Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 108: Coexistence

Most members of the jury knew that name. Ardos was in several movies about Cipher and Orre. He was marched in not by the usher, but armed guards with snarling Pokémon; though Harper curiously noted that he wasn't handcuffed. The guards either expected him to lash out and hoped it would negatively impact the trial, or they knew he would not. His steely eyes were as cold as ever, but when he swore on the stone tablet, he seemed unexpectedly sincere. Staring through him, Jamie almost looked bored.

'Before we talk about the Gatas escape, Mr. Luvaro, could you tell the court about your knowledge of the defendant's alcoholism?'

'As soon as we arrived in Obsidian City, the defendant invited me to a bar to celebrate the successful escape. I hoped we could immediately begin work on our world domination plans, so I accompanied him, but it was clear there would be no discussing Cipher. I do not drink. When I refused the cocktail he purchased for me, he didn't hesitate to gulp it down in one go himself. He then told me to "go home if you're going to be such a wet blanket." I did not know my way around the city then, but the defendant wished to remain at the bar, so called a Commander to escort me. It was past 3PM when the defendant awoke, with a hangover that prompted countless expletives upon attempting to speak to him.'

Ardos spoke matter-of-factly. Harper knew there were two potential negative outcomes: Ardos could morph back into Grand Master of Cipher himself, or he could gush with the newfound fatherly love that Jamie warned her of. His indifference was a relief.

'Was that one of the worst incidents?'

'Far from it. I worked in a neighbouring office and regularly heard the defendant smashing bottles and drunkenly screaming at himself. Every Saturday night, a trolley piled high with alcohol solely for the defendant's consumption arrived and, every Saturday afternoon when it was due to be refilled, it was empty. I was eventually given keys to the defendant's office and, on countless occasions, I entered for business reasons only to find he was not answering the door because he was unconscious. The boy is lucky to be alive.'

'Did he ever tell you why he was drinking?'

'He wished to stop feeling. That brings us to why I was rescued from Gatas Prison. As should be obvious from my recollection of the celebratory drinks, the defendant did not actually wish to take over the world. He hoped I could teach him to stop feeling.'

'So why did he attempt world domination?' Lindsey asked without waiting for her turn, 'If it should be "obvious" that all he wanted was to stop feeling?'

'I encouraged him. I dedicated my entire life to world domination and believed, for several years, that my rescuer wished to do the same.'

It wasn't entirely true that Ardos encouraged Jamie. His motives for attempting world domination were completely different and Ardos did encourage him, because he knew that if anyone was capable of it, it was Jamie, who nevertheless doubted himself; but whether he talked himself into it or genuinely desired it, he did want to take over the world for himself more than anyone else. It wasn't, however, his top priority. That was indeed numbing his emotions.

Harper continued. 'Can you describe how you encouraged him?'

'I served as an advisor, constantly reminding the defendant that world domination was Cipher's goal and that he could numb himself by reaching the height of evil, at which point one can begin to feel numb as cruelty becomes second nature; or when one has become so cruel and their conscience so decimated, their mind and body automatically suppresses said conscience as a defence measure.'

A brief, vaguely self-deprecating smile made Ardos look almost unrecognisable.

'I could perhaps be compared to the "evil advisor" trope that is popular in the entertainment industry.'

Ardos did indeed suggest such things. Though Jamie knew, as flawed as Ardos was, that he never suggested anything out of malice or even a desire to manipulate him. He was irresponsible, as an adult suggesting those things to a teenager, but without realising because that was how his own father behaved. It was as close to advice or casual chatter as Ardos could get. So Jamie didn't think the 'evil advisor' comparison was accurate, because those characters usually knew what they were doing; but if he was going to make himself look bad by talking back to anyone, it wouldn't be Ardos. He said nothing.

'Thank you. You will be called back to the witness stand later, but for now, I have no further questions.'

Lindsey, of course, did. She grilled Ardos on whether he was trying to keep Jamie out of jail so he could keep Cipher alive.

'World domination is impossible. I have wasted my life. I do not wish to waste my remaining years on a dream that will only humiliate me in its futility.'

No member of the jury knew enough about Ardos to be shocked to the core by that statement, but Lindsey was. She lived through two Cipher incidents and was present as an usher at the trial that sent Ardos to Gatas, 26 years ago.

'...I have no further questions. For now.'

A lunch break was overdue. Privately, Bowen was also shocked by Ardos' surrender. He figured, even though Ardos didn't show it, that he felt some kind of fatherly love towards a boy he once thought was like him; but he also believed Ardos that Jamie was nothing like him. Ardos must have known that when he began to care for his rescuer. It was clear to Bowen that he wasn't senile. Did that shift finally happen because, instead of facing a virtuous hero, the old man came to see good and evil coexisting in a fellow villain?

When deciding on an appropriate sentence, Bowen had to take into account that if the public believed Jamie 'got away with it,' it could encourage others to commit similar crimes. To the public, that was a far more pressing issue than Bowen's consideration that someone like Jamie could instead remind those potential criminals that good and evil could coexist in a person's soul. True psychopaths, however, were rare. Most people had a conscience that could be pricked. Ardos was surprising proof of that.

It was still far too early for Bowen to make any decisions. He returned to his bench with ears and eyes open to both sides.

'The defence calls Ein Gallego.'

Jamie glanced sharply up. Harper never mentioned Ein. She wanted Jamie to look as surprised as he did. Ein seemed less interested in his oath than Ardos, but he was apparently open to Harper's examination.

'Dr. Gallego, were you aware of the abuse at the Selenite Resort?'

'Yes.'

Everyone in the audience braced themselves for another long and painful afternoon when Ein was asked to describe the abuse, but there were no videos this time. He only needed to confirm Raidne's claims.

'Why didn't you report it?'

'The abusers were far too powerful to defy at that point and, to use their words, I was a "pathetic old mad scientist." I would have been killed before I reached the police station, which would have been interpreted as Cipher infighting, if my disappearance was ever noticed at all. My genuine scientific achievements are overshadowed by Cipher. My daughter is what she is and my own son despises me. Nobody would have missed me.'

'Were you aware of the defendant's alcoholism?'

'Yes. He was often in the resort bars. On several occasions, when the abuse began, I witnessed my granddaughter Leucosia plying him with alcohol to prompt intercourse. This happened less as the defendant grew more powerful.'

That was all Ein had to say. Once Lindsey asked a few questions, he was returned to the Wilderness Jail.

'The defence calls Leroy Moore.'

Harper didn't mention Leroy to Jamie, either. He was incredulous to the point he looked as if he might laugh. Leroy's sour expression wiped any trace of a smile off his face, not because he was afraid Leroy would incriminate him, but because he simply never liked him and he looked like Rose. That said, Jamie had no idea what Harper could possibly want to ask Leroy.