Chapter 58

"April 4th brings us to the case of Trenton," Minami reveals, her voice taking on a somber tone. "He was found hanging from a tree with vines in Eterna Forest."

Alice's expression darkens as she recalls her own experiences with Trenton. "That's... strange. Why would he hang himself? Especially considering how he used vines to torment me..." She shivers slightly at the memory, the trauma of those moments still fresh in her mind.

The group is left perplexed by Trenton's death, the circumstances of which seem to defy logic.

"May 15th, in Haina Desert, we have a girl named Ella whose remains were discovered underground," Ash continues, his voice grave. "She was believed to have fallen into quicksand and was buried alive."

Alice's eyes widen in shock. "Wait... May 15th? Haina Desert? But we were at Tapu Village around that time!" Her realization is met with concern from Minami.

"Didn't you two meet up then?" Minami inquires, trying to make sense of the discrepancy.

Alice's hand instinctively goes to her head, a troubled expression on her face. "I... I don't remember what happened that morning," she admits, her voice tinged with confusion.

Ash, sensing something amiss, decides to delve into Alice's mind. After a moment of probing, he discovers a troubling revelation. "Alice," he begins slowly, "it seems that your memory of that morning was forcefully deleted."

"What?" Alice gasps, stunned by the revelation. "But who would do such a thing to me?"

"It's hard to say," Ash responds gravely. "This kind of memory manipulation is beyond my ability to undo. It must have been done by a highly skilled aura user or a Psychic with powerful abilities."

"June 25th, Corey's body was discovered in Mt. Silver," Minami recounts, her tone solemn. "He was found locked inside a freezer room and had frozen to death. Surprisingly, the key to the room was found beside him the entire time, leading to confusion as to why he didn't use it to escape."

"Unless the key didn't work for some reason?" Alice suggests, searching for a logical explanation.

"No, the key was tested by the owner in front of the officer, and it worked perfectly," Ash interjects. "Yet another perplexing case..."

The group is left baffled by Corey's mysterious demise, the circumstances of which seem to defy reason.

"July 11th, in Mesagoza, we have Genome," Ash continues somberly, "who died from a knife stab to the heart—a classic case of murder."

"The police officer's report offers the usual response: murderer unknown, with only a clue pointing to a highly skilled assassin," Ash adds, his voice reflecting the frustration of dealing with such a case.

Alice's mind races with possibilities. "A highly skilled assassin? But we've encountered and dealt with numerous assassins during our missions for the International Police. Could the culprit be someone from our past operations?"

"It's difficult to say," Ash responds thoughtfully. "We've faced some of the most dangerous criminals as assassins for the International Police. While it's possible, we can't jump to conclusions without concrete evidence."

"August 1st, in Wyndon, we have Tokui," Ash narrates, his tone tinged with disbelief. "She was found dead in her house due to food poisoning. The police suspect she committed suicide by ingesting poisoned food that she cooked herself."

Minami scoffs at the explanation. "That's the most absurd cause of death I've ever heard. It's obvious that someone must have poisoned her food. But the police are convinced because there was nobody around her house at the time."

"Indeed, it's highly suspicious," Alice adds with a sigh, clearly frustrated by the lack of thorough investigation in such a critical case.

The group is left incredulous by the official conclusion regarding Tokui's death, prompting them to question the competence of the authorities in handling such delicate matters.

"September 5th brings us to Debbie's tragic death," Alice continues, her voice heavy with sorrow. "She was discovered at Mossdeep City's Space Center, having suffocated. It appears she accidentally entered the vacuum room used for astronaut training with spacesuits, and by the time she was found, it was too late."

"Why would she even enter that area? She's not an astronaut," Ash questions, his confusion evident.

"Exactly," Minami agrees, nodding thoughtfully. "It's highly suspicious that she would be in such a restricted and dangerous area without any reason."

"October 2nd marks the death of Goku," Alice reveals, her tone solemn. "He was found dead in Ten Carat Hill in the Alola Region. Witnesses mentioned that he was intensely training his Pokémon, bordering on what some described as torture. Unfortunately, his excessive training caused the cave he was in to collapse."

Ash furrows his brow, considering the details carefully. "It does seem like an actual accident, but we can't rule out the possibility of foul play. The murderer could have orchestrated the situation to make the murder appear accidental."

Minami shakes her head in frustration. "No wonder some of these cases get closed too soon without thorough investigation," she remarks, her tone reflecting the shared frustration of the group.

"November 16th brings us to Hakano's case," Minami reveals, her tone grave. "She was tragically crushed by a fallen iron plate. However, the police discovered a will at her home, leading them to believe that Hakano took her own life."

Ash nods, adding, "The police confirmed that the will was written in her handwriting. Most of it consisted of apologies to a victim of bullying, which we suspect is you, Alice."

Alice snorts in disbelief. "Hakano feeling guilty? I find that hard to believe. There's more to this story than meets the eye."

"The final case occurred on December 11th, with Korimi found drowned at the beach in Canalave City," Ash concludes. "She was previously on a boat."

"And with that, we've covered all 18 cases," Alice remarks. "It's interesting to note that each victim's cause of death corresponds to a different method."

"I see what you mean. We've encountered stabbings, drownings, burnings, freezing deaths, and even a fatal encounter with an Outrage-activated Gyarados," Ash adds, expressing surprise at the variety of methods used.

Minami furrows her brow in contemplation. "What about the dates? Are they relevant?"

"I don't believe the dates hold significance, at least not in terms of a pattern," Minami replies thoughtfully. "They don't align with any specific day of the week, and from an outsider's perspective, they seem chosen at random."

Alice brings up a crucial question once again. "I know I asked this before, but I'll ask it again. Do you think there's only one murderer responsible for all 18 deaths, or could they have been perpetrated by different individuals?"

Ash considers the possibilities. "That's a valid point, Alice. But how do we determine the truth behind that?"

Minami offers her perspective, saying, "I like to believe that the same murderer is responsible for all 18 deaths. If you look at the list, these victims are the ones without the murderer's name or the date of their arrest."

Ash considers this insight. "Could that imply something significant? Maybe the culprit is among the names listed, but their crimes related to these 18 victims were never officially acknowledged or confessed."

"That's an interesting theory," Alice chimes in. "But have you considered that the culprit might have evaded capture entirely? Perhaps they're still out there, avoiding detection and justice."

Minami nods in agreement. "I've come across many criminals during my work in the court, and none of them had auburn hair like our suspect. So, it's likely that the real culprit is still at large, waiting to be discovered."

Ash turns to Alice with a concerned expression. "Alice, do you know anyone with auburn hair who might have knowledge about your bullies?"

Alice shakes her head, her frustration evident. "I don't think so... This whole situation is starting to wear on me. Looking at these pictures just adds to the frustration."

Minami interjects, breaking the tension. "I think it's best if I take these files and conduct further investigation. I'll see if I can find any leads or connections that might help us."

"Sure, that sounds like a good plan," Ash agrees, handing over the files to Minami as she prepares to leave.

As Minami takes her leave, Ash suggests, "All this talk about criminals is making me hungry. How about we have dinner together?"

"Absolutely," Alice responds with a smile, relieved to shift the focus away from the troubling case for a moment. The prospect of sharing a meal brings a sense of normalcy and camaraderie amidst their investigative endeavors.

As Ash and Alice enter the fancy restaurant, their hands intertwined, the subtle gesture sparks curiosity among the onlookers. Whispers flutter through the air as people wonder if Ash and Alice are a couple.

The attention isn't lost on Ash, who notices the mixed reactions from the patrons. He can feel the resentful glares from some males directed at him, contrasting with the admiration they have for Alice's stunning appearance. On the other hand, the females in the vicinity shoot envious looks at Alice, secretly wishing they were in her place.

Despite the silent scrutiny, Ash and Alice remain unfazed, focused on enjoying their evening together. They find a cozy table and settle in, ready to savor a delicious meal and each other's company, blissfully unaware of the speculative gazes surrounding them.

Ash sighs inwardly, realizing that Serena still doesn't seem to grasp that he's already in a committed relationship. Serena then asks, "Since you're already here, do you want to join us? You can bring her along if you like."

Ash notices the underlying tone, sensing that Serena isn't keen on the idea of Alice joining them. Managing to keep his cool, Ash responds, "No thanks. Tonight, I just want to spend some time with my lovely wife. Thanks for the invite though."

Serena, undeterred, tries to salvage the situation. "So... would you still be up for dinner some other time with us or maybe just you and me?"

"We'll see about that," Ash replies diplomatically, not wanting to outright reject her offer but also not committing to anything beyond tonight.

"I hope you'll keep in touch about that," Serena says with a slightly wry tone. "The other Champions will be arriving soon, and your wife might be returning soon as well. Well, good luck."

As Alice excuses herself to the bathroom due to feeling unwell, Ash notices Serena approaching him. She compliments him, saying, "You look hot in your tux, Red."

Ash responds politely, "What are you doing here, Serena?"

"I'm here with the other Champions. We're having dinner together and wanted to invite you as a fellow Champion," Serena explains. "But none of us have your Pokegear number, so we couldn't reach out to ask. We also haven't seen you around lately, likely because of your Elite Leader."

After Serena departs, Alice returns to the table and inquires, "What did she want?"

Ash responds with a reassuring smile, "Something she would never have."

Understanding the underlying meaning, Alice nods in agreement. "Let's focus on enjoying our meal and put her out of our minds. We can revisit the murder cases afterward."

They then resume their dinner, savoring each bite in the comforting company of one another. The weight of Serena's brief interruption fades away as they immerse themselves in pleasant conversation and the enjoyment of their meal together.

Here is a new chapter, and as you already know who the murderers of the bullies are, but Ash and Alice don't know. And the truth is, the dates actually refer to the real murderer if you can figure out what it means. I hope you like this chapter.