Genkai

Digital or Real?

It was really nice to hear from James, so much so, that she didn't mind hearing his ramblings. When he used to do it, she'd tell him to shut up. She'd do that by either kissing him or smacking on the arm, she was sure he much preferred the former solution. But it had been ages since she had heard his voice and she was honestly interested in what he had been up to. It was good to hear his family was together again, reunited back home. Of course the accident itself wasn't good but if people were apart by oceans, she was sure it could have been handled much worse. James then mentioned how busy he was with work, even though he did enjoy it. It sounded like he needed more friends around and she hoped she could help him get out more.

"We did get a little overboard with the drinking sometimes." She admitted when he mentioned how he didn't drink as much as when they were younger. No one really minded if teens drank, it was easy for them to get and often times it just meant they would grow out of it later on, as opposed to just becoming drunks. Sasha didn't do a lot of drinking back in high school, but she knew at certain parties or occasions, she and James had definitely had some good times and usually that was thanks to the wonderful elixir of alcohol. "I'm glad to hear you're not a bumbling drunk, drinking alone is never good." She mentioned lightly.

Then came the topic of technology and Sasha already felt like she was being hit by all sorts of deja vu moments.

Her lips curved into a bigger smile as she sat back and continued to listen to the blond boy babble on and on. It really was cute and she found herself missing him even more, despite the fact that he was sitting in front of her. VR was an amazing feat and she was happy to part of such an invention. Back in they day, people could only speculate and it was like the future was finally here and it was amazing. "James...James." She tried to settle him down and bring him back to the present. She knew how he could get and often, he could leave everyone else far behind if he latched onto topics like these. She smacked his shoulder lightly from across the table and shook her head.

"I know you're excited but slow don't." She said gently. "Speaking of games, that new Pokemon MMO is pretty fun, it's about time they made such a massive game with different regions and difficulties. Not only that but you can pick your path, I got so bored of being a trainer who took on the Gyms you know? I know everyone is already on other regions but I'm taking my time." She mentioned. "If you haven't tried it, I'd love to pay for you join." She was still trying to think of some kind of way to give him something that showed she cared and that she was sorry. "I still can't believe Doctor Who is still running, I guess it rakes in the money." She shruged as she took another chip and ate it. "You know you've got to let me cook for us sometime. I've learned a few tricks since I've been gone and this," she gestured to the tray between them. "isn't a proper meal."

Deductive Reasoning

Oh gosh, you flatter me so! Haha.

Now I've got the urge to listen to some Daft Punk.

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DON'T DROP THE SOAP!!

Mmm toast...you may be my personal toaster. That works for me.

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Your new roomies would be very welcoming of you. But I don't recommend it.

Yes you have, you may live another night, young one and if you serve us well, you may someday get a robotic body to call your own.

Deductive Reasoning

You might get arrested unless you put on a very interesting show but...again jail.

Yes, the future will be filled with female overlords, it's better than giant amazon warriors ruled by a computer right?

Deductive Reasoning

Your college didn't have track and field? That bites...though I don't even know my college's mascot. >___> Just be sure when you go out for a jog, not to do it around the ladies or you'll get chased by the cops and that's gonna be an intense work out.

Umm..throw it in a ditch? Move out of country? I then take over world (wish lasers)...yes?

Deductive Reasoning

Video games are awesome. I used to play sports until high school, sadly.

I've always wanted to live forever! TAKE MY MONEY!

That takes too long, you're better off with a laser gun, instant defense.

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Oh there's always more to learn. I did a Civil War Academic Decathlon during high school which is pretty much putting yourself into a year-long competition, I was such a dork haha.

You don't wanna be a woman, it's overrated. On the flipside, I don't think I could be a man...so...

Yeah don't even think about them. I've done one tasteful crossover with Harry Potter and Doctor Who but...some fans are bonkers. No thank you. XP

Deductive Reasoning

Holmes still liked to insist he hadn't tipped Irene off that Watson had a bit of guilty pleasure found in gambling but their evening out on the town had indeed been so much more entertaining for the boxing detective that he was sure his secret would slip out eventually, mostly out of sheer gleeful amusement. Watson so rarely crept out of his shell, that no one could blame Sherlock for taking advantage of the few indulgences John partook in. "I elected not to warn you of her reputation because it was simply in my best interest to let you learn on your own, a baby bird must fly the coop at some point, Watson." Holmes chided, though his tone indicated he was still rather calm, despite the need to approach new cases with urgency. In his mind, he hadn't taken it on and he wasn't sure if it would be of any interest for him to actually do so. If it were still pouring, he would have outright refused Adler's plea and not left his cozy but very cluttered room where he could resume his countless experiments and projects. "Perhaps you'd like to take the lead on this one?" He suggested.

Mary gave Irene an understanding nod, but she wasn't entirely convinced, despite this being her only hope at finding Charlie and possibly Kettle as well. "I did send a carriage for them, with the constant rain, I didn't want them walking so far in the cold." She explained, her heart going out to those who had to still work in such awful conditions. A few more minutes passed as the wind continued to blow by, causing the tired blond to lose her balance slightly. When it died down, leaving more wisps of fog, the carriage pulled up, making its way through the gate and up to the large manor. Mary glanced to Irene and stepped down the four steps to where the rest of the cool solid stone was before it would be met with soggy grass and stepping stones leading to the backyard and other areas of interest on the property. "Good morning, thank you so much for coming all the way out here." Mary announced as the driver opened the door for the two occupants.

The first voice he heard wasn't Irene Adler, but someone else.

The potential client.

She sounded rather troubled, her voice was inviting yet uneven, and he didn't think the cold had much to do with that.

"Please do come in and warm up. I hope your ride wasn't too unpleasant." Mary said and motioned for everyone to head inside.

Sherlock stepped out and fussed with his long coat, checking he had his pipe on him. Despite his sharp mind, he could be so forgetful. He could leave the stove on, his gun on his dresser, sometimes he even forgot to feed Gladstone but thankfully, Watson was like a guardian angel, able to fill in the missing gaps in Holmes' rapidly working mind. He walked up the steps, moving right past Mary and up to where Irene was perched by the doorway. He looked at her, studied her choice in attire, no doubt an early Christmas present to herself. "Red has always suited you." He said and turned back to see Watson getting out. His gaze then turned to the tense looking blond woman in the dark blue dress. "Actually the ride was rather agonizing but it may have been due to my company. My partner can be a bother if he hasn't gotten enough sleep." He laughed lightly and moved past Irene and let himself inside. Mary gave a quizzical look to Irene before she hurried after the detective.

When all of them were inside and out of the harsh, darkened weather, Mary led them to the sitting room off to the right of the house on the first floor. It was a corner room with long floor to ceiling windows, framed by red velvet drapes which were tied with golden rope. There were many seats and couches, as well as wooden tables and a fire was already made in the fireplace. Lily, the cook, had already set out food and tea for the guests. "Please come in, make yourselves comfortable." Mary offered as she remained standing. Sherlock, on the other hand, took a seat in front of the fire, on a yellow couch. The floor was hardwood, but had a large round carpet on most of the exposed wood. It was a hand stitching of a farm in France, one the Tylers also owned. "My name is Mary Mortsan, I asked Irene to invite you here." Mary said nervously, looking to the other female for a moment. Before the dark haired woman could introduce the boys on their behalf, Holmes spoke up on his own accord.

"You have a lovely home." Sherlock spoke up and stood up for a moment to extend his arm. "My name is Sherlock Holmes." He smiled as she walked over and shook his hand. "I trust you have heard of the many cases I've helped solve over the years." He mentioned. Mary gave him a look and shook her head. She hadn't heard of his name, but she was vaguely aware of some freelance detectives helping people who were in need from time to time. Holmes glanced back to the fire. He had already studied the photos above the fireplace. They were of the family. "So you're a governess." He commented, seeing that she wasn't in many of the photos, and neither were the children's parents. He got up and turned to the others. "It would be very troubling if you lost one of your children before your employers returned. That doesn't bode well for a very happy holiday." He pointed out and walked around the couch to pour himself a cup of tea while snatching a handful of cookies, as he hadn't eaten in nearly a day, as he usually wrapped himself tightly in his work, that Watson often had to pester him to eat, let alone bathe from time to time.

Mary inhaled sharply, not at all pleased by the manner in which the man spoke.

In her mind, Sherlock Holmes seemed to be the sort of man who would throw women trains if it suited him.

Mary looked to Irene and the other man, somehow a friend of Mr. Holmes. "Excuse me? Charlie ran off, it wasn't my fault." Mary's eyes narrowed as Sherlock turned back around to the three. Mary wasn't fond of being accused of mismanaging the children. She cared for them deeply as if they were her very own. She already blamed herself for the boy's outburst, she didn't need a stranger accusing her further. "H-he is at the age where he wants to be seen as an adult. A lot of things have been troubling him as of late and he took off before I could catch up to him." Mary explained coldly. Sherlock gave a shrug and ate a cookie as he motioned for Mary to go on. "If you want to be rude, I don't care but you stuffing your face isn't helping find him." Mary said and looked to the other two. "There have been others who were abducted. And pets too. Charlie lost his cat a while ago and I've been asking around..." She bit her lower lip. "If they wanted money, Charlie's parents could pay easily but...I don't think it's that simple." She insisted.

The tall man swallowed and then took a small sip of tea, finding the temperature very comforting. "You've been asking around? What do you need our help for? Ah, Watson, introduce yourself to Ms. Mortsan, no need to be a ponce." He waved his free hand.

Mary couldn't believe this was the skilled detective Irene had vouched for. She didn't have the patience or energy to be dealing with such infantile morons. "You are helping me find Charlie, I refuse to abandon him!" She declared but found herself feeling dizzy so she quickly took a seat but kept her eyes on Holmes. She then then sighed and rubbed her head. "I'm sorry..."

Like most women, Mary Mortsan had some interesting buttons to push, though her tenacity was what intrigued him the most at the moment. He glanced to Irene and raised a brow, still uncertain as to why she'd befriend such a sweet governess, such an odd contrast to her usual partners in crime.

Deductive Reasoning

I'm into civil war stuff, took a trip to VA a few years back, it was quaint. Some states are pretty hard to cover entirely when traveling, most people seem to pick a spot and stick around it.

Right, it's not like you're trying to steal my identity and socks. No way!

Pffft, you should see some crazy fanfics about DW and SH. It kind of kills me inside. >___> And I'm on my last paragraph for your post, rejoice!