Chapter Text
[Teila Resort]
[3:20 PM]
[July 5th]
Melia sighed as she stood on the deck, staring out at the unending ocean. She tapped her fingers on the deck's railing as she leaned over it. She glanced over at the phone she left lying face-down further along the railing.
(It's been a while since they went up there...)
It had been a while since she was on vacation. The events of the past few months had made her on edge and restless, so even though this was a time to relax, she found it hard to do so. She wound up here after a series of complicated, tiring cases, and so she decided to take this time to unwind.
However, by complete coincidence - Her father, Professor Jenner, also happened to be on the island. Although it was for research reasons, they had spent the past few days together in Teila Resort in order to catch up. The time soon came for him to begin his research, so he and one of Melia's friends, Axel, went off to prepare his temporary lab on the summit of the nearby volcano, Mt. Valor.
She suddenly felt a hand tap her shoulder and pull her out of her trance. She jolted upwards and swung around.
"Woah, hey-" said the person behind her.
"Oh. Uh, sorry, Venam."
"Sheesh, you're jumpy today. Everything alright?" the purple haired girl asked.
>Venam Vasile's profile added to Court Record.
"Er... just worried, I guess."
"Is it 'cause of Axel and Jenner?"
"Yeah... They've been up there for a while." Melia turned back around to the railing. "Axel said he'd call me once they were getting ready to come back down, but it's been--"
Suddenly, Melia's phone began to ring. She quickly picked it up off the railing she put it on. It was Axel.
{"Hey, Melia!"}
>Axel's profile added to Court Record.
"Axel! Is everything alright up there?"
{"Yeah, yeah, things are good."} Melia let out a sigh of relief. {"Sorry it took so long, there were a lot more things to unpack than I thought... But we're done now. Professor Jenner and I are just finishing up, and making sure everything's here."}
"Whew... well, I'll see you soon then!"
{"Yeah, see you soo-"}
Suddenly, a loud crashing noise came through the phone's speaker.
"...Axel? What was that?"
No response.
"Axel!?"
The phone hung up. Melia stood there for a second, dumbfounded, before slowly putting phone down.
"Hey, uh, Melia-" Venam began.
"We need to go to Mt. Valor." she began to walk past Venam.
"Wh- right now? What the hell was that noise just then?"
"I don't know, but it definitely wasn't good- something bad could have happened."
Melia ran off the dock, and towards Mt. Valor.
"H-hey! Don't leave me behind! Hey! Melia!" Venam ran after her.
As she ran, thoughts raced through her mind. What was that noise? Were Axel and Jenner alright? Her bad feeling only got worse as she made her way to the looming Mt. Valor.
[Mt. Valor - Summit]
[3:52 PM]
[July 5th]
Smoke and smog clogged Melia and Venam's lungs as the duo made their way up the mountain. It was a long, long way away from Teila Resort, and despite their attempts on the way there, neither Axel nor Jenner were responding to their calls. Melia was hoping it was nothing - that something simply broke on the floor, or maybe they lost connection - but in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but worry that something awful had happened to the both of them. Soon enough, however, the pair found themselves on the outside of the temporary lab. The lab looked like a grayish cube - a stark contrast from the dark red and browns of the igneous rock that surrounded it.
"Axel? Jenner?" Venam called out. No response. "Maybe the lab is soundproof."
Venam walked up to the door and banged on it. Again, no response.
"We need a keycard to enter," said Melia. "But Jenner and Axel have the only two-"
"We don't need a keycard," Venam said. She quickly backed up before slamming her entire body into the door, bringing it down. "C'mon!"
Melia followed after Venam, hoping for the best. Hoping that they would be fine. Hoping that Jenner would scold them for breaking down his door when he was just about to go open it. Hoping that Axel would be there, explaining that he had simply dropped his phone into some water, and that everything was fine.
What they saw, however, was a scene that Melia had feared.
Zetta stood in the middle of the room, about to pick up a knife - which in of itself, raised more questions than it answered. But that's not what Melia feared.
She turned to her right, and saw it.
Professor Jenner's body, slumped over his worktable. Glass shards and broken bottles all over it. And a blood stain.
A blood stain that covered his middle back.
And the source? A wound.
And to the left; Axel, similarly slumped over a worktable, and unmoving.
It felt as though time had stopped to Melia. Just that morning, Jenner and her had been talking - and now he was dead. Everything became a hazy blur of colors and noises.
She didn't notice when Venam started yelling at Zetta.
She wasn't really there when the police showed up a minute later.
The police interrogation, the confirmation of Jenner's death, the hospital visit to Axel - none of it was really registering with her. The only thing she really picked up on was Axel being alive - but he was unconscious. A concussion, possibly a coma.
The only time she really snapped back to reality was hours later...
[Kakori Village, Ranger HQ - Detention Center]
[7:32 PM]
[July 5th]
Melia sat in the seat opposite the glass pane. The suspect hadn't come in yet. Venam stood next to her, arms crossed. Soon, the man himself walked in on the other side of the glass, before silently sitting down.
It was a painful silence, that lasted but a moment, before Venam spoke up.
"Fuck you, Zetta."
"Glad to see your opinions of me haven't changed a bit."
>Zetta's profile added to Court Record.
"What the hell were you doing out of prison, slimeball?" snarled Venam.
"Well, as it turns out, when your "murder" victim shows up completely unharmed - you tend to be let go from jail."
Melia sat there completely silent. The Goldenwood forest case. For her, it was 3 long years ago. For everyone else... not so much. She had disappeared that day, but it was mistakenly labeled a murder; she'd heard about it from Axel after the fact. Zetta was the man that was found guilty.
"Not that it matters now, of course," continued Zetta. "I guess prison's just where I'm supposed to be."
"Why did you do it?" Melia suddenly said. Zetta stared at her for a moment.
"Who gives a shit why this guy did it, Melia? Bet he's gonna say some shit like, 'oh, I didn't do it'-"
"Oh, I didn't do it." said Zetta calmly, ignoring Venam.
"SEE?!"
"...Is there any reason I should believe you, Zetta?"
"Nope." said both Venam and Zetta at the same time. Venam shot a death stare at Zetta. He continued to look at Melia.
"Why were you even up there?" asked Venam.
"That's none of your concern." Zetta responded bluntly. Venam frowned.
"You're so irritating."
Zetta sighed before beginning to get out of his seat. "If this visit was just to insult me, you've succeeded. If you'll excuse me, I've got a trial to be prosecuted in tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep-"
"I'll be defending you." Melia said. Zetta stopped dead in his tracks. Venam spun her head toward Melia, shocked.
"You'll be WHAT?" Venam nearly yelled. Zetta sat back down in his seat. "This guy killed Professor Jenner, assaulted Axel, and you're just gonna-"
"Well, I did need a lawyer," he interrupted. "But I'll have to agree with Venam on this. For all you know, I killed Jenner. And you'll defend me?"
"I'm not doing it for you, Zetta," Melia replied. She stared at him for a moment before continuing. "I want to know who did this. And the best way for me to do that is to be your lawyer. If it turns out you're actually guilty, I'm done defending you. Simple as. Does that sound good to you?"
Zetta chuckled. "I don't have many other options, now do I?"
"You don't."
"Fine. You can be my lawyer. You've got until tomorrow morning to investigate, as far as I'm aware. Good luck."
Zetta got up and began to walk away.
"Hang on!" shouted Venam. Zetta turned his head back to the glass.
"If we're gonna be defending you, you could at least tell us something about what happened!"
"Trust me, if I had anything important to tell you, I already would have."
And he left without another word. Venam slammed her fist down on the detention center desk.
"Hope that guy burns in hell."
Melia got up and began to leave, as well. Venam followed her.
"So, we're defending him, then?"
"Yep."
"Are you sure you want to do this? Like- absolutely positive?"
"I am, Venam. If I want to find out what happened to Axel and my father, this is what I have to do."
They walked out of the Ranger HQ into the humid evening air. Melia stared at Mt. Valor, which loomed ominously in the distance.
"Let's get started."