A/N:

Well, this is my first Martin Mystery fic that is being posted. I will explain Martin's strange behavior a bit later. Meanwhile, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Martin Mystery

I Can Change

Chapter 1: A New Mystery

THE CENTER - ??? – 09:45

"Billy!" someone shouted.

"Yes mom?" Billy asked, saluting and flying into her office.

"Where is my report on the alien race that invaded Peru a few days ago?"

"All proofread, stapled, copied and filed away, mom!"

There was a pause. "Oh. Well, where is that new prototype weapon I was working on for the last few months? Don't tell me Martin got a hold of it!"

"No, mom! I gave it to storage."

"What? Why?"

"…you told me to?"

"Oh. Well, how about my coffee? I usually have it by now! And I need it!"

"It's on your desk…" Billy pointed to the left corner. Indeed, a mug stood there, proudly displaying 'BEST M.O.M' in large purple print on the front.

"Oh. Where is the new recruit I was supposed to interview?"

"Uh, you interviewed him yesterday."

"Oh."

"Anything else I can do for you, mom?"

"Just one thing. Tell me, am I going crazy?"

Billy laughed. "No, I just think this job is getting to you."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Suddenly a light on her desk started flashing, and something made a high pitched squealing noise. Billy jumped, falling off of his hovercraft.

"Oh my GOD!" he exclaimed.

"Uh huh. Uh huh. Uh huh. Thanks. Yes, we'll get right on it." She put down the headphones she had just been speaking into and stood up. "Billy, call Agent Mystery, Java and Agent Lombard." A small smile crossed her face. "It looks like they have quite an interesting mission to go on."

TORRINGTON ACADEMY – SHERBROOKE, QUEBEC – 09:56

"You must be the most boring person in the entire world!" Martin Mystery exclaimed.

"Shh!" the librarian hissed.

"I am not!" his step sister Diana Lombard protested. "Java, tell Martin I'm not boring!"

The caveman shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Uh…Java think…uh…Martin's right…"

Diana's eye twitched. "So, you mean that just because I'm reading the encyclopedia for leisure, I'm boring?"

"Yes!" Martin yelled at her.

"Shh!" the librarian hissed again.

"Martin Mystery, I am not boring!"

"Yes, you are!" he shouted.

"SHH!" the librarian spat at them. Obviously they weren't getting the picture. "Get out!" she whispered loudly. "Get out!" She removed them forcefully and took the encyclopedia away from Diana.

"No!" she cried. "My encyclopedia!" Her lip quivered pathetically.

Martin rolled his eyes. "It's at times like these that I'm more ashamed than ever to admit you're my sister."

"Stepsister!" Diana corrected.

"Yeah, thank God." Diana was about to say something when the U-Watch beeped.

"Center!" Java exclaimed. Martin nodded. "Wait…Java never seen that door before…" He pointed to a large wooden door right next to the library, and without hesitating, walked over and wrenched it open. The familiar blue glow lit up the hall and the three walked through. Java shut the door behind them.

"I wonder what we have to do this time," Martin mused. "Maybe we'll get to investigate one of those old creepy haunted houses, like the ones featured in Paranormal Monthly!"

"Yeah, right. Those aren't hauntings, they're just clever ruses thought up by people who stand to gain a profit," Diana stated matter-of-factly.

"My God, you are so boring," he groaned. "Not to mention you're probably the most skeptical person in the universe!"

"I am not skeptical!" she shouted back at him. "And I'm not boring!"

"Whatever." Martin put his hand on the scanner, and after he was cleared, Java and Diana did the same. Soon enough, Billy flew by to say hello.

"Hey everyone! What's up?"

"Billy, my man!" Martin exclaimed. The two then executed a cool handshake.

"Billy!" Java said loudly. They high-fived.

"So, anyway-"

"Hey!" Diana cut in. "What about my handshake?"

Martin, Java and Billy stared at her.

"Uh, don't you remember what happened last time?" Martin asked, a laugh trying hard not to surface.

"Hey! That was a long time ago!" she protested. "Come on, Billy, please?"

"Uh, sure Di…" He flew over and held his hand out with a smile.

"Yeah!" Diana swung out her hand out, and missed Billy's. Then she fell over.

"Wow. This looks familiar," Martin muttered.

"Oh, look, here's the elevator! Heh." She jumped up and ran into it, her face bright red. The others rolled their eyes and followed her in.

One short elevator ride later, they were all in M.O.M's office. Martin burst in through the door and saw M.O.M working on something at her desk.

"Hey, cool! What are you working on, mom? A prototype of a new weapon? A ship? Huh?" he asked, not pausing for breath. "Dissecting an alien? Receiving calls from another planet? Making-"

"No, no, no, no, no, and no! I'm just reading a book and drinking coffee, for God's sake!" She slapped her forehead with her hand. "Have a seat, all of you." They sat. "I'm sending you down to New Orleans, Louisiana, to investigate some strange occurrences at a large Bed and Breakfast located on St. Charles Avenue." She held up a picture of a couple in their 40's. "You will be speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Amelie. They will tell you all about what's going on. They only ask for one thing, though – please, keep it quiet. They do not want their guests getting scared. Understood?"

"Yes, mom!" they chorused.

"Good. Now, Billy, send them on their way."

"Yes, mom!" Billy saluted and opened up a portal. "Good luck, guys!"

ST. CHARLES AVENUE – NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – 11: 08

"Wow! Louisiana! I can't believe we're actually here!" Diana exclaimed, a look of awe on her face. "It's amazing!"

"Yeah, yeah…let's just go talk to those people, solve this mystery, and get back to Torrington! I don't like doing missions on Saturdays," Martin muttered, starting off down the sidewalk. "Mom said the place was on St. Charles Avenue, let's find it and get on with it!"

Diana and Java looked at each other, shrugging. They followed him. Soon enough, they stopped in front of a large and beautiful old building. A sign place above the door read "Amelie Bed & Breakfast" in curvy script. Underneath, a smaller sign read "We're Jazzed You're Here!" Diana blinked.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"Well, New Orleans has always been considered the birthplace of jazz…so, that pretty much explains their slogan,
Martin explained. He pushed open the door. A small bell tinkled as a wave of warmth and smooth jazz music hit them. It was a pleasant contrast to the cool October air outside.

"Where Mr. and Mrs. Amelie?" Java asked, looking around. The only people in sight were guests. Suddenly there was a loud creaking noise, signifying the opening of two large double doors, and a young girl dressed in a smart-looking crimson suit stepped out. She cringed a bit at the noise the door made, but quickly walked towards the agents. She hugged her clipboard to her chest, and as she came closer, it became evident she was very tired and hassled.

"Bonjour!" she said happily in beautifully accented French. "Vous devez être les agents du Centre, correct ? Mon nom est Lola Amelie. Accueillez! Parlez-vous le français?"

Diana and Java stared at her for a while, apparently confused. Martin took one look at them and rolled his eyes.

"Bonjour. Oui, nous sommes les agents du Centre. Vous devrez excuser mes amis, je ne crois pas qu'ils puissent parler le français. Mon nom est Martin Mystery...mais vous ne ressemblez pas à Mme. Amelie à qui nous avons été censés parler! "

Diana and Java stared at him.

When did he learn to speak French? Diana asked herself. It's amazing!

"Oh, c'est grand que vous parlez le français, mais je peux parler l'anglais aussi. Je ne voudrais pas omettre vos amis," she told him.

"Quels que soit vous pensez. Personnellement, je ne surveille pas les omettre de temps en temps," he said with a small laugh. She laughed too.

"Well, like I said before, my name is Lola Amelie…and the reason I don't look a thing like the 'Mrs. Amelie' you were supposed to speak to is that I am Ms. Amelie, her fille, her daughter." Lola spoke with a very soft yet distinguishable French accent.

"Oh, well that explains a lot!" Martin exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess it does. Well, you've introduced yourself, but I haven't had the pleasure to know your friends names…"

"I'm Diana Lombard. This is Java. Would you mind telling us about the problems you've been having?" Diana asked.

"Sure, come right this way." She led them towards the doors and opened them. They creaked again and she sighed. "I really have to get those fixed," she murmured under her breath. "Please, come in."

They walked through and seated themselves in the chintz chairs in front of a large messy desk. Lola shut the door behind them and blew a strand of hair from her face. She walked to her desk and sat down, staring at the papers sadly.

"Er, I don't mean to pester you, but maybe you could tell us about these strange occurrences?" Diana prompted.

"Oh, oui, oui! Pardonnez-moi, s'il vous plaît! Please, forgive me! I am so tired. I guess I shall start at the beginning." Straightening up a bit, she took a deep breath. "It all started il y a deux semaines, two weeks ago. I thought it was nothing. Some of the guests complained that their doors had been left open after they had locked them securely. I assured them it wouldn't happen again. Then, one morning, as I was doing my daily stroll around the place, I found the library had been covered in this strange glowing green residue!"

"Ectoplasm, probably," Martin said. "Could we see the library?"

"I'm sorry, but it has been nettoyé. Cleaned."

"Oh, no! Now we won't have any idea what it was!" Diana cried.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Lola protested. She opened a drawer and pulled out a small corked test tube full of a glowing green substance. "I collected some before the maids got rid of it. I thought it might be utile, useful. Here." She reached over the overflowing surface of the desk and handed the tube to Diana. "So, anyway, after that, everyone reported hearing strange noises throughout the rooms. I heard them too. They were…" She paused. "So, strange. How would you say it…"

"Creepy?" Java asked.

"Loud?" Diana suggested.

"No, no, they were-"

"Fearful?" Diana asked.

"No!"

"Let her explain, Di," Martin said.

"They were…affligé."

"Sorrowful?" Martin asked. "Sounds like a ghost to me. Di, give me that tube, I'll run a slime scan on it." Diana gave the glowing stuff to him and he scanned it. Lola watched, fascinated.

"Substance made of unknown components. Slime scan inconclusive."

"Well, that was helpful," Diana said sarcastically.

"I'll send it to Billy for further analysis. Go ahead, Lola, continue with your story."

"Well, it was very strange. Two days ago, the lustre en cristal, the crystal chandelier, shattered. It happened during our weekly dance."

"Did it fall?" Diana asked.

"No, that was the strange thing. It shattered in midair. I lost a lot of guests yesterday because of it. But the scariest thing happened today. I was shaken out of sleep ce matin, this morning, by one of the maids. She told me there was something strange in the main hall. I rushed downstairs to see what the matter was. It was…well, perhaps I'd better show you. Please follow me." She stood up and walked out of the office. "I have put the evidence in the library, because I did not want anyone to see it." She headed to a smaller set of double doors and pulled out a ring of keys. After choosing a tiny golden one, she inserted into the lock and the right door swung open, and she ushered them in. "I closed the library after the incident with the glowing substance."

Martin quickly scanned the gigantic room. It seemed to be spotless, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for a large canvas-like object covered in a cloth and tied.

"Is that what you wanted to show us?" he asked, pointing to it.

"Oui. Come on." She made her way towards it and pulled on the string. It immediately fell along with the tarp, and revealed a shining mirror. Lola stepped away from it. "I was hoping you could tell me what this could mean…"

The mirror had been written on in gigantic green glowing letters. The writing was in French.

Un jeu de juron sur cet endroit souillé! Pas une âme sera épargné!

An eerie cold wind had picked up inside the library. Not one window was present, and the door was locked securely. Everyone shivered involuntarily.

"A curse set upon this befouled place…not one soul shall be spared…" Lola translated in a whisper.