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It was one of those rare instances where Herlock Sholmes and Yujin Mikotoba could pull themselves away from their work and get out of London for a while. Their excursion into the countryside had taken them to Sussex, far away from the gloom of London. They had swapped 221B for a cottage that overlooked a view of the Channel. The coastline was filled with chalk cliffs, with the only pathway down to the beach area below being a long, steep journey.

The bottom of the bay lay a beach area made up of mostly pebbles and shingle, even when the tide was high. Here and there, however, were curves and hollows which created small swimming pools, filled afresh every time the tide came in. The beach extended for some miles in each direction, save for a point where a little cove and the village of Fulworth broke the line.

It was a fine morning when Herlock and Yujin emerged from their cottage. They had decided to take advantage of the warm weather and take their breakfast at the beach. Of course, Yujin was in charge of the food; he at least wanted their breakfast to be edible. He happily carried the picnic basket, enjoying a morning stroll with his partner.

Yujin squinted at the morning sun and gazed at the sprawling land to his left. In the distance, he could spy a boarding school known as The Gables. He had been told the day before that it was quite well-known, and housed some brilliant scholars. The headteacher, Harold Stackhurst, had even greeted them when they arrived earlier in the week.

"It's a good thing our little cottage didn't collapse under the weight of that storm," Herlock commented as they began to walk down the path towards the beach. "If it wasn't for the trees that scatter the land, you wouldn't have been able to tell that there was a storm. Today seems just as lovely as ever."

"I can't say I got much sleep last night, though," Yujin complained, "Could you hear the waves crash against the cliffs? The wind, too... I have seen storms like that back in Japan, but-"

"Hush!" Herlock threw up an arm and suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hush?!" Yujin shot an annoyed glare towards his partner. "Whatever was that rude interruption for, Sholmes? I was-"

Yujin stopped himself as he saw Herlock's eyes widen. He followed his gaze and saw a man stumble up the path in front of them, like a drunken man. In the next instant, the man threw out his arms and let out a terrible cry as he collapsed onto the ground before him.

The two of them rushed forwards, Yujin abandoning the picnic basket entirely. They flipped the man over on his back, his glazed sunken eyes drifting away. Whatever it was, he was in great pain; he had bitten his bottom lip so hard that blood was flowing from it.

"It's alright - I'm a doctor!" Yujin cried, kneeling down next to the man and checked him for any external injuries. "Whatever happened to you?!"

One glimmer of life came back to his face for an instant, and he opened his mouth, his words slurred and indistinct. "The lion's... mane..." he gasped, letting out a final cry. He attempted to lift himself off of the ground, but fell forward on his side and moved no more. As he fell over, his hastily-thrown on jacket slipped off, revealing his bare back.

His back was covered in dark red lines as though he had been flogged by a thin wire whip. The instrument that did the deed was clearly flexible, as long, angry inflamed areas that oozed blood curved round his shoulders and ribs. His drawn and distorted face only captured a glimmer of the agony he had been in.

Yujin checked the man's pulse. "Dead," he muttered, his eyes scanning over his injuries. "I've never seen anything like it. Who is this man?"

"Fitzroy McPherson - a science teacher at The Gables," Herlock bent down to examine the recently-deceased teacher further. "Curious; not just the wound, I mean. His shoes are untied, his trousers aren't correctly fastened, and he was only wearing his jacket, which appears to have just been thrown on."

They heard the patter of footsteps from behind them from the top of the path. Herlock glanced up and saw Mr Stackhurst, the headteacher, and Ian Murdoch, a mathematics teacher, run towards them. Their eyes immediately fell upon their deceased colleague.

"It can't be!" Mr Stackhurst cried, "Whatever happened to the man? Mr Murdoch and I were nearby and heard a scream, but... never mind that. What can we do to help?"

Mr Murdoch looked away from the body and focused on the nearby waves. "I-I knew he was heading down to the beach, but I..."

"Hurry and fetch the police, Mr Murdoch," Herlock demanded, taking control of the situation. "Mr Stackhurst, keep an eye on your colleague here. Mikotoba and I will check to see if our culprit is still nearby. Do you both understand?"

The two men nodded. Mr Murdoch bolted at top speed towards the nearest police-station in Fulworth. Meanwhile, Mr Stackhurst took off his hat and bent down near the body; his way of paying his respects. With the body under guard, Herlock gestured to Yujin to follow him down to the beach below.

"Our first task is to see if there's anyone on the beach," Herlock said to his partner, coming to a stop just before the small patches of clay. "Make sure you step on the rocks - we don't want to tamper with the scene. The little areas of clay contain footprints, which will assist in the investigation."

"I could've sworn that I didn't see anybody else down at the beach, though," Yujin pointed out as he scanned the deserted beach. "The place is empty. I noticed the footprints, too - there's only one track of them, presumably McPherson's."

"Excellent as always, Mikotoba!" Herlock flashed a grin and pointed at the footprints. "No one else has gone down this track since this morning - you may have also noticed the indents along the path up. There was a print of an open hand, and a few rounded depressions. I deduce that McPherson must've fallen up the path a few times as he ascended."

The two carefully stepped over to the next area of interest - a lagoon where a towel and some clothes sat. Upon closer examination, the two found it to belong to Mr McPherson. The towel was folded and dry.

"It appears that he had made all the effort to get ready to bathe, but never did so," Herlock mumbled as he patted the towel curiously. "See? The man never even touched his towel."

"He couldn't have been here for long, then," Yujin replied, "I noticed that there's caves and such along the beach. Could someone have hidden there?"

"Doubtful. The caves are too shallow for anyone to hide behind," said Herlock, "Notice how the sun shines in such a manner that we can see inside them from here - nowhere to hide. Besides, we have yet to see anyone else's footprints."

"The fishing boats are also too far out to be of use," Yujin squinted at the boats in the distance. "I spy one or two. Is there anything else?"

"Not that I can see for now. Let's head back to inspect the body further," Herlock turned and headed back up the path, leaving the towel for the police to find. "I suppose it would be too easy to find our culprit like that..."

Mr Stackhurst was still guarding the body when they came back. "Did you find the culprit, Mr Sholmes?" He asked them.

"Unfortunately not," Herlock bent down to examine the body once more. "Perhaps we will find some answers in the man's pockets."

As Herlock searched the body, Yujin pulled out his notebook. He peered closer at the odd wounds on the victim's back and began to sketch the pattern. It would provide a useful reference for later - if only he had taken his medical books with him...

"He had just recovered from a bout of rheumatic fever, too," Mr Stackhurst muttered, looking away in reminiscence. "I told him to be careful - his heart wasn't what it used to be after that."

Herlock had emptied the man's pockets and found a handkerchief, a large knife, and a small card case. Inside the card case was a piece of paper, with a note written in neat handwriting:

'I will be there, you may be sure - Maudie'

"Maudie?" Herlock repeated as he replaced the contents of the man's pockets back to where he found them. "Very curious indeed..."

Yujin had finished his sketch of the odd wounds and put his notebook away. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped. There was a familiar scent that reached his nose; one of fish and chips.

Herlock turned to Mr Stackhurst with an assuring smile. "No doubt that the local police will ask for my assistance, my dear fellow. I'm sure they'll... Wait. What is that smell?'

"I believe it's fish and chips, Sholmes," Yujin replied with a forced smile.

"That blasted smell is distracting me!" Herlock roared, "Not only is it contaminating the crime scene, but it's reminding my stomach that I'm absolutely famished! We haven't even had our breakfast yet, Mikotoba!"

"What the bloody hell are you doing here, Sholmes?!" Inspector Gregson ran down the path and pointed his fish and chips angrily at Herlock. "First I hear about a murder, but now I find that you're here? Get out of my crime scene!"

"Gregson!" Herlock walked up to the man without a care in the world. "I'm awfully famished. I see you've rather kindly brought me fish and chips for breakfast. May I have a chi-"

"Sholmes!" Yujin snapped, slapping his partner's hand away before he could anger Inspector Gregson further. "Might I remind you that a man is dead?"

"Ah, yes - the dead man at our feet. My apologies," Herlock took a chip from the Inspector's stash whilst Yujin looked away. "What are you doing here, Gregson?"

Inspector Gregson muttered a curse under his breath and shoved his fish and chips back into his pocket. "If you must know, I'm covering for an old friend of mine. He's sick, and someone needs to keep these officers in line. Besides... Wait, why am I talking about this with you? What happened here?!"

"We'll gladly give you our statements, Inspector," Yujin told him, "Ah, but... might I quickly grab our picnic-"

"Anything round here is being confiscated as evidence," Inspector Gregson declared, "That includes this... picnic basket of yours."

Herlock glared down at his hands in frustration. "Gregson! Not only are you killing me with your fish and chips, but now you steal my breakfa-"

"Sholmes, quiet!" Yujin snapped, putting a hand on Herlock's shoulder. He forced a smile - one of 'I think you should listen to me and shut your mouth, otherwise you won't have anything for breakfast'.

Looking into Yujin's eyes, Herlock remained quiet. He pouted and stared down at the ground sheepishly, fiddling with his fringe awkwardly.

"... Is Mr Murdoch back at the station, Inspector?" Mr Stackhurst asked him, now that Herlock had calmed down.

"He is. Now, kindly explain to me what happened here, you two," Inspector Gregson let out a sigh and took out his notebook. "Let's start at the beginning - and I'll have no eccentric comments from you, Sholmes..."

—-

After they were finally free from Inspector Gregson's interrogation, Herlock practically ran home, his stomach grumbling all the way. He only settled down when Yujin cooked and served another breakfast for the two of them. It was a miracle that he managed to survive the interrogation in the first place.

"I don't know why you're complaining," Yujin said as he washed the dishes, "You're not the one that had to cook breakfast twice."

Herlock leaned back in his chair and lit his pipe. "Why is it that every time we go on holiday, something has to happen? Do I really attract danger that much? Perhaps I should come with a warning sign. Either way, I can't see us getting much of a chance to investigate on our own if Gregson is in charge... not that we won't, of course."

"I do hope you behave appropriately, Sholmes," Yujin scolded him, "I didn't appreciate how you behaved when the Inspector showed up. I know you know each other, but poor Mr Stackhurst looked quite annoyed at your antics. I had to apologise for your behaviour before we left."

"The man knows me well enough by now to realise that my behaviour is..." Herlock paused; he noticed that Yujin was glaring at him out of the corner of his eye. "Never mind. How about we talk about this strange case?"

Yujin sighed and returned to his seat opposite his partner; he had gotten awfully quick at washing up ever since he came to London. "Do you mind if we talk about something else for a bit? I came here with you partially to get away from all of that for a week. Besides, the Inspector's handling the investigation, not us."

"You know very well that won't stop me, but... You win," Herlock took a breath from his pipe before continuing. "I recently began researching about the mythical creature known as a dragon. Did you know, dragons are present all over the world? One has to wonder how the idea spread so far."

"Was this the 'important research' that you were talking about last night, when I said you should turn in for the night?"

"... How about you tell me about a dragon from your culture, Mikotoba?" Herlock asked him, avoiding the question entirely.

Yujin took that as a yes. "There's a few that I recall, but I can tell you about Yamata-no-Orochi, if you'd like. It was Ayame's favourite love story," he said, "One day, Susano'o, brother of Amaterasu, came across an elderly couple and their young daughter in a fit of tears. They told Susano'o that every year for seven years, Orochi would come from the north and take and eat one of their daughters. The dragon would soon return to eat their last remaining daughter, Princess Kushinada. Susano'o said he would slay the dragon in return for Princess Kushinada's hand in marriage. They agreed, and Susano'o turned the Princess into a fine toothed comb-"

"... He did what?"

"He turned her into a fine toothed comb and fixed her to his hair. Were you paying attention?"

"No, no, I was," Herlock insisted as he leant forward in his chair, "Why did he turn her into a comb? Was she conscious during this? Was she happy to be turned into a comb? What does it feel like to become a comb? I have a multitude of questions, Mikotoba!"

"I... really don't think it's that deep, Sholmes," Yujin replied, "As I was saying, Susano'o ordered for eight vats filled with strong sake to be placed in different positions. Orochi arrived and each head drank from the vat - all eight of them. The creature soon fell asleep, and Susano'o cut off all of Orochi's heads. He then began to cut off the tails, but his weapon struck something in the dragon's flesh. He found a longsword, which he then took as his own. Having slain the dragon, he married the Princess-"

"Was she still a comb at this time?"

Yujin let out an annoyed sigh. "I tell you an exciting story about a dragon, and all you can focus on is-"

It seemed that Yujin was cursed to be interrupted that day; there was a knock at their door. Herlock jumped at the chance (fearing that his partner would only complain if forced to get up when he had just sat down) and opened the door. Mr Stackhurst offered a short greeting and stepped inside at Herlock's invitation.

"I came here to tell you two the news," he said as he took a seat. "I believe that it is imperative that you are kept updated; Mr Sholmes, I have heard the rumours about you... I hope that you can find my colleague's murderer."

Herlock returned to his seat and nodded along. "Gregson was never one to ask for my assistance. In this case, I think the man might need it. I'd rather not be accused of murder myself-"

"I assure you, no one is thinking that," Mr Stackhurst replied, "No - the person that did this to my colleague must've had a strong motive, considering the pain he was in. You two didn't really know him, correct?"

"That was my first time seeing the man," Yujin confirmed, "Although, what did you wish to tell us, Mr Stackhurst? Did the police search the beach?"

"I'm afraid they didn't find anything of note - they even searched the small caves, but found nothing," Mr Stackhurst dabbed his forehead with his handkerchief nervously. "I can't make head nor tail of it. The body has been removed to The Gables, which I supervised. I also led the Inspector to Mr McPherson's room, where we found a collection of... intimate letters."

Herlock raised a curious brow. "From that Maudie mentioned in the letter we found on his body, no doubt."

"Her full name is Maud Bellamy. I'm afraid the Inspector was rather insistent on using them as evidence, so you'll just have to trust my word on this, I'm afraid," he said, "I see no reason, however, to connect it with this horrible tragedy. The lady only made an appointment with him."

"I certainly doubt that she intended to meet up with him at a that bathing spot," Yujin remarked, "I should think that they preferred to be in a more private, quieter location."

"Mr Murdoch and I certainly never saw her on our way over. It's a shame, really," Mr Stackhurst paused and let out a sigh. "Mr Murdoch was not a sympathetic man by nature - he once threw Mr McPherson's dog out of a window after it kept barking at him. Yet, for some reason, as of the past year, they have become the best of friends. Mr Murdoch is awfully upset over this business."

"Interesting," Herlock leaned back in his chair in thought. "I believe that we should explore the matter of Miss Bellamy. What do you know of her, Mr Stackhurst?"

"Oh, everybody knows Miss Bellamy, Mr Sholmes. I knew that Mr McPherson had feelings for her, yet I had no notion of how far it had gone until I had seen the letters," he explained, "She is the daughter of Tom Bellamy. He owns all of the boats in Fulworth after working as a fisherman."

"Then let us pay them a visit. After all, Miss Bellamy should know of any updates on the situation if she was indeed as close to Mr McPherson as you say," Herlock put his pipe down and grinned with delight. "We can hardly say that the man inflicted such horrid injuries unto himself - a human hand must've done so. We shall have to follow up every lead that we can. That way, we can hardly fail in finding a motive, which will in turn lead to the criminal."

"I thought that the Inspector didn't want us investigating, Sholmes," Yujin pointed out, "Besides, we have no idea where Miss-"

"I am sure that Mr Stackhurst can guide us to the correct location. Besides," Herlock playfully winked at his partner as Mr Stackhurst looked away. "We are merely on a social visit. Gregson can hardly stop me from saying hello."

"I-I'd be happy to take you there, Mr Sholmes," Mr Stackhurst stuttered in a flustered state - he wasn't expecting to be put on the spot so suddenly. "It just so happens that I have some business in Fulworth, anyways."

Herlock leapt up and grabbed his coat. "Excellent! We shall head there immediately! Mikotoba, we will solve this case, even if Gregson tries to stop me. Come - the game is afoot!"

----

It would have been a pleasant walk across the thyme-scented hills if the death of Mr McPherson didn't loom heavy over their heads. The village of Fulworth was nestled in a bay, with a mixture of old and new buildings. It was at one of the new, modern buildings that Mr Stackhurst guided the two of them to.

"That's The Haven, as Mr Bellamy called it," he said, pointing to the large house in question. "The one with the corner tower and the slate roof. It's actually- hang on, is that...?"

The garden gate of The Haven had opened, and a man emerged - Mr Murdoch. As soon as Mr Stackhurst had spotted him, he stormed up to the man and blocked his exit. Yujin lowered his hat to hide an annoyed look in his eyes - he wasn't one for scenes such as this.

"What were you doing there?" Mr Stackhurst demanded.

Mr Murdoch's face flushed red with anger. "I may be your subordinate, sir, but I wasn't aware that I owed you any account of my private actions."

Mr Stackhurst lost all patience immediately. "In the current circumstances, I find your answer and your tone disrespectful and terribly rude, Mr Murdoch."

"Your own question might perhaps come under the same heading, sir."

Yujin glanced towards his partner and noticed the slight grin on his lips. Herlock was enjoying this scene a little too much.

"This is not the first time that I have seen your insubordinate ways," Mr Stackhurst roared, "Yet, it will be the last! You will kindly make arrangements for your future as fast as you can - you are no longer welcome at The Gables, Mr Murdoch. You can take that attitude of yours elsewhere."

"I had intended to do so!" Mr Murdoch exclaimed, "I have lost the only person that made this place habitable. I am no longer welcome here, it seems. You've made that much clear to me."

He stormed off whilst Mr Stackhurst glared at him with angry eyes. "What an impossible, intolerable man!" Mr Stackhurst cried, "I am ever so sorry Mr Sholmes, Dr Mikotoba, but I must return to The Gables to sort this business out."

"Of course. You have guided us here, and that is all I asked of you," Herlock turned to Yujin and whispered into his ear. "Rather interesting, Mikotoba, that Mr Murdoch is taking the first chance he can to escape. It is rather suspicious, don't you think?"

Yujin nodded and opened the gate to The Haven. He didn't want to admit it yet; after all, Mr Murdoch was close to Mr McPherson. Was there any hint of trouble between the two? Not only that, but Mr Murdoch had ran into Mr Stackhurst at the top of the path shortly after the incident occurred. They still had yet to find the murder weapon. At this stage, they needed answers.

He had hoped that Mr Bellamy would provide them with answers. However, the man appeared to already be agitated by the time they were allowed inside. His flaming red beard was as flushed as his face.

"I had heard that there was a detective staying nearby," Mr Bellamy mumbled as he tried his best to appear calm, "No luck in catching those killers, then?"

"It's just the one killer, actually," Yujin replied with a smile.

"We came here today to talk about your daughter, Mr Bellamy," Herlock glanced round the room curiously. "Is she here? We believe that she held some correspondence with Mr McPherson - I can see that you have heard of the news regarding his death."

This didn't seem to calm Mr Bellamy's mood. He let out a huff before replying. "Mr McPherson's intentions with Maud were insulting. We found a great deal of letters and records of meetings, which I didn't approve of. She has no mother, and I am her sole guardian, so you can understand why I'm a little protective of my only-"

The door behind him opened with some force, and a young woman strode into the room. Miss Bellamy shot a glare towards her father and stood next to him, cutting him off before he could continue. "You can allow me to speak for myself, father," she said before turning her attention to Herlock and Yujin. "I know already that Fitzroy is dead. Do not be afraid to tell me any of the details."

"There's no reason that you should be brought into the matter, Maud," Mr Bellamy hissed at her, "There's no point in getting yourself wrapped up in this awful mess."

Miss Bellamy's glare grew fiercer. "This is my business, father. Kindly leave me to manage it in my own way. By all accounts, there has been a crime committed. If I can help to show who did it, it is the least I can do for Fitzroy and his family."

"The Inspector may visit you later to ask questions, anyway," Yujin reminded the two, "We're merely making a few inquiries of our own - we want to help in any way we can. Sholmes and I have more experience in these matters than you might think."

"I hope you help the Inspector bring them to justice. You have my sympathy and my help, whoever they may be," Miss Maud replied, glancing defiantly at her father. 

"Like your father, you also believe that the culprit is more than one person," Herlock noted, "May I ask as to why?"

"I knew Fitzroy - Mr McPherson - well enough to be aware that he was a brave and strong man," she explained, "No single person could ever have inflicted such a wound upon him."

Yujin glanced at Herlock and knew he was thinking the same thing. They still had the matter of the note found on the victim's body to discuss. Yet, Mr Bellamy was already angry enough. "Perhaps... Miss Bellamy, might you want to speak in private?" Yujin suggested.

"I tell you, Maud, don't get yourself involved in the matter," cried Mr Bellamy angrily. 

Miss Bellamy looked at Yujin helplessly. "What can I do?"

"Well, we would've preferred privacy, but I suppose everyone will know of the following fact shortly," Herlock said with a sigh. "There was a note found on Mr McPherson's body - a note written from yourself, Miss Bellamy. Will you be able to throw some light upon it?"

"I see no reason for mystery," she answered, "We were engaged to be married, and we only kept it a secret because of Fitzroy's uncle. He is very old and said to be dying, but he might've disinherited him if he had married against his wish. There was no other reason."

"You could have told me!" Mr Bellamy exclaimed in shock.

"So I would've, father, if you had ever shown sympathy."

"I object to you going after a man like McPherson when there are plenty of better-"

"It is exactly that prejudice you have against him that prevented us from telling you!" Miss Bellamy cried, letting out a scowl as she turned her attention back to the matter at hand. She pulled out a crumpled note from her dress and handed it to Herlock. "As to my letter, it was in answer to this."

'Dearest,

The old place on the beach just after sunset on Tuesday. It is the only time I can get away.

F.M.'

"I had meant to meet him tonight," she explained further, "Alas, it was never meant to be..."

Herlock turned over the paper and frowned. "This never came by post. How did you get it?"

"It really has nothing to do with the matter that you're investigating," Miss Bellamy insisted, "However, I will be happy to answer any of your other questions."

"Can you think of anyone that might've wanted to harm Mr McPherson at all?" Yujin asked her.

"No one comes to mind," Miss Bellamy admitted, "Although, if anyone found out about our relationship, I can't imagine that they'd be too happy. Fitzroy was not the first to profess his love for me."

"Hence why I'm so protective," Mr Bellamy muttered.

Herlock hummed and handed the paper back to Miss Bellamy. "Might I ask if Ian Murdoch was one of them?"

Miss Bellamy blushed and seemed confused. "There... was a time when I thought he was. But that all changed when he understood the relations between Fitzroy and myself."

"Well, thank you for your time. It has been most helpful," Herlock said with a smile. "My partner and I really must head off."

"Of course, Mr Sholmes," Miss Bellamy replied, "Please... find out who did this to Fitzroy. They must be punished for what they did to him."

As they walked out, Herlock leaned towards Yujin's ear in a whisper. "I suspect that Gregson may have Murdoch's place searched. We shall have to wait until then-"

"Yes, I'd rather you keep out of trouble, Sholmes. I'd rather not find you in a heap of trouble, now that Gregson is here," Yujin reminded him with a knowing look. There was only so much apologising that he could do to save his partner's skin.

----

Herlock was restless for the rest of the day. The following day, he seemed unable to take it for a moment longer; he sprang up out of his seat and demanded that they go down to the beach once more. The beach was now reopened, although it was quieter than usual. After all, the case was still unsolved.

Yujin shivered as a cold breeze passed by. "Perhaps we should try a different country for our holiday next time," he suggested, "We might be able to avoid attracting the death and danger that we seem to do in England."

"It'll have to be somewhere close - we both can't afford to leave London for long," Herlock muttered as he gazed out into the open sea. "What about... Switzerland? I hear the Reichenbach Falls are lovely this time of the year."

"The... Rai-kun-"

"Reichenbach. It's German, I believe," Herlock replied, "I am told that the waterfalls are some of the prettiest sights in the world. When we next get the chance, I'll take you there."

"Alright - I'll hold you to that," Yujin felt himself smile at the thought. He looked over the cliffs to the beach below, trying to picture the scene. As his eyes scanned the rocks, he came across the location of Mr McPherson's death. He squinted; he could've sworn that he saw something down there.

Herlock seemed to notice. "What's wrong? Is it the sun, Mikotoba?" 

"I think there's... something down there. Something by the rocks," Yujin pointed to the lagoon down below. "Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or can you see it, too?"

In a fit of energy, Herlock grabbed Yujin's hand and ran down the path towards the beach, his partner in tow. Yujin held onto his hat and ran as fast as he could, but he still struggled to keep up with Herlock's sudden burst of energy. He only let go when they had reached the bottom of the path. 

When they reached the lagoon, Yujin's eyes widened. Sprawled out on the exact same rock Mr McPherson's towel was found earlier was an Airedale terrier. The body was stiff and rigid, the limbs contorted and the eyes projecting. There was agony written all over the poor dog. 

Herlock examined the dog's collar and frowned. "This... This is Mr McPherson's dog!" He cried, turning his attention back to his partner. "Mikotoba, I need you to inform Gregson and Mr Stackhurst immediately. Head to The Gables - it's not far from here, and I imagine that Gregson is investigating there, too."

"R-Right. I'll be right back - be careful, Sholmes!" Yujin called out as he ran off sprinting back up the path. In his rush, his hat had flown off and landed next to Herlock,

Tutting, Herlock picked up his partner's hat and brushed off the sand that had stuck to it. "The poor thing must've escaped and tried to find its master," Herlock muttered as he thought aloud, "The very same place, too... Why should this lonely beach be fatal to it? Could this dog have been part of a revengeful feud, too, or is it something else?"

He took a deep breath and examined the area around him. The sea glimmered dully like a sheet of lead. The place was deserted, save for the two seagulls circling and screaming overhead. His mind was racing.

There was something. Something that he had forgotten. Something in the back of his mind. Something that was beyond his reach, no matter how hard he tried to remember. His memory may have failed him multiple times before, but this was something he absolutely had to remember. Herlock glared down at Yujin's hat, cursing his own brain.

A flash. Something had come to him; it was vague, but it was still a possibility. It was monstrous, incredible; yet, it was still a possibility. He would have to research it as much as he could.

"Of course!" He grinned as he snapped his fingers with delight. "How did I not think of it before? It's a slim chance, yes... but a chance nonetheless. When you eliminate plausible, all that remains is the implausi... Ah, no... How did that line go again?"

He'd have to ask Yujin to remind him of it later.

----

For some reason, after Yujin had returned, Herlock had insisted that they get back to their cottage as soon as possible. When they did, he dived into the collection of books that Mr Stackhurst had given them a few days earlier. They were all non-fiction books from a variety of different subjects. For some reason, Herlock began feverishly reading them.

He couldn't get his partner to take a break, and it was hard enough to get him a bite to eat. Yujin had seen this before, of course - but this time, Herlock insisted that it was for the case. With a sigh, Yujin left him to his research, occasionally checking up on him to provide him with a drink or some food.

It was getting late. The sun had set over the vast landscape. Yujin was about to turn in for the night himself when he remembered his partner. It wouldn't be good if he stayed up all night researching; he'd have to convince him to turn in, too. With that in mind, Yujin left his room and went to check up on his partner one last time.

Herlock was passed out on the sofa. There was an open book on his chest, with more books littered about on the floor. He didn't know how he managed it; it certainly didn't seem like a comfortable position. He really must've been exhausted.

He didn't want to wake him, but he couldn't leave him like that. Yujin went into Herlock's room and grabbed a pillow and a blanket. As carefully as he could, he placed the pillow under Herlock's head and draped the blanket over him. 

Yujin took a step back and smiled. He looked peaceful, minus the mountain of books near him. Hopefully, he would get a good night's sleep. Yujin returned to his room, but left the door slightly ajar, just in case his partner woke up in the middle of the night.

Herlock woke the next morning to the smell of crackling bacon. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?" He muttered, his eyes still adjusting to the bright sunlight. This place needed better curtains.

"Eight o'clock," Yujin replied from the kitchen, "I think you should freshen up, Sholmes, considering you slept in your clothes last night. I would've woken you, but you looked like you needed the rest."

"I... don't remember falling asleep," he realised as he began to trudge to his room - when did his blanket and pillow get there? "I invited Gregson over this morning. He should be here at nine."

There was a slam of a door - Yujin barely caught that last part. It seemed like he was going to have to wait a bit before he got his explanation. Perhaps he should've cooked for three, not two.

Herlock had barely finished his breakfast when there was a knock at the door. Yujin quickly cleared the plates away as his partner answered it. Sure enough, Inspector Gregson had showed up on time. He didn't exactly seem pleased with the fact, though. 

"Alright, Sholmes, where's this evidence, then?!" He roared as Herlock invited him inside. "Is it the murder weapon? If you're just wasting my time-"

"Now, now, Gregson," Herlock tutted, inviting the Inspector to take a seat. "It would do you no good to get worked up like this. Mikotoba will be back shortly - I won't discuss this until he's here with us."

Yujin had heard the Inspector's cries from the kitchen. He entered the room with a frown on his face. "Evidence?" He repeated, "Did I hear that correctly? Who are you arresting, Inspector?"

"Sholmes here claimed that he had evidence against Ian Murdoch," Inspector Gregson (begrudgingly) explained, "If you haven't heard of it, then I'm obviously wasting my time."

"Hold it, Gregson," Herlock raised a hand, which stopped Inspector Gregson from getting closer to the exit. "I can easily see why you might suspect him. He's short-tempered, had a history with arguing with the victim, and they were rivals for Miss Bellamy's affections. Not only that, but he's planning on leaving the scene."

"But Mr Murdoch has an alibi," Yujin pointed out, "He ran into Mr Stackhurst, and then us as we witnessed Mr McPherson's death. Not only that, but it would take a man - or a group of men - of great strength to inflict such a violent wound upon the victim. We still need to find the murder weapon, too."

"Which I can resolve," Herlock said with a smirk. "Tell me, Gregson, have you examined the marks? What do you think caused the wounds?"

Inspector Gregson crossed his arms with a sigh. "We reckon it was a whip of some sort. Why, did you happen to come across one?"

"Just a moment. Mikotoba, can you show Gregson your sketch of the wounds?" Herlock pointed to Yujin's notebook, which lay on the table. "I'm sure you spotted some peculiarities. Do tell us about them, will you?"

Yujin grabbed his notebook and turned to the page in which he had sketched out the odd wounds. "If I could turn your attention to this swollen mark on the right shoulder," he said, pointing to the area in question. "There is a dot of extravasated - erupted - blood, here. There's another near the bottom, here. Another mark has the same pattern. The wounded areas are unequal in intensity - it's a most peculiar pattern. Usually, when one is struck by the same weapon over and over, one expects to see similar markings."

"Perhaps it was just a red-hot wire, then," Inspector Gregson grumbled, "There were fishing boats nearby, according to your account. Bellamy owns all the boats, and we already know that they weren't too sweet on Mr McPherson."

"They were too far out, Gregson," Herlock reminded him, "Besides, we have the victim's final words - the lion's mane. It is-"

The door flung open, marking the beginning of the end. Mr Murdoch stumbled into the room, in a dishevelled state. He was struggling to keep himself upright, and fell groaning upon the sofa. "Dr Mikotoba!" He gasped, clutching his chest, "Help me! For God's sake, help me!"

There was another cry from the door, and Mr Stackhurst entered. He was panting and in almost as much distress as his companion. "Yes - yes! This man is at his last breath. All I could do was bring him here. He fainted twice upon the way - Dr Mikotoba, you have to help him!"

Yujin leapt out of his seat and rushed over to Mr Murdoch. "Sholmes, go into my room and grab my medical bag. Mr Stackhurst, Inspector Gregson, stay here. I may need your assistance. Quickly now!"

As Herlock dashed off to fetch the bag, Mr Murdoch shook off his hastily-thrown on coat. Yujin and Inspector Gregson cried out at the sight; upon his back was the same strange pattern of red, inflamed lines which had been the death sentence for Mr McPherson. Herlock soon returned with the bag, and Yujin got to work to the best of his ability.

The pain was evidently terrible. Mr Murdoch would gasp for air and clutch his heart, only to be brought back to life as Yujin administered morphine to try and quell his pain. At Yujin's instructions, Inspector Gregson and Mr Stackhurst dabbed the odd wounds with cotton pads soaked in a liquid neither of them could name. 

Herlock stood back in admiration as Yujin took control of the situation. When his medical knowledge was required, he became a different person entirely. His expertise seemed to calm down everyone else in the room, too. It was a good thing he had taken his medical bag along with him.

Exhausted, Mr Murdoch slumped into a half a sleep and half a faint. The wounds were no longer as bad as they once were; they had stopped bleeding for now. Yujin ensured that they wouldn't reopen before taking a moment to catch his breath.

"What happened to him?!" Inspector Gregson demanded, turning to Mr Stackhurst. "Where exactly did you find him?!"

"D-Down on the beach, Inspector!" Mr Stackhurst answered, still recovering from the events a moment ago. "Exactly where poor McPherson met his end, in fact. It was too far to walk to The Gables, and I knew that Dr Mikotoba was located here, so I felt as if I had no choice but to bring him here. I was walking on the cliff when I heard his cry. He was at the edge of the water, reeling about like a drunken man. I ran down, threw some clothes on him and dragged him here."

Herlock's eyes lit up with a smirk. "In exactly the same place, you say? Very well... I believe that I can deliver your murderer directly into your hands, Inspector. Mr Stackhurst, keep an eye on Mr Murdoch, will you? I have to show the Inspector something."

"I-I really think I should stay with my patient, Sholmes," Yujin told him as Herlock handed him his coat. "He may still be in pain-"

"We'll be five minutes," Herlock replied, "Trust me. I'm sure Mr Stackhurst will be able to keep an eye on him whilst he sleeps."

Leaving the unconscious man in the care of Mr Stackhurst, the three of them headed down to the deadly lagoon. Inspector Gregson insisted on going in front - much to Herlock's annoyance. On the shingle below there was a pile of towels and clothes, left by Mr Murdoch. 

Herlock crept along the edge of the water. Most of the pool was quite shallow, but there was a section that was four or five feet deep. This was a natural area for a swimmer to go, for it formed a beautiful green pool as clear as crystal. Herlock peered into the deep pool, his eyes scanning for something in the water. 

His eyes lit up as they caught something. "Cyanea capillata! " Herlock cried in triumph, "Cyanea capillata - behold, gentlemen, the Lion's Mane!"

Yujin and Inspector Gregson leaned over and peered into the water to catch a glimpse at what he was referring to. Whatever it was, it looked like a tangled mass torn from the mane of a lion. It sat on a rocky shelf some three feet under the water, curiously pulsating in the water. 

"A... jellyfish?" Yujin stared down at the creature in shock. He looked to his right and saw his partner push a rock up against the water, aiming for the jellyfish below. "Sholmes, what are you-"

"I think you can both agree that we need to kill it before it harms anyone else, first," Herlock gestured to the rock in front of him. "I promise I'll explain everything in a moment. I have the necessary information in a book back at our cottage."

There was a big splash, and the ripples from the impact of the rock obscured the clear water for a moment. When they had cleared, the rock was settled on the same ledge the jellyfish once was. There was a trail of tentacles underneath it, showing that it was beneath it. The jellyfish was dead.

"I've never seen such a thing before!" Inspector Gregson exclaimed, "You mean to say a jellyfish is our murderer, Sholmes? How am I supposed to explain such a thing?"

"It may have been that storm that led to it coming here," Herlock explained, "Come along, you two. It's rather time I explain everything in a rather dashing fashion, as always!"

When they returned, Mr Murdoch had recovered enough to sit up. He was still dazed, and every now and then he had a burst of pain. He looked up at Herlock expectingly, having no ides what had happened to him himself. In his eyes, he was swimming, before he became overcome with pain,

Herlock picked up a book and scanned the pages. "Here is where I came across some handy information. Cyanea capillata, also known as the Lion's Mane, named after the appearance looking akin to a lion's mane. The author describes similar injuries to what Mr Murdoch here currently has - akin to a red-hot needle making its way through the nerves."

"So our murderer wasn't a man at all?" Mr Stackhurst stared at Herlock in shock. "I don't believe it. But, then, why did Mr McPherson die, but Mr Murdoch survived?"

"I believe you mentioned that Mr McPherson had a weak heart, no?" Herlock replied with a smile. "The pain must've been too much for him - no doubt that Mr Murdoch here felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest at times."

"Mr McPherson must've spotted the creature and tried to warn us, hence his dying words," Yujin deduced, "His dog must've ran into the jellyfish, too, after trying to find its master."

Herlock handed Inspector Gregson the book in his hands, placing a bookmark on the page about the jellyfish. "I suspect you will require this, Gregson, in order to explain the situation. I, for one, am glad that I'm not the one that has to do that!"

"Of course you are," Inspector Gregson muttered under his breath. He could hardly believe the crazy story. "Alright then, Murdoch - now's your chance to explain yourself properly. What's your true connection to Miss Bellamy and Mr McPherson?"

Mr Murdoch seemed put off by the question. He cleared his throat and let out a sigh. "Alright, Inspector. If it'll keep the police off my back, then I'll tell you. It is true that I loved her, but once I found out that she was with Mr McPherson, I desired her happiness most of all. So, I carried their messages for them. When I heard that my friend had died, I hastened to tell her. I thought that she might recuperate my feelings, yet she would not have it," he said.

"Which was why you were in such a bad mood when we ran into you," Mr Stackhurst realised, "Well, I can safely say that I forgive you - in fact, I might ask for your forgiveness, too. Why don't you remain at The Gables, after all? I can certainly not find a better mathematician."

"Are... Are you certain?" Mr Murdoch's eyes widened in shock. "If you'll have me, then I'll gladly have my job back. Perhaps there is more to this place than I first thought."

Mr Stackhurst helped Mr Murdoch up and thanked everyone - especially Yujin - before they left for The Gables. Mr Murdoch needed time to recover in his own room, and Mr Stackhurst promised to keep an eye on him. Yujin would have to check up on him later, just to be sure.

"A jellyfish," Inspector Gregson muttered, staring down at the book. "Well, this is one to tell Lord van Zieks when I get back to London. Do me a favour, Sholmes, and stay out of trouble, will you?"

"You know that's impossible, Gregson!" Herlock chirped as he waved the Inspector off. His grin didn't fade for a second. Yujin had a feeling that they weren't done with seeing the Inspector on their holiday quite yet.

They both took a seat opposite each other, now that the situation was resolved. Yujin looked at his partner quizzically. "I thought you said that Mr McPherson never entered the water?" He asked him.

"Ah - so you remembered my mistake," Herlock muttered, "Yes, the towel threw me off. It didn't even occur to me at first to think that the attack came from the water. I was awfully slow... it only occurred to me after I remembered a book I once read regarding dangerous sea creatures."

"Well, at least we can finally enjoy our holiday," Yujin sat back with a smile. "What would you like to do for the rest of the day, Sholmes?"

"How about a swim?" His partner joked.

He narrowed his eyes. "I think I've had enough with the beach for one day," said Yujin,  "I just want to relax for a bit - which is something you never seem to do."

"Then we can discuss my newly remembered information!" Herlock cried, his eyes lighting up in delight. "Yes, would you like to join me in a debate regarding the variety of deadly sea creatures, Mikotoba? Now that I have rerea-"

Yujin leant over and placed a kiss on Herlock's lips, brushing a hand through his partner's hair. It was the only way to shut him up; he wasn't prepared to listen to five hours of why he should never go into the sea again.

It worked. Herlock sank into his chair and buried his face in his hands. For once, the great detective found himself unable to speak. His cheeks were burning a bright red, something that Yujin rarely saw.

With a chuckle, Yujin left the embarrassed mess that was his partner and began to brew the tea.