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An agent though she was, Aila's body had suffered a great deal of stress after the encounter with the Ho-Oh, and the ensuing months of inactivity had left her much weaker than she found comfortable. She wasn't terribly strong to begin with, given her age and her size, but she prided herself on her nimble speed - a trait which had become quite tarnished. She was still a ways off from being fit enough to practice the intricate gymnastics with which she preferred to hone her abilities, but swimming had been on the doctor's list of activities she was cleared for and was an acceptable alternative. The swimsuit she wore out of the changing rooms revealed each of the four scars that marked her body as she proceeded towards the pool's edge, lowering herself into the unoccupied waters. It was a cool sensation, one that she had missed in the time following the mission at the volcano. The girl waded away from the pool wall and began laps at a leisurely pace, unaware of the small form lurking in the darkened corner of the ceiling.

Her pace allowed her to divert her attention from the task of swimming, and so her thoughts wandered aimlessly. The thought that she once more had a family was somehow comforting, though the girl detected an increasing feeling of family towards the organization as a whole. They were a team, after all. They worked together, shared meals and quarters, took trips with one another... It was a strange thought, but she was glad she had found Rocket, glad she had met Seth that summer's night.

A movement seen from the corner of her eye turned her attention away from her sentiments and towards the human form circling towards the diving board. That they were just standing there - look at her? - rather than swimming implied the possibility that they had business with her. She moved herself towards the wall, resting an arm against the cool tiles, and brushed dark hair away from her face.

"Yes?" It was an automatic response, but now that she had a better look at the man, she was beginning to recognize him. The man she recognized, however, was not one she knew to be a Rocket. This was highly confusing, though her expression only subtly betrayed it.

...Huh, no, that was definitely the same guy. Small world was right. "I could say the same of you," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. She folded her arms on the surrounding floor and kicked her legs casually in the water. She shook her head slightly, "No, I was on medical leave and took the time off as a chance to have a look around Kodo. I've been here for more than half a year, actually. Recently promoted, even." A bit of pride might have sneaked into her tone with the lattermost statement, becoming even more obvious with her proceeding words, "I'm actually a fairly talented thief, despite appearances."

"Hitting people is a good skill to have. I'm not terribly fond of it, myself, so it's good to have others around that are." Sleep Powder was her preferred means of incapacitation. Swift, effective, and with little traceability. "No stickers, I'm afraid. Trainees do enjoy a great deal more time off, though, so I'll envy you that." Not that it was a lot of time off; it was simply more than she had had as a grunt and more than she anticipated to have as an agent, once she was back on full duties.

"Hmm..." She continued to kick idly, resting her head against her folded arms. "Well, I might have lied about the Skarmory. I was trying to steal it, yes, but it was a Ho-Oh. We were trying to take its egg, actually, before it showed up itself. I wound up directly in the path of a Sky Attack." Her right hand moved subconsciously towards the scar on her left arm. "I was told I'm fortunate to still be symmetrical. I say I'd be more fortunate if we'd returned with that Ho-Oh." Her expression soured at the recollection of the news.

Aila responded with a smile of her own, though modest in comparison. She pushed away from the pool wall and performed a brief flutter kick so that she could float atop the water. "Oh yes, we got the egg," she said, "as well as just about every feather on the bird. You could have your own Ho-Oh cloned in the labs, if you fancy the thing." They'd certainly taken enough samples from it, that much was for sure.

The peal of laughter drew the attention of another pokemon in the room, large, round eyes turning on the human pair in curiosity. It was jealous, as well, of that Absol which was able to stand beside its trainer so nonchalantly. Not that the girl was the little shadow's trainer, but, well... Still it looked on in silent envy.

"Oh, right. Kyogre. We did catch that, didn't we?" She gave a thoughtful hum as she considered the news. "I wasn't on the base when they executed the mission, so I don't know much about it. ...Probably for the best. I'm not sure how I feel about matters regarding the Blue Orb." That had been her prize, and they had taken it from her. Granted, the encounter had ultimately led to her recruitment, but it seemed she still harbored bitter feelings over the loss. It was a matter of pride, after all, and thus a concern of the highest order. "Yes, legendaries are reserved for those of agent rank and higher. Experimental though they are, they're powerful and dangerous to leave in the hands of those who have yet to prove themselves. It seems silly to me, but I suppose that's because I dislike having my competence doubted..." She frowned slightly in thought. She understood not being trusted, but that didn't mean she liked it.

"Two months isn't too long, even if the work is tedious," she recalled. "I think you can solicit more interesting work if you seek it out, too. Much of my time was spent helping Seth with filing and updating the database. Menial, yes, but more meaningful than scrubbing floors, at least."

Rose eyes fluttered shut as she relaxed into the gentle lap of the water, thoughts dancing around the night of her visit to the Jinko Museum. "The Blue Orb used to summon Kyogre. Team Rocket led a mission to steal it from a museum in Jinko City. Incidentally, they set out to do so the same night I did, and we ran into each other there. The thing was practically in my hand when they showed up, and of course they outnumbered me, so..." Rambling. "Anyway, I was recruited shortly after. I like to think they were impressed with my display, but it probably has more to do with the fact that I began aggressively researching the syndicate and they felt I was a security hazard." The end result was the same either way.

"Becoming accustomed is difficult," she responded idly. "Once you get a handle on your schedule, though, it's not awful." With a kick, she righted herself, return to the poolside with her back against the wall and her elbows resting against the floor. "Well," she said with a thoughtful inclination of her head, "I can negotiate your assignments, if you like. Agents generally oversee trainee assignments, after all. I imagine it will be a simple matter of having a word with your group's supervisor.

"Seth is an elite, yes. He's not known to be the friendliest, but he's skilled, powerful, and respectable." Not that she admired him or anything. Not that one could even go as far as to call it idol worship or anything. "Anyway, what sorts or duties would interest you? I'll see what I can find."

Elsewhere in the room, a small form descended from the ceiling and stared from the corner between the wall and floor, curious.