Chapter 23: Troublesome Testimonies

The aftermath of the fight with Baptiste was surprisingly quiet for Yuna. After over a week with Reshiram’s presence focused on her in some capacity, he was now occupied with getting Rayquaza up to speed on Team Bastion’s… situation? Journey? Quest?

Honestly, Yuna wasn’t sure what to call it at this point.

While the Sages chatted, Razim and her teammates also had something to take up their attention: the kidnapped Aquardans. A few of the pokémon that were sealed in the poison cocoons stumbled into Turtankhamun’s room, prompting Razim to take Nikki and Chiaki with him to look for others.

Which left Yuna alone with her thoughts. Namely how out of her league she was. Seifer had been there to deal with Runerigus. His Dynaforce did the brunt of the work. Things were not so straightforward this time. Even with Reshiram to back her up, Yuna knew she lucked out. If the Needle was guarded better or Baptiste paid a bit more attention to his surroundings, then there was no way she would’ve gotten away with pulling it out.

And, sure, maybe her teammates were able to hold their own long enough for Yuna to turn the tide. But would they really be lucky enough to get away with that a second time? What if the next daemon they found was smarter? More cunning? Just because Yuna had another Sage didn’t mean she was any stronger.

The dreepy looked at her arms. The longer the stared, the clearer she could make out black splotches in the middle of her ectoplasm. They were like ink from a fountain pen dripping onto a blank sheet of paper.

It happened again. Yuna shook her arms out. The splotches remained. I grabbed the Needle with black shadows, just like I did with Runerigus. And she had no idea why. The only conclusion Yuna drew was that the shadows flared when she got upset. Did that mean that, on top of everything else, she’d have to keep her temper in check? While Reshiram and Rayquaza blabbered away in her head?

“Hey, Princess.” Nikki stood in the doorway, hands in her jacket pockets. “Everyone’s gathered on the ice bridge. It looks like it fixed itself after it got blown up.” She paused. “Because, y’know, I guess that’s still a thing here.”

“Right.” Yuna looked back at the sarcophagus. Its shattered golden fragments remained suspended in midair. The pyramid must have, too. Yuna decided it was best not to think about the tomb or its associated curses any further. She waved at Reshiram and Rayquaza. “Okay, back in you go. We’re leaving.”

“Ah, jolly good.” Rayquaza clapped his tiny hands. “Let us, as the kids say, be ‘roomies,’ Reshiram!”

Yuna cringed. “Please never say that again.” She touched the Soul Dew. Two beams of light shot out and swallowed both dragons up.

“Egad! It’s quite spacious in here,” Rayquaza chirped. “I feel like I’m drifting on a cloud. Or doing the backstroke through the stratosphere.”

Try as she might, Yuna could not envision Rayquaza’s swimming as anything more than his body undulating like an oversized pool toy waved around by an excited hatchling. Sighing, she floated after Nikki. But the toxtricity’s pace was far too fast for her. “Hey, wait up!” Yuna cried.

“Relax.” Chiaki pushed off the silver wall he was leaning on. “Tempting as it was to give you a taste of your own medicine, I offered to walk you out.”

“My own medicine?” Yuna raised a brow. The realization hit her a moment later. “Oh.” Her gills sagged. “I, uh—”

“… tch. I hope you’re not about to apologize.” Chiaki walked forward, disconnecting his prosthetic as he went. “The only reason we’re here is for the Needle. You assessed the situation and did what you had to do to complete the mission.” The Tactical Toucher folded back into a disc. “If I were in your place, I’d have done the same thing.”

Is that supposed to make me feel better? Yuna looked down at the ceiling.

“Saving Etherium is what’s important,” Chiaki continued. He attached the Hooker and shot it into the upside-down stairs. He repelled down to the next floor. “You recognized that, in the moment, Nikki and I were dead weight, then reacted appropriately. Even if it personally ticks me off, I respect it.”

Again, Yuna wasn’t sure what to make of that. Her decision couldn’t be good and bad. She was tempted to throw Reshiram under the omnibus and claim it was his idea, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Yuna floated down to the next floor. The shriveled remnants of Baptiste’s cocoons lay scattered on the silver bricks. They reminded Yuna of off-color raisins. And now she was hungry. “What about Nikki?” she asked. “Is she mad, too?”

Chiaki shrugged. “She said that you ‘having Crotch Fuzz and Space Noodle rummaging around your head’ is punishment enough.”

The Soul Dew flickered. Rayquaza’s black head popped out. “Space Noodle? Poppycock! I am far more nutritious than a single piece of uncooked pasta.”

Yuna grabbed his head and squished it back into her pendant. “Not the point!” she growled.

Chiaki smirked. “I dunno. I think that proves Nikki’s point nicely.”

Yuna had no rebuttal, so she opted to change the subject as the two headed for the next floor. “How’s Professor Cid?”

“Physically he’s back to normal.” Chiaki recalled his hook and stepped over the remains of a turtonator statue. “But he hasn’t said a thing to anyone. Just quietly floated after the others.” He jammed his good hand into his jean jacket pocket. “I don’t blame him. Devolution sounds like a freaking nightmare.”

“I wonder what would’ve happened if the beam hit you,” Reshiram added.

That was not something Yuna wanted to think about, either. “Well, uh, maybe Dr. Rafique should see Cid when we get home?”

“Please.” Chiaki shrugged dismissively. “He needs a shrink.”

Yuna blinked. “A what?”

“A therapist.” Chiaki glanced back at her. “Y’know, someone you talk through all your mental baggage with?”

“Yeah, I know.” Yuna wrung her arms. I could use one of those, quite frankly.

“There is no shame in admitting one’s vulnerabilities, Princess,” Rayquaza declared.

Can I just go home first? Yuna whined. The moment that thought finished, however, her eyes widened.

“Oh, crap, the trial!” She zipped toward Chiaki. “How long have we been in the Qliphoth for?”

“You’re asking me? How would I know?” Chiaki narrowed his eyes at her.

“I— uh—”

He was right. There was no way of telling time here. Which meant Yuna couldn’t afford to dawdle any longer. “I have to get back to Radiance.”

Chiaki raised both arms. “You won’t hear any objections from me. I’m not interested in any touchy-feely goodbyes with Razim. Or being a part of any heartfelt reunion crap.” He tapped his right foot against the ceiling. “It’ll just devolve into a sanguine hugfest with the ‘mons we rescued draping themselves over us and ugly crying like no tomorrow.”

Yuna winced. She could have actually done with something heartwarming like that. However, she knew the trial was more important. I guess I’ll… daydream about what I missed here on the train ride back to school.

Chiaki was kneeling down and tracing one of the silver bricks with his good hand. “But do you think opening a portal here will actually spit us out somewhere safe? Because if we’re going to pop out hundreds of meters in the air, then I’ll take my chances with the ice bridge.”

Yuna gulped. That wasn’t something she had considered.

“Perhaps because you can hover and your friends can’t?” Reshiram piped up.

“Fear not. If thou art indeed airborne upon your return, I can lower thine friends to safety,” Rayquaza proclaimed.

Yuna rubbed her brow, groaning. She was so sick of this. She wanted sleep. Badly. And she wasn’t going to get it any time soon. “Look, Chiaki, can you just, um, get Nikki and Cid? Rayquaza says he can take care of things if we don’t pop out on the ground.”

Chiaki stook up and squinted at Yuna. He scrutinized the dreepy for several seconds, before tucking his head down. “… fine. Whatever gets us home quicker, I guess.”

He jammed his good hand in his pocket again and headed for the next set of upside-down stairs. Sighing, Yuna flopped on the ceiling.

If the trial had started, she sincerely hoped Kain was having a better time than her.

As Shimmer expected, Vegna brought in multiple witnesses at once. There was a togedemaru with an oversized hat made of mismatched fabric who stood on the white table itself. On his right stood a bulky rhyhorn with a large gray harness draped over her back. And to his left was a passimian in a sharp, charcoal gray blazer with a matching dress shirt and top hat. Passimian leaned against the handle of a closed umbrella.

“The witnesses will give their names and occupations for the record,” Vegna instructed, gesturing to the witness stand.

Rhyhorn nodded slowly. “Adler’s the name, pulling omnibuses is my game. Ain’t no one in the Coachmon’s Guild who’s tougher than me!”

Togedemaru flinched from Adler’s surprisingly deep voice. “Right. Erm, hello. My name is Horace. I’m a… seamster at a tailor’s shop in Venish. If you’ve got wears and tears, we’re always happy to help.” He stuck out his spikes, revealing various sewing equipment fixed to them.

Shimmer fought off the urge to roll his eyes. These people were here to testify, not advertise their services.

Passimian looked away from them. “This is a waste of time. I’m a busy ‘mon and I have work to do.”

The ruby eyes in Vegna’s shoulder gauntlets glowed. “No one cares. Your name and occupation.”

“… fine.” Passimian still didn’t make eye contact. “Passimian Batroc, of the Bernard clan. I’m a commercial real estate broker for Bernard and Associates, naturally.” He tapped his umbrella against the floor. “Let’s get this over with. What do you need to know?”

Vegna snapped his fingers. Talonflame again hopped off his shoulder and lifted some papers with his beak. “To confirm, Miss Adler, you were the coachmon for Fledglings Omnibus 2015 on the night of the incident, correct?”

“Yessir. I’ve covered 2015’s route for the last three years.” Adler squared up her stance, adjusting her harness. “Not a single missed day of work in that time.”

Vegna slammed the palm of his left hand on his desk. Adler stiffened.

“No extraneous information,” the dusknoir growled. “Now then…” He flicked his right hand and a city map appeared on the screen. Building areas were drawn in lime green, with crisscrossing gray lines representing main roads and curving black lines denoting backroads. There were six blue lines — three horizontal and three vertical — denoting canals running through that area of Venish.

“This is part of your omnibus’ route, yes?” Vegna snapped his fingers and a red line traced its way across part of the center of the screen before curving off toward backroads heading toward the upper left.

Adler squinted and leaned forward. “I think so.”

“When did you pick up the victim, Mr. Mortimer?” Vegna asked.

“Well, I picked him up at the Beeraskewda Pub, so it must’ve been 20:10 if I was running on time.” The rhyhorn smirked. “And I always run on time.”

“And the accused, Mr. Benedict?” Vegna gestured to the slurpuff next to the defense’s bench. Shimmer glanced at his uncle, who stared at the floor and fidgeted with his prison jumpsuit.

“Oh, he was already onboard by then.” Adler tapped a foreleg against the witness stand. “I think he got on at Bonna Seraph Plaza… which would’ve been at 19:55.”

Kain leaned over his bench. “You think or you know?”

“Objection!” Vegna shook his head. “Don’t try to unnerve the good rhyhorn over such a miniscule detail, dragon. The accused already disclosed to Stoutland Yard he boarded at Bonna Seraph during questioning at the gaol.”

Kain leaned back. “… ah, sorry. Continue.”

The jurors exchanged hushed whispers. Shimmer shot an annoyed look at Kain. “What are you doing? Don’t interrupt Vegna like that. It’ll make us look bad.”

“I can interject when I want to press a statement further,” Kain shot back. Shimmer glowered at the witness stand. “And it would do you good to keep a neutral expression, Your Grace,” the flygon added, prompting Shimmer to stiffen.

However, before Vegna could resume, Batroc cleared his throat. “How much longer are you going to waste everyone’s time with such frivolous questions? That large oaf didn’t even witness the moment of the crime. It was all me and Horace over here.” He jerked his head toward the togedemaru to his right.

Sighing, Vegna crossed his arms. “Very well, witness. When did you board the omnibus?”

“At 20:30. Horace and I boarded from the Porter Lane stop.”

“Yessir.” Horace nodded, nearly tumbling off the witness stand in the process.

Kain held up the meteorology report from earlier. “We know there was a cold front moving through Venish. Why didn’t you two sit inside the cabin?”

Horace’s quills drooped. “Well, we wanted to but—”

Batroc raised his umbrella and rapped it against the witness stand. “The door wouldn’t budge. I bet that selfish blowhard locked it so he could have the cabin all to himself.” He pointed the umbrella accusingly at Benedict.

Kain shook his head. “But as we just heard Ms. Adler testify, the victim and the accused were already inside the cabin.”

“Then that just means he blocked the door so he could kill that magmar,” Batroc huffed.

Shimmer leaned forward. “That sounds like conjecture. Can you prove our client was the one who blocked the door?”

Batroc nearly lost his grip on his umbrella. “I— well, no, I guess not.”

A loud slam echoed through the chamber. There was a scorch mark underneath Vegna’s smoldering right fist. “How impudent of me to damage the inquisitor’s bench in such a manner,” he muttered. “Please forgive my outburst.”

Mellath rested his hands on his desk. “Sir Vegna, what’s the meaning of this?”

“This is but smoke and mirrors by the defense,” Vegna exclaimed, straightening up. “Who sealed the door and the motive for doing so are irrelevant. The fact remains that the cabin door could not be opened, forcing the witnesses to sit on the roof.”

Horace’s cheeks sparked. “Yeah! Don’t try and, y’know, smoke and mirrors us.”

Shimmer frowned. He thought it was worth pursuing, but Kain’s attention was back on his collection of papers. “Psst,” Shimmer whispered. “What do you think about the way they were acting? It sounded like they were trying really hard to make Benedict out to be the killer.”

“Yeah.” Kain nodded. “Seems like Passimian is leading Togedemaru along. I’m making a note of it.” He scribbled something on a sheet of paper.

“Let’s continue, witnesses.” Vegna crossed his arms again. “So, you went to sit on the roof. What happened after that?”

“Well, things were awfully quiet for a while.” Horace poked his nubby arms together. “But then we heard shouting from the cabin!”

“Indeed.” Batroc lifted his free hand. “The two ‘mons inside were arguing with one another.” He lowered his hand and lifted his umbrella to show the tip. “That’s when Slurpuff pulled out a knife and stabbed Magmar right in the gut. Just like this!” He jabbed the witness stand with the umbrella tip.

Horace nodded, shuddering. “Then there was a loud shriek. Slurpuff threw the cabin door open and ran off. Magmar tried to follow him, but he collapsed in the doorway.”

“Meanwhile, I contacted the proper authorities.” Batroc puffed out his chest.

“Hold it!”

Brow furrowed, Kain stared down Batroc and Horace. “If things did play out as you two said, why didn’t either of you make any attempt to stop the accused from escaping?”

Both witnesses’ expressions blanched. “… like I said, I was calling the cops,” Batroc huffed.

“Slurpuff is way bigger than me. I didn’t want to get squished!” Horace squeaked, shivering.

“But surely you could have told Ms. Adler to try and stop him.” Kain gestured to the rhyhorn. “If she’s as fast and tough as she says, catching a slurpuff wouldn’t be an issue. Isn’t that right, witness?”

“Darn skippy!” Adler nodded vigorously.

Kain pointed a claw at the witness stand. “Well, Ms. Adler, did these two tell you to stop the omnibus?”

Adler frowned. “Y’know, now that you mention it… they didn’t. Though it’s hard for me to hear much when I’m pulling it. Lotta squeaking and creaking going on. You really gotta shout to get my attention.”

Vegna’s shoulder gauntlets crackled with red energy. “So, you traveled a modest distance before everything stopped?”

“Yes.”

Shimmer’s heartrate picked up. “Doesn’t anyone find that fishy?” He looked around the room. Whenever there was danger, he was always taught to seek immediate help. Surely, these two had similar instincts.

“… hmph. You’re grasping, dragon.” Vegna pointed an index finger at Kain. “Mr. Batroc contacted Stoutland Yard and Mr. Horace’s voice would not carry enough for Ms. Adler to hear him.” He shook his head. “If you’re looking to make a splash, might I suggest trying for a higher dive?”

“Objection!” Kain slammed his hands on his desk. “That’s not the only thing that doesn’t add up about this testimony, Sir Vegna.”

“Oh?” Vegna tilted his cloaked head and rested it against his fist. “Explain, dragon.”

“Gladly.” Kain picked up a small remote and pointed it at the screen in the center of the judiciary bench. The same route map from earlier appeared. “I’d like to remind the court of the omnibus route. Notice the backroads that the route goes through.” He hovered to the screen. “Based on the testimony given, we can reasonably conclude that the omnibus was on Fanucchi Street at the time of the incident.”

The flygon tapped the side of the screen. An icon of a red marker appeared. Kain circled a diagonal black strip toward the left side of the map.

Vegna nodded. “Correct. Where are you going with this?”

“Where I’m going… is here!” Kain double tapped the top right corner of the screen. The map disappeared, revealing two folder icons. One was labeled “Inquisition” and the other “Defense.” Kain tapped the latter and two photos appeared side by side. The one on the left showed a small, cobblestone street wedged between brick buildings that were five or six stories. Shimmer spotted small, square windows and laundry lines crisscrossing the top floors of the buildings.

“This is Fanucchi Street during daytime.” Kain pointed to the image, but Shimmer was focused on the other photo. Or, rather, the lack of anything discernable outside of vague outlines.

“Notice there are no streetlights or torch lamps in these pictures,” Kain continued. “The defense took this photo two days ago… along with this one, showing the same area at nighttime, close to the time of the incident.” He stopped hovering to gesture to the right photo. “I don’t know about anyone else here, but I’m having a hard time making anything out in this.”

Vegna slammed his right hand on the desk. Talonflame fluttered up to his shoulder. “Are you implying… that it was too dark for the witnesses to have seen anything?” the dusknoir said.

“That’s exactly what I’m implying!” Kain put his hands on his hips and stared all three witnesses down.

Mellath’s brow furrowed. “But, Counsellor, the victim was a magmar. Their bodies are known to glow due to their internal flames.”

Shimmer wouldn’t let that stand. “Objection!” He propped himself up against the defense’s bench. “Please recall Inquisitor Vegna’s opening statement, Your Magistry. He specifically described the victim as a ‘sickly’ individual.” Shimmer dropped back onto all fours. “Ergo, it’s entirely possible he wasn’t glowing like a healthy magmar would!”

“Precisely!” Kain stomped his right foot down. “How can anyone say for certain they know what happened when it was so dark outside?”

Murmurs rose up throughout the gallery and judiciary bench. Even Gothorita looked up from her typewriter.

“Well, witnesses?” Mellath furrow his brow. “Can you explain this inconsistency.”

“I, er—” Batroc tugged at his shirt collar. “That is—”

“I don’t think they can, Your Magistry.” Kain crossed his arms. “Because it’s hard to explain something that’s completely fabricated!”

The murmurs grew louder. Herdier put his forepaws on his desk. “Oi, say something, ya blokes!”

Beside him, Glaceon straightened out the sides of her dress. “I find the tall one’s stammering quite… unclean. Perhaps his mouth could do with a thorough scrubbing.” She held up her left forepaw, revealing a sudsy sponge.

“Now wait just a second!” Batroc brandished his umbrella and shook it at the jury bench. “Are you threatening me? I am a man of stature! Of the Bernard clan! My family will not stand for such actions!” He pivoted right and pointed at Vegna. “You there! I demand to be excused! I’ve already given far too much time to the court.”

“I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere, Mr. Batroc,” Kain declared, pointing a talon at the passimian. “Not until you explain this glaring contradiction in your testimony!”

“I concur!” Meowth had a glint in his hazy eyes as he stroked his beard once again. “How can you see something in total darkness? Or, perhaps, are you pulling this story out of your tail?”

Batroc’s top hat almost fell off as he staggered back. “Th-the nerve! Togedemaru and I know what we saw!”

Shimmer couldn’t stop himself from grinning. This was the perfect opening! A hole as large as Robin’s leek was long. “Then why isn’t Mr. Horace coming to your defense, hmm?”

All he and Kain needed to do was keep pressing. The years away from court had left Vegna too rusty. Shimmer would free Benedict and ace the assignment… and all without that idiot dreepy!

“Objection!“

A metallic clang echoed through the courtroom. Shimmer whinnied in surprise, tail puffing up. Horace extended his quills and discharged tiny electric sparks. One hit Batroc’s shoulder, prompting the passimian to conk Horace with his umbrella’s handle. “S-Sorry, sir!” Horace squeaked, catching his hat and trying to reposition it on his head.

Mellath slowly blinked. “Sir Vegna?”

Vegna’s right fist had left a huge dent in the inquisitor’s bench. Slowly, silently, he raised it up. Shadows twirled around it, weaving themselves into a tattered book with a faded, eight-pointed star etched into the cover. The pages flipped themselves until Vegna placed his left index finger down on the book.

“The ‘mon who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.”

More silence followed. Shimmer looked at Vegna, then Kain, then Vegna again. Was that… a jab at Kain’s dragon-typing?

Mellath rubbed sweat off his brow. “Err, I’m sorry, Sir Vegna, but do you have an actual objection?”

Vegna shut the book and tucked it under his arm. “I do. But first… I must extend my congratulations to the dragon attorney and Clown Prince.”

Shimmer’s nostrils flared. “Excuse me?”

With a flick of his left wrist, Vegna sent Talonflame flying away. He returned a few seconds later clutching a black rose in his right foot. Vegna took the rose and held it out toward Kain. “I commend you both for taking such bold steps toward the comedy industry.”

Mellath banged his gavel. “Get to the point, Sir Vegna.”

“Very well.” Vegna’s gauntlets sparked. The rose caught fire and faded away in flickering black embers. “The defense is arguing the scene was too dark for the witnesses to have accurately seen the incident. Their bravado seems to have broken through these two… simpletons.”

“Simpleton?” Batroc smacked his umbrella against the witness stand. “How dare you!”

Vegna ignored him, pointing toward Kain. “But no amount of bluster on the defense’s part can change the facts. And the facts are as such: the omnibus has light fixtures inside of it.”

Kain stiffened. “… huh?”

It took a bit longer for Shimmer to catch on, but when he did, his jaw clenched. “I beg your pardon?”

Vegna switched the book to his left arm and raised his right hand. He got rid of the map on the screen next to Kain and brought up pictures of the omnibus interior. The carpet had a tape outline on it, and the wall on the other side of the photo had two glass cases with white candles sitting inside of them.

“Ah! Y-Yes, yes!” Horace nodded vigorously. Pins and needles tumbled off his quills. “I remember. Those candles were definitely lit… and showed Slurpuff stabbing Magmar!”

“Quite right!” Batroc regained some of his composure. “How dare you try and play such mind games, you poison-tongued dragon!“

Vegna slammed his right fist on the bench again. “Thus, rather than casting doubt upon this testimony, I contend the defense has instead furthered the inquisition’s claims. The accused stabbed the victim and these two witnesses saw the entire thing from the upper deck!” His eye glowed deep crimson. “If these witnesses were inside the carriage, they surely would’ve paid closer attention to the light fixtures!”

“L… light fixtures.” Kain tapped his claws together and looked down in shame. “I, uh, might’ve forgotten about those.”

“As did the Clown Prince, judging by the aghast look upon his face.” The mouth on Vegna’s stomach curved into a grotesque smile. “Thus, I congratulate you both.” He flicked his left hand and the black rose from before rematerialized in a gout of shadowfire. “Cheers to your burgeoning circus careers.”

A mixture of murmurs and laughter rose up throughout the courtroom.

“I can’t believe it!” Scyther slammed an arm down. “I almost let myself get suckered in by His Grace!” He sat back and shook his head. “But at the end of the day, he’s still a moneybag, just like Slurpuff. These damned moneybags… they’re all in it together!” Scyther raised his blades high. “Milord, I don’t need to hear another word! Death to the moneybags!”

Kain’s wings unfurled. “Wait, don’t!”

Scyther pressed a button on his station, increasing the size of the right flame on the massive scale behind the judge’s bench. The scale tipped slightly to the right.

Gothorita pulled a piece of paper out of her typewriter. “… I’ve heard enough as well. This dragon is a charlatan. One can only hope this Crown Prince is merely a zoroark’s illusion.” She pressed a button of her own. The scale tipped to the right once again.

“Oi, laddies!” Herdier leaned over, frowning. “I’m the foremon, here. We’re supposed to act as a unit.” He sat back in his seat, harrumphing. “But I agree with ’em. I don’t need to hear anything else.”

A third button press. A third tilting of the scale to the right. The crowd’s murmurs grew. Kain’s eyes darted about in a panic. Shimmer’s heart was racing. How had things blown up in their faces so quickly? Three jurors were voting to con—

“… indeed.” Glaceon lifted her sponge-covered paw. “This is quite a filthy defense. It could do with some vigorous scrubbing.” She pressed her own guilty verdict button, tilting the scale right once more. “Let us clean this courtroom of its filth.”

This doesn’t make any sense! Shimmer’s ears rang. They were dogpiling on Benedict. And off of such shoddy testimony. Vegna couldn’t have swayed them that much. Was there mind control going on? Yes, that had to be it!

“O-Objection!” Shimmer meekly propped his forehooves up on the defense’s bench. “M… motive!” He blurted it out without thinking, but now that it was out there, the pieces started to fall into place for him. “You all are rushing to condemn the accused… but he doesn’t even have a good motive for killing the victim! The two are complete and total strangers!”

“… aha ha.”

Shimmer’s horn sparked. Vegna… was laughing?

“All the Clown Prince is missing is some red lipstick.” Vegna chuckled from his stomach-mouth. “And perhaps a cream pie or two.” He slammed his right fist down on the table once again. “But ask and you shall receive, boy. Perhaps this will sway our two holdouts.”

The dusknoir lifted his hand and pointed at the screen. “Accused! Your occupation?”

“Bwuh?” Benedict looked up. His jumpsuit was littered with sweat stains. “O-Oh. I work at the First Bank of Isola.”

“You arrange for personal loans, correct?” Vegna said.

“Y-Yessir.”

“Ha! I knew it!” Scyther pointed a blade at Benedict. “A banker! The worst of all moneyb—”

“Juror Three will be silent,” Vegna commanded. His left hand erupted in shadowfire. “Or else he will find himself in the corner of the Twilight Realm where one’s mouth is repeatedly scorched by hellfire.”

Scyther went stiff as a board. Vegna returned his attention to the screen, where he produced a photograph of a book. There was a list of names with numbers and percentages beside them. Some of them had red stamps beside them reading “Overdue.”

“The inquisition presents the accused’s personal ledger to the court,” Vegna exclaimed. “I would like the Clown Prince to read the fifth name on the list, along with the accompanying values.”

Shimmer squinted. His eyes found the fifth name and his heart sank. He opened his mouth and nothing came out. Shimmer swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and shakily said, “Magmar Mortimer. One thousand radians. Thirty-five percent. Overdue.”

Vegna pointed to Benedict. “It would appear… these two are not strangers after all. Rather, Mortimer had taken a personal loan out from Benedict. One with an exorbitant interest rate that no commoner could ever pay off.”

He slammed his palm against the table. “I submit that the victim was killed because he failed to repay his debts to the accused! With Mortimer deceased, Benedict’s bank branch would seize possession of all his remaining assets… which would include his technique for brick firing that made him such an asset to the Venish Bricklayers Guild!”

“No!” Shimmer looked despondently at Benedict. “That’s not true! It can’t be!”

Vegna looked up to the jury bench. “What say you, Jurors Five and Six?”

Meowth scratched the side of his head. “Honestly? Those loans sound shady enough as it is. That much money is nothing to scoff at. I can see why this would’ve happened.” He shook his head. “It’s hard to believe. Mr. Benedict gave so much money to support our local grade school district.” He pushed the guilty button on his console, tilting the scale even further to the right.

“I thank you for your wisdom.” Vegna bowed to Meowth.

“Objection!”

Kain’s cry made Shimmer jump. The flygon leaned over so much he practically tumbled over the defense bench. “Wait! Please wait, Juror Six!”

“… hmph. There is nothing worth waiting over.” Vegna smacked his desk with his palm. “Accept your defeat, dragon.”

“No!” Kain leaned forward more, wings buzzing to keep him upright. “We can’t end the trial here. There are… there are still too many inconsistencies!”

Vegna slowly straightened up. “Elaborate.”

“You presented the accused’s ledger.” Kain pointed to the screen. “I’ll admit his business choices are far from noble, but this customer list deserves greater scrutiny. The defense asserts its right to examine the ledger in its entirety.”

“… bah, fine.” Vegna rolled his eye. “Is that it?”

“No.” Kain leaned back. “I’ll admit there may be light fixtures in the omnibus, but can you prove they were on the night of the crime? Did Stoutland Yard take pictures of the entire carriage before taking custody of it?”

Vegna was silent, until he muttered, “They did not.”

“Fledglings Omnibus always replaces the candles when I finish my last route of the night,” Adler piped up.

“Then the defense also demands the omnibus be brought up from the vault for inspection!” Kain declared. “If there’s dried wax in the holders, then we’ll know the candles were used that night.”

Shimmer remained speechless. He had sorely underestimated Kain’s resolve. Shimmer expected the flygon to roll over like a dying feral, but he was standing tall despite all the pressure Vegna put on the defense. And, judging from Mellath’s contemplative expression, Kain might’ve bought Benedict another chance.

“The court accepts the defense’s requests.” Mellath raised his gavel. “We will adjourn for a thirty-minute recess. Bailiffs, please bring the omnibus and ledger up from the evidence vault.”

Following two pounds of Mellath’s gavel, the gallery erupted into conversation mixed with the scuffing of claws and boots against the floor as observers got up.

Sighing, Shimmer’s shoulders sagged. “I… can’t believe that worked.”

Kain fanned himself with the sides of his vest. “Well, Benedict told me to bring up the candles as a way to get the omnibus up here for inspection. I’m glad he thought of it.”

Shimmer blinked slowly. “Wait, Uncle Benedict told that to you?”

“Yeah. Didn’t he tell you, too?”

The ponyta turned to his right, but Benedict’s bisharp guard had already escorted him out of the courtroom. His left ear folded against his head.

What did Shimmer’s uncle know… and why didn’t the slurpuff want to tell him?