July 21, 1:13 PM
Wright Anything Agency
The group walked through the entrance door as they were met by Apollo and Trucy.
"Hey everyone, how did it…go?" Apollo asked before he saw the dejected, angry, and determined looks that varied across their faces. "What's wrong? Did you…lose the case?"
"No, they won. Well, kind of." David said.
"We've…we've subjected Sasha to a life sentence in prison!" Double D wailed before bursting into tears.
"Whoa, calm down, Double D. There's no need to go off the handle just yet. We don't know what Sasha's sentence is going to be." Gallantmon said.
"But still, we basically traded one framed suspect for another." Athena said.
"So what? It doesn't really change the fact we're still in this case." David said.
"He's right, this is something I refuse to accept." Natyal said. "Sasha is innocent, and if we want to prove it, we're going to go back to the aquarium, and find the truth behind this whole mystery." she said before walking over to Double D and slapping him across both cheeks.
"Ah!" Double D called out before shaking his head and wiping away his tears. "Ah…ahem. Thank you for that, Natyal. I…definitely needed that."
"We can't tell Sasha that we're defending her just yet. The police is probably still questioning her. Let's follow Natyal's advice, and continue our investigation." David said.
"Yes. Do you all stand with me on this?" Natyal asked the rest of the Defense Team.
"Girl, I was already going to do that even before the declaration." Mermista said. "There's no way Sasha did it, so we gotta figure out who did."
"I'll go ahead and organize your evidence for the upcoming trial." Apollo said as he did so before they headed off.
Shipshape Aquarium - Orca Pool
They arrived at the aquarium to see the pool was almost out of water as Orla was at the bottom.
"Whoa…hardly any water in the pool." Mermista said.
"Careful!" Fulbright called out as he approached. "Don't wanna go falling in like the victim."
"Hello there, Detective Fulbright. I take it you're conducting your own investigation too?" David asked.
"Ah…silly justice pretender…we were doing that long before now." Fulbright laughed.
"I got questions for you, pal. Why did you arrest Sasha?" Mermista said.
"I understand your desire to believe in her. But the fact remains that she's suspicious! Right now, there are investigators on the scene, so you can come in as you please... but ordinarily, a security card is required to enter this orca pool room. The victim and Sasha Buckler were the only ones who possessed this card. And yesterday, the day of the incident, there's proof the suspect's card was used." Fulbright said.
"Yet you don't suspect a third party?" Natyal asked. "Anyone could have used that card."
"That's true. Except, she already confirmed that she was there at the time the records state, between 3:00 and 6:00 AM on July 20th." Fulbright said.
"What could she have been doing that early in the morning?" Meitenkun asked.
"Cleaning. The suspect also admitted to getting into a fight with the victim and the victim not having been seen since that moment." Fulbright said.
"Speaking of Sasha, is she done being interrogated yet?" David asked.
"Not yet but no worries. I told them to go easy on her…" Fulbright started before he caught himself. "Oops! Forget I said anything. It doesn't concern you all anyway."
"Actually it does as we're going to defend her." Mermista said.
"Oh…in that case, when she is free, you better give her this." Fulbright said, handing them a prescription bag. "This was found in her home and I can't get away to deliver it to her."
"A prescription? Is she sick?" Chopper asked.
"That's something you'll have to ask her." Fulbright said.
"Hmm." Natyal said as she looked inside before gasping softly.
"Something wrong?" Mermista asked.
"Oh, um… It's nothing." Natyal said, closing it back up.
"Well, I think we'd better look around the aquarium a bit more." Mermista said. "While we were in the Pub O' Danger, there was a suspicious looking spot there. Maybe there's someone else we can ask questions about this case."
"Don't worry, Orla. We'll be freeing Sasha real soon, okay?" Shun'ei called to the tank. Orla responded depressedly.
"Poor girl." Mahiru said.
"She must be so lonely without Sasha…" David said.
"All the more reason we gotta solve this case and get Sasha outta this mess." Mermista said.
"I should probably have Kyogre keep her company… No, I shouldn't." David said.
Shipshape Aquarium- Pub O' Danger
At the Pub O' Danger, the group saw that a spot on the wall was open up.
"Mermista was right, there was something else here." Athena said. "C'mon, let's check it out!"
The group approached the open part of the wall, just about to pass through, when suddenly…
"Hey, you people! Who barges into a person's lab without permission?!" a voice yelled from inside the opening called out. "The polite thing to do is knock and ask if you can come in! Now, start over!"
"Whoops! Sorry, sir!" Glimmer said as she backed up and did the favor of knocking on the door.. "May we come in, please?"
"Yes, come in." the voice confirmed.
The group then came in, to see a middle aged man with white hair in the shape of an Einstein-esque afro. He was wearing lab gear and he had a penguin themed sleeping mask on his forehead.
"Any health problems? Which one is the patient? Are any of these pets your…wait, that was my old job. This is exhausting. All that questioning." he said. " My apologies, i just woke up so I'm a little groggy. I'm Dr. Herman Crab. I'm the aquarium's resident veterinarian."
"Didn't Rimes mention him during the trial?" Simon asked.
"Son a gun… this little thing doesnt let me get any sleep." Herman said as a small penguin chick popped out of his hair.
"Aww, he's so cute." David said.
"Who's that little guy?" Gemini asked.
"A penguin chick, a member of the Little Penguin species. She lives in my hair." Herman said.
"Oh, you're so lucky! I bet you guys wish you had a pet to live in your hair!" Athena said.
"Rinwell let's Hootle nest in her hood, does that count?" Bow asked.
"And Cheshire likes to hang onto my shoulder too." Simon said.
"Athena, you know there are no pets allowed in the office." Phoenix said.
"Aww, you're no fun…" Athena pouted.
"If you all don't have any particular business with me, please leave. I need to get ready to make my rounds." Herman said.
"Actually, we'd like to ask you a few questions. We're on the case regarding this aquarium." Sakura mentioned.
"Hold on. Don't tell me you guys are the curious bunch who defended Orla?" Herman asked.
"That's right. We have a few questions to ask you about the case." Rinwell said. "First off…you weren't here yesterday, right?"
"Yes. I had business at the Supermarine Aquarium. It's a dolphin treatment center." Herman said. "I go there once every month, but I live here of course."
"Wait, you live here at the Aquarium?" Noelle asked.
"If the animals get sick, I need to be there. I have a sleeping bag and use the nap room." Herman said. "Still…can't believe Jack's gone. He loved animals and fish with all his heart. Without him, my lab wouldn't be what it is today."
"This is a very nice lab. You are very diligent in your work." Dynasmon said.
"You've got fine taste. My lab's got everything I need. See those monitors? They're digital medical records for all the creatures here. I can also view the feed from the visitor's corridor security camera here. That way, I can see that silly mother penguin when she tries to escape." Herman said.
"So you're the one who gave the prosecution that Security Camera footage." Nagito said.
"No, I wasn't here yesterday. But I did give them permission to use it." Herman said. "And I gave them a statement about Jack and Sasha arguing."
"Yikes… So they really were arguing that night." David said.
"That's right. It was late in the evening of the 19th, maybe about midnight. I saw them fighting near the Aqua Tunnel. I don't know what their argument was about, though." Herman said.
"It's pretty weird that you're giving this info to us when you gave it to the prosecution first." Peacock said.
"I'm not one to take sides. I'll give information to anyone who wants it. What you do with that information at Sasha's trial is up to you." Herman said.
"Wow. You're kind of rough around the edges, Dr. Crab, but you're a pretty nice guy!" Athena said.
"Hmph! You ARE trying to pick a fight, aren't you, young lady?!" Herman confronted. It was at that moment the baby penguin in his hair started peeping. "Wh-Sniper?! Hungry again, are you? And that silly mother penguin's nowhere to be found again."
"Wait, her name is Sniper?" Makoto asked.
"That's right. And her mother's name is Rifle. Hey, could you do me a favor and go look for Rifle?" Herman asked.
"Do you guys think it was that penguin we saw the first time we came here?" Al asked.
"Had to be." Mermista said as Sniper keepted peeping.
"Gaaaagh! Would you quit peeping in my ear?!" Herman asked, trying to calm Sniper down by attempting to grab her inside his hair before calming down. "Listen, Rifle's got a walkie talkie on her. According to the sounds from it, she's somewhere around the Aqua Tunnel. If you see her, could you bring her to me? I have to go examine some other creatures…"
"Sure. Thanks for the time, Dr. Crab. We'll be back with Rifle soon if at all possible." Hope said as they exited his lab.
"I must say, he was certainly…interesting." Euphoric Constance said.
"What is Rifle, the Houndini of the Penguin World?" Francisca asked.
"I was just wondering that." Phoenix said. "There's no guarantee we'll find her right away, but let's head for the Aqua Tunnel."
Shipshape Aquarium - Aqua Tunnel
In the aqua tunnel, the group was walking down the aisle before they ran right into DePlume.
"Aaaaagh! It's you lot! I'm very angry about what you did this morning!" she said.
"What we did? We were just proving Orla's innocence, you were the one that had that major wardrobe malfunction that hurt everybody's eyes." Mermisa said.
"Well you were the ones who pushed me into that! Revealing that I was used so haphazardly!" DePlume said. "I write the truth. And I will find the truth with my own eyes! I won't be bested by the likes of you!"
"Geez… She's got issues." David said.
"Actually, maybe it's a good thing we ran into you." Hope said. "Blackquill brought up that you were looking into a similar incident last year with Orla killing a previous trainer. Have you been on it ever since?"
"Yes. An acquaintance of the victim asked me to look into it. I won't reveal who it is, though." DePlume said. "The aquarium is saying it was an accident, but I don't believe that's the truth. It seems to me they're all hiding something - every last one of them! The only thing I can think is that the killer whale murdered that poor girl."
"So you do not know if it's even true or not." Natyal said.
"I'm still investigating the matter, but once I find the truth, it will be revealed in the sequel to the Killer Killer Whale." DePlume said.
"Why come back on this date specifically?" David asked.
"I came to make a report on the anniversary of the previous trainer's death...only to find the aquarium owner murdered! I was deeply shocked." DePlume said.
"Ah, so that was it. The last trainer was killed on the same day last year. You guys think this could be a coincidence?" David asked.
"It couldn't be, it happened on the exact same date." Natyal said.
"You also said that both times Orla had 'killed' somebody, she was singing the Swashbuckler Spectacular song." Mermista said. "When Orla had Jack in her mouth while she was singing, that's when you figured something was wrong?"
"Correct! ...Ooh, it's all so galling! I still can't believe the culprit used ME, Norma DePlume!" DePlume said. "In any case, I swear that killer whale song brings misfortune. First last year, now again…"
"That song, bringing misfortune?" DW typed. "Lady, we've basically heard that song a thousand times, how can something that fun be misfortune?"
"You think this is fun?" DePlume said as she begun to sing.
Avast, mateys! Landlubbers, ho!
Hand o'er all yer gold!
Pillage, plunder, then feast like kings!
Them's the joys of pirating!
"Uh… that wasn't the song Athena had us listen to over and over." Peacock said.
"Yeah, it was the show's theme." Sachiko said.
"And it goes like this." Mermista said as she started to sing.
Oh, we be pirates. We love to sail the seven seas.
Just a bunch o' scallywags who are as free as free can be.
We swim through storms and waves, all because, you see...
Grand treasure and adventure's waitin' just for me!
"I've never heard that song in my life. Hmm…then again, I haven't seen the show in over a year." DePlume said.
"They must switch out the themes every year or so." Kaede said.
"Could that whale know both?" DePlume asked.
"No, I'm pretty sure Orla knows only the one." Mermista said.
"Then what was that song I heard…?" DePlume asked.
"(Orla, singing a song she isn't supposed to know?)" Double D thought. "(How curious…unless it wasn't…hmm…)"
"It was completely different from the actual theme, that's for sure." Sachiko said.
"It's obvious I have a lot more investigating to do on Shipshape Aquarium. And perhaps I'd better look into the Center for Dangerous Animal Control as well…" DePlume said.
"Oh, that's definitely an organization that monitors creatures that are dangerous." Scorpia said.
"Obviously. And a year ago, they demanded that the killer whale be put down." DePlume said. "But the aquarium owner refused their demand, saying it was an accidental death. But I hardly think a persistent organization like that would just give up and go away. I'm quite sure the power of money helped convince them!"
"Why do you say that?" Sonia asked.
"Once a month, the owner and the vet disappear from this aquarium. And I came to find out that, each time, a large amount of money was being paid out!" DePlume explained.
"And you think all that dough was going to the CDAC." DW typed.
"..I'm looking into it now. You'll have to wait until my book comes out to see! In any case, I can't catch that man out on anything...but that veterinarian is not to be trusted." DePlume said.
"(Wait, she suspects Dr. Crab of something? There's a lot we don't know about him, but he couldn't be the one that committed the crime, could he?)" Hope thought.
"Well, no sign of Rifle." 9S said.
"What do we do now?" Scarlet asked.
"There is but one thing we can do…" Ed said seriously. "...It is time to use…science." he declared gravely.
"Right…a more thorough study." Shuichi said. "I need to get my forensics kit from the crime analysis lab."
Shipshape Aquarium - Orca Pool
It didn't take long before Shuichi returned with the kit as they entered the orca pool.
"I've got luminol spray and fingerprint powder…this should be what we need to uncover anything new." Shuichi said.
"Lers use the Luminol down in the orca pool. We should be able to find clues there since blood was seen down there." Hope said.
"Get some safety goggles on, people. Don't want this stuff getting in our eyes." David said.
"Wait, is it safe to spray it where Orla is?" Mark asked. "I mean, no way to cover up her eyes."
"Orla will be okay… Luminol doesn't have any bad reactions to Orcas. At least that's what I think, I'm not an animal expert." Mikan said.
"In that case…" Eddy said as the group snapped on safety goggles. "Spray away, Shuichi!"
"No…don't go and…" Natyal said, grabbing Shuichi as he sprayed Orla.
"Be careful. I could have…" Shuichi said seeing some reaction spots on Orla. "There's reactions on Orla's body."
"The poor thing was bleeding yesterday. The luminol must be showing her wounds." David said. "But that's strange… DePlume said that her wounds disappeared when Orla put on her hat."
"So, the blood wasn't from Orla's injuries, it seems like." Raine said.
"Hmm…" Shuichi said as he was helped out and to the skull rock as he sprayed it. "Reactions on the rock too. Looks like the victim hit their head before they fell."
"Fweet…" Orla cried sadly.
"Something isn't right." Fluttershy said.
"Orla's listless…and sinking. Oh no…guys! She's in big trouble!" Chopper said.
"Of course it is, the pool is drained!" David said.
"Somebody, get Dr. Crab!" Mikan said.
"I'm on it!" Rainbow said using her super speed to race over to Dr. Crab's lab…
A few minutes later…
The two of them came back together.
"What's Orla's condition?!" Herman asked.
"She's listless and sinking, maybe she's unconscious?" Hope asked.
"The pool is drained… son of a gun! Who did this?!" Herman asked. "She'll drown unless we do something! You guys, gimme a hand!"
"O-okay. What do we have to do?" David asked.
"Get the orca stretcher! It's the pirate flag with the skull and crossbones on it. Lower it down and we'll get her on it." Herman said.
"R-right. Right away!" David said as he ran off. "Gah… We can't use this with all that stuff on it. Gonna have to clear this off." he said as he got the equipment off of it. "Alright, the stretcher is clear. Heading to the control panel now."
"Good! Push the holst button and get the stretcher under Orla!" Herman said.
Orla was soon hoisted up and out of the pool as some of the water users were keeping Orla's skin moist.
"I'll take it from here. Stand back. I have to treat her immediately…" Herman said as he went to work immediately. "Hmm... There's something in her stomach…"
He fished out a bunch of fish that Orla had eaten. "There. I got it all out."
"Phew… Close call… We dodged a bullet there." David said.
"She's sleeping now. The pool will need to be refilled cause without water, the orca's weight will put pressure on her organs." Herman said as he headed off.
"Hmm…I wonder…" Double D pondered as he looked through the fish before finding a pill. "Ah…the things I brave ickiness for…it's worth it sometimes."
"What is this? 3z?" Mermista asked.
"I know that brand. It's a very powerful sleeping drug." Chopper said.
"It must've been snuck in with Orla's food." Hope said.
"Wait…you don't think…the killer did this?" Bernadetta asked shakily. "Oh no…what if they come after us next?!"
"I don't think they will." Mark spoke up. "What if…Jack Shipley was an accidental victim?"
"But that would mean…someone was trying to kill the orca." Ochako said.
"Looks like Fulbright was right for once." David said. "The murder was indeed an accident, just not for the reasons he believes."
"But who would want to kill the orca?" Natyal asked.
"Hmm… I might have a few ideas…" David said. "That trainer that was killed last year. Was she close to anyone here?"
"Right…we'll look into the orca's former trainer and see what we find." Shuichi said.
Just then, the entrance door opened as Fulbright and Marlon Rimes walked in.
"Ah, hello again, Mr. Wright and company!" Fulbright greeted the group. "Mr. Rimes learned you were here, and insisted I bring him here to talk to you!"
"Hey, you lawyers, I just wanna say…If there's anythin' I can do to help Sasha, just say the word." Rimes said. "But…I kinda have a favor to ask. Could one o' ya stay here tomorrow and look after Orla?"
"Understood. I'll do it." David said. "Um… At least I would, but I'm not sure if it's safe to bring Kyogre here."
"Well, one of us would be happy to, but…any particular reason why you're asking?" Mark asked.
"It is simple." a familiar voice said as Blackquill appeared. "Marlon Rimes will be a witness for the prosecution tomorrow."
"I told 'im I wasn't gonna testify against Sasha, but this man don't listen!" Rimes said. "Anyway, if one o' ya does look after Orla, you can take my TV Phone just in case y'wanna have Orla watch."
David feels Kyogre's Pokéball shake. "Hm? You sure?" he feels it shake again in affirmation. "Well, if you say so. Alright. Leave it to me, Rimes. I'll do it."
"Thanks, man." Rimes nodded. "Here ya go." he handed his TV Phone over to David. "I dunno if I'm gonna testify, but I guess I can at least hear what the police have to say."
"Thanks for your cooperation! Now, justice will be served... with a strategy meeting!" Fulbright declared.
Blackquill ignored Fulbright's declaration, focusing on the group. "So you continue your investigation? How sad. The police have already investigated all there is to investigate. Your efforts are a waste of time."
"Nothing we do to try and save our client is a waste of time, Prosecutor Blackquill." Phoenix countered.
"Today, the orca. Tomorrow, Sasha Buckler. You intend to save them both? Hmph." Blackquill scoffed. "If your only motivation is empty belief in your clients, then you'll never survive this dark age of law. The only motivation that can support action…is your own sense of justice."
"(Our own…sense of justice…)" David muttered in his mind.
"Our justice…is clear, Mr. Blackquill." Double D spoke up, a little nervous but still pressing on. "That is why we will uncover the truth tomorrow."
Blackquill didn't respond, only turning his back on them as he left with Fulbright and Rimes.
"Okay…let's finish up here…then we gotta get ready to face that hawk loving samurai in battle." Mermista said.
"Let's go see Sasha in the Detention Center. But… we also can't forget about Rifle." Hope said.
"You guys go see Sasha. I wanna talk to Dr. Crab about something I saw in his lab awhile ago." Mermista said.
They all went their separate ways as they hurried to do their best to gather all the info they could. Because the developments were going to lead to some interesting results.