14.

Distractions

Dot was running on coffee and donuts, busy at the keyboard.

That malfunction from days ago made sense now; if only Dot hadn't been busy with Nidothing she would have noticed the mess right away, noticed how odd it all was. Dot wasn't perfect, that was a fact, but she wasn't an idiot either, just a kid with too much time in her hands getting distracted by her hobbies.

Outside of Dot's room in the Brave Asagi, everyone's running all over. At least, Orla, Mollie and Ludlow are keeping their heads straight, not like her uncle and Friede aren't trying. Dot gets that everyone's worried. A kid has gone missing, probably hurt, scared, because some unknown ass went and attacked her for a piece of jewelry.

Dot knew there was more about that pendant than what Friede told them.

Their leader knew more about the whole deal, after all.

An old friend, he had called their client, an old friend and a mother that was worried about her little girl.

Worried?

Something else was going on, and Dot's sure Orla and Mollie gave Friede a few odd looks because, what the heck was happening? Everything had gone wrong because no one dared to think it was that serious.

No one figured it would be.

Dot had been busy making videos, her uncle was busy cooking and trying his best to manage their budget, Orla was busy with her work, Mollie with hers, Ludlow was fishing, Captain Pikachu was trying to drink all the coffee in the ship and Friede was making calls.

And the news broke out.

The girl was missing, her mother, too, left to try to find her, and the crew was scrambling to find a scared little girl who seemed to be running for her life.

A day later, someone passes the news; their girl was seen traveling to Pewter City, a bit beaten up but alert, going through the forest and disappearing into the city lights.

Ludlow reminds everyone that the poor girl is confused and comforting her should be their priority.

Friede agrees.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that the girl probably got spooked because there was Charizard on patrol.

Amethio gets a report from Conia.

The target was seen leaving Viridian towards Pewter City.

Amethio thinks, confused, suddenly wondering, strangely worried, where the girl was hiding all this time if it wasn't in the city, being reminded of the news of a giant Beedrill that had taken to patrolling the deepest parts of the forest.

Zir had already given his report: that girl from Kalos, the Champion, had been distracted by that same Beedrill days before Spinel's failure.

He figured it didn't matter now.

They were leaving.

That girl wouldn't get far.

Amethio would finish the job.

Back in her hotel room, Serena watches the sky go dark.

Liko had already called; she was in New Bark Town, making friends, keeping her distance.

"I wonder…" the older girl began, glancing at the stranger that was sitting on the bed. "...how long until they figure out that that girl they were told about wasn't real?"

The stranger, a girl, Liko with a uniform ripped in places, grins, before the illusion shatters, revealing a Zoroark.

Serena smiles.

"With any luck, Liko will be far away from New Bark by the time they notice the difference." Serena frowned. "Blue won't be happy, though."

Zoroark shrugged.