Pokémon Chronicles 零 (ZERO)

Episode 23: The second prince

If there was anything good that had happened this morning, it was that the attention was taken from Megan's stunt and focused onto Esther instead. We still weren't in a position to do much more than mourn however, unwillingly leaving the situation of Phoenix's death to Feather and the knights. I kept quiet about my strange night as well, although that caused me to remain quiet throughout the morning altogether.

"Are you alright? You looked like you were about to murder someone. And that's not a look a Piplup can easily pull off,"

I dared to think about it, and yet, arguments with myself flickered around my mind the whole time. The possibility that I could have killed an innocent pokemon simply couldn't be ignored – the sword marks in Phoenix's body, the water around the room, my lack of memories of the night, and of course, how it even all happened. It was all so unclear and yet connected to me that it hurt to think about it.

"Okay, enough of this you guys," Azeth spoke up suddenly, managing to smile. She and Lucca had been directing us through Goldenrod Field this morning, heading towards the northern reaches of the city where the sea loomed over the horizon. It was mostly cold and empty, but there were a few large boats moored into the port. Large boats, the kind you would expect to see on a holiday flyer, not like the rubber dingy we used to travel down the river. Perhaps a part of this trip would be fun again.

"Azeth, how can you smile? I can't even tell if that's forced or just simply insensitive," Megan replied.

"You all look guilty, that's why I'm smiling. But I know that you aren't. So you've got no reason to look like it's your fault!" she assured, putting a hand on a hip. "None of you have a motive. Plus, the whole scene with the slashes and the water... It's too elaborate and strange to be from you guys, as weird as you all are."

"Oh... thanks," Megan huffed.

"... The-they could have been done by us, couldn't they? Me and Lucca use swords..." I shuddered.

"But then the water makes no sense. Brionne and Piplup use bubble based water attacks that don't leave behind a lot of water residue," Azeth pointed out. "The way the room was messy indicates that there was a battle within the room, which is obviously where the water comes from. Both the amount of water left behind, and how recent it was as compared to the slashes Phoenix suffered, makes it impossible to have been any of your species."

"And it couldn't be Shelly? I mean, he can do razor shell, after all," Brine asked, making him shriek. Azeth shook her head.

"Those wounds were obviously made by a weapon; a weapon used by a pokemon twice Shelly's size. Honestly, it looks more like someone fought the Braixen and then doused the room in water sometime afterward to try and frame a water type. It's the only thing I can think of as to why the stab wounds were dry, but the water wasn't," she explained. All of us slowed to a halt.

"... You figured all that out just by looking at it?" Brine gasped. I went into a thought pose, having to re-evaluate everything now that I was given this possibility. It was true, as I only knew how to use bubble and bubblebeam as water attacks. If I had battled Phoenix, if even in my brainwashed state, there was no way I would have left the water behind.

"She's amazing, isn't she? A natural genius. Heroica's in good hands as long as Azeth's around," Lucca praised, making her blush and scratch her back.

"C'mon, the knights would've figured this out too. Point is it at least can't have been you guys. So if we're leaving this to the imperial knights, then forget about it! Chins up, turn the frowns around, and let's get to your next trial," Azeth sung gleefully.