Blaine let out a quiet moan of satisfaction at the taste of his drink, his daily trip to this particular coffee shop being the one highlight of his day, a time for him to forget, even for a moment, about his crippling guilt.. It was an obscure shop, a little out of the way, so he knew he could find some privacy. Blaine couldn't stand being around people anymore, for he was likely the most hated man in the city. The woes of being a war criminal…

"Ah, Blaine! What a surprise! I see you've discovered one of Fuschia's secret paradises!"

Blaine bit back a curse as he nearly dropped his coffee. Standing in front of him, conveniently blocking the door, was Giovanni Romano. Judging by his cold smile, and how it didn't meet his eyes, their meeting wasn't a surprise at all. No doubt one of his Ninja lackeys had been tailing Blaine.

"Giovanni," Blaine fought to keep his voice even, to hide his discomfort. "I find that the occasional coffee break is necessary in such stressful times. I'm glad to see you still well, with the burden on your shoulders. I wouldn't want to keep you."

"Nonsense!" Giovanni's tone was jovial, but his eyes warned Blaine he wouldn't be letting him go so easily. "It's a beautiful day, and I'd love to catch up with a fellow Gym Leader. As you say, it's important to take time to relax."

"Of course," Blaine stammered out, and Giovanni gestured for him to follow. He felt a twinge of pity at Giovanni's limping gait. He was much younger than himself, and yet his physical prowess had been robbed by the clone. Yet another reward reaped by Blaine's sin of creation.

Koga was waiting for them, as Blaine knew he would; the Ninja Master was practically Giovanni's second shadow. Unlike Giovanni, Koga made no effort to hide his loathing for Blaine, his lip curling in disgust. Yet he stayed silent, sitting in his chair like a surly vampire, still wearing his scarf even despite the humid weather.

Giovanni pulled out a chair for Blaine, and Blaine resignedly sat down. The three sat around a small table overlooking a beautiful view of Fuschia's park, but with the stares the two men were giving him he couldn't enjoy it.

"Can I help the two of you at all?" Blaine asked after an awkward pause. "I've given you all my notes on the clone, but perhaps you could include me in your ranks when you lay siege on Saffron City? I'm not the Trainer I once was, but I promise you my Pokémon are as powerful as ever."

"You know, it's such an amazing coincidence, you being from Cinnabar," Giovanni said, ignoring Blaine's maundering. "Koga was just telling me he's heard nothing from the Ninjas he had stationed there. Bit concerning, actually."

"Is that so?" Blaine tried to sound puzzled, though he had a sneaking sensation he knew where this conversation was going.

Koga nodded, and the way he glared daggers at Blaine told him he had no intention of beating around the bush. "Indeed, in fact, I haven't spoken to them since before you arrived here."

"My, the coincidences just keep piling up, don't they!" Giovanni laughed. "But perhaps your Ninja were simply incompetent. After all, the Blaine we came to know from their previous reports seems completely inconsistent with the Blaine we see in front of us right now. We heard you had locked yourself in your mansion, refusing visitors. In fact, your assistant, Renesmee, was it? There's no documentation of a Renesmee ever living on Cinnabar Island. Is it like your Ninja to be so unorganized, Koga?"

"Never," Koga muttered, eyeing Blaine like a hawk would a mouse. "We pride ourselves on our efficiency. For all intents and purposes, Renesmee seems to have popped up out of thin air."

"Well, I'll admit I don't know much about her." Blaine's fingers nervously drummed against the table. "We met rather recently; you see."

"Is that right?" Giovanni looked very unconvinced. "Blaine, I'm sure Green has told you all about the Mt. Moon fiasco, hasn't she? Do you know Looker, the international police officer?"

"I… I've heard his name mentioned. As far as I know, he seems to be quite the thorn in your side."

Koga snorted. "That's an understatement. He is our greatest enemy, and it became the highest priority of my Ninja to have him assassinated. Our movements tracked him as far as Cerulean City."

"Indeed," Giovanni said. "And while we haven't found a trace of him since then, logic carries us a bit further. Looker's intentions were to learn about what we and Oak were hiding. He found out about the clone, and Mt. Moon, and one could assume he learned more from Bill in Cerulean. Perhaps he even laid eyes on Mewtwo himself at Cerulean Cave. And from there? Where else to investigate than the clone's place of origin, which, again, leads to you and Cinnabar. Shocking."

"Two of my Ninja were found dead on the SS Anne," Koga added. "Their bodies were disguised, too. Looker's work, no doubt?"

"Oh, yes, very unfortunate," Giovanni said, though he still was grinning knowingly at Blaine. "Tell me, where does the SS Anne dock after it departs from Vermilion City?"

"Cinnabar," Blaine mumbled.

"I'm beginning to suspect all these coincidences may have a connection between them." Giovanni's smile turned into a snarl. "Do you have anything you want to tell me, Blaine?"

"I have nothing to say," Blaine said, but he couldn't help but shy away from Giovanni. He dabbed at his face with a handkerchief. "I wasn't aware of any of this!"

"Don't bullshit me!" Giovanni slammed his fist on the table. "You worked for my mother for years and knew all about our headquarters in Celadon! Do you expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with its location being leaked to Oak?!"

"I'm not a plant for Looker, if that's what you're suggesting!" Blaine's desperation had manifested itself into a sort of fury of his own. "I came down here and risked my life because I wanted to finally do the right thing, to make up for my sins!"

"How convenient," Giovanni drawled. His brief spike of anger seemed to have deflated, and he leaned back in his chair. "But that's okay. We won't have to take your word for it."

He pointed behind him, and Blaine turned, not understanding. His eyes widened beneath tinted glasses. There, walking towards them, was Sabrina.

"Excellent," Giovanni said. "Our little Gym Leader reunion is at last complete. Take a seat, Sabrina."

Blaine's false rage melted immediately. "I…I don't understand. Don't we need Sabrina to protect the city?"

"My Gym Trainers are more than capable of maintaining the psychic barrier surrounding Fuschia. This will only take a few minutes." Sabrina looked exhausted. Her skin was drawn and pale, there were bags under her eyes, and she looked down at Blaine like he was something stuck to the button of her shoe. And in her case, looks actually could kill….

"Blaine, if you're not a traitor, you have nothing to fear," Giovanni said. "Sabrina's going to look into your memories and solve our little conundrum once and for all."

Blaine considered making a run for it, but he knew both Koga and Sabrina were capable of killing him before he could get ten feet away from the table. Closing his eyes, he resigned himself to his fate.

"Just get this over with," he muttered softly. He winced when he felt Sabrina's cold fingers brush against his forehead.

Psychic strength wrenched through his mind, penetrating his very soul. He tried to fight back—to her force her out—but Sabrina's will was inexorable. He was cast aside, and Sabrina could see everything; his desires, his fears, his identity itself.

Memories, like bubbles, rose to the surface. He was an innocent child, watching waves crash against a beach, a young man in college, desperate to pass his biology class, a quiz show host, making quips and laughing by day and laying silently awake at night, feeling unfulfilled, longing for more from his life…

The memories became more recent. He was at the happiest he ever had been his life, experimenting on Mew, working to create a being that would recontextualize science as the world knew it…and he was at the most miserable, watching that creation destroy people he knew and loved. He was sobbing at the mounting death tolls the news reporter announced, knowing he was responsible for every single one of them.

Blaine couldn't relive this, not again. He tried again to force Sabrina out of his head, but her grip on his psyche was iron tight. He relented. Perhaps they would put him out of his misery once they knew he was a traitor, and the pain would stop.

But the memories that followed weren't Blaine's memories. There was no Looker to wrestle with him, to drag him out of his malaise, and there was no Yellow, no reincarnation of Mew. Only Renesmee, hailing from the Sevii Islands, who had helped clean him up, who had accompanied him to Fuschia. Blaine wasn't a spy, his own memories told Sabrina. He was a man truly trying to join Rocket in order to redeem himself.

Blaine's eyes shot open, free from Sabrina's psychic control. He blinked a few times in shock, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. What had happened? Where had those false memories come from?

Sabrina was staring at her hands, as though she did not recognize them. "He… he's telling the truth. He has nothing to do with Looker."

"How is that possible?" Koga barked. "All signs point to him being the one to leak Rocket's Headquarters! It doesn't make sense!"

"Perhaps he was able to block you out?" Giovanni suggested. "Maybe his mental fortitude is stronger than we thought."

"Not possible." Sabrina shook her head, glaring at Blaine with newfound curiosity. "It was easy to infiltrate his mind, and everything he knew was laid bare. His psyche is far too weak to ever fabricate memories. In fact, there are only two options."

"And those would be?"

Sabrina's mouth set into a grim line. "Either he is truly innocent, or a psychic much more powerful than me got into his mind before I did."

"Clementine, use stun spore!" Ross ordered, stumbling away from the Pidgeotto diving upon him, urged by its rider. His Parasect shook its body, unleashing a powder that fell upon the bird's wings, effectively paralyzing it. The Pidgeotto crashed to the grass and the rider was sent rolling off its back.

The rider, wearing a blue uniform with the words Icefall Security Force on the badge above his breast, served as proof that phase one of Green's plan was coming along well.

Two Island was the most populated of the Sevii archipelago, so Green had entrusted Ross and Charles with orchestrating the chaos necessary there to divert attention from Icefall Prison. The Heartbreakers had done what they did best, terrorizing the poor citizens and looting everything that wasn't held down. They had even set fire to the police station, and while Ross thought it was a bit excessive, he could not deny that it was an effective way to solidify them as a threat. Local law enforcement was far too preoccupied with their headquarters burning down to subdue the Heartbreakers, forcing Icefall's hand.

Now, knowing that they had gotten the attention they wanted, Ross led the Heartbreakers into Berry Forest, which would serve as a good chokepoint. The reinforcements from Icefall were swooping down on bird Pokémon, but thanks to the cover the thicket of trees provided, they had been easily picked off.

The security officer tried to rise to his feet, but Ross slammed his foot down onto his face, shattering the poor man's nose. Ross winced in sympathy as the man fell back down, clutching his bloody face. Perhaps that had been a step too far. "Shit. Maybe get some ice on that?"

He couldn't feel sorry for long, however, as the roar of a motorcycle could be heard over the sounds of battle. Charles drove his way through the winding path cutting through Berry Forest, coming to a screeching halt when he caught sight of Ross.

"Did one last sweep around the island, looks like we've got everyone safe and sound in Berry Forest." His grin abated somewhat. "Seriously though, what a lame name. The Battle of Berry Forest? Sounds like an episode of Care Bears."

"You know, subtlety is completely thrown out the window when you drive around in that glorified scooter," Ross drawled. "Green and I spent hours planning our exact vantage points, and you just broadcasted our location to all of the goddamn island."

Charles grinned that shit-eating grin of his, and for good measure, honked the horn. Twice.

"I hate you," Ross seethed. "And I'm not even going to ask about the little girl sitting behind you."

"Hi," the little girl sitting behind Charles said. "My name is Lostelle."

"That's not a real name."

"Do you want to see my birth certificate?"

"See, Ross, her name is Lostelle. How could I not kidnap her?" Charles explained as though he were not being completely asinine. "It's too poetic."

"I don't care how poetic you think you're being; we don't abduct children!" Ross said, horrified. "I can't believe I have to explain that to you!"

"Didn't you kidnap Blue Oak?"

"He was eighteen! You can't kidnap an adult!"

"If you can't kidnap an adult, you can't not kidnap a girl named Lostelle."

"If she's been kidnapped, she isn't lost, dumbass!"

"So, fine, we'll ditch her in the woods somewhere! Jeez, it's like you're not even trying to make this work!"

"Look, forget about the war crime you just committed for a second," Ross said. "We're going to need to fall back. Petrel just reported that Lorelei is sending the bulk of her army our way, so we should fall back deeper into the forest."

"Fucking Petrel, man." Charles spat on the ground. "I bet he's all nice and cozy up in his helicopter, watching us do all the grunt work. I just want to grab his neck and—"

"Do whatever you want with him when we coup," Ross said. "In fact, get in line, because I'll want a crack at him myself. But in the meantime, we're just going to have to tolerate him, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"We're going to have to fall back deeper into the forest if we don't want to get overwhelmed." Ross pointed down the path, where the trees grew thinner. "You mind driving up to our men up by Bond Bridge and giving them the word? I'm not accepting casualties this time if I can help it."

"Feeling's mutual." Charles nodded. Performing a fairly impressive donut—especially considering how narrow the road was—the biker shot back in the direction of the bridge. The little girl Lostelle whipped and punched her arms in the air in excitement as her hair whipped against the wind.

Ross watched them leave, kneeling down to pat his Parasect on the head. "We'll hold them here, Greenie. Now you just gotta follow through."

Janine thought she deserved some credit. After all, she managed to get her party all the way up to the top floor of one of Icefall's security towers without having to take out a single guard. Especially considering her company. Green had been trained well enough in the last few months to be swift and discreet, but Yellow and Will were about as stealthy as a rampaging herd of Tauros.

In fairness, Janine had been doing recon for months, and during one of her little excursions managed to steal a keycard right under a guard's nose. The keycard was enough to get her team through the doors and into the elevator, while she herself sprinted up the long, winding staircase. No one had stopped them because no one had seen them; Janine and Green knew when to move and Yellow and Will were at the very least competent enough to follow directions. They had been fast enough to avoid being spotted.

The top floor, Green's target, had security footage that covered the entirety of Icefall Cave. It was stocked with increased security detail, to the point that Janine couldn't risk visiting it until this point. She counted eight guards, and half as many cameras. She rolled out her neck, resigning herself to actually getting her hands dirty.

Two of the cameras had to go first, the ones resting their gaze on the elevator, and disabling were as simple as having good aim. Her kunai found their targets, short circuiting them, though the sound was enough to alert the nearest guards. Janine's Ariados, Muffet, was excellent for silent takedowns, however, and in the next moment both guards were yanked over to them from strands of her silk.

"Six," Janine indulged herself in a chuckle as her Ariados set to work, wrapping both their bodies into tight cocoons, their mouths muffled with webbing as well. Muffet scuttling behind her, Janine darted through the entryway and into the actual office.

She lunged for the poor, unsuspecting man who was on his way to the water cooler, the flat of her hand slamming into his jaw. He was sent spinning, and Muffet caught him with her webbing before he could hit the floor.

Janine's next target was a woman sitting at her desk, filling out a sudoku puzzle. Janine chopped at her neck, and the woman slumped over, her pen rolling across the surface and clattering against the floor.

"Melly?" a man turned just in time for Janine to dive behind the desk. She closed her eyes tightly, praying to Ho-Oh that he hadn't seen her, but judging by his shocked curse and the sound of people jumping out of their chairs, her prayers had gone unanswered.

"We're armed!" another man barked. "Step out from behind the desk or we'll shoot!"

"Four," Janine said, in response. She grinned. They may have seen her, but they hadn't seen Muffet.

She whistled, and her Ariados hopped onto the desk, hissing and clicking its mandibles. Janine's smile only grew wider at the shocked cries in response. Nothing like a spider to cause a panic.

She rolled out from behind the desk, throwing out two more kunai, destroying the remaining security cameras that were just beginning to swivel in her direction. Muffet pounced on the man that had been threatening her, and the man next to him was far too preoccupied watching his friend get mauled to see Janine coming. She slammed her knee into his solar plexus. He woofed in pain, and she tossed him aside. "Two."

The captain, judging by the stripes on her uniform, raised her gun, her finger resting on the trigger. It rested just a second too long, however, and a kunai tore into the flesh of her hand in a spray of blood. She howled, dropping it, and Janine homed in on the last man, who had abandoned all pretense of fighting back and was running for the big red button on the console that would no doubt alert Lorelei of their presence.

Inches away from the button, however, his hand froze.

"What are you doing?" the captain shrieked at him, clutching her ruined hand. "We need reinforcements pronto!"

"I-I'm trying!" The man grabbed his wrist with his free hand, but it was as though it were being pulled by a string. He fought as though he was fighting some invisible opponent, and he wasn't winning. The hand dragged him over to his superior officer, who was looking on, bemused. "I can't…control it!"

He swung his fist, punching the captain in the face, and she collapsed, disbelief and betrayal still writ on her features alongside her now bloody nose. The man cried out in horror.

"I don't understand!"

With a ding, the elevator door opened, and Green sauntered out, flanked by Will and Yellow, all of them clad in their Rocket uniforms. Will's eyes were hidden behind his mask, but his hand was enveloped in a pink aura, and he made a punching motion. The last remaining security guard clocked himself in the face and dropped alongside his captain.

"Good work, Janine!" Green flashed her a grin. "And Will, nice finishing touch. We'd better work quick; it won't be long before Lorelei sees all the cameras are out of commission and comes after us."

Basking in her victory, Janine sank a hand to her hip. "Did I ever mention how amazing your tits look in that getup?"

"Bad Janine! You know you're not allowed to be horny when we're on covert infiltration missions!" Despite her frustrated tone, there was a slight sashay in Green's walk as she stepped up to the console. Janine rolled her eyes. Damn tease. She nodded to her Ariados, who went to work to tie up the rest of the now unconscious guards.

Footage of the security cameras placed along the cavern walls of Icefall gave them a good view of both the locations of the cells and the winding tunnels between them. Janine took a moment to study them, feeling a wave of relief as she recognized many missing Rockets confined to the cells. Guards were littered about, patrolling the passageways, but Lorelei herself was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't get it," Green muttered. "Why isn't James with the others? Not even Archer has his own cell, and he's an executive."

Indeed, in the outer reaches of the cave, over a frozen pool, surrounded by stalagmites that had grown into sharp spires that stood taller than most men, was a single cell, where James sat alone, curled so that his head was in between his knees.

Janine's response was cut off by a garbled voice coming in through the radio. "Gamma, this is Lorelei. Report in. Why have your cameras stopped displaying footage?"

Janine cursed under her breath. "Well, that didn't take long!"

"Don't worry, I've got this!" Yellow closed her eyes and stretched out a hand. The captain, who had been out cold a moment, before, sat up straight. Ignoring the blood pouring from her nose and seeping from her hand and hand, she walked over to Yellow's side, before pressing a button on the radio and leaning in.

"Captain Barnes here, ma'am! Everything is fine. We're just experiencing technical difficulties because Sean's an idiot and spilled coffee all over the equipment. I apologize for the inconvenience!"

"What, again?! How is that even—tell him he's fired. I'll send up a squad. Something fishy is up, and we need everything operational, so keep your eyes peeled."

"Will do, ma'am!"

Yellow turned to Green and Janine and shrugged. "Well, I might have just bought a bit more time. Hopefully."

She waved her hand and Captain Barnes dropped.

"Um… how did you do that?" Janine said, wincing a little as the woman hit the floor. "I mean like, have her act normally like that. I know you can possess people, but…"

"Oh, that's not possession!" Yellow said. "I'm altering her memories. Like with Blaine! Only this time I actually had to warp her psyche, so she'd actually believe those memories were true!"

She glanced around at her friends stunned faces. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just terrifying." Green shuddered. "Is your head doing okay?"

"So far so good. If I use too much more power, I'll start to feel it, though. I'd really like to get this over with as quickly as possible."

"Right." Green nodded to herself. "You all know the plan. Janine and I will warp inside the cave and free everyone from the cells while you two use the monitors to guide our progress. You two can teleport out if you need to, right?"

Will nodded, unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt and releasing a Xatu. "Prophet should be more than capable of holding his own until you have time to escape."

He managed a smirk. "Not that you should be worried about my sense of self preservation."

Yellow began to fidget, biting her nip nervously. "Are you sure the two of you will be okay on your own? Things might be easier if I were down there with you."

Green held her by her shoulders and smiled. "We can't risk you getting yourself hurt, Yellow. Trust me, if we're in danger, I know you have our backs. But seriously, Janine and I are total badasses, and we can take care of ourselves. Just stay safe and look out for Lorelei, all right?"

Yellow gave a resigned nod, and gave her a tight hug.. Janine smiled, but Will cleared his throat.

"As charming and heartwarming as this is, we really can't afford to waste any more time."

"Yeah, yeah," Green ruffled Yellow's hair and moved to step beside Janine. She slipped her hand in hers, and Janine stifled a small squeal.

Green gave her a knowing grin as she unclipped the Poké Ball that contained the Abra that would get them into the cave. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing!" Janine mumbled, hoping she wasn't blushing. "I just didn't realize there needed to be physical contact. You know. To um, teleport."

"What, don't tell me you're complaining?"

"Seriously, guys," Will said.

"Oh, stick a sock in it, Phantom of the Opera!" Green snapped. She leaned in close to Janine, close enough to feel her breath on her ear. "Thanks for trusting me. And…. sorry in advance in case I get us both killed."

Janine felt an ache in her heart at that, imagining the way Green would look at her when she learned that, no, in fact, she did not trust her, and was planning to betray her, but on the outside, she was just smiling, leaning into her touch. "You know I've always got your back, Leif. And if we do fuck up, I'll just say I told you so in hell!"

Will nodded at the two of them, his quivering lip betraying his own concern. "Good hunting, you two."

Janine flashed him a thumbs-up with her free hand, Green's hand clutched on her Poké Ball, and they vanished from sight.

"To think, for all the preparation we did for this stupid mission." Janine hugged her shoulders, her teeth chattering. "All those dry runs, and we forgot to bring winter coats."

"Should've brought a fire Pokémon," Green said as she crept along the cavern wall, more concerned by the dark than the cold. "Or we could cuddle together for warmth. As long as you promise not to get too excited."

She let out a yelp felt Janine's arms wrap tight around her waist, pulling her in so her head could rest on Green's shoulder. "No promises," she teased, and Green felt her heartbeat quicken.

"Seriously though," Janine deadpanned, pushing Green away. "Can we get this over with and get out of here before my tits freeze off?"

"What do you think I've been trying to do, dummy? You're the one distracting me!" Green snapped, still flustered. "You're supposed to be a professional and you can't even keep your hands to yourself."

"Don't play innocent, you're the one that said we should cuddle for warmth," Janine said, batting her eyes innocently. "I'm only following your instructions."

"Stop it!" Green whined. "If we weren't in the middle of a life or death situation, I swear I'd—"

"What?" Janine stepped closer once more, so that they were nose to nose. "What would you do? I want to know."

Green lost her fight not to smile and took one slow step away from Janine. "If we survive this, maybe I'll show you."

She reached up, pulling out one of the torches that baked the cave in light, low as it was, and held it out to Janine. "Here, take it. It's no coat but it'll hopefully warm you up a bit.

Janine took the torch reluctantly. "I really would have preferred cuddles."

Green held a hand to her lips to shush her, closing her eyes and concentrating. She still didn't much understand how telepathic communication worked, but she tried to reach out with her mind to find Will. Or as far as she was concerned, thought really, really hard.

"If you're done flirting, you'll be pleased to know that it's a straight shot up this passageway to the nearest cell," came Will's voice in her head. "There's only one guard you'll need to take out, but only if you're quick."

"Got it. Thanks, Will. Over and out." Green nodded to Janine and they crept down the pitched black tunnel, the torch in Janine's hand the only source of light between the two of them. Green tried to keep her footsteps light, but even after all her training with Koga she wasn't as silent as Janine, who seemed to be gliding across the cold flooring.

They saw the guard's flashlight before the cell as they turned a corner, and quickly ducked for cover. Will was right; the guard had either been told to statically guard the prisoners or he was merely lazy, as he seemed rooted to his spot. In his parka he looked quite comfortable, leaning against the cavern wall, holding his fingers up in front of his flashlights to make animal silhouettes. Green had to admit, he was doing a pretty good rabbit.

"I'm stealing that coat," Janine whispered, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," Green unclipped a Poké ball from her belt. "You mind if I take down this guy?"

"As long as you don't damage the coat. I want it."

Rolling her eyes, Green slipped off her hat, placing it over the Poké Ball so that when she tapped the button, the flash of light would be dulled. A moment later a Clefairy was sitting in front her, the hat spilling over her eyes.

"Luna, use minimize," Green said, and the Clefairy nodded, in instant understanding.

The hat suddenly flopped to the cave floor as Luna vanished from sight. Green sucked in her breath, and she stared at the bored guard for a few moments, watching his face for any change in expression.

Luna grew back in size just as she bounced up from the ground, slamming her fist into the guard's neck. He gagged and fell to his knees, dropping the flashlight so he could clutch at his throat. Luna clasped her hands into a fist and slammed it down on his neck, and he crumpled.

"Awesome work, Luny!" Green hissed in quiet celebration. "Stay out for now. I need your sensitive ears to pick up anyone who might be coming by."

"Not bad!" Janine came up from behind Green, clasping her shoulder. "You're really improving on this whole stealth thing. If I didn't know you, I'd actually mistake you for a Ninja. Granted, a Ninja with a broken leg—"

Green snickered, punching her on the arm. "Shut up and get your coat."

The cells were built into the caverns themselves, and Green was a bit worried that her Rocket allies were freezing, but when she slid the key into the slot and pulled open the door, she was met with a blast of heat.

Jessie was on her in a moment, wrapping her into her into a bone crushing hug, as the rest of the Rockets began to pour out, letting out whoops of joy and heaving sighs of relief.

"You kept me waiting, you brat!" Jessie would have sounded a lot fiercer if she wasn't also sobbing into her chest. Green leaned into the hug for a few more moments before pulling herself free so she could do a headcount.

"I'm sorry it took me so long," Green said, smiling at her former boss. "This place wasn't exactly easy to infiltrate, but we're getting you all home now."

She and Janine went to work, handing out Poké Balls, and soon the Grunts were teleporting away en masse.

"Do you know why James is quarantined?" Green asked, as Janine stood guard, her sais held out at the ready.

"No idea," Jessie admitted. "The oaf has money. Maybe he was paying people off for fancier living conditions? It would be in character for him anyway."

Green looked at Janine, who shrugged. From what she could tell, James' cell seemed just as desolate.

"Will you be leaving with us?" Jessie asked.

"Not yet. You were the first group we found. We know where everyone else is, but it's going to take time to round everyone up."

"Plus, James is in the other direction," Janine piped up.

"Well, be safe," Jessie mumbled, refusing to meet Green's eyes. "I didn't risk my neck and get thrown into this frozen hellscape for you just so you'd get yourself killed."

"I promise to be careful." Green gave her one last hug, before pressing the Abra's Poké Ball into her hand. Jessie backed away, her face as red as her hair.

"You know, it's really impressive that you've managed to coiffe up your hair like that. Being a prisoner and all."

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked blankly. "My hair just naturally does this."

Rolling her eyes at Green as though she thought we were crazy, Jessie vanished from sight, hopefully back safe and sound in Fuschia.

"No way her hair's real," Janine muttered.

"Oh yeah, she's definitely doing something with it." Green zipped up her shoulder bag. "We should get going."

"Can't we take a break?" Janine moaned. "it's so warm in here!"

Indeed, it didn't seem that Lorelei wasn't so cruel as to leave her prisoners in such freezing conditions. The cell was well heated, at the very least. Janine was rubbing her hands in front of the radiator as though it were a fire.

"We don't have the time," Green said, dragging Janine away by her arm. Janine resisted, reaching out desperately for the radiator. "The quicker we move the quicker we can go home."

Janine resisted, reaching out desperately for the radiator "No! I've achieved enlightenment! The warmth is my god! I don't want to go back!"

"Hurry up or we seriously will freeze to death, drama queen."

"I wish there was something I could do to help," Yellow said, pacing around the top floor of the security tower, watching Will concentrating and feeling very left out. "I mean, you have this whole 'recon' thing down pat. Now that I have a good eye on how the cave is laid out, I could teleport the prisoners out super quickly!"

"And waltz right into a trap?" Will spun around in his chair, looking furious. "It's the Ninja's job to take action, undetected, and the psychic's job to forewarn them. On top of that, the tax your psychic powers take on your body is not worth the risk!"

"Can you stop underestimating me? I'd be fine!"

"You'd get yourself killed. You're here as a last resort, a nuclear bomb in case cloak and dagger fail. A stealth mission is no place for a guitar solo."

With a ding, the elevator doors opened behind them, revealing a hoard of Icefall Prison Troopers, each of them carrying semi-automatic rifles. Behind them towered a very menacing Kangaskhan awash with battle scars.

Without even looking behind her, Yellow clenched her hand into a fist, and the elevator doors slammed closed, inciting shocked cries. With a grunt of effort, she swung her fist down into an open palm, and screams rang out from the trapped guards as the elevator was forced to drop down with the agonizing screech of sliding metal.

Yellow pouted. "I can be stealthy!"

Will's eyebrow rose over his mask. "Oh, you can, can you? The answer is no, Yellow. Stay in your lane. And maybe get your Pokémon ready for battle."

"Why do you say that?"

Will grimaced. "Well, they weren't sure we'd infiltrated their tower before, getting chucked down ten floors by a psychic teenage ambiguously gendered demigod probably gave them a clue."

"Officer Green Leif, is it?" Archer reached out to shake her hand. His own hand was very cold, but Green supposed that he should get a pass for that, considering he'd been trapped in a freezing cave for months. "You have my thanks."

"It's Executive Green now, actually. Giovanni promoted me after the Battle of Lavender."

"Is that so?" Archer's smile was somehow as icy as his hand. "Well, pardon me for not being too surprised. Your reputation precedes you. I'll be looking forward to working with you in the future.

Not very likely, Green thought, but she gave him a wide, fake smile. "It's good to have you back, Executive. Your region's been waiting for you."

Archer held up the Poké Ball she had given him. "I'll be joining the rest of my men, then. I wish you two luck in rescuing the rest of our comrades."

Green nodded. "I'll be right behind you."

After he had teleported away, Green walked out of the cell to find Janine, who had been waiting for her. She wasn't dumb enough to give Janine access to heat again, or they'd never leave.

"What do you think of Executive Archer?" Janine asked as Green approached. "Not quite as smarmy as Petrel…"

"But still pretty smarmy," Green agreed. "Doubt he's someone we could convince to betray Giovanni. At least not unless he could find some benefit in it for himself."

"They know we're here. You don't have much time. Is everyone evacuated yet?"

"Will?" Green closed her eyes to concentrate on his voice. "What do you mean? Are you in danger?"

"Yellow and I are fine. We can teleport whenever necessary. But I can see men pouring into the prison now, looking for you. You need to get out of there before you're caught."

"There's one group left," Janine said, pulling out her sais. "And they're not far. Think we can get there in time?"

"Well…" Green bit her lip. "There's also James."

"He's way off in the other direction! There's no way we could get to both cells before we're overwhelmed."

Green steeled herself for what she was about to say. "Then we'll need to split up. You go after the last group; I'll chase down James."

"What? No!" Janine grabbed her by the shoulders. "I know James is your friend, but…"

"It isn't just that!" Green protested. "I need to know why he's quarantined from the others. This is important!"

"Not as important as you staying alive!" Janine's eyes were pleading, tears gathering in her eyes. "Let me go! I'm twice as fast as you."

Green shook her head. "If I'm going to be stupid and reckless, let me face the consequences for it. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you got hurt."

"If Lorelei shows up, you're screwed! This whole coup you're planning, it relies on your survival. Your men love you! If you die here, you'll be throwing away everything we're trying to build."

"Of course, I'm not throwing it away. If I don't make it out, I'm counting on you to take my place. They'll love you as much as me, and there's no one I trust more."

Tears were spilling from Janine's eyes but now she wouldn't meet Green's gaze, and her hands trembled around her sai swords. "You shouldn't trust me."

"But I do anyway." She leaned in to kiss Janine on the cheek, before pulling away, not wanting to linger so much or she'd begin to change her mind. "Besides, this is me we're talking about. I'm not myself if I'm not biting off more than I can chew and spitting it back out again."

A small giggle escaped Janine, and she wiped at her eyes. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know."

"You better not die." Janine turned and sprinted off, enveloped by darkness in only a few moments. Taking a shaky breath, Green resisted the urge to chase after her, stepping off in the other direction, hugging her shoulders.

"She had the only torch, didn't she? Fuck."

Navigating the depths of Icefall had been surprisingly easy, and with surprisingly little action or danger.

Until Green ran straight into Lorelei, of course.

The ice had overtaken the rocky floor as Green descended into the lower level, reminding Green of the ice skating lessons she had taken during her childhood. Frozen spires jutted from the ceiling and floor, and the walls reflected a mirror image of Green. Luckily, thanks to Carmelo the Electrode, who was rolling alongside her, she had a source of light. It turned out that HM05 wasn't completely worthless.

It was quite a lot colder the deeper she ventured as well, so she probably wasn't very stealthy, what with her chattering teeth and all.

She turned a corner, and there Lorelei was, looking unfazed by the cold herself despite her less than suitable attire. In fact, in her sleeveless shirt, skirt, and heels, she looked like she was attending a high-class party rather than guarding prisoners in a subzero cavern. Her long red hair was tossed over her shoulder, and her sharp eyes held no surprise beneath her glasses at Green's arrival. In fact, she was smiling. A smile Green wanted to wipe clean off her face. A Jynx stood at her side, staring blankly at Green with wide eyes.

"Green Leif of Pallet Town. A great thorn in our side. I've been wanting to meet you for a while." Lorelei tilted her head to the side. She let out a girlish chuckle. "I'm grateful that you're always willing to march right into peril. It makes it all the easier to finally take you down."

"You seem oddly relaxed for someone who's managed to defeat you utterly," Green noted. She nodded at her Pokémon, and they crouched into defensive positions, electrical sparks dancing across Carmelo's body. "I snuck into your so-called impenetrable prison and freed virtually the entire company you had contained here. I'd have thought there would be more of a fire under your ass, considering."

"Oh, honey, I'd hardly call it an utter victory. You're still here, aren't you?" Lorelei snapped a finger, and the Jynx's hands came together, shooting off an ice beam.

"Carmelo, thunderbolt!" Green ordered. "Gerald, use double kick!"

Lightning met ice in an explosive collision as Gerald sprinted forward, his feet cracking the ice below him. He kicked out at Lorelei, only for her image to shatter into shards of ice on impact. Gerald hit the floor in a slide, bewildered, and the Jynx thrust out her palm, a psychic force slamming him down.

"I'll admit you did well thus far." Lorelei's voice reverbed, seeming to bounce around the tunnel, and her reflection shone from every wall of ice, smirking at Green from every direction. "But those people you saved were mere fodder. You and the little prisoner you've thrown away your life searching for are the real prizes."

Gerald managed to rise to his feet in time for his eyes to widen, and to let out a cry of warning. Green spun around as long icicle spears came flashing out of the darkness.

"Carmelo, use reflect!" Green snapped, a note of panic in her voice. The Electrode closed his eyes and concentrated, and a psychic wall materialized, shattering most of the icicles that slammed against it. One icicle managed to push its way through, and Green let out a yelp of pain as she dodged to the side a second too slowly, and it grazed her thigh as it flew past.

Dropping to one knee, and keeping her back against the wall, Green felt warm blood spill down her leg. She clapped a hand to her thigh to stanch the wound. "What do you want with James anyway? He's a nice guy, but he's hardly what I'd call a prize."

"And why would I tell you that?" Lorelei's voice was a whisper that kissed the back of Green's neck, and she turned, staring bemusedly at the reflection of Lorelei on the wall behind her, still smirking that damnable smirk of hers. "All you need to know is that he was lovely bait for you, dear."

On sheer instinct alone, Green flung herself away from the wall just as a sharp icicle as long as halberd jutted out, just narrowly avoiding being impaled. A moment later, Gerald slammed into Lorelei's reflection, hard enough to crack the ice, but Lorelei herself was nowhere to be found.

"Don't waste your energy, Gerald," Green warned, springing back to dodge another wave of the icicle spears. "They're just projections. Illusions."

Carmelo launched another thunderbolt in the direction the icicles came from, but there was no indication that he'd actually hit his invisible target.

"You see, Green," Lorelei said, her voice once more coming from everywhere and nowhere. "I've roamed these caverns since I was a little girl. And I've been training Pokémon since you've been a little girl. With this wild little goose chase of yours you've ensured your demise. If I was formidable before, in my own element I'm all but indomitable."

Green gritted her teeth, but her grimace became a smile when her brain blessed her with an idea. "Let's bring that ego down a few pegs, shall we? Carmelo, use screech!"

She clutched at her ears as her Electrode let out a horrible electronic wail that shattered the icy mirrors coating the walls. Lorelei's own cry of pain rang out as well as she suddenly came into view next to her Jynx, both trainer and Pokémon writhing from the torture inflicting their eardrums. There was another shout of pain as well, from where the icicles had been thrown.

"Gerald, horn attack! Finish off that Jynx!" Green barked. "Carmelo, use a thunder wave to incapacitate whatever is taking potshots at us. Track it by the sound of its voice."

Carmelo and Gerald both shared a brief nod, before lunging in different directions. There was another cry of pain as Carmelo let loose his thunder wave, but Gerald himself wasn't so fortunate. The Jynx swept her arm, tossing the Nidorino against one of the ruined walls with her psychic power, before reaching another hand out to Green.

Before she could fight back, run, or even panic, a powerful force thrust Green forward against her will, and she was caught in a tight bear hug. Green winced in pain, feeling the Jynx's frigid hands pressed tightly into her back. It giggled as it squeezed her tighter, and a whimper managed to escape Green as she tried to thrash out of her grip..

Green heard the click of Lorelei's heels across the icy floor before she saw her and her disappointed expression. "I won't deny that it was clever, countering my visual illusions with sound, but your Pokémon just aren't on the same level as my own. Pity, really.

"You're going to tell me what I want to know, Leif." Lorelei folded her arms.. "What Giovanni is planning. What your objectives are. The works. And no lying. My sweet Calypso here can always tell when someone is lying."

"I'm not telling you shit," Green managed to force out through her chattering teeth. "And I promise you, that's no lie. Carmelo, use thunderbolt!"

There was no movement from her Electrode, and Green forced her head around. A Cloyster had the Electrode pinned, its long spike an inch from his mouth. It was still shuddering from a paralysis effect, yet it had brought down Carmelo with ease.

"Like I said, you're just not on my level," Lorelei tutted. "Cooperate, and everything will go easy for you. Refuse to comply, and well—"

Calypso the Jynx was puckering its chapped, mottled lips. She slowly lifted Green up in her arms, dragging her closer to her face.

"Have you ever been kissed by a Jynx, Green?" Lorelei asked. "Try to enjoy it, because, with the ensuing frostbite that will no doubt rid you of your lips, it will be the last kiss you'll ever get."

"No." Green tried to wrench herself free, but Jynx's free hand caught her hair, yanking her closer. "Stop. Please!"

"Talk!" Lorelei snarled. Green closed her eyes, but she could smell the Jynx's breath, like rotting fish and mold. She tried not to cry, but overwhelming fear began to seize her, and she could feel herself about to snap, to tell Lorelei everything she wanted to just to get that grotesque monster away from her.

"Let her go!"

Green had never been happier to hear Janine's voice in her life. She twisted her body in the Jynx's grip to watch Janine sprint past the Cloyster, flinging a shuriken at Lorelei, who ducked to the side.

Lorelei smirked as the shuriken embedded into the wall behind her. "Such a waste of the element of surprise. Is that the best the daughter of a Gym Leader can do?"

"Wasn't aiming for ya," Janine said. "Green, cover your mouth!"

From inside the shuriken a Poké Ball opened, and a Koffing appeared in a flash of blinding light. Green managed to reach a hand up to her face before blasts of gas poured from the Koffing's orifices, enveloping the cavern in a purple smog.

Green could hear coughing, from the Jynx, and Lorelei, but Gerald, a poison type himself, was unaffected, and a moment later the Jynx let out a pained screech as the Nidorino's horn stabbed into the back of her leg. Her grip on Green loosened, and she managed to kick herself free, hitting the cave floor in a roll.

"Run, run, run, run!" Janine cried, pulling Green to her feet by the hem of her shirt. Pain flared up her leg, but Janine put Green's arm over her shoulder to support her, and the two moved off into the darkness of the cave.

Gerald was keeping pace with them, the Jynx's blood still dripping from his horn, but Carmelo still had to recalled to his Poké Ball. As Green returned him in a flash of red light, she locked eyes at Lorelei, who was staring furiously after them, surrounded by a white bubble; no doubt a safeguard one of her Pokémon had set up.

By the time Janine had decided they had gained enough distance from Lorelei to take a break, Green all but collapsed, unable to move another step. Janine steadied her, stretching out her leg to examine her wound.

"Let's hope Lorelei doesn't follow the trail of blood here," Green half-joked, wincing when she felt Janine touch her thigh. "Hey, easy there!"

"I have to fix you up or we're not getting anywhere!" Janine snapped. "Unless you want to teleport out of here now and have a medical professional look you over instead."

Green fell silent as Janine worked to clean and wrap bandages around her injury, guilt eating through her retort. Instead, she bashfully teased her hair. "Is that what you think we should do? Cut our losses and get out of here while we can?"

"I'm with you no matter what you choose," Janine said, too focused on her binding to look Green in the eyes. "But, I got the rest of the Rockets out of their cells and ordered Petrel to pull all his men out. We're the last ones out, so we could leave right now and call this mission a success."

She managed a strained smile. "And finally take a nap."

"That does sound nice," Green admitted. "Are you mad at me?"

Janine nodded. "I was scared for you, but now that I can afford to be, I'm pretty pissed."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Green!" Janine's voice was trembling. "And I wasn't just scared for you, either. You realize you willingly waltzed into a trap and would have totally died if I wasn't here to save you. That would have been it. No rebellion. All that progress, lost. You would've ditched your friends for nothing."

"I know that."

"So, seriously, Green!" Janine pointed an accusing finger at her. "What about going after James right now is worth the risk? Give me a good reason, just a single good reason why we shouldn't get the fuck out of dodge right now."

Green shrugged her shoulders, feeling ashamed. "I don't know. I have a hunch that there's something going on that we don't know about. Maybe James is the key. Besides, if our roles our reversed, James wouldn't hesitate to do the same for me. We've gotten this far, haven't we? Shouldn't we see this through? I'm not going to ask you to follow me."

"Well, someone has to save you from your good intentions," Janine grumbled, helping her to her feet. "Again. You're all patched up but I wouldn't strain your leg too much."

"Thanks, Janine." Green ignored the biting cold, the all-encompassing darkness, and the voice in the back of her head that she should quit while she was ahead. She took a step forward. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Janine nudged her. "Don't I get a kiss of gratitude? You know, for being your chivalrous knight?"

Green gagged. "Urgh, don't talk to me about kisses right now. I'll literally hurl."

As far as ethical treatment and proper living conditions went, Philip Fuji couldn't complain. In fact, his "cell" was so nice he could almost forget that he was, in fact, a prisoner. He had been confined to one of the rooms in Giovanni's mansion, a room much bigger than his own in Lavender Town. Attendants served at his beck and call, and even the food they delivered was delicious. Fuji knew quite well that he was being buttered up, but he was going to enjoy this privileged lifestyle while he could.

There was a polite knock at his door, and Fuji wondered who it could be. Koga, perhaps, to share a cup of tea with him? The Ninja Master had been quite respectful to him, even friendly. Fuji had found himself looking forward to his visits.

Fuji's enthusiasm abated somewhat when he realized it was Giovanni stepping into his room. All the same, he managed a polite smile.

"I trust this is a good time?" Giovanni asked, as courteous as ever, but there was a mocking edge to his tone.

"Well, it hardly matters, does it?" Fuji gestured to his lavish surroundings, and the lock on his door. "There's not much I could be busy doing. You, on the other hand, have been very busy. Far too busy to come for a visit."

"Yes, it's a shame. I've been looking forward to catching up." Giovanni limped forward, pulling himself a chair. "Do you mind if I sit down? There are too many blasted staircases in this house."

He was sitting down even before Fuji managed to say, "Of course." The boss of Rocket Industries stared at the old man, searching for answers in his eyes. Fuji met those eyes and gave him nothing.

"You know, Bill has already turned to our side," Giovanni said conversationally, helping himself to a biscuit on Fuji's plate. "I wish you would be a little less stubborn."

"I have my reasons for being so stubborn, I'm afraid."

"I hope I've stressed enough that your kidnapping wasn't personal," Giovanni explained. "We at Rocket Industries see you as an asset, not a hostage. Your contributions to our cause could turn the tide of this whole war. I mean to stop the clone at all costs."

"You've said this," Fuji said, giving Giovanni a wry smile. "But I can't help but wonder about the implications behind your request that I tell you all that I know about Mew. What would you do with that information?"

Giovanni shrugged his shoulders. "Mew is a very powerful Pokémon. If she were on our side, that would be one more weapon on our side to help destroy Mewtwo."

"Oh, I don't doubt that you want to end the threat of Mewtwo. What I do doubt is the reason behind that motivation."

Giovanni clenched his jaw tight. "The reason is quite simple. I'm the one responsible for getting Kanto out of the mess my dear dead mother dragged us into. Do not doubt my motives."

"It's so convenient that Rocket is much more powerful now than it ever was under your mother's ownership. It has only benefited from Mewtwo's existence and your uprising. I hear whispers of plans to take the Master Ball, and you're asking me about Mew's whereabouts directly. I'm no fool, Giovanni. Are your intentions pure, or are you merely driven by greed and ambition?"

Giovanni abruptly reached into his waistcoat pocket, procuring a photo of a small boy. The child had long, scruffy red hair, and he was grinning widely, revealing that he was missing his front teeth.

"You've met my son, haven't you? He's a good boy. Four years ago, I sent him to live with my uncle in Johto." Giovanni gave the photo a sad look. "I thought he would be safer there, with Mewtwo beginning to stir. Have you been hearing the weather reports from Johto, Mr. Fuji?"

Mr. Fuji gave a slow nod. Like Giovanni, he too, had familial ties to Johto. And unlike most of Kanto's citizens, who admired the region's isolationist ideology, he liked to know what was happening around the world. "The region has been plagued with storms. The Kimono Sisters claim that the Guardian of the Seas is beginning to wake."

Giovanni dropped the photo and closed his hand into a fist. "Even now they search for the champion fated to tame that monster. They say that when that happens, Johto will have glory, and will wage a thousand years of terror on the enemy that embarrassed them in battle. The timing is what's convenient."

"Ah, I see. You don't just blame your family for inflicting Mewtwo on the world, you fear Johto's retaliation."

"It isn't just Johto, either!" Giovanni rocked back in his chair, and for the first time Fuji realized just how scared he truly was. "An ambassador from Sinnoh, a man I recruited, claims that portals to the Distortion World have been manifesting erratically. And his heirloom passed down his family for generations has activated again, an heirloom connected to Sinnoh's most powerful legends.

"There are monsters at play here, Mr. Fuji," Giovanni hissed, his hand trembling on his cane. "Monsters older than time itself, more powerful than we can fathom. Not even my son will be safe from them. I merely wish to even the playing field."

Fuji empathized with the desperation in Giovanni's eyes, so his reply was gentle. "I did not lie to you when I said that I know nothing of Mew's whereabouts. I was friends with her a very long time ago, and that ship sailed when I allowed her to be taken by your mother's scientists."

Giovanni rose to his feet. "Then there's nothing more to say. I'm disappointed in you, Mr. Fuji, you could have been much more than what you could have become."

"You say you wish to even the playing field, but why must it be you, Giovanni?" Fuji asked, when Giovanni had crossed back to the door to his bedroom. "Redemption for your mother's sins? Or spiting her by achieving what she could not her entire life. I'm afraid you've blurred those lines"

Giovanni responded by slamming the door behind him.