*arranges swablu's wings*
Aurorus doesn't know what she's done now. But
I know.
These pokemon fear me, this whole cave fears me. I know their true face; I know their fears, their loves, I know the names they mutter when they dream of terrible things; I know it all; and they all fear me.
They're right in fearing me, fearing this city, this cave, their wretched lives slaving for a green lizard with no pay or purpose. Bah, mindless drones. Of course they fear me. They fear liberty, they fear my poise, they fear my mere thoughts, they fear my Swablu Fedora. They fear the sound of my steps on a rainy night, just flopping as my gown sloshes through the water; that will be a bitch to clean; they fear my steps, as I follow them into the darkness of this cave, to do whatever evil deeds they're planning to.
And there has been one very evil deed done now.
Who did it, the Aurorus asks, not aware of the danger she poses on herself, for the murderer is IN THIS VERY ROOM.
Who was it? it's always the last person one would think.
Was it the ominous murkrow? of course not. he would never hit his target; he's harmless. How about the sword? no, no, he wouldn't; he's well aware he wouldn't survive in prison. not even a second; the pat-down alone would kill him.
I look around the room, a cave full of ice, with circles; it brings back memories of a future that hasn't happened yet, a future that has been announced, but is still unresolved. My eyes fixate on something.
Someone.
Yes, it was him. He's covered in blades, there is no other explanation; his people are always murdering someone or other. I look further, ready to make a final accusation that will shake the foundations of the group, look to his shiny, spotless blades and... in a moment, a doubt washes over me like the rising waters of this damned cave; I hate them; his blades are clean, so he didn't murder anyone...
yet.
I glance at him one last time, and move on.
Who might have been the perpetrator? I muse, while the snow piles up on my hat, lighter than the rain I'm accustomed.
The innocent, shy petilil? the silent snowcone? always watch for the silent ones, my partner said to me on my first day on the force... right before a mime gutted him with a bread knife. He was two days away from retirement.
Perhaps it was the Budew? the victim was surely making unrequited advances on Petilil, and his passions got the better of him? of course not, those two are
adorable.
Or should I be looking into that metal ant? those jaws seem capable of commiting the crime, and I'm sure the victim was holding some sugar she could have wanted desperately; sugar... that scourge of civilized pokemon; good, law-abiding pokemon turning to savages to get it.
Or perhaps it was Aurorus herself, posing the riddle as a misdirection tactic! she has a gang after all; those might not be her actual children, but her accomplices. But she doesn't know I'm onto her; she doesn't fear me, yet, and that should be kept that way... for now.
Or maybe it was my very own hat, slipping away unnoticed, thinking her status as my valued accessory would allow her to pass undetected from the fiery eye of my suspicions. But no! I suspect
everyone! that's why they fear me.
Or maybe, just maybe,
it was the maid. The last person one would think.
You really don't know what you unleashed, TGK.