Logs: Riverside Poker
Inaba - Samegawa Flood Plain
Sometimes the quiet city isn't quiet enough. A long river runs through Inaba, and the flood plain is the path that goes right alongside it. There may not be much left in the way of undeveloped land surrounding this part of Japan, but the Samegawa Flood Plain shines brightly for those who want| to truly get away from it all.
Aside from a long paved road, a couple of signs, and a gazebo, humanity's usual urban mark has not been imprinted too heavily. Many children walk along this path at one point or another to reach whatever school they may attend. Trees dot the roads and grass happily grows nearby, making the place scenic no matter what the season. The river bank has a small stone 'dock' in which to fish from. The river is teeming full of fish at all times of day.
It is said that when it rains, the mighty fish named the "Guardian of the Samegawa" awaits wary fishermen, larger than even those simply referred to as "huge fish." Nobody has ever caught it. Many are simply content with catching smaller, less scary fish for food, sport, or trade.
Masumi will not deny that he hates Inaba and all of its backwater-ness, and that he can't stand most of the people there. So few of them have any imagination or vision, so few of them are willing to step out and break the shackles and mundanity that have kept them chained for so long. He wants out of this town as soon as he possibly can.
But there is something different about the Samegawa River. Perhaps it is the purity of the area, undisturbed by urbanization that isn't even properly urban, for Masumi finds himself attracted both to areas of quiet nature and to busy cities. Areas that are truly what they attempt to be, he reflects, instead of having pretension to one but failing entirely at being either.
A small blanket has been spread on the ground near the river itself, and the youth sits upon it. He is alone and does not seem to have brought books or food or any of the other items which people usually bring to such places; instead, Masumi seems entirely content to watch the flow of the river as it passes by. He finds it a relaxing activity that helps to clear his mind and put his thoughts into perspective.
For those that do not know him, it takes several moments to determine whether he is male or female. His features and waist-length silver hair are far too smooth and soft to belong to a guy, and his sensibilities, and choice of clothes and general aesthetic are definitely feminine. Even the aura about him is one of delicate gracefulness.
Having finally returned to Inaba was something Naoto had looked forward to for some time. Mostly because it meant that he could get back on track with the murder case. He hadn't contacted Yu yet however, but that was mostly because he'd desired to think on what he'd been already over the phone. Especially since they now knew something of how it had been happening. That and he desired to take a look at this 'KNOWS' place.
Naoto brings out his cellphone and idly checks his messages. Aside from a congratulatory note for solving the case that had dragged him away from here, there didn't seem to be anything new. Though that would likely change once he'd held a meeting with the rest of KDA's Inaba branch.
As he walks along the river, his gaze falls upon a rather odd figure of sorts. From the looks of the teen, he'd guess it was a girl at first glance, but when looking again there was a few discrepancies that hinted the other way, made a bit easier for him than most in small part due to certain circumstances.
Most people would have to at least see Masumi from the front to discern that he was in fact not a girl; without seeing his face, there is precious little in the way of the normal tells to give the lie to the apparent discrepancy. But Naoto is the Detective Prince. He has become famous by noticing the tiniest of clues which a normal person would never see, and deriving factual information from them such that normal people wouldn't even be able to readily follow the train of logic were it explained in great detail to them.
Or in other words, he's just That Good.
Masumi possesses a more intuitive awareness of his surroundings than a logical one, relying on subtle feelings and subconscious knowledge more than what he consciously assimilates with his five physical senses. Of course he is not anywhere as perceptive as Naoto, but he tends to have a good general sense of what's going on around him nonetheless. The fact that someone is staring at his back right now, for example. But he doesn't feel a judgmental sense to it. More like...inquisitiveness? Yes, that feels right.
"Hello," Masumi says softly as he turns around to face this person, offering a gentle smile. There's a quiet, graceful poise about him that speaks of both mystery and knowledge, secrecy and revelation.
"Greetings." Replies Naoto in a tone that hints that he hadn't expected the boy to notice it. Then again he was aware that some had what he'd call 'eyes in the back of their skull'. An interesting talent to be sure and a rather useful one for someone in his line of work.
"I hope I did not disturb anything?" He quickly regains his usually serious tone as he speaks to the person sitting not far from him. He also has the suspicious feeling that this person could likely trick anyone if he cross-dressed.
Not that Naoto would know anything about cross-dressing, of course. That would be silly!
"Not at all," Masumi replies demurely, in a tone that invites the other boy to stay for a while if he wishes. He is almost always welcoming of company which does not immediately judge him for being who he is -- it's not an entirely common thing, after all. But it goes a little beyond that, doesn't it, he reflects. That sense and feeling of someone with /vision/, someone /different/. Someone not tied down by the mundanity of the world.
It's so rare to meet those who aren't quite bound by the boring cycles of daily living, not quite trapped by the constant grind. A person that possesses something a little bit beyond the sheep which fill most of the world, holds that spark of life most cannot even grasp. "It's a magnificent day, isn't it?" he asks, briefly turning his gaze from Naoto to sweep across the placid river nearby.
"It's better than what it could've been yes." Replies Naoto and looks up. As long as no fog or any appearance on a certain channel had happened, there wasn't much to say about the weather as far as he was concerned.
"Are you a local by any chance?" Naoto narrows his eyes slightly and seems to study Masumi, much in the manner one would expect from a detective.
"I am in need of some directions." He'd forgotten to ask Yu about the direction to that KNOWS facility and he hadn't seen it while sitting inside the train heading for Inaba either, though that might've simply been the result of sitting on the wrong side of the train.
Masumi does not appear to be especially bothered by the other boy's careful scrutiny. He has nothing to hide, and any secrets he might hold are not those which would be revealed by the physical five senses. Aside from the initial gender discrepancy that was already reconciled, the only thing of note which the Detective Prince will find is that it appears Masumi is at the very end of recovering from several injuries -- subtle signs of bandages underneath his loose shirt, concealed from the majority of the populace, but little in the way of stiff movements or wincing.
"I live in Inaba, yes," Masumi replies with a faint hint of distaste, as if he does not like admitting to the fact. "Where is it that you need to go?" More importantly, why is it that anyone not from Inaba would actually want to come here? A person visiting friends or family would likely just ask them for directions. Some kind of work business? Possible, although there wasn't exactly much here for people to have business with. Intriguing!
Naoto had indeed noticed that the boy seemed to have injuries, but chose to not comment on it. There were too many things that could cause such, making it unfeasible to be curious about it unless he actually had a reason to be so beyond that.
"Yes I am looking for a place called KNOWS. I was thinking of checking the place as I'd heard a few things about it." And what little Yu had said came across as very shady in more ways than one. Even more so, what was it's purpose?
Naoto's explanation elicits a small frown from Masumi. That would make the second time he had heard KNOWS come up in conversation recently, both times as if it were connected to something a little more sinister than its official purpose. What did that one girl reference? Asking Yu something about how long he had known a KNOWS thug?
Which of course in and of itself made sense. The kids enrolled in KNOWS are generally thugs that need a strong hand to straighten them out, but there was such a charged undertone to the conversation and to the question itself -- what did it all mean? He distinctly remembers how that conversation ended, with talk of that girl being forced against her will, and refusing to beg for her life. How does it all tie together? Does it tie together at all?
Masumi doesn't answer the question immediately, as if considering how to answer, or perhaps trying to get a feel for this outsider to their small town. "Are you a detective, then?" he finally asks. Certainly, he isn't nearly old enough to be 'checking it' because he is interested in enrolling a child into their program.
"I know someone interested in it. So since I was here in Inaba, I thought I'd look into it." Not the entire truth, but it certainly wasn't a lie either. Said friend, of course, being Yu. Though he opts to refrain from mentioning that tidbit.
"What makes you think otherwise?" Naoto was of course aware that his reputation could be known to this person, but that was hopefully not the case. Sometimes it did help yes. However it could also be a great bother for numerous reasons.
Masumi has surely heard of the Detective Prince at least in passing or through the news, being someone who tries to keep up on certain types of current events. But he certainly wouldn't know him on sight, and probably wouldn't associate this person with the famous Prince regardless -- the big deal about him has always been he's a prodigy at the age of fifteen. This guy at least looks to be in his early twenties.
For the second time, several moments pass in silence as Masumi weighs this question, pondering whether to push or to yield. "I'm sorry," he says finally, relenting. "I've heard some strange things about KNOWS, that's all, and thought perhaps they were being investigated. Probably just small town gossip." But there's a look in his eye that gives the lie to his words, a distinct hint of something deeper that Naoto will surely pass over if he is indeed just someone checking into it for a friend -- but will also surely notice if he himself knows something more.
It's the subtle touch of someone learning to navigate the hidden places and ways of the world, someone trying to find the truth and looking for answers, but forced to be careful so as not to reveal any of his own hand to the wrong people. Information is the greatest commodity there is in the world -- or at least so his boss keeps telling him. And he is probably right.
"Strange things you say? Such as?" Replies Naoto and acts as if he's simply curious. Though he's well aware that KNOWS is likely anything but good. It is after all headed by SEBEC and Yu had warned him about them over the phone. So it being simply small town gossip sounded very unlikely. Besides such gossip usually spawned from a grain of truth. The problem was usually that it became horrendously twisted over time.
It all comes back to how much of his hand he chooses to reveal, Masumi muses. He can reveal it all now and hope that the older man will reciprocate if he actually knows anything himself, but that's always a dangerous proposition. They have no incentive to tip their own hand if you spill everything first -- particularly in this case, as he's currently stuck holding nothing but a pair of fives.
No, the silver-haired youth decides, it's far better to bluff. A pair of fives can hold even more leveraging power than a straight flush if the one holding it can bluff properly. Right now, he's tipped his hand just enough that the other man is curious. If he knows as little as he claims, then nothing is lost by not passing on unsubstantiated rumors. But if he knows something more, if there's something deeper going on --
Yes, provide just enough of a hook for him to come back. Make him at least tip his hand first before revealing anything further. Even if he's not a detective, there's a distinct intensity to the way he talks and to his choice of phrasing that Masumi cannot help but to feel that something is going on. But it doesn't really matter. He loses nothing one way, could stand to win a lot the other way. Prospective benefit with no real risk of loss is always the best kind.
"I suppose," he begins softly, coming gracefully back to his feet while picking the blanket up with one smooth motion. A gentle breeze plays through his long silver hair. "That is something you will have to discover yourself." And then he's already walking away.
He stops suddenly for a moment, half-turning. "Just take the main street north, outside of the main city limits. KNOWS is the only building after that." And then he returns to walking away.
