Chapter Eighteen: Elegy For Alain

"ASH KETCHUM IS DOING FINE!"

"Hey!" May said, clutching onto her ears. For somebody who had been arrested, Ash seemed to be extremely content. May was astonished to see Ash standing behind the cold glass with his hands in the air and big grin on his face. "How did you learn to shout like that?"

"Your friend, Apollo taught me." Ash smirked with Pikachu on his shoulder. He sat back down on his seat. "Sorry May, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh you didn't scare me at all." May lied as she dragged the chair out from the desk and pounced down on the plastic seat. "I just didn't expect it. So... you shared a cell with Simon Blackquill?"

Ash nodded. "I taught him all about Pokémon. All the regions I went to, and all my achievements."

"How did he react to it all?" May wondered. She couldn't see Blackquill as a man who would be interested in Pokémon. But now that Athena has a Pokémon, May wondered if Blackquill was going to go and catch some at some point. Contrary to popular myth, Pokémon was for all ages: not just for kids.

"He seemed quite interested actually," Ash responded. "He quickly picked up on things like stats and types. He also used some sort of psychological manipulation to get his own way."

"He mentioned that you had a battle with another trainer in prison," May said. Ash stopped smiling the moment the battle was mentioned. May took a deep breath before she continued talking. "He didn't give a lot of details about the match, only that the other trainer got killed."

"Alain..." Ash muttered. His shoulders tensed up as his head rolled over to his left shoulder. "He was arrested for murdering Professor Sycamore."

"Alain was the name of the person you battled?" May asked as she leaned over the bulletproof grass.

Ash nodded. "I battled him more than once. I faced him in the Lumiose Conference. I gave it everything I had, but in the end... he won."

"I've never heard of him before until now," May admitted. "Sounds like he was a really powerful trainer."

Ash nodded. "And I knew he was innocent!" Ash slammed both of his fists against the glass, and then reached out his hands where May's fingers were resting. "When he told me why he'd been imprisoned, I just knew that Team Flare were responsible for Professor Sycamore's death."

May gasped. "Do you know if Alain's innocence was every proven?"

"It was," Ash sighed. His body slid back onto his chair as he buried his head in his hands. "The day after he died."

"How did he die in the battle?" May asked. She refused to believe that Ash was a killer, even after all this time. She recalled the time when May was in hospital, Ash had told her that he had done something terrible in prison. She was ready to defend Ash again, if he had to go on trial for Alain's death.

"Prison had always been pretty tough," Ash admitted. "But, it was a great place to train. I was considered one of the best trainers in the clink. When I met Alain again, we decided to have a battle. It was a really great battle, it was so intense, but the battle was quickly put to an end."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The ceiling collapsed. We never got to finish the battle," Ash sobbed. "He was killed instantly. It's all my fault!" Ash stomped both his feet and he screamed, "I'M NOTHING MORE THAN A KILLER!"

"Hold on a second," May cried out. "How did the ceiling collapse?"

Ash shrugged his shoulders. Seeing Ash so sad and vulnerable just made May want to smash the glass and hug him like a girl had never hugged before. "Maybe the sensation of the battle was too much for the building to handle. It's a fragile building. It's always cold and has cracks all over the walls."

"Didn't anyone intervene because of health and safety regulations?" May wondered.

"That''s the last thing you think about when you're behind bars," Ash told her. "At that point, it didn't matter to me."

"But Alain's death was an accident," May pleaded. "It has to be!" If they really believed that there was any foul play involved, they would have arrested you, but they didn't." She couldn't bare to see Ash blame himself for all the terrible things that had been to him the past five years.

"That's the bitter truth," Ash sighed. "If I hadn't have challenged Alain to a battle that day, he would still be alive today. He would have been released."

"And you're going to be released soon," May cried out. "And Serena too. I'll prove to you that Iris is the culprit."

"I can gather that she hates me," Ash admitted. "But why would she want Serena to be punished?"

"I think Iris intended on killing Shelly De Killer from the very beginning," May told Ash.

"What?" Ash gasped. "But she said that nobody was to die..."

"Your mother was killed," May reminded him. The cold facts hit them both like a tonne of bricks. "Along with Cilan and Drayden. And I don't think that the assassin murdered any of them."

"Are you trying to say that Iris killed all three of them?" Ash had a disgusted expression on his face. He was shocked beyond relief.

"I think somebody killed Drayden and framed Shelly De Killer for the crime," May concluded. "Whilst trying to get revenge, she messed up and killed Cilan by mistake. Then she got all of you guys to help her out. But Iris messed up again, Shelly De Killer was right there in front of her. She fired a shot the moment that Shelly De Killer walked into the house but the bullet hit your mother."

"Who do you think killed Drayden?" Ash asked May curiously.

"Somebody who disliked both Drayden and Cilan," May admitted. "Perhaps Drayden's killer wanted Shelly De Killer to do the dirty work for him, but De Killer declined. Drayden was too old and Cilan was too young."

"The only person I can think off is Lance," Ash admitted. "He never got on with Drayden and Cilan didn't like him all that much either." May lowered her head and leaned her forehead against the glass. "Hey!" Ash cried out. "What's wrong?"

"I wanted to believe that Lance was innocent," May admitted. "On Kari's trial he admitted to killing Shelly De Killer. But it couldn't have been him because Kari said she heard a female voice. That voice belonged to Iris."

"You've got the proof," Ash said. "The card that I gave to you."

May took out Shelly De Killer's calling card from out of her pocket. "So Lance killed Drayden, told Iris that it was the assassin and ever since, she's been on the path of revenge."

"She blames me and Serena for her plans failing," Ash sighed. "That's gotta be it! She must have planned on framing Serena from the very beginning. How could I have been so dense? I knew with Serena's fingerprints on the gun, and Misty seeing her with it, I knew that she would have been the prime suspect."

"And that's why you did what you did."

"And the day Misty was poisoned," Ash said, "I don't even know if Misty was meant to be the original target."

May shook her head. "I think Iris had every intention of killing Serena that day. Do you really blame yourself for that too?"

Ash nodded.

"But that wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known that was what Iris was planning."

"I still can't believe that Iris would do something like this," Ash admitted. He looked up at May. "Don't be too hard on Iris, I think she's a victim in all of this too."

"A victim?" May asked, raising an eyebrow in utter confusion. "But she's the real villain behind all of this."

Ash shook his head. "She's been through a lot, and that's how why she turned out to be a murderer."

May couldn't believe that Ash was actually sympathising with Iris. She was the one responsible for all of this mess in the first place. "She used her position to betray you. She blamed you and Serena for her failures."

"A part of me must have known she killed Mom," Ash admitted as he curled himself into a ball. He banged his head against the table and then slowly raised his head. "How could I have been so dense?"

"Did Alain ever ask you why you were behind bars?" May asked curiously.

Ash nodded. "I told him I killed my mother.."

"He didn't believe you did he?"

Ash sniffled. "I don't know if he did or not, he seemed quite shocked."

"Did he know Iris?"

"I'm pretty sure he knew Lance," Ash replied. "Iris, I'm not so sure. How is Serena doing?"

"She's fine," May replied. "She's been smiling a lot. She's confident that she will get the right verdict."

"That's good."

"But there's one thing I don't understand," May admitted to Ash. "Why does Iris hate Serena so much? Serena seems like a lovely girl. I can't think of any reason why she would drag Serena into her plan like that?"

Ash shrugged. "Wait... maybe that time when she invited me to go and see her and Cilan, but I already had plans to go camping with Serena, Bonny and Clemont."

"Is that why she would put you both through this?" May asked. She slammed her fist against the desk and shouted out, "what an evil bitch!"

"Hey! You shouldn't talk about your cousin like that!" Ash snapped. May glared at him. "Oh...sorry."

"I forgot...we share the same great-grandmother."

"Her grandma and Mia's Mom were sister's right?"

May nodded. "She's nothing to me legally because I was adopted. If it wasn't for Iris' mother, this could have all been different."

"I heard the Fey Clan were pretty nasty back in the day," Ash explained. "Iris never had one good thing to say about her family. A lot corrupt politics, blackmail and murder happened within the family. You may not have known your birth family as a child, but after hearing the stories Iris used to tell me in Unova, it's probably for the best."

"For the best?"

"Your biological father murdered your biological grandmother," Ash told May. "Your aunt was framed for murder three times, Iris' aunt was framed for murder, and her grandmother got arrested for being an accomplice to murder. There are more examples, but I can't remember them all."

"How do you know all this stuff?" May asked.

"Iris told me the day she came to visit Serena in the detention centre," Ash explained. "I was confused, but now it all makes sense. And if you had stayed with the Fey clan," Ash added. "You would never have met me. Who's going to save Serena? And can you really imagine a life without your Pokémon? "

"I've had a hard enough time living without you for all these years," May admitted.

"I can understand why Norman and Caroline never told you," Ash declared. "They lost their little girl, but she was in a sense reborn from you."

"I haven't heard from them since I discharged myself from hospital."

"You should call them," Ash demanded. "They'll be worried sick about you. Promise me you'll call them tonight?"

May nodded. "Of course I will." May stood up, frowned and then lowered her head. "I've got to get going now. But don't worry, I'll sort this whole mess out."

"Thank you," Ash said as he blew a kiss at her. "I'll see you tomorrow... May. Love you!"

"I love you too," May said as she walked out of the room.

Two hours had passed by since May left the detention centre. She called in at the agency and saw Athena alone with the paperwork. May went over and sat next to Athena. "Hey there," she said.

"Where have you been?" Athena cried.

"I visited Ash."

"Oh," Athena said. "How did it go?"

"Found out Ash was nearly arrested for another murder when he was in prison," May admitted.

Athena gasped. "The Pokémon battle with Alain, right?"

May nodded. "He still feels pretty guilty about it."

"Apollo defended Alain in court," Athena told May.

"Apollo did?"

Athena nodded vigorously. "The first time he ever lost a trial. He kept a very brave face, but I knew he was heartbroken inside."

"Are you talking about Alain's trial?" Apollo asked as he walked out of Phoenix's office. He looked as if he was pretty hard done by.

"Who were you up against?" May asked. She wondered if it was Iris.

"Iris Den, and I don't have a very high opinion of her," Apollo admitted. "She knew that Alain was innocent, but she went ahead and prosecuted him like a criminal anyway. Had the whole court wrapped round her little finger. "

"What happened after the guilty verdict?"

"Spoke to some witnesses," Apollo explained. "I never gave up. I investigated the case further. I ended up finding the hideout of Team Flare. Various members of Team Flare got caught and they admitted that their leader was responsible for Professor Sycamore's death. I was pleased that Alain was found innocent, but disappointed that he had died in prison."

"Damn," May gritted her teeth. "That sounds awful."

"Though I couldn't have proven Alain's innocence without Serena Yvonne."

"As in my client?"

Apollo nodded. "To be honest," Apollo suddenly frowned. "I lost respect for you in Ash's retrial." It hit May hard, but she could understand why Apollo would say that. She nodded as Apollo continued talking. "Serena was obviously set up. When I knew Serena had been arrested, I knew then that the real killer had to be Iris Den."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" May asked Apollo.

"Because Mr. Wright told me not to," Apollo replied with a slick grin. "Besides, I had no evidence. He had a feeling that you would find the truth out for yourself."

"HEY GUYS!" Athena cried out as she glued her eyes on the screen. "Take a look at this!"

"What is it Athena?" May jumped as she saw a picture of Franziska and her Bellossom on the front page of the website. "What's Franziska doing there?" She read out the words on the screen with a dazzled look on her face. "The youngest daughter of Manfred and Fantina Von Karma bravely challenged and defeated the Elite Four and Champion Lance in the early hours of this morning. She is now the new Pokémon league champion."

"Wow!" Athena gasped. "She's a champion! And to think May, you beat her in battle. She must have been training really hard."

"Just as she was about to lose." May continued to read the article out loud. "Her Bellossom turned things around."

"Well that's strange," Athena said. "How did Bellossom beat a load of powerful dragons but lose against Beautifly?"

"Franziska didn't have anything to counter Beautifly," Apollo replied to Athena's question. "Anyway, I remember her Bellossom knowing dazzling gleam, which is a fairy-type move. Using type-advantages does help, but doesn't always guarantee a victory."

"Since Lance is longer a champion," May said, "he'd be in the detention centre now, wouldn't he?"

"He would have been arrested eventually," Apollo explained. "His immunity wouldn't have lasted forever. Twenty-five years or as soon as the champion is dethroned, whatever is the quickest."

"That would explain why Lance would confess to Shelly De Killer's murder," May exclaimed. Then she realised something revolutionary. Drew had access to his father's hit-list on the computer. "Drayden wasn't on De Killer's hit-list. HOLD IT! I remember Lance saying that Shelly De Killer had been hunting him and his family down for years, but Iris was still a minor at the time Drayden and Cilan were killed." May covered her ears and slammed the table. She felt so confused at that moment, she didn't expect the case to go on for so long.

"I get it!" Athena yelled. "Neither Drayden or Iris were the original targets."

"That's it," May yelled. "I had this thought that Lance had tried to hire Shelly De Killer to murder Drayden, but now I know that's impossible."

"It's the other way around," Athena cried out. "Drayden hired Shelly De Killer to murder Lance, and that's why Lance killed Drayden."

"Why would Drayden want Lance dead?" May wondered.

"Well, Iris did have her first child at fifteen," Athena reminded May. "Drayden, understandably would be completely disgusted. With Lance being a champion, he could do whatever he wanted, so Drayden would have hired Shelly De Killer to murder him. So Lance murdered Drayden and framed De Killer."

"You two working together was a fine idea from Mr. Wright," Apollo noticed.

"Hey May!" Trucy said as she ran out of her father's office. "You remember what you said in Ash's trial?"

May shrugged. "I said quite a lot of things in Ash's trial."

"You know when you asked how would I react if I found out me and Apollo were siblings?" Trucy asked.

"Come to think of it," May responded, then smiled. "Yes I do. It was something I said out of the blue."

"Well it turns out we both have the same mother," Apollo explained. "We're going to see her tomorrow morning."

"That means you'll miss the trial," May said as she lowered her head. She was sad, Trucy had been her rock ever since she started working for the Wright Anything Agency. She didn't know how she was going to get through the final day of the trial without her, but at the same time, she had a feeling that everything would be fine.

Trucy scratched her head. "Yeah..."

May understood. She was going to meet her mother again: the one who was presumed dead for years.

"Hey!" Athena yelled as she slapped May's shoulder. "You've got me!"

"Of course," May said. She thought of Trucy's Altaria, nicknamed Thalassa after her mother. May had a feeling that Trucy's mother would enjoy seeing Thalassa.

"We're going to kick Iris' butt tomorrow!" Athena yelled with great determination.

"Yeah..." May said. "Of course we will!"

May realised that Ash had been lying to himself for so long, that he believed in the lies that he had fed himself. The others like Lance and Iris had also believed in the lies that blinded them from the truth. Everybody including Misty, Dawn and Serena had lost five years of time believing in the lies that they were trapped by them. Serena's acquittal was vital. May knew that the only path to freedom was to reveal the truth. She had to find a way to get Iris to confess to her crimes.

Only the truth would set them free.