Quentin had been watching the scene unfold for a while. He wasnât the first to show up at the crime scene, but he had taken note of everyone who was there. He could tell based on the looks and comments people were making, they expected him to pull out some fancy gadget that would identify the killer based on some arbitrary evidence. How he wished such device existed. Despite this, he remained silent, examine the crime scene from afar and running through scenarios in his head.Â
Quentin stayed silent as more people kept showing up. The old adage of âreturning to the scene of the crimeâ came to mind, but he quickly shook it away. He wasnât going to accuse anyone based on suspicion alone. He spoke up suddenly when people began giving their alibis.Â
âI was in Reflection Cave until a few hours ago. I was trying to figure out how such crystals like that couldâve formed. If you donât believe me, ask Fermata. He was by my side the entire time.â Quentin said, gesturing towards his silent Lucario. He waited a few moments before speaking up again.
âIâm not CSI so I canât say canât guarantee answers. However, I have some ideas.â He paused, trying to find the best way to phrase everything and hoping people would understand his thought process. âShe was beaten to death, thatâs obvious. The thing that stands out to me is her staff. I donât know what it was made out of, but it must not be easy to break. Whoever hit the victim with it must be strong enough to shatter it.â Quentin looked around the group, making mental notes of those he believed were the strongest physically. âAt the risk of judging by appearances, I think that narrows it down some.â He paused again, letting his explanation sink in. He waited another moment and slipped his hands into his pocket before starting his second theory.
âAlternativelyâŠShe could have used her staff as a weapon to try and fight off the one who attacked her. In that case, she swung it hard enough to shatter against someoneâs body. That would leave a mark. I believe we should look for the stronger ones here or the ones with fresh bruises.â
Moros didnât miss the look Green gave him. Sure there were others included in his significant glance, but it was clear that someone like himâquiet, âmysteriousâ, there one moment and gone the nextâwas an obvious target for blame in this situation.
As much as Moros hated drawing attention to himself, if he wanted to prove his innocence he was going to have to speak up. The scientistâs analysis made sense. Clearly someone around here was thinking rationally instead of just calling for blood. Still, the way he presented the facts wasnât entirely accurate, and Moros felt a creeping suspicion as Quentin overlooked an important detail.
âOr maybe the killer had a PokĂ©mon strong enough to break the staff.â He looked over the Lucario at Quentinâs side with narrowed eyes. He disliked fighting-types, it was true, but no one could deny their strength. A PokĂ©mon like that was more than capable of doing the deed if they were well-trained or loyal enough to their trainer. âItâd divert attention toward the stronger people, and save themselves from getting their own hands dirty.â
Did people appreciate the looks he gave them, and the attention it invited on them? Didnât matter, and any looks given back Greenâs way were acknowledged, if dismissively. He was listening to the tempers it heated up, both the accusations and the fact a murder took place.Â
âGonna use a pokĂ©mon? Then youâve gotta bigger pool to worry about than just whoâs murdering by their own hands.â Or the victimâs own property, but what could heâmost of themâtell about this crime scene, exactly? He wasnât Mister CSI, and he didnât expect science boy to be able to wipe out a crime kit from his back pocket. But hey, good call on the nerd kid being, well, an actual nerd. Some people just canât hide who they are.
His arms unfold, but the hands go straight into his pockets in a restless motion. Arceus, he did not plan to stand around today at a murder scene, doing this.Â
âSay a pokĂ©mon used the staff, thatâs a pretty good distraction,â he goes along with, if with a pinch of le obnoxious to his voice, to flavour things up,  âbut if youâve got a pokĂ©mon who can do that, whatâs stopping a lucario from just doing the job itself? Even a casual fighting-type like that can do worse with its fists, and quicker, if theyâre gonna murder someone.â
No, he hadnât missed where Morosâs focus went to with that theory, and Greenâs own was now on the white-haired guy in particular; eyes flicking over his shoulders, muscular and athletic, in the least subtle manner.Â
âNice arms.â And with that, he looks to the rest, though looking back to Nerd Boy Q. âSo, fresh bruises, and defensive wounds?â He shrugs. âI donât mind being looked at. Applicable pokĂ©mon, humans, and an alibi with someone who can vouch for youâthat isnât just your own pokĂ©mon. Sound fine with everyone else?â
Lucas flinched at the discussion of the murder. This was brutal. How could people stand to talk about who had murdered this girl already? He knew it was necessary, but... he can and would be uncomfortable with it. He hadnât known what to say at all when the backhanded implications and alibis started. He knew he hadnât done it, but he was almost worried about people not believing him if he mentioned his alibi. But he really didnât look like the type to be able to kill someone in cold blood, did he...?
Jen wouldnât kill anyone on his behalf either, though the thought of this being a Pokemonâs work was just as startling as the murder itself. Who could have trained their Pokemon to do such a thing? Whoever had done this, or ordered it, was truly evil... not that Lucas didnât already think that, considering that this was a murder scene.
The young man who had started this discussion of murder details then suggested a clear course of action: looking over each person and their Pokemon if they could have done the murder. As frightened as Lucas was, he knew that this was likely the best way to figure things out. The person who didnât want to be looked at would be the bad guy! Right...? So Lucas was finally ready to speak up. People would start actually considering him if he hadnât, after all.
âI-I think thatâs a good idea!â Lucas chimed in anxiously. âI mean, if youâre not guilty, youâll be fine with being looked at, so... I think we should do that. Iâm okay with people checking me if it helps. I have an Infernape too, if you want to check her...â
Lucas knew theyâd want to check out Jen, so there was no use in not having her checked out, too. âOh, and... I was busy working on a paper Iâve been writing with Professor Rowan. I didnât leave my house last night.â
But who could have been the killer here...? The young man who started this whole thing almost seemed suspicious. He started out by making heavy implications that somebody among them had truly done it. But maybe he was just trying to right this wrong.
Who knows. Lucas certainly didnât and maybe thatâs what was so terrifying about this.