I am sorry for not updating for a while now. You see, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun sidetracked me and I forgot to upload chapter 3. Gah, I love the anime and manga. I know it's no excuse but when I start something and it clicks with me, I go wild and not tend to anything else. If its any consolation, I did try logging on since last Friday but I kept getting this 503 error. Weird. Oh well, not like anyone lost sleep over this story.

Anyways, that's enough of my ranting. On with the chapter.

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Chapter 3: Where is the evidence?

Day(s) passed: 0

The prince and the accused suspect, Erza Knightwalker, strolled slowly along the familiar streets of the royal city. As usual, an assortment of people walked through this busy avenue, going about their day. The news about the murder still lingered in the air and from time to time, those who recognized the now infamous redhead steered clear of her way as if she carried the plague. She scoffed. How cute. She frightened them.

Knightwalker winced and clicked her tongue. Placing pressure on her injured foot wasn't the smartest idea on her part. "Erza." The prince patted his shoulder. "You can use me as an impromptu crutch." With gritted teeth, she took him up on his offer and leaned against him. "Didn't I hand you a cane earlier? You should've brought it with you." A vein popped on her forehead. His tone sounded friendly enough but when she processed it, it came out more condescending. "Do you want me to carry you? Quite frankly, I believe we'll reach our destination faster if I do so."

A devious smirk marred her lips. "Tsk. You just want an excused to touch me." Taken aback by her words, he immediately denied it. What kind of a man did she think he was? Jellal wondered what goes through this woman's head sometimes. Then again, it was best not to wonder about it. "Erza, I worry about your mental state. I was raised properly. I wouldn't grope you for any reason." She pointed her pointer finger at the prince's face.

"Ha! I can throw you several reasons. You want some?" A weary sigh escaped his mouth. On one hand, concern settled on his mind about how lightly she was handling the charges brought up against her. On the other, he was glad that she was still in high spirits considering her current situation. Facing a serious charge like murder would rattle anybody without the proper mental aptitude. Now that he pondered on it, perhaps this was her way of saying that she trusts him to see this through and that they will overcome this challenge together, no matter what the obstacle may be. The very notion filled him with joy and hope. Right here is camaraderie at its finest. It brought tears in his eyes.

From his right, the stone-faced Knightwalker observed the prince and admired the stupid cheery expression dancing across his face. She wondered what goes through his head sometimes. Noticing her scrutinizing stare, he shifted his head and forced out a smile. "Let's trudge along, Erza. Arriving there by nightfall would be ideal, yes?" If she could, she would stomp on his feet for his unnecessary comment. "I'm not walking that slow…Jerry." Simply by calling him "Jerry" soured his mood. His lips quivered in irritation. Satisfied by his blatant annoyance, she allowed him to lead her to the crime scene.

Several minutes later, they reached that dreaded dark alleyway. The light bulb that once flickered above had burnt out but the light from the afternoon sun shined brightly without discrimination so it wasn't literally dark. Although, it was merrily sunny outside, it wasn't enough to extinguish the ominous atmosphere that seeped out of this area and it unsettled the prince. Chancellor Santier supposedly died at this spot and Erza was near at hand when it happened. Distress for his dear friend weighted on him. Anxiety must be overwhelming her by revisiting this place. He knew he shouldn't have brought her here but the context of the area could trigger a response from her current amnesiac self.

Drool dripped out of her mouth. She slurped it back up. "Oi, Jellal. I'm hungry. When is lunch?" He shouted at her to focus and mentally kicked himself for even worrying about her. Erza glanced down at the pavement where the Chancellor's body was found and directed the prince's attention to the ground. "Here, you say?" Disturbingly enough, she described every detail of the Chancellor's injuries, from the deep cuts on his legs and to the clean slash on his throat. "Your ability to recall his injuries is quite…astounding, Erza. However, is anything returning to you prior to your involvement here in this alleyway?" She was drawing a blank. "My head was spinning at the time. I think I was drugged…or something."

"And yet you are able to recall the late Chancellor's injuries in perfect detail. I read the notes the coroner had made and they were exactly what you described." Her shoulders became taut as she avoided eye contact with the prince. "I've seen your chancellor's injuries before. When I was a kid, there was a corpse on the middle of the street with these kinds of wounds." Her facial exterior darkened.

"How are you positive the chancellor's injuries are the same?"

"That kind of thing can't be easily erased…" Knightwalker grabbed her head.

"I'm so close. You won't run away…"

Visions of white eyes invaded the banks of her mind. Was that her voice?

"Erza! What's happening to you?" Jellal steadied her footing. Knightwalker scratched her head in frustration. "My memory is impeccable! FLAWLESS, I say. So why am I running a blank when it comes to the events of 4 days ago?"With one swift move, she balled her fist and punched the prince's stomach with her good hand. "Dammit." Jellal grunted in pain and clutched his aching abdomen. What was that for?

He raised his guard and blocked another incoming blow. "Erza, don't hit me. It hurts." A guttural growl emanated from her. "That's the point, idiot!" He petted her head. "Erza, relax." That earned him a whack on the chin. "I'm not a dog, but…" She took his hand and urged him to rub her head again. "Resume." For some reason an image of a puppy wagging her tail happily popped up in his head.

"Oi, what are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." He lightly brushed her off. "At any rate, if you're fine then let us not deflect from our current objective. We should search the area. We might root out a clue that was missed." He propped her up against the wall and commanded her to stay. "Don't exert yourself too much, okay?" She said nothing and studied the area from where she was.

After careful and agonizing perusal of the alleyway and its surrounding neighbors, nothing was turning up. Not a hide or hair of witnesses saw what transpired before Erza and the Chancellor was found.

Someone must've heard a noise of the scuffle. Injuries that the redhead sustained weren't for show. She fought against an assailant strong enough to overwhelm her at her full strength. At least that was his theory. He knew the type of fighter Erza was and she never held back, no matter whom she fought. If the old chancellor was her opponent, he would've lost instantly and she would not have her wounds. Besides the late Chancellor Santier had arthritis. That was a known fact. He could barely open doors let alone had the strength to initiate a one-on-one with Knightwalker. There was the possibility of the chancellor's bodyguard intervening but as far as the prince knows, the bodyguard didn't even realize the old chancellor was missing. That in itself was conspicuous. How could the Chancellor drop out of his guard radar? Was there another guard that hasn't turned up yet or someone else completely unknown. Regardless, there were hardly any visible sign of a struggle here. Hmmm…there must be…

Erza followed his head as it shook back and forth, no doubt erasing and jotting down ideas in his head. Deep in his thoughts, he couldn't bother to conceal the excited smile on his lips, completely betraying the solemnness he was exuding earlier. Was he onto something? Maybe, maybe not but there was no denying the fact that he was surrounded by this peculiar glow that exhibited an air of gleeful wonder. To be honest, it was rather morbid and intriguing. Despite investigating the old man's death, the prince still found a way to entertain himself. Never mind gaining the veracity of the whole story. The prince was thriving in this murder for he jumped the first chance to investigate it. This was riveting to him. Maybe it was because the sense of mystery and the strange always fascinated him. Originating from childhood, she thought that was why he followed her around even after he returned to the tedium of his rich and pampered life. Possibly, it was why they were brought together. So she could stimulate his dull, compliant existence and all the while, bring constancy in her ever so changing life.

They were indeed an odd pair.

Wanting to hear his opinions, she flicked his forehead to gain his attention. "Oi, fill me in. What's got you all hot and bothered?" His smile immediately drooped down to a frown and she puzzled over if he was indeed aware of his grin before. "It's a work in progress. It just doesn't add up." More groans and sighs flowed out from him. "Jellal, forget about the murder scene for a sec. Obviously it's getting us nowhere. You mentioned something about a coroner's report. I only got a glanced at the overlaying wounds and you said I described them perfectly well but what about detailed impressions? Like bruising underneath the clothes, claw marks…occult markings? Smiley faces, anything really."

His eyes widened. He completely forgot about the coroner's report. Stated in the documents suggested several bruises on the Chancellor's wrists, indicating that he was detained by something tight and metallic. Most likely iron shackles similar to what someone would find in a crude jail cell. However, no such tools were found in the crime scene. Where could they be? Dumped elsewhere, or it was never brought here in the first place. Erza also had bruising on her wrists meaning that in some point she was bound just like the Chancellor.

So was her fate the same as Santier? He shuddered at thought. No, that couldn't be right. His injuries imply torture while hers are more defensive. To go through such lengths to capture someone and risk them remembering...Then, his friend was being framed. Surely with her bad attitude, she would've gathered several enemies along her wild trail. Another possibility could be that she was simply at the wrong place, wrong time and whoever the perpetrators were used Erza merely for convenience. Whatever the case may be they made sure she wouldn't recall the events and become the perfect scapegoat. How could anyone manage to erase one's memories? Hmmm, she could've been dosed by a drug. She did say she felt groggy. With the advancement of modern medicine, he was not surprised drugs that abolish memories were being experimented on.

His hands trembled. In spite of all this, he was grateful she didn't meet her end. How could he handle her absence, knowing that he would never see her again? To witness her once vibrant eyes turn lifeless, her body bloodied and…

"Blood…blood!" An idea suddenly cropped up. "Erza, Can you remember if there was a profuse amount of blood on or around the body?" She stroked her chin. "Naw, don't think so." She glanced up at his serious face. "Soooo…what are you tryin' to say?" He explained his thoughts to her. "Assembling the clues we've gathered, I can safely conclude that this alleyway is not where the murder took place. This area is busy, even in the wee hours of the morning since the markets are nearby, but no one heard or saw anything?" He continued his musings to her and the more animated he spoke, the more she nodded her head in quick succession. "The coroner said the body was already cold, to the point where rigor mortis had already dissipated, meaning that he's been dead for at least 24 hours. No way could it have happened right there and then as it was proposed by the royal council."

"Right…"

"Erza, Rigor Mortis is when a corpse stiffens due to various chemical changes within the dead muscles. The limbs of the recent decease become stiff. It happens after four hours give or take after death." She crossed her arms. "I know what it means. I ain't an idiot."

"I wasn't mocking your intelligence." A deadpan expression visited her face. "Tch, whatever. So bottom line is that I got shot in the ass by an asshat and now I'm eating the charge that's supposed to be for him or them." Elegantly put, as expected of her. "Yes, that's correct. I believe you were simply dumped here to take the fall. Murders in the highest degree have been recent in the past few months and it has been directed towards the members of the royal council. The killer, or killers wanted to divert any attention away from them and transfer them all to you."

She crossed her arms. "Why would they do that? If no one knew of their involvement then there's no need to frame anyone. Unless, they panicked cuz somebody IS already on their trail? Who could that bloke be?" That was a question that needed sorting out. "Who, indeed." Leaning against the wall beside Knightwalker, all Jellal could muster is a heavy sigh. Every bit of revelation they could come up with meant nothing. His father's has knowledge of the coroner's notes so Jellal knew his old man wanted more. They will need more substance than the other clues they found today. He'll inform his father of what they've gathered but he doubts anything will change.

"Fret not, Erza. We'll skewer this bastard yet." At the very least, Jellal has a better understanding of the murder. All they demand for is some physical evidence. Contextual evidence was fine but physical evidence will further strengthen their case.

"Jellal, you look like you could use a hug." He waited for an embrace as soon as she uttered her words but nothing came. She blinked when he gaze at her with anticipation, like a lad waiting for his toy to be delivered to him. Awkwardly standing at arms length from her position caused his cheek to flush but he never broke eye contact with her. "It's the thought the counts, right?" She commented coolly. Of course…what was he expecting? Slightly feeling embarrassed for his childlike whims, he lowered his head down to the dirty, cemented floor. It was like someone had thrown a large boulder on his head.

"Huh?" Something below caught his eye. A little close to his feet is a grate, preferably used for draining out waters to minimize flooding during the rainy season. "What, Jel?" The prince squatted down. It might not be anything but there was an object that floated there, contrasting the blackness of the water. "What is that?" Removing his coat and rolling up his sleeves, he stuck his fingers into the wide squares of the grate. He lifted the weighty metal frame off of the ground and set it aside. Murky, insidious sewer waters threatened to pull him down into the abyss, drowning him whole until he realized that could never happen. He was far too big to fall into this tiny hole. Erza nudged his shoulder. "Are you sticking your hands in there? What for?" Jellal reached in and stuck his tongue out in disgust. Roaming his hand inside the gutter, he quickly searched for the object he saw just a moment ago. Finally, he made contact with the texture of a foamy item. Once he got a grip on it, he snatched his hand back to the surface.

"Jel, you should burn your hands. That's the only way to get rid of the smell." She inspected the dirtied thing he dangled from his hands. "It's a key." It was attached to a small muddy diamond shaped keychain made out of foam. Jellal gasped as his body trembled in sheer agony. His arm was fully outstretched, signaling Erza to take the object away from his person. "I ain't touching that." His face scrunched up into a tearful pout. "FINE! Just give it to me." Temporary relief rushed through his face. "There's a café just a few blocks from here. It's homey and I know someone who works there. Let's see if we can get this mess cleaned up."

Ten minutes of laborious walking finally got them to The Fleur. A pink haired waiter was the first to welcome the customers. His customary collared sleeves and ironed dress pants implied this café wasn't an ordinary "get together" kind of place. "Welcome. Huh? Mystogan, is that you?" Jellal weakly smiled. "Natsu, we need the bathroom." The prince spoke with urgency in his voice. Natsu pointed his fingers to the restrooms and soon they were gone. It was a single bathroom stall so when Natsu noted they both went in at the same, he thought he had to prepare himself for strange noises again.

Jellal ripped off his buttoned shirt and chucked it on the clean tiled floor. He squirted the tub of soap on his arms and scrubbed violently. While he was on his frenzied sanitizing, she borrowed the sink and leisurely washed her hands. She rinsed off the rest of the grime on the keychain. "If you told me what you were planning, I would've stuck my hands in there instead." Once all the dirt was gone, she inspected the design of the foam. Initials "L.D." were branded on the middle of the diamond shape keychain. There were faded words but she couldn't quite grasp what they spelled out. "It's a four sided key." Her words dissolved into nothing as the other party involve paid no attention. "Jel, are you listen—" He began washing his hair. "Are you insane?" With her patience wearing thin, she rattled his head with one chop. "You're very clean now, you pillock!" She unrolled a couple of paper towels for him. "Yes, you have my gratitude for ceasing my irrational behavior. What were you saying?"

She rested on a dark velvety couch. A series of questions arose in her mind upon closer inspection of this washroom. First of all, why is there a couch in the bathroom? Second, why was the wallpaper depicting half-naked men riding bicycles? Lastly, why is the odor lavender-scented? That was not a natural water closet smell!

"Erza, I've identified your mood. You're quite flabbergasted." That was one way of putting it.

"Yes, this WC is extraordinary."

"I know. It's the couches, I presume. It's comfortable." These loveseats were the least of her concern. Does he not see the wallpaper? "Sure. Sit here while you watch someone else shit." He tossed his coat on and slumped next to her. "So what about the four sided key. I am not aware that this type is being manufactured somewhere." Elucidating him on her knowledge of the key, she started off by saying that most of them weren't mainstream anymore due to the difficultly of how they were duplicated. The key was more of hassle that it was worth. They fell into obsolete as new forms of keys were created.

Jellal eyed her warily. "Why are you well informed in terms of this subject?" Her lips curved up slyly. "I like keys and locks. Everybody needs a hobby, right?" He decided to ignore that last bit. The prince had inkling as to what that hobby could be and he'd rather just leave it up to the imagination. "What can they unlock?" She stroked her chin. "Currently, there's not much these rascals can do. Maybe it can shiv an old safe but really where would that be?" Knightwalker leaned against the softness of the furniture. Why were they so caught up with this damn key? Were they so desperate for anything that they start connecting dots out of thin air? "I am acquainted with a locksmith. We'll visit them." Doubt seeped out of her visage followed by a disparaging smile. The prince scooted closer to her. " Erza, we retrieved this key within the proximity of the alleged crime scene. Its importance might not be relevant as of yet but that's what we need to unravel. It's what we have and I know it's not much to go on. Keep your spirits up." The edge of her mouth slightly arched upwards.

"I still don't understand why there's a couch in the bathroom. Do people have sex here or something?" With that said, Jellal sprung to his feet. "What? Sex is perfectly natural." Jellal politely advised her to keep quiet.

The two turned their attention to the knocking on the other side of the door. "Ummm, Mystogan." That young waiter from before nervously called out. "Are you both done there?" The prince revealed himself and Natsu breathed out as if he was holding his breath for the past half hour.

Erza placed her forearm on Jellal's shoulders and smirked. She knew she had the right kind of audience for her off-color quips. "The rubber broke. You got a spare, mate?" Both men reddened at what she said. "Yes, it'll be 100 jewels." It was her turn to be surprised. "You sell rubber for a small cost? How precious. We'll take 30." The prince shook his head and told Natsu to ignore her utterance.

"No we won't be taking any. However, we will need a table." They could use a lunch break. It was nearly 5:00 pm. Tittering, Erza managed to contort what he said into her way of putting things. He made retorting really easy. "Whether on the table or couch, I'm free to do it anywhere you'd like, honey."

"Quiet, Erza, before I take you up on your offer."

"Oh please do. Anything to release tension." Natsu swayed to and fro between the redhead and the prince. Should he fetch some for them? Jellal noticed his friend's discomfort and patted his shoulder. "She and I are merely joking." The young waiter led them to a two-sitter near the window. The bar was visible from where they sat. Natsu stole a peek at Erza's appearance and gulped. Anxious about their previous confrontation, he shakily hands them the menus. Her lips twitched up eerily. His fear of her was palpable and it was delicious. "Erza, if you can kindly cease that shady grin of yours, we both would appreciate it." She crossed her legs and reverted back to her usual impassive self. "Don't be troubled by her, Natsu. She is practically harmless." Natsu bowed his head and announced he will be back in a short few after they've read over the menu.

Knightwalker surveyed the café. Dim lighting alongside deep saxophone music swamped the informal environment. A disparity between the pastel colors of the walls and the crimson mahogany floorboards were apparent but for some reason it suited the place rather well. The soft jingle of the bell declared that new customers had entered and Erza's eyes scrolled towards the two gentlemen walking hand in hand. Jellal described this place as "homey" and "café-like" and certainly the vibe was there but not the way she was used to. "Jellal, they sell Johnnies in jar like its candy!" She exclaimed when she located the clear jar filled with square packets perched on top of the bar table. "What are Johnnies? You seem too ecstatic, Erza. Simmer down now." He scanned the menu only to be interrupted by Knightwalker. She slammed her fists on the table. "I am not ecstatic. Jel, this is not a café." Quizzically eyeing the woman in front of him, he questioned her what this place was then.

"It's a gay bar." She whispered.

"It is? But the pastrami sandwiches are yummy. Want to order it?" He beamed.

"Sure." She responded hastily. Apprehension knocked on her door when several heated stares hovered by their table. These rapacious eyes were not meant for her. For the perceptive man that he was, some things sail over his head sometimes.

"Ummm…" Natsu stood in the sidelines while he waited for the pair to finish their conversation. "Natsu, you should've notified us of your presence. I promise you. Erza won't bite." The waiter shoved a worn leather messenger bag on Knightwalker's face. "Here, please take it back!"

It took a few seconds before his actions registered in her brain. "What's your deal, mate—" The bag that was rudely thrust on her belonged to her. "Please take it back. You told me to keep it so now that you're here, just take it back. It's making me uneasy."

"What? How did—" She stammered out. How did this kid obtain her bag?

…

Dundundun…To be continued. Anyways, I decided to end it there. Cute little Mystogan. Don't you just to punch and hug him at the same time. No? Is it just me? Okay fine.

Next time, we'll meet Jellal's brigade and a few council members.

If anyone is confused about what happened in this chapter, I'll appreciate it if I am told in the comment section. I'll do my best to clarify any confusion.

And yes I heard you, 27kirune12. Nichiya will be making a scene soon. :)

Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

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Oh you can ignore this little bit. If you want to read it be my guest but over here is where I'll be adding some short dialogue that I removed from the story since I couldn't find a place to put them.

This is from this chapter.

Title: You could've been kidnapped!

Erza: Are you daft, Jel? Do you frequent this "café" often?

Jellal: Yes, I do. Why not? The dishes here are appetizing.

Erza: (pauses) You could've been kidnapped!

Jellal: What? That's ridiculous! Most of the people here are good-natured. Where is your imagination flying off to this time?

Erza: Do you realize how pretty you are? One of these days, someone will snatch you here and that will be the day I say, "I told you so."

Jellal: I can't ascertain whether you are complementing or ridiculing me.