paradisa | [7] - forward dated to afternoon

[M's maintained radio silence, so to speak, ever since her return from the Lewis & Clark. she's kept her eye on things, and mostly limited her social appearances to those requested by Queen Anne, out of duty to crown. everyone else needed time to heal, after all, herself included. it was one thing to be strong in the face of danger and chaos for others, and it was another to deal with what she'd had to lock away to do so.

in that respect, finding the Death Match with Pixy the night of their return had been a Godsend. the next morning, she'd seen the place with fresh eyes. she had joked with Bond, once, that she might actually need a hobby, and it seemed as good a prospect as any. so without much fanfare, she'd begun spending her free time there, cleaning the place up, making it presentable. it felt almost a little like preparing Skyfall, only with less cobwebs and far less sabotage, and she was able to let the sun in the windows and play some music as she worked, here... even if the jukebox needed some better variety.

finally, she feels as though the place is up to speed, and slides onto a barstool. pulling open the journal, she takes a sip of the pint glass of water at her side, and writes]

Good afternoon, everyone.

I would like to formally announce that the Death Match bar on the second floor of the castle is under new ownership, and as of today, open for business. Currently it has no proper chef, but should anyone wish to fill the position, I will consider applications. I hope this is a welcome addition to the castle atmosphere, and that I will see some of you soon.

Cordially,
Emma

[with that, she'll just go on back to the kitchen and make sure there are supplies for the few things she does know how to make. if people want food, she won't turn them down, but their options will be a little limited. she's much better when it comes to making drinks]

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[sorry, Conan, but she's seen too many things come out of Q Branch to just let simple glances lie. not only that, but the fact that he had idly wandered into a bar meant that he hadn't anywhere pressing to be in the first place - so why look at his watch, now? simple: because it was more than just a watch. but his calm is encouraging - it means that even though he's cornered, his first instinct is not to fly, but to fight - and in ways that she herself is well versed in. her tone and gaze are both level as she addresses him]

Before you arrived in Paradisa, were you the age you are presently, or the age you are when you refer to yourself as Conan Edogawa? Put differently: which is your true identity, and which is your alias?

[He tries to cover up a wince. No one had managed to corner him with that much knowledge since the time Hattori had blackmailed the truth out of him.

And he couldn't think of a way out of this. Here, he couldn't rely on anyone to give him an alibi by appearing as Conan. He was on his own.

He takes a long moment before he begins to slowly reply.]

I don't see any point in denying it at this point. But it would be best if you stopped there and forgot that you ever discovered anything. The more anyone knows about this, the more danger they bring on themselves.

Then thank you for your honesty. I'd hoped I could expect it from you in this, since you've given it to me in everything else.

[she folded her hands on the table and studied them a moment, quietly. by this time Conan's sharp eyes had likely noticed the space where she'd once worn a wedding ring, so she saw no harm in her idle habit of rubbing at where it used to be as she closed her eyes briefly. there was no reason not to trust him with this - they'd known each other for months, and there had been nothing but candor between them. not only that, but there was only one person in Paradisa she completely distrusted, and he didn't seem like the sort Conan would hold much truck with, either. she breathed out, slowly, decision made, and opened her eyes]

And with that in mind, I suppose I should apologize to you, and come clean as well. At this point, my real name is unimportant, but what is is this: before I came to Paradisa, I was the head of British Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6. And, since the Queen is here, and therefore there is a British presence still in the castle to protect and serve, I suppose you could say that I still am.

So forgive me, but "stopping and forgetting I've discovered anything" has not been in my nature, and is never likely to be. You're welcome to continue.

[Shinichi pauses in slight disbelief. He had to admit that this was something he had never seen coming. But someone in intelligence.... If there was anyone who could understand the importance of secrecy it would be someone like that. And in all the months he had known her, she had not yet given a reason to distrust her. Not that he had much choice. Whatever knowledge she had, it was too much to simply sweep away with an excuse.]

...I see. You know, I believe that you are the first person I have met from that organization. [He'd mostly had dealings with the FBI and CIA. Though come to think of it, he believed his father had had some dealings with Interpol and MI6 before.]

I- [He hesitates again, not sure how to continue. How much was safe to say.]

My age, my real age is eighteen. And my real identity is that of the stupid high school detective, Shinichi Kudo.

And there are some in my world who think me dead.

So, I'm seeing you now as you ought to be seen. [she nodded] I thought so. You always did have an air of maturity about you.

Are any of those people who think you're dead actually here in Paradisa? Or are you simply planning ahead in case they ever arrive?

[she knows how that works. she's doing the same, to a degree]

As far as I know, I am the only person in Paradisa from my world. But that could change. Others from my world have come before. Always allies, so far. But that is no guarantee.

[He grimaces.] The people I am in hiding from excel at infiltration and disguise. It is very possible that if one did arrive here, they would have the presence of mind to conceal their origins.

Yes, this is my true face. And this will not last long. I expect to return back to being Conan at any moment.

As you're a detective, I suppose there are a million reasons you could have pissed these people off badly enough to want your head... I'll keep your identity just as secret as my own. [she nods, gravely]

But you say that as though this has happened before. How many times, now?

That depends on whether I count the few times I was able to take a temporary cure at home. The castle seems to be able to use a different method to bypass the poison.

[And he wanted to know what that method was. Badly.]

Poison? [it takes a moment for the implications of what he's saying to sink in, and when it does, her eyes widen]

You mean -- you look so young because you've been bloody drugged?!

[He grimaces sourly.]

I never chose to be trapped as a child with the mind of an adult.

[Even with the largest part of his secret revealed, Shinichi was cautious about how much he said. He didn't mention the weapons deal, or the murder on the rollercoaster that had first brought him in contact with the Organization. Or that the poison that had done this to him had been experimental and untested. That it was supposed to be a perfect poison that killed silently without leaving any trace for an autopsy to find.]

That's one hell of a drug. I can't say I've ever heard of anything able to do that. .... That must be even more frustrating for you, then. [somehow, she manages to be sympathetic without actually pitying]

That doesn't surprise me.

[He'd been investigating all of the people in the castle for over two years, and never heard of anything remotely similar to Apotoxin-4869.]

It doesn't seem to exist in any world but mine. And even in my world very few people know it exists. And even fewer know of the rare side effect. The people I am investigating think it an untraceable poison with a 100% success rate.

[7] - forward dated to afternoon

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