{|PKMN|} Stand Up {|1-on-1 rp|}

It was hard to keep her thoughts straight when each breath seemed to bring with it more pain. A shudder escaped her as she attempted to steady herself with a deep breath. Closing her eyes tight against the pain that wracked through her, head bowed as it had been for some time; this did little to help ease any of it.

The wound would heal, she knew that but it still hurt and made it hard to focus. Bruised and bleeding Claire had taken a beating and a pretty hard one at that. She’d been dodgin’ around them for a long time now, more specifically one of them in particular. Forcing herself to lift her head just enough to glance around the room she found he wasn’t here. ’Good,’ she declared silently.

The guy who’d taken to pacing around the other side of the table at Claire’s silence stopped. His steps were loud and caused her head to throb all the more, she was glad that he’d stopped. Whatever he said was lost on her though, more focused on other things.

Her pokémon were taken but what happened to them after that? The possibilities left a stab of icy fear shooting through her. Claire tried to bring her hand to her head only to be halted abruptly, the handcuff that kept her chained to the table biting against her bony wrist. The sound the handcuffs made against the table was loud enough to cause her to cringe, eyes squeezed shut again.

“I don’t know,” she answered forcefully despite not knowing what the question was. For all Claire knew he’d asked what her name was.

She swallowed, the lump that had lodged itself in her throat unmoving. Her thoughts were frantic, trying to figure out what might be happening to her pokémon or what might happen to her. She was technically a rebel, an enemy to those who’d seized power a decade or so ago; they didn’t see kindly to those who fought back like she and many others took to doing.

Her eyes flickered to the mirror, probably a two-way one, seeing her reflection and trying to ignore the thoughts of who might be back there. Claire was a sight, her hair a tangled, greasy mess and bruised and cut up like she was. There was some blood caked on the side of her face, dark against her skin and hair. Carefully she reached up with her other hand, the one she’d tugged against the handcuff probably already bruising because of it, and wiped some of it away. She tried to ignore how shaky her hand was.

All she could do was wait out this interrogation and hope that she and her pokémon wouldn’t face anything serious. The hope she had of that happening were slim.

Surge had lost count of the days that he had been chasing after this woman named Claire. It was a game he had proposed long ago. She would run and he would do everything in his power to track her down.

For a few months, it had been fun, especially when he was able to toy with her a long the way. Eventually she had been caught, however, and brought here for interrogation.

Claire wasn't giving anything up. Then again, she wasn't exactly focusing on the questions either. She'd been beaten in attempts to get information out of her. Her pokémon had been taken from her and even then, she refused to speak up.

Surge shook his head at that, watching from the two way mirror. Claire was stubborn, always had been from what he had gathered. Beating her to hell and back wouldn't get any information out of her.

He paused, sparing a glance toward anyone who had been with him. There were a few guards lingering outside the door in case things went astray. For the most part, they would be useless for the time being. He waved them out of the way, pushing his way into the room.

Surge paced the room, the interrogator pausing in his work. The man stood back, tense and waiting on orders. This had become the norm as of late.

"You could make this easier on yourself, Claire," Surge finally brought up, glancing at the beaten woman on the floor. "For both you and your pokémon, that is."

A smirk tugged at his lips as she glared up at him. That had been a look that could kill, if at all possible. Surge resisted a chuckle, carefully pacing the room again, waiting on her reaction.

----[x]----

Delta had been wandering the region for weeks, trying to search out a rebel base. She had been chasing lead after lead only to come up short in the end. She was beginning to lose hope that there was even one stationed in this place.

She heaved a frustrated sigh, motioning toward Valor. The Lucario had scouted ahead, reading the aura's around them. If he caught any sight of others, specifically Genesis members, he would warn her. Valor halted at her side, shaking his head as well.

"I'm not sure if we should move on or not..." she muttered to the pokémon. Valor paused before he reached out with his paw and touched her forearm.

It was this kind of reassurance that kept her going for the most part. Time and again, she didn't really have much to go on these days. Information was so hard to scavenge and it wasn't like she could get into cities without causing a ruckus or risking herself and her pokémon.

"I guess we'll keep moving ahead," she brought up, sparing a small smile to him. Valor smiled back as she started forward.

Delta tugged her bag higher onto her shoulder as they moved along the dirt path. Out in the open wasn't something she cared to risk but it wasn't like there were any thick forests to duck under. They hadn't spotted anyone from Genesis for a while anyways though that didn't mean they weren't hiding about.

She kept an eye and ear out for things. Once in a rare while, she would run into other people. Delta realized that it had been a long while since that had happened. She began to wonder if there were really any rebels left.

It would have been hard to believe she’d been caught if it hadn’t been for the pain that wracked her. The guys in charge of questioning her weren’t going easy on her, probably frustrated that she wasn’t talking. Claire couldn’t care less, she couldn’t turn in the band of rebels she knew was in the area. That’d been the whole point of agreeing to that cat and mouse crap anyways, trying to keep one of the bigger threats off of them by painting the target on her back.

’Worked for awhile,’ she thought, a brief respite from the worry that ran through her. Claire hadn’t been told what they planned to do with her pokémon…

It had grown quiet enough that Claire could hear the door open and close, footsteps ringing out. She spared a tired glare at the newcomer’s way unsurprised to see Lt. Surge there. It was a little undermining to his authority, whatever authority he had, that he was barely taller than Claire was if at all.

For a minute it looked like he was content pacing, his footfalls quieter than the other man’s had been. The previous guy was standing at attention now, back and out of the way. In a way that was almost sickening to see though Claire couldn’t begin to put words as to why that was.

All too soon he’d spoken up, the veiled threat clear enough to Claire. Lt. Surge had stopped pacing about that time, smirking at her despite the glare she’d given him. It wasn’t hard to guess she cared about her team and threatening them much less keeping them tucked away out of her reach was enough to leave her feeling helpless.

“Where are my pokémon?” she wondered, having to close her eyes in a bid to ignore the wave of dizziness that hit her. Trying to sit up more fully hadn’t been the best idea.

----[x]----

The area was fairly empty of people though Morty had spotted several pokémon wandering about, darting into hiding when he neared. It was good that at least the wildlife was fairly untouched by what was happening all over. Morty still wasn’t clear about how things had gotten to where there are now.

He kept his steps as quiet as possible, years of practice made it an almost effortless endeavor. It helped that it wasn’t fall or winter and there wasn’t anything crunching under his shoes. Besides, he had his ghost pokémon if he needed to scout ahead. Gengar or Gastly would be more than happy to head out and see what might be around if he asked.

Kanto was a region he was unfamiliar with though he couldn’t complain out loud. He was too well known in Johto and though he wanted to stay there until Johto was liberated once more there was little he could do in hiding as he had been. At least in Kanto he could wander a little more freely with far fewer people recognizing him right away.

The area was a wide-open plain, weeds and grass growing tall and wild in many places but it would do little to help him if he was spotted right away. It was when he was making another precursory glance around, wary of any pokémon that might grow hostile if he stumbled on their homes unannounced, he saw someone in the distance—two someones, really.

Morty froze, watching the pair carefully as he hunched over a little, ready to duck down into the weeds if he had to. They didn’t look hostile but he couldn’t make out details either. It took a moment before Morty realized what he was doing and had to force himself to relax. He wasn’t well known here, he didn’t have to act so suspicious like this, if anything else that would tip whoever it was off that he might be a ‘rebel.’ Though it was true it was easier to move about when he was not being chased relentlessly.

Eventually he shook his head, raising a hand tentatively to flag down the person. Morty wasn’t going to be making any progress like this. He’d heard that the band of rebels that frequented this area was one that continued to move as much as they could so they didn’t get pinned down. If he could find one…

“Hey! Could I trouble you for some directions?” he called out, still wary and ready to reach for a poké ball if he needed to.

Despite his words, Claire's response lacked a lot of bite. She was in pain and that much was obvious enough. The guard had done a number on her. There were obvious injuries from before hand as well.

Surge stopped in his tracks again, quiet for a long moment. He studied the pink haired woman. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to bite away the pain.

He shrugged at her question, a smirk tugging at his lips. Pokémon were easily stolen and distributed to other members. She had some pokémon with potential not to mention the rare and oddly colored Mareep.

"Who knows?" he responded after a long moment. "Could be all kinds of places now, with other members for all I know. I don't distribute them. I just take'em."

The glare he received was a weak one. She didn't have her usual bite and because of that, he chuckled a little. Claire had certainly lost a lot of the fire in her though, the constant beating probably subdued her.

"You could just tell us what we want to know," Surge suggested, a bit of mockery in his tone. "Your pokémon might be safe if you cooperated."

If she knew anything at all, she would speak up. He didn't believe that she didn't have any information. She was notorious, after all, and he believed she was helping the rebels somewhere. She merely needed to speak up as to where they were hiding.

----[x]----

They hadn't been walking long when Valor became alert of someone nearby. She blinked at the pokémon, carefully watching the area. If it had been anything that was cause for alarm, he would have let her know.

She was still tense despite this however. Delta had learned from experience that some were not as friendly as they appeared. People took advantage of kindness out here and some were even members of Genesis posing as rebels.

The blonde didn't look at all dangerous, less than some of the people she encountered before. Delta remained cautious however, no doubt him the same.

"That depends on where you're going," she answered, tipping her head slightly. "I don't know this region all that well."

For a lot of people she'd encountered, that was the case. Without a map on her either, she doubted she'd be much help here. Regardless, he was the first person she'd seen in who knew how long. On guard or not, she'd at least try to help out.

"Where are you headed?" she inquired further, studying him briefly.

Even if his steps were quiet it was easy to hear when he stopped pacing. The room was quiet but for any interrogating going on and the questions were spread apart from each other. Claire managed to catch the tail end of Lt. Surge shrugging though it was at odds with the smirk plastered on his lips.

The answer wasn’t a hopeful one. If these people took her pokémon to use there was no guarantee they’d be agreeable to the new trainers. Many of her pokémon were just as stubborn as she was and if they disobeyed orders what would happen to them? The thought left that icy feeling flooding through her again.

The guarantee that her pokémon would be marginally safer if she just gave up any information she had wasn’t comforting. Her pokémon were all very important to her but she had friends in the rebellion, she couldn’t just fork them all over. It looked like no matter what Claire did she wasn’t going to get out of this without giving something important up.

“I told you, I don’t know where they are!” she snapped, her voice sounding more hoarse. In a way that was true, the group around these parts was always moving. Staying in one place here wasn’t an option, not when they were so scoured for. That had been the entire point of Claire leading Lt. Surge on a giant chase around Kanto, to try to give the rebel group some breathing room.

What was she supposed to do? Either way she was selling someone out—her pokémon or the rebels. She couldn’t think clearly, pain stabbing at her from all over and a wave of dizziness if she moved too quickly leaving her disoriented. Claire was a prisoner and it showed.

At the look of disbelief she received at her answer Claire spoke again. “I’ve been on the run from you for how many months? How would I know where they are now?” she pointed out.

----[x]----

It didn’t escape Morty’s notice how the figure had tensed when he’d called out to them. Upon closer inspecting it was a woman and her Lucario he’d run into though both seemed wary. Morty didn’t have to ask to know why. Only people who didn’t adhere to or support Team Rocket acted this way when spoken to by strangers.

He shook his head in answer. Truly he didn’t know where he was going, he just needed to find some sort of a lead. “The nearest town if at all possible,” Morty said.

The rebels had gotten good at leaving marks for people to follow, mostly in out of the way places. With his ghost pokémon he’d be able to find them easily enough, knowing what to look for now. It seemed that Team rocket hadn’t picked up on this tactic yet and Morty hoped it would remain that way.

“I’m Morty,” he introduced, “who are you?”

Maybe this might get her to calm down a little. She was still tensed, probably ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. If she was this conspicuous with just one person how had she avoided being caught? Morty shook the thought away. Far be it for him to question what she did.

Lucario had seemed to bristle at the question, just as wary as the trainer it seemed. It was a sad thing to see the world like this. Morty hoped they’d be able to rectify this sooner or later.

It took a moment for her to connect the dots. Surge would hold her pokémon above her head if she had to, just to get this information out of her. She had to have been looking for the rebels at one point or another.

When she replied, she denied her knowledge on it all again. The man with him started forward, ready to hit her again. Surge shook his head, motioning for him to speak back. There was no need to beat the information out of her if there was none to be had.

"Sound point," he replied, though he shook his head. "You've probably seen methods they've used though? How they keep themselves hidden so well."

Surge wasn't sure how they managed it but they had. It was almost as if they got several steps ahead of Team Rocket without even trying. How they managed it with all the technology and power Rocket had, he could only assume.

"Maybe we have other uses for you..." he brought up carefully then, tipping his head toward her. "Maybe in exchange for your pokémon, you work for us, hmm?"

Honestly, this was how they got so many members within their ranks. People protected their families, loved ones, and pokémon in this manner. They relented simply to keep others safe.

"Of course, if you don't I suppose execution would be our next option," Surge continued, allowing those words to sink in. "If you really don't know anything, we have very little use for you."

----[x]----

Delta ran a hand through her hair, her fingers getting tangled in the locks there for a brief moment. She would have loved to get her hair cut short again but there was little time for that now.

"I'm heading toward the nearest town, if you'd like to tag along," she answered after a brief moments thought. Valor shot her a look though it went ignored for the time.

In the very least, the rebels left marks. She wished she could just locate them, however. They were several steps ahead of her though they needed to be. This was the kind of life they all led now.

"I've been calling myself Delta for a while now," she introduced. She nodded toward her Lucario, "and this is Valor. It's nice to meet you, Morty."

For all intents and purposes, she was still wanted from the uprising in her town. Even if her father had tried to clear his name by taking her place, Team Rocket weren't the kind to honor that.

She started forward then, Valor following closely beside her. He took up this kind of behavior since Rocket arrived, most of her pokémon had.

"We'd better get going," she brought up after a moment, sparing a small smile in his direction. It was hard to be friendly with others now but there was little reason to be rude.

Claire didn’t have it in her to cringe or try to defend herself when the first guy started forward. In fact she’d grown resigned to the fact that it was going to happen again eventually. Dulled surprise burst through her when Lt. Surge stopped the other man from doing so however. She’d have been more interested in this change of pace if she wasn’t in pain and exhausted.

She waited for the next thing he’d demand to know about now, it couldn’t be easy after all. So, Claire waited, feeling as if there was little choice in the matter that wouldn’t end up badly for her. It left her feeling far more beaten down and broken then the actual physical assault on her.

A feeling of dread welled up in her in the following pause. He’d mentioned that she had to know something and though he didn’t know what it was obvious he had something in mind. Whatever it was it couldn’t bode well for her.

Lt. Surge didn’t waste too much time before offering her a spot in Team Rocket’s ranks. A lump formed in her throat at that. If she accepted she’d get her pokémon back and she’d be spared from the sounds of it but that would mean turning against her fellow rebels and friends… The thought of acting as a double agent crossed her mind but surely they’d be aware of that possibility and thwart it.

They waited, surprisingly patiently, as Claire turned her options over in her head. If she wasn’t so sore and in pain and tired this might have been an easier choice to make. She’d be able to weigh the pros and cons with a clear head. That was probably why they gave her the option now, when she was so out of it.

For a long time Claire was unwilling to answer. She didn’t want to die, she didn’t want her pokémon to die… At the very least if she took the offer she might be able to find some way to help her fellow rebels from the inside. Claire tried to hold onto that thought, well aware that it would be even harder to do that without being caught than it had been to avoid Lt. Surge for this long.

Despite her attempts to think of the best way to handle it shame still welled up in her chest as she said “I… I guess you’ve got a deal.” She had to force the words out even then. Even the thought of being able to get patched up and get a bath didn’t make the situation any better.

----[x]----

Morty waited as this woman ran her hand through her hair, cringing when she got her fingers tangled in it. A moment after she answered, gesturing for him to follow if he wanted to. He would wait until she started them off. Better not to startle her if he acted too forward or hastily. Many grew paranoid now that Team Rocket was in power.

“I wouldn’t mind that if you don’t,” Morty said with a small smile.

He spared a nod towards each when she introduced herself and Lucario. The nickname was one he’d heard before for a pokémon though the man who’d named a pokémon that had had a Scizor instead of a Lucario. Just like with people there were many pokémon that ended up sharing nicknames to boot.

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he answered simply.

When Delta started them off Lucario was quick to get at her side, sticking himself between her and Morty. Morty didn’t mind this, in fact if that left both feeling safer than he wouldn’t mention it. Instead he kept a good distance between himself and Lucario, just to be on the safe side. He did catch the way she smiled at him when they started off though.

Silence stretched on for a long while between them. Only the sounds of the wild pokémon in the distance or the rustling of the weeds in the wind broke that quiet though Morty didn’t mind this. Glancing at the pair it seemed that they didn’t either. Maybe they preferred it this way.

“If it’s not too intrusive to ask about,” Morty started finally, “can I ask what you’re out here doing?”

Not many young trainers were out on their own anymore and the youngest these days were older teenagers because of the dangers. Team Rocket’s reign had left things dangerous for them all and many parents didn’t want their children out alone because of it. It was something Morty could understand. Even so, someone his or Delta’s age alone was also strange. Many paired up for safety in numbers, too.

Surge wasn't sure what he expected of Claire. She was a bit of a pistol, after all, and was unpredictable. In all honesty, that's why Surge had proposed the 'game', of sorts. He had wanted to see just how far she would go in the end.

Holding the lives of her pokémon over her head would prove to be interesting. He made sure the other man didn't make a move to harm her while she thought this though. Many people relented rather quickly when the lives of their loved ones were at stake.

When she did relent however, Surge couldn't help but smirk a little. If she had it in her, no doubt she would have glared at him for it.

He motioned toward the other man after a moment. She'd need medical attention to deal with the fresh wounds covering her body.

"If that's the case, we'll get you fixed up," he answered, waiting on the other man to leave the room. She'd most likely be escorted out on a gurney to avoid further injury. "I'll track down your pokémon and have them returned to you."

He might have been a member of Team Rocket but he still had his side of the deal to honor. No one could accuse him of doing otherwise in the end.

"Funny," he taunted lightly afterward. "I figured out of all people, you'd be the one who wouldn't join up so easily."

That just went to prove that most people were predictable, even her. A chuckle left him at that thought and he moved away from her a bit, giving her room to breath. She was a right mess now, luck to have survived in the end of it all. The least he could manage was a bit of a break.

----[x]----

They started off, Valor keeping himself in between Delta and Morty following behind. Behavior like this wasn't rare and for the most part, Morty didn't seem offended. She was glad about that. There was never a need to make a fuss about an over protective pokémon these days.

It wasn't until he spoke up, catching her attention did she glance back at him. Valor's ear twitched, listening in on the question before shooting a glance back at her.

She took a brief moment to mull it over. For the most part, it wasn't a rare question but one she wasn't always comfortable answering. She decided to keep the information at a minimum, just in case.

"I got into some trouble back home, when this all started," she replied carefully. "People tend to not stick around when they find out your a fugitive, understandably so."

Delta was never offended when people came and went. They had their pokémon and families to protect, no doubt. Those interests were something she sympathized with.

"I've been trying to track down the rebels since then but I'm often several steps behind," she further explained.

She wasn't sure if he was searching them out too or if he was just a wayward traveler. A lot of people took to the rules placed by Team Rocket and drifted from place to place. So long as they weren't causing trouble, they were safe. Delta had often thought about that kind of life but she wasn't willing to give up her pokémon just to abide by some gender role nonsense.

Claire didn’t look up when she accepted, she couldn’t. Lt. Surge was probably smirking at her, pleased that even she had joined Team Rocket’s cause. Shame was still swirling in her chest, settling itself there for the long haul. What else could she do though? Dying was a terrifying thought and she couldn’t let her pokémon be separated and used by these people, she just had to hope that she could find a way to be of help to the rebellion here without being caught somehow.

She could hear footsteps and the sound of the door opening and closing. A brief glance from the corner of her eyes told her enough, she could see Lt. Surge’s military uniform. Her hand had found its way to her head as he spoke, promising medical attention and her pokémon’s return. These things did little to ease the weight on her shoulders now.

Lt. Surge didn’t wait long before he was speaking again. It left her throat tightening and resentment to bury a spot in her chest. She was always so stubborn and strong but this? Even this was too much. It hurt to have to admit that, even to herself, much less have someone else point it out to her.

“My team will not suffer any more than they have to because of me,” she justified, however quietly it was.

Whatever he thought of that was left unsaid and that was probably for the best. Claire needed rest and that medical attention even she couldn’t deny that much. It felt way longer than it had to be before anyone arrived to tend to her. Claire had sat silently, jaw clenched and hand to her forehead during that wait.

The handcuff was removed, the only thing that had kept her to the bolted down table in the room, before she was placed on a gurney. Claire felt even stupider on the thing than if she had just been made to walk to wherever their medical area was at. Even still she probably wouldn’t have been able to get there at all if that was the case.

----[x]----

Lucario seemed content to remain silent, watching his trainer while she and Morty spoke. It was always interesting to him to see how different pokémon and their trainers interacted and this was no different. Most days he was denied this anymore unless in towns and cities or with a band of rebels. For the past few days Morty had been traveling on his own with just his pokémon, however.

There was the quiet again, descending on them for a short time. It looked to Morty like Delta might have been thinking over how to answer him. By the time she did say anything Morty had half-expected her not to speak up.

“Well, so long as you didn’t kill anyone I don’t have any problem with you,” Morty said.

That was an understatement in this day and age. In the old days before Team Rocket’s reign in Kanto and Johto Morty would have been unable to stomach being around anyone who did many a thing—thievery and assault ranking up there. Now he couldn’t be too picky, many times the rebels had to resort to sickening things like that to get by though many tried to avoid it even now. Morty was one such person, if it could be helped.

His eyebrows knitted together under his headband when Delta next spoke. He peered at her from the corner of his eye wondering what her angle was. No one just spoke up that freely about the rebels without some proof the other person was already among their ilk.

“An awful looked down upon topic to bring up without warning,” he noted carefully, “I’d be more careful about that next time. You’re lucky I happen to be seeking this area’s rebel bands myself.”

He was careful to gauge her reaction, ready to tug out a poké ball if he needed to. There was no telling if Delta was just bait to lure out any stray rebels. The tactic had grown popular in Johto but he couldn’t be sure about Kanto.

She refused to look at him even when he prodded at her. There was shame written on her expression, something that wasn't exactly foreign to him. Most reacted in this manner when they gave up so easily.

Eventually she responded, something he had heard time and again. A shake of his head followed at that.

"You people are predictable," he answered and left it at that.

Dangle someone's life in front of them or threaten their life and that's all it really took. Most would not argue and those who did were executed. Surge had figured it was the easier way out compared to running their entire lives or working with Team Rocket.

Eventually, someone arrived with the gurney. Her handcuffs were removed and she was placed on the gurney. Wheeling her out was a simple task. She cringed but for the most part, still looked annoyed.

"Get her taken care of," Surge advised after a long moment. "I'm going to track down her pokémon. Best to get it done and out of the way. You can't accuse me of not holding up my end of the deal."

With that said, he left her side and headed down a different hall. It wouldn't take a terribly long time to find her pokémon, provided they weren't distributed yet. He'd rather avoid getting chewed out for something like this.

----[x]----

She spared a glanced at him briefly before she shook her head. She could hardly bring herself to harm anyone unless it dealt with the people she cared about or her pokémon.

"Nothing like that," she replied after a long moment. "I'm about as harmless as a Butterfree."

That was true enough, even if he didn't believe her. If she could find any alternative way around of a situation, she would. Having pokémon like Twilight and Wheatley helped in that endeavor.

A soft growl left Valor, catching her attention. Delta's brow rose and she shook her head, waving off the comment. It was an unpopular topic, true enough, but she wasn't some person looking to lure rebels out into the open.

"I've heard paranoia is very unbecoming," she brought up, a bit of lightness in her tone. "I suppose most have to be these days though."

She motioned for Valor to calm himself down. There was no need for it and unless he was outright going to attack her, Valor didn't need to be so on guard.

"If I was out to turn you in, I'd probably have done it already," she reasoned, having witnessed it before. Team Rocket liked to hide about while one member posed as a wanderer or rebel. "And if you were looking to harm me, Valor would have warned further down the road. So I think it's safe to say we're both being a little too paranoid here."

Even with the idea in mind to somehow betray these Rocket people as soon as an opportunity presented itself Claire didn’t feel any better about herself or her selfishness. Wasn’t it natural to save yourself if possible? Maybe taking the offer hadn’t been the right choice.

Claire tried to ignore the way that her skin crawled when the Rocket members put her up on that gurney. It even felt worse than the pain that had shot up through her at the movement. Claire didn’t see any of that changing anytime soon, disgust at them and herself sitting heavy in her chest.

It didn’t seem to take long to get to the medical area, passing by all sorts of people and pokémon in the process. The snatches of conversation that reached her meant nothing, just a blur of white noise to accompany her thoughts. None of it was aimed at her anyways.

It would be a long affair, getting patched up. The medical supplies were so much better than what the rebels had, she’d noted. The observation felt like a stab of betrayal in her side, her frown deepening. It seemingly went unnoticed by the man treating her. However long passed was too much time for Claire to sit and think, the stabs of pain only a minor distraction.

She was handed a glass of water and some painkillers after he was done before ordering her to rest. Claire mumbled something like “right” before he’d headed off to check on someone else and leaving her to stare at the pills in her hand. It felt wrong to take the painkillers as if suffering through without them while she healed would somehow redeem it all.

Despite knowing it wouldn’t help anything she tossed the pills in the nearest trashcan. The sound of them landing didn’t make her feel any better. Claire leaned back against the bed, bandaged up and apparently good to go after some rest. There were some stitches where a pokémon had gotten at her thigh but otherwise her wounds weren’t too serious or so the doctor had said.

She’d be found like that later if anyone bothered to check in on her, physically exhausted but unable to sleep. At some point she’d carefully drawn her knees up enough to rest her elbows on them, forehead against her folded hands.

----[x]----

Morty allowed an indulgent chuckle to pass his lips at the mention of Butterfree. He’d once had a tough battle against one so the phrase had become a little silly nowadays when he recalled it. Still, Butterfree weren’t a hostile pokémon without reason and even then it was nothing like their Beedrill counterpart.

When Delta had changed the topic and he’d responded Lucario had taken to growling at him. Morty raised an eyebrow at that, unfazed by the matter. He wasn’t threatening Delta and so there wasn’t a need for hostilities. In truth he was merely concerned at how easily and quickly she’d brought that topic up.

“I would think that paranoia is allowed when executions have been on the rise here,” Morty pointed out.

She was on her own out here but for how long had that been? It was quite possible she hadn’t heard how ruthlessly Team Rocket was to stamp out the rebels nowadays. Even the slightest thing that would make one think someone was a rebel had the call for a possible execution ringing out.

Morty hummed at her words. So Kanto’s Rocket members hadn’t tried to mix it up yet? Or if they had it wasn’t around Delta. A frown tugged at his lips then. If that was the case then Team Rocket was hitting Johto hard and fast…

“Funny, I’ve seen a few lead someone lost to an ambush instead of waiting around out in the open like this,” he mused, gesturing around at all the tall weeds and grass. He’d even heard of a few posing as rebels to get in good with the groups and betray them all later.

He shook his head. Paranoia had kept many alive, it was reasonable to be so when everything hinged on them to overthrow Team Rocket and make the League challenge more accessible again. Stolen pokémon were a large problem for any trying, Team Rocket ‘liberating’ them for their own use. It left trainers at a loss as to what to do for the League challenge and maybe young children did not begin their journeys until the late teens now. It was all distressing to think about, honestly.

Surge had taken as little time as he could trying to track down Claire's pokémon. It hadn't been as difficult as he expected it to be. They were spread out, being prepared to be used by other Rocket members but otherwise, still within the base.

He grabbed the pokéballs rather easily, looking at each of the frightened pokémon within them. None of them had been converted into shadow pokémon, a bit of a relief on his part. Claire would no doubt use that against him if she was able.

With that done, he headed back to the medical room. The room she was in was a small one. Claire was bandaged up, leaning back on the bed. He shook his head as he approached her.

"Here they are," he called out, showing her the pokéballs he had gathered, "all safe and sound, just like I promised."

Surge offered her pokémon to her. If she decided to use them against him, he could easily subdue her with his own pokémon. She seemed to know that much, if anything. Despite her unpredictable attitude at times, she was still cautious.

"Now there's only the matter of waiting on your wounds to heal up," he brought up then. He placed his hands behind his back, standing a little taller, "you'll be heading out on missions soon enough."

Claire didn't look at all pleased about those words. He didn't expect her to be however. For now, whatever attitude she had seemed to be subdued by lingering pain.

----[x]----

If anything, she drew a chuckle out of him, a rare sound anymore. Most people didn't have it in them to laugh or banter like the old days. That was when she did encounter people in a whole.

She motioned for Valor to calm down again. He was a hasty one and if she had to call him back to his pokéball, she would. She didn't like having it come to that however.

"Forgive him," she brought up, motioning toward the Lucario. He looked a little indulgent at the mere motion. "He's seen his fair share."

She listened as he spoke up and could only spare a brief nod in response. Honestly, the thought of executions left her cringing. She'd witnessed one and that was enough.

"A sound point," she answered and left it at that.

Delta could only offer a shrug of her shoulders at his next words. "I couldn't say for sure," she replied, sparing a brief glance his way. "I came here from Sinnoh, only stopping briefly for rest. Reports said it was quieter here, not like the other regions getting hit harder by Team Rocket. I didn't want to risk Kalos, given the research on 'mega evolution', or so I've been told."

What Rocket was doing was anyone's guess. She'd only heard rumors, where it was safer and where to avoid. Delta tried to stick with these routes if only to better her chances in finding the rebellion.

The pain didn’t lessen anytime soon though she had herself to blame for that, having tossed away the painkillers. In a way this was some way to redeem herself for this choice. It wouldn’t do much but it was the best she could manage now. Because of this the time she sat felt much longer than it actually was.

Eventually someone entered the little room, their steps sounding louder than usual because of the quiet. She lifted her head to see who it was, unsurprised that it was Lt. Surge. He held up six poké balls, claiming to have held up his end of the deal. She didn’t say anything for the moment, instead reaching out for the poké balls.

Claire inspected each one, taking care to study the pokémon through the see through tops. Other than the fact that they looked tense, frightened and angry they all looked fine, a little scuffed from the fight they’d endured before they’d all been rounded up and taken in.

For a long minute Claire debated on sending them out, to try and fight back and get away. The idea was scrapped quickly. There was something unnatural about his pokémon. They were too strong and too fast even for someone of his ranking and experience. That was even saying that she’d be able to get far in this place full of Rocket members if she did somehow overpower or outwit him. Even if she was uninjured that’d be a feat just shy of a miracle.

“Yippee,” she muttered sarcastically.

Still, Claire had to wonder how the missions would go. Surely she’d be monitored some how but would she be able to get away at any point? Or maybe they’d partner her up with someone to try to thwart that idea too.

Oddly enough Lt. Surge had remained. Brow furrowing, she studied him cautiously. What reason was there to stay here when she was bandaged up and fairly useless? Maybe he just wanted to gloat.

“Is there a reason you’re still here?” she snapped.

----[x]----

Delta was excusing Lucario’s behavior though Morty merely held up a hand, as if to dismiss it entirely. At the very least her pokémon were protective of her, in these times it was often necessary, especially so for the rebels. It also made it hard for such people to gather new pokémon to fight with with so little time to bond.

“No worries,” Morty assured quietly, shaking away the thoughts that had come.

Her explanation was a rather long and unnecessary one. Most people had that same thought, to find someplace safe. However successful they were depended on luck and skill and Morty had seen both outcomes to it.
“It might only be safer because this is where Team Rocket originated,” Morty pointed out, “they have the home advantage here.”

It hadn’t taken them long to spill out into Johto and onward. As far as Morty knew that Kalos region was being fought heavily for, the same with Unova. It must have been harder for Team Rocket to get a foothold in places that far off from Kanto. With any luck that would be what helped to turned the tides. It didn’t seem like it would be anytime soon that Team Rocket would be overthrown however.

Morty shoved his hands into his pockets, merely for something to do with them. The breeze was chilly though combated by the sun beating down on them. The week was supposed to stay like this though Morty wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Bad weather was often when rebels used what they could to strike, assuming conditions weren’t too bad for even them.

Claire didn't seem enthusiastic about the idea of starting missions though most didn't. The mere idea of some relenting to Team Rocket and going out to cause havoc wasn't appealing to a lot of them. They knew the situations and they didn't want to be the cause of pain.

He shook his head at that thought. They were just too morally high strung. Surge had lost most of that though, he did have his pride. He took care of his own and that included Claire now.

"And you just sound so happy about it," Surge joked in response, rolling his eyes briefly.

She didn't lean back, simply studied her pokémon. They all looked confused and afraid. In time, that would pass. Claire would have to take the time to explain all of this to them, after all.

Surge raised a brow when she spoke up before he shook his head. A slight chuckle left him at that. It seemed she would have preferred to remain alone if she could handle it.

"You're a member of Rocket now," he answered quickly. "And we take care of our own here. So I'll be keeping an eye on you for a while."

Claire looked at him sceptically though it didn't surprise him. He waved it off easily, instead shifting his weight onto his other leg. Whether she replied or not didn't bother him. He was used to this kind of attitude, after all, from many others before.

----[x]----

Delta manage to spare a smile his way. At least he understood that much. Most pokémon grew protective of their trainers and her's were no different. No doubt his were much the same as well.

There was a brief bit of silence and she notice Valor sparing a quick glance around. If he sensed anything nearby, he would alert them about it. For the moment, things were quiet though, a little chilly.

When Morty spoke again, she spared a nod. She had learned that much when she landed here. It didn't take a lot of digging to figure out where Team Rocket had originated from.

"I often wonder why they started all of this," she brought up a moment after, "aside form the general power hungry nonsense they seem so fond of."

No one seemed to be aware of why Rocket started what they did. Power was the main reason, of course, but was there something more or were they really just heartless.

A light breeze tugged at her jacket though she didn't complain about the chilly wind. Her coat kept her warm enough and if she needed to stop in the town, she would. If anything, as long as her pokémon were hidden away, she would be fine.

From the corner of her eye, past her pink hair Claire could swear she saw Lt. Surge shake his head. Her frown deepened a little at that, why would he need to shake his head at her? Of course she wasn’t going to be thrilled about any of this, especially when he’d claimed it was just so predictable what kind of choice she’d made anyways.

There wasn’t a point in answering to that one though a dry retort was on the tip of her tongue. She bit it back. This wasn’t like the other times when she’d still been on the run. Now she was a part of what she hated most in the world and it left her feeling sick.

Inside their poké balls her pokémon were staring up at her, as if expecting to be released and to fight. When they weren’t confusion had settled on their faces. Claire dreaded having to explain things to them. The only one that might not rebuke her would be the little Eevee, still quite young and a little naïve.

She covered the poké balls with her hands, unwilling to keep meeting their eyes for the moment. Now wasn’t the time to try to explain things anyways. Instead she’d wondered about Lt. Surge’s intention to stay here like he was. The answer was a quick one and not anything she liked the sound of.

There was a moment that passed in which Claire eyed him skeptically, unsure of why he’d want to just stand over there for however long he had in mind.

“I’d like to think that’s what your doctors are for,” she muttered. Then again it wasn’t like she’d taken that painkiller the doctor had given her either. Claire didn’ think that they’d force something that little on her but who knew? Team Rocket was a forceful bunch more times than not.

----[x]----

Morty’s long sleeves and scarf helped to combat the chilly air though he had shove his hands in his pockets to warm them up. He wasn’t one who preferred gloves though when winter rolled around in several months he’d need to get a pair. There wasn’t any need to make things harder on himself then they already were.

Occasionally he noticed Lucario looking around though he did nothing further than that. Perhaps he was sensing other pokémon in the area. They were plentiful and at least the wild ones acted as they always had. At the very least Team Rocket couldn’t change that.

When Delta wondered about Team Rocket’s motives he offered a shrug in return. “I don’t really think that’s something that needs to be worried about.”

Whatever they were after it was clearly for their own gain. Anything they spouted out couldn’t be trusted with the way that they acted and went about things. Though a good chunk of those ranks were those coerced into it there were that many more who’d joined willingly. It was the latter that sickened Morty. How could anyone go about things like this?

Shaking the thoughts away he focused on the now. He needed to find the roaming band of rebels but knowing what marks they left was what had him stumped. In Johto Smeargle markings had become popular between them all but Smeargle were not native to Kanto.

Claire still seemed unsettled. It would take her time to adjust to all of this, if she was willing to do so. There was no need to make it harder on herself though Surge knew a few that had. They never lasted long within the ranks.

She covered the poké balls, trying to ignore the curiosity in her pokémon's gazes. It would do little to help and she couldn't avoid not telling them. For the time being, that seemed to be her intention however.

Claire was quiet for a long moment, either ignoring his presence or just didn't have it in her to talk. That wasn't something that was rare anymore. Surge was ignored by a lot of people, it seemed.

Eventually, she spoke up, her tone sounding a little sarcastic. Surge snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. He offered a short shrug in response.

"Doctors get busy," he retorted lightly, "besides, we'll need to make nice if we're going to be working together more often."

She didn't appear pleased with the response. Surge waved her off easily, more or less used to this kind of thing. He knew of many who would rather not see him much less work with him. It came with the territory.

----[x]----

Delta's gaze fell onto Valor. She reached for his poké ball, calling him back to it. While he might not be pleased about the circumstances, she couldn't waltz right into the city with him out.

"We're not far now," she explained. "Valor didn't sense anything amiss, so we should be fine for the time being."

She tucked the poké ball into her bag in hopes that nothing would be searched. Valor seemed confident this town wasn't one that was heavily guarded, however. If Team Rocket wasn't too near it, she wouldn't worry.

His answer had been simple enough and she could only shrug in response. That was the truth though she wished there was some sense out of it. Maybe there was no sense to be made, as unfortunate as that sounded.

Delta lifted her head, catching the sight of the town in view. She sighed at how it looked, in bad shape. Most places were now, however. Team Rocket didn't care about the people or their homes as long as they were cooperating.

"What a shame," she replied, shaking her head. "At least it's still standing..."

Though it was quiet here Claire could hear a lot behind that door. People were busy and it showed, even a few pokémon were out and about, some at their trainer’s bedside or else helping the doctors.

Claire felt a little proud about the fact that they were so busy if it meant that the rebels were injuring enough of their numbers. There was no way everyone out there was in her position though a few would be, she was aware. Just letting any Tom, Dick or Harry into their ranks wouldn’t make for a very formidable team. She’d imagine they would try to recruit only those who would help in some way. Claire didn’t feel very flattered by that realization.

It wasn’t until Claire pointed out that the doctors would be doing the very job he claimed to be here for did conversation start back up. Naturally he was quick to retort, folding his arms over his chest but otherwise unmoving from his spot.

His words weren’t reassuring in the least now that she knew who she’d be working with. Claire had held hopes that she’d be partnered with some mook who she’d be able to trick or overpower. Lt. Surge was probably going to make sure that that didn’t happen at this rate.

“Then a nurse can tend to me,” she argued, dismissing the other half of his own rebuttal completely.

From the looks of things he was going to stubbornly stand there. That left her unnerved well aware that she needed to rest at some point, the obnoxious buzzing in her head was enough to tell her that she’d gone too long without sleep as it was. Even if he claimed that they were going to ‘make nice’ she couldn’t bring herself to trust him.

“So, let me get this straight; you’re just going to stand there for however long I am stuck bedridden?” She paused then, letting it sink in. “That’s weird, that’s creepy.”

----[x]----

Morty wasn’t sure how long they’d been walking though it couldn’t have been the time that it felt. Then again it seemed that he’d been on the way to pass by the place she was leading him entirely so he was most likely wandering longer than he had needed to before meeting up with Delta. At some point he would have had to call upon his pokémon to help him out if he hadn’t found her.

He glanced at her when she recalled Lucario, the flash of red enough to bring anyone out of their thoughts. She was quick to explain things and he nodded in turn. Having a Lucario must have been handy with their abilities to read a person’s aura. He had little doubt that she was tucking Lucario away for his own safety; Team Rocket were a greedy bunch when it came to strong looking pokémon.

“If nothing else I have a few sneaky pokémon on my team to see things through,” Morty informed.

Up ahead the town was coming into view, the silhouettes of the buildings becoming more detailed and clear as they neared. Things looked to be in worse repair then they would have been years ago but then it seemed only the bigger cities were the ones that Team Rocket invested any time into. Small towns and villages were only kept up if they could provide something in return otherwise they were on their own.

Morty hummed, a frown tugging at his lips. “If nothing else there might be few troublemakers there.”

Still, the thought was a sad one. So many people lost their spark and had been beaten down. Many didn’t bother training pokémon so that they would not be strong enough to catch Team Rocket’s eye. It was a miracle any of the gyms were still around at this rate though they were struggling.

Claire was mulling it over, taking in the place little by little. Surge knew her at this point. She was sizing everything up, trying to judge what was going on, maybe look for weak points. He didn't mention it for the moment, simply observed.

Shifting his weight to one leg, he shook his head when she finally drew her attention back to him. Of course her retorts were mostly insults. This hadn't surprised him and he was more or less prepared to hear more of them as days went on.

"Nurses have better things to do than baby sit," he replied easily.

He didn't like to admit it but the rebels were making a dent, albeit a small one. The more people they recruited, the more they found some confidence to continue fighting. It would all come to an end sooner or later, though Surge would have preferred it over and done with now.

"Yes, I am," he replied, snorting slightly when she spoke. "I know you, you'll look for the best opportunity to stir up trouble when I'm not around. I'd rather avoid the hassle."

She didn't seem pleased by the comment or the implication that he 'knew her' in any way. Regardless, Surge waved it off easily. In time, she would relent to their views and means. Most found some way to do so, after all.

----[x]----

Delta felt a little relief wash over her when he mentioned his own pokémon. If anything, that was helpful enough, having some that could sneak about. She had her own, after all, and they had been a great help in the past.

"Ghosts?" she guessed, sparing a grin his way. By the looks of him, she had guessed correctly. "I have one too. If anything, I can be of a little help."

Getting closer to the town, she had to resist a sigh. Many towns or small villages were like this, no doubt her own was too, but it still made her sad. It wasn't fair for these people who could not defend themselves.

Her thoughts were distracted when Morty spoke again. She nodded in agreement, sparing a glance around.

"A few can be dealt with if it comes to that," she replied, "though I hope that doesn't happen. I'd rather not cause a scene."

Delta still feared someone recognizing her. Rocket members were from all regions now, even her home. She regretted to admit that she'd been spotted by an old neighbor once who tried to turn her in. It was strange how friendly people turned so quickly when they were in desperate situations.

It was a thought she had to shake as they entered the town. There were very few outside, those who were mostly working. No one stopped them as of yet but who knew. Some grew suspicious of wanderers these days.

Lt. Surge was quick to retaliate but then he always was. As such there wasn't much point in mentioning that nurses were there to check on and 'baby sit' the patients if he was just going to ignore that entirely. All she could do was shake her head and let it go, Lt. Surge sure wasn't going to at any rate.

Claire couldn't pretend that she knew what Lt. Surge had in mind when he planned on just standing there for who knew how long. She might have learned something about him during that months-long chase but even then it had mostly been to benefit herself and stay as many steps ahead as she could. Even that hadn't been enough to keep her out of reach.

When she pointed out how strange it was that he intended to stand by like that for however long he felt necessary Claire hadn't expected the answer she got. She had done everything she could in the last few months, oftentimes improvising when she'd been stuck in a corner, it looked that was now backfiring on her. Claire couldn't have prepared for this or the fact that Lt. Surge was taking it upon himself to keep her in line.

"Well, don't you just have it all figured out?" she scoffed, a little sore on the matter. If he was this prepared for her to do something to weasel out of this deal then she was stuck here for the long haul.

She had been toying with the idea of letting one of her pokémon out for company, one of the few she knew would be calmer despite whatever frustration they'd have about the situation and with her. With Lt. Surge here she wondered how good of an idea that might be. Even the little Eevee and Mareep on her team had strong resentment against him. Claire couldn't guarantee her pokémon would behave.

A sigh escaped her then. The buzzing in her head was persisting, she needed sleep and soon even if Lt. Surge had it in mind to just stand over there while she did so. Carefully, her whole body protesting the movements, Claire tucked her poké balls away. She would have to explain things eventually but not now.

Pushing herself back, she grunted as pain split up her back at the too sudden movement. She had to pause before fully lying back, jaw clenched against the pain. Shaking away the lingering regret of not taking those painkillers she waved a dismissive hand at Lt. Surge and said "do what you want but I need sleep."

----[x]----

Soon enough she was guessing as to what type he had. It was an obvious answer, ghost-types had the easiest time sneaking about after all. Nonetheless she was grinning, obviously proud of the correct guess or maybe she was just glad that he had those types on his team. Morty offered a shrug as if to say that it was no big deal.

"We'll see what's needed here before we make any plans," Morty noted, gesturing to the sorry looking town ahead of them. The reminder of the place seemed to sober her quickly, a sigh escaping her.

Closer and closer they got though Morty tried not to let himself be bothered by how the place looked just from afar. No doubt things would be a sorry sight when they were actually in the place properly. If he let himself be bothered it would be easier to be caught off guard. No, he'd have to keep an eye on their surroundings and try to keep from being caught off guard. Who knew? Some Team Rocket members even frequented places like this.

It took some time but finally the buildings had closed in, never reaching higher than three stories. The streets were small and though it was a sorry looking place there were a few kids out playing with a Meowth, teasing it with a long bit of yarn. The sight brought a small smile to Morty's lips, tugging at the corners of his mouth. Even now some people could find something to smile and laugh about.

"If it's just a few then it might be best to avoid and run," Morty finally pointed out though there was no one nearby with the familiar black uniform. That was a relief in itself. If they were lucky Morty could ask around without these people fearing being overheard and turned in for treason. It would also make things easier when he sought out any markings rebels might have made in the area.

"I don't suppose that you know what you're looking for, would you?" Morty said, turning to glance at Delta.

Surge couldn't help but let a chuckle pass him. She wasn't pleased and it was easy to see. Then again, why shouldn't she be? She'd lost the game at this point and was paying for it now.

She heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing her head. Shifting his weight, he waited on her to speak. It didn't take her long to retaliate in some manner. He snorted in amusement again, a shake of his head following.

"You weren't exactly subtle at times," he reprimanded lightly.

It was true, when she was cornered she took any way out. Sometimes she was reckless, other times a little more clever. In the end, it had really depended on how cornered she had felt at the time.

Eventually she had waved him off, laying back. Her words were dull and quick, clearly trying to ignore his presence lingering nearby. Surge shuffled his weight before be moved forward and laid down onto the bed as well. Whatever shocked or annoyed reaction he might received was ignored.

"What?" he retaliated easily. "You told me to do whatever I wanted."

Of course, she hadn't meant it literally but he ignored that. It was easy to brush off her words and her moods at this rate. It wasn't as if she had the strength to push him off the bed.

----[x]----

Delta shoved her hands into her pockets, ignoring the chill in the air. She didn't let the lack of response bother her. Most people grew rather somber out here and he might have just been the same.

She nodded in response when he spoke. In the very least, running would avoid an issue. She'd even fly out if she had too. Aiden was large enough to take care of them, after all.

The town was in a sorry state, just as bad as many others that she'd witnessed. Even, some milled about trying to make the most of their lives. Kids were out and about with their pokémon as if these days were normal. Some took solace in these activities, the things they would have been doing before Team Rocket took to power.

She glanced at him when he asked about what to look for. Delta mulled over it for a moment, trying to find the right answer. In truth, she'd been wandering around for a while, never feeling as if she was getting closer to the rebellion.

"Markings, symbols, the like," she replied quietly, "but I've been having trouble finding them or deciphering the meanings, where they might be or where they're headed."

For his part, perhaps he was unsure of the markings as well. If he was looking for the rebellion, he might have been just as lost.

At the mention that she'd been less than subtle when she had to be Claire muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "bite me." She could hear him scoff in return though he did nothing else. As true as it was it didn't need to be pointed out and especially not in this situation. It was bad enough she'd been caught and beaten into joining she didn't need her flaws rubbed in her face on top of it.

She wasted little time in tucking her pokémon away and laying back if not with a little bit of difficulty. She'd be aching for at least a week if not longer though they'd apparently been careful not to give her any fatal wounds. Claire had to wonder if that would have been different if she wouldn't have been an asset to them upon agreeing to their deal.

Only a few seconds had passed before the bed shifted with added weight. Claire jerked, staring in disbelief as Lt. Surge made himself comfortable beside her. He'd all but kicked his feet up on the bed instead choosing to let them hang off the side. Already he was waving away the look she shot him.

Shaking her head she laid back down, hand covering her eyes. Of all the people who'd be watching her when she recovered it had to be the guy who instigated things. Even if he wasn't normally an instigator he certainly came across that way to Claire, whether or not that would change with the turn of events today she couldn't say. In the end only time would tell.

"You're unbelievable," she grumbled, shaking her head.

She was all to aware that Lt. Surge was sharing her pillow but what could she do about it? Pushing him off would require an effort she couldn't quite extend at the moment. She felt too tired and achy and he looked to have a fair bit of muscle weight to him. Claire figured she'd just try to get him back for it later.

----[x]----

They'd walked quietly for some time before Morty had thought to break it. Only then did Delta tear her eyes away from those around them to turn to him. There was a moment that passed where Morty didn't think she'd be able to answer though he was quickly proven wrong. He listened intently though nothing she told him had been what he'd really asked about.

He shook his head, "I'd been asking more along the lines of what they use to leave them. In Johto Smeargle are pretty common to tag buildings."

If he knew what to look for among all the other bits of graffiti they might find they'd stand a better chance of finding the rebel group in the area. If they didn't know what they were looking for at all they could end up trying to decipher graffiti that otherwise meant nothing to them. Morty would rather avoid that if he could help it.

Even if he didn't know what they were looking for just yet Morty kept an eye out. Just as often as the markings were left in out of the way places he'd seen some in more obvious ones, out in the open for all to see. Luckily Team Rocket had been unable to decipher anything that they might have suspected. Morty still worried about hose they convinced to join spilling those secrets however...

"Let's hope they even left any in this place," Morty muttered, more to himself than to Delta.

The shock on her face was apparent. She'd shot him a look quickly after he had laid beside her, kicking up his feet. It felt better than standing around. The only reason he lingered was to make sure she wasn't up to anything, in the end.

He tucked one hand behind his head, getting comfortable. There wouldn't be much need to move while she was still injured. Surge would be sticking around for quite some time, much to her displeasure he was sure.

He spared a glance toward her when she muttered. An amused sound escaped him afterward. There wasn't much he could do to sway her current opinion of him.

"You sound surprised," he taunted lightly in return.

She did her best to angle herself away from him despite any pain she might be in. Claire was making it painfully obvious that she wanted nothing to do with him. Of course, they knew little about each other as well. For her, it might have been awkward as well.

It was something that he pushed aside rather easily. For her, that was no doubt different. At some point or another, she would adjust to everything, albeit it would take time. These odd things he would do on and off would keep her on her toes.

"Could be worse," he pressed after a moment, "I could have just kept you in that cell."

Surge was already doing her a favor. Whether or not she was grateful for it would remain to be seen.

----[x]----

Delta spared him a glance, shrugging her shoulders in answer. If she had actually picked up the details on those markings the rebellion left, she might know better. For the most part, she only remained long enough in hopes to find out where to go.

"Spray paint, I think," she answered, sparing a quick glance around, "it could be a lot of things though. I've seen paint and chalk used to, in drier places."

She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think back on what she'd seen. There weren't many of them and those she did find were rather well hidden. At this point, Team Rocket would be looking for these markings too.

He was quiet, mulling it over. If anything, they could start looking down alleyways or the like. The rebellion tried to get through towns like these as well.

"There may be," she replied, "we'll have to have a look about."

If anything, they could ask the odd person as well. Some had more information they were willing to part with if only in the hopes to help the rebellion. These people were sought out by Rocket as well. Still, it was also a risk. Anything they gave might be turned against them.

Already he'd started making himself comfortable, tucking a hand under his head despite the fact that he'd stolen half her pillow already. It didn't help that the hospital bed was small, made to fit only a single person. There wasn't much use arguing about it thought. She didn't quite know Lt. Surge well but he was stubborn and if he wanted to lay on the bed then he'd do it anyways even if she tried to push him off. Chances are he'd just lay back down after she'd fallen asleep.

"Whatever," she grumbled, scooting over as far as she could manage. It wasn't much, maybe half an inch at best but it was better than nothing she figured. Granted now she had less of her own pillow...

Lt. Surge was quick to remind her of the situation she could have been in. Claire wasn't so sure that it helped much, in truth she still felt she'd made a selfish choice and with little way of knowing if she could turn it around to help the rebellion from the inside. She hadn't thought ahead and now she had to live with that choice no matter which way it ended up. It was a stressful thought as is.

"Go to sleep," she muttered more than demanded. Not only did her head ache but her whole body throbbed. If he wanted to spat then they could later when she wasn't feeling low and sore already. Whether or not he actually respected the need she had for rest at the moment would be seen.

She placed her arm over her eyes, trying to block out the florescent lighting as best that she could and to ignore her greasy hair. She'd been caught out in the Viridian Forest and hadn't had a proper shower in a few days because of it. Being on the run didn't help with personal hygiene and she hoped that she'd be able to get a shower later after a bit of sleep.

----[x]----

Morty hummed when he finally did get the answer he was looking for. Just spray paint then? The chalk idea left him skeptical however. Chalk could easily be wiped away or colored over by well meaning children. That wouldn't exactly be an intelligent idea though he left his thoughts on that silent. Instead he wondered if there were certain colors or images that they had a tendency to learn towards. Morty wasn't sure however, already the differences between Johto's and Kanto's rebels was becoming clear.

"Well then," he said finally, "not a lot to go on."

He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been hoping that Delta knew more. If she'd been tracking the rebels for long he'd hoped that patterns would be clearer to her but it didn't seem to be the case. He'd have to hope they got lucky or that patterns lined up with what he was used to back in Johto.

The day would be spent in that manner. Though they saw a few normal sights of children and pokémon playing or adults working. At least those things had not changed and Morty was able to draw comfort from. Still, many of the older teenagers and the adults looked worn and beaten down.

Though they searched they couldn't find any worthwhile markings. A few children had left little chalk drawings along the cracked sidewalks though that had been all they'd really found. Morty tried not to let that get to him though he felt like he was running out of time. The longer it took to find any hint of where the rebels had gone to they might have already moved on or been caught.

It wasn't until the sun was beginning to set did he turn to Delta offering for them to find some place to sleep for the night. There didn't seem to be a center nearby for trainers to rest at for free and so they'd be scrambling. Was there a motel here or would they have to go on the good faith of people here? Morty worried if the later would be their option.

"Don't suppose that you know this town well enough to know anyone here?" he asked.

Her responses were sharp and quick ones. Surge brushed them off easily, getting comfortable in the bed. It was such a small one but it didn't deter him. He would remain here, provided he didn't fall out of the bed at some point.

He closed his eyes at one point, trying to lull himself into a slumber. These things didn't come so easy anymore, even with his position. He had to be ready in case any threat rose.

She threw her arm over her eyes, blocking out the light. He didn't ask why and ignored it. If that's how she slept, he wouldn't argue it. At least she wasn't out to cause any havoc or try to.

Eventually, he did manage to lull himself into a light doze. Beside him, Claire barely moved and perhaps had fallen asleep. He didn't try to wake himself to check up on her. If there was some emergency, a nurse or doctor would take care of it.

The time ticked by slowly, no real reason to get up and do anything. It wasn't as if he had much to do outside of his current job. Claire was one to stir up trouble and he wouldn't allow that to happen.

At some point, he roused himself finding it was late. He spared a glance Claire's way. She seemed to still be asleep and he would leave her to that. It might have been fitful but it was better than nothing.

----[x]----

The day was fruitless, unable to find any marking within the area that looked like it was left by the rebels. Delta tried not to let this get her down. They needed to hide away, after all, and they were subtle about their symbols for a reason.

Regardless, night was drawing on them and they couldn't risk being out so late. Despite the town being small, crime still ran amok in some places. Delta would rather avoid things like that.

She shook her head in silent response to his words, "I don't," she said, "kind of wish I did though."

Delta rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think up something. Some people took wanders in on good faith but the majority were suspicious. Trust didn't come easy anywhere anymore, as sad as it was to say.

"We could ask around," she suggested a moment after, sparing him a quick glance, "this town doesn't seem like it's got a lot of trouble going for them. Someone might be willing to take us in for the night."

If anything at all, they could simply pose as wanders. People mostly came and went anymore if they weren't looking for the rebels. Delta had met a few in her travels. That would leave a little less suspicion on them.

Claire didn't know how long it took her to fall asleep, one minute she was trying to ignore that incessant throbbing in her head and the next there was only blackness. She doubted she had any dreams but if she did she couldn't remember them. Probably for the best anyways.

Sounds were the first thing she became more aware of, hearing doctors or nurses and pokémon rushing about out there. Claire didn't know what any of them were up to other than going about their jobs and she didn't quite care. Most likely they were patching up more of these Rocket goons, goons she was now part of. That thought soured her mood immediately.

The next thing she was aware of was that the lights in this room had dimmed and only because she'd shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. That attempt was put on hold the instant her wounds flared up, every part of her body feeling as if it ached in some way. She might have grunted but Claire wasn't sure. Maybe a doctor or nurse had stopped by to leave another dose of pain medication on the table nearby but she wasn't about to sit up and agitate her wounds again to find out. Claire wasn't even sure if she wanted to take them anyways...

Nearby a clock ticked sounding louder than everything else. For a long moment she listened to the seconds tick by before she realized who was still laying next to her. It had only been when he'd shifted, the mattress moving under him when he had, that Claire bothered to glance Lt. Surge's way. Sure enough he was still there, looking as if he was quite content with things as they were.

Claire cringed, biting back another groan though a scoff left her instead for her efforts. Just what she needed, for the babysitter to still be here. Really, that's all he was for the moment, a glorified babysitter to make sure she didn't go back on their deal or cause trouble. Really, how could see while she was still healing anyways.

----[x]----

Morty tried not to let the fact that they hadn't found anything bother him too much. Many days were like this anymore, especially so for him as he knew only the bare bones of how Kanto's rebels operated. He had hoped he'd run into them sooner rather than later though. Shaking the thoughts away he yet again tried not to let it get at him. Still, Delta didn't look very enthused either however and that wore on him.

When he asked about any friends she might have around here he found himself disappointed. Many rebels had learned to make friends with many in varying towns. The more he learned about Delta's habits, however, the more he learned just how out of touch she was with the rebels she was trying to locate. Morty wouldn't mention this though on the off chance that it might be seen as offending.

"That's a shame," he murmured, "looks like we don't have much choice, I'd rather not have to wander back out and find a good camping spot this late."

Already the sun was sinking low and there'd be only twenty or thirty more minutes of good light to see by. Morty didn't quite like the idea of fumbling around at night trying to find some place safe to sleep. Even if they had their pokémon to aid them too many things could go wrong out there. Morty still wasn't familiar with all the pokémon out in these neck of the woods anyways.

"Let's just hope someone here will be kind," Morty pointed out as they started down the streets. They needed to find someone though Morty would have preferred someone already out and about. It just seemed rude to go knocking on some stranger's door and asking for help. Besides, one could never guess who sympathized with Team Rocket that way either.

He found himself growing antsy as they started, however. Not many were out and about, already disappearing inside. This place didn't have many street lights, as small a town as it was. If they didn't hurry they might not find someone at all to ask.

» [PKMN Rp] Gone, Gone, Gone [Reserved]
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