The Case of the Filched Fire Stone

Laughter and excited chatter filled the air as four friends made their way up the hill leading to the majestic Battle Maison. But on this night, battling wasn't the agenda--Nita, Evelyn, Dana, and Morgan were inviting their costumed guests to partake in spooky games, character karaoke, and a costume contest, among other things.

"I'm so excited--I've never been in the Maison before." a blond haired girl in costume as a Fennekin smiled as she make her way up the hill. "Normally it's saved for the best of the best."

"I'm surprised you even got invited, Serena." a black haired boy in costume as a red mage from "Final Fantasy" commented as he adjusted the white plume in his hat. "Although maybe winning your second Princess Key had something to do with it."

Once sure his hat was on comfortably and a prop sword was at his side, he asked his two other companions, a orange haired girl in costume as Marle from "Chrono Trigger" and a brown haired boy in costume as a detective "How do I look?"

"Beautiful, Mr. Red Mage." the girl grinned before nudging the boy "Hope you didn't forget your magnifying glass and fingerprint dusting kit--just in case we have to solve a mystery."

"The ladies of the Maison didn't say this was going to be a mystery party, Misty." Serena replied. "Ash and I double checked the invitation, so even if Brock forgot the magnifying glass and fingerprint duster, it wouldn't do any good, since there'd be no mystery to solve."

"What good is Falco Dolan without his gear?" Misty asked, referring to the famed detective Brock was portraying.

"He does quite all right with no magnifying glass and fingerprint duster, thank you." Brock replied before the group arrived at the Maison's front stoop.

Nita, in costume as a princess, answered the door. "Oh, guests!" She noticed Brock as Falco Dolan. "And how fitting we have the great Falco Dolan here! We have a baffling mystery on our hands, and we can't have the party if it is not solved."

"You were saying about there being no mystery to solve?" Misty eyed Serena warily.

"I-I don't know if this is staged or for real..." Serena stammered.

"It is not staged--we would have said so on the invitation if we wished to host a mystery party." Nita explained. "Come on inside..we'll tell you everything there."

In the Maison foyer...

"Okay, everyone...the facts are these..." Brock began in true Falco Dolan fashion. "Before we arrived--a full hour before other guests were to begin arriving. Dana left a Fire Stone in the jewelry box on the vanity in her room, to use to evolve her Eevee into Flareon during the party. As she was getting ready, she heard clonking and crashing in her room. Believing Nita's Purugly or Evelyn's Persian to be making the noise, she returned to her room to find the Fire Stone gone, and odd footprints leading out of the room."

"I know who did it! Team Rocket!" Ash cries, pleased with himself.

Just then, Team Rocket pulls back the scene to declare their innocence. "How can we commit a crime if we were not invited in the first place?" Jessie asks.

"We can't be in two places at once!" James agrees.

"And dose footprints in da room aren't mine!" Meowth adds before Team Rocket closes the scene back up.

"Sorry, Ash...it's not gonna be that easy." Serena grins as she comforts Dana, in costume as a gypsy.

"If it wasn't Team Rocket that did it, who did?" Dana asked in between sobs as an Eevee nuzzled her face.

"We can start by questioning Nita, Evelyn, and Morgan." Brock suggested. "But before that, let's take a look at the scene of the crime."

In Dana's bedroom...

"Nothing on the vanity that I can see..." Misty reported.

"Fingerprint duster to the rescue!" Brock smiled as he retrieved some cocoa powder, a paintbrush, and tape from his bag.

"You're using chocolate milk mix, a paintbrush, and tape?" Misty was unimpressed.

"Observe..." Brock explained. "First, dip the brush into the powder and carefully dust it onto the fingerprint." After doing this and blowing off the excess, he explained "Next, lay a piece of clear tape on the fingerprint. Press the tape flat, then carefully peel it off."

He smiled as he showed Misty the fingerprint. "and voila! We have a fingerprint."

"That's one of mine." Dana blushed.

"I know you didn't do it--whoever did likely had implements on their costume that could easily knock things over." Brock explained as he collected a few more fingerprints.

"Ash, got your Pokedex on you?" Serena asked as she and Misty helped clean up the toppled plants and shattered glass.

"Yeah, why?" Ash asked.

"While Brock is busy questioning Nita and Evelyn, can you tell your Pokedex to analyze those weird footprints?" Serena asked.

"Okay..." After pressing a few buttons on the Pokedex. Ash watched as "ANALYZING..." appeared on the Pokedex screen. "It'll take a minute to analyze, though."

In the Maison foyer...

"I was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the food for this evening." Nita explained as Brock listened. "As I was setting the Spinarak cupcakes out to cool, I heard crashing and Dana screaming. I thought Purugly was getting onto the vanity again, but when I arrived, Purugly was not to be seen."

"Okay...now we need Evelyn's alibi..." Brock mused as Evelyn, in costume as a witch, arrived in the room.

"I was hanging some cobwebs in the ballroom when I heard Dana scream, followed by a horrible crash." Evelyn explained as she dusted off some faux cobwebs from her costume. "Thinking Persian was making the mess, I arrived to find Nita gawking at the room, and no trace of Persian."

"Hmm...since Nita and Evelyn arrived after the fact, that doesn't put them anywhere near Dana's room at the time of the crime." Brock explained. "Which means..."

"Okay! Footprint analysis is done!" Ash called, prompting the others to dash into Dana's room, where Morgan in costume as a Roserade, Ash, Misty and Serena listened to the report:

Roserade, the bouquet Pokemon. It attracts prey with a sweet aroma, then downs it with thorny whips hidden in its arms.

Just then, Nita gasped when she saw the feet of Morgan's costume. "How come your costume is dirty?"

Dana immediately recognized the red bloom on Morgan's costume. "My Fire Stone!"

Brock smiled. "I believe this case is closed."

How did Brock figure out Morgan took Dana's Fire Stone?