But I don't feel like dancing so no dancing today.

[holmes_fanatic]

Who: Sad Party Poopers/Paranoids/Small, Very Bitter Detectives.
What: Getting their collective research on.
When: Day 73.
Where: The Hospital Laboratory, Sigyn | The Library, Odin district.
Rating: G.

[The entire day felt special. That was unexpected -- mere festivities would have been easier to ignore, but the smell of flowers, and the music that he heard walking to the library was enough to tempt him to linger in the park a little. It was exactly the sort of thing that Ran would have loved -- and it was that thought that decided Conan against it.

Of all their betrayals, that had been the worst and it kept him focused, despite the flowers that bloomed in copious amounts around the hospital, the air full and heavy with perfume enough to distract anyone. Gathering the unidentifiable glowing flowers for lab analysis, rounding up his colleagues to listen to their lecture in police procedure and going to the library to double check against their collection of botanical records was an engrossing task, and the reminder of the festivities occurring elsewhere only hardened his resolve -- it was absolutely unforgivable. Harming the people you'd already put entirely at your mercy was bad enough, but there was logic there, as repulsive as it was.

Using someone as thoroughly kind-hearted and generous as Ran to do it--

It's only belatedly that Conan realises he's not alone in the [hospital/library (ooc: please choose your own adventure specify in your comment!)]. Caught off guard, his reaction is for once entirely in keeping with the seven-year-old he seems to be!]

Ah -- I didn't see you there! Sorry ...

Comments

[holmes_fanatic]

"Really? I think I've got a photo on my phone ... here!" Conan scrolls through the menu of his smart phone, holding up the screen to display the photo of the faintly glowing castle.

"Ah ..." Conan looked at the pile of books. "Only since coming here, I guess! I mean, my class sometimes goes to the library for projects, but usually if I want to know something, I can check online or ask an adult!"

[oxbridgethegap]

Conan's explanation was reasonable enough, but Charles still couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. For now, however, he had something else to ask after.

"Now, the library and asking I'm familiar with. What exactly did you mean by 'check online'?"

[holmes_fanatic]

"... ah."

Where to start?

"Ne -- you're familiar with a computer?"

[oxbridgethegap]

"Computer?" From one question to the next. Instead of clearing up matters, Charles was beginning to feel as if he'd just touched the tip of the iceberg.

"No, I can't say I am. What is it?"

[holmes_fanatic]

"Where I'm from they're standard technology -- most households have one. They're machines that can store and format documents, images, numerical data, recordings, and via the internet, which is a shared network between computers that anyone can subscribe to, make that information available to anyone who searches for it." Conan wonders how to put it more simply. "Kind of like having a library in your front room."

[oxbridgethegap]

All of the properties Conan listed had sounded familiar, and it took Charles a moment to understand why.

"Would the computer be somewhat similar to the communication devices the gods gave us when we arrived in Asgard? It sounds as if they are capable of the same things, and the bracelet's technology is much more advanced than anything we currently have in my world."

[holmes_fanatic]

Ha -- that's a good call! Conan is impressed.

"Actually, very similar. The bracelets are limited to people within Asgard and the resources we've made ourselves, but apart from that ..." Conan let the sentence trail off. "Online basically means using your computer -- or phone, if you've got one that's internet capable -- to search for that information on the internet."

[oxbridgethegap]

"Limited to Asgard," Charles repeated, eyebrows flicking upward at the implications. "What you mean to say is...this internet would essentially be comparable to the network created by Asgard's bracelet...and then some?"

He stopped, folding his hands together on the desk. "No, that isn't quite it. Comparable to...say, if Asgard and the new city Utgard were connected by the bracelets?"

[holmes_fanatic]

"Asgard, Utgard -- and the world. There's entire universities connected by the internet. Not all their information is available online, but even if you're limited to public databases and websites maintained by volunteers ... that's still a lot of knowledge!"

[oxbridgethegap]

"You're right about that."

Charles' eyes lit as he considered the possibilities of all that, so readily available. "Are the university libraries included? Information on the books and such."

[holmes_fanatic]

"It depends on the University! There are ones that list their entire catalogue, ones that make some materials available in electronic format, others that only allow students or professors to access that information ... but it's really good! There are magazines you can subscribe to, all sorts of stuff!"

[oxbridgethegap]

Charles leant back in his chair, one arm braced against the back for support.

"I must say, I am quite envious of the information available at your disposal in the future," he admitted, passing a hand over his face. "Even borrowing a book from another university in my time requires special permission and could take weeks upon weeks to arrive. It makes research very difficult at times."

Though Conan had successfully diverted his attention for a few minutes, Charles turned back to it now. "Well! I can see how you would be so familiar with these research methods. It's pleasing to see children your age already grasping the concepts. Ignorance does favours for no one, after all."

[holmes_fanatic]

"It's pretty cool, that's for sure! Unfortunately, that also means it's easier to access and share bad sorts of information too ... but used responsibly, it's a great tool! And, ah." Conan paused a moment to process the compliment, trying not to make a face -- Genta might not have grasped more than the basics, but kids like Mitsuhiko proved they could!

"Of course, if Xavier-san has suggestions, I want to hear them! I'm not having much luck so far."

[oxbridgethegap]

"For the best results, I would suggest conducting a few tests with the nectar," Charles said, swirling said nectar in its bottle. "Without that information, I doubt we would be able to identity the flower it came from or its properties."

Still, coming to the library and starting the research on his own was already impressive.

[holmes_fanatic]

"Back to the hospital then? Or are there tests we can do with out equipment?"

[oxbridgethegap]

"The hospital? I wasn't aware they had equipment."

Charles frowned at the books scattered across the table, then took note of the titles Conan had ferreted out of the stacks.

[holmes_fanatic]

"They do -- they've got all the proper lab facilities! Most of the treatment side of things is done with magic now the travellers are here, but before they came and for the research side of things, they've got all the technology of hospital in my world ... you should ask them for a tour sometime, Xavier-san!"

[oxbridgethegap]

"I think I will do just that." Charles rose from his chair, pocketing the bottle of nectar.

"Would you like to accompany me to the labs, Conan? With the festivities still continuing, the rest of the city should be considerably quieter for the night."

[holmes_fanatic]

Conan glanced at the piles of books but Charles had a point -- with everyone else distracted by the festivities, they were unlikely to be disturbed.

"Of course!"

Conan hastily scooped up his notebook, following after Xavier. "You know the way?"

[oxbridgethegap]

"Of course. It would be worrying if I did not know the layout of the city by now, wouldn't it?"

Charles led the way to the library entrance and held the door open for Conan, then let it close behind them with one last look back into the quiet building.

[holmes_fanatic]

"It would," Conan agreed, quietly pleased -- there were distressing amounts of Travellers who didn't educate themselves even on basics such as that, so knowing that not only did Charles not fit that category but had a poor view of it was something of a relief.

As soon as they were outside, the scent of the flowers was again there in full. Distracting and tempting and --Annoying. Geez ... they may have gone all out but I'm not going to admire their work!

[oxbridgethegap]

The flowers drew Charles' attention as well, but for a different reason.

"Odd that they would have the flowers grow all over the city, when they're only decoration for the apology festival," Charles commented, stopping to examine a cluster of them. "You would think they were trying to draw attention to them."

[holmes_fanatic]

"I hadn't thought of that," Conan said, surprised. "Advertising, maybe? I mean, they want us to go to their party ..."

[oxbridgethegap]

"Certainly a valid assumption." Charles straightened, frowning at the dollop of nectar clinging to his fingers where he'd touched the flowers.

"The festival is supposed to be an apology. There are bound to be others like us, who refuse to attend, so it's possible they're making sure everyone will see them."