Plotbunny fic!

I did get permission from the author of ‘Who Shot Brendan Birch’ to steal their plotbunny. ^-^

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon; it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. Again, this is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me, for me, and so I own it.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Pairings: Championshipping (Ash x Lance) het, Egoshipping, others may be implied

I do refer to people by their incorrect gender when they are perceived as being something else. So if Lance is a girl but ppl think she’s a boy, she is referred to as ‘he/him/his, etcetera.’ Make sense?

 

Title: Who Killed Misty Waterflower?

 

            Diamonds glittered and sparkled amidst the wax lights and cut-glass vases with fragrant red roses sitting in them. Misty sighed in contentment as she adjusted the thin golden band with a sapphire-encrusted diamond sitting on it. Finally, Gary had proposed to her.

            It was a night to remember.

            A few tables away, she could see other Kanto gym leaders and champions had also decided to frequent the ‘Golden Rose’, as this particular restaurant was called. But none of it rained on her parade. For in her daydreams, it was just she and Gary alone…

            The pain was upon her before she realized it, random shivers going through her, tearing her apart.

            Misty gasped, not having the energy to scream, before her head drooped and her body toppled over, knocking over the breadbasket, a glass of champagne, and the House’s expensive tiramisu dessert.

            Chaos reigned as glass shattered and the patrons scattered to the winds. More shots rang out. That was the sight that met Gary’s eyes when he returned from his trip to the restroom.

            The next day, the police called the subjects in.

 

            Gary came, red-eyed and sleepy. Ash and Lance flew in from Indigo, Brock from Pewter, Daisy Waterflower from Cerulean, and Tracey from the Orange Islands.

            “Now, let me make this perfectly clear.” Officer Jenny told them. “Tracey! You were one of the deceased’s closest friends, and you were called in specially because as a Pokemon Watcher you are well trained in criminology. Now, I want you to interrogate each of these, and I’ll just be here for backup.”

            Tracey blinked. “Okay…”

            Five pairs of eyes fixed on him, and they were all glowering.

 

            “Eep.” Tracey cleared his throat. “Well then, let’s go in order of um, age. Wait, never mind, er… rank! Ok, you’re first, Lance.”

            The Dragon Master crossed his arms and stood up, black cape rustling behind him as he followed Tracey into another room.

            Tracey could feel Ash boring daggers into his head with an angry glare, but had no idea why. He just wanted to get his job done and go back to sketching pokemon!

            First things first, though…

 

            “Well, Lance, I suppose the first question I’d ask is why you were at the Golden Rose…”

            “Just because I’m champion I have to stay at Indigo Plateau 24/7 365 days a year?” The Dragon Master asked.

            “Never mind. Okay! So what time did you arrive, and who went with you?”

            “If you really want to know, I was taking Ash out because he wanted ice cream cake, and Golden Rose has the best. We arrived at the restaurant at six forty-three precisely, and waited twelve minutes before we were seated. They have horrible service. If the food wasn’t worth waiting for I would have taken him elsewhere.”

            “I see…” Tracey said, scribbling the notes down. “Then what happened?”

            “Well, we were seated at six fifty five, we perused the menus and decided on chocolate gateaux as well as their famous homemade ice cream, vanilla, and we got our order to the waiter at seven. He left then, to the kitchen.”

            Tracey nodded. “So, when was Misty shot?”

            “I am not exactly sure, as Ash was the one wearing the watch, not me.” Lance paused, and frowned. “I believe it was somewhere in the vicinity of seven thirty, because we were getting ready to leave. We had already paid our check. I know we had left the restaurant by seven thirty-nine.”

            “Who paid?”

            “I did, why?”

            “Did you at any time leave the restaurant?”

            “No, I didn’t leave the table in fact.” Lance said calmly. “You can check the security cameras if you like.”

            Tracey nodded. “What about Ash?”

            “I honestly think he was too busy eating the ice cream and cake to care about anything else.”

            “Is there anything else you would like to add?”

            “I have no motive for killing Ms. Waterflower.” Lance said smoothly, as he fastened the golden cords at the throat of his cloak.

 

            Tracey frowned. * I don’t think so… he must have a motive! But I’ll figure it out later! *

            He sent Lance out and Gary came in.

 

            “Now whatever you think, I didn’t kill Misty! I mean, I just proposed to her!” Gary yelled.

            “Please, calm down.” Tracey said, trying to placate the Viridian City gym leader. “I’m just going to ask you a few questions.”

            Gary scowled. “Ask away. I didn’t do it!”

            “All right.” Tracey paused. “What happened that night, before the unfortunate incident?”

            Gary nodded. “Well, at five-thirty, I went to her house to pick her up, but she didn’t come out until six, because she was still busy doing her makeup.”

            “Really!”

            “Yes, Daisy was helping her.”

            “Well, go on.”

            “We drove to the restaurant and arrived there a quarter past six, since I had made reservations we were immediately seated, and the soup was already waiting. So we ate, and made some small talk, I complimented her on her dress, it really suited her admirably, that dark blue velvet, it brought out all the pretty highlights in her hair, and at seven twenty-two I proposed. Then I went to the restroom, and that’s where I was when she was murdered!”

            Gary burst into tears at the last line. He had gotten progressively hysterical throughout the recollection, and Tracey tried to console him. Half a box of tissues was used before Gary’s tears stopped.

            Strange, though…

            Tracey couldn’t really imagine Gary Oak as the sentimental type. But shock could do things to people…

            Wait…

            Speaking of emotions, did anyone hate Misty Waterflower? That alone could be a motive. But Gary had no motive, as of now…

            Misty Waterflower had been shot at seven twenty-four, so it was quite possible that Gary could not have done it.

            He would have to check the security tapes later.

            Gary stopped sobbing, and Tracey escorted him out. Misty’s family was far from wealthy, so there was no monetary motive…

            And he hadn’t been married to her, only proposed, so… hmm…

           

            Brock came in.

            “Why are you suspecting me, Tracey? I thought we were friends!”

            “Calm down, Brock.” Tracey said. “Everyone is suspect in this case. Now I hear that you were also at the Golden Rose?”

            “Yes. I arrived at seven-fifteen. I was taking my little brother Timmy out to celebrate his tenth birthday.”

            Tracey nodded. “And when were you seated?”

            “Well, as a matter of fact, I’d forgotten to make reservations since I was too busy flirting with the cashier…” Brock blushed.

            “Oh?”

            “Yes, so we left straight after we heard the gunshots. I decided it wasn’t a safe place to eat.”

            “I see.”

            Tracey nodded. “Well then, I guess you can leave for now…”

            Yes, he would _definitely_ check those tapes as soon as he had time!

 

            Ash did not look happy either, when he appeared.

            “Well, Tracey, let’s get this over with.”

            There was a slightly glazed look in his eyes, Tracey noticed with alarm, but decided to deal with Ash’s drug habits later.

            “All right. You went to the Golden Rose with Lance yesterday, right?”

            Ash nodded.

            “At what time would you say?”

            “About six forty-five.” Ash said. “The Golden Rose has really good desserts!”

            “Um… yes.” Tracey said, swallowing, as Ash began to glitter hyperactively. “Well, what happened?”

            “We ordered this really yummy chocolate cake with some fancy French name, and ice cream.” Ash said. “And then we ate it. Why?”

            Tracey sweatdropped. * That’s no good… *

            “Do you know what time it was when you left?”

            “Um…” Ash frowned. “I wasn’t really checking my watch, I mean, people were shooting at us! So Lance grabbed my arm and we ran outside and climbed on Dragonair and flew away as fast as we could! But! We did get back to the Plateau around seven fifty…”

            “Thanks.” Tracey said, sighing. “Ash, how long have you been traveling with Misty?”

            “Well, we were together for ‘bout two and a half years before I went to Johto by myself… and then Aqua Islands and Ruby Islands.” Ash said.

            “Did you have any romantic interest in her?”

            Ash’s eyes bugged out. “Heck no! Why would I want to go out with an ugly, flat-chested tomboy who whines about her bike all the time and mallets me every chance she gets?”

            “Interesting.” Tracey noted. “So you weren’t friends?”

            “We were acquaintances, weren’t close enough to be friends, but I supported Gary’s decision to marry her.”

            “So you weren’t jealous she didn’t choose you?”

            “Of course not!” Ash spat. “Besides, I already have someone!”

            Tracey’s eyebrows shot up. Now this he hadn’t known. “Oh?”

            “Not telling who.” Ash muttered, and then he left.

 

            Sighing, Tracey went to get Daisy. After barely two minutes, he and Jenny decided that she did not have the mental skills necessary to pull off the murder, so she was dismissed.

            That left four suspects.

            They all went home, and Tracey popped in the security tapes to start watching.

 

End Chapter 1

 

            True, Lance and Ash’s alibis matched perfectly, and Gary was in the restroom, but that didn’t leave out he possibility that someone in the restaurant might have hired a gunman to kill Misty. It was a pity that neither the weapon nor the perpetrator had been found. No, and to everyone’s shocks, the bullets had been those carried by the Officer Jenny on standard duty.

            Dear, dear, that was a pickle wasn’t it?

            Tracey sighed. “Now what?”

 

            “Call them back in?” Officer Jenny suggested.

            Tracey sighed. * I just want to go back home and keep sketching… *

            But he had to finish this job first. He made a mental note to kill the person who had gotten him into this mess.

           

            “Touchy, touchy.” Lance said, as she watched Ash stalk into their shared quarters and throw himself on the bed. She reached behind her back and undid the fastenings, sighing a little.

            “Why do you bother with the bandages anyway, Lance-chan?”

            “Because, I don’t like wasting my magic on illusions when I’m balancing.” Lance replied.

            “Oh.”

            Lance tossed the strips of black cloth into the washing machine, and changed into her Dratini pajamas. Then, she washed the dark red hair dye out of her hair, returning it to its normal blonde color, and took out the brown contacts.

            “Tracey will probably call us in tomorrow.” Ash said. “You shouldn’t have done that to your hair.”

            “Let him. I’m sick of wearing that disguise tonight.” Lance said, sighing. “Sheesh. If I killed Misty, I wouldn’t have done it so obviously.”

            ‘I know.” Ash replied.

            “Besides, you love me, not her, my kawaii little one.” Lance paused to place a kiss on Ash’s lips. “Of course, I don’t deny that I’m glad someone else did it…”

            Ash chuckled. “And if it were me?”

            “I’d know. My power is still stronger than yours.”

            “Hai.” Ash nodded, as he pulled the covers over both of them. “I’m just annoyed.”

            “Aren’t we all?”

 

 

            Brock slept well that night. So did Gary, and luckily, all were fine when Tracey called them back in.

            Tracey did a double take. “Lance!? You?”

            Lance blinked. “Hmm?”

            “Your eyes! They’re… blue! What’s going on?”

            “Oops.” Ash said, realizing that he had forgotten to remind her to put in the colored contacts.

            “They’re naturally blue, I just wear contacts so people won’t stare at me.”

            “I see…” Tracey said, somewhat suspiciously.

            “Besides, Ash and I did not ever leave the restaurant. Nor, did we call, page, or otherwise communicate with someone outside so they’d shoot Misty.” Lance said. “So why are we still here?”

            “…” Tracey did a gulping fish impression.

            “Did you at least find clues?” Gary asked snidely.

 

            “Besides the bullets? No, unfortunately. And none of you can fit a gun in what you’re wearing except for Brock.”

            Considering their outfits…

            “Hey! Why are you blaming me?”

            “I’m not.” Tracey said. “Just pointing out the facts.”

            Ash glared at nothing in particular.

            Lance crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling.

 

            < Don’t worry… >

            < I just don’t like wasting my time like this. >

            < So impatient, little one. >

            < Am I? > Ash asked, an odd little twisted laugh lighting on his face.

            Lance narrowed her eyes and returned a smile of her own. < Hai. >

 

            Gary looked between the two and made the connection, Brock did not. Tracey did, albeit unwillingly and with a shocked splutter.

            “Wait a second!”

            “Hmm?”

            “You two are!”

            “Well, he finally figured it out.” Lance said, as Ash climbed into his lap and grinned.

            “…”

            “I’m going to faint.” Tracey muttered.

            “Well, now that it’s out in the open, why would I want Misty when I already have Lance-chan?” Ash asked.

            Brock twitched a little.

            “But one of you must have done it!”

            Gary took another cup of coffee. “I see… and why?”

            “Well, no one else has motivation to! Ash! I bet you did it! You just didn’t want to pay her bike money back!”

            < Baka… > Ash muttered, more to himself than to Lance.

            < Just tell him you didn’t . >

            < Fine. >

 

            “I paid Misty’s bike back three years ago, Tracey.” Ash said calmly. “So no, I have no reason to hate her.”

            “Gary!”

            “I loved her! Why else would I have wanted to marry her?” The Viridian City gym leader snapped.

            “For money!”

            “You yourself did research and knew they were practically dirt-poor. I did it for love.”

            “Strong love at that,” Lance said in an undertone.

            Gary glared. “Yes, I did love Misty no matter what everyone thinks!”

 

            “Then by process of elimination it must be Brock.” Tracey concluded.

            Brock jumped. “Huh?”

            “Obviously, you must have killed Misty! You were at the restaurant and had not gone in yet, you could have easily shot her from the window!”

            “But why him?” Officer Jenny asked.

            “Because, my dear,” Tracey said, pleased at having figured it out, “Misty kept Brock from ever meeting a girl. And that was his dream. He couldn’t take it anymore, so he shot Misty!”

 

            “… Interesting deduction.” Lance said.

            “IS THIS TRUE BROCK?” Gary demanded.

            Brock burst into tears. “Yes! It’s true!”

 

            “… Well, that was interesting.” Lance said, as they left the police station together, Gary still indignant at having been called in.

            “Hm.” Ash said, still annoyed, at Misty’s death – couldn’t it have been at a time when they hadn’t been having ice cream together?

            Still….

            Lance-chan did look so cute at the moment…

            “YEEK!” Gary said, jumping out of the way as Ash tripped, and somehow – even though Lance was six feet away – managed to land in the older boy’s arms.

            “Come on,” Lance said, as the blue glow of teleport warped around the two trainers. “We seriously need to unwind.”

            Gary did not see any more, luckily. Unfortunately, anything done to Brock wouldn’t bring Misty back.

            Oh well…

 

            He hadn’t liked her that much, in either case, Gary reflected, two years later, when he married May Birch.

 

THE END

^-^

Not as long as I would have liked, but oh well! It’s done… and its random, and short, like all the CLUE books…

Completed 5/23/04, 1-shot day