It was a warm and breezy night. Two darkly clothed people walked with graceful silence through the trees of Route 36. Their destinations were different even though they were together. One headed towards the warm and cosy camp of Ash, Misty and Brock, the other towards the balloon where Jesse, James and Meowth were sleeping. Both walked trough the camps, looking at each sleeper. Finally they were satisfied with what they saw and headed back out of the clearing together.

The next morning, Ash woke with a large yawn. He blinked as he was blinded by the early morning sun. Pikachu stirred from his slumber beside him. He got out of his sleeping and put his trainers, jacket and hat on. Misty woke with a jump. She was breathing heavily.
"You ok Misty?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, I had a nightmare that's all" she said also getting up and putting her trainers on.
"Was it that you would never see me again?" Ash joked. She gave him a smug look.
"No that's one of my best dreams!"
"Hey!" Ash shouted. He ran at Misty and chased her around the clearing, dodging in and out of trees. They collapsed on the ground laughing and breathing heavily.
"Breakfast's up, you two" Brock called. Ash and Misty both scrambled up again and raced towards Brock. Ash was trying to cheat by going so close to Misty, she almost ran into a tree. But the tables turned on him. Misty took out her mallet and started chasing Ash with it.
"I give up! I give up!" he shouted as he dodged her mallet. They slowed down and went to Brock.
"It not healthy running around like that this early in the morning and especially before breakfast" he chidered them.
"Yeah but it mean that he might lose some of that fat" Misty smirked. Ash frowned at her.
"What fat? I'm not fat" he said indignantly.
"Well what do you call that then?" she said tickling his tummy. Ash giggled.
"Stop it, that tickles" he laughed trying to block her arms.
"That's the idea" she answered. Brock shook his head.
"That's the last time you have Fanta before bed" he said. Pikachu sighed.

"James will you hurry up!" Jesse shouted at her partner. They were following Ash and the others on foot instead of in their balloon. James muttered something under his breath as he walked faster to catch Jesse up. Meowth walked beside her, reading a letter he had received.
"Who's that from Meowth?" James asked when he finally caught them up. Meowth looked up at James.
"It's from Meowzie. She wants me to go and see her" Meowth explained.
"Isn't Meowzie that Meowth that you loved?" James asked.
"Yeah, she's havin problems with Persian" the cat sighed.
"So what're you gonna do bout it?" Jesse enquired as she listened in on their conversation.
"I'm gonna go and see her" Meowth said.
"But you can't go! You have a job to do, namely following the Twerps with us!" Jesse exclaimed.
"Sorry Jess but I'm goin as soon as we stop at da next Pokemon Centre and nothin you can say or do is gonna change my mind" Meowth explained. James felt proud of the small cat. His feelings for Meowzie hadn't changed. He was prepared to get in trouble with, Giovanni if he found out, and travel a long way to see her.
"Good for you Meowth" he encouraged. Jesse gave him an angry look.
"Don't encourage him James" she said. James shrugged.
"If he prepared to go all the way to Kanto to help a friend then leave him alone. If you cared about someone so much that it hurt and they needed you, wouldn't you go to see them, even if it meant risking a few things in the process?" he explained.
"Yeah I s'pose I would" she answered quietly. I would for you James...
"Right then so if he wants to go then don't complain" James finished the conversation abruptly.
"Thanks James" Meowth whispered in his ear as they carried on after Ash. James winked at him.
"No problem" he smiled.

"Hey look guys, a Pokemon Centre" Misty said pointing down the hill they were on, to a small building which had a large Poke ball on the front.
"Great! I'm coming food!!!!!" Ash yelled as he ran down the hill. He tripped on a root and went rolling down the steep hill, unable to strop himself. Misty, Brock and Pikachu ran down after him. He landed at the bottom, giggling.
"Ash are you ok?" Misty asked as she looked down on him. He looked at her and giggled.
"Can I do that again?" he asked.
"Really Ash you're a loony" Misty said as she helped him up. When he was standing, he almost fell over again.
"Oops, bit dizzy" he said as he had Brock hold onto him to make sure he didn't fall again. When Ash could see properly, Brock let go of him and ran to the Centre.
"Brock wait for us" Misty shouted, but he was already inside. "C'mon Ash we'd better go and save Nurse Joy from Brock." Ash nodded and they walked off, with Pikachu chasing Togepi, who kept wandering off in the wrong direction.

James sat down next to a tree just behind the Centre. Night had come in quickly, due to the dark clouds that massed in the sky, blocking the sun's gentle rays. Meowth felt a large drop of rain hit his head.
"I'd better be goin" he said quietly.
"Ok. Say hi to Meowzie for us, and we'll be on this Route somewhere or at Ecruteak City when you come back" Jesse said staring at the ground. Meowth nodded, and turned to run towards Ecruteak himself. He looked back. James smiled.
"Go on, she be waiting for you" he said smiling widely. Meowth turned and ran.
"Bye!!!! I'll see you in a couple of weeks!" he shouted as he ran.
"Bye Meowth! Have fun!" James and Jesse chorused. When he was out of sight, they moved under the tree. They rain poured down in sheets. Luckily the tree they were under was thick and protected them from most of the rain. They sat down next to each other huddled close seeking warmth from the other's body.

"Excuse me, Brock isn't it?" Nurse Joy asked after Ash, Misty and Brock had eaten dinner.
"Yes it is, did you want to know when I was free to have a date with you?" he replied. She sweatdroppped.
"Umm...no. You have a call at the pay phones" she answered. Brock looked at Ash, who in return raised an eyebrow. They went to the phone. Brock picked up the receiver.
"Hello?" he said.
"Brock, it's me your father" a familiar voice said. The screen turned on and Brock saw his Dad: Flint.
"Hey Dad. What's up?" Brock greeted. Flint looked pale and concerned.
"It's Granite, Brock, he's really ill. I really need your help here at home for a few weeks" Flint explained. Brock nodded, the colour drained from his face, at the mention of his favourite sibling.
"Ok Dad, I'll be there as soon as I can" Brock replied.
"Thank-you Brock. I'll see you in a few days" with that the screen went blank. Brock stood and shoulder his bag.
"Brock you'd better go" Misty said. Ash nodded in agreement.
"Are you two gonna be ok without me?" Brock asked staring at them, worry planted on his face.
"We'll be fine Brock," Misty said, "you just go back to Pewter and see your brother, we'll stay here at this Pokemon Centre until you get back." Brock nodded. Nurse Joy walked up to them.
"I've phoned for a Taxi and it's on it's way here. I also phoned Officer Jenny and if you tell her who you are, then she'll get you a free trip on the first flight back to Pewter" she explained. Brock smiled faintly at her.
"Thank-you Nurse Joy" he said. They heard the taxi pull up outside. They went with Brock, standing in the doorway out of the pouring rain. Brock got into the front passenger seat and closed the door. They waved at him and shouted farewells. He opened the window and waved to them. Soon the car was completely out of sight.

Later that night, Ash was woken by the sound of thumping and banging. He sat up, and slid down from the bunk bed. The room was pitch black and he couldn't see a thing. He opened the curtains, which though it was still raining, it provided a small amount of light. In the centre of the room he saw Misty and someone else. Misty wasn't moving. Ash ran forward. The person with Misty hit him across the face, knocking him to the floor. Ash lay there momentarily stunned, but he quickly rose and ran after the intruder, who had had a head start. Ash sprinted through the corridors, reception area and outside into the blackness of the night. When he reached outside, his wide eyes searched frantically for any sign of Misty and the intruder. Pikachu skidded behind him. Ash heard a whoosh of air, as something flew towards him. He didn't see it until it was too late. He felt a massive surge of pain go through him as a arrow embedded itself into his shoulder. He cried out in severe pain. Clutching the arrow, he felt blood flow down his chest.
"Missttyy!!!!!!!!!!!" he shouted long and hard. The forest stayed silent and nothing was heard. Tears and rain fell down his face. He failed to notice the white piece of paper wrapped around the arrow. Finally he couldn't take the pain anymore. The world went black.

James heard someone shouting. He looked towards Jesse and yelled in surprise. She was gone. In her place was a single arrow stuck in the tree, with a note tied around it. He took the note and read it. It said:

We have your girlfriend and if you ever want to see her again then steal Ash Ketchum's Pokemon and bring them to Blackhill forest in 3 days. If you do not comply then you will never see her again.

Gyarados Guild

James crumpled the letter in his hands and closed his eyes, blocking the tears that threatened to flow. He felt something erupt from inside him. He let out an agonising cry, that was made from anger, pain and sorrow.
"JESSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"