+1 Small Detective

[spoilsfun]

Conan was starting to get a headache.

Upon arriving here, he'd immediately watched the PSA and gathered up as many different kinds of brochures he could locate. He'd spent a few minutes in the plaza, spreading them out on the ground as he checked them against each other and scribbled down observations in his notebook. It still wasn't nearly enough information. He wasn't going to believe he had actually stumbled into a multiverse without more evidence than this.

That left one option.  For the rest of the afternoon Conan lingers around the plaza, ambushing anyone in the area with a carefully cheerful interrogation.

" Hello!  Could you help me?"

Comments

[hybriddino]

The Indoraptor notices the human and gives a quiet churr of greeting. He squats on all fours to make himself smaller compared to the newcomer - after all, he is twenty-four feet long, and is well aware that he's a huge dinosaur with razor-sharp teeth and hooked black claws. He smiles - or at least his best attempt at one from a massive carnivorous reptile

He takes out a marker from a bag around his side and begins to write. Maybe he can help this human out! There are things he can do that humans can't, like hunting in the dark.

Help? What do you need help with?

[spoilsfun]

....Suddenly the hallucination theory seemed much more plausible.

Conan keeps the smile on his face. He wasn't about to admit to being the slightest bit intimidated. Even though his barely three feet of height meant he had to crane his neck back to look the dinosaur?? in the face.

He suspected it was a dinosaur, even though it didn't quite match any of the species he knew of. But he would be the first to admit that his knowledge of them was rather cursory. It wasn't an area of knowledge that was very useful for detective work.

"Thank you," he says brightly. "I just arrived here, but all the stuff in the brochures doesn't make much sense. I was hoping the people here would know more. What is this place?"

[piranhaplant]

There is a potted plant nearby that picked up the question, hopping over to Conan with a friendly smile...with very sharp teeth. It snaps at the air a couple times, its way of trying to answer Conan's question. It needs a better way to communicate with Nexus-dwellers. Being a pant makes talking very difficult.

So the Piranha Plant stays in its pot, observing Conan. Another newcomer, from the look of it. Maybe that's why he was asking for help. Was he lost?

Yes! I will help. What do you need?

[spoilsfun]

....A plant was talking to him. A plant with teeth. Conan puts another mental check under the hallucinations theory and pastes his smile back on.

"I guess I'm just a little confused. Could you tell me more about what this place is? The brochures didn't help very much."

[efyoukinggaron]

"That all depends on your question."

Why yes, that IS some sort of eyeless dragon talking to you, Conan. His tail flickers side to side as he cocks his head to the side.

"What exactly do you need help with?"

[spoilsfun]

...And now he was talking to an eyeless dragon. Conan mentally adds yet another check in support of the hallucination theory.

"Explanations, I guess. I read all the brochures, but they didn't have much information. Do you know anything about this place?"

[efyoukinggaron]

"I thought the brochures did. Or they didn't went in enough details, I guess." He sits on his hind, making sure his tail's not in his way. "Besides being a place where people from different universes meet, there's also shops, libraries, restaurants... you name it, it's likely the Nexus has it. But if you're asking for specific buildings, I might be able to direct you. Or maybe one of my friends could, two of them are very knowledgeable about the Nexus."

[iwillcatchup]

After meeting a few unusual Nexus characters, the approaching man with silver hair might seem absolutely normal.

"What kind of help?"

[spoilsfun]

"Information," Conan says promptly. "I read the brochures, but I'd like to know more about where I am. They didn't really give many details."

[iwillcatchup]

"The Nexus." Peter replies with a smile. "The brochures certainly states that... doesn't it?"

[auspex_caelo]

Stratos is quite amenable to assisting children: as the armor he's wearing might suggest, it's one of the more pleasant duties he's called upon for. Said armor is segmented steel, lined and trimmed in red cloth, and ending in a kind of plated skirt above his knees: a bit Ancient Rome and a bit medieval. He's not carrying any obvious weapon, despite his attire. When addressed he pulls his hood back from his face a little, the better to see the boy speaking to him.

"Certainly. What do you need?"

He's stopped fretting every time he spots a child around these parts, but he can't help the concern that creases his face ever so slightly. Planes like this just don't seem like any place for children.

[spoilsfun]

The armor wasn't familiar, but that reaction was. Conan was often the cause of concern from nearby adults.

"I just got here, so I'm trying to learn all about this place! I tried reading the brochures and watching the video, but I want to learn more than that. Could you tell me anything about what happens here?"

[auspex_caelo]

"Certainly, although it can be rather confusing even when explained. I expect you've already read that the Nexus is a type of crossroads between different planes, or... ah, universes. Because of that, you may find that things here don't work quite the way you'd expect. In your home, no doubt the rules are reliable and places don't move around from day to day. The Nexus has different rules, and sometimes it allows all kinds of strange things to happen." He's trying to keep his explanation simple, remembering what it was like to teach his younger brother at this age.

"For example, streets don't always stay where you left them, and I've seen kinds of magic here that wouldn't work in my own world."

[bilocate]

Alex has been wandering around, doing something sort of similar to Conan. He's got brochures in his pocket, along with a handheld notebook where he's jotted down some of his own observations. Unlike Conan, however, he tends to be shy around people he perceives as being around the same age as him. If Conan hadn't said hi, Alex wouldn't have. He's a loser. He knows that, and he's made his peace with it, kind of.

At the same time, though, he's fairly new himself, and he knows how weird it is to just pop in here. So despite his usual reluctance to talk to other kids, he stops and smiles, a little nervously. "Um, I can try? I haven't been here long. But maybe I can. What's wrong?"

[spoilsfun]

To be fair, Conan had already lived seventeen years as an irrepressible busybody, as most teen detectives in his world tended to be. That hadn't changed when he'd been forced to live his life as a child once again.

He frowns a little at seeing a real child here. That was more than a little concerning, seeing as he still wasn't sure what dangers this Nexus held.

"I just arrived here," he says cheerfully. "I'm trying to learn more about this place. Talking to the people already here is the best way, right? Have you been here long?"

[bilocate]

In Alex's case, he just had a neatfreak, overly organized dad who taught him to be sort of the same way, albeit with less enthusiasm. He's not the greatest at taking notes. He's trying, though, as best he can, and it's better than nothing.

"I've been here for... about a day, I think? Something like that. I have a hard time keeping track of time without enough sleep, and a hard time sleeping without my medicine from back home." Which should be totally reassuring to Conan, truly. "But everybody here is really nice when you talk to them. One helped me get aspirin, and another treated me to dinner. Everybody looks out for each other. If you just keep asking questions, they'll have answers."

[theinfamous1412]

It's like detective follow him like the plague. Kaito watches the fake child for a good long moment, watching as he goes to person to person, likely gathering evidence to try and disprove what he'd been told in those brochures and through the PSA. Because what else would have that little pest trying convince everyone he's not the cynical little brat he actually is?

He pulls his cap down low and approaches the boy with caution, careful not to stare too long at once as that kid had nearly a six sense about being watched.

"Yo, Meitantei. Fancy seeing you here."

[spoilsfun]

The first person he actually recognized since arriving here. and of all people, it had to be that guy.

"Kid," he says with annoyance. "How long have you been here?"

[theinfamous1412]

Now really Conan, who else would you expect to run into in this kind of place? Kid just offers a small shrug and glances back at the PSA video.

"Long enough to meet another detective." He keeps his answer vague as he doesn't want the little pest discovering the exact timeline of his arrival and stumbling across his identity.

[lovesuwithknives]

Did someone say cheerful?

Ralts loves happy people--why else d'you think she hangs out with that Azwel weirdo?

The little creature just sort of appears, squeaking in a manner that definitely sounds like she's communicating. Complete with very humanlike gestures. Unfortunately, unless he speaks Pokemon, this squeaking might not make much sense.

That's all right, though, because a very elabourately-dressed man arrives shortly thereafter. "Ah, there you are," he says to the creature.

Ralts! Ralts squeaks happily. Raaa-raaaaalllts!

"Goodness, you are socially proactive," he chortles, seeming oddly pleased. "This is the second time, now!"

He then looks at Conan. "What is it you need help with?"

The cognitive dissonance is a bit overwhelming--this man looks like a villain out of a fantasy movie with his saturnine appearance and elabourate dark robes, parts of which are floating. And yet he seems friendly enough....

[spoilsfun]

Conan glances up at the sound of a voice, distracted from skeptically examining the little creature that had been gesturing and squeaking at him.

"Information," he says cheerfully. "I read the brochures,but I thought that the people who've been here for a while might know more about this place."

Briefly, Conan considers what the purpose of floating robes would be, considering the extensive effort the illusion would take to manufacture. On the other hand, he could think of multiple people who would happily go to the effort for the sake of the effect.

[lovesuwithknives]

"I can't say I've been here for a while, but I have been doing a lot of exploring," Azwel admits, scratching his beard. "What do you want to know?"

[burning_blue_flame]

Crouching down to the boy's level, Rock offers a faint smile. While his sudden appearance had startled her, he seemed innocent enough, so it wouldn't hurt to help him out, right?

"That depends," she answers. "I've only just arrived here, so I'm afraid I can't offer very much."

[spoilsfun]

He looks disappointed for a moment. "Maybe not, then. But you must have noticed some things since arriving here, right?"

[burning_blue_flame]

"Yes, I have," she answers, casting a glance around their surroundings. "This place is unlike anything I've seen before. It's almost as if I've stepped into another world entirely." Returning her gaze back to him, she adds, if a bit exasperated, "It's rather overwhelming if I'm being honest."