisted it was perfectly safe. By the time the teacher showed up, it was gone, and I never got a chance to confirm what it was. [If there's ever any question why he's -EXTRA- paranoid with witches...]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[...joy.]

That's true too. It's why the adults listen to us now, I think. [Blinks.] Well, I could believe it...Shinichi-niichan would have been around your record by then, I think. [Probably passed him with all those accidental cases. There was more than a hundred, easy.] ...surprised at me being involved with whatever Shinichi-niichan is doing? [Gives him confused look.]

That's DANGEROUS, Hakuba-niisan! She needs counseling at the very least if she's doing stuff like that! [Seriously, that's a psycho stalker in the making.]

[stalking_horse]

[Welcome to the lesser level of Kaito's Hell. ^___^ thought at least he doesn't have DNA evidence on you]

About when did he start getting involved in cases? [Cuurious headtilt]

Surprised at you being involved in cases at your age, and that Hattori was giving you the same credit as anyone else there. [There is a very important point here about his own background that probably explains a lot.]

:| [You're telling him? And he's not even the one she's decided to tail.] She lives by herself, I'm not sure she's the age she claims to be, and as soon as I can figure out what authority figure might be able to pull that one off that would believe us, I might suggest it. And then take a long vacation in Tahiti and pray she can't find me. She's.... Complicated. A special case. :| [He's trying to avoid the "W" word.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Oh god, the DNA evidence. He fears it.]

Um, his dad used to take him to crime scenes when he was younger. And he solved a lot of different, smaller cases for several years. He's told me about a few. But the first 'official' case that he worked with the police....he was fifteen? Sixteen? It was on a plane when he was going to visit his mom in the states. [Of course, he knew the exact dates, but that might be pressing it a bit too much.]

...why wouldn't anyone believe you? Even if Kaito-niisan is a trickster, he's a childhood friend of an Inspector's daughter. And you're a famous high school detective.

[stalking_horse]

[Aren't you glad he doesn't have a proper lab and access to databases here?]

That sounds about right. [Smart boy - it would be.]
I was tagging along with different police groups from about when I was your age; there were a few in Scotland Yard that started calling me their mascot. Honestly, I think my parents had a moment of relief when I got involved in the Kid case, with the assumption that it's safer and all.

...There's no evidence that we've manage to get together, and she's very good at it. Besides, I think we'd get looked at like we were insane right about at the "Scarlet Witch" part. :| [Well, that's what she's introduced herself as... .... ...and some of the details around her edge into "someone slipped you something" territory, anyway.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[YES! VERY! Especially with his finger prints being in the system now, oi, oi.]

We wouldn't take being called mascots. [Here, have some shonen tantei pride thrown in.] And the Kid case itself is safe. It's only if you tried going deeper that it'd be really dangerous.

...what?

[stalking_horse]

[*Sigh* Just means he'll have to take the slightly longer way to figuring it out.]

[He shrugs at the mascot comment-] I think they put me on paper as that for some kind of official explanation for why they were taking me along when I was supposed to be staying put at the station. [Innocent look goes here~]

And as much as I'm being cautious about approaching it, you think I'm not looking for some way to deal with the deeper aspects?

[ ..... ] [Heavy sigh, and the awareness that he's about to sound crazy.] If you're one of the few lucky enough to be exposed to her full weirdness, she introduces herself as the Scarlet Witch. I don't think I could get away with calling her on it to authorities without having damn good explanations worked out with evidence for even half of it. [ :| And is why the Island hasn't driven him more bats yet.]