Pokémon Chronicles - Web of Lies Chapter 5 - The High Judge, a pokémon fanfic

I LIIIVE

No seriously, screw this chapter. This took waaaaaaay too long for me to finish and write. There is one scene in this chapter that took SEVERAL rewrites and like two weeks of research and testing and checking to see if everything made sense. And even then I'm positive it's trash, but honestly, I'd rather just give you guys the best I can without lengthening the wait any longer. So here ya go!

On another note, another reason this took so long to come out was life, which is going great, and also a project that I have called "The AHR restoration project" in the which I intend to go back and fix stuff in the first part such as those stupid hyphens, separation of the dialogues and general grammar mistakes. No promises, as it won't be perfect… but it'll make it readable.

Now, reviews!

PMD9854: Vincent is an interesting character. I am glad to see that I achieved what I wanted with him though: he isn't someone you're supposed to like right off the get-go, he doesn't come off like that, but you can still see him as a useful addition and good guy.

WesternFail: Oh boy, you're in for a ride if it was too late for you back then. The fight scene last chapter I was pretty happy with, specially the second one. I needed to give Jake just a bit more screen time, and I think that moment highlights how he has as much of a penchant for style as the others.

And yes, let me make a reference here: WHO SHALL JUDGE

THE JUDGES

…

Enjoy.

Chapter 5

The High Judge

Guilty until proven innocent before the eyes of the lord

"Name, age and sex."

"Elizabeth Star. 21 years. Female"

"Occupation."

"Explorer."

"Team and position."

"Team Star. Co-Founder and Co-Leader."

"Family and close relatives?"

"Mr. Keck, sole owner of the Keck & Leon Ultramarines shop in Treasure Town. Foster parent, single. Mr. Leon, former co-owner of Keck & Leon Ultramarines, deceased during the attack on the 5th of March of the year 1356 of the Checkered Era. No brothers or sisters to account for. Biological family was dead before I knew them. Keck remembers only finding a cub at his doorstep. Eric Star is my mate and co-leader of Team Star. No children." There was no joy in Elly's voice, nor any spite. She tried to come off as dry and clear as possible, knowing that any emotional excess would potentially work against her, even if she was lying and putting others at risk.

"Any diseases or allergies?"

"None that I know of." The pokémon interrogating her let out a long sigh, as they'd finally reached the end of the questioning, after a whole two hours of what was mostly information they already had.

"Right… Well, allow me to read your rights and the charges put against you.: You have been accused of being the leader of a criminal terrorist group, meddling with political and public affairs while acting under the guise of an officer of the law, siblicide, parricide, the deaths of the victims of the 5th of June in Flumerc Ars, and the indoctrination and brainwashing of the youths of Hoenn, Unova and Sinnoh. How do you plead to these charges?" Elly bit her lip, closing her eyes.

"Does it really matter what I say at this point?"

"Anything you declare will be used in a court of law overseen by the high judge himself, and both a civil and special jury have been assembled for this case, the latter specifically composed of district judges." The Magnemite speaking with her wasn't even looking at her half of the time, reciting their pre-made speech and writing down the necessary information.

She let out a sigh. "Then I plead not guilty."

"Very well. From today onward until new developments in tomorrow's trial, you are to be incarcerated and locked away in the Cunabulanian Prison. Your explorers badge and possessions have been confiscated, and the ETF has removed all rights and benefits associated with being part of an explorer's team. Should you be found innocent at the end of this trial, your possessions and badge, as well as your rank shall be returned with prejudice." The removal of her badge and the subsequent removal from her team… was a low blow for the Eevee, who bent forward trying to hide her face in shame from the impassive magnemite in front of her. "Do you understand?" Elly nodded. "You have the right to a lawyer, be it a district attorney or a private one, and you are permitted one visit from said lawyer and one visit from close friends and relatives." She nodded again. "Any further questions?" She shook her head. "You may now rise and come with me."

She got up on weak knees, her fur a mess for having been dragged and treated like a dog the whole way from Akil to Cunabula. That had been four hours ago now, and even after she received a cold shower to clean off the road's dirt, she felt exhausted and dirty, her fur smelling like the stagnated air in those claustrophobic hallways, which already reeked of filth and pain. She was lead out of the interrogation area and lead towards the cells. Most were quiet, filled with pokémon in similar situations; but she wasn't going to be staying with those "low profile criminals," as the Judges called the innocents they locked up… she was sent higher up, to where the more dangerous criminals were, and it was then things quickly devolved.

"Look everyone! There's a new bitch in the block!"

"Oooh I'm gonna lick that tail of yours!"

"Those ears… mine! I want them! Give them to me!"

"Quiet! She's mine! She's mine to touch and grab, mine alone!"

The voice, the insults and the sultry comments rained down from all around her, being thrusted into the depths of a world she'd never had to see like this. And the worst part was that she knew some of the pokémon: her team had been the ones to put them in there. Most mocked her with words and shouts, laughing and smashing against their bars as a blind rage overtook them, while some simply stayed silent, smiling form their dank cells, their eyes full of evil intentions, a hint of fear and contempt for the once good doing Eevee.

Just the sight made her tremble as she hurried behind the pokémon leading her down those barred hallways, some lunging to the bars and grasping at her fur and tail, one of them managing to yank her closer and attempting to sneak his grimy hand… He was promptly shocked into submission, but the Eevee had already had enough. Hiding her disgust behind a blank, brave face, she walked into her cell, placing her back against the wall immediately and looking at the Magnemite that had lead her there. He didn't have anything for her, not even some words of encouragement or relief, a wink or a smile… just the face of someone who'd seen this scene too many times, who was exhausted and tired, and to whom her fate or wellbeing didn't matter a single thing. The cell was locked behind her, leaving her stranded in that minuscule cell with a miserable and damp bed, a bucket of murky water and a hole in the floor, as more than indecent comments rained down from all around the hall, threatening to do horrible things to her. All of this, in addition to that asphyxiating collar holding her psychic powers back still around her neck proved to be just too much for her.

She couldn't help herself and broke down into tears. They'd taken absolutely everything from her: her powers were being held back because of that collar literally strangling her, her title and dream of being an explorer was now demolished, her freedom was no more, and she was being bombarded with the words of the lowest of the low… where she now apparently belonged. She sobbed and cried our sheer frustration and shame, with no rage in her whines, eliciting laughter and sultry moans from the pokémon in the other cells, sobbing softly as she took the few short breaths she was allowed due to the collar, attempting to enjoy the rancid air around her, wondering just what they'd done wrong to let things end up like this.

"How did you let this happen?!" Eric had done nothing but shout at Ferrus the moment they'd reached his apartment in Cunabula. They'd been there for four hours, and he was well aware that already Elly was going through hell in that prison, whatever it was they were doing to her in there. Even if they were treating her decently, the fact he couldn't sense her in his mind was already stressing him. The single room flat was claustrophobically small, with a window plastered and covered in thin layers of papers and notes, giving the room a yellowish hue that sickened even Vincent, who was mostly accustomed to these types of unhealthy environments. The scent of smoke and tobacco was stuck on every single inch of furniture in there, and the air smelled as if it'd been weeks since either the door or the window had been opened. The desk in the middle of the room was a complete and utter mess, the bin besides it overfilled with balls and scraps of paper, which also populated the desk itself, along with an intimidating pile of papers and books the Lucario was forced to read due to work.

The fighting type was just sitting in his chair facing the group besides him, deep in thought. His eyes were strained with large bags under his eyes from over exerting himself so much, looking as if he was about to fall asleep at any time, his fur looking much greyer and withered than back when they'd first seen him. "How did they get so much power to begin with?! Hasn't anyone stepped up to deny their every wish or is everyone just letting Tharmius step all over them?!"

"It's not that simple, Eric. Tharmius and his Judges have been getting more and more popularity among the people, and that in turn affects the opinions of the senators elected, which influences the decisions of the council. The ETF has special representatives, but I'm not without my critics and dissidents in my own organization." He looks at Eric. "Don't look at me as if I'm guilty… I've done all in my power to mitigate and neutralize the Judges' powers and control… But you already know why that isn't proving as effective anymore."

They all stayed silent for a bit: during their absence, several factors and events had all coincided, and they weren't able to respond properly. Among them were some events that had garnered the attention of the public, like the disappearance of pokémon throughout the world and tensions between regressive primals and survivors of the time freeze. On top of that, the rise of criminals impersonating as exploration teams and other dubious practices with the consent of the ETF itself swayed the public opinion away from the organization. This had, in turn forced it to be far more strict with allowing exploration teams to even exist in the first place: no criminal records, no altercations, higher grades and better results, psychological tests and the such. Many teams that might have once been honest do-gooders were disbanded because of those new regulations; some retired after they saw the new measures approaching, and the few remaining teams found themselves stuck with too much work.

In the midst of all that, terrorists attacked Flumerc Ars. Hundreds were killed, thousands more were wounded, and the ETF couldn't do anything but send a few teams to try and mitigate the damage, as they couldn't even send their ace teams who were either too busy with other important classified missions or absent, like Team Star had been. Ferrus summarized all this, staring at the ground as he retold information the rest already knew first hand. "The result? People lost faith in the ETF and looked for something else, something that would punish those that had attacked the innocent and would strike them down brutally and efficiently. Something that would make an example of them… and that's when the Judges resurfaced."

"Resurfaced… Alakard said something like that when we brought this up with him." Serge looked at the Lucario. "You got something to tell us?"

"Not much that you may not already know: The Judges are just a more radical branch of the Church of Arceus, but unlike sects like Orphanism, these guys were part of the inner circles and acted as law enforcement in Johto until about twenty years ago. You might have known them for another name however: The Aura Knights." Eric's eyes widened; Ferrus traded a look of concern with him.

"You mean…"

"Yeah, I mean just that. I'd like to believe that whole development had nothing to do with what's happening now but… after that event, there was a disagreement between the Patriarch and the High Judge himself that escalated to conflict and ended their relationship. Nobody knows what it is that the High Judge did or what sparked the whole conflict, even if we have our suspicions and doubts… it's all a highly secretive matter within the church itself. Soon thereafter, news of a religious extremist group attacking in certain key points across the globe quickly garnered the public eye. At least two of those attacks reached our ears once the ETF was founded, though by then the cases had been archived: one in Hoenn, which ended with the destruction of an entire village and the death of its inhabitants; and another far from here in Western Johto, called Shimizu Village. It was partly destroyed and they suffered heavy casualties, but were able to fight back the invasion."

"And what you're saying is…"

"Yes, Jake. It's a bit interesting that the branch that had once been known as 'The Sword of the Lord' separated themselves from the church, and in that short span of time, two very distinct areas were stricken with the same tactics and ruthlessness that the Aura Knights were known to exercise during the times of war between the two regions." At the mention of an attack in Hoenn, Nox paled. The possibility of the Judges being behind those events was high, and with a renewed vigor he quickly recomposed himself.

"So then what are we waiting for?! We can pin those two on them and lock up the bastards!" He declared, a certain impulsiveness in. Jake however, had already predicted what Ferrus was going to say and answered for him.

"That would not work for two reasons: one, it has been almost twenty years. The statute of limitations on those cases has ran out, so it can't be brought to court; and two there is nothing linking the Judges to the attacks, and it would be nigh impossible to prove them if there was. All the evidence must've been carefully erased or hidden during these past few years."

"Exactly, and remember: those are the only attacks we know of. Whether or not there have been more and we're unaware of them is another matter entirely." Silence once again reigned over the group, though Eric was still fuming and grumbling to himself, swearing under his breath as his anger got the best of him, though it slowly devolved to him holding his head in his paws and sobbing quietly, holding back his cries of despair until he could no more.

"I can't believe this… I just… why is this happening to us? What is it that we've done that was so bad to deserve all of this happening to us? What is Elly guilty of?! Being that bastard's daughter?!" He gets back and starts pacing back and forth, anger mixing with his sorrow. "How does that determine who she is and what she'll do?! Aren't pokémon aware of the strife and sacrifice we had to go through to defeat Blake?! Have they honestly forgotten everything we've done for them?!" The sheer frustration in his voice was palpable, and none dared say anything… until Serge spoke up, if anything to stop Vincent from saying anything that might make the Riolu snap.

"Honestly? At this point it wouldn't surprise me if they've outright forgotten what it was that happened… our achievements meant very little when we were unable to prevent millions from dying or going insane during the time freeze. On top of that… people just literally couldn't give less a crap about us if we just up and vanished the following year. They were more worried about mourning the losses of their loved ones and rebuilding their lives than worrying about the group that had fixed the issue or cheering for Blake's death. And if you've never read a newspaper or been part of the the journalism sphere, then you probably wouldn't know this but… bad shit sells."

"People are more interested and read about bad things, like terrorist attacks, shiny racism, murders… anything except reading about the good things. It's just the way it's always been." Zed seemed to be familiar with what Serge was describing, his ears laying right against his head, looking absolutely devastated.

"Pretty much… people are more interested in knowing what could potentially harm them than what could protect them. Fear mongering, is what it's called." His words lingered above their heads for a bit, making them shift uncomfortably. "Kind of the reason why I'm no longer angry we aren't getting exposure. It's annoying, sure, but when you're going up against all of this shit it's just fucking impossible." His words didn't help improve the mood either, painting a depressing prospect for their friend.

"Alright, let's stop with both the swearing and the negativity. Sure it's all doom and gloom now but we've been through worse, right? We just came back from kicking some Rebscura ass people! We just gotta find a fawyer and…"

"Lawyers, Nox, they are called lawyers. And as shocking as this may sound, I agree with him, we cannot let these circumstances defeat us. While the situation certainly looks desperate, there is still room for us to make our move and counter their arguments: we must find a lawyer willing to defend Elly post haste, build a case and present in court tomorrow… and only when she is out of danger will be able to breathe and relax."

Eric stood up and looked at everyone else in the room, getting teary eyed. "Please, I… I won't ask this of you as your leader, but instead as a friend: please, help me save Elly's life from these… these monsters." His request was met with a solemn silence, all of his team mates looking straight into his eyes as he babbled something else about finding evidence and defending her.

Zed was the first one to walk up to him and hug the Riolu, comforting him as he returned the affection, closing his eyes and keeping those tears back, putting on his strongest face for the rest of his team. Serge smiled and joined them, pulling the two into a wide hug with his wings, pulling Nox and Jake closer as they approached. Lucy was the last one to join them, and did so reluctantly. Vincent of course, kept to himself in the corner, looking away from the scene, but stealing some glances at the group, a look of concern on his face, while Ferrus remained stoic in his place.

"The ETF investigated all of the cases related to Blake's murders and assassinations." He turned to his desk and swapped some papers around, searching for something. "If they've pinned something along those lines on her, we can counter those arguments reliably." Ferrus' reminder was his own personal way of comforting Eric, and it certainly helped to hear that some of the potential charges could be lifted. "But even then, that leaves us with what's probably going to be the biggest accusation of them all: her relationship with Blake and the terrorists. And no, I don't think 'we were stuck in a different world' will do much beyond them asking for some hard evidence of this fact." Nox muttered some swears under his breath, getting shut down before he even got a chance to shine. "As far as I know, you never did bring back anything with you, right?" They all shook their heads in unison.

"I mean… the only option would be getting a hold of Palkia and having him testify… but that's just wishful thinking really." Serge's comment made Ferrus shut his eyes and meditate his words, but eventually came forth and dashed the Pidgeot's hopes.

"And even then, I believe it would be impossible for Palkia, Dialga… or any legendary for that matter, to come and defend Elly. There are more pressing matters taking up their time as we speak."

"More pressing matters than saving the pokémon who helped restore the balance of time?! So much for being the heroes of time and recognizing our worth?!"

"They're legendaries Eric, I don't know what you were expecting when Dialga told you that… they're too busy looking down at us from their shining thrones of awesome powers to even consider saving our asses… I mean most of them are, anyways." Serge was forced to rectify himself due to the stern glares the other gave him.

"It better be a damn good reason then." Eric's anger was palpable in the tone of his voice, but the Lucario reassured him that it was a crucial matter. "So then you do know what it is?"

His inquiry made the taller Jackal look away, not even answering the question with his eyes. "I'm afraid that's confidential. In due time, and if the situation grows too desperate, I'll tell you… but for now we have more pressing matters. And their business is of no relevance to this case for the time being." His answer was short and to the point, which disappointed Eric.

The Riolu sighed and looked at everyone else. "Well… thanks for helping me with this guys. I think we should go see Elly, they're probably done with the interrogation by now."

"I'll contact the best lawyers available and give them the information we have about the case. It should be the easy to get a hand of one of them." With everything said and done, Team Star wished good luck to Ferrus, he did the same with a nod of his head and they left the room. The last pokémon to head out though, was Vincent, who remained where he stood, shaking his head.

"It won't work." His remark didn't surprise Ferrus in the slightest however.

"We won't know until we try."

"Drop the act, Ferrus dear, you know why it won't work." The Lucario looked up at the grass type, who was frowning. "You honestly think the Judges are going to let their prize go so easily? That some measly evidence will stop their 'divine justice'? You know better than that Ferrus, and while I do agree that there is hope for poor Elly… I don't particularly agree with giving them false hopes like th-"

"Leave." He suddenly cut him short. "I know what you are, and what you want… you already took enough last time we spoke. What I promised you will be given to you in due time, so…" The sound of the grass type chuckling rang in his ears.

"You really did get the wrong impression of me, didn't you? I wasn't really going t-"

"You are a spy. You sneak into high spheres of society, syphon intelligence and information and then sell it to the highest bidder in exchange for riches or properties. We've been following your activities for a while, but didn't have anything conclusive on you, nor your species or name." Vincent's eyes widened for just a split second, briefly shocked by this sudden turn of affairs as he met Ferrus' own… though his smile quickly returned to his face.

"Whoopsie. You caught me then. Congratulations!" He clapped sarcastically. "Unfortunately I'm not shaking where I stand because even with you having all of that information on me… I still have something over you, and you know exactly what it is."

"Oh? Then please, enlighten me, if that's the case." Vincent struck a pose, placing his hands on his hips and smiling as he paced back and forth.

"Sure, you might know that I came here to gather information… but you probably don't know who my targets were! Yes, I said targets, because I usually strike against several of them… I will be honest here though, one of them was you and… Oh man, you are one tough cookie to crack. I've snooped and stolen all I could find, and even here I tried to find even a family portrait… but nope, not even an ounce of evidence. All went up in flames… like that fire in South Kanto 15 years ago…" Ferrus visibly tensed up and looked at the grass type, who laughed again. "Relax, that was all I could find on you. Not even who your lovely wife was, or if you had any sons. But anyways, I digress: I also came here to find some information on some corrupt politicians, because I love sticking it to the reach… metaphorically and physically speaking." He winked.

"If you're going to continue beating around the bush then I suggest you leave, Vincent. And no matter what you tell me, I won't request the services of the likes of you while I still have better options… options that won't twist my arms and blackmail me into submission." The Roselia rose his arms and stepped backwards and out the door.

"Fine then. I'll leave ya be for now, you win. I'll come back later to check if you've changed your mind… you probably will have. Toodles!" And with that, he closed the door behind him and left the room, leaving the Lucario to ponder and fiddle with some more files and papers. Once he found the addresses and all he needed to make the case, he grabbed the documents and left his room as well, leaving everything else to rot amidst the scent of rotting paper.

Elly sat in a corner of the room, keeping away from the hole, the bucket and the bed which she was sure were ripe with infection, and the last thing she needed was to catch something lethal in that hell hole. She was in luck that she'd eaten as much as she did the night prior though, because she wasn't growing hungry… albeit that was leading to other necessities that the hole in floor wasn't going to fulfill anytime soon. She snapped out of her thoughts however, as the sudden noise of a steel door opening and closing echoed in the halls. The sound caused an uproar as the locked up pokémon started shouting and screaming at whoever had just walked in...

"Silence!" A wave of heat washed over Elly, who was essentially at the opposite end of the hall, and the shouts were replaced by weak whimpers of fear. It warmed her up, and brought some slight comfort, albeit she quickly grew concerned about whoever it was that approached from the end of the hall in a quick jog. The sound of those metallic footsteps echoed closer and closer.. until the pokémon became fully visible to her. And what she saw surprised her: it was Alakard.

"Miss Elizabeth! There you are now!"

"Alakard? Wh-why are you here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing miss! Why are you here?! I heard you were out of Cunabula these past few days! Don't tell me they threw you in jail then and have kept it for themselves!" He stomped the ground, angry. "Oh when I get my hands on them… those Judges are going to get a piece of my mind alright!"

"No please, don't do that, its alr-"

"It's not alright!" He grabbed the bars of her cell and reached for the keys hanging from his waist. "Someone like you does not deserve to be in a place like this… and incarcerated all the way up here no less, like you're some sort of dangerous criminal! Oh they probably did it to keep you out of my sights… This just makes my blood boil!" He grabbed the keys and hastily fit them into the lock, freeing the Eevee and motioning him to accompany her. "Now, come along. We're going to g-"

"Alakard!" Another familiar voice called the Blaziken from the end of the hallway, and this time there were no jeers for him, only deafening silence. Elly looked at the source and found herself staring at none other than Martin, the Gallade that had interrogated her the other time they'd been there… and also the one who'd helped detain her and lock her up in that place. Her hatred for the psychic type had only gotten stronger since the first time they'd met in Treasure Town… but with Tharmius in the picture, she knew he was just some pawn underneath the Kommo-O. "What do you think you are doing here with that prisoner? I gave specific orders that you were to assist with handling the Smeargle case today!"

"Oh come now, you really thought I was going to be duped so easily, you worthless judge?! I knew you were about to no good when you suddenly told me to leave the building this morning, so I gave the case to some colleagues and stuck around… and who do I find but Elizabeth Star, locked in a dark cell and in less than adequate conditions for someone so admirable! You and your lot are beyond salvation!" When he finished his monologue he couldn't help but smile. "Heh… Salvation. That's a good one, eh?" He said this in such a low voice that only Elly could make sense of it. His little pun didn't amuse her, as she wasn't really in the mood for jokes.

"Admirable? Alakard, she's been charged with being the daughter of Blake Dugald." This revelation made the Blaziken turn to face Elly, his eyes wide as plates, then turned to face Martin again.

"Her? That monster's daughter?! You're off your rocker, what kind of ridiculous statement is that?!"

"We have evidence. I interrogated her a few days ago and she had some strange reactions that make a lot of sense if she's the one we've been looking for. Not only that, but we have witnesses that defend that during some of her confrontations with Blake she called him "father" or "dad"."

"Liar!" She suddenly snapped, taking a step forward. "I've had it up to here with you and your bluffs, you bastards! That monster wasn't my father, and even if he had been my parent... I would've never called him that!"

"It's your word against that of the lord, Elizabeth! If you dare defy us then that means you're already guilty! Those who fear us always hide something… and the scent of fear is all over your body!" The animosity between the two grew before Alakard stepped in between, wearing a smile.

"Alright alright, first of all… It's obvious that miss Elizabeth here is saying the truth. If those 'reactions' and some flimsy evidence is all you have against her, it'll be fairly easy for me to find the truth to this case. And as for having the scent of fear all over her… dude, did you like, smell her or something?" Laughter erupted from the pokémon in the cells, mocking the judge as he kicked the bars with rage and shouts, attempting to silence them. "Fucking creepy bastard, do you not know what personal space means?!"

Martin turned to face Alakard, absolutely livid, whilst the Blaziken had a triumphal smile on their face. "You've made your last mistake, detective… this criminal you're trying to escort out of her cell is the most dangerous pokémon to have walked this world after Blake!"

The fire type glanced down at Elly. "Well, if that's the case then an Igglypuff must be terrifying for you." If looks could kill, the Eevee would've ended Alakard's life right then and there with the glare she gave him. Though the insult had its desired effect on Martin, who fumed and swore under his breath, swearing he would regret this in an ominous tone… that the detective decided to ignore. "Well, you're certainly a celebrity among them. Dunno what it is you did to piss them off, but whatever it was… nice." The normal type was still giving him an unamused glared, and the convicts around them quieted down after the judge disappeared, making the situation awkward. "Oh don't give me that look, I didn't mean it. Anyways, let's go, your team's here to visit and check on ya."

Her ears perked up and she quickly followed behind the fire type, who made some small talk referring to the weather and what they'd been doing before getting there. "You know, just yesterday evening it snowed for the first time in like… ten years. Crazy stuff." Each and every one of his sentences was either med with a nod or a shake of her head, or nothing at all. "You know, I'm trying to make this whole thing easier on ya. I know that last time we talked we didn't end on…" He coughed, trying to come up with the appropriate word. "Greatest of terms, but I still believe in you and what your team is doing. Even if you don't exactly agree with my ideologies and beliefs, I'm not going to scorn you or blame you for not following them." He glanced at her, smiling warmly. "Least you could do is return the favour."

Elly looked at him and meditated his words, turning to face around her and at the pokémon locked up: the scene hadn't changed from three days ago, and she still found herself staring at sulking eyes and famelic faces, but she did spot more empty cells than earlier. She knew for a fact that there hadn't been any executions in the last few days, so those pokémon had probably been released… and from what she knew of the fire type in front of her, he probably was the one who contributed to it. "I'll think it over." Was her only response after a long silence, but that was enough for the Blaziken, who did a fist pump and smiled.

"Yes! Alright, we're almost there… Aaaand… here." He stopped in front of a wooden door, which he himself opened, and inside was a simple room with white walls, some comfy arm chairs and cushions and a central table. And sitting around said table were her companions, who wasted no time in meeting up with her just as she rushed in, the first to greet her obviously being Eric, who pulled her up into his arms, enveloped her in a loving embrace and kissed her, holding her like that for a bit. The others waited for their turn to either hug or greet the Eevee with smiles, and once Alakard saw that everything was out of the way, he cleared his throat. "Well, while you all spend the time you've got together, I'll be talking with some of the higher ups to work out Elly's situation. At the very least, I'll try to get her moved down to the lower cells, where conditions are better and she can spend a decent night's rest. And if you guys want me to, I can talk with a district attorney. He's a good friend of mine and has defended a lot of pokémon in her same position."

"Thank you, but I think the attorney won't be necessary, we already have someone else working on that." Eric explained.

"Aight then, so moving cells only, gotcha. And if something happens with that attorney, just gimme a call, aight? I'll come back in two hours to pick her up!" And with that, he closed the door and left the room, leaving the group to catch up on what they'd been doing ever since they'd parted. Elly retold her experiences with as much accuracy as she could, while the others explained what they'd done on their part, including the fate of the two Ninetales brothers.

"Special representatives are holding them safe and out of the Judge's hands, and are scheduled to be interrogated after your situation is sorted out. And as for Akil, Leon decided to follow us at the last second and came along to testify in your name and defend you." Jake avoided saying more details than was necessary, trying to make the most of their precious time.

"He is? That's… great, but I doubt that's gonna help me get out of this one scott free. They've pinned so much stuff on me, from Blake's own murders and massacres, including my own family's, to being the leader of the terrorists and using my job as an explorer to mask it." She looked at the ground, remembering the horrible indifference with which she'd been stripped of everything she had and was. "They took my badge and my explorer's rank too… so legally I'm no longer an explorer."

"They probably did that to discourage you emotionally. The more distressed you are when tomorrow's trial arrives, the better for them. Don't allow them to win using such underhanded tricks."

"Yeah I mean, as far as I know, they just took it away temporarily right? If you're found innocent, then they'll have to return it whether they like it or not. And then we can continue kicking some butt!" Nox was certainly eager to get to beating those pokémon to a pulp, a sentiment which, while everyone shared with him, they all knew very well that it'd only make the situation worse.

"That's probably what they want." Serge leaned forward in his armchair. "The issue with these fucks is that they move within the law. Notice how with all those charges they pinned on her, they didn't mention being Blake's daughter being a crime in it of itself."

"But they're going to bring it up in court anyways to try and sway public opinion in their favor. What a bunch of slimy bastards! That's manipulating pokémon to fulfill their own agenda!" Lucy pointed out what was painstakingly obvious to all at that point. "Oh that just…. Graaah!" She sparked in anger, hitting the table, absolutely livid. "Why are pokémon so fucking stupid?! Don't they realize that they're being played and used like tools?!"

"Probably, but one is either with the judges or against them. Their presence in Cunabula is the strongest out of any city in any region, and it shows in these very streets." Jake grabbed his bag and pulled out that morning's newspaper. "Crime rates in this city have plummeted ever since the judges came to this city, and many political schemes and corruption of the government have been uncovered through their investigations. At the same time, the presence of the Explorer Guilds here in Cunabula has steadily decreased at the same rate."

"So they're basically taking advantage of the ETF's weaknesses and using them to boost their popularity." Serge laid back again, closing his eyes. "Gotta give it to them, that's a terrific plan."

"And meanwhile Ferrus is just sitting with his arms crossed and watching how his life's work crumbles away." The Riolu simply couldn't overcome his frustrations with the Lucario, angered with how passive he was being. "Just what is it that's so important that letting the Judges trample over us explorers is a just price to pay?! It's like nobody cares about us anymore."

"Like we were just some one-use tissue that's already done its function and is no longer useful or exciting…" Zed's tone was incredibly somber, as his small allegory summarized what seemed like their situation. "Are we really just that to Ferrus and the rest of the world? Disposable? We risk our lives each day to defend their lives and well being, but having taken it all for granted…" He curled up into a ball. "Are they really just going to forget us like this?"

Silence was all the others could offer the Zorua to try and comfort him, because they didn't know the answer to that question either. As such, they remained quiet for a few minutes, during the which they either shifted positions around, uncomfortable in their spots, or fumbled around trying to do something to entertain themselves. Eventually however, Eric broke the silence with an exasperated sigh. "This can't go on like this." He simply stated, rising up. "Out of everyone here, I can understand best that we're all feeling depressed and down about all this, but we have to ask ourselves a question: why are we doing this?" They all looked at him, trying to search that answer for themselves, or keeping it hidden.

"I want to believe that we all became explorers for the same reason: that we all wanted to defend the weaker pokémon we came across, help those in need even if we never received much attention, and make the world a better place for those that live in it now and those that may come to it in the future." Nobody responded or made any intention of saying anything, and that massively discouraged the Riolu. "I want to believe that this… all of this, isn't just some big lie that we've all gotten wrapped up in. Some complicated web that we've entangled yourselves in and now you're unable to pull out because you're too scared to show your true colors."

"No, of course not!" Elly spoke up first, and soon after the others rose to defend themselves, explaining their own personal reason. "We might all have our reasons, but all of us here have the same goals, right? That's why we're a team and we've been able to survive for so long!" The others verbally agreed.

"You know what, for a second there, you sounded like Vincent." Lucy pointed out a fact that had eluded the rest, and that angered Eric when he realized she was right. "I think that grasshole is getting to you."

Her insult elicited laughter for the others. "Grasshole?! Holy crap that's a good one!" Serge praised her creativity as she got a few laughs out of the others, even Jake, as they all made fun of the pokémon who'd dared criticise them so harshly. "Speaking of that, where's the grasshole? He's been missing ever since we left Ferrus' pad." Eric laughed at the Pidgeot's inquiry.

"Couldn't care less about where he is… though with any luck, he's either left town or is just staying in his new house that he strong armed out of Ferrus."

"Oh fuck, yeah forgot about that… You know, before we leave town, I say we go throw some rotten eggs at his house."

"Rotten eg- Arceus, what are you, twelve?" Nox only received a slap to the back of the head from the Pidgeot

"Hey, don't trash on the classics man! It may be old and childish, but you know how annoying it is to get the smell outta the house? Trust me, I know that first wing!"

"Better than spoiled milk… Which I believe you also know first hand Serge." Zed's comment made him blush.

"We don't talk about that."

"About what?" The others got closer together to try and catch some more juicy details about the story, which the Zorua happily retold at length, getting some sweet sweet revenge on the flying type.

"Well, you guys remember a month ago Serge kept running back and forth between his room and the bathroom? Just that morning, he'd forgotten to take out the trash -as he usually does, mind you- and just happily waltzed into the kitchen while I was making breakfast, grabbed the first bottle of milk he found and chugged about a quarter of it before vomiting spectacularly and rushing to the bathroom. Never had I seen something so equal parts disgusting and majestic as a Pidgeot spraying white liquid from his beak." The final line made the others erupt with laughter, and the flying-normal type's blush only deepened.

"Well I mean, he must have had some practice with spitting out white stuff from his beak, now must he?" Lucy's comment only heightened the hilarity, albeit it took Zed, Jake and Elly a few seconds to catch before they too joined in, roaring out as Serge got up and tumble backwards, holding his chest and faking he'd been hit by a fatal attack.

"I'm wounded! I've been struck! Guh! I can't… How could you, Sparky! I've been utterly betrayed and defeated by the Shinx I once considered a friend!" He lay on the floor in front of the door, tilting his face towards them and letting his tongue fall out, feigning death. This whole sequence lasted for a couple seconds, during the which the others cried from laughter, the mood in the room has improved drastically, their previous conversation had been nearly forgotten, which made many relieved internally.

"Alright alright, get up you drama king, before s-" Elly was about to advise him to get up from the floor before someone saw him, but unfortunately the door swung open before the Pidgeot had a chance to get up. And standing in the doorway was Ferrus, wearing a face that nobody in the room liked.

"Ferrus? Wh- what's wrong? You don't look too good."

"Worse than you? For sure. I will never understand how you can be laughing like that when you are in such a bad spot." His words made Elly come back to the harsh reality of the situation, the veil in her mind being lifted incredibly quickly, all happiness and relief vanishing in what was the blink of an eye. "There's been a development: all of the lawyers in Cunabula are rejecting your case."

"They're what?!" Almost all of them asked the same question in unison, some with slight variations, forcing Ferrus to close the door behind him so as to avoid any prying ears from listening in.

"You heard me: they are all rejecting Elly's case, calling it a "lost cause". The evidence we've got to defend her is good, but the main charges, which I assumed were her connection to the terrorists and your absence during the whole year where their activities were at their peak are what they say is keeping them from taking the case." He walked over Serge, the Pidgeot getting up immediately afterwards and slammed a folder full of apology papers and half-baked explanations that basically left Elly to her fate.

"What?! But…" Eric and Elly scrambled to check the papers… and found just what the Lucario had told them. "No, that doesn't make any sense! If they can't prove that I wasn't here to save others the Judges can't prove that I wasn't here to save the terrorists!"

"But that is the issue: the Judges are saying, time and time again, they have eye witnesses to backup their claims."

"But that's false evidence, and in court that won't hold up too well. So what's up?" Serge's question lingered in the air for a bit, and Ferrus' silence was already pretty telling. The Pidgeot sighed and "...Knew it. The Judges moved first, didn't they?"

"Seems like they had this all planned out before you even got to Cunabula in the first place."

"So… someone really sold me out?" The threat of a mole or some kind of spy was now very real, and she glanced at her teammates, something that angered all of them.

"What's the big idea, eh? Think one of us would ever sell you out?!" Lucy got incredibly aggressive all of a sudden, and along with her Nox and Serge shot looks of reprobation at the Eevee as well, who quickly defended herself.

"No no no, it's just that just earlier…" There were too many things, too many questions left unanswered, too much silence after Eric had asked those critical questions… and yet what they'd answered afterwards made total sense, and she trusted them with all her heart.

"I don't believe blaming your direct teammates for this is a good idea Elly." Ferrus reminded her. "They are the closest friends you have right now, and the probability of them betraying you is infinitely low."

"Thank you!" Lucy retorted.

"But the fact someone told the Judges of Elly's heritage is undeniable." Jake's statement threw a wrench into anyone's thoughts: they all trusted each other enough to know that they'd never lie or blurt out a secret like that, and yet it had reached the Judge's ears somehow.

"I'd like to remind everyone here that you aren't the only ones who know of this: The guild in Treasure Town and some select few pokémon there know off the truth. I'm sure you can remember their names from the top of your head with ease: they are your friends, after all."

"Hold the fuck up just a sec!" Serge cut in the middle again What you're saying is that someone from Treasure Town blew the whistle? That makes even less sense, what do they gain from doing that?! We saved their lives and all that, after all, and we helped rebuild the town, so if anything they should be grateful!"

"You're asking me as if I knew the answer to those questions, which I clearly do not, Serge." He sighed and asked if he could sit down where Serge'd once been, who granted him permission. "Thank you, I have done nothing but run the entire morning." He collects his thoughts and continues. "I believe this'll be an issue you'll have to figure out yourselves once you return home… for now, we must find a solution to this new predicament. If Elly is lawyerless then that puts her at the complete and utter mercy of the Judges." They all fell silent for a bit and started thinking. Some would chime in every so often with an idea, only to get shut down by the rest with something that was sometimes incredibly obvious.

"Damn it, this is pissing me off! Can't we just beat those fuckers up?! They're asking for it already!" Lucy could barely control herself, and Nox right besides her was getting heated up as well, groaning and snarling as all of his many suggestions had been shut down. He felt useless, and hated it. What he didn't understand was that the feeling of uselessness was common with the rest: none of them could come up with anything remotely good to fight back against the Judges in the trial.

As their despair grew, someone knocked on the door, which swung open shortly after to reveal a smiling Alakard. "Hey you lot, guess whaaaaa…" He soon notices the gloomy looks on their faces. "Oh, I could've sworn I heard you all laughing earlier… Something wrong?"

"All of the lawyers in Cunabula have been blackmailed by the Judges and will not accept Elly's case." Alakard only noticed the Lucario's presence when he said this, and panicked.

"Woah wah ah!" He immediately stood straight and saluted the Lucario. "Ferrus sir! At your service!" He bowed forward so much they thought he was going to bend over and fall face first, but he immediately sprung back up.

"Acknowledged, detective, but please, let us skip the formalities. What is it that you want to tell us?" His tone becomes much more formal than before, and the fire type nods and shuts the door behind him before speaking.

"Well, I came here to inform miss Elizabeth that her new cell was ready. I managed to pull some strings and convinced them to move it to the lower floors, where conditions are better, and return with news about my lawyer friend: he is more than willing to take her case if she will permit him to do so. Taking into account what you just told me though… I believe that last bit of information's ideal?" Indeed, this bit of news cheered up the mood in the room considerably.

"Wait… are you serious?" Elly stared at the fire type, utterly dumbfounded at this new development along with the others.

"Yeah I mean… I've dealt with these guys for a while now, so I know they like to play dirty. Them trying to keep any other lawyers from defending their victims isn't actually that rare… never heard of every single lawyer in Cunabula selling out like this though… whatever it is you did miss Elizabeth to piss them off… nice!" He gave her a thumbs up. "Stick it to them! Also, quick question, can I call you miss Elly? I feel like I've said Elizabeth so many times I'm going to end up wearing it out!" He let out a hearty laugh, lightening the mood around him like he was some sort of good mood charm.

"Huh? O-oh, uuuh, yeah of course. But are you sure about your lawyer friend being able to defend me? If the judges have gone to such lengths to make sure I didn't get any help from private attorneys then..." She trailed off, her worries all but clear to the others.

"Don't worry about him or myself. I'm a single man, so the only thing I have going for me is my rank, and they know better than taking that away from me. As for my friend, being a district attorney he gets a few more bonuses to keep him safe, and doesn't have anything to lose either: Judges were the ones to take away his family, so this whole affair is quite personal, as you can imagine." They all nodded in silence, hearing of yet another person who'd lost it all because of the Judges, sympathizing with the pokémon. "Guy's name is Alex, he's a Servine, and he's got one hell of an eye for finding loopholes and small cracks in the Judge's arguments. He's always talking about the truth being the truth, hidden underneath lies, yadah yadah yadah… all that stuff they teach them at lawyer school."

"I know him. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen him in this very building, reading a book or conversing with some of the prisoners." Ferrus looked at Elly. "While I haven't heard about his skills as a lawyer, Alakard seems to have deposited a lot of faith on them."

Elly looked back and forth between the two pokémon, weighing her options while Eric waited patiently besides her. "Well? What are we going to do Elly?" The Eevee remained silent for a few more minutes… before sighing and looking at Alakard.

"Tell your friend that I accept him as my lawyer."

"Yep, will do! He'll come meet ya in your cell later so you can go over the case. Do you have some evidence for him?" Ferrus nodded and pointed at the stack of folders on the table, which not only contained the formal letters of "apology" the lawyers had given him, but also the mountain of proof that showed that Elly didn't commit most of those crimes… but didn't clear her of suspicion completely. The fire type eyed it and whistled in awe. "Aight… gonna have to tell the poor guy he ain't sleeping tonight." He grabbed it all with care and looked at Elly. "I think you should say goodbye to them too, the time of your visit is nearly up."

It was only when he said this that the group looked out the window: the sun was already setting outside. Their hearts sank when they realized the state they were leaving Elly in, but Alakard reassured all of them she'd be perfectly fine. One by one, they all hugged the Eevee, regardless of their relationship with her, wishing her the best and tightening her in their paws or feathers. The last one though, was Eric, who simply refused to let go. The others looked at the scene and Ferrus motioned at the others to walk out, give them some more time. "You have… roughly two minutes left."

"We'll spend up to the last second we can together." Was the only thing Elly answered without even turning to face the others. The two of them simply sat together, hugging closely until the sound of the door being locked reached their ears. They remained like that for a few more seconds before Eric visibly shook, tightening his grip around her, sobbing quietly.

"I almost broke face earlier. I'm supposed to be the leader of this team, show everyone that I can keep my cool in the worst situations and…" He sobbed softly into her fur collar while she returned the hug, kissing his forehead as he gently cried, tears coming from his eyes. "I'm terrified of tomorrow Elly, I can't bring myself to lie about it."

"I am too. I'm being put on the trial for the sins my father committed, and they really want to put an end to me… But I know it'll be alright." He looks up at her. She's also crying and shaking like a leaf, claws digging into his fur and body spasming with her sobs. "I want to believe that I won't be completely alone in there, facing this whole situation completely on my own. You will all be there, and I'm sure that there'll be good pokémon in the trial too. It'll be… fine." At this point they were unsure who it was she was trying to convince.

"After this we'll go home, and I'll make you breakfast…" He smiled melancholically. "I know you love it when I bring it to our bed. You'll be able to finish that book you left halfway through too, the one about the poor children and their education that you loved so much… And I'll love you, more than ever before, I'll love you every waking moment, every instant, every…" The door swung open and Alakard walked in, cutting them off and might've just been the most passionate moment. Still embracing each other, they closed their eyes and touched foreheads, sharing a passionate kiss, even if they were being watched by someone.

The moment was interrupted by the light reassuring tapping of a feathery hand on the Riolu's shoulder, who tried to shake it off… but even he knew that their time was up. Having stolen just a few more precious seconds for themselves, they broke the kiss.

"I love you."

And with that, Eric got up, his eyes saying more than all of his words had together, their promises and whispers echoing in their ears as their eyes tracked each other, trying to keep the other in their viewing range for as long as they could. As Eric was gently pushed out, he stood on the doorframe, where he was released and felt the firm grip of a smaller hand. Besides him a slightly taller pokémon, a green Serviper, was waiting, looking at him confidently. Having been caught up to speed, he walked in and faced the Riolu, giving him a smile and an ok sign with his left hand before a vine slowly reached for the door handle and shut the room out from the rest of the world, the last thing they both saw of each other being their tear filled eyes.

They returned to the hotel as night fell, the starry night sky above them dimmer and darker than ever, most likely because of the street lights, tall leaning and thin figures with heads of light encased in white glass, clear brightness washing the pavement underneath. The air was chilled, though pokémon still roamed the streets, steering clear from the silent group of pokémon, which somberly shared the road with the others.

Once they walked into the building, it was non-verbally decided they'd skip out on dinner, as not a single pokémon felt even a hint of hunger, just that empty feeling of unfulfillment and worry that took more and more of their vim. Along with sleep, this sensation forced them to retreat to their bedrooms, which obviously didn't help Eric once he laid on his empty bed, seeing only the void space besides him that Elly would usually fill.

His worries were palpable to Lucy and Zed, who were sharing the room with him and could tell he wasn't going to sleep that night. Zed rose up from beside her mate and looked over at his best friend, kissing her on the cheek and essentially telling her he wouldn't be sleeping by her side that night, which she understood. At the same time however, she quickly tossed over the blankets with a fit of slight anger, leaving the Zed with just a hint of regret in his mouth, but now that he was committed he wasn't going to let his friend down like that, and he knew she'd get over it.

He crawled off of his bed and made his way to his friend's, jumping on. "Hey, Eric." He called him in a soft whisper, the Riolu staying in that same position for quite a while, facing away from the Zorua and keeping himself underneath the blankets. "Eric, I know you're awake, come on." It takes the Riolu a few more minutes and whispers to turn around and face his friend.

"What is it, Zed?" The tone of his voice was hoarse, and he was clearly not in the mood for whatever Zed was giving him, specially so late in the night and worried as he was.

"I just wanted to check on you, talk about stuff. We know you're worried sick about Elly, but she's in good hands. I'm sure that as we speak they're going over the evidence and rehearsing tomorrow's trial. Alakard sounded like he trusted this lawyer a great deal."

The Riolu snarled. "He could be the world's best lawyer and I'd still be worried sick. It's not just the fact that she's being put on trial. That can be solved, even if some of the solutions aren't legal." He dropped the fact that he's willing to go that far quickly, trying to change the topic. "No, what has me up is the fact that she's alone in that place, with all those pokémon, and I can't do anything to help her. Instead I have to leave it all in the hands of another and pray he doesn't fuck it up."

"Well, isn't that what we do?" Zed's inquiry confused the Riolu. "Yeah, we take the missions and requests that other pokémon can't do for some reason or another, they leave the fate of the ones they love or something really important on us, and expect us to do a good job. It's the same thing now: we can't rescue Elly this time around because none of us are lawyers, so we hired someone to do that job for us. And just like the people we help and they put their trust on us, we need to put our trust on Alex. He's studied and worked his entire life to get where he is now, and you heard Alakard, that for him this whole feud with the Judges is a personal matter, so I doubt he'll let Elly down like that."

Eric sat up, facing the Zorua and listening to his every word, then turned to face out the window, sighing. Zed scooted closer and joined him, placing a paw on his shoulder to try and comfort him. "Yeah. You're… right, I suppose. I'm just worried sick, and I doubt that any sort of reassurance and proof that this will work out perfectly is going to help that disappear. Just the mere fact that she isn't right besides me is enough to offset any of that. I can't even talk with her through our psychic bond thanks to that damn collar they've forced her into."

"Well, at the very least I just wanted to check how you were doing, try to get you to relax and rest a little. Tomorrow's going to be a difficult day, and she's probably counting on us being there tomorrow to support her in any way we can." Zed smiled. "Try to rest up and get a clear head for tomorrow. She's probably trying to do the same right now, looking out the window like you are." Eric stayed silent for a few minutes, considering his words and closing eyes… imagining the Eevee with ease, seeing her looking out the window of her new cell melancholically. It broke his heart, his head hanging low, but could easily imagine her in that position as well.

He opened his eyes and smirked, pulling the Zorua closer with his right arm. "You're right. I need to pull myself together, because she's probably doing the same out there." Zed smiled and held up his paw, clenching it into a fist. Eric held up his free paw in the same way and bumped his friend's, smiling. "Thanks."

"Elly's not the only one who's there for you when you're feeling down. Earlier today I could feel you were being pained by all that was happening. We can easily understand how you're feeling right now Eric, you don't have to hide it all and make it look like you're handling this situation well, when in fact, you aren't. You aren't alone Eric, we're all in this together." The Riolu glanced over at Lucy, who'd been silent and moody the entire day, and remembered Serge's unusually depressing statements, Jake's cold demeanor as he scrambled to find a solution and Nox's constant attempts at improving their mood… All of them had been trying in some way or another to help the Riolu, but he'd mostly shrugged it all of. But then he remembered that brief moment they'd exchanged in the meeting room, their laughter, and how for a second it seemed like nothing they could throw at them would even make as much as a scratch.

Those were the feelings and ideas that he knew Elly had taken with herself to bed that night, and he decided to do just the same. Inspired by Zed's words, he let go of his friend, giving him a smile of confidence again. "We should go to sleep now. We've got a long day ahead of us." Zed nodded, returning that smile and hugging his friend, wishing him good night before he laid on his bed. He heard the Zorua slide off of his bed and return to his own, exchanging some brief kisses and whispers with Lucy before they too decided to sleep. He looked out of the window again and at the starry sky, smiling.

"Good night Elly".

Ferrus finished downing the rest of his bottle as he gazed at the Roselia in front of him, frowning as he slowly reached for another. He felt lucid and in control, even if he was drinking like a madman. He glanced at the rose he'd found at the foot of his door when he'd returned to his apartment, and then at the grass type, who'd all but confirmed that this was his doing. "Well? I was right, was I not?"

"Yes. The judges found a way to get a hold of every single private lawyer in the city… but even then we managed to find a public one for Elly. I've checked his profile, and he's clean."

"Well, that IS a relief, is it not? Such a shame that even then he won't be able to win the case. You may all have conclusive evidence about what is widely known she didn't do… but what about that gap? That large year long gap that absolutely nobody has an explanation for? They've all been awfully quiet about it, almost as if they just can't talk about whatever it was they were doing during that entire year of absence. No records. No missions. Nothing. Team Star took a simple mission to rescue some rich guy's daughter, a mission that wasn't confirmed by the guild in Treasure Town mind you, disappeared for a full year… and never did come back with the Eevee in question." He leaned forward in his chair, an untouched glass of brandy and an unlit cigarette in front of him.

"You know they're going to base their entire accusation on that fact alone, and that it won't go over well for you, because while they can present as much evidence as they want pointing to the idea that she and her entire team were off helping those terrorists, you can't bring any evidence that they were in fact doing a secret ETF mission or something like that, because such a mission never existed either." He chuckled. "And that's what's so hilarious about this whole thing: you know what it is they were doing, but there's absolutely no evidence of it, and it's something so outrageous you can't go out in public and seriously propose it as an alibi."

"You seem awfully informed about things that nobody but the highest tiers of the ETF should know." Ferrus slammed his glass on the table, furious. "I'm guessing you managed to get someone's dirty laundry list, didn't you?"

"I don't know. As you said earlier, I am a spy, and if I may be so bold, I'd like to think I'm pretty good at my job, the best in fact. But please, do not blame your companions or workers… I drive a hard bargain most of the time after all."

Ferrus frowned. "And you're going to do to me what you've done to them earlier, haven't you?"

Vincent's smile faded, crossing his legs and rubbing his chin. "Well about that… not entirely. I am here to make an exchange in fact, a true business transaction. And it is one that we're both interested in. You see, earlier today you mentioned you have some information on me. Now…" He chuckled, raising a finger. "Don't get me wrong here, I am not flattering myself, but I know for a fact that my clients never got any such information on myself to begin with, so I know that I was not sold out."

"Oh? You seem very confident about this."

"Well, if there's one I've learned is that in my line of work you can't trust anyone. Not even your own shadow. The world we live thrives off of information. Things like the list of Hoennian ambassadors embezzling public funds are worth a pretty penny in the black market. People go nuts over this stuff, and that's because whoever controls the information controls the work, so to speak. I'm just ahead of the curve at all times, which is why you saying you've got information about me caught me so off-guard! Because for once I've found myself pinned against a wall." He rose up and leaned on the table. "So tell me Mr. Ferrus, how is it that you got that information?"

The Lucario refills his glass a little bit, moves the liquid around a little, taking his sweet time to answer the impatient grass type's inquiry, gulping down slowly and savoring his tiny victory. "You aren't as perfect as you think you are by covering your tracks. We just asked the right people with the right information. You're not the only one that deals in the information business, though we aren't direct competitors: we work within the law."

"Hmph. Very well, I concede. Trust me, I have no intentions of repeating my mistakes… but anyways, since we're both on the same page, then let us talk business: you have something that I want, and I have something you want. So let's make a deal."

"I'm all ears."

"I have two requests: one, I ask you as a businessman, plain and simple. I will give you some information on some rather scandalous information regarding some high profile judges, one of which has been very involved in this whole case, and you go into your archives and delete every last bit of evidence you have on me and my clients." Vincent got right to the meat of his request, emphasizing all the pronouns in his sentence to make sure his point got across.

Ferrus glanced at him. "You know, for being so good at covering your tracks, you're awfully predictable."

"Safety comes first, after all… but I know that you want this information desperately, so I have yet another request. Don't worry, this isn't something I ask of you as a businessman, and I do believe we could both benefit from this exchange."

"Pray tell then?"

"This may come as a shock to you but… I would like to humbly request your help in hunting down a certain pokémon. I'll give you all the details if we do close our deal." Ferrus kept his eyes on the grass type, his steel gaze not faltering for a single moment, whilst Vincent kept his smile of superiority, thinking he had the Lucario against the ropes… before he suddenly lunged forward and slammed his paws on the desk.

"You know, for someone of your reputation, you'd think you'd know who it is you're dealing with. I wasn't born yesterday, Vincent: what you're offering me doesn't give me anything to work with. I need something to prove the Judges are lying, not something to publicly out them!" The empty bottle on the desk bounced and tattered over the edge, shattering into pieces of glass and scattering the last few drops of its content on the carpet, breaking the deep silence of the night and risking waking up some neighbours.

Vincent however, remained calm. "Well, that is what I am offering you with this deal, Ferrus sir. I know who it is I'm talking with, and what I have will save miss Elizabeth's life… if you play your cards right. Think about what it is I am offering you here Ferrus, and perhaps you will understand what I mean." Ferrus narrowed his gaze and looked up at the ceiling, thinking about Vincent's proposal and possible applications of this information… until his eyes widened in shock.

"But that's not… what you are proposing is not only dangerous, but unreliable."

"And yet it's the only thing that the Judges can't account for. If they went so far as to ensure not a single lawyer would take Elly's case, then who knows what else they've planned. Her only chance of survival lies completely on luck." Ferrus closed his eyes and held his head in his paws, his mind racing as he attempted to wrap his head around what it was the grass type was proposing. It was insane. It was risky. And it required an insane amount of collaboration, luck and sheer faith on a single pokémon to work… but if it did, Elly would no doubt be absolved.

"Well? What is your answer, friend?" He turned upward to look at Vincent.

The smile on his face was one of superiority and victory.

"Geez, they are taking their sweet time aren't they?" Lucy's voice was barely audible with the constant murmur of pokémon around them. The Courtroom was massive, round with several levels of chairs and seats for the jury, of which they were part. About half a hundred pokémon or more were there, whispering or outwardly talking and discussing what their plans for the day would've been hadn't they been called to court so suddenly.

"This is a bad start for the trial. The Jury is not in high spirits, probably because of how quickly the Judges arranged the trial, forcing them to cancel their plans."

"Can't you just like, decline it then?" Nox's lack of knowledge of the judicial system in Kanto gave Jake some excuses to explain it.

"And pay taxes to do so, yes. More often than not a citation to the court is received with reluctance by many, though there are cases of pokémon coming here willingly to witness trials, as they either enjoy the spectacle or wish to learn more about the law itself."

"Sounds like I wasn't the only one who skipped sleep last night." Eric commented from the front row, where he was sitting with Serge and Zed.

"Unfortunately, my own abnormal sleep schedule and nervousness prevented even the sleep powder from taking effect."

"Don't worry, tonight I think we'll all be sleeping like babies. Or right now, at this rate." Serge huffs and lays on back on his chair, placing his claws on the railing of the stands. "Seriously, they arrange the trial but then don't arrive on time? What a bunch of bastards. Even Elly and Alex are here already."

"Right, we know that but get your feet off the railing!" Eric hit his legs and forced him to lower them, then turned to look at his mate, who managed to steal a few glances of the Riolu, smiling weakly. She looked tired and nervous, sitting behind her lawyer like that, bending down. She looked frail and sick, which Jake kept repeating wasn't a good sign. The defense's bench was littered with paper and hard evidence, which he was currently going through and reciting to himself, preparing for any possible statement. The other bench, that of the Prosecution's, was empty, though they knew that the prosecutor would be none other than Martin himself, while the Judges bench was half filled. Some of the district and lay judges were important politicians, talking with each other and discussing the Judges of Arceus' delay.

"God this is so fucking intimidating." Nox breathed out, looking up at the ceiling. Originally, the building they were in was a church, but during the last Kanto-Johto war some of it was destroyed. After rebuilding it and due to the large amount of pokémon that had to be processed, it was restructured to become a court of law, albeit some of the Church motifs were still present in the ceiling. Several cannon vaults that were decorated with rows of stained glass windows on either side. The multicolored patterns mirrored each other until they all converged in the middle vault, round and bigger where a Fresco depicting Arceus in his earliest depiction could be seen.

Nox was confused by the image and asked Jake, who explained the origin. "That Fresco over there is the genuine Layers of Reality. Originally, Arceus wasn't considered to be a divine creator, but instead the enforcer of divine law. Besides him, or rather her, as he was considered to be a female deity instead of male, you'll see a blindfold and a knife, which represent the impartiality of law itself and yet the duty it has to impart punishment. Below it, that dark realm is obviously hell, and above the clouds part to guide the souls to heaven. Upon closer inspection one can spot two figures, one in white and another in black on both sides of the painting, which are supposed to be Reshiram and Zekrom, two pokémon who in Kantonian Mythos carried the souls of the dead where Arceus deemed them worthy. The lower half of Arceus' circle is often void of any decorations, but in this Fresco one can also point out the presence of a Chalice, which is a symbol of fertility, wealth and also rebirth, and on the other a sphere of divine light, which emblemized Arceus' holy powers and its capacity to destroy those he or she deemed unworthy to ascend or descend to another layer or to be reborn to have another chance at life."

"Holy shit. Why do you know so much." Lucy's sentence wasn't so much an inquiry but rather an exclamation of surprise, which Jake took in a flattering way.

"Well, I could even tell you it was painted here by Janus D'Ponti himself in the year 2547 of the Reborn era. The clues are in the arches in the vaults leading to the Fresco itself, because upon closer inspection the curves have smaller indentations in them and-"

"I wasn't telling you to keep going! At this rate we'll be asleep before the trial even starts!" Nox's exclamation earned him some hushes from the others and some chuckles from Serge, who kept his keen eyes on the somewhat empty courtroom.

"No seriously though, this is so goddamn boring already, when are t-" The fire type's sentence was cut short by the sound of the doors swinging open, the ancient hinges screeching and silencing the entire courtroom as pokémon clad in the normal Judges attire walked in. None of them were hooded, and so they could see some familiar faces, like Martin, who would be the prosecutor for the case, and of course, Tharmius, whose robes were as shiny and pure as they'd been a few days ago. All of the Team Star members silently stared at the Kommo-O, considering him their mortal enemy in this endeavor, while he seemingly ignored everything, from the glares he received to the comments of reprobation from other members of the court. He took a seat to the far left of the top of rows of Judges, then stood up and bowed.

"Our deepest apologies to the court for our tardiness. There were unexpected circumstances that kept us occupied the entirety of yesterday's evening and this very morning. The situation was dealt with as quickly as possible, and there will be no interruptions in today's trial as far as the Judges are concerned." With this statement, he sat back down, and once everyone and everything was in order, the Judge that had been elected to speak up for the rest, a shiny Vigoroth, slammed his gavel, and everyone in the courtroom rose.

"Well, now that the Bench Jury is complete, it is time for today's proceedings to begin. Today, the 13th of December of the year 753 of the Checkered Era in the High Court of Cunabula, the trial for the leadership of the Terrorist Organization that has besieged several cities across the globe, will be held, with the prime suspect being the Eevee: Elizabeth Star." Another hit of the gavel. "Your opening statements, if you may."

"Of course." The Prosecutor rose up. Martin had changed attires from his normal gown to a black and golden one, inspiring an air of superiority on the Servine that wasn't wearing any clothes in contrast. He read out, once more, the list of accusations against Elly, which only made Eric's blood boil. "The prosecution would also like to add that, should she be found guilty of any of these crimes, more specifically her leadership of the terrorists, that she is by consequence the daughter of Mr. Blake Dugald, who lives on in infamy as a mass murderer and genocidist." And with that, he sat back down, having made clear the possibility of Elly's relationship with Blake, something that stirred and altered the Jury around Team Star.

Alex calmly rose from his spot and began his own opening statement. "I am Alex Harld, district attorney, and I am here to defend my client, Miss Elizabeth Star, also known as Elly." He read out yet another long list of reasonings and articles that were basic protocol for these cases, and before sitting down added one more line. "I would also like to remind the court that in our current laws, the crimes of the father do not extend to the children, and that basing accusations and attempting to incarcerate a pokémon simply for their patronage is a crime in it of itself." More whispers and discussions from both the civil and the bench jury, which were determining whether or not to intervene.

"Objection! The prosecution has never stated such a thing!"

"Gentlemen!" The gavel smashed down again, silencing the two sides as the Vigoroth spoke again. "Let us not fret on these matters any further. The trial is already late as is, and should either of you object for any trivial matters you shall find yourselves out of this court. Understood?"

"Yes, your excellence." Both sides responded at the same time and glared at each other with animosity. Another smack of the gavel and the trial itself officially began. From this point onward, all Team Star could do was watch as Elly was brought out to the stand underneath the Jury to testify, explaining her reasons as to why she wasn't the murderer. And from there on out, the accusations of murder against her were brought up, with some rather flimsy and unreliable witnesses stepping to the front who, while passionately describing the "crimes" Elly was guilty of, most quickly attempting to appeal to the jury's emotions, Alex quickly batted them away with hard evidence he'd gotten from Ferrus and Alakard. Martin didn't just have his witnesses however, as some evidence was presented to counter Alex's, resulting in heated debates as the burden of said evidence was passed between them.

It was in these situations where Team Star saw the Servine shine: with each situation where it wasn't clear whether or not Elly could've been there and something unspeakable, he used his evidence to explain the real events that had transpired or prove that Elly's presence or involvement in those crimes was impossible. The last one however, proved to be far more difficult, as it was the charges put against her for the murder of her mother and father.

"Evidence gathered for the corpse of Miss Skye Dugald revealed bites marks from small fangs. Comparing them with Blake Dugald's dental records doesn't give us a perfect match, but when compared to those of Elizabeth Star, they are a perfect match."

"Miss Skye Dugald was reportedly assassinated by Blake Dugald when miss Elizabeth Star was but a cub. Not only that, but during the time of the crime she was confirmed to have been taken in by the Kecleon Brothers in Treasure Town, at the other side of the region. Not only that, but at the time there was no correlation between the defendant and the victim, as she was but an orphaned cub left at the door of the brothers. Are you willing to imply that miss Skye's initial report of her death was falsified? If so, where is your evidence?"

Martin glared at Alex. "The bite marks are…"

"Elizabeth Star couldn't have possibly been at the scene of the crime when she was 4 years old. She was kidnapped by Blake Dugald too during the events of the 1st of January of 749, and furthermore, the state of decomposition of the body should've been advanced enough to render any reliable autopsies useless. There is no hard evidence in existence that can prove my client's presence." What happened during that cursed night was enveloped in a haze of mystery of confusion, but Eric and Elly knew the truth, and why those bite marks were in fact on Skye's neck. Luckily for them, the body had been too decomposed and the official statement determined Skye had been dead for approximately fifteen years when the investigation on Blake's murders took place.

The silence that followed Alex's last statement was once again interrupted by the sound of a gavel. "Does the prosecution have anything else to add?" Martin turned to face up at Tharmius, who as ignoring him and discussing matters with other Judges, then shook his head. The gavel came down again and the verdict was handed down: All three parties found her to be innocent, thus clearing her of all the murder charges pinned against her, making Eric and the others breathe a simultaneous sigh of relief and cheer. Elly looked up at them and smiled, understanding now why Alakard had placed his faith on the grass type.

"Six hours have transpired since the beginning of this trial. A small recess for lunch and other necessities will now take place for the next thirty minutes. At quarter to three all the pokémon present will return to this courtroom and their seats. We implore that the prosecution prepares it's arguments in a more presentable manner for this next part of the trial too." Alex smiled when the Vigoroth said this, and the gavel marked the beginning of the recess. "Court adjourned!"

Everyone rose up from their spots and walked out of the courtroom, most pulling out food and fruits they'd packed with them specifically for this time. Team Star decided it was better to just do the same, have a small snack and prepare for the next half of the trial, which was probably going to be longer than the first. "I'm so tired… And all we've been doing is sitting still and wait. So boring…"

"Boring? I found today's proceedings to be quite thrilling if anything. Alex's moves and decisions are incredibly smooth and precise, and he meditates his words before speaking up, considering whether or not it is worth to object a statement or let it slide for the time being. Behind his every breath there is a reason…. Ah, it is so refreshing to see someone doing their job so admirably!"

"Geez… if I didn't know you, I'd say you're falling for the guy." Serge's comment made the Sneasel realize his behaviour and clear his throat, correcting his posture.

"On the contrary. I merely want to state my gratitude for helping a friend in need and doing a job well done."

"Well, why didn't you say so from the beginning?!" They all turned around to find themselves facing a lax looking Servine, smiling confidently and showing off his attorney's badge with pride on his chest. Upon closer inspection, he was in fact wearing some kind of clothes laced out of leaves which covered his arms and upper body, and where the badge was pinned on. "Even though it is my job, I live for moments like these, when the defendant and their loved ones get to walk away knowing they're saved."

"Hey Alex!" Alakard, who'd been waiting around with the rest of Team Star, walked up to him and high fived the grass type, both of them holding their hands. "Nice job out on the showfloor today! You really are wiping the floor with them today!"

"Kinda what happens when you base an entire case around lies. Those last few questions were tricky, but nothing too difficult." They broke away and then turned to face Team Star. "I am sure you're all fairly acquainted with me already. Apologies, since the short amount of time between them locking up Elly and putting her on trial was astounding. They really wanted to get their hands on her."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it… But anyways, Alex, right? Just like Jake, I want to thank you for all you've been doing so far. Without you Elly would…" Eric was cut short by the grass type grasping his shoulder and patting it.

"Hey hey hey. Don't sweat it. Besides, we ain't out of the woodworks yet! As far as I know, the real meat of the case's coming up now, what with that year long gap away from the public eye. I'm positive I'll be able to deflect anything they throw my way and, at the very least, get her to walk away on the grounds that there's no evidence and that your sabbatical is unrelated to the case." This last point was somewhat worrying, but Alex's confidence was infectious, and soon the others were looking forward to seeing Elly lifted of all her charges, thinking it was just a matter of time.

They didn't have much time for small talk however, as before the lawyer had to walk away to check on Elly, Ferrus walked into the defendant hall. He looked exhausted, as if he were about to keel over and fall asleep on the spot, but even so he managed to walk over to the group. "Good morning everyone. Sorry, Alakard, Alex, may I have a word with the both of you. There is… some new evidence I'd like to submit to the court."

"Huh? So late into the case?" The grass type narrowed his gaze and crossed his arms. "You know that's awfully suspicious."

"I am the leader of a planet scaled organization devoted to defending pokémon and keeping the law intact. Me forging evidence would be highly illegal and would put all of my organization into jeopardy." The two friends looked at each other, then back at the Lucario.

"Mister Ferrus, this is strictly against regulations, there hasn't been a formal investigation, and-"

"All in due time. Now, before court is put back into session. We found this information recently and… while I do not know how, I am positive you will be able to put it into use, Alex. But use it only when you're sure of what you're doing."

"Ok, now you're really starting to w-"

"Court will be reconvened in a minute! Members of the prosecution and defense, return to your benches at once!" That was the last call for the grass type, and with a sigh he snatched the folders of files from the Lucario's paws.

"I'll be the one to decide if I use this or not." He said, skimping through the documents as he walked in and disappeared from sight. Ferrus breathed out a sigh of relief, attracting the attention of essentially everyone around him, more specifically the other jackal, whose face had drained of all color throughout the whole exchange.

"Wh-What the hell was all of that?! What did you just give Alex?"

"Insurance. A certain someone reminded me of just how dangerous and unpredictable the judges are, so we must play with all the cards to our disposition." He looked at the Team. "I will be sitting with you for the rest of the trial… ready yourselves." As he said this, Martin walked past them, not even glancing in their direction, albeit he wore a devious smirk on his face, which made everyone shiver uncomfortably. That wasn't the face of a prosecutor that'd been doing nothing but lose up to that point in the trial.

That was the face of someone who knew their victory was assured.

With such an omen looming over them, they all entered the courtroom once more, with Ferrus and Alakard taking seats near the exit of the stands, while the others took their old seats again. After a few more minutes of discussion and noise, the unique sound of the gavel hitting wood echoed in the court. "Very well then, after this short break, court is now back in session for the trial is miss Elizabeth Star! Is the prosecution ready?"

"Yes, your honor."

"And the defense?" Silence hung over their heads, and the immediate reaction from everyone in the courtroom was to look at the bench. And there they saw Alex bent down on the table, reading through notes and scattering papers all over it as he went through this new evidence in a panic, eyes spread wide open. "Defense!"

"Yes! We are ready your honor!" He quickly regained his composure, but already an air of uneasiness lingered in the courtroom's air. Whatever that evidence was, he was extremely worried for some reason.

"Very well, the prosecution shall now bring forth the arguments against the defendant." And with another hit of the gavel, Martin stood up and began speaking.

"Yes. The defendant, miss Elizabeth Star, is suspected to be the leader of the infamous group of terrorists that have been attacking Flumerc Ars, Akil, Pontavicel and many other cities in Johto and Unova alike. The evidence against the defendant is threefold: for once, there are testimonies and witnesses that express to have seen a blue eyed Eevee prior and after the chaos ensued in the streets during the attacks." This revelation brought Eric to his feet, and the rest of the courtroom gasped in shock, forcing the Vigoroth to demand for silence. "Second of all, there is the matter of her behaviour: Four days ago, miss Elizabeth was requested to appear in Cunabula to undergo a routine interrogation. It is the Judge's duty to ensure the safety of pokémon across the globe and eradicate those that follow chaos before a tragedy like time freeze ever takes place again… and as such, as many of you know, we interrogate any potential suspects"

(The Court of Resignation - Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice)

"Miss Elizabeth." Suddenly, Tharmius spoke up from the Bench Jury, his voice echoing in the courtroom, the whole building shaking due to his overwhelming deep tone and his claws lightly tapped the wooden stand in front of him. "Let it be known that the Judges of Arceus do not have any prejudices. We investigate. We work along with other law enforcement forces and arrive at the sole truth. There is no such thing as a prejudice against a certain type of pokémon or species: darkness isn't something that belongs to a group of pokémon specifically, but rather something that could dwell within all of us. And it is the Judge's duty to find such darkness and eradicate it. You reactions during and after the interrogation, as well as your strange background have lead us to believe the worst."

"Objection!" Alex quickly rose up, facing Tharmius himself, breathing deeply. "You… a Judge cannot accuse the defendant of such things! And you are basing this case on your suspicions?! That is not legal!"

"Hmph. Perhaps you have misunderstood where it is you are, Mr. Alex. In this court of law, both divine and earthly law mingle to deliver proper punishment to those who break the law. These matters transcend not only your understanding, but this world altogether. Even then, we are not foolish: one cannot present a case without both evidence and a motive, but the Judges have already sorted these issues out."

Martin took the word from here on out. "First, the evidence: not only do we have those declarations I have just spoken about, but there is also the fact that miss Elizabeth, or any of her associates for that matter, have a solid alibi to explain a strange, reported absence during the last year. A year, mind you, tainted with several attacks, which all took place while they were mysteriously gone and other organizat-"

"Martin." Tharmius' single word was enough to stop the prosecutor on his tracks, who then returned to his reasonings.

"And secondly, the motive: is it not obvious? If we do presume that miss Star is none other than the lost daughter of Skye and Blake Dugald… then the motive for not only killing her father and taking after him as the leader of the terrorists couldn't be any clearer! The group he lead, known as Team Uncario, was an organization spawned from the secretive and equally disgusting Dark Eons." Martin rubbed the bridge of his nose, smiling. "I believe we are all properly acquainted with the history behind these two groups, correct?" More whispers followed his statement, while Alex clenched his fist and looked on, unable to do much whilst Elly behind him despaired. "If so, then you should all know that in this organization morals were all but forbidden, and someone who was born from that hatred, diluted and refined with the passage of time would no doubt have little issue in killing a father to ascend as the highest leader. And from there on out, she could lead a movement much bigger than her father's and carry out the insane plans that their clan had always sought! And given how the cause of death of Miss Skye remains uncertain to this day… it would all make sense that she was the true monster all along. Educated by her father, she rebelled and assassinated her mother in cold blood. Afterwards, she feigned innocence, joined a team and chased after her father to finish what she'd started and tak-"

"Shut up! That's not true!" Elly's own screams echoed in the courtroom, having gotten fed up with his constant accusations, and her shouting and own denial were enough to set off the rest of the civil jury, who began shouting differently, becoming an incoherent mass of screaming.

Almost all of the judges started hitting their desks and gavels, ordering that order returned to the court whilst Alex stood up and objected to all of Martin's 'claims'. "I object! The prosecution is dehumanizing and defaming my client!"

"I am stating the honest truth that has been deduced from the evidence and the testimony presented to us and to this court! If you believe it to be fake, then cross-examine their statements!" The Gallade's challenge was already a bad sign of what awaited them, and the Servine knew it, looking back at the Eevee he was defending with a frown, basically telling her that speaking up like that hadn't been a good idea.

"Order! Order! Objection overruled, and you will have your client remain quiet and not raise their voice in this court of law! Otherwise, she shall be removed from court!" The Vigoroth was absolutely livid, already angry that the trial was taking this long and with no clear end in sight. The rest of the bench looked tired as well, and the civil jury was incredibly heated, buying the lies that the Judges were feeding them and scorning the Eevee in low whispers, which only made Eric and the others furious.

"This is bad… Alex has no other option but to play their game, and they're appealing to Elly's own anger." Jake's comment made Nox turn his head back to look at the ice type.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it: there is no evidence to defend our absence from this world for the last year, but they claim to have evidence Elly was here and committed those crimes. We have absolutely nothing to counter those points, so if Alex attempts to demonstrate it he will be forced to rely to lies and bluffing, and those won't hold up well with the Judges."

"They'll have thought of everything. They want Alex to fuck up and say something he shouldn't say and chew him out like that. If they find him lying we're in deep shit." Serge looked at the scene deadly serious, his wings crossed before him.

"But if he doesn't say anything she's going to be indicted! And if she's found to be the leader of the terrorists and the one behind the murders…" Eric's sentence was finished by Jake.

"Capital punishment." This was the last straw for Lucy, who sparked in anger.

"This is bullshit!" Her shout was audible to the rest of the jury, and they were quickly hushed by the pokémon and some guards, forcing her to contain herself as she groaned and growled at them, less than happy for these developments.

"This is so unfair… How could things get this bad while we were gone?" Zed's somber comment ended their outbursts as the witnesses trickled into the court one by one. All of them gave passionate and heartbreaking retellings of the events, making it clear that they had in fact been present during those events, something not even the Team Star members doubted. All of them retold the tragedies with chilling accuracy, and some broke into tears when retelling some specially painful moments.

"And they were just… Arceus, they were just killing everyone they came across! I just saw psychic blades shoot everywhere and I quickly hid out of sight, and from my hiding spot I could see an Eevee… It was just horrible!" The pokémon crying at the current time was an Exeguttor, her declaration fitting in with the other pokémon's: as far as the Flumerc Ars attack went, Elly'd been there throwing psychic attacks all over the place, an irrefutable fact given that her use of those abilities was widely known.

Still, Lucy was less than happy. "Why the fuck is she here?! She should be acting on top of a stage the bit-"

"Calm down, Lucy. I am sure that they were all there on the day of the attacks… their stories and retellings are incredibly faithful to the official reports, and have details that only those there could've known: their feelings, the smell of the blood and the gunpowder… it's all too clear." Serge knew what it was like to describe events and experiences one had gone through, as he'd written his stories based on his own life experiences… and he could feel they were being honest.

"Then why are they lying about it?! She clearly wasn't there, so they should know that!"

"They want revenge." Eric simply stated. "They lost someone or something in those attacks, or saw so much death and destruction while they were incapable of doing anything that it broke them. When the Judges came around and swore to avenge those that had died in the attacks, the first ones to start supporting them were the victims and their families. These pokémon would give anything if it meant ending the pokémon they have been made to believe led those attacks. Even if she wasn't present."

"This is… bullshit." She elicited that last swear completely dispirited, unsure of what to do anymore as the witnesses kept coming. At least a dozen solid retellings of the various attacks that had taken place in those aforementioned cities, save for Akil, who Leon represented. He was called in by Alex in an attempt to show that Elly had in fact gone to the village to fix everything, but…

"Did you ascend the mountain with them?" Martin's inquiry after the Beartic's retelling was met with a shake of his head. "If so, how can you be sure that they were the ones to stop the blizzard in the first place? It's possible that she ordered some of her subordinates to attack the village with those blizzards, and once their usefulness ran out she took her "team" to finish them off, making it look like it was them saving a town and serving as further cover!"

"What kind of insane schemes are you thinking about?!" Leon burst out suddenly. "I'll have ya know that they all came back wounded, and they were the ones to stop the blizzard themselves!"

"Order! Mr. Leon, is that all you have to say about the defendant?" The ice type looked up at the Vigoroth and nodded, then was lead out of the courtroom with a brief 'thank you' from Elly.

(Stop the music)

Once all the witnesses had spoken, Alex was bent over his table, holding his head as he tried to find a way out of this situation. The courtroom was dead quiet for a full five minutes, during the which Elly broke down into tears, sobbing quietly in her seat. Her teammates looked at her from the stands, absolutely devastated as the trial came to what seemed to be a solemn end. Eric's glare moved to the lawyer that had proved to be useless to defend her, then Martin, the pokémon that had put her in that situation… and then finally Tharmius. The bastard kept an impassive face the entire trial, but he seemed to be hiding a slight victorious smirk. That was the last straw for him, his stomach churning and twisting as a knot tied around his throat, making him grow anxious and uncomfortable by the second, anger and ire building up as his arms gave off a faint glow. Zed was the first to notice this and grabbed his friend's wrists quickly, panicking as he whispered and pleaded him to stop.

As this all happened, the Vigoroth smacked down with his gavel. "Well, it seems we have reached the end of today's proceedings…" He looked up and out of the window, where they could all see the setting sun, when the trial had begun early in the morning. Alex rose to look at Elly, then at her friends, utterly defeated, looking across the stands… and his gaze stopped on Ferrus. He wasn't crying. He didn't look bothered. And neither did Alakard. Both were just staring at the Servine expectantly, as if hope wasn't lost yet. He then turned to face the folder of documents he'd skimmed through earlier, and began reading through them at a more relaxed pace.

This only enraged Eric further, thinking that Alex simply didn't care about Elly and was reading something else, completely unrelated as the Vigoroth announced the end of the trial. "If there will be no further objections from either part, then it is time t-"

"Objection!"

(Courtroom Révolutionnaire 2016 - Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice)

Alex's booming voice cut off the judge's sentence and made Martin and Tharmius shift to face him, a look of confusion on his face. In fact, the entire courtroom, asides from Alakard and Ferrus had turned to look at him in utter shock, while the two pokémon simply smiled knowingly, just like Alex was. He'd finally caught on.

"What is it, defense? You've been unable to fight back the prosecution's claims thus far, and no testimony against the defendant has been given in the last fifteen minutes. If you're attempting to stall this trial and bluffing I'll have you know your badge will be removed!"

"There will be no need for that your honor. I simply needed time to collect my thoughts." He trailed off, looking at Martin and smiling widely. "And also think of just in what way the prosecution's arguments were filled with nothing but rotten lies."

"Have you lost your sanity? You dare claim that those victims of terrorism are intentionally lying to pin Miss Elizabeth as the leader of the terrorists?"

"Yes. Yes they are, mister Martin." Gasps of indignation spread across the courtroom, which forced the judge to call to order again. "If I may be so bold, mister Martin, I'd say they're lying just as much as you are!"

"Fool!"

"Order! Order!" The gavel smashed down repeatedly to quiet down the civil jury, which was constantly shouting obscenities at the lawyer. They all wanted the trial to be done already, thinking he was just delaying the inevitable and wasting their time. Team Star, however, were at the edge of their seats, and Elly stopped crying for a bit, looking at her attorney in shock. "I will have you know, mister Alex that attacking the prosecution like that is…"

"I know, and I apologize… but there is evidence that can in fact prove my claim!"

"And how is any of this relevant to the case, if I may ask?" Tharmius rose an eyebrow, inquisitively looking at the attorney.

"You stated it yourself earlier today: the Judges or Martin, the pokémon that interrogated miss Elizabeth and directly blamed her of the charges I am here to deny today didn't have a personal reason, prejudice or motive to chase after my client. However, that is nothing but a lie, and the proof lies here!" He rose the folder over his head, showing it to the rest of the court.

"And what would that be, if I may ask?"

"Oh, just some documents that the ETF has provided for this trial, approved by its leader, Ferrus himself, and detective Alakard himself, the lead investigator." Martin's eyes widened and turned to look at the Jury, where he finally saw the two aforementioned pokémon: the former was sitting with his arms crossed, smiling, while the latter waved at him with his fingers and blew a kiss in his direction, directly mocking him. "And inside this documents is the fruit of an investigation the ETF has been conducting over the last week regarding your own organization."

These last few words caught Tharmius' attention, who bent forward and looked at the documents, his eyes glued to them, then looked at Martin, his gaze faltering when he saw that he was in fact breathing heavily. "And… what would this investigation have uncovered that is so important and also relevant to this case, mister Alex, given that as you have stated just now, that is legal evidence submitted to court." Martin turned to face Tharmius, a detail that everyone noticed.

"Well, it wouldn't surprise me if you didn't know, Mister Tharmius, as this operation has been kept secret for quite a long time. These documents detail the proceedings that certain members of the Judges of Arceus followed to steal the property and the deeds of the pokémon incarcerated and subsequently freed by the Judges!" The reveal outright sent ripples through the courtroom, making Martin shout out an objection hastily.

"This has no relevance to the case!"

"I believe it does have relevancy, mister Martin, because your name is in this list!"

"Objection overruled! What is the meaning of this, prosecution?!" The Vigoroth representative looked down at the psychic type, who swallowed in a panic, then glanced up at Tharmius again, as if searching for help. The Kommo-O however didn't provide him with a comforting gaze… but rather one that shot chills down his spine.

"I'll tell you what it means! It means that mister Martin here has a pretty good motive for pinning these crimes on my client!" He spread out the folder as he rose from his spot and walked out to the center of the room, holding a single page. "Allow me then, to explain the method that these pokémon would employ to carry out their scheme: first, since they mostly comprised those Judges that held the interrogations, they would pick specific targets with a certain monetary and property value that they thought was appropriate. Not all of them, of course, but some they would directly accuse of being conspirers and take them to trial. And as the proceedings are taking place… they would bargain with their victims, extorting them of their properties or some possessions. To do this, they would utilize law firms spread across certain cities, the names of which have no place in today's trial, and would have the victims sign documents to pass them their properties, thus enriching themselves and then liberating them under oath that their "crimes" wouldn't be brought up again as long as they said nothing of the transaction!" He showed the document he held in his hand. "This file just so happens to have Sir Martin's name on it, along with the victim, the transaction, and even a copy of the deeds for legal purposes… plenty of evidence to mount a case and show that this Judge is a very unreliable prosecutor!"

"So your claim then, defense, is that the prosecution has staged this trial and his witnesses to defame miss Elizabeth Star and steal their property!"

"Yes, your honor. And it just so happens that a year and a half ago Team Star paid to have a villa built outside of Treasure Town, near the Sharpedo Bluff. Not only is the area privileged, but the property itself is massive, fit for housing the seven pokémon that comprise the team. It is the defense's belief…" He pointed at Martin accusingly. "That he intended to take this from them by pinning the crimes on miss Star! With a motive like this, it would make sense that everything that the prosecution has used against my client is unreliable evidence!"

"Objection!" Martin rose up. "This is a personal attack! And how do we know that your evidence isn't fabricated?!"

"If you have a complaint… I suggest you speak with mister Ferrus and mister Alakard, both of which will be glad to help you conduct an investigation. Oh look, there they are." Alex waved at the two pokémon, who returned the greeting, alerting the jury for the first time of their presence among them, more whispers following these words. "At the same time, we could hold an additional investigation to contrast the declarations of your witnesses… Whatever it may be, the findings will shake his courtroom and the basis of this trial to its base!"

The possibility of everything up to that point being just a well fabricated lie from Martin, but also the idea that Alex was lying right now… they didn't know who was being truthful and who was lying, or if either side were lying. The Civil Jury burst into a loud commotion as they all rose up. "This trial is a sham! Just end it already! She's innocent then! No! She's guilty! We have other things to do!"

The judge's bench wasn't much better off either: the professional judges were avidly discussing with the special jury and the Judges of Arceus, and the Vigoroth had no idea what to do or say at a time like this, the courtroom spiraling down into was when Eric saw his chance, getting up and shouting at the top of his lungs. "Elizabeth Star isn't a monster! She was the one that helped bring down Blake and Team Uncario and together we have saved hundreds upon hundreds of pokémon! We aren't criminals or anything of the sort, because we are explorers! We fight to protect those that cannot protect themselves. We became explorers to do just that, and we'd rather die than to betray those ideals!"

His words resonated with some of the members of jury as they all joined in a single chant, the shouting increasing in volume as the sound of the Vigoroth's voice and gavel were drowned out, his voice hoarse from all the shouting as the other members of Team Star cheered and shouted alongside their leader, Elly looking up at them and her lawyer in tears, blown away by the amount of support. She now knew: there were many that believed in her, but needed a push in the right direction. Her hopes reignited, she turned to look at Tharmius… only to see him raising a claw up high, only to bring it own with force on his desk.

(Stop the music)

The sound was so loud that it was a miracle the entire desk didn't break down under the hit, albeit later on they found some claw marks on it, for which he apologized. "Silence." His voice was deeper than before, a serene and yet menacing expression on his face as he rose to his feet. "I can understand the shock and the impact of these news, for they are just as surprising to me as they are to you. However." Another hit of the desk, silencing some more whispers. "I will not tolerate this sacred courtroom to be turned into a circus. Should this continue further I shall personally see every single pokémon in this courtroom out of it, and this trial shall be declared null and void. Am I clear?"

The silence that followed his statements was crushing, and nobody dared move a muscle as he turned to face Martin. All the way up from the stands, higher than the Civil Jury and with his already intimidating size against the multicolored stained glass window behind him… he looked almost like a god, untouchable as his shadows extended downward, reaching the psychic type's feet. "And you, Martin… To think that you would be involved in such a conspiracy…" He sighed, then turned to face Ferrus, who he had spotted in the crowd long before he'd announced his presence. "This would be the reason why I plainly stated in the previous reunion of the council that both Judges and the ETF should work together. We do not have the amount of resources necessary to either discover or crack down an all these infidels."

"You mean that you knew of this from the beginning?! Hiding information like that from the police is a c-"

"Perhaps if you allow me to finish, detective Alakard, you may understand why we could not speak. It seems you have forgotten that the Cunabulanian police and the Judges are in a close relationship, and should word get out that there is an ongoing investigation the culprits would've been quick to run away or hide their trails. Discretion was absolutely necessary… something we knew that the ETF could provide, as they have the resources." Ferrus didn't say anything, but already he could tell what the Kommo-O was attempting and succeeding at.

Zed, Lucy and Nox were looking at everything in confusion, unable to comprehend what was happening. "The fuck's he talking about? He's absolutely f-"

"Damage control." Jake interrupted the electric type. "It is possible that they themselves knew of this and were truly unable to act… or these are orders from above and he is simply throwing them under the bus. The fact of the matter is, he's presenting Ferrus with an ultimatum."

"Ferrus obviously didn't get his paws on those documents through clean methods, and couldn't have been so thorough without snooping around where the Judges don't want him to, which means that he either has a mole in their group or he did something illegal. Tharmius knows this, and Ferrus does too, and neither is willing to fall in order to take the other out." Serge's addition further explained the underlying tension between those two goliaths of law and justice, which couldn't be seen nor heard, as the entire hall was dead quiet. Their eyes eventually separated and Tharmius turned downward to face Martin.

"You and your lot are the reason our organization is held with such contempt. You care neither for the will of our lord or the good of the people. You instead exploit their faith, lie and cheat just so line your own pockets. You may enjoy a plentiful life here, in the material world… and let this be heard by all!" He suddenly rose the tone of his voice so that all could hear him. "Our lord is merciful, and created the world we live in with matter so that we may enjoy it… but what awaits beyond is the true world. Material goods might make your lives in this realm more enjoyable, but never lose sight of our true prize and corrupt your souls like these sinners have!"

His words had addled the crowd, who were looking at the newfound criminal with scorn… the same scorn that they had once directed towards Elly during the trial. Those that didn't react like this and weren't lead by Tharmius' words could see just how easily the public was swayed. Their opinion changed drastically as new facts came into view, and new evidence was presented. The ease with which Tharmius had transformed that hatred towards himself and the Judges into respect was astonishing, as Martin was quickly lead out of court by the guards, unable to say much, knowing that his life was pretty much forfeit. Once the commotion after the reveal was over, the time came for their final verdict.

"Well… it appears that we have reached the end of today's proceedings. With Martin now being held for questioning for his involvement in the criminal activities described in the documents presented by the defense, the Judges no longer have a prosecutor."

"Indeed, we do not. And since the evidence that Martin had provided for the case has been put into question… due to the Judges being able to support the burden of the evidence, we concede, and claim that the defendant, Elizabeth Star… is not guilty." Everyone's eyes widened at this. "Furthermore, the Bench Jury has also found Elizabeth Star not guilty for the same reasons, and the Civil Jury has finally determined that she is found not guilty, with a rate of sixty percent pokémon voting innocent."

"It is therefore, this court's power to declare the defendant, Elizabeth Star not guilty of all the crimes presented today in court! She will have to pay court fees for the proceedings held today. Court is adjourned!" And with one final smash of the gavel, the trial was over.

There wasn't any type of celebration or cheering, asides from what Elly was able to hear from her teammates up on those stands, which was drowned out by the whispers and murmur of voices that soon flooded the court. Most were relieved that the trial was finally over, others didn't care and either were happy with the decision and others displeased. Whatever the case, the courtroom was soon emptied, with the judges and then the prosecution and defense following. As Elly was lead outside by a guard however…

"Watch your step, daughter of Blake." Her hairs stood on end as Tharmius walked by and whispered these words. "You may have evaded us today, but we have our means, as you have probably guessed from us knowing this information." She tried to open her mouth, but Tharmius predicted her words again. "Drop the act. The Judges knew who you were long before you came to Cunabula… who do you think sold you out? The quiet one? The rambunctious youth? The freedom seeker? Or perhaps the leech you call best friend? Or perhaps it was someone closer to your heart…"

"Shut up!" She turned around to face the pokémon… but he was already walking away by then, heading out through another exit while chuckling to himself, humming a strange song.

"And here we stand, all of us, wrapped in our own little web of lies…" Mocking her and the Team, he disappeared from view, leaving a feeling of dread in the air.

"Hip hip hooooorray!" They all changed at once as Elly was tossed above their heads. Now in the reception hall and with Alex, Alakard and Ferrus watching them while discussing the judicial fees, the team kept on celebrating, throwing the Eevee above their heads. "Come on guys, that's not nearly high enough! Let's do it again! Hip hip… hoooooorray!" This time Serge lead the toss and she went up very high, letting out a scream of surprise and delight before falling right into Eric's arms, receiving a tender hug and a kiss on her nuzzle.

"Phew… Hoooo… ok, I think that's enough for now guys, I don't think I can take anymore before fainting…" They all groaned in dismay, but quickly recovered. It was hard for anything to bring them down right now, almost as if the trial was well in the past… which Serge kept insisting it was, trying to push a massive celebration.

"Tell you what, we still have those reservations at the hotel right? Well, what do you guys say we head over, rest up, then go for one massive buffet?! And this time there will be no grasshole!" Once again, the allusion to Vincent was met with laughter.

"Maybe. Depends on if I get some sleep… Neither me or Alex got a wink last night."

"Yeah, same."

"Ditto." Everyone in the group responded the same way, agreeing that maybe some rest was in order before celebrating.

"Right… well, how about this: we go back home, and the moment we get there and are ready we party like there's no tomorrow!" Nox's proposal was surprisingly well received, something that made him rub the back of his neck.

"Awww, and I suppose we aren't invited then?" Alakard and Alex joined in, followed by a silent Ferrus.

"Well, if you can make the trip, then yeah… but honestly I don't see you as the type willing to travel anywhere by ship Alakard!" The fire type was taken aback by the Shinx's comment, sweating nervously.

"Woah! How'd you know?!"

"Hehehe… I'm the greatest psychic in the group! Better than Elly!"

"You sure about that? I think you're just talking from experience and bluffing to make yourself look better." Her best friend quickly shot her down, making the others laugh and eliciting a punch with a light shock from Lucy, which only made Elly giggle.

"Haha! There is no shame in it! That being said, even if I didn't have such fear from the deep murky waters of the ocean." He blinked twice, as always being comical. "Strangely poetic that was. Anyways, even if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be able to go. You guys have no idea how much paperwork just got slammed on my desk during that trial."

"Guessing it's just as thick as the files I used during the trial, eh friend?" He patted the taller pokémon's back. "Now you know my pain, whenever you send some poor sap my way to defend them in court!"

Alakard sighed and chuckled. "Yeah, guess so… still, it's not like you're not gonna be busy, so we'll both be miserable together. Again."

"Yeah. With all of that information coming to light there's going to be a lot of pokémon, and I do mean a lot, that are going to ask to have their case reopened. And that means appealing sentences, and that means work. Loads of it."

"Well, at the very least it's what you two love doing, isn't it?" Jake's eyes hid you just a tinge of admiration for the duo, which didn't go unnoticed by them.

"You betcha, little guy! Glad to see that headache is gone by the way!" Jake shrugged, smiling.

"It comes and goes."

"Right. Well, it was wonderful to finally meet Team Star in person. Have to say, you people are awesome. I can't understand why it is that everyone doesn't pay more attention to what you do… I mean did you read this morning's newspaper?" They all shook their heads in response to the Servine's inquiry, as they hadn't had the time and leisure to do so. Alakard was quick to please and walked over to one of the tables, grabbing a newspaper that had already been read and used numerous times that day, no doubt by some pokémon who was bored.

"Well, the front is less than cheerful…" The main title was some piece of news relating the trial that was to take place that morning. Thankfully, it didn't mention who it was specifically, just some exploration team. "But look at this!" He opened it somewhere near the middle and pointed at the left page.

Drowned among updates on other news,economical and political affairs was an article written that very day, relating that a brave exploration team who called themselves Team Star had successfully saved Akil Valley and its inhabitants. The article quoted "The pokémon bravely fought against a group of terrorists stationed near the town who kept assaulting the village with relentless blizzards, and came out on top. Some of the survivors have agreed to do interviews…"

"Well that's some shoddy journalism. Not even having an interview ready after three days in the cooking? Also, how come I'm not surprised that the Judge's bullshit made the front page?" Serge couldn't do anything but scoff at the article, but the others still appreciated that there was some mention of them and their deeds on the news, as small as it was.

"Sadly, with what's happened here today, I doubt the story will explode beyond some interviews in the next issues, but you're going to be talked about a little in Cunabula. If you keep up the rhythm and do your jobs well, who knows, you might just replace the Judges as the centre of attention." Alakard folded the paper and handed it to Eric, who decided to keep it to read everything in it later. "Anyways, I think that we've all earned a good night's rest. I doubt we're gonna see each other tomorrow since I'll be up to my armpits in documents so…" He leaned in and shook hands with everyone individually, shaking their paws, wings and hands with equal enthusiasm. "It's been a pleasure to meet you all! Drop by some other time, will ya?!"

"I think I'm going to be leaving with you Alakard." Alex did the same with everyone else and remained with Elly for a bit longer. "Should there be any more developments, you know where I am. Got it?" The Eevee nodded, understanding that they'd gained powerful allies that day. With that a few more short goodbyes to Ferrus, who simply smiled in acknowledgment, the duo walked out of the building and into the setting sun. Not long after, they too walked out onto the street, having a friendly conversation while Ferrus silently walked by them. It wasn't long after leaving the court of law that they were stopped once again my familiar faces.

"There they are!" Celebi called out and pointed at the group, she and Grovyle quickly approaching them, the pink legendary quickly hugging Elly. "Oh, I was so worried! We just heard of the trial and we came here as fast as possible! When is it going to happen?! Who is the opposing party! Oh I'm going to give them a piece of mind and throw them into the past!" Celebi was absolutely livid, while Grovyle seemed much calmer and collected, though was still quite coloured, as if he'd been running not too long ago.

"Oh, hi Celebi. You're kinda…" Elly pointed at her neck, signaling she couldn't breathe in the pokémon's bearhug, and was quickly released. "Phew. It's alright, everything came out right. We won the trial, so no need to worry yourself, Cele-"

"Wait, it's already over?! We were late! Quick, Grovyle we need to travel back in time an-"

"We're doing no such thing!" He shouted, clearly exhausted. "Not again!" He wasn't angry or upset, if anything he was downright terrified of jumping through another one of those time hoops. "We've been trying to do that all afternoon, have some mercy on me Celebi!"

"Oh this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't overslept… I'm so sorry girl!" She hugged her again, eliciting another yelp from the normal type.

"Well, at least someone managed to skip it… It was as boring as watching paint dry anyways, but nooooo, I had to stay awake in case something happened." Nox wasn't amused by all of this, and quickly they all began talking amicably, with the newcomers asking how the trial had gone down. Seeing that he wasn't a part of the conversation and that he was no longer required to be there, Ferrus turned around and took a few steps away from them…

"Hey Ferrus!" He halted as he tried to slip away unnoticed, turning around to find Eric facing him, a worried look on his face. He gave the Riolu a tired smile.

"You aren't the only ones who didn't get to sleep last night. Assembling those documents was a pain in the ass. I need to get some sleep and get ready for tomorrow. The real investigation starts next morning, and I have to be ready t-"

"Thanks." Eric cut him short, confusing the jackal. They all looked at the aged Lucario as well, repeating the Riolu's words or gesturing towards him in gratitude. "If it hadn't been for you finding those documents… Elly wouldn't have gotten out of there. We owe you." He once again, remained silent, looking at the ground. He then rose his gaze and smiled weakly, something that cheered up the others.

"Don't mention it. It is the least I can do personally for all the service you've done for me and the rest of this world through all these years. I'll have a few busy weeks starting tomorrow, but who knows, after that I may drop by Treasure Town. It's been ages since I last went to Spinda's, or tasted Zed's cooking for that matter."

"Oh, you cook?" Celebi quickly asked once Ferrus said this, making the Zorua blush.

"Y-yes, a little bit…"

"Now, with your permission. Good luck, and I'll see you all soon, hopefully." He waved at them and the others waved back and thanked him again. As he walked away, he overheard their conversation.

"Well, you're gonna have to help me make a huge feast, Zed cutie pie, because we've got a lot of things to celebrate!"

"Woah, such as?"

"Oh, you haven't heard? Dusknoir's getting the third degree and are moving him from Cunabula to Treasure Town, so he'll be closer to all of us!" The news caught everyone by surprise, specially a certain ice type, and they started celebrating again. Ferrus was long gone by then however, having slipped into the mob of pokémon walking up and down the streets, concerning themselves with their daily lives. As he walked and avoided walking or bumping into others, he exchanged furtive glances with some or looked at others. He wondered just what was going through their minds, what was keeping them so blind and oblivious to the dangers that were slowly creeping up upon that city.

He made it back to his apartment by nightfall, closing and locking the door behind him. He rested against the wooden frame and breathed in the stagnant air of his room, borderline intoxicating after having gotten such a nice breath of fresh air during that long walk. He meditated, he thought, and collected his thoughts, then walked over to his desk, opened a cupboard and pulled out a metallic tray with cigarettes. He put one in his mouth and opened a box of matches, lighting the end and extinguishing it before sitting down, pouring himself a glass of brandy and shuffled through documents on his desk, while pulling up a waste bin closer to him. It was filled with crumpled up papers and half written letters, though soon a massive stack of files and folders followed. He grabbed photographs, paintings of a certain Roselia, glanced at them and at the notes written underneath… only to then tear them apart and toss them in.

The last thing to go was a file with a full name and surname on it.

"Vincent Magnolia."

Without zero hesitation, he tore apart, broke and trashed months upon months of research, stuffing them into the bin and pushing them down. Once it was all down in the bottom, he grabbed the glass of brandy, took a sip, and poured the rest of it into the bin, to finally end by tossing the cigarette in his mouth inside. The fire spread quickly, consuming all the evidence and reducing it to ashes. The smoke that filled the room was soon too much to bear, and yet he still calmly walked over to the window and pushed it open, letting the fresh air of the night flow in for the first time in weeks, the smoke flying out in small, almost translucent strands of gray hairs, ascending towards the starry sky where they vanished without leaving a trace. He watched this all happen, and let out a sigh.

"Indomatia, eh…"