Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, its world or characters. Only the story and original characters herein.

Chapter Twelve

The girls stared at each other. Caught up in the moment, Lyss had let herself forget who Elly was - what Elly was. Now she was getting a frightening reminder. "Elly-"

"Don't," the girl cut her off. "The name's Elara. Now, who are you really?"

What could she possibly say? Lyss' mind spun. She was so close, what would happen to Smoke if she failed now? "My name's Lake."

"That's not much of an answer."

"I'm just a girl who wants her friend back, that's all."

Elly drew back a breath. "Friend?" Surprise bloomed across her features. "Wait, the pokemon? You're here for it?"

"I'm here for him," Lyss corrected.

"You're nuts." Elly stepped back and stared. "You're going to get killed over a pokemon?"

"I got this far," Lyss muttered, "and I'm almost there. You said it yourself, he's just through the checkpoint."

"The one you have no chance of getting through you mean? Even if I hadn't caught you just now?" The Rocket crossed her arms. "Oh yeah, great plan." Lyss scowled at her. "Besides, without me you wouldn't of even gotten here."

The girl was right, blast her. Without Elly-

Lyss froze, her eyes going wide as inspiration struck her.

"Did you just have a seizure?"

Lyss refocused on her. "What? No. I was just realizing you're right. Without you, I'd never have been able to infiltrate Team Rocket's very headquarters." A smile pulled at Lyss' lips, but it had nothing to do with gratitude. "You've been a big help."

Elly made no immediate response to that, but the confidence flowed out of her face like blood from a wound. It was unlike any expression Lyss had seen on her. "You wouldn't," Elly said.

"Why not? I'm sure they'll have lots of questions once they catch me. I'll make sure you get all the credit, don't worry."

Elly's hands tightened in fists. "I'll be lucky if they just kill me."

"That seems a little overly dramatic."

"You don't know Team Rocket that well then."

That gave Lyss pause. The organization was known for many things, and none of it was good. What would they do to a simple grunt member over something like this? From Elly's reaction, she probably didn't want to know. Lyss tugged a hand through her hair, twisting the strands. "How about we find a way we both get out of this then?"

Elly strode forward, closing the space between them. "Or I could just kill you."

"I'll scream," Lyss squeaked as she struggled to back away from the girl. The wall wasn't being cooperative to her efforts. Elly stopped though, no more then arm's length away and far too close for comfort.

"You'll scream? Seriously?"

The girls mocking tone made Lyss scowl. "What? Not all of us get combat training you know."

"You're being pretty difficult about this."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Should I be happy you want to kill me?"

Elly grumbled something and spun away, throwing herself into a nearby chair with enough force to make it bounce. "Alright, fine. What do you want?"

"I told you what I want," Lyss sighed. "I'm here for my friend, Smoke."

"Smoke?" Elly snorted. "For a fire type? Nice and original name there."

A flush spread through Lyss' face. "Shut up. He's a Flareon with a streak of gray fur. It works."

Elly's brow went up. "A Flareon? Pretty rare - wait," her hand went into her pocket, coming back out with a datapad. Elly tapped at it a few times, her eyes flicking back and forth before she began to speak - reading from the pad, Lyss figured. "All Rockets be on the lookout for a young girl with a Flareon in her possession. Mid-teens, black hair, blue-green eyes. The Flareon has some discoloration to its fur. Both are to be taken alive. The girl was captured around Mt. Moon but escaped the facility."

Lyss swallowed past the dryness in her throat when Elly looked up, meeting her eyes. The girl held them a moment before going back to the screen. "Location now unknown, but she is believed to have left Cerulean. Citizens there identified her as Lyss Lake, adopted ward to Carson and Karen Lake. Birth name unknown. Her guardians offered no helpful information and have been taken for further questioning."

Taken for further questioning. Lyss blinked as the room blurred out of focus - she knew what Team Rocket meant when it said that. Her parents didn't deserve that. One good thing came out of the message at least, and Lyss' lips twitched in a meager smile. "Guess that means you'd be in trouble if you killed me."

Elly's head plunked onto the metal desk, startling Lyss. Part of her wanted to console the Rocket, but it didn't seem appropriate. She twisted her hands instead. "You could still help me."

Hands slammed on the desk and Lyss jumped again. Elly's eyes blazed. "Why in Arceus' name would I do that? You've basically murdered me!"

"Oh come on," Lyss fiddled with her hair, "it's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Elly stood. "You know, maybe I'll just kill you and take my chances."

The door hissed open as Lyss was on the verge of panic and both girls turned. A man stood in the doorway, his Team Rocket uniform more intricate then Elly's and adorned with more emblems. When Elly saluted him Lyss mimicked her.

The set of his jaw and glare in his eyes weren't reassuring. "What is going on in here?" his voice boomed as his eyes flashed between them. "These offices aren't for your petty squabbles!"

Elly had been intimidating, but this guy was on a whole different level. Lyss couldn't respond, the words wouldn't come out. He was going to drag her off, they'd find out she wasn't and Rocket, then-

"Sorry, Sir," Elly replied. "It won't happen again."

"You two'll be down cleaning out the lab waste if it does!" He pulled out a datapad to match Elly's. "What's your unit?"

"We're in Omega-42, Sir," Elly said.

"Noted," he stepped aside and snapped a sharp gesture. "Now report back and stop screwing around!"

Elly swept up another salute, which Lyss again mimicked, and marched out the door. Lyss followed right on her heels, gulping as she passed the man. She kept her eyes trained on the other girls back until they rounded the next corner. Elly's shoulder slumped. "And now I've lied for you. Fantastic."

Lyss edged closer and put her hand on the girls shoulder. "Th-"

"Don't thank me," Elly pulled away from her hand, "I just like my head where it is."

"Fine," Lyss glanced along the hall, watching for anyone that might overhear. "Well the sooner I get Smoke out of here, the sooner you can pretend you never saw me, and the fewer people will see us together."

"I was taking you to see the pokemon, not break it out."

"I can bash you over the head and lock you in a closet if you prefer."

Elly chuckled. "I might, actually."

"Wha-" Lyss went silent as they passed a pair of Rockets. "Seriously?"

"No," the other girl scoffed. "I told you, I like my head where it is."

Lyss sighed - this girl was impossible. "Where are we going anyway? Wasn't that checkpoint the other way?"

Elly threw her arms up. "Are you really this dumb? Arceus!"

"Stop yelling," Lyss hissed. "You're going to get us caught again!" Matching glares clashed between them. "And I'm not dumb."

The other girl groaned. "We can't use the checkpoint, remember? You're not a Rocket. The Exec that yelled at us would've noticed too, and though we're technically allowed to pass through there, that's pretty much opposite of the way he told us to go."

Lyss lapsed into silence. The girl didn't have to be so mean about it. Though she was a Rocket, so maybe it just came with the territory. And to think Lyss was warming up to the girl before! She should just run off and be done with it. Without Elly though, Lyss' chances of getting out of there with Smoke plummeted. She couldn't throw away the help.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in this," Lyss muttered, "even if I can't really feel sorry for a Rocket."

"So you're sorry but you're not sorry."

Ugh. "No-"

"I get it, relax." They came up to a break in the hall and Lyss stopped when Elly stuck her arm out to block her. There were people in view, but they were a good way off. Elly turned to her. "Look, if you really want to have a chance breaking out your pokemon you're going to need a distraction."

Lyss tilted her head. "How will that get me through the security?"

"It won't, you'll have to bust in. But at least it'll keep others from coming after you."

It didn't sound like a good plan. Lyss gestured down at herself. "Do I look like I can fight anyone in Team Rocket?"

"No, but you are wearing one of our uniforms, so I'm guessing you're more capable then you look."

Lyss frowned - was that an insult or a compliment? "I don't know if it's a good idea, but how would we make a good enough distraction for that anyway?"

"You, not we," Elly corrected. "I'm already in deep enough. And you'd do it by freeing the people they captured back in Pewter. Security's lighter around them."

That confused Lyss - they took people from the city? She thought they just killed them all. Then her eyes widened. "Oh Arceus, Slate. I completely forgot they took him."

"They took someone you knew and you forgot?' Elly shook her head. "Wow."

"Oh stop it," Lyss snapped, though she could feel her cheeks heat up. "I just got caught up in saving Smoke, that's all. I would've remembered."

"Mmhmm. Anyway, the place they take captured people is different from where they take pokemon. We can get there without passing a checkpoint. You'll have to find exactly where they're being held, free at least one of them, and hightail it back to the pokemon holding. You won't have much time." Elly nudged Lyss and they both moved on down the hall. People were approaching.

Elly was a member of Team Rocket, so it was expected that she wouldn't help Lyss any more then she had to, but it was still weird hearing the girl was going to abandon her. A question bounced around in Lyss' head. Why not? "Why'd you join Team Rocket, Elara?"

The girl made a face. "I take it back, that's weird. Stick to Elly. And is now really the time for that?"

"Doesn't sound like there's going to be any other time for it."

"Guess that's true. You're just trying to talk me into helping you though."

Lyss wasn't about to admit that. "I'm serious. You seem decent enough most of the time-"

"Decent enough?"

"-so why're you here with Team Rocket? They're nothing but bad."

Elly shrugged. "If you can handle me, you could handle a lot of people here. You act like we're all monsters."

"What am I supposed to think when you go around killing people?"

"That we're doing our jobs?"

"Well your job makes you a monster then."

"Stop being naive," Elly hissed, keeping her voice low. "Work for Team Rocket or get abused by them, that's the choice we get. That's life. If you can't see that, you're just a spoiled brat. What's the worst to happen to you? Chased out of town for a few days? Poor thing."

Once again, heat spread through Lyss' face. Her muscles tensed and it was only when Elly stumbled back, wide eyed and with a hand pressed to her face, that Lyss realized she'd smacked her. In the next moment, Elly snagged her wrist and dragged her down the hall, away from the snickering observers.

"The hell's wrong with you?" Elly snapped. "Are you trying to get us caught?"

"Don't judge me, you don't know anything about me. I'm an orphan, remember? Your message said so. What do you think happened to my parents?" Lyss glared at the girl's unflinching face. "No, I'll make it easier - who do you think killed them?"

That changed Elly's expression. The scowl fell from her face. "But it said they don't know your real name. Surely you don't remember them."

"Does it matter? No, I don't remember them, I never knew them, but I knew they were gone, and now I know they were killed." Lyss shook as she spoke, swiping a harsh hand across her damp eyes. "They didn't abandon me, they were killed - by you people."

Silence settled over them, Elly still dragging Lyss by the wrist. The other girl was a Rocket, Lyss shouldn't have expected any better. Of course she'd defend the organization and its people. Stupid, block-headed...

"We're almost there," Elly muttered, "so decide what you're doing quickly." Lyss said nothing, didn't even want to look at the girl. "How do you know your parents were killed if you didn't know them?"

Part of Lyss wanted to keep ignoring Elly, but another part wanted the argument. "Because I know who they were, Slate told me. He and my guardians knew."

"Why does it matter who they were?"

"It just does."

Elly growled. "You can't just shut up like that. If you have a point, make it."

"What do you care?" Lyss tore her arm from Elly's grip. "You're just waiting to get rid of me and go back to your precious Team Rocket."

"You're ridiculous! I'm helping at least, aren't I?" Lyss frowned, but didn't argue. "Stop being difficult and just tell me."

Lyss was already in a difficult position with the girl, Elly could turn her in at any time if she was willing to take the punishment. What could it hurt? "You've heard the name Waterflower before, right?"

"Of course, everyone has." Lyss could see it in the girl's eyes when the realization hit. "Wait wait, you can't mean-"

"That's my real name. I'm the last Waterflower. That's why I know Team Rocket killed my parents."

Elly vanished from view and Lyss panicked - had the girl run off to turn Lyss in? She relaxed after turning around, as there was Elly, standing stone still in the hall. Still, maybe it hadn't been the smartest thing to tell a Rocket, even her. Lyss took tentative steps toward her, peering at the girl's face. "You're not going to turn me in now, are you? Can you give me a head start at least?"

"Why'd you tell me?" The girl asked. Elly stared at her without blinking and Lyss fought the urge to turn and run. It was odd to trust Elly, insane even, but Lyss did in a way. At the same time, she feared the girl for what she could do. It made no sense.

"I don't know," Lyss half turned, hoping to spur Elly into motion. The girl remained rooted though and Lyss sighed. "Maybe because you're easy to talk to-"

"We only argue."

Lyss glared and walked off. "Fine then."

"Lyss," Elly sighed, jogging to catch up, "I'm serious. You know how much the boss would give to get his hands on you? And you hate Team Rocket, and I'm a Rocket. You have no reason to trust me."

"I don't know!" Her raised voice earned her some looks from those walking by. After a deep breath, she continued at a lower volume. "But you're the best friend I have right now, even if it is fake." Lyss looked anywhere but at Elly, not wanting to see her face. "Maybe it was dumb. Maybe I'm dumb."

A hand grabbed her, pulling her to a stop. Lyss risked a glance at Elly, but the girl was looking down the side hall. "We're here. The holding area should be just down this hall. It shouldn't be hard for you to get in, but you may have to get creative." Elly let Lyss go and took a step back the way they'd come. "You won't have much time remember. Get back to the other checkpoint as fast as you can."

Lyss watched the girl go. "Elly..."

"Hurry up," was all the girl said as she left.

It was an odd feeling being alone again. She'd expected it at first, before the random Rocket pushed her way into Lyss' business back on the transport. Now that it was quiet again it felt wrong. Funny how fast she'd gotten used to the girl.

Lyss put one foot in front of the other, focusing on the doors in front of her. A sign on each door hinted their purpose - some just had a person's name, an office maybe - and the hall ended with a final door that read 'Holding Area'. Must be the place.

With a touch the door slid aside, revealing a room that didn't fit with her notion of a jail. More office walls to match every other room in the building surrounded her as she entered. Pictures hung on the walls. A plant adorned an end table, a misaligned stack of magazines beside it. Doors around the room stood closed, with no signs or windows to explain their purpose, and in the middle of it all was a single desk. Behind it lounged a man in a Team Rocket uniform who rocked a lazy back and forth motion as he tilted the chair back on its legs.

He also happened to be staring at her.

"Can I help you?"

What should she say? He'd want to know who she was, why she was there, who told her to go there, and who knew what else. He was too far for her to surprise attack and too strong to fight head on. Would there be an alarm button there on his desk? How easily could he reach it?

"Miss?"

"I'm here to question the prisoner," she blurted.

He smirked. "The prisoner, huh? Which one then?"

"A middle-aged man, believed to be the leader."

"Pretty sure he's not here," the guy said, tapping through a few menu's on his screen. "Nope, transferred straight up to the boss."

That made things more difficult. "I'll just question one of the others then."

More tapping at his screen. "Name and unit?"

"Elara, Omega-42." Sorry, Elly.

"Alright, go on in."

Lyss slid around the desk, angling for the door closest to it. She eyed they guy at the desk as she went around, watching as he went back to lounging and staring at a screen on his desk, an action movie absorbing his attention from the look of it. So he was occupied and didn't peg her as a threat. it was the best possible situation for her.

With a deep breath, Lyss slid the stick from her belt. She wasn't good enough to make use of it in a fight, but like this maybe she had a chance. She had to do something. Pulling the club over her shoulder like a bat, she took a deep breath, grit her teeth, and swung.