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Framed

Rosa wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep. Luxio had slung his body over her like a giant furry blanket, pressing and kneading her ribcage with is large paws as he dreamed. Rosa smiled and poked him in the cheek, arousing him from his dream.

"Wake up you big baby." She teased.

Luxio yawned groggily, bearing his long fangs and sharp tongue before stretching and removing himself from Rosa. He sniffed at the floor for a few swift seconds then trotted to the door, pushed it open with a couple of light nudges, and pattered out.

Rosa sat up and groaned as her back popped. Falling asleep on the floor wasn't the smartest thing she had done, and she knew for a fact she was going to regret it later. She stole a glance over at the window. It was dim outside and, just as N had prophesized, the tender splash of rain clawed at the glass. It reflected the lights of the conurbation outside in a striking array of yellows and reds, projecting them across Rosa's face in an extravagant lightshow. She had never stayed this long at the school, and the halls were abnormally eerie without the giggling sounds of children or the stern scoff of a professor sounding down every corridor.

Luxio had left the door cracked, and Rosa finally worked up the courage to venture after him. She pushed herself up with her palm and inched along the wall. Slowly she grabbed the edge of the door and pulled it open. A soft yellow light glowed from Cheren's classroom. Rosa swallowed and walked down the hallway, her shoes tapping against the tile as she went. Cheren was working tediously on the stack of charts she was supposed to sort, only adding to the sinking feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach.

Rosa reached up and knocked on the door, causing Cheren to jump.

He turned around. "You're awake." He said plainly.

Rosa nodded. "Erm…How long was I asleep?" She asked, embarrassed.

Cheren shrugged and resumed his work. "Only a few hours. I decided to pick up on the work you didn't finish." He added.

"I can still do it if you want. Why don't you go home?" Rosa moved into the room and sat in one of the student's desks.

Cheren shook his head. "It's fine. I can stay until this gets done."

Rosa could tell he was exhausted but it was just like him to let his love for work rob him of sleep. Many times had he fallen asleep in the teacher's workroom during a school day because he had refused to put his papers away. Bored, Rosa began to fiddle with her Xtransceiver strapped around her wrist. She had just recently gotten it upgraded with a radio and a television app, keeping her up to date with all the hottest information around Unova.

"When did N and Hilda leave?" she mumbled, tying to tune her device into the Unova Nightly News.

Cheren frowned and slapped a couple of Gengar charts to the side. "A few hours ago." He paused, and Rosa knew what was coming. "Why do you hate Hilda so much?"

Rosa groaned. "I don't want to talk about it!" she yelled. "I've told you that before so stop asking!"

Cheren spun around. "I just want to know what's bothering you so I can fix it! I knew you had a problem with Hilda but I didn't know you hated N the same!"

Rosa pursed her lips as she finally found the news channel. "I don't have any problem with N, it's that thing he married. How can he stand her?" she supposed watching as the two news anchors, Looker and a short blonde woman, talk about rare Pokémon sightings.

Cheren smiled and moved around the desk, sitting next to Rosa so he could watch the news with her. "I've known Hilda since I was in grade school and, believe me, she hasn't changed a bit. It's just her competitive nature that drives her to say those things. She doesn't hurt people intentionally."

Rosa said nothing. Somehow she had a tough time believing that. Hilda had never liked her, and made it her goal to bring Rosa as low as she could.

"Oh," Cheren reached into his pocket, "N left this for you. He didn't know how to apologize for Hilda's behavior, so he thought you might like this. "

When he pulled his hand out, he held between his fingers an undersized and warped object similar to a key. It was rusted and jagged around the edges, giving it an unsightly and soiled facade. A small carving of what looked like an un-detailed Klink was carved into the side of the handle.

Rosa curled her lip and raised an eyebrow. "Is that a key? Why did he think I would like that?" she asked in a disgusted voice, taking the unsignificant scrap of iron from her friend's hand. "What does it even open?"

Cheren took the key back and looked it over. "He didn't say. Isn't Klink one of your favorite Pokémon?" he inquired.

"No, no really…" Rosa replied. "I guess I could make it into a necklace if N wanted me to take it that bad."

Cheren handed it to her and Rosa shoved it in her pocket. She looked back down at her Xtransceiver and squinted at the red painted news room flashing on the screen. The blonde anchor had left Looker alone to give a report on some kind of crime. As she watched a strange feeling came over her. Looker was in Aspertia, reporting on a crime of some sort. Rosa felt around on the side of her Xtransceiver for the volume button, and turned it up until the investigator's voice was clearly audible.

Rosa narrowed her eyes and held her arm up. "Cheren did something bad happen earlier?" she asked leisurely. "Looker is in our town."

Cheren leaned forward. "Is that our school?" He replied in awe.

Rosa's eyes grew wide. Sure enough, Looker was shooting the news story in front of the school. Several police officers were setting up yellow police tape around the border of the building, bustling around their cars and talking to one another in an urgent manner.

"We are here live at the Aspertia Gym and local school for aspiring trainers," Looker began, "and the scene of tonight's News Alert."

Rosa and Cheren exchanged a nervous glance.

"Cheren what happened when I fell asleep?" Rosa growled. "What the hell did you do?"

Cheren had no answer for her. "I…Nothing happened!"

Looker continued, growing closer to the front door of the gym. "Earlier tonight our senior news analysts and recently married couple, Hilda and N, came to speak to the Aspertia Gym's leader, Cheren for supplies before returning to their fieldwork researching the legendary Uxie. However, we have been given reports that Hilda and N have gone missing."

Both Rosa and Cheren gasped. Hilda and N had gone missing? Rosa clasped her hand over her mouth. She despised Hilda, but she would never wish ill on her. She slowly turned to Cheren who stared blankly at the screen.

"Th-That's my picture!" He didn't know what to think. Looker had posted his picture as the headline of the alert.

"We have been given a lead on the case that Cheren and his teacher's assistant Rosa had recently been involved in a fierce argument with the two reporters." Looker sighed. "This lovable teacher and respected leader of the city has been turned in by a source that chooses to remain anonymous, as the kidnapper and murder of the victims. Cheren will be arrested promptly, but it is currently unaware if he has barricaded himself in the gym or if he has gone into hiding. Police are on standby to raid the school at any moment, and Aspertia residents are advised to stay in their homes until further notice."

Rosa jumped up. "Cheren you…you killed them?! How could you?! You monster I thought I knew you!" she screamed.

Cheren was awe struck. He stumbled backwards disjointedly and raised his hands defensively as Rosa grabbed a stapler from his desk and chucked it his way.

"You psycho! This is the last straw Cheren! I'm turning you in to Officer Jenny!" Rosa yelled at the top of her lungs. She turned and ran out of the room. Never has she thought she would have to run from Cheren. She tried to cry, but no tears came as consequence from her earlier fit. It had been like a dream when he hired her, but now her world was slowly collapsing into a nightmarish garble of panic. He had been her best friend for years, but to slaughter someone? That was the most revolting and inexcusable thing he could have ever done!

Cheren ran after her and grabbed her by the sleeve, slamming her into the wall. Rosa cried out in pain as he grabbed her by the collar and spun her around to face him. She froze as a thick wave of absolute terror flew over her. Her heart began to beat up into her throat as Cheren forced her to lock eyes with him. He was terrified and, for the first time, didn't try to mask it.

"Rosa listen to me." His voice cracked as he spoke. "I don't know what's going on!" It was his turn to cry, which was strange. He was usually so modest and refined, but his tear stained cheeks made him appear gaunt and unwell.

Rosa removed his hands tenderly from her collar. She swallowed and shook her head. "Who would frame you?" she whimpered. "Who would murder Hilda and N?" She felt her jaw shudder and clenched her teeth to stop it.

A loud pounding came from the front door followed by the knife-like scream of police sirens. Cheren ran his hands through is black hair and began to tremble.

"Rosa you have to help me! What do I do?" He yelled hysterically.

Rosa squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think. Officer Jenny pounded on the door again.

"Cheren, Rosa, come out with your hands up and we'll take things nice and slow!" she barked over her megaphone.

Rosa's eyes flew open as an idea came to her. "Cheren do you remember when we ordered those water stones to teach the children about evolution?" she spoke quickly.

Cheren was panting and Rosa feared he would pass out if she couldn't calm him down. She threw her hands on his shoulders.

"Cheren look at me! Listen to my voice! Do you remember?"

It took him a moment, but he nodded. "Yes, but how would that be of any help?"

"Evolve one of our Ducklett from the garden and fly to Alder's house. I'll meet you there!" Rosa instructed.

Cheren shook his head. "Where are you going?! If you leave now, you'll be caught by Jenny!"

Rosa scrunched up her face in agony and threw her arms around him. "Just do it! I'm going home to get anything we need to lay low for a while. Just trust me!" She pulled away and pushed Cheren down the hallway. "Now go! Alder will understand!"

Cheren hesitated, but did not dare object. He gave her a small nod and moved swiftly down the hallway before vanishing into the darkness. Rosa looked down her shirt. The clip Cheren had always worn on his tie had come off and clipped itself to the collar of her shirt. Rosa took it between her fingers and held it up to the light. There was no way it had come off on its own. She blinked. Had Cheren…clipped it there himself? Rosa shook her head and took off down the hallway. No, he wouldn't have done that. He loved the tarnished thing too much.

As she ran, Rosa heard the splintering of the front door as the police bashed it in followed by the pounding footsteps of their heavy boots on the tile. She gasped and tried not to panic. Immidiatly she shucked off her visor and chucked it aside before running left, making her way through the colossal catacomb that was the school. There was an emergency exit down the hallway, if she could reach it. The horrifying glow of Jenny's flashlight illuminated her black tights, giving her away as she sprinted down the hallway.

"Stop Rosa! It's not worth the chase!" Jenny yelled.

Rosa felt her legs beginning to burn as she reached the emergency door. She threw her bodyweight against it and it slammed open just as Jenny drew her gun. She fired a shot that bounced off of the steel just above Rosa's head who in turn threw the door shut, catching Jenny's hand in the steel. Rosa cringed as she heard the sickening crack of the officer's fingers in the latch followed by her agonizing cries. Rosa felt herself beginning to fall apart but pushed herself onwards. She stared at the skies and immediately recognized the dark blue shape of a Swanna speeding off into the gray sky. She stopped running when she reached the dark and filthy alleyway behind the school. She smoothed back her bangs and stuck them into place with Cheren's clip as she watched his Pokémon carry him away.

"Please be safe…"

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