01: Video

[eastdetective]

 [A network, huh?  Before doing anything, Conan had spent some time observing it. He couldn't help but find anything as convenient as this suspicious.

But even with all the information he had gathered so far, he was still stuck with far more questions than answers. There was no help for it. He was still suspicious, but using the network would be faster than tracking people down individually. And could possibly have the very useful side effect of establishing his reputation here as nothing more than a curious kid.

He opens up the communicator and deliberately fumbles around with it for a bit, before opening the connection and scowling childishly at the camera.]

The people who brought us here are really mean, aren't they? I didn't ask to go on vacation at all!

[Conan smiles, and proceeds to dig for information.]

Ne! So can anyone tell me more about this place! It looks a little like America, right? But it doesn't look familiar at all. And it seems like there are some strange things going on here. Are there really superheroes? But those are just in stories, right? Is it just people in costumes playing tricks?

[Sometimes Conan still couldn't believe that people bought this kind of act.]

Comments

[eastdetective]

[That had not been the answer he'd been hoping for.]

That's a really long time! Have other people stayed here longer?

[acrobrat]

[She nods grimly.]

Yup.

[eastdetective]

Do you know who's been here the longest?

[acrobrat]

[Anita shrugs.]

Sorry, I have no idea. You could ask around.

...Anyway, if you want proof that powers aren't just some dinky magic tricks, I can prove it.

[eastdetective]

Okay. How?

[acrobrat]

Give me a sheet of paper. [Anita offers her hand, and then rolls up her sleeve all the way to her shoulder.]

Nothin' up my sleeve, nothin' in my sleeve.

[eastdetective]

[Conan had long ago taken to the habit of always carrying a small notebook in his pocket. He pulls it out now, and tears out a blank sheet of paper. ]

[acrobrat]

[Anita stares at the paper thoughtfully.]

Hmm...why don't you write on it, too? Just so you know I'm using the same sheet and not tricking you.

[eastdetective]

[Conan sighs, but pulls a pencil out of his pocket and scribbles a symbol on the paper. ]

[acrobrat]

[Once he's done, Anita takes the paper. It stiffens in her grasp with an audible metallic sound, becoming more like a flat blade than a limp sheet of paper. Then, with a swift gesture, she throws it toward the trunk of the nearest tree, where it embeds itself with the sound of a steel blade hitting wood.]

I'm a Paper Master. I can control paper.

[eastdetective]

[Conan would have been much more impressed if he didn't routinely spend time chasing after a magician thief who made a habit of making the impossible seem real. He walks over and starts examining the tree.]

[acrobrat]

[And Anita just watches him go, folding her arms casually over her chest.]

Go ahead. I've never had anyone inspect my powers like this before, so this might be fun.

[eastdetective]

[He first inspects the tree in detail. He walks around it looking for wires or telltale scrapes in the bark. He pulls the piece of paper out, and inspects it.

And he rapidly grows more and more interested, as he fails to find anything out of place.]

[acrobrat]

[Anita's grin slowly widens as she continues watching Conan inspecting the tree.]

[eastdetective]

[He steps back and makes a frustrated sound. This was impossible. There had to be some kind of trick to it, but he couldn't find anything. No wires, no glue residue, not even a suspicious scratch.]

[acrobrat]

Well?

[Anita's really enjoying this and it shows.]

[eastdetective]

I don't see anything.

[Which obviously only meant that the trick was really clever. ]

[acrobrat]

Duh. [She smirks.] That's because this isn't some dumb magic trick. It's really my power.

[eastdetective]

Powers aren't real. There has to be an explanation.

[acrobrat]

If it makes you feel better, even I don't know how I got powers like these in the first place. I've had them even before I got dumped in here.

[Sorry, she's rather amused.]

[eastdetective]

No, that really doesn't make me feel any better.

[Now he had to figure out an explanation for that too. ]

[acrobrat]

[Anita shrugs, her smile fading.]

But honestly, I wish I did.