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

[ofthursday]

Do we need something to dig them up with?

[Castiel knows nothing of transplanting flowers. Nothing.]

[holmes_fanatic]

Let's take some of the lab tools -- here's a scapel for you, one for me ... and we'll want something to put them in ... The lab doesn't need all those sample boxes. One moment ...

[Tiny industrial pilfering is go.]

[ofthursday]

[Castiel ponders the scalpel for a few moments, then watches Conan take other supplies. He is entirely unbothered by whether they're supposed to or not.]

[holmes_fanatic]

[Good man. Conan lifts his supplies, ready to go.]

Come on then! You'll have to get the doors, Castiel-san.

[ofthursday]

[He does so, helping Conan as they go through the hospital and eventually stepping outside into the night air. Castiel hasn't left the hospital in some time, and though he still feels a bit guilty about leaving Sam for the time, it's also nice to be outdoors. He's an angel, and not meant to be inside for long periods of time.]

You said that there are some near here?

[holmes_fanatic]

You can't smell them?

[The remark's more teasing than anything else, Conan waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Once they do, the soft glow of the conical flowers becomes noticable, and they can be discerned amongst the other flowers.]

There's a bunch over there -- look!

[ofthursday]

[Castiel is still not that attuned to human senses, so while his senses work fine, separating out different things, like the smell of flowers, isn't all that easy to him. But he can follow the glow, reaching a patch of the flowers, studying them in fascination. They're beautiful, in a way, and then he remembers what they're doing.

Okay, he's an angel. He knows how plants work, and he should be able to dig out a flower without severing any important roots. Should being the keyword, here, and he sets about trying to dig and cut some out of the ground without harming them.]

[holmes_fanatic]

[Conan's pretty confident that Castiel's got digging up a plant down -- he's no expert, so he'll do the same over here, being very careful not to cut off the roots. When he's transported his safely to the waiting container, he considers the remaining space.]

I think one more plant each -- then we can concentrate on just picking as many of the flowers as we can!

[ofthursday]

[Castiel carefully moves his plant into the box as well, and nods and sets about digging up another. This one is easier and goes into the box safely beside the other one, before he sets about simply cutting other stalks for them to collect and harvest the nectar from.

It's easy, mindless work to focus on, which is something nice for the moment. He's worn out and stressed and doing something that doesn't require a lot of concentration or precision is calming.]

[holmes_fanatic]

[Conan, meanwhile, is enjoying the company, quiet though Castiel is. He doesn't regret shunning the party and all the celebrations, but the funny thing about going against the crowd is ... It's kind of lonely. Lonely, and Conan has yet to acquire Sherlock Holmes-like levels of detachment.

He brings his container of harvested flowers over to Castiel's to compare. They're doing well.]

Think this is enough?

[ofthursday]

Likely. It depends how much nectar you intend to harvest.

[But this is a large amount, and who knows how long they'll have to do the collection anyway.]

[holmes_fanatic]

This should be enough to keep the lab staff busy, at least a little while!