19.

Juggling Problems

Two days later, and the same dream keeps waking Liko up in the dark.

It's always the same, a dark plain of shining crystals, Terapagos at her feet, the turtle without its shell, the singing fisherman and his black dragon, flying above them, a merry tune, everything at peace. And then, the mask of leaves and crystal arrives from the depths of nothing, dark eyes glaring at her, reminding Liko of a mirror that she can't look away from.

In the dream, Terapagos stares at her, no longer concerned with the thief in the clouds, who ignores it all, watching both Liko and the masked stranger, who whispers over and over again, "...nothing, nothing…how long do you plan on running?"

Liko doesn't know for how long she's planning to run, and when she'll stop.

That's how Liko meets Irwin in the outskirts of Goldenrod by bumping into him, her mind stuck in a dream.

He had been juggling a trio of small Voltorb-shaped balls, grinning from ear to ear, not noticing Liko until it was too late.

Liko apologized profusely but Iriwn laughed, and asked for a Pokemon battle, sending out a Voltorb of his own, and Sprigatito, without waiting to be told, jumped into action. His trainer tried hard not to sigh.

Sprigatito hadn't been listening to her for a while now. He wasn't all bad, keeping her company as they walked on the road, letting her cuddle up to him while they slept, but in a battle Sprigatito preferred to fight on his own.

Irwin's Voltrob glared as Sprigatito kept his distance, as if sensing the electricity circling the other Pokemon, familiar perhaps, to the Magneton that paralyzed him and pushed him away like it was nothing.

Liko shakes her head.

Not the time to think about that.

Sprigatito growls, preparing to jump, not listening to Liko call out a Leafage to block the thundershock attack from Voltorb but everything came to a halt when the Houndour appeared from the bushes, ran in the middle of the fight, tripped and fell.

The Houndour stayed on the ground, as if embarrassed by its clumsiness, trainers and Pokemon staring at it with confused worry. And then, came the yapping and barking. A trio of Growlithes had appeared from the bushes, staring, amused, at the fallen Houndour, apparently laughing at it. Irwin wastes little time, ordering Voltorb to scare them away with a thundershock, the Growlithes losing their grins and growling as they run away.

"Let's say it's a draw," Irwin says. "I wouldn't risk a fight with those troublemakers around…they've been harassing people and Pokemon alike that come or hang around Goldenrod. Been at it for weeks now."

Liko knew what Irwin meant.

Back home in Cabo Poco, some green feathered Squawkabillys had decided the roof on her parents' house was comfy and decided to stay. Liko was five, and figured because her mother's Squawkabilly was friendly, the new 'neighbors' would be too. But they hadn't been friendly at all. If Lucca's Squawkabilly had not interfered, the wild Pokemon would have hurt Liko badly. Lucca was upset, of course, and Liko remembered crying about it. Liko had avoided her mother's Squawkabilly for a few days before her mother sat her down and assured her fears, and the little girl began to cuddle up to the yellow Squawkabilly again.

The girl moved, slowly, Sprigatito by her side, towards the fallen Houndour, who hadn't moved from its place until it flipped over, belly up, staring at Liko. It wagged its little tail.

"Umm…are you okay?"

Houndour kept staring at her.

"He looks alright," Irwin said, glancing at the dark type. "It's unusual to see Houndour so close to the city…probably got chased all the way here by those little jerks. Wouldn't be the first time."

Houndour stared.

Liko tilted her head…

…and almost tripped backwards as the Houndour, faster than she expected, got up and ran towards her. Sprigatito, caught by surprise, growled and tried to jump on Houndour but the dark type was faster, and soon enough it was close enough to Liko before it tripped, spun, and fell, head first, into Liko's traveling bag. Something clicked from inside the bag, and the Houndour disappeared in a flash.

Liko, Irwin, and their Pokemon were silent for a minute before the girl grabbed something from her bag.

It was one of the empty Pokeballs that Serena had bought for her before she sent her off to Johto. Irwin laughed.

"Well…congratulations on capturing Houndour! I think."

Back in Kanto, the message catches Friede by surprise.

The Brave Asagi was making a trip around Pallet Town, and Friede was already feeling they had searched everywhere. He had made the mistake of thinking that Liko was like Lucca, that she had tricked everyone by going to Pewter City only to u-turn back to Viridian and hide in Pallet Town before disappearing into the night. But Liko didn't seem the type to play the long con, unlike her mother. Lucca would have made them go in circles, here today, gone tomorrow. Yet the message had changed all that, it made Friede think he had been played not by a lost girl but by a gym leader and a champion back in Viridian.

"She's in Johto…took the ship that goes to New Bark Town, L.," the message read. It's Lucca's familiar cursive, pretty and fast, like a doctor's but legible. Captain Pikachu pointed in the distance. A Squawkabilly, yellow in color, flying away.

Friede stared at the message, and walked to the kitchen.

They were flying to Johto.

He'll have to deal with those two later, right now, he's out to find a missing girl and reunite mother and child if he could.

Amethio met Spinel outside of Viridian, the older young man annoyed at being followed by rowdy Pokemon. Amethio doesn't bother to ask about it.

"Umbreon already took care of it, thanks for asking," Spinel said, grinning.

Amethio tried not to glare.

It was always a struggle working together with Spinel.

The young man's tactics were too underhanded for Amethio's liking, especially when it involved Spinel's Beheeyem. He never liked the idea of erasing or modifying someone's memories to get what they wanted. It didn't feel fair, earned.

Master Gibeon disagreed, and Amethio didn't dare question him.

Amethio was surprised, however, when he learned that Spinel hadn't used his Pokemon's powers to get ahead, like he always did. Zir figured it had something to do with the Champion staying in Viridian, and that poacher alert that Spinel had run into during his operation.

A kid with memory problems would have surely alerted someone. That's why Spinel attacked the target instead. A girl in the hospital would be enough of a distraction that no one would worry about some special pendant.

"It is too bad," Spinel remarked, watching the many screens, all spying on the Brave Asagi circling over Pallet Town.

"What about?" Amethio asks, staying professional.

"That I got careless," he smiled, patting his Umbreon on the head. "She won't get too far, though…if we meet again."

Amethio frowned.

Spinel had been kind enough to write in his report that he had caused some damage to the girl's leg. Running wouldn't save her.

"I'm a little upset about Beheeyem…had I not underestimated that pendant of hers, I wouldn't have any trouble taking it away…memories and all."

Amethio didn't say anything.

"I should have taken the girl with me…save Master Gibeon the trouble." Spinel smirked. "Would you look at that?" He pointed at a monitor. Amethio could barely see the yellow bird in the distance, and later, the captain of that airship turned around and disappeared inside a cabin.

"He got a message?"

"Hmm…curious."

They waited a while, and soon, they noticed the airship turning, going slowly and surely, back to Viridian. Amethio's airship followed an hour later.

The Brave Asagi was moving to Johto.

"Crafty little girl," Spinel whispered, smiling mischievously.

Amethio never liked that smile.