𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐬

file 005 | episode one

episode "one": the great detective turned small
episode 1 — roller coaster murder case

"I guess it would be smart to give up on this," seventeen-year-old Suzume murmured as she and Ran walked away from the aquarium after solving the case. She looked at Ran with a smile. "An aquarium that turned into a crime scene wouldn't exactly be the best place for Sudden Reunion Lovey Dovey Revival Strategy..."

Ran giggled at that. "Right."

They had gone to the aquarium to scout it out to see if they could set Ran's parents up for a date at the aquarium when they came across a murder. Suzume had been able to deduce that it was the victim's ex-girlfriend that had killed him because he had been blackmailing her about leaking her nude photos.

(Suzume would never admit it out loud, but she was glad that the man was dead just for threatening to release the nude photos.)

Suzume noticed a drop of water hit the ground and frowned, looking up towards the sky. "Looks like it's gonna start raining..."

"Ah, really?" Ran started to rush off, pulling the hood of jacket over her head. "Then let's run?"

"I told you not to run!" Suzume argued, stopping Ran.

"But why?" Ran asked just as her phone slipped from her hood and fell into the grating of the sewer. She crouched down next to it, heartbroken. "No way. My phone was in my hood?!"

Suzume grimaced as she adjusted her beanie on her head. "That might be my fault," she said slowly. "While I was thinking about how the culprit captured the video, I put it in your hood and forgot about it." She wilted under Ran's sullen gaze.

"Why did I give it to you?!" Ran shouted, making Suzume flinch back as her right ear rang. "It was completely new."

"I'll buy you a new one, Ran," Suzume said, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry."

Ran sighed, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "Why does this stuff always happen when I'm around you?" She hid her face in her gloved hands. "When we went to America, there were cases all the time."

Suzume thought for a moment before she got an idea. "I got it!" she said, clapping her hands. "Tropical Land! I'll take you there!"

Ran looked at her. "Tropical Land?"

"They built a new one in Tokyo," Suzume said with a smile. "I can't guarantee nothing will happen at an amusement park, but..."

Ran got to her feet, wiping her eyes. "I'll go if you're paying," she said. Suzume blinked. Ran grinned at her. "How about if I win the city's Karate Championship?"

She got second place last year, Suzume recalled. Maybe this will give her some motivation. She grinned. "Deal! Oh, and Ran?" Said girl hummed. "I was gonna pay for everything anyway."

Ran nodded. "Oh, and for the replacement phone, attach a Namako Otoko strap, which is sold at Beika Aquarium!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Suzume gave her a cheeky salute. Ran just gave her a soft shove to her shoulder with a smile on her face.

~ — — — ~

Suzume was pulled from her reading by the sound of her phone buzzing against the wooden table. She furrowed her brows and shut her book, reaching out to pick it up. It was an email, with no reply option. She opened the email and blinked at the sender and the message.

"Pierrot-san?" she murmured in confusion. "Why is he messaging me now? Especially after what happened in New York?"

From: Pierrot-san