Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 88: The Verdict

Cameras continued to flash. The man filming the statement was barely paying attention. He was teary-eyed. Even if people couldn't forgive Lyndon, they felt for Laila and his love as endless as her hope was palpable.

'But a lone 15 year-old forced to drop out of the Gym Challenge because her mom was stalking her can't fight said mom when she's a vicious killer who won't even play fair. Laila gave her life in the vain hope of taking Gretchen down with Cipher so the world would be safe for us, our son and everyone else in Orre. She was brutally beaten, almost to death, while screaming my name. But she wasn't dead. Gretchen made sure she was still alive to experience being heartlessly thrown to her death in the Pyrite Chasm. I physically could not reach her in time. All I could do was bury the Pokémon, Kirlia and Chansey who died to protect their Trainer and her son, because they too carried her beautiful but vain hope.'

'Laila was a junkie. She died for drugs.'

Lyndon ignored Gretchen's interruption. His eyes flitted only from the judge to the jury.

'And from that day on, I only ever saw my son from a distance. I dropped out of school to scrub floors at Pyrite Colosseum and battle until my Pokémon could take no more in a desperate bid to repeatedly take Gretchen to court for custody. My son was not safe with her. She did not love him. He had a father and grandmother who loved him dearly. But she didn't just use the money she stole from the real Rosen Raco to keep him away from us. She drilled it into him that even if we were out there somewhere, we wanted nothing to do with him – as I was standing outside her house and outside this court, demanding justice for his mom. As you know, Your Honour and people of the jury, there was none until now. And no matter how hard I worked, how many extra bills the Gym Leader slipped me, how much of my mom's wages she set aside and how many glasses of lemonade and cookies my sister Willa sold... we could not contend with someone who stole another person's fortune. That was when I was sued for defamation and, in case that didn't work, Gretchen threatened to kill Trip if I ever came near them again.'

He paused to steady his voice. 'As my colleague Dr. Robel has confirmed, I initially joined Cipher to search for Laila's body. However, my father alone cannot be blamed for me becoming Grand Master. It was my loss of faith in authority, my loss of faith in humankind thanks to Gretchen that drove me to isolated madness in which I believed the only way to ease this world of its pain was to end it all. My emotional distress led me to believe I was a hero. Whilst I am responsible for my own actions, there can be no denying the power of influence, especially when someone is firmly traumatised before their teens even begin. When they've watched their best friend be failed by those meant to protect her until she was killed by her own mother. When they watched the son they adore from a distance, like a stalker rather than a father, when that son believed they didn't love him, but there was nothing they could do because his grandma would have thrown him into the Pyrite Chasm to join his mom if they tried. Enough people have died already. I won't ask for another death. But I do beg you, Your Honour, for life without parole for this heartless serial killer who has thrown away years of chances for redemption. Thank you.'

Dibe said nothing. She remained visibly unruffled, but the statements did touch her. One name remained. It was Hedra Runnalls, the mother of Gretchen's first victim, Budic. She had no paper to read from. She immediately faced Gretchen.

'You murdered my son because he wouldn't fuck you. You piece of shit.'

'Mrs. Runnalls, please...'

'I hope you rot in jail! I hope they kill you!'

It was her first opportunity to actually address her son's killer. She darted suddenly from the stand. Her fist flew. It briefly hit Gretchen's chin before security restrained her. Hedra was escorted out. The jury held its final meeting. Dibe prepared to conclude the trial. She was so blank, Trip and Lyndon feared Gretchen would get off with a lighter sentence than she deserved, or that the jury had somehow decided she wasn't guilty. Gretchen was hauled into a booth where she faced Dibe. She stood. Dibe stared directly into her eyes.

'Now you have been found guilty of all charges, Gretchen Janine Manning, I will preface your sentencing by reminding you that throughout this trial, you have showed no remorse. No remorse whatsoever for the lives of strangers and loved ones alike that you have destroyed. You heartlessly threw your victims into the Pyrite Chasm, ensuring they were conscious to feel terror and pain. Three of those were children in your care. Every crime you committed, or in fact your entire life, was conducted with callous, calculated cruelty to fuel your hunger for power, for you did not only kill or seek to kill. You sought to cause distress as painful as death in the hope that if you did not end the lives of your victims, they would take their own. I am in agreement with Mr. Massey and the jury that no further deaths need occur. However, no amount of jail time can possibly remedy the harm you have caused to the people of Orre.'

Her voice hardened. 'For three counts of murder, charges one to three, you are sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.'

Applause erupted. Even the supposedly impartial guards clapped. Lyndon did not. His eyes were squeezed shut and face turned to the ceiling. Trip glanced down at the hand in his pocket. Only he saw his father take out a torn and faded piece of crudely folded cardboard. On it was red paint. The words 'JUSTICE FOR LAILA' shook in his trembling hands.

'For two counts of manslaughter, charges four to five, you are sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. For one count of statutory rape, charge six, you are sentenced to 10 years in prison. For 16 counts of verbal and emotional abuse and harassment with intent to prompt suicide, charges seven to 22, you are sentenced to five years in prison. For six counts of recurring child abuse, charges 23 to 28, you are sentenced to 15 years in prison.'

Dibe raised a hand to encourage the cheering audience to calm down. 'For five counts of obstruction of justice, charges 29 to 33, you are sentenced to five years in prison. For one count of espionage, charge 34, you are sentenced to three years in prison. For two counts of prison escape, charges 35 to 36, you are sentenced to 10 years in prison. For three counts of robbery, charges 37 to 40, you are sentenced to six years in prison. For three counts of libel, charges 41 to 43, you are sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay P600,000 each to Jamal Joyner, Karsyn Massey and Lyndon Massey. For two counts of kidnapping, charges 44 to 45, you are sentenced to eight years in prison. For one count of impersonation, charge 46, you are sentenced to three years in prison. For at least 11 counts of Pokémon abuse, charges 47 to 58, you are sentenced to 13 years in prison. Finally, for at least two counts of murdering Pokémon, charges 59 to 61 and two counts of attempted manslaughter, charges 62 to 63, you are once again sentenced to life imprisonment.'

Her gavel struck its block. 'The jury, witnesses and victims are thanked and excused. Court is adjourned.'