Some people need to learn lessons the hard way.

[nantokanare]

Characters: Akagi Shigeru, Edogawa Conan [CLOSED]
Location: Buffet & hallway.
Date: Morning today
Rating: PG-13? For pretend shooting.

Comments

[1truthprevails]

It probably wasn't a good idea to get into the habit of sleeping in too late, even if he was trapped on a cruise ship for an indefinite amount of time. So after his morning routine, Conan wandered up a deck to the buffet to grab something to eat before planning out what he'd do today.

He had to wonder where all this food even came from every day, if people had been on the ship for months yet they'd only made one stop. Still, if they could 'magic' people onto the ship, then maybe they had similar methods for the food and amenities.

The granola bars seemed like a safe bet, anyway. He didn't have to pull a chair over this time as he knew where to go, reaching up over the side of the counter to grab one.

He paused briefly in that motion. A sudden chill down his spine told him someone was watching him. Well, it was probably nothing. He took the bar and turned back the way he came, biting into it as he went.

[nantokanare]

There. Just like clockwork his target appeared, grabbed some food, and left. Waiting until Conan was at the door with his back turned Akagi stood up from his chair, grabbing one last handful of cereal before trailing after the other boy.

The hallway was empty. Perfect. He casually began to close in on Conan, only speaking when the gap between them was all but gone.

"Heh. I didn't think anyone actually ate those things. I guess some people like them after all."

[1truthprevails]

The feeling that someone was watching him didn't go away as he left. Someone was following him.

Still, he jumped when Akagi spoke up, nearly dropping his granola bar and taking a second to gather himself again. Who did you think it would be, idiot?

He turned and scratched his head with a small laugh. "They're okay, I guess. Did you want something?"

[nantokanare]

Akagi laughed along with Conan, the smile on his face unnaturally friendly.

"Ahh, actually I wanted to ask you about something." His smile shifted, almost turning predatory. "I heard you were talking to Serrath-san."

[1truthprevails]

When that too-friendly smile turned hostile, Conan went still for a split second before smiling back with easy innocence.

"I did talk to him. It wasn't a very nice thing you did, to keep his goggles like that."

[nantokanare]

A soft laugh. "That wasn't very smart, Edogawa-san. To make assumptions like this when you don't know my character." Ever so slowly, Akagi was backing the boy into the wall.

"If I was yakuza, you might be dead now." Intimidation was so easy when you towered over your target. "And there's still the chance that you might be dead later."

[1truthprevails]

He found himself backing up as Akagi approached him. He was getting a very bad feeling about this. When his back hit the wall, that sense shot through the roof. So he'd been right, that there was more to this 'helpful boy' than he'd been showing. But the problem now was what he may have just gotten himself into. His smile had dropped, but beneath his apprehension there was an experienced calm.

"Are you yakuza, Akagi-san?"

[nantokanare]

"Of course not. Yakuza are pathetic. They spend their entire lives worrying about pride and money. They'll bow down to anyone if they get what they want." From the waistband of his pants Akagi withdrew the gun he had hidden there. A second later, it was pressed against Conan's head, right between his eyes.

"I'm not like them."

He pulled the trigger.

[1truthprevails]

Conan was certainly getting some insight into Akagi's true colors, right now. A thirteen year old boy, talking about how pathetic the yakuza are-

His train of thought was cut short at the sight of that gun. His eyes widened and his blood ran cold. Crap! His mind went into overdrive the moment it was pressed between his eyes. The other facts of the moment were gone, nothing; what was important was that there was a gun pressed to his head, the person holding it was about to fire, and he had the means to stop it if he could just move.

But there wasn't enough time.

Heat accompanied by the loud bang made him cry out and smack his head off the wall behind him. For a long second he couldn't think, during which time his knees gave out and he slid down the wall. ...I'm alive? Sluggish but swift, his mind did the work for him. The heat had been sudden, but not terribly hot. It wasn't a real gun. He hadn't really shot him.

But he could have. Very, very easily.

[nantokanare]

Akagi could help but laugh as Conan fell to the ground. He didn't pass out, he'd give him credit for that. The boy had some guts.

"It's just a regular cap gun." The gun was fired a few more times for demonstration. "Do you really think I'd kill you over something like that? If I wanted it secret I would have said so before you told Serrath-san, not after.

"Actually, I wanted to thank you. Serrath-san will come after me now. I can more out of him this way. The difference it makes is surprising."

[1truthprevails]

Conan remained on the floor a moment longer, still coming back from the illusion of a near-death experience. He should have realized that it wasn't a real gun; if he'd thought about it, even his stungun watch had been taken from him on his arrival. He couldn't have a real gun, much less go pulling it out in hallways to shoot a kid over some trivial matter. That would be far too obvious... and it was apparent now that Akagi was much too clever for such a brash move.

Slowly, he came back to his feet, his expression a little dark. There were a lot of questions he had for Akagi, now. That was no idle prank. He'd have to be a lot more careful from here on out when keeping an eye on him. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost threatening.

"That was a dangerous trick. Akagi-san."

And then a lighter tone, more of relief as his face slipped back into a nervous, childish grin.

"I thought you were really going to shoot me! That was really mean."

[nantokanare]

Don't think even for a second that Akagi missed that change in exterior. He didn't miss it, not by a long shot.

"If it's not dangerous it's not worth doing." The best reactions were the ones you risked something for, Akagi had learned that long ago. He slipped the gun back into his waistband, adjusting his shirt over top to hide it.

Well, he was just about done here. Time to tie this up. "You should be more prepared next time, Edogawa-san. Not everyone is as nice as me." Laugh.