Due to how many people liked my last Sholmes chapter, my brain spat out another one shortly afterwards ^^ he really is fun and I really like speaking as him.

Does anyone here play a lot of board games? I've been getting really into them, I ordered several now and am going to back Dreamfall which is on kickstart. I can't wait xD

Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter~

Disclaimer: I do no own Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth

"You see my dear, the problem with having a routine is that you're predictable and easy to follow," I pick up the flower that is sitting on a vase on my table. It's beautiful, freshly grown and plucked, it's almost a shame that it'll soon die if not taken care of. "When you become easy to follow, you become easy to learn about. If one learns too much then they could become obsessed, obsession leads to desiring and unfilled desire leads to...all sorts of nasty things. Just like you...you're desired for your beauty and you'll eventually die because someone wanted you…"

"Are you um….talking to me sir?" My rather confused waitress has been waiting rather patiently for me to finish my usual rambling. I can't blame her for the odd look, it's not like I'm talking about the weather or what happens to be new on the menu.

I love to ramble when I'm alone, it's so much easier to collect and organize my various thoughts. It helps me separate the useless thoughts from the useful ones.

"Of course! I'll have the carrot cake." I try to ease her in with a hopefully charming smile. I'm an investigator, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm great with people.

I'm just great in general.

"Sir...we're serving breakfast right now, our cakes are still baking for lunch."

Of course they are, I would know that if I ate here regularly...which I don't. "Right! Silly me, I'll have whatever you recommend then."

"Sure thing." She doesn't look too impressed as she jots it down, but that's okay because I'm not here to see her after all.

"Now then...where was I?" I stare back at my pretty friend, a red chrysanthemum. Usually it means 'I love' but something tells me they just placed it here because it's pretty. "Oh right, obsession…"

If you ask me what's my favorite thing to do in life besides drinking tea and messing with self-absorbed thieves, I'd answer: people watching. I simply adore sitting down and watching people go about their daily duties, especially when they assume that no one is paying attention. You'd be surprised what people think they can do in public, normally people behave and try to act as normal as possible.

They say that you pass a murderer at least once a day, but I'm willing to bet it's much, much more. Anyone in this world can and would murder someone if the situation is correct. You put the right pieces into the equation and you'll easily end up with the easy solution of murder.

You see, murdering someone isn't difficult. You pick up something and kill someone with it, it's really not that difficult. You've got two hands? Congratulations, you've already got your weapons. Most investigators will tell you that you need a strong motive because murder is easy, deciding and planning to murder is the difficult part.

I believe that a motive isn't always necessary, I believe that desire is why people kill another person. Other animals do it all of the time, they kill for all sorts of things or merely just because they can. Most of the time people kill because they want something and don't understand how to get it, if we didn't punish those who murder it would become a normal thing to do.

"Do like her?" My usual waitress slides on up to me, her name is Bella and she works a lot. Due to my charming nature (and high tipping) she's warmed up to me rather fast. I've come to enjoy her company.

"Now why would you assume that?" I leer at her over my tea cup, I wasn't expecting my waitress to be sharp.

"You're here a lot...plus you occasionally glance over whenever she comes into view. I'm not surprised though, she's very popular, I'll let you in on a little secret: she doesn't have a companion."

I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm not stupid.

"Thank you." I smile at her, when she leaves I frown. It's annoying to me that she's noticed because it means that other people have probably noticed. Time to find a new spot, it's a shame, I rather like the omelets here.

You should never allow yourself to have patterns. If patterns are established then you become predictable. Like Bella had said, I shouldn't have made it so obvious that it's her that I'm watching.

"It's been a long time since I've stalked someone, maybe I've lost a bit of my touch." I open my newspaper with a grunt, clearly annoyed. As if I'd lose my touch!

"How many times are you going to buy a single rose and 'surprise' her with it by giving it back to her? You're so predictable that a child could see that coming. I'll let you in on a little secret: Surprise! She's not interested and has at least three other men to reject today. Perseverance isn't romantic, it's stupid, you're clearly plugging in the wrong variables for her equation, try something else. Get her a puppy!"

I angrily munch on my homemade salad. I've moved my stakeout location to an unused attic just two stores down, which means I have to bring my own food. I almost miss Bella and her nosey nose. "At the very least, try a different flower, the lass gets so many roses a day she could bathe in...I definitely don't need that image in my head."

My brain silently fries for a moment.

I like my attic. No one can see me, it's spacious and quiet, and I can ramble as much as I want without anyone questioning me or even worse, overhearing me.

Cardia Beckford is a modest girl who lives alone in a small house just down the road from here. It takes her approximately fifteen minutes to walk, ten if she cuts through the alley way, and forty if she stops by the riverbed to collect her thoughts. She's a pretty girl who works a lot of hours to afford her living expenses, instead of getting married and settling down to make her life easier, she does everything herself.

The flower shop where she works is quite busy since this is the richer part of London. Apparently every gentleman in London believes that women only enjoy flowers and expensive jewelry, it's really simpleminded but at least it keeps the businesses aloft.

Of course the place's popularity increased almost as soon as Cardia started working there, or so people tell me.

On her days off, she runs the usual errands. She does them in this exact order: buys groceries, checks in on the store, has lunch across the street, stops by the river bed, and heads back home. If it's getting too late then she takes the alleyway which is an awful idea since she's always alone.

Or so she thinks.

"Now, if these morons actually paid any attention then they'd realize that she pays special attention to the red poppies everyday. She arranges them and admires them...they're obviously her favorite. Oh my...this man knows what's up," I glare into my binoculars as a man approaches her counter with a bouquet of red poppies and daisies. Of course they're for her, he's showing the others up. "Perhaps...or maybe he's showing her that he's paying attention. Hmmm…"

Time to make my next spectacular move.

"Welcome, I haven't seen you in here before," Her smile is so refreshing that I instantly forget whatever witty comment I had come prepared with. From afar can't even come close to how beautiful she is. Up close, I can see why all of those men drool all over day after day even though it's obviously hopeless. "Can I help you find something?"

"I came to purchase some flowers."

"Well...you've come to the right place, this is a flower shop after all. We've got plenty, I'm sure we can find something that you're looking for."

That's the best that I, the great detective, could come up with? The man who can and will talk his way out of every situation? The man who has cheated death by telling him that he has lovely hair? Oh Sholmes, get your act together! I need to collect myself and quite frankly I need to do it as fast and as naturally as possible. If I don't get the components right then I'll clearly fail here, today is a show of dominance, in an elegant form of course.

I'm no heathen.

"May I ask what type of meaning you want to convey to this person? Unless of course you're purchasing them for a center piece. Flowers have their own languages, each one has a different meaning to go along with their beauty." We take a small walk through the shop, her smile always remains as she talks about these flowers that she obviously loves. "A lot of people use flowers to tell other people something that they can't. A lot of times of course...it's love."

"There are so many flowers in the world that stand for love. Roses are the most popular, followed by red tulips and of course lilies. All flowers are beautiful of course, but I've always enjoyed telling people their meanings so that way they can pass it along to those that they care for."

She really enjoys her occupation, I could listen to her for hours even though I don't give a damn about these beings that get picked to die. "I never knew that there's so much more to them then just the beauty that they possess...I'll confess though, they're for a woman I've been interested in for quite some time now."

"I'm guessing she has no idea? We should go with something subtle then so that we don't overwhelm her," Her smile is genuine, I want to take a photo so that I can admire it when this is over. "Oh! Excuse me for a moment, I appear to have someone at the counter." I admit that I miss the sound of her voice as soon as she walks away. Now is my chance though, I can't afford to screw it up.

"Opium is a sedative made and extracted from a certain red flower," Flowers in hand, I quickly make my way to the front of the store. I speak loudly, almost obnoxiously so that way they can both hear me. I hope I'm interrupting. "In fact a lot of wartime narcotics and of course opium's is made from the seeds of this very flower. I've always found it strange how that such a small thing...the seeds of such a common 'weed' can cause such a reaction if you ingest enough of it or mix it with various things."

"Then you've got the color, not quite as vibrant as roses. No, this color is deep, like blood. It's almost scary how exact the color is, since ancient times several civilizations have nicknamed the red poppy the flower of death and peace. How befitting for a flower that can put people to sleep, my point?" I slide up next to the man, the same man who was in here just yesterday buying the same bouquet. He doesn't seem the least bit amused with my presence. "You should have gone with roses, but wait! You also chose white daisies which can mean true love...but it's mainly known for the meaning of innocence. Now why would you pair a flower that means death with a flower that means innocence?"

He doesn't even hesitate, he can't afford to hesitate because if he does then he'll look suspicious. "I just thought...that they looked nice together. Cardia always seems to be admiring the poppies. I didn't even know what they stood for when I picked them out, Cardia I hope you don't think I meant any ill will by this, they're just pretty little things.

"Don't be silly, I love red poppies. I think it's very sweet...and you, I'm not sure who you are but you're being ru-"

I silence her by shoving the flowers in my hand into her face. This is what women enjoy right? She should swoon and fall into my arms now right? Is she...oh yes she's very angry.

"Gloxinia...and gardenia...sir I...I can't accept these-" Her face burns red like her beloved poppies. It's almost too satisfying.

"My apologies for being rude...I got carried away." I take my leave rather quickly for I had done what I needed to. Tonight, the hunt would be on, after all I had just poked a sleeping tiger with a rather hot poker.

"I love humans! They're so simple minded really, I mean all you have to do is threaten them in some way to get them to either act or run. I figured that you're the type to act, I mean you've been watching her for so long, you know her schedule perfectly and yet here comes a man who swoops in seeming to know exactly what you're up to," My shoes are loud against the stone pavement, my voice even louder against the alley way walls. Of course all of this is on purpose, everything I do is on purpose. "All I had to do to get you to act is poke. Poke, poke, poke. I made a show of your intentions and you got angry, and now you're finally showing your ugly fangs. Too bad for you my teeth are bigger, I assume you had a more elaborate plan then this though? You panicked and acted too quickly."

Pathetic really.

I find that most murderers are careful, they plot, they stalk, and then everything comes together. All of it is planned perfectly, all right up to the very moment that they kill. Too bad for him that he can't control his emotions and panicked.

Idiot.

"And you, Miss Cardia, really need to stop taking this bloody alleyway home! It barely saves you any time at all and gives creep like him a prime opportunity to...well to do this."

"Back up," The man finally appears, holding a gun out with one hand, the other hand is clamped hard over Cardia's mouth. Like how most people would be, she's terrified, her eyes are huge and swollen from how much crying she's already done. It's a shame that this is only the start of it. I however, am surprised by how quiet and compliant she's being, it's rather smart on her part now that I'm here. "Up against the wall NOW-"

I didn't even hesitate to grab the barrel of his gun and yank him forward. With one fluid movement I bring my elbow down upon his wrist. There's a wonderful snap, followed by the clatter as the gun falls to the alleyway floor.

Cardia moves, stomping on his right foot and darting forward with her entire body weight, not like it took much, the attacker is in a massive amount of pain from my disarming technique.

"You should have pointed the gun at her head, stupid. It's much harder for me to disarm you if you're threatening the hostage, remember that for the next time. Now then, I'll be taking you into custody for attempt of kidnapping and potential premeditated murder, tomorrow my team and I will search your residence and find all of the...if you try and run right now I will catch you and when I do you won't like it, I hate running." Surprisingly he allows me to handcuff him and call it in, my squad will be here shortly to take all of the credit. I personally don't care, I caught a bad guy and I'm the one who figured it all out.

"I've been tracking him for months, forgive me but when he took an interest in you I couldn't give this opportunity up. He's killed several people in the past..I just had to catch him in the act hence why I've been assigned to this-"

The woman who I had been watching for well over a month now clings to me with everything that she has. Of course she's terrified, but she's also grateful, she doesn't seem to care that I used her to close this case.

"I won't take the alleyway anymore," She cries. I've hugged many victims before but it's never been like this, it's never been so emotional for me before. "Thank you...thank you."

"S-sure. Careful now, if you become hysterical it'll be difficult to collect yourself…" I cradle her, hoping that I'm comforting her correctly. I don't feel as though I'm comforting a stranger, even though technically that's what we are to each other. Just because I've watched her doesn't mean that she's paid any attention to that guy with purple hair who eats across the street a lot.

"What's your name?"

"Sherlock Holmes….it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." I hug her tiny body as tightly as I can because for once I'm finally out of ideas.

Huh, how strange.

Fun fact time?

Fun fact time.

Gloxinia are beautiful tiny little flowers that come in all sorts of beautiful colors. They're also know for their meaning of "Love at first sight" I don't think I need to explain myself further.

Gardenia are white, in fact they kind of look like spiky roses but they're very pretty in my opinion. They mean "Secret love"

I don't know what I'm going to put out next o.o I have an Impey story all made up but I'm just not sure what I want to do yet. We'll see. For now, thank you for taking the time to read, I hope that you'll review :)

Thanks a million, I just love getting little pop ups on my phone telling me if someone favorited, reviewed, or followed. See you next time!