We'll begin the interrogation of the Baronet of Shadowhand at 3:30 pm Today. Come directly to the Strife House after school. I'll be waiting for you there.
This is the text that Primo sent me. After giving it one last look, I turn my phone off and place it in my pocket. Waiting silently at the bus stop with Blue and Trace, I stare into the grey sky, speckled with cold bits of white that fall to the earth and cover the ground. The wait is starting to feel like an eternity...
Ah, it's so cold. I don't like the cold... I have to remember to dress warmer tomorrow.
“It's beautiful,” Blue says, killing the silence. “I always like it when winter rolls around. Somehow, the snow always makes me feel peaceful...”
“I don't like winter very much.”
He gives me a look of disbelief after I say this. “Why not?”
“I just don't like being cold.”
He nods, understanding. “Yeah, I kind of get the feeling you're the kinda person who would enjoy watching the season from your window, though.”
“Hmm... maybe. I can imagine it...” I start to picture the scene. “I can imagine waking up on a Saturday morning, staying warm and cozy in my warm, cozy house, pouring myself a mug of hot cocoa and just watching the snow...” I smile just thinking about it.
“Bus sure is taking a second...”
“I wouldn't be surprised if the buses ran late today,” Trace says, after being silent for all that time. “It starting to snow a lot... Some of the roads are probably already pretty bad.” I find it odd that Trace would make that observation... but she might be right. Quite a bit of snow is falling. “Welp,” she says, standing up.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I'm gonna walk.”
That's a surprise. Primo's house is pretty far from here. “It seems like a long walk, Trace. Are you gonna be okay? Do you even know where the place is?”
“It'll be fine... I've got Grey with me to help me out. It's okay if you guys wanna wait for the bus. I'll meet you there.” Trace smiles, and runs off, slowly disappearing...
...
How much time has passed? It's 3:00 and still no bus. We're going to be late...
As I get lost in my thoughts, Blue turns to me, wanting to say something. “Cleo... can I ask you something more about Trace before I met her... again?”
“Sure.” I don't feel uncomfortable talking with him about it anymore, which is good. It matters a lot to me that we can trust each other with the subject... “So, what is it?”
“Well, how do I ask this... When was the last time Trace killed anybody?”
“It's been years, Blue. She hasn't killed a single person since she decided to be a hero.”
Hearing that, Blue seems very relived. “Oh, that's good to hear.”
“What's wrong? Why bring this up, Blue?”
“Look, Emerald knew Trace, remember? She was a friend of Karen's.” Right. Now, I remember who she is. I believe Trace did run into her a few other times before, over these last three years. “Emerald told me that Trace just wants to hurt people, and the whole hero of justice thing is just so she can hide behind her sadistic desires. That's not true, is it?”
“Of course not. Trace hasn't gone into crazy killer mode again until just recently. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll keep it under control. You can trust Trace.”
Blue shakes his head. “I do. The problem is that Emerald doesn't. Remember what happened yesterday? The only way I can see this ending is with one of them dead.”
“Blue, that's ridiculous--”
“Just listen, okay!? Emerald... she said Trace was a criminal! She said she was going to bring her justice! If we let things stay like this, it's gonna get ugly!”
“Calm down, Blue. You don't need to shout.”
“But--”
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“Look, I'll help you. What are we going to do about it?”
Blue turns away from me, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don't know yet. I don't know what to do.”
I give Blue a pat on his shoulder. “Look, I know we can figure something out in time. Just relax. It'll come to you.”
“Well... okay. For now.” With that conversation over, I look up at the sky again.
...
As time passes, snow continues to fall, and it's starting to cover the ground...
“...there's not gonna be any bus coming, Cleo...”
“Trace was right about it getting bad out here.” I sigh... then suddenly, a light bulb goes off in my head. “Hey, Blue!”
He responds to my smile and sudden shout with incredulity.
“Grab on,” I say, reaching my hands out to grab him. “We're gonna fly to Primo's place.”
“Wh—are you sure?”
“Not really. This would be the first time I flew someone else in a while.”
“Uuuuuuuh...”
“Come on, Blue. I won't drop you.” I take hold of Blue, then link to Flèche.
“Ventus.” In a few seconds, I feel wind, and we're floating above the ground. “Okay, Flèche. Fly!” We go higher... then start to flying forward.
I look down and see Dreamers City below. While it's beautiful as always, it seems to be getting covered in snow rather quickly. Feels unnatural.
Still, traveling this way is great. Not having to follow the laws of the road, not having to stop for passengers... This is much faster than traveling by bus.
The look on Blue's face is priceless. “Wow. We're really flying! This is amazing!” It makes me smile.
“Okay, do you know where it is from here?” After having Blue point me in the proper direction, We fly to Primo's house...
...
“Oh. You guys made it.” Primo is there to greet us when we arrive. “I was thinking about holding the interrogation because I didn't think you'd get here.”
“Are the roads all really that bad?” Blue asks.
“Yes. I had to go get Baek myself, and I don't know how Ms. Crux got here...” I can't help but think this snow isn't normal... winter is never this bad here.
“Well, here we are,” I say to Primo, after a moment of silence.
“Let's go,” Primo says, “it's time to interrogate the Baronet of Shadowhand.” We all go further into the house.
The interrogation room, like Strife's lab, is hidden somewhere in the house that normal people wouldn't be able to access without permission, hidden by some sort of illusion magic, it seems. As we enter the room, we see Trace, Baek, and Emerald standing in here, with the Baronet in the center, laying on a table, with cuffs on his hands and feet to keep him from getting away. I take a close look at his face for the first time... wait. He looks familiar.
“What else am I supposed to do!? This is the law's fault! Ever since CORE was brought down, I've had nowhere to go!”
Are you kidding me... It's that guy from all that time ago! What's he doing with Shadowhand...?
“You!”
He looks at me when I say this. “Who are you?”
“You were arrested about three years ago, right? After you were defeated by two other Magic Knights?”
The Baronet expresses confusion. “Yeah... Wait, don't tell me...”
“Yes, it's me. I'm one of the Magic Knights that fought you that day.” Suddenly, an expression of fear covers his face.
“W—Wait! Don't you understand!? I've given up! I don't want to topple the 'Kingdom of Fear' anymore! I just--”
“Just answer our questions and we won't hurt you.” Trace steps in and says this. “So... you used to be part of CORE, right? Does Shadowhand have anything to do with CORE? Are the other members also people who had something to do with them?”
“I... I'm not going to sell them out! Just let me go free!”
Trace facepalms. “Do you realize the situation you're in?” She pulls out a knife... I do hope she's doesn't intend to torture this guy. “Look, we're not gonna kill you. We just want you to cooperate.”
“So that's how it is... things really haven't changed. King was right! Do whatever you want! I don't care anymore! You probably don't have it in you to actually kill me, anyway...”
She raises her arm... “Trace, don't do it!” I shout just before she stabs him. Emerald pushes Trace out of the way.
“Leave it to me.” She looks down on the criminal. In more ways then one, it seems... “We can make you talk without killing you.” She takes hold of his right hand... “Tell us what we want to know. You can make this easy for all of this...”
He whispers, “I refuse.” Then...
I hear something. I hear the painful sound of ripping flesh, the cruel noise of small bones and joints cracking and popping...
“AAAAAAAH!” My eyes go wide. I stare at Emerald's hand... Emerald is holding a bloody index finger, leaving a red stump where the man's finger once was...
No one says anything. The only sound in this room is the screams from the person on the table, which soon turned into uncontrollable sobbing... “I will take your thumb next.”
He just groans in pain.
“Who's running Shadowhand? Where is your base of operations? I'm starting to lose my patience!”
Again, he groans.
Emerald reaches out again... only to be stopped by Primo.
“That's enough,” he says, grabbing Emerald's arm. “We can't interrogate him like this.”
“Tch.” Emerald pulls away.
After a moment of silence, Primo speaks up. “Alright, let's get out. The other Armis are going to treat him. We'll turn him in to the police tomorrow.” As the other Armis come in, Primo guides us back to the living room.
So, we've gotten nothing out of the man we took captive. What a waste of time...