CREAM & SUGAR [C]

With Team Rocket keeping hush ever since their initial appearance in this very city, it came to no surprise when the young rocket enforcer found herself struck with a case of boredom in her veins. The region news had been relatively quiet as of late as a result of this silence as they wanted however Elizabeth couldn't help but feel distressed. She scrolled through several news articles on her phone as she sat in one of the several high end cafes that lined the shopping district of Jubilife, hoping for some information about Galactic or some upstart ranger she could manipulate. Unfortunately her searches were coming up with nothing.

However the sound of the male voice would be enough to pique the interest of the golden haired woman, her aqua eyes gazing away from the screen of her phone and up towards the scarlet haired man that appeared in front of her. The question posed to her and a swift glance was enough to recognize what he came here for. That knowledge would amuse her as a smile played on her lips. "Why yes," she replied as she sat up in her seat. Casting an elusive smile, the woman would take her foot and push the chair that the man had motioned to out from under the table. "By you. If you'd be so kind as to join me of course."

As the redhead accepted her invitation and claimed the seat, the blonde would daintily prop her arm on the table to support her head leaning on the back of her hand. Her gaze would be indication enough that she was scrutinizing his figure and his form. He was confident, she'd give him that as a jaunty laugh surfaced. "Aren't you charming," she'd reply in a kittenish manner. Based on his facial expression he wasn't lying, not that she believed he was considering how forward he was being.

Speaking of which, he was doing a good job so far. Without even asking he had presented his name ever so willingly that it made her wonder how easy this was going to be. "Elizabeth. But you can call me whatever you'd like." Another coy smile would flash across her features as she would shift to put away her phone into her pocket. "So what brings you around here? Aside from flirting with me of course."

Liz. How quaint. It did not inspire much imagination however the woman chuckled lightly all the same at the nickname given to her. The two had locked gazes by the time that Elizabeth would come to ask her seemingly lighthearted question and it would appear that the man before her was all too eager to answer. His answer would noticeably stir her interest as she perked up slightly. "Oh?" A questioning tone. Confidence exuded from his statement as the woman was now left to ponder the words left for her, gauging how much of the information was of value. Externally she'd giggle in amusement, removing her head from her raised arm in favor of shifting her hand to timidly hide her lips behind it. Internally however her thoughts ran through the possibilities. It was a bold statement to be sure and likely one made to impress her. Elizabeth knew that. Yet he might have also been exaggerating some truth based on his playful attitude. A ranger perhaps?

His mention of Team Galactic and more importantly Team Rocket would somewhat give his claim some recognition as the woman lowered her hand. Her giggles had since faded and took to listening to his boastful explanation of his duties in the city. Which was amusing to some extent. The entire time that Team Rocket had situated themselves in Sinnoh, Jubilife became their main city of operations yet the woman had no knowledge of anyone named Johnny interfering with anything they have done. Her free hand moved towards the handle of her teacup as she mused to herself. The glance over from the redhead wouldn't be missed and the blonde winked at him in response, suppressing the urge to act impulsively at the motion. "I'm glad that someone so important is taking time out for little old me," she'd say whimsically as she watched him drink his coffee. Going along with it as playful banter held no harm and as he finished his drink, he'd admit to his jest before offering more... insightful information.

The blonde would tilt her head curiously to indicate her ongoing interest in the subject at hand. What she expected was a serious business card for a ranger in the area. What was slide across the table to her was not that whatsoever. Removing her hand from her light grip of the porcelain teacup, her fingers would deftly land onto the edge of the card. The aqua colored eyes gazed over the words and settled not on the name but the job title appended below it. "Hero for hire? How admirable." It was all so funny if not cute. There was no way this was legit. A trainer with a big head and a high horse no doubt.

But those could always prove useful.

"Have any stories then Mr Hero? I'm curious and I don't want to risk running into any bad guys while I'm in town."

At the motion towards the headband, Elizabeth's eyes would flit upwards as if she would somehow see the scar he was alluding to. Of course all that was visible was the cloth itself and the woman would raise a brow of curiosity. It lowered as soon as it came as her eyes fell back to reestablish eye contact, "That sounds terrible. I'm glad you're alright." Her whimsical smile had lowered to a bit of a frown as she gazed upon the man with mild worry on her features. Yet behind those actions lied completed and total apathy. False concern disgusted behind honeyed words.

Being a Rocket member, Elizabeth had seen more than her fair share of wounds and scars. Hell, she had seen her parents die in front of her when she was a child. However in the end, this was the path she had chosen and the mask she had worn. Thus when the truth came out from Johnny himself, the admission of his faults and all, she once again feign sympathy. "It's good to aim high. Everyone has to start from somewhere," her delicate tone would be brought forward to comfort the man in a manner as if she herself was pondering her own words. Closing her eyes momentarily she'd bring her hand back towards the teacup to bring it up to her lips for a sip of its contents. The reflection of her own question was heard and the fact that her own was in turn evaded was not lost upon her.

Placing the teacup back onto the plate it originally sat upon, a soft smile that differed from her previous flirtatious ones would appear. "What makes you say that?" she'd ask with a tilt of her head to emphasis her confusion to that idea. No part of her looked like she would have participated in anything dangerous to her knowledge. Based on how he spoke and acted, there was no way he had known anything about her affiliation either. It was not as if she had no stories she could have shared in both the fictional and nonfictional sense, but not if she could help it for now.

More questions. That was common enough however the tone he took had shifted. Less friendly, less flirty, more thought, more accusatory. No longer would a smile dance across her face, not because she could not will it so, but because she adapted. It almost sounded like he had known more than he was letting on and the blonde narrowed her eyes slightly at the thought. This was just some dumb trainer, there was no way. Elizabeth was good at what she does and the threat did not sit well. Thus she'd part her lips to speak, to answer and defend, however she was cut off before her voice could emerge.

”I hate team rocket.”

The woman placed her lips back together, the comment seemingly very specific. Why did he choose to single out team rocket? Many people hated them and for good reason, yet it was not as if they had terrorized the streets of Sinnoh for longer than a month. There were a few scouts before that time of course but where had this come from? However her expression had yet to betray her, balancing between neutral and concerned. Her aqua eyes were being directed once again towards the man's forehead as he removed the cloth that hid it and from there the minuscule scar that laid there was noticeable. The first thought that had come to mind?

It was not as serious as he was making it out to be.

"Oh," she'd feign being stunned at the sight. Nevertheless being placed in a position to listen, the woman would do so trepidly. If necessary the rocket woman was ready to eliminate the threat that was posed to her, however little it was. The story had gone into detail. A life story of sorts about himself and another child. The longer she listened the more she deduced details, honing in on any discrepancies that may of surfaced based on the actions of the rockets within the story. The abduction of children was common, the news unsurprising despite the sigh of disgust disguising otherwise. Interfering with that always spelled disaster.

"There was nothing you could have done," she would voice somberly. Of course there was nothing he could have done, she knew this. The boy held no power, not now and thus certainly not then. The memory of her own trauma surfaced to the front of her mind detailing the result of attempting to cross team rocket. The blood that stained the floor... the blood that had stained her own hands. Knowing this she couldn't help but think that he had gotten out lucky. Otherwise, he would have just been dead.

And apparently this wasn't the first time either.

But it told her something, and that something was that her identity remained as is. As it was supposed to be. Elizabeth placed her hands together in front of her on top of the table, silent as if unsure of what else to say. That was the classic thing to do when there was nothing to be said anyway. Eventually he would get the message - but the message lines appeared to have been mixed up somewhere.

Was he really asking her out?

An awkward laugh would emerge from the blonde, a somewhat genuine one at that. Even for the woman that was so well versed in manipulation, it was so transitionally off to go from such a somber setting to requesting such a thing. What to say here... "I think I have work this weekend but I might be able to get out of it. If not you can have my number instead?"