... Odd.

Something a little strange I've noticed: my Detective Conan fics are getting a lot of attention. They have been for the past few months or so. Far more than they ever did when I first posted them, I'm sure. Favorites, Story Alerts, Reviews ... my goodness. Suddenly there's this influx of interest in both my Gin and Vodka and my Gin/Sherry stuff. And I feel bad for those people that it's highly unlikely I'll ever finish the stories that are hanging. Of all my fandoms, Detective Conan is the one least likely for me to return to, for various reasons. I'm still interested in the characters and in what happens to them (if anything major goes on for them), but as far as writing for it, I really doubt it will happen anymore. I'm still trying to figure out what I was thinking by going nuts writing stuff for the Black Org. That is so unlike me. I know sometimes I write for criminals/antagonists, such as how I still enjoy writing for Baby Face and his crew, but that seems somehow different from actually writing for a bunch of villainous assassins.

Now, to the main strangeness. On Saturdays Perry Mason airs earlier in the evening. I was exhausted, so after I watched the episode (The Witless Witness, involving a very upright judge falsely accused of first constructing a governmental fraud and then committing murder) I laid down to have a nap. I was able to go to sleep for a bit, and I dreamed a weird dream. A weird dream the contents of which I think I dreamed before. Not a recurring dream, per se, but a recurring event in the dreams. Usually when that happens it's about that big creepy haunted mansion I think I've mentioned before. This time it was about the Perry characters, an episode I was "watching." And while in the dream I felt I'd watched it before, in real-life I'm sure I've dreamed of watching it before.

A neat trick since it's an episode that only exists in my head.

Also rather hilarious, since it was an episode, I dreamed in black-and-white.

The basic plot, as near as I can remember, started out with Hamilton not feeling well. He thought soon in that he might have a heart attack. Later on he did collapse and was taken to the hospital. Perry and Lieutenant Tragg were worried and hurried off to see him there. I'm not sure if he really had a heart attack or if it was something else. It almost kind of seemed like maybe someone had been trying to harm him? He was conscious when they were there, and talked with them for a bit. There was also some random scene with Perry talking to Tragg as Tragg was lying down to go to sleep. I'm not sure how that fit in.

I also don't remember what the crime was, who got killed, who the defendant was, or anything like that. But I remember talking to someone (not sure who) and telling them this episode was one of the best ever. The other person agreed, but said that the courtroom scenes were sadly "basic." I don't know why that term was used, as what seemed to be meant was that the courtroom scenes were very season 1-inspired and leaned towards Perry and Hamilton not getting along (and by that I mean far more than just regular objections to things going on). I suppose "basic" might have referred to Erle Stanley Gardner's book formula? Anyway, while we were discussing that fact, the episode was still on and we were watching the courtroom scenes. I agreed with the other person's assessment and remarked on what an interesting blog post this episode would make.

I want to say the episode ran through to the end and that there was a nice epilogue with Perry and Hamilton having a nice conversation again. But I can't swear to that. It seems like there was some detail that I'm forgetting that's right on the tip of my tongue/mind. I just can't remember.

I woke up scratching my head, a bit disappointed the episode wasn't real, and weirded out because I was sure I'd dreamed of it before.

It's the kind of dream I might be able to do something with, although if I did I would definitely make some alterations. No season 1 courtroom scenes, for sure. (Actually, I don't know if I'd try writing courtroom scenes at all, but if I did they'd be more likely to be closer to later seasons' courtroom scenes. No wild accusations, no trouble getting along. Just standard objections.) And I don't know what I'd do with the heart attack angle. There was already something canonically done with fake heart attacks (really poisoning), and Paul was the victim there. But I don't think I'd want a real heart attack either. So maybe just the collapse and there would be another explanation for it.

Sometimes I think my favorite hurt/comfort is still the standard knock on the head. Occasionally I get a craving for something more, but usually a good old-fashioned knockout suits me just fine. (And when I want a near-death scene, sometimes that's a good point to bring in some magic/do a Disney death/etc. Because sometimes, dang it, I'd rather have the solution involve friendship squee and have the person be able to recover without a long hospital stay. It's funny how I really don't see what's so great about magic and yet I utilize it like that sometimes. It's a means to an end for me. I'd use something else if something else would get the job done as good or better.)

And I've been doing a role-play involved Hamilton and his always unseen secretary Leon. I might turn some of that into a blurb. I might also put it into my current mystery story, if I can figure out how to make it a subplot that looks like it fits. Hamilton has a lot of staff and what seems to be either several secretaries or stenographers. I don't even really know what Leon is. But he fascinates me more than any of the others. Possibly because I was sure he was the one Hamilton addressed the most, and because he's one of only a handful of male secretaries/stenographers/whatever on the show. And we know absolutely nothing about him! So I can pretty much run wild. I've written for him a little bit, but pretty much standard dialogue, nothing that interesting or character-developing.

The RP involved Yami Marik trying to get a rift going between them. Yami Marik would not feature in the blurb or fic; that would be changed to one of their enemies in my stories or someone working for one of their enemies. But the plot was succeeding and Leon was getting upset thinking Hamilton didn't trust him. The climax was when Yami Marik set up a fake phone conversation that made it sound like Hamilton was doing something illegal. But instead of having the desired effect, it backfired and Leon realized he was being manipulated, as he knew Hamilton would never do anything illegal. So he went running off to the courthouse, certain that Hamilton was in danger. Which he was; Yami Marik had broken in and was on top of the judge's bench, blasting at Hamilton. Leon tackled Hamilton to the floor and took the blast himself, ending up seriously injured. He managed to tell Hamilton that he was sorry for falling for the tricks at first, before lapsing into unconsciousness and leaving Hamilton stunned and shaken with his body. Right now they don't know if Leon will survive. (He will, of course.)

I'm sort of considering writing a test blurb using 31_days's theme The network of the lie.