"Oh, I wouldn't worry if I were you." Phillip spoke up. "She's always like that, going somewhere without telling us." He turned back to watch Rosaline and Grimsley easily finishing Whirlipede when Delphox used Mystical Fire on Bisharp's Metal Claw, turning the attack to a fire type, and slashing Whirlipede with it.
"Whirlipede is unable to battle! Elites Grimsley and Rosaline wins!"
"It looks like Burgh was overwhelmed by the combined power of two Elite members!" Ken announced. "With this in mind, Elites Grimsley and Rosaline now need one more win to enter the Top 128!"
Dawn quickly exited the field to get away from the humiliation of the loss of her Togekiss.
"Huh? She's not back yet?" Rosaline asked disappointedly, as she entered the VIP Box with Grimsley and Burgh.
"Unfortunately, no." Ash confirmed.
Shortly after, Ash received a message on his CommuniDex. It was Pakura. She had sent over a video.
'Wonder why she would send me a video?' Ash thought, beckoning to his Elites so they could go to one corner and watch.
(Video Play)
"I can't believe that Elite girl stole my Skitty! That corrupted bitch! I swear I'll make her pay! How did she become Princess of PAL when she's corrupted is beyond me!" May was ranting to Trip, Iris, Max, Brock, Misty and Cilan as she tried on her dress for the upcoming PAL Contest. She was convinced that it was her Skitty. They apparently left to go there following Dawn's defeat to get new outfits for May and Dawn, and most likely to cheer the latter up at the same time, since Iris and Cilan aren't scheduled to fight until after lunch break.
"I know, and I suspect the other Elites may have our other missing Pokémon too. Especially that Phillip guy, he has an Emolga. It could have been mine for all I know." Iris agreed. "We got to have a plan to steal them back. Am I right Dawn?" She turned to Dawn, who was glumly reading a magazine at one of the couches.
"Huh?" Dawn looked up. "Oh, yeah." She looked back down at her magazine.
Brock went to comfort her. "Hey, cheer up. Maybe you can shine like a star in the Contest."
"Not if I can say about it." May said good-naturedly, and Dawn forced a laugh, looking down at her magazine.
"No, this won't do." May continued, looking at the latest dress in the mirror. "What should I try on next?"
Then, a dress a headless mannequin was wearing caught her eye. It was the softest blue imaginable, and was covered all over in sparkling blue beading. It was off the shoulder with a sweetheart neckline, and the filmy skirt reached just below the knees.
May gasped. This dress is the most beautiful she had ever seen, and it was practically made for her. It would definitely fit her like a glove.
"Excuse me, can I try on that dress?" May asked the store clerk, pointing to the blue dress.
"Sorry, that dress is reserved." The store clerk replied.
"What do you mean reserved?" May demanded.
"It's reserved for one of the judges for the PAL Contest. I apologize, but this is not for sale." The store clerk answered as best as she could.
May huffed, and went to the other racks, and grabbed random dresses, before dragging Dawn to standing position, and pushing her towards the dressing room. "Stop moping and select a dress already!" Dawn looked uncertain as she went in the dressing room with the bundle of clothes.
"About our Pokémon, we first see what Pokémon that was same as our missing ones do they own, and once we do, we expose them with evidence, and they would most likely lose their positions, and we might get them back!" Max suggested.
"Besides, I don't like that Red Satoshi's attitude, anyway." Trip said.
"Yes! His attitude stinks!" Misty shouted, causing the salespeople in the store to shush her.
"Yeah, good idea. Do you think we should look into the Pokémon type that our missing Pokémon has, and see which Elite specialises in that type?" Cilan spoke up. "It's most likely that the Pokémon went to the respective type specialty of the Trainer."
"Great idea, Cilan!" May clapped her hands in glee. "And once I get my Skitty, Glaceon, and Blaziken back, they are most likely more powerful than ever, and I might win more contests and battles in the future! Maybe they'll ask Pakura to give up that Sylveon to me too, that Pokémon is really cute and beautiful." May sighed in her daydream.
The others made noises of assent. They assigned roles, where Misty and Brock to observe Red, Trip to spy on Phillip, Max to check on Rosaline, Iris and Cilan to watch Jude, and May and Dawn to follow Pakura.
(End Video)
The video was attached with a message.
If it wasn't for the fact that my personal stylist asked me to go over there to prepare for my appearance at the PAL Contest, I wouldn't even bother going to the same place as those vermin. Thought you'd might like to see this. –Pakura.
"Well, at least we know where she has been." Jude remarked.
"So they are trying to find out what Pokémon of theirs we have, and steal them, right?" Phillip whispered.
Rosaline nodded. "They are not sure if it's their so they would try to find out our full team, and piece two and two together."
Ash sighed. Would those traitors ever learn?
"What do you think we should do?" Pikachu asked.
"Honestly? That's just a minor worry." Ash mumbled. "If I'm right, something will happen to them before they can even act on their plan."
"Guess so. Oh well, let's just go for lunch."
A pair of grey eyes watched the PAL Elite, and the owner of those eyes secretly went to follow them, specifically Red, ignoring Alder's invitations for a meal or at least a cup of tea.
"Max? Where did you place the hotel keys?" May demanded. All of them were standing outside their hotel rooms, locked out because their hotel keys were missing. They planned to go to their rooms and order Room Service.
"I swear they were in my pocket!" Her brother protested, searching desperately for the keys.
"If we don't find the keys, the concierge is gonna kick us out!" Cilan warned him. "Remember what he said?"
Max sighed. "I know. He said that the keys are expensive to make, and he's only lending it to us for free since we are tournament participants, so if we lose one key, we either pay the cost of a replacement key, which we can't afford, or we get kicked out, and we'll have to live in the Pokémon Center rooms."
"I'm hungry." Iris whined. Trip rolled his eyes.
"Just hurry up and find the key! We're wasting time!" Misty yelled. She isn't in a particularly good mood since the battle with Red and Cynthia.
Unbeknownst to them, those traitors are definitely going to have to reside in the Pokémon Center rooms.
"Good job, Klefki." A voice said. The owner of the voice was smirking.
"No problem." Klefki replied.
On her owner's hands were four hotel keys.