bakerstreet | the picture prompt

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[ Her booth in New Beijing hasn't been quiet for days.

There are more and more travelers flocking to the city with each day. Cinder knows all about it. Mostly because Iko hasn't talked about anything else all morning. A festival, she squeals loudly and often, imagine it Cinder. Cinder hadn't been able to imagine anything considering how busy she is. With tourists come faulty droids, broken portscreens, impatient men and frazzled women who stand at her booth and tap their feet in irritation.

Part of her knows the money will be good, Adri will be pleased. The rest of her feels fried with exhaustion.

Which is why she looks so frustrated when a shadow falls over her work table and the end of the day. Iko's still talking, now obsessed with what Prince Kai will wear to the celebrations but she stops when Cinder glances up to the man. ]

Can I help you?

[There's a hum and he's studying the items around her booth, not speaking at first. He finally turns to Iko and then to Cinder, watching her with a strange, penetrating look. His eyes are unnatural blue, and he's not from around New Beijing at all, clear.]

I suspect the Prince Kai will have something designed especially for the festival, and it will be magnificent.

[His accent isn't local either. He's carrying a small bag, which he puts on the table, unzipping it.] It is my understanding instruments is not your specialty, however I'm willing to pay for the equipment you might need to fix it. [He carefully takes out the violin, silver and metal, obviously of cyborg design and build, however several key structural pieces are broken, even though the strings appear to be mostly intact. He appears to have salvaged all of it, despite the damage. Someone with a lot of strength broke it in a fit of passion. The instrument is like an extension of his arm. He can't go without it for long.]

There's extra if you can have it within the time of the festival. Including this payment in advance. [He drops several credits on the table. He's not Prince Kai, he's certainly not richer than him, but at least he'll one of the decent customers.]

[ She tries not to fidget under his gaze, to pull at her gloves and make sure her metal hand is covered, because that usually gives her away as the cyborg shop owner and she's already had enough of the twittering, gossipy nature of some of the patrons this week. There's something strangely unsettling about the man. She doesn't think he's anyone dangerous, but he has an air of ... well, she doesn't know. But it means it takes her a moment to find her tongue.

Iko, however, launches into wondering what colour his shirt will be. Cinder shushes the android and then turns to the object now in front of her. It's beautifully made.

She has no idea where to start.

So instead she takes it from him, her gaze ticking over it as she reaches for her portscreen. It won't be hard to figure out. ]

What happened to it?

[He doesn't care who is partly metal and who's fully human, the fact is irrelevant. He knows he seems intimidating, but that's what he does. He bristles when she asks what happened to it. He doesn't want to admit the full details - his cyborg companion, the official that though he knew better and the criminal trying to fight them. He knows the art of lying, but - he also knows how to detect it.]

It was broken in a fight.
[It's mostly true, she'll be able to tell.]

No one in London can fix this appropriately, it's ... of cyborg design, it's rather unique.
[He's not one for saying that he's attached to it, but he likes the sound it produces. So does John, but John isn't here at present.]

[ Cinder purses her lips in thought, then moves to the portscreen to look at the data that's there for her. ( It would be easy enough to download the details directly into her brain, but again, festival and trying to be as normal as she can. )

It's Iko who speaks next. Who brings a violin to a fight? ]

Shh! [ Narrowing her gaze. ] Shouldn't you be doing something? [ Then to Sherlock. ] I'm sorry. But I think I can fix it. It doesn't look like it should be that complicated, but you might have to come back so we can make sure the sound's right? I wouldn't know anything about that. I've never heard one before.

[Sherlock nods, accepting the agreement.
He gives a half-smile at Iko.]

When the fight comes to you, then the violin serves it's purpose as defense. Stopped him quite well, pity about the violin.
[He turns to Cinder.] You'd have my thanks if it's repaired properly.

It's a pity you've never heard the violin, but it's not quite like the wooden one that most people have listen to, though it attempts to sound like one.

[It's constructed of thin metal sheets, not poured into a mold, clearly fitted while the thin sheets were warm, there's stabilizers for the inside so the metal holds, and nylon strings for the sound.]

[ Cinder looks at him anew. Fighting is not uncommon in this part of the city and she has seen her fair share. But he seemed so stoic, so calm. ]

I'm not handling anything that would be wanted by the guards, am I? [ The last thing she needs is to be implicated in a crime. Adri would have her thrown into the garbage chute, she's sure of it. ] Because this is a legitimate business.

[ Even for a girl with 50% of her body in cybertronics. ]

I'm a consulting detective. The violin isn't anything they'd want.
You're not participating in criminal activity, you're assisting an ally of New Beijing.

[He's telling the truth, she'll be able to tell.]

A criminal thought they could get away with... using his fists on my assistant, when my assistant confronted him on trying to cover up his crime by seeking a consultation.
[He smiles at his cleverness.] He was obviously wrong.

How soon can you have it ready for me to test?

[ She almost believes he's telling her about a Thaumaturge attack, but no. ] So you hit him with it?

[ Cinder wonders if there was anyone she would protect like that. Peony maybe, or Iko. ] The day after tomorrow? [ He wants it before the festival. And Cinder isn't really in a rush to get home to Adri. She can always say she was waylaid. ]

A lot of people break their portscreens when they're excited or travelling. I have those to fix first, but I can make sure to have it done as fast as I can.

[He grins at her surprise. It was worth breaking the violin, especially for that.] Yeah I hit him, my assistant is invaluable.

[He didn't regret it until after, that he'd broken his favourite instrument. He puts down more credits.] I was only planning to stay here for the night. Tomorrow?

[He's earnest, not pushing or forcing it, but he knows how haggling works. He works with the Homeless Network. You offer them more money, if needed.]

[ Cinder seems to take that under consideration. She's not exactly a fan of violence, she hasn't even seen much of it -- brawls in the street mostly, guards chasing down thieves, that kind of thing. But the desire to protect people, she can understand that. Her list may be small ( Peony, Iko ), but it is still important to her.

He puts more money down then, interrupting her thoughts, and she's already trying to work out what she can push back. Maybe her rudest customers. ] Tomorrow then. But not first thing. I do have other things to fix.

[Sherlock gives a respectful incline of his head. He's not entirely well-versed in New Beijing's culture, however he can be courteous.] You have my thanks.

[He's lucky anyone can fix it at all. He could fix it himself, probably, given the right equipment, but she is much more qualified, and he'd rather not ruin his instrument which is rather valued.]

[ She lets him go and then carefully starts closing up her booth. It doesn't take too long, unfortunately, and then she and Iko are heading back to Linh Adri's with her tools and the violin tucked underneath her arm.

She can't look at it until all her chores are done and her stepmother is asleep, but then she is watching videos and tutorials and reading all that she can on instruments. Cinder barely sleeps that night. She is too busy and when she makes her way to the shop later that day, it is with slight irritation at the entire world.

But she gets down to work and when a shadow falls across her table, she looks up. A smile crosses her face. ] So, you're going to play it, right? I didn't put all that effort in not to hear it.

I don't usually regale others with its music.

[But he concedes, of course, after he's put down the remainder of what he thinks he owes her, gently picking up the instrument, and beginning to play.

It's different than an actual fully wooden-constructed violin, there's a more metallic, hollow sound to it. He doesn't like playing so boldly in the street, but he does like showing off, and she asked.
At least it's not Mendellssohn, though he could play it if she asked.]

[ She claps when he's done, a small smile crossing her face. Despite it's metallic nature, Cinder likes it. It's odd, but beautiful. She can appreciate the strangeness. ]

It's pretty.

[ Iko is thankfully elsewhere, so she doesn't bombard Sherlock. ] Are you sure you're not really part of the orchestra?

[Sherlock just smiles and puts the violin in its case. It's rather clear he's fond of the instrument, treating it almost like a separate limb.] And if I was? [He wasn't really planning on doing that, but she doesn't know that, does she?] I am simply hear to receive repairs and return home.

Were you on vacation then?

[ He's missing the festival if he leaves now. And he's clearly not from around here. So she's curious. ]

Not exactly. I was here to get repairs for the violin. I have work at home. [He pulls out a simple business card that says "Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective. Interesting cases only please. thescienceofdeduction.co.uk."

It's a very simple, straightforward business card, though there's a small chemistry set in the right corner.] You don't look like a person who often encounters murders, but in case something should happen in the future...

[He sets the card on her workdesk. The business card has no phone number, only the website. People get the wrong idea about handing out cards with phone numbers, it seems. This is all business. An exchange. He's very happy in the partnership he has. John would like her, though.]

[ It's a long way to come for repairs. But she smiles and looks at the card before dragging her gaze up to him again. ]

I'm kind of hoping I can avoid that whole thing for like the rest of my life. [ Murders, danger, drama. It doesn't feel like something that could find her here in New Beijing. But ti's kind of him to offer. ]

I'll keep it just in case though. I hope you don't have to break your violin over anyone's head again.

[He smiles at that, pleased. His life isn't fun without them, but - he can see why she'd want to avoid them.]

I should hope the same. Good day to you, Miss.
[John would be proud for how courteous he's been, this visit.]

Uh, good day!

[ She watches him go, slightly bemused. It's a shame she'll forget about this when the murder actually happens. ]

the picture prompt

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sorry i took so long! busy week.

hey no problem! same!

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