a post that I stole from bakerstreet

[rarelogic]

The Winter Festival Meme

Brrr! It may be (literally) freezing outside, but that doesn't mean you have to stay cooped up indoors. In fact, with the beauty of the fallen snow, the many holiday celebrations, and the myriad activities one can only do in cold weather... many might consider winter to be the most fun and romantic time of the year!

1. illuminations
Who doesn't love a light show? Decorative strings of lights dazzle when they adorn houses, trees, or festive sculptures.

2. hot drinks
Wassail, cider, cocoa, mulled wine... 'tis the season to indulge in something warming from the inside out!

3. winter sports
Whether you're a snowboarder or a skiier, festival competitions are your time to shine! Or perhaps you prefer something more low-key, like sledding or ice skating on a frozen pond with a friend?

4. snow art
Do you wanna build a snowman? Your imagination (and the temperature sensitivity of your materials) is the limit when it comes to snow angels, ice sculptures, and snow sculptures!

5. snowball fight!
The age-old tradition of pummeling your friends with icy cold projectiles!

6. holiday market
Keep your fingers warm with a hot drink while you get your shop on!

7. Santa's village
Wait - those aren't real elves, are they?

8. new year
Put on your sequined best and wait for the ball to drop at this year's New Year's Eve bash!

9. hatsumode
Don't forget to wish for good luck at your first shrine visit of the new year.

10. wildcard
Anything goes!

stolen from bakerstreet

Comments

I am so sorry for the slow because I'm really enjoying this

[rarelogic]

[ Yujin Mikotoba's presence in his life will always have a place in this mind of his, even if sometimes the details can be temporarily muddled. (Though sometimes Sholmes is not sure whether he'd done that on purpose to keep his partner on his feet, after such a long parting from one another. (But probably not.))

The more he ruminates on it, wishing he had his pipe rather than the cup he is distinctly no longer drinking, the pieces are starting to fall into place, however haphazardly. ]

Yes, yes, I see it becoming more clear by the moment. The kinesis machine... the kidnapped wax dummy, and the gravity-altering device. Of course!

[ Something still seems off here... ]

It truly was a shame that that machine had no chance of ever working, from a scientific view. It would have been so useful..!

Right back at you, fdskljfds

[professorbestie]

[The little thing that still seems off is a smaller muddled detail than Yujin would have expected. The case in question must've left a bigger impression on Holmes than most others. Granted, it was an awfully impactful one. Yujin rather wishes he could've been there for it as well. And the instantaneous kinesis...]

Mmh... If such a fantastical technology had been strengthened and perfected, perhaps one could transport themselves to the other end of the world to meet a very good friend. [Wouldn't that have been ideal?]

[rarelogic]

Precisely! My thoughts exactly. Then the need to wait 10 years to see their very good friend would no longer be necessary.

[ Though truthfully, he counts himself lucky indeed that it only took that long to see Mikotoba again. When he'd left Japan, it seemed like it would be very long time indeed. But that sort of reminiscing is not the task at hand, no, no, Sholmes reminds himself; this is about that case, which had brought a great many things back to the forefront. ]

All that to say, I started investigating one thing, and it lead to another, and another... it seemed elementary at best to tie the cases together.

[ it seems a very generic description coming from the great detective... But now that the gears and cogs are moving! ]

But if you must know - [ And Mikotoba must - yes, he's not done, he's definitely going to keep talking as he absolutely enjoys the sound of his own voice ] - the moment I had heard of the explosion of the absolutely improbable kinesis machine, it was quite clear a body double was involved in some capacity. Which then led me to Madame Tusspells' predicament, and the rest became glaringly obvious.

[professorbestie]

[To Yujin, those ten years were both short and eternal. In that amount of time, Susato grew from a girl barely tall enough to surpass his knees, to a grown woman who could cross the ocean and stand her own in a court of law. In those ten years, a tiny infant grew into a brilliant young author with a doctorate. A lot can happen in ten years. Though... Holmes has changed very little, he supposes.

He drinks his cocoa as he listens to his friend's retelling, though the longer it goes on, the more his lips quirk into another smile. Technically, what's being said is accurate. But then, something very vital appears to be missing and he can't say whether Holmes has forgotten or not.]

Really? You did all the investigating, then? Solved the cases all by yourself, did you?

[Sad as it'd be for Naruhodo and Susato, Yujin would find it somewhat amusing if their presence and aid were erased from the story by Holmes's brain.]

[rarelogic]

Did I say that?

[ Nothing about his ramblings had said anything was specifically done alone. He was merely recounting his own thoughts on the situation, after all! And indeed, as amusing as it might be that he's forgotten to include two very important pieces of the puzzle... Leaving out Ryunosuke Naruhodo and Susato Mikotoba would be a drastic mistake for someone of his caliber! ]

Even if I were to say I had solved them, it does not mean that I was the only one to do so, nor the only participant in my deductions, my good man.

[ He waggles his cup, managing to spill only a little on his hand, and a little more on his trousers. It's not hot enough to bother him now, at least, and he doesn't look down at the new stain. ]

My Logic and Reasoning Spectacular is not nearly so impressive or complete without the participation of a second party. Simply because I haven't named them does not mean they do not exist, Mikotoba.

[ And then he swigs a mouthful of cocoa to punctuate his statement. ]

While they may not always be my preferred dance partners, those two have come a long way.

[professorbestie]

[Ooh, how fast Sholmes turned the tables there. It's somewhat undercut by the cocoa spillage, though, and Yujin shakes his head with a smile.]

Indeed, they have. I can't quite describe my pride with sufficient words, I'm afraid, so I may not have voiced it enough in their presence. Even so, I hope that the both of them have come to know just how indispensable their participation in the investigations has been.

[After everything they've learned, perhaps they can read between the lines and pinpoint just how much credit they're owed. He hopes so. They're both brilliant and they deserve to feel as such.]

[rarelogic]

[ ... Has Sholmes ever told them how indispensable they were? Hm. Well, perhaps not in those words precisely; the fact that he relied upon them so heavily during his deductions should speak volumes, however. After all, how often does Herlock Sholmes say thank you and praise people? Not very often, but he's certain that he's said it at least once to the both of them. Probably. ]

It will be an adjustment to have them gone from the flat, I must admit. Iris is lovely company, as always, but they brought a different sort of liveliness to the house.

[ One that had been missing for about 10 years until they showed up. One of many reasons why he is more than pleased to have Mikotoba taking up residence upstairs, regardless of how long the man might decide to stay. ]

[professorbestie]

[In a way, Yujin is envious of the time spent in 221B during the more recent exchange project. He had spent six years in the household, haunted by the reminders that he had a daughter awaiting him back home. That she needed him and he should've been by her side. How ironic it was, then, that that daughter would spend time in the same household without him. If it could've been the three of them- no, the four of them if Iris were included, wouldn't that have been the perfect world? But now Susato's left again. A sore reminder that one can't have everything.]

I don't doubt that for even a second. [He takes another sip from his cocoa, and as he does so, a quiet sigh escapes through his nostrils.] ... I'm certain this is yet another parting which needn't last forever. You'll meet them once more, just as we met once more.

the latest reply ever

[rarelogic]

[ The clear solution is that everyone should simply stay in London. It would make things so much easier. But Sholmes is no fool, of course. Lives must be lead, and people must go where they are needed. It is simply a matter of fact. And yet, Mikotoba's statement has him casting a long look at the man. He is, this time, more than certain that it is a parting that needn't last forever.

He had been less certain about seeing Mikotoba again, given the circumstances surrounding that departure.

Breaking his gaze away, Sholmes takes a sip of his drink. ]

So long as it needn't last ten years, either. Much too long for dear friends to be apart.

/also walks back in late

[professorbestie]

[The words seem to echo along in the back of Yujin's head. "Much too long"... "Dear friends"... He feels as if he shouldn't complain; he had Susato during those ten years. He also thought he'd had a different sort of dear friend during those ten years, but as it turned out, Jigoku had been no friend at all. To have been deceived for so long without even a single suspicion... Shameful, really. He's surprised Sholmes never scolded him for failing to see it.

Regardless, he knows Sholmes is nothing like Jigoku, nor Genshin, nor any other companion who revealed true colors. If anything, Sholmes's true colors are even more vibrant and pleasant than what might be glimpsed at first glance. That much brings comfort. He instinctively leans himself a bit closer to his friend, their arms almost brushing against one another.]

... Much too long, indeed.