Disclaimer: gundam seed belongs to some really smart people who came up with such a great plot and wonderful characters. This on the other hand is just fandom.
Note: I think this is my longest chapter so far, and it took me half a day to do the clues and all. Had a holiday, so I took the chance to write. My parents think I'm crazy, holding the Cluedo board and mumbling to myself. Well, I'm feeling really accomplished and I do hope you enjoy reading this chapter.
Ailiricxxz: romancing…I guess Yzak was never around girls too much in the series huh? Oh well…die? Hm…not really…although…I can't exactly tell you now can I? You'll know when the time comes. And I don't want to let any one die…esp. not Nicol. He has died too many times in the series…I mean what's up with them showing him die over and over again. Sigh…SOBZ
Asga: you're back. Hi and thanks for the review. Haha…it's okay…Yzak…is so cute at times…hahaha…Yzak is mine! (Evil laughter) i wish...
SworDieXeQtion: thanks. And this is an extra long chapter with something for everyone to do at the end. And yes…I have read your fic, a little, and I promise I'll go read some more soon. It has an interesting storyline…and there's dear little Nicol.
…: Um…thanks for your review. But actually the game Clue and Cluedo is the same thing, just under different names. I'm not sure if they changed it half way or maybe they use different names in different countries, but my version is Cluedo. And did I mention I love dots? Haha…that was random…sorry…
Chapter 07 – before it' too late
"Good morning." Lacus greeted as one by one her guest came down for breakfast.
Alyssa was happily chatting at the breakfast table, telling everyone about what happened last night. She couldn't wait till she got her brother back in her arms.
Athrun smiled. It was good to know that Nicol would be coming back soon. After all Nicol was one of his best friends, even thought the boy was younger and somehow a lot more innocent than him. Athrun treated Nicol as his little brother, always looking out for him, helping him with schoolwork and having fun together. They had met on Nicol's first day in school. Athrun had been assigned with the task of bringing on a tour of the school, and helping him adapt to the place. They had hit it off ever since.
"What are you smiling to yourself about?" Cagalli asked, winking playfully at Athrun.
"Nicol. Hope he's okay."
"Oh, don't worry. He'll be just fine."
"Still, where is he?"
"He'll turn up, just you wait. And eat your breakfast, you've barely touched your food."
Cagalli speared a strip of bacon and brought it to his mouth.
"Open wide…" she laughed.
Athrun did as told and waited for the bacon to come to him, but it never did. At the last moment, Cagalli stuffed it into her mouth.
"Hey…" Athrun poked Cagalli in her sides. It was time for revenge.
"Lacus. Come over to eat." Kira called, taking her hand and leading her to the table.
"Not everyone is down yet." Lacus said, reluctantly leaving her post at the stairs.
"Really? So who's missing?" Kira asked.
"Miriallia. She's not down yet, and come to think of it. I haven't checked on the Haros yet." Lacus run off to the living room, with Kira at her heels.
They returned to the dining room with glum faces.
"Miriallia is missing." They announced, holding the brown envelope up for all to see.
"What? How can that be? Nicol isn't back yet." Dearka exclaimed.
"I don't know." lacus sighed.
Kira opened up the envelope and read the note inside.
He looked up at the group puzzled.
"I don't understand what it's saying. It's almost like a code."
The pieces of paper were passed around.
"So now we have to break a code?" Alyssa asked incredulously.
"Indeed. Did you think I'd let it be easy forever? Well think again. You better find your dear brother soon, before it's too late. As for Miriallia, you have up till tomorrow morning to find out where I've hidden the body. Have fun playing Cluedo."
Alyssa buried her head in her hands.
Yzak continued to stare at the pieces of paper, as if his gaze would break the code and give them the answer.
"Now what?" asked Sai.
"Let's split up. One group will look for Nicol and other will look for Miriallia." Athrun suggested.
"First we have to break the codes." Kira stated.
Everyone else agreed, but an hour passed and still no one was anywhere near solving it.
There were 2 pieces of paper.
On the first was scribbled,
Nicol's location: 7u9r3d1rd (1) sp (3) 2d5ru (2) 2d2r7dr (2) 12u2ru (4) Miss Scarlett
On the second was scribbled,
Body location: Mrs. Peacock (9) Mrs. White (18) Miss Scarlett (30) Col. Mustard (27)
They had all the pieces of paper they had picked up yesterday and a Cluedo board in front of them, but still they couldn't' solve it.
"Why don't we just search the house? We're bound to find something." Fllay said, throwing up her hands in resignation.
"You know. She may be right. This is getting us no where." Sai rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"We can't give up. There has to be something. There has to be…" cagalli said, but she was fighting a losing battle.
"You guys take a break and maybe look around, we'll keep going at it." Kira said, not willing to give up yet.
Sai, Fllay, Cagalli, Dearka and Yzak left.
"Well, I guess that leaves just us." lacus smiled encouragingly
"I'm sure we'll solve it. After all, we do have the school's two top students here." Alyssa said, referring to Athrun and Kira.
"If they can't do it, who can? I'll go get drinks for everyone." Lacus said heading for the kitchen.
"I'll help. I need to stretch my legs a little too." Alyssa said, jumping and following her.
"Mrs. White…can we get some drinks please?" Lacus asked Murrue Ramius
"Sure, what would you like?"
"Um…four cups of coke please, with ice. Thank you!"
"Lacus, why do you call her Mrs. White?" Alyssa asked.
"It's an inside joke. It's because she always wear white."
"Oh. I see. It just reminded me of Cluedo."
"Yeah. That's where we got the name from. Actually all of them have nicknames from Cluedo." Lacus said, taking the tray from Ramius.
"Really?"
"Yup. Mr. Klueze is Mr. Black, Mr. Fllaga is Rev. Green, Mr. Azrael is Prof. Plum, Mr. Bartfeldt is Col. Mustard, Ms. Ramius is Mrs. White, Ms. Badgiruel is Mrs. Peacock and Ms. Aisha is Miss Scarlett."
"How interesting."
"I think we've got it." Kira said as soon as the two girls came back.
They hurriedly put the drinks down and crowded beside him.
"Look at these numbers are multiples of 3, if we divided them by 3 and then take the letters they correspond to in the name we get P-I-E-R. That should mean the Miriallia's body is at the pier." He said, pointing to the 2nd piece of paper.
"You're right. Let's get the rest and check it out."
They ran up the stairs and quickly the whole group of them rushed to the pier.
Kira was right, he had managed to break the code, and Miriallia's body was at the pier. She had drowned and dumped in the sea.
Dearka and Kira swam out to retrieve the 'body'.
"Well. That's one down and one more to go. Any luck on Nicol's whereabouts?" Yzak asked.
Alyssa shook her head, worry written all over her face.
"Let's go back and try some more. We'll find him."
"What' if it's too late. He's been missing for more than 24 hours. Anything could have happened." Alyssa lamented.
"Don't be so negative. If we can solve one, we can solve the other. Besides the rest of us will keep looking for him. We WILL find him." cagalli said, giving Alyssa a reassuring hug.
"Thanks. Let's go back." She said.
Sitting down at the table, she stared blankly at the piece of paper, then at the Cluedo board.
What if?
She took the red piece and starting from the position of Miss Scarlett, moved it according to the directions on the paper. A wrote some letters down on a piece of paper. After a few failed attempts, she jumped up with joy and rushed off, shouting that she knew where Nicol was.
Note: really, go try out it out for yourself, especially if you have a Cluedo board. Guess where Nicol is! Haha…I think all the boards are the same right? It works…really! And it took so much effort to think of it. Okay…you don't have to try it, but please review? I would really like to know what you think of this fic so far. Thanks!