Wednesday afternoon, 3 pm. Ryo was in Moorside inn, located in Ivarstead. He was trying to gather some information about the mysterious unknown serial killer. First, he tried to speak with the owner of the inn.
"Excuse me sir..." said the Riolu.
"Oh, how may I help you kid? Wanna buy some food? You know, Moorside inn is famous for its delicious grilled pidgeys! You should try some! You are new here, right? Here, take this grilled pidgey for free! I always give free food to new customers!" said the owner of the inn, who was a loudred.
"Thank you sir...But I'm here not for food...but I'm trying to gather some information..."said Ryo.
"You want to hear about the latest rumour? Alright! Do you know that Bella Lombardi is having an affair with baron Harry? I always like to gossip! It is fun!" said the loudred.
"No... Not that kind of rumour. I was wondering if you know a thing or two about the mysterious serial killer?" said Ryo.
"Ah, yes...The butcher of Ivarstead. Known for killing travellers and merchants, even the ones with bodyguards. You know, I think the serial killer doesn't kill for pleasure, but for the money, since all of the victims are rich. A pokemon like you should not be worried about the serial killer, since you don't look rich, haha..." said the loudred.
"How many pokemon have fallen victim to the butcher of Ivarstead?" asked Ryo
"Seven rich merchants, and one travelling noble. Impressive feat for a serial killer do you agree, kid?"
"Well yeah...I think so...Do you perhaps know when the killing happened?" asked the Riolu.
"Well, obviously not at night, since rich people do not usually travel at night. And certainly not in the morning or afternoon either, since rich travellers are always able to reach Ivarstead safely if they travel during the day." Said the innkeeper.
"Then the serial killer did all the killing at dusk...Yes...It must be at dusk..." said Ryo.
"Well, I don't know but you are probably right, kid!" said the Loudred.
Suddenly, a furret came and ordered some food and drink. The furret was a merchant who sold expensive silk clothing.
"One loaf of bread and a glass of mead please...and make it quick. I'm in a hurry!" said the Furret.
"We don't sell mead here, only wine. If you want mead, go to the honningbrew meadery. It is located not very far from here. It is the only place where mead is being sold..." said the Loudred.
"Fine then! One bottle of fine Altomare wine please!" said the Furret.
"Sure thing sir. Why don't you spend the night here?" said the Loudred
"No, I can't. I have to reach Avennio as quickly as possible. The Avennio silk merchant convention started tomorrow at 9 am. Avennio is just 6 miles away from here. I'm sure I can reach Avennio before night falls..." said the Furret.
"So you decide to travel at dusk? Don't you know it is dangerous?" asked the Loudred.
"I have a machoke as a bodyguard. Don't worry. Everything will be fine!" said the Furret.
"Oh well, suit yourself, but you have been warned..." said the Loudred.
"No worries..." said the Furret confidently.
A rich silk merchant? How lucky I am. I don't need to search for the serial killer. The serial killer will present himself! All I need to do is to follow the merchant secretly...thought Ryo to himself.
Ten minutes later, the Furret had finished eating and drinking and decided to travel to Avennio along with his bodyguard. Ryo, being a smart Riolu, knew that the Furret was a perfect potential victim of the serial killer, whom Ryo hypothesized to do the killing at dusk. Therefore, Ryo started to follow the merchant secretly from afar...Every time the merchant stopped to look around, the riolu hid behind a rock or a pile of snow. Then, something sadistic happened. An Ursaring appeared, holding a sword in his left hand and the Ursaring had a scar on his face. The Machoke did his best to defend the merchant, but he got beheaded by the Ursaring in a flash.
"Take my money! Just don't kill me!" said the Furret.
"If I let you go, you'll tell others that I am the serial killer and my identity will be known. So I have to murder you, Furret! Don't worry, your death will be swift." Said the Ursaring
The Ursaring stabbed the furret in the chest and started mutilating the Furret 'joyfully'. Ryo was disgusted by the gore and violence and decided to look away. After 15 minutes of mutilation, the Ursaring decided to take the merchant's bag of gold and left. The riolu immediately followed the Ursaring stealthily. The Ursaring went into a cave.
This cave must be his secret lair...the Riolu thought. The Ursaring then began cooking for dinner. As he was cooking, he did not realize that the riolu was spying on him. The Riolu carefully examined the Ursaring's secret lair and saw many bags of gold on the corner of the room and many bottles of mead scattered all over the place. He also saw four mightyenas feeding on the furret's internal organs.
Yuck...I have always hated mead...This guy must be a fan of mead, since there are so many bottles of mead in his secret lair...I also can't believe that he serves the Furret's internal organ to his pet mightyenas...How barbaric...thought the Riolu.
Now I have to figure out a way to capture this serial killer. I cannot beat him in a fair fight. Sure, I can poison him using a dart but even if he is asleep or paralyzed, I still cannot capture him in his own lair due to the mightyenas. By the way... where does he buy all these bottles of mead? Wait, I remember...the honningbrew meadery! And more importantly, I have an idea! Thought the riolu.
Ryo left the cave and returned to his house.
"Arriving late at home as usual, Ryo...Where have you been?" asked Akira.
"I was doing a mission, big brother. I need to look at the map of Arcadius right now!" said Ryo.
Akira then took the map of Arcadius and showed it to the Riolu.
"Aha! Honningbrew meadery! There it is!" said Ryo.
"You wanna buy some mead? You are too young to drink alcohol. Dad will beat you up if you go home drunk..." said Akira.
"Relax big brother, I don't drink alcohol...Now I need to sleep because I have to get up very early tomorrow" said the riolu.
At the next day, the Riolu got up early and went to the red district. He brought the sleep and paralysis poison that he crafted during his visit to Alicia's house. The red district was a part of Aeterna where pokemon from Huang Long lived. Ryo knew one merchant from Huang Long who sold mechanical concealed weapon. His name was Meng Yao.
"Good morning, Meng Yao, long time no see!" said the Riolu.
"Hello there Ryo, what brings you here very early in the morning?" asked Meng Yao.
"I need to buy a dart launcher. You know, the one that is disguised as a flute..." said the Riolu.
"Here you go, Ryo. It costs 40 gold coins." Said Meng Yao.
"Thank you, sir, and have a good day!" said Ryo as he gave the money.
From there, he went to the Honningbrew meadery and talked with the shopkeeper, who is a Mr. mime.
"Good afternoon kid...You are new here, right? Can I help you?" asked the shopkeeper
"Good afternoon, sir. Do you happen to have an Ursaring as your regular customer?" asked the Riolu.
"Oh, are you talking about Mr. Ted Armstrong? Yes! He is a very loyal customer. He always comes here every Thursday night to drink some mead before purchasing a crate of mead and bringing it home!" said the shopkeeper.
"Wait...Today is Thursday...Which means, he will come tonight?" asked the Riolu
"Most likely" said the shopkeeper.
"One more question....is he left-handed and has scar on his face?" asked the Riolu.
"Yes! You are right! How do you know that?" asked the shopkeeper.
"I am his close friend. Do you mind if I stay here until night falls? I'm a bard by the way..." lied the riolu.
"Sure. Why not?" said the shopkeeper.
Ryo waited patiently as the time passed. Eventually, around 6 pm, an Ursaring with a scar on his face entered the Honningbrew Meadery alone, without his pet mightyenas. He was carrying a bag of gold that he stole from the Furret using his left hand, as he was left-handed.
"Good evening, Mr. Ted! Welcome!"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever. I'm here for mead. I think I'll drink a bottle or two before going home..." said the Ursaring.
"Very good sir! In the meantime, why don't you have a seat and listen to a song? We have a bard tonight that will entertain us." Said the Mr. Mime as he was pointing on the riolu.
"A bard? Great!" said the Ursaring.
As the Ursaring began drinking, Ryo sang a song.
"What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
What will we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning!"
"Nice.... do you play an instrument?" said the Ursaring, being half drunk.
"Of course, sir! I play the flute!" said the Riolu as he pulled out his dart launcher which was disguised as a flute.
"Then play me a lullaby with your flute!" said the Ursaring.
"Okay sir... sleep tight..." said the riolu as he shot the dart at the Ursaring. The dart was coated with paralysis and sleep poison. A few moments later...the Ursaring fell and lay on the floor, motionless.
"Oh my...he must have drunk too much mead..." said the Shopkeeper.
"I know, let me take care of him. I know where he lives since I am his close friend. Do you mind using your psychic power to levitate his body and put it on the carriage outside?" asked the Riolu.
"Sure thing, kid!" said the Mr. Mime.
Using the carriage, the riolu then took the sleeping and paralyzed Ursaring to the knight's guild. Rowley, who was on guard during night shift looked surprised and confused.
"Ryo? Is that you? What are you doing in the middle of the night and why are you bringing a sleeping Ursaring with you?" asked the kecleon.
"Long story. Listen, you have to keep this guy locked until guild master Caesar comes tomorrow. He is a dangerous serial killer. Don't worry, the poison is so potent that he will be unable to move his arms and legs until the next three days." Said the riolu
"You poisoned him? How?!" asked the kecleon.
"Again, it is a long story. Just keep this guy locked will ya?" said the Riolu.
"Okay." Said Rowley.