Author's Notes: Hello folks! This is a new story idea that I've had floating around in my head for a while now. Then, when Q came out, I decided to give it a go! Detective Noir AU, but fluffy - and Ame thinks she's cooler, grittier and Noir-er than she really is hehe. It explores dark themes with a lighthearted touch.

I'm considering making this into a series that I'll write alongside the AlterSeries, but we'll see! Please let me know what you think!

Without further ado: here is the first chapter of Queenpins!


Prologue

The city was slick with rain, but it was painted red - shimmering like rubies. Reflections of police car lights around the old Nephilim jazz club at the heart of town. Crowds had gathered along the cordon of cruisers and uniforms, eager to get a glimpse of the vics carted off to the Coroner's vans.

Eager perhaps, to catch a glimpse of me on my way out of the God-forsaken pub.

The police chief, Chief Enma of City PD, walked out to meet me. I tipped my hat to her. A uniform rushed to bring an umbrella to us - to shield us from the rain that never seemed to end.

Another job well done, Watson, Chief Enma told me. A lot of gangsters bit the dust that evening, but our key witness survived. A miss Irys Hopewell from out of town - the marquee singer of the Nephilim.

Chief Enma patted my shoulder and offered me a cigarette. I refused. After all, we had more pressing matters to attend to.

The City was on the brink of war. Chief Enma and I knew it.

The shootout at the Nephilim was just the first bar of a symphony of despair. Honestly, it's been a long time coming. The Shrimps gang of Ocean Street in the North and the Deadbeats gang of Industrial War in the South have been squabbling with each other for years now. Their Queenpins are as ruthless as the city itself, but the threats have always been hollow.

Until now.

The shootout at the Nephilim, a spot on the border of the gangs' turfs, was the last straw.

Don't worry, though. On this rainy night, there still was still hope. The moon peeked out from behind the grey clouds, shining light upon secrets that the City would rather have kept hidden. After all, I - Amelia Watson, badge 7331 - am on the case. Gawr Gura of the Shrimps and Calliope Mori of the Deadbeats stand no chance against me - the star detective of City PD.

With me on the case, the days of the Shrimps and the Deadbeats are numbered, and…!

Halfway through Ame's impassioned spiel, the door to her office in City PD's headquarters swung open. Lights from the hallway flooded the detective's dark room, forcing Ame to rotate her swivel chair and shield her eyes. The evening newspaper that Ame had been reading slipped from her fingers and landed on her banged up office desk.

The headline article was about the shootout at the Nephilim jazz club and how the celebrated detective Kronii Ouro - not Amelia Watson - was on scene to save Miss Irys Hopewell's life. There was even a picture of Detective Ouro and Police Chief Enma smoking together under the umbrella in the rain.

While Ame was recoiling from her nighttime daydream, a hand reached for the light switch and flicked it on, turning on all of the lights in Ame's office too. A familiar voice then heaved a sigh and lectured her.

"Ame. What did I tell you about reading newspapers in the dark? You're gonna hurt your eyes!"

Eventually, Ame's eyes adjusted to the light in her room. She lowered her hand and she grumbled the intruder's name.

"Ina…"

It was Ina'nis Ninomae, the young genius who became City PD's top forensics expert. She also was the one who kept an eye on Detective Amelia Watson. Her purple hair and her squishy orange bangs were frizzled from stress and the ear-like flaps on her head drooped with disappointment.

"Good evening to you too, Ame." Ina frowned at the detective and showed her the stack of manila envelopes and folders she cradled in her arms, "I brought the paperwork you forgot from downstairs. Again."

"Oh, right - thanks." Ame blinked. Her voice lost all of the brooding Noir bluster of her solitary monologue, "Just put them on the desk as usual."

Ina obliged. She set down the documents on Ame's desk and then glanced around her room.

"I know you like to play the gritty detective type, Ame, but you could spend more time organizing your office. You're not in the Police Academy anymore." Ina's voice softened and she whispered to herself, "Frankly, you nearly didn't graduate at all because of your messiness back then too."

"Did you say something, Ina?" Ame asked.

"Hmph, nothing at all!" Ina snubbed her old classmate. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and continued, "Anyways, Chief Enma bought a cake for the department to celebrate Detective Ouro's success. Come downstairs before they run out."

At the mention of Detective Ouro, Ame's face soured.

"I don't want any of that snake's cake!" Ame lashed out.

"Suit yourself." Ina hummed, marching out of Ame's office. Before she left, Ina peeked through the threshold and tried one last time to yank Ame out, "It's lemon chiffon."

"I bet it tastes like snake oil!" Ame was stubborn.

"Why do I put up with you?" Ina sighed again and closed the door behind her.

Ame sank down into her swivel chair and looked at her messy yet sparsely decorated office. Her blue eyes then turned to the cool image of Chief Enma and Detective Kronii Ouro smoking in the rain.

"I'll have my day in the sun, just you wait." Ame spoke to no one in particular.

Still, heeding Ina's advice, she started halfheartedly cleaning her mess of an office. After a short while, when Ame plopped back down onto her chair, there was a knock on the door.

"I already told you, Ina, I don't want cake!" Ame immediately answered.

However, the knocking continued. Then, the door opened.

Standing there at the door, this time, were none other than Chief Enma and Detective Ouro!

Kronii folded her arms, accentuating her bountiful chest, and looked around the slightly cleaner office. She then hummed, "Doc Ninomae finally got through your thick skull, huh?"

"Get off my case, snakey." Ame lashed back. She glared at Enma and Kronii and asked bitterly, "To what do I owe the displeasure?"

Enma and Kronii let themselves into Ame's office and sat across the disorganized detective's desk.

"Listen kid, I've got the opportunity of a lifetime for you." Enma spoke up this time. She reached over to the newspaper on Ame's desk and pointed to the front page article, "I'm considering putting you on the Nephilim Club case. It's a much bigger case than what we expected, so we're gonna need all hands on deck." The Police Chief adjusted her glasses and added, "The city's on the brink of a war between the Shrimps and the Deadbeats. City PD won't be able to handle something that big if it breaks out."

"Can't the star detective snakey here wrap this case up all on her own like she always does?" Ame asked, seething with jealousy.

"Unfortunately, I can't do that, Watson." Kronii shook her head and smiled wickedly, albeit proudly, "I'm too popular - too perfect - to do what Chief Enma wants to do. My beautiful face is all over the newspapers after all."

"Inspector Ouro is right." Enma agreed wholeheartedly, "We're going to need someone who can keep a low profile for this assignment - someone the criminal underworld isn't' keeping tabs on."

"Someone who can melt into the background, basically." Kronii chimed in deviously, "Someone like you."

Ame was tempted to growl at the pompous Kronii and pull out her gun. However, she quickly realized she had lost her gun license a year ago already. Her empty holster made her grumble in frustration.

"So, what is this opportunity of a lifetime, chief?" Ame asked, her tone bordering on dismissive.

"I want detectives to infiltrate the two big gangs in town and defuse the situation." Enma explained in a businesslike voice, "I want them to do what they can and stop this gang war from happening from the inside." She then glanced at Ame's empty holster and added, "It's a job that probably won't need a gun."

"You're just throwing me to the wolves, aren't you?" Ame tested with suspicion.

"Of course not~!" Chief Enma denied, "It's just that desperate times call for desperate measures."

"And we're scraping the bottom of the barrel by asking for your help." Kronii scoffed at Ame.

"Why, you…!" Ame slammed a fist into her already damaged desk. She shook her head and turned to the Chief, "And how exactly do you plan to get me to stop this war from the inside."

"I'll leave that part up to you, Detective Watson." Chief Enma replied, "Do whatever you think is necessary. Blackmail the lieutenants. Sabotage their war effort. Find dirt on the gangs so that the Department can put some of them behind bars." The chief laughed, "Hell, even try romancing the Queenpins themselves if you're so inclined!"

"Romancing the Queenpins…!?" Ame raised her brow, "What kind of a dumb idea is that!?"

"It's an idea that your partner for this assignment came up with, Watson." Kronii explained.

"I don't do partners, chief." Ame reminded curtly, "You know that."

"You do now, Detective Watson." Enma insisted.

"Oh yeah? And what kind of bird brain would come up with that crazy idea?" Ame demanded.

When Ame said this, Chief Enma called for someone waiting behind the open door to Ame's office. All of a sudden, a tall girl with bright orange hair and green highlights marched into the office with her chest held high. She stopped and gave Ame a proud, wholehearted salute.

"KIKIRIKI! Junior Inspector Kiara Takanashi, reporting for duty! It's a pleasure to meet you, Amelia-senpai"

Ame's jaw dropped. She then face-palmed and groaned.

She wasn't being fed to the wolves. She was being fed to the birds!

"How can this day get any worse?"

Queenpins

When It Rains

To Be Continued