A/N: Finally revised the ending. I made some touches to the end of the previous chapter as well - just a few lines to tie it together a bit more. I was never happy with the previous version of this epilogue, but I didn't want to get deep into the aftermath either. Hopefully this will wrap things up in a more satisfying way! Enjoy!

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

Epilogue

Her eyelids refused to open. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling. At times in the past, she'd gone without sleep for days, and then slept for sixteen hours straight after finding someplace safe. Her body felt like that, like she'd been sleeping for so long her muscles needed to remember how to move.

If she'd been asleep that long though, she needed to get up. Find food and water – her throat was parched. Why'd she slept so long this time? Or rather, why had she stayed awake so long before hand? Her lips twisted in a small frown when she couldn't remember. She groaned and stretched, her limbs obeying slowly. Light cut in between her eyelids as she cracked them open.

The ceiling came into focus as she squinted up at it – solid, white, and clean. Her frown deepened at the unfamiliar sight and she turned her neck to look around. Two more beds – empty – lined the wall beside her. Medical equipment sat beside them, each as silent as her own. That no tubes or needles stuck her anywhere was promising, but it didn't change the fact that she was in a clinic of some sort. Alone, it seemed.

Smoke! Thinking of her friend brought her awake and aware, and she shot up from the bed – as much as she could in her stiff condition. Though she leaned over the bed on both sides, Lyss didn't see him anywhere. He wasn't there.

The door clicked open across the room and Lyss stiffened as a woman in a nurse's uniform and the brightest pink hair she'd ever seen walked in. A smile widened on the woman's face. "You're awake! That's great, we were rather worried about you."

Lyss blinked at the broad smile on the odd lady's face. "Who are you?"

"I'm Nurse Joy, of course." Joy tilted her head, face scrunching in a thoughtful look. "Perhaps you're still a bit disoriented? Can you tell me your name?"

Lyss nodded, the motion slow and deliberate. "It's Lyss-" she stumbled over her name like a tongue twister before getting it out, "Lake."

"Lyss Lake?" Joy asked, scratching away at a notepad.

Again, Lyss nodded, rolling her tongue and trying to wet her dry mouth. Must be dryer then she realized if she couldn't even say her own name. "Could I get some water?"

The look on Joy's face was so distraught Lyss almost laughed at the poor woman, "Oh! Of course, I'm so sorry. Chansey," she called after sticking her head out the door, "could you bring our patient something to drink?"

Turning back to Lyss, Joy smiled again. "I should've expected you to be thirsty. You've been asleep the whole day since they brought you in." The nurse went on – saying something about IV's or something – but Lyss zoned out. The whole day? That was a record even for her. And she mentioned someone brought Lyss in, but who? For that matter, where was she?

"Excuse me," Lyss said, interrupting whatever Joy was saying, "but where am I anyway?"

"This is the Celadon City Pokecenter," Joy said, stepping aside as a giant pink... something waddled into the room carrying a drink tray. A pokemon? If so, not one Lyss had ever seen before. Although, wait...

"Did you say Pokecenter?"

"Of course," Joy chirped. "Healing pokemon may be what we do best, but we can certainly take care of people in need too!"

Ignoring the extra commentary, Lyss frowned over the response. She couldn't be in a Pokecenter. They didn't exist, not since... Lyss cocked her head and tried to think. Why didn't Pokecenter's exist? Or, rather, why did she think they shouldn't, even though she was obviously in one? There weren't any where she grew up, for some reason. Had she ever been in one after she lived in-

Where did she grow up?

"Are you alright?"

The question snapped Lyss out of her daze and left her blinking at the nurse. "Um, I think so. Just confused."

One hand came up to cradle Joy's chin as she crossed her arms and gave Lyss a long look. "Hmm. Maybe you should stay here another night. Is there anyone we can call for you?"

Lyss looked up at the reminder. "Smoke!" She kicked her legs over the side of the bed, then paused at the wave of dizziness. "Is he here? He's a Flareon with a streak of gray fur."

"He is yours then!" Joy said. "We heard they found you near each other, but there's no trace of his pokeball."

"Can I see him?" Lyss asked, brushing aside the details. "Is he alright?"

"Perfectly fine. Don't worry." The words were just what Lyss needed to hear, and she almost fell back onto the bed from relief. "Chansey, can you go bring her Flareon in here?"

"Chansey!" the pokemon said, bouncing with the exclamation before trotting from the room. Lyss stared after it. The pokemon liked to shout its own name. Weird.

"Now then," Joy continued, "how about your parents? You should let them know you're alright."

An ache settled in her chest, and she tried to swallow it down. It didn't keep the stray tear from leaking out. "I don't have any parents." It was true, and she didn't even remember them, wasn't sure she'd ever known them. So why did the loss feel so fresh?

A passing glance at the sympathy on Joy's face was more then Lyss could look at. She didn't want to hear it in the nurse's voice too. Didn't want to hear the words.

A ball of orange fur racing into the room saved her from all that – and then tackled her. Giggles burst from her lips as Smoke rubbed, bumped, and otherwise smothered her in attention. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed even as he bumped his head against hers. Soothing warmth came off him in waves, and she soaked it up. Smoke was okay.

"I'll let you two get reacquainted," Joy said from the doorway, laughter sprinkling her words and her face. "But if you feel up to it, you should talk to the ones who brought you and Smoke in,"

Shoving Smoke's head down so she could see the woman, Lyss caught her eyes. "They're still here?"

Nurse Joy nodded, her pink curls bouncing. "Yep. Said they wanted to take a break," her voice lowered and her smile grew, "but I'm pretty sure they just wanted to make sure you were okay. They're out in the lobby if you feel up to it." With a final gesture in the appropriate direction, Nurse Joy left the room, the odd Chansey trailing behind her. She left the door open, and sounds carried in. Voices Lyss couldn't make out, but she could hear the happiness in them.

For his part, Smoke had nudged in until he was nearly sitting on her, which was something of a feat considering she was kneeling on the floor. She glided her fingers through his fur, smiling wider at the soft rumble that echoed from his chest. "What do you think, Smoke? Should we say hi to our mysterious saviors?" Smoke made a content huff of sound without moving at all. Laughing, Lyss pulled him close again before shoving him off her. He somehow managed to twist with the move so that he sat facing her, looking up at her with expectation as he huffed again. Lyss shook her head at him. "Alright then, come on, you."

With Smoke on her heels – literally if she wasn't careful – Lyss wandered out of the room and into the hall. Everything about the place caught her eye. Well maintained floors. Walls decorated with happy, peaceful art – even children's drawings. Nothing gave the impression that the building even knew the meaning of disrepair.

Then she moved past the windows, and her step paused in the sunbeam pouring in through the glass. Colors abounded out in the yard. Trees full of green leaves, flowers that stretched their bright petals up the sun, and grass like a flawless carpet. A flock of pidgey's bounced through, pecking and cooing. Beyond the greenery, streets stretched away into a dense forest of buildings. Not a crack in sight.

It all seemed so bizarre, and yet, she wasn't sure why.

Shaking away the thought, Lyss moved on as the hall opened into the spacious lobby. A familiar shock of pink hair caught her eye as Nurse Joy looked up from her place behind the counter. Lyss smiled in greeting, and the woman returned the expression before tilting her head in a pointing gesture across the room. A group of kids lounged in the chairs there, playing some sort of card game on the floor. They looked to be around her age, with the older boy being the closest. Maybe older. He had dark skin, short spiky hair, and a smirk that he settled on the other two, who seemed to vary between snapping and laughing. The only girl in the group wore her long orange hair in a ponytail she flipped around as she rolled her blue eyes at the other boy. That boy, the last of their group, wore a baseball cap with some emblem Lyss didn't recognize, but which left his short black hair poking out in messy strands. The smile seemed a permanent part of his face, with it tugging at his mouth even when he tried to scowl at the girl. The trio knew each other well, that much was clear.

"Well, Smoke, time to meet our saviors." Lyss scratched his head once more and took a deep breath before striding into the lobby. It felt weird just walking out to meet these people – people who'd helped her for no apparent reason. Her and Smoke, something she'd be forever grateful for. They at least deserved a hello.

The boy with the ball cap looked up first, and a fit of shyness fell over Lyss like a shroud. She raised her hand in a meager wave that matched the tentative smile on her face. If he, or the others, noticed any of her hesitance they didn't show it. They each jumped to their feet, smiles and greetings flowing from them without restraint. It still felt weird, even as Lyss eased into the situation, smiling more easily as the girl leaned over to scratch at Smoke's ears. More then that though, Lyss felt different there among them. She felt safe, even with everything strange and unfamiliar. She felt happy, of all things.

A groan rumbled from Smoke as the girl's fingers found one of his favorite spots, and he leaned into her, the sound going on and on until all four of them were laughing. It was silly and ridiculous, and she still didn't know what happened to bring her there, but maybe it didn't matter. For now, at least, she felt light. Content. Everything else could come later.

Still giggling from Smoke's antics, the girl held out her hand. "We're glad you're alright! I'm Misty, and this is Brock and Ash."

"Lyssandra," Lyss said, smiling and grasping the girl's hand. "But just call me Lyss. It's nice to meet you."

A/N: Age of Rocket is finished! Really hope you enjoyed the story, and thanks for reading!