Title: Lightning
Author: Eveam
Rating: PG
Category: Romance
Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me. Okay? Get it? Comprendez-vous? Understand?
Archive: If you want this story posted on your site write a review and include your site's address.
Notes: This is the first Team Rocket fanfiction I ever wrote! It's not a dark scary story!! Wow!
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"Ugh." Jessie was looking out into the almost black sky. She was glad that she and the other members of Team Rocket, James and Meowth, had found this cave before the storm broke. Rain pelted down and lightning darted across the sky. It reminded Jessie of the Thundershocks she had received from a Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum's Pikachu. Boy did she hate that Pikachu. Thundershocks were not good for a girl's complexion. Jessie ran a hand down her long red hair then turned away from the mouth of the cave and walked over to James who was in the corner of the cave cooking over a small fire he had built. He stood up and turned around when she approached him, a lock of his purple hair falling in front of his eyes. "Dinner's almost done" he told her. "What is it?" she asked. "Soup. Again." They both sighed at the same time. A small pile of sticks landed at their feet. "Meowth! They're wet but that's all I could find". The three nefarious Pokemon thieves sat down around the fire and ate their small can of soup. Meowth was a white cat Pokemon who could walk and talk and he always accompanied Jessie and James who were to bring back rare and valuable Pokemon back to the Boss who was the head of Team Rocket. The soup was gone in a matter of seconds but they were still hungry. Meowth looked out into the dark night sky. "When I was collecting wood I saw that there's a few berry bushes by the stream." Jessie and James glared at him. "Why didn't you bring berries back?" James whined. "You sent me out for wood. We could go there now cause the rain's easing off-" Meowth continued. Before he could finish his sentence he was being dragged out of the cave into the cold rain. "Hey!!!!! Stop!!! Leave me here!!!! Put me down!!!!" Meowth wriggled out of their grip. "I'll stay and watch our stuff. Bring me back some food!". He ran back into the nice dry cave to dry his fur off by the fire. James raced off after Jessie who had gone in search of the berries. The rain is worse now. Meowth was wrong. Again. He thought. Lightning flashed illuminating he forest trial in front of James for a moment. Almost immediately thunder rolled. That meant the storm was above him. He smiled proud that he knew that one fact. But his thought came back to searching for Jessie. He couldn't see her anywhere through the downpour. The lighting overhead suddenly struck the earth not far in front of him. He heard a scream over the crackle of the lightning. Another bolt lit the sky and he could see that Jessie's smouldering body lay motionless in the clearing a few meters in front of him. He dashed to her side and fell on his knees next to her. "Jessie? Wake up oh please wake up!" he said while he gently shook her. She didn't move she didn't move and her lips were beginning to take on a blue colour. He tried to stay calm. If he lost her he would be losing the only person who had accepted him as he was. Well most of the time. They had so much history together. Pokemon Tech, the Bike Gang and then they met the Boss and became a team which led them on a glamorous life of Pokemon poaching. He had concocted so many evil schemes with her. Blasted off so many times. He wouldn't let her down this time. He couldn't. Holding Jessie's nose he breathed into her mouth. The first thing he noticed was how soft her lips were. Then that her skin was so smooth… No. He pushed those thoughts into the back of his mind, he had more important things to do. He left her lungs deflate then breathed again. This time her lungs responded. Jessie gasped in the night air. Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at him. James helped her into a sitting position. She wanted stood up suddenly and felt very dizzy. She wobbled and clutched James' shoulder. He wrapped a protective arm around her and Jessie leaned against him unsteady. "Thanks" she said weakly. James offered a small smile. "You're in no shape to go collecting berries. Let's go." Her grip on him slipped. He put his arm around her waist and half-helped half-carried her back to the cave. Meowth lazily opened one eye then scrambled up when he saw what a state Jessie was in. Between him and James they managed to wrap Jessie up in some blankets next to the fire. She immediately fell asleep. Meowth went to collect the berries leaving James to watch over her. He sat next to her watching her slow rhythmic breathing with a love for her he had only ever glimpsed on occasions but now took him over. He crawled into his sleeping bag next to her and gazed at her until he fell asleep.
"Dum di dum dum dum…" Meowth hummed tunelessly while he made berry pancakes for them all. Jessie opened her eyes slowly. What had happened last night? She remembered going out in the storm for the berries. How did I get back here? She turned her head, saw James was still asleep then looked over at Meowth. He noticed she was awake. "Mornin' sleeping beauty, pancakes are almost ready" he told her. Jessie struggled to get out of her sleeping bag. But it she wasn't in her sleeping bag. She was wrapped in a pile of blankets. Jessie was by now confused. What happened? Jessie thought again. She heard a yawn beside her. James was awake. "Feeling better?" he asked her. "No" she replied slowly, "I feel slightly dizzy. What happened last night". James looked curiously at her "You were hit by lightning remember?" "I don't…" "Don't what?" "Don't remember. How long was I knocked out for?" "Only about a minute but you had stopped breathing.' 'Then what?" "I gave you CPR and carried you back here'. She put her hand on his "Thanks. If I didn't have you I'd be dead now. Of course if I wasn't here with you guys I wouldn't have been out in the storm…" as she talked James stared at her hand which was still atop of his thinking of her last night. Her lips had been so soft he just wanted to reach out and kiss her now. He looked up. Jessie had stopped talking and was looking at him with a quizzical expression. "Hello? James! Anyone in there?" He snapped out of his thoughts. "What? Oh I'm here. I was just thinking…" Meowth snickered and muttered under his breath "That'd be a first". James and Jessie turned and stared at him angrily. Meowth swallowed "Wh- what about? A new plan to steal Pikachu?" James looked startled then recovered. "Uh no. But I do have a plan to capture him. Here it is…"
Jessie peered through her binoculars. "Ah ha! Here comes the twerps" James and Meowth leaned over the cliff edge and saw that Ash and his friends Misty and Brock were walking along the empty forest trail with Pikachu in tow. "Are you sure you should be up in your condition?' James asked Jessie. Jessie gave him a look. "I got hit by lightning not struck down with malaria. Anyway I've built up a resistance to electricity since I get hit by that twerp's Pikachu's Thundershocks almost every week." She turned to Meowth "We'd better start Plan A". Meowth pushed a button on the control he was holding with his paw. "Plan A startin' now…" Down below Team Rocket had earlier planted nets which they hoped would catch Pikachu. The net shot out. Misty, Brock and Ash were caught up in one net and Pikachu in another. That was Team Rocket's cue. Jessie leapt out from behind a tree. She smiled. "Prepare for trouble!" she announced. Misty sighed. "Not again". James stepped out from another tree. "Make it double!" "To protect the world from devastation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend our reach to the stars above!" "Jessie…" "James!". There was a pause. Jessie's line "Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light" was next but it never came. James turned to see Jessie slumped on the ground. Pikachu had shocked her. Pikachu turned towards James and tried to shock him but before the shock could reach him he fell and rolled. James stood up and turned towards Ash with his hands on his hips. "Why did you shock her!!! She's weak!!!!!" he yelled at him. Ash was taken back. "I didn't know she was hurt. Leave us down and we'll help her." "No. I'll look after her. Leave her alone." James shot back. Brock and Misty exchanged a look. "What's his problem?" Ash whispered to Misty. Brock turned to him. "He cares for her. I never noticed it before but he really loves her." Ash looked curiously at him. "How do you know that?" Brock frowned. "Ash, I've spent most of my life in love. I know these things okay?" Ash nodded. James was kneeling next to Jessie. She was sitting up now but looked very dizzy. "Maybe I should go back to the cave and lie down." James got up and Jessie slowly rose to her feet. "Get Pikachu and I'll go back on my own." "No don't! I'll bring you back now." James turned to go. Jessie laid a hand on his shoulder. "You have to get Pikachu. Go, it's your great plan. Don't leave it fail just because of me." With that she slowly and unsteadily walked away. James watched her go. "Hey! James! Over here!" Ash was waving at him. "Forget us? Leave us down!" James bit his lip. If he let them go free he could follow Jessie and make s sure she didn't get hurt on the way back to the cave. She could barely stand not to mind take a walk up a steep and rocky hill. "Okay…" he replied slowly as he reached up and unhooked the nets. Misty, Brock, Ash and Pikachu fell out. "Go." James told them. They stood up. "You love her don't you." Brock asked him. James looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Me? Uh no… I don't. Ha ha that's a great joke…" he said uncertainly. "You don't have to pretend. We know. It's kinda obvious." Misty told him gently. "Really?" James asked. Misty and Brock nodded. "Well I didn't notice anything!" Ash put in. Misty sighed. "Ash…" "I-I'd better be going now. Goodbye. Try and catch you again some day Pikachu!" James ran off in the direction Jessie took. Ash, Misty and Brock walked off with Pikachu balancing on Ash's left shoulder heading towards the next Pokemon Gym. After they had left Meowth popped out from behind a branch at the top of one of the trees with the nets attached. "James loves her?" he whispered.
James spotted Jessie sitting on a rock by the side of the road looking the worst for wear. He sat down beside her. She put her head on his shoulder and leaned against him. "I'm so tired…" she told him. "Did you get Pikachu?" James froze for a moment. "No. I had him but then he used Thunderbolt and he ran off." Jessie nodded in understanding. "Help me back to the cave?" James stood up and picked Jessie up in his arms. He felt so protective of her it scared him. Slowly he walked back with her. Five minutes later Meowth entered the cave. "We didn't get Pikachu" Meowth told Jessie. "I know. James was lucky he didn't get hurt too badly". "Yeah Vine Whip isn't that effective." Meowth replied. Jessie stared at him. "James got shocked with Thunderbolt..." "That's right isn't it?" James asked Meowth. "Uh yeah. Sorry the twerps have beaten us so many times I got mixed up." "It's sad but true" Jessie sighed. James exhaled with relief. She didn't know the real story. After she had had some water she fell asleep. Meowth crept up to James. "What's all this about you bein' in love with Jessie? You and the twerps were talkin' about it." he whispered. "How do you know about that?" James hissed. "I was up the tree. I heard everything. You care for her." James nodded. "Yeah. I mean the other day if you had asked me did I love Jessie I would have said sure but in a friendly way but now it's like I can't think of anything but her." He stopped and sighed. Meowth wrapped a paw around James. "Ahh. She'll fall in love with ya too." James smiled slightly. "Thanks Meowth."
Her sleep was troubled with feverish dreams. Twice she thought she was going to get sick. James and Meowth were at her side. She groaned. "Ughhhh, I don't feel too good..." "She's got a fever!" Meowth hissed at James. He looked shocked. "What? How?" "It must have been from the rain" "Will she be okay?" "What are you talking about guys?" Jessie asked them. "Uh Jessie you have pneumonia." Meowth explained. She groaned. "Way to go tact guy…" "Don't worry Jess we'll get you through this." Jessie didn't hear him though. She had fallen unconscious. "Jessie?" Meowth pushed her. She didn't move. "Oh god Meowth help her!" James exclaimed. Meowth shot him a look. "I can't help her now. I'm no doctor." Meowth then pulled out a map and pointed to a small building on it. "But there's a doctor here." James picked up their small bundle of possessions and handed it to Meowth. He then picked up her limp body in his arms and carried her down the winding forest trail with Meowth scampering along beside them. When they reached the city he was exhausted. James placed her carefully on a stretcher in a room in the hospital. A middle aged doctor with greying hair was talking to Meowth in another room. James looked out the door and noticed a nurse point out the room they were in to an Officer Jenny. "Uh oh…" James gulped. Three Pokemon thieves who were wanted for almost every possible Pokemon crime were right under the nose of the Police. So not good. Rummaging in the bag he found Jessie's make up compact. He set to work on his face and soon he looked like a woman. A strange one but he looked female. He pulled out a dress and quickly changed. "Damn" he swore. The dress was Jessie's and was too tight on the hips for him. Oh well he couldn't be choosy now. He pushed his hair back and pulled an old shawl over his head. Officer Jenny walked into the room. "Excuse me" she asked James. She pointed to Jessie. "She's a known Pokemon thief, a member of Team Rocket. Have you seen a talking Meowth or a man with purple hair in a Team Rocket costume?" James nodded and replied in a high voice which he prayed sounded girlie. "Uh yes. They went that way." He pointed at the exit to the hospital. Officer Jenny gave him a quick salute then ran off with a police Growlith following her. James sighed. Meowth popped his head out of the door of the closet where he was hiding. "Are the police gone?" he asked. He looked closely at James. "James?!?" James blushed "Uh yeah it's me." He removed his disguise and continued "What did the doctor say to you?" "He said that it was very strange since she was only in the rain for about ten minutes and she dried off thoroughly. Unless she was very weak before this she should be fine now. But she isn't." James frowned. "She was fine before this. Very strong." He grimaced remembering when she whacked him last week for making some really bad puns. He probably still had the bruise. Meowth shrugged. "Then the only thing that I could think of that would have a weakening effect is if a Pokemon used Leech Seed on her." "You think?" he sighed "But I didn't see any Pokemon in the wood besides a few Pideys which can't use Leech Seed. Even then it wouldn't be that effective against a person as it-" He stopped short. A whip had snapped in front of his face. He looked up startled. A tall woman with long curly pink hair stood above him in a ringmaster's outfit wielding a whip. "Hello James" she said with a secretive smile…
James took a step back 'Oh no. This is not happening'. Jezebel smiled. 'Didn't I tell you I'd follow you to the ends of the earth James dearest?' Meowth tried to leap on her and use Fury Swipes but she snapped the whip in his direction knocking him out cold. She threw a Pokeball and out popped a Drowsee, a strong hypnotic Pokemon. 'James, dear, look into Drowsee's eyes.' James turned away but Jezebel held his head and commanded Drowsee to hypnotise James. As James drifted off Jezebel told Drowsee to control his mind. James struggled but Jezebel's hold on him was too strong.
When Jessie woke Meowth was pacing up and down the floor of her room. 'Where's James?' she croaked. '1 word. Jezebel.' Jessie closed her eyes and groaned. 'She got him didn't she.' Meowth nodded. 'Yeah. How I don't know but she's got him.' Jessie tried to get up. She found that she wasn't weak anymore. 'Meowth? I'm healed…' Meowth climbed up onto her bed. 'Yeah you sure look better.' Jessie swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped on her boots. 'James helped me when I was in trouble and it's my turn to help him now.' Meowth sighed. 'I don't know where they've gone.' 'Neither do I but I know why they're gone.' Meowth looked up at her. 'You do?' She nodded. 'She wants to marry him without us getting in the way. I'd guess that my 'sickness' was given to me by her. I don't know how but we have to find James.' Picking up their stuff Jessie and Meowth sneaked out the back door of the hospital.
'Mornin' my dear' Jezebel said. James opened his eyes. Jezebel. He had a feeling about something to do with her but it was fuzzy. All he knew was that he loved her. He sat up and knelt down in front of her. 'Jezebel, will you marry me?' Jezebel grinned. 'Oh yes James!' Their lips met and James had that feeling again. What was it he knew about her? Jezebel pulled out of the embrace and flipped open her mobile phone and spoke into it. 'Uh huh. Three today. Told you it'd work.' She put the phone away and turned to James. 'We're going to be married in a few short hours then spend the rest of our lives together as husband and wife.' James felt panic but didn't know why. He loved Jezebel. Didn't he?
Jessie grinned at the file keeper. 'So any weddings on today?' The man shook his head and grinned back at her. 'No but if you play your cards right there could be one today eh?' He leered at her. She lost her smile. 'Uh no.' She and Meowth strode out of the church. 'Okay there's only ten more churches to look in.' she told Meowth. 'We could spilt up. I'll go left you go right? We'll meet up here at half three okay?' Meowth nodded and walked off to the right. There was only two churches in this part of town. After he asked at them he noticed a tiny little church next to a hair salon. Boy was that a tacky place. He walked up to the receptionist. 'Meowth!' The receptionist peered over her glasses. 'Ahh a Meowth. Cute!' She reached down and picked him up. Meowth looked over her shoulder and saw that the date book for weddings was open. He scanned the names and noticed that there was a wedding at three here booked by Jezebel. It had to be the Jezebel he knew and hated. Leaping out of the receptionist's arms he dashed down the street back to the meeting spot. It was half two. Jessie wouldn't be back for another hour but by then it would be too late. Meowth dashed down the road frantically searching for Jessie. He noticed some long red hair in a bridal boutique. Jessie? Jessie was trying on a long white wedding dress. On her head was a diamond tiara with a lace veil covering her face. Meowth ran into the shop. It was Jessie. 'Jessie what are ya doing in those clothes?' he yelled at her. 'James' wedding is on in ten minutes!' Jessie brushed the veil off her face. 'I went through all the churches and…. What?!? It's on at three?!?' Turning to the shop assistant who was staring at them in fear Jessie grinned evilly and announced 'Prepare for trouble!' Meowth replied 'Yeah yeah and make it double. C'mon!' He ran out of the shop with Jessie in tow. 'Wait for me Meowth!' Jessie called after him.
The wedding march played. James stood at the alter twitching nervously. Jezebel walked up the aisle with a bunch of flowers in her hands. James's father who was also his best man patted him on the shoulder. 'She's so beautiful. I'm delighted you finally came around to our way of thinking.' James was confused. 'Finally? I loved her ever since she stole my heart.' Huh? That didn't sound like him. More like he was told to say that. He was having doubts about this. There was something strange going on. Jezebel had reached him. She frowned. 'James dearest that's not how you stand at the alter. Look like this.' He straighten up automatically.
'Why did you try that on?' Meowth asked Jessie. Jessie blushed. 'It was…a disguise!' Meowth looked curiously at her. 'We already tried a wedding disguise remember? James had that white beaded number on?' 'Oh that. Well…I was trying out another one.' Meowth stopped walking. 'You too?' Jessie looked confused. 'Me to what?' 'You like James!' he accused her. She blushed again 'Uh no what gave you that idea?' Meowth smiled. 'I know these things' 'Okay I love him' she admitted 'The past few days he's cared for me and helped me. I never really thought about it before but the one guy I love has been right next to me the whole time.' Meowth smiled. 'He feels the same way.' Jessie's eyes lit up. 'Really?' Meowth nodded. 'Yeah but unless we stop this wedding you're never gonna get a chance to tell him how you feel. Hurry!!!'
'Do you Jezebel take James to be your lawfully wedded husband?' Jezebel nodded 'I do!' She said in her cheesy Southern accent then slipped a wedding ring onto James' finger. 'Do you James take Jezebel to be your lawfully wedded wife?' James stuttered 'I-I…' Jezebel looked with fear at him 'You do James don't you? You love me ever since I stole your heart' He nodded. Wait that wasn't right. No Jezebel must be right. He turned to the priest. 'I-' The doors to the church were lung open. 'STOP THE WEDDING!!!!' Jessie screamed. Meowth Fury Swiped Jezebel. Jezebel whirled around to face Jessie. 'Fine! Play hardball then. Pokeball go!' She threw a Pokeball down to reveal Drowsee. Jessie's mouth fell open. That's how you did it you-you witch! You hypnotised James and used a psychic attack against me!' She threw a Pokeball to reveal Lickitung. James looked up at Jessie and Lickitung. He recognised her but couldn't say who she was. 'Jessie! Knock some sense into James first!' Meowth yelled at her. 'Go Licky!' Jessie commanded Lickitung. He hit James in the face and licked him. Jessie. Meowth. Team Rocket. He remembered everything that had happened. Jezebel's Drowsee had hypnotised him into liking Jezebel. Ugh. That name sent shivers down his back. He kissed her. Gross! He wanted to be sick. Afterwards he told himself as he watched Jessie and Jezebel's fierce Pokemon battle. Lickitung was already knocked out as was Jessie's Arbock. Drowsee seemed unstoppable. Almost. James threw a Wheezin's Pokeball and it sludge attacked Drowsee then hit it. Drowsee fell unconscious landing atop of Jezebel. James's mother turned towards him 'James after what you have done to poor Jezebel you are in serious trouble-' Jessie laughed softly and turned to James. 'Prepared for trouble?' He smiled and replied 'I guess I'll make it double!' 'To protect the world from devastation!' 'To untie all peoples within our nation!' 'To denounce the evils of truth and love!' 'To extend our reach to the stars above!' They turned towards each other and held hands 'Jessie…' 'James…' 'Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare to fight!' they said in unison. Meowth grinned 'Meowth! That's right!' All. the guests in the church started clapping. Meowth took a bow. But Jessie and James were too busy staring into each others eyes to notice. 'Jessie?' 'James?' they said at the same time. 'I love you.' They looked in surprise at each other then said together 'You do?' James gulped. He swept Jessie into his arms and kissed her on the lips. It was the sweetest kiss Jessie had ever felt. She wanted it to last forever. But they had more important things to do right now. James pulled back and gazed at her. 'Will you-' She nodded 'I will'. They turned towards the bewildered priest.
Ash, Misty and Brock were sitting outside a small café across from the church when the church doors opened and out walked James holding Jessie's hand. Meowth walked in front of them throwing confetti in the air. Ash looked closely at the bride and groom who had stopped and were kissing on the church steps. 'Is that…?' Ash asked Brock. He nodded. 'Uh huh.' Team Rocket noticed them and walked over. James grinned at them. 'We got married!' Jessie hugged him. 'James showed me how much he loved me so we decided to get married.' Misty wiped a tear from her eye. 'That's so sweet'! Ash grinned. 'I guess you're not going after Pikachu any more then?' Jessie grinned evilly at them 'We never said that…' Meowth jumped on the table. 'We're Team Rocket remember? We fight for what's wrong…' Jessie and James chimed in 'For mayhem and madness and rare Pokemon!' James grinned 'Here Pikachu. Nice Pikachu…' Pikachu Thundershocked them so hard they were blasted up into the air. 'Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!' they yelled as they flew off.