Chapter 3
Psych is not mine. I think maybe I might own Shawn's left elbow though….I doubled checked. Yeah, I do.
….
After an argument that lasted all of 3 minutes, Gus and Shawn head to The Pink Banana the following day.
"I don't like this", mutters Gus scratching at the collar of his new Scooby-Doo costume.
"Would you stop that!" Shawn demands, moving Gus's hand away from his collar for the uptenth time, and readjusting it himself. "If your going to be Scooby-Doo you can't be messing with an article of clothing that defines your ownership. It's just not right! Besides, I already checked you for fleas," Shawn insists.
"Why the heck did I have to be Scooby-Doo!" Gus demands, "you're not even dressed up as Shaggy!" Gus glares at Shawn's Fred costume from Scooby-Doo.
"Gus," Shawn replies, running his fingers down his fly outfit,"you and me both know I couldn't live with myself if I was your owner. Besides, might I mention again that the only costume suitable for your…"
"Don't you say it Shawn!" Gus shoots back.
"What!" Shawn defends back, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "I was just going to say it was only suitable for stud muffins like yourself".
"You got that right", Gus agrees, rubbing his finger against his nose in an attempt to look cooler.
The Pink Banana glows upon their entrance.
"Shawn, this is just like Groundhog Day", Gus mutters, unconsciously moving his hand up towards his collar for another scratch.
Shawn pushes it down.
"What part? The part in which I have the personality of a cool Bill Murray, or the part where we are, in a sense, repeating exactly what we did last time?" Shawn questions.
"The second one Shawn. You could never catch yourself a young Andie McDowell" Gus replies.
"I think I might have already did", Shawn chimes in.
…...
Around 6 months ago…
…...
"Gus, I've just come up with the most amazing idea to get cash fast" Shawn announces one day, running into the Psych office.
"I already have a successful pharmaceutical job Shawn" Gus replies, deleting a minor detail in his email on screen and sending it off to the HR department.
That'll show them to mess with Burton Guster.
"That's not at all of what I'm talking about Gus," Shawn explains, sitting himself in front of Gus and turning his computer screen around, "Anyone can sell pills to doctors. What I'm talking about here is the chance to earn cash...fast" Shawn says, imitating a race car sound and squealing tires - yes, this is Shawn Spencer, pulling over for a pitstop - "Think about it Gus! We could have the chance to earn cash faster than you could say "Mary Poppins, popping Jane's, all the way through Carrey Lane!"" Shawn finishes.
Gus stares blankly at Shawn.
It doesn't even deserve a response.
"Look Gus," Shawn explains extending his hands wide, trying to show Gus just the breadth of what his idea claims, "I was told from Chief…"
"Ahmmm…" disclaims Gus, sitting back in his chair.
"Find, overheard from Chief talking to Lassie that they're looking in on a nightclub down on the Santa Barbara boardwalk called, and get this…"spreading his arms even wider in a broadway impersonation Shawn finishes, "The Pink Banana".
"What kind of club is named The Pink Banana?" Gus asks.
"A club that is going to make us rich Gus!" Shawn replies.
"Hold up," Gus pauses, "why would we want to visit a nightclub that the Chief and Lassie are talking about? What did the club do?"
"Ahhh, just some light murder and things…"Shawn responds, twisting off Gus's desk, he walks his way over to his own, sitting down and twirling in his chair.
"Shawn!" Gus replies.
Still twirling in his chair Shawn vaguely dissuades Gus's worries, "It's fine Gus. Besides, once the Chief does assign us to this case, it'll be better to be in the know about The Pink Banana, then not".
"I don't think so Shawn", Gus answers back, shaking his head in a quick no, he moves his computer screen back around to get onto more pharmaceutical work.
Shawn snaps his fingers together, "I haven't even told you the best part!" Shawn exclaims, jumping out of his chair and holding the statement out in the air a little longer for effect…...
"We get to wear costumes!"
….
That night, The Pink Banana glows upon the entrance of Shawn and Gus.
"Sweeeeettt!" Shawn says, touching the sign entrance briefly, while taking a quick peek at the inside of the nightclub.
Dressed in a stellar impersonation of Kernal Sanders, Gus eyes the slot machines, card tables and jacuzzis warily, while his five dollar KFC meal Shawn, including the fried chicken, biscuit and gravy and side soda, can't help the smile of wonder that passes over his face.
Rubbing his hands together, Shawn leads Gus over to the first of many card tables and gets to work.
….
After an hour and a half, Shawn has racked up enough cash to satisfy even the most hungry of gamblers.
Knowing his character, it's questionable why he's never tried gambling before.
With his "psychic" abilities, Shawn could be unstoppable.
Finishing up on his second soda, Shawn is introduced to a man named Ken.
After much argument that he was not in fact Barbie's Ken (although, to be fair, the guy was dressed up to look like him), Shawn is asked if he "Would like to play in the upper rooms?"
Squealing an excitement, and fist bumping Gus, Shawn agrees.
Gus joins him only after Shawn disclaims him as his "very special, Kernal Sanders, deep-fried, fried chicken, lucky charm".
Ken doesn't seem to care.
Leading them up the stairs, Shawn and Gus enter the playing field of Caster and Jackle.
…
The Pink Banana transforms from a gambling house, into a games house from one floor to the next.
Dealer tables are replaced with old kitchen tables and mismatched chairs.
Slot machines are replaced with vending machines in the corner.
It doesn't look impressive.
Monopoly replaces Craps.
Game of Life replaces Black Jack.
Candy Land replaces Poker.
Various other games can be seen scattered across the room.
It's very similar to a child's playroom.
Gus and Shawn freeze in the doorway as Ken walks ahead.
"You have got to be kidding me," Shawn asks in disbelief, as he watches one women dressed as Bubbles from Powerpuff Girls, throw down six dice in hopes of getting Yahtzee, "I don't think Ken lead us to the right place. This…" gesturing vaguely, "is the upper room?".
"I can't believe you have to be asked to play here", Gus replies, "it's like a kid's room".
Both stare at the room in confusion.
"I don't know how you're going to get rich playing these games Shawn", Gus adds.
…
One hour later and Gus is knee-deep in a game of Sorry!.
Pulling a card, Gus shouts "One!", and moves his last pawn out of it's home.
Pulling the next card, Gus receives an eleven.
Moving an additional pawn up the board Gus lands on a spot a player is already on.
"Sorry!" Gus shouts, smashing his pawn over the players, taking the spot.
Gus grins.
Captain Jack Sparrow, the spots previous owner, looks up in defeat.
On the other side of the room, Shawn is being swindled into playing a game of Russian Roulette.
There will be no "killing" in this game however.
Unlike the original Russian Roulette where players play with one bullet and a gun, these players will play with one paintball and a paintball gun.
Awesome! thinks Shawn.
There are six other players playing Paintball Russian Roulette with Shawn.
Noticing what barrel the paintball is placed in by the dealer, Shawn eyes the other players positions briefly.
He quickly sidesteps Nancy Drew standing next to him.
As the paintball gun is passed around the circle, each player takes a turn holding it to their temple and pulling the trigger.
After four players, the paintball has yet to be released.
Shawn can't help the nervous excitement that settles in the pit of his stomach.
It's Nancy Drew's turn.
Holding the paintball gun up to her temple, Nancy Drew takes a shot.
Lime green splatters across her forehead.
Nancy Drew looks over at Shawn, dazed.
….
Shawn and Gus leave The Pink Banana at a quarter past one.
Gus can't believe how much fun he had tonight.
He quickly places a hand over his coat pocket, making sure the money he won in winning Sorry! is still there.
Shawn, whistling beside him, pushes him on the shoulder moving him over onto the curb.
"Worried for nothing Gus," he snorts, shooting Gus a grin.
"Well, who knew we would be playing children's games Shawn?" Gus replies.
Getting into his car, both men stare once more at the faraway sign of The Pink Banana.
Shawn pulls his hand to his temple, "I'm sensing the surprise Lassie is going to feel once he takes a look at the upper room of this place….wait….no, I'm sensing horror?" with a shake of his head Shawn continues, "anger…..ahhhhh...nostalgia!".
Gus snorts out a laugh next to him.
….
Arriving home for the night, Shawn removes the money he made from The Pink Banana over to a white envelope placed in between the kitchen cupboards.
Baby Fund is scrawled on the upper left corner.
Carefully sandwiching it back into place, Shawn heads to bed.
….
At the SBPD the next day, Juliet and Lassiter receive two new case files on their desks.
Two names.
Penelope Logan.
Jack Roberts.
Both murdered.
Ms. Logan was shot in the temple around the hours of 2 and 3 a.m. that morning.
Mr. Roberts was pushed by an unknown assailant in front of a moving train at the hours above.
Ms. Logan was last seen disembarking from The Pink Banana in a red Honda Civic.
She was wearing a Nancy Drew costume with lime green paint on her clothing.
Mr. Roberts was last seen leaving the The Piano Bar, heavily drunk, wearing a Captain Jack Sparrow costume.
Both have ties that lead to the bar, The Pink Banana.
Observations of the bar will need to be taken in order to obtain more information.
….
Reviews would be lovely.