Camping
It was a warm night. The Team Rocket Trio had set up camp in a forest clearing, right next to a lake. They knew that the twerps had sep up their camp just beyond a small lot of trees; they could spy on them perfectly.
James lowered his binoculars and turned to Jessie, who was stoking their fire.
"Jessie? If we're gonna catch Pikachu in the morning, why do I have to spy on them now?"
Jessie looked up at him. Her eyes reflected the fiery glow.
"Because, James." She stood up and walked over to him. Kneeling down next to him she snatched the binoculars from his hands. "We have to know what their doing. They might leave and we'd never know it!" Jessie peered through the binoculars herself and sighed. "But… by the looks of it. I think it's safe. Ash is getting into his sleeping bag."
James sighed in relief.
"Hmm… but just to be sure… MEOWTH!"
Meowth's head popped around the opening of the tent.
"What? What is it?"
"You're on guard duty."
"What! Aww, no Jessie! I don't wanna! I thought James was doin' dat?"
"Well, I'm giving the duty on to you furball. NOW!"
Meowth plodded over to her and grabbed the binoculars.
"Fine! But youse two stay outta da way! I don't want youse crampin' my style."
Jessie stood up and smiled. "Fine by me. Just don't stop until everyone's gone to bed. And I mean everyone Meowth!"
"Yeah, yeah…"
"Hmm. Good."
Leaving him with it, both Jessie and James walked to the fire. Jessie hadn't done a very good job stoking it, and it had gone out leaving just the smouldering logs.
Jessie put a hand behind her head and scratched it cartoonishly.
"Uh… sorry."
James simply smiled and sat down on the grass.
"It's okay. At least it happened after dinner."
Jessie smiled. Always about the food isn't it James, she thought. She sat down next to him and looked up into the sky. She watched a cloud move over the moon.
"The sky is so big…"
James looked at her and blinked.
"I mean, it really shows how small and insignificant we are."
He pulled a face. "Don't think like that Jess. We may be small, but I don't think we're insignificant. I believe we all have a purpose in life. A reason why we're here."
Jessie looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what's your purpose?"
"We don't know our purposes Jessie. We find them out..."
Jessie looked back at the sky. She was surprised and how smart James was sounding.
"…it could be your job, your past-time, or… the person that you love."
She quickly looked back at him. She smiled when she saw the light blush on his face.
"Well…" She began, still smiling and looking back at the moon. "…I don't think it's my job, and I don't really have a past-time. Maybe it's that love thing?"
"Maybe…"
She sighed and looked back at James. "Wow. That's really interesting to think about. I didn't know you knew about all that spiritual stuff."
"It's just my beliefs, everyone has them. What do you believe in?"
"I don't know. To tell you the truth I've never stopped and thought about it."
"Never? What about where we came from?"
Jessie smirked. "James. I know where we came from. I learnt that a long time ago."
James' face went red.
"I didn't mean like that. I meant you know, the whole human race. Where did it begin? Why did it begin?"
Jessie looked back at the sky. "Well, no. Ugh! It's all too confusing."
James laughed and lay down. "Tell me about it!"
Jessie lay down too and turned her head to look at him. "But I do like your belief thing. Mind if I go with that?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
"PSSST! Hey youse guys!"
Both Jessie and James sat up.
"What is it Meowth?"
"SHHHHH! Just come here!"
James and James stood up and walked over to Meowth. They knelt down on the grass beside him and looked at him.
"What, what is it Meowth?" Jessie whispered.
"You are not going to believe this! Take a look!"
Jessie peered through the binoculars and nearly dropped them in surprise. There, in the middle of the camp, was Brock and May… making out.
"Yuck! That is so disgusting!"
Jessie went to hand the binoculars to James but he simply pushed them away.
"I can see from here." He said, disgusted then turning away.
"Once da little, little twerp went ta bed, they went at it like nobody's business! Ugh! I can't look no more!"
"They've got to be kidding!" Jessie had the binoculars in front of her eyes again. "He's what, 3, 4 years older than her?"
"Well, when you put it that way Jessie, it's not that much…" James had started watching them again.
"Hey maybe it's their purpose… to be together. Eh James?"
"Ugh. Let's to go too far…"
Jessie giggled. "I was only joking."
"Jess. Can I go ta bed now? I tink you've put me through enough, don't you?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Go on."
Meowth walked back to the tent and crawled inside.
Once Jessie heard the zip of the tent she leant against James and put her head on his shoulder.
"It's kind of cute though… don't you think?"
"No… sorry Jess. I don't think so. Brock's just girl crazy."
"Well, I mean after so long then found each other." She hinted.
James stood up and crossed his arms. "Nope. It's just creepy."
Jessie sighed and stood up too. She began to make her way back to the smouldering fire.
"Hey…" James followed her. "What's the matter?"
She plopped herself down and sighed again.
"You wouldn't understand."
James sat down beside her and smiled. "Try me."
"Well, your belief thing has got me thinking."
"About what?"
"My purpose."
"What about it?"
"Well, it's not my job and it's not my past-time…but with the person that I love, it's all complicated."
"It's doesn't have to be those. They were just some examples I could think of."
"But I want it to be the person that I love."
"What, wait… back up. You love someone?"
Jessie looked at him and smirked.
"Yeah."
"What! Who? Do they work for Team Rocket?"
"Yeah."
"Who is it?"
"I… can't say."
James raised an eyebrow, but for his own safety, he let it go. "Well then, tell me why it's complicated."
"Because I don't know if they like me in return."
"Well, have you asked them?"
"No."
James laughed. "Well then how are they supposed to know you like them?"
Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Well you hardly walk right up to someone and ask them whether they like you or not do you?"
"Yes. Then you get your answer and you can work on it from there."
Jessie crossed her arms and her face began to heat up. "Fine then… Do you like me James?"
"That's the way Jessie! See? It's not that bad. Now just, do it to that guy you like."
Jessie sighed impatiently and stood up. "You just don't get it do you!"
"Get what?"
Jessie growled and walked toward the tent. "Goodnight, James."
"Hey wait!"
She kept walking.
"Jess! What's wrong?" He grabbed her wrist but she yanked it away.
"Forget it James. Just… let it go."
She unzipped the tent and walked inside. Finding her sleeping bag she unrolled it and sat down. Taking her gloves and boots off she found herself begin to cry. She wiped her face angrily and crawled into the sleeping bag facing the wall so no one would see her.
James, who had watched her, did the same. He took his boots and gloves off and crawled into his sleeping bag. Once in, he edged himself closer to Jessie.
"Please tell me what's wrong Jessie." He whispered.
"Go away James. Just go to sleep!" She whispered forcefully back.
"But, I don't like seeing you upset."
"Then don't look at me."
There was silence for a moment until James got an idea.
"If you tell me what's wrong Jessie, I'll make you breakfast in the morning."
Jessie stopped to think about it.
"Pancakes?"
James smiled. "Anything you want."
She slowly rolled over but didn't look up at him.
"With maple syrup?"
James lifted her chin up with his finger to look at her.
"If you tell me what's wrong…"
Jessie stared into his eyes. They were so persuading and, with just the touch of his finger under her chin she was melting. She wanted to spill it all out, tell him how she felt. But, she paced herself. She gave a weak smile and whispered.
"James, do you like me?"
"Yeah, of course I like you. You're my best friend."
He face fell. Best friend?
James noticed.
"What? Don't you want me to?"
"No. Not like that."
Something finally clicked in James' head. The pieces all fell into place. His face broke into a big grin.
"Jessie… do you like me?"
Jessie stayed quiet, her eyes looked down and a blush appeared on her face.
"You do! You like me, don't you!"
Jessie mutely nodded. Her blush growing.
"So that 'Team Rocket' member…?"
Jessie looked up and smiled.
"Is me?"
She nodded.
"Wow."
"Wow?"
"Well… I mean, I've always had feelings for you Jessie, but I didn't think you felt the same way."
Jessie suddenly looked at him. "What? Y-you like me too?"
"Jessie… I love you."
Jessie smiled. "I love you too. Awww!" Jessie jumped up out of the sleeping bag and out of the tent.
"Wait! Jess, where are you going?" James got up too and followed her.
"Oh James, I'm so happy!"
James smiled and walked over to her. Jessie clung on to him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Jessie?"
Jessie looked up at James and in one swift move he pressed his lips to hers. Jessie closed her eyes, James did the same and they lost themselves in each other's arms.
Jessie watched as James placed a plate of pancakes on her lap.
"Wat's da special occasion, Jim?" Meowth shoved a fork full of pancake into his mouth.
"No special occasion…" James looked over at Jessie and smiled. "Just happy… that's all."
The End