Detective Lanzhu

Summary - A former corporate manager meets a freelance consulting detective. (Wherein Shioriko plays the Watson to Lanzhu's Sherlock)

Ship: None / Pre-LanShio

AN: This AU can be summed up as Victorian Tokyo.

Removed indefinitely.

Those were the words Shioriko had never thought to hear about herself, but here she was.

The second daughter of a zaibatsu branch family and a child of privilege, Shioriko was a woman with many commitments in her life, these noble weights placed upon her shoulders at birth. Commitment to her company, to creating economic growth and amassing more wealth for her already powerful patrons. Commitment to the state, to do her part in forging a world where her nation was respected and feared by the other powers of the globe. Commitment to her family, to not bring shame upon the Mifune name and assist in the continuation of her line such that there would always be a Mifune to take up the honor and burden of their familial commitments.

And now those burdens were gone, banished to the void as if sakura blossoms in autumn.

Shioriko had been certain of her path. She dedicated herself to the bettering of the factory she'd been granted the position to oversee, optimizing and managing her people down to the second to achieve the highest results physically possible. And for a time, everything was good.

Then her workers went on strike.

Despite her devotion to work and the practical results of progress, Shioriko utterly failed to accommodate the needs inherent to human labor. Though she aspired to be their patron of productivity, she had instead become their tyrant.

With the strike came the strikebreakers, along with the unwanted publicity and the muckraking that followed. Her zaibatsu's name was besmirched, bringing shame to everything she sought to honor. Though the smearing of a zaibatsu was not uncommon in this era of sensationalism, it was enough for them to insist on her removal.

Quietly hidden away until public opinion shifted to the next sensational incident, Shioriko was all but loosed from her family, sent into the streets of Tokyo with the clothes on her back and the scant trappings of wealth her family dared allow her.

But what would she do now? Commit herself as a shrine maiden? Find lodging while working as a child's governess? Seduce a wealthy fool into a whirlwind romance to assure her comfort? None of those options were worthy of her consideration, and yet they were all she had.

Shioriko needed to think. And there was no better place to do so than at a local teahouse she frequented during her managerial days.

Sighing at her turn of misfortune, Shioriko took her tea, hoping the bitter matcha would wash away her disgruntlement.

"Shioriko-san?"

The woman in question turned at the sound of her name, her gaze falling upon a familiar face staring at her with curiosity and concern.

She blinked. "Nana-san," she acknowledged.

Nana Nakagawa was a peer to Shioriko, a fellow professional with similar standards and work ethic, and who was perhaps the closest thing Shioriko had to a friend, not that either of them would describe their relationship in such a manner.

The bespectacled woman took the seat next to Shioriko. "I heard you're no longer with the company?"

"Yes..." Shioriko pursed her lips and looked to her tea. "I'd rather not discuss it."

"Of course. My apologies for bringing it up."

"Not at all. It's not quite a minor change, so of course it would make the rounds." She sighed. "I must admit, the change is rather sudden and I'm left at a loss at how best to proceed."

"Certainly you could find another position easily with your skillset," encouraged Nana.

"Perhaps I could. However, I feel rather put off at the idea. I offered nothing but practical results and yet here I am. No, I can't say company life holds much appeal for me at the moment."

"Well... how do you plan to make means?"

"I've been granted a token allowance," admitted Shioriko. "It's not much, but I'll make ends meet somehow. Truly, the most difficult change is to my lodgings. As much as I love this city, I don't believe I'll be able to find adequate living quarters on my current budget."

"Might I suggest living with someone else?"

"I've considered it. Though I'm not sure I can find anyone willing to suffer my peculiarities."

"Hmm... How interesting. You're the second person today to say that to me."

"Oh? Who was the first?"

The second-hand boutique Nana led Shioriko into was a quaint little thing, dark and cramped and filled with wares that were obvious hand-me-downs. Patched with mismatched shapes of fabric and pocked with bites from insects or other annoying little beasts, such goods were completely unsuited to one of Shioriko's pedigree. Or at least, they were. Now though, Shioriko could only suppress a shudder at the thought that this was her world now, that she belonged among the recycled apparel.

Regardless of her discomfort, she followed Nana to the back, where she caught her first sight of a platinum-pink haired woman standing before a mirror with a ponderous expression, holding two dresses in front of her body, periodically swapping them as she gazed into the mirror.

"Lanzhu-san," greeted Nana. "It's good to see you're still here."

The woman spared a glance their way, first taking note of Nana before washing over Shioriko. Looking back, Shioriko found herself staring into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. They were analyzing. Mesmerizing. Tantalizing.

"Afternoon Nana-san," spoke Lanzhu. "Who's your acquaintance?"

Stepping back, Nana waved a hand. "Lanzhu Zhong, Shioriko Mifune."

"A pleasure to meet you," said Shioriko with a small bow.

"Green or black?"

Shioriko blinked. "Pardon?"

"Green or black," repeated Lanzhu, holding each dress in front of her body. "I'm looking for a new outfit and I want to know which color suits me better."

"I suppose between the two I would pick black," answered Shioriko hesitantly.

"Hmm." Lanzhu set her face into a neutral frown as she contemplated Shioriko's answer. Suddenly, she tossed the two dresses off to the side and crossed her arms. "What do you think of the kokyu?"

She raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift of topic. "A fine instrument," she responded, "Though not one I can profess any proficiency in."

"Of course not. You're more of a koto player, aren't you."

Crimson eyes blinked in surprise. She glanced to Nana, who only offered a helpless smile and a shrug. "I am," she confirmed with astonishment. "How did you-"

"What are your thoughts on other languages?" interrupted Lanzhu.

"I'm not fluent, but I've attained a smattering of continental."

"Enough to conduct business meetings with representatives of foreign companies then."

"That was the main avenue of application, yes," confirmed Shioriko, once more attempting to interrupt before being forestalled yet again.

"Would you steal money from someone who acquired it through unlawful means?"

"I don't believe that would solve the problem."

"So you haven't been poor for long."

"My personal finances are not your concern," said Shioriko with offense.

"If we are to room together, a basic understanding of your finances is well within my purview," rejoined Lanzhu.

"Who said anything about...?" Shioriko trailed off. Neither she nor Nana had said a word. How could this audacious woman have known that?

Lanzhu didn't bother to stop for an explanation. Instead, the pink-haired woman put on a gravely serious expression and stared intently at Shioriko.

"Last question: Can you cook?"

"...I can."

"Fascinating," said Lanzhu approvingly. She smiled. "I think we'll get along just swimmingly. Now, I've an appointment to keep, but let's meet up this afternoon at three. We can look over our future home then." She began to leave, Shioriko stepping out of her way as she flipped her hair. "The address is 221 Sakura Lane."

Shioriko had never before walked the streets of the city's foreign quarter, her previous business having focused primarily in the more industrious districts. But now here she was, strolling the cramped pathways and avenues in search of her future residence. She would be shamed to admit, she'd made a few rounds of the unfamiliar territory before realizing that the specified address was actually quite close to the district's outer perimeter.

Even then, she only realized she'd reached her destination when she spied Lanzhu standing outside the building, her sharp blue eyes watching the people as they came and went, discerning details that Shioriko could only dream of deducing.

"Welcome to the foreign quarter," greeted Lanzhu with a nod. "I hope you were able to map out the area whilst you were lost, especially since you're going to be living here. Ready to head inside?"

Shioriko pursed her lips. "Hold a moment. I have doubts about this whole endeavor and I must insist you clear them before we proceed further."

The pinkette offered an amused hum. "Ask your questions."

"Who exactly are you, Zhong-san?"

"My name is Lanzhu Zhong, the brilliant world-class consulting detective." She offered a bow. "Please, call me Lanzhu."

"A consulting detective?"

"Indeed. I take clients and investigate the cases they bring me. I also collaborate with the Tokyo Constabulary on a freelance basis to assist them with strange or difficult cases."

"...I see. And those questions you asked me earlier were all designed to profile me?"

"More or less."

"Then, based on what you learned, you decided to accept me as a potential roommate."

"Yes. Would you like to hear what I know?"

Shioriko paused. "Though I have no desire to feed your ego, I must admit my curiosity outweighs my hesitance."

Lanzhu grinned. "When we first met in the second-hand shop, you were rigid, uncomfortable. Your face and complexion, along with your general demeanor, all say upper-class. Your dress however, coupled with your posture and haircut, says you're all business. An upper-class lady, yes, but not a wallflower or a simple trophy wife. No, you get things done. Your name was not familiar to me, so you're more than likely a member of a zaibatsu branch family.

"As an upper-class lady, of course you've had opportunities to learn music, for what proper lady is so uncultured as to be ignorant of music? The calluses on your fingers tell me your choice of instrument is the koto.

"I knew you were searching for a roommate because of Nana-san. Just this morning I said it must be difficult to find someone willing to room with me, and then lo and behold, a few hours later she finds me with a companion in tow.

"The very fact that you chose to meet a stranger in a less than respectable environment says you've fallen on hard times, but that you're not willing to steal tells me your circumstances are recent and that you aren't yet desperate.

"That you've made some effort to learn another language given what must be a busy schedule shows you're open minded towards foreign influence, and that you could adapt reasonably well to taking up residence in the foreign quarter and rooming with a Mandarin. A rather stark contrast to your prior circumstances, wouldn't you say?"

Shioriko pondered over the platinum-pinkette's words, digesting the ways she unearthed and pieced together the various clues inferred from a scant few sentences. She would doubtlessly reflect further on Lanzhu's words, for such rapid and accurate profiling was unlikely as it was unnatural, but for the moment she could accept Lanzhu's account as truth. But Lanzhu still had something to account for.

"...why did you ask if I could cook?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "We all have our weaknesses. My inability to produce edible comestibles is my endearing flaw."

"Endearing?"

"Of course. Much as your endearing flaw is your zealous focus on productivity and practicality, which brings out your forceful and uncompromising side and which ultimately led to your timely downfall."

Shioriko bristled, lips pursed in a displeased frown. Though Lanzhu was not incorrect, the impoliteness was galling. "...I suppose statistically, one of your flaws would be endearing."

"Ooh, someone has teeth! Or perhaps I should say, fangs? You're not used to being so purposefully abrupt with others, but this change is rather fascinating. I like it!"

"I'm almost ashamed to have your approval."

"That's the spirit! Come now, into the building. Time for you to meet our landlady!"

AN: So... this was intended to be a lot bigger than it ended up being. It was fun to think about, but this is where this AU ends for me. Still, if anyone's curious:

Emma would be Mrs. Hudson, a kind, motherly woman from far across the ocean who works and resides in the Foreign Quarter as the landlady of 221 Sakura Lane. She only refers to her land of origin as the homeland, much to Shioriko's confusion. If Lanzhu knows more, she's not saying.

Kanata would be Detective Lestrade, an overworked, narcoleptic, but extremely determined Deputy Inspector of the Tokyo Constabulary. She respects Lanzhu for her skills and does her best to lend a hand.

Mia would be a mix of Moriarty and Irene Adler, a mysterious woman from the Continent who acts as Lanzhu's rival and antagonistic counterpart. A criminal prodigy, she enjoys directly opposing Lanzhu whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Kaoruko would be Mycroft, only because I wanted a scene where she tries to pay Lanzhu to keep tabs on Shioriko for her. Naturally, Lanzhu declines.

.

Also, this never got that far, but I wanted to use this too:

Alternate Summary - Be gay, Solve crimes.