Rebounding and Resounding ((Open RP, L, Great Hall))

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

While not exactly the easiest thing to do, L, aka Ryuuzaki, was adjusting his own manner of thinking. He felt he'd reached some degree of success when he took A shopping rather than question his potential preparedness. He was making a concerted effort and when he made a concerted effort, things happened.

Concerted efforts also required sustenance. And, while eating in his room was adequate, L knew that, as part of his programme to change, he needed to get out more often. So, rather than request cheesecake and tea be brought to his room, he ventured out to the Great Hall, perching on a bench, adding copious amounts of sugar to his tea. Glucose, after all, was vital for brain functioning.

Comments

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

"A prefers tea without anything in it," L said, making a face at the remembered taste. "I do not find that palatable. It also serves no function. If something is to be consumed, it should serve a function. Sugar gives tea a purpose in the diet."

L took a sip of his tea, holding the cup between his thumb and forefinger, the handle in front of his nose. "I have heard that almost only qualifies for hand grenades and horseshoes, though I fail to understand the second," he admited.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'Who's A?' Rose asks, full of curiosity. 'Mummy had a t-shirt making workshop once, and someone there said they wanted to make a t-shirt that said 'Fuckin' A' but they couldn't because the first word was one they weren't allowed to use. Is A famous? Is that where it comes from?'

The girl knows a lot, but at times like this it's better to just smile thinly and hand her a textbook. She won't read it, but she will appreciate the effort.

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

The cup slipped from L's grasp, spilling its contents as it clattered on the table, soon followed by the remaining contents of L's mouth. His hand didn't move, so it might have caught the majority of the outflow. He managed to swallow what remained in his mouth. "A is a student here. He cares for the mangosteen grove and the greenhouse near it." He picked up a napkin and began wiping his arm and the table. "I do not believe the shirt was in reference to him."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

Rose helps.

By 'helps', I mean that she gets onto the bench, grabs another napkin and makes big sweeping motions with it on the table, spreading the tea further with her enthusiasm.

'I used to go down to the greenhouses,' Rose says cheerfully. Then her face falls a little. 'But the people I used to go with aren't here anymore.'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

A house elf, summoned by the disaster, supplied a great quantity of towels, far more than should be needed for the mess, but preparedness is vital for such creatures. "Thank you," L says, directing the word to both.

Once the house elf departed with the soaked toweling and with promises to return with a fresh cup of tea, L said, "I think A would like company. He spends a lot of time there. However, I would not mention the shirt."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'I won't,' Rose promises. 'I already have an excuse.' Well, it's not an excuse, she really would like tp paint there. 'Who can I say I am from?'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

"Ryuuzaki," L replied. "He does seem to enjoy those who appreciate his plants and now is a good time to visit with the autumn beginning." This was more rote than actual knowledge.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

What a lovely name to taste, to roll around the mouth and eventually let it drip off the tongue as so much honey.

'That's right, I forgot.' Rose sounds a little sad. 'Everything gets colder. Well, everything is cold. It's Scotland. But it gets like the Arctic.'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L nodded. "I prefer to remain indoors where there is more control over the climate." Though, his experience with climate and out-of-doors has been primarily at Hogwarts, though he occasionally did venture out before. Most of his work kept him inside, working at a computer or with files.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'Oh, that's why you look so pale! Like my brother, when he was ill. He looked like paper. Have you been very ill as well? I know someone who can't go out when it's cold and wet because her lungs ache.'

One wonders if this is just an excuse to get out of PE.

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

The house elf returned with L's tea. He began sweetening it again before answering. "No, not ill. I have a lot of work to do that keeps me inside, so much so that it became preference." And, it was safer. If anyone managed to figure out he was L and what his role in the world's crime prevention system was, his life would be quickly over. But, that was his world and the little girl didn't need to know that.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'Oh.' Rose nods. 'Like an ant-farm?'

In Rose's head, L is the master of the ants, the general of their soldiers, and this sounds a lot more interesting than his actual work.

'You must,' she concludes, 'Be amazing at giving speeches.'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L looked at the girl, quite unsure what to make of her disparate comments. "I have never had an ant farm," he said. "And, the only time I give speeches is when I must explain my results."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'Are you a scientist?' Rose asks dubiously.

Because, you see, Rose has the soul of an artist. Puny reason is crushed under imagination in her world. They will duel at dawn! She will have the paintbrush, he the test-tube.

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L blinked. "After a manner of speaking, I could be called a scientist," he conceeded. "I am a detective. Like a scientist, I seek out truth and what is reality and I must support my claims with evidence."

L is quite unsure how to approach or respond to imagination. It will be quite a difficult battle for him.

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

Oh. Well the police are quite nice really. We shan't go into how Rose knows this.

'So you're like the ones who are on the telly. Solving murders and things.'

Rose wonders if she could ask him to solve the murders Kieran tells her about. Like the one about the man with a hook for a hand who killed Kieran's sister's friend's friend's boyfriend when they were in the car together. (Kieran has only ever told that one once, and for this reason Rose supposes it must be the one that is true.)

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L considered his answer. The problem with it was that he, by and large, did not watch 'telly' as most would understand it. He watched surveillance footage, multiple screens at a time. If there happened to be a detective show on of any variety, he was not usually interested in it, but rather the actions of the person watching it. "I do solve murders," he agreed, "as well as mass robberies and other serial cases when they catch my attention."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

He would have been good in the case of the hamsters.

Caddy had lots of hamsters when she left for university, but they all disappeared. And nobody knew where they had gone, until the fateful night where there was a powercut and Rose went out to find Mummy in her shed in the middle of the night with only someone else's shoes and a torch. And the door locked behind her.

But all these were symptoms of the missing hamsters. The wire was chewed through, but nobody was dead.

'Is that the razor thing?' Rose asks, very unsure but not willing to show it. 'I heard someone talking about a razor being used to solve crimes.'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

"Occam's Razor? Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem." And, because some part of his mind reminded him that a child may not speak Latin, though he certainly did at her age. "Entities shall not be multiplied beyond necessity. Yes, I am familiar with it. It is often paraphrased as 'the simplest explanation is most likely correct.' At times, it is useful, however, by the time I begin on a case, many of the 'simplest' explanations have been exhausted."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

So it wouldn't be escaped hamsters. It would be MASSIVE RABBITS. With HOOKS FOR EARS.

It is safe to say Rose does not go to a school where they teach Latin.

'What cases have you done?' Rose wants to know. By 'done', she means 'solved in the nick of time with movies and television series based on them.'

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

"There have been several," L said without modesty. "Though, I am told the cases that shall be most known are those that lie in my future. The vaster majority of the cases I work on are known only to the ICPO and InterPol."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

'So, you didn't do the one about the man who pretended to be a statue in the house and the babysitter got really scared.'

Rose is not impressed.

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L looked at her, confused. "I do not work cases that are urban legends." Yes, despite his social isolation, knowing of urban legends is helpful, given his field of expertise. "Cases that I am involved in typically have at least ten people dead or over a million dollars at stake."

[rosecasson.livejournal.com]

Stuff the ten dead people with a million dollars! Or...well, read that however you want, and then know it's not meant that way.

'But it really happened! Kieran's aunt's sister's friend heard it from the mum whose babysitter it was!' And absolutely nothing will convince Rose away from the fact it's truth. Sure, nobody died, but she's only heard it once from Kieran.

[pre-l.livejournal.com]

L stared at the girl a moment. "And, aside from being scared, what happened?" he asked. Inducing fear is not a crime, in his book. If it were, he would be public enemy number one. Especially to dietitians.